NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Whispers Surfacing Around the Association
Two widely different NBA players highlight the latest round of NBA trade rumors.
While it's fun to imagine basketball's brightest stars swapping places, it's more practical to explore role players—particularly those on struggling teams—who can offer depth to a championship-caliber team. Corey Brewer and J.R. Smith have that in common but little else.
Smith can light up the scoreboard, but he'll also take shots that will force viewers to introduce their foreheads to the palms of their hands. For better or for worse, Brewer will never steal the show, but he's a well-rounded perimeter player who can help in small doses.
Let's take a gander about speculation surrounding both shooting guards.
Timberwolves Could Move Corey Brewer to Contender
Trading Kevin Love expanded the Minnesota Timberwolves' rebuilding timetable even further, prompting them to again think long term with Andrew Wiggins as their building block.
Harboring no expectations of competing in a stacked Western Conference, they're looking to deal a solid veteran piece who can help a winning squad off the bench. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that the Timberwolves have dangled Brewer in front of multiple teams, with two contenders emerging as the top suitors.
"The Minnesota Timberwolves, fresh off heavy back-to-back losses in New Orleans and Dallas and in the latest indication of their growing focus on the future, are in active trade discussions with multiple contending teams pursuing veteran swingman Corey Brewer, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets have emerged as the most serious suitors for Brewer, whose arrival would be a notable boost for either team in terms of depth.
Minnesota is believed to be seeking future assets in exchange for Brewer as it tries to accelerate its rebuilding effort in the wake of trading star power forward Kevin Love to the Cavaliers in August. Both Cleveland and Houston possess a trade exception large enough to absorb Brewer's $4.7 million salary, meaning that both teams would likely be able to acquire Brewer by merely surrendering future draft compensation and without giving up any key players.
"
The 28-year-old wing player has scored 10.0 points per game throughout his career, posting 9.8 this season with a 47.1 field-goal percentage. A solid piece to a puzzle, he's expendable for a young team using this season to give rookie teenagers Wiggins and Zach LaVine meaningful minutes.
Either speculated trading partner would benefit from Brewer's service. Defense remains Cleveland's paramount concern, as it has surrendered 104.3 points per game and 110.8 points per 100 possessions, via Basketball-Reference.com. Brewer has absconded 1.4 steals per game over his career while stoutly guarding the perimeter.
Trevor Ariza has helped the Houston Rockets blossom into one of the NBA's premier defenses despite James Harden's spreading reputation as a major liability on the defensive end. Yet Houston fares much better with him on the court, allowing 96.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the hardwood and 105.5 without him, per 82games.com.
Dwight Howard manning the paint certainly helps, but the starters can't play 48 minutes. Jason Terry gives the Rockets instant offense off the bench, but they could use a two-way player to round out their reserve unit.
Since Cleveland or Houston could take on his salary, Minnesota does not need to worry about absorbing a bloated contract in return. Selling him for draft picks makes sense for a club vying for more lottery balls this season.
Knicks Shopping J.R. Smith
In the past two years, Smith has received suspensions for untying his opponents' shoelaces and hitting another in the groin. On Nov. 12, he ignored Carmelo Anthony to clunk a last-second three-pointer with the game on the line, as seen in the video above.
The 29-year-old isn't exactly the Big Apple's most beloved athlete, so it's not surprising to hear that the New York Knicks are willing to part ways with their frequent sixth man.
According to ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley, the Knicks continue to entertain notions of dealing the mercurial shooting guard:
For all his bizarre behavior on and off the court, Smith is quietly having a solid season under the triangle offense, shooting 43.9 percent from the floor in a subdued bench role. He broke out against the Denver Nuggets last Sunday, torching his former team for 28 points to snap New York's seven-game losing streak.
Questionable shot selections depict him as a selfish scorer, but he has also dished out a career-high 3.6 assists per contest under the pass-heavy regime of team president Phil Jackson and head coach Derek Fisher. Although often a headache, Smith if also frequently worth the hassle.
But the floundering 3-9 Knicks trail every team other than the winless Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference. Entrenched in a rebuilding season, Smith's 11.2 points per game won't save them from another losing season.
New Yorkers aren't known for their patience, but they must wait out this transitional year before erasing Andrea Bargnani's and Amare Stoudemire's massive contracts from the books. Jackson will want as much cap space as possible to pursue top free agents, but Smith can exercise a $6.4 million player option for 2015-16, per Spotrac.
Will anyone look past Smith's character concerns and bite on his talent? A league executive told ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor that the right organization could make it work.
"J.R. has had a lot of issues but he can be a big-time scorer when he's doing the right things. There's always a team out there willing to take a chance on somebody if they feel he can put them over the top, and there's no doubt J.R. can play. People are going to be concerned about chemistry issues in the locker room, so it would have to be a strong leadership and coaching staff that take him in.
"
Earlier in the month, the New York Post's Marc Berman reported of talks to send Smith to the Indiana Pacers and bring Chris Copeland back to the Knicks. Scoring just 91.9 points per possession, per Basketball-Reference.com, Indiana certainly needs an offensive spark with Paul George sidelined.
At 4-7, however, general manager Kevin Pritchard might not view his club as enough of a contender to take the gamble.
