NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Deron Williams, Goran Dragic and More
Even while the NBA trade deadline sits a few months away, the Rajon Rondo trade illustrates a growing trend among organizations.
Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge seemed to realize that holding on to the former All-Star point guard and attempting to extract more value was only going to lower the C's ultimate haul, necessitating the trade that gives Rondo nearly three-quarters of the season to get acclimated to his new surroundings in Dallas.
Likewise, trade speculation surrounding some big names is heating up as teams attempt to make significant moves up (or down) the standings. There is still enough time left in the regular season for a team to integrate a huge piece into its roster in the hopes of playoff or championship contention.
Let's analyze the latest buzz surrounding a trio of guards who could make a big difference down the stretch.
D-Will to Sacramento?
The Brooklyn Nets' ambitions of championship contention have gone awry the past two years, and once again an expensive squad is floundering as the current No. 8 seed in the woeful Eastern Conference.
To save money, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski suggests that Brooklyn could look to unload All-Star point guard Deron Williams, with the Sacramento Kings particularly standing out as potential trading partners:
"The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings are discussing a deal centered on former All-Star guard Deron Williams, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
No deal is imminent, but the talks are ongoing, sources told Yahoo Sports.
The talks have centered on sending the Nets point guard Darren Collison and forwards Derrick Williams and Jason Thompson as part of a multi-player package for Williams, league sources said.
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Williams has regressed significantly from his Salt Lake City heyday, as his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) has been on a steady three-year decline. This season, his 16.9 PER suggests a barely above-average player, the byproduct of declining shooting percentages and assist rates.
However, while the trio of Collison, Williams and Thompson would provide the Nets a combination of future upside and established talent to remain playoff contenders, the Kings appear to covet young center Mason Plumlee as well. That looks like the main sticking point in the deal at the moment:
The Nets will not have their own consecutive first-round picks until 2019 and 2020 as a result of the trade for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (among others) two summers ago. Consequently, it makes little sense to sacrifice one of their few promising young pieces, especially if the goal is to unload salary.
Plumlee represents efficient, cheap talent the Nets will need to get their books in order. The Kings could use some established talent as they try to move toward respectability (while also convincing DeMarcus Cousins to stay long-term), so expect Sacramento to budge more on its demands if talks do progress.
Dragic Getting Attention
After nearly pulling off a Cinderalla run toward a postseason berth in a brutally tough Western Conference last season, the Phoenix Suns have been a significant disappointment this year.
Consequently, CBS Sports' Ken Berger reports that opposing teams are looking to break up the Suns' point guard logjam by taking Goran Dragic off Phoenix's hands:
"The Phoenix Suns, who beat the lowly Knicks 99-90 on Saturday, are in a bit of a quagmire with free agent-to-be Goran Dragic, rival executives say. Multiple teams already are inquiring as to what it would take to break up the Suns' three-guard rotation of Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas -- with Dragic, a prospective free agent, garnering the most attention. Coincidentally, executives have gotten the impression that Dragic is the one Phoenix would most like to keep if they do, indeed, decide to make a move.
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There's still reason to believe that the Suns might want to hang on to a player who won the Most Improved Player award last year en route to a third-team All-NBA selection. For one, as Berger notes, Phoenix is 11-6 when the three-guard rotation of Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas are all healthy.
Moreover, with huge spikes expected in the salary cap because of the new TV deals, long-term deals for all three might not be so unpalatable.
Nevertheless, that kind of quirky roster construction might perpetuate Phoenix's woes along the wings. As such, there's a growing sentiment that with Thomas and Bledsoe locked in for the foreseeable future, moving Dragic could be necessary for the sake of a balanced lineup:
"Do you know how insane it would have been to suggest Dragic would be traded, even three months ago? Now it seems headed-towards-inevitable
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 21, 2014"
For what it's worth, Phoenix is only averaging about two fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last year, falling from eighth to 11th this season. A three-game winning streak has propelled the Suns back up to ninth in the West, with only the underdog New Orleans Pelicans sitting ahead. For now, it's unlikely Dragic will move unless Phoenix slumps again and falls entirely out of the postseason race.
No Pacers Reunion for Stephenson?
Signing Lance Stephenson to a three-year, $27.4 million pact looked like a relatively low-risk move for the Charlotte Hornets this offseason, but Stephenson's antics and depressed production has already put him on the trading block.
His old team was previously mentioned as potential partners for Charlotte, but ESPN's Marc Stein suggests that a reunion with the Indiana Pacers is unlikely:
Despite the Pacers' struggles without alpha dog Paul George this season, it makes little sense for Indy to sacrifice its long-term rebuilding project to welcome back a player who was one of the faces of the Pacers' second-half collapse last season. Stephenson has significantly regressed from his previous two-year stretch, highlighted by a putrid 10.4 PER that suggests a replacement-level player.
Moreover, with George Hill eventually set to return, the Pacers don't exactly have a spot in the starting lineup for Stephenson. Most tellingly, his old teammates are reportedly opposed to his return, confirming the animosity that appeared so palpable last spring:
The Pacers understand Stephenson's downside as well as any team, as he has now torpedoed the chemistry for two consecutive squads. He is unlikely to propel Indiana back to legitimate Finals contention, even in the East, meaning that Stephenson will likely remain mired in Charlotte for a few more weeks.
All stats via Basketball-Reference.com.
