NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Trade Buzz on Lance Stephenson, Dion Waiters and More
The NBA rumor mill never takes a day off.
With Charlotte Hornets star Lance Stephenson and the Cleveland Cavaliers' Dion Waiters just a few notable names making the rounds, who can blame it?
Not only that, the Miami Heat join the Cavaliers as alleged contenders on the hunt for upgrades through any avenue necessary at this point of the season.
Below is a look at the most notable nuggets of the holiday season so far. Strap in, as they figure to be just the beginning.
Dion Waiters Stuck?
This is old news with a dash of fresh air for good measure.
Folks know that Waiters is on the trade block. The Syracuse product is a strange fit at this point, and it makes loads of sense to ship him away in exchange for a big man underneath who can bolster the defensive efforts of the league's 14th-ranked scoring defense.
It is common knowledge that folks such as ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst note that the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets are just two of the teams the Cavaliers have been in contact with concerning this matter.
Perhaps the most interesting nugget from the report is that Windhorst suggests other teams are shy on Waiters because of his inability to embrace his role with the Cavaliers:
"But even if that’s not the way it plays out, the Cavs could really use Waiters to turn a corner this season and increase his trade value so they can perhaps satisfy both parties. Currently, Waiters' trade value in the league is not strong and some of that is because he has a reputation as not being so willing to fit into that role.
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Granted, Waiters is only 23 years old and currently averages a career-low 10.4 points on 41 percent shooting.
It makes sense that teams feel a certain hesitation. The flashes are there, though, as Waiters has a minimum of 19 points in three of his last four games. Even LeBron James believes he continues to develop, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com:
"I mean, he's learning every day. He's a young guy. He hasn't experienced much in this league. For him to have a game like he did today, we needed it. We needed a spark off the bench. He was aggressive, he was decisive with what he wanted to do, and it was a huge, huge boost for our bench.
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A work in progress or not, teams that consider an investment on Waiters know that he is a project with high upside. This is how things work when a team that wants to improve in a youthful manner needs to take on what contenders want to shed.
That seems to be the case here. All that remains is a single team of the mind to roll the dice.
No Indiana-Stephenson Reunion
Do the Hornets already want out of their relationship with the polarizing Stephenson?
The 24-year-old guard averages just 10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists this year on 39 percent shooting from the field. His name has rumbled a few times without serious traction already, which makes sense with the Hornets in a hole at nine games under .500.
Now there seems to be a bit of smoke. ESPN's Marc Stein offered a bit of insight into the situation recently:
This comes after Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski noted that the trade market is not what Charlotte thought it would be for the young star.
Stephenson can be a productive piece in the right situation, but his role with the Hornets is a mess. If the rumblings out of the Pacers organization are true, his polarizing personality is not helping the Hornets should they truly want to give up on him so early in the relationship.
Even if the Pacers want to bring back Stephenson, the cap situation requires a third team to jump in the talks to make things work.
Expect the Stephenson saga to continue for quite some time.
Josh Smith in the Heat
Three games under .500 and hobbled, the Heat want to make a move.
With big man Josh McRoberts likely out for the season, per the team itself on Twitter, an eyebrow-raising possibility has been set in motion.
According to Stein, the Heat have an eye for recently released Josh Smith:
Let go as the Detroit Pistons shift gears toward a younger approach, the 29-year-old veteran still has value considering averages of 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
As Stein notes in a full write-up, though, there are a number of teams in the hunt for Smith's services at this point, including the Houston Rockets and good friend Dwight Howard.
Still, an opportunity to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat is something Smith may have difficulty passing up once he potentially becomes a free agent. The defensive fit in Erik Spoelstra’s scheme is strong, and he would play to his strengths beneath the basket on the offensive side of the court.
Let the waiting game begin.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
