NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz on Brook Lopez, Michael Carter-Williams and More
We have approached the point of the regular season where teams start to panic, causing a flurry of potential moves around the league.
Whether a squad has had a slow start to the year or the front office simply believes more pieces are necessary to create a deep run in the playoffs, midseason trades often make the difference. Of course, there are just as many examples of organizations overpaying for a meaningless addition.
Only time will tell which moves pay off, but fans should be alert about the possibility of these players being dealt in the coming weeks.
Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets
Things have not gone well for the Brooklyn Nets this season, as the squad is far under .500 and not looking like the contenders it was expecting to be at this point. With the core of the team getting older and not any better, it might be time to break things up and start fresh.
One way to do that is to deal the franchise's best asset in Brook Lopez. According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com, the Nets are considering offers for the 26-year-old center:
Youngmisuk previously reported that Brooklyn had discussed a potential deal that would have sent Lopez to the Oklahoma City Thunder:
After losing seven games in a row, however, the Nets can re-evaluate the current situation. Lopez is currently averaging just 14.6 points per game, which would be the lowest since his rookie season. Meanwhile, he has dealt with plenty of injuries over his career that have limited his time on the court.
Gaining value for the center while he still has some might not be the worst idea.
On the other hand, the Miami Heat could add some much-needed size inside for a team currently ranked dead last in the NBA in rebounds per game. Although they might not be a contender without LeBron James, the Heat should still be able to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are clearly in the process of rebuilding, but most seemed to believe Michael Carter-Williams would be a part of the future. However, this doesn't seem to be the case, according to ESPN's Chad Ford:
"I've heard a lot of rumblings from GMs that Carter-Williams is available. There are some in ownership and in the front office, though not all, that don't see him as a long-term piece of the puzzle. There was a lot of chatter that direction before the draft and in the past few weeks I know several teams have had exploratory discussions with the Sixers.
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Carter-Williams has put up good numbers in his young career with very little help around him, although his efficiency has not been great. In 30 games this year, he has made just 38.1 percent of his shots from the field, including 23.7 percent from three-point range.
His player efficiency rating of 11.9 is just fifth on his own team, which is not good considering how bad the 76ers have been this season.
As Matt Moore of CBS Sports explains, "The point guard position has become so stacked in the league at this point that finding a team that would consider MCW an upgrade over their current starter."
The former Syracuse star is a quality starter, but he is far from a star, making it difficult for any team to give up a lot in a trade. Still, it makes sense for the 76ers to see what is out there as they continue to pile up draft picks for the future.
Brandon Jennings and Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons
The Los Angeles Lakers are not going to challenge for a championship this season, and even making the playoffs would be a tremendous stretch. However, they can start preparing for the future by grabbing quality pieces through trades.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles, they are discussing a few potential trades involving the Detroit Pistons:
This past offseason was ugly for Greg Monroe, as the restricted free agent ended up signing a qualifying offer instead of a long-term deal. However, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders speculated about the potential that he still sticks around with the organization:
The forward is currently averaging a team high of 15.1 points per game to go with 9.6 rebounds per game and is one of the more consistent players in the league at his position. Still, he could get a fresh start with the Lakers and be one of the future pieces the team could build around.
On the other hand, a Lakers trade involving Brandon Jennings makes less sense. Although they need a point guard for the future, Jennings has done little to show he can be the main ball-handler for an elite team and has been too inconsistent throughout his career.
If Los Angeles does make a move, it better be for minimal cost and purely involving the upside.
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