NBA Trade Rumors: Rumblings and Buzz from Around the Association
The NBA trade deadline is a little more than a week away, which means the rumors, speculation and sources are going to start flying at you at dizzying rates.
Much of the talk will fizzle into nothing, but there will be some rumors—mostly the bombs from Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski—that ultimately come to fruition.
Currently, it's a bit of a calm before the storm. There isn't a whole lot of buzz right now, but considering the extremely active trade season we've already witnessed, it shouldn't be long before things start to get a bit hectic.
Until that happens, let's take a look at the current rumblings.
Nuggets Shopping Arron Afflalo
The Denver Nuggets want all of the first-round picks.
Already in possession of two Cleveland first-rounders from the Timofey Mozgov trade, general manager Tim Connelly is reportedly seeking another in exchange for shooting guard Arron Afflalo. The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey has the latest:
"The Nuggets are holding firm to seeking a first-round pick from teams wanting to trade for shooting guard Arron Afflalo, according to NBA sources.
There have been no takers, although interest remains high for Afflalo’s services. Teams don’t want to relinquish a first-rounder for a player that might walk on them at the end of the season.
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Afflalo's deal runs through the 2015-16 season, but he owns a player option for next year. As Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler noted, reports that he intends to opt out will serve as a significant road block:
It's going to be interesting to see who cracks first.
Do the Nuggets, who are in rebuilding mode and could potentially lose Afflalo for nothing after the season, decrease the asking price if they continue to get no takers? Or does a playoff-bound team, likely in need of the kind of scoring punch Afflalo can provide, offer a first-rounder and hope he opts in?
Afflalo's player efficiency rating (PER) of 12.0, which is his worst mark since the 2009-10 season, doesn't help Denver's quest for a first-rounder.
Ultimately, though, it wouldn't be surprising if a contender made the move to get him. He would be a very good third or fourth option on a winning team, as he was during his first stint with Denver.
Raptors Looking for a Big Man
After a tough start to January, the Toronto Raptors have turned things around with eight wins in their last 10. They now have a relatively strong grip on second place in the Eastern Conference.
But that doesn't mean GM Masai Ujiri—never one to be shy about wheeling and dealing—is going to stay firm over the next week. According to Kyler, the Raptors are in the market for a big man:
"The Raptors are one of several teams sniffing around for a roster upgrade, specifically at the power forward spot. A few names continue to surface around league sources when talking about Toronto, the biggest being Indiana’s David West, the next is Chicago’s Taj Gibson, then Denver’s Kenneth Faried and then there is a long list of B and C tier names that Toronto might consider at the deadline if all else fails.
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Specifically, the Raptors could use a defensive upgrade. They are 21st in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions. Among the teams with a worse mark, per NBA.com, only the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently in a playoff spot.
Here's a look at how the rumored potential targets have fared defensively this season, via NBA.com:
| Player | DefRatOn | DefRatOff | Dif | FG% | Blks/36 |
| David West, Ind | 104.1 | 99.6 | -4.5 | 48.3 | 0.9 |
| Taj Gibson, Chi | 102.4 | 101.8 | -0.6 | 41.4 | 1.7 |
| Kenneth Faried, Den | 105.9 | 103.7 | -2.2 | 46.1 | 0.9 |
Note: DefRatOn/DefRatOff = team's defensive rating when player is on/off the court; FG% = field goal percentage of opponent when being guarded by player.
Taj Gibson would seemingly be the best choice for a defensive upgrade, but according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley, the Bulls aren't shopping the big man.
Kenneth Faried is another option who would bring a ton of energy and athleticism to that side of the ball, and the Raptors have the draft picks and expiring contracts that could potentially sway a rebuilding Denver side. But according to Kyler, the Raps aren't offering much.
Should Toronto stay put with its current roster, that would be just fine with shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, via the Toronto Sun's Ryan Wolstat:
"We’re still second in the East. We’re not a team fighting for the playoffs, in 10th place. We don’t look at that factor playing in anything right now. If it happens, it happens, then we have to deal with it then, but I think we’re not panicking or nothing like that.
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Never count Ujiri out, but the Raptors clearly aren't in a hurry to make a change.
Goran Dragic on the Block
The Phoenix Suns obviously like hogging guards, but according to Sporting News's Sean Deveney, there is a belief they may use that depth to address other needs:
"While there has been nothing serious in terms of deals that have been close, as the Suns' hold on a playoff spot in the West slips away, there is a sense that they'll pull the trigger on something that can bring in the kind of perimeter-shooting big man they lost when Channing Frye left in free agency. Gerald Green (a free agent) is a trade possibility, but Dragic (also a free agent) would net a better return.
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An ultra-efficient player who can play both guard positions, Goran Dragic is going to attract a ton of interest if he is actually available.
He has seen his usage drop as he shares time with Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas, but he's still averaging 16.2 points and 4.1 assists per contest. He is also 11th among all guards in effective field-goal percentage.
However, odds are Phoenix won't budge—not only does Dragic have a player option for next season that could complicate things for potential suitors, but the Suns can't really throw away one of their best players when they still have a realistic shot to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
They currently sit eighth in the Western Conference.
Statistics courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.
