NBA Trade Rumors: Rumblings on Arron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler and More
Slower than the Los Angeles Lakers' multiyear rebuilding effort, the wait for the 2015 NBA trade deadline continues to drag.
As a result, all sorts of names continue to find themselves in the spotlight, even if most would rather focus on next offseason's free agency and what-if scenarios that surround Kevin Love and others.
This trade deadline in particular seems more active than usual, though. In normal years, the deadline passes with a whimper. This time, there appears to be some bark and bite, which is what happens when the Lakers and the New York Knicks are laughably bad and a team as sound as the Oklahoma City Thunder is on the outside of the playoff race.
At the very least, the slow burn toward the deadline does not lack for entertainment.
Arron Afflalo's Price Tag
The drama between the Denver Nuggets and guard Arron Afflalo will never cease, or so it seems now that the team traded him and then re-acquired him.
Now, it sounds as if the Nuggets want to ship him away again, per The Denver Post's Chris Dempsey:
"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. Afflalo has a player option for the final year of his contract.
It is a snag that prevented Afflalo from being dealt to Charlotte, sources said.
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This seems to be the sort of situation that irons itself out right at the deadline. The asking price seems high, sure, but it is one a potential contender may see fit to match in order to chase a ring.
To that end, the 29-year-old Afflalo offers plenty of value. He still averages a 14.9/1.9/3.5 slash line on 43 percent shooting from the field.
While it is true that Afflalo may be a half-season rental in exchange for a top pick, that is the price contenders must be willing to pay. If not, the Nuggets seem content to get either a first-round pick or nothing at all before he likely heads to the open market.
Raptors on the Hunt
The 35-win Toronto Raptors want to distance themselves from the pack.
Usually an afterthought when it comes to trade chatter, thanks to the stinginess of the front office, rumblings surrounding the organization are on fire at the moment. Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler provides the details:
"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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Much of the frantic search for an upgrade stems from one simple fact—the championship window is unexpectedly wide open in the Eastern Conference with Cleveland only just starting to bounce back and Atlanta as the top dog.
As Kyler notes, the Raptors have plenty of expiring deals to trade away, including Amir Johnson and Landry Fields, among others. There are also plenty of draft selections to offer as bait.
For his part, coach Dwane Casey remains level-headed about the situation, as captured by Megan Robinson of Sportsnet590 The Fan:
Now, the Raptors may not be able to secure a major name, such as David West or Kenneth Faried.
Truthfully, Casey's current roster is solid enough to make a serious run. A complementary power forward who joins the team at the deadline, though, certainly could not hurt.
Wilson Chandler on the Move?
Move back to those Nuggets because some around the league seem to have an interest in DePaul product Wilson Chandler.
Those Nuggets, of course, seem to want a first-round pick in exchange for the 27-year-old forward, as Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy explains: "A number of teams have expressed interest in Wilson Chandler, including the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. It’s believed that Denver wants a first-round pick back in any deal involving Chandler."
Chandler provides an obvious value to contenders. As a workhorse who averages 31.7 minutes, he posts a slash line of 13.7/1.5/6.1 and a PER of 12.27, according to ESPN.com.
Portland seems to make the most sense for Chandler right now. Depth behind Nicolas Batum is spotty, and Chandler only has one year left on his current contract with little in the way of guaranteed cash, per Spotrac.
While the cost is a bit steep, Chandler brings proven production and superb cap flexibility for the future to any team he may join. Expect the rumblings to pick up closer to the deadline.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
