NBA Rumors: Analyzing Buzz Surrounding Arron Afflalo, Amar'e Stoudemire and More
The NBA's trade deadline is fast approaching, and there's little time remaining for contenders to bolster their rosters for the playoffs and struggling squads to offload big contracts. As you can imagine, the rumor mill is churning with ferocity at this time of year.
There's already been a number of trades this season, most recently a deal that sent Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mo Williams to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Gary Neal, Troy Daniels and a future second-round pick. Rest assured, that won't be the last action we see before the deadline strikes.
That said, here's a look at a few interesting rumors that have recently surfaced from trusted sources around the Web.
Arron Afflalo
Afflalo returned to the Denver Nuggets this season after spending two years with the Orlando Magic; however, it appears his stay in the Mile-High City could be short-lived. The guard was already known to be on the trade block, as the Nuggets were looking for a first-round pick in return. That's a hefty price tag, but there may be takers.
According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, five different teams have already discussed the possibility of trading for Afflalo with Denver:
Afflalo is averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game this season; however, his efficiency has taken a bit of a slide, as he's shooting just 42.8 percent from the field. Although, those numbers could dramatically increase if he lands on a contending team with a better supporting cast.
The one thing teams must be wary of is the guard's contract. He is set to make $7.5 million next season, according to Spotrac.com, but he also has a player option and can opt out. This means a team could likely spend a first-round pick on gaining Afflalo's services for just half of a season.
Amar'e Stoudemire
Stoudemire's situation is a little different, as he isn't likely to go anywhere until after the Feb. 19 trade deadline passes. That's because after the deadline, buyout season officially begins, and according to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, the New York Knicks are likely to buy the center's remaining $23 million contract at a discounted price.
Writes Beck, "Stoudemire's representatives are pushing for a buyout, and the Knicks seem inclined to grant it, according to sources."
So, if Stoudemire is to become available, which teams may be interested in the veteran? Jordan Schultz of The Huffington Post tweeted one contender:
Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News reported another possibility: "In my column last night/today, I mentioned that the Warriors would definitely have some interest in Knicks PF Amare Stoudemire if he is bought out by New York in the next few weeks."
Both the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors make sense for Stoudemire, as each will be looking to add some depth and experience up front for their respective playoff pushes. While Stoudemire doesn't put up numbers like he used to, he's still a viable bench player. On the season, he's averaging 12.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54.9 percent from the floor.
Those will be very helpful numbers if the 32-year-old center can remain healthy.
Nik Stauskas
Stauskas was selected eighth overall in the 2014 draft by the Sacramento Kings due to the athletic ability and shooting prowess he displayed while at Michigan. Unfortunately, the guard's NBA career got off to a rather rocky start, as he is only shooting 32.9 percent from the floor while averaging 3.4 points per game this season.
There's still some upside to retaining Stauskas and allowing him to develop; however, the Kings don't appear to be willing to wait, as they are looking to trade the guard for a frontcourt player to complement DeMarcus Cousins, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweeted one potential trade partner:
If the Milwaukee Bucks are truly interested in getting a deal done, it's likely they could be thinking about sending forward Ersan Ilyasova to the Kings for Stauskas. At 6'10", Ilvasova has the size the Kings are looking for, and they should like the forward's ability to score from downtown.
Although, this deal would be a bit risky for the Bucks, as Milwaukee would be losing a solid rotational player to gain a developmental prospect. Considering the team is just three games out of first place in the Central Division and has been playing well lately, a potential playoff berth could be at stake.
