NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Heading into All-Star Weekend
Even with the NBA All-Star Game in New York on the horizon, the trade talk never stops in the Association—especially with the trade deadline fast approaching.
By the time teams take their midseason breaks and the league's best battle in a glorified pickup game, a handful of playoff-hopeful squads have already made their biggest moves. But with others hoping to pawn off high-value players for future assets and certain pieces not fitting in specific locations, plenty of moves still remain.
The clock is ticking, now with less than a week separating us from the February 19 deadline. Let's not waste any time and take a look at the hottest recent trade rumors.
Enes Kanter
In the case of NBA trade rumors, the reports more often than not—OK, almost only—come out through something like league sources, people close with Player X or some other anonymous tip. Very rarely do you hear anything definitive from the horse's mouth.
Well, that's exactly what has happened in Utah with center Enes Kanter.
The Jazz big man only played 18 minutes and was benched the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Mavericks, and he let years of frustration out afterward. He told the Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron Falk that he hopes to be traded by the deadline, while general manager Dennis Lindsey declined to comment to Falk after the game.
Not only was the statement to Falk unprecedented, but it was also perhaps against NBA rules as Bleacher Report's Howard Beck noted:
While the 6'11" Switzerland native who played (but didn't play) at Kentucky has come into his own over the last two seasons and started 48 of the Jazz's 49 games, there have been signs that he may not be a big part of the future. He's just one of three promising big men under 24 on the team, with Derrick Favors outshining him and quick riser Rudy Gobert taking more and more of his minutes.
But Kanter has continued his improvement despite that, and now he could be making his most important move yet, as told by Adi Joseph of USA Today:
A former No. 3 overall pick has more than proved his worth as a promising young frontcourt talent in his three-and-a-half years, but defensive issues have been apparent as he ranks 63rd out of 75 centers in ESPN.com's real plus-minus defensive rating.
Still, a big body with a rebounding and scoring prowess like Kanter will be a hot commodity for teams looking to deal before the deadline. At the ripe age of 22 as well, he can be a serviceable building block for teams not certain of their playoff chances in 2014-15.
From the sounds of it, all Kanter wants is a place to play more.
Arron Afflalo
The Denver Nuggets made a storyline-grabbing trade with the Orlando Magic over the offseason to bolster their backcourt with Arron Afflalo, but his play—along with the team's—has dropped since his arrival. With a playoff run all but an afterthought, the Nuggets appear to be sellers again.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne added the latest on Afflalo, which includes plenty of potential suitors:
Afflalo might want to purchase some realty in the rumor mill with how often he's been there over recent years. His name was repeatedly thrown around in Orlando, and even current head coach Brian Shaw publicly stated via the Denver Post that his team was fielding calls on Afflalo and Wilson Chandler back in January.
But hope could be on the horizon in the form of a playoff contender with a perimeter need. He could stay in the West and find plenty of bench minutes with Portland or the L.A. Clippers. There's always the opportunity for a larger role somewhere like Miami or Sacramento, but you can bet these last two experiences have him hungry for a taste of the postseason—something he isn't getting in Denver.
The real issue for one of those teams, however, is the fact that the Nuggets just received two first-round picks from Cleveland for young center Timofey Mozgov. It's hard to see Afflalo commanding anything less than a first-rounder, which is difficult to dole out when he has a player option.
Tayshaun Prince
When the Memphis Grizzlies traded Tayshaun Prince to the Boston Celtics, he went from serviceable rotation player of a title-contending team to an afterthought on a team in a full-on rebuild. But now that the deadline is nearing, teams are seeing him again as the former rather than the latter.
In fact, Prince is viewed as one of the most valuable players readily available on the market, according to scouts who spoke with the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett.
"As one source put it, “He knows how to play, and he’s played in big games. Someone hoping to make a playoff run is going to want him, even if it’s just for depth or insurance.”
The problem, according to conversations, is that clubs may hold their breath, keep the second-rounder the Celts are going to want and take their chances that Prince will be bought out if he’s not dealt by a week from Thursday.
"
So, it sounds like the Celtics' hands are somewhat tied.
It's common knowledge that Boston doesn't have much of a use for Prince, whose leadership and experience would be highly coveted in another setting but offers little for a Celtics team a few years from contention. If they don't pawn him off to the highest seller, Danny Ainge and Co. are almost guaranteed to let him and his $7 million contract go without any payback.
We might be talking nothing more than a second-rounder, but any draft assets should be well received for the Celtics—who need as many as they can possibly stockpile. And when a team out there might be needing Prince's impact, a second-round pick isn't too much to ask.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
