NBA Trade Rumors: Analyzing Buzz on Goran Dragic, Enes Kanter and More
It has already been a busy trade season, but that doesn't mean teams are done wheeling and dealing.
In the East, Charlotte, Miami, Brooklyn, Boston, Detroit and Indiana—all fighting for the last two playoff spots—are separated by just two games. Most of those squads have little chance of making a deep run in the postseason, but the weakness of the conference means that almost anyone could justify becoming a buyer at the deadline.
Over in the West, there are 10 teams fighting for eight spots, and all of them seem intent on one-upping each other. The Dallas Mavericks made a move for Rajon Rondo. Then Houston added Corey Brewer and later signed Josh Smith. The Thunder and Grizzlies got into the action, swinging three-way deals for Dion Waiters and Jeff Green, respectively.
With very little separation in the middle of the pack, as well as significant injuries to Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin, there's a good chance most Western contenders will stay very active.
As we approach the Feb. 19 trade deadline, let's take a look at the latest gossip from around the Association.
Suns Want a First-Rounder for Goran Dragic
The Phoenix Suns have three point guards who are averaging at least 25.0 minutes per game. Two of them signed multi-year contracts in the offseason. The other is Goran Dragic.
Unsurprisingly, the latter is the source of the newest rumor, via the Racine Journal Times' Gery Woelfel:
The Suns have an interesting decision to make. By signing Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas, they have pretty much assured that Dragic, who has a 2015-16 player option, will be entering free agency next season. So, trading him now for a first-round pick instead of losing him for nothing makes plenty of sense.
However, Jeff Hornacek's squad is currently in eighth place in the West. They have been struggling, but trading away Dragic almost assures them of missing the playoffs. Moreover, with four players who are 21 or younger, and Bogdan Bogdanovic likely coming over next year, the team isn't exactly desperate for more draft picks.
General manager Ryan McDonough, however, recently admitted to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's Burns and Gambo that "we are a little too backcourt heavy," and it wouldn't be a shock if the Suns ultimately moved Dragic for assets while they still can.
As for suitors, Dragic's potentially expiring contract complicates matters, but teams would be wise to get the 28-year-old at a discount and worry about free agency later.
Despite seeing the ball much less this year, Dragic is still averaging a solid 16.2 points and 4.1 assists per game. He is a menace offensively, capable of beating opponents off the dribble, knocking down open shots and converting at the rim better than almost any other player in the league.
According to NBA.com, he is fifth among all guards in field goals made per game from less than five feet. On those particular shots, he is converting at a ridiculous 68.2 percent, which isn't far off from bigs like Anthony Davis (72.0) and DeAndre Jordan (73.4).
Dragic has mostly played shooting guard in Phoenix. Get him into a role in which he's the primary ball-handler, and he has the offensive gifts to score 20 per night. That's easily worth a first-round pick.
Enes Kanter Wants Out of Utah
This is another problem complicated by a crowded roster. Here's a look at how Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert's minutes have changed throughout the last couple of months:
| 30.1 | December | 21.7 |
| 27.6 | January | 27.6 |
| 26.3 | February | 25.1 |
After playing 18 minutes on Wednesday night, Kanter reportedly told The Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron Falk he wants to be moved before the trade deadline. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News noted that this has been brewing for a while:
"Kanter’s agent, fellow Turk Max Ergul, has been trying to get the 6-foot-11 big man traded from Utah for years, according to a source with knowledge on the subject.
Kanter's camp has “really turned up the heat” on Jazz management for a trade in recent weeks, the source added.
"
Not that the Jazz should adhere to the demands of 22-year-olds, but moving Kanter is easily justifiable.
The big man will be a restricted free agent in the summer, and the emergence of Gobert, who has developed into one of the league's best rim protectors, makes it easy to part ways.
On the other side of things, Kanter is an enticing target. He is a talented offensive player and still has plenty of room to get better. Moreover, the ability for his team to match an offer sheet makes his looming restricted free agency much easier to handle.
Magic Shopping Andrew Nicholson Around the League
This one comes from ESPN's Marc Stein:
Andrew Nicholson, who was drafted No. 19 overall in the 2012 draft, is averaging just 8.9 minutes per game and hasn't played since Jan. 10. Orlando, which has Nikola Vucevic, Channing Frye, Kyle O'Quinn and Aaron Gordon, just isn't finding a use for him.
But another team certainly could.
The St. Bonaventure product has shown promise in his first three seasons, averaging 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. He has a nice offensive skill set, and even if he doesn't ultimately work out, it would likely be a low-risk move at a very cheap price for any potential trade partners.
Don't be surprised if some team kicks the tires on this one.
