NBA Trade Rumors: Analyzing Buzz on Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and More
The entertaining All-Star weekend provided us with a nice break from regular-season action and trade-deadline drama, but NBA gossip never sleeps, and some fresh rumors have surfaced in the meantime.
Every team is in a different situation heading into the back half of the season. Some have the happy problem of being incredibly deep at one position but need to make moves to create balanced rosters. Others are looking for one key addition to help facilitate deep playoff runs. Finally, an unlucky few are simply looking to offload big contracts before rebuilding their rosters from scratch.
That kind of diversity makes the trade deadline an exciting time of year.
So, which players are likely on the move before the Feb. 19 buzzer sounds? Here's a look at a few recent rumors that shed some light on that question.
Goran Dragic
Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic hasn't been on the trade block long, but he's garnering plenty of interest. The Suns are looking for a first-round pick in exchange for Dragic, and, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, they may have a couple of takers:
"The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are among many teams expected to try to persuade the Phoenix Suns to part with star guard Goran Dragic before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, according to league sources.
Sources said that the Rockets, who let Dragic go in free agency in the summer of 2012 but have him high on their list of free-agent targets this summer, are prominent among the teams hoping to engage the Suns in serious discussions about Dragic before the league's annual trade buzzer next week.
The Lakers, meanwhile, also have coveted Dragic for some time and likewise are said to be intent on testing the Suns' resolve when it comes to their Slovenian point guard. Sources say L.A. plans to chase Dragic this summer anyway with an aggressive four-year offer that would be valued as high as an estimated $80 million if it approaches max-contract territory.
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Here we have a couple of teams that are interested in Dragic for different reasons.
Houston is a strong squad that has playoff aspirations this season. Adding Dragic to a backcourt that contains shooting guard James Harden almost seems unfair and would arguably make Houston a top contender for the remainder of the season.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, is in no shape to chase a playoff berth this season and is looking to rebuild for next year. Dragic would be viewed as an integral part of that process, and he would give the Lakers a foundation to build upon.
Dragic is set to make $7.5 million this season before hitting the open market during the summer, according to Spotrac. Rest assured, he'll command a large raise after a few prolific years in Phoenix. This season, he's averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the floor.
A first-round pick may be enough to snag the prolific guard from the Suns, but a max contract may be what it takes to keep him around for an extended period of time.
Isaiah Thomas
The Suns have a talented and crowded backcourt, and while it's a blessing to have that kind of depth, the team is in a difficult position when it comes to strengthening its roster in other areas. I already mentioned the team's stance on Dragic, but if Phoenix had a choice, it would rather trade Isaiah Thomas before the deadline, according to Stein:
Phoenix will be looking to make a push for the playoffs over the second half of the season, but it will need to get stronger up front to contend in the postseason. Moving Thomas, a capable rotational player, could be the answer.
This season, Thomas is averaging 15.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per game. He's shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from downtown. Those are respectable numbers worthy of his current four-year, $27 million deal.
Teams looking for a backcourt boost could view Thomas as a cheaper alternative to Dragic, making this a somewhat plausible scenario for the Suns. However, don't expect a deal involving Thomas to happen long before the deadline, as Phoenix will continue to explore all avenues.
Enes Kanter
Former first-round pick Enes Kanter has enjoyed consistent success with the Utah Jazz, and in his fourth year in the NBA, he's averaging 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor. While he's playing well, he doesn't appear happy with his situation in Utah.
According to Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune, Kanter is hoping the team will trade him.
That came as a bit of a surprise; however, it didn't take long for a rumor of a potential suitor to surface.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweeted about a team that is currently "monitoring" the situation:
The Boston Celtics were involved in a big trade earlier this season, moving Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks. Due to the team's inconsistency up front, relying heavily on a number of combinations, having interest in Kanter makes plenty of sense.
Kanter is set to make just shy of $5.7 million this season, however, and if Boston doesn't think he'll be a significant long-term upgrade, it's unlikely Danny Ainge will bust open his checkbook.
