NBA Rumors: Examining League's Trade Talk Ahead of Deadline Day
The 2015 NBA trade deadline is now just a few days away (Feb. 19). Although the action really hasn't picked up quite yet in terms of player movement, a buzz is building. Work is seemingly being done behind the scenes to see if any major deals can be made.
It's an interesting deadline this year because so many teams are still involved. Instead of one or two clear title favorites, there's a large group of teams with legitimate hope of a deep playoff run. That's good news for teams looking to sell, as prices could rise with all those front offices looking to buy.
There are more questions than answers about who's truly available and the price tags at this stage. It should make for an intriguing couple of days before the deadline. Let's check out some of the latest rumors making their way around the league as the waiting game continues.
Lopez is no stranger to finding himself involved in trade talk. He's been a frequent target throughout his career, including earlier this season, but still remains with the Brooklyn Nets. Whether that will change over the next few days is one of the deadline's biggest mysteries.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News reports Brooklyn hasn't become engaged in any serious talks about Lopez after discussions with the Oklahoma City Thunder fell short last month. A league source summed up the situation for him:
"I wouldn't say it is dead. But there has not been very much movement on it to this point. (Nets general manager) Billy King is giving off the vibe that he is fine with keeping the guy and trying to build around him. It is not coming off like they're having some kind of fire sale out there.
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Of course, King could simply be trying to boost the potential return with that stance. Lopez is playing the fewest minutes of his career, and his scoring is down as a result. In turn, teams are probably trying to make buy-low offers the Nets aren't willing to accept.
The Thunder, who are in a tight playoff race, still make sense. Deveney lists the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets as other interested teams. Given the lack of offensively efficient big men compared to the high demand, it wouldn't be a shock to see a team finally step up to give Brooklyn what it wants.
Lawson is tied with John Wall for the league lead in assists per game. It's the highlight of perhaps his best season to date as he hits his prime at age 27. Add in the fact he's under contract for a couple more years and it's a bit surprising to see him involved in trade talk.
Zach Lowe of Grantland states the Nuggets aren't openly shopping Lawson, or fellow trade target Kenneth Faried, around the league. Instead, they are sitting back and waiting to see if anybody is willing to make a monster offer for them:
"The more interesting questions surround Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Denver isn’t shopping those guys, but Jusuf Nurkic is the only true untouchable on the roster, per several league sources who have dealt with the Nuggets. The sense around the league is that you could land Lawson or Faried with a Godfather offer. They are gettable. Boston and Denver have had exploratory talks about Lawson, per several sources.
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The Boston Celtics connection is an interesting one. They traded Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks in December and none of the players who have tried to replace him have been too effective. Lawson could return distribution ability to the lineup for a team still involved in the playoff race thanks to the weak East.
It's still a long shot, though. The Nuggets understand trying to replace Lawson would be a tricky task. They would need to get a king's ransom in order to even consider the deal. But at the very least it's something to consider for desperate teams as a the deadline nears.
Enes Kanter
Kanter has been on a steady ascent during his first handful of years in the NBA. He came into the league as a raw prospect out of Kentucky, though he's become far more efficient as he gains experience. Now the question is whether the Utah Jazz will be rewarded for their patience.
The trade buzz started after the 22-year-old center told Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune that frustration was mounting and he hoped to get dealt before the deadline. The emotions boiled over following a loss to the Dallas Mavericks where he was kept out of the fourth quarter with an apparent eye injury.
"It was not my eye at all. I don't know what it was, but it was not my eye at all. So we'll see what's going to happen," Kanter said.
Utah isn't ready to let him go cheap just because he's unhappy, though. The Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones reports the Jazz are willing to listen to offers, but currently plan on keeping him through deadline day and beyond:
"However, the Jazz are unlikely to bend to Kanter's demand.
The Salt Lake Tribune has learned, via NBA sources, that while the team will listen to offers, Kanter is still valued highly by the franchise and very much in its long-term plans.
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It's a difficult situation for the Jazz. They would rather not have a disgruntled player on the roster. But they know Kanter has the potential to become a key asset in the near future. Unless an unexpectedly great offer comes along, it appears he'll stay put for now.
