NBA Trade Rumors: Buzz on Ty Lawson, Brook Lopez and More Near Deadline
Hotter than Stephen Curry at the Three-Point Contest, the NBA's sprint to the trade deadline makes everyone sweat.
All the chatter on the rumor mill over the course of the past few months is nice, but like any quality journalist, the best work comes right at the deadline.
There, sellers on the hunt for a brighter future can play needy buyers against one another in order to receive the best possible return for an asset. Buyers can either throw all the chips down and push for a title, or hope the continuity and chemistry are enough on their own.
Now that the deadline is right around the corner, some old flames rekindle and somewhat new faces enter the picture as trade possibilities.
It's no free agency, but this year's trade deadline is more interesting than most.
Contenders in on Arron Afflalo
One of the more obvious players on the block is veteran guard Arron Afflalo, as the 20-win Denver Nuggets hunt for some sort of future.
Afflalo is an intriguing chip for many contenders for a number of reasons. For one, he has a player option in 2015 that represents a $7.5 million cap hit, per Spotrac. He's unlikely to accept it with Denver, hence the team wanting to trade him.
Two, he's still a solid contributor at 29 years old who averages 14.5/1.9/3.4 and an 11.77 player efficiency rating, according to ESPN.com.
It is not a shock that there are a large number of contenders in line for his services, per ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne:
Alright, so not every team on that list is a contender (the purple really sticks out), but it's apparent teams such as the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers value a veteran who can come in and provide a spark on a rotational basis.
Afflalo is certainly capable and not a horrible investment even if he turns out to only be a half-season rental. The thing is, the Nuggets understand this as well as anyone, so the price might be a tad steeper than most would predict.
Brook Lopez, the Long Con
Now for the most obvious player on the block—Brook Lopez.
The Brooklyn Nets are sellers and presumably want out of at least one of their three max contracts. Lopez is the most attractive piece for obvious reasons, chief among them being his age at 26 years old.
As Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders notes, the Thunder are also apparently on the market for a big man of Lopez's ilk:
The risk-reward dynamic to Lopez runs deep.
He's a bit young but at the same time has spent much of the past two seasons on the shelf. A 15.3/6.2/1.7 slash line is nice, but those rebound numbers seem a bit tame for a guy who comes in at 7'0" and 275 pounds.
It doesn't help that just last month Lopez publicly told the globe he enjoys Brooklyn.
“I like it here,” Lopez said, per Michael Lee of The Washington Post. “I’ve been here my whole career. I’m kind of partial to it now.”
Just how much the Oklahoma City front office is willing to gamble is quite the storyline to watch. A better offensive balance with Lopez beneath the rim would figure to do the Thunder wonders, but at what cost?
Yet again, the seller is in a great situation. If the Nets do not receive a deal that blows them away, then so what? They stick with a costly contract, yes, but also what may amount to a fundamental, younger piece of a rebuild.
The Lopez saga is coming to a head, not that the outcome is any clearer than before.
Ty Lawson Enters the Fray
Now for a fresh face on the rumor mill.
Denver point guard Ty Lawson is a major late addition to the rumblings but one that makes some sense as the Nuggets once again look like sellers. He averages 16.9/10.1/3.2 with a 19.54 PER, making him an obvious target of contenders and rebuilding teams alike.
According to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, the Boston Celtics are one team considering making an offer for Lawson: "The best way to remedy that is to make some changes via trades. The Nuggets have a nice assortment of movable talent, including their point guard Ty Lawson who has reportedly been a topic of discussion among the Celtics."
Outside of coaching changes that influence the construction of the roster, Lawson's contract is another reason the Nuggets may be willing to move the 27-year-old star. He is a $12.4 million cap hit in 2015 and a $13.2 million hit the year after before going to free agency, per Spotrac.
That said, early returns do not suggest that the Nuggets are willing to move Lawson, as captured by Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post:
In all likelihood, a team would need to offer the farm for the Nuggets to consider a deal.
Boston is intriguing, yes, but it is hard to imagine the front office willing to pull off another blockbuster deal surrounding a point guard.
More interesting are the wide number of teams now on alert that Lawson may be available for the right price.
The floodgates are now open, or so to speak.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
