NBA Trade Rumors: Breaking Down League Buzz Ahead of Trade Deadline
The 2015 NBA trade deadline looms on Thursday. Although there hasn't been much action around the league quite yet, the rumor mill is heating up.
Perhaps it's a situation where once the first major domino falls, things will start happening quickly.
One key question is exactly how many sellers are out there. Between the muddled championship picture and a tight playoff race in each conference, only a select group of teams are truly out of it. Those who are on the fringe have to decide whether to go all in or start looking toward the future.
Ultimately, one or two notable additions by one of the numerous contenders could be enough to swing the momentum in their favor. It should make for an interesting deadline day.
Let's check out some of the latest buzz from around the league heading into it.
Goran Dragic on the Block
Dragic has been one of the most talked-about players in recent weeks. The veteran guard is averaging 16 points and four assists per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the field this season.
The question was whether the Phoenix Suns would be willing to part with him.
They are still in the playoff race but could lose the pending free agent for nothing at season's end. The decision has apparently been made, according to Shams Charania of RealGM. He states the team alerted Dragic it will attempt to move him before the deadline:
It's probably the right move for Phoenix. While it will hurt the team's playoff chances, a bidding war could ensue to bring back a nice package of assets.
Since the 29-25 Suns aren't on a championship level at this stage, adding pieces for the future is the way to go.
Los Angeles Clippers Shopping
The 35-19 Clippers are one of the teams with the raw talent necessary to make a deep playoff run. Whether they can put it all together down the stretch is the question mark.
Adding more depth to the squad would be a step in the right direction.
"We're consistently inconsistent," Jamal Crawford told Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com last month. It's true, and finding some stability is essential. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports highlights some players they are targeting who can help in that quest:
"Nevertheless, the Clippers have probed the market with Jamal Crawford to see if there's a way to acquire a first-round pick that could help them make a competitive offer to Denver for Wilson Chandler or Arron Afflalo, league sources said. The Clippers have also had a continuing interest with Phoenix's Gerald Green, sources said.
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Afflalo is the name that stands out most. He could fill a couple of different roles and is reliable at both ends of the court.
Chandler might actually be the better fit, though. The Clippers have less depth at small forward, meaning he could play some critical minutes.
Interest in Miles Plumlee
Plumlee has played a limited role during his first three seasons in the league. He checks in at a shade under 19 minutes per game for the Suns this season.
In turn, it's tough for him to make any type of major strides in his development with consistent playing time.
The center out of Duke is still a reasonably coveted commodity, however. Sam Amick of USA Today reports the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are both showing interest. His low salary is a key selling point for those teams:
Since the Knicks and Lakers are each near the bottom of their respective conferences, they can afford to give Plumlee more court time. The hope would be it allows him to become a solid member of the rotation by the time they are ready to compete.
The asking price is unclear, though.
