Wilson Chandler, PJ Tucker Reportedly Are Trade Targets for Toronto Raptors
February 23, 2017
Wilson Chandler of the Denver Nuggets and P.J. Tucker of the Phoenix Suns have emerged as potential targets for the Toronto Raptors leading up to the trade deadline Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
Marc Stein of ESPN reported both teams are seeking a first-round pick from Toronto in exchange for one of the veteran small forwards.
Here's a look at how Chandler and Tucker compare based on their 2016-17 stats:
Wilson Chandler vs. P. J. Tucker (Per 36 Minutes) | |||||
Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | SF PER Rank |
Chandler | 18.2 | 7.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 17 |
Tucker | 8.9 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 42 |
Basketball Reference & ESPN.com |
Chandler has become a popular name in the rumor mill ahead of the deadline.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder were listed as potential landing spots during a deadline preview show by The Vertical. The Houston Rockets also got mentioned as a team with interest by Chris Haynes of ESPN.
Sam Amick of USA Today reported in early February the 29-year-old DePaul product wanted out of Denver before the deadline, according to sources close to the situation. The forward downplayed the report in a conversation with Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports.
"I wouldn't say that," Chandler replied when asked if he wanted a trade, "but I would definitely like to be in something more consistent."
He's played 50 games this season, 31 as a reserve and 19 in a starting role. That said, his minutes have reached a monthly high for the campaign in February at 34.2 per contest.
As for Tucker, his shooting woes continue to prevent him from becoming a more reliable piece of an NBA rotation. The 2006 Raptors second-round pick is a career 43.4 percent shooter from the field, and that number has dropped to 41.6 percent during the current season.
He's found himself in a situation nearly identical to Chandler's, having made 17 starts out of his 57 appearances this season. An inconsistent role may play a role in the mediocre production.
The 31-year-old forward told Doug Haller of AZCentral Sports in January he was trying to avoid the outside noise leading up to the deadline.
"It's part of business," Tucker said. "Contract year. Being a defensive player, a lot of teams are looking to make an addition to [help] fight for a championship. But for me, it's just focusing on being with my team and trying to win games. It happens every contract year. A lot of talk. A lot of it's just rumors and people talking, but you never know in business. You just try to stay ready and block it out."
Ultimately, if the Raptors are going to give up their first-round pick—currently projected for the bottom third of the round—for a small forward, Chandler is the better option. He'd create a dynamic trio alongside Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan when they're on the floor together.
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