NBA Rumors: Top Trade Buzz Surrounding DeAndre Jordan, John Henson and More
The 2017-18 NBA regular season is officially underway, but the trade rumor mill has carried over from the offseason for some players and teams.
Organizations are constantly trying to improve and fine-tune their rosters and there may still be opportunities for that to happen during the early part of the campaign should extenuating circumstances such as injuries or poor performance warrant trade consideration.
With the 2017-18 season kicking into full gear, here is a look at some of the biggest names rumored to be available on the trade block.
DeAndre Jordan
After being forced into trading point guard Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency, the Los Angeles Clippers were faced with a difficult decision regarding how to proceed with their roster.
When they struck a deal to re-sign power forward Blake Griffin, however, they retooled and put together a team that should vie for a playoff spot in the Western Conference this season.
One player who L.A. reportedly considered removing from the mix, though, was All-Star center DeAndre Jordan.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Clips didn't shop Jordan, but they did listen to trade offers involving him around the time of the 2017 NBA draft.
Jordan can opt out of his contract following the 2017-18 campaign, which is why it made sense for Los Angeles to at least consider potential offers that were on the table.
Now the season has started, it seems unlikely the Clippers will deal Jordan unless they fall out of contention leading up to the trade deadline.
The two-time All-Defensive Team selection is a key part of L.A.'s playoff aspirations and is coming off one of his best seasons.
Jordan led the NBA with a career-best field-goal percentage of 71.4 percent last season, while averaging 12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
The Clippers are severely lacking in terms of center depth behind him, with Willie Reed as the only true option, so look for Los Angeles to stick with Jordan while exploring potential contract extension options along the way.
John Henson and Mirza Teletovic
The Milwaukee Bucks are among the most exciting, young teams the NBA has to offer, but they have reportedly been looking to shake things up in their frontcourt.
Per Lowe, Milwaukee has explored trading both center John Henson and power forward Mirza Teletovic, but teams have been unwilling to offer any returns of significance.
The Bucks have some fantastic building blocks in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Malcolm Brogdon, but surrounding them with a quality supporting cast is the biggest key to being a true contender in the Eastern Conference.
Neither Henson nor Teletovic thrived in that regard last season, with the former averaging 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds as a part-time starter, and the latter putting up 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Both Henson and Teletovic have less-than-ideal contracts as well, which could handcuff Milwaukee in terms of bringing in other quality pieces.
Henson is signed through 2019-20 after inking a four-year, $48 million deal prior to last season, according to Spotrac. Also, Teletovic has two seasons and $10.5 million per year left on his contract, per Spotrac.
The Bucks do need some frontcourt depth until Parker returns from injury, but Henson and Teletovic are likely to take a backseat to the likes of Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker and Greg Monroe.
A trade involving one or both of Henson and Teletovic is possible at some point this season in order for the Bucks to make room for other additions, but they may be forced to attach draft picks to them to entice a team to bite.
Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley
The Phoenix Suns have a bright future due to all of the young talent they possess, but they are a team sure to go through some growing pains in the meantime.
That was clear Wednesday in their season-opening game, as they were crushed 124-76 by a Portland Trail Blazers team without star guard C.J. McCollum.
The 2017-18 season will largely be about developing the young guys, which could compel Phoenix to sell off some of its veterans to the highest bidder.
According to Lowe, the Suns have explored trading center Tyson Chandler and forward Jared Dudley, although they aren't rushing to do so.
Chandler and Dudley are blocking younger players from playing time to some degree, but they are also valuable mentors who could help prepare those players for success at the NBA level.
Last season, Chandler was a regular starter when healthy, and he was an effective performer with averages of 8.4 points and 11.5 rebounds. Dudley was one of the top options off the bench and put up 6.8 points per game.
Chandler and Dudley both have two years left on their respective contracts, so now may be the best time to get the most possible trade value back in return for them.
Due to the fact he is a former All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and NBA champion, Chandler would likely fetch the biggest bounty.
Since Alex Len could leave in free agency next offseason, though, the Suns are in danger of being dangerously thin at center.
Dragan Bender could move into that spot eventually and be a floor stretcher, but he seems far from ready for that.
Chandler and Dudley serve a purpose, so it would be a logical move for the Suns to hang on to them for now while the likes of Bender, Marquese Chriss, Josh Jackson and others continue to develop.
