NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jahlil Okafor, Eric Bledsoe and More
It didn't take long for the NBA's rumor mill to heat up.
This early-season one has a little bit of everything, too. There are rumors about heavyweights left over from last season, players taking to social media to apparently hint about wanting to make a move and even a bit of alleged buyer's remorse on rookies.
Granted, teams usually don't pull the trigger on deals so early in the season. The majority of the front offices in the Association have worked hard and it is still a time of eternal optimism—the Orlando Magic sit first in the Eastern Conference, after all.
Still, now is a good time to step back and evaluate the chances these situations get extreme enough to produce a rare early-season deal.
No Traction on Frank Ntilikina Buzz
Something like this should normally go without saying, but after an offseason of odd developments and the strength of the rumor mill, here goes: The New York Knicks aren't looking to trade No. 8 overall pick Frank Ntilikina.
Of course, it doesn't help that the erratic Knicks are at the forefront of this rumor. In the wake of Carmelo Anthony's long-awaited departure, anything seems possible with the franchise as it hits a longstanding rebuild.
Even so, Al Iannazzone of Newsday made a point to note that the Knicks don't want to trade Ntilikina:
Point guard is the most valuable position in the NBA right now and there isn't much sense in the Knicks throwing in the towel on a 19-year-old prospect. Yet here we are, after speculation wound up producing experts needing to shut down the idea.
The Knicks have to like what they've seen so far. Ntilikina looked like a two-way beast in his first batch of serious playing time Friday, a 107-86 win in which he recorded nine points, five assists and two rebounds while playing solid defense against the Brooklyn Nets.
At this point, even a monster offer should have the Knicks laughing as they think about a future built around Ntilikina and Kristaps Porzingis.
Jahlil Okafor Still on the Block?
As fans might have guessed, Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor is the hinted trade-block leftover from a year ago.
These 76ers are off to a 2-4 start and have seemingly phased the 2015 No. 3 overall draft pick out of the rotation in favor of Joel Embiid, Richaun Holmes and Amir Johnson.
To date, Okafor has played 22 minutes and scored 10 points with nine rebounds. According to ESPN.com's Chris Haynes, the effort to get Okafor out of Philadelphia is now a collaborative one: "With Jahlil Okafor's role further diminishing, his representatives and the Philadelphia 76ers are collaborating to find a suitable trade for the young center, league sources tell ESPN."
Interestingly enough, the 76ers have until Tuesday to decide if they will pick up Okafor's fourth-year option. One can presume the front office will do so if trade talks find some traction—but for teams unwilling to sacrifice assets in a move, patience might be the better option.
The fact is, while only 21 years old, Okafor hasn't exactly been showcased to the point another team has wanted to go get him from purgatory. Over three seasons, he's averaged 14.7 points and 6.0 rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the floor over just 26.4 minutes, seeing his usage drop in every season since his rookie campaign.
With the 76ers clearly unwilling to even showcase him in an effort to boost his trade value, this process could stretch out quite a bit longer—collaborative efforts or not.
The Eric Bledsoe Saga
The drama surrounding Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe has an easy starting point—the veteran himself wrote the following on Twitter recently: "I Dont wanna be here."
Fair enough. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski followed by reporting the Suns talked with teams about a trade for Bledsoe, and Suns general manager Ryan McDonough confirmed the team sent him home.
Seems like a simple situation with a simple outcome.
Except not really.
The Suns now sit in the awkward situation where the rest of the league knows Bledsoe wants out and the team wants him gone, meaning compensation for his departure isn't going to be what the front office could expect from a normal trade.
Case in point—the pursuit of a younger player keeps throwing a wrench in things, per Wojnarowski:
One such example might be Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, with Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reporting the Bucks have zero interest in moving the reigning Rookie of the Year:
No kidding, right? Bledsoe is 27 years old, is a cap hit north of $14 million this year and the next, hasn't played in more than 66 games in each of the past two seasons and just took to social media to apparently try and influence a team into moving him.
This isn't to say no team will find value in Bledsoe, a veteran who shoots 44 percent from the floor in his career and can rotate well. But the rebuilding Suns aren't going to see the marriage of youth and long-term impact come together unless the front office finds a way to build up quite the bidding war.
Until something happens, this still-developing situation will keep headlining the rumor mill.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
