NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Andre Iguodala, Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, More
Although the initial pandemonium from the NBA offseason has died down somewhat, teams around the league remain aggressive in trying to improve their rosters going into 2019-20.
Unlike past years where the Golden State Warriors were the assumed favorites, the league appears wide open this season with several teams knowing they can bring home a championship if things go right. Adding a key veteran or another impact player could be the difference in winning a title.
This has created a busy trade market with teams inquiring on many top stars.
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Here is a look at some potential deals that could still get done and others that have been discussed over the past month.
Options for Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies this summer in what was effectively a salary dump for the Golden State Warriors, who also gave up a first-round pick in the deal. It was assumed the Grizzlies would then either flip him to a contender or agree to a buyout.
However, this doesn't necessarily appear to be the case.
"Everyone assumes we’re in the business of re-trading the veterans," a team executive told Keith Smith of RealGM. "Maybe it comes to that later, but right now, we want to win and compete. Guys learn best when there are stakes. Sure, that could change later. But not today."
Chris Herrington of Daily Memphian reported the team isn't interested in a buyout, and the asking price for a trade remains high.
Of course, the demand could continue to grow among contenders thanks to Iguodala's value as a glue piece with tons of experience. He has three NBA titles with the Warriors, winning Finals MVP in one of those years and also providing plenty of help on both ends of the court.
Herrington listed the Clippers, Rockets, Mavericks and Nuggets as the most likely destinations for Iguodala in a possible trade.
Among those teams, Houston has shown significant interest and was reportedly in talks with the Grizzlies on a possible trade before dealing for Russell Westbrook, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
General manager Daryl Morey also said this week that the team is still looking to add talent in trades this offseason rather than free agency, per Feigen. This could possibly include Iguodala, who has helped torture Houston over the last few offseasons.
Meanwhile, there are other possible conclusions to this situation.
The Lakers have an eye on the veteran to fill their final roster spot, ESPN's Dave McMenamin recently reported on SportsCenter:
Philadelphia could also use an extra perimeter defender to put the team over the top, and there is plenty of familiarity after Iguodala spent his first eight seasons with the organization.
If the Grizzlies decide they don't need the 35-year-old on a non-contending team, there will be no shortage of options going forward.
Bradley Beal to the Clippers?
The pursuit of Kawhi Leonard was the biggest story of the offseason, but the Los Angeles Clippers were able to win the sweepstakes after also acquiring Paul George.
While these moves helped the Clippers become a title contender, it wasn't the only move in consideration for the front office.
According to Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Los Angeles inquired about trading for either Bradley Beal or James Harden, but both stars were unavailable.
Though George and Leonard help make the Clippers deadly defensively as well as offensively, either Beal or Harden could have created an exciting offensive punch on the Western Conference squad. It also showed how dedicated the team was in improving this offseason, leaving no stone unturned with free agents Kevin Durant and Jimmy Butler also pursued.
Of course, Harden was unlikely to go anywhere after winning another scoring title for a team that believes it's in contention.
The shocking part is that the Washington Wizards have made Beal unavailable despite the team coming off a disappointing season. With John Wall still recovering from an Achilles injury, it's hard to imagine things will be too much better in 2019-20.
The organization clearly values Beal, recently offering a three-year, $111 million max extension, but the All-Star is in no rush to sign it, according to David Aldridge of Turner Sports.
Instead of wasting him on losing teams before he leaves in free agency in two years, the Wizards could have kickstarted their rebuilding process in a trade with the Clippers.
It's unknown if they would have received a similar package as the Thunder did for George, but anything close to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks would have been a nice haul for Washington's future.
Chris Paul Likely Staying Put
Just like with Iguodala on Memphis, Chris Paul wasn't expected to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder for long, but now, it seems he could provide some value to the organization.
Paul was swapped from the Rockets to the Thunder in exchange for Westbrook, but there seemed to be little use for the point guard on Oklahoma City going through a rebuilding process. Still, no trade has materialized, and it doesn't seem like any are coming soon.
According to Maddie Lee of the Oklahoman, "it appears increasingly likely that Paul will at least start the season with the Thunder."
"I would say that we're excited about having him here," general manager Sam Presti said of Paul. "He's excited about the opportunity here. And I think he has an opportunity to really impact the team in a positive way."
The biggest challenge in any trade is Paul's contract as he is owed more than $38 million in each of the next three seasons. Even if a team wanted to take on this deal, matching salaries in a possible trade could make things difficult.
The Miami Heat showed interest in a possible deal for Paul, but they were hoping he would decline his player option for 2021-22, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on his podcast.
While a team could still seek a deal for the nine-time All-Star during the regular season, the Thunder will be fine keeping him on the roster for now.
