NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Andre Iguodala, Dion Waiters and More
The NBA trade deadline isn't until February 7, but you can bet that teams are already laying the foundation for potential moves. Contenders like the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors could look to bolster their rosters in preparation for a playoff run. Rebuilding teams could look to maximize their future draft capital.
One trade rumor that won't go away involves the Lakers and 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala. The Athletic's David Aldridge recently polled several NBA executives about Iguodala's next team, nearly all of them agreed that Los Angeles made the most sense.
"Best combination of ring chance and role," one executive said, per Aldridge.
If the Lakers do want to acquire Iguodala, they'll likely have to swing a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported back in September that Memphis isn't interested in buying out his contract and allowing him to hit the open market.
Whether the Lakers actually make a push for Iguodala remains to be seen, but as Aldridge pointed out, the idea that they could might impact how other potential contenders approach him closer to the deadline.
"The notion that Iggy to the Forum Blue and Gold seems to be so universally held a belief could certainly impact how hard other teams engage the Grizzlies in potential trade talks," Aldridge wrote.
The Grizzlies probably won't be quick to dispel the Iguodala-to-Lakers narrative. Doing so could only hurt his trade value.
Dion Waiters
The Miami Heat, meanwhile, would just love it if shooting guard Dion Waiters had trade value. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, however, the Heat have not been able to find a market for him.
"One person in touch with the Heat said no palatable trade scenario had emerged for Waiters as of early this week," Jackson wrote. "And it’s not worth Miami packaging an asset with Waiters to receive a lesser player in return. Waiters is due $25 million combined over the next two seasons.
Part of the problem is that Miami hasn't been able to showcase Waiters this season. He opened the season on suspension and is facing another 10-game suspension
"There have been a number of instances this season in which Dion has engaged in conduct detrimental to the team," the Heat said in a statement (h/t Marc Stein of the New York Times).
The latest incident occurred last Thursday when Waiters experienced a panic attack after consuming a THC-infused edible.
Kristaps Porzingis
Just before last year's trade deadline, the New York Knicks dealt star forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks. While the deal seemed to materialize out of nowhere, the New York Posts's Marc Berman reported that the Knicks had grown tired of Porzingis' behavior long before then.
"He'd changed," one NBA source told Berman.
According to Berman, the Knicks also explored trading Prozingiz after his rookie season. The Celtics made a significant offer but couldn't pry him away.
While it took longer for New York to pull the trigger on dealing Porzingis, this is an indication that he may never have been the untouchable franchise cornerstone he seemed to be before the deal finally got done.
It's worth keeping this in mind as teams explore trades ahead of the deadline. Just because a star player isn't on the trade block, doesn't mean he won't be available.
