NBA Trade Rumors: Newest Info on D'Angelo Russell and More Players on Block

One of the most anticipated events on the NBA calendar is nearly here: the trade deadline.

Though the 2019-20 season has played host to a nearly-unprecedented lack of trades, this week has prompted the rumor mill to re-awaken, and slowly buyers, sellers and players of interest are emerging as usual.

Let's go through the conversation surrounding three of this week's biggest potential targets.

Minnesota Still Wants Russell, But So Does a New Team

To nobody's surprise, the Minnesota Timberwolves are still interested in All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell and have engaged Russell's current team, the Golden State Warriors, in trade talks this week, per Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The New York Knicks were also mentioned as potential trade partners for Russell.

Not only is New York a perpetually star-hungry basketball town, willing to sign all kinds of household names no matter their current ability, the Knicks have also famously lacked a star point guard for nearly three decades.

The irony of New York, historic home of point guards, being unable to land one for its professional team is not lost on anyone, and so attempting to trade for yet another one is a reasonable strategy. Of course, the Warriors could always trade him to another team like Minnesota, or even keep him and try to sort out his fit with a healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson next season. But the Knicks' effort here is admirable, provided they make a reasonable offer to Golden State.

Rockets Shopping Capela

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is perhaps best known for being an early champion of the analytics revolution in sports, a philosophy he has implemented to great success in the James Harden era. However, one of Morey's other lesser-known, often-conflicting tenants is to acquire as many stars as possible. This is why he traded for Chris Paul in 2017 and then Russell Westbrook last summer despite Westbrook's potentially disastrous fit with Harden.

Morey seems to be on the prowl for a third star now. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets are openly shopping center Clint Capela. Woj claimed Houston is only talking to Eastern Conference teams about its prized starting center, which would make sense. A true competitor to his core, Morey wouldn't want to help another Western Conference team even if the return was sufficient. 

The two specific teams mentioned by Wojnarowski include the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics, two teams that desperately need centers and each have a veritable truckload of assets. If Capela was moved to the Hawks, they'd probably send Evan Turner, a first-round pick, and several second-rounders, whereas a trade to Boston would likely bring either Marcus Smart or Jaylen Brown to Houston. 

Morey finds his way into conversations for star players every year and usually ends up without one, so it's not a guarantee that he makes a move. But in this barren trade market, Capela stands out as a top-tier target, so it's possible the big man finds himself out East by the end of this week.

Heat Doubling Down on This Year

After trading for Jimmy Butler last summer and seeing breakout performances up and and down their roster so far this season, the Miami Heat may be pushing all their chips into the center for 2020. ESPN's Zach Lowe reported they have expressed interest in trading for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari.

These two teams have been connected in trade conversation since this past summer, but mostly in relation to Chris Paul. As Paul was just named to his 10th All-Star team and is helping Oklahoma City far outperform expectations, he's likely not going anywhere, but with his expiring contract, Gallinari could be on the move. 

A Heat-Thunder trade for Gallinari would likely bring one of Miami's prized young guards or wings—Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, or Duncan Robinson—to Oklahoma City as well as a potential Gallinari replacement like James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk or Meyers Leonard, and yet another draft pick the Thunder can add to their ever-growing collection.

For Miami, the benefit is obvious. Though the Heat may not want Gallinari after this year due to their reported 2021 free-agency ambitions, a roster featuring Butler, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic, Gallinari and whichever of the above pieces survives the trade could absolutely compete deep into the postseason. 

Given the way the Milwaukee Bucks are playing right now, any other team making the Finals out of the East seems like a tough proposition. But acquiring Gallinari could give Miami as good a shot as anybody else to compete with the East's top dog.