NBA Trade Rumors: 8 Players Who Could Be Traded on Draft Day
With the uncertainty this summer, teams may be tentative to make big moves for fear of hurting themselves later on in the process. That said, there are still a couple of players who are firmly on the trading block.
Some of these players are there because they don't fit in the direction that their team hopes to go. Other players are there because they have unnecessarily bad contracts that a rebuilding team is looking to dump. Other players just don't fit where they are and want a change of scenery.
Here are eight such players.
Andre Iguodala
1 of 8
Per Ken Berger, CBS:
""Jordan Hamilton appears headed to Philly with the 16th pick, and sources said Monday the Timberwolves have offered point guard Jonny Flynn in a package deal for swingman Andre Iguodala. Philadelphia officials, however, have let it be known that they are not interested in a salary-dump deal for Iguodala and want an impact veteran in return."
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There have been rumors about Iggy being traded for months now, and for good reason. While he is a great player, he is older than the rest of Philly's core and doesn't really fit into what they plan to do in the future.
That said, there would be tremendous interest from many different teams. A potential Iggy for Monta Ellis deal is reportedly on the table. Another trade that could make sense is a trade to Chicago for a deal centered around either Omer Asik or Taj Gibson, since the Sixers could use a good young big man.
While Philly above says that they aren't going to dump Iguodala, they would definitely drop him for the right deal.
Monta Ellis
2 of 8
Per nbadraft.net's Twitter:
""Sources have confirmed rumored Monta Ellis for Andre Iguodala trade. It's on the 76ers table if they want it."
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Monta Ellis has at least been rumored in deals for both Dwight Howard and Andre Iguodala, and that makes sense if you are Golden State. Ellis is not the type of player who you want to put next to Stephen Curry because the backcourt is just too small and weak defensively. Golden State has to make a choice about whom they want to keep, and that appears to be Curry.
In addition to the Howard and Iggy trade rumors, Ellis could make sense on a team like Chicago. Their biggest problem was that they lacked perimeter scoring, and few are better at that than Ellis.
Josh Smith
3 of 8
Per Adrian Wojnarowski:
""The Atlanta Hawks have started to gauge trade interest on forward Josh Smith (notes), and Smith isn’t averse to ending his seven-year stay with his hometown team, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Monday."
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While Smith has shown flashes during his time in Atlanta, he has not put it all together. As well, he has also unfairly been the scapegoat for many of the Hawks problems over the years despite doing what he does reasonably well.
According to Woj, Smith's top choices are New Jersey, Boston, Houston and Orlando. Orlando would make a lot of sense because Dwight Howard and Josh Smith have been friends since high school and it could convince him to stay.
Perhaps a deal for a dynamic backcourt mate for Joe Johnson like Jameer Nelson would make sense. Otherwise perhaps a deal for sharpshooter Anthony Morrow and some other pieces could make sense to trade him to New Jersey.
Jonny Flynn
4 of 8
Per Ken Berger, CBS:
""...the Timberwolves have offered point guard Jonny Flynn in a package deal..."
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It is very clear that Jonny Flynn is not the type of point guard that you want running the triangle offense that Kurt Rambis has tried to institute in Minnesota. Where the chances that Rambis will be gone are good, Flynn is expendable with the point guard glut on Minnesota's roster and the arrival of Ricky Rubio.
New York is a team that could have interest in Flynn. Flynn is a New York kid from Syracuse University who could turn into a dynamic scoring point guard in Mike D'Antoni's offense. As well, New York only has aging Chauncey Billups on the roster as it stands, and they could use another point. Perhaps a trade for minor pieces like Renaldo Balkman and Toney Douglas could get the job done. It's a low-risk, potentially high-reward, move.
Al Jefferson/Paul Millsap
5 of 8
Per Sam Smith:
""The Jazz is rumored to be making Paul Millsap available. But they also are said to be holding open the possibility of moving Al Jefferson in a larger deal if they can get Kanter, a deal that could net them a shooting guard, like Monta Ellis or Kevin Martin with Golden State at No. 11 and Houston No. 14. So then Utah would go big."
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As Utah stands right now, Devin Harris is their only perimeter scorer, and they have a logjam in the frontcourt. Jefferson is not really a center and Millsap is relatively undersized to be a power forward. Not only that, but they have Derrick Favors waiting in the wings. It would seem that one of those three players will be moved, and it's unlikely that it would be Favors.
A trade would be heavily dependent on which direction Utah goes in the draft. If they draft Enes Kanter with the third pick, it's likely that Millsap would be moved and Jefferson would slide down to the power forward for the future.
If they draft a wing like Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker, it's likely that they would move Millsap and start Favors in his place. Either way, a trade for a player like Kevin Martin of Houston would make some sense for both teams: Utah needs help scoring on the perimeter and Houston could use bigs.
Michael Beasley
6 of 8
Per Sam Smith:
""The Timberwolves most would like to have Williams and then trade Michael Beasley. Perhaps to Charlotte, which needs scoring after trading Gerald Wallace, for the No. 9 pick."
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If the Timberwolves end up keeping the second pick, they would most likely take Derrick Williams, a clear top-two player in this draft. With a potential future All-Star in at small forward, Beasley would be expendable.
Speaking of Charlotte, why not for a guy like Stephen Jackson? He could be a veteran presence, a solid perimeter complement, and hopefully convince them to play better defense. Then with the ninth pick, Minnesota could try to get a defensive complement, perhaps even a guy like Bismack Biyombo.
A lineup of Rubio, SJax, Williams, Love, Biyombo and Tyrus off the bench could definitely score, and hopefully play better defense than the team this year.
Steve Nash
7 of 8
Per Marc Berman of The New York Post:
""There have been renewed whispers the Knicks have inquired about Suns point guard Steve Nash, who lives in SoHo in the offseason. The Knicks have talked internally about trading Chauncey Billups for Nash as both have expiring contracts."
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Steve Nash has been a fantastic all-world point guard ever since he went to Phoenix. However, in the year since Amar'e Stoudemire left, the Suns have been an average basketball team.
Nash doesn't have many years left, and would likely welcome a trade. A deal that has been talked about was a trade to reunite Steve Nash with Mike D'Antoni in New York. Perhaps Phoenix would consider taking back Chauncey Billups and a role player like Landry Fields.
Raymond Felton
8 of 8
Per ESPN:
"" Would the Kings be willing to send the No. 7 pick to the Nuggets for Raymond Felton and the No. 22 pick? The Kings have had interest in Felton, but it's probably going to take them giving up the No. 7 pick to get him."
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Felton being traded would make a ton of sense. Denver has decided on Ty Lawson as its starting point guard, and Felton is just too good to be a backup point guard on a relatively middling team.
The Kings as mentioned above would make a lot of sense for Raymond Felton. They lack a decent true point and Felton could easily come in so Tyreke Evans could slide to his natural position at shooting guard. The seventh pick in a weak draft is probably a pretty good deal for both sides.
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