With the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline fast approaching, the rumour mill is beginning to heat up. Here are some of the latest trade reports and rumblings from around the Association.
Cavaliers looking to add size at deadline
The Cleveland Cavaliers roster is in need of a much-needed boost, and no, Isaiah Thomas doesn’t seem to be the answer.
While the Cavs will certainly benefit from his ability to carry a scoring load (…once he gets closer to 100 per cent and gets some practice reps in with his new team), his presence only further adds to the team’s defensive woes.
One major area of weakness for Cleveland is in the front court, where the biggest player the Cavs currently trot out regularly is six-foot-nine Tristan Thompson. While a traditional centre may not be required for Cleveland to return to the Finals again, Thompson’s struggles this season have only highlighted his team’s need for a post-presence who can help anchor a defence and take some of the burden off LeBron James.
The Cavs simply don’t have a serviceable centre on the roster, and have been exposed in certain matchups because of it. Fortunately for them, centres and throwback big men seem to be the most readily available piece heading into trade season.
Cleveland has already been linked to Los Angeles Clippers centre DeAndre Jordan — one of the top at his position believed to be on the block — for some time, although the asking price for the 27-year-old would almost certainly include Brooklyn’s first-round pick (projected top-10), acquired as part of the Kyrie Irving trade with Boston, which may not be worth it given Jordan is on an expiring contract.
The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly been “keenly” pursuing Jordan should the Clippers — who suddenly find themselves back in a playoff spot — decide to deal him.
Another front court name that’s recently emerged is Utah Jazz forward and former second-overall pick Derrick Favors, according to (who else) ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
A major sticking point: In any deal, Thompson, along with the two years and nearly $40 million remaining on his contract, would likely have to go the other way.
LeBron and the Cavs can use help across the board as their aging roster is fragile as ever. Expect plenty more rumours to come out of Cleveland in the coming weeks — and of course, James’ impending free agency looms over every deadline decision the team makes.
Pelicans’ Davis, Cousins likely to stay put
The two biggest names bandied about in potential trade talk since the season began have been Anthony Davis and teammate DeMarcus Cousins.
With Cousins’ contract expiring at season’s end, this year was always going to be a continued test run for the antithetical front court experiment in which the New Orleans Pelicans have gone big as the rest of the NBA goes small. So far the results are quite promising.
But Cousins’ trade value and the uncertainty over whether or not he’ll re-sign with New Orleans this summer make him a viable
— if long shot — trade target for teams around the league. A Cousins trade would be a shocker, given that he’s helped the Pelicans carve their way into the middle of the West playoff standings, but not altogether improbable. For all the good that he brings to the court, there are still moments when he appears to mentally check out of multiple possessions in a row (like not bothering to get back on defence), and he’s a player for whom front offices have to balance the good and bad when evaluating.
You can expect multiple teams to reach out on Cousins’ availability (hellooooo Cleveland!), if they haven’t already, but according to New York Times reporter Marc Stein in his weekly newsletter, the Pelicans are preparing to offer the centre a five-year deal in the ballpark of $175 million to keep their killer front court intact.
If Cousins doesn’t want to stay in New Orleans, Stein reports, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers are both expected to make a push to sign him in the off-season.
As for Davis, don’t hold your breath waiting to see him switch teams any time soon. There’s long been rumblings about a split between Davis, one of the five (three?) most talented players on Earth, and the Pelicans, who have failed to put a decent supporting cast around him until this season (and there are still major holes on the roster).
But with the Pelicans enjoying arguably their best season since he was drafted first overall in 2010 and Davis under contract for three more seasons, a trade seems neither necessary or inevitable. Stein also wrote on Thursday that the Pelicans are simply not entertaining the idea of trading their generational star.
Prior to last night’s one-point loss in Atlanta, Davis was averaging a cool 40 points (60.5 per cent shooting), 13 rebounds and two blocks per game over the past week.
Meanwhile, New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry squashed any rumours that the Boston Celtics, rumoured to be targeting Davis with their bevy of prospects and upcoming picks to dangle for a superstar, are anywhere close to landing him. Although there is one deal he’d accept.
“Yeah, we’ll trade him,” Gentry told the Boston Herald. “But they’re going to have to give us the New England Patriots and the two planes that they just bought.”
Would you make that deal?
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More front-court names on the block
As mentioned, teams looking to add size at the deadline won’t have a shortage of options. Along with the likes of Jordan and Favors, others on the block include:
• Bulls’ forward Nikola Mirotic, who is playing the best basketball of his career and seemingly auditioning for the 29 teams who could want his services (the Bulls should be particularly motivated to trade him given he’s blowing their tank job this season). Mirotic has a no-trade clause, but he hasn’t been shy about wanting a change of scenery and says his agents are currently discussing possible deals with Chicago’s front office.
• Atlanta Hawks centre Dewayne Dedmon, the former San Antonio Spur who has expanded his game to the three-point line and would be a killer pick up for a contending team. The 28-year-old is a high-level backup centre on a bargain $6-million deal with a player option for next season, but it doesn’t really make sense for the rebuilding Hawks to play him over some of their younger talent as they continue to embark on what could be a long road back to the post-season. If Atlanta can get a draft pick back in exchange for Dedmon, it would certainly make sense given their long-term plans.
• Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle, who has played well this season but is part of a crowded front court alongside Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance Jr. — three players who play the same position. Kuzma is clearly the player the Lakers would like to establish at the position going forward, making one of Randle or Nance Jr. (or both) expendable in the right deal. Randle’s rookie contract expires at the end of the season and he will be a restricted free agent this summer, a factor that could hurt his trade value unless a team out there sees him as a long-term piece.
Magic’s Weltman looking to start over
After a strong first few weeks this season, the Orlando Magic have regressed to the lottery-bound basement dwelling team many assumed they’d be. After an 8-4 start, Orlando is 5-26 since, and former Raptors executive and current Magic GM Jeff Weltman is expected to try to deal players he inherited who don’t fit into his long-term vision.
While Aaron Gordon has improved dramatically this season and is a clear piece worth building around, the same can’t be said of other major rotation players. Point guard Elfrid Payton, shooting guard Evan Fournier and swingman Mario Hezonja are all reportedly up for grabs, while a finger injury is said to be the only thing keeping centre Nik Vucevic from being dangled as trade bait as well.
