Consider this The Athletic’s NBA trade season Big Board … primer.
When it comes to the name game heading into the March 25 deadline, Sam Vecenie, Seth Partnow and Danny Leroux will be providing a deep dive of larger proportions later this week. But in anticipation of their project, this is my latest look at the names that have come up the most often in conversations with front-office executives and agents around the league.
A player’s inclusion here doesn’t mean he’s definitely on the move. In some cases, it’s a prediction of quite the opposite. It’s a pulse on each player’s situation, if you will, contextualized for the sake of explaining why they come up so often in the proverbial chatter that will only grow louder from here on out.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings
For all the ink and airtime that has been spent discussing how Barnes would fit so well in Boston, or how other contenders might bring the 28-year-old forward their way, those sorts of scenarios obviously can’t unfold unless Sacramento is willing to send him out. So now, courtesy of a source with knowledge of the Kings’ plan, I present the other side of the Barnes situation: As it turns out, the Kings’ level of motivation on this front isn’t nearly as high as many may have believed.
Let’s explain.
While this is most assuredly a “gap year,” as we wrote about recently, the combination of Barnes’ play, his professionalism and his declining pay ($20.2 million next season; $18.3 million in 2022-23) is such that it will take a significant offer to pry him away. And the Kings’ ability to remain competitive, it seems, will be a factor in the decision.
Translation: A combination of late first-round draft picks and young players like the ones wearing green in Boston, it appears, likely wouldn’t be enough to get it done. The Kings are clearly still pondering the possibility of adding the kind of impact piece that they believe would put them in the playoff mix.
Does that mean Barnes won’t get moved? Never say never, but it seems the Kings are holding onto Barnes a little tighter than expected here.
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
So as noted in the Barnes-Celtics analysis above, there’s sometimes too much media focus on one side of the equation when discussing trade possibilities. This dynamic comes into play on the Lowry front too, as there has been a bit of a public back-and-forth regarding a central question: With free agency looming for Lowry this offseason, does he want to finish this season with Toronto or perhaps join another contender? His hometown of Philly is nice this time of year, as you may have heard …
Typically, the players’ desires aren’t taken into account in trade talks. But after nine seasons in Toronto, one championship, seven playoff berths and six All-Star appearances by Lowry, rival executives believe that Raptors president Masai Ujiri is, in fact, considering Lowry’s desires. And while there’s no clarity here, per se, Lowry recently used his Instagram account to refute claims that he was telling people he would be traded. Lowry later went on to address his situation on Wednesday.
“What I would like to see is to finish this season out as strong as possible,” Lowry told reporters. “At the end of the day, myself, my agent, the organization, everyone has to do what’s best for them, right? Everyone has to do what’s best for them, and that situation.
“Who knows what that is, right? Who knows what that’s going to be, who knows what that time is going to tell? For me, I know I’m still playing at a good enough level where I can help a team, I can help us, and get better.”
Beyond Lowry’s wishes, there’s the financial factor that — as I wrote here recently — is complicating matters and making it very plausible that he remains. He’s making $30.5 million in this final season of his deal, and matching that kind of money isn’t easy for any suitor. Sources say the Clippers, who have been tied to the Lowry situation, are very unlikely to pursue him because of that component.
As for the Sixers, we’ll have to wait to see if the always-aggressive Daryl Morey considers a Lowry move worthy of a roster reshuffling. If Sunday night’s 134-99 over San Antonio was any indication, they should be able to survive without Joel Embiid while he recovers from the left knee bone bruise that will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Lowry would sure help, though.
P.J. Tucker, Houston Rockets
Know this much about the uncomfortable situation between P.J. and the Rockets: He saw this coming years ago. All the stiff-arms they gave him on extension talks, and all those times when he bit his tongue about how he was one of the game’s most underpaid players, and he knew there was a decent chance he’d never get his just due. Sure enough, that’s exactly what has happened.
Tucker, who is earning $7.9 million this season on his deal that has long been among the league’s most team-friendly, is no longer actually playing for the Rockets and is expected to be traded somewhere before the deadline. Our Shams Charania has listed Milwaukee, Miami and the Lakers as legitimate suitors, but one source with knowledge of the Rockets’ talks said “70 percent of the league” has been calling about him. Denver and Brooklyn, which have been tied to him previously, are not expected to still be in pursuit.
If you’re Tucker, it’s the widespread interest that — for lack of a better way of putting it — probably bothers you the most. Nearly the entire league is showing that you’re valued, but the team that you helped nearly upend the dynasty Golden State Warriors never made good with any sort of market-appropriate reward. As Tucker and I discussed at length in February 2020, it was his ability to defend all five positions while burying open 3s that was such a crucial X-factor in Houston’s choice to go all-in on small-ball last season.
To be fair to first-year general manager Rafael Stone, these were choices made by his predecessor (Morey) and owner Tilman Fertitta (Stone worked under Morey at the time). Rival executives say the Rockets are seeking a young impact player and a first-round pick in return. They’re shooting for the moon, in other words, and will likely have to come back down to earth with the asking price before a deal goes down here.
John Collins, Atlanta Hawks
If you’re a regular reader of the NBA coverage here at The Athletic, you know this story well by now. Collins turned down an extension worth more than $90 million last offseason, making it clear along the way that he sees himself as a max-salary player heading into restricted free agency (sources say he’s pursuing an annual deal in the $25 million range).
The Hawks, sources say, have long since begun talking to teams about moving him and appear to have become more motivated recently. Per Shams, Minnesota and Boston are interested in Collins.
Considering the Hawks (19-20) struggled enough this season to inspire a coaching change and are fighting for their playoff lives, it should come as no surprise that they don’t want to spend upwards of $100 million to make Collins a long-term part of this Hawks core. Then again, they’ve won five consecutive games since the Lloyd Pierce era came to an end and find themselves in eighth place.
Considering all the pressure from owner Tony Ressler to make the playoffs, this is no small feat. It’s also the longest Hawks winning streak since a seven-win stretch that ranged from Dec. 28, 2016, to Jan. 10, 2017. But the closer we get to the deadline, the more likely it seems that Collins will be moved.
The Hawks are pushing hard for a productive young prospect to come their way in return, but Collins’ production (17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds per game) would be hard to push for the playoffs without. Still, it’s felt like that’s where this was headed ever since Hawks GM Travis Schlenk landed big man Clint Capela in February 2020 and thus chipped away at Collins’ leverage in negotiations.
Capela, who has two more seasons on his deal for a combined $35.3 million, has a team-high PER and is a game-changer on the defensive end. The tricky part for all Collins suitors, of course, is that you must be prepared to potentially pay a steep price to hold onto him.
George Hill, Oklahoma City Thunder
If recent history tells us anything, it’s that Thunder general manager Sam Presti will find a way to maximize the return on players and picks alike. So here’s Hill, the 34-year-old point guard who was sent from Milwaukee to OKC as part of the four-team, Jrue Holiday deal in November.
He has an expiring deal that is far cheaper than, say, Lowry ($9.5 million this season; team option for $10 million for next season). He has the kind of playoff experience that is tough to find — 11 years’ worth for a total of 127 games. Add in his ability to defend, run a second unit and hit open 3s, and you start to see why contenders might come calling.
But he also has a cast on his right hand, the product of a thumb injury suffered in late January that required minor surgery. Nonetheless, Hill — who has averaged 11.8 points and 3.1 assists in 14 games this season — is expected to be back in time for the playoffs and is attracting significant interest from contenders (Milwaukee excluded, per a source; Shams reported Clippers interest on Monday as well).
Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
As is the case with so many teams, there’s a chance the player we highlight here might not even be the one from his team who winds up getting relocated. That could be the case with the Magic, too, as Evan Fournier (expiring deal worth $17.1 million) and Terrence Ross (two more seasons for a combined $24 million) are routinely discussed as top trade targets. As for Nikola Vucevic, who has two more seasons for a combined $46 million on his deal, he is widely expected to remain in Orlando — Celtics interest be damned.
But for teams on the lookout for a complementary core piece, Gordon makes some sense because of his age (25), contract ($18.1 million this season, $16.4 million next season), and the continued belief in some circles that he hasn’t filled his potential. As Shams has noted, Minnesota and Portland are in the mix (I’m sensing a trend here).
Now that Gordon has returned from the left ankle injury that kept him out from Jan. 31 to March 11, the showcasing season has officially begun. Magic beat writer Josh Robbins believes that Orlando’s glut of forwards could, in fact, lead to a Gordon deal.
Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Full disclosure here: Including Porter Jr. on this list is simply an excuse to talk about the Nuggets and follow up on what I wrote about them back in mid-February.
For so long now, Porter Jr. has been the poster boy of their fork-in-the-road existence. Would he be good enough to qualify as the Nuggets’ third star alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, or would Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly wind up using Porter Jr. as the key piece in a deal to bring said star to town via trade?
All indications continue to point to the former, in part because the one player who has been on Denver’s radar for so long now — Washington’s Bradley Beal — is still not available. Still, after all that internal pressure built up because of Denver’s early-season slump, Porter Jr. has picked up his play ever since in the kind of meaningful way that surely has Connelly & Co. encouraged about the direction of their core again.
Since Feb. 10, he’s been both productive (15.6 points, 7.7 rebounds per game) and efficient (52.4 percent shooting overall; 43.2 percent from 3-point range on 5.9 attempts). The Nuggets, who were 12-11 at that point, have won 10 of 15 games since while moving up to fifth in the West. Porter Jr. played most of that 15-game stretch at power forward instead of small forward because of Paul Millsap’s knee injury, and it’s clear the 22-year-old enjoyed being guarded by the less-agile lot.
Sources say the Nuggets are on the lookout for a forward who can guard multiple positions and help with the defense that is just 16th in the league. They have been tied to Tucker, but the Rockets’ asking price appears to be well out of Denver’s reach.
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Just because Jakob Poeltl played his way into Aldridge’s Spurs’ starting job doesn’t mean the seven-time All-Star’s time as an impact player has come to an end. Let’s not forget that he averaged 18.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 blocks per game as a starter just last season.
All indications are that his relocation will come via trade, as sources say interested GMs have been told that there are five teams firmly in the mix. Yet as is the case with so many other veterans on this list, the money makes it challenging for contenders to land him without losing roster depth in return. Aldridge is owed $24 million in this final season of his deal.
Victor Oladipo, Houston Rockets
If the 28-year-old Oladipo is hoping to join a playoff squad for the home stretch here, his recent inefficiency is not helping. In 17 games with the Rockets, Oladipo is shooting just 38.4 percent overall and 30 percent from 3-point range (on 7.6 attempts per game) while averaging 20.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game. He’s more than two years removed from the quad injury that derailed his career, and the questions remain about where his ceiling might be as a result. Still, with his free agency looming this offseason and Houston looking like such an undesirable destination at the moment, it behooves the Rockets to get something in return for him now.
J.J. Redick, New Orleans Pelicans
The 36-year-old Redick gets top billing here because he’s the most likely of the Pelicans to be on the move. The only question, it seems, is whether it’s via trade or buyout.
The combination of his playoff experience (110 games), marksman ability (41.5 percent career mark from 3-point range) make him worth considering for any contender, even if he hasn’t quite looked like himself this season (36.4 percent from deep and defensive concerns). Redick ($13 million this season) is on an expiring deal.
Redick underwent a non-surgical procedure on Thursday to relieve inflammation and soreness in his right heel and will be out of the lineup for at least a week. Only Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Dave Griffin knows if Redick will be back in a Pelicans jersey by the time he comes back.
But what about the other Pelicans who are widely known to be up for discussion in trade talks? Lonzo Ball had a serious uptick in his play in February, but that changes nothing of the central question surrounding him for New Orleans: With Brandon Ingram already locked up on a max deal and another one coming Zion Williamson’s way in the 2023 offseason, is Ball a good enough fit to warrant a pricey deal for him too?
He’s a restricted free agent this offseason with a hefty qualifying offer of $14.3 million. Might a team like Chicago or Golden State get the Pelicans’ attention with an offer? Rival executives are very skeptical that he’s going anywhere. We shall see.
Veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe also is very available, but sources say his market has been minimal so far. He’s owed $18.1 million for next season and a team option worth $19.3 million for 2022-23.
Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets
Like several others on this list, Graham is a player on a rookie contract whose team appears hesitant about paying up for a second deal when he enters restricted free agency this offseason. At least that’s the sense among teams that believe he’s available.
Graham, the third-year point guard whose 3-point shooting last season turned so many heads, recently returned after a month-long absence from a kneecap injury and could inject some offensive punch into some suitor’s bench. His perceived availability, it seems, has everything to do with the level of point guard play that surrounds him.
Starter Terry Rozier (20.4 points, 3.2 assists per game) is earning his hefty salary ($18.9 million this season; $17.9 million next season) while trailing only Gordon Hayward in scoring for the Hornets, and LaMelo Ball (15.6 points, 6.4 assists, and six rebounds per game) is running away with the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Nemanja Bjelica, Sacramento Kings
Of all the Kings players who have been discussed as likely trade targets, Bjelica is the one I’d be shocked to see remain. The 32-year-old forward lost his starting job to third-year man Marvin Bagley III this season, then chose not to play, in large part, because of his strong disagreement with the decision. But since returning to the rotation on Feb. 12, he has reminded anyone who’s watching that he can still help any squad space the floor.
Bjelica, who is a 39 percent shooter from 3 in his six seasons, is hitting 51.9 percent of his shots overall and 40 percent from beyond the arc in those 11 games while averaging 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 20.1 minutes per game. Sources close to the situation have mentioned Golden State, Boston, Indiana and Milwaukee as teams that have shown interest at various points. He’s on an expiring deal ($7.1 million this season).
From there, there’s a strong sense in Sacramento that anyone not named De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton is up for discussion. But Buddy Hield’s deal ($62.5 million combined in the next three seasons) appears to be minimizing his market to an extreme degree. He’s even more likely to remain than Barnes, it appears.
Hassan Whiteside is on an expiring veteran’s minimum deal ($1.6 million) and could certainly be had by a contender in need of size. The Lakers, for example, are known to be in the market for an athletic, defending big and could go this route rather than, say, a JaVale McGee reunion that has been rumored (the Cavs big man is making $4.2 million this season on his expiring deal). Such a reunion would require a trade to another team from Cleveland and for him to be bought out in order to be eligible to sign with the Lakers, due to a CBA rule.
Speaking of bigs — and shifting the spotlight back to Sacramento — you wonder if any team might make a spirited pitch for the Kings’ Richaun Holmes. The 27-year-old center is in line for a significant payday in free agency this offseason ($5 million this season). And while he has been a very good fit with the Kings group (13.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks this season) and is certainly a fan favorite, he’s the kind of impact player who might inspire a decent return that aids the Kings’ rebuild if they’re not sure about him returning.
Consider this The Athletic’s NBA trade season Big Board … primer.
When it comes to the name game heading into the March 25 deadline, Sam Vecenie, Seth Partnow and Danny Leroux will be providing a deep dive of larger proportions later this week. But in anticipation of their project, this is my latest look at the names that have come up the most often in conversations with front-office executives and agents around the league.
A player’s inclusion here doesn’t mean he’s definitely on the move. In some cases, it’s a prediction of quite the opposite. It’s a pulse on each player’s situation, if you will, contextualized for the sake of explaining why they come up so often in the proverbial chatter that will only grow louder from here on out.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings
For all the ink and airtime that has been spent discussing how Barnes would fit so well in Boston, or how other contenders might bring the 28-year-old forward their way, those sorts of scenarios obviously can’t unfold unless Sacramento is willing to send him out. So now, courtesy of a source with knowledge of the Kings’ plan, I present the other side of the Barnes situation: As it turns out, the Kings’ level of motivation on this front isn’t nearly as high as many may have believed.
Let’s explain.
While this is most assuredly a “gap year,” as we wrote about recently, the combination of Barnes’ play, his professionalism and his declining pay ($20.2 million next season; $18.3 million in 2022-23) is such that it will take a significant offer to pry him away. And the Kings’ ability to remain competitive, it seems, will be a factor in the decision.
Translation: A combination of late first-round draft picks and young players like the ones wearing green in Boston, it appears, likely wouldn’t be enough to get it done. The Kings are clearly still pondering the possibility of adding the kind of impact piece that they believe would put them in the playoff mix.
Does that mean Barnes won’t get moved? Never say never, but it seems the Kings are holding onto Barnes a little tighter than expected here.
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
So as noted in the Barnes-Celtics analysis above, there’s sometimes too much media focus on one side of the equation when discussing trade possibilities. This dynamic comes into play on the Lowry front too, as there has been a bit of a public back-and-forth regarding a central question: With free agency looming for Lowry this offseason, does he want to finish this season with Toronto or perhaps join another contender? His hometown of Philly is nice this time of year, as you may have heard …
Typically, the players’ desires aren’t taken into account in trade talks. But after nine seasons in Toronto, one championship, seven playoff berths and six All-Star appearances by Lowry, rival executives believe that Raptors president Masai Ujiri is, in fact, considering Lowry’s desires. And while there’s no clarity here, per se, Lowry recently used his Instagram account to refute claims that he was telling people he would be traded. Lowry later went on to address his situation on Wednesday.
“What I would like to see is to finish this season out as strong as possible,” Lowry told reporters. “At the end of the day, myself, my agent, the organization, everyone has to do what’s best for them, right? Everyone has to do what’s best for them, and that situation.
“Who knows what that is, right? Who knows what that’s going to be, who knows what that time is going to tell? For me, I know I’m still playing at a good enough level where I can help a team, I can help us, and get better.”
Beyond Lowry’s wishes, there’s the financial factor that — as I wrote here recently — is complicating matters and making it very plausible that he remains. He’s making $30.5 million in this final season of his deal, and matching that kind of money isn’t easy for any suitor. Sources say the Clippers, who have been tied to the Lowry situation, are very unlikely to pursue him because of that component.
As for the Sixers, we’ll have to wait to see if the always-aggressive Daryl Morey considers a Lowry move worthy of a roster reshuffling. If Sunday night’s 134-99 over San Antonio was any indication, they should be able to survive without Joel Embiid while he recovers from the left knee bone bruise that will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Lowry would sure help, though.
P.J. Tucker, Houston Rockets
Know this much about the uncomfortable situation between P.J. and the Rockets: He saw this coming years ago. All the stiff-arms they gave him on extension talks, and all those times when he bit his tongue about how he was one of the game’s most underpaid players, and he knew there was a decent chance he’d never get his just due. Sure enough, that’s exactly what has happened.
Tucker, who is earning $7.9 million this season on his deal that has long been among the league’s most team-friendly, is no longer actually playing for the Rockets and is expected to be traded somewhere before the deadline. Our Shams Charania has listed Milwaukee, Miami and the Lakers as legitimate suitors, but one source with knowledge of the Rockets’ talks said “70 percent of the league” has been calling about him. Denver and Brooklyn, which have been tied to him previously, are not expected to still be in pursuit.
If you’re Tucker, it’s the widespread interest that — for lack of a better way of putting it — probably bothers you the most. Nearly the entire league is showing that you’re valued, but the team that you helped nearly upend the dynasty Golden State Warriors never made good with any sort of market-appropriate reward. As Tucker and I discussed at length in February 2020, it was his ability to defend all five positions while burying open 3s that was such a crucial X-factor in Houston’s choice to go all-in on small-ball last season.
To be fair to first-year general manager Rafael Stone, these were choices made by his predecessor (Morey) and owner Tilman Fertitta (Stone worked under Morey at the time). Rival executives say the Rockets are seeking a young impact player and a first-round pick in return. They’re shooting for the moon, in other words, and will likely have to come back down to earth with the asking price before a deal goes down here.
John Collins, Atlanta Hawks
If you’re a regular reader of the NBA coverage here at The Athletic, you know this story well by now. Collins turned down an extension worth more than $90 million last offseason, making it clear along the way that he sees himself as a max-salary player heading into restricted free agency (sources say he’s pursuing an annual deal in the $25 million range).
The Hawks, sources say, have long since begun talking to teams about moving him and appear to have become more motivated recently. Per Shams, Minnesota and Boston are interested in Collins.
Considering the Hawks (19-20) struggled enough this season to inspire a coaching change and are fighting for their playoff lives, it should come as no surprise that they don’t want to spend upwards of $100 million to make Collins a long-term part of this Hawks core. Then again, they’ve won five consecutive games since the Lloyd Pierce era came to an end and find themselves in eighth place.
Considering all the pressure from owner Tony Ressler to make the playoffs, this is no small feat. It’s also the longest Hawks winning streak since a seven-win stretch that ranged from Dec. 28, 2016, to Jan. 10, 2017. But the closer we get to the deadline, the more likely it seems that Collins will be moved.
The Hawks are pushing hard for a productive young prospect to come their way in return, but Collins’ production (17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds per game) would be hard to push for the playoffs without. Still, it’s felt like that’s where this was headed ever since Hawks GM Travis Schlenk landed big man Clint Capela in February 2020 and thus chipped away at Collins’ leverage in negotiations.
Capela, who has two more seasons on his deal for a combined $35.3 million, has a team-high PER and is a game-changer on the defensive end. The tricky part for all Collins suitors, of course, is that you must be prepared to potentially pay a steep price to hold onto him.
George Hill, Oklahoma City Thunder
If recent history tells us anything, it’s that Thunder general manager Sam Presti will find a way to maximize the return on players and picks alike. So here’s Hill, the 34-year-old point guard who was sent from Milwaukee to OKC as part of the four-team, Jrue Holiday deal in November.
He has an expiring deal that is far cheaper than, say, Lowry ($9.5 million this season; team option for $10 million for next season). He has the kind of playoff experience that is tough to find — 11 years’ worth for a total of 127 games. Add in his ability to defend, run a second unit and hit open 3s, and you start to see why contenders might come calling.
But he also has a cast on his right hand, the product of a thumb injury suffered in late January that required minor surgery. Nonetheless, Hill — who has averaged 11.8 points and 3.1 assists in 14 games this season — is expected to be back in time for the playoffs and is attracting significant interest from contenders (Milwaukee excluded, per a source; Shams reported Clippers interest on Monday as well).
Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
As is the case with so many teams, there’s a chance the player we highlight here might not even be the one from his team who winds up getting relocated. That could be the case with the Magic, too, as Evan Fournier (expiring deal worth $17.1 million) and Terrence Ross (two more seasons for a combined $24 million) are routinely discussed as top trade targets. As for Nikola Vucevic, who has two more seasons for a combined $46 million on his deal, he is widely expected to remain in Orlando — Celtics interest be damned.
But for teams on the lookout for a complementary core piece, Gordon makes some sense because of his age (25), contract ($18.1 million this season, $16.4 million next season), and the continued belief in some circles that he hasn’t filled his potential. As Shams has noted, Minnesota and Portland are in the mix (I’m sensing a trend here).
Now that Gordon has returned from the left ankle injury that kept him out from Jan. 31 to March 11, the showcasing season has officially begun. Magic beat writer Josh Robbins believes that Orlando’s glut of forwards could, in fact, lead to a Gordon deal.
Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Full disclosure here: Including Porter Jr. on this list is simply an excuse to talk about the Nuggets and follow up on what I wrote about them back in mid-February.
For so long now, Porter Jr. has been the poster boy of their fork-in-the-road existence. Would he be good enough to qualify as the Nuggets’ third star alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, or would Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly wind up using Porter Jr. as the key piece in a deal to bring said star to town via trade?
All indications continue to point to the former, in part because the one player who has been on Denver’s radar for so long now — Washington’s Bradley Beal — is still not available. Still, after all that internal pressure built up because of Denver’s early-season slump, Porter Jr. has picked up his play ever since in the kind of meaningful way that surely has Connelly & Co. encouraged about the direction of their core again.
Since Feb. 10, he’s been both productive (15.6 points, 7.7 rebounds per game) and efficient (52.4 percent shooting overall; 43.2 percent from 3-point range on 5.9 attempts). The Nuggets, who were 12-11 at that point, have won 10 of 15 games since while moving up to fifth in the West. Porter Jr. played most of that 15-game stretch at power forward instead of small forward because of Paul Millsap’s knee injury, and it’s clear the 22-year-old enjoyed being guarded by the less-agile lot.
Sources say the Nuggets are on the lookout for a forward who can guard multiple positions and help with the defense that is just 16th in the league. They have been tied to Tucker, but the Rockets’ asking price appears to be well out of Denver’s reach.
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Just because Jakob Poeltl played his way into Aldridge’s Spurs’ starting job doesn’t mean the seven-time All-Star’s time as an impact player has come to an end. Let’s not forget that he averaged 18.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 blocks per game as a starter just last season.
All indications are that his relocation will come via trade, as sources say interested GMs have been told that there are five teams firmly in the mix. Yet as is the case with so many other veterans on this list, the money makes it challenging for contenders to land him without losing roster depth in return. Aldridge is owed $24 million in this final season of his deal.
Victor Oladipo, Houston Rockets
If the 28-year-old Oladipo is hoping to join a playoff squad for the home stretch here, his recent inefficiency is not helping. In 17 games with the Rockets, Oladipo is shooting just 38.4 percent overall and 30 percent from 3-point range (on 7.6 attempts per game) while averaging 20.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game. He’s more than two years removed from the quad injury that derailed his career, and the questions remain about where his ceiling might be as a result. Still, with his free agency looming this offseason and Houston looking like such an undesirable destination at the moment, it behooves the Rockets to get something in return for him now.
J.J. Redick, New Orleans Pelicans
The 36-year-old Redick gets top billing here because he’s the most likely of the Pelicans to be on the move. The only question, it seems, is whether it’s via trade or buyout.
The combination of his playoff experience (110 games), marksman ability (41.5 percent career mark from 3-point range) make him worth considering for any contender, even if he hasn’t quite looked like himself this season (36.4 percent from deep and defensive concerns). Redick ($13 million this season) is on an expiring deal.
Redick underwent a non-surgical procedure on Thursday to relieve inflammation and soreness in his right heel and will be out of the lineup for at least a week. Only Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Dave Griffin knows if Redick will be back in a Pelicans jersey by the time he comes back.
But what about the other Pelicans who are widely known to be up for discussion in trade talks? Lonzo Ball had a serious uptick in his play in February, but that changes nothing of the central question surrounding him for New Orleans: With Brandon Ingram already locked up on a max deal and another one coming Zion Williamson’s way in the 2023 offseason, is Ball a good enough fit to warrant a pricey deal for him too?
He’s a restricted free agent this offseason with a hefty qualifying offer of $14.3 million. Might a team like Chicago or Golden State get the Pelicans’ attention with an offer? Rival executives are very skeptical that he’s going anywhere. We shall see.
Veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe also is very available, but sources say his market has been minimal so far. He’s owed $18.1 million for next season and a team option worth $19.3 million for 2022-23.
Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets
Like several others on this list, Graham is a player on a rookie contract whose team appears hesitant about paying up for a second deal when he enters restricted free agency this offseason. At least that’s the sense among teams that believe he’s available.
Graham, the third-year point guard whose 3-point shooting last season turned so many heads, recently returned after a month-long absence from a kneecap injury and could inject some offensive punch into some suitor’s bench. His perceived availability, it seems, has everything to do with the level of point guard play that surrounds him.
Starter Terry Rozier (20.4 points, 3.2 assists per game) is earning his hefty salary ($18.9 million this season; $17.9 million next season) while trailing only Gordon Hayward in scoring for the Hornets, and LaMelo Ball (15.6 points, 6.4 assists, and six rebounds per game) is running away with the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Nemanja Bjelica, Sacramento Kings
Of all the Kings players who have been discussed as likely trade targets, Bjelica is the one I’d be shocked to see remain. The 32-year-old forward lost his starting job to third-year man Marvin Bagley III this season, then chose not to play, in large part, because of his strong disagreement with the decision. But since returning to the rotation on Feb. 12, he has reminded anyone who’s watching that he can still help any squad space the floor.
Bjelica, who is a 39 percent shooter from 3 in his six seasons, is hitting 51.9 percent of his shots overall and 40 percent from beyond the arc in those 11 games while averaging 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 20.1 minutes per game. Sources close to the situation have mentioned Golden State, Boston, Indiana and Milwaukee as teams that have shown interest at various points. He’s on an expiring deal ($7.1 million this season).
From there, there’s a strong sense in Sacramento that anyone not named De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton is up for discussion. But Buddy Hield’s deal ($62.5 million combined in the next three seasons) appears to be minimizing his market to an extreme degree. He’s even more likely to remain than Barnes, it appears.
Hassan Whiteside is on an expiring veteran’s minimum deal ($1.6 million) and could certainly be had by a contender in need of size. The Lakers, for example, are known to be in the market for an athletic, defending big and could go this route rather than, say, a JaVale McGee reunion that has been rumored (the Cavs big man is making $4.2 million this season on his expiring deal). Such a reunion would require a trade to another team from Cleveland and for him to be bought out in order to be eligible to sign with the Lakers, due to a CBA rule.
Speaking of bigs — and shifting the spotlight back to Sacramento — you wonder if any team might make a spirited pitch for the Kings’ Richaun Holmes. The 27-year-old center is in line for a significant payday in free agency this offseason ($5 million this season). And while he has been a very good fit with the Kings group (13.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks this season) and is certainly a fan favorite, he’s the kind of impact player who might inspire a decent return that aids the Kings’ rebuild if they’re not sure about him returning.
