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We’re about a month away from nearly the entire NBA being trade eligible, as those who signed free-agent contracts in the offseason can be dealt starting Dec. 15.
This means we could start to see some early trade activity, much like the James Harden blockbuster that happened just weeks into the 2020-21 season.
The following 10 players have already popped up in trade rumors or seem destined to be moved by their current teams, either because of a lack of playing time, poor performances or just simply the franchise wanting to head in a different direction.
While there’s no superstar players expected to be available, these starters and or/role players could help out contenders, with one All-Star very much still on the market.
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Diallo played well for Detroit following a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, giving the Pistons 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 23.3 minutes while hitting 39.0 percent of his threes primarily as a reserve.
The 23-year-old’s play earned him a two-year, $10.4 million deal to stay in Detroit, where he was once again expected to be a contributor.
Thus far, though, Diallo has mostly been banned to the bench. He’s averaged just 12.3 minutes while only playing in seven of Detroit’s 13 games, chipping in 4.7 points on 22.2 percent from three.
There was also an odd moment in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers where head coach Dwane Casey called for Diallo to enter before changing his mind and sending the young wing back to the bench in favor of veteran Rodney McGruder.
With the Pistons off to a 3-10 start and Detroit holding a team option for Diallo’s $5.2 million salary next season, don’t be surprised if he’s moved to a team that can provide more playing time and a better opportunity at a relatively small cost or included in a trade as salary filler considering he’s essentially on an expiring contract.
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If the relationship between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers is the worst between a player and team in the NBA, then Bagley and the Kings are a close second.
The 2018 No. 2 pick is currently out of the rotation for the 6-8 Kings, logging a total of just 28 minutes all season. His agent, Jeff Schwartz, has already blasted the team on Twitter for the handling of his client and Bagley recently refused to enter a game when called on by head coach Luke Walton.
The Athletic’s Jason Jones notes that Sacramento previously did not want to trade Bagley for just a second-round pick or two last year, although the team is effectively destroying his value by not playing him in a regular role now.
Bagley will be a free agent next summer and almost certainly won’t make it past the deadline in Sacramento, with the Detroit Pistons reportedly looking like a suitor.
A team who trades for Bagley now will have the right to match any offers he receives as a restricted free agent, meaning if the 22-year-old big man plays well as a rental this year he’s no risk to leave next summer.
This relationship has been bad for a long time. The Kings need to take what they can get and move on.
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Some contender who needs outside shooting needs to get Gordon out of Houston.
The 32-year-old wing has willingly accepted a bench role for the lowly Rockets and is averaging 13.1 points and knocking down 46.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes. Houston is taking the ugly (but necessary) rebuilding route by playing its young core big minutes and living with the results, so keeping Gordon only seems temporary.
The Rockets are off to the worst start in basketball at 1-12, have lost 11 straight games and currently have the worst offensive rating (99.2) in the league.
Again, someone please trade for Gordon.
While his contract is probably a little high for his production at this point, it’s non-guaranteed in 2023-24, putting his remaining salaries at $18.2 million for this year and $19.6 million for 2022-23. That’s reasonable for a player who can start or be a sixth man for a contender.
Houston should be looking for some combination of salary relief, young players or quality draft picks in exchange for Gordon, who deserves better than his current situation.
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One of the lone veterans remaining in Orlando, Ross simply looks out of place.
As the team has slumped to a predictable 3-10 start, Ross’ own game has struggled as he continues to come off the bench.
His 10.1 points and 50.1 true shooting percentages are both among the lowest of his career, although a new situation could snap Ross out of an early season funk. Lots of teams can use instant-scoring wings with playoff experience, and Ross’ skills and 41 postseason games fit that bill.
“He’ll be moved,” one NBA executive told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “They were trying to move him at the draft. They wanted to put him in a place where he could win. I think he’s worth a couple of second-round picks.”
Orlando should hold on to Ross for now and try to see if his scoring and efficiency numbers return to normal to try and get his value back up. Either way, he shouldn’t make it past the trade deadline in Orlando.
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It’s no secret the Kings nearly traded Hield to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, something even general manager Monte McNair acknowledged.
“Yeah, we had some (trade) conversations over the offseason. I don’t want to go into too much detail there, but (the approach was to) treat Buddy like the adult that he is and I think he appreciated that. He does the same with me. And I said, ‘Look, you know, obviously your name has been out there. But if it doesn’t work out, if nothing happens, you come back, you’re expected to let it fly.’ And he’s been doing that,” McNair told Sam Amick of The Athletic.
After starting all 71 of his games last season, Hield has once again been moved to the bench, a role he was forced to play two years ago. Second-year shooting guard Tyrese Haliburton has claimed the starting job next to De’Aaron Fox, and rookie Davion Mitchell is receiving nearly the same amount of playing time as Hield (26.3 to 28.5 minutes) as a reserve.
With Hield set to turn 29 in December, he doesn’t exactly fit the young core, one that still doesn’t seem playoff ready following a 6-8 start.
Averaging 17.1 points and nailing 40.8 percent of his threes, Hield should finally be moved out of Sacramento sometime soon.
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The Thunder didn’t trade for Favors this offseason with the intention of keeping him long-term; rather, they were more interested in collecting additional draft capital from the Utah Jazz in order to take on his remaining two-year, $19.9 million contract.
Like Al Horford, George Hill, Danny Green and Trevor Ariza before him, expect Favors to be the latest veteran whose stay doesn’t last long in OKC.
Over 11 games (six starts), the 30-year-old center is averaging 6.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.5 steals and shooting 50.8 percent in his 17.3 minutes, even registering a positive swing rating (plus-1.5 points per 100 possessions).
While teams should no longer view him as a rim-protecting starting center, Favors still brings value as a rebounding veteran off the bench who can help a playoff team.
If the Thunder can get so much as a future second-rounder for him, they’ll likely do it.
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Young has put a major dent in the Spurs’ rebuilding plans, as the veteran big man simply continues to play winning basketball.
After improving the Chicago Bulls by 11.1 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor last year (a figure that ranked in the 96th percentile), Young is helping the Spurs beat opponents by 6.0 points, per Cleaning the Glass.
He’s still a good defender who can cover most power forwards and centers, rarely takes a bad shot on offense and is a willing ball mover who constantly makes the right play.
While this kind of play would have fit in perfectly with the championship-chasing Spurs of yesteryear, Young is keeping San Antonio from going full rebuild now.
On an expiring $14.2 million deal, Young should find a new home on a contender desperate for frontcourt help.
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Dragic was recently dusted off and inserted into the Raptors starting lineup following nine straight games of DNP-CD’s. However, his inclusion in the starting lineup was more a product of an injury to Fred VanVleet than a sign of the veteran point guard’s return to Toronto’s rotation.
Included for salary-matching purposes in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat, neither Dragic nor the Raptors seem thrilled about their situation.
Dragic, 35, deserves to be playing somewhere. Just over a calendar year ago he was playing high-level basketball for the Heat in their run to the Finals, and he could certainly be serving as a sixth man for a contender now.
His expiring $19.4 million contract isn’t exactly easy to match in a trade, though, and a buyout remains a strong possibility.
For now, the Raptors will hold onto Dragic and see if any teams need point guard help at some point. If Toronto wants to make an offer for Ben Simmons, Dragic could serve as a key part of matching money as well.
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Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
After averaging 19.6 points per game a year ago as a starter, Beasley is now struggling as a reserve.
The 24-year-old is down to just 9.1 points on 32.1 percent shooting as the Timberwolves’ sixth man, and he isn’t even the leading scorer among the reserves (Naz Reid, 9.2 points per game).
Minnesota has tumbled to just 4-9 overall following a 3-1 start to the season, with the disappointing play of Beasley serving as a major reason why.
Assuming the Wolves don’t want to shake up their core of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell, Beasley should still carry some trade value following his strong 2020-21 season. For a team that ranks 27th overall defensively, moving Beasley for some defensive help should be a priority.
There’s no way Beasley should be happy with his current role, either—not after getting a taste of success as a starter.
If Minnesota’s poor play continues, Beasley could be on his way out.
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Matt Slocum/Associated Press
Well, it’s Groundhog Day, again.
Simmons is still the best player on the trade market, even if he’s not currently in the right mental state to play, according to agent Rich Paul.
Paul left the door open to a potential return to the Sixers in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic, although a reconciliation seems extremely unlikely.
“This is no longer about a trade. This is about finding a place where we can help Ben get back to his mental strength and get back on the floor. I want him on the floor playing the game that he loves. I want Ben on the floor whether that’s in a 76ers uniform or any other uniform, that’s not up to me, but I want him in a state where he can resume play. We want to cooperate and want to work him back on the floor.”
Given all the continued back and forth between Simmons, Paul and the Sixers, it’s hard to imagine the 25-year-old point guard ever actually plays in Philly.
A trade will eventually come, and the emergence of second-year guard Tyrese Maxey has helped the Sixers stay above water without Simmons.
Philly can afford to stay patient for a while longer, but will almost certainly trade Simmons before the deadline in order to load up on help for a potential Finals run.
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