THE National Basketball Association began their trading game four days ago. There were over 90 free agents, who signed in the offseason, illegible for trade. Teams will have to restructure and improve their rosters thru deals with other franchises until March 25.
Since the end of last season, we had seen stars like James Harden, John Wall, Chirs Paul, Victor Oladipo, and Russell Westbrook moving to different locations and just recently, Derrick Rose getting reunited for the third time with coach Tim Thibodeau in New York. Oladipo though as per reports, could be one of Houston’s trade bait.
Talking about the Rockets, PJ Tucker had gained a lot of interest from teams. At 6-5, Tucker can guard multiple positions and is often seen matching up with the opponent’s big men. Considering his disappointment with his contract, it is most likely that Tucker will be playing for another team.
New Orleans had been looking for takers for JJ Reddick and Lonzo Ball, to give more minutes to their young backcourt like Kira Lewis, Jr. and Nickell Alexander-Walker. Reddick will be perfect for contending teams with his outside shooting coming off the bench. Ball had been consistently inconsistent. Considering his age, he’s a very good option for teams needing backcourt help.
High-flyer Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic is reportedly being shopped around. An ankle injury hampered his production, which has dipped to an all-time low of 13.8 points per game. At 25 years old, his $18 million salary this season could be affordable for teams with money to spare. He will fully recover at the end of the trading deadline.
Still in his rookie contract, Marvin Bagley III possesses a rare mix of height, athleticism, and speed. The Sacramento Kings haven’t found an exact way to take advantage of his talent and they might as well offer him on the market. Only 21 and with a promising potential, Bagley could be a perfect fit to teams needing to unlock unproven talent.
Bradley Beal is the last remaining superstar who could be considered as tradable, but Beal and the Washington Wizards showed no indication that a deal is imminent. He sometimes showed his displeasure with his team on the court but never mentioned of wanting out of the team. Chances are that, Beal could be dealt in the offseason. There could be some surprise moves before March 25 deadline, so let’s wait and see./PN
