Trade Buzz: 10 hot names
Last week I took an in-depth look at 25 players who could be moved by the Feb 18 trade deadline.
Another week of phone calls to general managers and others in NBA front offices has unearthed some new names along with new insights on players from last week's list.
Here are 10 names for whom the trade buzz is getting louder around the league:
Amare Stoudemire, F, Suns
Stoudemire made our list last week, but just barely. The thinking was that, given the Suns' recent success, the team would likely hold on to him, see how far it could get in the playoffs, and then, this summer, try to sign him or try to do a sign-and-trade.
But the feedback I've received in the last week has caused me to recalibrate the chances of Stoudemire getting traded. The Suns are in a slump (losers of 15 of their last 26), and the word out of Phoenix is that there has been some tension in the locker room involving Stoudemire.
Stoudemire won't be easy to trade. He can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and any team that trades for him is going to want some sort of guarantee that he'll sign an extension or a new contract this summer. If Stoudemire's willing to give it, and a team is willing to give up a substantial asset for him, the Suns may very well pull the trigger.
Andre Iguodala, G/F, Sixers
For the past several weeks, I've dismissed the idea that the 76ers, even if they are desperate to reduce payroll, would give away Iguodala for the expiring contract of Tracy McGrady. But after talking with a number of people close to the situation, I think it's plausible.
A deal of Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert for McGrady would work under terms of the collective bargaining agreement. While it would eat up any cap space the Rockets might have this summer, if Iguodala is the prize, who cares?
So what's the holdup? A couple of things. From Houston's point of view, Dalembert's 15 percent trade kicker would be a bitter pill. And from Philadelphia's perspective, it's important to get back an asset for a building block like Iguodala. While the Sixers love the idea of getting his long-term salary and Dalembert's off the books, they want something in return. The Rockets could offer Trevor Ariza or Aaron Brooks to sweeten the deal, but it sounds as though talks haven't gotten that far yet.
Rudy Gay, F, Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are playing their best basketball since Jerry West was the GM, so why would they mess with a good thing?
There are two reasons, according to a pair of general managers who have spoken with the Grizzlies in recent days. One, Memphis is concerned that this summer a team flush with cap space will offer Gay (who will be a restricted free agent this summer) a huge contract that Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley will be unwilling to match. Two, the team, currently at 22-19, would love to make the playoffs and believes it's a veteran defensive presence away from getting there.
While a number of teams would be interested in Gay, a rising talent at age 23, keep your eye on the Pistons. They have been hunting for the right trade in which to move Tayshaun Prince. If Prince is healthy (he has been battling back and knee injuries all season), he might fit the bill for Memphis -- and the Pistons could throw in a lottery pick from this year's draft to sweeten the deal.
Hasheem Thabeet, C, Grizzlies
Gay isn't the only player the Grizzlies would move for the right price. Thabeet is off to a slow start in his rookie season in Memphis and doesn't fit into the team's current plans. Still, he was the No. 2 pick in the draft, and he has value in the league.
If a team is willing to give up a veteran defensive presence, I think he could be had.
Nate Robinson, G, Knicks
Robinson stayed in Mike D'Antoni's doghouse for weeks and got fined by the league when his agent publicly requested a trade. But lately he has been playing -- and playing well -- and I think some have assumed that the Knicks would no longer be interested in trading the free agent-to-be, preferring to see what kind of deals would be available over the summer.
Not true. New York will move him if it can, especially if he is needed as part of a package deal with Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries so the team can clear more salary cap space for the summer.
D.J. Augustin, PG, Bobcats
The Bobcats are looking more and more like a playoff team, and coach Larry Brown is beginning to make a push to add one more veteran for the second half of the season. Their best trade bait is Augustin, a second-year point guard.
After a solid rookie season, he's been a disappointment, but a number of teams were high on him as a draft prospect, so there might be a market. If the Bobcats can add the right veteran for their playoff run, they'll do it.
Kevin Martin, G, Kings
The Kings have maintained that they want to get a good look at how rookie Tyreke Evans and Martin, their veteran shooting guard, coexist in the backcourt. They believe Evans is a point guard and should be able to play well alongside Martin.
While Martin is still playing himself back into shape, the results are fairly lopsided right now. The Kings are just 1-8 when Evans and Martin have started in the backcourt together, but they were 14-18 when Martin was out of the lineup.
I think the Kings are going to take a few more weeks to see how things go once Martin gets his legs under him. But if the two aren't working out well, I think the Kings will be willing to deal. The franchise is still in a financial crunch and this is no longer Martin's team. Evans has taken the reins and he isn't giving them back.
Andres Nocioni, F, Kings
The Kings have also been active for months to see if they can find a way to get cap relief and an asset for Nocioni. They really like rookie forward Omri Casspi, who virtually duplicates what Nocioni brings to the table at a fraction of the price.
There was some feeling out about a Nocioni swap between the Kings and Celtics at last year's trade deadline and again earlier in the season. And the latest chatter has been about a potential Nocioni return to the Bulls, though that seems like a real long shot given that Chicago is trying to clear cap space for the summer, not add payroll.
But there will be interest from contenders in the toughness that Nocioni brings. I'm just not sure his contract is all that movable in this economic climate without some sort of sweetener from the Kings.
Vince Carter, G, Magic
The Eastern Conference champs are struggling. The Magic have lost seven of their last 10 games, and fingers are pointing in virtually every direction, with much of the blame directed at Carter, who has been awful in January.
In his defense, a nagging shoulder injury is partly to blame for his poor shooting numbers -- but there are rumblings that Carter hasn't been great for the team's chemistry even when he's played well.
Right now there's not a huge market for Vince, who makes a lot of money and has another year left on his deal. There have been rumblings of a swap of cousins -- McGrady for Carter -- but I can't believe Houston GM Daryl Morey would ever do that given the money left on Carter's contract.
Shane Battier, F, Rockets
Battier is the heart and soul of Morey's Rockets. Remember, Houston traded lottery pick Rudy Gay for him in 2005, shortly after Morey's arrival, and has never looked back. While Gay has been the more electric prospect, Battier has done what Battier does: all the little things that translate into chemistry and wins. I don't think any team in the league values him the way Morey does.
That said, there have been rumblings that Battier is available for the right price. The Rockets are after a big man, and, well, isn't just about anyone available for the right price? I don't see a team making an offer that knocks Morey's socks off, but you never know.
Last week I took an in-depth look at 25 players who could be moved by the Feb 18 trade deadline.
Another week of phone calls to general managers and others in NBA front offices has unearthed some new names along with new insights on players from last week's list.
Here are 10 names for whom the trade buzz is getting louder around the league:
Amare Stoudemire, F, Suns
Stoudemire made our list last week, but just barely. The thinking was that, given the Suns' recent success, the team would likely hold on to him, see how far it could get in the playoffs, and then, this summer, try to sign him or try to do a sign-and-trade.
But the feedback I've received in the last week has caused me to recalibrate the chances of Stoudemire getting traded. The Suns are in a slump (losers of 15 of their last 26), and the word out of Phoenix is that there has been some tension in the locker room involving Stoudemire.
Stoudemire won't be easy to trade. He can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and any team that trades for him is going to want some sort of guarantee that he'll sign an extension or a new contract this summer. If Stoudemire's willing to give it, and a team is willing to give up a substantial asset for him, the Suns may very well pull the trigger.
Andre Iguodala, G/F, Sixers
For the past several weeks, I've dismissed the idea that the 76ers, even if they are desperate to reduce payroll, would give away Iguodala for the expiring contract of Tracy McGrady. But after talking with a number of people close to the situation, I think it's plausible.
A deal of Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert for McGrady would work under terms of the collective bargaining agreement. While it would eat up any cap space the Rockets might have this summer, if Iguodala is the prize, who cares?
So what's the holdup? A couple of things. From Houston's point of view, Dalembert's 15 percent trade kicker would be a bitter pill. And from Philadelphia's perspective, it's important to get back an asset for a building block like Iguodala. While the Sixers love the idea of getting his long-term salary and Dalembert's off the books, they want something in return. The Rockets could offer Trevor Ariza or Aaron Brooks to sweeten the deal, but it sounds as though talks haven't gotten that far yet.
Rudy Gay, F, Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are playing their best basketball since Jerry West was the GM, so why would they mess with a good thing?
There are two reasons, according to a pair of general managers who have spoken with the Grizzlies in recent days. One, Memphis is concerned that this summer a team flush with cap space will offer Gay (who will be a restricted free agent this summer) a huge contract that Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley will be unwilling to match. Two, the team, currently at 22-19, would love to make the playoffs and believes it's a veteran defensive presence away from getting there.
While a number of teams would be interested in Gay, a rising talent at age 23, keep your eye on the Pistons. They have been hunting for the right trade in which to move Tayshaun Prince. If Prince is healthy (he has been battling back and knee injuries all season), he might fit the bill for Memphis -- and the Pistons could throw in a lottery pick from this year's draft to sweeten the deal.
Hasheem Thabeet, C, Grizzlies
Gay isn't the only player the Grizzlies would move for the right price. Thabeet is off to a slow start in his rookie season in Memphis and doesn't fit into the team's current plans. Still, he was the No. 2 pick in the draft, and he has value in the league.
If a team is willing to give up a veteran defensive presence, I think he could be had.
Nate Robinson, G, Knicks
Robinson stayed in Mike D'Antoni's doghouse for weeks and got fined by the league when his agent publicly requested a trade. But lately he has been playing -- and playing well -- and I think some have assumed that the Knicks would no longer be interested in trading the free agent-to-be, preferring to see what kind of deals would be available over the summer.
Not true. New York will move him if it can, especially if he is needed as part of a package deal with Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries so the team can clear more salary cap space for the summer.
D.J. Augustin, PG, Bobcats
The Bobcats are looking more and more like a playoff team, and coach Larry Brown is beginning to make a push to add one more veteran for the second half of the season. Their best trade bait is Augustin, a second-year point guard.
After a solid rookie season, he's been a disappointment, but a number of teams were high on him as a draft prospect, so there might be a market. If the Bobcats can add the right veteran for their playoff run, they'll do it.
Kevin Martin, G, Kings
The Kings have maintained that they want to get a good look at how rookie Tyreke Evans and Martin, their veteran shooting guard, coexist in the backcourt. They believe Evans is a point guard and should be able to play well alongside Martin.
While Martin is still playing himself back into shape, the results are fairly lopsided right now. The Kings are just 1-8 when Evans and Martin have started in the backcourt together, but they were 14-18 when Martin was out of the lineup.
I think the Kings are going to take a few more weeks to see how things go once Martin gets his legs under him. But if the two aren't working out well, I think the Kings will be willing to deal. The franchise is still in a financial crunch and this is no longer Martin's team. Evans has taken the reins and he isn't giving them back.
Andres Nocioni, F, Kings
The Kings have also been active for months to see if they can find a way to get cap relief and an asset for Nocioni. They really like rookie forward Omri Casspi, who virtually duplicates what Nocioni brings to the table at a fraction of the price.
There was some feeling out about a Nocioni swap between the Kings and Celtics at last year's trade deadline and again earlier in the season. And the latest chatter has been about a potential Nocioni return to the Bulls, though that seems like a real long shot given that Chicago is trying to clear cap space for the summer, not add payroll.
But there will be interest from contenders in the toughness that Nocioni brings. I'm just not sure his contract is all that movable in this economic climate without some sort of sweetener from the Kings.
Vince Carter, G, Magic
The Eastern Conference champs are struggling. The Magic have lost seven of their last 10 games, and fingers are pointing in virtually every direction, with much of the blame directed at Carter, who has been awful in January.
In his defense, a nagging shoulder injury is partly to blame for his poor shooting numbers -- but there are rumblings that Carter hasn't been great for the team's chemistry even when he's played well.
Right now there's not a huge market for Vince, who makes a lot of money and has another year left on his deal. There have been rumblings of a swap of cousins -- McGrady for Carter -- but I can't believe Houston GM Daryl Morey would ever do that given the money left on Carter's contract.
Shane Battier, F, Rockets
Battier is the heart and soul of Morey's Rockets. Remember, Houston traded lottery pick Rudy Gay for him in 2005, shortly after Morey's arrival, and has never looked back. While Gay has been the more electric prospect, Battier has done what Battier does: all the little things that translate into chemistry and wins. I don't think any team in the league values him the way Morey does.
That said, there have been rumblings that Battier is available for the right price. The Rockets are after a big man, and, well, isn't just about anyone available for the right price? I don't see a team making an offer that knocks Morey's socks off, but you never know.
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