NBA Trade Rumors: These Five Eastern Conference Teams Could Make A Move Before The Deadline
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NBA trade rumors are swirling around several teams in the Eastern Conference. Most of the rumors have focused on specific players being shopped, but which NBA teams are looking to make a trade before the deadline expires on February 18?
Here’s a list of NBA Eastern Conference teams being discussed in trade rumors across multiple media sites.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are only a year removed from a franchise-record 60 wins, but this year’s version has left team insiders pondering the Hawks’ future, ESPN reported. At a middling 30-24 and fifth place in the Eastern Conference, NBA insiders are speculating that multiple key players from the squad could be traded before the deadline.
The rumors surround Al Horford, Jeff Teague, and Kyle Korver, and multiple teams have inquired about these players’ services. Several NBA teams on this list of possible trade rumors have expressed interest in these individuals. Add another Eastern Conference team — the Boston Celtics — to the list of possible landing spots for Teague and Horford.
The Chicago Bulls make this list because they have an overloaded front court, making some of their big men the subject of NBA trade rumors. Pau Gasol was at the center of most talk, considering the veteran can opt out of his contract at the end of the season. If Gasol walks, then the Chicago Bulls would be left empty-handed, whereas sending Pau to another team could net a valuable piece for a future Eastern Conference playoff run.
If Pau Gasol remains, who else could be shopped around for the Chicago Bulls? Some NBA trade rumors center around sending former MVP Derrick Rose to another team, while others have suggested oft-injured Joakim Noah could be headed to another team before the deadline.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to add a sharp-shooting athlete in their pursuit to win the NBA Championship. The Eastern Conference champions are eyeing Kyle Korver according to one of the rumors. Another player that the team is reportedly looking to trade for is Washington Wizards forward Jared Dudley, who’s hitting 46 percent beyond the arc this season.
The problem the Cavaliers are facing has to do with pieces they are willing to trade. Timofey Mozgov was shopped around to the Sacramento Kings according to another of the rumors. The only other player who has been mentioned in possible moves is aging NBA veteran Anderson Varejao. While several teams need serviceable big men, these players are more valuable for expiring contracts than their production on the court.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a disappointment just one year after making the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. Expectations ran high in the off-season, especially after signing big man Greg Monroe to a multi-year deal. The fact that the Bucks hold one of the league’s worst records has provided fodder for most of the trade rumors swirling around the team.
Basketball Insiders is reporting that virtually every member of the team is up for grabs, including the recently-signed Greg Monroe and starter Michael Carter-Williams, an unnamed league executive told the publication.
“From what I’m hearing, they are willing to trade anybody not named [Jabari] Parker, [Giannis] Antetokounmpo or [Khris] Middleton. I even heard they’d listen [to offers] for Parker and Middleton, but it would have to be some crazy offer. They want to do something; they know they have to do something. That group they have isn’t working.”
The New York Knicks recently fired coach Derek Fisher in an attempt to turn around a team that was at.500 less than three weeks ago. After losing nine of their last 10, New York is looking for a way to get back into the NBA Eastern Conference playoff hunt, team president Phil Jackson told reporters Tuesday.
“We’re looking to improve this ballclub, there’s no doubt. We know that we have some good guys. The chemistry is pretty good. The talent can still be better. It always can, so we’re looking.”
Don’t expect the best players on the team to be part of the trade rumors as Phil Jackson said Carmelo Anthony and rookie Kristaps Porzingis are off the table. For his part, Carmelo Anthony — who has a no-trade clause in his contract — has faith in Jackson, saying “you have to continue to put your trust into Phil.”
Which NBA trade rumors do you believe could come true for these Eastern Conference teams? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
[Photo by Kevin C. Cox, Christian Petersen & Mike McGinnis/Getty Images]
