NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz On Mike Conley, DeAndre Jordan Plus More
The NBA trade season will be in full swing and several teams are expected to test the market as soon as the restriction to trade newly-acquired free agents is lifted. Two of those teams are the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers, where Mike Conley and DeAndre Jordan are rumored to be on their respective teams’ trading block.
Grizzlies Could Trade Mike Conley As Team Plans Reset
Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are the last two remaining members of the Grizzlies’ “Grit ‘N Grind” era and both are repeatedly mentioned in recent trade rumors.
With Memphis currently at the bottom of the West with an 8-20 record, speculations abound that the club is planning to hit the reset button soon.
Conley, in particular, is said to be targeted by the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets, according to Metro USA.
The report said that the Pistons are “in desperate need” of change at the point guard spot with Reggie Jackson not meshing well with the other players in Stan Van Gundy’s system. Jackson is known as a shoot-first floor general rather than someone who can facilitate the offense consistently.
Conley can both score and facilitate as he had proven in his so far 10-year career, all with the Grizzlies. Conley had career-high averages in scoring (20.5), field goal shooting (45.9 percent), and three-point shooting (40.7 percent) last season. He also had 6.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 33.2 minutes per night in 2016-2017.
It also noted that Detroit would be willing to trade Jackson and a couple of their future first-round draft picks to get Conley.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are also reportedly interested in Conley. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons suggested a trade scenario sending Emmanuel Mudiay, Jamal Murray, and Kenneth Faried to Memphis for Conley.
However, the former Ohio State standout has been injury-prone this season and continues to be sidelined by a sore Achilles. There is no timetable yet for his return as he has been out since the middle of last month.
DeAndre Jordan To Bucks?
DeAndre Jordan remains to be the subject of various trade speculations as the two-time NBA rebounding leader is rumored to be the target of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Milwaukee Bucks, to name a few.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale recently proposed a trade between the Clippers and Bucks that is centered on Jordan. According to Favale, the Clippers would have to give up Jordan, Patrick Beverley, and Brice Johnson to the Bucks in exchange for John Henson, Sterling Brown, Mirza Teletovic, D.J. Wilson, and a 2020 second-round selection.
Favale said that the suggested deal is a “happy medium” for both sides.
The Clippers are set to lose an All-Star center that provides rebounding and rim protection, thus they would want substantial assets in return.
Meanwhile, the Bucks just want to make sure that they get more than Jordan, who will enter free agency at the end of the season as he turns 30. Adding Beverley to the package makes it a more viable deal for Milwaukee.
Beverley is currently out after undergoing a microfracture operation on his right knee last month.
More Rumors
There are rumors that Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could soon be on the trading block.
CBS Sports’ Chris Barnewall included him in a list of “eight NBA players who have a real chance to be involved in trade rumors soon.”
Barnewall noted that the Lakers could choose to dump Caldwell-Pope’s large salary ($17.7 million) to prepare for next summer’s free-agency.
It is no secret that the Hollywood squad is planning to sign big-name free agents, namely LeBron James and Paul George, when that time comes. The team is expected to welcome any opportunity to slash their cap space in order to accommodate the two superstars’ wages.
