NBA trade intel: Aaron Gordon, Spencer Dinwiddie, Nemanja Bjelica and more
This week the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat fortified their frontcourts for a run in the East by acquiring PJ Tucker and Trevor Ariza. With less than a week before the NBA trade deadline, other forwards could be on the move as well.
Here’s the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered on some of the top players available on the trade market.
Aaron Gordon is one of the most talented players who has come up in trade rumors, but the price to obtain him is not cheap. To pry Gordon from the Magic, it would cost a first-round pick and a good young player, league sources told HoopsHype. The 25-year-old forward is entering the prime of his career while shooting a career-best 36.5 percent from beyond the arc and is owed a manageable $16.4 million for next season. HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan recently examined potential trade destinations for Gordon, including the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Rockets, Celtics, Nuggets, and Pistons. With Orlando on a nine-game losing streak, Gordon isn’t the only starter on the Magic drawing interest. Several teams have also expressed exploratory interest in guard Evan Fournier who’s in the final year of his contract, league sources told HoopsHype. Terrence Ross, whose contract declines over the next two seasons at $12.5 million and $11.5 million, could replace Fournier as a starter if the Frenchman leaves in free agency. And yes, teams have called on Nikola Vucevic as well, but Orlando remains reluctant to part with its two-time All-Star during the best season of his career.
Spencer Dinwiddie will decline his $12.3 million player option, enter unrestricted free agency this summer, and should command a nice raise in the process. Looking ahead, the Nets will have a tough time retaining Dinwiddie due to future luxury tax implications. Dinwiddie can be obtained for a role player off the bench who can contribute this season as Brooklyn chases a title and a future second-round pick, league sources told HoopsHype. According to executives around the league who spoke with HoopsHype, the belief is a team that is over the cap would make the most sense to trade for Dinwiddie because the team would be able to monitor his rehab progress from a partially torn ACL and acquire his Bird Rights, which would allow him to be signed while going over the salary cap. Should the Nets retain him past the trade deadline, which Brooklyn is open to doing if the right deal doesn’t come along, they’ll have the flexibility to work out a sign-and-trade this offseason with his agent, Jason Glushon, and another team.
Nemanja Bjelica, a career 38.8 percent three-point shooter, is one of the top stretch forwards on the market. There’s a belief from several opposing executives that the Kings can move Bjelica for at least one second-round pick. If Sacramento is willing to take on some additional salary past this season, more draft pick compensation could be added in a potential deal, the executives estimated. The Kings, however, ideally don’t want to take back salary past this season in a Bjelica trade, league sources told HoopsHype. The Athletic’s Sam Amick mentioned the Warriors, Celtics, Pacers, and Bucks as teams with interest in Bjelica on the HoopsHype podcast a week ago.
Aaron Holiday is available on the trade market if a team is willing to part with a first-round pick, league sources told HoopsHype. Holiday, Indiana’s 2018 first-round pick, has seen a reduced role this season in a crowded Pacers backcourt. As noted by the Indy Star, Holiday has received trade interest from the Knicks, Suns, Grizzlies, and others over the past two seasons. MORE: Potential Houston Rockets trades for Victor OladipoMORE: Trade intel: Kyle Lowry, LaMarcus Aldridge, Ricky Rubio and moreMORE: Potential Boston Celtics trade targetsYou can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter: @MikeAScotto
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