December 15 marks the unofficial start of the NBA trade season.
Why? It’s the date that most players who signed contracts in the offseason become trade-eligible.
There were a decent number of players who were already eligible for the trade, of course, but the pool is now much larger. That means more business goals and pathways for teams to create business packages.
Now, a month away from the trade deadline, here are 10 players who could be traded this season, in no particular order.
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It’s no secret that the 76ers have been exploring trades for Simmons for several months. Your sale price? An All-Star caliber player and / or multiple first-round draft picks, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. There seems to be no shortage of teams interested in Simmons; It might be easier to list which teams haven’t expressed an interest in Simmons at this point, but we’re still waiting to see if someone will give the 76ers what they want. ‘What are you looking for.
This may extend into the off-season and beyond.
In early December, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz broke the news that the Pacers are “receptive to business dialogue with rival teams” focusing on three of their main players, including Sabonis and Turner. The catch is, it looks like the Pacers would only part ways with one of the two big men. Sabonis, a two-time All-Star, is the best scorer, rebounder and passer, but Turner offers a unique combination of 3-point shooting and shot blocking in center position.
LeVert is the other player mentioned in the Charania and Kravitz report that the Pacers are open to discuss. LeVert’s numbers are down a bit this season and he has a long injury history, but he has proven to be a talented scorer when healthy. He averaged 19.5 points per game in .433 / .343 / .759 shooting divisions during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons (92 games).
Hield has established himself as one of the most feared shooters in the league. He has a 40.2 percent career shooting from 3-point range at high volume. no one he has made as many 3s as Hield in the first five seasons of his career. No stranger to trade rumors, Hield is on the books for $ 23.1 million this season. His salary decreases in each of the next two seasons, down to $ 21.2 million in 2022-23 and $ 19.3 million in 2023-24.
The No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Bagley has appeared in just 140 games so far in his career, primarily due to injuries. To the chagrin of his agent, he was not in the Sacramento rotation to start this season. He has appeared in 22 games since then and has shown promise, but he is averaging 21.0 minutes per game on the season, a career low.
According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee, the Kings are buying a package that includes both Hield and Bagley.
Young had one of the best seasons of his career in 2020-21, filling in the gaps from the bench for Chicago as a small ball center. He hasn’t been part of the San Antonio rotation this season, but The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported ahead of the season that the Spurs are expected to do so. “receive great interest in the veteran forward of competitive teamsHe will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Gordon started the season off the bench, but has started his last 24 appearances, averaging 15.0 points and 4.1 assists with 49.0 percent shooting from the field and 42.7 percent since. the range of three points. A high-volume 3s shooter and capable playmaker who can defend as well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gordon also draws the interest of contenders ahead of this season’s trade deadline.
There were questions early in the season about how long Dragic would be with the Raptors. He started in Toronto’s first game of the season, but was quickly removed from the rotation and is no longer with the team for personal reasons. Perhaps Dragic is destined to be bought by the Raptors, allowing him to finish the season with a team of his choice, but his $ 19.4 million salary could help them match the contracts in a trade.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Magic “They have looked for a capital project“In talks for Ross. Ross’s score is down this season, but he has proven to be an explosive scorer off the bench who can warm up quickly. He finished fifth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2018-19 when he averaged 15.1 points. per game from the bench.
Averaging 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, Grant finished second to Julius Randle in Most Improved Player voting last season. He’s posting similar numbers so far this season, though he’s currently out with a sprained thumb ligament. His combination of 3-point shooting and defensive versatility with some combo plays will make him a popular business target with contenders in need of a forward.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Pistons are getting calls for Grant.