It’s that time of the year again. In team offices across the country, phones are ringing, general managers are making deals, and players are waiting for 3:00 PM (the NBA’s trade deadline). Whether it’s the Philadelphia 76ers hoping to land a few more draft picks, or the Charlotte Hornets begging someone (anyone!) to take shooting guard Lance Stephenson, just about every team is looking for a way to improve. While there are no marquee players on the trade block this year, there are quite a few notable names to watch for this Thursday.
Players who are not going anywhere
Lance Stephenson: Sorry, Charlotte. When the Hornets signed Stephenson this summer, many fans thought that Charlotte would be a top five seed in the Eastern Conference this season. Instead, Stephenson appears to have forgotten how to play basketball and the Hornets are barely holding onto their playoff hopes with a 22-30 record. While the team has tried to move him all year, there are simply no takers. The asking price is too much for most teams and, honestly, who would even want to trade for him?
Brook Lopez: The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly entertained offers from the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder for Lopez, but the Nets have either turned down or backed out of any deal. Many teams would love to add Lopez, but Brooklyn’s asking price is simply too high. The teams capable of trading for him either don’t have or aren’t willing to give up the draft picks that the Nets demand in return.
Players who should pack their bags
Goran Dragic: Point guards are a necessity in the NBA, and some teams have even found ways to utilize a double-point guard lineup. The Phoenix Suns took that idea a little too far. Eric Bledsoe, Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas are all starting-caliber point guards but are forced to share minutes on the same team. It was a nice effort by the Suns to try to make this strategy work, but with the New Orleans Pelicans and Thunder closing in on Phoenix’s playoff spot, it’s time for a change. As for which point guard to trade, Dragic has informed the Suns that he will not re-sign with the team after his contract expires this summer. With the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers interested, among other teams, Dragic is unlikely to still be a Sun by tonight.
Arron Afflalo: The Denver Nuggets don’t have a real direction or plan at this moment. Since firing Coach George Karl after the 2012-13 season, the team has sat in the NBA limbo of “too bad to make the playoffs and too good to win the lottery.” Afflalo has a player option after this season and is likely to leave the Nuggets for a contender this summer. Several teams, including the Thunder, have shown interest in Afflalo and Denver would be wise to trade the shooting guard now and get some kind of value for him instead of letting him walk for nothing in a few months.