With less than seven games separating 12th from eighth in the Western Conference standings and just five games separating 12th from eighth in the Eastern Conference, it’s no surprise that the NBA trade rumors have been relatively quiet. The deadline right around the corner on February 18th, though, and there have been some persistent rumors over the past couple of weeks that just won’t seem to go away. Here is a look at the four most talked about trade rumors around water coolers right now.
Clippers Willing To Part With Blake Griffin
It’s amazing how dramatically the outlook of a team can change in less than one full season. The Los Angeles Clippers went from looking like legitimate NBA championship contenders when they retained DeAndre Jordan in the offseason and then added Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith, but they haven’t looked that strong this season. They started very slow and there were chemistry issues, but it looks like the team has finally come together as they’ve played quality ball over the last couple of months. What’s interesting is that the team has played better without Blake Griffin than with him, which has made many people wonder if he’s expendable. The rumors continue to persist with the latest news suggesting that the Clippers would move him if it meant they had a shot to land Kevin Durant, who is a free agent at the end of the season. It’s bizarre to think that Griffin is actually on the trade block but the Clippers are evaluating all of their options. They had hoped for bigger and better things this season but so far, they seem quite far off from those goals.
Kings Will Trade Rudy Gay
The Sacramento Kings have dropped four in a row. As much as ownership wants the team to make a push to the playoffs, the reality is that they’ll likely (again) be on the outside looking in. It seems as though Rudy Gay’s name has come up in trade rumors every year but there is a level of legitimacy to them this time around. Sacramento has reportedly made it clear they are willing to part ways with Gay as long as they get a decent scorer in return for the full-time starter. That might be where it gets complicated. The 29-year-old is having his worst scoring season since his rookie year but a team that feels he would benefit from a change of scenarios could still take a chance on him. The Kings want to land a young potential starter in return but their asking price has to come down. It just might if they continue to slide down the standings over the next couple of weeks.
Hawks’ Jeff Teague Is On The Block
The Atlanta Hawks are in a tough position. They feel that they can be a legitimate NBA championship contender but at the same time, they’ve fallen back this season and need to to figure out what to do with its point guard situation. Dennis Schroder has emerged as one of the best young point guards in the NBA and the numbers show that he has been slightly more efficient than Jeff Teague. Payroll restraints and a lack of perimeter depth means the Hawks might have to trade one of those assets in order to address a position of weakness. There has been plenty of talk about them shopping Teague around the association. Teague was an All-Star last season and he has averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 assists for Atlanta this season but the Hawks are looking at Schroder as someone who has more upside in the long run. Teague should garner plenty of interest before the deadline and if the asking price is reasonable, he could very well be on the move this February.
Courtney Lee Will Be Moved By Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have won three straight to create a little bit of cushion ahead of the teams on the outside looking in in the Western Conference playoff picture. However, the truth is that they’ve had a dismal season and no longer really look like they can challenge for an NBA Championship. Combined with the fact that both the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs look untouchable right now, it’s hard for Memphis’ front office to see a path to the title.
That being the case, look for them to move soon-to-be free agents Courtney Lee and Jeff Green. They may as well get something for them now before they leave for nothing in free agency.
