Have you recovered from your shock in the DeMarcus Cousins trade? It makes you hungry for more, right? There might be a few deals that could still happen before the trade deadline on Thursday (February 23, 3 PM E.T.), although we’re probably not gonna see another deal as lopsided as that one, because it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to rival Kings owner Vivek Ranadive’s “brilliance.”
Nevertheless, it is likely that certain players will be shipped. Read on below to know who those guys are!
Players Most Likely To Be Moved at the 2017 NBA Trade Deadline
Jahlil Okafor
Philly has been trying to move their second-year big for months now (as they should). Their log-jam at the front court is simply hard to device. No coach can keep three good, young centers on one team and make them all happy, regardless of what system is being ran.
Joel Embiid is showing superstar-type of potential, so it’s either Nerlens Noel or Okafor, and the team’s front office has indicated that it’s the latter. Okafor, as you may remember, was about to be sent to Portland weeks back, but it got cancelled on the 11th hour, as the Blazers went on a different direction.
Brandon Knight
Due to being a bit similar to Eric Bledsoe’s style of play and Devin Booker emerging game after game, Knight has been relegated to the Suns bench. “Sixth man” doesn’t even seem to cut it because he’s only getting 21.1 minutes of action every night, and he also has 24 games this season where he received lesser playing time than his average.
Knight is only 25 and coming off a year where he put up 19.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, so Phoenix is sure to have a list of suitors, and at least one of them might make them bite.
Ben McLemore
With the Kings fresh off sending their best player for a plate of peanuts and a slushie, you know teams from around the league are salivating to offer them trades. McLemore should be one of the most targeted on the roster, since he’s young (24) and could operate inside and out.
Buddy Hield’s arrival, who’s quite similar to McLemore in terms of build, position, shooting ability, etc., is also a big reason why the swingman is being shopped heavily.
Greg Monroe
Monroe is far from a scrub. It’s even arguable that he’s one of the top passing big men in the league. For some reason, though, he doesn’t fit well with the Bucks’ plan, and them diminishing his minutes and pulling a trade that acquired bigs Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert says it all.
Centers, especially ones who have the skill that Monroe has, are a commodity in today’s game, so Milwaukee should be able to get a nice deal on or before the deadline.
Cameron Payne
The Thunder are in dire need of another offense-minded guy. They are second-worst in the NBA in three-point shooting (32.1 percent) and they have to have a third man that can create offense for himself (after Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo).
Payne looks to be the first in line to be offered, since he’s a speedy, shifty guard that can bring great energy on the floor. He was also close to being traded for at least a couple of times in the past year, including one that could’ve allowed Oklahoma City to land Rudy Gay.
Patrick Patterson
A stretch four is a need in most teams, but for the Raptors, who are quite hungry to be the premiere team in the East, it’s not a type of player that they want now. Raps GM Masai Ujiri shooting hard in acquiring Serge Ibaka indicated that a lot. He knows that the power forward they need has to have power down low.
With Patterson currently nursing a knee injury, and Toronto now having Ibaka, Jonas Valanciunas, Lucas Noguiera, Pascal Siakam, and Jakob Poetl as bruisers in the shaded lane, PP is probably a goner.
Lou Williams
Williams has been big for the Lakers this season (18.6 PPG in just 24.6 MPG), and L.A.’s front office should be super active in selling him high. “Sweet Lou” will bring scoring and instant offense to any team, and he could be extra attractive to various clubs when packaged with another decent player and/or a draft pick (lottery protected, of course).
Mario Hezonja
Hezonja is the best (tradable) asset of the Magic. He’s young, athletic, and has a good stroke from the outside, but he unfortunately can’t find his place in coach Frank Vogel’s defense-focused schemes. The addition of Terrence Ross, whom he shares a similar skill set with, further jeopardized his chance at landing a regular spot in the rotation.
