Evan Turner reads the newspapers and he will well aware that there are rumors of a trade circulating around him. The Philadelphia 76ers have been actively shopping the young star during the trading period, hoping anyone bites. Turner admits to hearing everything said about him and is not concerned one bit if he gets moved.
Turner is in his fourth season with Philadelphia. The 76ers are not heading anywhere this year and the team is opting to trade away key players in favor of draft picks to rebuild. Tuner knew that once the 76ers started traded players, he likely did not factor into their rebuilding plan and now it is only a matter of time before he gets moved.
"I never expected to get a contract extension, especially when we switched GMs, you know?" Turner said, via Sporting News. "I always said, Mr. Hinkie is going to do what he wants to do, and he has his own vision and everything like that. So when you trade an All-Star like Jrue, I mean, what occurs next isn't going to surprise me. I was just trying my best to keep focused, keep helping the team win and getting better."
With the trade deadline quickly approaching in less than a month, the 76ers are pushing a trade with almost every team, something Turner continues to see on the news. He told reporters on Monday that if he believed every rumor about him, he would have his bags packed for different weather.
"I don't pay attention to it anymore," Turner said. "I just keep trying to get better, keep trying to play. I know I can play basketball. At the end of the day, you have to see who takes it, who is running with that, who is writing what they're writing.
So who could be interested in Turner? The Phoenix Suns appeared to be an option, but now the team is focusing on Pau Gasol instead. The Dallas Mavericks are an option after the Dallas Morning News reported the tem was going to be active in the market. Shawn Marion is currently out with an injury making Turner a strong candidate. Fansided.com reports the Los Angeles Clippers could also be in play.
All of the trade rumors surrounding Turner could essentially lead to nothing. Last year, Josh Smith faced the same chatter and ended up remaining with the AtlantaHawks for the remainder of the season. Right now, Turner has as good a chance as anyone to get traded before Feb. 20.
