The NBA offseason is coming and that means trade rumors and some names this year that could hit the block include Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Greg Monroe, Arron Afflalo, David Lee and Harrison Barnes among many other names and teams like the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks, Toronto Raptors, LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets all could be active on the market.
This year Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo are the top names coming into the offseason and they may not get moved since the demand is just crazy and their teams may want to keep them, leaving LaMarcus Aldridge and Deron Williams as other top names that could come up in talks. According to SI.com, there are a number of players that will get attention this offseason, including DeRozan, Monroe and Afflalo. DeRozan could move if Kyle Lowry is gone as a free agent, while Lee could be moved as the Warriors try to snag Lee.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Afflalo is willing to accept a trade from the Magic, while Monroe could be on his way out after Stan Van Gundy takes over. The Pistons can't move Josh Smith because of his contract and they are keeping Andre Drummond long term and that could lead to Monroe getting moved. The Pistons have Monroe as a restricted free agent and he comes in after averaging 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds and he is just 23 years old. One comparison could be with Roy Hibbert, as he got a deal from the Blazers that the Pacers matched and now the Pistons may have a similar decision to make this offseason.
Pro Basketball Talk reported that Monroe could be on his way out with Van Gundy coming in and he is set to be a restricted free agent. A sign and trade deal could be in the works and with Van Gundy on a five years $35 million contract, he will get the final call on a deal. The Warriors may look to make some trades, as they hired Steve Kerr and look to be in on the Kevin Love trade talk. The team has David Lee, Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson as options if they want to make a deal and that could be a move for the franchise if they want to get Love after missing out on Dwight Howard last offseason.
The Timberwolves must decide what to do, as names like David Lee, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green could be in the mix for the Warriors. The team just hired Steve Kerr and adding someone like Kevin Love could put them over the top in the west. The Pistons have Greg Monroe as a restricted free agent and they could use that to their advantage, while the Celtics also have Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger along with other players to use. The Rockets have Chandler Parsons and Terrence Jones as well as Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin as assets.
The Rockets and the Bulls want to trade for Love as well and if they miss out on him, some other targets include Carmelo Anthony as a free agent and Rajon Rondo for Houston. The Rockets are looking to add Anthony, Love or Rondo this offseason, as they feel they have a chance to make a championship run with their own Big 3 with James Harden, Dwight Howard and whoever they can get. The Rockets need to make moves before any of that can happen, as Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik are each making a ton of money and since they are in the last years of their contracts, they likely will be traded. That will free up some space and the Rockets also have a huge decision on the option for Chandler Parsons and that could affect how the team tries to acquire one of those stars.
Williams is an interesting option for teams after the way he performed with the Nets and while the team lost to the Miami Heat, Williams is still looked at as a top point guard, albeit one getting older. Williams could be a target for the Los Angeles Lakers if they want to move on from Steve Nash and while he could be tough to acquire, the team has the cap space now to make a move. The Lakers are going to get a solid player with their top 10 pick in the draft and that could help with the turnaround depending on who they sign as head coach. This summer the NBA offseason should be dramatic and the big names like Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love and LeBron James will dictate what teams decide to do.
Love has said that he is open to deals to the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls and right now those two teams look like they have the best chance at getting a trade done. Love has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA over the past few years and he is shaping up to be the next big free agent signing if he makes it to the market, but many teams are hoping that he doesn't because it likely means they are out of it. The Celtics and Suns are wild cards, as they have the first round picks to get a deal done, while the Bulls and Warriors have the best crop of players to deal.
