The NBA season is still months away, but trade rumors are already starting to pop up with players that are set to hit free agency in 2015 and beyond and names like Rajon Rondo, Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, Klay Thompson DeAndre Jordan, Goran Dragic, Roy Hibbert, Steve Nash and Josh Smith all could be on the block next season.
The trade deadline in February could be very interesting in 2015, as names like Rajon Rondo and Marc Gasol are heading into free agency and they surely will be targeted by teams. The Clippers have Jordan to pay coming up, while Millsap should be in line for a raise after how well he has played since signing with the Hawks. The Pacers have shopped Roy Hibbert this summer, while Josh Smith has had the same thing happen with the Pistons.
Steve Nash and Rajon Rondo are point guard to watch and Rondo is actually the top player overall to keep an eye on now that Kevin Love has been traded. Rondo is coming into the last year of his extension and the Celtics may consider moving him this year, as teams like the Kings, Rockets and Pacers all could be interested. Rondo likely will not sign an extension so that will make a deal harder, but if the Celtics are very bad again, they will have to at least consider a deal.
Aldridge is very likely to stay in Portland and the team is not planning on trading him, but he still will come up in rumors since he is heading into free agency. The team has offered him a contract extension, but he is planning on signing a max deal as a free agent,. Aldridge has developed into one of the best forwards in the game and he showed that last season while factoring into the MVP race and playing well in the postseason. The Blazers are going to try and sign him to a deal and he could get upwards of a five-year, $108 million extension next summer.
There are a number of players that will be hitting unrestricted free agency and those names will also come up at deadline time. Asik was traded this offseason and could move again, while Lopez could be traded from the Blazers to make sure the team can sign Aldridge. Jordan likely will not be moved, while Hibbert and Smith could be targets depending on how their teams are doing when the deadline comes up.
Marc Gasol is getting targets by the Knicks according to the NY Post if he hits free agency next summer and he will be looked at as someone that could move at the deadline as well. Josh Smith was shopped to the Kings, while Goran Dragic has come up and he potentially could be a free agent with a player option next year.
