The NBA trade market could heat up after free agency with names like Eric Bledsoe, Deron Williams, Jamal Crawford, Ryan Anderson, Jose Johnson, Rudy Gay, Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried and DeMarcus Cousins as potential targets that could move after Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson were traded this summer and teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lakers, Knicks, Nuggets, Celtics, Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Kings could look into deals.
The Lakers reportedly have agreed to acquire Roy Hibbert from the Pacers and that means they likely will be out of the mix for DeMarcus Cousins if he is traded. Around the NBA draft there was a ton of chatter that Cousins could be moved and the Lakers discussed a deal with the Kings that may or may not have included Julius Randle. The two sides did not get close on a deal and now with Hibbert reportedly heading to LA, the deal is not likely to happen.
Two big names that have come up in talks include Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford and teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are reportedly interested. Chris Broussard at ESPN reported that the Cavaliers were looking into a deal for Johnson with the Nets, but the talks have "stagnated" due to the Anderson Varejao contract. Brendan Haywood was also reportedly involved. Marc Stein at ESPN reports that Crawford now could be the main target for the Cavs and Heat, and Cleveland could look at moving Haywood for Crawford.
Check here for more on the NBA trade rumor mill, including the Lakers getting Hibbert, news on Johnson to the Cavaliers for Varejao, the latest on Jamal Crawford to the Heat or Cavs, and whether the Joe Johnson deal will go through for the Cavaliers.
Crawford is reportedly a trade option for Miami and the team could consider moving Mario Chalmers in the deal. The Nets are trying to move Johnson and according to ESPN New York, the team is also shopping Deron Williams as a trade option. Last season Williams averaged 13 points and six assists in 68 games and he could be a cap trade move along with Johnson for the Nets to clear some space after signing back Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.
The Kings may still consider a trade with Cousins, but the deeper it gets into free agency the less likely it is to happen. George Karl reportedly wanted to trade Cousins and also acquire two of his former players in Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson, but that deal did not come close to happening either. The Kings signed Rajon Rondo and there is a chance the team could consider trading Rudy Gay, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that the team could trade him to open "more salary-cap space". Josh Smith is reportedly a free agent target for the Kings.
Ryan Anderson is also a potential trade target for the Suns after they missed out on LaMarcus Aldridge. According to SB Nation, the Suns could be "pursuing" Anderson in a deal. The team also shopped Eric Bledsoe in a trade around the NBA draft according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News and the Suns could continue looking at deals this summer.
The team agreed with Brandon Knight on a five year deal and that eventually could lead to the departure of Bledsoe. The Suns made a trade to clear cap space to try and woo LaMarcus Aldridge and now that they have Tyson Chandler in with Knight, they could make a play for Anderson.
