The NBA season is a month away and some players that could be on the trade block this year as potential targets include DeMarcus Cousins, Markieff Morris, Kenneth Faried, Ricky Rubio, Jamal Crawford, Jose Calderon and Nick Young once the trading deadline gets close.
The summer did not see many major trades, but players like Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson were dealt and now are with the Lakers and Clippers in LA. The Lakers were mentioned as a potential destination for Cousins during the time leading up to the NBA draft, but a deal did not come close to happening. Cousins is a player to watch this season, as the Kings have been unwilling to make a deal so far, but could reconsider if they are at the bottom of the western conference for another season.
Yahoo Sports reported earlier in the summer that the Lakers and Kings exchanged a "framework" about a deal for Cousins, but the sides could not agree on compensation. George Karl was reportedly the main person pushing for a deal and a report from Howard Beck at Bleacher Report continued those rumors, saying that the "vast majority" of people within the Kings organization would like to make a deal.
Nick Young was shopped by the Lakers this summer, but the team did not find a deal worth making and he could be an option in the future. Young may be a bit marginalized with Lou Williams signing and some of the Lakers young players starting to develop and he could be a fit for a veteran team like the Cavs or the Miami Heat later in the year depending on how the season plays out.
Pro Basketball Talk from NBC Sports put together a list of players that could be on the "trade block" this season and they mentioned names like Kenneth Faried, Taj Gibson, Jeff Green, Jamal Crawford, George Hill and Markieff Morris as potential options. PBT writes that with the Nuggets in rebuilding mode, Faried is the best trade chip that the team has and he is about to start a $50 million contract extension he signed. Faried could be a target with that contract coming in below the market value for a player of his talent with the cap rising.
Gibson is a bench player for the Bulls and could be pushed out if Bobby Portis plays well, while Jamal Crawford also could be a fit for teams. The Clippers added a ton of scoring in the offseason and Crawford may have a lesser role and could be a target. According to the NY Daily News, the Knicks have expressed interest in Crawford this summer, while the team also could be looking at Ricky Rubio in the future, according to a report from Gigantes. The Knicks have Jose Calderon and after being shopped last season he could be on the block again.
Morris was mentioned quite a bit over the summer in trade stories, as he reportedly was unhappy with the Suns after the team traded his twin brother Marcus Morris. Morris reportedly is "unhappy" with his situation and wants a deal, but the Arizona Republic reports that the team is not looking to deal Morris. Morris was fined by the NBA for publicly asking for a trade and the team reportedly is hoping that newly signed veteran Tyson Chandler can help smooth things over heading into camp. ArizonaSports.com reports that Morris is expected to be in camp when things open up.
Check here for more on players that could be on the trade block this season. Check here for more news on DeMarcus Cousins, Markieff Morris, Kenneth Faried, Ricky Rubio, Jamal Crawford and Jose Calderon as potential trade options this season.
