The NBA trade deadline is almost here and there has been no shortage of rumours for us to talk about until the deals actually start taking place.
Fringe teams such as the Pacers, Knicks, Blazers, Hawks, and Kings are considered to be the most active teams in trade talks. Meanwhile, teams such as the Sixers and the Lakers have to make decisions surrounding their expensive stars.
As we’re slowly approaching the deadline, let’s look at what’s happening in the trade market as SBOTOP lists down several relevant NBA 2022 updates.
Sixers still finding the right deal for Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is still technically a member of the Sixers despite having yet to play a game for them this season.
He has been garnering interest despite wanting out of Philly. But given the management’s steep asking price for the Australian point guard’s services, Simmons’ number of suitors has drastically dwindled.
The Kings were the latest to have reportedly offered package deals to the Sixers which would’ve involved Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, Richaun Holmes, or even De’Aaron Fox, but they eventually stopped their pursuit since neither side came to an agreement.
Sacramento will move on to other potential trades for the meantime, and it looks like Philadelphia may ultimately wait until the offseason to try and offload Simmons.
Since Simmons is signed through the 2024-25 season, the Sixers believe that they have time and leverage to wait on a deal. It also helps that they are doing well without him so far as they have a 29-19 record, which is good for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Can the Lakers shake up their current roster?
The Lakers have been in trade rumors since their Big 3 experiment hasn’t worked so far. 50 games into the season, they are barely scraping for a playoff spot since they’re at ninth in the Western Conference with a 24-26 record.
The much-maligned Russell Westbrook has been taking the brunt of the blame due to his inefficient play, and his lack of success playing with LeBron James has increased trade speculation ahead of the deadline.
It got so bad to the point that the Lakers have reportedly considered shipping him back to one of his old teams.
According to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Rockets were open to a swap between Russell Westbrook and John Wall. But since the Rockets would want to have an additional first-rounder as a sweetener, it would be unwise for the Lakers to pull the trigger.
With the said deal unlikely to happen, the Lakers are said to be circling back to the Kings in an effort to try and get Buddy Hield – who was their main target before the Russell Westbrook trade last summer.
Per Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, the Lakers have reached out to the Kings about a Talen Horton-Tucker package for the sharpshooter, but the Kings don’t seem to be interested.
Like the Sixers, the Lakers don’t have any viable options as of the moment and it’s likely that they’ll stick to their current lineup for the rest of this season.
Knicks dangling key veterans for the right price
The Knicks have regressed from last season and their NBA 2022 odds of making it back to the playoffs don’t offer much hope since they’re at 12th with a 23-27 record.
Because of this, New York are reportedly keen to make several tweaks on their roster, which includes gauging trade values of their rotation players.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently pointed to Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, and Evan Fournier as possible trade chips, while dealing Julius Randle is also a possibility.
Kemba Walker was banished from Tom Thibodeau’s rotation initially and he has struggled to do much of substance. The 31-year-old guard had stretches where he looked like his old self, but that hasn’t translated to wins.
Evan Fournier is also having a lacklustre season since he’s only averaging 13.4 points with just 42-per cent shooting from the field. Like Walker, the Frenchman is an aging guard who doesn’t offer much else outside of his perimeter shooting.
Alec Burks appears to have the most value among the Knicks’ veteran guards since he’s playing under a team-friendly three-year, $30-M contract. The former lottery pick is posting norms of 11.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Since winning Most Improved Player last season, Julius Randle’s numbers have declined. The 27-year-old forward just signed a four-year, $117-M extension last summer, but he has failed to live up to his mammoth contract thus far.
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