It’s January, which can mean a lot of things. It’s the New Year, the NFL playoffs are here and teachers are counting the days until summer. Oh, and NBA trade rumors are alive and well. It really is one of the best times of year, as the anticipation and speculation is about a million times more intense than the actual trades that end up going down. There’s good reason for it this year, too, as several big names keep coming up in trade rumors and a ton of players either could or most certainly should be relocated.
Which ones need to be shipped off somewhere else more than others? We’ll take a look at that in this column, which explores five guys that absolutely need to be traded one way or another before this year’s deadline hits. We’ll leave out DeMarcus Cousins and Dwight Howard for now, as we’re sure to cover them more specifically as the days go by. For now, let’s touch on seven guys that have either worn out their welcome in their current NBA towns or just need to go to a new city:
Ty Lawson, PG, Houston Rockets
The Rockets acquired Lawson this summer in hopes that he could put his past troubles behind them and give them a play-maker at the point guard position. One reasons was to take some ball-handling pressure off of star shooting guard James Harden, as well as boost their offensive output from the point guard position. Unfortunately Lawson has become a further distraction off the court and has not developed into the answer they were seeking on it. The best solution at this point is for both parties to go their separate ways. Lawson could still potentially be the starting point guard answer in the right city, while Houston could seek some scoring to come off of their bench in a trade.
Brandon Jennings, PG, Detroit Pistons
The Pistons for now seem to be content with Jennings working his way back from a torn Achilles, but with Reggie Jackson firmly planted as the team’s franchise point guard, the writing appears to be on the wall that a trade is coming. Jennings still needs to prove he’s the same player after a horrific injury, but if he can, his trade value will see a boost and several teams could express interest in making him their top point guard. Numerous teams could come calling, with the likes of the Knicks and Rockets potentially showing interest.
Kevin Martin, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
K-Mart is an aging scoring threat stuck on a young, rebuilding team that won’t be competing for a playoff spot anytime soon. On one hand he can still ball and be a key source of offensive production, but on the other he’s taking crucial minutes away from younger talent Minnesota would like to groom. The natural move figures to be a trade for a pick or two, with Martin landing with a team as a starter or key scoring reserve. Teams like the Bulls and Thunder could use an offensive spark at the guard spot off the bench.
David Lee, PF, Boston Celtics
Lee wasted away as a buried bench piece last year with the Warriors and now he’s doing the same in Boston with the Celtics. We’ve still seen flashed of his double-double talent over the past two years, so it’s highly arguable that the aging big man still has something to give to the right team. He’s likely no longer going to be a key starter anywhere, but anyone looking for scoring help inside could try to swing a trade. He’s just too buried behind Boston’s plethora of big men, so he’s likely to be moved before the deadline.
Markieff Morris, PF, Phoenix Suns
Morris is probably the biggest name on this last that 100% can, should and will be moved. He publicly expressed his disdain for the Suns this past summer and has since dropped out of the rotation completely. The relationship doesn’t appear salvageable at this point, pointing to a certain trade in the near future. The Rockets have expressed interest in upgrading at the four spot and Morris could end up being a great fit in Houston. A number of teams will want a competent stretch four like him, though, so whoever is willing to give up the most may land Morris.
Joakim Noah, C, Chicago Bulls
Noah is a special case, as he still can be of use as a defensive stopper, but injuries and age have eroded him down to more of a bench presence. He’s still useful for the Bulls when healthy, but with the presence of so much talent down low in Chicago, he’s quickly become fairly expendable. That could have the Bulls looking to move him in order to acquire some extra offense off the bench. You could even throw in Taj Gibson in that discussion.
Timofey Mozgov, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mozzy has regressed in his second year with the Cavs, as he’s more of a slow and methodical talent and hasn’t been supplying the team with any real impact on offense. Without that offensive boost, he’s just a big body that can rebound and block shots. With Anderson Varejao healthy and Tristan Thompson signed to a huge deal, he should quickly become expendable for a Cavs team that could probably still use another shooter. Cleveland may want to hold onto Mozgov to make sure they don’t take a hit in the depth department, but with numerous teams already reportedly inquiring about his availability, it’s not crazy to think he could be on the move after just one season in Ohio.
Think some more NBA players could be on the move before this year’s deadline? Tell us about them in the comments below!
