10 NBA Players Most Likely to Get Traded Before the Deadline

Image via Getty/Nathaniel S. Butler

Current Team: New York Knicks

Potential Destinations: Philadelphia 76ers, L.A. Clippers, Miami Heat

The Knicks have a bunch of guys on the block: in addition to Morris, Julius Randle, Wayne Ellington, and Bobby Portis could be on the move. But Morris is differentiated from that pack because he’s an unrestricted free agent in 2020 with no guaranteed money after this season. Oh, and -- with all due respect to Randle -- Morris has also been the best player this season.

As a three-month rental, he’ll likely join a playoff-ready team looking for a reliable veteran presence in the frontcourt. And there’s reason to believe he could have a real impact in the postseason, as he’s leading New York in scoring (19.0 PPG, by far the best output of his career) and also shooting a blistering 47% from 3-point range. At 30 years old, he’s playing like a young buck.

Morris has said he has no desire to change teams, and the Knicks don’t seem inclined to move him either. However, given his contract, experience, and production, he’s a valuable commodity right now -- and the downtrodden Knicks need to pile young assets, so they’d be foolish to hold onto a guy who doesn’t have that much tread left on his tires.

Current Team: Detroit Pistons

Potential Destinations: Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks

At 26, Drummond is a force down low. In a day in which dominant big men are a rarity, he’s at the peak of his powers despite some obvious limitations to his game. This season he has posted averages of 17.3 PPG, 15.7 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. Even his free throws -- long his Achilles heel -- have improved, as he’s shooting over 60% from the charity stripe.

But the current iteration of the Pistons isn’t going anywhere. Blake Griffin suffered yet another catastrophic knee injury, his days of star-level production are all but certainly over, and Detroit is locked into that deal. Dwane Casey and the Pistons are financially handcuffed. 

They need to start considering a rebuild, and Drummond is easily their most valuable asset. Drummond could also leave the team for nothing in the offseason -- and even if he opts in, that means a whopping $28.8 million is tied up on a guy who can’t front a title team -- so a trade seems incumbent. Pairing Drummond with Trae Young or Luka Doncic would be a lot of fun.

Current Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Potential Destinations: Portland Trailblazers, Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns

Gallinari is a big name and he puts up big numbers -- in a recent four-game stretch, he scored 23, 24, 30, and 23 points -- on impressive efficiency. At 6’10”, he’s shooting over 40% from downtown this season. He’s a guy who can play both the 3 and 4 and fill it up offensively -- in other words, a guy a lot of teams would love to have.

But he’s also 31 and playing on an expiring contract. The Thunder (23-18) are flirting with the bottom of the West playoff pool, and with players like Gallinari and Chris Paul in tow, they could make some noise and frustrate a top-seeded team this postseason. But you have to think Sam Presti is thinking longer-term. What good is making the playoffs and possibly winning one series with an aging roster?

It’d be a surprise to see Presti hold onto both veterans, and given the structure of their deals, Gallo is a more tradeable asset than CP3, who is 34 and under contract through 2021-22.

Current Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Potential Destinations: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks

It’s sad that we haven’t seen Iggy suit up since his Golden State days. He had a huge impact (both on and off the floor) during the Warriors’ championship runs and, though he soon turns 36, the most recent evidence suggests he still has something left in the tank.

Iggy hasn’t played for Memphis and likely never will. He wants to play for a contender, not a young team that’s rebuilding -- though his veteran leadership would be extra valuable in such a setting (think Vince Carter).

The Grizz aren’t interested in buying out Iggy’s $17.2 million deal (can you blame them?), so they’re looking for trade partners. Pairing Iguodala with Danny Green would create an appealing, highly switchable, savvy 1-2 punch on the wing for the Lakers, who are preparing for an expected title run and are involved in just about every trade rumor floating around the league.

Current Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Potential Destinations: Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks

Long known as one of the best defenders in the game (sound like the guy above him on this list?), Covington has slid just a bit this season. The 29-year-old was impressive upon his move from Philly to Minnesota last season, but his 2019-20 efforts have been less compelling. He’s seen less playing time and his productivity has dipped on both defense (his SPG is down from 2.3 to 1.7) and offense (from 14.5 to 12.7 PPG). 

That said, he’s shooting better than he ever has in his career, and he’s still an All-NBA caliber defender, one of the rare guys who can physically match up with many of the league’s most prolific scorers. The Wolves have struggled across the board, and they keep falling further down the West standings -- if it weren’t for the abysmal Warriors and Hawks, Minnesota would be in conversations about the No. 1 pick.

The Wolves have to do something, and Covington is their likeliest trade bait. Some have mentioned Andrew Wiggins as well, but seeing Ryan Saunders move the former Kansas star -- with whom he has a close relationship, and whose confidence he has rebuilt -- would be shocking. A Philly reunion could be in the cards for Covington. One thing to keep in mind, though: Karl-Anthony Towns is tight with Covington, so Minnesota may not want to upset its franchise pillar. Have to weigh the emotional impact of these deals sometimes.

Current Team: Sacramento Kings

Potential Destinations: L.A. Lakers, New York Knicks

The Kings are still one of the NBA’s worst teams at 15-26, and that’s despite locking up Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield over the past year. So...where do you go from here? 

With Bogdanovic approaching restricted free agency this offseason, Barnes and Hield under contract, and De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley as Sacramento’s core franchise pieces, Bogdanovic could be on the move.

Given his ability to fill it up on the offensive end -- he’s averaging a career-best 14.5 PPG despite failing to play to his potential -- he’s overqualified to come off the bench for much longer. As his deal expires, he’ll be looking for both a pay raise and role upgrade, and Sacramento isn’t in position to give him either. That was evident when the two sides failed to agree on an extension before this season. Plus, the Kings -- like Minnesota -- need to change something up. The feng shui is...suboptimal.

The dynamic Serbian playmaker is only 27 and could fetch a decent return.

Current Team: Detroit Pistons

Potential Destinations: Philadelphia 76ers, L.A. Lakers

As outlined above, the Pistons are stuck. The 31-year-old Rose has resurrected his career, averaging 18.1 PPG and 5.8 APG, and appears to be in line for an All-Star nod.  Though his 3-point shot is still lacking and always will be, he’s been especially good in the pick-and-roll. He has the highest offensive rating on Detroit’s roster and has been one of the few encouraging parts of an otherwise depressing season for the Pistons.

The 2008 No. 1 overall pick and former MVP is under contract for next season, but he’s playing on a bargain deal: $7.3 million this season and $7.7 million in 2020-21. There are a number of potential suitors for Rose, but championship contenders make the most sense.

Reports have indicated he’s unlikely to be moved, but don’t rule anything out for Detroit right now.

Current Team: Detroit Pistons

Potential Destinations: Houston Rockets, L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers

Yes, this could be a busy trade deadline for the Morris family. Markieff isn’t the player his brother is -- the Pistons forward is averaging 10.9 PPG and 3.8 RPG -- but he’s also a lethal shooter (40% from 3) and versatile defender.

Further, he provides that grit and toughness so many teams desire for the playoff run, and his deal is incredibly team-friendly. He’s owed only $3.2 million this season and has a $3.4 million player option for next season. It’s highly unlikely he’ll opt into that, but still -- $3.2 million for this year!

Though Markieff (who was also traded at last year’s deadline) dealt with a foot injury that caused him to miss time in late December and early January, he’s back on the court and already looking like himself again. He recently scored 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting in a win against Boston, posting his second-highest Game Score (a measure of overall performance) of the season.

Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Potential Destinations: Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat

Love still has three years and $91.5 million left on his contract with the Cavs after this season, so it may be difficult to find a suitor willing to eat that much cash for an aging big. This guy has been in trade rumors basically since he first arrived in Northeast Ohio, but his recent drama -- and all the drama surrounding Cleveland in general -- suggests it’s different this time.

Love hasn’t fit well with John Beilein amid the veteran coach’s transition from Michigan to the pros. At 12-31, the Cavs aren’t even going to sniff the playoffs, and the 31-year-old wants to play for a contender.

Again, this will be tricky -- even finding a team that can match Love’s $29 million cap hit will be tough, not to mention that Koby Altman will likely insist on a decent return. But things are so off in this relationship that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Cleveland cut bait. Could a homecoming in Portland be in the cards?

Current Team: Toronto Raptors

Potential Destinations: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs

Lowry, who turns 34 in March, is beloved in Toronto. With Kawhi gone, he’s also seen an uptick in usage this season. His PPG average has soared from 14.2 in 2018-19 to 20.4, and his MPG has increased as well (34.0 to 37.4). He’s shooting better from the outside and the charity stripe. In sum, despite his age, he’s still been one of the best guards in the Eastern Conference -- he’s having a tremendous campaign.

Yet according to a recent report, there is “speculation that Kyle Lowry could be had at the right price.” The Raptors are third in the East, and it’s not ridiculous to suggest they have a shot at repeating as conference champs, but Lowry isn’t the only guy on the roster popping up in trade rumors -- Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Fred VanVleet also appear to be in the mix.

The other three players are on expiring deals, while Lowry will earn $31 million next season, but the veteran guard might make the most sense as a trading chip for Masai Ujiri. Though Lowry has five straight All-Star selections and is leading the team in points and assists, VanVleet is poised to take over as the team’s top guard -- and he’s almost a decade younger. Lowry could put a fringe contender over the top or a fringe playoff team into the field.