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Which NBA Players Will Likely Be Traded?

December 9, 2022
byTJ466 views
Which NBA Players Will Likely Be Traded?

The 2022-23 NBA season is now in full swing, and fans are seeing the results of their favorite team’s off-season moves. Some teams are thriving with their acquisitions, while others are performing worse than expected.

One of the biggest reasons why some teams fail to meet their preseason expectations is underperforming players. These players struggle for various reasons, be it age, the style of play, or their role in the rotation.

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Regardless of the reason, some NBA teams may need to pull hard personnel decisions that may cause joy or break the hearts of their fans. Find out which players may be traded in the coming weeks that could significantly affect the OKBET odds.

Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets G

The Houston Rockets are still rebuilding after James Harden decided to sign off. The team already has a promising young core with Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jabari Smith. However, the young roster is at the bottom of the Western Conference even with these young stars in place.

Should the Rockets decide to join the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, their best bet is to trade away Eric Gordon between now and the trade deadline. The 14-year veteran is one of the team’s bright spots. His clutch performance during their double-overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers shows his ability.

The 34-year-old guard averages 12.3 points per game with 55%/35%/86% shooting splits. He’ll provide instant offense to a team that badly needs additional firepower, be it as a third option or a spark plug from the bench.

The other underrated-yet-valuable contribution Gordon can provide is his rich playoff experience. He’s made regular NBA Playoffs appearances during his time with Houston, and his influence will be beneficial in a contender’s locker room.

Miles Turner, Indiana Pacers C

The Pacers’ great play can be attributed to their decision to trade for Tyrese Haliburton in the middle of last season. While they’re amid a tight—albeit early—playoff race in the Eastern Conference, they won’t be in any rush to compete for championships with such a young core.

If they find their playoff hopes dashed by mid-January, they should trade away some of their high-value players in exchange for picks. Myles Turner will be at the top of their trading block.

The 26-year-old center has been in the Indiana trade mill ever since Domantas Sabonis burst into the scene for the Pacers. He’s also approaching the final year of his four-year, $80 million contract. And with Jalen Smith performing at similar levels as Turner for less money, the likeliest outcome is that Turner gets traded before the trade deadline.

One of Turner’s possible destinations may see him go home to Texas. The Dallas Mavericks are looking for a big man who can hold his own down low and boost their terrible rebounding numbers. Turner’s current per-game averages of 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks will be a perfect match for the Mavs. His play will also mesh well with Luka Doncic and Christian Wood.

Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz G

The Utah Jazz are one of the NBA’s feel-good stories after their mind-melting start to the season. While their momentum is slowing as teams are figuring out how to beat Will Hardy’s game plan, Danny Ainge still has an exciting rebuilding problem.

He will definitely keep Lauri Markannen and try to build a squad around him. Meanwhile, players like Collin Sexton are free for the Boston Celtics legend to turn into high-value trade assets he can shop around for picks or role players to fill up roster spots.

Sexton is playing solid basketball for the Jazz. While his points per game shrunk a bit due to his reduced role compared to his days in the Cleveland Cavaliers, his scoring has been solid with his 49%/36%/83% shooting clips. He also has the fifth-highest assist percentage on the team.

A team looking for an excellent scoring guard that will lead the second unit will find great value in trading for Sexton. Suppose the Jazz continue their gradual descent to basketball mediocrity. In that case, they will get the best deal for Sexton before the trade deadline passes.

Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets G

If you ask any NBA fan which player is the most polarizing at the moment, they’ll likely point to one of the Brooklyn Nets’ three stars. However, you can bet that at least two-thirds of the people you poll will immediately say Kyrie Irving.

The beleaguered Nets star—who just became a sneaker free agent—shares the crown with Kawhi Leonard for being the most unpredictable player in the league. He’s currently in the final year of his four-year, $136 million contract with the Nets, and his unpredictability may push the nets not to give him a max contract. The best move for the Nets is to trade him before he walks as a free agent.

Make no mistake: Kyrie is still a good NBA player. The fact that he’s averaging 24/4/4 on efficient shooting (47%/39%/90%) is a testament to his skill. However, his penchant for controversy and unpredictability may have fully exhausted the Nets.

Tinseltown is a possible trade destination for Kyrie, with the Lakers especially needing help across all sections. However, does he even want to play under LeBron James’ wing at this point in their careers?

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