Atlanta Hawks

NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Stars Most Likely To Be Dealt Before Deadline

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:49 p.m. ET

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With the 2017 NBA Trade Deadline just around the corner, there are several stars mentioned in NBA trade rumors who could realistically be traded between now and Feb. 23.

Every year, there are a lot of rumors tossed around as the NBA Trade Deadline comes into view. Some of them are realistic and some not, while most include stars in sticky situations. Either way, it’s difficult determining what’s fact and what’s fiction.

Well that’s what I’m here to help with — sifting though the mess and figuring what which stars are actually on the trading block. It’s not an easy task, but we’ll tackle it together.

So which names should you be keeping an eye on in the next month? Well I definitely wouldn’t include Klay Thompson, who was rumored to be a potential trade candidate earlier in the year. And chances are the New Orleans Pelicans aren’t planning on moving Anthony Davis, who also was rumored to be available back in November. At this point, I’m surprised LeBron James hasn’t been “put on the block.”

See what I’m saying? The rumor mill is deceitful, with its main objective being to obscure our view of reality. Luckily for you, I’ve put together a list of big NBA names who actually stand a chance of swapping teams at some point this season.

So here they are — five NBA stars who I believe are most likely to be traded before the February 23 deadline (in no particular order).

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Ricky Rubio, PG – Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s been known for some time that the Minnesota Timberwolves are desperate to trade away Ricky Rubio. Now, with the presence of rookie Kris Dunn, the team is trying even harder to clear the way for him to more minutes.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Minnesota is “actively shopping” Rubio with a month to go. He’s reportedly been attached to numerous trade offers, and appears to be one of the most likely NBA stars to be on the move this season. Being the highest paid player on the team doesn’t help his chances of remaining in the Twin Cities.

Rubio has always been an exceptional starter, but continues to underwhelm with his ineffective scoring. He’s a terrific passer and playmaker, but hasn’t developed the shooting necessary to maintain his role with the Timberwolves. The emergence of Dunn has only given Tom Thibodeau more reason to move the Spaniard.

I’m not sure how much Minnesota will get for him, or if there’s even that much interest out there. However, with how desperately the Timberwolves are trying to trade Rubio, it seems unlikely he’ll be on this roster when the deadline passes.

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Goran Dragic, PG – Miami Heat

Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, rumors have swirled about the potential trading of Goran Dragic. While it hasn’t happened yet, chances are relatively high that it will before the deadline.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Heat recently received an offer for the veteran. The Orlando Magic allegedly offered center Nikola Vucevic and a first-round pick for Dragic, but the team had “no interest.” Stein also mentioned that Miami is “resistant” to shipping away the 30-year-old guard.

And yet, it could realistically all be posturing. Pat Riley is likely attempting to maintain leverage in any potential trade talks that may arise.

Dragic isn’t getting any younger, and the Heat have little to play for at this point. With a rebuild all too likely this offseason, it only makes sense for Miami to start stockpiling draft assets and high-upside youngsters. My guess is they’re hoping for a better deal than Orlando managed to muster.

It’s time for the Heat to admit they need a new gameplan. With Hassan Whiteside the face of the franchise and Dragic getting up there in age, it’s only smart for Miami to set its sights on the future. The Heat would be wise to send Dragic elsewhere and hope they can make a killing during the draft.

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Paul Millsap, PF – Atlanta Hawks

Paul Millsap’s situation seems rather uncertain right now. The veteran power forward has claimed he wants to stay, and Hawks GM Wes Wilcox has allegedly been informing other teams he’s no longer looking for potential suitors for Millsap (via Adrian Wojnarowski).

Then, a few days later, Wojnarowski claimed that there’s a good chance the Hawks revisit a potential Millsap trade. Is it just me, or does it seem like there are some mixed signals?

Despite the learning curve he’s battled while playing alongside Dwight Howard, Millsap is still the Hawks’ most valuable trade chip. He’s performing at a relatively high level, and is more than capable of upgrading most NBA frontcourts. His averages of 17.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game are proof of that.

Still, his overall effectiveness has waned this season and the Hawks have plenty of talent throughout the roster. Getting something in return for Millsap instead of letting him walk next offseason seems like the best approach.

Millsap can be a difference-maker on any team, especially one that needs assistance in the paint. While trading for him won’t be cheap, it seems like a parting of these two parties isn’t as crazy as Atlanta is trying to make it seem.

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Jimmy Butler, SG – Chicago Bulls

It seems nuts, right? Why on Earth would the Chicago Bulls be interested in trading Jimmy Butler? He’s in the middle of a monster season, and seems like the best building block the struggling franchise has at this moment. It’s not like Dwyane Wade has much tread left on the tires.

Well, apparently, the Bulls aren’t too smitten with Butler if they’re considering shipping him away. According to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, Chicago’s star is “available for the right price.”

We must also recall the efforts the Bulls made to move Butler prior to the 2016 NBA Draft. There were rumors of Chicago attempting to make a move to the top of the draft, dangling Butler in front of potential buyers. Obviously it didn’t work, but it highlighted the team’s willingness to send Butler packing.

So could a trade realistically happen between now and February 23? Of course it could. This is the NBA, and crazy things happen every year–especially when it comes to blockbuster trades.

Butler is a superstar and is having a career year. Yet, for some reason, the Bulls appear all too willing to watch him wear a different jersey. It may or may not happen, but the odds of a deal materializing are becoming better and better with each bitter post-game comment.

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Carmelo Anthony, SF – New York Knicks

I’m not sure anyone truly knows what’s going on with Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks. It’s been mixed signals galore, and it’ll likely be that way until a trade happens or the deadline passes.

A move became more likely on Friday, when Anthony claimed he’d be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the team wanted to rebuild (via Newsday). This comes only a few days after Carmelo met with Phil Jackson to figure out what the star’s future could look like.

Put simply, the Knicks have a lot of issues right now. Derrick Rose just disappears before games, Anthony is throwing post-game tantrums, and there aren’t many building blocks on the roster outside of Kristaps Porzingis. Trading one of the NBA’s best scorers would net significant returns, but is it worth ruining what chemistry this team has left?

According to Charley Rosen, Anthony would likely only agree to be dealt to three teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. His family is already settled in the Big Apple, so a trade would only be OK’d for an ideal situation.

I know it seems ludicrous, but Carmelo may be headed elsewhere in the not-so-distance future. He considered leaving New York in 2014, and may entertain the idea again if things continue to spiral out of control.