Ahead of this NBA season, countless rumors emerged about players who could potentially leave their teams before February’s annual trade deadline.
Unfortunately, through the first four months of the season, the front lines have been eerily quiet, and no notable trades have yet come to fruition despite many unhappy teams.
And as many insiders and experts have already pointed out, the lack of activity on the trade front is due, in part, to the lack of legitimate sellers. With so much parity across the NBA, there are a lot of GMs who would prefer to wait and see how these next few weeks play out before rushing to make a move.
But according to the latest report from Marc Stein, the Hornets and Jazz have emerged as the season’s biggest sellers, and they’ve even begun taking calls on several of their top veteran players.
With less than three weeks to go before the trade deadline, teams regarded as clear-cut sellers at the deadline remain in short supply. Yet there is a rising belief leaguewide that Utah is open to listening to trade pitches for anyone on the roster not named Lauri Markkanen or Walker Kessler and that Charlotte is likewise prepared to take calls on veterans like Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. as the Hornets prioritize lottery position in the wake of LaMelo Ball’s third ankle injury this season. At 12-34 entering Saturday’s play, Charlotte is well on course to finish with one of the league’s worst four records.
Neither the Hornets nor the Jazz are in a position to compete right now, so it makes perfect sense for them to use their veterans as trade bait to build up their future assets.
In Charlotte, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, and even Gordon Hayward could be had for the right price, and all three of those guys could have some value for a team looking for a punch off the bench.
Utah Jazz Open To Trading Everyone Except Two Frontcourt Stars
In Utah, the Jazz have exceeded expectations so far, but nobody is predicting a long playoff run in their future. As one of the youngest teams in the West, the Jazz are still very much in rebuild mode and will not trade Lauri Markkanen or Walker Kessler for anything.
“The Utah Jazz are open to trades except deals that include potential All-Star Lauri Markkanen and rookie Walker Kessler,” wrote USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt.
In a market scare with assets, the Hornets and Jazz have the power to completely shake up the NBA. If they decide to pull the trigger and trade away most of their win-now players, this trade deadline will go from boring to action-packed at record speed.
At this point, it’s just a waiting game to see how long these teams can wait before coming to a decision on what moves they want to make.
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