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NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Players Likely To Be Dealt Prior To 2017 NBA Trade Deadline

By Jason Fletcher
Published on: 13:40 PST, Feb 17, 2017

The 2017 NBA trade deadline is less than a week away, and the rumor mill is beginning to heat up as we enter All-Star Weekend. We’ve already seen two pretty major deals go through as the Portland Trail Blazers sent Mason Plumlee and a 2018 second-round draft pick the Denver Nuggets for Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round pick, while the Orlando Magic sent Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick.

Big names such as Carmelo Anthony, Brook Lopez, and Jimmy Butler have all been a part of rumors in the last couple of weeks, but it’s unlikely that any of them will be traded at this point. That being said, there are a handful of players that look to be on their way out of their current teams and are very likely to be dealt in the next week.

Lou Williams, Los Angeles Lakers – Williams has been tremendous this season for the Lakers, as he’s averaging 18.6 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 rebounds as the Lakers’ sixth-man, but he’s 30-years-old and only has one more year remaining on his deal. Dealing Lou would also open up more playing time for some of the Lakers’ young players in the second half of the season while also bringing back assets.

Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers – According to CSN Philly, the Sixers and Pelicans have been discussing a deal for Okafor for a little over a week now, but things have yet to be ironed out. Whether it’s the Pelicans, or the Bulls, or some other team, the Sixers have a logjam in the frontcourt and Okafor looks like the favorite to be dealt.

Reggie Jackson, Detroit Pistons – ESPN’s Marc Stein reported earlier on Friday that the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic have discussed a deal that would send Jackson to Orlando in exchange for DJ Augustin and Jeff Green. Jackson has struggled this season after undergoing offseason knee surgery and is only averaging 15.2 points and 5.6 assists in 28.4 minutes as the Pistons have limped to a 27-30 record.

Derrick Rose, New York Knicks – The Knicks are currently 23-34 and sit four games behind the Pistons for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. After entering the season expecting to compete, the Knicks will likely be sellers at the deadline and Rose looks to be the top candidate to go as he’s a free agent after the season and would be unlikely to re-sign with New York.

PJ Tucker, Phoenix Suns – The Suns are loaded with young talent as the team continues to rebuild towards the future and Tucker doesn’t seem to be a part of the team’s long-term plans. Tucker is 30-years-old and his contract is up after this season, which makes him a prime candidate to be dealt. A contender could very well be interested in Tucker’s ability to defend and rebound.

There will likely be more players talked about and traded over the next six days, but keep an eye on these five players specifically. Also keep an eye on the Boston Celtics, who have the most ammo of any team in the NBA. The Celtics currently hold the No. 2 seed in the East and are only three games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who just lost Kevin Love for six weeks, for the No. 1 seed.

Danny Ainge has the assets to make the Celtics the favorites in the Eastern Conference if he so chooses, and it’ll be interesting to see if he actually pulls the trigger or stays pat.

[Featured Image by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]

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