NBA Trade Rumors: Nuggets, Pistons Could Pursue Nets’ DeMarre Carroll In Midseason
There are rumors that the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons are interested in trading for Brooklyn Nets forward DeMarre Carroll this midseason.
Carroll, an NBA journeyman, thought he had found a home in Atlanta when he signed with the Hawks in the summer of 2013.
During his second season with the club, Carroll had developed to become an integral part of the then Hawks’ starting lineup. He helped the team reach the Eastern Conference semifinals, only to be swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.
Carroll averaged a career-high 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 31.3 minutes per game in the regular season at that time, which was enough to draw the attention of several teams.
Carroll then chose to join the Toronto Raptors during the 2015 free agency, signing the first lucrative deal of his career worth $58 million for four years.
However, things did not go out as he expected as he had lingering knee issues during his time in Toronto. With Carroll having a hard time staying on the floor, and the weight of his huge contract affecting the team’s salary cap, the Raptors eventually traded him last summer to the Nets.
Right now, he has resuscitated his career under head coach Kenny Atkinson. He is on pace to break his previous career-highs, averaging 13.3 points, 7.0 boards, and 1.7 assists in 29.6 minutes a night in 25 games so far this season.
With his current numbers, a few teams are rumored to be interested in trading for the 31-year-old small forward.
According to SB Nation’s Denver Stiffs blog, the Nuggets could try and get Carroll by offering fellow veteran Kenneth Faried and a 2018 second-round draft pick to Brooklyn.
With Carroll’s salary only $1.7 million higher than Faried’s, this trade would not mean so much for both teams financially.
However, aside from getting an experienced wingman who defends well, the extra second-rounder makes the deal sweeter for the Nets. It should be noted that Brooklyn is presently short on draft picks.
Denver is said to be looking to off-load Faried, who had become out-of-place in Mike Malone’s scheme of things.
Meanwhile, the Pistons are also in need of a quality small forward and the Detroit Free Press‘ Vince Ellis suggested for Detroit to pursue him again this midseason. The team challenged the Raptors for Carroll’s signature back in 2015.
Pistons head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy is said to be looking for an upgrade at the three spot. Van Gundy currently starts Stanley Johnson at small forward.
