As we move closer to the trade deadline, NBA trade rumors continue to build momentum. Sportsrageous reports that the Boston Celtics could be kicking the tires on a possible move for Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut . Now that it appears the Celtics have struck out on trying to obtain a superstar center, they are weighing their “second tier” options, and Bogut is at the top of that list. The Australian big man has expressed his unhappiness with a reduced role on a losing team in Dallas, and he will not re-sign with the Mavs when his contract is up at the end of the season, as detailed by Slam Magazine .
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made a trade for shooting guard Kyle Korver to shore up their backcourt after J.R. Smith broke his thumb (Smith is set to miss at least three months due to the injury). However, the backup point guard spot continues to be a problem for the defending NBA champions, and according to Yibada , Dallas’ Deron Williams is the best option to fill that role for the Cavaliers. Fansided continues the flow of speculation about the Mavericks, as they opine that Dallas is a primary potential landing spot for Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic, who has been frequently mentioned in recent NBA trade rumors.
One interesting scenario that is being discussed online is a four-team deal that would include the Celtics, Cavs, Heat, and Mavericks. Boston would receive Andrew Bogut and small forward Richard Jefferson, while Cleveland would get Deron Williams. Miami would obtain a package that includes small forward Jae Crowder, shooting guard Iman Shumpert, and center Kelly Olynyk. Goran Dragic would round out this seven-player swap by heading to Dallas. This is a fairly complex trade possibility, but it satisfies all NBA rules per the ESPN NBA Trade Machine .
The Boston Celtics would have reason to be interested in this deal, but much of it would hinge on Andrew Bogut’s willingness to re-sign with the Celtics this summer. The team could move Al Horford to power forward if Bogut came on board, but this transaction would also weaken Boston at the small forward position due to Richard Jefferson’s age, and rookie Jaylen Brown still being in the early stages of his development.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers could afford to unload Iman Shumpert now that they have acquired Kyle Korver, and according to NBC Sports , the Cavs have concerns about Shumpert and have already tried to trade him. Deron Williams would be an excellent backup to Kyrie Irving if this deal went down.
Miami Heat small forward Justise Winslow is out for the season with a shoulder injury, but this rumored proposal would bring them a fine replacement in Jae Crowder. Iman Shumpert would also have a role with the Heat, given his defensive prowess. Kelly Olynyk would fill the backup center position behind Hassan Whiteside.
Andrew Bogut has made it clear that he is leaving the Dallas Mavericks after this season, so the team needs to trade him or risk getting nothing when he bolts as a free agent in a few months. Goran Dragic is a very good player, and he is young enough (30) to have a future with the Mavs if this swap is executed. Sending Bogut out would leave Dallas with a hole at center, but the team is already among the worst in the NBA this season, so this wouldn’t be a huge issue for the rebuilding Mavericks.
The latest NBA trade rumors are buzzing about a four-team, seven-player deal between Boston, Cleveland, Miami, and Dallas. The Cavaliers would probably be the most enthusiastic of the four teams regarding this hypothetical trade. The Heat and the Mavericks are both looking to retool their rosters, and could be intrigued by this rumored offer as well.
The team who would be likely to hesitate the most is the Celtics. If they could get Andrew Bogut to agree to a new contract as part of this transaction, they might consider this swap. However, Bogut isn’t the dominant center they ideally want, and losing Jae Crowder would hurt the team. This rumored scenario would warrant some serious consideration, but it appears doubtful that general manager Danny Ainge would go through with a risky move such as this.
[Featured Image by John Raoux/AP Images]