The NBA Draft is finally here, some teams like the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets will use their top picks to add young stars with the potential to rebuild their respective franchises and bring them a title years down the road. While some teams like Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets will be looking to use their draft selections to fill out their rosters with depth to win a championship now, or to trade for players who have already developed in the NBA and can be a key piece to helping them win a championship. One of the most captivating parts of the draft is seeing which team(s) decide to move their picks, or current players, around for more veteran help or a future star. Thus being said, let's take a look at a few players who are likely to be traded during tonight's draft.
1. Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings
Trade talks between the Kings and Lakers have been centered around Buddy Hield and the rumors are starting to heat up. After a disappointing season riddled by injuries that included a first-round exit in the playoffs, the Lakers are looking to add more firepower at the guard position. It’s been reported by The Ringer that the Lakers have included Kyle Kuzma in multiple different offers for Hield and have even packaged him with teammates Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as well as Montrezl Harrell along with the twenty-second overall pick in tonight’s draft. Regardless of what the deal is for Hield, it seems likely that he’ll be joining the Lakers in the near future.
2. Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been involved in trade rumors since entering the league, and as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said, the Lakers seem to be ready to finally part ways with Kuzma. Wojnarowski also stated that the Lakers, “have literally offered Kyle Kuzma and KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) to almost every team I’ve talked to in the league.” After the Lakers chose to keep Kuzma rather than including him in the blockbuster deal for Anthony Davis years ago, it seems that the Lakers have no more patience left with Kuzma and he will be moved. The only stipulations left are when Kuzma will be traded and which team he will go to.
3. Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic
According to multiple sources, multiple teams have reached out to the Orlando Magic and are interested in acquiring Terrence Ross. One team in particular that has stood out amongst these rumors is the New York Knicks, who are looking to add more wing-scoring to pair with Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett. Ross could provide just that, as he’s coming off a career-high 15.6 points per game a season ago while coming off the bench. The Knicks hold the nineteenth and twenty-first overall picks in the draft and would most likely have to package one of those picks to trade for Ross.
4. Cam Reddish, Atlanta Hawks
Via The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, Atlanta is looking to move up into the lottery in tonight’s draft and could move Reddish to do so. It’s been reported that the Hawks will also package the twentieth overall pick along with Reddish. After the Hawks selected Reddish in the 2019 draft, he’s had an up-and-down career that has been hampered by continuous injury problems. However, Reddish has shown his potential to be a future all-star when he’s healthy and if he is traded will be a key piece to whichever team he ends up on.
5. DeAndre Jordan, Brooklyn Nets
According to Yahoo Sports, multiple teams have spoken to the Nets about trading former all-star DeAndre Jordan. Furthermore, according to Bleacher Report’s NBA insider, Jake Fischer, DeAndre Jordan is now on the trade block. Although it’s not clear what the Nets are seeking in return for Jordan, the deal could be centered around creating more cap space for the Nets. Jordan just recently turned thirty-three and will be making nearly ten million dollars as his base salary for the next two years of his contract. A steep price for a backup center who is well out of his prime.