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Fantasy Hoops: Payton, Warren, Pistons

December 27th, 2016 at 10:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The 2016/17 campaign is entering its tenth week and Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you dominate the competition. Check back weekly for more fantasy basketball analysis.

 Orlando’s Ace Off The Bench

The Magic’s offseason was filled with change, but the team planned on bringing back Elfrid Payton–their incumbent starting point–in hopes that he would continue to progress as a player and give the team some consistency. Payton struggled to begin the season, which provoked the organization to make another change: moving him to the bench.

The move has been mildly successful for the team, as Orlando owns a record of 9-8 since coach Frank Vogel re-adjusted the line-up, but it has brought even more success for Payton. Since moving to the second unit, the point guard is making 51.4% of his shots, up from the 43.0% he was making as a starter, and he’s averaging more points and assists per game than he was before.

Payton has always produced in the steals and assists categories, but his field goal percentage was detrimental to his value. Playing against opposing teams’ back-up point guards for portions of each game has allowed him to boost his offensive efficiency, similar to what Eric Gordon is experiencing in Houston.

He’s been particularly impressive over his last five games. He’s scoring 17.2 points per game on 58.3% shooting while adding 5.8 assists and a steal per game over that span. However, it’s worth noting that the team was missing Evan Fournier for two of those games, which led to a bigger role for the point guard.

Payton has become a fantasy asset and he should continue to be useful as long as his role doesn’t change too much. The team reportedly has interest in dealing him, as it may look to make even more changes, and if he’s dealt, his value will be dependent on what type of situation he’s looking at. If the Magic give Payton the starting spot back, or he’s dealt to a team that’s looking for a starter, his production is likely to be less efficient and his fantasy stock is likely to drop. Until then, enjoy his production and if he’s not owned in your league (available in over 30% of ESPN leagues), add him before Wednesday’s match-up against the Hornets.

Here’s more fantasy analysis and notes from around the league:

  • T.J. Warren, a player whom I wrote about earlier in the month, is still available in over half of ESPN leagues and that number should be much lower. The Suns are second in the league in pace this season, but the team is playing even faster when Warren is in the line-up. With him on the floor, the team is seeing nearly four more possessions per 48 minutes than when he sits. Before he was sidelined with a head injury, the small forward was a top-10 fantasy player at his position, in part because of the speed at which the team plays, and he’s starting to regain his form again.
  • Last week, Stan Van Gundy threatened that changes were coming for the Pistons. Since then, the coach moved Tobias Harris to the bench and it has helped the forward’s production. He’s scoring 23.5 points per game while shooting 53.6% from the field over his last two contests.
  • Van Gundy inserted free agent addition Jon Leuer in the starting line-up and the big man is also enjoying success. He’s shooting 51.1% from the field this season and he’s making 89.1% of his foul shots, a spectacular number for a big man. The power forward is available in nearly 70% of ESPN leagues.
  • The Mavericks signed Pierre Jackson earlier today. While the point guard is a scoring machine, his defense may keep him from seeing many minutes for the club. He’ll need to improve on that end of the floor if he is going to carve out a meaningful role with Dallas and he shouldn’t be on the fantasy radar until that happens.
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Trade Candidate: Rudy Gay

December 27th, 2016 at 5:33pm CST by Luke Adams

In the months leading up to February’s trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at several players we consider trade candidates, discussing their value, speculating on potential destinations, and explaining why they are – or should be – available. These players won’t necessarily be dealt in advance of the deadline, but it won’t be surprising if they are.

"<strongRudy Gay, F
Sacramento Kings
2016/17 salary: $13,333,333
$14,263,566 player option for 2017/18
Trade restrictions: None

Even if an NBA player has no intention to re-sign with his current team when he becomes a free agent, he’ll often say all the right things to reporters. When your contract is winding down, it’s easy to say that you’d love to be back with your current team, since that’s what just about everyone says.

With that precedent in mind, Rudy Gay‘s comments in an interview with Sactown Royalty this past July came as a bit of a shock. Rather than repeating the usual sentiments about his coming free agency, Gay bemoaned the lack of stability and consistency in Sacramento, suggesting that he hadn’t had “the kind of communication” that he wanted with the team. At the time, nearly one month into free agency, Gay also didn’t seem too interested in who his teammates for the coming season would be.

“I don’t know,” Gay replied when he was asked about new head coach Dave Joerger and the Kings’ roster. “Honestly, I haven’t paid attention. I don’t even know who our new players are to be honest with you. I’ve just been focused on trying to be healthy and trying to get in shape and get ready for the season, wherever that might be.”

Gay’s ominous “wherever that might be” line was a fairly strong signal that his long-term plan didn’t necessarily include a lengthy stay in Sacramento. But just in case Gay’s motivations weren’t 100% clear, a report surfaced before training camp began in September indicating that the veteran forward had informed the Kings he would opt out of his contract in 2017. Although the Kings still hadn’t shown an inclination to move him at that time, it seemed nearly certain that Gay was planning to sign elsewhere in the summer of ’17.

Gay’s public comments about his future could have created problems in Sacramento, but the team has handled the situation pretty admirably so far. Although trade rumors and speculation persist, Joerger has made the 30-year-old a focal point of the offense, and Gay has responded by being his usual productive self. In 24 games this season, the former eighth overall pick has averaged 18.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG.

With Gay playing well, and the Kings climbing up the Western Conference standings into a playoff spot, the situation in Sacramento is about to become even more interesting. On one hand, not a whole lot has changed since the summer. Gay still figures to opt out in July, having recently changed agents in anticipation of his free agency. Unless playing for Joerger really appeals to him, the veteran forward will likely explore the market and sign elsewhere. If the Kings want to avoid being left empty-handed if and when he departs, it still makes sense to move him by February’s deadline.

On the other hand though, it has been more than a decade since the Kings were in the postseason, and team ownership badly wants to end that playoff drought. At 14-17, Sacramento hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse, and the team’s grip on the No. 8 seed in the West is precarious. Still, if there’s a chance to participate in a playoff series, the Kings are unlikely to trade one of their top contributors, and Gay has been just that — the team has a +1.9 net rating when he’s on the court, and a -9.2 rating when he’s not.

If Sacramento explores a trade of Gay, there are a few teams that could be fits. According to various reports, the Magic, Thunder, Pacers, and Rockets are among the clubs that have expressed interest and/or spoken to the Kings about Gay.

What exactly would those teams be willing to give up for Gay? Well, the Magic and Rockets are over the cap, so they’d have to send out plenty of salary to take on Gay’s $13MM+ deal. That could mean starting with Jeff Green ($15MM) or Nikola Vucevic ($11.75MM) for Orlando, though I’m not sure the Kings would be eager to add more frontcourt depth. For Houston, Corey Brewer‘s $7.6MM contract could make sense, but the team would have to sweeten the pot with a young player and/or draft picks. Ditto for the Pacers and Monta Ellis ($10.76MM).

The Thunder have room to take on salary, and have reportedly discussed a deal with the Kings that would have included point guard Cameron Payne. Oklahoma City, which could use an offensive player on the wing to help take some of the scoring load off Russell Westbrook, might be the best fit, but a deal centered around Payne wouldn’t make Sacramento a better team this season.

The Kings are in a tricky spot. The worst-case scenario for the team would be to hang onto Gay, miss the playoffs, then lose him in free agency. But even if keeping the veteran forward results in a postseason berth, it’s hard to view that as a big win for the franchise. As the probable No. 8 seed, the Kings would likely be playing for the right to get swept in the first round by the Warriors.

Acquiring a young player like Payne, who is under contract through 2019, would be a much better long-term outcome than losing Gay for nothing. But we don’t know for sure what the entire hypothetical deal with OKC would look like, or if the Thunder are willing to make such a deal. The Kings are unlikely to get a huge haul for Gay, since potential trade partners will have the same concerns about his looming free agency and will be wary of giving up much for him. But Sacramento still should be reluctant to move the UConn product for 50 cents on the dollar.

For now, there’s no rush for Sacramento to make a move. The trade deadline is nearly two months away, and the standings could look much different by that point. If the Kings are six or seven games out of a playoff spot by then, their decision looks simpler — they should try to get what they can for Gay. If they’re still right in the thick of things, the Kings will be more inclined to keep their second-leading scorer and avoid downgrading their current roster.

What do you think? Should the Kings trade or keep Gay? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and possible trade ideas.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2016/17 NBA Reverse Standings

December 26th, 2016 at 7:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Throughout the 2016/17 NBA season, Hoops Rumors will be maintaining a feature that allows you to keep an eye on how the 2017 draft order will look. Our 2016/17 Reverse Standings tool, which lists the NBA’s 30 teams from worst to first, will be updated daily to reflect the previous night’s outcomes.

Our Reverse Standings take into account playoff teams in each conference, so they’re essentially a reflection of what 2017’s draft order would look like with no changes to lottery position. In addition to not considering the results of the lottery, our tracker lists teams in random order when they have identical records. At the end of the year, those ties would be broken via random drawings.

Traded picks – and conditionally traded picks – are included via footnotes. For instance, the note next to the Kings‘ pick says that Sacramento will send its pick to the Bulls if it’s not in the top 10. If the Kings’ pick is in the top 10, the 76ers would have the right to swap selections, so that footnote is included next to the Sixers’ pick as well. As of today, the Kings are in a playoff spot in the West, so Chicago would get their pick.

Our Reverse Standings tracker can be found at anytime on our right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features.” It’s a great resource not just for monitoring a team’s draft position, but also for keeping an eye on whether or not traded picks with protection will be changing hands in 2017. So be sure to check back often!

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2017 NBA Free Agent Power Rankings

December 25th, 2016 at 12:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amid today’s Christmas festivities, it’s easy to overlook that there are about six months until the NBA’s next free agent frenzy begins. With a new labor deal in place and record revenues flowing in, teams are expected to once again do some serious shopping. We’re coming off a record-setting summer for free agent contracts, and there are reasons to believe it will be eclipsed in 2017.

We published our first list in September, but the events of the past three months have made an update necessary. Injuries to Blake Griffin and Nerlens Noel have affected their standing, while extensions for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert have removed them from the list.

Remember that players who are ranked high aren’t necessarily expected to change teams when they hit the open market. Kevin Durant is No. 1, but he just signed with Golden State last summer and there’s no reason to think that he would break up one of the league’s power teams. However, Durant has a player option for 2017, so he could leave the Warriors and become the top free agents for a second consecutive summer, which is why he is on the list.

The rankings reflect each player’s expected value on the 2017 free agent market, rather than how we think they’ll perform on the court for the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Age and long-term value are important in their positions.

Here’s the second installment of our 2017 free agent power rankings:

  1. Kevin Durant, F, Warriors (player option): The former MVP is proving to be a perfect fit with Golden State. Even with less scoring responsibility than he had in Oklahoma City, Durant is putting up 25.9 points per game and shooting a career-best .541 from the field. The Warriors had to give up some defense to fit Durant under the cap, but at 27-4 they have remained atop the West and appear headed to a third straight NBA Finals.
  2. Stephen Curry, G, Warriors: Curry’s production is down across the board this season, which is one of the side effects of bringing Durant to the Bay Area. He’s averaging fewer minutes and fewer shots, while his scoring average has dipped from 30.1 to 24.4 points per night. After winning back-to-back MVP Awards, including a unanimous one last season, he’s barely in the discussion this time around. Still, there’s little doubt that he could take over again if needed, and every team with cap room would be interested if he thought seriously about leaving Golden State. Expect the Warriors to reward Curry with a max deal after years of playing at below market value.
  3. Chris Paul, G, Clippers (early termination option): One of the ongoing stories for the rest of the season is whether the Clippers can justify long-term max deals for both Paul and Blake Griffin. L.A. has strung together four straight 50-win seasons, followed by four straight playoff disappointments. At age 31, Paul remains among the NBA’s best point guards and it’s hard to imagine the Clippers being one of the West’s elite teams without him.
  4. Gordon Hayward, F, Jazz (player option): The Jazz were reminded how important Hayward is to their success when he missed seven games with a broken finger to start the season. He has been better than ever since returning, averaging career highs in scoring with 22.0 points per game and rebounding with 6.1 per night. He will be Utah’s top priority this summer as the Jazz try to keep a promising young team together.
  5. Blake Griffin, F, Clippers (early termination option): Griffin’s combination of All-Star talent and relative youth at age 27 still make him a very likely candidate for a max deal. However, there is a growing concern that injuries will haunt him throughout his career. Griffin was limited to just 35 games last season because of a quad injury and a broken hand. He is currently out four to six weeks after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He is also coming off his worst season in terms of field goal percentage and PER. If he does become a free agent, teams will have to weigh the risk involved in giving him a max deal.
  6. Kyle Lowry, G, Raptors (player option): Age is the only factor working against a maximum contract for Lowry, who will turn 31 in March. He has teamed with DeMar DeRozan to give the Raptors one of the league’s best backcourts and bring a legitimate title contender to Toronto. Lowry has stepped up his game even further this season, averaging a career-best 21.8 points per night to go with 7.3 assists.
  7. Paul Millsap, F/C, Hawks (player option): The 31-year-old has established himself as one of the NBA’s most reliable power forwards since signing with Atlanta in 2013. He has averaged 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds as a Hawk and has shown great durability, missing just one game last season. Like Lowry, age is the only thing working against a max deal for Millsap, who will turn 32 in February.
  8. Serge Ibaka, F/C, Magic: The Magic’s offseason moves haven’t produced the contender they were hoping for, but Ibaka has been a nice addition. The 27-year-old power forward is scoring a career-best 15.3 points per night and is blocking nearly two shots per game. He figures to be part of the long-term future in Orlando.
  9. Danilo Gallinari, F, Nuggets (player option): Gallinari reportedly blocked a trade at last year’s deadline, so there’s no doubt that the versatile forward is in demand. He’s having another fine season at 16.6 points per game, but repeated injury problems remain a concern. Gallinari hasn’t played more than 59 games since the 2012/13 season.
  10. George Hill, G, Jazz: Injury problems have limited Hill to just 11 games so far, but when he has been in the lineup, the Jazz have been pleased with the results. Hill is averaging a career-high 20 points per game and is looking like the right guy to run Utah’s offense. Expect the Jazz to try hard to keep Hill after giving up a first-rounder to get him over the summer.

The following 2017 free agents didn’t quite crack our list, earning honorable mention:

11. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, Pistons
12. Derrick Rose, G, Knicks
13. Otto Porter, F, Wizards
14. Jeff Teague, G, Pacers
15. Jrue Holiday, G, Pelicans
16. Rudy Gay, F, Kings (player option)
17. Nerlens Noel, C/F, Sixers
18. Dwyane Wade, G, Bulls (player option)
19. Greg Monroe, C/F, Bucks (player option)
20. Mason Plumlee, C/F, Trail Blazers
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Community Shootaround: Christmas Wishes

December 24th, 2016 at 6:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBA fans already got the gift they wanted most this Christmas when the owners and players hammered out a new collective bargaining agreement. That document, which was ratified by both sides this week, takes effect in 2017/18 and will run for seven years with an opt-out after six seasons.

Labor peace is a great gift for the league, but what’s Christmas with just one present? Around the NBA, there are players and teams who know what they want for the holiday season.

Almost all NBA fans have wishes, too. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, we would like to hear yours. If Santa could bring your favorite team just one thing tomorrow morning, what would it be?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/18/16 – 12/24/16

December 24th, 2016 at 9:58am CST by Austin Kent

Celebrate the holidays with a look back at this week’s original content published by the Hoops Rumors staff:

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Community Shootaround: Cleveland Cavaliers

December 23rd, 2016 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Several NBA teams have been hit hard by injuries or personal absences so far this season, but for the most part, teams have been plagued by short-term injuries, with players sidelined for days or weeks at a time. In Cleveland, the Cavaliers are now faced with multiple long-term absences, creating questions about whether the team needs to make a roster move or two to add depth.

The Cavs started the season essentially short one roster spot, since retired – and injured – guard Mo Williams was taking up one of those 15 openings. The team has been unable to negotiate a buyout agreement with Williams, and has kept him on the roster in the hopes of either recouping some of his salary or including him in a trade to balance contracts.

While Cleveland could easily get by with 14 healthy players, the team has lost a couple more recently, with Chris Andersen suffering a torn ACL that will sideline him for the rest of the season, and J.R. Smith undergoing thumb surgery that will keep him out of action for about three months.

The Cavaliers don’t currently qualify for a disabled player exception or hardship exception, and if they want to add a player to their roster, they’ll have to trade or waive someone. Andersen and Williams are obviously the two most likely candidates to be cut, but Cleveland will be reluctant to simply waive any guaranteed contracts. The team is already well into luxury tax territory, with a projected tax bill exceeding $30MM. Adding more team salary to the books, either via free agency or trade, will cause that tax bill to continue to grow.

The Cavs have a handful of trade exceptions at their disposal, including one worth more than $9.6MM, but the team doesn’t have a ton of trade assets available. Iman Shumpert is perhaps the most logical trade chip on the team’s roster, but his value isn’t believed to be overly high. And the best draft pick Cleveland could offer is its 2020 first-rounder. Even if the Cavs could find a trade partner that just wants to dump salary, such a deal would come at a high tax cost for Cleveland.

There’s no pressure on the Cavs to make a move immediately. GM David Griffin has said he’ll take his time to assess and adjust the roster as needed. Still, the Cavs’ roster depth is looking increasingly vulnerable, and it may mean leaning more heavily on LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love than the club wants to. So far, LeBron is averaging 37.1 minutes per game, his highest mark since he rejoined the franchise in 2014.

What do you think? Do the Cavaliers need to make a move to bolster their roster and improve their depth? Or can they afford to be patient and wait for better opportunities to materialize later in the season? If the Cavs do make a move, what sort of player should they target? Jump into the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

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Community Shootaround: Hall of Fame Players

December 22nd, 2016 at 8:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA players inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame this year were household names — Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming.

Shaq and AI were “no-brainer” inductees, superstars whose accomplishments made them first-ballot inductees. Ming’s impact from an international perspective overshadowed his early retirement due to foot issues.

There’s a lot more mystery concerning the next class that receives basketball’s ultimate honor. The nominees for the 2017 Hall of Fame among NBA players includes plenty of big names, many of whom have been passed over numerous times by the voting committee.

Topping the list of newcomers are Tracy McGrady, Ben Wallace and Muggsy Bogues. McGrady was a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection and two-time scoring champion. Wallace won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award four times, while the 5’3” Bogues proved that even a guy his size could carve out a lengthy career.

Other nominees in the player category include Chris Webber, Paul Westphal, Jack Sikma, Maurice Cheeks, Mark Price, Swen Nater, Sidney Moncrief, Tim Hardaway, Bobby Jones, Kevin Johnson, Marques Johnson, Mark Aguirre, Junior Bridgeman, Terry Cummings and Geese Ausbie.

Out of the latter group, Webber might be the most surprising holdover. The five-time All-Star has failed to make the cut the last two years.

This brings us to our question of the day: Which 2017 nominees do you think are most deserving of induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame?

Jump into the comments section below and share your selections for next year’s Hall of Fame class.

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Community Shootaround: NBA All-Star Voting

December 21st, 2016 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced this week that it will make changes to the way starters for the All-Star Game are determined, reducing the influence of the fan vote. Instead of being determined entirely by fans, as they have been since the 1974/75 season, All-Star starters will be voted in by fans (50%), players (25%), and coaches (25%).

The timing of the change is interesting — it comes a year after veteran center Zaza Pachulia was nearly voted into the game as a Western Conference starter due to a fan push, and it comes at a time when the NBA is in the process of finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Under the old CBA, players on rookie contracts could qualify for more lucrative contract extensions if they had been voted an All-Star starter, but the new CBA is doing away with that criteria for its designated player extensions. In other words, at a time when the NBA seems to be getting more serious about its All-Star Game voting, it’s now a little less critical for players to crack the starting lineup.

While fans certainly haven’t always picked the top five players in a given conference to start the game, All-Star weekend is essentially a series of exhibitions designed for the fans. It’s easy to make the case that fans should get to watch the players they want to see in the All-Star Game. There’s also no guarantee that the choices made by players and the media will be any better than those made by the fans. A handful of players have already talked about casting their ballots for their teammates, and Kyrie Irving is among the players who believes there may be some bias on the part of the media as well.

What do you think? Will the new All-Star voting rules help create stronger starting lineups for the game? Was it necessary to change the way All-Star starters are selected? If so, was there a more effective way to do it? Jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts!

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Notable December NBA Trades In Recent Years

December 21st, 2016 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Since the 2016/17 NBA season got underway, only one trade has been consummated, and that deal happened way back on November 1, when the Thunder and Sixers got together for a swap that featured Ersan Ilyasova and Jerami Grant. Still, while things have been mostly quiet since then, recent history suggests there’s reason to believe we could see at least one more trade completed before we turn the calendar to 2017.

With more than 120 players around the NBA having become trade-eligible last Thursday, and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement tentatively agreed upon – albeit not officially finalized – teams now have the flexibility to move most of their players, and the information to know what effect the new CBA will have on potential deals. That doesn’t mean we can guarantee a trade will happen within the next 10 days, but December has been a moderately active month in recent years.

Here are a few examples:

Hornets trade Chris Paul to Clippers: December 14, 2011

It has now been five years since the Clippers completed one of the most controversial trades in recent NBA history, acquiring Paul from the team known at the time as the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets appeared to have an agreement in place a few days earlier to send Paul to the Lakers, but commissioner David Stern – as the de facto controlling owner of the franchise at that time – decided not to make that deal.

Of course, superstars like Paul typically don’t change teams in December. The only reason it happened in 2011 was because the NBA’s lockout had just ended, resulting in a flurry of “offseason” moves in early December. We haven’t had such an exciting December since then, and the fact that the NBA and NBPA struck a deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement without a lockout this time around means we probably won’t get another December like 2011’s anytime soon.

Raptors trade Rudy Gay to Kings: December 9, 2013

While Gay certainly wasn’t a star on the level of Paul when he was dealt three years ago, he was in the midst of his sixth straight year averaging at least 18 PPG, and at the time, this deal was viewed as a signal that the Raptors were entering tank mode. A funny thing happened in Toronto after the team made this move though — the Raptors started winning.

Buoyed by players acquired from Sacramento in exchange for Gay, like Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez, and led by Kyle Lowry, who was nearly moved to the Knicks around the same time, the Raptors began their transformation into one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams following this deal. While this would be a difficult feat to replicate for any club, it’s worth remembering that a team making a deal for the future may ultimately benefit in the present as well.

Celtics trade Rajon Rondo to Mavericks: December 18, 2014

In some ways, the Celtics’ decision to move Rondo in 2014 was similar to the call the Raptors made a year earlier. Still viewed as a high-caliber player, Rondo was no longer a fit in Boston, and the pieces the C’s acquired for him – including Jae Crowder – helped accelerate the team’s rebuilding process.

Unfortunately for the Mavs, their decision to roll the dice on Rondo backfired horribly. The veteran point guard clashed with head coach Rick Carlisle, resulting in a brief, underwhelming stint in Dallas. Rondo has led a nomadic existence since this deal, having spent time with the Mavs, Kings, and Bulls over the last two years.

Pelicans trade Ish Smith to Sixers: December 24, 2015

Of the players on this list, Smith is the least notable name, but he’s worth including here for a couple reasons. First, the change of scenery gave him an opportunity to thrive in a contract year, resulting in him landing a lucrative three-year deal this past July. During this year’s trade season, it will be worth watching to see if any under-the-radar contract-year players get moved to a team that will allow them to play more and increase their value before next summer.

The Smith trade is also noteworthy because it represented the second consecutive year that a deal was made on Christmas Eve. In 2014, the Pistons acquired Anthony Tolliver from the Suns on December 24. That streak may not continue this year, but if a couple teams want to conduct some business before the holidays, perhaps we’ll get a deal later this week.

December 2016: ???

What do those previous December deals tell us about what to expect this year? Well, in the case of the Gay and Rondo trades – and even the Paul deal, though it’s an outlier – teams were ready to move big-name players who simply weren’t the right fit in order to accelerate their rebuilding processes. Who fits that bill this season? Perhaps someone like Nerlens Noel or Greg Monroe, though Gay and Rondo were more productive and more valuable when they were moved.

What do you think? Are any teams ready to make a deal now, or will we have to wait until 2017 for some trade action?

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