NBA Trade Rumors: Stanley Johnson to be Traded, Nowitzki to Retire this Season
The following are the latest trade rumors for 2016-17 NBA Season.
1. Stanley Johnson to be Traded
During last season's playoffs, Stanley Johnson showed that he could play well against LeBron James. Despite the fact that the Pistons got swept by the Cavaliers, Johnson was a revelation and a lot of big things were expected from him.
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Unfortunately, Stanley Johnson didn't deliver this season. He is currently averaging 3.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game this season in just 13.4 minutes per game. Johnson is getting fewer minutes this season partly because Marcus Morris has performed well for the team.
This performance early in the season has led many basketball pundits to believe that Stanley Johnson will be traded by the Pistons front office. He still has a lot of potential anyway; at 20 years old, he has a lot of room for growth and he already has the athleticism and skills to become a great player someday.
Detroit needs to assess Johnson properly. Perhaps he will improve over the course of the season and is simply adjusting like many sophomores. Because of this, the team may choose to give him a little bit more time before making a decision.
2. Dirk Nowitzki to Retire
Dirk Nowitzki will be an instant first ballot hall of famer once he retires. He is one of the best big men in NBA history, and Dallas Mavericks fans will surely miss him when he decides to put an end to his illustrious NBA career.
Rumors have pointed to the possibility of Nowitzki retiring after the end of this season. His team currently has the worst record in the Western Conference at 6 wins and 19 losses.
Nowitzki has only played in 5 games this season due to injuries. In an interview with Sport Bild, he said, "If things don't go so well and it hurts everywhere, it could be that 2017 will be the end. Actually, my plan is to complete the 20 years and play for Dallas until 2018. But just because I have signed a 2-year contract doesn't automatically mean that I will play for two years. It could happen next year."
Dirk Nowitzki is currently averaging 12.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game this season. What's most evident is his shooting percentage, which has dropped significantly at 35.8%. Compare that to his previous 18 seasons, when he maintained a field goal percentage of about 45%.
Nowitzki's latest injury is a strained right Achilles. If he can recover fast from this injury, he may choose to pursue his plan on playing 20 years in the league.
