NBA Trade Rumors for 2016-17 Season: Blake Griffin, Jahlil Okafor to Thunder, Larry Sanders to Nets
As the regular season draws nearer, more trade rumors continue to pop up. Some rumors discuss trade options for players who might decide to leave during free agency, others talk about player comebacks. There's a plethora of trade reports as fans and experts alike eagerly anticipate what each team's next moves will be. Here are the latest of these NBA rumors.
1. Blake Griffin to Oklahoma City Thunder
Recent rumors have reported that the OKC Thunder is willing to trade away Steve Adams and Victor Oladipo to the Los Angeles Clippers for Blake Griffin.
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A consistently great power forward, Griffin averaged 21.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game last season. Despite his obvious value as a talented power forward, Griffin finds himself in the trade rumors because of an out clause off his two remaining years in the Clippers that permits him to be a 2017 free agent.
Granted that Griffin might go to another team after this regular season, the Clippers are delving into other options, including trades.
At first glance, though, this trade doesn't seem practical for the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan is already a solid center for the team, and the addition of another good center in Steve Adams will complicate the roster. Also, Oladipo will basically play the same roles as J.J. Redick and excellent sixth man Jamal Crawford.
2. Jahlil Okafor to Oklahoma City Thunder
Another trade rumor that OKC is involved in is getting Jahlil Okafor from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Cameron Payne and Andre Roberson.
Jahlil Okafor averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game last season; his rookie year. With the Sixers' front court loaded, the team is rumored to be looking to trade either Okafor or Noel.
The Sixers-Thunder deal looks good at hindsight since it will solve the back court problems of Philadelphia. Cameron Payne is a 6'3" point guard who averaged 5.0 points and 1.9 assists on 12.2 minutes played per game last season.
Andre Roberson, a 6'7" shooting guard, averaged 4.8 points and 3.6 rebounds on 22.2 minutes played per game last season as a junior in the NBA.
Roberson is a great defender as well, and he has been given the task to defend the best player in the opposing team at times.
3. Larry Sanders to Brooklyn Nets
Rumors report that Larry Sanders will make a comeback to the NBA, after quitting in 2015 because of depression issues.
Sanders has since expressed his interest to return to the NBA. In an interview with The Vertical, he said, "Once my art, music and passions off the court feel stable, I will look into coming back. I still love basketball. I want stability around me, and part of my mindset to leave was not to put all my eggs in one basket."
Brooklyn still has $16 million left to spend, and Sanders will probably ask for an $8-$12 million contract. That means the Nets can afford him, and if he does decide to play with the team, then the Nets could add one more player to a roster that mostly relies on center Brook Lopez for offense.
Sanders averaged 7.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game during the 2014-15 season.
