With the NBA Trade Deadline two weeks away, a puzzling deal involving big men is set to be finalized, and another player wants out of Denver.
Apparently, there’s something about Denver. Maybe it’s the franchise, or it could just be the cold weather, but guys don’t like playing there. With the NBA Trade Deadline fast approaching, Wilson Chandler has made it known he wants out.
According to Sam Amick of USA Today Sports, two people with knowledge of Chandler’s situation said the former New York Knick wants to be traded. Chandler, traded to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster deal, is reportedly frustrated with his role.
Per Amick, Chandler is having a career season, but he isn’t starting despite the success. It’s understandable why he might be frustrated. The 29-year-old is still in his prime and under contract for two more seasons at a reasonable $12 million salary.
The Nuggets are reportedly also shopping Danilo Gallinari, Jusuf Nurkic, and Kenneth Farried. It’s not a surprise that Chandler could be on the move too.
With the Eastern Conference as bad as it is we should expect at least a couple teams to manufacture assets to try and make a playoff run. We may have seen the first of those moves on Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst, the Milwaukee Bucks have reached an agreement in reached an agreement in principle to trade Miles Plumlee to the Charlotte Hornets for Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes.
Story with @WindhorstESPN: Milwaukee has reached an agreement in principle to trade Miles Plumlee to Charlotte for Roy Hibbert/Spencer Hawes
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 2, 2017
The Hornets wanted to shake things up. They won 48 games last season in a much better East. Right now they’re just 23-26 and have the eighth seed. At this point in 2015-16 Charlotte was just 24-25 before acquiring Courtney Lee near the deadline.
Lee played great basketball for Steve Clifford’s team and was a big part of their hot play down the stretch. Charlotte hopes to find lighting in a bottle two years in a row. This time with Plumlee.
This deal makes more sense for the Bucks. They get rid of Plumlee’s contract and take on Hawes and Hibbert. Hawes’ contract has a player option next season for $6 million (peanuts with the new cap), and Hibbert’s expires at the end of 2016-17.
For the first time in a long time, Hibbert has looked like his old self (albeit while playing just over 16 minutes per game). Per NBA.com, he’s holding opposing shooters from less than six feet to -11.6% fewer than the league average.
Plumlee was playing less than ten minutes per game and averaging 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds on 44.1 percent shooting. He didn’t adjust well to the new contract, so if the Bucks can get anything out of Hawes or Hibbert, they win this deal.
