RealGM

Until the calendar flips to 2019, the NBA trade market might be fairly tepid. As usual, there have been trade winds in the early going of the season, with players like George Hill and Trevor Ariza changing teams in interesting maneuvers. However, the real action doesn’t usually arrive until January and February and, for the Atlanta Hawks, there are a few interesting names to monitor.

It comes as no surprise that a team in Atlanta’s position (as a rebuilding club) would be open to moving veterans with an eye toward the future but, on Tuesday evening, Marc Stein of The New York Times (as part of his NBA newsletter) shed some light on a particular face for the Hawks. Stein turned his attention to Kent Bazemore, indicating that the 29-year-old is “generating interest from contending teams that covet a versatile swingman.”

From there, Stein shared that Bazemore is “regarded as a difference-maker” in the current marketplace despite a lofty salary ($19.3 million) for the 2019-20 season and he also referenced the potential for “rumblings” that might include expiring contracts like Jeremy Lin and Dewayne Dedmon. In an overall sense, none of that is terribly surprising to those frantically refreshing the trade machine in December but, in the same breath, it is interesting nonetheless.

Bazemore is likely overpaid at this juncture, as he capitalized on the free agent spending spree of 2016 with a contract worth $70 million over four years. However, he is a starting-caliber wing player and, while it is unlikely in nature, Bazemore could elect to decline his lucrative player option in favor of a multi-year deal if he performs well for the remainder of the season.

Teams aiming to acquire Bazemore’s services would likely plan on paying him (or at least owing him) $19.3 million for next season and, as a result, Stein’s assertion that “contending teams” could be interested makes sense. Franchises that aren’t trying to win on a major level this season likely wouldn’t want to take on a less than desirable contract but, for those with title aspirations, Bazemore can be an immediate help (as a two-way player at a position of great need in the league) and the Hawks are in a position to prioritize the future over the present in any trade.

Given the fact that no specific teams are mentioned in the report, full-fledged trade rumors haven’t yet arrived. Still, this is intriguing language from an established league insider and, if true, it appears that multiple teams could enter the Bazemore derby in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned.

tbhawksfan1 wrote:Gave Schro away. Heck even paid for him to be taken

macd-gm wrote:

tbhawksfan1 wrote:Gave Schro away. Heck even paid for him to be taken

We got cap space and a future first.

tbhawksfan1 wrote:Many were excited about the DAL FRP being about #6, but Doncic is doing his best to turn it into #20

tbhawksfan1 wrote:Many were excited about the DAL FRP being about #6, but Doncic is doing his best to turn it into #20

Jamaaliver wrote:

tbhawksfan1 wrote:Many were excited about the DAL FRP being about #6, but Doncic is doing his best to turn it into #20

As ideal as getting the #6 pick would be, I'd fear Dallas would wise up and tank the last month of the season just to retain it.

There are some contributors that should available in the 11-15 range. And there remains the possibility to pair that pick with Taurean in an attempt to move a few spots for a guy we really like.

Spud2nique wrote:Serious why did Adam Gump Silver change the lottery odds now? He’s literally out to screw us.

ATL Boy wrote:I'll take an expiring and seconds for Bazemore. He's certainly not worth the $19 mil he'll make next year, and I'd rather have that cap space. Plus, trading Baze right now would help the tank.

ATL Boy wrote:I'll take an expiring and seconds for Bazemore. He's certainly not worth the $19 mil he'll make next year, and I'd rather have that cap space. Plus, trading Baze right now would help the tank.

ATL Boy wrote:I'll take an expiring and seconds for Bazemore. He's certainly not worth the $19 mil he'll make next year, and I'd rather have that cap space. Plus, trading Baze right now would help the tank.

Spud2nique wrote:

ATL Boy wrote:I'll take an expiring and seconds for Bazemore. He's certainly not worth the $19 mil he'll make next year, and I'd rather have that cap space. Plus, trading Baze right now would help the tank.

I’ll take it too cuz I’m a Hawks fan and I’ve taken a lot of crap in the past before and that’s just the way the league treats us.

But let’s be honest..if he was getting traded from the Lakers or another team they’d get more.

ATL Boy wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:

ATL Boy wrote:I'll take an expiring and seconds for Bazemore. He's certainly not worth the $19 mil he'll make next year, and I'd rather have that cap space. Plus, trading Baze right now would help the tank.

I’ll take it too cuz I’m a Hawks fan and I’ve taken a lot of crap in the past before and that’s just the way the league treats us.

But let’s be honest..if he was getting traded from the Lakers or another team they’d get more.

I doubt it. No team is super eager to take bad contracts from anyone. The Lakers, for example, were saddled with Luol Deng, unable to get rid of him, and ended up having to buy him out when both parties agreed.

It's true that Baze isn't nearly the albatross that Deng was, but all his improved play has done is make him tradeable again. Before last season started, he wasn't even tradeable.