Rajon Rondo of the Chicago Bulls looks on from the bench in the final minutes of their 115-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 9, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo : Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox)
The 2017 NBA trade deadline is going to be a very busy event with several teams expected to make some moves. There will be sellers and buyers but these ten players could be traded at the February 23 deadline.
Omer Asik, C - New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have reportedly placed Asik on the trading block in December last year but his big salary prevents teams from making a good offer. However, the Blazers, or even the Celtics, are in need of a defensive big man and Asik fits the bill perfectly.
Brandon Knight, PG - Phoenix Suns
Knight is one of the players linked to many trade rumors since the offseason since he's not a great fit in Phoenix. There has been little to no trade market for him so far this season but with the Sixers and Kings gunning for a playoff, Knight could finally be out of Phoenix in less than three weeks.
Brook Lopez, C - Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are the worst team in the NBA but they have no draft picks to start their rebuild. They are not going to get any better which means they have to make a trade to acquire assets. Lopez is their biggest asset since Jeremy Lin can't seem to get healthy this season.
Nikola Mirotic, SF - Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are in turmoil and they are looking to make changes to improve their chances of making the playoffs. They have made Mirotic available but his value is an all-time low because of his inefficiency this season, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Raptors is a possible destination for the 25-year-old shooter.
Nerlens Noel, PF - Philadelphia 76ers
Just like Knight, Noel has been linked with trade rumors since the offseason. His knee surgery prevented the Sixers from trading him but he has played exceptionally good in the past several weeks. Philly is more interested in getting assets in a Noel trade rather than let him walk for free this summer.
Jusuf Nurkic, C - Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic is playing out of his mind this season and it has led to less playing time for Nurkic. The Nuggets are going to build around Jokic so Nurkic is going to have to be traded. The Blazers are looking for an enforcer down low and there is literally no bigger enforcer than the 7-foot, 280-pound Bosnian.
Jahlil Okafor, C - Philadelphia 76ers
Another Sixers player on the trading block is Okafor, who missed a lot of game this season due to a sore knee. His value is not as high as the Sixers want it to be but they might not have playing time for him once the minutes restrictions for Joel Embiid is lifted and Ben Simmons comes back from injury.
Rajon Rondo, PG - Chicago Bulls
The turmoil in Chicago was mentioned earlier and Rondo is at the center of it. There are only a handful of teams like the Cavaliers and Timberwolves that fits the veteran playmaker's skill set. The Bulls could also just release him since his salary is non-guaranteed for next season.
Ricky Rubio, PG - Minnesota Timberwolves
According to Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports, the Timberwolves are actively shopping Rubio. Teams like the Cavaliers, Pistons and Kings have been linked with the Spaniard. The Timberwolves are reportedly looking for a veteran point guard to help Kris Dunn transition as the starter.
Nikola Vucevic, C - Orlando Magic
The Magic are one of the most disappointing teams this season. The three-center experiment clearly ain't working so Vucevic is surely going to get traded with Serge Ibaka being more valuable and Bismack Biyombo's contract is an eye sore.
