The NBA trade rumors were set ablaze when LaMarcus Aldridge was named as a possible trade prospect.
The San Antonio Spurs were rarely in the rumor mill because they seem to be able to make everything work; which is why it was quite a surprise when Aldridge was included in a list of predictions by no less than one of the best sportswriters today.
Zach Lowe of ESPN named the recently acquired Spurs forward as one of the players who could be traded later in the season, subject to certain conditions.
"The Spurs will see if this team outperforms expectations," Lowe elaborated. "If it doesn't, theyshould take calls on Aldridge. He's really good, and there are a lot of impatient owners chasing immediate gratification. If opportunism meets desperation, the Spurs could fleece some rival and restock with a bundle of assets that better line up with Leonard's timetable."
It's a bold claim and Lowe did backtrack a bit saying that the odds are against that happening. However, all it takes is one desperate GM to present a "Godfather" offer.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been unsuccessful in trying to trade their center Greg Monroe. When he made the list of players likely to be traded in the East on ESPN Insider, no one questioned his inclusion. Monroe has been placed on the block for far too long, and the Bucks must accept that they probably could not get an equivalent player in return.
"If Milwaukee could get anything of value in return for Monroe, I suspect the Bucks would take it, but there isn't a clear market for him right now," wrote ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton.
The only way for the Bucks to win this situation is to get creative. One angle is to add another valuable player to the pot to make it an enticing package.
Make no mistake, Monroe is not a bad player. He is a solid low post scorer and rebounder. However, the Bucks are already a weak team defensively and they wanted to anchor their defense on Monroe. It was more of a bad fit.
The Spurs, on the other hand are a solid defensive team anchored on Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard. Also, the Spurs do not have a long-term true center. They'll probably use Pau Gasol to fill the role, but he will probably last two seasons at most.
If the Bucks would seize the opportunity on acquiring a solid veteran star, they should package the promising Jabari Parker along with Monroe to acquire him.
While Parker is a great player, he's likely to give up the swingman spot to Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks are experimenting at placing him at point guard but it's unlikely to work and he'll probably end up in his natural position. If they pair him with a veteran like Aldridge, the Bucks could be a real playoff threat in the East.
This all depends on Aldridge actually being available. That's still a long way to go, if not uncertain.