The Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors could be among the potential destinations for Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut, who is likely to be dealt before the February 2017 trade deadline.
The Mavs are waiting to see if they would consider rebuilding this season, despite the team already at the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference. But according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, it is possible the Mavs could be sellers on the trade market, with Andrew Bogut as the expendable piece.
"Several league sources believe the Mavs could get a first-round pick from a playoff team -- plus whatever player[s] necessary to make the salaries work -- in return for a healthy Bogut. Snicker all you want about the Mavs' previous draft failures, but plenty of value can be found late in the first round," MacMahon wrote.
Bogut, who was traded to Dallas by the Golden State Warriors in the offseason, is second among all centers in the NBA in defensive real-plus minus (RPM), which measures a player's total value on the court. The one-time NBA champ is also in the final year of his three-year $36 million contract, making him a likely trade chip for the Mavs.
It is unclear what Dallas could get in return if they move Bogut before the deadline, but two teams that may have interest in adding the 32-year-old center are the Raptors and Rockets.
Houston has been linked as a possible landing spot for Bogut, with Clint Capela expected to miss four to six weeks. Bogut's ability to protect the rim would come in handy for a team that is 25th in the league in opponent's points in the paint. However, a third team could be in the mix for the Rockets to acquire Bogut, according to MacMahon.
"A third team would likely have to get involved to make the salaries match, but starting center Clint Capela is expected to miss four to six weeks so the Rockets could use Bogut's help in their frontcourt. Dallas should push for a future first-round pick in return," MacMahon noted.
Another possible destination for Bogut is up North with the Raptors, who are steadily looking to find a big man who could shore up the team's interior defense and fill the void left by Bismack Biyombo. According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, the Raptors have the future assets to offer the Mavs, but lack key pieces to make a deal work seamlessly.
"Toronto has the pieces - both its own first-round pick (no. 27) and the Clippers' (no. 25) - but they don't have the right placeholder salaries to make a deal work seamlessly. The Raptors have depth at the position, but none of their big men can match Bogut's defense," O'Connor wrote.
The Raptors won't surely give up too much for Bogut, who could be a one-year rental. But it would behoove Toronto to add a defensive big man to help them contend for a title this season.
Nevertheless, it seems the Mavs could be really looking to deal Bogut before the deadline, considering the team's disappointing season. There could be other teams out there who are more willing to offer Dallas enticing packages for Bogut, but the Raptors and Rockets should be among the teams attempting to get the services of the shot-blocking big man.
Video courtesy: YouTube/Dallas Mavericks