The NBA trade rumors are heating up as some players trade possibilities have increased and some are taken off the market.
Recent developments have changed the probability of these players being traded. Here's a recent update.
Ricky Rubio has emerged as the player most likely to be traded. There has already been buzz about how he would have been traded for Reggie Jackson of the Detroit Pistons. The rumor was shot down by Stan Van Gundy but a "Woj-bomb" has already dropped that he's being shopped (h/t Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical).
That's probably one of the most reliable sources around the league and Rubio will have plenty of takers. Also, coach Tom Thibodeau has seen enough from rookie Kris Dunn to hand over the "point guard of the future" keys. Rubio is most likely to be traded among this group.
That spot was formerly held by Rudy Gay. For the right price, the Kings would not have thought twice of trading him. However, a season-ending injury throws a wrench on that and no one will touch him now.
Jimmy Butler is still an enigma. The Chicago Bulls is a franchise at the crossroads and they now seem ready to shed their conservative reputation when it comes to trades. Butler will definitely elicit interest but according to Zach Lowe, this was simply a fishing expedition from the Bulls to see if they can score the Brooklyn Nets' pick from the Celtics.
According to Forbes contributor Matt Connolly, the chances are slim. "It's just hard to see Forman and John Paxson giving up on one of the league's best two-way players on the heels of an offseason spending spree to build around him."
Paul Millsap is also hard to call. He has been one of the most consistent players despite all the changes that the Hawks have made. It's not his fault, but the Hawks are unsure of whether they are moving forward or making a push. He was placed on the block, but then the Hawks declared that they are pulling out all their players from the market.
However, not too many pundits are buying that. The sage himself, Adrian Wojnaworski questioned the Hawks' resolve to really keep Millsap when he appeared on The Ringer NBA show podcast. He noted that there is no time frame when the Hawks said they were pulling Millsap from the market "for now."
There are still many reasons to trade Millsap. He is a free-agent to be and will have a number of suitors. The Hawks are also not going to win the Eastern Conference even though they have won recently. These are still realities that the Hawks have to face.