DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
Trade speculations have surrounded teams and players early in the 2015-2016 NBA regular season, and there are already plenty of names that were thrown in the rumor mill.
Here are the top three NBA superstars who are likely to be dealt by their respective teams before the trade deadline.
1. Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)
Ever since publicizing his thoughts of looking forward to his free agency in 2017, Rose's relationship with the Bulls has never been the same.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst hinted earlier this month that Rose and the Bulls are heading into breakup following the D-Rose's free agency claims, which could be realistic if Rose continues to struggle in his recovery from a series of injuries.
Rose has only played 10 games for the Bulls this season and has only averaged 13.6 points on 37.7 percent shooting. However, these numbers are from his career average of 20.3 points and 45 percent shooting.
Rose status as Chicago's main guy continues to diminish because of Jimmy Butler's rise to stardom, and with the Bulls getting used to winning games without Rose, Chicago may have to deal him for something in return instead of letting him walk away in free agency.
There is still time though, and the Bulls could still try to work out how they could keep Rose in the Wind City.
2. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)
Cousins have been linked to several trade rumors early in the season, simply because of his fractured relationship with head coach George Karl.
Tom Ziller of SB Nation noted that it may be time for Sacramento to move on from Cousins amid the franchise's struggles and failures despite putting up a team comprised of All-Star caliber players.
Cousins has established himself as one of the best centres in the NBA. He is averaging a solid 27.7 points and 11.2 rebounds with the Kings this season, while shooting 43.0 percent from the field.
However, the Kings' dismal start suggests they may need to take on a different path and shakeup their roster by trading the superstar center, although Steve Kyler of the Basketball Insiders hinted that the team are more likely to fire Karl than trade Cousins.
"Sources close to Kings ownership say it's far more likely that Karl is removed as coach than Cousins being traded," Kyler wrote.
If the Kings continue their woeful outings this season, a midseason trade could surely come before the trade deadline.
3. Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
The rumor surrounding Durant may be about his impending free agency, but it also comes along with Oklahoma possibly trading him to get something in return instead of letting him walk away next year.
Durant, who did not sign a contract extension with the Thunder, is playing the last year of his contract, which normally points at being traded before the deadline.
According to former NBA executive Tom Penn, Thunder general manager Sam Presti would not want to let go of the Durant without getting something in return, just like what happened when OKC traded James Harden in 2012.
Moreover, Russell Westbrook's burst as the main guy in Oklahoma also signals Durant exit from the Brick City.
New head coach Billy Donovan also seems to favor Westbrook as the alpha male of the Thunder, saying that the energetic point guard has the "ability to give a lot of people confidence inside our team" and is in a "position where he can make people around him better and make the game easier for people," reports ESPN.
Durant is once again limited early in the season after suffering a hamstring injury against the Washington Wizards. But prior to his injury, he showed he is back in his All-Star form, averaging 28.1 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Durant's looming free agency certainly puts him in driver seat to get traded, especially if he keeps missing games, which is important for the Thunder given the strong competition in the Western Conference.
But Durant has recently erased any speculations he could not co-exist with Westbrook after revealing to the Oklahoman about his family-like ties with the latter.
Other Potential Trades:
Chris Andersen (Miami Heat) - According to the Miami Herald, the Heat would gladly move Andersen's $5 million salary to reduce the team's tax burden.
Brook Lopez (Brooklyn Nets) - The International Business Times reported that Lopez could be one of the three players the Nets could trade before the deadline as the team tries to rebuild.
