We’re not even a month into the 2021-22 NBA season and it could be too early to sound off the alarms. Even so, judging by what we’ve seen out of the championship contenders, some players don’t seem to be in sync with the rest of the team.
Either because they’re not a part of the franchise’s timeline or because the team hasn’t performed to the standards they hope. Year after year we see players being moved all over the league.
This season won’t be the exception to that rule. If anything, we could see some of the best players in the league finding new homes. In the following paragraphs, we’ll talk about some of the stars that could be traded soon.
NBA Rumors: 4 Stars That Could Be Traded Soon
4. Myles Turner
Myles Turner – Getty Images
Career Stats: 12.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.2 APG
Myles Turner is one of the best defensive big men in the league. He can swat shots into the stands with ease and is quick and long enough to be a perennial threat in the perimeter as well. He can switch into multiple positions.
Turner also can pull up from all three levels andis a prolific and efficient scorer on limited touches. But the Indiana Pacers can’t seem to generate any offense with him next to Domantas Sabonis.
The Texas product is the odd man out on the team. The Pacers are strongly committed to Sabonis and Turner has been involved in trade rumors for years now, so we expect them to finally pull the plug on him.
3. Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam – Getty Images
Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.6 APG
Pascal Siakam worked his way into All-Star form a couple of years ago. He was the perfect sidekick for Kawhi Leonard during the Toronto Raptors’ championship run and looked poised for stardom.
Sadly, Siakam has vastly regressed ever since and it seems clear that he’s not the kind of player who can single-handedly lead a franchise. Still, he has a versatile skill set that could appeal to several contenders.
On top of that, the Raptors have fully unleashed their young talents with OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes leading the way. They would be better off stacking more picks or young players and moving on from Siakam.
2. Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis – Getty Images
Career Stats: 18.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.5 APG
Kristaps Porzingis has been a bit of a roller coaster. He looked determined to become a superstar in New York but constant injuries and inconsistency have made his development quite stall.
The Dallas Mavericks hoped he could blossom next to Luka Doncic and build one of the strongest duos in the league. But, right now, the team looks way better when Porzingis is off the floor.
Moving him and his big contract could be tricky for Mark Cuban right now, especially given his proneness to get hurt. But there are multiple big men-needy teams that could use his shooting and scoring skills.
1. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook – Getty Images
Career Stats: 23.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG
And last but not least, we find Russell Westbrook, one of the most controversial players in recent times. Moving his big contract is complicated, especially given his reputation around the league, but that’s something the team might consider at some point.
The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a very slow start to the season and it’s not unusual to see LeBron James-led teams to go through midseason overhauls when things don’t go their way.
Even so, Westbrook often turns things around after a couple of months, so there’s still a chance that he might do just enough to silence his critics again. That better happen fast, though.
