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NBA Transfers: Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma and Jerami Grant might be traded before February 8
NBATuesday, 16 January 2024 at 04:00
Trade season has officially begun in the NBA, and among the players whose trade restrictions were lifted on Monday are Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jerami Grant of the Portland Trail Blazers and Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards, all of whom could theoretically be on the move before the next trade deadline on February 8th.
According to the report by ESPN's Bobby Marks, other names are added to this list. However, among them, Jerami Grant stands out as the most high-profile player who could change teams. The Blazers gave Grant a five-year, $160 million contract in July, a decision that seemed confusing from the start.
With Damian Lillard unhappy and looking for a change, it would have made more sense for Portland to allow Grant to leave and fully commit to the inevitable rebuild. Instead, management signed him to a contract that, less than a year later, they could be looking to get rid of. Despite being a standout three-point shooter and defensive player (3-and-D), the nature of Grant's contract could make it difficult to find fair value in a trade.
In a similar situation, the Wizards signed Kyle Kuzma this summer to a four-year, $90 million contract. However, despite the efforts of Kuzma, who is averaging outstanding numbers of 22.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season, Washington may be considering moving him, especially given their place among the NBA's worst teams.
For the Lakers, who have been linked to stars in the trade market such as Bulls guard Zach LaVine, the decision is clear: they are determined to retain Austin Reaves. While Reaves hasn't become the third star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he still has considerable value to the team.
As for the Bulls, one potential reason to be willing to trade LaVine is the outstanding performance of Coby White, who also became eligible for trades on Monday. While Chicago will almost certainly retain White, his three-year, $36 million contract appears to be one of the best bargains in the NBA, giving the Bulls some flexibility in the market.
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