NBA Today: 3 Players that could still be traded ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season
The 2019-20 NBA season is just two weeks away, and teams around the league are well underway in preparing for the new campaign. The entire NBA returned to training last week and much of the league has begun their preseason schedules.
Nevertheless, teams still need to finalize their rosters ahead of the new season, and plenty of players will be on the move over the next two weeks. Notable free agents such as Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith remain available, while the Miami Heat are among the teams hopeful of completing a significant trade.
Evidently, most contenders around the league won't entertain losing their top talent on the eve of the new season, although there are a few players that could be available. So, with the new season quickly approaching, here are three NBA stars that could be traded ahead of opening night.
#3 Serge Ibaka - Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors enter the season as defending champions, although the team lost both Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green during the offseason. The Raptors didn't make any noteworthy additions, and much of the current roster is on the wrong side of 30. Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Fred VanVleet will all hit free agency next summer, and the Raptors are likely to be active in the market as the season progresses.
While Gasol and VanVleet still have a big role to play, the Raptors still haven't established Ibaka's best position on the team, and the veteran will once again struggle for minutes due to the presence of Gasol. Ibaka is owed $23 million for the 19-20 season, although he is available on an expiring deal, and could prove to be a valuable addition to a team looking to contend.