Top 5 NBA Stars Likely To Get Traded This Season
The 2018-19 NBA season has officially begun and there are lots of storylines to follow in the next eight months. One of those is that some NBA stars who might see themselves wearing a new uniform before the 2019 trade deadline. Last season, a handful of NBA stars like Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe were dealt. Griffin, a franchise cornerstone for the Los Angeles Clippers, was traded to the Detroit Pistons less than a year after signing a monstrous five-year, $173 million deal.
On the other hand, Bledsoe was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks a month into the 2017-18 season after expressing that he wanted to be with the Phoenix Suns. Other stars that found a new home at the trade deadline last season include Dwyane Wade, Rodney Hood, Elfrid Payton, Jordan Clarkson, George Hill, and Larry Nance Jr.
This season has just started but there are already some players rumoured to be getting traded before or on the trade deadline. Here are the top five NBA stars likely to get traded this season.
#5. Jimmy Butler
One of the biggest stories heading into the 2018-19 NBA season was Jimmy Butler demanding a trade away from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Butler is already fed up with the Timberwolves a year after he was acquired from the Chicago Bulls due to the relaxed nature of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
The four-time NBA All-Star has been very vocal about his decision to leave. He showed up at team practice a week before the season began and led bench guys to a win against the starters in a scrimmage. Butler was also shouting out profanities at his Timberwolves teammates, coaches, and even general manager, Scott Layden.
It is only a matter of time before the Timberwolves grant Butler his request, with the Miami Heat almost pulling off a deal before talks broke down. The presence of Butler might affect the performance of the team, and Minnesota cannot afford to take a step back in a loaded Western Conference. Since other NBA teams know that Butler wants out and he will be a free agent next summer, the Timberwolves likely have to take a discount in any potential deal.
Most Likely Destinations: Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers