NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz on Rudy Gay, DeMarcus Cousins and More

Although the NBA trade market has been a little slow to develop this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a flurry of activity once the first blockbuster is complete. Front offices are waiting for an aggressive team to set the market price for the top names available.

Exactly when that could happen is unclear. The rumor mill hasn’t produced any talk where it seems like a high-profile deal is imminent. That said, the season is reaching a point where contenders will want to make moves as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors lead the conferences once again.

With that in mind, let’s check out some of the latest buzz from around the league. We’ll also analyze what the trade rumors could mean for the players and teams involved.

Rudy Gay Remains Likely Trade Candidate

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Gay is no stranger to trade talk. The 30-year-old forward has been a popular target for much of his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors and now the Sacramento Kings. He’s already been traded twice, and it could become three times before this season’s trade deadline on Feb. 23.

RealGM passed along comments Adrian Wojnarowski made about the situation on The Vertical Podcast. The NBA insider noted the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets are among the interested teams should the Kings decide to make a move:

The one player who is going to have to move between now and the trade deadline is Rudy Gay. I don’t think the Kings can make the same mistake New Orleans made last year with Ryan Anderson. Ryan Anderson was pretty clear he was not going to re-sign there and they lost him for nothing. Especially for a team so devoid of assets, they couldn’t let him walk for nothing.

Gay carries a $13.3 million cap number this season and holds a player option for 2017-18, which means he can opt out and hit the free-agent market after the campaign, per Spotrac. It puts an onus on Sacramento to acquire assets for him over the next few months.

The UConn product is doing his part to maintain solid value. He’s averaging 18.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals through 23 games. His versatility and across-the-board production would help him fit in with just about any contender.

Oklahoma City has always felt like a logical destination. The Thunder feature Russell …

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