James Wiseman and other out-of-rotation players who could become trade candidates
We are one month into the NBA regular season and most teams have settled on their rotations. Some squads aren’t fully healthy and will have tinkering to do when key players return, but some others have rotation-caliber players that are not playing.
Here are some who haven’t been in their team’s regular rotation recently that could soon become candidates for a trade.
Furkan Korkmaz (Philadelphia)
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Salary: $5,000,000
Trade eligible: Now
Korkmaz and several other Sixers from last season were out of the Sixers rotation at the beginning of the season having their minutes taken by newcomers De’Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker, and Danuel House. The Turkish guard has been getting a little bit of playing time ever since James Harden went out with a foot injury but hasn’t been given the green light to shoot much at all.
The six-year veteran known for his three-point shooting struggled on that end last year and his $5 million salary could serve as one of Philadelphia’s bigger trade chips. It’s also possible they look to trade him or another role player in a move to get them below the luxury tax.
Kendrick Nunn (LA Lakers)
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Salary: $5,250,000
Trade eligible: Now
Nunn was taken out of the starting lineup and then the rotation temporarily but has filled in recently while several Lakers are out with injuries. He’s no longer guaranteed to play when the team is fully healthy and the eventual return of Dennis Schroder can further minimize his role. The former 38 percent shooter from three has struggled to get his shot going as he’s making just 22.9 percent of his attempts.
Other than Russell Westbrook and his $47.1 million salary, the Lakers lack any substantial salary filler in a potential trade. Nunn’s $5 million alone can only bring the Lakers back $6.35 million in incoming salary in a trade which isn’t much but is a lot more than what their nine minimum players can get them. If their season continues to spiral, they could also look to offload Nunn for significant luxury tax relief.
Richaun Holmes (Sacramento)
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Salary: $11,215,260
Trade eligible: Now
Holmes has been out of the Kings’ rotation for four straight games (minus some garbage time minutes against the Nets on Tuesday) after averaging just 12.8 minutes per contest (he missed Thursday’s win vs. the Spurs due to a non-COVID illness). The Kings have won six of their last seven games in a stretch where they’re just a hair short of having the first-ranked offense as well as the second-best net rating and 19th-ranked defense.
Perhaps part of the decision to not play Holmes is to get optimal offensive output to compensate for their defense. The Kings have been playing smaller bench lineups in order to have a modicum of shooting at all times to maximize spacing. It only makes sense that Holmes could be a trade candidate for the Kings but a deal could be difficult with the three years, $36.1 remaining on his contract. He also has a 15 percent trade bonus on top of that which could further complicate a deal.
Coby White (Chicago)
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Salary: $7,413,955
Trade eligible: Now
The former seventh-overall pick has seen his role and usage in Chicago diminish each season. White has been out with a quad injury recently but he’s already buried in a guard-deep Bulls bench featuring players like Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, and Goran Dragic. He’s a trade candidate according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and his $7.4 million expiring salary could be useful around the trade deadline. It feels like a change of scenery for White is inevitable.
Jaxson Hayes (New Orleans)
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Salary: $6,803,012
Trade eligible: Now
Hayes looked like a productive player last season when he started at power forward and helped the Pelicans sneak into the playoffs. However, the return of Zion Williamson has completely eliminated him from the rotation considering how deep the roster is. This could also be to favor smaller bench lineups to give a Pelicans team that already is at the bottom in three-point attempts as much shooting as possible.
Hayes is set to enter restricted free agency this offseason but his future in New Orleans is doubtful considering he’s already not playing and they’re already set to be taxpayers next season. He serves as a good third big-man option but he could be a trade candidate as we get closer to the deadline.
JaVale McGee (Dallas)
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Salary: $5,461,219
Trade eligible: December 15, 2022
McGee was Dallas’ biggest offseason signing and so far the move has not worked. He hasn’t played more than 14 minutes in a game (season opener) and his minutes have slowly dropped each game until he was taken out of the starting lineup. He was finally given a DNP-CD against Portland on Saturday and head coach Jason Kidd has gone back to Dwight Powell, whom he trusted and started with all of last season.
Perhaps part of the reasoning they signed McGee was to have him replace Powell at half his salary. This could’ve made Powell’s $11 million salary a useful expiring contract for a trade but now it’s McGee who they may look to move instead. He has an additional two years, $11.7 million remaining on his deal, including a player option worth $6 million for 2024-25.
James Wiseman (Golden State)
Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Salary: $9,603,360
Trade eligible: Now
The Warriors are off to a shocking 6-9 start to the season as their bench has struggled to give them any production. It appears that the two timelines are clashing with former No. 2 overall pick Wiseman at the forefront of it. He’s been a defensive liability and hasn’t given them enough on offense to justify consistent minutes. He recently received three consecutive DNP-CDs and has now been sent to the G-League. It may be time for the Warriors to cut their losses and seriously consider trading him and potentially other young players or future first-round picks for help if they’re going to save their season.
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