NBA Trade Rumors: Heat and Knicks among top suitors for Victor Oladipo

The NBA trade deadline is just a day away and the rumors are flying. Let’s look into some of the biggest - and juiciest - rumors swirling around the Association right now.

Rockets striking while the iron is hot

The Houston Rockets have been involved in trade rumors all season. Victor Oladipo has been a name that has popped up, but was never a likely possibility until now. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that there is growing confidence the team will execute a deal for Oladipo before Thursday’s deadline.  

Two teams that stand out as likely suitors for Oladipo are the Miami Heat and New York Knicks. Both teams have shown long-term interest in signing Oladipo after his contract ends this season. However, both teams have been stingy in the trade market for him for similar reasons.

If the Rockets want to get max value for Oladipo they will need to look towards a contender that will take on the All-Star guard for a short-term title run this season. The Sixers make sense as a possible contender as they will be looking to add to their dynamic duo of Embiid and Simmons for a title run.

Dinwiddie no use to Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Nets are unlikely to get the services of Spencer Dinwiddie back for their hopeful title run this season. Since his contract is up at the end of the year, his usefulness in Brooklyn has expired.

Multiple sources have reported that the Miami Heat are interested in Dinwiddie and would be willing to move some bench players for the rights to sign him long term. The Nets are extremely interested in adding bench depth and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has reported that Avery Bradley is available.

Nuggets mining for talent in the trade market

The Denver Nuggets are definitely buyers at the trade deadline this season. They are looking for that extra piece to go alongside Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic for a run at the championship. Mike Singer of the Denver Post reported that the team has been looking at Harrison Barnes and Aaron Gordon.

Both players are realistic targets for the Nuggets, but league sources say that the Magic are more open to trading Gordon than the Kings are to trading Barnes. This ideal trade between the Kings and Nuggets would certainly put Denver back in championship contender territory.

Normal Powell likely to be another extinct Raptor

The Powell rumors started swirling last week, but now talks have intensified according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Multiple teams are in the mix, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Brooklyn Nets.

Although those teams certainly make sense, make sure to keep an eye on the Knicks. New York has a promising young core in Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. The addition of another scorer could make this team especially attractive to a free agent like Victor Oladipo this summer.

The Knicks would likely need to part ways with Nerlens Noel and rookie forward Obi Toppin, but it would be worth the risk of losing both players to add a proven impact player.