Which international players might be on the move in the NBA? / News - Basketnews.com

The NBA trade market is about to enter its most crucial period of the year, and BasketNews analyzes some of the European and international players that could be traded in the coming weeks.

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The approaching end of the year brings us into one of the hottest times of the year in the NBA when it comes to the transfer market.

Bogdan Bogdanovic

MIN:29.78PTS:17.7 (46.95%)REB:3.9As:2.1ST:0.7BL:0.2TO:1.8GM:10ProfileNBA2022/2023

The December 15 deadline makes 90 percent of the players who signed a contract during the offseason eligible for a trade. Alongside the upcoming G League showcase in Las Vegas brings major executives of NBA franchises to the same city, making this time of the year always very busy for American basketball fans.

Many teams see the approach of the February 9 trade deadline as an opportunity to unload contracts now deemed obsolete or to seek the reinforcement needed to turn a good team into a contender.

For this reason, BasketNews analyzes some European and international players who could be at the center of the NBA market in the coming weeks.

In some cases, these players could become targets for some contenders. In other profiles, they would like to make a change of scenery in order to find an arrangement more suitable for them.

Bojan Bogdanovic (SF, Detroit Pistons)

The Croatian forward is probably one of the most requested players on the NBA market as of right now.

In September, the rebuilding Utah Jazz decided to trade Bogdanovic to the Pistons in exchange for Kelly Olynyk, Saben Lee, and cash considerations.

Detroit immediately signed him to a two-year contract extension worth almost $40 million. Bogdanovic's performances have been extremely good so far this season. The former Utah Jazz player is averaging 20.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, shooting at a 42% clip from 3-point range.

The Pistons, though, are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with only 8 wins so far. This is not a surprise. Detroit is a rebuilding team full of young players, and they just lost their star, Cade Cunningham, for what could be a season-ending injury.

Dario Saric

Team:Phoenix SunsPosition:PFAge:28Height:208 cmWeight:104 kgBirth place:Šibenik, CroatiaProfileNewsStatistics

But Bogdanovic has been a very positive presence inside the team, and the front office sees him as a crucial member. That's why so far, the Pistons have maintained their original stance: Bogdanovic is not for sale.

Bogdanovic for the Pistons is an excellent player and the right type of veteran to have in such a young roster. Of course, every player has a price. The general belief around the league is that if the Pistons receive an attractive offer, they'll definitely consider it.

So far, teams like Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and other playoff sides have looked into Bogdanovic's situation to gauge his value.

It's still difficult to understand what type of offer might convince Detroit to part ways with the Croatian forward. An unprotected first-round pick with the addition of another intriguing player? Would that be enough?

Only one thing is for sure at the moment: there'll be plenty of interest for Bogdanovic in the coming days/weeks.

Bogdan Bogdanovic (SG/SF Atlanta Hawks)

The Serbian shooter is finally back on the court after his offseason surgery, which also forced him to miss EuroBasket.

Since his return, his numbers have been very convincing. Bogdanovic averages 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 40% from 3-point. The Atlanta Hawks, though, are in a difficult spot.

So far, the team coached by Nate MacMillan hasn't been particularly consistent, and there have been reports of turmoil in the locker room. Superstar Trae Young has already had a few discussions with coach MacMillan, and his shooting numbers have been lower than usual.

Atlanta has a 17-16 record, and making it to the playoffs is still very much in play, but the team looks often disconnected, and changes might be on the way.

Bogdanovic is making $18 million this season and has a player option, which is also worth $18 million, for the next season. There's a good chance that the Serbian player will decline the player option in the offseason to look for a longer deal and have more security in the long term.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns are already looking at his case, and they might try to arrange a trade with the Hawks that could include Jae Crowder, who has been sidelined since the beginning of the season while waiting to be moved by the Suns.

The Phoenix's interest in Bogdanovic is not surprising. The Suns were the team that initially drafted Bogdanovic in 2014, but later, in 2016, his draft rights were traded to the Sacramento Kings.

The Serbian swingman would make a lot of sense for the Suns. He would provide shooting, secondary playmaking, and ballhandling skills. Of course, it remains to be seen if the two teams can find an agreement over a trade that would make sense for both sides.

Jakob Poeltl (C, San Antonio Spurs)

This season, the no.1 goal for the San Antonio Spurs is to maximize their chances to select Victor Wembanyama in the next NBA Draft. They have the lowest payroll in the entire league, so it's not surprising that they're at the bottom of the Western Conference alongside the Houston Rockets.

In the coming weeks, many teams will call the Spurs to try to offload to them some of their unwanted contracts since coach Popovich's team has tons of cap space available.

At the same time, though, the Spurs have a few veterans on their roster that could become extremely attractive on the market. One of these players is Austrian big man Jakob Poeltl.

The center will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and it doesn't look like he will remain in San Antonio in the upcoming future. His current contract, worth $9.3 million, is attracting a lot of interest on the market, according to multiple reports.

Despite his contract situation, the Spurs aren't willing to trade him unless a substantial offer arrives. According to LJ Ellis, the Spurs are looking for two future first-round picks in order to trade Poeltl.

The Austrian big man is having a career year, averaging 12.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

The Toronto Raptors are among the teams who are showing interest in Poeltl. The Canadian side knows the player extremely well since they were the ones who drafted him in 2016. Poeltl spent two seasons in Toronto before he was traded to the Spurs.

Willy Hernangomez (C, New Orleans Pelicans)

The Pelicans are flying high, but EuroBasket MVP Willy Hernangomez struggles to find minutes in the rotations.

The Spanish big man is averaging less than 9 minutes per game, with Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. ahead of him in coach Willie Green's rotations.

His contract, which is not particularly high ($2.4 million this season), could make him attractive to several teams looking for a backup big man.

The LA Clippers have been mentioned as a potential trade destination for Hernangomez in case the Pelicans decide to move on from him.

For international basketball fans, there would be a certain interest in watching Hernangomez play more. Still, we all know that the NBA is a different beast, and these scenarios, unfortunately, are pretty frequent.

The Spanish big man, in the meanwhile, remains patient and waits for his opportunity, whether it's with New Orleans or with some other franchise.

Rui Hachimura (F, Washington Wizards)

The Washington Wizards have lost 9 of the last 10 games, and so far, they've looked like a team without a soul. Their chances of going to the playoffs appear slim as of right now, and with the approaching of the trade deadline, the Wizards are looking to make some moves.

Rui Hachimura, a member of the Japanese national team, could be on the move. The player is in the final year of his rookie deal and will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

His future with the Wizards doesn't seem that secure, and the franchise could decide to trade him away in the right scenario.

According to Marc Stein, Washington offered Hachimura to the Suns in the past few weeks in a trade that would have brought Jae Crowder to the Wizards, but Phoenix rebuffed that proposal.

This season, Hachimura averages 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. The Japanese forward is only 24 years old, so he still can be an intriguing addition for many teams, but it looks like his time in Washington might be almost over.

Dario Saric (F, Phoenix Suns)

Dario Saric returned this season after a long knee injury and is in the final year of his contract.

Until now, he has not had a consistent role within coach Monty Williams' rotations and is seen by many as the ideal candidate to be included in the trade that will lead to the release of Jae Crowder.

Saric's just over $9 million contract could come in very handy for the Suns to make ends meet in an eventual trade.

So far, the Croatian player averages 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, playing nearly 11 minutes per game. His near future seems, in all likelihood, far from Phoenix.

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