The NBA free agent frenzy never materialized this month, with Paul George being the biggest name on the docket. But there is still opportunity for some All-Star types to be on the move. Among the names being rumored as trade bait are Brandon Ingram and Lauri Markkanen. Jerami Grant, D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder are other names to watch. In today's NBA, matching contracts is often a vital necessity. Without equal salary swaps, suitors can sometimes be limited. But all it takes is for one team to badly want a player—or badly want to unload one. And before this summer ends, you will see at least one 20-point scorer on the move. The New Orleans Pelicans are shopping Ingram since they have no desire to give him the four-year, $208 million max deal he's expecting. Soon to turn 27, Ingram has averaged over 20 points in each of the past five seasons and has one All-Star Game appearance on his resume. He's a fine player, but he's not a guy who will carry a title to the NBA Finals. The Sacramento Kings were interested but then meandered in another direction and gobbled up DeMar DeRozan. That ended any chance of Ingram being shipped to SacTown. Until Ingram drops his contract demands, New Orleans will have a hard time moving him. The minute the Pelicans acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks, the writing was on the wall. Right now, a destination is difficult to pinpoint. Could the Los Angeles Clippers suddenly make a run at Ingram after losing George? The Cleveland Cavaliers could take a shot at him. A long shot is the Portland Trail Blazers. The Utah Jazz are trying to figure out what to do with Markkanen, who has developed into a star big man during his two seasons with the organization. Markkanen arrived in Utah as part of the deal in which Donovan Mitchell was sent to Cleveland. Nobody outside his family was expecting him to become an All-Star and average 25.6 and 23.2 points in back-to-back seasons. Markkanen becomes eligible for an extension on August 6, so that's the date to keep an eye on. If he signs that day, he can't be traded for six months, which just happens to fall on the day of the trading dateline. So if he signs on Aug. 7 or later, the Jazz can't trade him, even if they are experiencing a poor season. We've seen Utah load up with assets in the Mitchell and Rudy Gobert (to Minnesota) deals, so the Jazz certainly are investigating what they can get for the 27-year-old Markkanen. Indications are that the Golden State Warriors are interested in making a run at Markkanen. The Jazz could look for future draft picks, banking on a Golden State collapse after Stephen Curry retires, and see if they can pluck away a talented young player such as Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski. Moses Moody, the No. 14 overall pick in 2021, is a player who would see a bigger role with Utah. Grant is 30 years old, and that means he has no business being with a bad Portland Trail Blazers' team for the long term. Grant has averaged over 20 points in each of his two seasons with the Trail Blazers, and he likes the organization. But Portland has won just 27, 33 and 21 games in Chauncey Billups' three seasons as coach, and the team isn't going to suddenly double its victory output to 42 this season. Portland traded veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon on draft day and drafted 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan in the first round (No. 7 overall), a possible signal that Deandre Ayton won't be the long-term center. There is still a lot of losing ahead. So Portland should be sending Grant elsewhere and picking up more draft picks and young talent to go with their future nucleus of Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe. Grant would fit with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets or Chicago Bulls. Even if he starts the season with Portland, the Trail Blazers should move him at the trading deadline if they are having another rough campaign.
KEEP YOUR BAGS PACKED, BRANDON INGRAM
ON THE MARK WITH LAURI MARKKANEN
IS IT JERAMI GRANT'S TIME TO GO?
