Competition Arises: The Moment for Trade Negotiations

Trade Showdown: The Moment for Negotiations Has Arrived

, and Administrator

2025 September 11 . 2:52 PM

2 min read

Competition Arises: The Moment for Trade Negotiations

The NBA offseason is shaping up to be an exciting time, with teams looking to make splashy moves to strengthen their rosters. One player who could be on the move is Roy Hibbert, the centre for the Indiana Pacers.

Hibbert, who is expected to exercise his player option for the 2015-16 season, has been linked to several teams, including the Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers. These teams are seeking a true centre and are interested in a low-risk expiring deal.

In the 2014-15 season, Hibbert averaged 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, the lowest numbers since his rookie season. Despite this, Hibbert has been training at a jiu-jitsu academy during the offseason, possibly to prepare for the quick-pace style or to maximize his effort in a contract year.

However, Hibbert hasn't secured a star status or impressed when given an opportunity with teammates out due to injuries. His performance in the 2014-15 season did not align with his salary scale, which could make him an attractive trade candidate for teams looking for a defensive rim protector.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are also looking to make a move this offseason and clearing the $10.1 million owed to Gerald Wallace next season would help them in that pursuit. The relationship between Wallace and the Celtics seems to be healthy, with Wallace mentoring younger players during the playoffs. However, Wallace played in only 32 games this season, averaging less than nine minutes per game.

Another player who could be on the move is Deron Williams of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets would benefit from trading Williams and acquiring multiple pieces or draft picks in return to improve their roster. Williams averaged 13.0 points this season, the fewest since his rookie year, and his production has dropped off significantly. His trade value might be low due to his declining performance and large contract.

The Nets' approach of having individual players with enormous contracts hasn't led to success, as they finished 38-44 and didn't make it out of the first round of the playoffs. This could make them more willing to trade Williams to acquire multiple players or draft picks.

The Pacers, on the other hand, are looking to move away from a traditional centre-heavy lineup and towards an up-tempo system. The Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, Larry Bird, and head coach, Frank Vogel, have expressed a commitment to this approach. If Hibbert is traded, the Pacers may give more minutes to Ian Mahinmi and Lavoy Allen, as desired by Bird.

Trading Hibbert would allow the Pacers to acquire another expiring contract for a better-fitting player and/or gain a future draft pick. In the past, teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks have been interested in trading for Hibbert as a centre.

As the offseason progresses, it will be interesting to see if any of these potential moves come to fruition. Stay tuned for more updates on the NBA offseason.