For the first time in several years, there’s no one NBA superstar holding his franchise hostage with a "should I stay or should I go" trade deadline routine. We’re not waiting for a decision from a LeBron James-caliber free agent. (Is there such a thing?) We won’t have a Carmelo Anthony forcing a blockbuster trade. It’s possible that Dwight Howard – who has more trouble making decisions than anyone since Hamlet – could shake things up by telling the world that he won’t re-sign with the Lakers this summer, but for now, it appears he’s staying put.
The players that are generating trade buzz currently are several tiers below those guys in terms of star power, name recognition, q-rating, and whatnot. But if they’re traded it could have much bigger implications for fantasy leagues.
The most intriguing trade possibility these days might be Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe. The third-year guard out of Kentucky has played well when given an opportunity – well enough to reportedly convince several teams he should be starting – but with Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups in town, he’s limited to spot duty. Of course, that assumes both Paul and Billups stay healthy, and right now, CP3 is not. Bledsoe has started the Clippers’ last three games and posted impressive numbers in his first two starts before having an off shooting night Thursday. That could enhance his value on the trade market … or make him too valuable to the Clippers to give up.
Bledsoe is available in about 81 percent of Yahoo! leagues – though that number will drop if Paul misses significant time. If I have an available roster spot, I’m grabbing Bledsoe. He’s got big upside if one of the Clippers’ guards is injured or if he gets traded.