Rumor: several teams interested in Brandon Bass

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Deveney of the Sporting News is reporting that there is a growing trade market for Brandon Bass.


With the news yesterday that Jeff Green is being "shopped hard" with one potential buyer in the Atlanta Hawks, it could actually be Brandon Bass drawing the most interest around the league with playoff hopefuls:

"He is a good fit in a lot of places," one league executive said. "He can start, he can come off the bench, he can make shots, he can play center against small lineups. A lot of teams need a guy like that."

Rival executives say the rebuilding Celtics could be among the busiest teams at the trade deadline, at least in terms of phone calls logged. Boston would be willing to make a deal for just about any player on the roster, though there are no plans to trade point guard Rajon Rondo without an overwhelming offer. There has been discussion about Jeff Green, too, but his contract (two more years at $19 million total) makes him difficult to move.

But Bass' manageable contract and ability to chip in for a contender makes him the most likely Celtic to be shipped out by next Thursday, and the group of teams that has expressed interest in Bass is, "a pretty wide range," according to a league source.
Deveney lists a few potential suitors and here's a list of what we could be getting back for BB:

Golden State Warriors: Marresse Speights (one more year at $3.6 million), Festus Ezeli, Nemanja Nedovic, Ognjen Kuzmic, no 2014 first round pick

Charlotte Bobcats: Portland's 2014 first round pick, Detroit's 2014 first round pick (top-8 protected), owes 2014 first round pick to Chicago (top-10 protected)

Phoenix Suns: 4 2014 first round picks, Emeka Okafor

The Warriors offer just isn't enticing enough.  If we're dumping salary, having to deal with another contract like Speights next season (in addition to Joel Anthony's) seems counterproductive.  I'd rather just deal with Bass' expiring next year.  Charlotte is a little trickier.  A trade for Bass would signal a playoff push and with Detroit in a spiral following Sunday's firing of head coach Mo Cheeks, odds are, they'd owe their pick to Chicago and Detroit could potentially free fall into a top-8 pick.  Ramon Sessions' or even Ben Gordon's expiring contract plus Portland's first could be enough for Danny to pull the trigger though.  Phoenix is probably the most intriguing trade partner right now.  They've flirted with acquiring Pau Gasol from the Lakers, but Gasol's been on the mend and they probably won't get a look at him before the trade deadline.  Okafor's expiring $14.5 million is a big piece of bait for any GM and you have to think that former assistant Celtics general manager and current Suns general manager Ryan McDonough is fielding dozens of calls for it and his slew of first round draft picks this summer.  Ainge would be lucky to strike a deal with his former #2.  The moon would include Gerald Wallace in the trade, but the ceiling is probably Bass plus Kris Humphries.

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