5 NBA players that need a change of scenery
By Roje Smith
Not every player in the NBA is happy with his current situation and these are five players that could use a change of scenery.
There are many people in society that feel that NBA players are happy because they’re rich. While it’s true that nearly all of them are wealthy, money isn’t everything. Making a lot of money is a byproduct of being a professional athlete, but their main goal is to win. Regardless of how much money someone makes, it’s a sad situation if his NBA team is constantly losing or underperforming with a talented roster.
It can also be frustrating for a player if he’s no longer the right fit for his team. He may be collecting nice paychecks, but if he’s not receiving enough minutes or coming off the bench, then it can be very frustrating.
One obvious player that immediately comes to mind that needs a change of scenery is DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings. He is arguably the best big man in the game and the only thing that his team seems to win are lottery draft picks. Sacramento also isn’t a prime location to lure quality players to surround Cousins with.
This isn’t a knock on guys like Darren Collison and Rudy Gay, but the Kings will need better players than that to keep Boogie happy. Perhaps this is why we’ve seen him have so many negative and distracting outbursts during games and in the locker room towards the media.
Since Cousins is a no-brainer selection for this list, I will focus on five other players that can strongly benefit from a new environment. Let’s take a look at who they are and where a better situation may be waiting for them.
5. Goran Dragic – Miami Heat
It may be hard for Miami to admit the need for rebuilding, but the writing is all over the wall. Dwyane Wade is a Chicago Bull and Chris Bosh’s career appears to be done. This leaves Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside as the only two high-level players on the team. Those two are not enough to lead a team of promising young players to legit contention in the Eastern Conference.
As a matter of fact, the current Miami formula has resulted in a 10-25 record so far. This has them barely ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets for last place in their conference. It’s a frustrating situation and, for the 30-year-old Dragic, is a good reason for a change of address.
Goran is averaging 18.8 points and 6.7 assists per game this season. His type of production shouldn’t be wasted in Miami. The same can be said for Whiteside, but he’s a little bit younger and a slightly better fit for the Heat to build around. They could trade him as well, but let’s keep our focus on Dragic.
His ability to score efficiently and distribute the ball is something that contending teams can use. He is also a reliable defender on most nights and that’s always a bonus in today’s brand of basketball. Dragic can also be the missing piece on a roster with a lot of promise. Sometimes a team with a lot of young and promising players needs a quality veteran to help them evolve. Goran is definitely one of those quality veterans.
One team that Dragic would be a great addition to is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even though Ricky Rubio can get steals and is a good ball distributor, his scoring efficiency is terrible. Additionally, Kris Dunn and Tyus Jones are still developing and may not be ready for starter’s minutes for at least another season.
A player like Dragic could provide a significant upgrade in scoring from the point guard spot. Additionally, Rubio’s defense isn’t as good as people may think. He may get more steals than Dragic, but his overall defensive rating is actually worse. Goran’s rating is 109.4, while Rubio’s rating is 111.1.
A Rubio for Dragic trade is a valid one according to ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine, but that doesn’t mean both teams will agree to it. Regardless of where he ends up, it’s clear that Dragic can definitely benefit from a change of scenery. His talents are currently being wasted in South Beach.