Trade candidate No. 4: Victor Oladipo
You always love seeing these good comeback stories. Players returning to action after near career-ending injuries, defying all odds and criticism. One of these stories is Victor Oladipo and his journey these past few years.
Around the midpoint of the 2018-19 season, Oladipo suffered a ruptured quad tendon, which sidelined him for approximately 370 calendar days. Once he made his return to basketball activities last season, it was clear that Vic was not the player he was a couple of years back.
Turns out, he was patiently pacing himself, correctly not rushing his recovery. As a result, he seems to have pressed rewind and is back to his old self right now, despite missing out on any All-Star spots.
Now on the Houston Rockets after being involved in the major James Harden trade, it’s clear that he doesn’t belong there long-term. The Rockets have implemented a new rebuilding blueprint and Oladipo’s age and history do not quite fit that.
Oladipo is about to become a free agent in the summer and, though not worth the max at the moment, will be one of the most talked-about names in the next few months. Re-signing with the Rockets seems like a longshot and they could look to move him before the deadline.
He has previously shown interest in the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks, but let’s be honest, every team could use a potent scorer and top-tier defender like Victor.