16 Players that will likely change teams by the NBA trade deadline
By Cal Durrett
9. Josh Richardson, San Antonio Spurs
Although teammate Jakob Poeltl has drawn plenty of interest, the San Antonio Spurs also have another valuable asset in Josh Richardson. Richardson has drawn interest from a few teams, including the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, and could be valuable to a playoff team given his shooting and defense.
He is also on an affordable expiring contract, making it easier for contending teams to trade for him. In fact, he could be paired with Poeltl in potential deals, including one to the Lakers for Russell Westbrook.
Of the soon-to-be free agents on this list, he’s one that I could easily see staying put beyond the trade deadline. After all, he’s emerged as a leader of the young, rebuilding Spurs, and that does hold particular value, especially on a team that’s on pace to lose 60 games this season.
Still, if a team is offering a first-round pick for Richardson, who is unlikely to stay in San Antonio beyond this season, then the Spurs would almost have to take such a deal. It seems that there will be and have been comparable offers, but the Spurs are probably still weighing their options, waiting to ensure that they’ll get the best deal.