Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons
During the offseason, the Detroit Pistons made the bold move of signing Tobias Harris to a rich two-year deal. The hope was that Harris would emerge as a much-needed veteran presence on the floor and leader in the locker room. Even as the Pistons have improved this season, I'm not sure how pleased Detroit is with this signing. If the Pistons wanted, they could now include him in a trade before the deadline. Even with the improvements that the Pistons have made so far this season, it's hard to predict whether this team is going to be a buyer or seller at the deadline.
I still believe that a Harris trade would be considered a bit premature at this point and I'd have a hard time envisioning a team lining up to acquire him because of the $25 million price tag that he has for next year. If nothing else, Harris is one name to monitor. If the Pistons do get in the market for another big-money player, his contract may have to be used. For now, I'd still be surprised if his name was in the rumor mill.
Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors
If there's one thing that has become clear for the Golden State Warriors, it's the fact that they're very much open for business heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. Having lost six of their last eight games, the Warriors' fast start to the season seems like a distant memory. I wouldn't say that this season has gone completely in the tank just because the team has struggled over the last few weeks, but there are clearly some areas of concern for a team that believed they'd emerge as a dark horse contender in the West.
The Warriors are widely expected to be aggressive heading into the NBA Trade Deadline and I'm not sure how willing the team is to trade Buddy Hield but he's a player that is now officially trade-eligible. After signing with the Warriors via sign and trade this past offseason, the team can now include him in any deal heading into the trade deadline. Considering he's having a pretty strong season for the Warriors this year, averaging 15 points on 43 percent shooting from 3-point range, I can't imagine him being traded. But, as is always the case in the NBA, you can never predict anything.