It has been an excellent year for US sports with memorable finals and exciting games in the NBA, NFL and MLB but many fans remain curious about the big rumors and potential acquisitions that could have changed the prospects of leading franchises but fell through at the last minute or are still in limbo.
While you keep track and wager on the biggest games at SugarHouse Sports Betting PA, could some of the names listed here still make a move in the near future?
AJ Green to New England Patriots – NFL
The New England Patriots are in need of a receiver despite cruising at the top of AFC East and 31-year-old AJ Green appeared to be a prime candidate to bolster the offense. Cincinnati Bengals coach fueled the fire by stating he would listen to an offer for his wide receiver. A move looked even more probable when QB Andy Dalton was benched for the next NFL game.
However, the potential acquisition finally fell through as Bengals coach Zac Taylor fought tirelessly to keep his man on the roster. The issue was complicated by a long standing injury that has kept Green on the sidelines since the first day of training. The latest reports suggest he could now miss the whole season.
Bryce Harper to Los Angeles Dodgers – MLB
The Los Angeles Dodgers set their sights on superstar recruitment earlier this year after reports claimed they were ready to stump up $45m a season over four years to land Bruce “five-tool player” Harper. The right fielder, fresh off a six year stint with the Washington Nationals, was in high demand despite a comparatively slow season in 2018.
Harper was at his very best in 2015 when he delivered a .460 on-base percentage, .649 slugging percentage and 42 home runs. The 27-year-old is also the only player to come in with OPS in excess of 1.100.
The Dodgers didn’t get their man in the end though. Harper went on to pen an eye watering $330m contract over 13 years with the Philadelphia Phillies which is now enshrined as the richest contract in US sports history. The Dodgers may have missed out this year but Bryce is now settled and ready to show his immense talent in the new season, which gets underway on March 26, 2020.
Chris Harris Jr. too expensive for The Eagles – NFL
The Philadelphia Eagles struggled in defense in the early part of the 2019 season as slot receivers ran riot and caused a headache for head coach Doug Pederson and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The solution appeared to be obvious; bring in a slot receiver to tighten up.
Reports suggested Chris Harris Jr. could fill the void but the asking price proved to be too much for the Eagles and they passed on the opportunity to strengthen. Things haven’t got much better since though as Philadelphia have shipped 81 points to three teams and are struggling to maintain a positive record in NFC East. They will have to wait for the offseason to strengthen and reload.
Kevin Love to Portland – NBA
The rumor mill has been awash with trade deals involving Kevin Love for the past few years but speculation has ramped up since the last offseason when the 31-year-old, perhaps ironically, decided to commit his future to the franchise after the departure of LeBron James.
Love would be an excellent acquisition for the Portland Trail Blazers who continue to be linked heavily with the forward as he could give them the edge in their potential playoff run. A deal involving Love could see the likes of Nassir Little and Hassan Whiteside head in the other direction.
Cleveland are not playing ball for now though with Love delivering steady returns on court. He posted a 19.2 point average and 49.3% shooting from the field during the early season.
Jamal Adams stays put for now – NFL
Jamal Adams was one of the biggest names being touted for a possible trade before NFL deadline day on October 29. The New York Jets safety enjoyed a stellar start to the 2019 season but reports suggested he might actually be on the trade block.
A move elsewhere could have really shaken the division up but Adams eventually stayed with the Jets despite their lackluster 1-6 start to the season, which has now improved slightly to 5-9 in the AFC East. Whether the 24-year-old will be on the move again remains to be seen, especially as he has cruised to a record 6.5 sacks for the season thus far, just 1.5 behind Adrian Wilson’s all-time record.
A few other trades that fell through or have yet to happen this year include running back Le’Veon Bell’s potential departure from the New York Jets and Chris Paul’s move to Miami Heat.
https://popculture.com/sports/2019/10/29/nfl-trade-deadline-7-top-players-that-didnt-get-traded/#5
https://fadeawayworld.net/2019/11/08/nba-rumors-3-blockbuster-trades-that-could-happen-this-season/
