The NBA trade rumors are intensifying with the Feb. 18 deadline just a little over a week from now. And the talks surrounding Jeff Teague only escalated.
The ESPN report described the atmosphere at the Atlanta Hawks regarding the point guard as "serious internal discussions."
The article said, "Sources with knowledge of the team's thinking say that Hawks management and ownership have conceded internally that unless Atlanta can recapture the magic of last season's run -- when it went 60-22 and claimed the East's top seed -- this season's team is a fringe contender.
But the Hawks, expected to make the playoffs by sporting a 30-24 win-loss record good for fifth in the Eastern Conference, are stuck in a rut.
And according to the report, the management is thinking of turning over the team on its head even if that means trading Al Horford or Jeff Teague.
Al Horford, himself, has been dragged into the multiple NBA trade rumors, which is hardly surprising since he's playing on an expiring contract and is expected to command a max deal upwards of $100 million.
The Hawks must then decide whether to extend his contract or trade him now and get something out of the perennial all-star.
Meanwhile, among the teams that inquired about Jeff Teague were the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic.
Meanwhile, in other NBA trade rumors, Omar Casspi has reportedly drawn interest from the Miami Heat, which badly needs scoring off the bench.
Tony Xypteras wrote for Sacramento Kings fansite, SacTownRoyalty, "We had heard rumors that the Miami Heat were interested in Rudy Gay, and that they were trying to find a wing to add to their rotation, so moving from discussions over Gay to Casspi makes some sense from a 'this smells real' standpoint."
Watch out for more NBA trade rumors which will be published here when they come along ahead of the deadline on Feb. 18.