NBA Rumors

LAS VEGAS — Rival executives in attendance at the NBA's annual G League Winter Showcase are of the belief that Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young could be the next player on a rookie max extension to request a trade if the team doesn't make inroads come postseason time.

Young, 24, is as competitive as they come and has a strong desire to win big in this league. He's under contract through the 2026-27 season but has an early termination option after the 2025-26 season.

Atlanta has struggled to find the chemistry that propelled it to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago. Last season, the Hawks won just one playoff game, losing in five games to the Miami Heat. This season, they are on a similar trajectory with an underwhelming 16-16 record, ninth in the Eastern Conference. All that despite the offseason addition of star guard Dejounte Murray, a player Young encouraged management to pursue.

This week, Atlanta ownership reassigned president Travis Schlenk—who drafted Young—to an adviser role. How the Hawks shape the roster around Young under general manager Landry Fields, the newly appointed front-office chief, will be monitored closely. A source told B/R that Young and Fields meet routinely and have a great relationship.

Fields has the green light from ownership to do what's necessary to acquire upgrades, but the hard part is executing. John Collins has been made available in trade talks, but it is unclear if the organization can return a package that would make the team better.

DeRozan Could Ask Out This Summer

The Chicago Bulls are dealing with some dysfunction as it pertains to team chemistry and accountability while stationed 11th in the Eastern Conference standings (13-18). If matters don't improve this season, rival executives believe it could lead star guard DeMar DeRozan to request to be moved in the offseason, league sources tell Bleacher Report.

DeRozan, who has been the Bulls' most consistent star, has one year remaining on his deal. Playing on an expiring contract is a non-starter for most high-caliber players. The options: Extend after the season or ask for a new location. Chicago has its work cut out.

Clarkson and Jazz Engaged in Extension Talks

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and his representatives have entered into contract extension dialogue, league sources tell Bleacher Report.

The situation is fluid as both sides are working toward a resolution that could even result in shelving talks and letting the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year test free agency next summer when he would be one of the top guards on the market. It would require Clarkson, 30, to decline his $14.3 million player option. He's averaging career highs of 20.1 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Christian Wood Available?

Rival teams have begun monitoring what the Dallas Mavericks intend to do with center Christian Wood. Dallas has yet to show any indication that he has been made available for a trade, but some teams believe that could change soon.

The 27-year-old veteran is playing on an expiring contract and will be extension-eligible Dec. 24. He'd be eligible for a four-year, $77 million extension. The fit in Dallas hasn't been the most fruitful, and Wood has publicly and privately petitioned for a bigger role.

The Return of GP2

Portland Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II hopes to make his season debut next week, league sources tell Bleacher Report. The defensive stalwart has been recovering from offseason surgery to a core muscle.

The organization thought he would have returned to action a month earlier, sources say, but Payton opted to take his time to heal not only physically but mentally. He will receive his championship ring Dec. 30 when the Trail Blazers visit the Golden State Warriors.

Winslow to Undergo MRI

Portland Trail Blazers forward Justise Winslow is expected to undergo an MRI on his left ankle, league sources tell Bleacher Report. He was helped off the court late in the third quarter of Wednesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder after he landed on the foot of Thunder forward Kenrich Williams.

During the Chicago Bulls' 150-136 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, "multiple teammates directed frustration at Zach LaVine" during a "strong exchange" at halftime, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Johnson asked Bulls head coach Billy Donovan about the confrontation, and he said "confrontation is healthy" and that players holding each other accountable is a "good thing."

The news comes after The Athletic's Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry reported that LaVine and the Bulls "are not seeing eye-to-eye."

According to Joe Cowley, another confrontation occurred after the game.

The Athletic added in its report that "there's been a palpable feeling across various parts of the franchise of a disconnect over LaVine's situation in Chicago."

At this time last season, things were going well for Chicago as the Bulls were the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This season, the team is 11th in the conference with an 11-18 record and appears far from contending with the best of the best.

LaVine spoke to The Athletic about the report and the growing frustration within the team:

"I think everybody goes through ups and downs, just like every team does. Obviously if we're not winning games, not everybody's going to be happy. It's not going to look as good as it was before. It's all glitter and show when you're winning games. But when you're losing games and you're trying to do the same things it's turmoil. Everybody has their right to their own opinion. For me, I keep my head down. I work on my game and try to help my team. I help try to lead the team. That's where I stand. I just try to take it day by day and evaluate how we're doing."

LaVine entered the 2022-23 campaign coming off back-to-back All-Star Game selections, but he hasn't lived up to the hype this season, with his numbers down across the board. Through 25 games, he's averaging 21.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from deep.

After signing a five-year, $215 million max deal over the summer, the 27-year-old was expected to perform far better this year.

The Bulls have had a number of team meetings "to try and work out their issues," according to The Athletic, and that has also included one-on-one meetings between LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who have experienced an on-court disconnect this year.

Chicago revolves around the play of LaVine and DeRozan, and if they aren't jiving on the court, then the Bulls have little chance of finding success. If the duo can figure out what the issue is quickly, then the Bulls will have a much better chance of becoming a playoff team.

Eric Gordon's time with the Houston Rockets may finally be nearing a close.

With the team in a complete rebuild after a 9-20 start and with young players to build around, Gordon is the "most-asked-about player on the Rockets roster from contenders," according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Per that report: "The Rockets have turned down offers for Gordon at every possible juncture—the draft, offseason and trade deadline—but a resolution to this saga may finally be had this season. Team and league sources tell The Athletic the Rockets are more inclined to moving the 33-year-old than at any point over the past two seasons."

While Gordon has remained a starter for the Rockets, averaging 29.6 minutes per game across 25 starts, his effectiveness has waned. For the year, Gordon is posting 11.8 points, 2.4 assists and two rebounds per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three.

His scoring output is currently the lowest average of his career. He's on a different career timeline than young players like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Şengün, among others.

And Gordon reportedly wants a change in scenery. Per that report, the veteran guard "has made no secret of his desire to return to winning, contending ways and he's made his preference for a move to a contender known during the offseason, but he's since remained professional and patient."

"This might finally be the year for EG," an Eastern Conference told Iko. "His contract is essentially expiring with next season being non-guaranteed and he's on a big number. Houston can use that to take on some bad money and get an asset from some teams, but other teams still have real interest in him because he can help a contender. He's a shot creator who can play on and off the ball. Good shooter who can handle it and pass enough. Going into a winning situation should rejuvenate him some too. He's a pro and a team guy."

Gordon's set to make $20.9 million next season, though it's non-guaranteed.

The veteran guard thrived in the past as a role player during the James Harden era, so it's established that he can fit a contending team well. The question will be which team makes a move to land him. Certainly, it appears that his stay in Houston has reached its natural conclusion.

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly showed interest in reacquiring Kyle Kuzma, which Washington Wizards forward believes is a compliment.

"I think it just shows you the grass is not always greener," Kuzma told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. "It's definitely a good thing because at the end of the day, that means I've been playing well and I have value in this league that a team would want to trade for me. It's a blessing."

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes first reported the Lakers' interest in Kuzma, noting the Wizards don't want to deal away the 27-year-old:

Kuzma is averaging 21.3 points per game, which would be a career high, to go with 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Washington acquired Kuzma in the 2021 deal that brought Russell Westbrook to Los Angeles.

Kuzma had spent his first four years with the Lakers, contributing both as a go-to offensive player and as an energy option off the bench. He averaged 15.2 points per game during this time there, helping the team win the NBA title in 2020.

Despite his production, the 6'9" forward was constantly the subject of trade rumors before eventually being dealt to the Wizards.

"I always look back and wish I would've gotten the fairer end of the stick a little bit, just with my role and how much I sacrificed," Kuzma said.

The trade has paid off for him personally, averaging 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in his first season before breaking out in 29 games this year. The Wizards have struggled as a team with an 11-19 record, although the Lakers haven't fared much better at 12-16. Both squads are 12th in their respective conference.

Kuzma has a $13 million player option for next season, although his improved play in 2022-23 makes testing free agency a smart move.

Haynes reported the Wizards are "open to signing him to a long-term extension," but it's clear there is plenty of interest in Kuzma around the league.

If the Los Angeles Lakers are going to make a trade, it's not going to be until the end of December at the earliest, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha.

However, Buha added that the Purple and Gold "have an urgency to get a deal done sooner than later," but they are "at the mercy of the trade cycle and the other teams' developing motives."

The Lakers have been one of the worst teams in the Western Conference this season, entering Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets with an 11-16 record. Having to fill out their roster with players on veteran minimum deals has really hurt their chances of capitalizing on having both LeBron James and Anthony Davis in L.A.

While the Lakers are looking to bring in some players, everyone aside from James and Davis is likely on the trade block. Buha lists Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn as the names that stand out.

The Lakers have long expressed interest in trading Westbrook since he turned in a subpar performance in 2021-22. However, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Thursday that Westbrook's improvement throughout the month of December "has made it increasingly unlikely that he will be traded before the league's Feb. 9 deadline."

The 34-year-old became L.A.'s sixth man in late October, and he has averaged 15.2 points, 7.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds since then. Additionally, he's averaging 28.2 minutes per game.

It's not surprising that the Lakers could be interested in moving Beverley and Nunn as both players have been disappointing this year.

Beverley, who was acquired in a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, is averaging 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 21 games while shooting 30.3 percent from the floor and 25.4 percent from deep.

Nunn, meanwhile, is averaging 5.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 23 games while shooting 35.9 percent from the floor and 27.7 percent from deep.

In terms of players the Lakers might be interested in bringing in, they have been linked to Bojan Bogdanović, Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Kyrie Irving and Doug McDermott, per Buha.

The Purple and Gold would also have interest in Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal if they were made available.

In any circumstance, the Lakers need to decide whether they would be open to parting with their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks. If they make those selections available, the return would be more significant.

The Houston Rockets are rebuilding around their young players and could look to move Eric Gordon ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline as a result.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported the Rockets have discussed a potential Gordon trade "with roughly a half dozen teams." Feigen noted the guard "is expected to be among the top targets for contenders."

The reasons to trade Gordon seem clear on the surface.

Houston has the worst record in the Western Conference at 8-18 and is in the early stages of a rebuild centered around franchise cornerstones Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. Gordon, who turns 34 years old this month, will be well past his prime before the team is a realistic championship contender, so getting future assets back in a trade would be ideal.

However, Feigen noted there are some complications to such discussions.

Next season is non-guaranteed on Gordon's contract, and Houston is not in desperate need of creating cap space. What's more, the team would prefer first-round picks in future seasons since it already has two in the upcoming draft.

Throw in the desire to avoid bringing in players with longer contracts or veterans who would eat into the youngsters' playing time, and the Rockets have a smaller window of possible trade options with Gordon than it would first appear.

Yet he would be an asset to any contender.

The 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year is averaging 12.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game behind 34.7 percent shooting from three-point range. The percentage from the outside is somewhat concerning, but he is a career 37 percent shooter from deep and just connected on 41.2 percent of his triples last season.

It is not a stretch to expect his percentage to approach his career totals as the season progresses, and he is someone who can take advantage of openings created by more prominent teammates with that shooting stroke.

Gordon has played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans and Rockets during his career but could be adding a fourth team to his resume depending on Houston's approach to the trade deadline.

It was less than a year ago that the New York Knicks acquired forward Cam Reddish in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, but the team has reportedly been fielding offers to ship him away for quite some time.

"[S]everal teams have expressed interest in trading for Reddish since the Knicks acquired him in January 2022," SNY's Ian Begley wrote. "The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams who reached out to New York in that span."

Reddish was removed from the Knicks rotation this week and hasn't played since last Saturday's 21-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks. New York has won back-to-back games since then and has a 12-13 record.

On Wednesday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported that the Knicks were working with Reddish and his representatives to secure a deal for him. However, the 23-year-old later said that he wasn't trying to force his way off the team.

"I haven't requested any trades," he said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I have not. Y'all seem to know more than me, for real. I don't know what y'all talking about, but I haven't requested no trade, nothing like that."

Reddish has failed to make an impact since he entered the league as the No. 10 overall pick in 2019. The Duke product has a career average of 10.2 points on 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc. Still, he is young and he has the potential to develop into a contributor in the right situation.

The Bucks are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but they could use some extra firepower to compete against the defending conference-champion Boston Celtics. The Heat have been bitten by the injury bug early in the season and lack depth.

Begley noted that the Lakers and Knicks had engaged in discussions recently about a potential trade that would've required a third team to complete. Los Angeles has an open roster spot after waiving Matt Ryan and desperately needs to add shooting.

For now, Reddish will continue to ride the bench when the Knicks return to action on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets (7-18).

Despite sitting outside of the play-in picture at 7-11, the Los Angeles Lakers may not take a proactive approach to upgrading the roster right now.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported Monday the Lakers "don't feel that sense of urgency" after winning five of their last six games. She added Los Angeles is "not necessarily motivated right now to go do something big unless something big presented itself to them."

A deliberate approach may not be what the players themselves want to see.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported Monday "here is belief shared by leaders in the Lakers' locker room, sources said, that the team is only a couple of players away from turning this group into a legitimate contender."

Perhaps L.A. has turned a corner and the general sense of optimism throughout the franchise is warranted. It's worth noting, however, the team's recent success hasn't come against an array of contenders.

The Lakers started the run with a 13-point win over the Brooklyn Nets, who promptly allowed 153 points in a defeat to the Sacramento Kings two days later. The other four wins came against the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, both of whom are rebuilding.

Beating losing teams is something Los Angeles should be doing and the results count all the same. But it might be a little premature to assume all is well in Southern California.

Whether general manager Rob Pelinka aggressively pursues trades or waits for opposing GMs to come to him, the same problem seemingly remains: The Lakers don't have many trade assets outside of their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

It's difficult to see a path for Pelinka that allows him to land an All-Star-caliber player. Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, for example, would address a need but probably doesn't lift the team to the top of the Western Conference.

Perhaps that kind of addition isn't necessary if the last few weeks aren't a mirage.