NBA Rumors

The Utah Jazz probably aren't done wheeling and dealing.

With the team in a full rebuilding mode and trades involving Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Patrick Beverley already completed, the Jazz may turn to trading away some of their veteran role players, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne:

More changes for the Jazz may be on the way 👀

"They still have Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley. The sense around the league is that the Jazz at least feel that they have deals for all of those veteran players." - @ramonashelburne pic.twitter.com/o9sX1sr9PC

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 12, 2022

Shelburne added that the Jazz feel they could get a first-round pick in return for each of Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley Jr. and Jordan Clarkson but "are not in any hurry to make these decisions now."

In other words, the team is going to extract every last drop of value it can out of trading veterans who would bolster a number of contenders. As the NBA season gets underway and contenders naturally face some injuries and roster questions, it's possible all three could only see their trade value increase.

Bogdanovic, 33, would make sense for teams looking to add perimeter shooting and scoring. He's a career 39.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc and averaged 18.1 points per game last season.

Conley appears past his prime, but the 34-year-old still averaged a solid 13.7 points and 5.3 assists in 72 games last year, shooting 40.8 percent from three. Teams in need of a savvy veteran playmaker make sense as potential suitors.

Clarkson, 30, is pretty firmly in his prime. The 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year award winner is one of the league's best bench scorers, putting up a solid 16.0 points per game on 41.9 percent shooting from the field last season. Perimeter shooters who can find their own shot are always valuable come the postseason, and Clarkson should be very much in demand on the trade market.

The Jazz have 13 first-round picks, with varying protections, through the 2029 draft after the Mitchell and Gobert trades. Inevitable deals for Bogdanovic, Conley and Clarkson should add to that haul.

After veteran forward Danilo Gallinari suffered a torn ACL that likely rules him out for the 2022-23 season, the Boston Celtics have an opening for an experienced scorer off the bench. It appears the team already has a target in mind.

The Celtics reportedly are eyeing Carmelo Anthony, and Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (h/t Real GM) noted that talks are "starting to gain some traction because Anthony may be the best shooting forward left on the market, and he has shown to be productive offensively despite his age."

The 38-year-old is a free agent after spending the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony mostly came off the bench and was a solid contributor, averaging 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26 minutes while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. He had 20 or more points in 11 of the 69 games he played.

The No. 3 overall pick in 2003, Anthony is still chasing the NBA championship that has eluded him throughout his nearly 20 years in the league. Joining the Celtics could give him his best chance at competing for a title as his career is winding down.

Boston reached the NBA Finals last season but lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games. The Celtics retained virtually their entire core led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. The team also added point guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Indiana Pacers this offseason.

The Celtics were hoping for Gallinari to provide some depth and veteran leadership off the bench, but his season was derailed after re-injuring his previously surgically-repaired knee while competing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifier. If Boston is able to reach a deal with Anthony, he should seamlessly fit that role for the team.

The New York Knicks are "shocked and disappointed" that the Cleveland Cavaliers swept in and traded for former Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell via trade, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Berman also reported that the Knicks, who were connected to Mitchell in trade talks for months, didn't get an opportunity to make their best offer to Jazz president Danny Ainge before he took the Cavaliers' package.

Berman also reported that it wasn't a coincidence the Knicks signed RJ Barrett to a four-year contract extension and announced it before the Cavaliers-Mitchell news broke.

One NBA source said the Knicks preferred to wait until October or even restricted free agency next July to sign Barrett.

However, the ultimate Knicks preference was to deal Barrett in a Mitchell trade.

"They didn't want to pay RJ now, they like RJ but he's not one of their guys," an NBA source told Berman. "The preference was to trade him in a Donovan deal. A few weeks ago, if they got Donovan without Barrett in the deal, they weren’t going to pay RJ now."

In the end, though, the Knicks stuck with Barrett after finding out the Cavs had the edge on them in the Mitchell trade race.

"They had to do something," a source told Berman.

The Knicks reportedly believed they could trade for Mitchell sans Barrett by improving their draft capital offer, but the Jazz-Cavs talks progressed to such a point that the "Knicks couldn’t get back in control of their own destiny," per Berman.

New York has to move on without Mitchell. Although losing out on a three-time All-Star who routinely scores 25 or more points per game stings, the Knicks would have had to pay a steep price for him.

The Knicks have exciting young players (e.g. Barrett, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley) and all of their future first-round picks, which puts them in position for success in the future. For now, Jalen Brunson is the Knicks' biggest position, and he puts them in a better spot to compete for the playoffs after the team missed out last year.

The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in three Utah Jazz veterans who could be available for trade ahead of the 2022-23 season.

L.A. has "some interest" in Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. However, the Purple and Gold "also want to preserve cap space for next summer and aren't that interested in taking contracts beyond 2022-23," Zillgitt added.

Of the three, Bogdanovic is the only player whose contract is up in 2023.

Mike Singer of the Denver Post added that "numerous" sources said the Lakers might have interest in Utah's veterans.

Have checked with numerous people today re. who might be interested in Jazz vets, and one team has come up multiple times: the Lakers. https://t.co/Wa1z7psTr4

— Mike Singer (@msinger) September 2, 2022

After dealing Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Jazz are still looking to offload other veterans in a trade to continue building for the future.

The Lakers could be an interesting trade partner for the Jazz as they are trying to deal veteran point guard Russell Westbrook.

Any deal for Westbrook is expected to have first-round picks attached to it, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last month that the Purple and Gold are willing to attach their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in "the right deal."

Jazz CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been stockpiling first-round draft picks this offseason, and it's possible he could take on Westbrook's contract in order to add draft capital. He already has 15 first-round draft picks over the next seven drafts.

Conley should be among the most desirable players for the Lakers among Utah's available veterans. The point guard is coming off a solid 2021-22 campaign in which the 34-year-old averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 72 games while shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 40.8 percent from deep.

The Purple and Gold have been searching for perimeter shooting, and he's the type of player who can provide outside scoring.

Clarkson would also provide the Lakers some solid perimeter shooting. The 30-year-old averaged 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 79 games last season while shooting 41.9 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from deep.

However, considering the Lakers don't want to take on a contract that runs past the 2022-23 season, Bogdanovic might be the team's most reasonable option.

The 6'7" forward averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 69 games last season while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 38.7 percent from deep. The 33-year-old has a $19.6 million cap hit for the 2022-23 season.

Clarkson has a player option for the 2023-24 campaign worth $14.3 million, and Conley is under contract through 2023-24.

Donovan Mitchell could remain with the Utah Jazz after the team paused its trade talks with the New York Knicks.

"The Jazz aren't seriously engaged elsewhere on a Mitchell deal now," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

The Jazz and Knicks were reportedly involved in several weeks' worth of negotiations, but the potential deal stalled after passing Monday's deadline set by New York president of basketball operations Leon Rose. The Knicks instead signed RJ Barrett to a four-year extension, effectively removing the guard from any trade package.

Neither team is ruling out restarting trade talks, per Wojnarowski, but the Jazz clearly aren't close on any other deals at the moment.

The Jazz are seemingly in rebuilding mode after trading away Rudy Gobert, as well as veterans Patrick Beverley and Royce O'Neale. After six straight trips to the playoffs, the squad could have an uphill battle to reach the postseason in 2022-23.

It doesn't mean the team feels any pressure to deal away Mitchell, who is still just 25 years old and remains under contract for at least three more seasons.

The three-time All-Star ranked ninth in the league with 25.9 points per game last season, adding 5.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He has also proved the ability to take over in the postseason with a 28.3 career scoring average in 39 playoff appearances.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported the Jazz are "comfortable with going into the season with Mitchell on the roster" and will only trade him if another team reaches the asking price. Mitchell also hasn't asked for a trade, per Jones.

It could allow the two sides to move forward together despite an offseason's worth of trade talk and other speculation.

The Utah Jazz are reportedly looking to accelerate the timeline for a potential Donovan Mitchell trade.

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, they would prefer to complete a trade before training camp.

"It does sound, as I talk to folks in the league, like the Jazz are trying to apply the gas here, trying to juice the offers, especially juice the offer from the New York Knicks," he said.

New York may have less competition to drive up the price, though, as Ian Begley of SNY reported the Cleveland Cavaliers "removed themselves" from discussions surrounding Mitchell. Begley called it the Knicks' trade "to lose" with the ability to make the best offer even if they don't include RJ Barrett in the deal.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported the Jazz still have "multiple offers on the table" for Mitchell, who would prefer the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets or Miami Heat if he was moved.

Yet Jones also noted he has not asked Utah for a trade, meaning it may not be inevitable. If the team doesn't have any favorable offers, it could choose to keep the 25-year-old until at least the trade deadline and reassess its different options.

Still, this appears to be a franchise on its way toward a rebuild after trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason. Moving Mitchell would be the best way to land a number of draft picks with an eye on the future ahead of a season where it isn't a realistic championship contender.

From the Knicks' perspective, they have won a single playoff series since the 1999-2000 season.

Mitchell may not be enough to bring a championship to New York, but the combination of the three-time All-Star, Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and Barrett—if he is not included in the deal—could propel them to the top half of the Eastern Conference standings.

That would be a welcome change for a major-market team that has failed to live up to expectations for more than two decades.

The Houston Rockets and Kevin Porter Jr. share a mutual interest in agreeing to a contract extension before the 2022-23 NBA season begins, according to The Athletic's Kelly Iko.

Porter is eligible to sign a new deal now. Otherwise, he can become a restricted free agent next offseason.

Iko wrote how the 22-year-old arrived in Houston with something to prove "on the court, where Porter was asked to switch positions to point guard, and also off the court, with personal growth and maturity."

The Cleveland Cavaliers traded Porter to the Rockets in January 2021. His exit came after a reported verbal confrontation with Cavs officials in the locker room.

A similar incident unfolded in Houston this past January, with ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski reporting he left Toyota Center midway through a 124-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

In terms of his performance, Porter has delivered for Houston. He's averaging 15.9 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 41.8 percent overall and 35.7 on three-pointers through 87 games.

The 6'4" guard's potential was clear for all to see when he dropped 50 points and 11 assists on the Milwaukee Bucks in April 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lpzrN6YIk

Still, Iko posited how Porter is approaching a pivotal season, "either validating why Houston was right to give him long-term money or why the Rockets made a mistake not to."

Based on his track record, there's an obvious level of risk in extending Porter now. But there's some risk in not extending him now, too. A long-term contract will only become more costly next summer if he continues to play well.

The backcourt partnership of Porter and Jalen Green went through some expected growing pains in 2021-22. Pairing two young guards together in starting roles isn't a recipe for winning basketball in the short term. The Rockets averaged the most turnovers (16.5) in the league and were 23rd in assists (23.6) while finishing 26th in offensive rating (108.1), per NBA.com.

But it's easy to see why Houston wants to move forward with Porter as part of its foundation.

The Brooklyn Nets' best trade offer for superstar forward Kevin Durant was the Boston Celtics' reported package centered around All-Star guard Jaylen Brown.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported that news on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday (1:10 mark).

What happened in the Monday meeting with #BrooklynNets brass, head coach Steve Nash and Kevin Durant?@ShamsCharania took us inside the talks that led KD to stay in New York:#NBA #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/ZwDkHruWMm

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 24, 2022

Charania noted that the Celtics offered Brown, guard Derrick White and a first-round pick for Durant, a 12-time All-Star and 10-time All-NBA selection.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were also reportedly in the mix for Durant. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that both teams were on Durant's "wish list." The Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, among other teams, were also rumored to be interested in Durant.

Durant requested a trade in late June, but nothing ever materialized. The Nets announced Tuesday that KD, who is under contract through 2026, will remain a member of the team going forward:

pic.twitter.com/wQfhrKqUeM

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022

Seven-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, who was also part of trade rumors, will remain in town as he plays out his 2022-23 option.

Brooklyn opens the 2022-23 regular season on Oct. 19 versus the New Orleans Pelicans. The Nets are looking to bounce back from a first-round series sweep at the hands of the eventual Eastern Conference title-winning Boston Celtics.

While Boston Celtics big man Robert Williams III battled a knee injury during the team's run to the NBA Finals, he is reportedly on track to be healthy at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

According to Brian Robb of Mass Live: "There is no long-term concern about his knee injury. No surgery was needed, so ample rest this summer should have him at 100 percent in camp."

The Celtics will likely be counting on Williams to assume more responsibility during the upcoming campaign.

After all, the team's biggest move in the offseason to this point came in the backcourt with the acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon, and Al Horford will be 36 years old throughout the season. Boston also signed Danilo Gallinari, but he is more likely to stretch the floor as a matchup problem for opposing forwards.

Williams figures to be the one banging down low for rebounds and protecting the rim, much like he did as a 2021-22 All-Defensive second-team selection.

The Texas A&M product averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 73.6 percent from the field last season. Those were all career-best totals, and he's still just 24.

During the postseason, he missed the first two games against the Brooklyn Nets in the opening round and the final four games of the second-round showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Williams has the potential to be the best rim-protector in the league in 2022-23 after opponents shot 11.2 percent worse than their normal averages when he was defending them within six feet of the basket last season, per NBA.com.

Having him healthy is the first step toward ensuring he can live up to that potential, and it has apparently been nothing but good news on that front this offseason.

Carmelo Anthony has reportedly emerged as a potential free-agent target for the Brooklyn Nets if the franchise retains Kevin Durant, who requested a trade in late June.

"There has been some talk about them signing Carmelo Anthony, maybe as a nod to Kevin Durant, but obviously that has not gotten anywhere, at least not yet," an unnamed NBA executive told Heavy's Sean Deveney.

Melo, a 10-time All-Star forward, spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers after previous stops with the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.

No team has more questions to answer before the 2022-23 season tips off in October than the Nets.

It starts with Durant, who could significantly shift the NBA's balance of power if traded to a ready-made championship contender like the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat.

His exit from Brooklyn would likely jumpstart a chain of events that may ultimately be followed by the departures of Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons if the front office decides to embark on an arduous rebuilding process.

If Durant stays, however, the Nets' focus probably shifts toward all-in moves to hunt a title.

Anthony could fit into those plans following his development into a reliable role player in recent years with the Lakers and Blazers.

It took a while for the 2013 NBA scoring champion to transition into a lesser offensive role, including failed stints with the Thunder and Rockets, but he's found a comfort zone typically playing as a stretch 4 after starting his career on the wing.

The 38-year-old New York City native averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 three-pointers across 69 appearances for L.A. last season. He shot 44.1 percent from the field, including 37.5 percent on threes, and 83 percent from the free-throw line.

A small-ball lineup of Irving, Durant, Anthony, Seth Curry and Joe Harris would be quite lethal offensively, though there would be defensive concerns.

All told, the Nets hold the key to the remainder of the NBA offseason, which has basically ground to a halt since Durant's trade request. Either that domino needs to fall or he must confirm his intention to return before the last flurry of moves take place.

Anthony will be part of that final wave of signings, and he should be a solid secondary contributor whether he lands in Brooklyn or elsewhere.