NBA Rumors

There is reportedly some belief within the NBA that Kevin Durant had an ulterior motive for requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin on The Lowe Post (h/t HoopsHype.com), one "school of thought" in the league is that Durant asked for the trade as a means of pushing the Nets to trade Kyrie Irving rather than himself.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t ESPN's Tim Bontemps) reported last month that Durant's manager, Rich Kleiman, said Durant asked the Nets for a trade, and that general manager Sean Marks was working with him to make it happen.

Wojnarowski added that the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns were two of the top teams on KD's "wish list" of preferred destinations should a trade be consummated.

Despite Durant's trade request, there hasn't been much movement, and that could be a sign that he isn't going anywhere.

Last week, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Get Up (h/t RealGM) that the Nets' preference at that point was to keep KD since the trade offers they received had not approached what they were asking for him.

One possible reason for that is the king's ransom the Minnesota Timberwolves parted with for All-Star center Rudy Gobert in a trade with the Utah Jazz.

The T-Wolves surrendered four first-round picks and several players for Gobert, and since Durant is a future Hall of Famer who averaged just shy of 30 points per game last season, the obvious belief is that he should command far more.

The issue with that, however, is there aren't many teams that have four or more first-round picks to trade plus young, promising players on top of that.

One of the teams that may have been able to trade for Durant, the Suns, made it far more difficult last week when they matched the Indiana Pacers' offer sheet for center Deandre Ayton.

Ayton would have made sense in a Durant trade since he is a young, talented player and a 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick, but now the Suns can't trade him until Jan. 15 at the earliest.

As for Irving, he made the somewhat surprising decision to opt into the final year of his contract with the Nets at a salary of $36.5 million despite rumors and speculation that he wanted out as well.

Wojnarowski reported at the time that before opting in, Irving submitted a list of teams to the Nets that he wanted them to explore sign-and-trade possibilities with. The only team on that list reportedly known to have mutual interest in Irving was the Los Angeles Lakers.

Irving could have opted out and signed with the Lakers in free agency, but he would have left roughly $30 million on the table since the Lakers are over the salary cap and only could have signed him to an exception.

Every indication is that the trade market for Kyrie has been tepid, with the Lakers perhaps being the only team willing to pursue him.

The issue with that is the Lakers don't have much they can trade for Irving, plus the Nets would likely have to take on the expiring contract of veteran guard Russell Westbrook to make the salaries work.

Irving is one of the best and most talented players in the NBA, but the seven-time All-Star and one-time NBA champion missed significant time because of injury in his first two seasons with the Nets.

Then, Irving was a distraction last season, as his decision to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine caused the Nets to sit him for much of the campaign since he would have been ineligible to play home games.

Brooklyn eventually activated him when injuries and positive COVID tests decimated its roster, but he only went on to play in 29 regular-season games.

On top of that tumult, the Nets traded All-Star guard James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers last season for a package headlined by guard Ben Simmons.

Simmons didn't play at all last season because of a back issue, and while his fit alongside Durant and Irving would have been intriguing, it's possible the trio will never see the court together.

Things have been status quo for the Nets on the trade front, but if the key to keeping Durant and making him happy is trading Irving, that is an avenue they have to explore even if it doesn't yield the preferred value.

Despite a disappointing first year as teammates, the Los Angeles Lakers' Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are reportedly planning on sticking together for the 2022-23 season.

Per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the three superstars had a phone conversation "with each expressing their commitment to one another and vowing to make it work."

Westbrook, who is set to earn $47.1 million this season, has been the subject of trade speculation in recent weeks. He's been linked to a potential deal for Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, whom the Lakers have reportedly been pursuing in an effort to reunite James with his championship-winning teammate from their run together with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Haynes reported that "the uncertainty of Westbrook’s future with the Lakers remains," but the phone call "was organized to make sure all three were on the same page as long as they’re joined together in their pursuit of a championship."

Los Angeles was expected to compete for a title last year but instead struggled with chemistry issues and injury woes that resulted in a 33-49 record and an 11th-place finish in the Western Conference. Westbrook, James and Davis appeared in only 21 games together, as the latter two missed significant time throughout the year.

The Lakers hired Darvin Ham to replace Frank Vogel as head coach. The former Milwaukee Bucks assistant said during his introductory press conference that he expects Westbrook to play a big role on the team this year.

"Russ and I had some really, really great one-on-one convos, man, and the biggest word I think came out of that, those discussions, was 'sacrifice,'" Ham said. "I’m going to expect him to be the same tenacious, high-energy player that he’s been all his entire career."

While a commitment to one another is a strong step forward, the Lakers weren't world-beaters last year with James, Westbrook and Davis on the floor together. Los Angeles has yet to prove it should be considered to be among elite teams in the West. It will take a commitment to defense and consistent effort for the Lakers to truly compete for a title this season.

If the New York Knicks swing a trade for Donovan Mitchell, the next move could be a deal for Russell Westbrook, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

A source told Stein the Knicks would want to "explore scenarios to trade away Julius Randle" if they can acquire Mitchell. A swap for Westbrook could help clear the remaining three years of Randle's initial four-year, $117 million contract signed last offseason after his All-Star campaign in 2020-21.

Westbrook is set to make $47.1 million in 2022-23 after opting into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

As Stein noted, the Lakers will first try to use Westbrook in a trade for Kyrie Irving but could be interested in Randle as a secondary option.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported Saturday the talks between the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have "not progressed."

Los Angeles could still be motivated to deal away Westbrook after a disappointing 2021-22 where the squad missed the playoffs with a 33-49 record. Randle could be a reasonable return in a trade, adding a double-double threat who played his first four years with the Lakers.

Though Randle struggled with consistency last year, he is averaging 22.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game over his last two seasons with the Knicks. It could give the Lakers an added scoring boost behind James and Davis as the squad tries to get back into playoff contention.

The Knicks, meanwhile, likely wouldn't even want Westbrook in the backcourt, as Stein reported, but would instead use the deal to shed payroll.

Randle's contract alone isn't enough to match salaries, but adding Evan Fournier or Derrick Rose to the deal would do it if the Lakers were to accept this type of package.

It could clear up space for an RJ Barrett contract extension with the guard heading into the final year of his contract. New York would then be able to build around Barrett, Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson.

The first domino would still be swinging a trade for Mitchell.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Knicks are a "motivated suitor," but they'll still need to find a package that works for the Utah Jazz.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard rebutted speculation regarding alleged communication issues with team chair Jody Allen.

Sources told the New York Post on Thursday that Allen "refused to talk" with the six-time NBA All-Star, which led him to develop "issues with the way the team is being run."

Lillard provided a statement to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes on Friday:

Damian Lillard to @YahooSports on report that Portland Trail Blazers owner Jody Allen refused to take his call: pic.twitter.com/PMQqncIwWg

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2022

The 31-year-old California native has spent his entire pro career with the Blazers, who selected him in the 2012 NBA draft.

Allen took over day-to-day operations of the Blazers, along with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, following the death of her brother, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, in October 2018.

She's been in the spotlight amid rumors the sports franchises could be sold, but a statement released Tuesday suggested those discussions aren't imminent:

Statement from Jody Allen pic.twitter.com/oAezfb398o

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) July 5, 2022

Meanwhile, the Blazers have trended in the wrong direction since reaching the 2019 Western Conference Finals. They were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round the next two years and missed the postseason altogether this past season.

Portland began to restructure the roster around Lillard, who was limited to 29 games in 2021-22 because of an abdominal injury, ahead of the trade deadline in February.

CJ McCollum, Lillard's longtime backcourt running mate, along with Robert Covington and Norman Powell led the group of notable departures in a series of deals centered around the acquisition of depth players and draft picks.

The revitalization process has continued during the offseason following a trade with the Detroit Pistons for Jerami Grant and the free-agent signing of Gary Payton II.

Lillard is under contract with Portland through the 2023-24 season as part of a four-year, $176.3 million deal, which includes a player option for 2024-25.

In April, the veteran guard confirmed to CNBC's Jabari Young his intention to remain with the organization despite the other roster changes.

"I have no plans of not being a Portland Trail Blazer," Lillard said. "I want to be here, and I think they want me here."

The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year has averaged 24.6 points, 6.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 threes across 711 career appearances for the Blazers.

After trying and failing to land a trade partner, the Portland Trail Blazers waived guard Eric Bledsoe.

Only $3.9 million of his $19.4 million salary was fully guaranteed for the 2022-23 season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported several teams are expected to pursue Bledsoe once he clears waivers.

The veteran guard did not play a game with the Blazers after being traded to Portland at the February deadline. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 54 games with the Los Angeles Clippers before the trade.

While Bledsoe has clearly lost some of his athleticism and effectiveness over the last two seasons, he's still only 32 years old and could thrive in a more limited role. He has played at least 25 minutes per game each of the last 10 seasons; look for that number to dwindle into the high teens in his next stop.

The Blazers acquired Bledsoe more as a trade chip than as a player, hoping to coax a team in need of salary relief into another deal as they retool their roster. They found no takers despite moving his contract guarantee date back to July 10.

Losing Bledsoe for nothing hurts Portland in the interim because the team is losing a potentially valuable salary slot. They could have held onto him past the guarantee date and then kept the salary slot available in case a team wanted to acquire an expiring contract, but it's likely the Blazers explored that market and found it equally unappealing.

Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell reportedly expressed some concern after the organization traded away All-Star center Rudy Gobert and starting small forward Royce O'Neale last week.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said Mitchell essentially asked Jazz higher-ups what their plan was after trading away two key players primarily for draft picks.

Windhorst noted that the plan is to "do what's right for the franchise" and that the Jazz decision-makers, including CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge, felt the trades were in the long-term best interest of the franchise.

After sending O'Neale to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2023 first-round pick, the Jazz agreed to trade Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for four first-round picks, three of which are unprotected, plus Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro and 2022 No. 22 overall pick Walker Kessler.

Windhorst went on to say that while the Jazz haven't officially put Mitchell on the trade block, he believes they have a price and would be willing to trade their franchise cornerstone if the offer is good enough.

Mitchell has been a star on the rise since entering the NBA as the No. 13 overall pick out of Louisville in 2017. He has shown improvements in each of his five seasons and been named an All-Star in each of the past three campaigns.

Last season, Mitchell averaged 25.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game to go along with a career-high 5.3 assists, 3.5 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals. He also shot 44.8 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The Jazz have never missed the playoffs during Mitchell's tenure, but they have also never made it past the second round, prompting them to make some significant changes.

Trading Gobert was the biggest move, as the 7'1" Frenchman is a three-time All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year who won his first rebounding title last season with 14.7 per game.

There is no obvious replacement for Gobert on the roster, leaving the Jazz with a gaping hole at center, especially from a defense and rebounding perspective.

O'Neale's stats weren't as impressive as Gobert's, but he still had a career year in 2021-22, averaging 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 three-pointers made and 1.1 steals per game in 77 starts while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from deep.

The Jazz did receive a bevy of role players in the Gobert trade, so they may be able to replace O'Neale by committee, but they have to be considered a worse team than they were last season with Gobert no longer in the fold.

Utah has more than enough assets to make some trades before the start of the 2022-23 season and build around Mitchell, but for now, it is fair for Mitchell to wonder if the Jazz are planning on entering a rebuild.

While Deandre Ayton has been viewed as a potential trade chip in Kevin Durant talks, the restricted free-agent center has reportedly been exploring his options elsewhere.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast (44:50 mark) that Ayton has taken meetings with teams that "are not involved in potential Durant negotiations." It's unclear whether any of those teams have made formal contract offers.

The Indiana Pacers were mentioned as a potential suitor that could theoretically carve out a max or near-max contract without having to involve the Suns. The Pacers' level of interest in using their cap space to sign Ayton was not established, but Windhorst mentioned a potential sign-and-trade with Myles Turner going to Phoenix.

Ayton's future is currently stuck in limbo given the lack of cap space available around the league and his status as a restricted free agent.

If the ultimate goal is to force the Suns' hand, Ayton could sign a below-market offer sheet and essentially force his way back into the fold. Phoenix would not be able to use Ayton in a sign-and-trade if he inks an offer sheet.

However, that would be a move made more out of pettiness than long-term financial planning. Ayton stands to receive a maximum or near-max contract once the dust settles, either in a deal to return to Phoenix or as part of a sign-and-trade for a star.

The relationship between Ayton and the Suns has strained over their lack of urgency to lock him up long term, but it behooves both sides to work together. Phoenix is not going to lose a key piece of its rotation without replacing him with at least equal value, and Ayton's path to financial rewards is best paved through patience.

Don't expect the situation to be resolved until Durant's next team is decided.

The New Orleans Pelicans and guard CJ McCollum have reportedly had talks regarding a new contract.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he's heard the Pels and McCollum have discussed a new deal even though he may not be eligible to sign one yet.

ESPN's Andrew Lopez chimed in, noting that McCollum may be able to sign a new contract as soon as August.

McCollum signed a three-year, $100 million extension with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019, and that deal runs through the 2023-24 season.

New Orleans acquired the 30-year-old McCollum last season in a blockbuster trade with the Blazers. The Pels sent a first-round pick, two second-round picks, Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky and Didi Louzada to Portland for McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell.

McCollum went on to enjoy the best production of his nine-year career in 26 games with the Pelicans, averaging 24.3 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals, all of which would have been career highs over the course of a full season.

The former Lehigh star also made 2.7 three-pointers per game with the Pelicans and shot 49.3 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The Pels went 13-13 in games McCollum played and made the postseason play-in tournament, which saw them beat the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers to clinch the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The Pelicans then took two games from the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, who had the best record in the NBA, before falling 4-2 in the first round.

Given the success the Pels enjoyed even though star forward Zion Williamson missed the entire season because of injury, there is a great deal of excitement regarding the future.

Assuming the squad stays together before the 2022-23 season begins, McCollum, Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas will all play together for the first time, giving New Orleans one of the best cores in the NBA.

McCollum figures to be a huge part of the Pelicans' success next season and beyond. He boasts a 19.2 points-per-game average in his career and makes just shy of 40 percent of his three-point attempts, meaning he will be leaned on to spread the floor and open things up inside for Williamson and Valanciunas.

While McCollum has never been an All-Star, the 2015-16 NBA Most Improved Player will be one next season if he maintains the level of play he showed with the Pelicans previously, and the price of a contract extension would only go up.

The Dallas Mavericks are rumored to have interest in Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, but the Cavs reportedly aren't "very attracted" to potential Mavs pieces that could be used in a sign-and-trade.

The topic was discussed on the Wine & Gold Talk podcast with Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove:

"The Dallas Mavericks have been rumored as a team that may have interest because they lost Jalen Brunson. They don’t have cap space. So it would have to be a sign-and-trade worked out with the Cavs. And I’m told that the Cavs are not very attracted to any of the pieces that Dallas would be willing to send back to them in a potential sign-and-trade."

Word emerged from Sam Amico of Hoopswire on June 30 that the Mavs could potentially be interested in Sexton—a restricted free agent—if they lost Jalen Brunson in free agency to the New York Knicks. That has happened as Brunson agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with New York.

However, any potential interest in Sexton appears to have been negated by the Cavs, who extended a qualifying offer to him on June 28.

Sexton, 23, averaged 16.0 points in 28.7 minutes per game last season. He was limited to just 11 games after suffering a torn left meniscus in a November 7 game versus the New York Knicks.

The ex-Alabama star dominated the year before with a career-high 24.3 points per game alongside 4.4 assists.

It's unclear what Sexton's future holds, but the good news is that he's made a "complete recovery" from his injury and is cleared for basketball activities, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Rival NBA executives believe Sexton could make $20 million per year on his next contract.

The Los Angeles Lakers may be the favorites to land Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

"The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are actively engaged in discussions on a trade package that would send star point guard Russell Westbrook to Brooklyn in exchange for star point guard Kyrie Irving," Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote Saturday.

This proposed trade would make a ton of sense for the Lakers as it pertains to this season. Westbrook didn't quite fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis under former head coach Frank Vogel. Irving would represent an upgrade from a scheme standpoint—his outside shooting capability would complement James and Davis—and would give Los Angeles a chance to contend in the Western Conference next season.

However, while the Lakers may indeed be engaged with the Nets on a Westbrook-Irving swap, they reportedly haven't taken an aggressive approach.

"The Lakers have yet, I'm told, to be aggressive in trying to put a deal together to get [Kyrie] from Brooklyn," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Sunday on SportsCenter (h/t ClutchPoints). "That may come, that may evolve with time. But so far right now, there's no traction really on deals with either Irving or Kevin Durant."

There are perhaps a couple of reasons why the Lakers aren't pushing for a quick resolution to an Irving deal.

The first is that Brooklyn isn't incentivized to move rapidly. The Nets are also dealing with Durant's trade request and may first see what KD can bring in a deal before pivoting to Irving—who did opt in for the 2022-23 season.

"I think Kyrie is going to have wait this out because we're not going to really know what the Nets are going to want to trade him for until we see what Kevin Durant gets traded for," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Get Up (h/t ClutchPoints).

Why push when Irving is likely to remain available for the immediate future?

The other aspect to consider is that Los Angeles has to weigh the long-term implications of acquiring Irving. He may give the Lakers a legitimate chance to chase a title this season—though the Golden State Warriors will still be the team to beat—but what happens beyond 2023?

By opting in on the $36.5 million deal, Irving has essentially put himself on an expiring contract. The Lakers must consider the possibility that he won't stay beyond one season—and also consider the fact that James may not be in Los Angeles next year either.

James' contract runs through the 2022-23 season, and while he can sign an extension in August, the 37-year-old has yet to commit beyond this year.

How would an Irving pursuit affect James' future? That's a question the Lakers brass is likely pondering. James, it seems, is one of the driving forces behind the proposed acquisition.

"James, I’m told, wants to see Irving in Lakerland more than anyone," NBA insider Marc Stein recently wrote (h/t Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll). "What other team, furthermore, has a LeBron-sized personality with the experience to cope with all the chaos that comes with adding Kyrie? James, remember, has often thrived in chaos."

Irving hasn't always been a model teammate, but he did help James win a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. James, it would appear, believes that the duo can replicate that success in Los Angeles. As things stand, however, there's no guarantee that any success could be sustained beyond this season.

This is a huge factor to consider if, for example, the Lakers are forced to part with their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks and/or young players like Talen Horton-Tucker to facilitate a trade.

Giving up more long-term assets would be risky without a commitment from James. If he leaves, Los Angeles is left with Davis, a few support players and no real hope of a quick turnaround.

While agreeing to an Irving trade might not force James to commit to an extension, Los Angeles would surely like to know that he'll return next season before making any sort of firm offer.

On the other hand, any sort of Westbrook-for-Irving swap that doesn't include other Lakers assets would make total sense and be an advantageous opportunity for L.A. However, the Nets are going to do what's best for them and aren't going to jump on such a deal before Durant's future is settled.

This is why any Irving-to-L.A. trade will take time to sort out. As long as the Lakers are making Irving their top offseason target, they'll need to be patient. They'll also need to seek clarity on James' future and continue considering what makes sense for the long-term outlook of the franchise.