NBA Trade Rumors: Buzz Surrounding Harrison Barnes and Mike Dunleavy
The first several hours of the NBA's 2016 free-agency period have proved to be the usual frenzy of rumors and speculation, with several reportedly done deals mixed into the maelstrom.
With monster early deals setting the going rate at certain positions, some teams may be quickly realizing that their best chance at getting the right talent in the right position might be via trade. As it stands, trade rumors are cropping up in the midst of the free-agency madness.
Let's take a look at a few of the latest rumors to surface.
Warriors Could Sign and Trade Harrison Barnes
Kevin Durant is far and away the prize free agent of this offseason. Everyone covets him, but he's likely only available to a few select teams, so his eventual signing will have a ripple effect across the league.
One team that is interested in acquiring his services is the Golden State Warriors, who could trot out Durant with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and run roughshod over the league (which is pretty much what they did this past season, only with a championship at the end).
However, the Warriors know that signing Durant could take some time and they still may not land his signature. If that's the case, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News notes they have another plan in the works:
Harrison Barnes averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game last season, starting at small forward while also playing power forward in the Warriors' smaller lineups. If Golden State does get Durant, Barnes immediately becomes expendable, and the Warriors would have to let their restricted free agent take whatever large offer comes his way.
A sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers—who are rumored to be "serious suitors" for Barnes, per ESPN's Marc Stein—would make some sense for Golden State. The 76ers get a player to flourish at forward alongside Ben Simmons and potentially relieve their glut of big men by trading away Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor.
Re-signing Barnes, even for the longer term, makes sense to Kawakami if the Warriors don't get Durant:
The Warriors could also try to offload him next season if need be. Durant could sign the kind of deal that allows him to opt out next season, when the salary cap is expected to expand yet again.
Mike Dunleavy to Miami?
The Miami Heat aren't messing around this offseason. They have already agreed to terms with center Hassan Whiteside for a large sum of money, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
The Heat too are in the Durant sweepstakes, and the Miami Herald's Ethan J. Skolnick reports Whiteside "agreed to take less than $98 million over four years on one condition—that it helps the Heat land Kevin Durant," per multiple sources.
In a bid to further improve their roster, the Heat are reportedly chasing sharpshooter Jamal Crawford as well, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson. If signing Crawford isn't an option, Miami could try to add an outside shooter via trade:
"If the Heat cannot sign Crawford or another one of the better free agent shooters (such as Mirza Teletovic or Jared Dudley), it will consider trading for Chicago’s Mike Dunleavy, who will make $4.8 million next season. Dunleavy, 35, returned from back surgery in February and started 30 games; he shot 40.7 and 39.4 percent on threes the past two seasons.
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Dunleavy's age and health are concerns in any trade, but he's actually younger than Crawford and has proved to be a consistent downtown threat over the past few seasons. Since the 2010-11 season, Dunleavy hasn't shot worse than 38 percent from three-point range.
His production and play have declined over the past two seasons, but his contract is favorable under the new cap and wouldn't hinder Miami much in chasing other free agents.
The Chicago Bulls appear to be heading toward a rebuild, so it might not take much to pry the aging Dunleavy from the squad.
Crawford is the better prize but will come at a much higher price. Miami's aggression on this front is a good sign, as it could signal to Durant that the Heat are serious about building a contender around him by having all the necessary parts to make a championship run in today's evolving NBA.
