NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Chris Bosh, Donatas Motiejunas and More
Several NBA training camps are now underway, and regular season is only about a month from starting. If you’re a fan of basketball and have been focusing on other sports during the offseason, now might be a good time to start shifting some of your attention to the NBA.
At this point in the offseason, there are health concerns for certain players, contracts that still need to be agreed to and several training-camp invitees trying to prove their worth.
Let’s break down some recent buzz on Chris Bosh, Donatas Motiejunas and Elton Brand, all of whom are dealing with different situations.
Chris Bosh
It’s always frustrating when a great player’s career gets cut short by health problems. Bosh has been decently durable throughout his NBA career and has put together an impressive resume, but persistent blood clots may put an end to the 32-year-old’s career.
Per The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Miami Heat are becoming increasingly sure that Bosh’s time with the franchise is over following another failed physical. Wojnarowski also mentioned that it’s unlikely he’ll find another NBA home.
While most teams would love to have Bosh on their rosters if the Heat get rid of him, there’s also an ethical component to his situation. Is it right to put the power forward’s life in danger just to win a few more basketball games?
If it truly is the end of Bosh’s career, he’ll deserve strong consideration for the Hall of Fame. He was one of the most versatile big men of his era, made 11 All-Star appearances and significantly altered his playing style in order to help the Heat win two NBA championships.
But for now, let’s hold out hope that the blood clots stop permanently and Bosh returns to an NBA court someday.
Donatas Motiejunas
One of the most puzzling players left on the market this summer is Motiejunas. The restricted free-agent center hasn’t signed an offer sheet with anyone yet, and he’s now in an awkward position with the Houston Rockets, who began training camp last Saturday.
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen, Motiejunas and the Rockets have seen little movement on a deal. The 26-year-old big man wants a larger contract, but Houston is looking to stick closer to his $4.4 million qualifying order.
New head coach Mike D’Antoni has expressed interest in Motiejunas’ skill set, per Feigen: "When it comes to basketball, we'd love to have him. He's going to be a big part. He does a lot of things as far as playmaking that we need. He moves the ball."
Motiejunas will probably end up with the Rockets, but the team’s lack of urgency in retaining him is telling. The 7-footer’s nagging back problems significantly hurt his productivity last season, and the team already has Ryan Anderson, Clint Capela, Nene and Montrezl Harrell in tow as a respectable big-man rotation. The Lithuanian post player may have a smaller role than he hopes in 2016-17.
Elton Brand
Brand has had a long, successful career in the NBA. Much of his success came more than 10 years ago, but he remains one of the league’s most respected veterans.
Somehow, he remains a favorite to grab one of the 15 roster spots on the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers, per Sports Illustrated’s Jake Fischer:
"Indications from personnel I talked to today are that Elton Brand is not just a training camp invite. The Sixers appear poised to keep him.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) September 23, 2016"
The 37-year-old Brand retired last summer but came out of retirement in January to play for the 10-win Sixers. Players have come out of retirement plenty of times before, but it seemed a curious decision to sign with such a poor team when he had nothing left to offer on the court.
The decision by the Sixers to sign him and seriously consider him for a roster spot is also surprising, but it does mean one thing: Philadelphia badly wants veteran leadership on its bench, even if that leadership doesn’t play any important minutes. Philly should be hoping that if Brand does end up getting a roster spot, it doesn’t come at the cost of any young player who ends up becoming a strong NBA contributor.
