NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on J.R. Smith, Kenneth Faried and More
With just a few weeks left until the NBA regular season tips off Oct. 25, we still have rumors that check three major boxes: free agency, trades and injuries.
The J.R. Smith holdout, much like last year's negotiations between Tristan Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers, has drawn free agency into the middle of October. Generally, end-of-the-bench guys are all that's left at this point.
On the trade front, one that's almost never without some action, Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried could be available to the highest bidder.
And the injury bug has already bitten a number of teams in the preseason, including the Detroit Pistons, who lost starting point guard Reggie Jackson to a knee injury.
Celtics Interested in J.R. Smith?
When the long, strange trip that was Thompson's free agency concluded last year, few imagined the Cavs would be in the same position with another key player in 2016.
Heck, even LeBron James didn't imagine it. He seems to suggest as much in this video, courtesy of Fox Sports Ohio's Spencer Davies (Warning: NSFW language):
As both sides continue to drag their feet (or perhaps dig their heels in), president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics are reportedly preparing to crash the unhappy party.
According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Celtics are interested in signing Smith as a backup who could bolster a second unit that lacks scoring.
Isola pointed out the Celtics have only $9 million in cap space, which is $6 million short of what Smith has reportedly been asking of Cleveland all summer.
Boston has the assets to make a trade and create more space. But it's tough to imagine, after Ainge has been hoarding assets for years, that he would dump them in salary-cap gymnastics to make room for Smith.
The likeliest outcome of this saga remains Smith's return to Cleveland. News like Boston's interest mostly improves Smith's leverage.
Kenneth Faried Still on the Trading Block
The Nuggets are loaded with talent up front. Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic and even Juan Hernangomez need minutes, while Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler can slide down to the 4 in small-ball lineups.
And Faried, well, it's not easy to see how he fits anymore.
So it makes sense that Denver is continuing to gauge the market for the 26-year-old.
"The Nuggets will also be at the epicenter of the trade market," ESPN.com's Zach Lowe wrote Oct. 6. "They've been dangling Faried off and on for three years and continue to now, sources say."
The problem for Denver, of course, is finding someone who wants what's being dangled. A 6'8" power forward who can't shoot, protect the rim or guard the perimeter isn't en vogue these days.
And when you run through the depth charts of the other 29 teams in the league, there isn't a potential fit that jumps out. The Nuggets may have to ride the situation out until Faried's contract expires or becomes easier to unload in its last year.
Reggie Jackson Likely Out Until December
Last season, Jackson led the Pistons in points, assists and made three-pointers while finishing second to Andre Drummond in win shares, per Basketball-Reference.com.
Without him, there's little chance the Pistons would have secured a spot in the postseason. And they'll start off at a distinct disadvantage in 2016-17.
After suffering a knee injury in the preseason, Jackson is expected to miss an extended period. MLive's Aaron McMann shared an update on the timeline:
Backup point guard was an issue last season, and it will likely continue to be in Jackson's absence. With Ish Smith thrust into the starting role, Detroit could call on Ray McCallum to provide the backup minutes. Those two were 36th and 58th, respectively, among the 78 point guards in ESPN.com's real plus/minus rankings last season.
