NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Paul George, Kevin Love and More

The 2017 NBA draft is over and free agency won't officially begin until July 6. This means that there's nothing exciting going for basketball fans, right? No way! We're just getting into the hottest part of the offseason, when trade rumors fly like a Steph Curry half-court shot.

We already saw one blockbuster trade on draft night, when the Chicago Bulls shipped Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Other high-profile guys like Kristaps Porzingis and Paul George weren't dealt on or before the draft, but this doesn't mean they won't be moved before the offseason ends.

What might unfold on the trade front as we dive deeper into the summer? We don't know for sure, but we know there are virtually limitless possibilities. We're here to dive into the latest trade buzz.

Knicks Wanted to Dump Noah

The New York Knicks didn't trade Porzingis before the draft, and only the team knows how close it came to actually doing so. However, the young star apparently wasn't the only player the team was looking to move.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, they also wanted to deal Joakim Noah.

"Sources told Ramona Shelburne and I that Noah's name came up in multiple discussions about possible Porzingis trades with Jackson and the Knicks looking to send out the remainder of the four-year, $72 million contract that he signed last offseason," Begley wrote.

Including Noah in a trade package with Porzingis may have been a deal-breaker for many teams seriously interested in making a deal. Noah is due to make more than $55.5 million over the next three seasons, and all of it is guaranteed.

Noah hasn't exactly worked out so far in New York. While he did average 8.8 rebounds per game, he only added five points and 0.8 blocks per. That isn't the type of production that warrants more than $55 million over three years.

In addition, Noah is in the midst of a 20-game suspension for using a banned substance and won't be eligible for the first 12 games next season.

It's easy to see why the Knicks were interested in moving Noah and why other teams weren't so keen on acquiring him.

Pacers Confident the Right Deal Will Get Done with George

The Indiana Pacers didn't manage to move George before the draft either. It probably would have benefited the team to do so before the draft, as George only has one year remaining on his current contract. That means a team trading for him is guaranteed nothing more than a one-year rental.

It would probably be easier to convince a team to part with draft capital for that rental rather than proven veteran talent.

However, general manager Kevin Pritchard still believes the Pacers will be able to negotiate a valuable deal, according to Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star:

There's no telling what kind of draft package would have been enough to acquire George, but the Los Angeles Lakers definitely had the ammunition. They entered the draft with three first-round picks, including the second overall selection.

The Lakers have also shown their fair share of interest in George.

L.A. was content to use its draft picks, but this doesn't mean Indiana's right deal won't eventually come from the Lakers. According to Marc Stein and Chris Haynes of ESPN.com, the Lakers and the Houston Rockets are still interested in acquiring George:

"Although no trade for George came to fruition last week, sources say that both the Rockets and the Lakers remain determined to keep pushing for their own George deals. It’s widely believed that the Celtics, meanwhile, want to sign a marquee free agent this summer such as Utah’s Gordon Hayward and then trade for George."

If the Boston Celtics really are interested in acquiring George too, then the Pacers are right to believe they'll be able to land a quality deal. They certainly won't want for suitors.

Cavaliers Looking to Move Love

The Cleveland Cavaliers are also reportedly interested in acquiring George. According to Stein, the Cavs have looked into a possible three-way trade that also involves the Denver Nuggets:

Presumably, the Nuggets would ship young players and/or draft assets to Indiana, while Love would head to Denver and George would head to Cleveland. This deal would make a ton of sense, considering Cleveland lacks youth and draft capital.

Per Stein and Haynes, these three-way trade discussions actually took place before the draft, and while a deal didn't get done, sources indicated that the Cavaliers will continue trying to trade for George.

Would such a trade still involve shipping out Love? According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, not necessarily:

It's certainly easy to see why the Cavaliers wouldn't be quick to part with Love. He might not be the superstar he was with the Timberwolves, but he's still a valuable shooter and one of the best rebounders around. The problem is that he's also the only significant trade chip the Cavaliers may actually consider parting with.

Guys like Tristan Thompson and Iman Shumpert aren't going to excite a lot of teams, and the Cavaliers definitely won't trade LeBron James or Kyrie Irving.

Love really is the only sizable piece of trade bait the Cavaliers have.