NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jimmer Fredette, Kris Humphries and More

The 2013 NBA offseason has been anything short of boring, with a number of intriguing signings and thought-provoking trades occurring throughout the summer months.

Although there haven’t been any transactions lately on the scale of the blockbuster deal between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics that occurred during the draft, there are still a handful of minor moves occurring on a somewhat regular basis.

The smart money is on at least a couple more trades getting pushed through before the regular season tips off in late October, especially with all the whispers about potential swaps swirling about.

Let’s take a look at some of the latest buzz around the league concerning trades in Wednesday’s rumor roundup.

Kings Listening to Offers for Jimmer

The Sacramento Kings are in the midst of a complete overhaul, with ownership changing hands, a new general manager installed in the front office and a new head coach overseeing the roster.

With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that Jimmer Fredette—the underperforming guard selected No. 10 overall in the 2011 draft—could be on his way out in the near future.

According to Sacramento Bee Kings beat writer Jason Jones (via KSL’s Tom Kirkland), the organization isn’t actively shopping the 24-year-old scorer but has been taking calls on the matter and wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if the right offer comes along.

Team brass apparently believes that Fredette is still valuable to the right suitor and should garner the highest price around the trading deadline next February.

After averaging just 7.4 points, 1.5 assists and 1.1 rebound during his first two seasons in the league, Fredette will need to prove that he isn’t a bust in a critical third year.

Although the situation in Sacramento isn’t ideal, the BYU product will hopefully earn a chance to revive his flailing career with another club sooner than later.

Celtics Want to Move Overpaid Veterans

In the aforementioned Celtics-Nets megatrade, Boston received three first-round picks, a young talent in MarShon Brooks and a number of overpriced veterans to make the salaries work in exchange for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry.

Now that the team is in a full-blown rebuild mode, C’s brass is reportedly interested in moving Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace—two of the three highest-paid players on the roster.

As per Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Celtics would “love” to dump Wallace’s and Humphries’ salaries onto another team and would even be willing to give up Brandon Bass.

Humphries is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $12 million for the upcoming 2012-13 campaign, while Wallace is one of the league’s worst values, with more than $30 million left on his current deal, which expires after the 2015-16 season.

Bass, a quality starter in the right situation, is owed just under $14 million for the next two years.

With head coach Brad Stevens and GM Danny Ainge looking to completely overhaul the roster and build the Celtics back into a contender from the ground up, it would be wise to discard these three players prior to the season—but without taking back any bloated contracts.

It’s much easier said than done, which is likely why the Celtics haven’t signed off on any deals ridding themselves of these high-priced vets.

 

Varejao May Be on the Block Soon

Anderson Varejao was having an All-NBA-team-worthy campaign before being sidelined with a scary blood clot in the midst of the 2012-13 season.

Deveney notes that the Cavs are currently in no rush to trade the big man away, but newly acquired center Andrew Bynum’s performance and health could render the Brazilian veteran expendable.

While Varejao was averaging 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds in 25 games prior to the blood clot, Bynum has a higher ceiling.

The 2012 All-Star Game starter is an inch taller; nearly 30 pounds heavier; and averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 boards and 1.9 blocks per game during the 2011-12 season.

Varejao is owed $9.1 million this year, and the team holds an option for the 2014-15 campaign, while Bynum is on a health-based contract that could pay him over $12 million if he remains on the roster for the full season.

Expect a number of contenders to be interested in Varejao’s services if and when Cavs brass makes him available.