Michael Carter-Williams Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation on 76ers Star

Michael Carter-Williams is coming off a season that seen him capture the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award. Yet, few players have been involved in more trade rumors in recent months than the Philadelphia 76ers point guard.

The talk appears poised to continue, too. Zach Lowe of Grantland reports the buzz that emerged around the NBA draft was accurate. Furthermore, the 76ers could once again start looking around to see if there are any improved offers on the table:

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They tried hard during the draft, but they couldn't draw the trove they envisioned or guarantee that the player they wanted with an acquired pick would be there, per several league sources. Expect Philly to repeat the exercise. It's not a shot at Carter-Williams, or even a signal that the Sixers are dying to trade him. He may well end up a long-term cog in Philly.

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He notes the organization understands the amount of depth at the point guard position, and thus could fill the void if it did move the rising star for a package of assets.

Back in June, general manager Sam Hinkie downplayed all of the talk about a potential deal. Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com passed along his comments about the situation in which he blamed the endless cycle of rumors for creating difficult circumstances for a young player.

"This feels like what happened with Michael," Hinkie said. "Where there are all these rumors out about all the good players on our team and all the good players on other teams and because in part we're unpredictable, people put it out there. So it just stinks. He's a pro. He handled it well."

He went on to say he believes Carter-Williams is a player the team can "can grow with."

The other issue in play is his health. Obviously any team looking into a potential trade would need confirmation that he's nearing full strength after a shoulder injury as well as assurances he's at no risk for any long-term issues.

Tom Moore of The Intelligencer reported on Monday that Carter-Williams thinks he's currently ahead of schedule five months into what was originally a six-to-nine month timetable. There's still no definitive date for his return to competitive action, though.

All told, it sounds like a situation that will drag into the regular season and possibly all the way until the trade deadline. Even if the 76ers don't admit to shopping him around, Lowe's report suggests there's work being done behind the scenes.

The question is whether the depth at point guard will hurt the market. There aren't a bunch of teams seeking upgrades at the position, which likely takes the coveted bidding war out of play. And without a truly strong offer, it's hard to imagine Carter-Williams leaving Philadelphia.