NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz and Trade Talk for Week of Nov. 28
One month into the NBA season, and it's the Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies—not the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs—leading their respective conferences. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Philadelphia 76ers are still looking for their first win after 15 defeats.
Player movement has been minimal so far, but that's not much of a surprise. Things tend to start picking up in the middle of December. Not only do front offices have a better read on their rosters by then, but it's also when players who signed over the summer can be moved.
In turn, the rumor mill is already starting to heat up. Expect the buzz to reach a fever pitch over the next few weeks. Let's take a look at some of the early banter and examine what it could mean for the players and teams involved in the weeks and months ahead.
Kevin Love
The wait continues in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 7-7 and, while it would be a major surprise if a team with so much talent doesn't eventually click, the pressure is mounting. Love's struggles getting acclimated with his role in the offense is a key reason for those mediocre results.
It's led to questions about what may happen after the season should things never come together for the Cavs. Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports nobody he's spoken to around the league thinks LeBron James would leave again, but the talented power forward is another story:
"So Love's $16.7 million player option for next season looms on the horizon for the Cavs. And while rival GMs recognize that it's almost unfathomable that James would ever leave Cleveland again—how could he, given the reasons he expressed for returning?—they don't have the same confidence that Love is just as locked in.
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Losing Love would obviously be a major setback in Cleveland's plans. It gave up a player in Andrew Wiggins with a boatload of potential to acquire him. The Cavs certainly didn't think it would be a one-year rental when making that agreement.
The most important thing for James, Love and Co. is winning. If they can get on track and turn into the contender they were projected to become, all of this talk will fade away. But it's definitely something the front office needs to keep close tabs on after working so hard to create its own "Big Three."
Jimmy Butler
The Chicago Bulls were hoping to sign Butler to a contract extension before the deadline for players entering the last year of their rookie deals. It didn't happen, which represented the Marquette product believing he could increase his value with an even stronger season.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times states the team offered him around $10 million per season over four years. Between his belief in himself and seeing other contracts being handed out, Butler decided it was best to let the process play out:
"According to a source, Butler turned down a four-year, $40 million-plus offer from the Bulls. After watching Klay Thompson get the max four-year, $70 million contract from the Warriors, Butler was willing to test the market as a restricted free agent and force the Bulls to make the tough decision.
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Yet, when asked about the situation, he downplayed his status. "I'm not a star. I'm a good role player on a really, really good team, a really, really deep team," he told the Sun-Times. He's certainly playing like a star in the early going, though.
Butler is averaging 21 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. He's also chipping in six rebounds and three assists on average. So far, it appears he made the right decision, because if the Bulls don't want to hand him a massive contract, another team almost certainly will.
Brandon Bass
Usually when trade rumors are circulating around the Boston Celtics, they involved Rajon Rondo. Not this time. The latest buzz surrounds Brandon Bass, who represents the type of frontcourt depth addition just about every contender could use come playoff time.
Whether the Celtics would be willing to start moving pieces early amid a weak Eastern Conference where a 6-8 team is currently in the playoffs is unclear. Either way, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald notes other teams are already looking into the forward:
"Scouts and opposing front-office types have begun to speak and inquire about the 29-year-old forward, a practice that’s generally a precursor to discussing a trade. Danny Ainge could not be reached on whether teams have called about Bass—not that he would say anyway—but it certainly makes sense.
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Bass is not the type of player who's going to shift the balance on power in a conference. He's just a reliable option down low capable of playing efficient basketball off the bench. And if an injury or foul trouble arises, he can step up. Bobby Manning of NESB likes the progress he's seen:
It will be interesting to see what the Celtics do. They have some chips in Rondo and Bass that should bring in some nice pieces for the future if they decide to sell. The front office hasn't tipped its hand one way or the other quite yet, though.
Bradley Beal
The combination of Beal and John Wall gives the Washington Wizards a rock-solid foundation for the future. That is if they can keep them together. Since they are both top young players at their respective backcourt positions, it would take a major investment to keep them both for a long time.
Wall would seemingly be the top priority. The first overall pick in 2010 is capable of playing at an MVP level. Yet, Shams Charania of Real GM reports the Wizards are also planning to go all-in to make sure Beal doesn't get away:
"As league executives believe in Beal's ability to command a maximum salary extension, the Wizards have made clear around the NBA that they'll do whatever necessary to secure Beal’s long-term deal, sources told RealGM.
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While it's hard to argue against keeping either player, the question is whether there would be enough left over to build a championship roster around them. It's unknown whether they could draw a chorus of veterans to take smaller deals to help chase a title in Washington.
As for Beal, he must prove himself as more efficient on the offensive end. He shot below 42 percent in each of his first two seasons. That number has jumped up to 45 percent in limited action so far this campaign. If he maintains that level or improves further, a max deal would be within reason.
Andrei Kirilenko
Kirilenko is another veteran player who may interest teams looking to fill a bench void. He's been relegated to an extremely limited role for the Brooklyn Nets. Finding a team where he would get more consistent minutes would surely be preferred.
Marc Stein of ESPN states that may just happen. He reports interest in the experienced small forward is starting to grow to give the Brooklyn front office more options rather than simply dumping him off to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers:
After an offseason where most of the focus was on San Antonio and Cleveland, the fact that neither has looked dominant is opening the door for more teams. That probably explains why a player like Kirilenko is becoming more coveted.
The last time he received regular playing time was with the Minnesota Timberwolves two years ago. He averaged 12 points and six rebounds in over 30 minutes per game. While he likely won't get that type of run with a contender, his across-the-board ability could still be an asset elsewhere.
