NBA Rumors: Hottest Chatter for Week of Dec. 5
Slowly but surely, the NBA season is starting to take shape. As expected, the ultratalented Cleveland Cavaliers are starting to jell, leading to a five-game winning streak. They join a deep list of contenders, with no single team standing out from the pack quite yet.
Soon, the action behind the scenes should start to heat up as well. In less than two weeks—on Dec. 15—players signed during the summer become eligible to get moved. That's typically when the rumor mill begins to take center stage for a couple of months leading up to the trade deadline.
Of course, there's also plenty of talk about upcoming free-agency periods as teams start making their wish lists for the future. So let's check out some of the latest chatter from around the league and examine what it could mean for the players and teams involved.
Durant overcame a foot injury to make his season debut this week. The reigning MVP hardly missed a beat, pouring in 27 points in 30 minutes. He'll now need an extended run of health and strong play to help the Oklahoma City Thunder recover from a 5-13 start.
While that challenge is made tougher by playing in the deeper West, it may ultimately have a lasting impact on the forward's future. Sam Amick of USA Today reports the buzz is already starting to pick up surrounding Durant's decision-making process ahead of potential free agency after next season:
"Just as so many believed that the odds of LeBron James becoming a free agent last summer would increase with a loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, the widely-held belief around the league now is that the odds of Durant leaving Oklahoma City will spike if he doesn't win a title (or two) in the next two seasons.
From his hometown Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Lakers and everywhere in between, they're just fine if the free agency noise that is already building around Durant got even louder with a once-unthinkable absence from the playoffs.
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The question is whether he would be able to find a better core elsewhere, and if that would actually be the top priority in free agency. The Wizards hope heading home would be attractive, while the Lakers are probably betting on the team's history and the bright lights of Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City can still offer Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and some promising depth to go along with the massive contract. If the Thunder can get back on track, this conversation will fade, at least for a while. The power of winning remains strong.
Jimmy Butler
Butler didn't enter the NBA as a superstar. He started as a role player receiving limited minutes and has grown into a major asset for the Chicago Bulls. He's playing nearly 40 minutes per contest this season while averaging better than 21 points, five rebounds and three assists.
It was crucial for him to take another step forward with free agency looming, and he's done exactly that. Sean Deveney of the Sporting News states that, per one general manager, the feeling around the league is that the 25-year-old guard now warrants a max contract:
"If you think you have a legitimate shot at him, you would have to come out with a max offer. That's the only way you'd have a chance of prying him out of Chicago, and there are a few teams that would be willing to try, sort of like what Charlotte tried with (Gordon) Hayward last summer. (Utah matched the Hornets' max offer.) I think he stays in Chicago, but it is going to be expensive for them.
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The Bulls tried to lock in Butler before the season, but he decided to bet on himself. The decision sure looks like a smart one. Not only has he become a force on the offensive end, but he also remains a rock-solid defender capable of matching up with an opponent's top scorer.
It's hard to imagine a scenario where Chicago lets him get away. Matching a max offer from another team would limit its financial flexibility when it comes to further bolstering the roster, though. For a team seeking a building block, forcing the Bulls to make the call will be worth a shot.
The Memphis Grizzlies are off to a 15-3 start, in large part due to the inside tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Given the lack of top-end post players around the league, it's a duo that gives the team a major advantage most nights.
Gasol leads the team in scoring at better than 19 points per game. He's also slated to become a free agent at season's end, with the New York Knicks being one rumored suitor. Alas, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News notes the current vibes suggest the center will stay put:
"A high draft pick may be the Knicks' best avenue for improvement despite the available salary-cap space this summer and next. Memphis center Marc Gasol is a free agent target in July, but there are strong indications that he will re-sign with the Grizzlies.
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The interesting thing about Gasol is that after it appeared he had plateaued over the past handful of seasons, he's added more variety to his offensive game. It's helped him become the focal point of the Memphis offense rather than a secondary option.
Whether the increased interest likely to come from that will get him to change his mind about staying with the Grizzlies is unknown. His terrific play has flown under the radar for the most part, but that won't be the case for long, especially if the team continues to excel.
Derrick Williams
The hype around Williams was off the charts when he came out of Arizona. He was a forward with the potential to do it all. In turn, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the second pick in the 2011 draft. Now he plays for the Sacramento Kings and is trying to prove that upside still exists.
Sacramento has given him more run in recent weeks, and there have been some flashes of intrigue. Rui Thomas of Cowbell Kingdom reports it's an effort by the team to improve the return as it looks to move on from what's been a failed experiment:
"It's no secret that Williams' time is coming to an end in Sacramento. He is regarded around the league as a reclamation project at best, and at worst, a bust. The Kings can sell him to other clubs as an expiring deal, or let him walk when free agency begins.
The Kings want to squeeze the most out of their asset while they can. Middling and bottom-tier clubs would love to trade for Williams' contract to shed long-term salaries, but what Sacramento is currently doing is reminding NBA scouts and general managers that the 6-foot-8, 240-pounder retains his tantalizing potential.
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Williams is still just 23, despite this being his fourth year in the league. And every once in a while, he'll go through a stretch where he shows why he was so coveted in the first place. As Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated points out, however, those signs of progress rarely last:
It wouldn't be a surprise if another team decided to take a chance on him. Coaches are always optimistic they can help a player get over the hump. If a franchise is able to do that with Williams, any trade could turn out to become a huge steal. But it's a long shot.
Charlotte Hornets
Things certainly haven't gone according to plan in the early going for Charlotte. The Hornets are the losers of 10 straight games and sport a 4-15 record. So it shouldn't be a shock that they are one team looking to wheel and deal once Dec. 15 arrives.
Zach Lowe of Grantland reports the front office has already been doing the legwork to see what's available. It doesn't sound like the framework for any deals is in place quite yet, but the team is clearly keeping its options open:
"The Hornets have been aggressive making trade calls, according to sources across the league.
The Hornets are searching for upgrades on the wing and at power forward, per those sources, and they are willing to talk turkey on basically anyone other than Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Free agents signed this past offseason can’t be traded until December 15, and few would be surprised if the Hornets make and take calls on Lance Stephenson ahead of that trigger date.
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The Hornets signed Stephenson after he enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Indiana Pacers in his walk year. He's been unable to maintain that efficiency following the switch, averaging just 10 points while shooting a shade below 38 percent from the field.
If they are looking to shake things up before it's too late, he's definitely a player who should attract some interest. The silver lining is the increased margin for error playing in the East, but it would still take quite a turnaround to get back in the mix. They need a spark sooner rather than later.
