NBA Rumors: Week of Dec. 8 Complete Roundup
Although the NBA trade deadline is still more than two months away, the league is already buzzing with trade chatter.
With several teams surprising the basketball world in both positive and negative ways, it is starting to become apparent which organizations might want to make some additions or subtractions in the coming weeks.
In addition, there has been plenty of talk regarding injuries and even some turmoil, so there's no shortage of speculation for basketball fans to sink their teeth into.
On the heels on a busy week of rumor-mongering, here is a rundown of the latest gossip making the rounds in the NBA.
Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway at Odds?
The New York Knicks are a team in crisis with a disappointing 4-20 record, so it comes as little surprise that there may be some tension behind the scenes. Some of that animosity spilled onto the court last week against the Brooklyn Nets.
According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, superstar Carmelo Anthony and second-year player Tim Hardaway Jr. got into an argument after Hardaway urged Melo to grab a rebound. It has since been reported by a source that such disagreements have become commonplace among the Knicks.
"Nobody's taken a swing at anybody, but there's a lot of arguing and cursing each other out after games," one source said.
Although both Anthony and Hardaway acknowledged the on-court argument, the seven-time NBA All-Star claims that he and his young teammate have no persisting beef with one another, per Marc Berman of The New York Post:
"When you're trying to find ways to win, you try to pick each other up. Me and Tim—whatever words we had was five games ago. At this point, I'm trying to stay positive. ... Tim and I have no problems. He'll tell you the same thing. Tim is someone I've always wrapped my arm around and put under my wing since Day 1. I've helped him through times when he was down.
"
According to Berman, Hardaway had a similar take.
"It was a heat-of-the-moment type of deal,"’ Hardaway said. "Everybody in the locker room are [sic] treated as brothers. It happened a week ago. We moved on. It's in the past. We moved forward."
Even if Anthony and Hardaway are being completely forthcoming, there is no question that things are rotten in the Big Apple. If the Knicks continue to play like this for the remainder of the season, the argument between Melo and Hardaway may look like child's play in retrospect.
Melo May Need Knee Surgery
Although Carmelo is enjoying a strong statistical season amid his team's struggles, things have not come easily for the former Syracuse standout. In fact, he has been hampered significantly by a knee ailment.
According to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, Melo's knee has been so bothersome that a source believes he may ultimately be forced to undergo surgery.
Anthony acknowledged the discomfort but seems determined to play through the injury, per Isola:
"This afternoon I got a little treatment and it's a little sore. I don't think it's about any diagnosis right now, just a matter of getting to the bottom of it and seeing what's the problem. What I'm hearing is it won't get any worse but it won't get any better so it's just a matter of how much pain I can take while I'm out there playing. Some days are better than others.
"
According to MSG's Tina Cervasio, Melo views knee surgery as an absolute last resort in his current state:
While Anthony has no interest in surgery, ESPN.com's Robin Lundberg suggests it might be the best course of action with the Knicks struggling mightily:
There is no question that Melo is a competitor, so it is understandable that he doesn't want to pack it in even with his team residing in the basement.
If he does ultimately opt for surgery, though, the No. 1-overall draft pick could be in New York's future.
Rockets Looking to Activate Trade Market
The Houston Rockets are off to a fantastic start this season with a record of 17-5, but a recent report suggests they are looking to solidify their spot near the top of the Western Conference by making a trade.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Rockets have a sizable trade exception that they are hoping to utilize within the next week:
Per Wojnarowski, Houston acquired the exception from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Jeremy Lin trade. The Rockets have been engaged in plenty of trade talks and want to get a deal done as quickly as possible so they can still trade the player away at some point this season if the move doesn't work out.
Although it is unclear which teams Houston has engaged and which players it covets, Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders speculates the Rockets are in the market purely for a rental:
With a solid core of James Harden, Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza, Houston doesn't exactly need to reinvent the wheel. If it can add a strong complementary piece, however, it will have a chance to contend for a championship.
Nets Hoping to Trade Star Trio
When the Brooklyn Nets assembled a cavalcade of star players including Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, the expectation was that they would be among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, that simply hasn't been the case.
The Nets are wallowing in mediocrity once again this season with a record of 8-12, and the front office is reportedly looking to shake things up in a major way. According to SportsCenter, that could include trading part or all of their star triumvirate:
There is no question that trading Williams, Johnson or Lopez would change the landscape of the team significantly, but there is no guarantee that the trade would be for the better.
Per NBA on ESPN (h/t ESPN.com's Bradford Doolittle), Williams and Lopez are potentially valuable commodities, but it is unlikely that any team would be willing to take on Johnson's hefty contract at 33 years old:
Despite Brooklyn's interest in trading away its top players, ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk are reporting that the Nets still have a win-now mentality.
Making a deal that will allow them to remain in contention could prove difficult, but there is no doubt that the current setup simply isn't working.
Lance Stephenson Garnering Interest
The Charlotte Hornets likely thought they scored a major coup this past offseason when they inked guard Lance Stephenson to an affordable three-year, $27 million contract. Through 21 games, however, things have yet to mesh.
Charlotte is 6-15, and while Stephenson's per-game averages are respectable at 10.5 points, seven rebounds and five assists, he is shooting below 39 percent from the field. He certainly hasn't lived up to expectations, which may be why teams are reportedly asking about him.
According to Sham Charania of RealGM.com, four or five teams have already expressed interest in trading for the versatile 24-year-old.
Charania is also reporting that the Brooklyn native would love to play for the Nets, although he's not clamoring to be traded:
Even though things haven't yet worked to perfection with Stephenson and the Hornets, dealing him now would be a rash decision. Some players need time to adapt to their surroundings, and Stephenson is talented enough to deserve an opportunity to settle in.
If he fails to do so, however, the trade chatter will almost certainly intensify as the deadline inches closer.
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