NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Buzz on Marc Gasol, JaVale McGee and More
NFL free agency continues to soak up the headlines, and hey, it's March Madness, meaning the NBA rumors fall to the wayside in the minds of most.
The NBA scoffs at those who turn away.
While NFL teams dump millions and millions in the hopes of a quick fix and the collegiate landscape runs into the undefeated buzz saw that is Kentucky, NBA free agents are set to choose teams, coaches have new destinations in mind, and big-name free agents may change the league when they land with a new squad.
Wild, right? Let's catch up.
The JaVale McGee Circus
At this point, it's hard to know if even JaVale McGee knows exactly what is going on with his future.
Back on March 2, the Philadelphia 76ers waived McGee, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. No big deal, right? Plenty of teams can use a 27-year-old presence in the paint who comes in at 7'0" and 270 pounds and averages 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game.
The Boston Celtics moved fast and seemed to have a deal in place, which apparently fell apart in a deft manner thanks to the almighty option, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
It's back to the drawing board when it comes to McGee. His averages are by no means off the chart, but he can be a valuable rotational asset in the right situation. A career 54 percent mark from the field is proof enough of that.
That helps to explain why Marc J. Spears hears that a number of teams have an interest now that things fell apart with Boston:
McGee won't last much longer on the open market as soon as a team decides to cave to his demands from a contractual standpoint.
Keep an eye out, as these sorts of things sometimes play a major role in the postseason race.
Brian Shaw and Orlando
The Orlando Magic are an iffy 21-43, yes, but there is a lot to like about the roster from a future standpoint.
Nikola Vucevic is a nice rock underneath the rim who averages 19.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks, not to mention the fact he's just 24 years old. Victor Oladipo, other than being an elite dunk artist, is just 22 and averages 17.5 points per game. Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton is coming along at a fast pace and averaging 7.9 points, 5.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
James Borrego leads the Magic right now, but Brian Shaw appears to have his eye on the gig if it opens, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, who writes, "A person close to Shaw told the Orlando Sentinel that the former Magic guard would 'absolutely' be 'very interested' if or when the job opens."
Shaw is as interesting as McGee when it comes to names on the hunt for a job. It's a fun annotation that he played three seasons with the team back in the '90s, but more interesting is the fact he replaced George Karl in Denver before losing 19 of 21 at one point and departing.
The current makeup in Orlando just so happens to be a perfect fit for Shaw's up-tempo style, a thought CBS Sports' Matt Moore agrees with:
"Brian Shaw really wouldn’t be a bad choice for Orlando. Roster is much better suited to his style; younger guys might not buck so much
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) March 6, 2015"
While an obvious fit, don't expect to hear a ton on this potential pairing until the offseason.
Still, it's worth keeping an eye on—the budding talent in Orlando will only remain dormant in the weak Eastern Conference for so long.
Marc Gasol's Plans
Marc Gasol is one of the biggest fish set to hit the open market this upcoming offseason.
Some think he'll stay in Memphis. Others see him playing for a team in the Eastern Conference. The poetic ones in the crowd cock an eyebrow at the thought he'll be the next Gasol to swoop to Los Angeles and play the savior role for the Lakers.
At the very least, there seems to be one team eliminated from the running, according to Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com:
"He probably isn’t going anywhere, either. And a little birdie who knows of what he speaks tells me Gasol has already ruled out playing for the New York Knicks. It’s nothing personal with Phil Jackson or that consummate New Yorker, Jim Dolan (gag). It’s a matter of money. He can get a five-year deal to stay in Memphis, where he attended high school. After taxes, that will be worth more than twice what he would get from New York.
"
It'll be interesting to see if the almighty dollar plays a role in Gasol's future to that extent.
Memphis is thick in contention in the Western Conference. Gasol is 30 years old and averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
With those factors in mind, many will ask why Gasol wants to ruin a good thing. There's a big-market appeal to places such as Los Angeles and New York, though, not to mention the allure of building a legacy by helping to turn around a legendary franchise—and the lucrative endorsements that come along with a bigger market might help to close the gap on the contract advantage Memphis clutches.
It's early, so rumblings surrounding Gasol are just heating up. The early returns favor Memphis, although a lot can change between now and when the market opens.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
