NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Rumblings on Big Names and Draft Moves
The NBA Finals are fun, but the dance of the Association's trade rumor mill trumps all.
Call the mill an all-encompassing sort of environment, where some teams ponder blowups big enough to make Michael Bay blush, some want to move around in the draft order and others just want to reel in the biggest fish possible with an undersized boat.
The point is, there's no excuse to ignore what's going on behind the scenes in the league right now. Doing so leads to surprises, and the last thing any fans need are surprises out of left field shaking things up.
To keep up, let's round up the latest off the mill.
The Nets and Veterans
So the aging Big Three in Brooklyn didn't work out.
It's no secret, but it's still odd to think about how the Nets still have two of the remnants of the experiment on the roster, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.
Of course, the organization continues to ponder the pricey situation as well, which explains why Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders hears the team may think of ways out:
"There is a sense that the Nets don’t want much of anything in return for Johnson or Williams in trade and given the amount of cap space some teams will have in July, both become interesting trade options, especially if the acquiring teams can swap a slightly smaller contract for one of the whoppers that Brooklyn is holding onto.
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As Kyler points out, Williams still has $43.373 million left on his deal one year removed from playing in 68 games and averaging just 13.0 points and 6.6 assists, the former his lowest output since 2010.
Johnson seems a bit safer with a contract expiring this time next year, but the 33-year-old veteran averaged just 14.4 points last year, his lowest tally since 2002.
Scoring isn't everything by any means, but the numbers in tandem with the team's financial situation and recent results explains why the Nets might not ask for much in return. Williams and Johnson have something to offer contenders as rotational pieces, so look for teams to come calling.
Celtics Wheeling and Dealing on Trade Market...
Even casual fans know the name Danny Ainge, in large part because the Boston Celtics general manager isn't afraid to make a big splash if it means one of the legendary franchises remains in the limelight.
It's only right to think Ainge may have a major move up his sleeve after the public breakup with Rajon Rondo and plenty of cash to work with, perhaps the obvious choice being a pursuit of Kevin Love should he hit the open market.
What about DeMarcus Cousins?
Greg Dickerson of CSNNE.com brings up the pairing and suggests Ainge is ahead of the curve:
It doesn't end there, though, as Dickerson brings up another pair of interesting names to help improve things around young guard Marcus Smart:
"More rumors about @Isaiah_Thomas being on the block. @danielrainge would trade @coachainge if it improved the c's. Is @TyLawson3 an upgrade?
— greg dickerson (@gdickerson_csn) June 6, 2015"
Ty Lawson's an interesting name thanks to his ability to score, but the big dog in all this information is, of course, Cousins.
Cousins just averaged 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game and is just 24 years old, which really is enough said on the topic. The Celtics need help below the basket on both ends of the court to aid the pairing of Smart and Isaiah Thomas in the backcourt, and few better ways exist to provide it than with Cousins.
Boston has the resources to make it happen, too, thanks to a bounty of cap space and first-round picks a team like Sacramento would kill to land as compensation for giving up one of the league's top players.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway? This is the offseason Ainge makes his move, whatever it may be.
...And in Draft Market
Here's more proof—the Celtics are also in chatter to move up on draft day.
Ainge and Co. clutch the 16th and 28th selections in the upcoming draft. While not a horrible position for a franchise to find itself in, there seems to be enough ammunition to move up and land one major prospect as opposed to a pair of role players.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Time breaks down the situation: "It’s hardly a secret a slew of teams, including several lottery ones, are exploring potential trades. One team that is making a concerted effort to move into the lottery, league sources claim, is Boston. The Celtics are dangling their two No. 1 picks: Nos. 16 and 28."
If the target is one of the draft's top big men, Boston might not need to move up very far.
The Celtics don't stand a chance at Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, but moving up a few spots opens things up when it comes to prospects such as Willie Cauley-Stein, Myles Turner and Frank Kaminsky.
If the goal is to draft what they can't trade for, the Celtics have plenty of options in a deep 2015 class. Options make a guy like Ainge quite dangerous this time of year, which in turn makes the Celtics one of the offseason's top teams to watch.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
