NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Following Cavaliers vs. Warriors 2015 NBA Finals
With LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers succumbing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, the globe now turns its full, undivided attention to one thing:
The Association's rumor mill, of course.
Behind the scenes of the epic struggle as James once again looked to carry a team on his back, the mill continued to run at a freakish pace, churning out nuggets on the upcoming draft, the prospects within, the plans of teams involved and how said teams will attack the draft, free agency and trades encompassing every part of the offseason.
It's a lot to catch up with, so let's take a moment to digest some of the most recent, important rumblings.
Knicks Moving Down?
For those who tuned out of the draft process for a tad, recall the New York Knicks winning the "biggest loser" label for falling to No. 4 in the lottery, which might ruin their chance at a big man like Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns.
Even if New York does miss out on one of them, president Phil Jackson knows how to prepare for such a situation. According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, the team might trade down if one of its coveted names doesn't make a fall:
"Sources say the Knicks are entertaining trading down in the draft if Towns, Okafor and Russell are all taken in the top three picks. It sounds as if they remain on the fence about both Emmanuel Mudiay and Porzingis. That's why they've been looking at players such as Cameron Payne and Frank Kaminsky in recent workouts.
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No secret here—the Knicks want one of the aforementioned big men or, as Ford points out, Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell.
If not, it seems Jackson won't mind moving down and acquiring more assets. Still landing someone such as Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky, who averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last year while shooting 55 percent from the floor and 42 percent from deep, would be quite the caveat.
Ditto when it comes to Murray State's Cameron Payne, a guard who can direct the offense, score at will or even play off the ball and free himself.
It's clear what Jackson would like, though. A big man who can stretch the floor seems ideal, while a guard who can get others involved and create his own shot works, too. The "where" part of the equation stands alone as the final question.
Denver's Pursuit of Picks
Owners of the No. 7 pick in the draft, the Denver Nuggets want more.
As one of the teams many view as hosts of a fire sale this offseason, more and more continues to leak out about the Nuggets' desire to ship away talent, whether it's due to the cap situation or future ability to keep players on the roster.
In the link above, Ford hints things might be hitting desperation mode for the organization:
"The Nuggets continue to aggressively pursue a trade to get another pick in the top 5. They are offering anyone on their roster but haven't had much luck. Ty Lawson seems especially hard for them to get rid of right now.
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One doesn't have to dig far to see the plans. As Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com captures, new coach Mike Malone admits incoming changes:
Most of the talk seems to center on guard Ty Lawson, who at 27 years old posted just 15.2 points per game on average last season, his lowest total since 2010-11. He's due more than $12 million next season, per Spotrac, so it makes sense the front office may want to unload.
Finding a team to bite on big contracts in a deep class seems difficult, though, so Denver might need to temper expectations when it comes to grabbing draft picks. Just getting back to a more stable financial situation with a few rookies to build around may seem a more realistic goal.
Regardless, the Nuggets remain one of the main teams to watch in the coming weeks.
Brooklyn's Dilemma
The Brooklyn Nets find themselves in a rough situation.
First, the good news—the team does have a first-round pick. The bad news—it's the 29th pick.
If the Nets are going to continue to recover from the failed stab at a veteran Big Three, the front office might not have a choice but to move up in the draft to secure a better prospect. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, this is something the front office wants to pursue:
Note the article Bondy comments on, which asks the question on whether the Nets should ship away Mason Plumlee.
Doing so would make sense. The Duke product is just 25 years old and last year averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 boards. There's potential there, but he fell off a cliff in the postseason and ended the year on a sour note.
The biggest problem with dangling the young forward out there centers on the future of Brook Lopez, who may or may not opt out. If he does and the team ships away Plumlee, there are going to be major issues.
Should the Nets get a commitment from Lopez, then it's time to put Plumlee out there in a big way. Right now, though, the organization walks a tightrope over a fire pit when it comes to the future, so expect the happenings to unfold in a slow manner.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
