NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Free-Agency Decisions and Potential Trades
The time for rest never comes in the NBA, at least for front-office personnel and players with career-altering decisions on the horizon.
The tough nature of the league this time of year—with the upcoming draft tying many teams' hands and salary-cap questions galore—can make things difficult between player and organization, and it takes a lot of variables coming together to see it through. Some talked-about players are contemplating a change of scenery, while others have been recently expected to stay put.
Let's take a look at the latest rumors going around the league.
Jeff Green Staying Put, Marc Gasol Next?
The Memphis Grizzlies knew when they traded for Jeff Green that they could be forced to sign him to a long-term extension, or see him depart if he played at a level worthy of chasing a big-money deal. His roller-coaster second half of the season in Memphis, however, has him taking a safer approach.
Green will choose to exercise his $9.2 million player option for the upcoming season, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday. It's an unsurprising move considering his rocky play and the quality of the Grizzlies' roster.
That second point brings us to the obvious—will Marc Gasol be a part of said roster? Wojnarowski shed some light on that as well to please Grizz fans, as sources told him "Gasol is expected to stay with the Grizzlies, but no final decision has been made."
There's a while until that much will be sure, as Gasol will still enter unrestricted free agency—meaning a team can sweep him off his feet and sign him without any option for Memphis. But his loyalty to the city and team has never seemed in question, and he can't feel too discouraged about their chances after taking the NBA champions Golden State Warriors to six games despite injury depletion.
With a fully-stacked and healthy roster in 2015-16, the Grizzlies have a serious shot at the title. Neither Gasol nor Green seem willing to walk away from that.
Sixth-Man Courting
As is often the case with a reigning Sixth Man of the Year who is entering free agency, the suitors are lining up in droves for Lou Williams. But that doesn't mean his current team is out of the running.
Williams is getting plenty of attention from some big-market teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings, RealGM's Shams Charania reported. But Charania also expanded on a window that could allow the Toronto Raptors to retain their talented scorer and noted his likely contract demands:
"The Raptors and Williams have expressed a mutual interest, and there will be a window early in free agency for Toronto to finalize an agreement that’s viable for the 6-foot-2 guard.
As one of the most potent scorers on the market, Williams could scan league-wide possibilities of a three-year deal in the range of $27 million or four years for $35 million.
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That wouldn't be too bad of a raise for Williams, who made just $5.4 million in 2014-15 while helping the Raptors enter the playoffs as a No. 4 seed. He has more than earned the bump after averaging 15.5 points per game last season.
So often a franchise that finds assets elsewhere and develops them internally, the Raptors are now forced with the task of holding onto a key talent already in-house. With how head coach Dwane Casey proved able to utilize Williams off the bench last season, he shouldn't be opposed to a raise to return for a similar role.
David Lee-Warriors Split Inevitable?
It has seemed a likely occurrence ever since Draymond Green began the season as the starting power forward and never looked back, and it has turned into an inevitability with every game he was an unused bench player. It's going to end with a NBA Finals win, but the David Lee era in Golden State looks to be ending.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported the news that should mark the only bit of disappointment Warriors fans can find from the last week, but it's news that few should be surprised about. Stein stated that the Warriors and Lee have worked together to "come up with a good resolution" for Lee to play elsewhere in 2015-16.
Here's more from Stein:
"Sources said the Warriors have privately acknowledged to Lee and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, that it would be unfair to the former All-Star to ask him to continue to serve in a limited role next season after Lee accepted his diminished minutes without complaint all season. Although discussions on this topic were essentially tabled by both sides until after the playoffs, sources said Wednesday that the Warriors and Bartelstein have resolved to work together to "come up with a good solution" to find a new home for Lee this offseason.
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Lee has been with the Warriors longer than any player not named Stephen Curry, continuing to be an integral part of the team as recently as the NBA Finals. Head coach Steve Kerr leaned on Lee in Games 3 and 4, the latter of which proved to be the turning point of the series.
This development, however disappointing for Golden State, isn't surprising. Lee is a two-time All-Star, proves his worth on the court and has simply fallen into a trap from a stacked Warriors roster.
New horizons are in store for the 32-year-old, but Warriors fans will always be able to remember his impact on this championship team.
