NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Rumblings on DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and More

While LaMarcus Aldridge and a host of others control the landscape of the NBA on the open market, other major names such as DeMarcus Cousins continue to pop up in trade rumblings behind the scenes.

Make no mistake—free agency is a big deal. But it isn't hard to figure out why potential trades could make even bigger splashes when it comes to league hierarchy, especially with names like Cousins floating around the airwaves.

For teams losing out on free agency, trades are the way to go. For teams with extra assets or an eye for the future, ditto. When it comes down to it, it feels like the bulk of free agency already rests in the books.

Trades, however, are just getting started.

Eric Bledsoe-Brandon Knight Saga

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As always, the Phoenix Suns are the team rich with guards and little else.

The team just re-upped with Knight, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. The veteran averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Such a move helped many to think it would spell the end for Eric Bledsoe in the desert.

Maybe not. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported quite the contrary:

The thought process boiled down to basic math. Bledsoe is great, sure, but he is due a minimum of $13.5 million in all four remaining years of his deal. Phoenix also added another guard, Devin Booker, in the first round of the draft.

It doesn't sound like the Suns are willing to throw center Alex Len on the block. Just 22 years old, the Maryland product posted 6.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while averaging just 22.0 minutes per night in his second season.

In other words, one of the most anticipated trade destinations looks like it is shutting its doors. It's hard to blame the front office, too. The combination of Knight and Bledsoe in the backcourt will give teams problems, while Len looks like he has starter upside given his production in brief splotches.

These things can change, so stay tuned.

New York's Backup Plan is...David Lee?

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No reason to sugarcoat it—the New York Knicks are striking out.

Signing veteran guard Arron Afflalo, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, is an interesting move. It might help matters. Combine it with the drafting of project Kristaps Porzingis, though, and one gets a head-scratching idea of what the front office wants to accomplish.

The Knicks still need depth down low and don't look like a team making much headway with major names like Aldridge.

One remedy to the issue? ESPN.com's Ian Begley reported the Knicks may look to swing a trade for David Lee: "Another big man on the Knicks' radar is Golden State's David Lee. The Knicks have discussed internally the possibility of trading for Lee, who was drafted by New York in 2005 and played his first five seasons there, sources confirmed."

Lee didn't have much of a role with the Golden State Warriors last season as the champions transitioned to more of a small-ball approach. The previous sentence alone may drive some to anger considering current league trends—why would the Knicks want the scraps off a contender to perhaps run a strategy incapable of contending these days?

Regardless, it's important to remember Lee offers value in many ways. He's one year removed from averaging 18.2 points per game when actually seeing the court, and his contract expires after next season.

If anything, the Knicks might view Lee as a rental who can groom young talent, then get off the books so the team can pursue major names this time next year.

DeMarcus Cousins Update 

Remember when the hottest trade narrative around was the Los Angeles Lakers going all out to swing a deal for Cousins?

It sounds like neither the Lakers nor the Sacramento Kings want anything to do with a deal anymore. Shelburne reported alleged talks between the two sides died well before the rumor mill caught up:

Call it an interesting turn of events after post-draft rumblings suggested the Lakers wouldn't hesitate to move rookie D'Angelo Russell if it meant bringing Cousins to town.

Of course, Cousins makes sense in Los Angeles if the Sacramento front office sorts out its issues and makes a concrete decision. He's 24 years old coming off a season in which he averaged 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

The center position just so happens to be the biggest need in Los Angeles, too. General manager Mitch Kupchak and the front office seem adamant about sticking to the plan, though. This means they will keep rookies such as Russell and young risers such as Julius Randle as a nucleus and add talent with only financial loss via free agency.

This, of course, means the globe must keep a close eye on the Lakers when it comes to the open market. When it comes to a trade for someone as big as Cousins, it seems like the Lakers won't make the same mistakes of old, putting the franchise in this rebuild in the first place.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.