Latest NBA Rumors and Trade Rumblings from Around the League amid Playoffs
The NBA offseason feels very much on.
The draft is still a few weeks out, and free agency will follow that, yet the rumor mill is already moving at ludicrous speed.
From one contender mulling changes to its core to an ascending squad considering another acceleration-minded megamove, let's unravel the latest trade rumblings dominating the basketball discourse.
Cleveland Downsizing Its Core?
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While the Cleveland Cavaliers just authored one of their best regular seasons in existence (64 wins, second-most in franchise history), they were also bounced out of the conference semis for the second straight year. Injuries and the red-hot Indiana Pacers played a part in their demise, but the Cavaliers could still see this latest postseason setback as a reason to rethink the formation of their roster.
"They prefer to keep the core four together and see if they can build around them and find the right pieces around them," Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor shared. "...In saying that, I think the two untouchables are Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. I have been getting the sense that the Cavs would be more willing to entertain and at least consider possibilities for Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland than they have in the past."
Cleveland won't make change for change's sake, and it might be better off just running it back in what feels like a wide open Eastern Conference. Between Jayson Tatum's injury and Giannis Antetokounmpo's uncertainty in Milwaukee, the Cavs might see fewer obstacles ahead of them than ever.
Then again, maybe that's motivation to make extra sure this roster is in the best shape possible so they don't blow this opportunity. Garland and Allen are really good at what they do, but are they the perfect on-court fits for Mitchell and Mobley? The Cavaliers probably owe it to themselves to at least keep their ears open and see what alternatives might exist.
Zion Williamson Staying Put?
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If the New Orleans Pelicans decided they were done with Zion Williamson, it would be hard to blame them. Six seasons have passed since they made him the first overall pick of the 2019 draft, and he's made 30 or fewer appearances in all but two of them.
Of course, when he has managed to keep himself on the court, he's usually been all-caps AWESOME. His career per-game averages include 24.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists, plus a 58.9 percent connection rate from the field. He is so good when he plays you almost forget about all the times he doesn't.
It's still an exhausting situation on balance, but it hasn't driven away the Pelicans yet. As William Guillory of The Athletic reported, "all parties feel pretty good about where things stand with the Pelicans-Williamson marriage heading into next season."
There might be ongoing worries with Williamson's availability and constant questions about his conditioning, but his talent is unquestioned. So, it's understandable for New Orleans to keep hoping there's a way for this to work. Maybe the Pels' patience never pays off, but if it does, the reward could be incredible.
Spurs, Kevin Durant Share Interest?
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The San Antonio Spurs have already seen and reacted to the rapid rise of Victor Wembanyama. They let him get his feet wet as a rookie, but midway through his sophomore season they made an aggressive move for De'Aaron Fox in hopes of constructing a contender around their 21-year-old centerpiece.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Spurs also shared "mutual interest" at the trade deadline with Kevin Durant. The scoring forward, who turns 37 in September, would be put even more pressure on this core to perform much sooner than later, but he also looks like a perfect basketball fit.
Now, that's partly because Durant might be the most malleable superstar in NBA history. Looking specifically at the Spurs, though, they've need more creation, shot-making and helpside defense out of their forwards. Durant checks those boxes with ease.
He still isn't a perfect trade target for this team, since he's on such a dramatically different timeline than Wembanyama (whom Charania thankfully reported is expected to be ready to go for training camp). At the proverbial right price, though, Durant would make a ton of sense for the Spurs, who might legitimately be one move away from becoming full-fledged championship contenders.
