NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Enes Kanter and Josh Smith

The NBA free-agency machine never stops working in the summer. Just two days after the craziness that was the DeAndre Jordan saga, everything started back up again, with the Mavericks at the center of it all.

After losing out on the player expected to help carry the franchise into the post-Dirk Nowitzki era—assuming the German ever retires, which we have no proof will happen—the Mavericks made a bold move to keep the team from sinking even further by acquiring Nets point guard Deron Williams.

But while the Mavericks go into damage control mode and try to give the team a realistic shot at making the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference, other teams are busy with moves of their own in the constant battle to claim the NBA title.

Let’s take a look at some of the hottest rumors around the league.

Thunder to match Enes Kanter’s offer sheet

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

There is only so much one team can do when having to deal with the amount of injuries to key players the Thunder did in 2014-15. Despite having two of the game's top 10 players on the team in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the injury bug kept Oklahoma City out of the playoffs for the first time since the team’s inaugural season.

But with Durant expected to be back to full health and Serge Ibaka still locked in at the 4 with his improved touch from long range, the Thunder are expected to be one of the favorites in the west, even if Dion Waiters continues to shoot as poorly as he did last season.

One of the highlights of last season—outside of Westbrook's transformation from an NBA player into a force of nature—for the hard-done franchise was the play of center Enes Kanter, acquired from the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline.

Likely buoyed by his stellar play for the Thunder, not to mention the loss of a number of key pieces this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers agreed to a four-year $70 million max offer sheet with Kanter on Friday.

According to a report by ESPN.com, though, the Thunder aren’t going to let Kanter go that easily and are set on matching the offer sheet to try to keep hold of the center: "A league source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that the Oklahoma City Thunder are determined to match the offer sheet. They now have three days to do so."

The No. 3 overall pick in 2011 by the Jazz, Kanter hasn’t quite lived up to the lofty expectations set for him but has turned into a strong starter for the Thunder, averaging 18.7 points and 11 rebounds per game with Oklahoma City.

A borderline 20 and 10 guy is tough to come by and at just 23 years old, Kanter still hasn’t reached his prime just yet and could be a big contributor for the Thunder for years to come:

Facing an uncertain future with both Westbrook and Durant set to hit free agency in the next couple of years, Oklahoma City will want to do whatever it can to win now to help convince its stars to stay and that includes battling to re-sign Kanter.

Clippers interested in Josh Smith

Ben Margot/Associated Press

It was just a few days ago that the Los Angeles Clippers were one of the NBA’s biggest examples of a missed opportunity. Despite their big three of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the, at the time, departed DeAndre Jordan, the team couldn’t get over the final hurdle and claim the elusive NBA title.

But now, after the re-signing of Jordan in one of the more entertaining sagas of NBA free agency in recent memory, paired with acquisitions of Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson earlier in the summer, the Clippers look like a title contender once again and don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

With depth a big issue for the team last season—there were times where only the starters and Jamal Crawford would receive serious playing time—Doc Rivers has been aggressive in adding players who can contribute serious minutes to the team, including forward Josh Smith, according to Marc Stein of ESPN:

Smith, a former All-Defensive Second Team player with the Atlanta Hawks, had one of his worst seasons since joining the league in 2004, only averaging 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds with the Pistons and Rockets last season.

But with one of the best starting lineups in the league and a desperate need for depth all over the court, the Clippers have a strong need for Smith and would be remiss to not put in the effort of acquiring the forward:

Having a player of Smith’s pedigree—the forward averaged more than 15 points per game each year for an eight-year stretch before last season—starting or coming off the bench might be the difference between another second-round disappointment and making it to the promised land.