NBA Rumors: Latest on JaVale McGee, Luc Mbah a Moute and Potential Thunder Trade
We're getting deeper into the 2015 NBA free-agency period, and even though there may not be any more top-tier talent on the open market, rumors surrounding potential moves haven't subsided, as teams continue to scramble to make roster adjustments.
By now, most teams have a solid idea of what their rosters will look like heading into the upcoming season. That said, they also know what areas they must improve in by adding depth. Conversely, squads that are taking on big contracts can now offload some assets in stronger areas in an effort to either get under the cap or lessen their financial stress.
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Some interesting rumors regarding both of those situations have recently popped up on the Web, so let's take a look at what's currently being said by the NBA's insiders.
JaVale McGee to the Mavs?
JaVale McGee hasn't seen much action in recent seasons. He missed all but five games of the 2013-14 season due to a stress fracture in his tibia. One year later, the Denver Nuggets traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers, and McGee played in just six games, averaging 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per contest, before the team opted to buy out his contract.
Well, it appears he's close to getting back into action, as Shams Charania of RealGM reported he's close to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks: "The Dallas Mavericks have opened up discussions on a potential deal with JaVale McGee, league sources tell RealGM."
The Mavericks' interest in McGee makes perfect sense. The team is still reeling after being spurned by DeAndre Jordan and needs depth at the center position. McGee is a 7'0" rim protector who's averaged 1.8 blocks per game over his seven-year career.
While Dallas may not get much offensive output from McGee, his defense in the team's frontcourt rotation will be viewed as an asset.
Luc Mbah a Moute to the Kings?
The Sacramento Kings have made some interesting acquisitions during the summer; however, the team missed out on its latest endeavor, as center Andrea Bargnani chose the Brooklyn Nets as his new home, via ESPN's Marc Stein, despite Sacramento's strong bid.
In the wake of that news, the Kings have turned their focus to Luc Mbah a Moute in an effort to strengthen their frontcourt, according to a tweet from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Sacramento's interest in the Cameroonian is warranted by its need for more talent at the power forward position. With DeMarcus Cousins at center and Rudy Gay at small forward, power forward remains the team's biggest weakness in the frontcourt.
Last season, Mbah a Moute played 67 games (starting 61) for the Sixers. He averaged a career-high 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 39.5 percent from the floor in 28.6 minutes per game. Those may not be the sexiest numbers, but he'll have a nice chance to improve on them surrounded by more talent in Sacramento.
Thunder Trade Block Update
The Oklahoma City Thunder just took quite the cap hit. The team decided to match the Portland Trail Blazers' four-year, $70 million offer sheet for Enes Kanter, keeping the talented center in the fold. However, the team is now well over the cap limit for the coming season.
Royce Young of ESPN.com reported the financial state of Oklahoma City and what the team intends to do to alleviate some of the burden:
"If they don't make any other moves, the Thunder would have roughly a $24 million luxury-tax payment due at the end of next season.
The Thunder are likely to shop forwards Steve Novak and Perry Jones III to help alleviate some of the pending financial hit, according to league sources.
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At $13 million over the luxury-tax threshold, moving both Novak and Jones wouldn't get the Thunder back in the green, but it would save the team roughly $5.8 million for the coming season. Both players are in the last year of their respective contracts, and Novak is owed $3.75 million, while Jones is due just north of $2 million.
Novak's time in Oklahoma City will be short-lived if he's traded. He arrived from the Utah Jazz just last season, playing in 13 games and averaging 1.2 points while shooting 28.6 percent from the floor in 6.8 minutes per contest.
Jones, on the other hand, was drafted in the second round by Oklahoma City in 2012. He spent the last three seasons with the team and earned some time as a starter last year, playing in 43 games and starting 13. He averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 39.7 percent from the floor in 14.7 minutes per game during that span.
This rumor is still pretty fresh, so there hasn't been any news regarding potential suitors for either player just yet. However, with teams still looking to add depth for the coming season, things could change on that front in the near future.
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.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")