NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Buzz on Nuggets Trade Options and More
Like it or not, the Association's rumor mill is here to stay.
Thank teams like the Denver Nuggets, one of the most well-known traders ready to make deals. They have been since before the draft and will continue to be. There are plenty of teams out there like the Nuggets, whether it's about cap space, depth, the future or something else.
Also, feel free to thank some of the market's most notable names, who have taken their sweet time picking new homes. Where they end up will prove big decisions considering the league's emphasis on depth these days.
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Below, let's look at some of the hot-ticket items fresh off the mill and what they mean.
Mavericks on the Hunt
The plight of the Dallas Mavericks continues.
With DeAndre Jordan out of the picture and just Zaza Pachulia and a hodgepodge of names at center, it seems the Mavericks continue to look at anyone and everyone available.
According to Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears, veteran Ryan Hollins joins a growing list of names the team has interest in:
Hollins wouldn't change the complexion of the Mavericks by any means, but neither would any of the names on the market at this point.
The UCLA product is now 30 years old and last year received just 9.6 minutes per game with the Sacramento Kings. He's a big body at 7'0" and 240 pounds, so at the least he can provide a presence as a member of the second team.
Either way, it's looking more and more like the Mavericks just want to improve the depth behind Pachulia. Hollins is perhaps the top name left.
Rockets-K.J. McDaniels Situation
It's to the point of the summer where K.J. McDaniels is one of the biggest names on the market.
The above is not a knock on the 22-year-old guard, either, but he is a restricted free agent and the Houston Rockets can match any offer sent his way.
Without a ton of cap space to go around, though, it sounds like the Rockets want to get creative in how they keep him around. ESPN's Calvin Watkins provided the context:
This is where things get interesting. McDaniels sits behind Trevor Ariza, Corey Brewer and maybe even rookie Sam Dekker.
Other teams may feel he's worth more.
Before joining the Rockets for 10 games last year, the Clemson product posted an average of 9.2 points on 25.4 minutes, showing flashes of upside. If a team wants to steal him, it just needs to offer a contract the Rockets aren't comfortable matching.
With the comfortable price perhaps out in the open, a team liking what it sees from McDaniels might swoop in for the steal.
Nuggets and Trades
It's one of the league's worst-kept secrets—the Nuggets are on the hunt for deals and need cap space.
This is especially the case with the team signing a few names to deals. The team has yet to announce these deals, perhaps in large part thanks to the limited finances.
Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post explains:
"The Nuggets have agreed to contracts with point guard Jameer Nelson, center Nikola Jokic and shooting guard Will Barton, but none has been officially announced yet. And that, according to league sources, is due in part to the Nuggets going quietly about the business of probing for potential deals that can put them in better financial footing while also giving them more roster flexibility.
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There are plenty of ways the Nuggets could go in the trade department to free up space.
One is point guard Ty Lawson, who last year averaged 15.2 points and 9.6 assists per game but represents a cap hit north of $12 million next year, per Spotrac.
Another name to watch out for is Kenneth Faried, whose name has come up in past rumblings. He's a talented big man at 25 years old with averages of 12.6 points and 8.9 boards last year, meaning the team could get back plenty of cap space if the goal is rebuild.
Dempsey also mentions Randy Foye and J.J. Hickson as players on expiring contracts the team might be able to move. The waiting game to get the contracts off the books wouldn't hurt, but it sounds like the sooner the better in Denver.
With flexibility in mind, expect the Nuggets to remain one of the market's top sellers.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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