NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Anthony Bennett, Markieff Morris and More
The attention might hover on football right now, but the NBA rumor mill continues to churn behind the scenes with the infancy of training camps on approach.
It's been quite the long offseason for the Association. In the pseudo-slumber, trade rumblings, roster moves, contract spats and more have created a laundry list of rumblings yet unresolved around some of the league's top names.
Below, let's look at some of the latest offerings from the mill, with the understanding things change on a dime as teams continue to search for the best possible training camp roster while walking the necessary financial tightrope.
Markieff Morris Disgruntled, On Board
It has been a wild offseason for Markieff Morris of the Phoenix Suns.
Morris has not only had off-court incidents, but the NBA hit him with a fine for publicly demanding a trade. By the sounds of it, though, the Suns have no intention of trading someone they view as a starter.
As NBA.com's David Aldridge noted, Morris plans to uphold his end of the bargain, too:
It's a step in the right direction for both sides. If Morris wants an eventual trade, fulfilling his contractual obligations helps. The Suns want to compete in the deep Western Conference, so having a guy who had something of a breakout season last year will help.
Morris received a career-high 31.5 minutes per game last year and responded with career highs in points (15.3), rebounds (6.2) and assists (2.3).
Though the relationship between the organization and the former Kansas product seems rocky, it appears both sides continue to travel down the proper path. It's something to watch moving forward, though.
Rockets Add Jeremy Tyler
It's NBA comeback time for Jeremy Tyler, who spent last season in China.
A second-round pick in 2011 by the Golden State Warriors, Tyler appeared in 41 games with the New York Knicks two seasons ago and averaged 9.7 minutes, which he used to post 3.6 points and 2.7 boards.
The Houston Rockets took the dive on Tyler's return, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:
Even casual fans will see the issue with the move for Tyler. He joins a roster starting Dwight Howard at center, with 2014's No. 25 pick Clint Capela helping to back him up. The Rockets are one of the deeper teams at the 4, too, thanks to Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas and Montrezl Harrell.
Still, this is a step in the right direction for the 24-year-old Tyler, who posted solid numbers in the Las Vegas Summer League. If he can show well with Houston, he might earn a cemented roster spot. If not, other teams will continue to throw him looks as the season progresses and injuries and other factors open up spots around the Association.
Anthony Bennett Heads North
Though there was an outside chance he wouldn't clear waivers, 2013 No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett did just that after the Minnesota Timberwolves showed him the door.
In the end, it shouldn't come as a surprise. Plenty of teams wouldn't mind a stab at the 22-year-old forward, but the stab would make the most sense on the free-agent market.
It appears Bennett and the Toronto Raptors have seen eye-to-eye on the situation, per ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman:
Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports followed with a report of the move:
Call it a great situation for Bennett, who wants to see playing time—and just might with Patrick Patterson and Luis Scola the only names on the roster at power forward. No doubt Bennett picked the team with the best chance at him breaking through to some serious minutes.
It's a low-risk gamble for the Raptors, too, who manage to address what one could classify as their weakest position. One could also consider the move a long-term project, though, as data compiled by ESPN Stats and Info helps to illustrate:
No matter how observers look at the move, it's smart for both sides.
For the Raptors as an organization, there's little risk to adding a guy who is 22 with room to grow. It's the sort of move a conference contender would make, and if it doesn't work out, no harm done.
After an offseason of speculation surrounding Bennett, it will be quite interesting to see how the two parties mesh in training camp and beyond.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
