NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Derrick Rose and Mario Chalmers

Early in the regular season really isn’t the busiest time for rumors and gossip.

Teams are still finding their footing. Even with a rough start—cough, Brooklyn Nets, cough—there is still hope things can be sorted out.

Most of the time, that is.

Just a handful of games into 2015-16, we actually do have two legitimate trade rumors buzzing about.

Let’s dive in.

Derrick Rose on the Move?

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

During an appearance on the Russillo and Kanell show, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that “the Derrick Rose breakup” with the Chicago Bulls has already started.

Peculiar, huh?

Here’s the full quote:

"

The Derrick Rose breakup with the Bulls has begun. I don’t know how long it’s going to last. I don’t know when it’s going to be complete, but you can sort of see it. The team and the franchise have moved on to a little bit of a certain extent. ... His attitude has been not terrific. The comments that he made about his contract in 2017, you want to talk about being tone deaf?

"

Windhorst dropped that mini-bomb on Wednesday. A day later, Rose went for a team-high 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting in a 104-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It was vintage Rose—not the shell of himself we’ve seen in recent years. Immediately after the contest, Rose laughed the rumor off with TNT’s Craig Sager.

“I’m so numb to it, man,” he said with a smile (h/t Bulls Nation). “I try to stay away from it. I know who I am as a person and a player, and I know how hard I work, how much I dedicate my whole life to this sport."

Head coach Fred Hoiberg offered a similar sentiment on Friday.

"You have to block out that stuff and I think Derrick has done a really good job of that," he said, per Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. "As a head coach, honestly, I try not to read anything and I think the players have to do the same thing."

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

For the Bulls, moving Rose wouldn’t be the shrewdest of moves. Jimmy Butler is their best player right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to ship off a former MVP without getting a treasure chest of pieces in return.

Right now, what team can afford to give up an appropriate sum for D-Rose? The Nets would love him, but they have nothing to give in exchange. So that’d mean the Bulls would be selling low.

Really low.

And that’s bad business. Rose seemed to make a statement—and a loud one, too—following Windhorst’s comments.

Maybe that’s all he needs to get going again.

Memphis Looking at Super Mario

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of elite points guards…just kidding.

But hey, Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers is still more than capable of running a second-unit offense in the NBA. He steps up in big moments and can do a little bit of everything well, just not great.

The Memphis Grizzlies have looked ugly and disjointed this year. It’s early, yes, but still, losing by 50 to the Golden State Warriors and then by 19 the Portland Trail Blazers?

Not a good look.

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, head coach Dave Joerger’s seat is getting hot.

Stein writes that it’s not the losses that are putting his job in jeopardy, it’s their brutal nature:

"

To put it another way: Memphis has already trailed by 20 points or more for 62 minutes this season ... compared to 88 minutes for the whole of 2014-15.

Those lopsided scores, just six games in, suggest a worrisome level of non-competitiveness that inevitably put the coach -- any coach -- under the microscope. We've seen precious little of that signature grit or grind from this group so far.

"

So what’s the solution? Earlier in the week, Stein reported that the Grizzlies were looking to trade for Chalmers, who would slot in smoothly as the backup point guard:

Beno Udrih hasn’t been spectacular behind Mike Conley. Would the arrival of Chalmers make up for several embarrassing losses? No. But it would be an improvement.

Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal explained why:

"

There quietly has been disappointment behind the scenes with Udrih’s perceived lack of conditioning, athleticism and defense.

The belief in the organization is that third-string point guard Russ Smith isn’t ready yet to be a rotation player for the Griz at that position.

"

On Tuesday, Chalmers found out about the rumors when he got to AmericanAirlines Arena. It’s a cold business.

Rose isn’t getting traded in the near future. Chalmers, though? That’s a definite possibility.

And if it happens, hopefully the Heat point guard will find out about it before he gets to his workplace.