NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Nerlens Noel, Josh McRoberts and More
One of the most highly anticipated free-agency periods is set to begin on Friday as superstar Kevin Durant officially hits the open market.
But there have been plenty of rumors also swirling around the trade market as well, which has already seen big names like Derrick Rose and Serge Ibaka shipped to new cities.
Here is the latest on some of the league's most recent trade rumors.
Nerlens Noel
The Philadelphia 76ers have been looking to deal one of their two big men, either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor, since the end of May, according to a report by ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chad Ford.
The Boston Celtics looked poised to acquire Noel prior to the draft in a deal involving their No. 3 pick, per HoopsCritic.com's Brian Geltzeiler, but were unable to get anything done.
Now on Wednesday, league sources have told ESPN.com's Zach Lowe that the Toronto Raptors have inquired about a possible deal involving Noel.
In return, they would send "perhaps Terrence Ross, and other goodies" in return for the forward.
With two high-profile free agents in DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo set to hit the market on Friday, the Raptors will need to clear up cap space in order to retain them.
Dealing Ross' contract would clear up $3.5 million of cap space as the central figure of what the Raptors would send out. In comparison, Noel's cap hit with the 76ers next season will be at $4.3 million, so it wouldn't provide much of a relief unless the "goodies" that Lowe spoke about provided even more space for the Raptors to work with.
Lowe would expect Noel to back up Biyombo if he was retained, which would give the Raptors a pair of very capable, strong rebounders to help control the glass. However, the talks "haven't gained much traction," per Lowe.
The 76ers are viewing Noel as an expendable piece due to their logjam of young talent in the frontcourt, which includes Okafor, Joel Embiid and No. 1 pick Ben Simmons.
While Simmons is expected to play a more versatile game compared to Philadelphia's other young forwards, the 76ers have an opportunity to deal one of them in order to acquire a backcourt player who can help round out the roster and make them into a more competitive team.
Josh McRoberts
Josh McRoberts hasn't been able to stay on the court for very long as a member of the Miami Heat due to injuries and inconsistent play. In his two years in Miami, the nine-year veteran forward has played in just 59 games while averaging 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Those are hardly the numbers expected of a player who has two years left on a four-year, $22.6 million contract that provides a cap hit of $5.7 million and $6 million, respectively, over that span.
It could be a big reason why the Heat are reportedly looking to move him, per Ethan J. Skolnick of the Miami Herald:
Given his decrease in production with Miami, it will be vital for the Heat to give up something else as Skolnick alluded to in order to get a deal done done.
If they can unload his contract, the Heat will have a little extra room to try to retain center Hassan Whiteside. It could also give them more money to throw at Durant, who they are expected to meet with on Sunday, per Chris Broussard and Stein.
Andrew Bogut
Coming off their historic loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, the frustration of the Golden State Warriors continues to grow. This time, it's with center Andrew Bogut, according to Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com:
"Though Warriors coach Steve Kerr is committed to having a versatile lineup, able to play big or small, the team has grown frustrated by Bogut’s unreliability, particularly in times of greatest need. Because he turns 32 in November, it’s unrealistic to expect much to change.
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Sources have told Poole that in order to make a serious run at Durant, the Warriors would have to drop some serious salary and that "they’d like to move Bogut as much if not more than anyone else."
Those sources also told Poole that the Warriors' decision to draft Damian Jones out of Vanderbilt was "an indication" of their discontent with Bogut's unreliability.
There have been just two instances over his 11-year career in which Bogut has played over 70 games in a season. While he's played in 67 games, respectively, from 2013-2015 and 70 in 2015-16, Bogut has gone down in crucial situations.
Most recently, it was during the NBA Finals, where he suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss the final two games of the series. Both games went the Cavaliers' way, as they used their size and physicality to bully the Warriors down low.
For a player who has made over $12 million each of the past two years and is expected to make over $11 million in 2016-17, Bogut hasn't shown that he's deserving of that kind of salary.
If the Warriors are able to ship him out of town, then they save $12.6 million in cap hits next season and can piece together a megadeal for Durant, who they are meeting with on Friday, per Broussard and Stein.
Contract and salary figures courtesy of Spotrac.com
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com
