NBA Rumors: Latest on Rudy Gay Trade Buzz, Dion Waiters and More
The NBA's free-agency frenzy has largely come and gone, but that doesn't mean offseason activity will end anytime soon.
From restricted free agents who have yet to field offer sheets, to stars generating trade buzz in both conferences, there are plenty of storylines worth tracking as July progresses.
Here's a rundown of the latest from the Association's rumor mill.
Rudy Gay Staying Put?
On July 9, the Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin reported that Rudy Gay "wants out" of California's capital, but indications are that the veteran swingman may be content sticking with the Sacramento Kings for the time being.
ABC10's Sean Cunningham shared the details:
Even if Gay doesn't want to move soon, the Kings would be wise to keep making calls in the months preceding the 2017 trade deadline.
The 29-year-old has just one guaranteed year ($13.3 million) remaining on his deal, and he'll be able to decline a $14.2 million player option next year to secure a lucrative long-term commitment as the salary cap gets set to spike again.
If Gay wants to freely explore the market for his services, then opting out next summer would be the wise move. Since the Kings know he has the ability to decline the player option and test free-agency waters, trying to get some value in return for the combo forward could be a savvy move.
Sixers Still Chasing Waiters
Dion Waiters has yet to find a home in free agency, but his hometown Philadelphia 76ers reportedly expressed interest in his services throughout the first week-plus of the signing period.
However, Waiters is apparently not keen on the terms Philadelphia has proposed. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey wrote the following:
"The Sixers want the South Philly native to take a two-year deal, which could include a team option in case he's not a good fit. Meanwhile, Waiters' representation wants a regular deal with more years. The Oklahoma City Thunder restricted free agent could receive up to a four-year deal from another team.
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That other team could be the Thunder, who "are prepared to match any deal he receives," according to Pompey. While Oklahoma City will have the final word since Waiters is a restricted free agent, Pompey added that Waiters "has a strong desire to play for the Sixers."
If Waiters lands in the City of Brotherly Love, then he would have to do so knowing he likely wouldn't be able to play with the ball in his hands much.
No. 1 overall draft pick Ben Simmons projects as the team's primary playmaker and ball-handler, while the team brought veteran combo guard Jerryd Bayless into the fold on a three-year, $27 million deal to serve as a supplementary dime dropper and spot-up shooter.
Factoring in Gerald Henderson's arrival on the wing, the Sixers could be hard-pressed to find a comfortable niche for Waiters to nestle into.
Philadelphia Reportedly Pushed Hard to Trade Okafor
With Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Jahlil Okafor and Simmons, the Sixers have a frontcourt logjam.
While the team hasn't made any moves to fix that problem yet, general manager Bryan Colangelo was reportedly active in his quest to deal Okafor.
According to the Bucks County Courier Times' Tom Moore (via CBS Sports' James Herbert), an NBA source said Colangelo "tried like hell to trade Okafor." The source also told Moore that Okafor is "upset, and his people are upset."
On Sunday night, Okafor vented in a series of tweets regarding the rumors that have surrounded his status with the Sixers all summer long [sic]:
"One second I'm reportedly upset to be in Philly, then the next I'm upset about trade rumors and having to leave Philly. Which one is it? Source please confirm. Seems like writers are getting lazy, dropping a fraudulent story and try to make it credible by using that magic word.... Sources! Lol stop it.
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Okafor concluded his informal statement by addressing his future with the club:
If Embiid (foot) is finally healthy, Okafor would appear to be the most expendable big man of the bunch. Although he may be the most natural scorer on the roster, the Sixers posted a defensive rating of 108.7 when he was on the floor last season.
Conversely, Philly allowed 105.6 points per 100 possessions when Noel was patrolling the paint and protecting the rim. Noel also tied for seventh among all NBA players with a plus-3.4 defensive box plus/minus rating.
Contract information courtesy of Basketball Insiders. Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
