NBA Trade Rumors: Top Buzz Surrounding Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin and More
While the NBA's free-agent frenzy has come to an end aside from a few stragglers, there may be more moves to come that could shift the league's balance of power on the trade front.
Chief among them is the status of Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Russell Westbrook. In the wake of Kevin Durant spurning OKC in favor of the Golden State Warriors, Westbrook's future with the Thunder is very much in doubt, and a proactive deal could be made so the organization doesn't lose him for nothing.
With one of the NBA's top stars potentially on the move, here is a rundown of the latest trade buzz surrounding Westbrook as well as some other big names who could be on the block.
Russell Westbrook
The Thunder and their fans were devastated by Durant's decision to leave in favor of the Warriors, and while it is unclear if Westbrook also intends to leave in free agency, OKC can't afford to lose him for nothing.
Because of that, there is growing buzz regarding a possible Westbrook trade before or during the season, and a top contender for his services has seemingly emerged.
As seen in this Bleacher Report video, Howard Beck reported that some anonymous general managers are expecting a Westbrook deal "sooner rather than later," with the Boston Celtics being tabbed as the favorites to land him:
Boston is stocked with plenty of depth on its roster and draft picks in the coming years, which means it may very well have enough resources to convince the Thunder to send Westbrook to Beantown.
The Celtics already have a solid team that includes a pair of All-Stars in guard Isaiah Thomas and big man Al Horford. If they can somehow add Westbrook to that mix, then they will suddenly become significant threats to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
Westbrook is coming off another excellent season that saw him average 23.5 points along with a career-best 10.4 assists and 7.8 rebounds. He has developed into a perennial MVP candidate, and he'll be a franchise-changing acquisition for whichever team lands him should OKC decide to part ways.
Trading Westbrook might be viewed as a concession of the 2016-17 season by the Thunder, but contending for a title with only Westbrook and no Durant seems unlikely, so getting value in return for their asset while they can is the most logical move.
Durant's decision put Oklahoma City in a difficult position, and it may lead to one of the NBA's best and most talented teams being dismantled into a shell of its former self.
Boston acquiring Westbrook is the splashiest potential trade making the rounds on the rumor mill, but the Celtics may have their eyes on another All-Star in the form of Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the C's have shown interest in dealing for the 27-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick.
The primary rumor making the rounds is that Boston would send draft picks to the Sacramento Kings and Clips as part of a three-team trade, while forward Rudy Gay would go from Sacramento to L.A.
If the Celtics can pick up Griffin without giving up any major assets already on their roster, facing them could be a scary proposition for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Griffin and Horford would form one of the best frontcourts in the league, while Thomas and Avery Bradley would provide plenty of potency from the guard position.
Griffin averaged 21.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game last season, but he played in just 35 regular-season contests due to a combination of injuries and a suspension for punching a Clippers staff member.
There have long been rumblings regarding patience running thin for Griffin in Los Angeles, and his actions combined with his inability to remain healthy could convince the Clips to cut bait.
Acquiring Griffin would come with some risk due largely to his recent injury history, but he is a productive player when he is on the court, and the Celtics would likely become instant contenders in the Eastern Conference with his arrival to form a Big Three with Horford and Thomas.
Jimmy Butler
The Chicago Bulls seemed destined for a potential rebuild after trading point guard Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks and allowing big man Joakim Noah to sign with the Knicks as well. All-Star Jimmy Butler's name then surfaced in trade talks, but his tenure in the Windy City now appears likely to continue.
According to ESPN.com's Zach Lowe, Butler is currently off the trade market. This comes in the wake of Chicago signing both point guard Rajon Rondo and shooting guard Dwyane Wade, making it a clear playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
Although the Bulls' front line leaves something to be desired after the departures of Noah and Pau Gasol, the trio of Butler, Wade and Rondo should allow Chicago to do some damage and perhaps win a playoff series or two.
The 26-year-old Butler averaged 20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game last season, and the Bulls are now his team with Rose no longer in the picture.
D-Wade may prove to be the veteran spiritual leader due to the fact that he is a multitime champion and future Hall of Famer, but Butler has several prime years ahead of him, and his performance in 2016-17 will go a long way toward determining how serious of a contender the Bulls can be.
While the Bulls struggled mightily in 2015-16, Butler was far from the biggest issue. Now that the roster has undergone a complete overhaul aside from the former Marquette standout, it makes perfect sense for the organization to see how he evolves as a leader and go-to guy before potentially exploring additional trade options in the future.
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