NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Lakers, Knicks and More 2017 Lottery Teams
The NBA lottery hasn't been this interesting in years.
This isn't just a case of the top 10 featuring the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, either. Though it doesn't hurt that the former is a contender clutching the draft's first pick and the latter seems embroiled in a Lonzo Ball circus that will define the prospect's legacy and the side's rebuild in one swoop.
Elsewhere, though, are rebuilding teams such as the New York Knicks and a Minnesota Timberwolves roster oozing upside, to name a few. Both, along with a few others, figure to have the phone lines ready ahead of and during the draft as trade offers start flying.
Below, let's look at an early salvo of rumblings pertaining to some of the lottery's most interesting teams.
Knicks Still on the Hunt?
Good luck figuring out what the Knicks want to do this offseason.
Things aren't just rocky with Carmelo Anthony. The wild ride that has been Phil Jackson at the controls left the rebuild's centerpiece, Kristaps Porzingis, irritated and skipping out on end-of-season activities.
It goes without saying, but the quick-fix approach the franchise took last year around those two players didn't work. Derrick Rose was a bust, Joakim Noah couldn't play often and Brandon Jennings fizzled.
According to ESPN.com's Ian Begley, the Knicks want to focus on grabbing effective two-way players this offseason. This isn't limited to free agency, as Begley noted an interest the team might look to revive this summer.
"Some in the organization were hopeful after the trade deadline that they could revisit their attempts to acquire Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason, per sources," Begley wrote.
Remember, the Knicks tried to move Rose for Ricky Rubio at the trade deadline, according to Begley's colleague, Marc Stein. It's not hard to see why—Rubio is a pass-first point who is all of 26 years old coming off a season in which he averaged 11.1 points and 9.1 assists per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor.
Even if the Knicks don't make another push for Rubio, the interest in Minnesota's point guard shows loud and clear the sort of player the front office has in mind. New York could easily look to dangle the No. 8 pick in this pursuit, so keep an eye on the situation.
Timberwolves Eyeing Draft Trades
Speaking of the Timberwolves, the front office in Minnesota figures to keep busy even if it isn't fielding calls from the Knicks.
The Timberwolves only posted 31 wins this year and earned the seventh pick for their efforts, though it doesn't sound like the front office will be content to just sit around and watch other teams make moves.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Timberwolves might look to move down: "With the seventh pick, the Timberwolves are leaning toward a wing player such as [Malik] Monk over a big player. An NBA source said Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota's coach and president, has considered trading down, too."
It's interesting to hear it suggested the Timberwolves might pursue another wing player. Teams call about Rubio because he hasn't meshed well in town, but also because the team has a loaded backcourt thanks to other names such as Kris Dunn, Tyus Jones and Zach LaVine.
If Thibodeau and the front office decide to move down, they might have a forward prospect in mind to add some scoring alongside Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Really, though, anything is on the table if it coincides with the team picking up more assets to put toward reinforcing the roster's depth.
A deal involving the Timberwolves might not happen until the draft itself. Should the board produce an interesting scenario where a top point guard falls, Minnesota's phones might ring quite a bit with it now understood the front office will entertain moving down.
Lakers Hosting a Sale
As hinted, the Lakers sit at a precarious moment in a rebuild.
On paper, a young developing core featuring D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and an incoming top-two pick is not only a bright future but a nod to the front office actually sticking to a long-term rebuilding plan.
Along the way, though, there have still been a few odd decisions. The one that stands out the most, of course, is hitting Timofey Mozgov with a $64 million contract. It was a punchline of a signing at the time, and the 30-year-old center went on to average 7.4 points per game over 54 appearances.
With this in mind, here's a recent note by NBA.com's Sam Smith: "The Lakers also would love to dump one of those big contracts that resulted in a management change. The talk among general managers is you can pretty easily get D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle."
Potentially trading core pieces aside, it makes sense the Lakers want to weasel out of deals given to veterans like Mozgov or even Luol Deng. There's a youth movement in Los Angeles, not to mention the potential allure of chasing a free agent such as Paul George in the coming years, so clearing cap space is the smart play.
Potential trade partners will see this slight hole the Lakers have dug for themselves, meaning a cap dump might need to include a young player with upside or it won't happen at all. But unless the Lakers find an upgrade on Randle or aren't in love with the idea of Russell at the 2, it seems unlikely those will be the guys dealt in a dump.
Either way, it's interesting the rumblings around the Lakers right now pertain to salary dumps and not the second pick, which might be a hint at how the front office will continue to approach the rebuild—by playing the waiting game, loading up on young talent and hoping it is finally enough to lure a top-tier free agent to town.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
