NBA Rumors: Latest Free-Agent, Trade Buzz on Verge of Free Agency
We've almost reached the most frenzied time in the NBA offseason. Beginning on Saturday, July 1, teams and free agents will be able to start reaching verbal agreements on new deals. Then, on July 6, teams can start signing players.
Of course, it's not just the eve of free agency that makes this time of year so exciting for basketball fans. We also have the trade market, which has already been as robust this year as any year in recent memory. The Chicago Bulls traded away Jimmy Butler on the night of the draft, while the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers completed a deal Wednesday to send Chris Paul to Houston.
We're sure to see more player movement in the coming days, and it's safe to assume that rosters are going to look a lot different 10 days from now.
We're here to break down the latest offseason buzz on the eve of NBA free agency.
Clippers Working to Bring Back Griffin
The Clippers are already down one star as Paul is now a Rocket. However, the team appears determined not to lose another in pending free agent Blake Griffin.
According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Clippers are hoping to ink Griffin to a long-term deal. But, there's a possibility he won't be ready for the start of the 2017-18 season, via ESPN.com:
"The Clippers are of the understanding that it will take a five-year deal to keep Griffin, a source told Shelburne. Complicating the matter however, sources told ESPN's Michael Eaves, is that Griffin may not be ready for the start of the next season and could possibly be out until December due to a toe injury that cut short his postseason."
Retaining Griffin would ensure L.A. has at least someone to build around for the foreseeable future. However, the Clippers are going to have competition for his services. Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas, for example, is trying to recruit Griffin to his team.
Thomas made a pitch to Griffin on Instagram.
"Helluva run," Thomas said, commenting on a Griffin-related post by SLAMOnline. "Now Blake come on over to Boston lol."
Adding Griffin to a strong Celtics core could make for some pretty interesting basketball in Boston, especially since Griffin wouldn't be the team's only offseason target.
Celtics Still Eying Hayward and George
If the Celtics do end up adding Griffin, he could possibly be joined by Utah Jazz standout Gordon Hayward and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George. The Celtics have been in on these two for a while and are still looking to put the duo on their roster.
According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics are looking to add George and Hayward as sort of a package deal:
"For salary-cap purposes, Boston wants a Hayward commitment before it can finalize a trade for George and secure the most dynamic free-agent coup in franchise history, league sources said.
"For Boston, here’s the hitch: While Indiana believes Boston can offer the best possible package, the Pacers may be unwilling to wait until the start of July free agency on Boston’s timetable and could turn toward making a deal elsewhere for George, league sources told The Vertical."
On one hand, it makes some sense for the Celtics to know their free-agent haul before going hard after a George deal. If the team ends up with Hayward or Griffin or both, it may feel it has a better chance of convincing George to stay longer than the one year remaining on his contract.
The flip side here is that if Boston waits too long to make a move for George, the team may lose out on the chance to grab him.
One thing seems likely: George appears set to leave Indiana before the start of the season.
Rockets Looking At George, Too
Thomas could be spot on, as the Celtics certainly are not the only ones looking to add George. One other team that is reportedly interested in adding him is the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, George is next on Houston's wish list. He recently said the following on SportsCenter, per Jack Maloney of CBS Sports:
"When the dust all settles, will anybody be standing there to try to compete with the Warriors? The Rockets are trying to make an audacious move to do that. I'm sure at this very second they are pitching George. They are pitching the Indiana Pacers. 'Come to Houston, sign a contract extension, get the deal done. Chris Paul, James Harden and Paul George, come together and let's try to beat the Golden State Warriors.' That's what's happening right now. Whether or not they can pull it off, we'll see."
Adding George would make sense for Houston if the franchise is truly trying to win an arms race with the Warriors in the Western Conference. The tandem of Harden and Paul is a formidable base, especially considering the former is playing at an MVP level. However, the Warriors possess all-time talent on their roster, and it's going to take the same level of talent to knock them out of the top spot in the West.
