NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Buzz on Otto Porter Jr., Rudy Gay and More

NBA free agency didn't take time off for the holidays.

In fact, one of the year's biggest dominoes kept fans waiting for most of the day, as now-former Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward decided to join Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics, reported by Chris Haynes of ESPN and followed up on by Hayward himself in The Players' Tribune.

Hayward unclogs free agency, an event sure to permit the rest of the major pieces to start falling. With names like Rudy Gay and even restricted players such as Otto Porter Jr. now stepping into the spotlight, the pace of events might speed up as opposed to slowing.

Below, let's match the current speed as free agency pulls itself out of a holding pattern.

The Dion Waiters Sweepstakes

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

With guys like Hayward gone, someone such as Dion Waiters can fully step into the spotlight.

A year ago, most people wouldn't have predicted Waiters would slot as one of the biggest names on the market. The fourth pick in the 2012 draft simply hadn't had a notable impact and even at 25 years old, it seemed he'd never reach for what had looked like a high ceiling.

Then 2016-17 happened.

Waiters posted 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over 30.1 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the floor. The struggling Miami Heat gave him a full chance and the Syracuse product made the most of it.

The performance has teams like the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers pursuing him, according to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne:

Those currently aren't the most prestigious franchises, but for Waiters, it must be nice to have a market at all after the dim outlook of prior years.

It's not hard to see the trend for Waiters' market—rebuilding teams hoping young upside propels things in the right direction. The Knicks could use the scoring and even more so if Carmelo Anthony leaves and the Lakers need young talent to run with Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram as opposed to bringing on veterans who can't grow alongside them.

What sort of deal Waiters lands isn't easy to predict, but if he can turn a prove-it deal into more strong play, he'll be an even bigger name in a summer or two. For now, he's an intriguing market name drumming up more interest by the day.

Rudy Gay Update

Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

On paper, Gay seems like a veteran ready to put a bad decision behind him.

Gay joined the Sacramento Kings a few years ago and never panned out. The idea of playing next to DeMarcus Cousins on a rebuilding team sounds good, yet the 30-year-old never meshed well and fell victim to an odd rebuilding plan eventually resulting in Cousins getting shipped away and other jobs lost.

Hence Gay turning down an option worth north of $14 million despite recovering from a devastating Achilles injury.

Seeking another chance to get it right, Gay apparently has his eyes set on the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to ESPN.com's Royce Young:

The stigma around the Thunder isn't as bad as his Kings interest years ago. Landing there would pair him with Russell Westbrook and Paul George, creating an interesting trio in a stacked Western Conference.

No doubt the Thunder wouldn't mind adding Gay at the right price—he averages 18.4 points and 5.9 boards on his career on 45.2 percent shooting. He's also 30, meaning that while the injury risk is a red flag, getting him at an affordable deal could help the team walk the line between contention and rebuild.

But that's the catch here—it's going to be hard for the two sides to float back toward the middle on the contract. The Thunder have to worry about the injury issue and Gay has to (at least hopefully) keep in mind the team could blow it all up as soon as this year if Westbrook doesn't ink an extension and George bolts to Los Angeles as a free agent.

It's hard to imagine Gay lands anywhere else at this point, but which side blinks is impossible to say.

Otto Porter Jr. Takes Over

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Porter is now the biggest domino on the market.

After four years of steady improvement with the Washington Wizards, he is a coveted piece around the league despite his restricted status.

Washington has the right to match any offer for him, which it seems it will. The John Wall-Bradley Beal-Porter trio continues to be a force in the Eastern Conference, so breaking up the gang now doesn't seem likely.

Yet the offers have started to pour in—and the Brooklyn Nets struck first on a four-year max, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix followed by reporting the Wizards will match.

Brooklyn entered the summer as a team obviously willing to spend on restricted players because the rebuild would make big-name free agents shy away from joining the team on the open market.

More interesting was Utah's sudden pursuit after losing Hayward, as captured by Basketball Insiders' Michael Scotto:

Porter isn't on Hayward's level by any means. But he is a potential star at 24 years old, who, at 6'8", can stretch the floor like he did a year ago when he averaged 13.4 points and 6.4 boards on 51.6 percent shooting.

On paper, it's almost a shame to think Porter won't get a shot to run with the new-look Nets, which features a few interesting budding pieces such as D'Angelo Russell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Alas, it's clear Porter touts the skill set so critical in today's game and the Wizards won't let it go, even if it checks in north of $100 million because other franchises got spend-happy with the offer sheet.

No matter where he lands, Porter is a rising star to watch in the coming years.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.