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NBA Rumors: Trade Buzz on Chris Paul, Knicks' Bogdan Bogdanovic Interest, More
November 2, 2019
The NBA rumor mill is already starting to pick up steam even though the 2019-20 season is only a couple weeks old.
Although it's unlikely to see a blockbuster trade within the first month or two of the campaign, it's possible some smaller moves take place in the coming weeks. The bigger moves will come once the outlook for every team becomes more clear ahead of February's trade deadline.
Let's check out some of the latest trade talk around the league and analyze what it could mean for the teams and players involved.
OKC Would 'Love' to Trade Chris Paul
The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Chris Paul as part of the high-profile July trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets to reunite with James Harden. The veteran point guard's stay with the team could end up being a short one, though.
Mark Medina of USA Today reported during a Reddit Q&A session the Thunder would "love" to move Paul before the deadline so they can "hoard even more young talent and draft picks." He noted other teams have been hesitant because of his "age, injury history and contract."
The 34-year-old Wake Forest product is under contract through the 2021-22 season as part of a four-year, $159.7 million deal he signed with the Rockets in 2018. He's missed at least 21 games because of injury in each of the past three years, dating back to his time with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ryen Russillo of The Ringer reported during an appearance on The Woj Pod that Paul wanted to land with the Milwaukee Bucks (via Real GM).
"I had heard he wanted to go to Milwaukee," Russillo said. "Of course you'd want to go play with Giannis [Antetokounmpo]."
Paul is still productive when healthy. He ranked third among point guards in ESPN's Real Plus-Minus last season while averaging 15.6 points, 8.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 58 games.
A trade to the Bucks, who have the backcourt depth to limit his usage during the regular season, would bolster the team's championship hopes.
Knicks Waiting on Kings' Bogdan Bogdanovic Decision
Bogdan Bogdanovic can become a restricted free agent after the season and the Sacramento Kings haven't been able to work out a long-term contract extension with the shooting guard.
Sean Deveney of Heavy reported the Kings made the maximum offer of $51 million over four years, and it was declined. The New York Knicks headline the teams that have taken an interest in the situation and are waiting to see if he becomes available for trade.
"That's not something they're looking at too seriously now as far as anyone can tell," a source told Deveney. "They're probably going to have to, but that's not something to rush into. There would be a good market for Bogdanovic if they figure they can't go far right now, but [the Kings] are still looking at how to make all of this work this season."
Bogdanovic has established himself as a reliable secondary contributor behind De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield in Sacramento. He's averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds across 154 NBA appearances. He's also a career 37.2 percent shooter from three-point range.
The Knicks have been forced back to the drawing board after a disappointing offseason wherein they missed out on all the high-profile free agents, including the tandem of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who opted to join the Brooklyn Nets instead.
Bogdanovic doesn't rise to that level, but he would be a solid building block for New York.
Thunder Not Ready to Move Steven Adams
If the Thunder do decide to move Paul, it could signal the beginning of a complete roster tear down, and Steven Adams could be one of the coveted trade targets.
The 26-year-old New Zealand native has illustrated his ability to make an impact without many offensive touches during his six-plus seasons with OKC. He's averaged 9.6 points on just 6.8 field goal attempts along with 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 471 games.
While it makes him an intriguing trade target, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the Thunder have "told teams they see Adams as part of their future for the time being."
That said, Oklahoma City is off to a sluggish 1-4 start and doesn't have the look on paper of a contender in the loaded Western Conference. So it wouldn't be a surprise if the front office's feelings on the availability of its veterans changes in the coming months.
Adams could end up being one of the best under-the-radar additions before the trade deadline.