NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Trade, 2020 Draft and Free-Agent Chatter

The NBA may be suspended, but there's still plenty of buzz about the 2020 draft, pending free agents and more ahead of the upcoming offseason. So, while there may not be games to analyze and plays to dissect, there's still plenty of basketball topics to discuss during the downtime.

Who will be the first prospects selected in this year's draft? Which top players could change teams? And what potential trades could come to fruition? These are among the questions that will be speculated leading up to the NBA offseason.

Here's some of the buzz regarding several hot topics around the NBA.

Could Knicks trade up in the draft to acquire Ball?

Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Unless the New York Knicks get fortunate in the draft lottery, it's unlikely they're going to have a pick high enough to select point guard LaMelo Ball. However, it would make plenty of sense for them to have an interest in the talented 18-year-old, as he could slot in nicely as their franchise point guard for years to come.

Marc Berman of the New York Post recently reported that there are league sources who "believe the Ball camp will try to steer" him to New York. However, he noted that might be difficult to do unless the Knicks move up to at least a top-four pick.

In 2017, a similar situation occurred with Ball's oldest brother, Lonzo, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, a move that their father, LaVar, pushed for. Perhaps it'll happen again with LaMelo Ball going to the Knicks, which LaVar Ball previously said would be a good fit during an appearance on FS1, per Berman.

If New York doesn't get lucky enough in the draft lottery to be in a spot to draft Ball, it would be interesting to see what it might offer a team in order to move up. It's also possible the Knicks would consider taking another top point guard, such as North Carolina's Cole Anthony or French standout Killian Hayes, one of whom will likely be available for the Knicks at their pick.

Davis appears unlikely to leave Los Angeles

If Anthony Davis declines his player option for the 2020-21 season and hits the free-agent market, he'd be the best player available this offseason. And while it's expected that Davis will, in fact, opt-out of his deal, he may not be going anywhere.

Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports recently wrote that he believes Davis could sign a short-term deal to return to the Lakers if the league's salary cap is negatively affected by the pandemic. If that's not a concern, then he thinks Davis will sign a long-term deal to stay in Los Angeles. Either way, that results in Davis staying in a Lakers uniform next season.

"He’s not going anywhere after spending half a year angling to get to Hollywood," Smith wrote.

In his first season with the Lakers, Davis has averaged 26.7 points and 9.4 rebounds over 55 games, while giving LeBron James an All-Star teammate to play alongside. Los Angeles is also one of the favorites to win the NBA title (should the season resume) and will likely stay that way as long as Davis returns.

Could Giannis join the Warriors in 2021?

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Sure, the 2020 offseason hasn't happened yet. But when there's some buzz involving reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his impending free agency in the 2021 offseason, it's worth discussing early.

According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Golden State Warriors have been "preparing free years" to make a run at Antetokounmpo when his contract with the Milwaukee Bucks expires after the 2020-21 season.

Although Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first playoff series victory since 2001 last season, he has yet to win his first career NBA championship. And if Milwaukee doesn't win an NBA title before the end of Antetokounmpo's contract, perhaps a change will be on the horizon.

"Though all indications are that he's on good terms with team management, league sources believe that Antetokounmpo would want out of Milwaukee if he loses confidence in the franchise's ability to win championships," Letourneau wrote.

The Warriors are no stranger to acquiring star free agents and making a championship push. They signed Kevin Durant in 2016, then he helped them win two titles in his three seasons with the team. If Antetokounmpo came to Golden State, then it's likely he'd have the opportunity to play for championships alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.