NBA Rumors: Latest on Devin Booker Trade Buzz, Gerald Green and Nets HC

The 2020 NBA offseason might not follow a typical schedule—it's set to kick off on October 18—but the business of addressing free agents and working the trade lines will largely be business as usual. With the season over for eight of the league's 30 teams, the speculation has already begun.

One piece of trade buzz that has emerged involves the New York Knicks and how hiring Tom Thibodeau as their next head coach could impact the offseason.

Thibodeau most recently coached the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he experienced plenty of friction with Karl-Anthony Towns while there. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Thibodeau's addition could take the center out of the trade picture and make Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker a prime target:

"Since Leon Rose was hired as president, the player to watch out for most is Suns combo guard Devin Booker, according to league sources. If Rose hires Tom Thibodeau, Towns—a former Rose client—no longer makes sense because of their history. Booker and Towns were Rose clients who played at Kentucky, which means Knicks adviser William Wesley is close to each. Rose has done well with Kentucky standouts because of Wesley."

However, Booker may not actually be a realistic target for New York, regardless of who is hired as head coach. At least, some around the league believe that the Knicks acquiring Booker this offseason is a fanciful idea.

"LOL" was the response that one anonymous general manager gave SNY's Ian Begley when asked about a potential deal. As Begley pointed out, Booker is under contract through the 2023-24 season and has little leverage if he wants out of Phoenix. The Suns have no real reason to move him unless a team is willing to make a can't-refuse offer.

Such an offer would likely include multiple first-round picks, which the rebuilding Knicks shouldn't be willing to surrender.

Gerald Green Could Be Coveted

Free-agent guard Gerald Green opted not to participate in the NBA's restart in Orlando, Florida, but he drew plenty of interest during the transaction window.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Post, "multiple teams" were interested in the veteran:

The 34-year-old averaged 9.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in roughly 20 minutes per game with the Houston Rockets last season. He missed all of this season with a broken foot and was traded to the Denver Nuggets and eventually released.

A return to Houston would make some sense for Green, though the Rockets weren't allowed to add him during the transaction window since they just dealt him in February, according to The Athletic's John Hollinger. The Denver Nuggets waived him soon afterward.

Hollinger also mentioned the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz as teams that could have benefited from adding Green before the restart. Presumably, these teams could still benefit from adding him in October.

While the 6'6" wing isn't a player one would consider a marquee free agent, he should be a popular target on the open market.

Jacque Vaughn Likely to Claim the Nets Job

While the Brooklyn Nets will be involved in the NBA's restart, they're looking ahead to the offseason on one big issue—their next head coach. Kenny Atkinson was fired just before play was suspended, and Jacque Vaughn was named as his replacement for the remainder of this season.

The 45-year-old also appears likely to continue on the job after the season.

"Multiple sources have told The Athletic that the Nets have every intention of giving Vaughn a true shot at getting the job," The Athletic's Alex Schiffer wrote.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski also believes that the job is Vaughn's to lose.

"He's the head coach," Wojnarowski said on The Woj Pod (h/t Ashish Mathur of Clutch Points). "They didn't make him interim coach. I think the Nets are considering the possibility of a search, but I would still give Jacque Vaughn—I would take Jacque Vaughn against the field right now."

The Nets job should be a coveted one, as Brooklyn is expected to have a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant next season. Vaughn, who was in charge of the Orlando Magic from 2012-15, gets the opportunity later this month to audition for that job.