NBA Trade Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Reports Before 2020 NBA Draft
The NBA's trade moratorium lifted on Monday, and basketball's dealing dam broke almost immediately.
The flurry of activity could be setting the table for a hyperactive trade market ahead of—and during—Wednesday's draft. Already, we've seen the Phoenix Suns acquire Chris Paul, and the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly work out a deal for Jrue Holiday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
The Association's arms race is alive and well, and based on the names still bouncing around the rumor mill, it should continue to reshape the league's landscape.
James Harden 'Singularly Focused' on Trade to Brooklyn
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The Houston Rockets have a problem.
Former MVP James Harden not only reportedly wants out, but he also declined an extension offer that would have netted him the league's first-ever $50 million salary, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. More over, Woj reported the three-time scoring champ is "singularly focused" on getting to the Brooklyn Nets.
Harden, who has captured the previous three scoring crowns, has witnessed a max exodus out of Space City this offseason, with former coach Mike D'Antoni and former general manager Daryl Morey both fleeing town. The Rockets then reportedly agreed to trade away Robert Covington to the Portland Trail Blazers late Monday night, per Wojnarowski.
Harden turned 31 in August, so the clock is ticking for him to track down that elusive championship ring. He has seemingly decided his best bet is to go title chasing with Kevin Durant, his former teammate on the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Kyrie Irving.
It's not a bad wager to make, though it remains to be seen if the Nets can meet what will surely be an astronomic asking price.
'Minimal' Trade Interest in Russell Westbrook
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Perhaps nothing better encapsulates Houston's predicament than the fact that it has a second 30-something former MVP also angling for the exits.
Russell Westbrook, who was crowned MVP in 2016-17 and traded to the Rockets last offseason, is looking for a change of scenery, per Charania. But unlike Harden, the 32-year-old doesn't figure to elicit a flurry of suitors.
His stats are trending down—his 21.0 player efficiency rating was his worst since 2009-10—and his sky-high salary keeps going up, cresting at a $47 million player option for 2022-23.
It's little surprise, then, to see The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reporting that "interest in Westbrook is minimal." O'Connor went on to list the Charlotte Hornets as "the most likely team to land him," though the scribe noted the No. 3 pick in Wednesday's draft is not on the table.
With so much of Westbrook's game built around explosive athleticism, he may not age well on the hardwood. That fact, coupled with his colossal contract, complicates this process for Houston.
If a deal is to be made, it might require concessions on behalf of the Rockets as opposed to actual assets coming back in the exchange.
Zach LaVine 'Could Be Had' in Trade
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A figurative changing of the guard could lead to a literal change at guard for the Chicago Bulls.
With a new front office and coaching staff in place, the Bulls might be willing to remake their roster. If that's the case, the first order of business might be unloading Zach LaVine and the $39 million he's owed over the next two seasons.
Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo wrote: "There's some thought around the NBA that Zach LaVine could be had via trade."
While the 25-year-old popped for a career-high 25.5 points per game, his club missed the playoffs for the sixth time in as many NBA seasons.
That lack of success doesn't fall entirely on LaVine, but there might be some questions about whether his game (relatively efficient scoring, a pinch of playmaking and not a lot of defense) can contribute to winning and to what degree that's possible.
The Bulls surely aren't rushing to move the UCLA product, but it's probably worth finding what the market has to bear, especially as trade targets continue to come off the board.
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