NBA Trade Rumors: Latest on James Harden, Gordon Hayward Sign-and-Trade, More
The start of 2020 NBA free agency is only hours away. The market is set to officially open at 6 p.m. ET, and while the trade window has been open for the better part of a week, more deals could be on the horizon.
Once free agency gets underway and teams get a handle on who they can and cannot land on the open market, trades could become an even bigger priority. For teams lacking in cap space, trades may be the only real option for adding premier talent in the coming days.
Here, we'll dig into some of the latest NBA trade buzz heading into free agency.
Rockets Unlikely to Deal Harden Without First Lining Up a Spot for Westbrook
1 of 3
Houston Rockets star scorer James Harden is the biggest name potentially available on the trade market. He has made his desire to leave the organization quite clear, and according to ESPN's Chris Mannix, teams have been "probing" Houston about acquiring him.
However, dealing for Harden might not be as simple as making the Rockets a lucrative offer. Per Mannix, Houston doesn't want to move Harden without also having a trade lined up for Russell Westbrook.
"The Rockets will engage on Westbrook but interest for the All-Star guard has been lukewarm, at best," Mannix wrote. "...It’s unlikely Houston deals Harden without having a landing spot for Westbrook, which could prove exceedingly difficult."
It makes sense that Houston would want to deal both Harden and Westbrook in the same offseason. If Harden is gone, the Rockets are unlikely to remain contenders in the Western Conference. Moving him would likely signal the start of a rebuild, and there's little reason to keep Westbrook around for that.
Like Harde, Westbrook "wants out of Houston," according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Pacers Eying a Sign-and-Trade Deal for Gordon Hayward
2 of 3
The Indiana Pacers are one of the aforementioned teams lacking the cap space to chase a premier player in free agency. However, this doesn't mean that Indiana isn't angling for former All-Star Gordon Hayward.
Hayward decided to opt out of his contract with the Boston Celtics and will be available when the market opens. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Pacers are exploring the possibility of a sign-and-trade with Boston.
While a sign-and-trade could benefit both the Celtics and the Pacers, Hayward would have to be on board. He has other options and may choose to explore those first. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the New York Knicks are interested in adding Hayward as a free agent.
"Though he is 30 and hasn’t regained his 2017 All-Star form, the Knicks are intrigued by the 6-foot-7 Hayward for the right price, according to sources,' Berman wrote.
Of course, if a deal with New York doesn't materialize, a sign-and-trade may be Hayward's best option. There aren't many teams other than New York loaded with enough cap space to make the type of offer Hayward is likely looking for. The player option he declined would have paid him $34 million for the 2020-21 season.
Evan Fournier Hoping to Be Traded to a Contender
3 of 3
Unlike Hayward, Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier has decided to exercise his player option for this season. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that he'll remain with the Magic. According to The Athletic's Zach Harper, Fournier "is trying to find his way" to a potential contender in the Western Conference.
Harper mentions the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets as teams that Fournier could be interested in joining.
The problem for Fournier is that if he wanted to land in the Western Conference, he simply could have opted out of his contract and tried to make his way there in free agency. Now, a move would require aid on the part of the Magic.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast that Orlando would at least be open to dealing Fournier, but there's a big difference between being open to a deal and actually getting one done. Even if Orlando is willing to move Fournier, another team would have to be willing to part with assets other than salary to acquire him.
