NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Victor Oladipo, Lou Williams Trades, More
There have already been some big names to switch teams via trades this NBA offseason. Chris Paul is now on the Phoenix Suns, Steven Adams went to the New Orleans Pelicans and Jrue Holiday moved to the Milwaukee Bucks, just to name a few.
Free agency has also been typically busy. Fred VanVleet re-signed with the Toronto Raptors, Gordon Hayward is heading to the Charlotte Hornets and Montrezl Harrell switched Los Angeles teams, signing with the Lakers. There have been plenty of other free-agent moves, and there will surely be more to come.
With the start of the 2020-21 season now less than a month away (it's set to begin Dec. 22), teams already don't have much time before they'll begin training camps. That means more moves are likely imminent, and this busy offseason should continue.
Here's some of the latest offseason buzz from around the NBA.
Oladipo May Not Be as Available for Potential Trade
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One player whose name has been heavily featured in trade rumors in recent months is Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo. But it appears that a deal may never come to fruition after all.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Oladipo is "not as available as he might have been over the summer," adding that he "quickly has forged a strong relationship with new Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren." However, it's worth noting that Oladipo is entering the final year of his contract, so it's always possible that Indiana could decide to deal him at some point.
If the Pacers wanted to move the 28-year-old guard, there'd likely be teams with interest. Berman reported that the New York Knicks, who have yet to add a star player this offseason, have mixed opinions about trying to trade for Oladipo. General manager Scott Perry "would like to explore that avenue," while president Leon Rose is "less eager," per Berman.
Since returning from a ruptured right quad tendon he suffered in January 2019, Oladipo hasn't put up quite the same numbers as he did earlier in his career. This past season, he averaged 14.5 points (his fewest since his rookie season) in only 19 games, while shooting a career-worst 39.4 percent from the field.
So, while there would be a risk in a team trading for Oladipo, it's possible the two-time All-Star will return to form next season. And perhaps that will be with the Pacers, who could remain a top contender in the Eastern Conference.
Clippers Potentially Looking to Deal Williams?
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The Clippers roster is going to look a bit different in 2020-21. Montrezl Harrell is now on the Lakers, but they've made a pair of key additions, signing free-agent big man Serge Ibaka and acquiring shooting guard Luke Kennard in a trade with the Detroit Pistons. However, the Clippers may not be done just yet.
Marc Stein of the New York Times recently reported that a potential trade could be in the works for Los Angeles following a disappointing end to the 2019-20 season when it lost in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
"Many rival teams also expect the Clippers to trade Lou Williams in their quest to create a fresh-start environment after they blew a 3-1 series lead to the Nuggets," Stein wrote.
Williams is a 15-year NBA veteran who has played for six teams in his career, including spending the past three seasons with the Clippers. The 34-year-old continues to play at a high level, as he averaged 18.2 points and 5.6 assists in 65 games (eight starts) this past season. Williams is also a three-time winner of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
Stein reported that the reason Los Angeles didn't try to bring back Harrell is that "team officials quietly decided [he] had to go." While the Clippers' core will remain the same in 2020-21 with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, it will be interesting to see what other moves they make to complement them so they can make a push for a deep postseason run next year.
Pair of Free-Agent Point Guards Garnering Interest
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Since the free-agency negotiation period began this past Friday, it hasn't taken long for names to fly off the board. Many of the top players have already signed (or re-signed) with teams. Other teams may have to act quickly before the list gets even smaller over the next few weeks.
There are still some solid players available, though. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported on Monday that point guards Emmanuel Mudiay and Yogi Ferrell are "starting to pick up traction in the free-agent market."
Mudiay, 24, is entering his sixth NBA season. In 2019-20, he averaged 7.3 points in 54 games and shooting a career-best 46.2 percent from the field for the Utah Jazz.
Ferrell, 27, has played for three teams in four NBA seasons, including the past two for the Sacramento Kings. He had a smaller role in 2019-20, though, averaging 4.4 points in 50 games while playing only 10.6 minutes per contest.
While neither of these point guards are likely to be starters, they can provide solid depth to a team and can play valuable minutes off the bench. So, it wouldn't be surprising to see them ink deals in the near future.
