NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on James Harden, Frank Ntilikina and More

Rumors circulated earlier in the offseason about both Russell Westbrook and John Wall wanting to get traded. Then they were dealt for each other, with the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards swapping point guards in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 2.

Could James Harden be the next star player traded out of Houston? Will any other notable deals take place before the 2020-21 NBA season gets underway Dec. 22, or will the latest rumors not come to fruition?

In the final days before the season's restart, the league's 30 teams will make moves to finish constructing their rosters. And whether or not those transactions will feature trades, there continues to be buzz about potential deals.

Here's some of the latest trade buzz from around the NBA.

Harden Interested in Getting Traded to Philadelphia

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Brooklyn Nets weren't the only team James Harden was open to getting traded to. According to a recent report by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden told the Rockets prior to the start of training camp that he would be open to getting traded to the Philadelphia 76ers or "possibly other contenders."

They continued: "After it was clear there was no traction in talks with the Nets, Harden expressed to the Rockets that he would be agreeable if a trade with the 76ers materialized, sources said. Harden also indicated that other teams could fit his criteria for a preferred destination, a source said."

Harden was a late arrival to Houston's training camp at Toyota Center, but he took a COVID-19 test once he showed up Tuesday. Per MacMahon, the 31-year-old guard will need to test negative six straight times before he's allowed to practice with the Rockets.

Could Harden be traded before that happens? That is unclear, but if the Rockets find a potential deal with one of those contending teams, maybe it happens. Harden would provide a boost to any team, as he's a former NBA MVP, an eight-time All-Star and a three-time NBA scoring champion.

This past season, Harden averaged a league-high 34.3 points, 7.5 assists, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 68 games. However, the Rockets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs.

Ntilikina Continuing to Draw Trade Interest

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Since getting selected by the New York Knicks with the No. 8 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft, Frank Ntilikina hasn't quite lived up to expectations. Could a change in scenery help the 22-year-old point guard start to produce better results?

Steve Popper of Newsday recently reported that there are scouts and executives from around the NBA who continue to show interest in Ntilikina, "at least at a low cost." So perhaps the Knicks move him if they receive an offer that interested them, but there's a chance none would be enticing enough.

New York has a crowded situation at point guard entering the 2020-21 season. It signed free agents Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr., and it acquired rookie Immanuel Quickley in a trade on draft night.

"It remains to be seen if Ntilikina can win the job over that crew—particularly with some in the organization hoping to increase Smith's value—or if his best role might be off the bench as a defensive specialist at multiple positions," Popper wrote.

If Ntilikina ends up being the odd player out among that group, perhaps he gets a fresh start with a new team.

Tucker a 'Name to Watch' Moving Forward

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Rockets have traded Westbrook. It's possible they could also deal Harden. And if they do, perhaps they wouldn't even stop there.

If Harden is traded, The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski recently said on his podcast that he believes there will be a "fire sale on veterans" in Houston. If that's the case, then Krawczynski sees 35-year-old forward P.J. Tucker as a player who could be dealt.

"Tucker would be at the top of the list for the Timberwolves to go after, for many teams to go after," Krawczynski said on the podcast (h/t HoopsHype).

Tucker is entering his 10th NBA season and his fourth with the Rockets. In 2019-20, he averaged 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 72 games. He has proved that he can still be a solid contributor at this point in his career, so it would make sense that teams would have interest in him if Houston made him available.