NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on James Harden, Tyler Herro, Paul George

There's always the potential for blockbuster trades in the NBA. Sure, sometimes rumors don't end up coming true, but there are also times that they do. For example, just two weeks ago, the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards swapped starting point guards, sending Russell Westbrook to Washington and John Wall to Houston.

Could another major move be on the way? Rockets guard James Harden has been at the center of trade rumors for several weeks, but he remains in Houston for now. Will that change before the start of the 2020-21 season on Dec. 22? If it doesn't, could a trade still materialize sometime later?

Trade rumors aren't likely to stop anytime soon, and there are several to get caught up on entering a new week. And with the preseason underway, there's sure to continue to be plenty of NBA news leading up to the new season.

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

Which Teams Could Harden Get Traded To?

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Harden has reportedly wanted to get traded, and he's also made it clear where he may want to go.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Harden's "preferred trade destinations" include the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. All of those teams made the playoffs last season, so they don't come as a surprise.

However, Marc Stein of the New York Times recently reported that the Rockets "insist (for now) they will not trade Harden." Unless that changes, the 31-year-old may not be going anywhere.

That doesn't mean teams don't have interest, though. Stein reported that the 76ers are the "most likely destination," although he also noted they don't want to trade guard Ben Simmons, who is one of Philadelphia's most valuable assets.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat also have interest in trying to acquire Harden, should the Rockets begin to explore potential deals.

Another factor that could come into play is whether two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo signs a supermax extension with the Bucks.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst told SportsCenter that some teams are "not going to necessarily go all-in on a Harden trade, or even get serious about talking about it" until they know what Antetokounmpo (who could be a free agent in 2021) is going to do.

Wherever Harden ends up, he's likely to keep playing at a high level. He's a former NBA MVP and eight-time All-Star who has won the league's scoring title each of the past three seasons.

Herro Not 'Untouchable' in Potential Trades

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Should the Rockets decide they want to trade Harden and the Heat want to make a deal, Miami would still have to put together a package worthy of landing him. And no player on its roster likely has more current trade value than guard Tyler Herro.

Even though the 20-year-old just had a terrific rookie season for the Heat, it appears they could consider trading him if Harden became available. Jackson reported that a source disputed a suggestion he would be "untouchable" in potential trade discussions.

"Though the Heat loves Herro, the source advised against any conclusion that he wouldn’t be made available in a Harden deal if serious talks eventually happen. He would be in play," Jackson wrote.

In his first NBA season, the Milwaukee native averaged 13.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 55 games. He played even better during the Heat's run to the NBA Finals, averaging 16 points and 5.1 rebounds in 21 games.

Wherever Herro ends up, he's likely to have a bright future.

Clippers Explored George's Trade Value Before Extension

Kyusung Gong/Associated Press

The Lakers aren't the only team in Los Angeles signing their stars (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) to new contracts prior to the 2020-21 season. The Clippers also made a long-term commitment to one of their top players last week, signing Paul George to a four-year extension worth $190 million, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

But that doesn't mean the Clippers didn't consider their options prior to agreeing to the deal. In fact, The Ringer's Paolo Uggetti reported that they explored the trade market for George before the deal came to be.

"According to a front-office source, there was chatter around the league that the Clippers did their due diligence in seeing what they could get on the market for George before deciding that the extension was the best option," Uggetti wrote.

It would have been pretty unexpected if Los Angeles had decided to trade the 30-year-old after only one season with the team.

Although the Clippers couldn't make it past the second round of the playoffs in 2019-20, George played at a high level, averaging 21.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 48 regular-season games and 20.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in 13 playoff games.