NBA Rumors: Latest on Gary Harris Trade, De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, More
As NBA teams gain a better idea of what is and isn't possible for their 2020-21 seasons, the rumor mill is coming alive with whispers of deals that could or couldn't happen.
There might be plenty of time to sort this all out between now and the March 25 trade deadline, but it's never too early to start strategizing.
Several teams have gotten the ball rolling already, so let's zero in on those squads.
No Takers for Gary Harris
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Sputtering out to a 2-4 start, the Denver Nuggets could feel more motivated than ever to broker a blockbuster. They just might do exactly that—if they can ever find a suitor for Gary Harris.
The Nuggets "have attempted" to locate a trade market for the 26-year-old, but "there just isn't one," ESPN's Brian Windhorst relayed on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast.
At one point, Harris made the short list of the league's top three-and-D wings. The Nuggets rewarded him with a four-year, $84 million extension in October 2017, and he responded with a breakout campaign in which he averaged 17.5 points and shot 39.6 percent from distance.
But it's been all downhill from there, a snowball of injury issues and inconsistent offense. So far, it's looking as if 2020-21 might be his rock bottom, as he's down to just 7.7 points per game and has misfired on all but three of his 24 long-range looks.
If Harris can't reverse this decline, he'll continue weighing down Denver's payroll unless the Nuggets incentivize someone to take him off of it.
No Issues Between De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III
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The Sacramento Kings aren't as cheery as you might think for a team with two wins over the Denver Nuggets and another over the resurgent Phoenix Suns.
Part of the problem is the Kings have dropped four of their last five games, a stretch lowlighted by Monday's 137-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors. A bigger potential issue, though, is playing out on social media—between parents of two of the team's top prospects.
A day after Marvin Bagley III's father tweeted a request for the team to trade his son, De'Aaron Fox's dad tweeted out, "Trade him," regarding the young big man.
While it's the last distraction this squad needed while attempting to steer Sacramento to its first playoff trip since 2006, it's hopefully less problematic than it sounds. Jason Jones of The Athletic reported Fox and Bagley "do not have an issue with each other."
As long as the players don't let this come between them, the Kings should be fine. But they might need more wins to get folks talking about their play and not the social media rumblings of a few proud fathers.
Nets May Apply for Disabled Player Exception
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While the Brooklyn Nets' title hopes weren't dashed by Spencer Dinwiddie's ACL injury, they clearly took a hit.
They're now apparently attempting to cushion the blow and "are expected to apply for a disabled player exception," per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
If granted, the exception would grant the Nets up to $5.7 million (half of Dinwiddie's salary) to use to sign a free agent, claim a player off of waivers or acquire a player in a trade. It can only be used on one player and can only accommodate players on a one-year deal. The Nets would need to create a roster spot to add a player, and the incoming salary would be added to Brooklyn's already pricey luxury-tax bill.
But the time for the Nets to compete for a title with 32-year-old Kevin Durant and 28-year-old Kyrie Irving is right now. While this won't be a path to a true difference-maker, even the right depth piece can have a quietly sizable impact on the club's championship hopes, so this could be money very well spent (if the exception is granted).
