NBA Rumors: Top Trade Buzz on James Harden, Draymond Green, Michael Porter Jr.
Teams are still feeling their way through the early stages of a unique 2020-21 NBA season, but that hasn't done much to slow down the rumor mill.
With teams starting to gain an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, as well as where they stand in the NBA hierarchy, it won't be surprising if some trades start coming through in the near future, even though the deadline isn't until late March.
Until then, here is a rundown of the most intriguing rumors out there regarding some of the NBA's biggest names.
James Harden
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No player's name has come up in trade rumors more than Houston Rockets guard James Harden's since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
That has largely been Harden's own doing, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported before the season that Harden turned down a contract extension that would have paid him $50 million per year and requested a trade to the Brooklyn Nets.
Later, Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported that Harden was also open to a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers and possibly other contenders as well.
One of those contenders may have been the reigning Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, who are off to a slow start this season at 3-4.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (h/t RealGM), the Heat at one point were willing to trade "multiple young players" and possibly a 2025 first-round pick to the Rockets for Harden.
Jackson speculated that the trade could have looked something like Harden for Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, KZ Okpala, Andre Iguodala, Kelly Olynyk and first-round picks in 2025 and 2027, but Houston reportedly may want even more than that.
While Houston wouldn't be receiving a superstar in return as part of that package, it is unlikely that any team would be willing to give one up for a disgruntled player who could become a free agent after next season.
With that said, Harden is the three-time reigning NBA scoring champion with over 30 points per game in each of those campaigns, and he is also a former NBA MVP. Adding him to the mix alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would give the Heat three legitimate stars.
If the trade package Jackson mentioned is truly on the table, Houston may be wise to consider it, as Herro is a budding star who performed at a high level in the playoffs as a rookie last season and Robinson is among the best three-point shooters in the game already.
Draymond Green
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Draymond Green has spent his entire nine-year NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, but if the Dubs decide to move on from him, at least one team is waiting with open arms.
Sam Amick said recently on The Athletic NBA Show (h/t Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Bay Area) that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has pushed the idea of Portland acquiring Green for quite some time.
Amick said: "If we were handicapping Draymond trade destinations if the Warriors decided to blow it up ... that's the one. Damian and his group have for the last couple years been campaigning for that."
Green, 30, is as decorated as they come, with three All-Star nods, five NBA All-Defensive Team selections, a Defensive Player of the Year award and three NBA titles.
He hasn't been the same player over the past three seasons, however, and his numbers are way down thus far in 2020-21 with just 2.8 points, 5.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
At his best, Green was a triple-double threat every time he stepped on the floor. From the 2014-15 season through 2017-18, Green averaged 11.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per contest.
He was an elite defensive player and one of the most versatile players in the NBA, but that hasn't been the case during Golden State's downturn.
Perhaps that player of the past is still somewhere inside of Green, and if it is, he would be a perfect fit in Portland, as the Blazers could use a glue guy like him to complement the scoring prowess of Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
Green still has at least three years left on his contract, so a trade may not be in the cards any time soon, but that may depend on whether the Warriors brass believes it needs to put a different mix of players around superstar guard Stephen Curry.
Michael Porter Jr.
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The Denver Nuggets have reportedly expressed interest in participating in a multi-team trade involving the Houston Rockets, even if it doesn't result in them acquiring James Harden.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Rockets have shown interest in Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., although it is unknown what type of return Denver may be able to get if it were to include MPJ in a deal.
Windhorst also noted that the Nuggets have made guard Jamal Murray untouchable in any trade talks involving Harden.
Porter has flashed superstar potential during his young NBA career after sitting out his entire rookie season in 2018-19 with a back injury. He made an instant impact last season, especially during the playoffs, and has been even better in 2020-21.
In four games this season, the 22-year-old is averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest.
Given his age and development curve, it is difficult to envision the Nuggets parting with Porter unless they get a ready-made star to put alongside Nikola Jokic and Murray.
The Nuggets reached the Western Conference Finals last season, but they may be one star away from getting past a team like the Los Angeles Lakers.
Waiting for Porter to become that star may be the best course of action, but acquiring someone like Harden would be a splashy move and perhaps make Denver the instant favorite in the Western Conference.
From Houston's perspective, landing a budding star like Porter may be the best return it could possibly get for Harden, so the Rockets should strongly consider such an offer if the Nuggets provide it.
