NBA Rumors: Analyzing Buzz Surrounding James Harden, Goran Dragic, More
It's been nearly a week since the NBA trade deadline, which brought a multitude of moves that shook up the landscape of the league. Among the star players who now have new teams are James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers), Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets), Kristaps Porzingis (Washington Wizards) and more.
There will be a short break on the NBA calendar for the All-Star Game this weekend in Cleveland and then the final push for the playoffs will be on.
As the fallout from the trade deadline continues to impact the NBA, here's some of the latest buzz from around the league heading into All-Star weekend.
Durant Approved Trade That Sent Harden to 76ers
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When the Brooklyn Nets assembled a core of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving on their roster, they seemed poised to contend for championships.
That never happened, though, and Harden has been replaced by Ben Simmons after the Nets orchestrated a deadline-day deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, that trade may not have happened without Durant's approval. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the 33-year-old initially didn't want Brooklyn to deal Harden, but that opinion changed when Harden wanted to be moved and Durant "knew it was over."
Fischer reported that Durant had "grown weary" of Harden's commitment to the Nets and that he had been skeptical of the severity of his right hamstring tightness and that the two-time NBA champion had a conversation with Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks prior to the blockbuster trade.
"Kevin's the one that pulled the trigger with this," a source with knowledge of the situation told Fischer. "Kevin's the one that said, 'Do this deal.' There was growing concern that this entire season would be lost and then they'd lose James for nothing."
It's unclear when the Nets will get Simmons, who hasn't played during the 2021-22 season due to his falling out with the 76ers. But when Brooklyn has its new trio of Durant, Simmons and Irving, perhaps things will work out better for the team than if Harden had stayed.
Dragic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Spurs
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Goran Dragic's time with the San Antonio Spurs appears to be over without the point guard ever stepping on the court for the team.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the 35-year-old has agreed to a contract buyout with the Spurs and will become a free agent.
San Antonio had acquired Dragic on Feb. 10, when he was traded by the Toronto Raptors (along with a 2022 first-round draft pick) in exchange for Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks and a 2022 second-round draft pick.
Dragic played only five games for the Raptors this season, as he wanted to be dealt after arriving in Toronto in the trade that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat last August.
Charania reported that a "slew of teams" are expected to pursue the Slovenian. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski previously noted the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are the teams expected to be in "aggressive pursuit" of the player.
The 14-year NBA veteran could still be a valuable contributor to a playoff contender. During the 2020-21 season, he averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists in 50 games for Miami. He averaged 8.0 points during his five-game stint with Toronto this season.
Thomas to Return to G League After All-Star Break
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Earlier this season, Isaiah Thomas played one game for the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League and scored 42 points on Dec. 15 for the Denver Nuggets affiliate. That ended up being his only game with the team, as he then signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 17.
The 33-year-old played four games for the Lakers and then signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks, appearing in one game for the Mavs on Dec. 29. Since then, he hasn't been playing. But that's about to change.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Thomas is expected to return to the Grand Rapids Gold following the All-Star break. The Gold are coached by former NBA standout Jason Terry, who is a close friend of Thomas, per Stein.
In five NBA games this season, the two-time All-Star averaged 8.6 points per contest, but he shot 31.9 percent from the field. But if he plays consistent minutes in the G League and can get going again, perhaps he'll still make an impact in the NBA down the line.
