The NBA league office doesn't want teams announcing extensions or pre-draft trades during the NBA Finals — it wants the focus to be on the court — but that doesn't slow the rumor mill.
Durant drawing interest from 4-6 teams
It is still expected in league circles that Kevin Durant will be on a new team next season, even if that takes a little time to unfold, as he has to wait for the Giannis Antetokounmpo domino to fall.
There is plenty of interest in the 15-time All-Star, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
"He is expected to have a robust market of approximately four to six seriously interested teams this offseason, sources said."
Durant, who will be 37 at the start of next season and is coming off an ankle injury, is still a walking bucket. He averaged 26.6 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game last season, shooting 43% from beyond the arc. There are more than a few playoff teams he can help, but he's going to want a massive two-year extension off of the $54.7 million he is set to make next season, and those numbers give some front offices pause.
Phoenix lowers asking price for Durant. Maybe.
The question isn't whether Durant will be traded, but where, and how many young players and picks will be heading back to Phoenix.
The Suns — with new GM Brian Greggory in place and owner Mat Ishbia promising to be even more hands-on (yikes) — particularly want to do business with the Rockets because Houston controls Phoenix's No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft, plus they have a lot of quality young players. The Rockets' interest in Durant, who will be 37 next season, has been tepid, which has led the Suns to lower their asking price, according to Kelly Iko at The Athletic.
"There is a price where the Rockets would be interested, but with a fear of breaking up their roster for a 36-year-old coming off injury, doubt remains over a deal materializing."
The idea of a lower asking price was rejected by the well-connected radio host John Gambadoro in Phoenix.
Rockets want to bring back Adams, VanVleet
Whatever happens with potentially trading for a star, Houston has other priorities this offseason, specifically bringing back center Steven Adams (a free agent) and Fred VanVleet ($44.9 million team option), according to Iko's report at The Athletic. Adams, coming off a bounce-back season (following time missed with a knee injury), could be a target for teams looking for a traditional center (the Lakers, Spurs among others) but "the Rockets are operating under the assumption Adams wants to return — and will continue to speak with his representation about a possible extension, team sources said."
With VanVleet, don't be surprised if Houston negotiates an extension at a lower per-year salary but one that goes out for a couple more years, giving VanVleet more money overall and more security with a longer deal. Iko summed it up this way: "The likelihood VanVleet plays for a different team next season is slim, those sources said."
Is Towns for Durant trade rumor real?
In the wake of the Knicks' playoff exit, fingers were pointed at two people. One was coach Tom Thibodeau, and now he is out.
The other was Karl-Anthony Towns, whose defensive limitations were on full display in Game 6 against Indiana. That has led to speculation in some quarters of a Durant for KAT trade, most notably from Bill Simmons. This is all just speculation and not reporting at this point — it's fun to talk about, but is there any smoke here, let alone fire? Probably not.
Logistically the trade is not that hard to pull off even with the tax aprons looming, Towns and Durant have similar salaries, and while a third team may be needed a deal could be found. For the Suns, they make Devin Booker happy by bringing in one of his friends and a fellow Kentucky guy in KAT.
There is one big problem with putting together this trade, one that goes beyond Durant saying in 2019 "players have grown up watching the Knicks suck and they aren't cool anymore" (the Knicks are cool again). Phoenix wants picks back in any trade, and New York sent all theirs out the door to acquire Mikal Bridges and Towns; they don't have the picks to make this deal. A third team is not just giving away picks for role players.
Never say never in the NBA, but there are just more logical Durant trades than one to New York.
Rockets still interested in Antetokounmpo
If Houston is going to trade away young talent and picks for a star, they want someone younger and closer to their current core's timeline. With that, the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is "still a target" for the Rockets, reports Iko at The Athletic, but then he threw some cold water on the idea:
"...but there has been recent uncertainty in the past week on Antetokounmpo's actual availability — not to mention the potential asking price Milwaukee would require."
Antetokounmpo has not told the Bucks he wants a trade. While Houston and San Antonio could put together the kind of offers Milwaukee wants in return, there is a growing school of thought that if Antetokounmpo does ask for a trade he will want to stay in the Eastern Conference, not come out West. While he would make the Rockets an instant title contender, the West still has the 68-win Thunder, the two-time Western Conference finalist Timberwolves with an improving Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets, the LeBron/Doncic Lakers, likely with a new center, the Curry/Butler Warriors, and other quality teams. The road to the Finals is not as daunting in the East.
Dumars says Pelicans “going forward” with Zion
A trade market for Zion Williamson exists, but it was never going to bring back as much as New Orleans would want. Other teams saw his production last season but also saw that he played just 30 games due to injury. Add on the accusations against him in a civil lawsuit and other teams will be hesitant.
Which is why it's no surprise Pelicans' decision maker Joe Dumars told Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune that Zion was at the heart of New Orleans' plans and that they have spent time together.
"We've had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We've done it all. I've had some real honest conversations with him. Some real direct and honest conversations. We're going to go forward with Zion. He's going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward."
Whether Dumars took the job with thoughts of trading Zion or not doesn't matter, it isn't going to happen this offseason. The market isn't where Dumars and the Pelicans would want it (and if Zion plays 65 games and produces like he did last season, would they want to trade him?). You can ignore all the Zion trade talk right now.
Rumor: Would Spurs have interest in Jaylen Brown
Changes are coming to Boston this summer, they are deep into the second apron and with Jayson Tatum's Achilles rupture next season could be a gap year. Either Jrue Holiday or Derrick White will be traded to save money (my bet would be on Holiday), and they will look for a new home for Kristaps Porzingis.
Could the Celtics go for a total reset and trade Jaylen Brown? Probably not, but nobody is sure exactly how deep Boston wants to go with its changes. Breaking up the Jays after riding with them for years and finally winning a title together seems unlikely, but if Boston is really willing to make next season a gap year and do a total reset, Brown would be available. If Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office decide to explore this idea, look for the San Antonio Spurs to be interested, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated said on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’Season YouTube show.
"The team I'd watch the closest with Jaylen Brown is probably the Spurs... "You would get the No. 2 pick back in return. You would get the Devin Vassells, the Keldon Johnsons, future first-round capital. That's something I'd watch if and when the Giannis Antetokounmpo stuff shakes itself out over the next few weeks."
There are a lot of "ifs" at play, starting with the Antetokounmpo situation and then what the Celtics are thinking. That said, it's something to keep an eye on. Antetokounmpo is a better individual player than Brown, but Brown might be a better fit with De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio (and he's three years younger than the Greek Freak).
Kurt Helin
