It’s not officially a new NBA season until everyone has their first loss. It’s also not officially the new NBA season until a bunch of trade rumors pour out into the league. The defending champion Golden State Warriors finally became the last team to lose this year and now we’re also starting to catch fire in the NBA rumor mill.
Needless to say, December is already shaping up to be a very interesting month and it could bleed into an even better January. It’s impossible to know what’s real and what will actually stick, but the recent buzz suggests we need to be ready for anything. Let’s touch on a few of the louder whispers around the league at the moment:
Celtics, Heat and Bulls Eye Boogie
This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but we already have a quick head count of teams that are quite serious about chasing down Kings star center, DeMarcus Cousins. Per reports, the Celtics, Heat and Bulls are all in the mix and could (and possibly already have begun) pitch packages to land the superstar big man. It’d be somewhat shocking if the Kings actually did end up trading their best player, but there have been so many rotten rumors that it might be best for all parties to go their separate ways.
If Boogie is out, though, where does he go? Boston might have the best collection of assets to let go. They have a good amount of draft picks in addition to some nice young talent in Marcus Smart, James Young and R.J. Hunter. They also have solid bigs like Amir Johnson and Jared Sullinger that could be added to the mix. While Boston’s pitch would include solid quantity, it’s possible the quality isn’t right for one of the best players in the league.
Miami could be a little more attractive, as center Hassan Whiteside is a defensive menace with a very high ceiling. Rookie stopper Justise Winslow could also be an attractive piece as well, but it’s tough to see the Heat parting with him after being so high on him this summer.
There there are the Bulls, where basically no one is off limits save for probably Jimmy Butler. Chicago has soured greatly on Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, so a package of them and a pick or two could be cause for pause.
The funny thing is this is just three teams that are now popping up. This DeMarcus Cousins situation is far from settled and we surely haven’t heard the end of it yet.
Houston, We Have a Problem
Dwight Howard is reportedly “extremely unhappy” in Houston, and why wouldn’t he be, as the Rockets have gone from barely missing out on the NBA Finals to probably not making the playoffs. Howard has been patient and quiet while playing major second fiddle to James Harden, but it turns out he’s not too keen on that and could want out. Being that he’s in a walk year, Houston could wisely use his sour mood to jump on a trade to make sure they get something and don’t lose him for nothing in free agency. Where he goes is anyone’s guess, but he’s still a very good center in a league with few of them, so he won’t want for suitors.
Bulls Looking to Loosen Up
Chicago has been stuck in a rut in the post all season, with only Pau Gasol really playing at a high level. Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah are seeing their roles and minutes jerked around like crazy, while the Bulls are reportedly also quite interested in freeing up room to start developing promising rookie big man, Bobby Portis. They already seemed to be slowly headed for divorces with Gibson and Noah, but their interest in playing Portis more could expedite that. It might be wiser to part with Gasol given that he’s in a walk year and is a defensive liability, but that seems unlikely. Look for Gibson and/or Noah to be moved before the trade deadline.
Hassanity
The obvious speculation of Miami possibly being interested in trading for Dwight Howard has Hassan Whiteside on high alert. So far reports suggest that the Heat have no intention of trading away their young center, but as currently constructed, they don’t have time to wait for him develop. With Miami in full-blown “win now” mode, swinging a trade for Howard doesn’t seem so crazy.
Terrence Being Shopped?
The Rockets have not exactly stormed out of the gates at just 12-13 this year an with Dwight Howard unhappy on top of that, they could be quite active in NBA trade rumors. It’s going to be difficult to see what’s real or not, but Terrence Jones being moved (possibly in addition to Howard being traded) is something to look for. The reality is he’s in a walk year and Houston has several big man in a bit of a log jam. Shipping off Jones would kill two birds with one stone and possibly it could help upgrade the point or get them another scorer off the bench.
More tidbits of NBA news and rumors will trickle in, and we’ll be sure to stop and discuss as things heat up even more. Got another hot rumor that we need to talk about? Bring it up in the comments below!
