With only one day until the annual NBA Draft, you can really expect the trade rumors and rumblings to heat up. Teams are calling others about their respective picks and players, and some big names are being floated about. Here is the latest from around the NBA:
Tony Parker is reportedly being offered in exchange for a lottery draft pick this year. The first team I immediately thought of that both needs a point guard and loves European players is the Toronto Raptors, who pick at five overall. Not to my surprise, the Raptors were among the teams reportedly interested, as well as the Sacramento Kings, who pick seventh.
It’s unclear who the Spurs would be targeting, though Doug Gottleib on ESPN opined that they could be looking to jump up for Jonas Valanciunas, the Lithuanian big man who is rumored to be falling because of his buyout situation in Europe.
The Phoenix Suns are apparently doing their very best to land Arizona forward Derrick Williams. They have reportedly offered Minnesota Marcin Gortat and the 13th pick for the rights to draft Williams, and now a rumor has floated through that they offered point guard Steve Nash. Nash wants to be on a title contender, and Minnesota certainly is not that, and the report on ESPN reads that both teams came to a “mutual conclusion” that such a deal could not work. So, in essence, this is non-news.
Glen Davis of the Boston Celtics apparently wants a bigger role or he wants a trade:
“If it’s not what I think I can be, and somebody else sees me as a person who can be what I think I can be, then you’ve got to go somewhere else. Doc is Doc. He has his ways and that’s it. If he sees me as something, that’s how he sees me. If I’m still here with the Celtics, then I will play that role.”
The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly put power forward Josh Smith on the trading block, and it appears as though they might get some feelers. While no teams have come out and expressed interest, a natural fit would be in Orlando, where Smith could play with his buddy Dwight Howard (at least for a year).
ESPN analyst Tom Haberststroh doesn’t see Orlando in the mix right now, but he thinks there will be teams ready to make offers for the big man:
“Josh Smith could be a defensive player of the year under the right coach and program. Teams that could be looking to add a power forward are the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and New Orleans Hornets.”
The 76ers continue to dangle guard/forward Andre Iguodala, who has likely played his final game in a Sixers uniform. Philadelphia has been rumored to be talking about a deal with the LA Clippers for Chris Kaman, which works in terms of salary, but seems like more of a salary dump for Philly than they probably want to do.
The Washington Wizards really like Turkish center Enes Kanter, and they are willing to pay up for him. Reportedly, they are interested in a potential trade with Cleveland, provided Kanter is on the board. The proposed trade would send the sixth and 18th picks to the Cavs, and the 4th pick to the Wizards. Washington would then select Kanter, and the Cavs could look to a guy like Kawhi Leonard with the 6th pick, and possibly a shooting guard or big man with the 18th pick.
The Grizzlies are not expected to make any trades on draft day, particularly as it pertains to shooting guard OJ Mayo, a player that has drawn interest. The Grizzlies nearly dealt Mayo to Indiana at the trade deadline for Josh McRoberts and picks, but the trade was not filed in time and it never went through. Now that the bar has been set, Memphis can’t get a satisfactory offer for Mayo and likely will keep him.
Continue to check back to SB Nation Cleveland for updates on the Cavs and the NBA Draft.