The NBA trade rumors are still flying as Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, and Josh Smith are among the subjects of talks.
Check out the latest buzz here:
Love, Andrew Wiggins
The Cleveland Cavaliers shot to the top of the Kevin Love trade rumors after the LeBron James announcement, but are not willing to part with No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins.
Two people familiar with the situation said that the Cavaliers’ position has remained unchanged and that no offer including Wiggins has been made to Minnesota. The people requested anonymity because neither team was publicly commenting on trade talks.
“Rumors are rumors. That’s why they call them rumors,” Cavs coach David Blatt said. “Sooner or later in one’s career, you’re going to have to deal with it. If he has to deal with it now, then so be it. It’s summer league. He’s learning everything as he goes along.”
Love has requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has one year left on his contract, but has said that he would sign an extension with the Cavs.
It’s not known if James would prefer the Cavs to hold onto Wiggins in any deal for Love, his U.S. Olympic teammate. But what’s certain is that the Cavaliers will take James’ feelings into consideration before making any move. The four-time MVP is hugely influential, and his return to the Cavaliers has restored hope in a franchise that has been down and out since he left for Miami in 2010.
Andrew Wiggins of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA summer league basketball Friday, July 11, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Wiggins has yet to sign his rookie contract, which has led to speculation that the Cavaliers were stalling on that front to make it easier to execute a trade. The minute Wiggins does sign the deal, he cannot be traded for 30 days under league rules.
But keeping him unsigned also gives the Cavaliers more flexibility to pursue free agents. They have already agreed to terms with veteran shooters Mike Miller and James Jones, and have reached out to Ray Allen as well.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have made it clear that without Wiggins—or an attractive deal from another team like Golden State—they are content to start the season with Love on the roster and see if they can make enough improvement next season to convince him to stay in Minnesota.
Smith to Kings?
The Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings have been in talks regarding Smith, who has three years and $40.5 million remaining on his contract.
Sources told ESPN that the Kings want to team Smith up with DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay and see what happens.
Initial talks called for the Kings to send Jason Thompson, paired with either Derrick Williams or Jason Terry, but those discussions reached an impasse.
The Pistons were talking to the Portland Trailblazers about sign-and-trade scenarios that may have sent Greg Monroe to the Blazers but those talks broke down after the Blazers signed Chris Kaman.
“Sources say the Kings continue to give the addition of Smith serious consideration, largely because the discussions to date have not required them to part with any players in their long-term plans and would also add a versatile and athletic defender to a roster that badly needs one, given how much Kings coach Mike Malone is known to preach defense,” according to ESPN.
“Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, furthermore, is known to be fond of splashy moves. And trading for Smith, given the lukewarm reviews of his first season with the Pistons, would certainly qualify as bold.”
Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News says that the Kings general manager isn’t enthralled with the potential deal.
“If anything, seems like it’s being pushed by coach Mike Malone,” he said.
Eric Bledsoe
(AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
The Suns are working to retain Bledsoe, perhaps the best guard left on the market after the signing of Lance Stephenson. But the two parties are not close to a deal, sources told ESPN.
Bledsoe wants a max contract. Other teams have been deterred by the thought that the Suns will match offers, and the team has refused sign-and-trade deals.
“But the Suns’ completion of a sign-and-trade deal for Isaiah Thomas, along with the drafting of point guard Tyler Ennis, has potential suitors believing that Phoenix may move on from Bledsoe, league sources said,” it reported. “The Milwaukee Bucks have been mentioned as a team with interest in Bledsoe, and Sacramento and Houston, which recently traded away Jeremy Lin, could be in the market for a point guard.”
Bledsoe could be involved in a sign-and-rade.
But Arizona Central Sports writer Paul Coro is among those who believe that Bledsoe wants to return.
“I don’t think he wants to leave Phoenix. It’s probably frustrating for everybody to hear him not just say a simple thing like ’man I would really love to stay here, it was great here, I love my team, I could really see myself being here a long time,'” he said in a recent radio interview.
“It would have been great if somebody had coached him to say that or had him say that, but I think we maybe read a little too much into Eric Bledsoe not saying things like that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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