The NBA offseason is starting to heat up, and while free agency doesn’t start until June 30, that hasn’t stopped the rumors from flying. Trades have also been practically non-stop — we saw several on the first night of the draft, including the Phoenix Suns trading for Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.
We’ve already seen several high-profile trades comes through, like Kevin Durant heading to the Houston Rockets, and the Celtics shedding salary by sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.
But the offseason has just begun, and we’re bound to see a lot more action in the coming weeks. Let’s take a look at all the latest rumors circulating around the league.
Westbrook became a free agent after declining his $3.4 million player option to stay with the Denver Nuggets next season. Despite having a productive season with the Nuggets, Westbrook is instead deciding to test the free agency waters, perhaps looking for a more lucrative deal or just a different home. While free agency hasn’t started, the market for Westbrook doesn’t appear to be incredibly fruitful, but the Kings have registered some interest in the MVP guard, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
Sacramento has been in need of a point guard since trading De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February, and Westbrook would be a cheap option, even if just for a season or two. Another player the Kings might explore, according to Amick, is Tyus Jones, who is also a free agent after spending last season with the Phoenix Suns.
Bulls shopping a slew of players this summer
Chicago has been on the treadmill of mediocrity for years now. They’ve made one postseason appearance in 2022, but outside of that it’s been play-in appearances and mid-tier lottery selections. The Bulls just drafted Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick, and looking ahead to the offseason, they are apparently trying to overhaul this roster. The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reports that the Bulls have practically made everyone not named Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey — the latter of whom is expected to get a contact extension this summer — available. Specific names mentioned are Coby White, Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams, per Cowley.
The Bulls are looking to “package Williams in a deal this summer,” per Cowley, or include him in a multi-team trade if one arises. That’s not surprising. Though Williams drew Kawhi Leonard comparisons entering the league, he’s fallen way short of that. He’s got the size and defensive tools to make him a valuable player on a winning team, but his passiveness on offense has been a sticking point for Chicago.
Elsewhere on the roster, Cowley reports that White is not expected to sign any extension the Bulls offer this summer, and instead plans to play out the final year of his deal and enter unrestricted free agency next summer. If that’s his plan, then it would be wise for the Bulls to trade him now before losing him for nothing. There’s certainly a market for White, who has blossomed into a bonafide scorer with the Bulls, averaging 20.4 points last season.
Chicago could get a decent return for White if he’s traded this summer, the same goes for Ball, who returned to the Bulls after missing two and a half seasons due to injuries and rehab setbacks. Ball played in just 35 games, but showed hints of his former self as a defensive stalwart who can knock down 3s and organize an offense on the other end. Given the $10 million Ball will make next season, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a team willing to take a flier on him.
Watch all your favorite Amazon Prime Video Sports broadcasts live and free. Get access to NFL, NBA, NASCAR, WNBA, and more – all included with your Prime membership!