2023 NBA Trade Rumors & rumors FA signings

[Donoghus]

Keith Smith
@KeithSmithNBA
Nikola Vucevic's extension with the Chicago Bulls is fully guaranteed for $60M with no options, a league source tells
@spotrac
.

[theswitch]

Man, the career arc of Mo Bamba is tough. Just last year a young, 11ppg, 8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks with 39% shooting at 7' 240. You would've thought he's on a clear starter trajectory in today's NBA. A layup to at least be Brook Lopez.

Now he's waived after being kicked out of a rotation that had basically no depth big man and was starving for it. I'd take a flyer on him but you wonder how bad he must be in the locker room for that course reversal.

[Roy H.]

i just read this elsewhere concerning the collins trade between utah and atlanta. ainge is really good at this gm stuff.

--------------------

So Ainge has turned Russell Westbrook / Rudy Gobert / Donovan Mitchell / Rudy Gay’s corpse into:

Lauri Markannen (26 yo)
Walker Kessler (21)
John Collins (25)
Collin Sexton (24)
8 1st round picks (4 for Gobert, 3 for Donovan, 1 for Westbrook)
3 1st round pick swaps
$48M in cap space for 23-24

Danny Ainge and his heists...did it to Brooklyn and now done it again with Minnesota. GMs ought to be careful when dealing with him

I love Danny.  He needs to make the HOF as a contributor.  Player, coach, GM and announcer. 

[Donoghus]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

[RJ87]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

I don't understand what Harden wants. He claims he wants to win, but he keeps bailing on winning situations.

[Donoghus]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

I don't understand what Harden wants. He claims he wants to win, but he keeps bailing on winning situations.

He's an odd duck, for sure.

[jpotter33]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

Interesting. So is it that the limited money available this summer has made him gun shy, thinking he can get a better, long-term deal next year? Risky given his age and injuries and overall downgrade of ability.

[Celtics2021]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

I don't understand what Harden wants. He claims he wants to win, but he keeps bailing on winning situations.

He's an odd duck, for sure.

A Kyrie-Harden trade of odd ducks seems not impossible.

[keevsnick]

Puts the 76ers in a tough situation. Harden's contract can't be extended because it is technically only a two year deal. That means he's going to be an UFA next summer, so he's essentially an expiring. Hurts what they can get for him, but easier than trying to S&T him.

Probably ends up with the Clippers is my guess.

Norman Powell+Marcus Morris is pretty much neutral salary wise.

[RJ87]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

I don't understand what Harden wants. He claims he wants to win, but he keeps bailing on winning situations.

He's an odd duck, for sure.

A Kyrie-Harden trade of odd ducks seems not impossible.

Harden seems to have hated taking a backseat to Joel, don't know if he's going to want to for Luka.

Based on comments he's made, he wants to be the offensive focal point.

[bdm860]

i just read this elsewhere concerning the collins trade between utah and atlanta. ainge is really good at this gm stuff.

--------------------

So Ainge has turned Russell Westbrook / Rudy Gobert / Donovan Mitchell / Rudy Gay’s corpse into:

Lauri Markannen (26 yo)
Walker Kessler (21)
John Collins (25)
Collin Sexton (24)
8 1st round picks (4 for Gobert, 3 for Donovan, 1 for Westbrook)
3 1st round pick swaps
$48M in cap space for 23-24

Danny Ainge and his heists...did it to Brooklyn and now done it again with Minnesota. GMs ought to be careful when dealing with him

I wonder what it's like to play poker with the guy.  Feel like he's a master bluffer and can call out everyone else's bluff and smell their fear to get the best deal.

Take the Gobert deal for example, he probably convinced Minnesota he was willing to walk away from the whole deal if he didn't get a 4th 1st round pick, and they believed him.  Minnesota probably said no at first, but then caved.  He could sense the fear and knew they would fold first.

Though I suppose the flip side is all those deals that didn't go through.  Butler, George, Chris Paul, Kawhi, Love, Aaron Gordon etc. the other teams successfully called his bluff.

[celticinorlando]

And now you see why the clippers floated the BS excuses about brogdan being hurt seriously. They wanted harden

[obnoxiousmime]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
3m
BREAKING: 76ers G James Harden is picking up his $35.6 million option and sides are beginning to work together in exploring trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN. It’s expected that Harden has played his last game for Philadelphia.

I don't understand what Harden wants. He claims he wants to win, but he keeps bailing on winning situations.

He took less money last year to allow Philly to sign P.J. Tucker, so that's something at least. I'm sure he thought he'd be taken care of by the Sixers after that.

It's the same with Kyrie, though he has already won a chip. Guards that are closer to the end of their prime than the beginning still wanting max money (including the years) for their last big deal. Philly just never seemed like a franchise that was going to overpay for Harden considering his age. Sure, there may have been a scenario in which Harden was excellent in the playoffs and it seemed like this nucleus was close to a title, but that didn't end up being the case.

Especially with the Sixers well insulated at guard due to Maxey's presence, it makes sense that they didn't want to overpay for Harden into his age 35-36-37 years or however long of a deal he was asking for.

[Neurotic Guy]

Even though Harden was not the answer for Philly, I can’t see the 76ers getting a return that makes them stronger next season.  And Embiid’s clock is ticking. Still young-ish but I can’t see his body being able to withstand too many more seasons at his current level.  He already seems worn out often at the end of games.   

[jpotter33]

With Philly still trying to compete in the East, I doubt they send him to any playoff team in the East.

A few options in the West, particularly the Clips and Mavs. However, if Harden has any say in this does he really want to go play either of those places where he’ll have the ball even less?

A couple dark horses would be Portland and NOLA. If NOLA wants to go for it this year, a swap with McCollum makes some sense for both sides. Alternatively, does Portland float Simons out there as a desperate pitch to pair Lillard with another star and keep him given the lack of other options? It’s a God-awful fit, but I could see them doing it, especially if they don’t have to give up Scoot in the process and could keep Dame happy.

Philly is just not in a good position here. If no miracle trade materializes that keeps you at faux-contender status, it almost makes more sense to fully blow it up now and put both Embiid and Harden on the market and try to really restock.