NBA Rumors: All is quiet on the Zach LaVine trade front for now
Zach LaVine has been a staple of NBA trade rumors all summer. The Chicago Bulls finished last season as the No. 9 seed and there's little reason to believe the product will meaningfully improve in 2023-24. That said, don't expect LaVine to change teams in the immediate future.
Artūras Karnišovas and the front office will, perhaps foolishly, enter the upcoming season with hopes of contention.
From Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times:
"The indications several in the league were getting from the Bulls was while the ripcord wasn't pulled this summer, it's definitely in Karnisovas' hand and being gripped firmly… [however] Karnisovas was thrilled with the 14-9 second-half finish to the 2023-24 campaign, as well as the fact that the Bulls were three minutes away from eliminating Jimmy Butler and the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Heat in the final play-in game."
That means all is quiet on the Zach LaVine trade front for now. His name has been popping up in trade rumors for two years, but the Bulls remain committed to winning with the current group. Nikola Vucevic signed a three-year, $60 million extension over the summer and there's no indication that LaVine's co-star, DeMar DeRozan, is at any risk of being moved.
The Bulls have also asked an exorbitant amount for LaVine in trade talks, per Crowley, which would suggest that the front office isn't particularly motivated to trade him. LaVine still has three fully guaranteed years left on his contract, as well as a player option worth $49 million in 2026-27. It would not be shocking if teams around the league were hesitant to commit so much long-term money to LaVine, who has never mounted a serious postseason run and who has dealt with several lower-leg injuries as a player reliant on outlier athleticism.
NBA Rumors: Josh Hart, Immanuel Quickley in line for big extensions
The Knicks are quickly approaching the extension deadline for two key role players: Immanuel Quickley and Josh Hart. The former has spent his entire rookie contract with the Knicks. The latter arrived last season via trade and opted into the final year of his contract, rather than testing the free agent waters.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Hart is expected to receive an extension in the range of four years and $75 million in August. That's a more than fair price for one of the league's best complementary wings. Hart is a staple of New York's perimeter defense and a constant presence on the glass. Offensively, his mix of shooting, slashing, and passing can't be overlooked.
With the cap ceiling rising, this feels about right for players in Hart's tier. Bruce Brown received a little over $22 million annually from the Pacers, a potentially strong point of comparison. The NBA is a wing's league and versatile role players of Hart's ilk will continue to get paid.
As for Quickley, he's expected to demand a higher price tag in advance of his extension deadline in October. The Knicks will have to get creative on the financial front with Hart's contract joining the expensive core of Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, and Jalen Brunson. If Quickley is asking for over $20 million annually, the Knicks are going to be swimming in tax dollars.
One extremely feasible fallout of Quickley's high demands would be a potential R.J. Barrett trade. The former No. 3 pick hasn't really materialized into a consistently beneficial offensive presence and the Knicks could look to dump his $26.7 million average annual salary to clean up the books.
NBA Rumors: Clippers in no hurry to extend Kawhi Leonard
The Los Angeles Clippers are approaching a serious inflection point as a franchise. With the new arena set to open in 2024, both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have the option to hit free agency next summer. Leonard's player option worth $48.8 million could be tempting for a player with his injury history, but one has to imagine teams the league over will line up to offer Leonard long(er)-term money.
It would appear, however, that the Clippers are taking the patient approach. According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, "there is no rush on an extension for Kawhi Leonard." The Clippers have the ability to offer both Leonard and George five-year max contracts, but Los Angeles must be wary given the age and durability concerns tied to both stars.
This is ultimately a very serious risk for the Clippers. Leonard hasn't played 60 regular season games since 2018-19, but he's still one of the best players in the world when healthy. Leonard was in peak form late last season and into the playoffs before another untimely knee injury removed him from the Clippers' first-round series against Phoenix.
The Clippers are currently in the running for James Harden, but haggling over price could cost them the opportunity to pair three of the league's top 20 players. If Los Angeles fumbles Harden and then doesn't extend Kawhi or George, there's a non-zero chance the team ends up in full rebuild mode when the new arena opens next season. One has to imagine Steve Balmer and ownership would like to avoid such circumstances. Leonard still sells tickets, and he still represents the Clippers' best chance to compete for a title in the immediate future.
Leonard might be the least reliable superstar in the NBA because of health, but he is still a superstar. With two Finals MVP awards on his résumé, there aren't many more accomplished postseason operators in the league. Los Angeles should get serious about Leonard extension talks as the fall deadline gets closer.
