NBA Rumors Roundup: Brooklyn not reaching out aggressively to trade Kevin Durant, James Harden‘s new deal with 76ers is worth $68.6 million, and more | July 21st, 2022
Kevin Durant could end up on the Brooklyn Nets roster on the opening night of the 2022-23 NBA season.
Trade talks caught fire when news emerged about his desire to leave Brooklyn. However, with the Nets not receiving offers of their liking, the prospect of Durant extending his stay with the franchise looks likely.
Meanwhile, James Harden's discounted deal with the Philadelphia 76ers is worth $68.6 million for two years. The second year will have a player option.
The former Houston Rockets man has taken a $15 million pay cut to re-sign with the Sixers in free agency. Philadelphia will hope to use that amount to improve their roster and create a legitimate contending team.
Find out more regarding these NBA rumors and other buzz surrounding various teams below.
Brooklyn not reaching out aggressively to trade Kevin Durant
The Brooklyn Nets aren't aggressively trying to trade superstar Kevin Durant. While there is a league-wide interest from teams, the offers haven't been enticing enough for the Nets to move their best player.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, some within the Nets organization are taking calls from rival teams. However, there haven't been any outgoing calls with the intent of finding a trade partner for Durant.
Here's what the insider said on ESPN's "Get Up" regarding KD and the Nets:
“From what I understand, trade talks involving Kevin Durant have slowed to a trickle. You can still get some Nets folks on the phone to make an offer but they are not aggressive in making outgoing calls.”
Windhorst added:
“The league is about to go on their first significant vacation in two years and people are scattering to Europe and the national parks and Kevin Durant is still a Net and that won’t change in the short-term future.”
James Harden‘s new deal with the 76ers is worth $68.6 million
James Harden seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship next season.
The former NBA MVP took a pay cut this offseason to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, "The Beard" has agreed to a two-year, $68.8 million deal, with the final year being a player option worth $35.6 million.
Free agent James Harden has agreed on a two-year, $68.6M deal, including a player option, to return to the 76ers, sources tell ESPN.
Harden declined a player option worth $47 million this offseason. His decision to accept a discounted deal helped the Philadelphia 76ers add a couple of decent players.
Savvy veteran PJ Tucker has been brought in with the midlevel exception, while they also signed Danuel House Jr. with the bi-annual exception in free agency.
Utah Jazz explore trading veteran guard Mike Conley
According to The Athletic's Tony Jones, Mike Conley could be the next veteran starting player on his way out of Utah.
The Jazz are leaning towards a rebuild after their repeated failure to make the Conference Finals in the Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert era. They traded Gobert and Royce O'Neale, acquiring a bevy of draft picks in exchange.
The Jazz have talked to teams about Mike Conley Jr., per @Tjonesonthenba via Spotify Live https://t.co/7ZtRymXvIr
NBA rumors suggest they could trade Mitchell, too, if the right offer arrives, with the New York Knicks rumored to be interested. If that move goes down, Conley, 34, will certainly not fit into Utah's plans.
He is owed $22 million next season and has a $14 million guaranteed salary in the 2023-24 NBA campaign. The Jazz will likely turn their attention to young players on the block and look to add to their draft capital.
Knicks remain frontrunners to land Donovan Mitchell as Jazz continue to explore interest from other teams
The New York Knicks and Utah Jazz have engaged in discussions over a possible trade move for Donovan Mitchell.
According to the latest NBA rumors, the two sides could've struck a deal last week. However, the Jazz demanded six of the Knicks' eight tradeable first-round picks, with four young impact rookie players. New York seems to have declined the demand.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Jazz will reconnect with the Knicks regarding Mitchell but continue to explore interest from other teams. Here's what he said regarding this:
"Utah talked with the Knicks early last week, exchanged some ideas of what a potential Donovan Mitchell deal with New York might look like. I think now Utah is out talking to the rest of the league, seeing what else might be available to them."
Wojnarowski added:
"I do think they'll reconnect with the Knicks at some point in this offseason. But Utah, again a high threshold for doing a deal for Mitchell, four years left also on his contract. You saw what they got for Rudy Gobert. They were patient."
He concluded:
"New York doesn't want to just bid against itself. Offer up more and more without a sense that there's somebody else in the marketplace doing that. So, I do think any potential Donovan Mitchell deal is going to take some time."
.@wojespn with the latest on Donovan Mitchell:
"I do think any potential Donovan Mitchell deal is going to take some time." https://t.co/MyARcKEYWx
The Jazz will be keen to add young talent and draft compensation if they trade Mitchell, having moved Rudy Gobert and Royce O'Neale. Meanwhile, they are rumored to be exploring scenarios to trade Mike Conley as they look to rebuild their roster.
NBA scout believes Miami Heat could include Bam Adebayo in potential deal for Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has listed the Miami Heat as one of his preferred landing spots this summer. However, the Heat don't have the assets to make a deal happen. The Brooklyn Nets would essentially want a young All-Star in exchange, along with heft draft compensation.
Miami would likely prefer to keep the likes of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on the team. This would give them a better shot at competing for the title with Durant as their leading player.
Contrary to that belief, an NBA scout thinks the Heat could be willing to include Adebayo in a potential trade deal for Durant. The unnamed source told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:
“If you’re the Heat, you make that trade, even if you need to include [Ben] Simmons. If you have an opportunity to get a player like Kevin Durant, you do it. From my relationship with Pat Riley, I believe the Heat would make that trade [including Adebayo] if given the option.”
The anonymous NBA scout does not believe the Brooklyn Nets would be satisfied with acquiring Adebayo. The Heat big man is neither one of the best scorers in the league, nor an MVP-caliber player.
Brooklyn's asking price is steep, and they will likely ask for draft compensation in addition to Adebayo. The Heat have only three tradeable first-round picks, which simply may not be enough.