NBA Rumors Roundup: Kemba Walker wanted to team up with Kevin Durant on New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers targeting Cam Reddish and more - August 22nd, 2021
The New York Knicks could have had Kevin Durant and Kemba Walker on their roster back in 2019, according to recent NBA rumors. Another report states that the Cleveland Cavaliers are not done with their offseason and have plans to improve their roster, hopefully with the addition of the Atlanta Hawks’ Cam Reddish.
Check out the latest NBA rumors from Sunday, August 22.
NBA Rumors: The duo of Kevin Durant and Kemba Walker could have been in New York Knicks in 2019
Kemba Walker would have been a member of the New York Knicks in 2019 if only Kevin Durant had joined him there, per NBA rumors courtesy of the New York Post’s Marc Berman.
“According to an NBA source, Walker wanted to team with Kevin Durant when the Knicks had cap space for two max players,” Berman wrote.
“The Walker-Durant Knicks pairing didn’t happen because KD ultimately decided to join Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. It was a move that eventually led to the formation of a Brooklyn Big 3 with James Harden joining the band last winter.”
Walker eventually joined the Knicks this offseason, but the long route it took to get there could have been avoided had Durant agreed to join him rather than Irving. Berman also added to NBA rumors about what kept Walker from being a Knick back then.
“The Post has learned the Knicks, amid their chase for Durant, were told emphatically Irving was not changing his mind about Brooklyn,” Berman added.
“As a fallback, former Knicks president Steve Mills and current GM Scott Perry turned their sights on trying to get Walker to agree to play with KD. In fact, Durant’s camp asked Knicks management what other star it could get to pair with Durant.
“When Durant and Irving ultimately signed with the Nets, the Knicks and Walker mutually agreed it was not a good idea to bring him to New York without another current All-Star.”
Despite the two-year setback, per NBA rumors, the Knicks are now pairing Walker with an All-Star of their own after Julius Randle became a first-time All-Star last season. It has been a long time coming, but Walker is truly and finally home.
NBA Rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers in contact with Atlanta Hawks for Cam Reddish
Several NBA rumors involving the Cleveland Cavaliers have also popped up in the news lately. According to Chris Fedor of Clevleand.com, the Cavs have been eyeing the Atlanta Hawks’ Cam Reddish for some time now and are currently communicating with the organization regarding his availability.
“Atlanta’s Cam Reddish has been a Cleveland front-office favorite since the 2019 draft,” Fedor wrote.
“They’ve been in contact with Atlanta about him -- even though the price remains high.”
The Hawks have a trio of talented forwards in Reddish, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter and Danilo Gallinari. It would be interesting to see if a couple of the younger forwards rise to the top and outshine the others during training camp. That could provide the Cavs the opportunity to snatch one of them, and it may well be Reddish who becomes the odd man out here.
Stay tuned to this hot NBA rumor which could heat up in the days or weeks to come.
NBA Rumors Memphis Grizzlies have made Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson available
Other NBA rumors from Fedor include the Memphis Grizzlies making Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson available in trades. The crowded Grizzlies lineup can only take on enough guaranteed contracts before they start shipping off a few of them for future assets who won’t take up roster spots.
“Sources say Grizzlies small forwards Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson are available for the right price,” Fedor also reported.
What the right price for the Grizzlies remains to be seen, perhaps in other NBA rumors. Brooks and Anderson were valuable members of the team’s push to make the playoffs last season. The fact that they nearly pulled it off is a testament to the work these two had done after rising star Ja Morant was sidelined earlier in the season.
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