The latest NBA rumors have the Dallas Mavericks targeting a disgruntled star, the Charlotte Hornets favoring a prospect at No. 2, and D'Angelo Russell talking way too much.
With the NBA Finals on the horizon, most NBA teams are focused on the summer ahead. The draft and free agency are mere weeks away and the rumor mill is buzzing. The new collective bargaining agreement will soon take effect, which means we could be in store for a busier offseason than normal.
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly have a trade target and a potential package in mind, the Charlotte Hornets are favoring a specific prospect with the No. 2 pick in June's NBA Draft, and D'Angelo Russell showed a serious lack of self-awareness after the Lakers' loss to Denver on Monday.
Let's get you up to speed on the latest happenings around the NBA.
NBA rumors: Mavs' biggest trade target, package revealed
According to Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to consider building a trade package around the No. 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. That package could include names like Tim Hardaway Jr., Davis Bertans, and JaVale McGee — all of whom are under contract through 2025.
Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns is a name to watch. While Stein went on to state that Ayton is not the Mavs' No. 1 trade target, he does have fans in the organization. Ayton was famously selected first overall in the 2018 draft, the same year Dallas traded up for Luka Doncic in the No. 3 spot.
Ayton is a tremendous talent, capable of influencing the game on both sides of the ball. His strength, footwork, and touch around the basket suggest star-level upside, but he struggled to exert a consistent influence over the game for Phoenix last season. His rocky relationship with Monty Williams and his lackluster effort in the playoffs could turn some Dallas fans off.
That being said, Ayton has every physical gift at his disposal and he fits hand-in-glove with Luka Doncic on paper. Plus, the Mavs desperately need size in the frontcourt.
NBA rumors: Hornets likely prefer Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson
The NBA Draft starts with the Charlotte Hornets in the No. 2 slot. It is a foregone conclusion that Victor Wembanyama will go first overall to the Spurs, but there has been serious debate over who the Hornets should select afterward: Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson.
For now, Miller appears to be gaining steam. At 6-foot-9, Miller was the most productive freshman in college basketball for the best regular season team in college basketball. His blend of size, shooting, and playmaking presents a relatively high floor. Meanwhile, the Hornets could view the positional overlap between Henderson, a ball-dominant point guard, and LaMelo Ball as a serious deterrent.
According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, members of the Charlotte front office believe Miller "can be a star." Scouts at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago last week expressed the opinion that people made up their minds about Scoot Henderson too early following his dominant showing against Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 in October. Henderson dealt with an injury and shot below 30 percent from deep with the G-League Ignite last season.
Miller is the cleaner fit for Charlotte, giving them positional versatility and reliable shooting while still offering upside as a creator in the halfcourt. Miller made some tremendous passing reads at Alabama and he became more comfortable attacking the middle of the defense as the season progressed. If he can become more efficient at the rim, there aren't many holes to poke in his game.
For more information on the 2023 NBA Draft class, read our latest Big Board and Mock Draft.
NBA rumors: D'Angelo Russell has problem with Darvin Ham
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham moved D'Angelo Russell to the bench in advance of the team's Game 4 showdown with the Denver Nuggets. Russell ended up scoring four points in 15 minutes of game action. In his exit interview the next day, Russell expressed frustration with the decision.
Frankly, Russell should probably be more self-aware in the moment. Ham's decision to bench Russell didn't come out of nowhere. In fact, it came after he received criticism for not benching Russell in previous games.
Jamal Murray and the Nuggets' offense made it priority No. 1 to involve Russell in ball screen actions whenever he touched the floor. Russell has never been the most committed on-ball defender and his lack of awareness off the ball was consistently exploited by a Denver offense that prioritizes movement. Russell wasn't hitting shots either: he scored a combined 21 points on 8-of-27 shooting in Games 1-3.
If Russell isn't hitting 3s or giving the Lakers life with his playmaking out of pick-and-rolls, he's not really serving a purpose. LA benefitted drastically from Dennis Schroder's on-ball pressure on Jamal Murray and Austin Reaves was the Lakers' best guard by a country mile. There simply was no need to continue starting and feeding Russell, even if his $31.4 million price tag might suggest otherwise. Now, the Lakers face the difficult decision of whether or not to re-sign Russell in free agency.