NBA Notebook: After Harden & Simmons Trade, is LeBron Next?
The NBA returns to game action on Thursday for the first slate of games coming out of the All-Star break. For the Dallas Mavericks, their first game back comes on Friday against the Utah Jazz. In the meantime, let's check in with what's going on around the league.
Here are some of the top storylines from around the league with our NBA Notebook:
No Tampering Investigation At This Time
In the heat of the NBA's player empowerment, two All-Star players who sought to be dealt to a new team ultimately got what they wanted. Now, James Harden is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers (as he claims he's always wanted) while Ben Simmons is getting a fresh start with the Brooklyn Nets.
There was reporting that took place well in advance of the Harden trade about teams potentially filling formal complaints with the league office to get a tampering investigation going. However, nothing of the sort has yet to occur.
“There is no ongoing investigation, right now,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “No team has logged a formal complaint with the league. These are things we watch play out, unfortunately, in many cases, in the media.”
Ultimately, the Nets and Sixers both felt as though Harden was going to end up in Philadelphia in the offseason — making a trade the logical outcome for both sides. Kevin Durant even felt it was the right move for Brooklyn to make.
Now, Philly has an elite duo that is primed to contend for a championship. As for the Nets, they have a lot of talent, but is Kyrie Irving going to be available enough this season with the COVID-19 mandate still in effect for them to contend right away?
The Simmons trade very well could save the Nets' season if he's able to make his debut before too long and find a rhythm early. There's been talk about "weeks" being needed beforehand, though. His defensive impact alone will be a key improvement for Brooklyn while also adding another layer to the team's offense alongside Durant.
LeBron James' Dissatisfaction With Lakers
Perhaps the biggest storyline of all from NBA All-Star Weekend has been the various quotes from LeBron James and his playing future. Between stating the "door's not closed" on returning to the Cavaliers and also planning to play his final season with his son Bronny (wherever that is), his comments commanded a lot of attention.
Barring an unforeseen change of fate, something is going to change with the Lakers in the offseason. Will it be the long anticipated Russell Westbrook trade? Will James decide he wants to move on with a trade of his own? Or, will Los Angeles move Anthony Davis in an attempt to re-tool around James?
The Cavaliers have built something special with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen as the franchise-cornerstones. Would the team welcome "King James" back? The Cavs' players have taken pride in what they've accomplished for the organization without James in the picture.
“It’s a rebirth of Cleveland,” Darius Garland told Chris Ferdor of Cleveland.com. “Our guys want to make our own legacy. Putting Cleveland on the map without Bron would mean a lot to all of us. It’s a new look, a new feel. We’re building into some other stuff we will be able to talk about later. We will keep growing and see what happens.”
If James does not intend to stay with the Lakers for much longer, it would make the most sense for both sides for him to be moved in a trade in the upcoming offseason. Otherwise, he will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 season.
Utah Jazz Face Pivotal Playoff Appearance
Losing to the LA Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals despite Kawhi Leonard being ruled out prior to Game 3 of the series is a tough one to justify for the Jazz. If Utah were to underachieve once again in the playoffs, is it time for changes?
The options for the Jazz to make a meaningful shakeup are limited. Rudy Gobert, Mitchell, Mike Conley, and Bojan Bogdanovic are set to account for $110.8 million of Utah's salary cap spending for the 2022-23 season. With Jordan Clarkson and Royce O'Neale set to combine for an additional $22.6 million, this is pretty much just their team.
There's been some discussion at times about Donovan Mitchell's future with the Jazz here and there with the New York Knicks being linked often. However, he always denies any desire to leave the Jazz when he's asked about it, and recently did so again.
“I’m at a point now where it’s the NBA, this is what it is,” Mitchell told Tony Jones of The Athletic. “People are going to write things. If I have to respond every five minutes to a story, then I’m taking away from my teammates, and I’m taking away from my happiness. I love this team, and we want to find a way to win as a group.
"I’m focused on my team. As long as my teammates and my coaches know my intentions, then that’s what it is. But I’m not going to allow articles to deter me from my main goal. I love this group. So, let’s find a way to do it.”
Teams will surely be waiting for Mitchell to shift course and decide that he no longer wants to play for the Jazz. Or, perhaps Utah decides they need to trade some of their foundational pieces to shift to a new identity and see how that pans out. Regardless, Utah needs to get the job done this time and it won't be easy in a tough Western Conference.
Zion Williamson's Ongoing Detachment
It seems strange to even be mentioning the possibility of a future trade request for a player that has appeared in just 85 games in three seasons. Perhaps even more bizarre is the lack of a substantial update surrounding even a timetable for his potential return. Either way, here we are...
There's been speculation about Zion Williamson ultimately angling his way out of New Orleans. According to Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated, Williamson is among the star players that team executives around the NBA are viewing as being potentially "the next disenchanted star to ask out."
"Team executives are already bracing (and/or plotting) for the next disenchanted star to ask out, with speculation focused on Zion Williamson in New Orleans, Damian Lillard in Portland and Donovan Mitchell in Utah," Beck wrote.
There's no denying the talent that Williamson has as a player. Still, it doesn't change the fact that it's highly complex to determine his trade value at this point. His willingness to play in certain markets would have a significant impact on the trade market he faces, too.
Before we even get to the point of discussing trade scenarios involving Williamson, he needs to be on the floor regularly for his team. Right now, there's a lot of uncertainty about what's even going on with his recovery than there is actual information.
