NBA Rumors: Warriors open for business, Magic eyeing point guard, Cavs sign-and-trade candidate – FanSided

The meat of NBA Free Agency is behind us, but several high-level contributors remain unsigned. A few potentially noteworthy trades lurk on the horizon, too. As such, there is no shortage of NBA rumors to fuel your week. The latest scuttlebutt is quite juicy, so here's what demands your attention.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' offseason has been mostly quiet beyond the paramount accomplishment of extending Donovan Mitchell. With Kenny Atkinson taking over as head coach, it sounds like Cleveland is keeping the core in tact. Atkinson loves Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley is due for a max extension of his own, and Darius Garland isn't popping up in trade rumors.
That said, Cleveland still has a couple decisions on the docket. Chief among them, what to do with restricted free agent Isaac Okoro. The former No. 5 pick made a sizable leap last season, hitting 39.1 percent of his 3s to go along with elite perimeter defense. If Cleveland doesn't want to pay him, another team will.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, there "doesn't seem to be much" traction in talks between Cleveland and Okoro. With teams running out of cap space around the league, odds are an Okoro relocation would involve a sign-and-trade. The Cavs can ink Okoro to his preferred contract while, ideally, recouping a little value on his way out the door.
The NBA landscape shifts quickly, of course. There's always time for both sides to reconvene and find common ground. Isaac is restricted, so if he does sign elsewhere, the Cavs have the option to match his offer sheet. There isn't a clear replacement for Okoro on the roster right now. Max Strus and Georges Niang are quality role players, but neither can come close to defending at Okoro's level. It's hard to overstate the importance of Okoro's on-ball stoppage for a team that can struggle to contain the point of attack elsewhere. Rookie Jaylon Tyson probably isn't ready for a major role on a contender.
It's unclear what exactly the market is for Okoro. Are we talking $10-15 million, which feels like a no-brainer, or are his demands stretching into the $20 million range annually? Either way, Cleveland needs a contigency plan if talks continue to sour.
The best remaining free agent is Tyus Jones, who spent last season with the Washington Wizards. A casualty of the Marcus Smart-Kristaps Porzingis trade, Jones was handed the starting point guard duties for one of the league's worst teams. Jones probably didn't enjoy all the losing, but he was not individually at fault for Washington's shortcomings. If anything, he was one of the few consistent positives.
Jones averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 assists on .489/.414/.800 splits in his first full season as a starter, without much of a supporting cast around him. Jones is known for his remarkable poise and ball security (1.0 turnover per game). He doesn't get sped up, he doesn't throw reckless passes, and he tends to make the most of his touches.
While not explosive or particularly geared toward high volume, Jones is the perfect connective tissue for a contender with star power on the wing. It should therefore come as no surprise that the Orlando Magic could be interested in sign-and-trade scenarios involving the Duke product, according to ESPN's Chris Herring.
Orlando has solid mid-tier salaries to dangle in trade talks (Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony), as well as enough draft capital to grease the wheels on any sign-and-swap. Washington has limited leverage, even with cap space drying up around the league. It will come down to how much Orlando is able and willing to hand the 28-year-old, who was involved in postseason battles with Memphis before his year-long sojourn in D.C.
The Golden State Warriors were on the precipice of acquiring Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers, but the trade fell through. Klay Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks, leaving the roster in a new state of transition.
This is still a good team. Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson are all valuable role players who address points of weakness. There's a good chance the Klay departure is addition by subtraction, if we're being honest. Still, if the Warriors want to meaningfully contend in the loaded Western Conference, it will require a bigger splash.
It is the season of stockpiling in the highly competitive West. Sacramento landed DeMar DeRozan. OKC nabbed Isaiah Hartenstein. Dallas, well, they got Klay Thompson. Front offices are operating aggressively in order to keep pace with the arms race. The Warriors could end up lagging behind without pulling a rabit out of the proverbial hat.
Lauri Markkanen is still on the table, but it doesn't feel likely. There aren't too many bonafide All-Stars there for the taking. Does Golden State circle back on Zach LaVine? Maybe, but that won't instill confidence in the fanbase.
Steve Kerr, currently coaching Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics, was honest about the state of Golden State's roster and the transient nature of certain "core" pieces in a recent appearance on Willard & Dibs.
"There's very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions. Steph Curry is not being talked about in trade talks. Everybody else is. And if you went down the list of NBA teams, the Los Angeles Lakers probably aren't talking to anybody about LeBron James. Everybody's got maybe one or two guys who are off the table. So the vast majority of the players in the NBA are going to be discussed in trade talks, because everyone's trying to improve their team."
Golden State allegedly balked at the Clippers' desire to involve Jonathan Kuminga in PG trade talks. It's clear the Warriors value their young core and, of course, Draymond Green isn't readily available. But, when push comes to shove, everything is on the table as the Warriors try to maximize the waning years of Stephen Curry's prime. He is the one and only untouchable — a brutal but necessary truth in this business.
Thompson's exodus is proof that even legends can be tossed by the wayside if the right opportunity arises.
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