NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Russell Westbrook and Kris Dunn

Even the best NBA astronomers have struggled to keep pace in this star-shifting offseason.

While free agency has played the most prominent role in that movement, the trade market has seen more than a few elites change locales. That's how Anthony Davis found his way to the Los Angeles Lakers, Mike Conley joined the Utah Jazz, and Paul George landed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Based on the latest trade buzz, the basketball galaxy may not be set just yet.

One All-Star is awaiting his ticket out of town, and a former top-five pick could be a scenery change away from kick-starting his career. Let's get to it.

Russell Westbrook, the lone pillar left standing from the Oklahoma City Thunder's peak, could be the latest to leave the Sooner State behind.

After Paul George was granted his wish for a return to Southern California, OKC's championship chances followed him out the door. It also got the ball rolling on the Brodie's departure.

For the first time ever, the Thunder are now "receptive toward trade calls" on Westbrook, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. That's apparently quite alright with the 2016-17 MVP, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:

"In the aftermath of co-star Paul George's departure, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook welcomes the idea of general manager Sam Presti engineering a trade that would bring an end to his illustrious, 11-year career with the franchise, league sources told ESPN.

"The Miami Heat have expressed interest, a potential destination that also appeals to Westbrook, league sources said."

This is a logical, sensible step for Westbrook and the Thunder to take.

Sentimental attachments aside, there's little reason to keep this relationship going without an All-Star co-pilot to help steer OKC to significant success. The fiercely competitive Westbrook likely has no interest in playing out his 30s on a club scrapping for one of the West's final playoff spots, and the Thunder can't want to pay him $170 million over the next four years to lead them nowhere near the top.

So, the rationale behind the potential split is clear. The path to an actual transaction, however, is anything but.

Even in the NBA's economy, that's a gigantic contract. Matching the money alone is tricky, let alone doing so in a way that brings something of value back to OKC.

Conceptually, the equally competitive Heat are an ideal trade partner, and "there have been talks," per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.

Miami has enough big contracts to make the numbers align—Goran Dragic's $19.2 million expiring salary is surely a starting point—but sweetening the pot could get tricky. The Heat have already traded away a slew of future draft picks, and their prospect pool is shallower than you'd think for a team that has missed the playoffs in three of the past five seasons.

Would Thunder executives sign off on a package involving some combination of Justise Winslow, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Derrick Jones Jr.? Would the Heat be willing to part with as many as the Thunder covet?

Since this summer has been a testament to the power of NBA players, maybe Westbrook's interest in Miami is enough to get a deal done. But good luck to whoever must connect the dots to make that happen.

Kris Dunn spent 44 of his 46 games this past season as the Chicago Bulls' starting point guard. Immediately after the campaign's completion, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson stressed the team's need to upgrade the position.

Since then, the Bulls spent the No. 7 pick on Coby White, orchestrated a sign-and-trade for Tomas Satoransky and re-signed Ryan Arcidiacono—all players at Dunn's position.

See where this is headed?

Amid an offseason of wild twists and turns comes this predictable development: "Dunn is available for the right price," league sources told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. The Windy City scribe also reported the Bulls "have had discussions with the Grizzlies regarding a sign-and-trade for Justin Holiday."

Memphis has signed restricted free-agent point guard Tyus Jones to a three-year, $28 million offer sheet, which the Minnesota Timberwolves have the option to match, per ESPN's Malika Andrews. Perhaps the fate of that arrangement could dictate the team's interest in Dunn.

The 25-year-old was taken fifth overall in the 2016 draft, then traded from Minnesota to Chicago the following summer in the Jimmy Butler-Zach LaVine blockbuster. Dunn owns career averages of 8.6 points, 4.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting just 41.7 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three.

Source: Bleacher Report

Powered by NewsAPI.org

Keywords:

National Basketball Association • The Latest Buzz • Russell Westbrook • Kris Dunn • National Basketball Association • NBA salary cap • Anthony Davis (basketball) • Los Angeles Lakers • Mike Conley Jr. • Utah Jazz • Paul George • Los Angeles Clippers • Basketball • Let's Get to It • Russell Westbrook • Oklahoma City Thunder • Oklahoma • Paul George • Southern California • Oklahoma City • Russell Westbrook • Nabyl Charania • ESPN • Adrian Wojnarowski • Paul George • Oklahoma City Thunder • Russell Westbrook • General manager • Sam Presti • Trade (sports) • ESPN • Miami Heat • Russell Westbrook • Jake Westbrook • Reason • Social relation • Russell Westbrook • National Basketball Association • Money • Tim Reynolds • Associated Press • Miami • Goran Dragić • Justise Winslow • Derrick Jones Jr. • National Basketball Association • Russell Westbrook • Miami Heat • Rubicon (TV series) • Kris Dunn • Chicago Bulls • Point guard • Basketball • John Paxson • Basketball positions • Chicago Bulls • Coby Karl • Sign and trade • Tomáš Satoranský • Ryan Arcidiacono • Kris Dunn • Kris Dunn • KC Johnson • Chicago Tribune • Chicago • Chicago Bulls • Memphis Grizzlies • Sign and trade • Justin Holiday • Memphis Grizzlies • NBA salary cap • Point guard • Tyus Jones • Offer sheet • Minnesota Timberwolves • ESPN • Kris Dunn • Minnesota Timberwolves • Chicago Bulls • Jimmy Butler (basketball) • Zach LaVine • Kris Dunn • Point (basketball) • Assist (basketball) • Rebound (basketball) •