Around the NBA: Hawks interested in Hayward, Houston looking at Wall for Westbrook swap

Hawks interested in trading for Celtics’ Gordon Hayward

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, the Atlanta Hawks are interested in acquiring Gordon Hayward from the Boston Celtics.

The Atlanta Hawks are in play in an attempt to acquire Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

A sign-and-trade deal is a possible route, but Atlanta is equipped with the most cap space in the league at around $44 million and can simply sign Hayward to a hefty multi-year deal if he decided to decline his option.

Atlanta is seeking an alternative playmaker to incorporate alongside young star Trae Young. The Hawks will also be in contention for veteran point guard Rajon Rondo, who is declining his $2.7 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers to become an unrestricted free agent, sources said.

Huh? Hayward? Rondo? I don’t get what the Hawks are doing. I mean, I understrand they want to make a push to be competitive this season and it’s hard to sell a fanbase on sitting on $44 million worth of cap space. But you have one of the league’s most exciting young players in Trae Young. Why hitch 30-year-old Gordon Hayward’s wagon to Young on a big spend, multi-year re-up?

Wizards and Rockets exploring Wall for Westbrook swap

The Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets are reportedly discussing a trade centered around sending John Wall to Houston in exchange for Russell Westbrook heading to the Nation’s Capital, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal has “no traction” yet as Rockets seek a more fruitful package from Washington for Westbrook.

There isn’t a trade featuring two of the NBA’s biggest names over the last decade that could excite me less than this one.

Warriors looking to trade back in NBA Draft, “infatuated” with Deni Avdija

The Golden State Warriors are shopping the no. 2 overall pick, with an interest in moving back in the NBA Draft and an infatuation with Deni Avdija, reports Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.

According to a league source, the Warriors ideally would like to trade the No. 2 pick for a proven, rotation-level frontcourt player and a pick later in the lottery. This would allow them to shore up their center rotation with someone who can play major playoff minutes this season while also drafting a guard or wing who can have time to develop.

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If the Warriors move outside the top three picks, they’d likely eye Israeli small forward Deni Avdija, who can guard multiple positions and slide into a secondary-playmaker role. According to a league source, Golden State has become “infatuated” with Avdija’s skill level and believes he can develop into a Danilo Gallinari-type.

The Warriors basically took this year’s fake NBA season off after essentially playing one extra season longer than everyone else over the previous five years (add up four playoff series per year). They’re now going to parlay that vacation into a lottery pick and a starter. Genius.

NBA players to report to home markets by Nov. 30th

Per Shams, NBA players are due in to their home markets by Nov. 30th to begin COVID testing before players and teams begin workouts and practices.