NBA Rumors: Anthony Edwards loves Erik Spoelstra and 'Heat Culture'

Team USA started off the FIBA World Cup on the right foot with a comfortable win over New Zealand. No player on the team has earned more praise than Anthony Edwards, who drew Dwyane Wade comparisons from Miami Heat head coach (and Team USA assistant) Erik Spoelstra.

Edwards appears to be on the verge of a sizable fourth-year leap. Edwards made his first All-Star appearance last season, but his ceiling rests much higher. He's a singular athlete, gifted with a rare combination of strength and explosiveness on the wing. Not many FIBA teams will have a genuine answer for Edwards' scoring prowess.

The basketball is only part of the appeal for Team USA players, of course. There's also the recruitment. Several superteams can be traced back to shared time with the national team. LeBron James, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh all played together in the 2008 Olympics. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker were USA running mates before Durant's move to Phoenix. And the list goes on.

Edwards has already taken a liking to Spoelstra, saying he "[sees] what they mean" when fans and players talk about 'Heat Culture.' Spo is widely considered one of the game's brightest minds, but he also brings an energy and enthusiasm that resonates with Ant, who is wired similarly.

Edwards can't leave the Timberwolves of his own volition for a while — he has about six years and $220 million left on his contract — so Minnesota fans need not panic. It is, however, another testament to Spoelstra's presence on the sidelines and in the locker room. Players want to play for him. There's a reason, beyond the sunny beaches, that Miami is such a destination.

NBA Rumors: Lonzo Ball vows to play NBA basketball again

Lonzo Ball was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Few prospects have gained a national audience as quickly as Ball did. From his freewheeling style to his outspoken father, Lonzo was constantly in the headlines. He played at UCLA and, as his father would tell everybody who would listen, he was always destined to play for the Lakers.

That worked out, for a time, but Ball was shipped to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis trade. He spent two productive years with the Pelicans before signing with the Chicago Bulls in 2021. Since then, it has been a relentless torrent of setbacks for Ball. He has undergone three separate left knee surgeries, one of which was a cartilage transplant. Ball missed the entire 2022-23 season and he's on track to miss 2023-24, too.

It's hard to miss over two years and then return to NBA basketball at full strength. The NBA is the best league in the world, filled with the best athletes. Ball no doubt possesses the basketball I.Q. necessary to compete, but will his body keep up? We can't know for sure, but a somber doubt has crept into the NBA fandom as Ball continues his trek to recovery.

In a recent appearance at the Invent Fest in Atlanta, however, Ball spoke optimistically about his NBA future and made a promise: "I'm going to play again."

We can only hope Ball is right. Before the injuries, Lonzo was coming into his own as a genuinely impactful and unique two-way force. His ability to process the game is unrivaled, his creativity as a passer opens up a lot for the offense, and he's a versatile defensive weapon at 6-foot-6. He's a playmaker on both sides of the ball in the truest sense of the world. He makes plays, often with a keen interest in setting up those around him for success.

NBA Rumors: James Harden talked to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George about Clippers partnership

When James Harden requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, he gave them a specific destination: the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden may have to expand his list eventually, but the Clippers are the only reliably reported suitor at the moment.

Daryl Morey has complicated the matter with his decision to shut down Harden trade talks, but it's hard to imagine a disgruntled Harden, in the final year of his contract, lasting too long into the season. The primary holdup has been a lack of quality offers from Los Angeles, but all it takes is one serious, good-faith phone call from Clippers boss Trent Redden to change the Sixers' tune.

Harden is certainly doing everything is his power to tip the scales in LA's favor, from publicly calling Morey a liar to conversing with the Clippers' stars. According to Law Murray on the Good Word Podcast, "James has been in conversation with Paul [George] and Kawhi [Leonard], and they're all kind of on the same page."

This is pretty much standard NBA operating procedure at this point. If stars want to team up, it will be discussed and meticulously planned beforehand. Is Harden allowed, under the CBA, to talk to Leonard and George about teaming up? Well, yeah, it's impossible to govern conversations between players off the court.

There's no denying the appeal of Harden, Leonard, and George as a trio. A lot of boxes are checked there. Harden has developed into one of the league's least selfish stars, almost to a fault. He can focus on setting the table for Leonard and George, two of the best wing scorers in the NBA — and elite defenders too, which is useful for a team accommodating Harden's general malaise on that end.

The Clippers probably have enough to put together a compelling Harden trade package in the current market. It's a matter of whether or not the front office will pony up for a third aging star with a new arena opening in 2024.