Grayson Allen (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
NBA rumors: Bucks exploring Grayson Allen trades ahead of NBA Draft
The Milwaukee Bucks are openly exploring the trade market for that one guy everybody hates. Grayson Allen is the NBA's lingering homage to the grimy toughness of 1990s basketball. He hustles his tail off and he's unafraid to toe the line between determined and dirty on the defensive end.
Most fanbases have had their fill of Grayson Allen, but he makes for an enjoyable energizer and a lovably hard worker when he's actually on your team. Allen started 70 of 72 appearances for the 1-seed Bucks last season, averaging 10.4 points on .440/.399/.905 splits. His shooting acumen is naturally important when one considers the lack of volume shooters on the Milwaukee roster.
Unfortunately, the Bucks were treated to some of Allen's worst basketball in the team's first-round loss to the Miami Heat. Allen can be a liability on the defensive end despite his fiery edge and he doesn't create many advantages offensively when the jumper isn't falling. Now the Bucks are looking to trade him according to Jake Weinbach.
The market for Allen probably isn't robust in the traditional sense, but there should be plenty of teams interested in adding a low-cost shooter of Allen's caliber. The Bucks probably won't get much for him, but maybe a late first-round pick or early second-round pick is on the table.
Every expensive contender will be looking to make moves like this in the years to come. The new CBA makes it hard for high-spending teams to navigate free agency. The best avenue to fill out the roster around stars will be to draft and develop players who are under long-term team control.
NBA Rumors: Phil Handy has no plan to leave Lakers' coaching staff
When the Phoenix Suns hired Frank Vogel, there was speculation galore about the threat he posed to the Lakers' coaching staff. Vogel has already lured multiple former Lakers assistants to the Phoenix bench, but don't expect top assistant Phil Handy to follow suit.
When asked about whether he was considering a move to Phoenix, Handy shot down the rumors in unambiguous terms.
Handy signed a three-year extension with the Lakers upon Darvin Ham's arrival last season. He's committed to fulfilling the two years left on his deal, which should end speculation about his future with the franchise for the time being. That said, Handy is a perennial candidate for head coaching jobs, so the Lakers can't entirely rule out the possibility of him departing further down the road.
The Lakers have reaped the benefits of Handy's knack for player development over the years. The most recent examples of Handy's prodigious teaching ability are Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, who were essentially the Lakers' third and fourth-best players in the postseason.
Skill development is crucial for any franchise, even teams geared toward immediate contention like the Lakers. And, with the new CBA set to make draft picks and player development more valuable than ever, fans should be thrilled about Handy's status with the team.
NBA rumors: Pelicans would prefer to trade Zion Williamson instead of Brandon Ingram
The New Orleans Pelicans have an eventful summer ahead of them after their disappointing play-in loss to the ultra-young OKC Thunder. Shrouded in doubts about his health and happiness, Zion Williamson is the primary source of trade chatter in New Orleans right now.
According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, the Pelicans would prefer to trade Zion Williamson instead of Brandon Ingram in a potential deal ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft. The Pelicans have been tied to G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, who is expected to be either the No. 2 or No. 3 pick.
Any potential Williamson trade will ultimately come down to what Charlotte decides to do with the No. 2 pick. If the Hornets prefer Brandon Miller, then the Pelicans will hit up the Blazers to angle for Henderson at No. 3. If the Hornets land on Henderson, then any trade offers go through them. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, the Hornets are more interested in Ingram.
There are two sides to every coin, of course. Williamson is much better than Ingram but he has played over 30 games once in four NBA seasons. Ingram isn't without his own injury history, but he's far more reliable and he profiles as a cleaner fit next to LaMelo Ball as a versatile 6-foot-9 defender and talented secondary playmaker who can spread the floor.
Portland, on the other hand, makes a great deal of sense for Zion if Scoot tumbles one spot further. He's young enough to promote the future beyond Damian Lillard while still helping the team contend while Lillard's still around.