NBA trade, free agency rumors: Trae Young trade talks cool, Markkanen trade ‘difficult’

Saturday is the day it becomes real for the NBA – the moratorium ends at noon Eastern and all of the already announced deals around the NBA can become official. (It’s the first day of the California Classic in Sacramento, the first day of Summer League, and will see the Lakers’ Dalton Knecht and Bronny James debut.)

This isn’t stopping the NBA rumors. Here are some of the rumors about the league over the weekend.

• Lakers, Spurs showing little interest in Trae Young. Once Dejounte Murray was traded to New Orleans, the question became whether the Hawks would regroup around Trae Young and try to win now or trade him and begin a rebuild. The hope was always to rebuild, but a comment from ESPN’s Zach Lowe – that there is little interest in a Young trade from the Lakers or Spurs, two potential contenders – may sway the decision for them.

One reason the Hawks traded Murray instead of Young was that there was a lot of interest in Murray around the league.

• Putting together a Markkanen trade is tough. As soon as Paul George came off the market, the hottest trade rumor became teams trying to tempt Utah to trade for Lauri Markkanen, with the Warriors reportedly at the forefront of that list. However, putting together a Markkanen trade is difficult for a few reasons. One, Danny Ainge runs the Jazz and that means the price will be very high – they aren’t eager to trade him, they could re-sign him in August (they can’t move him until then). Then there’s Markkanen’s contract, a steal for Utah at just $18 million for next season (the last on his current deal), a price so low that it’s difficult to give the Jazz the return Ainge is demanding, Mark Stein reports in his latest newsletter,

“More than one rival team has shared the observation that it would be difficult for the Jazz to trade him in the short term – even if they wanted to do so…

“This obviously complicates the Jazz’s efforts to obtain a trade package in exchange for Markkanen at the level of Brooklyn’s race for Mikal Bridges when Markkanen is not under team control for more than a season and when his salary Is relatively less. He has a better chance to command a Bridges-style offer filled with future draft picks, like the one the New York Nets have agreed to offer if the 27-year-old Markkanen is signed to an extension.

Still, some league sources expect a Markkanen trade in the coming days. Others think next summer is more likely.

• DeMar DeRojan’s King in the mix. The Sacramento Kings are looking to upgrade this offseason (standing Pat didn’t work out so well last summer), but getting a deal done is proving difficult. As Fox 40’s well-connected Shawn Cunningham writes in Sacktown, he’s talked about Markkanen and Brandon Ingram, among others, and now you can add DeMar DeRozan into the mix.

• The possibility of a trade for Jarrett Allen diminished due to new coach Kenny Atkinson. There was speculation at the beginning of the summer that Cleveland would explore the trade market for Jarrett Allen — he hasn’t yet aligned with Evan Mobley, the No. 3 pick the Cavaliers believe is a franchise cornerstone (though their The offense has a few steps ahead) to make it happen. Then came word from Donovan Mitchell – Who just re-signed with the team for three years, $150 million – Wanted the team to keep Allen. So Mark Stein reports,

“The arrival of Kenny Atkinson as Cleveland’s new coach has convinced various teams that it has become even more difficult than before for Jarrett Allen to avoid the Cavaliers via trade. And it was hard at first.

• Evan Fournier wants to stay in the NBA. How much interest is there? The Detroit Pistons declined a $19 million team option for Evan Fournier next season, but the 31-year-old French marksman wants to remain in the NBA and believes he can help a team, Mark Stein reports.

Fournier could get a spot in high-level Europe if he wants, but he’s currently looking for a deal stateside. That contract kept teams from pursuing him last year, but on a minimum or similar deal, he could find a new home.