The first domino has fallen as the Golden State Warriors’ veteran core is on the verge of breaking up while the Miami Heat have already latched onto their next target after missing out on Bradley Beal.
Serious questions surrounding Zion Williamson’s future with the New Orleans Pelicans continue to fly as the franchise ponders a move up the draft board.
Catch up on the biggest whispers doing the rounds in the latest edition of the NBA Rumour Mill!
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ICONIC NBA DYNASTY ON VERGE OF OFFICIAL BREAK-UP AS LAKERS LOOM
The Warriors’ veteran core could be on the brink of splitting up.
Golden State star forward Draymond Green is declining his $AUD40.3 million player option for the 2023-24 season and will enter unrestricted free agency, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday.
“We will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options,” Paul said.
It was expected that Green would opt out, and he is now free to discuss his future with the Warriors, as well as explore sign-and-trades and free agency for a long-term deal with another team.
The Warriors reportedly have been motivated to sign the 33-year-old Green to a new deal.
After the Lakers ousted the reigning champion Warriors in six games to reach the Western Conference Finals in May, Green said he spoke with veteran teammates Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and all expressed their desire to stick together in Golden State.
“I was talking to Klay as we were sitting at the table last night, Ty [Jerome] Klay, Steph and myself — just like how important and big of a summer this is,” Green said at the time.
“Like, how locked in we need to be.
“No I don’t think this is it. I’ll say it right here for you: This isn’t it.
“We plan on doing this thing again. That’s the plan. Obviously, this is a business and things have to take place. I get that, but we plan on doing this again.”
Green was linked to the Lakers late last year, around the same time the news broke about the altercation with Poole.
Following the video’s release, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” that Green “would prefer to be a Laker.”
The four-time All-Star is close friends with Lakers superstar LeBron James — and Green, James and Lakers big man Anthony Davis are investors in the Lobos 1707 tequila brand.
The three players are often seen promoting it together at star-studded gatherings.
Additionally, James, Green and Davis share the same agent.
ZION ‘WILL NOT’ BE A PELICAN AFTER DRAFT AS TRADE RUMOURS HEAT UP
Zion Williamson’s future with the Pelicans gets murkier with each passing day as the 2023 NBA Draft rapidly approaches.
“The Zion thing is a real, real subplot,” Bill Simmons said on his podcast previewing potential player movement ahead of Thursday’s draft.
“I had somebody tell me yesterday that I trust that [Zion] will not be on the team on Thursday.”
The oft-injured former top pick has played just 114 games in his three-year NBA career, while New Orleans vice president David Griffin has said that his health struggles are “on him.”
All eyes are pointing toward the draft, where the Pelicans have looked to trade up, potentially using Williamson or co-star Brandon Ingram as trade bait to land projected top-three pick, Scoot Henderson.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson is being dragged on social media for allegedly being involved in a love triangle after his apparent girlfriend announced they are expecting a baby together.
“It is extraordinarily out there about how much the Pelicans are interested in Scoot Henderson,” ESPN insider Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective Podcast, while carefully noting that this is so widely known that he is sceptical about potential ploys by New Orleans to misdirect the league of their true intentions.
And rumours can end up being just that – rumours.
But if Williamson ends up being moved, signs would seem to point toward a potential deal centred around Williamson and Henderson should he fall to pick No. 3.
NBA insider Kevin O’Connor and Simmons’ fellow Ringer podcaster explained that league sources told him the Trailblazers would prefer Williamson over Ingram in return for a trade involving their third-overall pick.
HEAT SWITCH FOCUS TO SEVEN-TIME ALL-STAR AFTER BEAL BLOW
It appears the Miami Heat has turned their focus onto Plan B after missing out on Bradley Beal.
And that’s reportedly Damian Lillard.
The Heat’s focus is now on Lillard, and the Eastern Conference champions have a “genuine belief” that this is the summer that Lillard looks for a change in scenery, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
That could spell trouble for the Nets — whom The Post’s Brian Lewis reported last month have “genuine interest” in acquiring Lillard — as the Heat are better positioned to win a championship.
Jimmy Butler is helping to recruit Lillard to Miami, according to The Athletic.
It’s no secret that the Heat are looking to bolster their line-up after a surprise run to the 2023 NBA Finals.
And after missing out on Beal, who is heading from the Wizards to the Suns in a yet-to-be-finalised trade, Lillard would be the next best thing to help their offence.
Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points last season for the Portland Trail Blazers along with 7.3 assists per game.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
