NBA Trade Rumors for 2016-17 NBA Season: Gay to Thunder, Hill to Extend Contract with Jazz
Early into the 2016-17 NBA season, transactions are ongoing and lots of players have entered the trade rumor mill. As more games ensue, teams get a clearer picture on what their team's strengths and weaknesses are. Those that have had initial success are involved in contract extension rumors, while others that belonged to teams that continue to struggle find themselves in trade speculation.
The following are the latest trade and contract extension rumors for the 2016-17 NBA season.
1. Rudy Gay to Oklahoma City Thunder
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Zach Lowe of ESPN reported that Rudy Gay is one of the Oklahoma City Thunder's targets to fill the big gap Kevin Durant left during the off-season.
Rudy Gay could help provide another scoring threat alongside Russell Westbrook, who's practically had to do it all on the scoring department since Durant left for the Golden State Warriors. Lowe said, the Thunder "remain interested in bigger wings, including Rudy Gay, sources say, in part because such a player would slide everyone down to their intended spots: Oladipo to the bench, and Andre Roberson back to defending shooting guards."
Rudy Gay averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season, including 40% from three-point range. This kind of shooting could help the Thunder, who currently as a team averages 34.4% from long distance.
Westbrook is currently averaging a near triple double with 31.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game. He would enjoy playing alongside the better three-point shooter Gay though, as he is currently shooting 34.4% from three.
Only two other players in the Thunder roster are averaging double digit points per game: Enes Kanter (11.9 points per game) and Victor Oladipo (17.1 points per game).
2. George Hill to Extend Contract with Utah Jazz
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Utah Jazz has $13 million of cap space which they could use to keep some of their starters. The Jazz could offer contract extensions to either Derrick Favors or point guard George Hill.
However, Stein said that Hill seems to be the priority based on what inside sources have been saying. That's mainly because Hill has been playing his best season so far, granted that the Jazz are still seven games into the long season. That's also because George Hill will become a free agent next summer.
This season, Hill averages a career high 20.4 points and 5.0 assists per game. He also averages 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 7 games, all of which he started.
