NBA Rumors: Bronny James major risk, Bucks trade bait, Wendell Carter extension

The NBA season is right around the corner, so news — and rumors — are starting to pick back up again. We've seen plenty of quality preseason hoops already. It's hard not to get excited about what this season has in store. The league has never been less predictable, which is the best possible outlook to have.

So, on this fine Tuesday afternoon, let's dive head-first into the latest scuttlebutt percolating in NBA circles.

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NBA Rumors: Magic extend Wendell Carter Jr. on three-year deal

The Orlando Magic have signed Wendell Carter Jr. to a three-year, $59 million contract that tethers him to the organization through the 2028-29 season, per ESPN's Shams Charania. Carter appeared in 55 games (48 starts) last season, averaging 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on .525/.374/.694 splits in 25.6 minutes.

It was a strange, injury-ravaged campaign for the Duke product, who was briefly booted from the starting lineup in the playoffs in favor of Jonathan Isaac. Orlando's frontcourt hierarchy is not entirely settled, but this is great value for the Magic. Carter is destined for a bounce-back campaign and less than $20 million annually should age beautifully with cap space spiking around the league.

Orlando churned out no shortage of cash this summer, handing Franz Wagner his rookie-scale max extension and signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million contract. After taking Cleveland to seven games in Round 1 of the playoffs, Orlando is putting pedal to the metal. Only time will tell if this team is actually built to contend, but the front office is operating with the appropriate lack of financial restraint, even in the face of a complicated and restrictive new collective bargaining agreement.

Even if Carter can't quite settle into his standard starting role with the Magic, that contract should be plenty tradable. At 25 years old, there is still plenty of long-term optimism about Carter's unique blend of brute strength, mobility, and skill. He's a legitimate stretch five with dexterous footwork in the post and a sharp passing eye. Most teams want a big man in Carter's mold and that contract is far from excessive.

NBA Rumors: Bucks allegedly tried trading Khris Middleton for Bradley Beal

The Milwaukee Bucks made the biggest splash of the NBA summer a year ago, trading Jrue Holiday and draft picks for Damian Lillard. It was a move few saw coming, especially after Dame made his best effort to coax a trade to Miami instead. His first season in Milwaukee was a mixed bag, but the Bucks are glad to have Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the same lineup. That team has a legitimate path to the championship.

Milwaukee's summer almost went an entirely different direction, though. According to Bradley Beal himself, the Bucks attempted to swap Khris Middleton for him. Beal ultimately landed with the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and second-round picks. Talk about a sliding doors moment.

Beal, equipped with a no-trade clause, had control over his destination. He claims that Milwaukee's willingness to part with Middleton, an essential part of the Bucks' 2021 championship run, "didn't sit right." Beal stuck around Washington for much longer than he had to, so he knows a thing or two about loyalty. It's an admirable sentiment, although his refusal of Milwaukee does not absolve the Bucks for allegedly attempting to trade their long-tenured second banana.

Both Middleton and Beal were compromised by injury for much of last season. The Suns are in cap hell after trading for Beal, the Bucks aren't in a much better spot with the rapidly aging Dame. As for the Wizards — well, the Wizards have no desire to win games any time soon.

This is a fun hypothetical to ponder. Trading for Beal would've presumably taken Dame out of the equation for Milwaukee, as the Bucks wouldn't survive such a defensively limited backcourt. It is clear, above all else, that Milwaukee was not beholden to sentiment last offseason. Holiday and Middleton were cornerstones of a championship team, but the Bucks were quick to pivot when upgrades become available.

Now, let's see if Middleton can make it through the 2024-25 season without popping up in trade rumors.

NBA Rumors: Bronny James 'wanted' to go pro after bumpy freshman season at USC

Few offseason moves have been more scrutinized than the Los Angeles Lakers' selection of Bronny James with the 56th pick in the NBA Draft. Normally second-round picks don't see the light of day in mainstream media, but James is, of course, the son of LeBron James. He was always going to have outsized expectations as a result.

That has led to a complicated discourse cycle, with a harsh spotlight currently being shined on a player who is destined to spend the majority of his season in the G League. New Lakers head coach JJ Redick has praised Bronny at every turn, but it's clear the USC product doesn't have what it takes to thrive at the NBA level. Not yet, at least.

Bronny tallied zero points, two rebounds, three personal fouls, and four turnovers in 13 minutes of preseason action against the Phoenix Suns over the weekend. He made a few plays on defense and shared the court with his father for the first time, a memorable and historic moment. But, on the whole, there wasn't much to write home about.

Some have questioned why James was so eager to jump to the pros after a muted freshman campaign at USC. He could've returned to school, even transferred to a better team, but Bronny went pro and settled for a second-round selection. Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul explained the decision to ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

"Nobody pressured Bronny to go pro," he said. "Bronny had a choice to stay at USC, he had a choice to transfer somewhere else or he had a choice to go pro."

That is a critical detail. One could easily imagine Bronny facing intense external pressure to go pro and maximize the marketability of his image. But, when faced with the option to stick around the college ranks or head to the NBA, James (allegedly) made the decision on his own. It was a bold gambit, but he deserves props for his confidence and work ethic. If there's anything that has stood out from the incessant media coverage of Bronny in LA, it's how much players and coaches rave about his prep work.

It will take some time for Bronny's pro career to shake out, but he's where he wants to be. There is comfort to be found in that.