NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler dark horse, Lakers trade priority, 76ers-Marcus Smart pitch

The NBA has rarely been as competitive as it is right now. We truly don't know which teams are "favorites," with a few exceptions. Boston has the obvious upper hand in the East, but Philadelphia and New York are in hot pursuit. The West has between 12 or 13 teams that, in a "normal" season, would project comfortably as postseason teams.

To add to the on-court intrigue, there are plenty of NBA rumors percolating behind the scenes. Big names are on trade watch, contenders are desperately trying to one-up one another, and bad teams are sagging for Flagg.

That said, here is the latest scuttlebutt that demands your attention.

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NBA Rumors: 76ers could swipe Marcus Smart from Knicks on trade front

The Philadelphia 76ers put together the most complete and productive offseason in the NBA, acquiring Paul George and revamping the supporting cast in what could end up as Daryl Morey's crowning accomplishment. The Sixers aren't done yet, though. Morey is always on the prowl for in-season upgrades and Philadelphia is going for the championship, no holds barred.

Meanwhile, the Sixers' primary competition comes from within the Atlantic Division — the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. Boston is the reigning champ, while New York spent its offseason stockpiling talent in unexpected fashion.

The Knicks were recently connected to a highly intriguing trade target — Memphis Grizzlies (and former Celtics) point guard Marcus Smart.

The rare DPOY winner on the perimeter, Smart would just make the Knicks a tougher out. So, what if the Sixers take the plunge instead? Philadelphia has the salaries to match and enough draft capital to pique Memphis' interest. It's unclear why the Grizzlies would be inclined to trade Smart at this juncture, but as a midseason target should Memphis start slow, Smart is sure to drum up a market.

From Nicolas Kyle Pring of The Sixer Sense:

"Next to Tyrese Maxey, [Smart] can help lighten his load defensively while also serving as a secondary playmaker. His relatively meager shooting splits are also offset by the fact that he's not a shy trigger man and more than makes up for it with his hustle and intangibles."

Smart would become an instant fan favorite in Philadelphia. The 3s fall often enough to keep him useful on offense, especially with his improvement as a playmaker in recent years. His defense, however, is the calling card. Smart can adequately defend 1-5 in a lot of matchups and he's going to generate turnovers with his activity level and physicality at the point of attack.

Philadelphia landing Smart is great on its own. Stealing him out from under the Knicks would be even sweeter.

NBA Rumors: Lakers want to add center after Christian Wood injury

The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with injuries to Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt early in training camp, which complicates the frontcourt depth chart behind Anthony Davis. It didn't take long for JJ Redick to win over the Lakers locker room and fanbase, but relying on Jaxson Hayes and two-way big man Christian Koloko is risky business. The Lakers need somebody to keep the defense afloat when Davis sits.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, adding a center has become a priority for the Lakers front office.

"Not sure exactly when that will take place, but they have started looking into the marketplace."

Front office inaction has been an ongoing theme with the Lakers front office this summer. Aside from extending LeBron James and hiring the least qualified head coaching candidate in the marketplace, Rob Pelinka did next to nothing to actually improve his roster or the Lakers' chances of winning.

It's past time for Los Angeles to get aggressive in search of upgrades. Wood and Vanderbilt are both adequate backup centers when healthy, but Los Angeles cannot afford to sit idly. Wood is expected to miss at least eight weeks; Vando is still rehabbing from a severe foot sprain. It's time to shore up this roster and put more bankable pieces on Redick's chessboard.

The Lakers have two first-round picks to trade (2029 and 2031), as well as several intriguing young prospects (Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie) or movable contracts (Gabe Vincent, Vanderbilt). If Pelinka wants to get a backup center, all it takes is a little effort.

NBA Rumors: Hawks named potential dark horse for Jimmy Butler

The Miami Heat chose not to extend Jimmy Butler this summer, leaving his future clouded in mystery. Butler has become synonymous with South Beach and 'Heat Culture,' but injuries have sapped his impact in recent years. Pat Riley has been fairly open when discussing Butler's availability concerns and blustering persona. There's a decent chance the All-NBA forward ends up in trade rumors around the deadline, especially if Miami gets off to a slow start in a competitive East.

Butler has documented interest in the Brooklyn Nets, while the Golden State Warriors reportedly placed a few calls this offseason. Other contenders, such as the Houston Rockets or New Orleans Pelicans, make logical sense. But, over at Bleacher Report, Dan Favale has an unexpected destination in mind — the Atlanta Hawks.

"[Trae] Young has more off-ball chops than he's consistently shown and Butler is someone to whom ceding partial offensive control makes sense," he writes. "Between [Zaccharie] Risacher, Butler himself, Vit Krejčí and potentially [Dyson] Daniels, the Hawks would also have a line to some pretty intriguing defensive combinations around their floor general."

It's a fun thought. The Hawks avoided a complete teardown this summer, dumping Dejounte Murray to New Orleans but keeping Trae Young, Clint Capela, and DeAndre Hunter on the roster. With their next handful of first-round picks owed to San Antonio as part of the original Murray trade, the Hawks don't have an incentive to tank. Therefore, the idea of going all-out for a postseason berth has merit to it.

Butler is 35 years old in a contract year, so the fit is questionable. He is also someone who traditionally dominates touches and sets the table on offense, as does Young, who could never quite embrace off-ball duties next to Murray. That said, Butler has the sort of fiery competitive spirit and postseason track record this Hawks team lacks. Defense was a huge area of weakness for Atlanta last season and Butler would help, especially when surrounded by the Hawks' new gaggle of versatile wings.

This feels far-fetched, especially with Atlanta in the same division at Miami, but hey, it's a thought. We have seen stranger pairings in the NBA before and Butler's combative personality could be exactly what Trae Young needs to take the next step.