NBA Rumors: 76ers next move, Kings-Markkanen buzz, Bronny development plan

The initial rush of NBA Free Agency is behind us, but several important moves have yet to unspool. The new collective bargaining agreement is certainly impacting strategy around the league. Paul George is in Philadelphia because the Clippers were scared of the vaunted "second apron," a term most basketball math casuals still don't fully understand. The Lakers won't trade draft picks, the Wolves are trading into the NBA Draft lottery after a conference finals appearance — all this because the second apron (and it's less scary brother, first apron) limit maneuverability and penalize expenses.

Despite all the financial uncertainty percolating throughout the league, plenty of major moves are on the horizon. There is serious trade buzz around a couple All-Stars, while big-name free agents like DeMar DeRozan and Miles Bridges remain unsigned.

Here are the NBA rumors worthy of your attention on this most auspicious hump day.

NBA Rumors: Bronny James to spend next season with Lakers' G League team

LeBron and Bronny James will become the first father-son duo in NBA history to share the court when the season begins in October. After that historic moment is out of the way, however, the Los Angeles Lakers plan to take a patient approach with Bronny's development, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The 19-year-old, who inked a four-year, $7.9 million contract on Tuesday, will spend the majority of next season with the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles' G League affiliate.

It's a bit jarring to see Bronny get three years of guaranteed money out of the gate after averaging 4.8 points at USC. It's more common than folks think for late second-round picks to get guaranteed contracts, but James is obviously a special case. Of the 58 players drafted last month, Bronny is arguably the least proven. He has an impressive baseline as an athlete and a defender, but unless there is drastic growth on the offensive end, it will be challenging for Bronny to claw his way to an NBA role.

J.J. Redick called Bronny "case study one" for the Lakers' revamped player development efforts. The South Bay program will be essential to those efforts, as the Lakers hope extra on-ball reps and experience in the G League will stimulate Bronny's growth. He will be accompanied by Los Angeles' No. 48 pick, Armel Traore, who inked a two-way contract shortly after the draft.

This is a pretty standard arc for a second-round pick. Bronny was never in the rotation mix for LA. That can change with an exceptional showing in Summer League or during the Lakers' preseason ramp-up, but there's little reason to believe Bronny is ready for significant NBA minutes.

That is not the case for Los Angeles' first-round pick, Tennessee sharpshooter Dalton Knecht. He was one of the most productive offensive players in college basketball last season and figures to earn an immediate role in the Lakers' second unit.

NBA Rumors: Kings were 'close' on Lauri Markkanen trade

The Sacramento Kings continue to dance around drastic moves, with Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen now on their radar. According to Yahoo's Jake Fischer, the Kings were "close" on a trade for the Finnish All-Star earlier this week. Sacramento has also been connected to Brandon Ingram and DeMar DeRozan as potential upgrades on the wing.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic in a recent appearance on Sactown Sports 1140, the Jazz have received "substantial [Markkanen] offers" from Sacramento, San Antonio, and Golden State. Now it's a waiting game as the Jazz sift through their options and decide on a path. There's a good chance Utah opts to keep Markkanen and extend him, but should Utah entertain trade offers, the Kings have enough ammo to get a deal across the finish line.

It doesn't sound like the Kings will part with Keegan Murray, but aside from Sacramento's core trio of Murray, De'Aaron Fox, and Domantas Sabonis, everybody should be on the table. Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes both make similar salaries to Markknanen, while a haul of future picks and young talent (Devin Carter, Keon Ellis, Colby Jones) could put Sacramento in pole position.

The Kings are, without a doubt, swinging for the fences this offseason. If the Markkanen push falls through, Ingram and DeRozan stand as viable backup plans. Ingram would add more on-ball dynamism in the halfcourt, while DeRozan's iso scoring and improved playmaking chops are undeniably appealing — not to mention his potentially discounted price at 34 years old.

Markkanen is clearly the best fit of all, though. He's an elite off-ball shooter, comfortable navigating off-ball screens like a guard and sprinting into movement 3s. His height, shooting touch, and straight-line handles are difficult to contain. The Kings' up-tempo system, with Fox pressuring the rim and Sabonis spraying passes from the elbow, is sure to benefit Markkanen if he lands there.

With the entire West locked in an arms race, Sacramento can either keep up or fade into obscurity. Clearly, their goal is to keep up.

NBA Rumors: 76ers prowling forward market after signing Paul George

The Philadelphia 76ers made the biggest splash of free agency, inking Paul George to a four-year, $212 million contract. There is obvious risk tied to such an ambitious move, but the Sixers are focused on maximizing Joel Embiid's finite title window. If all goes to plan, George is just about perfect as the Sixers' third star. His 3-point shooting, versatile defense, and secondary shot creation ought to mesh seamlessly with Nick Nurse's game plan.

George sucks up a lot of the Sixers' cap space, but not all of it. With Paul Reed's non-guaranteed contract as a boon, Philadelphia still has roughly $9 million in available cap space, as well as full bird rights for KJ Martin. The Sixers need to fill out half the roster still, so how Daryl Morey deploys that cap space will be critical.

The obvious glaring hole in the starting lineup is power forward. George is more or less the ultimate Tobias Harris replacement, but he doesn't offer the same physicality or strength in the frontcourt. Philadelphia figures to start Embiid, Maxey, George, and the recently re-upped Kelly Oubre, but the fifth starter remains a mystery. There are a couple options already on the roster, such as Eric Gordon or Jared McCain, but the Sixers really need a forward with size, shooting, and defensive versatility.

Several viable options exist. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Philadelphia has poked around two potential free agents from the Miami Heat. Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin are both in search of paydays. Highsmith actually started his career on a two-way contract with the Sixers.

“As The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey just reported, the Philadelphia 76ers have had discussions with Heat free agent Haywood Highsmith. The 76ers have also had discussions with Heat free agent Caleb Martin as they scan the free-agent market for options to fill their roster, according to a league source.”

Martin is essentially the dream outcome at this point. His postseason heroics for Miami last summer are not forgotten. He won't necessarily help on the glass, but Martin is a talented 3-and-D specialist with 6-foot-7 size and legitimate flashes of pull-up shot-making. He can target mismatches with strong drives and a nifty in-between game. The 28-year-old would round out the Sixers' starting five quite nicely.