NBA Rumors: 'Ambitious' Draymond Green trade, Siakam contract outlook, Jazz on the prowl

The Minnesota Timberwolves were able to stave off elimination with an impressive road victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. If we are going by historical precedent, that only delays the inevitable — a highly anticipated NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, with Kyrie Irving facing his former team on basketball's grandest stage. Maybe the Wolves make history, but it's unlikely.

For all but three teams, the offseason has arrived in full force. The new CBA completely changes the team-building calculus for most front offices. This is going to be a hectic, potentially explosive offseason. We can expect a flurry of trades leading up to and during the NBA Draft, not to mention a transformative free agency period.

Here are the latest NBA rumors worthy of your attention.

NBA Rumors: Jazz could trade first-round picks for immediate contributors

The Utah Jazz are ready to take the next step. According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Jazz are expected to field trade offers for their first-round picks — Nos. 10 and 29 — in next month's NBA Draft.

"Utah is expected to explore trading the No. 10 overall pick and the other first-rounders this year, league sources told HoopsHype. There’s a belief from some around the league that Utah’s owner, Ryan Smith, would like to add more star talent to the Jazz, and Ainge has aggressively monitored the trade market."

It would appear that a mandate from ownership has set the ball in motion for Utah's retool. The Jazz have operated patiently since the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades, but Danny Ainge laid the groundwork for rapid improvement once the opportunity arrives. With Lauri Markkanen operating at an All-Star level, it won't take all that much to transform the Jazz into a legitimate winner.

It helps that Will Hardy is a brilliant coach. Utah is schematically on a level few teams can match, with a system predicated on ball movement, 3-point shooting, and balance. Walker Kessler has future DPOY upside, while Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Collin Sexton are all candidates to improve significantly next season. The Jazz aren't a traditional star destination, but the right splashy trade puts Utah on the map.

Few front offices are equipped with more draft picks and trade ammo. The Jazz aren't going to land a big fish in free agency, but with several juicy names circulating the trade rumor mill, Ainge should have multiple chances to strike gold from the shadows. Darius Garland? Brandon Ingram? Jimmy Butler? Donovan Mitchell???

Er, well, no, actually... scratch that last one.

NBA Rumors: Pascal Siakam expected to receive max contract from Pacers

The NBA offseason is shrouded in mystery. There is a lot of uncertainty as the new CBA takes effect, with teams re-evaluating their finances and trying to game the system as best they can. It will be especially difficult for expensive teams to build out their depth chart and find value on the margins. That is why three-headed monsters — the traditional 'Big 3' superteam construction — is dying out.

Perhaps the Indiana Pacers were ahead of the curve. The Pacers essentially built out a robust supporting cast around two 'max' stars in Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. A lot of stars are expected to consider team changes this summer, but all signs point to Siakam sticking with Indiana.

The Pacers plan to offer the 30-year-old a max contract, which Shams Charania dubbed "a priority" for the front office on Run It Back TV. Indiana parted with Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks to acquire Siakam from Toronto at the trade deadline.

Siakam is eligible for a five-year, $245 million contract that takes him through his age-35 season. That is... a lot. That is also the price of doing business with perennial All-Star talents. Siakam gets crapped on for his "predictable" style, but it works. He's one of the best slashers in the NBA, a modern 6-foot-9 forward that can space the floor, torch defenders with his speed, and score with feather-soft touch around the rim.

He struggled defensively during the Pacers' postseason run, but Indy was in the conference finals as the No. 6 seed. The Pacers can't rest on their laurels, but the foundation is strong. Siakam averaged 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on .541/.298/.619 splits in the 2024 playoffs. He was a seamless fit offensively and there's room to build upon that chemistry with a full offseason.

NBA Rumors: Draymond Green named 'ambitious' trade target for Pistons

The folks at Bleacher Report recently uncorked one ambitious trade target for every NBA team. Most of the hypotheticals you've heard a dozen times already, but the name tied to the Detroit Pistons is enough to force a double take.

Yes, that is Draymond Green of Golden State Warriors fame. What a strange proposition.

A brief dig below the surface, however, reveals a pretty compelling genesis for the idea. The Pistons were interested in Green during the 2023 free agency period, but weren't able to lure him away from Golden State. Now the Warriors are at a crossroads without a clear path to contention. The new CBA will penalize the big-spending Dubs as much as any NBA team. Maybe, just maybe, the Warriors start floating Green in trade talks.

The Pistons have $64 million in cap space to burn, which means Golden State can recoup draft assets and get off of Green's contract scot-free. That could appeal to the Warriors, especially if Golden State aims to better position itself for a different blockbuster trade (Brandon Ingram, Jimmy Butler could be logical).

Here is the Pistons' side of the equation, as explained by B/R's Grant Hughes.

"The Pistons would still have an issue with floor spacing in their two-big lineups, but Green has been finding ways to overcome that problem for years. It's also worth noting he shot a career-best 39.5 percent from deep last season. If that hit rate is remotely sustainable, Detroit could get away with a Green-Jalen Duren frontcourt on offense. It also doesn't hurt that Green, a Saginaw product who attended Michigan State, would be more welcomed in Detroit than any other landing spot."

Essentially, it's a homecoming for Green, who attended Michigan State and grew up in the area. It also expedites the Pistons' long-gestating rebuild. Monty Williams wasn't hired to lose 60+ games, ya know. The Pistons have enough talent to start putting a respectable product on the floor. Giving up real assets for declining 34-year-old "stars" probably isn't the savviest move, but Green knows how to establsh a winning culture.

His leadership could truly push Detroit in the right direction. It's a thought worth chewing on for a bit, at least.