NBA Rumors: Lakers-Blazers trade hurdle, Gordon Hayward shocker, Knicks whiffs

The NBA offseason has seen all of its exciting days pass by. Free agency has passed. The draft has passed. Even the Summer League has gone by. But the good news there is this means the actual season is right around the corner.

Still, there is a ton going on around the league ranging from retirements to trade rumors to trade whiffs. At this point, most of the league has an idea of what their team will look like coming opening tip off, but there are still some pieces that could be moved before that day arrives.

NBA Rumors: Blazers not interested in D'Angelo Russell in a potential Jerami Grant deal

The Los Angeles Lakers need to make a few changes if they want to be competitive in the Western conference this season. The West is dominated by a few talented teams, but given the fact that Los Angeles has two all-time greats in Anthony Davis and LeBron James, there's no way you can ever count them out.

One player that has been connected to the Lakers recently is forward Jeremi Grant, but there's one small issue that's stopping this trade from going through very easily. Portland isn't interested in Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell.

Jovan Buha ofThe Athletic reported the Blazers' lack of interest in Russell on his"Buha's Block" podcast, saying, "I've heard Portland doesn't want D-Lo because they have a million guards anyway. So, it just doesn't really make sense for them."

This could cause quite the issue for the Lakers to get this trade done. There was a good chance that Los Angeles was going to look to include him in the deal in order to dump his contract off and make the deal work in terms of value.

Instead, the Lakers will have to part ways with a younger player or more draft capital if they want to acquire Grant from Portland. There's a very good chance that they still pursue the deal, even if the Blazers are passing on acquiring Russell.

NBA Rumors: Gordon Hayward shocks the basketball world with surprise retirement

Gordon Hayward has been a consistent part of the NBA since 2010 when he made his debut as a 20-year-old with the Utah Jazz. Now, in 2024, Hayward will no longer be in the league as he has officially announced his retirement.

"Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball. It's been an incredible ride and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined," Hayward said in a post to X/Twitter on Thursday morning. "To all my fans: thank you for supporting me through the ups and downs. I'll always cherish the letters of encouragement and the moments we've shared around the world. You inspired me to always dream big and improve everyday -- and for the young plauers up next, I challenge you to do the same!"

The retirement comes as a shock to fans as Hayward had given no signs that this was coming, and he was still quite a serviceable piece in the league. Last season, he averaged 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game split between two teams.

Hayward spent time with the Jazz, Hornets, Celtics and Thunder across his 835 career games. The 34-year-old forward will be best known for his moments spent with the Utah Jazz.

NBA Rumors: Knicks whiffed on two centers before resigning Precious Achiuwa

Earlier this offseason, the New York Knicks were looking to upgrade at center. Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa are fine options, but New York wanted to go even bigger, especially considering the cap flexibility they have due to Jalen Brunson resigning for quite a lot less than he could have (and likely should have).

Jordanna Clark of Daily Knicks discussed how the Knicks pursued a few other options to improve their starting center before landing back on Achiuwa.

"Before the Knicks brought Achiuwa back, SNY's Ian Begley confirmed that the front office explored trades for Clint Capela and Walker Kessler," Clark wrote. "Both centers were previously reported to be on New York's radar. Capela presumably would've taken the starting spot, while Kessler would've backed up Robinson."

New York is likely going to have to pursue a trade for one once the season kicks off. There's a very good chance that the Knicks don't like the production of Robinson as their starting center, which is why Isaiah Hartenstein took the starting role from him in the first place. If New York opts to look for a trade, the market should be wide open on upgrades.