NBA Rumors: Warriors-Markkanen hangup, Klay Thompson's role with Mavs, Knicks sign point guard

As we trudge into the doldrums of basketball summertime, there's still plenty to scratch that itch. We have Summer League, the upcoming Paris Olympics, and plenty of future NBA Free Agency fallout to look forward to. Don't let anybody fool you. The NBA never sleeps, and neither do the NBA rumors.

Here are the latest bits of news and speculation from around the association.

NBA Rumors: Knicks sign Cam Payne to fill backup point guard role

The New York Knicks made arguably the biggest splash of the NBA offseason, acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in the rare intracity blockbuster trade. After fizzing out in the second round, the Knicks are pushing all their chips in. The Boston Celtics cannot rest easy atop the Eastern Conference, it would seem.

New York didn't stop with the Bridges trade either. OG Anunoby re-signed on a massive contract and Jalen Brunson took a hefty discount on his new extension, clearing the way for New York to build sustainably around its expensive core. Now the Knicks are building out the roster margins.

On Monday, the Knicks inked free agent point guard Cam Payne to a one-year, $3.1 million minimum contract, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. It's the reunion we didn't know we all needed.

Payne split last season between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, so he knows the landscape of Eastern Conference contenders quite well. He was effective in short bursts for the Sixers, who acquired Payne in a midseason swap involving Patrick Beverley. The 29-year-old is lightning in a bottle — quick, decisive, and completely unafraid of the moment.

There will be competition behind Jalen Brunson in the Knicks rotation, but Payne stands out as a potential day-one backup. Deuce McBride's defensive chops allow him to share the floor with other guards, while rookie Tyler Kolek probably needs time to carve out his niche in the Knicks hierarchy. Tom Thibodeau tends to shy away from youth.

Payne gives New York a helpful dose of perimeter shot-making and a real competitive edge. He's going to quickly become a fan favorite.

NBA Rumors: Klay Thompson will start at small forward for Mavericks

It was not necessarily the offseason's biggest surprise, but Klay Thompson's decision to leave the Golden State Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks certainly weighed heavy on the NBA fandom. He was a cornerstone of basketball's greatest modern dynasty. Until last season, it never really felt like Thompson would ever leave Golden State. His name has become inextricably linked to that franchise.

After a rough season, during which Thompson battled his basketball mortality and saw his role dwindle in the face of upstart rookie Brandin Podziemski, the 34-year-old decided to pull the plug. He landed in Dallas on a reasonable three-year, $50 million contract, teaming up with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the reigning Western Conference champs.

A fresh start was clearly necessary, but Thompson is also leaving Golden State to get more minutes and more reps. He was trending toward a bench role with the Dubs, but that won't be the case in Dallas. According to Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show, Thompson turned down larger offers to contend for a championship with the Mavs. He is also expected to command "guaranteed minutes" as a "guaranteed starter."

There isn't much competition for Klay's spot in the Dallas rotation. Josh Green was sent out as part of the sign-and-trade to bring Thompson in, while last season's starting small forward, Derrick Jones Jr., signed with the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent. Naji Marshall figures to factor into the equation as a defensive enforcer off the bench, but Thompson clearly has a long runway to a significant role.

It's fair to be concerned about Thompson's ability to sustainably operate as a major starter these days. His defense was a mess last season and he's not the consistent offensive maelstrom of yesteryear. The 3-point shooting hasn't necessarily declined, but Thompson is more one-dimensional than ever, and he's not going to generate consistent stops at the point of attack defensively. With Doncic and Irving also struggling to contain dribble penetration, it's not difficult to envision Thompson being demoted once the Mavs' defense becomes untenable.

That is an uncomfortable bridge the Mavs will need to cross eventually, but for now, Dallas is betting on the offensive firepower of Thompson's shooting in tandem with Irving and Doncic as playmaking hubs.

NBA Rumors: Jazz covet Brandin Podziemski as centerpiece of Warriors-Lauri Markkanen trade

The Warriors are the team "most engaged" with the Utah Jazz in Lauri Markkanen trade talks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. That said, all signs currently point to Markkanen re-upping his contract with the Jazz, as Golden State has not come close to Utah's reported asking price.

Danny Ainge allegedly asked the Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody, in addition to future first-round picks and pick swaps. That was never going to happen, though. While Utah doesn't expect to land both Kuminga and Podziemski — arguably Golden State's top trade assets aside from Stephen Curry — the Jazz do covet Podziemski as the centerpiece of any deal, per Charania in a recent appearance on Sirius XM NBA Radio.

Podziemski made first team All-Rookie last season, averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on .454/.385/.633 splits in 26.6 minutes. He even took the starting job from Klay Thompson for a spell, emerging as invaluable connective tissue with his perimeter shot-making, complementary passing, and zeroed-in defense.

He's not a traditional upside play, but Podziemski is a classic example of modern NBA Draft philosophy, which prioritizes feel over raw athletic tools when determining a player's ceiling. Podziemski processes the floor quickly and gets by a sheer craft, evading defenders with stop-start handles and whipping advanced passes in the flow of the offense. He rebounds incredibly well for a guard, he's already one of the Warriors' top defenders, and he's going to continue to evolve as Golden State (or Utah) grants him more offensive responsibilities.

If the Jazz can land Podziemski, Moody, and the entire Warriors draft cache, that is an excellent return haul for an expiring All-Star who maybe doesn't fit the timeline in Utah. That is a lot to ask of Golden State, a team that should be weary about mortgaging its future, but Markkanen is the real deal. He won't come cheap.