NBA Rumors: Warriors Markkanen pivot, Knicks-Randle update, 76ers reunion

We have reached the quiet portion of the NBA offseason. Not much is happening currently, but there's so much that could happen in the future.

This is the time of year for NBA rumors. Forget June. Forget February. Let's fill this basketball void with something to chew on.

NBA Rumors: Marcus Morris Sr. pines for 76ers reunion in free agency

The Philadelphia 76ers have 13 of 15 roster spots filled and Daryl Morey plans to keep one spot open for added trade flexibility during the season. As such, Philadelphia has one more player to add to its revamped group. A couple names appear to be trending in the front office, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Marcus Morris Sr. and Davis Bertans are names under consideration for the Sixers' "final" roster spot. Bertans' size and movement shooting make him a natural fit next to Joel Embiid or Andre Drummond in the frontcourt. Morris, however, is a Philadelphia native and he spent time with the Sixers last season. The 34-year-old vet has a special connection to the city and he would welcome a reunion.

"It felt like it [playing for the 76ers] was something that just helped my career. You know sometimes you’ve been doing it for so long that you find different things that get you up for playing. Being home is one of those things for me. I just felt so free. I just felt so much love. So it’s like, yeah, man, I would definitely entertain coming back. I just hope we can get something going hopefully."

Generally, when you're deciding between a pair of past-prime vets who probably won't see the floor, it's best to pick the guy with an enforcer reputation who loves the city and is actively lobbying to wear a 76ers uniform. That stuff matters. Morris was not great last season, but he'd give the Sixers much-needed physicality off the bench. He's a good dude to have in the locker room and on the sideline.

Splitting last season between Philadelphia and Cleveland, Morris wasn't blessed with the most robust role. He still hit 40.3 percent of his 3s, though, and he's worth a back-end roster spot. There are less productive uses of the 14th slot on an expensive contender. Hopefully, for Morris' sake, the two sides can reach terms.

NBA Rumors: Julius Randle extension would require 'major shift' for Knicks

It's easy to poke holes in the New York Knicks' individual moves this summer. They gave up too much for Mikal Bridges. That OG Anunoby contract is a lot. Isaiah Hartenstein walked. That's a huge loss. And yet, on the whole, this offseason has been a resounding success for the Knicks. The collective achievement for Leon Rose and the front office cannot be overstated. New York has the deepest 1-8 in the NBA and a legitimate path to challenging Boston in the Eastern Conference.

Oddly absent from a lot of Knicks conversations these days, however, is Julius Randle. He was New York's other All-Star last season. The production was absurd across the board. Few 6-foot-8 bruisers can stuff the stat sheet at Randle's level and impact so many areas of the floor offensively. And yet, we don't hear his name much when talking about how great the Knicks can be.

It's a strange dynamic. Randle was absent for New York's postseason run. He missed the second half of the 2023-24 campaign with a shoulder injury. He produces at a prodigious rate when he's on the floor, but it's fair to wonder if Randle is the best fit. If handing him a significant chunk of offensive responsibilities is the best allocation of resources.

Also noteworthy is Randle's unresolved contract situation. He's entering the final guaranteed year of his deal, worth $28.9 million. He has a player option for $30.9 million in 2025-26. The Knicks just handed out a boatload of cash this offseason. Now, Randle's future is murky at best.

There are no current plans to trade Randle, but it would require a "major shift" for the two sides to find common ground in extension talks before the season, per SNY's Ian Begley.

Randle has value in a vacuum, but it can be difficult to decipher his value in a team context. That goes for the Knicks, and it goes for every potential trade partner or free agent destination. Randle creates advantages with his strength and quickness. He's a viable three-level scorer, a nifty passer for his position, and a committed rebounder.

Still, there are countless examples of Randle tanking the offense with a bad shot or letting defensive pressure speed him up. He requires a lot of oxygen, which isn't available in every offensive ecosystem. With Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby on massive deals, it's fair to wonder if the Knicks still have that oxygen left. We know, beyond a doubt, that Jalen Brunson is the rightful 1A in New York.

It will be fascinating to see how Randle and the Knicks proceed from here. Expect this uncertainty to drag on for a while.

NBA Rumors: Warriors could target Jonas Valanciunas at trade deadline

The Golden State Warriors are still connected to Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen, but that dream is next to dead. Barring a shocking last-second reversal, Markkanen probably inks an extension in Utah. The Jazz aren't accepting lowballs and the Warriors aren't willing to deal their best assets. Such is the business of NBA front offices.

If the Warriors miss on Markkanen, there will be other fish in the proverbial sea. The front office is equipped with enough draft capital to swing a meaningful trade. Whether that trade occurs before the season, at the trade deadline, or never at all, is the question.

According to Heavy's Sean Deveney, there is a belief that Golden State could target Washington Wizards 7-footer Jonas Valanciunas "if the Lauri Markkanen thing does not work out." Talk about a letdown.

Valanciunas inked a three-year, $30 million contract with the Wizards in free agency. He spent the last three years with the New Orleans Pelicans. Last season, the 32-year-old averaged 12.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .559/.308/.785 splits in 23.5 minutes.

Washington is expected to demand at least a first-round pick in return when the time comes. That's fair value for Valanciunas. He's a legitimate starting five in most matchups. New Orleans went away from Valanciunas down the stretch on a regular basis last season, but there were factors beyond his own skill set at play. The Wizards were an unexpected landing spot, but Valanciunas' strength, shooting, and rim protection should all aid No. 2 pick Alex Sarr — a presumed frontcourt running mate — in the early stages of his career.

It sure doesn't sound like the Wiz plan to stick with Valanciunas for all three years, though. He was signed as future trade bait, probably well aware of his fate. His impact wouldn't approximate that of Markkanen, but Valanciunas would give Golden State a floor-spacing, screen-setting big man with feather-soft touch, a high basketball IQ, and appealing physicality in the post. He would help the Dubs in certain tall-ball matchups, such as Minnesota or Denver.

This trade can't happen until midseason due to the restrictions on recently signed free agents, but Valanciunas is an intriguing long-term fallback plan for the Warriors if their more bold aspirations fall flat.