NBA Rumors: Warriors next move, Jazz-Pelicans blockbuster, Lakers last-second targets

It is prime NBA rumors season. The initial surge of free agency has dissolved and the trade market is stagnant, which means everything happening around the league is happening behind closed doors. August is all about what could happen, and what teams are trying to do.

That said, let's dive into the latest buzz from around the association. And folks, things sure are buzzing.

NBA Rumors: Lakers have several outlined trade targets despite front office inaction

There is endless room for debate about the "worst" front offices in the NBA, but I'd wager that most fans are happy Rob Pelinka is not their GM. Moreover, the entire Los Angeles Lakers leadership structure appears corrupt, according to the latest exposé from Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily.

"In an effort to keep closer tabs on information running through the front office, sources say every decision involved Pelinka, [Linda and Kurt Rambis], Jeanie Buss and Tim Harris throughout the process, which led to far more conversation about each move and wound up gumming things up to the point of complete ineffectiveness."

Los Angeles' front office is a classic example of having too many cooks in the kitchen. That front office has operated at a snail's pace all summer, missing out on appealing free agents and so far making zero meaningful improvements to the roster, aside from drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. It's unclear whether either rookie is even prepared to contribute next season (well, Bronny definitely is not).

Inaction has too long been the name of the game for Los Angeles. The Lakers need to operate like a serious franchise, with a strategy more befitting of the Lakers' singular legacy. According to Irwin's report, there are several trade targets still on Los Angeles' radar. Time remains before the start of the season in October. The Lakers can upend the current narrative and, ya know, do something.

Not exactly a shocking list. Jerami Grant is a well-documented Lakers target, although the price could fall outside the budget of a front office "paralyzed on every major decision," to quote the Lakers Daily report. Grant and Kyle Kuzma are both sure to cost at least two first-round picks. Cam Johnson and Wendell Carter Jr. could end up in that price range, too.

Los Angeles' flexibility is limited under the new CBA, but D'Angelo Russell's expiring $18.7 million contract is a golden trade asset. It's time for the Lakers to use it and meaningfully elevate the supporting cast around 39-year-old LeBron James.

NBA Rumors: Jazz connected to Pelicans All-Star Brandon Ingram

The Utah Jazz put an end to the summer's most rampant trade rumors on Tuesday, inking Lauri Markkanen to a new max extension that runs through 2029. With Markkanen locked up, the Jazz appear set for a patient retool and rebuild, allowing Markkanen to serve as the foundation upon which the next Utah contender is constructed.

That is, unless the Jazz decide to buck the whole "rebuild" idea and go for it right now. That is a bold and potentially fatal strategy, but it's one Danny Ainge might be considering. According to Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune, Utah is viewed in league circles as a potential landing spot for New Orleans Pelicans All-Star and soon-to-be outcast Brandon Ingram.

"Once [the Markkanen extension] happens, trade discussions involving Ingram could pick back up. The Jazz are a team NBA insiders have circled as being a potential Ingram suitor. The bigs on Utah’s roster include Walker Kessler, John Collins, Drew Eubanks and Kyle Filipowski. Kessler, who’s still on his rookie contract, offers rim protection, a quality Pelicans executive David Griffin has been seeking to add for more than a year. Collins primarily plays power forward, but he can step in at center in small-ball lineups. He offers athleticism and serviceable outside shooting."

New Orleans has been trying to trade Ingram all summer with no luck. There's just not much of a market, as the 27-year-old will soon command a four-year extension that could exceed $200 million in total value. Ingram is a polarizing figure, but he's a major talent all the same. If there's room to acquire him at a discount, it could end up as a great value play for the Jazz. Utah's system tends to elevate talent and accentuate strengths.

Ingram and Markkanen is an excellent on-paper fit, even if Utah risks being a little too good to prioritize a talented 2025 NBA Draft lottery. As for what Utah gives up in a trade, it sure seems that Walker Kessler and John Collins are prime targets for New Orleans. The Pels still don't really have a starting center to replace Jonas Valanciunas. Unless there is extreme internal confidence in rookie Yves Missi, New Orleans needs another big body in the paint.

This would qualify as a shock, but if the Jazz are confident in Ingram's future — or at the very least, his ability to rebuild future trade value in a more suitable role — we could very well get one last blockbuster trade in before the season starts.

NBA Rumors: Warriors pivoting to 'smaller-scale' moves after Lauri Markkanen whiff

The Golden State Warriors were well-documented as the "most ardent" Lauri Markkanen suitors, so his extension with Utah comes as a major disappointment to Bay Area fans. After missing out on Paul George earlier in the offseason, Markkanen represented a chance for Golden State to drastically move the needle in a positive direction. This is a team that has improved over the summer, but Markkanen would've transformed the Warriors into a legitimate Western Conference threat.

Alas, he's not going anywhere until next summer at the absolute earliest, and that's only if the Jazz implode in unexpected fashion. The Dubs need to pivot, but there aren't a ton of options left in free agency, nor via the trade market. Especially not options with as much appeal as Markkanen, a movement shooting 7-footer practically built in a lab to thrive in Steve Kerr's offense.

Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine represent the other All-Star (or All-Star adjacent) options floating around the NBA rumor mill, but according to Shams Charania, Anthony Slater, and Tony Jones of The Athletic, Golden State has "no appetite" for either of 'em. Instead, the Warriors will focus on "smaller-scale" deals.

"But that doesn’t mean an immediate panic. The Warriors have 14 players under contract for next season and feel comfortable entering training camp and the regular season as currently constructed, team sources said, though they are expected to explore smaller-scale deals more actively than is typical in August and September."

Several quality role players joined the Warriors' roster this summer, such as Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson. The Klay Thompson departure stung for sentimental reasons, but Golden State straight-up upgraded the wing rotation. There is more offensive firepower than a season ago, while the internal growth from Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, and others could prove consequential.

If Golden State can continue to stockpile viable two-way pieces around Steph and Draymond, this is a team to feel good about. The Warriors don't quite stack up with the Western Conference heavyweights yet, but Curry remains a top-10 player at worst, and Draymond is always hanging around the DPOY conversation. Few teams in the NBA know how to win more than Golden State. Now it's a matter of seeing if the personnel is up to snuff.

Equipped with all but one of their future first-round picks, as well as several intriguing prospects (Podz, Kuminga, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis), Golden State has the firepower to pull off a landscape-altering move. Let's see if the front office has the guts and the motivation to do so.