NBA rumors: Warriors still on Markkanen, Jarrett Allen still tradeable, Bulls struggling to find a deal

We are in the quietest part of the NBA offseason. Summer League is done, the free agent frenzy has settled, and preseason basketball is still a couple months away. There are still noteworthy unsigned players and splashy trade candidates floating around, though. The NBA rumors are alive and well.

Let's dive into the latest scuttlebutt from around the association.

NBA Rumors: Bulls can't find trade takers for Zach LaVine, Nikola Vuceivc

Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls head coach and professional juggler.

Few head coaches are in a tougher spot than Billy Donovan right now. The Bulls are finally embracing a long-overdue rebuild, but with a catch. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic are talented vets who invariably raise Chicago's floor, but neither is very appealing to front offices around the league. Chicago has made attempts to trade both — and still is attempting to trade both, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times — but so far, interested teams have been difficult to come by.

There's still time. We're a few months out from the regular season. But, as Cowley's report outlines, the logical outcome is LaVine and Vucevic starting the season in Chicago. From there, the Bulls will hope to rebuild their value and locate trade partners midseason.

"But diplomat isn’t the only role that Donovan will have to take on as fall camp nears. He better be well versed in the art of juggling... That’s why Donovan had to make sure LaVine and the organization can continue to coexist, while also explaining to him that balling out from Day 1 of the 2024-25 campaign is the quickest ticket to getting elsewhere."

The LaVine relationship appears particularly sticky at the moment. It's clear he is not beloved in Chicago and the Bulls want him gone. That will make the start of next season awkward. It's hard for teams to drown out the noise, no matter how ardently players push that narrative in post-game interviews. Discord and outside pressure can get to a team, especially one so accustomed to mediocrity.

Chicago is broken. The front office is finally making an earnest attempt to fix what is broken, but until all the albatrosses are removed, it's difficult to expect anything other than dysfunction and embarrassment from this Bulls squad. Here's to hoping Matas Buzelis has the juice.

NBA Rumors: Jarrett Allen is still on the chopping block, if not right this second

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended Jarrett Allen with a three-year, $91 million contract last week. It's great value, even if there are (valid) fit concerns next to Evan Mobley in the frontcourt. Allen is a favorite of new head coach Kenny Atkinson and Cleveland now has its 'core four' of Allen, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Darius Garland locked up for years to come.

It has been tough sledding for Cleveland in recent postseasons, but this is clearly a top-four team in the East with an outside chance to meaningfully contend for a title. Lots of teams would love to be in Cleveland's position — consistently excellent in the regular season with a proper 1A star in Mitchell and a gifted young core. Still, it's unclear if the Cavs can reach the mountaintop as currently constructed.

Allen was floated as a trade candidate for much of the summer, but Cleveland appeared resistant to the idea. The 7-footer is going to start the season in a Cavs uniform, but as NBA insider Marc Stein reveals, Cleveland still wants to keep the option of trading Allen on the table.

"It's believed that Allen was essentially obligated to sign the deal before Aug. 6 as a condition of Cleveland extending him at the maximum amount allowed based on the 26-year-old's current contract."

By inking his new contract before Aug. 6, Allen will become trade eligible four days before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. He won't be moved until that four-day window opens, but it gives Cleveland the chance to field calls and re-evaluate its roster setup at the midway point of next season. Allen is sure to have a robust market if he's made available. There aren't too many superior rim protectors in the NBA, while Allen's value as a screen-setter and vertical finisher too often goes unheralded.

The Cavs have every reason to try and make it work, but there is clearly a desire within the front office to keep its options open.

NBA Rumors: Warriors (still) interested in improbable Lauri Markkanen trade

The Golden State Warriors continue to hit up Danny Ainge's phone, per Marc Stein. While the Utah Jazz appear increasingly likely to re-up Markkanen's contract, the Warriors are the "most ardent" suitor for the Finnish 7-footer. Alas, Utah recently coordinated workouts for Markkanen and Jazz point guard Keyonte George in Finland, which would be a lot of effort for somebody soon to be traded.

Never say never, of course. The NBA has seen wilder things happen at this time of year. But, the Jazz appear committed to Markkanen barring a godfather offer from the Warriors. Golden State still hasn't offered either Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga, per Stein's report. At this point, any offer not including at least one of the Warriors' core prospects is an unserious proposition.

These talks have been dragging on for a while. The latest revelation is that Markkanen wants to sign his extension after Aug. 6, so as to avoid trade eligibility until next offseason. Even by waiting an extra day, until Aug. 7, Markkanen can rule out a trade during the 2024-25 campaign. That gives him more control over his future.

It's clear Markkanen enjoys Utah and is willing to be patient through an extended rebuild. That is rare for a player of his caliber in a small market, and it's hard to imagine the Jazz parting with such a willing collaborator unless the return price truly knocks Ainge's socks off. That is not known to happen very often. Ainge is the NBA's stingiest negotiator and he rarely loses trades, so front offices ought to operate with excessive caution when dealing with Utah.

The Warriors can covet Markkanen all they want, but unless Mike Dunleavy Jr. and that front office gets real and starts building return packages around Podziemski and/or Kuminga, it's hardly worth talking about. It ain't happening with Moses Moody and draft picks.