NBA Trade Rumors 2016: Deron Williams To Join Cavs? Latest On Blake Griffin Or Rudy Gay To Thunder

The NBA trade rumors for this 2016 season continue as teams are looking to improve their rosters ahead of the playoff run next year. With that said, one team that definitely is already there in terms of the championship level is the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, that hasn’t stopped some speculation about the team possibly adding another helpful component to their current squad. In addition, there are two highly-coveted players out there: Rudy Gay and Blake Griffin. Are any teams out of the question, or potential frontrunners as of right now for these two stars?

A recent report via Cleveland.com, writer Joe Vardon mentions that the Cavs might be looking to get a backup guard to help out in Cleveland’s defense of their NBA title. In Vardon’s answer to a fan’s question about the potential for getting Norris Cole on the team, Vardon ruled out that particular point guard option by saying it seems he’s not on the team’s radar. There could be a few other players to consider, though.

Vardon brought up two other potential trade targets for the NBA Champion Cleveland Cavs.

“All indications are (for now) that they will try and go the trade route to get a backup to Kyrie Irving. Could be around Dec. 15, when free agents signed over the summer can be traded. I’m just throwing a name out there — Dallas’ Deron Williams is on that list. So is Orlando’s D.J. Augustin.”

While former All-Star Deron Williams or suitable backup Augustin might sound great on the surface, the Cavs might not really be in the market. In fact, the Cavs are said to be over the salary cap according to several reports out there. In addition, when one looks at the lineup they currently possess, it seems they have plenty of capable ball handlers, with Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and LeBron James. As of this report, Cleveland has a 10-2 record and is still among the best in the league.

So does that mean they are unbeatable when it comes to the postseason? They’ve yet to take on Golden State, but the Cavs are the champions and are considered the team to beat in the Eastern Conference still. Give credit to their overall basketball talents, which continue to blossom each season. Right now, Cleveland is listed as the second overall favorite behind Golden State to win the title this season. However, Kyrie Irving and LeBron certainly proved plenty of doubters wrong before, so this team is arguably in great position again.

There are plenty of other teams out there looking to get into the conversation when it comes to contending for the title too. Two players that have been mentioned in NBA trade rumors previously are Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, and Sacramento Kings’ scorer Rudy Gay. One team that has been linked to speculation involving these players is the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, one player is more likely than the other to wind up with OKC.

A bit under a week ago, ESPN writer Zach Lowe noted that several sources have indicated “there is no sign Blake Griffin wants to come home.” Add to that the fact that the Clippers seem to be among the top contenders in the Western Conference along with the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. As of right now, it would be baffling if Los Angeles parted ways with this star, but depending how their postseason goes, they may decide to shake things up.

Rudy Gay is still considered a potential player the Oklahoma City Thunder could go after. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders responded to a fan’s question about how the team might go about getting Gay into a Thunder uniform.

Not sure they can. They have eyes for Rudy Gay but Kings not ready to move him yet. https://t.co/OO6ldqiiDs

— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) November 21, 2016

The Bleacher Report brings up an interesting point when it comes to Oklahoma City going after Rudy Gay. Basically, at age 30, they will be acquiring his services for more of a “short-term gain,” rather than building for the future. As fans know, Russell Westbrook is already the star of that team that they’re building upon. Adding Gay to the mix for just a few seasons in an attempt to run at a title, might not make as much sense as trying to lure in a player with more abilities. Gay would certainly give the Thunder the scorer on the wing they want, but he’s obviously no Kevin Durant.

NBA fans, which team do you think will end up getting Rudy Gay? Will he be traded before the NBA trade deadline in 2017, or end up signing somewhere as a free agent?

[Featured Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]