NBA News: Player News and Updates for 8/9/14
Andrew's Saturday NBA Update
Photo by: USA TODAY Sports
Andrew brings you daily updates on the important players around the NBA
We've seen some pretty interesting happenings in the NBA this week, as there were a few blockbuster news items that came down the proverbial pipe. Now that the weekend has arrived, we can slow down a bit and take a look around the league at some of the notable storylines out there. Here's a closer look at what everyone's talking about.
Bennett Trade?: The Timberwolves haven't even made the deal official for the Cavaliers' Anthony Bennett, but it appears they're already dealing him to another team. Early yesterday, a story broke claiming that once the mammoth trade between the Cavaliers and Timberwolves goes through (and that deal will feature Kevin Love going to Cleveland in exchange for Bennett and Andrew Wiggins), Minnesota will deal Bennett to the 76ers for Thaddeus Young. The T-Wolves have made no secret of their interest in Young, and with all these new assets coming in it's prime time to snatch him up. This works out for the Sixers also, as Young only has one extra year left on his deal. Statistically, Young played well for Philly, posting 17.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.1 SPG.
Durant Fallout: Late this week, we got some big news from USA Basketball. Star forward Kevin Durant announced that he was withdrawing from the team, citing mental and physical draining and an abundance of extra responsibilities. It's yet another tough loss to a U.S. national team that saw the Pacers' Paul George go down with a gruesome injury last week. Exactly how much that injury played into Durant's decision is unclear, but he was visibly shaken at the time and has likely had plenty of 'what-if' thoughts when it comes to an unforeseen injury. With Durant gone, the U.S. has 15 players left. They've got to get down to 12 before the 30th, and with the way things are going they may not have to make any more actual cuts.
Gay Outlook: In a related story, the U.S. National team added swingman Rudy Gay to their roster after Durant's announced departure. Gay certainly has the pedigree to make his mark on the team. He's already won a gold medal with the team four years ago and is quite familiar with the setup and strategy involved in international basketball. According to reports, it was Gay who initially reached out to Coach K and the national team, offering his services after Durant's exit. With Gay on board, things are certainly looking up again for Team USA.
NBA 2014 Off-Season Schedule: It'll be a long off-season, but we'll have plenty of happenings (and rumors) around the league to keep us busy. The major events this summer will be the NBA Draft and the free agency period, so let's check out the dates on those and a few others.
June 26: NBA DraftJuly 1: Teams can officially begin negotiating with free agentsJuly 10: Players can begin signing contractsOctober 4: Pre-season beginsOctober 28: First game of the 2014-15 seasonApril 18, 2015: Playoffs begin
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