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The 2019-20 NBA season is just two months away, and the forthcoming campaign is gearing up to be one of the most exciting in memory. While few expect the Toronto Raptors to repeat their championship heroics, the East continues to improve and the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks will be among the contenders.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors' recent Western dominance looks over following the departures of Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant, and DeMarcus Cousins, while the Houston Rockets will be confident after pulling off a blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook.
Teams looking to contend can also make further free-agent additions ahead of the season, while the likes of Steven Adams and Kevin Love could be made available via trade. So, with plenty going on, here are all the latest NBA news and rumors you need to know for August 23rd.
#1 Jimmy Butler was told that the Miami Heat would be 'aggressive' in their pursuit of a second star
In perhaps the most surprising move of free agency, Jimmy Butler swapped the Philadelphia 76ers for the Miami Heat. Butler was expected to play a vital role in the Sixers attempts to win a title, although the All-Star was swayed after meeting with a Miami franchise that faces an annual struggle to make the playoffs.
Nevertheless, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald is reporting that the Heat have promised Butler that they will pursue a second star:
The Heat pitched Butler on becoming the first established star to join the current roster, with the understanding the organization would be aggressive in trying to add another, according to a league source.
Since adding Butler in free agency, the Heat have been linked with a number of stars such as Bradley Beal and Chris Paul. They also explored a potential trade for Russell Westbrook before his move to Houston.
#2 Marreese Speights set to work out with the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently on the search for a new center after losing DeMarcus Cousins to a serious knee injury. The Lakers are believed to be looking at a number of notable names including Dwight Howard, Kenneth Faried, and Joakim Noah and workouts are expected over the next week.
Nevertheless, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype is reporting that the Lakers will work out Marreese Speights later today.
Speights is currently signed to the Guangzhou Long-Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association, and his most recent spell in the NBA came for the Orlando Magic during the 2017-18 season.
Since being drafted more than a decade ago, Speights has represented six different teams, including three years in Golden State. With the Warriors, Speights made two trips to the NBA Finals and won the title in 2015.
#3 Team USA continue World Cup preparations with easy win over Australia
Team USA's build-up to the upcoming FIBA World Cup has been plagued by a historic number of dropouts, and many have labeled the current roster as among the worst in team history. However, Gregg Popovich's team were able to temporarily silence their doubters with an impressive 102-86 win over Australia on Thursday in a World Cup warm-up game.
In front of a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators, Team USA led by only one point at halftime, although Popovich's men quickly pulled away in the third. Kemba Walker led the way with 23 points, while Myles Turner added 15 points and 14 rebounds in a dominant performance.
The two teams will meet again in Melbourne on Saturday as Team USA look for a third straight win following their earlier win over Spain.
Guess the Lakers players!
