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With Team USA not displaying absolute authority at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, many basketball fans have already turned their attention towards the upcoming 2019-20 season. More than half of the leagues All-Star's swapped teams during a summer of drastic change and the Golden State Warriors' recent dominance looks to have come to a halt following the departures of Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, and Andre Iguodala.
Teams around the NBA have been locked in an arms race to replace Steve Kerr's side as the dominant force, with the LA Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Lakers all making substantial moves. Meanwhile, teams such as the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are believed to be open to making a significant trade in the coming weeks, and a big name such as Steven Adams could be made available. So, with plenty going on ahead of the new NBA season, here are all the latest news and rumors you need to know for September 9th.
Miami Heat must release Kendrick Nunn to sign new players
After adding Jimmy Butler earlier this summer, the Miami Heat have been linked with several stars such as Carmelo Anthony as they look to get back into contention. However, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel is reporting that Miami must first release Kendrick Nunn due to a lack of cap space:
At the moment, there is only one way or the Heat to make a change to the roster and that would be to release Kendrick Nunn. The Heat, in fact, cannot even add a 15th player to the regular-season roster because of the cap crunch
Nunn was undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft but impressed with the Santa Cruz Warriors. He joined the Heat back in April and was named to the Summer League's First Team after producing a series of impressive performances.
Anderson Varejao says he is ready for a return to the NBA
Anderson Varejao has not played in the NBA since being released by the Golden State Warriors back in early 2017, although the 36-year-old has impressed during Brazil's World Cup campaign. Varejao will face off against the USA later today, and the veteran told Joe Vardon of The Athletic that he has not given up hope of a return to the NBA:
I feel a lot better, 100 percent better than how it felt back then, because I got to play again. I got to play and I got to be on the floor for more minutes and all of that. I’ve got more rhythm and that’s why I am feeling the way I’m feeling right now.
Varejao has made 627 NBA appearances, averaging 7.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 24.0 minutes per contest.
Derrick Rose explains why he walked away from the Knicks back in 2017
Back in January of 2017, Derrick Rose was fined by the New York Knicks after unexpectedly leaving the team to fly home to Chicago. Rose's decision to leave the team without an explanation caused plenty of speculation at the time, and the former MVP revealed to The New York Post that he left due to his unhappiness in New York.
When I left the Knicks that day in January 2017, that’s what it was about. I just needed to go home. I had decided I was done playing. I could tell that the season wasn’t going to be the season everyone thought, that I thought. I didn’t know if I wanted to hoop anymore.
Rose returned eight days after his initial disappearance but left the Knicks at the end of the 16-17 season having played just 64 times for the team.
