NBA News Roundup, Tuesday, May 14th: Knicks interested in adding Celtics duo, update on LeBron James' future and more

With the NBA Finals now upon us, the playoffs are currently the talk of the basketball world, although there is no shortage of other stories emerging from around the league.

The 2019 draft is just weeks away, and teams will be hoping to strike gold by drafting either Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis continues to be linked with a blockbuster trade, and a host of stars including Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Kemba Walker are about to hit free agency.

So, with plenty going on around the NBA, here are the biggest news stories and rumors you need to know for May 14th.

Knicks targeting Boston Celtics duo

The New York Knicks are preparing for a major recruitment drive this summer. The franchise is expected to acquire Kevin Durant, while Kyrie Irving has also been heavily linked with a move to New York.

Nevertheless, further additions will be needed for the Knicks to compete for a title, and NBC Sports is reporting that the team is interested in Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier:

Multiple league sources tell NBC Sports Boston that the Knicks, a team with plenty of roster holes to fill this offseason, have interest in at least two other Celtics players besides Irving — Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier — who like Irving, will be free agents this summer.

New York’s interest in Rozier has been steady, only to have picked up during Rozier’s strong showing in the playoffs last year and continued through the February trade deadline, which is when Boston made the decision to keep Rozier and the rest of the team intact.

As for Morris, his play in the postseason will increase the number of potential suitors for him when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

During the 18/19 season, Rozier was deployed as Irving's backup, although he still managed to average 9.0 points and 2.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, Morris averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds and shot 38% from beyond the arc.

LeBron James staying with the Lakers

LeBron James has been linked with a blockbuster trade

LeBron James signed a four-year, $154 million contract with the Lakers last July. The move was expected to transform the team into contenders, however, Los Angeles finished with a 37-45 record -- missing out on the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.

Recent reports have claimed that Jeanie Buss (Lakers owner) could trade her superstar, although ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has dispelled any notion of an early LeBron departure:

The Lakers will not trade him either, even though there's been people in Hollywood, not basketball people, but people in Hollywood in Jeanie Buss' ear telling her, 'Get rid of him. Trade him. Just rebuild because ya'll ain't going anywhere anyway.' But again, he doesn't have a no-trade clause, so you could conceivably move him. That's not something they're going to do. It's not something he's thinking about doing.

During the 18/19 season, James averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.

Kevin Durant remains out for the Warriors

Kevin Durant remains out for the Golden State Warriors

Following a Stephen Curry second-half inspired performance, the Golden State Warriors advanced to the West finals without Kevin Durant. The 30-year-old missed the series-clinching game against the Houston Rockets due to a right calf strain, and entering the Finals, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne is reporting that Durant remains an injury concern for the Warriors:

Kevin Durant is out for at least Game 1 of the WCF, source tells ESPN. He’s not being re-evaluated until Thursday so it’s “unlikely “ he plays Game 2 either.

Durant underwent an MRI exam last Thursday, which confirmed that he had suffered a calf strain. Entering their West Finals matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Warriors are also without DeMarcus Cousins, although the All-Star is expected to make a surprise comeback after earlier being ruled out for the remainder of the season.