General NBA Rumors Roundup: Zach LaVine to Miami Heat a possibility, Quin Snyder could move out of Utah for a fresh start, and more | June 1st, 2022

NBA All-Star guard Zach LaVine could end up in Miami, but the Heat will have to give up Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro. Both Lowry and Herro suffered injuries this postseason and were hardly a factor in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Unless the front office and Quin Snyder can resolve their contract differences, the long-time Utah Jazz head coach could leave the team. The 55-year-old will have plenty of suitors should he become available in the offseason.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward OG Anunoby didn’t have the kind of season many expected him to have. He started great but injuries, the return of Pascal Siakam and the emergence of NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes stunted his growth.

Here are some of the major stories from the NBA world from June 1, 2022:

---

Miami Heat have to move on from two starters if they want to acquire Zach LaVine

NBA free agent Zach LaVine is a hot name in the trade market. [Photo: ESPN]

It was painfully obvious in the Eastern Conference Finals that the Miami Heat sorely lacked a consistent second scorer after Jimmy Butler. Tyler Herro was supposed to don that role, but he suffered an unfortunate groin injury that kept him out for most of the East's championship round.

The Miami Heat made a big trade in the offseason to get Kyle Lowry for his poise, leadership, defense and the occasional bucket. However, injuries and age have kept the former All-Star from performing as expected. He was horrific from the field against the Boston Celtics, hitting only 29.1% of his shots.

A possible solution could be found out as per HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina. In the report, salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan had this to say:

“A sign-and-trade sending LaVine to Miami would very likely require Kyle Lowry to be included, because it will be nearly impossible to stay under the hard cap with him along with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and LaVine all on max contracts.”

He added:

“A package of two-to-three first-round picks, along with Lowry and Tyler Herro to match salaries would probably be the framework of such a deal.”

Gozlan continued:

“Although they would be hard-capped in this scenario, they’d still have enough flexibility to keep Duncan Robinson and their minimum studs, use the taxpayer mid-level exception, give PJ Tucker a $1.1 million raise, and only sign an additional 3-4 more minimum players afterward.”

The Miami Heat could reload in their quest to get back to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

---

Quin Snyder could still leave Utah Jazz for a fresh start

The Utah Jazz and head coach Quin Snyder have not reached a contract agreement. [Photo: Yardbarker]

Following another disappointing playoff exit, this time at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, Quin Snyder could leave Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz, over the last several years, have been impressive in the regular season but have come up short in the games that matter the most.

It’s for this reason that the Jazz front office could be having doubts about the long-time head coach’s future in Utah.

Here’s what Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN had to report regarding Snyder’s tenure with the Utah Jazz:

“After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder's future remains unclear and a possibility exists that he could decide to end his eight-year tenure with the franchise, sources told ESPN.”

The report went on:

“While talks are described as 'good faith' attempts at a resolution that will keep Snyder, discussions with owner Ryan Smith and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge have yet to secure the coach's return for next season, sources said.”

Before the LA Lakers hired new head coach Darvin Ham, Quin Snyder was supposedly one of the top names they were looking to get. The 55-year-old coach will be a valuable asset on the bench for any team that hires him if the Utah Jazz decide to cut him loose.

---

OG Anunoby might be a name to keep an eye on in the NBA this summer

The Toronto Raptors' OG Anunoby will be a name to keep an eye on in the offseason. [Photo: Blazer's Edge]

OG Anunoby helped keep the Toronto Raptors afloat earlier in the season when Pascal Siakam was still sidelined with an injury. The 24-year-old’s excellent start also allowed eventual Rookie of the Year winner Scottie Barnes to get acclimated to the NBA.

In the past two years, Anunoby has only played a total of 91 games, averaging 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals. Moving forward, he could find minutes hard to come by as Siakam and Barnes are going nowhere.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer had an interesting take on Anunoby’s future in the NBA:

“Following a standout season from Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, word has circulated among rival front offices that Anunoby grew dissatisfied at times with his role in Toronto, where Barnes joined Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet as the primary ball-handlers in Nick Nurse's offense.”

Fischer added:

“Two sources with knowledge of the dynamic told B/R that Anunoby has not directly expressed discontent with his situation with the Raptors. Perhaps the conversation around him has been driven more by external interest in acquiring the fifth-year forward's services.”

Should Anunoby ask for a trade, several NBA teams will be banging on Toronto’s door. He is one of the most versatile defenders in the league and has an emerging offensive game that will be invaluable to other teams.

The New York Knicks are a longshot to grab Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell

The New York Knicks' dream of bringing Donovan Mitchell to the Big Apple is a distant possibility. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

The Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks rumors continue to swirl around the NBA and will only intensify this summer. New York’s starting backcourt was a big reason why they followed up their playoff appearance last year with another dud this season.

As much as the Knicks would want to get the All-Star guard, they may not have enough ammunition to fight off the likes of the Miami Heat.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer came up with an analysis that will not make New York Knicks fans happy:

“There's healthy skepticism around the NBA that New York's best offer for Mitchell would trump other teams' pursuits, such as a potential package from Miami that would theoretically center around Tyler Herro plus other salary and multiple first-round picks.”

Unless a trade happens, Donovan Mitchell will remain in Salt Lake City until at least the 2025-26 season. Although there are rumors of an impending roster shakeup that could separate Mitchell from fellow All-Star Rudy Gobert, the Jazz look unwilling to let go of Mitchell.

---

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is certain his team will win the 2022 NBA Finals.

Golden State Warriors team owner Joe Lacob can't see Steph Curry and his team losing to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. [Photo: Audacy]

Perhaps no one in San Francisco was as elated for the Golden State Warriors’ return to the NBA Finals as team owner Joe Lacob. The 66-year-old businessman is as much a fan of the Bay Area team as he is an executive.

The Warriors have booked their sixth finals appearance in eight years and will face the young and talented Boston Celtics on the NBA’s biggest stage. Golden State is favored to add another championship to their growing collection due to the superstar firepower of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

The Warriors have also seen the emergence of several young contributors such as Gary Payton II, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. An almost complete lineup with an overwhelming advantage in NBA championship experience is the biggest reason for Lacob’s optimism.

The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami detailed his conversation with the Warriors mogul.

“I think it’s going to be a very interesting matchup. I think it’s going to be really hard…I think we’ll win. I think we’re better. I believe in our coach and I believe in our roster. But I don’t think it’s going to be easy at all. It’s going to be a big battle.”

Recommended Video

Guess the Lakers players!