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NBA Rumors: Will Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker be on the move this offseason?

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center.

With the NBA Conference Finals just underway, there is still tons of time before the free agent signing period begins on July 6. Still, as we approach that date, as well as the NBA Draft, which begins on June 27, it pays to pay attention to all the reports swirling in the rumor mill.

Not only could these rumors affect a team's decisions on draft day, but they could also change the trajectory of several teams' entire offseasons. With a few coaching gigs, potential trades, and upcoming contract extensions being all the buzz currently, there's a lot of new information for NBA fans to inhale, which is why we've rounded it all up here.

Here are all of the latest NBA offseason rumors.

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Rockets have drawn interest in the No. 3 overall pick

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports that a "handful of teams have expressed interest in acquiring the [No. 3 overall] pick" from the Houston Rockets. In a conversation with team sources, Iko adds that the talks have not been concrete but that interest could drastically increase on draft night.

Finally, Iko notes that given the Rockets' 19-win improvement since last year, and Ime Udoka's preference for veteran players, the Rockets are likely more inclined to trade the pick away, but that is just speculation.

This news comes at a peculiar time though given the recent rise in interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan. According to a mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman at Bleacher Report, there could be immense interest in the Huskies big man for any team looking to improve defensively. Last year, the Rockets ranked ninth in defended field goal percentage within six feet of the hoop, so they likely wouldn't need Clingan's service as much as other teams might. A draft day trade to No. 3 overall could be likelier than we realize.

Lakers, Heat, Nets, Rockets all potential suitors for Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell could still sign an extension with the Cavaliers to remain in Ohio. Should that not come to be though, Mitchell's market appears to be popping.

On May 15, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst claimed that the Lakers, Heat, and Nets could all be interested in signing Mitchell this offseason.

Regarding the Lakers, Windhorst claimed "The Lakers know they need to improve their roster. They're going to be hunting for a star." With the Heat, Windhorst said, "They've been star-hunting for a year now." His thought process around the Nets seemed more concrete though.

Windhorst notes that the Nets could land Mitchell with more ease than most teams given Mitchell's ties to the New York area. Furthermore, with Brooklyn's control over Phoenix's draft picks, the Nets have the capital and pool of young talent necessary to trade for Mitchell.

Another team that could be in the running though is the Houston Rockets. USA Today's Jorge Sierra notes that with the Rockets potentially trading the third overall pick away, that pick could be a pivotal piece in bringing another big name to Houston. To bolster his case, The Athletic's Kelly Iko posted on X that the Rockets have "maintained interest in Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for months and continue to monitor his situation in Cleveland."

JJ Redick appears to be the frontrunner for the Lakers head coaching job

Although there is still no guarantee who the Lakers will bring on as their next head coach, JJ Redick appears to be the new favorite. A report from The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Shams Charania claims that the Lakers are "infatuated with Redick’s potential, according to league sources, viewing him as a Pat Riley-like coaching prospect who could both help the franchise in the short term and lead it for years."

While many people have suspected the Lakers would be interested in Redick for his relationship with LeBron James -- the two host the Mind the Game podcast together -- LeBron's representation said Monday that was not the case.

The report adds that Anthony Davis has recently developed a good rapport with Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego. Other coaches named in the article that the Lakers have either allegedly met with or plan to meet with include: Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell, Denver Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn.

Devin Booker will not request trade from Suns

Although speculation has hinted at Devin Booker's interest to move away from Phoenix to the New York Knicks, ESPN's Zach Lowe said on his podcast Monday that he does not anticipate a trade request from Booker any time soon, or at least "not for the foreseeable future."

On Monday, April 29, Stephen A. Smith said on First Take that Booker would rather be in New York than Phoenix.

"That's what I'm being told," said Smith. "Now, he might deny it, I haven't spoken to him. I'm just telling you the scuttlebutt in the NBA circles is that the brother wanna be in New York." While Smith is very open about his lack of direct knowledge on the matter, that didn't stop people from creating hypothetical trade scenarios that would land Booker, a four-time All-Star, in Madison Square Garden. As of right now though, those rumors appear to be dead in the water.

Paul George likely to stay with Clippers?

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Shams Charania said on Up & Adams that people around the NBA expect George to remain in Los Angeles. This comes during a time when buzz surrounding George involving the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers was beginning to bubble.

While each team would be able to either offer George an exorbitant contract or offer the Clippers a great trade package, George, a Los Angeles native is likely inclined to stay in the area so long as the Clippers offer him a max contract. That very much appears to be on the table.

Jalen Brunson open to massive extension with Knicks

Newsday's Steve Popper reports that "all indications" point to Brunson signing a four-year, $156 million extension with New York this offseason. Popper adds that the contract would include a clause that Brunson could try for a five-year, $270 million deal in 2025.

Popper's explanation is that if Brunson signed that deal this offseason, it would "remove his fourth season from the current deal and provide five more years of certainty in New York, rather than waiting until next summer."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA rumors: Latest on Mitchell, Booker, and Lakers coaching gig