NBA News August 17: Klay on the trade market and the “new” Paul George

The NBA trade market seems to have taken a few days off, but plenty is still happening beneath the surface. Klay Thompson may not start the season in a Mavs uniform, Peyton Watson remains one of the most intriguing names without a definitive agreement and Paul George has experienced his first moments as a Celtics player.

Meanwhile, one thing is becoming increasingly clear in Los Angeles: after LeBron James’ departure, the Lakers have become Luka Doncic’s team.

Klay Thompson could leave Dallas: Heat and Lakers watching

The future of Klay Thompson with the Dallas Mavericks is far from certain. Dallas has explored the market for the four-time NBA champion, but so far the conversations have not produced a concrete solution. Thompson has one year and $17.5 million remaining on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027.

Among the teams most closely linked to Klay are primarily the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, while a potential return to the Warriors has also been mentioned as a scenario to monitor. Miami appears to be the most concrete destination, though: the Heat are looking for shooting to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and Thompson would inevitably be an intriguing fit. There is one problem, however: Miami does not appear willing to sacrifice Nikola Jovic to acquire the former Warriors star.

For now, then, there are no bags packed. But the feeling is that Klay’s situation will be one to monitor through training camp, especially if Dallas finds a satisfactory solution or changes its mind about the possibility of a buyout.

Peyton Watson, the market continues to move

Another name to keep a close eye on is Peyton Watson. The 23-year-old is a restricted free agent and his future in Denver remains undecided, despite the Nuggets presenting him with a significant extension offer. Watson has yet to accept, however, and several teams have started monitoring the situation closely.

Among the most interested teams are reportedly the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have explored the possibility of a sign-and-trade to bring him to Ohio. The recent departure of Dennis Schroder may also have changed the Cavs’ room to maneuver, although Denver retains significant leverage because it can match any offers Watson receives.

Paul George gets his first look at Boston: “It’s surreal”

In Boston, meanwhile, it’s time to truly begin a new chapter. Paul George visited the Celtics’ facilities for the first time following the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, calling the experience almost surreal.

I’m going to give it everything I have. It’s surreal, I’m really excited. I can’t wait to start this journey, put on that green jersey and represent Boston

Paul George

Now it’s up to PG to try to make Celtics fans forget Brown, which will be anything but easy. The good news for Boston is that George seems eager to get started. At 36, he certainly isn’t arriving in Boston as a long-term project, but rather to help a team immediately that has no intention of falling out of the contender group.

Doncic takes full control of the Lakers

If a new era has begun in Boston, the changing of the guard in Los Angeles now appears complete. Luka Doncic has already opened discussions with Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, who are set to become the new owners of the Lakers following the $12.5 billion agreement to acquire the franchise. The parties have scheduled a meeting as Luka prepares for the new season.

But perhaps the most interesting signal will come directly from Slovenia. Doncic has invited the entire Lakers roster to his home country for a four-day minicamp, featuring workouts, team-building activities and even some golf. It’s an initiative that says a lot about his role within the franchise at this point.

Ben Simmons, an NBA return remains complicated

And then there’s Ben Simmons, who continues to work toward returning to the league after a year away from the NBA. His representatives have reportedly received interest from several franchises, and there is also an offer to participate in training camp with a Western Conference team. Simmons is expected to report without physical limitations.

The situation, however, is very different from a few years ago. After previously turning down an opportunity with New York, Simmons may have to accept a non-guaranteed contract and compete for a roster spot during training camp.

The August market, then, is far from closed. There are no imminent blockbusters, at least for now, but Klay Thompson, Peyton Watson and Ben Simmons are among the situations still to be resolved before training camps begin. And if the NBA has taught us anything, it’s that all it takes is one phone call to turn a quiet day into another completely wild summer.

That’s all for today. NBA News by Dunkest returns tomorrow with another recap and all the top news from around the NBA.