NBA Rumors: Latest News on Isaiah Thomas, DeMarcus Cousins, Wizards Targets | Bleacher's report

The latest look at OddsShark's NBA 2018-19 championship ratings reveals that the Golden State Warriors are massively -185 favorites (bet 185 $ to win $ 100) to win everything for the fourth time in five years. The Los Angeles Lakers are next on the odds register at +460.

Remarkably, the Warriors, Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers are the only five teams with a score greater than +5,000 to win the NBA Finals, and The NBA's landscape top might change drastically depending on The arrival of San Antonio Spurs striker Kawhi Leonard next season, but until then, various moves are still underway during the season. the moratorium period on the free agencies of the NBA.

Here is a preview of the last playmaker Isaiah Thomas and where he could finish his race, next to some transactions contemplated by the Washington Wizards. You can also find interesting news about where DeMarcus Cousins ​​could have landed if he had not chosen Golden State.

Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas, an unrestricted free agent guard, is looking for a new home, and this could be in Orlando, by Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders:

The Magic is on the market for a playmaker, especially with Elfrid Payton in mid-season. The team brought back center Mohamed Bamba and guard Melvin Frazier in the repechage, but they were able to use another veteran general to take the lead.

D.J. Augustin, who filled the contract for Payton after the contract, has another two years to his contract, but the team will perhaps be best placed for Thomas and Augustine who leaves the bench as he did for most of his career.

After a 2016-2017 season with the Boston Celtics, where he averaged 28.9 points per game, Thomas struggled last year largely due to an injury to the hip that made him miss more than half of the season. ] The IT2 mandate with the Cleveland Cavaliers did not work, and it was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trading deadline. Unfortunately, his shot went all year, since he only made 38.3% of his goals on the field (Thomas is a 43.9% career shot).

However, if Thomas, 29, stays healthy during the off-season on the right foot with Orlando, he could enjoy a bounceback season for a team that needs more punch.

DeMarcus Cousins ​​

The star center DeMarcus Cousins ​​accepted a one-year contract this season with the Golden State Warriors, but Marc Stein of The New York Times (h / t HoopsHype ) noted that a few other teams also had the opportunity to have Boogie on their list for the Next year.

Per Stein, Cousins ​​2017 and 2018 New Orleans Pelicans) were one of those teams: "The sources say that Cousins ​​has rebuffed New Orleans' offer of an extension of two-year contract in the $ 40 million range after the injury, but before the end of the season.New Orleans removed him from the table. "

Stein also added this note about Lakers, who would have "had the opportunity to sign Cousins ​​at a price of a year similar to the one who landed in Golden State." I am told that the Lakers are gone, opening the way to the Warriors to make basketball furious "

The pelicans instead turned to the former big man of the Los Angeles Lakers, Julius Randle, who signed a two-year contract of $ 18 million.This could end up being the theft of the entire period of free agency (after Neck sins, of course.) Randle led the March with an average of 20.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

L.A. spent on Cousins, and they might have some problems finding someone to keep the fort in the post. At the moment, it seems that the combination of JaVale McGee, Ivaca Zubac and first-round pick Mo Wagner (as a small five-ball) will be used as the center.

McGee is very effective on the field (by reference to basketball, he has a PER of 23.9 since 2016-17), but he has not averaged more than 20 minutes per game since 2012. Zubac barely saw the floor last year, averaging 9.5 minutes per game and regressing in most statistics. However, he is a 7 "1, 21-year-old with plenty of room (and time) to develop. The 6" 11 "Wagner is an intriguing prospect and a beast on the boards, but he might also need time In the end, while Cousins ​​must rework from a ripped Achilles suffered in January that prematurely ended his 2017-18 season, in the void, he was clearly the best bet to shoot down the fort. weak (averaged 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game last year before the injury).

Washington Wizards

According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic Center Dwight Howard signed a one-year contract with the Washington Wizards. He will probably replace Marcin Gortat in the lineup.

Gortat was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Austin Rivers, and the Wizards also took over Jeff Green for a one-year contract, according to David Aldridge of Turner. Sports

By Candace Buckner of The Washington Post the Wizards can not be done by adding to their list:

The Wizards are in a tough place in a league where it's better to be at the bottom than anywhere near the middle. Washington is a regular contender in the playoffs, but this has not been a serious threat to the title of the conference. The closest of the Wizards reached the conference final by reaching the seventh game of the Eastern semifinals in 2017.

On paper, the additions of Rivers and Green should help fortify a bench that has been inconsistent in recent years. Players such as Kelly Oubre Jr., Mike Scott and Ian Mahinmi competed at different times last season.

The addition of the age-old Jamal Crawford would be intriguing because he could offer a stable and mature veteran presence while providing balloons. manipulation and help with outdoor shooting. However, East still looks like a race between Boston and Philadelphia for the title of the conference.