NBA 2021 Rumors & Betting News January 14th Edition

While every team in the NBA is focused on wins and losses, the front office personnel are always active in looking for ways to make their team better. That is why we usually see the headlines dominated by trades, rumors, and potential cuts. Other than a handful of players in the league, the majority do not fall into the untouchable category, especially when one of the best in the NBA is being dangled as trade bait. That is what we have seen since opening day, with the Houston Rockets listening to trade offers for James Harden. That has been resolved, so we are going to dig into that deal before getting to some other news. Let’s get right to it so you can continue placing your bets against their NBA odds.

NBA Betting – 2021 Rumors & Betting News | January 14th Edition

The one team that continually got mentioned in potential trade talk for James Harden was the Boston Celtics, but it seems that they were not willing to pay the price that the Rockets were asking for Harden. Specifically, rumor has it that Jaylen Brown was who the Rockets were targeting in trade talks, a move that Boston was simply not willing to pay. Danny Ainge took to Boston radio to essentially confirm that, saying that the price being asked was too high. The Celtics are looking to build through their young talent, so it really didn’t make sense to give one of those pieces away.

In the end, it was the Brooklyn Nets who swung the blockbuster deal. The Nets now have a ridiculous roster with a trio of star players. On paper, this looks like a fabulous deal, but will these three egos be able to play together and let the others shine? If they can, this Brooklyn team is suddenly a serious contender to win the championship. The biggest loser here may well be a team that missed out on Harden. The 76ers were apparently in the mix, offering up Ben Simmons in a potential trade. How much longer does he stay on a team that was willing to let him go.

The fallout of the trade is already having an impact in Houston. With a trio of players coming over in the trade, the Rockets were forced to remove someone from the roster. That casualty proved to be Ben Caboclo, who has just rejoined the team this season. He was not a major player in the Rockets line-up, but his being cut bails them out of a couple of potentially sticky issues, as they will stay beneath the salary cap and avoid luxury-tax thresholds.

Sometimes, injuries can provide a little ray of light. In the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves and injuries to starters Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie, that ray of light comes in the form of rookie Anthony Edwards. The rookie out of Georgia is still very much a work in progress, but he has shown signs that he might indeed prove to be a valuable contributor for the T-Wolves. According to coach Ryan Saunders, he is now of the belief that Edwards is ready to handle much more responsibility.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?