NBA Rumors Roundup: Toronto Raptors and Dallas Mavericks may engage in a Goran Dragic trade, Lance Stephenson looking for an NBA comeback and more - August 13th, 2021 

NBA Rumors have now shifted their attention to possible trades that could take place in the coming weeks, with most of the top free agents already signing new deals recently.

Quite a lot of franchises are yet to finalize their full roster, while some are looking to free up roster spots with the new NBA season just two months away. The Dallas Mavericks could be an active team as per NBA rumors. After a fairly quiet free agency, the Mavs may end up landing a player that would complete their roster needs for the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, former NBA veterans, who have been out of the league for a while, are looking to make a comeback as well. So without any further ado, let's look at all the NBA rumors that have floated around in the last 24 hours.

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NBA Rumors: Goran Dragic to the Dallas Mavericks could be happening after all

Goran Dragic has been linked to the Dallas Mavericks as per NBA rumors for a while now. Some reports suggested a deal may not go through as the Mavs may not be willing to take up his $19.4 million salary.

According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, the Dallas Mavericks could wait until October 1st to make a trade deal happen. Here's what he said in his most recent report:

"Finally, there’s the cap room angle that Toronto completely punted on by sending out Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade for Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa. Dragic is a nice backup at this point but makes $19.44 million, so his deal has significant negative equity.

"Before I finish here, I will offer one carrot: There is some “improving the deal” potential that could be a factor here. One still suspects Toronto might have gone the Dragic route because it had another trade set up to get value for him.

"In particular, it’s possible the Raptors and Mavs are waiting until Oct. 1 — when the salary of Dallas big man Moses Brown can be aggregated — to complete a deal that would send Brown, Dwight Powell and one other small contract from Dallas to Toronto for Dragic. Depending on the player/asset combination, that could yield a rethink on the wisdom of the Raptors’ overall strategy."

The Dallas Mavericks have added shooters and defensive players to their ranks for next season but are yet to find an additional playmaker to play alongside Luka Doncic. It was one of their biggest needs this offseason.

The Mavs struggled to get past the LA Clippers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs last season because of the same. Dragic would add some much-needed veteran experience, and he is also close to his fellow Slovenian teammate, Luka Doncic.

NBA Rumors: Lance Stephenson eyeing a comeback; holds a private workout in Las Vegas in front of personal representatives of four franchises

Los Angeles Lakers v Washington Wizards

Former LA Lakers and Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is hoping to make a comeback in the NBA. He played in China for the last two seasons. As per NBA rumors, he held a workout in front of NBA personnel with four different teams. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports was the first to report these NBA rumors.

Free agent guard Lance Stephenson will hold a private workout this morning in Las Vegas in front of NBA personnel with reps from Milwaukee, Denver, Philadelphia and Brooklyn among those expected to attend, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 13, 2021

Stephenson played his last game in the NBA in an LA Lakers uniform. The 30-year old averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, shooting 42.6% from the floor.

NBA Rumors: Darius Garland isn't untouchable in trade talks, but the Cleveland Cavaliers asking price will be high

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a busy team in the offseason and have been frequently mentioned in NBA rumors lately. The Cavs could see Collin Sexton stay with the team and if he does end up signing a long-term deal, Darius Garland could be on the trade block. As per Chris Crouse of FortyEightMinutes.com:

"Darius Garland will be eligible for a contract extension following the 2021-22 season and if Sexton agrees to a long-term deal with the Cavs, it’s fair to wonder whether Garland trade chatter will heat up ahead of that looming inflection point. The former No. 5 overall isn’t untouchable in trade talks, though Cleveland would likely need a substantial package to let go of him, one rival executive tells FortyEightMinutes."

As per NBA Rumors, the Cleveland Cavaliers preferred Darius Garland over Collin Sexton due to his better playmaking skills. Additionally, Sexton is also eligible for a contract extension this summer and the Cavs wanted to make sure their wage bill was under the limit, with Jarrett Allen's extension also looming.

As reported by Crouse, that could change now with Sexton not being offloaded yet, with his potential suitors landing other point guards in free agency instead. NBA rumors also suggest that Sexton wants to stay with the Cavs long-term, which could see Garland depart via trade.

An extension for Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is back on the table, per sources.Sexton enjoys being in Cleveland and wants to be here long term. Expect things to start heating up hopefully soon.

— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) August 11, 2021