The web's leading, must-read NBA rumors page for over 10 years. Make our NBA rumors page your homepage and enjoy the hottest NBA trade rumors and related stories all on one page, every day. Click any NBA rumors link for full story in new window. Main NBA rumors update in morning; more stories during day. And discuss the hottest NBA rumor gossip on the InsideHoops basketball forum (free to register).

Date of 2013 NBA trade deadline was February 21.

NBA Rumors for Friday, May 24

InsideHoops NBA rumors updated 6:00 a.m. ET
More NBA rumors stories and other news also appears on the InsideHoops basketball blog.

The next coach of the Nets won’t be Doc Rivers. ESPNBoston.com reported Thursday night that the Nets reached out to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge about potentially sitting down with Rivers to discuss the team’s head coaching opening, but that Ainge refused to grant them permission. NY Post

That Ainge would deny the Nets a chance to sit down with Rivers isn’t at all surprising, given that he still has three years and over $20 million remaining on the extension he signed with Boston back in 2011 – one that made him one of the game’s highest-paid coaches – and is widely to be considered among the league’s best coaches. NY Post

In the wake of Frank Vogel’s decision to bench center Roy Hibbert for the final two defensive possessions of the Heat’s 103-102 win over the Pacers on Wednesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Pacers coach directed some criticism toward Knicks coach Mike Woodson following yesterday’s practice. “They had a more intelligent plan against Roy Hibbert than New York did, and we’ve got to adjust,” Vogel said following his team’s practice in Miami ahead of tonight’s Game 2. NY Post

With Hibbert sitting on the bench for the final 2.2 seconds, LeBron James took the inbounds pass and, after Paul George closed out too quickly, blew by him for an uncontested layup at the buzzer to give the Heat a heart-stopping win and leave the Pacers wondering what might have been. But Vogel wasn’t willing to admit he messed up by leaving his 7-foot-2 center — who famously stonewalled Carmelo Anthony at the rim on a dunk attempt late in the fourth quarter of Indiana’s closeout win in Game 6 — on the bench for that final play. NY Post

Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert is calling out Miami Heat forward Shane Battier for his dirty play. Hibbert took exception to Battier’s shot to his groin area in the first half of Miami’s Game 1 victory Wednesday night. “U can knee or kick me every time u drive 2the rim. I’ll be there 2protect the rim. That wasn’t inadvertent. Battier knew what he was doing,” Hibbert wrote on Twitter on this evening. Indianapolis Star

For the fourth straight season, Thunder forward Kevin Durant was selected to the All-NBA first team, while point guard teammate Russell Westbrook was selected to the second team for the third straight year. Durant received 102 of a possible 119 first-team votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada who cover the NBA. Westbrook received 20 first-team votes. Oklahoman

Joining Durant on the first team are league Most Valuable Player LeBron James of Miami, who was the lone unanimous selection, plus Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and San Antonio center Tim Duncan. This season, Durant joined Hall of Famer Larry Bird of Boston as the only NBA players in history to average better than 28.0 points while shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Oklahoman

The Heat’s record since [Chris] Anderson came on board is an astounding 48-5. In the playoffs, a span of 10 games in which the Heat have lost just once, Anderson is 29-for-35 (82 percent) from the floor and averaging nearly eight points a game. His line in Wednesday’s Eastern Conference finals Game 1 victory for the Heat: a perfect 7-for-7 shooting for a season-high 16 points in 18 minutes, along with five rebounds and five blocked shots. “He’s playing as well as any center in the league,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Indianapolis Star

In a Suns season that went very much wrong, Goran Dragic did a lot right. He led the team in scoring (14.7), assists (7.4) and steals (1.6), setting career highs in each category. He also averaged a career-high 3.1 rebounds. "I thought the first half of the season he probably was from about 15-20 in the rankings among point guards. I think he jumped probably close to top 10 in the last 41 games," interim head coach Lindsey Hunter said following the season. "Hopefully that will catapult him to possibly being an All-Star." If Dragic can duplicate his second half numbers (16.1 points, 9.5 assists in 36 minutes per game) into the first half of next season, then yes, an NBA All-Star Game appearance may be in his future. Arizona Sports

Vivek Ranadive, software tycoon, turned into a basketball ticket salesman today. The prospective new lead owner of the Sacramento Kings took a 15-minute turn inside the Kings' ticket office this afternoon, phoning season-ticket holders to ask them to renew for the upcoming season. He made four sales, in one case persuading a fellow Hindi speaker to double his commitment to a total of $20,944. "Thank you sir," he told the purchaser, "and I look forward to seeing you opening night." He told another fan who agreed to renew his season tickets: "I know where your seat is, I'll come say hello." Sacramento Bee

More NBA rumors later today

Although our main bulk rumors update comes each morning, always reload this page later in the day. Also check our basketball blog for more stories.

Discuss your reaction with other fans

Rant and rave about today's hot NBA rumors with other fans on our Basketball Message Board. It's the most fun place in the world to discuss the NBA with other hardcore fans who live for basketball.

Additional Recent NBA Rumors

Today's NBA rumors | Yesterday's basketball rumors | 2 days ago | 3 days ago | 4 days ago