After an absolutely bonkers weekend of wheeling and dealing, NBA trade rumors are flying around yet again today. While I’m almost certain we will not see a deal equaling the magnitude of Saturday’s Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis swap, some of the league’s biggest names are being brought up in trade talks. That means we still could be in for a wild ride between now and Thursday’s 2:00 PM CT trade deadline!
Let’s get caught up on some of the latest rumors!
NBA Trade Rumors
- After the shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers, there were some wondering what that meant for the future of LeBron James in LA. Now, I’m not one who believes LeBron when he says he knew nothing of this deal. Having said that, this move is clearly one that sets LA up better for the future instead of winning right now. While Luka is one of the most talented players in basketball, losing Anthony Davis creates a massive hole for the Lakers down low. So with the Lakers setting themselves up better for the future, would James feel he’s better off elsewhere?
- According to the LA Times, the answer to that is no. Lakers fans can take a big sigh of relief. On Monday, Dan Woike reported that people “familiar with the Lakers’ thinking” have little to no fear that LeBron will want out of LA. I think after the Luka trade there were questions being asked regarding just about everything, but at this point of his career, it would be stunning for LeBron to want to go elsewhere. I think it’s far more likely the Lakers figure out a way to bring in some help in the paint to make them tougher than consider trading LeBron James. One report suggests Robert Williams III from Portland or Nicolas Claxton from Brooklyn could be targeted.
- While the Lakers won’t likely trade LeBron, it reportedly isn’t stopping the Warriors from trying! According to Shams Charania and NBA Insider Marc Stein, Golden State has inquired as to whether LeBron James would be willing to waive his no-trade clause prior to Thursday’s deadline. It sounds like they have been unsurprisingly shot down. However, that means the Warriors have now checked in on James, Kevin Durant, and Jimmy Butler. Charania has also stated that the list doesn’t end there. I guess they are dead set on adding another stud to play with Steph Curry prior to Thursday.
- Of the three names mentioned above, I do think Kevin Durant might have the highest possibility. While I still don’t think that’s terribly likely, the Warriors are desperate and the Suns are almost certainly not going to be able to find a taker for Bradley Beal’s contract. I can imagine they don’t want to lose Kevin Durant for nothing at the end of next season when his contract runs up, either. Is there a world in which a three-team swap sending Butler to Phoenix, Durant to Golden State, and a slew of picks and young assets exists? Maybe?
- While the Warriors appear to be the most aggressive in their pursuit of Kevin Durant, it sounds like they’re not alone in having interest. NBA Insider Jake Fischer is reporting today that the Suns are not hanging up on calls about the 35-year-old star forward. Ideally, the Suns don’t want to move Durant and they’re not actively shopping him, but they kind of have to be open to all options at this point. If the right offer comes along, they should be thinking long and hard about it.
- One thing that does seem fairly likely is that Jimmy Butler will NOT be going to the Warriors. Butler has reportedly made it known to Golden State’s front office that he would not sign an extension if traded there. The Dubs mortgaging most of their future assets for a rental in Butler seems pretty unlikely. We’ll see.
- Moving off the Warriors and their quest for a star, Marc Stein is also reporting that the Milwaukee Bucks are checking in on Washington’s Kyle Kuzma. The Wizards are in full-on tank mode and are entirely open for business, so Kuzma is very likely available for the right offer. The Bucks would still need to move someone out to get themselves below the luxury tax, and that move would likely be finding a taker for Pat Connaughton. If the Bucks are able to move Connaughton out, they would then get below the second apron and be able to match salaries to bring in Kuzma’s $23 million salary.