There may not have been another blockbuster deal today, but NBA trade rumors continue to swirl surrounding some of the biggest names in basketball with less than 48 hours until the trade deadline.
The Jimmy Butler saga continues to linger in Miami. Will he be gone within the next two days, and will he get his wish to be in Phoenix? Plus, the Warriors won’t let up in their search for a star while the Lakers want a big man.
Let’s cover the latest rumors around The Association.
NBA Trade Rumors
- Let’s start with the trade story that just won’t go away. Where in the NBA will Jimmy Butler land? We’ve gotten a couple of conflicting reports today regarding the former Bulls star. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned on Sportscenter that Butler’s only goal is to get himself to Phoenix and that nothing can change his mind about that. I would have to assume that would be due to the Suns’ willingness to pay him what he wants. If that’s not the reason, I’m not really sure what would be.
- To their credit, Mat Ishbia has gone all in since taking over the Suns, but it hasn’t exactly worked out like they had hoped and they’re not big-time title contenders right now. Plus, Bradley Beal seems to be pretty unmovable at the moment with how bad his contract is. So this means in order to add Butler, Phoenix would probably have to move Kevin Durant. Would the Suns really be a better team with Butler instead of Durant? Maybe. But I’m not really sure it makes them a title contender. Who knows. Maybe he just wants to live in Arizona or is a fan of their low-income tax rate!
- The other Butler report we got today came From NBA Insider Chris Haynes, who said that Butler and his camp have been cooperative with Miami and would be willing to speak with any team that they could negotiate a fair deal with. I mean, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of Windhorst and Haynes, but I would have to think it probably leans a little more toward Butler trying to force his way to the Suns. This isn’t the first time Jimmy has had issues leaving a team, and when he has his mind set on something, he’s usually pretty insistent on making it happen. Nevertheless, time is running out for Phoenix to make things work, so I guess we shouldn’t be stunned if he does end up elsewhere.
- Let’s talk the Golden State Warriors! By all accounts, the Warriors are still star-chasing. Brian Windhorst mentioned on ESPN this morning that they’re essentially trying to package Andrew Wiggins and draft picks for a star. That might be a tough sell for some teams, but the Heat were willing to do that, according to Windhorst. Right now that deal isn’t happening, but it’s certainly possible it gets revisited by Thursday if the Suns option falls through.
- The other Warriors rumor that sparked yesterday and just won’t die … General Manager Mike Dunleavy still has his sights set on a reunion with Kevin Durant in The Bay. The Warriors wanting to acquire some scoring help for Steph Curry is no secret, and they know KD and Steph work well together. Yesterday I thought there was only a slim chance of this happening, but the smoke seems to keep rising around this rumor. I wouldn’t be stunned at all to see some sort of massive three-team deal sending KD to the Warriors, Butler to the Suns, and Wiggins to Miami plus more young players and picks involved. The more time goes on, this actually feels like the most logical path for all three parties.
- Luka Doncic was introduced as the newest Laker today, and GM Rob Pelinka was asked about any further moves before Thursday’s deadline. He said that, while they would certainly like to add a big man to fill the Anthony Davis void in their front court, the market appears to be “dry” right now. I’m not sure I totally buy that, but we’ll see. We know they’ve at least thought about Nikola Vucevic in the past, as well as players like Jonas Valacinuas and Robert Williams. The latter name could be a particularly interesting target, as they have lost a lot of rim protections in the Davis trade.
- Another name that Sportsnet Canada says LA has inquired about is 29-year-old Raptors center Jakob Poeltl. However, Toronto knows they have one of the top available big men on the market and they’re pretty insistent on getting a 1st-round pick in return. The Lakers just have one tradeable one remaining in 2031, and I’m not sure they’re going to use that on Poeltl. We’ll see how that market unfolds for the Lakers. I feel like they’ll find a way to add some sort of low post presence prior to Thursday’s deadline, but I don’t think it’ll be anything massive. They could always wait for the buyout market.
- Let’s get to another rumor we chatted about yesterday โ the Milwaukee Bucks pursuing Kyle Kuzma in Washington. The Athletic is reporting that a potential deal sending Kuzma to the Bucks would be centered around Khris Middleton and draft capital. That move would give Milwaukee a healthier, younger piece to surround Giannis Antetokoumpo and Damian Lillard with, and it would also help them get under the second tax apron. Middleton has been battling ankle injuries since the offseason and is in year two of a three-year, $93 million deal. Kuzma, on the other hand, is in year two of a four-year, $90 million contract, but his cap hit actually goes down to $21 million next year and $19 million the year after.
- Staying in Washington, and this shouldn’t come as a shock, but they’re pretty much open for business on the majority of their roster. Not only are they listening on Kuzma, but HoopsHype is reporting that they’re listening on Malcolm Brogdon and Marvin Bagley III, as well. Washington’s record is the worst in the NBA, and they’re all in on tanking for Cooper Flagg!
- Let’s chat about another big name โ 34-year-old veteran Paul George. When George signed with the Sixers in the offseason, it looked like Philly’s big three of George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey would be able to compete with anyone. However, that hasn’t been the case. Embiid just can’t stay on the floor and George has been oft-injured and meh when he has played. Maxey has been outstanding, but with the other two struggling, Philly has been in BAD. This has led to teams checking in on Paul George and gauging his availability prior to Thursday’s deadline, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- According to Pompey, the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks have checked in with Philadelphia on George’s availability. Golden State makes a lot of sense. They pursued George in the offseason before he ultimately settled on the Sixers. I’m not totally sure why the Hawks would pursue him, to be honest. If they were to pair him with Trae Young, it’s not like that makes them a contender in all likelihood. Pompey does point out that Philly is 6-1 in games that which George, Embiid, and Maxey have played an entire game together. But also … that’s the problem! We’re more than halfway through the year and they’ve only played seven full games together. It’s possible George gets moved before Thursday, and I’m sure Daryl Morey will listen, but I think he’s probably still a Sixer when the deadline passes.
- Last but not least, let’s talk Chicago Bulls. They’re still looking to blow things up, and that will include Nikola Vucevic most likely. HoopsHype is reporting that they’re still holding out hope for a 1st Round pick in return. However, that’s starting to look less and less likely with the other names being thrown around as the deadline approaches. The Warriors and Lakers are still the two teams we hear popping up surrounding Vooch, but the Warriors have their sights set on a bigger target, and I doubt LA gives up that last 1st Round pick for him. Vucevic’s destiny may be decided right around 2:00 p.m. CT on Thursday when teams potentially miss out on their other targets.
- Lastly, if you purchased a Tre Jones or Kevin Huerter Bulls jersey, you might want to check about canceling that order. The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported that the Bulls are looking to flip both Jones and Huerter before Thursday’s deadline and that Zach Collins is very possibly the only player brought back in that Zach LaVine deal that will actually put on the Bulls uniform.