The Raptors‘ trade discussions involving forward OG Anunoby are carrying over into Thursday and are expected to continue into the final hours before the trade deadline, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
While the Suns’ trade for Kevin Durant will take one prime suitor for Anunoby off the market, that deal could help increase the value of the Raptors forward among other Western Conference teams, Wojnarowski notes.
The thinking there is that Phoenix’s rivals – including the Grizzlies and Pelicans, among others – may now be more motivated to acquire a three-and-D wing capable of matching up defensively against a player like Durant in the postseason.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Before the Spurs agreed to trade Jakob Poeltl to Toronto, the Celtics, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Wizards had offers on the table for the big man, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk. Ellis says San Antonio opted to accept Toronto’s offer because it included the strongest draft capital and because the Raptors were the team Poeltl preferred to be traded to. He began his career in Toronto in 2016 and spent two seasons with the team before being traded to the Spurs in 2018.
- Add Nets forward Royce O’Neale to the list of wings the Cavaliers are eyeing as potential trade targets, says Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). There are people within the organization who believe O’Neale would be an ideal fit on Cleveland’s roster and there’s a sense he could be more available now that Brooklyn has traded away Durant and Kyrie Irving, Fedor explains.
- The Nets were speaking to some teams on Wednesday about Ben Simmons, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link), who expects those talks to continue into Thursday. While Brooklyn is in the midst of reshaping its roster, it may be difficult to find a strong offer for Simmons, whose trade value has declined due to his inconsistent play, health issues, and the $78MM+ still owed to him for the two seasons after this one.
Why the hell does Tor want to trade OG?
So they can get players that better fit their roster construction and so they can build for the future.
How does that even make sense? The dud is only 25, if you trying to build for the future you trade Thaddeus Young, not OG, wtf?
I get the sense that there are chemistry issues at play. They aren’t going to trade away Barnes as he has more upside. I actually thought Van Vleet could be the one packing as I kind of like Barnes as a point forward.
Well, that’s not the entire story. The simpler answer would be money. They will need cheaper players to fit their roster construction as they build toward contention. OG as a player fits their construction pretty well. However, he wants the keys to the offense to increase his market value for a new contract after next season, and Toronto can either have faith that he can do it and pay him extra that he wants for carrying more responsibility or they can move him to get significant assets for future drafts, if not young players that fill holes they have.
They are going to lose some player or two as their best players are nearing new contracts and they haven’t had a winning mix. They are retooling, trusting they have the talent to push them forward, but they would be foolish not to capitalize on an opportunity of eager teams needing a strong defender like OG if Toronto will have trouble paying all their talent to retain them.
OG would be delusional if he thought that he would have the keys to the offense next year. He’s a nice offensive piece, but he obviously shines on D. I never viewed him as an offensive threat. But he makes for a good piece on a championship team.
because they can’t win a ship with that roster and his value may never he higher. don’t let their latest run fool you, this is a team that would be out in round 1 if they made the playoffs.
I get trading OG in a package for a better player like say, Durant. But obviously that’s not happening. I don’t understand trading him for the sake of trading him
They’re trading him for young guys to build around Scottie with and picks they can use to get a star. You can’t sign superstars in FA anymore. KD was the last one and… well, that didn’t work out. It’s an extend-and-trade league right now.
But OG is a young guy. That’s why it don’t make sense. If the plan is to trade for a star, OG is the guy you need to keep for a trade like that. He’s like the Mikal Bridges or DeMar DeRozan in a trade. You always need a quality player in a trade like that.
If the Cavs manage to get Royce without giving up a ton, I will jump up and down for joy like a little kid. Heck yea.
I don’t think it’ll take a ton, considering the Nets are doing a one day rebuild
And they have too many players that can play the 3/4, I think they’ll move Royce, would be a perfect fit in Cleveland
I’m voting for a swap of Love for Harris and O’Neale. But honestly, at this point I have total confidence in Koby. Whatever he does I’m down with it.
hope the nets can find some way to move on from Simmons. Blow the whole thing up, otherwise you are stuck with this albatross for another season
Simmons is the new Westbrook. That contract will have to include at least a 1st and 2nd to be somewhat attractive.
Who cares if his value is low! Get rod of him and clearhis salary from the books
do you think they have not tried 100 ways to get rid of him… as far as OG he is a defensive player first. do not be fooled by all those steals,,, the raptors press a lot and he cheats for those steals… I think OG is gone. someone will step up… They got Jacob for pretty well what I thought it would cost. Jacob makes them a much better team.
Ben Simmons and Royce O’Neale for Love, LeVert, 24 Swap, GSW 23 and 24 2nds.
Cavs immediately hang up. Simmons is a no-go.
He has a couple skills… rebounding, size, and elite defense. That’s all they need. Stick him on the best opposing player for 3 quarters.
I’m not a Simmons fan, but for the Cavs or any contending team that has 4 scorers, an expiring contract and wants to make a push for this season and next, he makes sense.
Same concept of the Warriors and Draymond.
I don’t think the Cavs can acquire him regardless, because of the Rookie Max rule. Darius Garland already fills that spot for the Cavs.
I think that rule only applies as in they can’t have 2 rookie max people both acquired by trade, but since garland was in Cleveland all along I think they could get him.
That’s interesting. I think probably the Nets are sorting thru a lot of offers today. Here’s hoping they make some foolish decisions, hehe.
Western teams are going to need to pay big to get OG now. To defend KD and others in the west. Masai isn’t going to make it easy.
Okoro is better than Royce and just getting better, would be good bench piece.
Simmons will not be contributing much of anything the rest of this season. He’s already given himself permission to coast through the rest of the season with his sore knee and a hangnail or two.
What a wuss.
Simmons has negative trade value at this point. No one is going to give up legitimate assets for a guy making $40 million/year who can’t score and no longer defends or rebounds at his previous levels.
Simmons value is at an all time low. I think the Nets should wait until the offseason to build up his value.