Details On Wizards’ Asking Price For Jonas Valanciunas
The Wizards will consider trading center Jonas Valanciunas ahead of the February 6 deadline, but won’t simply sell him to the highest bidder, according to Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic.
As Robbins and Aldridge explain, the Wizards will be seeking the right kind of offer for Valanciunas, which means one that could “appreciably” move their rebuild forward. In other words, a late second-round pick or two might not sufficiently move the needle.
The Wizards’ asking price will also depend on what kind of contract(s) they have to take back in return for Valanciunas, The Athletic’s duo says. If a trade partner wants to include a highly paid player on a multiyear deal (ie. a negative asset), Washington would likely ask for a first-round pick. On the other hand, if that team is offering a more favorable short-term contract, then a couple early second-round picks could be enough for the Wizards to make a move.
I’m a little skeptical that Valanciunas will have a ton of value on the trade market. The former No. 5 overall pick is a talented interior scorer and rebounder who has the size to match up with the NBA’s biggest centers, but he doesn’t stretch the floor or protect the rim especially well, and isn’t agile enough to reliably switch onto quicker guards and forwards.
Additionally, while Valanciunas’ contract isn’t an albatross, it’s not really a bargain either — the 32-year-old has a $9.9MM cap hit this season and is owed a $10.4MM guaranteed salary in 2025/26. His $10MM salary for 2026/27 is non-guaranteed.
One league source who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge believes that a pair of second-round picks (not necessarily early ones) will be the best the Wizards will be able to do in a trade involving the Lithuanian big man.
Of course, this front office showed a year ago when it retained point guard Tyus Jones through the trade deadline that it’s willing to hang onto a veteran on a lottery-bound team if it doesn’t get an offer it likes. Jones ended up departing as a free agent during the 2024 offseason, whereas the Wizards would have additional chances to move Valanciunas in future transaction windows.
Valanciunas was signed by the Wizards to serve as a leader and mentor for the team young players and to help protect rookie Alex Sarr from more physical matchups, according to Robbins and Aldridge. He has played that role well, albeit in a limited capacity — his 19.8 minutes per game represent a career low. He has averaged 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds across 38 outings (eight starts).
“It’s good on my body,” Valanciunas said with a laugh when asked about his modest workload. “You always got to see the positives too, you know? It’s good on my body, and I’m not tired. I’m ready to go. Anytime coach calls my number, I’m here to do whatever. I signed up for that.”
Valanciunas joked that he plans to turn his phone off as the trade deadline nears, adding that he knows the possibility of being traded is part of the business and is out of his hands.
“I just come in every day, work,” he said. “Every game, I play 100 percent. That’s all I can do. That’s all I do. It’s above me. I have no control in that.”
The Lakers have long been cited as a potential suitor for Valanciunas. The Knicks were also said to have interest in him over the summer, though it’s unclear if he’s still on New York’s radar.
And-Ones: Crawford, NBC, 2025 Draft, J. Porter Case
Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford will be the lead game analyst for games on NBC and Peacock beginning next season, NBC Sports officially confirmed on Tuesday. The Athletic reported last month that NBC had reached a deal to hire Crawford as an analyst.
NBC hasn’t been an NBA broadcast partner since 2002, but is one of three companies – along with Disney (ABC/ESPN) and Amazon Prime – that struck agreements with the league for its media rights beginning in 2025/26.
The network is in the process of filling its roster of play-by-play commentators, game analysts, and studio analysts ahead of the fall, with Crawford expected to work one or more games per week, according to today’s announcement.
“I’m thrilled to join the NBC Sports family and their new NBA package,” said Crawford, who has worked with TNT Sports, NBA TV, and MSG Network. “I grew up reenacting the game highlights that I watched on the network’s classic NBA coverage, so I’m truly honored to be a part of the new broadcast team that will bring the game to a different generation of fans. NBC Sports’ productions are top-notch across the board, and I can’t wait for hoop fans to see what we have in store for the new era of basketball content.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA announced this week (via Twitter) that its 2025 draft lottery will take place on May 12 in Chicago. The NBA G League combine, formerly known as the NBA G League Elite Camp, will be held from May 9-11, with the full-fledged draft combine to follow from May 11-18.
- Speaking of the 2025 NBA draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his mock draft, making 59 picks across both rounds of the event, while Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) have identified 10 prospects whose stocks are on the rise, including Michigan’s Danny Wolf, Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams, and Florida’s Alex Condon.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic and David Purdum of ESPN provide updates on the latest developments in the sports betting scandal involving former Raptors big man Jontay Porter, noting that another arrest has been made in connection with the case. Shane Hennen, a Las Vegas man, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering after alleging being tipped off to bet various “unders” ahead of a January 26, 2024 game, which Porter exited due to an eye injury. Hennen was sent a message from Porter that read, “Hit unders for the big numbers. I told (Co-Conspirator 2) no blocks no steals. I’m going to play first 2-3 minute stint off the bench then when I get subbed out tell them my eye killing me again.”
Jimmy Butler Meets With Pat Riley, Reiterates Trade Request
1:27pm: Butler is expected to meet with Heat owner Micky Arison after his suspension ends this week, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. According to Winderman, Arison isn’t in favor of allowing Butler to remain away from the team while continuing to collect pay checks toward his $48.8MM salary.
11:50am: Heat forward Jimmy Butler met in person with team president Pat Riley last week and reiterated his request to be traded, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.
According to Charania, Butler told Riley during that meeting that he has no intention of signing a new contract with the Heat during the 2025 offseason and that he would only pick up his $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 in order to facilitate a trade.
Butler reiterating his desire to be traded and making it clear he doesn’t plan to sign a new deal with the Heat doesn’t materially change the circumstances of his standoff with the Heat — we already knew that the 35-year-old wanted out and that his days with the team are likely numbered.
Still, it’s perhaps a signal that the Heat’s plan to reintegrate Butler upon the conclusion of his team-imposed seven-game suspension later this week won’t go as smoothly as the club hopes. Butler’s has already missed six games while serving his suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, so Wednesday’s contest against the Lakers will be the seventh and final game of that ban.
Heat officials intend to meet later this week to discuss the best route forward with Butler, league sources tell Charania.
Several recent reports have indicated that Miami has talked to multiple teams about potential Butler trades but has yet to gain any real momentum in any of those discussions and is in no rush to take a deal that isn’t in the club’s best interests. The Heat are said to be seeking players who can help them win this season, as well as short-term contracts that will allow the front office to generate cap flexibility going forward.
The Suns are widely viewed as the team with the most interest in Butler, who strongly reciprocates their interest. But Phoenix isn’t well positioned to make a strong offer, given its position relative to the second tax apron and its lack of appealing trade chips. Due to their second-apron restrictions, the Suns would almost certainly need to send out Bradley Beal in any deal for Butler — Beal has a no-trade clause and would need to approve any move, while Miami isn’t interested in taking on his multiyear maximum-salary contract.
Multiple NBA insiders have speculated that the Heat may not find a deal they like by the February 6 trade deadline, delaying resolution on the Butler situation until the offseason. At that time, more teams would have the flexibility to acquire him via sign-and-trade or opt-in-and-trade.
Even letting Butler walk for nothing could be an appealing option for Miami if the alternative sees the club take back unwanted multiyear contracts in a trade. The Clippers took that approach with Paul George this past offseason and it’s working out well for them so far.
Unlike George, Butler doesn’t have an obvious suitor with cap room waiting for him in free agency, so he’ll have to be careful about overplaying his hand. The Nets are currently the only team projected to have maximum-salary cap room during the offseason, and they reportedly have no intention of pursuing the Heat star.
Butler’s dissatisfaction in Miami stems in large part from the Heat’s unwillingness to give him the maximum-salary extension offer he wanted during the offseason. Reporting on Christmas Day indicated that he preferred a trade; a little over a week later, word broke that he had informed the Heat of his desire to be moved.
According to Charania, one issue that factored into Butler’s January 2 trade request was an implication from team officials that the six-time All-Star didn’t play his hardest in a Jan. 1 win over New Orleans.
Butler scored nine points in 25 minutes in that game and followed up that performance with nine points in 27 minutes the next night against Indiana. He took just 11 total shots across those two outings and appeared passive and disengaged, frequently standing in the corner on offense. His usage rate in those two games was 12.6% — it had been 21.6% prior to Jan. 1.
Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson
Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.
“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”
Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
- The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
- Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
- Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”
Warriors Notes: Curry, Kerr, Vucevic, Wiggins
The Warriors’ long downturn continued with Monday’s surprising loss at Toronto, but Stephen Curry doesn’t want management to overreact with a trade that’s not in the team’s best long-term interest, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. After starting the season 12-3, Golden State is now 12th in the West at 19-20 and appears headed for a frantic battle for one of the four play-in spots.
However, Youngmisuk notes that Curry is sticking with a philosophy that the organization has been emphasizing since training camp, which is there will be no panic involved in trade decisions, especially if it means giving up young players and future draft assets.
“Desperate trades or desperate moves that deplete the future, there is a responsibility on allowing or keeping the franchise in a good space and good spot when it comes to where we leave this thing when we’re done,” Curry said. “Doesn’t mean that you’re not trying to get better. It doesn’t mean that you’re not active in any type of search to, if you have an opportunity where a trade makes sense or even in the summer free agency [move] makes sense. You want to continue to get better. Nobody wants to be stale or be in a situation where you’re passing up opportunities. But it doesn’t mean that you’re desperate just flinging assets all around the place just because you want to do something.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Coach Steve Kerr made a similar statement at Monday’s shootaround, saying it would be unwise to mortgage the future to give himself, Curry and Draymond Green a shot at another NBA title, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Kerr recognizes the need to have young talent such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski on hand once he and his veteran stars are gone. “That’s the hard part in addressing all this stuff,” Kerr said. “We’re not giving in. But you have to be realistic organizationally about where you are. And you have to mind what’s coming ahead in the future. I probably won’t be around, but I would tell you, if this organization gave away the next six or seven drafts for a wild swing, that would be the most irresponsible thing that they could do.”
- The front office has engaged in internal discussions about finding a center who can consistently make three-pointers to create more space for Curry and provide better lineup combinations for Green and Kuminga, Slater adds in the same piece. He mentions Nikola Vucevic as a possibility, depending on the price the Bulls would want in return.
- Remarkably, Monday marked the first game that Andrew Wiggins has played in his hometown of Toronto in seven years, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Wiggins rejoined the team on Saturday after missing two games for personal reasons.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 1/14/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included whether the Bulls need a complete rebuild, the Knicks' options to find wing help, the potential cost for the Kings to land Cameron Johnson, Bradley Beal's future and more!
Heat Notes: Butler, Adebayo, Love, Ware, Richardson
It seems increasingly likely that Jimmy Butler will be rejoining the Heat when they return from their six-game road trip, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Butler, who is nearing the end of his suspension, has been working out at the team facility and is expected to return to the court on Friday if he’s still on the roster.
Team officials have been hoping to resolve the situation with a trade, but they reportedly haven’t made much progress. A source tells Chiang that Miami has engaged in trade talks with several teams over the past week, but isn’t close to making a deal.
In his latest Substack column (subscriber-only), Jake Fischer dives into some of the “conduct detrimental to the team” that the Heat cited when they imposed Butler’s suspension. League sources tell Fischer that Butler has skipped several morning shootarounds and has insisted on taking private flights to some games rather than traveling on the charter with his teammates.
In addition to not getting the contract extension that he wanted, Butler’s dissatisfaction may stem from the loss of several players whom he considered to be close friends, Fischer theorizes. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin, who were starters on the team that reached the NBA Finals in 2023, all left in free agency over the past two offseasons.
“Those were [Butler’s] guys,” a source told Fischer.
Miami isn’t willing to move Butler just to get rid of a problem, adds Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. The front office is focused on finding players who can help the team win this season while taking back as little future salary as possible. The organization wants to rebuild around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro without being burdened by another large contract.
There’s more on the Heat:
- Adebayo was a late scratch for Monday’s game due to a lower back contusion, Chiang states in a separate story. He had been expected to play earlier in the day, but he was downgraded to questionable during the afternoon before being ruled out a few hours before game time. Adebayo was hurt Saturday in Portland when he fell to the court while trying to catch a pass. “He’s been dealing with it for a few days,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s getting a lot of treatment and it kind of seized up on him this morning. But we’ll treat him day to day and we’ll reevaluate him.”
- With Adebayo unavailable, Spoelstra gave the start to Kevin Love, who had appeared in just one of the previous 12 games, Chiang adds. Love made three three-pointers in the first seven minutes Monday night, but didn’t score again, finishing with nine points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Most of the center minutes went to rookie Kel’el Ware, who had 13 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter and now seems like an established part of the rotation. “Kel’el has been playing really well,” Spoelstra said. “And he had a very good game tonight. … He’s making progress. It seems to be every day that he’s learning something new.”
- Josh Richardson has returned to Miami to have an MRI on his heel and will miss the final game of the road trip Wednesday against the Lakers, the Heat announced (via Twitter). Richardson hasn’t appeared in a game since November 18.
Pete Nance Returns To Sixers On Two-Way Contract
After waiving Pete Nance last week, the Sixers announced (via Twitter) that they have re-signed him to a two-way contract.
The 24-year-old power forward originally joined the team on a two-way deal on December 3. Philadelphia saved a little bit of money by parting with Nance for a week, but his new contract – which doesn’t count against the cap – will be guaranteed for the rest of the season.
Nance appeared in one game with the Sixers, playing three minutes December 30 at Portland. He also saw action in 14 G League contests with the Cleveland Charge and Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 16.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 blocked shots while shooting 50% from the field.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Sims, Robinson, First-Half Review
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns suffered an injury to the thumb on his shooting hand during Monday’s loss to Detroit, but he didn’t provide much information about it after the game, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns kept his hand in his pocket during a post-game session with reporters and responded, “It is what it is,” four times during the interview.
Towns hit his hand on the backboard during the first half and it appeared to bother him for the rest of the game, Bondy observes. A couple of his subsequent shots misfired badly, but he still played 43 minutes and finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds
His hand was struck again late in the third quarter and he grabbed it in pain as he ran into the crowd, according to Bondy. Towns refused to reveal whether X-rays had been taken, and coach Tom Thibodeau only said, “I haven’t talked to medical yet,” when asked about the injury.
“They hit shots when they had to,” Towns said in explaining the loss. “We could sit here and talk about all the things we could’ve done. We just didn’t do it. Cost us in the end.”
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks are exploring Jericho Sims‘ value on the trade market, sources tell Bondy in a separate story. The backup big man was recently replaced in the rotation by Ariel Hukporti, and he missed Monday’s game due to back spasms. One of Bondy’s sources said there’s some interest around the league in Sims, and the Knicks are seeking a second-round pick in return. That would be a markdown from the offseason, when the team was reportedly asking for two second-rounders. Sims will be a free agent this summer.
- Sims’ availability coincides with the impending return of Mitchell Robinson, who is still recovering from offseason ankle surgery, Bondy adds. Thibodeau said Robinson is expected to begin practicing at some point this month, but he still hasn’t been cleared for sprinting. “That’s the next step,” Thibodeau told reporters. “He’s doing some light shooting right now.”
- Towns has opened up the offense since arriving in an October trade with Minnesota, James L. Edwards of The Athletic states in a review of the first half of the season. The Knicks are 26-15 through their first 41 games, good for third place in the East, as Edwards notes that the shooting efficiency has been much better and they’ve been able to avoid serious injuries. On the downside, there have been too many defensive breakdowns, the bench isn’t producing enough to earn Thibodeau’s trust, and the team only ranks 24th in three-point attempts per game.
Pacific Notes: Payton II, Green, Monk, Wildfire Donations
Warriors guard Gary Payton II is on track to return to action on Wednesday. Payton, who hasn’t played since Christmas Day due to a calf strain, scrimmaged on Sunday and worked out on Monday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. He has appeared in 28 games this season, including four starts.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Draymond Green sat out the Warriors‘ three-point loss to Toronto on Monday. He participated in the team’s practice on Sunday but was not at Monday morning’s shootaround due to an illness, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. He has been listed on the injury report due to a back injury. Coach Steve Kerr doesn’t think Green’s back issue is a major concern. “I remember a couple of years ago, I think ’22 season, he missed 15-20 games when the back flared up, so we just have to stay on top of it,” Kerr said. “Training staff is doing a great job with him, and Draymond has done a great job of just doing his rehab and making sure he’s keeping himself in good shape. I think he should be fine going forward.”
- The streaking Kings may not have Malik Monk on Tuesday. He’s listed as questionable against Milwaukee due to right groin soreness, Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets. Monk has been a huge part of Sacramento’s seven-game winning streak. He’s averaging 23.3 points and 7.8 assists per game so far this month.
- Los Angeles’ 12 pro sports teams — including the Lakers and Clippers — have pledged to donate more than $8MM to those affected by the state’s wildfires as well as those fighting the fires, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. The contributions will be donated to a variety of organizations.