Looking ahead to the 2025 offseason trade market, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype identifies Daniel Gafford as a possible trade candidate to watch if the Mavericks and the veteran big man are unable to come to terms on a contract extension.
While Gafford has been a key rotation player over the last season-and-a-half in Dallas, he doesn’t project to be a starter as long as Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively are healthy, and his expiring $14.4MM contract could be a useful salary-matching piece as the Mavericks shop for backcourt help this summer.
Scotto also notes that Bulls wing Kevin Huerter drew some interest from the Jazz after being acquired by Chicago at this year’s trade deadline. The Kings were known to have explored the possibility of a John Collins trade before making their De’Aaron Fox deal, so Huerter likely came up in those talks with Utah. However, Scotto’s wording suggests the Jazz still had interest in Huerter after Sacramento agreed to send him to the Bulls.
It’s unclear if the Jazz will circle back to Huerter this summer or if their interest was solely about acquiring another asset that would’ve been attached to the veteran’s unwanted contract.
Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:
- Carlos Boozer, who earned two All-Star berths with the Jazz during his playing career, has been around the team at the draft combine in Chicago this week and is expected to be hired by Utah as a scout, league sources tell HoopsHype.
- According to Scotto, there’s still a belief around the NBA that Bulls restricted free agent Josh Giddey will be seeking a five-year, $150MM contract this summer, similar to the one Jalen Suggs signed with Orlando last fall. That was Giddey’s reported asking price last October as well.
- While David Griffin wanted to hang onto Kelly Olynyk and re-sign Bruce Brown, it’s unclear how new Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars feels about that veteran duo, Scotto writes. There’s a similar situation at work in Atlanta, where there was an expectation prior to Landry Fields‘ dismissal that the Hawks would try to re-sign Larry Nance Jr. and Caris LeVert while letting go of Clint Capela. It’s not yet known if that will still be the plan for the new-look front office, Scotto notes.
- Sixers assistant Coby Karl isn’t expected to return to Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff next season, Scotto reports.
Carlos Boozer being hired as a scout as soon as his kids are about to become freshman. Weird.
I think Giddey is nuts if he thinks someone is going to offer him 5 and 150. I think it more likely the Bulls stupid management gives it to him than anybody else. The last 2 Mock Drafts I’ve seen has them getting Queen. That’s my hope. I don’t know if he’s a 4 or a 5 but since they need both it really doesn’t matter. if they’re stupid enough to draft another wing I would hope they’d take the Riley kid from Illinois. At least I know from seeing him he can 1) Shoot the lights out and 2) Create his own shot. He’s going to have to bulk up before he’s an NBA presence but he has plenty of time.
Not a bulls fan, but they are brutal right now. You are right they probably overpay giddy. I mean they overpaid Patrick Williams then tried to trade him two weeks after they signed the contract.
Queen Vuc combo would be fun, especially if you don’t like watching defense.
Vuj won’t be here. More like Collins, Queen, Smith , Buzelis at the 3 until the deadline when Collins would probably be traded hopefully. And then start again next year in the draft. This is way more than a 1 year fix.
ah, unclemike you underestimate the capacity of AK to over value his own genius and the assets he controls
I’d fire him if I could but I can’t. Actually he’s about 50/50 on drafting when he keeps the picks. Wins on Ayo and Buzelis. Misses on Terry and Williams so far. Phillips Ehhh could go either way.
Id love to keep Clint for a couple more years. We’d be hard pressed to find a better backup big on the open market. Id rather Clint than Drummond or JoVal & nobody else really compares when it comes to rebounding. And with our overall lack of size we need an elite rebounder backing up Onyeka.
I wouldn’t mind us bringing Caris & Nance back too. Caris obv gonna be more expensive than the others but he’s elite as far as wing scorers off the bench & if he’s cool with a 2yr $30M he could help us a lot the next couple seasons.
Niang on the other hand I’d love to see elsewhere next season
Utah has never seen a white player it didn’t like.
They picked Cody Williams over Buzelis last summer (yet another misstep by this front office). But generally this statement is very true.
What are the odds that the kid from BYU gets picked by Danny Ainge?