Trade Rumors: Bucks, Wright, Suns, Mavs, Hornets, Knicks, Magic, Bulls
The Bucks remain committed to upgrading their roster in the hopes of contending for a championship this season and are “shopping hard for help,” one league source tells Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Milwaukee doesn’t have a ton of trade assets on hand to offer, so the team’s most likely outgoing package would consist of Pat Connaughton, Cameron Payne, and Portland’s 2024 second-round pick (currently projected to be No. 35), says Fischer. Connaughton and Payne only make up $11.4MM in outgoing money, so Bobby Portis and his $11.7MM cap hit would need to be included if Milwaukee targets a higher-salary player, Fischer notes.
One potential target who has been linked to the Bucks is Wizards guard Delon Wright, sources tell Fischer. Wright would be a logical fit for a Milwaukee team looking to improve its perimeter defense, though it’s unclear how high he ranks on the Bucks’ list of targets, Fischer writes, adding that the veteran point guard has a wide-ranging market.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- The Suns are still viewed as the leading suitor for Hornets forward Miles Bridges, league sources tell Fischer. Phoenix’s offer would likely consist of Nassir Little, Josh Okogie, and two second-round picks, per Fischer, though Charlotte is holding out hope of landing a first-rounder for Bridges. The Pistons and Jazz also continue to be linked to the Hornets forward, who has the ability to veto a trade, but the Mavericks – who are seeking forward help – haven’t shown interest in Bridges or Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith as of late, Fischer reports.
- The Hornets are fielding more trade inquiries on forward P.J. Washington than any other player, though they aren’t necessarily actively shopping him, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Fischer confirms a previous report stating the Mavericks are among the teams with interest in Washington, but hears that the Clippers are an unlikely landing spot.
- Although the Knicks are among the other clubs with interest in Washington, sources tell Fischer, New York is believed to prefer Raptors wing Bruce Brown. Fischer adds that Quentin Grimes continues to generate interest from teams like the Hawks and Jazz, while Tony Jones of The Athletic said during an appearance on ESPN 700 in Utah that he believes Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson would welcome a trade to the Knicks (hat tip to Patrick Byrnes of SI.com).
- There have been some whispers around the league about the Magic targeting an experienced point guard such as Kyle Lowry (Hornets) or Chris Paul (Warriors), but Fischer doesn’t believe Orlando has trade interest in either player. Additionally, while the Magic could use some more outside shooting, the club isn’t thought to be pursuing upgrades in that area unless there’s a player who would be a positive on defense as well, according to Fischer, who cites Kings sharpshooter Kevin Huerter as one example of a player who is not on Orlando’s wish list.
- Bulls guard Coby White is considered off limits in trade talks and Chicago’s asking price for Alex Caruso is very steep, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. With Zach LaVine out for the season, center Andre Drummond now appears to be the Bull most likely to be dealt, Fischer adds.
Rockets Rumors: Green, Bridges, Trade Market
Executives around the NBA believe the Rockets are willing to include former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green in a trade package for a marquee wing, according to reports from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports and Marc Stein at Substack.
Both reporters mention Mikal Bridges as a top target for the Rockets, with Stein citing a belief around the league that Houston has been open to parting with Green and “an array of first-round picks” in exchange for the Nets forward. However, Brooklyn continues to resist inquiries for Bridges, so those talks didn’t gain any traction, according to Fischer.
When the Rockets conducted head coaching interviews last spring, they asked their candidates their thoughts on which of the team’s younger players the front office should consider including in a deal for a star, league sources tell Fischer. Houston’s group of youngsters includes Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore.
Fischer’s report doesn’t state that head coach Ime Udoka identified Green as a potential trade chip, but the 21-year-old is the young Rocket whose name has popped up most often in trade rumors as of late.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- While many rival front offices have viewed the Rockets’ willingness to discuss Green as a signal that they’re looking to accelerate their rebuilding process and push for a postseason spot, their acquisition of Steven Adams – who is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury – suggests they have more patience than advertised, Fischer writes. As Fischer observes, it’s more accurate to classify Houston as “eager to be opportunistic” rather than determined to make a second-half push.
- The Rockets – like the Knicks and some other teams – were prepared to be players for the next star player that became available this season, sources tell Yahoo Sports, but no player of that magnitude is currently on the market.
- While Houston remains a team to watch ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, a significant deal appears more likely to occur in the offseason than this week, says Fischer.
Lakers’ Vanderbilt Out At Least 3-4 Weeks With Foot Sprain
FEBRUARY 5: Vanderbilt has a right mid-foot sprain and will be reevaluated in about three-to-four weeks, the Lakers announced (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). Wojnarowski reported a couple days ago that Vanderbilt may miss the rest of the season.
FEBRUARY 2: Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is expected to be out for several weeks due to a right foot injury, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
According to ESPN’s duo, Vanderbilt will undergo further evaluation on his mid-foot area to see if the ailment is one that might sideline him for an even longer stretch — perhaps even the rest of the season.
It’s disappointing news for Vanderbilt, whose season debut was delayed until early December due to bursitis in his left heel. He had emerged as a regular part of the Lakers’ rotation in the past two months, averaging 20.0 minutes per night and starting six of his 29 games on the season, including Thursday’s win in Boston.
Los Angeles’ depth on the wing and at forward has taken a hit as of late, with Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) also on the shelf and LeBron James and Anthony Davis both battling nagging injuries. Reddish figures to step into a role similar to Vanderbilt’s once he’s ready to return, but until then, the Lakers will likely lean more heavily on forwards like Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince, and Christian Wood.
Hachimura started the second half on Thursday after Vanderbilt left the game due to what the team referred to at the time as right foot soreness.
The Lakers’ injury woes may prompt them to take a longer look at some wings and forwards on the trade market in the coming days. Several of the team’s reported top targets – such as Dejounte Murray and Bruce Brown – are guards, but L.A. has also been linked to Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith, among others.
Minimum Salary Players Who Can’t Be Acquired Using Minimum Salary Exception
As we explain in our glossary entry, the NBA’s minimum salary exception doesn’t just allow over-the-cap teams to sign players to minimum salary contracts. It also allows clubs to trade for players earning the minimum without having to send out any matching salary.
However, not every player earning the minimum can be acquired using the minimum salary exception. Essentially, any contract that couldn’t have been signed using the minimum salary exception also can’t be acquired using the exception.
For instance, since the exception only allows teams to sign players to one- or two-year contracts, similar rules apply in trades. A team can’t use the minimum salary exception to acquire a player on a three- or four-year contract, even if he’s earning the minimum. If a player signs a two-year contract that exceeds the minimum in year one and is worth the minimum in year two, he’s ineligible to be acquired using the minimum salary exception.
What does that mean in practical terms? Let’s use Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman as an example, since his name has surfaced in some trade rumors in recent months.
Tillman is earning $1,930,681 this season, which is his minimum salary based on the contract he signed in 2020. Since he’s currently in the fourth season of a four-year contract though, a team acquiring him can’t absorb his salary using the minimum salary exception. That team, assuming it’s over the cap, would either have to own a trade exception big enough to take on Tillman’s $1,930,681 salary or send out a player to match it.
If Tillman were on a one- or two-year minimum salary contract, he could be traded straight up for, say, a draft pick without his new team requiring a trade exception or an outgoing salary. That’s the case for a trade candidate like Bucks point guard Cameron Payne, who is on a one-year minimum deal.
This rule shouldn’t be a major impediment for any transactions this season, since many teams have trade exceptions available and those that don’t should have at least one expendable minimum salary player to send out for matching purposes.
Still, it’s worth keeping tabs on the minimum salary players like Tillman who fit this bill, since it could affect how certain deals are constructed at this season’s deadline.
Here’s the list of players earning the minimum salary who can’t be acquired using the minimum salary exception in 2023/24:
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Updated Maximum, Minimum, MLE, BAE Projections For 2024/25
The NBA issued a new salary cap projection for the 2024/25 season on Tuesday, updating its estimate for next year’s cap to $141MM.
There are a number of salary figures directly connected to the cap, including the league-wide maximum and minimum salaries, the mid-level exception, and the bi-annual exception. Those figures increase or decrease each year by the same percentage the cap does.
The NBA’s new cap projection meant we had a series of ’24/25 projections of our own in need of updating. Here are the links to those updated numbers:
Maximum salary projections for 2024/25
These are the projected earnings for players who signed maximum salary extensions that will go into effect in 2024, including Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jaylen Brown.
Brown’s record-setting super-max extension with the Celtics is now projected to be worth $286,230,000 over five seasons.
Minimum salary projections for 2024/25
These are the minimum salaries that a player who signs a standard contract in 2024/25 will be eligible to earn. Next year’s rookie minimum is currently projected to be worth about $1.16MM, while the minimum salary for a veteran with at least 10 years of NBA experience will surpass $3.3MM.
Mid-level, bi-annual projections for 2024/25
These projections cover the various mid-level exceptions available to teams, including the full (non-taxpayer) mid-level exception, the taxpayer version of the MLE, and the “room” exception for teams that use cap space. A player who signs a four-year contract worth the full mid-level amount during the 2024 offseason would be in line to receive more than $55MM over the life of the deal.
The bi-annual exception is also included in these projections — it projects to be worth a record $4,681,000 in ’24/25.
These projections can be found anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features” or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu. They’ll be updated again later this season if the NBA issues another new cap projection.
Community Shootaround: NBA All-Star Snubs
The Kings currently hold a top-five seed in the Western Conference, with a pair of former All-Stars leading the way.
Center Domantas Sabonis has averaged 19.9 points, a league-leading 13.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in 46 games so far this season while shooting a career-best 61.6% from the floor. Point guard De’Aaron Fox is putting up career-best numbers in points per game (27.2) and three-point percentage (38.0%) while also averaging 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per night.
Neither player was part of the group of 2024’s Western All-Star reserves announced by the NBA on Thursday, however, which shocked head coach Mike Brown, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“It’s clear to anyone who watches the NBA and Kings basketball that De’Aaron and Domantas should have been selected for this year’s All-Star game,” Brown told Spears. “They are playing at an unbelievably elite level, Domantas establishing historic numbers with his double-doubles and De’Aaron setting a new career mark for three-point field goals. Every year, there are deserving players left off the team but, to me, this is truly a glaring wrongdoing.”
Sabonis and Fox were two of the most notable snubs in the Western Conference, but there’s no shortage of worthy candidates who missed the cut. Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, and Rockets center Alperen Sengun are among those who had strong cases for consideration.
Of course, naming the snubs is easier than naming the All-Stars who don’t deserve to be there. It’s a little odd that the .500 Lakers had two players make the game, but LeBron James was voted a starter and Anthony Davis is having a monster year. Karl-Anthony Towns‘ selection was a minor surprise, but the Timberwolves have the best record in the conference, which perhaps warrants more than one All-Star rep. The Warriors are the West’s 12th seed and Stephen Curry‘s shooting percentages are below his career rates, but…he’s still Stephen Curry.
Over in the East, the list of snubs isn’t as long or as egregious. You could make a case for Hawks guard Trae Young, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, Magic forward Franz Wagner, and a couple more Celtics (Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White), but none of those omissions look especially glaring.
Of course, it looks like the NBA will need to name a couple injury replacements in the East, since both Joel Embiid and Julius Randle are currently sidelined. Since the East already has six guards on the roster, the league will likely stick to the frontcourt pool, which could open the door for two players from that group of Allen, Barnes, Butler, Wagner, and Porzingis.
With nearly two more weeks of games before the All-Star break, it’s possible an injury replacement or two will be necessary in the West as well, but that doesn’t appear to be the case for now. Sabonis would likely be first on the list of replacements if a frontcourt player misses the game, which would be a major financial boon for the Kings big man — his contract includes a $1.3MM bonus if he makes the All-Star team.
We want to know what you think. Were there any players that absolutely deserved to be All-Stars who didn’t make the cut? If so, who should they replace? And which two players in the East should be chosen as injury replacements for Embiid and Randle (assuming both are unavailable)?
Head to the comment section below to share your two cents!
Trade Rumors: Nuggets, Thunder, Green, Caruso, Bulls
It may be a quiet trade deadline for the defending champions. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post details, the Nuggets will explore the market in search of frontcourt depth and bench scoring, but their options are limited for a variety of reasons.
For one, the Nuggets are well above the luxury tax line and are just a few million dollars away from their hard cap, which will make it difficult to take on extra salary in a deadline deal. Because Denver’s salary is above the first apron, the team is subject to more restrictive salary-matching rules, further complicating trade negotiations. On top of that, the Nuggets can’t freely trade any future first-round picks, since they’ve already moved first-rounders in 2025, 2027, and 2029.
The Nuggets haven’t ruled out the possibility of a trade, but they’re less likely to make one this season than they were a year ago, when they moved Bones Hyland and landed Thomas Bryant, writes Durando.
Here are a few more trade notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- The Thunder aren’t expected to make a major splash at the trade deadline, but they could make a smaller move, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on The Kenny Beecham Podcast. “The one thing they could use is size,” Charania said (hat tip to Rylan Stiles of SI.com). “I have heard that they are a team that will at least look into veteran big-man play.”
- Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link) shares a couple trade rumors within his latest article, citing sources who say that Rockets guard Jalen Green has “generated some trade buzz” and that several playoff teams have expressed interest in Bulls guard Alex Caruso. If Chicago were open to moving Caruso, Lowe wouldn’t be surprised to see him moved for a couple protected first-round picks.
- While a Zach LaVine trade remains possible, the Bulls haven’t been seriously discussing most of the rest of the players on their roster as trade possibilities, including Caruso, says Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. That could change before the deadline, but there’s a sense that if LaVine stays put, the team’s biggest move may be something around the edges, such as an Andre Drummond deal, Cowley adds.
Zach LaVine To Remain Sidelined Through Trade Deadline
Bulls guard Zach LaVine won’t be back on the court before next Thursday’s trade deadline.
Speaking today to reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link), head coach Billy Donovan said that LaVine’s right ankle sprain has healed, but he’s still feeling discomfort in his right foot and will require at least one more week of rest.
The star guard has missed the Bulls’ past six contests after being sidelined for 17 games earlier this season due to a right foot issue.
“It bugs you, a bony, prominent area,” LaVine said back in December about his foot pain, per Johnson (Twittter link). “You really don’t want to start messing around with that, that fifth metatarsal area and it gets more and more irritated. It’s just smart to calm it down now to where I can get back to 100% and hopefully finish the season strong and help everybody out.”
LaVine will likely require a ramp-up period to get back in game shape even if his foot is feeling better in a week, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s held out through the All-Star break. The Bulls’ last game prior to All-Star weekend is on February 14 in Cleveland.
Of course, it’s possible that LaVine has played his last game as a Bull and will be on a new team by the time he’s ready to return, given that he has been involved in trade rumors all season. However, his value was already down this season due to his dip in production, his maximum-salary contract, and his injury history — a nagging foot issue won’t do anything to improve his stock on the trade market.
In more positive Bulls injury news, forward Torrey Craig appears to be on the verge from returning from the right plantar fascia injury that has kept him on the shelf since December 16. Donovan said today that Craig practiced in full and could be available on Saturday if he feels good during Chicago’s shootaround (Twitter link via Johnson).
Central Notes: Merrill, Haliburton, Bucks, Ivey, Duren
The Cavaliers have continued to fire on all cylinders with Evan Mobley and Darius Garland making their respective returns from injuries this week — they’ve won four games in a row and 12 of their last 13.
In a look at Cleveland’s hot streak, Joe Vardon of The Athletic highlights the role that sharpshooter Sam Merrill has played in the team’s recent success. The 27-year-old, who wasn’t part of the Cavaliers’ rotation earlier in the season, has made 3.4 three-pointers per game at a 43.5% clip over the club’s past 14 contests.
Merrill has a non-guaranteed minimum salary for 2024/25, so if he continues to produce for the Cavs in a part-time role, the team will certainly guarantee that money and consider it a bargain. The fourth-year wing will become eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2025.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Although Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has confirmed that Tyrese Haliburton is on a minutes restriction following his return from a hamstring injury, Carlisle has declined to offer any details on the distribution of those minutes or explain why the star point guard hasn’t played in the fourth quarter of either of his first two games back, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. On both Tuesday in Boston and Thursday in New York, Haliburton was subbed out for good with about six minutes left in the third quarter — in each case, Indiana held a lead at some point after that, but faded down the stretch and lost the game.
- The Bucks have made another addition to Doc Rivers‘ coaching staff, hiring Pete Dominguez as an assistant, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Dominguez previously worked under Rivers with the Clippers and Sixers.
- Former eighth overall pick Marquese Chriss has joined the Wisconsin Herd, per an announcement from the Bucks‘ G League affiliate (Twitter link). The 26-year-old power forward last played in the NBA with Dallas in 2022.
- The Pistons‘ two 2022 lottery picks, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, were named to the Rising Stars event for the second straight year, but both players have higher expectations for themselves going forward, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “The goal is still to be an All-Star one day,” Duren said. “That’s what I want to come back for.”
Agent Says LeBron James Won’t Be Traded
Lakers star LeBron James won’t ask to be traded and won’t be dealt ahead of next Thursday’s deadline, agent Rich Paul tells Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
There has been no reputable reporting suggesting that James was considering requesting a trade or that the Lakers were weighing the possibility of moving him.
However, there has been some speculation from fans and media members about LeBron’s future, given the Lakers’ middling record (25-25) this season, his age (39), and his contract situation (he can become an unrestricted free agent this summer).
James perhaps fueled that speculation by cryptically tweeting an hourglass emoji following Tuesday’s loss, but Paul opted to shut down it before it went any further, telling ESPN, “LeBron won’t be traded, and we aren’t asking to be.”
Paul’s comments come as no surprise. Although James has changed teams multiple times over the course of his lengthy career, he has never requested a mid-season trade, haing always made his moves during free agency, and the Lakers wouldn’t look to move one of the NBA’s all-time greats without a push from him.
James has, on the other hand, made a habit over the years of putting pressure on his teams’ front offices by making comments to reporters or on social media hinting that roster upgrades are necessary. His hourglass tweet may have been referencing the time ticking down until the February 8 trade deadline or on the Lakers to salvage their up-and-down season.
The Lakers had an encouraging showing on Thursday, pulling out an upset victory over the Celtics in Boston despite James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (Achilles/hip) both missing the game.