Fischer: Zach LaVine Hopes To Stay With Bulls Past Deadline
Bulls wing Zach LaVine has been a prominent name in the NBA rumor mill for multiple seasons. While he and the team reportedly had a mutual desire to see LaVine traded out of Chicago in 2023/24, evidently the two-time All-Star has had a change of heart.
Sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that LaVine now prefers to remain a Bull past the February 6 deadline. Still, while LaVine may not be pushing to be dealt, he doesn’t have control over his future.
As Fischer writes, the Bulls are incentivized to tank down the stretch so they can keep their 2025 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected. If that selection lands outside of the top 10 — Chicago currently has the ninth-worst record in the league at 19-25 — it would convey to San Antonio.
If they’re unable to land Jimmy Butler, the Suns could have interest in trying to trade Bradley Beal for LaVine, sources tell Fischer. I’m pretty skeptical that the Bulls would go for that even if Phoenix attaches multiple first-round picks to Beal and his no trade-clause, but it’s certainly not outside the realm of possibility. Of course, Beal would have to approve the deal too, which is far from a given.
LaVine has also been floated as a possibility to be included in a multi-team mega-trade involving both Beal and Butler, though that scenario is extremely complex.
LaVine, 29, has had a strong bounce-back season in ’24/25 after missing most of last season with a foot injury that required surgery. Through 40 games (34.0 minutes), he’s averaging 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest, with an excellent shooting slash line of .513/.451/.812.
Head coach Billy Donovan has praised LaVine multiple times this season for his positive attitude, willingness to accept change, his on-court play, and his off-court leadership.
Although they have yet to make an in-season trade, the Bulls have displayed a willingness to discuss just about everyone on their roster, according to Fischer. Rival executives have described Chicago’s front office as “seeking change,” per Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link), though it’s unclear what that means beyond some sort of roster shake-up.
Grizzlies Have Talked To Heat About Jimmy Butler
The Grizzlies are “lurking” as a potential suitor for Heat star Jimmy Butler, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link), who report that Memphis has talked to Miami about Butler.
Multiple reporters have indicated that Butler’s camp has warned Memphis not to pursue him, though there hasn’t been an explicit reason given as to why. The 35-year-old makes $48.8MM in 2024/25 and could hit free agency in the summer if he declines his $52.4MM player option for ’25/26.
League executives have speculated that the Grizzlies might be interested in Butler for multiple reasons, per Windhorst and Bontemps.
For starters, they would like to consolidate some of their talent for an on-court upgrade ahead of the playoffs. Secondly, if they’re able to move off multiple multiyear contracts (Marcus Smart, among others) in a potential Butler deal and the six-time All-Star walks in free agency, they would have enough cap room to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. in the offseason.
Due to the declining structure of Jackson’s contract and his relatively team-friendly cap hit, a veteran extension may not be possible unless he becomes eligible for a super-max by making an All-NBA team or winning Defensive Player of the Year for a second time.
If Memphis doesn’t want to extend Butler, that could certainly explain why his representatives have warned the team against trading for him. His rift with Miami has largely centered around his desire to receive a maximum-salary extension.
Sources tell ESPN that both the Heat and Butler are motivated to get a trade done before the February 6 deadline, but there’s still a legitimate chance the stalemate extends into the summer, when more suitors and options could emerge.
Referring to the Suns‘ level of desperation as “extremely high,” Windhorst and Bontemps confirm that trading for Butler remains Phoenix’s top priority. However, it’s unclear if Phoenix’s recent draft-pick trade with Utah will increase the odds of landing Butler, since the Suns still have to find a taker for Bradley Beal and his no-trade clause.
Latest On Jimmy Butler
In appearance on First Take on Thursday morning (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania described Jimmy Butler‘s situation with the Heat as “ugly, bitter” and “untenable.”
Miami suspended Butler for two more games on Wednesday after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee. The flight was reportedly moved up after the Heat canceled a team practice. According to Charania, Butler planned to tell the Heat he was going to fly separately — something he’s been permitted to do in the past — but before he was able to, he was informed he was being suspended.
In the afternoon, Charania reported on SportsCenter that the Heat have talked to multiple teams about Butler over the past week, calling some of those conversations “productive,” but obviously a deal has yet to come together (YouTube link).
We have more of the latest on Butler:
- The exact list of teams Butler is open to being traded to remains somewhat unclear. Some reports indicated that Butler prefers primarily to play in Phoenix while his original request reportedly also included Dallas, Houston and Golden State. In the last two weeks, varying sources said “multiple teams,” including the Grizzlies, were advised to not trade for the six-time All-Star. Now, appearing on NBA Today (YouTube link), Marc J. Spears said Butler is open to playing anywhere but Miami or Memphis.
- Generally speaking, the Heat are open to accepting “pretty good players” with expiring contracts if they are unable to land a star in return for Butler, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes. If said players were to have an extra year on their contracts beyond this one, Miami would covet draft capital in such a move. According to Jackson, the Heat are prioritizing having cap space in the 2026 offseason when several star players like Luka Doncic could potentially hit free agency. Right now, the Heat only have about $85MM in cap committed for the 2026/27 season, giving them plenty of space to potentially add a max target.
- The worst-case scenario for Miami would be if Butler opts in to his contract this offseason and the Heat are unable to find a trade partner for him, Jackson opines in the same piece. That would block the Heat from having access to the $14MM mid-level exception this summer and they’d be at $191.5MM in committed salaries, close to the first apron. This specific scenario could force the Heat to release Duncan Robinson, per Jackson, as only $9.8MM of his $19.9MM contract next year is guaranteed.
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra delivered a message to his team on Thursday amid the ongoing trade chatter, Jackson writes in another story. “The point I made to our team is get used to it,” Spoelstra said. “Get over it. This is the NBA life. This is the life we chose. If you think it’s just going to be predictable, you’re really mistaken.“
- Players also chimed in on the situation, per Jackson’s story. “It’s probably not the easiest to work with someone who’s in and out in any job,” Tyler Herro said. But Herro was sure to quickly emphasize: “We love Jimmy. We love for him to be here. I love Jimmy.” Robinson, Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love had similar messages, indicating that it hasn’t impacted their play and the team is solely focused on winning.
Rory Maher contributed to this post
Magic’s Franz Wagner Available To Return From Torn Oblique
4:26pm: Wagner will indeed make his return from his torn oblique injury that caused him to miss 20 games, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Additionally, Howard will be listed as available after missing the past five games (Twitter link per Beede).
12:14pm: Forward Franz Wagner has been sidelined since December 6 — a span of 20 games — after tearing his right oblique, but he’s close to returning to action for the Magic, who have listed the former lottery pick as questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Portland, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley said Wagner “was able to go through shootaround (on Thursday morning) and is obviously progressing well so we’ll see what the day brings after this shootaround.” Speaking to reporters afterward, Wagner confirmed there’s a chance he’ll play tonight (Twitter video link via Beede).
“(The questionable tag) means that I might play, I might not,” the German said with a smile. “We’ll see how the day goes. But it feels really good. It was a long process and I’m not the most patient person.”
Wagner, 23, was having a breakout fourth season for Orlando prior to the injury, averaging career-best numbers in several counting stats, including points (24.4), rebounds (5.6), assists (5.7) and steals per game (1.7). He posted a shooting slash line of .465/.321/.881 in 25 contests (33.2 minutes).
On January 14, Wagner had his status changed to “return to competition reconditioning,” stating at the time that his muscle had fully healed and that he felt good, but he needed to get back in playing shape. It was the first significant absence of his career — he had only missed 13 total games in three seasons leading up to 2024/25.
Wagner’s return appearing imminent is certainly great news for the Magic, who went just 7-13 without him, including losing their last four games. Orlando is currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-22. The team has been dominant when Wagner is on the court (plus-8.6 per 100 possession), but has struggled mightily (minus-5.9) when he’s not.
Orlando has dealt with significant injury absences all season. Mosley provided updates on several other injured players on Thursday, according to Beede:
- Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) did some on-court work on Thursday to see how he’ll respond, but he didn’t take contact and he’s listed as doubtful Thursday.
- Both Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Gary Harris (left hamstring strain) worked out Thursday and the team will see how they’re doing afterward. Suggs remains out, while Harris is questionable vs. Portland.
- Jonathan Isaac (illness) is officially questionable, but Mosley said he’s feeling much better and will suit up tonight.
- Cole Anthony is also dealing with an illness and wasn’t at shootaround, but there’s a chance he could play if he’s feeling better in a handful of hours — he’s officially questionable.
- Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) is questionable. He did some on-court work at shootaround.
Brandon Miller Out For Season Following Wrist Surgery
Hornets wing Brandon Miller will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season after undergoing successful surgery to repair the torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, the team announced in a press release.
The No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Miller was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 2023/24 after a debut season which saw him finish third in Rookie of the Year balloting.
He was having a solid second season as well, improving his counting stats in several categories, including points (21.1), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.6), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.7) per game. Miller posted a .403/.355/.861 shooting slash line in 27 appearances (34.2 minutes).
It’s disappointing news for the Hornets, who have dealt with several injuries to key players over the past couple seasons, particularly LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams. Charlotte, which is currently just 11-29, only had Miller, Ball, Williams and Miles Bridges active at the same time in six games this season.
While it’s obviously an unfortunate outcome for Miller, it does present an opportunity for more playing time for his teammates. Nick Smith Jr., another 2023 first-round pick, has started the past three games sans Miller, averaging 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 45% from three-point range (28.9 MPG).
Josh Okogie, Vasilije Micic and Seth Curry are among the reserves who could see expanded roles with Miller out for the rest of the season.
Bulls Notes: Buzelis, White, Giddey
The Bulls have several young players on their roster, but only rookie forward Matas Buzelis has the raw talent to potentially change the team’s trajectory, argues Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. However, the 20-year-old from Chicago will have to improve in a number of different areas for that to happen.
“The one thing is, he has earned his minutes, which has been a positive,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “He has terrific upside and ability and talent. But he’s young.
“It’s kind of what we were talking about with [Patrick Williams]. All these guys get into a situation where when they come into the league at an extremely young age, there’s a pass given on, ‘They’re young. They have to learn.’ And rightfully so. But after a period of time, you have to be able to do this. And with Matas, [it’s] the consistency part from him of understanding the league, understanding personnel, understanding who he’s guarding.
“I’ve been really encouraged with the way he has responded, and I do think he’ll continue to improve. He’s a worker and gets in there and competes. But as a young guy, he has to learn.”
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- As Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune writes, Buzelis has shown flashes of tantalizing upside this season, but the No. 11 overall pick ranks just 32nd among rookies in minutes per game (12.8 in 42 appearances). After logging roughly his season average in the first half of Monday’s win against the Clippers, he didn’t play at all in the final two quarters, a trend that has been happening for some time. He says he only has himself to blame for that, per Poe. “I deserved it,” Buzelis said. “I was minus-11, wasn’t making shots, defensively messed up, missed a few offensive rebounds. It’s part of the learning process. I can’t get frustrated (with playing time) when I’m the one not playing well.”
- Guard Coby White met with a foot doctor on Tuesday after undergoing imaging, and while nothing is structurally wrong with his ankle, he’s unlikely to suit up on Thursday at Golden State, Donovan said (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network). White, who missed Monday’s game, is officially listed as questionable with right ankle soreness.
- Josh Giddey has had an up-and-down first season with the Bulls, struggling at times on defense, which is one of the primary reasons he hasn’t been a consistent part of closing lineups. That changed on Monday, when the fourth-year guard put up 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in 40 minutes in the win vs. the Clips. The 22-year-old will be a restricted free agent in the summer, and he admits he sometimes wonders about the uncertainty of his contract situation, according to Cowley. “I’m very happy here,” Giddey said. “I love the players, the coaches, everyone has been great here. I’d be lying if I said I never think about it. Every player in the country thinks about it, but you can’t let it impact the way you play. It’s a business. The contract will be taken care of at the end of the year, whatever it is, how long it is, where it is? It’s kind of out of my hands by then, so just play the season and do my best.”
Bucks’ Jackson Commits To Dunk Contest; McClung Undecided
Bucks wing Andre Jackson has joined Matas Buzelis and Stephon Castle as young players who have committed to the 2025 Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
The 36th overall pick of the 2023 draft, Jackson has started 31 of his 39 appearances in his second season, averaging 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per contest. Known for his defensive versatility and explosive athleticism, the 23-year-old has had some highlight-reel dunks in his young career, including a jaw-dropping put-back against Sacramento last season (YouTube link).
Mac McClung, who is on a two-way contract with the Magic, has won the dunk contest each of the past two years, but he tells Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel he’s not sure if he’ll try to become the first player to win three consecutive times. The reigning G League MVP is focused on helping the Osceola Magic recover from a slow start to the NBAGL regular season, per Beede.
“I don’t know yet,” the 26-year-old guard said. “My gut will tell me the right feeling.”
As Beede notes, if McClung accepts an invitation, he would be the fourth and final contestant in the dunk contest. Despite thriving at the G League level, he hasn’t gotten many NBA opportunities to this point in his career, even with Orlando dealing with a number of injuries in 2024/25. Still, McClung says he’ll be prepared if the opportunity presents itself.
“And that’ll happen when they’re ready to give it to me,” he said. “Right now, I just my put head down and work. If the opportunity comes, I’ll be ready.“
Pistons Notes: Trade Deadline, Ball-Handler, Cunningham
The Pistons have been one of the most surprising teams of the 2024/25 season. After finishing last season with the worst record in franchise history (14-68), the Pistons are currently 21-21, on pace to nearly triple that abysmal 14-win total, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.
Detroit also has plenty of financial flexibility ahead of the February 6 deadline, as the Pistons are the only team operating with cap room ($14MM). They also have the $8MM room exception at their disposal to potentially make multiple deals.
Their strong play over the past few weeks reportedly has the front office thinking about making in-season upgrades rather than serving as a salary dumping ground, though a recent report indicated that a major roster shakeup was unlikely.
While Detroit could pursue a number of different trade opportunities over the next two-plus weeks, Sankofa cautions that the Pistons ultimately might decide to be judicious with their flexibility, giving the team more time to evaluate the roster entering the offseason.
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Saturday’s four-point loss to Phoenix highlighted the Pistons’ need for a secondary ball-handler and play-maker to complement former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Jaden Ivey had served in that role, but he might miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken fibula in his left leg. “It’s just got to be ball movement,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “We keep talking about the diversity in our offense and just doing the next right thing. That’s one of the things, again, we’re continuing to work on. We don’t want to be a one-dimensional, ball-dominant team or dribble-dominant team.” Cunningham finished the game with 11 assists, half of the team’s total, but no other Piston had more than two, Patterson notes.
- Cunningham’s teammates believe he should be an All-Star for the first time in ’24/25, per Sankofa of The Detroit Free Press. “It’s an honor to play with him as a young, up-and-coming superstar in this league and I think he’s starting to get the recognition and the clout that he deserves,” Tobias Harris said. “Extremely hard worker, extremely humble human being and an amazing teammate and leader for this whole group. … He’s playing at an extremely high level leading this group, leading this team and coming to play night after night. And not for nothing. He’s a dynamic offensive player but he’s also a very good defensive player, and he brings it defensively for our group as well. He’s been spectacular for us all season long.”
- In case you missed it, Tim Hardaway Jr. is embracing his role as a veteran leader for the younger Pistons.
Nets Notes: C. Johnson, Z. Williams, Evbuomwan, Irving
The Nets aren’t sure if forward Cameron Johnson will be available for Sunday’s matchup in Oklahoma City, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has gone 0-9 this season without Johnson, who is officially listed as questionable for the contest as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain that has kept him on the sidelines for seven of the past eight games.
“It’s too early [to know] right now,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said about Johnson’s availability for Sunday. “He’s doing a great job with trying to get healthy and working every day and being around with the group.
“And that’s what we value the most, is his energy, his voice right now. And he still was doing his job [every] morning, and right now there’s no reason why we should make a decision, right? We want all our guys to be 100 percent healthy, to come back, and whenever the time comes, we will make a decision.”
According to Lewis, Johnson is the “most coveted player on the trade market right now,” but it’s certainly not a lock that he’ll be on the move by the February 6 deadline. Sources tell Lewis the Nets are reluctant to part with Johnson unless they receive two first-round picks or the equivalent in return, suggesting a talented young player on a team-friendly contract could be used in place of one of those first-rounders.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Fourth-year forward Ziaire Williams has drastically improved his outside shot of late, Lewis writes in another story for The Post. In his first 21 games prior to missing 12 contests with a knee injury, Williams had converted just 27.3% of his three-point attempts. However, in the nine games since he returned from the injury, he has converted an impressive 40.8% from long distance on significantly higher volume. “Yeah, man, shoot, they tell me constantly shoot, shoot, shoot,” said Williams, who will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer. “So, I’ve got to be the one to believe in myself. And yes, it’s good out there. It feels good right now. And I’m just trying to just stay in this rhythm.”
- Tosan Evbuomwan inked a two-way contract with Brooklyn at the beginning of the month and has impressed in a regular rotation role off the bench, Lewis adds. The second-year forward has averaged 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds on .583/.375/.789 shooting over the past six games (24.8 minutes), scoring in double figures in five of those contests.
- Kyrie Irving continues to sarcastically criticize the Nets nearly two years after he was traded to Dallas, according to Lewis. “Best trade in the business, baby. We won that trade!” Irving said Friday night after the Mavericks beat the Thunder, 106-98, then repeated for emphasis, “We won that trade! I was bad goods.”
- In case you missed it, we passed along several other Johnson rumors yesterday from NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Celtics Reportedly Expect 4-5 Initial Ownership Bids
The Celtics are expecting to receive a minimum of four ownership bids from prospective investment groups when the first round of the sale process closes on January 23, a source with direct knowledge of the process tells Michael Silverman of The Boston Globe (subscription required). A fifth bid is also a possibility, Silverman reports.
Current co-owner Steve Pagliuca is spearheading a consortium that will be making a bid, according to Silverman, but the identities of the control heads for the other groups remain a mystery, at least for now. Another current minority stakeholder, Robert Hale, expressed interest in becoming majority owner or joining a group in October, and he told Silverman he’s “still hanging around the hoop.”
Fenway Sports Group and Mark Bezos are reportedly among the other potential bidders. The founding partner of HighPost Capital private equity group, Bezos is the half-brother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The Grousbeck family announced on July 1 that it was putting the team up for sale, just a few weeks after the Celtics won their 18th championship. According to Silverman, the Grousbecks expect the final sale price to exceed $6 billion.
As Silverman writes, the Grousbecks and the investment banks advising them on the sale process are expected to review the first round of bids until sometime in February. At that point, two groups will be selected for a final round of bidding, unless one initial bid “meets the family’s expectations.”
If there’s a final round involving two bidders, it could take weeks or even months before a new owner is announced, Silverman adds.
The plan remains for the sale process to be conducted in two phases, with the new group controlling 51% of the franchise at some point in the first half of 2025. The remaining 49% would be sold in 2028.
Governor Wyc Grousbeck hopes to remain in that role until 2028, though it’s unclear if bidders will be open to that idea after he has given up his controlling interest in the first phase of the sale.