Nets Waive Cam Thomas
9:50 pm: The Nets have officially waived Thomas in order to complete their acquisition of Josh Minott.
2:10 pm: After not trading him at today’s deadline, the Nets are waiving fifth-year guard Cam Thomas, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Assuming Thomas goes unclaimed on waivers, he’ll be eligible to sign with any NBA team that has room on its roster and under its hard cap for him.
Thomas wasn’t with the Nets on their flight to Orlando on Wednesday and was listed as out for tonight’s game due to personal reasons, so there were hints that a split was coming.
He held a de facto no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last summer, which limited Brooklyn’s ability to move him. The Cavaliers and Bucks were mentioned as possibilities, but no trade emerged before the deadline.
Thomas and his representatives were hoping the Nets would release him if he wasn’t traded so he could pick his next team once he clears waivers, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Thomas shared his outlook with Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link), saying, “Super excited ready to actually help and contribute to another team. My next team is getting elite scoring, good play-making and a good combo guard.”
Thomas has been a reliable scorer for Brooklyn, but injuries have limited his playing time as he appeared in just 25 games last season and 24 this year. The Nets didn’t make a strong effort to work out a long-term contract in free agency, and it became clear that his future was probably with another team.
Warriors Trade Trayce Jackson-Davis To Raptors
February 5: The trade is official, the Warriors confirmed (via Twitter).
February 4: The Warriors will send backup center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick that originally belonged to the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Jackson-Davis, 25, saw rotation minutes during his first two seasons, but his role has been reduced this year. He has appeared in just 36 games and is averaging 4.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per night.
He makes $2.2MM this season and his contract includes a $2.4MM team option for 2026/27.
Charania notes that Toronto adds some size to its frontcourt by using the space created by trading Ochai Agbaji earlier in the day while managing to stay out of tax territory.
The Raptors explored several options for another big man, including the Pelicans‘ Yves Missi, the Nets‘ Day’Ron Sharpe and the Magic’s Goga Bitadze, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. However, it would have taken a first-round pick to land any of them and the Raptors were comfortable picking up Jackson-Davis while parting with the second-rounder they acquired when they sent Davion Mitchell to Miami a year ago.
The Jackson-Davis trade, coupled with the deal that sends Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta, gives the Warriors enough roster flexibility to convert two-way guard Pat Spencer to a standard deal, notes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Spencer is just one game away from reaching his limit of 50 active games.
Chris Paul To Raptors, Ochai Agbaji To Nets In Three-Team Deal
February 5: The three-team trade is now official, according to the Nets (Twitter link), who have waived veteran wing Haywood Highsmith in order to create a roster spot for Agbaji.
As Gozlan tweets, Brooklyn now has about $8.9MM in cap room remaining and also still has its $8.8MM room exception, which could be used to absorb another salary in a deadline deal.
February 4: The Clippers, Raptors, and Nets are in agreement on a three-team trade that will send guard Chris Paul from Los Angeles to Toronto, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links).
Fourth-year forward Ochai Agbaji is headed from Toronto to Brooklyn in the deal, along with the Raptors’ 2032 second-round pick, says Charania. The Clippers will receive the draft rights to 2019 second-rounder Vanja Marinkovic from the Nets, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), and will send $3.5MM in cash to Brooklyn, per NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
The Raptors won’t require Paul to report to the team, according to Charania, who suggests the veteran point guard may be flipped to another club before Thursday’s deadline. If not, he’ll likely be waived.
It’s a cost-cutting move for both the Clippers and Raptors. The Clippers will open up an extra roster spot and create breathing room below their hard cap, which they’ll likely use to promote two-way players Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders to standard contracts. Toronto, meanwhile, will duck below the tax line by swapping out Agbaji’s expiring $6.4MM contract for Paul and his $2.3MM cap hit, creating a $6.4MM trade exception in the process.
The Nets will take advantage of being the NBA’s only team with cap room by taking on a half-season of Agbaji, receiving more than enough cash to cover his remaining salary, and adding another second-round pick to their sizable collection of draft assets in the process. Acquiring Agbaji will bring Brooklyn’s cap room below $9MM, though the team would also have the option of using its $15MM+ in room in a separate deal, then absorbing the Raptors forward using its room exception.
The Nets have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll need to trade or waive a player to create room for Agbaji.
The Clippers announced over two months ago that they were “parting ways” with Paul, who wasn’t a good cultural fit, but that just meant he’d no longer be around the team, not that he was off the roster. L.A. didn’t want to waive him since it would mean eating his guaranteed salary and leaving his $2.3MM cap hit on the team’s books, compromising the front office’s ability to make additional moves around the edges of the roster.
L.A. will now have about $3.4MM below its first-apron hard cap along with a pair of open roster spots, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter links). Toronto will be roughly $3.1MM below the tax line and will also have two openings on its standard 15-man roster.
Trade Rumors: Morant, Thomas, Gafford, Hawks, Raptors
While Sacramento has been one of the teams linked to Ja Morant, the Grizzlies guard and his camp don’t have interest in a trade to the Kings, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Morant’s other rumored suitors – the Heat and Timberwolves – would rank much higher on his wish list.
The Kings essentially reciprocate Morant’s tepid interest, says Sam Amick of The Athletic. As Amick explains, Sacramento hasn’t ruled out the possibility of acquiring Morant, but would want Memphis to add draft capital as an incentive to take on his maximum-salary contract, which runs through 2027/28. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are looking to acquire a draft pick or two in a Morant deal, even if it means taking on some unwanted salary.
The Kings also have potential fit and chemistry concerns about Morant, Amick adds, noting that a deal between the two teams appears unlikely.
While that could just leave Miami and Minnesota in the running for Morant, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) says he’s been advised not to rule out the Bucks. All three of those teams may need resolution on the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation before they can realistically make a play for the Grizzlies guard.
We have more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Nets guard Cam Thomas wasn’t with the team for its flight to Orlando today and is listed as out for Thursday’s game due to personal reasons, tweets Fischer. Thomas holds a de facto no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent in 2025, but has long been considered a trade candidate and is drawing interest from the Cavaliers and Bucks, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
- The Hawks have maintained interest in Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter links), who reports that Dallas has been seeking a first-round pick for Gafford and Atlanta has only been willing to give up second-round capital. Stein’s report came in just before word broke that the Hawks had agreed to acquire Jock Landale from Utah — adding a minimum-salary big man on an expiring deal wouldn’t preclude a trade for Gafford, who is under contract for three more seasons after this one, but it may reduce Atlanta’s need for immediate help in its frontcourt.
- The Raptors were engaged in trade talks with the Mavericks about Anthony Davis before Dallas agreed to send him to Washington, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says Toronto also spoke to the Grizzlies about Jaren Jackson Jr. prior to the trade that sent the big man to Utah. The Raptors, who are on the lookout for a frontcourt upgrade, have also discussed Domantas Sabonis but reportedly reached an impasse in their negotiations with Sacramento.
Trade Rumors: Bulls, Dosunmu, Allen, Missi, Rockets, Pelicans, More
There have been some “tangible” discussions this week between the Bulls and Pacers about a possible trade involving Ayo Dosunmu and Bennedict Mathurin, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, after Chicago agreed to trades for guards Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons on Tuesday, it’s unclear whether the team still has interest in Mathurin, who is also on the Pelicans‘ radar.
According to Fischer, the Bulls also explored multiple trade scenarios involving Nikola Vucevic before agreeing to a Simons trade with Boston, including offering Vucevic and a future first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Jarrett Allen. That’s a deal Cleveland wouldn’t have been able to make without ducking the second tax apron, since Vucevic’s $21.5MM cap hit comes in a little above Allen’s $20MM figure.
Whether due to the apron restrictions or simply a lack of interest, Cleveland turned down the offer, per Fischer, who adds that the Pacers are another team that has registered interest in Allen.
While the Bulls may not have a viable path to acquiring Allen, they remain very much in the mix for Pelicans center Yves Missi, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. According to Siegel, New Orleans has continued to seek a first-round pick in exchange for Missi, but no team has been willing to meet that asking price so far.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Speaking of the Bulls, it’s worth keeping an eye on whether they end up flipping Mike Conley in a separate trade after acquiring him from Minnesota on Tuesday, Fischer writes. There have been rumblings that if Conley is traded again and then waived, the Timberwolves would have interest in bringing him back on a minimum-salary deal. That wouldn’t be possible if Chicago waives Conley directly due to NBA rules about a traded player rejoining his previous team.
- The Rockets have been connected to Bulls guard Coby White, among other targets, with forward Dorian Finney-Smith viewed as a possible trade candidate, but Siegel hears that Houston likes its roster and would be content to stand pat at the trade deadline — or to make a smaller move or two involving minimum-salary or near-minimum players. Forward Tari Eason, who will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, has drawn significant interest, but the Rockets aren’t interested in moving him, Siegel adds.
- Sources tell ClutchPoints that the Pelicans have received offers that include multiple first-round picks for both Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, but they still haven’t seriously entertained the idea of trading either player. It remains very possible that New Orleans maintains its high asking prices for Murphy and Jones and keeps both players through the deadline, despite significant league-wide interest in them, Siegel writes.
- The Clippers continue to seek potential takers for Chris Paul and Kobe Brown, Siegel reports, since moving those players would help create breathing room under the hard cap – and room on the roster – to promote Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders from their two-way deals to standard contracts.
- Recognizing that whether or not he’s traded this week is “something that’s out of my control,” Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. says he’s at peace with whatever happens, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. For what it’s worth though, Lewis writes in a separate subscriber-only story that more and more league sources believe Porter will ultimately end up remaining in Brooklyn through this Thursday’s deadline.
Lakers Rumors: Wing Targets, DiVincenzo, Knecht, Sharpe
Although the Lakers remain active on the trade market, their limited assets and their desire to retain as much 2026 cap room as possible are complicating factors as they look to upgrade their roster, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Some rival executives believe the Lakers are willing to trade their 2031 or 2032 first-round pick for the right wing, Woike writes, but the sort of player they’d be targeting with that pick either isn’t available at that price or isn’t available at all — that group includes Pelicans forwards Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III.
A league source tells Woike that the Lakers have been linked to practically every defensive-minded wing on the market, including Isaac Okoro of the Bulls and Derrick Jones Jr. of the Clippers. But it seems unlikely Los Angeles would give up its lone tradable first-round pick for a player of that caliber, especially since guys like Okoro and Jones are owed guaranteed money for 2026/27 and would eat into the club’s projected cap space.
As previously reported, the Lakers could emerge as a viable Giannis Antetokounmpo suitor this summer if the Bucks don’t move him at the deadline, but for now, any potential L.A. involvement in a Giannis deal would likely be as a facilitator.
Woike identifies Timberwolves wing Donte DiVincenzo and Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen as a couple players from potential Antetokounmpo suitors who might appeal to the Lakers, and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints hears that L.A. has expressed interest in DiVincenzo.
Those talks haven’t gained traction though, Siegel writes, and Minnesota would likely only move DiVincenzo if it was necessary to land Giannis. Even in that scenario, it’s unclear whether the Lakers would be the Wolves’ most obvious trade partner or if there’s another team more likely to give up valuable draft capital for DiVincenzo.
Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick, hasn’t requested a trade, but wouldn’t object to a change of scenery, Woike writes, so he’s a player to keep an eye on if the team does make a deal.
The Lakers are also considering potential non-wing trade targets — sources tell The Athletic that Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe has fans within the organization.
Still, Woike believes that any meaningful changes to the Lakers’ roster are probably more likely to happen this summer than this week.
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel Once Again Named Rookies Of Month
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Hornets wing Kon Knueppel have once again been named the Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in January, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Flagg and Knueppel, who were Duke teammates last season, have monopolized the award this season, gaining those monthly honors three consecutive times. No one else has won it this season, as the months of October and November were combined.
Flagg, the top overall pick, averaged 20.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last month. He capped off the month with a 49-point eruption against Charlotte and 34 points against Houston.
Knueppel averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per night in January. He scored a season-high 34 points in the same game Flagg scored 49.
Ace Bailey (Jazz), Cedric Coward (Grizzlies), Caleb Love (Trail Blazers) and Derik Queen (Pelicans) were the other Western Conference nominees. Egor Demin (Nets), VJ Edgecombe (Sixers), Tre Johnson (Wizards) and Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors) were also nominated in the East.
Kings Rumors: Sabonis, Hunter, Kuminga, Morant, LaVine
The Kings haven’t ruled out the possibility of trading Domantas Sabonis this week, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), and the Raptors‘ interest in the veteran center is very real, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Most sources with knowledge of the situation view Toronto as the most viable Sabonis suitor at this time, Fischer writes.
While Fischer gets the sense that Keon Ellis no longer be in play shouldn’t have any material impact on talks between the Raptors and Kings, he acknowledges that Toronto is also looking elsewhere for frontcourt upgrades. Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks and Day’Ron Sharpe of the Nets continue to be possibilities, and some members of Anthony Davis‘ camp still think the Raptors will pursue the 10-time All-Star, Fischer writes.
However, Jakob Poeltl and his long-term contract (he’s owed nearly $104MM over four seasons after this one) will complicate any Raptors deal for Sabonis. Team and league sources who spoke to Amick think Toronto would need to find a new home for Poeltl in order to acquire Sabonis, and Sacramento is known to have no interest in taking him back.
Given the potential roadblocks, Amick suggests he wouldn’t be surprised if nothing happens with Sabonis this week and the two teams renew their discussions in the offseason.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Although Hunter fills a roster need, the trade the Kings made with Cleveland and Chicago shows a lack of foresight and vision from the front office, contends John Hollinger of The Athletic. Trading for Dario Saric in a cost-cutting move and then using the extra breathing room under the tax to sign Dennis Schröder to a three-year deal were two of the first moves general manager Scott Perry made on the job last summer, and he essentially sold both players at a loss just seven months later. Hunter’s 2026/27 salary also pushes the Kings over the projected luxury tax line for next season, Hollinger notes.
- While the trade sending Ellis to Cleveland and Hunter to Sacramento shouldn’t have an impact on the Raptors’ talks for Sabonis, that deal probably reduces the odds of Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga being dealt to the Kings, Fischer writes. Ellis was a potential target for Golden State, and Sacramento’s desire to add a forward has presumably lessened after its acquisition of Hunter.
- Perry has expressed a desire to build the Kings’ roster around players who can impact the game on both ends of the court — Hunter fits that bill, but Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant doesn’t, according to Fischer, who says he’s skeptical Sacramento will pursue Morant in the coming days. Fischer has heard that Morant would be reluctant to sign a contract extension with the Kings and that Sacramento is aware of that fact.
- A league source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that Zach LaVine is expected to pick up the $49MM player option on his contract for 2026/27. That comes as no surprise, given that LaVine would almost certainly have to accept a significant pay cut if he were to opt out in favor of free agency. That $49MM cap hit for next season is the primary reason why the Kings appear unlikely to find a taker for the high-scoring guard this week.
Cavs Rumors: Garland, Harden, Allen, Ball
Monday’s initial reports that the Cavaliers and Clippers are exploring the possibility of a trade involving James Harden and Darius Garland have since been confirmed by several outlets, though discussions between the two teams have yet to reach an “advanced stage,” according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
The Cavaliers’ interest in Harden is contingent on the possibility of acquiring draft compensation from the Clippers as part of the swap of the two point guards, per Tony Jones, Dan Woike, Sam Amick, and Law Murray of The Athletic. That echoes reporting from Chris Mannix of SI.com, who said on Monday that L.A. has resisted Cleveland’s request for at least one first-round pick or swap.
Before De’Andre Hunter was dealt to Sacramento on Sunday, the Clippers engaged in talks with the Cavs about John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Hunter, according to Stein and Fischer. While those discussions didn’t result in a deal, L.A. views Cleveland as a viable landing spot for Harden — sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that the Clippers have had interest in Garland for several years.
Still, while Harden and the Clippers are working together on a potential trade, both sides recognize that one might not materialize by Thursday’s deadline, Stein and Fischer write.
Outside of Cleveland, Harden has been intrigued by Atlanta and Minnesota as potential destinations at various times this season, sources tell The Stein Line, but neither the Hawks nor the Timberwolves are considered likely to seriously pursue the former MVP at this point. The Wolves are focused on Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the Hawks no longer seem to be looking to make aggressive moves at the deadline after having sent Trae Young to Washington last month, per Stein and Fischer.
One source familiar with the situation told Stein and Fischer that Harden’s apparent desire for a change of scenery is “all about a contract extension.” While Harden isn’t technically extension-eligible this season, reporting on Monday suggested that he hopes to sign a new two-year deal as a free agent this summer, whereas the Clippers are believed to be looking to maximize their 2027 cap room.
Here’s more on the Cavaliers:
- Although the Cavs have been signaling for most of the season that they intend to hang onto Garland, who has been limited to 26 games due to toe issues, there’s a growing belief around the NBA that the two-time All-Star could be on the trade block this offseason if he’s not moved for Harden this week, report Stein and Fischer. Sam Amick of The Athletic has also heard “league-wide chatter” about Garland potentially being available in the summer.
- League sources tell Amick that the Cavaliers have explored the idea of trading veteran center Jarrett Allen, whose three-year, $90.7MM extension will begin in 2026/27. Amick suggests that moving Allen might be a way of “unlocking much bigger possibilities” in Cleveland, which suggests the club’s goal would probably be to move below the second tax apron. Even after reducing their team salary in Sunday’s Hunter trade, the Cavs are still operating roughly $14MM above that second apron this season.
- Sources with knowledge of the Cavs’ thinking have insisted for days that Lonzo Ball – not Garland, Allen, or Max Strus – is the team’s primary trade candidate this week, according to Stein and Fischer, who report that Cleveland has had some preliminary talks with the Hornets about the possibility of uniting Lonzo with his brother LaMelo Ball. Along with Charlotte, the Nets and Jazz are among the teams that have conveyed interest in taking on unwanted salary along with draft compensation. The Cavs would presumably attach second-round draft capital to Lonzo if they agree to a deal that sends him to Charlotte, per The Stein Line.
- The Cavaliers could’ve acquired Malik Monk from the Kings in the Hunter trade instead of Dennis Schröder, but Schröder’s performances with the German national team and his familiarity with head coach Kenny Atkinson from their time together in Atlanta appealed to Cleveland, says Fischer (Substack link).
Giannis Trade Rumors: Warriors, Wolves, Blazers, Sixers, Nets
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Monday morning that the Warriors have been the most aggressive team in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Shams Charania later reporting that Golden State had made a “pick-heavy offer.”
Writing for The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer says the Warriors were cautiously optimistic over the weekend about their odds of acquiring the superstar forward if the Bucks decide to trade him prior to Thursday’s deadline.
However, there may be a significant holdup in a deal coming to fruition. League sources tell Fischer there have been “recent rumblings,” which the Warriors are aware of, that Giannis may not be enthusiastic about landing in Golden State.
Fischer acknowledges that only Antetokounmpo may know how credible those rumors are, but he’s heard from sources close to the situation that the 31-year-old “could be turned off” by the prospect of playing on an older team and/or being criticized for teaming up with Stephen Curry, just as Kevin Durant was and continues to be years later.
Although one source with knowledge of Antetokounmpo’s thinking told Fischer that he “wants to win,” Fischer has heard separately that also Giannis cares about his career arc.
As Fischer explains, part of the reason the Knicks appeal to the perennial All-NBA member is the fact that they haven’t won a championship since 1973; that same line of thinking is part of the reason why Giannis is intrigued by the possibility of joining Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who have never won a title, Fischer writes.
Here are several more Giannis-related trade rumors and notes:
- Fischer continues to hear the Warriors’ offer for Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Jimmy Butler, whom Golden State wants to retain despite his torn ACL. If the deal is instead built around around Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, rival teams don’t expect the Bucks to actually keep Green. That said, Fischer hears the 35-year-old forward/center’s trade value is “murky” for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he has a $27.7MM player option for ’26/27. People around the situation noted that the Suns would have been a good fit in the offseason, but that was before they acquired Dillon Brooks. Phoenix is still on the lookout for frontcourt upgrades, sources tell Fischer.
- Like many teams around the NBA, the Timberwolves have spent “weeks” preparing for the possibility of Giannis becoming available, multiple team sources tell Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic. The Wolves are considered one of the strongest suitors for the five-time All-Defensive member for multiple reasons, Krawczynski explains: the Wolves are viewed as a contender, having made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years; Giannis and Edwards have mutual respect; and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has pulled off multiple blockbuster trades since he was hired by Minnesota in 2022.
- Still, some rival teams remain skeptical the Bucks will actually trade Antetokounmpo by the deadline, Krawcyznski writes, since they could get more appealing offers in the summer.
- Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link) weighs the pros and cons of the Trail Blazers getting involved in a potential Antetokounmpo trade, whether it’s dealing for him themselves or acting as a facilitator. Portland certainly has assets Milwaukee wants, since the Blazers control the Bucks’ first-round picks from 2028-2030 (two swaps and one pick). According to Highkin, the Blazers are willing to act as a third team — if they get a player they really like. But Highkin doesn’t think Mikal Bridges (Knicks) or Jalen McDaniels (Timberwolves) would fit that bill. As Highkin writes, the Blazers were interested in Bridges, but that was a few years ago when he was obviously younger and on a more team-friendly contract, not the four-year, $150MM extension that will begin next season.
- The Trail Blazers could put together a very compelling package for Antetokounmpo, but it could be riskier than it would be for other teams since they aren’t close to being a contender at the moment and there have been no indications to this point that Giannis wants to end up in Portland, Highkin notes. It could end up being a one-year rental scenario, since Antetokounmpo has a player option for ’27/28, which may not appeal to Portland.
- On Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports’ podcast, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports said the Sixers will definitely inquire about Antetokounmpo prior to Thursday at 2:00 pm CT (Twitter video link). “If you think that Giannis is on the trade block and there is not gonna be a call between the Sixers and the Bucks at some point between now and the deadline on Thursday, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention,” Neubeck said. “I think that they are interested. Any time a player like Giannis is on the market … (president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey is a guy who wants stars. He cares about stars.” Neubeck previously reported that VJ Edgecombe was unavailable in trade talks, and reiterated to O’Connor that he would be “stunned” if the standout rookie is moved.
- As of Monday afternoon, the Nets had not called the Bucks about Antetokounmpo, a source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). ClutchPoints reported earlier on Monday that the Nets had inquired about Giannis, but Brett Siegel tweeted it was a mistake that was quickly corrected. Brooklyn has long been linked to Giannis and there has been speculation the team will make an offer for him.
- Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton of ESPN propose fake six Giannis trades, which are evaluated by Bobby Marks.