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Community Shootaround: Trade Deadline Winners, Losers

February 6th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Tristan Tucker

This year’s NBA trade deadline will go down in the history books as one of the wildest in North American sports history, if not the most chaotic.

This is, of course, mostly due to the shocking late Saturday transaction that saw Luka Doncic join the Lakers. Still, we saw an NBA record 63 players moved ahead of the deadline, with players like De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Brandon Ingram, De’Andre Hunter, Kyle Kuzma and Andrew Wiggins among those changing hands.

Only the Magic, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Nuggets didn’t make an in-season trade. The Nets wound up staying out of the days leading up to the deadline after completing their major moves earlier in the season. Cameron Johnson is one notable player who was the subject of trade rumors for most of the season but ended up staying in place.

[RELATED: 2024/25 In-Season Trades]

Outside of that, the Celtics, Pacers and Rockets were among teams who made minor moves on the fringes of their roster.

The five-team deal that saw Butler join the Warriors and Wiggins go to the Heat was one of the biggest moves at the deadline. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Butler’s teammates were sad to see him go, but were happy that he ultimately got what he wanted with a new destination and contract.

While Miami briefly explored trying to acquire Kevin Durant, they pivoted to Wiggins and are happy to have him. Bontemps writes that rival executives like the addition of Wiggins in Miami. Additionally, several of Bontemps’ sources were impressed not only by the return the Heat were able to extract, but also that they were able to stick together through a tumultuous season.

Butler was also a big winner in the eyes of execs after getting his two-year, maximum-salary extension, but Bontemps writes the Warriors have more work to do in terms of spacing the floor. However, at a relatively modest trade price, the Warriors get to bet on their stars meshing and making a deep playoff run as a lower seed, like the Heat have done in the past.

The Warriors winning the Butler sweepstakes ultimately meant that Phoenix missed out on him. For about a month, it was widely reported that there was strong mutual interest between the 35-year-old and the Suns, but Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause meant a deal was impossible.

That led to the Suns actually taking calls on Durant, though they ultimately kept their three highest-paid players together. The Suns were able to offload Jusuf Nurkic and add two potential rotation guys in Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic, but executives were confused about where Phoenix will go next, according to Bontemps.

After acquiring Doncic ahead of the deadline, the Lakers went all in on adding a big man, sending a first-round pick, a pick swap, and Dalton Knecht to the Hornets for Mark Williams. Los Angeles is taking a massive bet on Williams staying healthy, as they now only have swaps in 2026 and 2028 to send out in trades.

On the other hand, in the wake of the Doncic deal, the Mavericks had a relatively quiet rest of the deadline, acquiring Caleb Martin and sending out Quentin Grimes. “I thought they had more up their sleeve,” a West executive said, per Bontemps.

Both Toronto and Cleveland took big swings in acquiring Ingram and Hunter, respectively. Although the two teams are in much different positions in the conference, those moves showed they both have faith in what they’re building.

The Raptors are likely to try to re-sign Ingram to a multi-year extension, which would add significantly to a payroll that already includes sizable deals for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl. The Cavaliers have the second-best record in the league, so giving anything of value in their rotation is a risk to chemistry. But adding Hunter, who’s in the middle of a breakout season, is a bold move to push the team over the top.

For my money, I like how the Jazz and Pistons operated in the Butler trade. The Jazz were able to acquire two second-rounders and take back less expiring money than P.J. Tucker‘s $11.4MM contract, rerouting Dennis Schröder to Detroit, who bought him as an asset in the same Miami-Golden State five-team deal.

As for the Pistons, while they maybe could have gotten Schröder for a lower price if they’d negotiated with the Heat, they netted two second-round picks, added a viable contributor in Schröder and added a bench shooter in Lindy Waters III for simply having cap space as an asset.

Additionally, I think the Hornets did well to acquire Knecht and valuable picks by sending out Williams, Martin and Micic. The Wizards also intrigued me by adding several veterans in Middleton, Marcus Smart and Alex Len, and picking up two fliers in AJ Johnson and Colby Jones, if they stick. Washington essentially consolidated picks, added a 2024 first-rounder in Johnson and other assets in exchange for players who weren’t in their future.

We want to hear from you. Which teams do you think ended up as the biggest winners after deadline day? Were there any teams that should have done more, or did too much? Who lost the deadline? Which teams had the most underrated moves?

Head to the comments section below to let us know!

Suns Trade Jusuf Nurkic To Hornets In Three-Player Deal

February 6th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

10:05 pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Hornets.

12:28 pm: The Suns will send Jusuf Nurkic and a 2026 first-round pick to the Hornets in exchange for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and a second-rounder in 2026, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Phoenix has been searching for a taker for Nurkic, who was removed from the starting lineup in early January and hasn’t played at all since January 7. The recent trade for Nick Richards and the emergence of rookie big man Oso Ighodaro made Nurkic expendable.

The 30-year-old center has one season left on his contract at $19.375MM. He expressed skepticism last month that the Suns would be able to move him, but they found a willing trade partner in Charlotte, which was low on centers after agreeing to send Mark Williams to the Lakers late Wednesday night.

The Hornets and Suns discussed Nurkic before finalizing the Richards deal, but they opted to keep him out of the original trade.

Today’s deal provides future flexibility for Phoenix, as Martin’s $8.68MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed and Micic has a team option worth $8.1MM. The Suns have a roster opening, so they can complete the two-for-one trade without another move.

The 2026 first-rounder will include “least favorable” language. If the Wizards’ pick lands in the top eight, they’ll have the opportunity to swap first-rounders with the Suns. The Magic would subsequently have an opportunity to swap their first-rounder for whichever pick Phoenix holds, with the Grizzlies then given the chance to swap their first-rounder for the pick the Suns are left with. Whichever pick is remaining at the end of that series of swaps is the one headed to Charlotte.

The 2026 second-round pick that Phoenix will receive is the least favorable between the Warriors’ and Nuggets’ second-rounders, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Trade Rumors: Durant, Heat, Hunter, Hornets, Celtics

February 6th, 2025 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Before the Heat agreed to trade Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, those two teams and the Suns had the framework in place for a potential deal that would have sent Butler to Phoenix and Kevin Durant to Golden State, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a Thursday appearance on Get Up (YouTube link).

When it became clear that Durant wasn’t interested in reuniting with the Warriors, the three teams pivoted. The Heat and Warriors got together to finalize a Butler deal, while Durant now appears likely to remain in Phoenix through the deadline

According to Windhorst, there was a window after the Warriors’ talks for Durant fell through for the Heat to make a play for the Suns’ superstar forward, but Phoenix sought several additional assets that Miami didn’t want to give up.

“I do think there was some interest on both sides, but in the cursory discussions, from what I understand, Phoenix was looking for a massive return for Kevin Durant,” Windhorst said. “The Heat weren’t really into that game. They had gotten comfortable with acquiring Andrew Wiggins. That was a deal they had kind of agreed to the day before.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter is a name to watch ahead of the deadline, says Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Previous reporting indicated that the Cavaliers are talking to Atlanta about Hunter, and Mannix confirms that Cleveland is considered the frontrunner, though he suggests other teams have also called about the 27-year-old.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard that the Hornets are “very open” to moving Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, and Vasilije Micic. Of those three players, Martin, who has an $8.12MM pseudo-expiring contract (next season’s salary is non-guaranteed) would likely be the easiest to move. Bridges has a pricey contract that runs through 2026/27, while Martin has more on-court value than Micic, who is on a $7.7MM de facto expiring deal.
Having agreed to trade away Jaden Springer, the Celtics are on the lookout for a reserve wing player whom head coach Joe Mazzulla could trust more, sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Boston will likely target that sort of player on the buyout market if no trade options emerge today.

Cavaliers, Hawks Have Discussed Hunter, LeVert

February 5th, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, multiple sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link), confirming a report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. According to Fedor, the Cavs’ talks with Atlanta have centered around swingman Caris LeVert.

Due to the difference between Hunter’s current cap hit ($21.7MM) and LeVert’s ($16.6MM), Cleveland would have to send out at least one more player in any deal involving the Hawks forward to avoid surpassing the first tax apron, according to Fedor, who suggests that rookie Jaylon Tyson ($3.3MM) would be one possibility. Atlanta may also seek draft assets — Cleveland controls its 2031 first-round pick, along with a few second-rounders.

According to Fedor, the Cavaliers have had Hunter on their radar for years, dating back to the 2019 draft when he went fourth overall to Atlanta, one pick ahead of Cleveland at No. 5. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the Cavs have done “extensive” homework on the 27-year-old, frequently inquiring over the years about his availability and what it would take to acquire him.

Hunter is having the best year of his career in 2024/25, averaging 18.9 points per game on .459/.386/.858 shooting through 36 outings (28.5 MPG). He’s also the sort of long, athletic wing that the Cavaliers have long been seeking and is close friends with guard Ty Jerome dating back to their days at the University of Virginia, Fedor notes, so Cleveland would be confident about his fit.

As Fedor reports, the Cavs have also checked in on several other possible trade candidates, such as Cameron Johnson (Nets), Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers), Javonte Green (Pelicans), Cody Martin (Hornets), Chris Boucher (Raptors), Julian Champagnie (Spurs), Obi Toppin (Pacers), and Royce O’Neale (Suns). However, the front office is wary about messing with the chemistry of a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 40-10 record.

Cavs players and head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed that aspect of the trade deadline on Tuesday, per Fedor.

“You have to listen,” Atkinson said. “You’d be really not smart if you didn’t listen and talk about how you can get better. It’s the business we’re in. We’re really good, obviously, but it could always be something out there that gets us to the next level. My one thing to [president of basketball operations] Koby [Altman] is we have great chemistry right now and a great culture, great locker room culture. That’s super important to me. If it is a trade, if it is a buyout, it’s got to be the right fit.”

“If you take away somebody, especially somebody in the locker room, a locker room presence, it’s gonna disrupt it,” center Jarrett Allen said. “At the end of the day, we’re all close to each other. But as you know, that’s how things go.”

Both Allen and Donovan Mitchell said on Tuesday that they believe the Cavaliers have enough to be a title contender. Still, the front office is keeping an eye out for ways to make upgrades. Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland is also considering the idea of making a small trade or two around the margins, with another big man among the possibilities the club is weighing.

If the Cavs don’t make a move at the trade deadline, they’ll likely take a look at the buyout market, according to Fedor, who points to Lonzo Ball as a player to watch, though a Tuesday report suggested the Bulls won’t be eager to buy out Ball if they hang onto him through the deadline. Torrey Craig, who was waived by Chicago earlier this week, is another player to monitor, Fedor adds.

Nuggets Trade Talks: Nnaji, Saric, Martin, Yabusele, Watson, Strawther, Braun

February 4th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets are gauging the trade market on Zeke Nnaji and Dario Saric, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports.

Denver doesn’t appear to be looking for any blockbuster-type moves. Rather, the Nuggets’ front office is seeking to upgrade the bench prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, according to Scotto and The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.

The Nuggets, Scotto hears, have expressed interest in Hornets wing Cody Martin and Sixers big man Guerschon Yabusele. Martin has one worth a non-guaranteed $8.68MM remaining on his contract after this season, while Yabusele has an expiring minimum-salary deal.

With Denver owing 10 future draft picks to various teams, potential suitors have been inquiring about young rotation players such as Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther, according to Scotto. The Nuggets have even heard from teams wondering if they’d give up Christian Braun, but Denver’s front office has brushed them off.

Nnaji has three more years left on his deal, while Saric possesses a $5.4MM player option on next season’s contract. As Durando notes, the Nuggets are a first apron team and can’t acquire more salary than they send out. The only tradable first-round pick they have is in 2031 but it’s devalued by protections on the 2025, 2027 and 2029 first-rounders they’ve already dealt — due to the seven-year rule, it can’t be pushed back to 2032 if any of those picks fail to convey.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone declared on Monday that forward Michael Porter Jr. won’t be traded. Porter previously came up in reported trade talks regarding Zach LaVine, who was just dealt to Sacramento. Chicago, however, was reluctant to take Nnaji’s contract and there were also internal questions about whether LaVine and Jamal Murray could’ve coexisted effectively on both sides of the ball, Scotto adds.

Scotto’s Latest: Bucks, Vucevic, Ball, Martin, Sims, Hunter

February 4th, 2025 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks‘ conversations on the trade market leading up to the February 6 deadline have centered around Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and MarJon Beauchamp, along with their 2031 first-round pick, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Middleton, Portis, and Connaughton hold player options for the 2025/26 season worth $34MM, $13.4MM, and $9.4MM, respectively. The expectation, Scotto writes, is that Middleton and Connaughton will pick up their options, locking in those cap hits for next season. Portis’ intentions aren’t known, per Scotto, but if he opts out, he’d presumably do so in search of a raise.

With Middleton having battled injuries, Portis potentially a free agent this summer, Connaughton having a down year, and Beauchamp not in the rotation, the value of the Bucks’ top trade candidates is limited, but that 2031 first-rounder would certainly be coveted on the trade market.

According to Scotto, in the two weeks since the Suns traded their 2031 first-round pick for three less valuable first-rounders, a handful of NBA executives have expressed interest in trying to work out a similar deal with the Bucks.

Here are a few more rumors of interest from Scotto:

Scotto checks in on Bulls trade candidates Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, writing that there’s a “growing sense” that Vucevic could be on the move this week, with the Warriors and Lakers among his rumored suitors.
As for Ball, the Grizzlies, Pistons, and Timberwolves are among the teams with interest, Scotto writes. Minnesota, a second-apron team, likely doesn’t have a realistic path to acquiring Ball in a trade, and Scotto does note that some clubs are monitoring the situation to see whether the Bulls guard could end up on the buyout market. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported earlier today that Chicago is resistant to the idea of buying out Ball.
In general, Scotto says, the Bulls want to avoid taking on long-term salary in trades as they look to create more cap flexibility in the coming years.
Besides Milwaukee, whose interest was reported earlier today, the Lakers and the Nuggets are among the teams with some trade interest in Hornets wing Cody Martin, league sources tell Scotto.
Meanwhile, the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks are among the teams to register some level of interest in Knicks center Jericho Sims, while Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter has drawn interest from the Cavaliers, Scotto reports.

Trade Rumors: Warriors, Ingram, Durant, Hawks, Bucks, Raptors, TPEs

February 4th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Count Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram among the star players the Warriors have checked in on, league sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

While it doesn’t sound like Ingram is at the top of Golden State’s wish list as the front office seeks an impact player, the club has explored what it would take to land the former All-Star, according to Stein and Fischer, who say that the Warriors could pivot to Ingram if they’re not able to gain traction on any of their higher-profile targets.

One of those higher-profile targets is Suns forward Kevin Durant. Exploring the possibility of a Warriors trade for Durant, Stein and Fischer echo a point made by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, writing that even if Phoenix is willing to move the former MVP (a big if), there’s a “measure of concern” in Golden State about how eager Durant would be for another go-round with the Warriors.

Durant doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, but given that the Warriors would have to put together a substantial package to convince the Suns to part with him, they’d presumably like to be confident that he wanted to be there.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA, with this year’s deadline just two days away:

There’s still an expectation that the Hawks will make a deal involving Bogdan Bogdanovic this week, according to Stein and Fischer, who say that Atlanta continues for now to explore “more ambitious” trade scenarios, including one possibility that would feature Ingram.
The Bucks continue to consider trades involving Pat Connaughton and his $9.4MM salary, either to shed his contract to duck below the second tax apron or to use his deal as a matching piece to bring back a more reliable wing. Stein and Fischer hear from sources that Sixers forward Caleb Martin and his twin brother Cody Martin of the Hornets are among the players Milwaukee has looked at in a potential deal for Connaughton. Both players are earning about $8.1MM this season.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca takes an in-depth look at the Raptors‘ trade options in the coming days, examining what it would take to get them to part with Jakob Poeltl, whether their reported interest in Ingram is legit, and why players like Bogdanovic and Andrew Wiggins may not fit the timeline of Toronto’s roster.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) shares some details on how the Kings and Bulls completed the three-team trade involving De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine. Chicago took Kevin Huerter into an existing traded player exception, creating a new $17.1MM TPE for LaVine, while Sacramento used a portion of an existing TPE to take on Sidy Cissoko, generating a new exception worth $16.8MM (Huerter’s outgoing salary). The Kings were unable to acquire LaVine and Cissoko by aggregating the outgoing salaries of Fox and Jordan McLaughlin because LaVine received a portion ($3MM) of his trade bonus, increasing his cap hits for this season and next season by $1.5MM apiece.

Thunder, Hornets Swap Future Second-Round Picks

February 3rd, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Thunder and Hornets have completed a minor second-round draft pick swap, according to a Thunder press release. A Hornets press release also confirms the deal.

Oklahoma City acquired the Nuggets’ 2030 second-rounder that Charlotte possessed in exchange for the Suns’ 2029 second-rounder that the Thunder owned.

The Thunder had a stash of 2029 second-rounders. Besides controlling their own pick, they also have the rights to second-rounders from Atlanta, Boston, Houston and Miami. This gives OKC four second-rounders in 2030 — their own, plus picks from Denver, Houston and Miami.

There was already a scenario in which the Thunder would have acquired Denver’s 2030 first-round pick. The Nuggets owe Oklahoma City a top-five protected first-rounder in both 2027 and 2029. If the Thunder hadn’t received both of those picks by 2030, they would have instead been sent Denver’s 2030 second-round selection. Now they’ll ensure they receive that second-rounder even if both first-rounders convey, which is likely.

As for the Hornets, they now possess three 2029 picks — their own, Denver’s and now the Suns’. Swapping out that 2030 second-rounder from Denver for Phoenix’s 2029 selection ensures Charlotte is no longer at risk of losing out on the Nuggets’ 2030 second-rounder in the event that those aforementioned first-round Denver picks are protected.

Hornets Notes: Okogie, Lee, Micic, Bridges, Green

February 1st, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Okogie only got to play seven games for the Hornets before he joined the team’s long injury list. Acquired from Phoenix in a January 15 trade, Okogie was putting up some of the best numbers of his career before suffering a left hamstring strain Friday night that will sideline him for at least three weeks.

Some people believe the franchise is cursed after all the bad luck it has endured this season, but first-year head coach Charles Lee doesn’t see it that way, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“I would say, it’s not, ‘Woe is me, why is this happening to me?’” Lee said. “I think (it’s), ‘What can we learn from this?’ And we are learning a ton from our group and how we can best position ourselves to try to prevent some of these injuries that are happening. Unfortunately, some are just part of the game. It’s out of our control. And some are soft tissue. Can we think about how we are preparing in the offseason and things like that. Our sports performance staff, I would put up there with anybody in any of the championship-caliber organizations I’ve been around. … We’ll continue to get better and better in that regard, and hopefully we won’t have some of these that are just part of the game.”

Boone notes that Charlotte ranks seventh in the league with 189 total games missed due to injuries, and that number will keep going up. LaMelo Ball has been out since Monday with a sprained left ankle, and Tre Mann hasn’t played since November 21 due to disc irritation in his back. Brandon Miller and Grant Williams have already undergone season-ending surgeries.

Lee lamented the loss of Okogie, saying he adapted to his new surroundings right away after the trade.

“Unfortunate for Josh,” Lee said. “I think that we’ve all seen and felt his impact very quickly here. Jeff (Peterson, the Hornets’ president of basketball operations) and his group have done a great job of identifying the right talent and human being that needs to be a part of this group, and he definitely fits that bill.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

The Hornets’ injury list got even larger in Saturday’s loss to Denver as Vasilije Micic left in the third quarter after rolling his ankle, Boone states in the same story. Micic wasn’t able to put any weight on the leg and had to hop to the locker room.
Despite the bad luck that has led to a 12-34 record, Miles Bridges doesn’t regret his decision to re-sign with the Hornets when he became a free agent last summer, Boone adds. “With all the adversity we have been going through, I feel like it’s preparing us for something bigger,” Bridges said. “I’ve always got a positive mindset and that’s the reason I came back to the Hornets. I think we have everything we need to be a great team, a playoff team one day. And I still believe it. So, I’m going to continue to push these guys and just continue to grow as a leader.”
Josh Green, who went to the NBA Finals with Dallas last year, also believes in the future of the Hornets. “I think I still stick with that — young, playing fast, still learning each other,” Green said in an interview with Grant Afseth for RG. “But I think we have a very talented team. We battle hard, compete every game, and we just need to continue to do that and have each other’s back.”

Several Two-Way Players Nearing NBA Game Limit

February 1st, 2025 at 5:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBA players on two-way contracts operate under different regulations than the rest of the league. One of the most important differences is they are limited in the number of games that they’re permitted to be on the active roster.

For two-way players who’ve been with their current teams since the start of the season, that number is 50. Each time they’re listed as active counts toward that total, whether they play or not. Players who sign two-way deals during the season have their limit of games pro-rated.

Those numbers are becoming important since we’ve passed the halfway point of the season, and Keith Smith of Spotrac sent out a tweet earlier today identifying a few players who are getting close to reaching their limits.

Once a player hits his allotted number of games, he’s not eligible to appear in the NBA as a two-way player for the rest of the season. He can remain on the team and play in the G League, but he must be signed to a standard contract to see any more NBA action.

Here are the names Smith noted and the number of games they have remaining:

Jacob Toppin, Knicks (2) – New York has used up nearly all of Toppin’s active time, even though he has only gotten into 15 games and averages 3.1 minutes per night. The small forward seems likely to finish the season in the G League.
Tyrese Martin, Nets (5) – Martin has become part of the rotation in Brooklyn, averaging 21.3 minutes in the 31 games that he played. The shooting guard is a little old for a prospect at 25, but he seems like a strong candidate to land a regular roster spot so the Nets can evaluate him for the rest of the season.
Jordan Miller, Clippers (5) – The small forward isn’t part of the rotation in L.A. and may not be in the team’s playoff plans. He has logged just one minute in three of his last four appearances, and the Clippers don’t appear concerned about preserving the number of games he has remaining. He has been mentioned as a candidate for a promotion.
Jared Butler, Wizards (8) – Washington has nothing left to play for, so it makes sense to take a long look at the 24-year-old combo guard. This is Butler’s fourth NBA season and his second with the Wizards, so this is a good time to determine whether he’ll be part of their future.
Brandon Boston Jr., Pelicans (9) – Boston was among the two-way players most likely to earn a promotion even before the season-ending injury to Dejounte Murray. Boston has played in all 41 games in which he’s been listed as active, making 10 starts and averaging 10.7 PPG in 23.9 minutes per night.

Here are a few more players getting close to their game limits:

Kai Jones, Clippers (11) – Jones has made 27 appearances as a backup center, but he’s only averaging 2.2 points in 7.6 minutes per night. The addition of Drew Eubanks in today’s trade with Utah gives L.A. another veteran big man and lessens the need to promote Jones to the standard roster.
Moussa Diabate, Hornets (11) – Part of the reasoning for the Nick Richards trade was Diabate’s emergence as a dependable center off the bench. He’s been playing big minutes over the past week and seems like he’ll definitely be on a standard contract soon.
Ryan Rollins, Bucks (12) – Rollins is a marginal member of Milwaukee’s rotation, making five starts in his 30 appearances and playing 11.9 minutes per night. His fate could depend on what the Bucks are able to do before Thursday’s trade deadline.