NBA Increasingly Concerned About Tanking, Discussed Issue Last Month
The search for solutions to rampant tanking around the league was a prominent topic of discussion at the most recent NBA Competition Committee meeting in late January, Marc Stein of the Stein Line reports (Substack link).
Despite league efforts in recent years to discourage tanking, including flattening lottery odds, nearly one-third of the NBA’s 30 teams appear to be incentivized to lose as often as possible for the remainder of the season. That’s due to a top-heavy draft class, with potential franchise-altering talents Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson available for the lottery winners.
The Jazz and the Wizards — both of whom made major trades last week — are especially motivated to finish in the bottom four to ensure that they can’t fall lower than eighth in May’s draft lottery. Both of those teams hold top-eight protected picks and in the last three lotteries, the team with the worst record fell to the No. 5 spot.
It’s noted around the league that the Spurs’ upswing coincides with their franchise landing top four picks in three straight drafts. Other executives noted to Stein that the Sixers’ tanking methods during the second half of last season landed them the No. 3 pick, which turned into VJ Edgecombe.
Commissioner Adam Silver will likely field numerous questions on the topic during his annual All-Star weekend press conference.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Clippers received major interest in Kawhi Leonard in the final hour before last Thursday’s trade deadline after their decision to trade Ivica Zubac to Indiana became public knowledge. While they ultimately held onto their best player, potential suitors are expected to line up after the season to make offers for Leonard, who will have one year remaining on his contract and is extension eligible.
- While Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the Warriors were interested in signing point guard Lonzo Ball, they might pass on him because of health issues, Stein writes. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported over the weekend (Twitter link) that multiple teams are reviewing Ball’s medicals to determine whether to sign the veteran guard.
Sixers Hope To Be Active On Buyout Market
The Sixers are in position to add two players on the buyout market, with Chris Boucher, Lonzo Ball and Haywood Highsmith among the potential targets, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Pompey cites Khris Middleton as another possibility if he agrees to a buyout with the Mavericks.
Philadelphia currently has two players holding 10-day contracts, with Charles Bassey on his second and Patrick Baldwin Jr. on his first. Both will expire during All-Star weekend, giving the team two open roster spots.
In addition, Paul George has already served five games of his 25-game suspension for taking a banned substance, so he can be moved to the suspended list, allowing the Sixers to add another player until he returns in late March.
However, finances will factor into the decisions. Philadelphia is currently $1.57MM below the tax line and $3.75MM away from the first apron. The team can add two rest-of-season minimum-salary contracts without moving into tax territory, according to Pompey.
Boucher and Ball were both traded to Utah on Thursday and waived by the end of the day. Boucher, a 33-year-old big man, appeared in just nine games with Boston before being dealt. He spent five seasons playing for Sixers head coach Nick Nurse in Toronto.
Ball, a 28-year-old guard, played 35 games for Cleveland this season, mostly in a reserve role. Pompey notes that he could provide backcourt depth after Jared McCain and Eric Gordon were both traded last week.
Highsmith, a 29-year-old forward, was waived by Brooklyn to open up a roster spot for a three-team deal. He hasn’t played yet this season after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in August, but he’s nearing a recovery and is attracting interest from several playoff teams. Pompey points out that Highsmith began his career as a two-way player with the Sixers in 2019.
Middleton, who was sent from Washington to Dallas in the Anthony Davis trade, is the biggest name on the list. There’s been speculation that the 34-year-old swingman may become available, but there have been no reported buyout talks and he plans to make his Mavericks debut Tuesday night.
The Sixers could fill one of their open spots by promoting forward Jabari Walker to a standard contract, Pompey adds. Walker reached his 50-game limit on a two-way contract last week and has been inactive for the team’s last two contests.
“He’s been a tremendous next man up type contributor,” president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said of Walker. “We hope to have his services going forward, but we do have to weigh optimal use of our sort of scarce two roster spots, and against the other opportunities as well. So that’ll be written over time, whether or not we do that conversion there.”
Cam Thomas Signs With Bucks
9:20 pm: Thomas has officially signed with the Bucks, per a press release from the team. It’s a minimum-salary deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks at Sports Business Classroom, which means Milwaukee will carry a rest-of-season cap hit of $844,607.
4:37 pm: Thomas confirmed his decision to sign with the Bucks in a statement to Spears (Twitter link).
“I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they’ve been interested for years now,” Thomas said. “So, it’s good to have this opportunity come to fruition. And I’m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible.”
Thomas’ contract with Milwaukee will cover the remainder of the season, reports Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
4:02 pm: Free agent guard Cam Thomas has reached a contract agreement with the Bucks, agent Tony Ronzone tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Thomas was waived by the Nets on Thursday evening after he wasn’t traded prior to the deadline. He was hoping he would be released if he wasn’t included in a deal so he could pick his next team.
“Super excited ready to actually help and contribute to another team,” Thomas told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “My next team is getting elite scoring, good play-making and a good combo guard.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype linked Thomas to the Bucks multiple times leading up to the deadline. The Cavaliers also expressed trade interest in Thomas, according to Scotto, who reports (via Twitter) that the deal would have included Lonzo Ball and second-round draft compensation. The Cavs instead traded a pair of second-rounders to Utah take on Ball’s $10MM salary.
Thomas, 24, led the Nets in scoring during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. However, he was limited to just 25 games last season due to a left hamstring injury, which he strained again in early November. He wound up missing 20 consecutive games as a result of that injury.
Although Thomas is an undeniably talented scorer, he isn’t the most efficient offensive player, and his game isn’t very well-rounded. In 24 games this season, he has averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds on .399/.325/.843 shooting splits.
Milwaukee has an opening on its 15-man standard roster and won’t have to waive anyone to add Thomas. The Bucks also have an open two-way spot.
Warriors, Nuggets Eyeing Lonzo Ball
3:00 pm: Multiple teams have requested access to review Ball’s medical records, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Pending review of said records, Ball is likely to land with Golden State, according to Fischer, who confirms the Nuggets expressed interest in Ball too (Twitter link)
12:55 pm: In addition to working to convert Pat Spencer from a two-way deal to a standard contract, the Warriors are also interested in signing Lonzo Ball, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (via Twitter).
Fischer’s Stein Line colleague Marc Stein hears Ball is expected to land in the Western Conference (Twitter link). Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints confirms Golden State is interested in Ball, and says the Nuggets are a “serious suitor” for the 28-year-old guard as well (Twitter link).
Both the Warriors (13) and Nuggets (13) have two openings on their 15-man standard rosters and will need to get back up to 14 within two weeks.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Ball has dealt with a variety of health issues over the course of his career, most notably a left knee injury which caused him to undergo three surgeries and to miss two-and-a-half seasons. The 6’5″ guard spent the first several months of 2025/26 with the Cavaliers, who traded him (and two second-round picks) to the Jazz in a salary-dump move prior to Thursday’s deadline.
Ball was cut by Utah on Thursday after the deal was completed, making him an unrestricted free agent as soon as he clears waivers.
Ball, whom Cleveland acquired last summer in a trade that sent Isaac Okoro to Chicago, struggled mightily with his shot in his lone season with the Cavs, averaging a career-low 4.6 points on a career-worst .301/.272/.667 shooting line in 20.8 minutes per game across 35 appearances. He also chipped in 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Those shooting splits are somewhat misleading, as nearly 84% of Ball’s field goal attempts have been three-pointers, but obviously 27.2% is a poor mark from beyond the arc and well below his career rate (35.5%).
As for Spencer, the 6’2″ point guard reached his 50-game active limit in Thursday’s comeback win at Phoenix. He certainly made a strong case for a promotion in that victory, recording a team-high 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes with Stephen Curry sidelined due to a knee injury.
Overall, the 29-year-old has averaged 5.8 PPG, 2.9 APG and 2.2 RPG on .423/.431/.833 shooting in 36 games (14.4 MPG).
Jazz Cut Lonzo Ball, Chris Boucher
The Jazz have officially placed veterans Lonzo Ball and Chris Boucher on waivers, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. The moves were expected.
Utah received two second-round picks from Cleveland for taking on Ball’s $10MM contract. The 28-year-old guard will be eligible to sign with any team except the Cavaliers once he clears waivers in a couple days.
Boucher was also sent to Utah in a salary-dump deal, which saw the Jazz add another second-round pick from Boston. The Canadian big man is expected to draw interest on the open market, but he won’t be able to re-sign with the Celtics.
The Jazz utilized their room beneath the luxury tax line to trade for both players. Ball was acquired using an existing traded player exception, while Boucher was added via the minimum salary exception.
Jazz Acquire Lonzo Ball, Second-Rounders From Cavs
February 5: The Jazz have officially acquired Ball and two second-round picks from the Cavaliers, according to press releases from both teams. Utah also separately completed its deal with Atlanta involving Landale.
“Lonzo Ball was the consummate professional during his time with the Cavaliers, and we’re grateful for his hard work and team-first mentality,” Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement. “We wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Oddly, neither the Jazz’s release nor the Cavs’ announcement indicated what exactly Cleveland received from Utah to complete the deal, but RealGM’s official transaction log indicates it was cash.
February 4: The Jazz have agreed to a pair of trades, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links), who reports that Utah will be acquiring point guard Lonzo Ball and two second-round picks from the Cavaliers and is also sending center Jock Landale to the Hawks in exchange for cash considerations.
The Jazz are making their deal with Cleveland solely for the draft capital and are expected to waive Ball after the trade is complete, Charania adds (via Twitter). Once he clears waivers, he’d be eligible to sign with any team except the Cavs.
The Cavaliers acquired Ball from Chicago last summer in a swap for Isaac Okoro in the hopes that he could provide the team with a reliable replacement for Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome, who departed in free agency. However, Ball had a disappointing season in Cleveland, averaging career lows in several categories, including points (4.6) and minutes (20.8) per game, as well as field goal percentage (30.1%) and three-point percentage (27.2%).
With the Cavs making an effort to reduce payroll and perhaps duck below the second tax apron, moving Ball and his $10MM salary made sense, especially after the team acquired guards Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis from Sacramento over the weekend.
The Cavs will save approximately $65MM as a result of the Ball trade and are now just $3.9MM over the second apron, tweets Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron. Cleveland may very well keep looking for ways to get out of second-apron territory in order to avoid having its 2033 first-round pick becoming “frozen” for trade purposes this offseason, but the club has already generated massive savings as a result of its recent moves — approximately $115MM in total, per Gozlan (Twitter link).
Utah, meanwhile, still had a significant amount of breathing room below the luxury tax threshold after adding to their payroll in Tuesday’s Jaren Jackson Jr. blockbuster and will take advantage of that flexibility to take on some unwanted salary and acquire the Cavs’ 2028 and 2032 second-round picks in the process, tweets Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Those were the only second-rounders Cleveland had available to trade.
The Jazz still have a trade exception worth more than $12MM from last summer’s John Collins deal that they’ll use to absorb Ball’s pseudo-expiring contract (he has a $10MM team option for next season that will be automatically declined when he’s waived). That Collins exception was initially worth over $26MM and has since been used to acquire Georges Niang and John Konchar as well.
Landale was one of three role players the Jazz acquired alongside Jackson in Tuesday’s blockbuster with Memphis, but he wasn’t part of Utah’s future frontcourt plans and will now head to Atlanta.
The 30-year-old Australian center was having a career year for the Grizzlies prior to the trade, averaging 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 23.6 minutes per game across 45 outings (25 starts). He was also knocking down 38.0% of a career-high 2.9 three-point tries per game. He’ll provide frontcourt depth for a Hawks team that has been hit hard by injuries up front this season.
The Hawks will have to waive a player in order to make room for Landale, but that shouldn’t be a problem — both Duop Reath and N’Faly Dante are out with season-ending injuries and are candidates to be cut. They’ll be able to take on Landale without sending out any salary of their own since he’s on a minimum-salary contract.
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).
Cavaliers, Kings Actively Looking To Make More Deals
The Cavaliers and Kings made a splash over the weekend, completing a deal that saw Cleveland acquiring Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder, and Emanuel Miller, with De’Andre Hunter headed to Sacramento. The Bulls were also involved in the transaction, acquiring Dario Saric and two second-round picks to facilitate it.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Cavaliers and Kings aren’t through wheeling and dealing.
The Cavs’ top executive, Koby Altman, is aggressively pursuing trades involving Lonzo Ball and injured wing Max Strus. The Hunter trade took the Cavs from $22MM to just $13.9MM above the second apron and brought their total payroll down to $221.7MM.
Altman is hoping to move his team out of the second apron, thus giving him more flexibility to make significant roster changes over the summer. Shedding Ball’s contract — he’s making $10MM this season with a $10MM club option for next season — would help the Cavaliers achieve that goal. Ball has only averaged 4.6 points and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes per game, so dumping his salary would likely cost the Cavs some draft capital.
As for Strus, he’s still recovering from offseason left foot surgery. Strus has become a focal point in talks surrounding the Cavs in the aftermath of Saturday’s trade, according to Siegel.
He’s become even more expendable with the acquisitions of guards Ellis and Schroder. Strus is making nearly $16MM this season and has $16.66MM more remaining on his contract for next season. If the Cavs can’t move him this week, he will be a prime trade candidate in the offseason, Siegel adds.
As for the Kings, they’re continuing to look for any takers for Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis. While it’s unlikely DeRozan or Sabonis will be dealt before Thursday’s deadline, one intriguing suitor remains in the mix the big man — the Raptors.
Jakob Poeltl‘s ongoing back problems have led Toronto to consider the possibility of adding an impact frontcourt player. They’ve cooled on the idea of trading for the Mavericks’ Anthony Davis but adding Sabonis would be less complicated, especially since the Kings are interested in RJ Barrett.
The Kings could also help to facilitate other trades around the league with Monk’s contract. He’s in the second year of a four-year, $78MM deal. The Timberwolves have expressed exploratory interest in Monk.
Whatever the Kings may do this week, they will likely soon convert Dylan Cardwell‘s two-way contract into a standard deal.
As for the transaction that was completed, the Bucks and Lakers held trade discussions with the Cavs regarding Hunter.
The Lakers’ package revolved around Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht but they balked at not receiving any additional assets or draft compensation for the final year of Hunter’s contract. The Bucks made both Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis available to Cleveland.
Trade Rumors: Jones, Smith, Bulls, Kings, Cavs, Sharpe
The Bulls have been receiving interest in point guard Tre Jones and forward/center Jalen Smith over the past few weeks, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. While Jones seems to be available, Poe suggests the Bulls are unlikely to trade Smith unless they get an appealing offer.
Both Jones and Smith have guaranteed contracts for next season. Jones’ deal also features a $8MM team option for 2027/28.
According to Poe, any of Chicago’s players on expiring contracts could be on the move prior to the deadline if the Bulls receive a “reasonable return.” The Bulls already showed a willingness to take on unwanted salary when they agreed to acquire Dario Saric for a pair of second-round picks (they’re waiving Jevon Carter to make roster space).
However, that doesn’t mean the Bulls are going to make trades just for the sake of it, particularly one that involves a player like Coby White, multiple sources tell Poe.
Most of the players on Chicago’s roster are in their mid-20s and have been in the league for several years. Head coach Billy Donovan says the team is focused on acquiring more young talent.
“We have to keep building out with younger people,” Donovan said, per Poe. “I don’t think there’s any question about that from a roster standpoint. … If you’re just talking about the guys that are here that are going to be under contract, they’re going to need more. So however those conversations take place, whether it’s in July or whether it’s at the trade deadline, I think the front office is looking to try to build it out as best they can.”
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- The Kings had opportunities to trade Keon Ellis for multiple second-round picks, but they wanted to unload Dennis Schröder‘s contract and value De’Andre Hunter‘s size and length, viewing him as a better positional fit moving forward, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. As Siegel reported a few days ago, the Lakers also had interest in Hunter, but they were leery of taking on the $24.9MM he’s owed next season without receiving draft compensation in return, so they backed out of conversations with the Cavaliers.
- According to Siegel, the Kings are viewed as the “biggest sellers” at the deadline, and they have been making trade calls involving Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk. Of the three players, Sacramento is most motivated to move Monk, Siegel adds (via Twitter). A “few” teams — most notably the Raptors — have some interest in Sabonis, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for DeRozan or Monk, per Siegel.
- The Cavaliers continue to dangle Lonzo Ball in trade talks, according to Siegel (Twitter link). The veteran guard has had a disappointing first season in Cleveland and earns $10MM this season, with a $10MM team option for ’26/27.
- As Siegel observes, if the Cavaliers decide to retain Ellis long term (he will be extension-eligible on Feb. 9), that could have an impact on the futures of Sam Merrill and Max Strus. While I’m skeptical the Cavs would move Merrill given how well he’s played this season when healthy, Strus has yet to play in ’25/26 due offseason foot surgery and ’26/27 is the final year of his contract. Siegel suggests those sorts of conversations would likely wait until the summer and may depend on what happens with Ellis.
- The Nets appear to be reluctant to trade Day’Ron Sharpe, but the backup center has drawn interest from the Lakers, Raptors, Celtics and Pacers, Siegel reports.
Trade Rumors: Ellis, Hunter, Ball, Bucks, Sochan, Deadline
In addition to the Cavaliers, the Lakers, Pacers, Spurs and Celtics are among the many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Timberwolves and Knicks have also been mentioned as teams interested in Ellis.
The 26-year-old is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
Cleveland has seemed to be in the best position to acquire Ellis over the past 48 hours, Fischer reports (via Twitter), but other teams are still in the mix as well.
According to Stein and Fischer, while the Kings are reluctant to take on long-term money in trades, they’re believed to be open to that possibility if Malik Monk is included the deal. Sacramento has also brought up including DeMar DeRozan in trades involving Ellis.
Here are several more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Lakers have been mentioned multiple times as a potential suitor for De’Andre Hunter, Stein and Fischer hear Los Angeles’ interest in the Cavaliers forward has been “repeatedly overstated.” As Stein and Fischer explain, Hunter’s $24.9MM salary for next season would inhibit the Lakers’ offseason flexibility, which they prefer to maintain.
- Before Giannis Antetokounmpo became the focus of the trade deadline, the Bucks made offers for Hunter centered around Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, Stein and Fischer confirm. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported on Friday that Milwaukee had pitched Cleveland on the idea of a Portis/Hunter trade, but the Cavaliers declined. The Warriors also held a level of interest in Hunter, per Stein and Fischer, but that was before the Bucks began listening to offers for Antetokounmpo and now their focus is on the two-time MVP.
- The Wizards have checked in with the Cavaliers about Lonzo Ball and have let teams know they’re willing to be a salary dumping ground if they receive draft compensation in return, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Cleveland is the only team in the NBA over the second tax apron, and Ball — who is shooting just 26.9% from three-point range — is on pseudo-expiring $10MM contract ($10MM team option for next season).
- While this sort of move would be contingent on what happens with other trade constructs, the Bucks have expressed interest in packaging some of their minimum-salary contracts to acquire higher-priced players, including Nets guard Cam Thomas and Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Scotto. As Scotto explains, Milwaukee’s goal would be to either take an upside swing (Thomas) or add second-round picks by taking on unwanted money (Russell). Thomas, an unrestricted free agent this summer, holds an implied no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer last offseason.
- Several teams — including the Suns — have talked to the Spurs about fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan, according to Scotto. Those discussions, which Scotto describes as exploratory, also involved Phoenix center Nick Richards, but the Suns weren’t interested in that swap because it would have pushed them deeper into the luxury tax, which they’d prefer to dip below.
- We’ve only seen one in-season trade to this point. One veteran NBA executive who spoke to Stein and Fischer is optimistic about that number rising significantly in the coming days. “I still think the avalanche is coming,” said the team official.