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Bulls Waive Torrey Craig, Chris Duarte To Finalize LaVine Trade

February 3rd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have officially announced the completion of their three-team trade with the Kings and Spurs that sends Zach LaVine to Sacramento and lands Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Kevin Huerter in Chicago.

In order to accommodate the one-for-three deal, Chicago has officially waived veteran wing Torrey Craig and fourth-year swingman Chris Duarte. Both players will become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday if they’re not claimed on waivers.

Craig, 34, exercised a $2.85MM player option last June in order to remain in Chicago for a second season after averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game across 53 outings (14 starts) in 2023/24.

However, Craig was limited to just nine appearances this season — he has battled injuries and wasn’t a significant part of the rotation even when healthy. He appeared to be nearing a return from a right ankle sprain that had sidelined him since December 30, so he may draw some interest on the open market.

As for Duarte, the former 13th overall pick was sent from Sacramento to Chicago as a salary-matching piece in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade in July.

A former standout at Oregon, Duarte got off to a solid start in the NBA when he averaged 13.1 points per game with a .369 3PT% as a rookie in Indiana in 2021/22, but his playing time and his production has declined every year since then. He played just 74 total minutes across 17 appearances as a Bull.

Within their press release announcing the trade and the Craig and Duarte cuts, the Bulls included a statement thanking LaVine for his time with the organization.

“Zach has been a cornerstone for this organization and the city,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. “He truly embraced what it means to be a Bull. His work ethic and passion for the game have been inspiring. During his time here, he not only grew as a player but also started a family, and we watched him develop into the person he is today.

“We also sincerely thank Chris and Torrey for their professionalism and contributions. Our organization is extremely appreciative of everything each of these guys have given to the team.”

The Bulls continue to explore their options on the trade market, including potentially flipping Jones and/or Huerter, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links).

Johnson adds that there’s some optimism within the organization about the possibility of acquiring draft capital in a Lonzo Ball deal. He also notes that the Bulls engaged with the Bucks about a possible LaVine trade before shifting their focus to the deal with the Kings and Spurs.

The full story on that three-team trade can be found here.

Warriors Eye LeBron James, Kevin Durant In Hopes Of Major Deadline Deals

February 3rd, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:48 pm: Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link) that the Warriors have inquired about James and Durant, noting that Golden State is casting a wide net in its search for another impact player.

“The Warriors are legitimately calling about every All-Star player,” Charania said. “Name the All-Star player, the Warriors have probably called about him. (Sixers forward) Paul George, they’ve probably called – they have called – about him.

“They’ve made calls on every star. And that, of course, includes players like LeBron, players like Kevin Durant, players like Jimmy Butler. They are making calls. They are dead set on trying to find another star player – a superstar player – with Stephen Curry.”

The Warriors are among several teams who have asked about Durant, per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), but Gambadoro says the Suns remain focused on either acquiring Butler from Miami or – if they can’t get Butler – making other smaller deals.

12:00 pm: The Warriors are “big-game hunting” ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline and have contemplated a strategy to reunite the core of the U.S. Olympic squad by teaming up LeBron James and Kevin Durant with Stephen Curry, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).

That’s the most audacious of the plans being considered by Golden State’s front office, but there could be a path to making it happen. Sources tell Fischer that the Warriors are among the teams that have made inquiries about whether James could be convinced to waive his no-trade clause and part with the Lakers. Nothing has changed so far, but Golden State will presumably continue its pursuit through Thursday.

Fischer cites sources who say the Suns currently don’t plan to move Durant before the deadline, but they are listening to inquiries. Durant is aware of the situation, Fischer adds.

Any deal with Phoenix would involve “a very high asking price” involving players and draft picks, according to Fischer, who notes that the Suns have “a level of interest” in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Fischer points out that Phoenix’s grip on a postseason spot is less secure after the Spurs reached an agreement to acquire De’Aaron Fox from Sacramento. That trade should make San Antonio (21-25) more dangerous in the short term without the Kings (24-24), who are acquiring Zach LaVine as part of the three-team deal, taking a significant step backwards. Both teams are hot on the heels of the 25-23 Suns in the postseason race.

The Suns would like to complete a deal for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, but have found no takers for Bradley Beal and may not be able to make it happen without giving up Durant or Devin Booker.

Fischer also reports that the Warriors haven’t entirely abandoned the idea of trading for Butler, despite a report on Sunday that he wouldn’t sign an extension with them. According to Fischer, there are “reservations” in Golden State’s front office about how Butler’s personality would fit with the team considering his standoff in Miami and his history of messy breakups.

Fischer adds that the Mavericks aren’t trying to add either Butler or Durant, although they’re still searching for roster upgrades after swapping Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis.

The current speculation, according to Fischer, is that the Warriors or Bucks are just as likely to land Butler as the Suns are. However, he adds that Milwaukee has been quiet recently in the Butler pursuit and may be more focused on acquiring Kyle Kuzma from the Wizards.

Bradley Beal Reluctant To Change Teams Again

February 3rd, 2025 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

There have been reports that it would take a contending team in a warm-weather city for Bradley Beal to consider waiving his no-trade clause, but there’s another reason he prefers to remain in Phoenix, according to Fred Katz, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

A source familiar with Beal’s thinking tells the authors that he doesn’t want to uproot his family again less than two years after being traded to the Suns. Since that deal was made, the family moved from Washington to Los Angeles before finding a home in Phoenix. Another trade would either mean moving again or playing out the rest of the season away from his wife and their two children.

The source informs Katz, Amick and Nehm that Beal would approve a trade to a handful of cities, but the list is short. His priority is being with a contender, and although he doesn’t like the cold, he’s willing to accept it to get to the right situation.

The authors cite a report from last week that Beal wouldn’t be willing to accept a trade to the Bulls, who offer both cold weather and a remote chance to reach the playoffs. As they point out, that’s the dilemma for the Suns, who are hoping to find a taker for Beal’s contract so they can complete a trade for Jimmy Butler. Any team willing to pay Beal more than $110MM over the next two seasons is likely to be in the midst of rebuilding.

Katz, Amick and Nehm add that Beal would be interested in going to Miami, but the Heat don’t want him because of his salary, the multiple years left on his deal, and his no-trade clause. Once Butler is gone, Miami will be focused on creating cap room for a stellar free agent class in 2026.

The Suns are still considered to be the most aggressive suitor for Butler, but Beal’s situation may be too difficult to solve by Thursday’s trade deadline.

Warriors Halt Jimmy Butler Trade Talks

February 2nd, 2025 at 9:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cross the Warriors off the list of potential Jimmy Butler suitors, at least for now.

Butler has communicated to the Warriors that he’s unwilling to sign an extension there, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link). In response, trade talks between the Heat and Warriors have halted, according to Windhorst.

The Warriors are reportedly interested in making a significant move before the trade deadline and Butler was one of the logical candidates to fulfill that goal. However, it’s well-known that Butler wants to be dealt to the Suns, who are hamstrung in making a blockbuster move because they’re operating over the second tax apron.

The only way Phoenix can complete such a deal to allow Butler to join forces with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant would be to send out Bradley Beal‘s contract. Miami hasn’t shown any interest in acquiring Beal, who has two years remaining on his contract after this season, including a $57.1MM option for 2026/27. Beal also has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to waive it whether he was routed to Miami or a third party.

The Suns are still the team pushing the hardest to land Butler ahead of Thursday’s deadline, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang reports. In any Butler trade, the Heat want to acquire at least one quality player who can help the team this season, Chiang adds.

Butler, who has been suspended indefinitely by Miami for repeated violations of team rules, holds a $52.4MM option on his contract for next season.

Golden State also seriously explored trade proposals to acquire both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučevic from the Bulls before opting to pursue other deals, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets. LaVine is on the move to Sacramento.

Haynes: LeBron James To Stay With Lakers Past Deadline

February 2nd, 2025 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Superstar forward LeBron James plans to remain with the Lakers past the February 6 trade deadline, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter video link).

There had been some speculation that James might be mulling his future with the Lakers following the absolutely stunning trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas and Luka Doncic to Los Angeles.

However, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is one of just two players with a full no-trade clause, and he plans to stick with the Lakers for at least the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign, according to Haynes.

Haynes also hears the Lakers were “very appreciative of the professionalism displayed by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul” and James in the aftermath of the trade. Paul, who also represents Davis, reportedly knew about the deal beforehand, while James did not.

James is the oldest player in the NBA, having turned 40 at the end of December. He continues to play at an incredibly high level though, averaging 24.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists on .513/.379/.767 shooting in 44 games this season (34.7 minutes per contest).

James helped guide the Lakers to a road victory in New York on Saturday sans Davis by posting a 33-point triple-double. He extended his own NBA record last month when he was named an All-Star for the 21st straight time.

James could hit free agency again in the summer after re-signing with the Lakers on a one-plus-one deal in the 2024 offseason. He holds a $52.6MM player option for ’25/26.

Inside The Stunning Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis Trade

February 2nd, 2025 at 11:04am CST by Rory Maher

Luka Doncic “was completely floored” when he learned that he had been traded to the Lakers, league sources tell Dallas-based NBA insider Marc Stein (Substack link).

Stein reiterates that Doncic did not request to be traded and confirms reporting from ESPN that the Mavericks had reservations about giving the Slovenian star a five-year, super-max extension in the offseason due to his “conditioning, ability to stay healthy and his off-court commitments to those pursuits.”

In an appearance on SportsCenter last night (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst called the trade a “rebuke” of Doncic from the Mavericks’ perspective. While the primary focus from people around the league has been on Dallas’ end of the deal, Windhorst says LeBron James has “dreamed” of playing with Doncic, though it’s unclear how he feels about the move, given his close relationship with Anthony Davis.

As Stein writes, there had been whispers in the week leading up to perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history that the Mavs were on the verge of making a deal, but rival teams weren’t sure what they were planning. General manager Nico Harrison has a preexisting relationship with Davis and zeroed in on the 10-time All-Star as an ideal return package for Doncic.

According to Stein, Harrison “essentially” only had the Lakers in mind as a trade partner, in large part due to Davis. That choice of wording is interesting, because league sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that “at least one other team” was approached by Dallas nearly two weeks ago about the prospect of trading Doncic for a different star. That offer was declined.

Amick’s story has several sourced details, particularly from the Lakers’ end. According to Amick, Lakers leadership has grown weary of James and Davis’ continual public requests for more on-court help. Amick also hears Los Angeles had concerns about Davis’ “durability and availability and a belief that he could never truly be counted on as a top option” going forward.

In a fascinating interview with Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Harrison said he approached Lakers head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka more than a month ago to have “basketball” conversations. Harrison noted that the two have known each other for a couple of decades from their previous jobs, when Harrison was a Nike executive and Pelinka was a player agent.

“Then all of a sudden we’re like, ‘Would you ever do this?’

‘Nah, you’re joking, right?’

‘Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would.’

“And then it just built over time over the last three weeks,” Harrison told Townsend.

Harrison admitted Doncic’s contract situation was a primary motivating factor in making the trade. Doncic will no longer be eligible for an extension worth 35% of the salary cap this summer after being moved; the most he can make now is 30%.

“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the super-max and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”

He also said he hasn’t had direct communication with Doncic since the news broke, having talked to his agent Bill Duffy. His text and phone call to Doncic went unanswered, with Harrison telling Townsend, “My guess is he probably doesn’t want to talk to me.”

Davis has publicly said multiple times he views himself as more of a power forward rather than a center. Harrison told Townsend that while Davis will likely finish games in the middle, he will also play alongside Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively when the latter returns from an ankle fracture, pointing to Cleveland (Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen) as an example of a two-big pairing that has been successful.

Here’s more on the blockbuster trade:

James has a full no-trade clause, but both Stein and Amick write that the four-time MVP must be evaluating whether he’s still determined to finish his career in Los Angeles after the trade. According to Amick, there was an expectation that James would decline his $52.6MM player option for ’25/26 in the offseason to seek another contract, but it’s unclear if the Lakers would be willing to offer it.
Sources tell Stein (Twitter link) that the first time Harrison and Pelinka talked about trading Doncic for Davis was in person on January 7, when the Lakers were in Dallas to play the Mavs. League insider Chris Haynes hears the Lakers contacted Davis’ agent Rich Paul sometime after they heard the offer, viewing Doncic as a long-term replacement for James (Twitter video link).
After the trade was completed, Pelinka made three phone calls, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter links): the first was a joint call with Davis and head coach JJ Redick; the second a call to Paul; and the third to James. McMenamin also hears from sources that Davis chose to waive his trade kicker for multiple reasons, one being that he wants to sign an extension with Dallas in the future.
According to Stein, Doncic had been targeting February 8 as his return date from a left calf strain prior to the trade. The five-time All-NBA guard has been out with the injury since Christmas.
Doncic’s now-former teammate Kyrie Irving was also “stunned” by the deal that will send Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Both the Lakers and Mavericks are expected to continue to be active in trade talks leading up to Thursday’s deadline, according to Stein, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press and Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter links). “Everybody knows the Lakers are trying to do more even after this,” a source told Reynolds.
In a full story for The Athletic, Clark takes a look at Harrison’s history of making major roster moves at three consecutive deadlines. John Hollinger of The Athletic views the trade as a potential disaster for the Mavs, given the ages and injury histories of Irving and Davis. Hollinger also speculates that Doncic could sign a short-term extension with the Lakers in the offseason in order to maximize his future earnings, a possibility Bobby Marks of ESPN (YouTube link) discussed as well.
Mavs fans were understandably heartbroken by the trade, writes Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. “I’m hoping to wake up from a bad dream,” one fan said. “You have the most talented Mavericks team in Mavericks history and you have Luka right here. It’s like, ‘Boom.’ We just went to the finals, we finally get this team around him, it’s all right here, and then you trade him? It’s the biggest joke ever.”

Jazz Waive Mo Bamba

February 2nd, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Maher

To complete the three-team blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, the Jazz have officially waived center Mohamed Bamba, who was acquired on Saturday in a separate deal with the Clippers.

Utah announced the move in a press release.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), the Jazz needed to create an opening on their standard roster to acquire Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers. Bamba was the odd man out.

A former lottery pick, Bamba was unable to carve out a consistent role in his four-plus seasons with Orlando, the team that selected him sixth overall back in 2018. The 26-year-old was traded to the Lakers in February 2023, but only played nine games for the club due to injury.

Bamba signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Philadelphia in the summer of 2023. Last offseason, he inked the same type of deal with the Clippers.

In 28 games with the Clips in 2024/25, Bamba averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 block in 12.6 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting slash line of .466/.300/.680 while serving as a backup to Ivica Zubac.

Bamba was the most straightforward candidate to be cut by the Jazz due to the size of his contract. The other player Utah acquired from the Clippers was P.J. Tucker, who has yet to play this season but makes $11.54MM.

Tucker is a strong buyout candidate, but that could require him to give back a prorated portion of his salary — it also presumes the 39-year-old will have another opportunity lined up. There’s no rush for either side to reach that decision until after the February 6 trade deadline, especially since Tucker’s expiring contract could still be useful in certain trade scenarios.

Assuming he clears waivers, Bamba will be an unrestricted free agent in a couple days. He’ll be ineligible to re-sign with the Clippers.

Luka Doncic To Lakers, Anthony Davis To Mavs In Three-Team Trade

February 2nd, 2025 at 9:14am CST by Arthur Hill

February 2: The trade is now official, according to a press release from the Mavericks.

“We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” stated general manager Nico Harrison. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

“This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

February 1: The Lakers are acquiring superstar Luka Doncic in a stunning blockbuster trade that will send Anthony Davis to the Mavericks as part of a three-team deal involving Utah, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

L.A. will also receive Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while Max Christie and the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2029 are headed to Dallas.

The Jazz will take on the salary of second-year Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino while receiving two 2025 second-round picks, one from the Mavericks and one that originally belonged to the Clippers (via the Lakers).

Utah will also send $55K in cash to both the Lakers and Mavericks, a source tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).

It’s one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, to the extent that Charania had to publish multiple tweets after breaking the news confirming that it’s real, while other reporters verified that he hadn’t been hacked. It’s the first time in league history that two players who earned All-NBA honors have been traded for each other during the following season, per ESPN.

There had been no indication that the Mavs were looking to part with Doncic or that the Lakers’ front office was considering breaking up Davis’ long-time partnership with LeBron James, who was surprised by news of the deal and didn’t know it was in the works, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I believe that defense wins championships,” Dallas president of basketball operations Nico Harrison told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon in explaining his motivation. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”

Doncic did not request a trade, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Mavericks simply liked the return from L.A. enough to part with their franchise player, who was “stunned” when he was informed of the trade, Charania said during an appearance on SportsCenter (Twitter video link).

Doncic would have become eligible during the 2025 offseason for a record-setting super-max contract projected to be worth $345MM over five years. According to MacMahon, Dallas had concerns about making that commitment due to Doncic’s diet and conditioning, which the team believes have been major factors contributing to his injuries over the years.

Sources tell Charania that the Mavericks initiated the deal, while the Lakers believed it was in their best long-term interest to give up Davis, who will turn 32 next month, to acquire the 25-year-old Doncic, who could be the face of the franchise for the next decade.

Doncic will no longer be eligible to sign a super-max contract in Los Angeles, since that option comes off the table once a player is traded. That means his next deal figures to start at 30% of the 2026/27 cap instead of 35%. The exact amount of that contract will depend on when he signs it and how many years it covers, but it would max out at about $296MM over five years rather than $345MM.

Dallas contacted several teams this week to see if they were willing to reroute salary in a potential three-team deal, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). While several teams had an indication that the Mavericks were working on something, no one else had any idea that it involved Doncic, Fischer adds.

Doncic has been sidelined since Christmas Day when he suffered a left calf strain in a game against Minnesota. He had been expected to return soon, and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets that Dallas was preparing for him to play next Saturday.

Doncic has a been a franchise-changing talent since the Mavericks traded up for the opportunity to select him in the 2018 draft. After winning Rookie of the Year honors, he was a first-team All-NBA selection and finished in the top eight of MVP balloting in each of the next five seasons, including third in 2024. He’s not eligible for individual awards this year because of the strained calf and other ailments that have limited him to 22 games.

Davis is one of the top big men in the league and helped the Lakers capture the 2020 title in his first season with the team. The eight-time All-Star is currently sidelined with an abdominal strain, but he has been remarkably durable over the last two years despite a history of injuries. He has appeared in 42 of L.A.’s 47 games this season after playing 76 in 2023/24.

Davis is looking forward to joining the Mavericks, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). He has a history with Harrison from their days together at Nike, and his long-time preference to play power forward rather than center will be less of an issue in Dallas with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively on the roster.

Davis has agreed to waive his 15% trade bonus, which would have been worth $5.9MM, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes and Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links). That decision leaves the Mavericks $628K below the luxury tax line — they were $5.1MM above the tax threshold before the deal, Marks notes.

Davis’ current maximum-salary contract will pay him a projected $112.6MM over the next two seasons after this one, with a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28.

Because they’re not sending anyone out in the trade, the Jazz will have to open a roster spot before they can acquire Hood-Schifino, points out salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). That’s likely to happen by waiving or reaching a buyout with P.J. Tucker or Mohamed Bamba, both of whom were acquired from the Clippers in a deal earlier on Saturday.

Gozlan states that Hood-Schifino will be absorbed into Utah’s $8MM room exception, leaving the team $16.7MM below the tax line after Saturday’s dealings. The 21-year-old guard may get a greater opportunity to play with the Jazz after appearing in just two games this season and 23 total since being selected with the 17th pick in the 2023 draft.

Christie could be a valuable addition for Dallas, as he has blossomed into a solid rotation player during this third NBA season. He’s in the first season of a four-year, $32MM contract that he signed last summer as a restricted free agent.

Kleber suffered a broken right foot last weekend, so he won’t provide any immediate help to the Lakers. The 33-year-old big man is under contract for one more year at $11MM. Morris, a 35-year-old power forward, has an expiring veteran’s minimum contract.

Tristan Tucker and Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Steve Kerr: “We Don’t Have Enough To Separate Ourselves”

February 1st, 2025 at 9:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

A few weeks ago, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr urged the front office to be patient and see how the current roster is able to come together. He had a much different message before Friday’s game against Phoenix, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.

Responding to a question, Kerr said he believes Golden State has the talent to remain a playoff contender, Then he added, “But we’ve also shown that we don’t have enough to separate ourselves from the rest of the West. The point is we’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘No, we’re good, let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”

The Warriors are 24-24 after falling to the Suns, leaving them tied for the 10th spot in the West. They play two more times before Thursday’s deadline, when a final decision will have to be made on whether to take a big swing in hopes of salvaging the season.

The team has been linked to Heat forward Jimmy Butler now that Miami’s asking price has reportedly gone down, as well as Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic from the Bulls. Kerr said he talks every day to general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. about the roster and any available trade opportunities.

“If there’s something that makes sense, he’s going to do it,” Kerr said. “If not, then I’m very comfortable going forward with this team because I know what we’re capable of, and I know the guys. Hopefully we can capture a little more momentum here.”

Even if they don’t opt for a trade, the Warriors will have reinforcements coming as their injured players start to heal. Gordon states that Draymond Green, who’s sidelined with a calf injury, is expected back next week, while Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out of action since January 4 with a sprained right ankle, may return around the All-Star break.

The Warriors are hoping to maximize the final years of Stephen Curry, who has two more seasons left on his contract. Sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic that there’s “a growing level of urgency” to shake up the current roster and they’ve offered their protected 2025 first-round draft pick around the league to see what they can get in return.

Curry deflected direct questions about roster needs, saying he’s not in position to make those decisions, but he recognizes the need to improve. He also acknowledges the tension that accompanies the trade deadline, particularly among veterans such as Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, who would like to remain with the team.

“You’re another year away from the ’22 (title), so it’s a little less of a … I think every trade deadline in a sense has been a little uneasy,” Curry said. “But the further you get away from winning, it becomes more of a sense of urgency. It’s the NBA. It’s nothing different from what guys have experienced before. You have to be able to play through it, keep confidence, understand there’s only so many things you can control, just play basketball.”

Raptors Considering Major Deals Ahead Of Trade Deadline

February 1st, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors are eager to shake up their roster before Thursday’s deadline and have interest in either facilitating a Jimmy Butler trade or acquiring Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Stein published a piece earlier this week detailing Toronto’s interest in Ingram. Since then, he says Stein Line partner Jake Fischer has heard from several sources that team president Masai Ujiri is considered to be a “fan of Ingram’s.” Ujiri is hoping to add a “significant piece” to his roster and reportedly likes the idea of combining Ingram’s scoring prowess with Scottie Barnes‘ play-making abilities.

However, the Raptors also want to be part of a potential deal if the Heat can find a taker for Butler, and they likely don’t have the resources to pull off both trades. Their primary salary-matching asset is Bruce Brown‘s $23MM expiring contract, while Chris Boucher and Davion Mitchell – both on expiring deals – are also being made available.

Sources tell Stein that if the Warriors decide to make an offer for Butler, they would likely feature Andrew Wiggins as the centerpiece. There’s a “strong expectation” that Toronto would try to get involved in that deal to land the Canadian, according to Stein.

Fischer recently reported that the Heat would have some interest in adding Brown, and Stein calls them “reluctant in the extreme” to take back any contracts that extend beyond 2025/26. That means they’d be less inclined to take on Wiggins, who has a $30.1MM player option for the 2026/27 season.

Brown’s salary would also be vital in the effort to acquire Ingram from New Orleans. Stein points out that Toronto hasn’t enjoyed much success in free agency, so trading for Ingram now could be a wise move before he becomes a free agent in July.

There are a limited number of teams projected to have cap space this summer, and taking a few months to build a relationship with Ingram could give the Raptors an advantage toward signing him to a long-term deal. They would hold his Bird rights in the offseason if they trade for him at the deadline.

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