Timberwolves Notes: Randle, DiVincenzo, Dosunmu, McDaniels
Julius Randle was among several Timberwolves players involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, and the speculation — combined with the disappointment of not making the All-Star team — seemed to weigh on him in recent weeks, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“Julius is a guy who plays with his heart on his sleeve,” head coach Chris Finch said. “He was kind of not himself recently. … He’s so important for us in so many ways. We just need him to come back to the pack, if you will.”
The veteran power forward had a triple double (18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in Monday’s victory over Atlanta and followed that up with what Krawczynski calls his best performance of the season in Wednesday’s win over Portland, finishing with 41 points (23 in the fourth quarter) and seven rebounds while being locked in on defense. Randle’s teammates know they need the forward to be at his best to make another deep playoff run.
“It gets everybody going. He can get as many triple-doubles as anybody,” Naz Reid said. “He plays fast, plays strong, spaces the floor, he gets everybody else involved. I think that’s the key to winning, as well, just being super aggressive while also making sure everybody around you comes with you.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- While Ayo Dosunmu has quickly made a strong impression with the team’s fans, Krawczynski expects Donte DiVincenzo to remain in Minnesota’s starting lineup. As Krawczynski writes, DiVincenzo isn’t a traditional point guard, but he brings consistent effort, energy and competitiveness, and has been a key member of a starting unit which ranks among the best in the league. The 29-year-old also has outstanding on/off numbers this season, Krawczynski notes.
- Dosunmu has helped unlock transition offense opportunities for Jaden McDaniels by constantly pushing the pace, Krawczynski adds. Finch wants McDaniels to attempt at least 10 shots per game, which has been an issue at times, but Dosunmu could help change that. “It’s been pretty good. He’s coming from Chicago, which plays super fast,” McDaniels said. “I know that some plays, he’s outrunning all of us. He’s helping us run, he’s helping us get better. I just like the energy he brings and the effort.”
- There has been a “collective weight” on the Timberwolves this season that wasn’t present in years past, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, who wonders how far the team will need to advance in the postseason to alleviate that pressure.
Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert Calls Out Teammates For Lack Of Effort
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert called out his teammates’ lack of effort following a 119-115 home loss to the floundering Pelicans on Friday.
“At some point, if the players don’t have accountability, someone has to have accountability for the players,” Gobert said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I’m on straight effort. I’m just talking straight effort. I’m not even getting to the basketball side of things, like there’s always mistakes are a part of the game, but the effort to me for a team that wants to play for a championship, it’s unacceptable.”
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year didn’t mention any player in particular. However, Krawczynski noted that while the team’s other stars — Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle — scored a combined 59 points, they didn’t appear locked in on the other end of the floor.
Gobert implored the coaches to bench players if they’re not giving their all.
“It should start with ourselves, but it seems like we don’t have that, so I think at some point (it has to come) from the coaches,” Gobert said. “It’s not an easy position for a coach to take guys out of the game. It’s not something that you want to do, but I think if the players don’t show any effort, at some point, no matter how talented we are as a team, if you don’t have that, you just can’t be a winning team.”
Minnesota has lost eight of its last 15 games, ranking 18th in the league defensively during that span. Gobert didn’t give himself a free pass after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson powered for 29 points, mostly near the rim.
“It starts with me. If I’m not showing effort, bench me,” Gobert said. “Take me out of the game. Everybody else will follow. Our best players, leaders, if we don’t show any effort, it doesn’t matter if you score 50, we’re not going to win.”
At 32-21, the Timberwolves sit in sixth place of the Western Conference standings, barely above the play-in line.
“We want to be a championship team. We want to lift that trophy in June,” Gobert said. “This is a lesson that we need to get right now. It starts at the top.”
Giannis Trade Rumors: Wolves, Warriors, Heat, Lakers, Blazers
The Bucks have ramped up trade discussions involving Giannis Antetokounmpo within the past week in the wake of a report that the two-time MVP is “ready for a new home.” However, speaking to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday, Antetokounmpo didn’t sound like a player who is eager to move on from the only NBA team he’s ever played for.
“What I want deep down in my heart is I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career and win here,” Antetokounmpo said, before describing in depth how much the city of Milwaukee means to him. “… I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And also, legally, from the courthouse. And also, I’ve had my kids here. My father is buried here. When I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“So people have the audacity to come tell me and say, ‘This guy really doesn’t love Milwaukee.’ I don’t love Milwaukee? Not the people that know. The people of the city know how much I love them. This city has let me be myself, let me be father, have let me (be) a husband, have let me be my own true self.”
As strong as his feelings are for Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has also spoken repeatedly over the years about his desire to contend for more NBA championships. The 19-29 Bucks look further away from contention than they have at any point in the last decade, which is a crucial reason why both Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have become more open-minded to the idea of a trade.
“I always listen,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about his belief in the team’s ability to build a contending roster around him. “That’s why I’m still here. I always listen and trust. But what I’m trying to say, how many chances do I have left to win a championship? So, you just gotta (be) more careful and more urgent in every decision that you make moving forward. It doesn’t change. I think I’ve listened since day one and that will never change. I have great respect, love and likeness for (general manager) Jon (Horst) and the ownership and that will never be different. Won’t change. But at the end of the day …”
At this point, according to Owczarksi, Giannis paused for about eight seconds before finishing his thought.
“You gotta look.”
Here are several of the latest Antetokounmpo-related rumors:
- The Timberwolves are discussing Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid with teams around the NBA and are in constant communication with the Bucks as they look to gather enough assets to convince Milwaukee to send Antetokounmpo to Minnesota, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who says Giannis finds the idea of playing alongside Anthony Edwards “extremely compelling.”
- While several rival executives believe the Wolves have a path to acquiring Antetokounmpo this week, the Heat and Warriors have also made strong pitches, Siegel notes. Still, he suggests there’s “growing skepticism” about Miami’s chances of landing Giannis ahead of Thursday’s deadline (Twitter link).
- While Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski are presumed to be key pieces in the Warriors‘ offer for Antetokounmpo (along with multiple first-round draft picks), the Bucks are reluctant to take on Green’s contract and would likely want to reroute him to a third team if their talks with Golden State progress to an advanced stage, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Green is earning $25.9MM this season with a $27.7MM player option for 2026/27.
- The Lakers aren’t viewed as a factor in the race for Antetokounmpo at this time, but if the Bucks hang onto the star forward until the offseason, Los Angeles would become a far more viable suitor, according to Stein. While the Lakers only have one tradable first-round pick (2031 or 2032) right now, they could move up to three first-rounders (2026, 2031, and 2033) in the summer.
- Although the Trail Blazers have some level of interest in trying to trade for Antetokounmpo, the forward’s camp has continued to convey that he wouldn’t be interested in signing an extension with Portland, Stein writes, which will likely dissuade the Blazers from making an aggressive offer.
- Antetokounmpo, who is currently sidelined due to a calf strain, went through a 30-minute on-court workout on Tuesday, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. However, the Bucks still haven’t provided a recovery timeline or given any indication of when he might return to action.
Northwest Notes: Avdija, R. Williams, Nuggets, Edwards, Randle, C. Williams
Rockets forward Tari Eason derisively stated this week that the difficulty in defending Deni Avdija has to do with “zebras,” referring to officials. The Trail Blazers forward leads the NBA in free throw attempts (386) and free throws made (309).
Avdija commented on Eason’s claim about getting favorable treatment.
“That made me laugh, for real,” Avdija told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “Let’s address it. I drive the most in the league. I’m very physical. I’m not shying away from contact. I’m going downhill and I don’t care who’s in front of me. I’m going straight through them. And I’m not playing for those fouls, but I’m going to get fouled. This is part of the game. I can’t control it. I’m very aggressive. I initiate the contact and that’s my game … if it’s hard to stop, you’ve got to own it or do something else. But I’m very humble. I work hard and I think I make the right play every time.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Veteran center Robert Williams departed the Trail Blazers‘ win over the Rockets early on Friday due to a right knee injury, the team’s PR department tweets. Williams, whose career has been marred by knee ailments, has seen his name has come up in trade rumors this season. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
- With most of their starters sidelined, the Nuggets took the court with a starting five of Hunter Tyson, Peyton Watson, DaRon Holmes, Christian Braun and Jalen Pickett. The results were predicable, as they got blown by the Hawks. “I saw a really, really tired group,” head coach David Adelman told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. “That’s going to happen in the NBA, (coming back) from a seven-game road trip. They gave it everything they had in the third quarter to get back into it. But it does happen in the NBA. We know that. No excuses, ‘Blah, blah, blah,’ but it does happen.” Guard Jamal Murray, who racked up 33 assists in Denver’s two wins to end their East Coast road trip, was given the night off while dealing with illness and an ankle injury.
- The Timberwolves could be without their top scorers today. Anthony Edwards (right foot injury maintenance) and Julius Randle (left thumb soreness) are listed as questionable to play against Cleveland on Saturday, the team’s PR department tweets.
- The Jazz are trying to draw out Cody Williams‘ potential and that includes some “high school” style drills and a change in his approach, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. “We’re doing everything we can to try to help him,” coach Will Hardy said. The 10th pick of the 2024 draft is averaging just 4.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 23 appearances off the bench this season.
Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Win Player Of The Month Awards
A pair of star point guards and MVP candidates have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson of the Knicks winning the award in the East and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder claiming it in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Brunson was named Player of the Week twice in December and led the Knicks to an NBA Cup championship. He averaged 30.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per contest in 13 December outings, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.405/.826 and leading his team to a 10-3 record in the games he played.
Those stats don’t include the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season, but he was excellent in that game too, racking up 25 points and eight assists as the Knicks toppled the Spurs.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continued to strengthen his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award in 12 December appearances, with averages of 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, and a scorching-hot .594/.436/.882 shooting line.
Gilgeous-Alexander now ranks second in the NBA in scoring (32.1 PPG), while his Thunder – following a 9-4 December – hold the league’s best record at 29-5.
It’s the third time Brunson has won a Player of the Month award and the fifth time Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the honor. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were the NBA’s first Players of the Month this season, for games played in October and November.
Cunningham was also nominated for the Eastern Conference award in December, along with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward, Jalen Johnson, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and Brunson’s teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, Jazz guard Keyonte George, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Trail Blazers teammates Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Timberwolves Notes: McDaniels, Randle, Garnett
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels sat out Tuesday’s game vs. New York due to a left oblique contusion, but it doesn’t appear the injury will necessitate a multi-game absence. After initially being listed as questionable to play on Thursday in Denver, McDaniels has been upgraded to probable, according to the team (Twitter link).
McDaniels is in the midst of a breakout year for Minnesota. The 25-year-old has always been considered a strong defender, having earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team in 2024, but he has emerged as a more dangerous offensive threat this season. His 15.0 points and 2.6 assists per game are career highs, as is his 40.0% mark on three-point attempts and his 86.8% free throw percentage.
We have more on the Wolves:
- Facing his former team on Tuesday, Julius Randle had just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting through three quarters, then led the Timberwolves to a victory over the Knicks by pouring in 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the final frame. While Randle admits he felt like he had something to prove last season in games against the team that traded him away, he said he has moved past that now, according to Jon Krawczynski and Fred Katz of The Athletic. “I’m over it,” Randle said. “I had a great time in New York, accomplished a lot of great things. The city was great to me, but I’m happy to be here in Minnesota, playing in front of the fans every day, being a part of this team. I’m home. Where I’m at is home. So I think I’ve kind of got past that, and I’m just happy where I am now.”
- In a separate story for The Athletic, Krawczynski takes a closer look at Kevin Garnett‘s return to the franchise, explaining that the Hall of Famer joining the Timberwolves as an ambassador was years in the making. Reconciling with Garnett following his feud with former team owner Glen Taylor was one of the top priorities for Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez when they came aboard. “Everywhere we went around, not only Minnesota, but all around the country, all Minnesota Timberwolves fans wanted to know was, when is Kevin coming back into the organization?” Rodriguez said.
- In case you missed it earlier in the week, Hornets guard Collin Sexton is reportedly among the players the Timberwolves have done their homework on as they consider possible trade targets to upgrade their backcourt.
Wolves Notes: Finch, Conley, Edwards, Taylor
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has been fined $35K by the NBA for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner” following his ejection in Friday’s game against Oklahoma City, the league announced (via Twitter). Finch was thrown out of the contest midway through the first quarter for expressing his displeasure over a lack of foul calls, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required).
According to Hine, it took several assistant coaches and security personnel to keep Finch away from the referees after he was tossed. Finch was irate that the Thunder weren’t whistled for a foul during a possession in which he claims Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were both grabbed and hit.
Finch didn’t address reporters following the game, but he explained the incident at Saturday’s practice, saying he “wanted to make my point” with the outburst.
“I thought early on, the tone was being set in the wrong direction, and I wanted to set about trying to change things,” Finch said. “All credit to the guys. They really responded, picked up the pieces. The staff did an incredible job navigating that game. The most important thing is we got the win and that our guys responded and played well over the last three and a half quarters.”
It was only the second career ejection for Finch, and his players were impressed by the tirade, with Randle calling it “top tier.”
“I don’t know what image he’s projected to y’all. I don’t know what they’re seeing, but Finchy is a hell of a competitor,” Randle added.
There’s more from Minnesota:
- The Timberwolves have upgraded Mike Conley to available for Sunday’s game with Milwaukee (Twitter link). The veteran guard has missed the past four games with right Achilles tendinopathy.
- In an interview with Shams Charania of ESPN (YouTube link), Edwards talks about the benefits of playing for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Edwards says it was inspiring to experience Stephen Curry‘s work ethic up close, and he learned how to be a better leader by watching his veteran teammates. “I think probably being with the USA team,” Edwards responded when asked about his leadership skills. “Just seeing like everybody got their own way of leading. You gotta learn how to talk to everybody. Some guys you can be super hard on and some guys you’ve got to pull to the side and talk to them one on one.”
- Former owner Glen Taylor is glad to see that Kevin Garnett will rejoin the organization as a team ambassador, even though he and Garnett never resolved the dispute that drove him away, Hine adds in a separate story. “I always thought he should be there,” Taylor said. “That he wanted to wait until now is fine. It’s his decision. Overall, I like the guy, respect the guy, and I’m happy for him.”
Northwest Notes: Markkanen, K. George, A. Mitchell, Wolves
Although the Jazz are incentivized to tank again in 2025/26 so they keep their top-eight protected first-round pick instead of sending it to Oklahoma City, rival teams have gotten the impression Utah would like to be competitive again in the relative short term, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story (subscriber link).
According to Stein, it’s difficult for some teams to gauge the true intentions of new head of basketball operations Austin Ainge, but most of the opposing front offices Stein has spoken to have become “increasingly convinced” the Jazz would rather make a trade to enhance their core around Lauri Markkanen rather than deal away the Finnish star, who is averaging a career-best 27.9 points per game this season.
There has been speculation that Utah could look to move Markkanen within the next year, and Ainge didn’t entirely shut down that possibility in October. The 28-year-old forward is signed to a lucrative long-term contract which runs through the 2028/29 season.
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- After struggling mightily in Sunday’s lopsided loss to Houston — he played through an illness and went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting and committed eight turnovers in 19 minutes — Keyonte George bounced back in a major way in Monday’s victory over the Rockets, finishing with 28 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), eight assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. The third-year guard is having a breakout season for the Jazz, averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds on .440/.325/.898 shooting through 19 games (33.9 minutes per contest). George credits an open conversation with head coach Will Hardy at the conclusion of 2024/25 for changing his mentality and raising his expectations, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Our relationship is on a whole other level now. My exit interview was brutal. Will shot it to me straight,” George said. “Will calls me late at night and tells me little things like, ‘Play defense,’ and then he hangs up. But also, we got to the realization where we have some great dialogue. He doesn’t like some stuff and I try to communicate what I was thinking and the group was thinking. That is important for me. With the position I’m playing, I’m a second him on the floor. He can’t play. So, I’m thinking for the group trying to execute what he wants every single possession. Our relationship from my first year to now it’s completely different.”
- Ajay Mitchell, a 2024 second-round pick, unexpectedly received immediate rotation minutes while on a two-way contract last season with the Thunder. A toe injury forced him to miss a significant portion of his rookie year, but the Belgian guard was still promoted to a standard contract in February and then signed a team-friendly multiyear deal as a restricted free agent over the summer. Mitchell tells Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required) that his lengthy absence helped prepare him for year two, and the former UC Santa Barbara star has made tremendous strides in his second season, boosting his production across the board and improving on both sides of the ball. “He’s just a really good basketball player,” reigning MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “His feel for the game is what jumps out right away. He just understands how to play. It’s almost like when you’re playing with him, it’s like a pickup game. He doesn’t need a play called for him. He doesn’t need too much structure. He just goes out there and figures out a way, makes the right basketball play, plays hard and wins. He makes it easy for me.”
- Down four points entering the fourth quarter on Sunday, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch rolled out a lineup featuring Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Naz Reid and swung the tide of momentum to a win, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. That five-man group had only played 15 minutes together this season entering Sunday, but blitzed San Antonio during its six minutes together last night. “We’re a hard team to beat when we’re all involved, and it shows,” said Reid, who scored eight of his 15 points in a fourth quarter in which the Wolves outscored the Spurs by 20 points with him on the floor. “If we could do that more consistently, we’re going to be a really, really hard team to beat. It’s fun, especially when you’re doing it at home, getting the crowd involved and all that good stuff. It’s fun basketball.”
Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Randle, Holiday, Thybulle, Bailey
Jalen Williams was back on the court Friday night, adding another weapon to the Thunder’s already-potent lineup, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. Returning to the starting lineup in his season debut, Williams scored 11 points in 29 minutes and handed out eight assists as Oklahoma City defeated Phoenix to advance to the next round of NBA Cup competition.
“Just pass the ball to the guys who’ve been playing was the goal for tonight,” Williams told reporters. “I’m also joining a team that’s 18-1 up until when I played, so you try to fit in a little bit offensively and not mess up the rotations. And then obviously (Isaiah Hartenstein) and Ajay (Mitchell) don’t play tonight either, so it’s like now our rotations are even more different. I’m just trying to pick and choose spots and mesh with what the team is doing.”
Friday marked the end of a long recovery process for Williams, who underwent surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in early July, shortly after the end of the NBA Finals. He needed a second procedure in late October to take out a screw that was causing irritation.
Martinez notes that Williams, who was a second-team All-Defensive selection last season, displayed his versatility in Friday’s game by serving as the primary defender on 10 different Phoenix players, ranging from point guard Collin Gillespie to center Mark Williams. He held them to a combined 3-of-14 from the field.
“Defense is very easy compared to offense, especially when you lose your right hand for five months,” Williams added. “I can always play hard defensively and figure it out from there. It’s going to take some time (with shooting). Like I said, I haven’t played in forever. … I’m still trying to figure my way out through my jump shot and dribbling and trying to get my touch back. That’s just something that’s got to progress throughout the season. But defensively, my feet feel fine and my wind is actually really good. I can always do that.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves coach Chris Finch plans to expand Julius Randle‘s role in the offense, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).“We need to put him more in the heart of what we’re doing,” Finch said at Friday’s practice, “and that’s a lot of things we worked on today.”
- Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said Jrue Holiday is “getting better” as he works his way back from a calf injury that has sidelined him for the past seven games, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. Holiday was able to participate in some non-contact drills at Saturday’s practice, but hasn’t received full clearance from the medical staff. Splitter added that Matisse Thybulle, who is recovering from thumb surgery and hasn’t played since October 26, is doing some shooting and ball-handling work, but also hasn’t been cleared for full contact.
- Jazz rookie forward Ace Bailey is considered day-to-day after suffering a bruise on his right knee in Friday’s game, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Siegel’s Latest: DeRozan, Sabonis, Wolves, Claxton, Kuminga, Wiggins
Of the three Kings veteran stars considered in-season trade candidates, DeMar DeRozan looks like the one most likely to be on the move ahead of the February 5 deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
As Siegel explains, DeRozan’s relatively team-friendly contract structure – $24.6MM this season and a $10MM partial guarantee on his $25.7MM salary for 2026/27 – makes him a more manageable investment for most clubs than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis. LaVine is earning $47.5MM this season, with a $49MM player option for ’26/27, while Sabonis will be owed $94MM over the next two seasons after making $42.3MM in ’25/26.
The Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Grizzlies are some of the potential suitors to watch for DeRozan, says Siegel, though he doesn’t explicitly state that all those clubs have shown interest in the veteran forward.
Sabonis, who is currently on the shelf with a meniscus tear, will likely have to show he’s healthy before drawing real interest on the trade market. According to Siegel, the Sacramento big man isn’t expected to begin the return-to-play portion of his recovery process until sometime around Christmas.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA, courtesy of Siegel:
- There’s a “growing sense” that the Timberwolves would be willing to sell high on forward Julius Randle in the right deal this season, Siegel writes. Minnesota is known to be on the lookout for a point guard, having checked in on Ja Morant. The team has also inquired about Cavaliers guard Darius Garland for the past year-plus, sources tell Siegel. However, the Wolves’ lack of tradable first-round picks will be complicate their ability to make any major moves.
- Nets center Nic Claxton is considered a trade candidate and has come up in discussions with sources around the NBA as a possible Warriors target, Siegel writes. However, given that the Nets showed no interest in pursuing Jonathan Kuminga using their cap room when he was a restricted free agent over the summer, it doesn’t appear the fifth-year forward would be a target for Brooklyn. Claxton has also been considered a potential Lakers target dating back to last season, Siegel notes.
- The Pacers are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Kuminga, having “quietly” scouted him since the start of last season, according to Siegel, who wonders if the Warriors would have any interest in a deal involving Bennedict Mathurin. There’s a sense around the league that Indiana might look to move a player like Mathurin, Jarace Walker, or Obi Toppin due in part to the club’s cap situation going forward, Siegel adds.
- The Warriors are known to have interest in forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones and will likely talk to the Pelicans during the season, Siegel writes. It’s unclear if New Orleans would be open to moving either Murphy or Jones, but they represent the sort of “versatile wings” that Golden State will likely be targeting in a Kuminga trade, Siegel explains.
- If the Heat were to trade Andrew Wiggins this season, they’d be seeking a first-round pick, plus a player or two who could step into their rotation and be a positive contributor, per Siegel. The Lakers were linked to Wiggins during the offseason and the Bucks also inquired about him, Siegel reports, but Miami hasn’t had any serious trade talks about the veteran forward as of late.