Bucks Rumors: Giannis, Rollins, Porter, Kuzma, Rivers, Horst
With the Bucks lottery-bound for the first time since 2016 and increasingly at odds with their longtime superstar forward, one source close to the team tells Shams Charania of ESPN that the state of affairs in Milwaukee is “as toxic of a team situation as any in the league.”
It’s one of many troubling quotes from team sources within Charania’s in-depth look at a nightmarish season for the Bucks, who have posted a losing record both with and without Giannis Antetokounmpo available in 2025/26.
“When your best player is one foot in, one foot out,” one team source told ESPN, “you’re not going to win.”
“The crux of the issue is feeling Giannis doesn’t want to be here on any given day,” another said.
One team source added that the Bucks have “no identity,” while multiple club sources suggested to Charania that Giannis’ uncertain future has created a tense locker-room environment over the course of the season.
Although Antetokounmpo hasn’t explicitly requested a trade out of Milwaukee, he and agent Alex Saratsis conveyed to the Bucks early in the season that it was probably time for the two sides to part ways, according to Charania, who says Giannis’ camp pursued an “amicable split” during the season, meeting with co-owners Jimmy Haslam and Wes Edens two weeks before the trade deadline to discuss how the team could “do right” by Antetokounmpo. Charania explains that both Giannis and Saratsis recalled making a handshake agreement after the star forward signed extensions in 2020 and 2023 that the two sides would work collaboratively on a trade when the time came.
“Giannis has wanted to handle this professionally by being very up front with the team,” one source with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN. “This could have been a happy resolution but instead might end up being a nasty breakup.”
Shortly after that January meeting with ownership, Antetokounmpo was informed by general manager Jon Horst that he was engaged in trade negotiations and that the 31-year-old may not be on the Bucks’ roster by the start of the 2026/27 season.
However, not every team that spoke to the Bucks about Giannis leading up to February’s trade deadline believed they were serious about making an in-season deal. Milwaukee’s front office took days to respond to certain suitors’ messages and calls, according to Charania, though he notes that the Heat, Warriors, and Timberwolves believed Horst was operating in good faith.
While Golden State and Minnesota sensed as the deadline approached that the Bucks weren’t going to accept their offers, team sources tell ESPN that Milwaukee seriously considered Miami’s proposal, which included Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, and several draft assets. Ultimately, the Bucks let the Heat know on the morning of deadline day (Feb. 5) that they wouldn’t be trading Giannis, since they believe they’ll receive stronger offers this summer, per Charania.
The Bucks’ top decision-makers have come to terms with the likelihood of an Antetokounmpo trade happening this offseason, Charania adds.
Here are a few more highlights from Charania’s in-depth story:
- While the Bucks’ disagreement with Antetokounmpo about his late-season availability following a mid-March knee injury has been well-documented, Charania provides a couple new details, writing that Giannis is still hoping to return later this week – perhaps for Friday’s home finale – and wants to share the court with his brothers Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Alex Antetokounmpo before the end of the season. Most interestingly, Charania notes that Giannis – who has been limited to 36 games this season – will miss out on a “significant” bonus in his contract with Nike that would’ve been triggered if he played in at least 41 contests.
- Guards Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. were called out by Bucks coaches after shooting a combined 9-of-27 in a blowout loss to Chicago on March 1, according to Charania, who says Rollins and Porter were directed to focus more on getting the rest of the team involved and avoiding selfish play. While the coaching staff’s message was meant to “empower” the young backcourt duo, it left the team feeling “splintered,” leading to a players-only meeting in which veteran forward Kyle Kuzma told Rollins and Porter not to worry about what their coaches had said. After the staff learned about Kuzma’s comments, he received his first DNP-CD of the season in Milwaukee’s following game, then had a conversation with head coach Doc Rivers to talk through the situation, per Charania.
- Referring to a “season-long disconnect” between Rivers and several Bucks players, Charania details how the veteran coach began one team meeting by telling his team to look up his résumé. “I took teams to the playoffs and to the championship that weren’t supposed to. I thought this was one of them,” Rivers reportedly told players during that meeting.
- Ownership is expected to make a decision on Rivers’ job status within the next week, sources tell ESPN. He has just one season left on his contract. As for Horst, the general manager was extended a year ago and still has multiple years left on his deal, but there has been “friction” between him and Antetokounmpo since the trade deadline, Charania writes.
Central Notes: Giannis, Bucks, Trade Market, Bulls Shakeup, Pistons
The NBA weighed in with a statement on Saturday as it continues the investigation of a disagreement between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined since March 15 with a left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise, contends that he’s healthy enough to return to action, but the team won’t give him medical clearance. The Bucks say he hasn’t fully healed and isn’t sincere about wanting to play.
“The investigation has found that the Bucks scheduled Giannis to work out last week in three-on-three scrimmages as part of his return-to-play process, but he declined to participate,” the NBA said on Saturday. “There is a disagreement as to whether the team requested that Giannis participate in a group workout earlier this week, and the league is continuing to monitor the situation.”
The NBA has held conversations with Bucks officials as part of the probe, a source told Nehm. Antetokounmpo emphatically expressed his desire to return to action during an interview after Milwaukee’s loss to Boston on Friday, but with only five games remaining, it may be too late even if the dispute is resolved in his favor.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Trading Antetokounmpo this summer could be the first step in a massive roster overhaul for the Bucks, suggests Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link). He points to Bobby Portis, Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma as other veteran players who might be moved and says coach Doc Rivers’ future with the team is also uncertain. Scotto expects the Heat, Warriors, Knicks, Cavaliers and others to approach Milwaukee with offers.
- Major changes could be coming to the Bulls over the next 10 days, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley could both be held accountable for the disappointing season, and a coaching move is possible as well. Cowley notes that Billy Donovan is one of the main targets for the vacant North Carolina job, and there are also suggestions that he could stay and help revamp the front office or move into the top management role himself.
- If there’s a bright side to Cade Cunningham‘s injury, it’s that his teammates are learning how to succeed without him as the playoffs approach, notes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Isaiah Stewart is also out indefinitely with a left calf strain, but the Pistons keep winning and look ready to be a force in the playoffs if the roster gets healthy again. “Obviously, we’re better with (Cade), Stew and today Tobias (Harris) on the floor,” Jalen Duren said. “But I think having guys come in and get reps in, get shots up, see the ball go through (the rim) — the type of offense we’re playing with everybody being involved — it gets everybody’s confidence up. It gets everybody’s juices flowing going into that postseason.”
Eastern Notes: Bucks, Powell, Brunson, Johnson
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shuffled his lineup and it worked on Saturday, as the team ended a four-game losing streak with a 113-99 win over Utah. Giannis Antetokounmpo was joined in the starting five by Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Ousmane Dieng, Eric Nehm of The Athletic notes (Twitter links).
“I love the starters because of our size,” Rivers said. “I loved how we played the first seven minutes of the game. The ball just flew up the floor.”
Cam Thomas only saw six minutes of action off the bench, his lowest single-game total since joining the Bucks.
“Tonight wasn’t the night,” Rivers said. “And we’ve got a lot of guys that can play.”
Antetokounmpo sat out Sunday’s game against Orlando.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- While the Nets were pulling off a stunning comeback at Detroit on Saturday, Drake Powell was in the G League with the Long Island Nets. C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News notes that over his last 17 NBA appearances, Powell has averaged just 5.2 points in 19.1 minutes per game, and his efficiency dropped to 35.4 percent from the field and 20.9 percent from deep. Powell was recalled by Brooklyn on Sunday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
- Jalen Brunson‘s shooting numbers have dipped as of late, but the Knicks floor leader has become a high-volume and highly composed facilitator during that stretch, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes. Entering Sunday, Brunson had racked up three consecutive double-digit assist games. He had seven assists on Sunday against the Lakers but also committed seven turnovers. He has shot 36.2 percent from the field in five March games. “He’s taking what the defense is giving him,” coach Mike Brown said. “They’re switching, they’re blitzing, they’re trying to throw the kitchen sink at him. And he’s doing a great job of getting off [the ball and passing].”
- The Hawks won their sixth straight on Saturday, thanks to Jalen Johnson. He scored nine of his 35 points in the fourth quarter of a 125-116 win over Philadelphia. He added 10 rebounds and seven assists. “I think I’m always locked in,” he told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Yeah, I’m always locked in. I mean, obviously, you get in when the momentum’s high, you’re on a run and stuff like that, emotions are running much higher than they are at the beginning of the game. So maybe the emotions piece of it looks locked in more.”
Injury Notes: Murray, Gordon, LeBron, Cunningham, Giannis
Nuggets fans can breath a sigh of relief: Jamal Murray‘s left ankle sprain isn’t serious. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link), the star point guard is expected to be listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup in Oklahoma City and is considered day-to-day.
Murray sustained the injury in the second quarter of Friday’s blowout home loss to New York and was unable to return. Head coach David Adelman said after the game Murray was “really sore” but typically bounces back quickly from ankle injuries, which proved prescient in this case.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- While Aaron Gordon wasn’t happy with his performance in his return to action on Friday, he’s “grateful” to be playing again and says he’s in a good spot physically after missing 17 straight games with a right hamstring strain, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Gordon has actually missed 36 total games as a result of right hamstring issues — he originally strained it on November 21, returned for 10 games, then aggravated the injury on Jan. 23. “I’ve gotta stay on top of it. But I play without worry,” Gordon said when asked about the risk of re-injury. “When you’re worried about an injury out there, that’s usually when it happens. So I feel great. My body feels good. It’s just the timing and the pace of the game that needs to come back to me now, but I feel good.”
- Lakers forward LeBron James missed his second consecutive game on Sunday vs. New York due to a left elbow contusion and left foot arthritis, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. ESPN’s Malika Andrews reported (Twitter video link) during the game that James’ absence was more due to the foot injury than his bruised elbow. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is considered day-to-day, per Andrews. Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber are both active Sunday after previously being sidelined with knee and back injuries, respectively.
- After missing Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn with a left quad contusion, Pistons star Cade Cunningham has been upgraded to probable ahead of Sunday’s contest at Miami, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Cunningham, a fifth-year guard, has played in 55 of Detroit’s 62 games so far this season. Caris LeVert (left wrist sprain) has been ruled out for the second of a back-to-back, Patterson adds.
- The Bucks will be without their best player on Sunday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf injury management) won’t play against Orlando on the second of a back-to-back, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Forward Kyle Kuzma is questionable to suit up due to a thoracic spine contusion.
Bucks Notes: Losing Streak, Rivers, Kuzma
The Bucks have made the playoffs in each of the past nine years, but they’re running out of games to do so again in 2025/26, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The team was up 13 points after the first quarter on Wednesday vs. Atlanta, but was outscored by 31 for the rest of the game, ultimately losing by 18.
Wednesday marked Milwaukee’s fourth straight loss. And the Bucks aren’t just losing, they’re getting blown out — they’ve lost those games by a combined 97 points, the largest combined margin of defeat in a four-game losing streak in franchise history, per Nehm.
Dropping the game to the Hawks was particularly rough for the Bucks, Nehm notes, as they’re trying to catch Atlanta and Charlotte to make the play-in tournament. With 21 games remaining, Milwaukee is now five games behind Atlanta and four-and-a-half behind Charlotte for the final two play-in spots.
“I feel like we have the answers,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 24 points, five rebounds and four assists in his second game back from a calf strain. “The team is extremely talented. We have guys that can put the ball on the floor, guys that can put the ball in the basket.
“At the end of the day, it’s like your spirit, what are you playing for? That’s what we gotta decide. Are we going to wave the white flag, or are we going to come together in the last 21 games and try to play hard and try to make a push?
“Atlanta was the team above us, and a game like this counts for two. I feel like we came out and set the tone. We were shooting 60 percent from the field, but after that, we just fell flat.”
Here’s more on the Bucks:
- The four-game skid was directly preceded by Milwaukee winning eight of 10 games. Veteran big man Bobby Portis wonders if that surprising stretch was a fluke, Nehm adds in the same story. “Kind of fool’s gold, for real,” Portis said. “Rolling eight out of 10, playing against bottom teams, teams that’s trying to lose, right? (Now we are) playing against some teams that are jockeying for position. We used to be in that position, too. Jockeying for position, you got certain games on your schedule that you can’t lose. Guys are circling us, and we’re the can’t-lose team, so, they’re coming in and trying to win that game. That’s a must-win game for them, can’t drop it. That’s how they’re looking at us. So, credit the other teams for locking in and getting a dub, but on our side, we gotta look at it as the hungry team, the team that’s hunting them now. Crazy how fast time and things can change and shift, but so much season left, right? We got five-and-a-half, six weeks to fix it, and I think we will.”
- ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith claimed on his radio show that Doc Rivers plans to retire after the season. The 64-year-old head coach said there was nothing to that speculation, according to Nehm of The Athletic. “No, I’m not getting into that,” Rivers said when asked about Smith’s claim after Friday’s practice. “That’s something that; I think he feels that way, but not for me.” Rivers is under contract through next season, Nehm observes.
- Forward Kyle Kuzma received the first DNP-CD of his career on Monday. Speaking to the media on Friday for the first time since that game, Kuzma said he wasn’t informed of the decision in advance (Twitter links via Nehm). “At the end of the day, Doc is the final arbiter, right? So he can make decisions on whatever he wants and rightfully so, he’s the coach,” Kuzma said. “So, that’s not my job to worry about. My job is to come out and just be a professional. That’s who I am. … You just take it in swing. At the end of the day, we trust our coaching staff to make the right decisions on this team or whatever they think can win us games.”
Central Notes: Zubac, Pacers, Porter, Kuzma, Pistons
With the league’s second-worst record, the Pacers don’t have much incentive to play Ivica Zubac, but coach Rick Carlisle said the veteran center will be back on the court before the season ends, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Zubac, who was acquired from the Clippers at the trade deadline, is dealing with a left ankle sprain and hasn’t appeared in a game since February 2. He was able to begin practicing as a limited participant during the All-Star break and is making progress toward a return.
“Yeah, he’ll play this season,” Carlisle said Wednesday during a pregame session with the media. “I don’t know when. He’s doing better, but he’s not there yet and we’re not going to send a guy out there to play who isn’t 100 percent.”
Indiana pursued several centers prior to the deadline before landing Zubac, who will take over starting duties on what should be a much-improved team next season. He was a second-team All-Defensive selection a year ago and was averaging 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 43 games with L.A. before the injury.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Obi Toppin was used as a starter when he returned from a lengthy injury absence last week, giving the Pacers their 34th different starting lineup of the season, Tony East of Forbes writes in a subscriber-only story. The changing lineups were heavily influenced by injuries, but East expects Carlisle to keep experimenting with his rotation to determine what might be effective in the future. “During the games, I look at the plus-minus and see what’s happening there,” Carlisle said. “Sometimes there’s a guy that’s playing hard but doesn’t seem to be scoring the ball or doing anything overtly in-your-face positive. And then you look, he’s a big plus. So that does mean something. And of course, plus-minus is noisy. It’s got its glitches too. But you try to look at everything, see what’s what. And then right now, with all the injury stuff, one of the blessings for a coach is there’s not a whole lot of choices. There’s just a few. So just keep dabbling.”
- Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. is missing Wednesday’s game with swelling in his right knee, which is the same knee that he tore his meniscus in early this season. Coach Doc Rivers is hoping it won’t lead to another extended absence, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We’re hoping not. I’ll just leave it there,” Rivers said. “They’re gonna do more stuff tomorrow to check, but it’s a lot of swelling and then you have concerns. … It’s been bothering him the last couple of weeks really, but it just hadn’t swollen up the way it has, so there’s some concern there.”
- Kyle Kuzma was kept on the bench as the Bucks lost to Boston on Monday, but Rivers said that won’t be a regular occurrence, Nehm adds (Twitter link).
- The Pistons were unhappy with their competitiveness in two games against the Cavaliers over the past week, relays Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). They split the contests, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff was disappointed that his team didn’t play harder. “I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” he said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”
Bucks Notes: Giannis, Kuzma, Dieng, Ryan
The Bucks fell behind early at home against Boston on Monday and never recovered, eventually getting blown out by a score of 108-81. Still, the team was encouraged to have star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo back on the court. The two-time MVP had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes and said after the game that he felt good, albeit a “little bit rusty,” per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“It doesn’t matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I’m just happy that I’m out there,” said Antetokounmpo, who missed the previous 15 games due to a strained calf. “I’m just in a mindset where I try not to take nothing for granted. Obviously, did not play well tonight, but at the end of the day, I’m just happy that I’m out there being able to help my teammates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball.”
That 15-game layoff represented the longest absence of Antetokounmpo’s 13-year career, and he’s on track to play his fewest games in a season since he entered the league. The 31-year-old observed on Monday that he has made a habit over the course of his career of beating his projected recovery timelines and returning from injuries early, but acknowledged that it’s a habit he might have to get away from in his 30s.
“Like, OK, yeah, hurt my groin, had to be out three weeks, four weeks, came back in like 10 days,” Antetokounmpo said, per Nehm. “But I’m 31 years old, just gotta be able to be more smarter moving forward because things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I’m not able to do now. And I’ve just gotta be more methodical with my rehab, the way I take care of my body, the way that I play, but yeah, that’s pretty much it. Moving forward, I just gotta be smarter.
“… I’m not 24 years old anymore. I’m 31. I’m still 31 years old. It’s not like I’m 36 or 37. But yeah, when you deal with a lot of soft tissue injuries, it’s hard. … If you’re not able to take care of your soft tissue injuries, they can linger. And I think that’s what has happened this year. I feel like I’ve been playing the whole year with like a deficit.”
We have more on the Bucks:
- Kyle Kuzma had the best game of his season in December at home vs. the Celtics when he scored 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting, but the veteran forward received a DNP-CD in Monday’s matchup with Boston. As Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, Kuzma’s DNP-CD was one of a few changes head coach Doc Rivers made to his rotation, as relative newcomer Ousmane Dieng entered the starting lineup and veteran wing Gary Harris saw his first extended stretch of playing time in several weeks.
- Dieng scored 13 points in a team-high 30 minutes on Monday, and Rivers sounded impressed by what he has seen through 10 games from the former lottery pick, Owczarski adds. “I loved what ‘Ous’ did,” Rivers said after the loss. “This young kid, we gotta give him as many minutes as we can while we’re trying to win games.”
- The two-way contract that guard/forward Cormac Ryan signed with the Bucks last week is a two-year deal, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Milwaukee will have the option of hanging onto Ryan through the 2026/27 season before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency, though teams’ two-way slots typically undergo significant turnover each offseason.
Post-Deadline Rumors: Morant, JJJ, Bulls, Missi, Celtics
The fact that Ja Morant wasn’t traded at last week’s deadline came as a bit of a surprise to him, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, who says the Grizzlies weren’t willing to accept a package similar to what Atlanta got for Trae Young.
The Grizzlies talked to the Heat, Timberwolves, and Bucks about Morant, but didn’t come close to making a deal, Azarly writes. League sources tell ClutchPoints that Ryan Rollins was a player Memphis and Milwaukee talked about, but the Grizzlies were averse to taking back Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, who are both on multiyear guaranteed contracts.
According to reporting last week, Memphis signaled a willingness to take on long-term salary if it came attached to first-round draft compensation, but there’s no indication the Bucks would’ve put their lone tradable first-rounder on the table for Morant.
The expectation is that the Grizzlies will try to trade Morant again in the summer, and Azarly suggests that the point guard should be able to return from his left elbow injury not long after the All-Star break. As Azarly explains, even though Memphis has pivoted to a full-on rebuild and would benefit from piling up losses down the stretch, both the team and Morant himself would appreciate the opportunity to have the 26-year-old rebuild his trade value with a strong finish to the season.
Here are a few more leftover rumors from last week’s trade deadline:
- In addition to Golden State and Toronto – whose talks with the Grizzlies were previously reported – the Pistons and Hawks also “checked in” on Jaren Jackson Jr. before he was dealt to the Jazz, while the Suns and Hornets also had interest, says Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. There’s no indication that any of those teams made any real progress toward acquiring Jackson from Memphis.
- The Bulls, who acquired a total of eight second-round picks in their various pre-deadline deals, made an effort to flip some of those second-rounders to the Pelicans last Thursday in a deal for second-year center Yves Missi, Siegel writes. However, New Orleans was holding out for a first-round pick and ended up retaining Missi through the deadline.
- Sources who spoke to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) viewed the Celtics‘ swap of Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic as a “clear indicator” that Boston thinks forward Jayson Tatum will be able to return before the end of the season. Simons’ was the team’s fourth-leading scorer prior to the trade, but would’ve likely seen his role reduced in a rotation that featured a healthy Tatum.
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: 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.