The Whiteboard: NBA trade rumor intel on Bucks, Raptors and more
By Matt Moore
We are 18 days from the NBA Trade Deadline.
League personnel I’ve talked to have expressed a pretty healthy level of skepticism that there will be many deals in these last two weeks.
There are willing sellers, willing buyers, but little crossover in available and makeable deals after the new CBA pretty much destroyed teams’ flexibility to make the trades they need.
Many of the buyers are first or second-apron teams, which makes sense. It’s the good teams looking to get over the top and win a championship.
Many of the sellers are teams willing to take on contracts for draft compensation — which the buyers don’t have — or teams looking to clear cap space off their big contracts by trading them… to teams that can’t absorb those contracts due to the apron rules.
So here we are. But there are rumors aplenty with limited possibilities of actual deals. Here are a few things I’ve heard along with links to respected reporting around the league.
Two teams interested in Toronto’s Chris Boucher (who has a very quiet 6th Man of the Year case) are San Antonio and Denver. The Spurs are ready to upgrade their non-Wemby minutes at center, and Denver desperately needs more rotation players.
The most commonly mentioned teams for Jimmy Butler outside of Phoenix involve a multi-team deal with Chicago and/or Milwaukee. Phoenix is largely stuck until someone who Bradley Beal wants to be traded to comes forward as a willing partner.
What no one knows is whether Chicago is willing to take on Butler to move off of Zach LaVine and/or Nikola Vucevic’s contract, or if they’re just willing to send out assets.
The assumption has been that both Chicago and Miami want no significant money back. That’s not really doable.
Milwaukee’s the more interesting team, if not for Butler, then again in a multi-team deal. The Bucks are known to have made Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton available in talks. The question is whether Brook Lopez (who league sources indicated the Bucks were open to moving last summer) is also part of an outgoing deal. That would leave the Bucks with no center depth.
The fact that the Heat remain stuck with Butler and Phoenix is unable to complete a deal they want to speaks to the inflexibility of the current CBA.
The Cam Johnson sweepstakes is being presented as hot and frothy, which makes you wonder if it’s coming from Brooklyn.
Jake Fischer over at the Stein Line reported that the Cavaliers’ interest was “preliminary at best" and that there was no credible evidence of OKC’s interest.
One notable thing in the Cam Johnson talks: Memphis had conversations with Brooklyn last offseason for Day’Ron Sharpe (who is another Net being shopped). They had conversations for Dorrian Finney-Smith as well before he was sent to the Lakers.
There could be a little resistance by Memphis in talks with Brooklyn based on how conversations haven’t gone how they wanted.
There’s a growing skepticism that Johnson will be moved at all before the deadline.
More than one executive has pondered what exactly the Blazers are doing. Jerami Grant is still there. Robert Williams is still there. Deandre Ayton is still there. And Anfernee Simons is still there.
Sources have suggested several of those players would welcome a deal even while it’s imperative to note none have or will demand a trade. Portland as of yet seems in no rush to reshape the roster.
Dyson Daniels is a breakout star for the Hawks and his camp is allegedly confident in a nine-figure deal this summer.
Other names who league sources feel are “available” for the right price (whatever that means): Detroit’s Tim Hardaway Jr. and Simmone Fontecchio, Vasilije Micić for the Hornets, Grayson Allen for the Suns, and Collin Sexton for the Jazz.
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NBA news and rumors roundup:
- Knuck If You Buck: The Bucks won again and are now seven games over .500. Giannis Antetokounmpo with 34 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists.
- Royally Back: The Kings keep rolling since firing Mike Brown, this time in a laugher over the Wizards. Domantas Sabonis with 29 points and 18 rebounds in the win.
- The Wall Wins: The Clipper won the Battle of LA Sunday night with a 116-102 win over the Lakers. Ivica Zubac with 21 points and 19 rebounds while Anthony Davis was a -16 in the loss.
Top 5 pick-and-roll creators this season
*minimum 300 possessions, via Synergy Sports*
1. Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings,1.19 points per possession: For all the talk of Doug Christie and firing Mike Brown and Keon Ellis, Malik Monk has been on an absolute heater to help the Kings get back in the playoff race.
2. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers, 1.19 points per possession: Man, for a guy who everyone has hammered this season, it sure looks like once again Haliburton is one of the best offensive engines in the league.
3. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers, 1.15 points per possession: Garland’s been phenomenal for the No.1 offense and team in the league.
4. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, 1.13 points per possession: Still Stephen after all these years.
5. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks, 1.12 points per possession: Brunson and Kat has to be the best pick-and-roll combo in the league this season.
Other notables: 6th. Donovan Mitchell, 7. Luka Doncic, 8. Damian Lillard, 9. Cade Cunningham (!!!), 10. RJ Barrett (!!!)
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