We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
What are your thoughts on Nikola Mirotic‘s value before the deadline? — Mike 2k_97, via Twitter
A report earlier this month said the Bulls looked into trading Mirotic and Bobby Portis after their preseason altercation and found a “non-existent” market for both players. That may have changed with Mirotic’s performance during the seven-game winning streak, but now it may be in Chicago’s interest to keep the team together. Mirotic and Portis have put aside their differences and are working effectively as teammates, and neither is all that expensive. Mirotic re-signed for $12.5MM this season with a team option for the same amount in 2018/19, while Portis is still on his rookie contract. Mirotic is putting up by far the best numbers of his career with 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds and is shooting 48% from 3-point range. However, teams are still wary about his past performance, so his trade value isn’t high. The Bulls might get a couple of draft picks, but nothing too significant, so expect him to stay in Chicago for the rest of the season.
What do you think Lakers can receive by trading Julius Randle before the deadline? — Ralph Lakers, via Twitter
The Lakers are in an uncomfortable position. The rest of the league knows they want to cut salary to make a free agent splash next summer, so other teams are asking for a premium price to help them. Earlier today, we passed along a report that teams want multiple first-rounders or Brandon Ingram in exchange for taking on Luol Deng‘s contract. Randle doesn’t have nearly the negative value that Deng does, but Lakers fans shouldn’t expect anything significant in return for salary dumps. L.A. had preliminary talks with the Mavericks about Nerlens Noel before the Dallas center had thumb surgery, and that’s probably as good as the return is going to get. If Randle is traded, it will be for an expiring contract that won’t affect cap room.
Timberwolves newcomer Jimmy Butler has quickly established himself as the alpha dog over Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins signed a max contract extension this year, and Towns is due for one next year. Butler can opt out of his contract the following year. Is it possible for a team to sign three players to max deals? If not, do you foresee the Wolves trading either Wiggins or Towns in order to keep Butler? — Matt Trapp
The Wolves must be budgeting for three max deals or they wouldn’t have given one to Wiggins, who is young and talented but is easily the most expendable of the three. Barring injury, Towns is a lock for a maximum extension when the time comes and Butler became the cornerstone of the franchise when Minnesota traded for him in July. With Gorgui Dieng signed through 20/21 and Wiggins’ extension carrying into 2021/22, the Wolves aren’t going to have cap room to work with anyway. Towns and Butler will both get max deals and management will accept the tax penalties as long as the team keeps winning.