The Nuggets are a suitor to watch for Raptors big man Chris Boucher, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links).
However, even though Denver “definitely” has interest in Boucher, the team is extremely limited in terms of both draft assets and appealing matching salary. Its two most expendable veterans, Zeke Nnaji ($8.9MM) and Dario Saric ($5.2MM), are both on multiyear contracts, making them negative trade assets.
The Nuggets are also operating above the first tax apron, so they can’t take back more money than they send out in a trade. They would likely “jump” at the chance to sign Boucher on the buyout market, Grange says, but it’s unclear if Toronto would consider a buyout for the big man if he’s not traded today.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- As of two hours before the trade deadline, there was no momentum toward a Nikola Vucevic deal between the Warriors and Bulls, says K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links). If Vucevic ends up staying in Chicago through the deadline, the expectation is that he’d be on the trade block again in the offseason, Johnson notes.
- Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and guard CJ McCollum aren’t going anywhere at the trade deadline, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, who said on ESPN’s NBA Today that both players are on track to remain in New Orleans after the team agreed to trade Brandon Ingram to Toronto.
- The Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic trade with Charlotte is expected to be the only deal Phoenix makes today, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). That means the team will move forward with its “big three” of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal despite many rumors involving Durant and Beal leading up to today’s deadline.
Watch the Vooch deal fall through but then Warriors give the Bulls a bigger package for Vooch in the offseason smh
Bulls front office isn’t that savvy.
It would be more of an out-failing each other moment
Bulls want an unprotected 1st rounder for him. The warriors offered a 2nd rounder.
No surprise there. Bulls worthless front office gets almost nothing done. Can’t build a team. Can’t do a rebuild.
If Bulls can’t get a first for Vuc, don’t mind holding on to him for now. Since they have their pick back there’s no reason to dump him just for the sake of it
Another epic failure by the Bulls FO. This was probably the Bulls last chance to get positive value back for Vuc.
Vuc had real value to some contending teams for the remainder of this season. Come June, he’s a 35 yr old on a 1 year, $20M contract…owned by a rebuilding team that doesn’t want to play him.
The Bulls chose playing Vucivic over tanking. That has yielded BOTH, one, worse odds in the draft AND, two, the privilege of keeping his $20M/yr negative contract.
The good news is that the Bulls FO can save time on calls to other GM’s by discussing Vucivic, Huerter, and Collins all at once.
Makes no sense since now his trade value goes way down. Best they can expect for him is a 2nd rounder in the offseason along with a unwanted player.
GSW should trade GP2 for Boucher
Same nuggets who didn’t give Bol a chance now they want Boucher???? No!
Wish the suns could’ve come up with a deal, Beal plus 3 first round picks for John Collins and Collin Sexton.
Who cares about Nurkic just keep him as a back up centre.
Jones Booker KD Collins Richards
Sexton Allen Dunn ONeale Nurkic
Thy would’ve been a really solid team
Oh well
Lol no way Beal approves a trade to Utah come on
Imagine this lineup
Vučević Dray Butler Smart Curry