Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: T. Jones, Schröder, Lyles, Thybulle

December 18th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs point guard Tre Jones has been cleared to return to action on Thursday vs. Atlanta after missing the team’s previous six games due to a left shoulder sprain, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Having also been sidelined for 12 games earlier this season with an ankle injury, Jones admitted it has been a challenging fall.

“I’ve never sat out this much in this season before, so it’s definitely been tough,” Jones said. “But the guys have kept my spirits up. My family at home have kept my spirits up.”

Jones isn’t the only Spurs regular who has battled injuries this season. Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama, Keldon Johnson, and Zach Collins have all missed multiple games. Assuming San Antonio has better health luck going forward, Jones is optimistic about the team’s rest-of-season outlook.

“We feel like we’re in a great position right now,” Jones said. “We haven’t been necessarily healthy this year either yet, so hopefully we can maintain our health moving forward and we can continue to build. We’ve been throwing out a lot of different lineups and that can work to your advantage when guys are knowing that their name is going to be called. But, at the same time, we want to be able to kind of settle into our roles and what we expected coming into the season and be healthy.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Dennis Schröder and Draymond Green have had their share of on-court battles in the past, including in Game 6 of the second-round 2023 playoff series when they were hit with double technicals before Schröder’s Lakers eliminated Green’s Warriors (Twitter video link). But there’s no bad blood between them — in fact, playing with Green is one thing Schröder is looking forward to most as he prepares for his Warriors debut, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I feel really, really excited playing with Draymond,” Schröder said. “Like you guys seen, we were going at it. I knew him before. People were saying, ‘How’s it going to work?’ But we got a good relationship, even before that.”
Kings forward Trey Lyles is confident he’ll be cleared to return on Thursday vs. the Lakers, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter video link). Lyles has been on the shelf since November 25 due to a right calf strain.
Before he scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting vs. Portland on Sunday, Suns point guard Tyus Jones earned praise from Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who referred to the situation in Phoenix as “tailor-made” for the veteran guard, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s a big shot-maker when put in those positions, but he knows who he is, more than anything,” Billups said. “He knows who he’s playing with, and that’s what they needed. He’s also a very scrappy defender. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for that, but a lot of teams attack him and go after him, and you got a fight on your hands when you do that. I’m proud and happy for Ty and (the Suns) did it right when they got him.”
Billups provided a minor injury update on Matisse Thybulle on Tuesday, indicating that the injured Trail Blazers forward is doing stand-still shooting on the court but isn’t cleared for contact yet, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Thybulle’s season debut was delayed due to a right knee issue and he subsequently sprained his right ankle during the rehab process.

Warriors Remain Atop 2024 NBA Franchise Valuations

December 18th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors remain the NBA’s most valuable team, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, who unveiled the website’s updated NBA franchise valuations for 2024 on Wednesday.

Badenhausen projects the Warriors’ value at $9.14 billion, making them one of three teams to surpass the $8 billion mark this year. The Knicks have a projected worth of $8.3 billion, while the Lakers come in at $8.07 billion, per Sportico. Only the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys – at $10.3 billion – have a higher valuation than Golden State among North American sports teams, says Badenhausen.

While Sportico’s figures suggest the Warriors, Knicks, and Lakers are worth significantly more than the fourth-place team (the Nets at $5.7 billion), the average value of an NBA franchise is up to $4.6 billion, with no team worth less than $3 billion.

That average has increased by 15% since Sportico released its 2023 valuations last December and has nearly doubled since the site published its first NBA franchise valuations four years ago, when the average was $2.37 billion.

The NBA’s new $77 billion media rights deal and a 15% increase in team sponsorship are among the factors contributing to the rising valuations of the league’s franchises, according to Badenhausen, who notes that a post-COVID boom in concerts and other major events has been good news for team owners who also control their arenas.

NBA team owners operated 10 of the world’s 20 highest-grossing concert venues in 2024, with the Nets’ Barclays Center coming in at No. 1, says Badenhausen. The Nets’ valuation is up 43% this year, per Sportico, easily the largest year-over-year increase among the 30 NBA franchises.

When Forbes put out its NBA franchise valuations in October, it pegged the average value of a team at $4.4 billion. In the past, we’ve used Forbes as our primary source for NBA franchise valuations, but with Badenhausen making the move from Forbes to Sportico in recent years and the outlet establishing itself as a go-to resource for sports business news, we begun highlighting Sportico’s projections as of 2023.

Of course, it’s worth noting that figures from Sportico, Forbes, or any other media outlet are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands. But these projections are usually in the right ballpark and remain useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Sportico’s full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2024:

Golden State Warriors: $9.14 billion
New York Knicks: $8.3 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $8.07 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $5.7 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $5.68 billion
Boston Celtics: $5.66 billion
Chicago Bulls: $5.56 billion
Miami Heat: $5 billion
Houston Rockets: $4.77 billion
Toronto Raptors: $4.66 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $4.57 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $4.46 billion
Phoenix Suns: $4.32 billion
Sacramento Kings: $4.11 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $4.07 billion
Denver Nuggets: $4.06 billion
Washington Wizards: $3.98 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $3.95 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $3.91 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $3.79 billion
Indiana Pacers: $3.74 billion
Utah Jazz: $3.67 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $3.6 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $3.55 billion
Orlando Magic: $3.46 billion
Detroit Pistons: $3.45 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $3.39 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $3.29 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $3.09 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $3.06 billion

As Badenhausen notes, Sportico’s projections are based on a control sale price, rather than limited stake purchases. No NBA franchise saw its majority control change hands in 2024, but that could change in 2025, with control of the Celtics up for sale.

According to Badenhausen, team executives and investors have predicted a sale price ranging from $4.5 billion to $6.5 billion for the Celtics. The final valuation will be determined by a number of factors, including how many bidders are on the mix, what percentage of the team they can buy, and whether current governor Wyc Grousbeck insists on remaining in that role until 2028, which he has indicated is his goal.

The Bucks Players Who Benefited Most From NBA Cup Prize Money

December 18th, 2024 at 7:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks‘ team salary this season is approximately $193MM, which is over the second tax apron and far exceeds the $160.4MM on the Thunder‘s books.

However, only two players on Oklahoma City’s roster are on minimum-salary contracts and just three of 15 Thunder players on standard deals are earning less than $3MM this season. By comparison, Milwaukee has eight players with salaries below $3MM, plus a ninth earning just a hair above $3MM. Seven of those nine players are earning their respective minimums.

While the $514,970 bonus for winning the NBA Cup may be a drop in the bucket for maximum-salary Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, it represents a significant pay raise for the players on the lower two-thirds of Milwaukee’s cap sheet, as well as the players on two-way contracts who will receive bonuses worth $257,485 apiece.

The NBA Cup prize money results in at least a 17% raise for each of the following Bucks players, whose 2024/25 salaries are noted in parentheses:

Players receiving a $514,970 bonus:

Delon Wright ($3,003,427)
Taurean Prince ($2,988,550)
AJ Johnson ($2,795,294)
MarJon Beauchamp ($2,733,720)
Gary Trent Jr. ($2,613,120)
A.J. Green ($2,120,693)
Andre Jackson ($1,891,857)
Chris Livingston ($1,891,857)
Tyler Smith ($1,157,153)

Players receiving a $257,485 bonus:

Liam Robbins ($578,577)
Ryan Rollins ($578,577)
Stanley Umude ($578,577)

The bonuses for Smith and the Bucks’ two-way players represent a raise of roughly 44.5% on their respective base salaries.

None of this prize money will count against the salary cap, so the Bucks’ team salary for cap, tax, and apron purposes remains unchanged, as do the team salaries for Oklahoma City and the other six clubs who made the knockout round of the IST. Their prize money is as follows:

Oklahoma City Thunder: $205,988 per player ($102,994 for two-way players)
Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets: $102,994 per player ($51,497 for two-ways)
Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Orlando Magic: $51,497 per player ($25,749 for two-ways)

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Schroder, Van Arsdale, Bronny

December 17th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to make his season debut as he rehabs his right knee, took part in two non-contact practices last week. Noting that Leonard has “progressed very well,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t offer any real hints about when his star forward might suit up, but said Kawhi may accompany the team on its upcoming two-game road trip.

“I think we’re going to be more excited to have him for a full practice,” James Harden told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “We don’t really have contact practice, but when we do, just contact practice and then games. So, he’s inching his way back towards the court and take his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that newly-acquired Dennis Schröder will take some of the offensive burden off Stephen Curry. “We need a pick-and-roll player right now,” Kerr said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “The last 10 games, our pick-and-roll efficiency is dead last in the league. Teams are loading up on Steph. You can’t ask him to run every pick-and-roll. Dennis is a pick-and-roll player.”
Suns legend Dick Van Arsdale has passed away at the age of 81, the team’s PR department tweets. He was the first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns’ roster and scored the first points in team history. Van Arsdale earned three All-Star selections, was a member of the team’s NBA Finals team in 1976 and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in 1977. Van Arsdale was also a broadcaster and front office executive for the franchise.
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James will participate in the NBA G League Winter Showcase this week, Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN report. The Lakers’ front office and James’ agents at Klutch Sports partnered on the plan to have the guard play in the Orlando event as another step in his development, the ESPN duo adds. Bronny has averaged 20.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his past three games for the South Bay Lakers.

Dunleavy: Warriors Will Continue To Look For Upgrades

December 16th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Discussing the trade acquisition of veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the Warriors will continue to be aggressive in their search for roster upgrades, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

After starting the season 12-3, the Warriors have gone just 2-8 over their past 10 games. They are currently 14-11, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

“We’re always aggressive,” Dunleavy said. “You got to be mindful of what you’re giving up, what you’re getting back, all those things. But anything to do to make the team better, we’re going to do.

“We’re in a time zone here of maximizing our window with Steph [Curry], Draymond [Green] and Steve [Kerr] as our coach. So as proven here on the first day we could basically make trades with certain players, we did that. … For the most part I feel good about this team, particularly on the defensive end, and now we have a player that we think could create and generate more offense for us. I want to evaluate and see, but we’ll always be looking at stuff.”

Schröder is playing on an expiring $13MM contract, making him an unrestricted free agent next summer. One report indicated the Warriors could look to flip him in a future deal for a star-level player, since he’s eligible to be aggregated with other salaries starting February 5, just before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

However, Kerr suggested Schröder could start in the backcourt alongside Curry. And Dunleavy claims Golden State views the 31-year-old German as more than just a “short-term rental,” as Youngmisuk puts it.

“We still think he’s got a lot of good years left in him,” Dunleavy said of Schröder. “And we’ll have his [Early] Bird rights, the ability to re-sign him after the season. We think he’s a good fit for us on both sides of the court and hopefully there’s a relationship here longer than just a few months.”

Players Traded After Monday Can’t Be Re-Aggregated By Feb. 6 Deadline

December 16th, 2024 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

As we explain in our glossary entry on salary aggregation, when a team trades for a player by matching salaries or using a cap exception, that team is typically ineligible to aggregate the player’s salary in a second trade for the next two months.

However, the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement includes one exception to that rule. A player traded on or before December 16 can always be “re-aggregated” on the day before – or the day of – that season’s trade deadline.

The deal sending Thomas Bryant from Miami to Indiana on Sunday likely wasn’t made with that rule in mind — that was simply a case of the Pacers badly needing a backup center and going ahead with their acquisition of Bryant as soon as he became trade-eligible on December 15.

But the aggregation rule looks like one important reason why the Warriors and Nets moved quickly on their trade involving Dennis Schröder and De’Anthony Melton once Melton became trade-eligible on Sunday. Having completed that deal by December 16, Golden State will be eligible to aggregate Schröder’s $13MM expiring contract with other salaries on February 5 or 6, while Brooklyn will have the ability to do the same with Melton’s $12.8MM expiring contract.

Any player who is acquired in a trade via salary-matching or an exception after Monday will be ineligible to be aggregated at this season’s Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Now, there are two important points worth clarifying here. The first is what exactly it means to “aggregate” a contract.

Our glossary entry covers this rule in more depth, but aggregating a player’s salary with another salary means combining the two cap figures for matching purposes. For instance, a team operating over the cap and below the tax aprons can’t trade a $15MM player for a $35MM player, but that team could aggregate its $15MM player with a $20MM player in order to legally acquire the $35MM player.

Crucially, sending out multiple players in the same trade doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be aggregated. For example, if a team sends out a $15MM player and a $5MM player for a single player earning $15MM, there’s no need to aggregate the two outgoing salaries, since the $15MM player is enough to legally match the incoming $15MM salary on his own. So a player traded on Dec. 20 could still be flipped at the deadline in a multi-player trade — his salary simply couldn’t be combined with another player’s for matching purposes within that deal.

Only teams operating below the second tax apron are permitted to aggregate salaries, meaning this rule – and the Dec. 16 exception to it – won’t matter much for the four clubs currently above the second apron: Boston, Phoenix, Minnesota, and Milwaukee. Even if one of those teams were to trade for a player today, that player couldn’t be aggregated at the deadline unless his new team was able to shed enough salary to move below the second apron.

The second point worth clarifying is that this restriction doesn’t apply to players who are acquired using cap room. The Pistons are the only club currently operating under the cap, but they have about $14MM in space after waiving Paul Reed and signing Javante McCoy, meaning they’re in a great position to trade for one or more players without sending out any matching salary.

Let’s say the Pistons use their remaining cap room to acquire a player earning $14MM. Even if they make that trade on February 5, they could turn around and aggregate their new player’s salary with, say, Isaiah Stewart‘s $15MM cap hit the very next day in order to acquire a player earning $30MM. Because the $14MM player was acquired using cap room and not using an exception or by salary-matching, Detroit wouldn’t face the two-month aggregation restriction.

There has been no indication that any more trades will be made on Monday, but if they are, it’s worth keeping this rule in mind, since it will likely be a key reason for the timing of the move.

Stein’s Latest: Schröder, Johnson, Pelicans, Lakers, Kings, Reed

December 15th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors acquired a valuable rotation piece in Dennis Schröder this weekend, but it’s possible he won’t last the season with his new team. Schröder can traded again this season and could be part of a package to get a star-level player before February’s trade deadline, according to Marc Stein in his latest Substack post.

Miami’s Jimmy Butler could be among the players targeted by the Warriors, whom many rival teams believe will make a splashier move this season. Stein notes the Warriors aggressively pursued Lauri Markkanen and Paul George during the offseason.

The timing of the Warriors’ trade for Schröder was significant. The latest CBA instituted a new exception that allowed players who are traded by Dec. 16th to be aggregated in another deal before the trade deadline.

Golden State had interest in trading for Nets’ forward Cameron Johnson as well as Schröder but would likely have needed to include Jonathan Kuminga in a deal for both players, Stein suggests.

Here’s more from Stein:

The Pelicans aren’t inclined to trade young pieces Herbert Jones, Yves Missi and Trey Murphy but they are open to trade inquiries for virtually anyone else on the roster.
The Lakers aren’t looking to make a blockbuster move but they’d like to add depth and are expected to make at least one trade.
The Kings are dangling the contracts of Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles in order to upgrade the roster.
The Sixers have some interest in a reunion with Paul Reed, who waived by the Pistons on Saturday. However, it’s unlikely they’d attempt to add him prior to the trade deadline in order to maximize their roster and cap flexibility. Reed was waived by Philadelphia during the offseason.

Warriors Acquire Dennis Schröder From Nets

December 15th, 2024 at 11:09am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 15: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Warriors and Nets. As detailed below, Brooklyn received Melton, Beekman, and three second-round picks from Golden State in exchange for Schröder and a second-round pick.

As first reported by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Nets received Atlanta’s second-round picks in 2026 and 2028, along with Golden State’s second-rounder in 2029, while the Warriors acquired Miami’s 2025 second-rounder (top-37 protected).

In order to open up a two-way slot for Beekman, Brooklyn waived rookie Yongxi Cui, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier this week.

DECEMBER 14: The Warriors are finalizing an agreement with the Nets to acquire veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Sources tell Charania that Brooklyn will send Schröder and one second-round pick to Golden State in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and three second-rounders.

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (Twitter links), who first reported that Brooklyn’s return would include Melton’s expiring contract and second-round compensation, suggest the deal is on track to be completed on Sunday, when Melton officially becomes trade-eligible.

Fischer hears that the two teams also discussed Nets forward Cameron Johnson, but he won’t be included in this trade (Twitter link). However, Warriors two-way player Reece Beekman is expected to be added to Golden State’s outgoing package, Fischer notes (via Twitter).

Both Melton and Schröder are on expiring contracts and will hit free agency in 2025. Melton has a cap hit of $12,822,000 this season, while Schröder is earning $13,025,250. The Warriors, who are currently operating just $533K-ish below their hard cap, will move closer to that threshold as they take on an extra $203K in salary in the swap with the Nets.

Melton, 26, signed a one-year deal deal worth the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception with the Warriors over the offseason to try to rebuild his value following an extended absence last season due to a back ailment. Unfortunately, the defensive stalwart suffered a partially torn ACL just six games into his tenure with Golden State, requiring him to undergo season-ending surgery.

Schröder is off to an excellent start to the ’24/25 campaign and is a major reason why the Nets have been surprisingly competitive to this point. In 23 games, all starts (33.6 MPG), he’s averaging 18.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.6 APG and 1.1 SPG on .452/.387/.889 shooting.

Charania reported earlier this week that the Nets had been discussing trades involving Schröder, Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, with the Warriors expressing interest in all three players. Now a deal for Schröder is being finalized.

Multiple reports indicated Brooklyn was hoping to land a first-round pick for Schröder, but that was considered an overly optimistic ask for a role player on an expiring contract. The team will ultimately accept a net gain (pun not intended) of two second-rounders. Moving on from the point guard sooner rather than later will also limit the Nets’ upside on the court, potentially increasing the value of their own 2025 first-round pick.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Nets continue to be active in trade discussions, particularly involving Johnson and Finney-Smith.

While Melton won’t return this season, his contract could come in handy in a subsequent trade for Brooklyn — he’ll become eligible to aggregated again on February 5 as long as the Nets and Warriors complete their deal on or before Monday. The Nets could hang onto him until then, then perhaps waive him after the Feb. 6 deadline if they don’t find a use for his expiring contract on the trade market.

Warriors Notes: Schröder, Trade Talks, Kerr, Green, Curry, Wiggins

December 14th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors expect their trade with the Nets to be finalized in time for Dennis Schröder to begin practicing with the team early next week and make his debut Thursday night in Memphis, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

The deal will reportedly send Schröder and a second-round draft pick to Golden State in exchange for the expiring contract of De’Anthony Melton, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, along with two-way player Reece Beekman and three second-round selections. It can’t be completed until Sunday when Melton becomes trade-eligible.

The two teams have been in sporadic trade talks for weeks, Slater adds. He confirms reports that the discussions at one point included a larger deal involving Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, but those negotiations fell apart. He hears that Golden State preferred a simple trade for Schröder, giving them much-needed scoring help without sacrificing any of their young talent. Schröder was the only player who had been discussed in the last few days, Slater adds.

Schröder, 31, is a veteran guard who brings plenty of playoff and international experience. He will run the offense whenever Stephen Curry is resting, but the Warriors also envision having them on the court together, according to Slater. Coach Steve Kerr has been running 11- and 12-man rotations for much of the season, but Slater points out that Schröder’s arrival is likely to mean reduced roles for Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield and others.

There’s more on the Warriors:

Kerr, Curry and Draymond Green were all advocates for acquiring Schröder because they’ve faced his German team so often in international competitions, states Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link). The trade won’t prevent the Warriors from “big-game hunting,” according to Charania, who adds that the team remains “active in the hunt for a star player.” He also points out that Golden State can aggregate Schröder’s contract in another deal before the February 6 deadline if necessary. The Warriors have been prominently mentioned in Jimmy Butler trade rumors, but other desirable targets could become available.
The Warriors weren’t happy about being knocked out of the NBA Cup with a controversial loss Wednesday at Houston, but it did give them a break in the schedule, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. They’ll have three days off following Sunday’s game against Dallas, which gives them the rare chance to concentrate on practice and film sessions. “I think it’s really beneficial for us to get some more practice time. During the NBA season it’s really hard to get really good practices in,” Kevon Looney said. “We get to work on all the execution things. The small things that we keep talking about on film. We can actually go out on the practice court and work on the kinks.”
Curry and Andrew Wiggins are both listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest, Slater tweets. Curry is experiencing inflammation in his neck area, and Wiggins is dealing with adductor tightness.

Trade Rumors: Butler, Heat, Warriors, Porter, Vucevic

December 14th, 2024 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although they haven’t received anything approaching a “serious offer” yet, the Heat have indeed shown a willingness to listen to inquiries on Jimmy Butler for the first time in his six seasons in Miami, league sources tell David Aldridge of The Athletic.

The Heat are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, but are still just 13-10 thus far in 2024/25. Aldridge says the organization is “sober” about the state of the current roster, noting the team made the play-in tournament each of the past two seasons, including a surprise run to the NBA Finals in 2023 after advancing to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

The two sides “seem destined” to part ways, according to Aldridge, who suggests Miami will likely prioritize a trade package centered around players rather than draft compensation, given the team’s “relentless” desire to contend for titles.

Aldridge says Butler’s preference would be to stay in Miami, but he wants a maximum-salary extension that Pat Riley has publicly said the team is in no rush to offer.

As Aldridge observes, in addition to listening to offers, the Heat are also likely trying to gauge what Butler’s free agent market could look like this summer, when he reportedly intends to decline his $52.4MM player option to hit free agency.

There are more trade rumors to pass along:

NBA insider Marc Stein offers a similar report in his latest Substack column (subscription required), citing a “rising belief leaguewide” that Miami has become willing to part with Butler before the trade deadline. The majority of teams that Stein contacted believe Butler has started considering potential locations where he’d like to be traded, but one executive cautions that the Heat won’t move him without getting “fair value” in return. Stein adds that Miami officials aren’t concerned about losing Butler in free agency this summer if he’s not traded because he’ll be facing a limited market. Only the Nets currently have enough projected cap room for a maximum-salary offer.
Of the four teams considered to be favorable landing spots for Butler, only the Warriors are viewed as having enough interest to engage in “substantive” trade discussions, league insiders tell Stein. The Rockets and Mavericks haven’t displayed any “tangible” interest in pursuing Butler, according to Stein, while the Suns would have to include Bradley Beal, who holds a no-trade clause that discouraged the Heat from trying to trade for him in the summer of 2023.
As he previously noted in a podcast appearance this week, Stein hears that the Nuggets want to shake up their roster, and it appears Michael Porter Jr. would have to be included in any major deal. Stein wonders how much of a return Denver could get for Porter considering the limited market for New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram, who’s a similar player with better stats.
The Bulls are hoping to land a first-round pick in exchange for center Nikola Vucevic, Stein adds. Vucevic has increased his production in coach Billy Donovan’s new up-tempo offense, but Stein warns that the Bulls might have to be willing to take any Vucevic talks all the way to deadline day if they’re holding out for a first-rounder.