Lakers Rumors

2022 NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Pacific Division

February 7th, 2022 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at all 30 teams, breaking down their potential plans for the deadline and identifying their most likely trade candidates. We’re focusing today on the Pacific Division.

Golden State Warriors

Trade deadline goals:

Few, if any, NBA teams should feel less urgency to make a move at the trade deadline than Golden State.

The Warriors already benefited from one major in-season “addition” when Klay Thompson returned to action last month for the first time since 2019. James Wiseman could be a second one if he’s able to make it back in the second half from a pair of knee surgeries.

While rival teams may try to pry away young Warriors prospects like Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, or Moses Moody, the Dubs have shown no inclination to mortgage their future for short-term gains. They’ve gone 40-13 this season without ever really being fully healthy — as long as they have all their guys available heading into the postseason, there’s no obvious weak spot on the roster.

Having said that, health is certainly a wild card worth considering. If they’re at all nervous about Draymond Green‘s ability to be back to 100% this spring, the Warriors could peruse the market for a frontcourt fill-in.

Top trade candidates:

One reason why the Warriors seem unlikely to make a trade is that their roster lacks expendable players. A team with the NBA’s second-best record won’t feel compelled to break up its starting lineup, and many of Golden State’s low-priced role players – such as Otto Porter, Damion Lee, and Gary Payton II – are outplaying their contracts and will be retained.

Perhaps a player like Juan Toscano-Anderson or Nemanja Bjelica could be moved in the right deal, but even those guys are probably more valuable the Warriors could get back for them on their own.

For what it’s worth, the Warriors’ success this season means they could safely move their unprotected 2022 second-round pick without worrying about losing a top-20 selection. I’m skeptical they’ll feel compelled to do so, but it’s an option.

Los Angeles Clippers

Trade deadline goals:

Entering February, we didn’t have a clear picture of what the Clippers would try to do at the trade deadline. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were out indefinitely, but there was no incentive for the team to tank this season, since Oklahoma City owns L.A.’s first-round pick.

We got our answer on the Clippers’ deadline plans on Friday, when they traded Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to Portland for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. Powell is under contract for several years beyond this one, but Covington is on an expiring deal, so Los Angeles isn’t just looking to the future — the team wants to stay competitive this season, whether or not Leonard and George return.

Having already made one big move, the Clippers may be content to stand pat this week, but I expect them to remain engaged in trade talks for the next few days. They’re still in the market for a play-maker who can set up their stars and who is also comfortable playing off the ball and making open shots.

Top trade candidates:

Serge Ibaka is on an expiring contract, he has battled injury problems, and his playing time has been inconsistent this season even when he’s been healthy. The big man, who has a $9.7MM cap hit, looks like the Clippers’ best remaining candidate to be dealt.

I’ll be curious to see to what extent the Clippers shop Marcus Morris and/or Luke Kennard in the coming days. They overlap to some extent with the skills Powell and Covington bring to the roster, so if the Clippers plan to re-sign Covington in the offseason, it’s hard to imagine all four players sticking with the team long-term, given their price tags. Morris and Kennard each have two guaranteed seasons beyond this one at about $15-17MM per year.

Nicolas Batum could also be a player to watch. He has acquitted himself nicely since arriving in Los Angeles and I doubt the Clippers will want to move him, but he’s a solid two-way contributor at a very team-friendly price ($3.2MM). He’d certainly draw interest, and if he’s the piece the Clips need to give up to get the play-maker they want, they’d probably do it. Batum would need to approve any deal, however.

Los Angeles Lakers

Trade deadline goals:

The Lakers’ big move of the 2021 offseason was to send out Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and a first-round pick (which became Isaiah Jackson) in exchange for Russell Westbrook and a handful of future second-round picks.

The move, which received its share of criticism at the time, looks even worse six months later. Westbrook has struggled mightily in Los Angeles, and with Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, and Harrell out of the picture, the Lakers hardly have any players left who are earning between the minimum and maximum and could be shopped in trade talks for an impact player.

The Lakers will still be on the lookout for deals that improve their defense and shooting around stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but it won’t be easy to make something happen. The Lakers just don’t have many appealing assets, and potential trade partners won’t exactly be lining up to help bail them out.

Top trade candidates:

While the Lakers would probably love to find a taker for Westbrook, his contract will make it virtually impossible. The former MVP is making $44.2MM this season and has a $47MM player option for 2022/23 that looks like a virtual lock to be exercised.

Given Westbrook’s recent play, no team will want to take on that sort of money unless it comes with draft assets, such as L.A.’s 2027 first-round pick (which is the next first-rounder the club can trade). For their part, the Lakers are better off hoping Westbrook can turn things around and preserving their limited assets for something besides a salary dump.

If Westbrook is off the table, that leaves Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn as Los Angeles’ most logical trade chips. They’re the only players on the roster earning more than the minimum salary and less than the max. Together, Horton-Tucker ($9.5MM) and Nunn ($5MM) could bring back a player earning a little over $18MM.

A year ago, attaching a future first-round pick to those two players would’ve made for a pretty tantalizing package. But the shine has come off Horton-Tucker now that he’s on a more expensive contract and hasn’t taken a step forward in his third NBA season. Nunn, meanwhile, has yet to play at all this season due to a knee injury.

Horton-Tucker is still just 21 years old, Nunn is a solid player when he’s healthy, and that 2027 first-rounder holds intrigue because no one knows what the Lakers will look like five years from now. However, L.A. will be competing with other buyers who will be able to offer stronger packages for higher-end trade candidates.

Whether or not they can make a bigger deal, I’d expect the Lakers to try to at least make a smaller trade or two, moving off minimum-salary players such as DeAndre Jordan and/or Kent Bazemore.

Phoenix Suns

Trade deadline goals:

Like the Warriors, the Suns aren’t under any real pressure to make a move at the deadline. Their 42-10 record so far this season is the NBA’s best, and there are no obvious holes in their regular rotation.

Still, the Suns will likely be on the lookout for one more wing who can knock down three-pointers. Offseason acquisition Landry Shamet is shooting a career-worst 35.3% on threes and there’s no guarantee that stretch four Dario Saric will return from his ACL tear in time to provide any help this spring. Shoring up the rotation with one more shooter would give Phoenix some added peace of mind entering the postseason.

Top trade candidates:

Saric’s injury makes him a trade candidate for salary-matching purposes. Among Phoenix’s highest-paid players, the Croatian forward and his $8.5MM cap hit are the most expendable. Of course, it’s worth noting that Saric is also under contract for $9.2MM next season, which may turn off some teams, especially since there’s no guarantee he’ll be back to 100% following his ACL tear.

Second-year center Jalen Smith would be a more interesting trade candidate if the Suns had exercised his $4.7MM option for 2022/23. Because they turned it down, whichever team has Smith on its roster at the end of the season won’t be able to offer him a starting salary higher than $4.7MM when he reaches free agency. In other words, there’s little incentive for a club to take a flier on him, since if he plays well down the stretch, he might price himself off that club’s roster.

Other veterans who aren’t vital rotation pieces, such as Elfrid Payton, Frank Kaminsky, or Abdel Nader, would presumably be available. The Suns also have a fair amount of draft-pick flexibility — they own all their own second-round picks and could offer any future first-rounders starting in 2024.

Sacramento Kings

Trade deadline goals:

There have been mixed messages out of Sacramento in the weeks leading up to this year’s trade deadline. After signaling last summer that they weren’t interested in moving De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings seemed to become more receptive to the idea after getting off to a terrible start this season, with multiple reports indicating no one was off-limits.

However, last month, the Kings reportedly recommitted to the idea of building around Fox and Haliburton and told Fox they don’t want to move him.

While Haliburton may legitimately be off the table, rival teams are skeptical that Fox is actually untouchable. And it’s safe to assume anyone else on the roster could be had. The Kings badly want to end a playoff drought that has lasted a decade-and-a-half (and counting) and appear prepared to shake up their roster this week to try to make it happen.

Even at 20-35, Sacramento is just two games out of a play-in spot, so we shouldn’t necessarily assume the team is focused on next season quite yet. I expect the front office will be focused on making adjustments to the mix of players on the roster, not simply selling off veterans for draft assets.

Top trade candidates:

Even if the Kings ultimately decide not to move Haliburton and Fox, there are a ton of trade candidates on the roster.

Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes, and Marvin Bagley III are a few of the players whose names have frequently popped up in trade rumors this season. Barnes and Holmes, in particular, should be intriguing targets for rival teams. Barnes is a solid defensive player who is making over 40% of his three-pointers this season, while Holmes is the kind of rim-running center who would look good in Charlotte or Toronto — both players are on very reasonable multiyear contracts.

It will be more challenging for the Kings to get a positive return for Hield or Bagley. Hield’s ability to stretch the floor is his calling card, but his 36.8% mark on three-pointers this season is easily the worst of his career and he’s owed another $40MM for the next two years after earning $23MM this season. Bagley, meanwhile, still hasn’t delivered on the promise that made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2018 and he’ll be a free agent this summer.

Tristan Thompson, Alex Len, Damian Jones, and Maurice Harkless are among the other veterans the Kings could move, though some will have more value – both to Sacramento and to trade partners – than others. Youngsters Robert Woodard and Jahmi’us Ramsey also haven’t shown much yet and should be available, but they may not generate much interest.

Lakers Notes: Westbrook, James, Monk, Davis

February 6th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers rallied from 21 points behind and pulled out a much-needed win over the Knicks Saturday night, and they did much of it without Russell Westbrook. The former MVP, who was booed by L.A. fans in the midst of a terrible shooting night, was kept on the bench for the first 6:30 of the fourth quarter and all of overtime, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. It’s the second crunch-time benching in less than a month for Westbrook, but he reacted differently than when it happened against the Pacers nine games ago.

“I just talked to [coach Frank Vogel] about that I was upset about it,” he said of the Indiana game. “But I was more upset I didn’t win the game. But not about when or how he would do it. But it doesn’t matter. Like I said, it’s not about me. I don’t want to make it about me. It’s more about our team and our guys. Tonight we got a good win and now move onto the next one.”

Westbrook and the Lakers haven’t come close to meeting the expectations that were set when he was acquired from the Wizards in an offseason trade. L.A. is ninth in the West at 26-28 and Westbrook’s poor shooting has made him a scapegoat for all that has gone wrong. There have been rumors that the front office will try to move him before Thursday’s trade deadline, but LeBron James offered support after the game.

“I told him to keep going, to stop second-guessing himself during the game,” James said. “There were a couple of times where he had good looks, second-guessed himself and a couple times where he had some drives and he had them and second-guessed himself. He’s an instinctive player and he should never, what he’s done in this league, he should never second-guess himself if he’s put the work in — and he’s put the work in. … And I don’t need to harp on what we need to say to him. I mean, he’s a big-time player. And I have the utmost confidence in his ability, not only for this team but for himself, individually.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

James returned to the lineup with a triple-double and didn’t show any effects of the knee swelling that forced him to miss five games, McMenamin writes in a separate story. “After the first quarter, the knee loosened up a lot more,” James said. “My mind loosened up a lot more. And I was just able to play basketball.”
Malik Monk also had a huge game with 29 points while shooting 4-of-8 from three-point range, but as Bobby Marks of ESPN points out (via Twitter), re-signing Monk won’t be easy. Unless the Lakers can unload salary during the offseason, their offer will be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception, which will be worth about $6.3MM.
After eight consecutive All-Star appearances, Anthony Davis wasn’t voted into the game or selected for the reserves this year. Although he could still be chosen to replace the injured Draymond Green, he wouldn’t be upset about missing the event, per Mark Medina of NBA.com.

LeBron James Will Play Tonight

February 5th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

After missing five games with swelling in his left knee, Lakers star LeBron James will return for tonight’s nationally televised contest with the Knicks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

James was originally listed as doubtful, but he tested the knee and decided he was able to go. He hasn’t played since January 25 when he logged 34 minutes in a win over the Nets.

The Lakers went 1-4 while he was sidelined and are currently ninth in the Western Conference with a 25-28 record.

James will replace Avery Bradley in the starting lineup, tweets Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. Malik Monk will remain in a starting role.

James has missed 17 games so far this season, but he’s still putting up elite numbers when he does play, averaging 29.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per night while shooting 52.2% from the field and 35.2% from three-point range.

Injury Notes: LaVine, White, Harden, Garland, Hayward, More

February 4th, 2022 at 11:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine has been suffering through back spasms recently, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic relays. LaVine was noticeably wincing during Chicago’s 127-120 overtime defeat to Toronto on Thursday. Center Nikola Vučević says the team appreciates LaVine’s commitment to winning despite not being fully healthy.

“It tells us a lot about Zach playing through back spasms,” Vučević said. “It’s not easy. It limits you a lot. You just don’t have that freedom of movement, especially in the back. It’s a big, important part of your body, especially when you play basketball. I’m sure it was bothering him a lot, especially on the offensive end trying to score and be aggressive.

“But it speaks a lot about his commitment to winning and to this team trying to still be out there. Even him not being 100 percent helps us a lot, so we appreciate him being out there.”

Coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link), that the Bulls are hopeful LaVine will return Sunday after sitting out Friday on the second game of a back-to-back. However, Donovan also said that LaVine is still battling the knee soreness that sidelined him for a handful of games last month.

Here are some more injury updates from around the NBA:

LaVine wasn’t the only Bulls player absent from Friday’s 122-115 win at Indiana, as Coby White also missed the game due to a groin strain, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. Donovan said White has had lingering discomfort in the groin, but it was aggravated against Toronto.
Nets coach Steve Nash said James Harden was held out of Brooklyn’s 125-102 blowout loss at Utah on Friday for precautionary reasons, per Nick Friedell of ESPN (via Twitter). The team is giving Harden a couple extra days rest to ensure his hamstring is feeling better. Nash doesn’t think Harden will need an MRI and is hopeful he’ll return to action Sunday at Denver. Rudy Gay exited the game early for the Jazz with right knee soreness and didn’t return to the court, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets.
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, recently named an All-Star for the first time, missed his third consecutive game Friday at Charlotte with lower back soreness, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Gordon Hayward returned to action for the Hornets in the team’s 102-101 loss after missing the past two weeks due to COVID-19, Boone notes.
Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony will likely be out Saturday vs. New York, providing extra rest before the team re-evaluates his strained right hamstring next week, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. LeBron James is also doubtful for the contest against the Knicks with knee swelling, per Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Heat center Omer Yurtseven has cleared the health and safety protocols and is available for Saturday’s game at Charlotte, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports (via Twitter).
Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 draft, missed his second straight game for the Pistons Friday with a hip pointer, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets. Coach Dwane Casey said the injury isn’t considered serious, but the team is being cautious with its rising star. The Pistons fell to the Celtics, 102-93.
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon missed his second consecutive game Friday with hamstring tightness, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter link). The Nuggets lost to the Pelicans without Gordon, 113-105.

Carmelo Anthony's Hamstring Strain Not Considered Serious

February 4th, 2022 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony exited Thursday’s game against the Clippers early due to a right hamstring strain, but there’s optimism that the injury isn’t serious, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Sources tell Wojnarowski that Anthony is being considered day-to-day for now.

Injury Updates: Mitchell, Gobert, Green, Iguodala, Anthony, James, Birch

February 3rd, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were named as All-Star reserves on Thursday. The Jazz also got positive injury news regarding their top players.

Mitchell has cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol and will be available for the team’s game against the Nets on Friday, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Mitchell hasn’t played since January 17. Gobert won’t play on Friday but could return early next week, MacMahon adds. The big man is dealing with a calf strain and hasn’t seen action since January 23rd.

We have more injury-related news:

Warriors forward Draymond Green is skipping the All-Star Game due to a back injury. Green said on Thursday he won’t need surgery but estimates it will be at least three-to-four weeks before he can play again, Marc Stein tweets.
Another Warriors forward, Andre Iguodala, says he’s close to returning from a left hip injury, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Iguodala hasn’t played since logging 31 minutes on January 20. Iguodala indicated that persistent knee swelling created a “chain reaction” that has led to other ailments.
Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony exited the team’s game against the Clippers on Thursday due to a right hamstring strain, McMenamin tweets. LeBron James missed his fifth straight game due to swelling in his left knee, McMenamin adds in another tweet.
Raptors big man Khem Birch played on Thursday for the first time since January 14. He only saw five minutes of action. Birch required plastic surgery after his nose was fractured. He’ll have to wear a mask for approximately six weeks, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Play-In Tournament, West, Jones

February 2nd, 2022 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James is looking at a variety of potential treatments for the swelling in his left knee, but he won’t consider platelet-rich plasma therapy, also known as PRP, Dave McMenamin of ESPN said on “NBA Today” (video link). James is being treated away from the team, and Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he has the full support of the organization in that decision, McMenamin adds.

James is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game against the Trail Blazers, and McMenamin said he’s expected to miss his fourth straight game since the swelling developed on the team’s last road trip. He was sent home early from that trip, and the Lakers have no intention of trying to play him until the swelling is gone, according to McMenamin.

There’s more on the Lakers:

James was one of the most outspoken critics of the play-in tournament last year, but it looks like the Lakers’ only hope to save their season, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. At four-and-a-half games out of sixth place and five games ahead of 11th, L.A. is comfortably in the play-in range. With that in mind, James’ possible extended absence isn’t being met with panic. “The No. 1 goal is that he’s healthy for the long haul,” Vogel said, “and everything else is less important after that.”
Lakers legend Jerry West says his relationship with the franchise has deteriorated over the years, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes in a profile of West as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history. West was particularly upset over the decision last year to rescind the lifetime season tickets for him and his wife that were promised by late owner Dr. Jerry Buss. “Sometimes you feel like you’re discarded, like a piece of trash,” said West, now a consultant with the Clippers. “And there’s a couple of people over there — not (owner Jeanie Buss) — but there’s a couple of people over there that, uh … I don’t get it. I don’t. … I always had a great relationship with Jeanie — at least I thought I did. I don’t know where it is now.”
Lakers two-way player Mason Jones was named the G League Player of the Month for January, tweets JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors. Jones averaged 28 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game during the month.

Western Trade Rumors: Covington, Nurkic, Beverley, Culver, Lakers

February 2nd, 2022 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Of the veteran Trail Blazers who are candidates to be traded by the February 10 deadline, Robert Covington has been described as the most likely one to be moved, says Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Ben McLemore‘s name has also emerged in recent trade discussions, Fischer adds.

Conversely, there doesn’t seem to be any momentum toward a trade involving Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, according to Fischer. Marc Stein said something similar in a recent Spotify Greenroom session, suggesting he hasn’t heard Nurkic’s name mentioned much in his recent conversations with teams. Stein gets the sense there’s not a “huge amount” of interest in the veteran center (hat tip to HoopsHype).

Nurkic himself recently told Jason Quick of The Athletic that he doesn’t think he’ll be traded this season. If the latest reports from Fischer and Stein are accurate, he may be right.

Here are a few more items from around the Western Conference:

The Timberwolves are exploring some possible trade avenues involving Patrick Beverley ahead of his upcoming free agency, Fischer reports. Responding to that report, Minnesota-based reporters Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter links) said that head of basketball operations Sachin Gupta is casting a wide net and is willing to discuss anyone besides Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. However, neither Wolfson nor Krawczynski expects Beverley to be traded.
The Grizzlies aren’t considered likely to make any major moves at the trade deadline, but they may receive inquiries on fourth-year swingman Jarrett Culver, Fischer writes. There’s so much leaguewide interest in wings who can play defense that Culver – who isn’t currently part of Memphis’ rotation and will be a free agent this summer – could appeal to another team, Fischer explains.
The Lakers, who continue to shop veteran wing Kent Bazemore, have been mentioned as a potential suitor for big man Paul Millsap if he reaches the buyout market, says Fischer. Brooklyn is still looking to trade Millsap.

Pacific Notes: Suns, Ayton, Crowder, Lakers, Toscano-Anderson

February 1st, 2022 at 9:03pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The 40-9 Suns currently sport the best record in the NBA, thanks in large part to the All-Star performances of guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker, as well as terrific play from center Deandre Ayton, small forward Mikal Bridges, and a revamped roster with additional depth. John Hollinger of The Athletic reflects on the team’s season thus far and considers some trade possibilities for Phoenix in an extensive new article.

Hollinger wonders if the Suns may look to improve their reserve guard slots behind Paul and Booker. He floats the possibility of offloading trade packages including intriguing young center Jalen Smith, injured big man Frank Kaminsky and a future first-round pick in exchange for veteran shooting guards like Norman Powell or Eric Gordon.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Suns center Deandre Ayton and power forward Jae Crowder are returning from injuries to suit up for Phoenix tonight against the Nets, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Ayton has been sidelined for seven straight games with an ankle injury, while Crowder has been grappling with a mild wrist injury for the past four contests.
The 24-27 Lakers have not enjoyed the level of success they expected after making an all-in trade for point guard Russell Westbrook during the summer of 2021. Bobby Marks of ESPN outlines exactly how difficult it will be for Los Angeles to make significant roster changes by the trade deadline this season. L.A. is currently just the ninth seed in the Western Conference, thanks in part to various injuries incurred by All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis throughout the season so far. Marks cites Westbrook’s exorbitant contract (he is owed $91.3MM across these next two seasons, an All-Star salary for sub-All-Star production), the Lakers’ lack of future draft picks, and the team’s lackluster depth as factors for what he anticipates to be a relatively quiet deadline.
Athletic third-year Warriors swingman Juan Toscano-Anderson will take part in the 2022 Slam Dunk Contest at this season’s All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link).

Trade Rumors: Brunson, Simmons, Horton-Tucker, More

February 1st, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

After Marc Stein reported on Monday that Jalen Brunson is more likely to stay with the Mavericks through February 10 than to be traded at the deadline, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon conveyed a similar sentiment during an appearance on Zach Lowe’s podcast, The Lowe Post.

“I have been assured that they will not move Brunson before the trade deadline unless it is, and I quote, a ‘What the bleep are they thinking?’ type of offer,” MacMahon said, according to NBC Sports.

Brunson has become an integral part of the Mavericks’ offense, posting career highs in PPG (15.7) and APG (5.6) so far this season. While he has generated plenty of interest ahead of his looming free agency, Dallas reportedly remains confident in its ability to re-sign him. However, Lowe – who previously suggested the flight risk for Brunson is “very, very real” – warns that the Mavs should be careful about how they approach those negotiations.

“The thing on Brunson is I wouldn’t mess around too much if I were the Mavs,” Lowe said, per NBC Sports. “That’s all I’ll say. I wouldn’t be too cute with the negotiating. I wouldn’t be too cute, based on what I’ve heard.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Executives around the NBA aren’t fully convinced that the Kings are really finished with the Ben Simmons sweepstakes, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. “The Kings needed to walk away because the Sixers were unreasonable in their demands,” an Eastern Conference executive told Bleacher Report. “If Philly backs off [those demands] some, perhaps Sacramento could still make a run at [Simmons].”
Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker is viewed by rival teams as a “marginal asset,” Pincus writes in the same Bleacher Report story. Even though he’s still a developing prospect, Horton-Tucker earns a higher salary than virtually every other 21-year-old in the NBA and will be able to reach unrestricted free agency as early as 2023, diminishing his value.
Pincus adds in the same Bleacher Report story that most teams expect Damian Lillard to sign a two-year contract extension with the Trail Blazers in the offseason. That suggests Lillard won’t be asking for a trade anytime soon.
The Celtics are open to virtually any trade inquiry leading up to the February 10 deadline, but any roster “fireworks” are more likely to happen in the offseason than this month, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. According to Bulpett, multiple sources believe that if Boston doesn’t play well in the second half, it’s possible Jaylen Brown could “acknowledge that the mix isn’t right and seek a move.”

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