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Details On Wizards’ Asking Price For Jonas Valanciunas

January 14th, 2025 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards will consider trading center Jonas Valanciunas ahead of the February 6 deadline, but won’t simply sell him to the highest bidder, according to Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic.

As Robbins and Aldridge explain, the Wizards will be seeking the right kind of offer for Valanciunas, which means one that could “appreciably” move their rebuild forward. In other words, a late second-round pick or two might not sufficiently move the needle.

The Wizards’ asking price will also depend on what kind of contract(s) they have to take back in return for Valanciunas, The Athletic’s duo says. If a trade partner wants to include a highly paid player on a multiyear deal (ie. a negative asset), Washington would likely ask for a first-round pick. On the other hand, if that team is offering a more favorable short-term contract, then a couple early second-round picks could be enough for the Wizards to make a move.

I’m a little skeptical that Valanciunas will have a ton of value on the trade market. The former No. 5 overall pick is a talented interior scorer and rebounder who has the size to match up with the NBA’s biggest centers, but he doesn’t stretch the floor or protect the rim especially well, and isn’t agile enough to reliably switch onto quicker guards and forwards.

Additionally, while Valanciunas’ contract isn’t an albatross, it’s not really a bargain either — the 32-year-old has a $9.9MM cap hit this season and is owed a $10.4MM guaranteed salary in 2025/26. His $10MM salary for 2026/27 is non-guaranteed.

One league source who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge believes that a pair of second-round picks (not necessarily early ones) will be the best the Wizards will be able to do in a trade involving the Lithuanian big man.

Of course, this front office showed a year ago when it retained point guard Tyus Jones through the trade deadline that it’s willing to hang onto a veteran on a lottery-bound team if it doesn’t get an offer it likes. Jones ended up departing as a free agent during the 2024 offseason, whereas the Wizards would have additional chances to move Valanciunas in future transaction windows.

Valanciunas was signed by the Wizards to serve as a leader and mentor for the team young players and to help protect rookie Alex Sarr from more physical matchups, according to Robbins and Aldridge. He has played that role well, albeit in a limited capacity — his 19.8 minutes per game represent a career low. He has averaged 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds across 38 outings (eight starts).

“It’s good on my body,” Valanciunas said with a laugh when asked about his modest workload. “You always got to see the positives too, you know? It’s good on my body, and I’m not tired. I’m ready to go. Anytime coach calls my number, I’m here to do whatever. I signed up for that.”

Valanciunas joked that he plans to turn his phone off as the trade deadline nears, adding that he knows the possibility of being traded is part of the business and is out of his hands.

“I just come in every day, work,” he said. “Every game, I play 100 percent. That’s all I can do. That’s all I do. It’s above me. I have no control in that.”

The Lakers have long been cited as a potential suitor for Valanciunas. The Knicks were also said to have interest in him over the summer, though it’s unclear if he’s still on New York’s radar.

Jimmy Butler Meets With Pat Riley, Reiterates Trade Request

January 14th, 2025 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

1:27pm: Butler is expected to meet with Heat owner Micky Arison after his suspension ends this week, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. According to Winderman, Arison isn’t in favor of allowing Butler to remain away from the team while continuing to collect pay checks toward his $48.8MM salary.

11:50am: Heat forward Jimmy Butler met in person with team president Pat Riley last week and reiterated his request to be traded, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to Charania, Butler told Riley during that meeting that he has no intention of signing a new contract with the Heat during the 2025 offseason and that he would only pick up his $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 in order to facilitate a trade.

Butler reiterating his desire to be traded and making it clear he doesn’t plan to sign a new deal with the Heat doesn’t materially change the circumstances of his standoff with the Heat — we already knew that the 35-year-old wanted out and that his days with the team are likely numbered.

Still, it’s perhaps a signal that the Heat’s plan to reintegrate Butler upon the conclusion of his team-imposed seven-game suspension later this week won’t go as smoothly as the club hopes. Butler’s has already missed six games while serving his suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, so Wednesday’s contest against the Lakers will be the seventh and final game of that ban.

Heat officials intend to meet later this week to discuss the best route forward with Butler, league sources tell Charania.

Several recent reports have indicated that Miami has talked to multiple teams about potential Butler trades but has yet to gain any real momentum in any of those discussions and is in no rush to take a deal that isn’t in the club’s best interests. The Heat are said to be seeking players who can help them win this season, as well as short-term contracts that will allow the front office to generate cap flexibility going forward.

The Suns are widely viewed as the team with the most interest in Butler, who strongly reciprocates their interest. But Phoenix isn’t well positioned to make a strong offer, given its position relative to the second tax apron and its lack of appealing trade chips. Due to their second-apron restrictions, the Suns would almost certainly need to send out Bradley Beal in any deal for Butler — Beal has a no-trade clause and would need to approve any move, while Miami isn’t interested in taking on his multiyear maximum-salary contract.

Multiple NBA insiders have speculated that the Heat may not find a deal they like by the February 6 trade deadline, delaying resolution on the Butler situation until the offseason. At that time, more teams would have the flexibility to acquire him via sign-and-trade or opt-in-and-trade.

Even letting Butler walk for nothing could be an appealing option for Miami if the alternative sees the club take back unwanted multiyear contracts in a trade. The Clippers took that approach with Paul George this past offseason and it’s working out well for them so far.

Unlike George, Butler doesn’t have an obvious suitor with cap room waiting for him in free agency, so he’ll have to be careful about overplaying his hand. The Nets are currently the only team projected to have maximum-salary cap room during the offseason, and they reportedly have no intention of pursuing the Heat star.

Butler’s dissatisfaction in Miami stems in large part from the Heat’s unwillingness to give him the maximum-salary extension offer he wanted during the offseason. Reporting on Christmas Day indicated that he preferred a trade; a little over a week later, word broke that he had informed the Heat of his desire to be moved.

According to Charania, one issue that factored into Butler’s January 2 trade request was an implication from team officials that the six-time All-Star didn’t play his hardest in a Jan. 1 win over New Orleans.

Butler scored nine points in 25 minutes in that game and followed up that performance with nine points in 27 minutes the next night against Indiana. He took just 11 total shots across those two outings and appeared passive and disengaged, frequently standing in the corner on offense. His usage rate in those two games was 12.6% — it had been 21.6% prior to Jan. 1.

Domantas Sabonis, Darius Garland Named Players Of The Week

January 13th, 2025 at 2:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week for games played between January 6-12, the league announced on Monday (Twitter link).

Sabonis, the Western Conference’s winner, spearheaded a 3-0 week for Sacramento by averaging a staggering 22.0 points, 20.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.3 blocks on .610/.750/.769 shooting in his three appearances (42.4 minutes per game).

The NBA’s leading rebounder for the third straight season (14.2 RPG), the Lithuanian big man had a monster double-double in Friday’s victory at Boston, scoring 23 points and pulling down a career-high — and franchise record — 28 rebounds.

After losing six straight games, the last of which came after firing Mike Brown and promoting interim head coach Doug Christie, the Kings have reeled off seven consecutive victories. Three-time All-Star Sabonis has thrived during the team’s dramatic turnaround, averaging 19.9 PPG, 17.3 RPG, 7.0 APG and 0.9 BPG on .600/.588/.714 shooting in 37.9 MPG.

Garland, who won the East’s award, averaged 26.0 PPG and 7.7 APG on an excellent .528/.409/.929 shooting line in helping lead Cleveland to a 2-1 record last week (32.3 MPG). On the season, the 24-year-old is a fraction of a percent below the vaunted 50/40/90 club (.498/.429/.917 shooting splits) for the Cavaliers, who hold the best record in the league at 33-5.

It’s the second time this season that Garland has been named the East’s Player of the Week — he also won the award on November 11.

According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Sabonis’ teammates DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk, Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr., Alperen Sengun and Russell Westbrook. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Zach LaVine, Garland’s teammate Evan Mobley, Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum were nominated in the East (Twitter link).

Suns, Hornets Have Discussed Nick Richards, Jusuf Nurkic

January 12th, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns and Hornets have had discussions about the idea of a trade that would send Jusuf Nurkic and draft capital to Charlotte and Nick Richards to Phoenix, confirms John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links). The talks, described as “ongoing” by Gambadoro, were first reported by Evan Sidery of Forbes (Twitter link), who referred to them as “preliminary.”

Nurkic has fallen out of the rotation in Phoenix. After serving as the Suns’ starting center for most of the season, he came off the bench on Monday and Tuesday, then was a DNP-CD in Thursday’s and Saturday’s games. The veteran big man is known to be on the trade block, but his $18.13MM salary this season and a guaranteed $19.38MM salary for next season will make it difficult to move him.

Richards is a younger, more versatile center whose contract is also far more team-friendly than Nurkic’s — the Hornets’ big man is owed $5MM this season and another $5MM in 2025/26. He has averaged 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game through 20 games this season.

Given the disparity between the two players’ salaries, the Hornets would have to send out at least one more player (earning at least $5.63MM) to make a trade legal. The Suns would likely prefer Cody Martin ($8.12MM), a versatile wing who is having a solid bounce-back year after a couple injury-plagued seasons, while Charlotte may want to include veteran point guard Vasilije Micic ($7.72MM), the former EuroLeague MVP who has struggled with his shot since making the move to the NBA in 2023.

Both Martin and Micic have one more year of team control beyond this season, but neither player’s 2025/26 salary is guaranteed at this point. The same goes for Richards.

The Suns, who are facing second-apron restrictions, could also legally acquire Grant Williams ($13.03MM) or Josh Green ($12.65MM) along with Richards in exchange for Nurkic, though Williams is out for the season following knee surgery. Both he and Green have two more guaranteed years on their contracts after this season.

Phoenix currently has three tradable second-round picks: Denver’s 2026 and 2031 picks and the Suns’ own 2031 second-rounder. Even if the Suns were willing to include all three of those picks, it’s unclear whether the Hornets would have the appetite to take on Nurkic, whose sizable guaranteed salary would significantly reduce their flexibility in ’25/26 — especially if Charlotte can’t get out of a multiyear deal of its own in the process.

As we wrote earlier today in a Front Office article, the Hornets have several potential trade chips who are earning mid-level money or less, which could make them an intriguing trade partner for a team facing apron-related restrictions. The Suns wouldn’t be able to trade Nurkic for a player earning more than his $18.13MM salary, but could potentially acquire multiple rotation-caliber players from Charlotte if they’re able to sufficiently sweeten the pot with draft assets.

Latest On Jimmy Butler

January 11th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

As Jimmy Butler serves out his seven-game suspension, the Heat don’t appear any closer to finding someone to take him off their hands, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy. Numerous executives and other league sources who talked to Bulpett expressed skepticism that Miami will be presented with a deal to its liking before the February 6 trade deadline.

It’s partially due to Butler’s age and desire for a contract extension this summer, but it’s also because of his history of disrupting teams whenever he’s unhappy.

“It’s more difficult than people think,” said one team’s head of basketball operations. “First of all, Jimmy’s 35 and doesn’t have much value. And then the team that would like him the most is probably Phoenix, because they’re so bad and they have the worst contract in (Bradley) Beal. Other than that, I don’t know of any teams that would want to take on Jimmy Butler, other than teams that just want to dump contracts — and Miami won’t go for that. I just don’t know how it’s going to work.

“But all this stuff with Jimmy — all the stuff in Miami and Minnesota and Chicago and Philly — all of it is because he wants to get paid. That’s where he’s at right now. He wants to be paid for what he’s done for Miami.”

Butler, who’s in his sixth year with the Heat, has only appeared in 22 of the team’s first 36 games. Coming into this season, he had vowed to be more available after being challenged by team president Pat Riley when Miami was eliminated from the playoffs last spring. Butler has played 58, 52, 57, 64 and 60 games the past five seasons, and his frequent absences have made the organization reluctant to offer the extension he wants.

Butler is scoring 17.6 PPG so far this season — his lowest mark in more than a decade — although his shooting splits remain strong at .552/.375/.788. At age 35, there’s plenty of doubt around the league about whether he can still play at a level to justify an expensive new contract. Butler has stated that he plans to turn down his $52.4MM player option for next season and test free agency, but that may not be his best financial move if he’s still in Miami past the deadline.

“You’d have to say Jimmy’s been good for Miami overall, but he’s also been very difficult,” a league source told Bulpett. “I think it’s just reached an end. It’s like he’s in charge; he doesn’t play all the time, and he’s had injuries that always seem to come up. He’s not as good as it was. He got a lot of mileage out of being a leader, a go-to guy, a big game player, but he wasn’t there night in and night out.”

Rival executives were skeptical about Riley’s commitment to Butler when he announced in late December that the Heat were taking him off the market, Bulpett adds. The feeling was that Riley was responding to what he viewed as inadequate trade offers.

“I really believe (the Heat) had discussions (with other teams) about Jimmy before Pat said, ‘We’re not trading Jimmy Butler.’ At the very least, they went through every single team and what was realistic — like, there’s only a handful of teams that are trying to win right now and that Jimmy would want to go to,” one executive said. “And Miami looked at everything and basically said they weren’t doing any of that crap. So Pat says they’re not trading him, and Jimmy says what he says. So maybe now Jimmy will be open to more teams that he’d be willing to go to.”

Butler has been working out at Kaseya Center with assistant coach Octavio De La Grana and two other staff members while the Heat are on a road trip, but coach Erik Spoelstra declined to comment on those proceedings before tonight’s game at Portland, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

“Of course I’ve talked to him. I’m very close to coach,” Spoelstra told reporters. “That’s between me and coach O, with all due respect.”

Trade talks regarding Butler are ongoing, but the Heat still haven’t received an offer they consider acceptable, a source tells Jackson, who adds that they remain willing to bring him back for a January 17 home game if he’s not traded by then.

Jackson also hears that Miami wouldn’t be opposed to keeping Butler on the roster for the rest of the season and dealing with the situation this summer.

NBA Postpones Saturday’s Rockets-Hawks Game

January 11th, 2025 at 9:17am CST by Tristan Tucker

The NBA is postponing Saturday afternoon’s game between the Rockets and the Hawks, the league announced in a press release (Twitter link).

According to the release, the decision was made in consultation with local officials amid severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area. The new game date will be decided at a later time.

This marks the league’s third postponement announcement in as many days, though the other affected games are due to the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

The Rockets are next scheduled to return home to play the Grizzlies on Monday while the Hawks don’t play again until Tuesday in Atlanta.

The Hawks have announced (via Twitter) that original parking and tickets would remain valid for entry for the new date, whenever that ends up being.

NBA Postpones Saturday’s Lakers, Clippers Games

January 10th, 2025 at 10:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has decided to postpone the Lakers and Clippers games that had been scheduled to take place on Saturday in Los Angeles, the league announced in a press release (Twitter link).

The Spurs had been scheduled to face the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, while the Hornets were supposed to make their first visit to the Intuit Dome to face the Clippers. Dates for the rescheduled games will be announced at a later time, according to the league.

The NBA and its two Los Angeles teams have been communicating with local officials in L.A. and Inglewood, the league said in its statement, adding that postponing the games will ensure no resources are diverted from the wildfire response efforts.

The NBA also said that the league and the players’ union are donating $1MM in support of those affected by the L.A. wildfires, with that money going to the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, and other organizations.

Both the Lakers and Clippers are also scheduled to play home games on Monday, with the Lakers hosting the Spurs (again) and the Clippers scheduled to play the Heat. Those matchups are up in the air for now, though Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link) hears that the Clippers expect to play their game vs. Miami.

Saturday’s game is the second postponement for both the Lakers and Hornets, who had been scheduled to face one another on Thursday.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick fought back tears during a media session on Friday discussing the impact of the fires on his community and the loss of his family’s home, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I was not prepared for what I saw,” Redick said. “It’s complete devastation and destruction. I had to go a kind of a different way to the house, but I went through most of the [Palisades] Village and it’s all gone. And I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that. Our home, our home is gone.

“… The Palisades community has really just been so good to us. I think that’s the part for us that we’re really struggling with is just the loss of community. And I recognize that people make up community, and we’re going to rebuild, and we want to help lead on that. But all the churches, the schools, the library, like, it’s all gone.”

Redick spoke to reporters about some of the irreplaceable personal and family items that were lost, but stressed that he’s more concerned about those affected by the fires who will have a harder time dealing with the aftermath.

“I don’t want people to feel sorry for me and my family,” Redick said. “We’re going to be alright. There are people that, because of some political issues and some insurance issues, are not going to be alright. And we’re going to do everything we can to help anybody who is down and out because of this.”

Pistons Adjusting Thinking On How To Use Cap Space

January 10th, 2025 at 7:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Although they lost to Golden State on Thursday, the Pistons remain firmly in the play-in picture in the East, with a 19-19 record that puts them in a tie for eighth place in the conference. They’ve already exceeded their win total from both last season (14) and the 2022/23 campaign (17).

With that in mind, team sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) that the Pistons are “adjusting their thinking” as they consider how to use the $14MM in cap room they still have available.

As Windhorst explains, teams across the NBA had been viewing that cap space as “for rent” at the trade deadline, with Detroit believed to be planning on taking on unwanted salary in order to continue stockpiling draft assets. However, Windhorst suggests the club may be more “judicious” about how it uses that room.

Instead of simply serving as a dumping ground for bad contracts and draft assets, the Pistons figure to consider scenarios that would upgrade this season’s roster and/or leave them with flexibility for next season.

Besides their $14MM in remaining cap space, Detroit will also have the $8MM room exception available, which could be used to take on one or more smaller contracts in a trade after the club uses its room.

The cap space and room exception couldn’t be combined to take on a player earning more than $14MM, but that $8MM exception could put the club in position to make multiple deadline trades, perhaps upgrading this year’s roster in one deal while acting as a third-team facilitator for draft assets in another.

While there are a number of other teams around the NBA who are well below the luxury tax line and are in position to help facilitate deals by taking on salary, the Pistons are the only one of 30 clubs still operating below the salary cap, giving them a leg up in terms of maneuverability.

Thunder’s Ajay Mitchell Out At Least 10-12 Weeks

January 10th, 2025 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell has undergone a procedure to address a turf toe sprain in the great toe on his right foot, the team announced today in a press release.

According to the Thunder, the plan is to reevaluate Mitchell in approximately 10-to-12 weeks. That means he’s expected to be sidelined until at least late March, and possibly beyond that.

The 38th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Mitchell has been one of the more impressive performers in this season’s rookie class. He has been a regular part of the rotation for the West-leading Thunder, appearing in the team’s first 34 games of the season and averaging 16.5 minutes per night. He missed the past two games due to what Oklahoma City initially referred to as a sprained toe.

The 22-year-old shooting guard has recorded 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest, with an excellent shooting line of .506/.431/.848.

Mitchell had been considered a strong candidate to be promoted from his two-way contract to a standard deal at some point this season. That’s still a possibility, but there will be less urgency for the Thunder to make a move until late in the season, since the former UC Santa Barbara is no longer at risk of reaching his 50-game NBA limit in February or March.

The Thunder would have to promote Mitchell to the 15-man roster to make him eligible for the postseason.

Pelicans Suspend Zion Williamson For One Game

January 10th, 2025 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have suspended forward Zion Williamson one game for a violation of team policies, the club announced today in a press release.

“This one game suspension is a result of failing to meet our team standards,” executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin in a statement. “His dedication to this organization is of paramount significance to us and to him. He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that commitment to the team today. I’m confident he will continue to evolve positively on and off the floor.”

Williamson will be unavailable for Friday’s game in Philadelphia, then will rejoin the team on Saturday, according to the Pelicans.

Although the team didn’t provide any additional details on the exact nature of the violation, Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link) reports that Williamson was late for the Pelicans’ team flight to Philadelphia on Thursday, while NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) says the 24-year-old has also been late for multiple practices this season.

Williamson confirmed in a statement of his own that the suspension was related to his tardiness.

“I take full responsibility for this suspension,” he said. “I’ve worked extremely hard in rehab to get healthy to deliver for this team. There is no excuse for being late to team activities. I have apologized to (Pelicans owner) Mrs. (Gayle) Benson and my teammates and coaches and I also owe an apology to the fans. I can and will be better as a teammate and member of this organization.”

Williamson just returned to action on Tuesday after missing more than two months due to a hamstring strain. The former No. 1 overall pick looked good in his first game back, racking up 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 28 minutes of action. He also contributed six rebounds, four assists, and three steals and was a +8 in a game New Orleans lost by seven points.

However, Williamson sat out on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back and will now miss Friday’s contest too, so his second outing of 2025 won’t happen until Sunday, when the Pelicans visit Boston.

By rule, the suspension will cost Williamson 1/145th of his $36,725,670 salary for the 2024/25 season. That works out to $253,280.

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