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Western Rumors: Suns, Rockets, O’Neale, Tate, Jazz, Grizzlies

February 8th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns continue to keep an eye on Nets forward Royce O’Neale and Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from league sources that Phoenix has discussed a package of Nassir Little and second-round picks for one of those two players.

As Scotto details, the Suns are hoping to find a wing and/or a frontcourt piece on the trade market and will likely be aggressive on the buyout market looking for that sort of player if they’re unable to make a deal. Phoenix will be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM, but not every player on the buyout market will fit that bill.

The Rockets, who are among the other teams with interest in O’Neale, have sought either a late first-round pick or multiple second-rounders to part with Tate, league sources tell Scotto. Aaron Holiday is another Houston player who has generated trade interest.

If the Rockets were to acquire draft assets for a player like Tate or Holiday, they could ultimately flip those picks for another rotation player, Scotto writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference in advance of today’s trade deadline:

  • Scotto hears from multiple executives who have explored trading for Kelly Olynyk that the Jazz are seeking draft compensation — ideally a first-round pick. Another potential Utah trade candidate, Kris Dunn, appears likely to stick with the team through the deadline unless the team gets an “unexpected” offer it can’t refuse, a league source tells HoopsHype.
  • The Jazz have had some talks with the Hornets about forward P.J. Washington, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says John Collins came up in those discussions.
  • Rival executives believe that some of the Grizzlies‘ recent first-round picks – Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia – could be trade candidates, given the emergence of cheaper youngsters like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, says Scotto. Memphis is facing a bit of a roster and cap crunch for 2024/25, so creating a bit more flexibility in both areas would help.
  • Suns head coach Frank Vogel said on Wednesday won’t mind if his front office decides to stand pat at the deadline, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m very in the loop with all of those conversations, but as I said (Tuesday), we love where we’re at as a team,” Vogel said. “If we don’t do anything, I’ll be really happy with the group we have, but obviously, you always look at ways to improve your team.”
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Southwest Notes: Spurs, McDermott, Oladipo, Pelicans, Mavs

February 8th, 2024 at 7:32am CST by Luke Adams

Although they were linked earlier in the season to Atlanta guard Dejounte Murray, the Spurs are much more likely to be sellers than buyers at Thursday’s trade deadline, says Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). According to head coach Gregg Popovich, San Antonio’s goal in any deal would be to improve its prospects beyond this season.

“Our focus is not immediate other than individual development and team concepts,” Popovich said. “But if there’s a trade that would make sense both now and for the long-term, of course we look at it.”

According to McDonald, veterans Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and Devonte’ Graham appear to be the Spurs’ most likely trade candidates. McDermott, who is on an expiring contract, said it’s “always good to be wanted,” but admitted he feels fortunate to be coached by Popovich and wouldn’t mind sticking around through the deadline — and even beyond that.

“Shooting is at premium in this league, and I know I can do it with the best of them,” McDermott said. “At the same time, I love being here, I love being with this young team. I think there is a lot of potential for the future here and it is awesome to be a part of. … It’s a special place to be. I would love to be here forever.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

  • Victor Oladipo, whom the Grizzlies acquired as a salary-matching piece in last week’s Steven Adams trade, will be waived after the deadline if he’s not flipped to a new team today, confirms Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link).
  • Both Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (link via Marc Stein) and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via the Woj Pod) stated that the Pelicans have talked to the Hawks about Dejounte Murray, corroborating similar reporting from Jake Fischer. However, Stein says those discussions don’t appear to have gained much traction.
  • Following an impressive victory over the Clippers on Wednesday, the Pelicans have now won four straight at hold a top-six seed in the West at 30-21. After dealing with injury issues in recent seasons, New Orleans has been thriving this year in large part due to the availability of its “big three” of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com outlines.
  • The Mavericks have played sub-.500 basketball since Christmas and could really benefit from a trade or two, writes Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News. As Sherrington details, offseason addition Grant Williams has faded after a strong start and Maxi Kleber isn’t available enough to be relied upon, so a wing and a big man figure to be atop Dallas’ wish list.
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Trade Rumors: Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Bridges, Mavs, Kuzma, Brown, Knicks, More

February 8th, 2024 at 6:44am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SportsCenter late on Wednesday night (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Sixers and Pistons have had recent trade discussions about players like Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that those talks “largely broke down” on Wednesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Sixers and Pistons won’t reengage on Thursday, but Philadelphia is exploring several avenues in search of size and shooting. The 76ers have also talked to the Bulls about multiple players, including DeMar DeRozan, Wojnarowski stated on the latest episode of the Woj Pod.

The challenge in trading with the Bulls, Woj explains, is that they want to remain competitive this season, so they’re not looking to sell off starters or key rotation players for draft assets. Given that position, it may be difficult for a contender to make more than a minor deal with Chicago, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) believes Philadelphia is the potential trade partner worth keeping the closest eye on for the Bulls.

Besides DeRozan, Andre Drummond is another Bulls player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Sixers. Chicago may take its Drummond talks down to the wire, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack story that the club could command multiple second-round picks for the veteran center.

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

  • Wojnarowski also indicated during his SportsCenter appearances that forward Miles Bridges is “very, very likely” to remain in Charlotte beyond the trade deadline, with the Hornets hoping to re-sign him this offseason. Stein (Substack link) has also heard that Bridges may very well stay put, despite interest from the Suns and a handful of other clubs. The 25-year-old has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he approves a move to a new team.
  • According to Wojnarowski (via the Woj Pod), the Mavericks‘ efforts to pry Kyle Kuzma away from the Wizards haven’t been successful, so Dallas is believed to be pivoting to P.J. Washington and will likely keep talking to the Hornets on Thursday. Stein suggests that Kuzma’s preference has been to stay in D.C. rather than seek a change of scenery, which has been a factor in Washington’s apparent reluctance to move him.
  • The Knicks have been willing to attach a first-round pick to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract in a trade offer for Raptors wing Bruce Brown, but they want to include one of their 2024 first-rounders (their own or Dallas’), reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto, which already controls at least two first-rounders and a high second-rounder in a 2024 draft considered to be weak, has sought a future pick, but New York wants to preserve those selections for a potential deal for a star, Grange explains.
  • Some teams have kicked the tires on Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, Grange reports, though he looks like a long shot to be moved. Although Dennis Schröder is a more likely trade candidate, Grange hears from a league source that the return for the veteran point guard would probably just be second-round picks at best.
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Hoops Rumors’ 2024 NBA Trade Deadline Primer

February 8th, 2024 at 6:00am CST by Luke Adams

Deadline day is finally here. NBA teams will have until today at 2:00 pm Central time to finalize trade agreements. Anyone not traded by that time will be ineligible to be moved until after his team’s season comes to an end this spring.

While it began as a relatively quiet week, three deals were agreed to on Wednesday, and many more significant trades were completed earlier in the season, with James Harden, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Immanuel Quickley, Terry Rozier, and Steven Adams among the players on the move.

[RELATED: 2023/24 In-Season NBA Trades]

Those agreements took plenty of this season’s most noteworthy trade candidates off the market, but there are still plenty of storylines to keep an eye on as Thursday’s deadline nears. Dejounte Murray, Bojan Bogdanovic, Kyle Kuzma, Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield, Miles Bridges, Andrew Wiggins, and Tyus Jones are among the names that have continually popped up in trade rumors.

We’ll be keeping tabs on all the latest news and rumors all day long on Hoops Rumors, leading up to 2:00 pm CT.

In the meantime, here are some of our features and trackers to help you prepare for today’s action:

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Pacific Notes: Bridges, Russell, Thompson, Wiggins, Kings

February 7th, 2024 at 11:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns continue to have interest in working out a trade for Hornets forward Miles Bridges ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The problem, Rankin adds, is that Phoenix doesn’t have many assets available and hasn’t made much progress with an offer of Nassir Little and second-round picks.

Matching Bridges’ salary won’t be an issue because he’s making just $7.9MM this season after accepting Charlotte’s qualifying offer last summer. He would be a short-term rental, Rankin adds, because the Suns aren’t in a financial position to re-sign him when he reaches free agency in July.

Rankin notes that Phoenix is currently $21.5MM over the luxury tax line with an estimated $50.6MM tax bill and is projected to be a second-apron team next season. The Suns have trade exceptions worth $6.5MM and $5MM, but the deadline will present their final chance to send out cash and aggregate salaries in a deal.

The market for Bridges has been limited because of his legal issues, which include a domestic violence incident in 2022 that resulted in a 30-game suspension, as well as a pending court appearance next month for allegedly violating a protection order. He has been productive this season, averaging 21.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 38 games, and scored a career-high 45 points tonight in what could be his final appearance in a Hornets’ uniform.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • Coach Darvin Ham believes the Lakers are in a “great space” heading into deadline day, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The team is back home and brimming with confidence after going 4-2 on its annual Grammys road trip. Price shared a quote from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who said Wednesday on NBA Today that trade speculation surrounding the team, and D’Angelo Russell in particular, seems to have calmed down. “Their calculus has changed in recent weeks with the reemergence of D’Angelo Russell as their point guard,” Wojnarowski said. “Maybe three weeks to a month ago, he was very available. And I think the Lakers thought there might be some opportunities to upgrade on him. That isn’t the case right now. Players who the Lakers have had interest in: Dejounte Murray, Bruce Brown, specifically with Brown, it’s really hard for them to make the money work on a trade without putting D’Angelo Russell in. And that doesn’t make sense for them.”
  • Klay Thompson declined to address trade possibilities after tonight’s game, telling reporters, “I don’t partake in NBA discourse,” tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Asked if he still wants to remain with the Warriors long-term, Thompson responded, “That is correct. Good assessment.” Addressing his own trade prospects, Andrew Wiggins expressed his love for Golden State’s “fans, coaches, organization, teammates,” Slater adds (Twitter link).
  • James Ham of Kings Beat expects a quiet deadline in Sacramento as the Kings‘ rumored interest in Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma hasn’t led to productive negotiations.
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Celtics Notes: Tillman Trade, Stevens, Queta

February 7th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Xavier Tillman was exactly the type of player the Celtics had in mind when they accumulated second-round picks during last year’s draft in anticipation of eventually trading for a big man, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Boston cashed in two of those picks today, fortifying its front line by acquiring Tillman from Memphis.

Tillman provides the Celtics with a strong defensive presence off the bench for potential playoff matchups with the East’s best centers and power forwards. Weiss notes that he possesses the best qualities of the two backup centers the team has been using, combining Neemias Queta‘s physicality and Luke Kornet‘s basketball IQ. Weiss also points out that Tillman often initiated the Grizzlies’ offense from the elbow, the same way Boston does with Kornet. However, his poor shooting this season — 40.8% from the field and 22.6% from three-point range — may present a concern.

After tonight’s win over Atlanta, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla talked to reporters about what he expects Tillman to bring to the team, tweets Souichi Terada of MassLive.

“Skilled. Toughness. Well-coached,” Mazzulla said. “Obviously we paid a lot of attention to him … I think his extra defensive versatility.”

There’s more from Boston:

  • Acquiring Tillman’s Bird rights is a significant move for a team that projects to be above the second tax apron, states Brian Robb of MassLive. Tillman has a $1.9MM expiring contract, but Boston won’t have to worry about cap limitations when negotiating his next contract. Beginning this offseason, second-apron teams can’t aggregate salaries, send cash or use traded player exceptions in any deal in addition to not having access to the mid-level exception, so today’s move is a way of adding another long-term piece to the roster before the team’s options become limited this summer.
  • The Celtics were focused on flexibility when they opted to send Lamar Stevens to Memphis in the deal rather than use one of their trade exceptions and fill their open roster spot, a league source confirms to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Stevens earned a place on the roster after signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Boston last summer, but he wasn’t able to crack the rotation and saw limited playing time in 19 games. Mazzulla complimented Stevens for his professionalism and said he and Stevens are excited about the greater opportunity for playing time with the Grizzlies, Weiss tweets.
  • The open roster spot preserves the chance to convert Queta’s two-way deal to a standard contract. Himmelsbach adds. The third-year center can appear in 28 more games as a two-way player, but he won’t be eligible for the postseason unless he’s on the 15-man roster.
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Fischer’s Latest: Pelicans, Stewart, Hawks, Olynyk, Drummond, Lakers, Nets

February 7th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are searching for a rim protector, but they’ve had to cross at least two names off their wish list, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Sources tell Fischer that New Orleans was hoping to acquire Jarrett Allen, but the Cavaliers aren’t willing to include him in trade talks. The team also targeted Wendell Carter, but Fischer’s sources say the Magic refuse to make him available.

Fischer cites Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart as a potential alternative for the Pelicans. Detroit agreed to two deals today and may be willing to consider moving Stewart as the team reshapes its roster. Hawks centers Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela could also be possibilities, according to Fischer.

Fischer hears that the Pelicans and Hawks were involved in “tangible trade talks” this week involving both centers, along with guard Dejounte Murray, who’s considered one of the top names on this year’s trade market. However, sources tell Fischer that the teams haven’t been able to make any progress toward a deal.

Fischer offers more inside information on the eve of the deadline:

  • Jazz center Kelly Olynyk could be on the way to Toronto, but there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring him, whether it’s from Utah or the Raptors, according to Fischer’s sources. Fischer names the Sixers, Heat and Warriors as teams that have shown interest in Olynyk, adding that the Celtics were also on that list before today’s trade for Xavier Tillman.
  • The Tillman deal removes one suitor for Bulls center Andre Drummond, Fischer adds. The Sixers remain interested in Drummond as a short-term starter while Joel Embiid is injured, according to Fischer, who also lists the Mavericks and Suns as potential landing spots. Fischer’s sources say the Rockets and Lakers also had interest in the veteran center, but they’re considered less likely alternatives. Chicago is hoping for multiple second-round picks in exchange for Drummond, with Fischer noting that it seems like a reasonable price considering that’s what the Celtics gave Memphis for Tillman. Fischer also cautions that the Bulls are hoping to advance through the play-in tournament, so Drummond isn’t certain to be dealt.
  • The Lakers like several Brooklyn players, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale, Fischer adds. He also points out that the Nets have Lonnie Walker, who was popular with L.A. fans in last year’s playoffs and has attracted interest from several contenders.
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Sixers Rumors: Brogdon, Bogdanovic, Hield, Morris, Covington

February 7th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers contacted the Trail Blazers about Malcolm Brogdon, but Portland appears reluctant to move him, sources tell Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Neubeck hears that Philadelphia is attempting to add a combo guard who’s comfortable either running the offense or playing off the ball. That description fits Brogdon, who handled both roles while winning Sixth Man of the Year honors last season in Boston.

An efficient shooter throughout his career, Brogdon is connecting at 44% from the field and 41.2% from three-point range this season. He’s currently making $22.5MM and is owed the same amount for 2024/25, and the Blazers are content to hold onto him unless they’re “bowled over with an offer,” according to Neubeck.

Neubeck reports that the Sixers also made exploratory calls to the Hawks about Bogdan Bogdanovic, but Atlanta is asking for a high price in return. Part of Bogdanovic’s value stems from his team-friendly contract, which pays him $17.3MM next season and $16MM in 2025/26 with a $16MM team option for 2026/27.

Neubeck has more on the Sixers:

  • Philadelphia has interest in Pacers guard Buddy Hield, but Neubeck cites a “gap in valuation” between the teams that makes it unlikely they can agree on a deal. A source tells Neubeck that Indiana wants a first-round pick in exchange for Hield, while the Sixers are limiting their offer to expiring contracts and second-rounders.
  • The front office is hoping to find a starting-caliber center to replace Joel Embiid while he recovers from a knee procedure. Andre Drummond from the Bulls and Kelly Olynyk from the Jazz are widely reported options, but Neubeck hears that the Sixers have explored other possibilities and will likely sign someone if they can’t work out a trade before the deadline.
  • A source tells Neubeck that Marcus Morris and Robert Covington are the most likely Sixers to be traded. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had a similar report on his Hoop Collective podcast.
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Jazz, Raptors Discussing Bruce Brown Trade

February 7th, 2024 at 6:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz have entered the competition to acquire Bruce Brown from the Raptors, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Sources tell Fischer that the teams are discussing the framework of a deal that would send Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to Toronto in exchange for Brown. Draft assets could also be included, as Fischer notes that the Raptors have been insisting on a first-round pick in discussions about Brown with other teams.

Olynyk has a $12.2MM expiring contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 32-year-old big man is a native of Toronto and a member of the Canadian national team, so he might be inclined to re-sign with the Raptors in hopes of finishing his career in his hometown. After starting for the Jazz last season, Olynyk has moved into mostly a reserve role this year and is averaging 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.

Agbaji, who was acquired from Cleveland in the Donovan Mitchell trade, is in his second NBA season. The 22-year-old shooting guard has been fighting for playing time in Utah’s crowded backcourt and is averaging 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per night. The 14th pick in the 2022 draft, Agbaji remains on his rookie contract and will earn $4.3MM next season with a $6.4MM team option for 2025/26.

The Lakers and Knicks have been rumored as Brown’s top pursuers, and Fischer suggests that if he winds up in Utah, it will be an indication that L.A. might not make a significant move before this year’s deadline. Fischer points out that the Lakers will be in a better position to add talent this summer when they’ll have three tradable first-round picks to offer.

Utah has already started to shake up its roster, agreeing to send forward Simone Fontecchio to the Pistons earlier today in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick.

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Central Notes: Hield, Milton, Brown, White, Drummond, Caruso

February 7th, 2024 at 6:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Buddy Hield has been involved in trade rumors since before the start of training camp, but his Pacers teammates hope he won’t be going anywhere, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Hield may be considered expendable because he’s headed for unrestricted free agency after he and the team were unable to reach an extension agreement. Although Hield’s $18.6MM expiring contract could bring a nice return, Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell both told Dopirak that his shooting skills are too valuable to part with.

“I think the one thing that people need to understand with Buddy Hield — and I’ve played with him my whole career — is the gravity that he has as a basketball player,” Haliburton said. “His spacing even when he’s not making shots — which isn’t often, I mean, he’s one of the best shooters who’s ever touched a basketball — his gravity when he’s on the floor and in our stack actions and in our movement actions, a lot of times, you have to respect what he does even if he’s not making shots in the game. You have to run two at them and that kind of opens up everything for us.”

Dopirak notes that Hield is having a subpar season, even though Indiana has developed into one of the league’s best offenses. His scoring has dropped to 12.0 PPG after he averaged 16.8 PPG last year, and his three-point shooting percentage and volume have both declined. Still, only 14 players have made more three-pointers this season, which means Hield puts constant pressure on opposing defenses.

After being traded at the deadline in both 2017 and 2022, Hield isn’t stressed about the possibility of it happening again.

“It’s the business of basketball,” he said. “One thing is I always thank God I have a jersey on me. You always appreciate that somebody wants you out there. If it happens, some team is going to get a Buddy who is ready to play and is excited for new opportunities. Right now I’m happy at Indiana and just taking it day-by-day and we’ll see what happens.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Shake Milton appears to be a buyout candidate for the Pistons once today’s trade with Minnesota is finalized, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger speculates that Milton could wind up with the Bucks, considering how well he played for coach Doc Rivers during their time together in Philadelphia. Hollinger believes Detroit is more likely to hang onto small forward Troy Brown, who fills a position of need and has a non-guaranteed salary of $4MM for next season.
  • K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago looks at how Coby White has become a foundational piece for the Bulls after being made available at the last few trade deadlines. The three-year, $36MM contract White signed last summer looks like a major bargain, Johnson adds.
  • Finding someone willing to part with a second-round pick in exchange for Andre Drummond could be the Bulls‘ only move before the deadline, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. A source tells Cowley that teams continue to call about Alex Caruso, but he’s unlikely to be moved unless the front office receives an offer that “completely blew them away.”
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