Brandon Ingram Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: George, Kuzma, Valanciunas, Ingram, Butler, Wiggins

February 6th, 2025 at 10:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Paul George thought he’d be competing for a championship this season when he signed with the Sixers. Instead, the star forward has spent his first season in Philadelphia battling injuries. He has been sidelined by knee, groin, ankle and finger injuries that have limited him to 31 games.

“It’s super frustrating,” George told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Super frustrating, especially, coming in with big goals and what I wanted to accomplish and what the team wants to accomplish, and then to always have these setbacks. It’s super frustrating, I for sure feel it. But you know all the bad luck, something has to change. That’s all I can kind of weigh on is, things will change. There are positives in all of it. I just got to weather the storm.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas continues the Wizards’ necessary strategy in a tear-down rebuild, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. The roster has been almost completely made over since president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over the top front office jobs. Those trades continue the Wizards’ aim of accumulating draft picks and providing young players with heavy minutes.
Trading for Brandon Ingram is an unusual step for a seemingly rebuilding team like the Raptors, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. While Ingram is a mid-range ace, his overall game is flawed and the Raptors gave up valuable assets for him, according to Koreen, who believes it’s likely they’ll make a strong offer, probably at least $35MM per season, to retain him when he enters free agency this offseason.
As Sportsnet’s Michael Grange details, the Raptors were looking for a significant piece to pair with franchise player Scottie Barnes and wouldn’t have had the cap space necessary this summer to get a top free agent like Barnes. In the big picture, the Raptors believe Ingram can help them be competitive next season and beyond.
With the Jimmy Butler standoff finally in the rear mirror, Heat players expressed not only relief but also excitement that Andrew Wiggins was part of the package from Golden State, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I think it’s going to take a huge weight off everybody’s shoulders once we can move forward from everything, once it’s over with,” Terry Rozier said. “Who we got and we can move forward with that, and try to put it together and get ready for the playoffs. I think it’s a huge lift for everybody, just clarity… Obviously, we’ve been the talk of the town for probably the last month. I think it’s going to be huge for our locker room just knowing what we got going out there. It’s going to be a huge help for us.”

Warriors Shift Focus Back To Jimmy Butler

February 5th, 2025 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

After getting word that Kevin Durant was opposed to the idea of reuniting with Golden State, the Warriors have opted to move on to other trade targets, ending their pursuit of the Suns forward, Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic confirm, echoing earlier reports.

According to Amick and Slater, the Warriors were willing to make a substantial offer for Durant and might have been in position to land him if he’d been even lukewarm on the possibility of coming back to the Bay Area, but they didn’t want to risk having to deal with a disgruntled KD.

On the subject of disgruntled stars, Amick and Slater say it’s still up in the air whether the Warriors will get back in the mix for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who has also made it clear he’s not enthusiastic about the idea of being traded to Golden State.

However, NBA insider Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Warriors have indeed shifted their focus back to trying to acquire Butler.

Golden State’s pursuit of Butler has seemingly been on and off again for the better part of a month. Shortly after the 35-year-old formally requested a trade, reports indicated that the Warriors didn’t plan to seek out a deal for him, but they exhibited renewed interest last week when the Heat’s asking price reportedly dropped.

Although ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said over the weekend that the Warriors were once again backing off Butler after he communicated that he wasn’t interested in signing an extension with the team, reports this week have suggested that Golden State was never fully out of the hunt. With Durant seemingly off the table, it makes sense that the Warriors would once again circle back to the Heat star.

As has been the case for weeks, the Suns and Warriors appear to be the frontrunners for Butler. Phoenix has been unable to work out a deal structured around Bradley Beal due to his no-trade clause and pricey contract, but if the Suns are willing to consider the idea of trading Durant to Miami for Butler, the Heat would certainly be interested, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

A swap along those lines would likely require Miami to attach a handful of sweeteners (draft picks, young players, etc.) to entice Phoenix — a third team may also still be necessary due to the Suns’ and Heat’s apron-related restrictions.

A Warriors offer for Butler would likely be centered around Andrew Wiggins, expiring contracts, and draft assets. Dennis Schröder‘s expiring deal (worth $13MM) would probably be part of Golden State’s package, according to Stein (Twitter link).

A team source tells The Athletic that the Warriors remain “determined” to get something done before Thursday’s deadline, so if they miss out on Butler, they could end up pivoting to a secondary target such as Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.

Regarding Ingram, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) says the Pelicans have gained some traction on potential deals involving the star forward. Fischer and Stein have reported that the Raptors and Hawks are among the teams talking to New Orleans about Ingram.

As for Vucevic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links) has heard that the Warriors aren’t sure about pursuing the big man at Chicago’s asking price, but suggests a deal remains possible if Golden State can’t land a bigger-name target and/or the Bulls’ price comes down.

Kevin Durant ‘Highly Unlikely’ To Be Traded To Warriors

February 5th, 2025 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

2:08 pm: ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed during an appearance on NBA Today that Durant has no desire to rejoin the Warriors (Twitter video link).

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), it’s now “highly unlikely” that Durant will be traded to Golden State. Confirming that Durant wants to stay in Phoenix, Gambadoro says there was momentum toward a Durant/Warriors deal in the last 24 hours, but that momentum is gone.

There still may be a path to a Heat/Suns trade centered around Durant and Butler, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), but it’s unclear if Miami could sufficiently sweeten the pot with enough additional assets to get Phoenix to make that move.

2:00 pm: With Kevin Durant at the center of trade speculation leading up to Thursday’s deadline, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) report that there’s a “distinct sense percolating” that the Suns forward would prefer not to be traded this week.

Unlike his teammate Bradley Beal, Durant doesn’t hold a no-trade clause and doesn’t have the ability to veto a deal if the Suns decide they want to move him.

Beal’s no-trade clause and unfavorable contract have prevented Phoenix from finding a way to swap him out for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, which is a key reason why the Durant rumors have picked up in recent days. As we relayed this morning, a multi-team trade that sends Durant to Golden State and Butler to Phoenix is reportedly considered a possibility.

While Golden State has frequently been cited as the team pursuing Durant most aggressively, there’s a belief that the former Warriors star would have “serious reservations” about reuniting with his former team, according to Stein and Fischer.

As The Stein Line’s duo writes, Durant left the Warriors in 2019 due to his desire for a change of scenery, and there was a sense at that time that he no longer wanted to play with Draymond Green.

Of course, it’s not out of the question that Green could be part of a trade package for Durant in a multi-team scenario, Stein and Fischer write. That echoes reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic (YouTube link) and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link), both of whom suggested that the Warriors’ longtime defensive stalwart isn’t untouchable in trade talks.

The Warriors would realistically need to send out at least one of Green ($24.1MM) or Andrew Wiggins ($26.3MM) for matching purposes in a deal for any maximum-salary player like Durant, but Wiggins has been viewed as the more likely outgoing piece.

While a Tuesday report indicated that Phoenix has interest in Green, the Suns wouldn’t have a viable path to acquiring him and Butler as part of a return for Durant due to their second-apron limitations.

One source briefed on the trade talks told Stein and Fischer that the Warriors may still be inclined to try to trade for Durant even if they don’t believe he’d enthusiastically welcome a second go-round in the Bay Area.

Here are a few more items of interest from Stein and Fischer:

The Stein Line’s duo confirms a prior report which stated that the Wizards will probably to hang onto Khris Middleton through the trade deadline after agreeing to acquire him from Milwaukee. Washington is expected to try to trade Middleton at some point, Stein and Fischer say, but it’s more likely to happen during the offseason.
The Pelicans continue to talk to the Raptors and Hawks about possible Brandon Ingram trades, and there are still multi-team scenarios in play in which Ingram could be involved in a Butler deal, according to Stein and Fischer.
After ducking below the tax line in the Daniel Theis deal with Oklahoma City, New Orleans will be careful not to cross back over that threshold in any Ingram deal. The Pelicans also aren’t inclined to take on multi-year money, and if they were offered a player on a longer-team contract like Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic as part of a package for Ingram, they’d likely ask for additional draft compensation on top of their “high valuation” for the star forward, Stein and Fischer report.

Pelicans Rumors: Ingram, Hawks, Tax, Theis, Green, Robinson-Earl, Boston

February 4th, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks are among the teams who’ve called the Pelicans to gauge the price tag on forward Brandon Ingram, league sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta’s interest in Ingram was previously reported by The Stein Line.

Ingram, who has a 15 percent trade kicker unless he chooses to waive it, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Ingram has been out since Dec. 7 due to a left ankle sprain and there’s still no timetable for his return.

In talks between the Hawks and Pelicans, Scotto hears New Orleans would be reluctant to take back future salary, including the contract of Bogdan Bogdanovic, who’s owed $16MM for the 2025/26 season and has a team option worth $16MM for the 2026/27 season.

It still could be a hard sell for New Orleans to complete an Ingram deal. The Pelicans have been fielding offers for Ingram since last summer, but there hasn’t been much traction on a potential trade, The Athletic’s William Guillory reports.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Along with gauging interest in Ingram and his $36MM expiring contract, another item on the agenda for the Pelicans is ducking the luxury tax, Scotto adds. League executives anticipate that Daniel Theis ($2.8MM salary this season), Javonte Green ($2.425MM) and/or Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2MM) could be on the move.
Guillory said the franchise also must decide if it is committed to retaining Zion Williamson long-term and whether to obtain assets by trading CJ McCollum to a contender.
Once the trade deadline passes, there’s a strong belief the Pelicans will convert two-way guard Brandon Boston Jr. to a standard contract, according to Scotto. Boston has already appeared in 41 games, including 10 starts, averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.9 minutes. Two-way players have a 50-game limit before a team must decide whether to offer a standard deal, waive them, or leave them in the G League the rest of the season.

Trade Rumors: Warriors, Ingram, Durant, Hawks, Bucks, Raptors, TPEs

February 4th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Count Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram among the star players the Warriors have checked in on, league sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

While it doesn’t sound like Ingram is at the top of Golden State’s wish list as the front office seeks an impact player, the club has explored what it would take to land the former All-Star, according to Stein and Fischer, who say that the Warriors could pivot to Ingram if they’re not able to gain traction on any of their higher-profile targets.

One of those higher-profile targets is Suns forward Kevin Durant. Exploring the possibility of a Warriors trade for Durant, Stein and Fischer echo a point made by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, writing that even if Phoenix is willing to move the former MVP (a big if), there’s a “measure of concern” in Golden State about how eager Durant would be for another go-round with the Warriors.

Durant doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, but given that the Warriors would have to put together a substantial package to convince the Suns to part with him, they’d presumably like to be confident that he wanted to be there.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA, with this year’s deadline just two days away:

There’s still an expectation that the Hawks will make a deal involving Bogdan Bogdanovic this week, according to Stein and Fischer, who say that Atlanta continues for now to explore “more ambitious” trade scenarios, including one possibility that would feature Ingram.
The Bucks continue to consider trades involving Pat Connaughton and his $9.4MM salary, either to shed his contract to duck below the second tax apron or to use his deal as a matching piece to bring back a more reliable wing. Stein and Fischer hear from sources that Sixers forward Caleb Martin and his twin brother Cody Martin of the Hornets are among the players Milwaukee has looked at in a potential deal for Connaughton. Both players are earning about $8.1MM this season.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca takes an in-depth look at the Raptors‘ trade options in the coming days, examining what it would take to get them to part with Jakob Poeltl, whether their reported interest in Ingram is legit, and why players like Bogdanovic and Andrew Wiggins may not fit the timeline of Toronto’s roster.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) shares some details on how the Kings and Bulls completed the three-team trade involving De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine. Chicago took Kevin Huerter into an existing traded player exception, creating a new $17.1MM TPE for LaVine, while Sacramento used a portion of an existing TPE to take on Sidy Cissoko, generating a new exception worth $16.8MM (Huerter’s outgoing salary). The Kings were unable to acquire LaVine and Cissoko by aggregating the outgoing salaries of Fox and Jordan McLaughlin because LaVine received a portion ($3MM) of his trade bonus, increasing his cap hits for this season and next season by $1.5MM apiece.

Raptors Considering Major Deals Ahead Of Trade Deadline

February 1st, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors are eager to shake up their roster before Thursday’s deadline and have interest in either facilitating a Jimmy Butler trade or acquiring Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Stein published a piece earlier this week detailing Toronto’s interest in Ingram. Since then, he says Stein Line partner Jake Fischer has heard from several sources that team president Masai Ujiri is considered to be a “fan of Ingram’s.” Ujiri is hoping to add a “significant piece” to his roster and reportedly likes the idea of combining Ingram’s scoring prowess with Scottie Barnes‘ play-making abilities.

However, the Raptors also want to be part of a potential deal if the Heat can find a taker for Butler, and they likely don’t have the resources to pull off both trades. Their primary salary-matching asset is Bruce Brown‘s $23MM expiring contract, while Chris Boucher and Davion Mitchell – both on expiring deals – are also being made available.

Sources tell Stein that if the Warriors decide to make an offer for Butler, they would likely feature Andrew Wiggins as the centerpiece. There’s a “strong expectation” that Toronto would try to get involved in that deal to land the Canadian, according to Stein.

Fischer recently reported that the Heat would have some interest in adding Brown, and Stein calls them “reluctant in the extreme” to take back any contracts that extend beyond 2025/26. That means they’d be less inclined to take on Wiggins, who has a $30.1MM player option for the 2026/27 season.

Brown’s salary would also be vital in the effort to acquire Ingram from New Orleans. Stein points out that Toronto hasn’t enjoyed much success in free agency, so trading for Ingram now could be a wise move before he becomes a free agent in July.

There are a limited number of teams projected to have cap space this summer, and taking a few months to build a relationship with Ingram could give the Raptors an advantage toward signing him to a long-term deal. They would hold his Bird rights in the offseason if they trade for him at the deadline.

Trade Rumors: Butler, Pelicans, Fox, Spurs, Yabusele, Wolves, Bogdanovic

January 31st, 2025 at 7:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing a Friday report that stated the Pelicans have contacted Miami about Jimmy Butler, John Gambadoro of Arizona 98.7 tweets that New Orleans has “no interest” in trading for the Heat forward.

Butler doesn’t want to go to New Orleans and the Pelicans would be hard-pressed to add him in a swap involving Brandon Ingram without increasing their team salary, which they don’t want to do, Gambadoro notes (via Twitter), adding that he believes the Heat or Butler’s agent are using the Pelicans for leverage.

For what it’s worth, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line – who initially co-reported the Pelicans/Heat discussions along with Marc Stein – said in a Bleacher Report stream on Friday (video link) that while the two teams have talked, he doesn’t think Butler ending up in New Orleans “sounds likely at all.”

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

Despite some chatter from local media in San Antonio about the Spurs potentially gaining momentum toward a De’Aaron Fox trade, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) hears from a source with knowledge of the situation that “all is quiet as of now” and that no deal involving the Kings star appears imminent. If the Spurs do make a deal for Fox, it’s unlikely to include Stephon Castle, according to plugged-in Sacramento reporter Damien Barling of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link), who says indications are that San Antonio won’t be willing to give up the rookie guard.
In another story for The Stein Line (Substack link), Fischer adds the Timberwolves to the list of teams that have inquired on Sixers big man Guerschon Yabusele. Philadelphia has received offers that include multiple second-round picks for Yabusele, according to Fischer.
After Stein reported on Thursday that the Hawks are actively exploring potential Bogdan Bogdanovic trades, Fischer follows up (Substack link) by citing momentum toward a deal, with confidence rising in Atlanta that a deal will get down. However, both Stein and Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) dispute that a deal with the Suns involving Jusuf Nurkic is among the options currently under consideration.

Pelicans Contact Heat About Jimmy Butler

January 31st, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are the latest team to get involved in Jimmy Butler trade talks, Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reveal in a Substack column (subscriber only).

League sources tell Fischer and Stein that New Orleans contacted the Heat this week about Butler, although terms of the offer weren’t divulged. The authors’ sources say Brandon Ingram‘s $36MM expiring contract would be the basis of the deal.

The Pelicans have been exploring the trade market for Ingram after being unable to work out an extension with him last summer. Sources tell The Stein Line that New Orleans has been attempting to use Ingram’s contract to facilitate a Butler trade, but eventually decided to make its own offer.

Even though Ingram hasn’t played since December 7 due to injury, getting a player with his pedigree would intrigue the Heat as they prepare to make a playoff run. However, the authors aren’t sure what Butler’s reaction might be to joining a 12-36 New Orleans team whose season has been derailed by injuries to numerous rotation players.

Butler makes roughly $12.8MM more than Ingram this season, so the Pelicans would have to add multiple players to match salaries. Fischer and Stein note that they’re currently almost $1.5MM over the tax line and are expected to maneuver underneath it to avoid paying the tax in a lost season. That means one or more additional teams may have to get involved to allow them to acquire Butler and still duck the tax.

The Suns remain Butler’s preferred destination, according to the authors, but that possibility looks increasingly remote as no teams want to take on Bradley Beal‘s contract and Beal appears unlikely to waive his no-trade clause. That leaves the Pelicans with the Warriors, Bucks and Grizzlies as teams that have been publicly linked to Butler. They all have the resources to complete a deal, but Fischer and Stein note that none of them have gone all-in with their efforts to acquire the disgruntled forward.

Stein reported earlier this week that the Raptors have expressed interest in Ingram, marking the first movement on that front in several months. The Pelicans also had preliminary discussions with the Hawks about Ingram, but sources told Stein that they “have not gained significant traction.”

Scotto’s Latest: Bogdanovic, Hawks, K. Johnson, Ingram, Pistons

January 31st, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Rival teams are watching the Hawks ahead of next week’s trade deadline to see which players they’re willing to part with in the wake of a season-ending injury to Jalen Johnson, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. League sources tell Scotto there’s a “growing sense” that Bogdan Bogdanovic could be on the market, echoing a report from Marc Stein earlier this week.

Scotto hears that the Suns, Heat and others could have interest in working out a deal for Bogdanovic. Phoenix is reportedly hoping to combine one of its newly acquired first-round picks with Jusuf Nurkic to acquire either a starter or a “high-level” rotation player, and Scotto’s sources say the team considers Bogdanovic to fit that description. He adds that a deal involving Bogdanovic for Nurkic and a pick has been discussed as part of a “larger potential construct.”

Injuries have limited Bogdanovic to 24 games this season, and he is currently away from the team for personal reasons. At 32, he’s not a good fit with Atlanta’s young core, especially if the Hawks are focused on the future rather than a postseason appearance following Johnson’s injury.

Bogdanovic is having an uncharacteristically bad shooting season, connecting at just 37.1% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range, but Scotto states that several teams believe a change of scenery could help. He’s a career 38% shooter from long distance and is under contract for one more season at $16MM, with a $16MM player option for 2026/27.

Scotto offers a few more trade rumors:

Several teams have reached out to the Hawks about veteran center Clint Capela, sources tell Scotto. However, many of those offers involve players whose contracts extend beyond this season, while Capela’s deal is expiring. Atlanta has also received interest in De’Andre Hunter, Scotto adds.
Keldon Johnson could be part of the package if the Spurs work out a multi-team deal to acquire De’Aaron Fox from the Kings, according to Scotto’s sources. Johnson, who averaged 22 PPG two years ago, is appealing because his $19MM salary declines to $17.5MM in each of the next two seasons. Scotto adds that San Antonio checked on the price of Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram earlier this season, but it was nothing more than “exploratory interest.”
The Pistons are willing to use their $14MM in cap space to help facilitate trades, but they want a first-round pick in return, Scotto notes, adding that several teams looking to unload salaries to escape the luxury tax or the second apron have made calls to Detroit.

Trade Rumors: Butler, George, Lakers, Kessler, Turner, Raptors

January 29th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at the clubs who could potentially get involved in a multi-team Jimmy Butler trade, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel adds the Sixers to the list of possible facilitators.

Given the contracts on their books, it’s hard to see how the 76ers could realistically get involved unless Paul George is an outgoing piece, since Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey aren’t going anywhere, no one else on the roster makes more than $8.2MM, and the club isn’t well positioned to absorb salary.

For what it’s worth, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter video link) recently broached the possibility of Philadelphia reacquiring Butler in a deal that sends out George, noting that Embiid had interest in the idea of reuniting with Butler before the Sixers signed George.

However, Goodwill added that the Sixers told George they wouldn’t trade him in the first year of the four-year contract he signed in July. Even if they were willing to do so, I think George’s value has probably taken a significant hit since the summer based on how the first half of the season played out, so I’m skeptical about how much interest the Heat or another team would have in taking on his long-term max deal.

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

On the heels of Anthony Davis declaring publicly that he thinks the Lakers need to add another big man, the team has made acquiring a center an even greater priority, team and league sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. With that in mind, Buha runs through a number of targets who might make sense for Los Angeles, starting with Jazz center Walker Kessler. Buha views Kessler as an ideal fit in L.A. and advocates for the Lakers to aggressively pursue him, noting that the cost would likely be two first-round picks or an unprotected first-rounder and rookie Dalton Knecht.
Within the same Athletic article, Buha writes that the Lakers have “long coveted” Pacers big man Myles Turner and explains that some people view Turner as “sneakily gettable” because it’s unclear whether Indiana is prepared to pay him $30MM per year in free agency. Still, even if he’s available, acquiring Turner would be challenging, given that other teams would have interest and the postseason-bound Pacers would likely want a starting-caliber center in return, Buha adds.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) takes a closer look at the Turner dilemma facing the Pacers, breaking down the case for keeping and re-signing him and the case for trading him.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link) suggests not reading too much into the report linking the Raptors to Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. As Lewenberg explains, Toronto always does its due diligence when a star player becomes available and is likely doing the same with Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the team is serious about acquiring either player.