Cameron Johnson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Rumors: Grizzlies, Nets, C. Johnson, Wizards, Lakers

December 30th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

After Michael Scotto reported on Sunday that the Grizzlies wanted to include top-15 protection on their 2025 first-round pick in their offer to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith, Marc Stein writes at The Stein Line (Substack link) that one source said the protection on that pick was actually top-17.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post, confirming that the protection on the pick the Grizzlies offered was so heavy that “it might never have conveyed,” adds (via Twitter) that Memphis was asking for the Nets’ own 2025 second-round pick in return. Based on the current standings, those two selections are just 11 picks apart at No. 26 and No. 37, per Tankathon, and they could end up even closer than that if Brooklyn moves further down the standings.

As Stein explains, the Nets were more inclined to take the Lakers’ offer for Finney-Smith since it added three future second-round picks to their stash without requiring them to give up any draft assets of their own. It also didn’t include any guaranteed salary beyond this season, whereas the Grizzlies’ offer would’ve meant taking back John Konchar, whose deal is guaranteed through 2026/27.

Now that they’ve missed out on Finney-Smith, it wouldn’t surprise anyone around the NBA if the Grizzlies continue talking to the Nets and pivot to pursuing forward Cameron Johnson, according to Stein, who adds that Memphis is expected to continue shopping Konchar.

Brooklyn is said to be seeking multiple first-round picks for Johnson, but they were also asking for a first-round pick for both Finney-Smith and Dennis Schröder and ultimately settled for second-rounders, Stein observes. That doesn’t mean they’ll take second-rounders for Johnson too, but it suggests the asking price of “multiple first-round picks” may come down a little before February 6.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from across the league:

Many league observers had been expecting the Lakers to pursue the Wizards duo of Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas and were surprised to see them make a deal with Brooklyn, according to Stein. Los Angeles could still technically make a deal for both of those two Wizards, but it would be difficult to land more than one of them without D’Angelo Russell‘s expiring contract. “I like the combo of Finney-Smith and (Shake) Milton better for the Lakers than the two Washington guys,” one longtime talent evaluator told Stein.
Citing team and league sources, Jovan Buha of The Athletic confirms that the Lakers will continue exploring the trade market for additional upgrades ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. For now, the Lakers’ plan is to assess Finney-Smith’s fit with the current group and make a decision close to the trade deadline on whether it makes sense to give up one or both of their tradable first-rounders (2029 and 2031) in another deal.
Given that Schröder and Finney-Smith were traded for second-round compensation, teams pursuing a first-round pick in exchange for their role-player trade candidates might have trouble getting the return they’re seeking, Stein notes, pointing to Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as a couple examples. Valanciunas, Brogdon, Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, and Raptors teammates Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown are a few of the players believed to be available for second-round picks, Stein adds.

Nets Notes: Russell, Thomas, Johnson, Scott

December 29th, 2024 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Following the reported trade that will see the Nets send Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Lakers for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated suggested (via Twitter) that Russell could be a buyout candidate to monitor.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears that isn’t being considered (Twitter link), with the two sides planning for Russell to head to Brooklyn for a second stint as Net. The impending free agent made his lone All-Star appearance with the team back in 2018/19, Scotto notes.

As Keith Smith of Spotrac writes, part of the reason a Russell buyout seems unlikely is because he earns $18.7MM, well over the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, so he would be ineligible to sign with teams operating over either of the tax aprons if he were released.

Russell has never been known for his consistency and that has been particularly true in ’24/25, with the former No. 2 overall pick seeing his averages drop across the board, including career lows in points (12.4) and minutes per games (26.2). The 28-year-old has started 510 out of 600 regular season games in which he’s appeared during his 10-year career, but has come off the bench for the majority of this season, making just 10 starts in 29 appearances.

Here’s more from Brooklyn:

The Nets will get their leading scorer back on Sunday vs. Orlando, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Cam Thomas, who was previously listed as probable, will return to action after missing the past 13 games with a left hamstring strain. Brooklyn went just 4-9 without the 23-year-old — the team’s offense was ranked eighth in the league prior to the injury, but was 29th in the games he missed, according to Lewis (Twitter links). “He’s done a great job to get himself healthy and ready to play with his teammates…We’re excited to have him back,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “His teammates were excited. He was excited, had a smile on his face. So it’s a good day for us.”
Forward Cameron Johnson was sidelined on Friday with a hip contusion but he’ll return on Sunday as well, Lewis adds. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), rival teams that continue to be under the impression that the Nets value Johnson and have placed a high asking price for him in trade talks, though it’s unclear what specifically they’re looking for in return. The 28-year-old is posting career highs in several statistical categories.
The Nets’ G League affiliate in Long Island has completed a trade, acquiring Tre Scott and a 2026 NBAGL second-round pick from the Osceola Magic in exchange for big man Patrick Gardner. Scott holds two games of NBA experience, having suited up for Cleveland on a 10-day contract back in ’21/22.

Fischer’s Latest: C. Johnson, Kumza, Kings, Little, NBA Cup

December 25th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBA executives who gathered for the G League Showcase in Orlando are curious to see how apron restrictions will affect this year’s trade market, Jake Fischer writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Fischer states that there are fewer movable contracts than in past seasons, and teams will have to become more creative to get deals done. He adds that front offices will be “counting tens of thousands of dollars in wiggle room” as they try to stay below the aprons.

Fischer cites complications that could affect deals involving Nets forward Cameron Johnson and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, who are both rumored to be on the trade market. Johnson is making $22.5MM this season, but he also has $4.5MM in various incentives that bring his “apron salary” to $27MM. They include bonuses for playing at least 42 games, reaching the playoffs, scoring at least 15 points per game, and having a true shooting percentage better than 60%. There are five other bonuses, all of which figure into Johnson’s price for any team that acquires him.

Kuzma is in a similar situation, Fischer notes, with a $23.5MM salary and an extra $3MM in unlikely bonuses. His contract also includes a 15% trade kicker, and Fischer states that his apron salary would increase by another $2MM if he were to be traded today.

There’s more from Fischer:

Teams around the league are keeping a close watch on the Kings, who have dropped into 12th place in the West with four straight losses. That slump, combined with last week’s meeting on De’Aaron Fox‘s future involving his agent and team officials, has “raised expectations” that Sacramento will be active ahead of the February 6 trade deadline, according to Fischer.
Fischer hears that Sioux Falls forward Nassir Little has gotten the attention of several NBA teams with his play at the G League Showcase and during the early part of the season. Little, 24, appeared in 45 games with Phoenix last season, but was limited by numerous injuries. He was a first-round pick by Portland in 2019 and could provide immediate, low-cost help for any team with a roster opening. Sources tell Fischer that Little chose the G League over a chance to play in Europe because he believed it gave him a better path back to the NBA. “He’s one of the better game-ready call-up guys,” a scout told Fischer.
Several teams have discovered there are benefits to losing group play games in the NBA Cup, Fischer adds. In addition to often getting easier matchups in the two games that are added to the schedule, teams that didn’t advance to Las Vegas enjoyed a longer break and were able to work in additional practice time.

Atlantic Notes: C. Johnson, Raptors, Barnes, Embiid, Maxey

December 23rd, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Arthur Hill

As Nets forward Cameron Johnson waits to see if he’ll be traded, he’s finding himself at the top of opposing teams’ game plans, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A string of injuries, along with last week’s trade of Dennis Schröder to Golden State, has forced Johnson to take on a larger role in Brooklyn’s offense. Utah was the latest team to adjust its defensive approach, trapping Johnson repeatedly on Saturday while forcing him into six turnovers and a 2-0f-9 shooting night from three-point range.

“The one thing — obviously good job on them for blitzing CJ — but six turnovers to five assists, it’s not good enough,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “The intentions were good, he was throwing the pass to the short roll. It was just the execution was not good. For the most part, he knew what we’re supposed to do, he’s just never been in that position. Every time Cam Thomas has been blitzed, we’ve got a clean execution out of it. If you turn it over every time, or a lot of times you got blitzed [it’s bad]. In the second half, he was better, but those turnovers, for sure we paid for it.”

It may be a short-term problem, as Johnson is considered likely to be moved before the February 6 trade deadline. The Thunder and Kings are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest, and Lewis states that Johnson’s production and a contract that takes up just 13% of the cap make him the team’s top trade asset. In the meantime, Fernandez wants his players to do a better job of adjusting to the new defensive looks.

“We should have known how to space the floor versus blitz, especially the middle of the floor,” he said. “For the most part, when we executed right we had the shots that we wanted. Obviously, turning it over is not what we’re supposed to do, and we’ve got to be better.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Late-game execution continued to be a problem for the Raptors in Sunday’s four-point loss to Houston, observes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Toronto led for much of the night, but had too many empty possessions with the game on the line. The team could use Immanuel Quickley, who is recovering from a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament, and Koreen states that he was able to take part in Saturday’s practice, although he wasn’t cleared for contact. Koreen adds that finding a player who can create his own shot should be a priority in the draft, noting that Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper may be more proficient in that area than projected top pick Cooper Flagg.
A lethargic performance from Scottie Barnes could be a cause for concern, contends Michael Grange of Sportsnet, although Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic attributed it to rust from recent injuries. In his second game since returning from a sprained ankle, Barnes had six points on 2-of-15 shooting and launched unsuccessful three-point attempts on his first seven shots. “As you can see, he’s not being himself,” Rajakovic said. “He’s banged up, he got hit in his hip the last game, [there’s] his ankle and there’s been a couple of things bothering him. He’s still not himself, he’ll be better.”
Lack of cohesion has been a big factor in the Sixers‘ slow start, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Joel Embiid is expected to play tonight against San Antonio, which would mark just the fifth time this season he’s been on the court alongside Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Maxey is on the injury report with an illness, but he’s listed as probable to suit up, Pompey tweets.

Spurs Positioning Themselves To Target De’Aaron Fox

December 21st, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Tristan Tucker

Star guard De’Aaron Fox‘s agent — Klutch Sports founder and CEO Rich Paul — met with Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox on Thursday. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater, the meeting focused on what the long-term plan around Fox would be.

Fox declined a three-year, $165MM extension from the Kings in the offseason and isn’t interested in fighting for a lower-seed playoff spot for the rest of his career. He recently discussed the decision to turn down that extension, explaining that he wants the club to show it’s capable of seriously contending for a championship.

While Fox hasn’t asked for a trade, Amick and Slater write that the Kings star and his agent are reading the room to see what the Kings’ vision is. Fox has another year left on his deal and would qualify for a five-year, $345MM super-max contract if he makes an All-NBA selection this year.

The Kings aren’t a bad team, but they’ve been inconsistent in the first half and there’s little room for inconsistency in a competitive Western Conference, where they rank 12th at 13-15. Fox has stated multiple times that he likes the idea of spending his entire career with one franchise and he has been a major force in the local community. But with Sacramento stuck on the outside looking in for now, opposing teams have started to circle.

League sources tell Amick and Slater that the Spurs are “positioning themselves” to pursue a trade for Fox should he become available, eyeing him to be a long-term partner with Victor Wembanyama. Other teams would likely join San Antonio as suitors if Sacramento considers a trade.

While the Kings have shortened the rotation and their record isn’t inspiring thus far, they are still just three games out of a top-five seed in the West. They’re armed with proven NBA players like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, among others, and they’ve suffered several tight losses, with a 3-9 record in games decided by five points or less.

The Kings know they need an upgrade and are specifically targeting backup centers and wings. Among the names on their short list are Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, Jazz forward John Collins, Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, and Nets forward Cameron Johnson, according to Amick and Slater. They’ve also expressed some lesser interest in Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, while a bigger trade for Brandon Ingram or Zach LaVine seems unlikely at this juncture.

Fox is having one of his most productive seasons yet, averaging 26.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. But while his production is up, head coach Mike Brown has challenged him to do even more. As Amick and Slater report, there’s some pressure on the Kings to further fortify their roster to convince him to re-up long term.

Trade Rumors: Johnson, Thunder, Beal, Cavs

December 20th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Versatile Nets forward Cameron Johnson has been the subject of trade interest from multiple contenders this season. According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer (video link), the Thunder are among the title hopefuls keeping an eye on Johnson.

“I have heard Cam Johnson potentially having interest from OKC,” Fischer said.

Across 26 contests for the chippy 11-16 Nets, the 28-year-old is averaging 19.2 points per game on a .489/.431/.874 shooting line (all career highs). He’s also chipping in 4.5 boards and 3.1 dimes per contest.

The Thunder are currently 22-5 on the year and occupy the No. 1 seed in a crowded Western Conference. Led by All-NBA point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City has emerged as a formidable two-way powerhouse. But OKC’s defeat against the Bucks in the NBA Cup championship game showed it could have potential playoff vulnerabilities, especially against bigger forwards, meaning the team could benefit from adding a player like Johnson.

Here are a few more recent trade rumors and notes:

Given that the Thunder have a bevy of future draft picks at their disposal to use in any potential deal, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports suggests it may be time for the club to part with some of those selections and cash them in for win-now help. O’Connor wonders if Oklahoma City forward Jalen Williams, the team’s primary shot creator next to Gilgeous-Alexander, is quite ready for prime-time after recording more field goal attempts (61) than points (56) in the three NBA Cup knockout round games. O’Connor advocates for the Thunder exploring additional shooting help, more bigs, and potential a microwave bench guard.
Suns guard Bradley Beal addressed recent trade speculation about his long-term fate in Phoenix, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Beal has been floated as a natural fit for a deal to land Heat All-star wing Jimmy Butler with the team. “Until one of them come say something to me or talks to me, it’s just out there,” Beal said of the team’s front office decision makers. “I’m a Phoenix Sun and I’m here and I’m in the uniform. I don’t pay attention to that. They did that with me for 10 years.” Beal, 31, has a no-trade clause on his $50.2MM contract for this season. “Everybody is going to have an opinion about something. I think that kind of puts you in a negative head space. I don’t pay attention to it.”
Some opposing executives who have spoken to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor (subscription required) believe the Cavaliers are interested in making a 2-for-1 trade prior to this year’s deadline to consolidate their depth. The Cavs have gotten off to a league-best 24-4 start in 2024/25, thanks in large part to that depth, but the team is just now getting back Max Strus and may want to try to dip below the luxury tax threshold, Fedor observes.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Guards, Celtics, Johnson

December 20th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Although not much has gone right for the Sixers this year, the growing bond between rookie Philadelphia guard Jared McCain and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry is one of the bright spots. Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines the relationship between the 38-year-old former All-Star and the 20-year-old Duke alum.

“I call him Unc Lowry,” McCain said of Lowry. “Grandpa. Super vet. Super duper vet.”

McCain is now sidelined indefinitely after undergoing a left knee surgery. But prior to that, the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft was looking like a bona fide Rookie of the Year contender. Lowry’s tutelage has abetted the rookie’s early-season rise.

McCain had earned the Sixers’ starting shooting guard role by early November, but was versatile enough to also spell All-Star starter Tyrese Maxey at the point when he sat. Lowry talked him through that transition on the floor.

“Sometimes when I’m out there on the court, and I’m the only point guard out there, it’s hard for me to kind of adjust to being a shooting guard or a point guard,” McCain said. “Knowing where everybody is at on the court, being able to talk, being vocal. I’ve just got to adjust and be a leader.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

On Thursday, the Sixers got the green light from Philadelphia’s city council – on a vote of 12-5 – to construct a new $1.3 billion stadium downtown, per ESPN/The Associated Press. Local activists and residents from nearby Chinatown had been protesting the proposed deal. Sixers ownership hopes to relocate the club from its current home, Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, to this new locale by 2031.
Although the Grousbeck family, majority owners of the Celtics franchise, had claimed they hoped to offload a majority ownership stake in the franchise by late 2024 or early 2025, no such agreement is yet on the horizon, a source informs Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The source tells Himmelsbach that prospective buyers are still waiting on initial meetings with Celtics ownership, with bidding expected to tip off in January.
Nets forward Cameron Johnson is trying to ignore growing trade chatter ahead of this year’s February 6 deadline, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “We’ve communicated that: Be where your feet are,” Johnson told Lewis of his conversations with Brooklyn brass. “I think the understanding is, don’t get caught up in things that we can’t control or things that are off the court when we have so much to worry about on the court.” Through his first 26 games this season, the 6’8″ vet is averaging 19.2 points (on .489/.431/.874 shooting splits), 4.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per night.

Trade Rumors: MPJ, LaVine, Butler, Suns, Nets

December 20th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are open to the idea of making a significant trade prior to the February 6 trade deadline, but they’re hoping they’ll see enough from their current group in the coming weeks to feel confident about not having to make a major in-season deal, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, who takes a closer look at Denver’s trade candidates and potential paths.

Meanwhile, following up on the rumor linking Zach LaVine to Denver and Michael Porter Jr. to the Bulls, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) confirm the Nuggets are indeed considering whether to trade Porter, whose $35.9MM cap hit would be necessary to complete a trade for a player earning a substantial salary.

According to Stein and Fischer, the Nuggets have “always been somewhat unsure” about Porter’s value on the trade market, due in part to his injury history, and are wary about making the team smaller by swapping him out for a guard like LaVine.

Sources tell The Stein Line that some people in the Nuggets’ front office believe that if the team needs to make a moving involving Porter, trading him for two starting-caliber players instead of a single star would be the best course of action. Fischer and Stein point to the Hawks‘ duo of De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Nets‘ duo of Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith as examples.

I may be unsure about Porter’s trade value myself, but given two years and $79MM left on his contract after this season, I have to think that Atlanta and Brooklyn would require some serious sweeteners to seriously consider those trade ideas. That’s an issue for the Nuggets, who aren’t exactly stocked with draft assets — they’ve traded away three future first-round picks and included protections on all of them, complicating their ability to offer additional first-rounders or swaps in subsequent trades. That’s why targeting a distressed asset like LaVine makes sense in the first place.

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

The Suns are Jimmy Butler‘s preferred landing spot in the event of a trade, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links). However, Gambadoro says Phoenix plans to wait until at least mid-January before making any decisions on trades, which includes anything involving Butler. Although Gambadoro believes the Suns like Butler, it’s unclear if they’d have the pieces to acquire him, given that Bradley Beal (who holds a no-trade clause) would have to be included in any deal.
Net Income of NetsDaily rounds up a few recent trade rumors involving the Nets and provides his own analysis on each of them. According to NetsDaily, Brooklyn is believed to be seeking at least one first-round pick and potentially “a prospect or two” for Cameron Johnson and is very reluctant to take on multiyear money in trades unless the accompanying return is “rich.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) has published his pre-deadline trade primer for the 2024/25 season, running through all 30 NBA teams and taking a closer look at the big questions they have to answer, their tradable players and draft picks, and various restrictions they’re facing.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines 10 potential trade candidates, including a pair of Trail Blazers centers (Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams), and considers which landing spots are most realistic for them.

Nuggets Show Significant Interest In Zach LaVine

December 17th, 2024 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have interest in making a deal for Bulls wing Zach LaVine, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones report.

Denver is active in the market for an offensive upgrade at the wing position to ease some of the burden off Nikola Jokic. Despite a history of injury issues, LaVine would certainly fit that bill. He’s averaging 21.7 points and 4.2 assists per game this season and holds career shooting percentages of 46.6% from the field and 38.4% on three-pointers.

LaVine is also on a sizable contract — $43MM this season, $45.9MM next season and a $48.9MM player option for 2026/27.

LaVine isn’t the only player the Nuggets are looking at. They have also expressed interest or have had preliminary trade discussions regarding Jordan Poole, Jordan Clarkson, De’Andre Hunter, Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, per The Athletic. Brandon Ingram, currently sidelined by an ankle injury, is on the Nuggets’ radar too, SNY TV’s Ian Begley tweets.

However, league sources tell Amick and Jones that Denver’s focus on LaVine in recent talks has been “significant.”

Any big trade Denver might make would likely involve Michael Porter Jr., according to The Athletic duo. Porter is making $35.8MM this season, $38.3MM next season and $40.8MM in 2026/27.

Porter is off to a strong start statistically, averaging 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He’s shooting 51.2% overall and 38.5% on three-point attempts.

So why is Denver willing to part with him? The Nuggets are seeking help in the form of someone who is able to create offense. Jokić and Jamal Murray are the only players on the roster who are consistently capable of creating their own shots, The Athletic notes.

Little-used forward Zeke Nnaji, a 2020 first-round pick, is also available. He’s signed through the 2027/28 season on a four-year, $32MM deal that includes a player option.

Lakers Rumors: Trade Targets, LeBron, Davis, Bronny, Hachimura

December 17th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.

The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.

Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.