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Trade Rumors: Reddish, Nuggets, Pistons, Bucks, Rose, Suns, More

February 7th, 2023 at 8:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are among the teams that have registered some interest in Knicks forward Cam Reddish, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says the Pistons and Knicks have also spoken recently about Reddish.

In passing along Begley’s latest reporting, SNY’s story notes that Begley has previously identified the Knicks as a team with interest in Pistons forward Saddiq Bey and suggests that perhaps there could be a match between the two teams on a deal involving Bey and Reddish. Bey’s trade value is significantly higher at this point than Reddish’s, however, so New York would need to attach a sweetener or two to make Detroit seriously consider that framework.

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

  • The Bucks have expressed trade interest in Knicks point guard Derrick Rose, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Milwaukee doesn’t have an obvious salary-matching piece for Rose, who has a $14.5MM salary and has been out of New York’s rotation for much of the season — it’s hard to imagine he’s near the top of the Bucks’ wish list. For what it’s worth, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said he’d like to keep Rose around, explaining that the former MVP “contributes in a lot of different ways to our club” despite not seeing much playing time this season (link via Peter Botte of The New York Post).
  • John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 shoots down a rumor suggesting that the Mavericks and Suns could make a deal centered around Deandre Ayton, Christian Wood, and Tim Hardaway Jr., tweeting that there’s “nothing” to that speculation. One recent report indicated that Dallas has interest in Ayton, but that report suggested he’d be more of a long-term trade target rather than a player the Suns would have interest in moving this week.
  • Suns veteran Dario Saric is among the power forwards on the Heat‘s radar, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), though Jackson acknowledges that Miami doesn’t have a clear salary-matching piece to send out for Saric ($9.2MM). Jackson adds (via Twitter) that the Suns, under new ownership, are “very active” in the trade market, but still haven’t been intrigued by the assets Miami has put on the table for Jae Crowder.
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Pacific Notes: Paul, Durant, James, Westbrook

February 6th, 2023 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Addressing reports that the Suns were willing to trade him in a package to the Nets for Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul took the news like a pro, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.

Paul knows all about being traded, so he didn’t seem blindsided by the news.

“It’s a business. I’ve seen crazier,” he said. “The way I found out I was traded from Houston. You just show up to work and be a pro day in and day out. Nobody’s exempt from being traded. Find out just like everybody else.”

Coach Monty Williams expressed disappointment that the future Hall of Famer has to deal with these rumors and reports at this stage of his career, Rankin adds in another tweet.

“I don’t think it’s fair when guys have their names thrown out there,” Williams said. “Kind of bothers me, ’cause Chris, his name should never be thrown out there in that way.”

We have more Pacific Division news:

  • While they may have struck out for Irving, the Suns are prepared to make another offer to Brooklyn if Kevin Durant becomes available, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. It’s unknown just what Phoenix would be willing to part with for Durant, but The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff cobbles up some speculative pieces around the Internet that suggest Deandre Ayton would likely be part of the package.
  • LeBron James expressed disappointment that the Lakers were unable to land Irving, he told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon (hat tip to Rachel Nichols). “Definitely disappointed. I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land someone…I’ve got great chemistry on the floor with, that can help you win championships,” James said.
  • Lakers coach Darvin Ham said that Russell Westbrook just needs to do his work as trade rumors continue to swirl around him, Mark Medina of NBA.com tweets. “This is an unforgiving business in terms of different coverage and in terms of covering scenarios and dealing with rumors and different things happening,” Ham said. “All you can do is put your head down and do the work and try to remain as professional as possible. He’s done that.”
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Trade Rumors: Raptors, Ayton, Russell, Olynyk, Heat, Celtics

February 2nd, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA is still waiting to see what the Raptors will decide to do ahead of next week’s trade deadline, but it’s seeming more likely that they’ll be active.

“I would be shocked if they didn’t do anything,” one high-ranking league executive told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

The Raptors are open to offers for everyone on the roster except for second-year forward Scottie Barnes, sources tell Lewenberg. Just because they’re listening doesn’t mean they’re going to totally overhaul the team in the next week though, with Lewenberg pointing out that more options could be available in the offseason.

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

  • The Raptors came close to landing Deandre Ayton from the Suns via sign-and-trade over the summer, a source tells Lewenberg, who notes that Phoenix is reportedly interested in OG Anunoby.
  • ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast that trade chatter involving Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell has died down a little with his strong play of late. “He has been a good offensive player for them,” said Lowe (hat tip to RealGM). “That noise, to me, has kind of quieted. I know there are deals out there that they would do. I don’t think any teams have met those deal points yet.” Russell is making $31.4MM in the final year of his contract.
  • Both the Heat and Celtics are interested in a reunion with Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk, sources tell Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Boston is still trying to figure out what Utah might seek in return for Olynyk, but a source from a team looking for frontcourt help expressed skepticism that the Celtics or Heat will be able to meet the Jazz’s asking price, per Bulpett.
  • A front office source from a rival team doesn’t expect the Celtics to do anything drastic on the wings at the deadline, suggesting that even if they sign someone in a buyout, that player is likely to be a deep-bench reserve who is buried on the depth chart. “I’m not saying they wouldn’t upgrade their end of the bench wings, but there’s really no room in the rotation,” the source told Bulpett.
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Western Notes: Lee, Fox, McNair, Ayton, Hyland

January 31st, 2023 at 6:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns point guard Saben Lee is “grateful” for the opportunity the organization gave him, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes. Lee’s second 10-day contract with Phoenix expired on Monday, so the team must now offer him a rest-of-the-season contract if it wants to keep him.

Lee has appeared in 10 games with the Suns, averaging 7.0 points and 3.3 assists in 17.3 minutes. “It’s been really good,” Lee said. “Being able to make strides on and off the court. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here the past 20 days. Able to get a good amount of playing time as well.”

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • Guard De’Aaron Fox is pleased the Kings reached a three-year contract extension with GM Monte McNair, he told Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. “It’s great. Just to have consistency throughout the organization, you want that to be the last thing you’re worried about is no extension,” Fox said. “Just from top to bottom, I feel like everybody wants to know that they have a little bit of security. I feel like you do your job better when you’re secure.”
  • Suns center Deandre Ayton could be a long-term trade target for the Mavericks, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Lowe Post podcast (hat tip to Hoops Hype). “He’s a name that I’ve heard around the Mavericks,” MacMahon said, explaining that Ayton seems unlikely to be on the move in the next 10 days. “… I think that would have to be a ‘later’ than ‘right now’ type of situation.”
  • Nuggets backup guard Bones Hyland has been mentioned in trade rumors recently. He told TheDNVR.com’s Harrison Wind that he’s oblivious to the chatter. “I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Hyland said. “I don’t pay no mind to it. Whatever happens, happens.”
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Suns Notes: Ishbia, Ayton, Booker, Payne

January 26th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With a change in majority ownership of the Suns franchise imminent, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com offers a 10-step wish list for incoming owner Mat Ishbia. Some of the items on the list includes improving relationships with employees, resolving the Jae Crowder situation with a trade, and committing to a G League franchise.

We have more on the Suns:

  • Deandre Ayton indicated during the morning shootaround on Thursday that he’ll play against Dallas tonight, Bourguet tweets. Ayton, officially listed as probable, has missed the last three games due to an illness.
  • In the latest official update on Devin Booker‘s condition on Wednesday, the Suns said their star guard would be reevaluated in a week. Booker, who is recovering from a left groin strain suffered on Christmas Day, could return to action by the end of the month, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets. Gambadoro anticipates Booker will return next week during either the home game against Toronto on Monday or Atlanta on Wednesday.
  • Cameron Payne missed his 10th straight game on Thursday due to a right foot injury. The team said on Tuesday that he’ll be reevaluated in a week and Payne says he’s not quite ready to play, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “It’s been an awkward feeling,” Payne said. “I just don’t really feel that comfortable. Like I can’t be myself. When I’m able to be myself, that’s when I want to get back out there on the court.”
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21 More NBA Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2023 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Sunday, January 15, which means that nearly two dozen players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.

Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:

  1. The player re-signed with his previous team.
  2. He got a raise of at least 20%.
  3. His salary is worth more than the minimum.
  4. His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Sunday:

(* Players marked with an asterisk have the ability to veto trades.)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt. That group includes Thunder guard Isaiah Joe, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday, Bucks swingman Pat Connaughton (trade-eligible on Wednesday), and Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (trade-eligible on Friday).

There are also several players who won’t become trade-eligible before this season’s February 9 deadline, including Lakers star LeBron James. Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

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Suns Notes: Rowley, Ayton, Washington Jr., McDaniels

January 10th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley has no intention of resigning despite an ESPN story last month that alleged Rowley was among the Suns executives who mistreated employees, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

Rowley told a group of team employees that the story, which placed him at the center of allegations of verbal abuse, retaliation and intimidation in the workplace, misrepresented him.

A statement released by the team on Tuesday and attributed to Rowley read: “I will say this in regards to the closed-door meeting. I confided in them that the story misrepresented me and others. Also, given that the team is going through a period of ownership transition, I communicated that while I do not know my ultimate fate with new ownership, I will never quit on this team and the people who make up this great organization.”

We have more on the Suns:

  • Deandre Ayton missed Tuesday’s game against the Warriors after re-injuring his left ankle in Sunday’s loss against Cleveland, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Ayton had already missed four games with a left ankle sprain and will likely remain out for Wednesday’s game at Denver.
  • Two-way guard Duane Washington Jr. has been one of the key replacements for the Suns’ injury-ravaged unit, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com notes. He scored 25 points against the Cavs but also committed some crucial turnovers. “With where we are, he’s doing a good job,” coach Monty Williams said. “There are times where he gets himself in a little bit of trouble deep in the paint. He had a couple of turnovers that he could have avoided, but I don’t want him playing fearful or worrying about making mistakes, even though you want him to have some balance.”
  • The Suns haven’t had discussions with the Hornets regarding forward Jalen McDaniels, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix tweets. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Phoenix had interest in McDaniels, but didn’t say the Suns had actually held trade talks with Charlotte about him.
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Pacific Notes: LeBron, R. Jackson, Ayton, Dozier

January 9th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James is disputing the nature of a weekend report by Sam Amick of The Athletic that he’s becoming impatient for Lakers management to upgrade the roster. The story suggests that James was sending a message to the front office with his comments after Saturday’s game, but in a response on Twitter, James said that wasn’t his intention.

“Hey Sam actually my patience isn’t waning,” he wrote. “You make it sound like I’m frustrated when I’m really not. I told you over and over, my job is focused on the guys in the locker room, my job isn’t the roster. That’s the reality of that conversation. And I said what I said with the Upmost respect and calmness cause that’s the mood I’m in! Your welcome! 5 game winning streak.”

While L.A. has climbed back into the playoff race with its recent hot streak, speculation is starting to build around the league that James may want to finish his career somewhere else, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy. Executives have told Deveney that multiple teams are preparing for the possibility that James will try to force a trade this summer, if only so they don’t get caught off guard like they did with Kevin Durant‘s trade request last year.

One executive tells Deveney that the Lakers are hoping to get through this season without trading their first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 and then use their cap room, which could top $30MM, to acquire free agents who would appeal to James, such as Kyrie Irving or Draymond Green. If that doesn’t happen, league executives see the Cavaliers, Heat and Suns as the most likely destinations if James does force his way out.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • Coach Tyronn Lue tinkered with the lineup as the Clippers dropped their sixth straight game on Sunday night, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Reggie Jackson, who has been the starting point guard for the past two-plus seasons, played just eight minutes, all in the first half, as Lue turned to Terance Mann to improve the team’s defense. Lue explained that the change isn’t necessarily permanent. “No, I just think tonight it was Reggie,” he said. “Then tomorrow, it could be somebody else. Just kind of experimenting with different things. When you lose five games in a row, you want to try some different things.”
  • The Suns were missing four rotation players due to injuries as they fell below .500 Sunday night, so Deandre Ayton is determined to keep playing despite tweaking his left ankle late in the game, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I finished the jump hook and my left leg just drifted off behind me and twisted it. So it feels like it’s a day-by-day thing,” Ayton said. “No ankle is stopping me right now. I’m on a mission so I’m going to be up on my feet. No worries about that.”
  • Coach Mike Brown was upset about the Kings‘ defense in Saturday’s loss to the Lakers, and the team sees potential help in PJ Dozier, who’s expected to sign a 10-day contract, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
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Suns Notes: Payne, Paul, FAs, Bridges, Ayton

January 7th, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Already missing Devin Booker for several weeks, the Suns are finding themselves increasingly shorthanded in the backcourt.

Key reserve Cameron Payne aggravated his right foot injury on Wednesday in his second game back from the ailment and was ruled out for Friday’s contest vs. Miami. Starting point guard Chris Paul was available for that game against the Heat, but didn’t play in the second half due to right hip soreness, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

“It’s tough having guys in and out,” Suns wing Torrey Craig said. “Soon as you think you’re about to get guys back, somebody else gets hurt. Guys get re-injured, but it’s part of the game It’s part of adversity, but we’ve just got to figure out a way to get through all this.”

The banged-up Suns – who have also been without starting forward Cameron Johnson (knee surgery) since early November and former starting forward Jae Crowder (away from team) all season – are in the midst of their worst skid of the last few years — after a 16-7 start, they’ve lost 13 of their last 17 games, including the last five in a row. Now at 20-20 on the year, Phoenix has already lost more games than it did all of last season, when the club led the NBA with a 64-18 record.

“If you think about everything we’ve been through, we’re still .500,” Williams said after Friday’s loss, per Rankin. “We just want to win one. Our guys are hurting to win a game and that’s where as a coach, you just feel bad for those guys because you know how hard we’re playing and how bad they want it.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

  • The Suns have an open roster spot and could look to the free agent market for help, writes Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic. Although Moore mentions Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Favors as possibilities, the player he’d really like to see the team call is Josh Jackson. Moore argues that the former Suns lottery pick could help bring the team the “fire and intensity” it needs.
  • With Booker and Johnson out and Paul underachieving, there has been more pressure on Mikal Bridges this season to be a two-way force. He has struggled to score as efficiently as he has in the past — his .449 FG% is easily his lowest mark since his rookie year. Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com considers what the Suns and their fans should realistically expect from the fifth-year forward and whether or not he’s meeting those expectations this season.
  • After averaging just 10.3 points per game in his previous three appearances, Deandre Ayton bounced back offensively on Friday with 23 points, though it took him 20 field goal attempts. Before Friday’s contest, Ayton spoke about his role on offense, and Rankin has the highlights in a story for The Arizona Republic.
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Suns Notes: Booker, Johnson, Williams, Bridges

December 24th, 2022 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns fell to 1-4 on the season without Devin Booker after a lopsided loss to the Grizzlies Friday night, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. After scoring a season-high 58 points last Saturday, Booker has sat out three straight games with groin soreness.

“I am not going to downplay the fact that we miss Book,” Landry Shamet said. “Of course we do. He is an All-NBA guy. He should be in the MVP conversation. We miss him, but none of the basketball X’s and O’s stuff matters if we don’t pick up on that mentality, physicality. Hit first.”

Coach Monty Williams updated reporters on Booker’s condition before the game, saying he has started shooting again but still isn’t able to move around very much. He refused to speculate on whether Booker might be available for the Christmas Day game at Denver.

“He’s chomping at the bit as you can imagine,” Williams said. “Book’s frustrated when he’s not on the floor. Hoping he can get out there soon.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

  • Injured forward Cameron Johnson will accompany the team on its upcoming six-game road trip, Rankin notes in the same story. Johnson isn’t expected to play during the trip, which runs through January 4, but it’s still a positive sign as he works toward returning from November 8 meniscus surgery. Johnson was projected to miss one to two months, and he’s nearing the end of that timeline.
  • The Suns’ poor showing lately has included a couple of losses to teams that were able to push them around, Rankin adds. The latest occurred Friday as Memphis came into Phoenix and built a double-digit lead in less than four minutes on its way to winning the first quarter by 19 points. “Our edge in these games, whether it’s Boston, Memphis, these teams who are big and physical and want to put their hands on us, we don’t have the pre-game edge that we’ve had around here,” Williams said. “We’ve got to get back to chasing something and right now. I feel like the prey, and I don’t like that feeling. I just told our guys the same thing. We got to get our edge back.”
  • Mikal Bridges has apologized to Deandre Ayton for his role in Tuesday’s argument that was perceived as a dispute between Ayton and Williams, Rankin states in a separate story. Bridges and Ayton clashed on the court shortly before Ayton and his coach were seen yelling during the time out. “It’s something we do. I feel like it was longer than usual,” Bridges explained. “Me and (Ayton) usually get into it and then five seconds later, we’re like best friends because we can do that to each other.”
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