De’Andre Hunter Rumors

Central Notes: Pistons, Cavs, Hunter, Strus, Okafor, Nesmith

February 13th, 2025 at 9:36am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons enter the All-Star break with a 29-26 record, their first winning record heading into the NBA’s annual celebration weekend since 2009. They’ll also carry a four-game winning streak into their next game on Feb. 21. Detroit recorded double-digit victories at Chicago on consecutive nights on Tuesday and Wednesday and currently hold a top-six playoff spot.

“We are pleased with what we have done,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. per Cory Davis of the Detroit News. “From where we came from to where we are now, there have been a lot of tough lessons learned, and that has been the enjoyable part of this. … A lot of growth. We are pleased with it, but we have a lot more work to do.”

We have more from the Central Division:

With the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers essentially have a three-year championship window, as Jason Lloyd of The Athletic explains. The core group of the team is under contract through the 2026/27 season and the Cavs will likely have to exceed the second tax apron to keep it together. If Evan Mobley makes an All-NBA team this season, his max contract will increase and leave them above that level. The penalties for being above the second apron steadily increase if a team remains there for two or more seasons.
In a subscriber-only story, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com notes that Hunter may not necessarily wind up as a starter. Max Strus has been effective in the starting small forward spot and he’s averaging 15.3 points and 3.8 assists over the last three games.
Alex Len was reportedly going to sign with the Pacers after he cleared waivers. Instead, he chose to go to the Lakers and the Pacers gave veteran big man Jahlil Okafor a 10-day contract. Okafor had been toiling in the G League with the Indiana Mad Ants. “We’re taking care of our own here. There were other options, but we elected to bring somebody on board that has been with us for the entirety of the Mad Ants season,” coach Rick Carlisle said, per Akeem Glaspie of the Indianapolis Star. “That’s loyalty to show to someone who’s shown loyalty to us, which is great. And I wish him the best.”
Aaron Nesmith, who opened the season in the Pacers’ starting lineup, reclaimed his spot this week, with Bennedict Mathurin moving back to the second unit. Carlisle said Nesmith provides a different element to the starting five, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star writes. “It creates a better balance on our team,” Carlisle said. “Benn’s a scorer, and Benn needs to get shots, and we have (Tyrese Haliburton) and Pascal (Siakam) out there to start games. This just makes it work better from an offensive standpoint.”

Fischer’s Latest: Raptors, Hunter, Pelicans, Ingram, Boucher

February 12th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Raptors sought out a scorer and play-maker to complement Scottie Barnes, they considered several options besides Brandon Ingram ahead of last Thursday’s trade deadline before making a deal with New Orleans, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Toronto had real interest in forward De’Andre Hunter, according to Fischer, who says the Raptors have had talks with the Hawks about Hunter dating back to 2023, when Atlanta was looking at Pascal Siakam.

Sources tell Fischer that the Cavaliers – who ultimately acquired Hunter – viewed the Raptors as the top threat to outbid them at the deadline and were also aware that the Pelicans were talking about Atlanta about a deal that would have sent Ingram to Atlanta and Hunter and Clint Capela to New Orleans.

As the trade deadline neared, however, it became clear that the Hawks were less inclined than the Raptors to sign Ingram to a contract extension after acquiring him, which made Toronto a better bet to pay the price the Pelicans were seeking. According to Fischer, while Ingram’s injury history reduced his appeal to some potential suitors, general manager Bobby Webster told reporters that the Raptors believe they have the “best medical staff in the league” and can help the star forward stay healthier going forward.

Here’s more from Fischer:

League sources tell Fischer that Ingram previously passed on a four-year, $160MM extension offer from the Pelicans. That would have matched the annual average value of $40MM that he got on his new three-year, $120MM deal with the Raptors, though it’s unclear whether New Orleans’ offer was fully guaranteed and when exactly it was presented to Ingram, who had been extension-eligible since last July.
Fischer hears that the Raptors‘ coaching staff has encouraged the team’s young players not to stress over game-night results this season, having prioritized player development and growth over wins and losses. However, Toronto’s trade for Ingram is another sign that the club doesn’t want to drag out its rebuild. “They want to compete starting next year,” one source with knowledge of the Raptors’ thinking tells Fischer.
Raptors big man Chris Boucher drew trade interest from multiple teams and would presumably be a popular target on the buyout market this month, but Fischer suggests there has been no discussion to this point about a potential buyout for Boucher.

Central Notes: Schröder, Pistons, Hunter, Porter, Bulls

February 11th, 2025 at 9:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dennis Schröder is playing for his third team this season. He wound up with the Pistons as part of the five-team blockbuster that landed Jimmy Butler with Golden State. Schröder, who started the season with Brooklyn before getting dealt to the Warriors, made his Detroit debut on Sunday and will continue to be part of the rotation with Jaden Ivey on the mend from a broken fibula.

“It’s my 12th season. I think I consider myself a veteran now — 31 years old,” Schröder told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “I can bring a lot to this team, making sure the young guys are doing the right things and not the wrong things and worry about the right things as well to make the team better. That’s what it’s all about and that’s the reason why I’m here 12 years, and I want to show those guys and try to lead by example every single day, but then on the court playing the right way is the reason they got me.”

Schröder will be a free agent after the season.

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon admitted that being a buyer at the trade deadline wasn’t on his radar when he was hired by the team last summer. Detroit’s surprisingly strong play convinced him to alter his plans, though he also used cap space as bait to acquire two future second-rounders. “These guys have put themselves in position where they believe they can be a playoff team, which is exciting. We know that’s important to them,” Langdon said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “To add to that was important to us, as well. We were aware of that and kept that in mind leading to the deadline.”
The Cavaliers have been seeking a big, versatile wing for years and may have finally found their man in De’Andre Hunter, who was acquired from Atlanta. Hunter scored 12 points in 23 minutes against Miami in his Cleveland debut on Monday. “I’m not coming here … trying to change anything,” Hunter told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “I’m just trying to add my skill set to what they already have. They had a need they felt needed to be addressed. I feel like, as someone who prides himself on defense and kind of going out there and (trying) to be a two-way player as best I can. So I think that could really help this team, especially at the small forward. But like I said, they were doing good without me.”
Bucks general manager Jon Horst acknowledges there’s risk in bringing in guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was acquired from the Clippers. Horst believes Porter – who wore out his welcome in Cleveland due to locker-room issues and faced domestic violence charges during his time in Houston – has matured and put that behavior behind him. “I think we have an opportunity to help (him) continue on the path of what he’s on, which is improving and growing. There’s no question that if he does that, we think he can help us,” Horst said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “So there’s a chance for a win-win. But, it’s not unlike any other transaction. There’s risk. And it’s not a five-year commitment and a massive, major thing. I mean, this is a bet, and for him, it’s an opportunity to help us and grow and improve, and he’s been doing it. And that’s what all of our due diligence showed us. And if he does that, he could be a pretty good fit with us. I know he’s excited to be here and we’re excited to have him.” Porter holds a 2025/26 player option on the two-year, minimum salary contract he signed with Los Angeles last offseason.
The Bulls added Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones at the trade deadline but there’s no mandate by the front office to play them, according to coach Billy Donovan. “(The front office hasn’t) come out and said that to me like that, but I do think that there would be organizationally, no question, you want to find out about those guys, they’re here,” Donovan said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Can they help our team, can they impact our team, and who are they as players? Right. There hasn’t been, ‘Hey, let’s play these guys right now.’ “

Celtics Notes: Craig, Springer, Stevens, Porzingis, Holiday

February 8th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Torrey Craig chose to sign with the Celtics because they’ll give him a chance to compete for a title, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. The 34-year-old forward became a free agent when Chicago needed to trim two players off its roster to complete a three-team trade this week. He wasn’t on the open market very long before reaching an agreement with Boston that became official this morning.

“As a competitor in the league, you always want to play for something and compete for something,” Craig said. “I’m a super competitor and I want to play basketball the right way at the highest level. Just to get an opportunity to come play with these guys was like a no-brainer.”

Craig, who has been out of action since December 30 with a sprained right ankle, told Terada that he’s feeling good, but he’s taking his return day by day. He’s trying to learn all he can about how the Celtics operate, and that process started with a quick tour of the facilities on Friday before accompanying the team on a flight for tonight’s game at New York.

Craig knows he may not have a large role with the defending champs, but he provides veteran wing depth and gives them another capable three-point shooter.

“They’re a deep team, super talented,” he said. “Well-coached, well-disciplined. They play the right way. They know what it takes to win playing defense. Playing together and having each other’s backs. You can just see it. The team chemistry and they allow each other to feed off each other and play together and I think that’s why they’ve been so dominant these past couple years.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Players were sad to lose Jaden Springer, who was traded to Houston on Thursday in a cost-cutting move, Terada adds in a separate story. The Rockets have already waived Springer, so he’ll be searching for his next job as a free agent. “Obviously, we’re gonna miss him,” Payton Pritchard said. “Jaden’s an unbelievable person. We loved him as a teammate. But hopefully he gets his opportunity and he can showcase what he’s capable of doing in this league. He’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable defender. I think there’s definitely a place for him in this league.”
The Celtics were otherwise quiet at the deadline, which is a combination of the restrictions they face as a second-apron team and the faith that president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has in the current roster, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn reveals that Boston had interest in Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who was dealt to Cleveland, but wasn’t willing to part with Derrick White and draft assets to get involved in the bidding. “In our situation with our team this year, today was boring as hell,” Stevens said after the deadline. “It wasn’t going to be anything going and the phones didn’t ring. We had already had any discussions that we were going to have. We weren’t just going to do anything major because at the end of the day, even through our ups and downs through the last six weeks, what gives us our best chance to win is this group playing a little bit more like itself more of the time.”
Kristaps Porzingis was a late scratch for tonight’s game due to an illness, Terada tweets. Boston is also without Jrue Holiday, who’s missing his second straight contest with a bruised shoulder.

Cavs Notes: Hunter, Tyson, Jerome, LeVert, Niang

February 8th, 2025 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Long, athletic, and skilled wings have given the Cavaliers trouble this season, which is why – despite Cleveland’s 42-10 record – the front office explored the trade market leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline in search of someone who could help the club deal with that type of player, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes (subscription required).

According to Fedor, Cameron Johnson, Lonzo Ball, Marcus Smart, and Jerami Grant were among the potential targets who intrigued the Cavs. But the asking price for the Nets forward was too high, the Bulls guard agreed to an extension, there were injury concerns about the Grizzlies guard, and the Trail Blazers forward’s $29.8MM cap hit was too challenging to accommodate.

As the Cavs weighed their options, they kept coming back to Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who had been on their radar for years, Fedor reported earlier this week. Cleveland’s front office spoke to several trusted sources about Hunter, including former Cav and current Hawk Larry Nance Jr., who was a strong advocate for his teammate, Fedor writes.

The Cavs also spent time analyzing Hunter’s defense, evaluating how he might match up with top Eastern Conference wings like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mikal Bridges, Pascal Siakam and others, ultimately concluding he would be an asset on that end of the court, per Fedor.

With Hunter and Caris LeVert as the centerpieces, the Cavaliers and Hawks discussed various trade constructions, with Cleveland resisting the inclusion of its 2031 first-round pick and rookie Jaylon Tyson. The two teams thought they might need to involve a third club as a facilitator in order to make sure they both got below the tax line, but that issue was addressed when Atlanta worked out a separate deal to send Cody Zeller to Houston.

The Cavs ultimately agreed to send LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and a pair of pick swaps to the Hawks. According to Fedor, Cleveland believes that Hunter will be a better postseason fit than the outgoing players and that he’ll be a key contributor for years to come, turning the team into a more serious title contender.

“The acquisition of De’Andre Hunter and the potential impact a player of this caliber can bring to Cleveland is immeasurable,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement after the deal was finalized. “We were presented with a great opportunity with this trade, one that was beneficial for the short- and long-term future of this franchise.

“While it’s always difficult to part ways with players who have meant so much to our success, we believe De’Andre, at 27-years-old, aligns with our long-term vision of sustainable success and ultimately competing for championships.”

Here’s more on the deal:

It’s unclear whether Hunter will immediately become Cleveland’s starting small forward, but Altman lauded the forward’s versatility and believes he’ll be able to slot seamlessly into several different kinds of lineups. “We’re going to play him all over the floor,” Altman said, per Fedor.
According to Fedor (subscription required), Hunter and his former University of Virginia teammate Ty Jerome talked “almost every day” since they entered the NBA in 2019 about the possibility of one day playing together. Shortly after they learned about the deal sending Hunter to Cleveland, they got on the phone and started “screaming with excitement,” Fedor writes. “It’s surreal,” Jerome said on Friday. “It’s wild. Obviously, it was more of a joke because we’re both on our individual journeys in this league, but we talked about it all the time. Like, ‘How cool would it be to play together?'”
Although Jerome said he “couldn’t be more excited” about the addition of Hunter, he made it clear he’s sorry to see LeVert and Niang go. “I don’t want to undersell the value Caris and Georges brought to us and just how close I was to those guys,” Jerome said, according to Fedor. “Those two guys meant a lot to us on and off the court. It’s a tough business, and I’ve seen it many times in my six years. It sucks to lose those guys. At first, I was like, ‘(Expletive), it’s Caris and Georges. They’re dealing with the emotions of leaving this group and we’re dealing with losing them.’ And then it’s like, ‘Oh (expletive), we got De’Andre and I’m playing with one of best friends since 2016 again.'”
Interestingly, when Hunter and Jerome entered the league in 2019, they thought there was a chance they’d be drafted by the same team, Fedor writes. That team was the Cavs, who had the fifth and 26th overall picks in that draft. But Hunter was selected fourth overall by Atlanta, leaving Darius Garland for Cleveland at No. 5. Jerome was drafted by Phoenix at No. 24, two spots before Cleveland’s pick. “Clearly worked out,” Jerome said on Friday with a smile. “Now, they’ve got all three of us.”

Hawks Trade De’Andre Hunter To Cavaliers

February 6th, 2025 at 11:52pm CST by Rory Maher

11:52 pm: The Hawks have officially confirmed that their trade with the Cavaliers is official, issuing a press release to announce the deal. The two teams ended up not needing a third team to take salary because Atlanta worked out separate deals to cut costs and stay out of tax territory.

12:45 pm: The Hawks and Cavaliers have reached an agreement on a trade that will send forward De’Andre Hunter to Cleveland, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta will acquire Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two pick swaps.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms Charania’s report (via Twitter), adding that the Hawks and Cavs are looking to include a third team in the deal as well.

According to Fedor (Twitter link), Cleveland will send Atlanta second-round picks in 2027, 2029 and 2031. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports (via Twitter) that the pick swaps will be first-rounders in 2026 and 2028.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, the Cavs will move out of the luxury tax as a result of the trade and will now be about $1.5MM below the tax line. They will have two open roster spots once the deal is official (they’ve only been carrying 14 players on their standard roster) and will eligible to sign any player on the buyout market.

The Hawks, meanwhile, will be approximately $2.1MM above the tax line if the current details of the trade remain in place, according to Gozlan (Twitter link). They also have 15 players on their standard roster, so they’ll have to release someone, expand the trade, or make a separate deal to dip below the tax.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), LeVert makes $16.6MM in 2024/25 and will be a free agent this summer. Niang makes $8.5MM this season and $8.2MM in ’25/26 before hitting free agency in 2026. Hunter earns $21.7MM in ’24/25, $23.3MM in ’25/26, and $24.7MM in ’26/27 before becoming eligible for free agency in 2027.

The Cavaliers have been linked to Hunter for years, with multiple reports indicating that the team was pursuing the former No. 4 overall pick ahead of today’s deadline. The 6’8″ forward is having the best season of his career, averaging 19.0 points and 3.9 rebounds on .461/.393/.858 shooting in 37 games (28.8 minutes per contest).

Hunter, 27, theoretically fills a need for a Cleveland team that has long been seeking a small forward with plus size and who can provide versatility on both ends of the court. He has come off the bench for most of ’24/25, but seems likely to start for the Cavaliers, considering what they’re trading away to acquire him.

LeVert, 30, and Niang, 31, have been rotation mainstays off the bench for Cleveland and have contributed to the team leading the league in three-point percentage — LeVert is at a career-best 40.5%, while Niang has converted 40.0% of his outside attempts. They were both reportedly positive presences in the locker room as well.

It’s unclear if the Hawks have interest in retaining either player long-term, as the draft assets seem to be the primary motivating factor for making the trade. Atlanta will also clear off a significant long-term salary in the coming years, giving the team more financial flexibility as it builds out the roster around Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.

It’s interesting that the Cavaliers decided to potentially disrupt the chemistry that has led them to the second-best record in the NBA (41-10), but they upgraded at a position of relative weakness while also staying out of the luxury tax, so the deal accomplishes two goals at once. They figure to be a taxpayer for years to come by adding Hunter’s long-term deal, but that was always likely after giving lucrative long-term extensions to Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen last offseason.

Regarding the pick swaps in the deal, the language on those is quite convoluted because the Hawks already traded swap rights on their 2026 first-rounder to the Spurs, while the Cavs gave swap rights on their 2026 pick first to the Timberwolves, then to the Jazz. Utah also has the right to swap 2028 first-rounders with Cleveland.

Essentially, in 2026, the Hawks will have the opportunity to swap whichever first-round pick they end up with for whatever pick the Cavs end up with. In 2028, Atlanta will be able to swap its own first-rounder for the least favorable of the Cavs’ and Jazz’s picks.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Trade Rumors: Cavs, Hunter, Boucher, Heat, Blazers, Pacers

February 6th, 2025 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers and Hawks continue to discuss a potential trade that would send forward De’Andre Hunter to Cleveland, as Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line tweet. Reporting earlier this week indicated that the two teams were talking about a deal centered around Hunter and Caris LeVert, with a subsequent report referring to the Cavs as the frontrunner to land Hunter.

According to Fischer and Stein, one complication in the talks is that both Cleveland and Atlanta would like to end up below the luxury tax line.

The Hawks are currently below that threshold by approximately $1.2MM, while the Cavs are above it by about $1.8MM, so a third team would likely need to be brought in as a facilitator to take on a contract and ensure both teams are able to remain out of tax territory.

The Pistons, who still have a good deal of cap flexibility, could be a third party to watch, observes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA with the 2025 deadline just a couple hours away:

After agreeing to acquire Brandon Ingram and accommodate a Miami salary dump, the Raptors are still exploring the possibility of making one more move, likely involving big man Chris Boucher, reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
The Heat, who are about $2.8MM above the luxury tax line after reaching a deal with Toronto today, will likely continue trying to get below that threshold before this afternoon’s deadline, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Although the Trail Blazers have a handful of veteran trade candidates on their roster, there hasn’t been a ton of trade chatter in Portland, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian, who suggests that big man Robert Williams is the only player consistently mentioned in the days leading up to the deadline. Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton had also been considered available, but they’re on bigger contracts and have played crucial roles in the Blazers’ recent hot streak.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star explains why various moves and reports from around the league point to the Pacers having a relatively quiet trade deadline.
Arguing in favor of the Knicks keeping center Mitchell Robinson rather than trading him, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) makes the case that a healthy Robinson is the most impactful player the team could realistically add this month.

Trade Rumors: Durant, Heat, Hunter, Hornets, Celtics

February 6th, 2025 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Before the Heat agreed to trade Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, those two teams and the Suns had the framework in place for a potential deal that would have sent Butler to Phoenix and Kevin Durant to Golden State, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a Thursday appearance on Get Up (YouTube link).

When it became clear that Durant wasn’t interested in reuniting with the Warriors, the three teams pivoted. The Heat and Warriors got together to finalize a Butler deal, while Durant now appears likely to remain in Phoenix through the deadline

According to Windhorst, there was a window after the Warriors’ talks for Durant fell through for the Heat to make a play for the Suns’ superstar forward, but Phoenix sought several additional assets that Miami didn’t want to give up.

“I do think there was some interest on both sides, but in the cursory discussions, from what I understand, Phoenix was looking for a massive return for Kevin Durant,” Windhorst said. “The Heat weren’t really into that game. They had gotten comfortable with acquiring Andrew Wiggins. That was a deal they had kind of agreed to the day before.”

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

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter is a name to watch ahead of the deadline, says Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Previous reporting indicated that the Cavaliers are talking to Atlanta about Hunter, and Mannix confirms that Cleveland is considered the frontrunner, though he suggests other teams have also called about the 27-year-old.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard that the Hornets are “very open” to moving Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, and Vasilije Micic. Of those three players, Martin, who has an $8.12MM pseudo-expiring contract (next season’s salary is non-guaranteed) would likely be the easiest to move. Bridges has a pricey contract that runs through 2026/27, while Martin has more on-court value than Micic, who is on a $7.7MM de facto expiring deal.
Having agreed to trade away Jaden Springer, the Celtics are on the lookout for a reserve wing player whom head coach Joe Mazzulla could trust more, sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Boston will likely target that sort of player on the buyout market if no trade options emerge today.

Cavaliers, Hawks Have Discussed Hunter, LeVert

February 5th, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, multiple sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link), confirming a report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. According to Fedor, the Cavs’ talks with Atlanta have centered around swingman Caris LeVert.

Due to the difference between Hunter’s current cap hit ($21.7MM) and LeVert’s ($16.6MM), Cleveland would have to send out at least one more player in any deal involving the Hawks forward to avoid surpassing the first tax apron, according to Fedor, who suggests that rookie Jaylon Tyson ($3.3MM) would be one possibility. Atlanta may also seek draft assets — Cleveland controls its 2031 first-round pick, along with a few second-rounders.

According to Fedor, the Cavaliers have had Hunter on their radar for years, dating back to the 2019 draft when he went fourth overall to Atlanta, one pick ahead of Cleveland at No. 5. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the Cavs have done “extensive” homework on the 27-year-old, frequently inquiring over the years about his availability and what it would take to acquire him.

Hunter is having the best year of his career in 2024/25, averaging 18.9 points per game on .459/.386/.858 shooting through 36 outings (28.5 MPG). He’s also the sort of long, athletic wing that the Cavaliers have long been seeking and is close friends with guard Ty Jerome dating back to their days at the University of Virginia, Fedor notes, so Cleveland would be confident about his fit.

As Fedor reports, the Cavs have also checked in on several other possible trade candidates, such as Cameron Johnson (Nets), Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers), Javonte Green (Pelicans), Cody Martin (Hornets), Chris Boucher (Raptors), Julian Champagnie (Spurs), Obi Toppin (Pacers), and Royce O’Neale (Suns). However, the front office is wary about messing with the chemistry of a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 40-10 record.

Cavs players and head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed that aspect of the trade deadline on Tuesday, per Fedor.

“You have to listen,” Atkinson said. “You’d be really not smart if you didn’t listen and talk about how you can get better. It’s the business we’re in. We’re really good, obviously, but it could always be something out there that gets us to the next level. My one thing to [president of basketball operations] Koby [Altman] is we have great chemistry right now and a great culture, great locker room culture. That’s super important to me. If it is a trade, if it is a buyout, it’s got to be the right fit.”

“If you take away somebody, especially somebody in the locker room, a locker room presence, it’s gonna disrupt it,” center Jarrett Allen said. “At the end of the day, we’re all close to each other. But as you know, that’s how things go.”

Both Allen and Donovan Mitchell said on Tuesday that they believe the Cavaliers have enough to be a title contender. Still, the front office is keeping an eye out for ways to make upgrades. Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland is also considering the idea of making a small trade or two around the margins, with another big man among the possibilities the club is weighing.

If the Cavs don’t make a move at the trade deadline, they’ll likely take a look at the buyout market, according to Fedor, who points to Lonzo Ball as a player to watch, though a Tuesday report suggested the Bulls won’t be eager to buy out Ball if they hang onto him through the deadline. Torrey Craig, who was waived by Chicago earlier this week, is another player to monitor, Fedor adds.

Scotto’s Latest: Bucks, Vucevic, Ball, Martin, Sims, Hunter

February 4th, 2025 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks‘ conversations on the trade market leading up to the February 6 deadline have centered around Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and MarJon Beauchamp, along with their 2031 first-round pick, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Middleton, Portis, and Connaughton hold player options for the 2025/26 season worth $34MM, $13.4MM, and $9.4MM, respectively. The expectation, Scotto writes, is that Middleton and Connaughton will pick up their options, locking in those cap hits for next season. Portis’ intentions aren’t known, per Scotto, but if he opts out, he’d presumably do so in search of a raise.

With Middleton having battled injuries, Portis potentially a free agent this summer, Connaughton having a down year, and Beauchamp not in the rotation, the value of the Bucks’ top trade candidates is limited, but that 2031 first-rounder would certainly be coveted on the trade market.

According to Scotto, in the two weeks since the Suns traded their 2031 first-round pick for three less valuable first-rounders, a handful of NBA executives have expressed interest in trying to work out a similar deal with the Bucks.

Here are a few more rumors of interest from Scotto:

Scotto checks in on Bulls trade candidates Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, writing that there’s a “growing sense” that Vucevic could be on the move this week, with the Warriors and Lakers among his rumored suitors.
As for Ball, the Grizzlies, Pistons, and Timberwolves are among the teams with interest, Scotto writes. Minnesota, a second-apron team, likely doesn’t have a realistic path to acquiring Ball in a trade, and Scotto does note that some clubs are monitoring the situation to see whether the Bulls guard could end up on the buyout market. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported earlier today that Chicago is resistant to the idea of buying out Ball.
In general, Scotto says, the Bulls want to avoid taking on long-term salary in trades as they look to create more cap flexibility in the coming years.
Besides Milwaukee, whose interest was reported earlier today, the Lakers and the Nuggets are among the teams with some trade interest in Hornets wing Cody Martin, league sources tell Scotto.
Meanwhile, the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks are among the teams to register some level of interest in Knicks center Jericho Sims, while Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter has drawn interest from the Cavaliers, Scotto reports.