Jimmy Butler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

Latest On Kevin Durant

February 5th, 2025 at 7:34am CST by Luke Adams

As Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, trade rumors involving Suns forward Kevin Durant continue to percolate. Reporting on Monday indicated that the Warriors were eyeing Durant, with a story on Tuesday suggesting that the Mavericks and Rockets may also be in the mix.

There had been no real indication prior to this week that Durant would be available at the trade deadline, but it sounds like the Suns could be wavering on that stance.

Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link), and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) are among the reporters who have suggested in recent days that there’s a rising belief around the NBA that a Durant deal is a possibility.

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) echoed that sentiment late on Tuesday night, citing sources who say that the Suns have talked to teams besides Golden State about Durant and seem more open to discussing the star forward than they’ve ever been in the past.

Still, Stein and Fischer aren’t sure that Houston and Dallas should be considered serious suitors for Durant at this point. Stein suggests the Rockets still don’t appear particularly motivated to shake up their roster with a major in-season move before assessing how their young core performs in the postseason. The Rockets seem more inclined to use their flexibility below the luxury tax line to participate as a facilitator in multi-team trades, Stein writes.

As for the Mavs, they don’t look realistically positioned to make a move for another maximum-salary player like Durant this week after completing a Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis mega-deal over the weekend. According to Stein and Fischer, there was “no tangible expectation” in Dallas as of Tuesday night that the Mavs would be a major player in any Durant sweepstakes. The Stein Line duo believes the team will focus this season on integrating Davis and then potentially explore another major trade in the summer.

One reason there has been an increase in trade chatter surrounding Durant, sources tell Stein and Fischer, is that it’s believed to be the only way the Suns could realistically acquire Heat forward Jimmy Butler. A package headlined by Bradley Beal has been Phoenix’s preferred route to a Butler deal, but a number of factors – including Beal’s no-trade clause, his unwieldy contract, and the Suns’ lack of sweeteners – have made that path a non-starter.

The sources whom Stein and Fischer spoke to couldn’t offer a great answer when asked why the Suns would want to add Butler while giving up Durant, but that scenario does seem to be in play. Gambadoro (Twitter link) says he talked to one team that believes Durant will end up in Golden State, with Butler headed to Phoenix.

Presumably, if the Suns were to trade Durant in a Butler deal, they’d also be able to extract multiple other assets from the Warriors (or whichever team landed Durant), whereas a Beal-for-Butler trade would require Phoenix to be the team adding several extra assets to get it done. Those additional assets could help the Suns make upgrades elsewhere on the roster.

It’s worth noting that Durant ($51.2MM) doesn’t have a significantly higher cap hit than Butler ($48.8MM) and the Suns are a second-apron team unable to aggregate salaries or take back more than $51.2MM in non-minimum contracts for Durant. That means the Suns’ ability to take on additional contracts beyond Butler’s in that sort of multi-team deal would be limited unless they sent out another player or two.

Along those lines, Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com reported on Tuesday (via Twitter) that the Suns and Wizards had momentum on a trade that would involve Jusuf Nurkic and Jonas Valanciunas. Gambadoro (Twitter link) followed up to say that it’s not a done deal and would likely only happen if it’s attached to a bigger trade, adding that Phoenix isn’t really interested in Valanciunas.

This is purely my speculation, but if the Suns were to tie Nurkic to a Durant/Butler trade, bringing in more teams, it’d be a way for them to add more players using Nurkic’s $18.1MM outgoing contract without requiring aggregation.

For instance, Jonathan Kuminga‘s $7.6MM salary and Valanciunas’ $9.9MM salary would both fit within that $18.1MM limit. Valanciunas could even be flipped to Golden State in that scenario, with one of the Warriors’ other outgoing players sent to Phoenix. But again, that’s just a hypothetical for now.

Mavs, Rockets Interested In Kevin Durant

February 4th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could the Mavericks pull off another trade shocker before Thursday’s deadline?

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater, the Mavericks are hopeful of adding Kevin Durant to form a new superstar trio alongside his former Nets teammate Kyrie Irving and newly-acquired Anthony Davis.

The Athletic’s reporters caution that a Durant deal this week to Dallas is unlikely but the Mavs’ interest demonstrates the approach of general manager Nico Harrison, who appears to be targeting big-time stars he knows well from his Nike days, with the aim of winning a championship ASAP.

The Rockets, who are known to covet Suns guard Devin Booker, are also contemplating a run at Durant, per The Athletic. While the Rockets have a young, seemingly sustainable core, adding an impact player like Durant might vault them into true title contender status this season. Houston currently has the West’s third-best record.

As reported on Monday, the Warriors are also in pursuit of Durant but thus far the Suns have set an exorbitant asking price in exploratory talks. According to Amick, Aldridge, and Slater, one of the players the Suns want in return is Draymond Green, who starred at owner Mat Ishbia’s alma mater, Michigan State. The Suns also have a level of interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent after the season.

The Suns remain Jimmy Butler‘s preferred destination but talks with the Heat have stalled because Miami doesn’t want Bradley Beal in return. Beal, who anticipates remaining with Phoenix past the deadline, per The Athletic, would have to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt.

Trading Durant could provide an alternate pathway for Phoenix to enhance its offer to Miami for Butler, according to Amick, Aldridge, and Slater, who hear from league sources that the Suns’ messaging about how willing they are to move Durant varies from team to team.

Interestingly, the Suns list Durant as doubtful to play on Wednesday against OKC due to an ankle sprain, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. It could be construed as a way to ensure Durant’s health as Phoenix pursues deadline deals, though Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports notes (via Twitter) that the star forward did turn his ankle in overtime on Monday.

Latest On Jimmy Butler

February 4th, 2025 at 4:07pm CST by Luke Adams

After reporting earlier this week that Jimmy Butler communicated to the Warriors that he’s not interested in signing an extension with them, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on Tuesday during a TV appearance on Get Up (YouTube link) that the Heat forward remains laser-focused on getting to Phoenix.

“He is trying so hard to force his way to the Suns,” Windhorst said. “He has had several other opportunities where he could have gone, including the Warriors, who were willing to give him a contract extension. And he said, ‘No, send me to Phoenix.'”

While the fact that Phoenix is Butler’s preferred destination has been widely reported for weeks, the 35-year-old’s camp appears to be pushing back on the idea that he’s telling other teams he’s not willing to sign with them.

Sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) that Butler’s camp has repeatedly conveyed to the Heat that he’s healthy, in shape, and ready to continue his career. According to Haynes, their message to the team has been to negotiate the best deal possible, and if the Heat are nearing an agreement and that trade partner is granted permission by Miami to speak with Butler’s agent to discuss his future, that conversation would be “welcomed.”

To date, Haynes says, no team has requested permission to have that discussion to Butler’s agent.

For what it’s worth, Windhorst reported nearly a month ago that the Suns were the only team “ready to pay (Butler) exactly what he wants,” which is believed to be the primary reason why Phoenix is atop his wish list.

Here’s more on Butler:

Later on in his Tuesday appearance on Get Up (YouTube link), during a conversation about the Warriors’ search for a star, Windhorst suggested that a package of Andrew Wiggins and draft assets hasn’t gotten Golden State very far in most of its trade discussions. However, he thinks that could be enough to land Butler if the Heat can’t agree to terms with the Suns. “I will say this, I think Miami was willing to do that deal and they were willing to do that deal for Jimmy Butler,” Windhorst said. “So let’s see if by Thursday that gets revisited. Jimmy Butler didn’t want it, and because he’s got an option on his contract, he has some measure of control.”
Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald break down why the Heat aren’t interested in taking back Bradley Beal‘s contract in a Butler deal with the Suns, exploring how having that deal on the books would hamper the team’s flexibility going forward.
In a separate story for The Herald, Jackson and Chiang take a closer look at why the Heat feel some level of urgency to close the books on the Butler drama this week. As The Herald’s duo writes, if Butler remains on the roster through Thursday’s deadline and continues to push for a deal to Phoenix, it could result in him picking up his $52MM option for 2025/26, since the Suns will still be operating over the tax aprons and won’t be permitted to acquire a player via sign-and-trade.

Warriors Rumors: Trade Deadline, Green, Butler, Durant

February 4th, 2025 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Draymond Green spoke out last month against the idea of “mortgaging off the future” of the team in order to try to win now, telling reporters that’s the sort of thing that “bad organizations” do. However, on Monday, with the February 6 trade deadline just days away, Green said in a post-game media session that he knows team owner Joe Lacob will be eager to try to upgrade a team with an uninspiring 25-24 record.

“We all know he’s pissed sitting at .500,” Green said (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). “You’d be a fool to sit back and think everything (is OK). Not with that guy. That guy’s always trying to win. He’s always pushing the envelope as much as he can.

“… Sitting at .500, you’ve got to expect that (the front office) is going to look to be aggressive. It’s not an organization that’s going to do anything dumb, but they’re going to look to be aggressive.”

Reporting on Monday linked the Warriors to starry targets like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, with Shams Charania stating during an ESPN appearance that Golden State is “legitimately calling about every All-Star player.” After seeing what went down in Dallas over the weekend, Green suggests it would be irresponsible not to make those calls.

“Luka Doncic just got traded, so everyone thinks everything is possible at this point,” Green said. “If you saw that and you didn’t call (on) every superstar, you’re crazy. That’s just the reality.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on Sunday that Jimmy Butler trade talks between the Warriors and Heat had “ended for now” after the 35-year-old conveyed that he wasn’t interested in signing an extension with Golden State. However, it doesn’t appear that the idea of Butler landing in the Bay Area is dead. Anthony Slater of The Athletic says the Warriors “believe they are still firmly in the mix” for Butler, while Windhorst himself wrote today at ESPN.com that Golden State remains a possibility for the star forward if the Heat can’t figure out how to make a deal work with the Suns, Butler’s preferred destination.
If the Suns are unable to acquire Butler, it could impact the Warriors on two fronts. Not only would it make Golden State a more viable landing spot for Butler, but it could make Phoenix more inclined to consider the idea of moving Durant, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who says (via Twitter) that some rival executives believes that’s a real possibility.
According to Slater, it’s still unclear whether the Suns would really move Durant this week or if he would even welcome a reunion with the Warriors. However, Slater notes that Lacob and Durant’s longtime manager Rich Kleiman were seen chatting during Friday’s Suns/Warriors game and were spotted together at Chase Center’s Bridge Club at halftime and after the game.

Warriors Eye LeBron James, Kevin Durant In Hopes Of Major Deadline Deals

February 3rd, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:48 pm: Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link) that the Warriors have inquired about James and Durant, noting that Golden State is casting a wide net in its search for another impact player.

“The Warriors are legitimately calling about every All-Star player,” Charania said. “Name the All-Star player, the Warriors have probably called about him. (Sixers forward) Paul George, they’ve probably called – they have called – about him.

“They’ve made calls on every star. And that, of course, includes players like LeBron, players like Kevin Durant, players like Jimmy Butler. They are making calls. They are dead set on trying to find another star player – a superstar player – with Stephen Curry.”

The Warriors are among several teams who have asked about Durant, per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), but Gambadoro says the Suns remain focused on either acquiring Butler from Miami or – if they can’t get Butler – making other smaller deals.

12:00 pm: The Warriors are “big-game hunting” ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline and have contemplated a strategy to reunite the core of the U.S. Olympic squad by teaming up LeBron James and Kevin Durant with Stephen Curry, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).

That’s the most audacious of the plans being considered by Golden State’s front office, but there could be a path to making it happen. Sources tell Fischer that the Warriors are among the teams that have made inquiries about whether James could be convinced to waive his no-trade clause and part with the Lakers. Nothing has changed so far, but Golden State will presumably continue its pursuit through Thursday.

Fischer cites sources who say the Suns currently don’t plan to move Durant before the deadline, but they are listening to inquiries. Durant is aware of the situation, Fischer adds.

Any deal with Phoenix would involve “a very high asking price” involving players and draft picks, according to Fischer, who notes that the Suns have “a level of interest” in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Fischer points out that Phoenix’s grip on a postseason spot is less secure after the Spurs reached an agreement to acquire De’Aaron Fox from Sacramento. That trade should make San Antonio (21-25) more dangerous in the short term without the Kings (24-24), who are acquiring Zach LaVine as part of the three-team deal, taking a significant step backwards. Both teams are hot on the heels of the 25-23 Suns in the postseason race.

The Suns would like to complete a deal for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, but have found no takers for Bradley Beal and may not be able to make it happen without giving up Durant or Devin Booker.

Fischer also reports that the Warriors haven’t entirely abandoned the idea of trading for Butler, despite a report on Sunday that he wouldn’t sign an extension with them. According to Fischer, there are “reservations” in Golden State’s front office about how Butler’s personality would fit with the team considering his standoff in Miami and his history of messy breakups.

Fischer adds that the Mavericks aren’t trying to add either Butler or Durant, although they’re still searching for roster upgrades after swapping Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis.

The current speculation, according to Fischer, is that the Warriors or Bucks are just as likely to land Butler as the Suns are. However, he adds that Milwaukee has been quiet recently in the Butler pursuit and may be more focused on acquiring Kyle Kuzma from the Wizards.

Bradley Beal Reluctant To Change Teams Again

February 3rd, 2025 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

There have been reports that it would take a contending team in a warm-weather city for Bradley Beal to consider waiving his no-trade clause, but there’s another reason he prefers to remain in Phoenix, according to Fred Katz, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

A source familiar with Beal’s thinking tells the authors that he doesn’t want to uproot his family again less than two years after being traded to the Suns. Since that deal was made, the family moved from Washington to Los Angeles before finding a home in Phoenix. Another trade would either mean moving again or playing out the rest of the season away from his wife and their two children.

The source informs Katz, Amick and Nehm that Beal would approve a trade to a handful of cities, but the list is short. His priority is being with a contender, and although he doesn’t like the cold, he’s willing to accept it to get to the right situation.

The authors cite a report from last week that Beal wouldn’t be willing to accept a trade to the Bulls, who offer both cold weather and a remote chance to reach the playoffs. As they point out, that’s the dilemma for the Suns, who are hoping to find a taker for Beal’s contract so they can complete a trade for Jimmy Butler. Any team willing to pay Beal more than $110MM over the next two seasons is likely to be in the midst of rebuilding.

Katz, Amick and Nehm add that Beal would be interested in going to Miami, but the Heat don’t want him because of his salary, the multiple years left on his deal, and his no-trade clause. Once Butler is gone, Miami will be focused on creating cap room for a stellar free agent class in 2026.

The Suns are still considered to be the most aggressive suitor for Butler, but Beal’s situation may be too difficult to solve by Thursday’s trade deadline.

Warriors Halt Jimmy Butler Trade Talks

February 2nd, 2025 at 9:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cross the Warriors off the list of potential Jimmy Butler suitors, at least for now.

Butler has communicated to the Warriors that he’s unwilling to sign an extension there, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link). In response, trade talks between the Heat and Warriors have halted, according to Windhorst.

The Warriors are reportedly interested in making a significant move before the trade deadline and Butler was one of the logical candidates to fulfill that goal. However, it’s well-known that Butler wants to be dealt to the Suns, who are hamstrung in making a blockbuster move because they’re operating over the second tax apron.

The only way Phoenix can complete such a deal to allow Butler to join forces with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant would be to send out Bradley Beal‘s contract. Miami hasn’t shown any interest in acquiring Beal, who has two years remaining on his contract after this season, including a $57.1MM option for 2026/27. Beal also has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to waive it whether he was routed to Miami or a third party.

The Suns are still the team pushing the hardest to land Butler ahead of Thursday’s deadline, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang reports. In any Butler trade, the Heat want to acquire at least one quality player who can help the team this season, Chiang adds.

Butler, who has been suspended indefinitely by Miami for repeated violations of team rules, holds a $52.4MM option on his contract for next season.

Golden State also seriously explored trade proposals to acquire both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučevic from the Bulls before opting to pursue other deals, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets. LaVine is on the move to Sacramento.

Steve Kerr: “We Don’t Have Enough To Separate Ourselves”

February 1st, 2025 at 9:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

A few weeks ago, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr urged the front office to be patient and see how the current roster is able to come together. He had a much different message before Friday’s game against Phoenix, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.

Responding to a question, Kerr said he believes Golden State has the talent to remain a playoff contender, Then he added, “But we’ve also shown that we don’t have enough to separate ourselves from the rest of the West. The point is we’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘No, we’re good, let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”

The Warriors are 24-24 after falling to the Suns, leaving them tied for the 10th spot in the West. They play two more times before Thursday’s deadline, when a final decision will have to be made on whether to take a big swing in hopes of salvaging the season.

The team has been linked to Heat forward Jimmy Butler now that Miami’s asking price has reportedly gone down, as well as Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic from the Bulls. Kerr said he talks every day to general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. about the roster and any available trade opportunities.

“If there’s something that makes sense, he’s going to do it,” Kerr said. “If not, then I’m very comfortable going forward with this team because I know what we’re capable of, and I know the guys. Hopefully we can capture a little more momentum here.”

Even if they don’t opt for a trade, the Warriors will have reinforcements coming as their injured players start to heal. Gordon states that Draymond Green, who’s sidelined with a calf injury, is expected back next week, while Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out of action since January 4 with a sprained right ankle, may return around the All-Star break.

The Warriors are hoping to maximize the final years of Stephen Curry, who has two more seasons left on his contract. Sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic that there’s “a growing level of urgency” to shake up the current roster and they’ve offered their protected 2025 first-round draft pick around the league to see what they can get in return.

Curry deflected direct questions about roster needs, saying he’s not in position to make those decisions, but he recognizes the need to improve. He also acknowledges the tension that accompanies the trade deadline, particularly among veterans such as Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, who would like to remain with the team.

“You’re another year away from the ’22 (title), so it’s a little less of a … I think every trade deadline in a sense has been a little uneasy,” Curry said. “But the further you get away from winning, it becomes more of a sense of urgency. It’s the NBA. It’s nothing different from what guys have experienced before. You have to be able to play through it, keep confidence, understand there’s only so many things you can control, just play basketball.”

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.