Jimmy Butler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Notes: Ball, LaVine, Vucevic, Buzelis

February 1st, 2025 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2024/25 season has already been a huge success for Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who returned from a two-and-a-half-year absence and three knee surgeries and has been an effective role player through his first 28 appearances of the season.

However, Ball continues to push for a larger role within Chicago’s rotation, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times and Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune detail. While playing in back-to-backs remains off the table for the former No. 2 overall pick, team doctors agreed this week to increase Ball’s minutes restriction to 28, according to Poe.

“Every stage, they’ve wanted to see how he’s managed the minutes along the way,” head coach Billy Donovan said, per Cowley. “So it started at 16, then up to 22, then we got to 24. And as long as he feels good and he’s responding, that’s the biggest thing. How does he look the next day? And if he does have any swelling or soreness the next day, any difficulty, then they would start to monitor his minutes. But everything he’s done up to this moment with the restrictions that have been on him has been positive.”

Ball’s per-game averages of 7.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 21.1 minutes are all career lows, and his shooting percentages of 36.9% from the floor and 34.7% on three-pointers are below his career rates.

However, like he did in his first season with the organization back in 2021/22, Ball has made the Bulls a better team when he’s on the court. Chicago has outscored opponents by 4.6 points per 100 possessions during his 590 minutes of action and has been outscored by 6.1 points per 100 possessions during the 1,767 minutes he hasn’t played.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

The Bulls have remained in contact with the Suns and Warriors with the trade deadline just five days away, a source tells Cowley, as the front office monitors where those two teams stand in the Jimmy Butler talks. Either one of those clubs could pivot to pursuing Zach LaVine and/or Nikola Vucevic if they don’t end up getting Butler, Cowley notes, though Golden State would be better positioned than Phoenix to make a run at one of those Bulls veterans. Chicago also remains interested in getting involved in a Butler deal as a facilitator, but that’s a longer shot, Cowley adds.
Vucevic isn’t pushing for a trade and said he’s not thinking about leaving Chicago, given that he won’t be a free agent until 2026, but he acknowledged to Poe that – at age 34 – he wouldn’t mind being closer to title contention than he is this season with the 21-28 Bulls. “I’m getting closer to the end of my career,” Vucevic said. “I would like to be somewhere that’s in win-now mode.”
Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis has been playing some of his best basketball of the season as of late. The first-year forward scored 12 points in each of his past two outings and was a plus-18 in 26 minutes of action in Friday’s win over Toronto as he continues to earn Donovan’s trust. “The biggest growth I’ve seen with him is quite honestly he plays a lot harder now,” Donovan said after Wednesday’s loss to Boston, according to Cowley. “Not that he didn’t play hard, but I don’t think he understood the level of intensity and energy he needs to raise himself up to.”

Suns Notes: Booker, Butler, Trade Options, Durant

January 31st, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Devin Booker was named an All-Star in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024, but unless he’s a last-minute injury replacement, the Suns guard won’t be headed to San Francisco for this year’s event.

Addressing his omission after Friday morning’s shootaround, Booker told reporters that he would’ve loved to be selected, but added that there were many deserving players and that he’s “definitely not going to complain about taking a week to regroup with the family,” writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

While Booker’s shooting numbers (.444/.341/.893) are down this year, his averages of 25.5 points and 6.7 assists per game are above his career rates. Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer said on Wednesday that Booker is “clearly in our minds an All-Star” and teammate Kevin Durant agreed.

Durant also suggested that All-Star rosters should be expanded from 12 to 15 players to reflect the size of actual NBA rosters and to better reward deserving players: “So many great players going out there impacting their team in a positive way that are being snubbed. They’ll always be snubs every year, but I think we should add three more.”

Asked about the idea, Booker wasn’t opposed to it and pointed to a handful of players he felt were snubbed this season.

“I think there are enough talented guys out here, like I said, that are deserving,” Booker said. “You look at Kyrie (Irving), Norman Powell, those guys are having unbelievable, efficient years, and winning games. On the East, I’m sure there are guys too like Trae (Young) and LaMelo (Ball) that are putting up just unheard numbers. The more talent in there, the better.”

We have more on the Suns:

While the mutual interest between the Suns and Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been reported ad nauseam in recent weeks, Phoenix isn’t taking a “Butler or bust” approach to the trade deadline, says John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links). According to Gambadoro, the front office is looking at more than 20 potential trade targets and the odds are in favor of the Suns making one or more deadline deals, even if they don’t end up landing Butler.
Although the Suns have no shortage of potential directions at the trade deadline, it remains safe to assume stars Durant and Booker aren’t going anywhere. Within an in-depth story on the situation in Phoenix, Ramona Shelburne and Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) say that teams who have called to ask about Durant have been rebuffed. That’s also been the case for the clubs “bold enough to inquire” on Booker, who has never given indication he’d leave Phoenix to chase a title elsewhere, sources tell Shelburne and Marks.
With Durant nearing the 30,000-point threshold and on the verge of surpassing Julius Erving for eighth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, Tim MacMahon of ESPN spoke to many of the forward’s current and former teammates about what makes the former MVP such an elite offensive player.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pelicans Contact Heat About Jimmy Butler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Latest On De’Aaron Fox

January 30th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Tristan Tucker

More than half the teams in the NBA have inquired on De’Aaron Fox since the Kings made him available for trade on Tuesday, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Talks with San Antonio, Fox’s reported preferred destination, are going to be particularly interesting, Amick writes, with the Spurs potentially in position to push negotiations into the offseason in an effort to further evaluate their options without losing out on Fox to another team.

One potential sticking point in negotiations between the two teams could be the inclusion of 2024 lottery pick Stephon Castle. Amick writes that there is skepticism in league circles that the Spurs would include their rookie who has shown real potential.

Additionally, from the Spurs’ perspective, it may make more sense to wait until the offseason to make a move for Fox because Chris Paul is continuing to help elevate their franchise at 39 years old.

While Fox is likely to sign an extension with the Spurs if he’s traded there, other inquiring teams are likely viewing him as a rental (he’s under contract through the 2025/26 season), and the quality of their offers figures to reflect that.

The general mood of the locker room in Sacramento could impact the Kings’ timing in moving Fox, as Amick says multiple players expressed frustration that this situation is poorly timed since it coincides with Sacramento playing well under interim coach Doug Christie.

One player the Kings are not interested in acquiring as part of any Fox deal is the Heat‘s Jimmy Butler. The Kings “do not see Butler as the answer,” according to Amick. As has been well-reported, the Heat are trying to trade Butler ahead of the 2025 deadline and the Kings’ star point guard would be a logical target for Miami, given his Kentucky connection with Bam Adebayo.

Fox hasn’t requested a trade from the Kings, but his unwillingness to commit long-term led the Kings to approach his representation and put him on the block. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Fox and his camp would have preferred to reach this point this summer when teams are more flush with draft capital and room to make offers.

The Nets are described by Fischer as a team who can be ruled out for an in-season acquisition of Fox but could make a run for the one-time All-Star in the summer.

Regardless of whether Fox becomes eligible for a super-max this season by making an All-NBA team, he has no intention of signing an extension with the Kings, Fischer writes. While Fischer suggests that the haul for Fox wouldn’t be the same as what the Cavaliers had to give up for Donovan Mitchell, as an example, it might not make sense for the Spurs to surrender multiple valuable assets for a player who is interested in signing with them in 2026 either way.

Pairing up with Wembanyama is still Fox’s ultimate goal, fueled by representation by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. According to Fischer, that destination was also in mind when Darius Garland‘s future in Cleveland was called into question last offseason. The Spurs have also envisioned potentially targeting Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball or Chicago’s Josh Giddey to pair with their franchise center, Fischer adds.

Here are some other recent tidbits about Fox:

The Lakers aren’t a potential Fox destination because Klutch knows Los Angeles wouldn’t give up Austin Reaves in any deal with Sacramento, Fischer writes.
As has been reported, the Rockets are looking to play out the rest of the season with their young core that has them in No. 2 in the Western Conference. However, that’s not the only reason they’re not currently exploring a trade for Fox. According to Fischer, the Rockets are skeptical of Fox’s fit with the team, even though the timeline makes sense.
A potential Fox trade could cause veteran DeMar DeRozan to reevaluate his future in Sacramento, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “Yeah, it’s tough because looking at the landscape, before I came here, those are the guys I talked to was Fox, [Domantas Sabonis] and Malik [Monk],” DeRozan said. “Those are the core guys that made it easy for me to make my decision to play here, and a key player, a key juggernaut in Fox, not knowing the future of that, it does make it tough.“

Trade Rumors: Butler, Suns, Turner, Johnson, Mathurin, Lakers

January 30th, 2025 at 5:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Heat have lowered their asking price for Jimmy Butler, they have yet to find a trade package they like, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links), who hears from a source that the Suns remain the most “aggressive” team in pursuit of the six-time All-Star. However, Miami still has no interest in taking on Bradley Beal and his no trade-clause.

Jackson reiterates that the Heat are “determined” to move Butler, but if they’re unable to before next Thursday’s deadline, they’ll still have some options in the offseason. Of course, that scenario glosses over the issue of having to deal with more Butler-related drama for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.

According to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, league executives keep circling back to the Grizzlies as a possible dark horse suitor for Butler, even though they were warned by his camp not to trade for him.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Both Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times and veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link) hear the Pacers are receiving trade inquiries on Myles Turner, though there’s skepticism around the league that Indiana will move its starting center. As both writers point out, the Pacers have been surging up the Eastern Conference standings and are determined to make a strong playoff push, so trading Turner might hurt the team’s chemistry. According to Stein, Indiana would want at least another starting-caliber center in return for Turner to even contemplate moving the impending free agent.
Indiana’s improved play of late might make the Pacers reluctant to part with significant assets to acquire Nets forward Cameron Johnson, according to Stein. Rival teams think the Pacers may need to trade some of their wing depth — either by next week or the offseason — to free up their books to re-sign Turner in free agency. With that in mind, Bennedict Mathurin could be worth monitoring, but Indiana values him — Woike hears the Pacers would want a player it likes plus a first-round pick in exchange for the 22-year-old, who was selected sixth overall in the 2022 draft.
Woike’s story is largely focused on the Lakers and their trade options. As Woike explains, while the front office is open to trading both of the team’s available first-round picks, coming up with “realistic” scenarios is tricky for a number of reasons — including the high asking price for starting centers. For example, the Jazz may not be willing to trade Walker Kessler even if the Lakers offered both first-rounders, according to Woike, who highlights several other possible trade candidates in his story, including Malcolm Brogdon, whom the Wizards may be willing to part with for second-round draft capital.

Warriors Looking To Make ‘Significant’ Trade?

January 30th, 2025 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Despite an impressive win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday, the Warriors‘ front office seems realistic about the state of the team’s roster and is prepared to make a “significant” deal ahead of next week’s trade deadline, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on NBA Today (YouTube link).

“This is not really a replicable situation and that’s one of the reasons why you keep hearing the Warriors’ names in trade talks,” Windhorst said Thursday (hat tip to RealGM). “And I know a couple of weeks ago Steph Curry said, ‘We don’t need to do anything desperate’ and all of a sudden they were out.

“I’m telling you, in the last few days, I hear the Warriors are dipping their toes back in the trade market to make a significant move. And just not necessarily for some of the names you’ve heard in the past. I think everybody is kind of riding the fence here, not sure which way this team goes.”

Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic confirmed on Wednesday that Golden State had some new discussions with Miami about Jimmy Butler, though they cautioned that the Warriors had reservations about trading for the 35-year-old. According to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, both Curry and head coach Steve Kerr are wary about Butler’s possible fit in the locker room.

Slater and Thompson also revealed that the Warriors were more intrigued by Bulls star Zach LaVine than Butler. They still have reservations about his injury history and the players they’d have to give up to acquire him, but view LaVine as a better culture fit — he’s also six years younger than Butler. Slater and Thompson identified Bulls center Nikola Vucevic as a “secondary” target.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network hears the Warriors are actively engaged in trade talks with several teams and are evaluating multiple scenarios, with LaVine and Vucevic being two of them (Twitter link). Johnson points out (via Twitter) that Kerr was an assistant coach with Team USA in 2021 when LaVine helped the Americans win the gold medal, later praising him for the way he accepted his role.

“He just got it. He understood what the team needed,” Kerr said.

Warriors Rumors: LaVine, Butler, 2025 Pick, Vucevic, Tax

January 29th, 2025 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Having reported at the start of the month that the Warriors were unlikely to pursue Heat star Jimmy Butler, Anthony Slater of Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic reiterate that there was “zero push” at any level of the organization to go after Butler at that time due to concerns about the price and his fit.

However, Slater and Thompson confirm that Golden State has some renewed interest in the 35-year-old now that Miami’s asking price has dropped, though they caution that team sources have downplayed the Warriors’ involvement in the Butler sweepstakes.

The drama Butler has caused in Miami is “not lost on this locker room” in Golden State, according to The Athletic’s reporters, who say that Bulls guard Zach LaVine might be of more interest to the Warriors if the front office decides to make a run at a maximum-salary player.

LaVine is several years younger than Butler and his cap hit is a few million dollars lower. There’s also a sense that he’d be a good culture fit and a belief that the Warriors need a second legitimate scoring threat to complement Stephen Curry, Slater and Thompson write.

On the other hand, LaVine’s longer-term contract and history of health issues make him a risk, and the Warriors have concerns about what they’d have to give up to match salaries for a player like LaVine or Butler. Andrew Wiggins ($26.3MM), an important two-way contributor, would likely have to be involved, and potential trade chips on expiring contracts like Gary Payton II ($9.1MM) and Kevon Looney ($8MM) have been valuable locker-room presences, per The Athletic.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Golden State is willing to move a protected form of its 2025 first-round pick in the right deal, according to Slater and Thompson, who hear from league sources that the Warriors aren’t enamored with the prospects expected to be on the board in the second half of the first round. Moving a lottery-protected 2025 first-rounder would allow Golden State to either convey the pick in June and then dangle future first-rounders (starting with 2026) during the offseason or – if the ’25 pick lands in the top 14 – give the front office a valuable asset in a top-heavy draft to use or trade this summer.
Although it’s not their top priority, the Warriors are mulling the idea of acquiring a stretch center, The Athletic’s duo says. Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is viewed as a “secondary” target, with varying opinions within the organization about how much he’d help. For what it’s worth, Vucevic considers Golden State a desirable landing spot if Chicago trades him, per Slater and Thompson.
Ducking out of luxury tax territory this season isn’t mandatory, with the Warriors prioritizing present and future on-court improvements, team sources tell The Athletic. If the club ends up getting out of the tax as a result of a trade, it would be viewed as an “added benefit.” Golden State is currently operating nearly $6MM over the tax line.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trade Rumors: Nets, Fox, Butler, Bucks, LaVine, Lakers, Turner

January 29th, 2025 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have interest in Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and view him as a potential trade target, but they haven’t given up on the idea of eventually landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who describes the Bucks star as Brooklyn’s “white whale.”

A desire to preserve their most valuable trade assets for Antetokounmpo if there’s even the slightest chance that he’ll become available would complicate the Nets’ efforts to make a deal for Fox, Lewis notes. It’s also unclear whether the 2023 All-Star would have interest in signing a long-term contract in Brooklyn, though the presence of head coach Jordi Fernandez – a former Kings assistant – would presumably work in the Nets’ favor.

Brooklyn is one of many teams around the NBA with interest in Fox — Shams Charania of ESPN said during a late-night appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday (YouTube link) that the Kings had already gotten “dozens” of calls on the star guard.

The one team consistently linked to Fox is San Antonio. Charania confirmed during his SportsCenter appearance that the Spurs are “atop (Fox’s) list of preferred destinations.”

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

Checking on the Jimmy Butler situation, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) says his sources remain skeptical about the possibility of the Grizzlies acquiring the Heat forward, who reportedly doesn’t want to end up in Memphis.
On the other hand, Stein continues to hear whispers about Milwaukee as a possible Butler suitor, noting that Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis are the kinds of win-now players on short-term deals who may appeal to Miami. Whether or not they make a play for Butler, the Bucks are considered “as determined as any team” to make a pre-deadline deal in the hopes of beefing up the supporting cast around stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Stein adds.
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (YouTube link; hat tip to BrewHoop) confirms that the Bucks have interest in Bulls star Zach LaVine, which was speculated last week. However, with Phoenix guard Bradley Beal said to be uninterested in waiving his no-trade clause to go to Chicago, that likely eliminates one potential multi-team scenario in which LaVine could end up in Milwaukee.
With the Bulls seeking a first-round pick for Nikola Vucevic and the Wizards asking for a protected first-rounder for Jonas Valanciunas, the Lakers are exploring other center options and have discussed internally whether it makes sense to put both of their tradable first-round picks (2029 and 2031) on the table for Pacers big man Myles Turner, sources tell Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. It’s unclear if Indiana would actually move its starting center, but there has reportedly been some chatter around the league about whether the Pacers will be comfortable meeting Turner’s asking price when he reaches unrestricted free agency in July.