Jusuf Nurkic

Scotto’s Latest: Clippers, Boucher, Brown, Nurkic

January 28th, 2025 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers are currently operating about $2.5MM above the luxury tax threshold and would like to duck below that line at the trade deadline, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

That’s not surprising, given that the Clippers were a taxpayer in each of the previous four seasons and are now subject to repeater taxpayer penalties. Getting out of tax territory wouldn’t just save them from paying repeater rates in 2024/25 — it would also be the first step toward resetting the repeater clock for future seasons.

Clippers forward P.J. Tucker and guard Bones Hyland are the team’s two most obvious trade chips in any cost-cutting deal. Both players are on expiring contracts, with Tucker – who has been away from the team – earning $11.5MM, while Hyland – who has had a very limited role – making $4.2MM. Scotto classifies both players as “available,” which feels like an understatement. i don’t expect either player could be moved without a sweetener.

According to Scotto, a best-case scenario for the Clippers would be to duck the tax while also adding a backup big man to fortify their depth chart. If they’re able to create an open spot on their 15-man roster and have enough room below the tax, second-year forward Jordan Miller remains a candidate to be promoted from his two-way deal, as Scotto previously reported.

Scotto adds that the Clippers are looking to avoid taking on any contracts that run beyond 2025/26, since they’re prioritizing cap flexibility for the summer of ’26.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Nuggets, Clippers, and Knicks are among the teams to register some level of interest in Raptors big man Chris Boucher, Scotto reports. Boucher is on an expiring $10.8MM contract.
Scotto confirms that Raptors wing Bruce Brown, who has a $23MM expiring contract, is a candidate to be included in a multi-team Jimmy Butler trade, as has been previously reported. There are a number of playoff-caliber teams hoping that Brown ends up being bought out after the deadline instead, Scotto adds.
The Suns are exploring the possibility of attaching one of their newly acquired first-round picks to center Jusuf Nurkic in order to land a quality rotation player via trade, sources tell HoopsHype. Scotto says Phoenix doesn’t view Nurkic as a salary dump and believes he’ll have more value on the trade market in the summer as he enters the final year of his contract. While I agree he may be easier to move in the summer, it’s hard to imagine Nurkic having positive or even neutral trade value at that point due to his $19.4MM cap hit for 2025/26.

Bulls, Suns Have Discussed Bradley Beal

January 27th, 2025 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls are “absolutely involved in conversations with the Suns involving possible Jimmy Butler situations,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on Monday’s episode of his Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link).

While Windhorst was careful about what he did and didn’t say in addressing the discussions between Chicago and Phoenix, he made it clear that Bradley Beal‘s name has come up in those conversations and that the Bulls aren’t looking to reacquire Butler themselves.

“If I’m talking about a three-team trade and Jimmy Butler is on one end and (he’s) not going to Chicago, we’re talking about Bradley Beal,” Windhorst said. “… The bottom line is that the Bulls and the Suns have talked and the concept of Bradley Beal ending up in Chicago has been discussed. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m not saying it’s close or whatever. Obviously, Beal has a no-trade clause.”

As we’ve written many times in recent weeks, the Suns and Butler have strong mutual interest. And in order to acquire the Heat star, whose cap hit is $48.8MM, Phoenix would need to include Beal and his $50.2MM cap hit in its outgoing package for salary-matching purposes.

However, Miami reportedly has no interest in taking on Beal’s maximum-salary contract, which comes with a no-trade clause and covers two more seasons beyond this one. That means at least one more team would need to be included in a deal sending Butler to Phoenix in order to take on Beal’s contract and to send the Heat the sort of assets they’re looking for.

While it’s possible the Bulls could be that team, their most obvious salary-matching fit in such a deal – Zach LaVine ($43MM) – may not appeal to the Heat because his contract runs beyond the 2025/26 season. Multiple reports have indicated that Miami is prioritizing cap flexibility in 2026 and is strongly opposed to taking on salary beyond that season.

During the Hoop Collective discussion, Windhorst’s ESPN colleague Tim Bontemps also questioned why the Bulls would be motivated to swap out LaVine for Beal, given the limited draft assets the Suns could offer as sweeteners and the All-Star caliber season LaVine is having so far this year (24.0 PPG on .512/.444/.792 shooting).

Phoenix has three first-round picks available to trade, but each of them includes “least favorable” language and seems likely to end up in the 20s. Bontemps argues that the Bulls will be able to get better value for LaVine, who would reportedly prefer to remain in Chicago past the trade deadline, if they wait until a little later in his contract to move him.

Chicago could theoretically trade for Beal without including LaVine, since the team has other trade candidates – starting with Lonzo Ball ($21.4MM) and Nikola Vucevic ($20MM) – whose salaries could be aggregated to match Beal’s incoming figure. But that would leave the Bulls with both Beal’s and LaVine’s maximum-salary contracts on their books and overlapping skill sets on their roster.

Although there are permutations of a multi-team Butler deal that might make sense for all of the Suns, Bulls, and Heat, it would likely require at least one additional trade partner and wouldn’t be easy to construct. It would also require Beal to agree to waive his no-trade clause in order to join a team that’s likely lottery-bound.

Presumably, the discussions between Chicago and Phoenix are about figuring out what that path might look like. There’s no indication they gained any real momentum.

For what it’s worth, one report last week linked LaVine to the Bucks. It sounded like no more than speculation, but maybe there’s a viable scenario that sends Butler to Phoenix, Beal to Chicago, LaVine to Milwaukee, and various pieces to Miami.

It’s also worth noting that both the Bulls and Suns have other trade candidates who are making nearly identical salaries this season and are strong candidates for changes of scenery: Chicago forward Patrick Williams ($18MM) and Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic ($18.13MM).

Williams is a former No. 4 overall pick who showed three-and-D promise earlier in his career but whose development has stalled. Nurkic has been a starter for most of his 11-year NBA career, but has fallen out of Phoenix’s frontcourt rotation. It’s possible the Suns would be willing to roll the dice on unlocking untapped potential in Williams, who is still just 23. It’s also possible the Bulls would like the idea of taking on a contract that will end in 2026, three years before Williams’ does.

However, Windhorst didn’t say anything during the Hoop Collective podcast about either of those players being discussed.

Community Shootaround: Jusuf Nurkic

January 26th, 2025 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The focus on the Suns in recent weeks has centered on their pursuit of Jimmy Butler and whether they can convince Bradley Beal to waive his no-trade clause.

However, the Suns also have another issue to deal with – what to do with center Jusuf Nurkic. The former starter has been exiled to the end of the bench and he’s not happy about it.

Nurkic was removed from the starting lineup earlier this month and Phoenix’s acquisition of Nick Richards cemented his diminished role. Richards has already made a positive impact, jumping into the starting lineup and producing a 20-point, 19-rebound game against Washington on Saturday. His +10.1 net rating through four games is the best mark of any Suns player.

Meanwhile, Nurkic hasn’t seen the court since Jan. 7. He was made inactive for awhile, missing six games due to an illness and return-to-play reconditioning, but now he’s just languishing at the end of the depth chart.

Nurkic was acquired from Portland prior to last season to essentially replace Deandre Ayton, who never lived up to his billing as a No. 1 overall pick. The Suns shed Ayton’s four-year, $133MM contract in the process. Nurkic’s contract isn’t nearly as onerous but now it’s become an albatross.

Nurkic, who is making more than $18MM in 2024/25, has one year and $19.375MM remaining on his deal after this season. He’s an excellent rebounder, passer and screener but his overall game has holes. He’s often a liability on defense, can’t stretch defenses and also has trouble finishing at the rim.

Moreover, it’s an uneasy situation for a team with high aspirations. Nurkic says he has no relationship with head coach Mike Budenholzer. Nurkic is also well aware that the Suns’ salary cap issues – they’re well over the second tax apron – makes it difficult to trade him.

Still, Phoenix is trying to do just that. The Suns sent their unprotected 2031 first-rounder to Utah this week in exchange for three less desirable first-rounders. It’s likely they’ll try to use those picks to pull off a blockbuster, but splitting that ’31 first-rounder into three separate picks gives them the option of using one of them to sweeten a potential Nurkic salary dump.

If they fail to trade Nurkic, a buyout agreement could be an option. The veteran big man would have incentive to leave some money on the table in order to pursue another NBA opportunity. However, he wouldn’t be eligible to sign with a team operating above the first apron and the Suns would lose the ability to try again to trade him during the offseason in order to turn his salary slot into one or more new players.

Even if the Suns were to use the stretch provision to spread out Nurkic’s 2025/26 salary across three seasons, it wouldn’t materially affect their cap situation, since they’d still project to be in second apron territory next season. It would reduce what figures to be a massive ’25/26 tax bill, but would also add salary to future years.

That brings us to today’s topic: Will the Suns be able to trade Nurkic prior to next month’s deadline? Will they end up buying him out or waiving him? Or will they keep him on the roster and try to deal him in the offseason when his then expiring contract may be more valuable to potential suitors?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Jusuf Nurkic Doesn’t Believe Suns Will Be Able To Trade Him

January 26th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Jusuf Nurkic talked more about his diminished role with the Suns before Saturday’s game, telling reporters that he and coach Mike Budenholzer went two months without speaking to each other, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Sources confirmed to Rankin that Phoenix has been making an effort to trade the 30-year-old center. Nurkic is aware that’s the team’s preference, but he’s skeptical that it will happen.

“Yeah, for sure,” Nurkic responded when asked if he believes he’ll still be with the Suns after the February 6 trade deadline. “Because we are the Phoenix Suns and new (collective bargaining agreement) and all the rules, it’s not easy to get traded when you’re over the second tax apron. Even that, I can’t control.”

Nurkic has barely played since being removed from the starting lineup earlier this month. He saw 14 minutes off the bench on January 6 at Philadelphia and 19 the next night at Charlotte, but has been out of action ever since. He said Budenholzer didn’t give him advance notice that he wouldn’t be used in a January 9 game against Atlanta or a January 11 contest against Utah.

“We don’t have a relationship,” Nurkic said. “So, it’s fine. For me, just be a pro and do the best I can. Work and stay ready for whatever might be, but there is no chaos or bringing that to this team. They already have plenty of it. Trying to be as professional as I can and work my ass off for something else.”

Nurkic then missed four games due to the flu and two more for “return to competition reconditioning.” He said he feels better now, but he wasn’t used in Saturday’s win over Washington.

Budenholzer addressed Nurkic’s comments after the game, saying he understands that the veteran big man is “frustrated.” He also disputes Nurkic’s claim that he hasn’t been informed about his situation.

“There’s been conversations that have been had. There’s been communication, but we’ve got three or four guys that play the same position,” Budenholzer told reporters. “We’re going to go with who we think gives us our best chance. You’ve got to earn your minutes. And that’s been communicated.”

While Nurkic has been out of action, the Suns bolstered their center ranks by acquiring Nick Richards from Charlotte. Richards made his third straight start Saturday night, delivering 20 points and 19 rebounds, so he appears set as the starter moving forward. If Nurkic stays in Phoenix, he’ll have to battle for minutes with Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro, who are both currently ahead of him on the depth chart.

As Nurkic mentioned, the Suns’ second apron status limits their options in making a trade. They can’t aggregate salaries and they can’t take back more money than they send out in any deal. Also working against a potential Nurkic trade is his contract, which has one season left at $19.375MM.

“It’s hard to understand why,” Nurkic said of being relegated to the end of the bench. “As you know, I try to do whatever they want from me. I play my role or whatever, but at the end of the day, it’s the NBA. That’s why (Ighodaro) and young guys get to play. It’s always next man up, but I’m just glad I’m not out there for two minutes. … I know who I am as a person and as a player. Like I said, ‘one door close, another will open eventually.’ That’s what I’m working for and hoping for.”

Suns Notes: Nurkic, Beal, Richards, Durant, Dunn

January 25th, 2025 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Two veteran Suns whose names have frequently come up in trade rumors in recent weeks appear on track to return to action on Saturday vs. Washington. Guard Bradley Beal, who has missed three of the team’s past four games due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as probable to play, while center Jusuf Nurkic isn’t on the injury report after being inactive for six consecutive games due to an illness and return-to-play reconditioning.

Of course, while Beal figures to play a prominent role as long as he’s active, Nurkic was a DNP-CD for two games prior to his illness and faces even more competition for playing time up front now that Nick Richards is a Sun, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Asked about Nurkic’s role, head coach Mike Budenholzer suggested that all of the Suns’ centers, including Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro, will have to show in games and practices that they deserve regular minutes.

“That’s the message to not just Nurk, but to Nick, to Mason, to Oso,” Budenholzer said. “All those guys have played for us and are capable. They’ve all got to earn their minutes.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

Richards has averaged a double-double (11.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG) in his first three games as a Sun, serving as the team’s starting center on Monday and Wednesday. His 15 rebounds in Wednesday’s victory over Brooklyn were a personal season high. “Everybody has been telling me to just be myself and I’ve been telling myself (that) since I got here,” Richards said of adjusting to his new team, per Rankin. “I’m playing with some of the best guys in the world. Just trying to play through them. Trying to get to know everybody. Trying to build that chemistry with every single player on the team.”
As a result of being named an All-Star starter, Kevin Durant locked in a $1.3MM bonus that’s part of his contract, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). That bonus had already been considered “likely” to be earned since Durant was an All-Star last season, so it doesn’t impact his cap hit or Phoenix’s projected tax bill, Marks adds.
Ryan Dunn, the No. 28 pick in this year’s draft, has already started 23 games for the Suns, taking on an unexpectedly prominent role for a rookie on a veteran team with the league’s highest payroll. Speaking to Spencer Davies of RG.org, Dunn expressed gratitude for the confidence the Suns have shown in him. “It means a lot,” Dunn said. “I think they have a lot of trust in me, and I just try to come out and do my job every night. I’m not trying to be perfect in any aspect. I’m trying to just play hard and compete, and I think that’s gotten me a lot more minutes on the floor. I’m forever grateful for this staff and this team believing in me. I’m just trying to do the best to help our team win.”
Dunn also spoke to Davies about several other topics, including how much he appreciates being able to learn from stars like Durant, Beal, and Devin Booker. “They have their own little regimens themselves, and I’ve been trying to watch that from afar,” Dunn said. “Just trying to pick up on stuff – how they watch film, how they workout, how they get up and down on the floor. Just taking that routine and taking other stuff into my game and trying to figure out ways to have a long career like that.”

Pacific Notes: Green, Poole, DeRozan, Nurkic, Finney-Smith

January 22nd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green offered another apology over the weekend for the punch he threw at former Warriors teammate Jordan Poole during training camp in October of 2022, but he also indicated that he wants to stop talking about the incident, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

The latest apology came after Poole and the Wizards visited Golden State on Saturday. Asked about his relationship with his former team following a positive reception from the Bay Area crowd, Poole said he loves “most of those guys over there.” Green understood the message from Poole and posted “I really am sorry” on social media.

“I responded because it’s been three years,” Green said Wednesday on the podcast he hosts with Baron Davis. “Like, let’s move on. We’ve moved on. I really am sorry. That statement [by Poole] was kind of like it was looking for some sympathy … kind of keep on make me out to be the bad guy. Move on, bro. It is what it is. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have punched him. But it happened. Let’s move on.”

The punch marked a turning point for the Warriors, who were coming off an NBA title in 2022. They weren’t able to repair the chemistry of the team, and Poole was traded to Washington after the season.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

DeMar DeRozan came to Sacramento to play for Mike Brown, but the Kings fired their head coach in late December. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, DeRozan said it’s a first for him in his long NBA career. “That was the first time I ever dealt with the firing of a coach in the middle of the season,” DeRozan said. “It’s new for a lot of the guys who played for him for multiple years. It’s much different from my standpoint of still being new having to adjust to that. It’s hard to process it when you’re still going through it.”
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer doesn’t believe “benched” is the proper word to use with veteran center Jusuf Nurkic (Twitter video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Nurkic was removed from the starting lineup on January 6 and hasn’t played since the following night. He’s currently getting back into game shape in Phoenix following a bout with the flu. “It’s a long season,” Budenholzer said. “He didn’t play a couple of games and now he’s been sick. He’s home reconditioning. We’ll see how he comes through when we go back.”
The Lakers have relaxed their minutes restriction for Dorian Finney-Smith, whose playing time has been limited by an ankle issue since he arrived in a trade with Brooklyn last month, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Coach J.J. Redick talked Tuesday about the difficulty of getting Finney-Smith comfortable with his new teammates. “It’s been hard because he’s been on a minutes restriction since we got him, so just having to kind of navigate that and try to save him, save those like four or five minutes for the end of the game, it’s been challenging,” Redick said. “We got word [on Tuesday] that we can up his minutes from 20 to 24. So that helps, that helps.”

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Curry, Green, Sabonis, Beal, Nurkic

January 21st, 2025 at 8:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors endured a 40-point beatdown at the hands of the Celtics on their home floor on Monday and they admit that the 2022 Finals, in which they defeated Boston, feels like ancient history, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes.

“Yeah, we have an entirely different roster pretty much, obviously,” Stephen Curry said. “Especially without Draymond [Green] out there (due to injury). But you look [at what] they have, besides [Kristaps] Porzingis, they have pretty much the whole rotation still, and they are the defending champs. So, they’re coming in with a level of confidence and swagger about ’em, and it’s the exact opposite of what we have right now. So yeah, obviously great memories, but definitely feels like a long time ago.”

“Seems like an eternity ago,” Warriors center Kevon Looney added. “We have had a lot of iterations of the team since then. Each season brings on a new challenge. That year seems further and further away. But hopefully, we can get back to that feeling of being a champion. But we got a long way to go.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Is it time for the Warriors to hit the reset button? Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo.com endorses that approach, saying they should look to deal Curry and Green while they still have a lot of value. O’Connor explores a number of trade possibilities involving Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, the Lakers and Orlando to demonstrate what the return could be for each player.
Domantas Sabonis has knocked down 48.4 percent of his 3-point attempts this season, far above his 34.9 percent career average. The Kings big man told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee that he has gradually developed his long-range game. “It’s something I’ve been working on ever since I started playing basketball,” Sabonis said. “Sometimes it doesn’t happen overnight. You’ve got to keep doing it one summer, another offseason, another offseason. You just hope at one point you’re going to break through, and so far this year it’s been going in, so I’ve just got to keep sticking with it and shooting with confidence.”
The Suns list Bradley Beal as questionable to play against the Nets on Wednesday due to a left ankle sprain (Twitter link). Beal returned to action on Monday at Cleveland after a two-game absence but contributed just five points and four assists in 25 minutes. Jusuf Nurkic, who last played on January 7, remains out due to “return to competition reconditioning.”

Pacific Notes: Richards, Poole, Green, Curry, Vincent, Clippers

January 18th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nick Richards looked like the big man the Suns have been missing during his debut with the team Saturday afternoon at Detroit, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Richards, who was acquired from Charlotte earlier this week, came off the bench to post 21 points and 11 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes.

Beyond that, Rankin notes that Richards brought energy and “edginess” to the game by competing for rebounds at both ends and driving hard to the basket, which created open three-point attempts for his teammates. He was a plus-22 in a game Phoenix won by four points.

“Everything was flowing,” Richards said. “I was out there being me, playing my style of basketball.”

Jusuf Nurkic, who was recently removed from the starting lineup, remains sidelined with the flu. However, coach Mike Budenholzer said Nurkic has “turned the corner” and his condition will be monitored to see if he’ll join the team before its road trip ends Wednesday in Brooklyn.

Rankin expects Richards to replace Mason Plumlee as the starter soon, and rookie Oso Ighodaro gives the team four capable big men, meaning one or two of them won’t see regular minutes if they’re all still on the roster after the trade deadline.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Wizards‘ visit to Golden State Saturday night prompted questions to coach Steve Kerr about Jordan Poole, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Poole played an important role on the 2022 championship team and once appeared to be a future star for the Warriors, but he was traded to Washington in the summer of 2023 following an infamous incident with Draymond Green. “It’s just really fun to see all of his work pay off and just his growth as a professional, to see it in pretty dramatic fashion over those few years, it was wonderful to see,” Kerr said.
Green will undergo an MRI on Sunday after leaving Saturday’s game with a left calf injury, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Warriors guard Stephen Curry twisted his ankle, but he doesn’t believe it’s serious.
After missing most of last season due to injury, Gabe Vincent is enjoying the chance to finally be able to contribute to the Lakers, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. He had a season-high 14 points in Wednesday’s win over Miami, his former team, then followed that with 10 points Friday against Brooklyn. “My role … is just win games, help us win games,” Vincent said. “Some nights it might be purely defensive, some nights I might be on the ball some more, some nights I might be spotting up. But whatever the task is, I’m out there to help this ballclub win games.”
When the teams meet Sunday, the Clippers will finally be able to host the Lakers in their own arena after years of sharing a facility, notes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The Clippers moved into the new $2 billion high-tech Inuit Dome this season. “I heard that place is sick,” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said. “I heard it’s really cool.”

Injury Notes: Nance, Risacher, Kyrie, KAT, Nurkic, Beal, Suggs

January 17th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward/center Larry Nance Jr. is making progress in his rehabilitation process following right hand surgery, according to the Hawks (Twitter link), who announced that Nance will be reevaluated in one week and an update on his status will be shared at that time.

The Hawks will be down another forward in the short term, as Zaccharie Risacher, who missed Wednesday’s game vs. Chicago due to left adductor irritation, has been ruled out for two additional contests, per the club.

Risacher will be inactive for Saturday’s visit to Boston and Monday’s to New York before being reevaluated when the Hawks return home from their road trip ahead of next Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be back in action on Friday vs. Oklahoma City after sitting out the second end of a back-to-back set on Wednesday following his return from a back injury. Head coach Jason Kidd said he expects Irving to play “in the 33 (minute) range,” per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link).
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is dealing with a bone chip in the thumb, isn’t facing his old team on Friday, having been ruled out of New York’s game vs. Minnesota just over a half-hour before tip-off, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. Reporting this week indicated that Towns plans to play through his thumb injury, so it’s possible he’ll be back in action on Monday vs. Atlanta.
Suns center Jusuf Nurkic won’t play on Saturday in Detroit, having been ruled out for a fourth straight game due to an illness, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the illness, Nurkic was removed from Phoenix’s starting lineup and was a DNP-CD in two games last week. Suns guard Bradley Beal, who sat out on Thursday due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s contest.
Sidelined since January 3 due to a lower back strain, Magic guard Jalen Suggs said he’s “really itching to get back out on the court,” writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. An exact return timeline remains unclear, but Suggs has made good progress since being on “bed rest for a couple days” after first sustaining the injury. “Hopefully I’ll be out here soon,” he said on Friday.

Scotto’s Latest: Warriors, Vucevic, Centers, Connaughton, Suns

January 16th, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After telling reporters earlier this week that he doesn’t want the Warriors to make a “desperate” trade that compromises the team’s long-term future for short-term gain, Stephen Curry clarified on Wednesday that his comments don’t mean he’s content playing on a .500 team that’s not trying to improve.

“Anyone who thinks I’m OK being on an average basketball team is insane,” Curry said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Take whatever I said, I still stand on it. But that doesn’t mean we’re not in a situation where we are trying to get better, make appropriate moves that help you do that. (General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) knows that. We’ve talked about it. That’s the expectation from me. It doesn’t mean you’re reckless.”

As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, Dunleavy and the Warriors are indeed exploring their options on the trade market, with a focus on upgrades in the frontcourt rather than on the wing. Golden State has looked into centers like Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams, according to Scotto, who says the odds of the team making a trade for a forward like Jimmy Butler or Cameron Johnson have decreased.

While the Warriors want to give Curry and Draymond Green a chance to compete for another title, they won’t mortgage their future to make it happen, Scotto writes, adding that the front office still remains reluctant to part with forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Following up on the trade market for centers, Scotto says some NBA executives believe the Bulls could land a first-round pick in a deal for Vucevic, who is having a strong season in Chicago. The Wizards and Trail Blazers are expected to command second-rounders for Valanciunas and Williams, respectively, while Collins’ value is hard to pin down, Scotto notes, given the $26.6MM player option the Jazz big man holds for 2025/26.
Rival executives who spoke to Scotto are monitoring Bucks wing Pat Connaughton as a trade candidate, since Milwaukee could duck below the second tax apron and create more roster flexibility by moving off of his $9.4MM salary. Connaughton is having a down year and holds a $9.4MM player option for ’25/26, so the Bucks would have to attach draft picks and/or cash to move off of him. While the Bucks can’t trade cash as long as they remain above the second apron, they could do so in a trade that moves them below that threshold.
After trading for Nick Richards, the Suns are expected to continue gauging Jusuf Nurkic‘s trade market and trying to figure out a Butler deal as they seek out win-now upgrades, Scotto writes. Scotto points out that role players Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen would both have positive value as trade chips, but there has been no indication that Phoenix would have interest in moving either player.

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