Nikola Vucevic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Merrill, Bulls, Butler, Heat

December 25th, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Fifth-year guard Sam Merrill snapped out of his season-long shooting slump on Monday as the Cavaliers defeated Utah, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

Merrill, who grew up a Jazz fan in Bountiful, Utah, near Salt Lake City, notched a season-high 20 points in the 11-point victory, going 6-of-11 from three-point range while also chipping in four assists and three steals in 24 minutes.

A former second-round pick (No. 60 overall in 2020), Merrill has been a rotation mainstay in 2024/25 despite the slump, averaging a career-high 19.9 minutes per contest through 26 games. The 28-year-old has improved defensively and still draws attention with his outside shooting — he’s at 38.4% for his career from beyond the arc, though he has only made 34.0% this season.

Merrill will be an unrestricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension, which he’s eligible for through June 30.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls have been prominently mentioned in trade rumors this season, but have yet to make a deal. Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times takes stock of where things currently stand for veterans Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, writing that the Bulls would prefer to make moves “sooner rather than later” with the trade deadline set for Feb. 6.
Star forward Jimmy Butler, who prefers a trade out of Miami but hasn’t formally requested to be dealt, is doubtful for Thursday’s contest in Orlando with what the Heat are calling “return to competition; reconditioning,” tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. A person with knowledge of the situation insisted to Jackson that Butler has been “genuinely sick” of late, causing him to miss most of the past three games, and that his absences have nothing to do with a potential trade. According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Butler didn’t travel with the Heat to Orlando, but there’s still a chance he could make the short flight north if he’s feeling better.
Although Shams Charania of ESPN reported that multiple teams have been in touch with the Heat to express interest in Butler, it’s unclear if Miami has actually received a formal trade offer, according to Jackson and Chiang. Neither the Heat nor Butler’s camp have denied that he’s unhappy, but he’s also not “simmering with rage” about the situation, as Jackson puts it (Twitter link).

Suns Looking To Move Jusuf Nurkic

December 24th, 2024 at 4:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns are shopping starting center Jusuf Nurkic, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports.

Phoenix’s front office is seeking another big man in return, with the Wizards‘ Jonas Valanciunas and Bulls‘ Nikola Vucevic among the players mentioned in trade talks.

There still are conversations about a deal with the Heat involving Jimmy Butler, Rankin adds, confirming a Marc Stein report. Bradley Beal would be a natural fit salary-wise in a Butler deal but he’d have to waive a no-trade clause — and the Heat would have to be willing to take on his multiyear, maximum-salary contract.

The Suns, with three star players in their lineup, are floundering at the .500 mark. Their desire to move Nurkic indicates they’re looking for ways to shake things up, though second apron restrictions limit what they can do.

Nurkic is averaging 9.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 24.5 minutes per game during his second season with the Suns. Nurkic played just 15 minutes against Denver on Monday. He averaged 10.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 4.0 APG last season.

Phoenix acquired him in the three-team blockbuster in which Damian Lillard was dealt to Milwaukee and former Suns center Deandre Ayton was sent to the Trail Blazers.

Nurkic is signed through next season. He’s making $18.125MM this season and will bring in $19.375MM next season.

Valanciunas is making $9.9MM this season, so there would need to be additional players in a transaction involving the Wizards. Vucevic, also signed through next season, is pulling in $20MM this season.

Central Notes: Bucks, Pacers, Bulls, Smart, Beasley, Cunningham

December 23rd, 2024 at 5:52pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bucks have ruled out both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for Monday’s game vs. Chicago due to a non-COVID illness, as Jamal Collier of ESPN relays.

According to Collier, several of Milwaukee’s players and staff members have been feeling sick since winning the NBA Cup final last Tuesday. Lillard missed a pair of games over the weekend due to a right calf injury and was previously doubtful heading into Monday’s game with that ailment, while Antetokounmpo was out for Saturday’s back-to-back and was questionable prior to Monday’s contest with back spasms.

In an unrelated story, Antetokounmpo acknowledged he’s at a loss as to why the Bucks aren’t playing on Christmas for the first time in seven seasons, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The former Finals MVP said he was “little bit upset or kind of questioning it” in part because 10 other teams received the invitation, while Milwaukee did not.

“There’s gotta be an algorithm because if it’s — how can I say — like a popularity contest, I can give you facts,” Antetokounmpo said. “You want me to? Two of the NBA All-Star starters, Dame and Giannis, and the All-Star MVP, right? And the No. 1 vote-getter — not in the East, in the whole NBA — is not in the Christmas game? What? No, it’s a fact.

“The votes came out last year. I was the No. 1. Dame was a starter. I was a starter. Dame won the MVP. Dame won the three-point contest. Maybe that has nothing to do with it. I believe we were one of the best teams in the East last year. Maybe not this year, OK. We don’t get a Christmas game. Why? Because we got a small market? Maybe that’s the case. Or I want to believe what I tell you, I think there’s an algorithm within the NBA that they choose which team will get the most attention, the most viewership that day.”

While Antetokounmpo said he was “pissed” he wouldn’t be competing on a marquee day, he and many other Bucks also said they’re happy they get to spend the holiday with their families, according to Nehm.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

The Pacers dominated the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday en route to their fourth straight victory, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Veteran point guard T.J. McConnell said the team never splintered in the face of adversity — Indiana has had to a sluggish start to the season and is still just 14-15. “I really like how everyone in here didn’t hit the panic button while everyone else was,” McConnell said. “I feel like people don’t realize last year, at one point we were 14-14. Long season. Obviously, we didn’t start the way we wanted to. We went on a couple losing streaks, but we’re well coached. That’s kept us together and we have a really together group. Everyone is for everyone in here. In the NBA, that’s all you can ask for.” According to Dopirak, many Pacers, including McConnell, noted that injuries to Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith have hurt the team. Nembhard and Sheppard have returned, improving the perimeter defense and offensive spacing, while Nesmith continues to be sidelined with an ankle injury. Although it’s obviously a positive that the Pacers have rebounded, they’ll be challenged by a difficult schedule — including a home-road back-to-back against Oklahoma City and Boston — over their next four games, Dopirak observes.
The Bulls have been better than expected to this point, currently holding a 13-16 record. Star guard Zach LaVine and head coach Billy Donovan have made it clear the players and coaches have no plan of tanking. That means the front office will play an important role if the team hopes to retain its top-10 protected first-round pick, and a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley still have “full autonomy” to change the roster ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Based on his wording, it’s unclear whom the Grizzlies might be interested in out of LaVine or Nikola Vucevic, but Cowley says Memphis “would love” to shed Marcus Smart‘s salary, noting the former Defensive Player of the Year has played sporadic minutes of late. However, Cowley states that Chicago doesn’t want to take on multiyear contracts unless it receives draft compensation in return — Smart makes $20.2MM in 2024/25, followed by $21.6MM in ’25/26. For what it’s worth, Vucevic is a near-perfect salary match ($20MM in ’24/25, $21.5MM in ’25/26).
Malik Beasley is on pace to break the Pistons‘ single-season record for three-pointers made and his outside shooting has opened up driving and passing lanes for reigning East Player of the Week Cade Cunningham, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The Pistons have been very effective (+6.8) when the two players share the court together, Sankofa adds. “It’s really just understanding each other’s games, understanding where our spots are,” Cunningham said. “We play so well off of each other. He gives me an outlet so many times whenever guys send more at me, and for me, I think he loves playing with me because I throw it over to him. It’s just about building that relationship on and off the court and continuing to grow.” Beasley, 28, will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason after signing a one-year, $6MM deal with Detroit last summer.

Fischer: Valanicunas Among Several Centers On Trade Block

December 19th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Jonas Valanciunas of the Wizards may be the most “attainable” and desirable trade candidate among centers this season, but he’s certainly not the only big man who could be on the move prior to the February 6 deadline, league sources tell Jake Fischer (Substack link via The Stein Line).

According to Fischer, several teams are looking for help in the middle, including the Lakers, Clippers, Bucks and Pelicans. The Clips and Bucks are interested in reserve centers to complement their starters (Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez, respectively), with Lopez also drawing trade interest since last summer.

The Warriors are another team contemplating a trade involving big men, with Kevon Looney garnering “plenty of interest” from rival clubs, Fischer writes. Like Lopez, who earns $23MM in 2024/25, Looney is on an expiring contract ($8MM).

Confirming a recent report from Stefan Bondy, Fischer says Knicks center Jericho Sims is viewed as a potential trade candidate due to his inconsistent playing time as a backup this season. Fischer also notes that New York gauged injured center Mitchell Robinson‘s trade value around this time last year.

Despite his lengthy injury history, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams may be the “most coveted” big man on the market outside of Valanciunas, but it’s no lock that Portland will end up moving him, according to Fischer’s sources. If the Blazers do trade a member of their frontcourt, expect it to come closer to the deadline, Fischer adds.

Here’s more from Fischer:

Like Clint Capela, whom we highlighted in another story, Nikola Vucevic is a starting center who could be on the move, but it’s unclear if the Bulls will be successful in their attempts to trade the two-time All-Star, in part due to his contract ($20MM in ’24/25, $21.5MM in ’25/26).
Valanicunas, Williams and Walker Kessler are among the big men on the Lakers‘ trade wish list, sources tell Fischer. However, the Jazz have declined multiple offers for Kessler, so it’s difficult to decipher if Utah is actually willing to trade him or is simply gauging what he might bring in return.
Chris Boucher (Raptors), Day’Ron Sharpe (Nets), Trey Lyles (Kings), Daniel Theis (Pelicans) and Nick Richards (Hornets) are also “known to be on the market,” according to Fischer.

Central Notes: Bryant, LaVine, Ball, Vucevic, Harris

December 15th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers didn’t waste any time getting Thomas Bryant on the court. After officially being acquired on Sunday, Bryant had seven points and two rebounds in 11 minutes against the Pelicans.

“It was a little hectic but everybody accepted me and they helped me through the whole time. It felt great being out there with the guys,” Bryant said via a video posted by the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak.

Bryant provides depth at the center spot, a position where Indiana has suffered two season-ending injuries. He appeared in only 10 games with Miami this season.

“I know there’s a big need to have another ‘five’ here. Just trying to fill that role here with the guys and talking with them as well, just trying to see what I can bring, what I can do with them. … They just want me to play my game,” Bryant said.

We have more from the Central Division:

Bulls wing Zach LaVine is questionable to play against Toronto on Monday due to lower back spasms, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network tweets. LaVine is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season.
The Bulls continue to aggressively shop Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic and LaVine, among other players, as they look to stay in the loaded 2025 draft lottery, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chicago owes San Antonio a first-rounder but it’s top-10 protected for 2025. Moving LaVine’s contract this season is more of a pipe dream than a reality, the source told Cowley, unless there’s a major injury or another unexpected development.
The Pistons won’t have starting forward Tobias Harris against Miami on Monday. He’s dealing with a right thumb sprain, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.

Trade Rumors: Butler, Heat, Warriors, Porter, Vucevic

December 14th, 2024 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although they haven’t received anything approaching a “serious offer” yet, the Heat have indeed shown a willingness to listen to inquiries on Jimmy Butler for the first time in his six seasons in Miami, league sources tell David Aldridge of The Athletic.

The Heat are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, but are still just 13-10 thus far in 2024/25. Aldridge says the organization is “sober” about the state of the current roster, noting the team made the play-in tournament each of the past two seasons, including a surprise run to the NBA Finals in 2023 after advancing to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

The two sides “seem destined” to part ways, according to Aldridge, who suggests Miami will likely prioritize a trade package centered around players rather than draft compensation, given the team’s “relentless” desire to contend for titles.

Aldridge says Butler’s preference would be to stay in Miami, but he wants a maximum-salary extension that Pat Riley has publicly said the team is in no rush to offer.

As Aldridge observes, in addition to listening to offers, the Heat are also likely trying to gauge what Butler’s free agent market could look like this summer, when he reportedly intends to decline his $52.4MM player option to hit free agency.

There are more trade rumors to pass along:

NBA insider Marc Stein offers a similar report in his latest Substack column (subscription required), citing a “rising belief leaguewide” that Miami has become willing to part with Butler before the trade deadline. The majority of teams that Stein contacted believe Butler has started considering potential locations where he’d like to be traded, but one executive cautions that the Heat won’t move him without getting “fair value” in return. Stein adds that Miami officials aren’t concerned about losing Butler in free agency this summer if he’s not traded because he’ll be facing a limited market. Only the Nets currently have enough projected cap room for a maximum-salary offer.
Of the four teams considered to be favorable landing spots for Butler, only the Warriors are viewed as having enough interest to engage in “substantive” trade discussions, league insiders tell Stein. The Rockets and Mavericks haven’t displayed any “tangible” interest in pursuing Butler, according to Stein, while the Suns would have to include Bradley Beal, who holds a no-trade clause that discouraged the Heat from trying to trade for him in the summer of 2023.
As he previously noted in a podcast appearance this week, Stein hears that the Nuggets want to shake up their roster, and it appears Michael Porter Jr. would have to be included in any major deal. Stein wonders how much of a return Denver could get for Porter considering the limited market for New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram, who’s a similar player with better stats.
The Bulls are hoping to land a first-round pick in exchange for center Nikola Vucevic, Stein adds. Vucevic has increased his production in coach Billy Donovan’s new up-tempo offense, but Stein warns that the Bulls might have to be willing to take any Vucevic talks all the way to deadline day if they’re holding out for a first-rounder.

Central Rumors: Pacers, Turner, LaVine, Vucevic, Strus

December 13th, 2024 at 3:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Confirming a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) also hears the Pacers are pursuing a trade for a backup center. In fact, Fischer’s sources say Indiana is considered likely to acquire a reserve big man shortly after Dec. 15, when many players around the league become trade-eligible.

The Pacers have an open spot on their 15-man roster and are operating approximately $2.2MM below the luxury tax line. That gives them the flexibility to trade for a player on a one-year, minimum-salary contract without becoming a projected taxpayer.

Here are some more rumors and notes from the Central Division:

Pacers center Myles Turner is on an expiring $19.9MM contract and is not eligible for an in-season veteran extension. That means he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 at 28 years old. Evidently Indiana isn’t worried about losing him in free agency though, as the team hasn’t been discussing Turner in trade talks, league sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Zach LaVine is healthy and playing well for Chicago, but the Bulls still haven’t found any takers for his contract, and the two-time All-Star still hopes to eventually be dealt. “Nothing has changed,” one source close to the situation told Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link).
In that same ESPN story, Tim Bontemps reports that people around the NBA don’t expect much of a market for Bulls center Nikola Vucevic either. As Bontemps explains, Vucevic is having a great offensive season, but people think his elite shooting percentages will likely regress, and he’s a poor defender. According to Bontemps, the most important factor in the relative lack of interest in the two-time All-Star may be the market, or lack thereof, for centers. The 34-year-old will earn $20MM this season, followed by $21.5MM in ’25/26.
The Cavaliers are eager to get Max Strus back in their lineup, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), who says Strus could be a more meaningful in-season addition than a trade. However, Strus’ debut will have to wait at least a few more days, as he’s been ruled out of Friday’s contest vs. Washington (Twitter link via Fedor). According to Grant Afseth of RG.org, Strus had planned to make his season debut on Friday, but his ankle didn’t respond as well as he’d hoped amid some “pretty hard” practices this week during the team’s ramp-up process. Big man Evan Mobley is questionable for Friday’s contest with a left ankle sprain, Afseth adds.

Bulls Notes: Smith, LaVine, Vucevic, Williams, Buzelis

December 11th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Revenge wasn’t on Jalen Smith‘s mind when he faced the Pacers Friday night for the first time since leaving them over the summer to sign with the Bulls, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Given the financial realities of the situation, Smith and Indiana’s front office both seemed to understand going into last season that their relationship was about to end, Dopirak adds. Holding a $5.4MM player option, Smith felt it was in his best interest to seek a bigger contract in free agency, and the three-year, $27MM deal he got from Chicago was nearly double what the Pacers were paying him. With no hard feelings on either side, Smith welcomed Friday’s game as a chance to catch up with some old friends.

“Obviously, I wanted to be back in Indiana, but at the end of the day, it was the business part of the game,” he said. “All of them wished me luck. They all said they would be there to help me whenever I needed it. At the end of the day, I didn’t leave on bad terms. Obviously, being able to finally get my career going there, it was tough to leave, but at the end of the day it was just the business part of the game.”

Smith has been a solid addition in Chicago, averaging 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per night as the team’s primary backup center. His loss has been significant for Indiana, which doesn’t have a reliable big man off the bench since Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman both suffered season-ending injuries.

“Loved him,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Smith. “He’s one of the most wonderful young men I’ve ever been around. Always in a great mood, high level of skill. He’s a great rebounder and he can really shoot the ball and he can block shots. He knows how to play. He’s a great teammate. I was really disappointed that we lost him, but I could really see that it was gonna happen. He’s just too good.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Zach LaVine isn’t dominating the offense the way he has in the past, but he’s still scoring a lot because of improved efficiency, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. LaVine has only taken 20 shots five times this season, but he’s connecting at 50.6% from the field, a career-high 43.2% from beyond the arc and 80% on free throws. ‘‘There might be a game where I may need to go out there and try and lead the team offensively, but this year has been more about spurts,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think that’s the style of play that we’re playing right now.’’
Center Nikola Vucevic is also benefiting from coach Billy Donovan’s up-tempo offense, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Vucevic is averaging 21 PPG, which would be his highest total for a full season since he came to Chicago in a 2021 trade, and he’s shooting 58.7% from the floor, the best figure of his career. “I don’t think people understand how hard he works,” LaVine said. “We all made sacrifices — me, DeMar (DeRozan), Vooch — we all came together and we all took a little bit less of our game and tried to do better for the team. But I think Vooch took the biggest back seat for years.”
Patrick Williams plans to return Friday after missing 10 games with inflammation in his left foot, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Williams will likely be on a minutes restriction at first, but Mayberry notes that the team will eventually face a decision on how much his availability cuts into the playing time of rookie forward Matas Buzelis.

Eastern Rumors: Knicks, B. Brown, Stewart, Springer, Bulls

December 2nd, 2024 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Since Landry Shamet dislocated his shoulder during the preseason, scuttling his chances of making the Knicks‘ opening night roster, reports have indicated that the club is highly likely to re-sign him if and when he gets healthy.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms as much and adds another detail to those reports. According to Scotto, if Shamet returns, the hope in New York is that Matt Ryan – who is currently on a non-guaranteed contract – will clear waivers and rejoin the club on a two-way deal.

The Knicks have an open 15-man roster spot, but don’t have enough breathing room below their hard cap to carry both players on standard deals, so Ryan would have to be cut if Shamet re-signs.

Here are a few more rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

Although the Raptors declined offers of multiple second-round picks for Bruce Brown at last season’s trade deadline, there’s a widespread belief that the versatile swingman will be back on the trade block this season, per Scotto. Brown, who is on an expiring $23MM contract, continues to make his way back from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and appears to be getting closer to making his season debut.
Isaiah Stewart‘s demotion to a bench role this season for the first time since his rookie year has led executives around the NBA to believe that the Pistons‘ big man will be available on the trade market this season, according to Scotto. Stewart is in the first season of a four-year, $60MM contract that features flat annual cap hits of $15MM.
Confirming previous reporting, Scotto says the Celtics gauged the trade market for Jaden Springer and his $4MM expiring contract in the fall. While there were teams willing to take on Springer if it means acquiring draft compensation from Boston, the C’s weren’t interested at that time in giving up draft capital to move off of the guard’s contract, Scotto reports. It will be interesting to see if that changes before the trade deadline.
Explaining the recent uptick in trade rumors surrounding the Bulls, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times says, citing a source, that the only new development in Chicago is that the team is “starting to look at a more responsible asking price” for veterans like Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls remain unwilling to attach a first-round pick to LaVine though, Cowley notes.

Trade Rumors: Collins, Jazz, Bulls, Nets, Zion, Butler

December 1st, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Rory Maher

In each of the past two seasons, the Jazz started out surprisingly competitive, with .500 records in early February, only to sell off veterans and tank down the stretch to improve their lottery odds. With a 4-15 start to the 2024/25 campaign, Utah’s front office probably isn’t concerned about the team’s place in the reverse standings.

That doesn’t mean the Jazz won’t be listening to offers for their veterans again though, according to Marc Stein at Substack, who lists big man John Collins and guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton as three trade candidates to keep an eye on.

On paper, Collins put up solid numbers in ’23/24, which was his first season with Utah, averaging 15.1 PPG and 8.5 RPG on .532/.371/.795 shooting in 68 games (28.0 MPG). But there was a fairly long adjustment period between player and team — his fit was awkward at times in the frontcourt.

Collins has looked more comfortable — and been more productive — to open ’24/25, averaging 17.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.3 SPG (up from 1.1 and 0.6 last season, respectively) in approximately the same amount of minutes (28.7 MPG). His shooting line is currently .535/.353/.949.

The 27-year-old’s bounce-back season has Utah’s front office happy with the decision to acquire him from Atlanta for essentially a second-round pick, Stein writes. Collins is owed $25.8MM this season, with a $26.8MM player option for ’25/26, so his contract could prove more difficult to move than that of Clarkson, who is owed $14.1MM this season and $14.3MM in ’25/26, Stein adds. Sexton, meanwhile, will earn $18.4MM in ’24/25, followed by $19.2MM in ’25/26.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Like Jake Fischer, Stein hears the Bulls are considered a prominent seller ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, with Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball considered the most likely candidates to be dealt. In fact, Stein says Chicago’s front office seems confident it will be able to trade “at least one” of those players in the next few months.
A surprisingly competitive 9-11 start reportedly won’t deter the Nets from trading away veterans, with Brooklyn expected to join Utah and Chicago as clear sellers. “Just about everyone on their roster is available as long as they don’t take back long-term money,” one source told Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link). “(But) they’re not giving anyone away. At least not yet.” According to Stein, rival teams are particularly intrigued by the strong play of veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, who is on an expiring $13MM contract.
This isn’t a trade rumor, but Stein reports that there’s a “rising expectation” that Pelicans star Zion Williamson will hire Bill Duffy of WME Sports to be his next agent. Williamson, who is currently sidelined by a hamstring strain, recently parted ways with CAA. Duffy has several prominent clients around the NBA, per RealGM, including Vucevic, Luka Doncic, Scottie Barnes and Anthony Edwards, among others.
A number of teams are monitoring Jimmy Butler‘s situation with the Heat, Fischer said on a Bleacher Report livestream (video link). However, Fischer hasn’t heard any recent chatter specifically involving the six-time All-Star, who can be an unrestricted free next summer if he declines his $52.4MM player option for ’25/26.