Raptors Rumors

Lakers Rumors: Vucevic, Poeltl, Valanciunas, Kessler, Finney-Smith

January 27th, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star Anthony Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania last week that he believes the team needs to add another center, but league sources inform Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and Raptors center Jakob Poeltl aren’t viewed as likely targets for Los Angeles.

As Stein explains, the Bulls continue to seek a first-round pick in exchange for Vucevic, while the Raptors’ asking price for Poeltl – a player they prefer to keep – is thought to be even higher than that. Both players are also earning in the $20MM range, which may be more than the Lakers want to spend on another big man, Stein adds.

Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, who has a $9.9MM salary and is unlikely to cost more than second-round draft capital, still appears to be the most “gettable” big man on the trade market for the Lakers, according to Stein, though he cautions that there’s still no “substantial momentum” toward a deal between Los Angeles and Washington.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link) said during an appearance on NBA Countdown on Saturday that the Lakers have attempted to trade for Jazz center Walker Kessler “many times,” but haven’t been able to meet Utah’s “steep” asking price. “I’m sure they’ll keep trying,” Charania said. However, Stein wrote today that Kessler is believed to be “as close to unavailable as it gets.”
While the Lakers remain on the lookout for additional reinforcements on the trade market, last month’s acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith has been a success so far. As Dan Woike writes for The Los Angeles Times, Finney-Smith has made both a “tangible and intangible” impact during his first month in L.A., giving the team toughness and three-point shooting on the court and quickly becoming a locker room favorite off the court. “Doe is comfortable with who he is — like the player, the person,” head coach J.J. Redick said. “And in my experience… people that are like that, people gravitate towards that. People want to follow that. That’s what Doe is.” The Lakers are outscoring opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions with Finney-Smith on the court.
A week ago, LeBron James said the Lakers have little “room for error.” Since then, the team has gone 3-0, outscoring its opponents by 54 points in those three games. With forward Jarred Vanderbilt back in action and several other role players giving L.A. good minutes, Khobi Price of The Orange Country Register considers whether the club’s margin for error has widened.

Trade Rumors: Turner, Heat, Brown, Raptors, Clippers

January 25th, 2025 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked on a live stream on Friday whether the Pacers might be open to trading center Myles Turner, who is on an expiring contract, Jovan Buha of The Athletic (YouTube link) said he has heard a “little bit of chatter” about that possibility.

However, based on his wording, it sounds like Buha is just referring to speculation from rival executives who are curious about whether Indiana will be able to pay Turner in free agency this summer, rather than any concrete signs the club is considering making him available. The 28-year-old won’t become eligible for an extension before reaching unrestricted free agency in July, so if Indiana isn’t confident about its ability to re-sign him, hanging onto him would carry the risk of losing him for nothing in the summer.

I’d be very surprised if the Pacers entertain the idea of trading Turner by February 6, given that he’s the starting center on a team that has played its best basketball of the season in recent weeks (9-2 in January).

Still, it’s worth noting that Indiana’s front office showed a year ago that it’s willing to trade a regular contributor if the team doesn’t expect to be able to sign him beyond the current season. After he turned down an extension offer from the Pacers, Buddy Hield was shipped to Philadelphia at last season’s deadline, despite the fact that he was averaging 25.7 minutes per game and had started 28 of 52 contests for Indiana.

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

Within his latest dispatch at The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer explores what the Heat are looking for in a Jimmy Butler trade, reiterating a few points that have been reported elsewhere, including the fact that Miami is prioritizing cap flexibility and short-term contracts, as well as players who can help the team make the playoffs this season.
To that end, Fischer cites sources who say that the Heat have registered some interest in Raptors wing Bruce Brown, who is on a $23MM expiring contract, and confirms that Toronto is widely viewed as a team interested in facilitating a larger deal. “They want to get involved in any Jimmy Butler trade,” one rival general manager told Fischer. Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon, who is on an expiring $22.5MM contract, is another example of the type of proven veteran on a favorable contract who might appeal to Miami, Fischer adds.
After creating some cap flexibility last offseason when they let Paul George walk in free agency, the Clippers remain “keen on keeping their books clean,” according to Fischer, who says the team has conveyed to rivals that it’s not eager to take on long-term salary in pre-deadline trades.
The Athletic’s NBA writers take a closer look at all 30 teams, considering whether the best approach to the deadline for each of those clubs is to buy, sell, or stand pat.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Celtics, Tatum, Barnes

January 25th, 2025 at 11:31am CST by Tristan Tucker

The back surgery Nets forward Ben Simmons underwent last spring caused him to question whether he’d be able to continue playing in the NBA, as Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report relays.

“There were times, last summer, when I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this. I might have to stop playing,” Simmons said on The Young Man and The Three podcast in discussing the challenges of recovering from multiple procedures on his back (YouTube link). “I had to bring that up in conversation, and think about it, just because physically it’s tough, but mentally it’s just so hard to return from an injury like that, and go through the process of rehabbing a second summer in a row.”

Simmons is playing well this season from a facilitation standpoint, averaging his most assists per game (7.1) since 2019/20. While his shot attempts and overall scoring are still down from his Philadelphia years, it’s been somewhat of a comeback year for Simmons, who has started 24 of his 30 appearances and appeared in 30 of Brooklyn’s 45 games so far. His pace of 55 games played would be his best since his last All-Star season.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Consistency and scoring depth continue to be issues for the Celtics during their recent poor offensive stretch, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe writes (subscriber link). Boston has scored under 100 points five times this month; on Thursday, Jaden Springer was the only player to score in double figures off the bench. The Celtics are still only one of three teams to reach at least 30 wins entering Saturday and boast the third-best record in the league. As Chris Mannix of SI opines, it isn’t time to panic yet, but efficiency among their key players needs to be higher to regain championship form.
The Lakers passing on Jayson Tatum in the 2017 draft is one factor that has helped fuel the ongoing rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics in the 2020s, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes. “It doesn’t feel like it’s at a peak or anything, but it’s always a fun game and it’s always great,” Boston assistant GM Austin Ainge said of matchups between the two storied franchises. “… And it’s 18 championships to 12 championships. You don’t think the citizens of L.A. care about Minneapolis, do you?“
Fresh off his first All-Star appearance last season and the trade of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes is the face of the Raptors in his fourth season in the league. In an interview with Alex Wong of Toronto Life, Barnes opened up on what that means to him, his upbringing, and what it takes a leader takes. “One thing I tell people often is that, in the NBA, you mature pretty quick,” Barnes said. “A lot of people who know me and hang around me, they can see how much I’ve grown in just the first three years. With everything that’s thrown at you, you really have no choice.“

Atlantic Notes: Springer, Brown, Raptors Trade Prospects, Johnson

January 23rd, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics guard Jaden Springer is considered a prime trade candidate for a team looking to reduce its luxury tax bill. Springer may have enhanced his value with a rare chance to play extended minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday. He had six points and tied a career-high with four steals in a season-high 20 minutes, Brian Robb of Masslive.com notes.

“He’s just got an innate skill to impact the game with his physicality, his defense, and I thought that’s what the game needed at the time,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I think it’s one of the best things you can do in this league is to just deliver when your name is called, regardless of when it is. So it’s a credit to him and the work ethic that he has. I thought it was his defense, his physicality, his presence changed the game for us.”

Springer, who is making $4MM, will be eligible for restricted free agency after this season, though at this point he seems unlikely to earn a qualifying offer.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is battling through an ankle injury, among other ailments, Robb writes. “Just pushing through,” Brown said. “I think this is definitely the rougher part, physically, during the season. I got some injuries and things like that. But I try to make myself available every night. I’ll make no excuses. But it is what it is. I’m a little beat up. But I’ll be ready tomorrow.” Boston is in the midst of a stretch in which it plays 10 games in 17 days.
The Raptors are well positioned to garner some assets prior to the trade deadline, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. They are $10MM below the luxury tax line and haven’t used their mid-level exception. They have made it known they’re willing to facilitate trades and there doesn’t appear to be any players beyond Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick that they consider untouchable. We passed along a few more Raptors-related notes and rumors earlier today.
Cameron Johnson is trying to tune out all the trade chatter surrounding him, as he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Keep my head down. I just try to emotionally disconnect from that,” the Nets forward said. “I have to, for the sake of myself, and invest all that energy into the present and to the team that we have. No matter what happens, the Nets have invested a lot of resources in trying to make me a better player. So my job is to compete for the city, for this team, for this organization, for my teammates.” Johnson has missed eight of the last 11 games due to an ankle injury.

Raptors Rumors: Olynyk, Boucher, Poeltl, Brown

January 23rd, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

Canadian big men Kelly Olynyk and Chris Boucher are hoping to stick with the Raptors through this season’s trade deadline and “beyond,” sources close to the two players tell Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

Olynyk and Boucher are both considered trade candidates, but it’s unclear how much value Toronto would be able to extract for either player.

Olynyk has another guaranteed year left on his contract and has averaged a career-low 15.3 minutes per game after having his season debut delayed by a back injury. Boucher has a $10.8MM cap hit and his contributions in recent years have been inconsistent — he averaged 16.3 points per night during a four-game stretch earlier this month, but has scored just 13 total points in his past three outings.

A recent report indicated that Boucher would have interest in a contract extension with Toronto if he’s not traded by February 6 and that the Raptors would be open to exploring that possibility.

Here’s more from Lewenberg on the Raptors:

Besides Scottie Barnes, everyone on Toronto’s roster is believed to be available if the price is right, Lewenberg writes. However, the team is unlikely to break up its young core and has also been “extremely reluctant to consider” moving veteran center Jakob Poeltl, multiple league sources tell TSN.ca. Poeltl is under contract for at least one more season beyond this one (he holds a 2026/27 player option) and the Raptors believe the big man could help them take a step forward next season if they’re ready to return to playoff contention, Lewenberg explains.
It may be difficult for the Raptors to get much value in a straight-up trade involving Bruce Brown and his $23MM contract, which is one reason why the club is open to facilitating a bigger multi-team transaction, Lewenberg confirms. While aggregating two or three player salaries to acquire Brown may not be practical for some teams, his sizable expiring contract could look more attractive as part of, say, Miami’s return for Jimmy Butler (who has a $48.8MM cap hit).
There’s a sense that the Raptors might be open to discussing a buyout for Brown if he’s not moved at the deadline, but it’s unclear if he’d actively seek one, Lewenberg writes, since it would mean giving up his Early Bird rights. Brown has said he’s happy in Toronto and his actions have backed up that stance, per Lewenberg.
Here’s more from Brown on having his name come up in trade rumors and his feelings about Toronto: “Last year it was super tough. I was saying I didn’t care about it, but I did. It was tough, (not) knowing if I was going to be here or not or if I was going to stay in the hotel. But now it’s like it’s part of the business. And through the summer I knew at some point I was going to face this again, just being on an expiring deal and on a young team. But if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’m happy to be here.”

Atlantic Notes: Drummond, Thomas, Hart, Raptors

January 22nd, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Andre Drummond cashed in with Detroit when he became a free agent in 2016, signing a five-year, maximum-salary contract worth in excess of $127MM. However, the veteran big man has had to settle for deals worth the minimum or a little above it in recent years — his current two-year, $10MM pact with Philadelphia is his most lucrative contract since that max deal ended.

Appearing this week on Podcast P with Paul George (YouTube link), Drummond told his Sixers teammate that he regrets how he responded after earning that max deal with the Pistons.

“Once I got that max contract, I was like, ‘Oh s–t, my work is done. I did it. I made it here. Now I get to play however I want to play. I’m the best guy on my team, making the highest amount of money, so I get to have this leadership role,'” Drummond said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “I don’t think I did it the right way, because not only did I not understand that that could’ve been $100 million two or three or four or five times — I only got it once because I didn’t maximize that time of being the max guy.

“If I could go back, I would’ve done it completely differently. I would’ve been a lot more attentive to working on my game and becoming more than just the best rebounder in the league. I would’ve tried to add more different pieces to my game so that when the league changed, it wouldn’t have been so difficult for me to make the adjustment with the league too.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets guard Cam Thomas, who has been out since January 2 due to a left hamstring strain, has resumed on-court activities but isn’t taking contact yet, according to head coach Jordi Fernandez. Bridget Reilly of The New York Post has the story.
Josh Hart believes his comments earlier this month about the Knicks needing to put aside “egos” and “agendas” were blown out of proportion and made it clear he wasn’t referring to any specific teammates, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “Y’all look too much into everything,” Hart said on Tuesday. “… I said something about egos and y’all took that and ran with it. To win, you have to have a team that don’t have egos. That’s why Boston won. They have a team that doesn’t have egos. You got Jrue Holiday that’s been an All-Star, All-Defense, All-NBA, max player. He don’t give a damn about scoring. So that’s the ego-less attitude that we have to have. There was no pinpointing somebody. But that’s what you have to have to win.”
Tuesday’s 16-point victory over Orlando served as a glimpse at what the first half of the Raptors‘ season could’ve looked like if the team hadn’t had to deal with so many injuries, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. As Grange observes, reliable second-unit veterans like Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown – both of whom didn’t make their season debuts until December – played key roles in the win. Olynyk, who was an incredible +39 in 22 minutes, and Brown are both considered candidates to be moved at the trade deadline.

Suns Rumors: Butler, Nurkic, Durant, Beal

January 22nd, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

There was an “undeniable vibe” in Miami on Tuesday that the Suns‘ draft-pick trade with Utah moved Phoenix a step closer to potentially acquiring Jimmy Butler, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who say a source close to the process believes there’s a “real pathway” to a deal sending the Heat star to the Suns.

Still, sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking tell Stein and Fischer that the Suns made their deal with the Jazz – which sent out Phoenix’s 2031 first-round pick in exchange for three less valuable first-rounders – without a specific follow-up move lined up.

As Stein and Fischer write, while that trade puts the Suns in a better position to make a play for Butler, it also led to plenty of chatter around the league that the club was seeking more general flexibility. For instance, one of those first-round draft picks could be attached to Jusuf Nurkic to move off his contract and get something value in return.

One executive speculated that the Suns could keep the 2025 first-round pick they acquired from Utah (likely to be Cleveland’s pick at No. 30) and use it in June to trade back in the draft and acquire more future assets, like they did on draft night in 2024 when they moved down six spots from No. 22 to No. 28 and added three future second-rounders in the process.

For what it’s worth, John Hollinger of The Athletic expresses skepticism that the Suns don’t already have a plan in mind for a particular trade, arguing that you don’t make a move like that and then say, “Well, now maybe let’s see what we can do?” The Suns already know the answer to that question, according to Hollinger, who says Phoenix almost certainly made the move to meet a specific need conveyed by a potential trade partner.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Within his story analyzing the Suns/Jazz trade, Hollinger lauds Phoenix’s front office for its creativity in continuing to find new ways to add draft assets using its limited tradable picks. However, he compares Tuesday’s deal to swapping out a dollar for three quarters and notes that the Suns likely won’t have more options to continue unearthing draft capital — since they project to be well into second-apron territory next season as well, their 2032 first-round pick will be frozen, ineligible to be included in a trade.
The Heat have spoken to multiple teams about Butler, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Insider link), but the Suns remain atop the 35-year-old’s list of preferred destinations and are expected to be “aggressive” in seeking roster upgrades between now and the February 6 trade deadline, Charania adds.
Kevin Durant dismissed the idea that he might run out of gas in the second half of the season, telling Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, “I ain’t a regular 36-year-old. … How many people playing at this level at my age? So you can’t compare me to anybody who’ve burnt out. It could happen, but does it look like it right now?” Durant also said he’s not frustrated by the restrictions the Suns face under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement: “I’ve seen a lot of crazy s–t just happen in this league. You know, regardless of rules and CBA is put in place, these dudes get paid a lot of money to figure out ways and stuff like that. So it isn’t frustrating. I mean, we just added Nick (Richards), which is a good pickup.”
Within that same Yahoo Sports story, Goodwill confirmed that there are whispers about the Bucks and Raptors potentially getting involved in a multi-team deal sending Butler to the Suns and added the Wizards to the list of clubs rumored to be possible facilitators in that scenario.
Bradley Beal, who is still listed as questionable to play on Wednesday vs. Brooklyn due to a left ankle sprain, referred to the game as “a must-win for us,” per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Olynyk, Brissett, Sixers

January 21st, 2025 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors wing Bruce Brown admits he was caught off guard when Indiana dealt him to Toronto last January, just six months after signing him to a $45MM contract in free agency. But he’s better prepared this time around for the uncertainty of trade season, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star relays.

“I’ve been in this situation the last two years, so if (a trade) happens, it does; if it doesn’t, I’m happy to be here,” Brown said. “It’s a business, (the talk is) going to happen. I was completely shocked last year when I got traded, so this year it’s whatever.”

Brown, who played a key role on the Denver team that won a title in 2023, is still adjusting to a new role in Toronto. That, along with the fact that he has a $23MM cap hit and spent most of the first half of the season recovering from offseason knee surgery, will limit his value. For now, he’s focused on figuring out how he can best help the Raptors, Smith writes.

“You gotta understand, in Denver I was the backup point guard. I had the ball in my hands, making plays with older players on the team,” Brown said. “Then I get to Indy, still kind of on-ball when Tyrese (Haliburton) was out. I had big 30-point games and the ball in my hands to make plays.

“Then I come here and IQ (Immanuel Quickley) is going to have the ball, Scottie (Barnes) is going to have the ball, RJ (Barrett) is gonna have the ball, we’re gonna run plays for Gradey (Dick). Just trying to pick my spots when I can score, when I can’t and, really, just get the ball off misses and try to push in transition. I think I can be a more effective transition scorer.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Like Brown, veteran center Kelly Olynyk is still working to get fully comfortable in his role with the Raptors after joining the team midway through last season and battling various injuries since then. And like Brown, he’s aware that his name has popped up in trade rumors ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. “Now 12 years in this, I’ve been traded three times. If it happens, it happens,” Olynyk said, per Smith. “If not, your feet are where you are, and you’re going to do your best to contribute to winning in that organization.”
Oshae Brissett was in camp with Team Canada under Jordi Fernandez last summer and the Nets‘ head coach is happy to have the veteran wing joining Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, he told Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Young, good size, motor. He can play multiple positions defensively. (He’s) switchable, great rebounder,” Fernandez said of Brissett. “In the NBA the thing is that his shooting went a little bit up and down. He had one very good season shooting the three, and then went a little down. But definitely I have no doubt in my mind that he has a place in this league, and I really enjoyed my time with him.”
If the Sixers, who have lost six straight games, hope to snap their losing streak on Tuesday in Denver, they’ll have to do so with a depleted roster. As Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette tweets, Philadelphia has already ruled out five players, including superstar center Joel Embiid, and has Paul George (left groin soreness), Andre Drummond (left toe injury recovery), and Guerschon Yabusele (right knee contusion) listed as questionable. Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin, both of whom have right hip sprains, are missing their ninth and sixth consecutive games, respectively.

Raptors Rumors: Facilitation, Brown, Boucher, Mitchell, Olynyk

January 20th, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Doug Smith of The Toronto Star reported last week that the Raptors have signaled their interest in getting involved in a potential Jimmy Butler trade as a facilitator. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), it’s not just a Butler deal that Toronto is open to facilitating.

The Raptors have let it be known around the league that they’re willing to help grease the wheels on potential deadline deals, sources tell Fischer.

“They are as well positioned as anyone to facilitate a trade,” an Eastern Conference executive told Fischer. “If a team needs to send out four players to make the math work, do you send one to Toronto?”

The Raptors currently have more than $10MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line and are carrying just 14 players on full-season salaries (with Orlando Robinson on a 10-day deal), so they have both cap and roster flexibility. They also have a handful of players on expiring contracts, including Bruce Brown ($23MM), Chris Boucher ($10.81MM), and Davion Mitchell ($6.45MM).

Brown, Boucher, and center Kelly Olynyk are the Raptors most frequently cited as trade candidates, Fischer says, but Mitchell is another player who could make sense as a salary-matching piece in certain scenarios — he’d also hold some appeal to teams seeking another point-of-attack defender, though he offers little offensive punch.

Here’s more from Fischer on the Raptors:

Toronto is “very motivated” to move Brown, sources tell Fischer. The veteran swingman, who won a title with Denver in 2023, was a popular target on the free agent market that summer and could draw interest ahead of the February 6 deadline from some of the same teams who pursued him at that time. Rival executives have been keeping an eye on Brown following his recovery from offseason knee surgery to see if he can recapture his previous form, Fischer writes.
If the Raptors are unable to find a suitable trade for Brown, he could become an intriguing buyout candidate, Fischer writes. However, because he’s earning more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.8MM), Brown would be ineligible to sign with any team operating above either tax apron if he were to reach free agency. That includes clubs like the Lakers and Nuggets, who are believed to have interest in the 28-year-old, sources tell Fischer. According to Fischer, Denver has considered whether trying to trade out of apron territory to gain more roster flexibility – including the ability to pursue players on the buyout market – would make sense.
Boucher isn’t regarded as a viable buyout candidate if he’s not traded at the deadline. According to Fischer, the big man actually has some interest in a possible contract extension with the Raptors if he remains in Toronto through Feb. 6, which the team would be open to considering for its longest-tenured player.

Stein’s Latest: Butler, Beal, Okogie, C. Johnson, Mavericks

January 20th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler‘s return from his seven-game suspension hasn’t changed the Heat‘s desire to work out a trade before the February 6 deadline, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Butler was back in the starting lineup and played 33 and 28 minutes as Miami split a pair of weekend games, but concerns remain that the relationship will continue to deteriorate if he’s still on the roster past the deadline. Sources tell Stein that the Heat are “exploring every potential pathway” to assemble a multi-team trade to get Butler off their roster.

The Suns remain Butler’s preferred location, but it’s not clear that Phoenix is eager to pursue him or that it has enough assets left to make a competitive offer, Stein adds. Phoenix gave up three second-round picks and got one in return in last week’s trade for Nick Richards. That leaves the Suns with just their 2031 first-rounder and a 2025 second-rounder from Denver to offer in any deal.

The Raptors have been mentioned as a team that might be interested in helping to facilitate a Butler trade, and Stein says a well-placed source told him that “about half the league” has expressed similar sentiments to Miami. He cites the Timberwolves as another club that might be willing to help the Heat move Butler on to his next location in exchange for other assets.

Stein shares more inside information from around the NBA:

League sources confirmed to Stein a report that Butler’s camp hasn’t told the Bucks not to pursue a deal. However, he believes Milwaukee might be more interested in reviving its previous interest in Suns guard Bradley Beal if it’s going to add a player in that salary range. Stein points out that the Bucks can’t trade for either player without dropping below the second apron, which would likely mean trading Pat Connaughton‘s $9.4MM contract without taking back any salary in return.
Some rival teams are questioning why the Hornets were willing to take on extra salary in the Richards trade while only netting two second-round picks, Stein adds. Charlotte acquired Josh Okogie at $8.3MM while parting with Richards’ $5MM contract, a move that will save the Suns more than $20MM in luxury tax. Stein speculates that the Hornets may have another move planned involving Okogie before the deadline.
Stein hears that the Nets don’t feel an urgency to trade Cameron Johnson because they’ve already weakened their team enough for tanking purposes by unloading Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith. Brooklyn is just 4-13 since sending Schröder to Golden State and has moved into sixth in the race for the best lottery odds.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison is typically active at the deadline, but Stein doesn’t believe the team’s injury woes will force him into a move. “We look at everything,” Harrison said in a recent interview with Dalton Trigg for his Mavs Step Back Substack (subscription required), “but we’re not going to be reactionary to a short-term injury.”
Discussing the Mavericks, Stein also writes that it would be a “misnomer” to suggest Dallas is shopping center Daniel Gafford. However, he didn’t outright dispute a previous report stating that the Mavs have been willing to discuss the big man.

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