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Wizards Trade Jonas Valanciunas To Kings

February 5th, 2025 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

8:05 pm: The trade is now official, according to press releases sent out by the Wizards and Kings.

3:59 pm: The Kings are acquiring center Jonas Valanciunas in a trade with the Wizards, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Sacramento is sending newly acquired wing Sidy Cissoko and a pair of second-round picks to Washington in the deal.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), Sacramento will use its $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to absorb Valanciunas’ $9.9MM salary. He reports that the picks being moved are the Kings’ own in 2029 and a Denver selection in 2028 that’s top-33 protected. That pick was acquired in the De’Aaron Fox deal earlier this week.

The trade with Washington leaves the Kings about $2.5MM below the tax line, states cap analyst Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), who notes that the team had some flexibility after unloading Fox’s and Kevin Huerter‘s salaries.

Valanciunas, a 32-year-old center, will provide veteran frontcourt depth for Sacramento. He appeared in 49 games during his lone season in Washington, averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per night while shooting 54.7% from the field. Valanciunas will join Domantas Sabonis, his longtime teammate on the Lithuanian national team, notes Marc Stein (Twitter link).

The Nuggets were also hoping to land Valanciunas, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), as were the Suns as they try to find a taker for Jusuf Nurkic.

The second-round picks heading to the Wizards bring their total to 19 over the next seven drafts, according to Gozlan (Twitter link). Cissoko is making just $1.89MM, so this deal helps them offset the extra salary they took on earlier today by agreeing to trade for Khris Middleton. Gozlan states that Washington will create a $9.9MM trade exception and is now $11.8MM below the tax line.

This is the second trade of the week for Cissoko, a 20-year-old small forward, who went from San Antonio to Sacramento in the Fox deal. He has seen minimal playing time at the NBA level since being selected with the 44th pick in the 2023 draft. Cissoko appeared in 17 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 1.3 PPG in 3.2 minutes per night.

Jimmy Butler Headed To Warriors, Agrees To Extension

February 5th, 2025 at 7:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors will acquire Jimmy Butler from the Heat in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The Pistons are also involved in the trade and will receive Lindy Waters III from Golden State and Josh Richardson from Miami, Charania tweets.

Schröder, meanwhile, is heading to Utah, which was first reported by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). P.J. Tucker, whom the Jazz acquired over the weekend, will be sent to Miami, sources tell Charania (Twitter link). Tucker played for the Heat during the 2021/22 season.

It was originally slated to be a five-team deal with Anderson going to the Raptors, but that part fell through, sources tell Charania (Twitter links). He adds that Miami is currently holding onto Anderson, who has an $8.78MM salary and one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season.

Miami will have a full 15-man roster if Anderson isn’t moved elsewhere before the trade deadline, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Charania reports that Butler has agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension with the Warriors that will run through the 2026/27 season. As part of that deal, which projects to be worth $111MM, he will decline his $52.4MM player option for next season.

An inability to work out an extension is the major reason that Butler was unhappy in Miami. He had been suspended three times over the past month and was away from the team as the front office tried to find an acceptable offer before Thursday’s deadline.

Butler, a six-time All-Star who had averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on .540/.361/.801 shooting in 25 games for Miami this season, had requested a trade in hopes of going to a team that was willing to make a long-term commitment.

Phoenix was widely reported to be his preferred destination, but the Suns were unable to work out a trade involving Bradley Beal, who holds a no-trade clause, and were apparently unwilling to make a deal with Miami that included Kevin Durant. As a result, Butler will instead join a Warriors team that was one of four clubs initially said to be on his wish list back in December and will get the extension he was seeking all along.

Under his new deal, Butler will earn a projected $54.13MM next season and $56.83MM in 2026/27, according to salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). Gozlan notes that adding Butler ensures that the Warriors will continue to have a large payroll, and they’ll be deep in luxury tax territory if they re-sign restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.

Butler has a $407,123 trade bonus that would increase his current salary to $49.2MM, Gozlan adds. However, Butler may need to waive that trade bonus to help Golden State fill out its roster and remain under the first apron, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Without accounting for the bonus, the team projects to be $1.8MM below the apron with 11 players under contract. The Warriors will have to fill at least three of their four open roster spots within two weeks. Marks states that it’s possible, but the timing of each signing will be important.

The Heat had an opportunity to duck beneath the tax threshold, according to Gozlan (Twitter link), but that won’t happen if they hold onto Anderson. According to Marks (Twitter link), Miami is currently $7.8MM above the tax line and $3.1MM over the first apron.

Miami will receive the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick with top-10 protection, sources tell Zach Lowe (Twitter link). The same protection will be in effect for 2026 if the pick doesn’t convey this year. In the unlikely event it lands in the top 10 in each of the next two years, it would be unprotected in 2027.

The Heat had reportedly been opposed to taking back salary that extended beyond the 2025/26 season, but were willing to make an exception for Wiggins, who holds a $30.2MM player option for ’26/27. At his best, the former No. 1 overall pick is an impact two-way player capable of being a secondary scorer on offense and handling challenging defensive assignments on the other end of the court.

Wiggins is averaging 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game across 43 outings this season, with a .444/.379/.777 shooting line.

The Pistons will receive a second-round pick from Golden State for taking on Waters’ and Richardson’s expiring minimum contracts, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, who doesn’t offer any more specifics on the pick.

Detroit currently has 14 players under contract but also reached a deal to acquire KJ Martin from Philadelphia in addition to Waters and Richardson. Depending on the order in which the Pistons complete their reported deals, they’ll need to waive one or two players from their current roster.

It’s worth noting that the Pistons could theoretically fit Martin into their $8MM room exception and take on Waters and Richardson using the minimum salary exception, which means their $14MM in cap room could still be used for a separate trade before they complete their two reported agreements. We’ll see if that ends up happening before Thursday’s deadline.

As part of the Tucker-Schröder swap of expiring contracts, the Jazz will receive the more favorable 2031 second-round pick from the Heat or Pacers, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).

This week’s latest mega-deal seems to ensure that Kevin Durant will remain with the Suns past the deadline. The Warriors and Heat were reportedly the teams making the strongest effort to get Phoenix to part with Durant.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Pelicans Trade Daniel Theis, Second-Round Pick To Thunder

February 5th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21 pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Thunder, who sent out cash considerations in exchange for Theis and either New Orleans’ or Orlando’s 2031 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

1:01 pm: The Pelicans are trading center Daniel Theis to the Thunder along with draft compensation, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Oklahoma City will receive a 2031 second-round pick in the deal, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). New Orleans previously traded swap rights on that pick to Orlando, so the Thunder will receive the least favorable of the Pelicans’ and Magic’s second-rounders in ’31.

It’s a salary dump for New Orleans, which had been operating about $1.4MM above the luxury tax line. The Pelicans are one of two NBA teams to have never paid the tax and weren’t about to start this season for a team that currently holds a 12-38 record.

Moving Theis’ $2.1MM minimum-salary contract, which expires at season’s end, allows the Pelicans to duck out of tax territory.

If New Orleans doesn’t make any additional trades today or tomorrow, this deal will leave the team with just 13 players on standard contracts. By NBA rule, the Pelicans would need to re-add a 14th man within two weeks of trading Theis. A prorated minimum-salary signing at that point would still allow them to narrowly remain below the tax threshold.

Despite their NBA-best 39-9 record, the Thunder aren’t constricted by the tax aprons like many of the league’s other contenders. Prior to this trade, Oklahoma City’s team salary had been hovering right around $160MM, giving the club plenty of room below the $170.8MM tax line to take on additional money.

The Thunder also have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so they won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Theis, who can be acquired using the minimum salary exception.

It’s unclear if the Thunder plan to hang onto Theis after acquiring him or if they’re just making the deal for the draft compensation. The veteran center could provide some frontcourt depth in OKC after averaging 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 16.3 minutes per game across 38 outings (nine starts) for the Pelicans.

A rookie big man, Branden Carlson, has occupied the Thunder’s 15th roster spot for much of the season to date, first on a non-guaranteed contract and then on a pair of 10-day deals. If the team hangs onto Theis and doesn’t make any additional moves to open spots on its 15-man roster, a two-way deal would be the only path for Carlson to rejoin the squad.

Wizards To Trade Kyle Kuzma To Bucks For Khris Middleton, Pick Swap

February 5th, 2025 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards and Bucks have agreed to a trade that will send Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a pick swap to Washington in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and a second-round pick, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic, who reported on the Kuzma/Middleton talks between the two teams on Tuesday, followed on up Wednesday to say (via Twitter) that Johnson, Baldwin, and draft assets were also involved in the structure being discussed.

Middleton, a Buck since the 2013 offseason, had a highly successful 12-season run with the franchise, earning three All-Star berths and playing a key role on the team that won a championship in 2021. However, he had been plagued by injuries in recent years, most recently undergoing surgeries on both ankles last offseason.

Middleton has been limited to 23 games so far this season and is averaging just 23.2 minutes per night, his lowest mark since his rookie year. While he has shot the ball efficiently (.512/.407/.848), the 33-year-old hasn’t looked like the same two-way impact player he was before his health issues.

By swapping out Middleton for Kuzma, the Bucks will acquire a forward who is four years younger (29), is on a more team-friendly contract, and hasn’t been afflicted as significantly by the injury bug.

However, Kuzma hasn’t had a great season either. His shooting percentages of 42.0% from the field and 28.1% on three-pointers are easily career lows, and he’s averaging just 15.2 points per game after putting up 21.7 PPG in his first two years in D.C.

Kuzma recently suggested in comments to reporters that he didn’t adjust well this season as the Wizards pivoted to prioritizing opportunities for their younger players. That shouldn’t be an issue in Milwaukee, where Kuzma is joining a potential contender led by superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), a vote of support for Kuzma from Antetokounmpo factored into the Bucks’ decision to move forward on this deal.

The Wizards nearly moved Kuzma at last season’s trade deadline, but were reportedly lukewarm on an offer from the Mavericks and decided not to accept it after speaking to him about it. A year later, he’s headed to the Bucks instead.

The financial aspect of this trade is an important motivator for Milwaukee as well. The combined salaries of Kuzma ($23.5MM) and Baldwin ($2.4MM) are well below that of Middleton ($31.7MM) and Johnson ($2.8MM), allowing the Bucks – who had been operating about $6.5MM above the second tax apron – to move below that threshold and generating substantial savings on their end-of-season tax bill.

Kuzma had a 15% trade kicker that would have increased his cap hit by roughly $2.5MM per season, but sources tell ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link) that the forward agreed to reduce that bonus in order to allow the Bucks to get below the second apron, giving them more roster-building options in the present and future.

Moving below the second apron will allow Milwaukee to aggregate salaries in any subsequent deals this week. It will also ensure that their 2032 first-round pick doesn’t become “frozen” (ie. unable to be traded) beginning this offseason.

With Baldwin’s salary coming off the books at season’s end and Kuzma replacing Middleton and Johnson on next season’s cap, the Bucks are now in position to potentially get out of luxury tax territory altogether in 2025/26, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).

The Wizards, meanwhile, will take on some extra salary this season and likely next season as well, since Middleton has a $34MM player option for 2025/26 that he’s expected to exercise. In return, Washington will get the opportunity to take a flier on a 2024 first-round pick in Johnson, who appeared in just seven games with the Bucks.

The Wizards will also gain the ability to swap first-round picks in 2028 with Milwaukee, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Portland already has the right to swap its first-round pick for Milwaukee’s first-rounder in ’28, so Washington would subsequently have the opportunity to swap its own pick for whichever first-rounder the Bucks end up with.

Meanwhile, the Bucks will receive a 2025 second-round pick in the deal, Haynes adds. According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link), it’ll be the second-most favorable of the three second-rounders controlled by Washington. The language around those picks is convoluted, but it’ll almost certainly end up being the second-most favorable of the Detroit, Golden State, and Phoenix second-rounders. Those three teams are all currently within a half-game of one another.

Sixers Trade Caleb Martin To Mavs For Quentin Grimes, Second-Round Pick

February 4th, 2025 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

3:32 pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Mavericks, which confirmed the terms outlined below.

12:09 pm: The Sixers and Mavericks have agreed to a trade, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links), who reports that forward Caleb Martin is headed to Dallas in exchange for guard Quentin Grimes and Philadelphia’s 2025 second-round pick, which the Mavs acquired in a previous deal.

Martin, who signed a four-year, $35MM contract with the Sixers last summer that includes over $5MM in incentives and a 15% trade kicker, was one of several Philadelphia players afflicted by the injury bug in 2024/25, having been limited to 31 outings through the team’s first 48 games.

Martin has been out since January 10 due to a right hip strain, but appears to be nearing a return, having been listed as questionable to play on Tuesday.

When healthy, the 6’5″ forward was an effective role player for the 76ers, averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 30.4 minutes per game. He has registered a .435/.379/.622 shooting line so far this season and provided solid, versatile defense on the wing.

Grimes, meanwhile, has enjoyed a strong bounce-back season in Dallas after being traded from the Pistons to the Mavericks last summer. The 24-year-old averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 22.8 minutes per night for the Mavs, with a .463/.398/.765 shooting line in 47 outings (12 starts). Like Martin, he’s considered a plus on defense.

As good as Grimes has been in his rotation role, his contract situation was uncertain beyond this season after he turned down a rookie scale extension offer from the Mavs last fall. Having not accepted that deal, which was reported to be worth in the neighborhood of $9MM annually for three years, Grimes was on track to become a restricted free agent during the summer of 2025.

By sending him to Philadelphia, Dallas will avoid going back to the negotiating table with Grimes and will instead get some multi-year cost certainty with Martin, who’s under contract through at least the 2026/27 season before he has to make a decision on his ’27/28 player option. Newly acquired guard Max Christie, who was dealt from the Lakers to the Mavs in the Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis blockbuster, figures to step into Grimes’ role in the backcourt.

The gap between Grimes’ $4.3MM cap hit and Martin’s $8.15MM salary means the Mavericks will go back into luxury tax territory as a result of the deal after having ducked that line in the Doncic trade. If Martin doesn’t waive his trade kicker, his cap charge would increase by another $1.04MM, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan, who notes (via Twitter) that would leave Dallas just $171K below its first-apron hard cap.

If Martin receives his trade bonus, the Mavs will have to use one of their existing trade exceptions to acquire him, since Grimes’ salary wouldn’t quite be enough for salary-matching purposes. If Martin waives that bonus, Dallas could preserve its exceptions and use Grimes to match.

Whether or not Martin gives up his bonus, this move wouldn’t have been possible for the Mavs if Davis hadn’t waived his trade bonus as part of the deal that sent him to Dallas. He told reporters on Tuesday that he wanted to give general manager Nico Harrison the ability to improve the roster around him and Kyrie Irving as much as possible, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“Trying to help the team,” Davis said. “Obviously you always want to get better and losing a monumental piece like Luka … it’s a lot, right? So I’m just trying to do my part and help Nico and the organization on how we can continuously get better. That’s just always the right thing to do.”

As for the Sixers, while they’re not throwing in the towel on the 2024/25 campaign following a disappointing 19-29 start, they’re clearly thinking about their future beyond this season in swapping out Martin for Grimes (who is five years younger) and a 2025 second-round pick while generating some tax savings.

The draft pick the Sixers are acquiring is technically the most favorable of their own and the Nuggets’ 2025 second-rounders, which will certainly be the Philadelphia pick.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the 76ers will save about $6.7MM on their projected luxury tax bill as a result of this deal and move below the first tax apron. They’re still operating about $6.5MM above the tax line.

Thunder, Hornets Swap Future Second-Round Picks

February 3rd, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Thunder and Hornets have completed a minor second-round draft pick swap, according to a Thunder press release. A Hornets press release also confirms the deal.

Oklahoma City acquired the Nuggets’ 2030 second-rounder that Charlotte possessed in exchange for the Suns’ 2029 second-rounder that the Thunder owned.

The Thunder had a stash of 2029 second-rounders. Besides controlling their own pick, they also have the rights to second-rounders from Atlanta, Boston, Houston and Miami. This gives OKC four second-rounders in 2030 — their own, plus picks from Denver, Houston and Miami.

There was already a scenario in which the Thunder would have acquired Denver’s 2030 first-round pick. The Nuggets owe Oklahoma City a top-five protected first-rounder in both 2027 and 2029. If the Thunder hadn’t received both of those picks by 2030, they would have instead been sent Denver’s 2030 second-round selection. Now they’ll ensure they receive that second-rounder even if both first-rounders convey, which is likely.

As for the Hornets, they now possess three 2029 picks — their own, Denver’s and now the Suns’. Swapping out that 2030 second-rounder from Denver for Phoenix’s 2029 selection ensures Charlotte is no longer at risk of losing out on the Nuggets’ 2030 second-rounder in the event that those aforementioned first-round Denver picks are protected.

Spurs Acquire Fox, Kings Land LaVine In Three-Team Trade

February 3rd, 2025 at 2:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

FEBRUARY 3: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Bulls, Spurs, and Kings. Chicago waived Torrey Craig and Chris Duarte to make room for the incoming players, as we detailed in a separate story.

FEBRUARY 2: The Spurs are finalizing a three-team trade in which they’ll acquire Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox, while Bulls high-scoring wing Zach LaVine will be moved to Sacramento, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).

Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins and Tre Jones are being sent the Bulls, while Jordan McLaughlin will join Fox in San Antonio, The Athletic’s Sam Amick tweets.

The Bulls will reacquire the top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick they owed the Spurs, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets. San Antonio will also send out three more first-rounders to the Kings.

Here’s the full breakdown, according to Charania:

Spurs to acquire Fox and McLaughlin.
Kings to acquire LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, the Hornets’ 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected; from Spurs), the Spurs’ 2027 first-round pick, the Timberwolves’ 2031 first-round pick, the Bulls’ 2025 second-round pick (from Spurs), the Nuggets’ 2028 second-round pick (top-33 protected; from Spurs), and their own 2028 second-round pick (from Bulls).
Bulls to acquire Collins, Jones, Huerter, and their own 2025 first-round pick (from Spurs).

Note: If the Hornets’ 2025 first-rounder falls within its protected range, as expected, Charlotte will instead convey its 2026 second-round pick and 2027 second-round draft pick to Sacramento.

This is the ideal outcome for Fox, who reportedly had the Spurs at the top of his wish list after news was leaked that the Kings would entertain offers for their leading scorer and floor leader. Fox and budding superstar Victor Wembanyama will now become the Spurs’ pick-and-roll partnership for years to come, with San Antonio also able to keep promising rookie Stephon Castle out of the deal.

Fox turned down a three-year, maximum-salary extension offer during the 2024 offseason and had shown a lack of interest in signing an extension, prompting Sacramento’s front office to field trade offers.

Fox will be eligible to renegotiate and extend his contract with the Spurs in August, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link). The 2023 All-Star, who is averaging 25.0 points, 6.1 assists and 5.0 assists per game this season, will no longer have the opportunity to become super-max eligible by making an All-NBA team in 2025, but he’ll be able to sign an extension in the offseason that begins in 2026/27, starts at 30% of that season’s cap, and covers up to four years.

The Spurs, meanwhile, still control six first-round picks over the next seven seasons, starting with two in 2025 (their own and Atlanta’s pick), and could use those draft assets to continue pursuing roster upgrades around Fox and Wembanyama.

LaVine, of course, has been the subject of trade rumors for years. He’ll finally be on the move and will ironically rejoin forces with his former Bulls teammate DeMar DeRozan. LaVine, who has battled knee issues in recent years, has averaged 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game with outstanding shooting numbers (.511/.446/.797) in an impressive bounce-back season in Chicago.

While the Kings will collect a handful of draft assets in this deal, the acquisition of LaVine reflects their desire to remain in win-now mode and push for a playoff spot this season. They’re currently 24-24 and hold the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

LaVine’s move to Sacramento comes approximately six-and-a-half years after he signed a four-year, $78MM offer sheet with the Kings as a restricted free agent. The Bulls, of course, matched that offer sheet back in July 2018, keeping the former UCLA standout in Chicago.

In addition to shedding LaVine’s contract and creating significant short- and long-term cap flexibility, the Bulls will get their very valuable first-rounder back — even if that pick had landed in its protected range this season, Chicago would still have owed a top-eight protected first-rounder to San Antonio in 2026. By reacquiring that pick, the Bulls will regain full control of their first-rounders going forward.

The Bulls will have to waive two players from their roster to make the deal official, since they’re already at the 15-man limit.

Fox is making $34.85MM this season and $37MM next season in the final year of his deal. Huerter also has one year remaining on his contract. He’s earning $16.8MM this season and $18MM next season.

LaVine, who has a $43MM salary this season, has two years remaining after this season. He’ll bring in $46MM next season and has a player option worth nearly $49MM for 2026/27. He also has a 15% trade kicker, though he could choose to waive that.

Along with Huerter, the Bulls are acquiring the salaries of Collins ($16.7MM this season; $18.1MM next season) and Jones ($9.1MM expiring contract).

McLaughlin is making $2.1MM and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Cissoko is making $1.9MM this season and has a non-guaranteed $2.22MM cap hit for next season.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Bulls Waive Torrey Craig, Chris Duarte To Finalize LaVine Trade

February 3rd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have officially announced the completion of their three-team trade with the Kings and Spurs that sends Zach LaVine to Sacramento and lands Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Kevin Huerter in Chicago.

In order to accommodate the one-for-three deal, Chicago has officially waived veteran wing Torrey Craig and fourth-year swingman Chris Duarte. Both players will become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday if they’re not claimed on waivers.

Craig, 34, exercised a $2.85MM player option last June in order to remain in Chicago for a second season after averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game across 53 outings (14 starts) in 2023/24.

However, Craig was limited to just nine appearances this season — he has battled injuries and wasn’t a significant part of the rotation even when healthy. He appeared to be nearing a return from a right ankle sprain that had sidelined him since December 30, so he may draw some interest on the open market.

As for Duarte, the former 13th overall pick was sent from Sacramento to Chicago as a salary-matching piece in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade in July.

A former standout at Oregon, Duarte got off to a solid start in the NBA when he averaged 13.1 points per game with a .369 3PT% as a rookie in Indiana in 2021/22, but his playing time and his production has declined every year since then. He played just 74 total minutes across 17 appearances as a Bull.

Within their press release announcing the trade and the Craig and Duarte cuts, the Bulls included a statement thanking LaVine for his time with the organization.

“Zach has been a cornerstone for this organization and the city,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. “He truly embraced what it means to be a Bull. His work ethic and passion for the game have been inspiring. During his time here, he not only grew as a player but also started a family, and we watched him develop into the person he is today.

“We also sincerely thank Chris and Torrey for their professionalism and contributions. Our organization is extremely appreciative of everything each of these guys have given to the team.”

The Bulls continue to explore their options on the trade market, including potentially flipping Jones and/or Huerter, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links).

Johnson adds that there’s some optimism within the organization about the possibility of acquiring draft capital in a Lonzo Ball deal. He also notes that the Bulls engaged with the Bucks about a possible LaVine trade before shifting their focus to the deal with the Kings and Spurs.

The full story on that three-team trade can be found here.

Jazz Waive Mo Bamba

February 2nd, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Maher

To complete the three-team blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, the Jazz have officially waived center Mohamed Bamba, who was acquired on Saturday in a separate deal with the Clippers.

Utah announced the move in a press release.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), the Jazz needed to create an opening on their standard roster to acquire Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers. Bamba was the odd man out.

A former lottery pick, Bamba was unable to carve out a consistent role in his four-plus seasons with Orlando, the team that selected him sixth overall back in 2018. The 26-year-old was traded to the Lakers in February 2023, but only played nine games for the club due to injury.

Bamba signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Philadelphia in the summer of 2023. Last offseason, he inked the same type of deal with the Clippers.

In 28 games with the Clips in 2024/25, Bamba averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 block in 12.6 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting slash line of .466/.300/.680 while serving as a backup to Ivica Zubac.

Bamba was the most straightforward candidate to be cut by the Jazz due to the size of his contract. The other player Utah acquired from the Clippers was P.J. Tucker, who has yet to play this season but makes $11.54MM.

Tucker is a strong buyout candidate, but that could require him to give back a prorated portion of his salary — it also presumes the 39-year-old will have another opportunity lined up. There’s no rush for either side to reach that decision until after the February 6 trade deadline, especially since Tucker’s expiring contract could still be useful in certain trade scenarios.

Assuming he clears waivers, Bamba will be an unrestricted free agent in a couple days. He’ll be ineligible to re-sign with the Clippers.

Luka Doncic To Lakers, Anthony Davis To Mavs In Three-Team Trade

February 2nd, 2025 at 9:14am CST by Arthur Hill

February 2: The trade is now official, according to a press release from the Mavericks.

“We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” stated general manager Nico Harrison. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

“This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

February 1: The Lakers are acquiring superstar Luka Doncic in a stunning blockbuster trade that will send Anthony Davis to the Mavericks as part of a three-team deal involving Utah, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

L.A. will also receive Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while Max Christie and the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2029 are headed to Dallas.

The Jazz will take on the salary of second-year Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino while receiving two 2025 second-round picks, one from the Mavericks and one that originally belonged to the Clippers (via the Lakers).

Utah will also send $55K in cash to both the Lakers and Mavericks, a source tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).

It’s one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, to the extent that Charania had to publish multiple tweets after breaking the news confirming that it’s real, while other reporters verified that he hadn’t been hacked. It’s the first time in league history that two players who earned All-NBA honors have been traded for each other during the following season, per ESPN.

There had been no indication that the Mavs were looking to part with Doncic or that the Lakers’ front office was considering breaking up Davis’ long-time partnership with LeBron James, who was surprised by news of the deal and didn’t know it was in the works, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I believe that defense wins championships,” Dallas president of basketball operations Nico Harrison told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon in explaining his motivation. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”

Doncic did not request a trade, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Mavericks simply liked the return from L.A. enough to part with their franchise player, who was “stunned” when he was informed of the trade, Charania said during an appearance on SportsCenter (Twitter video link).

Doncic would have become eligible during the 2025 offseason for a record-setting super-max contract projected to be worth $345MM over five years. According to MacMahon, Dallas had concerns about making that commitment due to Doncic’s diet and conditioning, which the team believes have been major factors contributing to his injuries over the years.

Sources tell Charania that the Mavericks initiated the deal, while the Lakers believed it was in their best long-term interest to give up Davis, who will turn 32 next month, to acquire the 25-year-old Doncic, who could be the face of the franchise for the next decade.

Doncic will no longer be eligible to sign a super-max contract in Los Angeles, since that option comes off the table once a player is traded. That means his next deal figures to start at 30% of the 2026/27 cap instead of 35%. The exact amount of that contract will depend on when he signs it and how many years it covers, but it would max out at about $296MM over five years rather than $345MM.

Dallas contacted several teams this week to see if they were willing to reroute salary in a potential three-team deal, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). While several teams had an indication that the Mavericks were working on something, no one else had any idea that it involved Doncic, Fischer adds.

Doncic has been sidelined since Christmas Day when he suffered a left calf strain in a game against Minnesota. He had been expected to return soon, and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets that Dallas was preparing for him to play next Saturday.

Doncic has a been a franchise-changing talent since the Mavericks traded up for the opportunity to select him in the 2018 draft. After winning Rookie of the Year honors, he was a first-team All-NBA selection and finished in the top eight of MVP balloting in each of the next five seasons, including third in 2024. He’s not eligible for individual awards this year because of the strained calf and other ailments that have limited him to 22 games.

Davis is one of the top big men in the league and helped the Lakers capture the 2020 title in his first season with the team. The eight-time All-Star is currently sidelined with an abdominal strain, but he has been remarkably durable over the last two years despite a history of injuries. He has appeared in 42 of L.A.’s 47 games this season after playing 76 in 2023/24.

Davis is looking forward to joining the Mavericks, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). He has a history with Harrison from their days together at Nike, and his long-time preference to play power forward rather than center will be less of an issue in Dallas with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively on the roster.

Davis has agreed to waive his 15% trade bonus, which would have been worth $5.9MM, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes and Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links). That decision leaves the Mavericks $628K below the luxury tax line — they were $5.1MM above the tax threshold before the deal, Marks notes.

Davis’ current maximum-salary contract will pay him a projected $112.6MM over the next two seasons after this one, with a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28.

Because they’re not sending anyone out in the trade, the Jazz will have to open a roster spot before they can acquire Hood-Schifino, points out salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). That’s likely to happen by waiving or reaching a buyout with P.J. Tucker or Mohamed Bamba, both of whom were acquired from the Clippers in a deal earlier on Saturday.

Gozlan states that Hood-Schifino will be absorbed into Utah’s $8MM room exception, leaving the team $16.7MM below the tax line after Saturday’s dealings. The 21-year-old guard may get a greater opportunity to play with the Jazz after appearing in just two games this season and 23 total since being selected with the 17th pick in the 2023 draft.

Christie could be a valuable addition for Dallas, as he has blossomed into a solid rotation player during this third NBA season. He’s in the first season of a four-year, $32MM contract that he signed last summer as a restricted free agent.

Kleber suffered a broken right foot last weekend, so he won’t provide any immediate help to the Lakers. The 33-year-old big man is under contract for one more year at $11MM. Morris, a 35-year-old power forward, has an expiring veteran’s minimum contract.

Tristan Tucker and Luke Adams contributed to this story.

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