Credit the league for one thing: It has managed to keep itself at the fore of the news cycle for the entire summer this year, going from a busy NBA trade rumor mill in June and early July, to the LeBron James saga in late July, through to the Peyton Watson trade and Jonathan Kuminga’s agent in August and now, with the Clippers-Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard ruling that came down on Wednesday in early September.
And what a ruling it was. The key elements were the $30 million fine on the Clippers, one-year suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker, and a six-month suspension for Lawrence Frank, the president of basketball operations.
But the real red meat for NBA fans was the loss of five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, picks that were part of the Clippers’ big plan for a rebuild. The other key aspect for fans was the lack of punishment ($700,000 fine) for Leonard himself, making his trade to the Raptors now and easy transaction to complete.
Good news for the Raptors, obviously. Bad news for the Clippers. But there is obviously a huge ripple effect around the NBA, and in the NBA trade rumor mill, which is always our focus. So, let’s get into it …
Assessing the Clippers’ Post-Kawhi Leonard Future
When the Clippers traded away Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors to begin the summer, it was clear that their intent was to enter a rebuild. And they were well set-up for that, despite a series of old trades that had previously depleted their pick reserves. The Clippers are part of a multi-team swap scenario in 2027, and have no pick in 2028, which is why the punishment starts in 2029.
But before the ruling, the Clippers were set up with eight picks (including two from Toronto in the Leonard trade) between 2029-33. That’s down to three, plus the 2027 swap–so, four altogether. There are teams in worse shape, pick-wise, than that. Maybe the league, as it did with the Timberwolves in the Joe Smith penalty, will give one or two back. Beyond that, it is not hard to imagine the Clippers selling off what pieces of the roster they can for picks and continuing the rebuild.
NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers as a Hub for Deals
Selling off players for picks of keen interest to the NBA trade rumor mill. One result of this decision is that the Clippers could become a trade hub for the next few years. They could carve out an acre of cap space with trades, or by persuading Brandon Ingram not to pick up his option next summer. That would put them in a position of facilitating other trades, and collecting picks along the way.
The player to watch, of course, is point guard Darius Garland, who is 26 years old with two years and $87 million left on his contract. He’d certainly return an unprotected first-round pick, and probably two, with some protections, plus a young player.
Brandon Ingram, too, could return a first-rounder in the offseason. He is coming off a year in which he scored 21.5 points and earned an All-Star spot, with two years and $82 million (player option in the second year, which will be a factor) on his contract. It’s possible, then, that the Clippers could go into full pick-collection mode and come away three first-rounders for Garland and Ingram.
It’s unlikely that any other player on the roster would bring back a first-rounder in a trade, but players like Derrick Jones Jr. and Brook Lopez could bring back a few second-round picks. The Clippers have six of those between 2027-33, and would do well to stockpile more in lieu of their first-rounders.
NBA Trade Rumors: Impact on the Celtics’ 2028 Pick
Celtics fans were celebrating the punishment for the Clippers. The logic: Though the ins and outs of the 2028 pick the team got from Philadelphia were complicated, the most likely outcome was always that the Celtics would get to swap for the Clippers’ pick if it was in the lottery, or would get the pick outright (and keep their own) if it was not. The celebration stemmed from the fact that the Clippers now would be a bad team.
But the reality is, the Clippers were focused on rebuilding either way. They could wind up as a fringe play-in team, or more likely a non-play-in team in 2028. That would have given them three balls in the new 3-2-1 lottery system. That’s still the most likely outcome even after the league’s punishment–the Clippers should get three balls, like six other teams. The Celtics’ odds at a top pick probably are the same.
NBA Trade Rumors: What About the Sixers 2029 Pick?
The Sixers are in a better position now with the Clippers’ punishment. L.A. owes the Sixers a swap in 2029, and assuming that Philadelphia is still a contender at that time, the fact that the Clippers will likely still be in rebuild mode at this time will benefit the Sixers. The swap is Top 3 protected, so, conceivably, the Clippers could come out of this with a Top 3 pick and the Sixers would get nothing. But that was the case before the punishment.
According to reports, the league is taking the Clippers’ 2029 pick it received from the Pacers in the Ivica Zubac deal, not the team’s own pick. That can still be conveyed to Philly.
Bucks-Gary Trent Jr. Investigation
There has been speculation that after the decision on the Clippers, the league would turn its attention to the Bucks investigation, which the league has confirmed is happening, into the bizarre four-year, $64 million contract given by Milwaukee to Gary Trent Jr., after Trent Jr. played his last two seasons with the Bucks at $5.8 million–combined.
The theory goes that if the Clippers’ penalty is bad, the Bucks’ penalty will follow suit. So now, there is some nervousness in Milwaukee’s front office after the five-pick penalty.
But these are separate cases, and the Clippers’ penalty does not necessarily make things better or worse for the Bucks. There was a trove of evidence and paper trails working against the Clippers, as well as a lack of cooperation from the team. There won’t be as much evidence in the Trent case, though it is important to note that the NBA can act on circumstantial evidence in cases like this.
The fact that Trent was rewarded handsomely for a truly awful season–8.1 points, 38.7% shooting–fits the league’s cap-circumvention standard of, “looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Trent’s deal is a duck, but that was true no matter how things shook out with the Clippers.
OK, with that, let’s update the NBA trade rumor Big Board …
NBA Trade Rumors: Welcome, Darius Garland
Darius Garland, Clippers. (Remaining contract: two years, $87 million.) The Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard punishment could set into motion a series of events that winds up with Garland being placed firmly on the market as the Clippers seek to recoup as many future draft picks from the roster. Anyone want to give up two picks for him?
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option in second year.) Marc Stein mentioned him, so we’re putting him on the list, but nothing is imminent. Like a lot of veterans, the idea is to play him through January, build value and see if something can be done at the deadline.
Dejounte Murray, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: two years, $63 million, player option.) Teams will want to see how he looks now that he should be fully healed from his Achilles tendon injury, but expect him to be a trade candidate as the deadline nears.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract; three years, $161 million.) Maybe? It’s not likely to happen now, but the finances in Denver are grim. It’s not hard to see a Jaylen Brown situation here.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million.) It would make sense for the Knicks to give them flexibility going forward, so we’ll slide him on this list. But the Knicks appear determined to try to hammer the team under the second apron for as long as it can stay there–there will be a breaking point, though.
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers. (Remaining contract four years, $90 million.) Sharpe is out with a torn meniscus, a tough break for him and the Blazers that will probably remove him from trade consideration. Still, he averaged 20.8 points last season and Portland has a guard logjam.
Jordan Hawkins, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $7 million.) Hawkins never lived up to his lottery billing after his impressive UConn tournament run in 2023, so the fact that he is on the trade block is probably not exactly newsworthy. Still only 24, but he is a career 37.4% shooter. From the field.
Ty Jerome, Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $19 million, including player option.) Jerome took advantage of the mess in Memphis last year and averaged 19.7 points, shooting 42.0% from the 3-point line. The Grizzlies will need to thin out their roster, and the 29-year-old Jerome really does not fit here. He would have good value if Memphis wants to flip him for future assets, but the Grizz do not have much else at point guard.
Dalton Knecht, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $10 million, including two team options.) Knecht showed some promise as a rookie but fell off in Year 2 and is now a contract filler in a potential trade. It has been surprising that no team has been willing to gamble on his upside–he is only 25.
Jaden Hardy, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) The Lakers need to drop a player, and Hardy is a good candidate if they can find a taker. Using him in a Jonathan Kuminga deal was their dream scenario, but now they just want to be rid of him.
NBA Trade Rumors: Teams Seeking Wings
Brandon Ingram, Raptors/Clippers. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option.) The Clippers should be seeking to do what they can to pile up draft picks, and moving off of Brandon Ingram next offseason could fetch them one.
Moses Moody, Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody is potentially going to be ready for the start of the season, and is said to be staying put. But if the Warriors do anything trade-wise this summer, speculation holds it will involve Moody.
Trey Murphy, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) There have been rumblings that the Pelicans would deal Murphy, and equal rumblings have indicated they won’t. Murphy is a favorite in NBA trade rumors, but New Orleans is slow-playing any potential trade.
Saddiq Bey, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $6.5 million.) Bey came back with a strong season last year after tearing his ACL, averaging 17.7 points and shooting 45.1% from the field and 36.7% from the 3-point line. They were hollow numbers on a bad team, but he showed he still could be an adequate wing off someone’s bench.
Patrick Williams, Bulls. (Remaining contract: three years, $54 million,) It would be symbolic and probably cathartic for fans to see Williams dumped as a new front office and coaching staff comes in. But Williams’ contract is prohibitive.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Porter will wind up in the trade-candidate bin if extension talks falter. They appear to be faltering, so watch from him to be a name on the market in the coming months.
Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $10 million.) Jones is a defensive ace still, and his expiring contract gives the Clippers some wiggle room to move him. They’re caught in the Aspiration pause, however.
Kyle Kuzma, Bucks. (Remaining contract: one year, $20 million,) His expiring contract is attractive and if the Bucks pull a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin or Jonathan Kuminga, he could be involved.
DeAndre Hunter, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $25 million.) The Kings want to keep him as an expiring contract they could potentially flip, but he’s being mentioned as a possible target. If Sacto can get back an asset without taking long-term money, he could be dealt at the deadline.
Royce O’Neale, Hornets. (Remaining contract: two years, $21 million,) The Hornets still have some sorting to do. O’Neale is not a long-term piece, of course, but he has value. The team could hang onto him, see how he fits and flip him at the deadline.
Jake LaRavia, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) Hustles, plays every game, but inconsistent. His contract makes him an attractive piece, though, as the Lakers are still figuring out the back end of their roster.
Herb Jones, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: four years, $82 million, including player option.) Jones is a popular name on the market, but the Pelicans are said to want two first-round picks, and with Jones having struggled with injuries and his 3-point shot in the past two seasons, that’s too steep. His remaining contract scares off potential suitors, too.
Cam Johnson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) The Peyton Watson move probably means Johnson stays put, but he will be very tradeable in the coming months before the deadline. Johnson struggled in his lone season in Denver, and he has been a prominent feature on the NBA trade rumor mill for years now. He still has enough of a reputation around the league to warrant trade interest, but the apron-addled Nuggets value the fact that he has an expiring contract.
PJ Washington, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 4 years, $90 million.) Like Daniel Gafford, Washington is aging out of the Mavericks’ timeline, as he turns 28 this summer. He’s a stretch 4 who plays good defense, but his shooting has been suspect–he made just 32.5% of his 3s last year. Like Gafford, they’re hoping to get a first-round pick in a deal for him, but the contract is prohibitive and the production is not worth it.
Center Market Is Looking Thin
Jalen Smith, Bulls. (Remaining contract: one year, $9 million.) Plenty of teams are still on the hunt for a backup center, and Smith would be a nice fit in multiple situations. The Bulls could cash in for younger assets or wait and move him during the season.
Nikola Jovic, Heat. (Remaining contract: four years, $62 million.) There is trepidation about trading for Jovic, who is certainly available and is still only 23 years old. But the remaining contract is a hefty bite for teams to take.
Grant Williams, Hornets. (Remaining contract: one year, $15 million.) The Hornets are not quite done with their roster, and Williams’ expiring deal has some value. He can still be a worthy big man off the bench.
Zeke Nnaji, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: four years, $32 million.) The Nuggets shopped Nnaji this summer, but there were no takers. He does not have a weighty contract, but four years is lengthy for him.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) The Lakers have been trying to find a taker for Vanderbilt, but no one has been eager to take on his contract. It’s possible the Lakers will use him in their rotation, much to JJ Redick’s chagrin, and attempt to trade him during the season.
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Someone may have to go in the coming months because of the Nuggets’ impending financial crunch. If it is not Jamal Murray, it could be Gordon, though his recent injury history makes that tough.
Daniel Gafford, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 3 years, $54 million.) Gafford will be 28 in October, and with the Mavs focused on getting younger, moving him along has been one of the tea
NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers-Kawhi Leonard Fallout Touches Celtics, Sixers & More