It’s July 9, summer league is starting and the NBA trade rumor mill is still humming. We have no decision just yet from LeBron James on where he will play next, and none is forthcoming–we might not see it, in fact, for another week or so. This would be a record-setter for James decisions. In 2008, he announced he was going to Miami on July 8, and in 2014, he announced he was returning to Cleveland on July 11.
If we get past Saturday and still don’t know, James will be officially in unchartered decision territory.
Speaking of James, from the outside, it would appear the Warriors are on a roller coaster of momentum shifts and strategy changes when it comes to acquiring LeBron James and possibly needing to trade for Anthony Davis to accomplish that.
But not much has changed, really. The Warriors have known that trading for Davis is a stark choice–stand pat and miss out on James or give up a significant chunk of the future (two first-rounders) and sell your soul by trading Jimmy Butler during his ACL rehab to get back Davis, who played 20 games last year and has missed at least 25 games in five of the last six years. And the Warriors would have to pay an extension to Davis. Owner Joe Lacob, remember, is a fan of draft picks.
“That whole thing, I can’t see Joe putting his OK on that and that’s even if the front office wanted to do it, which is a big ask,” one Western Conference executive said.
NBA Trade Rumors: Bucks Next Steps
- What is surprising is that the Warriors have not chosen to do anything besides bring back their own players. They could opt to bring back Gary Payton II soon. But there have been options that they could have added while waiting on James, but chose not to do so. There’s is also the possibility of a smaller trade that does not involve Butler, which could center around Moses Moody (who is also rehabbing a knee injury).
… - The dust has settled on the Celtics’ controversial trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George and draft picks, but don’t expect the dust to settle on chatter about George. He is 36 years old and played 78 games in the past two seasons with Philadelphia, and has a year left on his contract, at $54 million, plus a player option for 2027-28 at $56.5 million. He is all but certain to opt in on that final season. The Celtics are not expected to turn around and trade George this summer, but figure to be shopping him hard either at the deadline, next summer, or both. Expiring contracts are not valued the way they once were in the NBA, but that figures to change as the reality of luxury-tax apron pressure continues to hit teams.
… - The Lakers are weighing whether to part with their last first-round draft asset, a swap of picks in 2032, to help facilitate a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade with Atlanta. If they do that, the Lakers will owe first-round swaps in 2028, 2030 and 2032, as well as having sent out picks in 2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033. Swaps are increasingly valuable in the new NBA draft lottery system.
… - The Bucks are in an unenviable position, setting out on a post-Giannis Antetokounmpo rebuild but doing so without control of their picks in the next four seasons. They have no incentive to be bad, and so there’s been reluctance to trade away veterans like Tyler Herro and Myles Turner, despite interest in both. It would be easier to tear down the whole thing, but the Bucks have no reason to do so, and are hoping they can finish in the middle of the pack in the East. GM Jon Horst told reporters, “There is a sense of excitement because it’s a different challenge. It’s something new.”
NBA Trade Rumors: Top of the Market
We’ve already seen stars like Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and LaMelo Ball traded. Will there be others?
Kevin Durant, Rockets. (Remaining contract: two years, $90 million, player option.) The Pistons continue to be the only team really connected to Durant in a meaningful way, though it’s fair to question how meaningful the interest is. Durant is dropping hints about wanting to play for Detroit. But it’s complicated. Detroit is naturally hesitant about a 37-year-old veteran who has been a headache pretty much everywhere he has been. Oh, and you would have to pay him $90 million over the next two years at a time when the Pistons are trying to work out a deal for Jalen Duren and have an Ausar Thompson contract extension to work out.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $160 million.) Dealing Murray might be too much to ask of the Nuggets, but there is a financial crunch in Denver and sending Murray away would help the team reset and build a roster more focused no Nikola Jokic. Still, the Nuggets are more likely to move off of Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon or Christian Braun. What they do next might be decided by how the Peyton Watson situation plays out.
Anthony Davis, Wizards. (Remaining contract: two years, $121 million, including player option.) The Warriors appear to be the only immediate potential suitor for Davis, and they’d only make such a deal as a means to signing LeBron James. But is it worth giving up two first-round picks to get Davis, who is among the league’s most injury-prone stars? And if Davis wants an extension on top of that–it’s all a bit much to ask of the Warriors. The bet here is still that Davis stays put, and perhaps is moved at next year’s deadline.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $81 million.) The Mavericks have not been looking for Irving trades, and their position is they intend to keep him. There’s not much of a market for Irving as things stand, but he will be a trade candidate up until next February’s deadline.
Jimmy Butler, Warriors. (Remaining contract: one year, $57 million.) If Davis moves to the Warriors, then it will mean Butler has to go out. The Warriors have told Butler he won’t be dealt. Would they break their word to make a blockbuster deal? Doubtful (possible, but doubtful.) Butler has turned up in NBA trade rumors, but he is probably out until Christmas or later as he recovers from January ACL surgery, and there are not many teams looking to add a rehabbing 36-year-old to their mix.
GettyJamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets
NBA Trade Rumors: Seeking Young Talent
It’s hard to bring in a young star–or even a young potential star–on the trade market. But there could be some wrangling for these guys, the 25-and-under (OK, 26 for Trey Murphy) crowd.
Moses Moody, Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody has developed into a valuable piece for Golden State, but a nasty knee injury could keep him out for most of next season. The Warriors are short on time, so could move Moody to make room for LeBron James, or for another potential move. Even with the injury, Moody’s upside and reasonable contract make him an asset.
Jalen Duren, Pistons. (Remaining contract: restricted free agent.) Sign-and-trade options for Duren are all but extinguished–were the Pistons ever really weighing a deal with the Kings for Domantas Sabonis? The Pistons have made moves to be able to give Duren more money, and that’s the likely way this all plays out.
Trey Murphy, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) It does look increasingly like Murphy will stay put. He is a favorite in NBA trade rumors, there are questions on how serious New Orleans would be about trading him. One exec says it will take a Desmond Bane-style offer (four first-round picks) to pry him from New Orleans, though that price has dropped a bit. Still, there’s been no movement yet.
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: four years, $223 million.) The roster is far too expensive, and if LeBron James comes aboard, the guy who will most likely suffer is Mobley–James will need 15 or so shots per game, and will take away touches from Mobley. The Cavs are partly at fault for not paving the way for Mobley’s development. But they’re in win-now mode, and he might be better off elsewhere. Cleveland could take back a good haul for him.
Peyton Watson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: restricted free agent.) Reports suggest that the Clippers are a player in a potential Peyton Watson deal–they could make him a credible offer that the Nuggets would have to match, or could work out a sign-and-trade with Denver. Watson was earlier connected with the Nets, but that appears to be dead.
Eastern Conference Targets: What About Myles?
Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: three years, $90 million.) If the Cavs want to make a move to entice LeBron James to Cleveland, Allen could be the bait. It’s more likely that Allen gets traded than Evan Mobley, and the Cavaliers could get some relief and a contributor. Allen is a standard offensive center but is a valued rim-runner who can protect the paint.
Max Strus, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: one year, $16 million.) The Cavs are trying hard to fit everything under the second apron, and that likely means moving off Strus, if they can find a taker. He would be sacrificed to get LeBron James in.
Dennis Schroder, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: one year, $14.6 million.) Schroder has played for 11 teams in the NBA so far, and the Cavs would be open to making it 12 as they seek to duck the second apron and still stay in the contending picture.
Myles Turner, Bucks. (Remaining contract: three years, $80 million.) Milwaukee has little incentive to keep Turner, but reports suggest they are not shopping him. The Bucks don’t control their next draft picks in the four coming drafts, so they can’t exactly tank or seek to get into the lottery. Still, the Bucks have more to gain by playing young bigs Dieng and Kel’El Ware significant minutes so he could keep popping up in NBA trade rumors.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Rumors have started cropping up about Porter Jr., but the Nets have not gotten the kind of draft-asset offers they’d hoped for. New draft rules mean the Nets will want to be competitive next season, so Porter could stick around and be dealt at the February deadline.
Derrick White, Celtics. (Remaining contract: three years, $98 million.) The Celtics were not as disappointed in White and his terrible shooting season (39.4% from the field) as the rest of us, so it is doubtful they will move him in the end. But after the Brown trade, the door is at least open.
Western Conference Targets: 6th Man on the Market?
Keldon Johnson, Spurs. (Remaining contract: one year, $17.5 million.) The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is heading into the final season of his contract, and San Antonio is likely to phase out his minutes in favor of younger players. He is still a valued leader on the team, but he could be a chip worth cashing in if the Spurs can land a first-round pick.
Domantas Sabonis, Kings. (Remaining contract: two years, $93 million.) Sabonis has had some nibbles, but no bites. There was a rumor that the Hornets were planning to trade for him, but that proved fruitless. Then there was the Jalen Duren sign-and-trade with the Pistons, which was far-fetched from the beginning. This one might have to wait until the season gets going.
Jrue Holiday, Blazers. (Remaining contract: two years, $72 million, with player option.) Certainly, something has to give in Portland with the arrival of Morant. Holiday is not getting any younger, but he has value around the NBA.
Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves. (Remaining contract: two years, $74 million, including player option.) The Wolves might be a longshot for LeBron James, but they’re holding steady to see what happens with him going forward. If he lands elsewhere, the Wolves will need to evaluate their frontcourt and could find that dealing Gobert, who is up for an extension this summer, is their best bet to bring in younger options.
Zach LaVine, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $49 million.) LaVine picked up the player option worth $49 million. There was some hope that he could be waived, but after the Kings let DeMar DeRozan go, they’ll keep LaVine on the books and hope they can find a place to dump him.
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Gordon has struggled to stay healthy, but is still a valued connective piece when he plays. He needs to be a No. 3/4 option on a good team, and teams aren’t falling over themselves to cough up assets for that, and the Nuggets have not pushed hard for a trade.
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 team’s top options. The concern is whether the guy the Mavs want to be their stalwart center–Dereck Lively II–can stay healthy. Lively has played 98 games in three seasons.
PJ Washington, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 4 years, $90 million.) Like 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. Washington’s extension kicks in this year, though, so he might be a better trade target down the line.
Klay Thompson, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: one year, $17 million.) Another aging Mav! Thompson does not fit Dallas’s timeline, and if the Mavs can get anything–youth, a few second-rounders–for him, they will. He’s still a 38% 3-point shooter. The addition of Tarik Biberovic is more incentive to move Thompson.
Cam Johnson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) Johnson has been a disaster 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 a report from The Stein Line suggests the Nuggets are not going that route … yet.
What’s Been Done: NBA’s Blockbusters
The NBA has had a busy summer, interspersed with some controversy. Here’s what’s happened so far …
Celtics-Sixers Trade
Jaylen Brown, Celtics. (Remaining contract: three years, $183 million.) The Celtics set out to find a package of four first-round picks or a young superstar, but came away with about half that. A 2028 first-round pick that could convert to a swap, Philly’s 2031 unprotected first-rounder, and two second-round picks.
Paul George, Sixers. (Remaining contract: two years, $110 million, including player option). George has been healthy for just 78 games over the last two seasons, and the Celtics could look to trade him off, either in the short-term or the longer term.
Heat-Bucks Trade
The deal that kicked off the summer was the one most expected to be expanded, but wound up staying a two-teamer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Remaining contract: two years, $120 million.) TRADED to Heat. The deal is done, and Antetokounmpo is off to Miami. Bobby Portis also is going to Miami. Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis go to Milwaukee. Bucks get the 13th pick in the draft and future first-rounders, in 2031 and 2033, plus a future pick swap and a second-round pick.
Bobby Portis, Bucks. (Remaining contract: two years, $30 million, including player option.) TRADED to Heat. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are going to Miami. Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis go to Milwaukee. Bucks get the 13th pick in the draft and future first-rounders, in 2031 and 2033, plus a future pick swap and a second-round pick.
Tyler Herro, Heat. (Remaining contract: one year, $33 million.) TRADED to Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are going to Miami. Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis go to Milwaukee. Bucks get the 13th pick in the draft and future first-rounders, in 2031 and 2033, plus a future pick swap and a second-round pick. But the Bucks could still seek to move Herro before the trade becomes official.
Hornets-Timberwolves-Nets-Bulls Trade
The Wolves have combined their two major transactions, which may be expanded further still before the whole deal is finalized.
LaMelo Ball. (Remaining contract: three years, $131 million.) TRADED to Timberwolves. Ball will connect with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota as the team tries to give the offense a strong No. 2 scoring option without moving off of Jaden McDaniels. The Hornets will get Naz Reid and a first-round pick in 2033, plus three swaps and three second-round picks. This deal was folded into the Wolves’ Julius Randle-Nets trade.
Naz Reid. (Remaining contract: three years, $103 million). TRADED to Hornets. The Wolves did not want to trade Reid, of course, and now are faced with a severe weakness in the frontcourt. But they feel the cost of replacing him was outweighed by the Ball opportunity. Again, this deal was folded into the Wolves’ Julius Randle-Nets trade.
Julius Randle. (Remaining contract: two years, $69 million including player option.) TRADED to Nets. Randle is heading to the Nets after a miserable playoff performance sent up subtle shots from teammates and wide calls to ship out Randle. The Wolves did so, and used the resulting flexibility to re-sign Dosunmu and acquire LaMelo Ball.
Nic Claxton. (Remaining contract: two years, $42 million.) TRADED to Bulls. The Bulls gave up next to nothing as the Nets were looking to simply clear Claxton off their books. Chicago is hoping for a bounce back now that he is out of Brooklyn.
Grizzlies-Blazers trade
Ja Morant. (Remaining contract: two years, $86 million.) TRADED to Blazers. Portland took the gamble on Morant, sending out Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, finally giving some closure to the Grizz.
Jerami Grant. (Remaining contract: two years, $70 million.) TRADED to Memphis. Memphis could ride it out with Grant, but might look to flip him elsewhere, perhaps during the season.
Clippers-Pistons-Grizzlies-Mavericks-Wizards-Bucks Trade
A classic NBA deal that started as Isaiah Stewart going to Memphis, but has ballooned since. We’ll arrange this one by team for clarity’s sake.
GRIZZLIES GET: Isaiah Stewart, D’Angelo Russell, AJ Johnson, five second-round picks. (Lose: Santi Aldama.)
PISTONS GET: John Collins, Taurean Prince, Gary Harris. (Lose: Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Marcus Sasser.)
CLIPPERS GET: Trade exception. (Lose: John Collins.)
WIZARDS GET: Khris Middleton. (Lose: D’Angelo Russell.)
BUCKS GET: Caris LeVert. (Lose: Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, AJ Johnson.)
MAVERICKS GET: Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser. (Lose: Khris Middleton.)
Raptors-Clippers Trade
Kawhi Leonard. (Remaining contract: one year, $50 million.) TRADED to Toronto. Despite the lingering Aspiration scandal, the Clippers moved Leonard to the Raptors for a package of Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks (2031 and 2033), plus a swap and two second-round picks.
Brandon Ingram. (Remaining contract: two years, $81 million, team option.) TRADED to LA Clippers. Ingram heads to LA in the Kawhi Leonard deal.
Pistons-Thunder Trade
Isaiah Joe. (Remaining contract: Two years, $22.6 million, including team option.) TRADED to Pistons. Joe was dealt to the Pistons in a salary dump as Oklahoma City wrestles with cutting payroll while still maintaining status as a Finals contender. Joe averaged 11.1 points and made 42.3% of his 3s last year.
Suns-Hornets Trade
Miles Bridges. (Remaining contract: One year, $22 million) TRADED to Suns. The interest in Bridges was limited because of his 2022 domestic abuse case, but the Suns decided they could stomach that history. The Hornets are sending the Suns a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-rounder.
NBA Trade Rumors: Paul George Deal, Warriors, AD & LeBron, Plus the Big Board