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There are just 13 days until the NBA trade deadline, and while this is often when talks heat up, this year is seeing some cooling as well — this could be a quiet trade deadline (at least for those wanting to see a blockbuster deal). Here is the latest from around the league.
No Karl-Anthony Town talks
Knicks fans’ frustration with Towns may be at an all-time high, but that doesn’t mean the New York front office is looking to move on from him, according to multiple reports.
Sam Amick at The Athletic was definitive in what he wrote on Friday, recalling what team owner James Dolan recently said in a radio interview.
“According to league and team sources, the Knicks have not engaged in any discussions about a possible Towns trade this season and plan on persevering with him during this challenging time. That intel is consistent with what Dolan said in his interview, when he insisted that ‘This group can win a championship; I believe that.’”
Echoing that, here is what Sam Vecenie wrote, also at The Athletic.
Based on conversations with various league sources, my read on the New York Knicks with Karl-Anthony Towns, the Memphis Grizzlies with Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Charlotte Hornets with LaMelo Ball is that those teams are not actively seeking to solicit offers on those players at this point.
If the Knicks fall short of Dolan’s stated goal of at least making the NBA Finals this season, there will be changes. Mike Brown’s job as coach would be in jeopardy, but Towns might be the biggest scapegoat. Just remember, it’s a lot easier to match Giannis Antetokounmpo’s salary in a hypothetical trade if Towns is in the deal.
Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga is back in the Warriors rotation (although he had to leave Thursday’s game early after tweaking his ankle, a concerning sign). It’s not that Steve Kerr had a change of heart, nor is this to boost Kuminga’s trade value, this is all fallout from the devastating injury that ended Jimmy Butler’s season.
None of that changes anything for Kuminga, he still wants to be traded, something Chris Haynes talked about on NBA Prime.
The reality on the ground has not changed either: Both the Warriors and Kuminga are ready for a divorce, but the market for the wing is not strong.
The Warriors reached out to the Heat about a possible Kuminga for Andrew Wiggins trade, bringing Wiggens back to the Bay Area (he was sent to Miami in the Jimmy Butler trade), reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. Marc is well-sourced, but this sounds like a Warriors fantasy trade — Miami, in their effort to retool the roster, does not want to take on long-term money, and if they are betting on Kuminga, they would have to pay him after next season.
Maybe the Warriors find a trade they like, maybe they keep him past the trade deadline, pick up his option for next season and use his salary in a larger trade this offseason (Golden State wants to be in a Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, if there is one). The divorce is coming, just maybe not as quickly as either side would hope.
Ja Morant
League sources continue to tell NBC Sports that there isn’t much of a market for Ja Morant’s services, and he likely is in Memphis past the deadline. For example, Toronto is out of the sweepstakes, according to multiple reports, including Michael Grange at Sportsnet in Canada. However, Sam Vecenie at The Athletic is hearing something a little different.
Some executives would say that he has negative trade value because of his history of injuries and inability to stay on the court. Others look at him as a terrific buy-low candidate where they’d be willing to give up something to get a player who, when he’s at his best, still looks like a serious difference-maker.
Those executives may want to buy low, but do the Grizzlies want to sell low?
Anthony Davis
There is an intentionally vague timeline on Davis’ hand injury and return (he is not having surgery and is being re-evaluated around the All-Star break) in part to keep the hopes of a Davis trade at the deadline alive. Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, is pushing to find him a new home sooner rather than later.
However, the market for Davis has cooled in the wake of the hand injury, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. Davis remains more likely to be traded as part of what is shaping up to be a blockbuster summer, not before Feb. 5.
Other trade rumors
• Golden State is keeping an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, and would only trade Jimmy Butler for one of them (or a player of that level), reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.
• Speaking of the Warriors, they checked in with the Nets on Michael Porter Jr. but the asking price was higher than they were willing to spend and those talks are over, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
• LaMelo Ball isn’t going anywhere at the trade deadline (there isn’t much of a market for him, at least at the price the Hornets would seek), but a deal for wing Miles Bridges is more possible, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic. He reports Bridges is “drawing significant interest” from teams including Milwaukee, Golden State and Phoenix. Of that trio, the desperate Bucks make the most sense.
• Houston has had some struggles of late where it became obvious how much they miss Fred VanVleet running the point and his shooting. With that, the Rockets are eyeing Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado, reports Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime.
While the Rockets have been linked to bigger names, the Rockets are hard-capped at the first tax apron and only have about $1.3 million in wiggle room below that, making a big move difficult to pull together. Alvarado makes $4.5 million (and has a matching $4.5 million player option for next season) and making that trade work is a lot more feasible.
• It’s no secret Minnesota is looking to upgrade at the point guard position. Three names to watch areTyus Jones (Orlando), Malik Monk (Sacramento), and guard Collin Sexton (Charlotte), Siegel reports.
• Indiana is looking for a center and one potential deal to watch for is New Orleans to trade Yves Missi to the Pacers for wing Bennedict Mathurin, although that needs to be worked out with other players to fit under the CBA, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.