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We’re now less than a day away from Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. With Anthony Davis, James Harden, Darius Garland, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nikola Vučević off the board after a few deals went down Tuesday and Wednesday, here’s a reset on the 10 most relevant names that could be on the move before 3 p.m. (ET) Thursday:
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
With the Bucks now officially listening to offers on Antetokounmpo, there is no one else who can top this list. It’s just a matter of whether any team can meet what will undoubtedly be an exorbitant asking price by Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst.
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2. Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets
Porter was arguably the biggest All-Star snub in the Eastern Conference after a tremendous start to his season. He’s making shots at the same efficiency he did with the Denver Nuggets, just with increased volume as a No. 1 option. As a star in Denver, he’s proven he can help a title team, too.
3. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
With Jackson heading out the door, the Grizzlies are headed toward a rebuild of their roster. The 26-year-old Morant no longer fits on that timeline, and the organization has been working over the last month to find him a new home.
4. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
The Kings have already swung a deal to clean their books further into the future by taking on De’Andre Hunter in exchange for Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis. One landing spot for Sabonis could be Toronto if the Raptors can find a home for Jakob Poeltl.
5. Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
The Bulls seem to be in teardown mode following deals involving Kevin Huerter, Mike Conley, Ivey and Vučević. Dosunmu and Coby White would seem to be next on the docket. Dosunmu is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and with a deal paying him less than $8 million this season, he has a wide market.
6. Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks
Gafford is a good defensive player on the interior who can protect the rim, and he plays a sharp, simple game on offense as a screen-setting rim-runner. He just signed an extension last summer that pays him about $54 million over the next three years.
7. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Typically, you wouldn’t find a young player on a team in last place in the standings on a board like this, but Mathurin is a restricted free agent this summer, and the Pacers are looking to quickly pivot back into contention once Tyrese Haliburton is back. It likely makes more sense to move on Mathurin now as opposed to paying him in the summer, given the team’s salary constraints moving forward, as well as its incoming lottery pick.
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8. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
Kuminga’s name has been hot on the trade block all season despite only becoming eligible to be moved on Jan. 15. Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL certainly changed some things for the Warriors — as has their pursuit of Antetokounmpo — but Kuminga remains a distinct possibility to move if the team can find a landing spot that makes sense. Kuminga’s contract is interesting as it can be utilized as an expiring contract or as a long-term asset due to his team option.
9. Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
Claxton has been the longtime starting center for the Nets but has been outplayed recently by Day’Ron Sharpe as the team has given the former North Carolina first-round pick more minutes. Claxton’s contract is a bit aggressive, but teams are always looking for more size, mobility and rim protection.
10. Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers moved Jared McCain earlier Wednesday to evade the luxury tax, but that doesn’t change their situation with Grimes all that much. At the end of the day, he’s still an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has the ability to reject any trade after taking the qualifying offer this year. If the 76ers have decided that they still aren’t interested in paying him, even after what has been a productive season, they could try to sell reasonably high and return some draft capital.