The NBA trade deadline is just three weeks away, and the rumors are heating up. If this league has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Could a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade be this year’s bombshell, or will the Milwaukee Bucks go in a different direction?
It seems like teams are holding their cards close to the chest until we’re a bit closer to Feb. 5, but until then there’s no shortage of trade buzz to keep us intrigued.
With that in mind, let’s dig into the latest rumors and break down what we know.
Bucks searching for help for Giannis
The latest read on the Bucks and Antetokounmpo has been that Milwaukee isn’t outwardly making him available via trades, and Antetokounmpo has said that he will never formally request a trade.
So what we have is a situation where the Bucks now must do everything to get their franchise star help. Where that help comes from is unclear, but ESPN reports that the Bucks are expected to be “major players” ahead of the deadline. They have a first-round pick they can trade, but who are they targeting? Bucks general manager Jon Horst is reportedly “looking for talent at basically any position,” which tells you how desperate the situation is in Milwaukee.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like Antetokounmpo is threatening to request a trade at this time, so the Bucks shouldn’t feel pressured to make a short-sighted move just for the sake of it. But make no mistake, Antetokounmpo cares about winning above all else. The team’s 17-24 record, which has them sitting outside the play-in, is not going to keep him patient.
Bulls could be active sellers on the trade market
For years, the Chicago Bulls have peddled out the same mediocre team that is never good enough to seriously compete — even in a weakened East — but never quite bad enough to fully tank. Team vice president Arturas Karnisovas has been stubborn in the past about trading away pieces on this team, and as a result the Bulls have waited too long to get rid of some guys. That happened when they traded both Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, netting no draft capital in return. Their greatest asset, Alex Caruso, didn’t even net a first-round pick, either. But now, after years of evidence suggesting this Bulls team should enter a full rebuild, it appears they’re finally ready to do so.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Karnisovas has reportedly been “more transparent” in trade talks with other teams and has been “more realistic” in asking prices for those players. That could result in the Bulls finally selling on some players they probably should’ve traded awhile ago, but better late than never.
It’s unclear exactly who those players could be, but Coby White’s name has come up in trade discussions in the past. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn suggested a mock trade that would send Ayo Dosunmu to the Houston Rockets to fill their need in the backcourt. In that deal, the Bulls would get a package that would include two second-round picks in addition to one of their own back.
It’s not the best package, but it would start a compiling of assets that the Bulls have been short on for years. It may be too late to tank for a top pick in next summer’s draft, but this has been a long time coming for the Bulls. If they’re finally ready to rebuild they certainly have options to help expedite the process along the way.
Heat’s interest in Ja Morant has been ‘overstated’
Since it was reported that the Memphis Grizzlies are open to talking about trading Ja Morant, there haven’t been many teams lining up to take him on. So far the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat have been listed as possible suitors, and Morant has been known to favor the Heat as a possible destination. However, ESPN is reporting that Miami’s interest in Morant has been “overstated” as of late.
Instead, the Heat have their eyes focused on the summer of 2028, and are avoiding taking on a bunch of contracts that extend into then as several major names are expected to be free agents by then. Guys like Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Donovan Mitchell will all be unrestricted free agents, allowing Miami to take a run at a star.
The reality of those players being viable options for the Heat is probably low, aside from Antetokounmpo, but that’s assuming he’s not traded somewhere else by then. Either way, it sounds like Miami has its eyes set on bigger fish than Morant.
The Sacramento Kings are getting All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis back from a knee injury Friday after a 27-game absence, per ESPN. He’s listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Washington Wizards, but is expected to play.
That’s positive news for the 11-win Kings in more ways than one. Sabonis certainly elevates Sacramento’s offense, but having him healthy also makes him a viable trade asset, which could be a possibility, as the Kings are expected to take trade calls on their “high-priced veterans.”
That includes Sabonis, per ESPN, as well as DeRozan and LaVine. Sabonis would likely fetch the best package for the Kings, as LaVine is owed $96.5 million between this year and next. The Kings will be hard pressed to find a team willing to take on that much money for a player of LaVine’s caliber. DeRozan’s contract, while not as astronomical as LaVine’s, is still difficult to move as he’s owed $50.5 million between now and next season. DeRozan’s age (36) doesn’t help matters.
Sabonis provides the best avenue to getting a worthwhile package in return, and now that he’s back healthy, opposing teams can evaluate him again and make offers if Sacramento is willing to listen.
