We're in the early stage of the league's season, but we are already in the thick of the NBA trade rumor season. We've got a lot to look at–the Suns reported "frustration" and potential star trade chip, the Lakers and their luxury tax concern, the mini-breakout of Ty Jerome, as well as Naz Reid, Anthony Edwards and (as always) Trey Murphy and the Pelicans. Annnnnd, there's a new Big Board of trade candidatesbelow!
Read on, and we'll get to it, starting in Phoenix …
The Phoenix Sunsare 1-2, and with just one game this week. Veteran reporter Chris Haynes notedduring this hiatus that there is discord in the locker room over the team's point guard situation: "There's some growing frustration within that locker roomfor the simple fact that that roster does not have a point guard that can organize that offense."
No doubt the frustration is real, and it is now new. But it's a safe bet that the frustration comes primarily from one guy, with a 1A involved. The one guy is Devin Booker, who wants a better set-up guard to help him get easier shots. The 1A is Jalen Green, who is being asked to be a set-up guard–or do his best at it–when that's not really his skillset. Green is a scorer, not a point guard.
Ideally, the team could start Collin Gillespie, the best point guard on the roster. But he is 6-foot-1, and the team would be pretty short with Gillespie, Booker (6-foot-5) and Green (6-foot-4) on the floor. The Suns are trying to make a Green-Booker backcourt with Gillespie off the benchwork, but the dynamic between Booker and Green has never been smooth.
The Suns are not trading Booker(his four-year, $252 million deal is a factor there). And they're not going to just drop a new point guard into the mix and expect things to change–they could do that with Gillespie. The long-term issue to watch here is whether the Suns fold their cards on Green and put him on the trade marketwith the aim of bringing in a piece that fits better with Booker. Teams with an interest in Green will be monitoring that.
The Suns made it work last season, but it's a square peg, round hole issue.
The early season magic of Ty Jeromehas petered out in his last two games for the Grizzlies, in which he has scored a combined 25 points and shot 7-for-27 from the field. The Grizzlies are 5-0, remarkably, and have shown themselves to be a dangerous bunch because of their size and youthful energy. There's been a presumption around the NBA that the Grizzlies will be selling off veterans in two months, because they're still very much building, and Jerome is one of the prime targets rival teams are eyeing.
But Jerome is also the team's only real starting optionat point guard. He's proven adept at getting Memphis' young big men organized, and if the Grizzlies move on from him, they'd have a glaring hole. The Grizzlies will build up the point guard spot in 2027, but for now, it's Jerome. Unless the team can get back a promising young point in return, there is not much incentive there to move Jerome in the coming months. It could happen next summer, though.
Here's a thing to consider amid the many NBA trade rumors that crop up around the Lakers: L.A. does not want to take back additional money in any trade. The Lakers are at the luxury tax line and need to get under it and stay under it to put themselves in position to use the full midlevel exception (at $16 million)next summer, which has been part of the plan in terms of adding to this group going forward. They also might need that exception to keep Collin Sexton, if he opts out of the second year (at $10 million) of his current contract with the Lakers.
That's one reason the much-discussed acquisition of PJ Washington probably still does not make sense for the Lakers. He is at $21.4 million for this season, and the Lakers would need to send out three players to match that number. But they'd need to add another player to keep the roster at 14, so the tax problem would still crop up.
It's a new season but we're back to where we started with the Pelicans and the NBA trade rumor market. New Orleans would be open to trading Herb Jones and Trey Murphy, but is still asking stiff prices for both. The team finally returned Jones to the starting lineup, which could help his value after a poor start off the bench, but he has a three-year, $67 million extension kicking in next year, and there's little chance the Pels can get two first-roundersfor him. The Murphy cost remains at least at three first-rounders, and there's not much appetite to pay that much. Not yet, at least. New Orleans has shown it will be patient.
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The Hornets benched Naz Reidfor the second half of Wednesday's loss to the Pistons, and coach Charles Lee explained it was because Reid did not meet the team's "standard." One assistant coach reminds us that when Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said this month that the team traded "moodiness for giddiness" this summer, he was not just talking about Julius Randle. "No question, Naz Reid was part of that moodycomment, too," the coach said.
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The Timberwolves got bad news on Anthony Edwards' knee, which will require arthroscopic surgery. It's bad news for Edwards, too, and will be cited frequently by the players union as one of the reasons for abolishing the 65-game rule–he won't play 65 games this year, which takes the supermax extension off the tablefor him next summer.
De'Aaron Fox? CJ McCollum? Dejounte Murray? Interesting names on the NBA trade rumor mill at point guard …
De'Aaron Fox , Spurs. (Remaining contract: four years, $223 million). The Spurs might have some difficulty trading Fox because of his contract, and the longer they hold onto him while seeming to limit the growth of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, the more criticism the team will get. But they added Fox before they knew how fast those two would be ready. They won't attach picks to get rid of Fox, which means it might not be until next summer that they can move on from him. In the meantime, he is still a useful player.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million , player option in second year.) The Mavericks did not get off to a fast start, and this roster feels very much prepared for an overhaul. That will be discarding veterans, and as much as the teams claims it loves having Irving around, it makes a lot more sense to move Irving sooner rather than later.
Darius Garland , Clippers. (Remaining contract: two years, $87 million.) Maybe there is a world in whcih the Clippers, rather than conducting a fire sale after the five-first-round-pick penalty from the Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard scandal, try to go all-in on scooping up veterans from other teams. It's hard to see that, though. The best path appears to be trying to cash in worthwhile pieces, and Garland is the the only one who could perhaps draw multiple picks in return.
Ja Morant , Blazers. ( Remaining contract : Two years, $87 million.) We've heard the NBA trade rumors suggesting the Blazers will try to flip Morant once he rebuilds value. But we're not buying it in the short term. Hard to imagine Morant easing all the fears teams would have about him by February, but a summer trade would make some sense.
Jrue Holiday , Blazers. (Remaining contract: Two years, $72 million, player option.) He's the best realistic trade chip the Blazers have and would be coveted by contenders if Portland decides its backcourt is too crowded. If Damian Lillard and Ja Morant play well, and Shaedon Sharpe comes back, moving Holiday makes sense.
Alex Caruso , Thunder. (Remaining contract: three years, $63 million.) The Thunder will have a massive payroll crunch ahead and even if they stay over the second apron, they will need to trim off some luxury items. And when the team is healthy, Caruso is a luxury item. But the injury to Cason Wallace likely will change the approach here. There was some thought that Caruso could be moved in-season, but the Thunder likely need him and could instead look to move him in the summer.
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. He is not talked about nearly as much as the Pelicans' other trade pieces, but he looks healthy, is playing well and teams need point guards.
Jalen Suggs , Magic . (Remaining contract: four years, $115 million, team option.) This was already looking like a very difficult deal to move, but Suggs' current knee injury makes it that much more difficult. Even if he comes back and plays well, the Magic will need to include sweeteners to get someone to take him.
CJ McCollum , Hawks. (Remaining contract: one year, $21 million). The Hawks would have no issues with keeping McCollum in place, but if they seek a big move for a star who comes on the market, McCollum would be a good filler as an expiring deal. Rookie Kingston Flemings is in place, but whether he is ready to start is an apt question. Still, Atlanta is definitely a team to watch for a blockbuster if a star comes on the market, and McCollum is a chip.
Ty Jerome, Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $19 million, player option.) Two things make Jerome's situation interesting. First, the Grizzlies are off to a fast start and not exactly in seller's mode despite still rebuilding. Second, Jerome's option in 2027 makes him most likely a short-term rental if he were to be traded.
Everybody needs wings, and good ones are hard to find …
Josh Hart , Knicks. (Remaining contract: two years, $43 million, team option.) The Knicks can't keep everybody, and they might well try to keep the team together as is for this season. But someone will have to go for the Knicks, and Hart would not be preferred, but he is possible. Given his contract and his overall usefulness, he would have plenty of takers.
Mikal Bridges , Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million, player option,) If the Knicks ordered the players who could be traded to relieve second-apron concerns in order of preference, Bridges would probably be first. The Knicks could afford to move on from him, he could be replaced adequately–even with guys on the roster–and losing his albatross salary would immediately give the Knicks the room they need to pay everyone else. But that salary is a burden that other teams do not want to take on.
Trey Murphy , Pelicans . (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) For the past year, 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 deal. If things start slow for the Pelicans, there will be multiple players put on the market, but none will get as much attention as Murphy. Can the Pels get three first-rounders for him? That's where the price will start. No one is meeting it, yet.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets . (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Porter is a fringe All-Star, and is seeking to be paid like one. He does not want to take a pay cut, which means he wants a contract starting at least at the $40 million he is making this season. The Nets, off to a stumbling start, do not want to go too far on a contract, so the question would be whether another team would pay him–and what the Nets could get in return in a trade.
Jimmy Butler , Warriors. (Remaining contract: one year, $57 million.) The Warriors told Butler this summer they were not trading him, and it remains a longshot now. Butler is recovering from ACL surgery, and though he hopes to be back and effective around midseason, his main value on the market is as an expiring contract. The Warriors can use his deal to match an incoming star. But the priority remains a Kristaps Porzingis trade for Golden State. .
Moses Moody , Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody could be a good buffer and asset in a Warriors trade because, though he is not ready to start the season, he should be healthy in two months or so and his contract makes him a good-value wing. Those are hard to find.
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 do want him for this season, but might decide to cash out at the deadline. He's been hot to start the year–can they get a first-rounder for him?
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 are loaded with tradeable contracts belonging to role players who can be useful to teams but who won't be dreadfully missed by the Hornets. O'Neale is a chief example–a solid bench option at a reasonable price.
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–and the fact that he has been bumped back in the rotation.
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.
And of course, there are the big guys on the NBA trade rumor mill …
Anthony Davis, Wizards. (Remaining contract: two years, $121 million, player option.) The Wizards insist they're not trading Davis, as the hope is that he will stay healthy, play well and sign an extension. If he wants out of Washington–and there are still indications he does–then he could force the Wizards' hand at the trade deadline.
Wendell Carter Jr., Magic. (Remaining contract: three years, $58 million.) He is probably the most attractive piece, in terms of talent, position and salary, on the Orlando books as things stand. Injuries have already put this season on edge for the Magic, and they might need to sell. We'll see how the early season plays out, but they might even be willing to begin selling early if things truly take a bad turn.
Karl-Anthony Towns , Knicks. (Remaining contract: two years, $118 million , player option.) The Knicks would be crazy to trade Towns at this point, but then, the Knicks are crazy not to have found common ground on an extension before the season started. So, we can't rule out a deal if it looks like Towns will seriously weigh leaving in the summer of 2027. The Knicks have put that option on the table for him, and he will have suitors if nothing changes between now and June 30.
Rudy Gobert , Timberwolves. (Remaining contract: two years, $74.5 million, player option.) Gobert is on this list simply because he is heading into his potential free agency without an extension. It would be a longshot for the Wolves to weigh trading him, but the alternative is him opting out and hitting free agency. Maybe the Wolves plan to bring him back on a two- or three-year deal at a reduced number, if he'd take it. It would take some seriously fast development from Joan Beringer to make the Wolves comfortable with moving Gobert, but we can't rule that out.
Kristaps Porzingis, Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $40 million, team option.) News that Porzingis is a trade candidate before the season even started is not a huge surprise. Once it was clear he is not healthy, his use is as an expiring contract on the trade market. With no teams tanking this season, it might be hard to find a deal that brings back anything of value, though, unless the Warriors swallow significant money or give up a first-round pick.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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