NBA trade rumors have been picking up steam during the early portion of the 2020-21 season following the blockbuster James Harden and Derrick Rose deals.
As teams position themselves for a playoff run, we’re going to hear a whole heck of a lot more moving forward until the March 25 NBA trade deadline. While there might not be a lot of top-end talent on the block right now, that promises to change with teams falling out of playoff contention.
Bookmark this page for updated NBA trade rumors ahead of the deadline.
Updated: Feb. 28, 1:47 PM EST
Could the New York Knicks trade Austin Rivers?
Signed to a three-year contract this past offseason, Rivers is now out of the Knicks’ rotation. That came to a head during Saturday’s win over the Detroit Pistons. Rivers was not on the team’s bench as head coach Tom Thibodeau made the decision not to play him. This comes after he’s lost playing time following the trade for Derrick Rose.
Now comes this report from Marc Berman of The NY Post indicating that Rivers’ stay with the Knicks could be shirt-lived. While the guard was at Madison Square Garden getting treatment for a sore ankle, his lack of presence on the team’s bench is somewhat alarming.
Read More: New York Knicks rumors: Team interested in Karl-Anthony Towns trade
As noted above, Rivers signed a three-year contract with New York during the fall. However, only the first year of said contract is guaranteed. It makes him a potentially valuable trade chip. The 28-year-old guard is averaging 7.3 points on 43% shooting from the field this season. He could potentially net the Knicks a rotational player or draft pick assets as they look to be active ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline.
NBA rumors: Detroit Pistons interested in Spencer Dinwiddie trade
Despite being lost for the season with a partially torn ACL, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is drawing trade interest. It makes some sense in that he’s the only true asset Brooklyn has as the team looks to upgrade its depth following the James Harden trade.
On the other hand, Dinwiddie has a team option for next season. Any team acquiring him would face the threat of losing the star guard for nothing without him playing a game. With that said, Ian Begley of SNY notes that the Detroit Pistons are interested in a trade for Dinwiddie.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Nets, check out #WeGoHard rumors, rankings, and news here.
There would likely have to be some type of a handshake agreement that Dinwiddie picks up the $12.3 million option for next season or signs an extension in order for this to come to fruition. But it’s an interesting option for the rebuilding Pistons. Dinwiddie, 27, averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists on 42% shooting for the Nets a season ago a before suffering the above-mentioned torn ACL back in December.
Any Dinwiddie trade would have to net Brooklyn a veteran or two to join the team’s shrinking rotation following the move for Harden. It’s in this that guards Delon Wright and Wayne Ellington as well as center Jahlil Okafor could be options.
Updated: Feb. 24, 8:55 PM EST
Detroit Pistons having hard time finding Blake Griffin trade partner
This really can’t be seen as too much of a surprise. Detroit is sitting the six-time All-Star in hopes of trading him. The alternative being an expensive buyout. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Pistons are having a hard time finding interest in a Blake Griffin trade.
“I know they’ve been trying to trade him for months and can’t find a taker,” one Western Conference executive told Scotto. “Part of it is Blake also saying there are certain teams he would prefer to go to. This is a weird one. Non zero chance they buy him out, which just seems crazy.”
Averaging 12.3 points on just 37% shooting from the field in 2020-21, Griffin has a contract option for nearly $39 million that he is going to exercise for next season. No one is going to take on that contract for a player that’s a shell of his former self. A buyout seems to be the most-likely scenario with the Miami Heat interested.
Updated: Feb. 23, 10:58 PM EST
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Brooklyn Nets waive three players
In three moves that could have wide-ranging ramifications moving forward on the season, the Nets have reportedly waived veterans Noah Vonleh, Iman Shumpert and Andre Roberson. We already know that Brooklyn was going to go heavy after the NBA buyout market. But moving on from three players before their contracts became guaranteed for the remainder of the season could change the dynamics a bit here.
Perhaps, Brooklyn is going to either put in a claim for DeMarcus Cousins or attempt to sign him outright now that his release from the Rockets is official. Fellow big man Blake Griffin could soon be on the buyout market after the Pistons opted to bench him in order to find a trade partner. The same thing can be said for Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond. Either way, something is up here.
Updated: Feb. 23, 10:58 PM EST
NBA trade rumors: Mavericks reached out to Warriors about Kristaps Porzingis trade
It’s not yet known whether Dallas will bite the bullet and move Porzingis ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline. What we do know is that this one report from SNY’s Ian Begley indicates that the Mavericks reached out quietly to the Warriors in order to gauge their interest in the Unicorn. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has since denied said report.
A little over two years after acquiring Porzingis in a blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks, it’s become clear that he’s not a tremendous fit in Dallas. Despite averaging north of 20 points per game this season, issues on defense have magnified that even further.
Read More: 3 ideal Kristaps Porzingis trade scenarios
Whether the Warriors are interested is another story. It’s pretty apparent that Dallas called up Golden State inquiring about the availability of rookie No. 2 pick James Wiseman and/or the Timberwolves top-three protected pick in 2021 (unprotected in 2022). The Warriors are not going to be interested in either option.
Miami Heat granted disabled player exception
The season-ending injury to big man Meyers Leonard might have impacted Miami’s depth. However, the team now has some flexibility heading into the March 25 NBA trade deadline. The Heat have been granted a $4.7 million disabled-player exception by the Association.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Heat, check out #HEATTwitter rumors, rankings, and news here.
What exactly does this mean? Miami can either sign a player to a one-year contract worth $4.7 million off the street or acquire a veteran via trade that’s on the final year of his current deal. Options are limited in this case. Wayne Ellington, JaVale McGee and James Ennis are among those who could be options via a trade.
Update: Feb. 21, 4:36 PM EST
Houston Rockets coach calls DeMarcus Cousins’ departure “rumors”
It was reported Saturday evening that the Rockets were going to waive four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins in order for him to catch on with a contender. Things seemed imminent on this front mere hours ago. Not so much anymore.
Silas continued by saying that Cousins should play Monday against the Chicago Bulls. Whether that happens remains to be seen. There’s a good chance that a decision to guarantee Cousins’ salary in an effort to waive him has not been finalized. Hence, Silas’ comments.
Cousins, 30, is already drawing interest from his former Los Angeles Lakers team. For good reason. He’s averaging 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds on the season. Sure Cousins is not playing at his pre-injury All-Star level, but he can still be a big time contributor on a contending team.
Updated: Feb. 21, 12:30 PM EST
NBA trade rumors: Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets among teams interested in P.J. Tucker
The Houston Rockets are in a transition, trading away James Harden and recently agreeing to part ways with DeMarcus Cousins. With the NBA trade deadline approaching, Houston could now look to move veteran P.J. Tucker to a championship contender.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are among the NBA teams pursuing Tucker. Calls have been made to Houston, with the front office reportedly seeking a player who they can plug into their lineup instead of future draft picks.
Owed $7.9 million this season, the 35-year-old makes a ton of sense for contenders. While he doesn’t bring a ton of size at 6-foot-5, he is one of the NBA’s toughest players. He provides defense, versatility on the court and leadership when it’s needed off the bench. He also likely wants out of Houston, so a change of scenery might also elevate his game.
It’s only a matter of time until Tucker is traded. While he won’t be the best player moved ahead of the trade deadline, any NBA contender that lands him should feel confident that he will make an impact in the playoffs.
Updated: Feb. 16, 1:30 PM EST
NBA trade rumors: Cavaliers receiving interest in JaVale McGee
When Cleveland acquired McGee from the Lakers in a salary dump this past offseason, it became clear that he didn’t have a long-term future with the team. Having turned a questionable earlier-career performance into some solid play in recent years, the 33-year-old McGee could be of interest to contending teams.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Cavaliers, check out #BeTheFlight rumors, rankings, and news here.
That might now come to fruition. In addition to Andre Drummond, the Cavaliers are receiving calls about the veteran center. McGee’s $4.2 million cap hit this season coupled with solid play makes him an attractive option. He’s averaging 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds on the campaign. Teams like the Golden State Warriors, who have been playing Draymond Green at center, make sense in this regard.
Andre Drummond interested in joining the New York Knicks
At 14-15 and as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, it’s apparent that the surprising Knicks will be buyers ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline. That pretty much became true once they acquired Derrick Rose earlier in February. There could now be another veteran looking to join New York.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star center Andre Drummond is interested in New York. Drummond, 27, has played his final game as a member of the Cavaliers as the team looks to find a trade partner. He’s been solid this season, averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds.
Read More: 4 ideal Andre Drummond trade scenarios
New York could be an interesting potential destination in that it still has $17 million to spend under the NBA salary cap after the Rose acquisition, meaning that only about $10 million would have to head back to Cleveland. Perhaps, the Knicks offer up former lottery pick Kevin Knox and a cap filler to Cleveland for Drummond. This scenario would enable to Knicks to avoid sending a first-round pick to the Cavaliers.
Updated: Feb. 15, 8:35 PM EST
NBA trade rumors: Atlanta Hawks seeking lottery pick for John Collins
By now, it’s already known that Atlanta is listening to offers for the star big man after the two sides failed to come to terms on an extension last offseason. We’re now hearing what it might take to pry Collins away from Atlanta. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Hawks are seeking a “lottery-type” pick for Collins.
This makes a ton of sense. Set to become a restricted free agent this summer, the 23-year-old Collins continues to morph into an elite-level offensive player. He’s averaging 20.2 points and 9.2 rebounds on 57% shooting from the field since the start of last season. The one issue here is his restricted free-agent status after the 2020-21 campaign.
Teams such as the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans have the draft capital to pull off a trade for John Collins. It’s something to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Hawks, check out #TrueToAtlanta rumors, rankings, and news here.
Philadelphia 76ers interested in point guard help
Philadelphia was not able to pull off the James Harden blockbuster earlier in the season after the team failed to meet the Rockets’ asking price. However, it now appears that front office head Daryl Morey is looking for some depth behind Ben Simmons.
According to NBA reporter Jason Dumas, Philadelphia is interested in trading for Delon Wright (Pistons) and George Hill (Thunder) ahead of the March 25 deadline. Financially, Hill would make the most sense in that only $1.3 million of his salary for next season is guaranteed. Unfortunately, he’s also going to miss the next month with a thumb injury. The veteran is averaging 11.8 points and 3.1 assists on 51% shooting from the field.
Wright, 28, has been a much better all-around player this season. The veteran is averaging 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 45% from the field. However, he’s owed $8.5 million fully guaranteed next season.
Related: If you’re a fan of the 76ers, check out #PhilaUnite rumors, rankings, and news here.
Updated: Feb. 14, 2:56 PM EST
NBA trade rumors: New York Knicks looking to trade for star power
It’s not a secret that Knicks president Leon Rose has been big-name hunting in his short time in that role. The recent acquisition of former NBA MVP Derrick Rose adds another layer to this. With New York sitting at a surprising 13-15 and as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, that’s not going to change any time soon.
“They’re going to be in the mix when a star becomes available,” an unnamed source told Stefan Bondy of the NY Daily News recently. “That’s been the plan.”
This represents a complete 180 from the MO of former Knicks president Steve Mills. New York has not dealt a first-round pick in eight years. It has not helped the team become relevant on the broader NBA stage, leading to this change of philosophy from within the organization. The Knicks are not reportedly open to trading assets and picks to bring in a star player.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Knicks, check out #NewYorkForever rumors, rankings, and news here.
Obviously, the primary focus in Broadway would be current NBA leading scorer Bradley Beal with the Washington Wizards. While their brass has indicated he won’t be traded, it’s part of a longer-term plan for the Knicks to add star power after missing out on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the Nets ahead of the 2019-20 season.
New York has also been linked to Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans and stud Chicago Bulls wing Zach LaVine, both of whom could be dealt ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on over the next several weeks.
Updated: Feb. 12, 12:20 PM EST
Sacramento Kings could be buyers at NBA trade deadline
Entering the season, many expected the Sacramento Kings to be in a rebuild. They made the right move by hiring general manager Monte McNair, who wants to build around De’Aaron Fox, but the team lacked enough surrounding talent to compete. Following a 5-10 start to the campaign, Sacramento looked like a seller at the NBA trade deadline.
Things can change quickly. Fox is playing at an All-Star level, recently earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors. In the team’s past nine games, the Kings have a 7-2 record. Some of those victories came against top competition, knocking off the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Clippers. Sacramento’s losses, a 105-104 loss to the Miami heat and a 119-111 defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers, still showed this team could compete on almost any night It takes the floor.
Sitting at 12-12, Sacramento’s mindset could be changing. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Kings becoming buyers is very much in play as the trade deadline nears. While it would take this team sustaining a .500-plus level of play, putting itself in a position to make the play-in tournament, making a run at it this season is possible.
The Kings also have trade assets, unlike several other contenders. Marvin Bagley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, might benefit from a change of scenery. Sacramento also has the rights to all of its future draft picks, which is not something many NBA contenders can say.
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Ultimately, it’s likely that the Kings will slide back down a bit. Fox has proven he is worth the massive contract signed this offseason and the Kings have a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate in Tyrese Haliburton. Even if regression hits this team and they fall into the NBA Draft lottery mix, they’ll have plenty of pieces who championship contenders want.
Boston Celtics rumors: Team interested in Harrison Barnes trade
No trade market for Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love
While the struggling Cavaliers could very well move Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee this season, there’s a firm belief that five-time All-Star Kevin Love won’t be going anywhere. That’s primarily due to his bloated contract and injury issues.
“Kevin Love will need to prove he can stay healthy before anyone would trade for him and the $60.2 million remaining on his contract after this season,” Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported recently.
Love, 32, has played in a mere two games this season due to a calf injury. There’s no telling when the NBA champion will be back on the court. At this point, it makes very little sense for any team to take on his contract. After all, he’s taken part in just 80 games since the end of the 2017-18 season.
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Updated: Feb. 9, 9:15 PM EST
Could a Kyle Lowry trade be in the cards?
It was reported recently that some within Toronto’s brass prefer the idea of moving Lowry while he still provides some trade value. At 34 years old, Lowry is in the back end of his prime. He’s also still playing at a high level, averaging 17.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 37% from three-point range.
Read More: 4 ideal Kyle Lowry trade scenarios
Among the teams bandied about as a potential trade partner, the Miami Heat seem to make the most sense. Up until recently, Tyler Herro was the struggling team’s starting point guard. He’s a more traditional two-guard. Adding Lowry to the mix ahead of the trade deadline would be huge for Miami.
NBA trade rumors point to Andre Drummond deal
The Brooklyn Nets are among those hoping that the Cleveland Cavaliers buy out Drummond. Given that the impending free agent has been stellar thus far this season, that doesn’t seem to make much sense. The two-time All-Star is averaging what would be a career-high 18.5 points to go with 14.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 48% from the field.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Cavaliers, check out #BeTheFlight rumors, rankings, and news here.
Drummond is a valuable asset in that he’s earning a salary of $28.75 million this season. Cleveland could potentially take on a long-term deal while receiving draft assets for the big man. The Toronto Raptors have been among those talked about as it relates to Drummond. Meanwhile, Brooklyn doesn’t have the cap room or assets to acquire Drummond short of him being bought out.
Could the Chicago Bulls trade Zach LaVine?
In the midst of an All-Star campaign, there’s certainly some talk about LaVine’s future in Chicago. He’s under contract through next season with a modest average annual salary of $19.5 million. For someone who is averaging 27.4 points on 51% shooting and is just 25 years old, LaVine could net Chicago a huge return ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Related: NBA Power Rankings – Suns and Blazers making their mark out west.
In what can’t be considered too much of a surprise, Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks are reportedly interested in LaVine. Remember, the head coach worked with the wing during their days together with the Minnesota Timberwolves. While that marriage resulted in an ugly divorce, things seem to be better between the two. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets out west could also make sense. They have the assets to entice Chicago.
NBA rumors point to the Washington Wizards retaining Bradley Beal
To say that the league’s leading scorer is not happy in D.C. would be an understatement. Washington has lost 15 of 21 to open the season after acquiring Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster offseason trade. Beal, 27, is averaging an absurd 33.3 points to go with 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists on the season.
Read More: 6 most realistic Bradley Beal trade packages
Despite the issues behind the scenes, Beal’s camp has yet to request a trade. Washington has no intention of moving the All-Star guard. Even then, that might change over the next several weeks. The Wizards are in full-scale rebuild mode. Beal would net them more than what the Rockets received for James Harden. Odds right now favor the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors landing Beal should he be placed on the block. However, that likely won’t come until after the season.
New Orleans Pelicans looking to move Lonzo Ball, Eric Bledsoe
A recent hot streak on the Pelicans’ part coupled with Ball’s improvement could change the dynamics here. What we do know is that New Orleans has already engaged in trade talks with the Warriors regarding the impending restricted free agent. Kelly Oubre was among the names bandied about heading back to New Orleans in a hypothetical deal.
Read More: 4 ideal Lonzo Ball trade scenarios
At this point, New Orleans might be smart to let this play out a bit as a way to help increase Ball’s trade value. After all, the former No. 2 pick is averaging 17.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 49% shooting over the past six games. But something will happen between now and March 25.
Meanwhile, Bledsoe could be a trade target for contending teams. He was acquired as a salary throw-in this past offseason when New Orleans sent Jrue Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks. Bledsoe remains a quality starter, and should draw interest leading up the NBA trade deadline.
NBA rumors tell us something is happening with the Boston Celtics
Mired in a 12-10 slump to start the season, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has made it clear that a trade will likely be in the cards in the next several weeks. A more-recent report suggests that Boston is looking to add either another wing or a big man. The team certainly has assets to make a substantial move. That includes the $28.5 million trade exception stemming from the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade with the Charlotte Hornets.
Read More: Boston Celtics rumors: 4 trades to help the struggling team
If Boston is looking at wing help, the above-mentioned LaVine could make some sense. The same thing could be said for San Antonio Spurs All-Star DeMar DeRozan. Meanwhile, a bigger trade for frontcourt help could come in the form of Magic center Nikola Vučević. It’s certainly something to watch moving forward.
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