Rounding up the latest NBA trade rumors, including the Lakers‘ stance on Austin Reaves, the latest on the Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell, and intel on the Sixers.
Latest on the Lakers
The Lakers seem firm on not wanting to trade Austin Reaves, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Los Angeles has been linked to Dejounte Murray and Fischer writes that the franchise might want the Hawks to throw in additional assets if they are going to receive Reaves in a potential deal.
- Los Angeles has continued to tell teams it doesn’t want to part with Austin Reaves, sources said. There does seem to be a pathway for a Murray-to-Los Angeles deal if the Lakers would be willing to include Reaves, sources said, although that would require the Hawks to send back more value for Los Angeles’ liking. Around the league, D’Angelo Russell’s $17 million salary has not been viewed as a valuable trade chip for the Lakers to bolster their roster behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers aren’t the only team in the hunt for Murray.
The Knicks, Sixers, Heat, and Pistons are also seen as potential suitors. FWIW, it’s hard to imagine the Lakers pulling off a trade for Murray if their reported stance on Reaves is correct. The Heat also seem like an unlikely suitor given his salary and what players Miami would have to give up for the guard to match salary in a trade.
Donovan Mitchell Not Moving?
There has been a lot of smoke about the Cavaliers trading Donovan Mitchell but Marc Stein is the latest reporter to relay that the Cavaliers have no interest in trading the guard before the deadline (via his substack).
Many have speculated that Mitchell, who can become a free agent at the end of the 2024/25 season, won’t sign a re-sign in Cleveland. Stein mentions that “pessimism persists” around the possibility of Mitchell remaining in town long-term.
If the Cavaliers intend to keep Mitchell through the deadline, the offseason represents their next time to trade Mitchell. Perhaps the front office wants to give the backcourt duo of Mitchell and Darius Garland one more postseason run or perhaps the club is simply playing hard-to-get negotiation tactics with regard to a trade ahead of the deadline.
The Heat, Nets, and Knicks are all seen as serious suitors for Mitchell. Stein hears that Miami is the top team to watch.
For what it’s worth, both Stein and TNT’s Chris Haynes (podcast episode) said that Cleveland is looking to be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline and is in the market for a 3-and-D wing.
More NBA Trade Rumors
- Kevin Durant set the record straight, indicating that he does not want to be traded. “I don’t want to get traded,” Durant said. “I’m not frustrated because Brad was injured. I wasn’t frustrated because of the role players on the team. That s— really was ignorant to me, you know what I’m saying?” Late last month, rumblings about his unhappiness in Phoenix began to swirl.
- Wizards point guard Tyus Jones isn’t of interest to the Sixers, who are expected to be patient in regard to moving their draft assets for additional help this season. Philadelphia is doing its “due diligence” on several point guards and all word out of South Broad St. is that neither Pascal Siakam nor Zach LaVine will be targets ahead of the trade deadline.
- The Pistons are monitoring Siakam. As mentioned above, they are also a potential suitor for Murray. Detroit is so far down the standings at 3-34 that adding a potential All-Star-caliber piece next to former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham shouldn’t hurt their current draft positioning too much.
- Reports earlier in the season came out indicating that the Wizards had acquired Jordan Poole in order to rehabilitate his value and move him. We conducted an analytical assessment to find Poole’s real trade value and realistic suitors.
