As free agency nears, the reports of P.J. Tucker joining the Sixers continue.
Philadelphia still has some work to do in order to carve out the necessary cap space to bring in Tucker on his rumored three-year, $30 million contract. One option is shedding salary to duck below the luxury tax in order to gain access to the Non-Tax Payer’s Midlevel Exception. Trading Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz could get the Sixers within range (and it’s possible that Thybulle could net the Sixers a valuable future pick in the process).
Trading away Thybulle or Korkmaz without taking back salary would give the franchise up to two trade exceptions that could be utilized as soon as this summer. Philadelphia already has a $1.7 million trade exception at its disposal to add an additional player via trade, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes.
More NBA Trade Rumors
- The Heat have reportedly checked in on Dejounte Murray and while most of the world is just finding out about the rumor (h/t Jonathan Sherman of Heat Nation), Miami’s inquiry actually came a few weeks ago (a timeline that pre-dates most trade rumors surrounding the San Antonio guard). The latest buzz is Murray will head to Atlanta with the Hawks sending Danilo Gallinari to the Spurs along with a package of picks.
- The Knicks and Clippers have had trade discussions surrounding a deal that sends Nerlens Noel to Los Angeles, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports. As mentioned, New York needs to clear out further space to ink Brunson and if they can find a way to move on from Noel without taking back salary, that would put them in a good position to make the Villanova product a competitive offer. As for the Clippers, acquiring Noel would likely bring an end to Isaiah Hartenstein‘s tenure with the club, as the franchise is unlikely to be able to afford Noel (who is making $9.24 million next season) and a new contract for the former Cavaliers big man.
- If the Pistons were unable to land the No. 13 pick from the Hornets, the franchise had a contingency plan to move up to No. 14 via a deal with the Cavaliers, Scotto adds. Such a move would have offered Cleveland a future first-rounder as well as a future second-rounder. Detroit was able to select Jalen Duran that sent out the future first-round pick (Milwaukee’s protected 2025 selection) as part of the Pistons-Hornets-Knicks three-team deal.
- Dallas’ $10.9 million trade exception has expired, as longtime journalist Marc Stein relays. The Mavericks acquired the TPE last summer when they traded Josh Richardson to Boston, though after trading for Christian Wood, it was unlikely that the club was going to use the exception.
- Rival teams are not optimist about being able to lure Kevon Looney away from the Warriors this offseason, Stein reports in the same article. Looney is expected to re-sign with Golden State on a multi-year deal once the free agency window opens later this week.
- Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News hears that Kyrie Irving was unable to find a sign-and-trade with a suitor he preferred, which brought him back to his player option with the Nets. Brooklyn had reportedly given Irving the option to find a sign-and-trade and the Lakers were reportedly the only team to have significant interest in a deal. It was previously reported that the Heat were among the teams that may have had an interest in Irving but weren’t willing to part with major assets to acquire him.
