This is about the quietest time on the calendar for NBA trade rumors; deals in November are very rare (and have been percolating for a long time). Generally speaking, trade talks don’t fully heat up until around December 15, when most of the players who signed new contracts or extensions this summer can be included in a trade.
That said, trade speculation never stops in the league, so let’s talk about some of the latest rumors.
Lakers are still looking for the true center
This has been the case since the end of last seasonIt’s not so much new, but the conversation is getting louder as the Lakers are off to a 10-5 start and are in the top four in the West. Anthony Davis is happier playing more at the four, leaving the Lakers looking for the right player to step into the role that JaVale McGee played during the 2020 championship season – they want a true five, said Jake Fischer during a live chat/event at Bleacher report.
The name that comes up most is the Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas, who has a big body, sets a strong screen and can spread the floor. Nikola Vucevic with the Bulls could be another possible target, as could Nick Claxton in Brooklyn, Robert Williams III has looked sharp since returning to Portland’s lineup, and the long shot – if things really fall apart in Milwaukee – the Bucks would move on from Brook Lopez (that seems unlikely). That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Lakers rumors will fly, as always.
Whether they do anything about it is another question. The Lakers are right up against the second tax platform (less than $1 million below), and the talk is that they won’t cross that line, and that under the second tax platform they will have a hard cap if they add salaries in a trade add each other. This means that setting up a trade will be a challenge, with the Lakers not being able to/won’t take more money than they are spending.
Mavericks “extremely happy” with Kyrie Irving
One man who won’t enter the trading market? Kyrie Irving. Not that this is a surprise, but ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Hope Collective podcast that Dallas wants to turn this into a long-term collaboration.
“He has a $42 million player option. Look, I’m not telling you exactly how it’s going to work out. I suspect he’ll ultimately decline that player option. But what I would say is I’d be extremely surprised if Kyrie Irving is in the next few years not in Dallas… The point is they’ve demonstrated, ‘We value you and we will pay you how much we value you, within the ability to have a little wiggle room financially.’ They’re going to put a big number on the table for him. He’s extremely happy in Dallas. There’s no question about it as efficient as he’s ever been.”
Warriors want to trade De’Anthony Melton
This is a blow to the Warriors’ depth and defense (and something that is bad for him personally after a strong start to this campaign), De’Anthony Melton is out for the season and is about to undergo ACL surgery.
However, he could still be valuable to the Warriors, or at least on his expiring $12.4 million contract. The Warriors are expected to be active buyers at the trade deadline – assuming they still look like a team primed for a deep playoff run – and Melton’s contract is big enough to warrant a player from to retrieve meaning, something like that Fischer noted during his Bleacher live chat. Look for the Warriors to acquire that expiring deal at the deadline, but with Golden State above the second tax bracket there will be seemingly numerous restrictions on any deal.
Playoff teams look to Donte DiVincenzo
Minnesota has taken a step back this season. It’s more than just trading Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns, although that’s part of it. This is an 8-7 team with a top-10 offense, but whose elite defense that got them deep into the playoffs a season ago is now pretty close to league average. Combine that with the ongoing ownership battle in Minnesota, and this selection is about the second apron of the luxury tax, and some around the league are wondering if the Timberwolves could be sellers at the deadline.
All of that has some teams eyeing Donte DiVincenzo as a potential trade target. reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. It’s the old cliché of “monitoring the situation,” but it’s true: If things change in Minnesota and they decide to sell, there will be calls about the likes of DiVincenzo and Jordan Clarkson being on the roster. However, it’s more likely that Minnesota will honor the deadline, try to turn this around and then make its big decisions this offseason — like what to do with Randle.
Teams are keeping an eye on Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart
Memphis is off to a solid start at 9-7, which doesn’t suggest how good it has been. The Grizzlies have the points differential of an 11-5 team so far, they just got unlucky early this season. That said, one piece that doesn’t fit quite as smoothly is veteran guard and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
This means that teams ‘monitor the situation’, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. “The emergence of Scotty Pippen Jr. and rookie Jaylen Wells has league officials wondering if the Memphis Grizzlies would consider moving,” Siegel wrote. Again, this is speculation from other teams about what the Grizzlies might do, so you can’t take this rumor with enough salt. That said, Smart has struggled on offense this season — 7.4 points per game, shooting 21.4% from 3 and just 40.9% from inside the arc — and is making $20.2 million this season, plus a $21.6 million guaranteed year next season, so Memphis may want to see what’s out there. However, other teams won’t trade for Smart without signs that he can find his opportunity.
