On Sunday (Dec. 15), 85 players who signed or extended contracts this summer become eligible to be traded, which makes it the date trade talks around the NBA start to move from the back burner to the front (throw in the G League Showcase in Orlando later this month, a gathering of most of the league’s GMs and front office personnel, and things really get rolling).
That has trade talk flying around, although much of what is out there now is just an update on news we already knew and covered. That includes an update on the Heat listening to offers for Jimmy Butler. Here’s a roundup of some of the other news around the league.
Ingram, Pelicans not close to extension, trade possible
Brandon Ingram recently switched agents — to Rich Paul and Klutch Sports — but that doesn’t change the fact he wants a max or near-max new contract after this one. That is not happening with the Pelicans and it makes a trade more likely, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
The Pelicans and Ingram engaged in contract extension conversations in addition to canvassing the league for a trade. Ingram’s previous representation sought $50 million per season in a contract extension, sources said, which was near his maximum number. No deal occurred.
Ingram is making $36 million this season. The Pelicans reportedly, and a lot of other league sources NBC Sports has spoken with, would want Ingra to take a pay cut from that annual salary in his new contract. Obviously, Ingram and his new agent will not see it that way. Ingram becomes another test of the new CBA — Ingram is a high-level isolation scorer and All-Star level player averaging 22.2 points a game this season, but teams aren’t convinced he contributes to winning at a high level. That limits his market, and combined with the salary cap apron restrictions in the new NBA, finding a trade and a new home for Ingram will be a challenge.
Pelicans getting calls on McCollum, Jones
New Orleans needs to pull the rip cord on this season — most pundits thought they could be at least a play-in team this season, and the Pelicans front office expected even more, but injuries have the team at 5-20 with no realistic path to the postseason in a West where a team will likely have to be better than .500 just to make the play-in.
Other front offices sense that and are calling not just about Ingram but also testing the water on CJ McCollum and Herb Jones trades, ESPN’s Charania reports. Trey Murphy III is probably on that list. However, don’t expect serious Zion Williamson talks (even as engagement/click chasers end up writing about it), any offers that come in will be extremely lowball (one first-round pick plus matching salary) or will expect New Orleans to add a sweetener to the deal to get said team to take on the remaining three years and $128 million on Zion’s contract.
Warriors still seeking another star
Jonathan Kuminga is getting his chance — he is in a contract year and wants the opportunity to prove he should be the No. 2 on this team next to Stephen Curry, the player who can lead the Warriors into whatever is next. Steve Kerr has moved Kuminga into the starting four slot and moved Draymond Green to the bench (although he closes games). How the next month goes — including an NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Rockets on Wednesday — could determine the Warriors’ direction for the next few years.
That said, the Warriors are still hunting for another star player to put next to Curry, ESPN’s Charania reports. The Warriors chased Paul George and Lauri Markkanen this past offseason to no avail, but they could have interest in Jimmy Butler (although that is a complicated trade to put together because of luxury tax apron restrictions).
Charania notes that Kuminga is a restricted free agent which has other teams watching how he does in the coming months, wondering if he can be poached from the Warriors this offseason.
Nuggets want to “shake things up”
Denver sits at 12-10 in the West, the 2023 NBA champions looking like a play-in team that is a threat to anyone when Nikola Jokic is on the court but fall apart when he is off (and their defense isn’t great either way). The Nuggets depth has been unimpressive this season.
That has the front office “eager” to “shake things up,” reports Marc Stein in the Stein Line Newsletter. The bait is reserve forward Zeke Nnaji, who has played a very limited role for the Nuggets this season but has some fans in front offices around the league. How much Nnaji could net in a trade is up for debate — how many teams are looking at a guy struggling to get minutes on a thin Nuggets team and thinking he is an excellent fit for them — but it’s something to watch.
Nets veterans available via trade
We have known since before this season tipped off that the Brooklyn Nets would be sellers at the trade deadline and that has not changed, with ESPN’s Charania listing Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder as players who have already come up in conversations.
Brooklyn is also going to be a team to watch this summer because they likely will have more cap space than any other team and can use that to chase free agents — like the Warriors’ Kuminga.
Indiana looking for a reserve center
This should be obvious. The Pacers have had terrible luck this season losing both backup centers James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson to torn Achilles, so the team is in the market for a reserve five, ESPN’s Charania reports. There are a few interesting ones available, including an in-division trade with Detroit for Paul Reed.
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