We are roughly 48 hours away from what is shaping up to be a crazy trade deadline now that the first domino in Kyrie Irving has fallen. What will happen to Kevin Durant? Which team is going to implode for Victor Wembanyama? Will Mason Plumlee have his jersey retired in Charlotte once he's moved? Let's take a look at all the latest rumors around the NBA and do our best to figure out what is real and what is simply smoke and mirrors. For NBA news and fantasy advice, find me on Twitter here!
Rumor: Christian Wood has been a "frequently discussed candidate" for the Mavericks to trade according to Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News.
This one is pretty straightforward. No one can deny that Wood is extremely talented, but he and the Mavericks have so far been unable to come to terms on a contract extension. This puts the Mavericks in danger of letting another key player walk in the summer for nothing like we saw with Jalen Brunson. Other teams obviously know this, and that's why we're not seeing a big market for Wood right now. Dallas' best bet may be to try and find a taker for Tim Hardaway Jr.'s bloated contract and come to terms on a shorter two-year extension for Wood.
Rumor: The Suns offered Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and picks to Brooklyn for Kyrie Irving according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Yeah, Paul isn't going to like that. CP3 has a $15.8 million partial guarantee on his contract for next season, so the 37-year-old will not be hard to move if needed. It's worth mentioning that the Suns have been heavily linked to Fred VanVleet, so CP3 is not a lock to remain on the Suns past the deadline.
Rumor: Jarred Vanderbilt is the most likely player on Utah's roster to be moved according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Only 23 years old, Vanderbilt is one of the best rebounding forwards in the NBA on a bargain-bin contract. However, the Jazz view him as a center, and because he can't shoot outside the paint it makes him an awkward fit next to Walker Kessler – one of the most impressive rookies in the NBA. The Jazz will be doing their due diligence and will have no shortage of offers from several teams. Jones reports that Utah has been offered a bundle of second-round picks, but surely they can get more than that given Vanderbilt's unique skill set.
Rumor: ESPN's Tim MacMahon said that Bones Hyland will be traded at the deadline.
The writing has been on the wall for the past couple weeks. Bones has been completely removed from Michael Malone's rotation, and things hit rock bottom Sunday when he didn't touch the floor even though the Nuggets were missing four starters. Considering how much the Nuggets hyped him up during the offseason, this has to go down as the most surprising story of the deadline so far. If Bones lands on a rebuilding project, he'll be a ton of fun in fantasy once again.
Rumor: Shams Charania reported that the Hornets have made both Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre available in trade talks.
Plumlee is in the midst of a career year, and coach Steve Clifford has encouraged him to take about 15 one-handed jumpers with his left hand – Plumlee used to be right-handed – per game. Plumlee may be able to net a protected first rounder based on how many teams could use a big man, and that's not something you could've said last year. Plumlee is averaging 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, but you have to think those numbers will take a hit if he's dealt to a contender.
If you want to be a forward-thinking fantasy manager, stashing Mark Williams before the deadline in anticipation of a Plumlee trade seems like a shrewd move. Jalen McDaniels could be the big winner if Oubre is moved, but you have to keep in mind that McDaniels has been linked to several teams as well.
Rumor: "Several teams are increasing their pursuit" of Jakob Poeltl according to Shams Charania.
Strictly among the centers available, Poeltl is the clear prize of the deadline, and the Spurs will obviously be open to talks since the big man hits unrestricted free agency in the offseason. Shams mentions the Celtics and Raptors as suitors, but Toronto may not make much sense considering they are more likely to be sellers rather than buyers.
The injury-prone Zach Collins would stand to benefit the most if Poeltl is dealt. In seven starts this season, Collins put up 10.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists, but his defensive output has been below average.
Rumor: Kevin Durant is "not enthralled" with Ben Simmons, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News reported.
The oft-injured Simmons is averaging a career-low 7.4 points per game and hasn't exactly meshed with Durant. The issue here is that Simmons' trade value is basically non-existent, so I wouldn't expect the Nets to be able to bring in another star in exchange for Simmons unless they are attaching multiple first-round picks.
Rumor: While speaking on The Lowe Post Podcast, ESPN's Zach Lowe said he doesn't expect Durant to be moved before the deadline.
It wasn't too long ago when Durant previously requested a trade out of Brooklyn, but there's been radio silence from his camp since the Kyrie trade. Moving him prior to Thursday's deadline would be close to impossible this late in the game, and it's not exactly easy to get equal value back in return when we're talking about one of the greatest players of our time. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report has reported that the Suns will be prepared to make an offer if the Nets are willing to talk, but let's be honest, a package headlined by Deandre Ayton isn't going to cut it. Expect Durant to stay in Brooklyn with the Nets possibly using some of their draft capital to bring in another star.
Rumor: ESPN's Jamal Collier said the Bulls "have shown little interest" in trading Zach LaVine.
This isn't too surprising, as LaVine re-signed with the Bulls on a five-year, $215 million deal just a year ago. The Bulls are in 9th place in the East, so it would be hard to imagine them being sellers considering the age of LaVine's co-stars in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. The Chicago player most mentioned in trade rumors has been Alex Caruso, as his defense is coveted around the league. However, the Bulls would need to be "blown away" to move Caruso before the deadline.
Rumor: Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report said that the Knicks offered three first rounders for OG Anunoby.
Anunoby has been unsettled in Toronto for a while now, and with the Raptors sitting in 11th place, big changes could be coming. But if you're wondering why the Raptors did not jump on that offer, it's because there are several other teams interested as well, which could create a bidding war. Both the Grizzlies and Pelicans have been linked to the two-way forward as well, and he could be the missing piece to get either team over the top.
Rumor: According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Brooklyn has been trying to acquire Pascal Siakam from the Raptors.
Siakam's trade value is through the roof, so this will be no easy task. Scotto said the Nets offered Ben Simmons and a package of picks, and those could be valuable down the road given Durant's age. The Raptors are said to be intrigued with Nic Claxton, but you'd have to think that the Defensive Player of the Year candidate is untouchable at this point. If the Nets are serious about getting Durant help, Siakam is exactly the caliber of player they need to be bringing in.
Rumor: The Orlando Magic have made Mo Bamba available ahead of the deadline according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
The Magic raised some eyebrows when they re-signed Bamba over the offseason, but this was always their endgame. Bamba is on a reasonable salary given his age and production, so he should be able to net the Magic a draft pick or two. I don't think a protected first-round pick is out of the question with so many teams in need of a big. Bamba is someone that every fantasy manager needs to be ready to add if he's dealt, as we know how productive he can be when the minutes are there. Last season, Bamba led the Magic in 9-cat fantasy value in only 25.7 minutes per game, averaging 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 triples.
Rumor: ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the Jazz have discussed a deal that would send Mike Conley and Malik Beasley to the Lakers in exchange for Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks.
It wouldn't be a trade deadline column if we didn't mention Westbrook, right? The Lakers would be out of their minds to mortgage away their future like this, as this move simply wouldn't move the needle much. There are holes across the entire roster and an aging Conley and a streaky shooter like Beasley won't solve them. Danny Ainge has to be drooling right now. And don't worry Utah fans, if Westbrook ends up with the Jazz, he'll be bought out in no time.
Rumor: Furkan Korkmaz has demanded a trade from the 76ers according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Everyone pause the deadline. Nothing can happen until this domino falls.
Rumor: Atlanta's asking price for John Collins has come way down per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Collins is by far the most likely to be moved on the entire roster, and we've known this for years now. Atlanta previously asked teams for draft capital, but Amick said they would now settle for a quality player in return. Amick mentions the Jazz and Rockets as suitors, though that is a bit strange since both of those teams are expected to be sellers at the deadline. Collins' fantasy upside is blatantly obvious, so a new situation is something his managers should be rooting for.
