We are just four days out from the NBA trade deadline and two blockbuster trades have already gone down — Luka Doncic to the Lakers and De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs. Here is the latest on other possible trades. Also, check back with NBCSports.com starting Tuesday evening, when we will have a live Trade Deadline tracker running with all the latest rumors and deals from around the league in one place.
Warriors call about LeBron, Durant trades
As Shams Charania put it on Monday: Name an All-Star and the Warriors have probably called about him recently. Golden State is all-in on trying to find another star to put next to Stephen Curry, and all we know for sure is that star will not be Jimmy Butler (who told Golden State he would not re-sign there).
The Warriors have called the Lakers about LeBron James and the Suns about Kevin Durant, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. Neither of those is happening, Fischer adds, but points out that they called is an insight into how the Warriors are thinking ahead of the deadline.
“And while pulling [those trades] off currently stands as very unlikely, both from a salary-matching and asset valuation standpoint, this is the sort of big-game hunting that has defined these Warriors.”
The Lakers are “not concerned” LeBron James will ask for a trade before the deadline (more on that below, but remember LeBron has a no-trade clause). The Suns are trying to add Jimmy Butler to their roster, not move on from their best player, but Fischer says they are at least listening when teams call about KD.
LeBron/KD blockbuster trades aren’t happening at the deadline, but it shows what the Warriors are thinking (and how the Doncic trade seemed to throw a lot of new doors open around the league because if Dallas would do that, what else might be on the table?).
Steve Kerr says Warriors should make move
Steve Kerr understands the Warriors situation.
Steve Kerr on the trade deadline: “We’re not in a position where we can say, ‘Nah, we’re good. Let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”
Here’s Kerr on several deadline topics pic.twitter.com/kpjUjs8wD5
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 1, 2025
“We’re not in a position where we can say, ‘Nah, we’re good. Let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”
Here is that reality: The Warriors sit at 24-24, technically 11h in the West but tied for the final play-in spot. The team right behind them just added De’Aaron Fox to go with Victor Wembanyama. The team tied with the Warriors just added Zach LaVine (but gave up Fox), and one team just one game ahead of them added Anthony Davis (but bewilderingly gave up Luka Doncic). The bottom of the West is stacked, and being .500 will not be good enough. Right now, the Warriors are a .500 team.
Warriors out of LaVine, Vucevic talks with Bulls
At a point last week, a league source told NBC Sports to keep an eye on a Zach LaVine to the Warriors trade. That never happened (and LaVine is now a Sacramento King, a team the Warriors are tied with trying to earn a ply-in spot), but it came close, reports Marc Stein.
The Warriors and Bulls “did seriously explore trade constructions” that might have brought LaVine and scoring center Nikola Vucevic to the Bay Area, but ultimately, the Warriors backed out, and Chicago focused elsewhere.
Andrew Wiggins to the Raptors?
If the Warriors make a big move at the deadline, it would likely involve sending out Andrew Wiggins, possibly to a third team.
The Toronto Raptors would like to be that team, reports Marc Stein.
The idea is that the Raptors could take on Wiggins and re-route Bruce Brown and his $23 million to another team. That’s a lot of moving parts and not likely to happen, but the Raptors have let teams know they are willing to help facilitate a big trade for the right price.
Lakers not worried LeBron will leave this season
LeBron James reportedly was shocked by the news that his friend Anthony Davis had been traded away to Dallas for Luka Doncic (as was AD, as was Luka, as was everyone). LeBron posted on his Instagram story, “Love you my dog!! Go crazy over there!”
That doesn’t mean the Lakers think LeBron will ask for a trade before the deadline, reports Dan Woike at the Los Angeles Times.
According to people familiar with the Lakers’ thinking not authorized to speak publicly, the team has little to no fear that James will want to leave via a trade this season. He can opt out of his contract that’s set to pay him more than $52 million next summer and become an unrestricted free agent, but that’s not an immediate concern for the Lakers.
Remember, LeBron has a no-trade clause, so if he wants to be traded, he completely controls the process. He can only be traded somewhere he wants to go.
The Doncic trade signaled that the Lakers have grown serious about the roster’s post-LeBron makeup. Doncic is the future face of the franchise, the player who will get a max extension this summer. LeBron will play out the rest of this season, look at that Lakers’ future, and then decide to leave (likely pushing for a trade to Golden State), or he may choose to stay home in Los Angeles. Either way, that feels like a summer decision at this point, not a rash one made right before the trade deadline.
Lakers not done, need defensive center
The Lakers’ trading for Luka Doncic was a no-brainer and an absolute win for the franchise, but it does not make them an immediate title contender. The issue isn’t the offense or LeBron and Doncic playing together — they’re not a natural fit, but high-IQ players figure it out — but rather the Lakers’ defense.
Los Angeles is already bottom 10 defense in the league and just traded away their only high-level rim protector and All-Defense level player in Anthony Davis. A starting backcourt of Doncic and Austin Reaves provides two targets for opposing teams, and right now Jaxson Hayes is the backstop behind them.
The Lakers were looking at a five to put next to Davis before the trade and have ramped up efforts to trade for another big man before the deadline, a league source told NBC Sports. Expect the Lakers to make some kind of deal for more defense, they will need it.
Lakers’ Vincent, Hachimura not drawing interest
Part of the challenge for the Lakers in finding a center is what they have to offer in a trade — there isn’t much of a market for Gabe Vincent and Rui Hachimura, the two players the Lakers have on the table, reports Jovan Buha at The Athletic. He says Vincent is seen as a negative value contract and Hachimura as neutral (he’s a big body who averages 12.4 points and 5.2 rebounds a game, plus can shoot the 3, but he is a negative defender).
The Lakers still have their 2031 first-round pick to trade, but it would take a special player to get Los Angeles to give that up.
We’ll see what the Lakers have to surrender, but they need help at center after the Davis trade.
Suns seeking suitor for Jusuf Nurkic
Most of Phoenix’s focus has been on trying to find someone, anyone to take on Bradley Beal (opening up a path to the Suns getting Jimmy Butler), but they are also working toward a trade for center Jusuf Nurkic (with the trade for Nick Richards, the Suns have found their center of the moment).
The Suns have discussed a trade with the Atlanta Hawks centered on Bogdan Bogdanovic for Nurkic, reports The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin. Atlanta is also deep with centers, so there likely is more to this deal, but it’s something to watch.
Hawks interested in Brandon Ingram?
The unfortunate season-ending shoulder injury to Jalen Johnson has the Hawks scrambling to add depth on the wing, particularly someone with scoring punch (Quin Snyder apparently hates the idea of starting De’Andre Hunter that much).
The Hawks have shown interest in the Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN. With the Bulls having moved Zach LaVine, Ingram becomes the most valuable wing on the market (outside Jimmy Butler and that drama). Ingram is on a $36 million expiring contract, which is a lot to match, but the Hawks would not have to pay him going forward, if they wish. Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists a game this season.
Marcus Smart drawing interest
Teams interested in a bit of guard depth have been eyeing the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, reports Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Smart has had trouble staying healthy in Memphis — he has played in just 18 games this season and 20 all of last season — but he’s a proven veteran who can defend and hit big shots, so at the right price teams are interested. And that price is reportedly pretty low, although the challenge is matching his $20.2 million salary this season and finding a team that wants to take on his $21.6 million next season.
