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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 1/31/2025
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Trade
1:38
Haven't checked salary numbers, but what about Bogdan from the Hawks to the Magic with the Hawks getting back Cole Anthony and a 2nd? Would give the Magic more shooting and the Hawks a backup PG to Young
Luke Adams
1:40
Not bad -- and it would be legal in terms of salary matching. It's hard to get a read on Bogdanovic's trade value right now. He's been so bad this year after being so good for so long. He's still only 32, so do teams think that's just a small-sample aberration or has his decline begun? A deal makes sense if the Hawks are leaning toward the latter and a trade partner is more inclined to believe the former.
Monster Trade
1:41
Could you see a monster trade happening that included the Spurs/Kings/Hawks/Pelicans/Heat/Suns that ended up with Fox in San Antonio, Suns getting Butler, Atlanta getting back their draft picks, Miami getting Ingram, and Sacramento/NO getting several rotation guys back?
Luke Adams
1:42
As fun as that would be, it still comes with the central question related to any Suns/Butler trade scenario: Who's taking Beal (and which teams would he sign off on)? His value is so low and the Suns have so few sweeteners that it's just hard to make it work.
Guest
1:43
Do you think the Bulls should wait to deal Lavine until next season when he only has 2 yrs left on his contract?  Teams would be in better position to make the math work and maybe increase the potential return a year from now.  Or do you trade him now, while he is having a quietly great season, especially defensively as of late, in fear that a decline in production next season would again cap their potential return?
Luke Adams
1:44
If they don't trade him at this year's deadline, I think they should push to do it in the summer. More teams have flexible cap/roster situations at that point and they wouldn't risk a first-half injury in 2025/26.
Randle's Handles
1:45
What should the Timberwolves do at this point? They are playing better as of late, but Julius Randle doesn't seem a great fit.
Luke Adams
1:47
I'd be hesitant to do anything big at the deadline if I were them. Seems like they're finally getting comfortable with each other after the big Towns trade, and the West is pretty wide open -- if they get DiVincenzo back healthy and productive and get hot at the right time, I could totally see them making it back to the WCF with this roster.

Having said that, I agree that Randle isn't a long-term fit and something's probably gotta give this summer. I don't expect him to be a long-term Timberwolf.
Ball
1:48
I think Lonzo Ball is a great fit for TWolves, can they make this happen?
Luke Adams
1:49
Probably not this season. They can't aggregate salaries, which means their only realistic path to acquiring him would be in a trade involving Julius Randle or Jaden McDaniels.
Parker not peter Parker
1:50
Do you think we get a blockbuster trade this trade deadline or not till off season?
Luke Adams
1:52
I'm optimistic we'll get something good in the next week. I wouldn't expect Butler, Fox, LaVine, and Ingram to ALL get traded, but if we even get a couple of them on the move, it'll be a way better deadline than last year's. (Since the Siakam and Anunoby trades happened earlier in the season last year, the biggest deadline deals were Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and Bogdanovic/Burks).
Brooklyn Nets
1:53
We got 5 first round picks and a 2nd round pick in the next draft. Should we draft all 6 rookies all together? Or follow the suns and jazz trade? Nuggets receives 3 2025 first round picks, Nets receives denver's 2031 1st round pick. What to do?
Luke Adams
1:55
I like the idea of kicking the can down the road -- doesn't necessarily have to be a 3-for-1 consolidation trade like the Suns/Jazz one. Depending on the perceived value of the picks, you could do 1-for-1 deals. But bringing in 5-6 rookies at once doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
3 & D Wings
1:56
The Nuggets could simply target two 3 & D Wings to help improve their Defensive versatility. Who do you think should be their ideal targets to improve that area of the team as they look to make another run?
Luke Adams
1:58
I like the idea of trying to turn Michael Porter Jr. into 2-3 players like that, but it's really hard to find a trade partner that makes sense. A Hunter/Bogdanovic package from Atlanta would be interesting to me, but I can't imagine the Hawks being interested in that sort of deal.

Without using MPJ, the Nuggets probably don't have the assets to find quality three-and-D players.
Guest
1:58
How possible is ingram and mccollum for butler and robinson? What else would have to be included to make it worthwhile for both sides
Luke Adams
2:01
Not a bad return for Miami, but I just don't see Butler as a fit for the Pelicans. Doesn't make sense for them to do right now, given where they are in the standings and the fact that he can become a UFA in a few months. If the Heat don't move Butler now, maybe New Orleans revisits it in the summer.
Jocko Johansson
2:02
Is a Butler trade only made by a team that wants to extend him? Isn't he past his value as a max player anyway?
Luke Adams
2:04
Yeah, I mean, the reason he wants to get to Phoenix so badly is the fact that he knows the Suns would give him the max deal he wants. I don't know how many other teams would.

It's a little crazy that he's doing this now, when he'll turn 36 later this year. It reminds me a little of Harden forcing his way out of Philly after they didn't give him the max deal he wanted -- Harden eventually got traded, but it's not like he got the max from his new team either.
Krudla
2:05
Pistons offer THJ and Fontecchio to the Pels for Ingram? Would the Pels do it?
Luke Adams
2:06
Throw in a first-round pick and I'll bet the Pelicans would think long and hard about pulling the trigger -- it gets them well out of the tax this season without any long-term salary concerns. But Detroit would have to view Ingram as a long-term keeper to include that pick.
Knicks
2:07
Do you think the Knicks are trading Mitchell Robinson?
Luke Adams
2:08
I bet they end up keeping him unless they have next to no faith in his ability to get healthy and contribute this season. Unless they attach a draft pick or two, they're definitely not going to get anyone better than him, so if they think he'll be back, they might as well hang onto him.
SGA
2:09
I know the Thunder aren't trading him, but what would the hypothetical package coming in have to look like to trade for SGA?   Would he bring the biggest return of all NBA players?
Luke Adams
2:11
It'll never happen, but if it did, it would take at least one rising young star and a ton of draft picks. In other words, the return would probably have to look something like the last time Gilgeous-Alexander got traded, when Paul George was playing the SGA role and SGA was in the "rising young star" role.
Delete me
2:11
Are the sixers pretenders or contenders and how do they approach the impending trade deadline?
76ers mam
2:11
You think we move pg13 and others before the trade deadline. the 76ers are underwhelming what you think?
Luke Adams
2:13
The Sixers are in a weird spot. As bad as they've been, they're still probably a play-in team in the East, and it makes no sense for them to tank to try to hang onto their top-six protected first-rounder (they wouldn't be able to "catch" the day-one tankers).

I don't think they should make any trades specifically aimed at bolstering this year's team, but I don't mind them "buying" if they get someone who can help next year and beyond. Can't see them doing anything with their big three -- presumably they still believe that those guys will thrive together if/when they're all healthy.
JP
2:13
Mavs need a big man: Your thoughts? Thanks Luke!
Luke Adams
2:16
I was thinking earlier today that I really liked the idea of Dallas offering Kleber and a second-round pick to the Hawks for Larry Nance Jr.

Not sure if Atlanta would go for it, since they already have quite a bit of money tied up in next season's roster and Kleber's $11MM would push them toward the tax. But a deal along those lines would make sense for the Mavs -- assuming Lively will be back in the spring, they really just need a short-term fix on the cheap.
Krudla
2:17
Will any team be smart enough to send a 2nd/expiring to the Nets to get an injured DeAndre Melton? The benefit... Whoever acquires him could offer a contract starting at 120% of his current salary, which will be like $1.5-2M more then the non tax payer MLE
Luke Adams
2:18
I don't think Melton's Non-Bird rights will be that coveted. This is his second straight season lost due to injury -- I'd be shocked if his next starting salary matches or exceeds this year's $12.8MM.
Kevin
2:18
Over/under 2.5 players Bulls trade at the deadline?
Luke Adams
2:21
Against my better judgment (ie. my knowledge of this front office's past trade deadlines), I'm taking the over. It feels like the right time for them to pull the trigger on at least one of LaVine and Vucevic. Ball will draw a lot of interest too, and I could see them moving a lower-salary guy or two, like Craig or even Duarte for matching purposes.
LeBron James
2:22
Luke, I don’t know if you remember, but last season - about this time of year - I sought your advice about whether I should fake an injury or pick-and-choose which games to play the rest of the season as sort of a….I guess you could call it a ‘passive aggressive’ approach toward management for not doing their job and getting us anything valuable in a trade for D’Lo. Well, fast forward a year, thankfully D’Lo is gone. But I find myself at another indecisive moment (I hate those, Luke). I’m wondering: in light of AD’s injury….we’re gonna get CRUSHED Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. And everyone’s gonna be watching - there’s no football, and people are staying inside cuz of the winter weather. I don’t like getting embarrassed if I can avoid it, Luke - especially on a National stage. Should I sit out the game against the Knicks??
Luke Adams
2:23
Thank you for coming to me with this, LeBron. I think you should play. Who knows, it might be the last chance you get to play at MSG!
Wannes
2:24
Will OKC give Donovan Mitchell the last roster spot to have a backup guard in the playoffs or what will they do?
Luke Adams
2:25
Gonna guess this was meant to say Ajay Mitchell, though I do like to imagine the Thunder telling Donovan Mitchell, "Fine, you can be our 15th man." Anyway, assuming OKC stands pat the deadline, I do expect them to peruse the buyout market to see if there are any veterans who might help in the spring. If not (and if he's healthy by the playoffs), Ajay is definitely the frontrunner for that 15th spot.
Yeah buddy
2:26
You think the NBA cup will continue for years or they gonna just keep it and adjust the format a bit?
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