NBA BS Meter: Our Read on Latest DeRozan, Markkanen, Garland Buzz
We've officially entered NBA trade season with the passing of Dec. 15, the date when the majority of free agents that signed this past summer are eligible to be dealt.
With this comes fresh news about the future of Lauri Markkanen with the Utah Jazz, the star guard the Chicago Bulls tried to get Zach LaVine for and the Detroit Pistons actually looking to buy at the deadline?
It's B.S. Meter time for the newest NBA news and rumors.
DeMar DeRozan's 'Priority' Is to Stay in Chicago
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The Chicago Bulls have shown some life lately even with Zach LaVine sidelined with right foot inflammation, although they still sit just 10-17 overall on the season and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
The future of 34-year-old DeMar DeRozan will continue to be monitored, as the All-Star guard recently revealed his mindset.
"Me being in the league so long, I understand this period of time, it just comes with the occupation," DeRozan said via the Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe. "I really don't pay no mind to it. My priority is to be here, make this organization and this team successful and get through whatever tough stuff we're going through."
Let's first applaud DeRozan for his professionalism here.
It would be extremely easy (and understandable) for the free-agent-to-be to ask for a trade out of Chicago and the chance to win his first championship ring elsewhere. He could also use this leverage to try to land one last big payday, even if it falls a bit short of the $179 million he can extend for over the next four years.
With that being said, DeRozan saying his "priority" is to stay with the Bulls seems like a reach.
Let's not forget that coming to Chicago was DeRozan's backup choice, as he admitted in 2021 that a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was nearly a "done deal" and that he was excited about the opportunity to return home to L.A.
If the Lakers once again emerge as a realistic trade destination, would DeRozan really want to still stay in Chicago? That seems hard to believe.
B.S. Meter: A little B.S. DeRozan is a loyal guy who won't make a fuss about the Bulls being bad, but let's not forget where he originally wanted to go.
Lauri Markkanen No Longer Untouchable in Trade Talks?
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There was a period last season when it looked like the Utah Jazz may still be able to compete in the West, with Lauri Markkanen as the primary reason.
Now, with Utah just 9-17 overall and sitting at 12th in the West, could Markkanen be shopped at the deadline?
As Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer writes, "Utah has indeed left opposing executives with the sense that Markkanen is no longer untouchable in trade conversations, league sources told Yahoo Sports, a tangible change from previous transaction windows."
We apparently have a price on what it would take to get Markkanen out of Utah, and it ain't cheap.
The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor writes, "My impression from talking to teams is that it's something resembling the haul the Jazz received for Mitchell and Gobert: so, five-ish firsts and/or players of comparable value".
Of course, Markkanen was the centerpiece of the Donovan Mitchell trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with multiple first-round picks, Collin Sexton and Ochai Agbaji.
With the 26-year-old All-Star still under contract for next season, there's certainly no rush to find a trade. Markkanen has become the new face of the franchise and thrived as the primary offensive option. There's still tickets to sell here as well.
While this news may lead a handful of contenders to call Utah and see what it would take to get Markkanen, don't expect any team to sacrifice a Mitchell- or Gobert-like return, especially with just a season-and-a-half remaining before he hits free agency.
B.S. Meter: No B.S. that teams will call and conversations will be had, but B.S. that the Jazz will receive an offer big enough to convince them to trade Markkanen.
Pistons to Be Buyers at Deadline, Eyes on OG Anunoby and Tobias Harris
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The Detroit Pistons are planning on being aggressive at the trade deadline, just not in the way you might think.
A 23-game losing streak and 2-24 overall record would typically mean a complete teardown. Vets like Bojan Bogdanović, Alec Burks and Joe Harris would be gone, with a real examination of what young players the franchise considers its building blocks as well.
The Pistons, however, appear to be taking the opposite approach and actually want to be buyers at the deadline.
As The Athletic's James L. Edwards III writes: "League sources tell The Athletic that Detroit is expected to be active in the trade market over the next few weeks and are eying a forward. One player I'm hearing that the Pistons are interested in, as is the rest of the league, is Toronto's OG Anunoby. … Tobias Harris, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season, is another name the Pistons could target sooner rather than later if he becomes available before the NBA's February trade deadline."
Look, losing sucks and Detroit hasn't finished above .500 since Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan were still in the league. Chasing after veteran players who can walk out the door in free agency in a few months isn't the way to turn things around, however.
If the Pistons truly want to add some win-now help, it best be players on multiyear deals who can actually grow with the core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and others.
Giving up multiple first-round picks for a player like Anunoby would be a waste of assets, which is the one positive thing Detroit has going right now.
B.S. Meter: No B.S. that the Pistons are hungry to add talent, but B.S. that they should chase a free-agent-to-be.
Kings 'Not Putting Keegan Murray in Any Trade Discussion'
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With two established All-Stars near or in their prime, the Sacramento Kings' ability to get a third will depend on the future of Keegan Murray.
This is to say, either the 23-year-old Murray will develop into a star while with the Kings or be traded for one, as he's the best non-De'Aaron Fox/Domantas Sabonis asset the team possesses.
According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the Toronto Raptors are expected to seek Murray as the base of a return for either Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby while the Kings would prefer to keep Murray and use Davion Mitchell in trade talks instead.
As James Hamm of The Kings Beat writes: "According to a league source, despite reports, the Kings are not putting Keegan Murray in any trade discussion. He is considered part of the franchise's foundation moving forward."
Making Murray untouchable in trade talks may have seemed aggressive before this month, although the second-year forward has been on a tear as of late.
While Murray was averaging just 12.9 points on 38.5 percent shooting overall and 29.3 percent from three in his first 14 games this season, he erupted for 47 in a win over the Utah Jazz on Dec. 16, connecting on 12 of his 15 three-pointers. Over his last six contests, Murray is up to 21.7 points on 56.1 percent shooting from the field and 51.2 percent from deep.
Trading him now while Murray's stock is high is one option, but not for a player like Siakam or Anunoby who can become a free agent in a few months. Murray still has 2.5 years left on his rookie deal, and he could sign a five-year extension after that.
Sacramento should indeed keep Murray out of all trade talks for now.
B.S. Meter: None. Murray can still become the perfect third star in Sacramento, even after a slow start to the season.
Bulls Wanted Darius Garland for Zach LaVine
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A foot injury has likely put an end to any potential Zach LaVine trade for now—not that there was much momentum for one anyway.
Chicago has explored a number of different return packages for the 28-year-old wing, including trading LaVine for other win-now talents.
As Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer writes, "Chicago has also attempted to swap LaVine for other All-Star players, such as pitching Cleveland on acquiring Darius Garland from the Cavaliers, sources said."
While Garland is also expected to miss a few weeks with a fractured jaw, this deal simply isn't getting done even if both players were fully healthy and the Bulls agreed to include draft picks.
Garland is five years younger than LaVine at 23, is the better passer, more efficient scorer and on a far better contract. He's also impacted winning more than LaVine, registering a positive on/off swing rating in all five of his seasons thus far (plus-9.5 this year, 85th percentile per Cleaning the Glass). The Bulls have been better with LaVine off the floor this season (minus-7.9 swing rating, 19th percentile) while the veteran wing only has two positive ratings in his 10-year career.
We know by now what LaVine is; a talented yet flawed player who can still reach All-Star status if he defends at a higher level and can score at a better efficiency.
Garland's ceiling is still a mystery, as he's a skilled passer and three-point shooter who's numbers haven't been impacted by the addition of Donovan Mitchell. Garland's five-year, $197 million deal should age well and will stay below $45 million in any one season.
Don't fault the Bulls for making the call, but this was likely an incredibly short conversation.
B.S. Meter: B.S. that the Cavaliers would even remotely consider this. Garland is younger, on a better contract and has the higher overall ceiling as a player.
