BS Meter on Latest 2025 NBA Trade Deadline Rumors
There were—and still are—reasons to wonder whether the NBA might be in for a sleepy trade season.
But no one bothered to tell the rumor mill, apparently, which is awash with activity as the Association enters the New Year.
On the pessimistic front, there are still obstacles potentially blocking the path to a number of blockbuster trades. Sellers have been in short supply since the league expanded the postseason field with the play-in tournament. Big spenders, meanwhile, must be increasingly focused on their finances given the restrictions placed upon them by the collective bargaining agreement.
On the other hand, none of these issues have prevented some highly notable, household-level names from entering the rumor mill. Even if these players don't wind up being dealt before the February 6 trade deadline, they're at the very least being discussed. Let's dig into those discussions, then, while scanning for the substance behind them by utilizing the always reliable BS meter.
Thunder, Kings Eyeing Cameron Johnson?
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Rumor: With the Brooklyn Nets in the middle of a top-to-bottom teardown, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings have been linked to sharpshooting swingman Cameron Johnson, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
BS Meter: No BS here, but maybe no real substance, either.
Virtually every win-now team could use another two-way wing, and the Thunder and Kings are certainly no exception.
Oklahoma City's roster might be overloaded with talent, but it doesn't have great size on the wings. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been squeezed for spacing, and the forward spots have been severely lacking shooting due to DeMar DeRozan's penchant for operating inside the arc and Keegan Murray's rather alarming regression.
It's only logical to assume both teams would have interest in Johnson, a 6'8" forward pairing a career-high scoring average with a near 50/40/90 shooting slash. And they surely aren't the only ones.
The question, though, is whether these two teams or anyone else will meet Brooklyn's reportedly steep asking price of "multiple first-round picks," per NBA insider Marc Stein. That feels ambitious (to say the least) considering the Nets didn't nab a single first in their previous trades of Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schröder.
Pelicans Prioritizing Brandon Ingram?
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Rumor: With their 2024-25 season seemingly irreparably damaged by a rash of injuries, the Pelicans have made trading Brandon Ingram "the priority for the ... front office," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks.
BS Meter: None detected.
Consider this the least surprising report of trade season. All the way back in the offseason, insider Marc Stein reported the Pelicans were expected to "aggressively explore" Ingram's trade market, as the former All-Star and Most Improved Player award-winner has unrestricted free agency awaiting him this summer.
New Orleans' subsequent slide to the bottom of the standings, coupled with (and contributed to by) Ingram's latest round of injury troubles, has surely upped the urgency to find a taker. Will the market respond any differently this time around, though?
Despite the accolades, Ingram isn't exactly an ideal trade candidate. Even beyond his financial uncertainty and availability issues, his three-point volume can run frustratingly low, and his defense has never measured up to what his physical tools suggest it should be. He is a skilled—but not spectacular—scorer who works best with the ball in his hands. There aren't many win-now shoppers who can accommodate such a role.
And yet, it feels relatively reasonable to imagine a deal coming together at some point before the deadline. Ingram, who was reportedly seeking a $50 million salary over the offseason, is now expected to be more open to taking a short-team deal, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. A reasonably priced Ingram could still be a solid building block for someone.
Jimmy Butler Prefers Deadline Deal?
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Rumor: Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Jimmy Butler "prefers a trade" away from the Miami Heat before the trade deadline. The Heat, for what it's worth, took the unusual step of releasing a statement to say, "We are not trading Jimmy Butler." Finally, Butler was asked directly if he wants to be in Miami and cryptically answered: "It's a good question. Who knows? I don't."
BS Meter: Some BS detected, but amount unclear.
There's plenty to unpack here, as has been the case since this past offseason. That's when...well, a lot of stuff happened, including Pat Riley publicly advising Butler to "keep your mouth shut," and word getting around that Butler wouldn't extend his contract—which features a $52.4 million player option for next season—with the Heat or any other team.
This situation is objectively messy, and it's tough to tell exactly where everyone stands.
Butler appears to be considering life after Miami, at the very least, though is that due to a desire to play elsewhere or an inclination that the Heat may not give him the kind of money he wants? Are his cryptic comments an attempt to leverage play to convince Miami to cough up the coin? Only Butler and those in his inner circle know for sure.
Speaking of leverage plays, Pat Riley's statement couldn't have been inspired by anything else, could it? There has to be a trade price point at which the Heat would let him go, but who knows if anyone approaches that given Butler's contract uncertainty and struggles staying on the floor?
Zion Williamson Not Planning a Trade Request?
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Rumor: Zion Williamson changed representation recently, but his new agent, WME's Bill Duffy, "has no intention to push" for a Williamson trade before the deadline, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks
BS Meter: Potential BS detected between the lines.
Not to slip too far into semantics, but having "no intention" of doing something isn't the same as ruling that thing out. At the very least, this report leaves Williams and his representation plenty of wiggle room, as they can always claim things changed between the report and the deadline that necessitated a different direction.
Given that the Pelicans are buried in the standings, and that Williamson hasn't hit the hardwood since early November, it's hard to imagine this situation looking dramatically different at any point over the next month. So, if he is or isn't sold on the franchise now, he'll probably feel the same way in February.
But maybe this isn't up to him, anyway. While a trade request could help shake things up, this really falls on the Pelicans to decide how—or if—they proceed with the 24-year-old.
There has to be frustration with the seemingly endless questions about his availability, but are they enough to convince the club to move away from the 2019 No. 1 pick? Even if they're potentially interested in that option, have those same absences tanked his trade value too low for New Orleans to find whatever it deems is an acceptable return?
This doesn't feel like a great time to trade him given that he has played all of six games since opening night, but maybe the Pelicans can sniff out someone desperate enough for star power to send back a hefty return. Or perhaps New Orleans has zero confidence in his trade value improving. Speculatively speaking, it feels like the odds of a Williamson trade by the deadline are definitely worse than 50/50 but are greater than zero.
De'Aaron Fox Pushing His Way Out?
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Rumor: "Grumblings in NBA circles" indicate De'Aaron Fox will seek a trade away from the Sacramento Kings before the deadline, per Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus.
BS Meter: Significant amount detected.
Fox famously declined a contract extension with the Kings before the season, later explaining, "I just want to make sure where we're at" first, per The Athletic's Sam Amick and Anthony Slater. Sacramento has since gone to a pretty dark place, skidding down the standings and disappointing to the point that it cost Mike Brown, who signed a contract extension in July and was a unanimous Coach of the Year winner in 2022-23, his job.
Have things soured to such a degree that Fox is now ready to move on from the franchise that made him the No. 5 pick in 2017? It's possible, sure, but it seems unlikely he's reached such a definitive conclusion already.
The Kings have disappointed, but they haven't performed as poorly as their record would indicate. If they weren't so bizarrely bad in close games (2-6 in games decided by three points or less), they could be firmly in the play-in picture and within striking distance of a top-six seed. And they have reasons to believe better days are ahead, including the chance Keegan Murray snaps out of his slump and the addition of lottery pick Devin Carter, who's apparently feeling great following offseason shoulder surgery.
To be clear, these might not be big enough factors for Fox to cement his future to the franchise, but they work against the idea that he has already deemed this situation hopeless. With another season left on his contract and a solid—if underperforming—supporting cast around him, he doesn't have to rush into any major, career-defining decisions.
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