BS Meter on Latest 2025 NBA Trade Deadline Rumors and Buzz
The NBA trade deadline is right around the corner, so rumors and reports on potential deals are swirling.
The Milwaukee Bucks found themselves mixed up in the Jimmy Butler news cycle, which wasn't some great surprise. Seeing them linked to Bradley Beal was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are on the hunt for appropriately priced upgrades, and the Brooklyn Nets' Cameron Johnson continues to draw market-leading interest.
Here, we'll catch up on the latest chatter around the league before deciding how seriously to take it, viewing all the whispers and reports with a critical eye.
Could the Bucks Land Jimmy Butler?
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The Milwaukee Bucks, riding high after winning seven of their last eight games, might have another reason for optimism.
Marc Stein reported on his Stein Line Substack: "League sources have confirmed a report from The Athletic's Sam Amick from earlier this week that Milwaukee—unlike Memphis—has received no whispered messaging intended to discourage the Bucks from trading for Butler ... Whether that means Milwaukee eventually emerges as a Butler suitor remains to be seen."
B.S. Meter: None
Butler's initial list of preferred destinations—Phoenix, Houston, Golden State and Dallas—always felt unrealistically restricted and only seemed more far-fetched upon analyzing what it'd actually take to get him to one of those landing spots.
Phoenix would have to climb over the hurdle of Bradley Beal's no-trade clause; Houston basically said "thanks, but no thanks" right away; Golden State correctly has no interest in mortgaging its future for a piece that won't make it a contender; Dallas would have to trade half its rotation for a $49 million free-agent-to-be.
So of course the scope of potential acquiring teams had to expand.
Milwaukee, specifically, profiles as an intriguing fit and should have interest in Butler. The Bucks are outside the inner circle of contenders but have an in-prime superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo who might only need one major co-star upgrade to threaten the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.
Get a third team involved, dump Pat Connaughton to get under the second apron, use Khris Middleton and/or Brook Lopez as matching salary options, and it's not so hard to imagine Butler winding up in Milwaukee. If Butler's top choices are all off the board, the Bucks profile as perhaps his best bet.
Milwaukee Also Has Interest in Bradley Beal
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Stein also reported that while Milwaukee has previously expressed interest in Butler, it has also "been more frequently painted as a team likely to rekindle previous interest in Phoenix's Bradley Beal if they intend to pursue a trade for a player in the $50 million range."
B.S. Meter: Pretty High
Every obstacle to the Bucks adding Butler applies to Beal, along with several additional ones that make his acquisition much tougher to imagine.
Start with Beal's no-trade clause. He hasn't specifically said he'd block a deal to Milwaukee, but he's in total control of where he goes. That's simply not true of Butler, who can state his preferences but can't dictate his landing spot.
Beyond that, Beal is a less effective player than Butler whose contract extends for two more years after this one at a total of $110.8 million (2026-27 player option). It's true that an acquiring team would be on the hook for a potential Butler extension right in that range, but Beal isn't even a starter in Phoenix anymore and hasn't been an All-Star since 2020-21. Butler, though four years older, is clearly the more impactful on-court presence.
As with Butler, the Bucks would need to swing a precursor deal that would get them below the second apron. Once there, they could aggregate salaries—but not so much that the Suns would be taking back more cash than they're sending out (thanks again, second apron!). Milwaukee would need to loop in another team to get anything done.
That's way too much trouble for Beal, perhaps the most overpaid player in the league—one who hasn't made any indication he'll waive his no-trade clause in the first place. If the Bucks really are interested, they shouldn't be.
Only Small-Time Deals for the Lakers?
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Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on Buha's Block (28:00 mark) that the Los Angeles Lakers may not be looking for a major acquisition.
"My sense lately, that I've been hearing, has been trending more toward them making a smaller move and probably using second-round draft capital and the issue there is that their second-round draft capital isn't really worth that much because it's their pick and the Clippers' pick and both of those picks are projected right now to be between like 45 and 52 depending on where those two teams finish in the standings so those aren't the sexiest second round picks. You typically want a first half of the second round-type pick."
B.S. Meter: Very Little
While the Lakers might still be able to land a decent-sized name, it's increasingly clear they (and many other teams) aren't viewing this deadline's options as worthy of a major asset outlay.
In other words, Los Angeles seems content to keep its powder dry and wait for the offseason. Better that than some reckless deal that costs it first-rounders and doesn't bring back a game-changing player.
It's possible the Chicago Bulls will decide they want Zach LaVine's salary off the books badly enough to accept expiring salaries and second-round picks (though Buha is right to note L.A.'s aren't all that enticing). But LaVine has been tremendous offensively this season, and Chicago has repeatedly refused to start a rebuild. The Bulls should demand first-round picks in any trade.
If the Lakers aren't willing to put those on the table, there might not be much to discuss between them and the Bulls.
Two Firsts for Cameron Johnson?
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Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson won't come cheap: "Sources have said the Nets would be loath to move him for less than two first-round picks or the equivalent thereof."
B.S. Meter: Surprisingly Little
Johnson is nowhere near the biggest name among those rumored to be available ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, which makes Brooklyn's asking price seem high. Factor in salary, age and Jonson's universal plug-and-play fit, and it's easier to understand why the Nets' stance is more than posturing.
Teams are terrified of taking on major salary in the new cap environment that heavily restricts flexibility for costly rosters. Big money that goes out over multiple years after this one is doubly scary. So while Butler, LaVine, Brandon Ingram and others are more valuable on-court pieces in a vacuum, Johnson and his average annual salary of $21.8 million (through 2026-27) is the more appealing addition.
Anyone adding Butler—and to a lesser extent LaVine, Ingram or Beal—wouldn't just be facing issues with its books. Those players are generally higher-usage pieces than Johnson, who could slip into a supporting role without requiring some broader rejiggering of a team's offense and pecking order.
He's easier to onboard than any of the starrier names out there.
Convenience and flexibility come with a price, and the Nets are smart to hold out for a big offer. They have Johnson on a fair deal and under team control for two more years after this one, and the offseason reacquisition of their 2025 and 2026 first-rounders means there's no rush to start the turnaround.
Brooklyn can play this as patiently as it wants to, waiting for someone to meet its price.
Suns Haven't Talked No-Trade Clause with Beal
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In a detailed report on the state of the Phoenix Suns (and shoe-tying frequency), The Athletic's Fred Katz included a striking detail about Bradley Beal and the league's only no-trade clause.
Per Katz: "The Suns are making calls ... though they have yet to ask Beal for his thoughts about any potential trade, team sources said. Beal's sign-off is necessary, considering he can veto any deal that includes him."
Katz added: "He would consider waiving his no-trade clause for the right destination, according to a source familiar with his thinking. But as of now, management hasn't gauged whether he wants out—and if so, to where?"
B.S. Meter: High
It's impossible to imagine the Suns haven't had discussions with Beal about a potential trade. They benched him for a rookie a couple of weeks ago, and he's the only realistic way for the team to acquire Jimmy Butler or anyone else of consequence.
If it's actually true that the Suns' front office hasn't communicated with Beal on the topic of a trade, the three-time All-Star should be livid. There's no way he's oblivious to the rumors out there, and he must understand the financial reality that he'd have to be involved in any significant deal.
The benching should have spurred a conversation about Beal's satisfaction on its own. Coupled with all the speculation about a trade, the Suns have definitely had some kind of conversation about what destinations he'd prefer—or be willing to accept.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Accurate through Jan. 21. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
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