Latest NBA Trade Rumors on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cooper Flagg and More
The NBA world feels as active as ever.
The playoffs are rolling through the second round, the draft combine is under way, the lottery results are in (and stunning!) and the trade market is bursting at the seams with buzz around a two-time MVP.
Build-up feels unnecessary among all this activity, so let's just dive in and dissect the latest trade discussions.
A Dream Target for the Dubs?
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Opportunity knocked at the trade deadline for the Golden State Warriors and allowed them to salvage their season by brokering a discounted deal for a disgruntled Jimmy Butler. Could fate shine on this franchise once again during the offseason?
Well, Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly "open-minded" about considering a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks, per ESPN's Shams Charania. And that could be enormously significant for the Warriors, considering the two-time MVP has "been known to be a dream target of the Warriors for a long time," per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
To be clear, there's no guarantee Antetokounmpo will reach the trade market. As Amick put it, Antetokounmpo is "in fact-finding mode" at the moment. Even if Antetokounmpo decides he's done with the Deer, it seems unlikely the Warriors would put the strongest trade offer on the table.
All of that said, Golden State should absolutely do everything it can to give Antetokounmpo an all-in pursuit. The Warriors are running out of time to give their generational star, Stephen Curry, another shot at title contention. Pairing him with another all-time great like Antetokounmpo would be the kind of move that keeps the championship window open with Curry and quite possibly even after he's gone.
Mavs Keeping No. 1 Pick, Taking Cooper Flagg?
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With the Dallas Mavericks having fully committed to the over-30 tandem of Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, it felt fair to wonder whether they might try parlaying their draft-lottery jackpot prize into a trade for an established, instant-impact star.
That's not happening, apparently. Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Mavericks "will not entertain the possibility" of a trade for the pick, which they plan to use on Duke's one-and-done star Cooper Flagg.
This is clearly the right move to make. Flagg's two-way potential is way too high to let him go, particularly when this franchise is still in the shadows of the universally panned decision to deal Luka Dončić.
Plus, Flagg can step in and contribute on opening night. He'll be an all-purpose defender and reliable play-finisher, and he should even have the chance to spread his wings as a creator as long as Irving is on the mend from his ACL injury.
DeMar DeRozan on the Move?
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It was only last summer that DeMar DeRozan joined the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team, sign-and-trade deal. It just feels like it's been so much longer given everything that has changed since. De'Aaron Fox was shipped out, Zach LaVine was brought in, there was a coaching change from Mike Brown to Doug Christie and Scott Perry was hired to replace Monte McNair as general manager.
More changes could be on the way, perhaps involving DeRozan himself. As Jake Fischer of the Stein Line reported, "there have been no shortage of rumbles" regarding the Kings possibly considering a DeRozan deal this summer.
It's unclear how committed Sacramento is to this core and how soon it'll try to win. DeRozan, LaVine and Domantas Sabonis certainly don't comprise the youngest, cheapest nucleus. And while they're all individually talented, would they collectively make up a formidable contender in the fully loaded West (which will get even deeper once Flagg touches down in Dallas)? That seems wildly optimistic, at best.
If the Kings try shopping DeRozan, it will be fascinating to find out what kind of interest he generates. He's a skilled scorer and shot-creator, but he also plays a unique game as a modern perimeter player who doesn't take perimeter shots. There are surely suitors willing to bet on his talent, but would they part with premium assets to get him? Stay tuned.
