NBA Rumors: Last-Minute Trade Reports Before 2022 Deadline
NBA trade deadline day is here in all of its rumors-gone-wild glory.
While some swap seasons produce far more trade smoke than actual fire-breathing blockbusters, this one has already shifted the landscape several times over. CJ McCollum, Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton and Norman Powell are among the players who have already changed places, and that might just be the beginning with the way the rumor mill is spinning.
Speaking of which, let's dig in to the latest discussions and break down exactly what the basketball world is talking about.
James Harden Wants Trade to 76ers but Doesn't Want to Ask for It
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Of all the potential roadblocks preventing a James Harden-Ben Simmons blockbuster, who knew that optics could be one of them?
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden wants a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers but has yet to formally request one because of concerns about "public backlash that would come with asking out of a second franchise in consecutive seasons."
Is that backlash any different now that his desire has apparently been linked to a very-much-public reporter? That seems like a stretch.
The more important intel in Woj's report is that the Sixers and Brooklyn Nets still haven't "engaged in serious dialogue on a deal," though communication is expected to continue Thursday and a deal could get done.
Lakers, Knicks and Raptors Have Discussed Three-Team Trade
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For various reasons, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and (to a lesser extent) Toronto Raptors have all stood out as teams worth tracking ahead of the deadline.
Those same three squads apparently could get together on a deal.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto relayed that the three teams were talking about a trade into Thursday morning that would send Cam Reddish and Alec Burks to the Lakers, Goran Dragic and "draft pick compensation" to the Knicks, and Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel to the Raptors. Scotto added the Raptors mulled sending a first-round pick to the Knicks, with the Lakers sending a second-rounder their way, too.
The draft compensation part seems puzzling, as I'm not sure the Raptors are getting enough to give up a first and the Lakers might be getting too much for only a second. Then again, maybe Toronto is a big believer in Horton-Tucker, and perhaps New York isn't super-high on Reddish, who has yet to crack the rotation since his mid-January trade to the Knicks.
Cavs Don't Want to Sacrifice Rotation Player, Making Significant Trade Unlikely
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The Cleveland Cavaliers firmly marked themselves as buyers when they pried Caris LeVert away from the Indiana Pacers.
Barring something unexpected, though, that might be the last major move Cleveland makes ahead of the deadline.
According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, it's "unlikely" the Cavs could add "another high-salary guy," since they used Ricky Rubio's salary to land LeVert and would now need to send out a rotation player, which "isn't appealing to them."
That might be just as well, since the Cavs have zero incentive to floor the gas pedal. Their core trio of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are all 23 years old or younger, so Cleveland's best days are surely ahead of it. That's not to mention that this roster looks plenty feisty as it is, so the front office could use this postseason to figure out how good this group can be and what additional pieces are needed to make the next step.
