In a look at teams that could potentially be involved in a multi-team trade for Jimmy Butler, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel adds the Philadelphia 76ers to the list of possible facilitators.
Due to their current contracts, it’s difficult to envision how the 76ers could realistically get involved unless Paul George is part of the deal. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are unlikely to be moved, and no other player on the roster makes more than $8.2MM, so the team isn’t in a strong position to absorb salary.
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter video) recently raised the possibility of Philadelphia reacquiring Butler in a trade involving George. He mentioned that Embiid had shown interest in reuniting with Butler before the 76ers signed George.
However, Goodwill also noted that the Sixers had told George they wouldn’t trade him during the first year of his four-year contract signed in July. Even if they were open to the idea, George’s value has likely dropped significantly since the summer based on his performance, which raises doubts about the Heat or other teams’ interest in taking on his long-term max contract.
Here are a few more trade rumors and updates from around the NBA:
After Anthony Davis publicly stated that the Lakers need to add another big man, the team has made acquiring a center a top priority, according to team and league sources cited by Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Buha explores several potential targets for Los Angeles, starting with Jazz center Walker Kessler, whom he considers an ideal fit. Buha advocates for the Lakers to aggressively pursue Kessler, suggesting that the cost could be two first-round picks or an unprotected first-rounder along with rookie Dalton Knecht.
In the same article, Buha also notes that the Lakers have “long coveted” Pacers big man Myles Turner and mentions that Turner might be “sneakily gettable,” as it remains uncertain whether Indiana is willing to offer him a $30MM-per-year contract in free agency. However, acquiring Turner would be challenging, as other teams would likely show interest, and the postseason-bound Pacers would likely demand a starting-caliber center in return.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) provides an in-depth look at the dilemma facing the Pacers regarding Turner, weighing the pros and cons of keeping him versus trading him.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (via Twitter) advises against reading too much into reports linking the Raptors to Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. Lewenberg explains that Toronto typically does its due diligence when star players become available, and they are likely looking into players like Kings guard De’Aaron Fox as well. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the Raptors are seriously pursuing either player.
