NBA trade season officially started after the Golden State Warriors acquired Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets for De’Anthony Melton, guard Reece Beekman and three second-round draft picks. The addition of Schroder will give the Warriors a much-needed boost off the bench, especially as they’ve gone just 3-7 in their last 10 games.
The Warriors and Nets kicked off this season’s transaction cycle, but it’s just the beginning as teams prepare to make moves leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline. There will be countless rumors between now and then, as championship contenders try to bolster their rotations, while tanking teams try to sell players in hopes of helping their draft lottery position next summer.
As the action ramps up, here’s a look around the league at some of the latest rumors.
Warriors still weighing options on Kuminga
Golden State sent an inconsequential package to the Nets to land one of the better backup guards in the league in Schroder. But that deal could’ve been more attention-grabbing had the Warriors tried to land another player on the Nets roster. According to Marc Stein, the Warriors would have needed to include Jonathan Kuminga if they wanted to land both Schroder and Cameron Johnson. Obviously that didn’t happen, but it sheds light into some of those negotiations before that deal was finalized.
It also gives us some clarity on how the Warriors view Kuminga on the trade market — right now, at least. They’ve been adamant in the past about not wanting to trade him, most notably when the team was trying to acquire Lauri Markkanen this past summer. And he’s been given a bigger role offensively lately, as he’s started in six of Golden State’s last seven games.
That doesn’t mean Kuminga is still off limits, but rather that the Warriors didn’t want to unload him in a trade just yet. There’s been reports that Golden State is looking to add an All-Star caliber player alongside Stephen Curry, and they would surely need to include Kuminga in any deal to get that type of player. Someone like Jimmy Butler, who reportedly has the Warriors on a short list of teams he’d prefer to get traded to, would be the level of player the Warriors are looking for. And if they feel like landing Butler is a possibility, keeping Kuminga for a bigger move makes sense.
Lakers looking to add depth
The Lakers are 13-12, which currently has them in the No. 10 spot in the West. They need to make a move if the goal is to make a run in the playoffs. L.A.’s goals have flip-flopped over the years from trying to add additional All-Star talent around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, to just wanting to fill out the roster with stronger depth. Right now, the wind seems to be blowing in the direction of adding more depth, per Stein. But who will the Lakers target?
They’ve been on the hunt to add frontcourt depth, so perhaps someone like Jonas Valanciunas, who will surely be available on the trade market from the Wizards, is a possibility. Or maybe the Lakers would like to reunite with Brandon Ingram, who has long been rumored to be on the trading block. Whoever it is, Los Angeles is clearly still trying to improve the roster, even as other rumors swirl about LeBron’s short-term future with the team.
Nets aren’t done
Brooklyn took an important step in trying to set itself up to try and land Cooper Flagg in next year’s draft by trading Schroder. But that isn’t the only move the Nets will try to make between now and Feb. 6. Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, Day’Ron Sharpe and Johnson are all available, and will garner varying levels of interest. The Nets have held high asking prices for Finney-Smith and Johnson in the past, asking for multiple first round picks each, and Stein already reported that the Warriors would’ve needed to tack on Kuminga if they wanted Johnson.
That shows other teams around the league what the going price will be for Johnson’s sharpshooting talents, and there will surely be multiple championship-contending teams vying for his services. The same goes for Finney-Smith, whose defense would be appreciated on any of the teams with title hopes.
Bogdanovic has yet to play this season as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. But Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said in mid-November that the veteran forward is “progressing well.” When healthy, Bogdanovic can provide quality bench scoring on a winning team, but his value hinges on how he looks health-wise when he returns.
