Realistically, Golden State has a slim to zero chance of landing either player or another max-contract superstar, for that matter. This was a point driven home by The Ringer’s Bill Simmons during the latest episode of the The Bill Simmons Podcast.
As part of the second star-to-Warriors discussion, Simmons advised Golden State to give up on that idea and instead target two really good players from the Brooklyn Nets.
“If I was Golden State, I would audible and go after Cam Johnson and (Dennis) Schröder and try to figure out, is there something we can do with (Andrew) Wiggins?” Simmons said.
“Could it be (Jonathan) Kuminga and Melton for Cam Johnson? … Do you try to get Schróder in it? Could it be Wiggins, Melton, and an unprotected first for Johnson and Schröder? Does Kuminga even need to be in (the trade)?”
“It just feels like Brooklyn, Golden State seems like the matchup.”
“I don’t think Golden State’s going to be able to get a second star.”
Johnson, 28, is in the second year of a four-year, $94.5 million deal. Schröder, 31, is in the final year of his two-year, $25.4 million deal.
Clippers Nation, the road trip continues as your LA Clippers (14-11) take on the Denver Nuggets (12-10) tonight at Ball Arena. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on FanDuel Sports Network SoCal. With a 2-0 season series lead, the Clippers are looking to bounce back from a tough week and keep their edge over Denver.
The Clippers hit a rough patch with back-to-back losses, including a 117-106 defeat to the Rockets on Sunday. Still, there were bright spots: Ivica Zubac delivered another standout performance with 21 points and 12 rebounds, continuing his breakout season.
The best news for Clippers fans? Kawhi Leonard is back at practice. While he won’t suit up tonight, his return to the court is a beacon of hope as the team battles through a tough stretch.
If you’re looking to catch all the Clippers games this season including tonight, we have your guide for streaming all of the games here.
WATCH: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets free on fuboTV
How to Watch the Los Angeles Clippers on TV: You can catch the Los Angeles Clippers in action tonight on FanDuel Sports Network SoCal as they take on Denver Nuggets. If you want to keep up with every Clippers game all season long, you can sign up for fuboTV to get access to FanDuel Sports Network SoCal and watch the Clippers locally in your area, no cable required. With fuboTV, you’ll never miss a moment of the action, whether they’re playing at home or on the road!
Butler’s preference is important because, according to Charania, he will opt out of the $52.4 million remaining on his contract this summer to pursue a longer-term deal. Any team that trades for him would almost certainly want to re-sign him to prevent him from going to a new team after only a few months.
From the Nets to the Warriors, here are the best landing spots for Butler based on the teams linked to him.
MORE: Why NBA fans are convinced Jimmy Butler is fueling trade rumors with hair color choices
Ranking best Jimmy Butler trade destinations
Nets Butler’s preferred choice is the Nets, according to a source close to Butler who spoke with Lewis. Getting there via trade seems unlikely.
The Nets have a ton of picks and tradeable players they could use in a Butler deal. They’re also one of few teams with enough cap space to sign him as a free agent. That cap space makes a trade unlikely. It simply wouldn’t make sense for Brooklyn to give up quality young players in exchange for Butler because it could sign him outright this summer.
The Nets are also not in a position to make the most of Butler’s skills. They’re a middling team in the East, with the potential to try and tank for a good pick in a loaded 2025 NBA Draft. The trade winds indicate that they’d be looking to go the other way, trading off talent to make the foundation of their rebuild even stronger.
NBA MOCK DRAFT: Cooper Flagg lands at No. 1 to Nets; Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper in running for No. 2 pick
Suns A Suns trade would be extremely tricky to pull off. They’re above the second apron, so they couldn’t take back salary in a deal. The only piece that could be used in a Butler trade (aside from Devin Booker or Kevin Durant, which ain’t happening) is Bradley Beal.
Keith Smith of Spotrac outlined how that deal would work: Beal would get moved to the Heat in exchange for Butler and a minimum-salaried player.
The first issue in this trade is that Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract. Would he want to be a part of a retool in Miami?
Additionally, the Heat probably wouldn’t want Beal on his current contract. The Suns would have to throw in their only draft equity — a 2031 first-round pick. That wouldn’t be enough incentive to take on the rest of Beal’s contract.
Too much would need to happen for this trade to work, making it extremely unlikely.
MORE: Jimmy Butler’s agent rips ESPN’s Shams Charania over trade rumors
Mavericks The Mavericks do have a little bit of financial wiggle room to make a trade for a player like Butler. They could combine P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Maxi Kleber, Quentin Grimes and Dwight Powell in a trade, as outlined by Smith. They have up to two first-rounders they could throw in as well.
The fit for the Mavericks wouldn’t be amazing. Butler needs the ball in his hands to be at his best, and they obviously already have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in that role. Dallas would also lose all of its depth and might be a worse-off team after this deal despite Butler’s high talent level. Weak links have become much more important in today’s NBA, and there would be a lot of them after trading away so many rotation players.
The Mavs would probably say no to this deal.
Rockets The Rockets have the most financial flexibility of any of these teams to get a deal done. They don’t have cap issues, they have a ton of young promising players to trade and they have four picks they could move.
Do they want a player like Butler, though? He’s 35 years old. While the Rockets are one of the top teams in the West, they’d ideally get someone younger to fit alongside their core.
“Team sources say it’s highly unlikely they’ll pursue the 35-year-old, six-time All-Star from nearby Tomball, Texas,” Sam Amick wrote for The Athletic as the Butler rumors began to percolate. “There’s still an aversion to the prospect of adding any star in his mid-to-late 30s.”
MORE: This Warriors package could land Jimmy Butler
Warriors The Warriors aren’t a championship team as currently constructed. They do have an avenue to get there. Stephen Curry is still playing like an All-NBA player, and they need one more guy. They’ve looked at Butler before. Now could be the time to get that deal done.
Butler could give Golden State a badly-needed second scorer and a more reliable player than Jonathan Kuminga, who would likely have to be outgoing in any significant trade.
In addition to a nice prospect in Kuminga, the Warriors have up to three picks they could move. They have the pieces to get a deal done both in terms of salary and assets, and they certainly have the need.
The Heat have never been interested in bottoming out during the Pat Riley era, and that probably isn’t changing as the executive turns 80 in March. A trade with the Warriors could bring back some solid veterans that could keep the team afloat while replenishing that draft stash and getting Kuminga in the door.
Trae Young got the best of the Knicks at Madison Square Garden once again.
The All-Star point guard eliminated the Knicks from the NBA Cup and advanced to the semifinals in Las Vegas. His 22 points and 11 assists helped the Hawks win the third quarter, 34-18, which gave them all the advantage needed to win the game, 108-100.
WATCH:Hawks vs. Bucks LIVE on Sling
Just like the 2021 NBA playoffs, the Hawks will face the Bucks prior to the championship game. Giannis Antetokounmpo is having yet another MVP-caliber season highlighted with his 37-point outing against the Magic in the quarterfinals.
The Bucks had a rough start to the season but have since turned it around, winning nine of their last 11 games. Not many teams are as hot as Milwaukee right now.
It’s the second straight season that the Bucks reached the semifinals of the NBA Cup. This time, they’ll try to reach the championship game and face the winner of the Thunder vs. Rockets matchup.
The Sporting News has all the details on how to watch Bucks vs. Hawks today.
What channel is Bucks vs. Hawks on today? TV channel: TNT Live stream: Sling Fans can watch this semifinal match between the Bucks and Hawks live on TNT.
For those without cable, Sling will have a live stream on its platform.
Bucks vs. Hawks start time Date: Saturday, Dec. 14 Time: 4:30 p.m. ET Bucks vs. Hawks tips off on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET in Las Vegas.
Bucks vs. Hawks radio station Radio station: SiriusXM channels 80, 86 Fans can listen to Bucks vs. Hawks live on SiriusXM channels 80 (Hawks broadcast) and 86 (Bucks broadcast).
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The Rockets narrowly made it to the NBA Cup semifinals with their 91-90 win over the Warriors on Wednesday.
Houston went on a 7-0 run to end the game that included multiple shot clock violations to keep Golden State at bay. The Rockets defense is intense, and it’ll present a challenge to MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Las Vegas.
WATCH:Thunder vs. Rockets LIVE on Sling
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.2 points, 6.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He’s led the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference with the Rockets 2.5 games behind.
Unlike the Eastern Conference semifinals, this is a matchup of the two top seeds in the conference. The Thunder will continue to be without Chet Holmgren as he recovers from his hip fracture. Even without the star big, Oklahoma City has been excellent, winning eight of its last 10.
Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein have been essential in Holmgren’s absence. Williams is averaging 21.8 points per game this season, while Hartenstein is averaging 12.8 boards per game.
Both squads have great depth and will give a potential sneak peak for a Western Conference playoff matchup in the spring.
The Sporting News has all the details on how to watch Thunder vs. Rockets.
In fact, former NBA players even began claiming Minnesota traded away the wrong player.
Right now, the Wolves are hardly a playoff team. Which for a team that reached the Western Conference Finals a year ago is unacceptable. Some rumors have circulated that Minnesota could be looking to move either Randle or DiVincenzo. Neither player’s performance this year has had Wolves fans jumping out of the gym.
Perhaps, the move that is needed to be made is a bigger one. Rumors are circulating that Philadelphia Sixers center Joel Embiid’s days with the Sixers are numbered. A recent article from Hoops Habit suggests that Minnesota is one of four teams that should be lining up to trade for Embiid. In this trade projection, the Wolves would have to include Randle in the deal.
It’s important to note Embiid cannot be traded during this season.
While any team would be lucky to acquire the former NBA MVP, the Wolves would become an instant favorite if they managed to do so and somehow keep Randle. Without much to offer in terms of future draft picks, Minnesota arguably has the best players that they could include in an offer.
Fadeaway World proposes it would likely take a package that includes Rudy Gobert, DiVincenzo, and another player in addition to some future draft picks.
While it will be difficult to complete two blockbuster trades in one season, the thought of pairing Anthony Edwards alongside Embiid sounds enticing. It’s a trade that would have a high-risk, high reward. It’s a trade that could work out for both the Sixers and the Wolves.
