2025 NBA Trade Deadline Thread

[perks-a-beast]

I think Jimmy is getting underrated.

The guy is still a stud.

He is putting up 17ppg in only 30.6mpg. He is shooting 54% from the field. He is getting 6.4 FTAs per game on 10.5 FGAs. Phenomenal number of FTAs / FGAs. His strong FG% and high number of FTs means he is still a super efficient scorer at 63.8% TS%.

He is averaging 4.8 assists per game to only 1.2 turnovers. A 4:1 AST:TOV ratio. That is a phenomenal figure for a PG nevermind a wing player. Another 5.2 rebounds per game. Again in just 30 minutes a night. Still a very good defensive player.

He is a major difference maker.

This is the best co-star Steph has had since Durant 4-5 years ago. He hasn't had an All-Star caliber teammate since then. Klay post-injury wasn't an All-Star caliber guy. Neither was Draymond was had declined. Jimmy Butler is still an All-Star caliber talent.

Yeah, I agree. It was only like 18 months ago that Jimmy was torching teams in the 2023 playoffs, looking like the 2nd best player next to Jokic. With that being said, I still doubt this trade pushes Golden State past the first round. The west is just so deep.

[jpotter33]

I think Jimmy is getting underrated.

The guy is still a stud.

He is putting up 17ppg in only 30.6mpg. He is shooting 54% from the field. He is getting 6.4 FTAs per game on 10.5 FGAs. Phenomenal number of FTAs / FGAs. His strong FG% and high number of FTs means he is still a super efficient scorer at 63.8% TS%.

He is averaging 4.8 assists per game to only 1.2 turnovers. A 4:1 AST:TOV ratio. That is a phenomenal figure for a PG nevermind a wing player. Another 5.2 rebounds per game. Again in just 30 minutes a night. Still a very good defensive player.

He is a major difference maker.

This is the best co-star Steph has had since Durant 4-5 years ago. He hasn't had an All-Star caliber teammate since then. Klay post-injury wasn't an All-Star caliber guy. Neither was Draymond was had declined. Jimmy Butler is still an All-Star caliber talent.

Yeah, I agree. It was only like 18 months ago that Jimmy was torching teams in the 2023 playoffs, looking like the 2nd best player next to Jokic. With that being said, I still doubt this trade pushes Golden State past the first round. The west is just so deep.

He's declined substantially since then.

His Thibs years have also started catching up to his body. I think my skepticism is as much about the unlikely reality of them all staying healthy as anything, let alone how deep the West is. While I think the East has higher top-end talent in the C's, Cavs, and to a lesser extent Knicks, the West is super deep with 1-8 going to be a blood bath. OKC is likely to get one of the Mavs, SAS, Warriors, TWolves, or Suns as a first round opponent. That's rough.

[Who]

Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr is getting criticized for the Schoder trade. He gave up 3 2nd round picks to get Schroder just 2 months ago and now had to give up another 2nd round pick to Utah order to get the expiring contract the Warriors needed to get Jimmy Butler that they had right from the start with D Melton prior to trading him for Schoder. A 4 2nd round pick 2 month experiment.

Warriors were 14 wins 10 losses prior to Schoder.
They have been 11 wins 14 losses with Schroder.

Destabilized their lineup. Repeated the Monta / Steph undersized backcourt problems that could not defend or rebound the SG position with Steph and Schoder. Hurt them on the court. Hurt them in draft capital. 2 month wasteful experiment.

[jpotter33]

West

Frontrunner = OKC
Contenders = MEM, SAS, GSW
Good Playoffs Teams = DAL, HOU, MIN, PHX, DEN
Borderline Playoff Teams = LAC, LAL, SAC
Lotto = POR, UTA, NOP

LAC are a question mark. Middling team if Kawhi isn't healthy which he probably won't be. A good playoff team if he is healthy.

That's a pretty optimistic view of SAS and GSW, especially knowing the gauntlet they'd have to get through to come out of the West, to then likely have to play Boston. Just don't see it. SAS is still too young and new together, and I don't think GSW's older players hold up that long.

And no Denver as a contender? I struggle to say that they're not still a contender just on the basis of Jokic alone. Agree that Houston is closer to a good playoff team than a true contender with their offensive limitations. Dallas is a bit of a wildcard, as I do think they have the possibility to be a contender if they mesh well.

I'd put all of Phoenix, LAL, and LAC in a space between borderline and good playoff team depending upon health, meshing, and further trades.

[Who]

West

Frontrunner = OKC
Contenders = MEM, SAS, GSW
Good Playoffs Teams = DAL, HOU, MIN, PHX, DEN
Borderline Playoff Teams = LAC, LAL, SAC
Lotto = POR, UTA, NOP

LAC are a question mark. Middling team if Kawhi isn't healthy which he probably won't be. A good playoff team if he is healthy.

That's a pretty optimistic view of SAS and GSW, especially knowing the gauntlet they'd have to get through to come out of the West, to then likely have to play Boston. Just don't see it. SAS is still too young and new together, and I don't think GSW's older players hold up that long.

And no Denver as a contender? I struggle to say that they're not still a contender just on the basis of Jokic alone. Agree that Houston is closer to a good playoff team than a true contender with their offensive limitations. Dallas is a bit of a wildcard, as I do think they have the possibility to be a contender if they mesh well.

I'd put all of Phoenix, LAL, and LAC in a space between borderline and good playoff team depending upon health, meshing, and further trades.

Yeah, I am not sold on Denver yet.

I have two main questions:

(1) Which Jamal Murray will show up? They need an All-Star level Jamal Murray to challenge for a title. He played badly to start the year. He has picked up since then but mostly played SG next to Westbrook at PG. Will that continue or will Westbrook switch back to a bench role? Will Jamal Murray still play as well at PG?

I want to wait and see how that plays out before I put Denver back up there.

(2) Is the supporting cast good enough?

I thought Denver needed the triumphate of A Gordon, Bruce Brown & KCP to provide the defense & athleticism necessary to complement the offensive talents of Jokic, MPJ and Jamal Murray. Aaron Gordon is still there but both B Brown and KCP are gone. C Braun has steadily developed. I am still not sure he is realiable enough on offense as an outside shooter. I am not sure they have enough defense & athleticism alongside their offensive talent.


So ... I'm still in a wait and see mode with this team. I'm not convinced by them at this stage. I think they are a level below title contender until they prove otherwise. Or at least that is my approach to them.

[Who]

Westbrook's splits as starter / reserve

Reserve = 21 games 24mpg 11.4ppg 5.6apg 3.7rpg 40% FG% 34% 3PT% 49.7% TS%

Starter = 27 games 30.5mpg 14.2ppg 7.0apg 6.2rpg 53.4% FG% 32.6% 3PT% 60.1% TS%


I want to see that rotation stabilize into something. Whether that is Westbrook as the starter or the reserve and what that looks like. He is a big variable in all this.

[Who]

Update on the Jazz & Pistons part of the Jimmy Butler trade

League sources have confirmed to the Deseret News that as a part of the deal the Jazz are sending recently acquired P.J. Tucker to the Miami Heat.

The Jazz are receiving Dennis Schroeder from the Warriors as well as a 2031 second-round pick. The pick will be the less favorable from either the Heat or Indiana Pacers.

According to reports, the deal has been agreed upon by four teams involved. So far, Golden State is receiving Butler, Miami is getting Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Tucker, the Detroit Pistons are acquiring Lindy Waters from the Warriors and Josh Richardson from the Heat and the Jazz are getting Schroeder.

I did not even realize the Pistons were in the deal. Getting Lindy Waters is a nice gain for them. He has played very well for GSW. Good bench SF. Two way guy.

[Goldstar88]

Wonder if Smart gets traded. Grizzlies don?t really need him with the emergence of Pippen Jr.

[Who]

I wonder how Detroit are fitting in these 3 new players -- KJ Martin, Josh Richardson, and Lindy Waters.

G: Jaden Ivey, Marcus Sasser
G: Cade Cunningham, Malik Beasley, Wendell Moore Jr
F: Tim Hardaway Jr, S Fontecchio, Ron Holland
F: Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, B Klintman
C: J Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Paul Reed

That is only 1 free roster spot with 3 players incoming.

Somebody is getting cut. Probably KJ Martin as soon as he arrives. I wonder who else.

Lindy Waters should step in as the new backup SF. I like him better than Fontecchio. Fontecchio is solid but Lindy Waters is good.

[Who]

Wonder if Smart gets traded. Grizzlies don?t really need him either the smarter of Pippen Jr.

I'd love to see them trade Smart and get back a piece that fits them better. I think Memphis are the 2nd best team in the West. Good Big 3. Good supporting cast. Good mix of defense & offense. A well rounded team. Unlike some of the other good teams in the West.

It would be great if they could get Cam Johnson from Brooklyn. Although it sounds like him moving is now considered unlikely. Nobody is meeting their asking price.

[Who]

Notably, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Kuzma has agreed to reduced his trade bonus to help push this deal through for the Bucks.

That matters because this deal saves the Bucks enough money to get under the second apron. Teams above the second apron cannot aggregate salaries in trades, meaning Milwaukee was limited in the sort of moves it could make to improve ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.

Now, however, the Bucks can aggregate salaries, and that therefore opens the door to a number of follow-up moves.

The likeliest course for them now would be to attempt to aggregate the salaries of Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis, who make around $22 million combined, to trade for another significant piece.

They still have their 2031 first-round pick at their disposal to entice sellers as well.

So we could see the Bucks make another big move.

They need to make another big move. They are not good enough yet. They could be interesting if they can pull it off.

The New York Knicks have agreed to trade Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks for Delon Wright and cash as part of a larger Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma trade with the Washington Wizards.

The Bucks agreed to acquire Kuzma from the Wizards earlier on Wednesday.

[Goldstar88]

The Pelicans are closing in on trading Brandon Ingram to the Raptors, per @ChrisBHaynes

[Who]

Michael Grange @michaelgrange

Interesting wrinkle floated to me from a Western Conference exec: Raptors and Pelicans have talked about an Ingram deal centred on Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher. Money works. Theory is Raps attach some kind of pick capitol for Ingram's bird rights.

Cheap addition. What a steal that would be.

Looks like nobody was offering value for B Ingram. Better something than nothing NOP must be thinking.

Brett Siegel
@BrettSiegelNBA

The framework of a Brandon Ingram-Raptors trade being discussed early this evening revolved around Bruce Brown, Chris Boucher, and a first-round pick (unknown if there were protections attached).

We will see in Toronto can in fact close the deal on Ingram.

One 1st round pick. Be interesting to see which year and what protections.

Will Guillory @WillGuillory

Brandon Ingram is no longer on the Pelicans bench. Was sitting there with his teammates during the 1st half.

[Who]

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto

BREAKING: The New Orleans Pelicans are trading Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick, league sources told @hoopshype

Sounds like it is official now.

The rumour was right about Bruce Brown but wrong about Boucher. It is Olynyk rather than Boucher. 1 first rounder. 1 2nd rounder.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

Breaking: The New Orleans Pelicans have traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder, sources tell ESPN

Shams confirms

[Goldstar88]

Wild trade deadline!