Timberwolves’ Pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, What to Watch
Some news, notes and observations from a surprisingly busy Tuesday of trade deadline week …
Latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo
As the hours tick toward the NBA trade deadline, Minnesota’s aggressive pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo has drawn attention. The Timberwolves are on Antetokounmpo’s so-called list, sources tell Sports Illustrated, with the Wolves operating under the belief that Antetokounmpo would not only welcome a deal to Minnesota—where he would be paired with 24-year-old Anthony Edwards—but be ready to sign a long-term extension.
Acquiring Antetokounmpo, though, is challenging. The Bucks want Jaden McDaniels, a source tells SI, with Milwaukee seeing McDaniels, 25, as a potential future All-Star. But the Bucks also want multiple first-round draft picks, sources say, and Minnesota’s war chest of them is nearly empty.
It’s why the Wolves have been canvassing the league in search of them. One source who has discussed a deal with Minnesota tells SI the Timberwolves have been clear that most of the roster—sans Edwards, of course—is up for discussion for the right draft compensation. The belief is Minnesota will have to get as many as four teams involved to make a deal work.
As much as Minnesota is facing competition for Antetokounmpo, it’s also fighting the headwinds coming from teams urging the Bucks not to trade him. Multiple teams have told Milwaukee that they would have offers—or in some cases better offers—after the season, when several teams would have more draft picks to deal. “Minnesota badly wants to get it done now,” says a rival exec. “They don’t want to get into a bidding war before the draft.”
Inside James Harden–Darius Garland trade
Fewer than 24 hours after Sports Illustrated reported that the Clippers and Cavaliers were in advanced negotiations on a James Harden/Darius Garland trade, the two sides agreed to a deal to swap ex-All-Star point guards. While Cleveland had pushed for Los Angeles to include a first-round draft pick or swap rights, it was the Cavs who attached a second-round pick to get the deal done.
For Cleveland, this is a big swing. With guard Donovan Mitchell extension eligible this summer, the Cavs needed to be bold. Garland was an All-Star last season, playing 75 games and helping power Cleveland to the No. 1 seed in the East. But he has been limited by injuries this season and has not played since Jan. 14 due to a toe sprain.
Harden has had mixed results in the postseason, but he’s a durable scorer with 173 playoff games on his résumé. And Harden’s history of bringing the best out of big men, like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, figures to supercharge the Cavaliers’ offense, at least in the short term.
Trading Harden wasn’t the Clippers’ first choice, but L.A. salvaged the situation by landing Garland, a 26-year-old two-time All-Star. The hope in Los Angeles is that Garland can return from his latest injury and help Kawhi Leonard in the Clippers’ playoff push and become the centerpiece of the team in the future.
MORE: Tracking Every Move Ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline
Are the Jazz ready to win?
The acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr., part of an eight-player trade with Memphis that will send three first-round picks back to the Grizzlies, sends a strong signal that Utah is ready to enter a new phase in its rebuild. Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, is a menace, a shot blocking forward who is shooting 35.9% from three this season. Jackson and Lauri Markkanen form a dynamic frontcourt combination—one under Utah’s control through 2029.
Will that happen this season? Utah’s 2026 first-round pick situation has been well chronicled. If it lands inside the top eight, the Jazz keep it. Outside, it goes to Oklahoma City. With Jackson joining Markkanen, Keyonte George and Ace Bailey, Utah has a talented young roster. But it needs a star, one who could be available in the lottery. The team needs to keep that pick, and they know it.
How Walker Kessler fits in will have to be addressed, too. Kessler, out for the season with a torn labrum, is a restricted free agent this summer and will generate interest. He averaged a double-double last season and led the NBA in offensive rebounds per game. Jackson and Markkanen will make $95 million next season, while the Jazz will also need to make a large financial commitment to George, who is extension eligible this summer. Can Utah afford to pay more than $20 million to Kessler? Can a Kessler/Jackson/Markkanen front line work? Stay tuned.
Grizzlies ramp up efforts to move Ja Morant
Expect Memphis to ramp up its efforts to move Ja Morant. The Grizzlies are flush with draft capital (12 first-round picks over the next seven years) which relieves the pressure on getting max value for Morant. Interest in Morant has been minimal, a source says. Concerns over his availability, attitude and diminished production has resulted in a cool market. Sacramento, Miami and Minnesota are three teams believed to be in the mix, with some clarity expected after Milwaukee makes a decision on what it intends to do with Antetokounmpo. And the Grizzlies may be more inclined just to offload him than maximize his return.
MORE: All the Latest NBA Trade Rumors and Rumblings Before the Deadline
Pistons fortify East’s top team
The Pistons made a nice move. Detroit loves its roster, so much so that Jaden Ivey was the only rotation player believed to be available, based largely on Ivey’s free agent status this summer. Picking up Kevin Huerter would have been a bigger deal three years ago, when Huerter was a 40% three-point shooter in Sacramento. Huerter has regressed since then—he’s shooting a career-low 31.4% this season.
Still, Huerter isn’t that far removed from his Kings days and who could forget the breakout postseason he had in Atlanta in 2021. Shooting is a glaring weakness in Detroit, one of the few the Pistons needed to address. If Huerter can rediscover some of his old magic in a limited role, he could be just the kind of pickup that can make a difference.
How Celtics view Nikola Vučević
Nikola Vučević is an outstanding pickup in Boston. After spending the last few weeks hunting for a big man, the Celtics flipped Anfernee Simons (and his expiring $27.7 million contract) for Vučević (and his $21.5 million expiring deal). The Boston Globe reported that Vučević will slide into the trade exception created by the trade that sent Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta, which will allow the Celtics to create another trade exception for Simons’s deal. The trade also slashes Boston’s tax bill from $39.5 million to $17 million, pushing the Celtics under the first apron.
Beefing up the frontcourt has been a priority for the Brad Stevens–led front office. Boston has had surprising success with its smallish roster but there was a strong belief that the team needed something more than just Neemias Queta in the middle. Vučević is a flawed defender, but he is an outstanding offensive big who is shooting 37.6% from three this season. It’s a move that gives Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla more optionality in his rotation.
Kings looking for more moves
Keon Ellis may not be the only Kings player on the move. Sacramento has not had much success generating interest in veteran wings Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is a strong candidate to be bought out after the deadline while the Kings will likely try again to move LaVine in the offseason, should LaVine pick up his player option. There is interest in Domantas Sabonis—Toronto is reportedly in the mix, if the Raptors can find a team to take Jakob Poeltl—but it may only result in a salary dump.
What to keep an eye on Wednesday?
Beyond Antetokounmpo—duh—there could be a flurry of smaller deals.
- Teams have probed the Pelicans on the availability of Trey Murphy III, but New Orleans’s asking price has been high.
- Chicago has fielded calls on Coby White, sources say.
- Boston could off-load Chris Boucher in a salary dump.
- Denver is expected to try to make a small move with one of its back benchers to dip under the luxury tax line.
- Could Oklahoma City do something? The tight-lipped Thunder have some moveable contracts, a boatload of draft picks and a need for more perimeter shooting. OKC is 15th in the NBA in three-point percentage this season.
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