Around the league, there’s a growing sense that the trade market may open earlier than usual - and that some of the names moving before the Feb. 11 deadline could be bigger than expected.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reports that executives believe the Nets will at least explore the market for several of their veteran pieces, including Michael Porter Jr. Brooklyn doesn’t control its own first-round pick in June because it still owes Houston from the 2021 James Harden deal, which gives the Nets another reason to consider moving players.
Fischer also notes that the market may be softer than usual, with fewer teams willing to sell off talent for draft capital. As one unnamed Eastern Conference team strategist put it, “There will be less sellers than ever before.”
Porter Jr. is earning $40.8MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Fischer also reports that the Pacers are checking on mid-tier upgrades as they try to navigate Tyrese Haliburton’s hamstring injury. Indiana had already been linked to Nique Clifford before he was dealt to the Thunder.
The Clippers, meanwhile, could be looking at a different kind of move. After having so many draft assets stripped away as punishment for circumventing the salary cap, they may be motivated to shop Max Strus, Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and possibly Brandon Ingram in an effort to rebuild their pick stash.
Milwaukee is also drawing attention. The league is investigating Gary Trent Jr.’s four-year, $64MM extension, and Fischer says rival teams are wondering whether the Bucks are handing investigators even more to examine by keeping Trent out of the rotation. That scrutiny comes after Trent signed a pair of one-year, team-friendly deals before landing the extension.
One other wrinkle Fischer hears: teams with losing records may be more inclined to strike deals soon after Dec. 15, when most of July’s free-agent signings become trade-eligible. The thinking is simple - a team could get about 30 extra games from a player while giving up roughly the same draft capital it would cost in February.
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