Pistons
The Pistons are the only NBA team with cap room, a luxury that becomes even more crucial in the next 12 days as the trade deadline looms, wrote Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors.
After a disastrous 14-68 campaign, Detroit has surprised many with a 23-21 start and a No. 6 seed in the East. If the season ended today, they’d be in the playoffs, making this a pivotal moment in their rebuilding process.
While their cap space could be used to absorb bad contracts for future assets, the Pistons might lean toward acquiring a player who can help immediately, Adams suggested.
Since Jaden Ivey‘s injury, the need for a playmaking guard has become more pressing. However, big names like Bradley Beal or Zach LaVine don’t seem like fits — especially with their long-term contracts and the cost of multiple rotation players to match salaries.
Plus, adding an expensive star could disrupt the development of Ivey and Cade Cunningham, who had shown promise together.
A more realistic target might be Bulls guard Coby White, who has a manageable deal and can play both guard spots, Adams noted. The Pistons would need to part with a first-round pick, but with their 2025 pick already owed to Minnesota, giving up another one feels premature unless a star player is involved.
Warriors
The Warriors likely won’t make a major splash at the trade deadline, per Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Golden State is expected to wait for a “true difference-maker” before making a big move. So any moves by February 6 are likely to be smaller deals, similar to the Dennis Schroder acquisition last month.
- Mark Medina of RG.org also believes a significant in-season trade is unlikely for the Warriors. Basically, the Warriors seem focused on staying patient and waiting for the right opportunity, rather than forcing a deal.
Bulls
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic dismissed rumors linking him to Golden State, saying Thursday’s game wasn’t an audition, despite the Warriors’ reported interest, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“There’s been many rumors in the past where I then played that certain team I’ve been linked to or not, and it doesn’t really affect me because I don’t think that way,” Vucevic said.
Vucevic struggled in the loss, scoring just nine points, matching his season-low.
- Meanwhile, the Bulls might consider Lonzo Ball their most valuable trade asset ahead of the February 6 deadline, wrote Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.
- Despite Ball’s injury concerns, his expiring deal and strong +7.4 net rating make him an appealing option.
- Chicago is reportedly not in a rush to move on from Ball, who, according to Poe, “quietly commands the locker room” and still holds some influence within the team.
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