Rockets
Multiple reports suggest that the Rockets have expressed interest in Nets small forward Mikal Bridges, but they can probably forget it. The Nets are telling teams that Bridges is off-limits, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
“Word is that Brooklyn won’t yield on Bridges’ off-limits status even if the Rockets made Jalen Green part of the trade package,” Stein wrote.
- The Rockets have trade interest in multiple big men, per The Athletic. The list includes the Hawks’ Clint Capela, Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams, Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk and Bulls’ Andre Drummond.
- Rockets small forward Jae’Sean Tate is drawing interest from the Celtics and Suns, per that same report from The Athletic.
Jazz
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and Olynyk continue to draw trade interest (including from the Knicks), though guard Collin Sexton may be unavailable, per Stein.
“Sexton’s play as a starter has been among the keys to Utah’s 17-9 rebound from a 7-16 start,” Stein wrote. “League sources have this week described Sexton as more unlikely than likely to be moved; he’s averaging 21.6 points and 5.5 assists in 26 starts while shooting 50.4% from the field and 41.7% from 3-point range.”
- Utah guard/forward Talen Horton-Tucker is another name to watch on the trade front, Stein noted.
Lakers
- Along with Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, the Lakers continue to express strong interest in Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forwards Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
- In fact, the Nets could send all three players to Los Angeles, Charania relayed on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. But it would take guard D’Angelo Russell and forward Rui Hachimura.
- Of course, some wonder if such a deal would even move the needle for a Lakers team that’s very average at the moment.