Trade rumor rankings: Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant and more

The Denver Post reported last week that the Nuggets were seeking a two-way rotation player and draft compensation, or a first-round pick for Hyland. Sources said the Nuggets felt they had traction on a first-round pick. The Nuggets (and other teams) could be waiting for other major dominoes to fall prior to Thursday’s deadline. Multiple league sources said Toronto, in addition to New Orleans and Minnesota, had registered some level of interest in Hyland.

As for the reported notion that Nuggets ownership might not want to trade Hyland to Minnesota because of the history with Connelly, a Nuggets source insisted that it wouldn’t be an obstacle. And despite Hyland’s stated flaws, the fact remains that he’s a talented young player with two more affordable seasons left on his rookie deal ($2.3 million team option for next season; $4.1 million team option in the 2024-25 campaign) and restricted free agency thereafter.

Several opposing executives have since labeled Fred VanVleet as the most likely Raptor to be traded ahead of Thursday’s deadline. A pair of Western Conference contenders in the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns have been often mentioned as VanVleet suitors. The Lakers, Magic and Timberwolves have also registered interest in VanVleet, sources said. VanVleet is expected to decline his $22 million option for the 2023-24 season in search of a pay raise that approaches a maximum salary and certainly north of $30 million.

With that in mind, multiple sources told Action Network there’s real interest from the Magic in Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet. Of all the Raptors’ assets, VanVleet is thought to be the most available — he’s seeking a new long-term deal and nearing 30 years old with a lot of miles on him.

Nearly a third of the league has expressed exploratory trade interest in trading for Sixers back-to-back All-Defensive player Matisse Thybulle at various points this season. The list includes the Hawks and Kings, per Marc Stein, and Warriors, according to Keith Pompey. Other teams who’ve called include the Pacers, Blazers, Bucks, Mavericks, Hornets, Raptors, and Suns, HoopsHype has learned.

Could Wednesday’s contest against the Boston Celtics be Matisse Thybulle’s last game as a member of the 76ers? There’s a belief that the shooting guard will be moved before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline as the team positions itself to win this season’s NBA title. The Sixers (34-18), who are third in the Eastern Conference, could replace him with a suitable backup center to help push the squad to a deep postseason run.

Further complicating matters when trying to assess Toronto’s intentions: There were some fresh rumbles this week that it had explored packaging Trent and some level of draft compensation to San Antonio for Spurs center Jakob Poeltl. That’s a move you would make to try to move up the Eastern Conference ladder — not down. The Raptors, for the record, don’t seem to mind the confusion they’re generating.

The San Antonio Spurs like Poeltl. They could re-sign him after this season. They will want a significant return for him if they do give him up, according to league sources who were granted anonymity to speak freely. If the Celtics do use another first-round pick, it would hamstring their flexibility moving forward. They might want to avoid doing that just to acquire a backup center – even if Poeltl would be a premium backup in that role.

The Bucks have expressed trade interest in New York’s former MVP Derrick Rose, league sources say, but it’s difficult to see a pathway to Milwaukee absorbing Rose’s $14.5 million salary. The Bucks, of course, have been chasing a trade for Phoenix’s Jae Crowder for months and are also regarded as team with interest in the Knicks’ Cam Reddish as well, suggesting that the wing is Milwaukee’s priority.

Now that Kyrie Irving has been traded, maybe the Nets’ position on not trading Kevin Durant as it really was kind of last summer may change. That is an interesting development that has happened over the last 48 hours since the Kyrie trade from people that I’ve talked to.

One factor that had slowed trade talks as of late Tuesday night? Kevin Durant’s uncertain status with the Nets. Several teams said talks had been impacted by Durant because many teams are waiting to see if the All-Star will be available at the deadline. So teams are holding off on any big moves until they get clarity on Durant.

Some of that financial maneuvering could happen before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Mavs have been shopping shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who is owed $34 million over the two remaining years on his contract, since last season, sources told ESPN. That is expected to continue leading up to the deadline, as second-year general manager Nico Harrison hopes to upgrade a 24th-ranked defense that took a significant hit with Finney-Smith’s departure.

“I’m just trying to stay positive, stay in the moment as much as I can, do whatever I can to help the team that I’m on right now — and hopefully moving forward,” Hardaway told ESPN after Monday’s shootaround in Utah.

This week, the list of teams with serious interest in acquiring the former Sixth Man of the Year has been whittled down to a handful of contenders — including the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns — according to multiple league sources who were all granted anonymity in this piece to speak freely. Houston knows Gordon’s position on this matter. He’s made his preference for a trade known to management at different points starting as far back as last offseason, sources said — but has been professional and played his role throughout his time in a Rockets uniform.

The Bucks have expressed trade interest in New York’s former MVP Derrick Rose, league sources say, but it’s difficult to see a pathway to Milwaukee absorbing Rose’s $14.5 million salary. The Bucks, of course, have been chasing a trade for Phoenix’s Jae Crowder for months and are also regarded as team with interest in the Knicks’ Cam Reddish as well, suggesting that the wing is Milwaukee’s priority.