NBA Intel: A near trade deadline deal and buyout market updates

Reporting on 76ers and Bulls trade talks for Andre Drummond fell through, more potential buyout candidates, a Nerlens Noel update, and more from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

Following the NBA trade deadline, HoopsHype has gathered new intel on trade talks that fell through between the 76ers and Bulls, reporting on how the buyout market took shape behind the scenes for Danilo Gallinari and Thaddeus Young, whether more buyout candidates could hit the market and a Nerlens Noel update.

NBA Trade Deadline Rumors: The latest intel on all 30 teams

HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto reports on the latest intel on all 30 NBA teams ahead of the trade deadline.

With hours until the NBA trade deadline, here’s the latest intel on all 30 teams gathered by HoopsHype. This story will be updated with any new intel as the deadline nears.

Jalen Green: Four trade destinations that make sense

An increasingly common term used in the discourse around roster construction is that of “direction”, and while perhaps overused, it speaks to an important principle. Much as a large degree of NBA roster management is about opportunism, fortune, …

An increasingly common term used in the discourse around roster construction is that of “direction”, and while perhaps overused, it speaks to an important principle. Much as a large degree of NBA roster management is about opportunism, fortune, circumstances and scouting successes, teams are ultimately implicitly required to know who they are and where they are going, behind the obvious answer of “hopefully we will win a title like this”. Knowing the speed of travel, and when the time is to change it, is key.

To that end, the Houston Rockets have unashamedly picked a direction. Since the demise of the James Harden era, they have been last, last and second-last in the Western Conference, winning only 17, 20 and 22 games in the previous three seasons. It was not pretty, but at least it was a direction, and it yielded the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 picks across the last three drafts accordingly.

Since the last of those, though, they have distinctly changed direction. Summer-time expenditure on win-now veterans such as Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks spoke to an intent to move out of the bottom bracket, and last week’s trade of three second-round picks for the 30-year-old Steven Adams doubles down on that position. Their 23 wins so far this season, while far from competitive, have seen them move into the middle ground from the doldrums; the Rockets clearly feel as though there is better value to be had from moving forward with a more competitive environment surrounding their young core, rather than bottoming out further to add to it.

One of those young players, though, appears not to have made the grade. With just two days until the NBA trade deadline, third-year guard Jalen Green’s name has circulated in the trade rumors for some time, and, given the adage that there is no smoke without fire, his time with the team looks as though it might soon be coming to an end, less than three years after being the purpose of the first direction.

Green has averaged 18.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 49 games so far this season, and while this represents a slight decline from his 22.1 scoring average a season ago, there is nothing wrong on the surface. The decline in volume with the addition of VanVleet has not however seen any increase in his efficiency, particularly in the paint, and the defensive progress has been slow. So too has the limited passing vision.

Looking more like Collin Sexton than Donovan Mitchell, Green’s place at the top of the Rockets’ core list has been lost to Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr and arguably also Tari Eason, with Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore still to come. If the Rockets are true to their reported intention of getting older to try and make the 2024 playoffs, his spot is the vulnerable one.

Nevertheless, a third-year player who only turns 22 this week and who already has a season above the 20-point-per-game threshold under his belt will always have some value in the market. Here are four possible trade destinations for Green if Houston can get a deal over the line in the next 48 hours.

NBA Trade Deadline Intel: Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Cavs, Mavs, Nets, Pistons, Wizards, Grizzlies, Wolves

NBA trade deadline intel reporting on the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nets, Pistons, Wizards, Grizzlies, and Timberwolves from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

With the start of NBA trade deadline week upon us, here’s the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA Trade Deadline Rumors: Knicks, Clippers, Jazz, Rockets, Hawks, Nets, Wizards

NBA trade deadline rumors on the Knicks, Clippers, Jazz, Rockets, Hawks, Nets, and Wizards from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

With the calendar turning to February and the NBA trade deadline a week away, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel surrounding the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards below.

NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Knicks, Lakers, Warriors, Nets, Rockets, Raptors, Hawks, Pistons

NBA trade deadline preview with reporting on the Knicks, Lakers, Warriors, Nets, Jazz, 76ers, Rockets, Raptors, Cavaliers, Hawks, Pistons, Thunder, and more from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto and ESPN’s Bobby Marks on the latest HoopsHype podcast.

HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto and ESPN’s Bobby Marks report the latest intel on the Knicks, Lakers, Warriors, Nets, Jazz, 76ers, Rockets, Raptors, Cavaliers, Hawks, Pistons, and Thunder on the latest episode of The HoopsHype Podcast.

For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.

Top NBA trade candidates eligible December 15 for 2023-24 season

The top NBA trade-eligible candidates after December 15 for the 2023-24 season, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan.

A look at the top trade-eligible candidates after December 15th for the 2023-24 season with our Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto and salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan on the latest episode of The HoopsHype Podcast.

For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.

NBA Notebook: Chris Paul, Austin Reaves, Immanuel Quickley, Cole Anthony, Warriors, Pistons, Rockets

HoopsHype explains why the Warriors could trade Chris Paul, why the Pistons are struggling, who’s leading the Sixth Man of the Year race, and what’s behind the rise of the Rockets.

This week’s HoopsHype NBA notebook explains why the Golden State Warriors could trade Chris Paul if they continue to struggle from our capologist Yossi Gozlan, a look behind the scenes at how the Houston Rockets have turned things around this season in a chat with point guard Aaron Holiday from our Michael Scotto, why the Detroit Pistons are struggling mightily from our Frank Urbina and the leading Sixth Man of the Year candidates from our Alberto De Roa.

Top NBA trade candidates for the 2023-24 season

Reporting on the top NBA trade candidates for the 2023-24 season on each team from HoopsHype Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto.

Following the James Harden deal to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season and the recent trade chatter surrounding Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, HoopsHype spoke with 15 NBA executives and league sources to project the top trade candidates for each team this season.

Media poll: Ranking NBA arenas from best to worst

HoopsHype polled media members to rank NBA arenas from best to worst.

What are the top NBA arenas to attend games across the league?

HoopsHype polled 35 media members who’ve traveled to arenas across the country to find out which are the best in the league. Their criteria ranged from the crowd’s atmosphere and energy to the quality of the arena, culinary offerings, and lighting.

Below are the results of the poll, including a fiercely contested three-way battle for the top spot between New York, Los Angeles, and Boston.