NBA Central

The Indiana Pacers will acquire center Thomas Bryant in an upcoming trade with the Miami Heat, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday.

The deal will involve a second-round pick swap, per Charania.

Bryant is playing on a one-year, $2 million contract and becomes eligible for a trade on Sunday.

The Miami Heat have agreed on a trade to send center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers, sources tell ESPN. The Pacers will send a swap of a future second-round pick to the Heat for Bryant, who is trade-eligible on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/7mFjeICgZW

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 13, 2024

Appearing in 10 games so far this season, Bryant has averaged 4.1 points in 11.5 minutes per night while serving as a backup to Heat center Bam Adebayo.

The trade will help the Heat in the franchise's bid to stay below the second luxury tax apron.

The exchange will save the Heat $4.7 million against the tax, leaving them $3.7 million below the second apron, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. The Heat also gained a $2.1 million trade exception by trading Bryant, per Marks.

The deal will meanwhile leave the Heat with just 13 roster players. Miami will need to get back to the 14-man minimum within two weeks.

Roster/financial ramifications in Miami

Tax savings: $4.7M

Below 2nd apron: $3.7M

Players on standard contracts: 13

The Heat have 2 weeks to sign a 14th player.

They will create a $2.1M Trade Exception

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 13, 2024

The deal meanwhile leaves the Pacers just below the luxury tax, according to Marks.

The Pacers have 15 roster players and could make another deal in order to send out some salary.

Financial/roster ramifications in Indiana

Thomas Bryant is on a $2M expiring contract.

Below the tax: $126,526

Roster: 15 players on standard contracts

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 13, 2024

Kevin Love has served as Adebayo's primary backup since the Heat acquired him in a midseason trade with the Cleveland Guardians last campaign.

The addition of Kel'el Ware in the 2024 NBA draft added another option behind Love and made Bryant a movable option for a team in need of moving out some salary.

Bryant could now get more playing opportunities in Indiana, where the Pacers have been hunting for a backup to play behind Myles Turner since losing Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman to Achilles injuries.

Obi Toppin has been backing up Turner in Jackson and Wiseman's place. Adding Bryant could allow Toppin to return to his true position at forward.

The Pacers play on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, but will have to wait until at least Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans to potentially add Bryant to the lineup.

With Zach LaVine in the midst of the best start to a season of his career, the Chicago Bulls still aren't getting a lot of trade interest in the two-time All-Star.

One person close to the situation told ESPNs Brian Windhorst that "nothing has changed" regarding LaVine's status.

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of a deal is LaVine's contract. He is making $43 million this season, $46 million in 2025-26 and has a $49 million player option for 2026-27.

Under the new apron rules that make teams more cognizant of how much money they are spending, paying close to top-of-the-market salaries to a good-not-great player is tough to do.

Windhorst noted last week that there were likely to be fewer deals at the trade deadline because teams are being smarter about the types of deals they are willing to make.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported in November that the Golden State Warriors internally discussed trading for LaVine last season, but they "do not presently have much interest."

LaVine has certainly helped his value across the league with his start to the season. He's averaging 22.1 points on 50.6 percent shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 22 starts.

The 22 games LaVine has played nearly matches his total from the 2023-24 season (25). If he can remain healthy and keep playing at this level, there's a chance a playoff contender will take a chance on him in a midseason trade.

As things currently stand, though, LaVine will look to continue helping the Bulls win games. Their 10-15 record entering play on Friday ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference.

The Indiana Pacers are "actively pursuing" a backup center after losing James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson to season-ending injuries, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.

Wiseman suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during the Pacers' season opener, while Jackson suffered a right Achilles tendon tear ten days later.

Charania's report comes after the Pacers waived center Moses Brown on Monday. Indiana could use another player to join Obi Toppin in backing up starting center Myles Turner.

Brown, a mid-season signing, made his Pacers debut on Nov. 20. He played a season-high 12:28 minutes in his third game before the team began to restrict his playing time.

The backup center played fewer than five minutes in each of his last five appearances, culminating in him spending just 25 seconds on the court in a Dec. 4 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He was then benched twice prior to being waived. The Pacers took on a $306,660 cap charge for releasing him, per Spotrac.

Brown's release coincided with the NBA granting the Pacers disabled player exceptions for $2.2 million and $1.2 million following the season-ending injuries to Jackson and Wiseman, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

The Pacers can now use those exceptions to take on salary that will not count against the salary cap when making a trade. The incoming salary can be worth up to $100,000 more than the DPE and still qualify, per Hoops Rumors.

Because the DPE can only be applied for this season, the Pacers will have to target players on expiring contracts or one-year deals. That market will open further on Dec. 15, when most free agents who signed last season become trade-eligible.

The Pacers currently sit just over $7 million below the first apron of the luxury tax, and $17 million below the highly-restrictive second apron, per Spotrac. Waiving Brown and instead using the DPE to sign a different backup center could help Indiana avoid trade and draft penalties by remaining below those thresholds.

Trade interest in Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine isn't very high, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

"He's having an excellent year," Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective (12:00 mark). "We know that he's been on the trade block for a year now, at least. Yet, I hear nothing about LaVine on the trade market and I don't think it's because the Bulls aren't interested in trading him."

LaVine's contract is likely contributing to opposing front offices avoiding him in trade talks, as he's set to earn $43 million for the 2024-25 season and $45.6 million during his 2025-26 campaign. The two-time All-Star also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Dec. 2 that "multiple executives" have deemed Chicago's asking price for LaVine as "too high" in negotiations.

After appearing in just 25 games during a 2023-24 campaign that was marred by foot surgery, the 29-year-old has started the Bulls' current season on a high note.

LaVine is averaging 22.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point territory. He's scored at least 30 points in each of Chicago's past two games.

ZACH LAVINE COULDN’T BE STOPPED AND DROPPED 18 (6 THREES) IN THE 4TH 😤 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5lZStJqmLm

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 19, 2024

The Bulls sit at 10-15 to begin the year as they've prioritized the development of a young core that features Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Josh Giddey and Patrick Williams.

LaVine could generate more buzz once the Feb. 6 trade deadline draws closer, but he doesn't appear to be on the verge of getting dealt by Chicago anytime soon.

In the midst of arguably the best start to a season in his already stellar career, Giannis Antetokounmpo has his sights set on winning a third MVP award.

Speaking to Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar admitted winning another MVP "definitely might put tears in my eyes" if it were to happen.

"I do want to be part of that conversation," he added. "It lets me know I was able to help my team, carry my team, solidified [us as a team]. I'm not gonna lie, it definitely means something to me."

As recently as two weeks ago, the idea of Antetokounmpo being a strong factor in the MVP race seemed far-fetched through no fault of his own. He has been playing at an elite level all season, but the Bucks lost eight of their first 10 games and were 4-9 after a Nov. 16 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Following that loss, though, the Bucks went on a seven-game winning streak that moved them over .500. Their streak came to an end on Wednesday with a 119-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but they are still fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Antetokounmpo is currently leading the NBA in scoring average with a career-high 32.6 points per game on 61.6 percent shooting. He ranks sixth in rebounds (11.6) and 15th in assists (6.6).

The biggest feather Antetokounmpo hat is his dominance in the paint and transition.

Giannis

21.2 points per game in the paint - 1st
6.1 fastbreak points - 1st

Restricted Area makes per game

1) Giannis - 9.3
2) Anthony Davis - 5.8

— Brian Barrett (@itsbrianbarrett) December 6, 2024

Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Karl-Anthony Towns are the only other players in the NBA averaging at least 25 points per game and shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

The biggest challenger to Antetokounmpo in the MVP race at this point is Jokić. Already a three-time MVP winner, Jokić has somehow taken his game to another level. He is averaging a triple-double with 29.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.

If the race remains close between those two over the course of the entire season, the deciding factor could end up being team standings. They have virtually the same record, with the Nuggets at 11-9 entering Friday.

Thanks to the overall mediocrity of the Eastern Conference, the Bucks are a playoff team as things stand right now. The Nuggets are percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (12-10) for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Another MVP award would put Antetokounmpo in rarified air. Only nine players in NBA history have won MVP at least three times.

The Chicago Bulls have a pair of coveted trade targets in veterans Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, but it sounds like teams around the NBA are discouraged about their chances of acquiring either one of them.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Monday that "multiple executives who've spoken to the Bulls say Chicago still has asking prices that are 'too high' for LaVine and Vučević, given their contracts."

Both LaVine and Vučević are signed through the 2025-26 season. LaVine is making $43 million this year and $46 million in 2025-26, and he also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. Vučević has $41.4 million remaining on his deal for the rest of this season and next year.

At 8-13, the Bulls sit in last place in the Central Division. LaVine leads the team with 22.0 points per game, while Vučević is right behind him with 20.9 points in addition to a team-best 10.0 rebounds. Both players are shooting over 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three-point range, so they would undoubtedly be difference-makers on teams hoping to contend for an NBA championship within the next two years.

However, Chicago has proven to be stubborn in recent years regarding its trade decisions. The team held onto combo guard Alex Caruso for multiple seasons despite him being one of the most coveted players at the trade deadline. The Bulls ultimately traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past offseason in exchange for guard Josh Giddey.

At this point, it appears that the Bulls are in need of a rebuild, and the only way to fully commit to it is to trade away its stars to acquire future assets. However, the team will need to adjust its demands if it hopes to complete deals for LaVine and Vučević.

Chicago Bulls power forward Patrick Williams has drawn little interest from opposing teams, according to NBA Insider Jake Fischer in The Stein Line.

Fischer reported "few rival executives" have "expressed much interest" in Williams amid the Bulls' 8-12 start to the season.

Williams signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Bulls before the season, and per Fischer, several teams, including the Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors, were linked to him ahead of his restricted free agency last summer.

As the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline approaches, Bulls executives have been in contact with several teams regarding potential trades. They are reportedly open to moving most of their roster, including key players like Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vučević, according to Fischer.

"Most notably, sources say, Chicago has expressed a desire to move LaVine, Vučević and Ball — who collectively command nearly $85 million in salary this season," Fischer wrote. "The fact they were willing to move DeMar and [Alex] Caruso [this past offseason], they're willing to move anybody [now]."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHLoTub1QuU

The 23-year-old Florida State product was selected fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and earned All-Rookie Second Team honors.

In his fourth season with the Bulls, he has averaged 9.9 points per game, 2.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 39.4 percent from the three-point line.

Williams appeared in just 43 games last season with the Bulls before undergoing season-ending foot surgery.

This season, he has been dealing with lingering issues from the injury and has not played since Nov. 18 against the Detroit Pistons due to inflammation in his surgically repaired foot, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters.

Chicago holds an 8-12 record and sits 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and six of the past seven.

Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vučević could be worth two second-round picks in a potential trade, a general manager told NBA insider Jake Fischer.

"One GM told me he would put the two-time All-Star's likely price point in a trade at two second-round picks," Fischer wrote.

Vučević is playing this season on a $20 million cap hit. He is signed for one more campaign at $21.5 million before hitting free agency in 2025.

Through 20 starts, Vučević is shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 44.9 from three-point range for an average of 20.4 points per game. If maintained through 82 contests, that would mark the most productive season of his Bulls career.

According to Fischer, the Bulls "have been messaging to rival front offices that they are willing to discuss the majority of their roster in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline."

In these messages the Bulls have indicated an interest in trading Vučević as well as Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, NBA sources told Fischer.

Vučević and Ball, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, are on the most tradable contracts of the group. LaVine, who has reportedly been on the trade block for at least the past season, is signed for at least one more season with a $49 million player option for 2026-27.

Should Bulls general manager Marc Eversley find a way to move this trio, Chicago would have more room to maneuver in a rebuild. The contracts for LaVine and Vučević are currently set to take up more than 43 percent of the team's 2025-26 cap, per Spotrac.

The Bulls sit tenth in the East after opening the season with an 8-12 record. Should the team miss the playoffs, it would mark the seventh time in eight years without a postseason in Chicago.

That streak has left the Bulls ready for a complete turnover of their core. Win-now teams in need of a big man ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline will meanwhile be left consider whether they are willing to give up multiple Day 2 picks in order to acquire Vučević.

The Chicago Bulls may be preparing for a fire sale.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line that the Bulls executives have been in touch with other team's about potential moves ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline and are open to moving the majority of their roster, including Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vučević.

"No surprise, then, that Bulls executives, according to league sources, have been messaging to rival front offices that they are willing to discuss the majority of their roster in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline," Fischer wrote. "Most notably, sources say, Chicago has expressed a desire to move LaVine, Vučević and Ball — who collectively command nearly $85 million in salary this season."Arturas is trying to drive up attention for all of his guys — he's smart," said one league figure with knowledge of the Bulls' thinking. "The fact they were willing to move DeMar and [Alex] Caruso [this past offseason], they're willing to move anybody [now]."

Chicago is currently 8-12 and sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have missed the postseason in the last two seasons and have been out of the playoffs six times in the last seven years.

While this year's team could turn around the season, the talent disparity between them and the top team's in the conference could make a fire sale more attractive. The Bulls do have some interesting pieces, so recouping as much value as possible could be a good strategy.

LaVine is averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 17 games thus far in 2024-25. He is under contract through 2025-26 with a player option for 2026-27, and a team closer to contention may view him as a solid addition to add to the core.

Vučević is averaging 20.4 points with 9.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 20 games thus far in 2-2024-25. The 33-year-old is under contract through 2025-26 and will not likely line up with any Bulls success, so trading him when his value may be the way to go.

Ball has had his career derailed by injuries and has only appeared in four games in 2024-25. He is set to hit free agency next season and while his value may not be as high as it was, Chicago could salvage something from him and allow him to revitalize his career elsewhere.

With core pieces like Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, Coby White and Patrick Williams in the earlier stages of their career, Chicago could be best suited moving off of the older core and embracing the youth.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to a scorching start under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, but star guard Donovan Mitchell isn't taking credit for the move.

While speaking to The Athletic's Sam Amick, Mitchell pushed back on the narrative that he was responsible for the Cavs firing former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after last season and replacing him with Atkinson.

"I wanted the organization to make that (coaching) decision," Mitchell said. "Obviously I know people probably think I f--king did all of it, but at the end of the day, I trust in (Cavs general manager) Koby (Altman). I trust in the front office to be like, 'All right, what's the decision?' And then you figure out what the future looks like."

Atkinson has led Cleveland to a 17-1 start, the best record in the NBA. Mitchell leads the team with 24.4 points per game while also adding 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

In four-plus seasons under Bickerstaff, the Cavs made two playoff appearances and never advanced past the second round. Mitchell played over 35 minutes per game in his two years with Bickerstaff at the helm, leading to concerns about his usage after he sustained injuries. This season, he's playing a career-low 31.2 minutes per game while shooting a career-high 41.1 percent from three-point range.

Bickerstaff is now with the rebuilding Detroit Pistons and has the team off to an 8-11 start, so it appears that the changes have worked out for all sides.

Mitchell and the Cavs will be going for their third straight win when they meat the Atlanta Hawks (7-11) on Wednesday night.