The Boston Celtics are interested in moving up to select Mo Bamba, according to sources.
The Celtics would likely need to trade up to the No. 3 through No. 6 range in order to select Bamba.
The Celtics have a need for a defensive center and Bamba projects as a potential All-Defensive caliber player.
Boston owns the No. 27 overall pick and have multiple other assets available.
The Denver Nuggets continue to pursue a trade of Kenneth Faried, who has been out of their rotation for some time now.
"The Nuggets have been trying to get off of Kenneth Faried's contract for a year plus," said Wojnarowski. "They're a candidate to use that 14th pick to get off of that salary."
Faried has one more season at $13.8 million on his contract and moving that salary could help give the Nuggets cap flexibility.
The Toronto Raptors will explore all options on the trade market this offseason, according to multiple sources.
The Raptors parted ways with Dwane Casey, which could decrease the odds of a major overhaul of the roster even if they will still gauge the value of DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valancinuas.
The Raptors could also cut salary in the form of Serge Ibaka or Norman Powell.
If the situation between Karl-Anthony Towns and Tom Thibodeau reaches a point of no-return, Adrian Wojnarowski believes ownership would side with Towns.
“I think their owner would trade management/the coach before he would trade Karl-Anthony Towns,” Wojnarowski said on The Russillo Show. “I don’t think they would allow that. I just don’t believe they’d allow that kind of decision. And I don’t know that they’d want to trade him. To answer this first, Minnesota’s bigger issue is not…he’s Karl-Anthony Towns, they’re not moving him, Towns is eligible for his extension this summer. You know Jimmy Butler…it’s more of a question of Andrew Wiggins. That to me would be, if someone was going to get moved — and I’m not saying anyone’s going to get moved — I think Andrew Wiggins is the one you’re going to look at first. Because…you don’t have to make a decision on Towns and Jimmy Butler and one of those guys having to take less on an extension, because you can’t have three [max] guys.”
During an appearance on The Jump on Monday, Brian Windhorst expanded upon the Minnesota Timberwolves' uncertain offseason, particularly when it comes to Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns becomes eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
"Let's just put it this way: I didn't make this up," Windhorst said. "People in the league have been saying, 'You know, maybe we should call and take a look and see what's going on with Karl Towns.' He and Tom Thibodeau did not have a great season together, I think that's fair to say. They recently fired Vince Legarza, who was his strength and conditioning coach, actually his workout coach with the Wolves and, according to The Athletic, didn't tell him about it, he found out when everybody else did.
"I don't think the Wolves are looking to trade him, but teams are definitely sniffing around as if maybe there's something here. And the reason why it's important now is that he's due to sign an extension this summer. And if you don't get the extension signed, if he's not committed to the franchise, what happens? I just think that ... they've already taken some calls on him, this is not new -- the Clippers called and offered Blake Griffin for him -- in my belief they are going to get more calls on him, especially in the wake of what seems to be a disconnect between Karl and the franchise."
The San Antonio Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs on April 24th in Game 1 of the first round, but they have still yet to meet with Kawhi Leonard.
The Spurs hope to meet with Leonard and his representatives to mend the relationship and come to terms on a five-year, $219 million supermax contract. Leonard can sign the extension with the Spurs starting July 1st.
If the Spurs are unable to to come to terms with Leonard, they are expected to explore their options on the trade market.
Leonard spent most of the 17-18 season away from the Spurs rehabbing a quad issue.
The Los Angeles Clippers are open to packaging their No. 12 and No. 13 picks to move up in the draft.
Michael Porter Jr. could be a possible target for the Clippers, according to a front office executive.
Steve Ballmer attended the media session as last week's combine and even paused his own interview with listen behind a media scrum around Porter.
Ballmer saw Porter play in high school.
“About my only real contribution [to the draft] is to say, ‘Hey, I saw some high school kid in Seattle and he looked really good.’ And it turns out it’s probably a kid who will be the no. 1 or no. 2 pick,” Ballmer said on The Bill Simmons Podcast in March 2017. “[Porter] plays in the same league as my son, so I have watched him play a few times. … And they say, ‘Thank you very much for your scouting. Go back to that mathy stuff.’”
Devin Booker posted a photo of Karl-Anthony Towns in a Phoenix Suns jersey a few hours after ESPN speculated about the big man's future with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Booker and Towns were teammates at the University of Kentucky.
— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) May 19, 2018
With the first and 16th overall picks in this year's draft, along with incoming first rounders in 2019 from the Bucks and 2021 from the Heat, the Suns could put together an attractive trade package for Towns.
The Suns are also on record that the first overall pick could be made available.
Towns is eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
The Golden State Warriors have bought early second round picks in each of the past two drafts, acquiring Patrick McCaw in 2016 at No. 38 and Jordan Bell in 2017 at No. 38.
The Warriors' first round pick will be at No. 28 this year.
“For us, it’s (players drafted) 20 to 40 or 20 to 50. Those are the players that are here to some extent,” Lacob said. “And that’s where we are — 28. Maybe we’ll buy a second-round pick again. I’m very aggressive with respective to those, as you know.”
With such an expensive roster, the Warriors have had to round out their roster as cheaply as possible.
The Phoenix Suns are believed to be in favor of selecting Deandre Ayton with the first overall pick, but that's dependent on them keeping the pick.
Ryan McDonough revealed the Suns could consider trading the No. 1 pick depending on what is offered, even if it's an established player.
“We’re certainly open to that," said McDonough. "We’ll consider it. I think we’ll have more information closer to the draft than we do today after we go through the workout process and the interview process. Get the medicals, physicals.
"We’re open to that. I think if you look around the NBA, as far as the veteran players, there are probably a few we’d consider trading the pick for, outright, just pick for player. It will be a busy month for us.”
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