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NBA Rumour Roundup: Could Fox team up with Spurs' Wembanyama?

Move aside Jimmy Butler, there's a new biggest fish on the market.

While the basketball world has been locked in on the seemingly never-ending drama in South Florida, the NBA — which might as well stand for Never Boring Association at this point — decided to kick the rumour mill into overdrive.

On Tuesday night ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Sacramento Kings are now open to trade talks for their star guard De'Aaron Fox ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.

Despite the All-Star having a full season remaining on his current five-year, $163 million deal after the 2024-25 campaign, his time with the team that drafted him fifth overall eight years ago might be over sooner rather than later.

Fox already rejected a three-year extension offer from the Kings in the summer because he wanted to "make sure where we're at" before re-committing long-term, and with Sacramento middling at 24-22 (10th in the West) this season — even after letting go of head coach Mike Brown and going 11-4 through their last 15 — both sides appear ready for a fresh start.

Unsurprisingly, there will be "plenty of suitors" vying for the 27-year-old's services, according to Charania.

Fox is averaging 25.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.5 steals through 43 games. He ranks top 25 in the NBA for scoring, assists and steals, while his 28.3 per cent usage rate is seventh amongst those who've played at least 40 games. Fox made the All-NBA third team just two seasons ago when he also took home the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award.

Acquiring the guard, while tantalizing, may not be so simple, however, as he appears to have a "preferred destination" in mind per multiple reports.

Considering Fox is represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, the agent and agency also managing LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it would be natural to assume his desired landing spot is the Los Angeles Lakers. But that's not the case, as L.A. is "not a destination of choice" for the Kentucky product, according to Charania.

Another option that appears off the table is Houston. The Rockets have more youngsters than they can find playing time for, plenty of movable contracts, a boatload of picks and about $15 million under the first apron to work with. So, as far as competing teams go, they've arguably got the most flexibility to make a big swing. However, given the leap the team has taken on its own — currently 31-14, second in the West and ranked top 10 on both ends — the front office is reportedly committed to seeing how far the group can go as presently constructed.

Meanwhile, although Fox's camp has not yet revealed where he'd want to go, ESPN's James Ham, who covers the Kings locally, reported that the Spurs seem to be his team of choice. Sam Amick of the Athletic added that San Antonio has "long been seen" as the likely destination for Fox by people across the league.

And it's easy to see why the move would make sense, as pairing Fox's dynamic downhill scoring and playmaking with the otherworldly talent of Victor Wembanyama could quickly put the Spurs on a trajectory the rest of the league is frankly not prepared for.

Is the Jimmy Butler vs. Miami Heat saga done yet?

Raise your hand if you're also over it.

What started as a typical scorned star butting heads with a stubborn front office has turned into a two-month standoff for the ages as neither side seemed ready to capitulate.

The good news is that an end appears to be in sight.

After the Heat suspended Butler yet again — this time indefinitely after he walked out of practice early — the team "backed down on their asks" in trade talks for the All-Star, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. Insider Marc Stein took it a step further, reporting the Heat "have made it their mission" to find a deal for Butler before the deadline.

With Miami's asking price lower than before, it's appeared to have piqued the interest of multiple teams throughout the league.

NBA insider Kevin O'Connor reported that the Warriors are back in the mix for the six-time All-Star, given the reduced cost, while Charania says Golden State, along with the Phoenix Suns, are both in active talks with Miami.

Although the Suns remain one of the favourites to land the 35-year-old, Bradley Beal's continued unwillingness to waive his no-trade clause has made trade frameworks increasingly complicated. According to the Athletic's Fred Katz, the guard has already rejected the notion of going to Chicago in a multi-team deal, eliminating the Bulls as a possible middleman in a larger trade structure.

Beal's reluctance to a move was also reaffirmed by his agent, Mark Bartelstein, who recently refuted reports about the guard's openness to lifting the no-trade clause for certain teams, countering that the guard is focused on "helping turn things around for the Suns."

However, that snag wasn't enough to slow the Butler trade rumours, as he's now being linked to teams like the Philadelphia 76ers — who are reportedly being pushed by Joel Embiid to reunite the former teammates, according to Yahoo Sports' Vince Goodwill.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks are another team to keep an eye on in the Butler sweepstakes, according to Stein. If the Bucks can shed some salary, like Pat Connaughton's $9.4 million, for instance, they'd get under the second apron and could put together a package surrounding vets Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis to try and entice Miami with immediate contributors. ESPN's Windhorst previously reported that the pair were available on the trade market as Milwaukee tries to add an "impact player" to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

With Butler's price tag nearing clearance sale levels as things keep deteriorating in Miami, and more teams now throwing their names in the mix, a move should be on the horizon sooner rather than later.

Could the Raptors be a seller and buyer?

Toronto is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, winners of five of their last six while boasting the league's No. 1 defence over the past seven games. Unsurprisingly, the heightened success coupled with the team's rebuilding timeline has put the spotlight on a handful of its players.

For instance, interest in forward Chris Boucher appears to be on the rise as he continues to play some of his best basketball. Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto reported that the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks have all expressed interest in the Montreal native recently.

Despite Boucher's reported willingness to re-sign with Toronto, he's on a movable expiring contract worth $10.8 million, and his play could warrant a deal that's too good for the Raptors to pass up. Through the team's four-game win streak, the 32-year-old is third on the roster in scoring (14.0 points) while nailing 45 per cent of his three-point attempts.

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      He's also just one of a couple Raps veterans who've heard their name swirl around in the rumour mill in recent weeks. Bruce Brown Jr., who's on an expiring $23 million deal, is also a name that has popped up — namely in larger trade structures surrounding Butler — while big men Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk also appear to be receiving varying degrees of interest.

      And while all the talk for the Raptors ahead of the deadline is about the players they could end up selling, is there a chance they could also look to buy? According to Stein, Toronto has "emerged as a team to watch" for Pelicans' forward Brandon Ingram.

      Sportsnet's Michael Grange recently reported that the Raptors are thought to be looking for a "significant piece" to pair with Barnes. So, could the six-foot-eight former All-Star be who they're after? Ingram has battled injuries this year, missing 23 consecutive games due to an ankle sprain, but in the 18 games he has suited up for, he averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 37.4 per cent from deep.

      The 27-year-old is currently owed $36 million this year before unrestricted free agency in the summer, and the idea of re-signing him is murky at best, especially if the team keeps Poeltl, who's extension eligible next year.

      But if there's a team that could go left when everyone expects them to go right, it's the Raptors. The question is whether it would end up being a buy-low high-upside move like their 2018 acquisition of Kawhi Leonard (which obviously worked out) or if it pans out like when Toronto re-acquired Poeltl two years ago and gave up a pick to the Spurs that turned into No. 8 overall in 2024 just to get bounced out from the Play-In tournament.

      Are Raptors genuine suitors for Pelicans' Brandon Ingram?
      Marc Stein joins The Raptors Show to discuss the rumours that the Toronto Raptors have interest in New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, including how the former All-Star fits from a talent and timeline perspective.
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        Fastbreaks

        • We might be getting close to Chicago finally hitting the big red reset button they've refused to these last couple of years. The Bulls are reportedly "open for business," according to Chicago Sun Times' Joe Cowley, with rookie Matas Buzelis as the only untouchable player on the roster. So, with aging vets like Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic gaining traction around the league and a prime buyout candidate in Lonzo Ball, it begs the question: Are the Bulls a lynchpin for this upcoming deadline?

        • It wouldn't be right to discuss NBA trade rumours without bringing up the Lakers. Despite ESPN's Windhorst reporting that Los Angeles has shown "little sign of aggression" in the trade market as they remain uneager to part with future first-rounders, continued comments by James and Davis have the pressure mounting. Namely, Davis has expressed a desire to shift down to the four spot, telling reporters, "I think we need another big." Ask, and you might receive AD, as the Lakers have been linked to centres Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Vucevic, while most recent reporting by Clutch Points' Anthony Irwin also has the team in talks with the Pacers for Myles Turner.

        • The Brooklyn Nets are a team that has popped up in the rumour mill of late, and surprisingly, not as sellers. Despite starting the fire sale already by dealing vets Dennis Schroder to the Warriors and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers, the Nets are seemingly among the teams looking to buy when it comes to Fox and have been monitoring the situation in Sacramento, according to SNY's Ian Begley. Meanwhile, New York Post's Brian Lewis reported that while Fox is a bigger target than Butler, Brooklyn's "ultimate prize" would be Bucks star Antetokounmpo. While highly unlikely given the Nets' timeline and the former two-time MVP being locked up for at least two more seasons, if the situation in Milwaukee deteriorates suddenly, the Nets have all the capital and upcoming cap space to pull off a blockbuster.

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