NBA Trade Deadline Notes & Rumors: Clippers Continue To Pursue Championship Talent - Siegel's Scoop

The Los Angeles Clippers continue to search the trade market for ways to improve their championship odds ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, as well as other notes and rumors from around the league in the latest edition of Siegel’s Scoop.

Kyrie Irving being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks has set the pace for what should be a very busy trade deadline. The idea of competing for a championship is cemented in the minds of many front-offices around the league and while Irving going to Dallas was not ideal for the Los Angeles Clippers given their pursuit of the All-Star, they still remain in the hunt for championship-level talent.

Looking to add a star-like guard to pair with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in recent weeks, the Clippers had been in contact with the Nets about a possible Irving trade ahead of Sunday's trade. League sources told Fastbreak on FanNation that the Clippers were willing to give up both Luke Kennard and Terance Mann, as well as various draft picks and swaps, but Brooklyn was showing more interest in what other teams had to offer, specifically the veteran players that could instantly keep the Nets near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Clippers have been in the market for a new point guard in recent weeks and they have not been shy about going after big names on bigger contracts. Utah Jazz veteran Mike Conley, Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier and Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet have been three players Los Angeles has been targeting in recent weeks and there is some momentum beginning to form in regards to the Clippers interest in Miami Heat veteran guard Kyle Lowry.

Since joining the Heat ahead of the start of the 2021-22 season, Lowry has not looked like the All-Star talent he was all those years in Toronto and Miami has talked with a handful of teams around the league about the possibility of dealing him ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

Still having one more year left on his contract after this season worth $29.6 million, the Clippers are viewed as one of the only teams in the league who would be willing to take on Lowry’s contract, especially given his relationship with Kawhi Leonard and history of winning the 2019 NBA Finals together with the Raptors.

D’Angelo Russell has also been brought up as a possible trade target for the Clippers in recent days, but Russell’s style of play does not necessarily fit in with that of Leonard and George. Not to mention, he is in the final year of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. 

Other than Leonard and George, the Clippers seem willing to deal any of their assets in order to improve their chances of contending for a title this season. Their willingness to move Terance Mann for Kyrie Irving was news to many around the league, as Los Angeles had not been wanting to move Mann in previous trade discussions.

Owner Steve Ballmer has never been afraid to spend a lot of money in taxes to field a competitive team in Los Angeles and once again, this appears to be the Clippers’ mindset trending towards Thursday. At this point, it would be surprising to see them hold off and not make a move to add talent to their roster.

After trading Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks, the Nets now find themselves in a very interesting spot as a franchise. Kevin Durant remains sidelined due to a sprained MCL in his right knee, but in his absence and without Irving on the roster, second-year guard Cam Thomas has really stepped up for Brooklyn.

Thomas has scored a combined 91 points in his last two games for the Nets and recently became the second-youngest player to have back-to-back 44-point games in NBA history, trailing only LeBron James.

Moving forward, Thomas figures to hold a much bigger role offensively for the Brooklyn Nets, but this organization is still expected to be active right up until the deadline passes. League sources have informed Fastbreak that the Nets are interested in moving Ben Simmons, but rival teams have shown zero interest in Simmons given his performance on the court this season and the weight of his contract. Just to trade him, the Nets would likely have to add draft assets as incentives for a team to trade for Ben Simmons.

As for what the future holds for Kevin Durant, the Nets stance remains the same as it has been ever since they agreed to move forward with Durant in the offseason – They are not interested in trading him.

There are a handful of front-office personnel around the league who think Durant could become available in the offseason should the Nets fail to make it out of the first-round of the playoffs this season. Due to this belief, there are some organizations who are willing to sit back and save their assets at this trade deadline in order to make a run at Brooklyn’s star in the offseason.

At this time though, the Nets have not engaged with teams on a potential Kevin Durant trade ahead of this season’s trade deadline, as a conglomerate of other reporters have said the same.

What this year’s trade deadline really comes down to is whether or not the Toronto Raptors take a step back as an organization and wind up dealing core pieces of their roster in Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and/or Pascal Siakam.

Out of these four players, Siakam remains the most likely player to be dealt from Toronto, but the Nets did recently talk with the Raptors about the availability of both VanVleet and Siakam. Overall though, Fred VanVleet has received a ton of interest from teams who are in the championship mix this season.

Not only are the Nets and Clippers interested in him, but the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers have also shown a lot of interest in VanVleet. Due to the fact that he is expected to opt out of his contract this summer and enter unrestricted free agency, Fred VanVleet is being viewed as the best available player at this trade deadline right now.

Gary Trent Jr. continues to be a potential pivot option for teams interested in VanVleet and O.G. Anunoby is another player who could really make-or-break this trade deadline for many teams. Being a skilled “3-and-D” wing with room to grow, Anunoby has been a trade target for several teams such as the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies. Owning various draft assets over the next few seasons, the Grizzlies could realistically offer the best trade package, sources say, especially since the Raptors have internal interest in recent first-round pick Ziaire Williams.

Teams around the league continue to monitor the Toronto Raptors and what Masai Ujiri has planned for the future of his franchise.

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Other News, Notes & Rumors From Around The NBA:

Atlanta Hawks: Bogdan Bogdanovic remains a key player being brought up in trade discussions around the league. As mentioned previously, the Lakers, Mavericks, Pelicans and Cavaliers have all expressed interest in trading for him.

Boston Celtics: Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics’ front-office are exploring the possibility of adding secondary talent ahead of the trade deadline. The Celtics could move players like Grant Williams or Payton Pritchard, but they will only do so in the event that they can get an established contributor of equal value, leading many to think that Boston won’t be making a big move.

Brooklyn Nets: Spencer Dinwiddie can still be traded from the Nets, but he cannot be traded with another player in the deal. For example, he could be traded for a player like Raptors’ guard Fred VanVleet along with draft picks and cash considerations. However, a deal like this is unlikely, as the Raptors could get more value for VanVleet elsewhere despite them having interest in Dinwiddie through the years.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team that some around the league believe are still negotiating in the shadows. Do not be shocked if they get in the trade deadline mix closer to the actual deadline time and make a move to add more talent in attempts to make a real push for the top spot in the East. Keep an eye on Josh Hart, as the Portland Trail Blazers have struggled recently and Cleveland has shown interest in Hart previously. One league source brought up the possibility of the Cavaliers also getting in the mix for a player like Gary Trent Jr. or O.G. Anunoby from Toronto despite Cleveland not having an outright first-round pick that they can trade away. Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro and Dylan Windler are the team’s best trade assets at this time.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers have been in contact with several teams since their plans of trading for Kyrie Irving were shot down, most notable being the Toronto Raptors. As mentioned earlier, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. remain key targets for the Lakers.

Philadelphia 76ers: It is certainly a possibility that the 76ers look to move both Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz, who recently requested a trade, together, giving the franchise the ability to address their depth further for impactful players on the trade market. Philadelphia is said to be in the market for more frontcourt help.

Phoenix Suns: Given that the Suns offered Chris Paul for Kyrie Irving recently, there is a belief that they could be willing to do so for Fred VanVleet, a younger, already proven option that could take over Paul’s spot alongside Devin Booker for many years to come. The Suns have given thought to what their future looks like with Paul not getting any younger.

Utah Jazz: Jarred Vanderbilt is likely to be dealt ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, sources told Fastbreak on FanNation. The Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers have all reached out to the Utah Jazz about a potential deal for Vanderbilt and according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, the Jazz have an offer for Vanderbilt from a Western Conference team that would net them multiple second-round picks. 

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