We’re just days out from the 2026 NBA Draft, and with that the trade rumors are coming in hot. Here is a roundup of some of the latest talk and speculation around the Association.
The Detroit Pistons have to pay Jalen Duren this summer. Combine that with how Paul Reed showed out in the playoffs, and the Pistons are making physical defensive center Isaiah Stewart available this summer, something first reported by Sam Amick at The Athletic.
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The Bucks, Celtics, Spurs and Heat are the four teams at the front of the line for Stewart, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.
It makes sense for Boston, which is looking to upgrade its front line heading into a season where it expects to contend for a title. Stewart would be a defensive upgrade and bring some needed physicality to the Celtics. San Antonio is looking for a physical presence who can both play alongside Victor Wembanyama at times and serve as a solid backup big. Miami needs talent up front (especially if they have to trade Kel’el Ware in a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal), while the Bucks need talent everywhere.
Stewart, at 6’8″, is a very physical defensive presence in the paint who blocked 1.6 shots per game last season and held players to a league best 43.8% shooting at the rim when he was the primary defender. He’s not much of an offensive player, but he did average 10 points a game on 55% shooting last season.
Celtics discussed Gobert trade
As noted above, and with all due respect to Neemias Queta (who had a solid season for Boston), the Celtics knew they needed an upgrade at center if they planned to contend last season with Jayson Tatum back, and they still need that going into this coming season.
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That led the Celtics to ask the Timberwolves about Rudy Gobert at the February trade deadline, reports Fischer at The Stein Line. The idea was likely at its core a Derrick White for Gobert swap. Fischer notes Minnesota is not actively shopping Gobert, but their GM, Tim Connelly, is aggressive and at least open to considering an unexpected trade.
Minnesota eyes other trades
With Donte DiVincenzo out for much, if not all, of next season, the Timberwolves are looking for wing and guard depth — that’s why they like Boston’s White.
They also have their eyes on Josh Giddey, reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Take this one with a grain of salt. Giddey needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective, and Minnesota doesn’t want to take the ball out of Anthony Edwards‘ hands. Plus, Giddey does not come cheap, he is just entering the second season of a four-year, $100 million contract. Hard to imagine Minnesota making that move.
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Fischer adds this interesting note: Minnesota has been more open to putting Julius Randle in trade talks than Gobert, while Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid remain “off-limits.”
Grizzlies hope Morant becomes Plan B
It’s no secret that the Memphis Grizzlies are looking to trade Ja Morant this summer. They tried to find a deal at the February trade deadline — when they sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah — but nothing emerged. This summer, the Grizzlies are hoping that Morant becomes the “Plan B” for a team that strikes out in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic. Miami is the obvious name here, although the Heat remain the frontrunner to land Antetokounmpo if he’s dealt.
What other teams are interested? Here is Amick on Run It Back.
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“The only two teams I have heard and I will pick one of them is New Orleans and Sacramento. I will probably push it the New Orleans way.”
New Orleans wants to win now, and pairing Morant with Zion Williamson would be an interesting dynamic (at least for the handful of games when both are healthy during a season). Sacramento is resetting from its older core and Morant, 26, could be a key part of that.
Other Trade Rumors
• Boston has its eyes on Trey Murphy III and may try to make a deal for the New Orleans two-way wing. The Celtics could throw a couple of first-round picks in a deal.
• Portland reportedly would like to get in the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes if Boston makes him available. Except, right now, he’s not really available. Maybe in an Antetokounmpo trade (Boston would want that straight up), but don’t bet on Boston just shopping the All-NBA player coming off the best season of his career.
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• Luka Doncic laid out what he is looking for from the Lakers this offseason in an interview in Slovenia (hat tip Hoophype):
“I always need shooters around me because normally they double me quite a lot, so I think that I need shooters and some centers that jump a lot, defend, and put up blocks.”
The Lakers know the blueprint and are looking for those kinds of players, but the supply side of that equation is making things difficult.
