NBA trade discussions are heating up ahead of the league's Feb. 8 deadline, and it's possible that we haven't seen the last of this year's major moves. Several teams are still looking to make roster changes for the back half of 2023-24 and rumors are swirling around a few notable names. We'll go over the latest news.
Milwaukee Bucks kicking the tires on Dejounte Murray
The Bucks were deemed the early winners of the offseason when they shipped off Jrue Holiday in a deal that brought Damian Lillard to town. However, they might not be done making upgrades. Milwaukee has emerged as one of the teams interested in acquiring Murray, according to a report from Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. The Bucks' once-elite defense has struggled at times this campaign and Murray could provide a much-needed boost as a pest on the perimeter. Whether Milwaukee has the assets to make such a deal remains to be seen. The Los Angeles Lakers are also among Murray's strongest suitors.
New York Knicks interested in Jordan Clarkson
The Knicks made a splash when they unexpectedly sent RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby and want to add guard depth as well. New York feels that it needs to bolster its front-court following the departure of Immanuel Quickley, and Clarkson is one of their preferred targets, according to a report from Marc Stein. The Utah Jazz combo guard is thriving in a backup role behind Collin Sexton and could provide a scoring spark off the bench for a Knicks squad that's short on primary ball handlers. New York has also been linked to Malcolm Brogdon, Terry Rozier and Alec Burks. Quentin Grimes is among the players most likely to be traded if the Knicks find a suitable deal.
Portland Trail Blazers content with keeping Jerami Grant
Grant is nearly halfway through the first season of a five-year, $160 million deal, and it doesn't seem like he's headed anywhere new anytime soon. The 29-year-old wing is viewed as an important piece during Portland's rebuild and GM Joe Cronin would prefer that he stays on board to provide mentorship, according to a dispatch from the Rose Garden Report's Sean Highkin. Multiple teams are interested in Grant, who's averaging just shy of his career-high in points and shooting 41.2% from long range. As Grant told Highkin, "I'm cool here. I'm good with what I'm doing." And that will appear to be the case moving forward.
