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“The Chicago Bulls are reportedly open for business, and Nikola Vucevic could be one of the most attractive assets available at the trade deadline,” Fansided’s Joseph Kallan wrote Friday.

“Vucevic is enjoying a strong season, averaging 21.0 points and 9.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 58.7 percent from the field.”

“What makes Vucevic especially enticing is the rumored asking price — just two second-round picks. The Bulls are in sell mode, and the Knicks could take advantage of this opportunity to add a versatile big man without mortgaging their future.”

“While Vucevic is capable of starting, he could also provide an elite scoring punch off the bench behind Karl-Anthony Towns, giving the Knicks one of the deepest frontcourts in the league.”

“At $20 million, Vucevic’s contract is relatively affordable for a player of his caliber, making him a low-risk, high-reward option.”

“If Chicago insists on acquiring Robinson in return, the Knicks could push for a player swap, avoiding the need to include draft picks altogether.”

“A deal for Vucevic would not only strengthen their depth but also position them as a team capable of making noise in the postseason.”

“As the trade deadline approaches, the Knicks have a golden opportunity to address their weaknesses and solidify their standing as a contender.”

“Whether it’s landing a defensive anchor in Kessler, a two-way wing in Jones, or a versatile big in Vucevic, the time for Leon Rose to act is now.”

The Bulls aren’t legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference this season, but there’s a reason why Vucevic is a highly sought-after trade target for various franchises.

The 6-foot-10 big man efficiently scores over 20 points per contest, showcasing his ability to thrive in the low post and on the perimeter.

The Knicks would benefit from acquiring a stretch five in Vucevic, who could help anchor the organization’s second unit or complement Towns in the starting lineup.

While Robinson is a serviceable asset when he’s healthy, New York wouldn’t be foolish to swap him for Vucevic this season.

As long as the Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokić playing at an MVP level, they have no excuse to not be in the title hunt. Jokić is one of the most dominant offensive players of all time, although Denver’s 14-10 record has them in the middle of the pack.

Before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the Nuggets are expected to make a move to bolster their lineup. It goes without saying that Jokić is untouchable, and with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon ineligible to be traded this season, Michael Porter Jr. is their only trade chip who makes enough money to balance out a possible deal.

The Nuggets have been linked to the Chicago Bulls and Zach LaVine, although LaVine has a reputation for playing inefficient basketball that doesn’t impact winning. A player with a similar skill set and a proven track record, however, has recently emerged as a possible target.

According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones and Sam Amick, Jordan Poole will be a name to monitor.

The Washington Wizards are expected to sell off their veteran assets as they move to build around Bilal Coulibaly, Alexandre Sarr and Bub Carrington. Poole, who won a title with the Golden State Warriors in 2022, is only 25 years old but doesn’t fit Washington’s young timeline.

He is currently averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals on a career-high 39.2% shooting from 3-point range. He can play both on and off the ball, meaning he can slot in with Murray in the backcourt.

In order to land him, the Nuggets will certainly have to part ways with Porter Jr. The only first-round pick the Nuggets can offer is in 2031, and adding Porter Jr. won’t save the Wizards any money long-term, so the Nuggets might have to pony up and offer a pick swap to make the deal worth it for the rebuilding Wizards.

Despite using their bench incredibly sparingly, the New York Knicks are in a great position moving into the heart of the NBA season. At 16-10, they have jumped over the Orlando Magic for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

They have the third-best offensive rating in the NBA, but their defense, especially under the basket, could use some work. Karl-Anthony Towns is having one of the best years of his career, but the Knicks do not have a proven backup behind him.

Mitchell Robinson, who started 58 games in New York last year, is expected to be out well past the New Year. With only unproven youngsters behind Towns on the depth chart, the Knicks need to prepare for the worst and make a move.

New York has been linked to Walker Kessler, Jonas Valančiūnas, Robert Williams III and other solid backup options, but with limited draft capital and a lot of their money tied up in stars, the Knicks can’t easily make a move for even an average salary.

Instead, the Knicks should target a cheap player on a bad team, like the New Orleans Pelicans. Owed $2 million this year, the Knicks could swap rookie Tyler Kolek for Daniel Theis.

Kolek, as promising as he is, will never get minutes with Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride in town, and he could eventually take over as a floor general in The Big Easy if all goes well. Theis, meanwhile, is averaging 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Pelicans this season.

While Theis is not a long-term fix if Towns goes down, he can hold his own on both ends of the court and keep the Knicks afloat when the starters get a rare rest.

Trading for him might not be as flashy as adding Valančiūnas or Kessler, but in the hunt for a title, the Knicks can’t be glamorous all the time.

The Denver Nuggets have seen varying degrees of success since the start of the 2024-25 season, currently holding a 14-10 record and a spot as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Denver’s three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić could be on his way to winning the award for a fourth time, averaging 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.9 assists on a remarkable 64.4% true shooting percentage.

Even with their superstar center amid his most historic campaign yet, Denver’s supporting cast has not contributed enough at this point in the young season.

Since their 2023 NBA title victory, the Nuggets have seen plenty of valuable role players find new homes in free agency. In turn, their attempts at filling these voids with young talent and reserves from the deepest parts of their depth chart have been unsuccessful.

Specifically, Denver has been lacking a sufficient backup center to offer support for Jokić for the past several years.

This season, the Nuggets’ general manager Calvin Booth could be tempted to solve this problem, as recent reports indicate that he has held preliminary talks with the Washington Wizards front office on the likelihood of acquiring a reliable reserve center.

“The Nuggets and Wizards have conducted dialogue around a potential trade involving Jonas Valančiūnas,” Forbes’ Evan Sidery reported Wednesday afternoon.

“Denver would need to include Zeke Nnaji and a draft pick for Washington to consider. Valančiūnas would become Nikola Jokić’s backup.”

Over the course of the past few seasons, Denver has mostly relied upon the aging DeAndre Jordan and small-ball frontcourt rotations from their reserves when Jokić leaves the floor. As it turns out, these tactics have not been conducive to receiving positive contributions from their frontcourt depth.

With the potential acquisition of Valančiūnas, Denver would finally receive the reserve center help they’ve been craving throughout Jokić’s legendary run during the 2020s.

Valančiūnas is a bruising 6-foot-11 center with plenty of postseason experience from his days as a member of the Toronto Raptors earlier in his career.

The skilled Lithuanian big also shares plenty of similarities to Jokić, as both centers can play a physical brand of basketball while also possessing touch that extends to the three-point line.

In a deal to acquire the 32-year-old averaging 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in just 19.7 minutes this season, the Nuggets would likely deal their 23-year-old forward Nnaji and some form of draft compensation to the lowly Wizards.

The Denver Nuggets have not had the start to the season that they had hoped for. After being expected to contend at the top of the Western Conference, the Nuggets instead hold the fifth seed with a 14-10 record.

Denver’s struggles have mainly been due to their supporting cast around Nikola Jokić. Jokić has once again had an incredible season and is the frontrunner to win the fourth MVP award of his career. While he has dominated, the rest of Denver’s roster has been underwhelming.

Jamal Murray has struggled shooting the ball this season and Aaron Gordon missed time due to an injury. Denver’s offseason additions of Russell Westbrook and Dario Šarić have also not played well, leading to the Nuggets not looking like the championship contender they have been over the past few seasons.

Because of this, the Nuggets are expected to be buyers before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. They have been linked to many players such as Cameron Johnson, Zach Lavine and Jordan Poole, but a recent report has them linked to the New Orleans Pelicans star forward, Brandon Ingram.

“The Athletic report on the Nuggets’ search for a scorer, I’ve heard Brandon Ingram is another player among the group on their radar.” SNY’s Ian Begley reported Tuesday night.

With the Pelicans already out of the playoff race due to their multitude of injuries, they are expected to trade most of their roster, including Ingram, before the Feb. 6 deadline.

In a possible trade, Denver could send Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and draft capital to New Orleans for Ingram and Daniel Theis. This trade works for the Pelicans as they would acquire a young forward in Porter Jr. to build around for the future.

For Denver, this is a risky trade. Ingram is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, so the Nuggets would have to sign him to an extension to avoid losing him for nothing. He is also recovering from a severe left ankle sprain that has caused him to miss time.

While there is a risk, Ingram would be an upgrade over Porter Jr. The 27-year-old is a great scorer and a better defender than Porter Jr. He would immediately become Denver’s second option behind Jokić due to Murray’s struggles and he could thrive when he is not asked to be the focal point of the team like in New Orleans.

By making this trade, the Nuggets would improve their lineup, which could turn their season around as they look to win their second championship in three seasons.

The Miami Heat have been at the forefront of recent NBA trade rumors thanks to Jimmy Butler. While Miami could trade Butler before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they may also elect to keep him around and upgrade their roster.

The Heat have had a solid start to the season as they currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 13-11 record. Tyler Herro has led the way for them this season as he is putting together an All-Star-caliber season. The 24-year-old is averaging 24.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 41.3% from three.

Herro is not the only player on Miami’s roster playing well. Their duo of Butler and Bam Adebayo have them in the hunt for one of the top seeds in the East as they sit just two games behind the New York Knicks, who hold the third seed.

While Miami has had a good start to the season, they have been surrounded by trade rumors focused on Butler. While it is likely they deal Butler before the Feb. 6 deadline, it is possible that they keep him around to try and make another deep playoff run.

If they were to choose that route, they could look to upgrade their roster. One player they could target is the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic.

Vucevic has had a great start to the season as he is averaging 21.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 58.7% from the field and 47.5% from three. With the Bulls looking to offload their veterans, the Heat could swoop in and make a deal for the All-Star center.

In a possible trade, Miami could send Duncan Robinson, Pelle Larson and draft picks to Chicago for Vucevic. For Miami, acquiring Vucevic would allow them to finally shift Adebayo to the power forward position.

With Vucevic’s three-point shooting, he would make Miami’s offense better and would be able to space the floor. The downfall of this trade is Vucevic’s poor defense, but Adebayo and Butler should be able to pick up his slack.

By making this trade and keeping Butler, the Heat could make another deep run in the playoffs as they try to win their first championship since the LeBron James era.