About three or four years ago, the players on the cover art of this NBA intel column would've made up a very formidable team, one that could contend for a title with the right talent around them. Kristaps Porzingis and Domantas Sabonis were two elite frontcourt talents, and before his ACL injury, Kyrie Irving was playing like one of the best point guards in the NBA.
Now in the midst of the 2026-27 NBA season, all three aging stars face major questions with the trade season creeping closer. Of course, nobody faces more questions than Porzingis, whose future is no longer with the Golden State Warriors and may not even be in the NBA.
Porzingis has been away from the Warriors since training camp started due to his ongoing health issues, only visiting the team facility once to meet with the team's head of medicine, Rick Celebrini, and GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. Since then, little has been said of Porzingis' future… other than the fact that he is not currently being paid and he is seriously contemplating retirement.
Once thought to be a key addition for the Warriors, especially after signing his two-year, $40 million contract extension in the offseason, Porzingis is now a dead contract that the team is looking to trade for value. Despite the complications surrounding Porzingis, this situation may have actually played right into the Warriors' insurance plan they created for themselves with the 31-year-old.
Sabonis has been available for the Sacramento Kings and is once again proving to be one of the best rebounders in the league. But with the Kings struggling to remain relevant and the 30-year-old under contract through the 2027-28 season, he will find himself as the best center available on the market before the Feb. 11 trade deadline.
And then there is Kyrie, a star guard various teams have attempted to trade for since the offseason began this past summer. Will Irving remain with the Dallas Mavericks, or will the team look to sell high on the 34-year-old guard now that he's proving to be the same player he was before the ACL injury?
Let's kick things off with how we've started most of the intel stories recently: Discussing what the Warriors plan to do with Porzingis and what is essentially now a $20 million trade exception with a favorable twist.
Interest in Kristaps Porzingis trade growing?
After losing the first three games of the season, all hope seemed lost for the Warriors, and many were writing off Stephen Curry and this team. Well, flash-forward to a couple of weeks later, and all of a sudden, this group is now 6-3 on the season and on a six-game win streak after taking down the Miami Heat 120-100 on Thursday night.
All seems to be right for Golden State except the fact that this Porzingis situation is still at the forefront of conversations, especially since it's a chance for Dunleavy and this front office to really push their chips in on this season and the final years of Curry's career.
Making trades in the NBA is all about waiting for the right opportunity. If you get overanxious and make deals too soon, things tend to go in a different direction than you may have thought. The Warriors know this better than any team in the league, and this front office has been very opportunistic when it comes to operating with patience and exploring all avenues.
That is what has happened with Porzingis so far, as the Warriors have held conversations with many teams around the league about Porzingis and his current contract, which is basically operating as a $20 million expiring salary in a way.
Before diving into the latest rumors and intel we are hearing about a potential Porzingis trade, it's worth mentioning and explaining the finer details about why the Warriors believe they are in a very strong position in terms of trading the big man.
For starters, Porzingis' time with the Warriors is over. He will not be playing another game for this franchise, as ClutchPoints reported on Oct. 23 before the team's first game of the season, and it's almost a given he will be traded, likely within the next 30-40 days.
Why 30-40 days? Well, that takes us to the week before and right at December 15, which is when many around the NBA who just signed contracts this offseason become trade-eligible.
Much like how the Warriors traded for Dennis Schroder in the middle of December during the 2024-25 season, only to re-aggregate him in a bigger deal for Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, league sources are anticipating a similar strategy this time around with Porzingis.
If the Warriors time it right, and they certainly have specific dates in December circled on their calendar in terms of potential trades, they can deal Porzingis before the holidays, acquire a player to contribute now, and possibly look to flip said asset into more before February 11.
Another key piece of information that is essential to the Warriors' trade plans is the fact that Porzingis is not currently being paid since he is away from the team, and he is at peace with this. Not is Porzingis fine with not being paid right now, but there will be no challenge on his behalf from the NBPA, and the Warriors have no plans to entertain the idea of a buyout, sources said.
Doesn't it seem like there is more in play here behind the scenes?
One league source close to the situation who spoke to ClutchPoints on the grounds of anonymity claims that Porzingis is prepared to take a massive buyout agreement upon being traded by the Warriors, with the same source stating Porzingis would give up over 60% of his salary. If true, not only does this make the idea of trading for Porzingis easier for the Warriors in discussions with other teams, but those other teams will have great interest in freeing up immediate cap space in the form of his $20 million contract.
Only $3 million of his $20 million contract is guaranteed for the 2027-28 season, a detail Golden State added to the language of his extension this offseason as an insurance policy for themselves if they were forced to trade him. This cap relief Porzingis' contract can provide to rival teams is being actively discussed around the NBA, and the Warriors' front office has been having ongoing conversations every week.
Among the many teams the Warriors have contacted since the start of the season, as reported earlier on Friday in our weekly newsletter, ClutchPoints has been able to confirm with league sources three teams in particular: the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans.
While willing to give up Myles Turner for Porzingis’ contract, the Bucks have wanted draft compensation from the Warriors, something that isn’t on the table, sources said. Golden State has held firm that if it were to absorb Turner’s contract for Porzingis and another player, presumably Moses Moody, the team would need extra compensation from Milwaukee, and there really is no interest in trading Moody.
The same can be said regarding Jimmy Butler, with the Warriors continuing to signal that they aren't thinking about trading. A little note on Butler — we are hearing that Butler continues to be ahead of schedule in his recovery, and team officials are extremely optimistic about his return before the trade deadline.
Going back to the topic of potential trade suitors for Porzingis, the Warriors showed interest in Bulls’ center Jalen Smith in a potential Porzingis-oriented deal with Chicago, but the Bulls have not shown a willingness to make such a move at this time, sources said.
The Bulls are wanting to evaluate their roster and potential moves closer to the trade deadline unless draft compensation is included, despite opening the year as one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Although ClutchPoints was unable to confirm through multiple sources that they have also held conversations with the Warriors, the Orlando Magic are a team Golden State and many others have been eyeing for quite some time. In July, ClutchPoints reported on the Warriors' longstanding interest in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, lurking as a potential suitor for either player if the Magic were to take a step back.
Orlando has started the year 2-6 as a result of Banchero's ankle injury and Suggs' knee injury, and this team will be in San Francisco to play the Warriors on Saturday night. Many around the NBA are keeping an eye on the Magic and whether they look to trade some of their key talents, especially with Anthony Black heading into restricted free agency when the season ends and Orlando signaling that they have no intentions to see him leave.
To keep Black, someone else would need to be moved from the roster for the Magic to be in good financial standing. Could that player end up being starting center Wendell Carter Jr.?
The Warriors are open to taking on longer contracts in a potential Porzingis trade, and Carter is currently under contract through the 2028-29 season, where he has a near $21 million team option. In eight games this season, Carter is averaging 14.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting 65.6 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from 3-point range.
If the Magic become sellers, and it's a major if right now, Carter is the ideal mold of player, and specifically a center, that the Warriors would want to target in a Porzingis trade and would be willing to offer draft compensation for. The Warriors are prioritizing potential deals that would only involve Porzingis' $20 million salary spot and not the inclusion of other players.
Domantas Sabonis, Kings expected to part ways
Domantas Sabonis has been through thick and thin with the Kings. At one point, it seemed like this organization figured things out and was finally putting the days of sorrow behind them during the 2022-23 season when the “Beam Team” won 48 games and finished third in the Western Conference standings, but this was simply an outlier, and misery has since taken over Sacramento again.
The Kings are 1-7 overall to begin the 2026-27 season, and their fortunes aren't changing anytime soon. This is a team focused on playing through rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and building for the future, which has led to a lot of speculation in league circles about what the future holds for Sabonis.
It isn't a secret to anyone that Sabonis would prefer a change in scenery, and the Kings have been open to discussing trade opportunities for the three-time All-Star center since last season. However, Sabonis has not demanded a trade from the Kings and isn't stirring up drama behind the scenes as a result of wanting to be moved.
Instead, sources have described the situation as an “understanding” between Kings' leadership and Sabonis that a trade is inevitable.
Until then, Sabonis will continue to give it his all as a vocal leader both on the court and behind the scenes. Despite rumors citing an uneasy relationship between the rookie guard and veteran center, sources close to the team say Sabonis and Acuff have a great relationship, with the veteran helping spread his knowledge to the rookie, specifically in practices.
There are no ill feelings whatsoever between Sabonis and Acuff, nor is there any awkwardness existing between the big man and management. He would prefer a change in scenery, and he will very likely get his wish over the next three months leading up to the Feb. 11 trade deadline.
With this said, it's worth pointing out that Sabonis wants to write a new chapter with a team in a better position to play in the postseason. The 30-year-old is also eyeing a new contract, which is why he switched agencies in the offseason and is now represented by CAA and prominent agent Aaron Mintz after previously being represented by Wasserman.
Mintz is a highly respected agent across the NBA and has been known in recent years for negotiating favorable trades on his client's behalf. Trae Young, Julius Randle, Paul George, Aaron Wiggins, and Walker Kessler are all players Mintz represents who were traded within the last year.
Sabonis is under contract through the 2027-28 season, making $45.4 million this year and then $48.6 million in the final year of his deal. While this may be a lot of money for the veteran big man, especially when searching for potential trades around the NBA, Sabonis is projected to be the best big man on the trade market this season with the highest credentials.
Aside from being a three-time All-Star, Sabonis is a three-time rebounding champion and could either fortify a playoff-bound team's frontcourt or be the missing piece for a team lacking center production.
Last season, the Toronto Raptors spent a lot of time negotiating a potential Sabonis deal with the Kings before talks fell apart before the trade deadline due to the potential inclusion of Jakob Poeltl's contract and being unable to find a suitor for him. The Charlotte Hornets were another team that had interest in Sabonis around this time, and the Hornets again revisited talks before the 2026 NBA Draft.
Ultimately, the Hornets passed on the opportunity to trade for Sabonis due to the Kings' asking price of multiple draft picks, specifically picks Charlotte owned inside the top 20 of June's draft that it had no interest in parting with at the time.
The interest in Sabonis from these two teams has not gone away, sources said, and they are expected to once again monitor Sabonis ahead of February's trade deadline. Although there has been no new dialogue between these two teams and the Kings regarding the star center since the offseason, both the Raptors and Hornets will again be brought up as key suitors for Sabonis.
We have also heard the Brooklyn Nets' name be brought up in discussions with league personnel as a potential destination for Sabonis. Of course, this would be contingent on what the Nets can possibly do at the trade deadline with both Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, two players who are expected to generate interest, like Sabonis, from playoff-minded teams.
Another team floated around in conversations with league personnel is the Memphis Grizzlies. Now, there seemed to be some slight errors in what was aggregated from what we said about the Grizzlies during Thursday's live show regarding Sabonis.
To our knowledge, Memphis has not held direct trade conversations with Sacramento about Sabonis. This was simply something brought up more than once in dialogue, which garnered my attention. We don't really know what the Grizzlies are going to do yet, especially since they have started the new year strong.
Will this team still be big sellers at the trade deadline, possibly looking to move breakout guard Ty Jerome and others, or will GM Zach Kleiman actually add to this young nucleus and give them a fair chance to make the playoffs?
The idea of buying low on Sabonis and adding his experience in the frontcourt next to Zach Edey and Cameron Boozer could be advantageous to the Grizzlies if they are to add before the trade deadline, but I would imagine Kleiman has other ideas, like utilizing their $28.8 million TPE to add talent instead… that is, if they are to be buyers.
Outside of what is known about suitors for Sabonis and teams who have a level of interest, there are two other organizations that could make a lot of sense for the Kings' big man as potential, unconfirmed landing spots: the New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks.
Even though this is more of my thinking and speculation, contrary to actual information and intel being shared, the Pelicans are a very interesting suitor for Sabonis if you think about it. Executive Joe Dumars and this front office have been adamant on not selling their talent and keeping this group together because they believe they are close to getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2024.
The Pelicans have been searching for another key big man since last season, and they need someone who can be an avid rebounder and secondary playmaker next to Derik Queen and Zion Williamson in the frontcourt. That is exactly the type of center Sabonis is, and while his $45 million cap hit this year may be tough for certain teams to navigate, that's not the case for New Orleans.
Article Continues BelowBetween Jordan Poole's expiring $34 million salary and Dejounte Murray's $32.7 million cap hit, the Pelicans can create a massive chunk of outgoing salaries to pursue a player like Sabonis if they choose to do so. There is also the possibility of finally trading Herb Jones, who is making $14.9 million this season and has no shortage of suitors amongst playoff hopefuls around the NBA.
Murray is expected to be traded by the Pelicans this season, leading to questions about whether the Pelicans would look to utilize his salary to add talent in a different area to this roster around Zion and Trey Murphy III to actually make a push for the playoffs. Sabonis would make a lot of sense if this is the thinking in NOLA.
As for the Hawks, this is a scenario brought up recently by ESPN's Tim MacMahon that I very much agree with. It definitely isn't a secret that Atlanta has been searching for a big man, and they have held real discussions over the last year regarding Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, Jalen Duren, and others.
Finding another center to pair with Onyeka Okongwu in the frontcourt seems to be executive Onsi Saleh's main goal entering this trade cycle, and that makes a lot of sense since Atlanta needs rebounding help. What is interesting about the Hawks and what makes them possibly the biggest potential buyer at the trade deadline is the fact that they can create a $49 million buffer for themselves.
By combining CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Hawks have $49 million that they can explore the trade market with, and this team also has draft picks every year through 2033. There is certainly the possibility for this organization to combine contracts and create a multi-team framework at some point to add another factor in attempts to make a deep postseason push.
Leveraging McCollum and moving the contracts of Kispert and Finney-Smith for Sabonis is definitely something that could pay off big time for the Hawks.
Mavericks not considering Kyrie Irving trades
We know Porzingis will be traded, and it looks increasingly likely that Sabonis will be on the move before February. Should we expect the same with Irving, who is now 34 years old and drawing significant interest around the NBA?
For the last five months, various teams have spoken with the Dallas Mavericks' front office on multiple occasions.
The Detroit Pistons were searching the market for another star to pair with Cade Cunningham this offseason, and they expressed high interest in Irving. Much of the same can be said about the Minnesota Timberwolves before trading for LaMelo Ball and the Miami Heat after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Several other teams also called the Mavs and spoke with the team during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Despite all of this interest in Irving, the message from the Mavericks has been consistent and isn't changing.
Dallas is not interested in trading Irving.
In fact, not only has the team continued to shut down all trade speculation involving the veteran, but they've made it clear he is an essential part of the team's success next to Cooper Flagg. Even Irving has pointed out how much he loves Dallas and wants to continue playing next to Flagg.
Over the next three months, Irving's name will not disappear from trade rumors around the NBA simply because he's a high-profile player with a $42.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season, and he doesn't necessarily fit the Mavericks' “timeline.” But at the same time, does timeline really matter all that much when your focus as an organization is to win and make the playoffs?
The answer to this is yes and no.
On one hand, trading Irving while his value is at its highest, coming off an ACL injury, and the fact that he isn't getting younger definitely makes sense from a front-office perspective. The NBA is a business, and executives are always thinking years ahead to ensure long-term success. Everyone working for a team is on the clock in terms of their job security expiring, which is why tough decisions need to be made and risks are taken.
Then on the other side, the Mavs have played well at full strength this season, and the duo of Irving and Flagg is working out perfectly. Do the Mavs really want to mess this up for some draft picks and maybe one or two younger players that fit Flagg's timeline?
Expect to see plenty of rumors involving Irving between now and the trade deadline, but if the Mavs keep playing well, it'll be hard to argue that the team should trade him. As of right now, Dallas' stance on trading Irving has not changed, and they intend on keeping him.