As the NBA world steps into 2025, and into the final five weeks before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, trade discussions around the league will officially kick into gear.
And while there have been a couple of deals so far -- both involving the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets -- it remains to be seen whether any superstar moves are going to happen, or whether there will be a series of smaller deals between now and the deadline.
Plenty is happening on the court, too. The West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder begin a four-game stretch against the Eastern Conference's top three teams; the New York Knicks on Friday, the defending champion Boston Celtics on Sunday and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday before another meeting with New York on Jan. 10.
Let's get into what other trades could be coming for Brooklyn, the latest in the Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat saga -- stoked by Thursday night's news that Butler wants a trade out of Miami -- and why the Knicks and Golden State Warriors have league GMs, executives and scouts buzzing for different reasons.
Jump to intel:
Next steps in the Butler-Heat saga
More deals coming for Brooklyn?
Execs on Knicks' run | Warriors' slide
Why scouts are buzzing about the Cavs
What's next in the Jimmy Butler-Pat Riley standoff?
Windhorst: Butler is in a slow-moving chess game with the Heat, and the latest maneuver came Thursday when, after dancing around the issue for several weeks, he directly made it clear to the Heat front office he wants to be traded.
Here is where the rest of the NBA, especially teams that would have interest in trading for Butler, have their popcorn out. There is no executive in American sports like Pat Riley, as his Heat front office operates with a bluntness and strength toward star players that is not of this era.
When rival teams saw the statement Riley released last week openly declaring the Heat would not be trading their franchise player, there was widespread reaction to the unorthodox but classic Riley move -- and to what could come next in this saga.