RUMOR ROUNDUP: Add Orlando Magic to Cam Johnson list? Buyout possible for Ben Simmons?

Mostly a patchwork of not-so-fast responses … but ya never know.

Is it the calm before the storm or an indication that things won’t be that wild at the trade deadline, now six days away on February 6 (at 3:00 p.m. ET)? History might suggest one answer, the new CBA’s intricacies another.

In the past, nothing big moves until the biggest trade piece gets dealt (and we all know who that is,) then the flood gates open, usually 48 to 72 hours before the deadline, with the majority of trades taking place in the last 24 hours but some pushing right up the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline..

This year with so many teams at or near an apron or threshold or cap, GMs might find it challenging to make big moves considering the financial implications for their owners. Moreover, at this point, not a lot of teams who still have picks in the 2025 Draft want to opt out of the generational draft in win-now moves. They’ve learned that lesson: Of the 30 teams picking, seven have either no picks (four) or only second rounders (three.) The Nets with four firsts and a high second rank highest in the Tankathon Power Rankings.

With most of the news centered on where Jimmy Butler may wind up or what will several contenders do to make a final push, there’s been a little news of late on Cam Johnson’s fate and now there are rumblings that Ben Simmons could be on the move in a buyout.

Johnson of course is the Nets big piece, unless Sean Marks & co. surprise. Jake Fischer, who’s aligned with Marc Stein’s The Steinline substack, suggested in the last few days that the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets haven’t spoke in weeks and that the Pacers seem the only team not cowed by oft-repeated Nets price tag for the NBA’s leader in effective field goal percentage — two first round picks and “stuff.”

Hardwood Paroxysm’s Matt Moore in a summary of league rumors wrote this Friday, “add Orlando to the list of Cam Johnson suitors. Sources said they’ve been working on what adding Johnson would entail.”

That sounds more like internal discussions, and a league source tells NetsDaily says he’s not aware of any actual talks on the subject of Cam Johnson.

As for Simmons, Brett Siegel, who’s covering trade talks for Clutch Points, tweeted Friday that that’s some potential for a buyout …

Brian Windhorst of ESPN had hinted Tuesday that Simmons could be a buyout candidate.

Talking about the Cavaliers needs, Windy said this: “What you’d be looking for is a perimeter guard who has size. Two guys who could be bought out that fit that bill are Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons.”

It could happen but for now nothing apparently is going on. Two league sources affirmed there have been no buyout talks involving Simmons — “too soon” noted one while the other said that such talks are “possible,” but there’s no need to even discuss the matter until after the trade deadline.

“The Nets are in no hurry,” said one of the sources of the Nets current position on a number of fronts.

A buyout of Simmons expiring $40.3 million expiring deal could provide value to both sides.

Players are normally bought out at around 70% of their remaining contract. If the two sides follow form, that could mean a savings of somewhere around $12 million. That would give Brooklyn a much bigger cushion they have now in avoiding the luxury tax. The Nets are indeed perilously close to the threshold at a reported $677,000.

On Simmons side of the equation, he could wind up signing with a contender on a small, short-term deal. Having him contribute to a contender, even coming off the bench, would likely improve his situation in free agency — more so than on a tanking team. He’s have to be bought out by March 1, a month from today.

Rumors are coming fast and furious … not so the trades themselves. Some rumors are outdated by the time they are published while other negotiations can move so fast to fruition that reporters can’t catch up, the recent Nets-Lakers deal a good example. That trade took six hours to come together.