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With the 2026 NBA trade deadline arriving on Feb. 5, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Knicks and their NBA Finals expectations.

New York snapped their four-game losing streak in an impressive win over the Nets on Wednesday night, but the team is still in the midst of one of its worst stretches in the Jalen Brunson era. With the win, they are 3-9 over their last 12 games and have fallen into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference -- they would be the four-seed if they didn't hold the tiebreaker over the Raptors.

So, as the Knicks look to improve the roster, what should fans be looking for? SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley spoke on the topic on the Jan. 22 episode of The Putback, where he and guest Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype broke down what they are hearing as the trade deadline gets closer.

Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors

After the Knicks' dreadful loss to the undermanned Mavericks at home on Monday, Newsday's Steve Popper reported that New York had spoken to a number of teams (Hornets, Grizzlies, Magic) about a potential trade involving Towns. 

Towns' numbers are down pretty much across the board and the big man even admitted that he's had a tough time adjusting to head coach Mike Brown's system. 

Begley shared on The Putback what he had heard.

"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations about trading Karl-Anthony Towns," Begley said. "As of Monday, it was not happening. As far as something in the aftermath of that Dallas loss, no, that wasn’t the case." 

Begley added that if the Knicks go through another 2-9 stretch and continue to struggle as they get closer to the trade deadline, things might change. 

Whenever Towns' name is thrown out there as a trade candidate, the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind. It seems like an easy swap for both teams, but Scotto threw some cold water on the idea.

“I personally never gotten the sense, at least from talking to my sources, that a team like the Milwaukee Bucks would be overly aggressive in trying to get Karl Towns in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, theoretically," Scotto said.

Scotto suggested that the Knicks, if they were to deal Towns, would have to consider "breaking up" Towns' salary into multiple pieces, similar to what the Timberwolves did when they moved the big man to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations on trading Karl-Anthony Towns"

On The Putback with @IanBegley, Ian discusses what he's heard on the KAT reports and his read on if the Knicks would make that trade pic.twitter.com/bvLAdFjzt2

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 22, 2026

Potential Knicks trade deadline acquisitions

Since a Towns trade is unlikely, what players should we be on the lookout for?

Guerschon Yabusele is as likely a candidate to be moved. According to Scotto, the acquisition was seen as a "homerun" by execs in the offseason, but it was made before the hiring of Brown. Clearly, Yabusele has had a tough time integrating into Brown's system, and the Knicks are looking to shop him. Scotto even suggested the Knicks may have to pair Yabusele with another minimum-salary player or draft picks to get a player that could help the team. 

Scotto shared that the Pelicans have two players that the Knicks checked in.

"I did hear the Knicks were calling not only on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans but also Yves Missi," Scotto said. "Part of it could be doing background, doing due diligence, but you don't make calls on these guys unless you're intersted so that raised my antenna a little bit. If you take Yabusele and another minimum guy, you could maybe try to make something happen there."

The Knicks' interest in Alvarado is well-documented by Missi is a name that even Begley was surprised by. 

Missi, 21, is a second-year center who has seen his minutes deep in year two. In his rookie campaign, Missi played around 27 minutes a game (73 games), averaging nine points, and eight rebounds (3.5 offensive). In his sophomore year, Missi is averaging 19 minutes and just 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds (2.9 offensive) across 38 games. 

Acquiring another big like Missi could open up more avenues for deals involving the Knicks. Would they deal Mitchell Robinson, who is on the final year of his contract, or one of the depth bigs like Ariel Hukporti? That also opens up the possibility to trade Towns as well. 

The Knicks have a lot to consider as they hope to fortify their roster for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

"I did hear the Knicks were not only calling on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans, but also Yves Missi"

On today's episode of The Putback, @MikeAScotto - a must-follow for NBA fans - discusses trade deadline (link to full show in post below) pic.twitter.com/11wdozjICd

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 22, 2026

Stanford Cardinal men's basketball will have to endure the remainder of their season without their senior second-leading scorer Chisom Okpara.

The school announced that Okpara suffered a lower extremity injury during the 70-55 loss to Virginia on Jan. 10 and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

The senior forward averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 17 games.

Okpara posted a statement to his Instagram account that led with a Bible verse from Proverbs.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart," Okpara's post read.

As his post continued, he said that his surgery went "smoothly" and he's focused on a full recovery.

"During our game against UVA on Jan. 10th, I sustained a significant patellar tendon tear. I'm happy to report that surgery yesterday went smoothly and I am focused on a full recovery," Okpara wrote.

He added: "I'm stepping away from the court for now to prioritize my health. While this isn't how I envisioned the season playing out, I am eternally grateful to Coach Smith and the entire coaching staff for their mentorship over the last two seasons. To my teammates, I'm rooting for you all the way to the top! Huge thanks to Dr. Marc Safran, the Stanford Medicine team and my family for their unwavering support. The future is bright. Glory to God! Go Cardinal!"

Stanford has an overall record of 14-5 and are .500 in ACC games at 3-3. They've got two wins over ranked opponents, North Carolina and Louisville.

Their next game is 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) Saturday against Cal at Maples Pavilion in Stanford.

More NCAAM: Stanford beats No. 13 Louisville, gets first ranked win in Kyle Smith era

Olympic champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced Thursday she is pregnant.

In an Instagram post, she said “made a human with my favorite human,” next to a picture of husband Andre Levrone Jr.

McLaughlin-Levrone won the last two Olympic titles in the 400-meter hurdles, setting world records both times. It currently stands at 50.37 seconds. Last year, she moved to the 400 flat and won world championships in 47.78 seconds, becoming the first woman to crack 48 in the full-lap race since 1985.

The even-numbered year between Summer Olympics is usually considered a light year in track and field. If McLaughlin-Levrone sits out 2026, she would miss the debut of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which will feature the sport's top athletes and offer $150,000 first prizes.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four out of their last six and have a good chance of extending that to five out of their last seven as they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

The Kings are one of the most aimless teams in the league, and also one of the worst. Their starting lineup featuring Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan would’ve been potent a decade ago. It isn’t in 2026. Domantas Sabonis only being available for 14 games this season has made matters worse.

This should be a good opportunity for the Cavs to build some momentum before taking on the Orlando Magic in back-to-back games.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (25-20) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-33)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Fri., Jan. 23 at 7:30 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)

Kings injury report: Keegan Murray – OUT (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden – OUT (G League), Isaiah Stevens – OUT (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Kings expected starting lineup: Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Maxime Raynaud

Previous matchup: The Kings swept the season series last season. They defeated the Cavs 120-113 most recently on April 6.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jesse Minter is heading back to Baltimore, this time as the Ravens' next head coach.

The club hired the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator on Thursday. Minter replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired earlier this month after 18 years when the Ravens failed to make the playoffs.

Minter spent four seasons on Harbaugh's staff from 2017-20, working his way up to become the defensive backs coach during his final season before taking the defensive coordinator job at Vanderbilt.

The 42-year-old Minter was one of the hottest names on the market. He interviewed virtually with several teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also looking for a coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down last week — before landing in Baltimore, where his job will be to help two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson take the next step in a career that’s been consistently snakebit in the postseason.

“This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” Minter said in a statement.

Minter has been with the Chargers for two seasons after two years as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. Minter’s partnership with both Harbaughs helped him build a resume that made him the right fit to replace John Harbaugh and become the fourth head coach in Baltimore's 31-year history.

"Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Jesse comes from a football family, with success at every level of the sport, and we are confident that he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward.”

The Bolts were fifth in the league in total defense this season, allowing 285.2 yards per game. They allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. The Wolverines led the nation in total defense in 2023 en route to winning the College Football Playoff national championship.

Minter also spent four seasons at Baltimore (2017-20), rising from a defensive assistant to defensive backs coach his final year. He also interviewed for the head coach openings in Atlanta and Miami earlier this week. Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Tennessee have also requested interviews.

The Ravens endured a tumultuous 2025 season marked by a 1-5 start and major injuries, from Jackson to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. Baltimore recovered to head into a Week 18 showdown with Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.

Rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal on the final play sailed wide right, handing the division crown to the Steelers.

Harbaugh, the NFL's second-longest tenured head coach, was out of a job days later. Harbaugh didn't stay out of work long. He was hired to the same position by the New York Giants last week.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/nfl

A trade in the NBA, perhaps more so than the trades in any other major professional sports league based in North America, can only be examined through the prism of what each organization wanted to accomplish in the transaction. The goals of a contender trying to add another piece for its postseason run are different than a struggling team in the midst of a rebuild. Those opposing missions will define the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

The names of the players and their stats often take a backseat to salary cap ramifications, with contracts that have gone sour and draft assets discussed as much by front offices as the potential stars that could be changing teams. But the rumors leading into the Feb. 5 deadline have fueled conversation throughout the league during the first half of the 2025-26 season, and now we're approaching their end point.

The Atlanta Hawks already traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade speculation since before the Milwaukee Bucks season even began. Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies also could be headed for divorce after multiple reports suggested the team is listening to offers for the point guard for the first time.

They may be the biggest stars on the move, but they aren't alone. A bevy of well-known players have been mentioned as possible trade candidates in recent weeks. Where they wind up after Feb. 5, if they stay put or get dealt elsewhere, is likely to shake up the NBA playoff race.

Here's a breakdown of the top candidates potentially available at the 2026 NBA trade deadline and how they rank:

After New York suffered an embarrassing defeat on their home court on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, head coach Mike Brown stepped up to the podium and revealed that he had some ideas on which buttons he needed to press prior to Wednesday night’s matchup against Brooklyn.

And while a win, even if it is by 60-plus points, against a tanking Nets team might not be enough to overwrite the last month of subpar basketball, discouraging efforts, and confusing lack of chemistry, we did get a few glimpses of tangible change that could signal that yesterday was more than just shots going in or a good team playing a bad team.

More ball movement

While the Knicks’ bad defense has been the topic of discussion over the last few weeks, the more troubling aspect might have been the offense. We knew coming into the season that this team was never going to be an elite defensive team. They had the potential to be a solid, maybe even good one, but never elite. But offensively, they were supposed to be among the best in the league.

They roster the best shooting big man of all-time in Karl-Anthony Towns, floor spacers in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, and one of the best pure scorers in the game in Jalen Brunson. And add in Josh Hart’s secondary ball handling skills and transition baskets, Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebounding, Deuce McBride’s elite outside shooting, Jordan Clarkson’s erratic, yet explosive potential, and the genius of Mike Brown, and they should’ve had everything they needed to be an elite, albeit imperfect, offense.

And through the first couple of months of the season, we saw it come to fruition. Even with Towns struggling from outside, the offense thrived with Bridges taking on more of the ball-handling duties, Hart becoming a much improved shooter, and Brunson being, well, Brunson. Brown had them meshing great individual talent, with creative sets, and increased ball and player movement, and we saw this team put up some historic numbers with ease, even when guys had off nights. Yet over the last month, the offense regressed progressively. It started with players struggling to shoot, and it led to less trust, less movement, and ,unfortunately, the same kind of isolation-heavy, heliocentric offense we were forced to watch for much of Tom Thibodeau’s tenure.

But last night, we saw the Knicks get back to some of the roots that helped propel them to one of the best offenses in the league to start the season. We saw more organization in the form of set plays and schematic sets at the beginning of the shot clock, which led to much better continuity and flow offensively. There was noticeably less dribbling, less isolation, and less pick-and-rolls that led to late clock chucks, and it showed in the results.

In the clips above, you can see a much more concerted effort to be decisive with their actions. Whether it’s to shoot, pass, or drive, players were being much more intentional. And for the first time in god knows how long, it looked like everyone was actually on the same page, and playing with some urgency. The Nets, being one of the worst defensive teams in the league, especially in January, help. And shots going in will always prove to be the deciding factor in what is known as a “make or miss” league. But last night’s offensive process was the best one we’ve seen since mid-December, and that’s worth noting.

Energy and physicality

You can plug in whatever other word you want to use there. Off the top of my head, I contemplated using effort, activity, fight, pride, and tenacity. And I’m sure there are dozens more that you can use. Whatever you want to go with, though, the Knicks finally played with it. Again, Brooklyn is a tanking team that has not won many games this season. But they are still an NBA team with NBA players. And over the last couple of weeks, they’ve managed to score 96 points against the Raptors, 107 points against the Timberwolves, 107 points against the Warriors, 96 points against the Rockets, 105 points against the Mavericks, and 117 points against the Suns, all of whom are top 10 in defensive rating this season.

The fact that the Knicks held any NBA team, even if it is the Nets, to just 66 points, is impressive. They came out of the gates with the kind of effort we haven’t seen from them, especially in the first quarter, in a very long time. And they maintained it for much of the game. They fought over screens, were active in the passing lanes, seemed more communicative, had fewer mental lapses, and, like on offense, they just seemed more connected as a team. They will not hold opponents to under 100 points nightly, let alone under 70 points. This is no longer the NBA of the 2000’s. But the Mavericks game might’ve finally given this team a very long overdue wake-up call, and it showed with their best effort defensively, maybe all season long.

Rotation changes

Some of this is due to the Knicks being fully healthy. But one major change we’ve seen take place now over the last two games is the much more limited playing time of Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek. It’s unfortunate because both have been a significant part of some of the most memorable moments of the current rollercoaster season. But the pair have been underwhelming for the majority of the recent skid.

Clarkson was brought in to be a much-needed upgrade in the scoring department off the bench, but he’s been just as, if not more, erratic as advertised, while being the negative defender fans had expected. He’s already gone through a few tough stretches this season, and he’s found ways to bounce back with a few big games. But for much of the season, Clarkson has played more minutes than he’s often deserved, and his leash thus far has been unreasonably long.

Meanwhile, Kolek, despite having some nice moments, is still an inconsistent shooter, and while he tries defensively, his lack of athleticism and discipline often get him burned at the point-of-attack, an area the Knicks already struggle with.

Both have played sparingly over the last two games, with all of their minutes coming in garbage time last night. With McBride being such an integral part of the team, and Shamet healthy and playing well again, it’ll be tough to see either of them earning significant minutes moving forward unless another injury takes place. And while that’s tough for them, that’s the way it should be, and needs to be for now.