WASHINGTON — All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore is headed to the Texas Rangers in a trade that sends five prospects back to the Nationals in the biggest move of new Washington president of baseball operations Paul Toboni’s roster rebuilding efforts, a person with knowledge of the swap told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.
Gore gives the 2023 World Series champions a starter who should be able to help the front end of their rotation along with Jacob deGrom — a two-time Cy Young Award winner who was the American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2025 — and Nathan Eovaldi, who dealt with a rotator cuff strain and had surgery for a sports hernia after compiling a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts.
Gore is under team control for the next two seasons; he can’t become a free agent until after the 2027 World Series. He is scheduled to make $5.6 million in 2026 after to a one-year deal with the Nationals that avoided arbitration.
Gore, who turns 27 next month, is 26-41 with a 4.19 ERA in four major league seasons, the past three with Washington. He was an NL All-Star last season, when he ended up going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA and a career-best 185 strikeouts in 30 appearances, all starts.
He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft by the San Diego Padres and was sent to the Nationals in the 2022 trade that included Juan Soto.
The players Washington is receiving from Texas are Yeremy Cabrera, Gavin Fien, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Abimelec Ortiz, Alejandro Rosario.
Fien is an 18-year-old shortstop who was taken out of high school in the first round of last year’s draft.
Fitz-Gerald is a 20-year-old infielder, Rosario is a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher, Cabrera is a 20-year-old outfielder and Ortiz is a 23-year-old first baseman and outfielder.
All five are considered among the top 20 prospects in the Rangers’ system.
We’re now less than three weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields, and it feels like the D-backs’ off-season remains a work in progress. With all respect to Taylor Clarke, the bullpen has barely been touched. We don’t know who will be replacing Lourdes Gurriel in left field on Opening Day. Arizona is still waiting to find out what will happen with regard to the bonus draft pick connected to Zac Gallen [despite a report in December the Cubs were “close to finalizing an agreement” with him]. But perhaps no topic, outside of the Ketel Marte trade rumors, has been more discussed than a potential reunion with Paul Goldschmidt.
Goldy remains the best position player in franchise history, putting up an average of almost five bWAR across his eight seasons with the team. That included six All-Star appearances, and a trio of top three finishes in MVP voting, as well as likely the best value extension in franchise history. But, with one season left to go on that contract, Mike Hazen dealt Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals, for Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andrew Young and a competitive balance pick, which became Dominic Fletcher. Even though none of those panned out long-term, given it was in exchange for just one year of Goldy, you’d be hard pushed to call it a bad trade.
It is fair, however, to ask why the team did not work out a contract extension with Goldschmidt. The Cardinals certainly did, agreeing a five-year, $130 million deal before the following Opening Day. After a shaky first season in St. Louis, the deal turned out a good price for St. Louis. Goldschmidt posted 20.9 bWAR over the 2020-2024 period included in the extension. It included Goldschmidt finally snaring the NL MVP honor in 2022, which had eluded him with the D-backs. However, the Cardinals failed to get past the wild-card round in three successive years, Goldscbmidt hitting just .174 (4-for-23) in the postseason over that contract.
When it expired, he went to the Bronx, signing a one-year deal worth $12.5 million with the New York Yankees. Aged 38 by the time the Yankees exited in the AL Division Series against the Blue Jays, it seems that Father Time might finally be catching up to him. Paul struggled significantly against right-hand pitching in 2024 and 2025. Across a total of 853 plate-appearances there, he hit only .237/.284/.367 for a .651 OPS. Goldschmidt was still solid against left-handed pitchers, albeit in a smaller sample (335 PA). He hit .315/.389/.522 for a .911 OPS there over the last two seasons. Goldschmidt hit the open market again this winter.
The case for Goldschmidt
Right now, the plan for the D-backs would involve a platoon of left-hander Pavin Smith and right-hander Tyler Locklear. However, Locklear ended up missing the end of the season with injury, after a collision at first with Boston’s Connor Wong, when trying to field and an errant throw from Jordan Lawlar. Whether due to that, or a pre-existing condition, subsequent evaluation determined Lockler needed surgery both on his ulnar collateral ligament (elbow) and labrum (shoulder). While there’s been no news since, Paul Gambadoro said at the time that Locklear could return late in spring, but would potentially miss the first month of the season before being 100%.
There’s also the question of how good he will be. Locklear came over from the Mariners in the Suarez trade, but did not impress before the injury. Across 31 games as a Diamondback, he hit just .175, with a .529 OPS and 43 strikeouts over 116 PA. It is true that Tyler only turned 25 in November, and has less than fifty games of experience at the major-league level. Which is fine, if the team is punting on 2026, and thinking about Locklear as a long-term solution. Let him take his licks this year, and hopefully, he’ll become capable of taking over full-time down the road.
But if the team is committed to competing in 2026 – and, at least publicly, that seems to be the approach Hazen is advocating – Locklear might not be good enough, even after he has fully recovered from those surgical processes. Signing Goldschmidt as a one-year platoon partner, to face left-handed pitching, while Smith gets the bulk of the at-bats against righties (where he has a career .772 OPS), might not be the worst thing in the world. There’s also a lot of residual love in the fanbase for Goldschmidt, understandably so. Bringing him back and allowing him to finish his career where it started could perhaps end up in Goldy entering Cooperstown as a Diamondback.
The case against Goldschmidt
The biggest obstacle to Paul returning to the desert, might well be Paul himself. On the latest edition of Snakes Territory, Jack Sommers reports [around ninety seconds in] that Goldschmidt still thinks he’s worth an everyday spot in the line-up, rather than having a roster spot and getting fewer starts on the weak side of a platoon. The D-backs are not willing to pay the obviously increased salary due to an everyday player – Jack reckoned they are more or less capped at around a $5 million salary for the spot. He also mentioned the Padres as a possible alternative landing spot, who could be willing to give Goldschmidt that everyday job and the matching price.
There hasn’t been much chatter otherwise regarding where Goldschmidt might go. The fact, again, we are less than one month away from spring training, and Paul is still unemployed, suggests there may be a gap between what he wants, and what teams are looking for – both in role and cost. There’s also the question of how much Goldschmidt wants to return – to the same team and GM which wouldn’t extend him, and traded him instead. According to Nick Piecoro, writing at the time of the trade to St. Louis, “Sources indicated that preliminary conversations with Goldschmidt’s camp left the Diamondbacks less than confident they would be able to reach an agreement.”
Does he hold a grudge? It doesn’t seem that the laid-back Paul we knew would be the kind to do so, instead accepting that it was (to misquote The Godfather) “not personal, Goldy – it’s strictly business.” But it doesn’t appear he is (yet) willing to bend on his demands for the season, and give a home-town discount in financial or other areas. As the trade of Goldschmidt shows, Mike Hazen makes decisions with his head, not his heart, even when these are unpopular with the fans. I don’t expect this to change: if Goldschmidt is going to be a D-back in 2026, I think it’ll be on the team’s terms. Otherwise, expect an alternative – perhaps someone like Ty France.
What do you reckon? Should the team sign Goldschmidt or not? That’s what the comments are for…
Just after I wrote that a MacKenzie Gore trade seemed unlikely, Paul Toboni pulled the trigger. He sent Gore to the Texas Rangers for a five prospect haul. While the Nats did not get Sebastian Walcott, they got five quality pieces from Texas. The return consists of SS/3B Gavin Fien, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 2B Devin Fitz-Gerald, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and OF Yeremy Cabrera.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
Rangers get: LHP MacKenzie Gore
Nationals get: 3B Gavin Fien, SS Devin Fitz-Gerald, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and and OF Yeremy Cabrera
A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald.
The headliner of the return is Fien, who was selected 12th overall by the Rangers last year. He was a shortstop in high school, but is likely to move to third base. Fien was one of the most impressive hitters in last year’s class with a really nice blend of hitting ability and power.
Analytically inclined scouts loved Fien’s bat speed and plate discipline. While his swing is not the most traditional, he made plenty of contact on the showcase circuit. He may not be a top 100 prospect yet, but with a strong year, he can surge on to the list.
What you need to know about new Nats prospect Gavin Fien -12th overall pick in 2025 MLB Draft -Demolished top prep arms in summer before senior year, posting a 1.262 OPS -Analytics people love him for his strong plate discipline and bat speedpic.twitter.com/SOKv6ECNmV
Admittedly, this is a bit of an underwhelming headliner for Gore. However, that is the reason the Nats were able to get five interesting pieces in this deal. Toboni had a choice, he could swing big for one top 50 type prospect or get a grab bag of solid pieces. He chose the latter option, and only time will tell if he is right.
Most of my trade suggestions had the Nats going after a big name headliner, but only getting one or two other pieces. Toboni decided to do something different, which is a bit of a gamble. However, it is one that could pay off in a big way.
There is a world where Fien and Fitz-Gerald are top 100 prospects. As Jeff Passan noted, evaluators loved Fitz-Gerald. He is a switch hitter with a really nice blend of contact and power. Fitz-Gerald is not much of a defender, but scouts think he could be serviceable at second base.
Alejandro Rosario is an interesting case. He was a top 100 prospect in 2024, but went down with a torn UCL in 2025, missing the whole season. However, it has been reported that he did not get his Tommy John Surgery until a couple weeks ago and will miss all of 2026 as well. A weird situation, but if the 2024 version of Rosario returns, his upside is massive.
The squatty 5’10 230 pound Abimelec Ortiz is the fourth prospect in the deal. The 23 year old slugger hit 25 homers in the minors last year and has very good bat to ball data. He should have a chance to compete for reps at 1B or DH.
Abimelec Ortiz finished 2025 with 25 HR and a 124 wRC+ across AA and AAA. In 165 PA at AAA, he put up a .953 OPS w/ a 53.8% Hard-Hit%, .377 xwOBA, & an 88.6% Z-Contact%. He's raked in his professional career & put up a 33 HR campaign back in 2023 in just 109 games. pic.twitter.com/MMPJ6zCv8X
The last piece is 20 year old outfielder Yeremy Cabrera. He is a speedster who also has some power upside. It is more of a throw in, but he is better than your average throw in.
Prospect rankings in Rangers' top 30 per MLB Pipeline/Baseball America:
Overall, the package is solid, but unexpected. It is pretty similar to the Shane Baz deal that went down between the Rays and the Orioles. The Nats needed to add more depth to their farm system and they did that here. Only time will tell if this is the right move, but I am intrigued.
Coming off a 6–2 homestand, the Golden State Warriors head out on a four-game road trip beginning Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 PM PT in Dallas and can be watched on Prime Video and NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors are coming off a tough 145–127 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night in what was the team’s first game without Jimmy Butler — who was officially ruled out for the season after suffering a torn ACL the night before. Butler’s absence was felt immediately, as Golden State surrendered 41 points in the first quarter and spent the rest of the night playing from behind. Despite a few spirited runs in the second half, the game remained firmly in Toronto’s control with the team still figuring out how they plan to navigate the Butler injury.
Draymond said the Warriors could win a championship last year at the All-Star break after acquiring Jimmy Butler — and now the tables have turned completely.
"Shit I don't know. We gotta go through it… we'll figure it out. Nature of the game we play. Injuries happen. But I… pic.twitter.com/VOmRCozHup
Golden State looks to bounce back Thursday night as they begin their road trip in Dallas. With Butler gone, the Warriors must find new ways to replace his all-around impact on the game, especially on the offensive end where he was averaging 20 points per game this season. On Tuesday, that responsibility fell to Jonathan Kuminga, who returned after 16 straight games listed as a DNP to score 20 points in just 21 minutes.
Despite a turbulent stretch that included Kuminga requesting a trade from the team, he provided a much-needed offensive spark. Head coach Steve Kerr has consistently pointed to the lineup fit alongside Butler and Draymond Green as the reason for Kuminga’s extended absence, but with Butler sidelined, the door is now open for him to slide into a larger role. For now, this appears to be the Warriors’ solution, but it’s worth monitoring whether Kuminga playing is merely a short-term fix or part of a broader plan to keep him beyond the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga:
"I thought JK was really good and it's a great sign. With Jimmy out, obviously there's a hole at that spot on our roster. JK's gonna factor in here again and really pleased with the way he stayed ready." pic.twitter.com/Wdldt6YOAQ
The Texas Rangers landed the most coveted arm remaining on the trade market when they acquired MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals in exchange for five prospects, the clubs announced Jan. 22.
Gore, 26, earned his first All-Star nod in 2025, and while he faded a bit in the second half, still possesses one of the most dominant left-handed arms in the game. He established career highs in strikeouts (185) and strikeouts per inning (10.4) last season for Washington.
Part of the return package includes shortstop Gavin Fien, as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 draft joins the No. 1 overall, Eli Willits, in Washington's system.
The Rangers finished last season 81-81, their second consecutive non-winning season since taking the 2023 World Series. They traded second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, non-tendered slugger Adolis Garcia and have been relatively quiet this offseason otherwise.
Now, they can slot Gore between the right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom atop the rotation, giving them a potentially dominant starting pitching look.
That's assuming Gore, whose fastball reaches 98 mph, cleans up some of his peripherals. He posted a 1.35 WHIP last season and walked 3.6 batters per nine innings. Yet after the trade of Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee to the New York Mets Jan. 21, Gore was the clear-cut best remaining arm on the trade market - and he comes with two years of club control before becoming eligible for free agency.
Gore joined Washington as one of the centerpieces of the blockbuster 2022 deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego. While the trade worked out splendidly for the Nationals, with Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and slugger James Wood emerging as foundational pieces, the Nationals lost 91, 91 and 96 games in the three full seasons since that deal.
In addition to Fien, a high school draftee from Temecula, Calif., the Nationals will receive right-hander Alejandro Rosario, a 24-year-old who sat out all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Abimelec Ortiz (Class AAA outfielder, 23), Devin Fitz-Gerald (Class A infielder, 20) and Yeremy Cabrera (Class A outfielder, 20) are also headed to Washington.
It has been 5,171 days since a 21-year-old Roman Josi was called up from the Milwaukee Admirals to join the Nashville Predators.
He remembers it vividly. On Nov. 26, 2011, Josi played his first NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings.
"I remember going out there for warmups and thinking that it was the coolest thing," Josi said. "It was at Joe Louis Arena, which was historic and across from me, you had guys like Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom, which was pretty surreal. You never forget your first one."
Thursday, in the Predators' home matchup against the Ottawa Senators, Josi will play his 1,000th career game and become the first player in franchise history to play all 1,000 games with the Predators.
"It's a crazy number and a pretty special day," Josi said at Thursday morning's skate. "It's a good time to reflect a little bit and think about the time you've been here. It's pretty special to do it with this organization and the only team I've played for."
Josi's list of accolades, not just in the Predators organization, but in the NHL and internationally, is a long one.
He's established himself as one of the best defensemen of his generation, a four-time NHL All-Star, 2020 Norris Trophy Winner, and just the second defenseman ever to lead an NHL franchise in points, the other being Hall of Famer Ray Bourque (1,506 points) with the Boston Bruins.
Over 999 career games, Josi has tallied 198 goals and 554 assists for 752 points.
"To play 1,000 games in one uniform is really hard these days," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "With the CBA and free agency, it's a heck of an accomplishment."
Josi has been a pioneer in the growth of Switzerland's hockey presence, winning three silver medals at the IIHF World Championships, competing in the 2014 Olympics, and gearing up for another run at the 2026 games next month.
While he's originally from Switzerland, Nashville has become home to Josi. It's where he met his wife, Ellie Ottaway-Josi, and where his two kids were born and are being raised.
Josi's family will be attending the game on Thursday.
"My kids are at a good age now where they kind of understand what's happening a little bit," Josi said. "I met my wife here. My kids were born here. There are so many things that have happened in this town over the last 15 years.
"My family is here from back home (Switzerland). They've been here so many times and they love it."
Nov 26, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) takes the puck up ice against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at the Joe Louis Arena. Detroit won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-Imagn Images
Reaching 1,000 games means even more, considering Josi's health and the possibility in the 2025 offseason that he may not reach the milestone.
After missing the final two months of the 2024-25 season, it was revealed that Josi had been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a circulatory disorder that causes a rapid heart rate increase.
With his status in flux throughout the summer, days before training camp, General Manager Barry Trotz announced that Josi would be ready, "100 percent healthy."
"We were all a little bit scared last year. I'm sure he was," Brunette said. "I think the clarification with what he was dealing with eased a lot of tension in all of us, especially him. To see him back, he's pointed at a really high level this year.
"We played better because Roman's healthy and in his groove, so I'm happy to see him. He's been scoring some goals lately. His game is at a really high level."
Josi said a lot has to go right health-wise in order to get to 1,000 games, but he credited the people around him in the Predators organization who got him there.
"There are a lot of people to be thankful for," Josi said. "Our staff does an amazing job to keep you healthy and a lot goes into it. I feel very lucky, health-wise, to make it to 1,000."
Feb 9, 2011; St. Paul, MN USA; Minnesota Wild forward Andrew Brunette (15) with his wife Laurie Brunette (second left) and father Dan Brunette (left) is presented with a silver hockey stick for his 1000th game played last week before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-Imagn Images
The moment allowed Brunette to reflect on his 1,000th career game, which he eclipsed in 2011, with the Minnesota Wild. He said the moment can be emotionally "tough."
"When you get to that game, sometimes it feels like an obituary at times," Brunette said. "You see everybody talk about it and you gotta kind of catch yourself that you're, you're not dead. The tributes and the things people say.
"As a hockey player, you're always moving forward. Next game, next shift, the next play. To take a second and reflect, for me, wasn't a great feeling."
The celebration has already begun ahead of the game, as Josi has received gifts from his teammates, including a limited-edition Norqain watch and VIP tickets to the US Open.
It'll be a special celebration Thursday night, but Josi is aware of the task at hand of beating the Senators and avoiding a third straight loss.
"You obviously want to enjoy the moment, but once the game starts, we're trying to win," Josi said. "It's a special game for me, but once the game starts, you focus on that."
MLB Trade Rumors: The Texas Rangers have acquired starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals, per reports. Texas is sending five prospects, including 2025 first rounder Gavin Fein.
Well, we have been saying that the Rangers needed to add another starting pitcher. It appears they have done so.
Gore, who turns 27 next month, is a lefthander who was picked third overall in the 2017 draft out of Whiteville High School in North Carolina. He was a consensus top-10 prospect heading into both 2020 and 2021, but a disappointing 2021 season that saw him start poorly at AAA, miss time due to blisters and general ineffectiveness, and ultimately make just 12 starts in affiliated ball (half of them below AAA) before struggling in three Arizona Fall League starts saw him plummet in the rankings.
He started 2022 in the minors, but ended up making 13 starts and three relief appearances in the bigs for the Padres before being traded to the Washington Nationals in the Juan Soto deal while on the injured list with elbow issues.
From 2023-25, Gore has posted a 4.15 ERA in 89 starts covering 469.1 IP, with 517 Ks against 186 walks and 62 homers. Last season he threw 159.2 innings in 30 starts, with a 4.17 ERA, a 3.74 FIP and a 4.33 xERA.
We will update as more information becomes available.
UPDATE — According to Evan Grant, along with Fein, the Nats are getting Abi Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Alejandro Rosario, and one other prospect. The unknown prospect is not, he says, Sebastian Walcott or Caden Scarborough.
UPDATE II — The fifth prospect is reportedly Yeremy Cabrera.
Fein is the guy in the deal who you feel like could make the Rangers regret the deal.
Ortiz had a strong final couple of months of 2025, but he’s a bat-only guy who wasn’t a lock to be added to the 40 man roster this offseason. He was, of course, ultimately added, which means that Gore will replace Ortiz on the 40 man.
Rosario was a super-exciting prospect at the end of 2024, a guy who was on most top 100 lists. He then was diagnosed with a torn UCL in the spring, needed Tommy John surgery, didn’t actually have Tommy John surgery for a while, and it isn’t clear whether he actually has had it or not (ed. note — he had it on January 13, so nine days ago). He was not going to be pitching again until 2027, so you see why the Rangers would be willing to part with him, given his injury situation.
Fitz-Gerald was the Rangers’ 5th round pick in 2024. He performed well in the ACL in 2025, and earned a promotion to Hickory to finish out the season.
Cabrera was a $10,000 international signee who turned heads in 2024. He spent the 2025 season at Hickory, slashing .256/.364/.366 with 43 stolen bases.
Their ranks on the Rangers’ BA list:
Fein — #3
Fitz-Gerald — #8
Rosario — #13
Cabrera — #14
Ortiz — N/R
I will offer more extensive thoughts on Gore later on tonight.
Aston Villa secured a top-eight finish in the Europa League after Jadon Sancho’s first-half header gave them a 1-0 victory over Fenerbahce in Turkey. Villa’s win was their sixth from seven European matches this season and ended Fenerbahce’s unbeaten home record.
Sancho opened his account in Villa colours to put the visitors in the driving seat amid a loud Sukru Saracoglu Stadium atmosphere.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Atlanta Hawks showed resilience, poise, and just enough late-game execution to slip past the Memphis Grizzlies, 124–122, grinding out one of their most satisfying road wins of the season. Atlanta
After absorbing an early punch from a fired-up FedExForum crowd, Atlanta settled in, leaned on its versatility, and delivered when it mattered most exactly the kind of performance Hawks fans have been waiting to see after being on a four-game losing streak.
Atlanta was powered by a monster all-around night from Jalen Johnson, who was everywhere on the floor. Johnson attacked mismatches, cleaned the glass, and facilitated offense in transition, finishing just shy of a triple-double with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, setting the tone for the Hawks’ aggressive approach.
“I thought our group showed real toughness tonight. Memphis made multiple runs, the crowd was into it, and we didn’t blink. Jalen set the tone with his force and competitiveness, and we trusted each other late. Those are the kinds of wins that build you — especially on the road,” said head coach Quinn Snyder.
Whenever Memphis threatened to seize control, Johnson answered whether with a strong finish at the rim or a timely defensive play that swung momentum back Atlanta’s way. His clutch drive late in the fourth quarter ultimately sealed the victory.
The Hawks didn’t rely on just one option. Nickeil – Alexander- Walker orchestrated the offense and made key plays down the stretch, while Atlanta’s supporting cast chipped in with timely shooting and interior toughness. The Hawks consistently punished Memphis on second-chance opportunities and executed with greater composure in late-clock situations.
Inside, Atlanta’s bigs held their ground, limiting easy looks and forcing Memphis into contested finishes a subtle but decisive factor in a game decided by just two points. Onyeka Okongwu delivered 18 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, while Luke Kennard spaced the floor with 18 points, including four three-pointers.
Memphis countered with strong production from Ja Morant, who pressured Atlanta’s defense all night with his speed and playmaking. Morant finished with 23 points and 12 assists as the Grizzlies surged in the third quarter and carried momentum into the fourth.
But late missed opportunities and Atlanta’s calm execution at the free-throw line proved costly. Memphis even held a slim lead late in the final period, yet a desperation three from Morant at the buzzer rimmed out, sealing the Hawks’ hard-earned victory.
Atlanta is 21-25 on the season as they are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
A few days ago, we talked about what the Toronto Raptors could do at the deadline. Knowing Bobby Webster, but actually knowing his mentor Masai Ujiri, tells us that it’s a real possibility for the Raptors to not do anything spectacular at the deadline. Instead, they could wait for the summer to make moves. Yet, there is that little possibility that Webster starts his tenure as leader of the Raptors with a bang and makes a big trade before Feb. 5th’s deadline.
As Josh Lewenberg of TSN reports, the Raptors seem willing to part with more than one of their starters. Webster has apparently been on the phone with several other teams, tossing around possibilities, and doing what Lewenberg calls his “due diligence” on checking in on several targets around the NBA. This is definitely a move reflective of Masai’s tactics — staying extremely informed but not necessarily doing anything. It’s why the Raptors usually end in a ton of trade reports this time of year, because the Masai-now-Bobby method usually involves picking up the phone and having a chat about literally every player whose name is floating around. It’s less about wanting to make a move and more just knowing what options are out there in case you decide you might want to make a move. Something Lewenberg details in his reports as well. We all know the deal in this front office by now.
Can you see why I hate the trade deadline now?
Another good point Josh makes above is that sometimes these little check-ins turn into something more — take Brandon Ingram a year ago. I would have been one to tell you there’s no way the Raptors pull the trigger on that one, and they did. Mind you, the price ended up being lower than expected, which was nice. Another thing about Masai and Bobby — they know how to negotiate.
Now, another thing Lewenberg says is that if the Raptors don’t make a move at the deadline, its more because their “hands are tied” than anything. Makes sense, given their maybe most valuable asset is an injured Jakob Poeltl. The new-ish part in Lewenberg’s reporting is that the Raptors seem to be willing to part with any or all of Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. Take this with a grain of salt, though, as the Raptors aren’t ones to leak themselves, and these speculations are more coming from other teams’ sources. As we all know, it’s these players (well, their salaries) that are the most valuable in trades for Toronto, and also prevent the Raptors from making any big signings now or in the summer.
If I had to make an educated guess, I would say Quickley was the most likely to be moved at the deadline, if anyone does get dealt. I would say Poeltl, yet his precarious injury situation doesn’t make me as confident that teams will bite. With Barrett, I’m sure it’s not off the table to include him in the deal, but it would have to be the right deal. If Barrett is traded this season, it’s because it’s the only way the Raptors get their top choice guy, in my opinion. He also still has a year left on his contract, so it’s a big undertaking for any team trading for him.
The Raptors are reportedly willing to part with RJ Barrett, per @JLew1050
“TSN can confirm that Toronto appears willing to part with some combination of Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett, or at least that’s the impression that rival teams have gleaned from… pic.twitter.com/7rrchjY0Ny
As I mentioned in last week’s update, most of the players that maybe would have been Toronto’s big targets (Young, Davis, Sabonis) are either gone, too expensive, or hurt. Or multiple of those options. We’ll have to see if anything comes up in the next few weeks as teams head into the final days before the deadline.
A three-game losing streak can knock you from thinking about the No. 2 seed to worrying about the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference. The Minnesota Timberwolves cannot let this slide continue, but fortunately, hosting the Chicago Bulls is a ripe chance to right things.
My Bulls vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks recognize the value presented by a possible Minnesota injury.
Bulls vs Timberwolves prediction
Bulls vs Timberwolves best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (+100)
With Julius Randle questionable tonight due to left foot soreness, the quick question becomes who will handle the ball more if Randle is out of this Minnesota Timberwolves lineup. The first instinct is Naz Reid, as he could slide into the starting lineup if Randle is indeed ruled out.
Howeve, Reid banged up his shoulder on Saturday, and his 5-for-15 shooting on Tuesday did not ease those worries.
Then look to Jaden McDaniels. The wing has already been handling the ball more often for Minnesota, often initiating the offense as Mike Conley continues to struggle and Donte DiVincenzo seems to play best in an off-ball role. Randle often initiates the offense, as well, but if he is indeed ruled out, that work should land more on McDaniels’ shoulders.
He has already cleared this prop in five of his last eight games. That trend should continue with or without Randle, but particularly if the Timberwolves are without him tonight.
Bulls vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
Jaden McDaniels is not much of a pull-up shooter from deep. His threes usually come on catch-and-shoot chances, and with the thought that Randle may be sidelined, those chances will be fewer. Furthermore, McDaniels has cleared this scoring prop while not hitting multiple 3-pointers four times since Christmas.
Bulls vs Timberwolves SGP
Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
Timberwolves moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Wolf pack of props
This is not doubt in Reid. This is seeing value in an Under if his shoulder is indeed bothering him, and Tuesday’s 5-for-15 shooting was his worst showing of January, a decent indication his shoulder is indeed bothering him.
Bulls vs Timberwolves SGP
Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
Timberwolves moneyline
Naz Reid Under 15.5 points
Bulls vs Timberwolves odds
Spread: Bulls +8.5 | Timberwolves -8.5
Moneyline: Bulls +270 | Timberwolves -340
Over/Under: Over 238 | Under 238
Bulls vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The Timberwolves are 3-0 ATS against the Bulls in the last two seasons, all of those coming as at least a three-bucket favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Bulls vs Timberwolves
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-North, CHSN
Bulls vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
BOSTON — Before the Celtics’ win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, head coach Rick Carlisle was asked about what he expected from this year’s Celtics team. And Carlisle, who has been coaching against the Joe Mazzulla Celtics for years, made clear he was far from surprised at the Celtics’ success this season. Before even being prodded further, the longtime NBA coach explained why.
“Derrick White is an All-Star,” Carlisle said. “He’s an All-Star player. I mean, the guy is 8th in the league in blocked shots.”
White is not the only reason Carlisle cited for his preseason confidence in the Celtics: he touched on Jaylen Brown’s greatness, Payton Pritchard’s growth, Sam Hauser’s shotmaking, and Mazzulla’s offensive creativity.
But the unprompted proclamation about White is what stood out most about Carlisle’s answer — in large part because there hasn’t been a ton of chatter about the Celtics guard being an All-Star this season, or at least not as much as many expected going into the year.
The reason for that is simple: his offensive efficiency is down. The 31-year-old is averaging 17.7 points and 5.4 assists — both career-highs — but he’s doing so while shooting 39.1% from the field (the lowest of his NBA career) and 32.4% from three (the second-lowest of his NBA career).
Still, Carlisle was adamant: “He’s such an important part of their team.”
Jaylen Brown, who on Monday was announced as an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, was equally decisive in his proclamation.
“D-White has been a two-way player all year,” Brown said. “And I know we live in an era where that doesn’t get as much praise or respect, but that contributes to winning a lot. Derrick White has been playing at an All-Star level because he plays both sides of the ball. And that’s no disrespect to some of those other guys that are maybe in All-Star contention — but it’s a clear difference.”
Asked Jaylen Brown about Derrick White’s defense — and he said he could see D-White being Defensive Player of the Year:
“I think Derrick White has been playing at an All-Star level l, because he plays both sides of the ball. And that's no disrespect to some of those other guys… https://t.co/TFWbYOn7OBpic.twitter.com/vUqsyydJav
White has been in a particular offensive slump as of late; he is averaging just 10 points on 30.2% shooting in his last 5 games. Still, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 76 points with him on the floor in that span.
That doesn’t surprise those who know his game best, such as his longtime head coach.
“He’s not defined by shooting efficiency,” Mazzulla said. “To me, that’s a bonus.”
After Wednesday’s 119-104 win over the Pacers, Mazzulla pointed out White’s expansive list of more intangible contributions for the Celtics: his role as one of the Celtics’ lead pick-and-roll ball handlers, his ability to make 2-on-1 reads, his defensive versatility, his penchant for getting backtips and stopping fast breaks, and proclivity for doing all of the things that have made him one of the most valuable role players in the league.
As a result, even amid an uncharacteristic shooting slump, White has the highest +/- rating on the team, a +275 on the year
“I just think it’s hard to recognize all the other stuff, and it’s just easy to notice the shooting efficiency because it’s right there,” Mazzulla said.
Carlisle and Mazzulla are far from the only two NBA coaches to gush about White this season; it’s become a regular occurrence.
“I think he is the most underrated player in the league,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said last month. “The guy is an absolute winner.”
Asked Erik Spoelstra about Derrick White:
“I think he is the most underrated player in the league. The guy is an absolute winner, whatever role you put him in … He just does so many things … He's the best shot-blocking guard in the league.” pic.twitter.com/AtAYDWBy6I
Jaylen Brown went so far as to say he feels like White is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. And, there’s a real case to be made; White is fourth in the NBA in stocks (steals and blocks), and he’s averaging career-highs in both categories (1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game).
Among NBA players who average at least 30 minutes per game, White has the second-highest Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (+2.1), a metric that assesses a player’s defensive impact per 100 possessions (he trails only four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert).
And, he is as durable as they come — White has only missed one game this season — and he’s the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA.
“I think Derrick is a first-team All-Defense type of ballot, or maybe even Defensive Player of the Year,” Brown said. “But on top of that, he contributes on offense, and that takes a lot more energy, a lot more effort to do night-to-night. And he’s healthy, he’s available.”
Neemias Queta, who oftentimes has the clearest view of White’s defensive accument, praised his savviness as a defender.
“He’s always got a good chance of getting a stop, no matter who he’s guarding, or even off the ball, too,” Queta said. “He’s really communicative, too. He’s a Swiss Army knife, and he can do a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor. But defensively, especially, I feel like he holds his own in pretty much all types of matchups.“
Brown pointed out that White is doing all that while also shouldering significant offensive responsibilities; he’s the team’s second-leading scorer behind Brown and has the second-highest usage rate on the Celtics (23%). No other defensive player of his caliber concurrently carries such a heavy load on the other side of the ball.
“You’ve got to give that respect to Derrick,” Brown said. “It’s not an easy job to do and play both ends of the ball at a high level for the duration of the season — and be available for a majority of the games. That’s extremely difficult. He’s been doing that for us all [season], and that has helped us be a second seed.”
White probably won’t be named an All-Star, though reserves — selected by coaches — will be announced on February 1st. And, it’s too early for a real Defensive Player of the Year campaign, though White will certainly be in the mix when those conversations begin.
But those who know White’s game best— and basketball best — know that his impact is inherently not captured on the stat sheet.
And, it probably won’t ever get the recognition it deserves; that’s why NBA coaches go out of their way to give him his flowers.
“Regardless of what the stats look like,” Brown said, “Derrick White is an All-Star.”
We've reached the midpoint of an NBA season that has been filled with surprises — Detroit and Boston lead the East, San Antonio is second in the West — and also far too many injuries to stars. It's also given us jaw-dropping moments, and not just the ones Victor Wembanyama seems to deliver us on a nightly basis.
The midpoint also means it's time to take stock of the NBA postseason awards. All week long, I will make my picks for some of the NBA's top awards at this point in the season, plus get betting angles from NBC Sports experts. Today: Sixth Man of the Year.
NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid
2. Jaime Jaquez Jr. 3. Ajay Mitchell
Analysis of Sixth Man of the Year race
Naz Reid won Sixth Man of the Year two years ago with stats that are not as good as the ones he is putting up for the Timberwolves this season, including a career-high 14.5 points per game. He is also someone coach Chris Finch leans on in clutch minutes (depending on the matchup) because of his versatility and ability to play both ends of the floor (he is a plus defender and a big shooting 38.8% from 3-point range).
Usually, the Sixth Man of the Year race sees a lot of movement in the second half of the season, but it feels like someone else is going to win the award this year, they are going to have to prove themselves better than Reid. Good luck with that.
Miami's Jamie Jaquez Jr. — who has carried the Heat offense for stretches — might be the guy to pull that off, although he needs to be a little more efficient with his scoring to win this. Ajay Mitchell has been a revelation off the bench in Oklahoma City in his second season, and the fact that he tends to be on the court with a stacked roster — have you seen the Thunder bench? — shouldn't be held against him. Mitchell has been fantastic.
Three other names to watch in this race are Reed Sheppard in Houston, Keldon Johnson in San Antonio, and the hot Anfernee Simons in Boston. Any of them could climb into the top three — or the top spot itself — with a strong second half of the season.
Orlando's Anthony Black, Atlanta's Nickiel Alexander-Walker and Phoenix's Collin Gilespi are not on this list because all three have become regular starters and have started more than half of their team's games to this point.
Betting Sixth Man Race
We reached out to the NBC Sports betting experts for their thoughts on the Rookie of the Year race and how they might bet it.
Drew Dinsick, NBC Sports Betting Analyst
The rubric for this award is the most productive bench player in terms of raw scoring for a Top 3 seed in either conference. We've seen a rotating cast of favorites for this award throughout the season at this point but the man coming on strong at the moment is clearly Anfernee Simons of the Boston Celtics. His price at 14/1 does not capture the recent surge which find him Top 3 in points scored off the bench, slightly behind Naz Reid and Jaime Jaquez Jr. It seems likely he will lead bench scoring by the All-Star break for the 2-seed Celtics which will likely mean he will be the market favorite and the best awards bet on the board at this time.
