When the Trae Young to Washington trade went down, one of the big questions was how much Young would play for the Wizards this season. Washington has motivation not to be too good this season and Young is the kind of player who raises a team's floor (at least) and wins games.
Young will remain out with right MCL and quad injuries through the All-Star break in a month, at which point he will be re-evaluated, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
It doesn't seem coincidental that this report comes out just as there were growing questions around the league about whether the Wizards were running afoul of the league's player participation policy. Those are the rules the league put in place a few years ago to make sure star players are on the court — and Young, an All-Star the past four years, qualifies. Young had already returned from an MCL issue, and quad injuries don't usually take very long to recover from.
The Hawks held Young out with that quad contusion prior to the trade, but the expectation was that, once traded, he would be instantly, almost miraculously healthy (as many other players have been in that situation over the years).
Except, the Wizards are not looking to win too much. Washington owes its first-round pick to New York, but it is top eight protected heading into what is expected to be a very good draft at the top. The Wizards currently have the fourth-worst record in the league, and, even if things go poorly with the lottery, they cannot lose their pick. Even if Washington enters the lottery with the fifth- or sixth-worst record, there is a greater than 96% chance it keeps the pick. However, get to the seventh-worst record or better and the Knicks suddenly start to feel a lot better. Young, as a guy who can just win a team games, can mess up their plans.
Injury or no, there have been "rumbles" that the Wizards might give Young a two-year contract extension, reports NBA insider Marc Stein at The Stein Line. Young has a player option for $48.9 million next season. If he is willing to waive it, the Wizards might offer him two years with more guaranteed money overall but less per season (two years, $70-$75 million). It's something to watch.
As is when Young will actually step on the court for the Wizards.
LOS ANGELES — It all started on a recent episode of the Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul podcast, when the agent — LeBron James' agent — suggested the Lakers should talk to Memphis about a trade for All-Star and DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr., with Los Angeles sending fan favorite Austin Reaves to Tennessee.
"I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel. And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they're not sensible to know that, then I don't know what to tell them."
There are a number of teams that have their eyes on Jaren Jackson Jr., and if Memphis might make him available in the wake of a Ja Morant trade. To this point, the Grizzlies are shooting down all those inquiries, league sources have told NBC Sports. The perception from other teams is that the Grizzlies are not ready to tear this thing down to the studs and rebuild. They believe they have a good supporting group led by JJJ, and if they can land another star, they could be right back in the mix in the West.
LeBron has to distance himself from the comments for locker room reasons, but Rich Paul is right. The Lakers are retooling their roster after Luka Doncic was gifted to them, and with that they need an elite two-way center who sets strong screens and can roll hard to the rim. Jackson fits that bill, plus he can do more on offense. He would be a fantastic fit for the Lakers, and if the price were Reaves (likely with an unprotected first-round pick) they should jump at it.
The reality is Jackson is not available, and this summer Reaves is going to get a much-deserved massive raise. He has played at an All-Star level when healthy and shown he can carry the offense while Doncic is out. Reaves is a fan favorite, loves playing in Los Angeles and the Lakers should not consider trading him unless the return is just too good to pass up. That's unlikely, which is why next season we will almost certainly see Reaves still in a Lakers' uniform and Jackson in Grizzlies colors.
Ja Morant — in Berlin, a comfortable 4,800 miles away from Memphis, where rumors of his imminent trade from the Grizzlies are swirling — addressed those rumors for the first time, mainly with a series of short answers.
Asked his reaction to the reports that Memphis is listening to calls to trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline, Morant said he would have to "live with it," reports Joe Varden of The Athletic, who was in Berlin (where the Grizzlies will face the Magic on Thursday). Here are a couple of other highlights from the press conference, as reported by Varden.
Asked if he expected to be with the Grizzlies beyond the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, Morant quipped: "I'm the only one you asked that question to?"
...the NBA universe would like to know his reaction to potentially being traded, and asked him to compare the situation to the other challenges he's faced during his career, Morant called it "different."
Then there were questions about Morant's cryptic social media posts.
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
Asked about his cryptic social media posts in the wake of the reports about his future in Memphis, and the online criticisms of his posts (he's been called "Emo Ja," and he made the reference himself as part of his answer), Morant said: "Yeah, I see it. It's cool. Funny."
Morant has already been ruled out of Thursday's game against the Magic in Berlin due to a calf contusion, although he said in the press conference that he feels good. It is possible that Morant will play in the second game of the European series in London over the weekend.
Memphis is reportedly listening to trade offers for the 26-year-old two-time All-Star, although the market for him is limited due to concerns about availability (he has not played in six consecutive games since 2023), his ego and baggage, the $87 million he is owed for the two seasons after this one, and whether he still can consistently be the explosive driver and scorer that made him the most dynamic player in the league four or five years ago. There are teams willing to take a chance on him — the Heat and Raptors are the most mentioned, with reports he would like to go to Miami — but the return for Memphis will not be much more than the expiring contracts Atlanta got back recently for Trae Young.
Whenever that trade goes down, it likely won't happen until the Grizzlies get back from their European adventure, at least. And it may well drag out closer to the deadline.
Bucks fans had every right to boo their team Tuesday night. The Bucks were blown out at home by a Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards (foot issue maintenance) and Rudy Gobert (suspension). The Bucks turned the ball over 20 times, were down 31 at the half and had no answer for Bones Hyland, who finished with 23 points.
Antetokounmpo's postgame explanation was pretty straightforward, via Jamal Collier of ESPN.
"Whenever I get booed, I boo back...
"I play basketball for my teammates. I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don't believe in me, I don't tend to be with them. I tend to do what I'm here to do, what I'm good at. ... It won't change home or away. But yeah, I've never been a part of something like that before and I don't think it's fair. I don't. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
"I'm not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don't play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we're not where we're supposed to be. I don't think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on [a] basketball court after I've been here 13 years. And I'm basically the all-time leader in everything."
Antetokounmpo was understandably frustrated during the loss, but his actions will only add fuel to the trade speculation fires around him. However, it doesn't change where things stand: The Bucks arent going to trade him in-season unless he asks to be traded, he has said he would never do that, Milwaukee is trying to add talent not trade him away, and with his salary (and the fact he only would want to go to specific places) it's next to impossible to trade him in-season anyway.
Still, from the outside, the relationship feels a little more strained today than it was yesterday.
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, dribbles as guard Marcus Smart follows during Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Weary and downtrodden from a losing streak that stretched to three games after a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the Lakers entered Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with Luka Doncic and LeBron James both listed as “questionable.” It looked like an inevitable loss would be coming.
That is, until James collected a full-court baseball pass from Marcus Smart in the first quarter and slammed it down with one hand. The superstar still had his bounce Tuesday.
Doncic and James led the way as the Lakers (24-14) avoided their season-long losing streak. Doncic, who was dealing with groin soreness from Monday’s loss, had 27 points and 12 assists while James, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“It's remarkable,” coach JJ Redick said of James. “His competitive stamina is off the charts.”
Redick said he didn’t expect James to play Tuesday. He had not played in two games in as many days all season, and, at 41 years old, James said his status for all back-to-backs going forward should be “to be determined.”
Then James dominated with his third 30-point game of the month and his 61st 30-point double-double as a Laker, passing Kobe Bryant for seventh most in franchise history.
“I don't take for granted the LeBron stuff,” Redick said. “It's unfortunate actually — not to go on a little tangent here — but it's actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares and the way certain people talk about him. It's crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It's off the charts.”
Redick then followed the tangent when asked why it was “unfortunate.”
“That's the nature of envy,” the coach lamented. “It's the nature of envy. You're not going to get a click, you're not going to get a response, by saying something nice about somebody, by acknowledging someone's greatness, by acknowledging how much they care and how much they work and how much they've accomplished and continue to accomplish and continue to go after something. I mean, you got to say something bad about him. You got to go on TV and knock him. You got to go read into, ‘Oh, he did this pregame and he did this.’ It's all just nuts. Be around him every day. He's unbelievable.”
Teammates have tried futilely to beat James to the arena or the practice facility in the morning and can never seem to arrive early enough. His extensive pregame routine Tuesday, only hours after he played 33 minutes and 13 seconds on Monday in Sacramento, included an ice bath in a hyperbaric chamber before arriving at the arena then hours of activation, treatment, stretching and lifting before the game.
“For me, he’s one of a kind,” Doncic said. “To be in his 23rd season, to play back-to-back, it costs everybody. But for him it’s probably even more difficult. It shows how much he cares.”
Despite owning nearly every record and accolade, James said he still has no choice but to keep his standard high.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods,” James said. “I understand that it's a real thing. … Every time I hit the floor or I'm at a practice, whatever the case may be, trying to set an example for my teammates and the younger generation that's watching me or watching throughout my career. I mean, shoot, my son is right over there.”
With three minutes and 43 seconds left, James was just one rebound shy of his first triple-double since Feb. 1, 2025, but didn't chase the significant stat. After hitting a free throw, he quickly committed a take foul to stop the clock so he could leave the blowout.
He subbed out for son Bronny.
Rui Hachimura returns off the bench
Rui Hachimura made his return from a right calf strain that kept him out for two weeks, scoring seven points on three-for-seven shooting with two rebounds. He was on an 18-minute restriction, which kept him on the bench at the beginning of the game. Hachimura was the Lakers’ first sub, coming in for James with six minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
“He's our best catch-and-shoot guy,” Redick said of Hachimura before the game, “so looking forward to [having him back].”
Hachimura was one of three from three-point range Tuesday as the Lakers shot 55.9% from three, a season high. The shooting spree came less than 24 hours after the Lakers, who rank 24th in three-point shooting percentage, were a frigid eight for 36 from deep against Sacramento. Hachimura is shooting a team-high 44.5% from three-point range this season.
Deandre Ayton shoulders the load
With Jaxson Hayes sidelined because of left hamstring soreness, Deandre Ayton had a second consecutive double-double with 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds.
Ayton’s energy has appeared to fluctuate in recent games, including two games in which he did not finish the fourth quarter on the court. Ayton promised to be a defensive anchor for the team that picked him up in free agency after he flamed out with Portland last season, and the 7-footer has been good, Redick said, “when he’s engaged.”
“It just, you know, just more consistency," Redick said. "He's shown he can do it … Deandre's told on himself: he can be a really good defender.”
Hayes’ defensive struggles got him benched late last season, but Redick has commended the center’s improvement on that end of the court. Hayes has delivered what Redick called several “teach tape verticalities” this year to protect the rim. His progress on defense and electric dunks on offense helped Hayes earn closing minutes in clutch games against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 2 and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9.
But Hayes felt the hamstring injury late in the game against Sacramento and couldn’t return, Redick said. The team got imaging on the injury and will soon know more. Without his frontcourt running mate, Ayton said he wanted to bring the same mindset he’s had all season to help the Lakers bounce back from Monday’s disappointing loss.
“You can say one thing about these back-to-backs,” Ayton said, “but being in the NBA, having games that you lose or you didn't play so well in as a team, you get another opportunity like tonight to redeem.”
The NBA trade deadline is nearing, and the league already blessed us with a Trae Young deal as an appetizer. Now the main course is coming, and with the Eastern Conference wide open and the West closer to that than imagined, you can expect a buffet of transactions.
Here’s your primer for the incoming trade season, looking at the league’s big players, and how the Knicks might be approaching the deadline...
Biggest names
The domino many are waiting to fall is Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo formally requesting a trade from the Bucks. We’ve seen flip-flopping quotes and buzz, but nothing definitive to put him on the market. In fact, signs point to the Bucks being buyers in a last ditch effort to keep him aboard.
Ultimately that’s likely how this ends, with an inevitable Giannis deal in the offseason when it’s much easier to pull off. This would also give the Knicks a shot to win with this roster under a new head coach -- something they likely want to see before blowing it up again.
The two next biggest names are Anthony Davis and Ja Morant, two unlikely Knicks targets for differing reasons. Davis will have surgery and likely miss the rest of the regular season, which he’s already been in and out of, while Morant plays the same position as Jalen Brunson and is a big question mark off the court.
Other rumored names are Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine. Two high-level guys in Michael Porter Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga look certain to be dealt.
Leon Rose / Getty Images/SNY Treated Image
Biggest movers
The Knicks aren’t expected to chase a big fish, or even be one of the more active teams. They’re one of the surest contenders in the East with only slight holes to fill when fully healthy.
Who might stir the pot big time in early February is the aforementioned Bucks, desperate to build something of a winner around Giannis. Another big buyer could be the Hawks, fresh off the Young trade with assets and young talent in tow.
If they decide to go all-in on a run this year, the Pistons could get active with Tobias Harris' salary and draft capital around their dangerous core. The Timberwolves and Rockets should be cornering the guard market, with the Heat and Raptors window shopping, while the Clippers only have incentive to buy so long as they don’t give up future assets.
On the selling side, the Knicks can target tanking teams like the Nets, Wizards, and Jazz for some marginal talent at cheaper costs. Also, watch out for the Celtics potentially trying to cash in on this surprising season and lower their tax bill.
What do the Knicks do?
While we may be in for a wilder trade season than usual, it won’t be because of New York, unless Leon Rose pulls the trigger on some massive surprise trade. They’re a bit restricted under their current cap and asset situation, don’t want to mess with a winning core, and don’t have viable targets out there to even consider doing so.
The probable outcome is a small deal around Guerschon Yabusele’s salary for a depth upgrade. That may not inspire awe for fans, but it’s what the team needs most -- not another blockbuster deal.
The deadline brings out the league’s most desperate teams in hopes of reshaping their roster for the home stretch. If it’s any indication of how their season is going, the Knicks largely being absent from the festivities is a good sign.
The Boston Celtics will spend the next month linked to every available player 6-foot-10 or taller. But even if the Memphis Grizzlies were willing to consider offers for former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., it’s hard to see how the Celtics could afford the long-term splurge.
The Celtics could put together a package built around Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, and draft picks to get into any Jackson Jr. sweepstakes, but the long-term financial implications make a swap seem unlikely.
Jackson is making $35 million this season (22.6 percent of the cap) before his salary balloons to an average of $50.5 million over the next three seasons. Even if the Celtics were able to stomach that number this season, it becomes basically untenable moving forward.
For the 2026-27 season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will combine to earn $115.6 million. Add in Jackson’s $50 million and Derrick White’s $30.3 million salary, and the Celtics are at nearly $200 million in total salary for four players next season.
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Boston would be launching back above the second apron after swallowing hard to get off of it this past summer. The Celtics would still have to navigate pesky repeater tax penalties that would drive the total cost of this roster to the moon, and leave no pathway to resetting those penalties without moving on from at least one of those core pieces.
The Celtics obviously need to figure out what the next iteration of a championship-contending frontcourt looks like, particularly after moving on from Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet this past summer.
Neemias Queta has performed beyond expectations as Boston’s starting big man and Luka Garza has reinvigorated the bench since his return to the rotation in late December. Still, the big-man position — and size in general — is Boston’s greatest area of need, even if Tatum will add some much-needed size and rebounding whenever he’s back on the floor.
Jackson Jr.’s defensive pedigree is intriguing, as is his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end. He’s still only 26 years old. The downsides: His rebounding is underwhelming (5.6 per game this season and only one season with 6-plus rebounds per game) and he can be a bit of a foul magnet.
Ultimately, it’s the price tag that poses the biggest challenge, as well as the draft capital that you’d have to expend to land a player like Jackson Jr.
Taking on that sort of salary makes it vital to have a steady stream of low-cost draftees coming into the program, and Boston would have to mortgage much of that future as well as basically all of its flexibility.
Draymond Green isn’t ready to leave the NBA anytime soon — but for the first time, he’s no longer shutting the door on what could come next.
After the Warriors’ 119-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, Green spoke candidly about his evolving mindset toward coaching, acknowledging that the idea resonates with him more now than it did even a couple of years ago.
“As I get closer to the end, I think a little bit more about it, and I’m definitely closer than I was a couple years ago,” Green told reporters. “You had asked me two years ago, I would’ve told you hell no.”
That shift, Green explained, stems from his growing sense of responsibility to pass down what he’s learned — and a belief that the game loses something when veteran knowledge isn’t shared.
“You play this game for all these years, and then you’re just done — like, where does the knowledge go?” Green said. “What did you do? What did you give back to those to keep it moving forward, to keep the game growing? You owe it to the game to leave it in a better place than it was when you found it.”
Green credited former NBA player Pete Myers for instilling that philosophy in him early in his career, and emphasized it’s why he’s intentional about mentoring younger players whenever he can.
That approach hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the locker room. Third-year guard Brandin Podziemski pointed to Green’s basketball IQ and leadership.
“Really, really smart guy when it comes to basketball,” Podziemski said. “X’s and O’s, knows how to talk to people, how to be a leader — all things you’d want in a good coach, I think he brings, so I could definitely see that in his future for sure.”
Jimmy Butler echoed that sentiment, praising Green’s anticipation and feel for the game.
“His basketball mind is out of this world,” Butler said. “He sees all the plays before they happen. He’s always studying the game, and he wants everybody to be great. I actually really do believe he’d be a phenomenal coach.”
For now, Green insists his focus remains on playing.
“I still think I’ve got quite a bit left in the tank,” he said. “But it’s definitely not a ‘no’ anymore.”
So much is made from fans and commenters that Nick Nurse doesn’t run any plays, that he’s taking a lazy approach to calling the Sixers offense.
Now nearing the halfway point of the season, the Sixers have posted a middling offensive rating (114.8), ranking 13th in the league, while shooting the 15th-most threes, making the 14th-most and not excelling in any specific statistic so far.
There are fair criticisms of the job Nurse has done so far this season but let’s dive into what the ideas are behind the offense.
Nurse’s main offensive philosophy lies in creating mismatches in isolation, something that helped him elevate the Raptors from early round playoff purgatory into NBA Champions.
The 2019 champion Raptors had a slew of isolation scoring experts.
Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and Kyle Lowry all excelled at their individual shot making.
Putting them in positions to succeed was something Nurse leaned on for his offense.
Creating mismatches by getting his guards isolating opposing bigs, or identifying the weak defensive link for Leonard and Siakam to exploit, the Raptors were able to create advantages on offense with their given offensive skill sets.
While Nurse also had set plays to get easier looks for shooters, or open looks at the rim, he also understood that the offensive firepower in the NBA can be unleashed in isolation.
This offensive strategy would not work with every NBA team. A certain roster build is necessary that includes several gifted scorers who are capable on the defensive end. Players who are upper tier athletes who won’t back down from moments where the focus is solely on them.
Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe are four players that Nurse loves to put in the same isolation situations.
All four guys (wild that one of them is a rookie) are able to get their own shot against defenders.
While fans clamor for Nurse to “run more plays” (something he does a lot of already and something we will dive into in the future), oftentimes the best offense can come just from putting one of the aforementioned Sixers in an isolation that favors them.
The concepts on offense don’t have to be complex. With the right players it can look like nothing is happening. The simplicity of the ball screen has stayed in the NBA for as long as it has because it’s so effective.
A simple ball screen to get Maxey onto a big man on the perimeter, or to get Embiid the ball deep in the post against a much smaller player can be all you need.
Nurse also runs a fair number of “empty side” ball screens, to eliminate any help defense that can come from the baseline. This helps Maxey and Embiid work in ample space and use their prowess to carve defenses.
The true speed bump for Nurse’s offense has been the changing availability up and down the roster.
The pace of the offense changes violently depending on which players are available. It can be the frantic, blazing offense commanded by Maxey, or the methodical, all-eyes-on-me offense that Embiid has anchored for several seasons now.
The Maxey offense is wild. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s something Philadelphia hasn’t seen in a long long time and it’s a change of pace turned up to the highest notch.
Maxey could well be one of the twitchiest players the league has seen, blending his straight line quickness with deceleration that confounds defenders and leaves them guessing if they should try to follow him to the rim, or try to retreat with him to the three point line.
His improved playmaking has elevated his teammates as oftentimes, more than one defender is needed to stop the simplest of Maxey isolations.
It’s a tough ask to find another player who has his combination of speed, shooting, handle, strength, flexibility, and overall burst.
Play too close and he goes right around you.
Take a step back, he shoots right over you.
But a bigger defender on him? He’s too fast for them.
Put a quicker guard on him? He’s too strong for them!
Although Maxey’s Most Improved Player Award from 2023-24 sits somewhere in his home, you could argue this current season has been the true breakout as Maxey ascends towards super stardom.
Maxey gives Nurse’s offense movement with the ball in his point guard’s hand. His breaking down of defenses opens passing windows, cutting lanes, and shooting opportunities for himself and others.
Maxey has run ball screen actions with several players as his screener this season. Embiid, Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes. Jared McCain, Trendon Watford, Kelly Oubre (ok basically the whole roster) have been involved in screening for Maxey.
Teams will throw their best guard and wing defenders on Maxey or give him different looks to try to slow him down.
While this can work to an extent, the lesser defender on the screener can get switched onto Maxey.
The most notable so far was on Edgecombe’s game winner in Memphis. The Grizzlies attempt to hide a weaker defender Ja Morant on Edgecombe.
The Sixers put him in the ball screen action to force him and the Grizzlies into a decision with quick communication.
The Grizzlies decide to blitz Maxey who finds Edgecombe with an open shot for the lead.
Given that Maxey has taken such another huge leap, the offensive hub that has been Embiid for seasons on end seemed to be dwindling to an end.
That was until the recent surge of play that looks as close to the Embiid of old as we have seen in some time.
This offense has been predicated on Embiid operating out of the post, trying to find cutters when he’s double teamed, drawing fouls on defenders reaching, and scoring on practically everyone who faces him.
This style led him to a scoring title, MVP, and a staple as the top points scorer in the league.
As injuries continue to beat him down, he can no longer be the initiator of the offense.
The physical toll of his style of play draws too much contact for his body.
Putting him against smaller defenders later in the possession is something that can extend his longevity.
With Maxey now leading the offense and controlling the ball, Embiid has transitioned to more of a decoy and play finisher for the first time in a long time.
Nurse’s offense doesn’t give Embiid as many post ups as before. He’s now operating in the middle of the floor near the free throw line, often receiving a pass from Maxey who has created an advantage.
Trusting his offensive players to capitalize on the smallest of advantages may not be the flashiest offense, but Nurse and Maxey have led the Sixers to a 22-16 start in a season that had the potential to repeat the abject failure of the 2024-25 season.
If the simplicity of the offense can sustain for the rest of the season and into the spring time will be the true test to see what Nurse has up his sleeve.
While the main philosophy of Nurse’s offense relies on these mismatches and tiny advantages, there are several other sets Nurse runs to give his players a favorable chance to score.
More on Nurse’s offense will come in the following weeks.
21 different players nailed a three in tonight's Warriors-Trail Blazers game, which is the most players with at least one 3-pointer in a single game in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/If9NL7MtPb
Warriors guards De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody led the way, both tying for a game-high four 3-pointers made. Golden State finished with a whopping 40.4 3-point percentage.
The Warriors attempted 57 three-point shots against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, tying a season-high.
“The ball just went in. Sometimes it’s that simple,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after the win. “We had some good looks the other night that didn’t go, and you just keep firing, and we did that. [57] threes [attempted] is a lot.”
Steph Curry, the NBA all-time 3-point leader, made just two 3-pointers, which were his only field goals made in the game. Entering Wednesday, he is tied with Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell for most 3-pointers made this season (143).
Each Portland player who entered the game made at least one 3-pointer. However, the Trail Blazers finished with just a 29.8 3-point percentage.
The previous record was 20 players in a game, done three separate times, according to SportRadar. The first occurrence of 20 different players making a 3-pointer came between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks on Aug. 4, 2020, during the NBA bubble.
This season, the most players in a single game to make a 3-pointer was 18, done twice. Both games included Golden State and Portland: Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 23 and Thunder vs. Warriors on Dec. 2.
Mike Brown will make his first return to Sacramento on Wednesday night since being fired by the Kings less than two months into the 2024-25 season.
Brown, who was hired by the New York Knicks in July 2025, spoke to the media in Sacramento on Tuesday for nearly seven minutes to discuss his tenure with the Kings that ended abruptly and as a shock to the entire NBA.
Brown shared what he learned from his time in Sacramento.
“Every day you feel like you’re learning, whether you’re learning from something good or something bad,” Brown said (h/t CBS13’s Jake Gadon). “But there are a lot of stuff I learned. Trying to figure out different types of problems we had. Trying to enhance whatever we had that was good here. There’s just a tremendous lateral growth that I went through here. Not just on the floor, but out in the community, too.
“I really enjoyed being out in the community and getting to know the people out there. That was a lot of fun as well.”
The “Beam Team” Kings won 48 games during Brown’s first season as head coach. He was awarded Coach of the Year, and then-general manager Monte McNair was named Executive of the Year.
Sacramento won two games less the following season, but the Western Conference shakeup dropped the Kings all the way to the ninth seed.
After making the playoffs in his first season and falling just short in his second, there was increased pressure riding on Brown and the Kings entering the 2024-25 season. But a 13-18 start to the campaign was enough for Kings ownership and front office to part ways with Brown, as he was fired while driving to the airport for a road trip.
Brown was asked if he was surprised that he wasn’t given more leeway after the newfound success and culture refresh he brought to the city.
“Those situations, it’s part of life. Sometimes things happen. You may think one thing, you may think another thing, but at the end of the day, who knows? The best thing you can do in life is keep moving forward. That’s what myself and my family has done. We really love New York. We’ve embraced the change.
” … [There are] a lot of good things if you keep your mind present and moving forward, and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve really enjoyed our time being in New York, even though it’s been a short amount of time so far.”
Brown was let go on Dec. 27, 2024. He didn’t land — or seek — another NBA job the rest of the season.
Instead, he chose to utilize the time to travel with his wife, never letting the thought of his Kings tenure potentially being his last NBA head-coaching gig.
“I never really think that way,” he said. “When it happened, you process it real quickly and then literally, my wife and I went to Australia, then from there we went to Brooklyn, then we went to Puerto Vallarta and then we went to St. Barts. It’s life, you know? You keep moving forward. You can really beat yourself up if you try to guess or figure out what should’ve happened, why it happened, what could’ve happened, all that stuff. So, life is short. I try to embrace it.
“I enjoy what I can enjoy and control what I can control. If I can’t control it, try to find something else to do.”
Former Kings head coach Mike Brown returns to Sacramento tonight as the Knicks face the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.
The 2023 Coach of the Year opens up on:
• The emotions of returning • His time in Sacramento & the community • Regrets from his tenure • Organizational… pic.twitter.com/sw88kqFhKy
Brown said he doesn’t have any regrets from his time in Sacramento, but rather thinks about the “what-ifs” from the injuries the team sustained in his second year.
Former starting Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in March. A few weeks later, Malik Monk, the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year, also was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a calf injury.
Brown believes the Kings would have won 50 games had they not lost those players to injuries.
After Brown was fired, Doug Christie replaced him as interim head coach. Christie had the interim tag removed from his title for the 2025-26 season, in which the Kings currently hold a 10-30 record.
A lot has changed since the last time Brown stepped into the Golden 1 Center building. Most notably, former Kings franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last February. The Kings also hired Scott Perry as their new general manager after relieving McNair of his duties.
Brown was asked about the massive turnover since his departure, but he kept his response vague.
“Not being here, you don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors,” Brown said. “So I don’t think much about it. They have their reasons for doing it because they’re here every day and I’m not. I can’t say much on that.”
One Kings player who remains from the Beam Team era is fourth-year forward Keegan Murray, someone Brown said he loves and is excited to see, as evidenced by his “KEEGAN! MURRAY!” chant.
Brown is focused on his new team, the Knicks, who are 25-14 and the No. 2 seed in the East, but he acknowledged it will be an emotional night as he steps into the building where he has many unforgettable memories in a city he still has a lot of love for.
“I think the crowd will be good,” Brown said. “You never know. I enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed the fans here. Hopefully, they appreciate what we accomplished while I was here. … The reality of it is, coming back here, a place we really enjoyed, yeah, it’s a little emotional.
“But at the end of the day, the fans, if they cheer me or hug me when they see me, trust me, they want to kick my ass and the Knicks’ ass. And we want to do the same.”
The NBA trade market is officially open for business. With Atlanta already sending Trae Young to Washington and the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, roster values are beginning to shift across the league. Savvy fantasy basketball managers don't have to wait for the next blockbuster to act, though, as this is often the best time to capitalize on slumps, hot streaks and changing team directions.
Whether you're looking to buy low on proven talent, sell high on an unexpected breakout or stay patient with a struggling star, these fantasy basketball trade tips will help you navigate the market and position your roster for the stretch run.
Buy
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Adebayo is in the midst of a disappointing stretch, averaging just 13.0 points over his last 10 games. He attempted 12.1 shots per game during that span, which isn't far off from his season average of 13.6 attempts. However, the main reason for his decline in scoring is that he shot just 41.3% from the field.
Even with Adebayo struggling with his efficiency, he provided 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during that 10-game span. With him attempting more 3-pointers this season, his overall shooting percentage has declined to 45.6%. Still, it's difficult to complain too much with him providing 16.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 3-pointers per game. This might be an opportunity to acquire him at a slight discount in a trade.
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Much like Adebayo, Castle has gone cold from the field. Over his last nine games, he has shot just 34.2%, including 24.1% from behind the arc. That left him to average 13.9 points and 0.8 3-pointers. On the bright side, he still averaged 5.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals over those nine matchups.
Castle is not a good 3-point shooter. He shot 28.5% from behind the arc during his rookie season and is shooting 27.3% this season. Still, he is shooting 46.1% from the field while providing 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 2025-26. He should remain a very valuable fantasy option during the second half of the season, so try to acquire him now before he gets his shot back on track.
Sell
Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
Nembhard is having a breakout season, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 1.9 3-pointers. With Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out, Nembhard has played 32 minutes per game and with a career-high 23.9% usage rate so far. Prior to this season, he had never posted a usage rate higher than 16.3%.
While Nembhard is thriving, the Pacers are not. They have the second-worst record in the NBA as they find themselves basically out of the playoff hunt already. Entering Wednesday, they are 9.5 games behind the Bulls for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers could become a tanking team during the second half, which might mean rest days are on the horizon for Nembhard. See if you can trade him now for a player with a better outlook down the stretch.
John Collins, Los Angeles Clippers
Entering Monday's game against the Hornets, Collins was in the midst of his best stretch of the season. Across the previous five games, he averaged 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 3.2 3-pointers. It certainly helped his cause that he played 33 minutes per game during that span. However, he also showed efficiency that is not sustainable, shooting 72.2% from the field and 69.6% from behind the arc.
Collins came back to reality against the Hornets, posting three points and five rebounds over 30 minutes. Ivica Zubac recently returned from injury and has been playing more each game, so Collins could see his playing time dip again soon. In a disappointing season while averaging 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds, this might be a rare opportunity to sell high on him in a trade.
Hold
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
The Hawks decided to take their franchise in another direction when they traded Young to the Wizards. It appears that the Grizzlies are prepared to do the same with Morant. Morant is currently out with a calf injury, but it was reported last week that Memphis is entertaining offers to deal him before the trade deadline.
Injuries and poor shooting have plagued Morant this season. He has appeared in just 18 games and shot 40.1% from the field. Never a great 3-point threat, he has shot an abysmal 20.8% from deep so far. His value is at a low point right now, so don't trade him at a discount. A move to a new team could revitalize him for the stretch run.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
One of the reasons why the Hawks wanted to trade Young is because of how poorly their defense performed when he was on the floor. They have been much better when Alexander-Walker plays more minutes. Not only is Alexander-Walker a big upgrade on the defensive end of the floor, but he is having the best offensive season of his career with his averages of 20.7 points and 3.0 3-pointers.
With Young out of the picture, Alexander-Walker is set up to start alongside Dyson Daniels for the remainder of the season, barring another trade. The Hawks acquired CJ McCollum in the trade with the Wizards, but he has come off the bench in both of his first two games with his new team. McCollum is not a good defender and is in the later stages of his career, so he will likely remain in that bench role moving forward. There's no need to consider selling high on Alexander-Walker as he could remain a stellar fantasy option moving forward.
Luka Doncic and Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reach for a loose ball in the first half. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic and LeBron James were listed as questionable for the Lakers' back-to-back game Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic because of left groin soreness, James because of left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica.
Also, checking the stat sheet before the game, the Lakers were listed as one of the worst three-point shooting teams and one of the worst defensive shooting percentage teams in the league.
Well, Luka played and LeBron played and the Lakers shot lights-out from three-point range and were solid across the board on defense while building a 32-point lead in the third quarter and rolling over the Hawks 141-116 at Crypto.com Arena.
“We didn't expect him (James) to be able to play. I mean, that's just the nature of a 41-year-old body who plays heavy minutes. And he just said, "I'm going to try. I'm going to try to do everything I can, do my normal routine if I'm able to go.’ And same thing with Luka,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “So, both those guys I thought just completely led the group tonight and it was evident 22 assists between them. Obviously they made some shots too, but I just thought they did a great job of leading the group.”
Doncic felt soreness in his groin when the Lakers played at Sacramento on Monday night and was unsure about playing Tuesday. But he played and delivered 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.
“For me, I want to play,” Doncic said. “So, obviously I wasn’t feeling 100%, but in my head, I always want to play.”
After playing 33 minutes and 17 seconds, Doncic was asked how he was feeling physically.
“It’s a little bit worse than yesterday,” he said. But I’ll be fine."
James didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back game last week at New Orleans and San Antonio and said he will be listed as TBD, to be determined, in such scenarios. But James played against the Hawks and nearly produced a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
James described what went into his day that led him to playing in his first back-to-back game of the season.
“Woke up, got in the cold tub. I got in the cold tub in the hyperbaric chamber,” he said. “After the hyperbaric chamber, I took a nap, then I played PGA EA golf for a little bit, as I [wore compression boots] for 45 minutes, and I took a shower, got dressed and headed here.
"And once I got here, I did my normal game day routine — activation, treatment, rehabbing, stretching, lifting, mentally, doing everything while I watched TPG on the TV.
"And then me and (my trainer) Mike (Mancias) looked at each other, and he looked at me, asking me, ‘What you thinking? I said , ‘I think I feel pretty good.’ And then there's a pregame meal in between there.”
Coming into the game, opponents were shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.4% from three against the Lakers, ranking them 28th and 26th, respectively, in the NBA.
The Hawks began the game ranked fourth in three-point shooting, making 37.4%, and they were ranked eighth in field-goal percentage, making 43.6%.
All of the above made for a bad recipe for the Lakers entering the game.
But when the game started, none of that mattered to the Lakers, who held the Hawks to 45% shooting and 28.3% from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55.9% (19 for 34) from three-point range.
The Lakers’ big lead was sliced to 11 points in the fourth.
But back-to-back three-pointers by James and Marcus Smart, both off passes from Doncic, and a Doncic basket gave them a 19-point lead, and they never looked back.
The Lakers scored 81 points in the first half, a season-high for points in a half, a half in which they opened a 23-point lead and had the Hawks reeling from the beginning.
“We shared the ball great,” Doncic said. “We knocked down shots, so it was very fun out there.”
Rui Hachimura had missed the previous seven games with a right calf strain but was back in action against the Hawks. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes.
ETC: The Lakers signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Bufkin played in seven games for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team, where he averaged 28.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over seven games. He has appeared in 27 career NBA games over two seasons with the Hawks. “You know, during the stretch, we'll have opportunities during this 10-day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.... Backup center Jaxson Hayes didn’t play against the Hawks because of left hamstring soreness. Redick said Hayes got some “imaging” Tuesday on his injury and that the Lakers will have “more information” going forward.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tarris Reed Jr. scored 21 points and Silas Demary Jr. made four free throws in the last 29 seconds as No. 3 UConn extended its winning streak to 13 games with a 69-64 win over No. 25 Seton Hall on Tuesday night.
The Huskies nearly squandered an 18-point lead — 42-24 — with 17:20 left to play. Seton Hall battled back and closed within a point at 65-64 on a 3-pointer by Mike Williams III with 48 seconds left.
Demary made two free throws to give UConn a 67-64 lead with 29 seconds to play. Williams had a chance to tie it for Seton Hall on its next possession, but his 3-point attempt was blocked by freshman guard Braylon Mullins. Demary closed out the win with two more free throws with 11 seconds remaining.
The Huskies (17-1, 7-0 Big East) were held without a field goal for the final 5:40 of the game
Seton Hall had beaten UConn in the teams’ last four games at the Prudential Center.
Seton Hall (14-3, 4-2) had overcome double-digit deficits after halftime in all three of its wins since losing to Villanova on Dec. 23.
Alex Karaban had 13 points and Mullins scored 11 points for the Huskies.
Williams scored 16 points, Adam Clark added 12 and Najai Hines 10 for Seton Hall, which shot 1 for 16 (6%) from 3-point range. The Pirates were making third first appearance in The Associated Press’ Top 25 rankings since a No. 20 ranking nearly four years ago.
NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE 81, INDIANA 60
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jeremy Fears scored 19 of his career-high 23 points in the first half and Jaxon Kohler finished with 16 points, leading Michigan State to a win over Indiana.
The Spartans (15-2, 5-1 Big Ten) trailed by seven midway through the first half when Fears was their only scorer and led 39-32 at halftime after some of his teammates contributed offensively.
The Hoosiers (12-5, 3-3) tied the game with 11:19 to remaining, before giving up 19 straight points while being held scoreless for nearly seven minutes.
Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson scored 19 points and didn’t get much help because none of his teammates scored in double figures. Reed Bailey, who is averaging 10 points, fouled out for the Hoosiers.
NO. 16 VIRGINIA 79, NO. 20 LOUISVILLE 70
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Malik Thomas made six 3-pointers and scored 19 points, Johann Grunloh added 16 points and Virginia shot 55% in the second half to beat Louisville.
Thomas went 6 of 8 from beyond the arc and 6 of 9 overall for the Cavaliers (15-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Virginia shot just 40% from the field but led throughout and made 7 of 13 3-pointers after halftime in its first meeting with a ranked foe this season.
Grunloh, a 7-foot freshman, went 3 of 4 on 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and four blocks.
Isaac McKneely, who spent the previous three seasons at Virginia, scored a season-high 23 points for Louisville (12-5, 2-3), which shot 36% and has dropped three of four.
Ryan Conwell added 14 points for the Cardinals, who played a seventh consecutive game without guard Mikel Brown Jr. (back) and were missing forward Khani Rooths because of an illness. Ex-G League player London Johnson dressed but did not play for a second straight game.
NO. 22 CLEMSON 74, BOSTON COLLEGE 50
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Nick Davidson scored 21 straight points in the first half and finished with a season-high 25 as Clemson beat Boston College to remain undefeated in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Tigers (15-3, 5-0 ACC) won their eighth straight game, one day after reaching the Top 25 rankings for the first time this season.
Davidson, the Nevada transfer, accounted for all of Clemson’s scoring in a 21-9 run in the first to turn a four-point deficit into a 32-24 lead.
Clemson started the second half on a 9-2 run. The Tigers were led by RJ Godfrey’s five points and extended their lead to double digits.
Davidson’s two foul shots with 9:50 to play extended Clemson’s lead to 21 points and Boston College (7-10, 0-4) failed to respond. The Tigers eventually led by 25 in the second half.
Davidson made 8 of 11 shots from the field, including four of Clemson’s eight 3-pointers. He finished a point shy of his career high, set against Sam Houston State in November 2024.
Fred Payne led Boston College with 20 points.
NO. 24 TENNESSEE 87, TEXAS A&M 82, 2OT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nate Ament scored 23 points, 10 of which came in the two overtime periods, as Tennessee beat Texas A&M.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 18, Bishop Boswell had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Felix Okpara had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Volunteers (12-5, 2-2 in Southeastern Conference), who outrebounded the Aggies 60-35.
The Aggies (13-4, 3-1), who had their six-game winning streak snapped, were led by Jacari Lane with 20 points, Pop Isaacs with 16 and Ruben Dominguez with 15.
Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and Austin Rivers have picked up a side hustle, coaching during NBA All-Star Weekend.
The four NBC broadcasters — three of them Hall of Famers — will coach the Rising Stars Game on Feb. 13, the Friday night of All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The game will start at 9 p.m. Eastern that night and be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Presenting the honorary head coaches for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars!
NBA Rookies and Sophomores will be drafted onto three teams on Tuesday (1/27) at 7:00pm/et on Peacock, with NBA G League players to comprise the fourth team.
This year's Rising Stars game will be must watch because it is overflowing with talent from an impressive and deep rookie class.
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, Derik Queen and Tre Johnson are among the rookies expected to take part in the game at the Intuit Dome (the home of the LA Clippers). There are plenty of talented second-year players expected to participate as well, including Stephon Castle, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher.
All of those rookies and sophomores will be drafted onto three teams, with the draft taking place in two weeks (Jan. 27) at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock. NBA G League players will make up the fourth team. Those four teams will be put into a straight-up tournament, where in the initial round the first team to reach or surpass 40 points will win and advance to the championship game. In that title game, the first team to reach 25 points wins.
When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game returns to the Los Angeles area this season, with the big game itself played on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, home of the Los Angeles Clippers. All events will be broadcast on NBC Sports and Peacock. The All-Star Friday Night Rising Stars game (featuring NBA rookies and second-year players) as well as the All-Star Saturday Night events, including the Dunk Contest and 3-Point Contest, will also take place at the Intuit Dome. Fans will be able to watch all of it on NBC Sports and Peacock.
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
