Victor Wembanyama is not the only Spur who has secured an invitation to All-Star Weekend. Guards Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and David Jones-Garcia have been selected to participate in the Rising Star game, the league announced.
Castle is not only the reigning Rookie of the Year but was also the 2025 Rising Stars game MVP, leading his team to a spot at the All-Star game in the last edition. The sophomore has made a leap in his second season, posting averages of 16.6 points, five rebounds and seven assists per game while starting and logging 31 minutes per game for a team with a 31-15 record. He was a lock to be selected for the event and received heavy consideration by fans, players, and media for the All-Star game.
Harper’s participation also seemed likely despite his role. The No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 draft has spent his rookie year coming off the bench behind De’Aaron Fox and only playing 21.1 minutes a game. As a result, he’s averaging a respectable but not eye-popping 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game. Despite not getting the starring role others in his class have enjoyed, he’s among eight first-year players with 300+ points, 100+ rebounds and 100+ assists, while being the only player to do it in fewer than 800 minutes, according to the Spurs news release.
Jones-Garcia, who earned a two-way contract thanks to a fantastic showing in Summer League, has been named to the G League squad that will participate in the event. Jones-Garcia is averaging 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 14 games for the Austin affiliate, per the team’s release. The Dominican scorer has also appeared in 11 games with the San Antonio Spurs this season.
Here are all the players who will be a part of the event:
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Player Pool!
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.
The format of the event is an interesting one. The rookies and sophomores who will represent the NBA will be drafted into three teams on Tuesday, January 27, at 6 p.m. on Peacock. The fourth team that will participate in a mini tournament on Saturday, February 13, will be comprised of G League players. Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, and Austin Rivers will be the honorary coaches.
As the Head Coach, he takes his leadership seriously, stands up for his players, and is always open and forthcoming. As an Offensive Coordinator, his system which encourages multiple passes and cuts has resulted the Raptors finishing in the top 7 in assists in each of his first two seasons (and currently 2nd this year). As a Defensive Coordinator, Darko’s schemes and rotations have boosted the Raptors from the 17th-ranked defense last season to 4th, as of this writing.
after holding the thunder to 7 points over the final 5 minutes of last night's game, the raptors now own the best crunch-time defensive rating in the league at 96.4. they're doing this without a single player taller than 6'9. pretty incredible
One hat I did not think Darko would wear was that of a psychic. Back in October 2023, before his first game as Head Coach, Rajakovic proclaimed, “I think one day he’s going to be Defensive Player of the Year. That’s something he wants to be, that he wants to develop into, and I’m going to do everything in my power to help him on that path.” (You can disregard the heaps of praise he bestows on Dennis Schroder. That definitely does not fall into the ‘psychic’ category, but the ‘head coach’ category of Darko’s hats)
Rajaković backed Scottie Barnes as a future Defensive Player of the Year while also reminding reporters not to forget about Dennis Schröder’s defensive skillset: pic.twitter.com/rRNrmcBVAx
Barnes has been a revelation this year. Not the kind of revelation where a player comes out of nowhere to shock everyone, but a revelation to the rest of the NBA. Scottie has been a defensive menace throughout his five seasons in the league. However, playing for lottery teams in each of the last two seasons, preceded by two seasons under Nick Nurse where he wasn’t fully unleashed has kept Barnes’ defensive reputation at bay. Locally, Raptors fans are well aware of what Scottie brings to the table defensively, night in and night out.
This season has been an endless stream of defensive highlights. From blocking LeBron James in the final minute of a tie game, to blocking Collin Sexton to secure a victory over Charlotte, to blocking a potential game-tying mid-range attempt by Chet Holmgren, Barnes’ defense has become a regular fixture in Toronto’s game recaps. Not only is he saving the Raptors, but also looking out for people’s health! What a saint!
Scottie Barnes is a man of the people.
When the Blazers score 100, fans get free McDonald's. So not only did Scottie Barnes stop Yang and Love from getting the Blazers their 100th point, he also stopped 17,438 at the Moda Center from developing heart disease. GG Scottie. pic.twitter.com/qjKlftH9tb
The stats match what the eyes see. Scottie Barnes’ name is all over the defensive stats pages. Barnes is (big inhale):
#1 in total stocks
#1 in blocks in the 4th quarter
#1 in blocks in the clutch (under 5 minutes, margin within 5 points)
#3 in defensive win shares
the only player in the NBA with at least 60 steals AND 60 blocks
The individual numbers only paint part of the picture of Barnes’ impact. Check the last sentence of the first paragraph again. Your eyes do not deceive you. The Toronto Raptors have the 4th-best defense in the league! The team’s other above-average defenders have either been injured (Jakob Poeltl), inconsistent (Ja’Kobe Walter), or have only started to play more minutes (Collin Murray-Boyles). Jamal Shead has been solid, but nowhere near the impact of Barnes.
Scottie’s DPOY case only becomes stronger when considering Poeltl’s been out since mid-December. The Raptors have played 18 games without a true Center…..and its defensive rating has increased!
The current buzz around Barnes is nice to see, but Raptors fans know it will take a lot more than stats and highlights to win over the voters. Let’s take a look at the 3 players with better DPOY odds — Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, and Rudy Gobert.
I think this is the highest Scottie has been on the DPOY odds ladder.
Chet getting too much credit for OKC’s defense? Will Wemby qualify for the 65 game threshold? Rudy is Rudy.
The case for Chet is clear as day: he’s the anchor behind the league’s best defense. Holmgren ranks #1 in defensive win shares, #2 in defensive rating, and #3 in blocks per game. The individual numbers, combined with the potentially record-breaking defensive numbers — the gap between OKC’s 105.4 defensive rating and 2nd-place San Antonio’s 108.6 defensive rating would be the largest margin in NBA history — justifies Holmgren’s place at the top of the betting odds.
However, take a closer look at the rankings and their may be a kink in his armor. Just behind Chet in the defensive win shares standings is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2nd), Cason Wallace (4th), and Ajay Mitchell (8th). In the defensive rating list, Holmgren is followed by Wallace (3rd), Mitchell (7th), SGA (10th), and Lu Dort (13th). Is it a stretch to think that Wallace, who ranks 1st in total steals and 3rd in steals per game, might steal some votes from Chet? Is the Thunder’s defense more of a collective effort rather than an individual? If Chet misses a game, there are still 3-4 other premium defenders ready to pick up the slack! (That group doesn’t even include Alex Caruso, 2-time All-Defense, or Jalen Williams, who was on last season’s All-Defense team)
Also, if the voting came down to Scottie vs. Chet, Barnes might have a leg up.
Victor Wembanyama: Out of this world and out of the running?
The case for and against Wemby is set for the next decade (assuming the league keeps the ridiculous 65-game rule): if Victor is healthy enough to play the minimum number of required games, he should be the favourite to win DPOY. Every. Single. Year.
As it stands right now, Wemby has missed 14 games already this season. If he misses 4 games or more the rest of the way, he will be ineligible for the award.
Rudy Gobert: Sure but why?
Outside of citizens from Minnesota and France, who can tell me why Gobert is in the ‘favourites’ tier with Holmgren and Wembanyama?
Minnesota’s 10th-ranked defense is lower than Toronto. Gobert ranks lower than Barnes in defensive rating, defensive win shares, and defensive box plus/minus. Rudy doesn’t have the same defensive demands since he plays alongside 2 wings, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels (Did I double-check I had the right McDaniels? You’ll never know.), who are better defenders than any Raptor other than Barnes. So, Gobert is more deserving than Barnes because he averages 2.9 more rebounds and 0.2 more blocks? Is this a legacy thing? Make it make sense, oddsmakers!
Is Barnes ready to buck the trend?
The obvious theme between Holmgren, Wembanyama, and Gobert is that they’re all paint-devouring, rim-protecting Centers. From Bill Russell to Hakeem Olajuwon to David Robinson to Shaquille O’Neal, the Defensive Player of the Year award has defaulted to big men for as long as the honour has existed. But in the current NBA, when switching and rotating and scrambling are the name of the defensive game, there’s nothing more valuable than a player who can defend all 5 positions a perfectly as Scottie Barnes.
He already has a better case than Gobert. He outperformed Holmgren — both statistically and visually — in a matchup that will stick in voters’ minds. He is 4 more missed games from not having to worry about an alien. Scottie Barnes has the statistical profile, the eye-popping highlights, and is gaining traction as this year’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Darko the Psychic has a good ring to it, don’t you think?
The Washington Wizards play the Portland Trail Blazers. Let’s get right to it.
Game info
When: Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Injuries: For the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly (back), Tristan Vukcevic (hamstring), Marvin Bagley (back), Trae Young (knee, quad) and Cam Whitmore (shoulder) are out. Khris Middleton is day-to-day.
For the Blazers, Matisse Thybulle, Kris Murray, Scott Henderson, Duop Reath, Blke Wesley an Damian Lillard are out. Robert Williams III and Deni Avdija are day-to-day. Avdija is ruled out for tonight’s Blazers game at the Boston Celtics, so perhaps the front office wants to save him for tomorrow.
What to watch for
First, I hope you are all safe from the major winter storm we had last weekend. I feel like we should have had two feet of snow, but we only had a few inches of snow and several inches of sleet. Because of the sleet, it is taking a lot more time to clean the roads, sidewalks and everything in between. I’m feeling it in my bones after clearing out snow four times in the last two days.
The game tomorrow night will not be postponed because the weather will be clear tomorrow. The Blazers are coming off a loss to the Toronto Raptors last Friday and are 23-23 this season. They are led by none other than… DENI AVDIJA! He is averaging 26 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists this season and should be a lock as an All-Star reserve when they are announced next week. Since the Blazers are playing the Celtics tonight and with Avdija not suiting up tonight for what should be a highlight matchup due to a back strain. But Avdija is expected to play tomorrow for a … revenge game. Let’s see if Washington can spoil that tomorrow, one way or another.
The NBA announced its pool of participants for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game on Peacock on Monday, Jan. 26. Twenty-one players – 10 rookies and 11 sophomores – along with seven G Leaguers were chosen to represent the future of the NBA to tip-off All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.
The rookies are headlined by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who has looked every bit the franchise centerpiece the Dallas Mavericks were in desperate need of after shipping out Luka Doncic a year ago. Memphis Grizzlies emerging wing Cedric Coward is also in the pool, along with the New Orleans' Pelicans' duo of breakout stars Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
The players will be drafted into three teams on Tuesday, Jan. 27 with a fourth comprised entirely of G League players. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Austin Rivers will serve as the coaches for each team.
Here is the full list of players they will be picking from:
2026 NBA Rising Stars roster
Here is every player named to the Rising Stars game:
Four teams of seven players each will face off in a mini tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The Nets will officially be represented at 2026 NBA All-Star weekend.
Brooklyn youngster Egor Demin has been selected to participate in the Rising Stars Game.
Demin is the 17th Net to be named to the event, and the first since Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs in 2019.
He’s also the first BYU player to participate since Shawn Bradley in 1994.
The 19-year-old certainly has done enough to earn his spot during his outstanding first NBA campaign, and he's solidified himself as a key piece of Brooklyn’s backcourt moving forward.
Demin has started 31 of his 39 games, and he's topped double digits in points in 19 of those.
He currently ranks second among rookies in threes made per game (2.4) and threes made on the season (95).
The sharpshooter also set the franchise record for triples in a game with seven back on Dec. 29 against the Warriors.
The Rising Stars event will take place on Friday, Feb. 13, at 9 p.m. ET at Intuit Dome.
In less than 24 hours, three of the game's legends — Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady (NBC's NBA Showtime crew) — will select their favorite players of the next generation. Live on NBC and Peacock, those icons will draft their teams for the Rising Stars Game on All-Star Friday Night next month in Los Angeles, teams they will coach in that game.
Who will those superstars be drafting? On Peacock NBA Monday, the NBA announced the pool of players invited to the Rising Stars game. Those players are:
NBA Rookies
Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies) Egor Dëmin (Brooklyn Nets) VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers) Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans) Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs) Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards) Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets) Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies) Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors) Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
NBA Sophomores
Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls) Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs) Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers) Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards) Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder) Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards) Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers) Kel'el Ware (Miami Heat) Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
Those players were selected by a vote of assistant coaches around the league. The players will be drafted into three seven-man teams coached by one of Anthony, Carter or McGrady (more on the format below).
The fourth team in this tournament mix — coached by NBC broadcaster and former NBA player Austin Rivers — is made up of G-League players. They are:
Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars) Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics) David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs) Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers) Alijah Martin (Raptors 905) Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers) Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
Rising Stars Game format
The Rising Stars Game will follow last year's format that led to some entertaining basketball: Those 21 rookies and sophomores listed above will be drafted by the Hall of Famers into three teams of seven players each, with G League players forming the fourth team.
Those four teams will play in a mini-tournament with two semi-final games to 40 — no time limit, it's just first to score 40. The winners of those first two matchups will face off in a championship game to 25.
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Every moment of NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles — Friday's Rising Stars game on Feb. 13, All-Star Saturday Night, including the 3-point Contest and Dunk Contest on Feb. 14, and the All-Star Game itself on Feb. 15 — will be broadcast 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.
Charles Bediako’s much-discussed return to college basketball will continue for nearly another two weeks – not solely because of a court order or a judge’s ruling, but with a little help from Mother Nature.
The Alabama center’s temporary restraining order against the NCAA was extended by another 10 days due to counsel’s unavailability for the scheduled injunction hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
In an order on Monday, Jan. 26, Judge James Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) County Circuit Court wrote that Taylor Askew, an attorney for the NCAA, was unable to attend the hearing because of “weather issues” where he lives in Tennessee. Roberts added that the next hearing will be "reset later by a separate order."
BREAKING: Temporary restraining order allowing Charles Bediako to play for Alabama has been extended pic.twitter.com/NIhN1lALRq
After three years of playing professionally in the NBA G League, Bediako returned to Alabama, where he played from 2021-23, after Roberts granted him a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
In his first game back with the Crimson Tide, the seven-footer had 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals while making five of his six field-goal attempts in 25 minutes in a 79-73 loss at home against Tennessee on Jan. 24.
With Roberts’ decision, Bediako will be eligible to compete in at least the next three games for Alabama: Jan. 27 against Missouri, Feb. 1 at No. 21 Florida and Feb. 4 against Texas A&M.
Bediako was not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, and while he has never played an NBA game, he suited up in 82 G League games over three seasons, including, most recently, for the Motor City Cruise on Jan. 17, one week before his first game back with Alabama.
He’s one of several former G League players who has joined a college roster this season, a trend that has raised the public ire of notable figures across the sport, as well as the NCAA itself, which said such moves are “taking away opportunities from high school students.” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo described it as “utterly ridiculous.” Even Alabama coach Nate Oats, a former high school coach in Michigan, spoke up last month after Baylor brought in former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji, saying the increased prevalence of such players was “taking opportunities away” from high schoolers.
Tyson is averaging 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He’s gone from a fringe rotational player to a bona fide starting-caliber talent in the first half of the season. His leap as a three-point shooter (46% this season) is only one of many reasons for his success.
“He’s just built up the equity, and that’s confidence in himself,” Atkinson said. “It started in Summer League, then he just built it with his work.”
The Cavs have fully embraced Tyson’s breakout. He’s started in 27 games this season and is playing close to 30 minutes per game. No one would have predicted this in the summer, but even Cleveland’s veterans have recognized his importance. Donovan Mitchell, especially, has taken Tyson under his wing.
“Donovan has believed in him since day one,” said Aktinson. “He’s anointed him, like, ‘okay, I need you, we’re going to get you better.‘ So I think that when your superstar believes in you, that’s even more important than when the coach believes in you.”
Tyson is joined by other rising stars such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Alex Sarr. He’s the first Cavalier on a standard contract to play in the game since Evan Mobley in his rookie and sophomore seasons. Emoni Bates was selected to the G-League Rising Stars in 2024.
The Cavaliers, who have the most expensive roster in the NBA, are hamstrung by their financial situation. That limits them from adding talent at the trade deadline or in the offseason — and makes young talent like Tyson all the more important. This is their easiest, if not only, option for improving the roster without making any major changes. That means Tyson’s development is more than an inspiring story; it’s pivotal to the future of the franchise.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday backed a proposed fan boycott of World Cup matches in the United States because of the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration at home and abroad.
Blatter was the latest international soccer figure to call into question the suitability of the United States as a host country. He called for the boycott in a post on X that supported Mark Pieth's comments in an interview last week with the Swiss newspaper Der Bund.
Pieth, a Swiss attorney specializing in white-collar crime and an anti-corruption expert, chaired the Independent Governance Committee's oversight of FIFA reform a decade ago. Blatter was president of the world's governing body for soccer from 1998-2015; he resigned amid an investigation into corruption.
In his interview with Der Bund, Pieth said, “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”
In his X post, Blatter quoted Pietha and added, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”
The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19.
The international soccer community's concerns about the United States stem from Trump's expansionist posture on Greenland, travel bans and aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.
Two weeks ago, travel plans for fans from two of the top soccer countries in Africa were thrown into disarray when the Trump administration announced a ban that would effectively bar people from Senegal and Ivory Coast from following their teams unless they already have visas. Trump cited “screening and vetting deficiencies” as the main reason for the suspensions.
Fans from Iran and Haiti, two other countries that have qualified for the World Cup, will be barred from entering the United States as well; they were included in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
Tyrese Maxey – 18 VJ Edgecombe – 6 Joel Embiid – 6 Paul George – 5 Andre Drummond – 2 Dominick Barlow – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Jared McCain – 1 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Sixers traveled to Charlotte for a Monday afternoon tilt against Eastern Conference foe the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were without the services of Joel Embiid and Paul George in this one as part of their respective knee injury management plans.
The Sixers struggled from the opening tip in this one. The Hornets’ ball movement, pace and balanced scoring attack jumped them out to an early 28-22 advantage at the conclusion of the first period. It would only get worse from there.
The Hornets really blew this game open in the second quarter. Charlotte shot a blistering 57% from the floor in the first half. The Sixers struggled on the glass and even when the Hornets missed it seemed that they would get an extra possession on the glass. Charlotte outrebounded the Sixers by 10 in the first half. The Hornets’ ball movement and player movement had the Sixers defense in a bind. Charlotte finished the half with 19 assists on their 25 made field goals. The Sixers’ backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe combined to go 3-for-17 from the field in the first half. The Hornets held a 69-44 lead at the halftime break.
The Hornets’ barrage continued in the third as they outscored the Sixers by a resounding 40-15 score in the third period. The Sixers seemingly waved the white flag as they emptied the bench less than halfway through the quarter, facing a 40-point deficit. The Hornets led 109-59 after three quarters of play.
The Sixers won their lone quarter of the game in the fourth, by a 13-point margin, courtesy of strong play from Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain to close out the game that was well out of hand.
Time for the Bell Ringer.
Kelly Oubre Jr: 17 points, 7-for-12 from the field
Oubre was the lone Sixers starter to crack double figures in this game. Regardless of the situation, you can always count on Oubre for effort and energy. Kelly got to the rim for a few nice drives and scores early in this one to keep the Sixers attached in the first quarter. There was a lot of blame to go around for this game playing out in the manner that it did — Oubre shouldn’t get any.
Jared McCain: 16 points, 6-for-13 from the field, 4-for-8 from three, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Jared McCain poured in 16 points in 23 minutes in this one — a lot of those coming late in the game when the outcome was already decided. It was nice to see McCain knock down some shots as he has struggled this year in his return from injury. Let’s hope this can be a confidence builder for McCain that springboards him into a bounce back second half of the season.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
When injuries hit, the math changes. The vibes change. The pecking order gets shoved into a blender, and someone hits “high.” And when the guy who normally calms the room, the one who bends defenses just by standing there and breathing, goes down, the ripple effects are impossible to ignore.
That’s Devin Booker. Fringe All-Star or not, the Suns orbit around him, and Sunday in Miami was our first real reminder of what life looks like when the sun disappears behind the clouds.
Booker hasn’t had his most efficient shooting season, and that’s fine. That’s not the point. His gravity still warps the floor. His decision-making still lubricates the offense. With him out there, everyone else knows where to stand, when to cut, and why the ball is coming their way. Through 41 games with Booker, the Suns average 41.8 made field goals on 25 assists per night, good for a clean 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Things make sense. The ball hums. The gears stay oiled.
Take him out, and the picture gets fuzzier. In the five games he’s missed, that drops to 37.4 made field goals and 22.8 assists, with the assist-to-turnover ratio dipping to 1.5. Not catastrophic. Not a five-alarm fire. But noticeable. You feel it. You see it. The offense hesitates, like it’s waiting for someone to raise their hand and say, “Alright, I’ve got this.”
And that’s the real question now. If Booker isn’t there to conduct the orchestra, who’s grabbing the baton?
Is it Grayson Allen, leaning harder into his ability to put the ball on the deck, touch the paint, and kick it back out before the defense can blink? Is it Royce O’Neale, quietly keeping things organized and unsexy while doing the connective tissue work no one puts in the box score? Is it Jordan Goodwin, turning pressure into playmaking? Or does Dillon Brooks need to embrace his inner point forward and focus less on shot hunting and more on keeping the ball alive?
Because against Miami, the ball stuck. It stalled. Possessions ended in isolation purgatory instead of movement and advantage. That’s not who this team has been, and it’s not who they can afford to be while Booker heals up.
That’s what this week’s Suns Reacts is all about. If the offense has to run through someone else for a stretch, who do you trust to steer the ship? Who should Jordan Ott lean on to initiate, organize, and keep the whole thing from drifting sideways?
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is suddenly less than two weeks away and the clock is beginning to tick for teams trying to pull off a deal. The rumors and speculation have been a constant, from the preseason all the way up until now, and already one big star, Trae Young, was dealt earlier this month ahead of the deadline crunch.
Giannis still in-demand despite injury, potential agent drama
Antetokounmpo continues to lead the conversation surrounding the NBA trade deadline, even after he suffered another calf injury on Friday, Jan. 23 that is likely to sideline him past Feb. 5. The Milwaukee Bucks star spoke afterwards about making a playoff push when he returns, and the team has reportedly been trying to beef up its roster around Antetokounmpo at the deadline, not trade him. But teams around the league are nonetheless still preparing as if he could become available in hopes the Bucks change their mind, according to NBA reporters Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.
Antetokounmpo's representation moving forward could also be an added layer in discussions about his future after a report from Henry Abbott of True Hoop that "Giannis was close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over his failure to get Giannis traded from the Bucks." The report also states LeBron James' agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul, is believed to be trying to recruit Antetokounmpo to be his client with the pitch that "he’s the guy who can get a star player where he wants to go."
Not so fast on Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns trade talk
Forward Karl-Anthony Towns came up in trade speculation last week as the Knicks endure some unexpected headwinds and pressure mounts due to their NBA championship expectations. He was even floated as a possible piece in a potential trade for Antetokounmpo.
But The Athletic reported Friday, Jan. 23 that the Knicks have "not engaged in any discussions about a possible Towns trade this season and plan to stick with him through this rough patch.
Though the Grizzlies are fielding offers for Morant for the first time ahead of the trade deadline, he could remain with the franchise past Feb. 5. Morant indicated previously he wants to stay in Memphis, and concerns about his durability and contract situation linger as obstacles for the Grizzlies.
Domantas Sabonis linked to four teams
It's been no secret the Sacramento Kings want to be active in trying to overhaul their roster at the trade deadline, and Sabonis is seen as one of the players most likely to change teams. The Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns are teams that have expressed interest in acquiring Sabonis, according to The Athletic, with the Raptors of particular interest given their spot near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Sabonis has appeared in five of the Kings' past six games after missing nearly two months with a knee injury. He's averaging 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists while averaging less than 23 minutes per game since his return.
Boston Celtics looking to add 'big-time starting center'
The Celtics remain an Eastern Conference contender this season despite the absence of star Jayson Tatum, and they could be buyers at the trade deadline after spending this past offseason as sellers getting off the contracts of Jrue Holliday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta Hawks), Daniel Gafford (Dallas Mavericks), and former Celtics big man Robert Williams III (Portland Trail Blazers) are potential targets, according to NBC Sports, if Boston can't land an elite option like Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers) or Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies).
Sixers open to trading Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon
The Philadelphia 76ers are in a weird spot with a new star in Tyrese Maxey, one of the league's best rookies in VJ Edgecombe and the aging and expensive Paul George and Joel Embiid on the roster. It's come together functionally this season, with the Sixers sitting within the top-six of the Eastern Conference standings before games played on Jan. 26.
But the team is $7 million above the NBA's luxury tax threshold and only about $1 million from being a first-apron team and facing penalties under the league's collective bargaining agreement, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The report goes on to state the expiring contracts of Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon could be dealt to stay out of the luxury tax, although Philadelphia could be forced to attach a second-round draft pick to facilitate a transaction.
MADRID (AP) — Victor Reis scored with a diving header in injury time to give Girona a 1-1 home draw against Getafe on Monday and extend its unbeaten run to four matches in the Spanish league.
Girona was one of La Liga’s form sides coming into the game at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi but it went behind after 59 minutes when Luis Vazquez got on the end of a nice delivery from Juan Antonio Iglesias Sanchez.
However, Reis threw himself at a last-gasp cross from Alex Moreno to lift the home side into 10th place on 25 points.
The late goal meant Getafe's winless run extended to seven games in the league, but the point lifted it out of the relegation zone into 16th place, one point above Mallorca.
Only four points separate Mallorca and ninth-place Osasuna.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 30 points, and the Charlotte Hornets took a 50-point lead for the second time this month on the way to rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 130-93 on Monday afternoon.
All five Hornets starters finished in double figures. Kon Knueppel and Moussa Diabate scored 12, LaMelo Ball added 11 and Miles Bridges finished with 10 for Charlotte, which has won three straight games for the first time this season.
It was 28-22 after one quarter — and then Charlotte outscored Philadelphia 81-37 over the next two quarters, taking a 109-59 lead into the fourth.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 for Philadelphia. Jared McCain added 16 and Quentin Grimes had 14 for the 76ers, while Tyrese Maxey was held to a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting in 25 minutes. Maxey's scoring average dropped a full half-point to 29.4 per game.
Charlotte became the first team since Phoenix in February 2009 to lead by 50 or more points in two separate games within the same calendar month. The Hornets led Utah by 57 on their way to a 150-95 win on Jan. 10.
The Hornets had one other lead of 50 or more points in the NBA's play-by-play era, which goes back to 1996. It's now happened twice more in a span of just over two weeks.
The game was moved up to a 3 p.m. start because of extreme weather conditions in the Charlotte area, all related to Winter Storm Fern.
Ryan Kalkbrenner had 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Charlotte. Philadelphia outscored the Hornets 34-21 in the fourth quarter and still took its second-worst loss of the season. The 76ers lost to Orlando by 41 on Nov. 25.
The Golden State Warriors face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second night of a sudden back-to-back. The game will tip off Monday at 6:30 PM PT in Minneapolis and will be broadcast on Peacock.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, the Warriors–Timberwolves matchup was postponed to Sunday as protests intensified throughout Minneapolis in the wake of recent fatal shootings involving ICE agents. Many questioned whether the one-day delay provided enough time for fans, players, and the broader community to process the events surrounding the city.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says the Timberwolves were “suffering” through play amid the unrest in Minneapolis.
“They were struggling with everything that’s been going on and what the city has been through. So, it was very sad. It was a sad night.”
Regardless, the league moved forward with Sunday’s game, and the Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak with a 111–85 win over the Timberwolves. Golden State’s defense set the tone, as the team recorded 20 steals — the most in any NBA game this season — and turned those takeaways into a comfortable 22-point lead by the fourth quarter.
Kerr said the Warriors were sharp with their game plan and defensive rotations: “We didn’t make many mistakes. Took advantage of opportunities that were there. Lots of guys diving on the floor for loose balls.”
The blowout victory should prove helpful heading into Monday’s rematch, now the second game of a back-to-back. Steph Curry, who was able to rest Sunday’s game early after playing just 28 minutes, is listed as questionable with a knee injury but says he hopes to play Monday night.
Steph explains his knee flare-up yesterday and said he hopes to play again tomorrow pic.twitter.com/AeUf5vXqJj
However, with De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford inactive after playing the day prior, Golden State’s rotation will be short on experience and depth. Playing shorthanded, the Warriors will once again need their defense to carry them.
A major focus will be slowing down the Timberwolves’ backcourt of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. Edwards led Minnesota with 32 points and was a consistent mismatch on the perimeter, while DiVincenzo scored 22 points, including six threes.
