Category: NBA

The basketball world is restless again, and this time they are whispering Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name across the league. ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped the bomb: the Greek Freak is preparing for a possible exit, with multiple teams already sending serious offers to Milwaukee. The Bucks are listening now, actually listening, and suddenly the most interesting question is not where Giannis goes, but whether Golden State can really pull this off.

Because here is the part that should make every Warriors fan pause and lean in. Steph Curry might be the perfect basketball partner for Giannis.

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/OejatbQjDy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2026

Curry’s greatness is not just the shooting or the gravity. It is the way he moves without the ball, the way he sets screens for anyone, the way he never needs to dominate the spotlight to dominate the game. He is the rare superstar who is both the engine and the lubricant. The most important player on the floor and the most generous.

Now put that next to Giannis, a force built to attack downhill, shred defenses in transition, and collapse the paint by sheer will. The fit is not just good folks, it is terrifying. Giannis thrives when the floor is spaced and defenses cannot load up. Curry does not just space the floor, he destroys coverages! You cannot help off him. You cannot go under. You cannot blink. That means Giannis gets space he has never consistently had in Milwaukee, not even during the title run with Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.

There is another layer here too. This pairing could extend Curry’s prime. At 37, he does not need to carry the offense every night. With Giannis absorbing pressure and handling primary creation, Curry becomes the ultimate complementary weapon. It sounds absurd given who Steph is, but that role could keep him elite deep into his late thirties.

Warriors adding Giannis next to Steph Curry pic.twitter.com/7jSt0X1HJu

— jose ☔️ (@KlayForTrey) January 28, 2026

Milwaukee’s reality is grim. They are 18-27, tied for 11th in the East. They are 3-12 without Giannis. Their offense without him would rank last in the league. They tried everything, including trading Jrue, acquiring Damian Lillard only to waive and stretch Dame to sign Myles Turner. The future is gone, and the roster collapses without its superstar.

So can the Warriors actually do this? It is complicated. Golden State does not have the pick stash that Oklahoma City or Brooklyn can offer. They cannot flood the table with five first rounders. But they do have Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, the dominant but injured Jimmy Butler, tradeable contracts, and something no other contender can sell: Stephen Curry and a proven championship ecosystem. Milwaukee wants young talent and draft capital. The Warriors could build a package around Kuminga, future firsts, and salary matching pieces. It would be painful. It would take creativity. But this is not fantasy. It is plausible.

Golden State's odds to land Giannis at the trade deadline just skyrocketed to 24% on @PolymarketSport, up from 4% head 🤯 https://t.co/UqzX5Cw12e

— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) January 28, 2026

The Warriors have made it known to the Bucks that they are willing to offer a Jonathan Kuminga/Jimmy Butler-headlined package with draft picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources tell @SIChrisMannixhttps://t.co/Kve6z871is

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 27, 2026

Would Dub Nation accept it? That answer feels obvious. Losing Kuminga would hurt because watching young talent walk always does. But this is Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Stephen Curry. This is one more real title window for the greatest Warrior ever. This is a duo that could bend the modern NBA. Curry stayed when he could have left and he built something that outlived eras and trends. And now, with the clock ticking but the magic still very real, he deserves one more swing with a true peer beside him.

The trade deadline is February 5. Milwaukee may move now or wait until summer. But for Warriors fans, the question is simpler.

Do we dare to dream this big?

I do. And I think most of Dub Nation does too.

No reason to beat around the bush — Shams is reporting that Giannis is done in Milwaukee. Whether he gets traded at the deadline next week or this summer, it doesn’t seem like we will head into next season with the Greek Freak in Wisconsin.

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/OejatbQjDy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2026

No matter which NBA market you’re in, your mind immediately goes to: “Could Giannis come HERE?”

Rumours of Giannis coming to Toronto aren’t a new phenomenon. The NBA All-Star, Champion, and MVP has been attached to Toronto several times throughout his career, especially back when Masai Ujiri ran the team. Now that it’s clear he wants out of his current situation, Toronto fans will obviously foam at the mouth at the idea of a star like him coming to Toronto.

Is it even possible, though? Is it even a good idea?

To answer the first note, anything is possible, technically. The Bucks will want to absolutely clean house in exchange for their franchise superstar, so the price will be high. Yet, he also wants out, so they can’t be precious about it, either.

Now, is bringing Giannis to the Raptors right now a good idea? That’s more complicated.

To get Giannis, the Raptors would basically have to gut their current core. Milwaukee would obviously go for Scottie Barnes first — he’s one of the closest player-for-player replacements for Giannis in the entire league, and younger. Do the Raptors just hand away their home-drafted, All-Star-bound, 24-year old superstar for the 31-year old version of him? Do they give up on the kid they’ve invested the past 5 years into? The one they built this entire franchise around?

Now, some reports say both Barnes and Ingram are “untouchable” in Giannis talks. Which does make sense — why bring a star in with no core around him? Yet, also take these reports with a grain of salt, as always.

The Raptors have made Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes untouchable in Giannis trade talks, per @GrantAfsethpic.twitter.com/cF0ypGJass

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 28, 2026

If they aren’t willing to give up Scottie or Ingram, the Raptors would have to send some sort of combination of Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, maybe more players, and so so so many draft picks. Even with Scottie or Ingram in the mix, the deal would probably include other assets. Not just to make the money work but to satisfy the Bucks.

The situation changes a bit if Giannis himself says, “I want to come to Toronto.” That isn’t impossible, either. He seems to want to stay in the Eastern conference and be in a place where it would be easier to get to his wife and kids in Greece with ease. That’s basically New York or Toronto. If Giannis expresses a desire to come to Toronto, the price for him could drop a little in a trade, since that destination has the leverage.

Okay, so say it’s possible, and the price is right — does Giannis work in Toronto? I mean, a star of his calibre works anywhere. The question is how it works. Do you keep Scottie and deploy a freakishly large lineup? Do you let Scottie go in the trade and replace his impact with Giannis?

While it would be cool to have a star like Giannis, it would also mean taking apart this team that has so much chemistry. There are pros and cons for sure. Personally, I think it would be cool, but also won’t be gutted if it doesn’t happen. As a Toronto sports fan, I’m very over getting my hopes up at huge free agents choosing to come or stay here. Kawhi, Shohei, Bo, the list goes on. I’m not getting my hopes up for Giannis.

Personally, I think he goes to Miami. Miami is still east enough to be able to access Europe pretty easily, plus pairing him with Bam Adebayo and then cleaning house on basically everyone else seems like a logical solution. You still go to a team with a great, experienced coach in Spo, and the Heat are desperate for a refresh. With Scottie and Ingram apparently not available, it seems far-fetched to think Giannis coming to Toronto is possible. Miami makes sense, to me anyway.

Either way, the NBA’s next mega star is on the move.

Even the MSG broadcast is going in on Karl-Anthony Towns.

The beleaguered Knicks center had his hustle called out by someone within the organization for the second time in recent memory Tuesday night when legendary announcer Walt “Clyde” Frazier wondered where Towns was after falling to the court on the other end.

“Where is Towns? He’s just getting into the picture,” Frazier said roughly 10 seconds after Towns missed a shot in the Knicks’ 103-87 win over the Kings.

Knicks announcers are SICK of KAT not getting back on D

“WHERE’S TOWNS?” pic.twitter.com/ja3E7NXpDu

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 28, 2026

Towns has come under fire in recent weeks, especially with the Knicks not playing up to their potential and the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors that always include him.

Almost two weeks ago against this same Kings team in a surprising 112-101 loss, he earned scorn from head coach Mike Brown after half-heartedly attempting to get back on defense after hitting the deck.

“He drove. Something happened where he fell down. He drove, he fell down,” Brown said at the time. “When you fall down, you got to get up and got to sprint down the floor. And even when you’re the last guy down the floor, you got to get down there just in case there’s a long rebound. But there was no urgency. That wasn’t the only play. There were a handful of plays that we did that. But there was no sense of urgency on that particular play to get back. And it was a five-point swing.

“If he at least gets down the floor, long rebound, he’s going to get it because he’s trailing the play. We watched the play at halftime and he didn’t even cross halfcourt. That sums up what our night was.”

Towns made more of an effort Tuesday night, but it’s notable that a team-friendly broadcaster noticed his lack of hustle.

After Towns missed a tough shot in the third quarter with the Knicks leading, 75-72, the Kings pushed the ball up the court and crossed midcourt roughly three seconds later.

Sacramento did not take advantage of the five-on-four situation, and Towns only appeared in the screen roughly 10 seconds after his missed shot.

Making matters worse for Towns, he did not play down the stretch, with Mitchell Robinson instead anchoring the court.

He finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

These types of players and coaching strategies raise questions about Towns’ future with the team, especially if the Knicks truly pursue a blockbuster trade for Antetokounmpo.

Everyone can see that LeBron James’ basketball career is approaching its conclusion.

He is the oldest player in the NBA at 41 and has played a league record 23 seasons. With injuries like his sciatica keeping him out of games and LeBron on the final year of his Lakers deal, what he will do next year is very much up in the air.

While what LeBron will do is a mystery, the options are clear. James can either retire, return to the Lakers on a new deal, or play for another team.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes that if LeBron wanted to end his NBA career where it started, in Cleveland, the Cavs would reportedly welcome him back.

Multiple team and league sources told ESPN the Cavaliers would gladly welcome James back this summer if he wanted to return to Cleveland for his 24th NBA season and third stint with the team.

LeBron played with the Cavs for 11 years, and ending things where they began for the kid from Akron would be a perfect conclusion for one of the greatest players of all time.

No one is expecting the Cavs to be title contenders next season, so LeBron could enjoy his farewell tour and wrap things up with little to no pressure to compete.

While LeBron’s eight seasons with the Lakers are his longest stint with one team, he has more years as a Cavalier. Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka said he would “love” to have LeBron retire as a Laker, but since James didn’t sign or ask for an extension this summer, he has every option available to him on how his career will end.

James has had a steady decline in his production, but he is still playing at a high level. LeBron is averaging 22.4 points, 6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.

The truth is, no one knows what LeBron will do next.

The NBA has added a commemorative patch to LeBron’s jersey this season, which seems to suggest the league is making sure it celebrates James now, just in case this is his final year.

Until James states otherwise, anything is possible. The Lakers would like him to end things here, the Cavs are open to him taking his talents back to Cleveland and the basketball world is awaiting his final decision.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been stumbling of late, but the Dallas Mavericks have been playing well enough lately that such an opponent should still be a frustration.

My Timberwolves vs. Mavericks predictions account for both Minnesota’s fatigue and the likely lack of focus.

Find out more in my NBA picks for January 28.

Timberwolves vs Mavericks prediction

Timberwolves vs Mavericks best bet: Mavericks +6.5 (-110)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are simply in a bad schedule spot, on top of being in the midst of overall struggles.

Minnesota lost five straight before beating Golden State’s second unit on Monday night. Much of that could be forgotten if the Wolves beat the Thunder tomorrow, a worry they are likely already looking ahead to.

Life is rarely as simple as that clear of a lookahead moment, but when facing a lottery team, it would be natural for Minnesota to think about Oklahoma City a day early.

That would be a mistake. Rather, it will be a mistake.

The Dallas Mavericks have gone 4-1 against the spread in their last five, including two outright wins as an underdog. Frankly, there is logic to betting the Mavs’ moneyline tonight at +200 with bet365.

Timberwolves vs Mavericks same-game parlay

This Under is another nod to Minnesota likely looking ahead to tomorrow night, but Rudy Gobert has not struggled too much during the Timberwolves’ downswing, notching a double-double in four of his last five games and in eight of his last 11.

Timberwolves vs Mavericks SGP

• Mavericks +6.5
• Under 228
• Rudy Gobert double-double

Our "from downtown" SGP: Reid between the lines

Naz Reid has not been scoring as consistently recently, possibly because of a bothersome shoulder. But he has still produced, clearing this combo prop in his last four games and six of his last seven games, ignoring the one five-minute game that included that initial injury.

Timberwolves vs Mavericks SGP

• Mavericks +6.5
• Under 228
• Rudy Gobert double-double
• Naz Reid Over 9.5 assists+rebounds

Timberwolves vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Timberwolves -6.5 | Mavericks +6.5
• Moneyline: Timberwolves -245 | Mavericks +200
• Over/Under: Over 228 | Under 228

Timberwolves vs Mavericks betting trend to know

Not only has Dallas gone 4-1 ATS in its last five games, but the Mavericks have exceeded bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 15.2 points in those five outings, even when including the single ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Mavericks

Timberwolves vs Mavericks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

More time for Amari? 

Over the last three games, Amari Williams played five minutes against the Brooklyn Nets, then followed that with 10 minutes against the Chicago Bulls during a back-to-back. In his limited time, Williams impressed with his defensive ability while also looking competent on the offensive end. That earned him an expanded role, as Joe Mazzulla gave Williams 26 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In those 26 minutes, Williams scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots.

Mazzulla often talks about a “next man up” mentality, and with Neemias Queta dealing with an illness, Williams took advantage of the opportunity. He’s made a case for working his way into the rotation. In the limited NBA minutes we’ve seen so far, Williams gives off Robert Williams (Time Lord) vibes, maybe because he was competing against him, but it’s something that stands out.

I don’t expect Williams to become a key cog in the rotation by any means, and I think he’s benefited from developing out of the spotlight in Maine. Still, when Boston’s frontcourt is dealing with an injury or illness, Williams needs to be ready. I’d personally love to see him get more minutes throughout the rest of the season, even if it’s only sparingly.

Can Boston snap Atlanta’s streak? 

The Hawks, currently 10th in the Eastern Conference, are on a three-game winning streak after defeating the Grizzlies, Suns and Pacers. During that stretch, Atlanta has received contributions from a variety of players.

The main player the Celtics need to contain is Jalen Johnson. Johnson does just about everything for Atlanta, leading the team in points (23 ppg), rebounds (10.4) and assists (7.9), while shooting 50.5% from the field and 35% from three-point range. In their earlier meeting this month, the Celtics held Johnson to 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while forcing four turnovers. If Boston can limit his production again, it stands a good chance of getting the job done.

Another player the Celtics will need to keep in check is Onyeka Okongwu, who had a strong performance in the last meeting. Okongwu led the Hawks with 21 points in that game. More recently, he scored 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the Phoenix Suns. With Kristaps Porzingis in and out of the lineup, Okongwu has enjoyed increased playing time and a larger role with the Latvian sidelined.

Will there be another Hauser or Brown 2.0 performance? 

In Boston’s 132-106 win over the Hawks in Atlanta, much of the postgame conversation, rightfully so, centered around Sam Hauser’s 30-point performance. Hauser attempted 21 three-pointers and made 10 of them, without taking a single shot inside the arc.

When Hauser is feeling it and knocks down his first shot of the game, I tend to believe he’s in for a good night. Given the space he found against Atlanta last time, it’s safe to assume Quinn Snyder will emphasize not losing track of Hauser, whether in the half court or in transition.

One player who somehow flew under the radar that night was Jaylen Brown, who scored 41 points. Celtics fans have grown accustomed to Brown putting up 30-plus points consistently this season, but he quietly dropped 41 in his home city. Hopefully both Hauser and Brown can replicate those performances Wednesday.

The Golden State Warriors conclude their four-game road trip with Wednesday night’s matchup against the Utah Jazz. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM PT in Salt Lake City and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.

Wednesday night Warriors

🏀 GSW at UTA
🕕 6:00 pm PT
📺 @NBCSAuthentic
📻 @957thegame
📲 https://t.co/6BLvDT0oIP

@Betway || #DubNationpic.twitter.com/H38nkNaewZ

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 28, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

There wasn’t much to take away from Golden State’s most recent 108-83 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The Warriors were severely shorthanded, resting multiple key players as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton, and Al Horford all sat out the second game of the back-to-back.

That left the team leaning heavily on its younger players, but the group struggled to rise to the occasion. Quinten Post was the team’s leading scorer on the night with 13 points on 5-of -12 shooting from the field. As a team, the Warriors shot just 34.7% from the field, 23.1% from three, and 61.5% from the free-throw line. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you…. THE SECOND TIMELINE 🎊

(via @realapp) pic.twitter.com/nPRJ2XbmpI

— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) January 27, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

The Warriors are still working to re-establish their rhythm following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury, but they should get some relief in tonight’s matchup against the Jazz as Curry and Green are expected to return, along with Melton and Horford.

Warriors at Jazz injury report: pic.twitter.com/n2oDC3GKnd

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 27, 2026

Curry’s return alone provides a major boost. Prior to sitting out Monday, he scored a combined 64 points in the first two games of this road trip while shooting 11-of-25 from three-point range. He could be in line for another big night against a Utah team that ranks last in the league in defensive rating (122.4).

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Draymond Green, Al Horford

Jazz: Keyonte George, Cody Williams, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkic

How to watch Regular Season Game 49

Who: Golden State Warriors (26 – 22) vs. Utah Jazz (15 – 32)

When: Wednesday, January 28th, at 6:00 p.m. PT

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)

BOSTON — Neemias Queta is finally taking a night off to deal with a non-COVID illness that’s been bothering him since Friday. Queta has been on the injury report since the Celtics’ game against the Brooklyn Nets, but he’s nonetheless played in all three of the team’s most recent contests.

The Celtics center has averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds on 64.4% shooting in 24.9 minutes per game this season. But his numbers have dipped while he’s battled illness; over the past three games, Queta has averaged just 5.3 points and 4 rebounds a night.

Luka Garza missed Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with illness, but is back in the lineup on Wednesday. Garza is averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game, while shooting 58.6% from the field and 45.5% from three.

Garza will undoubtedly shoulder a bigger load when the Celtics and Hawks face off on Wednesday. And, so could two-way rookie Amari Williams, who has appeared in 11 games for the Celtics and is coming off a career-high 26 minutes on Monday. Williams’ 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks all marked career highs.

“I thought Amari did a great job today,” Jaylen Brown said on Monday. “I thought he looked exceptional. He came out, protected the rim, and was where he was supposed to be for the most part. Amari made it easy for us tonight, but any given night — depending on how the team is playing us — that communication has to be great.”

Outside of Queta, the only other player on the Celtics’ injury report is Jayson Tatum, who continues to rehab a torn Achilles. (Josh Minott, who missed three weeks with an ankle sprain, is off the injury report, but was nevertheless a DNP on Monday night.

For the Hawks, Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendonitis), Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone contusion), and N’Faly Dante (right knee torn ACL) are out. Porzingis did not travel with the team to Boston, per CLNS’s Bobby Manning.

Celtics-Hawks tips off at 7:30pm at TD Garden.

The CBS Sports Classic is adding another blue blood to its showcase event.

CBS Sports announced on Wednesday, Jan. 28 that No. 14 Kansas has been added to its annual men's college basketball showcase that features Ohio State, North Carolina and Kentucky. The Jayhawks will face the Buckeyes on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Madison Square Garden in the 2026-27 season, with the other matchup including the Tar Heels vs. the Wildcats.

The Jayhawks replace St. John's in the field after the Red Storm and Rick Pitino replaced UCLA and Mick Cronin in the 2025 CBS Sports Classic. Kansas announced the news itself shortly after CBS Sports' release.

Excited to announce that we will be joining forces with the @CBSSports Classic through 2029! 🔥

See you back in @TheGarden 👀

🔗→ https://t.co/RpsWADtjX3pic.twitter.com/khZSyaNCmj

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 28, 2026

REQUIRED READING: NCAA tournament bracketology: March Madness projection dominated by Big Ten

The doubleheader event will rotate matchups and venue sites each season, with matchups set through the 2029-2030 season.

Under Self, the Jayhawks further their status as one of men's college basketball's biggest blue bloods. The Jayhawks rank second for the most wins among Division I men's college basketball programs, and rank seventh for the most national championship titles since 1939, the first of the NCAA Tournament, at seven.

Since its start in 2014, the CBS Sports Classic has served as one of the marquee non-conference showcases in college basketball each season. With Kansas' addition to the field, the CBS Sports Classic now has two teams that also compete in the annual Champions Classic, with the other being Kentucky.

Kansas is 15-5 overall and 5-2 in Big 12 play this season despite missing star freshman guard Darryn Peterson for a handful of games due to different injuries. Peterson is expected to be available for the Jayhawks next Big 12 game on Saturday, Jan. 31 against BYU, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.

Future CBS Sports Classic matchups

Here's a breakdown of upcoming CBS Sports Classic matchups through the 2029 season:

• 2026 (Dec. 19 at Madison Square Garden, New York)
  • Kansas vs. Ohio State
  • North Carolina vs. Kentucky
• 2027 (Dec. 18)
  • Kentucky vs. Ohio State
  • Kansas vs. North Carolina
• 2028 (Dec. 16)
  • Kansas vs. Kentucky
  • North Carolina vs. Ohio State
• 2029 (Dec. 15)
  • Ohio State vs. Kansas
  • Kentucky vs. North Carolina

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CBS Sports Classic adds college basketball blue blood to field

As sports betting scandals continue to swirl in professional and amateur sports, federal prosecutors are peeling back the curtain on even more NBA games.

Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York indicated they were investigating more NBA games than the ones that implicated Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter, The Athletic reported.

Key Takeaways

• Porter was the first player who was charged with a major betting scandal in the NBA, and he was banned for life.
  
  
• Former Pistons guard Malik Beasley is currently under investigation.
  
  
• Federal officials did not provide information on who their investigations involve.

While federal officials have put the NBA back under the microscope, they did not provide any information on which games, teams, or individuals are under investigation.

“The government has ongoing investigations,” David Berman, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in court last week. “And our understanding is the defendant has conducted himself in similar manners in other instances as well.”

Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, and five others were arrested for their involvement in the sports betting scandal. At the time, investigators noted that Rozier only played one part in a trading ring rife with privileged information and access that allowed gamblers to illicitly profit from wagering on games.

Rozier was charged in October due to an incident that occurred when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. According to prosecutors, he told a friend in March 2023 that he would exit a game early, allowing the friend to profit by betting the under on his prop lines. The friend sold the information to bettors, who bet the under on his points, rebounds, assists, and threes lines.

Rozier and the other defendants pleaded not guilty. St. John’s men’s basketball coach and Rozier’s former coach at Louisville, Rick Pitino, said that the accusations represented behavior that was “not like him.”

Porter was accused of the same crime of prematurely withdrawing himself from games for the benefit of sports bettors twice during the 2023-24 NBA season. He pleaded guilty in July 2024 and is awaiting sentencing, although he already received a lifetime ban from the NBA. 

Four other men were arrested for facilitating the operation and betting on Porter. Three pleaded guilty.

Basketball scandals pile up

On top of the Rozier and Porter scandals, former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is still under federal investigation for possible involvement in illegal sports gambling. Beasley was expected to sign a three-year, $42 million deal with the Pistons during the summer free agency period, but that was scrapped when news of the investigation broke.

Beasley is still a free agent.

“To my understanding, he’s still under federal investigation but there’s been no recent direction on what terms they’re looking at him,” Beasley’s attorney Steve Haney told The Athletic. “At this point, Malik is stuck in this investigative purgatory and unable to continue his career despite the fact that he’s been under investigation for over a year.”

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was also arrested, but for a much different reason. Billups was one of 31 people who were arrested for allegedly running a rigged card game ring. 

Billups, a former NBA champion and Finals MVP, was used as a celebrity participant to attract players. He pleaded not guilty to wrongdoing in the scandal, which allegedly involved marked cards, fake shuffling machines, and members of the mafia. 

A few of the men who were charged were also indicted earlier this month amid an investigation into point-shaving in college basketball. After starting with the Chinese Basketball Association in 2022, conspirators allegedly offered $10,000-30,000 to players at small-conference schools to underperform through February 2025.

Sentencing begins

While investigations and court proceedings are still ongoing, one man was already sentenced. 

Timothy McCormack, who bet on games that both Porter and Rozier allegedly rigged, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Tristan Enaruna to a two-way contract. Enaruna played his junior and senior years at Cleveland State University before joining the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate and eventually returning to Cleveland with the Charge.

Enaruna is averaging 20.9 points and 4.6 assists in 30.8 minutes per game for the Charge this season. He’s an athletic forward who has made a significant leap in three-point shooting, going from below 30% in 2024 to an above 45% shooter on nearly five attempts per game this year. It’s worth noting Enaruna has played only nine games so far this season, but that jump in efficiency is still commendable.

Cleveland’s other two-way spots are currently being filled by Luke Travers and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who has been a standout this season and has already played 36 games with the Cavaliers. Tomlin is running out of NBA eligibility and wouldn’t surprise anyone if he earned a standard contract sooner, rather than later.

Forward Chris Livingston, who previously held Cleveland’s final two-way spot, was waived by the team earlier this week. This opened the door for Enaruna.

The Cavs have already gotten more help from their Charge prospects than most franchises would ever expect. Someone like Sam Merrill, who blazed his way out of the G League behind elite three-point shooting, is perhaps their best success story. But Tomlin is another success, while Travers, Enaruna and Killian Hayes are all promising in their own ways.

There won’t be much room for another Charge player to crack Cleveland’s current rotation. Assuming the Cavs can ever get healthy, the competition is simply too thick to predict that Enaruna or anyone else will get a chance to play significant NBA minutes.

But that’s not the point of the two-way contract. This is an opportunity to reward someone for their hard work. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to take the next step and join the big leagues right away. It’s simply a strong step in the right direction.

Well, it’s official. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the market. And while the update still lands with a thud, this part really shouldn’t shock anyone who’s been paying attention instead of pretending Milwaukee was fine. The breadcrumbs have been there for months. Subtle comments. A team stuck between honoring a championship window and realizing that window is now cracked, foggy, and barely open.

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/OejatbQjDy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2026

Look at Milwaukee’s situation honestly. Aging core. Limited flexibility. A roster built to win yesterday, not tomorrow. When you reach the point where your best option is asking a generational player to keep dragging the same suitcase up the same hill, eventually the suitcase breaks. Or the player asks for a new road.

So yeah, this makes sense. Painful for Bucks fans. Uncomfortable for the league. But logical.

The Suns and the Bucks are living in the same neighborhood, even if they took different streets to get there. Both spent the better part of a decade building around a singular star, hoping the surrounding pieces would hold long enough to matter. Milwaukee got the ring, ironically against Phoenix, but everything after that has been a slow asset bleed to the point where recovery feels unrealistic. The Suns fumbled too, loudly and publicly, but they stopped the bleeding and stabilized.

The Bucks moved Jrue Holiday, a player they paid real draft capital to acquire and a cornerstone of their title run, to chase offense in Damian Lillard. It blew up. The Suns chased Bradley Beal. Same result. Different logo. Both franchises exhausted picks, flexibility, and patience in the process. Phoenix emptied the cupboard for Kevin Durant and Beal. Milwaukee did it for Jrue, then doubled down with Lillard, burning three more first-rounders along the way.

That left both teams at the same crossroads last summer. How do you move forward when the margin is gone? How do you improve when the tools are spent? How do you keep your star engaged? Giannis is on a different tier than Devin Booker, a two-time MVP with league-bending value, but the tension was the same. One last swing to see if it could work.

Phoenix chose structure and vision, bringing in Jordan Ott and resetting the tone. Milwaukee chose money because money was the only lever left. They could not move Kyle Kuzma at $22.4 million, so they added Myles Turner at $25.3 million and kept throwing dollars at a problem that needed direction. Same problem. Different solution. Only one of them feels sustainable.

Now is the moment where Milwaukee actually has to stare into the mirror and make a decision on Giannis. The Suns are not in that space. They do not need a reset. They already hit it last summer in a smaller, smarter way, and it worked. In Phoenix, the retool stabilized everything. In Milwaukee, it didn’t.

So the obvious question shows up. Should the Suns be in the Giannis business? The answer is no. Clean and simple.

Start with assets. Phoenix does not have anything Milwaukee would want unless the conversation begins with Devin Booker, and that conversation ends the moment it starts. Even then, the Bucks would demand draft capital, real draft capital, and the Suns do not have it. You can make the money work on a screen. You cannot make the reality work.

Then there is the basketball part. The Suns do not need an aging, increasingly injury-prone Giannis. If you somehow pulled off a deal and kept Booker, you would gut the depth that makes this team function. And depth is not a luxury anymore. It is the foundation. We learned that the hard way during the blank check years, when money flowed and cohesion did not.

What makes this Suns team viable is not star chasing. It is identity. It is culture. It is the fact that when Booker or Jalen Green is out, the team still knows who it is. That does not happen by accident. That happens because the depth carries the same DNA.

Look no further than Houston. They landed Kevin Durant, climbed the standings, and still paid a cultural price that cannot be refunded. Injuries hit. Depth thinned. Flexibility vanished. Being higher in the standings does not automatically mean being in a better place.

Phoenix does not need to relive that lesson. They already learned it. And for once, they are acting like it.

The Giannis situation is fascinating, not because of where he might land, but because of what it’s going to do to the league in the process. The packages that get floated. The egos that get bruised when players realize their names are suddenly in trade rumors. That kind of turbulence has a way of leaking into locker rooms and warping seasons in real time. And the Suns should have zero interest in being anywhere near it.

We already lived this movie last year. Kevin Durant rumors. Whispers. Leaks. Vibes getting weird. A season quietly suffocating under the weight of speculation. Phoenix does not need to revisit that. Especially not after spending the last two years overpaying for players whose production depreciated faster than their salaries rose. We finally climbed out of that hole. No reason to jump back in for fun.

So yeah, we can sit back. Eat the popcorn. Watch it unfold from a safe distance. The Suns and Bucks timelines look similar on paper, but they are no longer moving in the same direction. Giannis delivered a ring. Booker did not. I would trade places with that banner in a heartbeat. But you cannot undo the past. You can only set yourself up to be smarter moving forward.

Right now, Phoenix is doing that. Milwaukee is not. And for once, the Suns are on the healthier side of the equation.