Category: NBA

James Harden turned the 2026 NBA trade deadline on its head by requesting a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers just as the team started playing its best basketball of the year. Harden was reportedly seeking a two-year contract extension that the Clippers weren’t going to give him, and now he’s on the move to an Eastern Conference contender after the two sides came to a surprising agreement.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Harden for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. The news was first reported by Shams Charania.

The Cavs sit at 30-21 in the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference at the time of the trade. The Clippers sit at 23-26 in the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference on the day of the deal. The Cavs had already acquired Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis ahead of the trade deadline at the cost of De’Andre Hunter.

This is a fascinating trade. Let’s grade it for both sides.

Cavs grade for James Harden trade

The rule of thumb in sports is that you don’t trade young for old. The Cavs broke that rule by acquiring the 36-year-old Harden for the 26-year-old Garland. The difference in this case is that the older player has actually been more durable.

Garland has had some bizarre injury issues in Cleveland including a broken jaw and a sprained toe. Garland’s toe injury significantly slowed him down in the 2025 NBA Playoffs and helped cause the Cavs’ second-round exit after a 64-win regular season. Garland never looked like himself this season after missing a bunch of games nursing the toe, and Cleveland obviously felt like it couldn’t count on him down the stretch.

Harden is having an awesome year, and was one of our top All-Star snubs. He’s averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game on 60 percent true shooting so far this season. Harden is a fascinating fit with Mitchell, who had been spending more on-ball time this year. Harden remains just about the most on-ball heavy player in the league, and he’s never been much of a threat without the ball. This trade frees Mitchell to do more off-ball work which could be effective, but it will only be maximized if Harden can add some value when the ball isn’t in his hands.

Harden has a $42.3 million player option after this season. It seemed like he would pick that up before this week, but now it might be a question after he yearned for a two-year, $80 million extension. Before the Cavs think about their future with Harden, they just need to get through this season. Harden is always a great regular season player, but he’s notoriously terrible (by his standards) in the playoffs. Cleveland felt like it couldn’t rely on Garland to be his best self physically, but does it really think it can count on Harden to produce when it really matters?

I just don’t get the Cavs’ logic for this trade. If they wanted to move off Garland, trading him for a haul of future assets was a smarter play than this. Of course, Cleveland wants to give itself a chance to make a run this year in a wide open Eastern Conference, and it didn’t think Garland was capable of helping them in that push.

Fading Garland makes sense because he just wasn’t reliable. Harden is reliable in the regular season, but he also famously struggles in the playoffs, he’s 10 years older, and he introduces a new super ball-dominant player into the mix. Maybe Cleveland isn’t done yet, but for now I’m not loving it.

Grade: C+

Clippers grade for Darius Garland trade

Garland is a two-time All-Star who beat the allegations that small guards can’t succeed in the modern NBA … at least until he started getting injured all the time. At his best, Garland offers a fantastic blend of speed, playmaking, and off-the-dribble shooting. He’s just about the smallest very good player in the NBA at 6’1, 190 pounds, and he’s never been known as a good defender.

Garland makes $42 million next season, and then $44.8 million in 2027-28. That’s a ton of money, and now it’s going to eat into the Clippers’ 2027 free agency plan. LA obviously thought Garland was better than anyone they were likely to land in free agency, but it’s still a huge price point if he can’t return to his All-Star form.

Garland made 40 percent of 11.1 three-point attempts per 100 possessions last year. This season that’s down to 36 percent on 9.8 attempts. His finishing has fallen from 65 percent at the rim last year to 60 percent this year. Most damning of all, his net-rating is -8.5 for his on-off swing.

If Garland’s toe can heal, he can give the Clippers a young point guard just entering his prime years who could help steer the franchise out of its Kawhi Leonard era. He just makes a ton of money and hasn’t been the same player this year. His lack of size gives him less room for error. He’s going to need to be super fast and a deadly shooter and playmaker to be effective. His turnover rate being way up this year (from 12 percent to 15 percent) isn’t a good sign, but maybe he’ll be able to take better care of the ball when he’s 100 percent physically.

It would have seemed impossible for the Clippers to get Garland for Harden at the start of this year. Do the Cavs know something the Clippers don’t? For now, I like this move for getting younger. It makes LA worse this year, but I never thought they were going anywhere in the West even with Harden.

Grade: B+

The Golden State Warriors are hosting the Philadelphia 76ers in their final game before the 2026 NBA trade deadline … which could prove to be a huge day for the Dubs. On paper, the Warriors and the Sixers are two of the most star-stacked teams in the league. In reality, well … those stars are almost all going to be wearing street clothes.

Yep, it’s role players against role players and backups against backups at the Chase Center. Here’s the full injury report for both teams.

Warriors

Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)

Curry is being described by the Warriors as day-to-day with what is commonly known as “runner’s knee.” Hopefully he doesn’t miss much time. The Warriors, as you probably have noticed, aren’t very good without him.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL tear)

Butler won’t play tonight and he won’t play for many months, but this could potentially be the final Warriors game on his paycheck. It certainly seems like he’ll be with the Dubs through the trade deadline, but I can’t imagine the Warriors will let him be a holdup in their Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuits.

Out — Jonathan Kuminga (left knee bone bruise)

It’s much more likely that this is Kuminga’s final game with the organization, even though he won’t be playing, either. Hopefully he’s healthy soon, be it for the Warriors or for someone else.

Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)

The younger Curry was recently re-evaluated and will be re-evaluated again in two weeks. It’s been a tough season for him, as he’s only appeared in two games.

Out — LJ Cryer (left hamstring injury management)

I always feel bad for two-way players when they’re not healthy for a game where the team is missing a lot of players. It likely would have been a good opportunity for Cryer to get on the court.

Probable — Moses Moody (left knee soreness)

Thankfully it appears that Moody will be able to go tonight, despite dealing with some knee soreness.

76ers

Out — Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management; right knee injury management)

Embiid has quietly put together a wonderful season. He’s been healthier than anticipated — he’s only played 29 games, but that’s 10 more than last year — and, after a slow start, he’s starting to resemble the player that won an MVP not long ago. The Warriors are fortunate to be missing him, but it’s a bummer for fans.

Out — Paul George (league suspension)

Just as the Sixers were starting to click, George went and got a 25-game suspension for an illegal substance. Oops.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It tips off at 7:00 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Bay Area.

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliersagree to a trade that would send former MVP James Harden to Cleveland, while Darius Garland heads to Southern California.

The trade on Tuesday was first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. Cleveland becomes the sixth team in Harden's 17-year career.

See how others are reacting to the NBA news:

Sports world, fans react to Harden-Garland trade:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Harden, Darius Garland trade: Reactions to Clippers-Cavs deal

The Pistons have traded Jaden Ivey to the Chcago Bulls, marking the end of his turbulent yet hopefilled time in Detroit. Wes jumps in the studio to quickly break down what you need to know about the move. What are the details? Why would the Pistons do this? And how might Kevin Huerter fit?

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!

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The Cleveland Cavaliers made their most surprising trade in franchise history. They sent out their 26-year-old All-Star point guard for someone who’s more accomplished and 10 years his senior in James Harden.

Opinions are justifiably divided on this trade. It’s reasonable to love or hate this move. What side you come down on is largely based on perspective.

If you’re Koby Altman, putting together the best team for 2026 seems to be the main priority. Given the state of the Eastern Conference, this season is his best shot at winning a title with a team he completely constructed.

Additionally, there’s the pressure that comes with creating the most expensive team in the league. Altman’s job may not be on the line, but the group he painstakingly built needs to make meaningful strides forward in the playoffs. There wouldn’t be any excuses for this team falling short in Donovan Mitchell’s fourth year with the team.

Speaking of Mitchell, the added weight of his upcoming free agency looms large in moves like this. He’d be justified in looking elsewhere this summer if he felt this team wasn’t able to compete at the highest level. And if he sacrificed four of his prime years with the doomed core four experiment, it’d be easy to justify exploring other options.

From Altman’s perspective, this season is likely all that matters. This team needs a point guard to pair alongside Mitchell. And if the one you currently have on the roster has injury concerns that would lead you to believe he will not be 100% in the playoffs, trading him for a clear upgrade is a massive win.

And make no mistake about it, Harden is a clear upgrade from the version of Garland we’ve seen this season.

Harden — even at 36 — is still playing at an elite level. He’s in the 88th percentile for points per shot attempt, 79th percentile for assist percentage, and 91st percentile for drawing shooting fouls. This is a dynamic scorer who can both handle double teams well and keep opponents from doubling Mitchell. Both are things that Garland hasn’t excelled at.

Any concerns about Harden’s playoff performance and ability to fit with Mitchell could be leveled at Garland as well. But at least with Harden, you’re banking on the guy who’s been the better and more proven player this season.

If you viewed this trade through the prism of this season being the only one that matters — which could be the one Altman is forced to view this — then this is a home run deal.

That said, it’s wrong for everyone else to view moves the way front office executives do. Fans aren’t motivated to make deals because of job security. And the diehards that read blogs like this will still love the team whether they’re winning 20 or 60 games.

If you’re emotionally invested, it’s more fun to watch a team built organically. The Cavs were doing that. They made a splashy move for Mitchell, but that was only done because of the homegrown talent that was already in place.

We’ve seen Garland grow. He went from looking like a kid cosplaying as Luke Skywalker on draft night seven years ago to blossoming into one of the most fun point guards to watch. We followed along through Garland’s terrible rookie season in 2020 to being an All-Star two years later when the game was hosted in Cleveland. He then persevered through a difficult following season, only to have the best year of his career right after.

As a sports fan, the journey is often the destination. Being able to go on this ride with Garland with the hopes that it could eventually lead to a championship is the dream. And now, we’re robbed of knowing whether or not that was ever a possibility. That sucks.

There’s joy in watching your team compete for titles, but it’s not as much fun to root for mercenaries, and Harden is the ultimate basketball mercenary.

The uncertainty about the future is also concerning as a fan. It’s okay to sacrifice long-term stability for what could be an instant reward, but what does this look like in 2028 if things go poorly for the next two seasons? There isn’t a lot for the Cavs to securely hang their hat on. We know what it looks like for a team like the Brooklyn Nets, who’ve made similar short-term deals and been burned in the long run.

As a fan, you want your favorite hobby of watching a competitive basketball team to always be there during long winter nights. And even if it never brings a title, there’s worse ways to spend time than watching a team built around Garland and Evan Mobley. Now, that security is gone.

So what is the proper grade for this trade? I’m not sure if I can come up with one. I tend to view things more shortsightedly. If a move gives you a better chance to win this season, I’m almost always going to take it. That, however, doesn’t mean it’s the right way to view things.

From that perspective, the Cavs accomplished their goal. I doubted that this core could win a title. They’ve now created a path to do so and are in a position to make more win-now moves before Thursday’s deadline and in the offseason. But that move comes at a cost. And the cost is felt most by the fans.

We’ll have to wait until this spring to see if the move paid off. For now, I’m stuck giving it a half-hearted B-.

Grade: B-

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points and No. 23 Miami (Ohio) held on for a 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in Mid-American Conference history to 23 games.

Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0), and Peter Suder had 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Miami and Arizona (22-0) remain the only unbeaten teams in Division I.

Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points and Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7). The Bulls have lost seven of eight games following a 13-2 start that was the second-best in the program’s Division I history.

Noah Batchelor’s 3-pointer got Buffalo within 73-71 with 11 seconds remaining. Skaljac missed two free throws in the final 16 seconds, including the front end of one-and-one after Batchelor’s basket, but Ryan Sabol’s fallaway 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the front of the rim.

Miami’s 73 points were a season low. The RedHawks entered the game leading the country in averaging 93.7 points.

The Bulls tied the score three times with less than seven minutes remaining before Miami took command with a 6-0 run, holding Buffalo scoreless over a 3:49 span.

Miami led 38-35 at halftime after a back-and-forth period with nine lead changes and four ties.

This was the second close game between these teams this season. The RedHawks beat the Bulls 105-102 in overtime on Jan. 17

Miami’s ranking is its highest since being No. 22 in November 1998. They are the first MAC team ranked since Buffalo finished the 2018-19 season at No. 15.

Up next

Miami (Ohio): At Marshall on Saturday in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.

Buffalo: At South Alabama on Saturday.

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SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings had a chance to welcome newly acquired forward De'Andre Hunter to California's capital during their Tuesday practice following a Jan. 31 trade which sent Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Hunter, 28, was acquired in the trade to be a potential piece for the Kings' future as general manger Scott Perry retools the roster with aspirations of establishing a winning culture.

Hunter, who will make $23.3 million this season as part of a four-year $90 million rookie contract extension he signed with the Hawks in 2022, expressed his excitement to get going in Sacramento and becoming acclimated with his new team.

"It's good energy here," Hunter told reporters after his first Kings practice. "A lot of great coaches that have a lot of experience in the league. Very experienced players who have been here in the league for a while, I'm just excited for a new opportunity."

Hunter, a 6-foot-7, 221-pound swingman, is averaging 14 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.2 minutes per game so far during the 2025-26 regular-season.

Through 43 games, Hunter has shot the ball at a 42.3% rate on field goals. He shoots 30.8% from deep and is a solid free throw shooter at 86.9%.

Defensively, he averages 0.7 blocks and 0.1 steals per game.

Hunter told USA TODAY Sports what he intends to bring to the Kings as he becomes engulfed in the basketball culture in Sacramento.

"Just versatility, on both ends," Hunter said. "A guy that plays hard, a guy that's gong to do what the team needs. I feel like that's kind of what everyone says but night in, night out I'm going to give my best effort."

Hunter's versatility will allow the Kings to play him at the three (small forward) or experiment playing him at the four (power forward).

For Hunter, it's nothing new.

"I don't think there's much difference in the league right now," he said. "A lot the threes play four when guys go small, teams go small. I don't see much of a difference, but I'm very comfortable playing both, I've been doing it for the past four or five years. It's not really difficult to adjust to."

He's most likely going to play alongside Kings forward Keegan Murray.

The team announced Tuesday that Murray is progressing in his rehabilitation of a moderate left ankle sprain he suffered in their loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 4.

"Murray has been approved for on-court contact activities. He will be reevaluated in two weeks," the Kings said in a news release.

Hunter anticipates playing with Murray because their abilities to do some of the same things on the floor.

"Playing with a guy like Keegan, he's another versatile guy who can defend, who can shoot, who can score. I think it'll be fun," Hunter said. "Definitely (exciting). Like I said, he's another guy with size, another guy that guard one through four. As a guy that could do that, it's always good to see another dude on the court that can help you out when you're a little tired."

Kings head coach Doug Christie was all smiles when discussing the acquisition of Hunter.

"Super excited man," Christie told reporters. "The weather didn't allow us to practice on the road, but got up and down a little bit. Watching him on the defensive end makes me smile. Elite length, athleticism, knowing that he can stretch the floor and shoot the three-ball, has midrange, like just a really, really good player. A smart player, very heady, as far as the communication. We'll get him in a game, [I'm] excited to see him get out there."

Christie, too, envisions a lineup that will feature both Hunter and Murray, when he's back from injury. When asked about the possibility, he grinned from cheek-to-cheek.

"Both of their size and athleticism allows you to you to guard across the board," Christie said. "They can switch if there's a matchup that you like more. But definitely, his size and his ability to guard can keep Keegan at the three."

He added: "I'm just excited to see them. When you think about it, you have two long wings, both of them can shoot the basketball, both of them can guard pretty much one through five, rebounding, cutting, midrange and they both play the right way, for the right reasons. They are team players. They're going to move the basketball, move their body when we talk about next actions, when we talk about crashing [for rebounds] all of the little things that equate to winning, both of them do so really excited to see them out there together."

Hunter said that he hadn't had many interactions with Perry, Kings general manager, but was told by Perry that he had him on his radar for many years and that Perry "sees potential" in him.

"He knows a few people that I know. I heard through the grapevine what kind of guy he is and vice versa. I think that played a huge part in me coming here. I'm excited to get to know the guys and get acclimated to the city," Hunter said. "It was more so just talking about how he previously wanted me. In previous years but we at a different team so he couldn't make it happen but he was just really glad that he could make this happen. He sees potential in me, he knows the things I can do, just looking to do that."

Hunter is ready to work and provide a spark for Kings basketball. No one is asking more of Hunter than himself.

"I have my own expectations," he said. "I feel like my own expectations are higher than what anyone else expects of me. I just try to hold myself to a standard."

As far his new city and getting used to his surroundings, Hunter looks forward to seeing what Sacramento has to offer.

"I never did much here honestly, so I don't really know about the city," Hunter said about his knowledge of Sacramento as a visiting player. "I usually stay in the hotel because we usually come here on a long west coast trip. I'm excited to get out there and probably get some recommendations from some people on what to do and where to eat and stuff."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kings acquire De'Andre Hunter, first look at new forward

The brief but captivating Anfernee Simons era in Boston has reportedly come to an end.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics are trading Simons and a second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for veteran big man Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick.

At its core, this move is more so about roster balance than anything else. The Celtics arguably had an abundance of guards and arguably had a shortage of post players, so swapping Simons for Vucevic is logical through that lens.

BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/aScaobfZmv

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026

Through another, it’s a debatable move, as Simons had really found a home and was playing some of the best basketball of his career. He’s also 26 and entering his prime, whereas Vucevic is 35 and may not have too many productive years in front of him.

This is one of those trades where you could really argue either way, and I’d be like, “Yeah, you’re right.”

With that in mind, here are five immediate thoughts on the news:

1. Anfernee Simons will be missed.

Simons is a heck of a player who really made the most of his opportunity in Boston. It would have been fun to see him continue to evolve over the next few seasons, but it always felt like this would be a short-term situation.

He deserves a lot of credit for improving his defense, igniting the Celtics on plenty of runs and embracing his role as a reserve. While the move certainly has its benefits, this playoff run won’t be the same without him.

HIGHEST CAREER SCORING AVG BY A CELTIC, 50 OR LESS GAMES
20.6 Bob McAdoo, 20 GP, 1978-79
19.4 Ed Sadowski, 47 GP, 1947-48
14.4 Dennis Schroder, 49 GP, 2021-22
14.2 ANFERNEE SIMONS, 49 GP, 2025-26
13.9 Billy Knight, 40 GP, 1978-79
13.0 Evan Fournier, 16 GP, 2020-21

— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) February 3, 2026

2. Nikola Vucevic is a perfect fit.

The Celtics wouldn’t have traded Simons for just anyone. I’ve always loved Vucevic’s game. He’s a modern 5 who can score inside and out and should fit in well with the Celtics’ current core. I expect him to adapt seamlessly and look like he’s been here all along within a few weeks.

While he may be a bit past his prime, he’s still averaging 16.9 points, 9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He’s known for his scoring, but his passing also shouldn’t be slept on and will make life easier for his teammates in Boston.

3. It should make Boston slightly better.

This move is an indicator that Brad Stevens believes the Celtics are capable of contending, and yes, it may be a sign that Jayson Tatum could return. That’s just speculation, but it’s a fair conclusion to jump to given all the variables at play.

I personally don’t think this move makes them significantly better or worse, but I probably would have done it myself. Vucevic fills a need and is a proven vet who will complement Neemias Queta well. I also wouldn’t be opposed to a double-big lineup of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Vucevic and Queta in crunch time. He’s the kind of guy that will only help you, not hurt you, so it’s a very safe pickup from that perspective.

Nikola Vucevic this season:

16.9 PPG
9 RPG
3.8 APG
50 FG%
38 3FG% pic.twitter.com/Qmck8tkzDU

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) February 3, 2026

4. Speaking of Queta…

It will be interesting to see how Joe Mazzulla incorporates Vucevic. Will his long-term NBA clout immediately vault him into a starting role, or will Mazzulla elect to keep Queta as the starter and bring Vucevic off the bench? It’s very possible he’ll start, but bringing Simons off the bench worked well, so it’s also possible that will happen again here.

Will it also signal the end of Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman or Amari Williams’ time in Boston? I wouldn’t expect the Celtics to trade Queta, but anything is possible when Stevens gets rolling. Queta deserves a lot of credit for the strides he’s made, and I personally would keep him on the roster as long as possible.

5. Matching up in the East

One thing we’ve learned so far this season is that physical teams like the Pistons and Rockets tend to give the Celtics problems. It wasn’t really their fault. The roster wasn’t constructed to fight fire with fire in the paint. Now, the Celtics have more low-post scoring and rim protection.

At the same time, calling Vucevic a great defender would be a bit of a stretch. Can he match up with someone like Jalen Duren or Jarrett Allen in a playoff series and hold his own? Time will tell, but it’s ultimately a move worth making given the fit and the void he fills.

CLEVELAND (AP) — James Harden heading to Cleveland Cavaliers in trade for Darius Garland, AP source says.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Bryce James, youngest son of NBA star LeBron James, is going to redshirt his freshman year at Arizona.

James has yet to appear in a game for the top-ranked Wildcats this season and coach Tommy Lloyd confirmed on Tuesday the 6-foot-5 guard will redshirt.

“The redshirting decision was just a long play, to give Bryce the most options in his career as his career unfolds,” Lloyd told the Big 12 Network. “I have real strong belief that Bryce will be a contributor at Arizona in the near future. He’s really shown a lot of progress, not only learning our system but just physically maturing.”

James arrived at Arizona as part of a heralded freshman class headlined by Koat Peat and Brayden Burries. The Wildcats (22-0) are off to the best start in program history, so Lloyd and his staff have been able to take their time in developing James, whose older brother, Bronny, plays with their father for the Los Angeles Lakers.

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MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Marseille avoided plunging into crisis by defeating Rennes 3-0 on Tuesday to move into the French Cup quarterfinals.

The southern club had no room for mistake after exiting the Champions League last week with a 3-0 loss at Club Brugge. It was an embarrassing defeat that was followed by a 2-2 draw at Paris FC in Ligue 1 on Saturday after Roberto De Zerbi's players threw away a two-goal lead.

Marseille needed just two minutes to break the deadlock against Rennes when Amine Gouiri scored from close range against his former club, after excellent work from Timothy Weah to recover the ball in the box.

Gouiri then turned provider to set up Mason Greenwood in the 46th minute, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealing the win on the break with seven minutes left.

Marseille recruit Ethan Nwaneri was lucky to escape a red card after an awful tackle near the hour-mark on Glen Kamara, who was forced off.

Reims also progressed to the quarterfinals with a 3-0 defeat of Le Mans.

Marseille’s 3-0 loss at Club Brugge on Wednesday, coupled with Benfica’s remarkable injury-time goal against Real Madrid, sent De Zerbi’s side into 25th place in the Champions League table and out of the competition.

Marseille, which won the Champions League in 1993, is third in the French league, nine points behind leader Paris-Saint-Germain. The bitter rivals face off this weekend in Paris in “Le Classique."

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen reached the German Cup semifinals for the third straight season after beating St. Pauli 3-0 on Tuesday.

Martin Terrier scored from the edge of the area in the 32nd minute, Patrik Schick volleyed home at the back post to double the lead in the 63rd and Jonas Hofmann added a third following a counterattack in stoppage time.

Leverkusen won the cup in the 2023-24 season as part of its undefeated domestic campaign, and lost in the semifinals last season.

Defending champion Stuttgart visits second-tier Holstein Kiel in the second quarterfinal on Wednesday.

The other two are next week: Second-tier Hertha Berlin vs. Freiburg and Bayern Munich vs. Leipzig.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The aggregation never ends, does it? The Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers have been linked in trade rumors for the past 15-ish hours. And while nothing has happened yet, the momentum continues to grow per reports.

ESPN’S Brian Windhorst offered the latest update on NBA Today:

“People I’m talking to, there is real momentum for this,” Windhorst said. “Darius Garland is getting in his head that he’s going to be a Clipper. James Harden is getting in his head that he’s gonna be a Cav.”

There are always plenty of smoke screens to navigate during the NBA trade deadline. But when there is this much smoke, it’s hard to ignore. The likelihood of Garland and Harden swapping cities is feeling more certain by the minute. And apparently, even the players themselves are preparing for a new chapter.

For Harden, this is nothing he hasn’t seen before. He’s asked for a trade four times in five years, going from the Houston Rockets, to the Brooklyn Nets, to the Philadelphia 76ers, to the LA Clippers, and now, possibly to the Cavs. The 11-time All-Star has forced his way out of multiple franchises and is comfortable being uncomfortable.

But for Garland, this is uncharted territory. Garland has played all seven seasons of his career in Cleveland. He’s been floated in trade rumors before, but he’s never actually been put under the spotlight to this degree. A trade would mark a first for Garland — but even if nothing happens, this could have huge ramifications for Garland’s future in the Land.

This entire ordeal has been out there for the world to see. Garland now knows that his front office has dangled him in serious trade offers while presumably getting the approval of Donovan Mitchell. That’s a tough pill to swallow, even for the most professional NBA player.

All of that makes it feel like this trade is a done deal. Because turning back now seems just as daunting as going through with this massive swing.

Luka Dončić has been justly rewarded for a dominant month.

The NBA’s leading scorer has started 2026 right where he left off in 2025, averaging 34 points, 7.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists. Rightly so on Monday, Luka was named Player of the Month for the Western Conference.

Luka Dončić is the Player of the Month for the Western Conference. https://t.co/cAuPObZV8d

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) February 3, 2026

This is the sixth time Luka has been named Player of the Month, but the first time he’s done so as a Laker.

In January, Luka had some monster performances, including scoring 46 points in a win over the Bulls and registering a triple-double in the first half in a victory against the Wizards.

Dončić’s dominance is a big reason the Lakers were able to tread water in January. They ended the month with a 9-7 record while playing without their starting guard, Austin Reaves, who remained out with a calf strain.

While Luka’s play reached a high level in January, he’s been elite all season, making a case as the best player not just on the Lakers, or in the Western Conference, but the entire NBA.

He was the top vote getter for the All-Star Game and will be making his sixth All-Star appearance and his first as a Laker later this month.

And, as long as he plays enough games, Luka is a shoo-in for All-NBA.

With Luka entering his prime, this may be the first of many Player of the Month awards coming Luka’s way in LA.

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