Category: NBA

Dallas starting center Dereck Lively II is going to miss the remainder of this NBA season as he undergoes surgery on his right foot, the Mavericks announced Wednesday.

This is the same foot Lively had surgery on during the offseason, one he fractured last January. He reportedly sought out second and third opinions, trying to avoid surgery, but in the end, that was the best option.

Lively will have played in just seven games this season, missing the bulk of that time due to a right knee sprain. Even when he did play Lively was limited, averaging 16 minutes a night and 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Injuries have been an issue for Lively throughout his three-season NBA career, having played in just 36 games last season due to foot issues and 55 games in his rookie year.

When healthy, the 21-year-old big man out of Duke has played like a future starting five next to Cooper Flagg, in whatever the Mavericks are building long term. He was a key part of the Mavericks' 2024 run to the NBA Finals, averaging 7.9 points and 7.4 rebounds off the bench that postseason.

With Lively out, expect a lot more minutes at center for Daniel Gafford and Anthony Davis (two players mentioned in trade rumors heading toward the February deadline).

Chris Paul says he is in a good place.

He also wants to end his NBA career in a new place.

Less than two weeks after the LA Clippers sent him home from a road trip and parted ways with the future Hall of Famer — and arguably the best Clipper ever to wear the jersey — Paul told People’s Jordan Greene he is looking on the positive side of what happened.

"But honestly, I'm home. My daughter had tryouts yesterday. My nephew had a basketball game. My son has a game coming up on the 12th. I have never seen my son play a game in person. Not a middle school game, not a high school game. So I'm excited about seeing him play...

"I'm actually at peace with everything. More than anything, I'm excited about being around and getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next."

What comes next is five days from now, Dec. 15, when Paul becomes eligible to be traded, and the Clippers are working with Paul and his agent to find him a new home. While there are teams looking for point guard depth, finding a new home for CP3 may not be that easy because league sources told NBC Sports that teams interested in him are just willing to wait the Clippers out, wait for them to waive him, and then sign Paul as a free agent.

However it comes to pass, Chris Paul will finish his career on an NBA roster somewhere, and he seems more open to those final months being farther away from his family in Southern California than he might have previously preferred.

Also on the Paul front, his coach with the Clippers, Tyronn Lue, denied the reports that he and CP3 were not on speaking terms in the run-up to Paul being sent away from the team. Here is what Lue said, via Law Murray of The Athletic.

"We were talking," Lue said when asked if he was on speaking terms with Paul throughout November. "How you gonna play if I'm not talking to him? There was a stretch where we said he wasn't gonna play, he was gonna be out of the rotation, that was tough for him, because he's a competitor and what the game means to him and what he brings every single day. But after that, it wasn't really much."

Since returning from the sciatica that cost him the start of the season, LeBron James has blended in perfectly with the 17-6 Lakers, a guy with an all-around game willing to do whatever the team needs on any given night. Most recently, in Philadelphia, that was drop 29 points on the 76ers when Luka Doncic was out.

While the fit works, this is the first time in his career LeBron is on a team not constructed around him, where he is asked to fill a role more than be the star everyone else orbits around. Combine that with LeBron being a free agent after this season, and there has been some online speculation about a trade — despite the fact LeBron has a no-trade clause and has said nothing about waiving it.

Rich Paul, LeBron's agent, shot down any trade rumors fast on the “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul” podcast (produced by The Ringer).

Kellerman: "Is LeBron, realistically, a guy who could not be on the Lakers at the end of this year?"

Paul: "No."

Kellerman: "He will be on the Lakers at the end of this year?"

Paul: "Yeah. Where's he going to go?"

Constructing a LeBron James trade creates many of the same obstacles as trading Giannis Antetokounmpo (and explains why he is more likely to be traded during the offseason). LeBron makes $52.6 million this season. In a world of tax aprons, how many teams can take on that large a contract for what would be the No. 2 or 3 player on a championship-caliber team? Beyond that, the teams LeBron might want to join — Cleveland, New York, Golden State — are all up against the tax aprons, with restrictions on what they can do (none can take back more money than they send out) and little room to maneuver.

LeBron was never going to be traded during the season, and he knew that when he picked up his player option.

Paul also said during the interview that he did not believe the Lakers, as currently constructed, are contenders in the West and wouldn't even make the Western Conference Finals.

This summer, when LeBron is a free agent, things will be different. The conventional wisdom around the league is that LeBron wants to play one more season — a grand farewell tour — and it's not likely to be with the Lakers. How much of a salary discount he is willing to take to get where he wants to go, or how the Lakers could work with him on a sign-and-trade, remains to be seen, but that is when the action will be. Not at the trade deadline.

NEW YORK (AP) — Miami Heat player Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he helped gamblers placing bets on his performance in NBA games.

The 31-year-old point guard formally entered the plea during his arraignment in federal court in Brooklyn on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges, and was released on $3 million bond secured by his home in Florida and another property. Prosecutors say Rozier conspired with friends to help them win bets on his performance in a March 2023 game when he played for the Charlotte Hornets.

He was also instructed not to gamble, have firearms or to have any contact with victims, co-defendants and witnesses in the case. Rozier, who's from Ohio, additionally surrendered his passport and was restricted to traveling between Florida, Ohio and New York unless granted prior approval.

Rozier, wearing a gray suit, didn’t speak in court other than to answer the judge’s “yes” or “no” questions.

He declined to comment afterward, but his lawyer, Jim Trusty, said his client was “excited” to begin mounting his defense against the charges.

Trusty said at a hearing later with the five other defendants in the case that he would soon be filing a motion to dismiss the case based on constitutional grounds.

He also urged the judge to proceed with the case on “speedy” timeline, saying Rozier is dealing with “multiple layers of litigation,” including arbitration with the NBA.

But U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall brushed those concerns aside, saying “arbitration with the league is of no concern for me.”

She set the next hearing in the case for March 3 after hearing from prosecutors that they would soon be handling over “voluminous” amounts of evidence to defense lawyers, including an initial set of 1,000 documents and more than 55 gigabytes of data.

More than 30 people have been arrested in the sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports, including several Mafia figures. Portland Trail Blazers coach and NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups has pleaded not guilty in a separate scheme to fix high-stakes, Mafia-backed illegal poker games.

Prosecutors say Rozier informed the bettors that he intended to leave the game against the New Orleans Pelicans early with a supposed injury, allowing gamblers to place wagers earning them tens of thousands of dollars.

Rozier played the first nine minutes and 36 seconds of the game before leaving, citing a foot issue. He did not play again that season.

The other NBA figure ensnared in the investigation is Damon Jones, who pleaded not guilty last month to charges he provided sports bettors with nonpublic information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis while serving as an unofficial assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season. Jones, a former NBA player, is also indicted along with Billups and others in the separate poker scheme.

Both Billups and Rozier have been placed on unpaid leave from their teams as their court cases play out.

Rozier has earned about $160 million over a 10-year NBA career. He was a first-round pick for the Boston Celtics in 2015 after starring at the University of Louisville. Charlotte traded him to the Heat last year.

We are six days away from Dec. 15, when the official start of the NBA Trade season begins (although much more happens once general managers from around the league gather in Orlando for the G-League Showcase Dec. 19-22). With that, the trade talk is ramping up around the league. Here are some of the latest rumors.

Anthony Davis

The Eastern Conference feels more wide-open than ever, which has three teams — Detroit, Toronto and Atlanta — thinking they are one move away from contending. That has them eyeing Anthony Davis, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

The Pistons (19-5), Raptors (15-10) and Hawks (14-11) represent high-level threats in their conference and are having seasons that give hope that a player like Davis -- a 10-time All-Star who has spent his entire career in the Western Conference -- can elevate them into a viable championship-quality team.

Detroit also has been linked to Utah's Lauri Markkanen — who would be a better fit — on the theory that the team is looking for another shot creator and scorer at the four, to play off Cade Cunningham and next to the breakout center Jalen Duren. A Detroit trade for AD would be centered on Tobias Harris to balance salaries, plus picks and younger players.

Atlanta was hoping to get a boost from Kristaps Porzingis as a pick-and-pop five and rim protector next to Trae Young, but that has yet to happen in part due to injuries. Davis could slide into that role and Poringis' expiring salary plus a young player and picks could head back to Dallas. That said, Atlanta reportedly wants to assess what its roster looks like when Young returns from his sprained MCL, likely later this month. Toronto plays an up-tempo, five-out system with Jakob Poeltl as the big man. Davis would be an upgrade to that and push a team that is a surprising 15-10 and fourth in the East into another tier.

For all of these teams, they need to think about Davis' next contract extension — the 32-year-old Davis is eligible for and wants one after this season, and while he's not going to get the max (four years, $275 million) he's going to make $50+ million a season. Do teams want to sign up for multiple years of a mid-30s player with a lengthy history of nagging injuries at that price?

Klay Thompson/Daniel Gafford

Dallas' interim co-general managers — Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi — are open to trading more than just Davis, Charania reports.

The Mavericks are open to exploring the trade markets for Davis, center Daniel Gafford and guards Klay Thompson and D'Angelo Russell, sources said.

Gafford is the name we hear most around league circles as in demand — a rim-protecting, pick-and-roll big who had a real connection with Luka Dončić on the court (which is why the Lakers come up as a possible suitor, although good luck finding a Dallas GM who would make another trade with the Lakers). Gafford could help any team that runs a lot of pick-and-rolls.

The market for Thompson is smaller — he's a big name and a future Hall of Famer, but not the same player at this point in his career — but shooters who understand floor spacing always have a place. The market for Russell would be limited, but there are teams seeking depth at the one.

These three are people to watch, they may be more likely to be on the move than the massive contract of Davis.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

While Charanaia's sources are telling him "the writing is on the wall" with an Antetokounmpo trade, league sources NBC Sports speaks with are still hesitant to say a deal will happen before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Antetokounmpo being sidelined for a few weeks with a calf strain has quieted the talk somewhat, but the core of the situation has not changed, according to league sources. The two big questions remain:

1) Will Antetokounmpo officially, formally, forcefully ask for a trade? The Bucks are not going to trade Antetokounmpo until he makes them. To make them do that by the deadline, Antetokounmpo has to be the bad guy and loudly ask for a trade (meaning his agent tells the Bucks that and makes sure it leaks to the media). Antetokounmpo pushed the Bucks to talk to the Knicks last summer, but that came late in the summer (after the Mikal Bridges extension), and with only one team, there was no deal to be made.

Just remember that Antetokounmpo has another, more passive path out of Milwaukee: Tell them next summer he will not sign an extension with the team. That has the same effect — the Bucks would have to trade him instead of risking losing him for nothing — but he can spin that he never asked for a trade. That and the fact that getting Antetokounmpo to a place he wants to be during the season — in a fair deal for both sides — is next to impossible in a tax apron era. Which is why a trade in the offseason is more likely.

2) Will the Bucks try to get Antetokounmpo where he wants to go, or will they take the best offer for them? Antetokounmpo has a well-reported fascination with playing for the Knicks and competing for a title with them. Putting aside questions of how well he would fit next to Jalen Brunson for now, the simple fact is a lot of teams — Atlanta, San Antonio, Houston and others — could put together much better trade returns for the Bucks than the Knicks could. Those teams have young players and a lot of draft picks to help a rebuilding team. If Antetokounmpo asks out, how big is his list of preferred teams? He is only going to end up in New York if he forces that to happen by saying that is the only place he would sign an extension (and even then, a team could take a one-year swing like the Raptors did with Kawhi Leonard in 2018-19).

Jonathan Kuminga

When Kuminga earned a DNP-CD from Steve Kerr on Sunday, it sparked another round of trade rumors for the fifth-year forward. It's no secret that the Warriors are open to trading him — they pushed him into a contract extension designed to be dealt: Two years, $46.8 million, with a team option on the second year.

Kuminga is averaging 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds a game this season in what has been a roller coaster of a season for him. Teams will be willing to take a flyer on him, and it will be interesting to see after Jan. 15 — the day he becomes eligible to be traded — which teams step up and explore the idea. Over the summer it was the Kings and Suns, but things look different for both of those teams now and their interest level may not be the same.

LeBron James

LeBron is only on this list to squash the speculation about any potential trade. Much like Antetokounmpo, the only way LeBron would have been traded at the deadline was if he demanded it publicly, and his agent, Rich Paul, told Max Kellerman on the Game Over podcast that it is not happening. Paul was unequivocal that LeBron will be on the Lakers at the end of this season.

This summer, when LeBron becomes a free agent, things get interesting. For now, the Lakers and LeBron are going to chase another NBA Cup title and, after that, an NBA title this season (although Paul said in that same interview he does not think these Lakers are contenders or have enough to make the Western Conference Finals).

Domantas Sabonis/Zach LaVine/DeMar DeRozan

The Kings have come to realize it's time to pivot away from the roster that broke their playoff drought, but one that had a real ceiling (the Kings have long been the, well, kings of short-term front office thinking, such as trading Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis). With that, all the big names are on the table, Charania reports.

They are open-minded about trade talks throughout the roster, sources said. Teams are monitoring veterans Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, along with 25-year-old guard Keon Ellis.

There is more buzz about Sabonis than the other two big names, a lot of teams could use a scoring and rebounding big. Ellis, the 25-year-old fourth-year guard who is a plus defender, has a lot of fans around the league and any team taking on one of the old-guard players will want Ellis thrown in the deal.

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

The NBA docket is a bit less busy this week, with the NBA In-Season Tournament on the horizon. Players won’t be on the floor quite as much this week, which makes for a good time to pinpoint some guys that are trending in either direction.

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Time to add Maxime “Mad Max” Raynaud

Raynaud has emerged as a legitimate backup big, and he should remain in the starting lineup until Domantas Sabonis returns.

• Zak Hanshew,

STOCK UP

Derrick White — PG/SG, Celtics

Small sample size here, but White’s been outstanding to begin December — in four games, his 24.5 points per game on 51.4/ 40.8/ 80.0 shooting splits have been significantly better than his lower-scoring, inefficient-shooting October and November. What’s stood out most is White’s 12.3 three-point attempts per game! With him hitting threes at a high rate, the production from beyond the arc has brought incredible value from a fantasy basketball perspective, as have his recent bumps in rebounds and assists. Hopefully, this type of production is here to stay, now that White may be adjusting well to his role as one of the Celtics’ go-to scorers. Stock way up!

Kevin Porter Jr. — PG/SG, Bucks

Between the Game 1 injury and Ryan Rollins’ immediate ascension that followed, it’s likely that Porter Jr. became an afterthought to many folks from a fantasy basketball perspective. Well, he’s been back for a bit more than one week and has already become Milwaukee’s most productive player. In the five games since his return, KPJ is averaging 24.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.4 steals on 55.6/ 61.3/ 88.0 shooting splits, which includes a couple of 30-point outings with at least five three-pointers made. Whatever questions fantasy managers may have had about Porter Jr.’s reintegration and fit alongside Rollins, they should now have answers.

Dylan Harper — PG/SG, Spurs

It took a couple of games for Harper to find his rhythm, as well as his fit off the bench, in his return from an early-season calf injury. He’s been productive in the five games since, however, tallying at least 15 points in four of those five contests, while logging five assists or more in four consecutive games. The rookie guard most recently amassed a career-high 22 points against the Pelicans and dropped in a smooth-looking game-winning layup with his off hand to end the night. Whether it be his minutes, production, or confidence, everything seems to be trending in a positive direction for Harper, who’ll likely improve with more reps under his belt. Like many of the Spurs’ players, his ceiling is high.

STOCK DOWN

Myles Turner — C, Bucks

It’s been a rough go for the Bucks, who are struggling to find an identity or put together wins with or without their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Regardless of the former Finals MVP’s availability, the supporting cast has been inconsistent lately — specifically, Turner. The prized offseason addition hasn’t secured more than three rebounds in a game since November 26 against the Heat, and has scored more than 12 points just once over that period. He’s also playing fewer than 24.0 minutes per game since the start of December and finds himself in an unpredictable spot just over a quarter of the way through his debut season in Milwaukee. Things could always get better as the season progresses, but vibes aren’t currently high, and neither is Turner’s productivity.

De’Andre Hunter — SF/PF, Cavaliers

Hunter’s gone cold of late as the Cavaliers have rotated wins and losses over their last five games. He’s failed to score in double figures in two of those five games, with his high being 13 points. The seventh-year forward has also tallied exactly three rebounds in each of the past five games and totaled nine assists over that time, leading to minimal fantasy production recently. Hunter could use a big game in the near future to get him back on track, but until he does, his stock will remain down.

Reed Sheppard — PG/SG, Rockets

There was a 10-game stretch not long ago in which Sheppard averaged 17.1 points and 3.0 threes per game, including a 31-point masterpiece to carry the Rockets to a road win over the Warriors that marked the moment of his young career thus far. And just when it looked as though the second-year guard was about to take off, Kevin Durant returned from injury to reclaim his high production and make Sheppard’s contributions less necessary in the five games since. As a result, Sheppard is down to 9.0 points per game and has played fewer minutes than Aaron Holiday, the current backup point guard, in three of the last five games. Sheppard’s still having a nice sophomore season, but it’s tough to say whether he’ll reach those early-season heights again anytime soon.