The Jonathan Kuminga comeback feel good story has, unfortunately, hit a snag. Late in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors road game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kuminga came up lame after a transition opportunity. He tried to walk it off, then signaled to the bench for a sub, and walked to the locker room. When the second half commenced, the Warriors announced that Kuminga had left knee soreness, and would not return to the game.
After an absence of more than a month, Kuminga returned to the rotation on Tuesday night and was one of the few bright spots in the team’s blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors, scoring an efficient 20 points in just 21 minutes. He was fantastic in his short stint against the Mavs, scoring 10 points in just nine minutes, while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, with two steals.
With Jimmy Butler III out for the season with an ACL tear, and with the trade deadline exactly two weeks away, Kuminga has a great opportunity in front of him, to either become a key part of the rotation once again, or make himself attractive to a team that might trade for him. Hopefully the knee ailment is really just soreness and not an injury, and he can get back on the court shortly.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mia Pauldo scored 21 points and No. 17 Tennessee beat No. 11 Kentucky 60-58 on Thursday night for its seventh victory in a row.
Pauldo, who hit the 20-point mark for the second time this season, shot 9 of 22 from the field and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Lady Vols (14-3, 6-0 Southeastern Conference).
Ameila Hassett scored 16 points for Kentucky (17-4, 4-3). Jordan Obi had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Tonie Morgan scored 13. Clara Strack added 14 rebounds and nine points.
Kentucky, which ranks fifth in the nation at turnovers per game with 11.0, committed 10 turnovers in the first half and 11 in the second, resulting in 21 points for Tennessee.
A 12-3 run in the second quarter helped Tennessee go ahead and the Lady Vols led 29-22 at the half. Six-straight points in the fourth quarter by Hassett tied the game at 46.
Pauldo made Tennessee's final field goal with 2:58 remaining for a 59-54 lead and she added a free throw at 1:24 to cap the scoring. Kentucky had a missed shot and two turnovers in the final 90 seconds.
Tennessee secured its second-straight win over a ranked opponent after a 70-59 decision over Alabama on Sunday.
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
After a disappointing trip to Houston where the Spurs fell apart in the fourth to lose a winnable game against the Rockets, the Spurs travel to Salt Lake City, where the lake is salty and the the girls are pretty. The Spurs just defeated the Jazz on Monday night, 123-110 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score. Lauri Markkanen is still out for the Jazz, so this is a lineup that the Spurs can handle if they play a full game. The Spurs have had trouble finishing games recently, especially on the road, so tonight would be a good night for them to exorcize some demons by playing a 48 minute game. Maybe 42 would be enough against this Jazz squad?
Devin Vassell is still out with an adductor strain, and Luke Kornet is [listed as questionable] OUT with tightness in the same area. If Luke has to sit out the game, we should see a lot more of Kelly Olynyk and perhaps Bismack Biyombo. The Spur have a two break after tonight’s game before they face the Pelicans on Sunday night, which will be the longest break between games for the Silver and Black since the break between the Lakers game on the 7th and the Celtics game on the 10th of this month. January has been a grind, but the All Star break is a little more than two weeks away, which will be a welcome respite for the weary squad. Let’s GOO Spurs!!!
Game Prediction:
Carter Bryant will have his first 20 point game as a Spur as he plays 33 minutes in a blowout.
San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz January 22, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: FanDuel Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
Late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant put on one of the most unfathomable scoring performances in NBA history two decades ago tonight.
Peek-a-boo. 81 points.
Bryant torched the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006 to achieve the second-highest scoring feat ever, behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.
He was on a heater. Bryant shot 28-of-46 from the field, including 7-of-13 from deep. He made 18 of his 20 free throw attempts, including the last two with 43.2 seconds left in the game to give him 81 points.
He played 42 minutes.
He scored 26 points in the first half and went off for 55 points in the second half, shattering Elgin Baylor's team record for points in a game (71).
"I feel pretty good," Bryant said with a smile during his post-game interview in 2006. "It hasn't really sank in yet. We had four days off coming up here. I'd have been sick as a dog if we lost this game. I just wanted to step up and inspire us to play a great game and it turned into something really special."
Bryant said he never scored that much in a game, not even in elementary school. He went on to say the performance was something that "just happened."
On a day that featured NFL conference championship games, Bryant's performance overtook the headlines.
Legendary SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott had the right call that night on ESPN:
"You have to see it to believe it," Scott said 20 years ago.
Lakers star LeBron James said, in a older interview, that he "watched the whole game." Spurs legend Tim Duncan remembers reading Bryant's 81-point stat line on a ticker. He thought it was a mistake.
Basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, at the time, remembered receiving an email about the game on his T-Mobile Sidekick cellphone.
"I was like, 'no way,' " Wade said. "I was at a restaurant so I went right and tuned into the TV they had at the restaurant and he had 71 so I watched the rest of it. At that time I think everybody was a fan of Kobe's to see this is history right here being made. No one's scoring 80 points in today's game. Everyone was a fan tuned in, watching his greatness."
"It just said 'Kobe 81,' " Kyrie Irving reminisced. "I just couldn't believe it."
Vince Carter thought it had to be a typo at the time. "81? or 51?" Carter said. "Unbelievable."
The game became so legendary that his iconic finger to the sky, signaling No. 1 or pointing to the heavens, was used for his statue that sits outside Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant 81-point game box score
Points: 81
FG: 28-for-46
3PT: 7-for-13
Free Throws: 18-for-20
Rebounds: 6
Assists: 2
Steals: 3
Blocks: 1
Turnovers: 3
Fouls: 1
Minutes: 42
Highlights: Kobe's 81-point game, 20 years later
Watch every point Bryant scored on his historic night.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Shamar Springer's hat trick in the 19th over helped the West Indies secure a 15-run win to deny Afghanistan a T20 series sweep on Thursday.
Afghanistan, which had taken the first two matches to clinch the series, restricted the West Indies to 151-7 in 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to field.
Led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz's half-century, Afghanistan was in control before Springer's pace and length changes dismissed Gurbaz (71 off 58), Rashid Khan and Shahidullah in the penultimate over, leaving Ramon Simmonds to defend a 19-run lead in the 20th. Afghanistan finished 136-8.
Springer, a 28-year-old allrounder who hopes to make the squad for the T20 World Cup, took 4-20 in four overs. He became the third West Indies player to take a hat trick in T20 international. The other two are Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd.
Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with the captain falling just short of a half-century at 47.
The series is preparation by both teams for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka starting Feb. 7.
With the 2026 NBA trade deadline arriving on Feb. 5, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Knicks and their NBA Finals expectations.
New York snapped their four-game losing streak in an impressive win over the Nets on Wednesday night, but the team is still in the midst of one of its worst stretches in the Jalen Brunson era. With the win, they are 3-9 over their last 12 games and have fallen into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference -- they would be the four-seed if they didn't hold the tiebreaker over the Raptors.
So, as the Knicks look to improve the roster, what should fans be looking for? SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley spoke on the topic on the Jan. 22 episode of The Putback, where he and guest Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype broke down what they are hearing as the trade deadline gets closer.
Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors
After the Knicks' dreadful loss to the undermanned Mavericks at home on Monday, Newsday's Steve Popper reported that New York had spoken to a number of teams (Hornets, Grizzlies, Magic) about a potential trade involving Towns.
Towns' numbers are down pretty much across the board and the big man even admitted that he's had a tough time adjusting to head coach Mike Brown's system.
Begley shared on The Putback what he had heard.
"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations about trading Karl-Anthony Towns," Begley said. "As of Monday, it was not happening. As far as something in the aftermath of that Dallas loss, no, that wasn’t the case."
Begley added that if the Knicks go through another 2-9 stretch and continue to struggle as they get closer to the trade deadline, things might change.
Whenever Towns' name is thrown out there as a trade candidate, the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind. It seems like an easy swap for both teams, but Scotto threw some cold water on the idea.
“I personally never gotten the sense, at least from talking to my sources, that a team like the Milwaukee Bucks would be overly aggressive in trying to get Karl Towns in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, theoretically," Scotto said.
Scotto suggested that the Knicks, if they were to deal Towns, would have to consider "breaking up" Towns' salary into multiple pieces, similar to what the Timberwolves did when they moved the big man to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations on trading Karl-Anthony Towns"
On The Putback with @IanBegley, Ian discusses what he's heard on the KAT reports and his read on if the Knicks would make that trade pic.twitter.com/bvLAdFjzt2
Since a Towns trade is unlikely, what players should we be on the lookout for?
Guerschon Yabusele is as likely a candidate to be moved. According to Scotto, the acquisition was seen as a "homerun" by execs in the offseason, but it was made before the hiring of Brown. Clearly, Yabusele has had a tough time integrating into Brown's system, and the Knicks are looking to shop him. Scotto even suggested the Knicks may have to pair Yabusele with another minimum-salary player or draft picks to get a player that could help the team.
Scotto shared that the Pelicans have two players that the Knicks checked in.
"I did hear the Knicks were calling not only on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans but also Yves Missi," Scotto said. "Part of it could be doing background, doing due diligence, but you don't make calls on these guys unless you're intersted so that raised my antenna a little bit. If you take Yabusele and another minimum guy, you could maybe try to make something happen there."
The Knicks' interest in Alvarado is well-documented by Missi is a name that even Begley was surprised by.
Missi, 21, is a second-year center who has seen his minutes deep in year two. In his rookie campaign, Missi played around 27 minutes a game (73 games), averaging nine points, and eight rebounds (3.5 offensive). In his sophomore year, Missi is averaging 19 minutes and just 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds (2.9 offensive) across 38 games.
Acquiring another big like Missi could open up more avenues for deals involving the Knicks. Would they deal Mitchell Robinson, who is on the final year of his contract, or one of the depth bigs like Ariel Hukporti? That also opens up the possibility to trade Towns as well.
The Knicks have a lot to consider as they hope to fortify their roster for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.
"I did hear the Knicks were not only calling on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans, but also Yves Missi"
On today's episode of The Putback, @MikeAScotto - a must-follow for NBA fans - discusses trade deadline (link to full show in post below) pic.twitter.com/11wdozjICd
Stanford Cardinal men's basketball will have to endure the remainder of their season without their senior second-leading scorer Chisom Okpara.
The school announced that Okpara suffered a lower extremity injury during the 70-55 loss to Virginia on Jan. 10 and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
The senior forward averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 17 games.
Okpara posted a statement to his Instagram account that led with a Bible verse from Proverbs.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart," Okpara's post read.
As his post continued, he said that his surgery went "smoothly" and he's focused on a full recovery.
"During our game against UVA on Jan. 10th, I sustained a significant patellar tendon tear. I'm happy to report that surgery yesterday went smoothly and I am focused on a full recovery," Okpara wrote.
He added: "I'm stepping away from the court for now to prioritize my health. While this isn't how I envisioned the season playing out, I am eternally grateful to Coach Smith and the entire coaching staff for their mentorship over the last two seasons. To my teammates, I'm rooting for you all the way to the top! Huge thanks to Dr. Marc Safran, the Stanford Medicine team and my family for their unwavering support. The future is bright. Glory to God! Go Cardinal!"
Stanford has an overall record of 14-5 and are .500 in ACC games at 3-3. They've got two wins over ranked opponents, North Carolina and Louisville.
Their next game is 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) Saturday against Cal at Maples Pavilion in Stanford.
Olympic champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced Thursday she is pregnant.
In an Instagram post, she said “made a human with my favorite human,” next to a picture of husband Andre Levrone Jr.
McLaughlin-Levrone won the last two Olympic titles in the 400-meter hurdles, setting world records both times. It currently stands at 50.37 seconds. Last year, she moved to the 400 flat and won world championships in 47.78 seconds, becoming the first woman to crack 48 in the full-lap race since 1985.
The even-numbered year between Summer Olympics is usually considered a light year in track and field. If McLaughlin-Levrone sits out 2026, she would miss the debut of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which will feature the sport's top athletes and offer $150,000 first prizes.
The Dallas Mavericks (18-26) host the Golden State Warriors (25-20) on Thursday night in the early slot on Amazon Prime. Dallas is somehow riding a three game win streak after beating the pants off of the New York Knicks on Monday. The Warriors are coming off a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday after winning four straight prior.
Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors
WHAT: The early slot on Amazon Prime
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
HOW: Amazon Prime
Well, the injury report is still blergh for the Mavericks. The core four are out, as you well know. Daniel Gafford entered the day as questionable on the injury report and has since been downgraded to doubtful which means he’s not playing. You can move the other way during the day if it’s early enough, but downgrading is bad. Moussa Cisse is improved from questionable to probable with an illness. PJ Washington is no longer on the report after missing games due to personal reasons. The Warriors are without Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL Monday and is out for the season.
I don’t know how to feel about this game. Dallas is playing well enough while also hitting nearly half of their three-pointers in these last three wins. If that doesn’t sustain, the way they stick around in this is forcing Golden State turnovers; during the Steph Curry era they’ve always been a bit sloppier with the ball than makes sense. Dallas keeps playing really hard though, so expect a fun game no matter what.
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont and the Dallas front office reportedly want to see what their team looks like when Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are all on the court together. Or, at least that was their public spin as they tried to create leverage for a Davis trade.
We may never see that. While there was an expectation of Irving returning at some point after the All-Star Break, the Mavericks are considering pushing back Irving's return from a torn ACL because of the team's struggles, reports ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (in a story about how great Flagg has been).
He has yet to be cleared to practice, and while Irving has made it clear that he hopes to play this season, sources anticipate that, considering the Mavs' place in the standings, there will be discussions about postponing his comeback until next season.
The Mavericks are eight games below .500 and sit 12th in the West (1.5 games back of the Clippers for the No. 10 seed and final play-in spot, and 6.5 games back of the No. 8 seed Warriors and hosting a play-in game), plus they remain without Davis due to a hand injury. Also a factor, this upcoming draft is the last year the Mavs control their own first-round pick until 2031 (although they do have the Lakers' 2029 unprotected first-rounder).
There is a smart roster-building strategy of focusing on the upcoming, deep NBA Draft (Dallas would currently enter the lottery with the eighth-best odds, much better than a year ago when they still got the No. 1 pick). The Mavericks could trade Davis in the offseason to acquire another pick or young player closer to Flagg's timeline, and come back next season with a healthy Irving at the point, Flagg on the wing, a finally healthy Dereck Lively II at the five, plus whoever the Mavericks draft this June.
That said, Irving will want to play and he does qualify as a star under the league's Player Participation Policy. Nothing is set in stone, and where Dallas is in the postseason picture in six weeks could well play into any decision. But don't be surprised if the Mavericks and Irving decide he needs this full season to recover.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four out of their last six and have a good chance of extending that to five out of their last seven as they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
The Kings are one of the most aimless teams in the league, and also one of the worst. Their starting lineup featuring Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan would’ve been potent a decade ago. It isn’t in 2026. Domantas Sabonis only being available for 14 games this season has made matters worse.
This should be a good opportunity for the Cavs to build some momentum before taking on the Orlando Magic in back-to-back games.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Not yet set
Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)
Kings injury report: Keegan Murray – OUT (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden – OUT (G League), Isaiah Stevens – OUT (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Kings expected starting lineup: Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Maxime Raynaud
BALTIMORE (AP) — Jesse Minter is heading back to Baltimore, this time as the Ravens' next head coach.
The club hired the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator on Thursday. Minter replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired earlier this month after 18 years when the Ravens failed to make the playoffs.
Minter spent four seasons on Harbaugh's staff from 2017-20, working his way up to become the defensive backs coach during his final season before taking the defensive coordinator job at Vanderbilt.
The 42-year-old Minter was one of the hottest names on the market. He interviewed virtually with several teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also looking for a coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down last week — before landing in Baltimore, where his job will be to help two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson take the next step in a career that’s been consistently snakebit in the postseason.
“This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” Minter said in a statement.
Minter has been with the Chargers for two seasons after two years as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. Minter’s partnership with both Harbaughs helped him build a resume that made him the right fit to replace John Harbaugh and become the fourth head coach in Baltimore's 31-year history.
"Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Jesse comes from a football family, with success at every level of the sport, and we are confident that he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward.”
The Bolts were fifth in the league in total defense this season, allowing 285.2 yards per game. They allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. The Wolverines led the nation in total defense in 2023 en route to winning the College Football Playoff national championship.
Minter also spent four seasons at Baltimore (2017-20), rising from a defensive assistant to defensive backs coach his final year. He also interviewed for the head coach openings in Atlanta and Miami earlier this week. Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Tennessee have also requested interviews.
The Ravens endured a tumultuous 2025 season marked by a 1-5 start and major injuries, from Jackson to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. Baltimore recovered to head into a Week 18 showdown with Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal on the final play sailed wide right, handing the division crown to the Steelers.
Harbaugh, the NFL's second-longest tenured head coach, was out of a job days later. Harbaugh didn't stay out of work long. He was hired to the same position by the New York Giants last week.
A trade in the NBA, perhaps more so than the trades in any other major professional sports league based in North America, can only be examined through the prism of what each organization wanted to accomplish in the transaction. The goals of a contender trying to add another piece for its postseason run are different than a struggling team in the midst of a rebuild. Those opposing missions will define the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
The names of the players and their stats often take a backseat to salary cap ramifications, with contracts that have gone sour and draft assets discussed as much by front offices as the potential stars that could be changing teams. But the rumors leading into the Feb. 5 deadline have fueled conversation throughout the league during the first half of the 2025-26 season, and now we're approaching their end point.
They may be the biggest stars on the move, but they aren't alone. A bevy of well-known players have been mentioned as possible trade candidates in recent weeks. Where they wind up after Feb. 5, if they stay put or get dealt elsewhere, is likely to shake up the NBA playoff race.
Here's a breakdown of the top candidates potentially available at the 2026 NBA trade deadline and how they rank:
Mathurin is a restricted free agent after this season after failing to agree to an extension with the Pacers this past offseason and the team could use him to deal for a frontcourt piece to help offset the loss of Myles Turner. Mathurin has been out with a thumb injury in January, but is nearing a return to action. He's averaging career highs in points (17.8), rebounds (5.5) and assists (2.2) this season.
The veteran center could follow Young out of Atlanta ahead of the deadline with an expiring contract and $30 million salary that could help the Hawks improve their roster around Jalen Johnson with the right deal. But Porzingis has appeared in just 17 games this season, including just five since Thanksgiving, due to illness and a recent Achilles injury.
It seemed a near-certainty Kuminga would be dealt to a team in search of help on the wing before the deadline after he fell out of Golden State coach Steve Kerr's rotation and demanded a trade. But the season-ended injury suffered by Jimmy Butler earlier this week could change the Warriors' strategy with Kuminga, who signed a two-year, $48.5-million contract in October 2025 that includes a team option for next season. Kuminga returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a month on Jan. 20 and finished with 20 points and five rebounds. General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. insinuated earlier this week, when asked about Kuminga's trade demand by reporters, that there wasn't much demand for Kuminga on the trade market.
The Raptors are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster after a strong start to the 2025-26 season and their No. 3 overall pick from the 2019 NBA Draft could be the piece Toronto is willing to part with to find another player to team with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Jakob Poeltl and Ochai Agbaji have also been mentioned as possible trade chips.
The Bulls risk losing White for nothing if they don't trade him at the deadline since he'll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He's one of eight unrestricted free agents on Chicago's roster, with center Nikola Vucevic and guard Ayo Dosunmu among the prime candidates who could also be traded in the coming weeks. White is averaging 18.5 points and 4.6 assists while shooting a career-best 45.9% from the field.
Sabonis just returned from a knee injury and the Kings appear ready to move on from most of the veterans on their roster, including Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan. Sabonis is more intriguing because he's younger and more accomplished, but with more term left on his contract and serious defensive limitations that have muted his effectiveness. Sabonis is just a year removed from consecutive all-NBA nods and he averaged more than 19 points, nearly 14 rebounds and more than 7 assists per game over the past two seasons.
Porter has turned into a potential trade deadline asset after taking on a leading role and producing a career year in Brooklyn following an offseason trade from the Nuggets. Porter's combination of size and shooting would help any contender, much like he did as a role player in Denver during its 2023 NBA title run. He's averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting better than 39% from 3-point range.
The Grizzlies made clear a couple weeks they were willing to listen to trade offers for Morant after he had been the subject of speculation throughout the first couple months of the NBA season. Morant indicated publicly last week he wants to remain in Memphis, though his departure remains a distinct possibility. Morant's durability concerns, declining production and significant contract could limit the list of suitors and keep Memphis from moving on from him midseason. But his recent return from injury demonstrated that, when properly motivated, the 26-year-old can still impact NBA games in a major way. If Morant is gone from the Grizzlies, teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. could also become available.
Trading Davis got even more complicated for the Mavericks after he recently suffered a hand injury that will sideline him for six weeks. The bright side is Davis will avoid injury and could be available by the postseason for a contender willing to trade for him. His lengthy injury history and contract, with two years and more than $120 million remaining after this season, will limit his suitors. But Davis remains a two-way force inside when healthy and could alter the postseason picture if he's on the move.
It's getting really awkward in Milwaukee, with a breakup between the Bucks and their star seemingly inevitable even if neither side wants to be the one to say it out loud. The Bucks are struggling, Antetokounmpo is frustrated and the team is reportedly looking to add help at the trade deadline in hopes of convincing him to stay. He has one year left on his contract after this season, so waiting to make a trade until the offseason is an option. But if Antetokounmpo decides he wants out of Milwaukee over the next few weeks, teams will be lining up to try to acquire him.
Brian Gregory was a controversial hire. Mat Ishbia promoted yet another Michigan State Spartan to a position of power in an offseason where that became a trend, as new head coach Jordan Ott was a former video coordinator at MSU under Tom Izzo.
These days, most Suns fans have very little to critique about the coaching hire. Everyone who watched the last dregs of the Monty Williams era, the Vogel season, and the Budenholzer season is elated by the progress this team has shown under Jordan Ott, and I see many fans routinely discuss their contentment with the coach online.
One person who doesn’t seem to get his flowers as often is Brian Gregory. GMs tend to be judged over the course of many drafts and offseasons. The fruits of their labor can take years to be tasted. Coaches give us the here and now. We can see the difference a coach makes a minimum of 82 times per year.
Jordan Ott also had a proven track record as an assistant around the league. The only things we really knew about Gregory were his connection to the Spartans and his fondness for the word “alignment.”
BUZZWORDS COUNTER: Three things are clear from new #Suns GM Brian Gregory…
That said, we do have a sample size. 44 games are behind us. 53.7% of the season has come and gone and we are closer to the playoffs than we are to opening night. So, how has Brian Gregory’s first offseason aged?
The Kevin Durant Trade: Grade: B+
The big one. The first item on the agenda. What was Brian Gregory going to do with KD. The Kevin Durant trade ended up being the largest trade in NBA history, comprising 7 teams.
The Suns traded Kevin Durant for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, picks 10, 31, and 41 in the 2025 NBA draft, and two future second-round picks. At the time, I would have graded this a C- or maybe even a D. The best player the Suns received back played the same position as Devin Booker. After that, all the Suns got was a role player, one good pick, and a handful of second-rounders. When do late picks ever work out, anyway?
As it turns out, I was a fool. Dillon Brooks has had a career season, even though he has begun to regress back to his mean a bit on the current road trip. His mean, however, is a good defensive wing who can space the floor and average 15 per game for his career.
Jalen Green has played just two full games on the season. In one of those two games, he looked like an explosive athlete who was going to be a dynamic backcourt partner to complement Booker. He scored an efficient 29 points and looked good doing it. In his return to the court in Philadelphia, he struggled with his efficiency a bit, but was showing some playmaking ability to make up for it. Most importantly, he looked healthy. While the Jalen Green sample size is not enormous, it does give us hope moving forward. Jalen Green still could have a “second star” in his future.
Meanwhile, the young player I desperately wanted from the Rockets, 22-year-old power forward Jabari Smith Jr., is playing…okay. He is averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds and is generally just a good basketball player. He would have probably played well under Coach Ott, but with the flashes Green has shown for the Suns, I think fans are expecting to be happy with the package they received.
The draft compensation received for Kevin Durant was about as good as Phoenix could have hoped for. We no longer live in the same NBA that was trading the farm for Rudy Gobert. A top ten pick and some future second-rounders in return for an aging star was a reasonable amount of draft compensation.
The most important thing the Suns received in return for Kevin Durant is the privilege of not having him in their locker room. At just the halfway point of the season, the vibes are already poor in Houston.
While Durant was in Phoenix, I thought that watching him play on the court for your favorite team must be the peak of basketball fandom. Unfortunately, watching everyone else on your favorite team be miserable playing with him was the curse that came with the boon.
This was a good trade for the Suns. Good is probably the right word, though, not great. But who knows if a great trade was ever going to be available? At the time of the trade, Durant’s value was at an all-time low for his career. Gregory did what he could with what he had and should be very happy with the results this trade has generated.
The Mark Williams Trade: Grade: A+
On draft night, the Phoenix Suns traded the 29th pick, Liam McNeeley, Vasilije Micić, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams and a 2029 second-round pick.
At first glance, that first-round pick in 2029 might seem like a steep price given the Suns’ current lack of draft capital, but I invite you to look a little deeper with me. The pick that the Suns traded was the least favorable draft pick among the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Utah Jazz. At least two of those teams are likely to be playoff teams in 2029. What the Suns really traded away with that 2029 pick was a player likely to be in the back 5-10 selections of the draft.
In return for that package, Phoenix received a young starter at what was, at the time, their weakest position. Williams is 24 years old, averages 12 points and 8 rebounds, and is five games away from a career high. He is the perfect high-motor big man to hold down the position for the next half-decade or more while the Suns’ center prospect develops, and they got him for a much lower price than they should have been able to. I give this trade an A+ for the sheer value returned for what was given up.
Every team in the league would trade picks 25 and 29 for a 24-year-old starter, and that is essentially what Brian Gregory did.
The Draft: Grade: C+
The thing about judging a draft during a rookie year is that, inevitably, very little of what we say about these guys now will actually be correct in the future. Cooper Flagg might win rookie of the year, but he also could be Michael Carter-Williams in disguise. While I think that is unlikely, I make that point to highlight how rookie seasons really shouldn’t be used to write off a player forever. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s determine if we should write off these players forever.
With their selections, the Phoenix Suns chose Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick, Rasheer Fleming with the 31st pick, and Koby Brea with the 41st pick. All three of these guys were raw, and only one of them had an NBA-ready skill that they could exhibit (Koby Brea’s shooting).
Koby Brea has played a total of eight minutes in the NBA so far. He is averaging 20.1 points in over 36 minutes in the G-League for the Valley Suns. Unfortunately, he is shooting just 31.3% from three. Brea is a player who got drafted because of his jump shot, and if he is going to make it in the NBA, he needs to be an above-average three-point shooter.
On the other hand, Rasheer Fleming has shown flashes. Fleming has averaged 7 minutes per game across the 24 games he has played. He has gotten into NBA games and looked like an NBA player. He is a long way away from being a high-level NBA player, but when you watch Fleming play you see a guy who is likely going to be in the Suns rotation in the next couple of years. Rasheer Fleming, Ryan Dunn, and Oso Ighodaro represent hits on late draft picks that most teams struggle to get. The ability to evaluate guys late in the first round and deep into the second round will continue to be critical for this team as all of their draft picks will be in this range for the foreseeable future
Maluach has been the player everyone has had their eye on. He has played just 4.7 minutes per game across 18 games this season. He is also 19 years old and likely still growing into his 7 feet 1 inches and 250 lbs. One bright spot is that he has dominated in the G-League. In his eight games for the Valley Suns, he is averaging 15.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks. There are enough flashes with the teenage center that it probably isn’t time to hit the panic button, yet. Just do yourself a favor and stay away from the basketball reference pages of the guys drafted around him.
Three to four years from now, when Maluach and Fleming are rotation players, I think we are upgrading Brian Gregory’s first draft to a B+.
The Other Guys: Grade: A
This is where the Suns’ front office has truly shone. In addition to the Fleming draft pick, Gregory claimed Jordan Goodwin off of waivers and signed Isaiah Livers to a two-way contract. As a bonus point, Gregory also signed Jamaree Bouyea to a two-way contract, though the season had already started.
Following the Goodwin signing, Gregory then had to make a second decision. There was a tough preseason battle between Goodwin and Jared Butler for a spot on the roster. Ultimately, Gregory made the right choice. Goodwin is averaging 9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in just 21 minutes off the bench. He has been a spark plug on defense and a perfect fit for this team’s new identity.
Isaiah Livers is averaging 10 minutes across just 23 games, mostly filling in for whatever role has been needed of him, especially at the power forward position. While he isn’t on his way to a regular rotation spot, he has been a good signing for what could have been reasonably expected of him.
The Suns have begun to gain a reputation for finding these guys. While Brian Gregory may not have been the general manager at the time, starting point guard Collin Gillespie was also a recent diamond in the rough that the Suns found, just waiting to be signed by anyone who would take him.
Final Offseason Grade: B+
Brian Gregory and the Suns front office team did what I thought was going to be impossible. They turned the dumpster fire 2024-2025 Phoenix Suns into a real playoff team. They found their guys, they aligned their vision, and they proved they can do more than spout buzzwords.
The only thing holding back the score for this offseason is the draft. For the second year running, the Phoenix Suns have walked away from the draft with at least one and maybe two pieces that are likely to turn into long-term rotation players. However, this was also very likely the last time the Suns are going to have a top ten draft pick in the Devin Booker era. If they want to open up the contention window again, Maluach has to turn into something great.
We will see what happens. For now, I am excited to see what the Brian Gregory era has in store for the future.
What about you, Suns fans? How would you grade BG’s first offseason?
