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Winners, Losers from the Trae Young trade to Washington

This was a win-win trade.

How big those wins are hinges on a lot of yet-to-be-determined factors — Can Atlanta use their newfound financial flexibility to land Anthony Davis or another star this offseason? Can Trae Young stay healthy and fill the role of veteran leader and mentor a young team needs? — but this is a trade that made sense for pretty much everyone involved. There aren't many losers in this deal.

Let's break down the winners and losers in this deal. We'll start by laying out the trade.

Washington receives: Trae Young
Atlanta receives: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert

Note: There are no picks involved in this trade. While the players involved in this deal were agreed to relatively quickly, league sources told NBC Sports that part of the holdup in finalizing the trade was that both sides believed they should receive draft-pick compensation. Atlanta thought they deserved it because they were giving up the best player in the deal, an All-Star level point guard (when healthy) in his prime. Washington thought they deserved picks back for taking on the extra year (a $48.9 million player option Young is expected to pick up) of a contract that Atlanta wanted to dump. Ultimately, the sides agreed to make the trade without picks.

Winner: Washington Wizards

Washington is a winner here, not simply because they get a four-time All-Star and elite offensive player to organize and lead their young core — it's that they got him for basically nothing. McCollum is on an expiring contract and is not part of Washington's future. While Kispert is a quality, sharpshooting wing rotation player, he's not part of their core.

It's easy to envision how a healthy Young can elevate a young Wizards core: Alex Sarr will benefit from pick-and-rolls with Young (plus Young can throw a post entry pass, something the current Wizards struggle with), Tre Johnson is going to get plays run for him off ball where he can find more space and Young will find him, Kyshawn George has ball handling help, and on down the line. Young has not been healthy this season, a knee issue limiting him to 10 games (and clearly bothering his shot), but the potential is there.

THE CAVEAT: Washington is only a winner if they hold off on extending Trae Young. Part of what Young's agents were looking for in a landing spot was a team willing to talk extension, but Washington needs to see how Young fits with their young stars, then see who they get in this draft, and not extend him until the 2027 offseason. If Young fits perfectly and this all works out, they can re-sign him (not at the max, more like below $40 million a season), but if not, the Wizards need to be ready to stick with their young guys and move on.

Loser: Washington Wizards’ defense

Washington has the 29th-ranked defense in the NBA this season. Trae Young is a minus defender (to put it kindly). Washington is going to be a lot more fun to watch with Young running the show, but they are not going to stop anyone. It's going to get ugly.

Winner: Atlanta Hawks

It was time to move on.

That's why this is a win for Atlanta, it's a needed pivot to a young, long, athletic, fluid core of a team that really is the future. Jalen Johnson should be an All-Star this season, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is having a breakout season and is a high-level two-way two guard, plus they have Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu and more. On top of all that, they have the Pelicans' first-round pick in this June's draft (a pick that could very well be a top-five pick). Atlanta has set itself up for the future.

This trade also gives the Hawks financial flexibility. They can use that trade for Dallas' Anthony Davis — the Hawks reportedly have been his most aggressive suitor — or they could wait until this offseason and see if they could add a star player more on the timeline of their young core (rather than a 32-year-old with an injury history). Whatever they choose, with CJ McCollum and Kristaps Porzingis coming off the books, Atlanta will have at least $32 million in cap space to reshape their roster next offseason. All that money makes it easier to turn the page.

Winner: Wizards fans

Washington has been a tough watch for a couple of years. While they have good young players like Sarr and Johnson, this team has lacked a player more casual fans could rally behind. They needed someone to sell tickets.

Trae Young sells tickets. Tray Young excites fans. Young running the Wizards offense with all that athleticism around him is going to be highly entertaining — and Wizards fans will take that.

Washington has given its fan base someone to root for. That matters.

Maybe winner: New York Knicks

Washington owes its 2026 first-round pick to the New York Knicks, but it is top eight protected. Before Wednesday night, that seemed irrelevant. The young Wizards were learning on the job and were destined for a high lottery seed (they sit fourth in the lottery at the time of the trade).

With an energized Trae Young running the show, could the Wizards get on a heater and start to climb up the East standings, maybe make the play-in, and end up turning over their pick to the Knicks?

Probably not. Young has been battling knee issues all season, and Washington will use that if needed. Even if Young does start playing games for them soon, don't be shocked if the Wizards shut him down with an injury with plenty of time left in the season — Washington needs more elite talent on the roster and this draft is the best way for them to get it. Save the test run with Young for next season.

Still, Knicks fans can dream.

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Karl-Anthony Towns' big fourth quarter keys Knicks' win over Clippers: 'The way he played tonight, it’s what we needed'

Just 48 hours ago, the Knicks were demolished by the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, extending their season-long losing streak to four games.

While most of the Knicks players simply didn't show up to play in Detroit, a spotlight was focused on Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Knicks' big man scored just six points on 1 of 4 shooting with one rebound and one assist. He turned the ball over six times and was a minus-27 on the floor in Monday's loss. It was a dreadful showing and he looked lost. So much so that he told the NY Post afterward that the reason for his poor performance was adjusting to head coach Mike Brown's new system.

Well, what a difference two days make.

The Knicks snapped their losing streak with an impressive 123-111 win over the red-hot Clippers on Wednesday night, and Towns was a huge part of the victory.

With the game still close in the fourth quarter, Towns took over offensively, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the final frame. He also came down with four rebounds to help the Knicks separate themselves from Los Angeles. 

"We needed it," Jalen Brunson said of Towns' performance after the game. "Helped us increase our lead and it was big-time play from him. We all have to have each other’s backs. The way he played tonight, it’s what we needed."

Towns' comments after Detroit about his performance garnered questions about what was different for him and why he found success against the Clippers.

The big man said that he's just trying to impact the game in a winning way, and that's what his goal is.

"I said it last year, I say it this year, any time I touch the ball, I’m trying to be aggressive, whether that’s making a play for myself or my teammates," Towns said. "I want to impact winning every single day."

For Towns in the fourth quarter, he pointed to his increased aggressiveness as the catalyst for his performance.

"I made some shots, didn’t make a lot of them, but I think tonight shows aggression wins," Towns explained. "Not letting go because some shots aren’t going in, stay very aggressive in any opportunity that I got. At the end of the day, it worked out for our team. Those plays, miss or make, I'm glad they impacted winning and put us in a better spot."

"He’s an explosive scorer. Starting with me, I got to continue to find ways to help him, like I have to help the rest of the team," Brown said of Towns. "What I like about tonight is, he’s an All-Star, great level player and those types of players impact the game. 

"He can score with the best, so we know eventually he’s going to get going in that area, but what I like about it, he was impactful defensively -- 11 rebounds, seven assists, the nine points definitely helped and he helped us create that separation by doing that. But I don’t want to belittle the fact that he did what All-Stars do, what great players do. He found other ways throughout the course of the ballgame to continue to help our team win. That’s fantastic to see because he’s more than capable with as good as he is."

Entering Wednesday, Towns is averaging 21.5 points, on 47 percent shooting and 11.5 rebounds. All three categories are down from last season when he was voted All-NBA Third Team and to his fifth All-Star Game. However, the second-year Knick is more worried about winning and getting New York to the NBA Finals for the first time in almost three decades. 

And while there's still a lot of season left, Towns and the Knicks hope Wednesday's win leads to more as they head West for a four-game road trip.

"We weren’t at our best today, but we did enough to win," he said. "At points in the game, we did a good job of getting a run and we didn’t let them stop the bleeding. We got to better than we were tonight. I have to be better. This is a good start before heading on the road trip to stop the bleeding of four losses in a row...now we have to build off of it. 

"Teams understand now that we are coming in with a little momentum, and they are going to try and stop that. We have to do a better job of out-executing them and out-hustling them. It's up to us."

The Knicks head to Phoenix to start their West Coast trip against the Suns on Friday.

 

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Nets fall to Magic in OT, 104-103, on Paolo Banchero's buzzer-beater

NEW YORK (AP) — Paolo Banchero banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key at the overtime buzzer to give the Orlando Magic a 104-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

Two nights after falling at lowly Washington, the Magic beat the Nets for the eighth straight time to improve to 21-17.

Banchero scored 30 points to lead Orlando. Wendell Carter Jr. added 20, Tristan da Silva had 14 and Noah Penda 13.

In overtime, Egor Demin made a three-pointer with 1:07 left to give Brooklyn a 100-99 lead. Carter put Orlando back in front on a dunk with 16 seconds remaining. Demin countered with another three with 3.6 seconds left to make it 103-101, and Banchero ended it with the 26-footer that banked in.

After Brooklyn pulled to 91-90 in regulation on Noah Clowney’s jumper, da Silva scored on a dunk for Orlando with 17 seconds left. Demin hit a three-pointer with six seconds to go to tie it, and Banchero missed a 30-footer at the buzzer.

Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 34 points and Demin had 18. The Nets were coming off a home victory over Denver on Sunday. They are 11-13.

Up next

Magic: Host Philadelphia on Friday night.

Nets: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

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Hawks reportedly trade Trae Young to Wizards: trade details and fantasy fallout

In recent days and weeks, the rumblings surrounding Trae Young's future in Atlanta grew too loud to ignore. Having appeared in just ten games this season due to injury, the point guard's production slipped, and the Hawks failed to string together wins when Young was on the floor.

Add in the continued emergence of Jalen Johnson, and offseason addition Nickeil Alexander-Walker exceeding the expectations of many, and the writing was on the wall. On Wednesday night, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Young was traded to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

Atlanta receives some salary-cap relief, as McCollum will be an unrestricted free agent in June, and he and Kispert can provide shooting around Johnson, who appears to be the Hawks' new cornerstone. Let's look at this trade and how it affects the fantasy values of the players involved and their new teams.

Washington receives: Trae Young

When healthy and playing at his best, Young can be a highly valuable fantasy player, especially in eight-cat formats. However, in the short term, it's fair to question what the Wizards' plans are for the franchise's new point guard. Young has missed Atlanta's last five games with a quad injury. Was the injury the only reason why he sat? Or did the trade speculation and desire to avoid aggravating anything have a role? It would clearly be in Washington's best interest to exercise caution with Young, not only for his health but also for the potential impact on the 2026 NBA Draft.

Washington's first-round pick is top-8 protected; if it falls outside of that range, it will go to the Knicks. And at this stage in the franchise's rebuild, adding another elite talent in what is a loaded 2026 draft class would be good business. With that in mind, would the Wizards consider shutting Young down, as Toronto did with Brandon Ingram last season? We'll see.

Young's fantasy value, once he gets on the court, should be fine. How he and Alex Sarr mesh in the two-man game is something to watch, and Young's presence may also benefit wings Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson. That said, Bub Carrington may be in a challenging spot, even if he were (for some reason) to start alongside Young. Bub's value may receive a short-term boost if Young isn't immediately ready to play, but dynasty league managers who have him rostered can't be thrilled with Wednesday's development.

With McCollum and Kispert now out of the picture, the clock begins to tick on Khris Middleton. Like CJ, the experience and wisdom he brings to the locker room can't be overstated. But, if the Wizards can acquire future draft capital in exchange for Middleton at (or before) the February trade deadline, one has to assume that they'll make the move. He still isn't playing back-to-backs, and the time off may increase if he's in Washington after the deadline. One would hope that some of the availability concerns would subside if Middleton is moved to a team with playoff ambitions.

Atlanta receives: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert

The Hawks' decision to move Young boosts the fantasy values of two players in the immediate aftermath of the move: Johnson and Alexander-Walker. Johnson has become a triple-double threat this season, offering first-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Even with McCollum joining the fold, the ball is going to be in his hands plenty. As for Alexander-Walker, he should continue to serve as the starting point guard. Despite playing well enough to merit being rostered in most leagues, NAW is still available in more than half of Yahoo! leagues. Look for that to change, beginning Thursday morning.

Dyson Daniels may receive a slight boost to his fantasy value because of the additional playmaking opportunities, but he's unlikely to benefit at the level that Johnson and Alexander-Walker should. Post players Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porziņģis will be intriguing to watch, as both have been quality fantasy options (when healthy, in the case of the latter). No Young in the lineup did not result in a sharp decrease in their scoring opportunities, thanks mainly to Johnson's improved playmaking.

The players who may be at most significant risk of a drop in fantasy value may be those who are rostered in less than 20 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Zaccharie Risacher should remain a starter, but Atlanta's bench improved with the addition of McCollum. With Risacher already offering limited fantasy value, the second unit's increased strength may result in fewer minutes for him. Luke Kennard and Vit Krejčí are also in challenging spots, and they already brought limited fantasy value to the table.

It had become clear that Atlanta needed to make a change, having underwhelmed after entering the season with expectations of competing in the East. McCollum and Kispert may not move the needle immediately, but moving on from Young's contract should make for an interesting summer.

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Report: Atlanta trades Trae Young to Washington for CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert

Washington has a young core with potential. Alex Sarr is starting to break out in his second season, plus Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and the two-way potential of Bilal Coulibaly. What the Wizards lacked was an elite offensive player to tie it all together.

Enter Trae Young.

As has been rumored for days, the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by others. It felt meaningful that McCollum and Kispert were held out of the Wizards game on Wednesday, but the trade happened mid-game with Young saying his goodbyes to teammates in the arena.

Now Young gets to go to his preferred destination in Washington, while Atlanta gets to move on.

Young exits Atlanta, where he has been the face of the franchise since they traded for him on draft night more than seven years ago. He has been an entertaining fan favorite who averaged 25.2 points and 9.8 assists a game for the team and was a three-time All-Star. Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, only the second time the franchise had made it that far.

The writing was on the wall for Young's exit last summer when Atlanta chose not to extend his contract, instead opting to see how he looked with a revamped, healthy roster built to maximize his skill set. The reality is the Hawks have been better without him — they are 2-8 in the 10 games he has played and 15-13 in the games he has missed. It became clear that the Hawks were ready to pivot to a roster built around length and athleticism, featuring Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and others.

The decision for Young to move on was mutual, and his agents at CAA were working with the Hawks to find a trade that worked for everyone. Washington was his preferred destination.

For the Hawks, they get a player who can still get a bucket in McCollum, who is averaging 18.8 points a game this season, but also has a $30.7 million expiring contract. McCollum can help in the short term, while Kispert — a sharpshooting 6'6" wing hitting 39.5% from 3 point range this season, averaging 9.2 points a game — who will blend right into the Hawks rotation.

For Washington, they get a box office draw and someone for fans to rally around, an All-Star level offensive player who can lead their team on the court — and they gave up almost nothing. How much we see of Young the rest of this season is up for debate, however, as Washington owes its pick to New York but it is top-eight protected. Washington doesn't want to start winning too much all of a sudden and lose their pick in a deep draft with some potential franchise cornerstones at the top. The Wizards would currently enter the lottery with the No. 4 pick and are not going to want that to change too much.

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Knicks snap four-game losing streak with 123-111 win over Clippers

The Knicks looked like themselves again on Wednesday night, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 123-111, to snap their four-game losing streak.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Looking to shake things up after a season-low 90 points on Monday night, Mike Brown inserted Miles McBride into the starting lineup in place of Mitchell Robinson. However, McBride and the Knicks started out slow, as he missed his first two three-point attempts and the team found themselves down 7-0. The Clippers grew their early lead to 14-5, forcing a Knicks timeout about four minutes into the first quarter.

The group woke up out of the timeout -- Mikal Bridges drilled a three, OG Anunoby got a dunk, and McBride hit his first three-pointer to cut the lead to one point. Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Brunson then hit their first threes of the game to put NY ahead briefly before veteran big man Brook Lopez made a three of his own to make it a 22-21 game.

-- James Harden nailed back-to-back three-pointers and was fouled on another attempt with the clock winding down, making all three free throws to put LA up 31-27 after the first quarter. He led all scorers with nine points after one, while Brunson and Anunoby had seven apiece for the Knicks. Both teams shot 46 percent and had 11 rebounds in the first.

-- McBride caught fire early in the second quarter, hitting three straight threes to keep the Knicks in it. The former second-round pick kept it going with another jumper to tie the game at 42-42. The back-and-forth contest continued through the second as Brunson tied it up with a three-pointer before Kawhi Leonard scored five quick points to push the Clippers lead to 56-51 at halftime.

Los Angeles outscored New York, 25-24, in the second quarter thanks to Leonard's 12 points, which gave him 21 at the break on 8-for-13 shooting. Brunson only had three points in the second, with McBride scoring 11 of his 14 points to pace the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled with just six points on 2-for-8 shooting.

-- Offensive rebounds began to become an issue for the Knicks as Ivica Zubac dominated the glass with two offensive boards on LA's first possession of the third quarter, scoring inside after a miss. He then converted two more offensive rebounds into two more baskets to put the Clippers up four. 

New York fought back with Anunoby making his first three of the night at the 7:34 mark and Towns showed fight, attacking the rim by Zubac for a layup and making the foul shot to tie the game at 70-70. Guerschon Yabusele then gave the Knicks a 73-72 lead, their first since going up 23-22 in the first quarter.  The high-scoring third quarter finished with Tyler Kolek connecting with Bridges to put New York up 90-87, outscoring LA 39-31 in the frame. 

-- Towns completed a three-point play and then grabbed his third offensive rebound, finishing inside for five quick points to open the fourth quarter and force an early Clippers timeout. The former No. 1 pick stayed in a groove with another driving layup and Kolek hit Anunoby running out for a dunk to extend the lead to 105-92. Brunson continued to apply the pressure with two straight threes and then Yabusele scored five straight to make it a 15-point game and ignite the Garden crowd.

-- All five starters scored in double figures. Despite early struggles, Towns finished with 20 points (6-for-18 from the field), 11 rebounds (four offensive), and a season-high seven assists. Anunoby also had 20 points, while McBride had 16 with four threes, and Bridges added 15 points, nine boards, and five assists. The team had 32 assists and outrebounded LA 48-40. Leonard finished with 25 points after a cold second half, Harden ended with 23 and Zubac had 22 points.

Game MVP: Jalen Brunson

Brunson scored 11 points in the third quarter to swing the game New York's way, and finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting. He also had seven assists and three rebounds over 33 minutes.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks head out West for a four-game road trip starting on Friday against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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LeBron James to miss Lakers' game tonight at San Antonio

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 30, 2025: Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) sits on the bench late in the game as the Detroit Pistons take a double digit lead at Crypto.com Arena on December 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers forward LeBron James will not play Wednesday night against the Spurs in San Antonio because of back and foot problems. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

LeBron James will miss the game against the San Antonio Spurs with right sciatica and left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced Wednesday.

James has starred for the Lakers (23-11) during their three-game winning streak, averaging 29 points in victories against the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans. He's paired effortlessly with Luka Doncic as the duo scored 30 points each in Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans. But after missing 14 games to start the season because of sciatica, the 41-year-old James recognized he might not be able to play a second game in as many nights.

“His foot typically the day after a game is sore, so that’s the primary thing,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “… We’re hoping that he gets to the point where he can play in back-to-backs with his body, but this stretch and this month, it’s going to be tough to say that.”

James will miss his 17th game this season, putting him right on the edge of continuing his streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA honors. Players have to appear in 65 games to remain eligible for postseason awards. The Lakers are beginning a busy January that ends with their longest trip of the year: the eight-game Grammy trip.

The Lakers are also without Austin Reaves (calf), Rui Hachimura (calf) and Adou Thiero (knee). Hachimura participated in a workout with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers in L.A. on Wednesday as he progresses back to the court.

Guard Gabe Vincent (back) will be available for Wednesday’s game while on a restriction of about 18 minutes, Redick said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Trae Young reportedly has Washington as top preferred trade destination

While it is still 29 days until the Feb. 5 NBA Trade deadline — and big trades tend to happen closer to that date — there is a lot of smoke and clearly some fire around a Trae Young trade to the Washington Wizards.

Washington is Young's preferred destination, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. That is new and it matters. Young is a fan favorite and has been the face of the franchise in Atlanta for more than seven years, the team will want to do right by him. The Hawks front office and Young’s agents have been collaborating to find Young a new team, and now the Wizards are the clear frontrunners. The fact that CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert — two players expected to be sent to Atlanta in a trade — are sitting out the Wizards game on Wednesday feels like a little more than a coincidence.

A trade of Young to Washington for McCollum and Kispert works under the cap.

What to watch is the draft picks attached to this trade. While the instinct for many would be to say Washington needs to add draft picks to this deal — they are getting a 27-year-old three-time All-Star in his prime, a guy who has averaged 25.2 points and 9.8 assists a game for his career — the opposite is true, league sources told NBC Sports. Washington can argue that they are sending out the expiring contract of McCollum to take on one more year of Young, who has a $48.9 million player option for next season, which he is expected to pick up. Washington will want to be compensated for taking on that extra salary, even though it has the cap space to do so, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic discussed on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast. There could be an exchange of draft picks, but don't expect the Wizards to send out better picks than they take back in the deal, which has been their modus operandi in the Jordan Poole trade and others.

The other thing to watch for is a contract extension. Young wants to be on a team where he has the ball in his hands and somewhere he could sign a longer-term extension (he's not a max player anymore, not in the world of NBA tax aprons, but he still would command considerably more than an average starter). Washington can put the ball in his hands, but it will want to wait to see how he meshes with the young players the franchise sees as part of the future — Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly — before it talks extension. Young would pick up his option and be playing for his next contract.

On offense, Young would be a natural fit. Sarr, who has taken a big step forward this season, averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, should thrive with Young as a pick-and-roll partner. Plus, Young's gravity and passing would get Johnson, George and others plenty of better, cleaner looks in the halfcourt. On top of all that, this is a team that wants to get out and run, and Young's passing and style of play fit well with that.

On the other end of the court, Washington has the 29th-ranked defense in the NBA right now and Young is not going to help that.

What Young gives the Wizards is someone fans will pay to see, someone who should make their offense entertaining and will win them some games (and maybe get them in the play-in a year from now) — all without giving up anyone they see as a core part of their future. It's low risk. And if Young clicks with the existing core, the Wizards can always extend him.

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Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton show Warriors surest path to top-six playoff seed

Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton show Warriors surest path to top-six playoff seed originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – A couple of X-factors showed out Wednesday night, and the only way the Warriors can make the ascent of their dreams is if this becomes a semi-consistent pattern.

It’s profoundly evident these Warriors have no chance of thriving if they throw all their hopes into the lap of Stephen Curry. It’s unfair. Silly, even. Same, for that matter, applies to the best of Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green. All three are essential, but the rest of the roster – a battalion of X-factors – must have the ability to threaten opponents.

De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford did more than that Wednesday night in a 120-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center. They delivered the kind of goodies the coaching staff and the Curry-Butler-Green trio have consistently insisted were within the reach of the supporting cast.

Melton and Horford combined for 30 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal. Melton was plus-4 over a season-high 25 minutes, and Horford was plus-9 over 19 minutes.

“Those are two guys that connect our lineups,” Green said of Melton and Horford.

“Those two guys weren’t available much or at all early in the year, and they’re both trying to find their legs, their rhythm,” Curry said. “But you can see how much of a difference they can make off the bench.”

Melton was terrific, dropping a season-high 22 points, twice punishing the Bucks with timely 3-pointers. He scored with high efficiency, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-9 from deep.

After spending most of December searching for his shot after returning from a yearlong recovery and rehab from ACL surgery, Melton has found it.

Horford brought the kind of assortment bag that put a gold star on his stat line and his fingerprints on the game: eight points, on 3-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep, along with team- and season-high 10 rebounds and six assists.

“We’re starting to get to the point where we’ve been able to bump his minutes up,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And he looks healthy. Playing him 19 minutes gave us a new heavy rotation. And he was terrific. He did everything.”

This is the Horford the Warriors expected when they signed the 39-year-old to a contract in the offseason. Fill in the gaps, no matter what they are.

“My impact, I feel like it’s anything that has to do with winning and making winning plays, whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s assists,” Horford said. “I know I can shoot the ball, so being able to be a floor spacer for the group and shoot. Just impacting in different ways. But this was a game that a lot of that came together, which was nice for me.”

Though Curry shone, Butler and Green did enough to support him.

Curry totaled a team-high 31 points, 13 of which came during a third quarter that allowed Golden State to take a 16-point lead (98-82) into the fourth quarter. His step-back 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds remaining extinguished Milwaukee’s hope of a comeback.

Butler didn’t shoot well (6-of-15, including 1-of-5 from distance) but managed 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Green, playing with controlled fire, contributed 14 points, seven assists (with one turnover) and three rebounds.

A couple of X-factors filling in superbly allowed the core trio to survive ordinary games from Butler and Green.

“It’s always great to have those guys stepping up, because, like we’ve said all year, we need those guys to win,” Green said. “It’s not just going to be an effort of us three doing it . . . and that’s never been the answer. When you look at teams that think that’s the answer, they’ve been wrong every time. So, we depend on our guys. We trust our guys.”

On this night, the “guys” the Warriors depended on were Melton and Horford, along with 18 intense minutes from Gui Santos. On another night, it might be Gary Payton II or Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski or Quinten Post or Will Richard or Trayce Jackson-Davis or, of course, Pat Spencer.

They’re all X-factors for Golden State, which is greatly enhanced when any two or three bring it as Horford and Melton did against the Bucks. It’s the Warriors’ surest path to climbing out of eighth place in the Western Conference and into at least the top six.

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What we learned as Steph Curry outduels Giannis in Warriors' tight win vs. Bucks

What we learned as Steph Curry outduels Giannis in Warriors' tight win vs. Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Returning from a frustrating road loss to the Clippers in LA, the Warriors on Wednesday night began an eight-game homestand that can define their season, less than a month away from the NBA trade deadline. 

The start of a two-week stretch at Chase Center was picture-perfect for the Warriors in a 120-113 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

It took the Warriors going 5 of 10 on threes in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Clippers to get to 24.4 percent for the game. Shooting wasn’t such a problem playing the Bucks, as Golden State shot 48.9 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three with 18 makes.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 31 points, six rebounds and seven assists. De’Anthony Melton (22 points) and Jimmy Butler (21 points) gave the Warriors three 20-point scorers on a night where five players scored in double figures.

The Warriors continued to improve their ball security and had just nine turnovers one game after giving up seven. As the ball hummed, six Warriors had multiple assists, which was twice as many that had multiple turnovers.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was an unstoppable force, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win that pushes them to 20-18:

The Others Step Up

What a difference it makes when the Warriors actually make shots. There have been flaws and cracks in the defense, but shotmaking has become a season-long problem nearly at the halfway mark. The Warriors entered their 38th game ranked 27th in field goal percentage and 15th in 3-point percentage for the 20th-ranked offensive rating in the NBA. 

They resembled a much better product than those numbers back in front of their home fans. 

The biggest positive was the “other guys.” In this case, we’re talking about players not named Curry or Butler. Those two combined to score 51 points Monday in LA, which was half of the team’s total, while the rest of the starting five scored 15 points with a 17.6 shooting percentage and went 1 for 11 on threes. In the first quarter alone, the other three starters – Draymond Green, Moses Moody and Quinten Post – scored 14 points.

That number rose to 25 points by halftime. The final total between those three was 34 points. But they weren’t alone. Melton scored 20 points for the first time since Dec. 27, 2023 and the Warriors won the bench battle 34-24.

Red-Hot Curry

Efficiency was Curry’s only problem in the Warriors’ previous game. While he led both teams with 27 points, Curry did so on 9-of-23 shooting (39.1 percent) and 4 of 15 on threes (26.7 percent). He cleaned that mess two days later.

Curry was slicing and dicing the Bucks’ defense without breaking a sweat. He made it look easy and still found ways to get fans out of their seats. As the Warriors held an 11-point halftime lead, Curry was a plus-21 and the second-highest among the starting five was Moody at plus-5.

He just kept cooking in the second half, too. Curry had his latest third-quarter flurry of 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He could have pulled out his Night Night celebration with his stepback jumper that sealed the deal with 26 seconds remaining.

Curry finished the night 12-of-21 shooting (9 of 12 on 2-pointers and 3 of 9 on 3-pointers).

On a night where Curry did a bit of everything, the stat that he might be proudest of is one. Curry’s only turnover came with 15 seconds left when he lost the ball out of bounds. 

Horford’s Huge Impact 

As he read the direction of Melton’s 3-point attempt in the final minute-plus of the second quarter, Al Horford crashed to the middle of the paint, grabbed the miss and found Melton in the left corner for an open three that went through this time. Horford’s rebound already was eighth of the game and third on the offensive glass. 

Nobody was better for the Warriors than Horford in the second quarter. The Warriors and Bucks were tied at 31 points after the first quarter. But the Warriors then went on an 11-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half prior to the Bucks making a 3-pointer in the final few seconds. Horford in that span had three points, three rebounds and an assist. 

He played six and a half minutes in the second quarter and was a plus-14 with six points on two 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists.

Horford inhaled a season-high 10 rebounds. The veteran center also made two threes and connected the game on both sides. Getting these versions of him and Melton consistently can be game-changing for Golden State.

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Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

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Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

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Observations after Sixers' stars all produce in win over Wizards

Observations after Sixers' stars all produce in win over Wizards  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ stars all scored efficiently and led the way Wednesday night in the team’s 131-110 win over the Wizards at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Joel Embiid had 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting and seven rebounds. Tyrese Maxey posted 22 points (9 for 15 from the floor) and eight assists. Paul George scored 23 points and shot 7 for 10.

The Sixers were at full strength for the first time this season. The Wizards were very undermanned amid reports of their trade pursuit of Trae Young.

Rookie Tre Johnson scored a team-high 20 points for the 10-26 Wizards.

The 20-15 Sixers will visit the Magic on Friday night. Here are observations on their victory Wednesday:

Ready to roll this time 

The Sixers had a much sharper start than in their overtime loss Monday to the shorthanded Nuggets. 

Embiid hit a mid-range jumper over Alex Sarr on the game’s opening play. Maxey drained a pull-up three-pointer, Embiid threw down a dunk set up by a flex cut and George dish, and the Wizards called timeout in an early 7-0 hole. Embiid asked the home crowd to amp up the volume. 

Maxey tried seven long-range jumpers in the first quarter and knocked down four. He and Embiid combined for 24 points in the first period on 9-for-13 shooting, five assists and zero turnovers. The Sixers had no turnovers as a team until 2.4 seconds left in the first.

The bar was low, but the Sixers needed a more focused, energetic start against another injury-depleted opponent. They checked that box.

Oubre and Watford’s returns

Kelly Oubre Jr. checked in at the 4:27 mark of the first quarter and the fans gave him a loud, warm welcome back.

He played Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left knee LCL sprain on Nov. 14. Oubre wore a brace on his left knee and a sleeve covered his entire left leg. 

The 30-year-old wing will certainly require some time to regain rhythm and conditioning. Oubre made a nice cut along the baseline near the end of the first quarter, but he couldn’t catch Quentin Grimes’ low pass. Early in the second quarter, Oubre air balled a contested mid-range jumper and came up short on a catch-and-shoot corner three attempt.

The Sixers didn’t score for the first 3:40 of the second quarter and the Wizards stormed in front with a 13-0 run. Washington’s bench had a 17-2 scoring advantage over the Sixers’ second unit at halftime.

Trendon Watford made his return from a left adductor strain in quasi-garbage time, subbing in with 4:45 to go in the fourth quarter and the Sixers leading by 18 points. He tallied three assists.

Oubre got a short turnaround jumper to drop in the fourth quarter. He logged 20 minutes and had two points on 1-for-4 shooting, three rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Deep down the bench

George’s jumpers were sweet in the second quarter off both the catch and the dribble. He reached his first 20-point game since Dec. 14 when he made a short jump shot with 8:13 to go in the third quarter.

Propelled by their star trio, the Sixers picked up steam late in the second quarter. Maxey’s and-one layup put the team up 58-51.

The Sixers never relinquished their lead and turned the contest into a blowout by early in the fourth quarter. VJ Edgecombe’s baseline jumper stretched the Sixers’ advantage to 20 points. The rookie again had a stat sheet-stuffing night, recording 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.

By the end of the evening, everyone had played for the Sixers besides veterans Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry.

While they won’t often go that deep down their bench, the final minutes were a reminder that the team currently has many options and no one sidelined.

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Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

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NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: The latest on Anthony Davis, Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga, more

The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away (Feb. 5), and with that the rumor mill is at full boil. Here is the latest on some of the biggest names.

Anthony Davis

The Dallas Mavericks do not feel they have to trade Anthony Davis before the deadline, but Davis' camp doesn't believe an extension with the Mavs is on the horizon, so they are looking for a new home.

That's the latest after Davis and the Mavericks held on for a win in Sacramento Tuesday night, via Christian Clark and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Mavericks are expected to continue to listen to offers on Davis in the coming weeks, but according to team sources, their front office doesn't feel like it must deal Davis before the deadline...

However, league sources say Davis' representatives do not believe there's an extension agreement to be had with the Mavericks in the upcoming offseason. As such, the sources say, there is a strong desire from Davis' camp to get him traded to a destination where they feel an extension would be more likely.

Where might that be? Three teams are mentioned most often, but there are issues with working out a trade with each.

The Warriors are the sexy name, but with Golden State saying it would not send out Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green in any deal, constructing a trade is basically impossible. Atlanta is the name most mentioned, but the Hawks are focused on trading Trae Young and the Mavericks have no interest in a Davis-for-Young swap. Plus, from the Hawks' perspective, part of the reason to bring in Davis was to pair with Young in pick-and-rolls, and that's now off the table. Toronto is interested, and with center Jakob Poeltl battling back issues, the Raptors could use a high-level big. Toronto would have to send back longer contracts to make this work, and Dallas is only interested if it gets a lot of draft picks in return.

Davis staying with the Mavericks past the deadline is on the table, even if that is not everyone's first option.

Trae Young

As we have written about recently, the Hawks and Young’s agents are working to find a new home for the All-Star point guard, with the Washington Wizards being the frontrunners (and not many great options beyond that).

What Young wants is "to be the lead guard of a franchise elsewhere" and is "seeking a team that could give him an extension," ESPN's Shams Charania said yesterday on NBA Today. That is a very small pool of teams, maybe just a one-team pool (Washington). Jake Fischer added to that reporting at the Stein Line Substack.

"I am told that Trae Young's camp has suggested Minnesota and Brooklyn, from their side, as two attractive potential destinations. Yet I'm also told that neither the Timberwolves nor the Nets are in pursuit."

Fischer also reports that Young's agents tried to float a Zach LaVine-for-Young trade last summer that would have sent Young to Sacramento, but the Kings shot it down. That sums up the reality about a Young trade, what league sources have been telling NBC Sports (and we have been reporting) all along — there isn't much of a market for Young at his current salary around the NBA.

Kuminga likely sits until trade

The Warriors will not be showcasing Jonathan Kuminga in the run-up to the NBA trade deadline — he is not likely to play for the team again, and this is a mutual understanding, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. Kuminga has already sat out the Warriors' last nine games.

Kuminga is not eligible to be traded until Jan. 15, and while that hasn't stopped the Warriors from talking to teams, they have not made "substantial movement" toward a deal, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN. Slater adds to keep an eye on the Sacramento Kings, a team he has been linked to dating back to last summer, and the interest there remains strong. New Orleans also has had interest in the past, and there may be other teams. That said, don't expect Golden State to take on long-term negative contracts just to move Kuminga.

Quick hits

• Despite their struggles this season, the Cavaliers are shooting down calls about trades for key players such as Jarrett Allen or Darius Garland, Michael Scotto reports at Hoopshype. The Cavaliers are over the second tax apron, so other teams are watching to see if ownership forces a move to lower payroll, but that doesn't appear likely. Cleveland is still a team deep with talent, looking at the wide-open East and thinking it has a chance if it can just regain last season's form.

• Minnesota is open to trading second-year point guard Rob Dillingham in the right deal, reports Marc Stein. The No. 8 pick from a year ago is not the playmaker the Timberwolves need, but there might be a team willing to take a longer-term flier on him.

• The Clippers are not going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Not James Harden, and more importantly, not Ivica Zubac, who is the guy teams are calling about. The Clippers have won seven of eight and are righting the ship, it would take a godfather offer — starting with at least two first rounders — to get the team to even consider a trade, reports Scotto of Hoopshype.

• If you're looking for a big man to get traded, keep an eye on Dallas' Daniel Gafford, he may be the most likely center to be traded at the deadline (and may be more likely to be sent to a new team than Davis).

• Speaking of Dallas, they would love to find a trade and get off the contracts of Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin and D'Angelo Russell, but in a tax apron world, there are no serious suitors. At least not yet.