LeBron James' playing career, and the speculation surrounding it, has been a major talking point over the last few years.
The Wednesday morning ESPN story did more than shed further light on the notorious Buss family drama. Or how former Lakers controlling owner and current governor Jeanie Buss has felt about star forward LeBron James in the past.
Buss issued a statement to The Athletic after the story was published, stating she has appreciated James’ contributions to the franchise over the last eight seasons after the story detailed private dissatisfaction she’s had with James, or the narrative surrounding him, especially over the last few seasons.
But the story also brought back to the forefront what’s been a question within NBA circles for a while, especially since the summer: What will James’ future look like, and what will his future bring beyond the 2025–26 season?
LeBron James’ playing career, and the speculation surrounding it, has been a major talking point these last few years. NBAE via Getty Images
James’ playing career, and the speculation surrounding it, has been a major talking point these last few years, after he hinted at possible retirement following the 2022–23 season.
And James’ agent Rich Paul, CEO and founder of Klutch Sports Group, only fueled that fire when he issued a statement saying, in part, that James would be monitoring the Lakers’ offseason moves and whether they would be in the position to contend for a title after James opted into his $52.6 million salary for 2025–26.
James hasn’t directly addressed how he feels about the Lakers’ roster outside of saying during the Sept. 29 Media Day, “I’m excited about getting to work, and I’m excited to see what we can do.” And he brushed off a question when asked last month about the Lakers’ playoff aspirations.
But with the Lakers entering Wednesday with a 26–16 record and sitting at No. 5 in the Western Conference standings after Tuesday’s road win over the Denver Nuggets, the timing of the ESPN story and the trade deadline two weeks away, James’ future is back in the spotlight.
So it’s time to make one thing clear: James will likely be with the Lakers beyond the Feb. 5 trade deadline. He has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he’d have to request and approve a trade to another team.
Buss issued a statement to The Athletic after the story was published that she has appreciated James’ contributions to the franchise over the last eight seasons. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
And even though, at times, James being on the Lakers has felt like a partnership between the two sides, he’s been consistent with reaffirming his desires to stay with the franchise during critical periods.
And they’re about to enter another crucial moment of truth this offseason.
Since the summer, many non-Lakers league personnel have spoken on their belief that James won’t be on the Lakers beyond this season, assuming he doesn’t retire (an unlikely scenario). They expect the Lakers to move forward with Luka Dončić as the centerpiece of the franchise; Austin Reaves as the second star after he’s expected to sign a significant contract during the summer; and for the Lakers to capitalize on the “optionality” they could have during the summer.
But the obvious follow-up question is the one that doesn’t get good-enough answers: if James isn’t on the Lakers next season, where does he go?
The Golden State Warriors? There isn’t a viable trade available to make it work.
The Dallas Mavericks? It’s clear they’re fully entrenched in the Cooper Flagg era.
Outside of the Lakers, the only other teams floated around are the New York Knicks and a possible third tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers for James’ retirement tour.
But when James’ future is brought up in these discussions, there’s also another reality that’s acknowledged: James likely doesn’t know what his future will hold, either.
And even though many signs point toward the four-time league MVP not wearing the purple and gold beyond 2025–26, his options beyond this season feel more limited than most would think.
As the Boston Celtics closed out the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, Sam Hauser showcased a move rarely seen from the veteran sharpshooter.
Hauser used a Neemias Queta screen to cut to the left corner, caught a cross-court inbound from Derrick White, pump-faked, spun right, and sank a mid-range jumper over Indiana’s Pascal Siakam. The oohs and ahhs came pouring in from TD Garden while Hauser played it off cool. Not because he didn’t expect it, but because he’s been expanding his offensive repertoire beyond the 3-point line.
“I know I’m capable of doing other things than shooting a three,” Hauser told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “(Shooting) is just what I’m asked to do the most, and that’s how I started to get on the floor in Boston. I tried to run with that and become as great of a shooter as I can each and every day, while also building off of it — because the next phase to a shot is a shot fake and a drive.”
Typically, most of Hauser’s field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc. On Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks, he set the NBA’s all-time record for most 3-pointers attempted (21) without a single 2-pointer, falling one short of Boston’s franchise record of 11 makes. Eight times this season — including Wednesday night’s 119-104 win over Indiana — Hauser has drained five or more threes, with the Celtics going 7-1 during those performances. But that’s just part of what he’s honed to improve his compatibility with Boston’s offense this season.
To make sure the Celtics can get the most out of him on that end of the floor, Hauser is working to master that “next phase” and increase the difficulty of defending Boston’s movement-heavy offense.
With nine seconds on the shot clock, it’s easy to misread Hauser’s pull-up mid-range jumper as experimental rather than a skill he’s genuinely looking to add. However, he intends to normalize it from time to time, even if it’s antithetical to the typical role for his archetype.
“I know I’m capable of it, and when it presents itself, I try to take advantage,” Hauser told reporters.
Hauser made his 14th start in 42 appearances this season, playing alongside Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, White, and Queta. That combination has logged 21 games together, producing a 129.8 offensive rating and a 109.4 defensive rating — both higher than Boston’s season averages — while shooting 61.2% on effective field goals, which clears the league average.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, even without the numbers in front of him, has taken note of how effectively that rotation has performed and what Hauser adds to it.
“Sam’s ability to play two-way basketball and defend at a high level allows us to spread the floor and play a little offensively,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We have to be able to go to a bunch of different lineups, but that one is playing well so far.”
In adapting to the 2025-26 version of Mazzulla’s offense, Hauser has had to bring more to the table. Rather than lingering on the perimeter, he’s constantly in motion — making cuts, navigating off-ball screens, and doing all the little things that usually go unnoticed to hunt the most efficient looks, even when he’s not the one taking the shot.
“It’s not just the shot-making,” Mazzulla told reporters. “It’s the ability to make 2-on-1s, get defenders to overreact, and not leave his body. So the shooting is important, but so are the screening and spacing, which help him and also help the team.”
Hauser’s unexpected choice to pass up the three and pull up for a mid-range jumper over Siakam came directly from Boston’s offensive principles. Five of his six made shots Wednesday night came off space created by either Queta or Luka Garza, and none were traditional pick-and-rolls with Hauser handling the ball. Each shot was assisted by premier playmakers like Brown, White, and Anfernee Simons, who worked off screens while Hauser cut to openings, ready to catch and fire.
It’s a scheme that keeps everyone in constant motion, fully engaged, and contributing even without touching the ball — and Hauser is a critical component.
“It starts with Neemi setting a great screen, and sometimes it’s hard when they’re pressuring like that,” Hauser told reporters. “But we have such dynamic ball-handlers that they’re able to create an advantage even when the screen is not even there, which makes it easier to get on the back-end of the play, get open, and get to space. You just have to adjust and take what the defense gives you in the moment if they’re switching up the coverage.”
The start of the new year has been excellent for Hauser, thanks in large part to his ability to mesh with Boston’s offensive system. Since Jan. 1, he’s shooting 52% from the field and 48.2% from three, averaging 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. This version of Hauser may have been born out of necessity, given Boston’s shorthanded roster without Jayson Tatum. Still, it’s an upgrade that has allowed him to flourish and showcase a 2.0 version of his game that wasn’t visible in previous years.
Hauser’s 17 points against the Pacers extended his streak to four consecutive games with 15-plus points.
“Sam has been great,” Brown told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “Sam has developed as a basketball player. He’s had a couple of plays this year where he’s run off the line, put the ball on the ground, and get to a mid-range or sneak a layup in. So we just got to keep encouraging that.”
The Miami Heat head to the Pacific Northwest this evening to visit the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center.
Portland is riding a three-game winning streak, and my Heat vs. Trail Blazers predictions will explain why they will extend that unbeaten run to four.
Read more in my NBA picks for Thursday, January 22.
Heat vs Trail Blazers prediction
Heat vs Trail Blazers best bet: Trail Blazers moneyline (-120)
The Portland Trail Blazers are exceeding expectations this season, sitting in a Play-In spot with a 22-22 record.
They’re 8-2 in their last 10 contests, and they’ve notched wins against the Hawks, Lakers, and Kings over the last week. Two of those victories have been at home, and the Blazers own a 12-10 record at the Moda Center.
The Miami Heat, meanwhile, are just 8-14 on the road, and they’ve gone 4-6 across their previous 10 outings.
Portland is playing like a confident group, and they will get the job done again tonight.
Heat vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay
Bam Adebayo is having a solid campaign, averaging 17.2 PPG. The Heat big man has been on a different level as of late, though, cashing the Over in points in four of his last five appearances.
Donovan Clingan leads the Blazers in rebounds with 10.9 per contest. While he’s only cashed the Over once in his last five contests, there’s reason to believe he could have a massive game down low.
The Heat are considered an easy matchup for opposing centers, allowing over 15 rebounds per contest. They’re also Bottom 5 in the league overall in boards allowed.
Heat vs Trail Blazers SGP
Trail Blazers moneyline
Bam Adebayo Over 18.5 points
Donovan Clingan Over 12.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Sharpe is on point
Shaedon Sharpe has drained Over 2.5 triples in back-to-back games, and he’s averaging 2.3 makes at home for a 37% clip.
Heat vs Trail Blazers SGP
Trail Blazers moneyline
Bam Adebayo Over 18.5 points
Donovan Clingan Over 12.5 rebounds
Shaedon Sharpe Over 2.5 threes
Heat vs Trail Blazers odds
Spread: Heat +1.5 | Trail Blazers -1.5
Moneyline: Heat +100 | Trail Blazers -120
Over/Under: Over 239.5 | Under 239.5
Heat vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know
The Trail Blazers have hit the Moneyline in 24 of their last 40 games at home (+14.30 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. Trail Blazers.
How to watch Heat vs Trail Blazers
Location
Moda Center, Portland, OR
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
KUNP, FDSN-SU
Heat vs Trail Blazers latest injuries
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The Knicks responded to their worst skid in recent memory with a 120-66 victory over Brooklyn, snapping a 2-9 stretch that had their fanbase at DEFCON 1. A Karl-Anthony Towns trades, a head coach firing -- nothing was off the table.
While Wednesday’s win won’t cure all their ailments, it was Exhibit A in the argument for not panicking and blowing up the season with a drastic change. As bad as things have looked, an impulsive move could easily make things much worse than they ever really were.
It would help to diagnose the Knicks during this abysmal month, but nobody has come up with a good answer. Part of the reason is that there’s no singular problem, or even group of them -- the entire team has underperformed dramatically.
This should have given fans more pause before trying to remedy an issue they didn’t understand. Contending teams don’t just collectively fall apart. It would take something that impacted the whole roster. Fatigue and loss of focus post-NBA Cup are likely factors, having impacted previous Cup winners, and judging by the Knicks’ energy in some of these losses.
Many speculated about a chemistry blowup or major disconnect with the coach. Although certain moments looked bleak, the Knicks were without Jalen Brunson for some of these games, and they definitely put in some solid efforts that were in vain.
Even if something was fractured in the locker room, that’s not an unfixable problem. And folks seemed to forget how long the positive bullet points run on this team’s resume in just 11 games of poor play.
They won over 50 games last season and came within two games of the NBA Finals, mounting two major comebacks against the reigning NBA Champions and topping the team that’s now first in the East. Before this fall-off, the Knicks had one of the best point differentials in the league and were handily in the East’s second seed, plus Cup Champions as mentioned.
Even if you didn’t believe in this team's makeup and thought this losing streak meant it was time to blow it up, the potential pivots fans are posing would not turn things around.
Jan 17, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) posts up against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. / John Jones-Imagn Images
One was firing Mike Brown, not a year after firing Tom Thibodeau, which was in itself a controversial move. Not giving his replacement a shot to break through his first adversity with the team would be laughable.
What would the move be then? Conduct a coaching search midseason or run with an unproven interim, and make further system tweaks when these changes supposedly disrupted the team in the first place?
Only four NBA teams have won a championship after switching coaches midseason. It’s not impossible, but it’s certainly not prudent. Neither would be trading Towns.
Yes, he’s in the midst of one of his worst seasons and doesn’t look comfortable. But his value is at a low point right now, and he’s already proven his worth when locked in. We’re not a year removed from Towns saving the Knicks’ playoff run with an all-time clutch Game 4 in Detroit and huge Game 3 in Indiana during a strong postseason for the big man.
Even with that, some can’t get behind a defensive core, including Towns and Brunson, or his up-and-down emotions. So be it. But trading Towns when his production is in the pits and everybody’s maneuverability is stymied, is malpractice when New York can just wait for the offseason to make a decision.
At worst, he continues imploding, and you at least have more suitors in the summer. Or he turns it around, and may end up being a slightly better option than a 35-year-old Jrue Holiday or Jerami Grant.
Even with the rough play of Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, it’s comical coming up with mock trades for them since they’re still easily two of the best 3-and-D wings you could conceivably play next to Brunson.
Ultimately, there’s too much evidence of this being able to work, and so little of it going this terribly wrong to believe the right move here is the biggest, most drastic one. Luckily, it’s Leon Rose in the front office and not the 22-year-old playing him in 2K, as from all indications it looks like cooler heads are prevailing.
The Philadelphia 76ers split their recent home games against the Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns. Now, they’ll look to bounce back against one of the tougher opponents on the schedule in the Houston Rockets.
Houston has put together a unique and dynamic roster. They added a marquee name in Kevin Durant, who is putting up some of the best numbers of his career from both a scoring and efficiency standpoint. But the Rockets’ identity goes beyond Durant. They’ve built a frankly massive team across the board.
Amen Thompson has been starting at point guard, standing at 6-foot-7 with a huge frame. The Rockets have rotated starters depending on matchup and availability, but the core usually includes Durant, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and another big wing such as Tari Eason or Josh Okogie.
Thompson has taken steps as a playmaker, but he’s far from a traditional point guard. And as the starting lineup suggests, this is far from a traditional team. There really hasn’t been a roster constructed quite like this in the modern NBA. Houston has found success overwhelming teams on the glass, creating extra possessions through offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities. That’s an area where the Sixers could struggle in this matchup.
On the flip side, that same unconventional makeup has also led to issues. The Rockets have dropped games they probably shouldn’t have, and their offense can bog down and become stagnant at times. The size and inconsistent shooting have allowed teams to crowd Sengun, who doesn’t always have the spacing needed to operate comfortably. Reed Sheppard is an important piece for floor spacing, but inconsistencies on both ends and head coach Ime Udoka’s rotations have kept him from having the impact the team likely hoped for in his second year.
As many know, the Sixers are a guard-centric team that typically plays smaller lineups. That makes this matchup a true clash of opposing roster builds. Tyrese Maxey is coming off a rough stretch, shooting 7-of-25 from the field and struggling in the recent games against Cleveland. This figures to be another tough test, as the Rockets have no shortage of long, physical wing defenders capable of making life difficult for him. On top of that, their size and length can bother him around the rim and shrink driving lanes when help arrives.
This matchup will also test Maxey’s running mates, Joel Embiid and Paul George, both of whom are likely to return. For Embiid, Sengun presents a physical matchup as a mobile big who can score and create from the perimeter. For George, he’ll likely see plenty of Durant on the other end, which needs little explanation. It’s also likely that Kelly Oubre Jr. sees extended time matched up against the future Hall of Famer.
For the Sixers, Embiid is listed as probable while managing an ankle issue, while George is questionable with knee injury management. Houston will be without Steven Adams, who is sidelined with an ankle sprain, and Fred VanVleet as he continues his recovery from an ACL tear. Aaron Holiday, who has taken on extra minutes in the backcourt, is also questionable heading into this matchup.
The Rockets are a talented team in a crowded Western Conference, and this won’t come easily. Still, if the Sixers can pull it off, it would mark another important win against a legitimate opponent. Beyond that, they need to start taking care of business at home if they want a comfortable path to the postseason. This game could be a chance to finally get things moving in the right direction.
Game Details
When: Thursday, January 22, 7:00 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
It’s starting to sound like Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to rip off the band-aid.
After the Bucks were smashed, 122-102, by the dominant Thunder, Antetokounmpo called out his teammates with an ominous message that may say quite a bit about his future with the team.
“We’re not playing hard,” Antetokounmpo said postgame after Milwaukee fell to 18-25. “We’re not playing to win. We’re not playing together … Our chemistry isn’t there, guys are being selfish. We just don’t get it … and we don’t have enough time.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been clearly frustrated with his supporting case in Milwaukee. Getty Images
It’s not clear exactly who Antetokounmpo is referring to or whether this is simply a blanket statement by the former league MVP, but the comments certainly aren’t what the team wants to hear, given he has flirted with the idea of demanding a trade multiple times over the past year.
Antetokounmpo added that some of his teammates were “trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team.”
The Bucks shot 49 percent Wednesday, but turned the ball over 16 times compared to just eight for the Thunder.
Former Laker Kyle Kuzma went 4-12 and 0-5 from 3-point range in 28 minutes.
“At times, I feel like when we’re down 10, down 15, down 20, we try to make it up in one play, and it’s not going to work,” Antetokounmpo added.
It seems like the wheels are in motion for a potential divorce amid all the trade rumors, although he dismissed the idea of asking out earlier this month.
“There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’ ” Antetokounmpo told The Athletic. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
Kyle Kuzma and the Bucks have struggled this season with an 18-25 record. NBAE via Getty Images
When trades were discussed previously involving Antetokounmpo, it became clear that he wanted to be a Knick.
Perhaps the team wishes they had made the deal to acquire Antetokounmpo given the team’s 3-9 record in its last 12 games and the still-present growing pains under new coach Mike Brown.
Star center Karl-Anthony Towns is in the middle of the worst season of his NBA career, where he is averaging 20.8 points per game, the lowest since his rookie year, and shooting just 46.9 percent from the field, by far the lowest percentage of his career.
Antetokounmpo hasn’t formally demanded a trade at any point, but reporter Brian Windhorst previously added some clarity on what a trade demand would look like.
“It’ll be Giannis instructing the Bucks where he wants to be traded and the Bucks trying to make the best possible deal with that team,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s “Get Up” in December.
Windhorst added that this past summer, Antetokounmpo basically said, “I want to be a Knick,” but it didn’t quite reach a trade demand.
Antetokounmpo during Wednesday’s loss. Getty Images
The Bucks are currently the No. 11 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference and aim to right the ship before the season gets completely away from them.
The Phoenix Suns were completely screwed. The franchise’s all-in moves for Kevin Durant at the 2023 trade deadline and Bradley Beal to begin the 2024 offseason had backfired in epic fashion, resulting in just one playoff series win (with Durant only) before a first-round sweep and lottery appearance forced a hard pivot. The Suns had no choice but to trade Durant last summer coming off a 36-win season, and they followed it by waiving-and-stretching Beal, which put $19.4 million of dead money on their books for the next five years. In addition to putting themselves in a cap crunch, the Suns also didn’t have any draft ammunition without control of their first-round pick until 2032.
The Suns could have had a life vest for their future this summer, but they were too delusional to take it. Phoenix’s most prudent move would have been trading Devin Booker, and trying to recoup some of their own first-round picks that they’ve traded away. Instead, Booker signed an extension that will pay him $75 million once it kicks in for the 2028-29 season. It just feels very unlikely they can build a good team around him in the West while not owning any of their first-round picks.
Vegas didn’t believe in the retooled Suns either, putting their over/under at 30.5 wins entering the season.
Fast forward through the first half of the first year without Durant and Beal, and Phoenix has made me and their other skeptics look very stupid. The Suns are 27-17 and would make the playoffs in the West without needing to go through the play-in if the season ended today. After starting the year at No. 25 in my initial power rankings, Phoenix now cracks the top-10. The Suns are the most pleasant surprise in the league, and they’ve given their fans something to cheer for when everyone else wrote off their next half-decade.
How has Phoenix pulled off the best turnaround of the season? Let’s count the ways.
The Suns nailed their Kevin Durant trade
It felt like the Suns didn’t have any leverage when they went to trade Durant over the summer, because a) the whole league knew he was on the block, b) he was about to turn 37 years old, and c) he was on an expiring contract. Without a bidding war, the Rockets were able to land KD without giving back anyone of note from their young core or either of the future first-round picks they possessed from Phoenix. How could the Suns do that deal without at least landing Reed Sheppard? That was one of my complaints in giving Phoenix a D grade for the trade.
Whoops. It’s clear now that the Suns did very well in the Durant trade, and it’s part of what set them up for success this year and possibly beyond. The Suns checked every box in the trade:
They got a win-now veteran starter in Dillon Brooks, who gave them both the volume three-point shooting and competitive edge defensively that they needed
They got a young player with upside in Jalen Green, who could benefit from a change of scenery and wasn’t on the books that long even if it felt like he was a little overpaid
They got a long-term upside play with the No. 10 overall pick, which they used to swing on Duke center Khaman Maluach, who I had ranked No. 3 overall in the class
Three assets, one that could help immediately, one that aided their short-term future, and one that aided their long term future. Green has barely even played this year as he’s dealt with a lingering hamstring strain, and Maluach is essentially getting a redshirt year in the G League. Despite two of the three players contributing nothing so far, it was still a great for Phoenix that has a chance to pay off even bigger in the future.
The Suns nailed their coaching hire
Mat Ishbia demanded a head coach with championship experience from the moment he took over the Suns. After needing to fire Monty Williams, Frank Vogel, and Mike Budenholzer in the three years to begin his tenure, Ishbia allowed in his front office to go the other way with the hiring on Jordan Ott.
Ott had no previous head coaching experience and had never been a player. At 40 years old, he was most recently on staff the Cleveland Cavaliers under Kenny Atkinson, but his main qualification for the Suns seemed to be that he went to Michigan State.
Ott has obviously been outstanding through the first half of this season, and should be the runaway favorite for NBA Coach of the Year. Ott’s schematic brilliance has been on display in raising the Phoenix defense from No. 28 to No. 4 in just one year, but he’s also done a great job getting everyone to buy into their role to create an egoless team of role players around Booker.
The Suns nailed their fringe roster moves
Collin Gillespie was a two-time Big East Player of the Year and All-American at Villanova who went undrafted because he didn’t have the size, athleticism, or rim scoring teams look for in a point guard. The Suns originally signed him to a two-way deal in the summer of 2024, and he looked good enough in 33 games last year that Phoenix decided to give him a guaranteed one-year minimum deal for this season.
Gillespie has rewarded their faith by turning into one of the league’s best development stories this year with a +2.9 EPM grades out in the 92nd percentile of all players. Gillespie still doesn’t finish at the rim, but he’s become a 42 percent three-point shooter, a solid passer, and a menace defensively who ranks No. 16 in the league in steal percentage. Before the season, everyone wondered how Phoenix would find a point guard next to Booker, and Gillespie has given them everything they needed.
Jordan Goodwin has been another awesome find. The Suns claimed him after he was waived by the Lakers, and he’s emerged as one of the league’s best defensive pests this season. Goodwin is No. 4 in the league in steal percentage and No. 6 in steals per 100 possessions right now. Ott has also empowered him to jack threes at every opportunity, going from 6.2 to 9.7 three-point attempts per 100 possessions over the last year. Goodwin is knocking them down at a 35 percent clip so far, which is great for him.
Add in solid contributions from 2024 second-round pick Oso Ighodaro and current two-way guard Jamaree Bouyea, and the Suns changed their entire outlook this season by most the making of every fringe roster signing.
The Suns crush the offensive glass while still getting back in transition
The conventional wisdom that said crashing the offensive glass came at the cost of getting back in transition defensively is dead, and the Suns are the best proof. Phoenix ranks No. 6 in the league in offensive rebound rate and No. 5 in points allowed in transition per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass.
The Suns have not adopted the double big mentality of many teams, choosing to play with 6’6 Royce O’Neale and 6’7 Dillon Brooks next to center Mark Williams. Phoenix has been able to chase the long rebounds that come from their missed threes with a smaller lineup, and they can get back quicker defensively.
Phoenix was terrible in both areas last year, finishing No. 23 in offensive rebound rate and No. 27 in transition defense. This more than anything is the best example of Ott’s genius at work.
The Suns have maximized every ounce of defensive potential
Durant felt like the Suns’ best defender last year. That’s a huge problem. By trading him, the Suns put a bunch of defensive-minded players around Devin Booker who could do the dirty work and help win the possession battle.
Last year’s Suns were No. 28 in defensive rating under Budenholzer. This year’s Suns are No. 4 in defensive rating under Ott. Aside from fixing the transition defense, the biggest adjustment has been empowering his team to hunt for more steals even if it means getting called for fouls. The Suns have gone from No. 28 to No. 3 in defensive turnover percentage, with both Goodwin and Gillespie turning into steals monsters. All the steals have helped the transition frequency significantly increase as well, and transition scoring is always more efficient than halfcourt scoring.
Opponents are only shooting 34.6 percent from three against Phoenix this year, so maybe they have some shooting luck on their side. Still, it has to be exhausting to play against a team that plays so physically defensively and always hunts the ball. I don’t think it’s all shooting luck.
The Suns are no joke
Building around Booker without cap space or future draft capital seemed like an impossible task for the Suns. Instead, they’ve pulled it off by targeting role players who could go all-out defensively and try to get extra possessions on the offensive glass. Booker has been a solid contributor to a great defense, and offensively he’s done well to get more easy baskets at the foul line even during a year when he’s not shooting the ball well from deep.
Just about every move the Suns made worked out. Trading two late first-round picks for Mark Williams was a fantastic move to add rim protection and rebounding, though he’ll need to be resigned in restricted free agency. Keeping Grayson Allen and O’Neale instead of trading them for Jonathan Kuminga (which the Warriors reportedly turned down) was hugely beneficial. Ryan Dunn and Ighodaro are late round draft hits who don’t need the ball to impact winning. Everything revolves around Booker, and he’s making a big impact (89th percentile EPM) despite a brutal 49.7 percent effective field goal percentage. Just imagine how this looks when Booker’s shots start falling, and Jalen Green’s microwave scoring becomes a full-time part of the lineup.
The next step will be harder to take for the Suns with their draft and cap sheet limitations. The easiest path to leveling up is unleashing Maluach. I still see a super long interior scorer and paint protector who will be able to eventually hit shots from the three-point line. Resigning Gillespie is also a must, and integrating Green without sacrificing too much of the defense will be a tough needle to thread as well.
I was so, so wrong about the Suns. There’s nothing wrong with being a plucky mid-table playoff team, and Phoenix has already achieved that. After successfully pulling off a retooling with very little flexibility, it would be foolish to think another step is impossible. The Suns had to get everything right to avoid a doomed future, and they actually did it.
When things are going the way they’ve been going for the Knicks, can you ever definitively say you’re confident in them to win, regardless of opponent?
Yes, on paper, it was more likely the Knicks (26-18) would embarrass the Nets (12-30) by biblical margins than it was for them to manage to lose, especially when fully healthy. But after whatever the hell happened on MLK Day (and in Sacramento), the offense’s recent short-circuiting, and the fact that Cam Thomas has a penchant for scoring in bunches against the Knicks, I was worried.
Maybe I should’t have been. Some things transcend slumps and horrifically bad vibes.
When one team owns another the way the Knicks do to the Nets, they’ll win no matter what. This effect was reversed a few years ago, as the Nets, in the midst of their ten-game winning streak against the Knicks, came back from a 21-point halftime deficit despite missing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons. Sometimes, you just own a team.
Nic Claxton would know, that’s 13 straight.
"Me I never lost to the Knicks since I been in the league"
Every so often, we get a game that makes you dig deep into the Statmuse files. Let’s see what we can get from this historic, 54-point drubbing:
It’s the largest margin of victory in franchise history. For a team that’s now played 6,231 games since 1946, that’s a lot. It breaks a three-way tie of games in 1968, 1972, and 1994, all 48-point wins.
The Knicks led by 59 in the final minute before the Nets scored five to end the game. That 59-point lead is probably the largest in franchise history, but we only have concrete data in the last 30-ish years. Looking at the box scores of the pre-play-by-play era games, I don’t think an anyone got to 60.
It’s the second-largest margin of victory by an NBA team this season. The Hornets destroyed the Jazz, 150-95, 11 days ago. The Knicks would’ve had this one, but Danny Wolf had to statpad with 10 seconds left. Alas!
The Knicks last allowed 66 points or fewer on April 13, 2012, when they smacked the Wizards 103-65. Wizards’ leading scorer? Jordan Crawford (who went 6-for-20 from the field).
The Nets are the first NBA team to score fewer than 70 points since… them last season (67). Last one to score less than that was the Mavericks on November 18, 2016, losing a disgusting 80-64 game to Memphis. Who remembers the 79-73 a few years ago?
The Nets last scored this few points on March 12, 2005. In case you forgot, team’s score more in like four minutes now than they did in whole quarters 20 years ago.
For reference, with 66 points, the Knicks have had 21 halves this season where they’ve put up 66 points. They’ve also allowed 10, with six coming since Christmas (yikes)
The Knicks have won 13 straight games against the Nets. It’s the longest streak in the rivalry’s history and is quickly rivaling the streak the Knicks had against the Pistons from 2020-24 of 16 straight.
120-66 is such a ridiculous score. It’s happened once before in NBA history, but it’s a score you’re more likely to see in non-conference college basketball. In November 2024, UMass Lowell beat NAIA Fisher College, 121-66. That’s a bunch of Division I athletes destroying a non-NCAA school. This just shouldn’t happen in the NBA with 15 of the best 450 players in the world on each bench.
There’s not much to say about the game itself. The only time the Nets looked anything other than total dog poo was when Egor Demin nailed two threes early. From what I’ve seen so far, the No. 8 overall pick has by far the best chance of becoming a solid NBA starter of the five first-round picks the Nets had this year. He’s shown some advanced playmaking, and the BYU product is a sneaky good shooter.
Egor Dëmin has, for the majority of his rookie season, shut down the narrative that he’s a non-shooter
He’s not just hitting catch-and-shoot looks, but he’s consistently creating threes for himself on the perimeter, too
What I really liked about how the Knicks started this game was the way they involved Karl-Anthony Towns early. The struggling big man finished with just 14 points in 20 minutes and still had some bewildering offensive fouls, but in a situation where he needed to come out and perform, he got off to a good start to quickly put the team up by double digits.
Jalen Brunson only had 20-5-4 in a team-high 31 minutes and went 1-for-8 from three, yet we won by 54, so who cares? It was a quiet game for OG Anunoby and a meh game from Mikal Bridges, but again, who cares? It was the Landry Shamet show, baby!
The Knicks shot 50% from three, a welcome sign after how bad they’ve been from deep this month. They also held the Nets to 27.5%, and it wasn’t wide-open bricks; it was forcing a bad team into bad shots. The Nets also shot 29.1% from the field, the lowest by an NBA team in two years. It was also the worst for the Nets since December 26, 2019, when they shot 26.9%… against the Knicks!
The increased defensive intensity was evident all night. I don’t have a clip show to show you, but the effort was there from the start. Kudos to the captain, who led by example and was visibly defending hard from the opening tip. Brunson’s not the worst defender when he’s engaged like this, it’s just hard when you’re also the only guy on the team that can dribble.
After the Mavs’ drubbing, I called back to the last time the Knicks got pulverized by the Mavericks at MSG while in the doldrums. After that game, Tom Thibodeau permanently benched Evan Fournier (although it was trending that way for a while), Derrick Rose, and Cam Reddish. History did repeat itself for Mike Brown, who banished Jordan Clarkson to the bench after his recent rough performance.
Jordan Clarkson, now outside of the Knicks' rotation, knows he can still help any team win games.
"I read the room. I see what it is. … I'm not gonna go in there and f**k the game up."https://t.co/IyTmAf6qR2
I don’t think Clarkson will be permanently glued to the bench, as his ability to create for himself is valuable, and when he’s hot, he’s hot. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was shipped out at the trade deadline if the Knicks are more active than just finding a taker for Guerschon Yabusele.
What’s important for the Knicks is that they, for at least one night, have quieted the noise behind a record-breaking effort. Make no mistake, beating the snot out of a tanking team means nothing for the very real problems they’ve had lately, but sometimes all it takes is one win to snap a team out of a funk. They’ve now played three straight elite halves of defense and, for the first time in months, will have consecutive days off at home before they next play the Sixers on Saturday.
Win that one, and I think brighter days are ahead.
Doncic wasn’t the number one overall pick in 2018, but it’s been obvious for a while that he should have been. It’s incredible to think that not only DeAndre Ayton, but Marvin Bagley Jr., and (technically) Trae Young were selected ahead of Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks are hoping Flagg’s career mirrors that of Doncic’s, if not better. The only thing we have to compare right now, though, are the two young stars’ first 41 games, so let’s take a look at how they look next to each other.
Doncic’s highest scoring game in the first half of his rookie season came against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 28th, 2018. But his best game was probably a week earlier, on December 20th, against the Los Angeles Clippers. Doncic put up 32 points, four rebounds, five assists, and four steals in that game.
Meanwhile, Flagg’s highest scoring game in the first half of his rookie season is also his best game. On December 15th, 2025 against the Utah Jazz, Flagg notched 42 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and one steal. Here’s what Flagg’s first 41 games looks like:
Flagg measures up to Doncic’s first 41 games pretty well! That’s encouraging for everyone rooting for Flagg to live up to that number one overall pick label.
Each rookie enters a completely different situation when they’re drafted. Some join well-run, competitive teams with a clearly defined role. Some enter rebuilds that are complete tear-downs. Others are dropped into absolute messes.
Doncic came into a more stable situation. His first game he started alongside veterans Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan, with J.J. Barea and Devin Harris coming off the bench. Dirk Nowitzki began the year injured and wouldn’t join the lineup until 27 games into the season, but he was there to guide Doncic as he adapted to the NBA.
That’s not to say everything was perfect for Doncic as he navigated those first 41 games. There were some issues with veterans freezing him out during games, and he had issues with head coach Rick Carlisle. But it went about as well as you could hope for an introduction to the NBA.
Flagg has dealt with a situation that’s much more murky, at least off the court. The Mavericks came into the season with a poorly constructed roster. With a lack of established point guards to get the talent-laden front court the ball, the likelihood of Dallas struggling was high. That alone was going to make things rough on Flagg.
Head coach Jason Kidd resorted to playing Flagg at point guard early in the season, and it didn’t go well. Thankfully that experiment was abandoned and the Mavericks’ rookie was moved to a more natural position at forward. Kidd found a guard rotation of Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard that’s been serviceable, and Flagg has benefitted greatly.
Flagg also joined a franchise in the midst of a front office mess. Just 11 games into Flagg’s rookie season, Nico Harrison was rightfully fired for trading one of the top five players in the NBA for one of the most injured in Anthony Davis. Since joining the Mavericks, Davis hasn’t played more than five consecutive games.
The sporadic availability of Davis, coupled with the tinkering Kidd has had to do with the lineup haven’t made things easy on the court for Flagg. Still, he’s pushed through and put up numbers that are comparable to Doncic and some of the best number one overall draft picks of the last decade. There’s still a whole second half of the season to play, but the Mavericks and their fans should feel great about the trajectory he’s on so early in his career.
In a game that didn’t feature Cade Cunningham and Caris LeVert, this felt like an opportunity for Jaden Ivey to get some increased playing time, but that didn’t happen.
JB Bickerstaff played 10 players last night and Ivey ranked 9th in minutes – only Javonte Green played less than him.
Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser, and Daniss Jenkins all played more minutes than Ivey.
It does feel like Ivey’s shot creation in the midrange has improved and his three-point stroke looks good, but his burst and explosiveness that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of Purdue isn’t there anymore. Perhaps with more time it’ll slowly come back, but right now, he doesn’t have it.
As I watched last night’s game, it made me wonder: at this point, what does Ivey do that Sasser can’t?
There are more similarities to their game now than pre-Ivey-leg-break. Based on the depth at the guard position for Detroit, I think this is what makes Ivey expendable. Jenkins is more of a point guard, Sasser brings more offensive juice at a lower cost, and Green brings a 3-and-D look that no other guard on the roster can.
I think the writing is on the wall when it comes to Jaden Ivey’s future in Detroit.
I’ve been a consistent criticizer of the spacing on this team, usually due to the lack of shooting from Ausar and Duren, but the blueprint is there for these two co-existing.
Ausar’s inability to shoot isn’t an issue if he’s the on-ball initiator on offense, especially when he’s going downhill. I’m confident in his passing ability to find JD for a lob or make the right read to an open shooter at the three-point line.
If you pause the video right before Ausar throws the oop, you’ll see Duncan and Ivey in the corners with Tobias on the wing, and they’re all ready to shoot while spacing the floor. This is a great possession that minimizes the weaknesses of Ausar and Duren while also giving them ample room to operate inside.
When Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded for each other in the most shocking and controversial deal in NBA history, there was (understandably) little focus on the others included in the six-player, three-team deal. Sure, fan favorite Maxi Kleber and salary filler Markieff Morris were headed to Los Angeles, but Mavericks fans had other things on their mind. Along with the oft-injured and past-his-prime Davis, Dallas netted just one first-round pick for Doncic’s services. Apart from that, the only other asset Dallas received for the most talented player in franchise history was a young flyer, a throw-in guard named Max Christie. Many in Dallas couldn’t have picked him out of a lineup.
Since that fateful night almost a year ago, Christie has done everything in his power to endear himself to the beleaguered Maverick faithful. Unlike Davis, he’s played in nearly every game for Dallas. Christie got to work right away after arriving, scoring 15 points or more in each of his first six games post-trade. Though he cooled down to end the season, there were plenty of flashes to indicate that he could be an intriguing piece for the future.
This season, Max Christie is in the midst of a meaningful leap. On a Mavericks team woefully devoid of 3-point shooting, he’s been a godsend. Christie is shooting 45.9% from deep on 5.5 attempts per game. That percentage is sixth in the NBA and first among players with at least 200 3-point attempts. He’s been a spot-up marksman, shooting 47.7% on 172 total attempts (per Synergy Sports). And Christie has even mixed in 47 pull-up threes, hitting a perfectly respectable 38.3% on those. Coach Jason Kidd praised Christie’s growth while encouraging him to shoot even more, a great vote of confidence for a player who’s become essential to the Mavericks’ success. Christie has established himself as one of the premier shooters in the league, and that alone, coupled with his 22-year-old youth, would make him a player worth hanging onto.
But Christie has taken big steps in other areas of his game, too. When you shoot the ball like Christie has this season, you become a fixture on opposing teams’ scouting reports. Defenses see Christie’s three-point percentage and want to run him off the line and force him to put the ball on the floor. And to his credit, Christie has responded well to this.
Attacking closeouts is an essential counter for great shooters, and Christie looks comfortable doing so. The pull-up middy has been a weapon for him in these situations, as Christie is shooting a sparkling 52% on pull-up two-pointers this year. When he’s not finding the midrange, he’s attacking the basket and putting more pressure on the defense.
And, most importantly, there have been signs that indicate growth for Christie beyond great shooting. Among all NBA players with at least 50 possessions as a pick-and-roll ball handler, Christie ranks first in both points per possession (1.23, per NBA.com) and effective field goal percentage (65.1%). Though Christie barely meets this arbitrary threshold with 53 possessions, and it’s an admittedly small sample size (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league with 354 such possessions), it’s still impressive. Since December 1st, Christie has taken the pick-and-roll creation to a new level, averaging 1.50 PPP on 18-28 shooting from the field (75% eFG, per Synergy). For a guy who doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot, he’s made the most of his opportunities in creating for himself.
Where Christie really thrives is in transition. Among all players with at least 80 transition possessions, Christie ranks first in PPP (1.52, per NBA.com) and second in eFG% (78.5%). Christie sprints down the floor off misses, turnovers, and even makes, constantly looking for the ball and making good decisions when he gets it. He leverages his above-average athleticism to beat defenders down the court and finish at the rim. Watching Christie and Flagg run the break together has been a joy, and their transition dominance is a big reason why the Mavericks are second in the NBA in fastbreak points per game.
Despite all these improvements on offense, there’s still meat on the bone with Christie’s game, especially in the halfcourt. Christie is 10-of-13 from the floor off cuts (per Synergy), so Kidd would be very wise to draw things up to get Christie moving around off-ball and wreaking havoc more often. Christie also needs more pick-and-roll reps, both as a ball handler and screener; he’s posting a sparkling 1.39 PPP as a screener in just 18 total possessions (per NBA.com). And though Christie is great in the restricted area (68% FG), he’s been poor in the paint outside the restricted area (36.7% FG). He desperately needs to add a consistent floater and tack on some strength to fight through contact. Christie’s playmaking also leaves a bit to be desired, but that’s okay for an off-guard who shoots it like he does.
Defensively, Christie is a bit tougher to evaluate. He has very good size and athleticism for a guard, and generally does a good job with screen navigation. His motor on the defensive end is strong, and his plus wingspan allows him to generate some deflections and wall off drives. The Mavericks have been marginally better defensively with Christie off the floor, but given the injuries and roster context of this season, that can mostly be taken with a grain of salt. While I don’t believe Christie will ever be a defensive stalwart or generate crazy steal and block numbers, he’s got the physical tools, motor, and basketball IQ to perform solidly on that end.
As the Mavericks look to build their team of the future around Cooper Flagg, it’s important to roster young, cost-controlled players on a similar timeline as their 19-year-old phenom. At age 22, Christie is showing the kind of improvement and impact that demands prioritization. A 6’5” guard with legitimate 3-point shooting, plus athleticism, defensive potential, and pick-and-roll creation chops is the perfect kind of player to deploy next to Flagg. Max Christie might not ever sniff an All-Star team or win any awards, but if he continues on his current trajectory, he’ll be a positive starter in this league for a long time. The Mavericks need as many of those guys as they can get.
As longtime readers know, in addition to being a die hard Spurs fan, I am the proud father of a die hard Spurs fan. My twelve-year-old daughter Elizabeth and I most commonly spend our father-daughter dates at the Frost Bank Center. Some memorable outings were Dirk Nowitzki’s farewell game, the 2023 NBA Draft, and the Silver & Black Scrimmage.
But no night beats last Monday against the Utah Jazz.
For MLK Day, we made our way down to the Frost Bank Center for the mid-afternoon game. This time we had to arrive even earlier as Elizabeth had been chosen to be the Spurs Ball Kid for the game. We signed in with game-ops and then Tre, a wonderful member of the Spurs Hype Squad, escorted us down to the court.
Walking the hardwood alone was a treat. I caught a smile across her face and some pep in step as we made our way to the Spurs basket.
For those who haven’t been to a live game, when the Spurs come out for the pregame shoot around, there is an equipment crew. During this time, they are grabbing loose balls and tossing fresh ones out to the players. The Spurs Ball Kid is a role they’ve had as far back as I can remember. A child gets to help the crew distribute balls to the players as they warm up.
On Monday Elizabeth joined them.
She was tossing basketballs to corner shooters, one of them being three-point specialist Julian Champagnie, who Elizabeth listed as her favorite player.
While the in-arena announcement was introducing her, Julian heard his name called as her favorite and his ears perked up.
She finished the shoot around and then was invited to line up with the players to high five the Spurs starters, amost incredible experience.
After all that excitement, there was still a game to watch. At the end of the first half, she once again distributed basketballs to the players during their shoot around before the second half commenced.
The Spurs had a great night. Champagnie scored 13 points hitting 3 threes and grabbing 4 rebounds, both categories of which he is gaining recognition.
After the game, he invited Elizabeth down to receive his game-worn jersey, which he’d signed. Due to timing — the Spurs were heading out immediately after to make the trip to Houston for the second night of a back-to-back — he wasn’t able to deliver it personally, but we got to thank the crew who she’d been with for both shoot around distributions.
She played it cool when she saw the jersey, but as we exited the Frost Bank Center she was skipping to the car, the most excited I’d seen her in a long time. Although she was ahead of me, I am pretty sure I heard her singing his name as she danced on in the moonlight.
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Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable – a round table of Bright Siders – give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: What is your opinion of Jordan Goodwin and his impact on the court this season?
Ashton: What a stud player.
This will bleed into Q2 (not quarterly, you corporate nerds), but I specifically waited until the conclusion of the Suns and 76’ers to try to answer this.
The deal is you can’t cut Goodie’s minutes. He played 20 minutes on Tuesday, the same as Green. Unless there is some fantastic trade at the table. I also agree that Goodwin is off the table.
Do I put him in the untouchable realm? Of course not, but his player value is skyrocketing.
OldAz: What strikes me with Jordan Goodwin is how different he seems in this stint with the Suns compared to his previous. The JG we see now is tenacious, ball hocking on defense, and embodies this team’s personality of effort and energy every minute he’s on the court. He has certainly improved his three-point shot, and his uncanny knack for collecting rebounds is awesome.
What I can’t figure out is if he was like this in his first stint and it just didn’t fit as well, or if this is all about his growth over the last few years. It is striking because what he is doing embodies the culture of this team so perfectly and makes me wonder if the reason it didn’t work before is that one person on the floor hustling with four guys standing around just doesn’t look nearly as impressive.
Kudos to Bryan Gregory for snatching him up when he became available and to Jordan Ott for making sure JG gets the minutes he deserves by hustling and doing everything on the floor this team needs.
Rod: It’s rather amazing to think that, at this time last year, Goodwin wasn’t actually on an NBA squad. He was playing for the South Bay Lakers in the G League…and that was on a standard G League contract, not even a two-way. The Lakers didn’t sign him to a two-way until the trade deadline and then converted his two-way to a standard NBA deal near the end of the 2024/25 season. Thankfully, the Lakers decided to waive him last July because they had the opportunity to sign Marcus Smart and needed the roster spot to do so, which gave the Suns the opportunity to claim him.
I wasn’t very impressed by his addition at first because he really didn’t impress me much in his first time with Phoenix (which was only half a season before he was part of the trade with Brooklyn that brought Royce O’Neale to the Suns), but he has most definitely impressed me this time around! He’s a tenacious defender and rebounder who plays bigger than his actual size, plus he’s developed a solid three-point shot, which all makes him a perfect fit for this team.
Q2: There is some belief among fans that Jalen Green’s return will hurt the Suns’ defense. What’s your opinion on this?
Ashton: Again, I waited until the conclusion of the 76’ers game to try and answer this question. These are my takeaways from a firm and solid NBA basketball perspective.
I have no takeaways.
The reality is that the sample size is just too small to make a definitive judgment on Green’s defense. He was not the “pigeon,” and I thought he held up well in the game, especially when the Suns needed to protect the lead in the fourth quarter. I was basically begging and pleading with the game chat to answer this question. But I would say the fanbase trusts his defense. I will mention that Goodwin had two steals while Green had none. I am not saying this is the end-all-be-all for defensive metrics, but it is worth noting.
Now, if this were a question about Green’s offensive potential? The dude should star in the next “Fast and the Furious” series, where he drives a Ferrari to Mars. Wow, that man could move fast, and it should translate to hustling back on D, and while some of the commentators may highlight Book and Green, I was actually most entertained with Green and Goodie. What a duo, and there are actually 3 “Gs” to sub with (Grayson, Gillespie, Goodwin).
Whoever plays the best defense will most likely get the most minutes.
OldAz: I think this is overblown. A lot of these fears are about reputation, and when you step back and think about it, the same can be said for almost all of the Suns’ current roster. Booker has constantly been fighting a reputation as a poor defender, yet we have all seen Booker play good defense when he is engaged and part of a team’s defensive concept. Mark Williams has been banned as a poor individual defender, yet he anchors a very effective Suns defensive team.
A lot of the players are undersized and simply make up for it with energy and effort, and kind of like I referenced in question one, defense looks a whole lot better when five guys are on the same page putting forth the same energy and effort. There’s no reason to believe that Jalen Green will not fall right in line with these team concepts and apply his great athleticism on both ends of the court.
Rod: After watching him in the Philadelphia game, I can’t really agree with this. He may not be a great defender, but I saw nothing to indicate that he was a poor one either. The effort I saw him give on the defensive end was great, and that alone means a great deal. One play that quickly comes to mind is when, in the 4th quarter, he was guarding Tyrese Maxey and used his speed and quickness to keep him away from the basket and ultimately force him into taking a contested shot (which he missed). I think he’s going to fit in just fine with this group and be a net positive on the court.
Q3: If Nick Richards is traded before the deadline, this would probably move rookie Khaman Maluach up to his spot on the Suns’ center depth chart. Some fans have voiced the opinion that this would be unwise, considering Mark Williams’ injury history. What’s your opinion?
Ashton: This is a very nuanced question. Nick Richards is traded for whom? And does that person take the open roster spot? Is it for another big man?
Personally, I would just like to trade Richards for any type of salary flexibility and maybe a second-round pick. Richards should be begging to get out of town. Minutes are going to be hard to come by with this talented bench line-up, and if he can see more playing time elsewhere, he should be traded.
Mark Williams has been a warrior for the Suns, and the change of scenery has done him well in the Valley. So, what injury history? Turn the page and let the man play. Oso can still man the C position.
Khaman Maluach is a bit of an enigma. I would absolutely love for him to join the bench-mob revolution that the Suns are currently experiencing. But again, where do the minutes come from? If you look at KM’s stats from the G League, they are really quite good. He excels at the FT line and in rebounding. But his NBA stats suck due to a lack of playing time.
This is a chicken-and-egg question. But it ultimately comes down to how many minutes the Suns can afford to give Man Man? The answer is not many unless (holds breath) an injury occurs in the frontcourt. Keep KM in the development league.
OldAz: There is a reason Oso has passed Richards on the depth chart, and that Richards gets almost as many minutes over the last month as Maluach. The injury concern is understandable, and if Williams or even Oso gets injured, there is going to be a significant step down for the team. The real question is how big the gap is between a veteran like Richards, who really lacks athleticism and anything he really does special on the floor, and the inexperience but high upside of KM.
In my opinion, worrying about the third-string center is a good problem to have, and if they find the right deal to get under the salary threshold or to bring back a solid player, they simply need to pull the trigger and let the chips fall where they may when it comes to injuries.
Rod: I understand that concern, but I don’t think it should be the deciding factor as to whether to trade Richards or not. Following the trade deadline, the Suns will have 31 games left, and if Williams stays healthy until then, I see no reason to play things overly cautious. Sure, there would be some risk in moving Richards then, but I think that risk may not be as high as others. And while Maluach may not seem ready for meaningful minutes yet, we won’t know that for certain until he’s actually given meaningful minutes to play. If the return for Nick outweighs the risk, make the move.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“We’re going to stick to it. No one in the Suns uniform or on the staff like how we started that third quarter, but the starters then figured it out and they did it collectively.” – Jordan Ott on the Philadelphia game
“I just think we just continue to get better. Even when it doesn’t feel great, we find ways to win.” – Jordan Ott
“I’m just trying to be a star in my role.” – Jordan Goodwin
“I think we’re taking a lot of pride in being that bench unit, playing together, playing fast. Sharing the basketball. Flying around on defense. Just having that identity going in there and changing the speed of the game has been really good.” – Oso Ighodaro
“We never put an expectation on anything. We just want to come out here and play the right way and that’s what we’ve been doing this year.” – Devin Booker
Suns Trivia/History
On January 23, 2016, Tyson Chandler tied Paul Silas’ franchise record of 27 rebounds in a 98-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
On January 28, 2014, the Suns signed Leandro Barbosa to a contract for the rest of the season. It was Barbosa’s 2nd stint with the Suns after playing his first 7 years in the league in Phoenix. Barbosa had begun the 2013-14 season playing in his home country of Brazil for Esporte Clube Pinheiros after tearing the ACL in his left knee while playing for the Celtics in 2012-13. The “Brazilian Blur” had been signed by the Suns to back-to-back 10-day contracts before getting the rest of the season contract offer from them.
On January 29, 1984, the NBA’s first All-Star Saturday took place in Denver at McNichols Arena. The first Nestle Crunch Slam-Dunk winner was Phoenix’s Larry Nance, who used a two-ball windmill dunk to beat favorites Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.
On January 29, 2007, the Suns’ previous longest win streak of 17 games came to an end in Minnesota 121-112 on the final game of a 5-game road trip. The Suns entered the fourth quarter up 95-94 but went ice cold from the field, making only 29.4% of their shots (5 of 17) in the quarter and were outscored 27-17 while the Timberwolves hit 60.0% of their FG attempts (12 of 20).
This Week’s Game Schedule
Friday, Jan 23 – Suns @ Atlanta Hawks (5:30 pm) Sunday, Jan 25 – Suns vs Miami Heat (6:00 pm) Tuesday, Jan 27 – Suns vs Brooklyn Nets (7:00 pm)
This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule
Friday, Jan 23 – Valley Suns @ Texas Legends (7:30 pm) Sunday, Jan 25 – Valley Suns vs Austin Spurs (3:00 pm) NBA TV Tuesday, Jan 27 – Valley Suns vs Austin Spurs (8:00 pm) ESPN+
Important Future Dates
Feb. 5 – Trade deadline (3:00 pm ET) Feb. 13-15 – 2026 NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, CA March 1 – Playoff eligibility waiver deadline March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play) April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET) April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin
When the USC men's basketball team ran back into the locker room after pregame warmups, Alijah Arenas lingered on the court for a few more seconds to get some extra shots up before running back into the tunnel, smile on his face, to join his teammates.
The team came back out a few minutes later, and Arenas dapped up as many people sitting courtside at Galen Center as he could. "TV off" by Kendrick Lamar blared over the speakers as Arenas' name was announced over the PA.
The crowd roared and gave the freshman a long standing ovation moments before he made his collegiate debut for the Trojans, starting in a 74-68 loss to Northwestern on Wednesday, Jan. 21. And while he had his struggles, most of it was to be expected.
"When you do this long enough and you inject a super talented player, the results are not so shocking to me," head coach Eric Musselman said postgame. "When you put someone in and he goes three-for-15 from the field, that's a lot of shots in his minutes, but he can create his own shot. And you know, he should be a high school senior who reclassified, missed an entire summer, and then you're throwing him in the middle of Big Ten play so he doesn't have non-conference play and all that stuff, just based on injury.
"It's a difficult thing for any super talented player to go through."
Arenas scored eight points while shooting just 20% from the floor in 29 minutes, taking on a much bigger role than Musselman originally envisioned after Chad Baker-Mazara fouled out after playing just 13 minutes.
Just a few months ago, this night – just getting on the court – seemed far away for Arenas.
In the early morning hours on April 24, 2025, Arenas – son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas – was involved in a serious car accident that put him in a medically induced coma. His Tesla Cybertruck malfunctioned and lost control before striking a fire hydrant and a tree. Gilbert later recounted on the All the Smoke podcast that his son was trapped in the vehicle for 10 minutes, unable to break the car's bulletproof windows, as the engine caught fire.
Arenas had no major injuries from the crash and made a full recovery within a few days. Another setback for the incoming five-star came three months later however, when he tore his right meniscus in practice and required surgery. With an original recovery timeline of six-to-eight months, there was a real possibility that Arenas could have missed the entire 2025-26 season.
But here Arenas was, exactly six months later and just over a month after returning to full practices with the team, being thrown right into the fire.
Early in the first half, Arenas showed exactly why he was a highly coveted five-star recruit. Getting the ball in transition, the freshman took Max Green's ankles, sending the Northwestern guard diving onto the floor. Arenas slashed towards the hoop, took off and did a Jamal Murray-esque spin in mid-air to avoid Wildcats big man Arrinten Page for a layup on the second bucket of his college career to give USC a five-point lead.
Plays like that made it easy to see why the Galen Center crowd held its breath every time Arenas touched the ball, waiting for him to do something amazing.
It didn't always pay off – like towards the end of the first half when Arenas spun his way through the Northwestern defense into the paint and tried to lay it up, only for the ball to jam against the rim on its way up. Arenas still played like a freshman in his first game for the most part, but he didn't hesitate to let the ball fly.
"I've seen him play a lot in high school and marveled at his talent, size, athleticism, shot making ability," Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said. "I mean, he's going to be playing basketball for a long, long time. Anytime you come off with a late injury, there's going to be some rust. But ... he is a big time player. The more he plays, he's just going to keep getting better."
The Trojans entered the second half trailing by three after going ice cold offensively down the stretch in the first. They spent the rest of the night playing catch up. They came within one of the Wildcats twice in the final five minutes, but each time they were called for a foul on a made shot. Both times, Northwestern converted the and-one.
Jordan Marsh led the USC rally with a game-high 19 points, all of which came in the second half. Baker-Mazara had 14 points before fouling out. Jacob Cofie led the game in rebounds with 12.
At one point in the second half, Arenas was fouled and had to exit the game briefly due to what appeared to be bleeding from his left knee. He emerged from the tunnel minutes later with a sleeve over his knee and re-entered the game.
While Arenas' presence is certainly a positive for the Trojans, it wasn't enough to stop the team from continuing to flounder, losing for the fourth time in six games. With games against No. 2 Michigan, No. 10 Michigan State and No. 4 Purdue, this was expected to be a tough part of the schedule for USC. But faltering down the stretch against a Northwestern team that was winless in Big Ten play entering Wednesday was not in the cards.
"Extremely concerned," Musselman said. "Critical, critical loss tonight. Brutal."
The Trojans now find themselves at an impasse in the season, with five conference losses and over a month left to go in the season. Arenas showed flashes of what he can be in his debut, but there might be some growing pains to be expected along the way.
The Hornets shot 17% from three (1st percentile). Three-point defense can be difficult to diagnose on first watch. Well-defended shots can result in makes, and giving up uncontested threes can result in misses. There’s just a lot of variance there. The best defense is often done by limiting outside shots from the opponent’s best three-point shooters. The Cavs didn’t do that as Kon Knueppel (2-10 from three), Brandon Miller (3-11), and LaMelo Ball (0-10) all attempted more threes than their season-long averages. Based on that, this might have been a case of Cleveland benefiting from a horrendous shooting night from Charlotte.
Charlotte’s eight three-point makes were their fewest on the season. It was also their worst percentage as they went 8-47 (17%) from distance. Their lowest mark in a game up until this point was 25%. This was an uncharacteristically bad shooting night for a top-ten three-point shooting team.
The Cavs didn’t shoot much better as they went 8-40 (20%) from three (2nd percentile). This was also Cleveland’s worst shooting night of the season, and the second game in a row they only hit eight outside shots. This was the fifth time this season they’ve shot 25% or worse from three, and the first time they’ve won such a game.
This was the second game in a row the Cavs had just 34 field-goal makes. That ties their lowest total of field goals in a game.
Cleveland outscored Charlotte 25-17 on second-chance points. Both teams struggled to end defensive possessions with rebounds, but the Cavs did a better job of capitalizing on their second-chance opportunities. This was ultimately the difference in a game where both teams struggled offensively.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin provided a career-high seven offensive rebounds. His ability to create additional scoring opportunities for the Cavs has been incredibly helpful this season. Tomlin came into this game in the 95th percentile for offensive rebounding percentage. As a result, the Cavs as a team have grabbed 3.8% more of their missed shots from the field when Tomlin is on the court (86th percentile). This was the fourth time he’s had four or more offensive rebounds in a game.
Evan Mobley tied a season-high with 14 rebounds. This was the third time he’s reached that mark.
The Cavs had three players with multiple blocks: Mobley (3), Jarrett Allen (2), and Craig Porter Jr. (2).
This was the seventh time this season Porter has recorded two or more blocks in a game. Both rejections were on Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is exactly a foot taller than Porter.
Cleveland’s 18 fourth-quarter points were the first time they’ve been held under 20 points in the final frame. It’s also the fewest points they’ve had in any quarter in a win this season.
The Cavs tied a season-high with 21 turnovers. It was the second-straight game they committed 21 turnovers, and the fourth game in a row they had 16 or more.
Donovan Mitchell is responsible for a season-high eight of those turnovers.
Despite having eight more turnovers than Charlotte, the Cavs only lost the points off turnover battle by one point. The Cavs’ ability to create offense off the Hornets’ 12 giveaways went a long way in making sure they won this game.
This was the first time the Cavs have won this season when they’ve scored 105 points or less. Cleveland is now 1-7 in such games. This was the third time they’ve failed to reach the 100-point mark.
The Hornets were held to just 12 points in the second quarter. That ties the fewest points they’ve scored in a quarter all season.
Charlotte scored 26 fast-break points. They were in the 94th percentile for points scored in transition. Some of that is due to being able to run off of steals, but they also did a good job of getting into the open floor off defensive rebounds. This is an area the Cavs could’ve done a better job in defensively.
The Cavs’ half-court defensive rating of 59 is their best this season by a wide margin. Their previous best for a single game coming into this was 84.6.
