The Wolverines didn't even have their best stuff offensively, but they still flirted with another 100-point outing.
Knicks' Josh Hart doing light court work, to be reevaluated in one week
The Knicks will be shorthanded a bit longer.
The team announced following Friday's disappointing loss to the Atlanta Hawks that Josh Hart has begun doing some light court work, and he will be reevaluated in one week.
Hart, of course, has missed the last four games due to a sprained ankle suffered during the fourth quarter of the Christmas Day victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He did not travel with the team during their recent road trip and was still being evaluated.
Though Hart will be out a bit longer, it's a good sign that he's able to get back on the court in some capacity.
The veteran small forward was enjoying his best stretch of the season prior to the injury, averaging 14.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over his last 13 games.
New York has received nice boosts in his absence, but they could certainly use his high-energy all-around play.
Knicks lack offensive rhythm, defensive physicality in rough 111-99 loss to Hawks
The return home from a brutal New Year's Eve loss and the welcomed calendar flip to 2026 didn't solve recent struggles for the Knicks, as they struggled mightily to score and defend in a frustrating 111-99 loss to the Hawks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways...
-- As if the Knicks' depth needed to be tested further -- Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have missed the last four and three games, respectively, due to injury -- they entered Friday night with yet another impact player unavailable. Karl-Anthony Towns, initially listed as questionable with an illness, was downgraded to out prior to tip-off. The absence of Towns pushed Miles McBride into the starting five for a 10th time this season, and with Robinson also sidelined, Ariel Hukporti received his fourth start. The Knicks have now produced 10 different starting lineups over 34 games.
-- McBride quickly took advantage of his elevated role, draining a pair of threes that helped the Knicks climb out to an early 11-2 lead. While all five Knicks starters added points within the first four minutes of play, the Hawks gradually collected themselves, producing a sudden 14-3 run that knotted the score at 16-16 by the 7:33 mark. From there, both teams attacked with steady ball movement for lead changes, but an uptick in scoring from the Hawks placed them ahead by three, 33-30, after 12 minutes.
-- The Hawks opened the second quarter with six quick points that prompted the Knicks to burn a timeout, trailing by nine. After the break in action, Jordan Clarkson made a three to cut the Knicks' deficit back down to six, but their hole reached double digits with 2:40 left in the half, and then an imposing 15 with 1:16 to go. The combination of sluggish offense and weak defense in the paint made The Garden crowd restless. At the break, the Knicks trailed, 60-47, shooting just 5 of 24 from three with Jalen Brunson as the leading scorer (11). Not up to snuff, considering the team made a whopping 22 shots from beyond the arc in Wednesday's loss to the Spurs. Overall, the Knicks lacked a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor.
-- The deficit ballooned to 19 after just 90 seconds of third-quarter play, prompting the Knicks to call a timeout with some desperation for a spark. Shrewdly, the Hawks maintained control by directing all attention and physicality toward Brunson, the shorthanded Knicks' lone catalyst. By the 4:06 mark, the Knicks trailed by a season-worst 24 points, and efforts from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby with the ball were subpar -- they combined for 18 points on 5 of 17 shooting after three quarters. A smaller Knicks defense, struggling to win 50-50 balls, also had no answer for Hawks star Jalen Johnson, who needed just 28 minutes of court time to log a triple-double.
-- Better late than never, Bridges and Anunoby provided some much-needed energy early in the fourth quarter, orchestrating an 11-0 run that cut the Knicks' deficit from 24 to 13 with 8:54 left and forced a Hawks timeout. But the momentum shift was short-lived, as two threes from Luke Kennard on consecutive possessions bumped the margin back to 19. The Hawks continued to contest three attempts from the Knicks, with tremendous success. The trio of Brunson, Bridges, and Anunoby was held to a measly 5 of 27 shooting from deep -- live and die by the three, under Mike Brown's watch.
-- Brunson tried his best to withstand contact as the aggressor and facilitator, but his 24 points and five assists weren't nearly enough, based on how little his teammates offered and how much the Hawks caused fits. To the Knicks' credit, they didn't wave the white flag amid Brunson's frustrations -- they kept chipping away and cut their deficit to single digits, 108-99, with 1:29 remaining. If only the energy and efficiency levels were higher earlier. The Knicks had no choice but to foul the Hawks in the closing minute, wiping out the slimmest chance of a miraculous comeback.
-- While the Knicks anticipated more challenges with Towns, Hart, and Robinson in street clothes, one of the team's biggest villains wasn't even suited up to pose as a threat. Hawks star Trae Young, dealing with a quad injury, cheered from the bench all night, and his absence made the Knicks' woes far more bewildering. Overall, the team shot 39 percent from the floor and a season-low 20 percent (9 of 44) from three. Bridges and Anunoby produced a hollow 18 points and 19 points apiece, and a full seven-man bench rotation contributed only 19 points. Hukporti couldn't be criticized for his effort -- he logged season-high marks in rebounds (17), blocks (4), and minutes (28).
Game MVP: Jalen Johnson
The Garden crowd was disappointed to see a different scorer named Jalen take command. The fifth-year forward delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds across 38 minutes. Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also contributed 23 points apiece.
Highlights
Mikal 🤝 Ariel pic.twitter.com/sQa3XgAQP5
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026
Jalen Brunson hits the three! pic.twitter.com/c2WRQt7MtJ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026
OG steal and score 😤 pic.twitter.com/E27wCx0KPb
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026
Up next
The Knicks (23-11) will wrap up their weekend at The Garden on Saturday night, with a matchup against the division-rival 76ers (7:30 tip-off).
Shorthanded Nets fall to Wizards, 119-99, for third consecutive loss
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justin Champagnie scored a season-high 20 points and the Washington Wizards continued their recent improvement with a 119-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.
Alex Sarr added 19 points and CJ McCollum scored 17 for the Wizards, who still have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference (9-23) but have won four out of five for the first time since Feb. 8-16, 2023.
Washington won the rebounding battle 51-33 while holding Brooklyn to a season-low six 3-pointers in 29 attempts (20.7%).
Day’Ron Sharpe, Terance Mann, Ziaire Williams and Drake Powell all had 14 points for Brooklyn (10-22), which has lost three straight following a three-game winning streak.
Washington had a 19-2 advantage in points off turnovers before halftime, and used an 18-4 run that stretched across the first and second quarters to build its lead to 18.
Champagnie’s 3-pointer as the first-quarter buzzer sounded made it 37-24. Will Riley added to the lead with a layup to open the second quarter, then fed AJ Johnson for a 3 a couple possessions later that stretched it to 44-26.
Brooklyn got within nine later in the second and third quarters before Washington stretched its lead to 23 by the end of the third and 28 early in the fourth.
Up next
Nets: Start a three-game homestand Sunday against Denver.
Wizards: Play their second of three at home Sunday against Minnesota.
Michigan basketball storms back into Big Ten play, rolls over USC
Michigan basketball score: The Wolverines showed new football coach Kyle Whittingham how to dominate, destroying USC on Friday at Crisler Center.
Why Warriors' choice to tank without achy stars vs. Thunder was logical decision
Why Warriors' choice to tank without achy stars vs. Thunder was logical decision originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – With Draymond Green and De’Anthony Melton given one-game recesses, Jimmy Butler III calling in sick and Stephen Curry showing up but not suiting up, the Warriors were doomed against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Golden State’s 134-94 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday night was preordained, as any NBA team’s B squad would feel the shoe soles of the best team in the league.
The Warriors tanked this game. Not for draft positioning but for a better future.
And even though the sellout crowd at Chase Center (18,064) began streaming toward the exits early in the fourth quarter, with the Warriors trailing by 37, it was a logical decision.
Scanning their achy roster and their upcoming schedule, coach Steve Kerr and the team’s medical and training staffs opted for prudency. This was not an NBA playoff game and would not have any impact on one. So, rather than dance with risk, they chose to sacrifice a slim chance of beating OKC in hopes it would benefit the 47 games still on the schedule.
Curry was sitting because tweaked his left ankle, and any aggravation could jeopardize several weeks. Butler was on the afternoon injury report with an undisclosed illness. Green (rest) and Melton (surgery management) were scheduled to sit.
“With Draymond, that was easy,” coach Steve Kerr said two hours before tipoff. “We’re in the midst of this five [games] in seven days. At his age, coming off a trip, with three [game] in four [nights], starting tonight, it’s an easy one for us to rest Draymond tonight.
“Jimmy, we didn’t plan to. He got sick this morning, and he won’t even be coming to the game tonight. So, hopefully he gets better quickly.”
Coming off back-to-back road games on Tuesday (Brooklyn) and Wednesday (Charlotte), the Warriors on Saturday night face the Utah Jazz at Chase Center, then travel to Los Angeles on Sunday to face the Clippers on Monday night.
“The schedule is what it is,” Kerr said. “When you have an older team, you have to navigate it as best you can. We’re trying to do that.”
That, folks, is the essence of the issue. The front office assembled a roster with a core that is NBA old. Green is 35, Butler 36 and Curry 37. Al Horford, who has missed 18 of Golden State’s 35 games but played 16 minutes on Friday, is 39.
This season is, and always has been, about navigating the schedule, managing bodies, therapeutic massages – and hoping that the rest of the team showed well when the vets were unavailable.
That was the case last Dec. 6, when Golden State’s B squad beat the Cavaliers in Cleveland, but it was demolished by the Thunder.
Asked if there was anything of value, Kerr was quick with a reply.
“Not a whole lot to take from it,” he said.
“You got to forget about it,” Will Richard said.
“That was disgusting,” Trayce Jackson-Davis said. “It’s in the toilet and already flushed.”
This night was about opportunities. Would Brandin Podziemski continue his stellar recent play? He did not, scoring 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field, including 1 of 4 from distance.
This was a chance for starting center Quinten Post, the team’s designated stretch-5, to move past his 27-percent shooting over the previous seven games. Nope. He was he was 1 of 6 against OKC.
This was an opportunity for Buddy Hield, whose 32-percent shooting from deep kicked him out of the rotation, to perhaps rediscover the shot that determines his value. He took nine shots beyond the arc, making three.
Podziemski and Post are in the rotation. And Hield at some point might be needed, if only because he addresses Kerr’s spacing fetish. All three are part of the supporting cast that will be needed for the Warriors to exploit a schedule that now swings in their favor.
Nine of their next 10 games, and 15 of their next 22, are at Chase. The Warriors don’t leave California until Jan. 22 and don’t fly east of the Mississippi River until after the Feb. 14-19 NBA All-Star break.
“It is a big opportunity,” Kerr said. “The schedule kind of swings back our way this next month, after a difficult first 20 games or so. It feels like we’re playing better. We’re playing more consistently, and with this next month’s schedule time at home, we’d love to keep our momentum going and build on this a little bit.”
Golden State still has a long-range goal, which enters 2026 invisible to the naked eye. It will stay that way unless the navigation, management and therapy works wonders.
What we learned as short-handed Warriors suffer blowout loss at home vs. Thunder
What we learned as short-handed Warriors suffer blowout loss at home vs. Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Starting the new year against the Oklahoma City Thunder already was a tall task. Then came a never-ending Warriors injury report.
The Warriors were about as short-handed as it gets for their first game of 2026 against defending champions. Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all were ruled out early in the day, as well as De’Anthony Melton. Jonathan Kuminga was a late addition two hours before tipoff and wasn’t able to go because of lower back soreness.
Exactly one month to the date, the Warriors last played the Thunder and were without Curry but still fought for all four quarters in what wound up being a 12-point loss. The talent gap was far too wide for the Warriors to make it a competitive game one month later in a 37-point blowout loss, 131-94, Friday night at Chase Center.
Dub Nation was teased during the second quarter when the Warriors got within two points of the Thunder, 38-36, just for OKC to lock in and reel off a 19-0 run.
Missing so much firepower, the Warriors shot 35.6 percent from the field and 29.5 percent on threes. They were below 30 percent shooting for the majority of the game.
Scoring was spread out to the Warriors having six players score in double figures, though nobody had more than the 13 points scored by Al Horford, Moses Moody and Will Richard.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors falling to 18-17 with a loss to open 2026.
Makeshift Starting Five
Steve Kerr finally built some continuity with his starting lineup after picking names out of a hat for nearly the first two months of the season. The Warriors used the same starting lineup in each of the last seven games, going 5-2 in that span. Injuries, rest and an illness didn’t allow the streak to reach eight games.
Only two players from the Warriors’ recent starting lineup were available to play: Moody and Quinten Post. They were joined by Brandin Podziemski, Richard and Gui Santos. The Warriors, going into their 35th game of the 2025-26 NBA season, had used 431 five-man lineups, and this group wasn’t one of them.
The Warriors were down by six when Kerr made his first substitution, and the starting five was a minus-5 together going into halftime. They were outscored 8-7 in the third quarter when Kerr first turned to his bench. Shooting could not match their spirit.
Overall, the starting five played 10 minutes and 41 seconds together and were outscored 22-15. With all five starters on the floor, the group went 3 of 13 on 2-pointers and 2 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Spotlight Goes To Podz
Without any of the Warriors’ Big Three of Curry, Butler and Green available, the featured face for them became Podziemski. The third-year pro often is under a microscope and heavily scrutinized from outside noise. Lately, he has let his game do all the talking.
Podziemski in December averaged 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists over 13 games while shooting 51.7 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent at the free-throw line. He looked to be on his way to that kind of production in the first quarter, scoring four points, grabbing three rebounds and even blocking a shot.
Though his stat line was similar in the second quarter, Podziemski was starting to get caught in the trap of the Thunder’s defense and he missed all three of his 3-point attempts. If this were a game Podziemski wanted to prove he can be the go-to guy without star power around him, he came up far short of doing so.
His fourth 3-point attempt of the night went through the nets, but it cut the Warriors’ deficit to … 29 points. Podziemski watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench, ending his night with 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting and 1 of 4 on threes, with four rebounds and four assists.
The Rookie Was Ready
After closing the previous three games, Richard was back in the starting lineup for the first time since Dec. 7. Richard also started against the Thunder last month and only scored five points with little to show in 25 minutes. His third game and second start against the Thunder was a different story – at least at first it was.
Richard easily was the Warriors’ best player in the first half despite them trailing by 19 points. He scored 13 points through the first two quarters, which was one off the 14 total he scored in his first two games against the Thunder.
The rookie right away showcased his two-way impact, especially with a crowd-pleasing steal and dunk in the second quarter. As the Warriors’ offense struggled for long stretches, Richard scored 10 of their 20 points in the second quarter.
Even when Richard was missing shots, his smarts still stood out as an active defender and constant cutter offensively. But his second half was one to forget. Richard, after a 13-point first half, was scoreless in the final two quarters on 0-of-5 shooting as a minus-16.
Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud leaves game vs. Suns with apparent knee injury
Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud leaves game vs. Suns with apparent knee injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings had to deal with injury on top of insult in their 129-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday at Mortgage Matchup Center, when rookie Maxime Raynaud went down and had to be helped to the locker room in the fourth quarter.
The young center, who has been starting in place of injured big man Domantas Sabonis, appeared to sustain a left knee injury with 4:19 left in the game. Raynaud fell to the ground clutching his knee after he was clipped on the ankle by a driving Russell Westbrook.
Raynaud has started every game since Dec. 6, averaging 14.6 points on 56.5-percent shooting with 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 11 contests during that span.
“He’s smiling, so that’s always good,” Kings coach Doug Christie told reporters of Raynaud after the game, though he didn’t have an immediate update on the rookie’s injury. “Always fingers crossed for young players. He plays so hard and he plays with his heart, and when you see stuff like that it just doesn’t necessarily sit well with you. But got my fingers crossed.”
The Kings selected Raynaud out of Stanford at No. 42 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. On the 2025-26 NBA season, the 7-foot-1, 22-year-old is averaging 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 26 games.
Knicks' Jalen Brunson named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December
While the Knicks are hellbent on reaching greater heights in 2026, their captain wrapped up 2025 with yet another accolade bestowed on him by the NBA.
December was chock-full of dominance from superstar Jalen Brunson, who took home Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors on Friday. He's now a three-time recipient with the Knicks, embarking on a new calendar year with a record of 23-10, the fourth-best mark in the league.
Brunson naturally served as the Knicks' holiday season catalyst, averaging a laudable 30.6 points and 7.1 assists with a 40.5 shooting percentage from three across 14 games in December.
His knack for scoring and facilitating helped the Knicks win 10 of 14 games during the month, and following a 25-point performance in their win over the Spurs in the NBA Cup final, he received MVP honors for the in-season tournament.
So far this season, Brunson is averaging a career-high 29.4 points with 6.6 assists (30 games). The veteran All-Star has also been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice.
NBA Minutes Report: Injuries to Nikola Jokic, Austin Reaves, more have changed landscape
Welcome to the Fantasy Basketball Minutes Report. Every week, I will review each team's updated minutes per game to see which players are seeing the court more or less than in previous weeks. With this information in hand, I'll try to discuss any relevant fantasy risers or fallers; players who we should be adding off waivers or removing from our teams.
The charts below are also great for exploring on your own. You can track the minutes over the last three, five, and ten games, and for the entire season, to see which trends stand out to you.
All of this data was made accessible by Kyle Bland, who is incredibly talented and also extremely generous. Be sure to follow him to check out all of his baseball data as well.
Over the last week, Jokić and Kawhi recorded stat lines that have rarely been seen in NBA history.
Raphielle JohnsonAtlanta Hawks
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Jalen Johnson | 34.6 | 36.5 | 35.6 |
| Dyson Daniels | 34 | 34.4 | 34 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 33.7 | 33.4 | 32.7 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | 32.8 | 33.8 | 34 |
| Trae Young | 31.4 | 31.5 | 28.2 |
| Vít Krejčí | 28 | 26.8 | 24.9 |
| Zaccharie Risacher | 23.4 | 22.3 | 23.5 |
| Luke Kennard | 20.8 | 20.8 | 19 |
| Kristaps Porziņģis | 17.3 | 17.3 | 17.3 |
Kristaps Porziņģis returned on Wednesday after missing 10 games with an illness. The Hawks will take the time to ramp him up, and he will eventually cut into minutes for Vít Krejčí and others. I also wrote an article this week on why the Hawks have been better without Trae Young, but why it's unlikely that they'll be able to trade him for much.
Boston Celtics
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Payton Pritchard | 36.9 | 36.1 | 34.2 |
| Derrick White | 36.4 | 35.3 | 34.6 |
| Jaylen Brown | 34.2 | 34 | 34.7 |
| Neemias Queta | 26.3 | 24.9 | 26.9 |
| Anfernee Simons | 22.6 | 22.3 | 22.8 |
| Hugo González | 20 | 24.9 | 19.7 |
| Luka Garza | 18.7 | 21.3 | 18.1 |
| Sam Hauser | 17.9 | 20.2 | 20.3 |
The Celtics have been relatively healthy for the last few weeks, and we've seen very little change in their minutes allotment.
Brooklyn Nets
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 34.3 | 34.5 | 33.4 |
| Nic Claxton | 31.2 | 31.2 | 31 |
| Egor Dëmin | 31 | 30.3 | 26.5 |
| Noah Clowney | 29 | 29.3 | 29.9 |
| Terance Mann | 27.3 | 27.7 | 25.6 |
| Danny Wolf | 19.5 | 19.4 | 21.9 |
| Cam Thomas | 19.3 | 19.3 | 19.3 |
| Ziaire Williams | 18 | 16.9 | 20.7 |
| Ben Saraf | — | — | 19.6 |
The Nets are currently dealing with injuries to Egor Dëmin and Terance Mann, and Ben Saraf has been sent to the G-League, so the rotation could be shaken up a bit this week. However, they did get Cam Thomas back for the last two games, so we should see his minutes tick up a bit over the next few games (if he can play better defense). He could also take over the lead if/when Michael Porter Jr. is traded.
Charlotte Hornets
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Brandon Miller | 36.7 | 33.4 | 33.5 |
| Moussa Diabaté | 31.8 | 31.9 | 25.4 |
| LaMelo Ball | 29.3 | 27.4 | 27.1 |
| Sion James | 25 | 23.9 | 25.1 |
| Kon Knueppel | 23.8 | 26.7 | 32.2 |
| Tidjane Salaün | 22.2 | 21.9 | 19 |
| Collin Sexton | 21.7 | 20.3 | 20.3 |
| Miles Bridges | 21 | 26.3 | 30.9 |
| Josh Green | 17.1 | 16.4 | 15.5 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | — | — | 25.5 |
Miles Bridges suffered an ankle injury this week, and while it might not be a serious one, I covered the fallout from that in a video this week. I also discussed the injury to Ryan Kalkbrenner and how it has led to an emergence for Moussa Diabaté.
Chicago Bulls
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Nikola Vučević | 29.7 | 29.7 | 29.3 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 25.9 | 23.5 | 21.2 |
| Kevin Huerter | 25 | 24.9 | 24 |
| Isaac Okoro | 25 | 23 | 23.4 |
| Jalen Smith | 24.7 | 21.7 | 18.2 |
| Matas Buzelis | 24.5 | 22.3 | 24.3 |
| Zach Collins | 24.4 | 20.5 | 18 |
| Tre Jones | 23.4 | 23.6 | 23.7 |
| Josh Giddey | 22 | 28.2 | 29.6 |
| Coby White | 17.7 | 23.9 | 27.2 |
In a week full of injuries, the Bulls suffered two big ones with both Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Coby White (calf) getting hurt on Monday.I discussed all the repercussions in a video this week.
Cleveland Cavaliers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Darius Garland | 28.3 | 29.9 | 31.8 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 27.5 | 25.4 | 27.2 |
| Evan Mobley | 25.8 | 25.7 | 27.8 |
| Sam Merrill | 24.7 | 25.8 | 25.8 |
| Jarrett Allen | 24.1 | 24.3 | 24.6 |
| De'Andre Hunter | 22.2 | 23.9 | 25.4 |
| Dean Wade | 21.8 | 24 | 25.2 |
| Craig Porter Jr. | 20.3 | 20.8 | 14.9 |
De'Andre Hunter is battling an illness, but his minutes have dipped a bit anyway with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen both active. There's a chance the Cavs could get Max Strus back in the next two weeks, which would be a big boost for them.
Dallas Mavericks
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Cooper Flagg | 35.2 | 36.1 | 36.9 |
| P.J. Washington | 32.4 | 31.4 | 32.5 |
| Max Christie | 30.7 | 30.7 | 26.2 |
| Brandon Williams | 30.2 | 22.5 | 24 |
| Naji Marshall | 27.8 | 28.8 | 30.8 |
| Klay Thompson | 23.6 | 25.4 | 22.5 |
| Daniel Gafford | 21.3 | 19.1 | 17.2 |
| Dwight Powell | 18.5 | 18.5 | 18.7 |
| Ryan Nembhard | 16.9 | 21.6 | 23.8 |
The Mavericks aren't really a healthy team, but they have been healthy over the last few weeks, so we've seen their rotation stabilize. Brandon Williams is back to being the main point guard, with De'Angelo Russell and Ryan Nembhard splitting back-up minutes. That kills the fantasy value for the latter two.
Denver Nuggets
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Jamal Murray | 36.3 | 37.7 | 35.5 |
| Spencer Jones | 35.1 | 34.5 | 30.2 |
| Peyton Watson | 34.1 | 33.8 | 28.2 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 30.4 | 32.3 | 30.8 |
| Nikola Jokić | 28.7 | 34.1 | 33.7 |
| Bruce Brown | 26 | 26.5 | 27.5 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 16.3 | 14.7 | 15.1 |
| Julian Strawther | 15.5 | 13.8 | 11 |
| DaRon Holmes II | 15 | 15 | 15 |
The Nuggets got good news (kinda) on Tuesday when it was revealed that Nikola Jokić will only miss a month with a knee injury. That's obviously a long time, and made doubly disruptive by the fact that his fill-in, Jonas Valančiūnas, said he felt a pop in his calf this week. That would leave the Nuggets without any real center and also without other starters like Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, and Christian Braun. These could be a bleak couple of weeks for Denver. My colleague, Kurt Helin, wrote an article about the entire fallout.
Detroit Pistons
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Cade Cunningham | 34 | 33.3 | 33.7 |
| Jalen Duren | 26.8 | 27.3 | 28.2 |
| Duncan Robinson | 26.7 | 28.5 | 25.1 |
| Marcus Sasser | 24.1 | 24.1 | 8.6 |
| Isaiah Stewart | 22.5 | 21.9 | 23.4 |
| Javonte Green | 21.4 | 21.2 | 19 |
| Ausar Thompson | 20.4 | 24.9 | 23.1 |
| Jaden Ivey | 20 | 18.5 | 17.6 |
| Ronald Holland II | 18.9 | 18.9 | 19.6 |
| Tobias Harris | 18.2 | 23.4 | 23.9 |
Tobias Harris (hip) and Caris LeVert (knee) are both dealing with injuries, and while they aren't considered long-term injuries, they have shifted the minutes usage a bit, especially for Marcus Sasser, who used the Harris injury and mediocre production from Ausar Thompson to sneak into a larger role.
Golden State Warriors
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Stephen Curry | 34.3 | 33.4 | 33.7 |
| Jimmy Butler III | 33.2 | 32.2 | 33 |
| Draymond Green | 28.8 | 26.3 | 25 |
| Will Richard | 25 | 20.1 | 20.6 |
| Brandin Podziemski | 23.8 | 25.4 | 26.9 |
| De'Anthony Melton | 23.2 | 21.5 | 19.2 |
| Moses Moody | 19.9 | 24.5 | 23.6 |
| Al Horford | 15 | 13.8 | 13.8 |
| Buddy Hield | 12.6 | 9.5 | 13.7 |
| Quinten Post | 12.4 | 15.2 | 20.8 |
The Warriors are relatively healthy, except that Seth Curry is yet another player out with sciatica (what is going on?) Quinnen Post has seen his minutes start to dry up with De'Anthony Melton and Will Richard playing more in smaller lineups.
Houston Rockets
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Amen Thompson | 34.2 | 36.5 | 37.9 |
| Kevin Durant | 31.9 | 34.5 | 36.7 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 31.9 | 32.8 | 36.8 |
| Alperen Sengun | 31.2 | 33.4 | 35 |
| Tari Eason | 25.3 | 21.9 | 21.9 |
| Reed Sheppard | 25.2 | 27.1 | 27 |
| Steven Adams | 23.3 | 21 | 21.3 |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | 15.2 | 15.2 | 15.2 |
| Josh Okogie | 12 | 16.3 | 21.2 |
The Rockets got Dorian Finney-Smith back and continued to play Tari Eason more minutes, which has led to a much smaller role for Josh Okogie. Alperen Sengun is also battling a calf injury, and Steven Adams is dealing with an ankle injury, so we'll see if those linger at all.
Indiana Pacers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Pascal Siakam | 32.9 | 32.1 | 32.9 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 32.5 | 32.2 | 32.5 |
| Andrew Nembhard | 31.4 | 31.4 | 32.2 |
| Aaron Nesmith | 24.8 | 24.8 | 24.8 |
| Jarace Walker | 20.6 | 19.4 | 18.9 |
| Ben Sheppard | 18.6 | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Jay Huff | 17 | 18.6 | 21 |
| T.J. McConnell | 16.7 | 17.1 | 17.1 |
Isaiah Jackson is dealing with a concussion, but other than that, this Pacers rotation has been pretty consistent for the last few weeks.
The Pacers, Lakers and Thunder are among the teams with lengthy injury reports at the halfway point of Week 2.
Los Angeles Clippers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 37.4 | 38.2 | 36.7 |
| James Harden | 36.3 | 36.9 | 36.8 |
| Brook Lopez | 30.6 | 28.8 | 22.8 |
| Kris Dunn | 28.3 | 28.4 | 28.3 |
| Nicolas Batum | 26.8 | 25.1 | 24.6 |
| John Collins | 20.4 | 25.5 | 26 |
| Kobe Sanders | 19.3 | 17.7 | 18.3 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 19.1 | 19.1 | 19.1 |
The Clippers weirdly went on a nice run after Ivica Zubac got hurt. A lot of that has to do with the recent production from Kawhi Leonard, which I covered in a video this week, but getting Derrick Jones Jr. back has also been a nice boost. The minutes decrease for John Collins can just be chalked up to a recent illness.
Los Angeles Lakers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Luka Dončić | 34.1 | 30.5 | 34.9 |
| LeBron James | 31 | 31.3 | 32.9 |
| Deandre Ayton | 30.7 | 29.9 | 29.3 |
| Jake LaRavia | 28.9 | 30.6 | 24.9 |
| Rui Hachimura | 27 | 27 | 30.6 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 25.4 | 24.6 | 20.8 |
| Marcus Smart | 24.9 | 27 | 27.8 |
| Nick Smith Jr. | 20.6 | 22.8 | 20 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 18.1 | 18.1 | 17 |
| Austin Reaves | 14.8 | 18.3 | 29.8 |
Austin Reaves is hurt again, which means the Lakers have gone back to using Jake LaRavia for major minutes. Rui Hachimura is also dealing with a calf injury, which is why Jarred Vanderbilt has seen his minutes tick up.
Memphis Grizzlies
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 34.1 | 32.8 | 31.3 |
| Santi Aldama | 33.9 | 32.2 | 32.6 |
| Jaylen Wells | 29.6 | 30.6 | 30.4 |
| Ja Morant | 29.1 | 29.1 | 26.7 |
| Cedric Coward | 28.1 | 27.3 | 27.2 |
| Christian Koloko | 24.5 | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Cam Spencer | 23.6 | 27.6 | 29.1 |
| GG Jackson | 22 | 21.6 | 21.6 |
| Jock Landale | 18.3 | 21.6 | 24.3 |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 16.4 | 18.3 | 21.5 |
| Zach Edey | — | — | 21.9 |
With Brandon Clarke and Zach Edey still out, GG Jackson has emerged as a consistent part of the rotation. Injuries to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (hamstring) and Vince Williams Jr. have also opened up more minutes for Cedric Coward again, and the Grizzlies are even trying to experiment with Christian Koloko as a starting frontcourt player. It hasn't worked great.
Miami Heat
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 31.4 | 30.3 | 30.9 |
| Norman Powell | 29.7 | 31.9 | 32.1 |
| Kel'el Ware | 28.3 | 28.1 | 26 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 28 | 30.7 | 30.8 |
| Davion Mitchell | 26.7 | 27.7 | 29.7 |
| Pelle Larsson | 24.2 | 24.2 | 20.8 |
| Nikola Jović | 23.9 | 23.9 | 20.5 |
| Bam Adebayo | 21.2 | 29.6 | 31.1 |
| Tyler Herro | — | — | 34.5 |
Tyler Herro continues to miss time, and now Pelle Larsson is out with an ankle injury. That has led to more minutes for Nikola Jović, who had a decent outing earlier this week. Bam Adebayo also missed two games with a back injury, but he was back for 21 minutes on Monday, so he should begin to ramp back up to his usual workload.
Milwaukee Bucks
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 38.6 | 37.4 | 36.3 |
| Ryan Rollins | 35.1 | 32.3 | 28.3 |
| Myles Turner | 29.8 | 29 | 29.1 |
| AJ Green | 29.5 | 29.9 | 28.2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 26.1 | 26.1 | 26.1 |
| Kyle Kuzma | 23.3 | 26.8 | 28.2 |
| Bobby Portis | 22.6 | 26.9 | 27.6 |
| Gary Trent Jr. | 17.7 | 13.5 | 21.7 |
| Gary Harris | 16.9 | 16.7 | 16.7 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned this week, and I talked about the fallout to the rotation in a video this week.
Minnesota Timberwolves
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Anthony Edwards | 33.4 | 35.9 | 36.7 |
| Julius Randle | 31.2 | 33.2 | 33.7 |
| Rudy Gobert | 29.8 | 32.2 | 32.4 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 27.9 | 30 | 32.3 |
| Naz Reid | 26 | 26.2 | 28.6 |
| Jaden McDaniels | 25.9 | 29.3 | 30.3 |
| Jaylen Clark | 16.4 | 13.7 | 13.2 |
| Mike Conley | 16.1 | 17.9 | 19.1 |
| Bones Hyland | 13.8 | 17.9 | 19.8 |
Minnesota has a pretty consolidated six-man rotation, and little has changed. Bones Hyland, Mike Conley, and Jaylen Clark hover on the periphery as the rest of the rotation, but none of them play enough minutes to matter for fantasy leagues.
New Orleans Pelicans
| Trey Murphy III | 36.3 | 34.3 | 34.6 |
| Saddiq Bey | 34.3 | 32 | 31.2 |
| Zion Williamson | 29.1 | 27.2 | 25.9 |
| Derik Queen | 26.9 | 25.1 | 28.2 |
| Jeremiah Fears | 26.1 | 24.4 | 24.2 |
| Bryce McGowens | 23.6 | 25.5 | 20.9 |
| Jordan Poole | 21.9 | 24.1 | 25.8 |
| Kevon Looney | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Yves Missi | 19.3 | 17.7 | 13.6 |
Herbert Jones is battling an ankle injury that has kept him off the court and led to a brief boost in minutes for Bryce McGowen; however, that has not lasted. Kevin Looney has also returned this week and has played solid minutes off the bench behind Derik Queen. This team is really Queen, Trey Murphy III, and Zion Williamson, when he's healthy, with some solid production from Saddiq Bey sprinkled in at times throughout a given week.
New York Knicks
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| OG Anunoby | 36.5 | 35.6 | 35.3 |
| Jalen Brunson | 36.3 | 37 | 37.3 |
| Mikal Bridges | 35.4 | 36 | 37.3 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 31.1 | 31 | 31.9 |
| Miles McBride | 22.2 | 22.2 | 22.2 |
| Jordan Clarkson | 19.6 | 23.5 | 22 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 18.2 | 20.3 | 20.4 |
| Tyler Kolek | 15.3 | 20.4 | 18.9 |
| Kevin McCullar Jr. | 13.6 | 11.3 | 7.8 |
| Mohamed Diawara | 13.3 | 10.7 | 9 |
| Josh Hart | — | 34.4 | 33.9 |
The Knicks welcomed Deuce McBride back from his ankle injury, but now Josh Hart is out. We've also reached a point in the season where the Knicks are playing so many games in a short period of time that head coach Mike Brown has really extended the rotation to include plenty of young guys like Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Mohamed Diawara. It won't last, but they've looked solid.
Oklahoma City Thunder
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 31.2 | 33 | 33 |
| Jalen Williams | 30.2 | 30.2 | 30.1 |
| Cason Wallace | 28.6 | 26.5 | 26.3 |
| Chet Holmgren | 28.2 | 28.5 | 28.1 |
| Luguentz Dort | 23.5 | 25.1 | 24.6 |
| Ajay Mitchell | 22.2 | 22.2 | 22.9 |
| Isaiah Hartenstein | 19.7 | 22.9 | 23.3 |
| Aaron Wiggins | 18.8 | 16.3 | 17.3 |
| Alex Caruso | 16.1 | 17.4 | 18 |
Things have remained pretty consistent for the Thunder over the last two weeks, but that also means that Isaiah Hartenstein is in a much smaller role than we saw earlier in the season when Jaylin Williams was out. However, he has also been battling a calf strain, so there's a chance the Thunder are keeping his minutes in the low-to-mid twenties to manage that as well.
Orlando Magic
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Paolo Banchero | 36.3 | 35.3 | 35.9 |
| Desmond Bane | 33.8 | 33.9 | 35.4 |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 32.8 | 31.5 | 31.9 |
| Anthony Black | 31.1 | 32.5 | 34 |
| Jalen Suggs | 25.4 | 25.4 | 28.6 |
| Tyus Jones | 24.8 | 25.8 | 21.9 |
| Tristan da Silva | 23.9 | 23.4 | 22.2 |
| Goga Bitadze | 17.4 | 17.4 | 16.3 |
Jalen Suggs returned this week from his hip injury, and while he still isn’t built up to a full workload, it’s nice to see him back on the court. The Magic can use his ball-handling, and his return would likely mean a hit in usage for Desmond Bane and Anthony Black, even though Black will likely remain in the starting lineup and maintain fantasy value. Tyus Jones will also see a big decrease in minutes.
Philadelphia 76ers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 40 | 40 | 39.2 |
| VJ Edgecombe | 36 | 35.7 | 35.7 |
| Joel Embiid | 35.1 | 33.9 | 32.4 |
| Paul George | 34.3 | 34 | 33.1 |
| Quentin Grimes | 28.6 | 27.6 | 29.3 |
| Dominick Barlow | 25.6 | 26.8 | 25.7 |
| Adem Bona | 20.5 | 21 | 20.5 |
| Jared McCain | 17.6 | 24.5 | 21.1 |
The 76ers are healthy, and, for now, that means limited minutes for Adem Bona and Jared McCain. We know Bona will be relevant whenever Joel Embiid misses time, but it seems that the strong play from Quentin Grimes has really capped McCain’s value right now. Kelly Oubre Jr. could also return next week, so we'll need to keep an eye on how that changes the dynamic in Philly.
Phoenix Suns
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Devin Booker | 34.1 | 33.2 | 33 |
| Dillon Brooks | 33.4 | 31.4 | 30.3 |
| Royce O'Neale | 30.9 | 28.2 | 28.5 |
| Collin Gillespie | 29.1 | 30.1 | 31.4 |
| Oso Ighodaro | 26.4 | 24.1 | 23.3 |
| Jordan Goodwin | 24.4 | 22.9 | 23.3 |
| Ryan Dunn | 19.4 | 23 | 20.5 |
| Mark Williams | 17.2 | 20.7 | 21.8 |
Grayson Allen remains out with a knee injury, so Collin Gillespie has remained incredibly valuable to the Suns. With Jalen Green expected back in the second week of January, it will be interesting to see what that does to Gillespie’s role, but he has been a top-40 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks, so he needs to be relied on until the Suns show us otherwise.
Portland Trail Blazers
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Deni Avdija | 36.6 | 37.1 | 37.1 |
| Toumani Camara | 31.3 | 34.6 | 32.7 |
| Shaedon Sharpe | 31.1 | 30.4 | 31.6 |
| Caleb Love | 31.1 | 30.4 | 22.2 |
| Kris Murray | 28.1 | 28.5 | 27.9 |
| Donovan Clingan | 26.6 | 27.7 | 28.8 |
| Sidy Cissoko | 23.8 | 20.6 | 24.2 |
| Robert Williams III | 18 | 18.5 | 17.8 |
| Jerami Grant | — | — | 35.2 |
I admit that I thought this team would be better. Yes, Jrue Holiday is still out, and Jerami Grant has missed the last seven games with an Achilles injury, but the younger players haven’t taken the leap I thought they would. Scoot Henderson and Holiday are both doing on-court basketball activities, so it’s possible that both could be on the court within the next two weeks. That would take away almost all of the playing time for Caleb Love, and Grant’s return would move Kris Murray back into a smaller role.
Sacramento Kings
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 32.2 | 31.3 | 31 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 29.7 | 34.2 | 33.7 |
| Keegan Murray | 29.6 | 32.3 | 35.4 |
| Nique Clifford | 26 | 26 | 23.5 |
| Keon Ellis | 24.7 | 17.4 | 19.6 |
| Russell Westbrook | 24.4 | 28.2 | 30.2 |
| Dylan Cardwell | 22.3 | 23 | 21.5 |
| Dennis Schröder | 21.5 | 23.4 | 24.4 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 20.7 | 21.4 | 18.8 |
I never thought we’d see Maxime Raynaud lead the Kings in minutes this season, but here we are. With Zach LaVine (ankle) banged up and Russell Westbrook having his minutes dialed back from early-season highs, we also got to see Keon Ellis play more minutes and rookie Nique Clifford get more run. Frankly, that should have been the case all along, but I’m hesitant to believe the Kings keep this up when they’re healthy.
San Antonio Spurs
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 35 | 34.1 | 31.6 |
| Devin Vassell | 32.4 | 31.6 | 30.4 |
| Stephon Castle | 31.5 | 30.8 | 29.5 |
| Julian Champagnie | 28.7 | 25.7 | 24.6 |
| Victor Wembanyama | 26.2 | 25.5 | 23.2 |
| Harrison Barnes | 25.2 | 26.3 | 25.7 |
| Keldon Johnson | 24.5 | 22.6 | 21 |
| Luke Kornet | 22.1 | 22.7 | 24 |
| Dylan Harper | 20.1 | 20.2 | 20.5 |
The Spurs seemed to survive a big-time scare when Victor Wembanyama went down with a knee injury in the New Year’s Eve game against the Knicks. Sadly, given his frame, I’m not sure we’ll ever really see him consistently play 70+ minutes a game. The Spurs also lost Devin Vassell to an oblique injury, but it is reportedly expected to only last a couple of games. Dylan Harper should get more run as long as Vassell is out.
Toronto Raptors
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Scottie Barnes | 37.5 | 35.5 | 35 |
| Brandon Ingram | 36.6 | 34.5 | 35.3 |
| Immanuel Quickley | 32.3 | 33 | 32.4 |
| Ja'Kobe Walter | 26.7 | 23.6 | 20.6 |
| Jamal Shead | 26.3 | 23.4 | 24.2 |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | 25.5 | 25.2 | 21.3 |
| RJ Barrett | 24.1 | 24.1 | 24.1 |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 19.1 | 23.5 | 23.7 |
RJ Barrett returned this week, and Scottie Barnes had a record-breaking game mixed in. I covered it all in a video this week.
Utah Jazz
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| Lauri Markkanen | 37 | 36.8 | 37.1 |
| Keyonte George | 36.2 | 35.3 | 36 |
| Brice Sensabaugh | 35.3 | 28.7 | 23.1 |
| Jusuf Nurkić | 30.6 | 31.6 | 28.3 |
| Isaiah Collier | 22.9 | 23.8 | 23.6 |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | 17.7 | 18 | 22.1 |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | 17.3 | 16.7 | 15.6 |
| Cody Williams | 16.4 | 12.4 | 13.3 |
| Kevin Love | 16.2 | 22.4 | 21.6 |
| Kyle Filipowski | 15.6 | 18.8 | 23.5 |
The Jazz had been playing too well, so Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and Jusuf Nurkić all missed some games this week. With Ace Bailey (hip) out, Brice Sensabaugh has been getting some extra run, and Kyle Anderson returned on Thursday to play 32 minutes and put up a solid line. The Jazz were very depleted in that game, so I wouldn't expect that level of production to continue with the team fully healthy.
Washington Wizards
| Name | Last 3 | Last 5 | Last 10 |
| CJ McCollum | 31 | 31.4 | 33.1 |
| Justin Champagnie | 28.2 | 25.3 | 24 |
| Bilal Coulibaly | 26.8 | 26 | 25.4 |
| Alex Sarr | 26.5 | 25.6 | 25.4 |
| Tre Johnson | 26.3 | 24 | 22.3 |
| Bub Carrington | 25.8 | 22.9 | 30 |
| Khris Middleton | 22.6 | 21.6 | 21.7 |
| Marvin Bagley III | 21.2 | 21.2 | 23.5 |
The Bub Carrington mini breakout appears to be over. We also had a hip flexor injury to Kyshawn George, which has allowed Justin Champagnie to see an uptick in minutes and usage. George's absence has also allowed Bilaly Coulibaly to return to a higher usage role on the team, which has regained some of his fantasy value.
Victor Wembanyama's MRI comes back clean, he will not play Friday in Indiana, is day-to-day
Victor Wembanyama will not be on the court Friday night against Indiana, but, in very good news for the Spurs, he will not be out long.
The MRI on Wembanyama's hyperextended knee came back clean and he is now day-to-day, reports Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The report said he will be questionable for the second half of a back-to-back Saturday against Portland and is day-to-day going forward.
Wembanyama was injured in the fourth quarter of the Spurs' win over the Knicks, hyperextending his knee after landing awkwardly on a rebound next to Karl-Anthony Towns. Wembanyama fell to the ground in pain, then hopped directly back to the locker room but was telling fans along the way that he was fine. Postgame, Wembanyama was not worried.
"The good thing is that it was just a hyperextension. So, it should be minimal, whatever the thing is," he said,
Wembanyama would be an All-Star starter based on the fan vote so far and leads the Spurs, averaging 24 points, 11.6 rebounds, and three blocks per game.
NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Michael Porter Jr. hot name, but market overall slow for stars
Just over one month to the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline and trade talks are picking up some momentum. Here is the latest around the league.
Expect slow trade deadline
There will be trades. Maybe a lot of smaller trades around the Feb. 5 deadline.
However, if you're expecting another NBA blockbuster in February, well… sorry. The vibe in league circles has become to expect trades centered on tax/cap relief with some role players on the move, but the bigger names — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Trae Young — are likely stay put due to a combination of a limited market and the restrictive tax aprons. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps talked to an Eastern Conference executive and got this quote:
"I don't see an eventful trade deadline, but that could set up for a crazy summer."
That said, there will be trades, and the name to watch is…
Michael Porter Jr.
Player most likely to be traded before the Feb. 5 deadline? Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr.
The former Denver Nugget, 27, is in the middle of the best season of his career, averaging 25.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game while shooting 41% from 3-point range (having the full-time green light in Brooklyn helps). That has drawn interest from a number of teams.
• Milwaukee has interest as it looks to upgrade around Giannis Antetokounmpo, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic. Porter Jr. is seen as potentially superior and certainly less expensive than bringing in Zach LaVine.
• The Warriors have had internal discussions about adding Porter, Jake Fischer reports at The Stein Line. That's a long way from getting a deal done, but it shows the Warriors' mindset of adding to their core.
• With Utah apparently not making Lauri Markkanen available, Detroit could kick the tires on a Porter trade, Fischer adds.
Where he lands is up in the air, but MPJ is the hottest name on the trade rumor mill right now.
Bucks interested in Anthony Davis? Dejonte Murray?
While Atlanta is still considered the team at the front of the line for an Anthony Davis trade, that line is long. Miami and Toronto are in it, with a lot of teams, such as Sacramento, at least considering a move.
Enter the Milwaukee Bucks.
They meet all the criteria of a team that might chase Davis, something Zach Lowe talked about on his podcast.
"When Dallas fired Nico Harrison and I went through all the fake Anthony Davis trades, I said right away, you've got to look at teams that are desperate to win and underperforming and can bundle some expiring salary. And I said like I'd look at the Bucks... To me, if the Bucks continue on this stance of buy buy buy, they're just a lock to end up with one of these sort of distressed high leverage high salary players like a Zach LaVine, Michael Porter Jr., I mentioned AD."
Milwaukee also may consider bringing in Dejounte Murray, a player they looked at previously, reports Fischer at The Stein Line.
The bottom line in Milwaukee is simple: It is not trading Antetokounmpo at the deadline, but to avoid having to do it this summer, the Bucks need to find a way to win more and are considering every option to make that happen.
Stop talking LeBron to Warriors
LeBron James and Stephen Curry had such great chemistry playing alongside one another while winning gold at the Paris Olympics. The Warriors are trying to add players to win now, the Lakers are moving on from the LeBron era to the Luka Doncic era, so what about…
No. LeBron's agent and long-time friend Rich Paul shot down the idea emphatically on the latest episode of the Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul podcast. It started with Kellerman trying to stir things up, saying, "Bill Simmons said a couple of days ago… he said, look, the numbers work… LeBron and Steph have always said that they wanted to play together. What about Jimmy Butler for LeBron James?"
Rich Paul was emphatic in shooting it down.
"Because I don't like to get into that. It's not going to happen. So why are we talking about things that are not going to happen?"
Welcome to the world of sports talk, where making up fake trades — usually wildly unrealistic fake trades — then arguing about why a team should do them is its lifeblood.
Warriors not trading Butler, Green
While Golden State is testing the market for Jonathan Kuminga (who can't be traded until Jan. 15), the reality is that to land a real difference maker the Warriors would have to package Kuminga with another player and picks.
That has led to some speculation about a Draymond Green with Kuminga trade — or maybe Jimmy Butler straight up for Anthony Davis — but the Warriors aren't doing any of that, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic.
Team sources say they're staunchly against the notion of trading either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, which creates quite a predicament when you're trying to match salaries of high-level players.
The Warriors are still actively looking at trade options, which brings us to…
Jonathan Kuminga
The Warriors are talking to teams about a potential Kuminga trade, and Sacramento still has some interest. However, after another unimpressive season in Golden State — he has been on the court in just one of the team's last 10 games — there isn't much of a return coming back to the Bay Area in any deal, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on Sactown Sports Radio 1140:
"For one, the Kings and everyone else, the price has gone down, it just has. So what does that look like in a possible Kings deal, because the Warriors are known to not have interest in Malik Monk, and he was front and center in those discussions in the offseason. So is it a [DeMar DeRozan] thing potentially? Who knows? I don't probably see that happening."
Teams are willing to take a flyer on Kuminga, but they do not give up players or picks of real value in those trades.
Clippers not trading stars
We've written in this space before that the LA Clippers were not going to have a fire sale, they have not been looking to trade James Harden or Kawhi Leonard at all. That is especially true with the team on an impressive six-game win streak.
If you doubt me, here is what Amick wrote at The Athletic.
If anything, league sources say the Clippers are expected to explore the prospect of adding an impact player around Harden and Kawhi Leonard as a way to revive their season in the second half. They can match a star-player level salary with expiring deals, with the contracts of John Collins ($26.5 million), Bogdan Bogdanović ($16 million this season; team option worth $16 million next season), Brook Lopez ($8.7 million this season; team option for $9.1 million next) and Nicolas Batum ($5.6 million this season; team option for $5.8 million next) all potentially handy on that front.
While the Clippers are open to a big move, they would not take on long-term salary that extends past 2027 (unless the player were a young star who could be part of their future). That lack of wanting long-term money on the books is why trading for Anthony Davis — who wants a massive contract extension this summer — is highly unlikely. (Plus, the one player the Clippers love and have on the books past 2027 is center Ivica Zubac, and he and Davis would be an odd fit next to one another.)
The ACC had an improved nonconference showing. That could help its cause for more March Madness bids
It wasn't long after sixth-ranked Duke finally fought off a pesky Georgia Tech team that coach Jon Scheyer pointed to the lesson emerging from the Blue Devils' Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Notably, the ACC had a stronger showing in marquee nonconference matchups and has shown more depth of quality teams compared to last year with Duke operating as a one-team show on the way to the Final Four. “I just feel like the league as a whole, it's so much better,” said Terrence Oglesby, a college basketball and NBA TV analyst who played at Clemson.
Steve Kerr explains ‘misunderstanding' that led to viral Draymond Green argument
Steve Kerr explains ‘misunderstanding' that led to viral Draymond Green argument originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
After over a decade together as player and coach on the Warriors, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr are no stranger to their share of verbal disputes.
But after an in-game incident on Dec. 22 between the pair ended with Green in the locker room and online video of the spat garnering countless views, Kerr shouldered the blame for what, to many, felt like a different argument from the rest.
While both sides have moved on amicably from the situation, the Warriors coach on Tuesday explained what led to the heated interaction during an appearance on the “Tom Tolbert Show.”
“First of all, it was a misunderstanding,” Kerr told Tolbert. “Draymond was talking to the refs, and I had called a timeout because I thought we lost our focus. And I wasn’t mad at him, but he was talking to the ref for a long time, and then I see five of our players over there trying to bring him back and he had been ejected the night before. So I started yelling his name, ‘Draymond! Draymond!’ Basically just telling him to, asking him to get to the huddle.
“He thought I was yelling at him because of a turnover he had just made, and so he says something snarky, I say something back snarky, and next thing you know, we’re yelling at each other. We’re at each other’s throats, and then it all comes to bear. But I should have been calmer at that time. Like, I know Draymond so well and there’s always a buildup to these things, and he’s such an emotional player and passionate player and he had been frustrated for a couple of days, and I recognized that, but I needed to recognize it and do something about it in the huddle.
“I needed to be the the the calming force, and so we went back and forth and I regretted not being the calming calming one in that conversation.”
The Warriors ultimately won that game against the Orlando Magic in a blowout, 120-97, and have gone 3-1 since.
Both Kerr and Green are extremely competitive, as evidenced by their four NBA championships together and the several times they’ve exchanged words.
But they each are not afraid to admit when they’re wrong, and it’s clear that after apologies were exchanged on both sides, Kerr is able to look back on the whole thing with a chuckle.
Ex-Grizzlie De'Anthony Melton says Warriors had no business winning 2022 title
Ex-Grizzlie De'Anthony Melton says Warriors had no business winning 2022 title originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – As an opponent in May 2022, De’Anthony Melton had a microscopic view of the Warriors’ last championship team. Now that he is on their payroll, he’s comfortable going public with what many have whispered for 3.5 years.
“In ‘22, they had no business winning the championship,” Melton, then with the Memphis Grizzlies, said during a guest appearance on the “Dubs Talk” podcast, which debuted Friday. “They had no business there. There were so many teams better than them. But they just fought. They just willed their way. And everybody played, they played their role.”
Melton is not alone in that reaction. Former Golden State general manager Bob Myers admitted nobody saw it coming. Coach Steve Kerr says the ’22 NBA Finals win over the Boston Celtics was a case of coming together at the right time – and having Stephen Curry.
The Warriors entered the 2022 playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, with a 53-29 record. The Grizzlies finished at 56-26 to earn the No. 2 seed and homecourt advantage in the conference semifinals against Golden State.
“We wanted to kill the dynasty so bad,” Melton recalled. “You had to show us. You had to come and really show us. It was like ‘OK, why are y’all so good, why are you so great? We’re not going to lay down, let y’all tell us why, but you got to come out here and get it.
“We really felt that day in and day out, and game in and game out, we just take it game by game because you never know what could happen. Next thing you know, you could be up 3-2.”
The Grizzlies, young and impetuous, saw the Warriors as old news that should be discarded from the elite.
“Some (Warriors) got families and kids,” Melton said. “They got paid. They were paid up already. We were all young and hungry. It was like ‘Come on with it.’ ”
The teams split the first two games in Memphis before the Warriors swept Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center. A 3-1 lead is considered “commanding,” but the Grizzlies responded with a 134-95 rout in Game 5. This was, again, a series.
Golden State answered with a 110-96 win in Game 6, banishing the Grizzlies and advancing to the Western Conference finals.
“In ’22, nobody thought the Warriors were going to go on to win, you know what I mean?” Melton said. “But it was crazy to see them having to go through us and that would be one of their tougher series.”
The Warriors had the fourth-best record in the league, but the Celtics entered the playoffs as the hottest team, going 26-6 over their last 32 games. Golden State was a slight favorite because of its postseason experience and championship core.
And Curry, whose spectacular Game 4 performance – 43 points when the rest of the starting lineup combined for 35 – tilted the series and moved him to the doorstep of his first Finals MVP award.
Melton, whose favorite team a decade ago was the Oklahoma City Thunder, had a perception of Curry at that time that matched that of many outside observers: Great shooter.
Melton’s perception of Curry as a teammate much of last season and this season is, well, greatly expanded.
“He’s amazing,” Melton said. “That’s all you could say sometimes. Dudes like that, they continue to put the work in, and they love the game so much that you see them day in and day out. Before, I was seeing him on the outside looking in. Now, I’m on the inside, seeing the work he puts in, the everyday work, the consistency that he has. You can see as to why he’s continued.
“His ability to shoot the ball is out of this world, but it’s his ability to be conditioned and run around, his physicality and just be able to still be able to get open and get a shot off and stuff like that. He’s averaging pretty much 30 (points per game) now – at 37 years old. You’ve just got to admire that type of stuff and just to help as much as possible.”
That admiration, however, does not change Melton’s view of the past, something he occasionally mentions to Gary Payton II, who was a pivotal player in the ’22 Finals.
“I talk to GP still, to this day, like ‘I don’t know how y’all won it ’22,’ ” Melton said. “I don’t. I don’t. I don’t know why or how or for what.”