Category: Basketball

After months of speculation, we now know where Giannis Antetokounmpo will be – at least through the end of the 2025-26 season.

According to ESPN, the Bucks have informed other teams that they are keeping Antetokounmpo on the roster beyond the NBA trading deadline, which is Thursday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

This doesn't rule out that Milwaukee could eventually trade Antetokounmpo during the offseason when potential suitors would have more draft capital and financial flexibility to sweeten their offers. But it also opens the path for the Bucks to try to make complementary moves to convince Antetokounmpo to commit to the franchise over the long term.

Antetokounmpo, 31, is signed through the end of next season and has a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season. In theory, the Bucks would want to secure Antetokounmpo's future with a multiyear extension, but if they get any indication that he's not committed to signing a deal, they eventually might consider a trade to recoup assets for a post-Giannis era.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, though he is currently sidelined with a right calf strain and is expected to miss several more weeks.

Antetokounmpo has had an eventful season with the Bucks.

Recently, he booed home fans at Fiserv Forum after they had booed the team’s performance. Earlier in the year, he scrubbed his social media of most mentions of the Bucks, leading to the rampant speculation that he was looking to be traded.

According to multiple reports, Antetokounmpo broached his future with Bucks management through his representatives, but he addressed the rumors and said "there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, 'I want a trade.'" In mid-December, however, he didn’t rule out that his agent might be having conversations about his future with the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo has maintained that he wants to compete for a championship, but the Bucks (20-29) are languishing in the East.

"We’re not playing hard," Antetokounmpo told reporters Jan. 21 after a 20-point loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. "We’re not doing the right thing. We’re not playing to win. We’re not playing together. Our chemistry is not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own.

"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 – we’ve just got to keep on chipping away, possession by possession."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis staying put as Bucks end rumors before NBA trade deadline

After weeks, scratch that, months, of reporters updating fans on the ongoing Giannis Antetokounmpo story, we all get to take a collective exhale of both annoyance and relief as the sweepstakes for the Greek superstar will be put on a temporary hold.

While the Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, and the Knicks were all linked to the big man to varying degrees over the last several weeks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Bucks have “indicated to teams” that they intend to hang on to the former MVP.

The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

According to NBA correspondent Marc Stein, Milwaukee also reportedly believes that if they can get lucky in the lottery, they could convince Antetokounmpo to extend his relationship with the Bucks for a bit longer.

The Bucks have informed the Warriors that they will NOT be accepting their offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, per @BrettSiegelNBApic.twitter.com/WDdvJ0WegS

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2026

For the Knicks fans who want to see Antetokounmpo donning a Knicks jersey, though, this is good news. With other teams gaining traction as more likely landing spots for the big man in recent weeks, this decision gives them some time. Time that they can use to not assess their current roster for the rest of the season, while also trying to acquire more assets in a last-ditch attempt if they deem necessary.

This could also prove to be somewhat significant in that league insiders believe that the Bucks will shut Antetokounmpo down for the remainder of the season if a trade cannot be finalized. If that does end up being the case, it would confirm his absence for the Bucks’ February 28th game against the Knicks.

The Charlotte Hornets will look to extend their winning streak to eight in a row when they visit the Houston Rockets tonight. 

Charlotte is flying up the Eastern Conference standings, and my Hornets vs. Rockets predictions are taking them to grab another road win.

Keep reading to see a full breakdown of tonight's action in my free NBA picks for Thursday, February 5.

Hornets vs Rockets prediction

Hornets vs Rockets best bet: Hornets moneyline (+136)

Don't look now, but the Charlotte Hornets have won seven in a row and are one game out of a play-in seed.

There are underlying numbers that make this surge seem sustainable. The Hornets sport a +1.8 point differential on the season, better than the next three teams ahead of them in the standings.

There's talent here as well, with Brandon Miller (20.6 ppg) and LaMelo Ball (19.1 ppg) being supplemented by rookie Kon Knueppel (18.7 ppg), who has proven to be deadly from 3-point range. Charlotte has also strengthened its depth by picking up Coby White from the Chicago Bulls.

While the Houston Rockets still look like one of the better teams in the Western Conference, they’ve been getting by rather than dominating of late. Houston has lost two of its last five games, covered just once in its last six, and been held below 100 points in two of those contests.

All of this suggests the Hornets should be competitive tonight, and the fact that Houston is also playing on the second night of a tough back-to-back gives Charlotte the edge.

I’m taking the Hornets to win outright.

Hornets vs Rockets same-game parlay

Both Charlotte and Houston have been trending toward the Under of late, and they rank among the slower-paced teams in the NBA.

I’ll also take Miller to eclipse 20.5 points, a mark he’s cleared in nine of his last 11 games.

Hornets vs Rockets SGP

• Hornets moneyline
• Under 216.5
• Brandon Miller Over 20.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: All Ball

Ball continues to produce in a variety of ways for the Hornets and has recorded at least 31 PRA in each of his last three games.

Hornets vs Rockets SGP

• Hornets moneyline
• Under 216.5
• Brandon Miller Over 20.5 points
• LaMelo Ball Over 30.5 points + rebounds + assists

Hornets vs Rockets odds

• Spread: Hornets +3.5 (-110) | Rockets -3.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Hornets +140 | Rockets -165
• Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)

Hornets vs Rockets betting trend to know

The Hornets are 7-0 straight up in their last seven games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Rockets.

How to watch Hornets vs Rockets

Hornets vs Rockets latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

With the trade deadline just hours away, the Lakers made a deal, sending Gabe Vincent to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard.

The move gives LA another elite shooter, but it cost them their lone remaining second round pick. With only a first round pick left to trade — and one that would complicate their ability to trade other first round picks in the summer — it looks like the Lakers are likely done making deals before the deadline, as reported by Broderick Turner of the LA Times.

“The Lakers are not expected to make any more moves today — the NBA deadline for deals is noon PST — and instead look to make a big splash this summer when they have a lot more resources available.”

While the Lakers have expiring contracts on the books, an unwillingness to take back long-term contracts negates their value in a trade. Paired with a lack of draft capital to add as sweeteners in a trade and you get a situation where LA isn’t likely to make a deal.

Instead, the Lakers can focus on potential buyout candidates. The trade for Kennard freed up an extra $500,000 in cap space, giving them more wiggle room to sign a player to their last roster spot.

On top of that, they’ll have plenty of cap space to make a big deal this summer. Rumors indicate that the Lakers would be a “very viable threat” to land Giannis Antetokounmpo if he’s not dealt at the deadline. And by the sounds of it, that appears to be the likely outcome.

In the summer, the Lakers can also pursue restricted free agents like Peyton Watson to help bolster their roster.

LA has a healthy roster and just added one of the best shooters in the NBA to their lineup, so that’ll have to be enough until they can wheel and deal and go after the big stars in the summer.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards made big splashes that changed their future outlook. Those pieces won’t be available tonight, but both franchises are trending up.

Though there’s been progress on the Wizards’ side, there’s still a ginormous gap between them and the Pistons currently. The Wizards have one of the worst offenses and defenses in the association, while the Pistons have performed like the best team in the conference.

Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris are questionable due to Cade’s wrist and Harris’ hip, but the Pistons have shown they can win with their leaders off the floor. Daniss Jenkins, who would take most of the ball-handling duties, is out too. It will be interesting to see how the Pistons divvy up the playmaking in this one.

Game Vitals

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

How: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit

Odds: Pistons -14.5

Analysis

The Pistons odds to win these games, provided by FanDuel, still crack me up sometimes. Detroit has been so dominant, and these spreads reflect that. The Wizards are the Wizards, but Detroit hasn’t been an underdog in one of my previews in quite some time. This is good hoops.

They’re coming off a crunch-time win over the Denver Nuggets. Denver crept back after Detroit had a sizeable lead, but the Pistons continued to power through.

Washington doesn’t provide the same challenges as Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokić. Rookie microwave scorer Tre Johnson is out tonight. He’s a natural bucket-getter who can do some of the same stuff Murray can do with range shooting. Alex Sarr is a promising second-year player who is probably more of a four than a five.

The fact that they could buy low on Anthony Davis, paired with putting him at the five next to Sarr, is the main reason they pursued Davis, if you ask me. Those two plus Kyshawn George in the frontcourt is intriguing.

Trae Young’s defensive woes are well-documented; those two bigs can cover for him as much as anyone could, and Young will make their lives easier in PnR possessions.

The Pistons big swing came in the form of spacing. Duncan Robinson, who torched Denver with six made 3s, is the only shooter on the roster that coaches designate as can’t leave. Teams are fine allowing Detroit off-ball players to let it fly, whether they’ve made a couple or not.

Kevin Huerter isn’t shooting the leather off the ball, but teams still respect him as a dead-eye shooter. Once you get that “there’s the shooter” reputation, it really never goes away. Jaden Ivey has shot it better than Huerter over the last few years, but he’ll probably never bend defenders the way Huerter does.

I’m hopeful that playing next to an elite playmaker like Cade can unlock Huerter again. Even if he doesn’t return to 40 percent form, he’ll still provide space for Cade and Jalen Duren to operate.

Huerter is listed as day-to-day tonight, but if Cade doesn’t play, it’s another opportunity for the young core to show their chops. We’ll probably see more Point Ausar and a more scoring-aggressive Ron Holland. He hasn’t put up double-digit shot attempts since January 10th. Caris LeVert is not a part of the young core but will get plenty of on-ball reps.

In two games without Cade, Duren has averaged 25.5 points and 15.0 rebounds. Comical stuff. Even in 186 minutes with Duren on the floor and Cade off, Detroit has a 120 offensive rating.

JD has elite impact and was named an All-Star for a reason. The sky is the limit. I don’t know if he’ll ever average those ’03 Ben Wallace 15 boards for a full season, but 25ish points per game isn’t that crazy. His improvement this year makes me believe anything is possible with him — still only 22 years old.

These squads are built backwards. Detroit’s young core includes the best player on the roster. Washington’s young core (Sarr, Johnson, George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Bub Carrington?) is solid, but their best players are now Young and Davis. They’re mixing timelines, while the Pistons will grow and possibly peak together.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (37-12)

Cade Cunningham (questionable), Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris (questionable), Jalen Duren

Washington Wizards (13-36)

Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie, Alex Sarr

Question of the day

Did the Cleveland Cavaliers trading for James Harden move you? How would a series go between the Cavs and Pistons?

It’s NBA Trade Deadline Day, which means there’s betting value all over the player prop markets.

I’ve found my three favorites, which include Jalen Suggs bringing the magic back to the Orlando offense, and Quentin Grimes lighting up the scoreboard in La La Land.

Those and more NBA picks for Thursday, February 5, are below.

Best NBA player props today

Prop #1: Jalen Suggs Over 5.5 assists

+110 at bet365

Jalen Suggs has been a cash machine with his assists prop since he returned to the lineup, and I love him to keep dishing out the dimes against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Orlando Magic point guard is averaging 6.3 assists in six games, and now faces a Nets team that struggles to stop everything.

The Nets rank 26th in defensive rating and are next to last in opponent assists per possession.

Suggs has topped 5.5 assists five times during this stretch, so getting the Over at plus money is too good to pass up.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: YES, FDSN Florida

Prop #2: Mark Williams Over 11.5 points

-115 at bet365

The Golden State Warriors are missing an interior presence, and trading for Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t do much to change that.

Besides, he’s still a few games out from playing. In recent games, the Dubs have allowed 12 points to Andre Drummond, 21 to Jalen Duren, and 15 to Rudy Gobert.

So, containing Mark Williams will be a tough task. The Phoenix Suns center is averaging 12.3 points per game and is coming off an impressive 24-point performance against the Trail Blazers.

I’m betting Williams has another big night against the overmatched and undersized Warriors.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

Prop #3: Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 threes

+115 at bet365

Quentin Grimes looks ready to step up in Paul George's absence and has started this road trip on the right foot.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ shooting guard has put up 14 and 10 points in wins over the Clippers and Warriors, going 4-for-11 from 3-point range.

Tonight, the Sixers head back down the coast to take on the Los Angeles Lakers, who continue to struggle defending the perimeter, ranking 24th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.

Grimes will take advantage of this added opportunity and cash this plus-money bet.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSP+, SPECSN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Hawks remained busy on deadline day. After getting a strong last month from their offseason guard acquisition, Luke Kennard is now on the move to the Western Conference. This from Shams Charania of ESPN:

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

Kennard is shooting a league-leading 49.7% from three after taking criticism for his passivity to begin his stint with the Hawks this season. In comes Gabe Vincent, a forgotten man in Los Angeles who broke out with the Miami Heat during their most recent run to the NBA Finals.

Vincent makes $500,000 more than Kennard ($11 million) in salary, but both player’s deals are up after this season. This move seems primarily motivated by picking up the Lakers’ 2032 second-round pick.

Additionally, the Hawks have announced the Jock Landale deal while also waiving Duop Reath to open up a roster spot.

We have requested waivers on center Duop Reath

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 5, 2026

Welcome to the 🅰️, Jock! pic.twitter.com/2hFWVIszfv

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 5, 2026

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks requested waivers on injured center Duop Reath on Thursday, four days after he was acquired in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Hawks sent forward Vit Krejci to Portland on Sunday in exchange for Reath and second-round draft picks in 2027 and 2030.

Reath hasn’t played since Jan. 18. He underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot last week and is expected to miss the rest of the season after averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds.

The Hawks made another move on Wednesday when they acquired center Jock Landale from the Utah Jazz for cash considerations. Landale was traded to Atlanta one day after being traded from Memphis to Utah as part of an eight-player trade.

Landale, 30, averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 45 games, including 25 starts, for Memphis.

On Wednesday night, Atlanta traded center Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State in exchange for forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The Lakers finally made a move at the trade deadline on Thursday morning, joining the madness that began earlier in the week.

A host of big name free agents have been moved, all in fairly surprising deals, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is still on the board. As we count down the final hours until the deadline, here’s a place for everyone to react to the news around the league while we keep you updated on the other deals across the NBA.

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The Mavs get a real point guard just in time to tank

After spending most the year trying to win and not having a point guard, the Mavs traded away AD, are trying to tank and have a point guard now.

The Charlotte Hornets are trading Tyus Jones to the Dallas Mavericks for Malaki Branham, sources tell ESPN. Mavericks have had interest in Jones this season and get him today. Hornets open up a $7 million trade exception.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Zubac heads to Indy

A former baby Laker is on his way to the East as the Clippers continue their teardown. Surely, the deal will be for nothing more than Mike Muscala. I will never forgive you, Magic.

Also, the protections on the 2026 first round pick are wild.

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eu6KtWgA9j

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

If the Pacers first-rounder this year falls outside of that 1-4/10-30 range, it converts to the Pacers 2031 unprotected first. https://t.co/o9lMFSAdNf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Philly gets under the luxury tax

No matter how bad things get for the Lakers, just know you’re not Philly, who spends each trade deadline shedding salaries and picks to get under the luxury tax.

The Philadelphia 76ers are trading Eric Gordon and a 2032 second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies, sources tell ESPN. This gives the 76ers the flexibility to complete conversion of two-way Dominick Barlow.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Everyone is dumping contracts on the Nets

As one of the only teams with cap space, teams are just dumping deals on Brooklyn to get under the luxury tax.

The Boston Celtics are trading Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Nuggets clear roster spot

Looking to open up roster space to sign their two-way standout, the Nuggets dumped Hunter Tyson and a pick to the Nets for a future second.

The Denver Nuggets are trading Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for the lesser favorable of a Clippers/Hawks 2026 second, sources tell ESPN. Denver creates an open roster spot for the buyout market and gets out of the luxury tax.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

Denver Nuggets will convert swingman Spencer Jones from a two-way contract to a standard contract, league sources tell me. The rookie has had a standout campaign. pic.twitter.com/MGTan23xZq

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 5, 2026

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Knicks bring Jose Alvarado home

The Pelicans are trading Jose Alvarado to the Knicks, giving the Knicks some guard depth. For New Orleans, they will have some extra cash, draft picks and Dalen Terry.

The Knicks are sending Dalen Terry, two second-round picks and cash to the Pelicans for Alvarado, sources said. https://t.co/Dqb6As7uAI

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Giannis Antetokounmpo to remain a Buck

After a ton of rumors and hoopla, Giannis Antetokounmpo will not be traded. He will remain in Milwaukee, and we’ll see what happens with him in the summer.

The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

Lakers land Luke Kennard

After sitting on the sidelines for much of the week, the Lakers finally jumped in the pool with a deal to land a sharpshooter.

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Wolves finally get a guard

Minnesota has been in search of a guard for most of the season and eventually found one in Chicago — where they were hoarding them — in Ayo Dosunmu.

Minnesota traded Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round picks to Chicago for Dosunmu and Julian Phillips, sources said. https://t.co/bVhLA9Sb3f

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Knicks move on from Yabusele

After a breakout Olympics and strong season with the Sixers last year, Yabusele was a bit of a flop in New York, leading to the Knicks trading him to Chicago.

The New York Knicks are trading Guerschon Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Jackson-Davis dealt to Toronto

Former Jalen Hood-Schifino teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis went from promising rookie season to out of the rotation before being moved to the Raptors on Wednesday.

The Golden State Warriors have traded center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a 2026 second-round pick via the Lakers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6T94OzpLhQ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

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Kuminga FINALLY is traded

The long national nightmare finally ended on Wednesday evening with the Warriors packaging Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Kristaps Porzingis, an interesting move for Golden State if the big man is healthy.

BREAKING: The Golden State Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eqNWwCupEZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

We know that’s not very edifying on trade deadline day, but as of Thursday morning with four hours or so to go, it’s where we’re at. The front office has finalized the trade they worked out with the the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers and created the roster space needed for Ochai Agbaji by waiving Haywood Highsmith who the Nets acquired in the summer from Miami but never played for the Brooklyn.

Teams are allowed 15 standard deals (and three two-ways) and with the Agbaji deal, they were looking at 16 standard spots. So someone had to go. The most rumored candidate was Cam Thomas who the Nets left behind in New York, citing personal reasons, when they flew to Orlando for Friday’s game with the Magic. But the 24-year-old remains on the Nets roster.

Before the move, pundits were suggesting that there were various ways for the Nets to move forward on the particulars. Although the initial issue is now solved, what Kevin Pelton and Erik Slater wrote Thursday morning could still have relevance later in the day if the Nets need to make other moves.

As ESPN’s Kevin Pelton notes in his trade grades Thursday morning, the Nets could expand the multi-team deal and work out something a little more complicated using their room MLE. (Pelton gave the Nets a B.)

This is the start of Brooklyn using its position as the only NBA team with appreciable cap space to take on contracts for draft picks. Getting Agbaji leaves the Nets about $9 million below the cap, now less than teams can add using the taxpayer midlevel exception, though they could take on a bigger contract by sending back a smaller one (such as Agbaji’s) or exhaust their space and then use their room midlevel exception to add more salary.

Similarly, Erik Slater wrote this about the possibilities in his trade grade. (Slater gave the Nets an A-)

The Nets can take Agbaji into their $15.3 million in cap space. They could also use their cap space in other salary-dump moves, then absorb the Raptors guard into the $8.8 million room mid-level exception.

The Nets of course have been trying to move Thomas, with his cooperation, since the summer, and could still. But his trade value still seems low. Mike Scotto reported Wednesday that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks had some interest but Aryan Bhullar reported Thursday the Cavs have lost that interest…

League sources say Cleveland had registered interest in Brooklyn guard Cam Thomas prior to Lonzo Ball being routed to Utah, with Milwaukee continuing to be viewed as the strongest suitor for Thomas.

— Aryan (@Ary_Report) February 5, 2026

Though, Cavaliers have no interest at this time, sources said.

— Aryan (@Ary_Report) February 5, 2026

No less of a source than Brian Windhorst has predicted the Nets will be active today. How long will we have to wait? Not long, obviously, 3:00 p.m. ET, no further.

The Celtics began trade deadline week by sending Anfernee Simons to the Bulls in exchange for Nikola Vučević in a significant move for the short term and potentially setting up long-term flexibility for the franchise as they attempt to return to contention. The move, or any others that happen ahead of 3 p.m. on Thursday, will all face an uphill battle in stacking up with some of the most significant moves in franchise history.

Boston built its championship teams through trades as much as they did in the draft, and certainly more than in free agency, where they didn’t strike on a star in his prime until Al Horford in 2016. The Celtics build the Bill Russell and Larry Bird dynasties through shrewd moves, and returned to championship status in 2008 through a pair of blockbuster deals for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s arrivals to Boston came through picks acquired in the Paul Pierce and Garnett deal with the Nets.

CLNS Media’s Nick Gelso counted down the top trades in Celtics history ahead of Thursday’s deadline and settled on five that stood apart from any others.

The Bill Russell draft trade

• Celtics receive No. 2 overall pick in the 1956 draft (Bill Russell)
• St. Louis Hawks receive Ed MaCauley and Cliff Hagan

The Celtics used their territorial pick in 1956 to select Tommy Heinsohn, and they originally received the 13th overall selection in the draft. Red Auerbach and Celtics owner Walter A. Brown famously angled to prevent the Rochester Royals from selecting Bill Russell by offering guaranteed performances from the Ice Capades. Rochester balked at paying Russell, took Sihugo Green, and the Celtics drafted Russell, pairing him with Heinsohn and K.C. Jones, who they took at 13 as Russell’s teammate from San Francisco. All three made the Basketball Hall-of-Fame and won eight championships together, Russell securing 11 for the franchise while impacting the style of NBA play, solidifying the Celtics’ franchise identity and paving the way for generations of Black players by challenging institutional racism.

Robert Parish and Kevin McHale draft trades 

• Celtics receive Robert Parish and the No. 3 overall pick (Kevin McHale)
• Warriors receive the No. 1 (Joe Barry Carroll) and No. 13 (Rickey Brown) overall picks

The Celtics entered the 1980 draft with the top pick despite going 61-21 in the previous season because they dealt Bob McAdoo to Detroit in September, 1979 for two first round picks. One of them became the top pick, which they traded back to No. 3 from and selected Kevin McHale while acquiring Warriors veteran Robert Parish. Parish joined Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell in the front court and immediately won the 1981 championship with McHale thriving off the bench immediately as a rookie. That core won again in 1984 before McHale moved into the starting lineup in 1986 as part of arguably the greatest team in franchise history. Bird, McHale and Parish played together through 1992, McHale retired in 1993 and Parish departed for Charlotte after 1994. The original Big Three teams went 690-294, won three championships and lost the Finals in 1985 and 1987.

Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett trades 

• Celtics receive Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and No. 35 overall pick (Glen Davis)
• Supersonics receive Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and No. 5 overall pick (Jeff Green)
• Timberwolves receive Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, 2009 first round pick (Wayne Ellington) and Minnesota’s own first (Jonny Flynn)

The Celtics went 24-58 in 2007 through injuries and with Greg Oden and Kevin Durant looming as two generational prospects atop the draft, Boston received poor lottery luck and fell to the No. 5 overall pick. A relatively new ownership group led by Wyc Grousbeck and Steph Pagliuca alongside Danny Ainge pivoted, and traded the pick for Ray Allen to appease Paul Pierce, with his future with Boston growing tenuous across several uneven seasons. The Celtics and Timberwolves also almost pulled off a blockbuster to bring Kevin Garnett to Boston, and revisited talks one month later to secure one of the best players in the NBA and form a new Big Three. Pierce, Allen and Garnett alongside young guard Rajon Rondo and big man Kendrick Perkins won 66 games, an NBA record 42-win turnaround on their way to the championship. They raced to a 27-2 start in 2009 before Garnett fell with a knee injury, returning to the Finals in 2010 and blowing a 3-2 lead to the Lakers. Boston returned to the East Finals in 2012, losing in seven games, before Allen departed for the rival Heat in controversial fashion. Pierce and Garnett reached the playoffs once more in 2013, losing in six games to the Knicks in the first round.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade to the Nets

• Celtics receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph, 2014 (James Young), 2016 (Jaylen Brown), 2017 (Jayson Tatum) and 2018 first round picks
• Nets receive Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry.

The Celtics decided to rebuild following the 2013 season, trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn to appease a franchise hoping to make a splash after their move from New Jersey to New York City. Boston also allowed Doc Rivers to go to the Clippers that offseason, paving the way for Danny Ainge to hire Brad Stevens as head coach. The Nets’ Billy King added extra draft compensation, including a pick swap that became Jayson Tatum in 2017 and a 2018 first the team later used to acquire Kyrie Irving. Boston also drafted Jaylen Brown with the 2016 Nets pick. Brooklyn lost Pierce in free agency to the Wizards after only one season then traded Garnett to Minnesota in 2014-15, falling into a string of losing seasons that vaulted the Celtics back into contention in the East.

Jayson Tatum draft night trade 

• Celtics receive No. 3 overall pick (Jayson Tatum) and a 2019 first round pick (Romeo Langford).
• 76ers receive No. 1 overall pick (Markelle Fultz)

The Nets won the 2017 NBA Draft lottery, allowing the Celtics to move up to the No. 1 pick with their swap from the Pierce and Garnett trade. Many speculated that they’d select consensus top prospect Markelle Fultz from Washington, but Ainge focused on Duke’s Jayson Tatum, feeling comfortable about his chances to still select Tatum third overall if they passed up on Fultz. The Celtics, during the week leading up to the draft, traded back to third overall and while the deal itself didn’t return any substantial assets, Ainge’s decision to take Tatum over Fultz, who’s no longer in the NBA after eight seasons, established the core that’d reach the 2022 NBA Finals and win the franchise’s first championship in 2024. Tatum made six straight All-Star teams, four straight All-NBA First Teams and emerged as one of the best players in the NBA and Celtics history before tearing his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs. He’s signed with Boston through at least the 2028-29 season and is expected to return to the floor sometime in 2026 alongside Jaylen Brown, who’s also signed through 2029.

The Lakers made a deal around the margins when they acquired sharpshooter Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick on Thursday morning, according to people with knowledge of the deal not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The Lakers like the idea that Kennard’s shooting can create space on the court for Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, who just returned to play Tuesday night at Brooklyn after missing 19 games because of a left calf strain.

Kennard, a 6-foot-5 guard, is shooting an NBA-best 49.7% from three-point range with the Hawks this season over 46 games, all off the bench. He has shot 44.2% from three-point range during his nine-year career.

Kennard is averaging 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He is shooting 53.8% from the field.

Read more:Anthony Davis reportedly dealt by Mavericks a year after Lakers traded him for Luka Doncic

He might not be the defender the Lakers were hoping to get, but Kennard’s ability to hit open shots was seen as a positive, sources told The Times.

The Lakers are not expected to make any more moves today — the NBA deadline for deals is noon PST — and instead look to make a big splash this summer when they have more resources available.

The Lakers will have about $60 million in salary-cap space this summer and three first-round picks in 2026, 2031 and 2032 they could use to sweeten potential trade offers.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — A BYU sports team was the target of a derogatory chant in an opponent's venue for at least the fourth time in a year, and the Big 12 again announced that the conference is looking into the matter.

Kevin Young, coach of the 16th-ranked Cougars men's basketball team, said after a 99-92 loss at Oklahoma State on Wednesday night that he heard “F The Mormons” chants coming out of the student section.

“It's a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud," he said. "It would be great if some class was warranted in there as well. I've got four small kids at home. I'm a Mormon. When I go home, they're going to ask me about it, same way as they asked me about it last year at Arizona. There's just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that. We've got enough problems in our world without going at people's religion and beliefs and whether it's in vogue or not.”

BYU is the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

OSU President Jim Hess said in a statement that any behavior that targets or demeans others has no place at his school.

“The Cowboy Code calls us to treat others with respect and dignity, and we are reviewing what occurred and will address any violations of our standards of conduct appropriately,” Hess said. "Oklahoma State University values the relationship we have with BYU and deeply respects their community and their faith. I have reached out to BYU leadership directly to express our commitment to upholding the standards we expect from our community. We will continue to work with our students and fans to ensure that the atmosphere at our events reflects the values of the Cowboy family.”

The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from BYU.

Last February, Arizona apologized after the school said some fans participated in an “unacceptable chant” following the basketball team’s 96-95 loss to BYU in Tucson. According to online video, fans could be heard yelling a profane phrase directed at Mormons as the teams were leaving the court.

In September, Colorado apologized and was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 after football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a 24-21 loss to the Cougars in Boulder. In November, Cincinnati apologized for football fans' anti-Mormon chants during a 26-14 loss to BYU in Ohio.

In a statement Thursday, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference is investigating what happened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Wednesday night.

“All parties have been notified,” he said. “The Conference has zero tolerance for behavior of this nature and will address the matter in accordance with Big 12 sportsmanship policies.”

Young said only four or five of his players are Mormon.

“I understand what we represent. Even for a guy like AJ, that stuff is unwarranted. Like I said, man, I try to talk to our guys about being examples in the world, why we can use basketball to really just bring people together and not tear people apart. It's something we talk about a lot. It's just disappointing.

“I hope someone prints that, I hope it's in bold on someone's publication and just try to maybe together as a society we can just help the world kind of move forward and not divide each other with hate and things that are really nonsensical.”

___

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Coming off a win against the Orlando Magic, the Spurs faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fifth time this season. Before the game, it was announced that OKC’s starting five, plus some key rotation players, would be out due to their respective injuries. Stephon Castle returned after missing Sunday’s win versus Orlando, but Dylan Harper was ruled out due to an ankle injury. After dominating the first quarter 39-26, the Spurs led by as much as 22. As they took a 15-point lead into halftime, the Spurs came out sluggish to start the third. They allowed multiple OKC runs and struggled to drain a three. They missed 12 consecutive threes and allowed OKC to cut their deficit to just four points in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, the Spurs finally buckled down and closed out the OKC B-Team 116-106.

Keldon Johnson dropped a team-high 25 points (10-17 FG, 4-8 3PT), six rebounds, two assists, and a block. KJ was the first one off the bench in the first and quickly went to work. He dropped 12 points in the first quarter and dropped 12 in the third. The 12 he scored in the third was all consecutive. He provided the much-needed scoring punch off the bench, just like he has all season. Once again, KJ for 6MOTY.

KJ IS EN FUEGO! KJ drained four threes, including this laser from the top of the key!

LET KJ COOK ‼️

25 PTS | 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/zWbBRXVDmI

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 22 points (9-16 FG) and 14 rebounds to go along with two assists and two blocks. Wemby scored and got to the foul line repeatedly. However, he struggled from the foul line and shot three of eight. Nonetheless, Wemby’s impact was prevalent on the glass and on defense. His presence is so menacing that Isaiah Joe beat him to the rim but quickly threw his layup attempt off the backboard to a bit, Wemby, into goaltending it. Fortunately, Wemby did not fall for it. Look for him to get his focus back at the foul line.

W3MBY! Wemby gets Cason Wallace up in the air and snatches back his dribble for the open stepback trey!

This @wemby stepback three 👀😮‍💨

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/AQRViLFdxV

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

AREA 51! Steph drives in and dishes a sweet backwards bounce pass to a cutting Wemby for the slam!

⚠️ AREA 51 DIME ⚠️

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/JZatThWoX8

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

FLYING SAUCER APPROACHING! Wemby cleans up the Devin Vassell miss with a two-handed jam!

VIC COMING THRU 🛸

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/4d9VFbsGpD

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

WEMBY DOUBLE DAGGER! Wemby rejects Aaron Wiggins on one end and finishes the alley-oop on the other end for the and-one to close out the Thunder!

.@wemby on BOTH ENDS to close it out tonight 👽 pic.twitter.com/dPlLCtljAb

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 15 points and 10 assists to go along with four rebounds, three steals, and a block. D-Fox was a playmaker on both ends. He dished out dimes and created points off turnovers with his pickpocketing. He also made five shots and made five free throws. One shot in particular stopped a cold streak for the Spurs in the fourth quarter, sparking new life into the offense. Look for him to continue sharing the playmaking load with Steph.

The Fox and the Alien! After Wemby blocks Kenrich Williams’ three-point attempt, D-Fox crosses half court and immediately lobs it to Wemby for the alley-oop connection!

That 🦊👽 connection!

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/oHQCfn7F86

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

Stephon Castle returned from injury and dropped 14 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Steph was everywhere on defense. He was in the passing lanes like D-Fox, and he also had a few highlight swats. On offense, he battled and slashed in the paint with a dose of midranges. He’s still working on taking care of the ball, but his stature as a tall guard continues to make him a strong two-way player.

HIGH FLYER! Steph catches the lob from D-Fox and rises higher than Wallace for the one-handed jam!

KING OF THE CASTLE 🏰

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/PPi0qJlBG3

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

A closer look at the verticality!

Steph really got 🆙😳 pic.twitter.com/YGtiGbEydd

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

FUTURE ALL-DEFENSE! Steph rises and blocks Joe’s dunk attempt at the rim!

NOT IN HIS CASTLE 🚫🏰

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/oHp0ZhOrtH

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

Carter Bryant dropped 11 points, five rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 13 minutes off the bench. CB came off the bench and made an immediate impact. He was aggressive on both ends: using his length to defend at a high level and even knocking down three threes. Ever since the Jeremy Sochan trade rumors, CB’s playing time has grown consistently. Look for the rookie to continue to show off his raw athleticism for the rest of the season, especially after this high putback slam!

CB PUTBACK JAM 😤

📺 FanDuelSN SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/ixeBou6Ui1

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 5, 2026

All in all, this was on the verge of becoming an embarrassing collapse. With OKC not playing most of its key players, the Spurs should have taken care of business earlier than the fourth quarter. It goes back to a pattern for this young team still figuring out how to close out opponents. Despite the collapses, they still find themselves 34-16 and second in the West. Hopefully, the energy they saved will appear in their quick turnaround in Dallas with a hopeful return of Harper.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs travel to Dallas on a SEGABABA to take on the Mavericks at 7:30 P.M. (CST) on KENS.

For better or for worse, it seems as though the Minnesota Timberwolves have pivoted their focus from the Giannis Antetokuonmpo sweepstakes and filled an immediate need.

Tim Connelly and company have struck a deal with the Chicago Bulls to bring in Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second round picks.

So here’s the final deal, per sources:
Wolves get Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips.

Bulls get: Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, four seconds

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) February 5, 2026

A crafty scoring guard that fills a desperate need on Chris Finch’s bench, Dosunmu is averaging 15 points on 51% shooting and 45% from three. He gets to the basketball effectively and collapses defenses, which is something the Wolves desperately need. In last year’s playoffs, Anthony Edwards seemed to be the only player on the team able to do so, causing coach Chris Finch to turn to Dosunmu’s fellow Illinois basketball alum in Terrence Shannon Jr. to try and help Edwards out there.

Another important piece of the trade, and Bobby Marks explains, is getting Dosunmu’s bird rights heading into free agency this offseason. Without them, it would have been extremely difficult to re-sign him.

Pre-free agency strikes again with Minnesota acquiring soon to be free agent Ayo Dosunmu.

Without the trade, it would have been highly unlikely Minnesota could have signed him as a free agent.

Minnesota now inherits his bird rights, allowing them to exceed the cap in a new…

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 5, 2026

Outside of the Giannis chatter that had been so persistent and was clearly impacting the team on the floor, the Wolves had a glaring hole on the bench for scoring and making a move at the deadline was a must in order to keep its status as a contender.

This also signals a move off of the Rob Dillingham experiment, and allows the former top-10 pick of the Wolves to go to a team where he will get more playing time and more offensive leash.

Dillingham shined in moments during his rookie season, but a clear regression this year and failure to crack the rotation in the minutes he was given signaled that an exit might be imminent.

Also included in the trade is former second round pick Leonard Miller. A promising athlete coming from G League Ignite, Miller too was unable to crack the rotation in his three years in Minnesota. Perhaps a change of scenery more minutes will do both players well on their way out.

Here’s a look at the current roster situation as it stands:

T'Wolves have 2 open roster spots pic.twitter.com/sHDHKICvxg

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 5, 2026

Dosunmu’s first opportunity to make his Timberwolves debut will be Friday night at Target Center against the New Orleans Pelicans.