Category: Basketball

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Braeden Carrington and John Blackwell each scored 17 points, and Wisconsin pulled away midway through the first half to rout Penn State 98-71 on Thursday night for the Badgers' fifth consecutive win.

Nolan Winter added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Nick Boyd scored 11 points for Wisconsin (14-5, 6-2 Big Ten). Andrew Rohde's 3-pointer stretched Wisconsin's lead to 78-44 with 8:50 to play.

The Badgers shot 51% overall and made 15 of 35 of their 3-point attempts. Carrington was 4 of 6 from long range.

Josh Reed scored 18 points and Freddie Dilione V added 17 to lead Penn State (9-10, 0-8). Mason Blackwood added 14 points for the Nittany Lions, who have lost six straight and nine of their last 10.

The Badgers outscored the Nittany Lions 38-9 in the last 11-plus minutes of the first half for a 50-22 advantage. Carrington scored 17 points and Blackwell added 13. Reed scored nine first-half points for the Nittany Lions.

Wisconsin has won six of the last eight games in the series and 19 of 22 dating to 2012.

Up next

Wisconsin: Hosts USC on Sunday.

Penn State: At Ohio State on Monday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The Jonathan Kuminga comeback feel good story has, unfortunately, hit a snag. Late in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors road game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kuminga came up lame after a transition opportunity. He tried to walk it off, then signaled to the bench for a sub, and walked to the locker room. When the second half commenced, the Warriors announced that Kuminga had left knee soreness, and would not return to the game.

After an absence of more than a month, Kuminga returned to the rotation on Tuesday night and was one of the few bright spots in the team’s blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors, scoring an efficient 20 points in just 21 minutes. He was fantastic in his short stint against the Mavs, scoring 10 points in just nine minutes, while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, with two steals.

With Jimmy Butler III out for the season with an ACL tear, and with the trade deadline exactly two weeks away, Kuminga has a great opportunity in front of him, to either become a key part of the rotation once again, or make himself attractive to a team that might trade for him. Hopefully the knee ailment is really just soreness and not an injury, and he can get back on the court shortly.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mia Pauldo scored 21 points and No. 17 Tennessee beat No. 11 Kentucky 60-58 on Thursday night for its seventh victory in a row.

Pauldo, who hit the 20-point mark for the second time this season, shot 9 of 22 from the field and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Lady Vols (14-3, 6-0 Southeastern Conference).

Ameila Hassett scored 16 points for Kentucky (17-4, 4-3). Jordan Obi had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Tonie Morgan scored 13. Clara Strack added 14 rebounds and nine points.

Kentucky, which ranks fifth in the nation at turnovers per game with 11.0, committed 10 turnovers in the first half and 11 in the second, resulting in 21 points for Tennessee.

A 12-3 run in the second quarter helped Tennessee go ahead and the Lady Vols led 29-22 at the half. Six-straight points in the fourth quarter by Hassett tied the game at 46.

Pauldo made Tennessee's final field goal with 2:58 remaining for a 59-54 lead and she added a free throw at 1:24 to cap the scoring. Kentucky had a missed shot and two turnovers in the final 90 seconds.

Tennessee secured its second-straight win over a ranked opponent after a 70-59 decision over Alabama on Sunday.

Up next

Kentucky: Hosts Georgia on Sunday.

Tennessee: Visits No. 18 Mississippi on Monday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

After a disappointing trip to Houston where the Spurs fell apart in the fourth to lose a winnable game against the Rockets, the Spurs travel to Salt Lake City, where the lake is salty and the the girls are pretty. The Spurs just defeated the Jazz on Monday night, 123-110 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score. Lauri Markkanen is still out for the Jazz, so this is a lineup that the Spurs can handle if they play a full game. The Spurs have had trouble finishing games recently, especially on the road, so tonight would be a good night for them to exorcize some demons by playing a 48 minute game. Maybe 42 would be enough against this Jazz squad?

Devin Vassell is still out with an adductor strain, and Luke Kornet is [listed as questionable] OUT with tightness in the same area. If Luke has to sit out the game, we should see a lot more of Kelly Olynyk and perhaps Bismack Biyombo. The Spur have a two break after tonight’s game before they face the Pelicans on Sunday night, which will be the longest break between games for the Silver and Black since the break between the Lakers game on the 7th and the Celtics game on the 10th of this month. January has been a grind, but the All Star break is a little more than two weeks away, which will be a welcome respite for the weary squad. Let’s GOO Spurs!!!

Game Prediction:

Carter Bryant will have his first 20 point game as a Spur as he plays 33 minutes in a blowout.

San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz
January 22, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Streaming: NBA League Pass
TV: FanDuel Southwest
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

Late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant put on one of the most unfathomable scoring performances in NBA history two decades ago tonight.

Peek-a-boo. 81 points.

Bryant torched the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006 to achieve the second-highest scoring feat ever, behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.

He was on a heater. Bryant shot 28-of-46 from the field, including 7-of-13 from deep. He made 18 of his 20 free throw attempts, including the last two with 43.2 seconds left in the game to give him 81 points.

He played 42 minutes.

He scored 26 points in the first half and went off for 55 points in the second half, shattering Elgin Baylor's team record for points in a game (71).

"I feel pretty good," Bryant said with a smile during his post-game interview in 2006. "It hasn't really sank in yet. We had four days off coming up here. I'd have been sick as a dog if we lost this game. I just wanted to step up and inspire us to play a great game and it turned into something really special."

Bryant said he never scored that much in a game, not even in elementary school. He went on to say the performance was something that "just happened."

On a day that featured NFL conference championship games, Bryant's performance overtook the headlines.

Legendary SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott had the right call that night on ESPN:

"You have to see it to believe it," Scott said 20 years ago.

Multiple NBA players recall the game, saying the performance was "unbelievable."

Lakers star LeBron James said, in a older interview, that he "watched the whole game." Spurs legend Tim Duncan remembers reading Bryant's 81-point stat line on a ticker. He thought it was a mistake.

Basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, at the time, remembered receiving an email about the game on his T-Mobile Sidekick cellphone.

"I was like, 'no way,' " Wade said. "I was at a restaurant so I went right and tuned into the TV they had at the restaurant and he had 71 so I watched the rest of it. At that time I think everybody was a fan of Kobe's to see this is history right here being made. No one's scoring 80 points in today's game. Everyone was a fan tuned in, watching his greatness."

"It just said 'Kobe 81,' " Kyrie Irving reminisced. "I just couldn't believe it."

Vince Carter thought it had to be a typo at the time. "81? or 51?" Carter said. "Unbelievable."

"Nobody believed it," Dirk Nowitzki said.

"Man, that's unbelievable," Klay Thompson said. "That's crazy. ... 81, that's ridiculous."

The game became so legendary that his iconic finger to the sky, signaling No. 1 or pointing to the heavens, was used for his statue that sits outside Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant 81-point game box score

• Points: 81
• FG: 28-for-46
• 3PT: 7-for-13
• Free Throws: 18-for-20
• Rebounds: 6
• Assists: 2
• Steals: 3
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 3
• Fouls: 1
• Minutes: 42

Highlights: Kobe's 81-point game, 20 years later

Watch every point Bryant scored on his historic night.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kobe Bryant 81 point game box score, highlights on 20th anniversary

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Shamar Springer's hat trick in the 19th over helped the West Indies secure a 15-run win to deny Afghanistan a T20 series sweep on Thursday.

Afghanistan, which had taken the first two matches to clinch the series, restricted the West Indies to 151-7 in 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to field.

Led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz's half-century, Afghanistan was in control before Springer's pace and length changes dismissed Gurbaz (71 off 58), Rashid Khan and Shahidullah in the penultimate over, leaving Ramon Simmonds to defend a 19-run lead in the 20th. Afghanistan finished 136-8.

Springer, a 28-year-old allrounder who hopes to make the squad for the T20 World Cup, took 4-20 in four overs. He became the third West Indies player to take a hat trick in T20 international. The other two are Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd.

Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with the captain falling just short of a half-century at 47.

The series is preparation by both teams for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka starting Feb. 7.

___

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

Houston Rockets vs Philly 76ers

January 7, 2026

Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790

Online: Rockets App, SCHN+

Time: 6:00pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

76ers: Tyrese Maxxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre, Paul George, Joel Embid

With the 2026 NBA trade deadline arriving on Feb. 5, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Knicks and their NBA Finals expectations.

New York snapped their four-game losing streak in an impressive win over the Nets on Wednesday night, but the team is still in the midst of one of its worst stretches in the Jalen Brunson era. With the win, they are 3-9 over their last 12 games and have fallen into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference -- they would be the four-seed if they didn't hold the tiebreaker over the Raptors.

So, as the Knicks look to improve the roster, what should fans be looking for? SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley spoke on the topic on the Jan. 22 episode of The Putback, where he and guest Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype broke down what they are hearing as the trade deadline gets closer.

Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors

After the Knicks' dreadful loss to the undermanned Mavericks at home on Monday, Newsday's Steve Popper reported that New York had spoken to a number of teams (Hornets, Grizzlies, Magic) about a potential trade involving Towns. 

Towns' numbers are down pretty much across the board and the big man even admitted that he's had a tough time adjusting to head coach Mike Brown's system. 

Begley shared on The Putback what he had heard.

"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations about trading Karl-Anthony Towns," Begley said. "As of Monday, it was not happening. As far as something in the aftermath of that Dallas loss, no, that wasn’t the case." 

Begley added that if the Knicks go through another 2-9 stretch and continue to struggle as they get closer to the trade deadline, things might change. 

Whenever Towns' name is thrown out there as a trade candidate, the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind. It seems like an easy swap for both teams, but Scotto threw some cold water on the idea.

“I personally never gotten the sense, at least from talking to my sources, that a team like the Milwaukee Bucks would be overly aggressive in trying to get Karl Towns in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, theoretically," Scotto said.

Scotto suggested that the Knicks, if they were to deal Towns, would have to consider "breaking up" Towns' salary into multiple pieces, similar to what the Timberwolves did when they moved the big man to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations on trading Karl-Anthony Towns"

On The Putback with @IanBegley, Ian discusses what he's heard on the KAT reports and his read on if the Knicks would make that trade pic.twitter.com/bvLAdFjzt2

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 22, 2026

Potential Knicks trade deadline acquisitions

Since a Towns trade is unlikely, what players should we be on the lookout for?

Guerschon Yabusele is as likely a candidate to be moved. According to Scotto, the acquisition was seen as a "homerun" by execs in the offseason, but it was made before the hiring of Brown. Clearly, Yabusele has had a tough time integrating into Brown's system, and the Knicks are looking to shop him. Scotto even suggested the Knicks may have to pair Yabusele with another minimum-salary player or draft picks to get a player that could help the team. 

Scotto shared that the Pelicans have two players that the Knicks checked in.

"I did hear the Knicks were calling not only on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans but also Yves Missi," Scotto said. "Part of it could be doing background, doing due diligence, but you don't make calls on these guys unless you're intersted so that raised my antenna a little bit. If you take Yabusele and another minimum guy, you could maybe try to make something happen there."

The Knicks' interest in Alvarado is well-documented by Missi is a name that even Begley was surprised by. 

Missi, 21, is a second-year center who has seen his minutes deep in year two. In his rookie campaign, Missi played around 27 minutes a game (73 games), averaging nine points, and eight rebounds (3.5 offensive). In his sophomore year, Missi is averaging 19 minutes and just 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds (2.9 offensive) across 38 games. 

Acquiring another big like Missi could open up more avenues for deals involving the Knicks. Would they deal Mitchell Robinson, who is on the final year of his contract, or one of the depth bigs like Ariel Hukporti? That also opens up the possibility to trade Towns as well. 

The Knicks have a lot to consider as they hope to fortify their roster for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

 

"I did hear the Knicks were not only calling on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans, but also Yves Missi"

On today's episode of The Putback, @MikeAScotto - a must-follow for NBA fans - discusses trade deadline (link to full show in post below) pic.twitter.com/11wdozjICd

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 22, 2026

Stanford Cardinal men's basketball will have to endure the remainder of their season without their senior second-leading scorer Chisom Okpara.

The school announced that Okpara suffered a lower extremity injury during the 70-55 loss to Virginia on Jan. 10 and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

The senior forward averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 17 games.

Okpara posted a statement to his Instagram account that led with a Bible verse from Proverbs.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart," Okpara's post read.

As his post continued, he said that his surgery went "smoothly" and he's focused on a full recovery.

"During our game against UVA on Jan. 10th, I sustained a significant patellar tendon tear. I'm happy to report that surgery yesterday went smoothly and I am focused on a full recovery," Okpara wrote.

He added: "I'm stepping away from the court for now to prioritize my health. While this isn't how I envisioned the season playing out, I am eternally grateful to Coach Smith and the entire coaching staff for their mentorship over the last two seasons. To my teammates, I'm rooting for you all the way to the top! Huge thanks to Dr. Marc Safran, the Stanford Medicine team and my family for their unwavering support. The future is bright. Glory to God! Go Cardinal!"

Stanford has an overall record of 14-5 and are .500 in ACC games at 3-3. They've got two wins over ranked opponents, North Carolina and Louisville.

Their next game is 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) Saturday against Cal at Maples Pavilion in Stanford.

More NCAAM: Stanford beats No. 13 Louisville, gets first ranked win in Kyle Smith era

Olympic champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced Thursday she is pregnant.

In an Instagram post, she said “made a human with my favorite human,” next to a picture of husband Andre Levrone Jr.

McLaughlin-Levrone won the last two Olympic titles in the 400-meter hurdles, setting world records both times. It currently stands at 50.37 seconds. Last year, she moved to the 400 flat and won world championships in 47.78 seconds, becoming the first woman to crack 48 in the full-lap race since 1985.

The even-numbered year between Summer Olympics is usually considered a light year in track and field. If McLaughlin-Levrone sits out 2026, she would miss the debut of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which will feature the sport's top athletes and offer $150,000 first prizes.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The Dallas Mavericks (18-26) host the Golden State Warriors (25-20) on Thursday night in the early slot on Amazon Prime. Dallas is somehow riding a three game win streak after beating the pants off of the New York Knicks on Monday. The Warriors are coming off a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday after winning four straight prior.

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors
• WHAT: The early slot on Amazon Prime
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
• HOW: Amazon Prime

Well, the injury report is still blergh for the Mavericks. The core four are out, as you well know. Daniel Gafford entered the day as questionable on the injury report and has since been downgraded to doubtful which means he’s not playing. You can move the other way during the day if it’s early enough, but downgrading is bad. Moussa Cisse is improved from questionable to probable with an illness. PJ Washington is no longer on the report after missing games due to personal reasons. The Warriors are without Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL Monday and is out for the season.

I don’t know how to feel about this game. Dallas is playing well enough while also hitting nearly half of their three-pointers in these last three wins. If that doesn’t sustain, the way they stick around in this is forcing Golden State turnovers; during the Steph Curry era they’ve always been a bit sloppier with the ball than makes sense. Dallas keeps playing really hard though, so expect a fun game no matter what.

Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four out of their last six and have a good chance of extending that to five out of their last seven as they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

The Kings are one of the most aimless teams in the league, and also one of the worst. Their starting lineup featuring Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan would’ve been potent a decade ago. It isn’t in 2026. Domantas Sabonis only being available for 14 games this season has made matters worse.

This should be a good opportunity for the Cavs to build some momentum before taking on the Orlando Magic in back-to-back games.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (25-20) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-33)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Fri., Jan. 23 at 7:30 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)

Kings injury report: Keegan Murray – OUT (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden – OUT (G League), Isaiah Stevens – OUT (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Kings expected starting lineup: Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Maxime Raynaud

Previous matchup: The Kings swept the season series last season. They defeated the Cavs 120-113 most recently on April 6.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	116.9 (11th)	114.6 (12th)	+2.3 (12th)
Kings	110.9 (28th)	120.2 (28th)	-9.3 (29th)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jesse Minter is heading back to Baltimore, this time as the Ravens' next head coach.

The club hired the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator on Thursday. Minter replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired earlier this month after 18 years when the Ravens failed to make the playoffs.

Minter spent four seasons on Harbaugh's staff from 2017-20, working his way up to become the defensive backs coach during his final season before taking the defensive coordinator job at Vanderbilt.

The 42-year-old Minter was one of the hottest names on the market. He interviewed virtually with several teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also looking for a coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down last week — before landing in Baltimore, where his job will be to help two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson take the next step in a career that’s been consistently snakebit in the postseason.

“This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” Minter said in a statement.

Minter has been with the Chargers for two seasons after two years as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. Minter’s partnership with both Harbaughs helped him build a resume that made him the right fit to replace John Harbaugh and become the fourth head coach in Baltimore's 31-year history.

"Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Jesse comes from a football family, with success at every level of the sport, and we are confident that he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward.”

The Bolts were fifth in the league in total defense this season, allowing 285.2 yards per game. They allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. The Wolverines led the nation in total defense in 2023 en route to winning the College Football Playoff national championship.

Minter also spent four seasons at Baltimore (2017-20), rising from a defensive assistant to defensive backs coach his final year. He also interviewed for the head coach openings in Atlanta and Miami earlier this week. Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Tennessee have also requested interviews.

The Ravens endured a tumultuous 2025 season marked by a 1-5 start and major injuries, from Jackson to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. Baltimore recovered to head into a Week 18 showdown with Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.

Rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal on the final play sailed wide right, handing the division crown to the Steelers.

Harbaugh, the NFL's second-longest tenured head coach, was out of a job days later. Harbaugh didn't stay out of work long. He was hired to the same position by the New York Giants last week.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/nfl

A trade in the NBA, perhaps more so than the trades in any other major professional sports league based in North America, can only be examined through the prism of what each organization wanted to accomplish in the transaction. The goals of a contender trying to add another piece for its postseason run are different than a struggling team in the midst of a rebuild. Those opposing missions will define the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

The names of the players and their stats often take a backseat to salary cap ramifications, with contracts that have gone sour and draft assets discussed as much by front offices as the potential stars that could be changing teams. But the rumors leading into the Feb. 5 deadline have fueled conversation throughout the league during the first half of the 2025-26 season, and now we're approaching their end point.

The Atlanta Hawks already traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade speculation since before the Milwaukee Bucks season even began. Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies also could be headed for divorce after multiple reports suggested the team is listening to offers for the point guard for the first time.

They may be the biggest stars on the move, but they aren't alone. A bevy of well-known players have been mentioned as possible trade candidates in recent weeks. Where they wind up after Feb. 5, if they stay put or get dealt elsewhere, is likely to shake up the NBA playoff race.

Here's a breakdown of the top candidates potentially available at the 2026 NBA trade deadline and how they rank:

NBA ROOKIE RANKINGS: Kon Knueppel moves past Cooper Flagg

Ranking 2026 NBA trade candidates

Other players to monitor: Ochai Agbaji, Jose Alvarado, Lonzo Ball, Nic Claxton, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Keon Ellis, Daniel Gafford, Jerami Grant, De'Andre Hunter, Tyus Jones, Kyle Kuzma, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Malik Monk, Jusuf Nurkic, Immanuel Quickley, Chris Paul, Jakob Poeltl, Bobby Portis, Collin Sexton, Dennis Schroder, Anfernee Simons, Jeremy Sochan, Nikola Vucevic, Guerschon Yabusele

10. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers

Mathurin is a restricted free agent after this season after failing to agree to an extension with the Pacers this past offseason and the team could use him to deal for a frontcourt piece to help offset the loss of Myles Turner. Mathurin has been out with a thumb injury in January, but is nearing a return to action. He's averaging career highs in points (17.8), rebounds (5.5) and assists (2.2) this season.

9. Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta Hawks

The veteran center could follow Young out of Atlanta ahead of the deadline with an expiring contract and $30 million salary that could help the Hawks improve their roster around Jalen Johnson with the right deal. But Porzingis has appeared in just 17 games this season, including just five since Thanksgiving, due to illness and a recent Achilles injury.

8. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors

It seemed a near-certainty Kuminga would be dealt to a team in search of help on the wing before the deadline after he fell out of Golden State coach Steve Kerr's rotation and demanded a trade. But the season-ended injury suffered by Jimmy Butler earlier this week could change the Warriors' strategy with Kuminga, who signed a two-year, $48.5-million contract in October 2025 that includes a team option for next season. Kuminga returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a month on Jan. 20 and finished with 20 points and five rebounds. General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. insinuated earlier this week, when asked about Kuminga's trade demand by reporters, that there wasn't much demand for Kuminga on the trade market.

7. R.J. Barrett, Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster after a strong start to the 2025-26 season and their No. 3 overall pick from the 2019 NBA Draft could be the piece Toronto is willing to part with to find another player to team with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Jakob Poeltl and Ochai Agbaji have also been mentioned as possible trade chips.

6. Coby White, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls risk losing White for nothing if they don't trade him at the deadline since he'll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He's one of eight unrestricted free agents on Chicago's roster, with center Nikola Vucevic and guard Ayo Dosunmu among the prime candidates who could also be traded in the coming weeks. White is averaging 18.5 points and 4.6 assists while shooting a career-best 45.9% from the field.

5. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

Sabonis just returned from a knee injury and the Kings appear ready to move on from most of the veterans on their roster, including Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan. Sabonis is more intriguing because he's younger and more accomplished, but with more term left on his contract and serious defensive limitations that have muted his effectiveness. Sabonis is just a year removed from consecutive all-NBA nods and he averaged more than 19 points, nearly 14 rebounds and more than 7 assists per game over the past two seasons.

4. Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets

Porter has turned into a potential trade deadline asset after taking on a leading role and producing a career year in Brooklyn following an offseason trade from the Nuggets. Porter's combination of size and shooting would help any contender, much like he did as a role player in Denver during its 2023 NBA title run. He's averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting better than 39% from 3-point range.

3. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies made clear a couple weeks they were willing to listen to trade offers for Morant after he had been the subject of speculation throughout the first couple months of the NBA season. Morant indicated publicly last week he wants to remain in Memphis, though his departure remains a distinct possibility. Morant's durability concerns, declining production and significant contract could limit the list of suitors and keep Memphis from moving on from him midseason. But his recent return from injury demonstrated that, when properly motivated, the 26-year-old can still impact NBA games in a major way. If Morant is gone from the Grizzlies, teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. could also become available.

2. Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks

Trading Davis got even more complicated for the Mavericks after he recently suffered a hand injury that will sideline him for six weeks. The bright side is Davis will avoid injury and could be available by the postseason for a contender willing to trade for him. His lengthy injury history and contract, with two years and more than $120 million remaining after this season, will limit his suitors. But Davis remains a two-way force inside when healthy and could alter the postseason picture if he's on the move.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

It's getting really awkward in Milwaukee, with a breakup between the Bucks and their star seemingly inevitable even if neither side wants to be the one to say it out loud. The Bucks are struggling, Antetokounmpo is frustrated and the team is reportedly looking to add help at the trade deadline in hopes of convincing him to stay. He has one year left on his contract after this season, so waiting to make a trade until the offseason is an option. But if Antetokounmpo decides he wants out of Milwaukee over the next few weeks, teams will be lining up to try to acquire him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA trade deadline power rankings 2026: Ranking best players available