The Navy All-American Bowl is pleased to announce the coaching staffs for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl.
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.
Sabres Notes: Tuch Status Quo, Is Levi A Depreciating Asset?
Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen indicated after taking control of the Sabres last month that resuming negotiations with winger Alex Tuch, and according to the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, he has already been in contact with agent Brian Bartlett and that contract discussions are expected to continue into January.
The issue that appears to be the sticking point is Tuch’s asking price, which has reportedly been in excess of $10 million per season on an eight-year max deal, close to what LA Kings forward Adrian Kempe signed for earlier in the season, but there is not any proof to this point whether the Sabres stance has loosened since October, when Tuch paused talks with the club.
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The clock is ticking on the Sabres, as they have to make some progress and get the 29-year-old winger locked up before the March 6th trade deadline or trade him, which conceivably could bring back a considerable return.
Another potential ticking clock that Kekalainen inherited was the Sabres goaltending situation. The veteran GM indicated that he was on board with the club claiming Colten Ellis off waivers from St. Louis and thus maintaining three goalies on the NHL roster, but that addition pretty much ruled out once-prized Sabres prospect Devon Levi playing in the NHL this season.
Levi signed a two-year, $1.625 million deal with the Sabres this summer, and did not have any leverage since he did not qualify to be a restricted free agent with the ability to sign an offer sheet. The 24-year-old was waiver exempt and demoted after training camp after putting up two excellent seasons in the AHL with Rochester. This season his numbers have slipped slightly (11-5-4, 2.82 GAA, .906 save %).
The dilemma Buffalo faces is that Levi, like Ellis this season, will not be waiver exempt next year. Kekalainen could use the young goalie as a trade commodity in a goalie-starved league to add help and improve the club’s playoff chances before the deadline, but if he waits until the summer to make a decision, he risks getting little in return.
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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.
'It's A Dream Come True For Me': Rakell, Karlsson Thrilled To Represent Sweden At Olympic Games
On Friday, a few Pittsburgh Penguins' players got some news that they've been waiting on for quite a while.
And it looks like they'll be spending most of February in Milan, Italy.
It was announced that defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell made the cut for the final 2026 Swedish Olympic roster, which will mark the second time Karlsson has represented his country in the Olympics and the first time for Rakell.
Forward Bryan Rust - who was invited to Team USA's Olympic camp over the summer - did not make the final cut for Team USA.
For Karlsson, the chance to compete again at the highest-level international tournament in the world is something that he's been anticipating for a decade. And - for Rakell - it's a childhood aspiration finally realized.
"Super excited," Rakell said. "It's a dream come true for me to get the chance to play in the Olympics and represent my country. I couldn't be more excited."
As much as there was a degree of certainty for Karlsson making the final roster despite not being named as one of the First Six - he said he was a "lock" back in training camp - it was not the same situation with Rakell, especially given his longer-term injury this season and the breadth of competition for few spots on the forward front.
And there was also the fact that, for the 4 Nations Face-off last February, he was left off the initial roster despite being in the midst of a career season. He was eventually named as an injury replacement, he competed in the tournament, and he finished his NHL season with career-highs in goals (35) and points (70).
So, for those reasons, he wasn't entirely sure that he would make the cut. But he's glad that he did.
"Yeah, obviously, that's all you want," Rakell said. "You never know if it's the last chance you get to play in a tournament like that, and you're thinking about it pretty much all of last year, all of summer, and coming into this year, and you never know with the injuries and all that happens, what's going to happen to you.
"Ultimately, it's coaches' decision to make the team, so even though you don't want to think about it too much, you just try to focus on your game here and try to give your best every night. I was really excited to get the call."
Rakell is also excited to have the opportunity to share his first Olympic experience with his teammate in Karlsson, who Rakell has become close friends with since the blueliner's arrival in Pittsburgh during the summer of 2023.
"I'm very happy to go with him and just share that moment together," Rakell said. "Obviously, since the day he got here, we didn't really know each other before, but we've become really good friends, and I'm super excited to see him [there]. He's going to be a top player on our team there, and just watching him here every day and get to see him, get to learn from him... it's a lot of fun."
Karlsson also sees the value in having someone like Rakell on the roster because of his situational versatility and ability to perform on big stages.
"I think he’s shown over the last couple of years that he’s a capable player in situations like that," Karlsson said. "I think he had a good 4 Nations. He’s a guy that can play up and down the lineup and a reliable guy. So, I’m happy that he got the recognition for it, and very well-deserved.”
Karlsson competed in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, when the Swedes lost to Sidney Crosby and Team Canada in the gold medal game. Although he joked about having "not very good memories" about losing to Crosby and company, he also recalled the experience as being one of the best of his playing career.
And for the NHL to be back in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years - and for him to be a part of that - means a lot to him.
“It’s weird," Karlsson said. "Obviously, I missed two of them in the time that [we] could have played, which is very frustrating at one point. But at the same time, there’s nothing you can do about it. So, I’m just happy that it’s back on, and hopefully, it stays this way for the younger generation and we don’t get to miss another one because it’s a very special thing to be a part of.”
He added: "Very happy that we get the chance to be back and experience it again. And, you know, hopefully, it’s not my last one.”
The Swedish Olympic roster will largely feature the same players that made the 4 Nations cut, even if there are a few alterations. Gustav Nyquist, William Karlsson, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm were players on the 4 Nations roster that were left off, while Gabriel Landeskog, Alexander Wennberg, Pontus Holmberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Philip Broberg.
Representing Sweden at the #MilanoCortina2026#WinterOlympics... 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/4zkB5heEgs
— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2026
During 4 Nations, Rakell spent some time playing with Mika Zibanejad, William Nylander, and Elias Pettersson - all of whom made the cut - while Karlsson was paired with Ekholm, meaning he will have a new defense partner for the Olympics.
Regardless, both players feel good about the group that's headed to Milan.
"I feel really good about it," Rakell said. "As a group, we learned some things at the 4 Nations, and going to the Olympics, I think we have a better view of what we can improve and learn from our mistakes there to just try to give our best effort at the Olympics."
While the Olympics were, obviously, a heavy emphasis Friday, Rakell and Karlsson remain focused on what is right in front of them in Pittsburgh, where the team has won four of its last five games. The team plays a lot of games between now and the Olympics - 17, to be exact - and they are in the midst of a playoff race.
Not only are the NHL games in front of them important, but playing well going into the Olympics does help ensure that both players will be at the height of their game when the time comes to play in the highest level of best-on-best possible.
“Obviously, right now, I think we’re all very excited to go to Milan and compete for your nation," Karlsson said. "But at the same time, we're also very excited for the upcoming games in between with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I think that we have something good going on. We got off to a good start after the break, and that’s what we’re focusing on right now.
"So, whatever needs to be done here for this team to be successful, we’ve got to deal with. Then, when we get to Milan, we’re going to deal with what we have to do there to be successful.”
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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.
Atlanta 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.
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.
Rookie Risk: Oilers May Be Testing Something On The Third Line
The Edmonton Oilers are taking a bit of a risk if the lines at practice on Friday are any indication of what's to be expected in Saturday's afternoon game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Both Ike Howard and Quinn Hutson were recalled from the AHL an on the ice. Both were on the third line, with fellow rookie Matt Savoie.
Three rookies on the third line? It's a gamble, with some serious potential for offense.
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Quinn Hutson recorded three straight multi-point outings in the AHL before making his way back to the big club.
— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) January 2, 2026
Goals in four straight (6G, 2A — 8 PTS).
Took reps with Howard & Savoie at Friday’s practice. #Oilerspic.twitter.com/A7HuTuGnQQ
Edmonton has struggled to find any offense from their third line of late. They wanted to create a spark so badly, they took Jack Roslovic off a successful second line and put him at center on the third line. It didn't work and Roslovic was almost immediately put back in the top six, with head coach Kris Knoblauch saying, "We made that switch putting Roslovic there. Obviously, we feel that Roslovic is a better player, but I thought Andrew [Mangiapane] did some things that helped us."
Perhaps Mangiapane did some things, but it wasn't enough. He's now an asterisk on the second line, and might be a healthy scratch. Vasily Podkolzin was under the weather and not on the ice Friday.
Back to the third line...
Having three rookies on the ice is asking a lot of that trio. It's clear that Huston and Howard can light it up at the AHL level. Howard scored 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 16 games with the Condors. Hutson has tallied 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points in 26 games this season. Asking them to translate that over in the NHL won't be easy. And, while Savoie is a responsible two-way player, he's still fresh in the NHL, with only 46 total NHL games on his resume.
The problems might come defensively. As sound as Savoie is, Hutson and Howard are question marks. Can the Oilers deploy that line in advantageous situations? On home ice, that's a bit easier to do. However, not always. These three will need to stay above water if they're going to see any minutes at all. The Flyers and any future opponents will try to isolate that line if they can get their top stars on the ice.
Knoblauch wouldn't commit to the trio as a line for Saturday. He noted that there are some positives and negatives to the idea. Without an "NHL center," there is a risk. It is three smaller players, too. The positive is that they are skilled and have experience together. He noted that if he does go this route, he'll look at offensive zone starts and beneficial matchups. "There'll be some coaching," he said.
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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.
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"Didn't Play Our Best": Red Wings Look To Rebound From 4-3 Overtime Loss To Penguins
While the Detroit Red Wings picked up a valuable point in the standings during their 4-3 overtime setback against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday evening, they'll lament the fact that they only converted on two of eight power-play opportunities.
Both James van Riemsdyk and Alex DeBrincat tallied with the man-advantage, the former coming during a four-minute double-minor opportunity, with the latter coming late in the third period to knot the score at 3-3.
However, six other chances went for naught despite coming into the contest with the NHL's fourth-ranked power-play efficiency rate.
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Head coach Todd McLellan did point to the positive of the statistical reality that they finished with a 25 percent conversion rate during the contest.
“At the end of the night, it was 25 percent, which isn’t too bad," McLellan said of Detroit's power-play. "It got us two goals and probably got us a point. Anytime you start a game on the power-play 20 seconds in, that’s a tough thing.”
Despite staying in the first place position in the Atlantic Division standings by picking up a point, the Red Wings feel that they could have played better as a whole
"It’s a huge point to get," said DeBrincat, who picked up his 21st goal of the campaign. "Still a little disappointed in how we played, but some nights, good teams win those games. We feel like we should’ve won that game, but we can go win on Saturday and make it back."
The Red Wings will once again face the Penguins on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
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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.)
Peach Bowl preview: Indiana, Oregon meet in rematch in CFP semifinal
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.