Stein’s Latest: Morant, Young, Knicks, Gafford, More
Ja Morant has become the name to watch in NBA trade circles following reports that the Grizzlies were open to listening to offers for their star point guard.
In his latest article for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein notes that, due to their reported interest in trade targets like Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Domantas Sabonis, there is a belief around the league that the Raptors may be facing internal win-now pressure, which could lead to them making a play for Morant.
Stein also states that, despite rumors that the Kings aren’t looking to making a move for the oft-injured point guard, he has heard rumors that Sacramento’s interest in Morant could be piqued if the Grizzlies would consider a return built around DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter, and draft assets.
Carter was the 13th pick in the 2024 draft but has struggled to carve out a role with the Kings, averaging just 8.4 minutes this season.
Morant has played 18 games this season and is averaging 19.0 points and 7.6 assists on .401/.208/.900 shooting splits.
We have more from Stein’s latest newsletter:
- One of the lingering questions following the Wizards‘ trade for Young is whether Washington will extend its newly acquired guard. Stein, who notes that the Hawks’ refusal to extend Young was one of the impetuses that led to their separation, says there are rumblings that the four-time All-Star will ultimately land a two-year extension. With Young widely expected to see little to no action during the second half, Stein notes that the Wizards will likely to point to Toronto’s handling of Brandon Ingram last year as a precedent if the league takes issue with their new point guard sitting out. Ingram didn’t suit up for the Raptors last season, with the team citing an ankle injury.
- The Knicks have struggled to regain their footing after claiming the NBA Cup, winning just one of their last six games. While it’s unlikely that they’ll part with any of their core players, Stein writes that Guerschon Yabusele and second-year wing Pacome Dadiet are both available as New York attempts to tinker around their margins. Yabusele, after a breakout return to the NBA with the Sixers last season, has struggled to find a rhythm or role in coach Mike Brown‘s system, leading to him being in and out of the rotation. Dadiet, the 25th pick in the 2024 draft, has seemingly been overtaken in the rotation by youngsters like Mohamed Diawara and Kevin McCullar Jr., having played just 44 minutes in 14 games.
- While the Hawks‘ interest in Davis is well-documented, Stein writes that they also have some level of interest in another Mavericks big man: Daniel Gafford. Gafford offers less upside than Davis, but such a deal would help the Hawks keep Zaccharie Risacher out of trade talks. Stein adds that the Pacers and Celtics are also interested in pursuing the 27-year-old center.
- Spencer Dinwiddie is now eligible to sign with an NBA team after parting ways with Bayern Munich, but Stein reports that he could need some time to deal with the personal matters that led to his leaving the EuroLeague club.
- According to Stein, the Mavericks are holding off on waiving Dante Exum to open up a roster spot to promote Ryan Nembhard because they hope they can use Exum’s $3.3MM salary in a trade instead. Decisions on converting two-way players like Spencer Jones (Nuggets), Daniss Jenkins (Pistons), and Pat Spencer (Warriors) will likely all happen after the trade deadline for similar reasons, especially since those players won’t reach their active game limits until around that time.
Williams Hasn't Heard Any Rumblings About Snyder's Job Status
- Appearing on 92.9 FM The Game with Chris Thomas (Twitter link), Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said she hasn’t heard any rumblings about head coach Quin Snyder potentially being on the hot seat with the Hawks off to a relatively disappointing start to the season. Atlanta is currently 19-21, the No. 9 seed in the East.
Latest On Ja Morant
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday that the Grizzlies are listening to trade offers for Ja Morant, but also said the team is open to keeping him on the roster past the February 5 deadline. John Hollinger of The Athletic, a former high-ranking Grizzlies executive, confirms the team is fielding offers for Morant but is dubious Memphis will retain the 26-year-old beyond Feb. 5.
As Hollinger observes, it’s rare for a team to publicly advertise it’s open to moving one of its top players unless the club already intends to move him. Just a few days after the Hawks were said to be working on a trade with Trae Young, they ended up sending him to Washington. It’s quite possible Memphis already has a deal lined up for Morant and is waiting to see if anyone will top it, according to Hollinger.
Hollinger confirms the Kings and Timberwolves are unlikely to pursue Morant, describing their interest as “lukewarm at best.” While he admits it’s informed speculation, Hollinger points to the Raptors (Immanuel Quickley and other assets) as a team that might be a fit, and calls the Nets a potential “deep dark horse” suitor.
A league source tells The Athletic that Michael Porter Jr. is a “lock” to be traded by Brooklyn ahead of the deadline, with Hollinger suggesting three-team frameworks that send Porter to either the Raptors, Heat or Bucks, Morant to the Nets, and various assets to the Grizzlies.
Here are several more rumors related to Morant:
- There’s a sense around the league that the Grizzlies might be able to get more value for Morant than the Hawks did for Young, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. That could require Memphis to take on long-term money in return, but the team seems more willing to go that route than Atlanta was.
- Still, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) hears the Grizzlies don’t have unrealistic expectations about a potential return package. Fischer confirms they’re looking for young players and draft assets, but says Memphis isn’t expecting anything close to what it received for Desmond Bane over the offseason.
- According to Fischer, while Morant may have never formally requested a trade, it seems both sides were in agreement about seeking a change of scenery. Fischer also hears the Grizzlies want to build around Jaren Jackson Jr., but says that won’t stop opposing teams from calling about his availability and trying to determine through back channels whether the former Defensive Player of the Year is open to a possible exit. Hollinger has heard similar rumblings about Jackson, with Fischer wondering if the Raptors or Hawks might pivot to a pursuit of the 26-year-old big man in the wake of Anthony Davis‘ hand injury.
- Although there were some suggestions early in the season about a potential Morant-LaMelo Ball trade between the Grizzlies and Hornets, that scenario appears unlikely now, Fischer writes.
- The Raptors offered Quickley and unspecified draft compensation to the Hawks for Young prior to last year’s deadline, sources tell Fischer, and maintained a level of interest in the four-time All-Star in 2025/26. The Hawks weren’t interested in taking on Quickley’s contract, as they were instead focused on financial flexibility, but perhaps Memphis would feel differently.
- The Heat have had internal discussions about pursuing Morant, Fischer reports. Morant didn’t like playing under the Noah LaRoche‘s offensive system last season with Memphis, Fischer notes, but Miami has a history of expressing interest in star players regardless of their injury or off-court histories.
- Both Hollinger and Vecenie are skeptical about the Bucks pursuing Morant, but the possibility can’t be ruled out entirely. “They’ve thought about everyone,” one rival executive told Fischer.
Trae Young Notes: Presser, Wizards, Future, Dawkins, Hawks
In an exclusive interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Trae Young says he first learned of the possibility of a trade to the Wizards “a few weeks ago” and is excited about the opportunity to help “revive” the franchise.
“That could be another reason why I’m here. We revive each other,” Young said. “The city can revive me as much as I can revive it. That’s a big reason why I want to come here. I want to be an impactful person and player everywhere I go. So, as much as I’m going to try to revive the city, I need the city and this team to give me as much as we’re going to give them.”
Although he’s enthusiastic about joining the Wizards, Young tells Spears he’s taking a wait-and-see approach to his long-term future with the team. The four-time All-Star holds a $49MM player option for 2026/27 and is also extension-eligible.
“That’s the thing. I’m obviously always where my feet are, especially now,” Young said. “My feet are all here right now. I obviously have a player option this summer. I just want to enjoy the city. Right now, who knows what that would be? It’s a good chance. You never know if I’ll be here or not.
“But for me, I like the people around here, obviously. Really, really like the people around here from front office, all those guys being from OKC and the people I just met around here. But I want to figure out more about the city and stuff like that before I even want to get thinking about that. I want to just be around my teammates and all that stuff before an extension.”
Here’s more on Young and the Wizards:
- General manager Will Dawkins tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic the Wizards have yet to engage in contract discussions with Young or his agent. Both Young and Dawkins said they’re hoping to see how he fits with the team at some point when he returns from injuries. “We’re learning more about his injury status,” Dawkins told The Athletic when asked whether he expects Young to play for the Wizards this season. “We’ll know more this weekend as he gets through it. Our hope is to see him with our guys so he can make a decision (about his player option) going into next summer as well. When that will be, I don’t know, but we won’t rush him. We want him to be 100 percent healthy before he goes out there.”
- At his introductory press conference on Friday, Young said he aims to elevate Washington’s young players, and Dawkins said the front office is confident he’ll be successful in that goal, Robbins notes. “I just want to bring the best out of these young guys, as far as on the court,” Young told reporters. “When … I’m able to be right and get on the court, (I want to) show that I can bring the best out of this team and these young guys that I’m around, and hopefully make an All-Star or two out of some of these other guys. That’s my goal for this.”
- As Spears writes for ESPN.com, Young has multiple connections to the Wizards’ front office. He was drafted by VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk, who was Atlanta’s head of basketball operations at the time. Dawkins, a longtime former Thunder executive, has also been aware of the Oklahoma native since Young was 12 years old. “There’s a lot of ties there being in Oklahoma City,” Dawkins said. “It’s a small town. He’s from Norman. My wife is from Norman. Her whole family lives there. He went to OU. My wife’s family works at OU, went to OU. Known him for a very long time. When you are in a city like that, you have player of the year-type candidates in high school and college, it is very easy to see him. You see him in the different gyms, you know his family, you know what he’s about, you know the fiber that he comes from.”
- In his interview with Spears, Young said he became emotional when driving to State Farm Arena ahead of Wednesday’s game, knowing it was potentially his last time doing so as a member of Atlanta’s organization. While he admits he was disappointed he didn’t receive a contract extension offer from the Hawks, which played a significant role in his departure, he said he left the team on good terms and publicly praised the franchise at his presser. “I loved it. I enjoyed it. For me, going there as a 19-, 20-year-old, it was a dream come true being able to be drafted there,” Young said, per Spears. “I have nothing but love and respect to the Ressler family. It was kind of their beginning of being in Atlanta too. Going in there at the same time with them, it was a dream come true. I’m happy that I had that. I feel like I needed that to be where I’m at today. Going forward, I think that everything I learned there is just going to make me the better player and the better person I need to be for this organization going forward. I’m just so thankful for my time there. But I’m excited about this next one.”
Trae Young Notes: Wizards’ Statement, Extension, More
After the Hawks officially announced the completion of the Trae Young trade, the Wizards followed suit, issuing a press release to confirm that the deal is official. The team will hold a formal press conference at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday to introduce its new point guard.
“We are excited to welcome Trae Young to the Washington Wizards,” general manager Will Dawkins said in a statement. “It is a rare opportunity to acquire a player of Trae’s skill, accomplishments, and age. Trae plays an exciting brand of basketball and brings a level of confidence and competitiveness that has set him apart in this league.”
Young, who revealed (via Twitter) that he’ll wear No. 3 with his new team (Elvin Hayes‘ No. 11 is retired), also published a statement of his own, making his first public comments since news of the trade agreement broke.
“Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal,” Young wrote (via Twitter). “However, between the injuries, the setbacks, and situations that didn’t make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential. The city that raised me and taught me so much will always be a chapter in this story.
“However, the pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity. I’m walking into his next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear. We move.”
Here’s more on Young in the wake of his move to Washington:
- The Wizards view Young as a “rare intersection of basketball impact and marketability,” writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, citing sources. As Afseth explains, the organization has lacked recognizable stars since moving on from John Wall and Bradley Beal and hopes Young can be that type of figure going forward.
- There’s a strong expectation around the NBA that Young will sign a contract extension with the Wizards sooner or later, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst. Afseth suggests that Washington would likely be looking at a three-year deal, adding that it could be worth in the neighborhood of $120MM. That would be the same sort of contract that Brandon Ingram signed after being sent to Toronto in a similar mid-season trade a year ago.
- Like last season’s Ingram trade for the Raptors, this deal is considered a form of “pre-agency” for the Wizards, who project to have significant cap flexibility during the summer and are getting a head-start on their offseason, per Bontemps and Windhorst. ESPN’s duo adds that the Wizards are hopeful that Young’s impact on their young core can be similar to Chris Paul‘s with the Thunder in 2019 or Fred VanVleet‘s with the Rockets in 2023.
- In a mailbag, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tackles a series of questions about the Young trade, including how the 27-year-old guard will impact second-year center Alex Sarr, how Bub Carrington‘s role could change, and whether Young’s presence will affect their 2026 draft plans. Robbins also observes that – while the Wizards are optimistic about a longer-term future with Young – the cost to acquire him was so modest that it won’t be viewed as a disaster if things don’t work out and the two sides ends up parting ways in a year or two.
Hawks Trade Trae Young To Wizards
January 9: The trade is official, the Hawks confirmed today in a press release.
“On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I’d like to thank Trae for how he embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community,” Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said in a statement. “Over more than seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise’s history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.
“Adding CJ McCollum, one of the NBA’s most prolific shooters and a respected veteran, along with an established young veteran in Corey Kispert, will strengthen our team on the court and in the locker room, and we retain flexibility for future opportunities to continue building our program.”
January 7: The Hawks have reached an agreement to send Trae Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). No draft picks are being included in the trade, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Charania reported earlier today that Washington was Young’s preferred destination in a deal. He gets a chance to restart his career as a veteran presence on a young team after spending seven-plus seasons in Atlanta.
Young was a four-time All-Star with the Hawks, including last season when he was the NBA’s assists leader with 11.6 per game. However, he was limited to just 10 games this season after suffering a sprained MCL in late October and a right quad contusion that has kept him out recently.
According to Charania (Twitter link), the Hawks liked the look of their offense over the past two months centered around dynamic forward Jalen Johnson and a collection of wings and depth rather than relying on a ball-dominant guard like Young.
They also get out from under Young’s $49MM player option for 2026/27 and his desire for a contract extension. McCollum is a versatile guard with playoff experience who has a $30.6MM expiring deal, while Kispert is under contract for nearly $14MM this season and next and roughly $13MM in 2027/28.
The salary flexibility could make Atlanta more willing to increase its pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis before the trade deadline. Numerous reports have indicated that the Hawks are interested in acquiring Davis, but didn’t want to have his salary and Young’s on their books at the same time.
Charania points out that the deal reunites Young with Wizards executive Travis Schlenk, a former Hawks general manager who drafted him with the fifth pick in 2018 (Twitter link). Charania adds that team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins have been targeting a veteran star to blend with the young talent they’ve accumulated in recent drafts (Twitter link).
The Hawks no longer project to be over the cap this summer and could have $29MM in cap space, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). With McCollum, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, Atlanta has more than $70MM in expiring contracts. The acquisition of Young leaves the Wizards with a projected $46MM in cap room, down from about $80MM, assuming he doesn’t opt out and leave in free agency.
The Hawks “heavily valued” Kispert’s three-point shooting and viewed him as a vital part of the deal, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. He has been limited to 19 games this season due to injuries to his thumb and hamstring.
McCollum, who has been a full-time starter in his first season with Washington, provides another proven scorer for the Hawks’ backcourt. He’s not likely to get bought out once the deal is complete, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), because his Bird rights could become useful in an offseason sign-and-trade. If there is a buyout, Gozlan notes that apron teams such as Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, Minnesota and New York wouldn’t be permitted to sign McCollum.
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Young left the Hawks’ bench with about 31 seconds left in tonight’s game and gave high-fives to a few of his teammates as he headed to the locker room (YouTube link). At a post-game press conference, coach Quin Snyder told reporters that he’s “not at liberty to talk about or answer” any questions about the Young deal because it hasn’t been officially finalized, per Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link).
Trade Rumors: Morant, Ball, Bucks, Kings, Kuminga
The Hawks‘ return for a four-time All-Star like Trae Young may look awfully modest, but a scout who spoke to Sam Amick of The Athletic suggests it may be equally difficult for other teams with defensively limited point guards to extract real value for them. That group includes the Grizzlies with Ja Morant and the Hornets with LaMelo Ball.
“Ja, Trae and LaMelo don’t have that much value because the game has changed around them,” that scout said.
According to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, rival executives have conveyed a similar sentiment, pointing to Young’s maximum-salary contract and the league-wide depth at the point guard spot as reasons why they think Atlanta made out reasonably well in the deal. Conversely, some of those execs questioned the Wizards‘ decision to trade for Young.
“I know from a value proposition why you look at it,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “But if I’m the Wizards, just keep being bad, and stuff will figure itself out. I’m not sure why they felt the need to do this.”
“Offense is so easy now,” a Western Conference executive added. “One of the worst teams in the league can still easily put up 115 points in a game. … It’s hard for these small point guards to have real value with how the game is played now.”
We have more trade notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- While the Bucks have been connected to multiple Kings players, including Zach LaVine and Malik Monk, there were no active discussions between the two teams as of earlier this week, league sources tell Amick. Amick also confirms that the Bucks are among many teams believed to have interest in Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. and that they’ve conveyed interest in Anthony Davis, though they don’t appear to have a realistic path to a deal for the Mavericks big man.
- Checking in on the Jonathan Kuminga situation, Amick writes that the Kings are still widely viewed as the frontrunner to acquire the Warriors forward, but are no longer willing to offer the protected 2030 first-round pick that was on the table during the offseason, echoing a similar report from ESPN. Additionally, since Golden State has registered no real interest in Sacramento’s veterans, a third team may be necessary to make a deal that gets Kuminga to the Kings, Amick adds.
- ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and Zach Kram suggest six hypothetical trades they think make sense for all involved parties, with cap expert Bobby Marks analyzing each proposal. Their ideas range from bigger moves like the Bucks getting Porter or the Warriors landing Trey Murphy III to more minor deals like the Raptors acquiring Brook Lopez.
Trade Rumors: Davis, Hawks, Raptors, Zion, Bulls
ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Hawks were considered likely to remain in pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis after clearing Trae Young‘s salary from their books for next season. However, a Davis deal between the two teams looks unlikely at this juncture, sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.
While Atlanta has a level of interest in Davis, the team has been unwilling to part with either Zaccharie Risacher or the prized 2026 first-round pick the team controls (better of Pelicans’ or Bucks’) in talks for the 10-time All-Star, Afseth writes. I’d be very surprised if that 2026 first-rounder is ever made available under any circumstances, let alone for an oft-injured star in his 30s like Davis, so a potential trade may hinge on whether the Hawks change their stance on Risacher.
Several reports have stated Davis is looking for a contract extension in the offseason, but the Mavs aren’t making any promises on that front, according to Afseth. The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Davis’ camp aren’t convinced Dallas is interested in an extension and wouldn’t mind trying to get him to a team more likely to pursue a new deal.
Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca confirms the Raptors have conveyed “exploratory interest” in Davis, but he’s skeptical that a trade will be consummated (Twitter video link). As Lewenberg explains, Toronto’s outgoing salary in a two-team deal with Dallas for Davis would probably consist of RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, and if that were the case, the Mavericks would likely want multiple first-round picks in the deal. The Raptors have shown a willingness to take buy-low swings on stars with lengthy injury histories in the past, Lewenberg adds, but giving up two or three first-rounders for Davis wouldn’t qualify as buying low.
- As for what moves look likely for the Raptors, getting below the luxury tax line is a priority, according to Lewenberg, who continues to hear Ochai Agbaji is a potential salary-dump candidate, though he acknowledges the team would likely have to attach a sweetener or two in such a deal. Lewenberg points to Daniel Gafford (Mavericks) and Goga Bitadze (Magic) as a couple of centers to keep an eye on, but says the Raptors have also been happy with the development of Collin Murray-Boyles and don’t want to impede the rookie big man’s progress. Overall, a significant Raptors trade looks more likely to occur in the offseason than before the February 5 deadline, Lewenberg adds.
- On the “Clutch Scoops” show (Twitter video link), Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints said the Bulls are a potential suitor for Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. “Keep a close eye on the [Bulls] maybe pursuing Zion Williamson. … I’ve heard that there’s been some smoke there about Chicago scouting New Orleans in recent weeks and Zion would be the ideal buy-low candidate for a team like the Bulls who have a lot of expiring contracts,” Siegel said.
Hawks Reportedly Interested In Extending CJ McCollum
The Hawks value veteran combo guard CJ McCollum as more than just an expiring contract, according to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com, who hears from sources that Atlanta has discussed the idea of offering the 34-year-old a one-year extension worth around $20MM.
McCollum, who is being traded to Atlanta along with Corey Kispert in the move that will send Trae Young to the Wizards, is earning $30.67MM in 2025/26, which is the final season of his current deal.
Although McCollum has been in the NBA since 2013, he has technically never been a free agent, agreeing to three different contract extensions over the span of his career. It’s unclear if he’d prefer to test free agency in 2026 or potentially sign a short-term deal at some point after he’s officially traded to the Hawks.
According to Afseth, Atlanta views McCollum as a complementary ball-handler and scorer alongside the team’s young core. The team also likes his ability to play both on and off the ball, Afseth writes.
McCollum started each of the Wizards’ first 35 contests, averaging 18.8 points, 3.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds on .454/.393/.804 shooting in 30.9 minutes per game. He was in his first season with Washington after being acquired in an offseason trade with New Orleans.
A potential one-year extension with McCollum would allow the Hawks to maintain long-term financial flexibility while theoretically improving their chances at staying competitive in the short term, Afseth notes.
Southeast Notes: McCollum, Wizards, Magic, Powell, Herro
There has been a greater focus in the past 24 hours on what Trae Young will bring to his new team in Washington, but Rod Beard of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that CJ McCollum could be a valuable rest-of-season addition for the Hawks.
While Young has battled injuries and has been available for just 10 games so far this season, McCollum appeared in each of the Wizards’ first 35 contests and was off to a strong start for his new team, averaging 18.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per night, with a .454/.393/.804 shooting line.
Beard acknowledges that McCollum isn’t the play-maker that Young is, but observes that the 34-year-old should provide a little more resistance defensively than the longtime Hawk. McCollum has also historically been a more efficient scorer with a lower usage rate, which could make him a good fit alongside Atlanta’s current top scorers, Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
We have more from the Southeast:
- After a 1-15 start to the season, Washington has posted a more respectable 9-11 mark, including a recent stretch of five wins in seven games. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, several Wizards believe a November 16 players-only meeting was a turning point in the team’s season. “We weren’t meeting that standard at the time,” big man Marvin Bagley III said. “I think that meeting was well-needed. I spoke up and said my piece, and guys in the locker room spoke up as well, and we had a good talk. I think we came out closer as a unit, and it makes us understand each other more and want to go out and compete for each other. You can see it.”
- Orlando will be making a bid to host the 2030 NBA All-Star Game, as Jason Siegel, the president and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission announced on Thursday. Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) has the story on the bid, which he says the Magic support.
- Speaking of the All-Star Game, Heat guard Norman Powell believes he “definitely” has a strong case to play in this year’s event, but he says he learned after last year’s snub not to get his hopes up, per Ira Winderman of The South Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “I want to make it. I think I deserve to make it,” said Powell, who is averaging a career-high 24.3 points per game on .490/.423/.861 shooting. “You know, my peers around the league after games and things like that are telling me that I’m an All-Star and that I should be there.”
- In his return from a toe injury on Tuesday, Heat guard Tyler Herro came off the bench for the first time since the 2023/24 season. Speaking after the game to reporters, including Winderman, Herro downplayed the subject, suggesting that it was “not really an adjustment” to be a reserve and that he was just grateful to be playing at all. “Just being out there was my biggest thing that I wanted to feel, and that’s how I felt,” he said. “I felt good. I’m healthy. So I just want to be available and be healthy.”