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Knicks To Waive Tosan Evbuomwan

January 7th, 2026 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks intend to waive forward Tosan Evbuomwan, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Evbuomwan is on a two-way contract with New York and will be cut before his salary becomes fully guaranteed.

A former Ivy League Player of the Year at Princeton, Evbuomwan went undrafted in 2023 and has spent the two-and-a-half seasons since then bouncing back and forth between the NBA and G League.

The 6’8″ forward signed 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies and Pistons as a rookie before finishing that season on a two-way deal with Detroit, then spent the majority of his second season on a two-way deal with Brooklyn. Evbuomwan was waived by the Nets this past August and signed a new two-way contract with the Knicks in September.

While Evbuomwan has made 50 total appearances at the NBA level, only five of them have come since he joined the Knicks, and he logged just eight minutes of garbage-time action in those five outings for New York. The 24-year-old did make 12 appearances this season for the Westchester Knicks in the G League, averaging 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 35.6 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .427/.263/.729.

Although Evbuomwan will only receive a prorated portion of his $636,435 salary, he earned a bonus worth $265,467 when the Knicks won the NBA Cup last month, which will nearly make up the difference.

Evbuomwan will become a free agent on Friday if he goes unclaimed on waivers, while the Knicks will open up a two-way contract slot on their roster alongside wing Kevin McCullar Jr. and center Trey Jemison.

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Wednesday Is Decision Day For Non-Guaranteed Contracts

January 7th, 2026 at 8:13am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s league-wide salary guarantee date technically falls on January 10 each season, but January 7 always represents decision day for teams carrying players on non-guaranteed contracts.

A player with a non-guaranteed contract who is still on waivers as of Jan. 10 is assured of receiving his full salary, so in order to avoid that scenario, a team must cut that player on or before Jan. 7. As long as the player is placed on waivers by 4:00 pm Central time on Wednesday, he’ll clear waivers on Friday (Jan. 9), a day before his salary would become guaranteed.

A couple teams have already made moves with players on non-guaranteed contracts so far this week. The Pacers waived center Tony Bradley on Monday, while the Raptors cut big man Mo Bamba on Tuesday. More transactions may be on the way ahead of Wednesday’s deadline, but most of the players with non-guaranteed salaries around the NBA look pretty safe.

For instance, the Hornets aren’t about to waive Moussa Diabate, who has been their starting center as of late; the Mavericks aren’t going to cut Brandon Williams, who made a game-winning three-pointer on Tuesday vs. Sacramento. Those are just two of many players on non-guaranteed deals who have earned not just spots on their team’s roster but a regular place in the rotation.

Wednesday is also a big day for players on two-way contracts, who are subject to the same salary guarantee deadline and will receive their full salaries if they’re not cut today. That works out to $636,435 for players who have been under contract since the start of the season, and a prorated portion of that figure for players who have signed during the season.

A handful of two-way players have been waived within the past couple weeks – including Bulls guard Trentyn Flowers on Tuesday – and more could follow today. However, there’s less urgency for clubs to make moves involving two-way players, since those deals don’t count against the salary cap and won’t meaningfully impact a team’s roster and cap flexibility as the trade deadline nears.

The full list of players on non-guaranteed contracts is below, while the full list of players on two-way contracts can be found right here. The players listed below are earning minimum salaries unless otherwise noted.

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Indiana Pacers

Miami Heat

  • Terry Rozier ($26,643,031)
    • Partially guaranteed for $24,924,126.

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New York Knicks

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Washington Wizards

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Central Notes: Buzelis, White, Mathurin, Feigin

January 6th, 2026 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls may still be wallowing in mediocrity but second-year forward Matas Buzelis continues to show improvement. He’s averaging 21.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 block per game in his first three January outings. He scored 26 points in a loss to the Celtics on Monday, making 9-of-12 field goal attempts.

‘‘I think the biggest thing with him that I’ve been the most pleased with and that’s been really consistent from him is he’s not holding the ball and dancing with it,’’ coach Billy Donovan said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. ‘‘He was decisive when he had it in space. Whether it was shooting the ball or driving the ball, he was decisive, and I feel like that’s how he has to play.’’

Buzelis says it’s all part of his learning process.

‘‘I just go out and hoop, try and be the best player I can be,’’ he said. ‘‘I play hard, and I believe in our team. It was just a matter of time and patience, just keep grinding. Just the comfort level, honestly. It’s only Year 2 for me. That’s not an excuse, but [I’m] still getting comfortable out there going against grown men. It feels like it’s just a matter of time, learning and learning.’’

Buzelis is listed as questionable to play against Detroit on Wednesday due to an illness, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

  • Coby White is also questionable on Wednesday due to right calf injury management. White, an unrestricted free agent after the season, returned to action on Monday after missing the three previous games but struggled. He was held to five points and three assists while committing four turnovers on a minutes limit. “It’s pretty tough being in and out of the lineup, knowing you can only play a certain amount of minutes throughout the entire night,” White told Cowley. “It gets tough when you’re out there and you look up, ‘Damn, I only got like two minutes left and I know I’m coming out.’”
  • Pacers coach Rick Carlisle indicated that Bennedict Mathurin has been dealing with right thumb pain for awhile, Tony East of Circle City Spin tweets. “It’s been bothering him. I don’t remember exactly when he did it. But it’s been a while, it’s been weeks,” Carlisle said. “When you keep getting hit, it’s on your shooting hand, it becomes more than a nuisance.” Carlisle reiterated that he’s unsure when Mathurin might return to action. Carlisle said a few days earlier that the fourth-year guard would be “out a while.”
  • Peter Feigin is stepping down as the Bucks‘ president after a 12-season run overseeing the team’s business operations, according to The Associated Press. Josh Glessing, who has been working as the Haslam Sports Group’s chief of strategy and development, will replace him. The two will be working together over the next few months during the transition period.
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Knicks Notes: Losing Streak, Brunson, Towns, Dolan, Brown, Yabusele

January 6th, 2026 at 9:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks were clobbered by the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, 121-90, on Monday. Jalen Brunson had a team-high 25 points but no assists while committing six turnovers in the team’s fourth straight loss.

“We just gotta respond. A lot more needs to be said. We keep it internal,” he said, per ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “If we want to be the team we say we want to be, we have to be better, simple as that.”

Head coach Mike Brown said the Pistons physically dominated his club.

“It’s pretty simple, they just physically kicked our ass. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it,” he said. “We had 20 turnovers for 33 points. They were into us the whole game. And then for us, we did it in spurts. And versus a team like that, you can’t do it in spurts. It’s got to be 48 minutes. It’s just as simple as that.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Karl-Anthony Towns scored in single digits for the fourth time this season after reaching double digits in all but one game last season under previous coach Tom Thibodeau. Towns is taking fewer shots under Brown’s offensive scheme. “Biggest adjustment is for me. Like Mike said, I make the biggest sacrifice,” Towns told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “We’re figuring it out. We’ve got a long flight, a practice tomorrow, we’ve got to sit down and figure out who we are and how we want to get back on track.”
  • The Knicks got run out of Detroit’s home court almost immediately after owner James Dolan declared the Knicks, as presently constituted, were good enough to win a championship. The owner said he doesn’t anticipate a big move before the trade deadline next month, whether for Giannis Antetokounmpo or somebody else, but a few more performances like Monday’s could alter his thinking, Bondy opines.
  • The Knicks are ranked 17th in the league defensively and Brown said “everything is on the table” regarding their defensive schemes, according to The Athletic’s James Edwards III. However, he also downplayed the losing streak to a certain extent. “You have to keep a perspective on it because you’re going to have ups and downs,” he said. “I’ve said this many times, ‘It’s not going to be just like this.’ When you do go down, you hope it’s not three, four or five games. That’s where we are now, but it’s not time to panic. We do have to make sure we are doing what we can do to help this group. Our guys have to try and take it to another level as a group, and not try to do too much, but take it to another level as a group in other areas.”
  • Free agent pickup Guerschon Yabusele continues to play sparingly in his fourth season in the league. He’s highly motivated to exercise his $5.8MM option on next year’s deal, rather than returning to Europe, BasketNews.com relays. “If you play three years in the NBA, you get a lifetime pension. After four seasons, medical expenses are covered for life,” Yabusele told a French YouTuber. “And after five years, the medical coverage is extended to the entire family. I want to play for five years here in the NBA so that my family can benefit from that lifetime care. You never know what can happen in life.”
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Thunder Notes: Slump, Trade Deadline, Carlson, SGA

January 6th, 2026 at 7:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After looking practically invincible during the first 25 games of the season, the Thunder have hit a rough patch. They’ve split their last 12 games, including an ugly 124-97 loss to the Hornets on Monday. Head coach Mark Daigneault said these humbling outings could pay dividends.

“When you win the championship and you start the way we started, it comes with the territory,” he said, per Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press. “I think it gives you a unique opportunity to really improve through that. … It’s a competitive privilege to be a team that other teams are up to play for.”

Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says there’s no reason to panic.

“There’s a lot of games left in the season,” he said. “We’ve won big. We’ve lost big. Some nights are going to be bad. Some nights are going to be great. But regardless, you have to try to get better the next day. I think that’s what allows you to, I guess you can say, be resilient. It’s hard, obviously, but the best teams do it, and that’s who we’re trying to be.”

Here’s more on the Thunder:

  • Even before the loss to Charlotte, guard Alex Caruso noticed how opponents approach them differently now that they have a championship under their belts. “Last year, I feel like we went to the regular season and we had to earn our respect through winning, because we hadn’t done anything yet,” he told Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. “That being said, a lot of teams probably didn’t show up with the same energy and same mindset that they do this year that’s coming off (us) winning the championship. A lot of times, I think we’re not playing our best, at least not to the level that these other teams are coming in with. The mindset, the execution. Maybe their will to win is a little higher than ours, which shouldn’t be the case.”
  • Like pretty much every team in the league, the Thunder could use another perimeter shooter. However, ESPN’s Anthony Slater hears that the Thunder are not expected to be very active at the trade deadline. They don’t have any glaring rotation concerns, plus they have very little wiggle room financially — OKC’s team salary is about $1MM below the luxury tax line.
  • Two-way player Branden Carlson produced a big game on Friday when he contributed 15 points, 11 rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes against Golden State. The 26-year-old big man has impressed the coaching staff with his preparation, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. “He’s always ready to play, and that’s the thing I respect most about him,” Daigneault said. “There are certain guys you’re just excited for when you can get them in the game because you feel like they deserve it. We’ve got a lot of those guys, but he’s certainly one of them.”
  • SGA was chosen as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year. He told Chris Mannix of SI that he has a great appreciation for all the accolades he’s received. “Growing up you have goals and you write them down and you’re like, ‘I’m going to get this one day.’ But way more people do that and don’t achieve their goals than actually achieve them,” he said. “So it’s always like a ‘is this really my life?’ type of feeling. And I don’t know if that’ll ever go away.”
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Jonathan Kuminga Unlikely To Play Again For Warriors During Trade Talks

January 6th, 2026 at 6:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s a general consensus in the Warriors organization that Jonathan Kuminga has played his final game in their uniform and will be traded before the February deadline, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points reports.

Kuminga has not played over the last nine games, including seven DNP-CDs during that stretch. Part of the reason why is that Kuminga’s representatives don’t want to risk him getting injured, Siegel writes.

There’s apparently a mutual understanding between the Warriors and Kuminga’s representatives that a trade will be reached over the course of the next four weeks.

Kuminga will become eligible to be traded on January 15. He signed a two-year, $46.8MM extension as a restricted free agent at the beginning of October. His cap hit is $22.5MM this season, with a $24.3MM team option in year two. He’ll earn a trade bonus worth about $1.7MM if he’s dealt on the first day he’s eligible to be moved.

The two teams situated at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the Kings and Pelicans, stand out as franchises that have held a strong interest in Kuminga since the summer, according to Siegel. Another recent report named the Mavericks as a team with some interest. The Bulls and Trail Blazers have also been been linked to the former No. 7 overall pick.

The Warriors remain hopeful they can get at least one player in a Kuminga trade who can immediately impact their postseason aspirations this season. Golden State’s main goal in trade talks involving Kuminga is to find a three-point shooting wing who can also blend with Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green on the defensive end, according to Siegel.

They are willing to package Kuminga’s contract with either Moses Moody or Buddy Hield to achieve that goal of getting an impact wing. Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. is the type of player the Warriors are seeking, but Brooklyn reportedly isn’t interested in Kuminga, Siegel notes.

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Bulls Re-Sign Kawamura To Two-Way Deal, Waive Flowers

January 6th, 2026 at 4:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have signed guard Yuki Kawamura to a two-way contract, according to a team press release. In a corresponding move, Chicago has waived Trentyn Flowers.

The Bulls essentially flipped their script from October when they waived Kawamura to sign Flowers to a two-way deal. Kawamura was released due to a medical condition, as he experienced right lower leg pain after appearing in two preseason games.

Kawamura stayed in Chicago rehabbing and told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link) at a recent game, “I’ll be back soon.”

The 5’8” Kawamura was a star in Japan before signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Memphis last fall. He was promoted to a two-way contract just before the ’24/25 season began and spent his NBA rookie year with the Grizzlies, playing a modest role in 22 games (4.2 MPG).

The 24-year-old received extended run with the Memphis Hustle, averaging 12.7 PPG, 8.5 APG, 3.1 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .383/.365/.761 shooting in 31 games (31.6 MPG). The Grizzlies didn’t give him a qualifying offer though, and he was an unrestricted free agent for a few weeks prior to impressing with the Bulls’ Summer League team, earning himself a two-way deal.

Kawamura has been a member of the Japanese National Team since 2021/22.

Flowers played in two games with the Bulls, averaging 2.0 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 2.8 minutes per night. Flowers also suited up in three G League regular season contests for Chicago’s affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, and averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 2.7 APG in 27.7 MPG. Prior to the start of the G League regular season, Flowers played in 11 games with Windy City during the G League Tip-Off Tournament (13.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 1.1 BPG).

Emanuel Miller and Lachlan Olbrich hold the Bulls’ two other two-way deals.

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Pacific Notes: Durant, Suns, Sanders, Kerr, Kuminga

January 6th, 2026 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Playing against his former team on Monday, Rockets forward Kevin Durant secured a victory for his current team by making a game-winning three-pointer with one second left in the fourth quarter. He admitted to reporters after the victory that being able to deliver that dagger against the Suns made the moment more meaningful, per Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press.

“Most definitely,” Durant said. “A place that I didn’t want to leave. My first time — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will — to be kicked out of a place.

“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had. And it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But that’s just the business, that’s the name of the game. So, when you play against a (former) team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder.”

The Suns, whose “big three” of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal never meshed like they hoped, began discussing possible KD trades ahead of last season’s trade deadline, which was news to Durant. He helped nix those talks by making it clear he had no interest in returning to Golden State, then put Houston on his list of preferred destinations when the Suns renewed those trade efforts in the summer.

“It’s nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,” he said on Monday. “I want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank. Even though I’m old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don’t think it’s malicious in any way towards them. But just as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.”

We have more from around the Pacific:

  • Clippers rookie Kobe Sanders made his fourth career start on Monday with James Harden out due to shoulder stiffness and set or matched career highs in points (20), rebounds (seven), and minutes (36). Sanders, who has now been active for 29 games, has made a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to the standard roster and is earning praise from head coach Tyronn Lue in the process, writes Beth Harris of The Associated Press. “His poise, his ability to understand what we’re doing defensively and offensively, and just getting more and more confident,” Lue said of what has impressed him about the 2025 second-rounder.
  • Monday’s one-point loss to the Clippers was a frustrating one for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who received two technical fouls and was ejected after disputing multiple referee decisions, including a no-call that crew chief Brian Forte acknowledged after the game should have been a goaltending violation, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. Veteran assistant Terry Stotts coached the team following Kerr’s ejection, then took Kerr’s place during the post-game media session. “I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts explained.
  • Monday’s game was the ninth in a row that Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play, including his seventh DNP-CD during that stretch. Asked after the game about whether he thinks Kuminga’s nonexistent role and uncertain future are weighing on his Warriors teammate, Jimmy Butler quickly replied, “Nope, not at all,” and referred to Kuminga as his “friend” and brother” (Twitter video link via Slater). “I tell JK, you be a pro of all pros,” Butler said. “Come here and get your work done. Smile and have a good time. Because you’re still an NBA player (and) one of the best people in the world. I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling and you keep being the great human being that you are.”
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Scotto’s Latest: Trae, Risacher, AD, Zubac, Pacers, Celtics, Cavs

January 6th, 2026 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks, Timberwolves, and Clippers are among the teams that are monitoring Trae Young‘s situation along with Washington, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

While Dallas doesn’t appear to have any interest in the Hawks‘ point guard, the Mavericks are among the clubs that have called to inquire about former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, league sources tell Scotto. However, the Hawks have been opposed to including either Risacher or their top 2026 first-rounder (the most favorable of the Bucks/Pelicans picks) in any trade discussions involving big man Anthony Davis.

If Atlanta and Dallas do pursue a deal involving Davis, the Mavericks would likely be seeking expiring contracts like those belonging to Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), according to Scotto, who notes that Hawks senior VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham is close with Davis dating back to their time together in New Orleans.

Here’s more from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:

  • Although Ivica Zubac has drawn significant interest from potential suitors, the Clippers don’t appear inclined to become deadline sellers, especially after their recent run of seven wins in eight games. Earlier in the season, there was a sense that it would take at least two first-round picks for L.A. to consider parting with Zubac, Scotto writes, adding that the Pacers and Celtics both expressed interest in the big man. Those two clubs were previously linked to the Clippers center.
  • In addition to Zubac, the Pacers have checked in on Nicolas Claxton of the Nets, Yves Missi of the Pelicans, Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks, and Walker Kessler of the Jazz as they seek out a long-term answer at center, league sources tell Scotto.
  • The Celtics, meanwhile, have been unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons to move off his contract, Scotto writes. Presumably, the Celtics would be more open to that idea in a deal that nets them a quality player, but not in a pure salary-dump trade for luxury tax purposes. Scotto goes on to say that Boston isn’t looking to take back multiyear salary in any Simons trade, so if the team were exploring a deal with a trade partner like the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.25MM team option for 2026/27) and Ziaire Williams (ditto) would hold far more appeal than Terance Mann, who is owed $31.5MM over the two seasons after this one.
  • The Cavaliers have rebuffed inquiries on their core players, but teams around the NBA – cognizant of Cleveland’s unfavorable cap/tax situation – are continuing to monitor the situation to see if that stance changes. According to Scotto, the belief among executives is that if the Cavs do decide to move someone like Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, it’s more likely to happen during the offseason than in the next month.
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Keegan Murray Expected To Miss At Least 3-4 Weeks

January 6th, 2026 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

An injury-plagued season for Keegan Murray will continue, as the Kings forward has been diagnosed with a moderate sprain after undergoing an MRI on his injured left ankle, reports James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). According to Ham, Murray will be reevaluated in approximately three or four weeks.

The Kings have formally confirmed the diagnosis and the timeline for the injury, which occurred in the third quarter of Sunday’s matchup with Milwaukee.

It will be the third multi-game injury absence this season for Murray, whose fall debut was delayed after he underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb in mid-October. The fourth-year forward returned about a month into the season, then missed a couple games in December due to a mild calf strain.

Murray, 25, has appeared in a total of 19 contests so far this season for the Kings, averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 35.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .429/.272/.789. The former No. 4 overall pick signed a five-year, $140MM rookie scale extension that will go into effect this July and is considered one of the few building blocks whose long-term spot on Sacramento’s roster is secure.

During Murray’s recent two-game absence, Keon Ellis entered the starting lineup in his place, while Doug McDermott saw rotation minutes. Rookie Nique Clifford is among the other Kings who could play larger roles with Murray on the shelf.

For what it’s worth, Murray and center Drew Eubanks both recently returned from injuries earlier than the recovery timelines provided by the Kings suggested they would, so it’s possible Murray will be back before the end of January. Still, his absence will be another obstacle to overcome for an 8-28 Sacramento team that looks headed for a high-lottery finish.

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