Warriors Making Strongest Pitch For Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Warriors have been the most aggressive team in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, league sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Siegel states that owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. agree that no player other than Stephen Curry is off limits in a potential trade for the Bucks star. Siegel adds that Antetokounmpo is the Warriors’ sole focus in their search for a roster upgrade before the trade deadline. If a deal can’t be reached by Thursday, they plan to keep their most valuable assets and try again to land Antetokounmpo this summer.
Sources also tell Siegel that the Bucks haven’t turned down the Warriors’ latest offer. He describes GM Jon Horst and Milwaukee’s front office as “fascinated” with the chance to acquire a large parcel of Golden State’s future assets. However, the Bucks’ leadership is taking its time in reaching a decision, which isn’t expected until the final 24 hours before the deadline.
Siegel adds that if Antetokounmpo finishes out the season with the Bucks, it becomes far less likely that Jonathan Kuminga will be dealt before the deadline. Golden State holds a $24.3MM option on Kuminga for 2026/27 and he could be a valuable asset to keep for the offseason.
Siegel hears that the Warriors also have some level of interest in Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. and Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but they aren’t considered likely to trade for either player this week. Despite a slew of trade rumors, Siegel is skeptical that either player will be dealt prior to the deadline.
There’s an increasing chance that Draymond Green rather than Jimmy Butler might be part of an Antetokounmpo deal, according to Siegel. He checked with sources close to trade talks over the weekend and states that he didn’t get an “emphatic no” about Green’s possible inclusion. A rival executive suggested Green could be agreeable to that scenario while planning to turn down his $27.6MM player option for next season and return to a much stronger Warriors team in free agency.
“Look, without Jimmy, the Warriors aren’t getting to the NBA Finals, even if they added Giannis right now,” the executive told Siegel. “If you leverage Draymond and get more assets, you can pull off the biggest blockbuster and leave these other teams wanting Giannis scrambling for answers. There is no doubt in my mind there are those who would immediately offer a first-round pick for Draymond to make a title push right now. I 100 percent believe there are teams who would essentially help the Warriors get Giannis if it meant they got Green for the next three or four months to pursue a title.”
Bulls Notes: White, Dosunmu, Jones, Essengue, Terry, Giddey
The two future second-round picks the Bulls received for helping to facilitate Sunday’s Cleveland-Sacramento trade could be useful in other deals this week, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes in a subscriber-only story. Cowley reported in December that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was being very aggressive in trade talks, and a source tells him that approach hasn’t changed as the deadline nears.
Chicago has eight potential free agents this summer, including guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Cowley hears that Karnisovas is trying to find a taker for White, who’s expected to seek a substantial raise on the open market, but he’s receiving greater interest in Dosunmu and Tre Jones because they’re viewed as more affordable. Jones signed a three-year, $24MM extension last summer. Cowley states that White has been discussed with the Timberwolves and Rockets, and “the door wasn’t completely shut with either team.”
Cowley adds that Karnisovas has contacted the Pelicans in hopes of landing Zion Williamson or Yves Missi and has called about Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin as well.
There’s more from Chicago:
- The Bulls are focused on building their roster around Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. Essengue, the 12th pick in last year’s draft, only played two games before being lost for the season with a shoulder injury, but Lorenzi states that the front office still views him as a multi-positional defender and a strong transition threat. He’s seen as the eventual starter at power forward, with Buzelis moving into a wing role. Lorenzi also mentions Missi as a potential trade target, noting that Giddey has never played alongside that type of rim-running center, and he states that the Bulls have indicated to rival teams that they’re willing to help facilitate more trades in exchange for assets.
- Dalen Terry hasn’t been able to establish himself as a rotation player during his four seasons in Chicago and didn’t receive a rookie scale extension before the October deadline. His NBA future might be elsewhere, Cowley relays in a separate story, but that doesn’t mean he’s hoping to be traded by Thursday. “I wouldn’t say that,” Terry said. “I don’t put too much into it. The trade deadline is what it is. You get traded, you get traded. Hopefully it’s to a good place if you do, or hopefully if you don’t, they make a trade, and a good player comes in.”
- Giddey missed his third straight game on Sunday for left hamstring injury management, but he’s not expected to be out of the lineup much longer, Cowley adds. “I think he’s feeling better, but I think it’s going to be, at least in talking to the medical guys, they’re not going to put him out there until they see the tightness is gone,” Donovan said.
Bucks Making Counteroffers In Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Talks
The Bucks “remained engaged with teams that have interest” in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo over the weekend and submitted counteroffers to a few of them, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on a SportsCenter appearance (Twitter video link, hat tip to Real GM).
Charania listed the Heat, Timberwolves, Warriors and Knicks as “the most serious suitors” so far, although several other teams are rumored to be involved. He adds that it “comes down to the price point” for Antetokounmpo, which means parting with young talent, “a surplus of draft picks” or possibly a combination of both.
The Bucks have been sending mixed signals about whether they intend to part with their franchise player by Thursday’s deadline or wait until the summer in hopes of negotiating a better deal. Charania’s report is the strongest indication so far that Milwaukee is serious about making a trade this week.
The Bucks were hoping to put together a late-season run toward the playoffs and were originally approaching the deadline as buyers with an eye on upgrading the roster and convincing Antetokounmpo to stay. Those plans seemed to change on January 23 when Antetokoumpo suffered a calf injury that will keep him out indefinitely, virtually sinking the team’s postseason hopes. Milwaukee lost its fifth straight game Sunday at Boston and has fallen to 12th in the East at 18-29.
As Charania points out, there are pros and cons to the Bucks waiting for the offseason to make the deal. Interested teams will have additional draft capital to offer, but Antetokounmpo will also have more control over where he wants to go. After making $58.5MM next season, he holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28 and can threaten not to re-sign with a team that trades for him if it’s not one of his preferred destinations.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers addressed the trade rumors Sunday in an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Countdown (Twitter video link), stating, “I think everyone will be here” past the deadline. He also said he’s looking forward to the end of the week so speculation can be put on hold for a few months.
“He wants to be a Buck, he loves the city and that’s all I can go by as a coach right now,” Rivers said of Antetokounmpo. “Has it been difficult? Yeah. My favorite day of the year this year will be the day after the trade deadline. I think everyone will be here.”
Rivers added that Antetokounmpo expects to play again this season and is hoping to “get into the playoffs healthy.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, MSG, Doncic, Reaves
LeBron James‘ uncertain status for next season means he could be making his final appearances at some significant venues. A few days after playing in Cleveland — his hometown team and the place where his career began in 2003 — the Lakers star received a warm welcome from Knicks fans Sunday at Madison Square Garden for possibly his farewell game at the NBA’s most famous arena, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Following a 22-point night, James talked about what playing in New York has meant to him throughout his career.
“Everything,” he said. “It’s the mecca of basketball here in New York City. Obviously, it’s the Big Apple, you know. Being here at MSG, playing here, so many guys have walked this court. You know, either from basketball to entertainment, to actors and musicians — I mean, everything. It’s been a wide range of importance of people to be able to grace this floor. And I hope I have a little small snippet of like, somebody that came through here and was able to make a little small dent from a business perspective.”
The game was part of a memorable day for James, who earned his 22nd consecutive All-Star appearance by being selected as one of the Western Conference reserves. Playing at such a high level may motivate James to continue his career beyond this season, but he’s 41 and has an expiring contract. Whether he re-signs with the Lakers or heads to another team this summer, his next deal is unlikely to be near his current salary of $52.6MM.
“At the end of the day, everything has to come to an end at some point,” James said. “So, no matter when it is, it’s gonna be like, ‘S—, I’ll never play again in Madison Square Garden. I’ll never play again in certain arenas. I’ll never play again, period.’ So, I mean, at that point, it doesn’t matter. You’re gonna always miss it. You’re going to miss the game in general. So, this one will always have a special place in the journey because it is Madison Square Garden. But yeah, when that time comes? Yeah, for sure.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Stefan Bondy of The New York Post argues that James made a mistake by joining the Lakers as a free agent in 2018. Even though the Knicks weren’t really on the table because of the state of the franchise at the time, Bondy believes James could have created a stronger legacy for the later part of his career with another franchise. Ian O’Connor of The Athletic contends that James should consider coming to the Knicks next season.
- Sunday marked the first anniversary of the shocking late-night trade that sent Luka Doncic from Dallas to L.A., notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. While he was unsettled by the deal at first, Doncic has evolved into the cornerstone of the franchise as it tries to build a title contender. After posting 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in Sunday’s loss, Doncic expressed confidence that the Lakers can compete for a championship. “I think we’re in a good spot,” he said. “Obviously, got some work to do. … Today, we obviously missed a lot of good looks, but I think we have a great group.”
- Austin Reaves missed his 19th straight game Sunday with a left calf strain, being downgraded to out shortly before tipoff, McMenamin adds. Coach JJ Redick said Reaves continues to be on the verge of returning and may play Tuesday in Brooklyn, but added that he has to feel “100% confident.”
Northwest Notes: Henderson, Krejci, Nuggets, Murray
According to Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter, third-year guard Scoot Henderson is expected to make his return “very, very soon,” Joe Freeman reports for The Oregonian (Twitter link).
Henderson has missed the entire season to this point with a left hamstring tear, but was recently said to be in the final stages of recovery. While Splitter and the team’s ownership have been wary of putting an exact timeline on when he could make his debut, it sounds like it should happen sooner rather than later.
The third overall pick in the 2023 draft, Henderson holds career averages of 13.3 points and 5.2 assists on 34.0% shooting from three in 27.5 minutes per game. Turnovers have been an issue for him early in his career, though he lowered his giveaways from 3.4 per game as a rookie to 2.7 in his second season.
The Blazers currently hold the ninth seed in the West despite Jrue Holiday only playing 21 of the team’s 49 games. Henderson’s return could help stabilize the point guard rotation while giving Portland more data on the third-year guard, who will be extension-eligible this summer.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Splitter said that he talked to newly-acquired guard Vit Krejci today, Freeman writes (via Twitter). Splitter suggested that – given the current makeup of the Trail Blazers’ roster – Krejci will be a very welcome presence in the rotation. “He’s excited about coming here,” Splitter said. “Great shooter. A guy that doesn’t need many inches to shoot the basketball. And I think we are thirsty for a shooter like him … he’s a player that’s going to help us a lot.” Krejci is a career 40.5% shooter from three and is averaging a career-high 9.0 points per game this season. Portland currently ranks last in the NBA in three-point percentage, hitting just 33.6% as a team.
- The Nuggets aren’t expected to move veterans like Jonas Valanciunas or Cameron Johnson at the trade deadline, writes Bennett Durando of the Denver Post, who says he would be “shocked” by such a move. Peyton Watson is also presumed to be off-limits, despite the Nuggets’ expected difficulty in retaining him this summer in free agency. Instead, Durando reiterates that Denver’s priorities will likely be getting under the luxury tax and converting two-way forward Spencer Jones into a standard deal. Zeke Nnaji is the player the Nuggets would most like to move, but his guaranteed multiyear salary will make that difficult.
- Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was named to his first All-Star game on Sunday, ending his run as one of the league’s most decorated players without an All-Star appearance. Several around the league felt it was long overdue, Durando writes. “When I saw (the announcement), so many things went through my mind,” coach David Adelman said. “Multiple 50-point games. Multiple 50-point games in the playoffs… Triple-double in the Finals. NBA champion. Most wins in the West over the last 10 years.” Ahead of the team’s matchup with their Western Conference rivals in Oklahoma City, Thunder coach Mark Daignault echoed Adelman’s sentiment. “First of all, congrats to Jamal Murray,” Daigneault said, unprompted. “It’s remarkable he’s never been an All-Star. He’s an All-Star-level player. And very deserving this season.” Murray is the first Nugget All-Star outside of Nikola Jokic since Carmelo Anthony, Durando notes.
Southwest Notes: Poole, Hawkins, Flagg, Durant
Jordan Poole has been benched for the last four games for the Pelicans in favor of a starting lineup of Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, Saddiq Bey, Zion Williamson, and Derik Queen. This move sent rookie point guard Jeremiah Fears to the bench and Poole out of the rotation altogether, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
“Obviously, Poole will stay ready and he’ll be ready to go,” head coach James Borrego said when asked about the veteran guard’s diminished playing time. “(He was) back at it today in practice and so we expect him to stay ready. You never know when your number is going to get called. Everybody who has stepped in for us this year has made an impact. I expect him to do the same.”
Poole has been rumored to be a trade candidate for New Orleans, given his up-and-down play and role with the team since being brought over in a trade with the Wizards in the offseason.
He’s averaging his fewest minutes (25.4), points (14.5), and assists (3.1) per game since 2020/21, his second season in the league. He has started only six games, the fewest of any season of his career.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Jordan Hawkins is probably the Pelicans player most likely to be traded at this year’s deadline, Walker writes. Hawkins, like Poole, has been excised from the rotation of late, having not seen the floor in the last six games. After a promising sophomore campaign in which he averaged 10.8 points in 23.6 minutes per game, the third-year guard has struggled to find a rhythm this season, averaging just 4.3 PPG on .320/.301/.778 shooting splits. Billed as a shooting specialist coming out of UConn, Hawkins has hit just 34.2% of his career threes, but he’s still just 23 years old and could be viewed as a player in need of a change of scenery.
- The Mavericks believe that Cooper Flagg doesn’t get a fair whistle on his drive, and the numbers might back that up, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. Curtis notes that Flagg drives to the rim 11.9 times per game, an equivalent rate as the Wolves’ Anthony Edwards, but gets only 1.8 free throw attempts on those drives, compared to Edwards’ 3.3. “You just gotta play through it,” Flagg said. “It’s not the first time in my life that I probably haven’t gotten calls and it probably won’t be the last.” Coach Jason Kidd had a slightly more less serene take on the matter after Saturday’s loss to the Rockets, lambasting the referees over what he perceived as a missed call on Amen Thompson, as did former owner Mark Cuban. “He’s going to continue to keep going until he hears the whistle,” Kidd said. “There were a lot of fouls missed with this young man. Maybe they just don’t know his game yet, but that’s who he is. He’s going to continue. He’s not going to get discouraged.” The no-call was ultimately upheld by the league in the NBA’s last two-minute report (Twitter video link).
- Kevin Durant will miss the Rockets‘ game on Monday in Indiana with a left ankle sprain, Scott Agness of the Fieldhouse Files notes (via Twitter). Durant played 38 minutes in the win over the Mavericks, going 6-of-17 from the field for 13 points. Will Guillory of the Athletic writes that this will be Durant’s first game missed due to injury this season (Twitter link).
Atlantic Notes: Simons, Porter, Towns, Sixers
Considered a clear-cut trade chip for a Celtics team expected to bottom out coming into the season, Anfernee Simons has instead emerged as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate as the C’s look to cement themselves as the league’s most unexpected contender, writes Gary Washburn for the Boston Globe.
Simons has always been a scorer, but after he spent several years in a starring role on a lottery team in Portland, there were questions about his ability to contribute to a winning team. Simons says he felt the weight of those questions and what it meant for how he approached his game.
“That’s the challenge, stepping into a new situation, new role and being able to come out and be successful — finding your success within the new role is asked of you,” Simons said. “You’ve got to change your thinking. You’re so programmed to think, if I don’t play well offensively, I didn’t have a good game. Now it’s changing, your mind-set. Coming into games you might not score as much but you played good defense, you made the right plays… You’ve got to be able to know that I did everything I could to help the team win in the time I was out there.”
As for Simons, he’s trying his best to focus on the on-court possibilities.
“I just want the opportunity to win,” he said. “Everyone wants to win a championship. But everybody might not be destined to win a championship, so you want yourself to be in the best position to win a championship. That’s all I want in my career, having no regrets wherever way it goes.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Michael Porter Jr. was not named to the 2026 All-Star reserves team for the Eastern Conference for the Nets. The numbers say he should have been, writes C.J. Holmes for the New York Daily News. Holmes notes that Porter is fifth in the East in scoring at 25.6 points per game, seventh in the NBA in made threes, and is tied for the 11th-most 30-point games this season. “It definitely would be a dream come true. It was in my mind as a kid to make the NBA, but not only be in the NBA but be one of the best players in the NBA. And an All-Star selection shows that progress,” Porter said back in December, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “But it’s definitely not what I’m thinking of. I’ve always tried to be more process-oriented and do the right things day to day, game to game, and let the results take care of itself.” With Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the East will have at least one injury replacement named, meaning Porter will have another chance to be named to his first All-Star team.
- Karl-Anthony Towns was named to his sixth All-Star game on Sunday night, despite struggling with his offense this season. Knicks coach Mike Brown firmly believes the nod was well-deserved, writes Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “He’s leading us in rebounds, he’s second in scoring,” Brown said. “I don’t know how many double-doubles he has, but that’s impactful when you’re talking about doing it in a winning situation… We should have, in my opinion, two or three guys, at least, on this All-Star team based on what our record is.” Towns leads the league in rebounding at 11.8 per game, including 3.1 offensive boards, entering Sunday’s game against the Lakers.
- The Sixers posted the third-lowest rebound total in a game this season in Thursday’s win against the Kings, which only exemplified a season-long problem, Keith Pompey writes for The Inquirer. According to Pompey, the 76ers have ranked last in the league in rebounding in the past 11 games, due in part to the team going slightly smaller with Adem Bona getting the backup center minutes over Andre Drummond. With Joel Embiid averaging the fewest rebounds of his career at 7.5 per game, Pompey suggests coach Nick Nurse is considering going back to Drummond at times, depending on the matchup.
Northwest Notes: McDaniels, Thunder, Jazz, Conley
Jaden McDaniels‘ name has popped up in rumors surrounding the Timberwolves‘ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, but on Thursday night’s win over the Thunder, he showed just how valuable he is to Minnesota in his own right, writes Jon Krawczynski for The Athletic.
The sixth-year wing is averaging career-highs in points (14.9) and assists (2.9) per game, as well as three-point percentage (44.5%), free throw attempts per game (2.5) and free throw percentage (84.9%). He has also missed just two games this season after playing all 82 last year, and has only made fewer than 70 appearances once in his career (in a COVID-shortened season).
Most importantly, McDaniels has the support of the team around him.
“He’s my favorite player in the league,” star Anthony Edwards said about him. “I love everything about Jaden, everything that he does on the court, defensively, offensively, for us as a team, on the bench, he’s always cheering his teammates on no matter how the game goes for him.”
Both Edwards and head coach Chris Finch have discussed how hard he grinds to fix the holes in his game and the business-like approach he takes to his career.
“He’s an incredible worker,” Finch said. “He’s like a machine every day.”
Krawczynski writes that any Antetokounmpo deal for the Wolves would likely require McDaniels to be moved, either to the Bucks or to a third team, but should no deal come to pass, McDaniels has become the piece the Wolves need him to be at exactly the right time.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Thunder are unlikely to make a major shake-up move at the trade deadline, with most reports indicating that 22-year-old wing Ousmane Dieng is the most likely player on the team to be moved. That said, the team could still use some frontcourt insurance depth, especially with Isaiah Hartenstein in and out of the lineup with injuries, Rylan Stiles writes for Sports Illustrated. In his breakdown of seven potential trade targets, Stiles primarily focuses on depth big men who are unlikely to be overly coveted by their team. Kevin Love (Jazz), Nick Richards (Suns), Bobby Portis (Bucks), and Jock Landale (Grizzlies) are three veterans he believes could be acquired for little more than Dieng and second-round picks, of which the team is loaded. He also looks at the Nets‘ Day’Ron Sharpe, a productive per-minute big man whom Stiles notes could fit into Oklahoma City’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception before the club decides what to do with his team option in the summer. As a more ambitious target, Stiles notes that Trey Murphy III (Pelicans) would make an excellent stylistic fit, but the cost to acquire him would likely be more than the Thunder are willing to pay in-season.
- The Jazz are also not expected to make any major moves by the deadline, Andy Larson writes for the Salt Lake City Tribune. Notably, that means that unless Utah is blown away by a godfather offer, Lauri Markkanen is expected to remain a part of the team’s core moving forward. While Jusuf Nurkic was considered a clear trade candidate coming into the year, his solid play within coach Will Hardy‘s system has the team trying to figure out how he can fit into the team’s outlook moving forward rather than gauging what they can get for him in a deal, Larson reports. Nurkic is averaging a career-high 5.0 assists per game, along with his 11.2 points per game, his best mark since the 2022/23 season. Larson notes that Love and Kyle Anderson could be moved in deals, as both have been in and out of the rotation, and that rather than acting as sellers, the Jazz could be in a position to take bad money in order to add more assets to their substantial draft pick collection. He lists D’Angelo Russell of the Mavericks and Maxi Kleber of the Lakers as two such players they could receive draft compensation to take on.
- Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley wants to keep playing past this season, but doesn’t know if he’ll be able to do so, according to Dane Moore (Twitter video link). “Honestly, every game I play from here on out I think about, ‘Is this my last game?‘” Conley said. “I know I want to play more years, but you just never know how things work… I’m just gonna go out there and have fun and not take things for granted.“
NBA Announces 2026 All-Star Reserves
The NBA has announced its 2026 All-Star reserves, revealing this year’s honorees on NBC ahead of the Knicks/Lakers matchup (Twitter links).
The following players will join the 10 All-Star starters the league announced on Monday, January 19.
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Guard: Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)- Guard: Norman Powell (Heat)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
- Frontcourt: Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
- Frontcourt: Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
- Frontcourt: Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Duren (Pistons)
The East will see three first-time All-Stars in Johnson, Powell, and Duren. Powell is averaging a career-high 23.0 points per game in his first season in Miami, while Johnson has emerged as one of the league’s most versatile point forwards on offense, averaging 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per night while hitting 36.0% of his threes. Duren is averaging 18.0 PPG and 10.7 RPG, and is the second-leading scorer on the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
Towns is having a down year from an efficiency standpoint but has managed to contribute in other ways, leading the NBA in rebounds per game (11.8) while scoring 20.0 points per game on 36.4% shooting from deep. He will join teammate Jalen Brunson, who was named a starter for the second straight year, while Duren will join running mate Cade Cunningham.
Western Conference Reserves:
- Guard: Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Guard: Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
- Guard: Devin Booker (Suns)
- Frontcourt: Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Frontcourt: Kevin Durant (Rockets)
- Frontcourt: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Frontcourt: LeBron James (Lakers)
For the Western Conference, Murray, Holmgren, and Avdija are all first-time All-Stars. Murray had long been considered one of the league’s best players – if not the best – to never take part in the event, but will no longer hold that title. He’s having his best scoring (25.8 PPG) and play-making (7.4 APG) season as a pro, and has helped the Nuggets hold onto the No. 2 seed despite missing co-star and All-Star starter Nikola Jokic for 16 games.
Avdija has exploded for the Blazers this season, averaging 25.5 points per game (after scoring 16.9 PPG last season) while also contributing 7.2 RPG and 6.7 APG and leading Portland to what is currently a play-in spot.
Despite cooling off a bit since his scorching start, Holmgren is averaging 17.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 2.0 BPG and has anchored Oklahoma City’s dominant defense all season, especially while starting center Isaiah Hartenstein faced an extended absence due to a calf injury.
Booker was named to the team after leading the overachieving Suns to a 30-19 record — they’re currently percentage points behind the Lakers for the No. 6 spot in the West.
James was named to his 22nd consecutive All-Star team despite having a down year by his own standards. He is currently averaging 21.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 6.6 APG for the Lakers, who are 29-18 coming into tonight’s game against the Knicks.
The Lakers, Knicks, Thunder, Pistons, and Nuggets are the teams with multiple players represented.
Some notable players not to make this year’s All-Star team include Michael Porter Jr., Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, and Alperen Sengun — they’re among the top candidates to become injury replacements.
As Ian Begley of SNY notes (via Twitter), the NBA’s decision to include a USA versus World component requires at least eight international players. Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Jokic, Avdija, Murray, and Siakam will make up a majority of the World roster, but with starter Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the league will need to decide whether Towns, who suits up for the Dominican Republic in international play, as well as Powell, who played with Jamaica last summer, will be considered international or American players, Marc Stein observes (via Twitter). Either way, an injury replacement will need to be named for the Eastern Conference.
Stein adds that the NBA will announce the official roster breakdowns on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Trade Rumors: Williams, Blazers, Kings, Strus, Dieng
The Trail Blazers have been “shopping” Robert Williams ahead of the trade deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link). The veteran big man is on an expiring $13.3MM contract and has long been viewed as a possible trade candidate.
As Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report writes (Substack link), Portland values Williams, who is “beloved” in the locker room on top of being a “cultural tone-setter.” The 28-year-old has also been the healthiest he’s been in years, averaging 5.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 33 games (16.3 minutes per contest).
Still, it will be tricky for the Blazers to get a substantial return for Williams given his long injury history, Highkin notes. That spotty track record also makes the possibility of re-signing him in the summer a clear risk.
Here are some more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- The Trail Blazers reportedly have interest in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Incoming owner Tom Dundon is a wild card in the Giannis sweepstakes, writes Bill Oram of The Oregonian (subscriber link). As Oram explains, Dundon has developed a reputation as someone who is highly competitive and unafraid to take risks. While Dundon’s purchase of the team won’t be finalized until after the deadline, the front office has gotten to know him well and recognizes the types of moves he’d be willing to sign off on. Oram believes the Blazers should pass on Antetokounmpo, especially if the Bucks ask for Deni Avdija (and they definitely would). For what it’s worth, new Blazer Vit Krejci shares an agent (Alex Saratsis) with Antetokounmpo, Highkin notes.
- The Kings continue to be active in trade talks after the De’Andre Hunter deal, confirms James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com. The Kings created two openings on their standard roster by sending out three players for one, and Ham hears one of those spots will eventually go to Dylan Cardwell. However, that won’t occur until after the deadline. The additional roster flexibility could be useful if Sacramento takes in multiple players (starting with RJ Barrett) from the Raptors in a Domantas Sabonis trade, Ham observes, though nothing is imminent on that front.
- In addition to looking for trades involving Lonzo Ball, the Cavaliers have also received some external interest in swingman Max Strus, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Strus has yet to play this season following offseason foot surgery.
- Fourth-year forward Ousmane Dieng is considered one of the Thunder‘s top trade candidates and there’s a “real possibility” he’ll be on the move by February 5, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). “I don’t really think about it,” Dieng told The Oklahoman. “I’m just trying to improve every day and help the team win.”