Cavaliers To Acquire Ellis, Schröder In Three-Team Trade
The Cavaliers will send De’Andre Hunter to the Kings in exchange for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The three-team trade also includes the Bulls, who will pick up Dario Saric from Sacramento and will receive two second-round picks as well.
More to come …
Pacers Notes: Bradley, Toppin, Furphy, Trade Deadline
Tony Bradley is back on the free agent market after his second 10-day contract with the Pacers expired Wednesday night, but there’s a chance he could return to the team later this season, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana’s only option would be to sign Bradley to a standard contract, and coach Rick Carlisle told reporters before tonight’s game that a decision likely won’t be made until after the trade deadline.
“There is a chance he could be back for us,” Carlisle said. “For obvious reasons right now, I think flexibility is something that’s important. We’ll see what shakes out.”
It has already been an eventful season for Bradley, who won a roster spot on a non-guaranteed contract, but was waived January 5 before his $2,940,876 salary became fully guaranteed. He was re-signed to a 10-day deal three days later, then received another 10-day contract on January 19.
In total, Bradley has appeared in 38 games this season, making three starts and averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per night. Carlisle has been impressed by Bradley’s play, especially under the unusual circumstances.
“He’s been terrific,” Carlisle said. “He really has. I’d have to think this opportunity has resurrected his career. He’s a very good rebounder, defender, passer, plays within the system really well.”
There’s more from Indiana:
- Carlisle also provided a medical update on Obi Toppin, who has been sidelined since undergoing surgery in November for a stress fracture in his left foot, Dopirak states in a separate story. Toppin has been able to do some on-court work recently, but Carlisle cautioned that he’s not close to playing again. “I believe he’s ahead of schedule technically,” Carlisle said. “He’s back on the court doing things as you guys have seen, but it will be a while. It will be a little longer.”
- Johnny Furphy was used for the final defensive possession in Wednesday’s win over Chicago because he’s earned the trust of the coaching staff with his play on that end of the court, Dopirak adds in another piece. Furphy has started 16 of the team’s last 17 games and is making a strong case to keep his rotation role past this season. “He’s a tough-minded kid that has a good feel for having friction without committing fouls. That’s what we want,” Carlisle said. “… He’s tough-minded, he’s physically tough, he’s put on a lot of strength and he’s made a lot of improvements in a lot of areas. The opportunity that he’s getting is important.”
- With an open roster spot and a cushion of about $5.5MM below the luxury tax line, the Pacers plan to explore opportunities to facilitate trades ahead of Thursday’s deadline, sources tell Tony East of Circle City Spin. East notes that the team can also use the remaining portion of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception and a Disabled Player Exception granted for Tyrese Haliburton‘s injury to take on salary.
NBA Announces Weather-Related Time Change For Sunday’s Magic-Spurs Game
The starting time for Sunday’s game between the Magic and Spurs in San Antonio has been moved from 4 pm to 7 pm ET due to weather issues, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
The Spurs played Saturday afternoon in Charlotte in a game that was moved up three hours because of a major winter storm moving through North Carolina. They were expecting to return home after the game, but were stuck on their private plane for two hours before the airport was shut down.
The team spent the night in Charlotte with hopes of flying back to San Antonio in the morning. Further changes may have to be made if conditions haven’t improved by early Sunday.
The Magic arrived in San Antonio late Saturday afternoon, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required), and should have a significant rest advantage if the game is able to be played on Sunday.
Two games were postponed last Sunday because of Winter Storm Fern, and two others started early on Monday due to weather conditions. The postponed games — Denver at Memphis and Dallas at Milwaukee — were rescheduled for March, which caused the dates of two other games to be moved.
Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson Fined $50K After Ejection
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson has been fined $50K for “aggressively pursuing, berating, and making inadvertent contact with a game official,” the NBA announced (via Twitter). He was ejected after picking up his second technical foul early in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game at Phoenix.
Atkinson was irritated that his team only attempted one free throw through the first three quarters, and he repeatedly held one finger in the air as a reminder, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story. His anger carried over into the post-game press conference, where he blasted the officials for their performance.
“We had one free throw after three quarters against a team that [is 26th in fouls],” Atkinson said. “And the second free throw we got was after a flop. I’m not pleased. I thought the game got out of hand, quite honestly. Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly. I don’t know if that’s what we want as a league.
Fedor notes that Atkinson’s frustrations with the officiating crew of Mitchell Ervin, Nate Green and Michael Smith began much earlier in the game, as he picked up his first technical with about four minutes left in the first quarter. Atkinson’s complaint at the time was that fouls weren’t being called the same way at both ends.
“I sensed it early,” he explained. “I got an early technical to try to slow it down. Shocked. One free throw after three quarters as aggressive as they were playing, we knew they were going to play super physical, but you have to blow your whistle, and you have to be fair about it.”
The second technical was sparked by a no-call when Sam Merrill tried to drive past Collin Gillespie. Atkinson ran onto the court and screamed at the officials before being thrown out and receiving an escort to the locker room from team security. He bumped into an official during the tirade, but insisted it wasn’t on purpose.
“I think that was incidental,” Atkinson said. “There was no intention. I think we touched. I wouldn’t say bumped. I’d argue with you on that.”
Spurs Notes: Barnes, Vassell, Sunday’s Game, Fox
The Spurs made a significant change to their starting lineup for Saturday afternoon’s game at Charlotte, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story. Devin Vassell took the place of Harrison Barnes, who had his streak of 775 consecutive starts ended. It marked the first time Barnes has come off the bench since the 2015/16 season when he was with Golden State.
“We all occupy a role and the main focus is winning,” Barnes said. “So it’s just trying to figure out ways to impact the game, to still be vocal, to do my part, to help contribute to winning.”
Orsborn notes that Barnes has been mired in a slump, averaging just 6.8 PPG and shooting 26.7% from beyond the arc during January. Coach Mitch Johnson told reporters the move “isn’t a big deal,” adding that he’s hoping it will help Vassell and that Barnes accepted it well.
“We’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup, so it was just something as much as trying to get Devin back into his (starting) role that he had before and not a lot to it other than that,” Johnson said. “Just felt like Devin the last couple games didn’t quite find his rhythm, thought maybe that just getting him back to that starting lineup could maybe get him back in the fold.”
There’s more on the Spurs:
- Vassell scored 13 points while making his first start since December 29, but he’s not sure how long his new role is going to last, per Orsborn. He also logged a little more than 30 minutes in his third appearance since a 13-game absence caused by a groin injury. “I don’t know if that’s going to continue,” Vassell said. “I think we’re just trying out new stuff to see different lineups, different ways how to space the floor, so we’ll just see what happens with that. But I don’t know if it’s a permanent thing or not.”
- A snowstorm in Charlotte that moved up the starting time of Saturday’s game could also affect Sunday’s contest against the Magic, Orsborn states in a separate story. The Spurs are scheduled to host Orlando at 3 pm CT, but they’ll be spending the night in North Carolina after being unable to fly out. The team sat for two hours on its private plane before the airport was shut down. Orsborn suggests the game could be moved to Sunday night or possibly Monday as both teams have the day off.
- The acquisition of De’Aaron Fox shortly before last year’s trade deadline looks even better now, according to Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News. He states that Spurs were able to add a starting point guard in exchange for Tre Jones, Zach Collins and Sidy Cissoko, who weren’t in their long-term plans, along with a package of draft assets that may not include a top-10 pick.
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Jokic, Watson, Braun
The Nuggets‘ hopes of having their preferred starting lineup together again soon were dashed when Aaron Gordon reaggravated his right hamstring strain, resulting in another four-to-six-week absence. The setback compounds a frustrating season for Gordon, who suffered the original injury in November and has only been available for 23 games, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
“That’s a very unselfish person in Aaron, and being able to help his teammates and win games is a big part of who he is. It’s why his jersey will hang here,” coach David Adelman said. “So he’s where he should be (emotionally). Frustrated. P—– off.”
Gordon returned to action on a minutes restriction earlier this month and was used off the bench for a few games as he eased back into his normal role. The latest injury occurred last Friday in Milwaukee on the second night of a back-to-back. Gordon played 33 minutes in the first game, but Adelman points out that he was able to pass a stress test and insists that “nobody made a mistake” by using him in that situation.
Keeler adds that Gordon wasn’t able to undergo an MRI right away because the team got stranded in Memphis due to a blizzard last weekend. Adelman said Gordon had been hopeful that this hamstring issue was less serious than the previous one before the medical results were obtained. He’ll be sidelined until mid-March if the recovery stretches to six weeks, and Keeler suggests the team may want to be extra cautious when he’s cleared to return.
“It hurts the team, but I’m more concerned about him,” Adelman added. “Just him having to restart this whole process, find the motivation to get back. We know he’ll be back before the end of the season. And he’ll get back to being who he is. Just an unfortunate thing in a season of many unfortunate things.
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Nikola Jokic got into early foul trouble on Friday, which made it easier for Adelman to keep him on his minutes restriction in his return from a 16-game injury absence, per Logan Struck of Sports Illustrated. Jokic still made history in the 25 minutes he played, but Adelman didn’t have to worry about overtaxing him. “At the most, he probably would have played three more minutes, maybe,” Adelman said. “We’re just trying to balance it the best we can with the information that’s been given to us. But obviously he was very impactful.”
- Peyton Watson has been the biggest beneficiary of the offseason deal that sent Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn in exchange for Cameron Johnson, observes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Watson had been stuck behind Porter prior to this season, but he’s averaging more than 20 PPG over the past month and Keeler states that he’s established himself as either a core piece for the future or a valuable trade asset.
- Christian Braun has been upgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City, the Nuggets announced (via Twitter). He has been sidelined since January 9 with a sprained left ankle.
Trade Rumors: Ellis, Hunter, Ball, Bucks, Sochan, Deadline
In addition to the Cavaliers, the Lakers, Pacers, Spurs and Celtics are among the many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Timberwolves and Knicks have also been mentioned as teams interested in Ellis.
The 26-year-old is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
Cleveland has seemed to be in the best position to acquire Ellis over the past 48 hours, Fischer reports (via Twitter), but other teams are still in the mix as well.
According to Stein and Fischer, while the Kings are reluctant to take on long-term money in trades, they’re believed to be open to that possibility if Malik Monk is included the deal. Sacramento has also brought up including DeMar DeRozan in trades involving Ellis.
Here are several more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Lakers have been mentioned multiple times as a potential suitor for De’Andre Hunter, Stein and Fischer hear Los Angeles’ interest in the Cavaliers forward has been “repeatedly overstated.” As Stein and Fischer explain, Hunter’s $24.9MM salary for next season would inhibit the Lakers’ offseason flexibility, which they prefer to maintain.
- Before Giannis Antetokounmpo became the center of the trade deadline, the Bucks made offers for Hunter centered around Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, Stein and Fischer confirm. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported on Friday that Milwaukee had pitched Cleveland on the idea of a Portis/Hunter trade, but the Cavaliers declined. The Warriors also held a level of interest in Hunter, per Stein and Fischer, but that was before the Bucks began listening to offers for Antetokounmpo and now their focus is on the two-time MVP.
- The Wizards have checked in with the Cavaliers about Lonzo Ball and have let teams know they’re willing to be a salary dumping ground if they receive draft compensation in return, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Cleveland is the only team in the NBA over the second tax apron, and Ball — who is shooting just 26.9% from three-point range — is on pseudo-expiring $10MM contract ($10MM team option for next season).
- While this sort of move would be contingent on what happens with other trade constructs, the Bucks have expressed interest in packaging some of their minimum-salary contracts to acquire higher-priced players, including Nets guard Cam Thomas and Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Scotto. As Scotto explains, Milwaukee’s goal would be to either take an upside swing (Thomas) or add second-round picks by taking on unwanted money (Russell). Thomas, an unrestricted free agent this summer, holds an implied no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer last offseason.
- Several teams — including the Suns — have talked to the Spurs about fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan, according to Scotto. Those discussions, which Scotto describes as exploratory, also involved Phoenix center Nick Richards, but the Suns weren’t interested in that swap because it would have pushed them deeper into the luxury tax, which they’d prefer to dip below.
- We’ve only seen one in-season trade to this point. One veteran NBA executive who spoke to Stein and Fischer is optimistic about that number rising significantly in the coming days. “I still think the avalanche is coming,” said the team official.
Latest On Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo
Opposing teams are split on whether the Bucks actually intend to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the February 5 deadline. According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), some teams in touch with Milwaukee have gotten the impression the Bucks prefer to wait until the offseason, when more suitors could arise.
However, Sam Amick of The Athletic hears other clubs think the Bucks are more likely to move the superstar forward in the next five days, pointing to the “human factor” as a reason why it could make sense for both sides to part ways sooner rather than later. Keeping Antetokounmpo on the roster into the offseason would create an “uncomfortable” and “unhealthy dynamic,” since everyone on the team knows the partnership seems inevitable to end, Amick writes.
Although Giannis never made a public request, teams in pursuit of the perennial MVP candidate “strongly” believe his preference is to be traded in the next five days, per Stein and Fischer.
Amick, John Hollinger, Eric Nehm and Nick Friedell of The Athletic weigh the various potential outcomes of Antetokounmpo being on the trade block. As Hollinger observes, Giannis and teams interested in acquiring him stand to benefit most by a deadline deal, while Nehm points out that Milwaukee would likely be better positioned to maximize its return in the offseason.
As Friedell writes, Antetokounmpo’s preferred list of destinations is unknown, and that could have a significant impact on discussions as well, since he only has one guaranteed year left on his contract beyond 2025/26.
The Warriors — one of the four teams rumored to in strong pursuit of Antetokounmpo — have been repeatedly mentioned as a possible landing spot, since they can send all four of their own first-round picks to the Bucks right now (it’s debatable how valuable some of those picks would be, Amick notes). They also have fairly straightforward ways to match salaries.
Sources tell Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area that Stephen Curry is the only Warrior who is off-limits in talks for Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Slater of ESPN has heard the same.
While Jimmy Butler, who is out for the year with a torn ACL in his right knee, has been mentioned as a possible salary-matching piece, Stein and Fischer have received “strong indications” that Golden State’s offer for Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Butler. Both players are on maximum-salary contracts and make $54.1MM this season.
As Stein and Fischer write, if Butler isn’t included, Draymond Green ($25.8MM) may have to be part of the deal for matching purposes. The former Defensive Player of the Year addressed that possibility after Friday’s loss to Detroit, per Slater.
“I’ve been here for 14 years,” Green said. “I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving. But if I’m traded, that’s part of the business. I ain’t losing no sleep, though. I slept great last night.”
Trail Blazers Interested In Giannis Antetokounmpo
After reporting last week that Portland was intrigued by the possibility of facilitating a multi-team trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo if the team could upgrade its roster in the process, Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) now hear the Trail Blazers have also expressed interest in acquiring the two-time MVP themselves.
According to Fischer and Stein, Portland’s front office recognizes Giannis is unlikely to sign a long-term extension with the Blazers, calling it an “extreme long shot.” The Stein Line duo reiterate that being involved as a facilitator in a multi-team deal where Portland acquires a different player (or players) is a “far more likely scenario.”
Rival teams think acquiring Blazers guard Jrue Holiday would help improve their odds of acquiring his former Bucks teammate Antetokounmpo, Fischer and Stein add. They continue to list Knicks wing Mikal Bridges as a player the Blazers like.
However, Fischer and Stein also point out that the Blazers have Holiday and Damian Lillard (another ex-Buck) on their roster, and both players are still close to the Greek star.
Portland controls Milwaukee’s first-round picks from 2028-2030 (one pick and two swaps) due to the 2023 trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and Holiday to Portland. Holiday was flipped to Boston at the time, helping the Celtics win the title in 2024, before being traded back to the Blazers this past summer.
The Blazers also control some of their own first-rounders and have promising young players like second-year center Donovan Clingan. In terms of assets, the Blazers could theoretically put together an appealing package for Antetokounmpo in the next five days, though they could also offer far more in the offseason (further clarity on lottery-protected 2026 pick; poison pill provision will no longer apply to Shaedon Sharpe; Toumani Camara would be trade-eligible; etc.).
Daniss Jenkins Reportedly Declined Two-Year Deal From Pistons
Second-year guard Daniss Jenkins recently declined a two-year, minimum-salary contract offer from the Pistons, report Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Jenkins, 24, is currently on a two-way deal and soon needs to be converted to a standard contact to remain eligible to play, as he’s only three games from his 50-game active limit after Friday’s win at Golden State. To be clear, the two-year offer would have covered the remainder of 2025/26 as well as 2026/27.
However, there’s still an expectation that Jenkins will come to a more lucrative contract agreement with Detroit, according to Fischer and Stein, who cite Ajay Mitchell (three years, $9MM with Oklahoma City) and Miles McBride (four years, $12MM with New York) as points of reference.
An offer above the minimum would require the Pistons to use the bi-annual exception, as they spent their entire non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Caris LeVert in the offseason.
If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement in the short term, Fischer and Stein hear the 24-year-old is expected to receive multiyear offers in restricted free agency this summer. The Pistons would have the right to match any potential offer sheet Jenkins signs in that scenario.
Jenkins has been a rotation regular for Detroit, averaging 7.7 PPG, 3.4 APG, 1.7 RPG and 0.9 SPG on .418/.386/.787 shooting in 39 games (16.7 MPG). He’s had some memorable performances this season and has a reputation as a solid defender.
It’s worth noting that Detroit currently has a full 15-man standard roster and the team would have to make at least one change to convert Jenkins’ contact. Stein previously reported the promotion was likely to occur after the February 5 trade deadline, enabling the Pistons to maximize their financial and roster flexibility.
Although the Pistons have been signaling for weeks that they don’t plan to make a major move ahead of the trade deadline, they continue to weigh the possibility of pursuing wing scorers like Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. or Hornets forward Miles Bridges, according to Fischer and Stein. However, there’s no indication Detroit has been in active discussions about those players.
Fischer and Stein hear Charlotte wants at least one first-round pick for Bridges, while Brooklyn “is known to be seeking more than that” for Porter.