Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 1/15/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill will hold a live chat Thursday at 11 am Central time (noon Eastern) exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Use the link below to ask a question in advance, participate in the live event and read the transcript afterward.
Atlantic Notes: Brown, Embiid, Lowry, Shead
Jaylen Brown is set to return for the Celtics‘ game against the Heat on Thursday after missing the previous two games with back spasms, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel notes (Twitter link). The Celtics lost both games after winning nine of their previous 11 matchups.
Brown believes that the Celtics have not been getting the whistle they should from the referees, Jay King writes in an article for The Athletic. He was fined $35K earlier in the week for criticizing the officiating after a game against the Spurs, which he expected.
“I think something had to be said,” Brown said. “As a team, we get to the free-throw line the least in the league. So just protecting our guys and myself. I think that we deserve a little bit of more respect.”
King points out that the Celtics are the only team in the league with fewer than 20 free throw attempts per game, and that Brown is 15th in attempts, despite driving more than anyone in the league other than Deni Avdija and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, both of whom are in the top four in free throw attempts.
Brown says he’s studied what referees look for and doesn’t believe that the whistle he and the team receive is consistent with the calls other teams get.
“They just pick and choose who they like to call it on. That’s the part that pisses me off,” Brown said. “It should just be everybody should just get reffed evenly and consistently, but it just seems like there’s an agenda where some guys they choose to call certain fouls for, some guys they don’t. So I don’t know what goes into that decision-making, but it’s kind of clear that certain guys on certain teams, certain markets or certain profiles get preferential treatment versus others when it should just be basketball.”
Head coach Joe Mazzulla agreed with his star player’s assessment, though he cautioned getting too caught up in it.
“We can’t put ourselves in a situation where other people are allowed to control the outcome of the game,” Mazzulla said. “So we have to get better.”
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Joel Embiid is the healthiest he’s been in two years, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic. His body responding the way he wants it to has helped bring him a newfound sense of joy to the Sixers. “I can’t sit here and say that I thought this would happen again. I was skeptical that I would have a chance of being this consistent,” Embiid said. “That’s why I’m kind of emotional about it. I think there were a lot of people that thought this would never be possible again. So, I’m happy that I’m getting the chance to play again and be consistent again. I just want to keep playing, and keep trying to get better every single night.” He’s not as explosive as he once was, as evidenced by his recording his first dunk of the season in a recent win over the Knicks, but he’s able to play with fluidity and intention, Jones writes. “What we love is that he looks happy,” said teammate Tyrese Maxey. “We want him to be happy, more than anything. And he looks healthy. I think the thing that I’m most proud of is that he’s staying on top of his treatment. He’s staying on top of getting ice and seeing the training staff. Just seeing him healthy, that is the stuff that really matters.”
- Kyle Lowry got to experience a special moment at the end of the Sixers‘ win against the Raptors on Monday, writes Ian Harrison of AP News. With just under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Lowry was inserted into the game following the road crowd chanting his name, and was greeted with an enthusiastic standing ovation. The game marked what could be Lowry’s last appearance in Toronto, the city he helped bring the franchise’s lone championship to. “I got an opportunity to experience probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career,” Lowry said after the game. Coach Nick Nurse heard the crowd chanting “We want Lowry,” and gave them what they wanted. “I thought they didn’t think I was really going to do it, but I was planning on it there and got a good moment to do it,” Nurse said. “It was nice to be able to kind of bring him in on his own there.” Lowry emphasized after the game that his retirement plan still involves signing a one-day contract with the Raptors to retire with the team he spent nine seasons playing for.
- Jamal Shead has been one of the standout performers for the Raptors this season, Eric Koreen writes in his midseason report card for The Athletic (subscriber link). Shead is one of two players, along with Scottie Barnes, who Koreen gives an A grade to, writing that his defense and ability to get downhill have earned him coach Darko Rajakovic‘s trust late in games, and notes that in Shead’s clutch-time minutes, the Raptors outscore their opponents by 26.2 points per 100 possessions.
Mavericks Notes: Davis, Luxury Tax, Marshall, Christie
After back-and-forth reporting, the Mavericks have renewed trade talks for Anthony Davis, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link).
Marc Stein, in a recent edition of The Stein Line, confirms this report (subscriber link), while adding that Dallas’ position regarding opposing teams’ offers is that they would rather keep Davis than trade him in a deal they don’t view as favorable in the long run. That could mean waiting until the summer, as the Suns did with Kevin Durant, in the hopes that a better offer materializes.
Charania and Stein both note that one of the prime motivators for the Mavs in the second half of the season will be securing the highest draft pick possible, as this is the last year Dallas owns its pick until 2031.
Because of that, while the Mavs have expressed optimism that Davis could return this season, seeing as the injury is to his non-shooting hand, they might hesitate to bring him back should that get in the way of their draft ambitions.
“For all intents and purposes, meaningful basketball in Dallas for Davis this season is over,” Charania said.
We have more from the Mavs:
- One thing further complicating the path to a Davis trade is the Mavs’ desire to reduce their luxury tax bill and avoid the second apron next season, Stein writes. Dallas has a luxury tax bill of around $31.9MM this season, thanks in large part to Davis’ $54.1MM deal. The Raptors are one of the teams rumored to be a leading candidate to trade for the big man, which Charania reiterated in his report today, but any deal would likely include the long-term money of RJ Barrett as well as one of Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl, which would fail to bring cap relief to Dallas.
- Naji Marshall has been rumored as a potential trade target for teams looking at the wing trade market. Stein confirms that teams have been inquiring about his availability, but writes that the Masvericks would prefer not to move the versatile 27-year-old, who has largely outplayed his contract value. Marshall is averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in 28.7 minutes. Stein adds, though, that a trade that offered some level of salary relief to the Mavs would likely get consideration.
- Max Christie is now viewed by the Mavericks as part of the team’s long-term plans, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Christie, who has started 29 of 38 games, is averaging a career-high 12.3 points while shooting 44.1% from three and taking on tough defensive assignments on the perimeter. He’s also on a team-friendly deal, making $7.7MM this season and nearly $8.3MM next year, with a player option in the 2027/28 season. The next step in his development, from the team’s perspective, is increasing his three-point volume, as he’s taking a middling 5.4 attempts per game.
Knicks Notes: Trade Targets, Buyout Restrictions, Hart, Achiuwa
All signs point to the Knicks having a desire to move Guerschon Yabusele ahead of the trade deadline. Marc Stein reported as much recently, and that reporting has been confirmed by Stefan Bondy of the New York Post as well as by The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III.
In a recent mailbag for The Athletic, Edwards broke down the various limitations facing the Knicks – who have few expendable trade assets and little financial flexibility – as they look to improve their depth. The Knicks are currently only about $150K below the second apron and is unable to take back more money than they send out in a deal.
They’re unlikely to move on from any core pieces, and players like Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson have proven themselves important to the rotation. While Robinson is on an expiring contract that could make him a trade candidate, his ability to generate multiple possessions via offensive rebounds has become a staple of the team’s offense. McBride’s team-friendly deal also makes him unlikely to be moved.
That leaves Yabusele and possibly second-year wing Pacome Dadiet as the odd men out, in addition to whatever draft capital the Knicks are willing to surrender. Edwards notes that the two players’ combined salaries work out to roughly $8.3MM, so any trade would likely be for a player who makes around that much (or less) — Edwards notes Miami’s Simone Fontecchio is one player whose cap hit is right in that neighborhood.
When it comes to what kind of player the Knicks will prioritize, Edwards writes that his understanding is that the team is most interested in adding someone who can both handle the ball and defend, whether on the wing or in the backcourt. The team has plenty of guards already, but after McBride and Jordan Clarkson, the depth remains somewhat unproven.
Edwards adds that there has been talk of the team considering a reliable third-string big man as insurance for Robinson, who is prone to missing time.
We have more from the Knicks:
- Another impact of the Knicks’ financial situation is their ability to be players on the buyout market. While contenders are often able to add impact players after the trade deadline via the buyout player pool, the Knicks will not be able to sign any player who made more than the $14MM mid-level exception prior to being bought out by their team. Their position relative to the tax apron will also prevent them from adding a free agent until April unless they reduce their team salary at the deadline.
- The Knicks have become worryingly reliant on Josh Hart, writes Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. They’re 12-3 when Hart starts and 5-5 when he doesn’t play, but the impact goes beyond the win and loss columns. Winfield writes that the team’s offensive identity, built around ball movement and hammering the offensive boards, goes away without Hart, as does their defensive toughness. “He just does so many things for us that are hard to replace as a singular player and we — starting with me — have to do a better job of finding ways to continue to elevate others around us,” said head coach Mike Brown.
- Precious Achiuwa doesn’t believe that last year’s second unit got a fair shake, he told Bondy ahead of the Knicks’ matchup with the Kings on Wednesday. “I’m not going to sit here and go back and forth on what is a good bench and what is not a good bench,” he said. “But you can’t say something isn’t working if you’ve never tried it.” After playing well for former head coach Tom Thibodeau the previous year, Achiuwa found his minutes and role were inconsistent and he struggled to find his place with the 2024/25 team. “It wasn’t easy knowing things that you’re able to do to contribute to a team like that — especially if you just did it the year before and fast forward a year later, you’re not even given an opportunity to do that, to help get success in that type of way,” Achiuwa said. A New York native, Achiuwa said he’d never rule out a return to the Knicks if things broke that way.
Injury Updates On Bulls’ Josh Giddey, Zach Collins
Josh Giddey has been sidelined for the Bulls‘ last seven games with a left hamstring strain and will miss Wednesday’s matchup against the Jazz as well. However, there’s optimism that he won’t remain out for much longer.
Head coach Billy Donovan said on Wednesday that Giddey has been making good progress in his rehab and is starting to ramp up his activity, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (via Twitter).
“This is a big week for him,” Donovan said.
This season has been the best of Giddey’s career — the 6’8″ point guard has poted career highs in points (19.2), rebounds (8.9), and assists (9.0) per game, as well as three-point percentage (38.6%), and three-point volume (4.8 attempts per game).
The Bulls hold an 18-21 record heading into their contest with Utah. They are 3-6 without Giddey and 15-15 with him on the court.
Donovan also shared an update on backup big man Zach Collins, who has been out since December 27 with a big toe sprain. According to Johnson, Donovan expects Collins to be in a walking boot for several more weeks.
“I don’t think he’ll be available before the All-Star break,” Donovan said (Twitter link).
Collins has only suited up for 10 Bulls games this season after a fractured wrist suffered during the preseason caused him to miss the team’s first 22 games. In the games he has played, the veteran center has averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game while hitting 42.9% of his threes.
Heat Notes: Morant, Adebayo, Mitchell, Ware, Spoelstra
Following up on a report stating that Miami appeals to Ja Morant and his camp as a potential trade destination, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald says the Heat reciprocate that interest — to some extent. According to Chiang, the Heat and Grizzlies have had preliminary conversations about Morant, but those discussions haven’t advanced at all and a source tells the Herald that it’s “premature” to view Miami as a serious suitor for the point guard.
As Chiang writes, the Grizzlies are reportedly seeking draft assets and young players in a Morant deal, but the Heat would likely resist the idea of offering any draft picks or any of their most promising youngsters for the two-time All-Star, who has battled a series of injuries in recent years.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald agrees with his colleague’s assessment, tweeting that any Heat offer for Morant is unlikely to feature real value due to the sense that a trade partner would be doing Memphis a favor by taking the $86MM owed to the 26-year-old over the two seasons after this one.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- After a stretch in which he scored fewer than 20 points in 11 straight games, Bam Adebayo had a big night in Tuesday’s win over Phoenix, racking up 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Still, pointing to the big man’s underwhelming numbers for the season, one veteran executive tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that Adebayo’s maximum-salary contract won’t be considered a positive deal going forward “if he keeps this trend on offense.” Adebayo continues to make a significant impact defensively but has averaged just 16.8 points and 2.7 assists per game on .456/.333/.758 shooting. “It’s amazing what’s happened with him,” an Eastern Conference scout told Jackson. “The new offensive system hasn’t done him any justice. His offense has regressed. He’s not getting as many assists. He’s better in a pick-and-roll-oriented system than what they’re running now.”
- Heat guard Davion Mitchell has started all 38 games he has played this season for the Heat, but he likely won’t be available on Thursday vs. Boston, having been listed as doubtful due to a left shoulder contusion. Mitchell said on Wednesday that his arm is already feeling better than when he injured it on Tuesday and that an MRI isn’t necessary for now, per Chiang. “If I’m still doing worse or the same tomorrow, then we probably would make that adjustment and get an MRI,” Mitchell said.
- The Heat have moved away from two-big lineups as of late, resulting in Kel’el Ware playing about 16 or 17 minutes in each of the past three games. However, that usage pattern isn’t necessarily permanent, according to head coach Erik Spoelstra. “There’ll be some games it’ll make sense to play both of them (together),” Spoelstra said of Adebayo and Ware, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “Many of our rotations are super important and (Tuesday) night it was a speed game, a smaller game. But Kel’el had a big impact on the game in his minutes. That’s what he has to focus on, and that’ll earn him more minutes. That’ll earn trust, not just with the head coach, but with the players.”
- When Mike Tomlin stepped down as the coach of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers this week, it made Spoelstra the longest-tenured head coach in any of the major U.S. sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS), Winderman writes for the Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Spoelstra’s enthusiasm about earning that distinction was muted, to put it mildly. “Some people could look at that as a badge of honor,” he said. “I look at that as really a disappointment to this profession, that there’s not more coaches that are given an opportunity to work through things.”
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Watson, Hardaway, Injuries
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who has been out since late December after hyperextending his left knee, has resumed on-court workouts, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
Jokic was ruled out for four weeks on December 30 and he may not miss much – if any – time beyond that initial projection, Charania said, referring to the big man as “right on schedule, if not a little bit ahead of schedule.” According to Charania, the Nuggets are optimistic that Jokic will be able to return to action before the end of January.
As Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports notes (via Twitter), if Jokic misses exactly four weeks as a result of the knee injury, he’d make his return on January 27, resulting in a 15-game absence. That would allow the three-time MVP to retain his award eligibility for the 2025/26 season, since he could miss up to 17 contests and still reach the 65-game minimum.
Of course, Jokic’s long-term health will be a more important consideration for the Nuggets than his ability to qualify for end-of-season awards — especially since the team has more than held its own in his absence and shouldn’t be desperate to get him back as soon as possible.
Denver has gone 5-3 without Jokic, picking up road victories in Toronto, Philadelphia, and Boston during that stretch. The club is tied for the second-best record in the Western Conference at 27-13.
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- One key reason for Denver’s strong play without Jokic is fourth-year wing Peyton Watson, who has put up excellent numbers (24.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG, .511/.442/.731) in the club’s past eight games. While Watson has battled some turnover issues as his usage increases, he’s showing legitimate star potential, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required), and earned the first Player of the Week award of his career this week. “I can’t tell you the last time I’ve won any personal accolade. So it really means a lot to me to be recognized by the league,” Watson said. “It’s just more fuel to my fire. It makes me want to be better and better. I don’t want that to be my first and only. I want it to be the first of many.”
- He was somewhat overlooked during an offseason that also saw the Nuggets add Cameron Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, and Bruce Brown, but veteran swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. has made the team look savvy for signing him to a one-year, minimum-salary contract last summer, Durando writes in another Denver Post story (subscription required). Hardaway’s .463 FG% and .414 3PT% are career highs, and he has gotten more comfortable in a leadership role over the course of the season. “Tim’s been great,” teammate Jalen Pickett said. “He’s been telling me, ‘Be aggressive, get in there, attack.’ He sees the work that I put in. So, just having a veteran like that, who can read the game and see the game, is great.”
- Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) will miss a third straight game on Wednesday in Dallas, while Jamal Murray (left ankle sprain; illness) and Brown (right knee inflammation) are listed as questionable on the second night of a back-to-back (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette).
Trae Young Expected To Remain Out Through All-Star Break
Trae Young‘s Wizards debut won’t happen anytime soon, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that the point guard won’t be reevaluated until after the All-Star break as he recovers from right MCL and quad injuries. Based on that timeline, Young will miss at least the next 15 games.
Young sprained his right MCL in late October and missed 22 consecutive games before returning in mid-December. After playing in five of Atlanta’s next six contests, he sustained a right quad contusion that kept him out of action for his final six games as a Hawk.
When the Wizards acquired Young last week, multiple reports indicated that he’d likely see limited playing time during the second half of the season, with Washington focused on hanging onto its top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick and prioritizing the newcomer’s impact in 2026/27 (and potentially beyond).
Still, the NBA figures to keep an eye on the situation, since Young technically already returned from his MCL sprain, and a contusion typically isn’t the type of injury that requires a long-term absence.
While it makes sense that a lottery-bound team (like Washington) would take a more cautious approach with a banged-up player than a team battling for a playoff spot (ie. Atlanta), Young qualifies as a star player based on the NBA’s player participation policy, which prohibits teams from shutting down a healthy “star” for an extended period. So if the league suspects the Wizards are bending those rules, it could instigate an investigation. For now, there has been no indication that will happen.
Checking In On Open NBA Roster Spots
With the NBA’s league-wide salary guarantee date for 2025/26 behind us, it’s worth checking in once again on which teams have open spots on their 18-man rosters.
As our roster count tracker shows, these are the teams that don’t currently have full rosters consisting of 15 players on standard rest-of-season contracts and three on two-way deals:
Teams with standard roster openings:
- Boston Celtics
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers *
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers *
- Miami Heat
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New York Knicks
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns
- Toronto Raptors
- Washington Wizards
The Pacers and Lakers, marked with asterisks, technically have full 15-man standard rosters at the moment, but are carrying just 14 players on full-season contracts, with one player on a 10-day deal. Tony Bradley‘s deal with Indiana will expire this weekend while Kobe Bufkin‘s with Los Angeles will expire next week, at which point each club will re-open its 15th roster spot.
Most teams in this group likely won’t sign a player to a rest-of-season or multiyear contract until sometime after the trade deadline, when they know they won’t need to use that 15th roster spot to accommodate a trade in which they acquire more players than they send out.
Some of them literally can’t sign a 15th man right now. Barring cost-cutting moves, the Lakers will have to wait until January 28 to squeeze a rest-of-season free agent addition under their first-apron hard cap, while the Knicks won’t be able to fit a non-10-day free agent under their second-apron hard cap before April 2.
In between now and the February 5 trade deadline, some of these clubs could join the Pacers and Lakers in signing free agents to 10-day contracts. However, 12 of the 15 teams listed here project to be taxpayers, so they likely won’t be eager to bring in a 15th man unless he’s actually going to play.
The Pacers, Heat, and Wizards are the three teams in this group not currently operating over the luxury tax line.
Teams with two-way openings:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- New York Knicks
Each of these three teams waived a two-way player just ahead of last week’s league-wide salary guarantee deadline, so they haven’t had an open slot for long.
The deadline to sign a player to a two-way contract won’t arrive until March 4, meaning there’s no urgency for these clubs to fill their openings right away. Still, the prorated portion of a two-way salary is such a minor financial commitment for an NBA franchise that we may see one or more of these teams bring in a new two-way player sooner rather than later, even if they’re not certain he’ll hold that spot for the rest of the season.
Bulls Notes: White, Collins, Huerter, Dosunmu
A postponed game against Miami last week is affecting the Bulls‘ plans for Coby White, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). The game was rescheduled for January 29, giving the team an extra back-to-back and increasing the likelihood that White will sit out one of those contests.
“The feeling was if the Miami game would have taken place (last week), (White) would have played all the way through the All-Star break,” coach Billy Donovan said. “With that back-to-back there now and the number of games being condensed at the end of January, they’re going to have to look at that. I’m not saying he’s playing, I’m not saying he’s not, but that’s a concern. … “If the Miami game was played, the next back-to-back wasn’t until March, and if he would have continued on a good track, he would have played in that back-to-back.”
The Bulls are being cautious with White as he works his way back from a right calf injury. Cowley points out that the team also wants to ensure that White stays healthy through the February 5 deadline, as his $12.9MM expiring contract makes him an attractive trade candidate. Cowley has reported that the Timberwolves expressed interest in dealing for White, but he says those talks have “cooled.”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Zach Collins consulted with multiple doctors on Tuesday as he explores treatment options for his sprained toe, Cowley adds in the same piece. It appears the backup center will be out of action longer than the team expected. “The problem is the (walking) boot,” Donovan said. “They want to keep him in the boot, but really no one has made a decision on how long he needs to be in the boot and what will happen. And then, if he is in the boot, what can they do to maintain strength in his calf? Because if he stays in that boot for an extended period of time, they’re worried about him losing strength and some muscle in that calf. That can take a period of time to build that back up.”
- Cowley observes that Kevin Huerter was better as a starter after the Bulls traded for him last February, but this season he’s been more productive in a reserve role. “I think I’ve been really effective at times for this team coming off the bench,” Huerter said. “To be honest, my minutes and my role don’t change, whether I’m coming off the bench or starting, and that’s not the same for every team or every coach across the NBA. The way that we sub and play on this team, the lineups we use, it doesn’t matter that much.”
- Other teams may see Ayo Dosunmu as a potential steal with a $7.5MM expiring contract, but Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required) believes the Bulls value the fifth-year shooting guard too highly to give him up without a significant return.