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.
Central Notes: Giannis, Jenkins, Pistons, J. Walker
Milwaukee fans booed the Bucks during Tuesday’s blowout loss against Minnesota, and Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the same reaction to the home crowd, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. After scoring a basket and getting knocked to the court on a foul early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo did a two-thumbs-down gesture and booed the fans while sitting under the basket.
Antetokounmpo has used the same gesture to respond to jeering crowds on the road, and he explained, “Whenever I get booed, I boo back,” regardless of where he’s playing.
“I play basketball for my teammates,” he said. “I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don’t believe in me, I don’t tend to be with them. I tend to do what I’m here to do, what I’m good at. … It won’t change home or away. But yeah, I’ve never been a part of something like that before and I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
“I’m not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don’t play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we’re not where we’re supposed to be. I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on (a) basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years. And I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.”
Although it may be an isolated incident, Antetokounmpo’s reaction has to be disturbing for a front office that has been going out of its way to keep its star player happy. The Bucks are viewed as buyers heading into the trade deadline in hopes of upgrading their roster to make a postseason run, but Tuesday’s loss dropped them to 17-23 and left them 1.5 games out of the final play-in spot.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins is limited to 50 games on his two-way contract, and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press points out in a subscriber-only mailbag column that he’s likely to reach that limit on February 5, which is also the day of the trade deadline. There’s a good chance Detroit will open up a roster spot and give a standard contract to Jenkins, who has emerged as a rotation player in his second NBA season, with Sankofa speculating that it’s likely to be a one- or two-year deal.
- Hunter Patterson of The Athletic examines ways the Pistons can use a traded player exception that allows them to take on an additional $14.3MM in salary. He cites Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Spurs center Kelly Olynyk, Hawks wing Luke Kennard, Celtics forward Sam Hauser and Mavericks wing Max Christie as potential targets. If Detroit doesn’t use it in a deal by the deadline, the TPE will remain available through July 7.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has singled out the play of third-year forward Jarace Walker after each of the last two games, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Walker contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench in Monday’s win over Boston. “He’s playing with force,” Carlisle said. “He’s playing with force at both ends. He’s done a lot of good things defensively. He’s rebounding the ball. Stepping into the right shots. As a third-year player, things are going to slow down as you progress in your career. Reads become more obvious. He’s making good decisions.”
Ja Morant Talks About Trade Rumors, Reportedly Has Interest In Heat
Ja Morant addressed trade rumors at a press conference in Berlin ahead of Thursday’s game against Orlando, but his responses were brief and guarded, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Speculation that Morant might be moved before the February 5 deadline has been rampant since ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last Friday that Memphis is listening to offers.
Asked during his six-minute meeting with reporters how the rumors are affecting him, Morant said, “Live with it.”
Morant’s other statements were similarly short, Vardon adds. In response to a question about whether he expects to still be with the Grizzlies after the deadline passes, Morant responded, “I’m the only one you asked that question to?” Queried about the response of Memphis fans to a potential deal, he stated, “I think y’all should be more worried about my reaction and not other people. Like, my reaction is more important.”
The only real insight Morant offered was regarding his relationship with head coach Tuomas Iisalo, which was strained early in the season, resulting in a one-game suspension after a locker room confrontation. Morant indicated that things have improved, saying, “He cool. I don’t think we’ve had too many ups and downs. That’s just y’all on the outside looking in thinking that.”
The Grizzlies announced that Morant will miss Thursday’s game, which will be his sixth straight absence, due to a right calf contusion. It’s the third time he has been listed as “out” instead of “questionable” in the pregame injury report since Charania’s report surfaced. League sources told Vardon that Morant informed at least two teammates, along with other NBA players, that he doesn’t play to play for Memphis again.
However, Vardon points out that Morant is still classified as a “star” by the NBA, and the overseas contests, which are being televised by Prime Video, are considered “national TV” games. League rules require “star” players to participate in those games unless they can show proof of a legitimate injury, so Morant’s status for Sunday will be worth watching.
Morant plans to meet with members of his business team while in Europe to consider his future, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, who hears that the Heat have become an “attractive option” to his camp over the past few days.
Miami’s reputation for attention to detail and structure is appealing to Morant, Iko adds, and he has “a deep respect” for head coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat coach also runs Team USA, and Morant hopes to represent his country at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Iko states that Morant views Miami’s veteran presence as another positive.
Morant has two years and $87MM left on his current contract after this season, and sources tell Iko that he’s hoping to receive a max extension by next summer. That’s unlikely to happen with the current situation in Memphis, but rebuilding his reputation in Miami could be the best path toward a huge payday.
Rich Paul Reportedly Wants Mavs To Trade Anthony Davis
Even after sustaining a hand injury that will keep him on the shelf until the February 5 trade deadline and beyond, Mavericks big man Anthony Davis is viewed as an in-season trade candidate. That’s just fine with his agent, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who said in the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that Rich Paul is hoping Dallas sends his client elsewhere in the coming weeks.
“It is very clear that Rich Paul, who represents Anthony Davis, wants Anthony Davis traded before the deadline,” MacMahon said (hat tip to RealGM). “He believes it’s in his best business interest, because he has taken a ‘Well, we’ll see’ from the Mavericks regarding an extension as a ‘no.’ And there are teams where clearly Rich Paul considers it likely that AD would get the kind of extension that he’s looking for when he becomes eligible in August.”
Davis is earning $54.1MM this season and will make $58.5MM in 2026/27. He also holds a player option worth $62.8MM for ’27/28, so it’s not as if he needs to lock in his next deal immediately. Still, multiple reports in recent months have suggested that a contract extension is a priority for the 10-time All-Star, who will turn 33 years old in March. He’ll become eligible for a new deal as of August 6.
While the Mavericks apparently haven’t conveyed that they’re eager to pursue an extension and have been open to the idea of exploring trade scenarios involving Davis, they also don’t necessarily feel like they’ve reached an inflection point with the star forward/center, MacMahon explains.
“They are telling me and anybody who will listen that they’re not trading AD just to make a deal,” MacMahon said. “They don’t feel like they have to unload him. ‘Oh my gosh, the deadline’s here. Got to take what the best offer is.’ They are insistent that they will only make a deal that makes sense for them. And what exactly that threshold is, there’s not clarity on that. But it’s some combination of draft compensation, promising young talent, and financial relief in the form of expiring salaries.
“‘Rich Paul is not going to bully us.’ That is a direct quote from a member of the Mavericks organization. Another member of the Mavericks organization, referring to Patrick Dumont, the governor: ‘Patrick’s not going to sign off on a deal just to do a deal. Ownership doesn’t feel any pressure to do an AD deal.’ A third source: ‘Patrick has no problem going into next year with a healthy Kyrie (Irving) and a healthy AD alongside Cooper Flagg and seeing what it looks like.”
The Hawks and Raptors are the teams that have been linked most frequently to Davis, with the Bucks and Warriors also reportedly among the clubs with some interest. It’s unclear if they – or other clubs – would be any more enthusiastic than the Mavericks about locking up the former No. 1 overall pick to a new extension this offseason. He has battled a series of health issues since being traded to Dallas last February and has appeared in just 29 of 73 possible regular season games as a Mav.
Davis has remained highly effective when he’s available, averaging 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game since his arrival in Dallas. Still, his injury history and his maximum-salary price tag are among the factors limiting his value on the trade market — and on his next contract.
As MacMahon points out, the Mavericks will be motivated to be competitive beginning in 2026/27, since they don’t control their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, so a full-fledged teardown around Flagg probably doesn’t make sense. Noting that the team’s front office is also in a transitional period, MacMahon suggests the Mavs might be happy to wait until the offseason to make a decision on Davis’ future.
“Maybe there’s an AD deal to be made (at the trade deadline) that they’re comfortable making. Maybe there’s not,” MacMahon said. “And then it can be like Kevin Durant, where, OK, you restart things in the summer.
“But even then, I don’t believe they’re going to feel like there’s a ticking time bomb. There will be a new – whatever the title is -president of basketball operations, lead decision-maker who they’d like to have in place for Cooper Flagg’s career. And maybe it makes sense just to wait for that person to arrive in Dallas and to handle this business.”
Currently, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are serving as the Mavericks interim co-GMs, with Dumont, minority owner Mark Cuban, and head coach Jason Kidd also said to be involved in personnel decisions.
Grizzlies Provide Injury Updates On Edey, Clarke, Pippen
Three injured Grizzlies players will remain sidelined for several more weeks, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Memphis’ update on starting center Zach Edey is the most notable of the bunch. After initially ruling out Edey for four weeks on December 11 due to a stress reaction in his left ankle, the Grizzlies say that the big man’s recovery period will cover at least six more weeks before he’s reevaluated. That timeline suggests Edey won’t be ready to return until late February at the very earliest.
Edey’s extended absence is an unfortunate turn of events for the Grizzlies, who played some of their best basketball of the season when he was available in November and December. Across 11 outings, Edey has averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game.
More notable than those stats were his on/off-court numbers — the Grizzlies outscored opponents by 18.3 points per 100 possessions and posted a defensive rating of 94.5 during Edey’s 284 minutes on the court.
The Grizzlies also shared updates on forward/center Brandon Clarke, who is recovering from a grade 2 right calf strain, and point guard Scotty Pippen Jr., who has yet to play this season while recovering from a seasmoidectomy performed on his left great toe in October. Both players are progressing well in their respective recoveries, according to the team, and are expected to return to play in about to four to six weeks.
Memphis will play its last game prior to the All-Star break on February 11, which is exactly four weeks from today, so Clarke and Pippen are probably more likely to return to action shortly after All-Star weekend than before it.
A series of injuries affecting starters and other rotation players have prevented the Grizzlies from gaining any real momentum for most of the 2025/26 season. They’ve been below .500 since early November and currently have a 17-22 record. Memphis ranks 10th in the Western Conference and holds a one-game lead over the Clippers for the final play-in spot.
LeBron James Distances Himself From Rich Paul’s Podcast Comments
After LeBron James‘ longtime agent Rich Paul raised eyebrows earlier this week by advocating for a trade involving Austin Reaves, James made it clear on Tuesday that any Lakers-related opinions Paul shares on his podcast aren’t being run by LeBron — and aren’t necessarily opinions that the four-time MVP endorses.
“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”
As McMenamin details, during the most recent episode of the ‘Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul‘ podcast, the veteran player agent identified Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. as an ideal trade target for the Lakers, suggesting L.A. should be willing to give up Reaves and a future first-round pick to land the former Defensive Player of the Year.
“If you’re building around Luka (Doncic) going forward, which they are, you need that anchor,” Paul said on the podcast. “And Jaren doesn’t want to be a part of a rebuild.
“This comes with a very unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved, which he should be, he’s an underdog. There’s a world where you can do what’s best for your team, and do what’s best for Austin. Because Austin deserves to get paid. Now, I love him as a Laker, but if that was a situation where we’re getting balance — because if you put all the money into just the backcourt and then your flexibility is restricted going forward to fill out the rest of the team, then (building a full roster is challenging). Memphis would definitely pay Austin.”
Paul launched the Game Over podcast alongside Kellerman last month and has already made headlines multiple times based on his comments about the Lakers. In a December episode, the Klutch Sports CEO suggested that the Lakers – as currently comprised – aren’t legitimate title contenders. L.A. was off to a 17-6 start at that point.
“Rich, that’s what he’s doing,” James told McMenamin. “That’s his whole thing. That’s what he’s doing. That’s what he’s talking about, but I have zero conversations about what his topics are going to be or what they are going to talk about. He is his own man and that is his platform.”
Reaves will be eligible for unrestricted free agency during the 2026 offseason — he holds a $14.9MM player option for 2026/27 but is considered a virtual lock to opt out, since he has made a strong case for a long-term deal and a starting salary far exceeding $14.9MM. The 27-year-old, who is currently sidelined due to a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain, averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game in his first 23 outings this season, with a .507/.365/.873 shooting line.
As good as he has been, there have been some observers who are skeptical about the Lakers building their post-LeBron roster around two offense-first guards in Doncic and Reaves — it sounds like Paul is among them.
According to McMenamin, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, one of Reaves’ representatives, approached Paul during Tuesday’s game vs. the Hawks and talked to him for about five minutes. While sources tell ESPN that the two men discussed Paul’s podcast comments about Reaves, James insists it’s a non-issue between him and his Lakers teammate.
“AR knows how I feel about him,” James said to McMenamin. “All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him and I hope AR – or his camp – don’t look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich. Rich has his perspective of what he sees, I have my perspective. I’m a grown man, he’s a grown man and I think people should realize that grown men can say whatever the f–k they want to say and it shouldn’t reflect somebody else is saying it.”
Jackson, meanwhile, admitted on Wednesday that he also heard Paul’s podcast remarks, but the Grizzlies big man laughed them off, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“There’s just a lot of podcasts,” Jackson said. “At first I didn’t think it was real. You have to figure out if its real usually now, and I’m not as versed technology wise as these people younger than me. I was figuring out of it’s AI, deep-fake, all that stuff. That’s all I had, I didn’t really have much of a reaction.”
Franz Wagner Poised To Return For Berlin Game
Magic forward Franz Wagner isn’t on the injury report for the team’s game against the Grizzlies on Thursday in Berlin and will be available to make his return from a high ankle sprain, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
Wagner injured his left ankle in a December 7 matchup with New York and has missed Orlando’s past 16 games as a result of the injury. In 23 full games prior to Dec. 7, he had averaged 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.5 minutes per night, with a .487/.354/.823 shooting line.
The timing of Wagner’s return is especially meaningful since he and his brother – and Magic teammate – Moritz Wagner were born in Berlin. Thursday’s game represents the first time the NBA has played a regular season game in Germany, and the Wagner brothers have appreciated getting the opportunity to show off their hometown to teammates this week, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Fans in Berlin will get the chance to see both Wagners in action on Thursday, as Moritz made his long-awaited return from an ACL tear on Sunday. Thursday’s game will be just his second outing since he suffered that injury in December of 2024.
“It felt awesome,” the big man said after Sunday’s contest, according to Beede. “When you work so hard behind the scenes and you get to see the fans, you get to see the game live but you’re really not participating, to be able to engage after such a long time, it’s really cool and very fulfilling.”
The Magic have dealt with a series of injuries affecting key players during the first half of the season, but have managed to hold onto a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference with a 22-18 record.
Even with the Wagner brothers both back on the court, Orlando isn’t quite at full strength. Guard Jalen Suggs will miss a sixth consecutive game on Thursday due to a right knee MCL contusion.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Brooks, Hayes, Miller
Suns guard Devin Booker isn’t getting any love from the fans in terms of All-Star voting. The latest returns have Booker ranked 17th among vote-getters in the Western Conference.
Booker isn’t particularly surprised, even though he’s having a strong season. He’s averaging 25.3 points and 6.4 assists per game.
“There are some super big market teams,” he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “There are guys from different countries that have a whole country behind them. I kind of understand the process, but am I playing better than a lot of guys? For sure, but that’s not the setup.”
Teammate Grayson Allen feels Booker is being slighted by the voting public.
“He is the engine for our team,” Allen said. “Everyone knows he can score the ball, but this year, his play-making has been great. Assists, hockey assists, everything, he is the head of the snake for our team. We’ve surprised a lot of people this year and being the best player on this team, we’re not successful without him. Maybe the team success will help him out. I don’t know. I feel like he’s done enough individually to make it every year.”
Booker has made the All-Star team four times in his career.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns wing Dillon Brooks is two technical fouls away from a league-imposed one game suspension. Brooks picked up his 14th technical foul against Miami on Tuesday. Brooks’ latest infraction came when he shoved Heat forward Norman Powell (YouTube video link). An automatic suspension is issued when a player reaches 16 technicals and he receives an additional suspension for every two technicals he receives after reaching that threshold. No other NBA player has more than nine techs at this point.
- Jaxson Hayes underwent an MRI on his left hamstring on Tuesday, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick. Hayes told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link) on his way into the arena that he has experienced tightness in the hamstring for more than a week. Hayes, who played 19 minutes against Sacramento on Monday, hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as next game if the MRI comes back clean.
- Clippers two-way player Jordan Miller is doing his best to earn a standard contract. His minutes have spiked in the last five games and he’s averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during that stretch, including a 21-point outing against Brooklyn and a 14-point performance against Charlotte. “I know what I’m capable of,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “I played Summer League twice, got first-team honors, so it’s just like going out there and showing everybody like, ‘I belong here now.’ That’s really the theme of the year this year. It’s just like, show everybody you belong.”
Jalen Green Close To Returning From Hamstring Strain
Jalen Green‘s first season with the Suns has been a washout so far due to a right hamstring strain. That could soon change.
Suns coach Jordan Ott said on Tuesday that Green is “there” in terms of returning from the injury that has limited him to two games this season, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports.
“We’ll just keep it moving in the right direction, but he’s taking steps every day,” Ott said. “Continue to assess, but he’s moving in the right direction.”
Green participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage during the team’s morning shootaround on Tuesday.
“Being out for so long, we’re going to be as cautious as we can, but knowing that he’s itching to get back out there,” Ott said.
Green sat out in Miami on Tuesday as the Suns began a six-game road trip and won’t play against the Pistons on Thursday. However, he’s expected to return at some point during the trip. Phoenix plays the Knicks on Saturday and the Nets on Monday. The road trip winds down with games against the Sixers next Tuesday and the Hawks next Friday.
The hamstring has been an ongoing problem in 2025/26 for Green, who initially suffered a strain early in training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October. The 23-year-old sat out the first eight games of the regular season, played 23 minutes in his debut in early November, then aggravated the injury again a couple days later about seven minutes into his second game.
On Dec. 22, the Suns provided an update that indicated Green would miss at least two or three more weeks.
Green was traded from Houston to Phoenix over the summer as part of the Kevin Durant mega-deal. He’s earning about $33.6MM in ’25/26 in the first season of a three-year, $105MM rookie scale extension that includes a $36MM player option for the ’27/28 campaign.
Green will provide another big-time scoring option for the surprising Suns, who are 24-16 after falling to the Heat on Tuesday. He averaged 21 points and 3.4 assists in his final season with Houston.
Community Shootaround: 65-Game Eligibility Rule
Imagine All-NBA teams without Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama and Stephen Curry.
No need to tax your brain. There’s a real possibility that each of those superstars, as well as several others, won’t be eligible for postseason awards this season.
The 65-game rule built into the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits players who don’t take the court for at least that many regular season games from most postseason honors.
The spirit of the rule, if you will, was to discourage load management and tanking. However, the frequency of injuries across the league could severely impact those awards, which include Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, the All-NBA teams and the All-Defensive teams.
Jokic will almost certainly not qualify this season, as he’s currently rehabbing a knee injury that will keep him out a month.
Doncic has already missed seven games. Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama are teetering on the brink, having missed 14 games apiece. Edwards (8) and Curry (10) are also in danger of failing to meet the criteria, considering the season is just approaching the halfway point.
There are some minor exceptions to the rule – for example, a player who falls short of the 65-game minimum can also file an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” in an effort to regain his award eligibility. But it’s likely that if a player doesn’t suit up for 65 games, they’ll be disqualified for those coveted awards.
There are also, of course, some financial implications regarding the awards, such as qualifying for super-max extensions.
The flip side is that the league wants to give its paying customers the best product possible. All too often, fans are paying big bucks, only to see their favorite players sitting in street clothes due to a minor ailment or load management.
That brings us to today’s topic: Do you like the 65-game rule for postseason awards? If not, what would be a fairer system for eligibility – should the rule be tweaked or scrapped altogether?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.