Clippers To Host 2026 NBA All-Star Game
JANUARY 16: The NBA officially confirmed today in a press release that the 2026 All-Star Game will take place at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ new arena.
JANUARY 12: The Clippers are “on track” to host the 2026 All-Star Weekend at owner Steve Ballmer‘s new Intuit Dome, though the NBA is still finalizing the plans, multiple sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
This year’s All-Star Game will be held in Indianapolis (Pacers), and the Warriors will host the event in 2025.
The Intuit Dome, which is located in Inglewood, California, is still under construction. It’s set to open for the 2024/25 season. Both the Lakers and Clippers currently play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, but it’s obviously far more famous for the Lakers than the Clips.
Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer is the wealthiest owner in the NBA and has shown a willingness to spend in multiple aspects of the Clippers business, including the team’s payroll and new arena. Star forward Kawhi Leonard just signed a three-year, $152MM extension two days ago, and Paul George is “optimistic” about his own extension talks.
The Clippers were 3-7 at one point in the immediate aftermath of the James Harden trade, but they’ve gone 21-6 since to currently hold a 24-13 record, good for the No. 4 seed in the West.
Pistons/Wizards Notes: Morris, Trade, Baldwin, Avdija, Gafford
One of the Pistons‘ primary offseason acquisitions — guard Monte Morris — has yet to play this season. However, he should be back before this month ends, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
A steady veteran, Morris is known for his ability to take care of the ball, which has been Detroit’s biggest weakness this season. In 2022/23, the Michigan native had a 5.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has also shot 39.2% from deep in his career, though it’s on fairly low volume (3.1 attempts per game).
Morris has been sidelined by back and quad injuries this season. He’s in the final season of his contract, which will pay him $9.8MM in 2023/24.
Here’s more on the Pistons and Wizards, who made a trade yesterday:
- Since the Pistons decided to create a traded player exception in Sunday’s deal and operate over the salary cap, they won’t be able to aggregate the salaries of Danilo Gallinari or Mike Muscala in a future trade, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Both players can still be traded on their own — they can also be flipped in multi-player deals where their salaries don’t need to be combined with others for matching purposes.
- Pistons head coach Monty Williams touched on all four players involved in the deal that saw Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Livers and two second-round picks head to Washington, while Gallinari and Muscala were sent to Detroit, per Sankofa (Twitter link). “I just got to Detroit and I got a chance to be with Bags and Liv for a short period, but those guys were stellar in how they handled their business. … Trades are never easy on either party, especially when you have family,” Williams said. “We do have room for guys like Gallo and Muscala just because they are vets, they understand how to play … we’ll try to figure out their (fit) as we go along.” Williams went on to say that the two veteran big men will be able to space the floor for Detroit, but they’ll probably have to play center due to their lack of defensive mobility, Sankofa adds (via Twitter).
- Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. praised Gallinari and Muscala, as Sankofa relays (Twitter links). “We’re going to miss their veteran leadership and shooting … they’ll really help the young group,” Unseld said. “They’ve been really good as far as barometers, bringing that experience and perspective to a younger core. Those guys were terrific for us.” Unseld also touched on the additions of Bagley and Livers. “He’s a skilled big,” Unseld said of Bagley. “He can score around the rim, good touch and can expand his range as he gets comfortable … Isaiah’s been a pretty good shooter in his career and has the ability to be a two-way player, has defensive size.”
- The four players were not cleared to play in time for Monday’s contest, but Bagley and Livers attended the game and watched in owner Ted Leonsis‘ luxury box, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Pistons won the game, snapping their seven-game losing streak.
- Second-year forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. got some run as a small-ball center on Monday with the Wizards shorthanded and played well in limited minutes, going 3-of-3 from long distance for nine points in 12 minutes, notes Robbins (Twitter links). Baldwin had only played 71 minutes this season leading into the game.
- The Wizards haven’t had many bright spots this season but the development of Deni Avdija stands out as a positive, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Avdija, who inked a four-year, $55MM rookie scale extension in the offseason (it begins in 2024/25), is averaging career highs in several statistics and has grown as a play-maker, per O’Connor.
- Wizards center Daniel Gafford sustained a head injury on Monday and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest (Twitter link). Gafford has been mentioned in some trade rumors this season.
Jazz’s Markkanen, Heat’s Adebayo Named Players Of The Week
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Heat center Bam Adebayo have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).
A first-time All-Star in 2022/23, Markkanen averaged 24.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per game on .473/.481/.917 shooting in helping Utah to an undefeated week at 4-0. The Jazz are the league’s hottest team, going 11-2 over their past 13 games to move above .500 (21-20).
Adebayo, the East’s winner, averaged 23.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.0 block per night while shooting 56.5% from the floor and 78.6% from the charity stripe in four games. Miami went 3-1 in those contests and is currently 23-16.
According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Devin Booker, Paul George, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bennedict MAthurin, Myles Turner, Donovan Mitchell and Coby White were nominated in the East (Twitter link).
Western Notes: Kuminga, Moody, Suns, Mavs, Hawkins
While the Warriors appear open to various trade possibilities, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic hears Golden State’s front office isn’t actively shopping 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
According to Vecenie’s sources, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. places a high value on both young players and prefers to keep them, but he also recognizes that other teams value them as well. It remains to be seen how things will shake out over the next three-plus weeks until the February 8 deadline.
Vecenie’s full article focuses on this season’s trade candidates, with Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray and Zach LaVine at the top of his trade board.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Suns‘ “big three” rotation was slow to form with all three players dealing with various injuries in 2023/24, particularly Bradley Beal, who has been limited to 15 games thus far. However, in recent games, head coach Frank Vogel seems to have settled on a substitution pattern he likes, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details.
- Star guard Luka Doncic will miss Monday’s game vs. New Orleans — his third straight absence — due to a right ankle sprain, the Mavericks announced (via Twitter). Starting forward Derrick Jones Jr. is a new addition to the injury report — he’s sidelined with a right calf contusion. Rookie center Dereck Lively, meanwhile, will return from a five-game absence after dealing with a left ankle sprain, and Maxi Kleber will be active for the second straight contest after a lengthy absence due to a toe injury.
- With the Pelicans near full strength, rookie guard Jordan Hawkins had received erratic playing time of late. That changed in a major way during Saturday’s victory over Dallas, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson all missed the contest — the second of a back-to-back — for various reasons, creating an opening for Hawkins, who responded with a career-high 34 points (on 11-of-19 shooting), five rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. “I was just playing basketball,” Hawkins said. “Early in the season, I got a chance to play a lot. I wasn’t really nervous or anything. I looked at it like, ‘I’m going to hoop and show what I can do.’ No CJ, Trey, BI or Z. I knew the shots were going to be there. I just had to make them.”
Community Shootaround: Charlotte Hornets
After going 27-55 last season, which was the fourth-worst record in the NBA, the Hornets entered 2023/24 with aspirations of reaching the playoffs, or at least the play-in tournament. Instead, they’ve been even worse — Charlotte currently holds an 8-28 record.
Certainly, injuries have played a role in the poor results. The Hornets were just 3-17 without LaMelo Ball, who recently returned from an ankle sprain. Second-year center Mark Williams has missed the past 16 games with a back injury, and they’ve gone 1-15 in that span. Williams has no timetable for a return.
Cody Martin has missed most of the season with a knee injury. Frank Ntilikina has yet to play (he’s close to making his season debut). Gordon Hayward (left calf strain) is out. Terry Rozier, Brandon Miller and P.J. Washington have missed time. You get the point.
Still, with a new ownership group and another disappointing season, it’s been a little surprising that we haven’t heard more noise about Charlotte looking to shake things up in some capacity, whether it be the front office, coaching staff or trades (or all of the above). For what it’s worth, general manager Mitch Kupchak and head coach Steve Clifford are reportedly in the final guaranteed years of their respective contracts.
Speaking with Kevin Gray of 97.1 The Freak, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said Hayward’s expiring $31.5MM contract is “absolutely for the taking,” though rival teams also wonder if the veteran forward will be a buyout candidate if Charlotte can’t find a suitable trade (Twitter link via The Trade Deadline).
Unless they’re willing to take on unwanted long-term salary, it’s hard to envision the Hornets receiving much in return for Hayward due to his large salary, impending free agency, age (34 in March) and lengthy injury history. He’s been fairly productive this season when he plays, but not compared to his cap hit.
Other veterans — like Rozier and Washington — would have more value. Rozier has put up career highs in multiple categories this season and is on a reasonable contract. It’s unclear what type of market value Miles Bridges would have due to his legal issues and impending free agency, plus he also has the ability to veto trades after signing his one-year qualifying offer.
It’s clear the Hornets should be open to a lot of different scenarios to improve their roster. They haven’t made the playoffs for seven straight seasons and appear headed for an eighth.
We want to know what you think. What would you do if you were running the Hornets? Which players would you keep, and who would you be trying to acquire? Head to the comments to share your thoughts.
Mavs’ Kleber Probable Saturday After Lengthy Absence
Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber is probable to return on Saturday vs. New Orleans after missing more than two months with a right small toe dislocation, per the NBA’s latest injury report.
Kleber, 31, has been limited to just five games this season after sustaining the toe injury on November 1. He initially tried to play through it, missing three games and then suiting up for a contest on Nov. 8. He hasn’t played since, missing the past 31 games.
A seven-year veteran, Kleber will earn $33MM — $11MM annually — over the next three seasons after signing an extension in September 2022. He played a key role in helping the Mavs reach the Western Conference Finals in ’21/22, averaging 8.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 0.8 BPG on .509/.436/.714 shooting in 18 playoff games (25.4 MPG).
When healthy, the German forward/center is a versatile defender who can space the floor, making him a valuable role player. But he has missed at least 22 games in each of the last three seasons, including 45 in 2022/23. He was focused on getting healthy over the offseason, but has again been beset by injuries.
While it’s obviously a positive development that Kleber’s return appears imminent, the Mavs will be without Luka Doncic for the second straight game due to a right ankle sprain, Dante Exum is out for the sixth straight contest with a right plantar sprain, and Dereck Lively has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful with his left ankle sprain, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
For the Pelicans, who are on the second of a back-to-back, Zion Williamson will be out (rest), while three other players are questionable with various injuries.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Ball, Miller, Martin, Isaac
Billionaire executive Laurene Powell Jobs plans to sell about half of her substantial stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the holding company that controls the Washington Wizards, Capital One Arena, and the NHL’s Washington Capitals, according to Eben Novy-Williams and Scott Soshnick of Sportico. Powell Jobs will reportedly sell approximately 10% of Monumental.
The widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Powell Jobs is one of the wealthiest women in the world, with major shares in Apple and the Walt Disney Company. She is currently the second-largest Monumental Sports & Entertainment shareholder, only trailing managing partner Ted Leonsis, per Sportico. It’s unclear if that will remain the case once she sells 10% of the company.
As Sportico’s authors write, it’s too early to speculate on how much 10% of Monumental might be worth, but a smaller stake sold at a $4.05 billion valuation last year.
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- Hornets star LaMelo Ball returned from a 20-game absence on Friday following a severe right ankle sprain, recording 28 points, five assists and five steals in 27 minutes. While the 22-year-old said he felt “great,” the blowout loss to San Antonio didn’t sit well with him, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “It’s always good to play basketball, but (shoot), not like that,” Ball said. “But it was cool to get back out there.”
- On the same day Ball returned, the injury-plagued Hornets lost No. 2 pick Brandon Miller to a lower back contusion, according to Boone, who says the young wing was still in discomfort after the game. “That definitely took a little bit out of us for sure,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “Hopefully, he’s OK and it’s not serious.”
- Heat wing Caleb Martin recorded 11 points, four rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes during Friday’s win over Orlando, which marked his first game back from an ankle injury, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel relays (subscriber link). Martin had missed the past seven games with a right ankle sprain. “Caleb is so dynamic,” Bam Adebayo said. “He can score. He can defend. He can play point if you need him to. You can put him in so many different roles and he accepts that challenge.“
- Magic big man Jonathan Isaac is on track to return on Saturday vs. OKC following a 10-game absence, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. One of the team’s best defenders, Isaac missed nine games due to a right hamstring strain before missing a 10th game with an illness, Beede notes.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Curry, Zubac, Beal
In search of answers after a poor stretch of games, the Warriors made another change to their starting lineup on Friday night, with Dario Saric replacing Jonathan Kuminga, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney were the other four starters.
Golden State gave up 75 points to the Bulls at half, which was a season-high for Chicago, and trailed by 13 after two periods. But the Warriors rebounded with a 48-20 third quarter and wound up winning by nine.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Curry has been in a slump of late for the Warriors, and it’s clear the ups and downs of the season have been wearing on him, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “I feel like we’ve been in this situation for the last two years,” Curry said. “Even in the championship year, we started 18-2 and then we had some rough patches like this where we struggled mightily. These last couple of years have been rough because of all the noise and distractions, because of the lack of consistency on the court. At least last year we had enough to scare somebody. But we’re far from that right now.”
- Center Ivica Zubac has been playing an important role during the Clippers‘ surge up the standings, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The eight-year veteran is averaging career highs in multiple categories this season and has formed a strong two-man game on offense with James Harden while anchoring the paint defensively. “I knew I could play in that pocket, that I could be a roll man on offense and defense,” said Zubac. “I’m confident in my game a lot, so I’ve always been confident. But right now, it’s at a high level.”
- Suns guard Bradley Beal had his best game of the season during Thursday’s victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles, recording 37 point (on 14-of-21 shooting, including 8-of-10 from deep), six rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes. In a story for Sportskeeda, Mark Medina describes Beal’s transition to Phoenix, writing that the three-time All-Star has drawn rave reviews for fitting in so well with the team, despite dealing with injuries for much of 2023/24. “Brad is one of the best players in the world,” Kevin Durant said. “To see an opportunity to see that close up and see a guy every day and see who he truly is as a player and then you come out there and get moments like that, that’s always fun. I enjoy seeing my teammates cook like that. We’re going to need more from him because that ignites the bench and it ignites the crowd, even if we’re on the road.”
Warriors’ Moses Moody Out At Least 10 Days
Third-year wing Moses Moody will miss the remainder of the Warriors‘ road trip due to a left calf strain and will be reevaluated in 10 days, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
“Huge loss,” Kerr said of Moody (Twitter link via Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Moody will miss at least five games, with January 24 vs. Atlanta being the soonest he could possibly return. In a press release (via Twitter), the Warriors say Moody sustained a Grade 1 calf strain in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s blowout loss to New Orleans and classify the strain as mild.
Moody will join Gary Payton II (left hamstring strain) and Chris Paul (hand surgery) on Golden State’s list of injured players. What once looked like an area of strength — backcourt depth — will be further tested in the coming days. Rookie Brandin Podziemski and veteran Cory Joseph will likely receive an uptick in playing time with Moody out.
Still just 21 years old, Moody is averaging 8.7 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 18.0 MPG this season, with all of those figures representing career highs. The former 14th overall pick has appeared in 34 games in 2023/24, posting a .482/.358/.789 shooting line.
One report last week said Moody was looking for a more consistent role with Golden State, particularly after receiving three straight DNP-CDs. Moody tied his season high with 21 points in each of the past two games, playing 22 and 25 minutes, though Golden State lost both times.
The Warriors are currently 17-20, the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference. Amid their slide down the standings, they’ve been increasingly mentioned in recent trade rumors.
Woj: “Atlanta Is Ready To Trade Dejounte Murray”
Appearing on NBA Today on Friday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Hawks are ready to deal former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray (Twitter link).
“Atlanta is ready to trade Dejounte Murray,” Wojnarowski said. “They have given some time to the Trae Young/Dejounte Murray backcourt; I think they’re ready to move on from it.
“Dejounte Murray is the player that they’re engaged around the league with. And they’ve talked to the Lakers, they’ve exchanged some ideas on a potential trade. But they’re engaged with a lot of teams.
“They gave up a lot for Dejounte Murray: two of their own first-round picks, a pick swap, and a third first-round pick that they had control of. They want to get some value back for him.
“So you look at that Lakers roster, and you see what of value do they have that can compete in the marketplace? I think there’s lots of teams interested in him, the question is, how much are they willing to give up for Murray?”
Wojnarowski went on to explain that since the trade deadline is still about a month away, the Hawks may not be getting top offers yet. The Lakers will likely remain in the hunt for Murray, according to Wojnarowski, who concluded by saying, “I do think the chances of him being moved before the deadline are very, very high.”
Murray makes $18.2MM in 2023/24, which is the final season of his rookie scale extension. He signed a four-year, $111MM+ veteran contract extension in the summer (it starts next season), which is viewed as fairly team-friendly. His contract does also include a significant trade bonus that would come into effect if he’s dealt this season, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter).
Murray was first mentioned as a possible trade candidate this season a few weeks ago, when he was linked to the Knicks. Subsequent reports from multiple outlets have connected him to various teams, with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reporting on Thursday that Murray is looking like the most likely All-Star-caliber player to be moved prior to the deadline.
Wojnarowski has been reporting for a while that the Hawks are “absolutely open for business,” particularly on Murray, so his latest update isn’t exactly surprising. Still, the fact that he was so confident about the odds of a trade makes it seem as though it’s only matter of when, not if at this point.