And-Ones: Bediako, All-Stars, Rookies, Team-Friendly Deals
Charles Bediako‘s bid to rejoin Alabama’s men’s basketball team more than two years after he was on a two-way contract with an NBA team could have major ramifications, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who notes that NBA clubs will likely be keeping a close eye on the case.
As we outlined on Wednesday, Bediako is suing the NCAA in an attempt to rejoin the Crimson Tide for the rest of the 2025/26 season after spending two years with Alabama from 2021-23. Since going undrafted in 2023, the big man has signed three Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams, including one that the Spurs converted into a two-way deal in the fall of ’23.
Bediako has been granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction.
If Bediako ultimately prevails in his bid for NCAA eligibility, it may necessitate adjustments to the NBA’s draft eligibility rules, Vecenie notes, since there would be nothing stopping players from declaring for the draft after their freshman seasons, then returning to college as NBA free agents if they go undrafted. In that scenario, a player who has a breakout sophomore year could theoretically leave his college program to sign with an NBA team halfway through a season.
Vecenie suggests that the NBA might have to create a new rule stating that an undrafted player who returns to college would reenter the draft pool for the following year. He also wonders if the changing nature of NCAA eligibility rules could result in NBA teams essentially treating college programs like a form of minor leagues — for instance, could the Lakers draft a player and then have him play at a nearby school like UCLA or USC for developmental purposes before he signs an NBA contract?
We have more from around the basketball world:
- A panel of NBA reporters and analysts from ESPN considered whether there are any obvious snubs among this season’s All-Star starters and explored which players deserve to be selected as reserves, while a group of reporters at The Athletic conducted a similar exercise. The general consensus was that there were no egregious mistakes among the first 10 All-Star choices, though Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell would have been worthy starters.
- Arguing that Kon Knueppel has been underappreciated so far this season, ESPN’s Zach Kram places the Hornets wing atop his latest rookie rankings, ahead of Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg at No. 2. Wizards guard Tre Johnson (eighth) and Nets guard Egor Demin (10th) are new additions to Kram’s top 10 since his previous update.
- Which contracts are the NBA’s most team-friendly? Ruling out maximum-salary deals and rookie deals for recently drafted players, Keith Smith of Spotrac shares his top-25 list, headlined by Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN has handed out midseason grades for all 30 NBA teams, with four clubs earning an A: the Celtics, Pistons, Suns, and Spurs.
Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Clippers, Lakers, Leonard, Ayton
Jonathan Kuminga‘s best chance to move on from the Warriors by the trade deadline is to keep taking advantage of his newfound opportunity, Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle writes in a subscriber-only story. A season-ending ACL injury to Jimmy Butler has enabled Kuminga to rejoin the rotation, and he responded Tuesday with 20 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes.
League sources tell Gordon that Kuminga, who issued a trade demand last week, hasn’t changed his mind about wanting out. He hasn’t received consistent playing time during his five years with the organization, and he continues to believe he could be more productive with another team where he could be a regular starter at power forward.
Gordon confirms that the Kings, who pursued a sign-and-trade last summer when Kuminga was a restricted free agent, remain the “most interested suitor.” Gordon also lists the Lakers, Mavericks and Bulls as teams that could make serious bids over the next two weeks.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. confirmed to Gordon that the Warriors would consider giving up future first-round picks in a potential deal if they believe the return justifies it. He also said they’re willing to accept contracts that run past next season, as Moses Moody is currently their only player with guaranteed money for 2027/28. Gordon adds that the front office is approaching the trade market with the hope of landing an established star like Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo or a rising talent such as Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.
“There’s still time left here,” Dunleavy responded when asked about Kuminga. “He’s on our roster. I know the trade has been requested, but nothing is imminent and things in this league can change in a heartbeat.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers and Lakers, who will square off Thursday night at Inuit Dome, have moved in different directions since their last meeting on December 20, notes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register (subscription required). After a disastrous start, the Clippers put together a 13-2 stretch and have a slight lead in the race for the West’s final play-in spot. The Lakers have dropped five of their last eight and are heading into the second leg of an eight-game road trip that’s necessitated by the Grammy Awards. “I never been a part of a road trip that’s eight games, but it’s definitely very important to get the first one,” Luka Doncic said after Tuesday’s victory at Denver. “It’s never easy to play here. And the way we stayed together the whole game was impressive. And I think that builds us up.”
- Kawhi Leonard is listed as questionable on the Clippers‘ injury report, three days after being sent home from the team’s road trip for treatment on his left knee. Leonard is dealing with a contusion that he suffered in a January 10 game at Detroit.
- Deandre Ayton didn’t return to Tuesday’s contest after being poked in the eye before halftime (Twitter link from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin), but he’s not on the Lakers‘ injury report for Thursday.
Mavericks Notes: Christie, Washington, Gafford, Weather, Riccardi
Anthony Davis was the centerpiece of last year’s Luka Doncic trade, but the Mavericks have been getting more production out of Max Christie, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. While Davis has been repeatedly injured, Christie has developed into one of the league’s most reliable outside shooters. He’s connecting at 45.9% from beyond the arc after sinking eight three-pointers in Monday’s win at New York.
“Being in the zone, you are kind of unconscious,” Christie said. “You don’t really feel what’s going on around you. You kind of just are in flow state. Your body is obviously taking over. It’s a great feeling. Being able to make that many threes is something I’ll be chasing for sure.”
Davis is among the biggest names on this year’s trade market, while Christie looks like he’ll be a long-term foundational piece in Dallas. His production makes him a bargain at his $7.7MM salary, and he’s under contract for $8.3MM next season with an $8.9MM player option for 2027/28.
With the Mavs short on three-point threats, Clark states that they’ve been encouraging Christie to shoot them more often. His high success rate may give him a chance to participate in the three-point contest next month at All-Star Weekend.
“That would be sick,” Christie told Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “That would be a dream come true if I got invited to be a part of that, so I definitely wouldn’t turn it down. Either way, I’m just happy to be shooting it as well as I am right now. It’d be a great bonus to be in the three-point contest, but if not, I’m still grateful for the year I’m having so far.”
There’s more from Dallas:
- P.J. Washington will return for Thursday’s game against Golden State, and Daniel Gafford could be back as well, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. Washington has missed seven of the past eight games due to a sprained ankle and personal reasons, but he’s not on the team’s injury report. Gafford, who has sat out the past three games with an ankle sprain, is listed as questionable. Sefko states that both players were able to participate in a light practice session on Wednesday. Moussa Cisse missed practice because of illness and is considered questionable.
- A winter storm in the forecast for this weekend could affect Saturday’s home game against the Lakers, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “Oh yeah, that’s out of my pay grade,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We show up rain or shine. It snows on the East Coast. I don’t see them postponing.”
- In a separate story, Curtis profiles Matt Riccardi, who’s approaching his first trade deadline as co-interim general manager of the Mavericks.
Stein’s Latest: Butler, Morant, Sixers, Mavericks
The Warriors will reportedly consider all their options leading up to the February 5 trade deadline, but it’s unlikely that they’ll include Jimmy Butler in an in-season trade after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear, Marc Stein writes for The Stein Line (Substack link). General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said as much on Tuesday, and that wasn’t just posturing, according to Stein.
As Stein explains, while the Warriors went that route with De’Anthony Melton last season after he tore his ACL, Melton was on a modest expiring contract, whereas moving Butler’s deal ($54.1MM this season, $56.8MM in 2026/27) would be far more complicated. Additionally, Golden State has posted a 46-22 regular season record with Butler on the court since acquiring him last season and still believe he can return and help the team before the end of the 2026/27 season.
On top of that, there’s the human element to consider, Stein notes. Dunleavy played with Butler in Chicago before his retirement as a player and has known him for more than a decade, which could make the Warriors’ GM more reluctant to part ways with the star forward in the early stages of his recovery from a serious injury.
Here are a few more rumors and notes from Stein:
- Ja Morant‘s popularity in Memphis will be a factor the Grizzlies take into account as they weigh trade scenarios involving the two-time All-Star, says Stein. In Stein’s view, the Grizzlies would have a hard time selling their fans on a return similar to the one Atlanta got for Trae Young earlier this month (CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert) and would probably need to get back more than a couple favorable veteran contracts to make a deal worthwhile. Given the limited league-wide interest in Morant so far, extracting a stronger package that includes intriguing young talent and/or draft assets will be a challenge.
- The Sixers and Mavericks are among the teams with multiple players on two-way contracts whom they want to promote to their standard roster before the end of the season, Stein writes. A league source says Philadelphia is expected to find a way to convert both Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, and Stein believes Dallas will seek a path to promote both Ryan Nembhard and Moussa Cisse. The 76ers currently have one open standard roster spot but are operating in tax territory, while the Mavs have a full 15-man roster and minimal flexibility below its second-apron hard cap.
- As we outlined over the weekend in a Front Office story, the Sixers are fast approaching their limit of 90 “under-15” games — a team carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster can only use a total of 90 active games for all of its two-way players, and Philadelphia is now at 86. That means in order to keep Barlow and Walker active beyond this Saturday, one will have to be promoted sooner rather than later, or the 76ers will have to fill their 15th roster spot with a newcomer.
Raptors Rumors: Webster, Morant, AD, Agbaji, Sharpe
There have been rumblings around the NBA that Raptors general manager Bobby Webster – who is in the last year of his contract – is facing some pressure to accelerate his team’s contention timeline by making a significant in-season deal, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. However, Grange hears that’s not actually the case.
Multiple sources tell Sportsnet that Webster and the Raptors are already having “meaningful” discussions about a contract extension and that the team’s head of basketball operations has a very strong relationship with Keith Pelley, the president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (the Raptors’ parent company).
“There’s a really good vibe,” one of Grange’s sources said of the relationship between Webster and Raptors ownership. “Everyone is comfortable with each other. The communication is good. It seems like there is a big-picture view of the whole thing. It’s kind of (an) old-school approach to dealing with management. There’s a lot of runway, and no rush. Everything has cooled off (since former Raptors president Masai Ujiri was let go last June). They’ve really come a long way, considering there was an executive search this past summer.”
Following Ujiri’s exit from Toronto, the Raptors conducted a search for a new lead basketball executive but ultimately decided to promote Webster, who had worked in the front office under Ujiri for over a decade. Pelley has no regrets about that decision and told Grange that Webster’s contract status won’t affect the team’s in-season decisions on the trade market.
“There is no pressure regarding the trade deadline or his contract,” Pelley said. “And he is 100 per cent aware of that. The team is moving in the right direction and I’m convinced that Bobby will make the right moves, at the right time, to make us better. This team under Bobby’s direction, will contend for championships.”
We have more on the Raptors:
- While Toronto has been linked to Ja Morant since word broke that Memphis is considering trading him, one insider who spoke to Grange insisted that the Raptors won’t be a serious suitor for the Grizzlies point guard. Grange also expresses skepticism about the likelihood of an Anthony Davis trade between the Mavericks and Raptors, noting that the big man – who will turn 33 in March – is the sort of win-now target who probably doesn’t make sense for Toronto right now.
- To that point, while Grange doesn’t rule out the possibility of the team making a big move sooner rather than later, he hears from multiple sources that the Raptors are prepared to be patient and may be more likely to take a big swing a year from now. As Grange observes, Toronto has a fairly young roster and head coach Darko Rajakovic has repeatedly used the word “rebuild” this season when discussing his team’s progress. While I wouldn’t describe this Raptors team – which is operating in luxury tax territory – as rebuilding, Grange’s point is that the Raptors believe there’s more room for internal development and aren’t in a rush to go all-in right away.
- Ducking the tax and adding frontcourt help still appear to be the primary deadline goals for the Raptors, according to Grange, who reiterates that wing Ochai Agbaji and his $6.4MM expiring contract is the team’s top trade candidate.
- In addition to Magic big man Goga Bitadze, who was connected to the Raptors earlier in the season, Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe is another potential frontcourt target to watch for Toronto, Grange says. He has also heard from multiple sources that second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi is available, though the Raptors’ level of interest in Missi is unclear.
Dirk Says He's Not Interested In Becoming Mavs' GM
- Mavericks legend Nowitzki said in an interview with Sports Illustrated Germany that he’s not interested in becoming the team’s general manager, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. The Mavericks currently have Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi operating as co-interim GMs after firing Nico Harrison. They’re expected to hire a permanent replacement for Harrison as head of basketball operations, though that’s reportedly “several months” away from happening.
Injury Notes: Green, Herro, Lakers, Knicks
The Suns are rolling, winning 11 of their past 16 games, including two victories over the Knicks in just over a week. They’re currently fighting for a top-six seed in the Western Conference and boast a 25-17 record, despite having spent most of the season playing without Jalen Green, a key offseason addition.
“We miss Jalen,” Devin Booker said after Phoenix’s latest win over New York on Saturday, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I think Jalen, he’s another person out there that’ll have rim presence for us and draw a lot of fouls. [Collin Gillespie], he’s really punctual. He’s going to get to his middy. Grayson (Allen) has some rim pressure, but we’re all getting excited for Jalen.”
Allen echoed Booker’s sentiment and expressed excitement about how Green could fit into the offense.
“Just another guy who can create his own shot, create advantages for other people,” Allen said. “Make tough shots. Draw two defenders. He’s a big-time scorer. So he’ll help a lot.”
The wait for Green’s return may be over. According to Rankin (Twitter link), the fifth-year guard is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Nets. While his return isn’t guaranteed, coach Jordan Ott spoke in optimistic terms after the team’s shootaround on Saturday.
“Everything seemed to be good,” Ott said of Green’s third stint of five-on-five work. “So, we’ll see. Still going in the right direction.”
Booker hinted that Green could have returned earlier, suggesting that the Suns were being cautious with his recovery.
“He’s been licking his chops getting ready for this moment,” Booker said. “I think we’ve overdone it with keeping him out. He’s going to be healthy and strong and ready to go.”
We have more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Tyler Herro didn’t travel with the Heat for their five-game road trip after suffering a rib contusion that caused him to miss Saturday’s game against the Thunder, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). While initial reports indicated that the injury was on the more minor side, he is now set to undergo an MRI, per Winderman (Twitter link), and it’s unclear how many more games he’ll be held out for. Herro has been plagued by injuries for most of the season, having missed 31 of Miami’s first 42 games.
- Lakers stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James are questionable to play in Sunday night’s matchup against the Raptors, tweets Marc Stein. Doncic is dealing with left groin soreness, while James continues to fight through left foot joint arthritis and sciatica. The Lakers are still missing their third star, Austin Reaves, due to the calf strain that has sidelined him since Christmas.
- The Knicks are in a tailspin, having lost eight of their last 10 games, and they may have to make do without two of their leaders against the beat-up Mavericks on Monday. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post notes (via Twitter) that Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are both listed as questionable for the game. Brunson, the team’s captain and offensive hub, is dealing with a right ankle sprain, while Josh Hart, who in many ways represents the team’s emotional leader, has right ankle soreness.
- While the Mavericks are still missing a majority of the top end of their roster, including P.J. Washington (personal reasons), Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain), and D’Angelo Russell (illness), they got a bit of good news, as star rookie Cooper Flagg was upgraded to questionable as he looks to return from a left ankle sprain, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
Mavericks Notes: Christie, Thompson, Williams, Martin
Max Christie returned to action on Saturday and helped spark a Mavericks victory, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. The 22-year-old guard had missed Dallas’ previous two games because of an illness that has impacted multiple players, Sefko notes.
Christie finished with 22 points (on 7-of-13) shooting, four assists, two rebounds and two steals and was plus-29 in 26 minutes during Saturday’s 18-point win over Utah.
“He’s one of our best shooters and most athletic guys, so offensively, he helps us there,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “But we missed him on the defensive end, too. To get him back from illness is good.
“He just competes (defensively). He’s one of those guys who can go both ways. He can have an impact on defense, too.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Guard/forward Klay Thompson passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list on Thursday and reached another milestone on Saturday, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Thompson, who scored 23 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) in 20 minutes, eclipsed 17,000 career points during the victory. “It’s been awesome, especially when I shoot the ball well and we win. What a nice combo,” Thompson said of his historic week.
- Backup guard Brandon Williams, who will be a free agent in the offseason, had another productive game, Curtis adds. The 27-year-old finished with 22 points (on 8-of-13 shooting), five assists, four rebounds and two steals and was plus-30 in 28 minutes.
- While his contributions were fairly modest on Saturday (six rebounds, five assists, three points in 21 minutes), veteran wing Caleb Martin was coming off his best two-game stretch as a Maverick, averaging 14.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.5 APG and 3.0 SPG while shooting 83.3% on twos and 60% on threes, Curtis writes in another story. The 30-year-old was slowed by a hip injury for several months, but he says he’s feeling much healthier now compared to the start of the season. “Just thinking less. Feeling better,” said Martin, who has started the past two games in place of Cooper Flagg (sprained ankle). “Just trying to get as much rhythm as I can. … I’m one of the guys who tries to impact as much as I can as quick as I possibly can. It’s not always going to be an offensive mindset first coming into the game so just trying to let the game come to me.”
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Simons, Gafford, JJJ, Tatum
The Celtics have their first meeting of the season with the Hawks tonight, but they won’t be facing former teammate Kristaps Porzingis, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Porzingis, who was sent to Atlanta in a three-team trade last summer, is sidelined with left Achilles tendinitis and will miss his fourth straight game. He battled an illness earlier in the season and has only been available for 17 of the Hawks’ first 43 contests.
Porzingis has played well when he has been healthy, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 24.3 minutes per night, but his absences have contributed to the Hawks’ slow start. They were expected to be among the top teams in the East after a flurry of offseason moves, but they’re currently stuck in play-in territory at 20-23.
Jaylen Brown, who developed a friendly relationship with Porzingis during their two years as teammates, talked at Saturday morning’s shootaround about seeing him again, per Souichi Terada of MassLive.
“He’s in my hometown,” said Brown, who hails from Atlanta. “I remember we did a segment when he was in Boston and we came to Atlanta. I took him to American Deli and he went up to my high school as well. So I feel like that was kind of me helping him get introduced to the city. Hopefully he’s enjoyed it. Atlanta has many things to offer historically, so hopefully he’s having a great time. I haven’t communicated with him as much, but it’ll be great to see him tonight if he’s here.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Anfernee Simons continues to make it tough for the team to think about trading him, Robb notes in a separate story. Simons seemed destined for a short stay in Boston when he was acquired from Portland last summer, but his scoring off the bench has become a major weapon, including a 39-point outing in Thursday’s win over Miami. The Celtics are believed to be in the market for another center, and Simons’ $27.8MM expiring contract could be useful in matching salaries. Robb states that team president Brad Stevens faces a difficult decision on whether to part with Simons, who has played an important role in the team’s rise to contention.
- With the Celtics rumored to be among the teams interested in trading for Daniel Gafford, Robb examines what a potential deal with the Mavericks might look like. In another piece, Robb expresses skepticism that Boston will make a serious bid for Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. considering the size of his contract over the next four years and the team’s other financial commitments.
- A league source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required) that Jayson Tatum is still improving as he works his way back from the Achilles tear he suffered last May. There’s no official medical update, but Jordan Walsh offered an insider’s perspective, saying, “He looks better than he did when he started. So, he’s making progress. He’s in the gym all day, every day. He’s definitely making progress.”
Injury Notes: Mavericks, Avdija, Edwards, Gobert, MPJ
The Mavericks will be without eight players for Saturday’s matchup with Utah, the team announced (via Twitter). In addition to Dante Exum, Dereck Lively II, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg (left ankle sprain), Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain), D’Angelo Russell (illness) and P.J. Washington (personal reasons) will also be sidelined today.
It’s the second straight missed game for Flagg, the top pick in last year’s draft. The only relatively unexpected absences were Washington, who was initially listed as probable with what the team called right ankle injury management, and Russell, who was a late scratch.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija will miss his third straight game Saturday against the Lakers due to a lower back strain, the team confirmed (Twitter link). Avdija, who suffered the injury on January 11, was initially listed as doubtful. On a brighter note, Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday are both probable to suit up after initially being considered questionable.
- Star guard Anthony Edwards will return to action on Saturday after a two-game absence due to right foot injury management, per the Timberwolves (Twitter link). Four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who is dealing with a left hip contusion, is questionable to play at San Antonio. According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), Gobert seemed to be moving OK following Friday’s loss in Houston, but it is a quick turnaround.
- The Nets won’t have Michael Porter Jr. (rest) or Drake Powell (left knee injury management) available for Sunday’s game at Chicago, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sunday is the front end of a back-to-back for Brooklyn — the team hosts Phoenix on Monday. Porter was also rested under similar circumstances last weekend.