Stein’s Latest: Morant, Young, Knicks, Gafford, More
Ja Morant has become the name to watch in NBA trade circles following reports that the Grizzlies were open to listening to offers for their star point guard.
In his latest article for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein notes that, due to their reported interest in trade targets like Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Domantas Sabonis, there is a belief around the league that the Raptors may be facing internal win-now pressure, which could lead to them making a play for Morant.
Stein also states that, despite rumors that the Kings aren’t looking to making a move for the oft-injured point guard, he has heard rumors that Sacramento’s interest in Morant could be piqued if the Grizzlies would consider a return built around DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter, and draft assets.
Carter was the 13th pick in the 2024 draft but has struggled to carve out a role with the Kings, averaging just 8.4 minutes this season.
Morant has played 18 games this season and is averaging 19.0 points and 7.6 assists on .401/.208/.900 shooting splits.
We have more from Stein’s latest newsletter:
- One of the lingering questions following the Wizards‘ trade for Young is whether Washington will extend its newly acquired guard. Stein, who notes that the Hawks’ refusal to extend Young was one of the impetuses that led to their separation, says there are rumblings that the four-time All-Star will ultimately land a two-year extension. With Young widely expected to see little to no action during the second half, Stein notes that the Wizards will likely to point to Toronto’s handling of Brandon Ingram last year as a precedent if the league takes issue with their new point guard sitting out. Ingram didn’t suit up for the Raptors last season, with the team citing an ankle injury.
- The Knicks have struggled to regain their footing after claiming the NBA Cup, winning just one of their last six games. While it’s unlikely that they’ll part with any of their core players, Stein writes that Guerschon Yabusele and second-year wing Pacome Dadiet are both available as New York attempts to tinker around their margins. Yabusele, after a breakout return to the NBA with the Sixers last season, has struggled to find a rhythm or role in coach Mike Brown‘s system, leading to him being in and out of the rotation. Dadiet, the 25th pick in the 2024 draft, has seemingly been overtaken in the rotation by youngsters like Mohamed Diawara and Kevin McCullar Jr., having played just 44 minutes in 14 games.
- While the Hawks‘ interest in Davis is well-documented, Stein writes that they also have some level of interest in another Mavericks big man: Daniel Gafford. Gafford offers less upside than Davis, but such a deal would help the Hawks keep Zaccharie Risacher out of trade talks. Stein adds that the Pacers and Celtics are also interested in pursuing the 27-year-old center.
- Spencer Dinwiddie is now eligible to sign with an NBA team after parting ways with Bayern Munich, but Stein reports that he could need some time to deal with the personal matters that led to his leaving the EuroLeague club.
- According to Stein, the Mavericks are holding off on waiving Dante Exum to open up a roster spot to promote Ryan Nembhard because they hope they can use Exum’s $3.3MM salary in a trade instead. Decisions on converting two-way players like Spencer Jones (Nuggets), Daniss Jenkins (Pistons), and Pat Spencer (Warriors) will likely all happen after the trade deadline for similar reasons, especially since those players won’t reach their active game limits until around that time.
Cunningham Questionable Sat.; Ivey No Longer On Mins. Limit
- Pistons star Cade Cunningham is questionable to suit up for Saturday’s matchup vs. the Clippers due to a right wrist contusion, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The former No. 1 overall pick is an MVP candidate this season with Detroit holding the best record in the Eastern Conference at 28-9. Cunningham, a 6’6″ guard, missed Wednesday’s win over Chicago with the injury.
- Speaking to reporters on Friday, including Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter video link), Pistons guard Jaden Ivey said he’s in a “great space” from a health standpoint and is no longer on a minutes restriction. The impending restricted free agent missed most of last season with a fractured left fibula and was sidelined to start ’25/26 after undergoing right knee surgery this fall. Ivey is averaging a career-low 16.7 minutes per game through 22 appearances.
Central Notes: Kawamura, J. Smith, Pistons, Turner
The medical condition that prompted the Bulls to waive two-way guard Yuki Kawamura in October was a blood clot in his lower right leg, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links). The team re-signed Kawamura earlier this week.
As Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune (subscription required) writes, head coach Billy Donovan explained on Wednesday that the Bulls always intended to re-sign Kawamura once he had recovered, and that the 5’8″ guard remained in Chicago to work with the team’s medical staff despite not being on the roster. According to Donovan, Kawamura was able to participate in on-court basketball activities during his recovery process, but didn’t take any contact until he received medical clearance.
“You always take those things seriously,” Donovan said. “He’s worked really, really hard. I’m happy for him because at that point, when you have something like that, you just don’t know what that’s going to look like in the future. I’m just happy it all worked out well for him.”
Victor Wembanyama, Ausar Thompson, and Brandon Ingram are among the current NBA players who have recovered from blood clots in recent years. Wizards forward Cam Whitmore is currently sidelined due to a blood clot in his shoulder.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Exploring Jalen Smith‘s impact on the Bulls, Spencer Davies of RG.org notes that the team has lost all seven games that the big man has missed this season and has a 17-13 record when he plays. Smith’s +3.5 net rating is the best mark of any player on the roster. “I think he’s been really, really good for us,” Donovan told Davies last month. “… The thing that I appreciate about him, he doesn’t mind playing the center spot and power forward spot. He just wants to go out there and play, and I respect that about him.”
- With a 28-9 record and a four-game cushion in the race for the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the Pistons are better off betting on continuity than making a major move at the trade deadline, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Still, as Sankofa details in a separate subscriber-only story, Detroit holds a $14MM traded player exception that could be used to add another rotation piece. Sankofa considers a few players the team could target using that TPE, including Sam Hauser, Bobby Portis, Georges Niang, and even Zaccharie Risacher.
- After he spent his first 10 NBA seasons in Indiana, Myles Turner‘s numbers in his first year with the Bucks are down across the board, but he’s doing his best not to let that bother him, telling Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required) that he views any feelings of discomfort as a challenge to be overcome. “I’ve been comfortable the past three, four years. It’s something I’ve known,” Turner said. “I think true growth happens in uncomfortable moments. I’m rolling with the punches. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy making a change like that, so just embracing the uncomfortable part of the role right now.”
NBA’s Future With Main Street Sports Group In Doubt After Missed Payments
The future of the NBA’s relationship with Main Street Sports Group is uncertain after the company failed to make its January payments to several teams, sources tell Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal.
Main Street, which is in the process of being sold to DAZN, also missed a payment to Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals last month. According to Friend, that prompted the NBA league office to contact all 13 teams doing business with the company to warn them that their January payments may not arrive as expected. Friend reports that at least several of those teams didn’t receive scheduled rights fee payments this week.
The missed deadline won’t have an immediate effect, as telecasts will continue on Main Street’s FanDuel Sports Networks. Sources tell Friend that default notices have already been sent to Main Street, which will have a 15-day cure period once they are received.
“Main Street Sports Group is in dialogue with its team and league partners around the timing of rights payments as we progress discussions with strategic partners to further enhance our long-term capital position,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to Sports Business Journal.
According to Friend’s sources, the 13 teams have safeguards in their contracts with Main Street that will make them the primary payees from the company’s creditors if it were to go out of business.
Friend hears that Main Street lost about $200MM in 2025 and owes the teams a combined $180MM for this season. The potential sale depends on several conditions, he adds, such as DAZN wanting the teams’ digital rights, hoping to negotiate extensions through at least the 2028/29 season and trying to get teams to accept lower fees for their broadcast rights.
If the sale can’t be completed in January, sources tell Friend that Main Street officials plan to shut down the business after the NBA and NHL seasons conclude, but they hope to continue game broadcasts until then. However, team sources aren’t convinced that Main Street has the financial means to keep producing the games, so the 13 NBA teams will need to develop emergency backup plans.
“The league has the capacity to put them on, to stream them, and all the teams are certainly equipped to go over-the-air to do it,” one team source tells Friend. “But now the revenue gets crushed. Hopefully a lot of people have already gotten paid at least 30 to 50% of this year’s revenue. But you’ll never get the rest of that money back, you’ll never recoup the money.’’
Friend notes that if Main Street dissolves, digital rights would revert back to the teams, which would make a national streaming Regional Sports Network much easier to accomplish. If DAZN completes the deal, not much will change except for the brand name. However, the company will have to address the issue of extensions, as contracts with the Grizzlies, Hornets and Magic expire after the current season, and deals with the Thunder, Clippers, Timberwolves, Pacers, Hawks, Heat, Cavaliers and Bucks only run through 2026/27.
According to Friend, here are the 13 teams under contract with Main Street and their rights fees payments for 2025/26:
- Atlanta Hawks: $32M
- Charlotte Hornets: $16.57M
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $34M
- Detroit Pistons: $25.78M
- Indiana Pacers: $17.47M
- Los Angeles Clippers: $34.59M
- Memphis Grizzlies: $11.41M
- Miami Heat: $55M
- Milwaukee Bucks: $24M
- Minnesota Timberwolves: $24.88M
- Oklahoma City Thunder: $16.67M
- Orlando Magic: $26.19M
- San Antonio Spurs: $19.92M
Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey Named Players Of Week
Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Avdija averaged 26.8 points, 9.8 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game while leading to Portland to a 3-1 record during the week of December 29 to January 4. This is the first time Avdija has earned Player of the Week honors. He’s the first Portland player to get the nod since Damian Lillard on Feb. 6, 2023.
Maxey averaged 34.7 points and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 61.2% from the field as the Sixers went 3-0. It’s the third time Maxey has earned Player of the Week honors, including the second time this season — he joins Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Celtics wing Jaylen Brown as the Eastern Conference’s two-time winners so far in 2025/26.
Devin Booker (Suns), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other nominees in the West.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black (Magic), Brown (Celtics) and Cade Cunningham (Pistons) were also nominated in the East.
Central Notes: Cavs, Jenkins, Brown, Bickerstaff, Potter
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is mulling rotation changes after his second unit was gouged by the Pistons in a four-point loss on Sunday, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports. Detroit staged a second-quarter rally and led the rest of the way.
“We gotta look at it,” Atkinson said when asked about some of the lineups used in the second quarter. “Obviously, wasn’t the right combination. Obviously, the bench play hurt us (Sunday).”
The second unit provided a spark last season, led by Ty Jerome, who signed with Memphis during the offseason. The Cavs have the NBA’s fourth least-productive bench this season.
“Maybe we keep two of our stars out there at the same time,” Atkinson said. “We’ve gotta help them. We started Sam (Merrill) tonight and that obviously hurts the bench, so we just gotta figure it out. It’s definitely, definitely hurting us in those minutes.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons two-way guard Daniss Jenkins fell one point short of the franchise record for points scored in a second quarter on Sunday. Jenkins racked up 21 points in those 12 minutes, making all seven of his field goal attempts, including six three-pointers. Jenkins also closed out the game with four free throws. Jenkins’ 21-point quarter was the highest scoring by a bench player in franchise history. “He was unbelievable,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “It’s the trust factor, we talk about it all the time. We have 18 guys on our roster that we believe in. We have 18 guys who we believe can help us win when we put them in the game. They know how to play Pistons’ basketball. They play unselfishly. They play with a high spirit. They have the confidence to go out and do what it takes to get it done.” Jenkins is a prime candidate to eventually receive a standard contract.
- Knicks head coach Mike Brown used to babysit Bickerstaff, James Edwards III of The Athletic reveals. They now coach the top two teams in the East. The Knicks and Pistons will square off for the first time since their playoff matchup last season on Monday. “He was strict,” Bickerstaff said. “He had a great way of making things fun but always organized and detailed. There weren’t going to be things that were missed, and he was scared to death of my dad (longtime NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff). He wasn’t going to let anything happen to me.”
- Micah Potter, who signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Pacers late last month, was one of the 12 players named to the USA Select Team in June 2024 that scrimmaged against Team USA in Las Vegas prior to the Paris Olympics. He was also one of three players who stuck with the team as practice players through its July exhibition tour, an unforgettable experience for the big man. “That was the, hands down, coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Potter told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “I had no idea that was gonna happen until my agent called me out of the blue. Going into that kind of environment — Kevin Durant said it’s the greatest team he’s ever played on, and so with that, you could argue it’s the greatest team ever assembled which is incredible. You go down the list and look at the names and it’s incredible. So being in that kind of an environment, you see how those kinds of guys prepare, right? You see how they approach the game, mentally and physically. It’s one of those things where you go into that environment — and I ended up playing, which is nuts too, getting on the floor with all of them — you learn to gain confidence.”
Central Notes: Mathurin, Cunningham, Bickerstaff, Potter
Bennedict Mathurin is expected to miss some time for the Pacers as he works to come back from a right thumb sprain and turf toe, writes Scott Agness of the Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).
“When we’re down numbers, it becomes more challenging, but we’ve gotten some guys back,” said coach Rick Carlisle before Sunday’s game. “But now Mathurin’s out for a while.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (via Twitter) that Mathurin has been trying to play through the thumb sprain for multiple weeks, but that he needs some time to heal. The fourth-year guard also admitted last month that the toe injury which cost him 11 games earlier in the season was still bothering him.
Mathurin is averaging a career-high 17.8 points per game for the depleted Pacers, but his numbers have dipped since mid-December, likely due in large part to his health issues. Over his last 11 games, he’s averaging 13.5 PPG on .369/.271/.973 shooting splits.
There was no immediate timeline given for his return.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Cade Cunningham, who is playing the best basketball of his career for the East-leading Pistons, credits former NBA guard and current assistant coach Jarrett Jack for helping him take a leap as a player and leader, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. Sankofa writes that Jack was “attached” to Cunningham upon joining the staff of former head coach Monty Williams. The two do one-on-one work, pregame warmups, and talk on the bench during games together. “He’s always making jokes, always being funny, talking about he could’ve did this or I ain’t that, whatever,” Cunningham said. “It’s cool, man. He just knows how to read the room. That’s the type of stuff that allows the culture to be what it is, people like that. He’s one of the main ones that’s helped build this culture that we got.”
- There were added stakes for the Pistons as they got their first road win against the Cavaliers since coach J.B. Bickerstaff came to Detroit from Cleveland, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I feel like we’ve got to have his back coming into here, because I know they get up to play against J.B. every single time,” said Isaiah Stewart, who started in the place of the injured Jalen Duren and contributed three blocks and two steals in the four-point victory. “So it was important for us to get this win tonight.” Coming into today’s game, the Cavaliers were 4-1 against their old coach.
- Micah Potter went from the G League to starting Pacers center in about a week. It’s been a whirlwind, but his previous experience with Team USA has helped him find ways to fit in and be productive, writes Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star. “The confidence it gave me was like, I belong, right?” Potter said. “I’m not saying I’m going to be a Kevin Durant, a LeBron James, a Tyrese Haliburton, a Steph Curry. I’m not going to be those guys, but I can help those guys. I can find a role to create for those guys whether I’m scoring or not. And that was the thing that gave me the most confidence, and I also hit a couple of shots which was really cool too.” Potter’s first start came on Friday in a loss to the Spurs. He scored 16 points on 4-of-8 from three with six rebounds. In Sunday’s matchup against the Magic, he had 11 points and 10 rebounds in just over 29 minutes. “Just try to do my job as best I can,” he said. “Create for my teammates, whether that’s passing, shooting open shots, setting good screens, anything like that. Just trying to create space for my teammates and play off that.”
Jalen Duren Tried To Play Through The Pain Of A Sprained Ankle
- Pistons center Jalen Duren, who will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle, tried to play through the pain in Thursday’s loss to Miami, per Hunter Patterson of the Athletic. He checked back into the game late in the third quarter, but wasn’t able to keep going. “(Duren) wanted to give it a go and see how he felt,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “But (he) just didn’t feel that he could do the things that he needed to do.”
Pistons Share Injury Updates On Harris, Duren, LeVert
The Pistons have issued updates on a trio of injured players, making the following announcements on Saturday (Twitter link):
Forward Tobias Harris has been diagnosed with a left hip sprain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.- Center Jalen Duren has a sprained right ankle and will be reevaluated in one week.
- Guard/forward Caris LeVert remains day-to-day due to right knee inflammation, but won’t travel to Cleveland for Sunday’s game vs. the Cavaliers as he continues to receive treatment.
The timeline for Harris, who already missed Thursday’s contest against Miami, suggests he’ll remain sidelined for a minimum of five more games, starting with intra-conference showdowns against the Cavs on Sunday and the Knicks on Monday. His absence may extend beyond that five-game stretch, since there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to return when he’s evaluated on January 17.
Harris, 33, has been a full-time starter since arriving in Detroit as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. In 23 games this season, he’s averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 27.4 minutes per night, with a .455/.333/.848 shooting line. Due to his expiring $26.6MM contract, the 15th-year forward is considered a potential in-season trade candidate.
While Harris’ recovery period may last longer, Duren’s absence figures to have a greater impact on the Pistons’ lineup in the short term. The 22-year-old is enjoying a breakout season ahead of his restricted free agency in 2026, with averages of 17.9 PPG and 10.6 RPG through his first 31 games (28.4 MPG).
Reigning Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month Isaiah Stewart will likely take on a larger role with Duren out, and Paul Reed is a capable backup too. But Detroit has been much better with Duren on the court (+8.9 net rating) than off it (+2.4) so far this season.
Javonte Green, Jaden Ivey, and Marcus Sasser are a few of the other players who figure to see minute bumps while the Pistons’ injured players get healthy.
Injury Notes: Warriors, Young, LaVine, Pistons
After previously announcing that Draymond Green would miss Friday’s matchup with the defending champion Thunder, the Warriors have also ruled out Stephen Curry (left ankle sprain) and Jimmy Butler (illness), per Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN.
It’s the first half of a back-to-back set, and the Warriors are hopeful that all three players will be back on Saturday vs. Utah, according to Slater and Charania. It’s also worth noting that Friday’s game will be nationally televised, which means Curry and Butler couldn’t be rested without legitimate ailments, since they qualify as “stars” under the NBA’s player participation policy. Green, who doesn’t meet the star criteria, is listed on the injury report as out due to “rest.”
With three starters sidelined, forward Jonathan Kuminga is expected to play on Friday for the first time in over two weeks, head coach Steve Kerr said today during a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game (Twitter link).
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Hawks guard Trae Young (right quad contusion) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game and won’t be available on Friday in New York, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. Young was initially listed as questionable, which suggests he’s considered day-to-day and should probably return soon, barring a setback.
- Kings guard Zach LaVine will miss a ninth straight game on Friday vs. Phoenix due to a left ankle sprain. Asked on Thursday if he had any updates on LaVine’s status, head coach Doug Christie had little to offer, telling reporters there’s “nothing new” (Twitter video link via James Ham of The Kings Beat).
- The Pistons were without Tobias Harris (left hip sprain) and Caris LeVert (left knee inflammation) for Thursday’s loss to Miami (Twitter links via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that LeVert’s injury, which has kept him on the shelf for the past two games, is one they’ve been managing all season and that it “flared up on him” this week. As for Harris, Bickerstaff suggested he would have more info on the forward’s prognosis within the next few days.