Pacific Notes: Durant, Suns, Sanders, Kerr, Kuminga
Playing against his former team on Monday, Rockets forward Kevin Durant secured a victory for his current team by making a game-winning three-pointer with one second left in the fourth quarter. He admitted to reporters after the victory that being able to deliver that dagger against the Suns made the moment more meaningful, per Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press.
“Most definitely,” Durant said. “A place that I didn’t want to leave. My first time — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will — to be kicked out of a place.
“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had. And it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But that’s just the business, that’s the name of the game. So, when you play against a (former) team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder.”
The Suns, whose “big three” of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal never meshed like they hoped, began discussing possible KD trades ahead of last season’s trade deadline, which was news to Durant. He helped nix those talks by making it clear he had no interest in returning to Golden State, then put Houston on his list of preferred destinations when the Suns renewed those trade efforts in the summer.
“It’s nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,” he said on Monday. “I want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank. Even though I’m old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don’t think it’s malicious in any way towards them. But just as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers rookie Kobe Sanders made his fourth career start on Monday with James Harden out due to shoulder stiffness and set or matched career highs in points (20), rebounds (seven), and minutes (36). Sanders, who has now been active for 29 games, has made a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to the standard roster and is earning praise from head coach Tyronn Lue in the process, writes Beth Harris of The Associated Press. “His poise, his ability to understand what we’re doing defensively and offensively, and just getting more and more confident,” Lue said of what has impressed him about the 2025 second-rounder.
- Monday’s one-point loss to the Clippers was a frustrating one for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who received two technical fouls and was ejected after disputing multiple referee decisions, including a no-call that crew chief Brian Forte acknowledged after the game should have been a goaltending violation, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. Veteran assistant Terry Stotts coached the team following Kerr’s ejection, then took Kerr’s place during the post-game media session. “I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts explained.
- Monday’s game was the ninth in a row that Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play, including his seventh DNP-CD during that stretch. Asked after the game about whether he thinks Kuminga’s nonexistent role and uncertain future are weighing on his Warriors teammate, Jimmy Butler quickly replied, “Nope, not at all,” and referred to Kuminga as his “friend” and brother” (Twitter video link via Slater). “I tell JK, you be a pro of all pros,” Butler said. “Come here and get your work done. Smile and have a good time. Because you’re still an NBA player (and) one of the best people in the world. I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling and you keep being the great human being that you are.”
Trae Young Rumors: Wizards, Nets, Rockets, Wolves
While Washington looks like the “clear favorite” for Trae Young at this juncture, no trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards is imminent, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who suggests Atlanta will continue to explore other trade scenarios involving the four-time All-Star guard in the coming weeks. The Hawks’ talks involving Young have been “minimal” so far, Siegel adds.
As ESPN first reported on Monday, the Hawks and Young are working together in the hopes of finding a trade partner. Ideally, Siegel writes, that trade partner would be willing to sign Young to a contract extension after acquiring him, though it’s unclear if the Wizards would be on board with that plan.
Exploring the possibility of a deal between Atlanta and Washington, Josh Robbins of The Athletic speculates that Wizards officials may view a hypothetical Young acquisition as a “one-year trial.” In that scenario, Young would presumably exercise his $49MM player option for the 2026/27 season, which Siegel notes is the most probable outcome if he’s not extended before then. An in-season extension would require Young to turn down that option.
As for what a trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards might look like, Siegel says Washington is seeking draft compensation in addition to Young, while Atlanta would like to add young talent alongside CJ McCollum and his expiring $30.6MM contract. Siegel speculates that the Hawks are likely asking about players like Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson, though he cautions that the Wizards have signaled they don’t want to part with their top young talent in a deal for Young.
Exploring next steps for the Hawks and Young, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) wonders if there’s a way for both Atlanta and Washington to get what they want out of a deal. For instance, Gozlan suggests the Wizards could include a useful role player like Corey Kispert along with McCollum, while the Hawks could perhaps offer a first-round pick swap.
Here’s more on Young:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps examines why the trade market for Young is limited, while in the same article, Kevin Pelton and Zach Kram pose four hypothetical trade offers for the Hawks guard. Bobby Marks’ favorite of the four proposals for Atlanta is one that would send McCollum, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, and Oklahoma City’s 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks for Young and a future second-rounder. However, Marks isn’t sure whether the Wizards would make that offer, pointing out that they may want more draft compensation from Atlanta for taking on Young’s potential $49MM salary for next season.
- While the Nets and Rockets have been connected to Young in the past, they don’t have interest in pursuing him at this time, Siegel writes for ClutchPoints. Sam Amick of The Athletic said the same of Sacramento on Monday.
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) views the Timberwolves as an unlikely suitor for Young. As aggressive as Tim Connelly is on the trade market, Young’s $46MM cap hit for this season and $49MM option for next season would make it difficult for the Wolves to put together a package they’re comfortable with — and to accommodate Young on their cap going forward.
Alperen Sengun Expected To Miss 10-14 Days With Ankle Sprain
Rockets center Alperen Sengun will be reevaluated at the end of this week and is expected to miss about 10-to-14 days, head coach Ime Udoka said on Monday (Twitter link via sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson).
The 23-year-old suffered a lateral right ankle sprain just over a minute into Saturday’s game at Dallas and was ruled out for the remainder of the eventual loss.
A former first-round pick (No. 16 overall in the 2021 draft), Sengun made his first All-Star appearance in 2024/25 and is having another strong season in ’25/26. In 27 healthy games (35.6 minutes per contest) heading into Saturday, he was averaging 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block, with a shooting line of .512/.317/.734.
Sengun leads Houston in rebounds and assists per game and ranks second in points, steals and blocks. The Rockets are currently 21-11, the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, though they’re only a half-game behind the No. 3 Lakers (22-11).
On a brighter note for the Rockets, veteran center Steven Adams will return to action on Monday against Phoenix after missing the previous two games with his own right ankle sprain. He and Clint Capela are among the primary candidates for more playing time with Sengun out.
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.
Mavericks, Rockets To Play Preseason Games In Macao
The NBA China Games will continue this fall with two preseason meetings between the Mavericks and Rockets, the NBA and Sands China Ltd. announced Monday morning in a press release. The games will take place October 9 and 11 at The Venetian Arena in Macao.
The city hosted the Nets and Suns for a pair of preseason contests three months ago.
“The games in Macao earlier this season showed how much passion and enthusiasm there is for the NBA among fans in China and across Asia,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said. “We look forward to welcoming the Mavericks and Rockets to Macao and to once again engaging fans, aspiring players and the local community through the games and surrounding events.”
Along with the games, the NBA and Sands are planning a series of basketball-related events. They will include NBA House and NBA Fan Day, youth basketball clinics and a Community Impact Week hosted by NBA Cares and Sands Cares featuring social impact programming focused on health, wellness and sustainability.
The games between the Southwest Division rivals will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories through television, digital media and social media, according to the release. Marketing partners for the event will include Amazon Web Services, Gatorade, Nike and Tissot.
Dallas and Houston have been rumored as participants since Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont attended the games in October. He sat next to former Rocket and Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming, prompting speculation that the two franchises were next in line to be selected, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Mavericks employees have made several trips to Macao in recent weeks to finalize the details, Townsend adds.
Townsend also states that Dumont, whose Sands Corp. runs five casino resorts on Macao’s Cotai Strip and on the Macao peninsula, played a vital role in resuming the relationship between the NBA and China following a 2019 dispute sparked by Daryl Morey’s online support of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
“For the Mavericks, this is a meaningful opportunity to represent our organization and our fans on an international stage,” Dumont said in the release. “Following our recent game in Mexico City, playing in Macao reflects our club’s continued growth and the strong connection we’ve built with fans.”
Both organizations have been frequent participants in the NBA’s overseas ventures, dating back to 1992 when they met in the league’s first preseason game in Mexico City. They enjoy strong worldwide followings based on their history of having international stars on their rosters.
“The Houston Rockets are an iconic brand with support around the globe, and we are honored to be selected alongside the Dallas Mavericks to bring a Texas-sized matchup to Macao as part of The NBA China Games 2026,” said Rockets alternate governor Patrick Fertitta. “Since drafting Hall of Famer Yao Ming first overall in 2002, we have received overwhelming love from the passionate basketball fans of China and built several cherished memories playing overseas. We are excited to have another opportunity to represent the NBA abroad and showcase our team in front of the fans in Macao next preseason.”
Stein’s Latest: Davis, Mavs, VanVleet, Lakers
The Hawks and Mavericks are in something of a holding pattern when it comes to a potential Anthony Davis trade, Marc Stein reports for The Stein Line (Substack link).
Given Atlanta’s tendency to avoid the luxury tax, Stein suggests it’s unlikely that the team will add Davis’ contract, which will pay him $58.5MM next season and $62.8MM in the 2027/28 season, without moving Trae Young, who has a $48.9MM player option for next season.
Stein adds that, despite previous reports that the Hawks would be willing to move former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in the right deal, his sources indicate that an in-season trade for Davis likely wouldn’t fit that bill.
Rich Paul, who represents Davis, is also a player in these conversations. Stein notes that Paul has a strong, plugged-in relationship with many of the top decision-makers in the Mavericks’ organization and that there are indications he views Atlanta as a good landing spot for his client, though such a deal may have to wait until the offseason.
We have more from Stein’s most recent newsletter:
- Regardless of what happens with Davis, it’s clear that the Mavericks are taking a hard look at their roster. Stein writes that there’s a belief that everyone on the team outside of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving is considered potentially on the table. The Mavs have a 13-23 record on the season and have lost six of their last eight games.
- When Fred VanVleet tore his ACL during an unofficial Rockets preseason mini-camp, the expectation was that he would miss the rest of the 2025/26 season. However, Stein reports that Houston isn’t ruling out a return for the 31-year-old point guard. VanVleet is apparently attacking his rehab process hard with the intention of giving himself the chance of returning to play before the season is over.
- The Lakers‘ desire to add a two-way wing such as Herbert Jones or Trey Murphy III is well-documented, but their pathway to adding that player is complicated for multiple reasons. The first is that the two Pelicans‘ wings are considered unlikely to be moved before the trade deadline, and the second is that the Lakers are not expected to sacrifice their 2026 financial flexibility in any deal that doesn’t net them a player they consider a real needle-mover, Stein writes. Given that two-way wings are some of the most coveted players around the league, there’s no guarantee anyone who meets that criteria will be attainable for L.A. at the deadline.
Sengun Exits Saturday's Game With Right Ankle Sprain
- Rockets center Alperen Sengun suffered a lateral right ankle sprain just over a minute into Saturday’s game at Dallas and was ruled out for the remainder of the eventual loss, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com relays. The Turkish big man, who made his first All-Star appearance last season, recently returned from a left soleus (calf) strain. Backup center Steven Adams was also out for a second consecutive game due to his own right ankle sprain, MacMahon adds.
Rockets Sign Tristen Newton To Two-Way Contract
January 4: Newton has been signed and Smith has been waived, the Rockets announced in a press release. The moves were officially finalized on Saturday.
January 3: Tristen Newton is joining the Rockets on a two-way contract, a league source tells Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Tyler Smith will be waived to create an opening.
Newton, a 24-year-old shooting guard, signed a two-way deal with Minnesota in September, but was waived prior to the start of the season. He has been playing for the Iowa Wolves in the G League, where he’s averaging 26.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range.
Newton was selected by Indiana with the 49th pick in the 2024 draft, and he appeared in five games on a two-way contract before being released early last January. Minnesota claimed him off waivers, and he saw action in three more NBA games.
Newton will be eligible to appear in up to 29 games with Houston if his new contract is finalized by the end of the day. His two-way salary will become fully guaranteed as long as he remains on the roster through Wednesday.
Smith, a 21-year-old power forward, hasn’t made any NBA appearances since signing his two-way deal with the Rockets on December 2. He was the 33rd pick in the 2024 draft and got into 23 games with Milwaukee last season.
Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Win Player Of The Month Awards
A pair of star point guards and MVP candidates have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson of the Knicks winning the award in the East and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder claiming it in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Brunson was named Player of the Week twice in December and led the Knicks to an NBA Cup championship. He averaged 30.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per contest in 13 December outings, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.405/.826 and leading his team to a 10-3 record in the games he played.
Those stats don’t include the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season, but he was excellent in that game too, racking up 25 points and eight assists as the Knicks toppled the Spurs.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continued to strengthen his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award in 12 December appearances, with averages of 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, and a scorching-hot .594/.436/.882 shooting line.
Gilgeous-Alexander now ranks second in the NBA in scoring (32.1 PPG), while his Thunder – following a 9-4 December – hold the league’s best record at 29-5.
It’s the third time Brunson has won a Player of the Month award and the fifth time Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the honor. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were the NBA’s first Players of the Month this season, for games played in October and November.
Cunningham was also nominated for the Eastern Conference award in December, along with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward, Jalen Johnson, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and Brunson’s teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, Jazz guard Keyonte George, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Trail Blazers teammates Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Southwest Notes: Eason, Williamson, Koloko, Klay
Fourth-year forward Tari Eason has started five games for the Rockets so far this season, including each of the past four. Houston has won all five of those contests, and William Guillory of The Athletic believes the team is reaping the benefits of Eason’s unpredictable, versatile playing style.
“He’s very unique and he impacts the game even if you don’t call plays for him all the time,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “We’re starting to add him to more things, whether he’s a (ball-)handler or a screener. He’s going crash the glass at a high level, like a lot of our guys. He’s shooting the ball extremely well, so the spacing is going to be good with him.”
As Guillory observes, the Rockets have experimented with different starters alongside Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. — Josh Okogie hasn’t always given the team enough shooting in that role, while two-big units featuring Steven Adams can be vulnerable against opponents featuring multiple play-making ball-handlers.
While lineups featuring Okogie (+9.7 net rating) or Reed Sheppard (+7.9) alongside those “core four” starters have performed better than the one with Adams (-4.3), their effectiveness pales in comparison to the remarkable +47.4 net rating that the group with Eason has put up in 51 minutes of action. The sample size is small, but Houston figures to continue deploying that starting five for now.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- After coming off the bench in his first seven games back from an adductor strain, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has returned to the starting lineup for the past two contests and registered his first two 30-point games of the season. However, it has been of little help to the Pelicans, who have now lost five games in a row and have the NBA’s second-worst record at 8-27. “Just overall, a lack of pride in physicality on (the defensive) end of the floor,” head coach James Borrego said after his team gave up 134 points to a shorthanded Bulls team on Wednesday, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
- Christian Koloko‘s 10-day contract with the Grizzlies expired on Thursday after he averaged 18.6 minutes per game in five appearances, including one start, as a hardship addition. It’s unclear whether or not Memphis still qualifies for a hardship exception, which depends in part on when their injured players are projected to return. If the Grizzlies can’t re-sign Koloko to another hardship deal, he could get another 10-day contract as soon as Monday, when the standard 10-day window opens for the 2025/26 season, but that would require the team to open up a spot on its 15-man roster.
- After coming off the bench just 41 times in his 12 previous NBA seasons – primarily as a rookie – Mavericks wing Klay Thompson has had to adjust to a sixth-man role this year. Head coach Jason Kidd recently praised the 35-year-old for the way he has handled the change, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “For Klay, coming off the bench he’s been great,” Kidd said. “He’s playing his role at a very high level for us. Being able to anchor that second group, being able to get shots for him and then just his voice, not just on the bench or in the locker room, but also on the floor. For our young players, he’s been great.” Thompson has averaged 11.9 PPG and made 37.1% of his three-pointers in 24 games as a reserve this season, as opposed to 8.8 PPG and 27.5% in eight starts.