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And-Ones: R. Miller, NBC, I. Thomas, Trade Deadline

January 29th, 2025 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime TNT Sports analyst Reggie Miller has agreed to join NBC as one of the company’s lead NBA color commentators for the 2025/26 season, according to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, who reports that Miller is expected to work alongside play-by-play men Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle on NBC broadcasts.

When the NBA’s new media rights deals take effect later this year, NBC will return as one of the league’s broadcasting partners while TNT will no longer have the right to broadcast games, so it makes sense that Miller – who been part of a broadcasting team with Kevin Harlan for many years – is making the leap.

As Glasspiegel outlines, the plan is for Miller and Jamal Crawford, who has also reached a deal with NBC, to rotate as the network’s lead game analysts. The two former NBA shooting guards will each get the opportunity to work with both Tirico and Eagle.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • When Isaiah Thomas joined the Salt Lake City Stars last March, he scored 30 or more points in each of his first four G League games, earning an NBA call-up with Phoenix. After rejoining the Jazz’s G League affiliate this week, the veteran guard got off to another hot start, racking up 40 points and eight assists on Tuesday in a loss to the Valley Suns, per an Associated Press report. Thomas continues to seek another NBA opportunity.
  • Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider link) weighs in on the best possible fits for 10 rumored trade candidates, including Jordan Clarkson (Lakers and Magic), Chris Boucher (Clippers), and Jonas Valanciunas (Lakers and Knicks). Meanwhile, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic shares some of the trade ideas he’d like to see come to fruition, such as Lonzo Ball to Detroit, a Patrick Williams/Jusuf Nurkic swap, and a three-team deal that gets both the Cavaliers and Warriors out of tax territory.
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) has shared his massive pre-deadline trade guide, breaking down the NBA’s 30 teams into seven tiers, including “the true dealmakers,” “megadeal facilitators,” and “bottom-line watchers,” among others. Marks’ guide, which features analysis, trade ideas, draft assets, and cap details for every team, comes highly recommended if you’re an ESPN subscriber.
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Anthony Davis Has Abdominal Strain, Out At Least One Week

January 29th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star Anthony Davis, who exited Tuesday’s loss to Philadelphia in the first quarter due to an abdominal muscle strain, underwent an MRI on Wednesday that confirmed that diagnosis, the team announced (via Twitter).

According to the Lakers, Davis is heading back to Los Angeles and will be reevaluated in about one week. That means he’ll miss at least the three remaining games in the club’s Grammy road trip — Thursday in Washington, Saturday in New York, and next Tuesday at Intuit Dome vs. the Clippers.

The Lakers’ next home game is on Thursday, Feb. 6, the day of the trade deadline, against Golden State.

While it doesn’t necessarily sound like Davis’ ailment is significant, the timing isn’t great, given that the big man had been playing some of his best basketball of the season in the games leading up to the injury.

Davis racked up 42 points and 23 rebounds in a win over Charlotte on Monday after having put up 36 points and 13 rebounds in a victory over Golden State on Saturday. During his most recent four games entering Tuesday, he had averaged 32.8 PPG, 15.0 RPG, and 2.5 BPG, with the Lakers outscoring opponents by 60 points during his 136 minutes on the court.

The Lakers, who were up by three points when Davis exited on Tuesday, ended up losing to the Sixers by 14.

“When our best player goes out, it’s always challenging,” LeBron James said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “If he’s out from the beginning, then we have a game plan set. We know what to expect, we know what our lineup is going to be. But when AD or any one of our guys go down throughout the course of a game, it’s just tough.”

Dorian Finney-Smith started the second half vs. the 76ers in place of Davis, as the Lakers utilized a small lineup that featured three forwards (Finney-Smith, James, and Rui Hachimura) and no true center. Head coach J.J. Redick may return to that look in the next few games, though reserve centers Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko also figure to play increased roles.

The injury news wasn’t all bad for the Lakers on Tuesday, as Hachimura returned following a two-game absence due to left calf soreness. Gabe Vincent (left knee soreness) sat out a second straight contest, but is considered likely to return during the road trip, as Khobi Price of The Orange County Register relays.

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Trade Rumors: Nets, Fox, Butler, Bucks, LaVine, Lakers, Turner

January 29th, 2025 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have interest in Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and view him as a potential trade target, but they haven’t given up on the idea of eventually landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who describes the Bucks star as Brooklyn’s “white whale.”

A desire to preserve their most valuable trade assets for Antetokounmpo if there’s even the slightest chance that he’ll become available would complicate the Nets’ efforts to make a deal for Fox, Lewis notes. It’s also unclear whether the 2023 All-Star would have interest in signing a long-term contract in Brooklyn, though the presence of head coach Jordi Fernandez – a former Kings assistant – would presumably work in the Nets’ favor.

Brooklyn is one of many teams around the NBA with interest in Fox — Shams Charania of ESPN said during a late-night appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday (YouTube link) that the Kings had already gotten “dozens” of calls on the star guard.

The one team consistently linked to Fox is San Antonio. Charania confirmed during his SportsCenter appearance that the Spurs are “atop (Fox’s) list of preferred destinations.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • Checking on the Jimmy Butler situation, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) says his sources remain skeptical about the possibility of the Grizzlies acquiring the Heat forward, who reportedly doesn’t want to end up in Memphis.
  • On the other hand, Stein continues to hear whispers about Milwaukee as a possible Butler suitor, noting that Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis are the kinds of win-now players on short-term deals who may appeal to Miami. Whether or not they make a play for Butler, the Bucks are considered “as determined as any team” to make a pre-deadline deal in the hopes of beefing up the supporting cast around stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Stein adds.
  • K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (YouTube link; hat tip to BrewHoop) confirms that the Bucks have interest in Bulls star Zach LaVine, which was speculated last week. However, with Phoenix guard Bradley Beal said to be uninterested in waiving his no-trade clause to go to Chicago, that likely eliminates one potential multi-team scenario in which LaVine could end up in Milwaukee.
  • With the Bulls seeking a first-round pick for Nikola Vucevic and the Wizards asking for a protected first-rounder for Jonas Valanciunas, the Lakers are exploring other center options and have discussed internally whether it makes sense to put both of their tradable first-round picks (2029 and 2031) on the table for Pacers big man Myles Turner, sources tell Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. It’s unclear if Indiana would actually move its starting center, but there has reportedly been some chatter around the league about whether the Pacers will be comfortable meeting Turner’s asking price when he reaches unrestricted free agency in July.
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Kings Expected To Entertain Trading De’Aaron Fox

January 28th, 2025 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

3:29pm: Fox’s preferred landing spot is believed to be San Antonio, reports James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).

However, agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports remains open about where his client might land and is expected to talk to interested teams ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to Amick, who says Paul told the Kings it might be in their best interests to move Fox sooner rather than later.

2:41pm: The Kings are expected to open up discussions about the possibility of moving De’Aaron Fox ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

According to Charania, there will likely be many teams with interest in Fox, though there’s a belief that the star guard – who can become a free agent in 2026 – is targeting a specific destination.

Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link) confirms that piece of intel, adding that Fox has “continued to signal a lack of interest” in signing a contract extension with Sacramento. NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) also hears that the 27-year-old is “zeroed in” on a specific team and says other potential suitors will be discouraged from acquiring him.

The timing of the news is interesting, given that the Kings have played their best basketball of the season over the past month, following the dismissal of head coach Mike Brown. Sacramento had a 13-19 record as of December 30, but has since climbed to 24-22 by winning 11 of its past 14 games under new coach Doug Christie.

Still, Fox’s contract situation in Sacramento is tenuous. He turned down a three-year, maximum-salary extension offer during the 2024 offseason, ostensibly because he’d have the opportunity to earn a more lucrative deal during the summer of 2025 — at that time, he’d be eligible for a four-year max deal or, if he earns All-NBA honors this season, a five-year super-max extension.

Fox subsequently spoke in both October and December about not wanting to commit long-term to Sacramento unless he was sure the team was able to “compete at a high level” and wasn’t just “fighting for a playoff spot.” Even after their recent surge, the Kings fall into that latter category. They currently hold the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

Reports in recent weeks have indicated that the Kings continue to seek out upgrades for their roster in the hopes of improving their playoff chances. Players like Brooklyn forward Cameron Johnson and Utah big man John Collins have been most frequently mentioned as potential targets.

However, the Kings may be reluctant to give up future assets for supplemental pieces if they’re not confident about their ability to retain Fox beyond his current contract and uncertain whether those potential additions would help convince him to stay.

A report last month indicated that the Spurs were positioning themselves to pursue Fox if he were made available.

The Rockets, who reportedly had interest in Donovan Mitchell last year, are also viewed as a logical suitor, with Fred VanVleet‘s maximum-salary contract only guaranteed through this season, notes Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). However, NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) hears that Houston remains reluctant to make a major in-season move.

Sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that the Nets are among the teams with Fox on their radar and are monitoring the situation. Amick said earlier this month that the Heat and Lakers are frequently discussed by people around the league as possible Fox suitors, with the Magic also believed to be considering the idea of going after him.

Of course, we don’t yet know the identity of the team Fox reportedly has his eye on, which figures to have a substantial impact on how the Kings’ trade talks play out.

For what it’s worth, opposing executives who have spoken to Begley (Twitter link) believe San Antonio is among the teams Fox would like to play for. During an NBA Today appearance on Tuesday afternoon (Twitter video link), Charania said the Lakers aren’t Fox’s destination of choice.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), if Fox’s preferred destination has cap room in 2026, that team could sign him outright at that point. But if Fox gets dealt to that team – along with his Bird rights – prior to 2026, he could sign a far more lucrative contract, worth up to a projected $296MM over five years instead of $219MM over four.

Because Fox is under contract for one more season beyond this one, the Kings aren’t necessarily under the gun to make a decision on his future by February 6. If he remains in Sacramento through the trade deadline, the team could revisit its trade options during the 2025 offseason.

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NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event

January 28th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially revealed the 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven G League players who have been selected to take part in the 2025 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in San Francisco next month.

The following players made the cut, as voted on by NBA assistant coaches (rookies and sophomores) and selected by the league office (G Leaguers):

Rookies

Sophomores

G League Players

* Note: Players marked with asterisks are on standard or two-way contracts with NBA teams.

As usual, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, while the other 21 players will be drafted to three squads on February 4.

The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.

All three contests will take place on Friday, February 14 as part of All-Star weekend’s opening night. The winning team will compete on Sunday in a similar four-team tournament, with the three other rosters made up of NBA All-Stars.

A handful of injury replacements will be necessary, with McCain, Lively, and Brandon Miller among the players who won’t be available to suit up. Additionally, since players selected as All-Stars won’t play in the Rising Stars event, Wembanyama will almost certainly need to be replaced.

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NBA Reschedules Two Postponed Games, Moves Seven Others

January 28th, 2025 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has announced a series of changes to its game schedule, issuing a press release on Tuesday (via Twitter) stating that two postponed games have been rescheduled and seven others have been moved around as a result of the changes.

The two postponed games are the Spurs/Lakers contest from Saturday, January 11 that wasn’t played due to the Los Angeles wildfires and a Jan. 22 matchup between the Bucks and Pelicans that was postponed due to severe winter weather in New Orleans. According to the league, the new dates for those games are as follows:

  • San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers: Monday, March 17.
  • Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Pelicans: Sunday, April 6.

The NBA also announced the following seven schedule changes to accommodate the rescheduled games:

  • Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic: Moved from March 12 to March 6.
  • Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs: Moved from March 17 to April 1.
  • Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers; Moved from March 18 to March 20.
  • Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors: Moved from March 19 to March 20.
  • Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors: Moved from March 20 to March 18.
  • Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans: Moved from April 6 to March 13.
  • New Orleans Pelicans at Milwaukee Bucks: Moved from April 9 to April 10.

In addition to the four teams affected by the original postponements, the Bulls, Magic, Raptors, and Warriors also had games affected as a result of today’s announcement.

It’s the second time this month that the league has made a series of changes to its schedule to accommodate postponed games — the NBA announced on January 15 that nine games had been rescheduled.

There are no more postponed games still requiring new dates, so if no additional postponements take place for the rest of this season, this should be the last schedule adjustment the league needs to make.

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Lakers Rumors: Vucevic, Poeltl, Valanciunas, Kessler, Finney-Smith

January 27th, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star Anthony Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania last week that he believes the team needs to add another center, but league sources inform Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and Raptors center Jakob Poeltl aren’t viewed as likely targets for Los Angeles.

As Stein explains, the Bulls continue to seek a first-round pick in exchange for Vucevic, while the Raptors’ asking price for Poeltl – a player they prefer to keep – is thought to be even higher than that. Both players are also earning in the $20MM range, which may be more than the Lakers want to spend on another big man, Stein adds.

Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, who has a $9.9MM salary and is unlikely to cost more than second-round draft capital, still appears to be the most “gettable” big man on the trade market for the Lakers, according to Stein, though he cautions that there’s still no “substantial momentum” toward a deal between Los Angeles and Washington.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link) said during an appearance on NBA Countdown on Saturday that the Lakers have attempted to trade for Jazz center Walker Kessler “many times,” but haven’t been able to meet Utah’s “steep” asking price. “I’m sure they’ll keep trying,” Charania said. However, Stein wrote today that Kessler is believed to be “as close to unavailable as it gets.”
  • While the Lakers remain on the lookout for additional reinforcements on the trade market, last month’s acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith has been a success so far. As Dan Woike writes for The Los Angeles Times, Finney-Smith has made both a “tangible and intangible” impact during his first month in L.A., giving the team toughness and three-point shooting on the court and quickly becoming a locker room favorite off the court. “Doe is comfortable with who he is — like the player, the person,” head coach J.J. Redick said. “And in my experience… people that are like that, people gravitate towards that. People want to follow that. That’s what Doe is.” The Lakers are outscoring opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions with Finney-Smith on the court.
  • A week ago, LeBron James said the Lakers have little “room for error.” Since then, the team has gone 3-0, outscoring its opponents by 54 points in those three games. With forward Jarred Vanderbilt back in action and several other role players giving L.A. good minutes, Khobi Price of The Orange Country Register considers whether the club’s margin for error has widened.
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L.A. Notes: Vanderbilt, Lakers, Harden

January 26th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Playing his first game of the season after undergoing offseason surgeries on both feet, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injected Los Angeles with a shot of adrenaline, observes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The Kentucky product made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball in his 12 minutes of action in a 118-108 victory over Golden State on Friday.

“Vando was awesome,” first-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “Did all the things that we need him to do.”

Vanderbilt scored just two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field, but he collected four rebounds and three steals while handing out two assists.

“I knew I might be a little rusty coming in and as far as rhythm and knowing the plays and all that stuff,” Vanderbilt said. “So my main goal was just to go in there and play hard. Bring the energy and then everything else — just control the controllable and everything else will play its hand.”

Vanderbilt has played sparingly since inking a four-year, $48MM contract extension with the Lakers in the summer of 2023. That deal just kicked in this season. The 6’8″ forward missed all but 29 games in 2023/24, and sat out for L.A.’s first 42 bouts this year. But Saturday’s performance was a reminder of what he can bring to the team when healthy.

“It looked like he didn’t miss a beat,” teammate LeBron James said. “I mean, he’s flying around. What he does don’t even always show up in the box score.”

There’s more out of Los Angeles:

  • Vanderbilt’s return has given the Lakers some additional optionality as the NBA’s February 6 trade deadline approaches, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. At 25-18, Los Angeles is firmly in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. Players like Vanderbilt have mid-sized contracts that could be movable — alternately, Vanderbilt’s return to the court could improve L.A.’s ceiling on its own. Buha notes that the Lakers have significant draft equity they could leverage in trades, but wonders what kind of appetite the front office will have for sacrificing future assets.
  • Clippers star guard James Harden racked up 40 points in L.A.’s 127-117 victory over the Bucks on Saturday night, but it was the savvy plays beyond his scoring that helped the Clippers register a big win, per The Athletic’s Law Murray. As Murray details, Harden managed to control the ball (he had just one turnover) and played enthusiastic defense on Milwaukee All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
  • In case you missed it, the Clippers have relied on their depth beyond star players Harden and the oft-injured Kawhi Leonard to help L.A. secure a 26-19 record on the season so far.
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And-Ones: Carter, Bryant, Free, Katz

January 26th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Vince Carter joined six other Nets legends when his number was retired Saturday night at Barclays Center, writes Pat Pickens of The Associated Press. Three members of that club, Julius Erving, Bill Melchionni and Buck Williams, showed up for the celebration along with Carter’s family, team president Rod Thorn and many of his former Nets teammates.

“This is truly something my family and I will cherish forever,” Carter said during the ceremony. “To be the seventh number to go up is insane. It is an honor to be up there with you gentlemen. No. 15 Carter is going up there, but we’re going up there together.”

Carter spent four and a half years with the Nets after being acquired from Toronto midway through the 2004/05 season. He credits the trade and the partnership he formed with Jason Kidd for reviving his career.

“There was new life,” Carter said. “My role in Toronto was just give me the ball, and I’ll get you a (basket). But when I got here, they had a guy … he made the game easier for me.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • On the fifth anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash, Sam Amick of The Athletic looks at the impact the Lakers star still has on the game and the culture in Los Angeles. NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement (via Twitter) to mark the occasion, saying, “Kobe Bryant continues to serve as an inspiration to aspiring and current NBA and WNBA players, young athletes playing at all levels and those who are motivated by his relentless pursuit of excellence. Our thoughts today are with Vanessa and the Bryant family as we remember Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, with whom he shared a special bond around a profound love of the game of basketball.”
  • World B. Free would consider it “a tear-dropping moment” if he were to be elected to the Hall of Fame, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Free, who retired in 1988 after a 13-year NBA career, admitted that he had given up on the honor until the veterans committee nominated him for the first time last month. The finalists will be announced February 14. “The way I played the game, I know people didn’t think it was the right way. But it was the way I grew up, and it was something — it was always good for me. I enjoyed playing the game,” Free said. “That was the knock on me — ‘He’s going to shoot. He’s shooting before he gets into the building. And he’s taking these long shots.’ Well, yeah, I was taking those shots. But those shots are going in.” 
  • Former Sixers owner Harold Katz died Friday at 87, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Nutrisystem founder owned the franchise for 15 years before selling to Comcast Spectacor. “It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Harold Katz, who owned the Philadelphia 76ers from 1981-96,” the Sixers wrote in a Twitter post. “He was a successful businessman and entrepreneur who helped deliver an NBA title to our city and fans in 1983. We send our condolences to Harold’s family and friends.”
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L.A. Notes: Clippers, Harden, Davis, Hachimura

January 25th, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are built around their stars, but they also have a deep roster that’s capable of competing when their top players aren’t available, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. With six rotation members sidelined against the Celtics on Wednesday, L.A. managed to take the game into overtime before falling to the defending champions.

“We have four starters out and to be able to come out with the team that we had just shows how deep we are,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “It just shows you that guys deserve opportunities to play, but you can’t play 15 players. And so, it’s hard. But it definitely shows the job that (president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank and (general manager) ‘Red’ (Trent Redden) and (assistant GM) Mark Hughes putting a team together that’s deep, that can step up and play when guys are out and we were able to see that tonight.”

Derrick Jones Jr., who signed with the Clippers over the summer after an NBA Finals run in Dallas, said he tries to create a “next man up” mentality among the team’s younger players so they’re ready when needed. That was evident against Boston as Kevin Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Amir Coffey added 24 as they both got a rare chance to start.

“I always tell ’em to be aggressive, be who you are. You are on the team for a reason, you in the NBA for a reason, so just go out there and be who you are,” Jones said. “Don’t shy away from no pressure, don’t shy away from no opportunity. Just go out there and take it in full force.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

  • James Harden returned to the Clippers‘ lineup on Thursday and notched his 79th career triple-double, passing Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time list, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “It means a lot, just impacting the game in other ways,” Harden said. “Scoring is one thing, but rebounding the basketball, facilitating is another thing. And just impacting the game. You don’t get to be the best player on the court by just scoring the basketball every single night. Obviously that helps, but there’s other ways to impact games and you’ve seen it throughout the course of history of the NBA. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
  • Lakers management is paying attention to Anthony Davis‘ request for another big man, Shams Charania of ESPN said on tonight’s NBA Countdown (Twitter video link). Charania expects the front office to be aggressive in shopping its first-round picks for 2029 and 2031 to try to add another piece or two before the deadline.
  • Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is missing tonight’s game against Golden State due to left calf soreness, tweets Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Jarred Vanderbilt made his season debut after recovering from offseason surgery, but coach J.J. Redick said Hachimura’s absence won’t affect Vanderbilt’s minutes, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Dorian Finney-Smith got the start in place of Hachimura.
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