Domantas Sabonis Likely To Remain With Kings Through Deadline
1:42 pm: The Kings view their Sabonis talks with Toronto as having “flat-lined,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. With the caveat that there’s still 24 hours for the situation to evolve, Amick says it now appears highly likely that the big man will remain in Sacramento through the trade deadline.
10:53 am: Talks between the Raptors and Kings have paused for now, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link), who says Toronto has concerns about how much draft capital it would have to give up to move off of Poeltl’s contract.
10:02 am: The Raptors are known to have interest in Kings center Domantas Sabonis, but it’s been hard to get a feel for just how serious the talks between the two teams are, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who gets the sense that some of the Sabonis trade chatter has been driven by the three-time All-Star’s representatives, who would like to get their client off a rebuilding roster.
While Grange was still hearing from people close to the Kings on Tuesday that Sacramento would be open to making a trade centered around Sabonis and Raptors forward RJ Barrett, he writes that the connection between Barrett and Kings general manager Scott Perry – who drafted the forward as a member of the Knicks’ front office – has been “overblown.”
There also appear to be at least two obstacles in the way of a trade sending Sabonis to Toronto.
One, Chris Haynes said during an NBA TV appearance (Twitter video link), is a gap between the draft compensation the Kings are seeking as part of the return (a first-round pick) and what the Raptors are willing to offer in their package (second-rounders).
The other complication is that the Raptors would likely want to send out center Jakob Poeltl if they’re going to acquire a starting center who has an even more lucrative long-term contract, but Poeltl’s value is extremely limited due to the $100MM+ left on his deal, as well as his health — he has been dealing with back issues all season long.
The Kings reportedly have zero interest in acquiring Poeltl in a Sabonis deal, so the Raptors would have to find a third team willing to take him on and send that team sweeteners (likely draft assets) separate from what Sacramento would want for Sabonis.
“He’s a really hard guy to trade right now,” one source told Grange. “He’s hurt and he’s locked in for five years.”
According to Grange, the Celtics have been fans of Poeltl in the past, and the Pacers – who are searching for a long-term answer at center – are another team he has heard connected to Poeltl.
However, Boston just made a move for another center, agreeing to send Anfernee Simons to Chicago in a deal for Nikola Vucevic, and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) hears that Indiana hasn’t registered any interest in Poeltl.
The Grizzlies, with their newfound cap flexibility as a result of Tuesday’s Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, are considered one possible landing spot for Poeltl, but they’d likely need to be well compensated to take on his contract, especially given his current health situation.
“There’s nothing structural,” a source said of Poeltl’s back injury, per Grange. “There’s no nerve issue, it’s just a confusing injury.”
Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested earlier this week that it wouldn’t be a surprise if nothing happens with Sabonis this week and the Raptors and Kings renew their conversations in the offseason. Grange also thinks the Sabonis rumors “could all add up to nothing,” writing that Toronto may be better off hoping Poeltl gets healthy and can rebuild his value, either as a trade chip or the Raptors’ center of the future.
LeBron James Reportedly Won’t Be Dealt
Plenty of big names have already been moved prior to Thursday’s trade deadline. LeBron James won’t join the list. James is expected to finish out the season with the Lakers, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.
James, 41, has a no-trade clause and would have to approve any deal.
Last month, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes detailed the strained relationship between James and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, which included a revelation that Buss wanted to trade the record-breaking All-Star at one point earlier in his Lakers tenure. However, that apparently won’t lead to an in-season breakup between James and the organization.
James’ plans beyond this season remain unknown. His contract expires after the season and he hasn’t indicated whether he intends to remain in L.A., join a new team, or retire.
As McMenamin notes, the Cavaliers, Knicks and Warriors are all considered possible destinations for James if he decides to play another year. Each of those teams has been pursuing big deals before the deadline, with Cleveland reportedly reaching an agreement on Tuesday to acquire James Harden.
James is still putting up solid numbers — 21.8 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game.
Kawhi Leonard Named To All-Star Game
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been named by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as an addition to the U.S. player pool for the All-Star Game, the league announced (via Twitter).
The Feb. 15 All-Star Game will feature two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players, with each team consisting of at least eight players. After the selection of the initial 24 All-Stars, Leonard was added to bring the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required under the format.
A 14-year NBA veteran, Leonard has earned his seventh All-Star selection. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 2020 and had been considered one of the biggest snubs after the All-Star reserves were revealed on Sunday.
Leonard is averaging a career-high 27.6 points (seventh in the NBA), 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and a league-leading 2.1 steals in 36 games. He is shooting 49.7% from the field, 39.1% from 3-point range and 91.3% from the free throw line (fourth in the NBA).
Leonard has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 28 games, including a career-high 55-point performance against the Pistons on Dec. 28.
It’s now expected Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns – who has represented the Dominican Republic in international play – will play for the World team, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Wembanyama, Thompson Named Defensive Players Of The Month
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for January, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
After missing a pair of games to open the month, Wembanyama suited up for San Antonio’s next 13 contests and averaged 8.2 defensive rebounds and 2.2 blocks per night — both of those figures ranked second in the Western Conference for January, per the league. While the Spurs posted a modest 7-6 record during those 13 games, their defensive rating during that stretch was 107.5, which ranked first among Western Conference teams.
The strong month has firmly placed Wembanyama back in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, though he can’t afford to miss many more games if he wants to remain award-eligible. He has appeared in 35 of the Spurs’ first 49 games and must play in 30 of the last 33 to qualify for DPOY and other end-of-season honors.
Wembanyama was selected for the Defensive Player of the Month award over fellow Western Conference nominees Kris Dunn and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers, Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, Suns guard Jordan Goodwin, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, and Rockets guard Amen Thompson (Twitter link).
Amen’s brother Ausar Thompson of the Pistons has been recognized as the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for January, according to the league.
While he’s not a rim protector like Wembanyama, the Pistons wing wreaked havoc on the defensive end of the court last month by averaging a league-leading 2.4 steals per game, along with 4.2 deflections per game across 14 starts. Detroit went 10-4 in January and ranked first in the NBA with a 104.8 defensive rating.
The other Eastern Conference nominees for Defensive Player of the Month were Knicks forward OG Anunoby, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, Warriors center Alex Sarr, and Thompson’s teammate Isaiah Stewart, who won the award in December.
This is only the second season that the Defensive Player of the Month award has existed, but Wembanyama is a two-time winner, having also earned recognition for his defense in November 2024. It’s the first time Thompson claimed the honor.
Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of The Month
Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been named the NBA’s Player of the Month for the Western Conference, while Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has won the award in the East, the league announced today (Twitter link).
The Lakers were 9-6 in games Doncic played in January, and the All-Star guard increased his league-leading scoring average by racking up 34.0 points per game in those 15 outings. He posted a shooting line of .506/.392/.747 for the month while also contributing 9.1 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per night.
Doncic had four 30-point triple-doubles in January, capped by a 37-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound outing in Washington to wrap up the month last Friday. It’s the sixth Player of the Month award of his career and his first since he became a Laker almost exactly one year ago.
Brown’s career year continued in January as he led the Celtics to a 9-5 record in the 14 games he played, averaging 29.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 4.6 APG. The 29-year-old matched a career high by scoring 50 points in a win over the Clippers on January 3, then had a 27-point triple-double in a double-overtime victory in Brooklyn on Jan. 23.
While his teammate Jayson Tatum has racked up five Player of the Month awards over the course of his career, this is the first time Brown has earned the honor.
Brown beat out fellow nominees Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell of the Heat, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Hornets forward Brandon Miller, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pacers forward Pascal Siakam for the January award, per the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.
Rival Teams Skeptical Bucks Will Trade Giannis This Week
A two-time Most Valuable Player could be on the move this week, with the Bucks listening to offers on Giannis Antetokounmpo and several clubs believed to be in pursuit of the superstar forward. However, teams around the NBA aren’t convinced that Milwaukee will actually pull the trigger on a deal involving Antetokounmpo within the next 50 hours or so.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, as of Monday evening, the offers on the table for Antetokounmpo were said to be “underwhelming” enough that most agents and rival executives he spoke to believe the saga will carry over into the offseason.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) also cites a “healthy skepticism” across the league that the Bucks will move their longtime this week, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps share a similar sentiment.
“Everyone is preparing for this to happen in the summer,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN.
As Windhorst and Bontemps explain, a team like the Warriors – who can offer virtually all of their future first-round picks and swaps at this time – could put a similar pick-heavy offer on the table in the offseason. Meanwhile, some suitors who have a shortage of tradable first-rounders due to the Stepien and seven-year rules will have more flexibility to offer picks at this year’s draft when restrictions lift on certain selections, meaning they could improve their offers at that point.
The Bucks would also have clarity following the draft lottery about where their own first-round pick – and every other 2026 selection – will actually land. That would give them a better sense of the value of any 2026 first-rounders included in offers for Giannis, as well as an idea of what sort of potential cornerstone they could land with their own selection.
Additionally, Bontemps notes, there may be teams who expect to make a deep playoff run this spring and instead get bounced from the postseason early, prompting them to either enter the Giannis sweepstakes or to get more aggressive in terms of what they’re willing to offer for him.
Still, plenty of teams with interest in Antetokounmpo appear motivated to try to get a deal done now. The Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, and Knicks have been the suitors cited most frequently, but they aren’t necessarily the only clubs in the mix. Windhorst said today during an ESPN Cleveland appearance (Twitter video link) that the Cavaliers are among the teams to call Milwaukee about Antetokounmpo too, and that they’ve also inquired on Mavericks big man Anthony Davis.
The Cavs aren’t permitted to aggregate two or more player salaries as long as they’re operating over the second tax apron, and both Giannis and AD have higher cap hits ($54MM+) than anyone on Cleveland’s roster, so the team would need to shed significant salary in order to realistically make a play for either star. The Cavs are currently operating about $14MM over the second apron.
While the Cavs may not end up making a blockbuster deal, it certainly sounds as if they’re more open than ever to discussing players who had previously been viewed as off limits, such as Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, according to Windhorst (Twitter video link), who suggested that concerns about the current group’s championship upside and Donovan Mitchell‘s willingness to sign an extension in the offseason are likely driving Cleveland’s approach to the deadline.
The Bucks are believed to be prioritizing impact players in their Giannis trade discussions, says Amick, which could improve the Cavs’ chances for Antetokounmpo if they can figure out a way to make the money work. At this point, Cleveland only has one first-round pick to offer (either 2031 or 2032).
The Cavs don’t necessarily have to get below the second apron to make a significant shake-up though. They’re reportedly in talks with the Clippers about a possible deal involving Garland and James Harden, with NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) reporting within the past hour that the two teams have ramped up those conversations as they try to reach an agreement before Thursday’s deadline.
Giannis Trade Rumors: Warriors, Wolves, Blazers, Sixers, Nets
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Monday morning that the Warriors have been the most aggressive team in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Shams Charania later reporting that Golden State had made a “pick-heavy offer.”
Writing for The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer says the Warriors were cautiously optimistic over the weekend about their odds of acquiring the superstar forward if the Bucks decide to trade him prior to Thursday’s deadline.
However, there may be a significant holdup in a deal coming to fruition. League sources tell Fischer there have been “recent rumblings,” which the Warriors are aware of, that Giannis may not be enthusiastic about landing in Golden State.
Fischer acknowledges that only Antetokounmpo may know how credible those rumors are, but he’s heard from sources close to the situation that the 31-year-old “could be turned off” by the prospect of playing on an older team and/or being criticized for teaming up with Stephen Curry, just as Kevin Durant was and continues to be years later.
Although one source with knowledge of Antetokounmpo’s thinking told Fischer that he “wants to win,” Fischer has heard separately that also Giannis cares about his career arc.
As Fischer explains, part of the reason the Knicks appeal to the perennial All-NBA member is the fact that they haven’t won a championship since 1973; that same line of thinking is part of the reason why Giannis is intrigued by the possibility of joining Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who have never won a title, Fischer writes.
Here are several more Giannis-related trade rumors and notes:
- Fischer continues to hear the Warriors’ offer for Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Jimmy Butler, whom Golden State wants to retain despite his torn ACL. If the deal is instead built around around Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, rival teams don’t expect the Bucks to actually keep Green. That said, Fischer hears the 35-year-old forward/center’s trade value is “murky” for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he has a $27.7MM player option for ’26/27. People around the situation noted that the Suns would have been a good fit in the offseason, but that was before they acquired Dillon Brooks. Phoenix is still on the lookout for frontcourt upgrades, sources tell Fischer.
- Like many teams around the NBA, the Timberwolves have spent “weeks” preparing for the possibility of Giannis becoming available, multiple team sources tell Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic. The Wolves are considered one of the strongest suitors for the five-time All-Defensive member for multiple reasons, Krawczynski explains: the Wolves are viewed as a contender, having made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years; Giannis and Edwards have mutual respect; and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has pulled off multiple blockbuster trades since he was hired by Minnesota in 2022.
- Still, some rival teams remain skeptical the Bucks will actually trade Antetokounmpo by the deadline, Krawcyznski writes, since they could get more appealing offers in the summer.
- Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link) weighs the pros and cons of the Trail Blazers getting involved in a potential Antetokounmpo trade, whether it’s dealing for him themselves or acting as a facilitator. Portland certainly has assets Milwaukee wants, since the Blazers control the Bucks’ first-round picks from 2028-2030 (two swaps and one pick). According to Highkin, the Blazers are willing to act as a third team — if they get a player they really like. But Highkin doesn’t think Mikal Bridges (Knicks) or Jalen McDaniels (Timberwolves) would fit that bill. As Highkin writes, the Blazers were interested in Bridges, but that was a few years ago when he was obviously younger and on a more team-friendly contract, not the four-year, $150MM extension that will begin next season.
- The Trail Blazers could put together a very compelling package for Antetokounmpo, but it could be riskier than it would be for other teams since they aren’t close to being a contender at the moment and there have been no indications to this point that Giannis wants to end up in Portland, Highkin notes. It could end up being a one-year rental scenario, since Antetokounmpo has a player option for ’27/28, which may not appeal to Portland.
- On Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports’ podcast, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports said the Sixers will definitely inquire about Antetokounmpo prior to Thursday at 2:00 pm CT (Twitter video link). “If you think that Giannis is on the trade block and there is not gonna be a call between the Sixers and the Bucks at some point between now and the deadline on Thursday, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention,” Neubeck said. “I think that they are interested. Any time a player like Giannis is on the market … (president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey is a guy who wants stars. He cares about stars.” Neubeck previously reported that VJ Edgecombe was unavailable in trade talks, and reiterated to O’Connor that he would be “stunned” if the standout rookie is moved.
- As of Monday afternoon, the Nets had not called the Bucks about Antetokounmpo, a source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). ClutchPoints reported earlier on Monday that the Nets had inquired about Giannis, but Brett Siegel tweeted it was a mistake that was quickly corrected. Brooklyn has long been linked to Giannis and there has been speculation the team will make an offer for him.
- Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton of ESPN propose fake six Giannis trades, which are evaluated by Bobby Marks.
Latest On Giannis Antetokounmpo
Will the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo prior to Thursday at 2:00 pm CT? That’s the biggest question in the NBA right now.
Appearing on SportsCenter on Monday evening (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania provided some new details on the situation, reporting that the Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves and Knicks have all made offers for the two-time MVP.
Charania reiterated that Milwaukee, which has made counteroffers to some proposals, continues to look for a “young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of [first-round] draft picks.”
“My understanding is the Warriors have made a pick-heavy offer, Minnesota is more of a player-centric offer, and Miami is somewhere in the middle,” Charania said. “… The Bucks are going to have to choose: do we take one of these offers and continue to negotiate? [Or wait until the offseason]?”
It’s worth noting that neither the Knicks nor the Timberwolves have first-round picks to offer in a trade (New York technically controls Washington’s 2026 first-rounder, but it’s top-eight protected and highly likely to turn into two second-round picks). In a SportsCenter appearance earlier on Monday (YouTube link), Charania’s colleague Brian Windhorst said the Knicks aren’t acting as though they plan to go all-in for Giannis.
“I just don’t think that is something that is really hot right now,” Windhorst said. “… It’s very likely for the Knicks to outbid some of the other teams that are going for Giannis that they would need to involve a third team. But they have not been active in doing that as far as I have been told. If all of a sudden that changes and they start offering players to go pick up assets, that would indicate that they’re going after Giannis.
“They have talked to the Bucks. I think they are in the conversation, but I don’t think it’s something they’re aggressively pursuing. And that kind of makes sense — they’re playing some of their best basketball right now.”
On NBA Today (YouTube link), Windhorst called the Timberwolves a “long shot” to acquire Antetokounmpo, but that doesn’t mean they’re not trying.
“They are in the game for Giannis,” Windhorst said. “And unlike some of these other teams, which may not be as aggressive, when Shams says an aggressive team, he’s talking about the Wolves. Because they are out there recruiting third and fourth teams to try to improve their offer to see if they can get Giannis.
“If they don’t [get Giannis], which I think it’s a long shot, you could see them making a backup deal [for] a guard.”
A league source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that the Heat’s offer for Antetokounmpo is “widely expected” to feature Kel’el Ware, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier‘s expiring contract, at least one more young player, both of their tradable first-round picks (2030 and 2032), and potentially pick swaps in 2026, 2029 and 2031.
While they’re unable to include a third first-rounder right now due to the Stepien rule, the Heat might need to acquire one to sweeten their offer, and Jackson suggests a few ways they could pull that off, including amending the protections on the pick they owe the Hornets.
Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Zach Harper (Twitter video link), NBA insider Marc Stein gave his take on situation, saying “it’s really hard to call” whether Giannis will be traded in the next few days.
“I think [rival] teams themselves are trying to make sense of it, and trying to gauge how serious the Bucks are,” Stein said. “The reality is they are fielding interest and they are talking about the concept of a Giannis trade with more intensity and seriousness than has ever been applied to it.”
Writing at his Substack, Stein says the Bucks continue to hold out hope that they may be able to convince the nine-time All-NBA member to stay in Milwaukee, as unlikely as that seems at the moment.
Dillon Brooks, Brandon Miller Earn Player Of Week Honors
Suns forward Dillon Brooks and Hornets forward Brandon Miller have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league (Twitter links).
Brooks led his team to a 3-1 record during the week of January 26 to February 1 while averaging 28.8 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting from three-point range. He also averaged 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists during those four contests, which included victories by double-digits over the Pistons and Cavaliers.
Miller averaged 26.3 points in just 29.8 minutes per game as the Hornets enjoyed a 4-0 week capped by a win over San Antonio The third-year wing shot 50 percent from three-point range, grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game, and made all 25 of his free throw attempts en route to his first ever Player of the Week award.
Besides being named Player of the Week for the first time in their respective careers, Brooks and Miller are each became the first player from his team to earn the honor this season.
Brooks beat out a handful of stars for the weekly awards. Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees.
Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), OG Anunoby and Josh Hart (Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Joel Embiid (Sixers) and Aaron Nesmith (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Bucks Making Counteroffers In Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Talks
The Bucks “remained engaged with teams that have interest” in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo over the weekend and submitted counteroffers to a few of them, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on a SportsCenter appearance (Twitter video link; hat tip to Real GM).
Charania listed the Heat, Timberwolves, Warriors and Knicks as “the most serious suitors” so far, although several other teams are rumored to be involved. He adds that it “comes down to the price point” for Antetokounmpo, which means parting with young talent, “a surplus of draft picks” or possibly a combination of both.
The Bucks have been sending mixed signals about whether they intend to part with their franchise player by Thursday’s deadline or wait until the summer in hopes of negotiating a better deal. Charania’s report is the strongest indication so far that Milwaukee is serious about making a trade this week.
The Bucks were hoping to put together a late-season run toward the playoffs and were originally approaching the deadline as buyers with an eye on upgrading the roster and convincing Antetokounmpo to stay. Those plans seemed to change on January 23 when Antetokoumpo suffered a calf injury that will keep him out indefinitely, virtually sinking the team’s postseason hopes. Milwaukee lost its fifth straight game Sunday at Boston and has fallen to 12th in the East at 18-29.
As Charania points out, there are pros and cons to the Bucks waiting for the offseason to make the deal. Interested teams will have additional draft capital to offer, but Antetokounmpo will also have more control over where he wants to go. After making $58.5MM next season, he holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28 and can threaten not to re-sign with a team that trades for him if it’s not one of his preferred destinations.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers addressed the trade rumors Sunday in an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Countdown (Twitter video link), stating, “I think everyone will be here” past the deadline. He also said he’s looking forward to the end of the week so speculation can be put on hold for a few months.
“He wants to be a Buck, he loves the city and that’s all I can go by as a coach right now,” Rivers said of Antetokounmpo. “Has it been difficult? Yeah. My favorite day of the year this year will be the day after the trade deadline. I think everyone will be here.”
Rivers added that Antetokounmpo expects to play again this season and is hoping to “get into the playoffs healthy.”