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.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, MSG, Doncic, Reaves
LeBron James‘ uncertain status for next season means he could be making his final appearances at some significant venues. A few days after playing in Cleveland — his hometown team and the place where his career began in 2003 — the Lakers star received a warm welcome from Knicks fans Sunday at Madison Square Garden for possibly his farewell game at the NBA’s most famous arena, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Following a 22-point night, James talked about what playing in New York has meant to him throughout his career.
“Everything,” he said. “It’s the mecca of basketball here in New York City. Obviously, it’s the Big Apple, you know. Being here at MSG, playing here, so many guys have walked this court. You know, either from basketball to entertainment, to actors and musicians — I mean, everything. It’s been a wide range of importance of people to be able to grace this floor. And I hope I have a little small snippet of like, somebody that came through here and was able to make a little small dent from a business perspective.”
The game was part of a memorable day for James, who earned his 22nd consecutive All-Star appearance by being selected as one of the Western Conference reserves. Playing at such a high level may motivate James to continue his career beyond this season, but he’s 41 and has an expiring contract. Whether he re-signs with the Lakers or heads to another team this summer, his next deal is unlikely to be near his current salary of $52.6MM.
“At the end of the day, everything has to come to an end at some point,” James said. “So, no matter when it is, it’s gonna be like, ‘S–t, I’ll never play again in Madison Square Garden. I’ll never play again in certain arenas. I’ll never play again, period.’ So, I mean, at that point, it doesn’t matter. You’re gonna always miss it. You’re going to miss the game in general. So, this one will always have a special place in the journey because it is Madison Square Garden. But yeah, when that time comes? Yeah, for sure.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Stefan Bondy of The New York Post argues that James made a mistake by joining the Lakers as a free agent in 2018. Even though the Knicks weren’t really on the table because of the state of the franchise at the time, Bondy believes James could have created a stronger legacy for the later part of his career with another franchise. Ian O’Connor of The Athletic contends that James should consider coming to the Knicks next season.
- Sunday marked the first anniversary of the shocking late-night trade that sent Luka Doncic from Dallas to L.A., notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. While he was unsettled by the deal at first, Doncic has evolved into the cornerstone of the franchise as it tries to build a title contender. After posting 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in Sunday’s loss, Doncic expressed confidence that the Lakers can compete for a championship. “I think we’re in a good spot,” he said. “Obviously, got some work to do. … Today, we obviously missed a lot of good looks, but I think we have a great group.”
- Austin Reaves missed his 19th straight game Sunday with a left calf strain, being downgraded to out shortly before tipoff, McMenamin adds. Coach JJ Redick said Reaves continues to be on the verge of returning and may play Tuesday in Brooklyn, but added that he has to feel “100% confident.”
Atlantic Notes: Simons, Porter, Towns, Sixers
Considered a clear-cut trade chip for a Celtics team expected to bottom out coming into the season, Anfernee Simons has instead emerged as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate as the C’s look to cement themselves as the league’s most unexpected contender, writes Gary Washburn for the Boston Globe.
Simons has always been a scorer, but after he spent several years in a starring role on a lottery team in Portland, there were questions about his ability to contribute to a winning team. Simons says he felt the weight of those questions and what it meant for how he approached his game.
“That’s the challenge, stepping into a new situation, new role and being able to come out and be successful — finding your success within the new role is asked of you,” Simons said. “You’ve got to change your thinking. You’re so programmed to think, if I don’t play well offensively, I didn’t have a good game. Now it’s changing, your mind-set. Coming into games you might not score as much but you played good defense, you made the right plays… You’ve got to be able to know that I did everything I could to help the team win in the time I was out there.”
While the Celtics still have long-term roster issues to address, the way Simons has fit into coach Joe Mazzulla‘s system means it’s no longer a lock that the team looks to move him at the deadline. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints says he’d be surprised to see Simons moved (Twitter link).
As for Simons, he’s trying his best to focus on the on-court possibilities.
“I just want the opportunity to win,” he said. “Everyone wants to win a championship. But everybody might not be destined to win a championship, so you want yourself to be in the best position to win a championship. That’s all I want in my career, having no regrets wherever way it goes.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Michael Porter Jr. was not named to the 2026 All-Star reserves team for the Eastern Conference for the Nets. The numbers say he should have been, writes C.J. Holmes for the New York Daily News. Holmes notes that Porter is fifth in the East in scoring at 25.6 points per game, seventh in the NBA in made threes, and is tied for the 11th-most 30-point games this season. “It definitely would be a dream come true. It was in my mind as a kid to make the NBA, but not only be in the NBA but be one of the best players in the NBA. And an All-Star selection shows that progress,” Porter said back in December, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “But it’s definitely not what I’m thinking of. I’ve always tried to be more process-oriented and do the right things day to day, game to game, and let the results take care of itself.” With Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the East will have at least one injury replacement named, meaning Porter will have another chance to be named to his first All-Star team.
- Karl-Anthony Towns was named to his sixth All-Star game on Sunday night, despite struggling with his offense this season. Knicks coach Mike Brown firmly believes the nod was well-deserved, writes Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “He’s leading us in rebounds, he’s second in scoring,” Brown said. “I don’t know how many double-doubles he has, but that’s impactful when you’re talking about doing it in a winning situation… We should have, in my opinion, two or three guys, at least, on this All-Star team based on what our record is.” Towns leads the league in rebounding at 11.8 per game, including 3.1 offensive boards, entering Sunday’s game against the Lakers.
- The Sixers posted the third-lowest rebound total in a game this season in Thursday’s win against the Kings, which only exemplified a season-long problem, Keith Pompey writes for The Inquirer. According to Pompey, the 76ers have ranked last in the league in rebounding in the past 11 games, due in part to the team going slightly smaller with Adem Bona getting the backup center minutes over Andre Drummond. With Joel Embiid averaging the fewest rebounds of his career at 7.5 per game, Pompey suggests coach Nick Nurse is considering going back to Drummond at times, depending on the matchup.
NBA Announces 2026 All-Star Reserves
The NBA has announced its 2026 All-Star reserves, revealing this year’s honorees on NBC ahead of the Knicks/Lakers matchup (Twitter links).
The following players will join the 10 All-Star starters the league announced on Monday, January 19.
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Guard: Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)- Guard: Norman Powell (Heat)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
- Frontcourt: Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
- Frontcourt: Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
- Frontcourt: Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Duren (Pistons)
The East will see three first-time All-Stars in Johnson, Powell, and Duren. Powell is averaging a career-high 23.0 points per game in his first season in Miami, while Johnson has emerged as one of the league’s most versatile point forwards on offense, averaging 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per night while hitting 36.0% of his threes. Duren is averaging 18.0 PPG and 10.7 RPG, and is the second-leading scorer on the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
Towns is having a down year from an efficiency standpoint but has managed to contribute in other ways, leading the NBA in rebounds per game (11.8) while scoring 20.0 points per game on 36.4% shooting from deep. He will join teammate Jalen Brunson, who was named a starter for the second straight year, while Duren will join running mate Cade Cunningham.
Western Conference Reserves:
- Guard: Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Guard: Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
- Guard: Devin Booker (Suns)
- Frontcourt: Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Frontcourt: Kevin Durant (Rockets)
- Frontcourt: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Frontcourt: LeBron James (Lakers)
For the Western Conference, Murray, Holmgren, and Avdija are all first-time All-Stars. Murray had long been considered one of the league’s best players – if not the best – to never take part in the event, but will no longer hold that title. He’s having his best scoring (25.8 PPG) and play-making (7.4 APG) season as a pro, and has helped the Nuggets hold onto the No. 2 seed despite missing co-star and All-Star starter Nikola Jokic for 16 games.
Avdija has exploded for the Blazers this season, averaging 25.5 points per game (after scoring 16.9 PPG last season) while also contributing 7.2 RPG and 6.7 APG and leading Portland to what is currently a play-in spot.
Despite cooling off a bit since his scorching start, Holmgren is averaging 17.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 2.0 BPG and has anchored Oklahoma City’s dominant defense all season, especially while starting center Isaiah Hartenstein faced an extended absence due to a calf injury.
Booker was named to the team after leading the overachieving Suns to a 30-19 record — they’re currently percentage points behind the Lakers for the No. 6 spot in the West.
James was named to his 22nd consecutive All-Star team despite having a down year by his own standards. He is currently averaging 21.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 6.6 APG for the Lakers, who are 29-18 coming into tonight’s game against the Knicks.
The Lakers, Knicks, Thunder, Pistons, and Nuggets are the teams with multiple players represented.
Some notable players not to make this year’s All-Star team include Michael Porter Jr., Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, and Alperen Sengun — they’re among the top candidates to become injury replacements.
As Ian Begley of SNY notes (via Twitter), the NBA’s decision to include a USA versus World component requires at least eight international players. Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Jokic, Avdija, Murray, and Siakam will make up a majority of the World roster, but with starter Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the league will need to decide whether Towns, who suits up for the Dominican Republic in international play, as well as Powell, who played with Jamaica last summer, will be considered international or American players, Marc Stein observes (via Twitter). Either way, an injury replacement will need to be named for the Eastern Conference.
Stein adds that the NBA will announce the official roster breakdowns on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Knicks Rumors: Dosunmu, Towns, Bridges, Trade Tiers, More
Within a trade deadline guide for the Knicks, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic mentions Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu as a player New York might be interested in. The Knicks are fans of Dosunmu’s game, but it would “cost a lot” to acquire him, says Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Edwards specifically points to Miles McBride as a player the Knicks might have to give up in a deal for Dosunmu, who earns $7.5MM this season and will be a free agent in the offseason if he doesn’t sign an extension before then. However, Edwards doesn’t view scenario as likely, noting that McBride has been a key contributor for New York and is on a team-friendly contract.
A “few” rival executives Edwards spoke to don’t think Karl-Anthony Towns is off-limits in trade talks, but his value is believed to have declined since the Knicks acquired him. That’s also the case for Mikal Bridges, multiple league sources tell Edwards. Both of those factors seemingly make the Knicks a long shot to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, even though they remain interested in the superstar forward.
If Towns is traded by February 5 in a deal that doesn’t involve Antetokounmpo, Edwards hears the Knicks would likely receive salary-matching pieces. Minor draft compensation may be included as well. While he wouldn’t be surprised if the five-time All-Star is moved in a non-Antetokounmpo deal, Edwards thinks that outcome is unlikely.
Here’s more from Edwards on the Knicks:
- New York continues to shop Guerschon Yabusele, but his contract is viewed negatively and rival teams think the Knicks will have to attach assets to move him unless he’s included in a major multi-team trade, sources tell Edwards. Yabusele is included in Edwards’ “most likely to be traded” tier along with Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson. According to Edwards, Clarkson could be a buyout candidate after the deadline if the two sides decide to part ways — the veteran guard has been out of the rotation lately.
- Edwards’ “could get traded, but I wouldn’t bet on it” tier consists of Towns, McBride and Mitchell Robinson. As Edwards writes, New York’s front office has a history of trading players on expiring contracts, but Robinson has been very valuable when active and it probably doesn’t make sense to move him given his on-court contributions.
- The “won’t get traded unless in an Antetokounmpo-type deal” group features OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Bridges. The only untouchable player on the Knicks’ roster is Jalen Brunson, according to Edwards.
- Edwards also lists three small-scale trades that could make sense for the teams involved. One of Edwards’ fake deals would see New York acquire Jose Alvarado and Karlo Matkovic from New Orleans in exchange for Yabusele, Dadiet and Washington’s 2026 first-round pick, which is top-eight protected and almost certain to be conveyed as two second-round picks. Those two second-rounders hold real value though, and Edwards isn’t sure it would be worth it, but Alvarado has drawn a good deal of interest on market.
Trail Blazers Interested In Giannis Antetokounmpo
After reporting last week that Portland was intrigued by the possibility of facilitating a multi-team trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo if the team could upgrade its roster in the process, Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) now hear the Trail Blazers have also expressed interest in acquiring the two-time MVP themselves.
According to Fischer and Stein, Portland’s front office recognizes Giannis is unlikely to sign a long-term extension with the Blazers, calling it an “extreme long shot.” The Stein Line duo reiterate that being involved as a facilitator in a multi-team deal where Portland acquires a different player (or players) is a “far more likely scenario.”
Rival teams think acquiring Blazers guard Jrue Holiday would help improve their odds of acquiring his former Bucks teammate Antetokounmpo, Fischer and Stein add. They continue to list Knicks wing Mikal Bridges as a player the Blazers like.
However, Fischer and Stein also point out that the Blazers have Holiday and Damian Lillard (another ex-Buck) on their roster, and both players are still close to the Greek star.
Portland controls Milwaukee’s first-round picks from 2028-2030 (one pick and two swaps) due to the 2023 trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and Holiday to Portland. Holiday was flipped to Boston at the time, helping the Celtics win the title in 2024, before being traded back to the Blazers this past summer.
The Blazers also control most of their own first-rounders and have promising young players like second-year center Donovan Clingan. In terms of assets, the Blazers could theoretically put together an appealing package for Antetokounmpo in the next five days, though they could also offer far more in the offseason. At that point, they’d have further clarity on their lottery-protected 2026 pick, the poison pill provision would no longer apply to Shaedon Sharpe, and Toumani Camara would be trade-eligible.
New York Notes: Knicks’ Mentality, Bitadze, Towns, Demin
The Knicks are embracing a “bunker mentality” as the trade deadline approaches, head coach Mike Brown said on Friday. New York has been mentioned prominently as a possible destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“We understand that we have no control over the noise out there, so we have to have a bunker mentality. Not just at the trade deadline but all the time because there is a lot of noise out there,” Brown said, per Ian Begley of SNY. “We’re all human and you try not to listen to it – you just try to stay together. You keep moving forward, trying to get better as the days go along and I think that’s what this group is trying to do.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- Goga Bitadze could be a potential trade target for the Knicks as a backup big, according to Begley. Bitadze has fallen out of the Magic‘s rotation and New York had strong interest in him last offseason, Begley notes. Second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi has also been rumored as a target for the Knicks.
- Karl-Anthony Towns , one of the players who might be on the move if the Knicks make a blockbuster trade, has done his best to block out the noise. He has pulled down 20-plus rebounds in back-to-back games. The Knicks blew out Portland for their fifth straight victory. “To me, that’s what great players do,” Brown said. “They impact the game in a lot of different ways and for him to have 22 against Toronto, and 20 tonight, double-double, it was huge. Six of those were offensive rebounds and we beat them 20-9 (on the offensive glass) and they’re a very, very good offensive rebounding team.” Jalen Brunson appreciates KAT’s hard work. “The rebounding, what he’s been doing these past couple of games has been great,” he said, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “We need that from him, that’s what he brings to the table. Offensively, when the ball’s not going in as much as it should be, he finds a way to impact the game. I think that’s really important for us. Big-time performance for him.”
- The Nets went with a very young lineup on Friday in Utah and it paid off. Egor Demin, who attended BYU, recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds, his first double-double, as the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak by defeating the Jazz. “It means a lot,” Demin said in an on-court interview, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It’s the first second game of a back-to-back we’ve won, the first [win] without Mike. He’s a big, big, big part of our team, but we’ve got to be able to function without him, too. So that win means a lot, especially for me being back home I can say so. It’s pretty fun.” Fellow rookies Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf were also in the starting five.
And-Ones: Lottery, Combine, Dunk Contest, Hayes, More
The NBA has officially set the dates for this year’s most significant pre-draft events, including the combine and lottery.
According to the league (Twitter link), the G League combine will take place from May 8-10, with the full-fledged combine to follow from May 10-17. Typically, the NBA invites approximately 75 top prospects to the combine, with a group of several dozen less-heralded draft-eligible players taking part in the G League combine. A handful of standouts from the G League event then receive invitations to stick around for the rest of the week.
As for the draft lottery, it will take place on Sunday, May 10, giving lottery teams the opportunity to learn exactly where their picks will land before they evaluate and interview prospects at the combine.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Spurs rookie Carter Bryant have accepted invitations to take part in this year’s NBA dunk contest, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Both players are first-time participants.
- It’s poised to be an eventful few weeks for Hayes, who is also in the final stages of securing Slovenian citizenship, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. According to Urbonas, Hayes is putting the finishing touches on the paperwork required for a Slovenian passport and would be eligible to play for the national team this summer in World Cup qualifiers if there are no snags. Hayes spoke back in October about his goal of gaining Slovenian citizenship to team up with Lakers teammate Luka Doncic in international play.
- Danny Leroux of The Athletic looks ahead to the 2026 offseason, previewing the spending power for each NBA team, including the ones projected to have cap room. While trades made in the next six days could impact Leroux’s estimates, the Bulls (up to $68MM) and Wizards (up to $50MM) currently project to have the most space, while four teams – the Cavaliers, Thunder, Magic, and Knicks – are on track to operate in second-apron territory.
- The sixth season of the Basketball Africa League will tip off in South Africa on March 27. Marc J. Spears of Andscape has the details on the schedule and the format for the coming season, which will wrap up in late May with an eight-team playoff and a championship game.