Warriors’ Dunleavy, Kerr Discuss Butler, Kuminga
Speaking to the media prior to Tuesday’s game against Toronto, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he doesn’t expect to trade Jimmy Butler in the wake of his season-ending torn right ACL, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter video link).
“I don’t envision that, but now that you’ve brought it up, I guess I’d say what I envision for him is kind of give us a boost next year the same way he did last year when he arrived,” Dunleavy said. “And so, at some point during the (2026/27) season he’ll be returning.
“And being the player he’s been — I mean, at his age, what he’s doing this year, to have the year he’s had is impressive. I think he’s got the style of game that can play for a long time with his skill, his physicality, his mind for the game. So I guess my vision for him is him returning at some point between now and this time next year.”
Dunleavy added that he was “crushed” for Butler and it was “tough to say” how his injury will impact the decisions the front office makes ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“We hate it for him but the beat goes on,” Dunleavy said.
Golden State’s top basketball executive also discussed fifth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, who demanded a trade on Jan. 15, the first day he was eligible to be moved. Dunleavy was surprisingly transparent about Kuminga’s market value, or lack thereof.
“As far as the demand, I’m aware of that,” Dunleavy said (Twitter video link via Slater). “In terms of demands, when there’s a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see how that unfolds.”
Dunleavy said he was fine with working with Kuminga or any other player who wants a change of scenery, “but we’ve got to do what’s best for our organization and that’s what we’ll do.” He added that he would take the next couple of weeks to evaluate where the team stands following Butler’s devastating injury.
“I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better,” Dunleavy said, per Slater (Twitter link). “But it is what it is…I know a trade has been requested. But nothing is imminent. Things in this league can change in a heartbeat, as they did last night. So he’s gotta be ready.”
Here’s more on Butler, Kuminga and the Warriors:
- Dunleavy also talked about the possibility of trading future first-round picks, Slater adds (via Twitter). “If we’re talking about trading draft picks that will be going out when Steph (Curry) isn’t here, it’s going to have to be a player that we think we’ll be getting back that is going to be here when those picks are going out.”
- As Friedell writes for The Athletic, head coach Steve Kerr also discussed both players ahead of Tuesday’s contest. “Most of all just disappointed for Jimmy,” Kerr said. “He’s having a great year. I felt, like the last couple weeks, he was really at the top of his game. So, for him, and for us, obviously, but for him individually in the middle of a really great season with a lot of possibilities … I just feel terrible for him that he’s gonna miss the rest of the year. It’s part of the game. Injuries are part of it, but it hurts for sure.”
- Kerr said while the team will obviously miss Butler’s contributions, he’s confident the Warriors will remain competitive without the star forward, noting they have a “really good rhythm” after winning six of their past seven games.
- As for Kuminga, Kerr said he believes the 23-year-old wants to play for the Warriors and receive rotation minutes. But Kerr was noncommittal when asked if Kuminga would reenter the rotation, Friedell notes. The 6’7″ forward has only played 10 minutes since December 7. “He could be, yeah,” Kerr said. “He obviously hasn’t played in a while, but at this point, we have to experiment a little bit with rotations, see where we are, and he’s definitely a part of that talk, that conversation.”
- As Slater tweets, Kuminga is set to enter Tuesday’s game at the start of the second quarter with the Warriors trailing by 13 points. Slater reported earlier on Tuesday that the former lottery pick was open to playing for Golden State again, though his “long-term desires” and “feelings about the organization” haven’t changed. (Twitter video link via NBA Today).
Steven Adams Out Indefinitely With Grade 3 Ankle Sprain
Rockets center Steven Adams has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and is out indefinitely, head coach Ime Udoka told reporters on Tuesday (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic).
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a Grade 3 ankle sprain is when the ligament is completely torn. It’s the most severe ankle sprain and involves significant swelling and pain.
While it’s unclear how much time Adams will miss, he’s likely facing a lengthy absence. The Clinic’s entry indicates that severe sprains can take anywhere from six-to-12 weeks to heal, and Adams would have to get back into shape once he has recovered.
The 32-year-old big man suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over New Orleans. He rolled his ankle contesting a Zion Williamson layup and was immediately in a great deal of pain (YouTube link). Adams had to be helped off the court with assistance.
It’s a tough setback for Adams, who has missed extended time in recent years due to a knee injury which cost him the entire 2023/24 season. The New Zealand native has made has made 32 appearances this season, averaging 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds — including a league-high 4.5 offensive boards — in 22.8 minutes per game.
The Rockets will certainly miss Adams’ presence in the lineup. They have a +11.8 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a +3.4 mark when he’s not playing.
Clint Capela is the most obvious candidate for more playing time with Adams out. Udoka could also opt to run Jabari Smith Jr. in the middle when Alperen Sengun is resting.
On a brighter note for Houston, fourth-year forward Tari Eason will return to action on Tuesday after missing the past five games due to a right ankle sprain, per Guillory.
Suns’ Jalen Green Will Return Tuesday
January 20: Green will be active Tuesday, the Suns confirmed (Twitter link). Although Ott previously indicated that Green would start, apparently that’s still a ways off — Ott said Tuesday that Green will come off the bench and be on a minutes restriction, per Rankin (Twitter video link).
“It’s not a surprise,” Ott said. “That range of minutes is going to put us in a spot where we feel it’s best and the conditioning piece. Playing shorter stints. He’s in a good spot, ready to go. Just because of that range of competitive minutes, he’ll be coming off the bench.”
Ott added that when Green’s conditioning improves, he’ll return to the starting lineup.
January 19: While he was eventually ruled out of Monday’s game at Brooklyn after initially being listed as questionable, Suns guard Jalen Green is expected to make his long-awaited return on Tuesday in Philadelphia, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
Head coach Jordan Ott confirmed Green will play tomorrow, barring a last-minute setback.
“Just giving him the extra day,” head coach Jordan Ott said. “Played (5-on-5) Saturday. Because we do have a back-to-back, we knew he probably wouldn’t be playing in the back-to-back. Just seeing how he woke up this morning. Do we give him the extra day or not? That was the decision we made.”
Green last played on November 8 and has only made two appearances this season due to a right hamstring strain.
The former No. 2 overall pick initially strained the hamstring during training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October. Green sat out the first eight games of the regular season, erupted for 29 points in 23 minutes in his debut in early November, then aggravated the injury again a couple days later about seven minutes into his second game.
According to Rankin (Twitter link), Ott said Green didn’t aggravate his hamstring a third time during his long layoff — the team was just being cautious with the 23-year-old, who had played all 82 regular season games each of the past two seasons.
“When you do something again, obviously, there’s a level of caution,” Ott said. “Young guy. Long career ahead and soft tissue. We’re trying to meet every metric possible on his rehab. He did it, but no setbacks.”
Ott also said Green will reenter the starting lineup when he returns to action, Rankin adds (via Twitter).
Knicks Sign Dillon Jones To Two-Way Deal
4:39 pm: Jones’ two-way contract is official, per the Knicks (Twitter link)
1:11 pm: The Knicks have reached an agreement on a two-way contract with former first-round pick Dillon Jones, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Jones was drafted by the Thunder with the 26th overall pick in in 2024 and won a championship in his first NBA season. However, he played sparingly in Oklahoma City as a rookie, averaging 10.2 minutes per game in 54 regular season outings, then making 10 garbage-time appearances during the team’s title run.
Jones was traded to Washington in a salary-dump deal during the 2025 offseason, then was waived by the Wizards at the end of the preseason. The 6’5″ forward was selected by the Rip City Remix with the first overall pick in October’s G League draft and has spent the first half of the 2025/26 season with Portland’s NBAGL affiliate.
In 24 total outings for the Remix, Jones has averaged 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.8 steals in 37.5 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .428/.336/.782.
The Knicks opened up a two-way slot earlier this month when they waived Tosan Evbuomwan prior to the league-wide salary guarantee date. That means they won’t have to make a corresponding roster move to open up a spot for Jones, who will join Kevin McCullar Jr. and Trey Jemison as New York’s two-way players.
Assuming his new deal is finalized on Tuesday or Wednesday, Jones will be eligible to be active for up to 24 regular season games for the Knicks.
Jimmy Butler Suffers Season-Ending Torn ACL In Right Knee
January 20, 3:49 pm: The Warriors have officially confirmed that Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Monday’s game (Twitter link). He will undergo surgery to address the injury, though the team doesn’t yet know when the procedure will occur.
January 20, 2:25 am: Butler’s MRI revealed a torn ACL in his right knee, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). He will miss the rest of the season.
Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms the news (via Twitter).
The Warriors won’t be eligible for a disabled player exception in the wake of Butler’s season-ending injury, since the deadline to apply for a DPE passed on January 15.
January 19: Warriors forward Jimmy Butler suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter of Monday’s game against Miami and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, per Angela Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Butler landed awkwardly on his right knee after being bumped in the air while catching a pass from Brandin Podziemski (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). Butler was fouled on the play by Davion Mitchell, who attempted to disrupt the pass.
Butler immediately yelled out in pain and was down on the court for a few minutes before being helped off with the assistance of Moses Moody and Gary Payton II, tweets Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. The 36-year-old was unable to put weight on his right leg.
As ESPN’s Anthony Slater observes (via Twitter), Butler has a history of right knee injuries. He tore his right meniscus in 2018 and sprained his MCL in 2024.
While the Warriors went on win Monday’s game to improve to 25-19 following a 6-1 homestand, Butler’s injury is obviously a major concern. The five-time All-NBA member is currently undergoing an MRI, according to Slater (Twitter link).
“Praying for the best, as far as scans,” said Stephen Curry.
Butler, who has also made five All-Defensive teams in his 15-year career, entered Monday averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals on .519/.381/.862 shooting in 37 games (31.4 minutes per contest).
Butler is under contract through 2026/27. He’s making $54.1MM this season and will earn $56.8MM next season.
Knicks Have Talked To Multiple Teams About Trading Towns
The Knicks‘ 2025/26 season reached a new low point with Monday’s 17-point home loss to the injury-ravaged Mavericks, writes Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). New York trailed by as many as 30 points in the first half and was down 28 at halftime, when fans at Madison Square Garden “serenaded” the team with boos.
The Knicks have now dropped nine of their past 11 games and are in danger of falling into play-in territory after holding a 23-9 record three weeks ago. In the 10 games leading into Monday, they had the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA, Popper notes.
The team’s effort was particularly dispiriting considering the Knicks had their full complement of players available — Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) both returned to action following injury absences.
“Guys are gonna be banged up, guys aren’t gonna be 100 percent, it’s the dog days of the season,” Hart said, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). “But the effort, I think last year no matter what we did, the effort was there. I haven’t seen this kind of effort that we had today, it was embarrassing.”
Hart admitted prior to the game that his ankle isn’t fully healthy, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
“I want to be out there to try to help the team as much as I can so (the team’s recent struggles) did (influence his decision) a little bit; a combination of that, there’s the competitiveness and the impatience that I display,” Hart said.
Two weeks ago, owner James Dolan said he expected the team to — at minimum — reach the NBA Finals. He also expressed confidence in the team’s roster and chemistry. The Knicks were promptly blown out by the top-seeded Pistons and have a 2-6 record since that public interview.
Both Popper and Bondy point out that Dolan left his courtside seat at halftime and did not return for the second half. The last time Bondy recalls that happening was during a lopsided loss in 2019, when former executives Scott Perry and Steve Mills were forced to speak to reporters after the game. Then-coach David Fizdale was fired a few days later; Mills was dismissed not long after that.
Bondy isn’t advocating for the team to fire head coach Mike Brown, which he thinks would be “reactionary and ill-advised.” But Bondy does believe a major roster shake-up is in order, and says everyone aside from Brunson and Hart should be available. That includes Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, two players the Knicks acquired in previous blockbuster trades.
Big man Towns, who has struggled to find his form under Brown, was singled out with boos twice in the fourth quarter, per Popper — once when checking out with just under five minutes remaining, and again 29 seconds later when he checked back in for Mitchell Robinson, who picked up two quick fouls.
Towns said he understood the fans’ reaction, considering the Knicks “didn’t really have a chance” to win, as Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press relays.
“Fans are doing their part and we’ve got to do our part,” Towns said.
According to Popper, “whispers” have begun to circulate around the league about the possibility of the Knicks trading Towns, whose name popped up in rumors over the summer involving the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo. League sources tell Popper the Knicks have discussed potential Towns deals with multiple teams, including the Grizzlies, Magic and Hornets.
For what it’s worth, Bondy proposes a fake trade that would send Towns and unspecified salary filler to the Trail Blazers for Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bam Adebayo Named Players Of Week
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Heat big man Bam Adebayo have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, the NBA announced today (Twitter links).
Oklahoma City had a 2-1 record during the week of January 12-18, with the reigning Most Valuable Player averaging 31.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Gilgeous-Alexander posted a shooting line of .547/.400/.912 as the Thunder outscored opponents by 43 points during his 103 minutes on the court.
Gilgeous-Alexander becomes the first NBA player to be named the Player of the Week for the third time this season — he also earned the honor twice in November.
As for Adebayo, he posted averages of 27.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per night while shooting 65.5% from long range as the Heat won two of three games. This is the third time he has earned the award and first time since January 2024.
Donovan Clingan and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), DeMar DeRozan (Kings), Luka Dončić (Lakers), James Harden (Clippers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Alperen Sengun (Rockets) and Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) were also nominated for the Western Conference Player of the Week award, per the NBA.
Brandon Miller (Hornets), Norman Powell (Heat), Pascal Siakam (Pacers), Anfernee Simons (Celtics), Jaylon Tyson (Cavaliers) and Nikola Vučević (Bulls) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.
Antetokounmpo, Curry Head List Of All-Star Starters
The NBA’s 2026 All-Star starters have been set, the league announced today (Twitter links). Here are the 10 players who earned those spots:
Eastern Conference
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
Western Conference
- Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Luka Doncic (Lakers)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
This season’s All-Star Game will have a U.S. vs. World format. The round-robin event is scheduled to be played Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (the World team) will compete in a tournament featuring four 12-minute games. The three teams will each have a minimum of eight players.
How the teams will be divvied up is yet to be determined.
Two-time MVP Antetokounmpo has been selected as a starter for the 10th consecutive season. 2024 Finals MVP Brown will be making his fifth All-Star appearance, while Brunson will be making his third consecutive appearance.
This marks Cunningham’s second NBA All-Star selection and first as a starter. Cunningham is the first Pistons player to be named an Eastern Conference starter in the All-Star Game since Allen Iverson in 2009. It will also be Maxey’s second All-Star appearance and first as a starter.
This will be Curry’s 12th All-Star Game and 11th as a starter. Doncic will be making his sixth All-Star appearance.
This marks the fourth career All-Star appearance for reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP Gilgeous-Alexander and his third consecutive season as an All-Star starter. Three-time MVP Jokic has been named an All-Star for the eighth consecutive year. Wembanyama is the first Spurs player to be named an All-Star starter since Kawhi Leonard in 2017.
Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the starters, while players and media accounted for 25% each. Wembanyama won a tiebreaker with the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards for a starting spot. The full voting results can be found through this NBA.com link.
Jalen Williams Has Right Hamstring Strain, Out At Least 2 Weeks
January 19: Williams’ right hamstring strain will be reevaluated “in a couple of weeks,” according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link via Martinez).
January 18, 3:06 pm: Williams has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will be out for Monday’s game at Cleveland, tweets Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. The Thunder are typically cagey about providing injury timelines, but based on the diagnosis, Williams seems likely to miss multiple weeks.
January 18, 9:30 am: Thunder forward Jalen Williams suffered a right leg injury during Saturday’s loss at Miami, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). Williams was technically ruled out with what the team called right thigh soreness, but he grabbed at his hamstring when the injury occurred about halfway through the second quarter (YouTube link).
Williams was able to limp off the court on his own, but he was hunched over in pain and was holding the back of his right leg (where the hamstring is located) for most of his steps. Head coach Mark Daigneault said the 24-year-old will be checked out on Sunday, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
The former Santa Clara star was sidelined for the first 19 games of the 2025/26 campaign after undergoing a pair of surgeries on his right wrist. Williams has made 24 appearances so far this season, averaging 16.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .470/.300/.833.
The fourth-year wing earned numerous accolades in ’24/25, making his first All-Star, All-NBA (third team) and All-Defensive (second team) appearances. He played a key role in helping Oklahoma City win the 2025 NBA Finals.
Williams didn’t talk to reporters after Saturday’s game, but he did make an ominous post on Instagram about the possible severity of the injury, per Andrew Schlect of The Athletic (Twitter link). The post is an image of a child in a toilet attempting to flush himself.
In another subscriber-only story for The Oklahoman, Martinez notes that Chet Holmgren will likely take on a larger scoring role if Williams misses additional time due to the leg injury.
Pacers Sign Tony Bradley To Second 10-Day Contract
JANURY 19: Bradley’s second 10-day contract is official, the Pacers announced (via Twitter).
JANUARY 17: Tony Bradley‘s 10-day contract with the Pacers expired after Saturday’s game, but coach Rick Carlisle told reporters he’ll be signed to another 10-day deal, according to Tony East of Circle City Spin (Twitter link).
Bradley began the season on Indiana’s roster, but he was waived on January 5 before his $2,940,876 salary became fully guaranteed. He was re-signed to a 10-day deal three days later.
Bradley has appeared in six games since rejoining the team, logging at least 15 minutes four times, including tonight as he finished with 12 points and three rebounds in a loss to Detroit. He’s part of a crowded big man rotation along with Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson and Micah Potter.
The 28-year-old center suffered a fracture on the tip of his right thumb in mid-December that forced him to play while wearing a splint. That and the addition of Potter, who played well after joining the team on December 26, helped to make Bradley expendable.
The Pacers don’t play again until Monday at Philadelphia, so they may wait until then to re-sign Bradley. Assuming that happens, his next 10-day contract would run through January 28, making him eligible for five more games.
Players are only permitted to sign two 10-day contracts with a team during each season. If Indiana wants to keep Bradley on the roster past then, he’ll have to be given a standard deal.