Adam Silver: I’m ‘A Fan’ Of 10-Minute Quarters
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday (Twitter video link), NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked to describe the “wildest” rule change the league has considered. After briefly mentioning the idea of awarding two free throws for a foul on a three-point shot, Silver pivoted to another topic.
“Something else that I’m a fan of, and I’m probably in the minority, as we get more involved in global basketball: The NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes,” Silver said. “I would be – I am – a fan of four 10-minute quarters. I’m not sure that many others are.
“Putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two-hour format for a game is more consistent with modern television habits. People in arenas aren’t asking us to shorten the game. But I think as a television program, being two hours — that’s Olympic basketball. College basketball, of course, is 40 minutes.”
Silver stressed that the idea of making “such a dramatic change” isn’t something the NBA is seriously considering at this point and would have to be “talked more about over time.”
However, he pointed to recent Major League Baseball rule updates, such as adding a pitch clock and changing the size of the bases, as examples of how a league rooted in tradition must be willing to consider tweaks for the sake of modernization.
“I’ve used (those MLB rule changes) in meetings at the NBA to say if baseball, which is more locked into tradition than any other sport — and I don’t mean that negatively; part of what baseball provides is the tradition, the legacy,” Silver said. “If they’re able to make those changes, certainly we shouldn’t be afraid to look at changes as well.”
After Silver and Patrick spent a couple minutes talking about other subjects, including Patrick’s ideas about the three-point line, the NBA commissioner circled back to the idea of 10-minute quarters.
“Because this game is so global, one of the things we’d like to see over time is creating a more consistent set of rules globally around the game,” Silver said. “… The U.S./Serbia, U.S./France (games at the 2024 Olympics), people who are basketball fans are saying those are two of the best games they ever saw.
“Incidentally, if you went to a 40-minute game, with the issues around load management and resting, it would be the equivalent of – I don’t know the exact math – taking 15 games off the season. And I don’t think most fans would be disappointed if it was a two-hour presentation.”
Silver’s remarks sparked plenty of debate on social media on Wednesday, with the conversation eventually reaching NBA locker rooms. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau were asked about the concept of 40-minute games ahead of their matchup on Wednesday night. Both coaches were firmly opposed to the idea.
“I hope we don’t go to 10-minute quarters,” Malone said. “I hope we don’t go to the four-point line. I hope we don’t become Barnum & Bailey where we’re just having to do whatever we have to do to keep viewership. Because there is a history and greatness to this game. And a purity to this game and I hope we can find a way to stay true to that.”
“I’m probably more traditional so I’d hate to see that,” Thibodeau added. “That’s just a personal (opinion). I haven’t really thought about it just because of the records and things of that nature. I think we have a great game. I think what people want to see is competition.”
Hawks’ Jalen Johnson To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
3:05pm: The Hawks have put out a press release officially confirming that Johnson will undergo season-ending surgery next week to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder and stating that he’s expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2025/26 season.
9:40am: Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has been diagnosed with a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will be sidelined for the rest of the season, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Confirming the report, Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link) says Johnson will undergo surgery to repair the tear.
Johnson sustained the injury last Thursday in the second quarter of a game vs. Toronto while defending Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (video link).
It’s an extremely unfortunate turn of events for the Hawks and for Johnson, who had averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 block in 35.7 minutes per game so far this season.
The fourth-year forward, who made 50.0% of his shots from the field in 36 outings this season, looked like a borderline All-Star candidate and a contender for Most Improved Player votes.
Johnson was a key contributor for an Atlanta team that exceeded expectations in the first half of the season. Given an over/under of 35.5 wins by oddsmakers entering the season, the Hawks were 22-19 at the midway point. However, they’ve lost their last six games in a row and now sit ninth in the Eastern Conference at 22-25.
While they still look like a strong candidate to be a play-in team, not having Johnson for the rest of the season will put a damper on the Hawks’ chances of making the playoffs. It could also impact how the front office approaches the trade deadline, though the team doesn’t control its own first-round pick, which will be sent to San Antonio, and won’t be motivated to lose games.
With Johnson unavailable for the rest of the season, the Hawks figure to lean more heavily on forwards Zaccharie Risacher and De’Andre Hunter, with David Roddy and Larry Nance Jr. among the reserves who could move up the depth chart and see more regular playing time. However, as Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks tweets, there’s no one on the roster capable of stepping in and replicating what Johnson did for the club on both ends of the floor.
Atlanta won’t be eligible to apply for a disabled player exception to replace Johnson, since the deadline to request a DPE was January 15.
Johnson would have been eligible for restricted free agency this coming season if he hadn’t agreed to terms on a rookie scale extension with the Hawks just ahead of the October deadline. He signed a five-year, $150MM deal that will go into effect for the 2025/26 season.
Kings’ De’Aaron Fox Addresses Trade Rumors
Speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s shootaround, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox “validated reports” that the team is listening to trade inquiries for him, according to Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee.
In the wake of ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting on Tuesday that the Kings are willing to discuss the possibility of trading their starting point guard, Fox said he wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being moved ahead of next Thursday’s deadline.
“In this league, I expect the unexpected,” he said. “I think crazier things have happened. … That’s their decision to make. I can’t tell them not to listen to offers or I can’t tell them to listen to offers.”
According to Biderman, Fox said on Wednesday that he hasn’t requested a trade. Even if he had, he likely wouldn’t confirm it on the record to reporters, since a player who publicly asks to be traded is subject to a substantial fine from an NBA.
Still, Fox’s statement doesn’t contradict Tuesday’s reporting. Of course, those reports suggested that the 27-year-old has shown no inclination to sign a long-term extension with the Kings, who were advised by agent Rich Paul that it might be in their best interests to consider moving his client sooner rather than later. So even if no trade request has been made, it sounds like the team is feeling pressure from Fox’s camp.
Reports on Tuesday indicated that in the event of a trade, Fox has a preferred landing spot, which is believed to be San Antonio. While he didn’t confirm on Wednesday that he’s looking to get the Spurs, he also didn’t dispute the idea of having his eye on a particular team.
“For sure, I think everybody has a preferred destination,” Fox said, per Biderman. “I think everybody has a preferred destination if they’re not in the place that — or if they’re not going to be in the place where they are in the moment. I think it’s natural.”
Sacramento is seeking win-now players and draft assets in any Fox deal, Charania said during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday (Twitter video link).
The star guard remains under contract for one more season beyond 2024/25, so if the Kings don’t get an offer they like for him at next week’s trade deadline, they could resume trade talks in the offseason. As Biderman writes, Fox has no intention of sitting out games while waiting to see if he’s traded.
“Every day I step on the court, I do my job. That’s always my thing,” Fox said. “I’ve never been a person to worry about anything else or go and do anything else. Every time I step on the court, I try to play the best I can, I try to win games.”
Fox has spoken in the past about wanting to remain in Sacramento long-term as long as the team shows it’s capable of contending for a title and isn’t just battling for a playoff spot. The Kings are doing the latter this season, with a 24-22 record that puts them in 10th place in the West.
Asked whether there’s a chance the Kings hang onto Fox, upgrade their roster, and convince him to sign an extension during the 2025 offseason, the former Kentucky star didn’t rule out the possibility.
“I think anything’s possible in this league,” he said. “Like I said, crazier things have happened.”
Anthony Davis Has Abdominal Strain, Out At Least One Week
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.
Rockets Aren’t Interested In De’Aaron Fox Deal
Cross the Rockets off the list of potential suitors for De’Aaron Fox, according to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.
With the revelation that the Kings might consider dealing their leading scorer before next week’s deadline, Houston has been mentioned as a potential landing spot. However, Iko hears the Rockets aren’t interested in making a major move until at least the offseason. That echoes a Marc Stein report regarding the Rockets’ reluctance to pursue a blockbuster deal.
Rockets front office executives learned through recent conversations with Kings officials that there’s an increasing likelihood of a potential Fox trade, according to Iko.
In the Rockets’ thinking, it’s not time to mess with a good thing. They currently lead the Southwest Division and sit second in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets’ front office is pleased with the growth of its young roster and wants to ride out the rest of the season with that core group, as general manager Rafael Stone stated publicly last month.
Team sources told Iko they’re only interesting in making a marginal move that wouldn’t impact the current rotation. The Rockets would seek draft compensation in the form of second-round picks to take on additional salary in such a trade.
That’s because the Rockets aren’t saddled with the same restrictions as some contenders who are above the first or second tax aprons. The Rockets are approximately $10.6MM under the luxury tax and still have their $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception available to use in a trade.
While there will likely be plenty of other teams with interest in Fox, multiple reports have indicated that San Antonio is believed to be the guard’s preferred destination.
Kings Expected To Entertain Trading De’Aaron Fox
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.
NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event
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
- Carlton Carrington (Wizards)
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Zach Edey (Grizzlies)
- Dalton Knecht (Lakers)
- Jared McCain (Sixers)
- Yves Missi (Pelicans)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Alex Sarr (Wizards)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Sophomores
- Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Gradey Dick (Raptors)
- Keyonte George (Jazz)
- Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers)
- Trayce Jackson-Davis (Warriors)
- Jaime Jaquez (Heat)
- Dereck Lively II (Mavericks)
- Brandon Miller (Hornets)
- Amen Thompson (Rockets)
- Cason Wallace (Thunder)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
G League Players
- JD Davison (Maine Celtics) *
- Mac McClung (Osceola Magic) *
- Bryce McGowens (Rip City Remix) *
- Leonard Miller (Iowa Wolves) *
- Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes)
- Reed Sheppard (Rio Grande Valley Vipers) *
- Pat Spencer (Santa Cruz Warriors) *
* 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.
NBA To Stick With Two-Day Draft In 2025
After splitting its draft into two days for the first time in 2024, the NBA confirmed today (via Twitter) that it will use the same format for its 2025 event.
According to the league, the dates for the 2025 NBA draft are as follows:
- Wednesday, June 25 (8:00 pm ET): Round one
- Thursday, June 26 (8:00 pm ET): Round two
As usual, the event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
After long having held the draft on a single night, the NBA and NBPA decided last year to make it a two-day affair in order to give its teams, broadcast partners, and incoming players more time – and a bigger spotlight – in the second round.
During single-night drafts, that second round typically began late in the evening on the East Coast, then flew by because teams only had two minutes to make their picks — each year, a number of those picks were made while ESPN’s broadcast was on a commercial break. It was also often difficult to track which teams owned which picks, with teams trading second-rounders more frequently than first-rounders.
In the new format, teams have four minutes per pick in the second round, only slightly less than the five minutes per pick in round one.
Stein: Raptors A Team To Watch For Brandon Ingram
The Raptors have emerged as a team to watch as a potential suitor for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Stein’s report doesn’t indicate that the two sides have gained any momentum toward a deal, but he writes that “the mere suggestion of potential Raptors interest” is the most noteworthy development on the Ingram front for several weeks.
Bruce Brown, Chris Boucher, and Davion Mitchell, all of whom are on expiring contracts, have frequently been mentioned as Raptors trade candidates leading up to next Thursday’s deadline, as has big man Kelly Olynyk, who has one more guaranteed year left on his own deal.
As Stein observes, most recent Raptors-related rumors have connected Toronto to a potential multi-team Jimmy Butler blockbuster as a facilitator. But Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca cited a front office source last week who said the Raptors are also believed to be on the lookout for a “significant piece” to pair with All-Star forward Scottie Barnes.
While it remains to be seen if Toronto’s front office views Ingram as that “significant piece,” the 27-year-old forward is a former All-Star who is very much available via trade as he plays out his $36MM expiring contract. He and the Pelicans have been unable to agree to terms on an extension, creating uncertainty about his future in New Orleans beyond this season.
Unfortunately, Ingram hasn’t had much of an opportunity to boost his stock this season as he nears unrestricted free agency. Injuries, including a badly sprained left ankle that has sidelined him since December 7, have limited him to 18 outings for the 12-35 Pelicans, who have endured a nightmare season so far.
In those 18 contests, Ingram has averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game with a shooting line of .465/.374/.855.
NBA Reschedules Two Postponed Games, Moves Seven Others
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.