Thunder’s Dort, Pelicans’ Fears Fined By NBA
Thunder forward Luguentz Dort and Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears have been fined $25K apiece for their roles in an altercation at the end of Tuesday’s game between the two teams, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
With the Pelicans trailing the Thunder by a score of 104-95, Fears grabbed an offensive rebound on a missed three-point attempt in the game’s final seconds and attempted to put up a shot. He appeared to be fouled by Dort, but no call was made, and the two players got tangled up, with Dort shoving Fears and both players grabbing one another’s jerseys “in an aggressive manner,” per the league (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).
“I think that’s a foul on Dort,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “If it was, they should put a whistle on that play regardless of the score and the time. Because if they do that, everybody stops playing and you legislate the situation as you normally would. But because they didn’t put a whistle on it, it’s the end of the game and they can do nothing about it and you end up with that situation.”
Players and coaches from both teams came onto the floor and separated the two players to prevent the dispute from escalating. Fears was escorted off the floor by a Pelicans security officer and Jordan Dumars, the son of head of basketball operations Joe Dumars, according to Walker (Twitter video link).
While $25K doesn’t represent a significant percentage of either player’s salary, the fine will impact Fears, a rookie, a little more than it will affect the seventh-year veteran Dort. Fears is earning roughly $7.5MM in his first NBA season, while Dort’s 2025/26 salary is $18.2MM.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Intrigued By Wolves, Sixers?
Confirming reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) say the Timberwolves should be included among the group of teams considered serious suitors for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Minnesota doesn’t currently have a tradable first-round pick, but Stein and Fischer hear that Antetokounmpo has “quietly had the Timberwolves in his thoughts” for some time and would be very intrigued by the possibility of teaming up with star guard Anthony Edwards. While Giannis doesn’t hold a no-trade clause, he’ll have some leverage in the Bucks’ trade talks, since any potential trade partner would be reluctant to give up a massive haul for a player who could reach free agency and head elsewhere as soon as 2027.
As Stein and Fischer observe, the Wolves weren’t willing to include forward Jaden McDaniels in an offer for Kevin Durant last year and have been reluctant to make many of their higher-paid rotation players available this season as they scour the trade market for backcourt help. But the expectation is that they’d be much more open to discussing McDaniels and others as part of a potential package for Antetokounmpo.
Surveying the market for the two-time MVP, Stein and Fischer touch on several other teams, including Philadelphia. The Sixers haven’t contacted Milwaukee about a possible Giannis deal to this point, but they’re on his radar, according to The Stein Line’s duo, who point out that Antetokounmpo and Sixers star Tyrese Maxey both work with trainer Drew Hanlen.
Here are several more Giannis-related updates:
- Antetokounmpo’s potential interest in the Heat dates back to at least 2020, when he had Miami high on his list of possible landing spots if he didn’t sign an extension with the Bucks, per Stein and Fischer. He also reportedly had interest in joining the Knicks last summer. Still, it won’t be easy for either team to win a bidding war for the star forward. According to The Stein Line, some sources around the NBA have wondered whether New York missed its window to land Giannis and believe that a complicated multi-team framework would be necessary to get him to the Knicks at this point.
- According to Stein and Fischer, several rival front offices have wondered if the Bucks are trying to establish asking prices with potential Antetokounmpo suitors now before holding a full-fledged auction in the summer, when several teams will have more tradable first-round picks available. “They’re asking for the moon,” one general manager told The Stein Line on Thursday. “All of your young players and all of your draft picks.”
- Early indications are that the Hawks haven’t entered the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and don’t intend to, Stein and Fischer write. That echoes reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic, who said Hawks team officials were conveying on Wednesday that they aren’t involved on Giannis and are taking a long-term approach with their roster. Forward Jalen Johnson and the Hawks’ most favorable 2026 first-round pick (either the Pelicans’ or Bucks’ selection) would be extremely valuable trade chips, but Atlanta reportedly isn’t interested in parting with either one and has some reservations about how Antetokounmpo and Johnson would fit together, per Stein and Fischer.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 1/29/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included whether the Warriors can compete for another title before Stephen Curry retires, the Clippers' options on the trade market, Yves Missi as a possibility for the Bulls, Karl-Anthony Towns' future with the Knicks, and plenty of questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo!
Central Notes: Haliburton, Bradley, Collins, White, Cavs
Tyrese Haliburton is back on the court and playing full-contact basketball again, Dustin Dopirak writes for The Indianapolis Star. Seven months after tearing his Achilles in the Pacers‘ Game 7 loss to the Thunder, Haliburton is participating in in three-on-three and four-on-four scrimmages.
“I’m approaching week 31 here, so almost going on eight months,” Haliburton said in a recent appearance on LeBron James‘ Mind The Game podcast (Twitter video link). “Man, I feel really good. My body feels really good. I just started playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 full court. That’s been good to be with the (player development) interns and stuff. It’s been funny because as I’ve started playing with the interns and (assistant coach) Jannero Pargo, one of our player development guys, I’m playing with these guys and I feel so nice. I’m like, ‘Ooh, I can play in an NBA game right now.'”
Although his body feels good, Haliburton admitted that he got a taste of reality once he got on the court with teammates like Kam Jones, Ethan Thompson, and Bennedict Mathurin.
“First play, (Mathurin) comes down, hesi, shoots a three,” Haliburton said. “They’re like, ‘Go at him!’ He’s like, ‘Ah, his leg.’ I’m like, ‘Hey bruh, I’m fine. Attack me like normal. I gotta see where I’m at.’ He hesi’d me one time. He was at the rim, I was still at the three-point line. I was like, ‘Ohhh.’ I still got some time. I gotta give myself some grace and understand it’s going to take some time.”
The Pacers ruled out Haliburton for the 2025/26 season last summer, so we won’t see the star point guard playing in an NBA game before next fall. Still, the progress he has made in his recovery bodes well for his availability in training camp — and for a potential bounce-back ’26/27 season in Indiana. The team has one the NBA’s worst records this year at 12-36.
We have more from the Central Division:
- The Pacers have an open spot on their 15-man roster again after Tony Bradley‘s second 10-day contract expired overnight. If they want to bring back Bradley, the Pacers would have to sign him to a guaranteed rest-of-season deal, but won’t happen for now, tweets Tony East of Circle City Spin. I expect the team will hold that roster spot open for at least the next week in case it proves useful in a trade-deadline deal.
- Bulls big man Zach Collins – out since December 27 due to a toe injury – isn’t close to returning to action. Head coach Billy Donovan said on Wednesday that Collins is still wearing a walking boot and will be reevaluated in two weeks, per Dopirak (Twitter link).
- Bulls guard Coby White tells Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required) that he’s taking a positive view of being the subject of so many trade rumors this season. “You’ve got to always look at it like — it’s good to be wanted, you know?” White said. “But I don’t really know what’s going to happen. I don’t have any clue. … I just want to see everybody succeed. Whatever direction they decide to go in or they’re deciding to go in, I want all these guys to succeed. I got drafted here, so I want the organization to succeed. I hope it works out for them, whatever they decide.”
- The raised court at the Cavaliers‘ Rocket Arena is under scrutiny again after Luka Doncic slipped off the sidelines and hurt his lower left leg on Wednesday night, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. The Lakers star appeared to avoid a major injury, but it’s not the first time the court has been an issue — after Dru Smith suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2023, the Heat contacted the NBA to express concerns about the gap between the arena floor and the playing surface. “It is absolutely a safety hazard,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “And I don’t know why it’s still like that. I don’t. You know, you can lodge formal complaints. A lot of times you don’t see any change when you lodge a formal complaint.”
Eli Cohen contributed to this story.
Warriors Notes: Trade Options, Kuminga, Curry, Horford
Although the Warriors appear willing to move several future first-round picks – and either Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green – in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo, there are no other players on the trade market at the moment who would prompt the team to act with that level of aggression, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.
As Slater notes, Golden State has continually been linked to Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but Joe Dumars and his front office have “stonewalled” the Warriors’ efforts to land Murphy, conveying that they’re not interested in moving members of New Orleans’ young core.
The Warriors have also been connected to possible trade targets like Michael Porter Jr. of the Nets and Andrew Wiggins of the Heat, but team sources have thrown “cold water” on those concepts, according to Slater, who hears from one source that Golden State doesn’t intend to engage with Miami about a Wiggins reunion. Multiple reports on Wednesday indicated that the two teams had explored that possibility.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Since Butler went down with a season-ending ACL tear, Warriors team sources have referred to their trade deadline approach as more “future-focused,” Slater reports. That stance suggests the club will be less inclined to move Jonathan Kuminga in a deal for a marginal or short-term upgrade on the wing.
- Although Stephen Curry is kept in the loop by management when a trade is receiving serious consideration, he said on Wednesday that he trusts general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and doesn’t feel the need to constantly check in on the front office’s pursuit of roster upgrades. “Myself, Draymond, just knowing the conversations are happening all the time. I don’t ever get into hypotheticals. It’s a waste of time, it’s a waste of energy,” Curry said, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “It’s not my job to do that. Mike and the entire front office, I’m sure are making calls and I’m sure are taking looks, seeing what’s going on and then if there’s something material, something real, we have conversations about it. And decisions are made. So that’s our process, it’s always been that way.”
- After joining the Warriors as a free agent last fall, Al Horford battled health issues to open the season and got off to an up-and-down start. However, the big man has been consistently available since Christmas and has been inserted into the starting lineup within the past week. Head coach Steve Kerr said on Wednesday that he plans to stick with Horford as a starter for now. “Now that he can play 24 minutes, which is where his restriction is, I feel comfortable starting him and still being able to close with him,” Kerr explained, adding that he likes using Horford alongside Green in the frontcourt (Twitter video link via Slater).
- Horford is the starting center Golden State has always wanted, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, who notes that the 40-year-old has helped shore up the Warriors’ defense while providing passing and shooting on offense. Horford has a positive plus/minus mark in each of his past seven outings and nine of his last 10.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Rumors: Wolves, Warriors, Heat, More
The Timberwolves are among the most serious suitors for Giannis Antetokounmpo, league sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania reported on Wednesday that the Bucks star is “ready for a new home” and that Milwaukee is showing more willingness than ever to listen to offers for the two-time MVP.
While Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly is one of the NBA’s most aggressive front office executives, it’s difficult to envision Minnesota putting together a package that would appeal to the Bucks. The Wolves don’t have any tradable first-round picks, so an offer would would have to be heavy on player value. With Anthony Edwards off the table, a package would probably start with Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo.
As talented as those players are, none are All-Stars. Plus, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) anticipates that the Bucks would be seeking a more draft-heavy return if they end up moving Antetokounmpo.
“They have to prioritize the draft,” Windhorst said. “This year’s draft and their pick situation going forward. Their future is going to be tied to (the) draft.”
Here are several more Giannis-related rumors, a week out from the February 5 deadline:
- The Warriors have contacted the Bucks within the past week to convey their “firm” interest in Antetokounmpo and to make it clear they’re prepared to make a strong offer, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN. While Golden State isn’t actively shopping Jimmy Butler, he would be on the table in a Giannis scenario for salary-matching purposes, according to Slater, who adds that the Bucks have some interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. Milwaukee native Brandin Podziemski could also be a factor in those trade talks, Slater notes.
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) considers what the Heat‘s best deadline for offer for Antetokounmpo might look like, suggesting it would probably consist of Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Terry Rozier‘s expiring contract, and Miami’s two tradable first-round picks.
- The Rockets are unlikely to get involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said in the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link). “I have been told that the Rockets will not be bidders,” MacMahon said. “Now, hey, nobody was under oath, but I’ve been told that repeatedly and I’ll say that they’ve got a pretty good track record of shooting me straight.”
- MacMahon also doesn’t anticipate the Spurs being a player for Antetokounmpo. “I have been told by folks with the Spurs, ‘We’re not a home for Giannis,'” he said on the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link). “And there’s been a lot of smoke going back to the summer, but everything in San Antonio is about the (Victor Wembanyama) timeline, and this is a decade past the Wemby timeline when you bring in Giannis at his age.”
- The Thunder have more than enough assets to make a strong offer for Antetokounmpo, but they shouldn’t – and likely won’t – seriously entertain the idea, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com, who suggests that making a move for a veteran star like Giannis would shorten Oklahoma City’s window of championship contention.
Jayson Tatum Mulling Sitting Out Rest Of Season
January 29: Tatum told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN on Wednesday night that he remains undecided about whether or not he’ll return this season.
“(I want) to get it right the first time, so it’s just a lot to think about,” Tatum said.
January 28: The prospect of Jayson Tatum returning this season from the Achilles rupture that has sidelined him since last spring’s playoffs grew murkier on Wednesday night, as NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Tatum is reevaluating the idea and considering sitting out the rest of the Celtics‘ season (Twitter video link).
While it appeared Tatum was getting closer to being able to make his anticipated season debut, Haynes says the star wing’s return is now considered “up in the air.”
According to Haynes, Tatum previously told him that he had planned on coming back this season, but league sources say the situation has changed for “a couple” reasons, though Haynes didn’t elaborate on what those reasons were.
As Brian Robb of MassLive writes, in a recent podcast appearance, Tatum discussed the Celtics’ success without him this season and addressed how that delicate chemistry could impact his decision to suit up this year.
“They have an identity this year or things that they felt has clicked for them and has been successful,” Tatum said. “There is a thought in my head, ‘How does that work?’ or ‘How does that look with me integrating myself off with injury and 50, 60 games into a season?’“
Boston holds a 29-18 record after Wednesday night’s loss to the Hawks, and is tied for the second seed in the East while being led by Jaylen Brown, who is averaging career highs in points (29.6), rebounds (6.8), assists (4.9), field goal attempts (22.5), and free throw attempts (7.3) per game. Tatum expressed some concern that his presence could change the dynamic of the team.
“Obviously, there could be some challenges,” he said. “It is a thought like, ‘Damn, do I come back? Or should I wait?’ It’s something that, recently, in the last two weeks or so [I] just kind of contemplate every single day.”
That said, Haynes’ report certainly doesn’t rule out the possibility of Tatum coming back this season if he feels physically and mentally ready to do so. It’s unclear how Tatum’s status might impact the Celtics’ approach to the trade deadline, as there have been reports that the team’s somewhat unexpected success could lead to them being buyers at the deadline, with ducking the luxury tax no longer considered a top priority.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, James, Clippers, Brooks
Many factors will go into any trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but among realistic suitors, the Warriors could have the cleanest path to putting together a compelling trade package, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Marks looks at 11 teams who could potentially make a move for the Bucks’ star. Among those 11, he has the Warriors and Pistons tied for the lowest degree of difficulty in terms of making an enticing offer due to the two teams’ combination of young players, salary-matching contracts, and available draft picks.
He notes that Jimmy Butler‘s two-year, $111MM contract would be required in any deal for Antetokounmpo, and that the Warriors could then include Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, four first-round picks (including one in this year’s loaded draft) and up to three pick swaps. Such a deal would require taking back either Bobby Portis or Kyle Kuzma, whom the Bucks would likely be interested in moving off.
While Antetokounmpo’s preference will likely come into play in any deal, the number of picks the Warriors can offer should appeal to the Bucks. By comparison the Heat can only offer two first-rounders starting in 2030, while the Knicks can’t trade a first-round selection until the offseason outside of a protected Wizards 2026 pick that is unlikely to convey.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- LeBron James is almost certain to stay with the Lakers through this trade deadline, but some in his circle have speculated he could play another season in the NBA somewhere outside of Los Angeles, reports Shams Charania for ESPN (YouTube video link). “If he does actually play one more season, there is definitely chatter,” Sharania said. “Where could that be? Could that be in Cleveland? Where could that be? Could it be back in L.A.?” Charania emphasized that James’ focus at present is playing out the year with the Lakers, who will be active trying to improve the team at the trade deadline.
- With Patrick Baldwin Jr.‘s 10-day deal having expired, the under-15 clock is back on for the Clippers, notes Spotrac’s Keith Smith (via Twitter). This rule prevents a team from having its two-way players active for more than 90 combined games while carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster. Unless the team re-adds a 15th man, Los Angeles has just five more games in which both Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller can be active. Converting one of the two of them to a standard contract after the trade deadline could solve the issue, with Miller looking the more likely candidate for a promotion. The third-year wing has averaged 14.3 points in 28.5 minutes per game over his last 10 games.
- A technical foul that Dillon Brooks received in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game between the Suns and Nets, the NBA announced (Twitter link). This puts Brooks at a league-leading 14 technicals for the season, one ahead of the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, which means he’s still two techs away from a one-game suspension.
Southwest Notes: Morant, Rockets, Grizzlies, Edey
The Grizzlies have multiple suitors with interest in Ja Morant and are “wide open for business” when it comes to their star point guard, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (video link).
However, Charania adds that any deal involving Morant is likely going to have to wait on trade talks regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s especially true in the case of a team such as the Heat, who are reportedly interested in both players. Miami will prioritize any possibility of a move for the Bucks’ star, shifting the pursuit of Morant to the back burner.
Charania also emphasizes that Morant’s contract, which covers through two more years after this season, gives Memphis more flexibility in terms of extracting value in a deal than the Hawks were able to get for Trae Young, who has a player option for next season.
Morant is expected to miss at least two more weeks with an elbow sprain, meaning he will be out past the trade deadline. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game this season.
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- The Rockets received a blow to their depth and identity when they confirmed today that Steven Adams has undergone season-ending surgery on his ankle. In the wake of the injury, Houston will lean more on Clint Capela, but head coach Ime Udoka doesn’t expect to use Capela in two-big lineups with Alperen Sengun in the same way he deployed Adams, Varun Shankar writes for the Houston Chronicle. “People are calling non-stop,” Udoka said when asked if the Rockets would consider pursuing another center at the trade deadline. “It depends on what’s out there. But I think we are totally fine going with Clint and our small-ball lineups if need be. But let’s see what shakes out. Like I said, people are calling more for our guys than us reaching out.”
- The Grizzlies have struggled with injuries to their guard rotation throughout the season, but reinforcements are on the horizon. Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. have both been assigned to the Memphis Hustle in the G League as they work towards making their season debuts, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports (via Twitter). The assignment will give Jerome a chance to get some reps in before potentially making his return in the coming week. Pippen is still a couple of weeks from returning from the toe surgery that has kept him sidelined since the offseason, Cole adds. The 25-year-old guard is in the second year of a four-year, $9.6MM contract. Over his last two seasons with Memphis, he has averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists on .483/.402/.721 shooting splits in 22.1 minutes per game.
- Zach Edey is still multiple weeks away from being reevaluated for the stress reaction in his ankle that has kept him sidelined since early December, but according to multiple orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons, there’s plenty of reason to think that the second-year Grizzlies center will make a full recovery and be fine moving forward, Cole writes in an article for the Commercial Appeal. “The ligaments have healed stable, so that should be resolved,” said Dr. Kenneth Jung of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles. “When you’re dealing with stress in the bone, that’s not necessarily instability. You would imagine once the bone heals, he should be able to get back out there and do whatever he needs to do with the instability already resolved.” When asked if fans should be concerned about the lingering injury this year, Dr. Nicholas Strasser of Vanderbilt University said, “Is it a concern? Yes, but sometimes it just needs time to heal and respond. You wish you can speed it up as much as possible, but the human body just needs to be given the time for it to go through the healing process. I guess I wouldn’t be too concerned right now. It’s hard to be patient through that process.”