Eighteen More Players Become Trade-Eligible
Today is Wednesday, January 15, which means that a total of 18 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.
Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:
- The player re-signed with his previous team.
- He got a raise of at least 20%.
- His salary is above the minimum.
- His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.
The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Wednesday:
- Precious Achiuwa (Knicks)
- OG Anunoby (Knicks)
- Goga Bitadze (Magic)
- Miles Bridges (Hornets)
- Max Christie (Lakers)
- Nic Claxton (Nets)
- Haywood Highsmith (Heat)
- Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
- Johnny Juzang (Jazz)
- KJ Martin (Sixers)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Malik Monk (Kings)
- Josh Okogie (Suns)
- Scotty Pippen Jr. (Grizzlies)
- Note: Pippen doesn’t meet the criteria detailed above, but was converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal on October 15. He’s trade-eligible today because it has been three months since he signed that contract.
- Immanuel Quickley (Raptors)
- Obi Toppin (Pacers)
- Aaron Wiggins (Thunder)
- Patrick Williams (Bulls)
Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt.
That group includes Kings forward Doug McDermott, who becomes trade-eligible on Thursday, Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser (trade-eligible on January 23), Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (Jan. 26), Grizzlies big man Jay Huff (Jan. 28), Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (Feb. 2), and Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (Feb. 5).
Additionally, there are several players who won’t become trade-eligible at all prior to this season’s February 6 deadline, including stars like Joel Embiid, Lauri Markkanen, and Jamal Murray.
Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.
Dereck Lively II Exits With Ankle Sprain, Doesn’t Return
The Mavericks ruled starting center Dereck Lively II out with an ankle sprain just four minutes into Tuesday’s game against Denver, the team announced (via Twitter).
Lively is continuing to build on an impressive first season that saw him finish sixth in Rookie of the Year voting as he helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals. In 31 games (24 starts) this season, he’s averaging 9.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per night while shooting a highly efficient 70.1% clip from the field.
It’s a tough blow for a Dallas team already without superstar Luka Doncic, who is dealing with a calf injury that’s expected to keep him out through this month, at the earliest. According to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, Doncic is on track to return in early February, prior to the All-Star break.
The Mavericks did get some good injury news on Tuesday, as Kyrie Irving returned to action following a five-game absence due to a back issue.
Lively’s most direct replacement is apparent: Daniel Gafford. He and Lively often switch off at the starting center position, with Gafford starting in all 22 of his appearances last postseason and Lively taking over this year.
Beyond Gafford, the Mavs have Maxi Kleber, P.J. Washington and Dwight Powell as bigs. Powell got into Tuesday’s game in the first half after not playing in Dallas’ previous two tilts.
Lively’s return timeline will depend on the severity of the injury. While a mild sprain may not cost him much, if any, additional time, a more significant sprain could keep him on the shelf for weeks.
Central Notes: Siakam, Haliburton, Pistons, Lillard
Pascal Siakam continues to be a steadying force for the Pacers as they traverse the ups and downs of the season, according to Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar, who contends that the veteran forward has been Indiana’s most consistent player since his arrival via trade before last year’s deadline.
Even when they fell to 10-15 on the season, the Pacers continued to lean on Siakam and have gone 12-4 since, which included an impressive win over the contending Cavaliers on Sunday. More notable is the fact that Siakam hasn’t even been on Indiana’s injury report. In fact, the only game he’s been inactive for was his first as a Pacer the day after he was traded.
As Dopirak observes, Siakam leads the Pacers entering Tuesday with 19.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to go along with 3.3 assists while shooting 52.1% from the field and 40.8% from deep. His three-point rate would be a career-high clip. He’s working on being a more vocal leader after being a core piece on the Raptors’ 2019 championship team. Siakam signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Pacers this past offseason.
“I put a lot of work into my craft,” Siakam said. “I think every single night, I’m ready. I’m ready however the ball is gonna go. There’s going to be times when you might get more opportunity than others. It’s just all about preparation. For me, I prepare every single day for these moments. Every single night I’m out there, I want to be a threat on all three levels. I want to do it consistently every single night.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Tyrese Haliburton missed Tuesday’s rematch against the Cavaliers — a 127-117 loss that snapped a six-game Pacers win streak — due to a mild groin strain, Dopirak reports (Twitter link). Head coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton would be “day-to-day.” According to Dopirak (Twitter link), it is not a hamstring injury for Haliburton, as initially believed. That’s worth noting, since the two-time All-Star battled hamstring problems last season.
- Entering Tuesday, the Pistons led the league in wins in the month of January, earning them a nod for most surprising team of the year, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press opines. Cade Cunningham is establishing himself as a bona fide star and has a chance to start the All-Star Game just a year after the Pistons lost an NBA-record 28 consecutive games. “Our job is to put him in position to be successful. And then he’s got to go out there and do it,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Over these 40 games now, he and I and his teammates have learned a lot about each other and how we can best help each other. And that’s what it’s about — each of us playing our role and doing what we’re supposed to do together and collectively to just help one another, make this team as good as we possibly can. Cade knows his role and what this team needs, and he’s executed perfectly.” Cunningham is averaging 26.5 points and 8.3 assists per game this month while shooting a blistering 45.8% from deep.
- Bucks star guard Damian Lillard is open to the idea of finishing out his career in EuroLeague, according to a report from BasketNews. “It’s something I’ve talked about with some members of my family the past two years but not seriously thought about,” Lillard said. It’s unlikely that will happen anytime soon, if at all. Lillard is still playing at an All-Star level at age 34, averaging 24.8 points and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 44.0% from the floor and 37.5% from three.
Kawhi Leonard In No Rush To Shed Minutes Restriction
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who made his season debut on January 4 after spending most of the first half working his way back from an offseason knee procedure, has yet to play more than 21 minutes in any of his first three outings this season.
As Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints writes, head coach Tyronn Lue and the Clippers haven’t confirmed exactly what Leonard’s minutes restriction is or when it might be lifted. But the two-time Finals MVP isn’t in any rush to get out from under that restriction, telling reporters on Monday night that he doesn’t want to risk a setback by rushing the process.
“No, I’m taking my time,” Leonard said when asked if he’s anxious to play more. “I’ve done that in the past and it led to me on the bench, I’m good where I’m at.”
The Clippers and Leonard have said they’re treating this stretch of games as if it’s the preseason for the star forward, Azarly notes. That means that in addition to being on a strict minutes limit, Leonard isn’t playing at all in clutch time. He has yet to log a single minute in the fourth quarter of any of his first three games back.
The six-time All-Star also hasn’t looked like his usual self, averaging just 8.7 points per game on 32.3% shooting so far.
“He’s looked better in practice than (in the game),” Lue said, per Azarly. “I think in the game, he’s just trying to feel his way through I think when you come from off such a long layoff. I’ve been a product of that, having surgery, coming off a long layoff, you just want to make sure you can play and that you’re comfortable, that you don’t feel it. I think that’s what he’s been doing the last couple games. He’s got to just get to a point where he trusts it, where he can go all out without having to think about it, and it’s going to take a little time.”
The Clippers’ priority is making sure Leonard is available in April. As Azarly points out, the 33-year-old hasn’t been healthy at the end of any of the past four seasons, so he and the club are willing to take things as slowly as they need to in order to maximize the chances that he’s good to go for the postseason.
Led by James Harden, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac, L.A. has performed well without Leonard so far this season. Entering Tuesday’s games, the team is the No. 6 seed in the West with a 21-17 record.
“They’ve been playing well all season,” Leonard said. “Hopefully we can get some win under our belts and move up in the standings, secure a playoff spot. That’s what we’re working for.”
Leonard will be available on Wednesday vs. Brooklyn for the first game of a back-to-back set, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic.
Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year Race
Entering Tuesday’s NBA games, Wizards center Alex Sarr was listed by most sportsbooks as the odds-on favorite to win this season’s Rookie of the Year award, as Zach Harper of The Athletic observes.
It’s no surprise that a No. 2 overall pick like Sarr is in contention for that honor, but his stat line through 34 professional contests isn’t exactly what you’d expect from the Rookie of the Year frontrunner: 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 27.1 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .406/.325/.641.
The Wizards are 5-29 in games Sarr has played and have an abysmal -16.3 net rating during his 920 minutes on the court (they’re at -10.4 in the 909 minutes he hasn’t played).
Sarr has been playing better basketball over the past month-and-a-half, averaging 13.3 PPG and 7.1 RPG with a .409 3PT% in his last 20 appearances, so those betting odds take into account that he’s trending in the right direction. But is he really the best rookie of the 2024/25 class?
That honor initially belonged to Sixers guard Jared McCain, who averaged 15.3 points per game on .460/.383/.875 shooting in his first 23 games of the season. However, McCain will miss the rest of the ’24/25 campaign due to a knee injury.
The 65-game rule doesn’t apply to Rookie of the Year voting, so a player could win the award without reaching the 65-game threshold, but it’s probably safe to assume 23 solid outings won’t be enough for McCain.
Lakers wing Dalton Knecht has been solid, but has certainly come down to earth since a hot streak in November. For the season, he has averages of 9.6 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .461/.347/.800 shooting.
A pair of Grizzlies rookies have played good minutes for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference — center Zach Edey has averaged 9.9 PPG and 7.5 RPG through 26 games (19 starts), while Jaylen Wells has been a solid three-and-D piece, putting up 11.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .438/.378/.813 shooting line and solid defense through 40 games (35 starts).
Wells might get my Rookie of the Year vote if the season ended today. But both he and Edey will face stiff competition for playing time if Memphis is fully healthy and battling for playoff seeding during the second half of the season. That could put that Grizzlies duo at a disadvantage down the stretch, since players on lottery-bound teams – like Sarr in Washington – will be getting big minutes and racking up gaudier numbers in games that don’t matter all that much.
As Harper notes, Pelicans center Yves Missi, Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Magic forward Tristan Da Silva, Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, and Wizards guard Carlton Carrington are some of the other first-year players who can be found in oddsmakers’ top 10 choices for Rookie of the Year.
We want to know what you think. Who is your Rookie of the First Half? If you were projecting a full-season Rookie of the Year winner today, who would you pick? Are there any dark-horse candidates you like to enter the mix with big second halves?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Sixers Notes: Injuries, Nance, Athleticism, Arena
In addition to being without Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond, as we relayed earlier, the Sixers have also ruled out Paul George (right ankle soreness), Tyrese Maxey (left hand sprain), and Caleb Martin (right groin soreness) for Tuesday’s game vs. Oklahoma City, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links).
On the plus side, Drummond and KJ Martin, who has been out since December 23 due to a left foot stress reaction, have resumed on-court work, Pompey notes (via Twitter). Drummond and Embiid are considered day-to-day, while KJ Martin’s return timeline is TBD.
In total, eight players are unavailable against the Thunder, so the Sixers will roll with a skeleton crew that includes a starting lineup of Reggie Jackson, Eric Gordon, Ricky Council, Kelly Oubre, and Guerschon Yabusele, tweets Pompey. It’s the first end of a back-to-back set for Philadelphia, so the team will hope to be a bit more whole on Wednesday vs. New York.
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- After waiving Pete Nance last Tuesday, the Sixers spent the week surveying the free agent market and considering other options for their open two-way slot, Pompey reports (Twitter link). However, given Embiid’s and Drummond’s injuries, the club ultimately decided that a big man was its biggest need, which is why Nance was re-signed to a new two-way deal earlier today.
- Within his takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Orlando, Pompey writes that the veteran Sixers couldn’t keep up with the more youthful Magic, suggesting that Philadelphia’s roster could benefit from an influx of athleticism.
- In an in-depth story for The Inquirer, Sean Collins Walsh and Alex Coffey take a closer look at how the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor reached an agreement to keep the team in South Philadelphia, including the role that NBA commissioner Adam Silver played in thawing out an icy relationship between the two sides.
Celtics To Receive First Round Of Ownership Bids On Jan. 23
The Celtics‘ current majority owners will receive the first round of bids from prospective buyers on January 23, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. According to Himmelsbach, that information was conveyed on Tuesday in a letter from the Grousbeck family to the rest of the team’s stakeholders.
As Himmelsbach relays, that letter from the Grousbecks stated that the investment banks retained to manage the sale have been in contact with potential bidders in recent months. The Grousbeck family is said to be “pleased with the broad level of interest that has emerged” and is targeting a “first close” this spring, Himmelsbach adds.
The Celtics’ majority ownership group first announced on July 1 that it would be putting control of the franchise up for sale. The plan laid out at that time was to sell a majority share (ie. 51%) of the team in late 2024 or early 2025, with Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck remaining in his current role until the balance of the sale is completed in 2028.
That’s still the plan, Himmelsbach writes, though it’s unclear if bidders will be on board with the idea of having Grousbeck continue serving as a governor even after he has given up his controlling interest in the franchise.
The NBA may also have some reservations about a sale that plays out across several years, given what has transpired over the past year in Minnesota. However, it’s worth noting that the Timberwolves’ sale process saw prospective owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore buy in as minority shareholders, and it wasn’t until it came time for them to take over majority control that a dispute arose between their group and longtime owner Glen Taylor. It sounds like the plan in Boston would be for the Celtics’ buyer to obtain a controlling interest in the team sooner rather than later.
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca suggested in early July that he intended to submit a bid for the franchise, with Fenway Sports Group identified in August as another possible bidder. Reporting in October indicated that minority shareholder Robert Hale and Mark Bezos, the founding partner of HighPost Capital private equity group and half-brother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, are among the other prospective buyers who could be in the mix.
Sportico’s latest NBA franchise valuations, published last month, estimated the Celtics’ value at $5.66 billion.
Southwest Notes: Green, JJJ, Wemby, Williamson
The three-year, $105MM extension that the Rockets gave Jalen Green in the fall was widely viewed as a deal designed to be traded, especially given that it included a 10% trade kicker, a rare addition to a rookie scale extension. However, the fourth-year guard is taking major steps so far this season toward justifying Houston’s investment, as Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes.
Green has averaged 23.8 points per game on .470/.389/.884 shooting in his past 19 contests (34.4 MPG). Perhaps more importantly, he’s earning praise from head coach Ime Udoka for what he’s doing on the other end of the court.
“I love his defensive effort,” Udoka said after a victory over Memphis on Monday. “It goes under-noticed for him, probably underrated. He’s taken the challenge of (Desmond) Bane and (Ja) Morant, they’re trying to put him in actions and he’s holding up really well there, taking pride in that. Obviously, the scoring stands out. I saw he matched his career high (42 points), but taking care of the ball as well. Getting more used to teams going after him.”
As Iko writes, Green – a former No. 2 overall pick – hasn’t been discussed in the same breath as fellow top picks like Morant and Anthony Edwards, who have All-NBA seasons on their respective résumés. But if he can consistently produce like he has in the past month-and-a-half (and like he did last March), that could change.
“I’m right there,” Green said. “And if not, and no one thinks that, I’m just going to keep showing it.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- If Jaren Jackson Jr. earns an All-NBA nod or is named Defensive Player of the Year this season, he’ll become eligible for a super-max contract. If not, it could be tricky for the Grizzlies to extend him off of his current contract – which has a descending structure – before he reaches free agency in 2026. Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a closer look at the situation and explains why All-NBA recognition for Jackson may benefit both the seventh-year big man and his team.
- Reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama has improved his numbers across the board so far this season, with averages of 25.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, and 3.8 assists in 33.2 minutes per game through 33 outings. The rising Spurs star has made an extremely compelling case for a spot in the All-Star Game, teammate Chris Paul said on Monday, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “Put him in the All-Star Game,” Paul said. “He deserves it, man. … He plays the game the right way. As humble of a star as you’d ever come across. Going to be Defensive Player of the Year. He’s got an opportunity to do it for 20 years straight, you know what I mean?”
- Zion Williamson‘s performance in his return from a one-game suspension on Sunday was an encouraging one, as the Pelicans forward looked healthy and put forth an impressive defensive effort, registering five steals against the defending champion Celtics. Still, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes, Williamson and the Pelicans have had plenty of positive stretches in recent years, only for those stretches to be derailed by various setbacks, often injury-related. Weiss explores what the former No. 1 pick has to do to finish this season strong.
Details On Wizards’ Asking Price For Jonas Valanciunas
The Wizards will consider trading center Jonas Valanciunas ahead of the February 6 deadline, but won’t simply sell him to the highest bidder, according to Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic.
As Robbins and Aldridge explain, the Wizards will be seeking the right kind of offer for Valanciunas, which means one that could “appreciably” move their rebuild forward. In other words, a late second-round pick or two might not sufficiently move the needle.
The Wizards’ asking price will also depend on what kind of contract(s) they have to take back in return for Valanciunas, The Athletic’s duo says. If a trade partner wants to include a highly paid player on a multiyear deal (ie. a negative asset), Washington would likely ask for a first-round pick. On the other hand, if that team is offering a more favorable short-term contract, then a couple early second-round picks could be enough for the Wizards to make a move.
I’m a little skeptical that Valanciunas will have a ton of value on the trade market. The former No. 5 overall pick is a talented interior scorer and rebounder who has the size to match up with the NBA’s biggest centers, but he doesn’t stretch the floor or protect the rim especially well, and isn’t agile enough to reliably switch onto quicker guards and forwards.
Additionally, while Valanciunas’ contract isn’t an albatross, it’s not really a bargain either — the 32-year-old has a $9.9MM cap hit this season and is owed a $10.4MM guaranteed salary in 2025/26. His $10MM salary for 2026/27 is non-guaranteed.
One league source who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge believes that a pair of second-round picks (not necessarily early ones) will be the best the Wizards will be able to do in a trade involving the Lithuanian big man.
Of course, this front office showed a year ago when it retained point guard Tyus Jones through the trade deadline that it’s willing to hang onto a veteran on a lottery-bound team if it doesn’t get an offer it likes. Jones ended up departing as a free agent during the 2024 offseason, whereas the Wizards would have additional chances to move Valanciunas in future transaction windows.
Valanciunas was signed by the Wizards to serve as a leader and mentor for the team young players and to help protect rookie Alex Sarr from more physical matchups, according to Robbins and Aldridge. He has played that role well, albeit in a limited capacity — his 19.8 minutes per game represent a career low. He has averaged 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds across 38 outings (eight starts).
“It’s good on my body,” Valanciunas said with a laugh when asked about his modest workload. “You always got to see the positives too, you know? It’s good on my body, and I’m not tired. I’m ready to go. Anytime coach calls my number, I’m here to do whatever. I signed up for that.”
Valanciunas joked that he plans to turn his phone off as the trade deadline nears, adding that he knows the possibility of being traded is part of the business and is out of his hands.
“I just come in every day, work,” he said. “Every game, I play 100 percent. That’s all I can do. That’s all I do. It’s above me. I have no control in that.”
The Lakers have long been cited as a potential suitor for Valanciunas. The Knicks were also said to have interest in him over the summer, though it’s unclear if he’s still on New York’s radar.
And-Ones: Crawford, NBC, 2025 Draft, J. Porter Case
Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford will be the lead game analyst for games on NBC and Peacock beginning next season, NBC Sports officially confirmed on Tuesday. The Athletic reported last month that NBC had reached a deal to hire Crawford as an analyst.
NBC hasn’t been an NBA broadcast partner since 2002, but is one of three companies – along with Disney (ABC/ESPN) and Amazon Prime – that struck agreements with the league for its media rights beginning in 2025/26.
The network is in the process of filling its roster of play-by-play commentators, game analysts, and studio analysts ahead of the fall, with Crawford expected to work one or more games per week, according to today’s announcement.
“I’m thrilled to join the NBC Sports family and their new NBA package,” said Crawford, who has worked with TNT Sports, NBA TV, and MSG Network. “I grew up reenacting the game highlights that I watched on the network’s classic NBA coverage, so I’m truly honored to be a part of the new broadcast team that will bring the game to a different generation of fans. NBC Sports’ productions are top-notch across the board, and I can’t wait for hoop fans to see what we have in store for the new era of basketball content.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA announced this week (via Twitter) that its 2025 draft lottery will take place on May 12 in Chicago. The NBA G League combine, formerly known as the NBA G League Elite Camp, will be held from May 9-11, with the full-fledged draft combine to follow from May 11-18.
- Speaking of the 2025 NBA draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his mock draft, making 59 picks across both rounds of the event, while Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) have identified 10 prospects whose stocks are on the rise, including Michigan’s Danny Wolf, Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams, and Florida’s Alex Condon.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic and David Purdum of ESPN provide updates on the latest developments in the sports betting scandal involving former Raptors big man Jontay Porter, noting that another arrest has been made in connection with the case. Shane Hennen, a Las Vegas man, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering after alleging being tipped off to bet various “unders” ahead of a January 26, 2024 game, which Porter exited due to an eye injury. Hennen was sent a message from Porter that read, “Hit unders for the big numbers. I told (Co-Conspirator 2) no blocks no steals. I’m going to play first 2-3 minute stint off the bench then when I get subbed out tell them my eye killing me again.”