Stein’s Latest: Mavs, Davis, Bulls, Kuminga, CP3, Pelicans
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has begun gathering information on possible candidates to run the team’s front office on a permanent basis following last month’s ouster of Nico Harrison, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
However, according to Stein, Dumont is in no rush to complete that search process and is content with the idea of taking a committee approach for the rest of the regular season. While Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are the team’s co-interim general managers, minority owner Mark Cuban, head coach Jason Kidd, and Dumont himself are also providing input on front office decisions, with Dumont having become “far more involved” since Harrison’s dismissal, per Stein.
One major decision facing that committee prior to this season’s trade deadline is whether or not to trade star big man Anthony Davis. Stein hears from sources that a Davis deal isn’t a foregone conclusion by any means. As Stein explains, the Mavs recognize that last season’s Luka Doncic blockbuster can’t be undone, so the team doesn’t want to just accept the best offer on the table for Davis. Accepting a subpar return for him would risk simply “compounding mistakes already made,” Stein writes.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest NBA round-up:
- The Bulls don’t appear to have any real interest in Davis, but they remain a team to watch for Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Stein says. As Stein notes, Chicago has conveyed some interest in Kuminga in the past, bringing him in past discussions involving Alex Caruso and other players.
- The Hornets were among the teams with interest in Chris Paul during the offseason, but the veteran point guard wasn’t interested in playing so far away from his family in Los Angeles. According to Stein, Charlotte is no longer expected to pursue Paul at this time, but CP3 is believed to be more open-minded about destinations further removed from L.A. Paul, who remains under contract with the Clippers for now, will become trade-eligible on Monday.
- Rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears are now viewed as the most untouchable players on the Pelicans‘ roster, Stein writes. That designation used to belong to Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones — while New Orleans may be more open to listen on those players now, the team’s asking price for Murphy and Jones is still “extremely” high, according to Stein, who notes that the Pelicans are essentially discouraging inquiries based on the return they’re seeking.
Warriors Notes: Defense, Curry, Melton, Kuminga, Spencer
The Warriors have the NBA’s top defense over the past two weeks and rank third in the league for the season, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Golden State has held its last three opponents under 100 points and has shown significant improvement in that area since Draymond Green blasted the defensive effort following a November 26 loss to Houston.
The team doesn’t have much size on defense, but Gordon notes that it’s able to compensate by wearing down opponents with ball pressure and frequently switching between man-to-man and zone. The addition of De’Anthony Melton, who made his season debut last week after recovering from an ACL tear, has given the Warriors another capable on-ball-defender.
“We’re taking away some of the easy stuff. Some of that is taking better care of the ball,” coach Steve Kerr said. “When you’re in control of the game, you just feel like your defense is set up. Overall, we’re doing a better job containing dribble penetration and just helping each other and playing with a lot of energy.”
The offense ranks just 22nd, which Kerr attributes to a lingering turnover problem, but scoring from unexpected sources has helped the Warriors survive some early-season injuries. Gordon notes that backup point guard Pat Spencer is averaging 16 points and 5.8 assists while shooting 59.1% from the field over the past four games while Stephen Curry is sidelined with a quad contusion and muscle strain.
“He’s a really good downhill pick-and-roll player, which is a powerful force,” Kerr said of Spencer. “You need that type of action, especially in the modern game with the floor spacing. And he’s a good passer.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry was able to participate in a full scrimmage on Wednesday, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). No decision has been made on his status for Friday’s game against Minnesota, but Kerr said it looks promising that the two-time MVP will be able to play.
- The team will continue to be cautious with Melton, who has logged 21 and 17 minutes in his two games since returning, Slater adds (Twitter link). Kerr plans to keep Melton in that range until his conditioning returns and probably won’t use him on both ends of back-to-backs.
- Kerr addressed the status of Jonathan Kuminga, who will be become eligible to be traded on January 15 (Twitter video link from Slater). Speculation that Kuminga will be shipped out increased after he received a DNP in Sunday’s game at Chicago. “I can imagine it’s not easy for him,” Kerr said. “We talked about the situation. My desire is for JK to be the best player he can be, regardless of where he ends up, whether it’s here or elsewhere.”
- Spencer, who was considered one of best lacrosse players in NCAA history, talked about why he chose to pursue a career in basketball in a video posted at NBC Sports Bay Area.
Fischer’s Latest: Gafford, Pacers, CP3, Clippers, Turner, Warriors
Earlier today, Shams Charania of ESPN passed along several rumors related to the NBA’s trade market, including the fact that the Pacers are on the lookout for a long-term answer at center and that Daniel Gafford is among the players the Mavericks are willing to discuss in trade talks.
In his own look at the trade market on Tuesday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) links those two items, reporting that the Pacers are believed to have interest in Gafford, who could make sense as a pick-and-roll partner for Tyrese Haliburton once the star point guard returns from his Achilles tear.
As we noted earlier in the day, Gafford signed a three-year extension during the offseason that will run through 2028/29, but he remains trade-eligible because that three-year, $54MM+ deal didn’t exceed the NBA’s extend-and-trade restrictions.
It’s unclear exactly what sort of return the Mavs would be seeking for the veteran center, but Obi Toppin ($14MM) or a package of Bennedict Mathurin ($9.2MM) and Tony Bradley ($2.9MM) are a couple examples of potential matches for Gafford ($14.4MM) from a salary perspective. Indiana also controls all of its own future first-round picks and most of its second-rounders.
Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- According to Fischer, the Clippers fully intend to work with Chris Paul and his representatives at CAA to find a new home for the veteran point guard, who may be the top candidate to be dealt on December 15 when dozens of players become newly trade-eligible. Playing close to his home in Los Angeles was Paul’s top priority in the offseason, but Fischer wonders if playing time will be a more important factor for the future Hall of Famer this time around, pointing out that CP3’s dissatisfaction grew as his minutes decreased in L.A.
- Outside of Paul, the Clippers aren’t considered likely to pursue any significant deals right away when trade season unofficially opens next Monday, says Fischer, adding that he views Ivica Zubac, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard as unlikely candidates to be moved — at least for now. Sam Amick of The Athletic made a similar point during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back show on Tuesday (Twitter video link), pointing out half-jokingly that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has an “inexplicable, borderline insane addiction to this group.”
- Maintaining cap flexibility beginning in 2027 remains a top priority for the Clippers, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the team never offered Norman Powell a contract extension before trading him to the Heat over the summer. The Clippers’ front office expected Powell to seek a new deal in the neighborhood of $30MM, per Fischer.
- While Giannis Antetokounmpo would obviously be of greater interest if the Bucks become sellers, Fischer suggests that Milwaukee center Myles Turner could be a target worth watching for the Warriors as they explore the market for potential deals involving Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State has had interest in Turner in the past, having discussed scenarios involving Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Andrew Wiggins back when the big man was still in Indiana, Fischer writes.
Kings Rumors: Long-Term Plan, DeRozan, Sabonis, Kuminga
Appearing on FanDuel’s Run it Back show on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Sam Amick of The Athletic said that Kings general manager Scott Perry is trying to keep team owner Vivek Ranadive “at bay” and sell him on taking a long-term view toward rebuilding Sacramento’s roster.
“(Perry is trying to) convince him that this might take three, four, or five years to turn around,” Amick said.
In a follow-up tweet, Amick clarifies that Ranadive – who has historically been very involved in the team’s roster decisions – isn’t pushing back on a plan to rebuild the roster. Perry is simply making it clear, Amick says, that the organization’s approach needs to be extremely “patient and prudent.”
According to Amick, the Kings’ roster is very much “in flux,” with only a very small handful of younger players, such as forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, looking like locks to be part of Sacramento’s future.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Within the same FanDuel appearance, Amick said he views DeMar DeRozan as a more likely in-season trade candidate than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis, who have larger contracts that would be more difficult to move.
- Sabonis is at his best when he can be the hub of an offense, according to Amick, but most teams wouldn’t be targeting him to be that player, which would be another factor that makes a trade more complicated. “I’ve talked to his camp recently,” Amick said of Sabonis. “It does not sound like they anticipate (him) being moved at the deadline. It’s more a message of patience.”
- The Kings, who seemed to be Jonathan Kuminga‘s top rival suitor when he was a restricted free agent this past offseason, remain interested in the Warriors forward, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said during Monday’s edition of NBA Today on ESPN (YouTube link). However, according to Spears, the Kings may no longer be willing to offer what they did over the summer. “They threw (Malik) Monk at it before, and a first(-round pick),” Spears said. “But I don’t think that first would be available anymore.”
Charania’s Latest: Mavs, Pacers, T. Young, Nets, Kuminga, Kings
While the Mavericks are expected to explore trade options involving star forward/center Anthony Davis, he isn’t the only notable Dallas player who could be on the move this winter, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Sources tell Charania that the Mavs are also open to exploring the trade markets for center Daniel Gafford, swingman Klay Thompson, and point guard D’Angelo Russell.
Gafford signed a three-year, $54.4MM extension over the summer that will take effect in 2026/27, but remains trade-eligible because that deal didn’t exceed the extend-and-trade limits; Thompson is earning $16.7MM this season and is owed a $17.5MM guaranteed salary in 2026/27; and Russell is making $5.7MM in 2025/26, with a $6MM player option for next season.
As Charania observes, Thompson was sold on joining the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason in large part because he’d get to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic is no longer on the roster and Irving has been sidelined for over nine months due to an ACL tear. The Mavs are off to a 9-16 start this season and teams around the NBA know that Thompson would prefer to be on a team close to title contention, Charania continues.
While head coach Jason Kidd and minority owner Mark Cuban have some input in personnel decisions, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who are currently running the Mavs’ front office as co-interim general managers, have been empowered to lead conversations about the team’s future, says Charania. Both Finley and Riccardi are expected to be candidates to keep the GM job on a permanent basis when the club conducts a full-fledged search after the season, sources tell ESPN.
Here are a few more items of interest from Charania’s latest ‘Inside Pass’ article for ESPN.com:
- The Pacers are engaged in trade talks in the hopes of finding a long-term answer at the center position, Charania reports. The team has been deploying Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley in the middle so far this season in the wake of Myles Turner‘s departure in free agency.
- While there has been some trade speculation centered around Trae Young this fall, the Hawks believe the star point guard will “elevate” the team once he returns from a sprained MCL that has kept him on the shelf since late October, according to Charania, who hears from sources that Young is optimistic about returning to action later this month.
- The Nets are still the only NBA team with cap room and continue to have trade discussions about how they might use that remaining room to take on salary along with additional assets, sources tell ESPN. Charania adds that Brooklyn may end up working with Cam Thomas‘ representatives to find a trade destination that works for the fifth-year guard, who has an implicit no-trade clause after accepting his one-year qualifying offer in September.
- Charania confirms that the Warriors will explore trades involving Jonathan Kuminga, who is eligible to be moved as of January 15, and that the Kings are being “open-minded” about possible deals involving most players on their roster, with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Keon Ellis among the potential targets being monitored by rivals.
Jonathan Kuminga Trade Speculation Grows After Sunday’s DNP
Jonathan Kuminga has dropped out of the Warriors‘ rotation again, and sources tell Anthony Slater of ESPN that the team plans to explore trade offers in the upcoming weeks.
Kuminga didn’t get off the bench in Sunday night’s win at Chicago, even though Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford were all unavailable. That came one night after Kuminga shot 1-of-10 in 22 minutes at Cleveland, with coach Steve Kerr choosing to play Gui Santos ahead of him in the fourth quarter of a tight game. Green was seen talking to Kuminga late in that contest in an effort to calm him down, Slater adds.
“Happens to everybody pretty much, other than the stars,” Kerr responded when asked about not playing Kuminga. “Guys come in and out of the rotation, depending on who’s available, how the team is playing.”
Kuminga’s five seasons with Golden State have featured an ongoing drama about his playing time and his fit with the team. He’s coming off a summer-long contract battle as a restricted free agent where he didn’t receive an offer sheet from a rival team and the Warriors quickly abandoned any intentions for a sign-and-trade deal.
The standoff extended into the start of training camp before Kuminga accepted a two-year, $46.8MM contract with a team option for the second season. Kuminga and his agent spoke out against the team option during negotiations, but sources tell Slater that Kuminga felt forced into accepting the offer. They also say the months of talks “generated bitter feelings on both sides.”
Kuminga appeared to have moved past the contract distractions as he opened the season as the team’s starting power forward and helped the Warriors win four of their first five games. Kerr declared him to be an entrenched starter, but things changed quickly. The team stopped winning, and Kuminga was removed from the starting lineup after 13 games. Knee tendinitis forced him to miss the next seven games, and he hasn’t shot well since returning, going just 12-of-40 from the field.
Kuminga said he talked to Kerr before Sunday’s game and was told the team is moving in a different direction.
“I’m not really sure (how long it lasts),” Kuminga said. “But as long as things are working out there and we winning, I don’t see the point of switching anything, changing. Whenever my number get called, I’ll be ready.”
Because of the circumstances of his contract, Kuminga is among a small group of players who aren’t eligible to be traded until January 15. Kuminga fits into that group because he re-signed with his previous team, he got a raise exceeding 20%, his salary is worth more than the minimum, and his team was over the cap, using Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.
League sources tell Slater that the probability of Kuminga being moved before the February 5 trade deadline is strong. The Suns and Kings expressed interest in sign-and-trade deals over the summer, but both teams’ circumstances have changed since then.
Slater notes that Kuminga’s situation is unlikely to improve before the deadline. After picking up a pair of much-needed road wins over the weekend, Golden State will have four days off before hosting Minnesota on Friday. That will give Curry and Green time to recover from their injuries, leaving fewer opportunities for Kuminga.
“I don’t have any problems,” Kuminga said. “I’m going to work out every day, stay ready, because you never know how these things works. I believe in my game and feel good about my game. I just got to be a professional. Things happen. It’s happened before.”
Fischer’s Latest: Giannis, Knicks, Nets, Hawks, Spurs, Warriors
When the Bucks briefly explored the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade over the summer, the Knicks were the only team they spoke to, with the star forward having reportedly expressed some interest in the idea of playing in New York.
Given Antetokounmpo’s apparent affinity for the Big Apple, the Nets have long believed they could have a real shot at winning the Giannis sweepstakes if he ever ends up on the trade block, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, according to Fischer, while the Knicks continue to be viewed as a credible threat to land the two-time MVP, Brooklyn is no longer being described in the same terms.
As Fischer explains, the Nets are prioritizing a high pick in the 2026 draft in the hopes of landing a young franchise player to build around, and don’t have the sort of championship-caliber roster that Antetokounmpo would be seeking in the event that he requests a trade.
The Knicks, conversely, have a roster better equipped to contend with Giannis, but may lack the assets to sell Milwaukee on a deal. For what it’s worth, Fischer hears from multiple sources that Antetokounmpo told at least one Bucks teammate during the offseason that he thought a deal with the Knicks was close to happening, though multiple reports have indicated that the two teams didn’t gain real traction in their discussions.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- The Hawks could make a compelling offer for Antetokounmpo by offering the 2026 first-round pick they acquired from New Orleans back in June. If the Bucks were to acquire that pick, they’d control both their own and the Pelicans’ first-rounders in the upcoming draft. Fischer says he has been repeatedly – and “quite strongly” – told since the start of the season that Atlanta won’t trade that “most favorable” first-rounder, which could end up with the best odds to be No. 1 overall, but he believes the Hawks’ front office would have to at least consider the idea if it meant adding a superstar like Giannis.
- The Spurs have talked to Antetokounmpo’s U.S.-based agent Alex Saratsis multiple times over the years about the possibility of joining their front office, sources tell Fischer. Despite that link between the two parties, Fischer says there’s no guarantee San Antonio would be a major player in the Giannis sweepstakes if he seeks a deal, noting that the Spurs have thus far been unwilling to consider moving either Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle, even for Antetokounmpo.
- During past trade discussions for other players, the Warriors have “never been close” to putting both Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski in the same package, Fischer writes. They also have never seriously entertained any scenario in which they trade Draymond Green. However, Fischer thinks the club would be open to reconsidering both of those possibilities if Antetokounmpo is on the table.
De’Anthony Melton To Make Season Debut On Thursday
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton will make his season debut on Thursday against one of his former teams in Philadelphia, tweets ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Melton, who has spent the fall going through the final phase of his recovery from an ACL tear, isn’t on the Warriors’ initial injury report for Thursday’s contest vs. the Sixers. He’ll be available for the first time since he suffered that knee injury on November 12, 2024, nearly 13 months ago.
After signing a one-year contract with the Warriors during the 2024 offseason, Melton appeared in just six games for Golden State before his season came to an early end. He looked like a great fit in the backcourt during that very small sample, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 20.2 minutes per contest. The team had a +10.9 net rating during his 121 minutes of action.
Melton, who returned to the Warriors this fall after being traded to Brooklyn last season, also missed a significant portion of the 2023/24 season due to a back issue and has appeared in just 14 regular season and playoff games since the calendar flipped to 2024. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume head coach Steve Kerr will be conservative with the 27-year-old as he returns to the court — he figures to be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future.
Still, Melton’s return will be a welcome one for a Warriors team that’s missing star guard Stephen Curry due to a quad contusion. Curry may not be the only rotation player who is inactive on Thursday, as several others – including Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness), Jonathan Kuminga (right ankle soreness), and Quinten Post (left ankle sprain) – are listed as questionable to play.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Doncic, Allen, Kuminga, Payton
The reeling Clippers lost at home for the sixth consecutive time, falling to the Grizzlies, 112-107, on Friday. They’ve dropped 12 of their last 14 overall. The Clippers were up 16 in the first half but couldn’t sustain that momentum.
“Every second half, we don’t come out right,” center Ivica Zubac said, per Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “We’re not playing the right way. It feels a little bit mental. The second half we got to string some wins, man. We got to string some wins.”
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points, but it wasn’t enough to turn around their fortunes.
“That’s a challenge you got to face and I’m up for it and we just got to go out there and tuck in our jerseys and get ready to scrap if we really want to win,” Leonard said. “It can’t be two players, can’t be three. It has to be the whole 15, the unit, even guys on the bench that’s not playing.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Luka Doncic haunted his former team in the Lakers‘ 129-119 win over the Mavericks. Doncic piled up 35 points and 11 assists. “I think he’s done a good job throughout the year of finding balance, whether he’s on or off-ball, of hunting 3s and touching the paint,” coach JJ Redick said, per Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. “When he’s in that mode, he’s just really hard to guard. He’s really been in a groove with that balance, particularly late in games.”
- Suns guard Grayson Allen (right quad contusion) didn’t play against the Thunder on Friday but head coach Jordan Ott is optimistic Allen will return soon, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “Trending in the right way. Yesterday played full court. We’re just continuing to see how he reacts after that. Everything is moving in a good direction,” Ott said. Allen hasn’t played since Nov. 13.
- Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who last suited up on Nov. 12, is listed as questionable to play tonight against the Pelicans, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points tweets. Kuminga is dealing with soreness in both knees. Gary Payton II (ankle) is probable, while Stephen Curry (quad), Al Horford (sciatica) and De’Anthony Melton (knee) remain out.
Siegel’s Latest: DeRozan, Sabonis, Wolves, Claxton, Kuminga, Wiggins
Of the three Kings veteran stars considered in-season trade candidates, DeMar DeRozan looks like the one most likely to be on the move ahead of the February 5 deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
As Siegel explains, DeRozan’s relatively team-friendly contract structure – $24.6MM this season and a $10MM partial guarantee on his $25.7MM salary for 2026/27 – makes him a more manageable investment for most clubs than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis. LaVine is earning $47.5MM this season, with a $49MM player option for ’26/27, while Sabonis will be owed $94MM over the next two seasons after making $42.3MM in ’25/26.
The Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Grizzlies are some of the potential suitors to watch for DeRozan, says Siegel, though he doesn’t explicitly state that all those clubs have shown interest in the veteran forward.
Sabonis, who is currently on the shelf with a meniscus tear, will likely have to show he’s healthy before drawing real interest on the trade market. According to Siegel, the Sacramento big man isn’t expected to begin the return-to-play portion of his recovery process until sometime around Christmas.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA, courtesy of Siegel:
- There’s a “growing sense” that the Timberwolves would be willing to sell high on forward Julius Randle in the right deal this season, Siegel writes. Minnesota is known to be on the lookout for a point guard, having checked in on Ja Morant. The team has also inquired about Cavaliers guard Darius Garland for the past year-plus, sources tell Siegel. However, the Wolves’ lack of tradable first-round picks will be complicate their ability to make any major moves.
- Nets center Nic Claxton is considered a trade candidate and has come up in discussions with sources around the NBA as a possible Warriors target, Siegel writes. However, given that the Nets showed no interest in pursuing Jonathan Kuminga using their cap room when he was a restricted free agent over the summer, it doesn’t appear the fifth-year forward would be a target for Brooklyn. Claxton has also been considered a potential Lakers target dating back to last season, Siegel notes.
- The Pacers are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Kuminga, having “quietly” scouted him since the start of last season, according to Siegel, who wonders if the Warriors would have any interest in a deal involving Bennedict Mathurin. There’s a sense around the league that Indiana might look to move a player like Mathurin, Jarace Walker, or Obi Toppin due in part to the club’s cap situation going forward, Siegel adds.
- The Warriors are known to have interest in forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones and will likely talk to the Pelicans during the season, Siegel writes. It’s unclear if New Orleans would be open to moving either Murphy or Jones, but they represent the sort of “versatile wings” that Golden State will likely be targeting in a Kuminga trade, Siegel explains.
- If the Heat were to trade Andrew Wiggins this season, they’d be seeking a first-round pick, plus a player or two who could step into their rotation and be a positive contributor, per Siegel. The Lakers were linked to Wiggins during the offseason and the Bucks also inquired about him, Siegel reports, but Miami hasn’t had any serious trade talks about the veteran forward as of late.