Knicks Notes: Giannis, Paul, Backup PG, Hart, More
Although the Knicks made a “real offer” for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason, an in-season trade looks unlikely at this juncture, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link).
As Begley explains, Antetokounmpo would likely have to try and force his way to New York for a deal to happen, and even if that were to occur, Milwaukee would be under no obligation to fulfill his request. A league source also tells Begley the Knicks like their roster and believe they’re well-positioned in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
The Clippers announced on Wednesday morning that they’re “parting ways” with Chris Paul — what that means exactly is still to be determined, since he’s unlikely to be waived anytime soon and isn’t trade-eligible until December 15. A previous report indicated that the Knicks have discussed the possibility of making a deal for the 40-year-old point guard, but Begley hears a trade, at least as of now, is “highly unlikely” to occur.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News and Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post (subscriber link) weigh the pros and cons of the Knicks making a run at Paul. Vaccaro believes the future Hall-of-Famer would be an upgrade over second-year guard Tyler Kolek and would probably be relatively easy to acquire. Winfield, meanwhile, says Paul would be an imperfect fit on the Knicks due to his declining production and worsening defense, but the team does need another play-maker off the bench, and the 12-time All-Star is one of the best in league history.
- As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes (subscription required), Kolek has been getting backup point guard minutes of late, but the team has struggled mightily in his time on the court, which is one reason why the need for a reserve play-maker behind Jalen Brunson persists. Bondy lists nine guards whom a pair of NBA executives think could be available before the February deadline, including Paul, Jose Alvarado (Pelicans), Tre Jones (Bulls), and his older brother Tyus Jones (Magic).
- Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link) expects Josh Hart to remain in the starting lineup going forward, which is noteworthy because OG Anunoby could return to action on Friday — he’s questionable against Utah after missing the past nine games with a strained left hamstring. Hart has been playing his best basketball of the season recently.
- While the Knicks have won five of their past six games, they’ve also blown double-digit leads in five of those six contests, according to Winfield. The latest incident occurred in Wednesday’s win over Charlotte. “Teams aren’t just going to lay down. We build a lead, you’ve got to anticipate they’re going to fight back, they’re not just going to give up,” Brunson said after the victory. “We’ve got to do a better job of slowing down their runs and limiting them. But we can’t let them get all the way back like we’ve been doing.”
Pelicans Rumors: Williamson, Murphy, Jones, Alvarado
Hired as the Pelicans‘ new head of basketball operations in the spring, Joe Dumars opted against pursuing a trade of oft-injured forward Zion Williamson during his first summer on the job. However, with New Orleans off to a league-worst 3-19 start this fall and Williamson once again battling health issues – first a hamstring strain and now an adductor strain – it appears increasingly unlikely that the former No. 1 overall pick will be part of the team’s long-term future, writes Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints.
One league source who spoke to ClutchPoints speculated that the Pelicans would be willing to accept the “first decent, reasonable offer” they get for Williamson, but the 25-year-old’s value is diminished due to his injury history. New Orleans has yet to have any meaningful trade negotiations involving Williamson, according to Dodson, who notes that the team’s leverage is extremely limited.
Discussing the Williamson situation during an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the two-time All-Star has “almost next to no value” and pointed out that the Pelicans remain incentivized to win games this season because they don’t control their own 2026 first-round pick.
“I know this sounds like a broken record,” Windhorst said, “but I think the pathway forward with Zion is continue to support him, like (interim head coach) James Borrego said, and continue to try to exhaust all pathways to get him into a space where he can be the dominant player that he is.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- While sharpshooter Trey Murphy III would have significant value on the trade market if he were made available, the Pelicans seem more inclined to view him as a core part of the team’s future rather than a trade asset, Dodson writes. One source tells ClutchPoints that New Orleans would want a Desmond Bane-type return in the event of a Murphy trade, with multiple first-round picks, a veteran contract, and a solid young prospect viewed as a starting point.
- Pelicans defensive stopper Herbert Jones also has plenty of trade value, with the Lakers and Warriors among the teams that have “actively” looked into pathways to acquiring him, Dodson reports.
- Guard Jose Alvarado is another New Orleans role player who has generated trade interest this fall, Dodson confirms. Alvarado, who is on a pseudo-expiring contract, with a $4.5MM player option in 2026/27, was previously said to be drawing interest from Indiana.
- Dodson suggests that attaching one of those coveted role players to Williamson may be the best way for the Pelicans to maximize their return in any trade involving the former Duke standout.
Pacers Reportedly Eyeing Jose Alvarado
With Tyrese Haliburton out for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon, the Pacers have been on the lookout for help at point guard, having cycled through multiple veterans during the preseason and later cutting James Wiseman to add Mac McClung. McClung was subsequently replaced by Monte Morris, whom the team initially intended to bring in for camp before discovering he had a calf injury that has since healed.
Head coach Rick Carlisle said McClung was the most impressive participant in a three-player free agent workout on October 27, which is why the Pacers signed him. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), the other two participants in that session were Morris and Cody Martin, whose 10-day hardship contract with Indiana expires on Friday.
Martin, who missed Thursday’s game in Phoenix due to an illness (Twitter link via the team), is unlikely to return to the Pacers unless they’re granted another hardship exception, Fischer writes.
In addition to keeping close tabs on free agents, Indiana has also been monitoring the trade market for backcourt help. Sources tell Fischer that Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado is of particular interest to the Pacers.
Alvarado, 27, went undrafted in 2021 after a standout college career at Georgia Tech. The 27-year-old is making $4.5MM this season and holds a player option for 2026/27 worth the same amount.
Through 10 games this season, Alvarado is averaging 6.7 points, 2.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 18.9 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .423/.429/.800.
Jordan Poole Sidelined With Left Quad Strain
Jordan Poole has been diagnosed with a mild left quad strain and will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days, the Pelicans announced (via Twitter).
After playing 27 minutes Tuesday against Charlotte, Poole missed his first game of the season Wednesday at Dallas due to soreness in his left knee. Subsequent testing showed that pain was being caused by the quad issue.
The 26-year-old guard is enjoying a relatively strong start in New Orleans after being acquired from Washington in an offseason trade. He’s averaging 17.3 points and 3.4 assists in seven games, but he’s fallen into a shooting slump lately, going a combined 5-of-25 in his last two outings.
Saddiq Bey was inserted into the starting lineup on Wednesday and may keep that role while Poole is sidelined. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins also saw an increase in their minutes.
The Pelicans’ schedule for the upcoming week includes games against San Antonio (Saturday), Phoenix (Monday), Portland (Wednesday) and the Lakers (next Friday), so Poole may not miss much action if his next reevaluation is positive.
New Orleans is already playing without Zion Williamson, who’s sidelined with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. The Pelicans have won back-to-back games as they try to rebound after an 0-6 start.
Southwest Notes: Zion, Bey, Alvarado, DSJ, Spurs
Zion Williamson was limited to just 30 games last season for health reasons, while Trey Murphy‘s year came to an early end due to shoulder surgery. So it was a very encouraging sign for the Pelicans that Williamson (15 points) and Murphy (18 points) were their leading scorers in their preseason opener. New Orleans became the first NBA team to play a game in Australia, winning an exhibition contest over Melbourne United on Friday.
“It was electric,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “The fans were in tune. They were engaged. It was a really great platform to come here and play high-level competition.”
Green lauded Williamson for his defensive activity after he picked up a pair of steals on Friday. That effort on the defensive end was on display again on Sunday as the Pelicans won their matchup against the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Williamson scored just eight points, but racked up nine rebounds (eight defensive), three steals, and two blocks in 15 minutes of action en route to a 127-92 win.
As good as Williamson was, it was new Pelican Saddiq Bey who stole the show in Sunday’s victory. Bey, who hasn’t played a regular season game since March 2024 due to an ACL tear, had 21 points in 21 minutes, knocking down four three-pointers and registering a game-high +27 plus-minus mark.
“I am just grateful to be out here,” Bey said in a post-game interview, according to Walker. “The opportunity to play in Australia is is a blessing.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado departed Sunday’s game in the third quarter due to an apparent right leg injury, Walker notes. Green said after the game that Alvarado will be reevaluated when the team returns home to New Orleans.
- Within an extensive breakdown of takeaways from the Mavericks‘ training camp, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal writes that head coach Jason Kidd praised Dennis Smith Jr. as a camp standout, lauding his “energy.” Smith is on a non-guaranteed contract and has an uphill battle to earn a regular season roster spot, but it sounds like he’s doing all he can to make his case.
- After spending most of last season in the role of “acting” Spurs head coach, Mitch Johnson has the permanent title heading into 2025/26. Running a training camp for the first time, he has made an effort to implement his own style while carrying over many of the lessons he learned from longtime San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News details (subscription required). “(Last season) we were all just trying to maintain what was already going on, the things we put in during training camp, the principles we had,” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Coming into this year, there’s just building blocks that will be different that (Johnson) can say, ‘OK look, I have full ownership of the things that are going on.'”
Brazil Wins FIBA AmeriCup 2025
In a Sunday night final in which both teams struggled to score, Brazil beat Argentina by a final score of 55-47 to win the gold medal at AmeriCup 2025 in Nicaragua, according to FIBA.
Brazil’s 55 points marked the lowest ever by a champion, per the press release, while the 102 combined points between the two sides were the fewest in any AmeriCup game.
It was a rematch of the 2022 final, with the Brazilian national team avenging its loss and dethroning Argentina to win its fifth AmeriCup championship (first since 2009). Argentina claimed the silver medal as the runner-up.
Brazilian point guard Yago Santos, who competes professionally in the EuroLeague with Crvena Zvezda, was named MVP of the event after averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 assists (against only 1.8 turnovers) and 3.3 rebounds on .485/.487/.880 shooting in six appearances (27.6 minutes per game).
After recording game highs of 25 points and 12 assists in Brazil’s semifinal comeback against Team USA, Santos finished the final with game highs of 14 points and five assists.
The All-Star Five was comprised of Santos, Bruno Caboclo (Brazil), Juan Fernandez (Argentina), Javonte Smart (United States) and Kyshawn George (Canada). Caboclo and Smart are former NBA players, while George — who was making his senior national team debut — is entering his second season with the Wizards.
Prior to the final, the United States and Canada competed in the third-place game. It was another rematch, with the same result as three years ago: the U.S. defeated Canada to win bronze. Team USA was led by 21 points apiece from Smart and Tyler Cavanaugh.
Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (Puerto Rico) headlined the All-Star Five second team, with Norchad Omier (Nicaragua), Georginho De Paula (Brazil), José Vildoza (Argentina) and Mfiondu Kabengele (Canada) rounding out the group.
Omier is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cavaliers after going undrafted in June, while Kabengele spent parts of three seasons in the NBA, last suiting up for Boston in 2022/23. Alvarado was injured during Puerto Rico’s quarterfinal loss.
Jose Alvarado Exits AmeriCup Game On Stretcher
Competing for Puerto Rico on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2025 AmeriCup, Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado took a hard fall to the court in overtime and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher (Twitter video links).
As Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes, Alvarado lost his balance while battling for a rebound and appeared to land on his tailbone when he hit the floor. He stayed on the court for a few minutes after the play in obvious pain before being carted off on a stretcher.
Prior to his injury, Alvarado was helping to keep the Puerto Rican team in Thursday’s quarterfinal, pouring in 25 points in 36 minutes of action and making 7-of-15 three-pointers. Puerto Rico ultimately fell short in overtime, losing 82-77 to Argentina, who will face Canada in a semifinal on Saturday.
“Appreciate the love, y’all. But your boy good,” Alvarado wrote in his Instagram story after the game (hat tip to Walker). “God got me.”
While there has been no official update yet on his status, Alvarado projected confidence in that social media post that he avoided a serious injury, which would be a relief for the Pelicans. The team is coming off a season that was essentially a write-off due to a series of health issues affecting key players, with Dejounte Murray (Achilles), Trey Murphy III (shoulder), and Herbert Jones (shoulder) among those recovering this summer from various surgeries.
Alvarado was one of the Pelicans regulars afflicted by the injury bug in 2024/25, having missed over a month-and-a-half from mid-November to early January due to a hamstring strain. However, he was healthy and available for most of the rest of the season, appearing in 56 games and posting 10.3 points, 4.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.4 minutes per night. All of those averages were career highs.
Alvarado is entering the first season of the two-year, $9MM extension he signed last September. He’ll make $4.5MM in 2025/26 before making a decision on a $4.5MM player option next June.
Pelicans Notes: Alvarado, McCollum, Zion, Tax, Brooks
With most of the Pelicans‘ usual starters shut down for the rest of the season, guard Jose Alvarado has become a primary scoring option, having led the team with 16 field goal attempts in each of the past two games. Typically a complementary player on offense and more of a defensive specialist, Alvarado admitted that the new role has taken some getting used to, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
“When you have guys like CJ (McCollum) and Zion (Williamson) and Trey Murphy who create so much attention, you get the easier shots,” Alvarado said. “Now they are all out and the scouting (reports) are more about you in that sense. The guys know my weaknesses and not my weakness, so they test you mentally. You’ve got to continue to make shots and continue to improve. You’re going to turn the ball over, but you’ve got to keep going. You’re going to miss shots, but you’ve got to keep shooting.”
Alvarado’s performance as a go-to scorer has been up and down. He’s made just 11 of those 32 shot attempts over the past two games, including 1-of-12 three-pointers, while turning the ball over nine times. Still, he appreciates that he and some of his fellow role players are getting the chance to take on additional responsibilities as the season winds down.
“The positive is that it’s a season that Jose gets to grow,” Alvarado said, referring to himself in the third person. “Young guys get to grow. A chance to see what you’re capable of doing. …The younger guys and me are learning a lot. I’m learning as this process goes on and it’s going to get me better later in my future. I have to understand that.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- In a separate story for NOLA.com, Walker explains why it was a no-brainer for the Pelicans to shut down Williamson and McCollum for the final two weeks of the season due to health issues.
- Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, McCollum discussed his right foot injury and expressed optimism that he’ll fully recover soon enough to have a relatively normal offseason and be 100% healthy when training camp opens in the fall. McCollum also touched on several other topics in the interview, including his belief that Williamson’s professionalism and work ethic have improved this season and what he thinks a fully healthy version of this Pelicans team would be capable of.
- The Pelicans’ team salary is technically over the luxury tax line by about $530K following their signing of Kylor Kelley to a 10-day deal, notes Eric Pincus at his Subtack. However, ownership isn’t about to pay a tax bill for the first time in franchise history. As Pincus explains, a $700K bonus for Dejounte Murray currently counts against the cap because it was considered likely entering the season, but Murray won’t earn it after appearing in just 31 games this season. Once that bonus comes off the cap after the season, New Orleans’ team salary will dip back below the tax line by approximately $170K.
- Rookie forward Keion Brooks, who signed a two-way contract with the Pelicans on January 9, had appeared in just two NBA games for the team until March 21. Since then, he has played in six straight and averaged 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds on 52.4% shooting in 22.3 minutes per night. Brooks, who says he wants to display his versatility and show he’s a “winning player,” is taking full advantage of his opportunity, Walker writes for NOLA.com. “He’s showing that he belongs here,” Alvarado said of his teammate. “It’s not only about scoring, but it’s about his effort in everything he does. Defensively and rebounding. Obviously the offense is going to show. I’m happy for him. He’s going to be a good player in the NBA.”
Pelicans Notes: Olynyk, Zion, Alvarado, Matkovic
Pelicans forward/center Kelly Olynyk has appeared in just two games for his new team since being acquired in the Brandon Ingram trade at this month’s deadline, but he’s already making his impact felt in New Orleans. He immediately entered the Pelicans’ starting lineup in his debut on Friday, grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over San Antonio on Sunday, and is a plus-32 in 49 minutes through two games.
Praising the veteran big man for his professionalism and leadership, Pelicans head coach Willie Green also expressed enthusiasm for what Olynyk brings the team on the court, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes.
“He’s a vet. He’s been in situations where he’s been on a few teams. We all kinda run similar plays and have similar concepts,” Green said. “The terminology may be a bit different, but he’ll pick it up quickly. He’s an extremely talented player with his ability to pass, stretch the floor and rebound. He brings more size to our group, so we’re excited to get him and have him on the floor.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link) hears that Zion Williamson weighed 264 pounds as of Friday, which would be his lowest weight since the Pelicans drafted him in 2019. The former No. 1 overall pick has been excellent for New Orleans as of late, averaging 27.1 points in 27.4 minutes per game over his past 10 outings on 61.8% shooting.
- While he’s one of several Pelicans regulars to miss time with an injury this season, Jose Alvarado has been a bright spot for the team when healthy, averaging career highs in points (10.0), assists (4.5), and steals (1.4) per game, as well as three-point percentage (39.7%). In a story for NOLA.com, Walker highlights Alvarado’s contributions after his big game on Sunday vs. San Antonio, which included a career-best nine rebounds. “Jose was the vocal leader and his energy really shifted the course of the game,” Williamson said after the victory. “His energy is very infectious because it seems like he’s all over the court.” Alvarado signed an extension back in September that includes a $4.5MM guaranteed salary for next season and a $4.5MM player option for 2026/27.
- Rookie forward/center Karlo Matkovic appeared in just six of New Orleans’ first 42 games this season, but he has seen action in 13 of the past 15, including nine in a row. The 23-year-old enjoyed the best game of his young career in Sunday’s win over the Spurs, pouring in 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting in 21 minutes while also grabbing six rebounds. Matkovic told reporters after the game that he’s “embracing” the opportunity to play regular minutes for the Pelicans. “Being here, then (in the G League with) Birmingham, and then back and forth. Then getting minutes, not getting minutes,” he said, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I think that’s a part of the journey. The way it all started, drafted, stashed, working a way through, I think that’s the way it has to go.”
Southwest Notes: Morant, Pelicans Bench, Spurs Slump, Lively
The Grizzlies could play again without their floor leader on Monday. Ja Morant is listed as questionable against Minnesota due to right foot soreness, the team’s PR department tweets.
Morant, who is averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 assists, has already missed 18 games this season and is ineligible for postseason honors. He was also unavailable for Friday’s 28-point win over San Antonio.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Pelicans reserves have made a major impact during the team’s three-game winning streak, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times Picayune writes. “This bench is a team that wants to win every minute that we get,” guard Jose Alvarado said. “We know that it can be 10 minutes, five minutes, two minutes or 20 minutes. We’re going to attack it like it’s the (NBA) Finals.” Alvarado led the bench brigade on Friday with 19 points, including six 3-pointers.
- The Spurs, who are headed to Paris to face Indiana, will look at the trip as a chance to turn their fortunes around. They have lost three straight and six of their last seven after falling to Miami on Sunday. “This hasn’t been our best stretch of basketball and there are some things we need to shore up, and we’ve played some really good teams and they’ve exposed some things,” acting coach Mitch Johnson told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “We’re looking forward to Paris, but I don’t think we overlooked this team or in (losing twice to) Memphis.”
- The Mavericks list Dereck Lively as questionable to play against Charlotte on Monday due to a right ankle sprain, Grant Afseth tweets. Lively has missed the last two games after suffering the injury on Tuesday against Denver.