Atlantic Notes: Alvarado, Clarkson, Celtics, Nets, Barnes
Jose Alvarado‘s first game with the Knicks came in Boston rather than at Madison Square Garden, but the New York City native said that representing his hometown team felt “like it was meant to be,” according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required).
“This is a blessing,” Alvarado said. “I’m from here. My family never left the city. To be in that atmosphere, I mean, they’ve been Knicks fans since before me. To be with a team that’s trying to contend for something and me be a part of it is pretty special. … To be part of the city, it’s just a surreal feeling.”
After being traded from New Orleans to New York on Thursday, Alvarado played 25 minutes on his Sunday in his Knicks debut, a 111-89 win over Boston.
The newest Knick immediately supplanted Jordan Clarkson in the team’s backcourt rotation — even with Miles McBride on the shelf following surgery for a sports hernia, Clarkson logged just eight minutes. The veteran guard, who has had four DNP-CDs in the past two-plus weeks, said that besides getting accustomed to inconsistent playing time, he’s also had to fit into a new role.
“Offensively and defensively,” Clarkson told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). “They’re asking me to do things defensively as well. And then offensively, I got to figure it out and make stuff out of what comes in the offense in terms of opportunities. It’s not like I’m featured in the offense or anything. I’m playing hard, I’m crashing the glass, figuring out different things — little things to be effective on that end. So it’s a whole new thing for me. But I’ll continue to be a pro and stay in the gym and working on my craft and keep it going.”
We have more from across the Atlantic:
- Jaylen Brown acknowledged after Sunday’s blowout loss to New York that there will be an adjustment period for the Celtics while they get used to their new-look roster, per Jay King of The Athletic. New center Nikola Vucevic had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench against the Knicks, but the team was outscored by 24 points in his 23 minutes on the court. “We got to figure out the chemistry a little bit, the flow a little bit,” Brown said. “We want Vuc to be a little bit more aggressive, looking for him to get going and make him feel confident in taking those shots and where he can catch the ball. I think he’s still learning, but we need him to be aggressive. So we’ll make adjustments, we’ll communicate, we’ll watch film, and we’ll be better for it.”
- The trades that sent Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji to Brooklyn were essentially salary dumps for Boston and Toronto, respectively. However, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, the Nets will give both Minott and Agbaji an opportunity to earn spots in their rotation — and maybe even spots in the club’s plans beyond this season. “We know they’re very good players. That’s why they’re here,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Show me what you can bring to the group, and if you can be part of this group, you can be a future Net.”
- Scottie Barnes is headed to his second All-Star game this season, but Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic sees an even higher ceiling for the star forward. “Scottie is Defensive Player of the Year. He’s an All-Star. He’s gonna be a Finals MVP. He’s going to be an MVP one day,” Rajakovic said after Barnes racked up 25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks in Sunday’s win over Indiana (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca). “Write down the date I said that.”
Chris Paul To Raptors, Ochai Agbaji To Nets In Three-Team Deal
February 5: The three-team trade is now official, according to the Nets (Twitter link), who have waived veteran wing Haywood Highsmith in order to create a roster spot for Agbaji.
As Gozlan tweets, Brooklyn now has about $8.9MM in cap room remaining and also still has its $8.8MM room exception, which could be used to absorb another salary in a deadline deal.
February 4: The Clippers, Raptors, and Nets are in agreement on a three-team trade that will send guard Chris Paul from Los Angeles to Toronto, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links).
Fourth-year forward Ochai Agbaji is headed from Toronto to Brooklyn in the deal, along with the Raptors’ 2032 second-round pick, says Charania. The Clippers will receive the draft rights to 2019 second-rounder Vanja Marinkovic from the Nets, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), and will send $3.5MM in cash to Brooklyn, per NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
The Raptors won’t require Paul to report to the team, according to Charania, who suggests the veteran point guard may be flipped to another club before Thursday’s deadline. If not, he’ll likely be waived.
It’s a cost-cutting move for both the Clippers and Raptors. The Clippers will open up an extra roster spot and create breathing room below their hard cap, which they’ll likely use to promote two-way players Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders to standard contracts. Toronto, meanwhile, will duck below the tax line by swapping out Agbaji’s expiring $6.4MM contract for Paul and his $2.3MM cap hit, creating a $6.4MM trade exception in the process.
The Nets will take advantage of being the NBA’s only team with cap room by taking on a half-season of Agbaji, receiving more than enough cash to cover his remaining salary, and adding another second-round pick to their sizable collection of draft assets in the process. Acquiring Agbaji will bring Brooklyn’s cap room below $9MM, though the team would also have the option of using its $15MM+ in room in a separate deal, then absorbing the Raptors forward using its room exception.
The Nets have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll need to trade or waive a player to create room for Agbaji.
The Clippers announced over two months ago that they were “parting ways” with Paul, who wasn’t a good cultural fit, but that just meant he’d no longer be around the team, not that he was off the roster. L.A. didn’t want to waive him since it would mean eating his guaranteed salary and leaving his $2.3MM cap hit on the team’s books, compromising the front office’s ability to make additional moves around the edges of the roster.
L.A. will now have about $3.4MM below its first-apron hard cap along with a pair of open roster spots, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter links). Toronto will be roughly $3.1MM below the tax line and will also have two openings on its standard 15-man roster.
Trade Rumors: AD, Mavs, Bridges, Sabonis, Pistons, More
In their initial trade discussions with teams earlier this season about big man Anthony Davis, the Mavericks were seeking multiple first-round picks or an impact player, sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. However, there were no takers at that price, even prior to Davis’ most recent injury, a hand issue that will keep him sidelined through the deadline.
While a pre-deadline Davis deal is no longer considered likely, it’s not impossible, Windhorst writes — but it would almost certainly require Dallas to drop its asking price and settle for perhaps one solid asset, plus matching salary. With no urgency to make a move right now, it probably makes more sense for the Mavs to wait until the offseason to make a decision on the 32-year-old.
Rival teams anticipate that Dallas will pursue trades involving other players in an effort to reduce their team salary for 2026/27, Tim Bontemps of ESPN says within the same story. Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, and D’Angelo Russell are among the Mavs’ trade candidates who have guaranteed salaries or (in Russell’s case) a player option for next season. Turning any of them into a player – or players – with expiring salary could help the Mavs manage their cap situation for next season, reducing the need to move off Davis’ maximum-salary contract, Bontemps observes.
Here are a few more of the latest trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges likely won’t be moved at the trade deadline, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Amick reported in January that Bridges was drawing legitimate trade interest from a handful of teams, but Charlotte has been in a roll since then, registering seven consecutive wins and moving within one game of a play-in spot. A league source tells The Athletic that the forward – for whom the Hornets were reportedly seeking at least one first-round pick – is “highly likely” to remain in Charlotte.
- In their discussions about Domantas Sabonis, the Kings have explored three-for-one or four-for-one frameworks with the Raptors, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat, who suggests such a package would start with forward RJ Barrett and may include players like Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick. Sacramento would also want rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, but he’s someone Toronto would “fight to hold onto,” Ham adds. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link) has also heard that Barrett and Agbaji have come up in the Sabonis talks between the Raptors and Kings.
- Checking in on the Pistons‘ approach to the trade deadline, Hunter Patterson of the Athletic suggests the team seems unlikely to make any major moves and hasn’t engaged in discussions involving veteran forward Tobias Harris, whom head coach J.B. Bickerstaff refers to as his “security blanket.” Detroit will be opportunistic if a favorable deal arises and still has a $14MM trade exception available, but that exception doesn’t expire until July 7, so the team could end up hanging onto it until the offseason, Patterson writes.
- Following up on a HoopsHype report that suggested the Sixers were among the team to express exploratory interest in Celtics forward/center Chris Boucher, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) says a source downplayed Philadelphia’s interest, despite Boucher’s connection to 76ers head coach Nick Nurse.
Pacific Rumors: Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Sabonis, Suns
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and his expiring $18.3MM contract are considered available as Los Angeles scours the market for help on the wing, according to reports from Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The team has also dangled Gabe Vincent ($11.5MM) and Maxi Kleber ($11MM) on the trade market, Scotto notes.
Turner and Scotto provide a long list of names viewed as potential Lakers targets, including Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter, Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and several players who have previously been linked to L.A., like Herbert Jones, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga.
According to Turner, Hachimura’s strong play as of late has increased his trade value while also potentially making him less expendable for the Lakers. Turner confirms that second-year wing Dalton Knecht is another potential trade candidate to watch, as Marc Stein reported in the past 24 hours.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- The red-hot Clippers aren’t looking to trade Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, or Ivica Zubac, but John Collins isn’t off limits, according to Turner. Sources tell the L.A. Times that acquiring a pick-and-roll oriented point guard and creating room on the roster to promote two-way players Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller are among the Clippers’ goals at the trade deadline.
- The Kings have had discussions with some teams about the possibility of packaging DeMar DeRozan and Ellis together in a trade, sources tell HoopsHype. Scotto also checks in on the Domantas Sabonis situation, reporting that at least one team was told Sacramento would be seeking at least one first-round pick in return for the big man. In talks with the Raptors about Sabonis, RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji have been discussed, but the Kings are resistant to taking on the pricey long-term contracts of Jakob Poeltl and/or Immanuel Quickley, Scotto adds.
- Confirming reporting from the Arizona Republic, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) says the Suns are on the lookout for an upgrade at power forward, in the hopes of finding a player who can provide more “scoring punch” than current starter Royce O’Neale. However, Phoenix isn’t just looking for a short-term rental, per Fischer, who writes that the front office will be mindful of the long-term price and fit of any acquisition.
Raptors Among Teams Eyeing Yves Missi
Pelicans center Yves Missi is among the potential targets on the Raptors‘ radar as they seek frontcourt help at the trade deadline, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
With starting center Jakob Poeltl having battled back problems all season long, Toronto is believed to be looking to fortify its depth chart at the five while also ducking below the luxury tax line. The team, which is operating about $1MM into the tax, has been linked to big men like Daniel Gafford, Goga Bitadze, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Nick Richards over the course of the season.
The Raptors have also been connected to star-caliber bigs such as Anthony Davis of the Mavericks and Domantas Sabonis of the Kings, but they haven’t gained real traction on either front, sources tell Siegel, and they’re probably more inclined to make a smaller move.
At 29-19 (fourth in the East), Toronto has exceeded expectations so far this season, and Siegel suggests head coach Darko Rajakovic and the Raptors’ players have conveyed to management that they’d prefer if the roster isn’t shaken up too significantly.
A player like Missi would appeal to the Raptors – and other suitors – due to his modest salary ($3.4MM) and his favorable contract, which includes a $3.5MM salary for 2026/27 and a $5.6MM team option for ’27/28. The 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft, Missi started 67 games and averaged 26.8 minutes per game for New Orleans as a rookie, but has primarily come off the bench this season and has seen his MPG dip to 19.2.
Missi’s precise value on the trade market is unclear. According to Siegel, the consensus around the NBA is that the Pelicans will have to settle for multiple second-round draft picks if they move him. However, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) hears New Orleans wants to land a 2026 first-rounder for Missi and has already turned down at least one offer centered around second-round selections.
Toronto has also explored the idea of acquiring Missi as part of a larger package, per Siegel, who says the Raptors brought up the idea of offering RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, and draft picks for Missi and Trey Murphy III. However, the Pelicans – who have been averse to the idea of trading Murphy at all – didn’t have interest in that framework.
The Pacers, Knicks, and Bulls are among the other teams previously reported to have expressed interest in Missi. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hawks, Celtics, and Lakers are also in that group of potential suitors.
Raptors Rumors: Webster, Morant, AD, Agbaji, Sharpe
There have been rumblings around the NBA that Raptors general manager Bobby Webster – who is in the last year of his contract – is facing some pressure to accelerate his team’s contention timeline by making a significant in-season deal, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. However, Grange hears that’s not actually the case.
Multiple sources tell Sportsnet that Webster and the Raptors are already having “meaningful” discussions about a contract extension and that the team’s head of basketball operations has a very strong relationship with Keith Pelley, the president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (the Raptors’ parent company).
“There’s a really good vibe,” one of Grange’s sources said of the relationship between Webster and Raptors ownership. “Everyone is comfortable with each other. The communication is good. It seems like there is a big-picture view of the whole thing. It’s kind of (an) old-school approach to dealing with management. There’s a lot of runway, and no rush. Everything has cooled off (since former Raptors president Masai Ujiri was let go last June). They’ve really come a long way, considering there was an executive search this past summer.”
Following Ujiri’s exit from Toronto, the Raptors conducted a search for a new lead basketball executive but ultimately decided to promote Webster, who had worked in the front office under Ujiri for over a decade. Pelley has no regrets about that decision and told Grange that Webster’s contract status won’t affect the team’s in-season decisions on the trade market.
“There is no pressure regarding the trade deadline or his contract,” Pelley said. “And he is 100 per cent aware of that. The team is moving in the right direction and I’m convinced that Bobby will make the right moves, at the right time, to make us better. This team under Bobby’s direction, will contend for championships.”
We have more on the Raptors:
- While Toronto has been linked to Ja Morant since word broke that Memphis is considering trading him, one insider who spoke to Grange insisted that the Raptors won’t be a serious suitor for the Grizzlies point guard. Grange also expresses skepticism about the likelihood of an Anthony Davis trade between the Mavericks and Raptors, noting that the big man – who will turn 33 in March – is the sort of win-now target who probably doesn’t make sense for Toronto right now.
- To that point, while Grange doesn’t rule out the possibility of the team making a big move sooner rather than later, he hears from multiple sources that the Raptors are prepared to be patient and may be more likely to take a big swing a year from now. As Grange observes, Toronto has a fairly young roster and head coach Darko Rajakovic has repeatedly used the word “rebuild” this season when discussing his team’s progress. While I wouldn’t describe this Raptors team – which is operating in luxury tax territory – as rebuilding, Grange’s point is that the Raptors believe there’s more room for internal development and aren’t in a rush to go all-in right away.
- Ducking the tax and adding frontcourt help still appear to be the primary deadline goals for the Raptors, according to Grange, who reiterates that wing Ochai Agbaji and his $6.4MM expiring contract is the team’s top trade candidate.
- In addition to Magic big man Goga Bitadze, who was connected to the Raptors earlier in the season, Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe is another potential frontcourt target to watch for Toronto, Grange says. He has also heard from multiple sources that second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi is available, though the Raptors’ level of interest in Missi is unclear.
And-Ones: Fields, OTE, NBA Europe, 2026 Draft, More
Former Hawks general manager Landry Fields has a new job, having been hired by Overtime Elite (OTE) as its president of league operations, writes Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
The nine-team league, which launched in 2021 and is made up of prospects between the ages of 16 and 20, has several notable alumni, including recent NBA lottery picks like Alex Sarr, Amen Thompson, and Ausar Thompson. Fields will look for ways to continue growing OTE while overseeing all competitive, development, and operational aspects of the league, Schiffer writes.
“He’s got four unique parts of his career that touch everything we do,” Overtime CEO Dan Porter explained to Schiffer. “He was a player so he understands that ecosystem. And he’s a young guy. He knows what social media is. He deeply understands college. He played four years at Stanford. At the Spurs he really did player development and scouting and clearly our league is driven by talent. And at the Hawks, he dealt with all of the business side.
“None of (our other staff) have gone all the way up and down. We haven’t had someone who touches NBA, college, who was a player and touches all of those things.”
Here are several more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA is aiming for franchise valuations of up to $1 billion as it prepares to pitch investors on its new European league, according to Giles Turner and Jake Rudnitsky of Bloomberg (subscription required). With NBA commissioner Adam Silver overseas this week for games in Berlin and London, the league is expected to hold meetings this week with potential investors and teams for NBA Europe.
- The EuroLeague is seeking 10-year commitments from its A-license teams as it looks to avoid losing clubs to NBA Europe. According to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, the EuroLeague has set this coming Friday as a deadline for those decisions and has threatened potential legal action against the NBA if it tries to recruit clubs that have committed to the EuroLeague.
- ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has updated his 2026 mock draft, which features Kansas star Darryn Peterson in the No. 1 spot on Houston point guard Kingston Flemings sneaking into the top five.
- Looking back at past transaction cycles, Zach Kram of ESPN analyzes 14 blockbuster trades completed since 2013 to determine what we can learn from them, while The Athletic’s NBA writers identify one trade that each of the NBA’s franchises would like to be able to undo.
- Michael Pina of The Ringer identifies his seven “least improved” players of the 2025/26 season so far, ranging from stars like Ja Morant and Evan Mobley to young role players like Rob Dillingham and Ochai Agbaji.
Siegel’s Latest: Pistons, Suns, Raptors, Pelicans, Thunder
Although there has been some speculation that the Pistons could try to make a major win-now move to fortify their roster ahead of the playoffs, multiple sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that Detroit is unlikely to deal away any of its core players, a group that includes Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a little strange to see Harris, who is currently out with a hip strain, described as part of the Pistons’ “core,” considering he’s the oldest player (33) on the roster and on an expiring $26.6MM contract. But evidently the team values his contributions and veteran leadership.
According to Siegel, if Detroit’s front office — led by president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon — changes that stance, Trey Murphy III would be a player to watch. Langdon used to be New Orleans’ GM and was part of the group that drafted Murphy.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Suns have been scouring the market for a “cheap forward upgrade,” according to Siegel, who says Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards have all been made available in trade talks.
- Reiterating a point recently made by Marc Stein, Siegel cites sources who say the Raptors are viewed as a buyer heading into the deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant and Murphy among the players they’ve considered pursuing. Toronto appears willing to part with its 2026 first-round pick in search of win-now upgrades, according to Siegel, who writes that Ochai Agbaji is likely to be on the move before the deadline, and if a bigger trade is made, Immanuel Quickley may be involved.
- A recent report said the Pelicans have been rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Murphy and Herbert Jones, among others. Rival teams think that’s due to a combination of a high asking price and being underwhelmed by opposing offers. According to Siegel, New Orleans is looking for two first-round picks for Jones and three for Murphy, plus young players. Siegel hears the Pelicans are also trying to get back into the 2026 draft after sending out their own selection last year for Derik Queen; they’ve been talking to projected playoff teams (in the 20-30 range) about that possibility.
- While the Thunder are considered unlikely to make any type of significant change to their roster prior to the deadline, it’s possible they could look to either consolidate some of their 2026 first-round picks for a more valuable selection or trade them for future draft assets, per Siegel. That may happen closer to the draft, Siegel notes. Dan Woike of The Athletic, citing sources, also hears rival teams think the Thunder will try to turn some of this year’s first-rounders — they could have as many as four — into future assets.
Atlantic Notes: Poeltl, Raptors, Agbaji, Brown, MPJ, Thomas
Starting Raptors center Jakob Poeltl has made one brief appearance since mid-December due to a lower back strain and will miss his 10th straight game on Sunday. While the Austrian big man has been cleared for contact work and has been ramping up his activity, he’s still experiencing discomfort during workouts, sources tell Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
In another story for Sportsnet, Grange reports that Poeltl’s recovery progress has “stalled.” The 30-year-old told Grange his workout in Boston on Thursday was “so-so” and Grange hears Friday’s session wasn’t much better.
Poeltl’s ongoing back issue is partly why the Raptors are actively looking for help in the middle, Grange writes. Goga Bitadze is one player Toronto is monitoring, according to Grange, who points out that Moritz Wagner‘s return and Orlando’s future cap situation could make the Magic center expendable.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors guard/forward Ochai Agbaji received a DNP-CD on Friday at Boston even though the team was playing without Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Agbaji has been involved in trade rumors due to his $6.4MM expiring contract and declining play, and he acknowledges several young wings on the roster have struggled to find consistency this season. “It’s obviously been tough. Some guys are trying to fall into that role and find their rhythm too,” Agbaji told Grange. “… We kind of see that and everyone in the room sees that too, and how valuable we are to the team and what we can bring to the team, so it’s just a matter of knowing your role and trying to be the best at it. (But) I feel like our bench – our total team – yes, we play our good basketball, but I feel like there’s so much more to us, individually and as a team collectively, that we just haven’t shown in one game or over a span of, like, a week, or anything like that.”
- Celtics star Jaylen Brown ripped the officials, including calling out crew chief Curtis Blair by name, following Saturday’s loss to San Antonio, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The Spurs attempted 20 free throws, compared to four for the Celtics. “If we can’t get to the free throw line and teams are allowed to be physical and bump us off our spots, etc., then it’s hard to win games like that,” Brown said. “We shot four free throws tonight and lost the game by four. Not to say that’s the whole game, the whole story. We got to be better in spots. I got to be better in spots. But goddamn. I’m driving to the basket. I’m physical. I don’t flop. I don’t shy away from contact. I go up strong. I’m athletic. And nothing. Zero free throws tonight. The inconsistency is f—ing crazy. Give me the fine.”
- Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., who is being held out of Sunday’s game at Memphis for rest purposes, is having a career year for Brooklyn and his head coach believes he deserves to be recognized for his strong play, according to C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “I mean, he’s an All-Star,” Jordi Fernandez said. “He’s played like an All-Star, you just got to watch him play, and how much better he’s gotten.”
- Cam Thomas has been coming off the bench for the Nets since he returned from a hamstring strain and Fernandez has been pleased with the fifth-year guard’s recent performances, as Andrew Crane of The New York Post relays. “I’m very happy with the second group,” Fernandez said after the Nets lost 121-105 to the Clippers on Friday. “They’re trying to play the right way. I’m happy and trying to focus more on [Thomas] because that’s the superpower that he has, and defenses have to focus on him. And then he’ll figure it out when he scores and takes the shot, when he passes the ball.”
Raptors Notes: Martin, Ingram, Agbaji, Injuries
The Raptors had to rely on some unfamiliar players in Friday’s loss at Boston, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes were both unavailable, joining Jakob Poeltl on the injured list, and RJ Barrett left the game after rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. That resulted in 19 minutes for Jonathan Mogbo and 15 minutes for Alijah Martin, who have both spent most of the season in the G League.
Martin, the 39th pick in last year’s draft, had only logged seven combined minutes in three NBA games prior to Friday, but his duties included trying to contain Jaylen Brown, Boston’s MVP candidate. Martin was up to the challenge, as Brown scored 25 points but shot just 6-of-16 from the field. Martin countered with seven points, three assists and a blocked shot.
“I felt good, really good,” he said. “I got to look at the film, but (Brown’s) a big, strong guy, and his first step, with him being so strong, it’s tough. You can’t give him no space because with a guy like him and his speed and power, if you do, you’re just cooked.
There’s more on the Raptors:
- Ingram, who sprained his right thumb Wednesday night against Charlotte, missed his first game of the season after appearing in 38 in a row, Grange states in the same piece. He’s relieved to be playing regularly again after being limited to 18 appearances last season due to a high ankle sprain. “I’m very happy about it, especially being away from the game for so long, being able to be on the floor every single night,” Ingram said. “It’s been a long time since I played consecutive games over and over again. It’s feeling good just to be on the floor, just to be on the floor and having a basketball in my hand.” Ingram participated in Friday’s shootaround and hopes to return for Sunday’s matchup with Philadelphia.
- Even though the Raptors were shorthanded, Ochai Agbaji didn’t see any playing time, Grange adds. The fourth-year shooting guard started 10 consecutive games in December, but his minutes have been reduced lately. Agbaji has a $6.4MM expiring contract and should be viewed as a potential trade candidate as Toronto tries to get under the luxury tax threshold, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
- X-rays on Barrett’s ankle were negative, Grange tweets. He and Poeltl have already been ruled out for Sunday’s game, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link), while Ingram and Barnes are listed as questionable.