Maxime Raynaud Will Get Long Run As Kings' Starting Center
- Rookie center Maxime Raynaud will be the Kings‘ starting center “for the foreseeable future” after Friday’s announcement that Domantas Sabonis will miss at least four-to-five more weeks, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required). The French big man, who was taken with the 42nd pick in this year’s draft, has been productive since moving into the starting lineup, averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the past five games while shooting 53.4% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Coach Doug Christie juggled his starting lineup on Thursday, Anderson adds, moving Keegan Murray from power forward to small forward, which the organization views as his “future” position.
Western Notes: Monk, Ellis, Brooks, Nuggets, Jokic, Mitchell
Kings guard Malik Monk was a DNP-CD for the first time since the 2022/23 season on Thursday, not getting off the bench at all during the team’s 134-133 overtime loss in Portland. Explaining the decision after the game, head coach Doug Christie described Monk as the “odd man out” in the backcourt rotation as he sought to give Keon Ellis a larger role for defensive purposes.
“We were going with defense, but it’s a logjam,” Christie said, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “We’ve got a lot of guards, so whenever it was Keon being the odd man out, then it was Keon being out. Tonight, we were playing Keon, so Malik was out.”
With the Kings off to a 6-21 start this season, Christie acknowledged that he’s still searching for answers and is willing to experiment with the rotation in the hopes of turning things around. He also made it clear that “nothing is permanent,” though he added that he liked what he saw from Ellis, who played a season-high 32 minutes vs. Portland.
“We’ll give Keon a run and allow him to continue to develop with those guys,” Christie said. “He came in off the bench, I thought, and played fantastic with that bench unit. They did a really good job in the third quarter. It just kind of got away from us. We got stalled out a little bit, but they came back with the starters and Keon was a part of that group. … I thought those guys did a great job.”
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- The NBA has rescinded the technical foul assessed to Suns forward Dillon Brooks in the second quarter of Thursday’s game vs. Golden State, the league announced (Twitter link). Brooks appeared to get the technical for something he said after making a layup and stumbling to the floor (video link via NBA.com). He’s still the league leader with eight technicals this season.
- The Nuggets aren’t especially well positioned to be aggressive at this season’s trade deadline, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required). Denver is hovering right around the luxury tax line, has few tradable draft picks, and lacks an obvious salary-matching candidate making mid-level money or more. Zeke Nnaji ($8.2MM) is the most expendable of the Nuggets’ players earning more than $5MM, but his contract – which has two more years left on it after this season – would have negative value.
- Nuggets star Nikola Jokic passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday for the most career assists by an NBA center, Durando writes in another Denver Post story. Abdul-Jabbar compiled 5,660 assists across 20 NBA seasons; Jokic surpassed him in his 11th season, at age 30. “This is a time that I can be able to look back and appreciate all the years I’ve had to play this game with him,” teammate Jamal Murray said of Jokic. “It’s special. Passing Kareem in anything is pretty cool. So I think it just speaks to his greatness and how unselfish he is.”
- Thunder wing Ajay Mitchell spoke to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints about the experience of winning a championship as an NBA rookie, whether he has thought about vying for the Most Improved Player award, and why he views the toe injury that cost him three months last season as a positive. “I know it sounds crazy, but this was my first major injury ever, and looking back on everything we went through, it made me realize how special being a part of this organization truly is,” Mitchell said, explaining that general manager Sam Presti was with him “every step of the way before and after surgery.”
Kings’ Domantas Sabonis Out At Least 4-5 More Weeks
Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who has missed a little over a month with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, continues to make progress in his recovery. However, he will be out at least four-to-five more weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140).
Sabonis experienced knee soreness after a November 16 game at San Antonio and subsequently underwent an MRI, which revealed the meniscus tear. The Kings confirmed a few days later that Sabonis would be checked out again in three-to-four weeks; it has been just over four weeks since that initial announcement.
While Sabonis was unlikely to be selected to his third All-NBA team in 2025/26 anyway with the Kings holding one of the worst records in the NBA (they’re currently 6-21), today’s update will officially make him ineligible, as he has already missed 16 games and will not be able to meet the 65-game requirement for major postseason awards.
The Lithuanian big man, 29, has led the league in rebounds per game each of the past three seasons, earning one of his three All-Star nods and both of his All-NBA berths during that span. In 11 games this season, Sabonis averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.
Sabonis’ name has popped up in several trade rumors in ’25/26. But an in-season move appears increasingly unlikely, given that, even in a best-case scenario, he wouldn’t be back until January 16, about three weeks before the February 5 deadline, notes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (via Twitter).
With both Sabonis and backup center Drew Eubanks (thumb fracture) out, the Kings have been leaning heavily on rookie second-round pick Maxime Raynaud to man the middle. The French big man has filled in admirably of late, recording career highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s overtime loss to Portland.
Evaluators Split On Keon Ellis’ Value
Within a look at potential Lakers trade targets, Dan Woike of The Athletic reports that league sources believe the current asking price for Kings guard Keon Ellis is a protected first-round pick.
Ellis, who will turn 26 next month, has a reputation as a solid defender, is a career 41.8% three-point shooter, and is earning just $2.3MM in 2025/26, making him an appealing option for teams not well positioned from a cap perspective to acquire a player on a larger contract.
However, there’s not a consensus on Ellis’ value, according to Woike.
One league source who spoke to The Athletic referred to the fourth-year guard as “maybe the most divisive player in the league,” pointing out that rival scouts are high on him but neither Mike Brown nor Doug Christie has been comfortable leaning on him consistently in Sacramento. After starting 28 games and averaging 24.4 minutes per game last season, Ellis has made two starts and averaged 17.6 MPG in 2025/26.
As Woike explains, some skeptics believe Ellis’ defensive skill set is more suited to generating turnovers than to actually slowing down opposing offensive offensive players, while others have reservations about his size and ability to hold his own against bigger guards.
It’s also worth noting that Ellis will reach unrestricted free agency in July if he doesn’t sign an extension before then (he’ll become eligible on February 9), so a team acquiring him would risk losing him for nothing during the 2026 offseason.
Still, Woike believes Ellis is one of the possibilities being considered by the Lakers, who could badly use another defensive-minded player in their rotation. Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., Nets guard Terance Mann, Hornets wing Josh Green, and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu are among the other potential targets Woike mentions, though he cautions that not all of them will be available, especially for a price the Lakers would be comfortable meeting.
Los Angeles only has one tradable first-round pick (in either 2031 or 2032) and one movable second-rounder (2032). The team could also offer a handful of first-round pick swaps. The trade value of Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder, has slipped since last season, as he has fallen out of JJ Redick‘s regular rotation this fall.
Trade Rumors: Castle, Suns, Raptors, Davis, Kings
There’s reportedly a sense that the Spurs won’t seriously pursue a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade even if the Bucks make the two-time MVP available this season. While San Antonio seemingly has the assets necessary to make a compelling offer for a star-level trade candidate like Antetokounmpo, the team is very high on its young core and isn’t eager to break it up to go all-in on an older player, writes Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
Victor Wembanyama is obviously untouchable and reports have indicated that the Spurs have never shown any interest in moving rookie Dylan Harper, dating back to lottery night when they won the No. 2 overall pick and the right to draft him. The team’s unwillingness to discuss trades involving its rising young stars also extends to reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Show (YouTube link).
“I cannot tell you how much the Spurs loved Castle when they got him,” Windhorst said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Like, right out of the gate they were like, ‘Oh my god, do we love this guy.’ They are convinced that he is the perfect guy to have with Victor. … They love everything about his make-up. They love everything about the way he competes. They love everything about his willingness to improve. They love Stephon Castle.”
While Windhorst acknowledged that very few players in the NBA are absolutely untouchable, he stressed that the Spurs are extremely unlikely to move Castle anytime soon.
“I would be stunned if they gave Castle away for almost anything,” he said.
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark confirms that the Suns and Raptors spoke about a possible trade that would send Nick Richards to Toronto in exchange for Ochai Agbaji and a second-round pick, but says Phoenix isn’t looking to make a deal quite yet, doesn’t have a ton of interest in Agbaji, and didn’t love the quality of the second-rounder the Raptors were willing to offer. While it’s unclear which pick Toronto put on the table, neither of the 2026 second-rounders the team controls would be very valuable if the season ended today — the Raptors’ own pick would be No. 52, while the Lakers’ second-rounder Toronto owns would be in the 56-58 range.
- Mavericks big man Anthony Davis sits atop the trade deadline “big board” published today by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who ranks potential trade candidates based on a combination of their potential impact and their likelihood of being moved. If Antetokounmpo doesn’t get traded this season, Davis is considered the one player on the market who could “swing the title race the most if he were dealt to the right situation,” Vecenie writes.
- Earlier this week, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) published the first installment of his comprehensive guide to the 2026 NBA trade deadline, identifying possible trade candidates and potential goals for all 30 teams. For instance, in examining the Kings, Gozlan classifies Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder as likely to be traded, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, and DeMar DeRozan as “very possible” to be moved, and Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis as more likely to stay put due to their sizable contracts.
Stein’s Latest: Kings, Harden, Kessler, Rozier, Jones, Payton
If executives around the NBA were asked which team is viewed as the most likely seller ahead of this season’s trade deadline, many would name the Kings first, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
“Active is the word I would use to describe them,” one exec said of Sacramento.
Few players on the Kings’ roster are off limits, with the team seemingly open to inquiries on anyone outside of fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, Stein writes.
Sacramento has “certainly” made veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan available, Stein continues, though the club is reportedly telling teams that it has no intention of attaching draft assets – or highly regarded guard Keon Ellis – to any of its higher-paid vets in order to accommodate a deal.
Stein has more to share from around the NBA:
- A number of teams are keeping a close eye on Clippers guard James Harden, a source tells Stein. Given L.A.’s disappointing record, Harden’s age (36), and his contract situation (he holds a partially guaranteed player option for 2026/27), the former MVP would make an intriguing trade candidate if the Clippers are open to moving him. Stein points out that the Timberwolves are among the teams seeking a play-maker on the trade market.
- Echoing recent reporting from Grant Afseth, Stein says the Pacers have registered interest in Walker Kessler, though he adds that the Jazz have shown no signs that they want to trade the big man ahead of his restricted free agency.
- Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA haven’t confirmed one way or another whether the Heat would be permitted to trade Terry Rozier while he remains on leave following his arrest in connection to a federal gambling investigation. However, Stein hears that the Heat are “quietly confident” that the league wouldn’t block them from making a deal that includes Rozier’s $26MM+ expiring contract for salary-matching purposes.
- Nuggets two-way forward Spencer Jones is being viewed as a near lock to have his contract converted into a standard deal later in the season, Stein reports. Denver has an open spot on its 15-man roster but is navigating the luxury tax line. Still, the club seems likely to promote Jones, who has been active for all 25 Nuggets games so far and has averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on .564/.448/.682 shooting in 10 games since entering the starting lineup.
- Like big man Christian Koloko, veteran guard Elfrid Payton has also recently joined the Spurs‘ G League affiliate in the hopes of making an impression on NBA evaluators at this weekend’s NBAGL Showcase, Stein notes.
Scotto’s Latest: Markkanen, Hornets, Murphy, Walker, Kuminga, More
Utah will send its 2026 first-round pick to Oklahoma City if it lands outside the top eight, and if the season ended today, the 10-15 Jazz would have the NBA’s 10th-worst record, making their first-rounder likely to change hands. Given that context, executives around the league are wondering if Utah’s front office will be active on the trade market in the hopes of weakening the roster in the short term and ensuring the club keeps that pick, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
However, according to Scotto, the Jazz continue to signal that they want to build around forward Lauri Markkanen, despite trade interest in the star forward. In the past, rival execs have viewed the Pistons, Spurs, and Grizzlies as potential suitors for Markkanen if he’s made available, Scotto notes.
As for Utah’s plans beyond this season, the team hopes to use its 2026 cap room to improve its roster, either via free agency or the trade market, Scotto writes. Retaining Walker Kessler still appears to be a priority too — the Jazz turned down a trade offer for Kessler from the Lakers similar to the one L.A. made for Mark Williams, sources tell HoopsHype. The Jazz could carry a cap hold of about $14.6MM for Kessler next summer before going over the cap to re-sign him at a starting salary higher than that.
Here’s more from Scotto:
- The Hornets are hoping to get an extended look at their roster with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges all healthy and available. Still, Scotto hears that Miller’s inconsistent availability has executives around the NBA wondering if the former No. 2 overall pick might not be as untouchable in trade discussions as he once was.
- The Warriors and Trail Blazers are among the teams who are high on Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but rival executives believe Golden State would prioritize making a run at Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo before giving up significant assets to land Murphy, Scotto writes. There’s also still plenty of skepticism that New Orleans would part with Murphy at all, with some execs speculating that it might take a package similar to what Memphis got for Desmond Bane.
- Following up on his previous report stating that the Pacers are among the teams with interest in Keon Ellis, Scotto notes that Indiana forward Jarace Walker came up in trade discussions with the Kings. However, Scotto cautions that it’s unclear which team brought up Walker’s name in those talks that he describes as “exploratory.”
- Checking in on Jonathan Kuminga, Scotto says the Kings continue to monitor the Warriors forward, but confirms that the Suns‘ interest level has decreased and that the Nets were never all that interested. The Pelicans have also been linked to Kuminga in the past, but it’s unclear whether they have interest now, Scotto adds.
- Partizan Belgrade, the Serbian team recently linked to Malik Beasley, has also expressed interest in free agent point guard Cameron Payne, sources tell HoopsHype. As for Beasley, he has also drawn interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague, as well as the Chinese Basketball Association teams Liaoning, Guangdong, and Shanxi, per Scotto.
Raptors Rumors: Davis, Sabonis, Barrett, Ball, Richards, More
Discussing the potential Anthony Davis trade market during an appearance on the DLLS Mavs podcast (Twitter video link via Omer Osman), NBA insider Marc Stein suggested that of the three Eastern Conference teams linked to the Mavericks big man, the Raptors seem to have expressed the most real interest.
“Toronto has definitely registered interest,” Stein said. “That is for certain. The Hawks, I think, it is more exploratory. … And I think (the Pistons‘) interest has been vastly overstated.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also used the word “exploratory” to describe Atlanta’s potential interest in Davis and suggested that Detroit doesn’t seem especially inclined to make a big in-season splash on the trade market.
However, that doesn’t mean the Raptors are on track to make a deal for the 10-time All-Star. Toronto has other possible targets on its radar, and the Mavericks aren’t committed to making a move involving Davis. As Scotto writes, Dallas is in the process of evaluating AD’s fit with Cooper Flagg, his health, and his impact on winning with the current Mavs roster.
Confirming a Jake Fischer report, Scotto says Domantas Sabonis is another player whom the Raptors have been intrigued by, adding that Toronto expressed exploratory interest in the Kings center over the summer.
While it doesn’t seem like the two teams are engaged in discussions regarding Sabonis at this time, Scotto points out that Sacramento general manager Scott Perry drafted RJ Barrett during his time in the Knicks’ front office and is still “fond” of him. In other words, if the Raptors do circle back to Sabonis at some point, Barrett would be a player to watch in those talks. Toronto has gauged the market on Barrett’s value, sources tell HoopsHype.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto checked in on the availability of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball during the offseason, according to Scotto. There’s no indication those conversations went anywhere or that Charlotte is currently looking to move Ball, but Immanuel Quickley would be a logical outgoing piece in any Raptors deal for a higher-paid point guard.
- The Raptors and Suns have engaged in exploratory discussions about the possibility of a deal that would send wing Ochai Agbaji and second-round draft compensation to Phoenix in exchange for center Nick Richards, Scotto reports. That sort of deal would allow Toronto to fortify its frontcourt while sneaking below the tax line and would allow the Suns to replenish their depleted draft assets a little. However, it would also push Phoenix further into tax territory and it’s unclear if Agbaji would appeal much to the Suns, who are more focused on a power forward upgrade, per Scotto.
- Scotto spoke to Raptors forward Brandon Ingram about his transition to Toronto, playing with star forward Scottie Barnes, and a handful of other topics, including why he felt comfortable signing a three-year, $120MM extension with his new team before he had played a single game as a Raptor. “I told myself whoever wanted me, that I was going to be content in being there,” Ingram said. “Around the (2025) trade deadline, I heard two or three teams (had interest), and I picked the best choice where I knew I was going to get a fresh start.”
Knicks Notes: Possible Trade Targets, Brunson, Depth, NBA Cup
The Knicks are coming off an exhilarating win over the Spurs to clinch the NBA Cup, but their focus remains on the NBA Finals. With an expensive roster and few trade chips outside of their core players, it’s unclear how or if team president Leon Rose will go about addressing any weaknesses he feels exist on the roster, but at the moment, the front office is happy with how the team is playing, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
“As we sit here today, the Knicks are not in a rush to make a huge deal,” Begley said in the latest episode of The Putback (YouTube link).
Begley reiterated previous speculation that the Knicks would be interested in making an offer for Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado if New Orleans makes him available. He adds that New York would likely be one of a number of teams with interest in Dennis Schröder if the Kings decide to move him, but notes that Schröder’s larger cap hit (and multiyear guarantee) could make the logistics of a deal more complicated.
Begley also mentions several big men the Knicks could pursue as backup insurance for the oft-injured Mitchell Robinson, noting that the team has shown interest in Sixers backup Andre Drummond in the past.
We have more from the Knicks:
- Jalen Brunson was named MVP of the NBA Cup tournament, joining LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the first three players to win the award. As Steve Popper for Newsday writes (subscription required), Brunson took the opportunity to display his leadership and team-forward mindset. “Can I say something?” Brunson said after receiving the award. “OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their [butts] off tonight. Without them, we don’t win this. We got down 10, whatever it was and we found a way to win. That’s it. That’s going to be our motto going forward. We’re going to find a way.”
- Head coach Mike Brown offered high praise for his star point guard’s approach. “He’s an unbelievable competitor, but an unbelievable teammate,” Brown said. “I’ve been around those guys. You’re talking about Tim Duncan, Steph Curry, those guys, [De’Aaron Fox, James]. Those guys all mention their teammates because bang, bang, bang, they know this is a team sport at the end of the day.“
- Part of what made the Knicks’ defeat of the Spurs so exciting is the proof of concept it showed of Rose’s main focus this offseason: adding depth that could help swing a game when things got tight, writes Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. It was last season’s loss to the Pacers team New York will face on Thursday that prompted the directive to create a second unit that could survive for stretches, and even without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, the Knicks showed on Tuesday that their bench could do just that. Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek combined for 29 points on 5-12 shooting from three, and Robinson contributed 10 offensive rebounds and two blocks while bothering Victor Wembanyama on drives multiple times. By following the lessons taken from the Pacers, Winfield writes, the Knicks have managed to level up last year’s Eastern Conference Finalist squad.
- The Knicks have chosen not to raise a banner for their tournament win, but what they’re taking home is far more valuable, according to Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post, who says the NBA Cup championship is a statement to a national audience that they belong in the conversation of true title contenders this season. The Knicks beat the team that handed the Thunder their second loss of the season, and according to Vaccaro, people are taking notice.
Trade Rumors: Nets, Thomas, Mavs, Suns, Sabonis, Pacers, More
As the only NBA team with cap room, the Nets figure to be active on the in-season trade market and will be open to taking on unwanted salary if it comes attached to a more valuable asset. However, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes (subscription required), there will be over-the-cap teams around the NBA with the ability to accommodate salary dumps using various exceptions, so Brooklyn will have competition in that space.
“It’ll be interesting. There’s other teams in the market for taking on money: Utah will be in that market, Washington will be in that market,” an assistant GM told Lewis. “We’ll see if the Nets — again, it’s worked out for (general manager) Sean (Marks) in some respects — but the Nets have often charged a premium for (that). They’ve wanted to hold to their valuation and get a number they feel really good about. So we’ll see if they get undercut in that salary dump market, if other teams want to do it cheaper.”
According to Lewis, the Nets are also expected to listen to inquiries on several of their own players, including guard Cam Thomas. But Thomas has the ability to veto any deal that involves him and it’s unclear whether there will be much of a market for him anyway, Lewis writes.
“Obviously, we’ve all seen him have these games where he can fill it up, and there’s a certain segment of the Nets fan base that is obsessed with him,” a veteran Eastern Conference executive said of Thomas. “And yet, I think this is another coaching staff now where it doesn’t seem like the coaching staff (is all-in on) him, doesn’t seem like he helps the team win.
“But I try to value every player around the league, to understand what other teams are going to do. And I wonder if anybody is going to pay him a mid-level. I know he thinks he’s worth a lot more than that, but he won’t get more than that. I feel like I wouldn’t be interested in really having him on my team at all. But also, as you say that, then you play against him and he scores 30 points … in one of those games where shots are going in and you feel like an idiot for saying it.”
Here are several more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Checking in on the Mavericks‘ trade plans, Christian Clark of The Athletic says the team is willing to listen on several of its veterans, but wants to be competitive and isn’t inclined to hold a fire sale prior to this season’s deadline. Clark also spoke to multiple sources with rival teams who think Dallas is more likely to hang onto Anthony Davis through the deadline than trade him on or before February 5.
- Sam Amick of The Athletic recently suggested that the Suns have had interest in Kings center Domantas Sabonis in the past and could be among his suitors if he’s on the trade block this season. However, Gerald Bourget of Suns After Dark (Patreon link) hears from a source that Phoenix isn’t interested in making a play for Sabonis.
- Following up on rumors indicating that the Pacers are on the lookout for their center of the future, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star considers which players Indiana might target on the trade market.
- Looking ahead to the trade deadline, Zach Harper of The Athletic considers which NBA teams should be preparing to buy, which will be sellers, and which will probably end up standing pat. Meanwhile, John Hollinger of The Athletic shares his “All-Deadline Team” for 2025/26, identifying several players he thinks will dominate trade rumors and be involved in deals this season. In addition to obvious names like Jonathan Kuminga, Hollinger spends some time discussing more under-the-radar trade candidates like Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng, Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, and Wizards guard CJ McCollum.
- In his own look ahead at trade season, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports singles out a few potential candidates to be dealt and considers potential fits for some of them, speculating that Nets center Nic Claxton could be an option for the Warriors and suggesting that the Lakers will have interest in Kings guard Keon Ellis.