Trade Rumors: Butler, Pelicans, Fox, Spurs, Yabusele, Wolves, Bogdanovic
Addressing a Friday report that stated the Pelicans have contacted Miami about Jimmy Butler, John Gambadoro of Arizona 98.7 tweets that New Orleans has “no interest” in trading for the Heat forward.
Butler doesn’t want to go to New Orleans and the Pelicans would be hard-pressed to add him in a swap involving Brandon Ingram without increasing their team salary, which they don’t want to do, Gambadoro notes (via Twitter), adding that he believes the Heat or Butler’s agent are using the Pelicans for leverage.
For what it’s worth, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line – who initially co-reported the Pelicans/Heat discussions along with Marc Stein – said in a Bleacher Report stream on Friday (video link) that while the two teams have talked, he doesn’t think Butler ending up in New Orleans “sounds likely at all.”
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Despite some chatter from local media in San Antonio about the Spurs potentially gaining momentum toward a De’Aaron Fox trade, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) hears from a source with knowledge of the situation that “all is quiet as of now” and that no deal involving the Kings star appears imminent. If the Spurs do make a deal for Fox, it’s unlikely to include Stephon Castle, according to plugged-in Sacramento reporter Damien Barling of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link), who says indications are that San Antonio won’t be willing to give up the rookie guard.
- In another story for The Stein Line (Substack link), Fischer adds the Timberwolves to the list of teams that have inquired on Sixers big man Guerschon Yabusele. Philadelphia has received offers that include multiple second-round picks for Yabusele, according to Fischer.
- After Stein reported on Thursday that the Hawks are actively exploring potential Bogdan Bogdanovic trades, Fischer follows up (Substack link) by citing momentum toward a deal, with confidence rising in Atlanta that a deal will get down. However, both Stein and Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) dispute that a deal with the Suns involving Jusuf Nurkic is among the options currently under consideration.
Southwest Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Zion, Rockets, Grizzlies
As the Spurs move into the trade spotlight as a potential destination for Sacramento guard De’Aaron Fox, Chris Paul is urging his younger teammates to ignore the online chatter, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Paul has been traded six times and has seen many teammates come and go during his 20-year career, so he’s encouraging everyone to focus on controlling what they can, which means trying to stop a recent slide that has seen San Antonio fall to 12th place in the West.
“Trades, trade deadlines always get tricky,” Paul said. “I know enough GMs, coaches. A lot of them were my teammates and friends. Things can change. One minute, they’re not trying (to make a deal) and then they are. I done heard it all, trust me. So, control what you can control. Show up, do your job. And hopefully people deal with you respectfully. That’s all you can hope for.”
Acting coach Mitch Johnson is also concerned about how trade rumors will affect his players, many of whom have never dealt with that type of speculation before. He notes that social media makes trade rumors inescapable, especially when a high-profile player like Fox comes on the market.
“Social media has gotten to a point now where if you want to find it, you can go look for it. Not even during just the trade deadline,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of opinions on how we play every game, what you wear to the game, what shots you took, what comment you said, and hopefully it’s just something where guys don’t need to look for that stuff. With that being said, it’s a human part and this is a business, and I think it’s understandable when people have feelings about their personal situation. I think we have a great organization that’s always been very supportive and (has emphasized) we’re going to control things we can control.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Lakers star Anthony Davis suggested this week that there’s a “narrative” in place to have Victor Wembanyama win Defensive Player of the Year honors, but the second-year Spurs big man told Orsborn that he doesn’t consider individual achievements to be that important. Wembanyama, who was named to his first All-Star game on Thursday, is leading the league in blocks at 3.9 per game. “It’s not something I worry about,” he said. “If I end up being Defensive Player of the Year, it means I’ve helped my team on that side of the court. It means I’ve done my best and I’ve been rewarded for it, but at the end of the day, the best reward is the wins.”
- After missing more than two months with a strained hamstring, Zion Williamson believes he has sufficiently recovered to play both ends of back-to-backs, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, the Pelicans are still being cautious, holding him out last Friday at Memphis before using him Saturday at Charlotte. “Let me make this clear to everybody out there,” Williamson said. “If I could play in the back-to-backs, I would. Physically? Yes, I can. But I work for the Pelicans. They have decided that, based off the numbers, it’s not smart to do that right now. If that’s what they feel, I’m rocking with them on that.”
- Kelly Iko and John Hollinger of The Athletic discuss how the top three teams in the West should approach the trade deadline, looking at the options for the Rockets and Grizzlies as well as the Thunder.
Scotto’s Latest: Bogdanovic, Hawks, K. Johnson, Ingram, Pistons
Rival teams are watching the Hawks ahead of next week’s trade deadline to see which players they’re willing to part with in the wake of a season-ending injury to Jalen Johnson, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. League sources tell Scotto there’s a “growing sense” that Bogdan Bogdanovic could be on the market, echoing a report from Marc Stein earlier this week.
Scotto hears that the Suns, Heat and others could have interest in working out a deal for Bogdanovic. Phoenix is reportedly hoping to combine one of its newly acquired first-round picks with Jusuf Nurkic to acquire either a starter or a “high-level” rotation player, and Scotto’s sources say the team considers Bogdanovic to fit that description. He adds that a deal involving Bogdanovic for Nurkic and a pick has been discussed as part of a “larger potential construct.”
Injuries have limited Bogdanovic to 24 games this season, and he is currently away from the team for personal reasons. At 32, he’s not a good fit with Atlanta’s young core, especially if the Hawks are focused on the future rather than a postseason appearance following Johnson’s injury.
Bogdanovic is having an uncharacteristically bad shooting season, connecting at just 37.1% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range, but Scotto states that several teams believe a change of scenery could help. He’s a career 38% shooter from long distance and is under contract for one more season at $16MM, with a $16MM player option for 2026/27.
Scotto offers a few more trade rumors:
- Several teams have reached out to the Hawks about veteran center Clint Capela, sources tell Scotto. However, many of those offers involve players whose contracts extend beyond this season, while Capela’s deal is expiring. Atlanta has also received interest in De’Andre Hunter, Scotto adds.
- Keldon Johnson could be part of the package if the Spurs work out a multi-team deal to acquire De’Aaron Fox from the Kings, according to Scotto’s sources. Johnson, who averaged 22 PPG two years ago, is appealing because his $19MM salary declines to $17.5MM in each of the next two seasons. Scotto adds that San Antonio checked on the price of Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram earlier this season, but it was nothing more than “exploratory interest.”
- The Pistons are willing to use their $14MM in cap space to help facilitate trades, but they want a first-round pick in return, Scotto notes, adding that several teams looking to unload salaries to escape the luxury tax or the second apron have made calls to Detroit.
Latest On De’Aaron Fox
More than half the teams in the NBA have inquired on De’Aaron Fox since the Kings made him available for trade on Tuesday, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Talks with San Antonio, Fox’s reported preferred destination, are going to be particularly interesting, Amick writes, with the Spurs potentially in position to push negotiations into the offseason in an effort to further evaluate their options without losing out on Fox to another team.
One potential sticking point in negotiations between the two teams could be the inclusion of 2024 lottery pick Stephon Castle. Amick writes that there is skepticism in league circles that the Spurs would include their rookie who has shown real potential.
Additionally, from the Spurs’ perspective, it may make more sense to wait until the offseason to make a move for Fox because Chris Paul is continuing to help elevate their franchise at 39 years old.
While Fox is likely to sign an extension with the Spurs if he’s traded there, other inquiring teams are likely viewing him as a rental (he’s under contract through the 2025/26 season), and the quality of their offers figures to reflect that.
The general mood of the locker room in Sacramento could impact the Kings’ timing in moving Fox, as Amick says multiple players expressed frustration that this situation is poorly timed since it coincides with Sacramento playing well under interim coach Doug Christie.
One player the Kings are not interested in acquiring as part of any Fox deal is the Heat‘s Jimmy Butler. The Kings “do not see Butler as the answer,” according to Amick. As has been well-reported, the Heat are trying to trade Butler ahead of the 2025 deadline and the Kings’ star point guard would be a logical target for Miami, given his Kentucky connection with Bam Adebayo.
Fox hasn’t requested a trade from the Kings, but his unwillingness to commit long-term led the Kings to approach his representation and put him on the block. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Fox and his camp would have preferred to reach this point this summer when teams are more flush with draft capital and room to make offers.
The Nets are described by Fischer as a team who can be ruled out for an in-season acquisition of Fox but could make a run for the one-time All-Star in the summer.
Regardless of whether Fox becomes eligible for a super-max this season by making an All-NBA team, he has no intention of signing an extension with the Kings, Fischer writes. While Fischer suggests that the haul for Fox wouldn’t be the same as what the Cavaliers had to give up for Donovan Mitchell, as an example, it might not make sense for the Spurs to surrender multiple valuable assets for a player who is interested in signing with them in 2026 either way.
Pairing up with Wembanyama is still Fox’s ultimate goal, fueled by representation by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. According to Fischer, that destination was also in mind when Darius Garland‘s future in Cleveland was called into question last offseason. The Spurs have also envisioned potentially targeting Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball or Chicago’s Josh Giddey to pair with their franchise center, Fischer adds.
Here are some other recent tidbits about Fox:
- The Lakers aren’t a potential Fox destination because Klutch knows Los Angeles wouldn’t give up Austin Reaves in any deal with Sacramento, Fischer writes.
- As has been reported, the Rockets are looking to play out the rest of the season with their young core that has them in No. 2 in the Western Conference. However, that’s not the only reason they’re not currently exploring a trade for Fox. According to Fischer, the Rockets are skeptical of Fox’s fit with the team, even though the timeline makes sense.
- A potential Fox trade could cause veteran DeMar DeRozan to reevaluate his future in Sacramento, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “Yeah, it’s tough because looking at the landscape, before I came here, those are the guys I talked to was Fox, [Domantas Sabonis] and Malik [Monk],” DeRozan said. “Those are the core guys that made it easy for me to make my decision to play here, and a key player, a key juggernaut in Fox, not knowing the future of that, it does make it tough.“
NBA Announces 2025 All-Star Reserves
The 2025 NBA All-Star reserves were revealed on Thursday night during TNT’s Inside the NBA broadcast and officially confirmed by the league (Twitter links).
Fourteen players will join the 10 starters announced last week in the All-Star Game in San Francisco on Feb. 16.
All-Star reserves were selected by the league’s head coaches. Here are the players who made the cut:
Eastern Conference reserves:
- Guard: Cade Cunningham, Pistons
- Guard: Damian Lillard, Bucks
- Guard: Darius Garland, Cavaliers
- Guard: Tyler Herro, Heat
- Frontcourt: Jaylen Brown, Celtics
- Frontcourt: Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
- Frontcourt: Pascal Siakam, Pacers
The East features three first-time All-Stars in Cunningham, Herro and Mobley. The guard spots in the East were highly contentious, with Atlanta’s Trae Young, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball and Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey among those also in the running. Ball finished first in fan voting, but that had no bearing on the coaches’ decisions.
The Cavaliers are well-represented in San Francisco, with Donovan Mitchell named a starter last week and Garland and Mobley now joining him. This is Garland’s second All-Star nod after being named in the 2021/22 season. Jarrett Allen also had a shot at a spot, but ultimately wasn’t voted in.
This is Jaylen Brown‘s fourth All-Star appearance, Lillard’s ninth, and Siakam’s third.
Western Conference reserves:
- Guard: Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Guard: James Harden, Clippers
- Frontcourt: Anthony Davis, Lakers
- Frontcourt: Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
- Frontcourt: Alperen Sengun, Rockets
- Frontcourt: Jalen Williams, Thunder
- Frontcourt: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Wembanyama, Sengun and Williams are each first-time All-Stars. The reigning Rookie of the Year, Wembanyama has taken several steps forward to help the Spurs to a 20-24 record, putting them in contention for a play-in spot. Meanwhile, Sengun and Williams are key contributors for the top two seeds in the conference.
Edwards, in his third overall and consecutive appearance, is having a career year from beyond the arc, connecting on 41.8% of his 9.8 three-point attempts. We wrote earlier today about how the Grizzlies view Jackson as a bona fide star amid their 31-16 record this season.
Veterans Harden and Davis round out the West reserves. Harden, the most decorated reserve, is making his 11th appearance in the game while averaging 21.7 points and 8.4 assists per game in his age-35 season. Davis continues to be one of the premier defensive players in the league en route to earning his 10th All-Star nod. The Lakers big man is currently injured and out at least one week, but it’s unclear if that would affect his availability for the All-Star Game, which is still more than two weeks out.
Fresh off making the NBA Finals last season, the Mavericks won’t have a representative in the All-Star Game, with Luka Doncic injured and Kyrie Irving not earning a spot. The Kings’ Domantas Sabonis, the Clippers’ Norman Powell, the Suns’ Devin Booker and the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox were among those who were not named to the team.
Kings’ De’Aaron Fox Addresses Trade Rumors
Speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s shootaround, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox “validated reports” that the team is listening to trade inquiries for him, according to Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee.
In the wake of ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting on Tuesday that the Kings are willing to discuss the possibility of trading their starting point guard, Fox said he wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being moved ahead of next Thursday’s deadline.
“In this league, I expect the unexpected,” he said. “I think crazier things have happened. … That’s their decision to make. I can’t tell them not to listen to offers or I can’t tell them to listen to offers.”
According to Biderman, Fox said on Wednesday that he hasn’t requested a trade. Even if he had, he likely wouldn’t confirm it on the record to reporters, since a player who publicly asks to be traded is subject to a substantial fine from an NBA.
Still, Fox’s statement doesn’t contradict Tuesday’s reporting. Of course, those reports suggested that the 27-year-old has shown no inclination to sign a long-term extension with the Kings, who were advised by agent Rich Paul that it might be in their best interests to consider moving his client sooner rather than later. So even if no trade request has been made, it sounds like the team is feeling pressure from Fox’s camp.
Reports on Tuesday indicated that in the event of a trade, Fox has a preferred landing spot, which is believed to be San Antonio. While he didn’t confirm on Wednesday that he’s looking to get the Spurs, he also didn’t dispute the idea of having his eye on a particular team.
“For sure, I think everybody has a preferred destination,” Fox said, per Biderman. “I think everybody has a preferred destination if they’re not in the place that — or if they’re not going to be in the place where they are in the moment. I think it’s natural.”
Sacramento is seeking win-now players and draft assets in any Fox deal, Charania said during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday (Twitter video link).
The star guard remains under contract for one more season beyond 2024/25, so if the Kings don’t get an offer they like for him at next week’s trade deadline, they could resume trade talks in the offseason. As Biderman writes, Fox has no intention of sitting out games while waiting to see if he’s traded.
“Every day I step on the court, I do my job. That’s always my thing,” Fox said. “I’ve never been a person to worry about anything else or go and do anything else. Every time I step on the court, I try to play the best I can, I try to win games.”
Fox has spoken in the past about wanting to remain in Sacramento long-term as long as the team shows it’s capable of contending for a title and isn’t just battling for a playoff spot. The Kings are doing the latter this season, with a 24-22 record that puts them in 10th place in the West.
Asked whether there’s a chance the Kings hang onto Fox, upgrade their roster, and convince him to sign an extension during the 2025 offseason, the former Kentucky star didn’t rule out the possibility.
“I think anything’s possible in this league,” he said. “Like I said, crazier things have happened.”
Trade Rumors: Nets, Fox, Butler, Bucks, LaVine, Lakers, Turner
The Nets have interest in Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and view him as a potential trade target, but they haven’t given up on the idea of eventually landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who describes the Bucks star as Brooklyn’s “white whale.”
A desire to preserve their most valuable trade assets for Antetokounmpo if there’s even the slightest chance that he’ll become available would complicate the Nets’ efforts to make a deal for Fox, Lewis notes. It’s also unclear whether the 2023 All-Star would have interest in signing a long-term contract in Brooklyn, though the presence of head coach Jordi Fernandez – a former Kings assistant – would presumably work in the Nets’ favor.
Brooklyn is one of many teams around the NBA with interest in Fox — Shams Charania of ESPN said during a late-night appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday (YouTube link) that the Kings had already gotten “dozens” of calls on the star guard.
The one team consistently linked to Fox is San Antonio. Charania confirmed during his SportsCenter appearance that the Spurs are “atop (Fox’s) list of preferred destinations.”
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Checking on the Jimmy Butler situation, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) says his sources remain skeptical about the possibility of the Grizzlies acquiring the Heat forward, who reportedly doesn’t want to end up in Memphis.
- On the other hand, Stein continues to hear whispers about Milwaukee as a possible Butler suitor, noting that Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis are the kinds of win-now players on short-term deals who may appeal to Miami. Whether or not they make a play for Butler, the Bucks are considered “as determined as any team” to make a pre-deadline deal in the hopes of beefing up the supporting cast around stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Stein adds.
- K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (YouTube link; hat tip to BrewHoop) confirms that the Bucks have interest in Bulls star Zach LaVine, which was speculated last week. However, with Phoenix guard Bradley Beal said to be uninterested in waiving his no-trade clause to go to Chicago, that likely eliminates one potential multi-team scenario in which LaVine could end up in Milwaukee.
- With the Bulls seeking a first-round pick for Nikola Vucevic and the Wizards asking for a protected first-rounder for Jonas Valanciunas, the Lakers are exploring other center options and have discussed internally whether it makes sense to put both of their tradable first-round picks (2029 and 2031) on the table for Pacers big man Myles Turner, sources tell Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. It’s unclear if Indiana would actually move its starting center, but there has reportedly been some chatter around the league about whether the Pacers will be comfortable meeting Turner’s asking price when he reaches unrestricted free agency in July.
Kings Expected To Entertain Trading De’Aaron Fox
3:29pm: Fox’s preferred landing spot is believed to be San Antonio, reports James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).
However, agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports remains open about where his client might land and is expected to talk to interested teams ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to Amick, who says Paul told the Kings it might be in their best interests to move Fox sooner rather than later.
2:41pm: The Kings are expected to open up discussions about the possibility of moving De’Aaron Fox ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania, there will likely be many teams with interest in Fox, though there’s a belief that the star guard – who can become a free agent in 2026 – is targeting a specific destination.
Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link) confirms that piece of intel, adding that Fox has “continued to signal a lack of interest” in signing a contract extension with Sacramento. NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) also hears that the 27-year-old is “zeroed in” on a specific team and says other potential suitors will be discouraged from acquiring him.
The timing of the news is interesting, given that the Kings have played their best basketball of the season over the past month, following the dismissal of head coach Mike Brown. Sacramento had a 13-19 record as of December 30, but has since climbed to 24-22 by winning 11 of its past 14 games under new coach Doug Christie.
Still, Fox’s contract situation in Sacramento is tenuous. He turned down a three-year, maximum-salary extension offer during the 2024 offseason, ostensibly because he’d have the opportunity to earn a more lucrative deal during the summer of 2025 — at that time, he’d be eligible for a four-year max deal or, if he earns All-NBA honors this season, a five-year super-max extension.
Fox subsequently spoke in both October and December about not wanting to commit long-term to Sacramento unless he was sure the team was able to “compete at a high level” and wasn’t just “fighting for a playoff spot.” Even after their recent surge, the Kings fall into that latter category. They currently hold the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.
Reports in recent weeks have indicated that the Kings continue to seek out upgrades for their roster in the hopes of improving their playoff chances. Players like Brooklyn forward Cameron Johnson and Utah big man John Collins have been most frequently mentioned as potential targets.
However, the Kings may be reluctant to give up future assets for supplemental pieces if they’re not confident about their ability to retain Fox beyond his current contract and uncertain whether those potential additions would help convince him to stay.
A report last month indicated that the Spurs were positioning themselves to pursue Fox if he were made available.
The Rockets, who reportedly had interest in Donovan Mitchell last year, are also viewed as a logical suitor, with Fred VanVleet‘s maximum-salary contract only guaranteed through this season, notes Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). However, NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) hears that Houston remains reluctant to make a major in-season move.
Sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that the Nets are among the teams with Fox on their radar and are monitoring the situation. Amick said earlier this month that the Heat and Lakers are frequently discussed by people around the league as possible Fox suitors, with the Magic also believed to be considering the idea of going after him.
Of course, we don’t yet know the identity of the team Fox reportedly has his eye on, which figures to have a substantial impact on how the Kings’ trade talks play out.
For what it’s worth, opposing executives who have spoken to Begley (Twitter link) believe San Antonio is among the teams Fox would like to play for. During an NBA Today appearance on Tuesday afternoon (Twitter video link), Charania said the Lakers aren’t Fox’s destination of choice.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), if Fox’s preferred destination has cap room in 2026, that team could sign him outright at that point. But if Fox gets dealt to that team – along with his Bird rights – prior to 2026, he could sign a far more lucrative contract, worth up to a projected $296MM over five years instead of $219MM over four.
Because Fox is under contract for one more season beyond this one, the Kings aren’t necessarily under the gun to make a decision on his future by February 6. If he remains in Sacramento through the trade deadline, the team could revisit its trade options during the 2025 offseason.
NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event
The NBA has officially revealed the 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven G League players who have been selected to take part in the 2025 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in San Francisco next month.
The following players made the cut, as voted on by NBA assistant coaches (rookies and sophomores) and selected by the league office (G Leaguers):
Rookies
- Carlton Carrington (Wizards)
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Zach Edey (Grizzlies)
- Dalton Knecht (Lakers)
- Jared McCain (Sixers)
- Yves Missi (Pelicans)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Alex Sarr (Wizards)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Sophomores
- Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Gradey Dick (Raptors)
- Keyonte George (Jazz)
- Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers)
- Trayce Jackson-Davis (Warriors)
- Jaime Jaquez (Heat)
- Dereck Lively II (Mavericks)
- Brandon Miller (Hornets)
- Amen Thompson (Rockets)
- Cason Wallace (Thunder)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
G League Players
- JD Davison (Maine Celtics) *
- Mac McClung (Osceola Magic) *
- Bryce McGowens (Rip City Remix) *
- Leonard Miller (Iowa Wolves) *
- Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes)
- Reed Sheppard (Rio Grande Valley Vipers) *
- Pat Spencer (Santa Cruz Warriors) *
* Note: Players marked with asterisks are on standard or two-way contracts with NBA teams.
As usual, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, while the other 21 players will be drafted to three squads on February 4.
The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.
All three contests will take place on Friday, February 14 as part of All-Star weekend’s opening night. The winning team will compete on Sunday in a similar four-team tournament, with the three other rosters made up of NBA All-Stars.
A handful of injury replacements will be necessary, with McCain, Lively, and Brandon Miller among the players who won’t be available to suit up. Additionally, since players selected as All-Stars won’t play in the Rising Stars event, Wembanyama will almost certainly need to be replaced.
NBA Reschedules Two Postponed Games, Moves Seven Others
The NBA has announced a series of changes to its game schedule, issuing a press release on Tuesday (via Twitter) stating that two postponed games have been rescheduled and seven others have been moved around as a result of the changes.
The two postponed games are the Spurs/Lakers contest from Saturday, January 11 that wasn’t played due to the Los Angeles wildfires and a Jan. 22 matchup between the Bucks and Pelicans that was postponed due to severe winter weather in New Orleans. According to the league, the new dates for those games are as follows:
- San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers: Monday, March 17.
- Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Pelicans: Sunday, April 6.
The NBA also announced the following seven schedule changes to accommodate the rescheduled games:
- Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic: Moved from March 12 to March 6.
- Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs: Moved from March 17 to April 1.
- Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers; Moved from March 18 to March 20.
- Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors: Moved from March 19 to March 20.
- Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors: Moved from March 20 to March 18.
- Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans: Moved from April 6 to March 13.
- New Orleans Pelicans at Milwaukee Bucks: Moved from April 9 to April 10.
In addition to the four teams affected by the original postponements, the Bulls, Magic, Raptors, and Warriors also had games affected as a result of today’s announcement.
It’s the second time this month that the league has made a series of changes to its schedule to accommodate postponed games — the NBA announced on January 15 that nine games had been rescheduled.
There are no more postponed games still requiring new dates, so if no additional postponements take place for the rest of this season, this should be the last schedule adjustment the league needs to make.