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Category: NBA Rumors

Latest NBA Rumors and News.

  • NBA Notes: Knicks, Mikal Bridges, Raptors, RJ Barrett, Sixers

    NBA Notes: Knicks, Mikal Bridges, Raptors, RJ Barrett, Sixers

    Mikal Bridges, Knicks, NBA
    File photo

    Knicks

    The Knicks have had a lot going wrong lately, but one issue keeps popping up late in games.

    Mikal Bridges has struggled badly in fourth quarters, and Stefan Bondy of the New York Post put numbers to it. Bridges is averaging just 3.5 points in the fourth on 42.4 percent shooting, despite playing more minutes than any Knick. In first halves, he shoots better than 55 percent.

    It is not just shot-making. Bridges has not played through contact. Bondy notes there are roughly 80 players across the league who play fewer minutes while getting to the free-throw line more often. That matters for a team that bogs down late.

    The problem becomes louder when Jalen Brunson is out. Bridges was brought in to be a third option and stabilize things. Instead, he is averaging 17.8 points in five games without Brunson, and the Knicks are 1–4 in those contests.

    Bondy points out that Bridges answered similar questions in last year’s playoffs. The Knicks are betting that version still exists.

    Raptors

    The Raptors may be close to getting RJ Barrett back.

    Barrett has missed four straight games with an ankle injury, but Michael Grange of Sportsnet reports he has returned to on-court work.

    According to Grange, Barrett has been practicing with intensity, does not appear to be favoring the ankle, and is trending toward a return during Toronto’s current five-game road trip.

    That would be a welcome development for a Raptors team short on shot creation.

    76ers

    The Sixers are trying to reset Jared McCain.

    McCain was assigned to the G League on Saturday after struggling to hold a rotation spot in Year 2. His shooting has fallen off a cliff, hitting just 35.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three after much stronger rookie numbers.

    Coach Nick Nurse has said the priority is minutes and comfort. So far, that part has not shown up either. McCain went 5-of-18 with six turnovers and no assists in his first G League game, per Adam Aranson of the Philly Voice.

    In other words, this looks less like a punishment and more like a search for footing.

  • NBA’s Europe plans take shape with Alba Berlin in focus

    NBA’s Europe plans take shape with Alba Berlin in focus

    Adam Silver, NBA
    Getty

    The NBA is no longer tiptoeing around Europe. It is laying track.

    According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the league is moving forward with plans for a European-based competition targeted for an October 2027 launch. One franchise that appears central to those plans is Alba Berlin.

    The timing of this weekend’s games in Berlin and London was not accidental. Both cities are being evaluated as potential anchor markets, with Alba Berlin widely viewed as the NBA’s preferred representative in Germany.

    Commissioner Adam Silver did not hide his admiration.

    “To me, they are an exemplar of how a top-tier club should be run and organized,” Silver said, citing Alba’s youth development, fan support, and long-term infrastructure. He also pointed to the Magic brothers Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner as products of the Alba system and proof of concept.

    Alba does not have the financial muscle of European giants like Barcelona. What it does have is something the NBA values just as much: scale, structure, and pipeline. Vardon notes the club operates one of the strongest farm systems in the world, with a city-wide network of coaches and development staff.

    There is also a cleaner political path. Alba no longer has a binding agreement with the EuroLeague, which removes a major obstacle.

    “EuroLeague is not financially sustainable,” owner Axel Schweitzer said, adding that the NBA’s platform offers access to a much bigger market.

    The NBA is still years away from tipoff. But Berlin, and Alba Berlin specifically, already look like part of the opening lineup.

  • Suns aim to keep good thing going as they wait on Jalen Green

    Suns aim to keep good thing going as they wait on Jalen Green

    Jalen Green, Suns, NBA
    Getty

    The Suns are quietly doing what good teams do when the picture is incomplete. They are winning anyway.

    Phoenix has taken eleven of its past sixteen games, including two wins over the Knicks in just over a week, and sits at 25-17 while pushing for a top-six spot in the West. All of that has happened with a notable absence in the lineup.

    That would be Jalen Green, a key offseason addition who has yet to fully factor into the rotation.

    “We miss Jalen,” Devin Booker said after Saturday’s win, via Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Booker pointed to Green’s rim pressure and foul-drawing ability as elements Phoenix has been forced to manufacture by committee.

    Others see the same upside. Grayson Allen said Green’s return would add another creator who can bend the defense and open things up for everyone else.

    That return may be close. Rankin reports Green is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Nets. Coach Jordan Ott sounded encouraged after shootaround, noting that Green’s latest stretch of five-on-five work went well.

    Booker suggested the delay may have been more caution than necessity.

    “He’s been licking his chops,” Booker said. “We’ve overdone it with keeping him out.”

    The Suns have built momentum without him. Adding another downhill scorer could change the shape of what comes next.

  • Ja Morant indicates he wants to remain with Grizzlies: ‘I’m a very loyal guy’

    Ja Morant indicates he wants to remain with Grizzlies: ‘I’m a very loyal guy’

    Ja Morant, Grizzlies, NBA
    AP

    Ja Morant picked an interesting moment to remind everyone what he still looks like when things are right.

    After missing six games with a right calf injury, Morant returned Sunday and carved up the Magic in a 126-109 Grizzlies win in London. He finished with 24 points and 13 assists in just 28 minutes and, per the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole, became the first player in franchise history to post 20 points and 10 assists in a single half.

    It was the kind of performance that naturally feeds the rumor mill. Morant’s name has lived there for weeks. He made it clear afterward that he is not interested in relocating.

    “I’m a very loyal guy,” Morant said, via Marc Stein of The Stein Line. “I got a Grizzlies logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.”

    Stein noted that Memphis has listened to offers in part because nights like this have been harder to come by. Morant has not played seven straight games since the 2022-23 season, and his efficiency and rim pressure have dipped during that span.

    Still, the trip overseas appears to have mattered. Stein described Morant as being “at the heart of all the good vibes” during the Grizzlies’ time abroad, a reminder of the leadership presence Memphis still values.

    As for the Heat, Stein reports their interest remains lukewarm. Miami is unwilling to burn assets it hopes to keep available in case Giannis Antetokounmpo ever asks out.

    Morant made his case on the floor. The rest is still unresolved.

  • Celtics’ Anfernee Simons quietly building trade stock

    Celtics’ Anfernee Simons quietly building trade stock

    Anfernee Simons, Celtics, NBA
    AP

    The Celtics may have learned something Thursday night, and it came from a place they were not necessarily expecting.

    Anfernee Simons delivered his best game of the season in a 119-114 win over the Miami Heat, pouring in 39 points and completely taking over the fourth quarter. Eighteen of those points came in the final period. Seven threes followed. All of it came off the bench.

    At some point, it stopped being subtle. Give him the ball. Get out of the way.

    “I think he definitely was in that mode tonight,” Sam Hauser said, via The Athletic’s Jay King.

    Even Jaylen Brown, who usually owns those moments, ceded the floor without hesitation.

    “That boy can play,” Brown said. “He’s probably more talented than the role that he’s placed in.”

    Simons arrived from Portland with questions attached, mostly about whether his production translated to winning basketball. Around the league, those questions are getting quieter.

    Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal has reported that there is a growing belief Simons has helped his trade stock this season by showing he can fit into structure and still swing games.

    That matters, because Boston has been linked to big-man upgrades. Nights like this complicate that math. Simons may still be movable, but not cheaply, and not without purpose.

    Sometimes a player answers a question without saying a word. Thursday night felt like one of those times.

  • Warriors Notes: Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, De’Anthony Melton

    Warriors Notes: Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, De’Anthony Melton

    Buddy Hield, Warriors, NBA, Kings
    File photo

    The Warriors got an unexpected spark Saturday, and it came from a familiar face.

    Veteran shooter Buddy Hield found his way back into the rotation and made it count in a win over Charlotte, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Hield has been buried for stretches this season and has not shot it well by his standards, hitting just 32.7 percent from three in limited action.

    Opportunity, however, has a way of changing things.

    That opportunity arrived late. Jimmy Butler was scratched shortly before tip for personal reasons, opening the door for Hield. The 33-year-old responded with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes, adding three rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

    Coach Steve Kerr appreciated more than the box score.

    “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever seen,” Kerr said, praising Hield’s energy and presence even when he is not playing.

    Butler Confusion

    The night started oddly. Butler was announced as a starter during introductions, then never appeared. Rookie Will Richard took the spot instead, briefly confusing the Chase Center crowd. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. later assured Kerr everything was fine with Butler, per Johnson.

    Depth Shows Up

    Golden State got production across the board. Richard finished with eleven points, six rebounds, and five assists. De’Anthony Melton led the way with24 points, while Brandin Podziemski added 16 points and seven assists.

  • Cavs’ Darius Garland to miss at least a week with toe sprain

    Cavs’ Darius Garland to miss at least a week with toe sprain

    Darius Garland, Cavaliers, Cavs, NBA
    Getty

    The Cavaliers received clarity on Darius Garland, even if the timeline remains fluid.

    The Cavs announced that Garland has been diagnosed with a Grade one sprain of his right great toe and will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.

    The injury occurred in the third quarter of Wednesday’s win in Philadelphia, and Garland underwent imaging Saturday at the Cleveland Clinic.

    For now, the plan is treatment and rehab, followed by another check-in once the inflammation calms down.

    The concern, of course, is context. This is the opposite foot from the toe injury that required offseason surgery and lingered earlier in the year. While a Grade one sprain is considered mild, toe issues have a way of being stubborn, especially for guards who rely on burst and change of direction.

    Garland remains Cleveland’s second-leading scorer and one of the engines that keeps the offense organized. The Cavs have survived stretches without him before, but this season has already demanded more lineup shuffling than they would prefer.

    There is no immediate long-term alarm. Still, this is one the Cavs will handle carefully, because the calendar only gets louder from here.

  • NBA trade proposal sends Grizzlies’ Ja Morant to Kings

    NBA trade proposal sends Grizzlies’ Ja Morant to Kings

    Ja Morant, Grizzlies, NBA, Rockets
    Getty

    This one definitely qualifies as a swing-for-the-fences idea, and that is kind of the point.

    Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports tossed out a hypothetical that would send Ja Morant to the Kings, a franchise that feels stuck between trying to matter now and not really knowing how to get there.

    Kings receive

    • Ja Morant

    Grizzlies receive

    Why Sacramento Thinks About It

    The Kings need juice. They know it. They have been hovering in place, not bad enough to bottom out and not good enough to scare anyone. Morant changes the temperature immediately.

    This is also a team early enough in its rebuild arc that it can afford to miss. If Morant hits, Sacramento looks brilliant for landing a franchise-altering talent without giving up clean first-round picks. If he benefits from a reset, new structure, and veteran voices, the gamble pays off fast.

    That is the argument.

    Why It Gets Messy

    Culture matters, and this deal raises questions. DeRozan shows up every night. Morant has not. Trading reliability for volatility is not always how stability is built.

    There is also Carter. He has struggled, but he is still in his second year. Kings fans remember what happened when Tyrese Haliburton was moved early. Giving up on young guards has a history here.

    For the Grizzlies, this is about re-centering. DeRozan brings professionalism. Carter brings a reset button. The swaps add optionality.

    It is risky on both sides. Which makes it interesting. Sacramento has been careful for years. This would be anything but.

  • NBA trade proposal sends Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo to Heat

    NBA trade proposal sends Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo to Heat

    Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks, NBA
    AP

    This one lives in the land of hypotheticals, but it keeps showing up for a reason.

    The Bucks are drifting. The record says it. The eye test backs it up. And yet Giannis Antetokounmpo is still playing like a force of nature.

    That disconnect is why Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report floated a blockbuster that would send Giannis to the Heat. Let’s take a look:

    Heat receive

    • Giannis Antetokounmpo

    Bucks receive

    • Tyler Herro
    • Kel’el Ware
    • Terry Rozier
    • 2029 first-round pick
    • 2031 first-round pick
    • 2028 first-round swap
    • 2030 first-round swap
    • 2032 first-round swap

    On paper, it checks boxes. Miami sends volume, youth, and future equity. Milwaukee gets off the clock and resets around flexibility.

    The Heat are always mentioned in Antetokounmpo conversations, and NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic has noted Miami as a destination Antetokounmpo would be open to. He and Bam Adebayo share an agent in Alex Saratsis, which never hurts the speculation.

    The problem is reality.

    Giannis has repeatedly said he will never ask out. Milwaukee insists he is not available. And the Bucks will not move him unless he makes the request himself.

    Still, the standings are loud. Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. The Bucks are 17-24 and outside even the play-in picture. That math does not add up forever.

    Antetokounmpo is one of the best players the league has ever seen. If he wants another title, history suggests waiting quietly rarely gets it done.

    The question is not the package. It is whether he ever decides to make the call.

  • NBA Notes: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, Timberwolves, Naz Reid, Mavericks

    NBA Notes: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, Timberwolves, Naz Reid, Mavericks

    Kawhi Leonard, Clippers, NBA
    Getty

    Clippers

    The Clippers are hitting pause with Kawhi Leonard.

    Leonard has been sent back to Los Angeles for treatment on his left knee and will miss the final two games of the team’s road trip, Monday in Washington and Tuesday in Chicago, the team announced, via The Athletic’s Law Murray.

    Leonard missed Friday’s overtime win in Toronto with a right ankle sprain and a left knee contusion and is now dealing with knee irritation.

    According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the injury is not considered serious. Leonard suffered the contusion during a January 10 win in Detroit and will be re-evaluated when the Clippers return home Wednesday.

    Still, his importance is undeniable. The Clippers are just 3-8 without Leonard this season. With him, they have flipped their year. After starting 6-21, Los Angeles has gone 12-2 to climb back into the play-in mix.

    Leonard has played 30 games and is averaging a career-high 28.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 steals while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.

    With Leonard out, two-way players Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller are expected to continue seeing expanded roles.

    Timberwolves

    The Timberwolves were without Naz Reid for most of Saturday’s loss in San Antonio.

    Reid was ruled out after just five minutes due to soreness in his left shoulder. There is no word yet on whether the injury will cost him additional time.

    The timing is unfortunate. Reid had been on a tear, averaging 21.5 points on blistering efficiency over his previous four games while filling in for Rudy Gobert.

    Mavericks

    The Mavericks welcomed back Max Christie, and the impact was immediate.

    Christie returned from a two-game absence caused by illness and poured in 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting in an 18-point win over Utah. He added four assists, two rebounds, and two steals and finished plus-29 in 26 minutes.

    “He’s one of our best shooters and most athletic guys,” coach Jason Kidd said. “But we missed him on the defensive end, too.”

  • Thunder’s Jalen Williams out indefinitely with hamstring injury

    Thunder’s Jalen Williams out indefinitely with hamstring injury

    Thunder forward Jalen Williams drives vs. the Pacers.
    Getty

    The Thunder now have the diagnosis, and it is the one they were hoping to avoid.

    Forward Jalen Williams has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will miss Monday’s game in Cleveland, according to Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. While the Thunder rarely offer firm timelines, the expectation around the league is that Williams will be sidelined for multiple weeks.

    The injury occurred during Saturday’s loss in Miami. Williams was officially ruled out with what the team called right thigh soreness, but the visual told a different story. He grabbed the back of his leg midway through the second quarter, limped off under his own power, and was clearly in discomfort.

    Head coach Mark Daigneault said Sunday that Williams would be evaluated, and the follow-up confirmed the concern.

    The timing is brutal. Williams already missed the first nineteen games of the season after undergoing two surgeries on his right wrist. In 24 appearances since returning, he has averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while serving as a two-way anchor.

  • Grizzlies seek young player, first-round pick for Ja Morant

    Grizzlies seek young player, first-round pick for Ja Morant

    Ja Morant, Grizzlies, NBA
    File photo

    If the Grizzlies do move Ja Morant, the early outline of what they want back is coming into focus.

    On Sirius XM’s Deals and Dunks, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein said Memphis is seeking a first-round pick and a young player in return. That is the baseline. Whether anyone meets it is another matter.

    Morant is still only 25, but the shine has faded. Availability has been inconsistent. Production has dipped. The contract is real.

    He is in year three of a five-year, $197 million deal and owed more than $39 million this season, with that number climbing over the next two years. Teams do not ignore that.

    Stein pointed to the Heat as a team that has at least explored the idea. As always, Miami is connected when a name like this surfaces.

    How far the Heat would go is unclear, especially if the conversation turns toward draft capital and young players instead of expiring money.

    Other teams remain in the rumor orbit. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Pelicans have joined a list that already includes the Kings, Raptors, and Bucks.

    The comparison some executives are making is uncomfortable. Trae Young was moved despite strong numbers once his situation stalled.

    Morant’s résumé looks shakier. He has never played 75 ganes in a season and has missed far more time than he has played over the past three years.

    This season, Morant is averaging 19.0 points and 7.6 assists while shooting a career-low 40 percent from the field and barely 20 percent from three. That does not scream leverage.

    Memphis may want a Trae Young-level return. The league may be telling them that window has already passed.

  • NBA Notes: Bulls, Josh Giddey, Cavs, Jaylon Tyson, Pacers

    NBA Notes: Bulls, Josh Giddey, Cavs, Jaylon Tyson, Pacers

    Josh Giddey, Bulls, Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers, Cavs, NBA
    AP

    Bulls

    The Bulls are inching closer to getting Josh Giddey back.

    Giddey, sidelined since December 29 with a strained left hamstring, has been upgraded from out to doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Nets, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.

    Johnson does not expect Giddey to play, but the designation is viewed as a positive sign that a return is nearing.

    Cavaliers

    The Cavaliers may have finally stumbled onto an answer at small forward.

    Second-year wing Jaylon Tyson followed his breakout night in Philadelphia with even more momentum, and Tony Jones of The Athletic suggests Cleveland’s long search for production at the position may be ending.

    “I needed to figure out what role I had to play,” Tyson said. “Tonight, Philadelphia tried to take Donovan (Mitchell) out of the game, so Donovan told me to be ‘California Jaylon.’ That meant for me to go and get a bucket.”

    Tyson scored 39 points and delivered the game-winning assist against the Sixers, a far cry from his rookie season, when he averaged just 3.6 points per game.

    This year, he is up to 13.4 points while shooting better than 52 percent from the field and nearly 48 percent from three.

    Mitchell is already campaigning.

    “The award is made for people like Jaylon,” Mitchell said. “He should win it.”

    Pacers

    Pacers center Isaiah Jackson is back on the floor, but his return came after a difficult stretch.

    Jackson missed nearly four weeks with a concussion and told The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak just how severe it became.

    “Headaches. Fogginess,” Jackson said. “Light sensitivity. Sound sensitivity. I was literally just in my room with the blinds shut. It was bad.”

    Jackson returned Saturday, relieved to be playing again after what he described as one of the toughest health scares of his career.

  • Pacers signing Tony Bradley to second 10-day deal

    Pacers signing Tony Bradley to second 10-day deal

    Tony Bradley, Pacers, NBA
    File photo

    The Pacers are not ready to close the book on Tony Bradley.

    Bradley’s 10-day contracty expired after Saturday’s game, but coach Rick Carlisle said another one is coming, according to Tony East of Circle City Spin. The timing appears procedural rather than dramatic.

    Bradley opened the season on Indiana’s roster before being waived January 5, just ahead of his salary becoming fully guaranteed. Three days later, he was back on a 10-day deal.

    Since returning, he has appeared in six games and logged at least 15 minutes four times. In Saturday’s loss to Detroit, he finished with 12 points and three rebounds.

    The Pacers are navigating a crowded big-man picture that includes Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, and Micah Potter. Bradley also dealt with a fractured thumb in December, playing through it with a splint, and Potter’s strong play after joining the team made Bradley more expendable at the time.

    Indiana does not play again until Monday in Philadelphia, so the expectation is that Bradley will be re-signed then. That deal would run through January 28 and cover five additional games.

    Bradley can only sign one more 10-day contract with the Pacers this season. If Indiana wants to keep him beyond that, a standard deal will be required.