Five Key Stories: 1/26/19 – 2/2/19

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks in a move that unloaded two long-term contracts and opened up cap room for free agency this summer. New York sent Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke to Dallas in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and a pair of future first-round picks. The deal gives the Knicks a second chance at Smith, whom they passed over in 2017 to draft Frank Ntilikina.

Anthony Davis shook up the NBA early this week when he submitted a trade request to the Pelicans, telling them he won’t sign a long-term extension. The reaction was immense, with many teams expressing an interest in Davis, but he and his agent have reportedly made it clear that the Lakers are his first choice. If no deal can be reached by Thursday’s deadline, things should heat up even more this summer when the Celtics can get involved.

Boston got a jolt of its own on Friday when Kyrie Irving indicated that he might change his mind about a verbal commitment to re-sign with the Celtics. “Ask me July 1,” he said in response to a question about his future, adding that his career will come first in any decision. Irving is a friend of Davis and is believed to be necessary for Davis to consider a long-term future in Boston.

Carmelo Anthony continues his search for his next team, but he won’t be doing it as part of the Bulls’ roster. Chicago waived him on Friday in order to complete a trade with the Thunder for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.

The All-Star reserves were announced this week ahead of Thursday’s draft that will determine who is on which team. Selected were Bradley Beal, Blake Griffin, Kyle Lowry, Ben Simmons, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo in the East and Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Karl-Anthony Towns in the West. D’Angelo Russell was chosen to replace Oladipo, who is out for the rest of the season.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the past week:

• Davis was fined $50K by the league because his desire to be traded was made public by his agent, Rich Paul. The fine is the largest the NBA can issue without a player being permitted to file a grievance.
• Rockets backup center Marquese Chriss also made a trade request this week, but it didn’t get much notice outside of Houston. Acquired from the Suns in the offseason, Chriss hasn’t seen much playing time, even with an injury to starting center Clint Capela.
• Two longtime veterans were given a chance to play in what could be the final All-Star Game for both. Dwyane Wade, who will retire at the end of the season, and Dirk Nowitzki, who may be in his final year, were added to the game as “special team roster additions.”
• The Porzingis trade was bad news for Ray Spalding, who was waived to enable the deal to be completed. Dallas sent out four players and only took back three, so it needed to open a roster spot.
• The Sixers will be without a key piece for the next two to three weeks as Wilson Chandler was sidelined with a right quadriceps strain.
• Grizzlies forward Omri Casspi will have surgery on his right knee to fix a meniscus tear.
• The Jazz reportedly have “very real” interest in trading for Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley. Memphis may also move center Marc Gasol, but teams are waiting for the asking price to go down.
• The Sixers are looking at Atlanta’s Dwayne Dedmon in their search for a backup center.
• The Mavericks are targeting Magic center Nikola Vucevic as a possible free agent addition this summer.
• Isaiah Canaan is back in the NBA after suffering a severely dislocated ankle last season. He signed a 10-day contract with the Timberwolves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.