Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Brown, Towns, Dadiet, Giannis
The Knicks are engaged in active talks with multiple teams about big man Guerschon Yabusele, league sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link). An offseason free agent addition, Yabusele hasn’t been a fit in New York, and multiple reports in recent weeks have indicated the Knicks have made him available.
While his $5.5MM cap hit for 2025/26 is relatively modest, Yabusele’s contract also features a $5.8MM player option for ’26/27, which will make him more difficult to move. Despite the Frenchman’s strong season for Philadelphia in ’24/25, he won’t have positive value on the trade market due to his struggles this season (2.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, .394/.317/.667 shooting).
Bondy doesn’t specify which teams the Knicks have talked to, but San Antonio has been frequently speculated as a possible landing spot due in large part to the presence of Yabusele’s frontcourt partner on the French national team, Victor Wembanyama.
We have more on the Knicks:
- With the Knicks looking to snap a four-game losing streak, head coach Mike Brown acknowledged ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Brooklyn that some adjustments to the team’s usual game plan were necessary, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “We’ve made significant changes on both sides of the ball to help them,” Brown told reporters after Tuesday’s practice. “All I’m saying is, we didn’t overhaul anything, throwing it out the window, but we’ve made some changes. And like I said before, my staff’s been great, when you go through this you tell your players to look in the mirror. It starts with me, I’ve got to look in the mirror.”
- Although he reported earlier this week that the Knicks have spoken to multiple teams about the possibility of a Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required) stresses that the team absolutely isn’t looking to sell off the star big man for 50 cents on the dollar. Popper suggests that a Knicks deadline deal is more likely to be a less significant one, perhaps involving Yabusele and/or Pacome Dadiet.
- With the Knicks and Bucks both struggling as of late, James L. Edwards III and Eric Nehm of The Athletic consider whether a deal sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to New York is any more viable now than it was last summer, when the two teams reportedly had brief discussions about the idea. Nehm views an in-season Antetokounmpo trade as very unlikely and both writers agree it would be extremely difficult for the Knicks to put together an offer that would hold real appeal for Milwaukee.
- Ahead of a Knicks/Nets matchup on Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst takes an in-depth look at the relationship between longtime friends Brown and Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez. After the two men met in 2009, Brown – who was coaching the Cavaliers at the time – arranged for Fernandez to take an internship with the team and to train his son Elijah. Fernandez “practically became an extended member of Brown’s family” during that time, Windhorst writes.
Heat Notes: Powell, Ware, Spoelstra, DSJ, Adebayo
While Norman Powell has long been a productive scorer and excellent shooter, he has taken his game to new heights in recent years. In 2025/26, he’s averaging a career-high 23.7 points per game on .485/.416/.846 shooting for the Heat, making a strong bid for his first All-Star appearance.
As Fred Katz of The Athletic writes, Powell has become a “one-on-one savant.” As a result of the Heat’s offensive system, he’s on pace to more than double his previous career high in isolation plays, and he’s thriving in those situations. According to Katz, the Heat score 127.2 points per 100 possessions out of Powell’s isolations, which leads the NBA and would be the best mark single-season mark (for a player with at least 200 isos) since 2013, when Second Spectrum began tracking the stat.
Powell is earning roughly $20.5MM in the final year of his current contract and will remain eligible for a veteran extension up until June 30. If he doesn’t sign a new deal by that time, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Second-year big man Kel’el Ware sat out Tuesday’s game against Sacramento due to right hamstring tightness.It was Ware’s first missed game of the season, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required), who notes that the banged-up Heat have an open roster spot and can add a 15th man without surpassing the luxury tax threshold but have shown no urgency to do so.
- Within a mailbag for the Sun Sentinel (subscription required), Winderman writes that Heat personnel decisions are “now a village” and aren’t made solely by team president Pat Riley. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has “considerable input” in those decisions, Winderman adds.
- After being waived by the Wisconsin Herd, former NBA lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. has been acquired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, tweets NBA insider Marc Stein. Smith, who hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2023/24 season, averaged just 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 23.4 minutes per game across 11 appearances for the Herd. While the veteran guard is regarded as an above-average defender, he continues to struggle as a shooter, posting a .354/.250/.667 line for Milwaukee’s NBAGL team.
- Heat star Bam Adebayo is the winner of the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for December, having been recognized for his off-court work, per a press release.
Dink Pate Exploring NCAA Options, Has Passed On Two-Way Offers
Former G League Ignite guard/forward Dink Pate, who is currently playing for the Westchester Knicks, is exploring potential college options, agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).
As Givony writes (via Twitter), Pate graduated high school in 2023, which could put him in position to receive at least two seasons of NCAA eligibility, beginning next season. However, it’s unclear whether or not the 6’8″ swingman will be granted eligibility based on the NCAA’s current rules.
Like former second-round pick James Nnaji, who enrolled at Baylor this winter, Pate declared for – and kept his name in – an NBA draft (in 2025). However, unlike Nnaji, Pate has since signed an NBA contract, having completed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Knicks this past September.
NCAA president Charlie Baker said in December after Nnaji joined the Bears that any player who has signed an NBA deal, “including a two-way contract,” would not be permitted to play NCAA basketball. According to Givony, Pate has turned down multiple two-way contract offers from NBA teams with an eye toward retaining his college eligibility.
Baker’s comments in December didn’t clarify whether the NCAA views Exhibit 10 contracts as disqualifying. Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed and only put a player in line for a modest bonus if he subsequently spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.
As Givony observes, former Alabama standout Charles Bediako has sued the NCAA in an effort to rejoin the Crimson Tide for the rest of the 2025/26 season (story via Myron Medcalf of ESPN), and the organization’s response to that lawsuit provides a strong hint at its stance on Exhibit 10 deals. In a statement, the NCAA explained that Bediako’s initial bid for eligibility was denied because he has “signed three NBA contracts.” All three of those contracts were Exhibit 10s, though the 23-year-old big man had one of them converted into a two-way deal.
If a judge grants Bediako eligibility, it would make Pate’s situation more straightforward. But even if Bediako’s request for injunctive relief is denied, there may be a path for Pate to mount his own eligibility challenge since he has never been on a two-way contract.
[Update: Bediako has been granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama, per Nick Kelly of AL.com. A hearing on the preliminary injunction has been scheduled for next Tuesday.]
While Pate is keeping his options open, he hasn’t sought NCAA eligibility to this point and could forgo the college route altogether if a guaranteed NBA deal materializes before the end of the season, per Givony.
Pate has appeared in 27 games for the Knicks’ NBAGL affiliate this season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 34.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .385/.356/.745. He spent last season with the Mexico City Capitanes after playing for the Ignite in 2023/24.
Northwest Notes: Nurkic, Avdija, Henderson, Nuggets
Since raving about the Jazz organization last month, Jusuf Nurkic has been in and out of the team’s lineup, missing time due to a toe injury and then receiving his first three DNP-CDs of the season last week. That hasn’t diminished the big man’s enthusiasm for his current situation, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Nurkic – who is on an expiring $19.4MM contract – has been the subject of some trade speculation leading up to the February 5 deadline. However, he expressed a desire to remain in Utah, referring to himself with a smile as a “Jazz for life,” as Larsen relays.
“I mean, I obviously love being here. It’s been a great experience so far, and hopefully we continue the journey for a long time. But you can’t really control a lot of things,” Nurkic said. “It’s not probably bad or wrong or good to be in the trade rumors, it’s something in between. But if it’s up to me, I’m not leaving, so, (I want to) finish the season with the Jazz.”
According to Larsen, Nurkic is highly regarded in Utah, with the club’s brain trust pointing out that he leads the NBA in screen assists and has been a good fit on a young Jazz roster. That doesn’t mean the 31-year-old won’t be moved, but if the Jazz do trade him, Larsen can envision a scenario in which he returns as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and backs up center Walker Kessler in 2026/27.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Sixth-year forward Deni Avdija has emerged as an impact player for the Trail Blazers, averaging career highs in points (26.2) and assists (6.9) per game so far this season. Avdija’s star turn has made his current four-year, $55MM contract (he’s in year two) one of the most team-friendly deals in the NBA, but he has no regrets about signing that extension, per Jason Quick of The Athletic. “It gave me a lot of calmness, because I know I’m secure,” Avdija said. “That was my goal. I told my agent, and he was like, ‘I think you should sign for less years,’ but I was like, ‘If I outplay my contract, I outplay my contract. We will deal with that later.’ I’m not going to worry about $10 million more or $20 million less. This is what I got, and I’m going to say thank you and not take it for granted. It’s still a lot of money.”
- Scoot Henderson has yet to play this season due to a torn left hamstring, and while his return isn’t imminent, the Trail Blazers guard was spotted on Tuesday running full-court sprints after practice, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “He is progressing,” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said. “He’s getting better. I understand. Everybody’s a little bit frustrated about this, but it’s a tough injury. It’s (one) where people tend to have a second injury, so we’ve got to be careful with him. He’s a big part of our franchise. We’ve got to protect him. And I think we’re doing the right thing and he’s feeling better day by day.”
- Nuggets head coach David Adelman provided updates on his two injured centers on Tuesday, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required). Adelman referred to Jokic’s recovery from a hyperextended left knee as “kind of up and down,” indicating that Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) will likely return before Jokic does.
Pacific Notes: Reaves, Timme, Wiggins, Warriors, Ellis
Injured guard Austin Reaves is “progressing well” from his Grade 2 left gastrocnemius (calf) strain and is on track to return to action at some point during the Lakers‘ road trip, head coach JJ Redick told reporters on Tuesday (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic).
As Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet notes (via Twitter), Los Angeles’ eight-game road trip began on Tuesday in Denver and concludes on February 3 in Brooklyn.
Reaves, who suffered the injury in a Christmas Day loss to Houston, was in the midst of a breakout fifth season for the Lakers prior to the injury, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .502/.365/.873 shooting in 23 games (35.3 minutes per contest).
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Drew Timme, who is on a two-way contract with the Lakers, received unexpected rotation minutes on Saturday due to injuries affecting Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes and responded with a career-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Redick indicated that Timme would likely be part of the rotation for the time being as long as he keeps playing well. The 25-year-old big man went undrafted in 2023 after starring in college at Gonzaga, but didn’t sign his first NBA contract until March 28, 2025. He says he’s fueled by his doubters. “In college and since I’ve left, it’s been you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you’re not good enough for this and that. All these things that I can’t do. And I see it, and it’s fuel,” Timme said. “At the end of the day, I’m a good player. I believe in myself and my abilities, and I believe that I can impact the game at any level, anywhere. To be able to have this opportunity and to be able to help the team, it’s great.”
- Veteran forward Andrew Wiggins received a warm reception from the Warriors and their fans on Monday in his first game back at Chase Center since he was traded to Miami last February as part of the Jimmy Butler blockbuster, according to Janie McCauley of The Associated Press. The team played a video tribute for Wiggins, who spent five-and-a-half years with the Warriors and helped them win the NBA Finals in 2022. “Wiggs is just such a great human being and beloved in our locker room. Had so much success here and helped us turn things around from that two-year stretch when we didn’t make the playoffs,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He was just a joy to coach every single day. When you get a guy like that on your team and you go through a lot together, both on and off the court, then you make a trade, it’s just like that. It’s just crazy, this league, how this business operates. You have to just deal with it but it is sad when your relationships like that are all of a sudden — I mean you still have a relationship but you don’t see each other.”
- Kings guard Keon Ellis, who has been involved in several trade rumors this season, was available for Tuesday’s contest vs. Miami after missing two games with a sore knee, tweets James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.
Warriors’ Dunleavy, Kerr Discuss Butler, Kuminga
Speaking to the media prior to Tuesday’s game against Toronto, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he doesn’t expect to trade Jimmy Butler in the wake of his season-ending torn right ACL, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter video link).
“I don’t envision that, but now that you’ve brought it up, I guess I’d say what I envision for him is kind of give us a boost next year the same way he did last year when he arrived,” Dunleavy said. “And so, at some point during the (2026/27) season he’ll be returning.
“And being the player he’s been — I mean, at his age, what he’s doing this year, to have the year he’s had is impressive. I think he’s got the style of game that can play for a long time with his skill, his physicality, his mind for the game. So I guess my vision for him is him returning at some point between now and this time next year.”
Dunleavy added that he was “crushed” for Butler and it was “tough to say” how his injury will impact the decisions the front office makes ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“We hate it for him but the beat goes on,” Dunleavy said.
Golden State’s top basketball executive also discussed fifth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, who demanded a trade on Jan. 15, the first day he was eligible to be moved. Dunleavy was surprisingly transparent about Kuminga’s market value, or lack thereof.
“As far as the demand, I’m aware of that,” Dunleavy said (Twitter video link via Slater). “In terms of demands, when there’s a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see how that unfolds.”
Dunleavy said he was fine with working with Kuminga or any other player who wants a change of scenery, “but we’ve got to do what’s best for our organization and that’s what we’ll do.” He added that he would take the next couple of weeks to evaluate where the team stands following Butler’s devastating injury.
“I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better,” Dunleavy said, per Slater (Twitter link). “But it is what it is…I know a trade has been requested. But nothing is imminent. Things in this league can change in a heartbeat, as they did last night. So he’s gotta be ready.”
Here’s more on Butler, Kuminga and the Warriors:
- Dunleavy also talked about the possibility of trading future first-round picks, Slater adds (via Twitter). “If we’re talking about trading draft picks that will be going out when Steph (Curry) isn’t here, it’s going to have to be a player that we think we’ll be getting back that is going to be here when those picks are going out.”
- As Friedell writes for The Athletic, head coach Steve Kerr also discussed both players ahead of Tuesday’s contest. “Most of all just disappointed for Jimmy,” Kerr said. “He’s having a great year. I felt, like the last couple weeks, he was really at the top of his game. So, for him, and for us, obviously, but for him individually in the middle of a really great season with a lot of possibilities … I just feel terrible for him that he’s gonna miss the rest of the year. It’s part of the game. Injuries are part of it, but it hurts for sure.”
- Kerr said while the team will obviously miss Butler’s contributions, he’s confident the Warriors will remain competitive without the star forward, noting they have a “really good rhythm” after winning six of their past seven games.
- As for Kuminga, Kerr said he believes the 23-year-old wants to play for the Warriors and receive rotation minutes. But Kerr was noncommittal when asked if Kuminga would reenter the rotation, Friedell notes. The 6’7″ forward has only played 10 minutes since December 7. “He could be, yeah,” Kerr said. “He obviously hasn’t played in a while, but at this point, we have to experiment a little bit with rotations, see where we are, and he’s definitely a part of that talk, that conversation.”
- As Slater tweets, Kuminga is set to enter Tuesday’s game at the start of the second quarter with the Warriors trailing by 13 points. Slater reported earlier on Tuesday that the former lottery pick was open to playing for Golden State again, though his “long-term desires” and “feelings about the organization” haven’t changed. (Twitter video link via NBA Today).
NBA Europe Notes: P. Gasol, Investors, Manchester, More
Hall of Fame big man Pau Gasol is being considered for a “prominent role” in the NBA’s proposed European league, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Gasol was one of the featured speakers at a meeting commissioner Adam Silver hosted on Monday in London regarding the project, which is tentatively titled NBA Europe.
“This is a very unique opportunity,” Gasol told the crowd. “It’s all about learning from each other. It’s all about creating this new venture together. Yes, we’re talking about (the) league, but this goes far beyond. It is about the ecosystem, it’s about the grassroots, it’s about the domestic leagues and it’s about the impact on the children. … There’s so much at stake, and that’s why I think this is so important and so impactful, and why I’m so excited to be a part of it too.”
According to Vardon, representatives from several EuroLeague teams and executives of soccer clubs that do not have basketball teams were present at the meeting. Many other potential sponsors and investors attended as well.
We have more on the NBA’s European project, which would theoretically tip off in 2027/28:
- Silver has been eyeing wealthy investors from the Middle East to start the new league, write Vardon and Eduardo Tansley of The Athletic. Sovereign wealth funds can currently control a maximum of 20 percent of NBA teams, but that rule won’t apply to the European venture. “We’re talking to families that currently invest in sports,” Silver said. “In addition to talking to wealth funds, there’s more traditional investment funds that have had some experience investing in sports and then some just more traditional, home private equity funds that see sports as an asset class. So just to be clear, we are open to different forms of capital.”
- Silver says he has talked to English soccer giants Manchester City and Manchester United about potentially joining the league, but neither club intends to have a team, per Jonty Colman of BBC Sport (hat tip to BasketNews). “We’re having conversations with everyone, and it’s part of why this process has gone on so long,” Silver told BBC Sport. The cities of London and Manchester are expected to have teams if the league comes to fruition, Colman notes.
- Aris Barkas of Eurohoops shares the six EuroLeague teams that attended Monday’s private meeting, including Spanish powerhouses FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Injury Notes: Giddey, Reid, H. Jones, Whitmore
Bulls guard Josh Giddey was upgraded to questionable ahead of Tuesday’s contest against the Clippers before being ruled out (Twitter links via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network). Giddey, who is working his way back from a strained left hamstring, could return to action on Thursday in Minnesota, head coach Billy Donovan said.
Forward Patrick Williams is dealing with a right ankle sprain and will also be out Tuesday. He’s considered day-to-day, per Johnson.
Here are some more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Timberwolves big man Naz Reid was forced to exit Saturday’s loss at San Antonio after just five minutes due to soreness in his left shoulder. However, the injury doesn’t appear to be serious — he was initially questionable for Tuesday’s game in Utah but has been upgraded to available, per the league’s injury report.
- Defensive stalwart Herbert Jones has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit, the Pelicans announced in a press release. Jones, who has popped up in several rumors this season but has reportedly been made unavailable in trade talks, has missed 14 of New Orleans’ last 15 games with a right ankle sprain.
- While Wizards forward Cam Whitmore will miss the remainder of the 2025/26 season due to a blood clot in his right shoulder, he joined the team on the bench during Monday’s loss to the Clippers, which is a good sign for his long-term health, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The former first-round pick will be eligible for an extension in the offseason and will make $5.46MM in ’26/27, which is the final season of his rookie scale contract.
Steven Adams Out Indefinitely With Grade 3 Ankle Sprain
Rockets center Steven Adams has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and is out indefinitely, head coach Ime Udoka told reporters on Tuesday (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic).
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a Grade 3 ankle sprain is when the ligament is completely torn. It’s the most severe ankle sprain and involves significant swelling and pain.
While it’s unclear how much time Adams will miss, he’s likely facing a lengthy absence. The Clinic’s entry indicates that severe sprains can take anywhere from six-to-12 weeks to heal, and Adams would have to get back into shape once he has recovered.
The 32-year-old big man suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over New Orleans. He rolled his ankle contesting a Zion Williamson layup and was immediately in a great deal of pain (YouTube link). Adams had to be helped off the court with assistance.
It’s a tough setback for Adams, who has missed extended time in recent years due to a knee injury which cost him the entire 2023/24 season. The New Zealand native has made has made 32 appearances this season, averaging 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds — including a league-high 4.5 offensive boards — in 22.8 minutes per game.
The Rockets will certainly miss Adams’ presence in the lineup. They have a +11.8 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a +3.4 mark when he’s not playing.
Clint Capela is the most obvious candidate for more playing time with Adams out. Udoka could also opt to run Jabari Smith Jr. in the middle when Alperen Sengun is resting.
On a brighter note for Houston, fourth-year forward Tari Eason will return to action on Tuesday after missing the past five games due to a right ankle sprain, per Guillory.
Suns’ Jalen Green Will Return Tuesday
January 20: Green will be active Tuesday, the Suns confirmed (Twitter link). Although Ott previously indicated that Green would start, apparently that’s still a ways off — Ott said Tuesday that Green will come off the bench and be on a minutes restriction, per Rankin (Twitter video link).
“It’s not a surprise,” Ott said. “That range of minutes is going to put us in a spot where we feel it’s best and the conditioning piece. Playing shorter stints. He’s in a good spot, ready to go. Just because of that range of competitive minutes, he’ll be coming off the bench.”
Ott added that when Green’s conditioning improves, he’ll return to the starting lineup.
January 19: While he was eventually ruled out of Monday’s game at Brooklyn after initially being listed as questionable, Suns guard Jalen Green is expected to make his long-awaited return on Tuesday in Philadelphia, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
Head coach Jordan Ott confirmed Green will play tomorrow, barring a last-minute setback.
“Just giving him the extra day,” head coach Jordan Ott said. “Played (5-on-5) Saturday. Because we do have a back-to-back, we knew he probably wouldn’t be playing in the back-to-back. Just seeing how he woke up this morning. Do we give him the extra day or not? That was the decision we made.”
Green last played on November 8 and has only made two appearances this season due to a right hamstring strain.
The former No. 2 overall pick initially strained the hamstring during training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October. Green sat out the first eight games of the regular season, erupted for 29 points in 23 minutes in his debut in early November, then aggravated the injury again a couple days later about seven minutes into his second game.
According to Rankin (Twitter link), Ott said Green didn’t aggravate his hamstring a third time during his long layoff — the team was just being cautious with the 23-year-old, who had played all 82 regular season games each of the past two seasons.
“When you do something again, obviously, there’s a level of caution,” Ott said. “Young guy. Long career ahead and soft tissue. We’re trying to meet every metric possible on his rehab. He did it, but no setbacks.”
Ott also said Green will reenter the starting lineup when he returns to action, Rankin adds (via Twitter).