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Kings Expected To Entertain Trading De’Aaron Fox

January 28th, 2025 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

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NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event

January 28th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

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

Sophomores

G League Players

* 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.

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Cam Whitmore Had To Improve Defense To Earn Playing Time

January 25th, 2025 at 6:26pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Cam Whitmore has become a productive scorer off the Rockets‘ bench, but he had to fix his defensive issues before getting regular playing time, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Coach Ime Udoka said Whitmore has improved his “awareness” and “recognition” in his second NBA season, and Whitmore agrees. “I just had to be locked in for real,” Whitmore said. “Sometimes I’m in la-la land a little bit, but that’s just on me. I owe it all to my (lack of) effort and laziness, but effort is free. It’s just something I had to do, dial in on it a little bit more and try to get on the floor with that.”
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Southwest Notes: Zion, McCollum, Sengun, Wembanyama, Edey

January 23rd, 2025 at 10:46pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson made his debut with the Pelicans five years ago as of Wednesday, and there have been plenty of highs and lows during that five-year stretch, write Christian Clark and William Guillory of The Athletic. Specifically, Williamson’s missed 230 of a potential 424 regular season games since he entered the league, calling into question just how high New Orleans’ ceiling can be with him.

Clark and Guillory opine that the Pelicans have done well to surround Williamson with talent, but health and availability have always hindered the team even when its star player has been healthy. Williamson seems to be taking a step forward this season, especially defensively, and he’s averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest.

Clark and Guillory agree that the Pelicans need to make decisions on the Brandon Ingram situation and the coaching staff before they seriously weigh Williamson’s future in New Orleans.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • CJ McCollum is shouldering the scoring load for the Pelicans during their four-game win streak, Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. McCollum recorded 45 points in an overtime win against the Jazz on Monday after scoring 26 in a victory over Utah last Friday.
  • Rockets center Alperen Sengun remains on a strong career trajectory, helping lead Houston to a 29-14 record this season. After winning 42 combined games in Sengun’s first two years in the NBA, the Rockets went 41-41 last season and are now on a 55-win pace in 2024/25, continuing their ascent. In an in-depth interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Sengun opened up about his past and what he thinks has changed for Houston. “Opportunity, and (head coach) Ime (Udoka) believing in me,” Sengun said of his impressive development. “That was the biggest reason. He’s shown me that multiple times — last year, this year. He always trusted me. And that’s one of the things in life. You want to find someone that has trust in you.“
  • The Spurs paved the way for Victor Wembanyama‘s success with their history of investing in their players and their track record of international player development, Michael C. Wright of ESPN writes. “The organization has proven over and over they’re willing and they’re doing the right things,” Wembanyama said. “The most important thing is trust and also communication. It’s a balance and the will [between both parties] to keep that balance over the years. This is what’s going to pay off.”
  • Zach Edey‘s offensive numbers are down and it’s because the Grizzlies are hoping to expand his game beyond being a traditional back-to-the-basket guy, Damichael Cole of Memphis’s Commercial Appeal writes. “Everybody’s got a different role to do,” Edey said. “My role has changed through the year. Just trying to buy into that role. Buy into being an elite rebounder, buying into being an elite rim protector, buying into being a spacer and cutter more than I’ve ever been used to. If it helps the team win, that’s what I’m going to do.”
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Central Notes: Haliburton, Garland, Cunningham, Pistons

January 22nd, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyrese Haliburton barely got off the bench when he was in Paris with Team USA for the Summer Olympics, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. That won’t be a concern when the Pacers face the Spurs on Thursday and Saturday, and Haliburton is looking forward to showing the French crowd what he can do.

“I’m excited to actually play — like, play — in this arena,” Haliburton said at a press conference Wednesday in Paris. “But I’m just excited to be here. It will be a fun atmosphere and a fun game.”

Haliburton brought home a gold medal, but he saw the least playing time of anyone on the U.S. team. Dopirak notes that Haliburton was dealing with a leg injury at the time and got into just three Olympic games, playing 26 total minutes and scoring eight points. He remains good-natured about the experience and said it was still special to be part of the Olympics.

“Definitely just life-long memories,” Haliburton said. “Regardless of what the experience was for me personally, I was a part of a group of 12 guys — there’s only 12 players that got to experience that. It definitely means a lot.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is playing at an All-Star level, but tough competition might prevent him from being selected for the game, observes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. LaMelo Ball and Garland’s backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell are the leaders among Eastern Conference guards in the latest round of fan voting, leaving Garland to battle for reserve spots with Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham and Tyler Herro. “Listen, I’ll fight for (Garland),” teammate Tristan Thompson said. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll be Charles Oakley. I think Darius Garland should be (an All-Star), and everyone you guys put in front of him, he’s rang the bell and did what he had to do.”
  • Cunningham renewed his long rivalry with Jalen Green by posting 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Pistons defeated the Rockets on Monday. Their battles date back to AAU games when they were in eighth and ninth grade, Green’s father told Kelly Iko and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, and they intensified after Cunningham was selected No. 1 and Green went No. 2 in the 2021 draft.
  • In a separate story, Patterson takes a mid-season look at the Pistons, who may be headed to the playoffs after winning just 14 games last season. He points to a few things that have helped Detroit exceed expectations, including Cunningham’s rise to stardom, the emergence of Jaden Ivey before suffering a broken fibula, the addition of Malik Beasley in free agency and the progress of second-year player Ausar Thompson and rookie Ron Holland.
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Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoff Race

January 21st, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the 15 teams in the Western Conference, only two are clearly focused more on the 2025 draft lottery than the 2024/25 standings. The 10-31 Jazz and 14-28 Trail Blazers don’t have realistic postseason aspirations this season, with management prioritizing the development of young players and the possibility of landing another high draft pick.

Those two teams are sandwiching the 12-32 Pelicans, who definitely didn’t expect their season to play out like this. Plagued by injuries since top offseason acquisition Dejounte Murray broke his hand on opening night, New Orleans has won its past four games but likely dug too deep a hole in the first half to seriously vie for a play-in spot this season, even if the roster gets (and stays) fully healthy.

Still, that leaves 12 teams in the hunt for eight playoff spots in the Western Conference.

We can safely pencil in the Thunder for one of those spots — and it will almost certainly be the top one. At 35-7, Mark Daigneault‘s squad has a seven-game cushion on the next-best team in the conference.

The Rockets (28-14), Grizzlies (28-15) and Nuggets (26-16) round out the current top four in the West and appear well positioned to claim playoff berths. That’s not necessarily a lock, given how competitive the conference is — a single injury could be all it takes for one of those teams to fall back to the pack. But they’re in strong positions.

After the top four, things gets interesting. Here are the current Western Conference standings from five through 12:

  1. Los Angeles Clippers (24-18)
  2. Los Angeles Lakers (22-18)
  3. Dallas Mavericks (23-20)
  4. Sacramento Kings (22-20)
  5. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-21)
  6. Phoenix Suns (21-21)
  7. Golden State Warriors (21-21)
  8. San Antonio Spurs (19-22)

These eight teams are separated by a total of 4.5 games. The gap from No. 6 to 11 is just two games. A five-game winning streak or losing streak for any of these clubs could significantly change the perception of how their season is going.

To that point, as recently as January 4, the Kings were 12th in the conference at 16-19, while the Spurs were in eighth place at 18-16. A Sacramento hot streak and a San Antonio cold spell have resulted in those two clubs swapping places in the standings just seven games later.

The Spurs are probably a little ahead of schedule in their rebuild and didn’t necessarily expect to make the postseason this year, so if they continue to slump, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for them. But the rest of the clubs listed above had serious playoff aspirations this season. The Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Suns, and Warriors are all spending into the tax on their rosters, and the Kings aren’t far off.

Barring a major collapse from one of the top four seeds, one of these clubs (or two, if San Antonio sticks around) will finish outside the top 10, missing out not just on the playoffs but on the play-in altogether. Two more will be eliminated in the play-in tournament and will fail to clinch one of the eight playoff spots in the West.

What happens at the trade deadline could go a long way toward determining how this race plays out down the stretch, but we want to know what you’re thinking at the halfway point of the season.

Which teams do you expect to finish outside of the top 10 in the West? Which teams will be eliminated in the play-in? Which clubs besides the Thunder are the most serious contenders to represent the conference in this year’s NBA Finals?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Green Named Players Of The Week

January 20th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Player of the Week in the Eastern Conference, while Rockets guard Jalen Green has won the weekly award for the Western Conference, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

It’s the 25th time that Antetokounmpo has earned Player of the Week honors over the course of his decorated 12-year NBA career, including the second time this season.

In four games during the week of Jan. 13-19, the two-time MVP averaged 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 34.5 minutes per game, making 66.7% of his shots from the floor as the Bucks went 4-0. Milwaukee beat Sacramento, Orlando, Toronto, and Philadelphia by an average margin of 19 points per game in a dominant week.

Antetokounmpo beat out fellow nominees LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Darius Garland, Damian Lillard, and Onyeka Okongwu for the Eastern Conference award, per the NBA (Twitter link).

Green, meanwhile, was named Player of the Week for the first time this season and the second time in his four-year career. The former No. 2 overall pick has scored at least 26 points in eight consecutive games, including all four of Houston’s contests this past week.

Green led the Rockets to a 3-1 week by scoring 32.5 points per game on a scorching-hot shooting line of .606/.633/.962. He also chipped in 3.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per night.

A trio of Clippers – James Harden, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac – headlined the Western Conference’s other Player of the Week nominees and were joined by Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Scoot Henderson, Trey Murphy, and Jamal Murray.

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Trail Blazers Notes: Sharpe, Ayton, Avdija, Henderson

January 20th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe came off the bench Sunday night as coach Chauncey Billups removed him from the starting lineup due to frequent defensive lapses, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. When Billups informed Sharpe of the decision before the game, he included a clear message about the need to improve on that end of the court.

“It was a good convo,” Sharpe said. “He basically just told me what I needed to do. And today, I think I took a big step in doing what he said. So, I just got to continue to do that, and we’ll be all right.”

Sharpe responded by playing 33 minutes in a win over Chicago, slightly more than he usually sees as a starter. He scored 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and Billups was happy with the effort he displayed on defense.

“I was proud of him,” Billups told reporters. “I thought defensively, he was locked in. which is where he needs to be. … I think with him when he’s locked in defensively, it helps his offense. It makes him go.”

There’s more from Portland:

  • Deandre Ayton, who sat out Saturday’s game with low back soreness, and Deni Avdija, who missed three games with an ankle issue, both returned to the court on Sunday night, Fentress adds in a separate story. The extra size helped the Blazers post a 50-36 advantage in rebounding, which led to 17 fast break points. “When we can get out and get our guys going and play fast and move the basketball, we’re pretty tough to play against,” Billups said.
  • Scoot Henderson continued his recent stellar play with 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in 38 minutes. The past four games have marked one of the best career stretches for Henderson, who was selected with the third pick in the 2023 draft. “It’s starting to become so consistent with Scoot,” Billups said (Twitter link from Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report). “I thought he did a good job of picking his spots but continuing to be on attack the whole game. Because we need it. He’s at his best that way. He’s playing really well. I’m proud of Scoot.” Anfernee Simons sat out Sunday’s game with a right elbow strain, so Sharpe may remain in a bench role when he returns if Henderson keeps playing well.
  • The Rockets, who won at Portland on Saturday night, could provide a good blueprint for the Blazers, Highkin states in a full story. They were recently in a similar position, but were able to make a quick turnaround due to the development of their young players and an aggressive approach to free agency. “It’s the stage Houston was in before I got there, where they were trying to figure out who is who with a stockpile of lottery picks,” coach Ime Udoka said. “They’re in that same mode right now, with some of those young guys.”
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Jabari Smith Won't Have Surgery On Fractured Hand

January 18th, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. has decided against having surgery on his fractured left hand, coach Ime Udoka told reporters before tonight’s game (Twitter link from Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Udoka adds that letting the injury heal naturally may add a week or so to the recovery process.
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Southwest Notes: Morant, Murray, Eason, Rockets

January 17th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who was ruled out for the team’s game in San Antonio on Friday night due to right foot soreness, is no longer eligible for major award consideration this season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Morant has averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per contest this season for the Grizzlies, who rank third in the Western Conference standings, but Friday’s game will be the 18th he has missed this season. That means he’ll fall short of the 65-game threshold required to qualify for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA.

Morant made the All-NBA Second Team in 2022, but a suspension related to his off-court behavior derailed his chances of repeating the feat in 2023, and he appeared in just nine games last season due to a second suspension and a season-ending shoulder injury.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

  • Dejounte Murray‘s 30-point performance on Wednesday in a victory over Dallas was a reminder of why the Pelicans targeted him and gave up a pair of first-round picks – along with former lottery selection Dyson Daniels and rotation big man Larry Nance Jr. – to acquire him last offseason, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. It has been a challenging year so far for Murray, one of many key Pelicans players who has missed time due to an injury — he broke his hand on opening night and the team was 4-14 by the time he returned. “I’m trying to get my fun back,” Murray said. “It’s nothing with the team. Just dealing with a lot. It’s been tough for me. I’m a strong person, but at the same time I’m human. I think sometimes I can forget that.”
  • Although they didn’t get the win, the Rockets got a boost on Thursday as forward Tari Eason played for the first time in over a month after missing 13 games due to a lower left leg injury, notes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Eason was on a minutes restriction of 20-to-25 minutes, per head coach Ime Udoka. He ended up playing 24 minutes and didn’t miss a beat in his return, scoring 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
  • Kelly Iko and John Hollinger of The Athletic explore some possible trade options for the Rockets, discussing why Jimmy Butler probably doesn’t make sense for Houston and considering whether De’Aaron Fox would be a fit if Sacramento made him available. While a significant in-season move seems unlikely, Hollinger points to Malcolm Brogdon or Chris Boucher as players on expiring deals who might make some sense as deadline targets for the Rockets.
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