Eastern Rumors: Ty. Jones, Ivey, Pacers, Okongwu, Raptors, Sixers
The Magic have made calls to multiple teams to explore the possibility of trading veteran point guard Tyus Jones in exchange for some second-round draft capital, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Jones, 29, signed a one-year, $7MM contract with Orlando over the summer but has played a limited role with the team and is performing well below his usual standard. He has averaged 3.2 points and 2.4 assists in 16.5 minutes per game across 40 outings (eight starts), while making just 35.3% of his shots from the floor, including 29.5% from beyond the three-point line.
The Magic are currently operating about $5.6MM above the luxury tax line and may be motivated to duck out of tax territory at this season’s deadline. Their roster will only get more expensive beginning in 2026/27 when Paolo Banchero‘s maximum-salary rookie scale extension takes effect, so avoiding the tax this season would postpone the repeater clock for another year.
Here are several more items of interest shared by Fischer from around the Eastern Conference:
- While the Pistons still aren’t looking to make a major in-season deal, they’ve gauged Jaden Ivey‘s value on the trade market, per Fischer. The former fifth overall pick has played a reduced role (16.9 MPG) this season in his return from a major leg injury and will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.
- As the Pacers continue to scour the trade market for a long-term answer at the center spot, Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu is among the players they’ve inquired about, Fischer writes. There’s no indication that Atlanta engaged in discussions involving Okongwu, who is averaging a career-high 16.0 points and 31.9 minutes per game.
- Rivals view the Raptors as one of the teams most interested in making a significant in-season move, according to Fischer, who notes that Toronto was the only team besides Washington with real interest in Trae Young. The Raptors have also been connected repeatedly to Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis, and Fischer suggests they’re a potential suitor worth watching for Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant.
- The Sixers and Grizzlies had some trade conversations in mid-December, Fischer says, clarifying that those discussions didn’t involve Morant. Based on “recent synergy” between them, Philadelphia and Memphis could end up being involved in the same transaction if either club needs help from a third team to facilitate a deal, Fischer notes.
Eleven More Players Become Trade-Eligible
Today is Thursday, January 15, which means that a total of 11 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.
Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:
- The player re-signed with his previous team.
- He got a raise of at least 20%.
- His salary is above the minimum.
- His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.
These are the 11 players who met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Thursday:
Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)- Josh Giddey (Bulls)
- Quentin Grimes (Sixers)
- Isaiah Jackson (Pacers)
- Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)
- Tre Mann (Hornets)
- Sam Merrill (Cavaliers)
- Davion Mitchell (Heat)
- Paul Reed (Pistons)
- Naz Reid (Timberwolves)
- Ryan Rollins (Bucks)
Most of the players on standard 15-man rosters around the NBA are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt.
That group includes Kings guard Russell Westbrook, who becomes trade-eligible on Friday, Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (trade-eligible on January 18), Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan (Jan. 23), Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (Feb. 1), Lakers guard Luka Doncic (Feb. 2), Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (Feb. 4), and Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (Feb. 4).
Additionally, there are several players who won’t become trade-eligible at all prior to this season’s February 6 deadline, including reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be traded.
Heat Notes: Morant, Adebayo, Mitchell, Ware, Spoelstra
Following up on a report stating that Miami appeals to Ja Morant and his camp as a potential trade destination, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald says the Heat reciprocate that interest — to some extent. According to Chiang, the Heat and Grizzlies have had preliminary conversations about Morant, but those discussions haven’t advanced at all and a source tells the Herald that it’s “premature” to view Miami as a serious suitor for the point guard.
As Chiang writes, the Grizzlies are reportedly seeking draft assets and young players in a Morant deal, but the Heat would likely resist the idea of offering any draft picks or any of their most promising youngsters for the two-time All-Star, who has battled a series of injuries in recent years.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald agrees with his colleague’s assessment, tweeting that any Heat offer for Morant is unlikely to feature real value due to the sense that a trade partner would be doing Memphis a favor by taking the $86MM owed to the 26-year-old over the two seasons after this one.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- After a stretch in which he scored fewer than 20 points in 11 straight games, Bam Adebayo had a big night in Tuesday’s win over Phoenix, racking up 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Still, pointing to the big man’s underwhelming numbers for the season, one veteran executive tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that Adebayo’s maximum-salary contract won’t be considered a positive deal going forward “if he keeps this trend on offense.” Adebayo continues to make a significant impact defensively but has averaged just 16.8 points and 2.7 assists per game on .456/.333/.758 shooting. “It’s amazing what’s happened with him,” an Eastern Conference scout told Jackson. “The new offensive system hasn’t done him any justice. His offense has regressed. He’s not getting as many assists. He’s better in a pick-and-roll-oriented system than what they’re running now.”
- Heat guard Davion Mitchell has started all 38 games he has played this season for the Heat, but he likely won’t be available on Thursday vs. Boston, having been listed as doubtful due to a left shoulder contusion. Mitchell said on Wednesday that his arm is already feeling better than when he injured it on Tuesday and that an MRI isn’t necessary for now, per Chiang. “If I’m still doing worse or the same tomorrow, then we probably would make that adjustment and get an MRI,” Mitchell said.
- The Heat have moved away from two-big lineups as of late, resulting in Kel’el Ware playing about 16 or 17 minutes in each of the past three games. However, that usage pattern isn’t necessarily permanent, according to head coach Erik Spoelstra. “There’ll be some games it’ll make sense to play both of them (together),” Spoelstra said of Adebayo and Ware, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “Many of our rotations are super important and (Tuesday) night it was a speed game, a smaller game. But Kel’el had a big impact on the game in his minutes. That’s what he has to focus on, and that’ll earn him more minutes. That’ll earn trust, not just with the head coach, but with the players.”
- When Mike Tomlin stepped down as the coach of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers this week, it made Spoelstra the longest-tenured head coach in any of the major U.S. sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS), Winderman writes for the Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Spoelstra’s enthusiasm about earning that distinction was muted, to put it mildly. “Some people could look at that as a badge of honor,” he said. “I look at that as really a disappointment to this profession, that there’s not more coaches that are given an opportunity to work through things.”
Ja Morant Talks About Trade Rumors, Reportedly Has Interest In Heat
Ja Morant addressed trade rumors at a press conference in Berlin ahead of Thursday’s game against Orlando, but his responses were brief and guarded, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Speculation that Morant might be moved before the February 5 deadline has been rampant since ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last Friday that Memphis is listening to offers.
Asked during his six-minute meeting with reporters how the rumors are affecting him, Morant said, “Live with it.”
Morant’s other statements were similarly short, Vardon adds. In response to a question about whether he expects to still be with the Grizzlies after the deadline passes, Morant responded, “I’m the only one you asked that question to?” Queried about the response of Memphis fans to a potential deal, he stated, “I think y’all should be more worried about my reaction and not other people. Like, my reaction is more important.”
The only real insight Morant offered was regarding his relationship with head coach Tuomas Iisalo, which was strained early in the season, resulting in a one-game suspension after a locker room confrontation. Morant indicated that things have improved, saying, “He cool. I don’t think we’ve had too many ups and downs. That’s just y’all on the outside looking in thinking that.”
The Grizzlies announced that Morant will miss Thursday’s game, which will be his sixth straight absence, due to a right calf contusion. It’s the third time he has been listed as “out” instead of “questionable” in the pregame injury report since Charania’s report surfaced. League sources told Vardon that Morant informed at least two teammates, along with other NBA players, that he doesn’t play to play for Memphis again.
However, Vardon points out that Morant is still classified as a “star” by the NBA, and the overseas contests, which are being televised by Prime Video, are considered “national TV” games. League rules require “star” players to participate in those games unless they can show proof of a legitimate injury, so Morant’s status for Sunday will be worth watching.
Morant plans to meet with members of his business team while in Europe to consider his future, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, who hears that the Heat have become an “attractive option” to his camp over the past few days.
Miami’s reputation for attention to detail and structure is appealing to Morant, Iko adds, and he has “a deep respect” for head coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat coach also runs Team USA, and Morant hopes to represent his country at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Iko states that Morant views Miami’s veteran presence as another positive.
Morant has two years and $87MM left on his current contract after this season, and sources tell Iko that he’s hoping to receive a max extension by next summer. That’s unlikely to happen with the current situation in Memphis, but rebuilding his reputation in Miami could be the best path toward a huge payday.
Grizzlies Provide Injury Updates On Edey, Clarke, Pippen
Three injured Grizzlies players will remain sidelined for several more weeks, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Memphis’ update on starting center Zach Edey is the most notable of the bunch. After initially ruling out Edey for four weeks on December 11 due to a stress reaction in his left ankle, the Grizzlies say that the big man’s recovery period will cover at least six more weeks before he’s reevaluated. That timeline suggests Edey won’t be ready to return until late February at the very earliest.
Edey’s extended absence is an unfortunate turn of events for the Grizzlies, who played some of their best basketball of the season when he was available in November and December. Across 11 outings, Edey has averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game.
More notable than those stats were his on/off-court numbers — the Grizzlies outscored opponents by 18.3 points per 100 possessions and posted a defensive rating of 94.5 during Edey’s 284 minutes on the court.
The Grizzlies also shared updates on forward/center Brandon Clarke, who is recovering from a grade 2 right calf strain, and point guard Scotty Pippen Jr., who has yet to play this season while recovering from a seasmoidectomy performed on his left great toe in October. Both players are progressing well in their respective recoveries, according to the team, and are expected to return to play in about to four to six weeks.
Memphis will play its last game prior to the All-Star break on February 11, which is exactly four weeks from today, so Clarke and Pippen are probably more likely to return to action shortly after All-Star weekend than before it.
A series of injuries affecting starters and other rotation players have prevented the Grizzlies from gaining any real momentum for most of the 2025/26 season. They’ve been below .500 since early November and currently have a 17-22 record. Memphis ranks 10th in the Western Conference and holds a one-game lead over the Clippers for the final play-in spot.
LeBron James Distances Himself From Rich Paul’s Podcast Comments
After LeBron James‘ longtime agent Rich Paul raised eyebrows earlier this week by advocating for a trade involving Austin Reaves, James made it clear on Tuesday that any Lakers-related opinions Paul shares on his podcast aren’t being run by LeBron — and aren’t necessarily opinions that the four-time MVP endorses.
“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”
As McMenamin details, during the most recent episode of the ‘Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul‘ podcast, the veteran player agent identified Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. as an ideal trade target for the Lakers, suggesting L.A. should be willing to give up Reaves and a future first-round pick to land the former Defensive Player of the Year.
“If you’re building around Luka (Doncic) going forward, which they are, you need that anchor,” Paul said on the podcast. “And Jaren doesn’t want to be a part of a rebuild.
“This comes with a very unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved, which he should be, he’s an underdog. There’s a world where you can do what’s best for your team, and do what’s best for Austin. Because Austin deserves to get paid. Now, I love him as a Laker, but if that was a situation where we’re getting balance — because if you put all the money into just the backcourt and then your flexibility is restricted going forward to fill out the rest of the team, then (building a full roster is challenging). Memphis would definitely pay Austin.”
Paul launched the Game Over podcast alongside Kellerman last month and has already made headlines multiple times based on his comments about the Lakers. In a December episode, the Klutch Sports CEO suggested that the Lakers – as currently comprised – aren’t legitimate title contenders. L.A. was off to a 17-6 start at that point.
“Rich, that’s what he’s doing,” James told McMenamin. “That’s his whole thing. That’s what he’s doing. That’s what he’s talking about, but I have zero conversations about what his topics are going to be or what they are going to talk about. He is his own man and that is his platform.”
Reaves will be eligible for unrestricted free agency during the 2026 offseason — he holds a $14.9MM player option for 2026/27 but is considered a virtual lock to opt out, since he has made a strong case for a long-term deal and a starting salary far exceeding $14.9MM. The 27-year-old, who is currently sidelined due to a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain, averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game in his first 23 outings this season, with a .507/.365/.873 shooting line.
As good as he has been, there have been some observers who are skeptical about the Lakers building their post-LeBron roster around two offense-first guards in Doncic and Reaves — it sounds like Paul is among them.
According to McMenamin, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, one of Reaves’ representatives, approached Paul during Tuesday’s game vs. the Hawks and talked to him for about five minutes. While sources tell ESPN that the two men discussed Paul’s podcast comments about Reaves, James insists it’s a non-issue between him and his Lakers teammate.
“AR knows how I feel about him,” James said to McMenamin. “All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him and I hope AR – or his camp – don’t look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich. Rich has his perspective of what he sees, I have my perspective. I’m a grown man, he’s a grown man and I think people should realize that grown men can say whatever the f–k they want to say and it shouldn’t reflect somebody else is saying it.”
Jackson, meanwhile, admitted on Wednesday that he also heard Paul’s podcast remarks, but the Grizzlies big man laughed them off, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“There’s just a lot of podcasts,” Jackson said. “At first I didn’t think it was real. You have to figure out if its real usually now, and I’m not as versed technology wise as these people younger than me. I was figuring out of it’s AI, deep-fake, all that stuff. That’s all I had, I didn’t really have much of a reaction.”
Southwest Notes: Eason, Finney-Smith, Rockets, Bey, Morant
The Rockets are missing two key regulars for Tuesday’s game against Chicago. Tari Eason (right ankle sprain) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle injury management) are sitting out, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets.
Eason also missed Houston’s loss to Sacramento on Sunday after spraining his ankle against Portland on Friday. Finney-Smith has been eased back into action after undergoing ankle surgery during the offseason.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Rockets had an added inconvenience prior to their game against Sacramento on Sunday, John Hollinger of The Athletic reports. Unavailable to book their preferred hotel in Sacramento because the Lakers and Knicks had taken all the rooms, the Rockets stayed in San Francisco and then bused 85 miles to the Kings’ home arena on Sunday afternoon. As Hollinger notes, the Rockets have played 23 of their first 36 games on the road, tying an NBA record. That includes 11 road contests since Dec. 15, which gives them at least a partial excuse for their poor outing against the Kings.
- Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey (right hip flexor strain) has been upgraded to probable for Tuesday’s game against Denver, Guillory tweets. Bey has missed six games due to the injury. Bey, who is in the second year of a three-year deal, has averaged 15.1 points and 5.9 rebounds after missing last season due to a torn ACL.
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, the subject of heavy trade rumors since it was reported earlier this month the team was listening to offers for him, could return to action this week. The Grizzlies are playing the Magic in Berlin on Thursday and London on Sunday. Coach Tuomas Iisalo said the calf bruise that has sidelined Morant for five games is progressing to the point where there’s “a chance” that Morant will be available for one or both of those international contests, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
Trade Notes: Cavs, Nets, MPJ, Grizzlies, More
The Cavaliers acquired forward De’Andre Hunter in their only in-season trade in 2024/25, but Hunter’s disappointing performance so far in ’25/26 may necessitate another in-season move a year later, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Sources tell Fedor that the Cavaliers haven’t engaged in any meaningful trade talks with teams inquiring on their players so far, including one club that made an offer for Hunter. Cleveland still believes in its current group despite an underwhelming 22-19 first half and wants to see what it looks like at full strength, if possible, Fedor adds.
However, with Max Strus expected to remain sidelined for at least a few more weeks, Dean Wade dealing with a nagging knee issue – he recently underwent a precautionary MRI that came back clean, per Fedor – and Hunter struggling to make an impact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cavs explore their options on the trade market before the deadline.
After Hunter scored a season-low two points and committed three turnovers in 18 minutes of action in Monday’s home loss to Utah, head coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the forward’s struggles while expressing a belief that he can still turn things around.
“It’s not clicking. I think it’s a prolonged batting slump. It happens in every sport,” Atkinson said. “Trying to support him. Trying to get him some touches. Part of my job is to help him. He’ll snap out of it. He’s too good of a player to be playing like this. He’ll turn it around. We need him.”
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Noting that Nets general manager Sean Marks typically exercises patience on the trade market and doesn’t settle for deals that fall shy of his asking price, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) writes that there’s a real chance Michael Porter Jr. remains with the team through the trade deadline. One assistant GM told Lewis that he wouldn’t be surprised if Brooklyn hangs onto Porter and then sits him frequently after the trade deadline in an effort to tank for a high draft pick.
- Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports both check in on the Ja Morant situation, with Iko explaining why the Grizzlies appear prepared to move forward without the star point guard and O’Connor presenting some hypothetical trade scenarios involving the 26-year-old. Echoing recent reporting from ESPN, Iko says executives around the NBA are wondering if Memphis will also become open to dealing Jaren Jackson Jr., though the Grizzlies have insisted for now that’s not an option they’re considering.
- Dan Woike of The Athletic suggests six trade ideas for the Lakers, including potential deals that send Andrew Wiggins, Herbert Jones, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, or Justin Champagnie to Los Angeles. However, he also plays devil’s advocate by outlining reasons why his suggestions might not work, such as the Pelicans’ lack of interest in moving Jones and the Lakers’ reluctance to take on multiyear salary for a player like KCP.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic lays out a few trades he’d like to see happen, including one sending Bulls guard Coby White into the Pistons‘ trade exception for draft assets, a three-team deal sending Michael Porter Jr. to the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga to the Kings, and a Daniel Gafford/Bennedict Mathurin swap between the Pacers and Mavericks.
And-Ones: Kennedy, RSNs, Thomas, Trade Market, RFAs
Longtime NBA referee Bill Kennedy will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a hamstring strain during Friday’s game in Orlando, Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime tweets. There’s hope he can return before the regular season ends, Haynes adds. Kennedy left the court in a wheelchair on Friday after suffering the injury during the first quarter.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- There is continuing uncertainty regarding the regional sports networks broadcasting NBA games. Main Street Sports Group, with its pending sale to DAZN teetering, it is in talks with a second potential buyer that could keep its FanDuel Sports Network broadcasts afloat, according to Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal. That potential buyer could be FUBO TV, though that hasn’t been confirmed. Main Street missed January payments to some or all of the 13 NBA teams that it broadcasts. Main Street/DAZN wanted teams in the NBA and NHL to extend their deals through the 2028/29 season, including digital rights, something the teams and the leagues were uninterested in doing, according to Friend. Main Street is also asking NBA and NHL franchises to take a 20% dip in rights fee payments for the rest of this season and also defer those reduced payments.
- Former NBA guard Matt Thomas has joined Besiktas GAIN Istanbul for the remainder of the EuroLeague season, Eurohoops.net reports. The 31-year-old shooting guard had been playing for Spain’s Coviran Granada, where he averaged 14.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Thomas appeared in 126 NBA games over three years from 2019-22, suiting up for Toronto, Utah and Chicago.
- The Hawks traded a former All-Star guard in Trae Young during his prime and didn’t receive any draft compensation in return. Yossi Gozlan of ThirdApron.com examines why the trade market has crashed and how this could impact future moves, such as the Grizzlies potentially dealing Ja Morant.
- Who was the biggest loser among the restricted free agents last offseason? The Athletic’s Joel Lorenzi, Tony Jones and Nick Friedell discuss how Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas and Quentin Grimes were impacted by the current CBA and why potential suitors were reluctant to tie up cap space to extend an offer sheet to an RFA.
Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Koloko, Coward
The Grizzlies are dealing with a limited market as they consider their options in a potential Ja Morant trade, writes Zach Harper of The Athletic. Harper speculates that the offers Memphis receives might be similar to the meager return Atlanta got for Trae Young, even though Morant is only 26 and is a two-time All-Star.
Harper starts by pointing out that 15 teams are already set at point guard, which eliminates half the league. Among the rest, Boston, Minnesota, Milwaukee and Orlando don’t have enough trade assets or financial flexibility to be realistic contenders for Morant, and Harper doesn’t believe Atlanta will be in the market for another point guard after parting with Young. Toronto is probably out because the Grizzlies wouldn’t want Immanuel Quickley‘s long-term contract, and Sacramento likely wouldn’t part with the draft assets necessary to get Memphis’ interest.
Harper whittles his list down to the Nets, Bulls, Heat and Mavericks as the most likely contenders for Morant, but none of them appear to be a perfect fit. Chicago needs to find a star, but Josh Giddey is already entrenched as the team’s lead ball-handler. Dallas could use a younger point guard than Kyrie Irving if the plan is to rebuild around Cooper Flagg, but Morant’s injury history might make the Mavs reluctant to pull the trigger on a deal. Brooklyn is in the early stages of rebuilding, and Morant might not be happy to wind up there.
Harper suggests that Morant’s best option is to finish the season strong and rebuild his trade value for a potential deal this summer. However, he speculates that the Grizzlies may already have a deal in hand that they can live with and they’re just seeing if they can do better before the deadline arrives.
There’s more from Memphis:
- The Morant trade rumors are starting to raise questions about whether Jaren Jackson Jr. is on board with a complete rebuilding project, Tim MacMahon states on the latest edition of The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to Real GM). Memphis is hanging on to the final play-in spot at 17-22 after sending Desmond Bane to Orlando last summer. “Their actions are telling you that they’re determined to rebuild the Grizzlies, I would say, around Jaren Jackson Jr.,” MacMahon said. “There’s a lot of discussion around the league wondering if that is mutual, I would say.”
- Christian Koloko‘s second 10-day contract has expired, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) so the Grizzlies would need to sign him to a standard deal to keep him for the rest of the season. Koloko appeared in 11 games over that span, making two starts and averaging 2.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per night.
- Rookie Cedric Coward is already emerging as a reliable clutch-time option, observes Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints. “(Coward) is a first-year player coming out of college, but is picking his spots,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “Overall, I would talk about our very good offense for stretches. He was a part of those, making quick decisions off the catch. Ball movement was great; he was finding open players. Those are the things we’ve got to build on and also look to use in crunch time.”