Siegel’s Latest: Pistons, Suns, Raptors, Pelicans, Thunder
Although there has been some speculation that the Pistons could try to make a major win-now move to fortify their roster ahead of the playoffs, multiple sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that Detroit is unlikely to deal away any of its core players, a group that includes Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a little strange to see Harris, who is currently out with a hip strain, described as part of the Pistons’ “core,” considering he’s the oldest player (33) on the roster and on an expiring $26.6MM contract. But evidently the team values his contributions and veteran leadership.
According to Siegel, if Detroit’s front office — led by president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon — changes that stance, Trey Murphy III would be a player to watch. Langdon used to be New Orleans’ GM and was part of the group that drafted Murphy.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Suns have been scouring the market for a “cheap forward upgrade,” according to Siegel, who says Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards have all been made available in trade talks.
- Reiterating a point recently made by Marc Stein, Siegel cites sources who say the Raptors are viewed as a buyer heading into the deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant and Murphy among the players they’ve considered pursuing. Toronto appears willing to part with its 2026 first-round pick in search of win-now upgrades, according to Siegel, who writes that Ochai Agbaji is likely to be on the move before the deadline, and if a bigger trade is made, Immanuel Quickley may be involved.
- A recent report said the Pelicans have been rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Murphy and Herbert Jones, among others. Rival teams think that’s due to a combination of a high asking price and being underwhelmed by opposing offers. According to Siegel, New Orleans is looking for two first-round picks for Jones and three for Murphy, plus young players. Siegel hears the Pelicans are also trying to get back into the 2026 draft after sending out their own selection last year for Derik Queen; they’ve been talking to projected playoff teams (in the 20-30 range) about that possibility.
- While the Thunder are considered unlikely to make any type of significant change to their roster prior to the deadline, it’s possible they could look to either consolidate some of their 2026 first-round picks for a more valuable selection or trade them for future draft assets, per Siegel. That may happen closer to the draft, Siegel notes. Dan Woike of The Athletic, citing sources, also hears rival teams think the Thunder will try to turn some of this year’s first-rounders — they could have as many as four — into future assets.
Kings, Bulls, Lakers Interested In Jonathan Kuminga
While it’s widely expected that Jonathan Kuminga will be on the move by the February 5 deadline, the Warriors don’t feel any urgency to deal him when he becomes trade-eligible on January 15, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the market for Kuminga has shrunk since he was a restricted free agent over the summer, and it doesn’t help matters that he couldn’t crack Golden State’s rotation even before he reportedly started being held out due to trade talks. Fischer points to the Suns as a team that was interested in Kuminga over the offseason but has since moved on.
While the Mavericks reportedly initiated trade talks with the Warriors and expressed some interest in Kuminga, those conversations were centered around Anthony Davis. With the star big man injured and thus not expected to be moved, Dallas seems unlikely to circle back to Kuminga now, Fischer explains.
According to Fischer, the Wizards were once viewed as a possible landing spot for the former No. 7 overall pick, but that was when they still had Corey Kispert on the roster, a player the Warriors have liked for years. Kispert was traded to Atlanta in the Trae Young deal.
Confirming recent reporting from ESPN and The Athletic, Fischer hears the Kings remain high on Kuminga and “would welcome” the opportunity to acquire him prior to Feb. 5, but they know a two-team deal is unlikely and that may be true of multi-team constructs as well if general manager Scott Perry maintains his stance of being unwilling to include a first-round pick.
The Bulls are another team that has expressed previous interest in Kuminga, Fischer writes, and a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that they’re still evaluating whether to make a run at him. Cowley hears there has been increased recent chatter about Coby White being on the market, and Fischer refers to the impending free agent as being “oft-discussed,” though the Warriors don’t appear to have interest in the 25-year-old guard.
Cowley also confirms the Bulls have long been intrigued by Zion Williamson, but he may not be available.
Lastly, while the Lakers are known to be looking for a three-and-D wing and Kuminga doesn’t really fit that bill, they did inquire about his availability in the offseason and have continued to keep an eye on his situation, Fischer reports.
Peyton Watson, Scottie Barnes Named Players Of Week
Nuggets wing Peyton Watson and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Watson led the depleted Nuggets to a 3-1 record during the week of January 5-11, posting averages of 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while making 70% of his three-point attempts (14-of-20).
The fourth-year swingman entered Denver’s starting lineup in November due to injuries and is enjoying a career year ahead of his restricted free agency. This is the first Player of the Week award of his career.
The Raptors also had a 3-1 record last week with Barnes averaging 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists — he sat out the team’s loss to Boston on Friday due to a right knee sprain, so Toronto was 3-0 when he played.
Barnes’ best game of the week came in an overtime victory over Philadelphia on Sunday — he racked up 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, and was a +15 in a game the Raptors won by a single point.
It’s the second time Barnes has earned Player of the Week honors in his career.
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees, while Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Joel Embiid (Sixers), Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Andrew Nembhard (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Injury Notes: F. Wagner, Green, Curry, Williams
The Magic are gearing up for a game against the Grizzlies in Berlin. Their German star, Franz Wagner, is hoping that he can make his return from injury by then, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
“I feel good,” Wagner said. “I’ve been working really hard the last couple of weeks to get back as soon as I can. Hopefully that will be in Berlin. But regardless of if I play or not, it’s going to be just a true full circle moment for Mo [Wagner] and I.”
Wagner has missed the last 16 games for Orlando, including Sunday’s 128-118 win over the Pelicans, as he recovers from a high ankle sprain. In his 24 games played this season, he has averaged 22.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
“Growing up going as little kids to that gym to watch the pros play and now bring the NBA game there, is pretty special for us,” Wagner said. “So we’re just going to the try and enjoy every second of it, take it all in and appreciate the opportunity.”
The Magic are currently tied with the Cavs for the sixth seed with a record of 22-18, and are hoping that Wagner’s return can help them start to move back up the standings.
We have more injury news from around the league:
- Jalen Green continued ramping up his on-court work on Friday with the Suns‘ coaching staff, writes Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “You’re going to feel some general soreness just by getting out there on the court and that’s normal,” coach Jordan Ott said prior to Phoenix’s game against the Knicks. “That’s not specific to the injury. He’s got to keep going. He’s going to have to fight through some that overall just soreness back on the court. Now he’s getting bodies. The beating and banging with the bodies and know we’re right there. Got to get across the finish line.” Ott noted that Green will be on a minutes restriction when he returns, but that he’s expected to start. “He’s been out for multiple months. There’s obviously going to be some type of target range or number that we try to get him to,” Ott said. “He’ll definitely be in the starting lineup as soon as he gets back and ready to go. We need his speed, his ability to attack off the dribble. We need him, but we need him healthy.”
- Seth Curry has missed the last 12 games with a sciatic nerve-related injury and he’s not expected to be back on the court for the Warriors anytime soon. According to the team (Twitter link), Curry has been working with Golden State’s training staff and will be reevaluated in two weeks. He has played just two games for the Warriors this year, both at the start of December. In his season debut, he scored 14 points in just under 18 minutes while hitting six of his seven shots.
- Jalen Williams wore a heated glove on his shooting wrist when he was on the bench during the Thunder‘s win over the Heat on Sunday, reports Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (via Twitter). Williams is still feeling the effects of the hand surgery that sidelined him for the start of the season, and expects that will be the case for a while. “This injury is not something where you get it, have two hand surgeries and then it’s, ‘Alright, you’re good to go,'” he said. “It’s something over the course of a year, a year and a half and having summers to really figure it out, where it’ll be really back to normal.”
Pacific Notes: Melton, Horford, Kuminga, Brooks, Sallis
It has been an up-and-down season so far for the Warriors, who haven’t been more than three games over .500 at any point in the first half and currently hold a 20-18 record. However, in the view of Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, the team should still be in good shape if it can consistently get the sort of contributions from “X-factors” that it did in Wednesday’s victory over Milwaukee.
While Stephen Curry was the only member of the starting lineup with a positive net rating on the night, all five reserves used by head coach Steve Kerr achieved that feat. Brandin Podziemski was a +19, Gui Santos was a +12, De’Anthony Melton scored 22 points, and Al Horford contributed eight points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks.
The contributions by Melton and Horford were especially welcome, since the two offseason veteran additions were limited by injuries during the fall and have only recently started producing more consistently as part of the Warriors’ second unit. Draymond Green referred to the duo as “guys that connect our lineups,” while Curry also highlighted their importance.
“Those two guys weren’t available much or at all early in the year, and they’re both trying to find their legs, their rhythm,” Curry said. “But you can see how much of a difference they can make off the bench.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:
- Green became the latest Warriors veteran to praise Jonathan Kuminga for how he has handled his removal from the rotation and his uncertain future, as Dan Dempster of NBC Sports Bay Area details. “Such a standup young man and great person and (he) will be a great player,” Green said, before going on to provide examples of Kuminga’s professionalism. Still, outside of Sacramento, league-wide trade interest in Kuminga has been “tepid,” Poole reports for NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole goes on to say that the relationship between the Warriors and the fifth-year forward remains “cordial” but that their differences don’t appear reconcilable.
- Suns forward Dillon Brooks broke into a smile when asked this week about Mat Ishbia‘s assertion that Brooks is “not going anywhere,” as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays (Twitter video link). Responding to a tweet suggesting a Brooks/Austin Reaves swap, the Suns’ owner said “don’t bother calling” because his team isn’t interested. “He’s been saying I’m going to be a longtime Phoenix Sun. I appreciate it,” said Brooks, who is under contract through 2026/27 and will be extension-eligible during the offseason.
- Hunter Sallis, an undrafted rookie out of Wake Forest who appeared in seven games while on a two-way contract with Philadelphia earlier this season, has joined the San Diego Clippers, the G League team announced (via Twitter). As Law Murray of The Athletic points out (via Twitter), Sallis is James Harden‘s cousin.
Siegel’s Latest: Sabonis, Raptors, Bucks, Warriors, Nets, White, Lakers
After buying low on Brandon Ingram at last season’s trade deadline, could the Raptors seek out a similar move this February? According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kings center Domantas Sabonis is one name that has been continually linked to Toronto. The Raptors’ interest in Sabonis was first reported in December by Jake Fischer and has since been corroborated by several other outlets.
Malik Monk is another player who has intrigued Toronto in the past, Siegel writes, noting that Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted current Raptors veterans RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley when he was in New York’s front office. While there’s no indication that the two teams have seriously discussed such a deal involving those four players, Siegel suggests that sort of framework could be worth keeping an eye on.
If Toronto does end up moving Barrett in that sort of bigger move, he’d likely draw interest from several teams besides Sacramento, Siegel writes, given the lack of high-level wing talent on the trade market. The Bucks, for example, expressed interest in Barrett last season, per Siegel.
Here’s more from Siegel’s latest NBA rumor round-up:
- The Warriors have internally discussed many possible center trade targets, including Myles Turner and Bobby Portis of the Bucks, per Siegel. A number of teams around the NBA are curious about Milwaukee’s plans for Portis, Siegel continues, with the Hornets and Suns also considered possible suitors, perhaps in multi-team scenarios.
- Suns guard Jalen Green is among the players the Bucks have inquired on, but Phoenix isn’t interested in moving him at this point, says Siegel. Given that Green has only played two games this season due to hamstring issues, the Suns view him as a sort of trade-deadline addition themselves, Siegel explains.
- Although the Nets are fielding inquiries on players like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, they aren’t actively looking to move them. In order for Brooklyn to consider a deal involving either player, the starting point for a package would have to be a “true” unprotected first-round pick, Siegel writes.
- The Mavericks and the Clippers are among the teams with interest in Bulls guard Coby White, sources tell Siegel, who reiterates that the Timberwolves also remain interested and notes that some league insiders have speculated that the Hawks could be a destination for White in the event of a Trae Young trade.
- With higher-level options like Herbert Jones potentially out of reach, players like Bulls forward Isaac Okoro, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and Nets wing Haywood Highsmith are considered more realistic possibilities for a Lakers team seeking defensive help, according to Siegel. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall is another possible trade candidate to add to that group if Dallas commits to becoming a seller.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Suns, Sanders, Kerr, Kuminga
Playing against his former team on Monday, Rockets forward Kevin Durant secured a victory for his current team by making a game-winning three-pointer with one second left in the fourth quarter. He admitted to reporters after the victory that being able to deliver that dagger against the Suns made the moment more meaningful, per Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press.
“Most definitely,” Durant said. “A place that I didn’t want to leave. My first time — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will — to be kicked out of a place.
“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had. And it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But that’s just the business, that’s the name of the game. So, when you play against a (former) team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder.”
The Suns, whose “big three” of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal never meshed like they hoped, began discussing possible KD trades ahead of last season’s trade deadline, which was news to Durant. He helped nix those talks by making it clear he had no interest in returning to Golden State, then put Houston on his list of preferred destinations when the Suns renewed those trade efforts in the summer.
“It’s nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,” he said on Monday. “I want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank. Even though I’m old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don’t think it’s malicious in any way towards them. But just as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers rookie Kobe Sanders made his fourth career start on Monday with James Harden out due to shoulder stiffness and set or matched career highs in points (20), rebounds (seven), and minutes (36). Sanders, who has now been active for 29 games, has made a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to the standard roster and is earning praise from head coach Tyronn Lue in the process, writes Beth Harris of The Associated Press. “His poise, his ability to understand what we’re doing defensively and offensively, and just getting more and more confident,” Lue said of what has impressed him about the 2025 second-rounder.
- Monday’s one-point loss to the Clippers was a frustrating one for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who received two technical fouls and was ejected after disputing multiple referee decisions, including a no-call that crew chief Brian Forte acknowledged after the game should have been a goaltending violation, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. Veteran assistant Terry Stotts coached the team following Kerr’s ejection, then took Kerr’s place during the post-game media session. “I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts explained.
- Monday’s game was the ninth in a row that Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play, including his seventh DNP-CD during that stretch. Asked after the game about whether he thinks Kuminga’s nonexistent role and uncertain future are weighing on his Warriors teammate, Jimmy Butler quickly replied, “Nope, not at all,” and referred to Kuminga as his “friend” and brother” (Twitter video link via Slater). “I tell JK, you be a pro of all pros,” Butler said. “Come here and get your work done. Smile and have a good time. Because you’re still an NBA player (and) one of the best people in the world. I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling and you keep being the great human being that you are.”
Injury Notes: Strus, Bogdanovic, Wagners, Bouyea
The Cavaliers still aren’t close to having swingman Max Strus back in their lineup. Strus, who is coming off left foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture, recently underwent evaluation and imaging on that foot, and while that exam showed “positive progress,” more time is required for the fracture to fully heal, the team announced today (Twitter link).
According to the Cavs’ statement, Strus will continue doing rehab and conditioning work and is scheduled for a follow-up evaluation with the club’s medical staff and Dr. David Porter (who performed the surgery) within the next four weeks. A clearer timeline for Strus’ return could be established in the wake of that follow-up evaluation.
Strus was a key contributor last season for a 64-win Cavs team that has missed him in 2025/26. A healthy version of Strus would have slotted into the starting lineup in between the backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and the frontcourt pair of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. However, Cleveland has been forced to rotate players in and out of that lineup spot over the course of the season – while also dealing with injuries affecting other starters – in an effort to find the right fit.
Here are more injury updates from around the NBA:
- It doesn’t sound like veteran guard Bogdan Bogdanovic will return from his left hamstring injury during the Clippers‘ upcoming three-game road trip. According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), Bogdanovic – who last played on December 26 – has been ruled out for the week. The Clippers are playing in New York on Wednesday, Brooklyn on Friday, and Detroit on Saturday before returning home.
- Magic color commentator Jeff Turner said last Friday that Franz Wagner (high ankle sprain) and Moritz Wagner (ACL recovery) should both be back within a week, but the team hasn’t corroborated that report and the duo has yet to be upgraded on the injury report at all. Asked on Sunday about the status of the Wagner brothers, head coach Jamahl Mosley said there’s still no timeline for their respective returns, though he did add that they’re “responding to the treatments pretty well” (Twitter link via Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel).
- Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea, who has been playing a rotation role since late November, traveled with the club on its two-game road trip, but sat out on Monday in Houston while going through the concussion protocol and may not return on Wednesday in Memphis, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Bouyea is already halfway to his limit of 42 active games and looks like a strong candidate to be promoted from his two-way contract to a standard deal before season’s end.
Trade Rumors: Young, LaVine, Brooks, Deadline, AD, More
Sam Amick and Josh Robbins of The Athletic have confirmed Shams Charania’s report that the Hawks are working with Trae Young and his representatives to find the 27-year-old point guard a new team.
As Amick reported last week, Atlanta has been increasingly willing to discuss Young trades for weeks or even months after the Hawks showed no interest in pursuing an extension, but the market for the four-time All-Star seems to be limited. According to Amick and Robbins, Young is searching for a new deal “commensurate with a star player.”
To illustrate the point about teams being wary of acquiring the diminutive point guard, Amick and Robbins cite a team source who says the Kings — long viewed as a potential landing spot for last season’s assists leader — have “no interest” in trading for Young. Zach LaVine, whose contract is very similar to Young’s, is “known” to have interest in joining the Hawks, the authors add.
Regarding Marc Stein’s report about the Hawks discussing a trade that would potentially send Young to Washington and CJ McCollum to Atlanta, Amick and Robbins note that Young doesn’t fit the archetype favored by the Wizards‘ top front office executives, and speculate that Washington might want either draft compensation or a young player to take on his contract, which includes a $49MM player option for next season.
Young missed his fifth straight game Monday due to a right quad contusion.
Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Don’t expect Suns small forward Dillon Brooks to be on the move in the next month. Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark reported (via Twitter) on Monday that Phoenix isn’t interested in moving the veteran wing due to both his on- and off-court contributions. Suns owner Mat Ishbia essentially confirmed as much just a few minutes later. On FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show (Twitter video link), former NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins said he if were running the Lakers, he would trade Austin Reaves for Brooks “in a heartbeat.” Ishbia’s response? “Don’t bother calling… Suns aren’t interested. Dillon’s not going anywhere,” he wrote (Twitter link).
- Amick, Josh Robbins and John Hollinger of The Athletic discuss the biggest storylines and questions ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, noting that Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s situation with the Bucks is the one that holds the most intrigue around the league. All three think Antetokounmpo is more likely than not to stay put during the season, though that would depend on whether the two-time MVP requests a trade. Other topics include whether Anthony Davis will be traded by the Mavericks and role players who could appeal to contending teams. Hollinger lists Wizards forward Justin Champagnie as an example of a player on a team-friendly contract who could be a valuable in-season addition.
- Speaking of Davis, he and Kyrie Irving wanted to play together for years before it finally came to fruition last February, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. However, the Mavericks duo only played two-and-a-half quarters together prior to Davis suffering a left adductor strain. Less than a month later, Irving tore his ACL, and there’s no timeline for his return. Whether they’ll be able to team up again before the season ends is an open question with Dallas expected to listen to offers for Davis, Clark adds.
Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey Named Players Of Week
Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Avdija averaged 26.8 points, 9.8 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game while leading to Portland to a 3-1 record during the week of December 29 to January 4. This is the first time Avdija has earned Player of the Week honors. He’s the first Portland player to get the nod since Damian Lillard on Feb. 6, 2023.
Maxey averaged 34.7 points and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 61.2% from the field as the Sixers went 3-0. It’s the third time Maxey has earned Player of the Week honors, including the second time this season — he joins Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Celtics wing Jaylen Brown as the Eastern Conference’s two-time winners so far in 2025/26.
Devin Booker (Suns), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other nominees in the West.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black (Magic), Brown (Celtics) and Cade Cunningham (Pistons) were also nominated in the East.