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Eighteen More Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2025 at 7:00am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Wednesday, January 15, which means that a total of 18 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.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Wednesday:

Precious Achiuwa (Knicks)
OG Anunoby (Knicks)
Goga Bitadze (Magic)
Miles Bridges (Hornets)
Max Christie (Lakers)
Nic Claxton (Nets)
Haywood Highsmith (Heat)
Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
Johnny Juzang (Jazz)
KJ Martin (Sixers)
Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
Malik Monk (Kings)
Josh Okogie (Suns)
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Grizzlies)
- Note: Pippen doesn’t meet the criteria detailed above, but was converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal on October 15. He’s trade-eligible today because it has been three months since he signed that contract.
Immanuel Quickley (Raptors)
Obi Toppin (Pacers)
Aaron Wiggins (Thunder)
Patrick Williams (Bulls)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt.

That group includes Kings forward Doug McDermott, who becomes trade-eligible on Thursday, Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser (trade-eligible on January 23), Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (Jan. 26), Grizzlies big man Jay Huff (Jan. 28), Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (Feb. 2), and Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (Feb. 5).

Additionally, there are several players who won’t become trade-eligible at all prior to this season’s February 6 deadline, including stars like Joel Embiid, Lauri Markkanen, and Jamal Murray.

Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

Pacific Notes: Payton II, Green, Monk, Wildfire Donations

January 13th, 2025 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors guard Gary Payton II is on track to return to action on Wednesday. Payton, who hasn’t played since Christmas Day due to a calf strain, scrimmaged on Sunday and worked out on Monday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. He has appeared in 28 games this season, including four starts.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Draymond Green sat out the Warriors‘ three-point loss to Toronto on Monday. He participated in the team’s practice on Sunday but was not at Monday morning’s shootaround due to an illness, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. He has been listed on the injury report due to a back injury. Coach Steve Kerr doesn’t think Green’s back issue is a major concern. “I remember a couple of years ago, I think ’22 season, he missed 15-20 games when the back flared up, so we just have to stay on top of it,” Kerr said. “Training staff is doing a great job with him, and Draymond has done a great job of just doing his rehab and making sure he’s keeping himself in good shape. I think he should be fine going forward.”
The streaking Kings may not have Malik Monk on Tuesday. He’s listed as questionable against Milwaukee due to right groin soreness, Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets. Monk has been a huge part of Sacramento’s seven-game winning streak. He’s averaging 23.3 points and 7.8 assists per game so far this month.
Los Angeles’ 12 pro sports teams — including the Lakers and Clippers — have pledged to donate more than $8MM to those affected by the state’s wildfires as well as those fighting the fires, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. The contributions will be donated to a variety of organizations.

Kings Notes: DeRozan, Carter, Monk, Fox

January 6th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Mike Brown‘s firing was surprising and controversial, but the Kings are looking like a different team since Doug Christie took over as head coach, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Playing Sunday without De’Aaron Fox, they won by 30 points at Golden State as the players displayed a renewed enthusiasm for the game.

“I would say it’s that more than anything, just going out there and playing freely with joy and for one another,” DeMar DeRozan responded when asked to explain the change. DeRozan clarified that he didn’t mean to imply there wasn’t freedom and joy with Brown in charge, but the team has responded to the challenge of an in-season coaching shakeup.

“Whenever you’re going through any type of ups and downs, when the downs come, everything just feels extremely bad,” he added. “Everything is just heightened to another level. I think with so much going on, it kind of hit the fan with having a coaching change in the middle of the season. So much was going on that we could just sit there and kind of sob in our sorrows and let things get worse. I think we just pulled together and pulled ourselves out of that more so than anything.”

Sacramento lost its first game after Christie took over, but has since won four in a row against pretty good competition, defeating the Mavericks, Sixers, Grizzlies and Warriors. One difference has been the addition of first-round pick Devin Carter, who posted 13 points and seven rebounds Sunday in his second game since returning from offseason surgery on his left shoulder. The positive energy he and Christie have provided seems to have changed the team’s outlook.

“I think it’s contagious,” Carter said. “Once one person sees somebody else doing it, then the next person, the next person, and it just trickles down the line, so I just think it’s contagious. Obviously, we want to keep on winning. Wins are contagious. Good vibes in the locker room, good vibes in practice, and just go from there.”

There’s more on the Kings:

Malik Monk took on a larger role Sunday with Fox sidelined, finishing with 26 points, 12 assists and four steals, Anderson adds. Christie said during his time as an assistant, he often encouraged Monk to be more fearless in his approach to the game. “Before I was sitting in this seat, we’ve had multiple conversations just about everything, and I’ve always told him, ‘Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You are a tremendous, fantastic player, and play through your mistakes.’” Christie said. “… He is just about as free as I’ve ever seen him. We’ll live with some of the things he does and his greatness will continue to shine because the kid is great.”
Carter had a memorable NBA debut, with his father, former NBA player Anthony Carter, on the opponent’s bench as a Grizzlies assistant coach, Anderson states in a separate story. “It’s just a blessing, especially to play my first NBA game in front of him,” Devin Carter told reporters before the game. “It’s something you dream of as a kid, and the moment is here, so I’m not going to shy away from the moment.”
The Kings haven’t determined if Fox will be available for Monday’s game against Miami, Anderson notes in another piece. He was ruled out Sunday with a right glute contusion after being undercut on a dunk attempt late in Friday’s contest.

Kings Players React To Sudden Coaching Change

December 28th, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Interim Kings coach Doug Christie stressed the need for unity as he addressed the team following Friday’s surprise firing of Mike Brown, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Christie, who served as an assistant to Brown, will be in charge of trying to salvage a season that is spiraling out of control after an 0-5 homestand. Sacramento is 12th in West at 13-18 and needs a quick turnaround to climb back into the playoff race.

Christie spoke to his players before their flight departed Friday for tonight’s game against the Lakers and again at this morning’s shootaround, according to McMenamin.

“To come out and stick together, fight and just be us, be who we are and turn this thing around,” Domantas Sabonis said in sharing his new head coach’s message.

Malik Monk said “all the vibes were high” at the shootaround, as the team feels a renewed energy from the sudden coaching change. Sabonis exhibited that by arranging for his own travel to Los Angeles. He was considered questionable to play because of an illness that forced him to miss Thursday’s game, but he wanted to be there to display his commitment to Christie.

“I got here and went right onto the court,” Sabonis said. “We’re all focused on winning the game. But we obviously know we haven’t been performing at our best. And we have to do a better job. Me, as one of the leaders of the team, I got to make sure that that happens. We got to win all the games that we can.”

Brown appeared to have a long future in Sacramento after leading the team to the playoffs in 2023 and narrowly missing another playoff appearance in last season’s play-in tournament. He was rewarded with an offseason extension that runs through 2026/27 and gives him an extra $20MM in guaranteed money, but management quickly lost patience with the slow start. The offseason addition of DeMar DeRozan hasn’t work out as planned, and there was skepticism that the Kings could move up the standings with Brown in charge.

Sabonis and Monk expressed shock over the sudden move, while De’Aaron Fox told McMenamin that he was notified “a minute before everybody else.” Fox also pondered the players’ role in the coaching change when he was asked if he felt any “pressure or guilt” over Brown’s fate.

“Any pressure or guilt? I mean, obviously we all know the job that we have,” Fox responded. “You can be traded at any point. Released. Cut. Fired. Whatever it may be. I mean, I wouldn’t use the word ‘guilt.’ But that’s the nature of the job that we have. But I mean, obviously him signing his extension this summer, we felt like we would be together a whole lot longer but that’s the decision that they made. But at the end of the day, too, he’s still being paid. A great part of being an NBA player, being an NBA coach, is those things can happen, but these contracts are guaranteed.”

Although Brown’s dismissal seemed to come out of nowhere, there were already rumors about “waning confidence” from ownership even before he was given the extension, Jake Fischer states in his latest Substack story. Sources tell Fischer there were “internal disagreements” regarding the team’s starting lineup and the tradeoff in playing time between Keon Ellis and Kevin Huerter.

Fischer reported in 2022 that Mark Jackson was the preferred candidate of owner Vivek Ranadive before Brown was hired. Jackson was head coach of the Warriors when Ranadive became a minority owner of that team, and several NBA sources have told Fischer that Ranadive seems to prefer having a former player in that role. That may explain why Christie was chosen to run the team, although it’s not clear if there’s any commitment to him beyond the end of the season.

Pacific Notes: Monk, Allen, Budenholzer, Durant, Kuminga

December 22nd, 2024 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are expected to make Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and draft capital available as they go shopping for help on the trade market ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. However, given the fact that Sacramento is off to a 13-16 start this season and is currently out of the play-in picture, teams around the NBA are curious about whether the Kings will consider becoming in-season sellers, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (video link).

“I’m not reporting that Malik Monk is available,” Fischer said. “However, rival teams certainly want to know if Malik Monk will be someone that the Kings are willing to part with.”

In discussing Monk, Fischer acknowledged it would be “tricky” to move last season’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, who signed a new four-year, $78MM contract with the Kings over the summer.

“He’s so crucial to what the Kings have done,” Fischer said. “… He’s best friends with De’Aaron Fox dating back to Kentucky. If you’re curious about the long-term ramifications of keeping De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento, you’re probably not wanting to move his best friend, who he recruited to join the Kings.”

Of course, Fox’s own long-term future in Sacramento isn’t certain either, so the Kings are a team worth watching closely in the coming weeks.

We have more items from around the Pacific:

The Suns are monitoring swingman Grayson Allen for a possible concussion, head coach Mike Budenholzer said after Saturday’s loss to Detroit (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). “We’ll see how he is in the morning,” Budenholzer said of Allen, who took a Simone Fontecchio elbow to the head while battling the Pistons forward under the basket in the third quarter (video link).
Budenholzer and Kevin Durant engaged in a heated discussion during a timeout in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss, with the head coach appearing to call out Durant for a defensive mistake and the Suns star firing back. Both men downplayed the dispute after the game. “We know we got the microscope on us, so any little spat like that may be taken the wrong way, but coach respects my perspective,” Durant said (Twitter video link via PHNX Sports). “… When you look at it from the outside, the chemistry may look off, but I just think that’s part of great chemistry actually, when you can have those conversations in the heat of the moment and move on.” Budenholzer agreed with Durant’s assessment, as Bourguet relays (Twitter video link). “He’s a pro, he’s coachable,” Budenholzer said. “If you don’t have a few of those, there’s probably something wrong with your team. KD’s the best. He wants to be coached, and I love being around him.”
After starting six games in a row, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench on Thursday in Memphis and Saturday in Minnesota. However, head coach Steve Kerr said that the experiment of having Kuminga in the starting five isn’t over, explaining that he started Kyle Anderson on Saturday because he liked how the former Timberwolf matched up against his old team (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). It was Anderson’s first start of the season.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Monk, McDermott, Durant

December 11th, 2024 at 11:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers‘ wish to see Kawhi Leonard back on the court might come true by Christmas, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Leonard, who has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee that dates back to spring, was able to practice for the first time on Tuesday. Coach Tyronn Lue said that barring any setbacks, Leonard could be playing again within two weeks.

“Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well,” Lue said. “I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it. So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy.”

The Clippers were counting on Leonard to serve as the foundation of the team when they gave him a three-year, $150MM extension midway through last season. They have been able to remain surprisingly competitive without him, sitting in sixth place in the West with a 14-11 record and the sixth-ranked defense in the league.

Lue cautioned that even though Leonard continues to make progress, there’s still not a firm target date for him to return.

“He’s got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor,” Lue added. “We just want to make sure he’s 100%. We don’t want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let’s just take our time, make sure we get it right. … We’re not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Kings‘ offense has been sparked by the recent decision to move Malik Monk into the starting lineup, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. In the five games since coach Mike Brown made the move, Sacramento ranks first in the league in scoring and offensive rating, fourth in field goal percentage and seventh in three-point shooting. “He adds another play-maker and another guy who can really get downhill,” De’Aaron Fox said. “Ultimately, that makes your offense a lot better, especially from the start of the game to the end.”
Doug McDermott enjoyed his best game since joining the Kings in Sunday’s win over Utah, Anderson adds in a separate story. The 32-year-old forward scored 18 points in eight minutes of the fourth quarter, sinking 6-of-7 three-point shots. “Once the first couple went in, I figured I might as well keep shooting,” said McDermott, who wasn’t used in the previous four games. “It was a good win for us. Our group came out really happy with the way we closed the game. Everyone on the bench was ready to play.”
Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic are both due to be reevaluated this week, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Suns have an 11-2 record when Durant plays, but they’re just 1-9 without him. “We’re not playing a complete 48 minutes,” Tyus Jones said. “I think we’re playing good enough to win, but we’re not playing a full 48. We have stretches throughout the game where we kind of get careless, too many turnovers. Not getting the stops that we need.” A previous report stated that Durant could return on Friday vs. Utah or Sunday vs. Portland.

Pacific Notes: Harden, Nurkic, Durant, Ighodaro, Dunn, Green, Monk

December 2nd, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers re-signed James Harden on a two-year deal over the summer. It has turned into a wise move, as Harden has dominated games in Kawhi Leonard‘s absence.

Harden had 39 points in a 126-122 win against the Nuggets on Sunday. Last week, he erupted for a season-high 43 points in a road win against the Wizards.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Harden told The Athletic’s Law Murray. “My role has changed. You know, I haven’t had this role in, four or five years. So it just took me some time to get there. But you guys can see us, game by game, I continue to get better.”

We have more from around the Pacific:

Suns center Jusuf Nurkic has been ruled out for at least a week due to a right thigh contusion, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Nurkic has appeared in 16 games this season, averaging 8.9 points and 9.9 rebounds. Nurkic has a four-year, $70MM contract that runs through next season.
Suns forward Kevin Durant has been impressed with the contributions of rookies Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets. Dunn only attempted two shots in 20 minutes in a win over Golden State on Saturday but contributed four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Ighodaro played 31 minutes off the bench and added six points and eight rebounds. “We expect that out of them. I think that’s what they bring to our team is that energy, that aggressiveness on defense, that physicality on defense….They’re setting a high standard for themselves every night,” Durant said.
Warriors forward Draymond Green didn’t practice Monday in Denver due to left calf tightness, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. He’s doubtful to play against the Nuggets on Tuesday, according to coach Steve Kerr, Slater tweets. Green hasn’t missed a game yet this season after appearing in just 55 regular season contests last season.
Malik Monk, one of the league’s top sixth men, made his first start since joining the Kings on Sunday. He played 37 minutes and supplied 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists but the Kings fell to San Antonio. Monk hadn’t started since he was in the Lakers’ lineup 37 times in 2021/22.

Pacific Notes: Monk, DeRozan, Curry, Harden, Miller

November 26th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings guard Malik Monk said the team would hold a meeting before Wednesday’s game in Minnesota. Sacramento enters the contest saddled with a four-game losing streak.

“We’re gonna say something,” Monk told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I feel like we always say something after every loss, so (Tuesday) we’ll probably say something when we get to Minnesota.”

Monk’s comments came after the Kings gave up 130 points to Oklahoma City on Monday.

Monk said the team’s veterans need to speak up, specifically mentioning De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.

“I feel like we’ve got a veteran team now with a few young guys, so we know how to turn it around,” Monk said. “Domas is going to say a few things, I’m going to say a few things, Fox will say a few things and DeMar will say a few things. We’ve got to turn it around quick, though.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Speaking of DeRozan, he won’t suit up on Wednesday. He experienced lower back muscle inflammation following Sunday’s game, Anderson tweets. DeRozan, noted for his durability, will be missing his fourth game this season.
Warriors star Stephen Curry is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against OKC due to bilateral patellofemoral pain — patella soreness in both knees, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater tweets. Jonathan Kuminga, who participated in Tuesday’s practice, is also listed as questionable due to illness.
The Clippers had a five-game winning streak snapped by Boston on Monday but they’re still three games above .500. James Harden said good chemistry has led to their success, despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard. “We’re coming around, and we’re understanding who we are,” Harden told Law Murray of The Athletic. “Understanding that in order for us to have a chance at anything, we know we have to do it every single night. And that’s the most exciting part. And then, one thing about this team, we’re all happy for each other. Literally, it can be anybody’s night, on any given night. Nobody’s going to be upset; everybody’s going to be happy for each other. And things aren’t always going to be perfect to win games. But even when we lose, we’re still happy for each other. Good things will happen most of the time.”
Jordan Miller, a 2023 second-round pick, has received steady playing time over the last six Clippers games due to injuries. The two-way player has averaged 8.2 points per game during that stretch. “I’m trying to leave a good impression because I don’t know what it’s going to look like when (Norman Powell) gets back,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “But they can see that I’m a solid player, and if anything ever goes wrong (injuries) or if we need a spark, Coach will be more confident in me moving forward versus me not playing.”

Injury Notes: Monk, Sixers, Hayes, Dick, Hornets, Ball

November 25th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings guard Malik Monk has been unavailable since November 10 due to a right ankle sprain, but it sounds like he could be back in action on Monday. Sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) that Monk will go through pre-game warm-ups with the intention of playing vs. Oklahoma City.

Monk has officially been listed as questionable to suit up, notes Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 in Sacramento (Twitter link).

It would provide the Kings’ offense with a much-needed jolt if Monk is able to return. The team, which had a 115.2 offensive rating (ninth in the NBA) and a 6-4 record through its first 10 games, has posted a 111.9 mark (18th) and gone 2-5 with Monk inactive.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Paul George (knee bone bruise) did some on-court work over the weekend and the swelling has gone down in Joel Embiid‘s left knee, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Sunday (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports). While Nurse said both stars are making progress, it remains to be seen whether either will be available on Wednesday vs. Houston.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has been on the shelf since November 10 due to a left ankle sprain, has been listed as probable to play on Tuesday vs. Phoenix and said he “definitely” expects to suit up, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter links).
Second-year wing Gradey Dick had appeared in the Raptors‘ first 17 games this season, emerging as one of their go-to scoring options, but he’ll be sidelined on Monday vs. Detroit due to a left calf strain, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. It’s unclear how much time Dick might miss beyond Monday as a result of the injury.
The Hornets assigned injured centers Mark Williams (left foot tendon strain) and Nick Richards (rib fracture) to the G League to practice with the Greensboro Swarm on Monday, according to the team (Twitter link). That’s a sign that both big men are getting close to returning. Williams has yet to make his season debut, while Richards has been out since November 1.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been upgraded to doubtful for Tuesday’s contest vs. the Wizards, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). That’s the first time Ball has been listed as anything besides “out” since spraining his right wrist on October 28, so it appears his return isn’t far off.

Western Notes: DeRozan, Sabonis, Monk, Melton, Jenkins, Payton

November 21st, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings forward DeMar DeRozan intends to return to action on Friday vs. the Clippers after missing three games due to a back issue, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

DeRozan may not be the only key player back on the court for the team in Los Angeles. According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Domantas Sabonis (back) has fully participated in practice for the past two days, while Malik Monk (ankle) also took part in Thursday’s practice.

As Anderson relays (via Twitter), head coach Mike Brown said today that Monk – who is working his way back from an ankle sprain that was expected to keep him on the shelf through this weekend – will “most likely” remain inactive for Friday’s contest. However, Brown confirmed that DeRozan and Sabonis are “looking good” to return.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who will undergo season-ending surgery on his ACL, is well-liked in the locker room and could be a candidate to return to Golden State next season, given that he should be available at a bargain price, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I know the imprint he’s already left on this organization,” teammate Draymond Green said. “He’ll have an opportunity to come back. Hopefully, he decides that’s the right thing for him.”
Taylor Jenkins secured his 215th win as the Grizzlies head coach on Wednesday to pass Lionel Hollins as the winningest coach in team history, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. “It’s an unbelievable honor to be among the company of so many great coaches that have come before me,” said Jenkins, who holds a 215-192 regular season record since being hired in 2019. “I always talk about the unbelievable responsibility to be the coach of this franchise. It’s a privilege and an honor.”
Appearing in his first NBA regular season game since April 2022, Elfrid Payton earned a start for the shorthanded Pelicans on Wednesday, notes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Payton, who signed a non-guaranteed contract earlier in the day, made the most of the opportunity, contributing 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting in 22 minutes.