NBA RUMORS AND NEWS

Hoops Hype "Although every NBA team starts off seasons with the idea of winning a championship (at least they used to, pre-tanking), a more realistic goal many set for themselves is to make the playoffs. There are only a select few men, however, who never missed the playoffs in their NBA..." January 22

NBA Analysis "Scoring is the name of the game in the NBA, but defense truly does win championships. In fact, since 2000, just two champions have finished the regular season ranking outside of the Top-10 in defensive rating.  This season, the Chicago Bulls find themselves 28-16 and currently..." January 22

Clutch Points "We’re going to learn a lot about the Los Angeles Lakers over the next five games. Forgive me for not overreacting to an eventually-comfortable win over the 8-39 Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. That said, the Lakers needed to beat Orlando at the end of a chaotic week..." January 22

Heavy "Just seven months after reuniting with the veteran big man, the Boston Celtics are said to be shopping Al Horford. The Athletic’s Jared Weiss reported on January 19 that the Cs are exploring trade options for the five-time All-Star ahead of the February 10 deadline in..." January 22

Clutch Points "The Washington Wizards have been linked to Domantas Sabonis, opening up the question whether they should seriously pursue the Indiana Pacers star or not. It has already been two months since the core of the Pacers have been put on the trading block. The asking..." January 22

Larry Brown Sports "Alex Caruso and Billy Donovan were upset with Grayson Allen over a flagrant foul the Milwaukee Bucks guard committed on Friday night. Caruso was going towards the basket for a layup/dunk in the third quarter of his Chicago Bulls’ 94-90 loss to the Bucks. As he was up in the air,..." January 22

Fadeaway World "The trade deadline is fast approaching with many teams looking to improve their rosters by making some big moves. We often see major trades done right before the deadline passes because franchises want to wait until the right offer presents itself. Of course, as in the case with any other..." January 21

SI "The February NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the Lakers are likely going to be looking for some help. But while fans in Los Angeles are hoping for something wild to happen, many around the league do not expect them to be major players in the market. Given their lack of draft..." January 21

Awesemo "Promises, promises. Michele Roberts, executive-director of the National Basketball Players Association called out 76ers president Daryl Morey for his handling of the Ben Simmons situation. Roberts reiterated her disgust with what’s going down in Philadelphia in regards..." January 21

Fadeaway World "At 22-23, there is no doubt that the Los Angeles Lakers have been among the NBA's most disappointing teams this season. Through the first half, inconsistency and inefficiency have defined their campaign. Fortunately, the league's annual trade deadline offers the Lakers a..." January 21

SB Nation "The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Feb. 10, and several high profile players are rumored to be available. While the trade deadline has developed a reputation for over-promising and under-delivering in recent years, the last few seasons have been full of big..." January 21

Total Pro Sports "Just when you thought things would be getting a little better for the Lakers, they get bad again as he team just can’t seem to get and stay above .500. Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel made a shocking decision last night to bench Russell Westbrook down the stretch of..." January 21

The Cold Wire "Being an NBA superstar is an amazing job but, sadly, it’s not one that people have for very long. Unlike other careers, basketball pros are only in the limelight for a brief time. Due to the physical demands and competitiveness within the league, NBA players..." January 21

NBA Analysis "We are now officially three weeks away from the NBA trade deadline and we are still looking for answers in Philadelphia pertaining to Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid has been carrying the 76ers lately, looking like a true MVP candidate in the process, but the Sixers have not fully looked like a..." January 21

The Cold Wire "It is looking like the Portland Trail Blazers will experience a third straight disappointing season following their trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19. Even though they were swept by the Golden State Warriors that year, Portland had hope. Their star..." January 21

Total Pro Sports "There has been so much attention given to the Philadelphia 76ers when it comes to the Ben Simmons situation and many are just waiting for the two sides to finally part ways. At this point, the biggest question is no longer whether or not the Sixers will ship Simmons out — they..." January 21

NBA.com "While the NBA as a whole has transitioned to "positionless" players, big point guards are nothing new for the league (Hello, Magic Johnson!). But both Josh Giddey and LaMelo Ball are helping to usher in a new era for the position. Giddey and Ball both entered the NBA..." January 21

Cavs Nation "Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland has elevated his game to a whole nother level this season. So much so, that there has been talk of a potential All-Star appearance for the 21-year-old Cavs guard. As it turns out, it isn’t only the fans and the media that have taken..." January 21

The Big Lead "In case you haven't heard, Joel Embiid joined the ranks of giants last night when he posted a 50-point game in only 27 minutes of play. For comparison, he played one minute more and put up two fewer points than Klay Thompson when he went absolutely nuclear against the Bulls a few years..." January 21

Sportsnaut "According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to find big man Paul Millsap a new team where he can have a “greater contribution.” Millsap has fallen out of favor in head coach Steve Nash’s rotation, where he has held down a minimal..." January 21

Clutch Points "Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton is on track to return to the team soon after he cleared the COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Haliburton announced the development on Twitter, going full Adrian Wojnarowski (or Shams Charania if you’re not a big fan of Woj),..." January 21

NBA Analysis "Disappointment clouded the Phoenix Suns last season when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals, but the 2021-22 season offered new hope and redemption for this team that knows they are good enough to win a title.  Chris Paul came to Phoenix ahead of last season with..." January 21

Fadeaway World "As the Lakers struggle to play up to expectations, many around the NBA community can't help but look back to better times. When it comes to the Purple and Gold, few stretches of their history can compare to the Shaq and Kobe era of the early 2000s. Together, the duo formed one of..." January 21

Heavy "Veteran Washington Post columnist and ESPN talker Tony Kornheiser has covered the NBA for decades now. And when he looks at what happened with the Lakers this week, especially with the dynamics between coach Frank Vogel and star guard Russell Westbrook, he is taking a..." January 21

Awesemo "Ja Morant playing ball with Drake’s ex Johanna Leia? Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant is super close to being a first-time All-Star, the young baller is finally getting the respect he deserves. The Grizzlies are currently third in the Western Conference (31-16)..." January 21

Clutch Points "A lot has been said about the Russell Westbrook situation with the Los Angeles Lakers, particularly with the recent turn of events that saw Russ being benched late in the game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Anthony Morrow, an ex-teammate of Westbrook..." January 21

The Cold Wire "There is still time to turn it all around but it’s impossible to deny the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers–Russell Westbrook experiment isn’t working out. Westbrook’s first year with the Lakers has seen him averaging 18.5 points, eight rebounds, and..." January 21

Awesemo "Devin Booker is one lucky son of a gun. His girlfriend Kendall Jenner, or if you’re buying into the rumors, his wife, won’t let a little snow stand in the way of her style. The model posted a series of pictures on Instagram Thursday in which she is only rocking a..." January 21

Bleacher Report "First, the good news: Chicago will get Lonzo Ball back before the end of the season. The six-to-eight-week timeline the Bulls put on their starting point guard's left knee surgery on Thursday will have him back on the court in mid-March, with about a month to ramp up for the..." January 21

Sports Keeda "NBA superstars cement their legacy during the playoffs, and there's simply no argument to refute that statement. Whenever we recall a play made by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, we're often thinking about a playoff game that had..." January 21

Hoops Rumors "A pair of veteran wings have signed NBA G League contracts, according to reports. Jay King of The Athletic says Denzel Valentine is headed to the NBAGL, while Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says Allen Crabbe is doing the same. Valentine will join the..." January 21

Larry Brown Sports "One New York Knicks fan found something better to do with his time on Thursday than watch his floundering team. A hilarious photo went viral this week of a Knicks fan in the stands at Madison Square Garden for Thursday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. As the Knicks..." January 21

Essentially Sports "Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been among the top ranked stars to claim the 2021-22 NBA MVP award for a while now. However, his recent slump in form has left questioning whether or not he deserves the prestigious award. Coincidentally, Curry’s sudden fall comes immediately after the..." January 21

Sports Casting "The New York Knicks have been putrid this season after making the playoffs last campaign for the first time since 2012-13. They are 22-24 and in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, and one of the main reasons they have struggled is because Derrick Rose has been..." January 21

SI "As the 2022 NBA trade deadline approaches, the Philadelphia 76ers' front office has been exploring ways to make the team better -- specifically by trading the disgruntled three-time All-Star Ben Simmons. Unfortunately, there isn't a deal on the table that..." January 21

ESPN "Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook told ESPN that he was disappointed with his fourth-quarter benching in Wednesday's loss to the Indiana Pacers but that he remains undeterred about how to "figure s--- out and do what's best for our team to win in..." January 21

Larry Brown Sports "Some of Jose Alvarado’s teammates really took care of him over the last week. Alvarado is a New York native, and his New Orleans Pelicans played in the boroughs over the last week. Alvarado had family nearby that wanted to watch him play. That’s when his teammates stepped..." January 21

Hoops Rumors "Nearly two weeks after reports first indicated that the Nuggets were expected to sign DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract, the two sides will finally complete a deal on Friday, says Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. While it took a while for Cousins and the..." January 21

Clutch Points "Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been no stranger to criticism this year. Boston entered the year with championship aspirations but have not looked like a title contender, as they currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference...." January 21

Yardbarker "The NBA has hit New York’s two franchises with fines, announcing in a pair of press releases that the Knicks and Nets have each been docked $25K. The Knicks’ penalty is a result of violating league rules relating to media interview access, according to..." January 21

Larry Brown Sports "Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze was involved in a bizarre incident Thursday against the Golden State Warriors, and there were questions about what exactly he was trying to do. In the fourth quarter, Warriors reserve Gary Payton II dunked on Bitadze, which seemed to bother the..." January 21

USA Today "An attorney for the widow of Kobe Bryant filed documents in federal court Thursday that previewed her scheduled trial next month against Los Angeles County, including the witnesses she plans to call in a case about photos of her dead husband and daughter from a helicopter crash in..." January 21

TMZ "The Los Angeles Lakers might be a dumpster fire right now, but that hasn't stopped fans from buying up all their gear ... with the Purple & Gold leading the NBA in merchandise sales this season. The league just released its list of most popular fan purchases through the..." January 21

Heavy "Charles Barkley gives opinions like a savage, and he apparently cleans his belongings like a savage as well. The “Inside the NBA” host went viral on Thursday for a disgusting moment that aired on the TNT broadcast. Barkley got caught cleaning his glasses … by..." January 21

Awesemo "Dwyane Wade’s baby mama is  back at it. After Gabrielle Union detailed the heartbreak she went through after Dwyane Wade fathered a child with Aja Metoyer, the reality TV star sent out some cryptic messages on social media. Wade’s baby mama welcomed..." January 21

CBS Sports "Among Adam DeSautels' responsibilities as an assistant coach at Westwind Preparatory Academy in Phoenix was helping players find spots at the next level. In September 2011, that meant posting on Blogspot, where he published scouting reports, one of which included a proclamation: DeSautels..." January 21

Sporting News "Five-year NBA veteran Thon Maker has signed a contract to play in the G-League this season.  Maker has not played in the NBA since an eight-game stint with the Cavaliers in 2020-21 before being waived in January 2021. Since then he spent time playing with Hapoel..." January 21

Hoops Rumors "The Thunder have officially signed forward Mamadi Diakite to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. Diakite’s first 10-day deal with Oklahoma City, which expired overnight, was completed using a COVID-related hardship..." January 21

Bleacher Report "Less than a month away from the 2022 NBA trade deadline, we've already felt a few transactional tremors. On Wednesday, Bryn Forbes headlined a three-team deal that landed him with the Denver Nuggets, where his three-point shooting should help stabilize a..." January 20

Awesemo "Would Mike D’Antoni return to the bench to become the next Lakers head coach? Frank Vogel is rumored to be on the hot seat after a disappointing first half of the season. The Lakers currently sit as a seventh seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. And the “Big..." January 20