With a gesture that will only further ingratiate himself to Knicks fans, Brunson agreed Friday to a four-year, $156.5 million ($AUD231.4 million) extension, the team announced.
“Build him a statue,” Josh Hart, Brunson’s friend and teammate, tweeted after the news broke, echoing the sentiment of the fan base.
It was a move that wasn’t too surprising given the rumblings ahead of Brunson’s extension eligibility, but nonetheless shocking from a financial perspective.
If Brunson, 27, had waited until next summer for free agency, he could’ve inked a five-year contract worth about $270 million.
There was some risk associated with waiting — what if he suffered a devastating injury next season? — but the point guard had already established himself as a max player when healthy.
A source confirmed the fourth year on the extension is a player option, setting up the opportunity for Brunson to recoup some of the sacrificed millions on his next contract.
Jalen Brunson was willing to leave $100 million on the table. (Photo by Quinn Harris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
But even in the ideal hypothetical scenario — where Brunson inks a free-agent max contract in 2028 — he can’t recover the roughly $37 million difference over the first three years of the extension.
“Jalen signing the extension to remain with the Knicks for the long-term shows the dedication and passion he has for the organisation, the fans and this city,” team president Leon Rose said in a statement.
“Jalen has often called the Knicks his family and we are beyond proud to have him wear and represent our orange and blue for years to come. … Since Jalen joined us two years ago, he has consistently led by example and continues to show a willingness to sacrifice for this organisation.”
By taking the team-friendly deal, Brunson alleviates some Knicks cap concerns and potentially helps them avoid the dreaded second apron — the highest luxury-tax threshold that severely limits a team’s ability to build a roster — as they vie for a title.
According to ESPN, Brunson studied the financial sacrifices of Derek Jeter, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady for the “blueprint” of building sustained success around the star’s contract.
Of course, the agreement Friday wouldn’t be possible if Brunson wasn’t elated playing in New York. It’s hard to imagine a better situation for the point guard.
Brunson’s latest contract is very team-friendly. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
His father is the assistant coach, his longtime family friend (Rose) is the team president, his head coach (Tom Thibodeau) is a huge fan and his Villanova buddies are on the team.
The core around him — OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson — are all between the ages of 26 and 29.
It’s their prime window on the heels of a 50-win season and elimination in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semis, a finish that left Brunson unsatisfied despite a flood of Knicks injuries.
“I would say there’s pros and cons in how I played,” Brunson said after going on a playoff scoring tear that was comparable to Michael Jordan.
“The pros are, I played well individually at some points and time during the playoffs. The cons are, I didn’t play well enough to help my team move forward. You can say I got hurt in Game 7 [against the Pacers, when Brunson fractured his hand]. I wasn’t playing well in Game 7. We had a 2-0 [series] lead and a 3-2 lead. So, it’s hard to look at things individually when you don’t help your team.”
With the notable exception of Randle, most of the top Knicks players are locked up through at least the 2025-26 season (Brunson, Anunoby, DiVincenzo, Hart, Mikal Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride).
Brunson has played some of his best basketball since moving to the Knicks from the Mavericks. (Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
Randle, who has a $31 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign, is eligible for an extension next month and expressed his desire to re-sign.
He’s eligible for a deal much higher than Brunson’s at four years, approximately $190 million.
Brunson’s extension max is based on his salary next season, which is just $25 million — another huge underpay given the booming NBA cap with $60 million annual paydays.
Brunson, for instance, will be paid about $12 million less next season than Anunoby, who squeezed out a five-year, $212.5 million deal this summer.
Brunson will be 31 when he can become a free agent in 2028, when he’d become eligible for the veteran’s max of five years at an estimated $418 million.
It’s crazy money, more than Brunson probably ever imagined as a second-round pick. But a lot can happen before 2028.
The only given is that Brunson is under contract until at least then. And he gave a huge discount to get there.
This story was originally posted on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
Tyrese Haliburton scored 20 points and the Indiana Pacers dismantled the New York Knicks 121-89 on Sunday to level their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series at two games apiece.
After the first three games of the best-of-seven series came down to the final minutes, Haliburton and the Pacers finally got their high-octane offence firing and fashioned a blowout, a raft of injuries at last catching up with the Knicks.
And the misfiring Knicks were utterly roasted for their poor performances. The NY Post wrote: “Tom Thibodeau’s squad was a disaster in the opening quarter, a lethargic, misfiring mess before rolling over in a Mother’s Day Massacre administered by the Pacers, 121-89, who evened the East semis series at 2-2.”
ABC pundit Stephen A. Smith was asked at halftime what he would do if he was Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. He replied: “Well, the first thing I’d do is I’d get out of the bathroom because I just finished throwing up after watching my team play the way that they played in the first half. It was absolutely, positively awful.”
Haliburton fired up as the Pacers routed the Knicks.Source: AFP
The banged-up Knicks were again without OG Anunoby, who injured a hamstring in game two to join key contributors Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic on the sidelines.
The strain was telling on Brunson, who is playing through a right foot injury. Brunson connected on six of 17 attempts to score 18 points with three rebounds and five assists before checking out with two and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said: “He says he’s fine … He’ll keep going.”
Donte DiVincenzo also set an unwanted piece of history for the Knicks – his plus-minus of negative 40 in his 32 minutes was a new Knicks playoff record.
With the contest out of hand and game five coming up at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, both coaches pulled their starters for the fourth quarter.
“Now we’ve got to go there and get a win in the Garden,” Haliburton said. “We expect them to throw a big punch going into game five, but we’re capable of doing that at the same time.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks has big headaches.Source: Getty Images
NUGGETS LEVEL SERIES AFTER EPIC HALF-TIME STUNNER
The defending champion Denver Nuggets outgunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-107 to level their NBA playoff series on Sunday as the Indiana Pacers pulled even with the New York Knicks.
The Nuggets, fueled by 35 points from NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon’s 27 points on ruthlessly efficient 11-of-12 shooting and 19 points from Jamal Murray, claimed a second straight win in Minneapolis to knot their best-of-seven Western Conference semi-final series at two games apiece.
“Now it’s best of three,” Jokic said, adding that the Timberwolves’ stunning victories in games one and two in Denver had only strengthened the defending champions.
“We took a hit and we bounced back and hopefully we can defend the home court now,” said Jokic, looking forward to game five in Denver on Tuesday.
Jokic fights for the ball with Rudy Gobert.Source: AFP
The Nuggets withstood a 44-point performance from Anthony Edwards, but the Timberwolves star just didn’t have enough scoring support despite an energetic effort from the hosts.
Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points but was 0-for-7 in the first quarter, when the Nuggets closed the period on a 14-2 run to seize a five-point lead.
Edwards’ dunk with less than a minute left in the first half cut what had been a 16-point deficit to seven.
Jokic then came up with a steal and fed Michael Porter Jr. for a dunk and Murray grabbed a steal, turned and unleashed a buzzer-beating shot from beyond the halfcourt line that swished through and sent the Nuggets into the break with a 64-49 lead.
Murray scored 12 points in the third quarter to keep the Nuggets in control as early foul trouble sent Jokic to the bench.
Jokic returned to score 16 in the fourth and the Nuggets kept the Timberwolves at bay.
Jalen Brunson shrugged off injury to spark a sensational second-half fightback as the New York Knicks battled past the Indiana Pacers 130-121 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven NBA playoff series on Wednesday (all dates US).
New York talisman Brunson gave his team a huge scare after suffering a foot injury in the first quarter which forced him to sit out the remainder of the half at Madison Square Garden.
Indiana exploited Brunson’s absence to open up a 10-point advantage by half-time and were soon 12 points up in the third quarter after an early Andrew Nembhard layup.
Every game of the NBA Conference Finals and Finals, plus the best of the semi-finals, LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
But a limping Brunson — who returned at the start of the third quarter — led a stunning rally as the Knicks outscored Indiana 36-18 in the third to take a 99-91 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Knicks then dug deep to hold onto their advantage in the fourth, outscoring the Pacers 31-30 to close out a famous victory.
In the latter moments the Knicks crowd, and Josh Hart, roasted Pacers legend Reggie Miller who was courtside commentating for TNT.
During a free throw break Hart went up to the commentary desk and spoke into Miller’s microphone, saying “I don’t know if you heard, but I think they’re saying f*** you”.
Josh Hart speaks to Reggie Miller late in the game.Source: Supplied
Brunson finished with 29 points and five assists while Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby came up big with 28 points apiece.
Josh Hart added 19 points with 15 rebounds while Isaiah Hartenstein was huge defensively, with 12 rebounds, eight assists and 14 points.
“We found a way, that’s it,” said an exhausted Brunson. “For us it starts with our habits — we’ve talked about doing the little things from day one a little bit better, because you never know when they’re going to help you in a big game.
“It’s all about doing the little things well every single day, and we pride ourselves on that.”
The victory came at a cost though for the Knicks, who were already missing injured first-choice players Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic.
As well as the injury to Brunson on Wednesday, the Knicks saw another player injured with Anunoby limping out of the game in the third quarter with a hamstring problem.
Jokic wins 3rd MVP in four seasons | 00:38
Somehow the Knicks hung on to edge past the Pacers, with Brunson pouring in 14 fourth quarter points and DiVincenzo adding eight points including two crucial three-pointers that helped keep Indiana at arm’s length.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau revealed the team were uncertain of whether Brunson would continue after missing the second quarter.
“We didn’t know if he was going to be able to go or not, but he found a way to get it done,” Thibodeau said.
Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana’s scorers with 34 points while Nembhard finished with 15 points and Pascal Siakam 14. Obi Toppin added 20 from the bench.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was ejected late in the fourth quarter after ranting at officials following a decision to overturn a double-dribble call against the Knicks’ Hartenstein.
Carlisle took aim at the officiating crew following the defeat, saying his team had been unfairly treated.
“I’m always talking to our guys about not making it all about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot,” Carlisle said. “There’s not a consistent balance and that’s disappointing. Give New York credit for the physicality that they’re playing with. But their physicality is rewarded and ours is penalised.”
The NBA’s play-in tournament is here, with the possibility that one of the league’s superstars in LeBron James and Steph Curry could not feature in the playoffs.
But before eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conference try to keep their championship hopes alive, foxsports.com.au has assessed just how much pressure every franchise is under heading into the postseason.
Factoring in expectations, recent playoffs success and failure along with the state of their salary cap and impending contract calls, each team was rated from 1 to 10.
Don’t miss the best of the first round NBA Playoffs LIVE on ESPN available on Kayo New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Celtics — 10/10
It seems like the majority of people have locked in the Celtics for the Finals, such is both their dominance in the regular season and the sorry state of the rest of the Eastern Conference. But there still are a few sceptics, wary of backing Boston in too strongly considering what has happened the past few years. Namely, blowing a 2-1 lead against the Warriors in the 2022 Finals and then falling to the Jimmy Butler-led Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. This is a different Boston team with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis while someone like Derrick White has been a genuine difference-maker at stages this season. It makes it that much harder for teams to game plan around simply getting the ball out of either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown’s hands. It makes the Celtics, who finished the season No.1 in offensive rating and No.2 in defensive rating a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut. But that is exactly the reason why there is so much pressure to go all the way this time around. How Tatum performs in particular will help answer whether the supermax he is poised to sign this summer, which could be worth over $300 million, is worth it.
The Celtics need to make the Finals. Sean Gardner/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
2. New York Knicks — 4/10
The injury to Julius Randle was a gut punch that makes it hard to envision them going all the way to the Finals, although the Knicks have been the kind of team all season that doesn’t go down without a fight so it isn’t out of the question. Still, unlike previous years, there doesn’t seem to be the same level of expectation heading into the playoffs for New York, potentially because when healthy this team has proved it is capable of pushing any team in the NBA. It eases the pressure on the Knicks to go big-name hunting this summer too, given it is realistic that they could run it back with the same group and hope for more injury luck, otherwise Randle, Bojan Bogdanovich and Mitchell Robinson are the kind of pieces who could be central to a potential trade.
3. Milwaukee Bucks — 9/10
Fortunately for the Bucks, they were able to agree to a three-year, $186 million contract extension with Giannis Antetokounmpo before the start of the season. If he hadn’t, you can just imagine how much pressure would be on Milwaukee heading into the playoffs. Still the pressure is on the Bucks to get to the Eastern Conference Finals given the starpower in their roster, headlined by Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. If not, it is likely most of the blame will fall on coach Doc Rivers, who has struggled to generate any real consistent play since taking over Adrian Griffin while it seems like he is coming under scrutiny after every press conference for dodging self-accountability in some fashion. Lillard too is under pressure to perform after being traded to Milwaukee with the hope of finally being in a position to compete for a title. The Bucks are built to win right now but with an aging roster, who knows how much longer they will be in this position, even with Antetokounmpo’s future settled.
Doc Rivers is under pressure. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
4. Cleveland Cavaliers — 9/10
Things have not been pretty since the All-Star break and entering the playoffs off a game where you were booed by your own fans isn’t exactly ideal. But that is exactly what happened after Cleveland, resting Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Caris LeVert, lost to Charlotte.
With it, the Cavs avoided a potential first-round match-up with the No.7 seed Philadelphia but now find themselves on the same side of the playoffs brackets as the Celtics. Given how the regular season finished, it is hard to see Cleveland going far in the playoffs. That is a problem given Mitchell is set to enter the final guaranteed year of his current contract next season should the Cavs not secure a contract extension for him this summer. NBA insider Marc Stein reported this month that there is a “growing belief among rival teams” that Cleveland will be “forced to trade” their superstar guard if the franchise cannot come to terms on an extension. It comes after a report from Joe Vardon of The Athletic in February on the “deep, psychological effect” Cleveland’s first-round exit against the Knicks last playoffs had on the team, adding “Mitchell’s decision on a contract extension likely [is] tied to how good he thinks the Cavs can be”. A repeat of last year’s swift playoffs failure could see Mitchell turn his attention elsewhere and could put the spotlight on coach J.B. Bickerstaff too.
5. Orlando Magic — 1/10
Sure, you never want to take for granted being in the playoffs. But the Magic have a bright future and this is only the start. Regardless of how far Orlando goes, this season was a big success and unless the Magic collapse dramatically in the postseason, there won’t be any real pressure heading into the summer.
6. Indiana Pacers — 2/10
Another team that is young and ahead of schedule. Indiana has had Milwaukee’s number this season, so it wouldn’t be a shock for the Pacers to push — and potentially eliminate — the Bucks in the opening round of the playoffs. But even if they don’t, a solid enough showing where they don’t get swept should be enough to consolidate what has been a positive season for a Pacers team that booked its first trip to the postseason in four years, led by Tyrese Haliburton.
7. Philadelphia 76ers — 6/10
An Eastern Conference Finals appearance has eluded Philadelphia for some time now, with the Sixers qualifying for the playoffs for six straight years without ever making it past the semifinals. With that in mind, there is always going to be some level of pressure on the 76ers and specifically reigning MVP Joel Embiid to prove they are genuine contenders. However, Philadelphia’s decision not to chase a big name before the trade deadline means the Sixers are loaded with ammunition to go star chasing in the summer. With that in mind, the 76ers have room to improve next season, especially if Embiid can stay healthy. Of course, if Philadelphia somehow didn’t even make it out of the play-in tournament or was eliminated in the first round it would be a massive disappointment. But the silver lining of what is to come in the summer would at least help ease some of the pain.
Don’t miss the best of the first round NBA Playoffs LIVE on ESPN available on Kayo New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Joel Embiid is back but the 76ers have to first make it out of the play-in tournament. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
8. Miami Heat — 5/10
Surely they can’t do it again? This Heat team doesn’t look to have the consistency the make another unlikely run to the NBA Finals after a regular season that never really hit any heights. Of course, you can never rule out the possibility of ‘Playoff Jimmy’ taking over, and it hadn’t helped the Heat either that they dealt with lingering injuries that tested their guard depth. Ultimately, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of external pressure on Miami to replicate last year’s magical run, but just how far the Heat go could have implications on Jimmy Butler’s future with the team. The 34-year-old, who has two years and $100 million left on his current deal, is eligible for an extension this summer. To a similar extent, the Heat — should they make it to the playoffs — will also get an extended look at whether the Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier combination will work moving forward after injury-interrupted seasons.
9. Chicago Bulls — 1/10
Perennial play-in tournament contenders and nothing more. This is what the Chicago Bulls are right now and that doesn’t look like changing after another middling season. There is little pressure on Chicago because, frankly, there aren’t really any expectations on this Bulls team to do much in the postseason. Instead, the bigger priority for Billy Donovan needs to be working out what this team looks like moving forward given the development of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, especially when considered alongside the headache that is Zach LaVine’s contract and where potential free agent DeMar DeRozan fits in the timeline.
10. Atlanta Hawks — 1/10
Like the Bulls, there isn’t much pressure on Atlanta given the fact the Hawks also finished the regular season with a losing record and hence shouldn’t really be a threat to do anything in the playoffs. With such low expectations comes an opportunity to overachieve or, at worst, only further push the front office towards trading either Dejounte Murray or Trae Young in the summer. It seems to be the direction the franchise is heading, with NBA insider Marc Stein reporting the Hawks are “likely” to trade either of their star guards this offseason.
Boban hits God status after free chicken | 00:30
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Oklahoma City Thunder — 2/10
Like the Magic, Thunder fans can just enjoy the fact they find themselves in this position, sitting on top of the Western Conference with a young core that will only get better and a multitude of draft picks to build on this season’s success. Unlike Orlando there are more expectations that come with finishing the top seed and a potential first-round match-up against the Lakers would be particularly tough. But even if the Thunder went out in that scenario, it would at least help crystallise the changes OKC needs to make in the offseason, should the size mismatch be exposed.
2. Denver Nuggets — 7/10
A similar situation to the Celtics, although to a lesser extent given Boston’s record is far superior and the Western Conference is much more competitive. With that in mind, it would hardly be shocking to see the Nuggets rolled in the semifinals. Still, the assumption for most of the regular season has been that the Celtics and Nuggets are on a Finals collision course and anything less than that would be a disappointment for last year’s reigning champions.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves — 6/10
After making a blockbuster trade for Rudy Gobert, things didn’t go to plan for Minnesota last season, struggling for chemistry before drawing the unfortunate straw of having to play the eventual champions Denver in the playoffs. This season though things are different and with that comes higher expectations. It is not championship-or-bust as the Timberwolves have young players in Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels to build their future around, but they at least need to show they are heading in the right direction. That makes the semifinals a bare minimum, although the Conference Finals are a realistic goal too.
The Timberwolves have a future with Anthony Edwards. David Berding/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
4. Los Angeles Clippers — 9/10
After giving up assets for James Harden, the Clippers are light on for future draft capital should this version of the team not go deep into the playoffs and, potentially, win a title. That has to be the goal after all, with Harden the third best player on a roster that features Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook. George could become a free agent this summer and a standout postseason run would put him in a strong position to either leverage the Clippers for more money or become the hottest available name on the market. Regardless of which decision he makes, Los Angeles can’t take for granted the position it finds itself in right now, entering the playoffs with all four of its star players healthy. With an aging roster and limited draft capital to work with, there is plenty of pressure on the Clippers to make it count now. In a stacked Western Conference though, the path to a title is tricky.
5. Dallas Mavericks — 6/10
There is always a decent level of pressure when you have Luka Doncic. He alone has been enough to single-handedly win Dallas games before, although this time around the Slovenian superstar has plenty of help in the form of Kyrie Irving and trade deadline additions Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington. It only adds to the pressure for the Mavericks to at least get past the first round of the playoffs, having made genuinely positive moves to bolster their roster and build around Doncic with the goal of taking a swing at the title. The Mavericks ended the regular season with a 16-2 record to wrap up the fifth seed before resting their stars. It also means there will be high expectations for a deep playoff run, although the pressure isn’t as high given they have key players under contract for a few years to come while Gafford and Washington will have the summer to further integrate themselves into the team.
6. Phoenix Suns — 10/10
Well, avoiding the play-in tournament was definitely a step in the right direction because not even making the playoffs in the first place would have been an abject failure for the Suns. Still, Phoenix enters the postseason as one of the most under-pressure teams after going all-in once again last year in a trade for Bradley Beal. Like the Clippers, the Suns have traded away most of their future draft capital, not owning or controlling a first-round pick until 2031. Adding depth to the roster next season will also be tough as Phoenix is over the second-apron ($182.5 million of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement), meaning the Suns don’t have access to the Mid-Level Exception or Bi-Annual Exception and will only be able to add free agents through minimum contracts.
Grayson Allen has just signed a new four-year contract extension. David Berding/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
There is at least now the guarantee of sharpshooter Grayson Allen staying put after news the Suns have extended him on a four-year deal worth nearly $70 million.
Royce O’Neal is another key piece Phoenix could lose and, again, only be able to replace with minimum players. ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown in March that the reality of the salary cap puts “tremendous pressure” on the Suns to pay those players and keep them. “Suns owner Mat Ishbia has operated with a relative disregard for the new salary cap realities of the NBA, essentially in a championship or bust mentality over the next couple of years,” Wojnarowski said. This year’s playoffs could go a long way to deciding whether it works out or not.
7. New Orleans Pelicans — 5/10
The Pelicans have to be one of the most confounding teams in the league right now. At one point this season they looked like pushing for the top seeds in the Western Conference but dropped four straight games in early April before suffering a 124-108 loss to the Lakers on Monday. A win would’ve kept New Orleans out of the play-in tournament but now the Pels need to go about it the hard way. If anyone is under pressure entering the postseason it is Zion Williamson, who has never played in a playoff game and will be looking to rebound from the disaster that was New Orleans’ in-season tournament thumping at the hands of the Lakers. It will also be interesting to see how the Pelicans deal with their lack of elite center play against the top teams and what impact it has on the future of Jonas Valančiūnas, who is headed towards free agency. With all of that in mind, New Orleans still looks like a playoff team but not a genuine contender and if there is any question mark it is less on the team’s biggest names and more on coach Willie Green and his rotations.
8. Los Angeles Lakers — 5/10
LeBron James could become a free agent this summer, although the focus for the Lakers superstar has always been getting the chance to play with son Bronny. With that in mind, even if Los Angeles doesn’t replicate last year’s playoffs run or crashes out of the play-in tournament, results alone won’t be the only determining factor in James’ decision. The other question mark for the Lakers is what they do with D’Angelo Russell, who has a $18.69 million player option for the 2024-25 season, which he would surely decline given the level he has been playing at. Complicating matters is the fact The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported multiple sources believe the Lakers will go “third-star hunting” this summer. All of this is to say it will be an intriguing summer for the Lakers and perhaps a deep playoff run could convince the front office a third star isn’t necessary, or alternatively postseason results may only highlight shortcomings in the roster that make another high-level scorer a must. Either way, there will always be some level of pressure on the Lakers given the James factor and their popularity in the league, but it isn’t championship-or-bust as has been the case in the past.
Don’t miss the best of the first round NBA Playoffs LIVE on ESPN available on Kayo New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Where will LeBron James play in the 2024-25 season? Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
9. Sacramento Kings — 3/10
The Kings were one of the fairytale stories of last season. But that was last year. Now they have somewhat regressed while the rest of the Western Conference has improved, meaning the Kings may not even make it to the playoffs this time around. Again, there isn’t too much pressure because this is a young team who weren’t really widely expected to build on last season’s success. In fact, most people seemed to be tipping them to fall back a bit. That in itself is a problem though and speaks to the fact Sacramento at this stage looks like a solid play-in tournament team who could snag a first-round series but not much more. Whether that prompts the front office to make a big swing in the postseason remains to be seen. But a swift exit this year should at least prompt the Kings to consider what the ceiling is for the roster as currently constructed.
10. Golden State Warriors — 3/10
Another team, like the Lakers, who are under pressure primarily on name value and nothing else. It is clear that the Warriors are in a transitional period and coach Steve Kerr has accepted it too, giving the team’s younger players like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski a chance to push for more minutes while experimenting at times with Klay Thompson’s role. If anything, the pressure is on Thompson to prove he can still be a difference maker as the Warriors prepare to make a call on his future with the team. Maybe this is the last time we see Thompson, Draymond Green and Steph Curry on a court together in Golden State colours. Even if that is the case though, it no longer seems like that reality would be the undoing of Golden State or leave the Warriors in a worse position than they find themselves in right now. In fact, it was only once Kerr embraced youth that the Warriors started to improve and there are no indications at this stage that Curry is unhappy or wants out of Golden State if there is no playoff run this year.
It’s impossible to run from the what-if portion of this dreadful development, so it’s best to say it up high.
There was a crystallised moment of this basketball season when if you were a Knicks fan, you were allowed the greatest gift of all: belief. Actual, genuine, legitimate belief, not coloured by rose-coloured spectacles or fanciful dreams.
We can identify the precise moment, too.
It was with 4 minutes and 28 seconds remaining of a game on Jan. 27 in which the Knicks led the Heat, 115-98.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Julius Randle after an injury against the Miami Heat. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Madison Square Garden had spent the previous two hours in a state of unfiltered delirium. The Knicks were splattering the defending Eastern Conference champions just two days after battering the defending champion Nuggets by 30.
The Knicks were as hot as they’d ever been in the new millennium, and were playing their best ball in decades, in the midst of a month in which they would go 14-2.
One second later, Julius Randle drove to the basket. He was fouled by Jaime Jaquez Jr. He fell, hard, on his right shoulder. The Garden’s roar was reduced to a whisper.
It was as if all 19,812 people knew, in their hearts, that something had changed.
That, maybe, something is over.
The Knicks’ season didn’t end at 10:45 Thursday morning [US time] when ESPN reported that Randle’s season was officially over, that after two-plus months of rest and rehab Randle had decided at last to get his shoulder surgically repaired.
Not technically, anyway.
The Knicks are still in play to stay out of the play-in game. And they have shown a season-long resilience, often answering strongest when the looming clouds appear darkest.
But without their second-best offensive player, it’s impossible to conjure a scenario where the Knicks can harbour any kind of significant playoff run. They can play with the Cavaliers, Magic and Pacers on sheer heart and grit; they’ll need more than that against the Celtics, Bucks, Heat and even an Embiid-embedded Sixers.
Julius Randle is out for the season. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
So suddenly “what-if” becomes “what-now?”
The Knicks, in truth, had already begun to make that transition. Not publicly, no: they maintained the illusion — or delusion — of a Randle return as long as possible, and it’s likely that’s because Randle himself kept hoping against hope that he’d wake up one day and he’d feel ready to try real basketball contact. That’s Randle’s way. Say what you want about the flaws in his game but he’s a lunch-pail guy. He shows up for work. He cares, deeply.
But the shoulder is a tricky thing. And the way Randle plays, absent surgery, every time he made a move to the basket, he and everyone else who cares about the Knicks would be holding their breath.
So they waited until they couldn’t wait any longer to accept the inevitable.
But the Knicks, at least in code, had already begun to sprinkle breadcrumbs of hints as to what was afoot. On Sunday, Tom Thibodeau had cryptically said before a loss to the Thunder, “We just deal with reality day-to-day.”
And afterwards Josh Hart had been significantly less ambiguous:
“I’m not in those medical conversations or anything like that, so I don’t know s–t from s–t. We’ve got to approach it every game and the end of this season that those guys aren’t coming back, and if they do be pleasantly surprised.”
Warriors upset Mavs despite Doncic | 01:01
There will be no surprise from Randle, which means that whatever dreams Knicks fans had of going toe-to-toe with the Celtics or Bucks — and they sure seemed legit early in the evening of Jan. 27 — probably go into the O.R. with him.
Now they wait and hope to be surprised by OG Anunoby, hope he can make it back from a bout of tennis elbow in time to at least give them a puncher’s chance against everyone else, depending on how the 2 through 7 slots shake out in the East.
Maybe that wasn’t the ambition when Randle had the ball in his hands, 4 ½ minutes left on what may be the last night — what might’ve been the last second — the Knicks could fancy themselves as interrupters of an inevitable Boston coronation in the East. Life isn’t fair sometimes. And sports, sure as hell, fair even less.
This article first appeared on The New York Postand was reproduced with permission
The NBA playoffs are just over a month away and while the Boston Celtics are clear frontrunners in the East, there is a three-way tussle for supremacy over in the West.
Here foxsports.com.au breaks down where every NBA team finds itself ahead of the run home, placing them into five tiers — contenders, dark horses, teams making up the numbers, those planning for next year and teams who should also turn their attention towards 2025.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
There is one exception though, which brings us to the first team in the Eastern Conference.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
1. Boston Celtics (48-12)
In the Western Conference the top teams are separated into a tier of contenders. But in the East that doesn’t apply. The Celtics are just in a tier of their own, most recently destroying the much-improved Warriors by 52 points in yet another reminder of their championship credentials. “I think the entire league needs to be watching what the Boston Celtics are doing and understanding that they are the team to beat,” Richard Jefferson said on ABC during that game. “I understand that the Denver Nuggets are the defending champions but to me there is no greater threat to them really going on a run and winning a couple than what the Boston Celtics are presenting this season.”
The Celtics are on another level. Brian Fluharty/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The challenge when it comes to Boston is just how talented and deep this roster is, to the extent that you can’t send help to double Jayson Tatum, for example, because whoever you leave open is going to make you pay. Just as the Warriors learned after intentionally sagging off Jaylen Brown near the perimeter in the opening quarter. The result? He had 19 points in seven minutes. Boston ranks first in the league in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. It is hard to see the Celtics not making the NBA Finals considering how good they have been, although performing in the playoffs hasn’t always been a guarantee from Boston in recent seasons.
CONTENDERS
2. Milwaukee Bucks (41-21)
When the Bucks sacked first-year coach Adrian Griffin it came as a bit of a surprise, at least on the surface, since the team ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30-13 record. But there was a prevailing thought that Milwaukee was achieving those results in spite of Griffin, particularly given the lack of improvement on the defensive end under him. So, understanding they needed to capitalise on their current championship window, the Bucks made a ruthless call to sack Griffin and hire Doc Rivers. For all the talk about Rivers’ inability to take accountability, the results on defence speak for themselves so far.
The Bucks have gone from recording the 22nd best defensive rating in January to the third-best under coach Rivers while the transition defence in particular has improved from 20th to second-best in the NBA. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard leading the way the Bucks shouldn’t have too many dramas scoring points either, especially in the fourth quarter. It may still take some time to gel but the defence is no longer a major area of concern.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-21)
Given what happened last year, where the Cavaliers finished fourth in the East only to be easily handled 4-1 in a first-round series defeat to the Knicks, we can’t get too ahead of ourselves here. But then again, this is a different Cleveland team to the one that didn’t make any noise in the 2022-23 playoffs. This Cavaliers team is stacked with 3-point shooting options off the bench with Sam Merrill shooting 44.1 per cent from downtown while Isaac Okoro is even going at a 40 per cent clip. Max Strus hasn’t been the most consistent outside shooter, averaging 34.0 per cent from deep, but is capable of big games like the one when he went 7-for-10 on 3-pointers against the Mavericks. Elsewhere, Dean Wade is healthy and offering solid production while Craig Porter is a handy depth option too at guard. Of course, then you add in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt and backcourt duo Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have been one of the hottest teams in basketball, winning 20 of their 26 games since the new year.
The Cavaliers are a contender. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
4. New York Knicks (36-25)
Under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have become a hard-edged, gritty, defensive-minded team that scraps for every win. And they’re certainly scrapping for every result at the moment, with All-Star guard Jalen Brunson the latest Knicks starter to go down. Brunson was diagnosed with a left knee contusion after landing awkwardly on his leg in New York’s win over Cleveland earlier this week. Already without starters Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks have had their depth tested recently, losing eight or their last 15 games. The door is open for the Knicks to book an Eastern Conference Finals berth against the Celtics. They just need to stay healthy.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Brunson limps off moments after tip-off | 00:43
5. Philadaelphia 76ers (35-25)
It all hinges on Joel Embiid’s health. Without him, the Sixers belong in the tier below. Embiid spoke to media earlier this week and said he plans to return at some point before the end of the regular season, regardless of what the team’s record looks like. The reigning MVP has been sidelined since late January after undergoing a procedure to “address an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left knee”. The Sixers have been able to stay afloat without Embiid, winning six of 14 games to sit in fifth position in the Eastern Conference, although the seventh-placed Heat are just one game back from Philadelphia facing the prospect of having to fight its way through the play-in tournament. The Sixers rank 20th in offensive rating and second-last in defensive rating in their 14 games without Embiid. They can’t afford to rush him back though given they still have the ammunition to go after a big name over the summer and put all their focus into the 2024-25 season.
7. Miami Heat (34-26).
If we learned anything from last season, it is that you can never count out Jimmy Butler, Erik Spoelstra and the Heat. Of course, Miami’s magical run to the NBA Finals had as much to do with Max Strus and Gabe Vincent as it did the team’s superstar forward, who averaged 21.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists in the month of February. The Heat have won eight of their last 10 to sit 0.5 games short of the sixth-placed Orlando Magic and just 1.5 games behind the fourth-placed Knicks, who are now vulnerable with their recent run of injuries. Miami has ranked eighth and third in offensive and defensive rating during that period. Miami’s backcourt depth has been tested with injuries to Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, although the additions of Terry Rozier via trade and Delon Wright have helped bolster its guard stocks. The Heat even added Patty Mills in a low-risk move ahead of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Duncan Robinson has improved into a more well-rounded player to go from out of the rotation to pushing for a starting spot. And then there is rookie Jaime Jacquez Jr., who has been an immediate contributor averaging 12.7 points.
Knicks lose Brunson, but still beat Cavs | 00:55
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
6. Orlando Magic (35-26)
This young Magic team made a statement before the season proper even started, showing early signs they could become the best isolation defence teams in the league. Those pre-season performances didn’t end up being a fluke either, with Orlando’s top-tier one-on-one defenders helping the Magic to the fifth-best defensive rating this season and, at the moment, sixth spot in the East. It is hard to see Orlando going deep in the playoffs given this is still an inexperienced team but like Oklahoma City in the West, it doesn’t matter all too much. The Magic are quickly building one of the most exciting, young rosters in the league and will only continue to get better with emerging and already emerged talent in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr. and Anthony Black.
Paolo Banchero is one of Orlando’s rising stars. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
8. Indiana Pacers (34-28)
The numbers tell quite a simple story. This is one of the most dynamic scoring teams in the league but their best chance of doing anything in the playoffs involves outgunning their opponent because they aren’t going to win on the back of their defence. The Pacers currently have the second-best offensive rating and fifth-worst defensive rating in the league. After the All-Star break though Indiana’s offensive rating has dropped to eighth-best in the NBA while the defence has improved, but only slightly, to sixth-worst. That coincides with Tyrese Haliburton slowing down after a stunning start to the season which saw him average 28.6 points and 11.7 assists per game in November. Haliburton admitted on J.J. Redick’s podcast last month that he had rushed back from his hamstring injury because of the 65-game threshold he needed to reach to be eligible for the All-NBA team and a potential $41 million bonus. Whether Haliburton is still feel the ill-effects on that or taking on too heavy a workload in his return is something only the All-Star guard himself can answer.
Emotional Paolo discusses game-winner | 00:45
SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
9. Chicago Bulls (29-32)
DeMar DeRozan said last summer that the Bulls were too “inconsistent” in the 2022-23 season. Well, guess what? Inconsistency has again been Chicago’s biggest issue and it makes it incredibly hard to get a read on the Bulls ahead of the playoffs. Are they capable of winning one playoffs series? Sure. But a lot of things would have to go right and that is definitely true if Chicago is somehow going to make a deep run. The Bulls looked to be building something when they beat the Timberwolves and Grizzlies earlier this month but went on to drop four of their next six games, including a 10-point loss to the lowly Pistons. They then backed that defeat up with an overtime win over the Cavs before a 16-point loss to the Bucks. Consistently inconsistent is what the Bulls have been all season long. Just not good enough to take the leap, which makes their inactivity at the trade deadline all the more puzzling. At least the improvement of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu gives Bulls fans something to look forward to.
Coby White has had a big year. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
10. Atlanta Hawks (26-34)
The Hawks were always going to be a frisky play-in tournament team with a chance of pulling off an upset in the first round of the playoffs and nothing more. An injury to star guard Trae Young, however, has Atlanta in danger of falling out of the play-in tournament entirely with the 25-year-old undergoing surgery on a torn radial collateral ligament in the fifth finger of his left hand. Young is going to be re-evaluated in four weeks and while the Hawks won their first two games without him they have since dropped two straight against the Nets. Regardless, Atlanta has the second-worst defensive rating in the league so it was hard to see the Hawks going deep in the playoffs even with Young healthy.
11. Brooklyn Nets (24-37)
They are technically still in the hunt but things really took a turn for the worse before the Nets sacked Jacque Vaughn, with Kevin Ollie taking over as interim coach. The results since have been mixed, with Brooklyn winning three of its last five games. But the Nets have also been blown out by the Raptors, Timberwolves and Magic since Ollie’s appointment. This is a team still trying to figure out its identity and injuries to emerging guard Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons only makes things harder, especially given the Australian was such a central part of Brooklyn’s plans on offence — especially in transition. Mikal Bridges continues to prove why he was such an in-demand target at the trade deadline while Dennis Schroder is proving a handy pick-up, averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 assists since joining the Nets.
Struss sinks ABSURD halfcourt winner! | 01:04
12. Toronto Raptors (23-38)
Another team that at this point is better using the remaining games of the season to develop its on-court chemistry after the departures of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby before the trade deadline. The injury to Scottie Barnes, which was later revealed to be a fracture to his third metacarpal bone in his left hand, will only make things harder for the Raptors given he is unlikely to return before the end of the regular season. One shining light to emerge in the second half of the season is the form of RJ Barrett, who has impressed with a career-high 20.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists since making the move from New York via trade. Meanwhile, fellow former Knicks teammate Immanuel Quickley is growing in confidence as a playmaker and in particular when operating in the pick-and-roll with big-man Jakob Poeltl.
ALREADY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
13. Charlotte Hornets (15-46)
Can we just have one season with a healthy LaMelo Ball? The 22-year-old guard has been sidelined since late January with an ankle injury after managing just 36 games in the 2022-23 season. Ball is the biggest name missing but Seth Curry, Cody Martin, Nick Richards and Mark Williams are all also battling injuries while the Hornets have now dropped five of their last six games after a promising stretch of results earlier in February.
14. Detroit Pistons (9-51)
After a disastrous start to the season the Pistons have picked up a few wins and are now level with the Wizards on nine wins. There is still plenty of potential in this young team, with Cade Cunningham the most likely player to emerge into a genuine top-tier star in the NBA. Although there are still question marks over what his ceiling looks like and obviously injury setbacks since his rookie season haven’t helped. Elsewhere, there are concerns over Ausar Thompson’s shooting while Jalen Duren’s defence remains a work in progress. More than anything, patience is needed if this is the young core Detroit wants to build around.
Pistons coach FIRES UP after Knicks loss | 02:27
15. Washington Wizards (9-52)
Watch out Pistons, the Wizards are coming for you. Washington has dropped 15 games in a row and if its losing ways continue, coincidentally Detroit would have the opportunity to inflict a 28th defeat in a row on the Wizards, tying its record losing skid. Unlike the Pistons and Hornets, the Wizards are right at the start of a full-scale rebuild after trading away Bradley Beal so it may be a long time before Washington is relevant again. Of course, usually being the worst team in the NBA isn’t such a bad thing when it involves the potential of a high draft pick but this year’s class lacks top-tier talent — at least the kind of talent that can turn around this franchise’s fortunes right away.
PLAYOFFS SERIES IF SEASON ENDED TODAY:
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Cavaliers vs. (6) Magic
(4) Knicks vs. (5) 76ers
Play-in tournament
(7) Heat vs. (8) Pacers
(9) Bulls vs. (10) Hawks
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THE CONTENDERS
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (43-19)
While the Clippers may have the bigger names, this is the team that has already caused real problems for the defending champion Nuggets this season. Minnesota and Denver play each other three more times before the playoffs but it was a comprehensive 110-89 win for the T’Wolves in their one meeting earlier this season as Nikola Jokic was held to just three assists. The Timberwolves settled to letting Jokic score in exchange for taking away his playmaking, effectively using Karl-Anthony Towns as an on-ball defender while having Rudy Gobert roam the paint. It proved the right strategy on that occasion and when you add in the rising superstar that is Anthony Edwards, a 3-and-D wing in Jaden McDaniels and the experience of Mike Conley, this is a team that could go deep and potentially all the way to the Finals considering the match-up problems they could present the Nuggets.
NBA Wrap: Slow burn Lakers silence OKC | 01:33
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-19)
The Thunder are ahead of schedule so there is the temptation to not entirely buy into their contender status because it just seems to all be happening so fast, as if this young group needs a bit more time and a bit more playoff experience before making a deep run. But keeping OKC out of this tier would be a disservice to just what this team has achieved in the regular season under Mark Daigneault, led by star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Of course, playoff basketball is another beast entirely but the Thunder have built their success off doing things differently, putting together a roster stacked with playmaking, positional size and high basketball IQ that makes them uniquely well-positioned to make things uncomfortable for rival teams in the post-season despite their inexperience.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
What will the Thunder do with Josh Giddey’s minutes in the playoffs? (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The big question mark is what role Josh Giddey plays given the way opposition defences have already treated him in the post-season, often leaving the Australian wide-open until his outside shooting in particular improves. The acquisition of Gordon Hayward at the trade deadline offers OKC an experienced option with similar skills to lean on more heavily should Giddey continue to struggle and be more heavily targeted on defence. It is not necessarily that Giddey won’t play but that his minutes will be staggered to better surround him with shooting and have the Australian play on the ball more. The only complicating factor is that Jalen Williams has done particularly well running OKC’s second unit so it is hard to go away from what works.
3. Denver Nuggets (42-19)
Based on their recent stretch of form since the All-Star break, the defending champions look to be building towards another run at the title. The Nuggets dropped three games in a row early last month, including heavy defeats to the Kings and Bucks, but have since won six straight despite a few lingering injury concerns. Jamal Murray has been playing through shin splints while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was dealing with a hamstring injury before the break. Murray had been really heating up before suffering an ankle injury against the Heat, scoring 59 points in wins over the Warriors and Kings. Fortunately he returned for the Nuggets’ victory over the Lakers, putting up 24 points and 11 assists. Of course, Nikola Jokic remains a walking triple-double while Michael Porter Jr. has been lights out recently. Add in the two-way impact of Aaron Gordon and the presence of the always ready Justin Holiday off the bench and the Nuggets looked primed to give the West another shake. Denver is in a good position to take top seed in the conference with the 11th easiest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.
Nuggets win NBA finals rematch | 01:04
4. Los Angeles Clippers (39-21)
Health was always going to be the key for the Clippers and fortunately for them Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been able to stay on the court more often than not this season. A fractured hand for Russell Westbrook won’t help given the success Los Angeles had after the guard reportedly volunteered to come off the bench after the Clippers suffered six straight losses. Although Westbrook had been in a rough shooting stretch lately anyway. Westbrook though isn’t the only one who has put the team first this season, with James Harden also embracing his role as the third option in this Clippers offence since making the move from Philadelphia. In fact, Harden’s usage percentage is the lowest since his second NBA season with the Thunder, which in some ways will be a relief in the post-season where there won’t be as much pressure on the 34-year-old with Leonard and George running the show. Speaking of which, if Jokic didn’t exist Leonard may well be a leading contender in the MVP race. Leonard is averaging 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists and provided he stays healthy, the Clippers could be poised to make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history (53 years).
Kawhi Leonard is fit and firing. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
THE DARK HORSES
5. New Orleans Pelicans (36-25)
Like the Clippers, this one is all about health. Losing Australian Dyson Daniels, who underwent a successful meniscectomy on his left knee in mid-February, doesn’t help. For his shortcomings on the offensive end, Daniels is one of the most disruptive perimeter defenders in the league and formed a fearsome tandom with teammate Herb Jones, helping create fast-break opportunities. Otherwise, New Orleans has a clean bill of health — a stark contrast to where New Orleans found itself last season after injuries spoiled a strong start to the year. If anything, finding ways for Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to continue playing off each other into the post-season will be central to determining just far the Pelicans can go. On a personal level, both Williamson and Ingram have been able to stay on the court and in the case of the former, he is looking explosive again finishing at the rim. And when Williamson isn’t doing that he’s running the offence, with New Orleans quickly realising it is at its best with ‘Point Zion’.
6. Phoenix Suns (35-26)
There is little doubting the Suns have the offensive firepower to challenge for a title. But what about the defence? Phoenix currently ranks 13th in the league for defensive rating (114.3), which isn’t too bad. But this just doesn’t look like a team that is complete enough to challenge the likes of Boston and Denver. It is similar to Dallas. Phoenix could absolutely upset a higher seed in the first round of the playoffs, especially when you have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant averaging 27.5 and 27.8 points per game respectively. But the Suns just haven’t been able to build the kind of chemistry needed to make a deep playoffs run, especially when you consider Bradley Beal’s injury woes. Now Booker is dealing with an ankle injury. Phoenix currently sit in sixth position but is at risk of dropping into the play-in tournament with Sacramento, Dallas, Golden State and Los Angeles lurking.
Cavs shock Mavs with crazy buzzer-beater | 01:08
Working against the Suns is the fact they have the hardest schedule remaining according to Tankathon, having to play the Celtics, Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Clippers twice before the end of the season. ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on ‘NBA Today’ that it would be a “potential disaster scenario” for the Suns to fall into the play-in tournament. “They went all-in for this team and just haven’t seen it together. When they’ve been together they’ve been really good but once you’re in the play-in you are super vulnerable to not even getting into the playoffs or getting a match-up where it is super hard to win even two or three rounds,” Lowe added.
8. Dallas Mavericks (34-27)
Honestly, the temptation was there to put Dallas in just making up the numbers given its inconsistent recent form. Last month the Mavericks beat up on the Thunder and scored wins over the Knicks and Suns but also went down to the undermanned Sixers, were thumped by the Celtics and Pacers and pipped by a Max Strus prayer shot. It is just hard to see Dallas playing at the consistently high level that is needed to make the NBA Finals, let alone go deep in the competitive Western Conference. The additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford though give the Mavericks something they haven’t always had in previous years — high-calibre depth. It means the burden shouldn’t always be on Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving to produce the kind of big games that Dallas previously needed to even stand a chance in the post-season. Whether it is enough to compete with well-drilled teams that seem to have a better understanding of their identity remains to be seen.
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
7. Sacramento Kings (34-26)
The Kings were one of the big surprise packets last season and currently sit seventh in the Western Conference. In a lot of ways, not a whole lot has changed for Sacramento, who entered the All-Star break with a 31-23 record, which was identical to where the franchise stood at the same point last season. The biggest difference? The West is much more competitive this season and so while the Kings again look like a solid playoff team, it is hard to see them making the jump to genuine contender status this year. Another first-round series defeat or even a play-in tournament exit looks the likeliest option.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (34-29)
The Lakers will go as far as LeBron James and Anthony Davis can take them. Although a repeat of last year’s charge to the Western Conference Finals may be tough to come by if Los Angeles is again forced to win its way through the play-in tournament. That may be the reality for LeBron and co. though as they face the fifth toughest remaining schedule according to Tankathon, having to play the Timberwolves and Bucks twice in the run home. A resounding win over the Thunder though, even if it just one game, proves the Lakers could be a problem in the playoffs with the right match-up. But it is hard to buy them sustaining that level of play to get all the way to the Finals. Of course, James’ potential impending free agency status looms large but even if the Lakers aren’t able to replicate last season’s post-season run their main selling point will be the trade assets they have up their sleeve this summer. That will somewhat soften the blow if the Lakers make an early exit.
All hail the King! LeBron reaches 40k! | 00:37
10. Golden State Warriors (32-28)
Playing against the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics is one way to get a sense for just how close — or far away — you are from contending for a championship this season. And in the case of the Warriors, it was a timely wake-up call as Golden State was blown out by 52 points. This was a Warriors team that had won 13 of their past 16 games to potentially emerge as a championship dark horse that may have been better placed with the above three teams. From Draymond Green’s welcomed return and the associated re-emergence of Andrew Wiggins to Klay Thompson embracing his new role after moving to the bench, these Warriors looked to be building something. They still could be. The Celtics are just that good that sometimes you’re going to have losses like the one Golden State had on Monday. But it was a reminder of just how far ahead the better teams in the league are this season, including the Nuggets who overcame a slow start to finish well on top of the Warriors last week. Golden State currently sits in 10th in the West, meaning they would be facing the Lakers in a do-or-die play-in tournament game if the season stopped right now.
SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
11. Utah Jazz (28-34)
It has been a rough recent stretch for the Jazz, who have dropped eight of their last nine games to fall to 11th in the West and it is hard to see them making up enough ground to challenge either the Lakers or Warriors for a spot in the play-in tournament. The Jazz have the worst defensive rating (123.3) in the league over the last 15 games, punished in size mismatches while Lauri Markkanen hasn’t been able to keep up the kind of production that had Utah moving up the standings earlier in the season.
12. Houston Rockets (26-34)
Like the Jazz, the Rockets just haven’t been consistent enough to anticipate the kind of run they need to make in the next month to qualify for the play-in tournament. Although the fact Houston is even on the playoff bubble has to be a positive given expectations were relatively low for the rebuilding Rockets this season. The focus in the summer though will be working out how Houston approaches the next stage of its rebuild, whether it is continuing to patiently develop its young core or package some of its assets for a star player via trade.
BasketBRAWL: Butler ejected in NOLA | 01:10
ALREADY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
13. Memphis Grizzlies (21-41)
The Grizzlies were already up against it before the season tipped off, with superstar guard Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games. Memphis looked to be building something when Morant returned but it was short-lived as the 24-year-old was later ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder. The injury list keeps growing too, with Ziaire Williams And Derrick Rose the latest names set for time on the sidelines. Bring on next year.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (17-43)
Another team that was expected to be sitting down the bottom of the Western Conference after trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Although the Blazers didn’t enter full-scale rebuilding mode, holding onto players like Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon, Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams at the trade deadline. Where they fit in the team’s long-term plans remains to be seen but Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are still key building blocks for the future.
15. San Antonio Spurs (13-48)
This season was all about the Victor Wembanyama experience, with the No.1 overall pick firmly in Rookie of the Year calculations. Wembanyama has averaged 20.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in his rookie season. Finding a starting point guard still remains the likely next move for the Spurs, who have leaned on Tre Jones to fill the void left by Dejounte Murray for the time being.
The All-Star Game returned this year with a few changes, seeing it go back to the standard East vs. West battle with a traditional scoring system and four 12-minute quarters.
It did little though to change the many things that have made the game so unwatchable that it actually starts to become watchable, with the East running out 211-186 winners at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
History was already made after the opening two quarters as the teams conbined for 193 points — the most-ever first half points in the concept’s history.
It seemed inevitable at that stage that the East, who scored 104 of those points, would crack the magic 200-point and a Tyrese Haliburton 3-pointer saw them do just that.
With it, the East became the first team to hit the double-century, surpassing the record-breaking 196 points that the West put up in 2016.
The historic points total is sure to reignite the debate on how to make the All-Star game competitive, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver even awkwardly congratulating the East for breaking the record for most points in a game.
It was fitting after Haliburton scored five-straight 3s in the first quarter of the game, with the Pacers’ star guard adding another five points along with an assist in the final 90 seconds in the fourth.
Haliburton had 32 points in the game but was trumped by East teammate Damian Lillard, who had 39 and put a stamp on a busy shooting night by draining a halfcourt shot.
Lillard, who was named MVP, made 11 3-pointers in the win while the East as a team went 42-for-97 from deep, with Jaylen Brown adding six off the bench on his way to 36 points.
There have been plenty of points. (Photo by Justin Casterline / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
While the West was comfortably defeated on Monday, Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns actually led all scorers with 50 points as he drained four 3-pointers while going 23-for-35 from the floor.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, had a team-high seven 3s as he finished with 31 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal.
If you wanted the perfect illustration of the varying degrees to which players were buying into the game, one sequence midway through the third quarter is all you need to watch.
On one end Luka Doncic had an easy transition layup but decided to try a self-dunk off the backboard and missed it completely.
Then, Lillard on the next play drained a ridiculous half-court shot to bring up 33 points after 11 in the quarter to that point.
“I was feeling myself too much,” Doncic later said during the broadcast.
Meanwhile, there was another possession late in the fourth quarter which ended with a Gilgeous-Alexander bucket despite the ball never touching the ground, with Nikola Jokic and Doncic instead just passing the ball up the floor between themselves.
The East led 53-47 after a high-scoring opening quarter, with 3-point shooting the biggest difference between the two teams as the East went 13-for-27 from deep while the West were just 5-for-15.
The West was able to keep it close though by dominating 26-12 in the paint, with Gilgeous-Alexander the best of the bunch early with seven points in the quarter.
While defence was clearly optional in Monday’s game there were plenty of highlight-reel shots and even a sneaky between-the-legs move from Trae Young on Kevin Durant.
The Eastern Conference had been hit by two key injuries with starting big man Joel Embiid and reserve Julius Randle both unavailable and replaced by Bam Adebayo and Scottie Barnes respectively.
Meanwhile, there is no such disruption for the Western Conference as a star-studded starting line-up features three MVP candidates in Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
TEAMS
Eastern Conference
Starters
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo (starting for Joel Embiid)
Reserves
Paolo Banchero, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young (injury replacement), Scottie Barnes (injury replacement)
Unavailable
Joel Embiid (injured), Julius Randle (injured)
Western Conference
Starters
LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic
Reserves
Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Karl-Anthony Towns
LIVE BLOG:
Re-live along for the latest updates from the 2024 NBA All-Stars game! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
EARLIER:
LEBRON OPENS UP ON FUTURE PLANS, POTENTIAL FAREWELL TOUR
James will be suiting up for an NBA-record 20th All-Star game, telling reporters the chance to share a locker room with some of the best players in the league is still something he does not take for granted.
“It’s just been an absolute honor to be able to grace the floor throughout my career and be out there with the greatest players in the world year in and year out,” he said.
“… Being here. You still get that moment where I’m in the locker room looking at Steph, AD, KD, Kawhi, Joker, Luka all those guys. Those are just a few of the names. Those are the guys in the West. So you still have that feeling like, this is pretty cool.”
James confirmed he sought treatment for a left ankle issue which saw him miss the Lakers’ last game before the All-Star break and said he wouldn’t play the “entire game” on Monday.
“I did seek treatment the last few days, trying to get my ankle as strong and as back to where I feel confident that I can finish off this last third of the season,” James said.
“I won’t be playing the entire game tonight, for sure. I can get out there and run around with the young guys for a little bit and then shut it down at some point to give my body, and my ankle more importantly, another opportunity to rest.”
James was not specifically asked on Monday about a report from ESPN which claimed the Golden State Warriors had tried to make a move to land the Lakers superstar before the trade deadline.
Both James and the Lakers were said to have not been willing to explore the potential move but it will remain a story to monitor ahead of free agency in the summer.
Dame does it again on All-Star weekend | 00:41
In the meantime, James on Monday was asked more broadly whether he had mapped out what his future looks like in terms of how many more seasons he plays and if it ends with the Lakers.
“I have not mapped out how many seasons I have left,” James replied.
“I know it’s not that many. I also don’t know if I will — I was asked this question a couple days ago. Will you kind of take the farewell tour, or will you kind of just Tim Duncan it?
“I’m 50-50, I’m going to be honest, because there’s times when I feel like I guess I owe it to my fans that have been along this journey with me for two decades plus, to be able to give them that moment where it’s every city and whatever the case may be and they give you your flowers or whatever the case may be. That seems cool.
“But the other side of I’ve never been that great with accepting like praise. It’s a weird feeling for me. I never really talked about it much, but it’s just a weird feeling for me. So to go in each city, if that’s the case — I don’t know.
“I’ve seen Mike’s, I’ve seen Kobe’s. I’ve seen a lot of guys. I just don’t know how much I — how I’d feel. I don’t know if I’d feel great about it. Maybe the only child in me maybe.
But I don’t know.
“I am a Laker, and I am happy and been very happy being a Laker the last six years, and hopefully it stays that way. But I don’t have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I’ll be in. Hopefully it is with the Lakers. It’s a great organisation and so many greats. But we’ll see. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it’s coming. It’s coming, for sure.”
One of the busiest days on the NBA calendar in teams’ final chance to tweak their rosters this season, the fortunes of many sides changed — for good, bad and indifferent.
Read on for all the key NBA trade deadline Talking Points!
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Warriors take down Embiid-less 76ers | 00:47
KNICKS THE BIG WINNERS … AND AN EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE FREE AGENT OPTION
You can feel the basketball buzz in the Big Apple from the other side of the globe. For there was one clear trade deadline winner on Friday morning — the New York Knicks.
They did it all in one foul swoop too, landing Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Detroit in the same deal at a very modest price, handing back Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks.
Yep, that was all they gave up …
Of the Knicks that were sent out, only Grimes was a minor part of their rotation, while Bogdanovic and Burks, who played two seasons in New York from 2020-2022, are set to have key roles to play to significantly bolster their bench and make them one of, if not the, deepest teams in the NBA.
It addressed multiple needs for Tom Thibodeau’s team, which has emerged as a genuine to come out of the East since landing OG Anunoby and been led brilliantly by MVP smoky Jalen Brunson —going 9-1 over its last 10 games.
The Anunoby trade gave the Knicks new-found defensive tenacity and versatility. But they did lose scoring and playmaking after the departures of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley — voids Bogdanovic and Burks will help fill as particularly useful additions while Julius Randle recovers from a shoulder injury.
Bogdanovic had been traded to the Knicks (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Indeed, it’s important to note New York also traded for Anunoby, which, just like the James Harden trade, was technically part of this trade period — without giving up a single first-round pick for any of its recruits — in an ultra aggressive approach that’s already paid massive dividends.
And now, the Knicks are even stronger, with a core of Brunson, Julius Randle, Anunoby, Bogdanovic, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitch Robinson, Donte DiVincenzo and Burks that you sense could compete with anyone.
Plus, in a deadline where not many other teams made major moves, it puts greater value on the Knicks’ upgrades.
“The second-best team in the Eastern Conference, they made moves all season long … they’re stacked as a roster, they’re led by a hell of a head coach in Tom Thibodeau, they have an identity and they’re legit title contenders,” former NBA player Kendrick Perkins told ESPN’s NBA Today.
Hot Suns too good for Giannis’ Bucks | 01:13
The Knicks were winners in more ways than one.
One of the teams with the most overall assets — with claim of all their first-round picks and owed some from other teams — they’re as well placed as anyone to make a big plays for superstars that might become available down the track, having been constantly linked to Donovan Mitchell.
Despite getting significantly stronger at the deadline, it hasn’t affected their long-term plans. In fact, it’s actually made them better placed.
Not only are the Knicks are more attractive destination for superstars on the move, they’ve added tradeable contracts that could be used to help them retool, if necessary, and land a big name.
Take Bogdanovic for example — he has a partially guaranteed deal for next season at $19 million (or could be waived for just $2 million), though it’s most likely they’ll invest in his contract with the potential to flip him for a bigger star.
Former NBA player Richard Jefferson said the Knicks have done things “absolutely perfect” in recent years, while WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike called them “by far the biggest winners” of the deadline.
“This is not even starting this year, this is the past few years, they’ve added key pieces to build a championship team,” Chiney said.
“Today they bolstered that. B0jan Bogdanovic is one of the best shooters in the NBA. They lost Quickley, now you bring in a backup point guard (Burks) that can play combo roles.
“They just look well-rounded, all the players look like they have their specific utility. They’re all dogs.”
A huge, huge W.
THUNDER MADE A BIG MOVE … BUT WAS IT THE RIGHT ONE?
It wasn’t necessarily a huge swing, but Josh Giddey’s OKC Thunder made a key, win-now move nonetheless and overall upgrade.
They added former All-Star Gordon Hayward, who’s on an expiring $31 million contract and set to become a free agent at the end of the season, in a trade with Charlotte in exchange for Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans and draft compensation.
Hayward, 34, despite no longer being in his prime, was still solid for Charlotte this season, particularly when it was undermanned with injuries early in the season. In 25 games, Hayward has averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
The main concern with Hayward is health. The veteran forward has been sidelined since late December with a calf issue to continue a grim run of injury setbacks in recent years.
As such, it’s hard to rely on Hayward to stay on the court, but when he is, he’s a valuable contributor.
It importantly provides a young Thunder side — that’s unexpectedly shot into title contention — a veteran presence who should fit perfectly into its professional culture, and gives Mark Daigneault another option to stagger with his line-ups — or even play a key role in it.
“I like it, I don’t love it. I feel like this is a move because Josh Giddey has not been that great this season. I think they’re filling in a void to help out SGA and Jalen Williams,” former NBA player Kendrick Perkins told NBA Today.
Given the other teams at the top of the West were quiet at the trade deadline, ESPN journalist Zach Lowe also thinks it’s a win for the Thunder.
Hayward will provide a veteran presence to the Thunder (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)Source: FOX Sports
“(Perkins) mentioned Giddey being up and down, Lu Dort has been up and down. Hayward can play the three and the four, he can shoot, he can work off the dribble and he fills every need the Thunder had,” Lowe told NBA Today.
“Yes, his health is a big question. But I’m told he should be ready to play very soon, if not immediately.
“The Thunder did it — they went out and made a win-now move. Their team has earned this respect from the front office and to really go for it.
“It’s not the sexiest move, but it’s a big move by their standards. The top of the West has a contender that fortified itself.”
Though Hayward clearly helps the Thunder, the bigger question is perhaps whether it was the right one given there’s a view the team needs to add another big to play alongside star rookie Chet Holmgren and help their rebounding.
OKC, of course, has an inordinate amount of draft picks to use on prospective targets, so much so it could essentially dwarf any other offers for superstars in trades.
With that in mind, the Thunder could pretty well land anyone for the right price, while Dallas acquired Wizards centre Daniel Gafford, who could’ve helped OKC, for just a first-round pick.
Former NBA player Richard Jefferson thinks the Thunder “got better but not what they needed” — a big — that he said could’ve “pushed them over the top” in the West, questioning how they’d fare in the playoffs against bigger teams with star centres like Denver and Minnesota.
Kyrie stars with 36 in Brookly return | 01:04
The prospect of OKC adding an impact big could’ve made them scary without really compromising their draft hand at all.
It’s however worth noting that OKC general manager Sam Presti has embraced patience and playing the long game with the Thunder. So even despite the team’s unforeseen rise to the top of the West, it’s fair to assume they’d want to see how far this team can go before trying anything too bold.
“This is a short-term move and long-term move,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst said of OKC’s Hayward addition on NBA Today.
“They positioned themselves to also re-sign Gordon Hayward at the end of the season, he’s a free agent, and they can use him as trade asset next year.
“The other thing with this move is, they are about $9 million under the tax still and they have two open roster spots. I think they still have 34 tradeable picks.
“The good, smart organisations make moves to give them flexibility … this is a move that helps the Thunder now and later and doesn’t take on any bad money. It’s just a smart move by a smart front office.”
SIXERS LOOK TO STAY AFLOAT WITH EMBIID INJURED
Philadelphia sort of hedged its bets at the deadline as it navigates a tough stretch without Joel Embiid.
The Sixers added sharpshooter Buddy Hield in a deal with Indiana that only cost them three second-round picks and back-end players to give Nick Nurse’ sides another offensive weapon to help with its playoff push, plus multiple roster spots to go shopping with on the buyout market.
Philly was in an awkward position given uncertainty surrounding Embiid’s health for the second half of the season due to his MCL injury — one the superstar centre has history with.
Should the Sixers have gone all in for a title push despite Embiid’s injury?
Or preserve their assets for the off-season — where the have multiple tradeable first-round picks and are projected to have over $50 million in cap space to sign a superstar free agent (they’re reportedly targeting Paul George), while they’ll also need to re-sign Tyrese Maxey to a mega extension.
Ideally, they’d have a bit each way, which the Hield move essentially does.
It would’ve been negligible to not try something with the success they’ve had with Embiid, prior to his setback, utterly dominant and in the best form of his career.
The Sixers have added sharpshooter Buddy Hield (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Reports have suggested they’re planning to get Embiid back at some stage, and a supporting cast of Maxey, Tobias Harris, De’Anthony Melton, Nicholas Batum, Kelly Oubre Jr and Hield is a potent one that could challenge Boston in the East.
Critically, Hield is also on an expiring deal, so taking on his contract doesn’t affect the Sixers’ off-season cap space at all.
Philly also swapped backup point guard Patrick Beverley with Milwaukee’s Cameron Payne and got a second-round pick in the process, so technically, the Hield trade only cost it two second-rounders.
“Overall I think the Sixers have done something that allows them to stay in this race … what they picked up with Buddy Hield and getting away from Patrick Beverley, I think keeps them in the mix for Nick Nurse,” ESPN’s Clinton Yates told Around the Horn.
“I’m surprised the Pacers were willing to come off Buddy Hield. Overall, I think the Sixers are still in this hunt as far as personnel.”
Green shines as Mavs take down 76ers | 01:13
BIG NAME STILL ON THE BOARD
The trade deadline has come and gone, but there’s still one big name still on the board — Spencer Dinwiddie.
After being traded to Toronto for Dennis Schroder, the Raptors are reportedly waiving Dinwiddie’s expiring deal in a move that clears up cap space — and has come as a big surprise.
No one was expecting a player of Dinwiddie’s caliber — he’s averaged 12.6 points from 48 games this season and six assists — to be available on the open market to sign as a free agent.
As such, there’s no shortage of suitors.
Reports say the Lakers, 76ers, Mavericks and Pelicans all have interest in Dinwiddie in one of the most fascinating storylines to follow post the deadline.
One team is set to get a big boost and largely a free hit to help with their playoff campaign.
THE MAVS SACRIFICE TWO FIRST-ROUNDERS TO BUILD AROUND LUKA
The Mavericks were certainly active on the deadline, moving a first-round pick to pick up Daniel Gafford and then using another one, as well as a pick swap, to add P.J. Washington.
Let’s start with Gafford, who the Mavericks landed while sending Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick to Washington.
Gafford gives the Mavs another athletic big who can be a lob threat for Doncic and Kyrie Irving while also offering rim protection on the other side of the floor.
With Dereck Lively II injured Gafford can step in and deliver NBA starter-level production immediately for Dallas while he will also ease the pressure on the rookie come the post-season.
The only question is whether it was worth paying up that much for a player who is either going to be a back-up centre or take minutes away from Lively II, who impressed early in his rookie campaign.
It really depends which way you look at it.
LeBron stars as Lakers down Knicks | 01:18
As for Washington, he brings added athleticism and defensive versatility around Doncic and could benefit from the change of scenery away from Charlotte.
More than anything, both moves are proof to Doncic that Dallas is serious about making improvements to its roster and building around him, even if it doesn’t end up paying off in the end.
“I heard Jason Kidd say something about a week ago about how you have to do everything possible when you have a player like Luka Doncic on your roster as far as finding the most talent the surround him,” ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks said on ‘NBA Today’.
“I know they were two first-round picks that went out but when you get Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington in a trade and that upgrades your roster, I look at Dallas as a big winner.”
THE $51M LEBRON ‘ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM’ TO WATCH
There were few teams under more pressure entering the deadline than the Lakers.
That is what happens when LeBron James first posts an hourglass emoji of all things on social media before later refusing to make any guarantees on his future as he enters the summer with the possibility of becoming a free agent for the first time in his career.
Despite all of that, the Lakers did not make a single trade on Friday morning.
There still could be movement on the buyout market, with the Lakers reportedly among the leading contenders to sign Spencer Dinwiddie alongside the 76ers, Mavericks and Pelicans.
But despite showing interest in Dejounte Murray, the Lakers ultimately decided a trade for the Hawks guard was not going to be the kind of needle-mover that would vault them into Western Conference contention.
Part of that comes back to the fact that the player they were likely going to have to trade to land Murray, D’Angelo Russell, has been on a tear as of late.
Russell has averaged 24 points and 6.5 assists in his last 13 games while shooting 46.6 per cent from deep.
While that sort of production may not be sustainable and Murray would have been an upgrade on defence, it may not have been enough to warrant sending Russell away along with a first-round pick.
The Lakers stood still at the trade deadline. Was it the right call?Source: FOX SPORTS
The other issue is that if it wasn’t Russell it had to be Austin Reaves, who the Lakers had been reluctant to include in trade talks and was such a crucial part of the team’s Western Conference Finals run last season.
“The Lakers essentially saw the market place as marginal upgrades on what they had. The price to pay for that was just too high,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on ‘NBA Today’.
“Especially considering it would probably take them out of the market place in the summer. Where they think they’ll have an opportunity to go out and get a significant player – perhaps another star or more than one good player.
“Right now they have one-first round pick they can offer in trades. That changes July 1, they’ll be able to offer three first-round picks, that really changes the calculus of what you’re able to do.”
For the time being, the Lakers will stand pat and instead target a bigger name in the summer when they have three movable draft picks at their disposal.
That follows reporting from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin before the deadline, claiming the Lakers had internally discussed packaging the three picks, along with players, for a “bona fide star” such as Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell or Atlanta’s Trae Young.
Bill Reiter of CBS Sports also reported on Thursday the Lakers believe they are a chance of landing Mitchell in the off-season.
Of course, the risk the Lakers run is that James – who has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season – is not even on the team in the summer.
Giddey explodes for season high in 2OT! | 01:09
ESPN’s Malika Andrews described it as the “elephant in the room” for the Lakers, although NBA insider Brian Windhorst said L.A.’s mature approach at the trade deadline was the right one.
“They’re not acting like they’re petrified,” he said on ‘NBA Today’.
“I think that’s because they think the best course of action to keep LeBron and the Lakers competitive is to do what they’re doing right now. And I’ll also say this. I just don’t believe LeBron is opting out of $51 million.”
Could a poor stretch of play at the end of the season, which results in the Lakers missing the playoffs, change his mind? ESPN’s Zach Lowe believes it is worth the question.
“I’m watching the Lakers even more closely than usual for these last two months and the play-in and the playoffs if they get there because we all know the truth. LeBron has a player option for next year. If this team doesn’t play well he has outs if he wants to leave,” Lowe said on ‘NBA Today’.
“I don’t think he wants to leave. I think he wants to remain a Laker the rest of his career but the contract is what it is. This team is what it is and they’d have competition in the summer… this team has to prove itself to LeBron and to itself in the coming two months.”
WHAT ARE THE BULLS DOING?
If there was one team that didn’t make a move but should have before this year’s deadline it was the Chicago Bulls. Although the fact they did nothing hardly comes as a surprise.
After all, the Bulls have now not made a trade involving a player since August 2021, or in more stark terms — 30 months.
They also haven’t been anything more than a play-in tournament contender in recent years, having made the playoffs in the 2021-22 season before being bounced 4-1 in the opening round by Milwaukee.
It seems like the Bulls are OK with settling for being good enough to be a consistent playoff-calibre team without ever making the leap towards actually threatening to do anything of consequence in the post-season.
As NBA insider Brian Windhorst put it earlier in the week on ESPN’s ‘NBA Today’, “I think they’re in a rebuild and they don’t know they’re in a rebuild”.
Of course, there have been factors beyond their control, starting with Lonzo Ball’s constant injury setbacks. The same goes for Zach LaVine given the size of the contract he signed.
“That is just terrible misfortune but the Bulls are an organisation that historically has been OK with being in the middle and they seem to be content with being in the middle, making the playoffs and trying to put something together,” Windhorst added.
That remained the case on Friday, with DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond all staying put despite rival interest in all three players.
LaVine will miss the rest of the season (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
The decision to hold onto DeRozan was particularly perplexing given his impending free agency.
Now, the Bulls found themselves in a similar position last season with Nikola Vucevic and he ended up re-signing for three years and $60 million before hitting unrestricted free agency.
So there is a chance that DeRozan stays put. But does that even make sense for the Bulls? If healthy, are they really as constructed good enough to contend in the Eastern Conference anyway?
Coby White has been a revelation for Chicago this season and looks like the new face of the franchise that the Bulls need to start building around. He is only 23 years old though.
The Bulls had a chance to trade DeRozan on an expiring contract and would have not been short of suitors given the veteran would lift the ceiling of any contending team.
Now, Chicago will have a core group of players in DeRozan, Caruso and Vucevic all over 30 years old and is seemingly destined for another season of potentially getting to the play-in tournament and maybe even securing a playoff berth only to make a swift exit after the first round.
“Chicago fans, let me express – mistake, not trading Andrew Drummond. Mistake, not trading DeMar DeRozan. Mistake, not trading Alex Caruso. Everyone is telling you right now, these were all mistakes you made,” Richard Jefferson said on ‘NBA Today’.
The Bulls could look into a sign-and-trade with DeRozan this off-season or alternatively he could walk for nothing.
If anything, while it was misfortune that LaVine’s injury spoiled any hope Chicago had of trading him and being free of his $215 million contract, it should also serve as a reminder that nothing is guaranteed in this league.
GOLDEN STATE’S TRICKY BALANCING ACT
Like the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors found themselves in a tricky situation heading into Friday’s deadline.
Andrew Wiggins seemed like the most likely player to be moved but that in itself was going to be challenging given he was in the first year of a four-year, $109 million deal.
Klay Thompson, meanwhile, isn’t the same dependable option he once was and his recent benching down the stretch in favour of rookie Gui Santos, who had only played 61 minutes before Tuesday’s game against the Nets, spoke volumes to Steph Curry’s declining supporting cast.
It also spoke to Steve Kerr’s willingness to experiment with his rotations and closing line-ups more, giving younger players more minutes which benefits the Warriors not only in the long-term but right now too if they are better options than underperforming veterans.
A hasty Thompson trade was always unlikely given he can still be a valuable player for the Warriors, currently averaging 17.1 points per game while shooting 37.1 per cent from downtown.
It isn’t the kind of production we’ve come to expect from Thompson but it’s still good enough to have an important but secondary role in the team with room for more if he can rediscover his past form.
The Warriors stood still at the deadline despite talk their stars could be on the move (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
That is a consistent theme for this Warriors team and in relation to Thompson and Wiggins specifically.
Golden State is holding out on the chance those two key members of its most recent championship-winning team can get close to that sort of level as opposed to selling them at their lowest value.
Chris Paul was another name to monitor with an expiring $30.8 million salary, although replacing his role as the leader of the Warriors’ second unit was never going to be easy and wouldn’t necessarily make Golden State a better team anyway.
Then you factor in Golden State’s recent 5-3 stretch, where those three losses came in close fashion.
One of them was in overtime to the Hawks while it was only a one-point difference against both the Lakers and Kings.
In other words the Warriors were close to going 8-0 and the return of Draymond Green has a lot to do with that, improving Golden State’s defence to the extent that it boasts a 112.3 defensive rating during that 5-3 period – ranking seventh in the league.
All of this is to say that there weren’t many real difference makers available via trade and those that were would have required the Warriors to give up too many future assets that could either help the team land a star player in the summer or at least gives Golden State long-term roster flexibility.
That is consistent with reporting from The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Friday morning, claiming the Warriors had shown interest in two-way Bulls player Alex Caruso but did not strike a deal given Chicago’s asking price.
The Knicks point guard was named a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Stars on Friday (all times AEDT), an honour determined by NBA coaches after Brunson was snubbed for a starting spot by the fans.
Joining Brunson on the East reserves are injured Knicks teammate Julius Randle as well as Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Maxey.
In addition to Brunson, Banchero and Maxey also received their first ever selections for the blockbuster game later this month.
The star-studded Western Conference reserves include Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry, Paul George and Karl-Anthony Towns — all of whom have previously been named an All-Star.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver will likely need to pick injury replacements for both Randle and Joel Embiid (knee), who was last week named as a starter.
Among the biggest names to miss out were Trae Young, Scottie Barnes, Jimmy Butler, Myles Turner, Kristaps Porzingis, Derek White, Lauri Markkanen, Rudy Gobert, Alperen Sengun, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Brandon Ingram.
The first All-Star appearance had been a stated goal that eluded Brunson until he made himself a candidate that couldn’t be refused — until he emerged as the star of a surging Knicks squad fresh off the franchise’s best month in nearly 30 years.
Even though Brunson’s All-Star selection was expected, and momentum had been building since last year, it’s still an underdog story for a second-round pick who has been doubted because of his height and lack of athleticism.
Brunson was named as an All-Star reserve (Photo by Mitchell Leff / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
Brunson’s former Villanova coach, Jay Wright, told The New York Post that only an opportunity was required.
Brunson got one in New York and entered Friday with career-high averages in points (26.8), assists (6.5), 3-point percentage (42.2%) and minutes (35.7).
“To be the toast of the town and leading New York, I can’t say I saw that happening,” Wright said.
“But being this effective as a basketball player and this efficient, I’m not shocked. It’s really impressive. But I’m more impressed that he got the opportunity. I thought it was really brilliant on (Tom Thibodeau’s) part, and brilliant on Leon’s (Knicks president Leon Rose) part. That’s what I’m more surprised about. That he got the opportunity in that league.”
The East starters are Haliburton, who the Knicks faced on Thursday at MSG, Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Embiid and Jayson Tatum.
The West starters are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Nikola, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Parts of this story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
Sitting 12th in the Western Conference and with a 19-24 record, things are starting to get desperate for the Golden State Warriors — and it could even spell the end of the team’s ‘Big Three’.
That is according to The Athletic’s NBA insider Shams Charania, who again on Tuesday reiterated that “everyone is on the table” ahead of the trade deadline outside of Steph Curry.
While that may be the case, Charania did single out Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Poziemski as two young pieces the Warriors are “high on” and “want to keep long term”.
“They view [them] as part of their core moving forward,” he said on FanDuel’s ‘Run It Back’.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Giddey’s Thunder smashed by NBA’s worst | 01:04
“Assuredly, his stock is rising with the NBA trade deadline two weeks away,” Thompson II added.
“But Kuminga can’t be considered a sweetener. He’s not some add-on. He is a foundational piece. Nothing in this trade market suggests a worthy return is out there.”
While Golden State is clearly approaching this year’s deadline with an eye towards protecting core pieces of its future, that doesn’t mean the Warriors won’t try make some win-now moves too.
After all, when you have a player of Curry’s calibre you are always going to be competitive in most games.
But could that mean breaking up the ‘Big Three’ that once was the foundation of Golden State’s success. It is no guarantee but it is not off the cards either according to Charania.
“They’re going to take calls on Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, and could they get interest on a guy even like Klay Thompson? I think those are very much open conversations for the Warriors,” Charania said on Tuesday.
“They have to be open-minded. This is a team that’s five games under 500, in that 12th spot. So we’ll see if there’s going to be any moves over the next 10 days.”
The Warriors are keeping an open mind ahead of the trade deadline. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
‘LATEST HOLDUP’ IN LAKERS’ BID FOR ‘TOP’ TRADE TARGET
While the Warriors are heading in the wrong direction ahead of the deadline, the Lakers have won five of their last seven games to move up to ninth in the Western Conference.
The Lakers are still a team to watch ahead of the trade deadline though and Hawks guard Dejounte Murray remains the team’s “top priority” according to beat reporter Jovan Buha.
As for who the Lakers would be willing to give up as the centrepiece of a potential deal for Murray, that is the biggest question mark at this point.
D’Angelo Russell was the obvious candidate earlier this month, although multiple reports suggested the Hawks were more interested in Austin Reaves instead.
However, Russell’s recent form could also give Los Angeles pause in trading him given the 27-year-old has now averaged 25.0 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 51.8 per cent from deep in his past 10 games.
Buha reported that the “latest holdup” in a Murray trade is Atlanta asking for Reaves instead of Russell, which he writes remains a “nonstarter” for the Lakers.
Dejounte Murray is a key name to follow ahead of the deadline. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“In the event the Lakers acquire Murray, Russell will almost certainly be included,” Buha wrote.
It comes after Stein wrote on Monday that he had heard there had been “little-to-no trade dialogue in recent days between the Hawks and the Lakers” regarding the former All-Star.
In fact, one source said the idea of Murray landing with the Lakers before the deadline was “unrealistic”.
Stein referenced Russell’s recent form as a factor in that, reporting that initially the Lakers were said to be “willing” to package the point guard with a 2029 first-round pick and first-round pick swap in exchange for Murray. He too added Reaves was “completely off limits” at that point.
“That pursuit appears to have been dialled back some with Russell playing so well,” added Stein.
Randle injury sends SAS into spiral | 00:39
TWO HORNETS VETERANS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
So, what about teams that could be sellers before the deadline?
Well, Stein also wrote in his latest Substack that league sources believe the Charlotte Hornets are “actively trying to re-trade” the recently acquired Kyle Lowry and “construct a Gordon Hayward deal”.
Lowry was sent to Charlotte as part of trade that saw Terry Rozier head to Miami and given the position the rebuilding Hornets find themselves in it was always expected that they would at least try to trade the veteran guard.
Hayward, meanwhile, has been sidelined since late December with a left calf strain but was the subject of trade speculation before then with reports playoff-calibre teams were inquiring about his availability.
There is also the possibility both players could be buyout candidates, although Stein reported it would be “premature” to assume both would head in that direction if not traded.
Kyle Lowry is a buyout candidate. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“A buyout can certainly be considered likely when it comes to Lowry,” Stein wrote.
“I’m told that Philadelphia is among the teams that would indeed have interest in Lowry, who turns 38 in March, if he negotiates a settlement with the Hornets on what’s left of his expiring $29.7 million salary.
“Hayward, however, is a different story. Sources say that Hayward is far less likely than Lowry to seek a buyout in the event Charlotte is unsuccessful in trading him.
“Hayward, who turns 34 in March, is earning $31.5 million this season in the last chapter of his four-year, $120 million contract and would forfeit his Bird Rights in a buyout.”
COULD BULLS PULL A MOVE FOR LAVINE?
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls are another potential seller to keep a close eye on ahead of the deadline, with Zach LaVine the biggest name that could be moved.
While LaVine could be the final piece to help raise the ceiling of a playoff contender it is actually the rebuilding Detroit Pistons that have been most heavily linked to him as of late.
The Athletic’s Pistons beat writer James Edwards III wrote on Tuesday that Chicago and Detroit have had “conversations involving LaVine” according to league sources.
Could Zach LaVine be traded? Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
He reported that the Bulls look to be targeting a package of “Bojan Bogdanović and one of Detroit’s blue-chippers” for LaVine.
For reference, those “blue-chippers” include Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson and Edwards III reported that the feeling among league sources is that the Pistons have “no interest” in trading any of those four young players in the “immediate future”.
Conversations between the two parties will continue and there is still a chance that the Pistons make a move for LaVine if there is not much competition for him, which could in turn push the Bulls to lower their asking price.
