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We could say that it’s definitively over. But, the “all but,” according to league sources, comes from Utah’s desire to retain the top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick it owes the Oklahoma City Thunder. So, there is still a bit of losing business that needs to happen as we continue into the second half of this season.
The Sacramento Kings are consistently mentioned as one of the few teams — if not the only one — that might decide to get into the Morant business before the Thursday deadline. As of today, I can relay, per team sources, that they have still not completely closed the door on that idea. That being said, the percentage chance of this actually happening was placed in the low-single-digits when I inquired about it pre-Jaren Jackson Jr. trade.
The Kings’ minimal interest, for quite some time now, has been directly tied to the idea that Morant's price point might drop so low, they’d be crazy not to do it. Especially if it meant getting off of a contract — like, say, Zach LaVine’s — that has long since been deemed undesirable. (The Grizzlies' willingness, or potential lack thereof, to take LaVine back is unclear.)
While the Timberwolves have agreed to trade Mike Conley to Chicago, a team source says the deal is still being finalized. The Wolves are attaching a first-round swap in 2026 to get off Conley's contract and save more than $20 million in luxury tax payments.
“I think around this time a lot of teams and players are tired,” Anthony Edwards said. “I’m not saying we are tired, that’s why we lost. If we are tired, we gotta know what the team wants to do so we can be there a step before them."
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The Cleveland Browns introduced a new head coach, Todd Monken, earlier today. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is also a co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, spoke with media members following today's introductory press conference and briefly addressed the prospect of the Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. "Giannis is a top three, top four player in the world," Haslam said. "He brought Milwaukee its first championship in 50 years several years ago, and he's a really good person too. He's no problem. He's a great leader, tries hard. "And I think Giannis and the Bucks — and I think this goes back before we were involved — have always worked closely to see what's best for Giannis and what's best for the Bucks, and we'll continue to do so. "
The Memphis Grizzlies are trading former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz in a significant trade that will involve three future first-round picks heading back to Memphis, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. The picks Memphis is receiving are a 2027 first-rounder (the most favorable between Cleveland, Minnesota and Utah), the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2027 first-rounder (top-four protected) and the Phoenix Suns’ 2031 first-rounder (unprotected), according to the source.
The Cleveland Browns introduced a new head coach, Todd Monken, earlier today. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is also a co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, spoke with media members following today's introductory press conference and briefly addressed the prospect of the Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. "Giannis is a top three, top four player in the world," Haslam said. "He brought Milwaukee its first championship in 50 years several years ago, and he's a really good person too. He's no problem. He's a great leader, tries hard. "And I think Giannis and the Bucks — and I think this goes back before we were involved — have always worked closely to see what's best for Giannis and what's best for the Bucks, and we'll continue to do so. " While that doesn't give fans much insight into which way the Bucks might be leaning 48 hours before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, Haslam was also asked a follow-up question: What does a successful trade for Antetokounmpo look like, if there is one? "That's a question for (general manager) Jon Horst," Haslam replied.
Simons has created plenty of fans within the organization over his short time with the Celtics. Still, his $27.7 million expiring contract has made him a trade candidate since he arrived in Boston. As much as the Celtics value Simons and the way he has fit in, the reality is that his role would also change if Tatum returns this season. In that scenario, Boston would have less of a need for Simons’ scoring. The team is exploring paths to swap Simons and potentially draft capital for a big man, according to league sources.
In any trade for significant salary, the Celtics would be likely to part ways with Anfernee Simons, according to league sources. That wouldn’t be an easy loss for the team to stomach, as he has acclimated himself well in Boston. Based on all indications, the Celtics have appreciated Simons’ approach this season.
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According to league sources, the Pistons’ stance of being opportunistic as opposed to aggressive remains unchanged with the trade deadline on Thursday. It appears unlikely the Pistons will make any major moves before the deadline. Rather than making calls to gauge the value of its own players, Detroit is doing its due diligence in answering incoming queries. The Pistons are young and exceeding expectations for the second straight season, so there’s a desire to find the ceiling of this group without feeling obligated to shake up the core.
While Cleveland has won eight of its last 10 games — nothing to sneeze at, to be sure — the fact remains that the Cavs hovered around the .500 mark (22-19) when the halfway point of the season hit. Their second-apron status has been well chronicled, but league sources say they’ve explored ways of trading the contract of big man Jarrett Allen ($90.7 million combined in the next three seasons) as a way of unlocking much bigger possibilities.
The fact that Harden missed the last two Clippers games for what the team has labeled “personal reasons” sparked speculation that his absences were tied to the trade talks, but the sources close to him insisted that was not the case. Harden was not with the team during its loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Intuit Dome on Monday night, and it remains unclear if he’ll be back to play against — wait for it — the Cavs in a home game on Wednesday night. Garland, it should be noted, has not played since Jan. 14 because of a toe injury that has proven to be worse than originally believed.
After all, this elaborate fact-finding mission is still meaningful for the Bucks when it comes to understanding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s market — no matter when (or if) he’s dealt. “This has been like ‘General Hospital’ back in the days — the longest running drama ever,” one league executive joked.