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Fantasy managers expected big things from Maxey, and he has delivered thus far.
Don’t miss tonight’s
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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The NBA is sending the next generation of stars — Cooper Flagg and Amen Thompson among them — to help win over fans in China next fall.
The NBA China Games 2026 will feature the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets in two preseason games (Oct. 9 and 11) at The Venetian Arena in Macao, the league announced Monday. In addition to the games, the league will host interactive fan events, including NBA House and NBA Fan Day, as well as youth basketball clinics.
The NBA returned to China before the start of this season after a five-year absence in the wake of Daryl Morey tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong (and the feeling in China was that the league did not come down on him hard enough for that).
“The games in Macao earlier this season showed how much passion and enthusiasm there is for the NBA among fans in China and across Asia,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said in a released statement. “We look forward to welcoming the Mavericks and Rockets to Macao and to once again engaging fans, aspiring players and the local community through the games and surrounding events.”
These teams were chosen for a few reasons. One is that both teams are up-and-coming in the league and feature the next generation of stars, a trend the league is increasingly promoting (even if it feels like it was late to that game). Additionally, the Rockets have long had strong ties to China, dating back to Yao Ming’s time with the team. In the case of the Mavericks, their owners — the Adelson family — also own Sands China, which owns and operates the Venetian hotel/casino where the game is being played.
“The success of The NBA China Games 2025 demonstrated the strength of the NBA in creating fan engagement and exciting experiences around the globe,” said Patrick Dumont, the governor of the Dallas Mavericks as well as CEO of the Las Vegas Sands. “The NBA China Games 2026 will be another great opportunity to showcase the league, its world-class athletes and the excitement it brings.”
This matchup brings significant star power to China, including Kevin Durant of the Rockets and international star Alperen Sengun. Dallas currently has Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis on the roster, but league sources expect some changes before next season as the team pivots to building around Flagg.
Don’t miss tonight’s
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
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We took a week off in these power rankings for a little family holiday vacation, but we are back — and with a new No. 1 for the first time this season after the Thunder have started to look human.
(26-9, last week No. 3)
Detroit may be a team on top of these rankings and on top of the East, but it also is a team with a lot of eyes on it headed toward the trade deadline. This is an elite team, but in playoff basketball, where opposing defenses will load up on Cade Cunningham and make his life difficult, who is the secondary shot creator they can trust? Will they look to add someone such as Michael Porter Jr. at the trade deadline to fill that role? The Pistons need more shooting as well if they are going to defeat the Knicks and other top teams in a seven-game series. That shooting will get tested Monday night when the Pistons face the Knicks on Peacock NBA Monday.
(25-10, last week No. 7)
San Antonio is getting up for the big games — beating the Thunder three times, defeating the Knicks — but is letting their guard down against teams like Portland and Utah and racking up losses. That’s part of maturing for this team (the Duncan/Popovich era Spurs were the best at pummeling the bottom half of the league). Victor Wembanyama remains day-to-day after hyper-extending his knee, but that is about as lucky as one could hope for with that injury. San Antonio has four of its next five on the road, including a brutal back-to-back next weekend in Boston and then Minnesota the next night.
(30-6, last week No. 1)
The Thunder may have looked human going 5-4 in their last nine games, but they have a +8 net rating in those games (second in the league in that stretch), they have just been a bit unlucky (and the Spurs are a matchup issue). Don’t sleep on how great this team has been. Oklahoma City became the sixth team in NBA history — and the third franchise — to start a season 30-5. Only the Jordan-era Bulls (twice) and the peak Curry-era Warriors (three times) started a season that fast, and five of those six teams won the title (the one that didn’t, the 2015-16 Warriors, had a 3-1 lead in the Finals).
(21-11, last week No. 6)
The peak Curry-era Warriors could play loose and fast, turn the ball over too much, and get away with it because of Curry/Thompson/Durant. It’s less certain the Rockets can do the same. They have the second-best net rating in the league this season, but also turn the ball over on 16.2% of their possessions, the second-highest percentage in the league. They miss the ball security of Fred VanVleet out top, but that is not an easy fix at the trade deadline. Houston just has to take better care of the ball (and keep up the historic offensive rebounding pace it is on). Interesting test against a hot Phoenix team Monday night.
(22-12, last week No. 8)
Get Jaylen Brown into another Salsa dancing class. The Celtics star was sixth in the first round of 2026 NBA All-Star Game fan voting, just outside the starting five — what are we doing people? Brown should start without question, and he needs to be in the MVP conversation. His dropping 50 on the Clippers last week — and crediting taking a Salsa dancing class — was just the latest and greatest sign of how he has played all season. Give the man his flowers.
JAYLEN BROWN DROPPED 50 TONIGHT
50 PTS (ties career-high)
18-26 FGMHe joins Jayson Tatum (5x) and Larry Bird (4x) as the only players in Celtics franchise history with multiple 50+ PT games! pic.twitter.com/GhA06b2WfT
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2026
(23-13, last week No. 5)
Minnesota has been relatively lucky on the health front this season — they have had just four different starting lineups, the fewest in the league (by a fair amount, Boston and San Antonio are next at seven). The bellwether for this team is turnovers: in their wins they cough the ball up an average of 13.4 times, but in their losses that jumps to 15.7 — they are 7-10 in games with 15+ turnovers this season.
(23-12, last week No. 2)
Jalen Brunson isn’t just getting a shoutout from hoops fans — he is third in the East in the first round of fan voting and would be an All-Star starter — but also from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who did Brunson’s signature 3-point celebration (putting his hand in front of his face) during his inauguration speech. “We expect greatness… from those who stride out onto our Broadway stages and from our starting point guard at Madison Square Garden. Let us demand the same from those who work in government.” The Knicks are 5-5 since winning the NBA Cup, with a tough couple of weeks coming up, starting with the Pistons as the first game of a Peacock NBA Monday triple-header.
(21-14, last week No. 15)
There is no hotter team in the league right now — the Suns are 6-1 in their last seven with a +9.3 net rating, and on Sunday pulled off an 18-point comeback against the Thunder, capped off by Devin Booker draining the game-winning 3-pointer over Alex Caruso. Booker is shooting just 29.5% from beyond the arc this season on the whole and 27.6% in his last five games. He’s never been an elite 3-point shooter, but if that game-winner can get Booker’s jumper back on track and closer to his 35.1% career average, Phoenix looks that much more dangerous.
Devin Booker has the CLUTCH gene. pic.twitter.com/e7YSproHn2
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) January 5, 2026
(23-12, last week No. 4)
There is actually, finally, some good injury news in Denver: Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun returned to the court Sunday. The Nuggets went 11-8 with both of them out of the lineup, and with Nikola Jokic out for a few more weeks, their return could not have come at a better time. Denver is 1-2 without Jokic so far. Jamal Murray being 14th in the fan vote so far for Western Conference All-Star is a crime, the man is having the best season of his career and is a lock to be an All-Star (Jokic will get in on the fan vote, whether he will be able to play is another issue).
(20-17, last week No. 14)
Have the Cavaliers started to find their footing? The team went 3-1 through a rough gauntlet of games with wins against the Spurs, Suns and Nuggets (the lone loss was to the Pistons). Cleveland did it with their defense — second-best in the NBA over their last five games, and Evan Mobley’s return should help that — but the offense continues to stumble. Cleveland’s season will be based on their postseason success, not the first 82 games, but they need to get out of the play-in — the Cavaliers sit eighth in the East, just half a game out of the top six and avoiding the play-in. That has to be the goal. Two games against Minnesota this week continue the run of tests for this team.
(22-11, last week No. 9)
There have been a lot of questions and criticism of the Lakers’ defense of late (with good reason), but this team is doing a lot of things right. Luka Doncic is averaging 53.9 points scored or assisted a game, second in the league (to the injured Nikola Jokic). Behind Luka and LeBron James, the Lakers are 11-0 in clutch games. And, when the Lakers get a lead, they hold on to it: the Lakers are 13-0 when leading at the half, and 17-0 when leading after three quarters. When the Lakers lose, they tend to get blown out (they are 4-11 when entering the fourth quarter behind), but they are good frontrunners.
(21-15, last week No. 12)
Scottie Barnes has had two triple-doubles in his last four games and is playing his best basketball of the season. In his last five games, he has averaged 18 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists a game. A strong push now makes him more likely to be an All-Star reserve, he is on the bubble after the first round of fan voting where he finished outside the top 20 (Brandon Ingram was 12th).
(19-14, last week No. 10)
VJ Edgecombe may not win Rookie of the Year (Cooper Flagg and Kon Knuppel are your frontrunners), but he has been the most clutch rookie this season — including a game-winner against Memphis last week. Memphis doubled Tyrese Maxey to get the ball out of his hands and he found Edgecombe open for the 3. “The moment’s never too big for me,” Edgecombe said postgame. “It’s never too big. I was ready, to be honest.” Edgecombe is doing well in the non-clutch minutes, too (15.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and four assists a game, shooting 37.4% from 3-point range). Philly’s win over the Knicks this weekend was a reminder of why, when fully healthy, this team is a playoff threat in the wide-open East.
VJ EDGECOMBE HITS THE GAME-WINNER FOR THE SIXERS! pic.twitter.com/KLr1dpX672
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) December 31, 2025
(20-16, last week No. 13)
The most unexpected thing in Miami this season: Kel’el Ware, 3-point marksman. He’s not exactly a high-volume shooter from deep, 2.8 attempts a game, but he’s hitting 47.3% of those this season, which is a higher percentage than Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns and other bigs. Teams have to at least respect Ware from deep. Miami just keeps on running — they still start 17.8% of their possessions in transition (second highest in the league) and have the fastest pace in the league.
(19-17, last week No. 16)
Throw out the loss to OKC, where Golden State sat all its stars, and this team has won 6-of-7 (and the one loss was in OT). It’s a good sign entering 2026. The key to keeping this run going may be getting a little more from Draymond Green — first, keeping him on the court (he’s been ejected in two of the last four games he’s played at the Chase Center), then getting a little more scoring. Stat of the day: Green has more personal fouls (94) than made baskets (90) this season.
(20-16, last week No. 11)
Anthony Black was always a high-level defender, but in recent weeks he has made a huge leap offensively. In his last 10 games, Black is averaging 20.6 points a night, shooting 43.3% from 3-point range (on 5.5 attempts a game) and dishing out 4.5 assists. Orlando has been looking for a point guard, maybe Black is ready for that job. Fun random stat: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has been correct on 82.6% of his coach’s challenges this season, the highest percentage in the league.
(16-20, last week No. 22)
The Bucks are 4-1 since Giannis Antetokounmpo re-entered the lineup, and we’re just going to ignore that it came against a soft part of the schedule because Milwaukee needs the good news. The key to keeping that going is two-fold: 1) Keeping Antetokounmpo on the court (the most consecutive games he has played this season is six); 2) Getting some wins on the road against good teams. That can start this week at the Warriors, at the Lakers and at the shorthanded Nuggets.
(17-18, last week No. 18)
If you’re looking for a silver lining to a disappointing season in the Windy City, the team has a league-leading 10 wins coming back from 10+ down. Chicago has gone a respectable 2-1 with Josh Giddey and Coby White missing time with injuries (White could return later this week, but Giddey is going to miss more time). Giddey finished 14th in the first round of East All-Star fan voting, but he stands a chance of making it as a coaches’ selection as a reserve; he is on the bubble.
(12-22, last week No. 27)
While Boston ended the Clippers’ six-game win streak, the run was still impressive — every win by double-digits with an average spread of 20.3 points a game. They were blowing teams out. That run was thanks to one of the best regular-season stretches of Kawhi Leonard’s career, including dropping 45 on the Jazz. The streak was bound to end, the Clippers had been unsustainably hot from 3-point range (41.2% from beyond the arc on increased volume in the six wins, while their opponents have gone cold from deep in that same stretch). Ivica Zubac is back, but rookie Yanic Konan Niederhäuser stepped up with him out and earned minutes even with Zubac back. You can see what the Clippers are doing right on Peacock NBA Monday when they take onthe Golden State Warriors.
PURE DOMINANCE FROM KAWHI LEONARD TONIGHT.
45 PTS (20 IN 4Q)
7 REB
2 STL
2 BLK
6 3PMCLIPPERS WIN THEIR SIXTH STRAIGHT! pic.twitter.com/nbdB1jCgUI
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
(17-20, last week No. 19)
For all the focus on how the team is 2-8 in games when Trae Young plays, and they are more than 9 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the court, that ignores the other big factor for the Hawks this season: Kristaps Porzingis. He returned in a win against Minnesota and had 16 points off the bench, and it was a reminder of how the construction of this team was based around him — the Hawks have a +5.5 net rating when he is on the court this season. His availability is an issue, which is why the Hawks are looking into a trade for Anthony Davis (he has his own injury/availability issues). The Hawks have been one of the most active teams as we move toward the trade deadline, and the headline is they are willing — maybe even eager — to get out of the Trae Young business, according to multiple reports. The problem is that there is not much of a market for his services, league sources have told NBC Sports. Look for Young to be traded in the offseason and for a lot of people to say, “That’s all the Hawks got for him?”
(15-20, last week No. 17)
Memphis has dropped four in a row, all clutch losses at that. The Grizzies have played the sixth-most clutch games (within five points in the final five minutes) in the league this season and are 8-13 in those games, with a -7.9 net rating in clutch minutes. Make that games within three points in the final three minutes and the Grizzlies have a -11.2 net rating. Things are not going to get easier as Memphis has a brutal January schedule, and this week that includes the Spurs, red-hot Suns, and Thunder (but all at the FedEx Forum, at least).
(16-20, last week No. 20)
The Trail Blazers are 4-1 in their last five games, doing so mostly thanks to a top-10 defense in the league during that stretch (against some good offenses). It’s hard not to wonder what this team would look like if its guards were healthy: Jrue Holiday has been out since mid-November with a calf strain, Scoot Henderson hasn’t played yet this season due to a torn left hamstring suffered in training camp, and don’t forget that Damian Lillard has taken the season off to rehab his Achilles. There are good reasons to be positive in Portland.
(12-23, last week No. 23)
We all need more Kon Knueppel: His 3.6 made 3-pointers per game is the most ever by an NBA rookie (besting the other guys on the list, such as Stephen Curry and Tyrese Haliburton, by more than one made 3 per game). This offseason, expect to see a big pivot in Charlotte to start building around Knueppel (which is the smart thing to do). The Hornets have been one of the least lucky teams in the league this season, they have the net rating of a team that should be 15-20 (which still is outside the play-in).
(11-22, last week No. 26)
The Nets are now 0-6 in games Michael Porter Jr. has missed, the latest being a loss to the Wizards when Porter had an illness. He could be missing a lot more Nets games in the future as he is the hottest name on the trade market right now, with a number of teams — Milwaukee and Golden State are at the front of the line, and a lot of people around the league are watching Detroit — interested in the wing with a ring. Porter is having the best season of his career (having a full-time green light as the primary scorer helps), averaging 25.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game while shooting 41% from 3-point range.
(13-23, last week No. 21)
Dallas went 0-2 when Anthony Davis went out with an adductor strain, and has split the two games since his return. The Mavericks are on the road for three games this week, which his worth watching because this team is clearly far more comfortable at home, where they are 9-9, but they have dropped seven straight on the road and are 3-13 away from Big D. Fans will show up on the road because they want to see Cooper Flagg, who scored 15+ points in 14 straight game up until that streak ended two games ago (when Davis returned and got some of those touches). Consider this a reminder that Flagg is the youngest player in the NBA this season.
(9-24, last week No. 28)
Washington has won 4-of-6 and is no longer sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. That will not be the focus for the next month, as Washington should be finding a new home for CJ McCollum — because he could help a playoff team down the stretch (he’s averaging 18.6 points a game), because he deserves to be in a better spot, and because the Wizards need to focus on the future.
(12-22, last week No. 24)
The Jazz are sixth in the league in fourth-quarter scoring, averaging 29.4 points a game in the final frame. The problem is that, because of a porous defense, they are playing teams a little less than even in the fourth quarter rather than pulling away (-0.7 net rating in the fourth). That defense is not just a fourth-quarter issue, Utah has the worst defense in the NBA this season.
(8-29, last week No. 25)
Zion Williamson is back in the starting lineup and putting up numbers. For the first seven games after his return from an adductor strain Zion came off the bench, but he has started the last four games and put up 30+ points in three of them, his first three 30+ games of the season. However, this has not led to winning, with the Pelicans dropping seven in a row. For people saying it is time to sell high on Zion at the trade deadline, there is no market for him, league sources tell NBC Sports. Not at a fair price, anyway (teams want to talk more about Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III). The challenges are his injury history and the fact that he is guaranteed $87 million over the two seasons after this one. If he gets traded, it will be in the offseason.
(8-28, last week No. 29)
Losers of five in a row and 11-of-13, with a bottom-three offense and defense, the focus in Sacramento needs to be on making trades to build for the future. Which is why the return of Zach LaVine to the lineup this week matters, he needs to show teams he’s healthy (Domantas Sabonis remains sidelined with a knee injury that likely has hit out until the trade deadline, which is bad because he was drawing the most trade interest of Sacramento’s veterans).
(6-30, last week No. 30)
Rick Carlisle has 999 career wins and has been stuck on that number for weeks as the Pacers have dropped 12 straight. That losing streak may cost Pascal Siakam an All-Star spot — he deserves it, averaging 23.8 points and 6.7 rebounds a game while shooting 37.2% from 3, but the losses are going to hurt his cause when the coaches select the All-Star reserves.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
Four-time All-Star Trae Young working with Hawks on a trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
A new NBA star is about to be on the move.
The Atlanta Hawks are working with star guard Trae Young on a trade away from the franchise, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday.
Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein added that the Washington Wizards have emerged as a potential landing spot, with a deal possibly centered around CJ McCollum‘s expiring contract.
Young, 27 and the No. 5 overall pick in 2018, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018.
With the Hawks at 17-20 at the time of the report, Young has featured in just 10 games and has seen a drop in per-game averages.
He’s posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.
Despite a small sample size, Atlanta has fared better without him thus far.
A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide a team with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns.
Jalen Johnson has led Atlanta with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.7 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot.
The 2026 trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
The Mets remain in need of a starting outfielder, and Kyle Tucker — the biggest bat out there — is still on the free agent market with spring training just over a month away.
For months, the expectation has been that Tucker would get a massive contract in terms of length, with a deal for 10 or 11 years projected by many.
However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Monday that Tucker’s market is “the biggest mystery,” adding that he could have to “take a higher AAV on a short-term contract and hit the market again after two consecutive injury-plagued second halves.”
The Mets have been connected to Tucker throughout the offseason, and multiple recent reports indicated that they still have interest in him.
The Blue Jays have been the team most heavily linked to Tucker, but if they re-sign Bo Bichette it could take them out of the mix for Tucker. And if that happens, it’s fair to wonder if any other team would be willing to give Tucker a long-term deal.
Since trading Brandon Nimmo earlier this offseason and getting out from under the five years remaining on his contract, it has felt unlikely that the Mets would turn around and ink another outfielder to a huge deal if the years were relatively excessive.
But if Tucker’s deal winds up being no longer than five years or so, he would make tons of sense for New York.
In addition to Tucker, the Mets have interest in fellow free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger.
While a better outfield defender than Tucker and a more versatile defender overall, Bellinger’s career OPS+ of 120 is dwarfed by Tucker’s career OPS+ of 140.
When it comes to the last three seasons, Tucker has an .892 OPS (150 OPS+), while Bellinger’s is .815 (125 OPS+).
One potential issue with Tucker is that he has played right field over the last five seasons, with his last appearance in left field coming in 2020.
If Tucker signs with the Mets, either he or Juan Soto would have to play left field.
The NBA announced on Monday that it will be returning to China for the 2026-27 preseason.
Dallas and Houston will be featured in a pair of preseason games at The Venetian Arena in Macao. The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns played at The Venetian in October during the preseason. Mavericks team governor Patrick Dumont is the owner of Sands Corp., which owns The Venetian Arena.
The NBA and Sands today announced that The NBA China Games 2026 will feature the @dallasmavs and the @HoustonRockets playing preseason games on Friday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 11 at The Venetian Arena in Macao.
📰 Full release: https://t.co/s7ovaqlTYSpic.twitter.com/8cxLg7njaY
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 5, 2026
“I could not be prouder of having the Mavericks come to Macao and have the team experience the incredible hospitality that Sands properties provide,” Dumont said in statements released by the NBA.
Houston also makes sense with the Yao Ming connection. The Rockets drafted Yao No. 1 overall in 2002, and he spent eight years in Houston. Yao was an eight-time All-NBA selection, a five-time All-Star, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2023, Yao was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
This past October, the NBA returned to China for the first time since 2019, when Daryl Morey, the Rockets general manager at the time, posted a tweet showing support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. The tweet was quickly deleted, but the damage had already been done. NBA games were taken off TV in China for a few years following the fallout, but that rift has since been mended.
Multiple NBA stars like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Jimmy Butler have visited China in recent years as part of promotional tours and have drawn great support while visiting. The Mavs and Rockets will play the games on Oct. 9 and 11.
An up-and-down season in Central Florida got even choppier over the weekend, as the Orlando Magic announced bellwether starting guard Jalen Suggs will be out indefinitely after suffering a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
Suggs sustained the injury during Orlando’s loss to the Bulls on Friday, landing hard following a foul by Chicago center Jalen Smith on a drive to the basket late in the third quarter:
Despite being in evident pain as soon as he hit the deck, Suggs got to his feet and shot and made a pair of free throws to give Orlando a three-point lead before asking to come out of the game on the next possession; he wouldn’t return. With Suggs sidelined for the rest of the contest, the Bulls blitzed the Magic 30-19 in the fourth quarter, coming away with a 121-114 win that dropped Orlando to 8-10 on the road this season.
[Get more Magic news: Orlando team feed]
It’s a frustrating setback for Suggs, who had just returned to the lineup following a seven-game absence due to a left hip contusion, and for the Magic, who have been at their best this season with the hard-charging 24-year-old guard on the floor.
“It’s tough,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said before the team’s Sunday home win over the Pacers, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “Your heart goes out to him just because he was just coming back, then something happens again.”
Suggs has dealt with an array of injuries since the Magic drafted him out of Gonzaga with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, missing significant time in three of his first four pro campaigns. He made just 35 appearances last season, with a pair of injuries — first a lower back strain, then a left knee issue — keeping him on the shelf from early January through the end of Orlando’s playoff run. Recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery had Suggs on a minutes restriction to start the 2025-26 season; he’s topped 30 minutes just five times in 23 outings.
“He’s such a resilient young man,” Mosley said Sunday. “You know he’s been through this process before, and he’s going to continue to bounce back regardless of the scenario.”
When Suggs has been on the floor, the former All-Defensive selection has made a significant impact, averaging 15 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting a career-best 62.1% on 2-pointers and 85.7% from the free-throw line. Among players who’ve made at least 20 appearances, Suggs sits tied for third in steals per game, seventh in deflections per game and tied for 13th in loose balls recovered per game — all despite only logging 25.4 minutes a night.
Those two-way contributions make Suggs something of an advanced stats darling: a top-40 performer this season, according to estimated plus-minus, box plus-minus, DARKO, LEBRON, xRAPM and Net Points Per 100, among other metrics.
The Magic have outscored opponents by 11 points per 100 non-garbage-time possessions with Suggs on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass, and have been outscored by 4.9 points-per-100 when Suggs is out of the game. That 15.9 points-per-100 swing is not only the biggest on-court/off-court differential on the Magic, but one of the biggest in the entire NBA. Among players who’ve logged at least 500 minutes this season, only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Lauri Markkanen have had a more dramatic impact on their teams’ fortunes than Suggs.
“Just his energy out there, he’s just a huge part of the team,” Magic star Paolo Banchero recently told reporters. “So when he’s out there, I just think we’re better.”
Banchero’s assessment shows up in the data — three of Orlando’s four most potent lineups this season have featured Suggs — and in the overall results. The Magic have gone 14-9 with Suggs in the lineup, serving as an elite point-of-attack defender and a complementary source of playmaking and shot creation, compared to just 6-7 in the 13 games he’s missed.
That’s why — even with Banchero now back from a groin strain that cost him nearly a month, with primary offseason addition Desmond Bane producing well in his first season in Orlando, and with third-year wing Anthony Black in the midst of an eye-popping breakout — losing Suggs for another extended stretch would be troubling for a team that enters Monday’s action tied with the Miami Heat for sixth in the East.
Reaching the heights for which many ticketed the Magic before the season — not just a third straight postseason appearance, but actually winning a playoff series, advancing and having a chance to push for a slot in the Eastern Conference finals and perhaps beyond — will likely require the Magic actually getting all of their best players on the floor. That hasn’t happened all that much: Thanks to Banchero’s groin strain, Franz Wagner’s high ankle sprain and Suggs’ injuries, the Magic have had all four of Banchero, Wagner, Suggs and Bane available for just 11 of their 36 games, with the quartet sharing the floor for just 125 minutes, according to PBP Stats.
Suggs might not miss an extended stretch; he “avoided structural damage in his right knee,” according to Beede of the Sentinel, which could mean that he’s back on the court in a week or two. The longer it takes for Suggs (and Wagner) to get back into the fold, and for them to resume getting reps alongside Banchero, Bane, Black and the rest of Orlando’s rotation mainstays, the tougher it’s going to be to develop the sort of cohesion that can fuel the deep postseason run the Magic have had their sights set on making.
Here’s the latest Yankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason…
Jan. 5, 12:30 p.m.
While the Yankees are interested in Bo Bichette, it appears they’d have to make a move in order to acquire him.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of the Athletic, New York doesn’t view Bichette as a shortstop, and they’d likely have to trade 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. or 3B Ryan McMahon if he were to land in the Bronx.
Anthony Volpe is expected to miss some time at the beginning of the season, but the Yanks have expressed belief in the former first-round pick returning to form after a disappointing year on both sides of the ball.
Chisholm’s name has been floated in trade rumors all offseason with him set to hit free agency next offseason.
Bichette, who spent his first seven seasons with the Blue Jays, is certainly an intriguing target for the Yanks.
While he has poor defensive metrics at SS, the 27-year-old has reportedly expressed a willingness to transition to second.
Jan. 3, 6:25 p.m.
Another big market team is looking to add infielder Bo Bichette this offseason.
According to the NY Post’s Jon Heyman, the Phillies are among the teams interested in Bichette. Of course, the teams that have checked in on the Blue Jays infielder include the Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Toronto.
The Phillies already have Trea Turner at shortstop, but Bichette proved he was capable of playing second base when the Blue Jays moved him there this past offseason. Currently, the Phillies have Bryson Stott and Edmundo Sosa as their second basemen.
The Blue Jays signed Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto on Saturday to play in the infield, but it is unclear whether that takes them out of bringing Bichette back.
Jan. 1, 1:21 p.m.
While it remains unclear whether the Yankees will make any sort of big splash this offseason, it seems their eyes are beginning to wander with several top free agents still on the market.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees are among three previously unreported clubs to “check on” star shortstop Bo Bichette. The other new suitors are the Dodgers and Cubs.
Heyman also reports the Yankees are gauging league interest in infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. — whose name has appeared in base-level trade rumors all winter — and a formal offer to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger was issued earlier this week.
Bichette, who just wrapped up seven seasons with the division-rival Blue Jays, is undoubtedly an intriguing target for the Yankees. While his defensive metrics at shortstop are poor, the 27-year-old has reportedly expressed a willingness to move over to second base.
Of course, that transition with the Yankees would be contingent upon a firm decision on Chisholm’s future. But Bichette is an obvious offensive upgrade at shortstop — internal spring training competition is expected with Anthony Volpe recovering from shoulder surgery.
Bichette was rather steady at the plate for the Blue Jays in 2025, slashing a laudable .311/.357/.483 with 44 doubles, 18 home runs, and 94 RBI in 139 games. He also delivered under the brightest lights, hitting .348 with six RBI in seven World Series games against the Dodgers.
Spotrac currently projects Bichette’s market value at $23.3 million annually, and there’s a chance his contract lands in the range of six to eight years.
While the holiday season has lowered the hot stove temperature, it appears the Yankees’ hopes of re-signing Cody Bellinger remain high enough.
A reunion with the star outfielder is still a priority in the Bronx, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, and the club feels “pretty confident” he won’t move boroughs for a deal over in Queens.
The pursuit of Bellinger is also endorsed by the Yankees’ captain. Heyman reports Aaron Judge is “a big advocate” for a long-term commitment with the former MVP, who hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI as a one-year rental in pinstripes last season.
It’s unclear when Bellinger will take himself off the free-agent market, but with high demand from championship contenders, some projections have him earning around $30 million annually on a six-year contract. The Yankees may have to sweeten the pot in order to convince him to stay.
Dec. 23, 10:10 p.m.
Tatsuya Imai is one of the high-profile free agent starters this offseason, but it seems he may not be Bronx-bound if YES Network’s Jack Curry is to be believed.
Curry spoke about the perceived connection between the Yankees and Imai on Tuesday’s episode of Yankees Hot Stove and poured some cold water, saying, “The vibe I’m getting is that connection does not exist.”
He added that any pursuit of Imai by the Yankees this offseason is very different than the one they conducted for Yoshinbou Yamamoto a couple of years ago.
“With Imai, the Yankees have been very quiet,” Curry said. “I don’t think the Yankees have been as aggressive, as intense in any kind of pursuit of Imai. They are making some moves around the edges… but I don’t think they are the frontrunners for Imai, and I don’t think he’ll be signing with them.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently told reporters that the Yankees have not met with Imai — as of Dec. 19 — and that he doesn’t know if New York will set up a meeting with the right-hander.
Imai has until Jan. 2 to sign with a team.
Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.
The Yankees have lost another bullpen arm to free agency, as the Braves announced that they’ve signed right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton to a non-guaranteed one-year deal.
Hamilton was a staple in New York’s bullpen over the past three seasons.
The club decided to non-tender him this winter, though, after he put together a bit of an up-and-down campaign.
He pitched to a 4.28 ERA and issued 22 walks over 40 innings of work.
Atlanta will look for him to rebound in a bullpen that’s also added Robert Suarez and retained Raisel Iglesias this winter.
Dec. 19, 11:25 a.m.
Former Yankee Michael Kingre-signed with the San Diego Padres on a three-year, $75 million deal on Thursday night, despite some buzz that he could return to New York.
However, according to a report from the NY Post’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees did not make an offer to King and “have other targets” on their radar.
Over five seasons with the Yanks from 2019-2023, King made 115 appearances (19 starts) and posted a 3.38 ERA over 247.2 innings. He was then part of the blockbuster trade with the Padres that brought Juan Soto to the Bronx ahead of the 2024 season.
King transitioned to a starter with the Padres and made 45 starts (46 games total) over two seasons, going 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA and 277 strikeouts.
Among the “other targets” New York could pursue include OF Cody Bellinger, who had a strong 2025 with the Yanks and is expected to get a five or six-year deal.
Dec. 17, 3:50 p.m.
Luke Weaver signed a reported two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets on Wednesday and it seems like the Yankees were not looking to bring back the right-hander.
Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported that the Yankees were not part of the bidding to try to retain Weaver.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that both sides had mutual interest in a potential reunion after Weaver pitched to a 3.22 ERA and a 0.994 WHIP in 129 appearances across three seasons in the Bronx.
Dec. 16, 8:59 a.m.
The Yankees have “genuine” interest in a reunion with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, reports Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who notes that the interest is mutual.
Kirschner adds that roughly 10 teams have contacted Weaver’s camp this offseason.
Weaver, 32, was solid for New York last season, with a 3.62 ERA (3.89 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.
His best season came in 2024, when he had a 2.89 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 84.0 innings while striking out 103 — a rate of 11.0 per nine.
If brought back, Weaver would likely be one of the main bridges to closer David Bednar.
Dec. 14, 7:35 p.m.
While reports indicated that the San Francisco Giants “do not anticipate making the nine-figure investment” required to sign free agents this offseason, they aren’t checked out of the marketplace altogether.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported recently that the Giants “have checked in on” Cody Bellinger, the Yankees’ No. 1 target.
Bellinger proved to be a big part of the Yanks’ last season, contributing well on both sides of the ball with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a .272/.334/.480 slash line for an .813 OPS (125 OPS+ and wRC+) while ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (seven) and with 12 defensive runs saved.
Dec. 11, 12:21 p.m.
The Yankees “have listened” when it comes to a potential Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Chisholm is set to earn roughly $12 million via arbitration in 2026 in what is his final season before free agency.
He spent time at third base (28 starts) and second base (96 starts) in 2025 — and was not thrilled with his time at third, noting “everybody knows I’m a second baseman.”
Offensively, Chisholm had a big season, posting an .813 OPS while hitting 31 home runs.
The Yankees’ infield is unsettled. Ben Rice is penciled in at first base, with Ryan McMahon at third base. But the shortstop situation is in flux with Anthony Volpe expected to miss the start of the 2026 season after having shoulder surgery.
Other infield options include Jose Caballero and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Dec. 10, 7:26 p.m.
Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta is a hot name on the trade market this offseason, and the Yankees are among the teams reportedly looking to add him to their team.
According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Yankees are one of five teams looking to trade for Peralta, joining the Orioles, Red Sox, Giants and Astros. Other clubs like the Mets had previously reported interest in a trade for Peralta.
The news comes just days after the Brewers made it known they were open for business on a trade.
With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon starting the 2026 season on the IL, the Yankees would hope Peralta gives them the depth needed to get through a season until their big arms return.
Dec. 8, 9:50 p.m.
Looking for bullpen help, the Yankees have shown an interest in right-hander Brad Keller, according to a report from Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News on Monday.
Nothing is imminent between Keller and the Yanks, Phillips reported, adding that two or three teams are considering signing the 30-year-old free agent as a starting pitcher.
Keller is coming off his best year as a professional by far, pitching to a 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP with 75 strikeouts to 22 walks in 69.2 innings over 68 appearances out of the bullpen. The righty has some very attractive attributes: 30.6 percent hard-hit percentage (99th percentile) last year, with a fastball that averaged 97.2 mph and a sinker at 96.7 mph.
Dec. 8, 8:45 p.m.
As the Mets and Yankees continue to look to revamp their bullpen this offseason, they’ve both called the Brewers about reliever Trevor Megill, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
Megill, of course, is the older brother of Mets starter Tylor Megill.
The 32-year-old would be a tremendous boost at the backend for either club, as he has developed into one of the top relievers in baseball over the past few seasons.
Megill missed time to injury last year, but pitched to a stellar 2.49 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while locking down 30 saves.
Dec. 8, 1:24 p.m.
SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino believes there’s a “solid chance” the Yankees will retain free agent Amed Rosario.
Rosario had a .788 OPS in 16 games for the Yanks last season after being acquired from the Nationals ahead of the trade deadline.
The 30-year-old excelled against left-handed pitching in 2025, slashing .302/.328/.491 in 122 plate appearances.
Rosario would provide strong versatility if brought back, with the ability to play shortstop, third base, second base, and left field.
Dec. 7, 9:31 p.m.
While the Yankees reportedly discussed the chance of a reunion with All-Star reliever Devin Williams a few weeks ago, it appears their conversations never intensified.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said as much on Sunday night at the Winter Meetings, telling Greg Joyce of the New York Post that the club didn’t even make a formal offer to Williams before he signed a three-year deal with the Mets last weekend.
According to Joyce, Cashman asked Williams’ agent to keep the Yankees in the loop regarding the right-hander’s market, but he didn’t get a call prior to Williams signing in Queens. Cashman also noted that Williams’ reps never “needed to” update him on the process.
Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.
While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellinger remains the Yankees’ No. 1 target, and the club is making a “big effort” to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a “multipart move” for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces –potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.
With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.
Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.
The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tucker officiallyincludes one of the Yankees’ division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.
It’s no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.
Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.
Tucker would make the Blue Jays’ lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though — he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.
Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker’s services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they’re focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who’d come at a much lower price.
Welcome back to The Playlist, your weekly guide to the best waiver adds across 9-cat and standard points leagues. And, as always: many of the Week 12 High Score recommendations (Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Stewart, Nikola Jović, Ayo Dosunmu, Peyton Watson) also hold real value here. Double-check your wire before digging deeper — several of those guys shouldn’t be sitting in competitive leagues.
Alright, back to business. Here are the 50%-and-under plays that can help you win Week 12.
Nesmith needs to be added because the Pacers will be without Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) for what could be weeks. On Sunday, Nesmith had his best all-around performance of the season, scoring 25 points with 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks on 50% shooting.
Don’t expect that many assists every night; however, without Mathurin, he’ll have a bigger offensive role in the short term. He’s a strong asset in 9-cat and points in Week 12 (and beyond) because the Pacers play all three games on the lightest slates this week.
Until Austin Reaves is ready to return, LaRavia is a must-roster player. He’s gone off in the Lakers’ past two games, averaging 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 stocks in 36 minutes.
The Lakers play three games in four nights from Tuesday through Friday, so a possible rest day for LeBron James or Luka Dončić can’t be out of the question. Either way, LaRavia can help fantasy managers in 9-cat or points leagues in Week 12.
Huff may have been dropped in your league because of his inconsistent numbers, but I’m streaming him for blocks and 3s while Isaiah Jackson is out with a concussion. Huff’s contributions to points and rebounding are sporadic; however, if he pushes past 20 minutes, he has a top-100 profile in 9-cat formats.
Indiana’s frontcourt injuries and schedule make him a player to stream on the days with a smaller slate. Huff’s been a top-90 player over the past month.
Hunter is more of a points league streaming option this week with the Cavs playing on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Hunter’s usage has remained at 21% despite coming off the bench, but he’s actually improved his true-shooting percentage.
That said, he’s playing fewer minutes as a bench guy, but in a week where every additional counting stat matters, give Hunter a look.
“Mamu” is officially out of the deep flier category with Raptors starting center Jakob Poeltl out with a lingering back injury. Mamu should be a target for anyone looking to stream on Monday, because he’s efficient and makes an impact whenever he’s on the floor.
In Saturday’s win over Atlanta, Mamu delivered 13 points with 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks in 32 minutes. That’s the type of ceiling we’re looking at here and in Week 12, you should pick him up for Monday’s game and let it ride.
I like Christie for 9-cat and points leagues. He was a top-50 player in 9-cat last week after averaging 22/4/3 on 66% shooting from the field. He won’t stay that hot, but the minutes and opportunity are there.
Dallas plays Sacramento, Utah and Chicago on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, so load up on Christie as well as other Mavs players like Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams.
I previously mentioned picking up Ayo Dosunmu from the Bulls, and Huerter was my 1B with Josh Giddey and Coby White out. Huerter’s done a good job of filling in some necessary gaps in rebounding and scoring.
In four games last week, Huerter finished 77th in 9-cat leagues. His FG% is a constant hit-or-miss, but he can help your counting stats. Huerter is an expensive option for either format.
Listen, Capela is definitely not the guy I’d want on my team in 2025, but the truth of the matter is: next man up. Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams are both dealing with ankle injuries. Stevens is questionable on Monday, but there’s still a massive void in the Rockets’ frontcourt. Houston could elect to play small; however, Capela did work in his 27 minutes on Saturday, proving that he still has something in the tank.
He scored 8 points with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Even in a limited role, Capela remains a plus-rebounder and decent defender, which gives him instant streaming value in 9-cat or points leagues.
Merrill benefits from a good schedule (as discussed with De’Andre Hunter). Still, fantasy managers need to understand that he is primarily a one-trick pony who occasionally can get some steals.
If you pick up Merrill, you’re doing it for his 3s. He hit five 3s on Sunday, so he can surely help fantasy managers looking to gain an edge in that area.
T.J. McConnell – PG, Indiana Pacers
Pelle Larsson – SG/SF, Miami Heat
Jock Landale – C, Memphis Grizzlies