LOS ANGELES — It all started on a recent episode of the Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul podcast, when the agent — LeBron James’ agent — suggested the Lakers should talk to Memphis about a trade for All-Star and DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr., with Los Angeles sending fan favorite Austin Reaves to Tennessee.
“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel. And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”
There are a number of teams that have their eyes on Jaren Jackson Jr., and if Memphis might make him available in the wake of a Ja Morant trade. To this point, the Grizzlies are shooting down all those inquiries, league sources have told NBC Sports. The perception from other teams is that the Grizzlies are not ready to tear this thing down to the studs and rebuild. They believe they have a good supporting group led by JJJ, and if they can land another star, they could be right back in the mix in the West.
LeBron has to distance himself from the comments for locker room reasons, but Rich Paul is right. The Lakers are retooling their roster after Luka Doncic was gifted to them, and with that they need an elite two-way center who sets strong screens and can roll hard to the rim. Jackson fits that bill, plus he can do more on offense. He would be a fantastic fit for the Lakers, and if the price were Reaves (likely with an unprotected first-round pick) they should jump at it.
The reality is Jackson is not available, and this summer Reaves is going to get a much-deserved massive raise. He has played at an All-Star level when healthy and shown he can carry the offense while Doncic is out. Reaves is a fan favorite, loves playing in Los Angeles and the Lakers should not consider trading him unless the return is just too good to pass up. That’s unlikely, which is why next season we will almost certainly see Reaves still in a Lakers’ uniform and Jackson in Grizzlies colors.
The Charlotte Hornets will honor 16-year NBA veteran Dell Curry on March 19, when the team retires his No. 30 jersey.
Curry is now more widely recognized as the father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. However, long before his eldest son started making waves in the NBA and rewriting records, Dell was known as one of the best long-distance shooters of his era.
Charlotte was fortunate to have Dell Curry for 10 of his 16 years in the league. During his tenure with the Hornets, the team made four appearances in the Eastern Conference playoffs, advancing to the semifinals on two occasions. Curry played much of his career in a reserve or sixth-man role and earned the Sixth Man of the Year award during the 1993-94 season.
That year, Curry played all 82 games, averaging a career-high 16.3 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 40.2% from 3-point range. The season before winning the Sixth Man award, Curry finished fourth in voting, and he remained in the top five in two of the three seasons following his win. In 1994-95, he finished second behind New York Knicks power forward Anthony Mason for the Sixth Man Award.
Although Curry played for five different teams (Jazz, Cavs, Hornets, Bucks, Raptors) over his career, his prime years and best on-court performance were with Charlotte. During his decade with the Hornets, he averaged 14 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.1 steals, and shot 40.5% from three. Curry was selected 15th overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
In recent years, Curry has served as an ambassador for the Hornets and spends time watching his sons, Stephen and Seth, drain 3s from all over the court. Dell is also a broadcaster for the Hornets, calling games on FanDuel and Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage.
The Charlotte Hornets will honor 16-year NBA veteran Dell Curry on March 19, when the team retires his No. 30 jersey.
Curry is now more widely recognized as the father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. However, long before his eldest son started making waves in the NBA and rewriting records, Dell was known as one of the best long-distance shooters of his era.
Charlotte was fortunate to have Dell Curry for 10 of his 16 years in the league. During his tenure with the Hornets, the team made four appearances in the Eastern Conference playoffs, advancing to the semifinals on two occasions. Curry played much of his career in a reserve or sixth-man role and earned the Sixth Man of the Year award during the 1993-94 season.
That year, Curry played all 82 games, averaging a career-high 16.3 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 40.2% from 3-point range. The season before winning the Sixth Man award, Curry finished fourth in voting, and he remained in the top five in two of the three seasons following his win. In 1994-95, he finished second behind New York Knicks power forward Anthony Mason for the Sixth Man Award.
Although Curry played for five different teams (Jazz, Cavs, Hornets, Bucks, Raptors) over his career, his prime years and best on-court performance were with Charlotte. During his decade with the Hornets, he averaged 14 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.1 steals, and shot 40.5% from three. Curry was selected 15th overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
In recent years, Curry has served as an ambassador for the Hornets and spends time watching his sons, Stephen and Seth, drain 3s from all over the court. Dell is also a broadcaster for the Hornets, calling games on FanDuel and Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2026 – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that registration is now open for the 102nd Agricultural Outlook Forum. The event will be held at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott on Feb. 19-20, 2026, and all Forum sessions will be livestreamed on a virtual platform.
Yahoo and Arena Club are teaming up to bring you weekly slab packs featuring top fantasy basketball players.
We’re back hoops fans with another Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club drop for Week 13. Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Slab Packs are a brand-new weekly drop featuring real, graded trading cards of the hottest fantasy performers in the NBA.
If you’re new to Arena Club, here’s the lowdown. Arena Club is the premier online marketplace for sports cards, giving collectors a way to rip packs virtually, buy and sell graded cards and track their entire collection — all in one place. Whether you’re in it for the hobby, the thrill or the chase, Arena Club brings the excitement directly to your screen.
Each week, Arena Club curates real, graded NBA cards and builds two types of Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs:
Silver Pack – $59
Gold Pack – $159
Every pack contains a graded card of an active NBA player — but the real treasure is the weekly Chase Cards, featuring some of the top fantasy basketball performers from the past week. These limited-edition hits can reach values up to 20x the cost of the pack.
Weekly NBA Slab Packs go live every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET and remain available through Friday at 1 p.m. ET (or until they’re gone). It’s the ultimate mid-week boost for fantasy hoopers and collectors alike.
To top it off, use promo code YAHOO at checkout for 20% off your first slab pack or card purchase on ArenaClub.com or the Arena Club app.
This Week’s Featured Players
Rip a slab pack today for a chance to pull one of the week’s biggest fantasy basketball stars:
Stephen Curry, Warriors
Steph had a good start to 2026 by scoring at least 27 points in his first five games since the calendar flipped before having a quiet game on Tuesday.
LeBron James, Lakers
What LeBron is doing at 41 years old is something we may never see again in the NBA. Last week, he had his best fantasy output of the season with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists with 3 steals for 64 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Since returning from injury at the end of December, Giannis has at least 45 fantasy points in all nine of the games he’s played. The most was 70 last week vs. the Nuggets, when Antetokounmpo scored 31 points with 8 boards, 11 assists and 3 stocks.
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
San Antonio remains cautious with its franchise cornerstone as Wemby hasn’t played over 30 minutes in a game since November. He would be averaging over 30 points per game if he were playing more.
Kevin Durant, Rockets
Durant continues to anchor a Houston team looking to get out of play-in territory in the West standings. He’s scored 30+ points in three of this past six games.
Weekly Drops. Real Cards. Real Value. Real Thrill.
With new cards releasing every week based on real fantasy performance, the Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club partnership delivers a constantly refreshing lineup of NBA stars — and the chase cards you’ll be talking about all season.
Don’t miss this week’s release.
Rip your slab pack, hit a chase card, and upgrade your collection today!
Since Jaren Jackson Jr. signed a $239.9 million contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies on July 13, he quietly became eligible to be traded on Tuesday, just as he more loudly enters a trade discussion.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, if the Grizzlies move on from Ja Morant, as expected, “there’s a growing thought [among rival executives] that Jackson could be the next domino to fall at some point.”
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
The question, then: What might a trade market for Jackson look like? Robust, to be sure. There are not a lot of 26-year-old, two-time All-Stars in the NBA. Even fewer who have won a Defensive Player of the Year award. And almost no others who can also both space the floor and create for themselves offensively.
Think of the champions of the 2020s — the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder — all of them featured at least one of these skeleton-key bigs who can shrink the court defensively and expand it on the other end, unlocking a title.
In that sense, Jackson may not be just another name on the trade market. He could be the reason the next champion was able to counteract Chet Holmgren against the championship favorite in OKC. Jackson can play alongside a center, too, as a floor-spacing forward opposite the Thunder’s double-big lineups.
He might also be the reason the Grizzlies are willing to accept less than equal value for Morant. They recently began entertaining offers for the two-time All-Star point guard, prioritizing a package of “draft picks and young players” in return, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Except, as the market surfaced, Memphis was seeking “at least” a single first-round draft pick as a haul, per Substack insider Marc Stein.
Remember, four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young was traded last week for the expiring contracts of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. No draft picks were exchanged in the transaction. It was essentially a cost-cutting measure for the Atlanta Hawks, and the Grizzlies will hope Morant’s market is not the same.
If it is, though, what message does that send? By seeking a package of picks and young players for Morant, Memphis is telling the rest of the league that it is building for years down the line, when Jackson will be entering his 30s and approaching the end of his current contract. It would make sense, then, to deal Jackson, too, for that same package of picks and young players, which is why rival execs are circling.
Here are nine possible contenders who could make a play for Jackson.
The package: Hugo González, salary filler and picks
The Celtics own the league’s second-best offensive rating (121.4), and they are starting Neemias Queta at center. While Queta has impressed as a rim-runner and rim-protector, he is hardly a floor-spacer. Nor is he as switchable defensively as Jackson. In other words, Jackson represents a pretty significant upgrade.
Jackson has shot as well as 39.4% on 6.5 3-point attempts per game, though the past two years he has settled into a slightly above-average status, shooting 37.1% on a handful of 3-point attempts per game. His total package placed him 17th last season on the All-NBA ballot, just shy of a third-team nomination.
We have seen Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis help Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to a championship, and there is no reason to think Jackson could not also vault Boston’s wings into more serious contention. Tatum’s rebounding ability offsets Jackson’s deficiency in that regard. It really is a hand-in-glove fit, so long as the Celtics could keep their core together. Plus, Jayson, Jaylen and Jaren has a nice ring for a trio.
It would be tough for Boston to part ways with González, who entered the NBA this season as a helpful contributor. He is a 19-year-old 3-and-D wing who can attack close-outs and has shown flashes of a more expansive offensive game. He already does all of the little things that help Boston win in a way that shows he wants to be great. González may be the single highest-ceiling prospect the Grizzlies could acquire for Jackson.
The package: Austin Reaves, salary filler and picks
And Reaves may be the single-best current player the Grizzlies could get in return for Jackson. Reaves is making an All-Star bid, averaging a 27-5-6 on 51/37/87 shooting splits for a team on pace to win 51 games.
The Lakers could really use Jaren Jackson Jr. on the defensive end of the floor. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Katelyn Mulcahy via Getty Images
Imagine Jackson as a pick-and-roll partner to Luka Dončić and LeBron James. He would also solve some of their issues on defense, where they rank 26th, despite Marcus Smart’s presence. One strategy, if you must build around both Dončić and James, is to match them with former Defensive Players of the Year.
The Grizzlies’ defensive rating is 4.3 points better, allowing 113.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions (or the equivalent of a 13th-rated defense), whenever Jackson is on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. Opponents are also shooting 8.4% worse than their season averages around the rim whenever Jackson is defending — still an impressive number, though that figure was even better during his DPOY campaign.
The package: Anthony Black, salary filler and picks
Black is averaging a 15-4-4 on 47/35/72 shooting splits in a breakout third season, starting half of the Magic’s games. The arrival of Jackson, however, would give Orlando a legitimate force at every position on the floor in a lineup that boasts Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane.
As is, the Magic start Wendell Carter Jr., a fine player, at center. He is no Jackson. In fact, Carter might be considered a light version of Jackson. He does not protect the rim as well, holding opponents 3.9% below their season averages at the basket, and he does not space the floor as well, either, shooting 32% from 3-point range on 2.4 attempts per game for his career. Jackson can do everything Carter can, only better.
This move would reunite Jackson with Bane, his former Grizzlies teammate. The Grizzlies outscored opponents by five points per 100 non-garbage possessions when the two shared the court together last season, significantly better than their season-long net rating of -1.4. Together they helped Memphis to 48 wins in the crowded Western Conference last season. Imagine what they could do for a Magic team that could have won 48 games without them, if not for injuries. Better than that is the stuff of contention.
It is concerning, though, how little Orlando has left in its draft tank after making the deal for Bane, which cost them the rights to four first-round picks. They still have another, but would Memphis want to put all of its stock into the Magic’s draft capital while making them a contender for the foreseeable future?
The hard-playing Suns have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, ranking 14th on offense (114.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and sixth on defense (112.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). They are half a game back from a guaranteed playoff spot in the West. And they should want to be better.
Jackson would represent a significant upgrade over existing centers Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, none of whom is a floor-spacer. If they have the chance to drive their offense into the top 10 while maintaining their current level of defense, if not improving on that end, why not take it?
What is most impressive: The Suns have almost exclusively done all of this without Green, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for the entire season. We do not yet know what the 23-year-old is fully capable of for a winning team, since the 52-win Houston Rockets cast him off in favor of Kevin Durant, but the Grizzlies may be willing to take the chance that the former No. 2 pick still has All-Star potential.
How much better the Suns could make the deal, given how low their draft stash is, makes for concern.
The package: Jaden Ivey or Ron Holland, salary filler and picks
The Pistons have long been rumored as a possible destination for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, whose ability as a 3-point shooter would make him an ideal fit alongside Duren in the frontcourt.
Jackson is not the offensive threat that Markkanen is, but his shooting ability allows him to fit next to Duren as well, while providing a secondary level of rim protection that Markkanen cannot. In that sense, the Pistons would lean into their hard-nosed identity on defense, rather than trying to forge a new one.
Detroit’s double-big combination of Duren and Isaiah Stewart is outscoring opponents by 7.7 points per 100 meaningful possessions, operating like a top-five outfit on both ends. Consider adding Jackson to that mix, as the Pistons play with a level of size, physicality and versatility for a full 48 minutes that few teams could match. It would be a counterpunch to Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in Oklahoma City.
The package: Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell, salary filler and picks
I cannot imagine the Spurs would give up Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle in any deal, excluding one for Giannis Antetokounmpo, at this point. The three-guard combination of Harper, Castle and De’Aaron Fox has been phenomenal for San Antonio. It is hard to mess with that, even for a player of Jackson’s caliber.
So, instead, the Spurs would have to build a package around Johnson or Vassell. They have the expiring contracts of Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk, plus plenty of draft picks, to sweeten a pot.
I cannot tell you how terrifying it would be to put Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, alongside Victor Wembanyama, who may perpetually win that award for as long as he can meet the 65-game threshold. Not even the mighty Denver Nuggets’ offense would want to see that combination.
The package: Collin Murray-Boyles, salary filler and picks
The Raptors have surprised most everyone, playing their way, as of now, into a guaranteed playoff spot, and they have done so with Jakob Poeltl — a traditional big — at the center position. They are clearly in the market for an upgrade, as their reported interest in Anthony Davis indicated, and why not be even more motivated to part with a picks-laden package for a 26-year-old who played 74 games last season?
Jackson would add a layer of offensive versatility to a team that boasts Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley and still only manages to rate 19th on the offensive end. Meanwhile, the Raptors would sacrifice little, if anything, on their top-10 rated defense, swapping Jackson for Poeltl.
But would the Grizzlies want any of Toronto’s long-term salary? Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl are all on the books at above-market rates through at least the 2028-29 season. Likewise, Ingram and Barrett are owed a combined $69.6 million next season. So, while the Raptors have young players to add to a deal — Jamal Shead, Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter among them — they may not meet Memphis’ presumed cost-saving ask.
The package: Jonathan Kuminga, salary filler and picks
The Warriors have, for all intents and purposes, given up on Kuminga, benching the 23-year-old former top-10 pick for large swaths of this season, even as his skill set represents a lot of what they are missing.
What if Jackson traded places with Jonathan Kuminga? (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Ezra Shaw via Getty Images
So, why would Memphis want Kuminga? It is a good question to ask. He has shown flashes of brilliance, especially on the offensive end, and the Grizzlies might envision a higher ceiling for him in new scenery.
For Golden State it makes all the sense in the world. They need a bit of rejuvenation on both ends of the floor for an old team that features Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford. Why not chase a 26-year-old who can improve their standing offensively and defensively? Jackson could both play alongside Green and serve as his long-term replacement on a team forever trying to sustain Curry’s prime.
The package: Zaccharie Risacher, salary filler and picks
Like the Raptors, the Hawks reportedly expressed interest in trading for Davis, potentially offering recent No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in return. It would follow, then, that Atlanta should have interest in pursuing a floor-spacing, rim-protecting big who better fits the timeline of the 24-year-old Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks have the single-best asset to offer for anyone — the New Orleans Pelicans’ unprotected first-round pick in June — though they may not part with that for anybody but Antetokounmpo. They have other draft assets they could offer, even after they failed to acquire picks in return for Trae Young.
Since Jaren Jackson Jr. signed a $239.9 million contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies on July 13, he quietly became eligible to be traded on Tuesday, just as he more loudly enters a trade discussion.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, if the Grizzlies move on from Ja Morant, as expected, “there’s a growing thought [among rival executives] that Jackson could be the next domino to fall at some point.”
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
The question, then: What might a trade market for Jackson look like? Robust, to be sure. There are not a lot of 26-year-old, two-time All-Stars in the NBA. Even fewer who have won a Defensive Player of the Year award. And almost no others who can also both space the floor and create for themselves offensively.
Think of the champions of the 2020s — the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder — all of them featured at least one of these skeleton-key bigs who can shrink the court defensively and expand it on the other end, unlocking a title.
In that sense, Jackson may not be just another name on the trade market. He could be the reason the next champion was able to counteract Chet Holmgren against the championship favorite in OKC. Jackson can play alongside a center, too, as a floor-spacing forward opposite the Thunder’s double-big lineups.
He might also be the reason the Grizzlies are willing to accept less than equal value for Morant. They recently began entertaining offers for the two-time All-Star point guard, prioritizing a package of “draft picks and young players” in return, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Except, as the market surfaced, Memphis was seeking “at least” a single first-round draft pick as a haul, per Substack insider Marc Stein.
Remember, four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young was traded last week for the expiring contracts of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. No draft picks were exchanged in the transaction. It was essentially a cost-cutting measure for the Atlanta Hawks, and the Grizzlies will hope Morant’s market is not the same.
If it is, though, what message does that send? By seeking a package of picks and young players for Morant, Memphis is telling the rest of the league that it is building for years down the line, when Jackson will be entering his 30s and approaching the end of his current contract. It would make sense, then, to deal Jackson, too, for that same package of picks and young players, which is why rival execs are circling.
Here are nine possible contenders who could make a play for Jackson.
The package: Hugo González, salary filler and picks
The Celtics own the league’s second-best offensive rating (121.4), and they are starting Neemias Queta at center. While Queta has impressed as a rim-runner and rim-protector, he is hardly a floor-spacer. Nor is he as switchable defensively as Jackson. In other words, Jackson represents a pretty significant upgrade.
Jackson has shot as well as 39.4% on 6.5 3-point attempts per game, though the past two years he has settled into a slightly above-average status, shooting 37.1% on a handful of 3-point attempts per game. His total package placed him 17th last season on the All-NBA ballot, just shy of a third-team nomination.
We have seen Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis help Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to a championship, and there is no reason to think Jackson could not also vault Boston’s wings into more serious contention. Tatum’s rebounding ability offsets Jackson’s deficiency in that regard. It really is a hand-in-glove fit, so long as the Celtics could keep their core together. Plus, Jayson, Jaylen and Jaren has a nice ring for a trio.
It would be tough for Boston to part ways with González, who entered the NBA this season as a helpful contributor. He is a 19-year-old 3-and-D wing who can attack close-outs and has shown flashes of a more expansive offensive game. He already does all of the little things that help Boston win in a way that shows he wants to be great. González may be the single highest-ceiling prospect the Grizzlies could acquire for Jackson.
The package: Austin Reaves, salary filler and picks
And Reaves may be the single-best current player the Grizzlies could get in return for Jackson. Reaves is making an All-Star bid, averaging a 27-5-6 on 51/37/87 shooting splits for a team on pace to win 51 games.
The Lakers could really use Jaren Jackson Jr. on the defensive end of the floor. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Katelyn Mulcahy via Getty Images
Imagine Jackson as a pick-and-roll partner to Luka Dončić and LeBron James. He would also solve some of their issues on defense, where they rank 26th, despite Marcus Smart’s presence. One strategy, if you must build around both Dončić and James, is to match them with former Defensive Players of the Year.
The Grizzlies’ defensive rating is 4.3 points better, allowing 113.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions (or the equivalent of a 13th-rated defense), whenever Jackson is on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. Opponents are also shooting 8.4% worse than their season averages around the rim whenever Jackson is defending — still an impressive number, though that figure was even better during his DPOY campaign.
The package: Anthony Black, salary filler and picks
Black is averaging a 15-4-4 on 47/35/72 shooting splits in a breakout third season, starting half of the Magic’s games. The arrival of Jackson, however, would give Orlando a legitimate force at every position on the floor in a lineup that boasts Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane.
As is, the Magic start Wendell Carter Jr., a fine player, at center. He is no Jackson. In fact, Carter might be considered a light version of Jackson. He does not protect the rim as well, holding opponents 3.9% below their season averages at the basket, and he does not space the floor as well, either, shooting 32% from 3-point range on 2.4 attempts per game for his career. Jackson can do everything Carter can, only better.
This move would reunite Jackson with Bane, his former Grizzlies teammate. The Grizzlies outscored opponents by five points per 100 non-garbage possessions when the two shared the court together last season, significantly better than their season-long net rating of -1.4. Together they helped Memphis to 48 wins in the crowded Western Conference last season. Imagine what they could do for a Magic team that could have won 48 games without them, if not for injuries. Better than that is the stuff of contention.
It is concerning, though, how little Orlando has left in its draft tank after making the deal for Bane, which cost them the rights to four first-round picks. They still have another, but would Memphis want to put all of its stock into the Magic’s draft capital while making them a contender for the foreseeable future?
The hard-playing Suns have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, ranking 14th on offense (114.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and sixth on defense (112.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). They are half a game back from a guaranteed playoff spot in the West. And they should want to be better.
Jackson would represent a significant upgrade over existing centers Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, none of whom is a floor-spacer. If they have the chance to drive their offense into the top 10 while maintaining their current level of defense, if not improving on that end, why not take it?
What is most impressive: The Suns have almost exclusively done all of this without Green, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for the entire season. We do not yet know what the 23-year-old is fully capable of for a winning team, since the 52-win Houston Rockets cast him off in favor of Kevin Durant, but the Grizzlies may be willing to take the chance that the former No. 2 pick still has All-Star potential.
How much better the Suns could make the deal, given how low their draft stash is, makes for concern.
The package: Jaden Ivey or Ron Holland, salary filler and picks
The Pistons have long been rumored as a possible destination for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, whose ability as a 3-point shooter would make him an ideal fit alongside Duren in the frontcourt.
Jackson is not the offensive threat that Markkanen is, but his shooting ability allows him to fit next to Duren as well, while providing a secondary level of rim protection that Markkanen cannot. In that sense, the Pistons would lean into their hard-nosed identity on defense, rather than trying to forge a new one.
Detroit’s double-big combination of Duren and Isaiah Stewart is outscoring opponents by 7.7 points per 100 meaningful possessions, operating like a top-five outfit on both ends. Consider adding Jackson to that mix, as the Pistons play with a level of size, physicality and versatility for a full 48 minutes that few teams could match. It would be a counterpunch to Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in Oklahoma City.
The package: Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell, salary filler and picks
I cannot imagine the Spurs would give up Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle in any deal, excluding one for Giannis Antetokounmpo, at this point. The three-guard combination of Harper, Castle and De’Aaron Fox has been phenomenal for San Antonio. It is hard to mess with that, even for a player of Jackson’s caliber.
So, instead, the Spurs would have to build a package around Johnson or Vassell. They have the expiring contracts of Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk, plus plenty of draft picks, to sweeten a pot.
I cannot tell you how terrifying it would be to put Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, alongside Victor Wembanyama, who may perpetually win that award for as long as he can meet the 65-game threshold. Not even the mighty Denver Nuggets’ offense would want to see that combination.
The package: Collin Murray-Boyles, salary filler and picks
The Raptors have surprised most everyone, playing their way, as of now, into a guaranteed playoff spot, and they have done so with Jakob Poeltl — a traditional big — at the center position. They are clearly in the market for an upgrade, as their reported interest in Anthony Davis indicated, and why not be even more motivated to part with a picks-laden package for a 26-year-old who played 74 games last season?
Jackson would add a layer of offensive versatility to a team that boasts Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley and still only manages to rate 19th on the offensive end. Meanwhile, the Raptors would sacrifice little, if anything, on their top-10 rated defense, swapping Jackson for Poeltl.
But would the Grizzlies want any of Toronto’s long-term salary? Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl are all on the books at above-market rates through at least the 2028-29 season. Likewise, Ingram and Barrett are owed a combined $69.6 million next season. So, while the Raptors have young players to add to a deal — Jamal Shead, Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter among them — they may not meet Memphis’ presumed cost-saving ask.
The package: Jonathan Kuminga, salary filler and picks
The Warriors have, for all intents and purposes, given up on Kuminga, benching the 23-year-old former top-10 pick for large swaths of this season, even as his skill set represents a lot of what they are missing.
What if Jackson traded places with Jonathan Kuminga? (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Ezra Shaw via Getty Images
So, why would Memphis want Kuminga? It is a good question to ask. He has shown flashes of brilliance, especially on the offensive end, and the Grizzlies might envision a higher ceiling for him in new scenery.
For Golden State it makes all the sense in the world. They need a bit of rejuvenation on both ends of the floor for an old team that features Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford. Why not chase a 26-year-old who can improve their standing offensively and defensively? Jackson could both play alongside Green and serve as his long-term replacement on a team forever trying to sustain Curry’s prime.
The package: Zaccharie Risacher, salary filler and picks
Like the Raptors, the Hawks reportedly expressed interest in trading for Davis, potentially offering recent No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in return. It would follow, then, that Atlanta should have interest in pursuing a floor-spacing, rim-protecting big who better fits the timeline of the 24-year-old Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks have the single-best asset to offer for anyone — the New Orleans Pelicans’ unprotected first-round pick in June — though they may not part with that for anybody but Antetokounmpo. They have other draft assets they could offer, even after they failed to acquire picks in return for Trae Young.
Paul George brings the ball up the right side of the floor Monday night with 7:16 remaining in the first quarter, with Brandon Ingram pestering him the entire way, in ]
(To that end: Per Second Spectrum, Maxey is seeing a help defender on over 81% of his drives this year. That’s the eighth-highest mark among 54 players who have logged at least 300 drives this year. Teams are, rightfully, terrified of Maxey’s speed and overall ability to pressure the rim.)
Maxey hits Barlow with a pass, and Barlow immediately pitches it back to George near half-court. As this reset happens, Embiid moves to the middle of the floor to serve as an outlet.
(NBA screengrab)
Embiid gets a touch while the Sixers to his right reconfigure their spacing. Barlow trots down to the dunker spot. George fills the right wing, with Maxey setting up shop in the right corner. VJ Edgecombe works himself deep in the left corner, maximizing the space that Embiid has to his left if he wants to attack that way:
(NBA screengrab)
Collin Murray-Boyles takes an initial bump from Embiid before defending a (short) isolation. Murray-Boyles flashes his hands to poke at Embiid’s dribble and throw off his rhythm, then smartly removes them before Embiid’s able to draw a rip-through foul on his gather. Embiid kicks it to Edgecombe, who immediately attacks a subpar closeout from Immanuel Quickley:
(NBA screengrab)
From there, it’s easy. Edgecombe drops the ball off for Embiid, and Embiid drills a short jumper to tie the game.
One of the “quieter” possessions of this Embiid run — 11 straight games of 20+ points, 28.2 points on 61.6 TS — but one that’s indicative of how PHI is working to flow right now.
Possession starts with Maxey, all five players touch it, possessions ends with Embiid. pic.twitter.com/e4dpcN5FIA
On its surface, it’s a mundane possession within a 48-minute game. Honestly, it’s pretty good defense from the Raptors — they rank seventh in defensive rating for a reason! — up until the closeout, and even that wasn’t the worst one I’ve ever seen.
Even for Embiid, this is a boring possession by his standards. He’s had flashier moments during this run, one that’s seen him average a whopping 28.2 points on 61.6 true shooting over his last 11 games in which the 76ers have gone 7-4. Heck, he had a flashier finish in the first half of this very game.
But that initial possession offers a window into what the Sixers are growing into. It’s an example of the sort of blend they’re looking for.
This season has largely, and rightfully, been defined by their backcourt. Maxey has taken more ownership of the offense, leading the NBA in touches per game, but the Sixers have been intentional about moving him around the board to stress defenses.
He’s received slightly more off-ball screens than he did last season (11.7 per game to 12.5), while nearly doubling the amount of off-ball screens he’s personally set (2.8 to 4.8). Between the off-ball work — you never know where Maxey is going when he sets or receives a screen — the pick-and-roll play and his transition exploits, Maxey has been able to take on more responsibility and explode as a scorer (30.9 points on 53/41/88 splits) while his average touch time and dribbles per touch have decreased from last season.
Edgecombe has been a revelation this season, ranking third among rookies in scoring (16.1 points), second in assists (4.4) and first in steals (1.6). The Sixers have trusted him to initiate more offense than I expected heading into the season, and you really see that pop in the non-Maxey minutes. That, combined with the level of responsibility he’s had on the defensive end, has made him one of the best and most impactful rookies in this year’s class — and one of the most important players on the roster.
While the minute load for Maxey and Edgecombe was a bit stress-inducing earlier in the year, their impact and on-court chemistry presented obvious long-term intrigue. It was easy to be excited about what they were, and what they could be in the eventual post-Embiid Era.
That Embiid is now slotting so easily into this, that the on-court relationship between the three appears to be mutually beneficially, is incredibly encouraging. Maxey and Edgecombe benefit from the gravity Embiid still possesses.
Empty corner (or empty side) ball screens between Maxey and Embiid continue to throw teams for a loop. There’s the natural switch-or-not dilemma that teams have to deal with. That’s now compounded with the pitch-and-catch chemistry these two continue to develop.
It is cool to see Maxey & Embiid playing off of each other again but I do have to ask what the heck Bub had going on lol pic.twitter.com/lyVBM4pzQL
The Embiid post touches remain difficult to deal with; give him one-on-one coverage, and he can sprinkle in enough jumpers or draw enough fouls to keep pressure on you. Send double-teams toward Embiid, and you have to worry about where and how those guards are spaced.
Spacing either of them one pass away makes it difficult for you to send quick doubles. Maxey is draining over 45% of his catch-and-shoot 3s — it’d be the third time in his career reaching that benchmark if it holds. Edgecombe doesn’t consistently get the hard closeouts that Maxey does, at least not yet, but it’s worth noting he’s converting over 40% of his catch-and-shoot 3s. Slotting either of them two (or more) passes away means either of them can be receiving a pass against a defense that’s deeper into their rotation behind the double-team. Considering both guards double as good and willing cutters on top of the shooting, you quickly reach a point where you run out of answers when the offense is humming.
On the year, the Sixers boast a solid plus-4.7 net rating in the minutes Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid have shared together. During this 11-game run from Embiid, the Sixers have been even better: plus-8.4 in nearly 200 minutes together.
To the latter sample, they’ve scored at a top-five rate (118.5 offensive rating; OKC currently ranks 5th at 118.2) with those three on the floor. Quietly, they’ve defended at a top-three rate (110.1 defensive rating; the Spurs rank 3rd at 111.6) in those minutes.
A big part of the Embiid resurgence has been his growing comfort patrolling the lane defensively. Opponents are converting roughly 52% of their shots at the rim against Embiid during this stretch, putting him in line with top-tier defenders like Rudy Gobert (53.7%) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (53.2%). And while the split isn’t as drastic as we’ve seen in past years, teams are still less likely to even attempt shots at the rim when Embiid is on the floor.
(As the half-joke goes, you can tell how good Embiid is feeling by how willing and often he jumps. Per Second Spectrum he’s logged 11 games with at least 40 leaps this season; nine of them have come within this 11-game stretch, including six of his last seven. You’re welcome for this very important research.)
There’s still plenty of season left, so I don’t blame anyone who may have standings or injury-related angst before we get to the postseason. Still, the Sixers being a pretty firm member of the East playoff discourse is a win in and of itself. They’re currently only a half-game out of the No. 4 seed, 2.5 games behind the second-seeded Knicks.
All I’ll say for now is keep an eye on how the Sixers are playing right now. Pay attention to how they’re trying to build things out. If it keeps trending this way, I don’t think anyone is going to enjoy dealing with them in a playoff setting.
Paul George brings the ball up the right side of the floor Monday night with 7:16 remaining in the first quarter, with Brandon Ingram pestering him the entire way, in ]
Edgecombe has been a revelation this season, ranking third among rookies in scoring (16.1 points), second in assists (4.4) and first in steals (1.6). The Sixers have trusted him to initiate more offense than I expected heading into the season, and you really see that pop in the non-Maxey minutes. That, combined with the level of responsibility he’s had on the defensive end, has made him one of the best and most impactful rookies in this year’s class — and one of the most important players on the roster.
While the minute load for Maxey and Edgecombe was a bit stress-inducing earlier in the year, their impact and on-court chemistry presented obvious long-term intrigue. It was easy to be excited about what they were, and what they could be in the eventual post-Embiid Era.
That Embiid is now slotting so easily into this, that the on-court relationship between the three appears to be mutually beneficially, is incredibly encouraging. Maxey and Edgecombe benefit from the gravity Embiid still possesses.
Empty corner (or empty side) ball screens between Maxey and Embiid continue to throw teams for a loop. There’s the natural switch-or-not dilemma that teams have to deal with. That’s now compounded with the pitch-and-catch chemistry these two continue to develop.
It is cool to see Maxey & Embiid playing off of each other again but I do have to ask what the heck Bub had going on lol pic.twitter.com/lyVBM4pzQL
The Embiid post touches remain difficult to deal with; give him one-on-one coverage, and he can sprinkle in enough jumpers or draw enough fouls to keep pressure on you. Send double-teams toward Embiid, and you have to worry about where and how those guards are spaced.
Spacing either of them one pass away makes it difficult for you to send quick doubles. Maxey is draining over 45% of his catch-and-shoot 3s — it’d be the third time in his career reaching that benchmark if it holds. Edgecombe doesn’t consistently get the hard closeouts that Maxey does, at least not yet, but it’s worth noting he’s converting over 40% of his catch-and-shoot 3s. Slotting either of them two (or more) passes away means either of them can be receiving a pass against a defense that’s deeper into their rotation behind the double-team. Considering both guards double as good and willing cutters on top of the shooting, you quickly reach a point where you run out of answers when the offense is humming.
On the year, the Sixers boast a solid plus-4.7 net rating in the minutes Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid have shared together. During this 11-game run from Embiid, the Sixers have been even better: plus-8.4 in nearly 200 minutes together.
To the latter sample, they’ve scored at a top-five rate (118.5 offensive rating; OKC currently ranks 5th at 118.2) with those three on the floor. Quietly, they’ve defended at a top-three rate (110.1 defensive rating; the Spurs rank 3rd at 111.6) in those minutes.
A big part of the Embiid resurgence has been his growing comfort patrolling the lane defensively. Opponents are converting roughly 52% of their shots at the rim against Embiid during this stretch, putting him in line with top-tier defenders like Rudy Gobert (53.7%) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (53.2%). And while the split isn’t as drastic as we’ve seen in past years, teams are still less likely to even attempt shots at the rim when Embiid is on the floor.
(As the half-joke goes, you can tell how good Embiid is feeling by how willing and often he jumps. Per Second Spectrum he’s logged 11 games with at least 40 leaps this season; nine of them have come within this 11-game stretch, including six of his last seven. You’re welcome for this very important research.)
There’s still plenty of season left, so I don’t blame anyone who may have standings or injury-related angst before we get to the postseason. Still, the Sixers being a pretty firm member of the East playoff discourse is a win in and of itself. They’re currently only a half-game out of the No. 4 seed, 2.5 games behind the second-seeded Knicks.
All I’ll say for now is keep an eye on how the Sixers are playing right now. Pay attention to how they’re trying to build things out. If it keeps trending this way, I don’t think anyone is going to enjoy dealing with them in a playoff setting.
Ja Morant — in Berlin, a comfortable 4,800 miles away from Memphis, where rumors of his imminent trade from the Grizzlies are swirling — addressed those rumors for the first time, mainly with a series of short answers.
Asked his reaction to the reports that Memphis is listening to calls to trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline, Morant said he would have to “live with it,” reports Joe Varden of The Athletic, who was in Berlin (where the Grizzlies will face the Magic on Thursday). Here are a couple of other highlights from the press conference, as reported by Varden.
Asked if he expected to be with the Grizzlies beyond the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, Morant quipped: “I’m the only one you asked that question to?”
…the NBA universe would like to know his reaction to potentially being traded, and asked him to compare the situation to the other challenges he’s faced during his career, Morant called it “different.”
Then there were questions about Morant’s cryptic social media posts.
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
Asked about his cryptic social media posts in the wake of the reports about his future in Memphis, and the online criticisms of his posts (he’s been called “Emo Ja,” and he made the reference himself as part of his answer), Morant said: “Yeah, I see it. It’s cool. Funny.”
Morant has already been ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Magic in Berlin due to a calf contusion, although he said in the press conference that he feels good. It is possible that Morant will play in the second game of the European series in London over the weekend.
Memphis is reportedly listening to trade offers for the 26-year-old two-time All-Star, although the market for him is limited due to concerns about availability (he has not played in six consecutive games since 2023), his ego and baggage, the $87 million he is owed for the two seasons after this one, and whether he still can consistently be the explosive driver and scorer that made him the most dynamic player in the league four or five years ago. There are teams willing to take a chance on him — the Heat and Raptors are the most mentioned, with reports he would like to go to Miami — but the return for Memphis will not be much more than the expiring contracts Atlanta got back recently for Trae Young.
Whenever that trade goes down, it likely won’t happen until the Grizzlies get back from their European adventure, at least. And it may well drag out closer to the deadline.
