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Exile on Main Street: Manfred, MLB Will Go to Bat for 9 RSN Expats

A day after nine Major League Baseball clubs officially terminated their contracts with Main Street Sports, the parent company of the FanDuel-branded RSNs is attempting to bring the teams back into the fold.

Main Street’s course-changing efforts are said to include offering revised terms to its departing MLB partners, although given the endemic stressors on the regional distribution model, any new deals are likely to hinge on reduced fee structures.

As first reported by The Athletic’s Evan Drellich, the dissolution of the RSN contracts effectively serves as a safeguarding measure in the event Main Street files for bankruptcy. The company of late had been negotiating a sale of its assets to DAZN, but those talks are said to have sputtered out. Scuttlebutt about the emergence of a second potential buyer remains unconfirmed.

“We remain in dialogue with all of our team and league partners as we progress discussions with potential strategic partners to enhance our long-term capital position,” a Main Street Sports spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Three of the teams that have elected to walk away from their in-market media deals—the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers—had re-upped with Main Street in early November. Also choosing to exit were the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.

The ongoing erosion of the pay-TV bundle has continued to plague the RSN business, and while Main Street predecessor Diamond Sports Group officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a year ago, court documents made it clear that a post-reorg cash crunch was all but inevitable. In one projection, Diamond’s number crunchers estimated that total linear TV revenue would decline 19% in 2025 from $2.17 billion to $1.75 billion, while this year’s take was expected to fall to $1.65 billion.

While advertising dollars were largely expected to hold up, far more significant losses were thought to be in store on the distribution front. Per an unaudited projected income statement filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston in April 2024, DSG anticipated that carriage fees would plummet 28% between 2024 and 2026, which would work out to a net loss of $498 million in distribution revenue. DSG had projected a more moderate 5% dip in advertising revenue over the same period, which translates to an anticipated loss of $20 million in sales.

The ongoing exodus from the legacy pay-TV bundle continued apace last year, as an estimated 5 million cable/satellite/telcoTV subscribers cut the cord. Per MoffettNathanson estimates, the bundled headcount fell another 10% to 43.2 million households in the third quarter, reducing penetration to just 34% of all U.S. TV homes. Even when virtual MVPDs are blended with the traditional TV platforms, the overall tally (64.8 million subs) represents just 50.6% of homes that use television.

At the industry’s peak in 2010, when some 105 million customers mailed out paper checks to cover their monthly TV bills, nine in 10 homes subscribed to a pay-TV package.

Despite the steady subscriber losses, the FanDuel RSNs saw their MLB ratings improve by 18% in 2025, as in-game coverage averaged 1.5 million viewers across all platforms. Per internal Main Street estimates, MLB games last season accounted for more than 2.8 billion minutes of consumption, a figure which marked a doubling on the year-ago results.

The incredible shrinking bundle has posed an existential threat to the RSNs long before Diamond filed for bankruptcy in March 2023. In an early filing with the Houston court, the company stated that it had lost 22 million subscribers, or 35% of its customer base, since 2019. While the vMVPDs have in some measure helped claw back a chunk of pay-TV apostates, most of those slimmed-down platforms don’t have carriage deals in place with any RSNs. In other words, Main Street doesn’t necessarily benefit from the recapturing of consumers via alternative video services.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday addressed the RSN situation during an appearance on WFAN’s The Carton Show. “No matter what happens, Major League Baseball is in a position to put all of the games on locally and to make a digital streaming product available in-market for those fans,” Manfred said. They will never miss a game.”

Baseball first began bailing out some of its RSN-affiliated clubs in 2023, when it assumed control of the San Diego Padres’ local broadcasts after Diamond missed a payment. Other teams that have since found shelter under the MLB Media umbrella include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins. Meanwhile, in the wake of the shuttering of ROOT Sports, the Seattle Mariners last fall announced their intention to cede local distribution to MLB before the start of the 2026 season.   

And the defections continue to pile up. Upon the dissolution of their longstanding, often turbulent arrangement with the Baltimore Orioles’ Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, the Washington Nationals are also in the hunt for a new local TV home.

Manfred said MLB is ready to provide a similar service to the nine clubs that voided their Main Street contracts. “Remember, two years ago, there was a bankruptcy filing, [and] San Diego, they pulled the plug on them,” Manfred said. “We put them up in one day. There was never a game missed. So, we are prepared, even if all nine end up without an alternative, MLB will have them, they will be available on cable in the markets and there will be a digital alternative.

Unfortunately for the newly stateless nine, MLB’s backstopping won’t include any cash considerations. While reserves of as much as $15 million were allocated to teams that walked away from their RSN deals in 2024, Manfred during a separate Thursday media hit said the league would not be providing financial assistance to any clubs that align with MLB Media in the coming year. The discretionary-spending policy appears to have been a one-shot deal, as similar payments were not extended in 2025.

In addition to the option of signing on with MLB Media, the exiting teams may also seek to forge in-market deals with over-the-air providers like Scripps Sports and Gray Television. The current crisis was precipitated last month when Main Street missed a scheduled rights payment to the Cardinals.

(Updated with a statement from Main Street Sports.)

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Pelicans reportedly telling teams they’re keeping Zion Williamson, handful of others beyond trade deadline

Trae Young was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night. News of the transaction broke while the four-time All-Star point guard was on the end of the bench in street clothes, still recovering from a quad contusion.

The Hawks dealt their biggest star in exchange for guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. And, so, the first domino ahead of the league’s Feb. 5 trade deadline fell during a Hawks home game, perhaps ironically against the New Orleans Pelicans, who, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, aren’t trending toward any trade of that kind.

In fact, per Haynes, the Pelicans are telling teams that Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones as well as 2025 first-rounders Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears will remain in New Orleans beyond the deadline.

The 8-31 Pelicans have the second-worst record in the NBA. They fired head coach Willie Green in November, 12 games into his fifth season at the helm. James Borrego, former head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and associate head coach on Green’s staff, took Green’s place in an interim role.

Currently, the team is suffering through a nine-game skid, crashing back to Earth after a five-game win streak provided a glimpse of holiday hope last month.

New Orleans clinging to Queen and Fears wouldn’t be surprising. For one, they’re promising rookies. 

Queen is averaging 12.9 points per game, and the 21-year-old center has gone for 20 or more on eight occasions. Along the way, the Maryland product has tallied seven double-doubles and a 33-10-10 triple-double versus the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 8. Fears, a 19-year-old guard from Oklahoma, is averaging 14.2 points per game on 43.3% shooting. He’s got eight 20-point games of his own.

Not only are they young and entertaining, but they’re also players picked by first-year Pelicans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

Dumars inherited the other three players on the list Haynes reported.

Williamson headlines that group.

The two-time All-Star forward is still only 25 years old. If there’s a time to sell high on him, it’s probably now. The often-injured Williamson has played in 13 straight games. He’s started the past six, averaging 24.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1 steal per game while shooting 61.6% from the field in that span.

He’s healthy at the moment, and his contract is non-guaranteed for the next two seasons. 

The thought was that the Pelicans could be aggressive at the deadline, moving veteran starters, such as Williamson, to regain assets. 

New Orleans owes its 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks after going up to get Queen in last year’s draft. The franchise doesn’t have a second-round pick until the 2030 draft.

And yet, per Haynes’ report, it appears the Pelicans could be sticking with their core past the deadline.

Pelicans reportedly telling teams they’re keeping Zion Williamson, handful of others beyond trade deadline

Trae Young was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night. News of the transaction broke while the four-time All-Star point guard was on the end of the bench in street clothes, still recovering from a quad contusion.

The Hawks dealt their biggest star in exchange for guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. And, so, the first domino ahead of the league’s Feb. 5 trade deadline fell during a Hawks home game, perhaps ironically against the New Orleans Pelicans, who, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, aren’t trending toward any trade of that kind.

In fact, per Haynes, the Pelicans are telling teams that Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones as well as 2025 first-rounders Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears will remain in New Orleans beyond the deadline.

The 8-31 Pelicans have the second-worst record in the NBA. They fired head coach Willie Green in November, 12 games into his fifth season at the helm. James Borrego, former head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and associate head coach on Green’s staff, took Green’s place in an interim role.

Currently, the team is suffering through a nine-game skid, crashing back to Earth after a five-game win streak provided a glimpse of holiday hope last month.

New Orleans clinging to Queen and Fears wouldn’t be surprising. For one, they’re promising rookies. 

Queen is averaging 12.9 points per game, and the 21-year-old center has gone for 20 or more on eight occasions. Along the way, the Maryland product has tallied seven double-doubles and a 33-10-10 triple-double versus the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 8. Fears, a 19-year-old guard from Oklahoma, is averaging 14.2 points per game on 43.3% shooting. He’s got eight 20-point games of his own.

Not only are they young and entertaining, but they’re also players picked by first-year Pelicans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

Dumars inherited the other three players on the list Haynes reported.

Williamson headlines that group.

The two-time All-Star forward is still only 25 years old. If there’s a time to sell high on him, it’s probably now. The often-injured Williamson has played in 13 straight games. He’s started the past six, averaging 24.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1 steal per game while shooting 61.6% from the field in that span.

He’s healthy at the moment, and his contract is non-guaranteed for the next two seasons. 

The thought was that the Pelicans could be aggressive at the deadline, moving veteran starters, such as Williamson, to regain assets. 

New Orleans owes its 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks after going up to get Queen in last year’s draft. The franchise doesn’t have a second-round pick until the 2030 draft.

And yet, per Haynes’ report, it appears the Pelicans could be sticking with their core past the deadline.

Mavericks’ Anthony Davis suffers ligament damage in left hand, could reportedly miss ‘a number of months’

Anthony Davis, considered a top trade target ahead of the NBA trade deadline, is reportedly set to miss time with a hand injury. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Chris Gardner via Getty Images

Anthony Davis will miss more time, possibly even “a number of months,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon, who reported Friday that the Dallas Mavericks standout center sustained ligament damage in his left hand during a Thursday night loss to the Utah Jazz.

The length of Davis’ recovery will depend on the second opinion he receives. There’s a real chance the 10-time All-Star will be sidelined through the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline and potentially beyond that day if surgery is required, per Charania.

Even if the 32-year-old Davis doesn’t have a procedure done, he’s expected to miss at least six weeks, according to ESPN’s report. The Mavs later confirmed there was ligament damage in Davis’ hand and said they were evaluating their medical options.

Davis has been considered a top trade target for a while now, although his latest setback could affect his value. Last season, he was part of one of the league’s most shocking deals ever when the Los Angeles Lakers shipped him to Dallas as part of a three-team trade that delivered five-time All-NBA first-team guard Luka Dončić to L.A.

While Dončić has become the face of the franchise Davis won a championship with during the 2020 season, Davis has had a turbulent experience with the Mavericks.

The big man has appeared in just 29 regular-season games, as well as two play-in games, since infamous Dallas general manager Nico Harrison acquired him last February.

Following the trade, the former No. 1 overall pick was healing up from an abdominal injury. He hurried back and instantly starred with a dominant first half on Feb. 8 against the Houston Rockets, but an adductor strain related to the injury he was recovering from spoiled his night.

He missed the next six weeks of action.

Then, during an April 2 game versus the Atlanta Hawks, Mavericks teammate Daniel Gafford accidentally elbowed Davis in his right eye. The injury ultimately required offseason surgery to repair a detached retina, and now Davis wears protective eyewear on the floor.

Five games into this season, on Oct. 29 versus the Indiana Pacers, Davis suffered a left calf strain that kept him out 14 games after Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont reportedly delayed green-lighting the Kentucky product’s return until the team had medical data indicating Davis wasn’t at risk of aggravating the injury. Along the way, Harrison was fired. 

Davis came back in late November, only to then exit the Mavs’ Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors with right groin spasms.

Davis was back in the lineup on New Year’s Day, however, but he picked up his hand injury a week later while defending Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen on a baseline drive Thursday.

Injuries have been a thorn in Davis’ side throughout his career, which started with New Orleans in 2012, continued in Los Angeles and has practically gone dormant in Dallas.

Davis is due $58.5 million next season, per ESPN, which reported that he has a player option for $62.8 million in 2027-28.

Mavericks’ Anthony Davis suffers ligament damage in left hand, could reportedly miss ‘a number of months’

Anthony Davis, considered a top trade target ahead of the NBA trade deadline, is reportedly set to miss time with a hand injury. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Chris Gardner via Getty Images

Anthony Davis will miss more time, possibly even “a number of months,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon, who reported Friday that the Dallas Mavericks standout center sustained ligament damage in his left hand during a Thursday night loss to the Utah Jazz.

The length of Davis’ recovery will depend on the second opinion he receives. There’s a real chance the 10-time All-Star will be sidelined through the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline and potentially beyond that day if surgery is required, per Charania.

Even if the 32-year-old Davis doesn’t have a procedure done, he’s expected to miss at least six weeks, according to ESPN’s report. The Mavs later confirmed there was ligament damage in Davis’ hand and said they were evaluating their medical options.

Davis has been considered a top trade target for a while now, although his latest setback could affect his value. Last season, he was part of one of the league’s most shocking deals ever when the Los Angeles Lakers shipped him to Dallas as part of a three-team trade that delivered five-time All-NBA first-team guard Luka Dončić to L.A.

While Dončić has become the face of the franchise Davis won a championship with during the 2020 season, Davis has had a turbulent experience with the Mavericks.

The big man has appeared in just 29 regular-season games, as well as two play-in games, since infamous Dallas general manager Nico Harrison acquired him last February.

Following the trade, the former No. 1 overall pick was healing up from an abdominal injury. He hurried back and instantly starred with a dominant first half on Feb. 8 against the Houston Rockets, but an adductor strain related to the injury he was recovering from spoiled his night.

He missed the next six weeks of action.

Then, during an April 2 game versus the Atlanta Hawks, Mavericks teammate Daniel Gafford accidentally elbowed Davis in his right eye. The injury ultimately required offseason surgery to repair a detached retina, and now Davis wears protective eyewear on the floor.

Five games into this season, on Oct. 29 versus the Indiana Pacers, Davis suffered a left calf strain that kept him out 14 games after Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont reportedly delayed green-lighting the Kentucky product’s return until the team had medical data indicating Davis wasn’t at risk of aggravating the injury. Along the way, Harrison was fired. 

Davis came back in late November, only to then exit the Mavs’ Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors with right groin spasms.

Davis was back in the lineup on New Year’s Day, however, but he picked up his hand injury a week later while defending Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen on a baseline drive Thursday.

Injuries have been a thorn in Davis’ side throughout his career, which started with New Orleans in 2012, continued in Los Angeles and has practically gone dormant in Dallas.

Davis is due $58.5 million next season, per ESPN, which reported that he has a player option for $62.8 million in 2027-28.

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler hit with 80-game ban for positive drug test

Max Kepler of the Phillies celebrates his solo home run in the seventh inning of a May game against the Diamondbacks.Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, Major League Baseball announced on Friday, a ruling that sidelines the veteran as he looks for his next club.

The suspension stems from a positive test for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of the prohibited steroid trenbolone prohibited under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The ban takes effect immediately and would apply if Kepler signs with a team during the 2026 season.

Related: Trump loomed over baseball’s Hall of Fame. But voters still said no to Bonds and Clemens

Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran who spent the first decade of his career with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Philadelphia Phillies last season. As a free agent, he was not under contract at the time of the announcement but remains subject to the league’s drug program.

In a statement, MLB said the suspension was issued following a violation of its jointly administered drug policy with the Major League Baseball Players Association. The league did not provide further details about the circumstances of the test or whether Kepler intends to appeal.

Epitrenbolone has been linked to past anti-doping cases across professional sports. In 2018, the substance was cited in the suspension of heavyweight boxer Manuel Charr after a positive test halted his title defense. It was also at the center of a US Anti-Doping Agency case involving a 90-year-old American cyclist who was stripped of a masters world record in 2020.

Kepler, a native of Berlin who holds the MLB career record for home runs by a German-born player, debuted with the Twins in 2015 and emerged as a fixture in their outfield, known for his left-handed power and steady defense. He was a key contributor to multiple postseason teams in Minnesota, including the club’s division-winning seasons in 2019 and 2020.

An 80-game suspension is the standard penalty for a first offense under MLB’s drug program involving performance-enhancing substances. Players suspended under the policy are ineligible to participate in regular-season games or the postseason during the suspension period and do not receive pay.

Fantasy Basketball Weekend Must-Starts: Ajay Mitchell set to step up with Thunder starters out

In head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.

Eight teams only play once this weekend, including the Hornets, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pistons, Pacers, Lakers and Jazz. Avoid those teams if you’re just looking to maximize your games played.

That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo!’s High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.

OKC will play Friday’s game without multiple starters, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has an ankle injury. That should allow Mitchell to step into the starting lineup, where he has averaged 15.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.4 triples on efficient shooting splits. For Friday’s game against the Grizzlies, Mitchell should be in for a big night, and if he returns to the bench for Sunday’s game against the Heat, he should still be productive. Miami is second in pace over their last 10 games and first over the course of the whole season.

Mitchell has been excellent off the bench all season, yet he’s still only rostered in 29% of Yahoo! leagues. Most of his value is tied to efficient shooting and steals, but he has been able to elevate his scoring and assists when given the opportunity. He should be rostered for the rest of the season, but this weekend should be a particularly productive one for him.

McBride should remain in the starting lineup for Friday’s game against the Suns, and if Josh Hart (ankle) remains out against the Trail Blazers on Sunday, McBride could start again. Even as a reserve, he has been on fire lately. The matchups aren’t necessarily “favorable” but the opportunity is too good to pass up.

Carrington entered the starting lineup with CJ McCollum (quad) out on Wednesday, and with McCollum now in Atlanta and Trae Young (quad) out, Carrington should remain a starter. There is a real chance that Trae doesn’t suit up often this season, so Carrington could end up as a starter for the rest of the season. The Wizards take on the Pelicans on Friday, which is a more favorable matchup than the Suns on Sunday, but this could be more than a short-term add.

With Ja Morant (calf) sidelined for a fourth straight game on Friday and potentially sidelined again on Sunday against the Nets, Spencer should remain a starter. It won’t hurt that the game on Friday will be against OKC’s backups. Spencer’s scoring has been volatile, but the assists have come consistently, which is most of his streaming appeal.

Brooks has taken a massive leap as a scorer, and he’ll get to take on two teams that have struggled recently on defense this weekend. Over the last 10 games, the Knicks are 28th in defensive rating, and the Wizards are 21st. The lack of production in other categories limits his fantasy impact, but Brooks should be in for some big scoring nights.

Eason has been excellent since entering the starting unit for Houston, and this weekend provides two favorable matchups. The Trail Blazers have the worst turnover percentage in the NBA, and Eason’s bread and butter is forcing turnovers. Then the Rockets take on the Kings, who have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league. It’ll happen in different ways, but Eason should be in for a productive two-game stretch.

CMB has had some strong performances recently as a starter, and with how many injuries the Raptors are dealing with, he should be able to keep it going this weekend. Scottie Barnes (knee) is doubtful, and Brandon Ingram (thumb) is questionable, which only means more minutes and opportunities for CMB. They play the 76ers on Sunday, and they have been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league recently.

Adams is starting with Alperen Şengün (ankle) sidelined, and when he gets the opportunity, he’s able to dominate the glass. Portland on Friday isn’t a great matchup, but taking on the Kings on Sunday is favorable since they’re one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. Adams can provide other stats, but his domination on the boards is enough for him to be worth streaming.

With Nikola Jokić and Jonas Valančiūnas out, Nnaji hasn’t started, but he has been more productive off the bench than DaRon Holmes II has been as the starting center for Denver. The Nuggets play the Hawks and Bucks this weekend, and Atlanta has been bad on the glass for most of the season. However, this is less about matchups and more about just how good Nnaji has been.

Landale has been starting at center for Memphis, which has led to some strong performances recently, mostly as a rebounder. On Friday, the Grizz play the OKC backups, which means a matchup with Branden Carlson. Landale should be productive, and then on Sunday, it’s a matchup with the Nets. They have been a bottom-10 rebounding team over the past 10 games, which provides Landale with a great opportunity.

NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Now Atlanta can go hard after Anthony Davis, but should they?

We’ve had one big trade — Trae Young going to the Wizards — and now another big name is available at the deadline in Ja Morant (for the latest on him, click here). Let’s break down the latest rumors.

Pelicans standing pat

There are a number of teams interested in Pelicans’ wings Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III, but not at a return that decision maker Joe Dumars and the Pelicans consider fair, so they are taking their ball and going home, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Two thoughts. First, this is a classic “we’re walking away from the negotiating table” tactic to encourage better offers. Maybe those come, maybe they don’t, but the Pelicans are not done talking. Second, there was zero chance that Derik Queen or Jeremiah Fears are now or were ever available via trade.

Anthony Davis

In the wake of trading away Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks gave themselves more financial flexibility to go after an Anthony Davis trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. The Hawks didn’t want the massive contracts of Young and Davis on the books at the same time, according to the report, but now Young is out the door for an expiring contract in CJ McCollum, giving the Hawks more flexibility.

Atlanta has been the most aggressive suitor for an Anthony Davis trade. Should they be? Should the Hawks go after Davis?

I just do not like the fit. Let’s stipulate that, when healthy, Davis is a top-15-20 player in the league who impacts the game on both ends of the court. He just had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks last night and — again, when healthy — would boost the Hawks frontcourt.

But he is a 32-year-old with a lengthy injury history — he has played 65+ games once in the previous eight seasons and has missed 18 games already this season — who is owed $58 million next season, has a $62 million player option for the season after that, and is looking for a contract extension.

Atlanta is now what every team in the league is striving to be — long, athletic, young and versatile. And, they are going to end up with a very high draft pick next June in a very deep draft, courtesy of the New Orleans Pelicans. The rest of the Hawks’ core is young. Jalen Johnson should be an All-Star this season and is 24, Dyson Daniels is 22, Zaccharie Risacher is 20, and the “old man” of the group is Nickeil Alexander-Walker at 27.

Adding Davis, who will be 33 next season when the Hawks want to make a push and become a threat in the East, changes that dynamic — and how many wins does he really bring with him? Atlanta would need Davis to play the five, but he famously does not want to do that full-time and prefers to play at the four.

If Atlanta wants to make this trade, it cannot aggregate CJ McCollum or Corey Kispert into it under the terms of the CBA. That means the trade would have to center on returning Kristaps Porziņģis to Dallas, plus adding the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, Risacher, and Luke Kennard. Atlanta has reportedly been adamant that it does not want to include Risacher in a trade for Davis.

Atlanta should get out of the Davis market, look for a point guard such as Coby White who might be available (or other players on the margins), and, this off-season, look for a star player on the timeline of their other talent. Trading away Young to bring in Davis feels like a lateral move.

Dallas may get to see what Davis, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving look like playing together after all, with any major roster changes on hold until the summer.

Jonathan Kuminga

Going back to last offseason, the Sacramento Kings have been the team most often linked to a Kuminga trade. It makes some sense, the Kings are simply in need of more young talent and taking a flier on Kuminga — hoping a new setting will help him thrive — is not a bad roll of the dice.

The challenge? Golden State doesn’t like what Sacramento has to offer, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic.

Yet because the Warriors have shown no interest in the Kings’ many available veterans, a third team likely will be required to get something done. There’s this key development, too: While the Kings offered a protected 2030 first-round pick and Monk when they tried to land Kuminga via sign-and-trade in the summer, league sources say the first-round pick is no longer in play.

The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards also have “all have different levels of interest” in Kuminga, reports Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Kuminga can be traded as of Jan. 15, but don’t expect an immediate deal once the restrictions are off. Nothing seems particularly close to happening at this point.

Domantas Sabonis

While we are talking about the Kings’ trades, Domantas Sabonis continues to be linked to the Toronto Raptors, a team known to be looking for a center, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Just a reminder that the current Kings general manager, Scott Perry, drafted both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley when he was with the Knicks.

New York Knicks

While the Knicks may have lost 4-of-5, don’t expect that to push them toward a major trade or shaking up this roster. What owner James Dolan said in a rare interview reportedly is the thinking internally at Madison Square Garden — they like their team as it is and their chances of making the NBA Finals. Here is what James L. Edwards III wrote at The Athletic.

“Per league sources, before this skid, any move the Knicks made — if they made one at all — would be around the margins.”

Don’t expect that to change unless this slump — and the team’s struggling defense — continues. Then all bets are off.

A Veteran Hockey Critic’s Defense Of Rangers Owner James Dolan

Veteran sports analyst Steve Viuker of Brooklyn believes that James Dolan is getting a bit of a bum rap from his critics. Viuker makes points that command attention. To wit:

1. KNICKERBOCKERS: Dolan’s baby, his Knicks,  are a very exciting NBA contender.

2. RANGERS: Although they aren’t exactly hotshots, Steve says “They Blueshirts are usually competitive.”

3. OTHER OWNERS ARE WORSE: Viuker mentions the likes of sports bosses Don Sterling, Clippers, Woody Johnson of the Jets and – perhaps he has forgotten – the Maras of football Giants infamy. 

“For better or worse,” read Viuker concludes, “Jim Dolan is a hands-on owner. While he may be far from the best owner, there are many who are much worse!”