Sources: Pistons’ Duren joins dunk contest field
Pistons center Jalen Duren, a first-time All-Star, will participate in the NBA slam dunk contest at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, sources told ESPN.
Sources: Bucks countering trade offers for Giannis
Sources: Bucks countering trade offers for Giannis
The Bucks have submitted counteroffers to teams aggressively seeking a trade for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources told ESPN.
What we’re hearing before the NBA trade deadline: Latest intel on Harden, Giannis, more
What we’re hearing before the NBA trade deadline: Latest intel on Harden, Giannis, more
Which players and teams are Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst watching?
Terry Rozier Wins Arbitrator Decision, $26.6M Salary Released From Escrow
Terry Rozier Wins Arbitrator Decision, $26.6M Salary Released From Escrow
An arbitrator ruled Monday in favor of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a salary dispute with the NBA that arose following his federal indictment in a gambling investigation. The decision means Rozier’s salary will be released from escrow, sources told ESPN.
The arbitrator determined that under Collective Bargaining Agreement terms, players cannot be placed on unpaid leave except in domestic abuse or child abuse cases. Rozier’s approximately $26.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season had been held in escrow since December.
The Heat and NBA agreed to withhold Rozier’s salary after his October arrest and indictment as part of a federal gambling investigation. Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was also implicated in the probe.
The National Basketball Players Association appealed the agreement to withhold payment. The union filed the grievance on behalf of Rozier shortly after the escrow arrangement was announced.
“We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process,” an NBPA spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN.
Rozier pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges of wire fraud and money laundering. His attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case in December, citing government overreach.
Federal prosecutors allege Rozier informed an associate he would remove himself early from a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. The associate allegedly sold the information to gamblers, who bet more than $200,000 on the under for Rozier’s statistics in that contest.
The government’s response to the dismissal motion is due Monday. ESPN reached out to the NBA for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Rozier remains on Miami’s roster but has not appeared in any games this season. The Heat have kept him away from team activities since the indictment became public.
The ruling sets a precedent for how the NBA can handle player compensation during ongoing legal proceedings. The decision reinforces CBA protections that limit circumstances under which teams can withhold player salaries.
Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots: Trade partners for Bucks as deadline nears
Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots: Trade partners for Bucks as deadline nears
Now more than ever, it’s a near inevitability that Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are nearing the end of their relationship.
It may come before the Thursday, Feb. 5 trading deadline, or it may come in the offseason, but Antetokounmpo has reportedly indicated that he’s ready to move on from the Bucks. Milwaukee, understandably, has started to listen to offers and may consider shipping the two-time Most Valuable Player before the deadline.
Yet, even if a deal cannot be reached by then, the Bucks could still move Antetokounmpo over the offseason, when suitors would have more financial flexibility and draft capital available to package in an offer.
With that said, which teams can actually present compelling cases to land the versatile star?
Here are potential landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Chicago Bulls
This is an option that has come on strong over the past few days. The Bulls have been caught somewhere between trying to contend in the East but coming up short and showing hesitation to fully rebuild. A trade for Antetokounmpo would indicate Chicago is going all-in.
The Bulls, however, have a mix of young players and draft capital. Chicago can package several first-round picks and pick swaps over the next few drafts, so the question will come down to how Milwaukee views Chicago’s players. Point guard Josh Giddey (23) and shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu (26) are the most appealing trade chips, but the Bulls will also probably try to unload guard Coby White (25) or center Zach Collins (28).
As with any team that would be looking to swing a deal, it would be hard to part with these high-value assets unless Antetokounmpo would commit to his new franchise for the long-term. Chicago is close to Milwaukee, and that might provide some comfort for Antetokounmpo.
Miami Heat
This is going to depend on what the Bucks are actually prioritizing in a return, but the Heat may have a compelling case. Miami has more depth than star power and it has some younger players with promise who could be part of a Bucks rebuild.
The centerpiece would be 2024-25 All-Star guard Tyler Herro (26 years old), who has had injury concerns, but who has been a steady scoring threat when on the floor. Second-year center Kel’el Ware (21) is another intriguing player who has excellent rebounding ability; Ware ranks seventh in the NBA in rebounds this season (435), despite playing considerably fewer minutes than the players ahead of him. Ware has had motor concerns, but he’s an excellent lob threat and can stretch the floor with shooting range.
Miami can also offer a combination of Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24), Pelle Larsson (24), Nikola Jović (22), Kasparas Jakučionis (19) and two first-round draft picks. And, if Miami can move Andrew Wiggins (perhaps to the Lakers, say), the Heat could potentially recoup another pick to package in an Antetokounmpo deal.
Golden State Warriors
Whereas Miami has a blend of talent and draft capital, the Warriors have an abundance of picks. Golden State can trade up to four first-round draft picks, but it lacks young and promising players that might entice the Bucks. Jonathan Kuminga is the lone piece in that equation, and — even then — he has been inconsistent and has frequently played himself out of Steve Kerr’s rotation.
In fact, just to make the salaries work, Golden State would need to include costly veterans like Draymond Green (turns 36 in early March) or Jimmy Butler (36; torn anterior cruciate ligament). For a team that would be looking to rebuild, those are simply not exciting options. For Milwaukee to like this deal, it would need to think that the post-Stephen Curry years would lead to lean seasons, and therefore more desirable draft picks. It might be hard, however, for Bucks general manager Jon Horst to justify a trade that ships Antetokounmpo if there’s no promising young player attached to it.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Reportedly, Minnesota is being aggressive in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but it may lack the draft capital to pull it off. All of which means the Timberwolves would need to include a third or fourth team to execute the deal.
What they do have is early- and mid-career players who may tempt Milwaukee. Jaden McDaniels (25), Terrence Shannon Jr. (25), Rob Dillingham (21) and Joan Beringer (19) are the young pieces. But, given that the Timberwolves would need to involve another team(s?), veterans like Julius Randle and Naz Reid could potentially need to be involved.
The Bucks would certainly listen, but there’s no question this doesn’t get done unless other teams reroute first-round draft picks toward Milwaukee.
New York Knicks
This had reportedly been Antetokounmpo’s preferred landing spot, given its market size, ability to compete for championships and proximity to international airports that can get him to his native Greece with relative ease.
And while the Knicks do have some interesting assets that could entice the Bucks, New York doesn’t have draft capital or young players with promise.
For one, the easy assumption is that forward-center Karl-Anthony Towns would be a seamless swap, but Milwaukee just signed center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract that keeps him with the Bucks through the 2027-28 season, with a player option for the following year.
Turner and Towns have similar skill sets, and Towns feels like a redundancy in Milwaukee. The Bucks are probably more intrigued by wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, with whom New York might be less willing to part. The Knicks would almost certainly require the addition of a third or fourth team to facilitate the deal.
The Bucks reportedly prefer younger talent and draft capital, neither of which the Knicks necessarily have, at least right now. Towns is 30, Bridges 29, Anunoby 28. Backup point guard Miles McBride is 25, but he would need to be a secondary piece in any deal. For this to work, the Knicks would need to get creative in finding ways to sweeten their package.
Either way, an ESPN report Monday, Feb. 2 indicated that the Knicks aren’t aggressively pursuing Antetokounmpo and like their core. An alternative read of this report is that New York may be trying to preserve optics if it received an indication that the Bucks didn’t express interest in their package.
Atlanta Hawks
This looks like another interesting spot because the Hawks do have a balance of both young talent and draft capital. For one, the Hawks already own a massively valuable draft pick, an unprotected 2026 first-rounder that’s the most favorable between the Pelicans and the Bucks. New Orleans currently has the NBA’s third-worst winning percentage and the Bucks are 18-27. There’s a high likelihood that this pick will be a high lottery selection.
The Hawks may not want to part with that selection, but Atlanta nonetheless has plenty of draft capital and swaps it can offer.
The Bucks, though, may want to get talented forward Jalen Johnson in return. The Hawks have built their team around Johnson and may not make him available. That would complicate things, as Zaccharie Risacher, rookie Asa Newell and Luke Kennard likely won’t be enough to sway Milwaukee.
The field
Could the Phoenix Suns be a player in a package led by Jalen Green, a dynamic but inconsistent athlete who has played just four games this year? Could the Cleveland Cavaliers feel they need to make a drastic shift to contend, potentially packaging Evan Mobley in a deal? Could the Dallas Mavericks send veterans like Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson to Milwaukee? What about a young team like the Washington Wizards, who have more young players than veterans?
What about teams that are already contenders like the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs? Could they tear up their current (and successful) builds for a push to compete? This seems less likely.
There’s always the possibility of the infamous mystery team that could be lurking. The reality is, of the 29 teams in the NBA aside from the Bucks, all but one or two of them are probably discussing if there’s a viable path to get him.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots, best Bucks trade partners
WNBA and players' union meet for 3 hours to try to push forward stalled CBA negotiations
WNBA and players' union meet for 3 hours to try to push forward stalled CBA negotiations
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and the players’ union met for a few hours Monday for the first time in several weeks to try to move the stalled collective bargaining negotiations forward.
Union president Nneka Ogwumike walked out of the NBA offices around 1:30 p.m. — three hours after she got there — and said “no we can’t (talk)” when asked for comment. She was joined by executive committee members Brianna Turner and Alysha Clark. Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier planned on being at the meeting, but had flight issues so Zoomed in along with Breanna Stewart.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and members of the labor relations committee were in attendance as well as New York Liberty owners Clara Wu and Joe Tsai.
Talks to reach a new CBA haven’t had much traction over the last few weeks as the union says it is waiting for a response to a proposal it sent around Christmas that included a 30% gross revenue share for the players. According to a person familiar with the negotiations, the league didn’t feel that proposal was much different then the previous one that the union had sent.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
The league’s most recent offer last month would guarantee a maximum base salary of $1 million in 2026 that could reach $1.3 million through revenue sharing.
That’s up from the current $249,000 and could grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement, the person told the AP.
The two sides have been in a “status quo” period after the latest extension of the current CBA ran out on Jan. 9. They agreed to a moratorium a few days later that halted the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
If a new CBA isn’t agreed upon soon, it could delay the start of the 2026 season. It’s already delayed the expansion draft for Toronto and Portland. The league did release its schedule last month with the regular season set to begin May 8.
The last CBA was announced in the middle of January 2020, a month after it had been agreed to. It could easily take two months from when a new CBA is reached to get to the start of free agency, which was supposed to begin last month.
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NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina
NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina
WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A bomb cyclone over North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday night because the snow-covered roads are too dangerous for teams and fans to get to historic Bowman-Gray Stadium.
The Clash had been scheduled to run Sunday night and has now been postponed twice, with a schedule adjustment, because of the intense snowfall that blanketed the area. NASCAR first condensed the race into a one-day, Sunday-only show, then pushed the race to Monday.
NASCAR said Sunday it was moving it to Wednesday evening “due to the impacts of historic winter weather across the North Carolina region.”
The race is now scheduled to run one week before qualifying for the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, where The Clash was held from 1979 through 2022.
The Clash went to a temporary track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium for three seasons, then moved to its grassroots anchor at Bowman Gray last year.
Its first year was a success but the second running has been interrupted by the bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system. It contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of snow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest city and home base for the majority of the NASCAR teams.
The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all time in Charlotte, said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with weather prediction center in College Park, Maryland.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Koby Altman releases statement after Cavs trade away De’Andre Hunter
Koby Altman releases statement after Cavs trade away De’Andre Hunter
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the three-team trade that broke late last night official. The Cavs acquired Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Sacremento Kings along with Emanuel Miller from the Chicago Bulls. In return, the Cavs shipped De’Andre Hunter to the Kings and a second-round pick to the Bulls. To make room for Ellis, the Cavs waived former second-round pick Luke Travers.
The team announced the news on Sunday afternoon, along with a statement from Koby Altman, the Cavs’ president of basketball operations.
The statement from Altman reads:
“After careful evaluation and a clearer view of the Eastern Conference landscape, we believe adding Dennis and Keon strengthens our depth, expands our flexibility, and positions us to keep building a Championship caliber team now and into the future. In a season defined by its parity, this move better aligns us for a deeper postseason run. I’m thankful as well to De’Andre, who made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Cleveland and represented the Cavaliers with class. We appreciate everything he did for us both on and off the court, and we wish him the best in Sacramento. We drafted Luke in 2022 and have seen his development improve each year and thank him for his contributions to the franchise.”
The most interesting part of this statement to me is that Altman mentioned that the trade “expands our flexibility.” The move saves the Cavs approximately $50 million in luxury cap payments this season. That is something that would undoubtedly interest the ownership group. However, it also got the Cavs closer to getting under the second-apron threshold. Cutting the money that they did makes it more viable for them to go big-game hunting if they wanted to.
We’ll see what other moves, if any, the Cavs make before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
NBA forced to push back Spurs-Magic game after winter storm, travel issues prevent Spurs from leaving Charlotte
NBA forced to push back Spurs-Magic game after winter storm, travel issues prevent Spurs from leaving Charlotte
After a winter-storm delay and a plane-equipment issue, the San Antonio Spurs are finally on their way home to play the Orlando Magic. But in order to give the Spurs adequate time to prepare, the NBA has now pushed back the contest to 9 p.m. ET.
The NBA anticipated weather would be an issue Saturday. With the Spurs unable to leave Charlotte due to a winter storm, the league initially pushed the game time back from 3 p.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET.
But the Spurs experienced a minor equipment issue on their plane out of Charlotte on Sunday, forcing the team to stop in Atlanta so it could switch to a new plane. That unexpected delay forced the league to push back the game’s start time to 9 p.m. ET.
SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR SUNDAY, FEB. 1:
The Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs game will now tip off at 9 p.m. ET due to Spurs’ travel issues today.— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 1, 2026
The Spurs were initially supposed to leave Charlotte following San Antonio’s 111-106 loss to the Hornets on Saturday. But Charlotte saw 11 inches of snow during the day, causing the Spurs to reschedule their flight to Sunday, hoping things would be clearer by then.
That proved to be true … but then their plane experienced an equipment issue.
After a stop in Atlanta, the Spurs’ plane finally got off the ground around 2:22 p.m. ET. It’s a two-hour flight to get back to San Antonio. From there, the team will presumably head straight to the arena to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Magic.
Following Saturday’s loss, the Spurs sit at 32-16 entering Sunday, good for third place in the Western Conference. The Magic, meanwhile, are 25-22 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
The travel issues could wind up playing a significant role in Sunday’s contest. The two teams have already met once this season, with the Spurs picking up a narrow 114-112 win over the Magic back in early December.
Spurs players will need to dig deep following a difficult couple hours of travel if they want to push past the Magic on Sunday.
Boozer's 24 points carry No. 4 Duke to 72-58 victory over Virginia Tech
Boozer's 24 points carry No. 4 Duke to 72-58 victory over Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 24 points to lead No. 4 Duke to a 72-58 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday for its ninth straight win.
Boozer, coming off a 19-point effort in the Blue Devils’ 83-52 victory over No. 20 Louisville on Monday, connected on 9 of 12 from the floor, grabbed eight rebounds and had five assists for Duke (20-1, 9-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which moved to 7-0 in true road games this season.
Duke has won 31 of its past 32 games against ACC opponents.
Amani Hansberry paced Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5) with 20 points.
Duke never trailed and led by as many as 13 in the second half before the Hokies rallied. Desperately seeking a Quad 1 victory in hopes of bolstering its NCAA Tournament hopes — the Hokies have just one all season — Virginia Tech cut the Duke lead to 62-56 on a jumper by Jailen Bedford with 6:10 remaining.
But Boozer answered for the Blue Devils, scoring the next seven points, the last three on a 3-pointer with 1:30 remaining that gave Duke a 69-56 lead and the Blue Devils pulled away.
The ACC’s best scoring defense (64.6 ppg) coming into the game, Duke held Virginia Tech to just two points in the final six minutes, forcing four turnovers and limiting the Hokies to 1 of 7 from the floor in that span.
Maliq Brown and Isaiah Evans each had 11 points for Duke, which shot 52.5% (31 of 59).
Bedford finished with 12 points for Virginia Tech, and Ben Hammond had 11, but the Hokies shot just 41.8% (23 of 55) and made just 7 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Up next
Duke hosts Boston College on Tuesday.
Virginia Tech plays at N.C. State on Saturday.
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