Years of tension between Spike Lee and Knicks owner James Dolan finally came to an end after an emotional moment following the Knicks’ sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 130 to 93 last week. The New York Knicks are going to their first-ever finals since 1999, when they played the Spurs. They did lose in five games to the eventual dynasty Spurs with Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan. But beyond the basketball celebration with the Knicks after beating the Cavs in four games, one of the biggest storylines after the game was when Dolan personally invited Lee to join the team’s on-court celebration.

Lee has always been there for the New York Knicks, going back into the 1900s. The director was standing around the restricted VIP area on the court after the game when Dolan noticed him. The next owner repeatedly walked over and waved late into the celebration area, where the two embraced as the players and staff celebrated the Eastern Conference title. Photos of the moment quickly spread across social media.

Because it marked a dramatic shift from the highly public feud that began in 2020, in which Spike Lee accused Dolan of harassing him after being denied access through an employee entrance he claimed he had used for decades. Disagreement quickly escalated to a public war of words.

At the time, though Lee just criticized Dolan publicly and even called for a long time next owner to sell the franchise. They did have a strained relationship, but it’s good to see them hugging and out, and now many Knicks fans feel that way after years of losing and organizational instability.

Now the Knicks return to the MB finals, of course, for the first time since 1999, with celebrities such as Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Tracy Morgan in attendance as well.


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The Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in the Eastern Conference finals by the New York Knicks, but starting shooting guard James Harden claimed in the postgame press conference that the Cavaliers are the better team.

After a 130-93 home loss, Harden’s comments are questionable. The Cavaliers’ effort stood out for the wrong reasons—not just one player, but the whole team was slow getting back on defense, jogging or not hustling, whether that’s on coaching, ownership or the players. That’s embarrassing.

Maybe you could argue the Cavaliers were worn down after going to seven games against the Toronto Raptors in the first round and Detroit in the second round. But that’s still no excuse to play like this in an elimination game and get dominated.

Evan Mobley wasn’t good. Harden wasn’t great. Donovan Mitchell was the only player really contributing for Cleveland.

Still, head coach Kenny Atkinson called this season a success after reaching the Eastern Conference finals, especially after losing in the second round last year to the Indiana Pacers, who went on to make the NBA Finals.

Who knows if the Cavaliers will be back in this position, especially with Tyrese Halliburton and the Pacers expected to be healthy next season.

The Cavs also traded point guard Darius Garland for Harden in the middle of the season, hoping to make a deep run. But they got swept, and it’s clear this team needs leadership.

Any talk of a LeBron James return seems unlikely at this point. The Cavaliers are not in a good spot.

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The New York Knicks dominated the Eastern Conference finals, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999.

Since New York came back in Game 1 after being down 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Knicks have not let up all series. In each game, New York’s offense shot at a high level while the defense repeatedly overwhelmed the Cavaliers.
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Jalen Brunson started at point guard and delivered another strong performance, earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors.

With this postseason run, the Knicks have now won eight in a row and will play the winner of the Thunder-Spurs series in the NBA Finals on June 3.

This New York team may be under the radar compared to those in the Western Conference, but their effort and defensive intensity stand out. Veteran players like Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart can cause havoc and force turnovers. When the Knicks are hitting shots, they’re tough to beat.

Head coach Mike Brown, hired from Sacramento after being let go, also defeated his former team and coached LeBron James back in the early 2000s. That has to be a good feeling for him.

Since 2020, the Knicks have built this roster by acquiring Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks, trading for Josh Hart from the New Orleans Pelicans, adding Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and getting OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors.

They’ve also built depth, with Landry Shamet shooting 92 percent from 3-point range this series and Deuce McBride consistently knocking down threes off the bench. Now, the Knicks will wait to see who they’ll play in the NBA Finals—and what would be the better matchup: Victor Wembanyama or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

New York Knicks’ Mikal Bridges delivered another standout performance in Game 3 on Friday night.

The Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 in the Eastern Conference finals.

With the win, New York now leads the series 3-0.

Bridges once again played a major role on both ends of the floor for the Knicks, knocking down jump shots, defending, and forcing turnovers.

Throughout his career, Bridges has been known for his durability as an elite perimeter defender. He helped disrupt Cleveland’s offense while also scoring at key moments.

When the Knicks needed a bucket, Josh Hart started hitting 3-pointers as New York went on a 14-0 run in the third quarter.

Bridges helped maintain offensive production, keeping a 15- to 20-point lead. His defensive intensity is critical, especially when guarding stars like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

Bridges’ ability to dominate without the ball has been a big factor in the Knicks’ postseason success. He contributes to both offense and defense.

He played a similar role in Phoenix in 2021, hitting corner 3s and serving as a great defender as the Suns made the NBA Finals, nearly winning the championship before losing Game 6 to the Milwaukee Bucks.
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LeBron James, 41, remains the biggest topic of any NBA offseason storyline.

Questions are swirling around his future contract situation with the Los Angeles Lakers. What he decides in the coming months continues to dominate conversation on shows like First Take and across the basketball world.

​After completing another strong season—his 23rd NBA campaign—James now faces a major decision in the next stage of his career.

Of course, everyone knows James: a four-time NBA champion, the league’s highest-paid player, and the face of basketball for a generation.

​Some continue to speculate whether James could pursue a shorter contract or accept a pay cut with the Lakers, allowing them to improve the roster on a one-year deal before he retires.

James has several options: He could retire, return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to help their young squad—the Cavs are currently in the Eastern Conference finals—or return to the Lakers on a pay cut to help build around young star Luka Dončić.

​The salary discussion comes at a crucial time, following the Lakers’ second-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles is expected to be aggressive and pursue roster upgrades around Dončić. The Lakers need to make a significant move to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs for years to come—whether that means trading Austin Reaves for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, or making another bold move. The Lakers need a spark to return to championship contention.

A controversial no-foul call in the closing seconds overshadowed the Detroit Pistons‘ Game 5 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers after the Pistons managed to hold a lead through the first three quarters.

The incident that sparked the controversy occurred during a key possession for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Contact occurred off the ball with the Pistons disrupting the play. No foul was called on that sequence of play, allowing the quarter to end and sending the game into overtime.

The lack of a foul call quickly became controversial to the Pistons and their fans, as a foul call could have given the Detroit Pistons a chance to score from the free-throw line and decide the game from there.

After the game, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff expressed frustration with the incident, questioning the referees’ decision not to call a foul on the play.

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham added his discontent by acknowledging the nature of the play, as the sequence kept drawing discussion after the final buzzer. The no-call has become a major debate among NBA fans and analysts about whether a foul should have been called on that possession.

Despite a strong start to the playoffs for the Pistons. The result leaves the Pistons facing an uphill battle in the series, as they will now need to win two consecutive games to advance to the next round.

The loss shifts momentum back toward the Cavaliers, who now hold the opportunity to close out the series in the upcoming games. This is why this call was so consequential.

The outcome of the no-foul call going into overtime forced the Pistons into overtime and allowed the Cavaliers to cement their comeback and win the game. Either the Pistons or Cavaliers will advance to face the New York Knicks in the next round of the playoffs, raising the stakes for both teams as the series continues. With both sides fighting to extend their postseason run, the remaining games are expected to draw significant attention as the series approaches its conclusion.

This postseason is shaping up to be a “make-or-break” for the Cavaliers based on their future trajectory.

Guard Donovan Mitchell could depart Cleveland if the Cavaliers fall short in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is wide-open because Jayson Tatum is a month into his return and the Knicks have their inconsistencies. Detroit is the top seed at 60-22 and poses the biggest threat out of the East. The Cavaliers have a good chance to appear in the finals, an expectation that’s a factor in Michell’s decision to stay.

Fred Katz of The Athletic remarked that Cleveland will “discuss the possibility of trading Mitchell” over the summer if he opts not to sign an extension. The guard expressed his desire to remain in Cleveland on numerous occasions; this caused some to remain skeptical about this rumor because an early playoff exit may not be enough for a star player to pass up on a huge pay day.

Another factor that could affect Mitchell’s decision is whether or not the front office can afford to keep the current team intact for next season. James Harden is projected to decline his player option, while Evan Mobley, Max Strus and Dennis Schroder have high-paying contracts. Cleveland would surpass the second salary apron if all these players resign.

Time would tell if this rumor comes into fruition based on Cleveland’s postseason result, but things could turn in a heartbeat.

Former Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley added his perspective on the alleged cookie incident between former Heat star LeBron James and Heat owner Pat Riley. 

It’s been rumored that in the 2013-14 season, Riley took away James’ privilege of eating cookies and ice cream on the team plane. This was done without warning.

Beasley was a guest on the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe. He revealed details of the story, like how James’ personal chef made those cookies, not the team chefs. He noted what it was like when James was confronted about having the cookies.

“Bruh, that boy stood up. LeBron stood up like Thanos,” Beasley said.  “Where I play cards at, I can see where they bring the cookies from. I can see them scrambling. And LeBron stood up and yelled as far as the back. Everybody heard him. ‘Yo, if anybody do….’ That’s the first time I seen an organization get scared. From that point on, they tiptoed around.”

This story is rumored to be a big reason why James left the Heat after the 2013-14 season. Despite making the NBA finals, he left to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dwyane Wade was asked about this incident on the Underground Lounge podcast hosted by Lou Williams. He believed that the cookie incident was a big reason for James’s leaving.

“And I know this seems small, but when we get on that plane, all the little things matter. You got the s— that gets you through. When I get on this plane, I expect what I want because this is what gets me through,” Wade said. “I got to have my comforts along the way or I ain’t going to be me. Riley took all them comforts away.”

The Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 7 of the first round to move on to the second round of the NBA playoffs.

The Pistons successfully completed a 3-1 series comeback with their Game 7 win. The Pistons scored 40 points in the second quarter to have a double-digit lead at halftime.

Cade Cunningham had a strong game with 32 points and 12 assists. Cunningham was playing well even when the Pistons fell down 3-1. Cunningham is averaging 32.4 points per game in the playoffs, making him the leading scorer in the playoffs so far.

However, the Pistons couldn’t have won without Tobias Harris. Harris scored 30 points and secured nine rebounds. Harris averaged 21.6 points per game in the first round series. Harris signed a two-year, $52 million contract with the Pistons in the 2024 offseason. Some analysts thought this contract was an overpay, but Harris’ shooting and veteran leadership have been valuable for the Pistons. 

Paolo Banchero kept the Magic in the game with 36 points, including 15 in the second half. Banchero averaged 26.3 points per game in the first round series. Desmond Bane also had a solid game with 16 points and three 3-pointers made. 

Franz Wagner missed the final three games of the series with a right calf strain. He was averaging 17 points per game before his injury. Injuries have unfortunately been a consistent issue for Wagner the past two seasons. He played 60 games last season and just 34 this season. 

The Pistons will start their second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 5. The Pistons split the season series with the Cavaliers 2-2.

The Pistons only played one game against the Cavaliers after Cleveland acquired James Harden. Harden scored 18 points against them on March 3 to lead the Cavaliers to a 113-109 win.

In his 17th season in the NBA, James Harden is on the hunt for a ring. The star guard sees this season as his best opportunity to finally get over the hump.

“It’s the truth. That’s why I’m here,” Harden said.

Harden appeared in the 2012 NBA Finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder, only to lose to LeBron James and the Heat in five games. The guard made two conference finals with the Rockets but lost to the Warriors both times. His latest trips to the playoffs were with the Clippers, which ended in first-round exits.

Harden was paired with Donovan Mitchell on February 4th to boost Cleveland’s chances at a championship. Mitchell is looking for his first career conference finals appearance – Mitchell’s Cavaliers were eliminated in the second round the previous two seasons.

Coach Kenny Atkinson praised Harden’s ability to be a positive influence on the team. “He’s very bold, extroverted in talking with those guys, and it’s a huge help. He knows the things I don’t even see all the time.”

Cleveland is off to a good start this postseason after taking Game 1 from the Raptors. Harden scored 22 points and recorded 10 assists, while Mitchell dropped 32 points and tallied four assists. Max Strus scored 24 points off the bench on 80% shooting; Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley combined for 14 rebounds Saturday night.

There was concern heading into the series regarding the core four’s time together. Despite being together for seven games, they outscored opponents by 26.7 points per 100 possessions. Harden wasn’t concerned as he stated that Mitchell, Allen and Mobley were familiar with each other.

“It probably took me a game or two just to figure out where they like the ball and what to do, what not to do, and so I’m pretty familiar,” Harden said. “In the postseason for the most part, they’re going to guard you one way until game three, maybe game four, and make an adjustment. We’ll figure out what works, figure out how they guard us, and then talk about how we can adjust and counter them.

The Cavaliers will face Toronto on Thursday for Game 3.

Victor Wembanyama suffered a concussion in the San Antonio Spurs loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 106-103. This tied their playoff series at one win for each team. 

At the 9:02 mark in the second quarter, Wembanyama tried to do a spin move to get to the basket. Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday got out of the way to avoid committing a foul. This caused Wembanyama to lose balance. He took a hard fall on the floor and hit his head.

He was immediately placed in concussion protocol. After the game, the Spurs confirmed he suffered a concussion. He will undergo further testing, but the NBA concussion protocol requires Wembanyama to be completely inactive for 48 hours before attempting to return. 

With Wembanyama out, the Spurs needed their supporting pieces to step up. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell all shot under 40% from the field. Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet provided some help off the bench. Harper scored 10 points while Kornet secured nine rebounds. Despite this, the Spurs were unable to hold off the Trail Blazers. 

If Wembanyama needs to miss games for his concussion, Kornet is likely to become the new starting center. Kornet was a valuable piece to the 2024 Boston Celtics championship team. However, he’s only started 84 games in his nine-year NBA career, including one playoff start against the New York Knicks. 

Of course, somebody will need to replicate Kornet’s production off the bench. The Spurs currently have three centers on their playoff roster, but out of the rotation. Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee all have experience in playoff games. 

Olynyk played in 42 regular-season games for the Spurs. He played for one minute in Game 1. Olynyk played in 18 playoff games for the 2017 Celtics, including two starts against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Kawhi Leonard declined to talk about his future with the Los Angeles Clippers after they were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the play-in game.

The Warriors defeated the Clippers 126-121. Reporters asked whether Leonard plans to stay with the Clippers after this season, but he declined to answer.

“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” Leonard said.

Leonard scored 21 points in the loss. Benedict Mathurin led the Clippers in scoring with 23 points. Darius Garland also scored 21, while shooting better than Leonard from the field.

In the 2026-27 season, Leonard will be in the last year of his three-year, $149 million extension with the Clippers. He will be 35 at the end of next season.

Leonard joined the Clippers during the 2019 offseason. He signed with the Clippers after they made a massive trade to get Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was sent to the Thunder for George. George left the Clippers during the 2024 offseason to join the Philadelphia 76ers.

However, Leonard was not left without a star. In the 2023-24 season, the Clippers made a trade for James Harden. Entering this season, the Clippers looked to build around the star duo of Leonard and Harden. However, Harden requested a trade at the deadline and was sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

This leaves Leonard on the Clippers without another star. The last time he was unhappy with his situation was with the San Antonio Spurs in 2018. He requested a trade and was sent to the Toronto Raptors. 

Leonard has not officially requested a trade from the Clippers, but teams like the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat have already shown interest in trading for him. 

The Clippers do not own their first-round pick outright until 2030. Getting draft assets would be a priority. 

The Golden State Warriors eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers from playoff contention in the play-in tournament game.

The Warriors won 126-121. The Warriors scored 43 points in the fourth quarter to mount a double-digit comeback.

With fewer than a minute left, Stephen Curry hit a step-back three to give the Warriors a 120-117 lead. The Warriors held the lead the rest of the game.

Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 35 points. 27 of those points came in the second half. Gui Santos also had a strong game with 20 points and six rebounds.

The Clippers got good games from their trade deadline additions. Benedict Mathurin (23 points) and Darius Garland (21 points) kept the Clippers in the game. Mathurin was acquired in the Ivica Zubac trade, while Garland was acquired in the James Harden trade. 

Along with keeping their playoff hopes alive, the Warriors also got good news regarding Jimmy Butler’s injury. Butler is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. During pregame, he was seen on the court. Although he was moving slowly, he was off his crutches and was able to take a few shots. He also stayed and watched Curry do his warmups, where he showed visible amazement at Curry’s abilities. 

For the Clippers, even making the play-in tournament felt like an accomplishment. They started the season 6-21. They recovered well in January with a record of 11-4. However, Harden’s trade request stunted their momentum. Regardless, the Clippers went 12-6 in March and clinched the play-in spot. 

The Clippers 2026 first-round pick is owned by the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. This means the Thunder will draft in the lottery despite being a top team. 

The Warriors will play the Phoenix Suns on April 16. The winner of that game will get the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. 

Jonathan Kuminga scored 27 points in his Atlanta Hawks debut against the Washington Wizards.

On Feb. 4, Kuminga was traded along with Buddy Hield for Kristaps Porzingis. Kuminga was recovering from a left knee bone bruise he suffered on Jan. 22, which had recently healed.  

Kuminga was the Hawks’ best player in his debut. Along with his team-high in scoring, he also had seven rebounds and four assists. He also had help from Corey Kispert, who scored 12 points. Kispert was playing against his former team.

The Wizards got strong performances from Will Riley and Jamir Watkins off the bench. Despite this, the Hawks still won 119-98. 

The Golden State Warriors had very difficult contract negotiations with Kuminga this offseason. ESPN reported that the Warriors were unhappy with Kuminga’s development outside of his scoring. 

Kuminga played very well the first four games of the season. However, he quickly declined after this, leading to his playing time getting reduced. 

In a Dec. 6 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kuminga was benched late into the game. Kuminga hadn’t played in clutch time much this season, but showed frustration with the decision to bench him in this game.

Draymond Green tried to talk to him, but that only upset Kuminga more, who stormed out of the locker room. Kuminga did not receive a formal punishment, but didn’t play the next three games. This was effectively the beginning of the end for Kuminga’s time with the Warriors.

ESPN reported that the Warriors were shopping Kuminga around for at least a month before the trade with the Hawks. 

The Warriors got the size they needed with Porzingis. Meanwhile, Kuminga gives the Hawks a young piece to kickstart their rebuild. 

The Warriors and Hawks will meet on March 21. This game will be at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. 

Jeremy Sochan was released by the San Antonio Spurs and plans to sign with the New York Knicks after clearing waivers.

The Spurs announced Sochan’s release on Feb. 11. According to ESPN, the Spurs attempted to trade Sochan at the trade deadline but couldn’t find any takers. The Spurs will need to pay the final year of his four-year rookie contract.

The Knicks currently have 14 full-time players, meaning they won’t need to release anyone to add Sochan to the roster. The Knicks plan to add Sochan in hopes of improving their No. 10-ranked defense. 

Sochan was selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Spurs. Out of the draft, scouts thought that he’d be a Kyle Kuzma-like player. However, Sochan’s jump shot has not developed to anywhere near Kuzma’s, let alone become a good shooter. With Victor Wembanyama‘s development, Sochan has found it difficult to secure consistent playing time.

Sochan’s saving grace is his defense. Despite box plus-minus seeing him as an overall negative value player, he has a positive defensive box plus-minus this season.

Starting power forward OG Anunoby is currently day-to-day with a toe injury. The Knicks hope that the All-Star break will help heal this injury. If not, Sochan could slide into the power forward slot. Previously, when Anunoby was out, the Knicks either ran a double-point guard or double-big lineup. Trade-deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado plays in the double-point guard lineup, while Mitchell Robinson plays in the double-big lineup. 

The Knicks currently hold the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors are within three games of them. The Cavaliers made a big move at the deadline to trade for James Harden. Meanwhile, the Raptors focused on salary management and traded away Ochai Agbaji to the Brooklyn Nets. 

After sitting out on Feb. 10, LeBron James will be ineligible to make an All-NBA team, ending his 21-season streak of making an All-NBA team.

Before the 2023-24 season, the NBA added a new rule that disqualified players from winning major awards if they didn’t play at least 65 games. This rule was created to discourage player load management and excessive player rest. Between missing the start of the season with an injury and rest days, James has already missed 18 games this season.

James is averaging 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists this season. His scoring average is his lowest since his rookie season. Despite this, he was named an All-Star reserve. 

James first made the All-NBA team in 2004-05, where he averaged 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. 20 seasons later, he averaged 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to make the All-NBA team at age 40. 

In between that streak, he’s won four MVPs, four Finals MVPs and got MVP votes in 19 seasons. 

James has not committed to play after this season, but has also not announced any plans to retire. He’s in the second year of a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. James is currently the longest-tenured player to ever play in the NBA. 

James is currently dealing with a foot injury. Despite this, he has not been replaced on the All-Star roster. He’s expected to represent Team USA-B in the 2026 NBA All-Star game. Team USA-B has already made a roster replacement, with Stephen Curry being replaced by Brandon Ingram.  

After the All-Star break, the Lakers will look to focus on securing a playoff spot. They currently hold the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a 32-21 record. The Phoenix Suns are just a half-game back of them at the No. 7 seed. 

The Chicago Bulls will get young bucket-getter Jaden Ivey in a three-team deal. 

On Feb. 4, the Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons made a three-team deal. The Bulls got Ivey and Mike Conley, the Pistons got Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric, and a 2026 pick swap with the Timberwolves, and the Timberwolves got cash considerations.

Ivey was averaging 17.6 points per game last season before he got injured. This season, he’s struggled to find a consistent role with the Pistons, and his average has dipped to 8 points per game. Conley was traded to the Charlotte Hornets after this trade.

Huerter and Saric give the Pistons much-needed spacing. The pick swap will allow the Pistons to move up a bit in the draft, which could be significant in such a loaded class.

The Timberwolves mostly wanted to clear salary cap space. Conley is making $9 million this season and will make $10 million next season. Clearing up this salary could open up trade possibilities for a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

At the time of the trade, the Pistons looked like the winners. They fixed a key issue on their roster and acquired a potentially valuable asset in this season’s draft. 

If Ivey can get back to his play before the injury, the Bulls could come out of this deal pretty strong as well. Coby White was a part of the deal that sent Conley to the Hornets. This trade will open up space for Ivey to be the second guard next to Josh Giddey. 

The trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. EST. The Pistons are the team most likely to be active. They hold the No. 1 seed, but conference rivals like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have made big improvements in recent trades

The Utah Jazz show some surprise aggression on the trade market by trading for Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Jazz got Jackson Jr., along with Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. The Memphis Grizzlies got Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks. The Grizzlies are now tied with the Brooklyn Nets and Oklahoma City Thunder for the most draft picks in the next seven drafts.

Jackson Jr. was drafted with the fourth pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In 2023, he won Defensive Player of the Year and made his first career All-Star appearance. He also made the All-Star game two seasons later with a 22 points per game average. 

A once-promising Grizzlies core has quickly deteriorated as they are currently the No. 11 seed. Ja Morant trade rumors have been a running story for the Grizzlies recently. The Jackson Jr. trade could signal a commitment to rebuilding.

The Jazz get one of the best defenders in basketball for almost nothing. None of the picks they gave up are super valuable. They gave up the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round pick, a pick swap in 2027 where the Grizzlies will now get the most favorable of the Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers or Minnesota Timberwolves picks and the Phoenix Suns’ 2031 pick. The Jazz will get the second-best pick in that 2027 swap. The Suns will get the least favorable pick in that swap. The projected order would be Grizzlies getting the Jazz pick, Jazz getting the Cavaliers pick, and Suns getting the Timberwolves pick. 

The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. EST. The Grizzlies will be looking for a trade partner for Morant. The Jazz could look to trade Lauri Markkanen to move in a more defensive direction, but there are no rumors of a move as of now.

A future Basketball Hall of Fame member has been traded for the fifth time in his career.

On Feb. 3, James Harden was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland. 

Harden played three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. In the 2024-25 season, he made the All-Star team with a 22.8 points per game average. Garland had played his whole career with the Cavaliers before this trade. He made two All-Star appearances with the team.

Harden was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2009 NBA draft. He became a star after being traded to the Houston Rockets. He requested a trade from them during the 2020-21 season. Since then, he’s played short stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Clippers. 

Harden won an MVP in 2018 and has made 11 All-Star appearances. Despite not being an All-Star this season, he’s averaging 25 points per game, his most since the 2019-20 season. 

Harden said that he didn’t request a trade from the Clippers. Meanwhile, ESPN reported that he did. 

Even in his older age, Harden is a clear upgrade over Garland. Harden is a better scorer, passer, rebounder and defender. Even if none of that was true, he’s more durable than Garland.

Garland gives the Clippers a young piece to rebuild around long-term. The Clippers don’t have control over most of their future first-round draft picks due to a trade with the Thunder. 

The Cavaliers are desperate to win before Donovan Mitchell’s team option after the 2026-27 season. Harden may be the biggest move they can make to help Mitchell. The Cavaliers may need to take more shots to truly be competitive. Meanwhile, the Clippers likely don’t have any more moves they can make due to salary restrictions and a lack of draft assets.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was brought to tears during a tribute by the Cleveland Cavaliers during their January 28 game. 

James played two stints with the Cavaliers, one from 2003 to 2010 and another from 2014 to 2018. In 2016, he helped the team win its first championship in franchise history. The Cavaliers’ tribute highlighted his 2007 Eastern Conference Finals performance and the 2016 championship. 

The game itself was much less ceremonious. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. The Cavaliers had a strong game from All-Star starter Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson. The Lakers were led by Luka Doncic with some help from Gabe Vincent. James was held to just 11 points on 30 percent shooting. 

This game was also the first time James’ mother saw both him and her grandson, Bronny James, play in an NBA game in person. Bronny scored eight points in his eight minutes of play. 

The topic of discussion in the postgame wasn’t the game itself, but rather James’ future. James is currently the oldest player ever to play in the NBA. James is currently still averaging 22 points per game. However, this is the second-lowest mark of his career, only behind his rookie season. 

James has been very noncommittal about his future and possible retirement this season. James is in the second year of a two-year, $101 million contract. He accepted the player’s option for this season during the offseason. He will be a free agent at season’s end. 

“But the drive is how much, like, juice I can squeeze out of this orange,” James said, “I’m in a battle with Father Time, and I’m taking it personal, and I am going to see how many more times I [can] be victorious over him.”