14 players to watch ahead of NBA trade deadline

On Feb. 2, 2025, arguably the biggest trade in NBA history took place: the Dallas Mavericks shocked the world by sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, reshaping the league in ways we’ve still yet to fully grasp.

While it’s unlikely a trade as perplexing as the Doncic deal occurs in these final few days ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the names on the market feel bigger than those in years past, and it’s hard not to look at Doncic as the inflection point.

Already, we’ve seen Trae Young — a four-time all-star and the crown jewel of the Atlanta Hawks — get sent to the Wizards for a package of whatever the Washington front office had in its pocket. Rumours have swirled for months about fellow centrepieces like LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant and Domantas Sabonis. That’s not even to mention the prize of the deadline, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While there appears to be a separation between contenders and pretenders, when game-changing stars are on the trade block, how the final playoff picture shakes out in these next few months is anyone’s guess. The NBA can change at a moment’s notice.

All this has set the stage for what could be one of the most intriguing deadlines in recent memory, with a few multi-time all-stars possibly on the move and a handful of teams looking to break into the upper tiers of the league. Here’s a look at some of the biggest names to keep an eye on ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks
28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists

Has there ever been a prize this big knowingly available on the mid-season marketplace? Antetokounmpo is one of the most transformative players in the NBA, capable of spinning straw into gold. Any team that can acquire his services immediately turns into a contender, but at 31 years old with a mounting injury history and an impending contract extension following the 2026-27 season, it’s not as though the move doesn’t come with risk. Any team that acquires him will have to pay a king’s ransom and hope that the return package doesn’t gut the roster to the point of no return, setting them up for failure and a potential departure in free agency in a couple summers. But fortune favours the bold, and it’s hard to envision an opportunity like this coming around again.

2. Anthony Davis, C/PF, Dallas Mavericks
20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists

The Doncic trade looks worse by the day for Dallas, as the decision to build a team around Davis always felt flawed based on his inability to stay on the court. With only 29 games under his belt since the deal, Davis is out yet again after suffering a hand injury in early January. While still effective when he does suit up, as his accolades and defensive aptitude speak for themselves, any team swinging for Davis incurs the risk of yet another injury and a steep $58 million salary for next season. But if he can stay healthy for a stretch, he should vault any squad into contender status.

3. Domantas Sabonis, C, Sacramento Kings
15.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists

A cure-all to any team suffering from rebounding woes, Sabonis is the NBA’s reigning rebounding champ three years running. One of the smartest big men in the league, Sabonis has made his money in the high post, conducting offences with deft passing and screening and operating as a hub inside the arc. But while his strengths are apparent, as are his deficiencies — a lacking three-pointer (18.5 per cent this season) and porous rim protection make his fit iffy among contenders. Any team going after him will also have to swallow an average of $46 million per year until 2028.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks
20.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists

While Towns’ three-point percentage has dipped to 36.1 per cent this season, the floor-spacing five remains perhaps the best shooting big man the NBA has ever seen. However, his spot on this list is more indicative of the Knicks’ understanding that what they have may not be enough. It’s unlikely he gets dealt in anything other than a deal for a superstar, but any team looking to rebuild wouldn’t be adding a bad piece in Towns to hit the ground running on a new era — they’ll just have to bite the bullet on a $57 million salary next season.

5. Trey Murphy III, SF, New Orleans Pelicans
21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists

While tanking doesn’t help the Pelicans, as they traded the right to swap 2026 firsts with the Atlanta Hawks, their place near the bottom of the Western Conference doesn’t inspire confidence in much else. That may open the door for a Murphy deal, who has blossomed into an impactful two-way wing and could fetch a handful of first-round picks for whatever team is willing to pay their steep asking price. However, the Pelicans did sign the 25-year-old to an extension in 2024, and he’s under contract through the 2028-29 season, so there’s no rush to trade him.

6. Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies
19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists

For a time, Morant was the most exciting player to watch in the NBA. His dunks broke the line between impossible and possible, and while the Wright Brothers invented the airplane, Morant looked like the first human to ever truly fly. A string of run-ins with the NBA’s disciplinary committee and a series of injuries have since hampered his trajectory, and his place in Memphis has felt less certain. While he might be more of a reclamation project than a sure thing at this point, it’s hard not to salivate at the prospect of Morant giving your team that must-see TV feeling. And if he can get back to who he was, the 26-year-old could be a steal.

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7. Michael Porter Jr., SF, Brooklyn Nets
25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists

Easily the most impactful shooter available at the deadline, Porter Jr. has taken a scoring leap since being dealt from Denver in the off-season. Though that can be attributed to a massive jump in usage, going from a 20.2 usage percentage last year to 30.6 now, his ability to get the ball through the hoop is undeniable. The 27-year-old is knocking down 39.8 per cent of his looks beyond the arc this season and has managed to find a touch of self-creation in the absence of Nikola Jokic. The Nets could cash in as they look to continue their tank.

8. Coby White, SG/PG, Chicago Bulls
18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Secondary scoring is the name of the game with White, as the seventh-year guard has remained a productive bucket-getter despite a changing Bulls roster. White can generally get a team 15-20 points a night on decent efficiency and threaten as a catch-and-shoot scorer, hitting 40.2 per cent of his quick-action looks from beyond the arc this season. His $12.8 million salary also helps, and is set to come off the books after this season.

9. RJ Barrett, SF/SG, Toronto Raptors
18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Though injuries and a step-back in production have hampered the Toronto forward, the Raptors’ 19-9 record with Barrett in the lineup speaks for itself. A solid complementary scorer, able to produce off quick cuts and actions, Barrett has turned into a solid plug-and-play wing, and a reasonable $29 million cap hit for next season has made him an oft-mentioned piece in any return for potential trades Toronto may look to make.

10. Bennedict Mathurin, SF/SG, Indiana Pacers
17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Set to become a restricted free agent this summer, the former No. 6 overall pick has been the subject of calls as the Pacers look to further their tank and dip under the luxury tax. Though his efficiency has left much to be desired, the Montreal native’s scoring chops remain intriguing for teams around the league as both a starter and microwave scorer off the bench. Any team that acquires him would also land his restricted free agency rights, giving them more control.

11. Herb Jones, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans
9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists

The other Pelicans wing that could get moved as the team dips further into asset-collection mode, Jones is a long defensive pest who has made his money guarding top assignments and disrupting passing lanes. Though he’s struggled with injuries of late and his offensive production has cratered, he has a favourable $13.9 million cap hit this year and is signed through the 2028-29 season. Plenty of teams could use a defender like him, even if his three-point shot doesn’t get back to the 41.8 per cent mark from 2023-24.

12. Jonathan Kuminga, PF/SF, Golden State Warriors
12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Kuminga remains a bizarre case, as it’s apparent neither he nor the Warriors really intends to keep this relationship afloat. They reluctantly agreed on a two-year $48.5 million contract with a team option just before the season, but it remained likely they were still headed towards a mid-season split. While he could be traded in the coming days, it appears as though the Warriors will use his contract in a potential trade for another star rather than whoever comes calling for Kuminga’s services.

13. DeMar DeRozan, SF/PF, Sacramento Kings
19.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists

The Chicago-Bulls-West experiment hasn’t gone as planned in Sacramento, as the trio of DeRozan, Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and a ragtag group has led the Kings to the worst record in the NBA at 12-39. DeRozan could be the easiest piece to ship off, as he’s only on the books for $24.5 million this season and has a non-guaranteed deal next year. And while his skillset isn’t the most desirable, a surging team like the Clippers could take a flyer on the 36-year-old L.A. native.

14. Daniel Gafford, C, Dallas Mavericks
8.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists

One of the more intriguing bargain-bin centres on the market, Gafford is the sort of cheap solution down the middle that plenty of contending teams could use. The 27-year-old is on the books for $14.3 million this season and is extended through the 2028-29 season for an average of $18.1 million per year. While not a game-changer, Gafford’s a solid rim protector and play-finisher, who made his money throwing down lobs from Doncic.

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Raptors’ Barnes, Ingram co-star on Slam 260 cover

Despite only one of them being named an all-star, a couple of Toronto Raptors players still managed to land a major distinction.

Scottie Barnes, who was named as an all-star for the second time in his career, and Brandon Ingram, who wasn’t selected as an all-star despite leading the third-place Raptors in scoring, were given the honour of being co-cover stars of Slam 260.

The Raptors’ stars have led Toronto to a 30-21 record as the team has surprised most of the NBA thanks to strong play from the pair.

Toronto next plays the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

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NFLPA interim boss: Players have ‘no appetite’ for an 18-game season

SAN FRANCISCO — Don’t add to the NFL’s regular season as well as provide well-maintained natural grass surfaces for players.

That was a main message from the NFL Players Association to the league.

“Our members have no appetite for an 18th game in the regular season,” NFLPA interim executive director David White said Tuesday at the union’s annual news conference ahead of the Super Bowl. “You heard that last year when the executive committee was up here, and they were talking about what happens to their bodies when they’re with their families, when they’re with their kids. They were very open and candid about that. It’s punishing, and we can see that on the teams that have deep postseason runs.”

White pointed out that several teams had significant injuries in mid-December: Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons tore ACLs in Week 15.

“And if you look at wild-card weekend, which would be the 18th game, if you took that week, really significant injuries,” White said. “Some that were high profile, but a bunch that weren’t, but they happened. And those injuries, they cost players pay, they can shorten careers, they can diminish lifetime earnings. And when your average career is already three to four years, that becomes something that is existential. So the 18th game is not casual for us. It’s a very serious issue. It’s something that comes out of negotiations, and nothing will move forward until players have the opportunity to account for all of those factors, take that into consideration, and then, through negotiations, agree or not to the 18th game. But as it stands right now, players have been very clear. They don’t have any appetite for it.”

Last week, Patriots owner Robert Kraft made it seem inevitable that the league would eventually expand the regular season from 17 to 18 games.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pulled that back on Monday, saying it’s “not a given.”

The current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players’ union expires in 2030.

Playing surfaces

The NFLPA has long sought to make every team implement natural grass in its stadium. White said the union has made “meaningful progress” with the league on field safety.

“Our members have stated over 90% of them that they prefer grass,” White said. “The data that we do have access to shows that the energy return from a synthetic surface is significantly higher than it is on natural grass, which reinforces what players say just from their experience and from common sense. It’s just hard, it’s harder on their bodies. It almost doesn’t matter a synthetic surface. So we need this data if we’re gonna standardize fields and have them be at the level where our players are truly gonna be safe. The work isn’t finished, there’s a lot for us to do, but again, it’s progress, and we’re happy about that.”

Thursday games

NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin said the short turnaround for Thursday night games is an ongoing issue for players.

“I think it’s been obvious that players do not support that fast turnaround,” said Reeves-Maybin, a special teams ace with the Chicago Bears. “This game has been played on one day a week for decades, and there’s a reason for that. It’s what goes into playing a football game mentally, physically, emotionally. It’s not the NBA, it’s not the MLB. It’s very challenging on players now. Maybe there are some ways to circumvent that and to ensure that the players are being protected in those ways. I would say, I think guys like to have Friday, Saturday, Sunday off. That’s something I appreciate. But the turnaround Sunday to Thursday, especially for the team traveling, it’s a really tough thing.”

International games

The NFL is playing nine international games in 2026 and wants to expand to 16. White said players appreciate the league’s desire to make the NFL a global powerhouse, but expressed a desire to improve their working conditions.

“When players have a good experience, we’re happy to admit that they have a good experience. They speak positively about it,” White said. “Here’s the issue. They’ve got a lot of feedback about not having good experiences, because it’s inconsistent.”

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Bruins’ Korpisalo replaces Sabres’ Luukkonen on Finnish Olympic roster

There’s a change in net for Team Finland.

Boston Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo will replace Buffalo Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on the country’s Olympic roster, it announced on Tuesday.

Luukkonen was injured in a late-January game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and has yet to return to the ice.

He would have contended with the Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros and Vancouver Canucks’ Kevin Lankinen for the starting job in Milan if healthy.

Instead, Korpisalo will get the shot. The 30-year-old has played in 21 games this season for the Bruins, compiling a 10–8-1 record with a 3.12 goals against average and an .895 save percentage.

Luukkonen’s numbers sat at 2.73 and .903 prior to injury.

The men’s Olympic hockey competitions runs Feb. 11-22, with Finland set to take on Slovakia in the tournament opener.

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Oilers’ Evan Bouchard named NHL’s third star of the month

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard has been named the NHL’s third star of the month.

Bouchard topped all defencemen and ranked fourth among all skaters with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 15 games to guide the Oilers to an 8-5-2 January. 

Only two blueliners in the past 33 years have compiled more points in a single calendar month: Nashville’s Roman Josi with 28 points in March 2022 and Colorado’s Cale Makar with 25 points in November 2023.

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov and Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak were named the first and second stars.

Kucherov paced the league with 22 assists and 31 points in 13 games to lift the Lightning into first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference on the strength of an 11-1-1 January. January marked Kucherov’s third career 30-point month, making him the eighth player in NHL history to achieve the feat at least three times. He found the scoresheet in 12 of his 13 appearances, highlighted by a league-best 10 multi-point performances.

Pastrnak tied for second in the NHL with 20 assists and 25 points in 14 contests as Boston had an 11-2-1 January to climb into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. His 25 points were the most by a Bruins player in a single calendar month since March 2018, when Brad Marchand totalled 26 points.

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