NBA Rumour Roundup: Is it time for upstart Thunder and Knicks to go all-in?

The Oklahoma City Thunder look primed to succeed. 

On the back of a 34-15 record and a leading superstar who should finish first or second in MVP voting, the young upstart team has more than taken off this season, blasting away expectations of a plucky dark horse contender and firmly establishing themselves as a team belonging in the championship bubble. 

With some statement wins against the Timberwolves and Nuggets in January, the Thunder have made it clear that they’re certainly capable of hanging with the bigs. But with an ample war chest of draft picks, GM Sam Presti should have the green light to make the necessary adjustments to prime this team for a long playoff run. 

As it stands, the Thunder play small, with Chet Holmgren and his slender frame being the only seven-footer to crack the rotation. Bigger teams could still pose a serious threat over a seven-game series. 

However, their name has yet to really pop up in the rumour mill, with only Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith having been linked to them as of late. Finney-Smith would be a solid fit, giving them another versatile perimeter defender with the ability to guard 1-4 while knocking down 38 per cent of his looks from deep.

According to the report from the New York Post, the Nets rejected an offer of two first-rounders from the Thunder, as the wing has also been a subject of interest for the Mavericks, Bucks, Suns and Kings.

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“They are deep, now the one thing they could use is size,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on the Kenny Beecham Podcast on Thursday. “I have heard that they are a team that will at least look into a veteran big-man play. Now, what that is? We will see.”

Around the Association, names that have popped up that could fit the bill are guys like Andre Drummond (Chicago Bulls), Wendell Carter Jr. (Orlando Magic), Daniel Gafford (Washington Wizards) or Canadian Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz), who already has experience playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from their time on the national team. 

Though they have a stacked war chest, with 37 picks between now and 2030, Charania reported that they’re unlikely to send a team dangling a superstar an offer they can’t refuse. 

“I think everyone thinks the Thunder win the market to use all their draft picks to go get a high-name, high-end player,” Charania said. “I don’t think the Thunder’s trade deadline priority is getting a top-tier player. I think they want to see this core.”

The Thunder have undeniably taken a massive leap this year and belong amongst the contenders. However, if they stick with the group they’ve got past the deadline and don’t spend some of that hoarded draft capital, would it be a mistake? 

The time is now for Oklahoma City and surely GM Sam Presti realizes that as well. It’s just a question of how big a move he’s willing to make to help this team reach yet another level this season. 

A Bridges too far

More and more big names are becoming unavailable as we draw closer to the deadline with Brooklyn Nets two-way star Mikal Bridges the latest player to join that list. 

Though it was never a sure thing that the wing would be dealt — as the Nets seemed comfortable trying to build around him — his name has been popping up in rumours of late with reports of teams offering packages including multiple first-round picks for his services. 

However, the Nets have made it clear that he isn’t available for trade, despite the team teetering at the edge of the play-in with a 20-28 record and appearing ready to get worse from here on out with guys like Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale reportedly on the trading block. 

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Kelly Iko, the Houston Rockets were one of those teams to make a call and could have offered to give the Nets back the picks they dealt in the deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn back in 2021. 

A contender blooming in the Garden

The Knicks are better than ever. 

Following the acquisition of OG Anunoby, they’ve soared to a 15-3 record, the most wins in the Association since Dec. 30. 

They got two of their guys to the All-Star Game in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle and are the No. 1 team in net rating over the last ten games, showcasing a balanced two-way approach on a night-by-night basis. 

However, it’s hard to not question whether it’s enough to go against the juggernauts in the East in the Celtics and Bucks. Jalen Brunson has proven he can go toe-to-toe with superstars and be the best player on the court at times, but does the sheer talent of those other teams just outclass the Knicks? 

They’re likely a piece away from being in the top echelon in the East, and with how much the team has popped up in rumours of late, they likely view themselves in that light as well. 

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Knicks have been connected to guys like Bruce Brown (Toronto Raptors), Malcolm Brogdon (Portland Trail Blazers), and a potential reunion with Alec Burks (Detroit Pistons), among others. 

Perhaps the most interesting link is with the Utah Jazz and their interest in guard Jordan Clarkson and versatile forward Kelly Olynyk. The Jazz have had serious interest in Quentin Grimes since his name was floated during the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes in the summer of 2022. 

With the Knicks looking for a backup point guard after dealing away Immanuel Quickly in the Anunoby trade, bringing in a former Sixth-Man of the Year in Clarkson could remedy that and allow the 31-year-old to play in a lesser role than what he was tasked with in Utah. 

Furthermore, Scotto mentions that Grimes had also been dangled in potential deals with Atlanta for Dejounte Murray or second-year guard AJ Griffin, who has fallen out of the Hawks’ rotation after a solid rookie season. 

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Fast Breaks

– The LeBron James rumours were fun while they lasted — unlikely as they were. Trading the superstar and his $47-million contract this season was always going to be an improbability, but the Knicks were a team that could’ve made it happen with Julius Randle, filler and draft compensation. What a world we could be living in. 

– The Washington Wizards remain one of the more intriguing teams ahead of the deadline, with multiple pieces that could play a serious role on contending teams like Tyus Jones, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford and Landry Shamet. According to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, the Wizards could be talked into giving up Jones for a handful of second-round picks rather than the first-round premium they were asking for earlier. Fischer also said in his report that Dallas and Sacramento are the two teams he’s hearing in connection with Kuzma, whose asking price remains at multiple first-round picks. 

– With Steven Adams out the door in Memphis, could the Grizzlies be looking to make more moves in a weird rebuilding year? According to Fischer, the Lakers and Bucks could be interested in Marcus Smart’s services after the former Defensive Player of the Year was dealt to them in the off-season. However, the Grizzlies have reportedly shut down talks surrounding the guard for now. 

– Zach LaVine’s trade market may also be done for the year after the wing decided to undergo season-ending foot surgery on Saturday. The Bulls announced that he will be sidelined for 4-6 months. Sam Smith of bulls.com wrote that LaVine is unlikely to be dealt even during the summer as he recovers from this injury.  

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20 Fantasy Thoughts: Who benefits most from the Lindholm trade to Canucks?

Alex Ovechkin is coming to life.

The Washington Capitals forward has now notched 11 points in his past 11 games, finally starting to get on track in what’s been mostly a miserable season.

This brings up an interesting conundrum if you’re rostering Ovechkin. Do you enjoy this uptick in play and keep him? Or is this the perfect time to move him?

If you’re looking at the glass half full, Ovechkin is shooting more and on pace for 281 shots now. That’s lower than his totals in recent years but still very good. Also, his shooting percentage is six per cent, which is under half of his career average. There’s reason to believe that will normalize a bit in the second half of the season and Ovechkin will start finding the back of the net a little more.

On the other hand, the argument for moving him is Ovechkin is 38 and has a lot of tough miles on his body. He has really slowed down, and the Capitals don’t look very strong this season. There’s really no one Ovechkin can play with that is an elite offensive talent that’s going to help him produce. It’s very possible this is the highest Ovechkin’s value is going to be this year and there will be no better time to trade him.

Ovechkin has been frustrating people all season, as he’s too good to drop and his value has been too low to trade, though this recent stretch is reason for hope. The All-Star break is the perfect time to broker a deal since you still have a few more days until Ovechkin hits the ice again. Perhaps there is someone in your league who has nostalgia for the Ovechkin of old and believes he can recapture his magic.

It could be now or never to swing a deal.

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1. Quite possibly the biggest trade deadline piece is already off the market and there’s a lot to unpack. Elias Lindholm was shipped to the Vancouver Canucks, which should instantly boost his value. I’d guess he’s either going to be centering the top line with Elias Pettersson moving to the wing or the Canucks keep the Lotto Line together with Pettersson, JT Miller and Brock Boeser, and Lindholm centres line two.

Option one would be the best for Lindholm but either way, he’s likely going to be on the top power play for the eighth-ranked unit in the league. Any way you slice it, I expect he’ll score at a better rate than the 54-point pace he was on in Calgary.

If the Canucks do continue to load up the Lotto Line, Lindholm will benefit the likes of Ilya Mikheyev, Conor Garland, Pius Suter and others that are on his wing. They’ll have a legit centre to play with if Miller and Pettersson are together on a different line.
If you’ve been holding Lindholm all season waiting for a possible trade, this is a pretty good landing spot.

2. As far as the Calgary Flames go, Andrei Kuzmenko is the only piece they got back that should make an immediate fantasy impact this year. It’s very likely that this will help Kuzmenko, as he’ll almost certainly play in the Flames top six and get far more minutes than he did in Vancouver. Kuzmenko fell out of favour with Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, but he did notch 39 goals and 74 points only a year ago. He’s worth taking a shot on if he gets an increased role.

3. The Lindholm trade could be the first major domino to fall in the Flames house cleaning. Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin could eventually be on the move as well, which would ultimately make it tough on someone like Jacob Markstrom. The Calgary netminder has been strong this year for the most part despite an inconsistent team, but he’d be in really tough during the fantasy playoffs if the Flames start selling off more key players. He’d be hard to trust for wins and quality starts if he loses his top two defenders. Just something to monitor.

4. Those rostering William Nylander are probably wishing he still hadn’t signed a new contract. Since putting pen to paper, Nylander has been ice cold, as he’s been held off the scoresheet in seven of nine games.

Part of the issue is John Tavares. Nylander’s linemate has also been struggling, and the Toronto Maple Leafs power play hasn’t been that effective lately either. Both of those things shouldn’t last forever, but Nylander also doesn’t look as dominant as he did earlier in the year and he isn’t driving the net like he typically does. Hopefully, he will come back recharged after the break.

5. If you’re debating on what to do with Cam Talbot, you should keep Ilya Samsonov’s recent resurgence in mind. You’d be completely justified in dropping Talbot, but we’ve seen a number of goalies this year turn it on and off like a light switch. In addition to Samsonov, Stuart Skinner and Antti Raanta were written off earlier this year as well, only to bounce back and be relevant once again. Samsonov, Raanta and Skinner had the benefit of a strong team in front of them, just like Talbot does.

There’s also a new coach bump now to consider as Jim Hiller takes over behind the bench. Hiller is a former assistant to Barry Trotz, so hopefully for Talbot’s sake, some of Trotz’s strong defensive structure rubbed off on Hiller.

6. Even with William Karlsson being activated off injured reserve, I think Nicolas Roy is still a hold. Roy had eight points in four games last week, and his line with Jonathan Marchessault and Ivan Barbashev is really clicking. I don’t see the Vegas Golden Knights breaking them up until Jack Eichel returns.

7. Don’t look now, but Jordan Eberle has nine points in his past seven games. Eberle is widely available, though the Seattle Kraken only play once next week, making it less than ideal to add him right now. Keep Eberle on your radar for the following week.

8. Joey Daccord has now started 21 of the past 23 games for the Kraken. That’s an incredible pace, and Daccord’s numbers really haven’t slipped at all. There’s no doubt Daccord has turned out to be the best Zero G option this season and it’s not particularly close.

9. One of the more intriguing storylines in the second half of the season is if Jake Guentzel will be traded. A pending UFA this summer, Guentzel could get moved if the Pittsburgh Penguins plan to rebuild. Guentzel is on pace for a career-high 87 points this season, so a move would be risky for his value. He could land with a stronger team, but it’s hard to imagine a better spot for Guentzel than playing next to Sidney Crosby.

10. Based on his incredible 2022-23, I don’t think anyone rostering Erik Karlsson is particularly happy with the way things have gone for him in Pittsburgh. Karlsson has at least been better lately, though, recording 11 points in 11 games, which included a 10-game point streak.

One thing about Karlsson’s struggles that’s so bewildering is that the Pens have the league’s 31st-ranked power play. With Karlsson, Crosby, Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin, you’d expect Pittsburgh would at least be a top-15 team with the man advantage. If the Penguins have any hope for the playoffs, I think Karlsson is going to have to continue to score at this pace and their power play is going to have to improve mightily.

11. I wonder if Anthony Mantha could be a tempting option for a team to acquire at the deadline that’s looking for scoring. He’s on an expiring contract and has 15 goals this season while averaging almost two shots per game. Mantha’s had consistency issues and is tough to trust, but in a small sample size in the top six on a better team, he could become fantasy-relevant.

12. Ryan O’Reilly appears to be hitting a wall. O’Reilly has just two points in his past five games, and he’s been held off the scoresheet in seven of his last nine. He had really cooled off offensively the last few years, so the pace he started 2023-24 at seemed unsustainable. We’ll see if he can bounce back after the break, but it’s possible O’Reilly was a good sell-high candidate earlier in the season.

13. You can’t be too excited if you’ve invested in some young Columbus Blue Jackets in a dynasty or keeper league. Most concerning would be David Jiricek, who wasn’t pleased about getting sent to the AHL after being a frequent scratch of late. The former sixth-overall pick is an elite talent that you’d think could benefit from some more minutes in the NHL on a team that’s desperate for skill. It’s still early in his development, but I’m not sure the Blue Jackets are the ideal team to be developing players that you have long-term plans for on your keeper roster.

14. Frederik Andersen is back on the ice for some conditioning. It’s still unclear when he may return, but this is at least a glimmer of hope that he’ll make it back at some point during the fantasy hockey season. If he’s been dropped in your league and you have the roster space, it might be a good idea to grab him for a stash to see how this turns out. It’s a low-risk move and we all know how valuable Carolina Hurricanes goalies can be.

15. Next week’s schedule is a little all over the place, as only three teams play four times and there are a bunch of squads that play just twice or even only once. Two teams that play four games are Colorado and Vancouver, and Logan O’Connor of the Avalanche has five goals in his past three games after getting a shot in the top six, so it’s the perfect time to give him a short-term look.

I also mentioned Pius Suter last week and now would’ve been the perfect time to stream him, but the Lindholm trade has thrown a wrench into that. It’s likely Suter gets bumped off the top power play, so you may want to look elsewhere for an addition to your roster next week.

If you do decide to drop the aforementioned Talbot, now might be the time. The Los Angeles Kings only have one game, so there are probably more efficient options available. I can see arguments for both dropping or keeping him, you just have to do what’s best for your roster.

16. A nice multi-point game for Shane Pinto while playing over 19 minutes in his final outing before the break. He looks like he’s starting to get up to speed and playing on the Ottawa Senators top power play. I’m not sure I’d race out to grab Pinto right away until we see a little more consistent production from him, but keep him on your watch list.

17. Unfortunately for the Sens, Jake Sanderson left the aforementioned game with an injury and didn’t return. Ottawa doesn’t play again until Saturday, so it’s possible Sanderson may be ready to go. If he isn’t though, Thomas Chabot or Jakob Chychrun would get a bump up to the top power-play unit.

18. You won’t find many opportunities to roster a San Jose Sharks skater this season, though William Eklund is making a good case for it right now. He’s recorded five points in his past three games and has played over 20 minutes in his last two contests.

The problem? San Jose doesn’t play again until Feb. 14, and its first game back is against a very stingy Winnipeg squad. It might not be the most ideal time to grab Eklund, but I think he’s going to have value in certain situations as a streamer during the second half.

19. Tyler Seguin is flying a bit under the radar this year with all the emerging talent the Dallas Stars boast. Seguin is on pace for 65 points, his best year by a mile since 2018-19, and he could get to 200 shots as well.

Unfortunately, his numbers in the hit column have dipped, however. Still, if I was a fantasy team making a playoff push, Seguin would be someone I’d target that may not cost you a ton but could pay big dividends.

20. Sean Monahan was also on the move this weekend, heading to the Winnipeg Jets. This should help Monahan at even strength because I imagine he’ll play with Cole Perfetti and Nik Ehlers on the second line, but will he get enough time on the top power play? Nearly half of Monahan’s 35 points this season have come with the man advantage and he averaged 3:31 per game on the power play with Montreal.

He may get a similar deployment in Winnipeg, but he’ll have to beat out Gabriel Vilardi or Ehlers for that spot. It won’t be easy.

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Report: 76ers’ Joel Embiid weighing options after knee-injury diagnosis

Philadelphia 76ers star and reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid is considering his options after the knee injury he suffered last week was diagnosed, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Saturday.

Charania reported, citing two sources, that Embiid has been diagnosed with “a displaced flap of the meniscus” in the left knee.

“Embiid, his doctors and the 76ers are continuing to discuss whether the best course of action is to rest and rehab the injury or to undergo a procedure that would require him to miss extended time,” Charania wrote.

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Embiid suffered the injury when Golden State Warriors big man Jonathan Kuminga fell on his left knee in the fourth quarter of a 76ers loss. Embiid had already been dealing with soreness and pain in the left knee and missed three games due to that discomfort in January.

Embiid has been one of the most impactful players in the NBA this season, backing up his NBA campaign from a year ago. Through 34 games, Embiid is averaging a league-high 35.3 points per game as well as 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. All three totals are ahead of his averages over a full season last year.

The injury will likely take Embiid out of the running for MVP due to a new league rule. Under the new guidelines, players must appear in at least 65 of their team’s 82 games to be eligible for awards, and Embiid has already missed 13 games this season.

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PWHL Live Tracker: Minnesota at Toronto

Minnesota, which is tied for first, travels to the Mattamy Athletic Centre to take on the last-place Toronto team. You can follow the game at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.

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Report: LeBron’s agent says Lakers star will not be traded

Los Angeles Lakers fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as it appears LeBron James will not be going anywhere this season.

After trade rumours started to circulate following a cryptic hourglass tweet from the 20-time NBA All-Star on Wednesday, James’ agent Rich Paul put a stop to any rumours on Friday.

“LeBron won’t be traded, and we aren’t asking to be,” Paul told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on Friday.

The news comes with Los Angeles 25-25 and ninth in the Western Conference.

According to Windhorst, the Lakers have been active in trade talks over the past month and will certainly be looking to give a boost to their squad before next Thursday’s deadline.

In his 21st season, the 39-year-old is averaging 24.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.7 assists through 44 games.

James became the first 20-time All-star in NBA history this season, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 19 selections.

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Storm sign six-time all-star Diggins-Smith, Liberty bring back core

NEW YORK — The New York Liberty are bringing their core group back and trying to add another piece with prized free agent Nneka Ogwumike while Seattle signed Skylar Diggins-Smith as WNBA free agency tipped off Thursday.

The Liberty, who made it to the WNBA Finals last season before losing to the Las Vegas Aces, met with Ogwumike, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because on-going negotiations were private.

Ogwumike watched the Nets-Suns game courtside on Wednesday night with Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Betnijah Laney.

Ogwumike has spent her entire career with the Los Angeles Sparks since getting drafted No. 1 by the team in 2012, but said she was going to play somewhere else this season.

New York assigned a franchise tag to Stewart a few weeks ago and is set to bring back free agent center Jonquel Jones, according to a person familiar with the deal. That person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made on her signing.

ESPN was the first to report on Ogwumike and Jones.

Diggins-Smith returns to the league after giving birth to her second child and sitting out last season. The six-time All-Star, who last played with the Phoenix Mercury, has averaged 16.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in her career and reunites with fellow Notre Dame guard Jewell Loyd.

“Joining the Seattle Storm is the ideal next step in my basketball journey. The organization’s dedication to its players and the progression of the league is commendable,” Diggins-Smith said. “I’m laser-focused for the upcoming season. Stepping onto the court alongside Jewell, benefiting from the leadership of Noelle Quinn and feeling the energy of the Seattle Storm fans is a combination that I am confident will lead to success.”

Other moves made on the first day of free agency included Dallas re-signing Satou Sabally and Kalani Brown. Sabally, who was a restricted free agent, averaged career highs in points (18.6), rebounds (8.1) and assists (4.4) last season. Brown is coming off a career-year where she averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds. The Wings return virtually their entire team that lost in the WNBA semifinals to the Las Vegas Aces.

The two-time defending champion Aces brought back free agents Kiah Stokes and Sydney Colson. They also signed free agent Megan Gustafson.

Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith signed with the Minnesota Lynx. Williams had a stellar season with Chicago last year, averaging 10.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and a career-best 6.3 assists.

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Ontario to give Toronto up to $97 million for 2026 FIFA World Cup

TORONTO — Ontario has conditionally committed to giving Toronto up to $97 million for the city’s FIFA World Cup hosting duties.

Toronto is set to host three games in the 2026 World Cup that will also see games in Vancouver in addition to games in both the U.S. and Mexico.

Deputy Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Sarah Harrison wrote to Toronto’s city manager in early December to confirm Ontario’s support for the event.

Harrison says the deal is conditional on matching dollars from the federal government.

She says the money will only go to lasting public infrastructure and benefits that will serve the community long after the tournament is over.

Harrison says the money will not be used for any private, for-profit or non-public organization.

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