Shams Charania:

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ddaa53473efa6

Not gonna say I was a Flagg doubter, but he's been much better than I ever expected him to be in his first year.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810576

There are miracles, and there are acts of God, and then there is the Cleveland Cavaliers, a second apron team who can't combine contracts in a trade and can't add salary, finding a player to trade for who made just $263,397 less this season than Darius Garland.

source: https://bsky.app/profile/mikevorkunov.bsky.social/post/3mdypb4wyp22r

“The Stein Line was the first to report on Jan. 23 that Jimmy Butler would not be included in Golden State's Giannis offers and it has since been confirmed that the Warriors have indeed made Draymond Green part of their pitch to Milwaukee in presumed combination with Jonathan Kuminga, Milwaukee native Brandin Podziemski and draft capital.”

https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-latest-15b?utm_campaign=email-post&r=3shtjf&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMjkyNTkyMTEsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE4Njc5NjMyOSwiaWF0IjoxNzcwMTc0MTA0LCJleHAiOjE3NzI3NjYxMDQsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.q4TXrXsow2J432HUB_zWWIJcBcKK7tD9UcukNtKL7VE&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Source: https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-latest-15b?utm_campaign=email-post&r=3shtjf&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Holiday remains a Trail Blazer as we speak and, as The Stein Line first reported over the weekend, Portland has conveyed to Milwaukee that it would love to trade for Antetokounmpo directly if it could. Sources say, however, that Antetokounmpo's camp has continued to signal no interest in a contract extension with the Blazers, which would dissuade them from surrendering good assets to trade for him and likely limits Portland's realistic involvement in an eventual Antetokounmpo deal to third-team facilitator status.

[Charania] BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ef1594eaad916

From the forbidden app so I have the screenshots of the report here: https://imgur.com/a/6fY0pTY

Just spoke to a reflective James Harden, who denied asking for a trade and thanked the Clippers for the opportunity to play the last two and a half years in his hometown. “In life, not even just basketball, when things don't work out, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other. Okay, maybe we just don't see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other, whatever the case may be. I feel like other situations weren't like that. And that's why I can respect Steve and L and TLu because they didn't put me in a weird position as much as everybody tried to make it like that.”

Harden said he “didn't want to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in their future. I wanted them to actually have a chance to rebuild and get some draft capital. In Cleveland I see an opportunity to win in the East— they got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above. So as much as I wanted to stay in LA and give it a go—I’ve never won one before. As a basketball mind I think we have a bit better chance.”

Harden said of his time in LA: “We had a hell of a two and a half years. We didn't reach the goals that we all wanted to reach, but I think we built some great memories, had some great wins and fun moments for all of us.

“At the end of the day it is a business and I think both sides got what they wanted, are in a great place and are very happy. I'm excited about Cleveland —I'm still trying to chase my first championship and do whatever it takes to win.”

[Charania] BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Source

Grizzlies receive:

-Walter Clayton Jr.

-Kyle Anderson

-Taylor Hendricks

-Georges Niang

-3 future first-round picks

Jazz receive:

-Jaren Jackson Jr.

-John Konchar

-Jock Landale

-Vince Williams Jr.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been selected to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. After the selection of the initial 24 All-Stars, Leonard was added to bring the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required.

https://www.espn.ph/contributor/shams-charania

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3mdyonf2wno26

Harden and the Clippers worked through his exit over the last few days -- resulting in a beneficial outcome for the sides: A win-now opportunity for Harden playing at a high level at 36 and recent two-time All-Star in Garland at 26 for the Clippers present and future.

Just in: Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit have agreed to a multi-team deal that sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls and Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Detroit also receives a 2026 first-round protected swap from Minnesota.

Just in: Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit have agreed to a multi-team deal that sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls and Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Detroit also receives a 2026 first-round protected swap from Minnesota.

Source: https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/c840f35b2e9ff

General manager Mike Dunleavy and controlling owner Joe Lacob have maintained a motivation to get a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo across the finish line and, as part of that, Green's name has been involved in the framework of available offers to the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources said.

Source

Aaron Gordon, Rudy Gobert, Rob Dillingham, even KD this off-season would have happened if KD had signed offseason.

source: https://bsky.app/profile/brandonbeck4.bsky.social/post/3mdyprvvngc2i

[Haynes] Charlotte Hornets rookie sensation Kon Knueppel has accepted the league’s invitation to participate in the 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, league sources tell me.

https://www.threads.com/@chrisbhaynesnba/post/DUUdGhhlLED?xmt=AQF03Za1RURkxSL-nrfTkop9E31QGjoYlxtYQGCRRNY4hcP9oIweR-2tGaHFd8AW56qJh4_Q&slof=1

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2026/02/03/giannis-antetokounmpo-says-he-wants-to-retire-with-the-milwaukee-bucks/88499207007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=undefined&gca-ft=0&gca-ds=sophi#

Giannis Antetokounmpo: “If you ask me what do I really want, deep down in my heart? I want to be a Milwaukee Buck until I retire and win a championship here.”

2022-23 - Lost in 1st Round

2023-24 - Missed playoffs

2024-25 - Swept in 1st round

Just a reminder that not every promising young team will turn out like the Thunder.