Report: J.J. Redick wants Pelicans to trade him, Knicks on list

Pelicans guard J.J. Redick is in the throes of trade rumors. By request. Brian Windhorst of ESPN: He has not played well and not happy and wants to be traded. Would really like to be traded to the Northeast, where his offseason home is in Brooklyn. He’d love to go to Brooklyn, the Knicks, Boston or Philly. That has been communicated out there. It’s been known for a week or two. Redick had already been linked to the Nets, 76ers and Celtics. The Knicks are a new revelation Trade requests are far more common than many realize. Especially by out-of-rotation players – like Redick. At 7-12 and 14th in the Western Conference, the Pelicans are seemingly prioritizing playing young guards like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis. Redick, age 36 and on an expiring contract, doesn’t have much place in New Orleans. Which is why the Pelicans will probably try to accommodate his trade request. But finding suitors might not be easy. Redick looks more one-dimensional than ever and is struggling in that dimension, shooting just 30% on 3-pointers. His relatively high $13,013,700 salary doesn’t make a trade easier. Maybe win-now teams like the Nets, 76ers, Celtics and Knicks believe Redick will perform better with them. He’s accustomed to winning situations. Playing closer to home could also make him more comfortable. New Orleans will send Redick to whichever team makes the best offer. The Pelicans probably don’t want much. But we’re learning what Redick wants. Players can drive trades themselves. If he’s trying to arrange a deal with Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston or New York, one of those teams could bite. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Here is what the Rockets reportedly want back in trade for PJ Tucker

After the Houston Rockets traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, rival teams circled them as potential sellers before the trade deadline. The most likely player who many believed could potentially on the move is veteran PJ Tucker. The two parties have reportedly been unable to come to terms on a contract extension and multiple teams have called to inquire about his availability. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Kelly Iko, the 31-year-old is “not opposed” to a trade. On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, basketball insider Brian Windhorst hinted at what it would take to trade for Tucker (via ESPN): “The word on the street that I heard that has been floated [for his value]: they either want a first-round pick or three seconds, which I’ve never heard that arithmetic done. Three seconds … There are fifteen teams that are somewhat impacted from trading firsts and eight who can’t really trade any, sort of narrows the market. Most of the competitors, most of the teams who are playoff teams this year, are encumbered from trading their pick.” Windhorst mentioned the Philadelphia 76ers (who “covet” his services), Denver Nuggets (who “have always liked” Tucker but reportedly haven’t reached out yet) and Toronto Raptors (who originally drafted him in 2006) as destinations who are not barred from trading their first-round pick and could be interested in adding Tucker in their pursuit of the playoffs. After the Harden trade, an NBA executive told our own Michael Scotto that the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics make sense as suitors for Tucker as well. The list is presumably much longer, however, considering every contender could use a player like Tucker. Windhorst clarified that this may have only been the asking price that Houston told one team during initial conversations to start the negotiations. But after the Harden trade, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor also reported Tucker’s price as three second-rounders. ESPN’s Bobby Marks added that it is unlikely that front offices will offer a first-round pick for Tucker or other veterans also on expiring contracts like Derrick Rose. But he said that he would not be surprised to hear about more teams offering packages centered around second-round picks. Ultimately, if Tucker is eventually moved, it sounds like a front office that is willing to offer three second-round picks could convince the Rockets to pull the trigger. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Eric Gordon excited by vibe, culture of improving Rockets

Having signed with Houston in July 2016, reserve guard Eric Gordon is the longest-tenured member of the 2020-21 Rockets. Over his five seasons in Houston, the peak likely came in 2018, when the Rockets (65-17) won the most regular-season games in franchise history and easily led the entire NBA in record. That squad, which was led by James Harden and Chris Paul, went to the Western Conference Finals and was only a game away from knocking off eventual champion Golden State — only to have Paul’s hamstring go out at the worst time. In the regular season, the 2017-18 Rockets had two different winning streaks of more than 10 games (14 and 17). Though the current Rockets have won five straight, Gordon isn’t ready to compare this squad — which lacks proven superstars — to that loaded team from a few years ago. He does, however, see common traits in regards to the chemistry and culture within the Houston locker room. Following Sunday’s practice in Oklahoma City, Gordon said: You can see how hard we play. And it’s not just how hard we play; it’s fun when we play that way. We created an atmosphere; it’s been really good lately. It almost feels like a couple years ago, when we had multiple [10-game] winning streaks. Everybody has an unselfish attitude. When you see that, it creates a better vibe, more geared toward winning. Since trading Harden, Gordon is averaging 19.7 points (45.1% FG, 38.8% on 3-pointers) and 2.9 assists in 30.9 minutes per game. He and the Rockets (9-9) hope keep the good times rolling when they visit the Thunder (8-10) on Monday. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Central. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Dallas Mavericks are a bust so far, and some of that is on Rick Carlisle

This is not a good time to be the president, CEO or marketing director of the Rick Carlisle Fan Club. For one of the few times since Carlisle came to the Mavericks in 2008 his team looks like they are not there. It may actually be the first time it’s happened since he’s been here. The Dallas Mavericks are the second-most disappointing team in the NBA, behind only the Miami Heat. More than any other professional sport, the NBA is a player’s league. But if the team is not consistently showing up, which this team is not, the coach has to feel some of that fun. “We’ve gotta be more consistent with our posture and our disposition and our intensity. No question about it,” Carlisle said Thursday in Utah after the team’s practice when I asked him if he thought his team was playing hard enough to win. If a coach disagrees with that type of question, he’s going to let you know about it. What he’s telling his team is to wake the bleep up and get into somebody. The Mavs are scheduled to play the Jazz again on Friday night in Salt Lake City, but don’t be surprised if they fly back on Friday morning after the Jazz’s ball boy flunks a contact tracing test because his pet goldfish has COVID. Other than Luka Doncic’s triple-double tracker, there isn’t much worth celebrating about the 2020-21 Dallas Mavericks. Unless this team starts to play harder, and quits watching Luka amass empty MVP numbers, this is not a playoff team. They are 8-10, losers of three straight and are in 11th place in a stacked Western Conference, three spots south of the postseason. Right now, despite the presence of Luka and Kristaps Porzingis, this is not even an average team. Too many guys are under performing, and expecting Luka to be LeBron when he’s not. There are, however, a host of perfectly reasonable explanations for Carlisle’s team to be where they find themselves. The team has suffered through a slew of absences from COVID protocols, and Carlisle has not had the chance to coach the team the Mavericks built in the six-week offseason once. Also worth noting, no one cares. You can live with the results considering the team has not been together at all. What you can’t live with is a team that appears to be OK getting its butt kicked. No one expected the Mavs to be the L.A. Lakers, or Milwaukee Bucks. But, heck, the Mavs aren’t even the New York Knicks, who are currently 8th in the East. The Mavs are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. You’re not winning if you can’t have the ball. Defensively they are not much better than they were last season, which is barely average. After Friday night, this all has to change. After Friday night, they will have played a league-high 13 games on the road. According to NBA COVID protocols, players are going to practice, the games, and every other minute is spent in a hotel room. That can’t be fun, or helpful. As much as NBA players all yearned to get out of “the bubble” from last season, this season is not much better. “We are not going to make excuses about COVID,” Carlisle said. Wise choice. The Mavs should get forward Maxi Kleber back shortly, and then they will have the team they expected to before the season began. Beginning Saturday against Phoenix, the Mavericks will play 11 of their next 13 games at home. Even though they are playing in an empty American Airlines Center, the chance to just not be on the road should make some difference. If this team is still sleep walking its way around .500 on Feb. 23 after hosting Boston, they will have no choice but to consider a move or two before the trade deadline on March 25. They may not like Cleveland Cavaliers forward Andre Drummond, but it would be nice if they could find a player with that type of interior game. (BTW, there is some thought Drummond may get bought out soon.) The offseason additions of James Johnson and Josh Richardson are nice, and it still doesn’t give the Mavs muscle underneath. The Mavs knew coming into the season this was not a “finished” team, but if they keep playing at their current pace they are most certainly finished. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Nets interested in Kevin Love, JaVale McGee

The Brooklyn Nets still have roster spots to fill after unloading Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs in the James Harden trade, which involved the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers in addition to the Houston Rockets. With Allen going to Cleveland in the deal, the Cavaliers found themselves with an excessive amount of big men on the roster, already featuring Andre Drummond, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr. and JaVale McGee on their roster. It turns out the Cavs are looking to move on from some of those bigs — and according to Jason Dumas of KRON 4, the Nets are interested in two. Dumas is reporting the Nets “are in active discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire” McGee. Additionally, Dumas reports the Nets “have interest in” Love, who played with Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris previously in Cleveland. McGee is averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while logging 16.8 minutes a night off the bench. Love has been out with a calf injury since he aggravated it in a December 27 game. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

NBA fans react to Kevin Love to the Nets trade rumor

The Nets just completed a blockbuster trade to acquire James Harden and assemble a new Big 3 in Brooklyn – and according to a new report, the organization may not be finished in the trade market. According to Jason Dumas, a reporter for KRON 4 News in San Francisco, the Nets are “in discussions” with the Cleveland Cavaliers about a trade for center JaVale McGee – but are also interested in five-time All-Star Kevin Love. Love has missed extended time this season with a calf injury. His contract situation would make a deal with the Nets difficult, if not impossible. Love is in year two of a four-year, $120 million deal with the Cavs, and is set to earn $31 million in each of the next two seasons. With no draft capital left following the Harden trade, the Nets would likely have to offer their top role players in this hypothetical trade scenario, leaving them tremendously top-heavy and even weaker on the defensive end. Could the Nets seriously be considering a deal for Love? NBA fans sounded off on a potential Love trade on Twitter. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

James Harden passes Allen Iverson on all-time NBA list

James Harden received praise for his first performance as a member of the Brooklyn Nets in large part because he became the seventh player in NBA history to log a triple-double in his first game with a new team — and the first to score 30-plus points in such an effort. As impressive as those accomplishments were, that wasn’t all Harden did in the win over the Orlando Magic. Harden also climbed the NBA list for most free throws made all-time, passing Charles Barkley with his 6,351st career free throw to slide to No. 14 all-time. From there, Allen Iverson (6,375) became the next player for Harden to pass. Fast-forward to Friday and Harden was three free-throws away from passing the Hall of Fame guard. By the end of the night, Harden had knocked down the minimum amount of free throws he needed in order to pass Iverson and move to 13th all-time. The next landmark free throw for Harden is No. 6,713. When he drains that on, he’ll have passed both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dolph Schayes (6,712). Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

How Much Is Stephen Curry Worth?

When he’s not tearing up the court with the Golden State Warriors, basketball superstar Stephen Curry is making waves in both the sponsorship and media industries. Thanks to his efforts, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Curry is worth a cool $130 million. Net worth: $130 million Date of birth: March 14, 1988 Primary sources of wealth: Playing basketball and endorsement deals Career highlights: Won the NBA championship in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and was named the league’s MVP in 2015 and 2016 Read More: Steph Curry and 25 Athletes With Major Business Empires Outside of Sports Stephen Curry’s Net Worth: $130 Million Curry has proved his value on the court, which is why he was able to earn the NBA’s highest-paid salary ever in the 2016-17 season. He signed a five-year, $201 million contract in 2017. This was an incredible increase from his previous salary of $12.1 million just the year before. Top Earners: The Richest Athletes in the World Stephen Curry’s Career Timeline Curry’s career in basketball wasn’t a foregone conclusion. In fact, he was barely recruited during college. It wasn’t until he was averaging 28.6 points per game as a college junior that the big leagues started to notice him. He was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2009 and almost nabbed the Rookie of the Year award in 2010. Curry got his first All-Star nomination in 2014 and led his team to the NBA championships in 2015, where he beat LeBron James. Since then, he’s won two more championships and was the league MVP in 2015 and 2016. Yikes: Injuries Cost These 13 Athletes a Fortune Stephen Curry’s Partnerships As one of the biggest players in the game, it’s no surprise that Curry racked up a number of partnerships with big-name brands. He earns an estimated $44 million a year by endorsing brands like Chase, Fanatics and Under Armour. As if that wasn’t enough, Curry also started a production company called Unanimous Media. The company produced the film “Breakthrough” in 2019, which grossed $40.7 million at the U.S. box office. See the List: Most Successful Athlete From Every Decade Stephen Curry’s Philanthropy Curry puts all of his earnings to good use. He signed an endorsement deal with Callaway in 2019, and as part of the deal, he donated a seven-figure amount to create a golf program at Howard University. He also founded the Stephen Curry Foundation, which raises money for schools. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis calls on Lakers not to drop two in a row heading to Bucks

Monday night’s loss for the Los Angeles Lakers was a rare first in the career of LeBron James and a rare night in the sense that both James and his co-star Anthony Davis both struggled from the field. And while LeBron James has always been the leader for the Lakers, Anthony Davis has become ever more vocal during his time in a Lakers uniform. He continued that trend following Monday night’s loss against the Golden State Warriors, calling out his team and reminding the public that the Lakers don’t like to lose two games in a row. “We know we’re a good team,” Anthony Davis said on Monday, according to SB Nation. “We know that teams are going to come out and play their best against us. But the way we lost, we don’t like. Obviously we have to look back at the film and see where we can be better, but we’ve always bounced back. We don’t like losing two in a row, so our next game, we’re going put a lot of pressure on ourselves to win that game.” The Lakers start a seven-game Eastern Conference road trip on Thursday night when they face off against the two-time reigning NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, with the pressure Davis mentioned to avoid losing two straight games for the first time this season. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

LeBron James responds to Brooklyn forming Big 3 after acquiring James Harden

The Brooklyn Nets started the 2020-21 season listed among the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, led by the All-Star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving supported by a robust supporting cast of talented player. After acquiring another All-NBA player in James Harden from the Houston Rockets, the expectations for the Nets to win the championship have only spiked. As Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s Get Up, “it’s the NBA Finals or bust” now for the Nets. Prior to the trade, the Nets trailed Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers in BetMGM’s NBA championship odds. Now with Harden, the Nets only trail the Lakers as the No. 2 listed team. LeBron James, who often gets credit for launching the superteam era after leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 free agency to join fellow All-Stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach, was asked to shed his thoughts on the trade. James didn’t have much to say, and admitted that he’s focused primarily on what’s happening regarding the Lakers. “Obviously, trades and things happen every year, and for me, my main focus is on what we do here and how we can continue to get better, and that was the case today,” James told reporters. “The trade happened today, but I couldn’t allow myself to indulge in that knowing that we had a team that we had to play tonight, so my main focus was the Thunder.” LeBron and the Lakers will meet the new-look Nets for the first time on February 18th at Staples Center. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

James Harden responds to criticism from John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins

Harden responds to criticism from Wall and Cousins originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington Friday was James Harden's introductory press conference with the Brooklyn Nets, which gave him his first opportunity to explain his side of what went wrong in Houston following one of the more eventful, and entertaining, exits for a star player in recent memory. Part of his end there included his new teammates John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins throwing some shade in his direction, as they complained in subtle and overt ways about him giving up on the team and wanting out. Wall complained of Harden not buying in and said that hurt the team. Cousins went as far as to say Harden's actions were "disrespectful." Harden was asked about it and took issue with what Cousins said in particular. "I wasn't disrespectful to anyone. Those guys had just got there to Houston. I'd been there for a very long time," he told reporters in a teleconference. "I've been through all the ups and downs with that organization and I wasn't disrespectful to anyone. I just made a comment that the team as a whole wasn't good enough to compete for a title and, at the stage in my career where I am now, that's what I would love." Harden went on to admit he didn't handle his end in Houston the best way he could. "There were some things I felt were out of my character, but the ultimate goal was to get somewhere where I could compete. Here I am in Brooklyn," he said. Harden, though, also referred to himself as an "elite player, an elite teammate, an elite leader," defending his final days in Houston as not indicative of the bigger picture of his career. Now, the Nets will find that out for themselves. Certainly, the talent is intriguing now that he's playing with Kevin Durant (again), Kyrie Irving and what remains a fairly deep roster despite the trade. Whether they can actually make it work and win a championship is the big question and both Harden and Irving will need to show their recent issues are behind them to actually prove their doubters wrong. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

NBA players react to massive James Harden to Brooklyn trade

James Harden got what he wanted — and the NBA world flipped out. Harden had been pushing for a trade out of Houston to Brooklyn since before the season started, but the two teams could not find common ground. The sides were not even close a week ago. But things picked up a lot of momentum in the last few days, and Wednesday a massive four-team trade went down, sending Harden to the Nets, Caris LeVert to Indiana, Jarrett Allen to Cleveland, and four unprotected first-round picks, and four pick swaps, to Brooklyn. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

No word on Irving's return to Nets after he misses 3 games

NEW YORK (AP) -- The timing of Kyrie Irving's return to the Brooklyn Nets remains unknown, with coach Steve Nash saying Monday he had no update on the point guard's status. The Nets listed Irving as out for their game Tuesday against Denver, which will be the fourth straight he misses for personal reasons. Nash has said it's a private matter and has refused to discuss Irving's absence in detail. He did say that he believed Irving was tested for the coronavirus on Sunday, though he wasn't sure about Monday. Whether Irving has continued to be tested during his time away could determine how quickly he would be eligible to play upon his return. The Nets have lost two of their three games without Irving. Kevin Durant missed two of them because of the NBA's health and safety protocols for COVID-19 before returning Sunday in a 129-116 loss to Oklahoma City. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Steve Nash has texted with Kyrie Irving, whose status for Sunday's Nets game is unknown

Nets guard Kyrie Irving missed the team's game on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers and did not travel for Friday's game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies due to personal reasons. Head coach Steve Nash told reporters on Friday that he has texted with Irving and would like to keep the details of that conversation private. "I'm just going to keep it between us," Nash said. Nash would go on to say that Irving's status for Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder is to be determined. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

When traded, will Harden make sacrifices to win? Not every team executive is sold.

James Harden‘s push to get traded out of Houston remains in a holding pattern as he and the Rockets wait for the market to turn and catch up with their demands. While the focus has been on when and where Harden gets traded, Howard Beck at Sports Illustrated said the real question is will Harden make the sacrifices needed to win a ring in his new home? Plenty of team executives are not convinced (part of what is slowing the trade market for him). “I don’t think he is,” says a veteran executive with an Eastern Conference team. “James is like Allen Iverson: He wants to win his way and put up historical numbers while he’s winning. I would never question their desire to win, but they all want to win on their terms.” A Western Conference exec echoed those doubts, saying, “It’s hard for me to envision him playing any other way,” although he added, “I’m not sure if that’s him or the Rockets” insisting on that style. Harden is unquestionably one of the great scorers the game has ever seen, a three-time league scoring champ and MVP who has averaged more than 30 points a game the past three seasons, and is at 33 a night so far this season. He can get to the rim, drain a step-back three, has a full range of moves, and is generally one of the league’s hardest covers. However, getting to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy requires more than moves. Winning a ring means being willing to up touches and points for the team’s greater good — just ask Kevin Durant (when he was in Golden State) or Dwyane Wade in Miami or any of the Duncan-era Spurs stars (and the list goes on and on). Harden has played one way, in total control, for the past eight years in Houston, running off a series of high-profile teammates in the process. Whenever and wherever he gets traded, Harden will undoubtedly say all the right things about putting the team first and wanting to win more than anything. But will he give up touches to Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn?Feed Joel Embiid in the post in crunch time in Philadelphia? Play nice with Jayson Tatum in Boston? Actions will speak louder than words. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Rumor: Nets cooled on Harden trade in part because of Mike D’Antoni

James Harden has added teams to the mix, but his original trade demand was to go to Brooklyn. Those talks have gone nowhere, at least in part because Houston wanted more than a trade package built around Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen (and maybe Spencer Dinwiddie). The other side of that coin — or the Nets’ spin on the talks — is they have cooled on the Harden trade idea due to Harden’s former coach Mike D’Antoni weighing in. That and seeing the potential to contend with what they have in house. At least that is what The Ringer’s founder said on his flagship podcast, the Bill Simmons Podcast (hat tip to Clutch Points). “I heard that Brooklyn cooled of on Harden and one reason was D’Antoni, they were like ‘were good, lets keep what we have here, Harden presents some problems,’” Simmons said. We don’t know Simmons’ source, so take this with a grain of salt. This could be Brooklyn leaking something to save face: “They don’t want our guy? Well, we didn’t want him anyway.” There also could be some truth to all of it: Houston may not love LeVert, and the Nets may want to wait to see what they have. While Brooklyn is off to a 3-3 start, it has looked like an unstoppable contender at points this young season. While the Nets have some defensive questions to answer (and Harden doesn’t really help with that), they look like a team that can challenge Milwaukee and anyone else at the top of the East come the playoffs. Trading for Harden radically changes the team dynamic; the Nets may want to see how the team they have looks over a stretch of ground before deciding on Harden either way. Harden’s trade demand remains in a holding pattern — he’s playing well for the Rockets, but Houston is still demanding a huge trade package for the former MVP and no other team is stepping up to meet that. The Rockets plan to wait the market out, and that will take a little time. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Stephen Curry vents amid Warriors season that already looks lost: 'We need to win — immediately'

This isn’t how this season was supposed to go. On the heels of a campaign lost to injury and exodus, 2020-21 was supposed to mark a return to relevance for the Golden State Warriors. Another championship contender in the Bay, old-school Splash Brothers style. But like so much else in 2020, those plans went up in smoke, thanks largely to the offseason Achilles tear suffered by Klay Thompson. It’s a devastating setback that will cost him a second straight season after losing 2019-20 to a torn ACL. Warriors blown out again Two games into the season against a pair of the East’s top teams and the Warriors look a lot closer to the lottery than they do a return to championship form. Golden State followed up Thursday’s blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets with a Christmas Day dud against the Milwaukee Bucks, a 138-99 setback that suggests the Warriors aren’t ready to compete in a loaded Western Conference. Stephen Curry, the two-time MVP and only mainstay on the floor from Golden State’s championship heyday, is frustrated. Steph vents “We need to win,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s loss. “Immediately.” So what do the Warriors need to fix what’s ailing them? “I don't know,” Curry continued. “We just have to focus more on what we're trying to do. Sometimes when you miss shots, you tend to force and press and not think. “Our group's collective IQ has to get a lot better in those moments where you're not making shots.” Gone from the Warriors’ 2019 Finals core are Thompson and Kevin Durant, who looks very much like an MVP contender with the Nets in his first games back from his own crushing injury. They’re obviously not walking through the door. Draymond Green has also been missing, sitting the 0-2 start with what’s being reported as a minor foot injury. He’s expected to return soon, possibly for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. New Warriors core not cutting it In their place are Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie James Wiseman. With a nod to Wiseman’s more than promising start, this is a core that’s failed to live up to expectations through two games, much less fill the shoes of their All-NBA predecessors. Wiggins was acquired last season to help fill the massive void on the wing left by the departed Durant while ensuring that Golden State would get a long-term return on their investment in D’Angelo Russell. The former No. 1 overall pick, of course, was never expected to replace Durant. But he was supposed to be better than this. Wiggins followed up his 4-of-16 effort on opening night with another disaster from the field on Friday. He tallied 12 points against the Bucks on 6-of-18 shooting, including misses on all four of his 3-point attempts. Oubre has somehow been worse. Acquired this offseason after the Thompson injury, the former Phoenix Sun scored three points on Christmas on 1-of-10 shooting from the field. He missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Friday’s game followed up a 3-of-14 effort against the Nets. A Splash Brother, he is not. There is a bright spot for Golden State Wiseman has provided the beacon of hope in this slow Warriors start. The rookie center is averaging 18.5 points, seven rebounds and 1.5 blocks in his brief NBA tenure while connecting 4 of 5 3-point attempts. It’s the inside-out game the Warriors banked on when making the athletic 7-footer the No. 2 pick in the draft. But a rookie center showing upside isn’t enough to make Golden State competitive, especially when Curry doesn’t resemble his former form. The Warriors sharpshooter is connecting on just 34.2% of his field-goal attempts, a rate that’s weighed down by a 4-of-20 effort from 3-point distance in two games. There’s surely better to come from Curry, who missed all but five games last season with a broken hand. Oubre and Wiggins are likewise bound to improve. How could they not? But even then, it’s hard to envision this version of the Warriors mounting any sort of threat in the West. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis to miss Lakers game against Timberwolves with calf strain

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without one of their biggest stars against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Big man Anthony Davis will be out nursing a calf strain, according to ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin. In two games this season, Anthony Davis is averaging 23 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 58% from the floor and 43% from behind the arc on 3.5 attempts per game. He has not reached 31 minutes played in either game. Davis has been taking the load off LeBron James, who is averaging 7.5 assists and has scored 22 points in both his games but is shooting just 43% from the field. Without Davis, James will be missing his running mate. Last season, the Lakers were 6-3 in games without Davis. This year, Los Angeles has more depth. The team can expect Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morriss, all of whom came off the bench in the first two games of the season, to play a bigger role without Davis in the lineup. Harrell’s 19.5 points per game is third on the team, and Kuzma is averaging 14.0 on excellent shooting percentages. Markieff Morris has made four of his seven 3-point attempts this year. The Lakers (1-1) are scheduled to tip off against the Timberwolves (2-0) at 7 p.m. at Staples Center. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Adam Silver: James Harden wasn't suspended for partying because 'it's Christmas'

Santa has brought James Harden a very special gift this year: no suspension for violating the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols and contributing to the postponement of his team’s first game of the season. The Houston Rockets star was not suspended by the NBA for “attending a private indoor party” with more than 15 people, which is in violation of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and was instead fined $50,000. Photos and a video surfaced that showed Harden was not wearing a mask at the party, which allegedly took place at a strip club (which Harden has denied). An offense like that seems pretty serious since it appears that Harden knowingly broke the NBA’s rules. So why wasn’t he suspended? NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Thursday to explain. Silver’s heart was softened by the Christmas holiday. And also because this was Harden’s “first offense” of the season, which is barely two days old. Harden is lucky it’s Christmas, because a less festive time of year might have caused Silver to remember that Harden was late to Rockets training camp because he was allegedly partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas without a mask, as seen in a video and several photos on his Instagram. If Silver had taken that into account and decided to suspend Harden, that would have cost him his salary for one game, which is around $500,000. Harden better be leaving Santa an impressive spread of cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. He owes him big time. Harden has made it clear that he wants out of Houston this season, though he initially gave a very limited list of teams he’d find acceptable. Now, it seems, his list of preferred destinations is growing. Harden, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, is now open to deals that send him to the Boston Celtics or the Portland Trail Blazers. He had initially said that he was only interested in the Philadelphia 76ers or the Brooklyn Nets, though later expanded his list to add the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat have reportedly since moved on. Whether either the Celtics or the Trail Blazers are interested in a possible deal for Harden — especially after his latest incident — is unclear. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Hot Takes We Might Actually Believe: The Lakers will repeat as NBA champions, and it won't be close

The 2020-21 NBA season is almost upon us, but Hot Take SZN is here, and at the end of another eventful offseason we will see how close to the sun we can fly and still stand the swelter of these viewpoints. LeBron James believes he has been “part of two teams that have won the two hardest championships in NBA history,” lumping this year’s victory with the Los Angeles Lakers inside the Orlando bubble into the same category as his Cleveland Cavaliers’ 3-1 comeback against a 73-win Golden State Warriors team. Granted, the bubble took its toll on everyone, both mentally and physically, but basketball-wise, this fourth ring was James’ breeziest yet. The 35-year-old got a four-month break from the season to recharge before riding the eight-game seeding schedule on auto pilot to the No. 1 overall seed. The Lakers were never tested in any of their four playoff rounds, trouncing the exhausted and injury-depleted Portland Trail Blazers, rolling the imploding Houston Rockets, avoiding the rival L.A. Clippers in the Western Conference finals and beating a fifth-seeded Miami Heat team that lost two of its three best players in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Lakers boasted the two best players in the bubble and avoided anyone who might have challenged them for that moniker. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry played a total of five games last season. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks lost their rhythm. Damian Lillard rode his body into the ground. Russell Westbrook undercut James Harden’s Rockets. And Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers crumbled. Credit LeBron and his veteran Lakers for avoiding the momentum, chemistry and injury issues exacerbated by the bubble. The Lakers may have beaten all comers anyhow. Their mental toughness was unrivaled in a season rocked by the coronavirus pandemic, but they enter this campaign with a claim James has not been able to make since he played for the Heat: His roster is clearly the league’s most talented, bolstered by an offseason that better equipped it to beat any challenger at its best. So, yes, the Lakers will repeat as NBA champions. All the Lakers needed last season were two competent role players alongside James and Davis to coast to the title without ever sniffing a Game 7. Rajon Rondo’s career resurgence and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s career postseason were enough to mask the inconsistencies of Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Markieff Morris, Alex Caruso and Dwight Howard — easily the worst supporting cast for which Green has been a headliner. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Lakers outscored opponents by 15.9 points per 100 possessions in non-garbage playoff minutes when James and Davis were on the floor, regardless of who played with them. That is absurd, all the more so when you consider JaVale McGee was in their most commonly used lineup. Before the shine wore off the franchise’s latest Larry O’Brien Trophy, Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka revamped the roster around his two superstars. He dealt for Dennis Schroder before signing Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol and Wesley Matthews. Schroder and Harrell alone would have been a coup. After all, they are respectively the winner and runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award. With Gasol and Matthews, they represent a significant collective upgrade over Rondo, Green and the big man tandem of Howard and McGee. Half a championship roster was swapped out for a better model. Both Caldwell-Pope and Morris re-signed. Kuzma is entering the final year of his rookie contract, but just agreed to a three-year extension. Many of those who played significant minutes on the Lakers’ title run, including Caruso, will be pushed further down the depth chart, where they belong. Let us be honest: Nobody but James and Davis could have led last season’s role players to a title, and they made it look easy. What might they do with a proper rotation? They will win another championship, even if the road is harder. And it may not be. It remains to be seen whether the Clippers can reach their potential, even if Serge Ibaka may have been an upgrade over the outgoing Harrell. The Rockets are a mess. Warriors star Klay Thompson suffered another season-ending injury. The Denver Nuggets lost Jerami Grant from their starting lineup. The Lakers are in a tier of their own out West, and their potential challengers in the other conference are full of question marks. Pelinka’s offseason was so successful that it swayed James and Davis to sign long-term contract extensions in L.A. The only question left for them will be whether James can get to six rings, because Father Time is the only opponent standing between him and Michael Jordan now. But that is a hot take for another year Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .