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 .

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 .

Charles Barkley on the James Harden trade package he’d accept immediately from the Nets

James Harden returned to the court alongside his Rockets teammates earlier this week, and while the former NBA MVP says he’s “focused on being here” in Houston at the moment, trade rumors continue to swirl following Harden’s reported trade request. NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley isn’t so sure that Harden will be able to adapt to a new team’s system if and when he leaves Houston. During an appearance on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin show, Barkley said that he hopes the Rockets will work out a trade with the Brooklyn Nets – just so he can see the Nets implode with Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant struggling to share the basketball. Barkley said Houston should agree to the trade immediately if they can get a package including Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. “If I’m [Houston], give me that kid with the afro that I like a lot. Allen. Give me Dinwiddie, and give me LeVert and let the Rockets go forward with a really pretty good, solid team. I’d take that trade tomorrow if I’m the Rockets. Because like I say, you give me Allen, Dinwiddie and LeVert, and you’ve got John Wall now? We’re just as good as we were gonna be, but we’re not going to have that drama, and we’d have a pretty solid team.” Per the ESPN’s trade machine, this exact 3-for-1 for Harden wouldn’t work – but could go through if the Nets add another player on a small contract like Bruce Brown. Barkley also questioned whether Harden could adapt his game to a different offensive system. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Fans React After Giannis Antetokounmpo Signs Supermax Extension With Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is not leaving the Milwaukee Bucks. After months of speculation swirling around the NBA star, Giannis opted to re-sign with the Bucks and dash the hopes of fans hopeful that the Greek Freak might one day join their favorite team. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Giannis signed on for a five-year, $228.2 million supermax extension, which is te largest deal in NBA history. In the days leading up to his decision, Giannis said that he would make up his mind based on the Bucks' ability to remain competitive moving forward. In a tribute to his adopted home after news of the deal broke, Giannis seemed optimistic about what lies ahead. "This is my home, this is my city," he wrote on Twitter. "I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it." Antetokounmpo has arguably been the best player in the league over the last two years. He's led the Bucks to two straight seasons as the winningest team in the NBA, winning the MVP award and falling short in the playoffs both times. With a potential free agency approaching for the superstar, front offices and fans in cities like Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Toronto were salivating at the idea of acquiring his services. While Giannis, his accountant, and the city of Milwaukee are presumably ecstatic that they were able to strike a deal, that joy wasn't matched by disgruntled fans throughout the league. The Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Harden practices with Rockets; coach says he'll play Tuesday

HOUSTON (AP) -- James Harden practiced with the Houston Rockets on Monday for the first time this season after missing the early part of camp while talk swirls that he wants out. Harden reported to camp late amid reports he is looking to be traded. He was absent for Houston's first two preseason games as he went through the NBA's COVID-19 testing protocols. Coach Stephen Silas said he spoke with the superstar Monday, but they talked strictly basketball and neither addressed a possible trade. ''We had a good conversation and I'm just going to leave it at that,'' Silas said. ''You can ask him about his commitment and all that sort of thing. But we had a good conversation. He was locked in. He was asking good questions. He's bringing up good points.'' So far asking Harden anything hasn't been an option - the Beard hasn't spoken to reporters since reporting to camp. Silas said that Harden will make his preseason debut Tuesday night when the Rockets host the Spurs. The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to Washington for John Wall and a first-round pick on Dec. 2 to cap a short offseason that was plagued by rumors that both Westbrook and Harden wanted to leave Houston. Some thought the Westbrook trade would change Harden's mind about the Rockets, but the reports that he wants to leave have persisted in the almost two weeks since the deal. Silas, in his first year in Houston after taking over for Mike D'Antoni, has said he expects Harden to be ''all in'' this season. The coach also denied that speculation about the eight-time All-Star's future has been a distraction to the team. ''It's been something that the media has been talking about quite a bit and I've had to answer a lot of questions about it,'' Silas said. ''But as far as our growth and our pushing forward this season, we've been right on pace.'' Veteran P.J. Tucker also practiced Monday after missing the first two preseason games. He is being worked in slowly after he reported to camp a day late. Tucker is in the final year of a four-year, $31.8 million contract and some have suggested he is also unhappy in Houston because he hasn't been given an extension. He did speak to reporters Monday but didn't provide much clarity on the situation. ''It not even just in the contract extension,'' he said. ''That's not the total goal. The goal is to be in a place where you you're wanted, where you want to be ... that's what every player wants. No one wants to be somewhere they don't want them. And there's certain ways to show that and it's not just contract extensions.'' Tucker was asked if he feels the Rockets no longer want him. ''You should ask them. Because you're asking me a question about what they think, and I can't tell you,'' he said. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Latest on Nets trade target James Harden: Rockets reportedly want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving

The Nets have been connected to Rockets superstar James Harden via trade rumors for a long time now, and though he has shown up to Houston's training camp, it still continues. Here's the latest... Dec. 10, 11:34 a.m. While adding that the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are now on the list of preferred trade destinations for Harden, The Athletic's Shams Charania said the Rockets want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in a proposed deal. If not, there's no interest there. If that's the case, it would likely turn off Brooklyn from making anything happen. Head coach Steve Nash has already praised Durant and Irving early in training camp, and at the end of the day, the two All-Stars chose Brooklyn for a reason. Dec. 8, 5:52 p.m. Harden is reportedly open to other playoff contenders in a trade – not just the Nets. The 76ers were among his list, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and a main reason could be due to former Rockets GM Daryl Morey in place there. However, Morey has been adamant about wanting to keep Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid in place in Philly. Given Harden’s status, it would be hard to see the Rockets not wanting one of them in a deal. Dec. 7, 2:08 p.m. Nets head coach Steve Nash downplayed the Harden trade rumors in his recent presser. Addressing the “elephant in the room,” Nash wants to just talk about his current players – not one that isn’t in the building. “I guess we let the elephant be," he said. "I love our guys and hopefully they all feel valued and wanted and respected. We have so many guys that bring so much to the table. When I’m in the gym with them everyday, I feel fortunate. So hopefully they feel that and they don’t feel like we’re looking out the window at greener pastures.” Nov. 16, 9:19 p.m. Harden reportedly turned down a max extension with Houston that would’ve set an NBA record. He would’ve been in the first player to ever make $50 million per season with the extension, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing that he didn’t want it. And on top of that, he’s focused on a trade to Brooklyn. Harden supposedly had conversations with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving about joining the Nets and is now focused on that. The idea of it “resonated” with him and his “focus” shifted recently. Nothing has come out of conversations with the Rockets and Harden regarding a deal. Nov. 15, 5:18 p.m. Harden trade rumors to the Nets have been buzzing lately, but SNY’s Ian Begley is hearing from sources that it isn’t universally accepted by Nets players. Some players were supportive, but not all players contacted about a potential Harden-to-Brooklyn deal were in favor. On Sunday, ESPN reported that a deal to Brooklyn “resonated” with Harden and that was his primary focus at the moment. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .