NBA Pacific

The newly acquired Luka Dončić is "trending towards" making his Los Angeles Lakers debut in Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick later told reporters that if Luka doesn't debut on Saturday, "it'll be Monday" against the Utah Jazz.

The five-time All-Star hasn't played since the Dallas Mavericks' 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas due to a calf injury.

The Lakers held their introductory press conference for Dončić on Tuesday and fans are obviously excited to see him wear purple and gold for the first time.

The earlier L.A. can get him on the court the better, too, because there will be an adjustment period with the five-time All-Star and LeBron James playing together.

Through their experience of lining up alongside Kyrie Irving, Dončić and James both have shared some the offensive load with another ball-dominant perimeter threat. Neither is accustomed to ceding the kind of influence that will be necessary to make this partnership fully work, though.

LeBron is fifth all time in career usage rate (31.5 percent), and Luka would rank first (35.5 percent) if he had the playing time to qualify for the leaderboard, per Basketball Reference.

Swapping Anthony Davis for Dončić meant the Lakers are shifting their priorities a bit. They've extended their window for contention much further by adding a player who's six years younger, and general manager Rob Pelinka has shown for the first time he's fully planning for a post-LeBron future.

That's not to say the Lakers are throwing away the rest of the season. They'll want to make the playoffs and at least advance a round or two, which will help to placate their two stars and potentially attract other marquee names down the road.

A healthy Dončić is critical toward that effort in the second half.

The Phoenix Suns have done everything possible in an attempt to find a trade partner for Bradley Beal prior to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.

On Wednesday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Brian Windhorst explained the Suns have "tried almost every team" in the NBA to see if they could find a deal that would allow them to move Beal and acquire Jimmy Butler:

"The Suns have been trying for weeks to turn Bradley Beal into Jimmy Butler. To pair him with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. That is what the Suns have wanted, that is what Jimmy Butler has wanted. That is not what Brad Beal wants, and he has no trade clause, and they have reached a loggerheads. They have tried almost every team in the league from what I can understand. They went out and traded their one first round pick into three to try to pay off three different teams to do deals. I can't tell you how many things I've been through on calls listening to stuff, how they've tried. They are at the end here. The deadline is here, they have no Brad Beal trade, they are 25 and 24, they have a very aggressive owner, okay? And so now they are examining, this team isn't working, we can't trade Beal, what are we gonna do? Durant has one year on his contract. So they have now begun entertaining, should we trade Kevin Durant? And they have begun those discussions across the league."

The Suns seem to be in an impossible situation with Beal. There are very few teams in the league that seem interested in taking on his contract, and even when one comes along that does, he has the ability to decide if he wants to play for them.

For example, The Athletic's Fred Katz reported last week Beal would not waive his no-trade clause to join the Chicago Bulls.

Katz added the only teams Beal would consider accepting a deal to would be one that gives him the ability to win, but there are certain teams based in cold-weather cities that are "less attractive to him."

It's unclear who the teams that Beal would waive his no-trade clause for are. The Miami Heat have frequently come up because Jimmy Butler seems to be solely focused on ending up in Phoenix, but the Heat don't want to take on any long-term money to keep their books open for 2026 when the potential free-agent class looks very strong.

Beal has one more guaranteed year remaining on his contract plus a $57.1 million player option for 2026-27. There's always the possibility he decides to turn that down in favor of a multiyear contract for more total money and a smaller average salary, but why would the Heat want to take that risk?

Given the amount of control Beal has in this entire situation with the Suns, it's not a surprise that Kevin Durant's name has started to pop up in trade rumors because they don't have another path to try improving a roster that has been around the .500 mark for most of this season.

There's still a little bit of time left for Suns general manager James Jones to find a solution to this whole thing before the trade deadline, but they have to act quickly to make it happen.

Beal has been a useful contributor in Phoenix this season. He's averaging 17.1 points on 49.2 percent shooting, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 36 appearances.

As the Phoenix Suns remain stuck in play-in purgatory with the most expensive roster in the NBA and no obvious path to get better, a Kevin Durant trade prior to Thursday's deadline is getting more realistic.

Per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, there's a "rising belief" around the league that Durant could be traded because the Suns have shown "a greater willingness to discuss trade scenarios" involving the 15-time All-Star than at any point in the past.

This comes amid rumors that the Golden State Warriors are looking into the possibility of a reunion with Durant.

The Athletic's Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater reported on Tuesday that the Suns could trade Durant to open a pathway that would allow them to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat.

Butler reportedly has his sights set only on the Suns. Bradley Beal has given no indication he intends to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate any deals, thus leaving Phoenix in position where it would have to trade either Durant or Devin Booker to make any significant move.

Given the eight-year age difference between Durant (36) and Booker (28), it makes sense that KD would be the one Phoenix at least explores trade opportunities for.

On Tuesday's episode of The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Shams Charania explained the Warriors have been making calls "about every All-Star player" as they try to improve their roster before the trade deadline.

"The Warriors are legitimately calling about every All-Star player..

They've made calls on EVERY star..

That includes Paul George, LeBron James and Kevin Durant" ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/kyHvLs6re3

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 3, 2025

The Athletic report noted the Suns would be seeking a deal involving Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga in order to consider trading Durant to Golden State.

There's no indication the Warriors are looking to make that exact trade, but they do need to have a level of desperation with Stephen Curry still playing at a high level. They are in a three-way tie with the Suns and Sacramento Kings for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The Suns payroll and tax bill for this season is at $380.8 million. No other team is at $300 million.

Durant hasn't been part of the problem in Phoenix. He's averaging 26.9 points on 52.4 percent shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 39 starts this season.

LeBron James is doing his best to shut down any talk that he might want to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after the team traded away his longtime running mate Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić.

Speaking to reporters after the Lakers' victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, James said he remains "committed" to the organization, otherwise he "would have waived my no-trade clause and got up out of here."

LeBron James, when asked about the Lakers making the Luka Doncic trade with an eye on the future, replied, “What’s wrong with that? If I had any concerns I would have waived my no trade clause and got up out of here” pic.twitter.com/iMPxgOph83

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 5, 2025

Given how blindsided everyone in the NBA seemed to be by this trade, there was a lot of discussion in the immediate aftermath about what it meant for James' future in Los Angeles.

It didn't take long to find out that James doesn't seem interested in going anywhere else. The Athletic's Joe Vardon reported on Sunday he has no intention of waiving his no-trade clause.

This isn't to say that James is assured of finishing his career with the Lakers. He can become a free agent this summer by turning down his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season.

The Lakers have to be committed to Dončić as their franchise player after the trade. He's an established superstar who will turn 26 on Feb. 28. The two sides are facing a big contract decision this summer.

Due to NBA rules, Dončić is no longer eligible to receive a five-year, $345 million supermax contract that he could have received from the Mavs.

The most Dončić can sign for with the Lakers in the offseason is four years and $229 million, but the more-likely scenario is he takes a shorter deal that allows him to sign a supermax after the 2027-28 season when he will have accrued 10 years of service time.

James and Dončić have never played together in a traditional NBA game, excluding All-Star appearances, so the stretch run this season could determine a lot about James' future. If the fit between the two ball-dominant stars is awkward, perhaps he will look to move on with a team and a roster that better suits him.

All of these are questions that won't be answered until Dončić finally suits up for the Lakers. He is still nursing a calf injury that has kept him out since Christmas Day, but there's some hope he could return before the All-Star break.

James has the Lakers playing very well right now with seven wins in their last eight games. He's averaging 25.3 points, 10.0 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game during this stretch. The Lakers are a season-high 10 games over .500 (29-19) and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference.

Luka Dončić is not happy with the Dallas Mavericks after his landscape-altering trade to the Los Angeles Lakers that shocked the entire NBA community.

"He portrayed nothing today, but from what I understand, he is seething at them," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said during Tuesday's Pardon the Interruption. "And the fanbase is seething at the team in a way I've rarely seen before. ... I suspect Mr. Dončić will be looking at all Dallas games very, very closely going forward."

Dončić didn't tip his hand during his introductory press conference with the Lakers, calling the trade a "big shock" and saying he had to initially check if it was April Fool's Day after hearing of the news, but adding that he now gets to play for "the greatest club in the world, and I'm excited for this new journey."

Luka: “I thought I was gonna stay my whole career there. Loyalty is a big word for me…

(But) I got the ocean here. I get to play for the Lakers. Not many get to say that.”

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) February 4, 2025

But superstars in their prime like Dončić almost never get traded, and certainly never without either requesting a trade or being informed that the team is looking to move in a new direction.

The Mavericks moved with a level of secrecy that was stunning to everyone, including Dončić, and it's easy enough to understand why he might be harboring some anger toward the organization.

The Phoenix Suns could have a handful of suitors for Kevin Durant if they decide to trade the star.

Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater, the Dallas Mavericks "have dreams of" trading for the 36-year-old while the Houston Rockets are "contemplating a pursuit" as well.

However, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported "there was no tangible expectation percolating in Dallas, as of Tuesday night, to suggest that the Mavericks were a true factor in the Durant chase."

It's worth noting the Suns have downgraded Durant to "doubtful" for Wednesday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is always something to monitor around the trade deadline.

The Mavericks haven't been quiet ahead of the deadline. They stunned the NBA world on Saturday when they sent the face of their franchise, Luka Dončić, to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Anthony Davis.

After that trade for the ages, it could be tough for the Mavs to pull off a deal for Durant unless they are willing to give away a slew of their future first-round picks.

Whether they commit to making a run at Durant or not, the Mavericks are hoping the addition of Davis and the departure of Dončić can lead to success. Dallas is currently in eighth place in the Western Conference at 26-24 and needs a big second half of the season to stay in the playoff race.

The young Rockets have emerged as a top team in the West, which might explain their potential interest in a player like Durant. With the right move, Houston can compete for a championship now rather than keep its focus on building and developing a young core.

Of course, going after a player such as the 15-time All-Star would be a risk for the Rockets. They would certainly have to give away some of the young players who have set them up to be a contender in the future and would get an aging star in return.

Durant is as good as ever, averaging 26.9 points per game, but he's 36 years old and may only have a few more good years left in him.

While Amick, Aldrige and Slater reported Houston was debating a pursuit for Durant, Stein reported that the Rockets still want to give their current core a chance at a playoff run rather than make a drastic in-season change.

Stein and Jake Fischer provided more context:

"The connection Houston's head coach holds with Durant, having coached the lethal scorer in Brooklyn, lies at the center of the frequent links between Durant and the Rockets. Houston, however, has maintained for months that it would strongly prefer that any potential marquee acquisition after the playoffs would be a young player who fits well timeline-wise with the Rockets' many promising twentysomethings.

"The Rockets hold plenty of expiring contracts and players with non-guaranteed future money to theoretically go out and chase any starting caliber player on the trade market. But Houston is still considered highly unlikely to even pursue any of those avenues, sources said, before this deadline. The Rockets are already struggling to find playing time to accommodate everyone on a deep roster when Houston is fully healthy."

Still looming in the Durant sweepstakes is his former team, the Golden State Warriors. According to Amick, Aldridge and Slater, the Warriors "have only been met with an exorbitant asking price" in trade conversations. They also noted Draymond Green is one player who Suns owner Matt Ishbia "is known to covet."

The Warriors, currently in 11th place in the Western Conference at 25-24, could make a playoff push with the addition of Durant, but adding him would likely mean sacrificing their future.

Last week, DeMar DeRozan said during an appearance on FanDuel's Run It Back show that losing a player like De'Aaron Fox would make it "tough" to envision a long-term future with the Sacramento Kings.

“A key player, key juggernaut in Fox, not knowing the future of that, it does make it tough.” 😳

Demar Derozan says that it would be tough to consider a long term future with the Kings amid a De’Aaron Fox trade.

Could the Kings lose both superstars?@MichelleDBeadle |… pic.twitter.com/XnIPspQF5K

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 30, 2025

Fox was indeed traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-way deal that also involved the Chicago Bulls, but the Kings landed Zach LaVine in the process, which helped soothe over the concerns DeRozan had about his future in Sacramento.

"For sure," he told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. "It's hard to come across an All-Star player, a dynamic player like a Zach LaVine. That would ease anybody's mind, and the relationship I have with him makes it that much better."

DeRozan and LaVine spent three seasons in Chicago together, leading the team to one postseason appearance. But after the Bulls went just 39-43 in the 2023-24 campaign, missing the playoffs for a second straight year, the team allowed DeRozan to depart in free agency as part of a sign-and-trade deal, with the veteran forward signing a three-year, $74 million contract with the Kings.

The Kings have a new look after the Fox trade, with DeRozan now partnering with LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk as the core group. Whether that's enough to vault the 25-24 Kings into the postseason remains to be seen, as the Western Conference is loaded. But adding LaVine at least addressed some of the concerns DeRozan had going forward.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks pulled off arguably the biggest trade in NBA history over the weekend.

But Luka Dončić joining the Lakers and Anthony Davis joining the Mavericks might not be the last trade of such magnitude. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that the trade could lead to a "series of big moves" across the league.

"This shook up a lot of people," he told NBA Today. "Steph [Curry] said last night there's only a couple people in this league who can go to sleep tonight knowing they're going to wake up on the same team and I agree with him, and I thought Luka was on that list.

"There is a little bit of shaking under the feet right now. That trade created action elsewhere... We could see a cascading series of big moves that are happening because something just psychological happens. I'm telling you, they feel it in the league."

"This shook up a lot of people." 👀 @WindhorstESPN says a "series of big moves" could be coming after the Lakers' trade for Luka Doncic 😲 pic.twitter.com/Km3qnhIN7t

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 4, 2025

It's hard to imagine we'll see a player like Dončić—arguably one of the best three players in the league—get traded again any time soon, but it seems there could be a domino effect caused by the massive deal.

With the trade deadline just days away, any blockbuster deal will have to happen soon.

The significance of becoming the Phoenix Suns' all-time leading scorer wasn't lost on star Devin Booker.

"It means everything," he told reporters after Monday's 121-119 overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. "Just being drafted to a franchise that believed in me, taking a chance on me as an 18-year-old kid and going through a rebuild phase and just sticking with it. Keeping my head down. The love and support has always been there. I don't take it from granted. I take it seriously putting Phoenix across my chest."

During the third quarter of that defeat, Booker nailed a three-pointer and moved ahead of Walter Davis on the Suns' all-time scoring chart.

Team governor Mat Ishbia saluted the four-time All-Star on the achievement and alluded to the fact he expects the sharpshooter to be around for a long time:

Congrats @DevinBook for becoming the all-time leading scorer for the @Suns! So proud of all your success on and off the court in PHX and excited to see you continue to do amazing things here for years to come. pic.twitter.com/7Hv7FxntSv

— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) February 4, 2025

Booker only turned 28 in October, and he's in the first year of his four-year, $220.4 million extension with Phoenix. He has the opportunity to set a scoring mark that stands for a long, long time.

Booker's future in Phoenix has become a topic of conversation, though.

The Suns' all-in approach has so far yielded a first-round sweep in last year's playoffs and a 25-24 start to 2024-25. The status quo isn't working, which will force the front office to make a difficult decision before too long.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Bobby Marks reported on Jan. 30 the Suns have resisted any trade overtures for Booker and that he "has never given any indication he'd leave Phoenix in pursuit of a championship if this current construction doesn't pan out."

However, NBA insider Jake Fischer noted Monday that Bradley Beal's insistence on exercising his no-trade clause basically means Booker or Kevin Durant would have to go in order to facilitate a trade for Jimmy Butler.

And that's pretty much the case in any other scenario in which president of basketball operations James Jones pulled off a huge blockbuster.

Assuming the Suns suffer another early postseason exit or even miss the playoffs altogether, there could be some significant fallout that changes the equation when it comes to Booker's tenure.

Defense wins championships, according to the old adage, but that may not be the Los Angeles Lakers' formula for winning now that they've paired Luka Dončić with LeBron James.

The Athletic's Jovan Buha said in the newest episode of his Buha's Block podcast that "the blueprint to winning is just going to be going smaller and trying to outscore teams" based on conversations he's had with people inside the organization.

Absent further additions between now and Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, there isn't much alternative for head coach JJ Redick and his staff.

The Lakers are 21st in defensive rating (114.1), per NBA.com, and the Dončić trade, for all of its benefits, makes them worse at that end of the floor. Los Angeles lost an elite defender in Anthony Davis and is now reduced to starting Jaxson Hayes at center. Going from Max Christie and Dončić is a net-downgrade in terms of perimeter defense, too.

During Tuesday's introductory press conference for Dončić, general manager Rob Pelinka acknowledged the need for a center and said a trade to address that need could materialize:

Pelinka: "We know we have a need for a big." He says the market is "dry" for big men and expects a "move around the margins" between now and Thursday. A bigger move in the offseason. Pelinka says he will consult with JJ Redick on roster moves that fit his coaching vision. https://t.co/J1yUwDb777

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 4, 2025

Maybe the right player becomes available for a reasonable price, and he can make a meaningful defensive impact in the paint.

Otherwise, offense figures to be the Lakers' calling card for the rest of the season, until Pelinka and the front office have more time to evaluate the market and consider prospective targets.