NBA Northwest

The Denver Nuggets "have indeed weighed" the possibility of trading forward Michael Porter Jr., according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

"What began with the Nuggets exploring the feasibility of trading Porter for Paul George this past summer, before George bolted Clipperland for Philadelphia in free agency, has expanded to internal discussions this season, sources say, about whether such a step has to be considered even more strongly now in the wake of Denver's 14-11 struggles," Fischer reported.

Beyond simply moving the 26-year-old, there are ongoing discussions over what kind of trade to pursue, per Fischer. He reported a segment of the front office prefers getting "two starting-caliber players" instead of one marquee star.

This comes after The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick reported Tuesday that Denver is "canvassing the league in pursuit of a player who can offer significant help offensively." To that end, there has been a "significant" focus on Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

Jones and Amick also wrote how "any big trade would likely involve Porter."

Through 25 games, Porter is averaging 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. He's a very good shooter for his size (6'10") with a career field-goal percentage of 50.0, including 40.8 from the perimeter.

Beyond the value he provides on the court, Porter's $35.9 million salary for 2024-25 would help facilitate a blockbuster trade. Guard Jamal Murray is on similar money ($36 million), but he can't be traded thanks to the timing of his $208 million extension. The same goes for forward Aaron Gordon.

If the Nuggets want to do something big before the Feb. 6 deadline, then Porter has to go. It's as simple as that.

Having such little flexibility in terms of whom he can trade might lead general manager Calvin Booth to table this idea until the offseason, absent Denver's fortunes sinking far below where they are now.

Losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals raised questions over whether the Nuggets as currently constructed have hit their peak. A 14-11 record to start this year has reinforced that narrative.

Still, watching the rest of this season unfold might be a more prudent course for the front office since it needs to make sure it has the best possible trade package when dealing a key supporting star.

Early returns show that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is once again the front-runner to claim NBA MVP honors.

Tim Bontemps revealed Friday that a straw poll conducted by ESPN has Jokić as the current favorite for the award, with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo running in second and third, respectively.

If these results hold following the season, Jokić would claim his second consecutive MVP and his fourth in the last five seasons.

Jokić is averaging 31.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists across 22 games for the Nuggets so far this season while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and playing a whopping 37.2 minutes per night.

While Gilgeous-Alexander and Antetokounmpo are producing at robust rates, Jokić's dominance all over the court makes it hard to pull a vote away from him. If he were to finish the season with his current numbers, he would exceed his career high in points, match his career high in assists and be close to his career high on the boards (13.8).

Denver is currently 14-11 and in sixth place in the Western Conference. Alexander's Thunder are 21-5, which could certainly boost his case, but Denver should still qualify for the playoffs and that likely wouldn't be possible without Jokić running the show.

Two months after being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a surprise move, Karl-Anthony Towns has nothing but love for the organization and fans that he spent the first nine years of his career playing for.

Speaking to reporters after the New York Knicks' 133-107 win over the Timberwolves in his first visit to Minnesota since the trade, Towns noted he's still an "avid" fan of his former team.

"I'm an avid Timberwolves fan, so I watch a lot of the games when I get a chance," Towns said. "They're still my brothers. They're still my guys. Just because a trade happened, doesn't mean I lost love for them. The brotherhood is always going to be there."

The Timberwolves honored Towns before tipoff with a tribute video leading to a standing ovation from the Target Center crowd.

Towns was a four-time All-Star and won the 2015-16 NBA Rookie of the Year award during his time with the T-Wolves. He helped the franchise make four playoff appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference finals last season.

In his first game at Target Center as an opponent, Towns reminded the Timberwolves what they gave up. He scored 32 points on 10-of-12 shooting with 20 rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes.

Towns had five games with at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in his nine seasons with the Timberwolves. Thursday's game was his first time hitting those marks since March 23, 2019.

The Timberwolves have struggled to find their footing so far this season without Towns. They are eighth in the Western Conference with a 14-12 record.

Towns' new team has been more than happy to reap the rewards of his talent. The Knicks have won 12 of their last 16 games and are now in third in the Eastern Conference with a 17-10 record.

The Utah Jazz have rejected several opposing teams looking to trade for center Walker Kessler, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Fischer reported on Thursday that Kessler has received "plenty of interest" and is a target of the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Jazz have turned down "multiple" offers for the 23-year-old.

While Utah appears to be listening to trade pitches from opposing front offices, more assets may need to be included in discussions for him to be moved prior to the Feb. 6 deadline.

The Jazz have seemingly maintained a high asking price for Kessler throughout the year, as SNY's Ian Begley reported in July that Utah rejected packages that included two first-round picks for the center.

In 19 starts this season, Kessler is averaging a career-high 11.2 points and 10.5 rebounds to go along with 2.8 blocks per game. He's also shooting 72.8 percent from the field, hitting 58.3 percent of his free throws.

halloween's over but Walker still has tricks and treats for everyone 🍭 pic.twitter.com/32jGlLYvKP

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2024

Kessler has already established himself as one of the best rim protectors in the association, owning a career average of 2.4 blocks per game.

The former first-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft is still on his rookie contract and will hit restricted free agency following the 2025-26 season. He'll become eligible for an extension during the 2025 offseason, though.

With the Jazz sitting at No. 14 in the Western Conference standings with a 5-20 record, executive Danny Ainge may be hesitant to hand Kessler a long-term extension.

Rookie center Kyle Filipowski has also been a bright spot for Utah this season, shooting 51.8 percent from the floor and averaging 13.6 points to go along with 8.8 rebounds per 36 minutes to begin his NBA career.

Kyle Filipowski hits the post move and the powerful slam 💪

Jazz/Spurs in the 1Q on NBA League Pass ⤵️https://t.co/j5RYPxU1SM pic.twitter.com/zR5HaTZ8ns

— NBA (@NBA) November 22, 2024

While Kessler may not finish the regular season with the Jazz, he likely won't experience a change of scenery unless opposing front offices intensify their efforts to acquire him.

The Portland Trail Blazers don't appear to be actively pursuing a trade involving center Robert Williams III.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Trail Blazers "aren't eager to part ways with Williams just yet" as the team likes his fit alongside young guards Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons.

Fischer noted that there has been "ongoing inbound interest" in the 27-year-old, as he's currently on the Los Angeles Lakers' "wishlist" of centers to target prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

It's easy to see why teams with playoff aspirations would be interested in Williams, as his defensive acumen and athletic finishing ability around the rim allow him to be a consistent contributor without the ball in his hands.

This season, he's averaging 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals in 18.5 minutes per game. Williams has also thrived in the restricted area, connecting on 73.8 percent of his field-goal attempts.

Rob getting our 17-0 run started 👀 pic.twitter.com/5Qcq0shUwT

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 18, 2024

While he's shown that he can be an imposing defensive center, injuries have prevented him from staying on the floor for prolonged periods of time throughout his career. Since he was selected by the Boston Celtics with a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft, he's made over 60 appearances in a single season just once.

Williams was limited to just six games during his 2023-24 campaign before undergoing season-ending knee surgery, and his 2024-25 debut was delayed until Nov. 8 due to a hamstring strain.

He's under contract for one more season, as he's set to earn $13.3 million for his 2025-26 campaign before entering free agency.

With the presence of Deandre Ayton as well as shot-blocking rookie Donovan Clingan, it may be difficult for Williams to carve out a consistent role in head coach Chauncey Billups' rotation if he can't find a way to stay healthy.

The Lakers and several other teams could come calling for him, but Portland may not attempt to move him until the deadline draws much closer.

Veteran forward Michael Porter Jr. might be the marquee trade chip the Denver Nuggets use in a blockbuster swap, according to The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick.

Jones and Amick reported that "any big trade would likely involve Porter," with the insiders citing Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine as a prospective target.

The pursuit of LaVine points to the need for the Nuggets to shake something up with their core.

They're 14-10 and fifth in the Western Conference. Only two games separate them from the 11th-place San Antonio Spurs.

Denver is also 13th in net rating (plus-2.5), per NBA.com, after finishing fourth last year. This is despite Nikola Jokić having another MVP-caliber season. He's averaging 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.9 assists through 21 appearances.

If they wanted to significantly improve their supporting cast around Jokić, then they'd have to consider sacrificing Porter or guard Jamal Murray. In the case of Murray, he's probably too valuable to Denver as the sidekick to Jokić, and he can't be traded this season anyway after signing his four-year, $208 million extension in September.

That leaves Porter, who's in the midst of another solid campaign. He's averaging 18.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting, including 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The 6'10" standout would be an impactful contributor for another contender or somebody a team in a rebuild could flip down the line. For the Nuggets, his $35.9 million salary is also necessary to make the finances work when acquiring another star.

A Porter swap isn't a fait accompli, with Jones and Amick reporting the 2023 NBA champions "value Porter and what he does for the spacing of Denver's offense significantly." They've also discussed an extension with the 26-year-old, who can become a free agent in 2027.

But general manager Calvin Booth knows the cost if he wants to shop at the top end of the trade market.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder will play Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks for the NBA Cup title on Tuesday.

The Thunder earned a spot in the NBA Cup Final after defeating the Houston Rockets 111-96 in Saturday night's semifinal game.

SGA, THUNDER PUNCH THEIR TICKET. 🎟️🎰

⛈️ 32 PTS
⛈️ 8 REB
⛈️ 6 AST
⛈️ 5 STL

OKC will face the Bucks in the #EmiratesNBACup Championship Tuesday at 8:30pm/et on ABC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Z2mrxqueCn

— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2024

A low-scoring first half saw the Thunder and Rockets combine for just 83 points through two quarters on Saturday night.

The Thunder began to pull away after Gilgeous-Alexander led the team on an 11-0 run in the third quarter.

SGA step-back... CASH. 💸

Part of an 11-0 Thunder run on ABC!

🏆 #EmiratesNBACup Semifinals pic.twitter.com/4KZgfgXweh

— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2024

After scoring 20 points in the second half, Gilgeous-Alexander finished out the victory with a team-high 32 points.

The effort marked Gilgeous-Alexander's fourth consecutive game with at least 30 points. He has now hit the 30-point threshold in 12 out of 25 games this season.

SGA AND JDUB GOING OFF IN VEGAS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2V8RLeJWSS

— ESPN (@espn) December 15, 2024

Are those MVP chants I hear for SGA from the Las Vegas crowd

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) December 15, 2024

SGA MVP.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 15, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has his 13th 30 point game of the season.

SGA is #2 in most 30 point games behind possible NBA Cup Finals opponent Giannis with 15.

— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) December 15, 2024

SGA has 30 points on 20 shots and this is suppose to be a bad offensive night for him lol

— 5 (@lfcf14) December 15, 2024

The Thunder shot 36.7 percent from deep, but emerged victorious by holding the Rockets to 23.9 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder's defense with five steals, while Luguentz Dort recorded three in the defensive showdown.

Lu Dort going horizontal 👀 https://t.co/ABKHECQttz pic.twitter.com/qUJUpN2cDD

— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2024

I need a Thunder/Rockers playoff series

Two elite defenses has been very entertaining to watch as a neutral fan

— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) December 15, 2024

Thunder-Rockets was expected to be a defensive slugfest, and it’s been so in the opening minutes. As @espn_macmahon just said to me, both teams have more turnovers than made baskets in the first five minutes.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 15, 2024

I love this Rockets-Thunder game so much. Scoring should be hard because the defence is challenging your squad.

In this kinda game, if you’re not guarding, you’re the weak link. 10 players at all times are locked in on matchups, rotations, helping, finishing possessions and…

— Amit Mann (@Amit_Mann) December 15, 2024

The Bucks earned their own spot in the final with an NBA Cup semifinal victory over the Atlanta Hawks earlier on Saturday. Milwaukee's star duo of Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 57 points in the win.

Milwaukee and Oklahoma City will now battle for the chance to join the Los Angeles Lakers as the NBA's in-season tournament winners.

The title game will not impact the teams' overall records or the players' season stats, but each winning competitor will receive more than $500,000 in prize money.

Bucks have steadily improved this season but still feel a notch below the Thunder. Will be a positive sign if they can make it a great final.

— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) December 15, 2024

Absolutely horrified at the thought of what this Thunder defense is going to do to the Bucks 😅

— bob (@BobPolglaze) December 15, 2024

Milwaukee against OKC matchup I don’t mind to see for this in season tourney final. Giannis vs SGA

— Rodney Johnson (@RodJohnsonJr24) December 15, 2024

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to ride a five-game victory streak into the NBA Cup Final. Tip-off is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Portland Trail Blazers are garnering interest in forward Jerami Grant, guard Anfernee Simons and center Robert Williams III, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

It's probably not a question of if the Blazers are a seller in the NBA trade market. They're off to an 8-16 start and headed in all likelihood to a fourth straight year without playoff basketball.

Whether Portland executes a total fire sale is probably the biggest source of intrigue with multiple players on the radar of rival teams.

Grant, Simons and Williams are three of the likeliest trade candidates on the Blazers roster.

Grant simply isn't on the same timeline as the franchise due to his age (30). It took almost no time for the entire purpose behind re-signing him on a $160 million contract to become moot after Damian Lillard requested a trade out.

Portland would presumably love to get out from under Grant's deal, and his talents would be better utilized on a contender.

When it comes to Simons, the Trail Blazers will soon have to make a tough decision.

The 6'3" guard is headed for free agency in 2026, and re-signing him may not be a straightforward choice. The front office has invested valuable draft capital in Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and building the backcourt around them might be a more sensible plan than paying Simons $30 million or more—his salary maxes out at $27.7 million in 2025-26—to remain a starter or perhaps even serve as a sixth man.

Williams is another member of the free-agent class in 2026, and his persistent injury problems present an even bigger dilemma for Portland. Since arriving as part of the Jrue Holiday trade, he has made 13 total appearances for the team.

Moving the 6'9" rim protector would help to clear the logjam the Blazers have at center with he, Deandre Ayton and 2024 lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Williams relatively modest contract probably makes him easier to move, despite the injury history, than Ayton when Ayton will collect $35.6 million next year.

As the Feb. 6 trade deadline gets closer, the Blazers might become a bigger source of speculation because they have some worthwhile assets and should be motivated to sell.

The NBA has fined Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards $25,000 for using profane language during media availability following the team's 107-90 win over the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 6.

Edwards knew the punishment was coming and didn't speak to the media after Sunday's 114-106 loss to the Warriors, saying he didn't want to get fined again for cursing.

Edwards—who finished with 27 points but shot 1-of-7 in the fourth quarter with two turnovers—was clearly frustrated after Sunday's loss, to the point that he could be overheard in the background of a locker room media scrum with Julius Randle loudly saying, "I just gotta f--king play better."

"I gotta find my teammates," he added. "F--king terrible by me."

The loss moved the Timberwolves to 12-11 on the season, in what has been an inconsistent start after the team went 56-26 a year ago. The Wolves had been trending up before Sunday, however, with the loss snapping a four-game winning streak.

"We've shown flashes," Randle told reporters. "Up and down, but we've shown flashes of who we can be, especially on the defensive end. We just gotta keep doing consistency with that."

Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, expressed optimism despite Sunday's loss.

"I like where we're at, not in terms of the standings, but more in terms of the things we've been through as a team and our awareness right now," he told reporters. "A game like tonight, we can exactly feel what happened. With that mindset, I think good things will happen. Now we just gotta keep each other accountable."

The Wolves are still adjusting to life without Karl-Anthony Towns, who was traded to the New York Knicks in early October for Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop and a future first-round pick as part of a three-team deal.

That has left Edwards to shoulder a large load offensively, and he's done so willingly, averaging 26.4 points on 20.3 attempts per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from three. His ratio of four assists to 3.1 turnovers per game, however, remains a work in progress, which was evident on Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets are "eager" to "shake things up" this season and despite their limitations, they are ready to offer power forward Zeke Nnaji, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Nnaji does not offer much, with a modest $8.9 million salary through 2027-2028 that decreases in value each season. However, the Nuggets are likely to "sweeten" deals with draft compensation, per Stein.

Nnaji has played in 14 games this season with the Nuggets, averaging 5.1 minutes, the lowest of his career, and recording 1.2 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field.

The 23-year-old is the fifth-highest paid player on the Nuggets but has almost completely fallen out of Mike Malone's rotation as he has struggled to live up to his contract.

The 2020 first-round pick out of Arizona has a career average of 4.3 points per game, 2.3 rebounds and a field goal percentage of 50.8 percent.

The Nuggets are off to an 11-10 start to the season, losing their last two games in a row. Even with the addition of veteran presence Russell Wilson, the Nuggets are not looking like the 57-25 team they were last season, when they made it to the Western Conference Semifinals and won the 2023 NBA Championship.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is averaging the most points per game of his career with 31.4 as he tries to lead the Nuggets in the right direction, but it's clear they will need more support for the superstar.

Jokić posted HISTORIC numbers for the Nuggets!

🃏 56 PTS (career-high)
🃏 16 REB
🃏 8 AST
🃏 3 3PM

He's the first player in NBA history to total 55+ PTS, 15+ REB, 5+ AST and 3+ 3PM in a single game. pic.twitter.com/7L0lM1e5bJ

— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2024

Following Saturday night's 122-113 loss against the 3-18 Washington Wizards, where Jokic posted a career-high 56 points, he made it clear that the team needs to make some changes.

"In my country, where I'm coming from, after this kind of stretch, you're going to get paycheck that is a little bit less than you had hoped. Maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation," Jokic told reporters after the game. "I think today and the last couple games were really bad for us. We are really going in the wrong direction. I think it's everybody's fault."

The Nuggets sit in ninth place in the Western Conference, six games behind first place Oklahoma City Thunder.