Sam Amick

What we’re hearing about Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks future, plus more NBA trade intel With the Knicks floundering, would they really consider trading Karl-Anthony Towns? Plus more on Lamelo Ball, Ja Morant.

What I’m hearing about the Knicks’ struggles and the Karl-Anthony Towns questions, a look at the LaMelo Ball situation and what Charlotte might do at the trade deadline, Kings corner and much more, at @theathletic.com

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Warriors’ Jimmy Butler tears ACL, expected to miss the rest of the season: Source The Warriors' star wing suffered the injury after coming down awkwardly in the third quarter of Monday night's win over the Heat.

Story with Nick Friedell on the Warriors' devastating loss of Jimmy Butler, whose torn ACL is expected to cost him this entire season, and what it means, at @theathletic.com

www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

What we’re hearing about Ja Morant’s tepid trade market, plus more deadline buzz Ja Morant's trade saga underscores the difference between teams simply showing interest in a player and legitimately pursuing him in a deal.

Weekly roundup of of our NBA trade buzz, at @theathletic.com, including my read on the Ja Morant situation and why what he wants (Miami) isn’t what matters most here.

A boo-bird/Bucks watch on the Giannis front, Kuminga, AD, Timberwolves and more…

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How Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors drifted apart — and why a split maybe isn’t imminent With Kuminga now trade eligible, the Warriors' front office faces a defining decision.

It’s Jonathan Kuminga day - and he’s still on the Warriors.

An inside look at this broken relationship and why, even with Jan. 15 finally arriving, a resolution still isn’t in sight, with @thompsonscribe.bsky.social and Nick Friedell, at @theathletic.com

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Great seeing you, John!

Why Grizzlies put Ja Morant on the trade market and which teams could be interested Morant is now at the center of the NBA trade market solar system, and he might be leaving Memphis sooner than later.

From Sacramento to the Clippers, Wolves, Miami, Toronto, Brooklyn and beyond, the one and only @johnhollinger.bsky.social weighs in on the Ja Morant market in Memphis, at @theathletic.com

www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

Giannis says he will never ask for trade from Bucks: ‘That’s not in my nature’ In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Antetokounmpo reiterated his commitment to Milwaukee but noted it's "as of today."

Well this is a hell of an interview that @samamick.bsky.social had with Giannis. Not gonna spoil it but Giannis made a lot of strong declarative statements about his present and future in Milwaukee www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

Giannis says he will never ask for trade from Bucks: 'That's not in my nature'

A late-night discussion with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tells me he’ll never ask for a trade out of Milwaukee.

“It’s…not…in…my…nature, ok?” the Bucks big man said.

Much more here on his superstar saga, from the loading dock, at @theathletic.com

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What we’re hearing about Anthony Davis and a possible trade from the Mavericks With Dallas struggling to hold down a Play-In Tournament spot, will the team look to deal its star big man before the Feb. 5 trade deadline?

The latest on Anthony Davis, why his camp wants him traded before the Feb. 5 deadline, and the difficult dynamics Dallas is dealing with among suitors, at @theathletic.com (w/ @christianclark3.bsky.social)

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Will Giannis or Trae Young be moved? Our experts debate biggest NBA trade deadline questions It's not only the stars that could make a difference with the trade deadline coming in one month.

Talking NBA trade season, with @johnhollinger.bsky.social and @joshrobbins.bsky.social, at @theathletic.com

Weighing in on Giannis, AD, Trae, LaMelo, Ja et al...

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Jamal Murray is walking tall as the Nuggets' last starter still standing

Jamal Murray’s choice to take a basketball break last summer sparked his start. We talked in camp about the welcome difference from his (Olympic) offseason.

Little did he know he’d be doing this w/out Joker, AG, Cam, Christian or Jonas 🤦‍♂️

@theathletic.com

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Jamal Murray is walking tall as the Nuggets' last starter still standing

On this brutal challenge facing the battered Nuggets and why Jamal Murray - whose All-Star drought should come to an end this year - is the key to surviving it, at @theathletic.com

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Five NBA teams that desperately need to make a trade before the deadline With Hawks, Lakers, Warriors and more feeling the pressure, here's what they're considering ahead of the trade deadline.

Under pressure: A deeper look at five teams that are front and center as the NBA trade deadline nears.

Intel on the Hawks (Trae, AD/Risacher?), Clippers plans, Bucks buying, the Warriors’ dilemma, and Lakers’ pursuits, at @theathletic.com

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Nikola Jokić leaves Nuggets-Heat game with left knee injury

Nikola Jokic newser, at @theathletic.com

In the midst of another MVP-caliber season, the Nuggets big man goes down with a left knee injury in Miami. More details here…

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Giannis throws down: ‘We’re fighting for our lives and we gotta get our hands dirty’ His late windmill may have been an affront to basketball decorum, but to Giannis Antetokounpo, it was an absolute necessity.

On Giannis’ windmill that left the Bulls seeing red late Saturday night, at @theathletic.com

Amid all of the messiness that surrounds him, and with the Bucks stubbornly signaling that he’s going nowhere, it was a refreshing reminder that he’s one of a kind.

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Talking all things NBA on “The Athletic Show,” where the intentional fouling debate was in full swing.

Episode (on Amazon Fire and YouTube) features a strong Steve Kerr interview from @zenakeita.bsky.social

@theathletic.com @robertmays.bsky.social and Jason Goff

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The Spurs lost the NBA Cup, but the rest of the league remains on notice

The Spurs lost the finale, but the message sent to the Thunder - and the league at large - was still the most meaningful NBA Cup moment of them all.

On San Antonio’s emergence as a real threat and questions surrounding their ascent, at @theathletic.com

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What I'm hearing about Giannis, AD and other major NBA trade situations

(Early) NBA trade talk: What I’m hearing about Giannis, Anthony Davis, the Timberwolves’ plans, all things Kings, and Jonathan Kuminga (with a Pelicans tie-in) as the key Dec. 15 date nears, at @theathletic.com

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Which NBA teams have the best front offices? Here’s how 36 executives voted Three dozen decision-makers across the league weighed in on their peers, what they admire and who stands above the rest.

The annual NBA front office rankings are back - with 36 execs weighing in - and one thing remains unchanged: OKC stands alone at the top.

See how the top 10 unfolded, with a bonus question about front offices on the rise, at @theathletic.com

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How Chris Paul’s short-lived reunion with the LA Clippers fell apart Chris Paul returned to a Clippers team many believed could compete for a title. Instead, LA is 5-16 and Paul is no longer with the team.

An urgent call for a meeting, change of travel plans, plane delay and a late-night hoops divorce that shocked the NBA world: Inside the stunning Chris Paul exit from the Clippers, with @lawmurraythenu.bsky.social and @joevardon.bsky.social , at @theathletic.com

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Can the Thunder break Golden State’s 73-win record? The Warriors say yes After beating Golden State to improve to 21-1, OKC is chasing the 2015-16 Warriors. "I do think they're capable," Draymond Green said.

Can OKC - now 21-1 after beating Golden State - break the 73-win record? The resident experts, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green, weigh in.

A deep (data) dive on how this Thunder team compares (so far) to the 2015-16 Warriors, at @theathletic.com

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Ja Morant can be a headache for Memphis. He's also 'a huge advantage,' even on the bench

Embattled Grizzlies star Ja Morant has gone from "go ask the coaching staff" to...joining the coaching staff? Sort of.

A look here at how he's using his voice during his absence, the trade rumors that persist, and more, at @theathletic.com

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Scott Perry unplugged: Sacramento GM talks building for the future, trades, Doug Christie

Kings GM Scott Perry addresses his team’s brutal start, the patience needed for a rebuild to come, the (longstanding) issue of autonomy under owner Vivek Ranadive, Doug Christie’s performance and much more, at @theathletic.com

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NBA seeks cell phones from multiple teams, including Lakers, in gambling investigation: Sources

Sources: NBA asked teams, including Lakers, to hand over documents and property as part of investigation into illegal sports gambling. Two LeBron associates are among those cooperating.

With @mikevorkunov.bsky.social and @joevardon.bsky.social, @theathletic.com

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OKC's Mark Daigneault unplugged: The art of coaching the ambitious defending champs

If you need a break in Nico coverage…enjoy this chat with OKC coach Mark Daigneault.

On the Thunder’s title defense strategy, coaching SGA, & whether or not he has a Ted Lasso side, at @theathletic.com

“I just don’t want to f*** it up.”

(10-1 so far) 😳

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Seeds of Nico Harrison's demise sowed even before he traded Luka Dončić

What if Michael Finley never grabs Luka Doncic’s beer?

On those 13 symbolic seconds after Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks won the West, and why Nico Harrison finally paid the price for his disastrous decision to trade a generational talent, at @theathletic.com

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made a revealing admission late last night: He wasn’t a fan of how his team won the title.

On the MVP’s growth mindset, this scorching OKC start (w/out Jalen Williams), and why the rest of the NBA should worry, at @theathletic.com

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What does Ja Morant's future with the Memphis Grizzlies look like? It's complicated

My read of the Ja Morant situation in Memphis, where the prospect of moving him - which there are no signs of the Grizzlies wanting to do - isn’t as simple as it might seem, at @theathletic.com

www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Draymond Green and his drive to join the greatest NBA defenders of all time

Draymond Green unplugged, @theathletic.com: Behind the defensive goal that is his obsession, why he strongly disagrees with Kevin Durant’s recent comments about defense, a league-wide discussion about defense and much more (including his Warriors future)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

NBA coach Chauncey Billups hires defense attorney who worked for Trump, Giuliani

From @samamick.bsky.social’s story: Chauncey Billups’ new lawyer also represented Joe Sanberg, the co-founder of Aspiration, the company accused of helping the Clippers circumvent the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard.

😮‍💨 www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...