Basketball News · LatestSunday, Jan 4, 2026

LeBron James was at the center of serious trade discussions this past summer, according to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. He reported that James’ agent, Rich Paul, held exploratory talks with four teams: the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. “These weren’t just ‘check-ins’—they were assessments of fit, championship […] The post LeBron James trade talks were “very real” this summer, insider reveals appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Seattle’s success this season is a result of both its accomplished veterans and a rookie who is quickly demonstrating her place among the WNBA’s elite. Dominique Malonga, a talented forward with a distinct combination of size, skill, and basketball intelligence, has been making an impact with the Seattle Storm. Seattle’s veteran core has played a […] The post Dominique Malonga Thrives Under Seattle Storm’s Veteran Leadership appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Can you be the greatest player ever and still be getting better? Well, that’s exactly what 29-year-old A’ja Wilson showed this past season with the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson set playoff career-highs in PPG (26.8), APG (3.3), and SPG (2.1) while also tying a career-best in BPG (2.5). Her 322 points, 120 rebounds, and 55 combined […] The post All-time great A’ja Wilson still improving appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Boston Celtics travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Saturday, January 3, at Intuit Dome with tipoff at 10:30 p.m. ET. Boston holds a 21-12 record and enters on a two-game winning streak, defeating Sacramento 120-106 on January 1. The Clippers sit at 12-21 but have won six straight, including a 118-101 […] The post Celtics vs Clippers injury report: Who will play on Saturday appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball and Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. shared common sense opinions on the Ball in the Family podcast about how middle schoolers would fare against WNBA players. Ball claimed that 9th grade version of himself “would go crazy” in the league. “I was over six feet and I’m dunking. No […] The post Lonzo Ball, Michael Porter Jr. say middle schoolers could dominate WNBA appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Miami Heat have made it clear they have no plans to trade Bam Adebayo, despite interest from multiple teams, according to Zach Lowe and reporting from profootballnetwork.com on January 2. Lowe described Adebayo as “the standard-bearer, the culture-bearer” for the franchise, noting that the Heat are fully committed to keeping him. Adebayo, 28, is […] The post Heat unlikely to trade Bam Adebayo despite interest appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Confirming Jake Fischer’s recent reporting for The Stein Line, Michael Grange writes that Raptors assistant coach Jama Mahlalela has advanced to the final stage of the New York Liberty’s head coaching search. According to Grange’s sources, the hiring process has been underway “for a while,” and all interviews were completed as of this past weekend. […] The post Jama Mahlalela finalist for Liberty job appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo could reach a resolution on the star forward’s contract situation this summer, according to Zach Lowe. Speaking on The Zach Lowe Show podcast, Lowe said the most likely outcome will come once Giannis has a clear yes or no on the extension presented this offseason. Lowe added that while […] The post Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks future likely decided this summer appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Tyrese Maxey says Joel Embiid was the first person to truly believe in his potential, a mindset that has driven the 25-year-old guard to elite levels. Speaking to Austin Rivers, Maxey described how he spends hours watching film, analyzing opponents, and refining his game every day. “I watch everybody play… this is the best thing […] The post Tyrese Maxey credits Joel Embiid for believing in him: “He was really the first person” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

During Denver’s game in Cleveland on Friday, NBA on Prime sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth shared some optimistic news regarding the health of three key Nuggets players, as relayed by Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports. Hubbarth explained that Aaron Gordon, who is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Christian Braun, who is nursing an ankle […] The post Denver upbeat about Nikola Jokic recovery appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Before Friday’s game, head coach David Adelman was asked whether the Denver Nuggets were considering a short-term signing. His response suggested caution more than urgency, indicating the organization is comfortable evaluating what it already has in place rather than rushing to make a move. “Right now, we are who we are,” Adelman said, via Bennett […] The post Nuggets unlikely to pursue 10-day roster addition appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Houston Rockets host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, January 3, with injuries playing a major role in how this Western Conference matchup could unfold. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at Toyota Center as both teams enter the game on very different trajectories. Houston Rockets comes in with a 21-10 record and a […] The post Rockets vs. Mavericks injury report: Key absences shape Saturday matchup appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

DaRon Holmes II acknowledged that he ran out of gas after logging 22 minutes in Denver’s win over Toronto on Wednesday, which marked the first time he had been given a real opportunity to contribute in a meaningful game setting, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. For the second-year big man, it was […] The post DaRon Holmes II handles first real minutes adequately appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Quick wrap up notes from the 2023-24 college basketball season. The post NCAA wrap up notes: Miami, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Mich. St., Nova, Abmas, Adams Jr. appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Los Angeles Lakers 2024 #17 pick Dalton Knecht says that he actually studied film of his new head coach JJ Redick while playing for Tennessee last year. (via Yahoo! Sports): Reporter: “Back in LA when he met with the media, Rob [Pelinka] said that JJ already had like a whiteboard out and was drawing up […] The post Dalton Knecht: “At Tennessee, I watched a lot of JJ Redick” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Cleveland, Ohio – This past Sunday, Geoff Warren, from Cleveland, Ohio, was inducted into the 2024 Class of the American Basketball Hall of Fame. Warren joins the ranks of NBA legends such as Larry Bird, Dave Bing, Phil Cherier, Campy Russell, and legendary former coaches from the likes of University of Cincinnati Bob Huggins, and Cleveland State […] The post Basketball Icon Geoff Warren Inducted into American Basketball Hall of Fame appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Rutgers freshmen Ace Bailey (6-foot-9, 200-pound forward) & Dylan Harper (6-foot-6, 215-pound guard) will be two of the biggest underclassmen names besides Duke’s Cooper Flagg this upcoming season. Ranked #2 & #3 by Rivals coming out of high school, Ace has the potential to possibly jump Flagg as the 2025 NBA draft’s 1st pick and […] The post Ace Bailey & Dylan Harper are two names you need to know for the 2024-25 college basketball season appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

When Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Nets in early September, it guaranteed that he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Rockets star Kevin Durant believes whichever team signs him this offseason will get a superior talent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. “I feel like Cam has a bright future. […]

If you haven’t bought into the Cooper Flagg hype yet, it’s time. NBA star Jaime Jaquez Jr. told TMZ Sports that after playing with Flagg this summer, the phenom is the real deal. Flagg, the No. 1-ranked high school player in the 2024 class, teamed up with Jaquez Jr. to prep Team USA for the […] The post Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Cooper Flagg: “Incredible talent” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Brooklyn Nets continue to struggle whenever Michael Porter Jr. is unavailable, dropping to 0-6 this season in games he has missed. That trend held again as Porter, the team’s top scoring option, was sidelined by illness for the second night of a back-to-back set. Without him, Brooklyn was overmatched by the Washington Wizards, falling […] The post Nets offense collapses without Michael Porter Jr. available appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

With Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets unavailable Friday because of a personal matter, the opening in the rotation created a larger role for Day’Ron Sharpe. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Sharpe delivered one of Brooklyn’s stronger performances of the night, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks while making his […] The post Jordi Fernandez notes Day’Ron Sharpe’s energy in larger role appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez expressed frustration with rookie Nolan Traore following Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets, specifically pointing to Traore’s approach on offense. The young guard struggled to find rhythm, missing seven of his eight shots overall and converting just one of his five attempts from beyond the arc. Fernandez made it […] The post Jordi Fernandez pushes Nolan Traore to attack appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Pistons have issued updates on a trio of injured players, making the following announcements on Saturday (Twitter link): Forward Tobias Harris has been diagnosed with a left hip sprain and will be reevaluated in two weeks. Center Jalen Duren has a sprained right ankle and will be reevaluated in one week. Guard/forward Caris LeVert […]

Trae Young will remain sidelined for Atlanta’s Saturday matchup against the Toronto Raptors, as the lingering bruise to his right quadriceps continues to keep him off the floor. The setback marks a fourth straight absence, stretching his time away as the team prioritizes caution with the nagging injury. Before being shut down, Young had been […] The post Trae Young still unavailable as injury lingers appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in ESPN’s 2025 NBA draft class, has signed a significant shoe endorsement deal with New Balance, according to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. This deal links Flagg to a brand closely tied to his home state of Maine, where New Balance operates a factory just 25 miles […] The post Cooper Flagg signs shoe deal with New Balance appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Nuggets are hopeful both Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon will return from lengthy injury absences for Sunday's game against the Nets.

Former Washington Huskies star Isaiah Thomas says that there was a time in high school when he seriously considered going to the University of Indiana. (via Knuckleheads with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles): “I wanted to go other places, for sure. It’s crazy, because I was gonna follow in the footsteps of the older Isiah […] The post Isaiah Thomas on almost playing for the Indiana Hoosiers: “I was gonna follow in the footsteps of the older Isiah Thomas” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Adrian Wojnarowski, a leading NBA insider, is retiring from ESPN to take on a new role as general manager of the men’s basketball program at St. Bonaventure. Jeff Passan reported that Wojnarowski will oversee Name Image and Likeness (NIL) allocations, recruiting, and support for Bonnies coach Mark Schmidt. Wojnarowski shared his decision in a statement, […] The post Adrian Wojnarowski retires from ESPN, joins St. Bonaventure as GM appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Heat 125-115, and Miami’s four-game winning streak on Saturday evening. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 33 points, while Naz Reid with 29, and Julius Randle contributed a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Rudy Gobert also added 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Wolves outscored Miami 19-4 in […] The post Timberwolves snap Heat’s 4-game winning streak appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

In the video below, UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley opens up during an in-depth conversation with Graham Bensinger, taking viewers on a ride as he shares insights beyond the basketball court. Hurley emphasizes the importance of religion in his life, explaining how faith grounds him amid the pressures of coaching. He recounts a memorable and […] The post Dan Hurley: Death threats after tough losses appeared first on TalkBasket.net .