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[Pablo Torre] Clippers’ former GM Michael Winger asked “How many fucking side deals do we made with Kawhi.” Paper trail showing Clippers had been doing business with Kawhi’s uncle from at least 2017 (when Kawhi was sitting out with the Spurs), with alleged illegal payments spanning years

[Haynes] BREAKING: Utah Jazz star Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely to miss the remainder of the season to undergo surgery on his left knee to ensure his longterm health after a localized PVNS growth was discovered post trade, league sources tell me.

James Harden says loyalty is overrated: “The whole quote-unquote loyalty thing, I think it’s overrated. This is a business at the end of the day.”

[MacMahon] The Mavericks negotiated their Anthony Davis trade with the Wizards without telling him or Rich Paul beforehand

[Charania] Free agent forward Jeremy Sochan plans to sign with the New York Knicks after he clears waivers, his agent Deirunas Visockas of Gersh Sports tells ESPN. Sochan had 10 interested suitors after being released from the Spurs on Thursday and landed on the Knicks as his new team.

Kevin Durant: “You should ask the Europeans and the World Team if they want to compete. Look at Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, let’s go back and look at what they do at the All-Star Game. Is that competition?” “But these two dudes out there, Luka and Jokic, they don’t care about the game at all. “

[Charania] San Antonio Spurs star De’Aaron Fox has replaced Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

Monty Williams gets a paycheck of $19.6M this year to NOT coach basketball

[Highlight] Giannis Antetokounmpo looks at Cam Thomas like a scrumptious snack after he hits the dagger 38-footer

[Pablo Torre] Per multiple NBA executives, they see Lawrence Frank’s recent 4 year extension with the Clippers in the midst of playoff disappointments and a difficult start to the season as “Ballmer hush money”

Robert Horry on whether Wemby is in the MVP convo: “He’s not even in my top 5. He’s too inconsistent for me. I think we trying to anoint him as the next great too fast. Don’t get me wrong, the kid is absolutely fantastic but he ain’t no Lebron James, he ain’t no Kobe Bryant. I do have a vote”

Jared “Sold High” McCain in 21 minutes for OKC tonight: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 dime, 2 steals on ⁵⁄₈ from the field and ²⁄₃ from 3.

OKC Thunder Guard Nikola Topic is not on the injury report and is available to play tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks

[Wright] KD: “If you look at Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic now, let’s go back and look at what they do in the All-Star Game. Is that competition? So, we haven’t questioned what they’ve been doing. But we’re going to question the old heads, and the Americans… Luka and Jokic, they don’t care about..

Jazz Tanking Shenanigans Continue: Utah sits JJJ and Lauri the entire 4th, as they mercilessly tank to a 28pt win over the Kings

[Haynes] Miami Heat star Norm Powell (Jamaica) has been moved to the All-Star World team.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will address media on Saturday and will certainly broach the topic of tanking. Meanwhile, the first slate of games after the All-Star Break will have some extremely high stakes in the tank race:

Least efficient players in the NBA averaging at least 15ppg: Derrick White (52.2%), Lamelo Ball (53.3%), Russell Westbrook (53.3%), Bam Adebayo (54.8%), Dillon Brooks (54.9%), Shaedon Sharpe (55.0%), Alperen Sengun (55.2%), Alex Sarr (55.4%) Jabari Smith Jr. (55.7%), Andrew Nembhard (55.8%)

Cam Thomas dominates the Magic in his 2nd game as a Buck: 34 points on ¹²⁄₂₀ FG in 25 minutes

[NBA Recap] Washington Wizards post trade deadline salary cap

[Highlight] Doc Rivers on Cam Thomas:

“I’ve had Jamal Crawford. I had Lou Williams… And now, I have Cam Thomas.”

[Highlight] James Harden threads the needle on a surgical behind the back pass to Tyson for an easy dunk

[Charania] The San Antonio Spurs and forward Jeremy Sochan have agreed on his release to allow the 2023 All-Rookie team member to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. Sochan is expected to decide among multiple interested teams.

[Highlight] Cam Thomas is given space and hits the dagger from deep

Bill Simmons questions whether Adam Silver is right person to lead NBA

[Highlight] Jared McCain helps extend the Thunder’s lead with 8 straight points!

Jared Jackson Jr. to Undergo Season Ending Surgery

[NBA PR]: Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season

The Sacramento Kings have now lost 14 games in a row. They have the worst record in the league by 3 games. Their roster was supposed to “compete” this year and was “built to win”

[Ulrich] Cavaliers adjust court layout after Luka Doncic injury scare

Jose Alvarado vs. the 76ers: 26 points, ⁸⁄₁₃ 3PT, 5 Steals, +35

[Highlight] Kawhi hits the clutch and-1 with 2 seconds remaining to give the Clippers the lead!

Ian Begley elaborates on Jeremy Sochan signing to the Knicks: Knicks targeted Jeremy Sochan at deadline… One iteration was Sochan-Yabusele deal. So NYK essentially gets Jose Alvarado & Sochan at trade deadline… Knicks feel like they have 15 players they are comfortable having on the court

Nikola Jokić on playing with Jamal Murray for his entire career: “I would love it. It’s so good when you know who you’re playing with. He cannot really surprise me. And I know what he can do…I don’t want to change him.”

[Post Game Thread] The San Antonio Spurs (38-16) defeat the Golden State Warriors (29-26), 126-113.

Over 60 members of the Thunder attended Jalen Williams’ high school jersey retirement in Arizona.

Nick Wright on fixing the All Star game: “if your guy Kon Knueppel continues on this trajectory… PC headlines be damned. White guys vs. black guys. Luka/Joker/Flagg/Reaves/Knueppel against Wemby+whomever. I’m telling you right now, guys would play f*cking hard.

[Post Game Thread] The Charlotte Hornets (26-29) defeat the Atlanta Hawks (26-30), 110-107.

Evan Turner: “I remember one time my coach said he viewed me as Richard Jefferson and that was the first time i truly understood Latrell Spreewell. P.s. I’d trade the career i had for Richard Jefferson so it ain’t no shade. I just thought I was Kobe”

[Highlight] Sam Merrill hits his 6th and 7th threes in quick succession to give him 26 points in the first half

[Highlight] Wemby on what he’s looking forward to during all star break: “Going to bed one hour later”

[Highlight] Cam Thomas scores 34 points on ¹²⁄₂₀ shooting in 25 minutes vs Magic

[Post Game Thread] The New York Knicks (35-20) defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (30-24), 138-89. The second largest victory in franchise history

Kevin Durant on Victor Wembanyama giving full effort at ASG: “We’ll see, we’ll see. I mean, of course Vic [gonna say that]. He said that last year, too, and he said it was the worst All-Star Game and people watch. So we’ll see. … This format might change the game, but who knows, we’ll see.”

[Charania] NBA suspensions for the Pistons-Hornets fight, sources tell ESPN: Isaiah Stewart: 7 games Miles Bridges: 4 games Moussa Diabate: 4 games Jalen Duren: 2 games

[Highlight] LaMelo’s reaction to Jalen Johnson’s missed FT

[NBA] Utah’s Bailey and Washington’s Carrington named injury replacements for 2026 Castrol Rising Stars

[Slater] On Dec. 10, Kuminga knew management wanted to ding him for missing a team event, and alert him that someone around him was taking too much food from the family room. The gripes had become “petty”. Inside Kerr’s office, the meeting ended with Kerr slamming his white board in frustration.