NBA News and Rumor Roundup 2/5/2025
Trade news! Basketball! The complete implosion of NBA logic!
Aaaaaand we’re back!
This just about sums this week up:
While we aren’t quite at the trade deadline yet — that’s tomorrow! — it feels as if the full force of this time of year hit all at once earlier this week. We’ve already had the most baffling trade in NBA history go down, with Luka Doncic being sent to the Lakers, which continues to confound no matter how much Mavs GM Nico Harrison tries to justify it. Then, we had a more traditional blockbuster (that feels like an oxymoron) in De’Aaron Fox being sent to the Spurs in return for Zach LaVine from the Bulls, plus a few smaller trades in the process.
Somehow, through all of it, there’s actually been real basketball being played, so we have quite a bit to talk about today. First up, let’s dive right into our primary weekly segment; it’s time to take a look at this week’s Kings of The Court!
Note: If any trades happened post-9:00 PM CT on Tuesday, they aren’t included here. I’d prefer to get an apt amount of sleep — sorry!
This Week’s Kings of The Court
If you’re new around here — welcome! — this is the weekly segment where I select three players and/or teams that I deem Kings of The Court. Crucially, this doesn’t mean that they were necessarily the best over the past week (though they can be!) but are instead the players/teams that caught my eye for one reason or another. You’ll get the gist real quick. First up…
👑Trey Murphy III, Carrying The Weight👑
Key Stats From the Past Week
37.7 points per game
70% shooting from the field
63.6% shooting from three-point range
Bonus Stat: This past week was the first time in which Trey Murphy III recorded back-to-back 40-point games, first against Boston and then against Denver — unfortunately, the Pels lost both games.
The Pelicans have had a rough going over the past week, but you can’t blame Trey Murphy III, who has suddenly turned into a supernova. The 24-year-old wing is scorching hot, as you can see in the stats above, and it’s a shame that the Pels are so understaffed right now, preventing the team from really making an impact. Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles, Zion Williamson has been in and out, and nothing seems to be going right — but 37.7 points per game, y’all!
Where Murphy has really improved over this past stretch in a bigger role is his ability to make shots off the dribble. Because he’s often playing off the ball, he doesn’t get a chance to show that side of his game much, but there’s evidence that he’s actually a killer in isolation:
The Pels know what they have, it seems, as they’ve widely made Murphy untouchable in trade discussions. He’s rangy with a 6’8” frame, is one of the better wing-stoppers ion the NBA and, at least right now, he’s playing like a superstar. I actually want to see him in more handoff actions because of his ability to create space once he gets a running start, turning into a pseudo Bubble TJ Warren:
I don’t normally give King of The Court awards to players whose teams are doing poorly. That should show you just how absurd Murphy’s play has been as of late. His ascendance should further encourage the Pels to deal Brandon Ingram if they can, because I haven’t seen anything that Ingram can do that Murphy hasn’t been doing over the past week. Bad team or not, Murphy seems to be evolving and expanding his game.
👑Giannis Antetokoumpo, Chasing the MVP👑
Key Stats From the Past Week
32.5 points per game
61.4% shooting from the field
12.5 rebounds (and 6.5 assists…and 1 block…and 1 steal…)
Bonus Stat: Giannis has recorded 17 games with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists this season. If he keeps that pace up, he’ll have 34 of such games by the end of the year, 9 more than his all-time mark of 25 in 2023-24.
I don’t think anyone can catch Jokic or SGA for MVP this year, but if anyone’s gonna do it, it’s Giannis. This past week, the Greek Freak has been absurdly dominant. He’s meeting the 30+ PPG mark, is dishing out assists at a freaky-high rate for his position, and is an absolute vacuum cleaner on the boards. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: There’s nothing you can do against this:
I believe that Giannis’ greatness this season has gone somewhat underappreciated because of the absurdities coming out of both Denver and OKC, despite the fact that the Greek’s ability to finish in the lane is arguably some of the best we’ve seen (consistently) since Shaquille O’Neal. Because of that, the Dame/Giannis pick and roll is a little bit more consistent than it was earlier this season — I still don’t think they do it enough, though:
If the Bucks surge further ahead and the Nuggets/Thunder falter a little bit, don’t be surprised if Giannis swoops in and steals the MVP award. It’s unlikely, but quite a bit more likely than it was just a week ago. Offensively and defensively, he may very well be the most complete player in the world.
👑Zaccharie Risacher, Vindicated👑
Key Stats From the Past Week
21.3 points per game
58.8% shooting from three-point range
26.7 minutes per game
Bonus Stat: This is the first time this season that Risacher has averaged over 20 points per game over a three-game span, which makes him the 5th rookie to do so this year. During that span, he’s had the 3rd-highest three-point percentage out of any rookie.
Zaccharie Risacher heard y’all talking smack about him. He may not be the most exciting #1 pick ever, but he’s showing that he may be just the thing the Hawks need for the future.
Over the past week, Risacher has averaged over 20 points per game on very good efficiency, turning into his most common player comp with ease: Michael Porter Jr. If that doesn’t get you excited, that’s fine, but it should based on how this team is constructed.
Alongside the pass-happy Trae Young, Risacher has been able to get open looks on the perimeter for catch-and-shoot opportunities, utilizing the gravity that Young creates to space the floor out:
Where Risacher will likely thrive as a player will be off of handoffs, allowing him to gain momentum and get to the rim without having to utilize crazy athleticism — which, it’s worth noting, he doesn’t have from a verticality standpoint. That may be the differentiator should he become a better player than Michael Porter Jr., who is often a step slow on cuts and loses sight of the play; over the past week, that hasn’t been the case for Risacher:
Say what you want about this class, but Risacher looks like he could be a very good fringe second option, even if he’s a better fit as a high-profile #3 option like Khris Middleton. That shouldn’t feel like a letdown, though, and he’s only in his first year. If he learns how to create his own shot a little bit, there’s room for him to really take another leap.
With how the Hawks are constructed, he’s in the perfect situation for his skills. Young dominates the ball and works best when he can create gravity for his teammates and kick it out to the perimeter. With Risacher’s catch-and-shoot prowess, he won’t look to take the ball out of Young’s hands and can instead thrive off of him. It may not be super flashy, but you can’t argue with the results just yet.
LaVine, La Fox, and La Bulls
After literal years of asking, begging, and imploring the Bulls to trade Zach LaVine, it’s finally happened — oh, and De’Aaron Fox is here, too, no biggie.
On Sunday, news broke that the Bulls, Kings, and Spurs traded with one another, with the full structure of the deal as follows:
Spurs: De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
Kings: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks (2025 CHA, 2027 SAS, 2031 MIN), three second-round picks (2025 CHI, 2028 DEN, 2028 own back)
Bulls: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their own 2025 pick via SAS
Let’s break this down real quick, shall we?
The Spurs Absolutely Win
The Spurs are clear winners here in my mind, though I’ve seen different takes fly around. Here’s why I think that:
They didn’t have to include Stephon Castle and only had to include one of their own first-rounders, preserving ammo for a future trade for a megastar (Giannis, maybe?)
Giving up Tre Jones and Zach Collins, while somewhat sad, is tolerable. Jones is a great point guard who got lost in the rotation mix at times alongside CP3 and Castle, while Collins’ big man skills are good but, like Jones, limited this season because of the roster.
They get De’Aaron Fox, who ranks in the 90th percentile for pick and roll ball-handling and is averaging 25, 6, and 5 this season. He’s a perfect fit alongside Wemby and reportedly wanted to come to San Antonio, which implies a contract extension will keep him in the city for the long-term.
Winner winner, French dinner. That’s an A in the gradebook.
The Kings Didn’t Do Too Bad
Zach LaVine, for as much as I’ve questioned his qualities that go toward winning in the past, has been quite good this season. He’s averaging 24 points per game on 44.6% shooting from three-point range, a scorching clip. Getting him plus the Spurs 2027 pick and the 2031 Minnesota pick — which could end up being the most valuable pick out of any trade we’ll see this year — is a pretty solid haul. The 2025 Charlotte pick is so heavily protected and likely won’t convey, so I’m quietly ignoring it.
Should the Kings have demanded Stephon Castle? Maybe. And maybe they did, only for the Spurs to balk. Plus, the fit between LaVine and DeRozan is something we’ve already seen function at a subpar rate in Chicago, so I don’t know if Part 2 will go any better.
This is a good return and likely the best one on the market that helps them still compete right now. Solid B.
The Bulls, Uh, Exist
First off, this isn’t a horrendous return for the Bulls given the fact that they waited way too long to get rid of LaVine. As I mentioned before, Tre Jones is a good guard who could either be rerouted or kept on the roster, Zach Collins is probably better as a contract flip, while Kevin Huerter is too good to be on a tanking roster. The real prize, if you could call it that, is the fact that Chicago gets its 2025 first-rounder back, which was originally top-10 protected. That means that the Bulls will have a first-rounder, but I didn’t see them falling out of the top 10 barring some horrendous luck (it wouldn’t be the first time).
Big shrug here, which seems to fit the bill for a Bulls team that has drawn out many a shrug from many a fan over the past decade. It’s not terrible, but it’s not great either. Quite average — that’s a C in my book.
The NBA (And Basketball) Has a Gambling Problem (Maybe)
Last week, it was revealed that Heat guard Terry Rozier was under federal investigation for potentially colluding with gamblers in a game back in 2023, putting both his salary and his reputation at risk. If this sounds familiar, it should; this past offseason, former Raptors player Jontay Porter was found to have used Discord to help gamblers make money, opting to purposely miss shots or even sit out of games with eye pain, causing multiple “under” bets on his stats to hit.
This, of course, is quite a long time coming. Ever since the NBA fully embraced gambling there has been this sense that a ticking time bomb would go off at a certain point, though I wouldn’t call the Rozier scandal one of nuclear proportions. Yet, for a player who is usually quite good and is decently well-known, it stains the NBA’s reputation by way of what are potentially poor regulatory controls.
It isn’t just the NBA, though. Connected to both the Porter and Rozier investigations (which I believe, based on recent reporting, are one and the same in investigation circles) are three separate collegiate basketball programs: North Carolina A&T, Eastern Michigan, and Mississippi Valley. All three are Division 1 programs, while Temple University was also found guilty of having players who collaborated with gamblers. Could this be pointing to a wider underground betting ring? Possibly.
Coming from professional tennis (that’s a story for another time) has me wary of betting rings and the masterminds behind them; just in 2023, Kevin Sieff of The Washington Post did a marvelous investigative piece into a mysterious man named The Maestro — real name Grigor Sargysan — who still, despite being indicted, seems to have quite a bit of control over the betting side of the sport, as a few more players related to his ring were suspended just a few days ago.
Something similar taking root in basketball is not out of the question. I don’t know if it actually exists, but don’t be surprised if more shocking news comes out over the next year or two.
Jersey of The Week
If you’re new around these parts, this is a segment where I get to flex my creative muscles a bit and create a concept jersey for any team in the league that I see fit. This week, I wanted to go with a more simple design than in weeks past, making a Creamsicle-colored kit for the Denver Nuggets. Why that specific color, you ask?
Well, I have no good reason other than I thought it looked nice; I’ve also included the pine trees and mountains of Colorado to seal the deal. Simple, but I think it’s effective, though I’m still not 100% sold on the blue text shadow. Even in my own designs, I’m a bit critical, I suppose.
Other News, Rumors, and Fun Facts
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Coach of the Month, respectively, per the NBA. In January, the Rockets had an 11-4 record, while Carlisle led the Pacers to a 10-2 record. Now, the Rockets are beginning to shape up into a true contender, though the Pacers are still in a weird zone where they’ll look like the champs one night and sometimes they’ll look a step slow. Both are great dark horse picks for a deep run, though.
In an absolutely earth-shattering trade, the Charlotte Hornets have sent a 2030 second-rounder (via Denver) to the OKC Thunder in return for a 2029 second-rounder (via Phoenix). Is this a sign of more to come? Maybe, as Sam Presti’s big GM brain seems to grow with every draft pick he accumulates, but I can’t tell you what the end game is with this one.
The Warriors are reportedly calling up every team with an All-Star in existence, hoping to pair Stephen Curry with a range of high-end players. Somewhat shockingly, this list includes Kevin Durant, who the Suns are now listening to offers on, though it’s worth noting that most reports say that the Suns aren’t committed to dealing him. A reunion in the Bay would be a massive league-altering move and would be the move of the year if Luka Doncic hadn’t been traded to the Lakers.
In a game against the Trail Blazers on Monday, Suns star Devin Booker became the leader in scoring for the franchise all-time at just 28 years old. It feels strange that Book is already 28, but he’s continuing to show why he’s one of the best scorers in the entire league.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Hawks and Warriors are among the teams that have inquired (no pun intended) about the availability of Paul George. George is among the group of All-Stars I mentioned that the Warriors are eying, while the Hawks must feel that they can compete right now with George if they were to acquire them, though it may come at a steep cost they’re unwilling to pay.
If you’re thinking LeBron might get traded after the arrival of Luka Doncic in LA, don’t hold your breath. According to ESPN, LeBron is expected to stay with LA after the deadline and, because of his no-trade clause, would have to sign off on any deal to be moved in the first place.
However, speaking of the Lakers, one report says that Doncic isn’t fully committed to signing an extension with the franchise during the offseason. Could a Jokic/Doncic pairing be in the future? Who knows, but it’s bound to be a chaotic time in LA if he shuns the extension.
The Mavs made another trade, and while not as baffling as the Doncic one, it’s slightly confusing still. Per ESPN, the team traded Quentin Grimes and the 76ers own second-rounder to the Sixers for Caleb Martin. The 24-year-old Grimes has had quite a good season, averaging 10 points in 22 minutes on nearly 40% three-point shooting, while the 29-year-old Martin, has played just 31 games this year and has been dealing with an injury for a period of time, making it a somewhat confusing deal. Martin does provide extra defense and prevents the Mavs from having to pay Grimes in restricted free agency, but, once again, GM Nico Harrison is making some weird moves.
We just had one of the rarest kinds of games in NBA history and it went right under our noses! On Monday, Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 0 steals, 0 blocks, and 0 turnovers. That makes him just the 15th player in NBA history to record 20+ points with that many 0s in his box score, with others like Reggie Miller, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Michael Redd making the list. Amazing.
On this day in NBA history (in 1960!) the Hall of Famer Bill Russell, despite dealing with a calf cramp, grabbed the 2nd-most rebounds in a game all-time with — wait for it — 51 rebounds. I don’t know how such a game could have been enjoyable to watch given how many misses it requires, but that’s a stat that, even in second place, won’t likely be upped by any of today’s players. The first player, as you might expect, was Wilt Chamberlain, grabbing 55 boards against the Celtics also in 1960.
My Favorite Reads This Week
The crew over at
recently transcribed one of their own conversations about whether or not the Mavs will finish higher than the Lakers, which is a little less absurd than it sounds. I suggested that they wiretap each other permanently for more conversations like this but was shut down by , soooooo! You can go read that right here.- always does great work collecting the best of the NBA’s stats. He recently put together a January post-month review, showcasing the players who performed the best in each category along with fun facts about certain stars (and Amir Coffey!). Go read up on that one right here.
One part of the Doncic trade that felt like it went under the radar was the 2029 first-rounder from the Lakers, which may not be all that valuable if Doncic dominates for LA over the next 4 seasons. Regardless,
gives us a very early preview of the 2029 draft class and who it might include, which you can take a gander at here.I often link
in this section because he does a really good job of breaking down the salary cap implications of trades, so this week is right in his wheelhouse. He recently broke down the De’Aaron Fox trade and its cap implications, which you can go read here.I don’t know who is behind
but I’ve loved their Substack. This is not at all basketball-related, but the gist on the ‘stack is to take a look at random ideas that may or may not be dumb (or not, because of the title) and see if they would actually function in a real world. If you want to read about why charging a $1 donation for job applications is actually a pretty good idea, you can go here.
That’s it for this week’s roundup! I’ll likely have a lot to talk about trade-wise for this weekend, so be ready for that. In the meantime, check out all of the great articles and writers above!