What to watch this week in the NBA: All eyes on Spurs, Lakers, Mavs and Kings after trades

Behold, the weirdest week in professional basketball.

So much has already transpired ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. De’Aaron Fox lands alongside Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio; Zach LaVine reunites with DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento; Luka Dončić is a … wait … Luka Dončić is a Laker now?!

Don’t let this week’s trade deadline fully overshadow the game action. Boston gets three primetime broadcasts, including benchmark looks at their Cleveland and New York peers. A Finals rematch might double as Anthony Davis’ Dallas debut. Stephen Curry and LeBron James duel on Thursday. Detroit has meaningful post-deadline games!

Here’s a look at the upcoming slate. To celebrate trade season, we also listed the most consequential deal between the franchises in each matchup (determined by win shares on Basketball Reference).

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Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT

The Eastern Conference’s top two teams go to battle once again. Boston dropped then-undefeated Cleveland to 15-1 in their November NBA Cup game, while the Cavs evened the score with a 115-111 win on Dec. 1.

The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd broke down the Cavaliers’ luxury tax situation ahead of Thursday:

“Cleveland is roughly $2 million into the luxury tax. The Cavs could do nothing (sit), keep this excellent roster intact and begin the clock ticking on their repeat offender status, which would officially hit during the 2027-28 season and start making their luxury tax payments a lot more expensive.

Or, they can get aggressive, dangle rookie Jaylon Tyson and their 2031 first-round pick and see what happens. If they are buyers at the deadline and add more salary, that technically falls into the “sit” category as well, because it keeps them in the tax.

The alternative is to nip and tuck this payroll and get off the clock. If they duck under the tax threshold, they would not only receive a payout this summer from all of the other tax-paying teams but also, and more importantly, delay starting the repeat-offender clock until next season. That makes a huge difference in the future.”

Biggest trade: 2017 — The Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas deal, without question. Most of Cleveland’s value came through the 2018 first-round pick that got Collin Sexton. The fallout between Irving and the Celtics was strange and arduous.

Los Angeles Lakers at LA CLAppers

Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

Remember when the Clippers had a claim for the craziest NBA trade of the 21st century? Needless to say, the Lakers’ landing of Luka Dončić has permeated every corner of public life in Southern California.

Fred Katz, Joe Vardon and Sam Amick went behind the curtain:

“The Lakers now employ 25-year-old Luka Dončić, and they didn’t even have to part with both of their tradeable first-round picks to land him. Late Saturday, the Dallas Mavericks agreed to send Dončić to the Lakers for 10-time All-Star and defensive anchor Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2029. In the process, the Lakers held onto their 2031 first-rounder.

The Mavs, desperate to find Dončić a new home as soon as possible, did not press for it.”

Biggest trade: 1983 — Byron Scott to Showtime, Norm Nixon to San Diego. Scott won three rings and scored 15 points per game across 11 seasons in purple and gold. Nixon was an All-Star in his first year with the Clippers, but his career was truncated by injuries shortly after.

San Antonio Spurs at Atlanta Hawks

Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

This watch guide adheres to a common refrain: If Victor Wembanyama is on the screen and we don’t have an outstanding commitment, we will watch.

De’Aaron Fox will instantly lift the Fightin’ Wembys on offense. The newly acquired playmaker is great in the pick-and-roll and ranks fourth in scoring off drives this season. The spacing will be ample: Fox is one of the league’s best backcourt players at getting to the rim, and Wembanyama is the league’s only 7-foot-3 savant with Steph Curry range. All together now: as long as we’re available, we are going to watch:

San Antonio leads the league in blocks (duh), yet it gives up the second-fewest fouls per game. Although the Spurs are under .500, there are traces of a cool team here that should be accentuated with Fox leading the break.

Atlanta snapped an eight-game losing streak Monday night, beating the Pistons in an unsuspecting 132-130 banger. Trae Young sunk a sensational iso jumper to walk it off.

Biggest trade: 2022 — Dejounte Murray to Atlanta, three draft picks (two unprotected) and a pick swap to San Antonio. That protected selection (Charlotte 2023) did not convey, but the two unprotected ones are set for 2025 and 2027. Winner? TBD.

Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder

Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

While we’re nostalgic, do we recall Mat Ishbia saying 26 of the 29 other NBA franchises would trade places with the Suns? Maybe he meant two to six?

No current organization draws more envy than the Thunder (outside of perhaps the Lakers, who keep landing epochal superstars without much of a sweat).

Oklahoma City is 39-9, first in the West, despite Chet Holmgren’s hip fracture. It has the best net rating and the top-ranked defense, a perennial MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a 23-year-old All-Star in Jalen Williams. The team’s top eight in minutes played are all 26 or younger. The sack of future draft capital has ballooned to the proportions of Mr. Creosote.

The Thunder will be a massive favorite on their home floor Wednesday. Phoenix lost to Portland on Saturday by 19 points. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal all played — each went at least 50 percent from the field, even! The Suns need to figure it out. National TV, on the road and against this opponent, is a slot machine jackpot of bad draws. Durant does tend to get up for games at OKC, though.

Biggest trade: 2007 — In the middle of their Seven Seconds or Less run, Suns GM Steve Kerr wanted to get off Kurt Thomas’ cap hit and create a trade exception. They sent the 2008 pick that became Serge Ibaka. The final win share count was 50.6 to 0.

Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics

Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Will Anthony Davis (abdominal) suit up here? The spectacle of the trade deadline remains undefeated. Marcus Thompson II said it best:

“On a random Saturday night, the NBA flexed. This weekend declared the league’s perennial magnetism. For all the criticism it endures, all the talk of declining ratings and waning interest, the NBA can still break the internet better than Kim Kardashian. How to fix the NBA has become a national conversation. Shorter season. Fewer 3-pointers. More defense. Even commissioner Adam Silver is pedaling less product as a solution.

And, out of nowhere, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said, ‘Hold my beer’ — presumably to Michael Finley.”

Biggest trade: 2014 — A blockbuster at the moment. Boston parted with the disgruntled All-Star Rajon Rondo (and Dwight Powell, presumably not disgruntled), bringing in Jae Crowder from Dallas. The Mavs took this trade by win shares, 47.8 to 18.7. Here’s what’s wild — all but 0.6 of those came from Powell, as Rondo and coach Rick Carlisle made for an oil-water cocktail.

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers

Thursday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

Conversely, will Luka Dončić (calf) make his L.A.LAut in a national spot? He is reportedly trying to return before the All-Star break.

And what will the Warriors do? Anthony Slater touched on a once-unthinkable reunion between the Dubs and KD:

“Golden State owner Joe Lacob sits in the first row across from the Warriors’ bench and often hosts guests in the two seats next to him. Against the Suns, he had Rich Kleiman — Durant’s long-time agent and business partner — planted directly to his left. The two were seen conversing during the game and were spotted together at halftime and postgame in the Bridge Club, an exclusive lounge in the underbelly of the arena between the home and visiting locker rooms.

Kleiman and the Warriors’ decision-makers have a long history, dating back to Durant’s famous free agency process in the Hamptons back in the summer of 2016. Former general manager Bob Myers was a central figure in locking that deal down. Myers happened to be announcing Friday night’s Warriors-Suns game on ESPN and was spotted entering the Bridge Club postgame.”

Biggest trade: 1990 — There’s a surprisingly sparse trade history here. By win shares, the biggest move was when Los Angeles added Terry Teagle, who played bench minutes for Mike Dunleavy’s Lakers. Golden State got a draft pick that became Shaun Vandiver, who never played in the NBA.

Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons

Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Monday’s loss aside, Detroit is solid. The Pistons went 10-6 in January, with Cade Cunningham locking down his first All-Star nod. He’s been a fantastic watch lately and has four 30-point games in his last eight tries. He seems to go hard every night, with a chilly deceleration and a bag full of head fakes:

Detroit is tied for the league lead in screen assists. It plays tough, if wildly imperfect, ball. The defense is improving — up to 14th in defensive rating after three unsightly season rankings: 24th, 28th, and 26th. Malik Beasley can put on a nice modern-day Vinnie Johnson impression. He has 16 games with five or more treys off the bench.

Cunningham is now BetMGM’s favorite for the NBA’s Most Improved Player, sitting at -130 ahead of Norman Powell (+100). Beasley has cooked his way to third (+900) in Sixth Man of the Year odds.

The 76ers have been one continuous headache. Fantasy basketball heads can at least dig some Tyrese Maxey action. With Joel Embiid, Paul George (and Jared McCain) out, Philadelphia’s new nexus has been up beyond 30 points per game since Jan. 1.

Biggest trade: 1997 — The Pistons sent Aaron McKie, Theo Ratliff and a 2003 first-round pick (Carlos Delfino) to the Sixers for Jerry Stackhouse and Eric Montross. McKie won a Sixth Man of the Year award, while Ratliff racked up blocks in Philly and was eventually dealt for Dikembe Mutombo. Stackhouse nearly averaged 30 points for the Pistons in 2000-01; he was ultimately traded for Richard Hamilton.

Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns

Friday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

Seldom few folks are watching the Jazz right now. The Suns may look fundamentally different come Friday. There’s precious little going on here, so here’s a loopy trade to go through.

Biggest trade: 2004 —Utah essentially traded Keon Clark to the desert for Tom Gugliotta and, somehow, multiple first-round draft picks. Weird. Clark ended up retiring, while Gugliotta averaged 3.7 points in 25 games with the Jazz. But the 2010 pick (Gordon Hayward) would define an era in Salt Lake City.

Boston Celtics at New York Knicks

Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

These two cities will forever induce rivalry, but the current versions of these teams are specifically tailored to go at it. The Knicks knew what they were doing when they loaded up on elite wings and a uniquely rangy center. To win the East, they must match up properly with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis and defending champion Boston. The Celtics have been the conference’s final boss for much of the past decade; Madison Square Garden will welcome them accordingly.

New York scored a big win in its comeback over the pestilent Houston Rockets. Jalen Brunson is at an all-world level, finishing Monday’s win with 42 points and 10 assists. He and Karl-Anthony Towns are the first pair of Knicks to start the All-Star Game since Walt Frazier and Willis Reed more than 50 years ago. The Knicks are the fourth-highest-scoring offense despite playing with the NBA’s fifth-slowest pace. Mikal Bridges leads everyone in minutes played. He’s a hamster on a wheel after mainlining caffeine.

Yet the Celts will be the ever-slight favorite on Saturday. It will be that way until they relinquish the title. Tatum is still leveling up, with career-bests in rebounds and assists. He starts the week fourth in defensive win shares, ahead of premier clampers like Wemby, Rudy Gobert, Amen Thompson and Jaden McDaniels. Payton Pritchard leads the field for 6MOTY. Boston dominates opponents behind the arc and in turnover differential.

The home crowd’s hostilities toward ex-Knick Porziņģis will ring down to Penn Station.

Biggest trade: 1979 — Bob McAdoo was sent to Boston, where he’d play just 20 games. Three first-rounders came in for New York, one of which became Bill Cartwright. The Knicks won this one, 71.5 to 1.

Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks

Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, ABC

Will a single Philadelphia fan tune in while their Eagles suit up for the Super Bowl? That remains to be seen. Does every Giannis Antetokounmpo sighting still hold the promise of awe and hilarity? You bet it does:

Biggest trade: 1976 — The pick that became Maurice Cheeks arrived via Fred Carter, who had averaged almost 19 points in six Philly campaigns. Carter retired after an ankle sprain cut his Milwaukee tenure to just half a season; Cheeks won a ring and made five All-Defensive teams in Philly.

(Photo of LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard: Jevone Moore / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)



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