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Despite sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the Los Angeles Lakers don't appear inclined to make a panic trade involving their highly-coveted future first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2029.
Per NBA reporter Marc Stein in his Substack newsletter, rival teams believe the Lakers want to keep those picks "in case a currently unforeseen shot to trade for a legitimate third star— like Washington's Bradley Beal—materializes suddenly."
This comes after The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported on Dec. 16 that Los Angeles' "ultimate pie-in-the-sky" trade scenario would be if one of Beal, Damian Lillard or Kevin Durant became available.
General manager Rob Pelinka told reporters before the start of the season that trading their "draft capital" would only make sense if it brought back a player or players who clearly improved the Lakers' championship odds.
It's perhaps not a surprise that Stein cited Beal as a potential option for the Lakers instead of Durant or Lillard.
The Brooklyn Nets' recent surge up the standings makes it impossible to envision a scenario where Durant is moved during the season.
Lillard's two-year contract extension signed in July stipulates he can't be traded until July 9, 2023. There's no indication he or the Portland Trail Blazers are looking to move on, but things could change during the offseason if the team misses the playoffs or has an early exit.
Beal's situation is hard to parse out. He admitted in October on JJ Redick's podcast that the market "wasn't too promising" before deciding to sign a five-year supermax extension with the Washington Wizards.
While Beal is almost certainly happy to have a contract that guarantees him up to $251 million, the Wizards remain a mess with a 15-21 record. The structure of his deal could also make a move complicated because it includes a full no-trade clause and a trade bonus of 15 percent.
Despite their lackluster performance so far this season, The Athletic's Josh Robbins recently noted the Wizards don't want to trade Beal and would prefer to upgrade around him.
There's been no indication at this point that Beal is going to seek a trade out of Washington.
Beal would definitely fill the Lakers' need for shooting help. He's making a career-high 52.7 percent of his field-goal attempts this season, along with shooting 34.3 percent from behind the arc.
Putting Beal on a roster with LeBron James and a healthy Anthony Davis could improve his scoring efficiency because defenses would focus their attention on stopping them, leaving him with open opportunities that aren't available with the Wizards.
The Lakers (14-21) have lost five of their last six games and are currently 13th in the Western Conference standings.
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
WWE's Reported WrestleMania Backup Plan for Reigns
If WWE is unable to secure Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to face WWE universal champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 in April, there is reportedly already a backup plan in place.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), WWE head of creative Triple H knows what direction he wants to go in if the "very real possibility" of The Rock not being available for WrestleMania comes to pass.
Meltzer noted that while the backup plan isn't publicly known, Cody Rhodes is likely the "betting line favorite" to be Reigns' opponent outside of The Rock.
Rumors and speculation have persisted for months regarding Reigns vs. The Rock at WrestleMania, but WWE has never truly teased the match, which would make it easy for the company to pivot if it can't be made possible.
The Rock is as busy as anyone in show business because of his acting schedule, plus he is the owner of the XFL, which is set to relaunch in spring 2023 and could conflict with WrestleMania season.
Reigns vs. The Rock is the biggest possible match WWE could put on, and it would increase interest in WrestleMania 39 significantly, but it isn't necessarily needed for WWE to put on a great show.
WWE could always try for Reigns vs. The Rock at a later date, especially since the fanbase would likely react positively to Reigns vs. Rhodes as well.
Rhodes is seemingly getting closer to a return after missing several months with a torn pectoral muscle, and if he were to win the Royal Rumble and challenge Reigns, it would still be one of WWE's best stories in quite some time.
WWE Reportedly Considering Adding Another Title
With Reigns in possession of both world titles, WWE is reportedly considering the addition of another major championship.
According to Meltzer (h/t Smita Singha Roy of Ringside News), there "remains a lot of talk" within WWE about creating a new title for Raw if Reigns remains on SmackDown or for SmackDown if Reigns gets moved to Raw the next time a draft is held.
Reigns has held the Universal Championship for over 850 days, and he added the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022, meaning WWE is closing in on a full year of only having one world champion.
While that makes being world champion an even bigger deal than if there were two world titles, it has also left Raw without a major men's championship to vie for.
Many fans have clamored for the titles to be broken up again and Reigns to perhaps lose one of them, but WWE has stayed away from The Tribal Chief losing big matches.
If WWE has a desire for there to be two world titles but no desire for Reigns to lose, simply merging the WWE and Universal Championships into one and then creating a new world title could be a viable option.
Adding another world title would give WWE ammunition for some compelling television over the course of several weeks, as the winner could be determined by a tournament involving some of the top stars the company has to offer.
Reigns has been excellent in his role, and it is understandable why WWE has protected him, but if it wants Raw to be as interesting and important as SmackDown, a second world champion may be needed in the near future.
WWE's Reported Feelings on Utilizing Tyson Fury
A source within WWE reportedly told Meltzer (h/t Gunjan Nath of Ringside News) that there are reservations about using heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury in an in-ring capacity.
The source told Meltzer that Fury is "not willing to put people over or even look vulnerable," thus making it difficult to do something like a cameo in the men's Royal Rumble match, since he may not be willing to get eliminated.
The revelation came on the heels of a report by Sunni Upal of The Sun U.S. this week. In the report, Upal noted that WWE had plans to use Fury at the 2023 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 39, but visa issues are preventing it from happening.
Fury is reportedly banned from entering the United States because of his ties to alleged Irish mob boss Daniel Kinahan.
As a result, Fury is reportedly missing out on millions of dollars that he could have earned by working Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.
Fury has made multiple appearances for WWE, including a Crown Jewel match against Braun Strowman in Saudi Arabia. He also had a presence at Clash at the Castle in Wales in September when he punched out Austin Theory during a Money in the Bank cash-in attempt and consoled Drew McIntyre after his loss to Reigns in the main event.
There is no question that Fury is a huge star in the world of combat sports thanks to his success and charisma, but integrating athletes into the world of WWE can be tricky at times, especially when it comes to an undefeated fighter whose career is built on legitimacy.
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones denied rumors the team has been in contact with wide receiver Terrell Owens about a potential return for America's Team this season.
"I've never talked to him or his agent and will not seriously consider it," Jones said during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "But I've never talked to him."
Owens' agent, Gregory D.L. Daniel, recently told Sports Illustrated's Aaron Wilson that the former NFL wideout had been in "constant communication" with Jones about a possible deal.
Daniel said:
"We've been in constant communication with Jerry Jones' office over the last few days about the possibility of him returning to the Cowboys. Terrell is ready to contribute and play any role, big or small. He's in outstanding shape. He looks no different than he did years ago. I watched him running routes full-speed with DeSean and he looked great. He didn't drop a pass.
"He most recently ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, which was his warm-up. He's a legend. We want to make history and see him break these records. If anybody can do it, it's him. His three Ds are desire, dedication and discipline. He embodies that every day, even running hills at 3 a.m. on Christmas morning."
NFL reporter Dov Kleiman reported Wednesday that Owens "won't be signing with the Cowboys at this time." A source told Kleiman that one reason the deal isn't happening is because Owens is asking for more money.
It's no secret the Cowboys could use another wideout, but signing the 49-year-old would be a risk that many teams probably wouldn't be willing to take at this point in the season.
Owens said earlier this month that he had also been in contact with the San Francisco 49ers, another of his former clubs, about a possible return during an appearance on 95.7 The Game's The Morning Roast (h/t Angelina Martin of NBC Sports). The two sides obviously never reached a deal.
Owens last suited up in the NFL in 2010 when he was 37. He spent three seasons with the Cowboys from 2006-2008, racking up 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns in 47 games.
In addition to the Cowboys and 49ers, Owens also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals across his 15-year career. The Hall of Famer's 15,934 receiving yards trails only Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald for most receiving yards in NFL history
The Cowboys had also been in contact with Odell Beckham Jr. about joining the team this season, but Jones essentially ruled out that possibility, saying recently that "it's not realistic to think about having him in any meaningful way for the playoffs."
Beckham remains unsigned while rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl last season.
The Cowboys enter their regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders next week having already clinched a playoff berth with a 12-4 record. CeeDee Lamb has been their best receiver with 1,307 yards eight touchdowns in 16 games.
Victor Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the MVP award in the French LNB All-Star Game's history on Thursday night, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).
The French LNB's All-Star Game is a matchup between the league's French players and non-French players. Wembanyama, 18, helped his team secure a 136-128 victory with 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.
Wembanyama leads the French league with averages of 22.9 points and 9.6 rebounds this season. He turns 19 on Jan. 4.
The generational talent is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. He already showcased his talents in the United States during the Las Vegas showcase when the Metropolitans 92 took on the G League Ignite.
In two matchups against the Ignite, Wembanyama totaled 73 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and nine blocks.
In an interview with Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press in October, Wembanyama said his goal is to be like nothing the NBA has ever seen before:
"I'm gonna tell you something that's been going on in my life, like for my whole life, since I've been a kid, even before I played basketball. I've always tried to do [something] different. I'm not even talking about sports, whatever. Any field, I'm always trying to be original, something original, something one of one, something that's never been done before. And this is really how it worked in my life. I don't know where it comes from. I think I was born with it. I've always been trying to be original. Unique, that's the word."
Whichever team lands the No. 1 overall pick will get the opportunity to draft Wembanyama in the summer. The Detroit Pistons (9-28), Charlotte Hornets (10-26), Houston Rockets (10-25), and San Antonio Spurs (12-23) have the best odds of landing him.
Having already made their big trade to bring in Donovan Mitchell during the NBA offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers are likely going to be in the market for wings as they pursue upgrades before the trade deadline.
Per ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Cavs are expected to pursue a "short-term wing option" on the trade market.
This isn't exactly a surprising revelation, as the Cavs roster is loaded with guards and big men. Dean Wade has been a pleasant surprise so far this season, but it's fair to wonder if he will be able to keep making 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts.
Kevin Love, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro are the other wings receiving significant playing time for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. They are all incredibly flawed players. Love has been excellent at drawing charges, but he's otherwise a liability on the defensive end of the court.
LeVert has been good at scoring on a high volume of shots throughout his career. The 28-year-old is averaging 11.8 points on 10.7 attempts per game this season. His 35.1 three-point percentage is his highest rate since the 2019-20 season.
Okoro could be a key player for the Cavs in the second half this season because he's still young enough to believe in his upside. The Auburn alum is only 21 years old and was the No. 5 pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
It's a small sample size, but Okoro is averaging 9.5 points on 53.8 percent shooting in six games since Dec. 17.
Defense has been Cleveland's calling card so far this season. The team ranks first in the NBA in points allowed per game (106.3) and defensive rating (109.3).
Finding a wing who could be available at the right price for Cleveland could also be a challenge. Jae Crowder would be the most obvious short-term fit because he's in the final season of his contract, but there are going to be no shortage of suitors for his services.
Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins is seemingly always on the trade block, but he doesn't fit the Cavs' reported desire for a short-term option because he's signed to a big-money deal through 2024-25 with a player option for 2025-26.
Cleveland's success so far this season could prompt general manager Mike Gansey to go out of his comfort zone with the hope of reaching the NBA Finals.
The Cavaliers rank fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 22-14 record. Their +5.3 net rating is second in the NBA, behind only the Boston Celtics (+6.7).
While the Las Vegas Raiders haven't had much to celebrate this season, Jarrett Stidham is relishing his opportunity as the starting quarterback for the final two games.
Ahead of his first career NFL start, Stidham called this "a dream come true" while speaking to reporters.
"But at the same time, I've been preparing since my rookie year, and I've tried to prepare every single week whether I was the backup or the starter," he added. "Obviously, I've gotten to learn under a bunch of really good guys...players, coaches. I've always tried to treat the weeks the same, and this is no different."
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels announced Wednesday that Stidham would be replacing Derek Carr for the final two games this season.
"None of us is happy with where we're at, but we think it's an opportunity to evaluate a younger player who hasn't had much time to play," McDaniels said of the quarterback change. "Talking to Derek, who was great, he understands the scenario that we're in and the situation, and very supportive of the two young guys."
After making the playoffs last year and acquiring Davante Adams in the offseason, expectations were high for the Raiders coming into 2022. They immediately dug themselves a hole with three consecutive losses and a 1-4 overall start before their bye in Week 6.
A three-game winning streak from Weeks 11-14 did get the Raiders within shouting distance of the playoff race, but they lost two of their next three games to enter Week 17 with a 6-9 record.
The Raiders are one of four teams in NFL history to lose at least four games in a season that they were leading by 13 or more points.
Per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, Las Vegas is also the first team since at least 1930 to lose at least four games that it was leading by double-digits at halftime.
Even though Stidham is understandably excited to start games in the NFL, McDaniels isn't doing him any favors with the Raiders' final two opponents.
Stidham's first career start on Sunday will be against the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners defense ranks first in yards allowed (290.3 per game), points allowed (15.3), fourth in opponent passer rating (82.1) and are tied for seventh in sacks (41).
The Raiders will wrap up the season on Jan. 8 against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes leads the league in passing yards (4,720) and passing touchdowns (37). Vegas mathematically still has a chance of making the playoffs.
Stidham is in his fourth NFL season. He was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2019 and appeared in eight games in the previous three seasons.
The Patriots traded the Auburn product to Las Vegas in May, reuniting him with McDaniels. The 26-year-old is 32-of-61 for 342 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 career games.
The Denver Nuggets are looking to add a defensive wing to come off the bench ahead of the NBA's February 9 trade deadline, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.
"They want to get longer, more athletic, versatile, defensive-minded and bigger in that department. The Gordon trade with Orlando in March 2021 continues to pay big dividends, and adding another player with that sort of skill set would be the dream scenario here," Amick wrote.
The Nuggets already have one of the best offenses in the NBA. They rank second in the league with a 116.4 offensive rating, behind only the Boston Celtics (117.3).
MVP candidate Nikola Jokić is leading Denver offensively, averaging 25.7 points and 9.4 assists while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from deep. The Nuggets also have six other players averaging double digits in scoring—Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., Bones Hyland, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown.
While Jokić isn't the best defensively, the Nuggets have been even worse on that end of the court without him. The 22-12 club is 24th in defensive rating with a 114.1 overall mark, per NBA.com. That number is 112.1 with Jokić on the court, which would give the Nuggets a top-10 overall defensive rating, but it rises slightly to 114.2 with him absent.
Following the 2021-22 season, the Nuggets acquired Caldwell-Pope in a trade with the Washington Wizards and signed Brown away from the Brooklyn Nets in hopes of improving their defense.
Back in October, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters that one of his goals in 2022-23 was to mold his team into one of the top five defensive teams in the NBA.
"We understand that you can't be 15th in the NBA in defensive efficiency and be serious about winning at a high level," Malone said at the team's media day. "You look at the two teams in the NBA Finals; they were (No.) 1 and 2."
The Nuggets are far from being one of the best defensive teams in the league, though. If Denver wants to win an NBA title, it's going to have to improve defensively. The Celtics, for example. have the NBA's top offense and rank seventh defensively. They currently sit first in the East with a 26-10 record after reaching the Finals last season.
To their credit, the Nuggets are still second in the West, but if they can improve their frontcourt defense off the bench, they will take a big step forward in contending for an NBA title.
The New Orleans Pelicans currently occupy the top seed in the Western Conference with a 22-12 record, and a lot of that has to do with the return of 2019 first overall pick Zion Williamson.
The Duke product, who missed the entire 2021-22 season because of a nagging foot injury, has returned to being mostly healthy this season, picking up right where he left off when he last took the court.
The 22-year-old is averaging 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 26 games while shooting 60.7 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from deep.
According to CJ McCollum, the team's game plan this year is to run the ball through the 6'6" forward.
"Get the ball to Z and get the f--k out of the way," McCollum said when asked to describe the team's strategy late in the game, per The Athletic's William Guillory.
If Williamson can stay healthy, the Pelicans will be a real threat to capture the Western Conference crown for the first time in franchise history. Additionally, the team is hoping to make a run to the NBA Finals for the first time ever.
