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As Jae Crowder remains on the trade block, the Washington Wizards have reportedly emerged as a potential suitor for the Phoenix Suns' estranged forward.

"There's been some chatter about them looking at a guy like Jae Crowder," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast Wednesday (h/t RealGM). "I'm pretty confident there's been some discussions between the Wizards and the Suns. We've been talking about Jae Crowder now for about two months. It's obvious it's a hard trade to pull off. The Wizards have a bunch of guys who make decent salaries on their roster they can use in a trade."

Windhorst added that the Suns are seeking a power forward in any Crowder deal, and the Wizards are fairly loaded at the position with Kyle Kuzma, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija on the roster.

It seems unlikely Kuzma will be moved, as he's thriving this season, averaging 20.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, though he's shooting just 31.3 percent from three. He and Avdija (7.6 PPG, 5.1 APG) have largely served as the team's starting pair at forward, with Hachimura (11.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG) coming off the bench.

Crowder, 32, would give the Suns an injection of experience and scrappy defense. The veteran forward averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year in Phoenix, shooting 34.8 percent from three, but had a falling out with the team over the offseason.

Per Windhorst, "Crowder was informed over the summer that he may lose his starting job this season, sources said, and it prompted him to request a trade."

Crowder, for his part, denied those reports:

My @NBAonTNT in-game report on my conversation with Suns forward Jae Crowder, who is away from the team and waiting on a trade: ‘It’s definitely not true of the narrative being pushed about me starting or not.’ pic.twitter.com/QL41N3Njub

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 26, 2022

The irony is that the player he lost his job to, Cam Johnson, is now likely out until some point in 2023 after requiring surgery on his right meniscus.

But Windhorst reported earlier in November that "despite Johnson's injury, there is no change to the situation with Crowder, and there are no current plans for him to return to the team, sources said."

It appeared as though the Suns were getting closer to a trade in mid-November, with multiple reports suggesting talks had progressed.

There have been some credible rumbles this week that the Suns have made progress on finding a trade resolution to the Jae Crowder saga. Crowder's cryptic IG story appears to address to feed into that notion ...

More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq https://t.co/Mghglx0fXP

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 17, 2022

Word is the Suns appeared close to finalizing a three-team trade involving Jae Crowder prior tip-off tonight against Golden State. https://t.co/VTRjU3HBRu

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) November 17, 2022

Nothing has happened as of yet, however, though the Wizards reportedly are taking a closer look.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is "targeting" a return from his foot injury during the team's upcoming three-game road trip, which begins Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Monday's game against the Houston Rockets could be his "likely" return date.

Harden has averaged 22.0 points, 10.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds through nine games for the 76ers. The 10-time All-Star, three-time scoring champion and 2017-18 NBA MVP is in his 14th NBA season and second with Philadelphia.

Harden suffered a right foot tendon strain Nov. 2 and was expected to miss up to a month, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia provided more context on the injury one day after Harden briefly sat during his team's 121-111 loss to the Washington Wizards.

James Harden has a right foot tendon strain and is expected to miss a month, source confirms @wojespn.

After heading back to the locker room for a while, Harden returned in the fourth quarter last night vs. the Wizards and played the final 7:15. He was limping postgame.

— Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) November 3, 2022

After nearly a month away, Harden is preparing his return to the 12-9 76ers.

With Tyrese Maxey also out with a foot injury, Harden should bring Philadelphia some much-needed scoring depth behind Joel Embiid as the squad tries to climb back up the Eastern Conference standings.

The New York Knicks needed a win in a major way, and Julius Randle delivered.

Randle led New York to a commanding 140-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena. The Knicks improved to 10-11 on the season and snapped a two-game losing streak and stretch that saw them lose four of their previous five.

New York pulled away with a dominant third quarter that saw it outscore the Pistons 38-21, removing any doubt about the outcome before the stretch run.

The University of Kentucky product led the way with 36 points, seven rebounds and five assists behind 14-of-24 shooting from the field and 6-of-13 shooting from three-point range. His dominant performance drew plenty of praise from social media:

Julius Randle tonight:

36 PTS
7 REB
5 AST
6 3P

Top 10 all-time in threes by a Knick. pic.twitter.com/xfcG0ICgiv

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 30, 2022

Most 30/5/5 games by a Knick:

20 — Julius Randle
20 — Patrick Ewing pic.twitter.com/7VUQxneEgY

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 30, 2022

On the night Julius Randle turned 28, he's dishing out all the birthday licks. He can get 50 if he pleases

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) November 30, 2022

Make that a season-high 35 PTS for Julius Randle 😤

He's balling out on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/1pomQZN8Pi https://t.co/gCjBEk0lKg pic.twitter.com/AByyXEuEPn

— NBA (@NBA) November 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/BullsandKnicks/status/1597757388576423936

Julius Randle has chosen to solve the Knicks' 3-point problem single-handedly.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 30, 2022

Julius Randle was BALLIN' in the first half. 😤 pic.twitter.com/CqEWb7wH42

— theScore (@theScore) November 30, 2022

Julius Randle's offensive dominance is the biggest storyline of the first half, but Quentin Grimes re-discovering his stroke is huge. Desperately need another reliable shooter.

— Tom Piccolo (@Tom_Piccolo) November 30, 2022

Nope. I lied. His toe was on the line for the last one. So, he has only six right now.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/AndrewJClaudio_/status/1597763189185605632

Julius Randle said it’s my bday, I’m taking every 3, every play, TONIGHT!

— Julito McCullum aka LITO (@IamJulito) November 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/seth_rosenthal/status/1597757121483124738

Randle put up a solid stat line of 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Knicks' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, but he wasn't particularly aggressive when seeking out his shot and attempted just nine field goals in that game.

That made Tuesday's showing more notable, as he attacked the basket when given opportunities and didn't hesitate to unleash from deep in the early going. His willingness to shoulder more of the scoring responsibility also helped open looks for his teammates, as it wasn't a one-man show in the win over Detroit.

RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes each scored 16 points, Immanuel Quickley provided a spark off the bench with 15 points, and Mitchell Robinson helped control the boards with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Randle and the Knicks will look to keep the momentum rolling Wednesday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a calf strain, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The forward was injured during Monday's game against the Washington Wizards, with Josh Robbins of The Athletic reporting Towns was unable to put any weight on his right leg. The team quickly ruled him out for the rest of the game.

According to Wojnarowski, Towns had scans on Tuesday to reveal the extent of the injury, although he is expected to return sometime in January.

Towns has played more power forward this season after the Timberwolves acquired three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert at center.

The result has been decreased numbers for Towns, averaging 20.8 points per game after scoring at least 24 per game in each of the last four years. His 8.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game would also be the worst of his career.

The 27-year-old has been productive in other ways, averaging 5.3 assists per game, and is a consistent offensive weapon with at least 20 points in 14 of 21 games this year. His only game in single digits was when he left early because of an injury on Monday.

It represents a significant loss for a squad that has struggled to gel this year, sitting 10th in the Western Conference with a 10-11 record.

Naz Reid and Kyle Anderson will see more minutes at the 4 with Towns unavailable, although the Timberwolves will need its top scorers Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell to step up offensively to overcome the loss of a three-time All-Star.

Gobert will also be under more pressure to control the paint defensively without Towns alongside him.

Los Angeles Lakers fans had at least one thing to celebrate during the team's 116-115 defeat to the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

Jamie Murry pocketed $75,000 and drew an ovation from the Crypto.com Arena crowd when he drained a half-court shot. Lakers star Anthony Davis celebrated with Murry on the court.

Sink the @MGMRewards Big Shot Jackpot ✅
HIt the Griddy ✅
Celebrate with AD ✅ pic.twitter.com/kDqbSobdS2

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 29, 2022

Murry told ESPN's Dave McMenamin he plans to give most of his winnings to his mom and will save the rest:

Spoke to the $75,000 man, Jamie Murry, after he hit the big halfcourt shot at the Lakers game tonight. pic.twitter.com/G70MdhqgEK

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 29, 2022

If only Murry's heave had counted toward Los Angeles' offensive output. Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Lakers their 12th defeat of the season.

Even though Kevin Durant could swing championship odds if the Brooklyn Nets traded him, at least one member of the Toronto Raptors wouldn't want his team to make a play for the 12-time All-Star if it meant giving up Scottie Barnes.

Appearing on the How Hungry Are You? show with Serge Ibaka (h/t Wenzell Ortiz of Yahoo Sports), Fred VanVleet explained why he wouldn't want to trade Barnes for Durant if the scenario presented itself.

"I wouldn’t do it," he said. "I told you, I’m a loyal guy; I’m not a trade guy."

VanVleet did smile when Ibaka asked him if there were any teammates he would trade to get Durant, so he isn't completely opposed to the idea of adding one of the best players in NBA history.

Despite his trade request over the summer, there has been no indication during the season that Durant is looking to leave Brooklyn. The Nets have played better of late, winning five of their past seven games to get to .500 (11-11) for the first time since the second game of the season.

The Raptors were among the teams reportedly interested in acquiring Durant, but Barnes seemed like a potential breaking point in trade negotiations.

Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported in July the Raptors were "fixed" on not putting Barnes into any trade package for a potential superstar player.

It's not hard to understand why Toronto's front office would want to keep Barnes, even if it meant not being able to get Durant. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year is only 21 and has already established himself as one of the best young two-way players in the league.

Barnes' overall shooting efficiency has declined so far this season (49.2 percent as a rookie to 43.7 percent), but he's been more effective shooting the three (34.8 percent, up from 30.1) and is averaging 5.2 assists per game.

Durant is capable of transforming almost any franchise into a title contender, but he's also 34 and has missed significant time due to injuries over the previous three seasons.

The Raptors are still trying to put all of the pieces together to start this season. They are sixth in the Eastern Conference with an 11-9 record. Their defense ranks in the top 10 in points allowed (108.5) and defensive rating (111.1).

Toronto is building around the terrific quartet of VanVleet, Barnes, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Head coach Nick Nurse has an excellent track record and should be able to figure things out with this group as the Raptors look to get back to the playoffs.

Darvin Ham accepted responsibility for the Los Angeles Lakers blowing a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter of the team's 116-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

"That falls on me," Ham told reporters when discussing his team's lack of offensive organization. "That falls on me. I'll take responsibility for that."

Anthony Davis came to his coach's defense, saying the players needed to step up as the lead started slipping away.

"It's not just on him," Davis said. "It's on us too. I mean, we got enough years in the league for the guys that were on the floor late game to execute. Obviously, he's a coach, you take the blame. But it's on us players to go out there and execute."

The Lakers' offense became stagnant in the fourth quarter, often leaning heavily on Russell Westbrook with LeBron James hobbled by an ankle injury suffered in the opening period.

Westbrook led the squad with eight points in the fourth, but the rest of L.A.'s roster combined to make just five of their 16 shots (31.3 percent) in the final 12 minutes.

"We can't be in situations where we're throwing [Westbrook] the ball and everyone is standing and we're dribbling out the clock, dribbling out the clock," Ham said. "Now we're waiting on someone to go one-on-one versus the world. That's tough. That's a huge responsibility to have to score in those situations."

The loss dropped the Lakers to 7-12 and likely brought a halt to any momentum built up by winning five of their previous six games.

Every L.A. defeat leads to a renewed round of questions about how the team's front office is going to react to the sluggish start to the campaign.

General manager Rob Pelinka and Co. have so far resisted calls to make a significant roster-altering move, but each passing game further solidifies the fact the Lakers need another offensive threat capable of supporting James and Davis.

Los Angeles ranks last in three-pointers made per game (9.6) and 28th in three-point shooting percentage (32.0), numbers that make it tough to win in the modern NBA.

Being able to spread out defenses would not only provide more support for LeBron and AD, but it would also give more space for them to operate in half-court sets.

Yet there's been no sense the Lakers are aggressively working behind the scenes to get deals done. Instead, they may wait until closer to February's trade deadline before deciding how to move forward for the rest of the season.

For a team desperately seeking a spark, however, waiting a couple months doesn't seem like the best course of action if L.A. wants to turn things around in a significant way.

The Lakers are back in action Wednesday night when they host the Portland Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles Lakers fans are wondering whether it's time to shake up the roster's foundation after the team blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter en route to a 116-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

The Lakers had shown signs of life in recent weeks, winning five of their past six games, but their meltdown against the Pacers renewed calls for change. That includes calls to trade LeBron James, which would likely signal a full-scale rebuild in L.A.

Here's a look at some Twitter reaction to Monday's loss, which dropped the team's record to 7-12:

Never in a million years I thought I’d be writing this @Lakers TRADE LEBRON!

— Acito (@AceFree_) November 29, 2022

I've been a die hard Lakers fan for all my life.. I've never seen any Laker STAR let their team lose from a 17 point lead in the 4th.. Time to TRADE LeBron already!

— Frank Zhen (@FrankZhen13) November 29, 2022

https://twitter.com/juicekan/status/1597536835965956096

final statement: lakers need to trade either Russ or LeBron. it’s time. either make LeBron point guard full-time, or keep Russ paired with AD. ever wonder why the “Big 3” never seem to have a good game as a unit? that should be enough proof.

— _ (@andres21vergara) November 29, 2022

Trade Lebron, they have played better when he’s been out or injured
Lebron still elite level player just bad fit with rest of team - GS? Port? Pho? Mia? NYK? Nets? Cavs?

— John Allen (@Snomankid9) November 29, 2022

https://twitter.com/TatumsGoated/status/1597483136749035520

https://twitter.com/shaqwhoelse/status/1597490240423624709

Trade lebron that man slows the lakers down

— Ozzy (@OzzyParlays) November 29, 2022

LeBron drops 10 points in 3 minutes, sprains his ankle and was clearly hobbled for the rest of the game leading to no lift on his jumpers.

The way "Lakers fans" are so quick to turn on the man that brought Anthony Davis and the Lakers their 17th championship is embarrassing.

— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) November 29, 2022

James recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 36 minutes. He made just eight of his 22 shots from the field, including three of his 10 shots from three-point range.

"Everything has to go wrong in order for you to lose a game like that, and everything went wrong," the four-time NBA MVP told reporters. "And you got to tip your hat to Indiana. They kept fighting. They kept pushing."

Anthony Davis added 25 points and 13 boards, while Russell Westbrook chipped in 24 points and six assists off the bench. Austin Reaves (13 points) was the only other player to reach double figures in scoring for the Lakers.

"That falls on me," L.A. head coach Darvin Ham said about the poor offense in the fourth quarter leading to a stunning loss. "That falls on me. I'll take responsibility for that."

Andrew Nembhard was the hero for Indiana, knocking down a three-pointer as time expired to improve the team's record to 12-8.

Andrew Nembhard hits the #TissotBuzzerBeater to win it for the @Pacers! #TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/lFv43RTHxG

— NBA (@NBA) November 29, 2022

Tyrese Haliburton (24 points and 14 assists), Bennedict Mathurin (23 points) and Myles Turner (15 points and 13 rebounds) led the Pacers' attack to help set the stage for Nembhard's game-winner.

It's unlikely the Lakers will blow up the roster in the short term, especially in James' case, since he signed a two-year, $97 million contract extension in the offseason.

The continued lackluster results suggest some smaller moves are needed if the team is going to threaten for the playoffs this season, though.

Next up for L.A. as it looks to bounce back from the shocking loss is a visit from the Portland Trail Blazers (11-9) on Wednesday night.

The struggling Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly waiting for a certain date before they attempt to make upgrades to their roster via trade.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Dec. 15 is the target date for the Lakers to begin talking trade since that is the first day NBA teams can trade away players who were signed in free agency during the offseason, giving the Lakers and other teams more flexibility.

Buha noted that the Lakers are evaluating their roster to decide whether they should make a small move or a larger move to address their deficiencies in terms of perimeter shooting and size.

The Lakers are also reportedly considering whether to part with one or both of their tradeable first-round draft picks in 2027 or 2029. Buha reported the team has been reluctant to trade both, but they could be persuaded with a move or moves that they believe make them a contender.

Currently, the Lakers are struggling to contend with a 7-12 record, which puts them 13th in the Western Conference. However, they are only two games out of the final spot in the postseason play-in tournament.

Coming off back-to-back wins over the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers seemed poised to extend their winning streak to three on Monday night when they hosted the Indiana Pacers.

L.A. led by as much as 17 in the fourth quarter and dominated much of the game, but the Pacers chipped away at the deficit and shocked the Lakers when guard Andrew Nembhard hit a three as time expired to give Indiana a 116-115 win.

With the loss, the Lakers wasted a 25-point, 13-rebound, six-assist effort by Anthony Davis, as well as 21 points and seven rebounds from LeBron James.

While the Lakers had about a league-average effort from beyond the arc in the loss to Indiana, shooting 35.5 percent, one of the biggest culprits in L.A.'s struggles this season has been their poor shooting.

For the year, the Lakers are shooting just 32.0 percent from three-point range, placing them 28th among the league's 30 teams.

Max Christie is the Lakers' only player who shoots at least 40 percent from downtown (54.5 percent), but he has only attempted 11 trifectas.

After Christie, Austin Reaves shoots 39.6 percent, Matt Ryan shoots 38.2 percent and Lonnie Walker IV shoots 36.3 percent. Everyone else on the roster makes one-third of their threes or less.

That is not a recipe for success for a Lakers team that is meant to draw attention with James and Davis in order to create open shots for other players.

The Lakers need players who can hit those shots, particularly from three-point range, and it is safe to assume that many sharpshooters will be on their radar when it comes time to seriously consider trades.

One thing the Lakers must weigh, however, is if it would be worth parting with first-round picks when they may not be true contenders in the Western Conference even with some additions.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant was showered with MVP chants throughout his 45-point performance in Monday's 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center.

After the game, the 2014 NBA MVP was asked if he was hoping to win the award for a second time, but he said he's not focused on individual achievements this season.

"Not really. I've been there, done that, to be honest, and I know it's gonna take a lot for me to be in that conversation," he said. "I just want the respect from our fan base, and I want them to have a good time when they come to the game, so if that's what strikes chants up is how I play from the fans, as long as they're having a good time. But I'm not too worried about accolades at this point in my career."

Kevin Durant on MVP consideration: "I've been there, done that, to be honest." pic.twitter.com/CkC3mucTqQ

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 29, 2022

Durant was dominant and efficient, shooting 19-of-24 from the field on Monday. It was his third straight game scoring over 30 points.

The scoring outburst by Durant helped the Nets get back to .500 at 11-11. Brooklyn will look to continue its turnaround when it hosts the Washington Wizards (11-10) on Wednesday.