NBA Player News

Harden (personal) and the Clippers have been working collaboratively in attempting to find a trade that will send the veteran guard out of Los Angeles ahead of Thursday's deadline, Shams Charania and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN report.

Harden missed a second game in a row in Monday's loss to the 76ers while tending to a personal matter, with head coach Tyronn Lue noting prior to the contest that the 36-year-old had returned to his home in Phoenix. Lue didn't elaborate further on any trade discussions pertaining to Harden, but Charania notes that the 11-time All-Star and the Clippers are both aligned in conversations to find him a new home if a "mutually beneficial" offer comes through. Harden re-signed with the Clippers over the summer on what was effectively a one-year deal, as the second season is a $42.32 million player option that's only partially guaranteed. Charania adds that the Cavaliers have emerged as a potential suitor for Harden, with the two sides discussing a swap that would send point guard Darius Garland to Los Angeles. Expect Harden to remain out for the Clippers' next game Wednesday against the Cavaliers while trade talks remain ongoing.

Sanders notched 17 points (7-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes during Monday's 128-113 loss to the 76ers.

Sanders figures to be a risk-reward option off the waiver wire in the coming days, as the rumor mill regarding a James Harden (personal) trade continues to churn. Sanders and Jordan Miller are top beneficiaries if the trade comes to pass, but the 2025 second-round pick seems to have a slight edge over Miller for the gig at present.

Miller notched 21 points (9-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one steal across 28 minutes during Monday's 128-113 loss to the 76ers.

If James Harden's (personal) trade comes to pass, it'll be an interesting race between Miller and Kobe Sanders for Harden's spot in the starting lineup. Both players are equally capable, but Sanders seems to be the preferred choice for now. At 6-foot-8, Sanders provides more size in the backcourt, but Miller's skill set fits the role a bit better. He outplayed Sanders during Monday's loss, and the third-year pro certainly deserves some attention on the waiver wire in deeper leagues.

Leonard chipped in 29 points (12-21 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-5 FT), four rebounds, six assists and three steals across 31 minutes during Monday's 128-113 loss to the 76ers.

Leonard held the team together with an excellent point total, a trend that's expected to continue given the recent news out of Los Angeles. James Harden (personal) wants a ring before he retires and is reportedly seeking a trade before the deadline. While Leonard is the more productive player by a wide margin, the potential loss of Harden would significantly hurt the team's chances of reaching the playoffs. The Clippers could get a quality player in exchange, but the pressure will be on Leonard to stay productive.

Oubre totaled 15 points (6-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and one steal over 35 minutes during Monday's 128-113 victory over the Clippers.

Oubre is expected to be the prime beneficiary of Paul George's (suspension) absence, and the former has kicked off the stint with a pair of decent totals. The 11-year pro is averaging 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals this season, but those numbers are likely to rise over the next month.

Embiid recorded 24 points (8-19 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 7-7 FT), five rebounds, three assists and one steal over 32 minutes during Monday's 128-113 win over the Clippers.

Although Embiid didn't come close to matching his 40-point tour de force against the Pelicans, he displayed defensive mettle and kept Ivica Zubac in check. When healthy, Embiid has been a scoring behemoth in recent weeks, registering 30-plus points in six of his last 10 games.

Maxey amassed 29 points (9-18 FG, 7-14 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, six assists and three steals over 36 minutes during Monday's 128-113 win over the Clippers.

Maxey matched his best showing of the season beyond the arc with seven three-pointers during the decisive victory. He shot a solid 50 percent from the floor in the contest, bouncing back after an uncharacteristically low 18 points in his previous game versus the Pelicans.

Barlow registered 26 points (10-16 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 16 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 35 minutes during Monday's 128-113 win over the Clippers.

Barlow was one of three starters to reach the 20-point threshold and combined with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey for 79 total points. This marks Barlow's first double-double since Nov. 28 and his second of the season through 39 games. He also set a new season high in rebounds, beating his previous best of 14 boards Dec. 4 against Golden State. Barlow is expected to be one of several players who will benefit from Paul George's (suspension) 25-game absence.

Randle ended Monday's 137-128 loss to the Grizzlies with 19 points (5-14 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 8-8 FT), eight rebounds, eight assists and one block across 40 minutes.

Randle struggled from the field during Monday's loss, but he led the Timberwolves in assists while finishing second on the team in rebounds behind Rudy Gobert (10). Part of Randle's shooting struggles may have been due to a left thumb issue that earned him the questionable tag for Monday's contest, and that will be worth monitoring over the final games leading into the All-Star break. He has averaged 22.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 threes and 1.6 steals over 33.7 minutes per game over his last 10 outings.

Williams finished Monday's 137-128 win over the Timberwolves with 16 points (4-7 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 4-6 FT), five assists, one rebound and two steals over 23 minutes.

Williams reverted to a bench role Monday after starting against Minnesota in Saturday's loss, but the fourth-year pro provided Memphis with a nice spark off the bench, co-leading the Grizzlies reserves in points with Cam Spencer. Williams has scored in double digits in three of his last four outings, and over that span he has averaged 11.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.3 threes and 1.0 steals over 22.5 minutes per contest.