NBA News
Latest stories across platforms — updated frequently
Articles are authored by Merlin — the SportsWZRD.
Nov 6, 2026
Heat Unveil Vice City Jerseys With Travis Scott
The Heat unveiled their “A Night in Vice City” jerseys for their Nov. 18 game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The uniforms tie into Grand Theft Auto VI, which releases Nov. 19, and include a collaboration with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack brand. They look similar to Miami’s past Vice alternate jerseys, with new details for the GTA VI event. Fans can buy limited on-court and Swingman versions of the jerseys starting Nov. 18. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: The Vice City jerseys sell out before the Heat’s Nov. 18 game tips off.
Tyler Kolek, Miles McBride Call Out Taylor Swift
Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride called Taylor Swift the fakest celebrity Knicks fan in an NBA 2K League TikTok video shared Thursday. Kolek said Swift has a lot going on and can’t attend every game, but added, “it’s a little performative.” McBride agreed. Swift was courtside at Madison Square Garden for Game 4 of last season’s NBA Finals, sitting with Alana Haim, Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay during the Knicks’ championship run. The Knicks guards are clearly asking for a little more regular-season commitment from their celebrity supporters. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Swift will be back at MSG for a Knicks playoff game before this season ends.
Nov 6
Doc Rivers Says Giannis Needs Better Execution
Doc Rivers said Giannis Antetokounmpo was tough to coach because of his nonstop downhill style, even while praising him as a person and passer. On the Bill Simmons Podcast, Rivers said Giannis still needs to learn the value of execution in practices and shoot-arounds. He added that Erik Spoelstra is one of the league’s best coaches at teaching it. Rivers went 32-50 with Milwaukee last season after two straight first-round exits, then Giannis and Bobby Portis were sent to Miami for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and four picks. Rivers believes Giannis wanted out without making a formal trade request. So far, Miami is 3-6 and Milwaukee is 1-7. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Giannis will have Miami above .500 by the end of this month.
Nov 6
Jimmy Butler Posts Curry Klay AI Joke
Jimmy Butler celebrated Golden State’s 120-100 win over Miami on Thursday with an AI-made Instagram post inspired by the 1999 movie Blue Streak. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson replaced Martin Lawrence and the other character, with Curry taking a “W” from Thompson while arresting him. Curry and Thompson spent 13 seasons together with the Warriors and won four championships. Thursday gave Curry and Golden State bragging rights over Klay’s Heat, and Butler made sure the old teammates’ matchup got one more laugh online. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Curry will get another win over Thompson before the end of this season.
Nov 6
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Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Challenge Luka for MVP
The Philadelphia 76ers sit atop the NBA power rankings after an 8-0 start, with Tyrese Maxey leading a new-look group featuring Joel Embiid, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Philly is top three defensively, while Maxey has become the offensive engine. The Lakers, Spurs and Rockets are right behind them, powered by Luka Dončić’s 38.5 points per game, Victor Wembanyama’s 52-point, 24-rebound, eight-block explosion, and Alperen Şengün’s all-around play. Elsewhere, Golden State has won six straight behind Stephen Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg, while Minnesota owns the league’s best net rating even without Anthony Edwards. Chicago has the NBA’s worst net rating, Sacramento is leaning on rookie Darius Acuff, and Orlando could face real questions about Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner if things don’t turn soon. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Philadelphia will still be the East’s No. 1 seed by the All-Star break.
Nov 6
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Warriors Linked to Myles Turner Trade
The Warriors are on a five-game win streak despite Kristaps Porziņģis, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody being out with injuries. A proposed trade would send Porziņģis, Moody, Jericho Sims, cash and two second-round picks to Milwaukee for Myles Turner and Sims. Turner is averaging 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks for the 1-7 Bucks. Golden State would get immediate rim protection, but Turner’s $29.1 million player option before 2028-29 is a real commitment. Jake Fischer’s sourcing says the Warriors are skeptical about taking on that deal. Milwaukee could move on from Turner, add picks and save future money after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s move to Miami. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: The Warriors will keep Moody and pass on Turner before the trade deadline.
Nov 6
Jalen Brunson Makes Law and Order SVU Debut
Jalen Brunson made his Law & Order: SVU debut Thursday night, playing Detective Madison. His father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, also popped up briefly in the episode. The cameo comes after Brunson built a friendship with SVU star Mariska Hargitay, one of the Knicks’ most visible fans. Hargitay supported New York during its 2026 title run and attended the parade after the Knicks ended a 53-year drought. Brunson called her his favorite celebrity Knicks fan in a quote to Variety. On the floor, he’s still rolling too, averaging 25.6 points and 5.1 assists this season after winning both East Finals MVP and Finals MVP last postseason. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Brunson will score 30-plus points in the Knicks’ next game and Detective Madison will stay off the case.
Nov 6
Darius Acuff Jr Makes NBA History Fast
Darius Acuff Jr. has already made NBA history eight games into his career. The Kings rookie is the first player to post more than 200 points and 50 assists in his first eight games, Sacramento announced Thursday. Acuff, the No. 7 pick out of Arkansas, is averaging a team-high 25.6 points during the Kings' 1-7 start. He’s also joined Cooper Flagg, Luka Dončić, and LeBron James as the only teenagers with 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds in three straight games. The shooting needs work, though. He’s at 39.7 percent overall and 30.8 percent from three. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Acuff will be Sacramento’s leading scorer again in the Kings’ next game.
Nov 6
Warriors Eye Nikola Jokic in 2027
The Warriors are keeping their books clean for a possible 2027 swing at Nikola Jokić, Jake Fischer said Thursday on the Deals and Dunks show. Fischer said Golden State hopes to have max cap space and believes Stephen Curry can help attract a star, either in a trade or free agency. The team added Georges Niang and Brandon Williams this summer after missing out on LeBron James. Jokić makes $59 million this season and has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. He told USA Today’s Marcus D. Smith in July that he wants to sign next summer and stay in Denver for life. Still, Curry is 38, and the Warriors have only one player above a $20 million cap hit next season, giving them room to chase one last huge move. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Jokić signs another deal with Denver next summer, and the Warriors use their cap space on a different All-Star instead.
Nov 6
Nikola Jokic Says Post Play Is Fading
Nikola Jokić told Bennett Durando of The Denver Post that size doesn’t feel like an advantage in today’s NBA. He says officials allow more pushing and grabbing in the post, which wears big men down and pushes players away from low-post offense. Jokić thinks it could mostly disappear within five to 10 years. Jokić has still dominated inside, averaging 26.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.3 assists from 2021 to 2026. But Denver is 4-3 and ninth in the West, while Jokić is at 23.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists through seven games. The Nuggets have made eight straight playoffs, so this early skid won’t panic them. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Denver wins at least five of its next seven games and climbs out of ninth place in the West.
Nov 5
Klay Thompson Hits First Career Late Game Winner
Klay Thompson hit a game-winning three with one second left in overtime to lift the Heat past the Clippers, 117-116. He scored a season-high 30 points, and Erik Spoelstra said Thompson is fighting “Father Time” by taking care of his body and staying in shape. It was Thompson’s first game-winner in the final five seconds of a game. Miami has won three of four after an 0-4 start, while Klay has averaged 24.7 points and shot 52.8 percent from three over his last three games. Next up is a return to Chase Center against the Warriors on Thursday. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Thompson scores at least 20 points against Golden State and helps Miami reach .500 this month.
Nov 5
Luka Doncic Drops 40 As Lakers Beat Kings
Luka Dončić dropped 40 points as the Lakers beat the Kings 116-103 on Tuesday night. It was his third straight 40-point game and fifth in eight games. Luka finished with nine rebounds, seven assists, six threes, and now has 308 points, passing Michael Jordan for the most through eight games since 1988-89. Luka leads the NBA at 38.5 points per game and has hit at least six threes in six straight games. His lowest scoring game since Oct. 25 was 37 points against the Warriors. The Lakers are getting superstar production every night, and teams are already running out of ways to slow him down. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Luka will score 50 points in a Lakers win before the end of this month.
Nov 5
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Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis Top Trade Candidates
With three months until the 2027 trade deadline, Kyrie Irving, Michael Porter Jr., Kristaps Porzingis, Norman Powell, Anthony Davis, Derrick Jones Jr. and Tyler Herro are already lining up as names to watch. Dallas could use Irving to rebuild its draft stash around Cooper Flagg, while Brooklyn has reason to move Porter before his $40.8 million contract expires. Golden State is reportedly pessimistic Porzingis will ever play for the Warriors again, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. Powell’s team option makes him movable from Chicago, and Washington has to weigh Davis’ $63 million player option against the risk of losing him for nothing. Milwaukee also has several expiring deals, with Herro the likeliest big name to go. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Norman Powell is traded to a playoff team before the 2027 deadline and becomes its sixth man.
Nov 5
76ers Starting Five Off To 5 0 Start
A few weeks into the 2026-27 season, some NBA starting fives are already rolling while others are searching for answers. Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid are 5-0 with a plus-20.1 net rating. San Antonio’s three-guard group is on a five-game winning streak, while Golden State has won five straight behind Stephen Curry and its new small lineup. Injuries are shaping a lot of these early grades. Anthony Edwards is out until around Christmas for Minnesota, Ja Morant could miss time until December, and Oklahoma City has lost Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and possibly Cason Wallace. Small samples matter too, but Chicago, Phoenix, Sacramento and New Orleans have early starting groups that need changes fast. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Philadelphia will still own the NBA’s best starting-five record by the end of this month.
Nov 5
Ja Morant Shows Off New Haircut
Ja Morant showed off a new haircut on Instagram Wednesday while he recovers from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The Portland Trail Blazers guard is expected to miss four weeks after getting hurt last week. Morant had started well in Portland after his offseason trade, averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 assists through four games. The Blazers will need to cover his playmaking while he’s out, then see whether he can pick up where he left off once he returns. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Morant returns before the end of the month and is back in Portland’s starting lineup in his first game back.
Nov 5
Steve Kerr Compares Stephen Curry to Jordan
Steve Kerr compared coaching Stephen Curry to playing with Michael Jordan after Wednesday night, saying he’s still amazed by what Curry can do against any defense. Curry is averaging 30 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his 18th season while shooting 42.9 percent from three. Golden State is 5-3 and riding a five-game winning streak despite Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porziņģis being away from the team because of injuries and medical concerns. Curry’s still carrying the offense, and the Warriors need that while their roster gets healthier. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Stephen Curry will keep Golden State’s winning streak alive in its next game.
Nov 5
LeBron James Reaches 16000 Career Field Goals
LeBron James became the first player in NBA history with 16,000 career field goals, hitting the mark on a layup early in the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. He needed two makes entering the game and reached it while giving the Philadelphia 76ers a 33-23 lead. James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time field goals record last season, when he was with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kareem finished with 15,837 makes, while Karl Malone is third at 13,528. LeBron is adding even more space between himself and everyone else. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: LeBron will push his career total past 16,100 field goals before the end of this month.
Nov 5
Warriors Not High on Myles Turner
The Warriors aren’t high on a Myles Turner trade, Jake Fischer reported. Golden State has looked into frontcourt options, including Turner and Chicago’s Jalen Smith, but Turner’s contract is a concern. He carries a $26.6 million cap hit this season and is signed through at least 2027-28, with a $29 million player option for 2028-29. Golden State is willing to move draft capital and take on future money for the right player, Fischer said, but the team is being careful with Stephen Curry’s window in mind. The Warriors have won five straight after opening 0-3 and host the Miami Heat on Thursday. Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s next move could depend on how the frontcourt looks when Jimmy Butler returns from his right ACL injury. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: The Warriors trade for Jalen Smith before the Feb. 11 deadline, giving him a regular spot in the frontcourt rotation.
Nov 4
Juwan Howard Sells Coral Gables Home for $25M
Juwan Howard sold his newly built Coral Gables, Florida, home for $25 million, according to Libertina Brandt of The Wall Street Journal. The house was only completed this year before Howard moved it. Howard played 19 NBA seasons after his time with Michigan’s Fab Five, winning two championships and making one All-Star team. He coached Michigan from 2019 to 2024 and is now on the Brooklyn Nets’ staff, where he’ll keep building his coaching résumé. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Howard will get another NBA head coaching interview before the next offseason ends.
Nov 4
Warriors Stop Paying Kristaps Porzingis
The Warriors have stopped paying Kristaps Porzingis his $20 million salary because they say he isn’t rendering services, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater report. Porzingis has been away all season for a personal medical issue and is leaning toward ending his NBA career. He’s reportedly not disputing the missed payments, which cost him $218,341 per game, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Golden State isn’t planning to void Porzingis’ contract and wants to keep him tradeable through the Feb. 11 deadline. His 2027-28 salary has only $3 million guaranteed, making his deal easier to move. Jake Fischer reports the Warriors hope to turn Porzingis into an expiring frontcourt player, ideally by Dec. 16. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Porzingis will be traded before the Feb. 11 deadline, and Golden State will get a playable big man back.
Nov 4
Nikola Jokic Trade Talk Grows Around NBA
The Nuggets are 3-3, and rival teams are already keeping tabs on Nikola Jokić. An NBA executive told The Ringer’s Howard Beck that all 29 other teams should be thinking about how to get him. Jokić is in the final year of his deal and said in September he plans to re-sign with Denver next summer. Denver’s roster moves have added pressure after a first-round exit. The Nuggets lost Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas, then added DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley III. They rank 16th in offense, 23rd in defense and have a minus-2.9 net rating. Jokić can sign for up to five years and $359.5 million next summer. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Denver will be above .500 by the end of this month, with DeRozan settling in as the Nuggets’ clear fourth option behind Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Nov 4
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Lakers Could Target Naz Reid Trade
The Lakers are 6-2, but their frontcourt depth is already a concern behind Walker Kessler. A proposed deadline deal would send Jarred Vanderbilt, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Jaden Hardy, a 2032 first-round pick swap and a 2033 second-rounder to Charlotte for Naz Reid and Tidjane Salaün. Reid was benched for the second half of Charlotte’s Oct. 28 loss to Detroit after Charles Lee said he “didn't meet our standards.” The Hornets aren’t considering this kind of offer now, and the Lakers would need Reid’s situation to get worse while Carr and Thiero raise their trade value. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Naz Reid finishes this season as Charlotte’s starting big, not a Laker.
Nov 4
Warriors, Thunder Lead NBA Trade Asset Talk
The Warriors could use Kristaps Porzingis and Jimmy Butler’s contracts to chase a major upgrade, while the Thunder may need outside help after injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace. Around the league, teams like Houston, Brooklyn and Utah have the draft picks to make real offers, while contenders such as Detroit, Boston and San Antonio can shop future firsts for immediate help. Not every big name is truly available. Victor Wembanyama, Cooper Flagg, Cade Cunningham and others remain centerpieces, but players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Ty Jerome, Trey Murphy and Michael Porter Jr. could land in talks depending on how their teams start. November is early, yet a bad stretch can change a front office’s plans fast. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Oklahoma City trades for a rotation player before the deadline and turns its injury-hit depth chart into a playoff-strength lineup.
Nov 4
Early NBA Problems for Every Team
Two weeks into the 2026-27 season, every NBA team already has a flaw showing. Atlanta can’t score in the half court. Boston’s 5-2 start came against soft competition. Brooklyn is giving big minutes to Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. while its young players wait. The Hornets can’t shoot, Cleveland hasn’t gotten enough from Peyton Watson, and Denver’s offense has been ordinary despite Nikola Jokić. The biggest alarms are injuries and bad defense. Oklahoma City lost Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren. Anthony Edwards had knee surgery, Tyrese Haliburton strained his hamstring, and Kawhi Leonard is dealing with knee swelling again. Meanwhile, Miami, Phoenix and Golden State need their defenses to wake up fast. Early records can lie, but these issues can stick around. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: By the end of this month, the Suns will make a lineup change after their defense keeps costing them games.
Nov 4
Luka Doncic Technical Foul Rescinded
The NBA rescinded Luka Dončić’s technical foul from Monday’s 138-117 Lakers win over the Heat. Dončić was called for clapping toward an official in the second quarter, but he’ll now have just one technical through seven games. He scored 42 points with 13 assists, seven rebounds and two steals against Miami. Luka is averaging a league-best 38.3 points as the Lakers sit 6-2 and fourth in the West after LeBron James left in free agency. Avoiding techs matters, too. Dončić picked up 16 last season, which triggers a one-game suspension. He told ESPN’s Anthony Slater on Oct. 21, “This season, I’m not trying to get techs.” 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Luka finishes November with fewer than five technical fouls as the Lakers stay in the West’s top four.
Nov 4