Mannix Sources: Two Trade Destinations Emerge for Ja Morant

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Hello again, from Los Angeles, where the sunshine has returned after several weeks of pounding rain. Congratulations to now ex-Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who exited Pittsburgh’s sideline this week after 19 seasons on the job. Tomlin’s departure makes Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, in his 18th season, the longest-tenured head coach in the four major men’s sports. Spoelstra told reporters that Tomlin’s departure “really bummed me out,” adding that his video staff used to send him Tomlin clips. He also expressed disappointment that more organizations didn’t value stability as much as Pittsburgh and Miami do.

“I wish I wasn’t the longest tenured,” Spoelstra said. “Some people could look at that as a badge of honor. I look at that as really a disappointment to this profession, that there’s not more coaches that are given an opportunity to work through things.”

Pod Alert

Rachel Nichols is back with me in studio this week. On the agenda was the most heavily debated spot on the All-Star ballot, the sudden slump in Houston, Ja Morant’s suitors (or the lack thereof) and what Trae Young can (eventually) bring to Washington.

More drama with AD

If you enjoy a good social media kerfuffle you got one on Tuesday. Early afternoon, ESPN reported that Anthony Davis was “likely” to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand that would sideline him for several months. The report drew an immediate denial from Davis on X—his first posts on the social media platform in six months. Hours later, Mavericks announced that Davis would not require surgery and is expected to “heal from the injury” in six weeks.

Avoiding surgery is good news for Davis. For Dallas, though, it torpedoes any chance of a trade before the Feb. 5 deadline. The Mavericks may still have discussions—ESPN reported they would—but the likelihood that any team will make a meaningful offer for Davis (read: one with draft picks) is nil. Most of the league was already leery about trading for the oft-injured Davis, who is looking for a contract extension that will take him beyond the 2026–27 season.

Dallas has shopped Davis in recent weeks—Atlanta, which shed some long-term salary in dealing Trae Young, was widely believed to be a realistic partner—but the Mavs need to recoup real assets for Davis, the centerpiece of the ill-conceived Luka Dončić deal. Might Atlanta throw a big expiring contract and some salary filler at Dallas for Davis? Possibly. Would they include 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher or any significant draft capital? No shot. The bet here is the Mavs find a way to shut Davis down for the rest of the season and revisit trade talks next summer.

Mavericks forward Anthony Davis handles the basketball during a game. — Mavericks forward Anthony Davis pushed back on reports that he would have surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Houston, is there a problem?

The Rockets knocked off the Bulls on Tuesday, snapping a three-game losing streak and (for now) silencing those wondering if there are real problems in Houston. The Rockets offense has cratered the last couple of weeks, most glaringly from behind the three-point line. Houston, a low-volume, high-percentage three-point team for most of the season, has been a low-volume, atrocious-percentage team of late. Jabari Smith Jr. is shooting 17.1% from three in January. Dorian Finney-Smith is shooting 21.1%. Coach Ime Udoka has publicly thrashed his team for not being able to score when Kevin Durant is off the floor.

Serious issues? For what it’s worth, I don’t see it. Houston’s recent struggles coincided with the loss of Alperen Şengün, the All-Star forward who took a lot of pressure off of Durant offensively. Reed Sheppard’s three-point shooting will come around. Udoka’s blunt approach isn’t for everyone, but he steered Boston to the NBA Finals that way and has revived the Rockets with it. The Rockets just completed a stretch where they played 11 of 14 games on the road. Şengün is back, and eight of the next 11 games are at home. Something tells me this team will turn it around.

Will Ja Morant have a new team before the Feb. 5 trade deadline?

When I talk to team executives, a common question is, Who really needs him? Morant’s game has diminished in recent years, as has his availability. He has played in 77 games the last three years (just 18 in this one) and has two full years left on his contract.

Two teams come up often when I talk to league execs. One is Sacramento. Scott Perry, the new top exec with the Kings, has been signaling publicly and privately that he isn’t looking to add a volatile player like Morant to the roster. But let’s just say many people don’t believe him. Sacramento is going nowhere and have some big, shorter contracts (Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan) that Memphis might be interested in, especially if the Kings include a draft pick as a sweetener.

The other is Miami. The Heat feel like a strange stylistic fit. They are running that same fast moving, Noah LaRoche–inspired offense that Morant hated in Memphis last season. But if Miami acquired Morant, it would undoubtedly pivot back to a more pick-and-roll heavy system. One that might make some of the current players on the roster happy anyway.

There are obvious risks in bringing Morant to South Beach. Does Morant have the maturity to handle the Miami nightlife? Can the Heat build a system that would maximize his talents? It’s been suggested that the “Heat Culture” would have a positive impact on Morant. Maybe. But the Heat Culture really only works on Heat-type players. Jimmy Butler had some ugly exits in Minnesota and Philadelphia, but no one ever questioned his competitiveness or desire to win. That’s what made him a fit in Miami. Morant has yet to prove he has the same mentality.

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