Sports
‘Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?’ Ty Lue, Clippers players react to reports of possible trade
James Harden has played a key role in helping the Clippers become one of the NBA’s hottest teams over the last six weeks despite a disastrous start to their season. He may not be around, however, to see how the rest of the season unfolds.
Multiple media outlets are reporting that Harden and the Clippers working to find a suitable deal that would send him to another team by Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Many of those reports mention a possible trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, swapping Harden in exchange for guard Darius Garland. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated described discussions between the two teams as “advanced.”
The Clippers play the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday.
Harden, 36, had 25 points and nine assists in 34 minutes during the Clippers’ 122-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday but has not played in the team’s two games since. The Clippers have attributed Harden’s absence to personal reasons.
The trade reports involving Harden broke Monday during the Clippers’ 128-113 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena. Coach Tyronn Lue was asked about the matter during his news conference after the game.
“I can’t comment on rumors,” Lue said. “Sorry.”
After the game, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard told Joey Linn of Linn Sports media he was surprised by the Harden reports.
“I respect his decision or whoever’s decision it is, and that’s it,” Leonard said. “I mean, he’s still gonna be my boy and, you know, I trust the front office.”
Clippers forward John Collins called the news “shocking.” Asked by Linn if he would be disappointed to see Harden leave at this point in the season, Collins answered, “Hell yeah.”
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reports that Harden initiated the trade talks and “the Clippers were stunned to find out about him wanting out.” The two sides have been discussing a possible parting for weeks, according to Siegel.
This past offseason, Harden signed a two-year, $81-million deal to remain with the Clippers. The second year was said to be a player option and is partially guaranteed. Harden has the power to veto any trade, according to ESPN.
Harden is an 11-time All-Star who was named the league MVP in 2018. He has played for five teams, including the Clippers since 2023, and is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in his 17th NBA season.
Garland is a 26-year-old two-time All Star who has averaged 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists during his seven NBA seasons. His contract expires in the summer of 2028. He has not played since Jan. 14 because of a Grade 1 sprain of his right big toe.
The Clippers were 6-21 after a 122-101 loss to Oklahoma City on Dec. 18. Since then, however, they have won 17 of 22 games to pull into a potential play-in spot (ninth place) in the Western Conference playoff standings.
Lue was asked Monday if Harden was someone he would like to continue to have on the team for a possible playoff run and beyond.
“Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?” Lue said.
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Former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig was found guilty by a jury in a federal gambling case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
The verdict followed a weekslong trial that included testimony from MLB officials and Donny Kadokawa, a Hawaii baseball coach tied to Puig and the illegal gambling operation.
Puig played for three major league teams, spending the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has not appeared in an MLB game since 2019. Puig, 35, now faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
His sentencing is scheduled for May 26.
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig reacts after the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game 3 of the 2017 NLDS playoff baseball series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 9, 2017. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports)
Puig’s attorney, Keri Curtis Axel, argued the government failed to prove key elements of its case and that she plans to raise post-trial motions.
“We look forward to clearing Yasiel’s name,” Axel said.
Puig initially pleaded guilty to a felony charge of lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation.
He acknowledged in an August 2022 plea agreement that he wracked up more than $280,000 in losses over a few months in 2019 while wagering on tennis, football and basketball games through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player.
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Nix pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and subscribing to a false tax return. Authorities said Puig placed at least 900 bets through Nix-controlled betting websites and through a man who worked for Nix.
Prosecutors said that, during a January 2022 interview with federal investigators, Puig denied knowing about the nature of his bets, who he was betting with and the circumstances of paying his gambling debts.
But he changed his tune months later, announcing that he was switching his plea to not guilty because of “significant new evidence,” according to a statement from his attorneys in Los Angeles.
“I want to clear my name,” Puig said in the statement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”
Yasiel Puig of Tiburones de La Guaira of Venezuela reacts after leaving a game due to injury in the fourth inning during a game against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot park as part of Series del Caribe 2024 Feb. 9, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (Luis Gutierrez/by Norte Photo/Getty Images)
The government argued he intentionally misled federal investigators. They played in court audio clips of Puig speaking English and brought expert witnesses to testify on Puig’s cognitive abilities, The New York Times reported.
His attorneys said Puig, who has a third-grade education, had untreated mental health issues and did not have his own interpreter or criminal legal counsel with him during the interview with federal investigators when he allegedly lied.
Yasiel Puig of Tiburones de la Guaira of Venezuela reacts in the fifth inning of a game against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park as part of the Serie del Caribe 2024 Feb. 1, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (Luis Gutierrez/Norte Photo/Getty Images)
Puig made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2013 and finished his major league career with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs. He was selected to the MLB All-Star team in 2014. Last year, he played for the Kiwoom Heroes, a professional baseball team based in Seoul.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
CITY SECTION
AMIT 59, Valor Academy 41
Angelou 63, Manual Arts 25
Animo Robinson 61, Jefferson 48
Bernstein 79, Hollywood 59
Bert Corona 45, Community Charter 43
Birmingham 73, El Camino Real 40
Canoga Park 64, Granada Hills Kennedy 60
Carson 50, Gardena 49
East College Prep 45, CALS Early College 40
East Valley 51, VAAS 35
Fairfax 60, LACES 43
Foshay 74, New West Charter 54
Garfield 53, LA Roosevelt 51
Granada Hills 58, Chatsworth 48
Hawkins 72, Dymally 42
Huntington Park 44, Bell 42
Lake Balboa College Prep 43, MSAR 42
Lakeview Charter 40, Valley Oaks CES 32
LA Jordan vs. Fremont, canceled
LA Marshall 53, Lincoln 34
LA Wilson 78, Bravo 57
Locke 53, Port of LA 32
Los Angeles 58, Santee 34
Marquez 75, Maywood CES 31
Mendez 87, Belmont 53
Middle College 72, Larchmont Charter 47
MSCP 103, Horace Mann UCLA 33
Northridge Academy 80, Fulton 54
Palisades 81, LA University 35
Rancho Dominguez 74, Wilmington Banning 44
San Fernando 93, Reseda 57
San Pedro 39, Narbonne 32
Simon Tech 59, Esperanza College Prep 41
SOCES 67, Vaughn 61
Sun Valley Magnet 73, Discovery 42
Sylmar 106, Panorama 34
Triumph Charter 69, CHAMPS 41
University Prep Value 69, Stern 43
Verdugo Hills 67, Chavez 26
View Park 65, Port of Los Angeles 32
Washington Prep 99, King/Drew 65
West Adams 46, Diego Rivera 35
Westchester 62, Hamilton 41
Westbrook 56, Alliance Ouchi 52
GIRLS
CITY SECTION
AMIT 43, Valor Academy 13
Angelou 36, Manual Arts 10
Bell 43, Huntington Park 15
Bernstein 41, Hollywood 27
Birmingham 81, El Camino Real 42
Bravo 40, LA Wilson 37
Brio College Prep 41, Legacy College Prep 31
Cleveland 66, Taft 43
Eagle Rock 28, Franklin 9
Esperanza College Prep d. Simon Tech, forfeit
Gardena 30, Carson 28
Granada Hills 63, Chatsworth 26
Granada Hills Kennedy 81, Canoga Park 9
Grant 48, Arleta 34
Harbor Teacher d. Locke, forfeit
Hawkins 63, Dymally 20
King/Drew 78, Washington Prep 29
LACES 51, Fairfax 20
Lakeview Charter 39, Valley Oaks CES 11
Larchmont Charter 49, Middle College 10
LA Marshall 59, Lincoln 12
Mendez 41, Belmont 10
MSAR 48, Lake Balboa College Prep 26
MSCP 52, Horace Mann UCLA 19
New West Charter 58, Foshay 13
North Hollywood 75, Monroe 10
Palisades 53, LA University 22
Panorama 45, Sylmar 29
RFK Community 64, Roybal 23
San Fernando 69, Reseda 17
San Pedro 45, Narbonne 35
Santee 77, Los Angeles 12
South East 56, South Gate 30
Stern 44, University Prep Value 13
Sun Valley Magnet 61, Discovery 11
Verdugo Hills 70, Chavez 16
West Adams 41, Diego Rivera 33
Westchester 62, LA Hamilton 40
Wilmington Banning 59, Rancho Dominguez 22
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SAN FRANCISCO – There might be nobody on the planet happier for Matthew Stafford than Puka Nacua.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback, in his 17th NFL season, won his first MVP Award on Thursday night to all but cement what will likely be a Hall of Fame resume.
“I almost did a backflip,” Stafford’s star wide receiver Puka Nacua said to Fox News Digital on radio row.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua greets quarterback Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The extra celebration, though, came when Stafford officially committed to playing next season.
“I knew he was coming back. I knew it. I was waiting for him to say it at some point. And when he said it, I still wanted to do a backflip. It was the best,” he said.
“Nobody deserves it more than him playing at such a high level in this late stage of his career. And the photo of him and his family, that’s football heaven right there.”
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY REFLECTS ON 2025 SUCCESS AFTER INJURY-PLAGUED 2024 SEASON: ‘JUST THANK GOD’
Nacua would be a stud no matter who is throwing to him, but he definitely has Stafford to thank for his absurd numbers.
“I know I wouldn’t be standing in the place that I am with the opportunities I’ve had to chase records, to break records, to be at a high level and to be up there with the best of them. He’s been right there every step of the way, and I’m glad I get him for one more year.”
One more year? We’ll see.
Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams talk in the first quarter of a game against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
“I won’t put a timeline on his career, but if I can win another Super Bowl, hopefully he won’t hang it up after that.”
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