Every Thursday, I’ll be taking you through the big story heading into the weekend. Or maybe the weirdest story? Or maybe just something that makes me laugh and I think will make you laugh too. Essentially, if you’re subscribed to The Bounce and reading every day, we’re going to have the same fun here as we do in that space.

On top of that, I’ve culled the weekend schedule for you to know what to pay attention to. Weird bad streaks against teams? Beefs you need to track? Just fun games with matchups you may not have known were happening? We’ve got that for you. On top of that, we’ll have a good old-fashioned Throwback Thursday to hit you with that feel-good nostalgia.

Let’s have fun by starting with trading De’Aaron Fox.

Story to Watch: Let’s put De’Aaron Fox on different teams

This week, we got the report that the Sacramento Kings are open to hearing trade offers for De’Aaron Fox. As Sam Amick has been telling us for a couple months, this possibility has been brewing. In the offseason, Fox didn’t sign the contract extension offered by the Kings, and it now appears he’s finding his way out of Sacramento to a place with (hopefully) a better chance of winning a title and setting himself up for more success in the future. In The Bounce on Wednesday, I mentioned five different teams I think should be positioning themselves to trade for Fox and have him for the long term. It stinks that Fox likely won’t remain in Sacramento, because I believe something good exists there, but “them’s the breaks,” as they say.

Let’s dive a little deeper and figure out what it would look like if any of those five teams traded for Fox before the deadline buzzer sounds on Feb. 6. We’ll examine pairing him with the team’s existing star, how he might fit in the team’s overall concept, what a potential trade package might look like and rate how good it would be for Fox to join that potential team.

What if we put Fox on the Spurs? 

How does he help Victor Wembanyama? Fox feels like an ideal lead guard to put next to Wemby. I know the internet rumors and conjecture of the past year have involved putting Trae Young in San Antonio next to Wemby, but I like this idea more. Wemby is becoming a singular force as a weapon while figuring out how to bend the defenses scrambling in front of him. But we’re not going to see a fully realized Wemby on offense for a few years. That doesn’t mean he won’t be awesome during that time. He already is. But he’s just 21 years old and has a long time until he hits his scoring peak. In the meantime, an efficient and dangerous scorer like Fox fits perfectly. We know he’s already one of the most clutch players in the league, so it adds a great dynamic in close games. He’s a big-time threat in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop plays. And having him play off of Wemby’s gravity will create the best version of Fox we’ve ever seen.

How would he fit into the team’s concept? The Spurs have evolved a ton over the time Gregg Popovich (we miss you, Pop!) has been in charge. I look at adding Fox to what they do and hearken back to a time when Tony Parker and Tim Duncan roamed the basketball earth. Fox has the same type of speed and quickness Parker exhibited, but he’s a superior outside shooter and more explosive attacking the basket. He just has to match the overall understanding of the game and learn to know when to attack similar to what Parker developed, but Fox is still only 27. He’ll get into that zone. As far as defensively, with Wemby behind him, he can be extremely aggressive as a ball hawk on the perimeter. That’s way better than having Domantas Sabonis as your last line of defense.

What do you think the Spurs have to give up for him? Sam Vecenie looked at some trade ideas for getting Fox different places. He essentially had a three-team deal with the Spurs getting Fox and Simone Fontecchio, the Kings getting Tre Jones, Blake Wesley, Sandro Mamukelashvili with four first-round picks and the Pistons taking Harrison Barnes, Malaki Branham and a second-rounder. I feel like Sacramento might be looking for more immediate help than that, but that’s simply a guess rather than any reporting. Ending up with four firsts from the deal (even if one is protected) would be a great haul.

Scale of 1-10, how good is this idea to put Fox on the Spurs? In the words of Billy Bob in Varsity Blues: I give it a 10!

What if we put Fox on the Pistons? 

How does he help Cade Cunningham? We’ve seen during Cunningham’s ascension this past year that he still needs a little help balancing things out, especially in the fourth quarter of games. That’s why Fox makes a ton of sense. Yes, you’re doubling up the backcourt with your two best players, and we’ve seen that concept fail in plenty of places. At the same time, that would be a ridiculous backcourt with a ton of firepower at its disposal. Fox taking over in the fourth is natural for him, and it would allow Cunningham to have less pressure to be elite for all four quarters. They can play off each other, balance things out and stagger minutes. There are many reasons this would help Cunningham keep realizing his potential while Fox shines at the same time.

How would he fit into the team concept? With all that said, I could see some concern with Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff managing an All-Star backcourt again. He struggled with that at times in Cleveland, and it might have ultimately been his undoing — that and making sure he got scapegoated for their failures. The difference here is Cunningham isn’t a small guard. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have some physical limitations on defense. That wouldn’t be the case with Cunningham and Fox. The latter could be great in the way the Pistons attack on offense (Fox is the ideal version of what they pray Jaden Ivey could end up being), and he’s capable of being a disruptive defender at the point of attack.

What do you think the Pistons have to give up for him? There’s nothing from Vecenie’s article about getting Fox to the Pistons, but something like Tim Hardaway Jr’s expiring contract, either Ron Holland II or Ausar Thompson and some picks would work under the trade rules. Ivey would make more sense when he’s healthy, so maybe the Kings gamble on that recovery. You could flesh it out to swap Kevin Huerter and Isaiah Stewart while dealing Alex Len to the Pistons to make it a bigger trade.

Scale of 1-10, how good is this idea to put Fox on the Pistons? This might be the weakest of the ideas I had. I’ll give it a seven.

What if we put Fox on the Lakers? 

How does he help Anthony Davis? If you remove LeBron James from the Lakers’ future, this still works. And it probably gives the Lakers a better feeling about their future. Remember what they hoped D’Angelo Russell could be? Fox is actually that guy and then some … even down to being left-handed! Having a two-man game with Fox and AD is pretty lethal as a concept. We see the way that Fox and Sabonis play off each other. Sabonis is a better playmaker, but there’s a chance Davis could start working his way into making better options for his teammates.

How would he fit into the team concept? Again, in this one, we’re mostly considering life after LeBron, if he does ever retire. The Lakers would need someone to lead the charge on offense and play off of Davis. They’d also need someone who can get the engine running the way JJ Redick prefers. They could play very uptempo with Fox’s speed weaponized, which could lead to a lot more 3-pointers being attempted as defenses scramble to get back into position. Admittedly, LeBron is such a massive force on offense that you don’t really know what Redick’s concepts will be when he’s gone — at least, we don’t know yet.

What do you think the Lakers have to give up for him? First and foremost, I’m not sure I see a scenario in which you can convince the Kings to trade Fox to the Lakers, of all teams. They’d probably rather him go elsewhere and be forced to sign with the Lakers as they finagle some salary cap stuff in 2026, when Fox is a free agent. But let’s pretend the Kings demand a bounty to give Fox a Lakers landing spot. Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jalen Hood-Schifino with a couple of first-round picks works under the cap. Again, this feels ridiculous to think of the Kings even considering this.

Scale of 1-10, how good is this idea to put Fox on the Lakers? I’d put this at an eight, but it takes some massaging.

What if we put Fox on the Magic? 

How does he help Paolo Banchero? Immensely. That’s how. The Magic struggle so much in getting offense generated because they simply don’t have guards who can consistently break down the defense to set things up. Fox is elite at that. Banchero would benefit by having much more efficient opportunities to score. The same would apply to Franz Wagner, for that matter, as you’d turn him from a secondary weapon on offense into a tertiary option who takes advantage of a weak defender guarding him on nearly every possession. Reliable scoring and clutch play from Fox would boost this offense from being an awful eyesore into being an attack you have to creatively game plan against.

How would he fit into the team concept? Let’s just assume that Fox can join the Magic without too much disruption to roster construction due to existing salaries. I think he’d thrive under Jamahl Mosley. Defensively, he can disrupt and help create turnovers. The Magic are so sound that Fox gambling really wouldn’t create an issue for them. Offensively, they could re-map their entire system to have a two-man game between him and Banchero to create the easiest of opportunities for the rest of the guys on the floor. As I mentioned above, I can’t emphasize enough how easy life would be for Wagner.

There is a part of me that worries about their financial future if Fox and his max-level contract are in the mix. That’s a hefty tax bill.

What do you think the Magic have to give up for him? Vecenie had a three-team deal cooked up for this one. The Magic received Fox, the Kings received Anthony Black, three first-round picks, Malcolm Brogdon and Johnny Davis, and the Wizards got into the mix by receiving Jonathan Isaac, Jett Howard and two second-round picks. This feels pretty good, except I think the Kings ending up with Isaac makes more sense, overall. I’m sure Christie would love to utilize his defensive presence.

Scale of 1-10, how good is this idea to put Fox on the Magic? I think this is a 10. I’ve been dying for the Magic to get a lead guard to balance out things for the past year.

What if we put Fox on the Rockets? 

How does he help Alperen Şengün? Look at the way Sabonis’ game has blossomed next to Fox. I wonder how many people would currently select Şengün over Sabonis when strictly discussing their games, not factoring in age and contract. Fox could help make Şengün’s life much easier. In this scenario, you’d see the young big man quickly and easily become one of the best bigs in the world. And it wouldn’t take much discovery from casual fans to notice it. We’ve seen Jalen Green have success playing off of Şengün. The same goes for Fred VanVleet. Fox is better than both of those guys, and the attention he would create would then make it so much easier for Şengün to have efficient scoring chances.

How would he fit into the team concept? Şengün and the rest of the Rockets struggle for a lot of their offense. Overall, it’s efficient, but that’s because they’re the best team at crashing the offensive glass. They keep possessions alive until they eventually score or get to the free-throw line. With Fox at the helm, the shot-making gets a boost of adrenaline. It’s like watching Dom Toretto hit the NOS on his Charger to get out of a jam. Much like the Magic, the Rockets’ defense would still work with Fox gambling for turnovers.

What do you think the Rockets have to give up for him? Vecenie had a couple of trade proposals involving the Rockets, but the one I liked the best was VanVleet, Reed Sheppard and two first-round picks while Fox and Huerter found their way to Houston. Just have them ignore Sheppard’s shooting thus far and refer them to every scouting report of him leading up to the draft. That doesn’t feel like enough for Fox, so maybe there’s a young role player or more picks thrown. But the Kings would have more financial flexibility moving forward.

Scale of 1-10, how good is this idea to put Fox on the Rockets? I really like it for the franchise moving forward. I’d give it a nine, even though Kelly Iko let us know not to hold our breath this season.

Games on the Radar

Do you plan out your weekend around your sports-viewing schedule? You’re not alone. Are you the type to want to look like a sports savant by going to your local sports bar, suggesting a game to put on and then reveling in the praise from fellow patrons you’ll get for knowing what to watch? You’re home. Are you the type to just fly by the seat of your pants and wing it last minute when you remember games are on? Bookmark this post and refer to it later! These are the best games to pay attention to this weekend.

(All times Eastern)

Thursday

Houston Rockets at Memphis Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m. on TNT: The Grizzlies have yet to beat the Rockets this season (0-3), but the last two games were decided by a total of six points. These are still the second- and third-best teams in the West, in terms of record.

Friday

Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m. on League Pass: The Mavs are still trying to get whole and bounce back to contention status. The Pistons are doing a great job of testing themselves against really good competition. This could be a really fun matchup.

Milwaukee Bucks at San Antonio Spurs, 8 p.m. on League Pass: We always get a fun show between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wemby. This battle is for all of the surname letters.

Saturday

Sacramento Kings at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. on League Pass: I love this test for a Kings team that has been rolling since their coaching change against the best team in the West.

Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks, 8:30 p.m. on ABC: This is one of the last times LeBron James will play at Madison Square Garden, where he has an amazing history.

Sunday

Memphis Grizzlies at Milwaukee Bucks, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN: We’ve seen Ja Morant dunk all over Wemby. Will he do the same to Antetokounmpo?

Throwback Thursday: Magic Johnson’s return to the NBA

Not too long ago, we touched on the anniversary of Magic Johnson announcing he tested positive for HIV and how it sent a shockwave through everything. It wasn’t just a shock to the NBA world. Johnson was/is a cultural icon beyond sports. With our limited knowledge about the virus, we believed he wouldn’t be with us much longer. It feels like a miracle, in 2025, that we’ve been filled with even more of his historic success story and dazzled by his social media posts. On this date, back in 1996, we had another shocking moment from Johnson: He was back playing in the NBA.

The Lakers legend hadn’t played in an NBA game since losing Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Nearly five years later, though, he was back. There was a brief foray into coaching when he took over the Lakers at the end of the 1993-94 season, but it never stuck for him. He still wanted to play, and the workouts he’d done to help get healthier while battling HIV essentially led to him coming back to the NBA. I still vividly remember the night he came back because it didn’t feel real to see him back on an NBA court.

Johnson came off the bench for the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors. It was a TNT game that night, so we were getting the full presentation of national basketball to wrap our heads around the impossibility of Johnson playing again. We weren’t seeing the version of him we were used to watching revolutionize the point guard position. This version was bulkier and much slower. However, he still commanded the court from the power forward position, furthering the point-forward legacy we saw from NBA legend and should-be Hall of Famer Marques Johnson.

I’ll also never forget this highlight from that game, which so many of us attempted on the playground the next day. It was a simple ball fake as he drove to the hoop, but it was so vintage and effective that it felt like one of the greatest plays in NBA history.

I swear, every time I think about that play, the fake is far more dramatic and outstretched with his arm, and maybe even Latrell Sprewell goes for the fake so hard that he falls right into the area of PJ Carlesimo with his hands around his neck, and then we immediately plunge into a blackhole to time travel to Spree being traded to the New York Knicks. That’s how I remember it. As you can see from the video, though, it’s not quite as dramatic upon checking the replay. It was still an awesome moment in Johnson’s return that punctuated he was back, even if only for a limited time.

His stat line is beyond impressive considering he hadn’t played in nearly five years. He came off the bench for 27 minutes and scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting while making 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. He had 10 assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Johnson wasn’t infallible, of course. The rust was there, which we saw with his four turnovers and five fouls. But he boosted a Lakers team that was already starting to find a groove. I’m not sure if people realize how wild it is for a team to throw one of the greatest players and personalities into the mix while still figuring out its abilities and not missing a beat. In fact, LA was just as good while adjusting to Johnson on the fly.

The Lakers went 22-10 with him to finish out the season. In his time on the court, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 29.9 minutes. He made 46.6 percent of his shots, 85.6 percent of his free throws and 37.9 percent (22 of 58) of his 3s from the shortened line. He started nine of those 32 games before the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson never played in the NBA again. He had proven his point and scratched that itch. He showed he still had it, even after so much time off and essentially a death sentence attached to him back when we found out about him contracting HIV.

And, even though, I just rewatched that fake against Sprewell for the layup again, an hour from now, I’ll remember it as an all-time okey-doke to be memorialized in the Hall of Fame of basketball highlights.

(Top photo: Rocky Widner / Getty Images )