The Opening Tip

• LeBron got the record last night
• We have a new game show
• The NBA’s premier insider needs our help

1. Every NBA deadline rumor summed up in 85 words

*Inhales*

1. Teams don’t wanna trade with the Nets unless it’s for KD. 
2. The Wizards are Wizarding by keeping Kyle Kuzma. 
3. Toronto really wants Nic Claxton. 
4. Remember Eric Gordon? Someone might rescue him. 
5. There’s a market for Denver’s Bones Hyland. 
6. Teams want Jakob Poeltl, but the Spurs are being sticklers. 
7. Milwaukee wants Derrick Rose. 
8. Golden State might be ready to give up on their young players. 
9. Chicago will probably keep quiet. 
10. Everyone wants the Raptors’ various good players, including Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby. 

*Exhales*

2. Daily GIF: LeBron gets the record

LeBron scored 36 points (plus two more) last night to break Kareem’s 39-year-old scoring record.

For reference on how rare this is, here’s Kareem breaking Wilt’s record in 1984, and here’s Wilt beating Bob Pettit’s record in 1966.

And here’s Anthony Davis looking remarkably disengaged during LeBron’s record-clinching basket.

3. Trivia time

Only three members of the NBA’s all-time top 10 scoring list didn’t/haven’t played for the Lakers. Who are they?

Answers at the bottom.

4. Game show: Is this a real quote about or by Kyrie Irving? 

Rules: Read the quote, decide for yourself, and click to see if you’re right. Mutombo means you’re wrong. Kareem means you’re right.

Jason Kidd, on bringing in Kyrie:
 

Mark Cuban, on bringing in Kyrie: 
 

Kyrie Irving, on leaving BK:
 

Kyrie Irving, on his new car:
 

5. A message to Shams Charania: Let us be your ghost writer

NBA insider Shams Charania is at the absolute top of the NBA news breaking game, which makes his inability to string together a structured and competent sentence so perplexing.

Here is how he began his insider’s look at the Kyrie-to-Dallas trade, which ran in The New York Times-owned Athletic on Sunday:
 

Reminder: This is one of the NBA’s foremost powerbrokers.

Continuing: 
 

As a* difference maker. Also, just say ‘the league.’ A difference maker in the league.

More:
 

6.  Quick Hits

• Throwback to the time Kareem got mad at LeBron for doing the big balls dance. 
• LeBron going on ESPN and saying how disappointed he was about not getting Kyrie -- while knowing any Kyrie trade would have to involve current teammate Russell Westbrook -- was really something. 
• A redditor chronicled the last six years of the Kyrie experience through Bill Simmons’ tweets. 
• Second-year Net Cam Thomas in three games since Kyrie left: 44.7 PPG. 
• Ben Simmons’ latest masterpiece: 27 minutes, 2 points, 4 turnovers.

7.  Reads & Pods

• What I think about LeBron breaking my NBA scoring record [Kareem’s Substack]
• Every point LeBron has scored in every jersey [ESPN]
• Where does the Kyrie trade leave KD? [The Ringer]

Trivia answer: Dirk, Moses Malone, Michael Jordan.