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NBA trade deadline: Six Giannis offers — which would Bucks pick?
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have never been closer to a trade.
While that doesn’t necessarily mean the two-time MVP will have a new home by Thursday’s deadline, it does mean teams across the league are crunching contract numbers and staring at draft pick collections to find enough value to send to Milwaukee.
But as league sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania last week, four franchises have emerged as serious suitors for Antetokounmpo: the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Which one can offer the best deal? Which teams could be brought in to facilitate? Which superstars could land with the Bucks? What other contenders might join the Giannis talks?
NBA insiders Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton map out trade proposals from the Warriors, Knicks, Heat and Wolves — plus two wild-card scenarios — that check the boxes for Milwaukee’s ideal return. Then, NBA front office insider Bobby Marks, playing the role of Bucks general manager Jon Horst, examines each offer and picks a winner.
Jump to a Giannis trade:
Warriors | Knicks | Heat | Timberwolves
Two wild-cards | Verdict: Marks’ best deal
What every NBA franchise can offer Bucks
Warriors trade it all to create Giannis-Steph duo
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Myles Turner
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Jimmy Butler III
Jonathan Kuminga
Brandin Podziemski
2026 first-round pick
2028 first-round pick
2030 first-round pick (if 1-20)
2031 first-round swap
2032 first-round pick
Golden State, which can trade up to four of its own first-round picks and has a reasonable matching salary in the injured Butler, has the cleanest path to a two-team trade that gives Milwaukee young talent, picks and cap flexibility. Butler will have an expiring contract next season and could return value at the 2027 deadline if he’s back from an ACL tear that has him out for the remainder of this season.
In this construction, the Warriors also give up two swaps and Podziemski to fulfill Kuminga’s trade request and get Turner. That would create a crowded Golden State frontcourt with incumbents Draymond Green and Al Horford, though the Warriors would probably want to manage their minutes and Antetokounmpo’s return from another calf injury. — Pelton
Marks’ analysis: No Giannis trades will be easy, but this is the simplest considering no third team is involved. The Warriors are essentially telling Milwaukee to pick the terms of the deal without including Stephen Curry. The bonus for the Bucks is potentially fetching a fifth first-round pick if they can find a home for Butler at next year’s trade deadline.
2:05
Why Stephen A. wants to see Steph and Giannis team up
Stephen A. Smith details why he would like to see Giannis Antetokounmpo join the Golden State Warriors ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Giannis to Knicks, KAT to Blazers in 3-team blockbuster
New York Knicks get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jrue Holiday
Karl-Anthony Towns
Mikal Bridges
Miles McBride
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Jerami Grant
Matisse Thybulle
Guerschon Yabusele
2026 first-round pick (from Wizards via Knicks, top-eight protected)
2029 first-round pick (best of Bucks, Trail Blazers and Celtics)
Return of 2030 swap rights (via Trail Blazers)
2030 pick swap via Knicks
2032 pick swap via Knicks
Any trade sending Antetokounmpo to the Knicks is inherently complicated. The Bucks are reportedly seeking young players and picks in return for their superstar, but the Knicks don’t have much of either. New York’s top eight scorers are all 25 or older, and the franchise’s only tradable first-round pick is a top-eight-protected selection from the Wizards that is extremely unlikely to convey. (It would turn into second-round picks in 2026 and 2027.)
This framework would check multiple boxes. In addition to sending Antetokounmpo to New York, it would give the Knicks a perfect backcourt complement to Jalen Brunson and reunite Antetokounmpo with Holiday a half-decade after they won a title together in Milwaukee. It would return to the Bucks two of the far-off future picks they sent to Portland (along with Holiday) in the ill-fated Damian Lillard trade, giving them flexibility in the post-Antetokounmpo era. And it would give a major boost to the Trail Blazers’ roster as it seeks its first playoff berth since 2020-21. McBride might immediately become the best guard in Portland, and lineups with Bridges, Deni Avdija, Towns and Donovan Clingan could excel on both ends.
Whether that upgrade — and getting off Grant’s contract — is worth so much extra draft capital could be a sticking point for the Blazers. Milwaukee would also have to decide it would rather receive fewer picks but regain control over its own draft future instead of choosing a return with more of another team’s picks. And New York would end up condensing its two major acquisitions from last season (Towns and Bridges) into one bigger star. But this sort of trade structure is necessary to get Antetokounmpo to Madison Square Garden and has at least some appeal to all involved parties. — Kram
Marks’ analysis: This trade is contingent on how much Milwaukee values regaining control of its 2029 and 2030 first-round picks. If those picks are considered critical to the Bucks’ rebuild, there is a path to a deal. The potential roadblock is the $70 million owed to Grant over the next two seasons and the fact that Milwaukee is not getting back a young player to build around. The trade feels more like Milwaukee cleaning up a mistake it made from the Lillard trade in 2023.
2:39
Do the Knicks need Giannis to win a ring?
Monica McNutt and Vincent Goodwill debate whether trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo would make the Knicks strong enough to win a championship.
Heat land their newest superstar
Miami Heat get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Tyler Herro
Terry Rozier
Kel’el Ware
2029 first-round pick
2030 swap rights
2031 first-round pick
The Heat don’t have the most picks or the best young talent to offer Milwaukee, but they have a bit of both, with two tradable first-round picks, a promising 21-year-old center in Ware and a one-time All-Star (and Wisconsin native) in Herro. The Heat could also trade Jaime Jaquez Jr., a Sixth Man of the Year contender this season, but they would need to balance their offer with retaining enough talent to contend with Antetokounmpo.
The best chance Miami has of landing the two-time MVP might be if Antetokounmpo wants to head to South Beach and the Bucks decide to honor that preference. That sort of targeting doesn’t always work — see: Lillard’s arrival in Milwaukee instead of Miami — but because the Heat can’t make the best overall offer, they need some intangible bonus to finalize a deal.
It is important to note that this construction assumes the NBA permits the use of Rozier’s expiring contract in a trade, even as he faces federal charges related to illegal sports betting. In December, ESPN reported that although “there isn’t guidance from the NBA as to whether the Heat could move Rozier, the fact that he is still on the roster is a sign the Heat believe it is a possibility.” — Kram
Marks’ analysis: Considering what other teams could have to offer, this trade gets done only if Antetokounmpo’s camp signals the Heat as his only preferred destination. The two unprotected first-round picks and Ware are valuable, but unless the Bucks can turn Herro into multiple first-rounders in a separate deal, it is difficult to see Milwaukee trading and then extending the former All-Star to a big contract this offseason.
Wolves bring in Raptors, while Bucks get draft haul for Giannis
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Gary Trent Jr.
Milwaukee Bucks get:
RJ Barrett
Joan Beringer
Rob Dillingham
Julius Randle
Terrence Shannon Jr.
2026 first-round pick (via Raptors)
2029 first-round pick (via Raptors)
2028 first-round swap (via Timberwolves)
2030 first-round swap (via worse of Timberwolves and Spurs for worse of Bucks and Trail Blazers)
2027 second-round pick (via Cavaliers)
2030 second-round pick (via better of Timberwolves and Warriors)
2031 second-round pick (via better of Rockets and Suns)
Toronto Raptors get:
This exercise illustrates how unrealistic it would be for Minnesota to provide enough value for Giannis. The Timberwolves can’t trade a first-round pick and have only one unprotected swap to offer. Minnesota would send back quality players, matching Antetokounmpo’s salary with starting forwards McDaniels and Randle. And the Timberwolves would clear out their recent first-round picks, none of whom are currently in their rotation.
To generate more draft picks, this deal has the Bucks rerouting McDaniels to Toronto for a pair of first-rounders. McDaniels’ modest long-term salary (an average of less than $27 million through 2028-29) would be an ideal fit with the Raptors’ young core, as would his 3-and-D skill set. Still, if this was truly all it took to get Antetokounmpo, teams that aren’t currently in the mix would surely get involved — perhaps only to get Antetokounmpo for the short term, similar to Toronto’s deal for Kawhi Leonard in 2018 that resulted in the franchise’s first championship. — Pelton
Marks’ analysis: Even with Golden State trading everything but the kitchen sink, it is hard to see a trade topping what Milwaukee receives from Minnesota and Toronto. The trade checks the boxes in draft equity, young players on controllable contracts and veterans to build around or move in a separate trade.
Wild card: Philly offers its star rookie
Philadelphia 76ers get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Paul George
VJ Edgecombe
2028 first-round pick (from Clippers)
2030 first-round pick
The 76ers might well decline to discuss Edgecombe in any trade package, given the strong start to the No. 3 pick’s career. They could opt to build around Edgecombe and Maxey as a long-term backcourt partnership. But GM Daryl Morey has always chased after stars, and he might not turn down the chance to build a contender with, arguably, three of the best half-dozen players in the East. Assuming they maintain their health, Antetokounmpo, Maxey and Joel Embiid could lead Morey to his first Finals appearance — and the 76ers to their first conference finals since 2001.
This trade would also drop the 76ers below the luxury tax and open a roster spot to convert one of the team’s productive two-way players (Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker) to a standard contract.
For Milwaukee, the math of this deal works out to Edgecombe and one pick for Antetokounmpo and then a second pick to take back the two years and $110.7 million on George’s deal that remain after this season. George is eligible to be traded despite starting a 25-game suspension over the weekend for violating the NBA’s drug policy. His absence might actually be a bonus for Milwaukee, which would presumably want to lose as many games as possible over the rest of the season if it trades Antetokounmpo.
That’s not as many picks as the Bucks could receive from another trade partner, but Edgecombe is well worth the difference. The 20-year-old rookie is averaging 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists and would be a strong player to build around in Milwaukee. — Kram
Marks’ analysis: Do the Bucks value the upside of Edgecombe enough to take back all the money still owed to George? If they do, Edgecombe and two unprotected first-round picks are a strong return for Antetokounmpo. With George on the suspended list, Milwaukee would get financial and roster relief, allowing it to sign a player. For the 76ers, a trio of Maxey, Antetokounmpo and Embiid puts Philadelphia in championship contention now but at the cost of its future.
Wild card: Cavs propose package built around Mobley
Cleveland Cavaliers get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Lonzo Ball
Evan Mobley
Jalen Wilson
2031 first-round pick (via Cavaliers)
Brooklyn Nets get:
Max Strus
2030 swap (via Cavaliers)
2032 swap (via Cavaliers)
Mobley, who won Defensive Player of the Year and made All-NBA last season at age 23, has been the centerpiece of Cleveland’s future. With the Cavaliers’ present looking shakier, would the club consider trading him to pair Antetokounmpo with fellow All-NBA first-team selection Donovan Mitchell?
Because Cleveland is currently over the second luxury tax apron and has no player making as much as Antetokounmpo, a legal trade requires the team to shed at least $14 million in salary. The Cavaliers would accomplish that here by sending Strus to Brooklyn, which can take back more money using cap space. Milwaukee would end up with two players on expiring contracts (Ball has a team option for 2026-27), an unprotected first-round pick in 2031 and a new anchor in Mobley. — Pelton
Marks’ analysis: This trade gets an A for creativity, considering Cleveland’s maneuvers to send out enough salary to get under the second apron. Finances aside, Mobley gives Milwaukee a young star to build around. To make this type of trade, however, Cleveland would need the guarantee of Antetokounmpo signing an extension in October.
Marks’ verdict: Bucks get their franchise player … in Edgecombe
Each of the six trades offers a compelling case.
Four unprotected first-round picks from Golden State would be difficult to refuse, especially with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in the twilight of their careers. The offer from Minnesota and Toronto rebuilds the Bucks’ draft equity lost from prior trades while also giving the franchise three former first-round picks and established players in RJ Barrett and Julius Randle to set up a quick turnaround. And adding a former Defensive Player of the Year in Mobley is a solid start in any rebuild.
But only one of these trades results in Milwaukee landing a blue-chip prospect on a rookie contract: the Sixers and Edgecombe.
While keeping Antetokounmpo in the East and absorbing the nearly $111 million owed to George is not appealing, adding Edgecombe, two future unprotected first-round picks and a likely lottery pick in June’s draft would set the Bucks’ rebuild in the right direction. (Keep in mind: Unless Milwaukee is regaining its future picks from Portland, there is no incentive to completely bottom out.)
The Trail of Two Cities | Aventura
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – On this episode of Aventura, KRQE News 13’s Chad Brummett takes a road trip, ditching the highway to ride along the Turquoise Trail and visit the spots that feature the heart of New Mexico from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. On his first stop, in Old Town, Chad starts this journey at Central […]
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Argentina fires ravage pristine Patagonia forests, fueling criticism of Milei’s austerity
LOS ALERCES NATIONAL PARK, Argentina — These days, the majestic, forested slopes of Argentina’s Patagonia look like a war zone.
Mushroom clouds of smoke rise as if from missile strikes. Large flames illuminate the night sky, tainting the moon mango-orange and turning the glorious views that generations of writers and adventurers imprinted on the global psyche into something haunted.
Vast swaths of the Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to 2,600-year-old trees, are now ablaze.
The wildfires, among the worst to hit the drought-stricken Patagonia region in decades, have devastated more than 45,000 hectares (over 110,000 acres) of Argentina’s native forests in the last month and a half, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists. As of Monday, the inferno was still spreading.
The crisis, with most of Argentina’s fire season still ahead, has reignited anger toward the country’s radical libertarian president, Javier Milei, whose harsh austerity drive in the last two years has slashed spending on programs and agencies that not only work to combat fires but also protect parks and prevent blazes from igniting and spreading in the first place.
“There has been a political decision to dismantle firefighting institutions,” said Luis Schinelli, one of 16 park rangers covering the 259,000 hectares (642,000 acres) of Los Alerces National Park. “Teams are stretched beyond their limits.”
After coming to office on a campaign to rescue Argentina’s economy from decades of staggering debt, Milei slashed spending on the National Fire Management Service by 80% in 2024 compared to the previous year, gutting the agency responsible for deploying brigades, maintaining air tankers, purchasing extra gear and tracking hazards.
The service faces another 71% reduction in funds this year, according to an analysis of the 2026 budget by the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation, or FARN, an Argentine environmental research and advocacy group.
The retrenchment arrives at a time when climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and severe, increasing the risk of wildfires.
“Climate change is undeniable. This is us living it,” said firefighter Hernán Mondino, his face smeared with sweat and soot after a backbreaking day battling blazes in Los Alerces National Park. “But we see no sign that the government is concerned about our situation.”
The Ministry of Security, which assumed oversight of firefighting efforts after Milei downgraded the Ministry of Environment, did not respond to a request for comment.
Milei’s deep spending cuts have stabilized Argentina’s crisis-stricken economy and driven annual inflation down from 117% in 2024 to 31% last year — the lowest rate in eight years.
His battles against government bloat and “woke” culture have helped him cozy up to U.S. President Donald Trump, whose own war on federal bureaucracy has similarly rippled through scientific research and disaster response programs.
After Trump announced last year that the U.S. would leave the Paris climate agreement, Milei threatened to do the same. He boycotted the U.N. climate summit and referred to human-caused climate change as a “socialist lie,” infuriating Argentines who understand that record-breaking heat and dryness, symptomatic of a warming planet, are fueling the fires in Patagonia.
“There’s a lot of anger building up. People here are very uncomfortable with our country’s politics,” said Lucas Panak, 41, who piled into a pickup truck with his friends last Thursday to fight the blazes enveloping the small town of Cholila after municipal firefighting brigades were sent elsewhere.
When lightning started a small fire along a lake in the northern fringes of Los Alerces in early December, firefighters struggled to respond, limited by the remote location and lack of aircraft to transport crews and douse the hills.
The initial delay forced the resignation of the park’s management and led residents to accuse them of negligence in a criminal complaint as flames leapt across the ancient mountains.
But some experts argue the problem wasn’t inaction after the fire erupted, but long before.
“Fires are not something you only fight once they exist. They must be addressed beforehand through planning, infrastructure and forecasting,” said Andrés Nápoli, director of FARN. “Prevention has essentially been abandoned.”
On top of its cuts to the National Fire Management Service, Milei’s government ripped tens of millions of dollars from the National Park Administration last year, leading to the dismissal or resignation of hundreds of rangers, firefighters and administrative workers.
As more tourists descend each year on Argentina’s parks, forest rangers say that cutbacks and deregulation measures also make it harder to monitor fire dangers, clear trails and educate visitors on caring for the park. Last March the government scrapped a requirement for risky tourist activities such as glacier treks and rock climbs to be overseen by licensed guides.
“When staffing is reduced, control is lost. Visitor safety is compromised,” said Alejo Fardjoume, a union representative for national park workers. “The impact of these decisions is not always immediate, but it is cumulative.”
A 2023 National Park Administration report recommends a minimum deployment of 700 firefighters to cover the land under its purview. The agency employs 391 now, having lost 10% of staff as a result of layoffs and resignations in the last two years under Milei.
Budget cuts to the National Fire Management Service have scaled back training capacity and reduced available equipment, firefighters say, leaving many to rely on secondhand clothes and donations.
Authorities at Los Alerces this weekend insisted that the fiscal shock program had no bearing on firefighters’ efforts to combat the ongoing blaze.
“You cannot overcrowd dangerous terrain with people using cutting tools,” said Ariel Rodríguez, the interim park superintendent.
But national firefighters pushed beyond the brink of exhaustion said their ranks are constantly thinning, if not due to layoffs then to resignations over poverty-level wages that have failed to keep pace with inflation.
The average firefighter in Patagonia’s parks earns $600 a month. In provinces with cheaper living costs, the monthly wage drops to just over $400. A growing number of firefighters say they’ve been forced to pick up extra work as gardeners and farmhands.
“From the outside it looks like everything still functions, but our bodies bear the cost,” said Mondino. “When someone leaves, the rest of us carry more weight, sleep less and work longer hours.”
For a month as the forests burned, Milei said almost nothing about the fires and carried on as usual. Last week, as provincial governors pleaded with him to declare a state of emergency in order to release federal funds, he danced onstage with his ex-girlfriend to Argentine rock ballads.
The split-screen image supplied his critics with powerful political ammunition. “While Patagonia burns, the president is having fun singing,” said centrist lawmaker Maximiliano Ferraro. Left-leaning opposition parties staged protests across provinces.
On Thursday Milei relented, decreeing a state of emergency that unlocked $70 million for volunteer firefighters and announcing “a historic fight against fire” on social media.
At the base camp where bleary-eyed firefighters recuperate, some expressed hope this weekend that more relief was on the way. Still, they couldn’t help but dwell on what had already been lost.
“It hurts because it’s not just a beautiful landscape, it’s our home,” said Mariana Rivas, a volunteer organizing impromptu massages and medical checkups for exhausted firefighters. “There’s anger about what could have been avoided, and anger because every year it gets worse.”
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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Reba Had Something To Say To Bad Bunny After Grammy Win
Reba McEntire just had to meet Bad Bunny. After the international superstar won the Best Música Urbana Album Grammy, the country icon pushed through a crowd to meet him.
- Reba was joined by Brandy Clark and Lucas Nelson to sing “Trailblazers” at the 2026 Grammy Awards. It was the only country music performance.
- She was also nominated in the Best Country Duo/Group category.
- Bad Bunny won Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.
Video from inside the Crypto.com Arena shows McEntire finding Bad Bunny at his table after he returned from the stage. The caption from the Hollywood Reporter journalist Chris Gardner’s X account indicates this moment came right after his “ICE out” speech.
Related: 2026 Grammy Awards: See the Full List of Country Winners
What Did Reba McEntire Say To Bad Bunny?
McEntire’s conversation with Bad Bunny isn’t audible in the video below. While some will be tempted to assume she spoke to him about his message, she very well may have just wanted to shake another talented musician’s hand.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out!” Bad Bunny said from the stage to an enormous applause from those in the venue.
“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” he continued, speaking of immigration enforcement across America over the last 12 months. “We are humans, and we are Americans.”
McEntire has never indicated that she leans one way or the other when it comes to social-political issues. In times of strife, she’s recorded songs of healing. “Trailblazers” is that to a certain degree, but so too was “Pray for Peace” and “Back To God.”
Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican-born entertainer who will perform during halftime at Super Bowl LV on Sunday (Feb. 8). Host Trevor Noah had a running gag where he’d try to get the star to sing at the Grammys, knowing he’s contractually forbidden from doing so.
Those looking for another explanation as to why McEntire was eager to meet Bad Bunny may find it to be professional. This year’s Super Bowl is on NBC, where McEntire has a sitcom called Happy’s Place and where she’s been a coach on The Voice previously.
He’s not likely to act alongside her anytime soon, but perhaps he’s slated for a guest spot on the reality show later this year?
Read More: See the Best Pictures From the 2026 Grammy Awards
Here’s the full video of McEntire finding her way to Bad Bunny:
See the Best Pictures + Moments From the 2026 Grammy Awards
Jelly Roll was country music’s big winner at the 2026 Grammy Awards but he was far from the only highlight. See the best moments and pictures from the pre-show, red carpet and CBS broadcast.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Brookfield to Buy Peakstone Realty Trust in $1.2 Billion Deal
Brookfield Asset Management is buying industrial real estate investment trust Peakstone Realty Trust in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.2 billion.
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Gus Malzahn retires: Former Auburn coach led Tigers to 2013 BCS title game
Former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn has retired from coaching following a 35-year career that began at small-town Arkansas high schools and peaked on college football’s biggest stage in the SEC.
The coach told CBS Sports he contemplated retirement following the 2024 season at UCF but opted to continue coaching when Florida State’s Mike Norvell offered an opportunity to be the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator.
“I’m excited to spend more time with my family and to focus on what the Lord is calling me to do next,” he said.
Malzahn led Auburn for eight seasons, where he won an SEC title and finished as runner-up in his first season in 2013. That season included two improbable late-game plays to defeat rivals Georgia and Alabama. The “Kick Six” against the Tide in which Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a missed field goal 100 yards as time expired lifted the Tigers into the SEC Championship Game.
He was 105-62 overall as an FBS head coach during his time leading Arkansas State, Auburn and UCF. He most recently led the Knights for four seasons, helping the program transition from the Group of Five level to the Big 12. He spent the 2025 season at Florida State as offensive coordinator, defeating former rival Alabama 31-17 in the Seminoles’ season opener.
“After 35 years, it’s time for me to step away from coaching,” Malzahn said in a statement released by Florida State. “I am excited to spend more time with my family and focus on the next chapter of my life. I want to thank Coach Norvell for giving me the opportunity to coach at such a prestigious program. I will continue to follow Florida State, and I believe great things are ahead for the program under Coach Norvell’s leadership and for the offense under Tim Harris.”
In total, Malzahn won two SEC titles as a coordinator and head coach. He coached Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton in 2010, and two more finalists: Auburn’s Tre Mason in 2013 and Arkansas’ Darren McFadden in 2006.
He transitioned from high school football to the SEC in 2006 when he was hired by Arkansas as offensive coordinator after leading Springdale High School to an undefeated season while becoming arguably the greatest team in Arkansas preps history. From there, he coordinated record-breaking offenses at Tulsa and Auburn before he became head coach at Arkansas State in 2012, where he won the Sun Belt championship.
“I want to thank Coach Malzahn for his effort and dedication to our program over the last 14 months,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said. “He did a wonderful job coordinating our offense and calling plays in 2025, and he has set a strong foundation for us to continue building on in 2026 behind the coordination of Tim Harris and the multiple other assistant coaches who are returning. Coach Harris has a complete understanding of the offensive scheme, and his ability to effectively share that knowledge with his players will continue to be a benefit for our offense.”
Auburn fired Malzahn following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with a 6-4 record. The Tigers have not recorded a winning season since his departure.
GOP senator urges DOJ to challenge immigration detention contract bill
Republican State Sen. Jim Townsend is urging U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to intervene over House Bill 9. HB 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, aims to prohibit state and local governments in New Mexico from contracting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill has passed the House and is now moving to the Senate during the 30-day legislative session in Santa Fe.In a letter, Townsend raised constitutional concerns regarding the measure and referenced a recent federal court decision between Core Civic and the state of New Jersey. Core Civic is a private company that owns detention facilities, including in New Mexico. In 2021, New Jersey passed a law barring local state and government agencies and private detention facilities from entering an immigration detention agreement, unless it conflicted with federal law. An appeals court sided with Core Civic, stating that the state cannot ban private companies from contracting with the federal government to detain immigrants.KOAT legal analyst John Day said New Mexico’s bill is different from New Jersey’s law and may be more likely to withstand a legal challenge.”The New Jersey law apparently only sought to regulate the contracts between private companies and ICE. New Mexico law doesn’t seek to do that. It doesn’t seek to regulate private companies’ ability to contract,” Day said.KOAT reached out to Democrats in the House and Senate for a response to Townsend’s letter, but did not get an official response.
SANTA FE, N.M. —
Republican State Sen. Jim Townsend is urging U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to intervene over House Bill 9.
HB 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, aims to prohibit state and local governments in New Mexico from contracting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill has passed the House and is now moving to the Senate during the 30-day legislative session in Santa Fe.
In a letter, Townsend raised constitutional concerns regarding the measure and referenced a recent federal court decision between Core Civic and the state of New Jersey. Core Civic is a private company that owns detention facilities, including in New Mexico.
In 2021, New Jersey passed a law barring local state and government agencies and private detention facilities from entering an immigration detention agreement, unless it conflicted with federal law. An appeals court sided with Core Civic, stating that the state cannot ban private companies from contracting with the federal government to detain immigrants.
KOAT legal analyst John Day said New Mexico’s bill is different from New Jersey’s law and may be more likely to withstand a legal challenge.
“The New Jersey law apparently only sought to regulate the contracts between private companies and ICE. New Mexico law doesn’t seek to do that. It doesn’t seek to regulate private companies’ ability to contract,” Day said.
KOAT reached out to Democrats in the House and Senate for a response to Townsend’s letter, but did not get an official response.
Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over joke about Jeffrey Epstein’s island
President Donald Trump is threatening to sue Trevor Noah over a joke at last night’s Grammy Awards, saying in an overnight post on Truth Social that the comedian’s crack claiming he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island was “false and defamatory.”
Noah, who hosted the awards show, had poked at Trump’s relationship with the late sex offender and the president’s ambitions for the United States to take over Greenland.
“That is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland,” Noah said. “Which makes sense, I mean, because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out on with Bill Clinton.”
In the post on Truth Social, Trump said that he has never visited Epstein’s island, “nor anywhere close, and until tonight’s false and defamatory statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media.” Epstein had also previously denied that former President Bill Clinton had ever visited his island.
“Noah, a total loser, better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast,” the post continued. “It looks like I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C., and suing him for plenty$.”
Noah’s agency and management did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment. Neither Trump nor Clinton have been charged with any crimes related to Epstein, and they have both denied any wrongdoing. A representative for Clinton did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
Epstein’s island in the Caribbean was an alleged spot for abuse of women and girls. Trump has previously said that he rejected Epstein’s invitation to visit the island, and he has said that the two had a falling out years before Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Trump has also said that he kicked Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club after Epstein “took people that worked for me.”
Trump has a history of suing media over unfavorable or what he has claimed was defamatory coverage, which he referred to in his overnight Truth Social post. Trump pointed to his lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News, both of which ultimately ended in multimillion-dollar settlements for the president.
“Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!” Trump added.
Awards show hosts have for years joked about politics during their programs. At least a dozen artists, including Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, used their acceptance speeches Sunday to criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the administration’s aggressive — and in several cases fatal — deportation efforts. Several artists also wore pins reading “ICE OUT.”
Angela Yang, Rebecca Cohen and Nicole Acevedo contributed.
THE EXPLOITED Vocalist WATTIE BUCHAN Collapses On Stage, Upcoming Shows Cancelled
The Exploited frontman Walter David “Wattie” Buchan collapsed onstage during the band’s performance on Saturday, January 31 at Schlachthof in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Buchan went down during the first song of the set, prompting immediate medical attention at the venue before he was transported to a local hospital. According to information provided on-site, the punk icon was responsive when taken for treatment.
On Sunday, February 1, The Exploited issued the following statement via social media: “As Wattie collapsed yesterday during the show in Wiesbaden/Germany, we have to cancel the upcoming gigs in Tallinn & Riga. We try to find new dates ASAP. Rostock and Berlin we announce as soon as we have more info.
“Wattie is in hospital right now for observation and checkups. He had a flu the last days and got dehydrated. That’s why he collapsed. Thanks and love to all the nice people who took care and immediately gave first aid. We will keep you updated!”
The incident marks the latest in a series of serious health scares for the 68-year-old punk legend, who has a long history of heart-related issues. In December 2022, Buchan was rushed to a hospital after collapsing onstage during a concert in Colombia, following a suspected heart attack. During that show, he reportedly began feeling unwell while performing “Army Life,” clutching his chest before dropping to his knees.
Earlier, in February 2014, Buchan suffered a heart attack while performing in Lisbon, Portugal, an event that led to him undergoing quadruple heart bypass surgery later that year. Additional shows were canceled in August 2018 and September 2019 due to ongoing health complications. At present, Wattie Buchan remains hospitalized for observation, with further tour updates expected once more information becomes available
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