While the Los Angeles Lakers were believed to be Paul George's preferred destination when he requested a trade from the Indiana Pacers in 2017, the San Antonio Spurs were also on his list.

"I wanted to be traded to San Antonio," George said. "We wanted to go to San Antonio first, and we didn't make that happen."

A source confirmed the Spurs and Pacers held discussions, but San Antonio lacked the assets necessary to acquire George.

The Lakers decided not to deal the second overall pick in 2017 and Brandon Ingram for George as they believed they could eventually sign him in free agency.

George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, re-signed with the franchise in 2018 and was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019.

"As far as the Lakers, I wanted to go to L.A.," George said. "They didn't make that happen. They didn't put nothing together. So that's in the back of my mind [when I became a free agent]. That was in the back of my mind."

George and Leonard still wanted to play together.

"Since that moment, we were trying to pair up with one another," George said. "We were trying to make it work. [After being traded to Oklahoma City] I had obligations that I wanted to come back to Oklahoma and give it another shot... And then I felt that I needed to move on, I needed to go in another direction and I needed to at that point do what I wanted to do my whole career."

The Toronto Raptors will not give championship rings to Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, or CJ Miles, confirmed general manager Bobby Webster.

All three players were traded to the Grizzlies for Marc Gasol at the trade deadline last season.

“It's not an easy decision. But, to be honest, I think it’s standard. I mean we did our homework, we talked to teams and I think – I don’t remember – there was maybe one scenario where a team offered one. I think it was Anderson Varejao in Golden State but I think it was a really unique circumstance ... It’s obviously not a feel-good thing but I think that’s the way the league is,” said Webster. 

Fred VanVleet signed a sneaker endorsement deal with AND1 that makes him the face of the company, reported Nick DePaula of ESPN.

VanVleet is currently wearing the company's Attack 2.0 model.

VanVleet is averaging 17 points and 7.6 assists on the season.

Pascal Siakam and James Harden have been named the NBA's Players of the Week.

Siakam averaged 30.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists as the Toronto Raptors went 3-0.

Harden averaged 40.7 points, 9.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds as the Houston Rockets went 3-0.

James Dolan is planning to pursue Masai Ujiri to run the New York Knicks, according to multiple sources who spoke with Frank Isola of The Athletic.

Ujiri is under contract with the Raptors through the 2021 season and the Knicks would have to offer a massive contract to him as well as draft pick compensation to Toronto. If the Knicks were to hire Ujiri, their chances of signing Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021 would presumably improve dramatically.

Several NBA executives and scouts who attended last week's college basketball doubleheader were also linking Ujiri to the Knicks.

Dolan is planning to give Steve Mills, Scott Perry and David Fizdale the remainder of the season to figure out how to salvage the season and show progress.

Serge Ibaka will be out indefinitely after spraining his ankle against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ibaka will undergo most testing in Los Angeles during the Raptors' road trip.

Kyle Lowry was diagnosed with a fracture of the distal phalanx of his left thumb, reported Rachel Nichols of ESPN.

Lowry will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

The Raptors' point guard suffered the injury against the Pelicans. Serge Ibaka was also injured during the game, suffering a sprained ankle.

Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka both suffered injuries during the Toronto Raptors' 122-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Lowry suffered a small fracture on his left thumb. He will be re-evaluated on Saturday.

Ibaka suffered a "pretty bad" ankle sprain, according to Nick Nurse, leaving the arena in a walking boot.

Pat McCaw will undergo surgery on his left knee and miss several weeks.

McCaw is in his second season with the Toronto Raptors.

McCaw has appeared in two games this season with the Raptors.