January 21, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy informed reporters on Tuesday night that he has no intention of trading Jimmy Butler’s contract before the Feb. 6 deadline, despite Butler’s torn ACL and the pressing need for a roster enhancement to genuinely contend in the Western Conference.

“I don’t see that happening,” Dunleavy stated. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, I envision him providing us with a boost next year just as he did last year upon his arrival.”

Last regular season, the Warriors faced a somewhat similar scenario when veteran guard De’Anthony Melton tore his ACL in November. In December, Dunleavy traded Melton’s contract to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dennis Schroder. By February, he traded Schroder as part of a deal to acquire Butler from the Miami Heat.

On Tuesday night, Butler sustained a torn right ACL from an awkward landing against the Heat. This injury concludes his season, and Dunleavy acknowledged that his absence is anticipated to extend into the next regular season.

Butler is due $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million next season, marking the final year of his current contract.

In light of Butler’s significant injury news, there has been speculation that the Warriors might consider trading his contract, likely along with draft picks, to upgrade this win-now roster built around Stephen Curry. Dunleavy dismissed this idea.

“At his age, his performance this year is impressive,” Dunleavy remarked about Butler, who will turn 37 before the next season. “He possesses a style of play that can last a long time due to his skills, physicality, and understanding of the game. So my vision for him is returning at some point between now and next year.”

Butler’s injury directly impacts Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors’ young wing who has only logged 10 minutes in the past month and submitted a trade request to the franchise last week as his DNPs accumulate.

“I’m aware of [the trade demand],” Dunleavy said. “When a demand is made, there should be a demand on the market.”

Butler’s absence could open up playing time for Kuminga, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr indicated before their Tuesday night match against the Toronto Raptors. Kuminga has previously faced challenges with his role and returned to a prominent position — notably during last May’s second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves after Curry strained his hamstring.

“I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better [with Kuminga],” Dunleavy acknowledged. “But it is what it is. …There’s still time remaining. He’s on our roster. I know a trade has been requested, but nothing is imminent, and circumstances can shift rapidly in this league, as we saw last night. So he needs to be prepared.”

The Warriors plan to explore trades for Kuminga leading up to the deadline, but Dunleavy mentioned that he will take the next two weeks to assess the team’s situation following Butler’s injury.

He indicated that the Warriors may consider using some of their future first-round picks to find immediate assistance, but the criteria for a substantial deal is high.

“If we’re looking at trading draft picks that would be exchanged when Steph isn’t around, it needs to be for a player we believe will still be here when those picks go out,” Dunleavy explained. “That player would need to be significantly impactful. It would require considerable thought regarding position, play style, archetype, and so forth. I would keep it broad and open.

“yet, if a great player becomes available, we have everything in our war chest that we are willing to use.”

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana Hoosiers were primed for a celebration on Tuesday night, and hundreds of devoted fans welcomed them back to campus in Bloomington.

Facing frigid temperatures and biting wind chills, fans, players, and coaches rejoiced in college football’s unlikely national champions. The touching scene evoked memories of Indiana’s journey, reminiscent of the classic film “Hoosiers.”

“Hoo, hoo, hoo, Hoo-siers,” the crowd cheered as six team buses rolled in on the south side of the team’s practice facility.

For traditional football powerhouses like Alabama, Michigan, or Ohio State, evenings like this in mid-January are commonplace. But Bloomington is unique.

Success here is often marked by banners instead of trophies, with athletes taking pride in representing the name emblazoned on their jerseys. The community celebrates the hard work of players from the small communities across Indiana, believing that while basketball might be just a game in 49 other states, in Indiana, it is a way of life.

Coach Curt Cignetti and his football Hoosiers are redefining these norms.

In just two seasons, they’ve crafted an inspiring narrative—a classic rags-to-riches saga of college football’s historically struggling program finally seizing its first national title. They triumphed over Miami, 27-21, on the Hurricanes’ home turf—where the passionate Hoosiers crowd turned the atmosphere into that of a home game—and clinched the title with a vital interception by a former player’s nephew.

How motivational was this season?

“I graduated from Purdue, but I’ve worked at IU for nearly 20 years, and I told my colleagues today that this is the first time I’ve ever rooted for IU,” Leah Mullins expressed, referencing Indiana’s biggest rival. “I had to distance myself from the Boilermakers because this season has been just so uplifting and thrilling, and there’s such a sense of community.”

This shared spirit was palpable Tuesday night.

Whether through fans sporting Indiana’s signature crimson-and-cream candy-striped pants, flags waving in the brisk air, or the Hoosiers victory flag held high above the stadium against a sunset backdrop, the enthusiasm was unmistakable.

On the main street leading to the stadium, someone added “national champ” to a display of wooden cutouts that has expanded with each victory this season. The Hoosiers made history by becoming the first team since the 1890s to finish with a perfect 16-0 record.

Long lines formed at a local sporting goods store on Tuesday for national championship merchandise, and news of the team’s arrival at Indianapolis International Airport, about an hour northwest of Bloomington, filled the parking lots.

Yet, this was uncharted territory for Indiana—many fans found themselves at the wrong location to see Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, defensive anchor Aiden Fisher, Cignetti, or the trophy. They rushed to their cars, following the sound of sirens from the police escort as they drove behind the buses.

“I haven’t seen Bloomington so united and so thrilled over anything in quite some time,” remarked Anika Drichel, a local resident. “It’s incredibly exciting.”

Some became fans when Cignetti recorded a school-record 11 wins in 2024, with the only defeats against eventual champion Ohio State and runner-up Notre Dame. Others joined the excitement after Cignetti’s squad knocked off then-No. 3 Oregon on the road in October or when they secured their first outright Big Ten title since 1945 by defeating the Buckeyes. For some, the moment of realization didn’t come until the final whistle blew on Monday night.

For those who missed out on Tuesday’s celebration, there will be more chances. Mendoza will hold an autograph session at a local sporting goods store on Wednesday morning, and the trophy will be on display at a grocery store that day and at a Wal-Mart on Thursday.

The festivities will continue on Saturday, with the school announcing a championship celebration at Memorial Stadium, allowing fans to honor the CFP-winning Hoosiers at the culmination of an extraordinary season.

“When things started to get really exciting, I thought, ‘Maybe I should jump on the bandwagon; this is amazing,'” said Mullins. “And Fernando is such a fantastic kid; they all are. It’s hard not to root for these guys.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Duke University has filed a lawsuit against quarterback Darian Mensah, and a judge has denied a motion for a temporary restraining order aimed at preventing him from accessing the transfer portal.

Darren Heitner, Mensah’s legal representative, informed ESPN that Durham County (North Carolina) Superior Court Judge Michael O’Foghludha made his ruling during Tuesday’s session, with a written opinion forthcoming, and rejected Duke’s motion to bar Mensah from entering the transfer portal.

Heitner indicated that Duke is likely to place Mensah in the transfer portal on Wednesday.

“The judge, a Duke basketball season-ticket holder and a supporter of the program, has also recused himself from any future proceedings,” Heitner mentioned.

because of this, another judge, Ed Wilson, will make a decision regarding Duke’s request for measures to stop Mensah from enrolling or playing at another institution and from commercializing his name, image, and likeness at a different school.

Heitner mentioned that Wilson is slated to hear the case on February 2, but Mensah’s team intends to expedite the process.

On Friday, the final day for entering the transfer portal, Mensah notified Duke head coach Manny Diaz of his plans to transfer.

According to the terms of Duke’s NIL agreement with Mensah, any disagreements must be resolved through arbitration. The university stated it submitted a request for arbitration on Monday and is seeking judicial relief until the arbitration concludes.

Mensah, who led the Blue Devils to a 9-5 record and an ACC title last season, announced on December 19 his intention to return to Duke instead of pursuing the NFL draft. He had a multi-year NIL contract with the school, expiring on December 31, worth an estimated $4 million for the upcoming season.

“Mensah changed his plans, notified Duke of his transfer intentions, and shared a public farewell,” the lawsuit states. “By doing so, he has rejected the contract. He is now seeking to shift to another collegiate institution as if his responsibilities to Duke University are nonexistent. These facts are indisputable. Contracts matter.”

Mensah, who began his college journey at Tulane, has been associated with Miami as they look for a successor to quarterback Carson Beck. The No. 10 Hurricanes were defeated by No. 1 Indiana in Monday’s CFP National Championship.

In a recent update suggesting Miami has secured a quarterback for 2026, backup Emory Williams announced on Tuesday that he has entered the transfer portal, with expectations of joining East Carolina.

“If Mensah is allowed to continue disregarding his contractual obligations and transfer to another school to compete in football and commercialize his NIL rights, Duke University will face significant challenges in protecting its interests in arbitration,” the lawsuit claims. “In fact, those interests will be virtually worthless if Mensah enrolls elsewhere, plays football, and monetizes his rights. If permitted to access the portal, Mensah can accomplish this within a day. basically, unless the current status of the parties is maintained, Duke University’s capacity to seek relief will be irreparably compromised.”

Duke’s legal team argued that Mensah breached the terms of his NIL agreement by “disclosing its financial details, attempting to license his NIL in football to another institution, seeking enrollment at another school, initiating contact with admissions or athletic personnel at another institution, failing to inform Duke if he is approached by another institution or its affiliates, and/or taking actions that have harmed both his reputation and that of Duke University by violating the terms of his contract.”

The lawsuit asserts that if Mensah transfers to another school, he will “negotiate a licensing agreement for the rights he has previously licensed to Duke.”

This past season, Mensah led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, while completing 66.8% of his passing attempts.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed to this report.