Southeast Notes: Mosley, George, Jovic, Hawks
The Magic have had a disappointing year relative to their preseason expectations. They have played at around a .500 level since a 10-4 run in November and find themselves just a half-game ahead of the 10th-seed Heat coming into Sunday’s game against the Pelicans.
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes that the team is likely to make head coach Jamahl Mosley the scapegoat for the team’s struggles, a move Bianchi considers to be typical of how NBA teams operate but still misguided.
Bianchi notes the injuries to players like Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black that derailed Orlando’s attempts at building momentum throughout the season, but also focuses on the team’s lack of effort and toughness in moments when it matters most, such as losing big games to the Raptors and Hawks while trying to make up ground for the postseason. He suggests that if the Magic fire Mosley, it will not be because he’s a bad coach, but to provide an excuse for a team that has disappointed and shown a lack of heart.
We have more from around the Southeast Division:
- Following up on the recent news that Kyshawn George will miss the rest of the Wizards‘ season, head coach Brian Keefe spoke on what he saw from the second-year forward’s season. “He had a terrific year,” Keefe said, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link). “This guy made a huge jump, and that’s a credit to him and the amount of work he put in this summer. We’re really excited for a bright future for him.” Keefe added that George planned to work on his body this offseason and called him “a great example for our organization and the kind of guys we want.”
- Nikola Jovic was expected to step into a larger role for the Heat this season after signing a four-year rookie scale extension, but he struggled to adjust to the team’s increased pace and new style, Barry Jackson writes for the Miami Herald. Jovic only appeared in two of Miami’s last 10 games, the most recent one ending with him limping off with a sprained ankle. “Last year was easy because of the offense we ran and the way we played, I kind of knew what my role was,” he said. “This year, with an offense where you don’t have calls and don’t really know where to be at what time, it’s hard for me because sometimes I play five [center], sometimes I play [four], sometimes I have the ball in my hands, sometimes I don’t… It’s hard because you never get similar looks.”
- The Hawks have won four straight games and six of their last seven. With a week to go, they will now face one of their toughest tests of the season as they look to secure a top-six seed, Lauren Williams writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks will play the Knicks, the Cavaliers twice, and finally the Heat over the next week, which Williams notes is the second-hardest remaining schedule in the league. With a record of 45-33, they sit two games ahead of the Raptors and Sixers, who are tied for sixth in the East following Toronto’s loss on Sunday.
Cameron Payne Out At Least Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Reserve Sixers point guard Cameron Payne will miss at least the next two weeks due to a right hamstring strain, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link).
Payne exited Saturday’s loss to the Pistons after playing just nine minutes and did not return to the game. An MRI today revealed the strain.
The 31-year-old guard has appeared in 22 games for the Sixers this season, averaging 7.4 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes per contest.
Jones notes that this timeline would keep Payne out past the end of the regular season and that he’ll be reevaluated at the two-week mark. The Sixers are currently tied with the Raptors for sixth place in the East following Toronto’s loss the Celtics today, with Philadelphia owning the tie-breaker over Toronto.
Although Payne emerged as a regular rotation player after signing with the Sixers in February, appearing in each of his first 19 games and averaging 18.4 MPG, his playing time had been more sporadic as of late. Prior to Saturday’s outing, he had been a DNP-CD in two of the 76ers’ previous four games and logged just 16 total minutes in the other two.
Draft Notes: Lendeborg, Mara, Prospects, Hurley, Lewis
Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg sprained the MCL in his left knee and sprained his left ankle on a dunk attempt in the first half of Saturday’s Final Four victory over Arizona, but he’s determined to play in Monday’s NCAA final, writes Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com.
“I will be on that floor in that game,” Lendeborg said.
A fifth-year senior who is a projected first-round pick, Lendeborg exited the game twice in the first half after suffering the injuries and played a few minutes in the second half. The 6’9″ forward admitted he was far from 100%.
“I was very scared to guard out there,” Lendeborg said. “And once I did a little bit, it didn’t feel well. I didn’t feel much pain on the plant. So I mean … when I play Monday, I’m going to be a corner three-point shooter.”
Michigan trainer Chris Williams said Lendeborg had limited swelling when the injuries occurred, and told ESPN the Big Ten Player of the Year will receive “around-the-clock” treatment ahead of Monday’s championship game.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Although Lendeborg was productive (11 points and three rebounds), he was limited to just 14 minutes due to foul trouble and the injuries. Michigan center Aday Mara stepped up in a major way in the blowout victory over the Wildcats, finishing with 26 points (on 11-of-16 shooting), nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 30 minutes, writes Forbes contributor Adam Zagoria. “Aday was sensational,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “He was at the rim, catching lobs. He was a force down low. He was a pressure release up top. I mean, he’s such a smart basketball player. And obviously his rim protection — he did a great job on (Koa) Peat. He did a great job forcing a lot of those misses around the basket because of his aggression.” Mara, a 7’3″ junior from Spain, is currently No. 32 on ESPN’s best available players list.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports listed 24 potential NBA prospects to watch prior to the Final Four, including Lendeborg, Mara, and Peat, among others. UConn defeated Illinois in the other Final Four matchup and will be looking for its third title in four years.
- Speaking of the Huskies, head coach Dan Hurley told Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 that he’s not interested in UNC’s head coaching vacancy (Twitter video link). However, he left the door open for a possible NBA job in the future. “I’m a UConn coach until the end,” Hurley said. “You know, maybe the NBA some day down the line.” The Lakers tried to hire Hurley a couple years ago, but he wound up returning to Storrs on a lucrative long-term contract.
- Villanova freshman Acaden Lewis is entering the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Joe Tipton of On3 (Twitter link). The 6’2″ guard, who was a second-team All-Big East selection in 2025/26, is also entering the transfer portal, Tipton adds.
Injury Notes: Quickley, Edwards, Highsmith, Pels, Mavs
Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley was out for the eighth consecutive game on Sunday vs. Boston, but it sounds like he’s getting closer to returning from plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The 26-year-old went through on-court workouts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and hasn’t experienced any setbacks as he ramps up his activity, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
Quickley has made 67 appearances (32.4 minutes per game) for Toronto in 2025/26, averaging 16.9 points, 6.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .445/.374/.821 shooting. The Raptors have missed Quickley’s ability to stretch the floor over the past few weeks — they’ve gone 5-5 without him this season, compared to a 38-29 record when he’s active.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards continues to deal with patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee and was ruled out of Sunday’s contest vs. Charlotte after previously being listed as questionable (Twitter link via the Wolves). It’s a big game for Minnesota, which would secure a playoff berth if it wins and Phoenix loses to Chicago.
- The Suns are hopeful forward Haywood Highsmith will return to action before the regular season ends, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link), but time is running out for that to happen. Head coach Jordan Ott said Highsmith hasn’t experienced any setbacks since he aggravated a right knee injury on March 17. “He is trending in the right direction,” Ott said. “Just not as much on the floor right now. He’s getting there. Just no play yet.” The 29-year-old was out for the ninth consecutive game Sunday.
- Karlo Matkovic (low back spasms), Trey Murphy III (right ankle sprain) and Dejounte Murray will all be sidelined on Sunday when the Pelicans face Orlando, the team announced (via Twitter). It’s the third straight absence for Matkovic and second for Murray. New Orleans is mired in a seven-game losing streak.
- The Mavericks are expected to get a couple of frontcourt players back on Sunday against the Lakers, Grant Afseth writes in a pair of stories for Dallas Hoops Journal. P.J. Washington has been cleared to return after missing three games due to an illness, while Marvin Bagley III (left shoulder impingement) is probable to suit up. Bagley has also missed the team’s last three games.
Cameron Boozer Has Orbital Fractures, Won’t Undergo Surgery
Duke forward Cameron Boozer, who is widely projected to be a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA draft, told media members on Sunday that he has a fractured orbital bone, but he decided to forgo surgery, writes Forbes contributor Jeff Fedotin.
Boozer suffered the injury last Sunday in the Blue Devils’ Elite Eight loss to UConn. The 18-year-old’s right eye was “noticeably swollen and bloodshot” today, per Fedotin.
“I have a couple of fractures, but I’m all good,” Boozer said, “just going through the healing process.”
Boozer earned numerous accolades following a freshman season in which he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals on .556/.391/.789 shooting splits in 38 games (33.4 MPG). The first-team All-American was in Indianapolis on Sunday to accept a pair of Player of the Year trophies after previously being named AP Player of the Year.
“I’m just a winning player and all-around player,” Boozer said. “I impact the game in so many different ways. I think just my competitiveness translates to any level. So, I mean, yeah, I think any team who takes a chance on me is going to be very happy with the results they get.”
Boozer is the son of longtime NBA forward/center Carlos Boozer, a two-time All-Star whose last season came back in 2014/15.
Warriors Sign Charles Bassey
1:33 pm: Bassey’s deal is official, per the Warriors (Twitter link).
8:10 am: The Warriors plan to sign Charles Bassey, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
The 53rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, Bassey spent his first four NBA seasons with the 76ers and Spurs, appearing in 113 games and averaging 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per contest from 2021-25. However, despite a strong Summer League showing last July in Las Vegas, he was unable to secure a regular roster spot at the NBA level this season and has bounced around among several teams in between G League stints.
Bassey signed a 10-day hardship contract with the Grizzlies in October, inked a pair of 10-day deals with Philadelphia in January and February, and recently nearly three weeks with the Celtics on two more 10-day contracts. He became a free agent on Saturday when his second 10-day deal with Boston expired on Friday night.
A 6’10” center from Nigeria, Bassey has averaged 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per game across eight appearances with Memphis, Philadelphia and Boston in 2025/26.
He had a much larger role in the G League, averaging 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 20 games (29.9 MPG), with a shooting slash line of .606/.426/.654. The majority of those appearances (17) came with the Warriors’ affiliate team in Santa Cruz.
Bassey will essentially replace Turkish big man Omer Yurtseven, whose second 10-day contract with Golden State expired on Friday night.
If Bassey’s deal is completed on Sunday, he would be eligible to appear in five games over the last eight days of the regular season. He’ll likely earn the veteran’s minimum due to the Warriors’ cap situation.
Nikola Vucevic Returns Sunday For Celtics
Veteran center Nikola Vucevic will return to action on Sunday vs. Toronto, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed to reporters, including Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Vucevic has been sidelined since March 6 due to a fractured right ring finger. The injury, which required surgery, was projected to sideline him for at least three-to-four weeks, and he’ll return in just under a month.
The 16th overall pick in the 2011 draft, Vucevic spent his rookie season with Philadelphia, then was traded to Orlando in the 2012 offseason as part of the four-team deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers. Vucevic played eight-and-a-half years for the Magic prior to being traded to Chicago ahead of the 2021 deadline.
Vucevic spent six years with the Bulls, who traded him to the Celtics last month.
In his 11 healthy games with Boston, Vucevic averaged 11.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .445/.351/.824 shooting in 23.5 minutes per contest. He has been coming off the bench with the Celtics after starting nearly every game in which he appeared over the past 10 years.
Overall, Vucevic has played 60 games (29.0 MPG) in 2025/26, averaging 15.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 3.4 APG on .496/.373/.835 shooting. The 35-year-old, who is playing on an expiring $21.5MM contract, will be an unrestricted this summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension with Boston before July 1, the start of the new league year.
Giannis Says Co-Owner’s Comments ‘A Slap In My Face’
In an exclusive interview with Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscriber link), Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo says he felt disrespected by the comments co-owner and current governor Wes Edens made to ESPN a couple weeks ago.
“Giannis is going into the last year (of his contract),” Edens told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded. The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
While those comments could be interpreted as an ultimatum, Antetokounmpo told Nickel he views it a little differently.
“For me, it’s like a slap in my face,” Antetokounmpo said.
Antetokounmpo will earn $58.5MM in 2026/27, followed by a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. He’ll become eligible on October 1 to sign a four-year, maximum-salary extension (the exact value would depend on where the ’27/28 cap ends up). If he doesn’t sign an extension and opts out of that player option, he would be an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
The 31-year-old forward told the Journal Sentinel he found out about Edens’ stance when ESPN’s story was released. Antetokounmpo admits he wasn’t thrilled with the indirect communication.
“It says a lot …” Antetokounmpo said.
According to Nickel, the two-time MVP wasn’t “angry” or “accusatory” when he answered questions, but he was “straightforward.”
Nickel asked Antetokounmpo how many times he has spoken to Edens during the 2025/26 season, and he only recalled one conversation, which came via Zoom. Co-owner Jimmy Haslam was also on that Zoom call, and Antetokounmpo said he talked to Haslam one additional time.
Milwaukee has an unusual ownership structure that involves the governor title changing hands between co-owners Edens and Jimmy Haslam every five years (Haslam will become governor in 2028). In addition to controlling ownership rotating between those two men, another franchise shareholder, Jamie Dinan, is reportedly involved in major decisions.
Antetokounmpo wondered aloud whether the Nuggets or Thunder would ever make similar comments about Nikola Jokic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, respectively.
“Especially [as] somebody that has been this loyal, and I’ve showed appreciation, to the team, to the community, to the fans, to everybody that I’ve worked with, you know?” Antetokounmpo said. “And that’s almost, like, a slap in my face.”
This isn’t the first time Antetokounmpo and Edens have made differing public comments. Edens told reporters at the Bucks’ media day in late September that he had a “great conversation” with Antetokounmpo last June and that the nine-time All-NBA member “made it clear that he was very committed to Milwaukee.” At the time, Giannis said he didn’t recall that discussion.
Antetokounmpo reiterated his commitment and love for Milwaukee again during the interview, according to Nickel, who writes that the 10-time All-Star also made it clear he hopes future conversations between he and the Bucks remain private.
“I’m here, I committed, I’m wearing the jersey, and it is disrespectful to my teammates, to my coaching staff, to the people that I go and sweat with, and go to war with, to say, ‘I don’t want to be here’ − and I will never do that,” Antetokounmpo told the Journal Sentinel.
“Now, what goes on in private rooms? It’s not my job, it’s not my responsibility, and it should not − in no shape or form − be shared in public. I believe in etiquette. I believe in human etiquette, I believe in basketball etiquette. So with my owners, I have addressed what I feel and what I believe the situation is.
“Same with my GM, same with my coaches.
“And for me, that [Edens] comment was a slap [in] the face. But, it’s my boss. So I just gotta keep on moving forward.”
A Bucks employee was instructed to listen in on the conversation Antetokounmpo was having with the Journal Sentinel, Nickel writes. Antetokounmpo, who agreed that his contract gave him a degree of leverage this summer, said that while he still speaks to GM Jon Horst, the communication between the two isn’t as regular as it once was. He also made it clear he doesn’t trust the front office.
“Nobody,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable talking to nobody.”
Antetokounmpo told Nickel he’s been more closed off this season.
“I tried this whole year to stay to myself, and also this past summer,” Antetokounmpo said. “I was more closed off to myself. I don’t know if that’s because I don’t feel comfortable opening up enough. Or if it’s just, I just don’t want to open up at this point.
“It’s definitely not like before.”
The league continues to investigate the Bucks for possible player participation policy violations over disagreements with Antetokounmpo about whether he’s healthy enough to play this season. The Bucks insist the perennial MVP candidate is still injured due to a left knee injury, while Antetokounmpo says he’s ready to play.
“You know who you are dealing with,” Antetokounmpo said Friday. “So for somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face. So, I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”
Head coach Doc Rivers said after Friday’s loss to Boston that he was tired of being in the middle of the public disagreements between management and Antetokounmpo, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Rivers said it wasn’t up to him whether Antetokounmpo would be active or not.
“I’m out of the business of trying this subliminal messaging or all that crap,” Rivers said. “I’ve heard all the stuff. I just want everybody to be on the same side, (because) they deserve it. All of ‘em. I don’t think there’s a bad person in this group — none of the guys that I’m talking about. I think they’re all good people. But we gotta figure out how to put good people on the same page and it stays inside.”
Pacers Notes: Humbling Season, Siakam, Injuries, Offseason
David Aldridge of The Athletic takes a look at the “humbling” season the Pacers have endured in 2025/26 after they were two quarters away from winning their first NBA championship last June. Indiana is just 18-59 with five regular season games remaining in ’25/26.
“We talk a lot about just staying with the process,” guard Andrew Nembhard said. “I think it’s the competitiveness, bringing that energy every night, kind of when the season’s getting to the end, and it’s already out of (playoff) contention. It’s something you’ve got to work on. It’s only going to make us better for next season, having that competitive energy when it doesn’t really matter.”
The Pacers have been decimated by injuries this season, opening the campaign with a 1-13 record and signing several replacement players to temporary hardship deals in the fall. Head coach Rick Carlisle admits it was a “daunting” task to find consistency with so many players in and out of the lineup.
“When things get like this,” Carlisle said, “you’ve just got to find a way to operate that’s consistent and positive. That’s the tack that we’ve taken. The players have been terrific. … We acquire guys that are great people along with being good players. If you don’t have that kind of character, something like this can be a lot more arduous.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- All-Star forward Pascal Siakam suffered a left ankle sprain and a lower back bruise in the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to Charlotte and has been ruled out of Sunday’s game in Cleveland, relays Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). Only Siakam’s ankle sprain is listed on the NBA’s official injury report.
- Siakam isn’t the only starter who will be sidelined Sunday, as Nembhard (thoracic and lumbar injury management), Aaron Nesmith (cervical strain) and key reserve T.J. McConnell (bilateral hamstring injury management) will be out as well. Ben Sheppard (right hip strain) and Jarace Walker (sacral contusion) are questionable to suit up against the Cavs.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac previews the Pacers’ offseason, writing that he doesn’t expect the team to make a major splash on the trade market after acquiring Ivica Zubac ahead of the February deadline. Indiana projects to be over the first tax apron if it keeps its top-four protected 2026 first-round pick, Smith notes, so a cost-cutting move could be on the horizon for a team that hasn’t been a taxpayer in more than 20 years. If the pick lands between Nos. 5-9 and conveys to the Clippers, the Pacers could end up being just below the 2026/27 luxury tax line, Smith adds.
Pistons Clinch Top Seed In Eastern Conference
The Pistons clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 2006/07 following Saturday’s lopsided victory in Philadelphia, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
Detroit is currently 57-21 with four games left in the regular season. The team now has home-court advantage throughout the East playoffs.
Veteran forward Tobias Harris was among seven Pistons who scored in double figures on Saturday, finishing with a team-high 19 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists in 27 minutes. The 33-year-old, who spent five-plus years with the Sixers, was booed throughout the game, per ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, and viewed it as test against a team trying to secure a playoff berth.
“It’s a good opportunity to go out there and play and figure it out,” Harris said. “It gets you ready for the playoffs, high intensity basketball. In any other arena, they boo the other team, not specifically you. For me I look at it as a challenge. Use it as a training, really.”
The Pistons have gone 8-2 since Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung on March 17, with Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins continuing their strong play in the All-NBA guard’s absence. Detroit’s only two losses over that 10-game span were in overtime (vs. Atlanta and at Oklahoma City).
Fourth-year center Duren has averaged 22.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 66.0% from the field and 83.8% from the foul line in nine games over that stretch (he was out for the loss to the Thunder), while second-year guard Jenkins has put up 19.0 PPG, 7.7 APG and 4.4 RPG on .448/.438/.911 shooting in 10 contests.
“With Cade here we were more relaxed, we knew we had more of a superstar to get us to wins,” Pistons swingman Ausar Thompson told ESPN. “But since he’s been gone we all gathered around and knew we had to be more gritty, missing such a big piece. We had to make up for less offense on the defensive side.”
The last formal update on Cunningham came a few days ago, when the Pistons announced that he “continues to make progress in his return to play process” and would be reevaluated in a week. According to Goodwill, all signs continue to point to Cunningham being ready to return for Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs.