Magic’s Jalen Suggs Fined $25K By NBA
Magic guard Jalen Suggs has been fined $25K for “throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of the spectator stands,” the NBA announced on Saturday (via Twitter).
Suggs received a technical foul for the incident, which occurred with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter of Orlando’s loss at Charlotte on Thursday.
The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Suggs is averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals on .435/.325/.838 shooting through 46 appearances in 2025/26 (26.8 minutes per game). The 24-year-old is known for his stout defense, having been named to the All-Defensive Second Team a couple years ago.
Suggs signed a five-year, $150.5MM rookie scale extension in the 2024 offseason. He’s earning $35MM in first year of that deal, which features a descending structure, so the fine won’t impact him much financially.
What Teams Got In Return For Their Traded 2026 Draft Picks
The origins of 2026's most valuable draft picks - the ones that could turn into top-10 selections - are pretty widely known. For instance, it's no secret that the Hawks control the most favorable of New Orleans' and Milwaukee's 2026 first-rounders as a result of the Pelicans trading up for Derik Queen on draft night last June.
But there are dozens of other 2026 draft picks likely to change hands, and the reasons that teams gave up some of those picks aren't quite so memorable. That's especially true of traded second-rounders, but it applies to a few first-round selections too.
For instance, if you're a Timberwolves fan, you probably haven't forgotten why the Pistons will almost certainly have Minnesota's first-round pick this June. But if you root for another team, you might not remember that the Wolves gave up swap rights on that pick just last month in a deal involving Mike Conley.
Going down memory lane and revisiting past deals to see what sort of impact they'll have on this year's draft is a fun exercise, so we're going to run through all of this year's traded draft picks and identify the deal in which they were initially given up.
A couple caveats before we dive in: First, we're just looking at the initial trade in which the pick was moved, so if it has changed hands a few times since then, we're not covering all of those subsequent deals.
Second, we're not including the traded picks that are locks (or near-locks) to fall into their protected range this season, such as the top-eight protected first-rounder the Wizards owe New York. We're just focusing on picks that will - or at least have a realistic chance to - change hands this spring.
With all that in mind, let's revisit the deals in which teams gave up 2026 draft picks...
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Duren, Jenkins, Injuries, Playoff Experience, Robinson
Cade Cunningham is likely to miss out on postseason awards, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff would like to see some alterations to the current rules.
Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung this week and won’t be reevaluated for two weeks. He needs to play in four more games to reach the 65-game rule to be eligible for most postseason awards. He had been a candidate for Most Valuable Player, as well as a surefire pick on an All-NBA Team.
“There are so many different things now that you have to take into consideration that you shouldn’t have to take into consideration,” Bickerstaff said. “The guys are good enough. They deserve certain things. They play a certain way. Guys shouldn’t have to feel like they have to play hurt or injured to make something like that happen. I don’t have an answer for you as to what the best thing is moving forward, but I do think if you have serious injuries and you’ve played a certain way throughout the season and you’ve played a certain amount of games, a certain amount of minutes, whatever it may be, you should still be able to qualify for those awards. Again, I get the intent behind it. I just think there has to be a better way.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Their other All-Star, center Jalen Duren, had a team-high 23 points and six rebounds in their 115-101 victory over the Warriors on Friday night. Duren, who is averaging 19.2 points and 10.5 rebounds, has led the team in scoring during their three-game winning streak. “For me, I’m just proud of my group. Proud of where I’m at now,” said Duren, who will be a restricted free agent after the season. “This is something that I’ve always known I can be. I’ve always known I can be one of the better players in this league, and I’ve still got a lot of room to grow. I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near as good as I can be. There’s still a lot of things I can get better at, but I’m proud of everybody… From where we’ve started to now, I’m proud of everybody who has been a part of it.”
- Starting in place of Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins supplied 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against Golden State. It’s the fourth time this season Jenkins has reached the 20-point mark. “It’s just a different challenge,” Jenkins said during a TV interview regarding the loss of Cunningham. “We get to test ourselves, how can each guy take their game to the next step to pick up for that missing piece in Cade. We know he’s a big piece – that’s our guy. So we’ve just all got to step up in different ways to pick up for his loss. That’s all we’re trying to do. It’s a challenge.” Jenkins was promoted from a two-way deal to a two-year contract last month.
- Along with Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain), they played the second game of a back-to-back without guards Marcus Sasser (right hip soreness) and Kevin Huerter (right shoulder contusion).
- ICYMI, the Pistons clinched a playoff spot with their victory on Friday. Detroit was knocked out during the first round by the Knicks last season. Bickerstaff believes that experience in the postseason this spring. “I do still believe that you have to have experience,” Bickerstaff said, per Jeff Zillgitt of NBA.com. “But that experience that we had last year versus the Knicks is enough. That experience gave our guys an opportunity to understand exactly what playoff basketball looks like and how to win in the playoffs. Our guys were able to go on the road and win two playoff games in the Garden, with all the allure that comes along with that and the pressures of the moment. That says our guys have what it takes to do it and then do it again. That’s the thing that gives me such belief that we’re capable of doing that.”
- Duncan Robinson wasn’t on the roster when the Pistons won a league-low 14 games two seasons ago. He sees the franchise’s dramatic turnaround as part of a culture shift, he told Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “Having an identity is a big piece,” Robinson said. “We know who we are, and we know what’s required night to night in order to win games. Having guys you can really rely on on a night-to-night basis. A guy like Cade, that’s your leader. (Duren) has obviously flourished into that role as well. So it’s fun, man.”
Sixers Center Andre Drummond Fined $25K
Sixers center Andre Drummond has been fined $25K for making an objectionable gesture on the playing court, the NBA announced on Saturday (Twitter link).
The incident occurred with eight seconds remaining in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s 139-118 win over the Kings on Thursday.
Drummond had one of his best games of the season against Sacramento, posting 13 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 24 minutes. Drummond’s playing time has increased in recent games due to frontcourt injuries.
The 32-year-old big man is averaging 6.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 2o minutes per game. He’s headed to unrestricted free agency this summer after his two-year, $10MM contract expires.
Jazz Sign Kennedy Chandler To 10-Day Contract
March 21: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
March 20: Former NBA point guard Kennedy Chandler has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Jazz, agent Ryan Davis tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The 38th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Chandler spent his rookie season with Memphis but was waived during the 2023 offseason and hasn’t been in the NBA since then, having played for the Long Island Nets, Raptors 905, and Delaware Blue Coats in the G League in recent years.
In 36 games this season for the Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s NBAGL affiliate, Chandler has averaged 17.3 points and 9.7 assists in 35.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .449/.299/.686.
The Jazz currently have a full 15-man standard roster, but two of those 15 players are on 10-day deals, with Andersson Garcia‘s contract set to expire on Friday night and Bez Mbeng‘s deal running through Sunday.
While Chandler could simply replace one of those two players on the roster, Utah may also qualify for a hardship exception, allowing the team to temporarily exceed 15 standard contracts. A team becomes eligible for a hardship exception when it has at least four players who have missed three or more games and are expected to be out for at least two more weeks.
In the Jazz’s case, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, and Jusuf Nurkic have been ruled out for the season, while Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George are currently on the shelf with multi-week injuries. If either Markkanen or George is expected to miss the next two weeks, Utah would qualify for a hardship deal.
Chandler will earn $117,730 over the course of his 10-day contract. If the Jazz wait until Saturday to sign him, he could replace Garcia on the roster and his deal would cover the team’s next six games.
Wizards’ Trae Young Dealing With Quad, Back Injuries
It appears that Trae Young won’t return to the court this season.
The Wizards announced on Saturday that Young reinjured his right quadriceps, sustaining a contusion during the third quarter of their game against Golden State on Monday. Related imaging, due to ongoing back pain, confirmed lower back irritation, Josh Robbins of The Athletic relays (Twitter link).
Both injuries are being treated conservatively and will not require surgery at this time, the Wizards added.
It’s essentially been a lost season for the former All-Star. He only appeared in 10 games with the Hawks this season before the blockbuster trade with Washington in early January.
Young was a four-time All-Star with the Hawks, including last season when he was the NBA’s assists leader with 11.6 per game. However, he made limited appearances prior to the trade due to a sprained MCL in late October and the right quad contusion.
He has only played five games with the Wizards over the past two-plus months, averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.
Young holds a $49MM player option on his contract for next season. If Young were to sign an extension with the Wizards in the coming months, it would require him to turn down his option and replace it with a new deal starting in ’26/27. An agreement between the two sides could tack on a maximum of three years to the current season.
If Young picks up his option in June, he would be eligible during the offseason to sign an extension that begins in ’27/28 and adds up to four new seasons to his option year.
Atlantic Notes: Vucevic, Celtics Cap, Minott, Barrett
Celtics center Nikola Vucevic has to wait patiently for his fractured right ring finger to heal but he’s hopeful he can play again before the playoffs.
“The good thing is I can still do some stuff on the court,” he said, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “That will help me for when I come back [to be in] shape, and hopefully I get a couple games before the playoffs, get back in rhythm with the guys that week between regular season and playoffs, everything going as smoothly as possible.”
Vucevic suffered the injury on March 6 and is expected to miss at least a month.
“So far I haven’t had much pain or anything; everything has been going well,” he said. “The swelling is coming down and been working the range of motion. So hopefully the X-ray is clean at three weeks and I can start doing some stuff and just getting back to being comfortable and building strength in the hand.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics are likely to stay under the first tax apron once again next season, Brian Robb of Masslive.com opines. Robb points out that they currently have approximately $185MM committed in salary for next season, including $9MM in non-guaranteed contracts. It should not be difficult to shed salary, if necessary, to reach that goal. The emergence of young talent on team-friendly deals across the roster will be very helpful on that front, Robb adds.
- The Nets dropped a 93-92 heartbreaker to the Knicks, their 14th straight defeat to their crosstown rival. Josh Minott was highly agitated by the loss after scoring a career-high 22 points, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I wanted that s–t so (bleeping) bad,” he said. “Ever since we’ve been here, it’s like every game is an away game. [Friday] was just the night to really just stick it to everybody, man. As an organization, as a team, to show people that we got s–t here, yo. Man, just a sea of blue, a sea of orange. Every game we play, it’s a sea of the other team.”
- The Raptors left their 121-115 loss to the Nuggets on Friday still feeling good about themselves. Heading into their game in Phoenix on Sunday, they hold the fifth spot in the East. “The more we get healthy, the more we play together, the better it’s going to be for us,” RJ Barrett said. “I think we’re showing that on a nightly basis. But there are times and moments that we can play better as a team.”
Pacific Injury Notes: Suns, Kawhi, Reaves, Monk
The Suns had a tough last-second loss at San Antonio on Thursday and they’ll be shorthanded for Saturday’s game vs. Milwaukee, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
In addition to Dillon Brooks (broken left hand) and Mark Williams (stress reaction in left foot), who continue to be sidelined, veteran wing Amir Coffey sprained his left ankle in the first half on Thursday and didn’t return. He’s out against the Bucks. Forward Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury management) has also been ruled out for the second straight game.
Grayson Allen, who has missed the past two contests because of a left knee injury, is questionable to suit up. Royce O’Neale (left knee soreness), who was sidelined for the first time this season on Thursday, is doubtful to play on Saturday, per the league’s latest injury report.
On a brighter note, Devin Booker isn’t on the injury report after he stepped on De’Aaron Fox‘s foot in the final second of Thursday’s loss, Rankin adds. The incident occurred when Booker was attempting a three from beyond half court.
Here are a few more injury updates from the Pacific Division:
- Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who has been battling a left ankle sprain, is questionable for Saturday’s matchup in Dallas, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. The 34-year-old forward is averaging 28.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.0 steals on .504/.383/.898 shooting through 54 games this season (32.3 MPG).
- Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been bothered by a right wrist issue recently, but he’s questionable for Saturday’s game at Orlando because of a sore left hip, per Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). The fifth-year guard is widely expected to decline his $14.9MM option for next season in order to become an unrestricted free agent.
- Kings guard Malik Monk was forced out of Thursday’s lopsided loss to Philadelphia due to a right shoulder injury, according to Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento (Twitter link). Monk appeared to suffer the injury when he drove into the paint and was fouled by Andre Drummond, Cunningham notes (Twitter video link). The Kings don’t play again until Sunday, so they have not yet released an updated injury report.
Warriors’ Porzingis Exits Friday’s Game With Back Soreness
9:35 pm: Porzingis said after the game that his back started “spasming up a bit” in the first quarter (Twitter video link via Slater). While he was still experiencing tightness after the loss and “probably” won’t play Saturday in Atlanta, he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term injury.
8:32 pm: Veteran center Kristaps Porzingis experienced lower back soreness in Friday’s road game in Detroit, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (All Twitter links).
While the Warriors have officially listed Porzingis as questionable to return, he didn’t make his way back to the team’s bench to open the second half after walking slowly to the locker room in the second quarter, Slater notes.
Porzingis had five points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 first-half minutes.
Golden State currently trails Detroit by 22 points with eight-plus minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Warriors have been in a major slump lately, dropping six of their last seven games and eight of their past 10.
It’s a tough setback for Porzingis, who has been plagued by health issues for much of the past two seasons. He has repeatedly said he was starting to feel better and better after missing several games because of an illness, but now he may be facing another absence.
Entering Friday, Porzingis had appeared in 23 combined games with the Hawks and Warriors in 2025/26, averaging 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 23.7 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .451/.342/.825.
On Friday morning, Moses Moody provided an update on his right wrist sprain, per Slater (Twitter video link). The fifth-year wing has gone some “high intensity workouts” the past couple days, though he’s still experiencing pain in his wrist, which is taped.
“I’ve been progressing over these last couple days,” Moody said. “I’ve taken some big strides. I’m shooting threes and all now so, I think (I’ll be back) pretty soon.”
Pistons First East Team To Clinch Playoff Spot
The Pistons became the first team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot when they defeated Golden State on Friday.
Detroit, which was playing without star guard Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) and backup center Isaiah Stewart (calf strain), received key contributions from several players in the win. Jalen Duren (a team-high 23 points in 21 minutes), Daniss Jenkins (22 points, eight assists, seven rebounds) and Ausar Thompson (career-high seven steals) were among the standouts.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff discussed the achievement after Friday’s game, as Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
“They’ve been a joy to coach,” Bickerstaff said. “They’ve been one of the most connected teams I’ve ever been a part of. I feel fortunate every single day I get to come to work with these guys. … The spirit they play with every night is just different here.”
The Pistons improved to 51-19 with the victory. They currently have a four-game lead over Boston for the top seed in the East.
The Thunder and Spurs, the only teams ahead of Detroit in the standings, both clinched spots in the West earlier this week.
No matter what happens the rest of the regular season, the Pistons can finish no worse than No. 6 in the East, which guarantees a playoff berth. They’re in a strong position to finish first, though their remaining schedule is pretty difficult.
2025/26 continued a dramatic turnaround for Detroit, which had the worst record (14-68) in the NBA just two years ago. The Pistons improved by 30 wins last season, going 44-38 en route to the sixth seed and a first-round playoff loss to New York. They have a chance to win 60-plus games this season.