Peyton Watson “Week to Week” With Hamstring Injury
Nuggets guard Peyton Watson is considered week-to-week due to a hamstring injury, coach David Adelman told the media on Friday afternoon, according to DNVR Nuggets (Twitter link).
He’ll be out for Saturday’s game against San Antonio and, presumably, several more games. Watson exited the Nuggets’ win over the Jazz on Wednesday with right hamstring tightness.
It’s the recurrence of an injury he suffered earlier this season. Watson missed more than six weeks of action in February and March due to a right hamstring strain.
The injuries have marred an otherwise breakout season for Watson, who is averaging a career-best 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game. He’s made 49.1 percent of his field goal attempts, including 41.1 percent from deep, while starting 40 of 54 games.
It’s been an injury-filled campaign for Denver but it has still managed to win 49 games. The Nuggets currently hold the No. 4 spot in the West, which would give them home court advantage in the first round.
Cameron Johnson and Julian Strawther figure to absorb Watson’s minutes while he mends. Watson will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Pacific Notes: Doncic, Jackson, Harris, Gillespie
If Lakers star Luka Doncic can’t play the remainder of the regular season — which seems likely due to his hamstring injury — he would be the first scoring leader to not make an All-NBA team since 1976, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
He needs to play in one more game to reach the 65-game threshold for All-NBA consideration. Doncic is averaging 33.5 points — nearly two points more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.6), who’s second in the league. In 1976, Bob McAdoo won his third consecutive scoring title and was second in the MVP race — but didn’t make All-NBA.
On a related topic, Doncic’s absence will test the team’s depth, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times points out. Marcus Smart has missed the last six games with an ankle sprain, though he could return this weekend. Bronny James could see his backcourt role expand in Doncic’s absence.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers, who are already dealing with a number of frontcourt injuries, may not have Isaiah Jackson the rest of the season. Jackson has a high ankle sprain and will not join the team on its road trip. He will be out at least one week, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register tweets.
- The Kings’ NBA G League GM, Gabriel Harris, is heading to the college ranks. Gabriel Harris will be named the University of Memphis Tigers’ general manager, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets. Harris and the Stockton Kings won the 2025 G League championship.
- Collin Gillespie, who is headed to free agency this summer, set the Suns’ franchise record for 3-pointers in a season on Thursday night, according to the Associated Press. Gillespie set the mark in the second quarter of the Suns’ 127-107 loss to the Hornets. He made his 227th 3-pointer from the wing, surpassing the record of 226 3s, set by Quentin Richardson in the 2004/05 season. “It’s a great accomplishment,” Gillespie said. “And I’m extremely grateful and thankful to everybody here for helping me, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really mean much right now with the loss.”
Caldwell-Pope Expected To Exercise $21.6MM Option
Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to exercise his $21.6MM option for the 2026-27 season, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports (Twitter link). It’s the last year of a 3-year, $66MM deal negotiated by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
It comes as no surprise that KCP chose to take the guaranteed money rather than test the free-agent market. It’s been an abbreviated season for the veteran wing, who underwent season-ending surgery in February to address a misalignment of his right pinky finger.
Caldwell-Pope, who was acquired from Orlando last summer in the Desmond Bane trade, made 51 appearances in ’25/26 for the Grizzlies, averaging 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game. His shooting line was .410/.316/.913.
His salary for next season is second on the club behind Ja Morant‘s $42,166,510.
The 33-year-old was a quality three-and-D contributor for several years, winning a pair of championships (with the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023) as a key role player. However, his production has fallen off for the past two seasons, particularly from behind the arc — he shot 38.9% from three-point range in the seven seasons leading up to 2024/25, but has converted just 33.3% of his 3-point shots since that point.
His lone season with the Magic, who signed him to his current deal, was also a disappointment, as he averaged 8.7 points in 77 starts.
Hornets Notes: Knueppel, Miller, White, Williams
Kon Knueppel continued his remarkable rookie year Thursday night by setting the Hornets‘ franchise record for most three-pointers in a season, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Knueppel hit four shots from beyond the arc in a win over Phoenix, giving him a league-leading 261 and surpassing Kemba Walker‘s total of 260 during the 2018/19 season.
“I think maybe I’ve surpassed my expectations for myself a little bit,” Knueppel said.
As Reed relates, Knueppel didn’t feel like he had a great offseason after being selected with the No. 4 pick and wasn’t sure what his role would be as he arrived in training camp. That changed quickly as he played his way into the opening night starting lineup and has remained there throughout the season.
Knueppel credited Charlotte fans with inspiring him through their response as he neared the record on Thursday.
“You definitely feel it,” he said. “It makes the ones that go in real, real sweet, but it is also like pretty reassuring as a shooter when the ones you miss the crowd (lets out) an audible like ‘ooooh.’ That’s reassuring as a shooter that fans believe in that every shot you take is going in.”
There’s more from Charlotte:
- Brandon Miller also set a team record by making a three-pointer in his 54th consecutive game, eclipsing the mark set by LaMelo Ball, Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer notes in a subscriber-only story. Coach Charles Lee said Miller has evolved into more than a scorer in his third NBA season, which is an important part of the Hornets’ success. “As the whole team really started to take a jump, Brandon became more vocal about wanting to become a two-way player,” Lee said. “I thought that his actions backed it up even more as we started putting him on a lot of the primary scorers while also playing through him offensively, and he’s giving it to us at both ends. His ability to play long stretches during the game is helping us. So I’ve been really impressed with helping elevate our team to another level.”
- The February trade for Coby White continues to pay dividends as he scored 19 points off the bench and helped Charlotte rally in the second quarter after Phoenix built an early lead, Boone states in the same piece. The Hornets will face a decision this summer on White, who has an expiring $12.9MM contract. “It’s been a great luxury to have,” Lee said. “Coby’s done a really good job of finding a way to get up to speed quickly and make an impact on both ends of the floor. I see him get more and more into a rhythm every game he has. The fact that I can use him in a lot of different ways is really, really good.”
- Thursday brought a return to Charlotte for Suns center Mark Williams, who was back on the court after missing 15 games with a left foot stress reaction, Boone adds. Williams, who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Hornets, received a tribute video before he checked into the game midway through the first quarter. “It was cool,” he said. “I got some mixed emotions, but yeah it’s good to be back. Obviously, this is where I was drafted, where my career started, the organization that took a chance on me. So, mixed emotions really though for sure. As in good and bad? Happy and sad? “A little bit of everything. I was here, they traded me twice. Yeah, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
Central Notes: Atkinson, Mitchell, Pistons, Trent, Bucks
The Cavaliers clinched a playoff spot with Thursday’s win at Golden State, which Donovan Mitchell called the “bare minimum” of what the team hopes to accomplish, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story. With that out of the way, coach Kenny Atkinson talked to reporters about finding the best possible matchup for the first round.
“We’re thinking about it, what could be optimal for us,” Atkinson said. “You’d be lying if you said you didn’t think that. As we get really close now, you do start thinking about it. I haven’t told the team. I haven’t told the staff. Like, ‘Hey we want to play …’ But I think that’s my job is to think big picture.”
Pressed about whether he might be targeting a specific team or trying to get on a certain side of the bracket, Atkinson responded, “I think you gotta look at the whole thing. But again, that’s my job is to think ahead and think forward. Try to be smart about it. Obviously, the first priority is worry about us and our play. But there’s that space in your mind where you have to say, ‘Man, what could work for us?’”
The Cavs are currently fourth in the East at 48-29, one game behind New York. Three of their remaining five games are against non-playoff teams, starting with a home contest against Indiana on Sunday. Cleveland also plays fifth-place Atlanta twice, which could affect where the surging Hawks will finish.
Mitchell told Fedor that he doesn’t support trying to manipulate the playoff picture.
“You don’t want to play that game,” he said. “Just go out there and try to win every night and wherever we fall we fall.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Joe Vardon of The Athletic examines the Cavaliers‘ efforts to provide food for the team during road trips. The catered meals are available to the entire support staff as well as players, making them unique among NBA organizations. “I talk about the basketball stuff, but part of it is why I re-signed here,” Mitchell said. “When you have a team that, and it’s not BS food either, it’s like top of the top chefs making it in front of you, and it’s like gluten-free, dairy-free, all the right stuff … when you have a team that believes in nutrition as much as they believe in medical, and what you do on the floor, I think it shows the mindset of an organization.”
- The Pistons moved closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the East with Thursday’s win over Minnesota and helped their draft positioning as well, notes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Detroit, which received an option to swap first-round picks with the Timberwolves as part of a three-team deal to acquire Kevin Huerter in February, has defeated the Wolves twice in the past week. Currently that means the Pistons would pick 21st instead of 28th.
- The Bucks were down to seven available players when Gary Trent Jr. was forced out of Wednesday’s game at Houston with a hip contusion. Trent is listed as questionable for Friday’s home contest against Boston as the team’s injury report remains long.
- Eric Nehm of The Athletic provides a list of players for Bucks fans to watch during Final Four weekend as the team gets ready to make its first lottery pick since 2016.
Wolves Notes: Reid, Dosunmu, DiVincenzo, Garnett
The Timberwolves lost Thursday night at Detroit, but there’s hope that Naz Reid may have finally broken out of his prolonged slump, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Reid scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in 31 minutes while shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range as Minnesota put up a fight against the East’s top team before falling by five points.
“I’m dealing with some injuries and just trying to make things happen,” Reid said. “Just trying to compete at a high level and do what I can do.”
Reid, who captured Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024 and finished fifth in the voting last season, has been an important element of the Wolves’ success with his play off the bench. That has been lacking lately, Krawczynski notes, as he was shooting 21% from beyond the arc over his previous 14 games and had only reached six rebounds three times during that span.
Krawczynski states that Reid seemed to be “sulking” during Monday’s game at Dallas, lacking his normal effort on defense and hanging his head every time he was called for a foul. Ayo Dosunmu made an effort to get the ball to Reid late in that game, and the positive effects appeared to carry over.
“I thought he was really good defensively and active on the glass. … I thought he was really active, especially in that second quarter,” coach Chris Finch said. “As it is, then he started making shots.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reveals what Reid said to referee Scott Foster last week to earn a quick ejection and a $50K fine for “questioning the integrity of game officials.” Sources tell Mannix that after a call went against Minnesota in overtime of a game against Houston, Reid snapped at Foster, “Ya’ll need to stop cheating, bro,” which crosses the line of what players are permitted to say.
- Dosunmu posted a triple double on Monday with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, leading Michael Rand of The Star-Tribune (subscription required) to speculate on whether he belongs in the starting lineup ahead of Donte DiVincenzo when the team is fully healthy.
- After announcing in December that franchise legend Kevin Garnett would rejoin the organization as a team ambassador and have his number retired, the Wolves revealed Friday morning that the retirement ceremony will take place next season. Garnett will also be part of Fan Appreciation Night on April 12, marking his first appearance at Target Center since 2018. “I can’t wait to come home,” he said. “Coming back for me is about what’s next. I’ve spent time with (new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez), and you can feel the difference. The energy is real. The vision is real. They’re building something that lasts, with a team on the court that’s hungry to win. I’m excited to be back in the building with the fans. Minnesota, let’s go!”
Fischer’s Latest: Draft Prospects, Anti-Tanking Measures, Expansion Draft
Darius Acuff‘s performance with Arkansas during the NCAA Tournament has moved him into the upper echelon of NBA draft prospects, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes in a subscriber-only piece.
Darryn Peterson of Kansas, who’s expected to be a top-three selection, is still considered the best guard on the board, according to Fischer, but Acuff has raised his stock with his play in March – staring with the SEC Tournament. Talking to scouts around the NBA and the college game, Fischer finds that some teams are “increasingly torn” between Peterson and Acuff. A few organizations currently have Acuff ahead of the Jayhawks star, buoyed by an endorsement from Razorbacks coach John Calipari, who calls Acuff as talented as any freshman guard he’s ever coached.
“Acuff definitely put himself even further on the map,” a veteran college scout told Fischer.
Illinois guard Keaton Wagler is also moving up draft boards, Fischer adds, describing him as “a surefire top 10 pick” and stating that he’s a “near-consensus” top three guard in a draft loaded with backcourt players.
Even though Cameron Boozer put up impressive numbers before Duke was eliminated in the regional finals, Fischer finds that many scouts remain unconvinced about how his game will translate to the NBA. The same is true for Arizona big man Koa Peat, who appears to have fallen after being projected as a top-10 pick when the season began. Scouts question Peat’s shooting, but Fischer believes his physical style will at least make him an effective NBA role player and expects him to be taken in the lottery.
Fischer has more on the NBA draft and other topics:
- There’s no set consensus on who will be selected where, and a lot will be determined by the results of next month’s lottery, Fischer adds. He points out that several of the teams with favorable lottery odds – such as the Pacers, Wizards and Jazz – expect to be much improved next season and could be drafting to fill an immediate need rather than looking for a long-term development project. With so many talented freshmen available, it’s possible that their draft ratings will vary significantly from team to team.
- Before coming up with its anti-tanking proposals, the NBA league office considered a “draft credit” system that would have required teams to bid on draft prospects, similar to the way many fantasy football leagues operate, sources tell Fischer. Instead of receiving draft picks each year, teams would have been assigned credits to be used in an auction for each selection, starting with No. 1. Those credits would have been tradeable, so teams could put themselves in position to outbid their rivals for any player on the board. The proposal was ultimately considered “too radical” to adopt, according to Fischer.
- Fischer asked several team representatives about a potential expansion draft in June 2028, but was told that he’s getting ahead of himself with that speculation. The NBA’s Board of Governors voted to explore adding new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas last month, but there’s no official commitment to expand.
Grizzlies Sign Dariq Whitehead, Toby Okani To 10-Day Deals
APRIL 3: Both 10-day deals are official, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).
APRIL 2: The Grizzlies intend to sign former first-round pick Dariq Whitehead to a 10-day contract, agent James Dunleavy tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Memphis also plans to sign free agent forward Toby Okani, agents BJ Bass and Cam Brennick tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Whitehead and Okani figure to sign hardship contracts for the injury-ravaged Grizzlies. They’ll essentially be replacing DeJon Jarreau, Tyler Burton, whose second 10-day deals with Memphis expired on Wednesday night. Players can only sign two 10-day pacts with the same team in a given season, which is why Jarreau and Burton aren’t being brought back a third time.
A top high school recruit who played one year of college basketball at Duke, Whitehead has seen his career derailed by a series of injuries. He only played 22 times for the Nets over his first two NBA seasons, and he was waived by Brooklyn in October despite having a guaranteed contract in 2025/26.
Still just 21 years old, Whitehead has spent the 2025/26 campaign in the G League after signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Thunder a few days after he was cut by the Nets. In 28 total appearances (23.6 minutes per contest) for the Oklahoma City Blue this season, Whitehead has averaged 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists, with a subpar shooting line of .368/.298/.690.
As for Okani, the 6’8″ forward went undrafted in 2025 following five college seasons, the last of which he spent with West Virginia. The 24-year-old has put up modest stats for the Westchester Knicks this season, averaging 6.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .399/.292/.533 shooting in 47 total games (21.4 MPG). Okani is viewed as a versatile defender, according to Scotto.
Whitehead will earn $131,970 over his 10 days with Memphis, while Okani will make $73,153. If the agreements are finalized on Friday, both players will be under contract for the rest of the regular season and will become free agents at 12:00 am ET on April 13.
Cavaliers Clinch Playoff Berth
The Cavaliers clinched a berth in the playoffs after winning at Golden State on Thursday, per the NBA (Twitter link).
Star guard Donovan Mitchell led the way with a team-high 25 points, with Max Strus right behind him at 24. All five starters were in double figures and big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen both had double-doubles.
It was a hard-fought victory for the Cavs, as the shorthanded Warriors battled to the end before coming up short. Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski had 25 points apiece for Golden State.
Cleveland is currently 48-29, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons (56-21), Celtics (51-25) and Knicks (49-28) previously secured playoff spots in the East.
The Cavs were the East’s top seed entering last year’s playoffs, compiling a 64-18 record prior to losing in the second round to Indiana. The team has been much more up and down in comparison — Cleveland was only 22-19 at the halfway mark.
Obviously, the Cavaliers have played much better in recent months, going 26-10 over their last 36 games. Their hot streak actually preceded the trade, but the club has talked extensively about how acquiring James Harden ahead of the February deadline has brought new energy — and a renewed sense of urgency — to a team with championship aspirations.
As we noted earlier on Thursday, we already know the other six postseason teams in the East, but we don’t yet know which of them will make the playoffs outright and avoid the play-in tournament. Atlanta is in the best position to claim a top-six spot, as the Hawks are currently 44-33, the No. 5 seed.
Luka Doncic To Undergo MRI Friday After Injuring Hamstring
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic sustained a left hamstring injury in Thursday’s game at Oklahoma City and will not return, per the team. The Slovenian guard will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
Doncic’s injury occurred with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter (Twitter link). The Lakers were down 38 points at the time and wound up losing by 43, their largest margin of defeat this season, tweets Jovan Buha.
Doncic actually initially tweaked his hamstring in with about a minute left in the first half, notes Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter video link). Head coach JJ Redick said after the game that Doncic was cleared to return for the second half despite the lopsided score, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Any type of lengthy absence for Doncic would be devastating to Los Angeles’ chances of making a run in the postseason. He had been on an incredible tear leading up to Thursday, helping guide the Lakers to a 15-2 record in March (14-2 when he played) en route to winning Western Conference Player of the Month. The 27-year-old was also nominated for Defensive Player of the Month.
Doncic became one of just 10 players in league history to record in 600 points in any calendar month. He did so across 16 contests in March, for an average of 37.5 points per game. That run included a 60-point game, a 51-point game, and five additional outings of at least 40 points.
Doncic, who was named first-team All-NBA five consecutive times from 2019-24, would likely be ineligible for major postseason awards if he misses the remainder of the regular season. The Lakers play five more times before the regular season ends on April 12.
Through 63 games (35.9 minutes per contest), Doncic was averaging a league-high 33.8 points, 8.3 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals, with a shooting line of .477/.369/.779. He made his 64th appearance on Thursday, but he played between 15 and 20 minutes in two of those games, which means he’d need to play 20-plus minutes in one additional contest to meet the 65-game minimum. While there’s an exception in the 65-game rule for players who suffer season-ending injuries, it only applies if the player has suited up for at least 85% of his team’s games and his injury is deemed likely to sideline him through May 31.
Law Murray of The Athletic points out that Doncic previously missed four games because of that same left hamstring and was recently suspended one game after accumulating 16 technical fouls (Twitter link).
Austin Reaves, who has been battling multiple nagging injuries, was also less than 100% during Thursday’s blowout loss, Woike writes for The Athletic. He went to the locker room to be checked out in the first half and returned for the second, but exited the game for good in the third quarter.