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Injury Notes: Doncic, Heat, Allen, Hunter, Butler

By | at April 14, 2026 7:57 am

Lakers star Luka Doncic is scheduled to return to the United States and rejoin his team on Friday, reports Melissa Rohlin of the California Post.

Doncic, who suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2, had been in Spain receiving treatment on the injury in the hopes of accelerating his recovery timeline. According to Dave McMenamin and Shams Charania of ESPN, the All-Star guard has received multiple injections during his time overseas.

Although Doncic will be reporting back to the Lakers, his status going forward remains up in the air. Typically, a Grade 2 hamstring strain requires a recovery period of approximately a month, and Los Angeles won’t want to be cavalier about its franchise player’s health. Still, Doncic is pushing to return as quickly as he can and the team hasn’t offered any updates on his status since ruling him out for the regular season earlier this month.

We have more health updates from around the NBA:

  • Heat guard Dru Smith (right big toe sprain / right foot soreness) and Nikola Jovic (left ankle sprain) have been ruled out for Tuesday’s play-in game in Charlotte, but forward Pelle Larsson expects to be available despite being listed as questionable due to a right lower leg contusion, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
  • Suns wing Grayson Allen has been listed as questionable for Tuesday’s play-in game vs. Portland, with head coach Jordan Ott referring to him as “day-to-day,” according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Allen, who is dealing with left hamstring soreness, missed Sunday’s regular season finale. It sounds like his availability will be determined closer to tip-off.
  • Kings forward De’Andre Hunter said he has made a “complete and successful recovery” from the eye injury that ended his season, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat. Hunter underwent surgery on his left eye just after the All-Star break due to a detached retina. Although Sacramento’s season is over, the the 28-year-old has been cleared for basketball activities and should be able to go through his usual offseason routine.
  • While Jimmy Butler‘s recovery from ACL surgery figures to extend well into the 2026/27 season, he’s making progress, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link), who notes that the Warriors swingman is no longer using crutches.
0 comments Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Lakers Miami Heat Phoenix Suns Sacramento Kings

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Bey, Murray, Borrego, Dumars, Offseason

By | at April 14, 2026 12:53 am

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson saw his name pop up in several trade rumors leading up to the February deadline, but he made it clear at his Monday press conference that he hopes to stay with the team that selected him first overall in the 2019 draft, according to Brett Martel of The Associated Press.

“New Orleans is home for me. I don’t say that because I’m sitting in front of these cameras,” said Williamson, who has two seasons left on his maximum-salary contract. “When the offseason hits, a lot of guys leave the city. I live here. … I’ve been here since I was 19.”

While Williamson was pleased he was able to play 62 games this season, he said his play during was 2025/26 was just “OK” and was disappointed the team went just 22-40 when he was in the lineup (26-56 overall), Martel writes. The 25-year-old said he “100%” trusts head of basketball operations Joe Dumars, and hopes to play at least 75 games next season with an eye on making the playoffs.

Williamson plans to talk to Dumars, “other Hall of Famers” and “other championship players” in pursuit of the latter goal, Martel notes.

“I’m looking to take a different approach because it’s frustrating getting up here every year and not being in the playoffs — and I’ll take my responsibility in that. I definitely hold myself accountable,” Williamson said. “So, it’s time to start taking different approaches, gaining what knowledge I can and working on different things. I have to use the resources that I can to reach out and seek the information — seek the knowledge that I need.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

  • When asked about a potential contract extension this summer, forward Saddiq Bey suggested he’s interested in staying with New Orleans long term, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. “I want to be here. The people in my circle know I want to be here as long as possible,” said Bey. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $6.44MM in 2026/27. 
  • Veteran guard Dejounte Murray refuted speculation that he returned to action this season just to rebuild his trade value, per Guillory (Twitter link). Murray tore his Achilles tendon on January 31, 2025, and made his season debut on February 24 of this year. The former All-Star said he hopes to stay with the Pelicans and is committed to the team, Guillory adds.
  • Interim head coach James Borrego said Monday that he hadn’t spoken to Dumars about becoming the permanent coach, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. New Orleans is reportedly conducting a coaching search, with Borrego among the candidates for the job. “We’ve just been focusing on the day in and the task and the season,” Borrego said. “We didn’t get into the weeds of what’s next and what’s coming. We have had an initial conversation more on the reflection of the season and just looking back at what did we do well and what are some areas of improvement. Those conversations have started. That’s been our initial conversation. Where it goes from there we will see.” Dumars will address the media Tuesday, per Walker.
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Pelicans’ offseason (YouTube link), noting that the team doesn’t control a 2026 first-round pick after trading its own last year to move up and acquire Derik Queen. Marks says he’d consider extending Bey, though he wouldn’t offer him the full amount he’s eligible for (a projected $93MM over four years). Marks also expects the Pelicans to decline their $8MM team option on Kevon Looney for next season due to their financial situation, and says he’d be surprised if the front office runs back the same roster in ’26/27.
4 comments New Orleans Pelicans

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Announces 2026 Rosters

By | at April 13, 2026 11:47 pm

The 2026 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament will take place this week from April 15-18 in Portsmouth, VA. The event features college seniors working to boost their stock ahead of the NBA draft, with invitations to the combine a possibility for some standouts.

Several P.I.T. alumni have gone on to become solid NBA players in recent years, including Toumani Camara, Craig Porter Jr., Daniss Jenkins and Kobe Sanders, among others. Camara (2023) and Sanders (2025) were both second-round picks.

This year’s tournament features eight different teams with eight players apiece, for a total of 64 participants. Here’s the full list, per the P.I.T.:

Champaign native Boswell, who helped lead the Illini to the Final Four, appears to be one of the top prospects among the group. The 6’2″ guard came in at No. 66 on ESPN’s latest big board, with Volunteers center Okpara (No. 86) and Boilermakers big man Kaufman-Renn (No. 88) among the other prospects on the top-100 list.

2 comments 2026 NBA Draft

Anthony Davis Discusses Wizards In First D.C. Media Session

By | at April 13, 2026 9:42 pm

Monday marked the first time Anthony Davis was made available to speak to the media since the Wizards traded for him ahead of the February deadline, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. As Robbins observes, the Wizards held a press conference after they traded for Trae Young in early January, but didn’t do the same for Davis a month later.

According to Robbins, the 33-year-old big man raised doubts on Monday about the Wizards’ ability to quickly transition from the NBA’s worst team to a contender. Davis made it clear he wants to have lengthy talks with president Michael Winger and GM Will Dawkins this offseason about how Washington intends to become a championship-caliber team in 2026/27 or ’27/28.

“I’ve been in this league a long time, and I’ve been with losing teams, been on losing teams,” Davis said. “It’s very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender, right? I think one team has only done it: Boston in ’08. The only team, right? Even when I was in New Orleans and we had two losing seasons, then we made the playoffs our third year — that, within itself, is a huge jump: showing that you want to be on a path to winning.

“And that’s what it takes. So, if something comes out of the conversation where that’s the path — and, obviously, you won’t know until the season starts — that’s what I would like to see. What is our plan for winning going into next season? And how? Not like this is a plan, but how do we execute that? And based on that, we’ll kind of see what happens.”

As Robbins notes, the “see what happens” comment raised some eyebrows and led to a follow-up question asking whether Davis expected to be on the roster to open next season. The 10-time All-Star will earn a guaranteed $58.5MM in ’26/27, followed by a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m under contract,” Davis replied. ” … Whether we figure something out in the summer (that’s) good or bad, whatever … if it doesn’t get figured out, then come October, mid-October, late October, I will have a Washington Wizards uniform on, and I will go out there, and I will do everything I can to win a basketball game. That’s never going to change.

“ … In the summer, right now, I’m going to compete, train and have the mindset that I will be here next year. Not only because I’m under contract, but also, I like these young guys. I ain’t going to lie. I feel like they’re all my children.”

Davis was complimentary of the Wizards’ young players as well as the franchise as a whole, saying his previous (negative) perception of the franchise wasn’t accurate, Robbins adds.

“The organization is a very good organization. Ted [Leonsis] is a great owner, the coaching staff and the players, their development. Obviously, the city is phenomenal,” Davis said, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network.

Because the Wizards had the worst record in the league, they can finish no worse than fifth in the draft lottery, with a 52.1% chance at a top-four pick, including 14.0% odds at selecting No. 1 overall. They also have young players like Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George who are considered part of the team’s core, Robbins writes.

Still, Davis made it clear he’s on the fence about Washington’s short-term direction, per Robbins. The 10-time All-Star appeared in a career-low 20 games this season due to a variety of injuries, including ligament damage in his left hand that prevented him from making his Wizards debut in ’25/26.

24 comments Newsstand Washington Wizards

Magic Notes: Sunday’s Loss, Banchero, F. Wagner, Bane

By | at April 13, 2026 8:25 pm

Head coach Jamahl Mosley has bemoaned the Magic lacking a sense of urgency throughout the season, and it was a talking point again after Sunday’s loss in Boston, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The Magic had a chance to secure the No. 7 seed and home court advantage for Wednesday’s play-in contest vs. the Sixers, but instead they’ll travel to Philadelphia for their first of two chances to advance to the playoffs.

“It was a must-win game, at least I thought,” forward Paolo Banchero said. “I just think we didn’t come out with urgency. It’s frustrating, honestly.”

According to Beede, Orlando led by 16 points early in the game, but a disastrous third quarter turned out to be too much to overcome. Banchero finished with a triple-double (23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds) and was plus-two in 38 minutes during the five-point loss, though he shot just 7-of-22 from the field and had six turnovers.

“I definitely didn’t play my best basketball,” Banchero said. “I think collectively, we just have to have more urgency. We can’t expect to win just because guys are out.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

  • As Beede notes, the “guys” Banchero was referring to on the Celtics included the team’s entire starting lineup and several key reserves. Boston was already locked in as the No. 2 seed in the East and only had eight players available, but four of them — Baylor Scheierman (30 points), Ron Harper Jr. (27), Luka Garza (27) and John Tonje (13) had career scoring nights. “They hit a ton of shots, we turned it over, gave them a couple extra opportunities and that was a big portion of the ballgame,” Mosley said. “But you’ve got to give Boston a hell of a ton of credit for the way they came out with those seven-eight guys and played their tails off.”
  • Forward Franz Wagner was on a minutes restriction in his sixth game back from a high ankle sprain, Beede adds. The German star had 20 points and four rebounds in 26 minutes, but didn’t score efficiently (7-of-18 from the field) and was wearing a wrap on his left leg while on the bench. “I’m trying to push through and get as much time out there as I can,” Wagner said. “I feel all right. … For sure, it’s frustrating but there’s only one way to get past that and that’s to push through it and do it in a smart way. But to go to that point consistently, and that’s all I can do.”
  • Desmond Bane appeared in all 82 regular season games in 2025/26 for the first time in his career, but Mosley’s plan to limit the 27-year-old’s minutes on Sunday backfired, per Beede. The sixth-year wing played the first six minutes of the game and the original plan was to sit out the remainder of the contest. However, after the Magic fell behind in the third quarter, Bane wound up playing nearly the entire fourth period, finishing with 18 minutes. “I kept my mind ready to go, my body ready to go, riding a bike, putting heat on my knees and stuff like that,” Bane said. “But I don’t think coach really wanted to (put me back in), just to protect me. Keeping me healthy was his main goal. But I appreciate him letting me go back in the game and giving me a chance to try to help us win.”
  • Both Wagner and Bane struck an optimistic tone following Sunday’s loss, according to Beede. “I’m excited,” Bane said. “We’ve got an opportunity to go and play postseason basketball. Not everybody gets to say that. That’s not something that everybody gets to experience so I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
3 comments Boston Celtics Orlando Magic

Raptors Notes: Barrett, Rajakovic, Ingram, Quickley, Temple

By | at April 13, 2026 6:35 pm

Raptors forward RJ Barrett was thrilled to clinch his first playoff appearance with his hometown team, as Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. Toronto secured a playoff berth after blowing out Brooklyn on Sunday.

“I don’t even know what to say,” said Barrett, grinning broadly. “Just from when I got here, I would always be one of the ones saying, when you do things the right way, the results are going to come. We’ve been doing things the right way. We’ve been working, building. This is the result of that. Obviously, it’s still a process. But this is a good step for us. I don’t think many people thought we were gonna be here. I’m just very proud of this group, how hard we work, how together we are.”

The main reason the Raptors are back in the playoffs for the first time in four years is because they followed the lead of head coach Darko Rajakovic, according to Koreen. Rajakovic said during training camp the team would improve its half-court offense, force turnovers on defense, and score points in transition, all of which came to fruition as Toronto went 46-36, a 16-game improvement on 2024/25’s 30-52 mark.

Rajakovic is the first European-born head coach to lead an NBA team to the playoffs, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Rajakovic initially downplayed the achievement before praising those who came before him.

“Well there’s not many of us, it’s no huge accomplishment,” he said. “ … So many players, so many coaches from ex-Yugoslavia, especially Serbia, made this path possible. … Without their successes, I would never be (here).”

Here’s more from Toronto:

  • All-Star forward Brandon Ingram played in 77 regular season games in 2025/26, by far his most appearances since he was a rookie, Koreen notes. The 28-year-old said he believed in the Raptors’ potential after the team acquired him ahead of the February 2025 deadline. “I saw the team before I integrated into it. I saw how hard everyone worked, the care factor from every player, one through 15,” said Ingram, who missed most of last season with an ankle injury. “Even the coaching staff, how they adjust game to game, the focus on the defensive end and letting it transition to the offensive end (was huge). And I thought if I could step into the fold and be effective, that we would be … right where we are today.”
  • While the Raptors were understandably happy to make the playoffs, the news wasn’t all positive on Sunday. Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley, who was already hampered by plantar fasciitis in his right foot, suffered a “mild” hamstring strain during the victory over Brooklyn and is considered day-to-day, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Quickley will be available for Game 1 of Toronto’s first-round series against Cleveland, which tips off on Saturday. Even if Quickley is active, it certainly sounds like he’ll be less than 100%.
  • Veteran wing Garrett Temple has been one of Toronto’s locker room leaders the past few years, but he recognizes his career is nearing its end, according to Grange. “I’m 17 years in, I’m definitely thinking about (retirement),” Temple told Grange. “Now, if I’m thinking about it, doing it this year or next year or the year after, who knows. But it’s definitely on my radar. I’m closer to retirement than the beginning of my career, that’s for sure. So, you know, we’ll see what happens. But I’m cherishing this time for sure. It went by fast, and the rest, whether it’s a year, two years or whatever, it will go by faster.”
5 comments Toronto Raptors

Knicks Notes: Hawks Matchup, Prospects, McBride

By | at April 13, 2026 5:07 pm

The third-seeded Knicks were unfazed when they learned they’d be playing the Hawks in the first round instead of Toronto, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. The Raptors needed to win Sunday’s regular season finale against the tanking Nets — which they did  — to earn the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta could have secured the fifth seed if it had won at Miami, but the team sat most of its rotation members and lost. The Hawks’ defeat, combined with Orlando losing to Boston, moved Toronto up to No. 5, with Atlanta sliding down one spot to No. 6.

“Right now, I think we’re excited to be in this situation,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said ahead of Sunday’s game. “Whoever we play is gonna be really good. It’s hard to even try to figure that out. It’s possible that certain teams wanna play us. The primary thing is for us to be healthy going into the postseason. That’s been the one thing that has been consistent the last few weeks and months — you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to predict all these games, they’re all going on. Wherever it falls is where it falls, and we’ll prepare for the playoffs, regardless of who that is.”

Guards Jordan Clarkson and Miles McBride said the Knicks are focused on playing their own game, Schwartz notes.

“We didn’t pay any attention to that,” Clarkson said. “It’s just what they wanted to do.”

We have more on the Knicks:

  • James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic preview the first-round matchup with Atlanta, with both writers predicting the Knicks to win in six games. Edwards and Hollinger think New York’s size and rebounding will be too much for Atlanta to overcome, though they wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a competitive series. Edwards views Mikal Bridges as the X-factor for New York, while Hollinger lists Jonathan Kuminga as a key swing factor for the Hawks.
  • The Knicks hosted a pre-draft workout on Monday that included Kowacie Reeves Jr. (Georgia Tech), Toby Harris (Iona), William Kyle (Syracuse), Jayden Epps (Mississippi State), and Wyatt Fricks (Marshall), reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv (via Twitter). None of those five prospects are on ESPN’s top 100 list. New York controls one first-round pick and two second-rounders in the 2026 draft, Begley notes.
  • McBride struggled in his first five games back since returning from sports hernia surgery, but he played well in Sunday’s finale with the Knicks resting all their starters, per Fiifi Frimpong of The New York Daily News. The 25-year-old had 21 points (on 8-of-15 shooting), three rebounds, one assist and one steal through three quarters (24 minutes) prior to sitting out the fourth. McBride said pain management will be key for him for the rest of the season. “Dealing through residual pain of the surgery is not fun, but it’s part of the journey, just trying to do anything I can do to help the team win,” McBride said.
9 comments 2026 NBA Draft Atlanta Hawks New York Knicks

Pelicans Opening Coaching Search, Borrego Among Candidates

By | at April 13, 2026 4:03 pm

The Pelicans are searching for a new permanent head coach and the process will include James Borrego, who spent most of 2025/26 as the team’s interim head coach, report Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

The news doesn’t come as a major surprise, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported that the Pelicans had several other candidates in mind aside from Borrego, including Darvin Ham and former Nets coach Kevin Ollie. Scotto added that current Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has “several admirers” in New Orleans and could be a top candidate for the job if he’s let go by Orlando.

Fischer also reported last week that the Pelicans were mulling opening up a coaching search, citing Mosley, Borrego and Ham as possible candidates.

The Pelicans had a disappointing first season under the new front office regime, which is led by head of basketball operations Joe Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver. New Orleans fired former head coach Willie Green after the team got off to a 2-10 start, then went 24-46 under Borrego to finish out the season.

New Orleans’ 26-56 record was the third-worst win-loss percentage (.317) in franchise history, slightly ahead of 2024/25’s mark of 21-61. Former top executive David Griffin was fired after that campaign.

After dealing with a series of prolonged injury absences in ’24/25, the Pelicans had better luck on that front this season, with Zion Williamson (62 games), Trey Murphy III (66) and Herbert Jones (56) all playing far more often than they did a year ago (30, 53, and 20 appearances, respectively). The team also received solid contributions from lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, who only missed one combined game, and trade acquisition Saddiq Bey.

However, Jordan Poole — who was acquired from Washington along with Bey — struggled mightily in his first season with the Pelicans, ’24/25 All-Rookie selection Yves Missi saw his minutes reduced in year two (he was drafted by Griffin), and Dejounte Murray was limited to just 14 appearances after tearing his Achilles tendon in January 2025.

Borrego, 48, was previously the Hornets’ head coach for four seasons (from 2018-22). He was New Orleans’ associate head coach for a little over a year prior to taking over for Green. Borrego has compiled a 172-222 (.429) win-loss record as an NBA head coach and is also believed to be on the Bucks’ radar.

9 comments New Orleans Pelicans Newsstand Orlando Magic

LeBron James, Brandon Ingram Named Players Of Week

By | at April 13, 2026 2:56 pm

Lakers forward LeBron James and Raptors forward Brandon Ingram have been named Players of the Week for the week of April 6-12, according to the league (Twitter links).

The Western Conference winner, James averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds per contest as the Lakers won three straight contests to close the season and clinch home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs despite playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. LeBron had back-to-back double-doubles on Thursday and Friday, putting up 26 points and 11 assists in Golden State and then 28 points and 12 assists vs. Phoenix.

Ingram averaged 25.5 points per game on 57.8 percent shooting from the field across four games as the Raptors went 3-1 to wrap up their season and clinched the No. 5 seed in the East. The veteran forward poured in a season-high 38 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists in Thursday’s victory over Miami.

It’s the first Player of the Week award of the season for either James or Ingram, though it’s the 70th time LeBron has won it over the course of his 23-year NBA career. Ingram has now earned the honor five times.

Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson (Rockets), and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Timberwolves) were the other nominees from the Western Conference, while Paolo Banchero (Magic), Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) and Jalen Duren (Pistons) were also nominated in the East.

10 comments Detroit Pistons Houston Rockets Los Angeles Lakers Minnesota Timberwolves Newsstand Orlando Magic Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors
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