Southwest Notes: Barnes, Flagg, Poulakidas, Finney-Smith
Spurs forward Harrison Barnes saw his ironman streak end on Tuesday. He missed his first game since 2021 because he woke up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle, according to the Associated Press.
Barnes had a streak of 364 consecutive games played before sitting out against the Sixers. He missed his first game since Dec. 4, 2021, when he was a member of the Kings.
Knicks wing Mikal Bridges has the longest active consecutive games streak at 616. Barnes also trailed only Bridges for most total games played since 2021 with 382.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Cooper Flagg should make his first appearance since the All-Star break during the team’s current trip, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com tweets. Flagg has been out since Feb. 10 due to a midfoot sprain. “He’s ramping up. Everything is going well,” Kidd said. “Today was to kind of get back in his routine and hopefully as we go on this road trip he can get in and play a game or two.” Dallas opened the six-game road swing with a loss to Charlotte on Tuesday.
- Both of the two-way contracts that the Mavericks gave to John Poulakidas and Tyler Smith this week are two-year deals, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. Poulakidas, an undrafted rookie guard out of Yale, made his NBA debut on Tuesday. He went scoreless in 14 minutes but had five rebounds and two assists.
- Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith is still dealing with left ankle pain after undergoing offseason surgery, Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle reports. “Of course, me being me, I expect more but I’m just happy to be back out there on the court,” he said. “Got great teammates who [have had] my back even though I haven’t been shooting the ball as well as I want to. But you got to take your wins and my win is that I’ve been back on the court.” It’s been a struggle since he returned to action. He’s averaging a career-low 3.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 16.7 minutes while coming off the bench in 26 games.
Grizzlies’ Zach Edey Undergoes Left Ankle Surgery
March 3: Edey underwent surgery today to address ongoing discomfort and bone stress in his left ankle, the team tweets. He’ll miss the remainder of the season but is expected to make full recovery prior to next season.
March 1: Second-year center Zach Edey will undergo left ankle surgery, the Grizzlies announced in a press release (Twitter link). According to the team, the procedure will “resolve ongoing discomfort and talar bone stress” in Edey’s left ankle.
The 23-year-old big man underwent left ankle surgery last June to address laxity in and re-stabilize the lateral ankle joint. Memphis consulted with several medical experts who unanimously agreed that Edey’s lateral ligaments are stable, but he continues to experience pain because of “progressive laxity of the deltoid (medial) ligaments.”
Edey’s latest left ankle surgery is being performed to “reinforce the medial ligament complex and accelerate bone healing,” per the Grizzlies.
2025/26 has been a season to forget for Edey, who played very well when active but has been limited to just 11 games played. Across those 11 outings, Edey averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game.
More notable than those stats were his on/off-court numbers — the Grizzlies outscored opponents by 18.3 points per 100 possessions and posted a defensive rating of 94.5 during Edey’s 284 minutes on the court.
The 23-year-old was a two-time AP Player of the Year at Purdue prior to being selected ninth overall in the 2024 draft. Edey’s season debut was delayed until Nov. 15 as he recovered from his initial surgery, then was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left ankle less than a month later.
While the Grizzlies said a return timeline will be provided post-surgery, it seems safe to assume Edey won’t play again this season. The 7’3″ Canadian is expected to make a full recovery, the team added.
Memphis also provided an injury update on Brandon Clarke, who has been out since Dec. 20 due to a Grade 2 right calf strain. The veteran forward/center, who has been plagued by a injuries the past few years, will be out at least two more weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated.
The 29-year-old underwent an arthroscopic procedure in September to address synovitis in his right knee after having his 2024/25 season cut short due to a PCL sprain in that same knee. Clarke sustained the calf strain in his second game of the ’25/26 season.
He also suffered an Achilles tear in March 2023, which ended his ’22/23 campaign prematurely and limited him to just six outings in ’23/24.
Northwest Notes: Sandfort, Harkless, Nuggets Rotation, Wallace, Avdija
Payton Sandfort, signed on Monday by the Thunder on a two-way contract, will “fit in well,” coach Mark Daigneault told Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (Twitter link) and other media members.
“He’s a great professional and he’s a really good guy,” Daigneault said. “He hasn’t played a lot this year. He’s been injured, but he’s a guy our scouts really liked coming out of college. He can really shoot the ball with some size, and he’s a great kid. Just a really, really good dude.”
Sandfort, who has been playing for the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue, signed a two-year contract, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Another two-way player, the Jazz’s Elijah Harkless, played rugged defense on Denver star Nikola Jokic on Monday. Jokic only scored two points with Harkless guarding him. Afterward, coach Will Hardy paid Harkless a strong compliment. “I think Elijah is our best defender,” Hardy said, per Kevin Reynolds of the Salt Lake City Tribune. “It’s about trying to build a sense of fatigue as the game goes on, because every catch is hard to get. That’s Elijah’s identity. That’s who he is. That’s who we need him to be. And I think when Elijah plays like that, it raises the level of the group.”
- Prior to defeating the Jazz, the Nuggets were defeated by Oklahoma City and Minnesota. The time that Jokic was off the floor was key, as the Nuggets were outscored in both games when the big man rested. Coach David Adelman hinted at rotation changes, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reports. “It’s just something that we have to learn from,” Adelman said. “I have to find a unit that will actually do it, compete at a higher level. Because to me, that was the game. Then I had to extend minutes, and I’m playing guys into the ground. I can’t do that. Especially with the way the schedule has been very dense.”
- Taking advantage of extended playing time due to injuries, Thunder guard Cason Wallace averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 30.9 minutes per game last month. Wallace is extension eligible this summer and his recent play enhanced his resume. “You never know when a guy’s gonna pop,” Daigneault told Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, “but he’s had a week and a half now of offense that’s been really, really good and intriguing.”
- Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who hasn’t played since departing in the opening minute on Feb. 22 due to a lower back injury, has been upgraded to questionable for the team’s game against Memphis on Wednesday, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report tweets.
Pacific Notes: Garland, Leonard, Kleber, Thiero, Bouyea
Darius Garland made his long-awaited Clippers debut on Monday. The former Cleveland guard, the centerpiece of the deal for Los Angeles in the trade that sent James Harden to the Cavs, had 12 points, two rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes in a win over Golden State. Garland hadn’t played since Jan. 14 due to a toe injury.
“Just getting adjusted,” Garland said, per The Athletic’s Law Murray. “Getting adjusted to L.A., getting to know the guys. Getting to know the staff, everybody around the organization, and just trying to get back to me. Getting healthy — training staff been with me a lot and doing a lot of work. So I really appreciate them, just getting me back to this point. Yeah, man, it’s good getting out there with the guys for sure. Especially getting a win, my first win with the Clips. It’s a blessing.”
Kawhi Leonard is looking forward to developing chemistry with Garland.
“Number one, just competitive nature,” Leonard said. “But every situation is different. So from Darius, we’re looking at him to get us involved, get him some shots. Pushing the pace in transition for us. And just getting everybody involved and calling sets so we’re not stagnant at times. So I think he’s able to do that. He’s an All-Star player. Just looking forward to playing more basketball with him. More minutes, as he ramps up to playing 30-plus minutes per game.”
He’ll make his home debut against the Pacers on Wednesday. Coach Tyronn Lue said Garland will come off the bench until he’s able to play more minutes, Murray tweets.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Maxi Kleber, an unrestricted free agent after the season, has made steady contributions in recent games for the Lakers. He had four points and three blocks in 13 minutes against Golden State on Saturday and six points and six rebounds against Sacramento. “He does everything right, man,” guard Marcus Smart told the California Post’s Khobi Price. “And he’s such a good person. He wants to see everybody win, even though he’s not winning in certain circumstances of not getting playing time as much as he would like, probably. Not getting the ball as much as he would like. But he doesn’t let that deter him from cheering on his teammates and being there for his teammates. And then when he does get in and his opportunity comes, taking full advantage of it.”
- After missing over a month of action with a knee sprain, Lakers second-round rookie Adou Thiero has shown promise at the G League level. Playing for the South Bay Lakers, Thiero posted a combined 33 points and 14 rebounds in back-to-back games late last month. Elevated to the Lakers over the weekend, Thiero had three points, a rebound and assist in four minutes against Sacramento. “I’m just going out there, keep getting comfortable with the game, the pace, just trying to work on things that I need to develop and be better at,” Thiero told Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register. “Just trying to get 1% better every day, just keeping that mindset and just knowing that, … there’s a bigger picture. So just making sure I’m ready for that day, when that day comes.”
- Jamaree Bouyea had his contract converted from a two-way deal to a standard one by the Suns. However, the undrafted player can’t get too comfortable, according to his coach. “Earned it, got it,”Jordan Ott said, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “Now we’ll see where it goes. Work left to do, but what he has brought to our group has definitely been beneficial.”
Pistons Notes: Stewart, Rotation, Harris, Holland
Isaiah Stewart made his return to the Pistons rotation on Tuesday after his seven-game league suspension expired. Stewart was penalized for his participated in a pre-All-Star break brawl with the Hornets.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was thrilled to have his top frontcourt reserve back in uniform, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
“There’s so much he brings to the table on both ends of the floor,” Bickerstaff said. “Intangibles, his spirit, his energy, his effort. … It’ll be great to have him back from a basketball standpoint, but from a personal standpoint and emotional standpoint.”
The opposing coach also spoke of Stewart’s importance to his Central Division rival, the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II tweets.
“He fits perfectly their style of play,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit because he’s such a physical player, but he’s a skilled player … gives them another great rim protector.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Bickerstaff likes to go deep into his bench and that’s not likely to change the rest of the regular season, Patterson tweets. “I don’t think so,” Bickerstaff said of shrinking the rotation. “We’re so comfortable with the depth and the guys we have. … Typically in the past, nine is a great number. But we’re struggling to get away from 12.”
- Cade Cunningham is inspired by the longevity and consistency of starting forward Tobias Harris, he told Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “It’s impressive. It is something all of us young guys aspire to be,” Cunningham said. “In Year 15, I want to be able to come out, feel good, and be able to get into my bag as he does. For him to be doing that with us and bringing as much fire to our huddles and on the court, it means a lot.” Harris, who will be a free agent after the season, is averaging 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game. He made a key shot in overtime against Cleveland on Friday, following up by a 23-point, 7-rebound effort against Orlando on Sunday. “For me, it has been about keeping myself mentally and physically in the best condition,” Harris said.
- Second-year wing Ron Holland is shooting a woeful 22.7 percent on 3-point attempts but the coaching staff won’t deter him from taking open looks, according to Sankofa. “His open shot is the best shot,” Bickerstaff said. “We want him to believe that, if he’s doing the other things. His strength is putting pressure on the rim, and if he’s not doing that and just settling for jumpers, then he’s not maximizing his opportunities. But if he’s driving, he’s attacking, he’s defending, he’s running, the ball finds him in the corner, it’s an open shot, that shot is the best shot for us.”
- ICYMI, Cunningham was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Get the details here.
Cavaliers To Add Olivier Sarr On Two-Way Contract
The Cavaliers and big man Olivier Sarr have agreed to a two-way deal, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets. To make room for Sarr, they have waived guard Darius Brown II (Twitter link).
Sarr played for the Thunder for parts of three seasons from 2021-24, averaging 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game across 46 outings, before spending last season in the G League. He was on the Raptors’ training camp roster last fall but was waived before opening night.
Sarr then joined the Raptors’ G League club, Raptors 905. Through 39 games, Sarr has averaged 11.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 23.7 minutes per contest.
Brown signed his two-way contract last week and it turned out to be a temporary stay. He’s played 36 games for the Cleveland Charge this season and will likely head back to that G League club.
Eastern Notes: Young, Ellis, Jackson, Nets, G League Awards
His Wizards debut won’t happen until Thursday, but Trae Young has already earned his first ejection as a member of his new team. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, Young was lobbying for referees in Monday’s game to make a call on Tari Eason after the Rockets forward shoved Wizards wing Jamir Watkins multiple times. Young was initially called for a technical foul before officials conferred and ejected him for walking onto the court.
Head coach Brian Keefe explained to reporters after the game why he didn’t mind the ejection.
“I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great,” Keefe said. “Obviously, the refs missed a call, (in) which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him, because he stuck up for us teammates, and I really care about that type of stuff.”
Young didn’t speak to reporters about the incident, but tweeted a laughing emoji accompanied by the message, “Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times, D.C. But I’m definitely bringing that energy and competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Young isn’t expected to face any additional discipline from the league office for coming onto the court from the bench.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- While he was somewhat overshadowed at the deadline because the Cavaliers also acquired James Harden and Dennis Schröder, guard Keon Ellis has impressed his new teammates and head coach with his tenacity on defense, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). A potential 2026 unrestricted free agent who is currently eligible for a contract extension, Ellis had an incredible five blocks and three steals in Sunday’s win in Brooklyn. “He never gives up on a play,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I’ve never quite seen a player like him defensively. He’s not a massive guy but he plays way bigger than he looks. Length counts. Activity counts. He makes up for probably the strength deficit with his activity.”
- Quenton Jackson‘s new three-year deal with the Pacers will pay him $601,553 – his minimum – for the rest of the season and includes a partial guarantee of $275K on his minimum salary ($2,584,539) for 2026/27, Hoops Rumors has learned. Indiana used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing, which includes a fully non-guaranteed third year.
- The Nets have lost eight straight games to drop to 15-45 on the season, but they’re seeing positive development from rookies like Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf. Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) takes a look at the strides Traore is making, while Peter Botte of The New York Post examines Wolf’s growth.
- Although MarJon Beauchamp has only appeared in two NBA games since signing a two-way contract with the Sixers in December, he’s putting up some big numbers for the Delaware Blue Coats. Beauchamp was named the G League’s latest Player of the Week for averaging 32.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a pair of Blue Coats victories (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Bulls two-way guard Mac McClung was named the league’s Player of the Month for February after averaging 33.0 PPG and scoring no fewer than 24 points in any of his seven games last month for the Windy City Bulls (Twitter link).
Trail Blazers, Jayson Kent Finalize Two-Way Deal
3:35 pm: Kent’s two-way deal with the Blazers is official, the team confirmed in a press release.
2:30 pm: The Trail Blazers intend to sign forward Jayson Kent to a two-way contract, agent Rob Anshila tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
It will be the first NBA contract of any kind for Kent, who went undrafted out of Texas last June as a fifth-year senior and then caught on with the Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate, via local tryout last fall.
After transferring from Indiana State to Texas for his final college season, Kent didn’t play a significant role for the Longhorns in 2024/25, averaging 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per contest, primarily off the bench. However, the 6’8″ forward has emerged as a reliable three-and-D contributor in the G League this season, putting up 11.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .483/.393/.921 shooting in 38 outings (26.4 MPG) for the Remix.
The Blazers are in the process of making a series of changes to their two-way contract slots. After promoting Sidy Cissoko to the standard roster last month, Portland also waived Javonte Cooke, opening up a pair of two-way spots alongside Caleb Love. The team signed Chris Youngblood to fill one of those openings, and Kent will now fill the other.
Love is nearing his 50-game limit as a two-way player, but it remains to be seen if he’ll join Cissoko in being promoted to the 15-man roster, which is currently full.
As for Kent, assuming his deal gets finalized on Tuesday, he’ll be eligible to be active for up to 12 games for Portland between now and the end of the regular season.
Spurs’ Johnson, Cavs’ Atkinson Recognized As Coaches Of The Month
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was named the Coach of the Month for the Western Conference after leading his team to an 11-0 record in February, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
It’s the second Coach of the Month honor this season for Johnson, who also won it after guiding San Antonio to an 8-3 mark in December. He’s the first NBA head coach to claim the award twice in 2025/26.
It also represents a clean sweep of the NBA’s monthly awards for the Spurs — in addition to Johnson’s Coach of the Month award, Victor Wembanyama was recognized as the West’s Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month for February, while Dylan Harper was named Rookie of the Month.
Mark Daigneault of the Thunder, Chris Finch of the Timberwolves, and Ime Udoka of the Rockets were also nominated for Coach of the Month in the West, per the league (Twitter link)
In the Eastern Conference, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was named Coach of the Month for February, beating out fellow nominees J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mike Brown (Knicks), Charles Lee (Hornets), and Joe Mazzulla (Celtics).
After a shaky first half of the season, Cleveland has righted the ship in recent weeks and reclaimed a top-four spot in the Eastern standings. Atkinson’s team had an 8-3 record in February despite only playing three of those 11 games at home.
The East has yet to have a repeat Coach of the Month winner this season, with Bickerstaff (October/November), Mazzulla (December), and Lee (January) having previously been honored.
Cunningham, Wembanyama Earn Player Of The Month Honors
Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham has become the first player to be named Player of the Month twice this season, earning the Eastern Conference award for February after also having done so in October/November, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
Cunningham’s Pistons maintained their comfortable lead atop the Eastern Conference standings by going 9-2 in March. The former No. 1 overall pick led the way, averaging 25.4 points, 9.9 assists, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 33.5 minutes per contest, with a .472/.373/.769 shooting line.
Cunningham’s biggest game of the month came after the All-Star break when he racked up 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds in a victory over the Knicks in New York. That was one of six double-doubles he recorded in February.
Cunningham beat out fellow nominees Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), Desmond Bane (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), Brandon Miller (Hornets), and Ryan Rollins (Bucks) to claim the monthly award in the Eastern Conference, according to the league (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama – another former first overall pick – was recognized for the second time this afternoon, earning Player of the Month recognition in the Western Conference after also having won the Defensive Player of the Month award.
In addition to anchoring the West’s best defense in February, Wembanyama put up big offensive numbers, contributing 22.5 points and 3.5 assists to go along with his 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. It was enough to earn the 22-year-old the first Player of the Month award of his career.
San Antonio has dominated the Western Conference’s monthly awards after enjoying an 11-0 February — while Wembanyama took home Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month, his teammate Dylan Harper was named Rookie of the Month.
The other nominees for Player of the Month in the West were Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, Lakers guard Luka Doncic, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.