Injury Notes: Furphy, Zubac, Giannis, CMB, Luka, Thiero
Second-year Pacers wing Johnny Furphy may have suffered a significant right leg injury in Sunday’s loss at Toronto, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Furphy landed awkwardly after converting a dunk and immediately went down in a great deal of pain while grabbing at his leg (YouTube link).
The 21-year-old was initially helped off the floor with assistance and then was taken to the tunnel in a wheelchair. Furphy was formally ruled out for the remainder of the game with what the team called right leg soreness (Twitter link).
“We’re not sure on Furphy’s situation. He’ll get testing tomorrow in New York and we’ll see where things are,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game (Twitter link via Tony East of Circle City Spin).
The 35th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Furphy has become a rotation mainstay in his second season, averaging 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds on .466/.324/.486 shooting through 34 games, including 20 starts (18.5 minutes per contest).
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Carlisle suggested on Friday that trade acquisition Ivica Zubac may not make his Pacers debut until after the All-Star break, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The former Clippers center is still dealing with the lingering effects of a Grade 2 ankle sprain he sustained in December and Carlisle said the team wants the injury fully heal. “It’s kind of yo-yo’d a little bit,” Carlisle said. “My understanding from talking to him is that there’s still something there that’s not quite right. We’re not going to put him out there until he’s really ready. … He’s a guy that has played 94 or 95 percent of his games through his career and I’m presuming that’s because he’s always raring to go through things. That’s not going to be an option here.”
- The Bucks have no plans to shut down Giannis Antetokounmpo for the rest of the season and the two-time MVP is close to returning from a right calf strain, head coach Doc Rivers said on Friday (story via Collier of ESPN). “He’s going to play when he’s healthy,” Rivers said. “We just got to make sure he’s healthy. He’s getting close. He’s working out. He looks good. So I would say hopefully sooner than later.”
- Raptors forward/center Collin Murray-Boyles exited Sunday’s game early after aggravating a left thumb injury, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links). The rookie big man’s injured digit was hit during the game and he is considered day-to-day, Murphy adds.
- Lakers star Luka Doncic will miss his second straight game on Monday due to a left hamstring strain, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic. There’s reportedly optimism that the soft-tissue injury isn’t serious. Adou Thiero, who has been out since the end of December because of sprained MCL, was assigned to the G League for a practice on Sunday, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the rookie forward went through a full contact stay-ready game last week.
Lakers Sign Kobe Bufkin To Two-Year Contract
February 8: Bufkin has officially re-signed with the Lakers, the team confirmed today (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times).
February 7: Free agent guard Kobe Bufkin will sign a two-year contract with the Lakers, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal includes a team option for next seas0n.
Bufkin, 22, has been a standout with the organization’s G League affiliate in South Bay and spent time with the Lakers on a 10-day contract in January. He appeared in four games during that stint, averaging 3.0 PPG in 11 minutes per night.
He also signed a 10-day hardship contract with Memphis in late November, but didn’t see any game action.
Bufkin was selected by Atlanta with the 15th pick in the 2023 draft, but only appeared in 27 games over two years before being traded to Brooklyn in September. The Nets waived him before the start of the season, and he headed to the G League, where he’s averaging 27.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 14 regular season games.
Bufkin will be the Lakers’ 15th standard contract once his signing is official. That means they would have to waive a player and eat some guaranteed money if they want to add anyone in the buyout market, notes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link).
Wizards GM Expects Anthony Davis To Return This Season
NBA insider Chris Haynes recently reported that Anthony Davis, who was traded from Dallas to Washington last week, was expected miss the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign to recover from hand and groin injuries. Citing a league source, The Athletic confirmed that the Wizards big man was unlikely to play again this season.
However, general manager Will Dawkins said on Sunday that he anticipates Davis making his Wizards debut this season, though a return timeline won’t be established until the All-Star break (Twitter video link via Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network).
“The plan for AD right now is to go back to Dallas and finish his rehab,” Dawkins said. “He has a really good team down there. Our doctors met with them, and our medical staff’s going to go down with him. So we want to keep that good thing going that he has.
“During All-Star break, he takes another visit for a doctor. And that’s a big appointment for us to kind of see where his progress is at. And after that, after (the) All-Star break, he’ll return to D.C. and be here with the team.”
According to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Dawkins said the Wizards think Trae Young (another trade acquisition) and Davis will help the team be more competitive next season.
“AD is a special player, a special talent,” Dawkins said. “He, obviously, opens up so much on offense because he demands double teams. He can score in different areas. Defensively, he’s been an anchor, rebounder, rim protector when you have him at the four (and) Alex (Sarr) at the five, protecting the paint. (With) Bilal (Coulibaly), Kyshawn (George), Jamir (Watkins), some of our elite wing defenders out there, we want to be long, we want to be athletic, we want to be able to protect the paint better than we have.”
Dawkins also provided an injury update on Young, per Ian Nicholas Quillen of The Associated Press. The four-time All-Star, who has yet to play for the Wizards after dealing with a right knee sprain and quad contusion with the Hawks, will be reevaluated during the break.
“He’s still working on the court,” Dawkins said. “He started doing 1-on-0, he started doing a little bit of more 2-on-2 type actions. … He’s trending in a positive direction.”
D’Angelo Russell Won’t Report To Wizards, May Be Bought Out
Veteran guard D’Angelo Russell is technically a member of the Wizards after being included in the Anthony Davis trade last week. However, it sounds as though his tenure with the team might end before it even begins.
General manager Will Dawkins said the front office has been in contact with Russell and his agents, but Russell won’t report to the team “as we try to figure out what’s best for him and us and our future,” per Henry J. Brown of SI (Twitter video link).
While he didn’t state it outright, Dawkins’ comments suggest the Wizards may either waive or reach a buyout agreement with Russell, who makes $5.7MM this season and holds a player option worth nearly $6MM for 2026/27.
On Sunday morning, Washington waived Dante Exum, another player included the trade. The injured guard will miss the rest of the season following December knee surgery. Exum was on a minimum-salary contract.
Russell was Dallas’ primary free agent addition last summer. The 29-year-old struggled to make an impact in 26 games (19.0 minutes per contest) with the Mavericks though, averaging 10.2 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds on .405/.295/.717 shooting.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Russell has suited up for the Lakers (two different stints), Nets (ditto), Warriors, Timberwolves and Mavs over the course of his 11 NBA seasons. The one-time All-Star holds career averages of 17.0 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.3 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .427/.363/.793 shooting in 655 games (29.4 MPG).
Dawkins also discussed Jaden Hardy, the fourth former Mav who was sent to Washington. The fourth-year guard arrived in D.C. on Sunday and was inactive for today’s game. Hardy earns $6MM next season with a $6MM team option for ’27/28.
“Excited to have another young, scoring athlete in the mix with our young guys,” Dawkins said. “We’ll see him play a little bit towards the end of the season.”
NBA Announces Eight Participants For Three-Point Contest
The NBA has announced the eight-player field for the 2026 three-point contest, which will take place on February 14 at 4:00 pm CT (Twitter link).
Here’s the full list of participants:
Devin Booker, Suns- Kon Knueppel, Hornets
- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
- Tyrese Maxey, Sixers
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
- Jamal Murray, Nuggets
- Bobby Portis, Bucks
- Norman Powell, Heat
Lillard’s inclusion in the competition is a surprise, as the nine-time All-Star will miss the entire season after tearing his Achilles tendon last April. The 35-year-old guard is a two-time winner of the three-point contest.
Booker is another former three-point contest champion, though he’s only shooting 30.7% from long distance this season, which represents a career low.
No. 4 overall pick Knueppel has a chance to become the first rookie to win the event, per the league. The former Duke standout has connected on 42.8% of his outside looks on high volume (7.8 attempts per game).
Portis is the only big man among the eight competitors. He has also been the most accurate three-point shooter in the field this season, converting 45.1% of his 4.3 attempts per game.
First-time All-Stars Murray (43.2% on 7.5 attempts per game) and Powell (39.3% on 7.2 attempts) are having strong seasons for their respective clubs. Mitchell (37.9% on 9.7 attempts) and Maxey (38.2% on 8.8 attempts) are the highest-volume three-point shooters in the field and are also the top two scorers.
Last year’s winner, Tyler Herro, is currently sidelined because of a rib injury. He declined an invitation to focus on his health over the All-Star break.
Jayson Tatum Begins 5-On-5 Work, Still No Return Timeline
In an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania provided an injury update on Celtics star Jayson Tatum ahead of Sunday’s game vs. New York. Tatum is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in May during the 2025 playoffs.
“Jayson Tatum has started controlled 5-on-5 scrimmaging with coaches,” Charania said. “He has aggressively attacked his rehab at every turn. There’s more boxes for Jayson Tatum to check. There’s more phases in his rehab, he’s got to practice with the team.”
As Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets, the next step for Tatum will likely be scrimmaging against Boston’s end-of-bench reserves, since full in-season practices are rare.
Tatum said at the end of January that he was undecided on whether or not he’ll attempt to return to action this season. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens recently said the five-time All-NBA forward will only play once he’s been cleared by the involved parties.
“The best time for Jayson Tatum to come back is when he’s 110 percent healthy, he’s fully cleared by everybody that matters in that decision, and he’s got great peace of mind and he’s ready to do it. That’s it,” Stevens said. “That’s the objective, and that’s what we’re going to stick with.”
Charania reiterated what Stevens said on Sunday.
“Jayson Tatum has made clear to the people around him … that he wants to come back as close to Jayson Tatum … as possible. Not a shell of himself, not a lesser percentage of himself,” Charania said.
Lakers Notes: Front Office, Pelinka, Kennard, Ayton, Hayes
Speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday’s win over Golden State, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said the team expects to make several additions to its front office in the offseason. As Dan Woike of The Athletic writes, the Lakers — who have one of the leanest front office staffs in the NBA — plan to emulate the MLB’s Dodgers, the other L.A.-based team owned by Mark Walter.
“The baseball system and the NBA system are totally different in terms of how you can build a roster and what you can do to spend. That said, I think just their draft process and sort of how they’ve established their farm system is amazing,” Pelinka said. “And I think there’s best practices in that as we evolve and get better going forward in those areas.
“And then, just the way they’ve sort of built out their front office, how deep it is. There is no expense they’ll spare in being the best sort of front office in the world. And you could just see that in the way they operate.”
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Pelinka said he has been in communication with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
“[It’s] been great to have sort of outside allies and advocates looking at the Dodgers and the success they’ve had and what they’ve built over there, and being able to tap into a person like Andrew Friedman for best practices,” Pelinka said. “He’s so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers. So just to have another head of another team that you can, whether it’s a roster move, whether it’s a staff move, just someone that you can talk to has been an incredible resource.”
Pelinka also made it clear what the hierarchy of basketball operations decision-making would be for the foreseeable future, McMenamin adds. Governor Jeanie Buss will continue in that role for the next five years despite being a minority stakeholder following the October sale.
“Led by myself and Jeanie,” Pelinka said, “and with Mark’s support.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers made one trade ahead of the deadline, sending Gabe Vincent and a second-round pick to Atlanta for sharpshooter Luke Kennard. “When you get to add the best shooter in the game to your group at the deadline, it’s a great opportunity. So, we seized it,” Pelinka said, per McMenamin.
- Although they only made a single deal, Pelinka said countless other possibilities were discussed, writes Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group. “We were very aggressive,” Pelinka said. “We worked incredibly hard. We evaluated numerous things. … I can’t go into specific players or conversations with other GMs that would impede the trust of our business going forward, but we were super aggressive, had multiple conversations. Had lots of them, got close on some things, but ended up making the move we made and we feel good about it.”
- Head coach JJ Redick said he was “excited” to have Kennard on the roster and emphasized he was going to encourage the impending free agent to take more shots, which has long been a criticism of Kennard’s game, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Kennard had a solid debut, finishing with 10 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), two rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes. “I don’t want to say it’s not playing the right way, but I like to try to make the right play at all times,” Kennard said. “I feel like I know the game of basketball very well, and I will shoot it. I will be aggressive. I know that’s what they want me to do. I’m just having conversations with those guys, and I’m excited to do that.”
- Starting center Deandre Ayton missed Saturday’s game due to knee soreness and is considered day-to-day moving forward, Redick said after the victory (Twitter link via McMenamin).
- Backup center Jaxson Hayes apologized to his teammates and to the Wizards‘ mascot, whom he pushed during pregame introductions on January 30, resulting in a one-game suspension, per McMenamin (Twitter video link). Hayes said he was upset that the mascot stepped on his foot when he was stretching before the game.
Alperen Sengun Named To Second Straight All-Star Game
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has named Rockets center Alperen Sengun as an injury replacement for the 2026 All-Star game, the league announced today (via Twitter).
Sengun will replace Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team World. The reigning MVP is dealing with an abdominal strain that will sideline him through the All-Star break.
It’s the second straight All-Star appearance for Sengun, who is in his fifth NBA season. The Turkish big man has made 44 appearances thus far in 2025/26, averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block in 34.0 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .496/.298/.693.
The All-Star game is technically a mini-tournament this year, not an individual game. Three teams will play each other once apiece in 12-minute games, with the top two teams from round-robin play advancing to the championship.
The full list of all the 2026 All-Stars and the teams they’re on can be found here. J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mitch Johnson (Spurs) and Darko Rajakovic (Raptors) will coach the three teams.
Clippers Sign Dalano Banton To 10-Day Contract
February 8: Banton’s 10-day contract was finalized on Saturday, according to the official transactions log at NBA.com.
February 7: The Clippers plan to sign free agent guard Dalano Banton to a 10-day contract, according to reports from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links).
The Raptors selected Toronto native Banton with the 46th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He played two years for his hometown team and then spent the following two seasons with Boston and Portland.
In 216 games from 2021-25, Banton averaged 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .402/.304/.728 shooting (14.5 minutes per contest). At 6’8″, Banton has great size for a guard, but struggled with efficiency over the course of his first four years in the league.
Banton was unable to find a regular NBA contract as a free agent in 2025, instead inking an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with Dallas in October prior to being waived. He has been playing in the G League with Mavs’ affiliate team, the Dallas Legends.
The 26-year-old has put up big numbers with a high usage rate in the NBAGL this season, averaging 24.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 1.0 BPG on .441/.325/.821 shooting in 32 total games (32.7 MPG).
The Clippers had a pair of standard roster openings after making three trades prior to Thursday’s deadline. Banton will, at least temporarily, fill one of those spots. Assuming Banton’s 10-day deal is finalized prior to Sunday’s game at Minnesota, his contract will expire over the All-Star break.
As Keith Smith of Spotrac notes (via Twitter), the Clippers are nearing their “under-15” limit for two-way players — a team carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster can only use players on two-way contracts for up to 90 combined games. Signing Banton as a 14th man and then filling the 15th roster spot would allow L.A. to continue deploying both Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller beyond Saturday’s game (one of the two could be promoted into that 15th spot).
[Update: Kobe Sanders Receives Standard Contract From Clippers]
And-Ones: Hayes-Davis, Mills, Cap Room, Lacob, Seattle
After being traded from Phoenix to Milwaukee on Thursday and then being waived by the Bucks, veteran forward Nigel Hayes-Davis is on track to reach free agency later today, assuming he goes unclaimed.
A return overseas is a possibility for Hayes-Davis, who was the EuroLeague Final Four MVP for Fenerbahce in 2025. However, if he does head back to Europe, his goal is to become the league’s highest-paid player, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. That honor currently belongs to Vasilije Micic, who is making $5.6MM, followed by Kendrick Nunn at $5.3MM (EuroLeague salary figures are post-tax).
Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos and Hapoel Tel Aviv have been in touch with Hayes-Davis’ camp, per Barkas, but Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos announced on Instagram that the forward passed on the Greek team’s offer, as Eurohoops relays.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Veteran guard Patty Mills hasn’t played in the NBA at all this season, but he’s not ready to retire as a player quite yet. Sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com that Mills, who spent last season with the Jazz and Clippers, is exploring potential options in the EuroLeague.
- Following this week’s trade deadline activity, Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) and Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link) provide an early look at the cap space landscape for the summer of 2026. They both view the Lakers, Bulls, and Nets – in some order – as the teams likely to have the most room, though the numbers remain in flux due to draft picks, cap holds, and option decisions.
- Warriors owner Joe Lacob has interest in buying the San Diego Padres and is considering making a bid when initial offers are due later this month, per Dennis Lin and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. We have more details at MLB Trade Rumors about the Padres’ ownership situation and the bidders Lacob could be going up against.
- Washington governor Bob Ferguson had an introductory Zoom meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday to discuss the possibility of bringing back the SuperSonic to Seattle, according to Jack Bilyeu of KIRO 7 News. The governor’s office said it was a “good conversation” and that Ferguson offered to “be helpful” as the NBA explores the possibility of expansion, with Seattle believed to be high on its list.