Scoot Henderson On Track To Make Season Debut On Friday
Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson is expected to make his season debut on Friday when Portland hosts Memphis, head coach Tiago Splitter said today (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report).
Henderson has yet to play in 2025/26 due to the left hamstring tear he suffered during a workout prior to training camp. When the Blazers first announced the injury in September, they indicated the third-year guard would be sidelined from basketball activities for about four-to-eight weeks.
However, general manager Joe Cronin told reporters on media day the following week that Henderson’s timeline for resuming basketball activities could extend beyond that initial projection, since hamstring injuries can be “stubborn” and tricky to handle. Over four months later, the 6’3″ guard — who turned 22 on Tuesday — is finally set to return.
The third overall pick in the 2023 draft, Henderson had an up-and-down rookie season but began to show real improvement in his second year in the NBA. In his final 35 games of the 2024/25 season, he averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .434/.384/.766.
Henderson will join a backcourt rotation that features Shaedon Sharpe, Jrue Holiday, rookie Caleb Love, new acquisition Vit Krejci, and Blake Wesley, who recently returned from a lengthy injury absence of his own.
Henderson will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026/27, so he’ll have an opportunity over the final two months of this season to make his case for a rookie scale extension. He becomes extension-eligible in July and would reach restricted free agency in 2027 if he doesn’t sign a new deal during the 2026 offseason.
Celtics Trade Chris Boucher, Second-Round Pick To Jazz
3:38 pm: The trade is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
The Celtics acquired two-way player John Tonje from Utah in order to complete the deal, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. They also sent cash to the Jazz.
The Jazz intend to waive Boucher, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the big man should draw interest once he clears waivers.
12:08 pm: The Jazz are also acquiring Denver’s 2027 second-round pick from the Celtics in the deal, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). That’s the second-rounder Boston is receiving from Chicago in its Nikola Vucevic/Anfernee Simons swap.
11:29 am: The Jazz have agreed to acquire big man Chris Boucher in a trade with the Celtics, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
It’ll be a cost-cutting move for Boston, who are making a series of moves to get out of luxury tax territory.
The Jazz will be able to acquire Boucher using the minimum salary exception, since he’s on a one-year, minimum-salary deal. Utah will need to open up a roster spot in order to complete the move and will likely do that by waiving recently acquired guard Lonzo Ball, who isn’t expected to stick with the team.
It’s unclear whether Boucher remains with the Jazz either. If Utah is being incentivized to take on his expiring contract, the club could move on from him and eat the rest of his guaranteed salary to reopen its 15th roster spot.
Boucher, 33, spent seven seasons as a role player in Toronto before joining the Celtics as a free agent last summer. He was expected to help fill the hole in Boston’s frontcourt created by a series of offseason departures, but he struggled to crack the rotation, falling behind Neemias Queta and Luka Garza on the depth chart.
Boucher made just nine appearances for the Celtics, averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per night. Entering the season, his career averages were 8.9 PPG and 5.1 RPG with a .488/.339/.779 shooting line.
Bulls’ Yabusele Declines 2026/27 Player Option
Before he was officially traded to the Bulls, veteran big man Guerschon Yabusele worked with the Knicks to adjust his contract, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
Yabusele’s deal included a $5.78MM player option for the 2026/27 season that was reducing his trade value, since potential trade partners had no interest in taking on that salary with the Frenchman having a down year in ’25/26. However, he declined that player option as part of his move to Chicago, Johnson reports, and is now on track for unrestricted free agency this summer.
According to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link), there’s a very real chance that Yabusele, a former EuroLeague star, will head back overseas next season.
It’s worth noting that Yabusele was recently linked to Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel and several European teams are reportedly monitoring his situation. But he’s expected to remain with Chicago for the rest of the season.
As Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes (via Twitter), Yabusele declining his player option helped grease the wheels not only on the deal that sent him to Chicago but also helped the Knicks acquire Jose Alvarado from New Orleans. Begley hears Yabusele, who has received limited run this season, will be given an opportunity to play for the Bulls.
The Bulls will benefit from Yabusele’s decision financially, as they’ll have extra cap room in 2026. The player they traded away — former first-round pick Dalen Terry — would have been eligible for restricted free agency.
Mike Conley Waived By Hornets
The Hornets have waived Mike Conley after acquiring him on Wednesday in a trade with Chicago, the team announced (via Twitter).
The veteran point guard will be eligible to sign with any team except for the Bulls if no one claims him and his $10.8MM salary on waivers. There have been reports that he may be interested in returning to the Timberwolves, which would be permitted since he was traded twice before being released, but there’s no confirmation that will be his next move.
Minnesota is adding a guard in today’s trade with Chicago for Ayo Dosunmu, but still has two roster openings if there’s mutual interest with Conley.
Conley, 38, moved into a reserve role for the Wolves this season for the first time since being acquired from Utah at the 2023 trade deadline. He appeared in 44 games, averaging 4.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 18.5 minutes per night with .322/.321/.891 shooting numbers.
Conley was sent to the Bulls on Tuesday in a three-team trade that also involved Detroit. He was shipped to Charlotte a day later in the Coby White deal.
Knicks Trade Guerschon Yabusele, Cash To Bulls
February 5: The trade is official, according to the Bulls, who say they also received cash from the Knicks in the deal (Twitter link). New York sent $500K to Chicago, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Knicks will flip Terry to New Orleans in order to acquire Jose Alvarado, as we detail in a separate story.
February 4: The Bulls will acquire Guerschon Yabusele from the Knicks in exchange for Dalen Terry, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
New York had reportedly been looking to unload Yabusele for several weeks, but couldn’t find a taker because of his $5.7MM player option for next season. Chicago decided to take the risk on a player who was effective last season in Philadelphia but has struggled since joining the Knicks.
Rumors had emerged that the 30-year-old Yabusele was considering going back to Europe, where he was a star for five seasons, but this trade will likely quash that speculation. The Bulls intend to hang onto the Frenchman, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Yabusele was only averaging 8.9 minutes per night in 41 games with New York, but he figures to see a larger role in the Bulls’ revamped frontcourt. Chicago has been in need of additional size all season and agreed to trade starting center Nikola Vucevic to Boston earlier this week.
The Knicks get a small amount of savings by swapping Yabusele’s $5.5M salary for Terry, who’s making $5.4MM in the final season of his rookie contract and is on a path for restricted free agency this summer. The 23-year-old shooting guard was selected with the 18th pick in the 2022 draft, but he hasn’t been able to earn a consistent rotation spot during his four years in Chicago.
The deal increases the Knicks’ space below the second apron from $148,359 to $249,241, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link), allowing them to sign a 15th player on March 26 instead of waiting until April 2.
New York can still ship Terry to another team before Thursday’s deadline, and Gozlan believes they’ll likely get more interest in his expiring deal than they did in Yabusele.
No Trades Involving Morant, Kawhi, Sabonis, Zion, More
The Bucks informed rival teams a few hours ahead of Thursday’s deadline that they wouldn’t be trading superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and several other noteworthy players will remain with their respective teams after the deadline passed at 2:00 pm CT.
Point guard Ja Morant was available on the trade market for at least four weeks, but even after lowering their asking price, the Grizzlies were unable to find a taker for the two-time All-Star, confirms Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (via Twitter). According to Siegel, Memphis will revisit trade talks for Morant in the offseason.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), while a few teams were “intrigued” by the 26-year-old’s talent, none were willing to make a “serious offer.” The Kings, Bucks, Heat and Timberwolves were all linked to Morant in recent days, though there’s no indication that talks ever reached an advanced stage.
As Siegel writes, the Grizzlies were looking for a first-round pick for the two-time All-Star, but no teams were willing to meet that asking price. Miami, for instance, was only willing to give up expiring contracts and second-round picks for Morant, sources tell Siegel.
Morant’s injury history and maximum-salary contract limited his appeal on the trade market, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. The former No. 2 overall pick is on a guaranteed deal that runs through 2027/28.
“You’re committing to several years, and if it doesn’t work, you’re probably carrying that contract until it’s an expiring at least,” one league source told Afseth. “Most teams would want to be compensated just to take that deal on, whether they believe in Morant or not.”
The Clippers made a pair of major trades, swapping James Harden for Darius Garland and sending Ivica Zubac to Indiana for two first-round picks, one second-rounder, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson. All-Star Kawhi Leonard won’t be going anywhere though, tweets NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Two-time All-NBA big man Domantas Sabonis, who was repeatedly linked to Toronto until Sacramento’s talks with the Raptors “flat-lined,” will stay put with the Kings, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Kings were also unable to find suitable deals for Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk, per Haynes (Twitter link).
Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), Lauri Markkanen (Jazz), LaMelo Ball (Hornets), and Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones of the Pelicans are among the other noteworthy players whose names came up in trade speculation this season who will remain with their respective clubs.
Of course, we saw a flurry of trades that did transpire in the lead-up to the deadline. The full list can be found here.
Hornets Trading Tyus Jones To Mavericks For Malaki Branham
After picking up Tyus Jones in a deal with Orlando on Wednesday, the Hornets have agreed to trade him to the Mavericks, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Charlotte will receive Malaki Branham in return while generating a $7MM trade exception. There are no picks involved on either side, adds Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Dallas was hoping to sign Jones last summer in its search for a point guard, but couldn’t compete with the $7MM offer he received from the Magic, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Mavs wound up adding D’Angelo Russell, who is heading to Washington as part of the Anthony Davis deal.
Charlotte agreed to take on Jones’ contract in a salary dump that moved Orlando below the luxury tax line, getting a pair of future second-round picks in return.
Jones struggled with his shot during his time with the Magic, connecting at 32.4% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range in 48 games. But he remains one of the NBA’s most dependable ball-handlers and could have a prominent role with Dallas until Kyrie Irving returns from injury.
Branham was a part-time starter during his first two seasons with San Antonio after being selected with the 20th pick in the 2022 draft, but his playing time has dropped sharply over the past two years. He’s being sent from Washington to Dallas in the Davis trade and is earning $5MM in the final year of his rookie contract.
Celtics Promote Rookie Amari Williams To 15-Man Roster
2:00 pm: Williams’ new deal is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
1:01 pm: The Celtics are promoting rookie two-way player Amari Williams, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets. Williams has agreed to a two-year, $2.7MM standard contract.
It’s uncertain if Williams is getting quite that much, as a two-year, minimum-salary contract for a rookie as of today would be worth $2.64MM, though it’s possible the Celtics will give him slightly more using the taxpayer mid-level exception.
Williams was selected with the No. 46 overall pick last June. He was technically drafted by the Magic, who forwarded him to Boston in a draft-night deal.
The 6’11” big man has seen action in 13 games, including two starts, averaging 1.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.2 minutes. He’s spent a majority of his rookie campaign with the G League’s Maine Celtics, where he’s averaged 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 blocks in 30 minutes per game while appearing in 21 contests.
Boston dealt Chris Boucher to the Jazz on Thursday, opening up a spot for another frontcourt player to move up the depth chart.
Sixers Sign Charles Bassey To Another 10-Day Deal
The Sixers have signed Charles Bassey to another 10-day contract, according to the NBA transactions log.
Bassey signed his first 10-day contract. Bassey, who was originally drafted in the second round by the Sixers in 2021, has yet to appear in a game with Philadelphia this season.
Bassey, a 25-year-old center, was averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds per game with Santa Cruz in the G League. Following an outstanding Summer League performance with Boston, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Atlanta in September. The Hawks waived Bassey prior to the start of the season, and he inked a 10-day hardship contract with Memphis in late October. He appeared in two games during that time, but was let go when the contract expired.
Bassey provides some temporary frontcourt depth on Philadelphia’s roster, which is in a state of flux.
Trade Rumors: Zubac, Gafford, Bucks, Lakers, Gordon
Ivica Zubac and Daniel Gafford are the Pacers‘ top targets in their search for a starting center, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). However, the Clippers are asking for a high price in draft assets to part with Zubac.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints hears that a Zubac deal before the deadline is “extremely unlikely,” adding that it would take at least two unprotected first-round picks and a young player to land him (Twitter link).
Indiana is searching for a reliable center in anticipation of becoming a title contender again when Tyrese Haliburton returns next season. Zubac is under contract for $19.6MM and $21MM over the next two years, which would be an affordable solution for the Pacers. Gafford is signed for the next three seasons at $17.3MM, $18.1MM and $19MM, but it’s not clear how motivated the Mavericks are to move him.
Here are some more trade rumors as the deadline draws closer:
- In the wake of their decision to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo past the deadline, the Bucks notified several teams on Thursday that they’re willing to take on unwanted minimal contracts in return for draft assets, Fischer adds (Twitter link). He also states that Milwaukee is still on the lookout for buying opportunities to upgrade its roster.
- The Lakers are continuing to explore their options “around the margins,” per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). However, L.A. is reluctant to make any move that will reduce its projected $60MM in cap space for the offseason.
- The Sixers are looking for a taker for veteran guard Eric Gordon and his $3.6MM expiring deal, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Several teams are involved in the discussion, Jones adds.