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 January 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 of what Garland brings to the Clippers’ point guard spot. “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.”
Garland will make his home debut against the Pacers on Wednesday. Coach Tyronn Lue said he’ll 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.
Head 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,” the Pistons’ coach 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 an unrestricted 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, seven-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 three-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.”
- In case you missed it, Cunningham was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Get the details here.
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.
Wembanyama, White Named Defensive Players Of The Month
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has been named February’s Defensive Player of the Month for the Western Conference, while Celtics guard Derrick White has earned the honor for the Eastern Conference, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
Wembanyama, who is the betting favorite for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, led the NBA in blocks per game (3.5) in February, increasing his league-best mark to 2.9 BPG. According to the NBA, he also ranked second in the Western Conference in defensive rebounds per game (9.3) as the Spurs enjoyed a perfect month (11-0).
San Antonio’s league-best +15.1 net rating in February was buoyed by a defensive rating of 106.2, which was the second-best mark in the league and ranked first among Western Conference teams. That rating improved to 100.0 during Wembanyama’s 323 minutes and dipped to 111.1 when he wasn’t on the floor.
Wembanyama was also named the West’s Defensive Player of the Month in January, so he’s the first repeat winner in either conference so far this season.
The Celtics were the only team with an overall defensive rating (105.5) better than the Spurs’ mark in February, and White was a crucial part of that effort. Despite standing just 6’4″, the veteran guard averaged 1.7 blocks per game for the month, which ranked third in the East. He also contested 75 shots, the highest total among guards, per the NBA.
As was the case with Wembanyama in San Antonio, the Celtics posted a defensive rating of just 100.0 when White was on the court in February.
Wembanya’s teammate Stephon Castle was among the other nominees for Defensive Player of the Month in the Western Conference, along with Clippers guard Kris Dunn, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., and Thunder teammates Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace (Twitter link).
Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Knicks forward OG Anunoby, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson were nominated in the East.
Chris Youngblood Signs Two-Way Contract With Trail Blazers
March 3: Youngblood has officially signed with the Blazers, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
March 2: The Trail Blazers will sign Chris Youngblood to a two-way contract, agent Kashim Butler of KBA Sports tells ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
The 24-year-old shooting guard was in training camp with Oklahoma City on an Exhibit 10 deal and earned a two-way contract prior to the start of the season. He appeared in 32 games with the Thunder, averaging 2.0 PPG in limited playing time, before being waived in early February after reaching his season limit of 50 games on the active roster.
Youngblood has spent the past few weeks playing for Oklahoma City Blue in the G League, where he posted 23.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 10 regular season games with .463/.327/.794 shooting splits.
Youngblood spent time with Kennesaw State, South Florida and Alabama during his college career and was named AAC co-Player of the Year in 2024.
Portland has a two-way opening after promoting Sidy Cissoko last month, so another move won’t be required before adding Youngblood to the roster. He’ll be able to appear in up to 12 regular season games for the Blazers.
Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper Named Rookies Of The Month
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel has won a fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). No other Eastern rookie has earned the honor in 2025/26, as Knueppel has now claimed the award in October/November, December, January, and February.
Knueppel continued to solidify his case for Rookie of the Year recognition by leading Charlotte to an 8-3 record in 11 games in February. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while knocking down more than half of his field goal attempts (50.3%).
Perhaps most impressively, Knueppel made 49-of-101 three-pointers, averaging 4.5 makes per game at a 48.5% clip.
Knueppel had shared Rookie of the Month honors with his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg three times in a row, but with Flagg sidelined for much of February due to a foot injury, Spurs guard Dylan Harper became the first non-Blue Devil to break through this season, earning the Rookie of the Month award in the West.
Harper’s Spurs didn’t lose a single game in February, going 10-0 when he was active. The No. 2 overall pick registered 12.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 25.1 MPG while shooting 55.4% from the floor. San Antonio had a +21.0 net rating during Harper’s 252 minutes on the court in February.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, Wizards forward Will Riley, and Nets guard Nolan Traore were also nominated for Rookie of the Month in the Eastern Conference, while Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Grizzlies guard Javon Small, Kings big man Maxime Raynaud, and Mavericks forward Flagg were the other nominees in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
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