Atlantic Notes: Poeltl, Ingram, Brunson, Towns, Robinson, Embiid
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl sees last month’s trade for Brandon Ingram as proof that the organization expects to be competitive next season, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Although Ingram hasn’t played since suffering a sprained ankle November 22 while he was still with New Orleans, he has started working out before games. Even if he has to wait until next season to see Ingram in action, Poeltl is excited about the core group that has been put together.
“(The trade) just kind of followed up on what they’ve been talking about, well, really, for the past year, year and a half, which is like, ‘No, we don’t want to tank and go through the draft.’ They wanted to get back to winning quickly. Obviously,” he said. “Yes, you got to try and build up a new team. You got to build on some young guys, and you got to go through some more difficult times, but they’ve always communicated that they want to be aggressive, making moves like that. And so, yeah, I think it’s really good, and it’s good for us as a team.”
The Raptors are also being careful with Poeltl, who is operating under a minutes restriction due to a hip injury he suffered last month and frequently doesn’t play beyond the third quarter. He would prefer to be challenging for a playoff spot, but he understands why the team has dedicated the final few weeks of the season to developing its young talent.
“Obviously, you want to win games, like there’s no way around it,” he said. “I want to win games now, and sometimes it’s frustrating to lose games when you’re in that learning process. But I think, like you said, I’m one of those guys. I can see the big picture. I can understand the process, and bought into it, so I know what to expect, and then I’m OK with that.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks saw Tuesday’s game slip away when Golden State started double-teaming Jalen Brunson in the fourth quarter and taking the ball out of his hands, observes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. That strategy led to five straight empty possessions, which allowed the Warriors to pull away. Brunson called it “something we can learn from,” but the Knicks still haven’t shown their offense can be effective without Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed the game due to personal reasons. Towns is expected back on Thursday when New York starts a five-game West Coast swing, sources tell Bondy (Twitter link).
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is only averaging 13.7 minutes in three games since returning from ankle surgery, but his playing time is expected to increase on the road trip, Bondy adds. Bondy also questions coach Tom Thibodeau’s decision to remove Precious Achiuwa from the rotation now that Robinson is playing again.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac examines the Sixers‘ options with Joel Embiid, concluding that there’s no easy way to cut ties with the injured center if he’s unable to regain his All-NBA form. Embiid has four years and a projected $248MM left on his contract after this season, leading to him, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey taking up nearly the team’s entire salary cap over the next three years. Unless Philadelphia can find someone willing to trade for Embiid’s hefty contract, the only options are a waive-and-stretch procedure, which wouldn’t be possible until after the 2026/27 season, or a medical retirement, which would have to be approved by the Fitness to Play panel or by a doctor jointly selected by the NBA and the players union.
Southwest Notes: K. Jones, Whitmore, Sheppard, J. Green, Wembanyama
It only took one game for Kai Jones to join the Mavericks‘ long injured list, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Jones, who signed a two-way contract on Monday, was ruled out of tonight’s game at Milwaukee about an hour before tipoff due to a quad strain.
Jones had a productive debut with Dallas Monday night, coming off the bench to score 21 points and grab eight rebounds in 34 minutes. He provides a much-needed addition to the front court with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively sidelined by injuries. All three are set to be reevaluated on Thursday, but it’s possible none of them will be close to returning.
Even without the injury, Jones’ availability would have been limited because of the restrictions that come with his two-way contract. His 50-game limit is pro-rated, so he can only be active 11 more times for the rest of the season unless the Mavs convert him to a standard deal, which they can’t do until April 10 because of their hard cap situation.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard were both outstanding on Monday at Oklahoma City as the Rockets were missing five rotation players, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Whitmore had 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks, while Sheppard contributed 25 points and five assists. Both players have been on the fringe of Houston’s rotation lately and were happy to get the opportunity. “It felt great,” Sheppard said. “Just getting the chance to be out there and play. It was a lot of fun getting a rhythm and flow, up and down. Being able to knock down some shots and get some assists. Really fun game. We didn’t win and that part sucks, but being out there with the guys and battling was fun.”
- Rockets guard Jalen Green has gotten better at protecting the ball while improving his play-making skills, Iko adds. Green averaged 4.4 assists per game in February, the best one-month performance of his career, and he’s in the 54th percentile in turnover percentage while being in the 99th percentile in usage rate. “It’s a process that he improved on last year,” coach Ime Udoka said. “But understanding — especially on a night where guys are missing — he’s going to be the focal point of a defense. Continue to work on it, improve in that area. It’s something we’ve really stressed to him and he’s gotten better at.”
- Mark Medina of Sportskeeda talked with several doctors who specialize in blood clots about their prognosis for Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Those medical experts are guardedly optimistic that Wembanyama will be able to recover and return to a normal playing schedule next season.
Heat Notes: Larsson, Mitchell, Rotation, Starting Lineup
Before Monday, Pelle Larsson had logged less than a minute of playing time since the All-Star break, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The rookie shooting guard had to find other ways to stay game-ready while he waited for an opportunity, which often came in the form of one-on-one and two-on-two contests involving Heat teammates Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez.
Those efforts paid off when Miami was down to nine players for Monday’s contest against Washington. Larsson played nearly 28 minutes and contributed a career-high 16 points in the victory, along with four rebounds and five assists.
“We needed some kind of energy, spark from somebody and we talked about it, that’s a challenge, and we definitely felt Pelle,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He brought energy. He brought that extra oomph that carried over to everybody else. And some swing moments of the game he just seemed to have his imprint with the deflections, the steals, the timely cuts, all of that.”
Larsson’s expanded role may continue until the Heat are closer to full strength. The organization has emphasized development for the 44th pick in last year’s draft, and the increased playing time could help speed up that process.
“He understands what his role is,” Spoelstra added. “He came in as a role player, an elite role player in college, on a very good basketball team. And some people view that as a negative. We view it as a real positive and somebody who also has upside still, because of his work ethic. He’s tenacious behind the scenes. That’s why he’s able to stay ready. He puts in so much time, it’s two, three workouts a day. You have to kick him out of the gym. But he wants to continue to improve. He wants to find ways he can help.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Davion Mitchell will return tonight at Cleveland after sitting out Monday’s contest due to a quadriceps contusion, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Mitchell said the injury occurred in Sunday’s game when he ran into a screen set by Mitchell Robinson. It bothered him for a day, but it’s feeling better now.
- Even though the Heat were missing several players on Monday, Spoelstra kept Highsmith, Kyle Anderson and Duncan Robinson in reserve roles, Jackson adds. Spoelstra explained that “rotation continuity” was behind his decision. “Whenever Duncan plays well, it has a massive impact on our team,” he said. “I want him feeling comfort. He has played really well. That spark, that energy off the bench is important. and Kyle is a plug and play guy. I’m really impressed with his IQ and feel for the game. You put the ball in his hands and he can do a lot of stuff that Bam (Adebayo) does at the top of the floor. He can run offense.”
- With Tyler Herro sidelined by a head cold, the Heat are once again using a starting lineup tonight that has never played together before, Jackson tweets. Adebayo, Mitchell and Rozier will be joined by Kevin Love and Alec Burks.
Kevin Love Talks About Adjusting To Reduced Role With Heat
As Kevin Love returns to Cleveland tonight for the first time since agreeing a buyout in 2023, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald points out that he’s filling a role with the Heat that he wasn’t willing to accept with the Cavaliers two years ago. Love has become an elder statesman in Miami, dispensing knowledge more often than taking the court. He told Jackson that he “wasn’t ready yet” to be a part-time player at age 34, but that has changed now that he’s 36.
“I’m certainly understanding of where I’m at,” Love said. “It’s one of the things I told coach (Erik Spoelstra). I get it. I want to keep pouring into this team and doing whatever I can. Stay ready, and if I do or do not get time, I’m going to keep being a mentor or sounding board for (teammates).”
Love has appeared in 20 games this season, averaging 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 11 minutes per night. Jackson notes that he has only gotten onto the court in five of the past 27 games when he’s been on the active roster and has played just 36 combined minutes since January 1.
However, Love occasionally shows flashes of the talent that earned him five All-Star appearances and has enabled him to remain in the league for 17 years. With the Heat short-handed Monday against Washington, Love came off the bench to grab nine rebounds in 12 minutes.
Love inherited the veteran leadership role that Udonis Haslem used to fill before he retired. He uses a mix of humor and serious discussions to keep his teammates focused, adding that the conversations often spin off into other directions.
With one season left on his contract at $4.2MM, it’s a role that Love figures to occupy for at least another year.
“I let Tyler (Herro) come to me about stuff non-basketball related,” he said. “I’m trying to create a really great ecosystem here where we can celebrate each other, celebrate small wins, and build guys up. I know how this thing goes. It’s monotonous. Guys can get into a situation (where they’re wondering), ‘Are we headed for the play-in again? Or what are we doing?”
Love told Jackson that returning to Cleveland will be meaningful after missing both games last season — one due to injury and another for personal reasons. Tonight is Miami’s only trip to Rocket Arena this season, although the teams could meet in the playoffs if Miami winds up with the No. 8 seed.
“I have so much love for that organization and city and Ohio,” Love said. “When you go on a Finals run with special players, that will always be a part of you. I’ll probably go home and look at my ring and reflect a little bit.”
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 3/4/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included Kyrie Irving's future in Dallas, the Sixers' incentives to tank, the ugly race for play-in spots in the East, potential summer trades involving Trae Young and LaMelo Ball and more! Use the link below to read the transcript.
Kai Jones Signs Two-Way Contract With Mavericks
March 3: The Mavericks have officially confirmed (via Twitter) that they’ve waived Kelley and signed Jones to a two-way contract.
March 2: Dallas will waive Kylor Kelley to make room for Jones, sources tell NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).
March 1: Kai Jones, who was released earlier today by the Clippers, expects to sign a two-way deal with the Mavericks once he clears waivers, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
The 24-year-old center saw limited action in 28 games with L.A. this season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per night. He was getting consistent playing time earlier in the season, but was only used once during February and hasn’t played more than three minutes in a game since January 15.
At 6’11”, Jones can provide valuable size for a Dallas team that is trying to survive while its top three big men recover from injuries. Anthony Davis is set to be reevaluated March 6 for the adductor strain he suffered in his Mavericks debut. Daniel Gafford, who has a grade 3 MCL sprain, and Dereck Lively, who’s dealing with a fractured ankle, will have their conditions checked on that same date, although they aren’t expected to return for a while.
Moses Brown has been the Mavs’ starting center for the past two games, but he will become a free agent when his 10-day contract expires tonight. Hard cap restrictions will prevent Dallas from offering Brown another contract until April 10.
That could create an opportunity for Jones to make an immediate impact. Even though his NBA career has been disappointing so far, he was regarded highly enough to be the 19th pick in the 2021 draft.
Dallas’ two-way slots are currently filled by Brandon Williams, Kessler Edwards and Kylor Kelley, so a move will have to be made in time for Jones to be added by the March 4 deadline to sign two-way players.
Spurs Sign Bismack Biyombo For Rest Of Season
March 3: As expected, Biyombo has officially been signed for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, the Spurs announced today in a press release.
February 28: The Spurs plan to sign Bismack Biyombo for the remainder of the season once his second 10-day contract expires, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
The 32-year-old center has appeared in six games since signing the first deal with San Antonio on February 9. He’s averaging 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 16 minutes per night and posted a pair of double-doubles this week with 10 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday against New Orleans and 10 points and 12 rebounds on Tuesday in a rematch with the Pelicans.
Biyombo has moved into the starting lineup for the past five games following the loss of Victor Wembanyama due to a blood clot in his right shoulder. His second 10-day deal took effect last Friday and will run through this Sunday.
Biyombo will give San Antonio a steady presence in the middle for the rest of the season and he offers plenty of playoff experience if the Spurs can reach the play-in tournament. That’s increasingly becoming a long shot, however — at 24-33, they’re currently five and a half games behind 10th-place Sacramento.
Biyombo’s performance could also help his chances of landing a spot on the roster for next season. He has become a journeyman recently, as San Antonio is his fifth team in the last five years.
Cavaliers Sign Nae’Qwan Tomlin To Two-Way Deal
March 2: Tomlin has been officially signed, according to the NBA transactions log. The Cavaliers waived Thor to create a two-way opening, as we detailed in a separate story.
March 1: Nae’Qwan Tomlin will sign a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The deal will cover two seasons, Scotto adds (Twitter link).
Last week, Cleveland gave the 24-year-old power forward a 10-day contract. He has appeared in three games during that deal, which will expire tonight, averaging 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per contest.
The 6’10” rookie signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cavs in September after going undrafted out of Memphis. He spent most of the season with the G League’s Cleveland Charge, posting 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per night in 35 total Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games,
The Cavaliers will have an opening on their main roster once Tomlin’s 10-day contract expires, but all three of their two-way slots are currently filled. Either Emoni Bates, Luke Travers or JT Thor will have to be waived or promoted to the 15-man roster before Tomlin’s new deal can be finalized.
Whatever the Cavs decide to do, it will have to happen by March 4, which is the deadline to sign players to two-way contracts.
Lester Quinones Signs Two-Way Deal With Pelicans
8:42pm: The signing is official, according to the NBA transactions log.
8:39am: The Pelicans will sign Lester Quinones to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of ESPN. The deal was confirmed by Quinones’ agent, Scott Nichols of Rize Management.
The 24-year-old shooting guard began the season with Philadelphia on a two-way contract that he signed in September. He appeared in just four games, averaging 2.3 points in 4.3 minutes per night, before being waived on December 3.
Since then, Quinones has been playing for New Orleans’ G League affiliate in Birmingham, where he has posted 22.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 22 regular season games. He was selected to participate in the G League’s Up Next event at All-Star Weekend.
Quinones began his NBA career with the Warriors in 2023 after going undrafted following three collegiate seasons at Memphis. He had his two-way contract with Golden State converted to a standard deal last February.
The Pelicans opened up a two-way slot by waiving guard Jalen Crutcher on Saturday. Jamal Cain and Keion Brooks are the team’s other two-way players.
Southeast Notes: Suggs, Williams, Flynn, Sarr, Brogdon
After suffering a major setback this week in his attempt to return from injury, Magic guard Jalen Suggs is determined to get back on the court in time to help his team in the playoffs, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Suggs believed he was close to returning from a left quad issue that has sidelined him for more than a month. He went through “a great workout” before Tuesday’s game, but wound up with swelling in his left knee. On Friday, he was diagnosed with a trochlea cartilage injury that will keep him out indefinitely.
“And that’s the hardest part,” Suggs said. “Because I felt like I had gotten over that hump, I had hit almost the last checkpoint to playing and then this arises. Can’t do anything about it. Literally it’s just resetting the clock and getting back to work.”
There’s no guarantee that Suggs will be able to play again this season, as team doctors consider the best treatment options. According to Beede, the possibilities include rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicine and arthroscopic surgery. The team stated that Suggs is expected to make a full recovery, but it’s too early to set a timeline.
“My goal is to come back and play and help impact as we get to the postseason and get to the playoffs,” he said. “That’s my goal. That’s what I’m shooting for. I think if you don’t have a personal goal, it gets kind of hard to get through day-to-day work because you’re not seeing a bigger picture. And that’s mine. Everything’s aligned with that so far. Obviously, things may change as the process goes on but as of right now, that’s my goal. That’s where the timeline is at. And I feel real confident in both my strength, the strength, conditioning and training staff, and my guys having my back to make that happen.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hornets center Mark Williams isn’t showing any signs of the injury concerns that caused the Lakers to rescind their trade for him last month, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Williams collected his third straight double-double Saturday night with 24 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Washington. “I think just regaining familiarity with the guys,” Williams said. “Obviously, the lack of continuity is always a little tough. But I think just being out there getting into a rhythm, it always makes it a little easier every time you’re out there.”
- Malachi Flynn‘s 10-day contract with the Hornets became official on Saturday, and coach Charles Lee is hoping he can help spark the offense, Boone adds. Flynn played eight minutes in his debut with two points and two assists. “We’re looking forward to getting a guy who can score a little bit,” Lee said. “We’ve had some stretches where I think we were creating some really good shots, some really good advantages, and he’s a guy I think has proven that he can really fill it up and score in a lot of different ways with the ball and without the ball.”
- Wizards center Alex Sarr is looking to finish his rookie season after returning Saturday from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him for 11 games, relays Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. In a season without a clear favorite for Rookie of the Year, Sarr may have a chance to make a late run at the award. “I liked (Sarr’s) activity. He’s a presence out there for us, and we obviously can see the stuff he does defensively, but just his ability to stretch the floor, drag their bigs out, it makes them do different coverages,” coach Brian Keefe said. “It was good to have him back.”
- Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon hasn’t played since February 12 due to a sprained left ankle, but Keefe expects him to return before the end of the season, Shakar tweets.