Zach LaVine To Undergo Season-Ending Hand Surgery
Zach LaVine will undergo surgery on his right hand after the All-Star break and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the Kings‘ season, reports league insider Chris Haynes (via Twitter).
LaVine has missed the last three games for the Kings with what was described as a right fifth finger tendon injury.
The 30-year-old guard is averaging 19.2 points per game this year, his lowest scoring rate since the 2017/18 season, and is also posting career lows in assists (2.3) and rebounds (2.8) per night. The Kings are currently tied for their longest losing streak in franchise history at 14 games and hold the worst record in the NBA.
LaVine holds a $48.9MM player option for next season, which he is expected to exercise.
International Notes: World All-Star Team, Doncic, Bueno, Johnson
Kevin Durant threw some playful shade at the international representatives for this year’s All-Star game, Michael C. Wright writes for ESPN.
When asked about how hard his older squad that featured LeBron James, Stephen Curry (who will miss the game with a knee injury), and Kawhi Leonard will play on Sunday, Durant said the question was being posed to the wrong group.
“You should ask the Europeans and the World team if they’re going to compete,” Durant said. “… These two dudes out there, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, they don’t care about the game at all. These dudes be laying on the floor. They’re shooting from half court. But you’ve got to worry about the old heads playing hard? I can read between the lines, bro. It’s just an overall topic that everybody’s been talking about.”
Wright notes that at least one international player says he’s planning on giving it his all.
“I’ve seen the All-Star Game, and obviously it hasn’t been competitive,” said Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. “And I’ve always thought myself that if I was in there, I’m never stepping onto the court to lose or not caring. Just like at home, I’m never stepping into a board game not caring, thinking I’m going to lose. … I’m going to be out there, I might as well win.”
Durant was unmoved by Wembanyama’s comments.
“He said that last year too,” Durant said. “They said it was the worst All-Star Game that people watched. So we’re going to see. Who knows what’s going to happen? This format might change the game, but who knows? We’ll see.”
We have more from around the world of international basketball:
- The NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, recently confirmed Doncic’s interest in being a part of the NBA Europe project in Italy, Aris Barkas writes for Eurohoops. “We have talked a lot about the concept, and he really, really thinks that it’s time for the NBA to do something in Europe,” Tatum said of Doncic. The Lakers’ star recently entered into a preliminary agreement to buy the Italian team Vanoli Basket Cremona, with the intention of moving the club to Rome and having it be a part of NBA Europe.
- The NBA has wanted to find a way to work more closely with the EuroLeague, Barkas writes, and with former NBA Europe executive Chus Bueno becoming the EuroLeague CEO, that goal could quickly become a reality. Tatum said that Bueno can be a “bridge” between the two leagues. “We always said from the very beginning that we wanted to work together with the EuroLeague to align everyone in the ecosystem, and that was always our objective,” Tatum said. “And that will continue to be our objective, and I think that having Chus there, somebody we know well and who knows European basketball well, perhaps he can be a bridge between us, FIBA, and the EuroLeague clubs.” Barkas writes that the NBA is hoping for answers from potential investors by the end of March and is still eying 2027 as a potential start date for the new league.
- Alize Johnson is joining the Shenzhen Leopards in China on a “lucrative deal,” Marc Stein reports (via Twitter). Johnson, a five-year NBA veteran, appeared in a career-high 18 games with the Nets in 2020/21 and averaged 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 10.5 minutes per game. He started this season with the Iowa Wolves in the G League and averaged 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists while shooting 41.3% on 3.9 three-point attempts per game.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Doncic, Ayton, Bronny
LeBron James‘ future beyond this season, whether with the Lakers or elsewhere, has been a subject of speculation in recent months. And much of that speculation has centered on a specific hypothetical, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who says there is widespread talk about James returning to the Cavaliers for a final reunion with his hometown team.
“I don’t know if LeBron knows what he’s going to do,” MacMahon said on NBA Today (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM. “I certainly don’t know what he’s going to do. I know what the rampant speculation is around the league and that is this summer there’s going to be a reunion and potentially a retirement tour for the ages back home again with the Cleveland Cavaliers next year.”
While the financial realities of adding James could be complicated for the Cavs, he would fit a positional need, as Cleveland has long struggled to find a permanent wing starter to play between Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
James has also been linked to the Warriors and Knicks, though other teams would surely have interest if he became available on the free agent market.
We have more from the Lakers:
- James added another record to his collection on Thursday, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The record had previously been held by Karl Malone, who was 40 years and 127 days old when he accomplished the feat. James was 41 years and 44 days old on Thursday as he put together a 28-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound performance to lead Los Angeles to a 124-104 victory over the Mavs. “To be able to do it and get the win is, that means more to me than anything,” James said. “But I’m very blessed to play this game, play it at a high level.”
- Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers just over a year ago, a move that has had massive implications for the franchise — notably, switching from a team built around James’ timeline to one built around Doncic’s, writes Kevin Pelton for ESPN. As Pelton notes, this year’s record of 33-21 is not dissimilar to the team’s record last year, when they were 32-19 after winning the first game of the Doncic era. But while the team’s record and the Slovenian star’s statistical production might not be vastly different from their pre-trade levels, L.A.’s team-building approach has shifted to be more future-facing. After previously being very aggressive to put complementary pieces around James, the team has chosen not to send out first-round picks since the voided Mark Williams deal collapsed, Pelton points out. The Lakers are prioritizing flexibility, and will head into the 2026/27 season with just four players on guaranteed deals: Doncic, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, and Jarred Vanderbilt, though Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Austin Reaves hold player options.
- Doncic remains day-t0-day for the Lakers with a left hamstring injury, Benjamin Royer writes for the OC Register. “He’s progressed really good,” coach JJ Redick said of the decision to sit him on Thursday’s game against the Mavericks. “I think part of him, you know, wanted to push to get back part of the break, but, you know, we just got to be cautious with the soft tissue injuries … We all feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out and should be good to go post-All-Star (break).” Redick declined to comment on whether Doncic needed to check off certain recovery boxes before he could suit up for Sunday’s festivities, but Marc Stein reports that the star guard is expected to play a short stint (Twitter link).
- Ayton underwent imaging due to the lingering right knee soreness that has caused him to miss the last two games, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). The tests came back clean and the Lakers are hopeful that the time off will allow the veteran center to recover and return to play following the All-Star break, per Woike.
- Bronny James‘ counting stats might not look wildly different in year two than they did in his rookie season, but he can feel his own growth when he’s on the court, Royer notes in a separate story. “(I) feel different. Feel way more comfortable,” Bronny said. “My teammates believe in me, my coaches believe in me. That’s all I’ve wanted. It’s just good to get out there and take advantage of the minutes I get.” The younger James had his best game of the season on Tuesday, recording 12 points and six assists in 25 minutes and even taking some matchups against Victor Wembanyama that impressed Redick. “In terms of the physicality we wanted on defense, he had two really good possessions in the first half against Wemby,” Redick said. While his shot has been much more efficient this season, James knows that if he wants to carve out a role on this Lakers team, it will start on the defensive end.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, Bryant, Coward, Wemby, Rockets
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont is in the process of vetting candidates for the team’s head of basketball operations role, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The list of contenders for the job includes multiple veteran executives with “proven track records” of running a team’s front office, according to MacMahon — including some who currently hold that position in rival teams’ front offices.
League sources who have spoken to Christian Clark of The Athletic have “consistently” conveyed that the Mavericks don’t plan to make an out-of-left-field hire after the way things played out with longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison. High-level front office experience is a top priority for the Mavs this time around, Clark explains.
“After Nico, there’s not much room for creativity,” one source with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic.
Clark, who also hears that Dallas is expected to interview executives currently working for other teams, adds that a promotion to a top front office position for head coach Jason Kidd is unlikely. While Kidd has reportedly had a say in personnel decisions and wouldn’t be the first head coach to transition to a GM role, it doesn’t sound as if that’s a path the club is seriously considering.
- Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant has been named an injury replacement for Friday’s Rising Stars event, per the NBA (Twitter link). Bryant will be taking the spot of Grizzlies rookie forward Cedric Coward, who has been ruled out due to right knee soreness.
- Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points in 26 minutes in the Spurs‘ victory over the Lakers on Tuesday, and despite the team’s sizable lead in the fourth quarter, he wanted more, Tim MacMahon writes for ESPN. “I was also pushing to go back, but I mean, they did the right thing by keeping me on the bench,” Wembanyama said. “We got to think long term. But yeah, these kind of games, you got to have the greed.” McMahon adds that coming into the game, the Spurs’ star was committed to ensuring the team did not let its guard down simply because it was facing the Lakers, whose squad was decimated by injuries. Wembanyama ended up playing over 33 minutes the next night in San Antonio’s 126-113 victory over the Warriors.
- The Rockets have the profile of a very good team, but they don’t feel like an inner-circle title contender, Varun Shankar writes for the Houston Chronicle. However, for a team missing its starting point guard (Fred VanVleet) since opening night, as well as one of its identity setters (Steven Adams) since mid-January, it’s not unexpected that the Rockets have struggled to play to the level they were predicted to be at before the season. “It’s all about perspective,” Kevin Durant said. “… My presence is allowing people on the outside to put heavy expectations on us and put the microscope on us and not realize that we’re still growing individually as players. Continuity matters. We had injuries too. But when I’m around, the expectations go up. Nobody cares about context.” Even if a championship isn’t in the cards this season, Shankar writes, the rest of the season still matters from a developmental perspective, especially with so many players contributing at a young age. Winning a playoff series or two would show the team is taking its next steps and positioning itself to be ready next year when it’s fully healthy again.
Northwest Notes: Jones, Johnson, Nuggets, Dosunmu
It’s widely expected that the Nuggets will sign two-way player Spencer Jones to a standard contract once he clears concussion protocol, but there are still hurdles to clear before the move is completed. According to head coach David Adelman, the team and Jones have not yet come to terms on a deal, though that shouldn’t give fans any cause for alarm.
“The negotiation that’s going on there obviously is being slow-played because of (Jones’) concussion,” Adelman said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “The negotiation, I’ve been updated by (vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer) and (executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace), but it’s slow-moving right now. But the concussion thing is real, we’ll probably have more information after the break. Right now, I think it’s just, let’s get him right and then let Ben and Jon and his agency and his people talk.”
Jones has already reached his 50-game limit with the Nuggets as a two-way player, so getting a deal done will be a top priority as the team moves forward into the final stretch of the season.
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets have been dealing with injuries all season, and this most recent stretch of games is no exception. That’s why Cameron Johnson‘s return to play is timely, Bennett Durando writes for the Denver Post. Johnson suited up last Saturday against the Bulls in his first action since December 23, scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. With Peyton Watson sidelined for at least a month, Aaron Gordon out for multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, and Jones in concussion protocol, Denver’s depth at forward has grown very thin heading into the All-Star break. Johnson feels good physically about his return. “It’s been a lot of time spent trying to get conditioning back up to where it is, and we track a lot of stuff over the course of (the recovery) to be able to come back and play in the mid to high 20s minutes, instead of having to be a lot lower,” the veteran wing said. “Obviously, with any situation, you come back and just try to feel your best. Sometimes, it’s not all the way 100. But I feel good enough to definitely go out there and compete.”
- After converting Jones, the Nuggets will have one more 15-man roster spot to fill, which they will look to do on the buyout market. Durando examines 10 options that could fit Denver’s needs. Lonzo Ball, Tyus Jones, and Chris Paul are all guards Durando thinks could help stabilize the Nuggets’ backcourt depth if they become available, while Khris Middleton, Kyle Anderson, Chris Boucher, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, and Georges Niang could all be useful wings and bigs, especially given the team’s injuries. Durando notes that Love has an existing relationship with Adelman, as they were together in Minnesota in the early 2010s. The team has previously been reported to have some level of interest in Ball.
- The Timberwolves‘ move to trade for soon-to-be restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline filled an immediate need, but the team is hoping that the deal yields returns that last much longer than this season, writes the AP’s Tyler Mason. “We’re certainly hopeful it’s a long-term match,” said team president Tim Connelly. “He wasn’t just identified for the next 30-plus games. He was identified because we think he’s a guy that could be a huge part of our core.”
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that the Timberwolves‘ pivot to Dosunmu came when it was clear that the Bucks were not reciprocating trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo in meaningful ways, and that pulling off the smaller deal helped ease the new ownership’s mind when it came to not wanting to break up the core of Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid. Krawczynski also writes that Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s success with the Wolves is a helpful blueprint for Dosunmu and the style he will need to play to help elevate the team in similar ways. Dosunmu, for his part, is ready to compete at a higher level. “I want to be labeled as a guy who plays in the playoffs, a guy who’s a winning player, a guy who does whatever it takes to help the team win,” he said. “So now that I have the opportunity, don’t take it for granted.”
Mavs Owners Have No Plans To Sell
While rumors circulated this week that there was an investor group interested in teaming up with Mavericks minority shareholder Mark Cuban to buy the franchise back from its new owners, it appears that any such efforts may be futile.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports (via Twitter) that the Dumont and Adelson families, led by Mavs governor Patrick Dumont, have no intentions of selling the team.
“The Dumont and Adelson families remain fully committed to the Dallas Mavericks’ franchise and to the Dallas community,” Stein’s source close to the Dumont family says (Twitter link). “They remain focused on building a championship organization for the long term.”
Since Monday’s report, Cuban expressed skepticism to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News that the current ownership group would be interested in selling the Mavs after having just bought the team in 2023, though he did confirm that he’s been approached by parties interested in making an attempt.
“I have been contacted by multiple groups and individuals who have interest in buying the Mavs,” Cuban told Townsend. “[But] I don’t know who the report was talking about. … I get asked fairly often if I would be part of a group if they could buy the team. I tell them all the same thing: I don’t see them selling
Townsend confirms Stein’s reporting and notes that the new ownership group has until December 2027 to buy out all but 7% of Cuban’s stake in the team. The Dumont/Adelson group does plan to at least buy some part of Cuban’s remaining 27% stake, Townsend writes, adding that he believes that Dumont is planning to be with the Mavericks for the long term.
Cooper Flagg Diagnosed With Foot Sprain
Cooper Flagg has been diagnosed with a left midfoot sprain, the Mavericks announced (Twitter link). Flagg injured the foot in Tuesday’s game against the Suns and underwent an MRI, which revealed the sprain.
The team notes that Flagg will miss Thursday’s matchup against the Lakers as well as Friday’s Castrol Rising Stars game in All-Star weekend.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that Flagg is not expected to miss additional time following the All-Star break.
The star rookie has played in 49 of the Mavericks’ 53 games this season, averaging 20.4 points along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 34.1 minutes per game.
Knicks Notes: 15th Man, Anunoby, Diawara, Alvarado, Clarkson
At the trade deadline, the Knicks were able to free up enough room below their second-apron hard cap to sign another player to the roster immediately rather than having to wait until late in the season to do so.
While they’re prohibited from adding a free agent whose pre-waiver salary was $14.1MM or higher, the Knicks can bring in anyone waived by March 1 and still have them be playoff-eligible. With that in mind, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III breaks down five potential Knicks targets on the buyout market, singling out Chris Boucher, Marvin Bagley III, Haywood Highsmith, Drew Eubanks, and Mason Plumlee.
Edwards views third-string center as one of the remaining holes on the roster, hence the ample big man representation on his list. He also notes that the team could try to add another wing who can guard ball-handlers. Highsmith is one such name, as is Jeremy Sochan, whom he mentions as another player to keep an eye on — his article was published before news broke that the Spurs were waiving Sochan.
Given rumors that the Knicks had checked in on potential deals involving Sochan before the trade deadline, it stands to reason that the versatile defender, who is significantly younger than anyone on Edwards’ list, could be of interest to the team that is thin on bench forwards with size.
We have more on the Knicks:
- OG Anunoby is missing his fourth straight game tonight with a toenail avulsion on his right foot, and head coach Mike Brown says there’s no clear timeline for his return, per Edwards (via Twitter). Anunoby is considered day-to-day as a result of the injury. The Knicks are 1-2 during his absence heading into Wednesday’s game against the Sixers, having been blown out by the Pistons on Friday and then losing to the Pacers in overtime on Tuesday.
- One player benefiting from the absence of Anunoby is the Knicks’ lone rookie, Mohamed Diawara. While the 51st pick in the 2025 draft has been impressing offensively, he showed out defensively in Boston on Sunday and turned some heads while doing so, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. In that game, he guarded both Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown equally well and was rewarded by the team by being named the defensive player of the game, a tradition the Knicks have started under Brown. “It was tough because they’re both great players, but I was ready to take the challenge to guard them,” Diawara said. “And I was happy the coaches put me on them because that means they think I’m a great defender, and I appreciate it.” Brown noted that it’s the little things Diawara has shown the willingness to do, such as diving on the floor, making the right pass, and defending hard, that have impressed him the most.
- Jose Alvarado called his first game for the Knicks in Madison Square Garden “one for the books,” Dan Martin writes for the New York Post. “Playing for the Knicks is a huge thing, but I’m literally a kid from the same streets the fans are, and to be part of everything here, it’s a blessing,” the newly acquired point guard said. “It’s something I had to get used to and to get it out of the way, let’s get the ball rolling.” It wasn’t Alvarado’s best performance, as he finished with four points and five assists in 18 minutes as the Knicks lost to Indiana, but he believes it helped him calm the nerves related to his much-anticipated homecoming. “I was nervous today, for sure,” he said. “There was a lot going on. I was glad I got it out the way. I can’t wait to come back and get better and win some games here.“
- Jordan Clarkson, who spoke recently about adjusting to his diminished role with the Knicks, took to social media to vent some of those frustrations, Stefan Bondy writes for the Post. “Stop saying my minutes, I never had minutes,” Clarkson wrote in response to someone posting a question about how Collin Sexton would look with Clarkson’s playing time. Clarkson is playing the fewest minutes of his career and has struggled to find consistency, especially with his outside shot.
Joel Embiid To Be Reevaluated After All-Star Break
Joel Embiid will miss Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, the second contest in a row that the Sixers‘ big man is sitting due to right knee soreness, the team announced today (Twitter video link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).
According to the Sixers, Embiid will be reevaluated following All-Star weekend, which will give him a week to recuperate and hopefully get back to full strength (Twitter link via Marc Stein of the Stein Line).
Neubeck notes that the team doesn’t sound overly concerned about the knee at this point, a sentiment The Athletic’s Tony Jones echoes, calling the move a precautionary one (Twitter link).
“It’s bothering him enough that he’s not playing,” said coach Nick Nurse. “I think it is improving a little bit, it’s just not quite there to get out there tonight.”
After it was unclear how much Embiid would be able to play coming into the season, the former MVP has managed to put together a strong season for the 30-23 Sixers. He has averaged 26.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 31 games this season while playing 31.4 minutes per night, all of which are improvements from his output over 19 games last year.
In Monday’s loss to the Trail Blazers, Andre Drummond assumed command of the starting spot in Embiid’s place, recording 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks, while Adem Bona took the backup center minutes. Jones notes that Bona will start tonight against the Knicks (Twitter link).
Jakob Poeltl To Return Wednesday
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl will return to the court tonight in his first action since December 21 as the team faces off against the Pistons, Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy notes (via Twitter).
Head coach Darko Rajakovic indicated that Poeltl will be on some form of minutes restriction, though it’s not clear what his limit will be. Toronto has prioritized caution with the back issues that have limited the Austrian big man to just 21 games this season; according to Murphy, Poeltl’s main goal is simply to be loose out there and try to play without thinking about the injury.
The lingering back strain has made it difficult for Poeltl to get a rhythm during the time he’s been on the court. He is playing his fewest minutes since the 2019/20 season and scoring at his lowest rate since 2021/22, though he’s managed to be efficient in his time, posting a career-high 69.1% true shooting percentage.
Rookie big man Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili have split much of the starting center responsibilities in Poeltl’s absence, with Mamukelashvili starting 11 games and Murray-Boyles starting 19, including the last 15 games that he’s suited up for.
Murray-Boyles will miss tonight’s game with a thumb injury, and it’s unconfirmed whether Poeltl will step straight back into the starting lineup.
While returning against the East-leading Pistons is no easy feat, Poeltl will not have to go against Detroit’s physical center tandem of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, as both will be serving the first games of their respective suspensions for their involvement in Monday’s brawl against the Hornets.