Ten Postseason Seeds Up For Grabs On Final Day Of Regular Season
While we’ve known which 20 NBA teams will be competing in the 2025/26 postseason for some time, 10 seeds are still in flux entering April 12, the final day of the 2025/26 regular season. Most importantly, three Eastern Conference teams are still vying for the final guaranteed playoff spot ahead of Sunday’s slate of games, which will see all 30 teams take the floor.
Here are the current playoff and play-in standings in both conferences, as well as where each team could finish, per the league (Twitter links).
Eastern Conference:
- Detroit Pistons (59-22)
- Boston Celtics (55-26)
- New York Knicks (53-28)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (51-30)
- Atlanta Hawks (46-35) — fifth or sixth
- Toronto Raptors (45-36) — fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth
- Orlando Magic (45-36) — sixth, seventh or eighth
- Philadelphia 76ers (44-37) — sixth, seventh or eighth
- Charlotte Hornets (43-38) — ninth or 10th
- Miami Heat (42-39) — ninth or 10th
Western Conference:
- Oklahoma City Thunder (64-17)
- San Antonio Spurs (62-19)
- Denver Nuggets (53-28) — third or fourth
- Los Angeles Lakers (52-29) — third or fourth
- Houston Rockets (51-30)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (48-33)
- Phoenix Suns (44-37)
- Portland Trail Blazers (41-40) — eighth or ninth
- Los Angeles Clippers (41-40) — eighth or ninth
- Golden State Warriors (37-44)
Notes: Teams in bold are locked in to their current seeds. A top-six seed ensures a guaranteed playoff spot, while the Nos. 7-10 teams will compete in the play-in tournament to determine the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.
The most critical matchup Sunday is Brooklyn at Toronto. If the Raptors win, they can finish no worse than sixth place, securing the final guaranteed playoff berth.
The Hawks have ruled out most of their top players ahead of Sunday’s game at the Heat after securing a guaranteed playoff spot on Friday, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. That matters for Miami, because if they beat Atlanta and the Hornets lose at New York, the Heat would move ahead of Charlotte due to a head-to-head tiebreaker. That said, the Knicks will be playing without four of their five starters tonight, and if the Hornets win, they stay at No. 9.
It would be shocking if the Raptors don’t win Sunday, since the tanking Nets have already ruled out nine players (a 10th is doubtful) and have an incentive to lose the game. We’ll get more into that shortly.
Still, if the Raptors do lose Sunday’s game, it opens the door for the Magic or Sixers to move up to No. 6. A Raptors loss combined with a Magic win at Boston — the Celtics are likely to be without their top-seven rotation members — would see Orlando earn the guaranteed playoff berth. The 76ers, who face Milwaukee, need to win and need Toronto and Orlando to lose to move up two spots.
If the Hawks, Raptors, Magic and Sixers all win, they will finish where they currently are in the standings.
In the West, the scenarios are more straightforward. If the Nuggets win at San Antonio, they stay at No. 3. If they lose and the Lakers beat the Jazz, Denver and Los Angeles will switch places in the standings.
The Trail Blazers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Clippers, so if they beat Sacramento tonight they will finish No. 8. The Clippers could move up if they beat Golden State and Portland loses to the Kings.
Lottery odds and traded draft picks
At the other end of the standings, the Wizards (17-64) have clinched the worst record in the league and thus have the top draft-lottery floor, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington has a 52.1% chance at landing a top-four pick in the 2026 draft lottery and 47.9% odds at No. 5, which is the worst selection the team can end up with.
The Pacers (19-62) and Nets (20-61) are also guaranteed to finish with bottom-three records and will have identical 52.1% odds at moving into the top four, including a 14.0% chance at No. 1 overall. If the Nets lose this evening and the Pacers beat Detroit, the two teams would tie and a coin flip would determine which team has the second-best lottery floor. The winner of the coin flip can finish no worse than sixth in the draft lottery, while the loser can finish no worse than seventh.
The Clippers will be hoping the Pacers lose tonight, since Indiana will send its 2026 first-round pick to L.A. if it lands outside the top four. The Pacers will retain the pick if it stays in its protected range (top four).
Several other lottery situations are still in flux entering Sunday. The Jazz and Kings are currently tied for the fourth-worst record (22-59), the Grizzlies and Mavericks are tied for the sixth-worst record (25-56), and the Pelicans (26-55) have a chance at making the latter situation a three-way tie. The Hawks will be hoping the Pelicans lose and Grizzlies and Mavericks win, since they control the better of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s first-rounders.
Utah will send its first-round pick to the Thunder if it’s not in the top eight. But even if the Jazz finish with the NBA’s fifth-worst record (or finish tied for the fourth-worst record and lose a coin flip), the odds of their pick landing at No. 9 would be minuscule (0.6%).
There’s a chance the Bulls (31-50) and Bucks (32-49) could have a coin flip for the ninth and tenth spots. It would require Chicago to win at Dallas and Milwaukee to lose at Philadelphia.
The four other lottery teams will be the four clubs that are eliminated in the play-in tournament.
Nets Re-Sign Tre Scott On Hardship Deal
The Nets have re-signed Tre Scott via a hardship exception, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). Scott’s previous 10-day hardship contract with Brooklyn expired on Saturday night.
Scott’s new contract with the Nets will cover Sunday’s regular season finale at Toronto. He will be an unrestricted free agent after Sunday, since he’s technically not on the standard 15-man roster.
A team qualifies for a hardship exception when it has four players who have missed three consecutive games due to an injury and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks. Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb), Egor Dëmin (foot), Michael Porter Jr. (hamstring), and Danny Wolf (ankle) all fit that bill for Brooklyn.
Scott, 29, has competed in Puerto Rico, France, and Canada since going undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020, though he has spent most of his time in the G League, suiting up for the Salt Lake City Stars, Cleveland Charge, Ontario Clippers, Greensboro Swarm, Osceola Magic, and – most recently – the Long Island Nets.
In 47 total outings this season for Long Island, the 6’8″ combo forward averaged 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 27.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .453/.358/.609.
Scott, who had a 10-day stint with Cleveland back in 2021/22, has appeared in five games with the Nets this season, averaging 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block in 31.2 minutes per contest. His shooting slash line is .381/.286/.667.
Scott will earn $11,773 on the final day of the regular season, increasing his year-end total to $174,503. That total includes both hardship deals and a $45K partial guarantee on a training camp contract he signed last fall.
Nets Notes: Claxton, Fernandez, Giannis, Draft
After winning 26 games a year ago, the Nets will enter the final weekend of the 2025/26 season with a 20-60 record, their worst mark in a decade. All of that losing has taken a mental toll, starting center Nic Claxton admits, but the 26-year-old is trying to find the silver linings in a challenging year and is hoping better things are in store for the team beginning in ’26/27, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“You can’t let it affect your preparation and your mindset. Even this year I struggled with that some. Going into games you have to go in with the mindset, ‘OK, we’re going to win this game,'” Claxton said. “But as far as wins and losses, I get what (head coach) Jordi (Fernandez) is saying. It doesn’t always come with the scoreboard. It can be seeing our rookies go out and spread their wings and gain confidence. … It can be me maturing and finding that peace within myself no matter what’s going on out there on the court. … Then next year hopefully we get some more actual wins.”
Claxton, who has averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and a career-high 3.7 assists in 27.8 minutes per game across 69 outings this season, has missed the past three games due to a right fifth finger sprain and may not play again this spring. Although he underwent an MRI on that finger this week, the big man is optimistic that the injury won’t require surgery, Lewis tweets.
“No, I don’t think so,” Claxton said. “Give it some time to rest. I think it’ll heal up. Not trying to have any procedures.”
Here are a few more notes on the Nets:
- Fernandez’s career winning percentage as a head coach has dropped to .284 (46-116) as a result of Brooklyn’s poor season, but he said this week that he appreciates the trust the organization has placed in him and that holding one of the NBA’s 30 head coaching job is “very special” for him. “This job means a lot to me and my family,” Fernandez said, per C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News, adding that Brooklyn is “home for us and will be home forever.” The second-year coach is hopeful he’ll get the opportunity to lead the team out of its rebuild and back towards contention. “My goal is not just to keep it but help the organization with the plan that we have and build success and sustain it,” he said. “Good things are going to happen in the long run.”
- The Nets weren’t among the teams pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of February’s trade deadline, but they may be in better position to explore a trade for the Bucks star this summer, Lewis writes for the New York Post. Brooklyn’s front office has long viewed Antetokounmpo as its “white whale,” says Lewis, and the team wants to become more competitive beginning in 2026/27. “They’ll make calls (on the biggest stars),” one source told The Post. “They’ve made calls in the past.”
- The draft lottery reform measures the NBA is considering implementing may benefit the Nets, who have stockpiled a surplus of future first-round picks to supplement their own selections, but the concepts reported so far look like shortsighted solutions that will have problematic unintended consequences, Lewis argues in another story for the Post.
Atlantic Notes: Rajakovic, Smith, McBride, Lidell
This season will mark the first time Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic has a chance to compete for a playoff spot, and he deserves credit for helping the team get to this point, Michael Grange writes for Sportsnet.
Toronto won 30 games last season and had the NBA’s 25th-best defense, Grange notes, while they’re up to 44 wins and rank sixth defensively this season, with three games still to go. The team currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, with a one-game lead on the Sixers and Magic, and a 1.5-game lead over the Hornets entering Wednesday’s slate of games.
“This is what you sign up for,” Rajakovic said. “It’s very, very exciting … the path that we had the past two years and this in my third year of coaching here to be in a position to plan, to fight for something, to fight for the playoffs, to fight for seeding, it’s all very, very meaningful.”
While the on-court numbers and results have been moving in the right direction, backup big Sandro Mamukelashvili also vouched for his head coach’s ability to connect with the team on a personal level.
“You go through things mentally, physically … (and) his office is always open, so it’s easy to step in there,” Mamukelashvili said. “A lot of head coaches are a little bit unapproachable, so just having the freedom to step in there and tell him what I feel and what I think I can do, where do I see myself, where does he see me? … I think that helps you through the long run.”
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Malachi Smith‘s work for the Nets recently paid off as he was rewarded with a two-year deal. Now, after a start-and-stop beginning of his NBA career, partially as a result of injuries, he’s ready to take the next step, CJ Holmes writes for the New York Daily News. “I just always was like, I know I can do this,” Smith said. “I just have to be healthy to play.“
- E.J. Liddell had a career night on Tuesday, scoring 21 points in his second start of the season to power the Nets past the Bucks. While that marked a milestone for the 25-year-old forward, it also represented a minor blow to Brooklyn’s lottery position, as it moved the Jazz and Kings both a half-game away from seizing the third-worst record, and with it, the last available 14% chance at landing the top pick, Holmes writes. The Nets have three games left in the season, including a matchup with the 18-61 Pacers, while the Kings have just two games left against teams looking to improve their postseason standing in the Blazers and Warriors.
- Knicks guard Miles McBride had a scare in his return from a lengthy absence due to core muscle surgery when he tweaked the injury in his first game back, Kristian Winfield writes for the New York Daily News. However, he said he had been warned this kind of reaggravation could happen. “It’s really just a part of the recovery process,” he said. “Basically everything was tightened, and now I’m back to moving around, so it’s just part of it.” New York’s key reserve guard is taking a patient approach to his ramp-up, knowing that the process of making sure he’s at his best for the playoffs will be slower than he’d like.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Atlantic Division
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents – or could become free agents – during the 2026 offseason. We’ll consider whether each player’s stock is rising or falling due to his performance and several other factors.
Today, we’re focusing on a handful of players in the Atlantic Division, starting with a former second-round pick having a breakout season.
And-Ones: Coaches, Lottery Teams, 65-Game Rule, HoF, More
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports recently listed five head coaches who could be on the hot seat as the 2025/26 regular season enters its final week.
Doc Rivers was part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, but there’s an expectation around the league that he won’t be brought back as head coach of the Bucks in 2026/27, Helin writes. Marc Stein reported similarly on Sunday, though Stein suggested Rivers might stay in the organization in some capacity.
Jamahl Mosley of the Magic and Brian Keefe of the Wizards are two of the other names on Helin’s list.
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Should Brooklyn extend or trade Michael Porter Jr. this summer? That’s the big question ESPN’s Bobby Marks poses for the Nets ahead of next month’s draft lottery. Marks lists one big question facing each of the 10 teams who have been eliminated from postseason contention. It’s worth noting the article was written last week, before the Bulls dismissed top front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley.
- Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic are among the star players who won’t meet the 65-game requirement this season to be eligible for major postseason awards (Doncic may still qualify, depending on what an “independent expert” rules). Several people around the league recently weighed in on the 65-game rule, which was collectively bargained by both the NBA and the NBPA in 2023, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed out that there could be unintended consequences of lesser players making All-NBA teams, and suggested those who are clearly All-NBA caliber should still be eligible for the three teams, but without receiving the salary bump that sometimes goes along with it. “That’s one of the things that’s not talked about [with] it,” Finch said. “Some of these awards are going to go to players [who], not to say they’re not necessarily deserving. But they’re going to get these rewards and they’re going to get the financial bonus that comes with these rewards, and maybe they’re not quite of the standard that would normally demand that. … To me, the money piece seems to be the obvious trigger.”
- Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press passes along some quotes from the members of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, which was officially announced over the weekend. “It means everything from a basketball point of view,” Amar’e Stoudemire told the AP. “When you look back at my career not only as a pro, but even high school and, and nationally, and since I was a kid playing the game of basketball. I love the game. You play the game because you love it, and then you work to become the best you can possibly be, despite circumstances, and to get into the Hall of Fame, it shows that the voters appreciate it. And now we’re enshrined forever.”
- Several ESPN insiders list the biggest questions and what to watch in the final week of the regular season.
Nets Sign Malachi Smith To Two-Year Contract
3:00 pm: Smith’s contract is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
9:49 am: Malachi Smith‘s second 10-day contract with the Nets expired overnight on Friday, but he’ll be sticking with the team for the rest of the season — and potentially beyond that.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), the Nets and Smith have agreed to a two-year contract that will cover 2026/27 in addition to the rest of this season. While the exact terms of the deal aren’t yet known, it’s unlikely to include guaranteed money for next year.
A G League veteran who has also spent time with the Rip City Remix, Wisconsin Herd and Memphis Hustle since going undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2023, Smith spent most of this season with the Long Island Nets before being called up by Brooklyn on a 10-day deal in March.
The 6’4″ guard ended up signing a pair of 10-day deals with the Nets and has been a regular contributor off the bench in the first 10 NBA games of his career, averaging 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 18.2 minutes per night, with an excellent shooting line of .527/.545/1.000. The 26-year-old has made 29-of-55 shots from the floor, including 12-of-22 three-pointers.
“The mentality is leave it all on the floor,” Smith said after scoring 15 points against Atlanta on Friday (Facebook video link via YES Network) “I’m someone that has been praying for this opportunity and working for this opportunity for years, so I’m not going to take any minute for granted. I always tell myself, I don’t care if I get one minute or 10 minutes. I’m going to be able to go to sleep at night knowing I played as hard as I can, and whatever happens after that, I can live with the results.”
Although the Nets technically already have 15 players on standard contracts, one of those 15 – Tre Scott – is on a hardship 10-day deal, so Brooklyn will be able to bring back Smith without having to place anyone on waivers.
Smith, who signed a training camp contract that included a $42,650 partial guarantee and then made $73,153 on each of his two 10-day contracts, would earn a rest-of-season salary of $65,838 if he officially signs a new minimum-salary contract on Saturday, bringing his total NBA earnings this season to $254,794.
That total would dip to $247,479 (including a $58,523 rest-of-season salary) if he doesn’t re-sign until Sunday, though it could also come in higher if the Nets – who have the NBA’s lowest payroll – decide to give him more than the minimum using their remaining cap room.
Free Agent Notes: Porzingis, Yabusele, Sharpe, Valanciunas
Although multiple reports have suggested Kristaps Porzingis appears to be leaning toward re-signing with the Warriors, he declined to commit to staying with Golden State after Thursday’s loss to Cleveland. The Latvian center is extension-eligible and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then.
“It’s hard to say,” Porzingis told Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “Of course, it would be nice for me to go ahead and say, ‘Yes, I want to continue here,’ and this and that. But the reality is I didn’t have a good year at all. I barely showed what I’m capable of. And so I have to see what’s out there.”
Health issues have limited Porzingis to just 29 appearances thus far in 2025/26, and he’s averaging a career-low 24.0 minutes per game. He has been very productive when available, but he told The Athletic he’s not close to being at his peak performance.
“For me, I just wanted first to get to decent shape,” Porzingis said. “Take care of that. Which I am kind of working my way into. And then seeing the whole picture, kind of taking a step back, not to put too much pressure on myself. It’s been a year like that, and we’ll see.
“Honestly, the team is great here. I haven’t gotten a chance to play with Steph (Curry) yet, but the team is great, the city is great, the organization is fantastic. The only thing is the time difference with Europe — it’s 10 hours, it’s too much. But everything else, I enjoy it here.”
According to Friedell, Porzingis was joking about the time difference, but he was serious about his excitement to play alongside Curry. The 30-year-old big man also continues to praise director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini, and he said the relationship he has built with the training staff will factor into his decision this offseason.
“That’s definitely (something) I have to take into account,” Porzingis told Friedell. “I believe I’m in incredible hands here. And that means something. When you have a really strong staff with somebody like me, maybe that’s had some injuries throughout their career … to be in the best hands, it makes a difference for me to stay out there healthy.”
Here are some more notes on players who either will be or could be free agents in 2026:
- Guerschon Yabusele is expected to draw plenty of EuroLeague interest this summer and there has been speculation that’s why he declined his 2026/27 player option ($5.8MM) to facilitate a trade to the Bulls, but the French forward/center said on Friday that his priority is to stay in the NBA, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links). “My main goal is to stay in the NBA for sure,” Yabusele said. According to Johnson, the Bulls value Yabusele’s “work ethic and positivity,” which the former first-round pick displayed when he was asked about his erratic role with the Knicks. “I always say, if that was Coach (Mike Brown)’s decision, that was coach’s decision. I just respect it,” Yabusele said. “I worked hard and tried to be the best version of me. Nothing but love for New York.”
- The Nets hold a $6.25MM team option on center Day’Ron Sharpe for next season. He told Brian Lewis of The New York Post he’s unsure what the club has in store for him (Twitter link). “I don’t know. Whatever the team has planned for me, that’s what they’ve got,” Sharpe said. The 24-year-old big man, who has drawn praise from head coach Jordi Fernandez, is recovering from season-ending thumb surgery. He said he plans to continue to work on his body this summer and is eager to add a three-point shot to his arsenal as well (Twitter link via Lewis).
- Longtime center Jonas Valanciunas has been out of the Nuggets‘ rotation of late, but it’s not affecting his attitude in the locker room, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “I would say he has been as professional as you can be in this situation,” head coach David Adelman said. “And professional in our game means he should be pissed off — and he was — because he wants to play and help the team. Not because it’s about him. … He’s been great on the bench. He’s been great in film sessions. He’s worked out extremely hard. He’s done everything you ask of somebody to do. So I have complete trust in Jonas.” The Lithuanian big man was repeatedly linked to Greek EuroLeague team Panathinaikos last summer and only $2MM of his $10MM salary for next season is currently guaranteed. “I will stay ready. What am I gonna say?” Valanciunas told The Denver Post when asked about Denver going a different direction. “Am I pissed off? … As long as we’re winning the game, you know. I’m here if you need me. I’m here. I’m gonna do everything (I usually do). So it’s simple as that.”
Nets Rule Out Porter, Wolf For Rest Of Season
The Nets have formally ruled out forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Danny Wolf for the rest of the 2025/26 season, head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters, including C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News.
The update doesn’t come as a surprise. Porter was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain on March 19 and was slated to be reevaluated in two-to-three weeks. A couple weeks later, the team has shut him down for the final six games of the season, including Friday’s contest vs. Atlanta.
Porter appeared in 52 games (32.5 minutes per contest) in his first season with the Nets, averaging 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals on .463/.363/.859 shooting splits. A handful of those statistics — including points and assists per game — are career-best marks.
“Michael in a new situation, being on the same team for seven years on a championship team and now having a different role, a different situation, everything has been also very positive,” Fernandez said. “He’s played at an All-Star level. In my opinion, he should’ve been an All-Star. And now I want him to come back here and have a chip on his shoulder, lead the team the way he’s been doing the same way.”
The 27-year-old last played on March 10, scoring 19 points in 22 minutes in a lopsided loss to Detroit. He was recovering from a right ankle sprain when he suffered the hamstring strain.
Wolf, meanwhile sprained his left ankle on March 22. He’s been wearing a walking boot of late and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently suggested the rookie power forward was unlikely to play again this season.
According to Holmes, Fernandez said he was pleased with Wolf’s versatility and that he “showed that he belongs” in the league, but wants him to focus on being more efficient in 2026/27. The 27th pick in last year’s draft averaged 8.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 2.2 APG on .405/.322/.771 shooting in 57 appearances this season (20.8 MPG).
Checking In On Playoff Picture, Expired 10-Day Contracts
Although we already know which 20 teams will be taking part in the NBA’s postseason, only seven of those clubs have officially clinched playoff spots, assuring themselves of a top-six finish in their respective conferences. The Pistons, Celtics, and Knicks have booked their tickets in the East, while the Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, and Nuggets have done so in the West.
Two more teams could secure top-six playoff spots on Thursday. According to the NBA (Twitter link), the Cavaliers will clinch a playoff berth with a win tonight in Golden State, while the Rockets will be assured of a playoff appearance if the Suns lose in Charlotte.
Although the Timberwolves can’t clinch their own playoff spot with a win tonight, they hold a 4.5-game lead over Phoenix for the No. 6 spot in the West, where we’re getting pretty close to the playoff and play-in fields being set. Barring a late-season collapse, Minnesota and Houston will almost certainly join Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Lakers, and Denver as top-six seeds, leaving the Suns, Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Warriors to battle it out in the play-in tournament. Those last three teams are already locked into the play-in, though seeding remains up for grabs.
The most compelling remaining playoff race figures to be for the final guaranteed playoff spot(s) in the East. The Cavs, who could’ve clinched with a win on Tuesday or a Philadelphia loss on Wednesday, will undoubtedly secure their spot sooner or later, but the fifth and sixth seeds in the conference are far from settled. The No. 5 Hawks (44-33) are separated from the No. 10 Heat (40-37) by just four games, with the Sixers (42-34), Raptors (42-34), Hornets (40-36), and Magic (40-36) also battling to finish in the top six — or at least to take part in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game, which would guarantee them two chances to make the playoffs.
While none of those Eastern teams is locked into the play-in yet, blowout home losses on Wednesday have made it increasingly difficult for Orlando and Miami to claw their way into the top six. Conversely, Atlanta strengthened its hold on the No. 5 seed with an impressive win over the Magic. The Hawks have now won 17 of their last 19 games.
In other housekeeping news, a total of four 10-day contracts expired overnight on Wednesday: Bez Mbeng (Jazz), DeJon Jarreau (Grizzlies), Tyler Burton (Grizzlies), and Markelle Fultz (Raptors).
Reporting has already indicated that the Jazz intend to re-sign Mbeng for the rest of the season, but that’s not an option for the Grizzlies with Jarreau or Burton unless they waive someone from their 15-man roster, since they were on hardship deals and aren’t eligible to sign another 10-day contract with Memphis. The Grizzlies remain eligible to re-add two players in those hardship slots, but barring more significant roster changes, they’ll likely have to bring in a pair of newcomers to replace Jarreau and Burton.
The Raptors, meanwhile, have the ability to re-sign Fultz, since they now have an open 15-man roster spot and the former No. 1 overall pick has only received a single 10-day deal with the team. He did appear in five games during his first 10 days with the club, but played very limited minutes and wasn’t all that effective (four total points on 2-of-11 shooting in 36 minutes).
The expectation is that the Raptors will sign someone else to replace Fultz, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who identifies Raptors 905 sharpshooter Tyreke Key as a potential candidate for a 10-day deal. If Toronto signs Key or someone else to a 10-day contract on Thursday, it would expire next Saturday night, allowing the team to promote one of its two-way players to the standard roster ahead of the postseason next Sunday.
Since there are only 11 days left in the season, time is quickly running out for teams to sign players to standard 10-day contracts. Starting on Friday, a team with an open roster spot would simply be signing a player to a rest-of-season deal. However, hardship “10-day” signings are still permitted through the end of the season. They would expire after the regular season finale, making those players free agents immediately.
Several more 10-day contracts, including Omer Yurtseven‘s with the Warriors, Malachi Smith‘s with the Nets, and Charles Bassey‘s with the Celtics, will end this weekend. Boston will have to either re-sign Bassey or bring in a new 14th man on Saturday after the center’s second 10-day deal expires on Friday night, since the Celtics aren’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for a full day for the rest of the season.
Our 10-day tracker shows the full list of active deals.