Fischer’s Latest: Snyder, McCollum, Kennard, Bulls, Morant
After leading the Hawks on a 19-5 run to close out the season after the team traded away star point guard Trae Young, head coach Quin Snyder is believed to have “strong” front office support for a new contract, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who notes that Snyder has one more year left on his current deal. Extension talks between Snyder and the Hawks are expected to happen soon after the team’s season ends, Fischer adds.
CJ McCollum, who will be an unrestricted free agent, was identified as a possible extension candidate shortly after he was acquired by Atlanta in January. Nothing that has happened since then has changed that, with Fischer suggesting there’s mutual interest between the veteran guard and the Hawks in working out a new deal this summer.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA, via Fischer:
- Although the Lakers could have a significant amount of cap room this summer, that will depend in large part on what happens with their own free agents. It remains to be seen whether LeBron James will be back, but Austin Reaves will almost certainly require a lucrative new deal, and according to Fischer, sharpshooter Luke Kennard is increasingly viewed as a player Los Angeles would like to re-sign. Kennard will only have Non-Bird rights, which would allow the Lakers to offer a starting salary worth up to $13.2MM (120% of his current $11MM salary), though they could theoretically go higher than that using cap room or – if they operate as an over-the-cap team – the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Restricted free agent centers like Jalen Duren of the Pistons, Walker Kessler of the Jazz, and Mark Williams of the Suns are expected to try to generate interest from Chicago, Fischer reports. As he explains, the Bulls project to have the most cap room of any NBA team, so they have the means to make a big-money offer to an RFA center — the threat of an offer sheet could be the best way for a player like Duren, Kessler, or Williams to gain leverage and maximize his earnings, either with his current team or an outside suitor like Chicago.
- The Jazz aren’t viewed as a plausible landing spot for Ja Morant this offseason, so don’t expect him to reunite with his former Grizzlies teammate Jaren Jackson Jr., Fischer writes. However, Fischer has heard “predictive murmurs” that the trade market for Morant should be more active in the summer than it was in February, when league-wide interest in the star guard was “extremely minimal.”
Kevin Durant To Remain Out For Game 6
Kevin Durant will remain sidelined for Friday’s game of the Rockets‘ first-round series vs. the Lakers, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Thursday’s episode of Get Up (Twitter video link).
Durant has already missed four of five games in the first round. He was inactive for Game 1 due to a tendon bruise in his right knee, returned for Game 2, and has been out for the past three games as a result of a left ankle sprain and bone bruise.
“This bone bruise is a two-week minimum injury,” Charania said. “He’s just over one week right now.”
Despite the absence of their leading scorer, the Rockets have managed to hang around in the first round even after dropping the first three games of the series. They won Game 4 in Houston, then came away with a victory in Los Angeles on Wednesday to earn another home game on Friday.
With Durant joining veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams on the injury report, Houston has been rolling with a starting lineup essentially made up entirely of the team’s young core, as Tari Eason joins Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Amen Thompson. That five-man group has a +16.7 net rating in 73 playoff minutes so far; no other Rockets lineup has played more than 24 minutes together in the postseason.
Charania’s assertion that Durant is likely facing a recovery period of at least two weeks suggests that the Rockets shouldn’t count on having him available for a potential Game 7, though it’s safe to assume the two-time Finals MVP will do all he can to try to make it back. The Lakers are also playing shorthanded, with their own top scorer, Luka Doncic, not expected to return from a hamstring strain before the end of the first round.
Austin Reaves Cleared To Play In Game 5
The Lakers will have Austin Reaves back in the lineup on Wednesday as they try to close out their first-round series against Houston, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Reaves received medical clearance to play in the Game 5 matchup after going through pregame warmups.
There have been indications over the past few days that Reaves was close to returning from the Grade 2 left oblique strain that has kept him out of action since April 2. He was listed as questionable for Games 3 and 4 before being eventually downgraded to out. He was a game-time decision again tonight and was able to convince the medical staff that he’s ready to go.
“From the start, it’s been a group effort,” Reaves told reporters, including Mark Medina of Essentially Sports. “The main thing is getting me back out there as fast as possible without putting me at risk to re-injure myself. Everyone has been extremely positive through this whole process. We’re all working toward one goal.”
Reaves expressed optimism following a light shooting workout on Tuesday, saying that he’s feeling good and “turning in the right direction.” He also admitted, “I’m bad at feeling pain,” and noted that team doctors and trainers are closely evaluating the risk of further structural damage.
The Lakers also lost Luka Doncic in the April 2 contest with a left hamstring strain, and both players missed the final five games of the regular season, along with the entirety of the playoffs up to this point. Coach JJ Redick reiterated on Tuesday that Doncic isn’t expected to return during the first round, while ESPN’s Shams Charania said during a TV appearance on Wednesday that the All-Star guard also likely won’t be ready for the start of the second round if the Lakers advance (Twitter video link).
Reaves and Doncic have been heavily involved on the bench since their injuries, providing advice and encouragement to teammates as they try to survive without their top two scorers, Medina adds. Even so, Reaves admits being “super frustrated” while waiting for his oblique to heal.
“I’ve been pretty miserable of not having somewhat of a control on a game,” he said. “Just sitting over there not with no hope in the game, but no hope that I can affect the game. Obviously, I can talk and try to lead from being over there. But not really being on a court. It sucks.”
Lakers, Bulls, Nets Among Potential Offseason Suitors For Peyton Watson
The Lakers, Bulls, and Nets are viewed as potential suitors who will have the spending flexibility to make a competitive play for Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson this offseason, league sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
While Fischer’s reporting makes it sound as if Brooklyn may be included in that group is a result of informed speculation rather than confirmed interest, he says the Lakers and Bulls both expressed trade interest in Watson prior to February’s deadline.
All three teams could have have significant cap room available this summer, and Watson figures to be a popular target after enjoying a breakout season in which he averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game on .491/.411/.730 shooting.
It’s safe to assume the Lakers will be in the market for an impact two-way wing this offseason, and the Nets are expected to try to be more competitive after losing 62 games in 2025/26, since they don’t control their own first-round pick in 2027. The Bulls’ intentions are less clear, especially since they’re currently in the midst of overhauling their front office, but no club has more projected cap space than Chicago.
Conversely, the Nuggets already have more than $203MM in guaranteed money on their 2026/27 books for just eight players, so re-signing Watson to a market-value contract would likely push their team salary well into second-apron territory unless they cut costs elsewhere.
Still, Watson won’t be unrestricted, and it has become increasingly rare in recent years for top restricted free agents to sign offer sheets or change teams. The Nuggets should have the upper hand in negotiations, with no cap rules preventing them from matching any offer from a rival team as long as they’re willing to pay the associated tax penalties.
Although the hamstring issues that have limited Watson to just five total appearances since February 4 shouldn’t have a real impact on his value in free agency, they’ve certainly been discouraging for the Nuggets, who could use the 23-year-old in their rotation as they attempt to complete a comeback from down 3-1 in the first round vs. Minnesota. Denver hasn’t offered any formal updates on Watson’s status for the rest of the series, but Fischer hears from sources that he has always been considered likely to miss the entire first round.
Warriors, Kings To Host 2026 California Classic Summer League
For the second time in three years, the Warriors and Kings will act as joint hosts of the California Classic Summer League, the two teams announced today in a pair of press releases.
The event, which serves as a smaller-scale precursor to the Las Vegas Summer League, will take place from July 3-6. While all 30 NBA teams participate in the Vegas Summer League, only a small handful will take part in the California Classic.
The Warriors’ half of the event, played at Chase Center, will feature the Spurs, Heat, and Lakers in addition to Golden State, with games played on July 3, 5, and 6. The Warriors will also have a second Summer League team taking part in the three-day Golden 1 Center event from July 4-6. The Kings, Bucks, and Nets will join Golden State for that half.
The California Classic and the Salt Lake City Summer Leagues will offer fans a first look at several rookies from the 2026 draft class before they play under a brighter spotlight in Vegas from July 9-19. Several lottery picks will likely compete in the California Classic, given that the Warriors, Kings, Nets, Bucks, and Heat all currently project to pick in the top 13 this June.
This year’s event will be the eighth annual California Classic. After the Kings hosted the first three iterations, they’ve alternated with the Warriors in recent years, with both teams taking on hosting duties in 2024 and again this year.
DeAndre Jordan Named 2025/26 Teammate Of The Year
Veteran center DeAndre Jordan appeared in just 12 games as a member of the Pelicans this season, but he has been named the 2025/26 Teammate of the Year, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award recognizes “the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the league.
Pelicans players and interim head coach James Borrego spoke repeatedly over the course of the year about the impact that Jordan had on a young roster despite his extremely limited role.
“To see the growth of our young team, DeAndre had a massive impact on that,” Borrego said near the end of the regular season. “He brought professionalism every day. A voice every day. A respect for every drill, every practice and every moment together.”
The Teammate of the Year award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.
Jordan just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, who has won the award three times and was the last Pelicans player to claim it back in 2020. Jordan earned 66 first-place votes to Holiday’s 39, but the Blazers veteran nearly made up the difference by accumulating more second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-place votes than the big man.
Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:
- DeAndre Jordan, Pelicans (1,445)
- Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers (1,437)
- Jeff Green, Rockets (1,420)
- Garrett Temple, Raptors (1,223)
- Pat Connaughton, Hornets (672)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (659)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (651)
- De’Aaron Fox, Spurs (640)
- Duncan Robinson, Pistons (523)
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder (471)
- Desmond Bane, Magic (445)
- Marcus Smart, Lakers (424)
Jordan’s win snaps a seven-year streak of a point guard being named Teammate of the Year. From 2018-25, Holiday won it three times, Mike Conley won twice, and Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry won once apiece.
Scotto’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Mavs, Connelly, Bulls, Nori, More
The Magic expressed interest in Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of this year’s trade deadline, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, confirming remarks that Kirk Goldsberry made on The Bill Simmons podcast last month. Goldsberry stated during that podcast appearance that Orlando had been “very active” in pursuing Antetokounmpo.
While Scotto doesn’t specify just how serious the Magic’s interest was, he notes that Antetokounmpo was originally drafted in Milwaukee by then-GM John Hammond, who currently serves as a senior advisor in Orlando. Hammond and Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman have long prioritized length and size when considering roster moves, Scotto adds.
It remains to be seen whether the Magic will revisit a potential Antetokounmpo trade this summer — the team’s approach to the offseason figures to hinge in part on how their playoff run ends. For what it’s worth, Scotto hears from league sources that Antetokounmpo and new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins are believed to have a good relationship.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of NBA intel:
- Scotto is the latest to confirm there’s a strong belief in league circles that the Mavericks are eyeing Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as a top candidate to run their front office. The Wolves have registered interest in locking up Connelly to a contract extension that keeps him in Minnesota for the foreseeable future, Scotto reports.
- If the Bulls end up hiring Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd to run their front office, watch out for Wolves assistant Micah Nori to emerge as a strong candidate for Chicago’s head coaching job, Scotto advises. Lloyd is rumored to be a finalist and a frontrunner to become the Bulls’ new head of basketball operations.
- The Wizards intend to promote their G League head coach, Cody Toppert, to an assistant role on Brian Keefe‘s staff for the 2026/27 season, according to Scotto. Toppert has some prior experience as an NBA assistant coach in Phoenix under Igor Kokoskov.
- As the Lakers make front office changes under new team owner Mark Walter, they’re looking to add at least one assistant general manager and possibly another high-ranking executive, per Scotto. Those execs would presumably work under president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who is expected to remain in his current role.
- The Pacers intend to promote director of college scouting Mike Born to help fill the void in the front office created by the departure of senior vice president of player personnel Ryan Carr earlier this year, league sources tell Scotto.
Rockets’ Kevin Durant Ruled Out For Game 5
Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Rockets’ first-round series against the Lakers on Wednesday, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets.
Durant has only appeared in one game during the series. The star forward missed the last two games due to a left ankle sprain and bone bruise and didn’t participate in practice with the Rockets on Tuesday before they left for California, according to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. He was seen running on an anti-gravity treadmill.
Coach Ime Udoka provided an update on Durant, who missed Game 1 with a right knee injury, before the team headed out.
“We’ll see,” Udoka said. “It is day to day, game to game. But we’ll have to get on the court and do some things, and he didn’t participate in practice today. But he’s doing the conditioning and other aspects to try to get back.”
Durant scored 23 points in 41 minutes during the team’s Game 2 loss. In Game 4, Tari Eason supplied 20 points, eight rebounds and five steals in place of Durant as Houston staved off elimination.
On the Lakers’ side, Austin Reaves is listed as questionable. He hasn’t played in the series due to a left oblique muscle strain but is reportedly optimistic about returning for Game 5.
Austin Reaves Trending Toward Game 5 Return?
Lakers guard Austin Reaves is optimistic about his ability to suit up for Game 5 of the team’s first-round series against Houston on Wednesday night, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Reaves, the Lakers’ second-leading scorer during the regular season, has been out for nearly four weeks after suffering an oblique strain on April 2. Initial reporting indicated that he was expected to remain on the shelf for approximately four-to-six weeks, so if he’s able to return to action on Wednesday, he’d be narrowly beating that timeline.
Reaves was listed as questionable for Games 3 and 4 before being eventually downgraded to out. It’s not out of the question that could happen again, with Charania noting that Reaves’ status will be a game-time decision for a third consecutive contest. However, it sounds like his return is imminent.
In 51 regular season outings, Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points on .490/.360/.871 shooting while also chipping in 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
The Lakers hold a 3-1 lead over the Rockets, which means they’re guaranteed at least three more games this spring, so it’s a pretty safe bet we’ll see Reaves sooner or later, even if it doesn’t happen on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether the same is true of his backcourt mate Luka Doncic, who has also been sidelined since April 2 due to a hamstring strain. Lakers head coach JJ Redick said on Sunday that Doncic has been able to do a little on-court work, but still isn’t moving around much.
Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard Fined By NBA
The Lakers’ backcourt duo racked up a pair of fines for their comments to the referees after Game 4, the league announced (via Twitter).
Marcus Smart has been fined $35K for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” while Luke Kennard was fined $25K for “directing inappropriate language towards game officials,” the NBA said, adding that the offending incidents took place after Game 4 concluded.
Smart, surrounded by both Lakers and Rockets players after the final whistle sounded, appeared to be shouting and pointing at referee James Williams, who ejected both Deandre Ayton and Adou Thiero during the second half of the game. Kennard was on the outskirts of the scrum at the time, talking to someone off screen (Twitter video link).
The Lakers seemed particularly displeased with the ejection of Thiero, a rookie who was playing in his first postseason game. He was thrown out of the game along with Aaron Holiday after the two players physically battled for position under the basket (Twitter video link).
“I’m more pissed off about them kicking Adou out. That was uncalled for and it made no sense,” LeBron James said after the game (Twitter video link). “Think that’s his first time he’s ever been thrown out of a game in his life. I don’t think that was warranted. Give him two technicals, the kid just got in the game, that was ridiculous.”