Jayson Tatum Undergoes Surgery To Repair Torn Achilles
Celtics star Jayson Tatum has undergone surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Tatum’s 2024/25 season is over, and given the typical recovery timeline following an Achilles tear, his ’25/26 availability is very much in jeopardy as well. According to the Celtics, no timeline is available for his return yet, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.
This is exactly the diagnosis that Tatum and the Celtics feared when the 27-year-old was carried off the court on Monday after suffering a non-contact right leg injury. After taking an awkward step near the top of the key, Tatum crumpled to the floor and was unable to put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the floor.
It’s a devastating blow in both the short term and the long term for the Celtics, who face a 3-1 deficit in their second-round series against the Knicks and will face a significant uphill climb as they look to make a comeback without their leading scorer.
Tatum, who has earned three consecutive First Team All-NBA nods, will almost certainly make it four in a row this spring after averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in 72 regular season outings. He had put up 28.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 5.4 RPG through eight playoff contests.
Besides dealing a massive blow to the Celtics’ chances to repeat as NBA champions, Tatum’s injury casts a major cloud over the 2025/26 season.
There had already been speculation about the possibility of Boston making cost-cutting roster moves this offseason after spending the last two seasons operating above the second tax apron. With Tatum unlikely to play much – if at all – next season, shedding salary could become a greater priority for a Celtics team that will be hard-pressed to repeat the success of the past two years without its star forward on the court.
This is the first major injury of Tatum’s NBA career — the 10 games he missed this season represented a career high, as he had never been sidelined for more than eight in any of his previous seven years in the league.
Tatum signed a five-year, super-max contract extension last July that will go into effect beginning in 2025/26. The deal, which runs through at least 2029, with a ’29/30 player option, projects to be worth nearly $314MM.
Mavs Intend To Keep No. 1 Pick, Draft Cooper Flagg
Since the Mavericks‘ unlikely lottery win on Monday night, there has been speculation about the possibility of the front office – which clearly isn’t shy about taking big swings – including the No. 1 overall pick in a trade for a proven superstar such as Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, that’s not the plan in Dallas, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who hears from sources that the Mavericks intend to use the pick to draft consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg and won’t entertain the idea of trading it. Marc Stein (Twitter link) has heard the same thing from a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking.
According to MacMahon, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont considers it a “gift” to get the opportunity to draft a prospect like Flagg. The possibility of re-gifting the Duke star to another team isn’t under consideration, says MacMahon, noting that Dumont has given general manager Nico Harrison leeway to run the front office but still has the final say on all basketball decisions.
As MacMahon points out, the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February resulted in “significant business concerns” for the Mavericks, in addition to creating a murky long-term outlook for a franchise that has traded away control of its own first-round picks from 2027-30. Being able to add Flagg to Dallas’ core would go a long way toward mitigating both of those concerns, MacMahon writes.
[RELATED: Mavs Rejoice After Getting Top Pick]
Flagg will be joining a Mavs roster headlined by Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively, and P.J. Washington.
As fortunate as Dallas is to be in position to bring aboard a talent like Flagg, there’s still plenty of work to be done on the roster this summer. With Irving expected to miss a significant chunk of the season while he recovers from a torn ACL, the team is short on ball-handling and play-making and will be looking to upgrade its backcourt.
Trail Blazers Announce Plans To Sell Franchise
The Trail Blazers have begun the process of selling the franchise, the team announced today (via Twitter).
According to the club’s statement, the estate of late Blazers owner Paul Allen has chosen the investment bank Allen & Co. and the law firm Hogan Lovells to lead the sale process, which is expected to continue into the 2025/26 season.
Allen passed away on October 15, 2018, resulting in control of the franchise being transferred to his sister Jody Allen, the trustee and executor of his estate. The plan following Paul Allen’s death was for ownership of the Blazers to eventually change hands as part of an estate sale.
Jody Allen stated in 2022 that there was “no preordained timeline” for the Blazers to be sold, noting that “estates of this size and complexity can take 10 to 20 years to wind down.” Nearly three years later, the sale process has finally gotten underway.
When Sportico published its most recent NBA franchise valuations in late 2024, the Blazers were estimated to be worth $3.6 billion, ranking 23rd among the league’s 30 teams. The Celtics have since reached a tentative sale agreement for a record valuation of $6.1 billion, which may help bump the Blazers’ eventual price tag beyond that $3.6 billion projection.
Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Alan Smolinisky made offers for the franchise in the past, but were turned down by Jody Allen in 2022 and again in 2023.
According to the Blazers, all estate proceeds as a result of the sale will be directed toward philanthropy, per Paul Allen’s wishes.
The news doesn’t affect the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, who are also controlled by Allen’s estate and aren’t up for sale at this time.
Kings To Consider DeMar DeRozan Trade?
As Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes (Substack link), rival teams are curious about which direction the Kings will take after hiring Scott Perry to replace Monte McNair as general manager.
According to Fischer, “there have been no shortage of rumbles” about the possibility of the Kings considering a trade involving DeMar DeRozan this summer.
DeRozan, 35, was acquired by Sacramento in a sign-and-trade last offseason. He will earn approximately $24.6MM in 2025/26 and $25.7MM in ’26/27 before hitting free agency in two years.
While DeRozan remained productive on an individual level in ’24/25, averaging 22.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 4.4 APG in 77 appearances, the team had a disappointing season, finishing just 40-42. The Kings were eliminated from playoff contention in the play-in tournament when they lost to Dallas.
The six-time All-Star talked last month about how “uncertainty” weighed heavily on the team during the season — Sacramento fired head coach Mike Brown, replacing him with Doug Christie, and traded De’Aaron Fox for a package that included former Bulls teammate Zach LaVine. And all of that was before the McNair/Perry change last month.
DeRozan will be entering his 17th NBA season in ’25/26 and openly wondered what his future would hold, despite being under contract for two more years.
Sixers Promoting Jameer Nelson To Assistant GM
The Sixers are promoting former NBA point guard Jameer Nelson to assistant general manager, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
Shams Charania of ESPN has confirmed the news (via Twitter).
The 20th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Nelson spent 14 seasons in the NBA, averaging 11.3 PPG and 5.1 APG across 878 regular season contests, earning All-Star honors for the Magic in 2009. He last appeared in the league during the 2017/18 season, when he played a total of 50 games for the Pelicans and Pistons.
Nelson, who grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania and played his college ball at Saint Joseph’s, has been with the 76ers since 2020. He was initially named a scout for Philadelphia as well as assistant general manager of the team’s NBA G League affiliate before being promoted to GM of the Delaware Blue Coats in 2023.
Nelson, 43, has drawn strong reviews for his performance as an executive and spoke back in November about his desire to one day run an NBA team.
Jayson Tatum Carried Off With Right Leg Injury
Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a potentially serious injury in the fourth quarter of Boston’s loss to the Knicks in Game 4 of their series on Monday night.
Tatum was carried off the court after injuring his right leg on a non-contact play, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reports. Tatum took an awkward step near the top of the key and crumpled to the floor. He was unable to put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the court.
The exact nature of the injury is unclear, but it’s feared that it may involve his Achilles tendon and/or ankle. He’ll undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
“It’s tough to see a guy like him get carried off,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Celtics fell behind 3-1 in the series, but veteran big man Al Horford was more concerned about his fallen teammate.
“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s Jayson I’m worried about,” Horford said, per Weiss (Twitter link).
New York rallied for a 121-113 win despite Tatum’s efforts. He racked up 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
Tatum’s five-year, designated veteran extension worth approximately $314MM kicks in next season.
Mavs Rejoice After Getting Top Pick
The Mavericks recently completed what CEO Rick Welts summed up as a “tumultuous” season. Dallas is now celebrating its unlikely lottery luck, moving up from No. 11 to the top pick.
“Just looking at that potential roster and thinking about what could happen next season, it’s a reversal of fortunes that’s really unimaginable,” Welts said, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
Dropping Cooper Flagg into a Mavericks lineup that includes Anthony Davis and, when he recovers from his knee injury, Kyrie Irving, gives the franchise real hope of a championship in the coming seasons. All this after the firestorm created by the controversial Luka Doncic trade with the Lakers.
“I am so happy for Mavericks fans,” Welts said, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright and Jonathan Givony. “I only got to Dallas Jan. 1 this year. Feb. 1, we broke the internet [with the Doncic trade]. I am just amazed at the depth of emotion and connection that the fan base has with this team. And what happened today, I can’t imagine a better day for Mavs fans. It’s going to really be something special. I can’t wait to get back to Dallas.”
Welts all but declared Flagg to be the team’s choice next month.
“I don’t know who we’re going to take, but should we take him, I think his résumé is pretty strong,” Welts said of the Duke star forward. “Every time he’s put in a situation that everyone wondered if he could succeed, he’s succeeded and then some.”
The Mavs’ head coach is eager to see what the team looks like with a star like Flagg added to the mix.
“Incredible day for the Mavericks,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd told Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). “We are all so excited.”
Flagg didn’t talk specifically about joining the Mavs but he indicated he’d fit right in with a team that has put a premium on two-way players. Doncic’s defensive issues was one of the reasons general manager Nico Harrison was willing to deal him.
“Being a two-way player is something I’ve done since I was a little kid, so I’m just going to keep doing that to the best of my ability,” he said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal.
Welts, who worked for the league from 1982-1999, knows all about conspiracy theories involving the lottery. He heard quite a bit about that during the 1985 lottery, won by the Knicks.
“I’m the only person who was in this room and the room 40 years ago. I was in charge of the NBA draft lottery 40 years ago when Patrick Ewing won,” Welts said. “I’ve been doing conspiracy theory stories ever since. This is very surreal, personally.”
Full 2025 NBA Draft Order
Now that the NBA’s draft lottery results are in, the full 2025 draft order has been set.
We’ll likely see some of these picks change hands on June 25 or 26, or in the days leading up to the draft — we’ll be sure to update the list below if and when picks are traded.
Here’s the full 2025 NBA draft order:
First round
- Dallas Mavericks
- San Antonio Spurs
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Charlotte Hornets
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
- Phoenix Suns (via Rockets)
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks (from Kings)
- San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Heat)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Magic)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Pistons)
- Washington Wizards (from Grizzlies)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Bucks)
- Miami Heat (from Warriors)
- Utah Jazz (from Timberwolves)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Lakers via Hawks)
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Pacers)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
- Orlando Magic (from Nuggets)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Knicks)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Rockets)
- Boston Celtics
- Phoenix Suns (from Cavaliers)
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Thunder)
Second round
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Jazz)
- Boston Celtics (from Wizards)
- Charlotte Hornets
- Charlotte Hornets (from Pelicans)
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons (from Raptors)
- Indiana Pacers (from Spurs)
- Toronto Raptors (from Trail Blazers)
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Suns via Wizards)
- Golden State Warriors (from Heat)
- Sacramento Kings (from Bulls)
- Utah Jazz (from Mavericks)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Hawks)
- Chicago Bulls (from Kings)
- Orlando Magic
- Milwaukee Bucks (from Pistons)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Warriors)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (from Bucks)
- New York Knicks (from Grizzlies)
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Timberwolves)
- Phoenix Suns (from Nuggets)
- Utah Jazz (from Clippers)
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Lakers
New York Knicks- Note: The Knicks forfeited this second-round pick due to free agency gun-jumping.
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Rockets)
- Orlando Magic (from Celtics)
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Phoenix Suns (from Thunder via Rockets)
Mavericks Win 2025 NBA Draft Lottery; Spurs, Sixers, Hornets In Top 4
The Mavericks have won the 2025 NBA draft lottery, jumping all the way from No. 11 in the lottery standings to No. 1 in the draft.
Dallas had just a 1.8% chance of claiming this year’s top pick. Those are the longest odds for any team that has won the lottery since the NBA revamped the format prior to the 2019 draft.
The Mavs’ unlikely lottery victory puts them in position to select consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg, the Duke star who led the Blue Devils to the Final Four as a freshman and was named the ACC Player of the Year, as well as the Naismith College Player of the Year.
The full lottery order for the 2025 draft is as follows:
- Dallas Mavericks
- San Antonio Spurs
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Charlotte Hornets
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
- Houston Rockets (from Suns)
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks (from Kings)
- San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks)
It’s an incredible turn of events in Dallas, where general manager Nico Harrison and his front office have been hammered by fans and pundits alike for the last three-plus months for their decision to trade franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers at February’s deadline. Now the Mavs are poised to add another cornerstone and a potential All-Star in Flagg, who will join Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on the new-look roster.
As Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets, this is the first time in 17 lottery appearances that the Mavs ended up with a better pick than their odds dictated.
The lottery results feature plenty of fascinating stories beyond Dallas’ win, starting with the Spurs‘ pick moving up from No. 8 in the pre-lottery order to No. 2 in the draft. Dylan Harper of Rutgers is widely viewed as the second-best prospect in this year’s class behind Flagg and will be the frontrunner to join an up-and-coming San Antonio roster that already features Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.
When it was revealed on ESPN’s broadcast that the Mavericks and Spurs had moved into the top four, it momentarily looked as if the Sixers would lose their top-six protected pick, which appeared poised to slide to No. 7 and be sent to the Thunder. However, Philadelphia was among the lucky clubs to move up, claiming the No. 3 pick and hanging onto the selection for at least one more year. The 76ers will now owe their 2026 first-rounder, with top-four protection, to Oklahoma City.
The Hornets, who entered the lottery as one of three teams tied for the best odds at the first overall pick (14%), moved down one spot from No. 3 to No. 4. The Jazz and Wizards, who posted the NBA’s two worst records during the regular season, were even less fortunate, falling four spots each and coming in at No. 5 and No. 6.
That’s a worst-case scenario for those two clubs, who came into the night hoping to add a centerpiece like Flagg or Harper for their rebuild and instead dropped as far as they could have. There was a 47.9% chance Utah would end up at No. 5, but just a 20% chance Washington would slide all the way to No. 6.
The Pelicans were among the night’s biggest losers as well, slipping from No. 4 in the pre-lottery order to No. 7 when three teams leapfrogged them. The Nets and Raptors each dropped two spots to No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, while the Rockets (No. 10, via the Suns) and Trail Blazers (No. 11) slid one spot.
Although the Bulls didn’t move from their pre-lottery slot of No. 12, they had one of the biggest heartbreaks of the night — they finished with the same regular season record as the Mavericks and lost a coin flip last month for the No. 11 spot in the lottery. If they had won that tiebreaker, it would be the Bulls, not the Mavs, whose ping-pong ball combination was drawn for the top pick on Monday.
The lack of movement at the very back of the lottery means the Kings‘ pick, which came in at No. 13, will be sent to the Hawks, as expected. That selection – from the 2022 Kevin Huerter trade – was top-12 protected, so Sacramento only would have kept it if it had jumped into the top four.
The Spurs’ second pick of the lottery, courtesy of the Hawks, didn’t move from No. 14.
The NBA has posted a 13-minute video of the lottery drawing on social media.
Latest On Donovan Mitchell’s Ankle Injury
4:46 pm: Mitchell is officially listed as questionable to play on Tuesday, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets.
1:02 pm: Donovan Mitchell‘s status for Tuesday’s critical Game 5 remains a source of uncertainty for Cleveland. The star guard missed the second half of the Cavaliers‘ Game 4 blowout loss to the Pacers after feeling discomfort in his left ankle while going up for a warm-up shot during halftime, as we relayed on Sunday night.
After the game, head coach Kenny Atkinson announced that Mitchell would be undergoing an MRI on the injured ankle, but the Cavs guard expressed optimism about his outlook, telling reporters, “I will be good for Tuesday,” per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, that’s not yet a certainty.
“I’m told he had an MRI today. He’s been diagnosed essentially with a re-aggravation of an ankle injury that he’s been dealing with,” Charania reported on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday (Twitter video link). “So he re-aggravated his ankle, and I’m told it’s expected that he’s gonna be a game-time decision for Game 5.”
The Cavaliers have dealt with a litany of injuries during their second-round series against the Pacers, but got their banged-up regulars back in action for Game 3. Still, despite a clean injury report entering Game 4, Cleveland remains concerned about the toe injury that kept Darius Garland out of the final two games of the team’s first-round series against the Heat and first two games against Indiana.
With the Cavaliers returning home to Cleveland down 3-1, the potential loss of Mitchell would be a major blow to the team’s hopes of getting back into the series.