Coby White Available To Make Hornets Debut Tuesday
For the first time in his NBA career, Coby White will play for a team besides the Bulls on Tuesday. However, the setting will be a familiar one. The seventh-year guard, who was traded from Chicago to Charlotte at this month’s deadline, will be making his Hornets debut at the Bulls’ United Center, his former home arena (Twitter link).
White, who turned 26 last Monday, was selected seventh overall in the 2019 draft by the Bulls and spent six-and-a-half seasons with the team before being sent to the Hornets in a four-player deadline deal that also saw Chicago acquire two second-round picks.
The Hornets were originally going to include three second-rounders in their package for White, but after a physical revealed a left calf injury that would sideline him for a few more weeks, the two teams agreed to amend the deal to remove one of those draft picks. White has now recovered from that calf injury and is ready to take the floor against his old team.
While White has been limited to 29 outings this season due to calf issues, he has remained an effective offensive weapon when healthy, averaging 18.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 29.1 minutes per game with a .438/.346/.805 shooting line.
Speaking on Tuesday to reporters, including Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link), White – who is on an expiring contract – said he and the Bulls talked earlier in the season about a possible future together beyond this year. However, he passed on an extension and said today that he expected to be traded at the deadline after word broke that the team had agreed to send out Kevin Huerter and Nikola Vucevic in separate deals.
“Things change,” he said. “The way the season was going, we weren’t stacking enough wins consistently.”
Tuesday’s matchup will feature two teams going in opposite directions. The Bulls are on a nine-game losing streak and are still seeking their first victory of the month, while the Hornets have bounced back from a 4-14 start to go 23-17 since then, with 11 wins in their past 14 games.
Jae’Sean Tate To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Grade 2 MCL Sprain
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his right knee and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, including Michael Shapiro of Chron.com (Twitter link).
According to Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle, Tate suffered the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s loss at New York. Udoka said the 30-year-old would be reevaluated in two weeks, but noted that Grade 2 MCL sprains typically result in a four-to-six week absence.
Tate hasn’t played much in 2025/26, averaging just 8.4 minutes per game across 34 appearances. However, he was reinserted into the rotation just before the All-Star break, playing 13 minutes against the Clippers on February 11. He logged 15 minutes at Charlotte on February 19 and sustained the injury two days later.
Tate, who is playing on a minimum-salary contract and is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, underwent offseason surgery to address an impingement in his right ankle. He was unable to participate in Houston’s training camp or the preseason while he was recovering from that injury.
A former undrafted free agent who played four years of college ball at Ohio State, Tate has seen his minutes decline in each of his six seasons with the Rockets. The veteran forward had a brief G League stint in late November because he wanted to get some playing time and a chance to find his rhythm.
It’s unclear if Tate will make it back before the regular season ends on April 12, but based on Udoka’s timeline, the veteran combo forward should return prior to the postseason. The Rockets are currently 34-21, the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Kings Sign Killian Hayes To 10-Day Contract
February 23: The Kings have officially signed Hayes, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets.
February 22: The Kings plan to sign free agent guard Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Detroit selected Hayes with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, but he struggled with offensive efficiency during his Pistons tenure and the team waived him in February 2024.
Still just 24 years old, Hayes has largely been out of the NBA for the past two seasons. He spent most of last season in the G League with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island, averaging 17.3 points, 7.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals on .463/.371/.689 shooting in 33 games (32.9 minutes per contest).
Hayes, who played six games with the Nets in 2024/25 on a 10-day contract, signed an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with the Cavaliers in the fall to secure a bonus for playing for their affiliate team, the Cleveland Charge. Through 28 games with the Charge this season, Hayes is averaging 23.1 PPG, 8.3 APG, 3.9 RPG and 1.7 SPG on .468/.325/.800 shooting.
The Kings have an opening on their standard roster, which means they won’t need to waive anyone to sign Hayes. As a five-year veteran, Hayes will earn $153,330 over the course of his 10 days with Sacramento, while the Kings will carry a cap charge of $131,970.
Jazz’s Jusuf Nurkic To Undergo Surgery, Miss Rest Of Season
Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic will undergo a surgical procedure on his nose on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, NBA on Prime insider Chris Haynes reports (via Twitter).
According to Haynes (Twitter link), Nurkic has had issues breathing and sleeping since he broke his nose a few years ago.
Nurkic has appeared in 41 games this season, including 36 starts. The 31-year-old big man averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 26.4 minutes per game.
Nurkic hasn’t played since the All-Star break. Earlier in the season, he missed time due to a toe injury and also had several DNP-CDs. He was a prime candidate to be dealt before the Feb. 5 trade deadline due his expiring $19.3MM contract.
The Jazz never found a suitable deal for him, so instead that money will come off their cap and Nurkic will be seeking a new opportunity as an unrestricted free agent. Utah is expected to have significant cap space this offseason to chase free agents and facilitate trades, though the team may also have interest in bringing back Nurkic.
The Jazz raised eyebrows over the summer when they attached a second-round pick to Collin Sexton in a trade with Charlotte for Nurkic, who was coming off a down year. However, the big man played a larger role than anticipated due to Walker Kessler‘s season-ending shoulder injury.
With Nurkic, Kessler, and Jaren Jackson Jr. all out for the rest of the season, Kyle Filipowski, Kevin Love and Oscar Tshiebwe are Utah’s options in the middle.
Dejounte Murray Expected To Make Season Debut Tuesday
February 23: Murray believes he’ll make his season debut on Tuesday, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. New Orleans hosts Golden State tomorrow.
February 20: Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray has been sidelined since January 31, 2025 after rupturing his right Achilles tendon, but he’s close to returning to action. The one-time All-Star went through full practices on Wednesday and Thursday, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
“He’s close,” interim head coach James Borrego said after Thursday’s practice. “I’d say in the next week, he’s back on the floor playing NBA games, which is amazing.”
Murray, whom the Pelicans acquired in the 2024 offseason in a trade with Atlanta, had a tough start to his tenure in New Orleans. He fractured his left hand in the team’s 2024/25 season opener, causing him to miss 17 games, then suffered the torn Achilles a few months later.
The 29-year-old made 31 appearances last season, averaging 17.5 points, 7.4 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. He struggled with his offensive efficiency, posting an underwhelming .393/.299/.823 shooting slash line.
Murray has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. Milwaukee, but Borrego is optimistic about what the former All-Defensive guard will bring to the Pelicans when he makes his season debut.
“I’m expecting a lot from him,” Borrego said, per Walker. “He’s coming off a massive injury, but what I’ve seen has been encouraging. I look forward to watching him.”
Dillon Brooks Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Broken Left Hand
FEBRUARY 23: Brooks is projected to miss four-to-six weeks with the injury, sources tell Charania (Twitter link). The 30-year-old wing requires surgery, adds John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (via Twitter).
FEBRUARY 21: Suns forward Dillon Brooks left Saturday’s game with a broken left hand, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Team doctors will meet soon to determine how long Brooks is expected to be sidelined, Charania adds.
The injury occurred midway through the first quarter when Brooks took a jump shot that was contested by Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr., according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Carter appeared to make contact with Brooks’ non-shooting hand, and Brooks grabbed it after the play.
He left the game with 4:46 remaining in the quarter and didn’t return. Ryan Dunn replaced him in the starting lineup for the second half.
Acquired from Houston over the summer as part of the Kevin Durant trade, Brooks has been a vital part of the turnaround in Phoenix with his play on the court and his effect on the team’s culture.
Coming into today, Brooks was averaging a career-high 21.2 points, along with 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists through 49 games with .441/.343/.856 shooting numbers. He has also brought toughness to a team that lacked it last year, along with a feisty attitude that recently resulted in a one-game suspension for picking up his 16th technical foul of the season.
It’s a rough blow for a 33-24 Phoenix team that’s solidly in the race for a top-six finish in the West, which would mean a guaranteed playoff spot. The Suns announced earlier today that star guard Devin Booker will miss at least a week with a right hip strain, and Jordan Goodwin also left Saturday’s game with a calf injury, Rankin tweets.
Sixers’ Johni Broome Out Indefinitely With Torn Meniscus
Rookie big man Johni Broome suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee on Saturday while playing for the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League, the Sixers announced in a press release.
Broome will consult with medical professionals to determine how to treat the injury, per the team. Meniscus injuries can be addressed surgically – by either repairing or removing the cartilage – or, in some cases, non-surgically. Broome’s recovery timeline will be determined based on which treatment plan he and the team choose.
The 23-year-old forward/center starred in college at Morehead State (two years) and Auburn (three years) prior to being selected with the 35th overall pick in the 2025 draft. However, he hasn’t been able to crack Philadelphia’s rotation in his first NBA season, playing just 55 total minutes across 11 appearances.
Broome has been a regular contributor for the Blue Coats, averaging 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals on .463/.287/.656 shooting in 26 games (32.8 minutes per contest). He’s on a four-year standard contract and will earn a guaranteed $2.15MM in 2026/27, but the following two seasons are non-guaranteed.
Wizards Convert Tristan Vukcevic To Three-Year Contract
4:54 pm: The Wizards announced Vukcevic’s multi-year contract and Black’s two-way deal in a press release.
11:52 am: The Wizards are promoting two-way center Tristan Vukcevic on a three-year, $9MM standard contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The third year of the deal will be a team option.
Washington had just 13 players on standard contracts, along with Alondes Williams, whose 10-day contract expires on Wednesday. Thus, no corresponding move needs to be made on the 15-man roster.
To fill the two-way spot that will open up when Vukcevic is promoted, the Wizards are signing wing Leaky Black, Charania adds in another tweet.
Vukcevic, a 2023 second-round pick, has appeared in 35 games this season (five starts). He’s averaging 7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.7 blocks in 12.3 minutes per game. He entered the All-Star break with nine games remaining before his NBA eligibility for a two-way player this season reached the 50-game limit.
Vukcevic originally signed a standard contract with the organization as a rookie. Washington held a team option on his 2024/25 contract and declined it, then re-signed him to a two-way deal in the summer of 2024. He remained with the Wizards by signing another two-way contract last offseason.
Black, who went undrafted out of North Carolina in 2023, spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Hornets, then played last season for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate. He made 26 NBA appearances for Charlotte in 2023/24, averaging 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game.
In 44 games last season for the Go-Go, Black averaged 7.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 26.7 minutes per contest. He participated in Wizards training camp but was waived in mid-October. He returned to the Go-Go and has averaged 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.2 minutes per game over 35 contests.
The Wizards will use a portion of their mid-level exception to sign Vukcevic to a three-year deal. Black, meanwhile, will be eligible to be active for up to 15 regular season games on his new two-way contract.
Rudy Gobert Suspended One Game After Another Flagrant Foul
February 21: Gobert’s latest flagrant foul 1 was upheld and he has been suspended for Sunday’s game, the NBA confirmed in a press release (Twitter link)
February 20: Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who has accumulated six flagrant foul points this season, is likely to be suspended for Sunday’s contest vs. Philadelphia after receiving a flagrant foul 1 in Friday’s game vs. Dallas, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (Twitter link).
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year was given the flagrant at the end of the second quarter for a play involving Marvin Bagley (video link). It was initially called a common foul, but upon a review from the officials, Gobert was assessed the flagrant for “unnecessary flail contact to the neck area of Bagley.”
Gobert already received a one-game suspension from the NBA last month after accruing his sixth flagrant foul point for a reckless closeout on Victor Wembanyama. Assuming his latest flagrant foul 1 is upheld by the league, the 33-year-old big man will lose another $201,149 of his salary, while the Wolves will receive a tax variance credit of $100,575.
With Gobert likely now at seven flagrant foul points, any future flagrants will result in an automatic two-game suspension. His flagrant counter will reset in the playoffs, Hine notes (Twitter links), but if Gobert receives a flagrant in either the penultimate or final game of the regular season, his suspension would carry over to the postseason.
Through 54 games, Gobert is averaging 11.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest. He finished Friday’s win with 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes.
Devin Booker Suffers Right Hip Strain, Out At Least One Week
Suns star Devin Booker has been diagnosed with a right hip strain and will be out at least one week, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link via Law Murray of The Athletic).
Booker suffered the injury in Thursday’s loss to San Antonio. The 29-year-old shooting guard went to the locker room midway through the first quarter and attempted to return late in the second quarter before being ruled out for the second half.
Injuries have been an issue as of late for Booker, who missed eight of 10 games prior to the All-Star break due to a right ankle sprain. He’s likely to miss at least four more games as a result of the hip strain, which would increase his season-long total to 16. That’s noteworthy, because Booker needs to play at least 65 contests to qualify for major postseason awards.
Booker has averaged 24.7 points, 6.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds on .454/.308/.861 shooting in 44 games this season (33.3 minutes per contest). Phoenix is 27-17 when Booker plays this season but has gone just 5-7 without the team’s best player.
The Suns also provided an injury update on Haywood Highsmith, who recently signed a two-year deal with Phoenix. While the 6’5″ forward is progressing from offseason knee surgery, he will continue to rehabilitate and will be checked out again in two-to-three weeks. That echoes recent reporting from John Gambadoro, who said Highsmith was at least a few weeks away from making his Suns (and season) debut.