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Jahlil Okafor Signs 10-Day Contract With Pacers

February 11th, 2025 at 1:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

February 11: Okafor has officially signed his 10-day contract with the Pacers, per NBA.com’s transaction log. The deal will run through February 20, covering Indiana’s next three games and paying Okafor a $150,179 salary.

February 10: Veteran big man Jahlil Okafor is signing a 10-day contract with the Pacers, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets.

The No. 3 pick of the 2015 draft hasn’t played in the league since the 2020/21 season, when he appeared in 27 games with the Pistons. Okafor has played 247 regular season games in his career, with stints in Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New Orleans as well as Detroit. He has posted career averages of 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.

Okafor, 29, had been toiling for the Pacers’ NBA G League team, the Indiana Mad Ants, averaging 18.6 points and 9.1 rebounds in 30 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games. He was selected to participate in the 2025 Up Next event at the NBA’s All-Star weekend.

Okafor was on the Pacers’ training camp roster on an Exhibit 10 contract but was waived before joining their G League squad. The veteran center has also played in China, Spain and Puerto Rico in recent years.

The timing of this move calls into question whether center Alex Len still intends to sign with Indiana after clearing waivers, as has been reported. Len was expected to fill Indiana’s open roster spot. It’s unclear if he has received another offer or will perhaps sign with the Pacers after the All-Star break once Okafor’s deal expires. The club has just two more games prior to the break.

[UPDATE: Len won’t be signing with the Pacers.]

Pelicans Bracing For Herb Jones To Miss Rest Of Season

February 11th, 2025 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

There’s a good chance that Pelicans forward Herbert Jones will be shut down for the season, executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin said today to reporters, including Rod Walker of NOLA.com (Twitter link).

Jones has been out since January 8 due to a torn posterior labrum in his right shoulder. The club indicated at the time that he had been ruled out indefinitely.

As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweeted at the time of Jones’ diagnosis, when a posterior labrum tear is small and the instability in the shoulder is minimal, a non-surgical treatment plan can improve the issue. In other cases, a surgical procedure is necessary.

It’s not clear whether or not Jones will go under the knife, but Griffin noted today that the forward has gotten opinions on the injury from multiple medical experts (Twitter link via Erin Summers).

The 35th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jones has been a valuable role player for New Orleans over the course of his four NBA seasons, particularly on defense — he earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team in 2023/24. The 6’8″ forward averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 32.4 minutes per game this season across 20 appearances (all starts), with a shooting line of .436/.306/.825.

Jones is one of several Pelicans regulars whose 2024/25 campaign was derailed by health issues. With the team lottery-bound at 12-41, it sounds like the goal in New Orleans is to make sure he’s healthy for the start of next season.

Jones is under contract for two more seasons beyond this one — he’s set to make $13.9MM in 2025/26, with a $14.9MM salary for ’26/27. He would be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

Alex Len Not Signing With Pacers

February 11th, 2025 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Alex Len won’t be signing with the Pacers after all, league sources confirm to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Len, who was traded from Sacramento to Washington at the trade deadline, was cut by the Wizards on Saturday, with reporting at the time indicating that he planned to sign with Indiana after clearing waivers. Dopirak heard the same thing over the weekend, but says that deal is no longer moving forward, with Indiana having pivoted to another former lottery pick, Jahlil Okafor.

While Dopirak doesn’t have specific details on why the reported agreement fell through, he notes that there has been “movement” at the center position around the league in recent days, which may have “changed the dynamics” of Len’s decision. Specifically, he points to the Lakers rescinding their trade for Mark Williams as one move that created a notable opening in the middle for a team seemingly headed for a postseason berth.

It’s also worth noting that Dave McMenamin of ESPN cited sources on Monday who said Los Angeles may have pursued Len if he hadn’t agreed to sign with the Pacers. There’s no indication at this point that Len has reached an agreement with the Lakers, but they’re certainly a team worth keeping an eye on here.

The fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len has been a reliable frontcourt option for 12 NBA seasons, spending time with the Suns, Hawks, Raptors, Wizards, and Kings. The 31-year-old Ukrainian has spent the last few seasons as a depth piece in Sacramento, where he made 149 appearances (15 starts) over the course of three-and-a-half seasons, averaging 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game.

David Roddy Signs 10-Day Deal With Sixers

February 11th, 2025 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

February 11: Roddy has officially signed his 10-day contract with the Sixers, the team announced today in a press release.

The deal will run through Feb. 20, covering Philadelphia’s last two games before the All-Star break and its first game after the break. Roddy will earn $119,972 over the course of those 10 days.

The 76ers now have a full 15-man standard roster, though two of those 15 players are on 10-day contracts and the club still has a two-way slot open.

February 9: The Sixers will sign David Roddy to a 10-day contract once he clears waivers, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

The Hawks released the 23-year-old power forward on Friday to create a roster opening so they could complete a two-for-one deal with the Clippers. Atlanta sent Bogdan Bogdanovic to L.A. in exchange for Terance Mann and Bones Hyland.

Roddy appeared in 27 games with the Hawks this season, making three starts and averaging 4.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per night.

Philadelphia will be Roddy’s fourth team in three seasons once the deal is finalized. He spent a year and a half with Memphis before being traded to Phoenix at last year’s deadline. He was dealt again in July as the Suns shipped him to Atlanta.

The Sixers originally selected Roddy with the 23rd pick in 2022 before trading him to the Grizzlies on draft night.

Philadelphia created multiple roster openings with its deadline deals, so another move won’t be necessary to add Roddy. He joins Chuma Okeke, who signed a 10-day deal with the Sixers on Friday, and both players will be eligible for a second 10-day contract when their current ones expire.

Hornets Exploring Options To Dispute Lakers’ Decision To Nix Williams Deal

February 10th, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets have been in contact with the NBA as they explore options to dispute the Lakers’ failed physical assessment of Mark Williams, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

The Lakers rescinded the trade with Charlotte based on their medical assessment of Williams.

The Hornets agreed to part with Williams in exchange for rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, the Lakers’ unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap.

Although both teams announced the trade on Thursday, it remained conditional on Williams and Knecht reporting to their new teams and passing physicals. Since the trade deadline had passed, there was no avenue to amend the deal.

Los Angeles had looked at Williams as an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic, who reportedly urged the front office to find an upgrade at the center spot and “handpicked” the Hornets center as a target.

Meanwhile, the Hornets were in the awkward position of welcoming back Williams, which they did in a statement, while losing all the assets and players in the agreed-upon trade. Knecht and Reddish were also put in awkward spot of returning to a team that had just dealt them away.

The Lakers’ decision to nix the deal could also damage the future trade value of Williams, which would be another motivation for Charlotte to dispute those findings. Williams has only appeared in 85 games during his first two-and-a-half seasons in the league due to a variety of ailments.

Clippers Sign Ben Simmons

February 10th, 2025 at 5:55pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 10: The Clippers have officially signed Simmons, according to a team press release.

FEBRUARY 8: After agreeing to a buyout with the Nets, Ben Simmons has reached a deal to sign with the Clippers, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Los Angeles was one of three teams rumored to be in the mix for Simmons, who will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday after being officially waived by Brooklyn on Saturday. Cleveland and Houston were among the other clubs said to have interest in the former No. 1 overall pick.

Simmons’ career got off to an impressive start in Philadelphia, where he earned 2018 Rookie of the Year honors, made three All-Star teams, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021. However, he had a falling out with the team that resulted in a lengthy holdout and a trade to Brooklyn.

Simmons, who has also dealt with a series of back issues that required multiple surgeries in recent years, has been limited to just 90 total games since being dealt to the Nets at the 2022 deadline. He averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per contest across those 90 appearances.

While Simmons’ extremely limited shooting ability make him a tricky piece to incorporate alongside other non-shooters, he’s still a talented play-maker, defender, and rebounder who should have more significantly value as a low-cost addition on the buyout market than he did on his previous maximum-salary contract.

After making a series of moves ahead of the trade deadline, L.A. entered the day with an open roster spot and $1.9MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

The Clippers still have a portion of their mid-level exception available and could use it to pay Simmons more than the prorated veteran’s minimum, but it’s unclear whether they’ll do so. Either way, it seems safe to assume they won’t cross the tax line as a result of signing Simmons.

As a result of their trade deadline machinations, the Clippers sent out guards Terance Mann, Kevin Porter, and Bones Hyland, so Simmons and fellow newcomer Bogdan Bogdanovic should have an opportunity to earn regular minutes in the backcourt. Given his unique skill set, Simmons could also serve as a de facto big man in certain lineups.

Kyrie Irving Replaces Injured Anthony Davis In All-Star Game

February 10th, 2025 at 5:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has been named by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as the All-Star injury replacement for new teammate Anthony Davis, the league announced in a press release.

Irving will play for Team Shaq in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

It’s the ninth NBA All-Star selection for Irving, who is averaging 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game in his first 42 outings this season. His shooting slash line is .475/.407/.901.

Davis is expected to miss multiple weeks after suffering a left adductor strain in his Dallas debut on Saturday. Injuries to Davis and Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo necessitated two injury replacements for next weekend’s event — the NBA announced earlier today that Hawks guard Trae Young would take Antetokounmpo’s spot.

The All-Star Game, which is debuting a four-team, three-game mini-tournament format, will take place on Sunday at the Warriors’ Chase Center.

Arbitrators Rule In Favor Of Lore, Rodriguez In Timberwolves Ownership Dispute

February 10th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

6:19pm: Taylor has also issued a statement, expressing “disappointment” in the arbitrators’ decision, Mannix tweets.

“Becky and I were disappointed by this 2-1 decision from the panel. We will review the decision thoroughly prior to making any further comment. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Timberwolves and Lynx players, staff, and loyal fans for their support.”

5:03pm: Arbitrators have ruled in favor of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in their legal dispute with Glen Taylor for majority ownership of the Timberwolves, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

The next step is for the league’s Board of Governors to vote on formal approval of Lore and Rodriguez as the team’s majority owners.

The duo released a statement relayed by Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link) that the arbitrators’ decision “endorsed Lore and Rodriguez’s interpretation of the purchase agreement and confirmed that the contractually agreed timeline for Lore and Rodriguez to obtain NBA approval and complete their acquisitions of the teams (including the WNBA’s Lynx) has not expired.”

The statement added that Lore and Rodriguez are “extremely pleased” with the decision and will work the league to “complete the approval process and close the transaction.”

It’s not a slam dunk that they’ll gain Board of Governors approval. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated notes that they’ll need to collect at least 23 of the 30 votes from the league’s owners and Taylor is a former BOG chairman who has a long history with commissioner Adam Silver (Twitter link).

The arbitration hearing to decide the ownership dispute was held in November. The process advanced to arbitration in July after a one-day mediation in the spring failed to make any progress.

The dispute has been ongoing since the tail end of last season. Taylor nixed the previous tiered payment agreement with Lore and Rodriguez, citing a breach of contract and a failure to meet a payment deadline. Lore and Rodriguez disputed that characterization, stating that they had the funds necessary to become majority owners but were awaiting NBA approval and should have been entitled to an extension.

The third payment in dispute would increase Lore and Rodriguez’ share from 36% to about 80% and the purchase agreement stipulated that they could buy out Taylor’s remaining 20% stake anytime before March 2025.

Taylor is now contractually compelled to sell them the controlling share for the previously agreed upon $1.5 billion valuation. The franchise’s value is substantially higher since that agreement, which was a major factor in Taylor’s decision to try to halt the sale.

Nikola Jokic, Trae Young Named Players Of The Week

February 10th, 2025 at 2:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference, while Hawks guard Trae Young has won the award in the East, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).

Jokic helped guide Denver to a perfect 4-0 record last week, averaging a triple-double (29.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 10.3 assists) on remarkable efficiency (.657/.409/.818 shooting line, only 1.8 turnovers) in his four appearances. The Nuggets outscored their opponents by an average of 19.0 points per 100 possessions with Jokic on the court last week.

The three-time MVP has now been named the West’s Player of the Week three times in 2024/25; no other player in the conference has won more than once. Three players in the East (Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo) have won the weekly award two times this season.

It has been a good day for Young, who was also named an All-Star on Monday. He’ll replace Antetokounmpo, who is dealing with a mild calf strain, in the exhibition game.

Young helped Atlanta go 3-1 last week, averaging 31.3 points, 10.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds on .482/.341/.853 shooting in those four games. The former Oklahoma standout is averaging a league-high 11.4 assists per game in ’24/25 (Jokic is second with 10.3).

Jokic beat out Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Anfernee Simons, and his teammate Michael Porter Jr. in the West. Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Garland, Jayson Tatum and Franz Wagner were the other nominees in the East (Twitter link).

Trae Young Named As All-Star Replacement

February 10th, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

Hawks guard Trae Young has been named an All-Star, according to the NBA. The league announced (via Twitter) that Young will replace injured Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Young, 26, has had a down shooting year, with a career-worst 40.9% mark from the field, including 34.0% from beyond the three-point line. However, he’s leading the league with 11.4 assists per game and contributing 23.5 points per night.

While a recent eight-game losing streak cost the Hawks a few spots in the Eastern Conference standings, the team is still slightly exceeding expectations this season. Atlanta currently holds the No. 9 seed in the East with a 25-28 record.

Young has played a major role in those 25 victories — the club has a +0.2 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a team-worst -7.4 mark without him.

Word broke on Sunday that Antetokounmpo would remain sidelined through the All-Star break due to a mild calf strain, necessitating a replacement for this weekend in San Francisco. According to Chris Haynes (Twitter link), Young received the most votes from coaches among Eastern Conference players who didn’t make the initial list of reserves.

After he wasn’t initially named an All-Star, the Hawks guard reacted on Twitter by joking that getting “snubbed” was now known as getting “Traed.”

Antetokounmpo had been drafted onto Charles Barkley‘s roster for Sunday’s four-team event, so Young will take Giannis’ place on Team Chuck, helping to balance a roster heavy on big men. He’ll join Donovan Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the guards on the eight-man squad.