Nikola Jokic, Julius Randle Fined For Game 4 Altercation
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been fined $50K and Timberwolves forward Julius Randle has been fined $35K following an altercation that occurred in the final seconds of the Wolves’ Game 4 victory on Saturday, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
As the game wound down with the Wolves’ victory firmly decided, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels finished a fast-break dunk, which Jokic took exception to. The Nuggets’ star grabbed and shoved McDaniels, earning the more significant fine from the NBA due to the fact that he instigated the incident.
Randle’s penalty as a result of his response, according to the press release, which states that he “escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown.”
Both players were ejected from the game, though – as ESPN’s Anthony Slater notes (via Twitter) – neither was issued a suspension.
Joel Embiid Set To Return For Game 4
The Sixers are getting reinforcements as they look to pull even in their series with Boston, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that star big man Joel Embiid will return in Game 4 after a multi-week absence following appendicitis surgery (Twitter link).
After being upgraded from doubtful to questionable earlier in the day, Embiid went through warm-ups and was ultimately cleared to play. The former MVP had a thick wrap around his stomach as he went through his pregame routine, PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck reports (via Twitter).
Embiid did not look 100% as he went through warm-ups, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (via Twitter), who cautioned fans to not expect too much from him immediately out of the gate.
Still, Embiid has been reinserted into the starting lineup, notes Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (via Twitter), and it’s unclear if he will be playing with a minutes restriction. Kelly Oubre Jr., who was questionable with a sore oblique, has also been cleared to play, per Jones (via Twitter).
The Sixers tied the series 1-1 behind impressive showings from the Tyrese Maxey – VJ Edgecombe backcourt in Game 2, but they dropped a hard-fought Game 3 by a score of 108-100. They will look to take advantage of the home court advantage on Sunday to get themselves back on even footing heading to Boston for Game 5.
Lloyd, Graham, Lindsey Finalists In Bulls’ Front Office Search
Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd, Hawks senior vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, and Pistons senior VP of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey are viewed as the finalists in the Bulls‘ search for a new head of basketball operations, league sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Monday that Chicago was granted permission to interview Lloyd, Graham, Lindsey, Cavs GM Mike Gansey and Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep. According to Fischer and Stein, the initial interviews were conducted virtually, with in-person conversations for the next round of interviews expected to occur next week.
Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that Lloyd was the “obvious frontrunner” for the job, and Fischer and Stein refer to the veteran executive as a “prime target” in Chicago’s search. Bulls advisor John Paxson, the team’s former head of basketball operations, is believed to be a “strong Lloyd advocate,” per the Stein Line’s duo.
Lloyd began his career with the Bulls in 1999 as a media coordinator and worked his way up to the scouting staff and then senior manager of basketball operations. He became assistant GM in Orlando in 2012 before joining Minnesota in 2022 as senior VP of basketball operations. He was promoted to GM two years ago.
Lindsey’s NBA career began in 1996, and he spent time with Utah, San Antonio and Dallas before joining the Pistons in 2024. He has been part of a remarkable rebuilding project that saw Detroit go from the league’s worst record to the East’s top seed in two years.
Graham spent 15 years with New Orleans, including one season as general manager, before moving to Atlanta last summer. He earned a reputation in the Pelicans’ front office for identifying young talent in the draft.
The Bulls are expected to embark on a rebuild, with two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and a surplus of cap room to spend this summer. They also have young players like Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey and Noa Essengue on their current roster.
Victor Wembanyama Cleared To Return Sunday
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol and will return to action on Sunday for Game 4 of the first-round series vs. Portland, according to Shams Charania and Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Spurs confirmed the news in their latest injury report, tweets Mark Medina.
Wembanyama has been in the protocol since Tuesday, when he suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the court during a hard fall in the second quarter of Game 2. Portland was able to even the series by winning that night, but San Antonio responded by pulling away late in Game 3 to retake home court advantage.
The French star lobbied to play in Game 3 after going through his normal workout routine ahead of Friday’s contest, league sources tell Jared Weiss of The Athletic, but he wasn’t cleared by the Spurs or the NBA until Sunday, says Charania (Twitter link).
Wembanyama became the youngest player in NBA history to be named Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday. He was also the first unanimous winner in league history.
Wembanyama recorded 35 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 33 minutes in his playoff debut last Sunday. The 22-year-old big man had five points, four rebounds and a block in 12 minutes on Tuesday prior to the concussion.
With Wembanyama back in action, veteran center Luke Kornet will likely come off the bench for San Antonio after starting in Game 3.
Anthony Edwards To Miss Multiple Weeks With Knee Injury
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Edwards underwent an MRI after injuring his left knee in Saturday’s Game 4 victory over Denver. While the four-time All-Star avoided ligament damage, he’s still expected to be sidelined multiple weeks, according to Charania.
The former No. 1 overall pick sustained the injury late in the second quarter (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). Edwards jumped to contest a layup by Cameron Johnson, and Johnson’s forward momentum caused Edwards to move backward in the air. Edwards landed awkwardly and his left knee buckled. He immediately grabbed at his knee on the ground.
Edwards entered the playoffs dealing with a nagging right knee injury, which caused him to miss extended time at the end of the regular season. He averaged 18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks through four playoff games, but struggled with efficiency, posting a shooting slash line of .358/.258/.857.
It’s another tough blow for the Timberwolves, who lost starting guard Donte DiVincenzo to a torn right Achilles tendon early in the first quarter of Saturday’s win. Head coach Chris Finch was emotional when he discussed DiVincenzo’s impact after the game, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
“I mean, it’s …,” Finch’s voice cracked as he talked about DiVincenzo. “Yeah, I feel completely devastated for Donte. He was playing so well. He’s having such a great season. He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do. You could just see the look in his eye when it happened. You kind of knew.”
With DiVincenzo and Edwards out, trade deadline acquisition Ayo Dosunmu carried Minnesota’s offense in the second half, finishing with a career-high 43 points ahead of unrestricted free agency this summer, Thompson writes. Dosunmu was 13-of-17 from the field, including 5-for-5 from long distance, and knocked down all 12 of his free throws.
“I didn’t know he was that damn good,” Julius Randle said of Dosunmu. “I don’t remember playing against him as much. I feel like when I was in the East and he was with Chicago, that was those DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine teams. … I don’t know if the opportunity was there as much. But damn, I’m glad we got him.”
Minnesota will look to close out its first-round matchup against the Nuggets on Monday, when the series returns to Denver. The Wolves hold a 3-1 lead, but will be missing two of their best players for the rest of the series.
Former NBA Forward Sasha Vezenkov Named EuroLeague MVP
Olympiacos forward Sasha Vezenkov has been named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player for the 2025/26 season, per a press release.
Vezenkov, who also claimed EuroLeague MVP in ’22/23, joins Anthony Parker as the only players who have won the award two times. Parker, a former NBA shooting guard, is currently the general manager of the Magic.
The 57th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Vezenkov played for several years overseas prior to signing a multiyear deal with the Kings in the summer of 2023. The 30-year-old only spent one season in Sacramento, averaging 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game across 42 appearances, prior to being traded to Toronto the 2024 offseason. He gave up his full 2024/25 salary in a buyout with the Raptors to return to Olympiacos on a new multiyear deal.
Vezenkov, the runner-up for last year’s EuroLeague MVP award, helped guide Olympiacos to a 26-12 record this season, which was the top mark in the league. The 6’8″ forward led the league in scoring at 19.4 points per game on an excellent shooting slash line of .543/.396/.892. He also grabbed 6.6 rebounds per contest in his 34 appearances (28.4 minutes).
The EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player award is voted on by head coaches (35%), team captains (35%), media members (20%), and fans (10%). Vezenkov beat out Zalgris Kaunas guard Sylvain Francisco and Hapoel Tel Aviv wing Elijah Bryant, who finished second and third in voting, respectively.
Vezenkov, Francisco and Bryant headline the All-EuroLeague First Team, which was rounded out by Olympiacos center Nikola Milutinov and Valencia Basket guard Jean Montero, who also claimed the Rising Star award. Five former NBA players — Wade Baldwin, Tyler Dorsey, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and Walter Tavares — were voted to the All-EuroLeague Second Team.
Donte DiVincenzo Suffers Torn Right Achilles
9:41 pm: DiVincenzo’s injury has been confirmed as a torn right Achilles, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The recovery process typically takes about a year, so DiVincenzo may be forced to miss all of next season. He’s under contract for $12.54MM in 2026/27 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
9:27 pm: The Wolves have also ruled out star guard Anthony Edwards for the rest of the game with a left knee injury after a collision with Denver’s Cameron Johnson late in the second quarter (Twitter video link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). Scotto adds that DiVincenzo left the arena in a wheelchair.
8:33 pm: Donte DiVincenzo has been declared out for the rest of Game 4 after suffering a lower right leg injury early in the first quarter, the Timberwolves announced (via Twitter).
DiVincenzo collapsed to the court after attempting a three-pointer a little more than a minute into the contest (Twitter video link from ESPN). He grabbed at the leg and signaled to the team’s bench for assistance.
There was no contact on DiVincenzo’s injury, which raises concerns about possible Achilles damage. However, no diagnosis has been made by the team.
DiVincenzo averaged 14.3 PPG in the first three games of the series and has been particularly effective in Minnesota’s two victories. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Game 2 win at Denver while shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He followed that up with 15 points, four rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Game 3.
Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland both figure to see expanded roles if DiVincenzo is unable to return during the series, and Terrence Shannon Jr. may be inserted into the rotation as well.
Potential Lottery Pick Aday Mara Testing Draft Waters
University of Michigan center Aday Mara has decided to enter his name in this year’s draft but will maintain his college eligibility, Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Mara, a potential lottery pick, played a major role in the Wolverines’ national championship season as their starting big man after transferring from UCLA. Mara came off the bench in two seasons with the Bruins but started 39 of 40 games for Michigan, averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.4 assists in 23.4 minutes per game. Mara ramped up his production in the tournament, averaging 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 blocks.
Mara, a 7’3” native of Spain, shot 66.8 percent from the field but just 56.4 percent from the free throw line. He is ranked No. 14 overall on ESPN’s big board.
Mara joins college teammate Yaxel Lendeborg, a fifth-year senior this past season, as potential lottery selections. Wolverines forward Morez Johnson and point guard Elliot Cadeau have also declared for the draft while maintaining their college eligibility.
The early entry deadline to enter the draft has now expired. All reported early entrants into the draft can be found here. It’s possible that some unreported or unannounced entrants will be added once the NBA releases its official list, which is expected to occur sometime early next week.
Early entrants who are testing the draft waters have until May 27 to withdraw their names if they want to retain the rest of their NCAA eligibility.
Joe Ingles Plans To Join Melbourne United Next Season
Timberwolves wing Joe Ingles is still in the NBA playoffs but he’s already made plans to play in his native Australia in 2026/27. Ingles is expected to finish his career there by signing with Melbourne United for the next National Basketball League (NBL) season, multiple sources told ESPN’s Olgun Uluc.
Ingles is currently playing on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal with Minnesota, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Uluc reported earlier this month that Ingles was aiming to return to Australia and was drawing interest from both Melbourne-based teams — United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix. The Adelaide 36ers were also among his suitors. Ingles began his professional career in the NBL with the now-defunct South Dragons in 2006.
Ingles has represented his country for many years on the international stage, suiting up for the Australian Boomers in five Olympics, including Paris in 2024.
He will be 39 by the time the 2026/27 NBL season begins but with his NBA experience, elite three-point shooting, positional size, and ability as a creator, he could still have an impact in the Australian league.
Ingles has been at the end of the Timberwolves’ bench for the last two seasons, appearing in 19 games in 2024/25 and 27 in ’25/26. He never played more than nine minutes in his first 25 appearances this season before an April 8 stint against Orlando in which he contributed seven points, four rebounds and four assists. He got a chance to play 32 minutes against New Orleans in the regular season finale and racked up 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Ingles made a cameo in Minnesota’s Game 3 victory over Denver on Thursday that gave the Timberwolves a 2-1 in the first-round series.
In 750 career regular-season contests, Ingles has averaged 7.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 23.5 minutes. He’s a career 40.9 percent three-point shooter who had his best seasons with Utah during his first eight years in the league.
Victor Wembanyama Out For Game 3
Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out for Game 3 of the team’s series against the Trail Blazers on Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Wembanyama went through shootaround in the hopes of returning from the concussion that he suffered when he took a hard fall in Game 2, but he has not yet cleared the NBA’s protocol and been given the green light to play.
“Obviously, there’s a lot that goes into that, but he’s doing well and progressing,” head coach Mitch Johnson said, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter video link).
When pressed, Johnson declined to provide more details on his outlook, other than repeating that Wembanyama is making progress.
Backup center Luke Kornet got the start in place of Wembanyama.