Donovan Mitchell (Groin) To Miss Second Straight Game Friday
Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who was out for Wednesday’s loss in Milwaukee, will miss his second straight game on Friday when the Cavaliers play at Detroit, tweets Jamal Collier of ESPN. Mitchell has a right groin strain.
The Cavs have gone 2-3 so far this season without Mitchell, a seven-time All-Star who last suited up on Tuesday vs. New York. He had 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 31 minutes in the win over the Knicks.
The 29-year-old is having another stellar season for Cleveland, averaging 28.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals on .483/.369/.852 shooting splits. He has made 55 appearances so far in 2025/26 (33.5 minutes per game).
Mitchell’s new backcourt running mate James Harden is also dealing with an injury, having been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb. According to Collier, Harden had his injured digit heavily wrapped when he exited the locker room on Wednesday, when he was inactive. The former MVP is questionable for Friday’s game.
Harden isn’t the only Cavs guard who has a broken finger — Keon Ellis has a fractured left index finger, per the league’s official injury report, and is questionable to play against the Pistons. Point guard Dennis Schröder and forward Dean Wade are both battling right ankle sprains and are questionable as well.
It’s worth noting that Harden’s and Ellis’ fractures are both to their non-shooting hands. It remains to be seen how their injuries will impact their performance. Ellis’ ailment likely occurred on Wednesday, as he played 29 minutes against the Bucks.
Pacers’ Obi Toppin Upgraded To Available Thursday
February 26: Toppin will return on Thursday, head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
“Toppin will play tonight,” Carlisle said. “He will be on a minutes restriction and it’s safe to assume he’ll be on a minutes restriction the rest of the season.”
February 25: Pacers forward Obi Toppin is on the verge of returning to action after missing nearly the entire 2025/26 season. As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files notes (via Twitter), Toppin has been upgraded to questionable to play on Thursday vs. Charlotte.
Toppin, who will turn 28 next Wednesday, was active for just three games this fall before suffering a right foot injury on October 26 in Minnesota. He underwent surgery to place a screw in the fifth metatarsal bone in his foot after being diagnosed with a partial stress fracture and was ruled out for at least three months.
The Pacers’ roster has been decimated by injuries over the course of the season, resulting in the team tumbling down the standings after making it to within one win of a championship last spring. This year’s squad is 15-44 and could have simply given Toppin the rest of the season to recover from his foot surgery, focusing on getting him back to 100% for 2026/27.
However, it appears the sixth-year forward is in the final stages of his recovery process and will get back on the floor for Indiana in the near future. Being listed as questionable doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be active on Thursday, but it suggests his return is pretty close. If he ends up being ruled out for that game vs. Charlotte, his next opportunity to play would be on Sunday vs. Memphis.
Toppin was a valuable rotation player for last season’s Eastern Conference champions, appearing in 79 games and averaging a career-high 10.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game with a strong .529/.365/.781 shooting line. He played in all 23 playoff games for the Pacers and averaged 9.4 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 19.1 MPG off the bench during the club’s run to Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Wizards’ Jamir Watkins Receives Promotion, Two-Year Deal
3:45 pm: Watkins’ new standard contract will pay him $1,131,970 for the rest of the season, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter). The second season of Watkins’ deal — 2026/27 — features a non-guaranteed minimum-salary team option, two league sources tell Robbins.
12:35 pm: The Wizards have officially signed Watkins to a standard contract, the team confirmed today in a press release.
10:46 am: The Wizards are promoting two-way player Jamir Watkins to their 15-man roster and will sign him to a new two-year contract, his agents at CAA Sports tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Watkins, 24, was the 43rd overall pick in the 2025 draft. The Wizards selected him using one of the three second-rounders they received from Utah when they traded down from No. 18 to No. 21 in the first round.
Watkins, who signed a two-way contract last July, played a limited role at the NBA level during the first half of the 2025/26 season but has emerged in recent weeks as a regular contributor for the Wizards. In 16 appearances since January 16, the 6’6″ wing has averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.8 minutes per game.
As Charania points out, Watkins has been playing his best basketball of the season as of late, having scored double-digit points in six consecutive outings after doing so just twice through the trade deadline. The rookie guard/forward is also considered a strong perimeter defender.
Watkins is the second Wizards two-way player to earn a promotion to the standard roster in the past week, joining big man Tristan Vukcevic. As we noted earlier today, Washington used a portion of its mid-level exception to give Vukcevic more than a minimum salary for the rest of the season. It’s unclear if the team will do the same with Watkins or whether he’ll receive any guaranteed money beyond 2025/26 on his new contract.
The Wizards have an open spot on their 15-man roster after Alondes Williams‘ 10-day contract expired on Wednesday night, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Watkins. The signing will open up a two-way slot in D.C. alongside Sharife Cooper and Leaky Black.
Anthony Edwards Fined $25K By NBA
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $25K for “throwing the game ball with force into the spectator stands,” the NBA announced on Thursday (via Twitter).
The incident occurred at halftime during Minnesota’s three-point victory at Portland on Tuesday, per the league.
Edwards, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 draft, was fined several times during the 2024/25 campaign. However, aside from technical fouls, this is the four-time All-Star’s first fine of ’25/26.
When Edwards was named to the All-NBA Second Team in ’23/24, it increased the value of his rookie scale max extension from 25% to 30% of the ’24/25 salary cap. He’s now in the second season of that five year contract, and will earn $202.4MM over the next four seasons. In other words, the $25K penalty Edwards received won’t have much of an impact on his bank account.
Edwards looks like a strong candidate to make another All-NBA team this season, as he’s averaging a career-high 29.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals on .493/.400/.789 shooting in 49 games (35.6 minutes per contest). The Wolves are currently 36-23, the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Pacers Notes: Jackson, Furphy, Jones, Siakam
Exploring the Pacers‘ options to fill their 15th roster spot, Tony East of Forbes identifies two-way player Quenton Jackson as a clear candidate for a promotion to a standard contract.
Unlike the contracts signed by fellow two-way players Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson, Jackson’s two-way deal expires at season’s end. And because this is his fourth NBA season, he wouldn’t be eligible for another two-way contract in 2026/27, so Indiana would need to move him to the standard roster in order to retain him beyond this year.
Assuming the Pacers decide Jackson is the player they want to fill their open roster spot, it would make sense to sign him to a new deal sooner rather than later. As East outlines, Indiana now has enough room below the luxury tax line to give him either the veteran’s minimum or slightly above it for the rest of the season, and March 4 is the deadline to sign a player to a two-way contract. So if Indiana wants to promote Jackson and back-fill his two-way slot, it would have to happen by next Wednesday.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Second-year guard Johnny Furphy, who tore his right ACL earlier this month, underwent surgery in Chicago on Tuesday to repair that tear, the team announced in a press release. For now, the Pacers have simply ruled out Furphy for the rest of the 2025/26 season, but the typical recovery timeline for that procedure suggests he’ll miss a significant chunk of ’26/27 too.
- Rookie guard Kam Jones didn’t make his NBA debut until late December due to a back injury and didn’t play much in January, but he has appeared in each of Indiana’s past nine games, averaging 26.6 minutes per night during that time. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes in a subscriber-only story, Jones has made the most of his recent opportunity and head coach Rick Carlisle has taken notice, noting that the 2025 second-rounder has a “knack for making intelligent basketball plays.” Carlisle added that Jones is in much better shape now than he was earlier in the season. “It’s hard to really understand if you’re a fan watching from afar how difficult it is to have a two-month head start that everybody gets on you from a conditioning and rhythm standpoint,” Carlisle said. “Really he was unable to do anything on the floor that required running or pounding because of the back situation. You’re seeing now that he’s getting into some real condition.”
- While there’s a chance Obi Toppin will return from foot surgery on Thursday vs. Charlotte, the Pacers will remain shorthanded whether or not the forward is available. Among the players likely to be inactive? Star forward Pascal Siakam, who is listed as doubtful due to a left wrist sprain. Siakam returned on Sunday after missing three straight games with a hamstring injury but injured his wrist and sat out Tuesday’s loss to Philadelphia.
Central Notes: Bucks, Schröder, Allen, Thompson
A Bucks team that fell to 18-29 on February 1 and was facing the prospect of being without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for several more weeks has pulled off an unexpected turnaround in recent weeks, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. With eight wins in its past 10 games, Milwaukee has reentered the play-in race as Antetokounmpo nears a return.
While the Bucks’ current 8-2 stretch began a couple days before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, big man Bobby Portis doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence that the team has been playing better since the deadline passed without Giannis – and most of the rest of the players on the roster – going anywhere.
“So much outside noise about trades, so much outside noise about everything else that doesn’t involve winning, it kind of puts a dark cloud over your locker room,” Portis said. “It’s human nature to go out there and second-guess yourself. Human nature to be like, ‘Am I really gonna be here?’ You know what I’m saying? Now the deadline’s over, guys can just go out there and hoop and just play free and do what’s needed to win.”
As Nehm details, while the Bucks’ recent success has been a team effort, guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins are leading the way. The duo has combined to average 43.3 points and 13.2 assists per game during that 8-2 stretch, with Porter shooting 53.5% from the field and Rollins hitting 49.1% of his three-point attempts.
“I think the more that we’ve been working out together, getting some practice (and) some two-mans in, we’re just confident in those stretches,” Porter said of he and Rollins starting and closing games together. “We gotta continue to do it. There’s nothing like game reps at the end of the day. It’s been a long season, so we’ve had those reps early on, but we were able to learn from those reps, also. So, I think that’s what you’re seeing a little bit of.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- With James Harden out on Wednesday due to a thumb injury, one of the other guards the Cavaliers acquired at this month’s trade deadline stepped up — Dennis Schröder made his first start as a Cav and had 26 points and five assists in a hard-fought loss to Milwaukee, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “I’ve always felt in my mind that he is a starting point guard in this league,” said head coach Kenny Atkinson, who coached Schröder in Atlanta earlier in his career. “That’s the way I’ve always looked at him. He’s done it before. If (Harden is out), then we are covered with Dennis.” Schröder twisted his ankle near the end of the game, but said that he should be “alright” going forward, Fedor notes.
- Although Jarrett Allen has benefited from having Harden as a pick-and-roll partner, the Cavaliers center was already in the midst of a hot streak before the star guard’s arrival in Cleveland, says Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Allen credits a pep talk from Atkinson, who told the veteran big man on January 28 that he needed him to “step up.” Since then, he has averaged 20.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game during a 9-3 stretch for Cleveland. For what it’s worth, Allen was involved in a few trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but the Cavs opted not to make a move.
- Hunter Patterson of The Athletic takes a closer look at Ausar Thompson‘s value to the Pistons, writing that the third-year wing views himself as one of the NBA’s best defensive players. “One thousand percent. I think I’m the best,” he said. “But I can always get better. And I know there are a lot of great defenders, but that’s just the way I feel.” While re-signing center Jalen Duren figures to be Detroit’s top offseason priority, Thompson will also be eligible for an extension beginning in July as he enters the final year of his rookie scale contract.
Bucks Sign Cormac Ryan To Two-Way Contract
Wisconsin Herd guard/forward Cormac Ryan has been called up to the NBA, having signed a two-way contract with the Bucks, according to the official NBA transaction log.
Ryan, who went undrafted out of UNC in 2024, spent his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Blue before joining the Herd this past fall. In 29 appearances for Milwaukee’s G League affiliate this season, he has averaged 20.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 31.2 minutes per game, posting a strong shooting line of .486/.421/.884.
Although it’s only Ryan’s second professional season, he’s already 27 years old, having spent six years at the college level with Stanford, Notre Dame, and North Carolina, so he’s not exactly an up-and-coming young prospect. Still, the Bucks are rewarding him for his strong play in the G League by giving him the first in-season NBA contract of his career — he previously signed non-guaranteed camp deals with OKC and Milwaukee.
The Bucks have had an open two-way spot since waiving Mark Sears in January, so no corresponding roster move will be necessary to create an opening for Ryan. He’ll join Alex Antetokounmpo and Pete Nance as Milwaukee’s two-way players.
As our chart shows, Ryan will be eligible to be active for up to 13 NBA regular season games for the rest of the 2025/26 regular season. He’ll likely also continue to play a key role for the Herd while on his new two-way deal.
Pacific Notes: Murray, Melton, Leons, Garland
It has been a season to forget for Kings forward Keegan Murray. In addition to the fact that Sacramento holds the NBA’s worst record (13-47), Murray has spent the year battling various injuries. His season debut was delayed until November 20 after he underwent surgery on his left thumb. He later missed a pair of games in December due to a mild calf strain, then sat out for a month-and-a-half in January and February while recovering from a left ankle sprain.
Murray suffered another setback on Wednesday in Houston. In just his 23rd game of the season, Murray re-injured that same left ankle, rolling it in the first quarter and sitting out for the rest of the night, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
It remains to be seen whether Murray will face another multi-game absence as a result of his latest ailment, but the Kings have no reason to push him. The lottery-bound team views the fourth-year forward as one of its long-term cornerstones, having signed him last fall to a five-year, $140MM rookie scale extension that will go into effect this July.
We have more from out of the Pacific:
- Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton holds a $3.45MM player option for next season, but he seems less likely to exercise it with each passing day, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Melton, who had a season-high 28 points on Tuesday vs. New Orleans to increase his career-best scoring average to 12.7 PPG, has an incredible +15.7 net rating in his 688 minutes on the floor this season. Poole speculates that the versatile guard’s next contract could be in the range of $15-20MM annually. “It’s really fun to see him performing at this level after being out for a couple years,” head coach Steve Kerr said earlier this week. “He’s such a great guy, such a fantastic teammate. Hell of a player, and I’m really happy for him that he’s healthy and playing at a high level.”
- Forward Malevy Leons hasn’t played much for the Warriors since signing a two-way contract in December, but he proved in Wednesday’s win over Memphis that he’s capable of contributing when called upon. Leons registered nine points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes — all three marks were season highs. “I thought Malevy was awesome,” Kerr said, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Just the energy, defending without fouling, creating some problems for them at the defensive end of the floor and then making some nice plays on offense too. Was fun to watch him play.”
- Darius Garland‘s Clippers debut doesn’t appear to be far off, and his teammates and coaches are looking forward to it. Head coach Tyronn Lue said Garland has “looked great” in practices, while guard Kris Dunn added that the newcomer has already been a great fit off the court, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. “We can’t wait. We’re doing good, we’ve shown some good stuff over the last two (games), but it’s also been tough for us,” forward Nicolas Batum said, referring to losses to the Lakers and Magic. “But that kinda showed us we need him. We can’t wait to have him back on the court with us.”
Jazz Sign Mo Bamba To 10-Day Contract
11:50 am: Bamba’s 10-day deal is official, the Jazz confirmed in a press release. It will run through next Saturday (March 7), covering Utah’s next six games.
10:59 am: The Jazz and center Mo Bamba have reached an agreement on a 10-day contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), citing agents Mark Bartelstein and Greer Love.
The sixth overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, Bamba appeared in a total of 364 regular season games over seven seasons with the Magic, Lakers, Sixers, Clippers, and Pelicans from 2018-25. However, he was unable to secure a guaranteed NBA contract ahead of the 2025/26 season and spent training camp with the Jazz before being waived and reporting to the team’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
The 27-year-old big man has had a big year with the Stars, averaging 17.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game across 22 appearances, with an excellent shooting line of .553/.380/.807.
However, Bamba’s strong G League performance had only earned him a brief stint in the NBA up until this point — he signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Raptors on December 29 to provide frontcourt depth with Jakob Poeltl battling a back issue, but was waived about a week later before his full salary became guaranteed.
Bamba could have a chance to play a more significant role in Utah, where the Jazz’s front line has been hit hard by injuries. Starting center Walker Kessler underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in November and his replacement, Jusuf Nurkic, had a season-ending procedure on his nose earlier this week. Additionally, Jaren Jackson Jr. is done for the season after having a growth in his knee surgically removed, while Lauri Markkanen reportedly suffered an injury in Wednesday’s practice and is still being evaluated.
Bamba will earn $177,064 over the course of his 10-day contract, with Utah taking on a cap hit of $131,970.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 2/26/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included potential buyout candidates, the Bulls' options following an active trade deadline, Jonathan Kuminga's future with the Hawks, a proposed tanking solution and more!
