Eastern Notes: Young, Ellis, Jackson, Nets, G League Awards
His Wizards debut won’t happen until Thursday, but Trae Young has already earned his first ejection as a member of his new team. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, Young was lobbying for referees in Monday’s game to make a call on Tari Eason after the Rockets forward shoved Wizards wing Jamir Watkins multiple times. Young was initially called for a technical foul before officials conferred and ejected him for walking onto the court.
Head coach Brian Keefe explained to reporters after the game why he didn’t mind the ejection.
“I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great,” Keefe said. “Obviously, the refs missed a call, (in) which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him, because he stuck up for us teammates, and I really care about that type of stuff.”
Young didn’t speak to reporters about the incident, but tweeted a laughing emoji accompanied by the message, “Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times, D.C. But I’m definitely bringing that energy and competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Young isn’t expected to face any additional discipline from the league office for coming onto the court from the bench.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- While he was somewhat overshadowed at the deadline because the Cavaliers also acquired James Harden and Dennis Schröder, guard Keon Ellis has impressed his new teammates and head coach with his tenacity on defense, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). A potential 2026 unrestricted free agent who is currently eligible for a contract extension, Ellis had an incredible five blocks and three steals in Sunday’s win in Brooklyn. “He never gives up on a play,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I’ve never quite seen a player like him defensively. He’s not a massive guy but he plays way bigger than he looks. Length counts. Activity counts. He makes up for probably the strength deficit with his activity.”
- Quenton Jackson‘s new three-year deal with the Pacers will pay him $601,553 – his minimum – for the rest of the season and includes a partial guarantee of $275K on his minimum salary ($2,584,539) for 2026/27, Hoops Rumors has learned. Indiana used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing, which includes a fully non-guaranteed third year.
- The Nets have lost eight straight games to drop to 15-45 on the season, but they’re seeing positive development from rookies like Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf. Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) takes a look at the strides Traore is making, while Peter Botte of The New York Post examines Wolf’s growth.
- Although MarJon Beauchamp has only appeared in two NBA games since signing a two-way contract with the Sixers in December, he’s putting up some big numbers for the Delaware Blue Coats. Beauchamp was named the G League’s latest Player of the Week for averaging 32.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a pair of Blue Coats victories (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Bulls two-way guard Mac McClung was named the league’s Player of the Month for February after averaging 33.0 PPG and scoring no fewer than 24 points in any of his seven games last month for the Windy City Bulls (Twitter link).
Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper Named Rookies Of The Month
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel has won a fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). No other Eastern rookie has earned the honor in 2025/26, as Knueppel has now claimed the award in October/November, December, January, and February.
Knueppel continued to solidify his case for Rookie of the Year recognition by leading Charlotte to an 8-3 record in 11 games in February. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while knocking down more than half of his field goal attempts (50.3%).
Perhaps most impressively, Knueppel made 49-of-101 three-pointers, averaging 4.5 makes per game at a 48.5% clip.
Knueppel had shared Rookie of the Month honors with his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg three times in a row, but with Flagg sidelined for much of February due to a foot injury, Spurs guard Dylan Harper became the first non-Blue Devil to break through this season, earning the Rookie of the Month award in the West.
Harper’s Spurs didn’t lose a single game in February, going 10-0 when he was active. The No. 2 overall pick registered 12.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 25.1 MPG while shooting 55.4% from the floor. San Antonio had a +21.0 net rating during Harper’s 252 minutes on the court in February.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, Wizards forward Will Riley, and Nets guard Nolan Traore were also nominated for Rookie of the Month in the Eastern Conference, while Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Grizzlies guard Javon Small, Kings big man Maxime Raynaud, and Mavericks forward Flagg were the other nominees in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Anthony Edwards, Jalen Duren Named Players Of The Week
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week, while Pistons center Jalen Duren has claimed the award in the East, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Edwards, who was named to his fourth straight All-Star team this season, helped Minnesota go 3-0 in a trio of road games played from February 23 – March 1. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .457/.357/.667 shooting in those three appearances (37.7 minutes per game).
Duren, a first-time All-Star in 2025/26, helped guide Detroit to a 3-1 record last week. The 22-year-old big man averaged 25.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in 34.0 MPG. He shot 63.9% from the field and 73.5% on free throws over the four games.
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Saddiq Bey (Pelicans), Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder).
Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Duren’s teammate Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Brandon Miller (Hornets) were nominated in the East.
Johni Broome Undergoes Partial Meniscectomy, Will Be Reevaluated In Four Weeks
Sixers rookie Johni Broome underwent a partial meniscectomy on Saturday to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, the team announced in a press release. His condition will be reevaluated in four weeks.
Broome, the 35th pick in the 2025 draft, suffered the injury last Saturday while playing for the Delaware Blue Coats in a G League game. He was considering several treatment options and ultimately decided that surgery to repair – rather than remove – the meniscus was his best choice.
The 23-year-old center/power forward has made 11 brief appearances for the Sixers, but he’s seen regular playing time with Delaware, 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).
Broome, a former star at Auburn, signed a four-year standard contract and has a guaranteed $2.15MM salary for next season. His $2.5MM salary for 2027/28 is non-guaranteed, and the Sixers hold a $2.7MM team option for 2028/29.
Joel Embiid Out At Least Three Games With Oblique Strain
Sixers center Joel Embiid will miss the next three games with a strained right oblique, relays Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
The team issued a statement saying Embiid underwent an MRI Saturday morning that revealed the injury. Philadelphia will play Sunday night at Boston before hosting San Antonio on Tuesday and Utah on Wednesday. Embiid will be reevaluated following the back-to-back.
Embiid was experiencing pain in his midsection during Thursday’s win over Miami, according to Adam Aaronson of Philly Voice. He briefly went to the locker room after inadvertently being hit by Kel’el Ware, but was able to return and hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minute. Coach Nick Nurse didn’t have an update for reporters after the game, and Embiid left before the locker room was opened to the media.
Embiid wasn’t able to participate in this morning’s practice, Aaronson adds, which prompted the MRI.
Embiid appeared in two games this week after being sidelined since February 7 due to knee and shin issues. He has been available for 33 of the Sixers’ 59 games this season, averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.2 minutes per night with .495/.318/.858 shooting numbers.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, McCain, Nets, Pritchard
Sixers center Joel Embiid, who had been out since February 7 due to knee and shin injuries, returned to action on Tuesday in Indiana and didn’t miss a beat, racking up 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 26 minutes of action as Philadelphia cruised to a 135-114 victory.
“He just takes so much pressure off us offensively,” teammate Tyrese Maxey said, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). “They’ve got to pay attention to him. … And then when I’m second pass right there next to him, it’s hard to (double team) too, so there’s a lot of space out there on the court.”
While the 76ers referred to Embiid’s latest ailment as shin soreness, the big man said on Tuesday that it was actually a stress reaction in his right leg, admitting that it was initially “painful to walk.”
Embiid has dealt with his share of injuries over the years, but told reporters after the win over the Pacers that he hadn’t been familiar with the treatment or recovery process for a stress reaction. As Mizell relays, the former MVP expects to handle it going forward like he dealt with his surgically repaired knee earlier this season, with the team closely monitoring the leg and managing his workload.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Looking back at the Sixers‘ decision to trade Jared McCain at the deadline, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) explains why it was more than just a financially motivated deal to duck the luxury tax line. In what should be a stacked 2026 draft, the first-rounder Philadelphia acquired from Oklahoma City in the trade (Houston’s pick) should have real value this spring, even if it ends up in the early- to mid-20s, Gozlan writes.
- Exploring what the NBA’s anti-tanking efforts could mean for Brooklyn, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) suggests the Nets were already planning on pivoting from a full-fledged rebuild to being more competitive in 2026/27, when they won’t control their own first-round pick. As a result, any rule changes shouldn’t have a significant impact on the front office’s approach to the 2026 offseason, Lewis says.
- Although he scored just eight points of 2-of-13 shooting vs. Phoenix on Tuesday, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is still averaging 21.6 points and 6.1 assists per game with a .504/.429/.900 shooting line in eight games since being made a reserve. Speaking earlier this week about Pritchard’s move to the bench, head coach Joe Mazzulla said the 28-year-old will “impact winning” in any role and is willing to do whatever gives the team the best chance to win (Twitter video link via Law Murray of The Athletic). Pritchard has actually increased his minutes per game from 32.6 as a starter to 34.3 as a reserve, so the move to the second unit hardly represents a demotion.
Community Shootaround: Who Will Come Out Of The East?
The Pistons have held the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference since early November and have maintained a firm grip on that spot. At 42-14, Detroit has a 4.5-game lead on its next-closest competitor in the conference and has a 10-2 record against the other Eastern teams currently in playoff (ie. top-six) position.
However, there are still questions about the Pistons’ ability to win three consecutive playoff series and represent the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals. A relative lack of postseason experience is one potential concern. Detroit’s first-round exit last spring represented the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019 and the only taste of the postseason that young stars like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren have gotten so far.
A lack of offensive firepower is another possible red flag for the Pistons. The team leans heavily on Cunningham for scoring and shot creation and lacks reliable play-makers and knock-down shooters alongside him. Detroit ranks 28th in the NBA in three-point makes per game (11.1).
Monday’s loss to San Antonio exposed those flaws and cast a spotlight on Trajan Langdon‘s decision not to be more aggressive at this month’s trade deadline, notes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). The Pistons’ only real pre-deadline acquisition was wing Kevin Huerter, who has struggled with his outside shot this season and fallen out of the team’s rotation in the past three games.
If not the Pistons, who else could come out of the East this spring? Well, the Celtics hold the No. 2 seed despite being without Jayson Tatum all season as the All-NBA forward recovers from an Achilles tear. With Jaylen Brown taking on the primary role, Boston has built the best offense in the conference without its usual leading scorer, writes Esfandiar Baraheni of The Athletic, posting a 120.0 offensive rating that exceeds the team’s mark from 2024/25.
Still, there’s no guarantee Tatum will be able to return to action before the end of this season, and the Celtics would miss him more in big postseason moments than they do in a typical regular season game. And even if Tatum does make it back in the coming weeks, is it realistic to expect him to be back to his old self in time for the playoffs after such a lengthy layoff and challenging rehab process?
The Knicks, who have the NBA’s third-best offensive rating, hold the No. 3 spot in the East at 37-22 and are coming off a conference finals appearance in 2025. New York is a good team, but under new head coach Mike Brown, the club has also looked “like a world beater one quarter and a bottom-feeder the next,” according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, who suggests we may not know for sure until the playoffs how good the Knicks really are.
Interestingly, none of those three teams are currently the betting favorites to win the East, according to most sportsbooks. That honor belongs to the Cavaliers, who have looked resurgent in recent weeks after a shaky start to the season and have pulled into a tie with the Knicks at 37-22. The Cavs, winners of 13 of their past 15 games, have “renewed confidence” following the deadline acquisition of James Harden, head coach Kenny Atkinson said following his team’s victory over New York on Tuesday (story via Jamal Collier of ESPN).
“We understand we’re a better team,” Atkinson said. “That spirit, that confidence for some strange reason, it makes you play harder, compete harder, compete harder defensively. I felt like we were kind of missing that edge, that belief. I feel like we’re regaining that. A lot of it has to do with who we added in the trade.”
The Cavaliers were widely viewed as a favorite to win the East in the fall after winning 64 regular season games in 2024/25 and being derailed by injuries in the playoffs. Enthusiasm about their ceiling waned as they hovered around .500 through Christmas, but it has been building again as of late. For what it’s worth, the Cavs are also the only one of the East’s projected playoff teams that doesn’t have a losing record against the Pistons so far in ’25/26 — the teams have split their two matchups.
The Raptors, Sixers, Magic, Heat, Hawks, and Hornets are all lurking in the Eastern Conference playoff picture as potential threats.
A Philadelphia team that has Joel Embiid and Paul George wouldn’t be an easy out. The same is true of a fully healthy Orlando squad, though we haven’t seen that very often in the past year or two. Charlotte still has a ways to go to even make the playoffs and would be an underdog in a first-round series, but few teams have been hotter in recent weeks — since January 22, only the Cavs (12-2) and Spurs (11-2) have a better record than the Hornets (12-3).
We want to know what you think. Which team do you expect to represent the East in the NBA Finals this season? Is Tatum’s potential return the wild card that could swing your decision or are there other factors you think will ultimately determine how the postseason plays out in the Eastern Conference?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Injury Notes: Goodwin, Giannis, Embiid, Flagg, D. Green
Suns guard Jordan Goodwin, who suffered a left calf injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Orlando, underwent an MRI on Sunday and has been diagnosed with a left calf strain, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter links).
It’s the latest in a string of discouraging health updates for the Suns, who recently lost their two leading scorers — Devin Booker (right hip strain) and Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture) — to injuries.
While it’s unclear how long Goodwin will be sidelined, a strained calf typical results in a player missing weeks, not days. We’ll have to wait for more information from Phoenix to learn the severity of Goodwin’s injury.
The 27-year-old has been a key rotation player for the Suns in 2025/26, averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 54 games (22.4 minutes per contest). Goodwin will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo went through a pregame workout ahead of Sunday’s game vs. Toronto, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter video link). The Greek forward, who has been out since January 23 due to a right calf strain, did some scrimmaging in Saturday’s practice, head coach Doc Rivers said, but he has not yet played 5-on-5 (Twitter link via Nehm). “We were in the gym and did some 3-on-3 stuff. 4-on-4 and 3-on-3, I think, live. That was good,” Rivers said.
- Sixers center Joel Embiid will miss his fifth straight game on Sunday due to right knee and shin soreness, writes Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Philadelphia has been in a major rut lately without the former MVP, having lost four straight contests.
- Rookie standout Cooper Flagg was out for the third consecutive time on Sunday at Indiana, but the Mavericks forward is making progress from a left mid-foot sprain, as Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News relays (via Twitter). “He’s feeling better. Had a good workout today,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. We’ll practice (in Indiana) tomorrow because of the weather (in New York). We’ll see how he feels after that practice.”
- Veteran forward/center Draymond Green was a late scratch for Sunday’s game against Denver because of a lower back injury, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). Green had not previously been on the team’s injury report.
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.
Projected NBA Taxpayers For 2025/26
While seven NBA teams are still operating in luxury tax territory following the All-Star break, that total has been cut in half since the start of the month.
Prior to an eventful trade deadline week, a total of 14 teams projected to be taxpayers, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), with the 16 non-taxpayers on track to receive about $13.8MM apiece in tax distribution money at that point.
However, the Celtics, Nuggets, Suns, Mavericks, Sixers, Magic, and Raptors all ducked below the tax line with their pre-deadline transactions, while a few other teams remained in the tax but took steps to significantly reduce their end-of-season bills.
Cleveland, for instance, had been projected to pay nearly $164MM in tax penalties, according to Marks. The Cavaliers will likely still have the NBA’s highest tax bill, but their deadline deals reduced their projected payment by more than $95MM, according to Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom.
Here are the current projected tax penalties, per Pincus’ data:
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $68.67MM
- Golden State Warriors: $65.67MM *
- New York Knicks: $44.44MM
- Los Angeles Lakers: $22.65MM *
- Houston Rockets: $7.07MM
- Los Angeles Clippers: $6.67MM *
- Minnesota Timberwolves: $5.48MM
Total: $220.65MM
Note: Teams marked with an asterisk are paying repeater tax rates.
These numbers may fluctuate a little before the end of the season. For instance, the Clippers recently increased their projected bill when they promoted Jordan Miller to their standard roster, while the Knicks did the same when they signed Jeremy Sochan. The Warriors, Rockets, and Timberwolves all have open roster spots that they could fill before the end of the season, which would increase their respective tax bills. Various contract incentives that go earned or unearned could also impact the end-of-season tax totals.
Based on the current figures from Pincus, each non-taxpayer is projected to receive a payout of about $4.8MM. That figure is determined by cutting the total league-wide tax penalties in half, then dividing them evenly among the non-taxpaying teams (in this case, 23 clubs).
While it’s no real surprise that that figure is far below the $13.8MM projection from a few weeks ago, it’s worth noting that it’s significantly less than what non-taxpayers received last year. In 2024/25, 10 taxpayers paid a total of $461.21MM in penalties and the 20 non-taxpayers received $11.53MM apiece, according to Pincus.
Assuming these are the seven teams that finish the season in tax territory, the Warriors, Lakers, and Clippers would all be subject to repeater penalties in 2026/27 if they’re taxpayers again next season. Additionally, the Bucks, Celtics, Suns, and Nuggets would pay repeater rates if they’re in the tax in ’26/27, since all four clubs were in the tax for three straight years from 2023-25. They’ll each need to spend one more season as a non-taxpayer in order to reset the repeater clock.