DeAndre Jordan Named 2025/26 Teammate Of The Year
Veteran center DeAndre Jordan appeared in just 12 games as a member of the Pelicans this season, but he has been named the 2025/26 Teammate of the Year, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award recognizes “the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the league.
Pelicans players and interim head coach James Borrego spoke repeatedly over the course of the year about the impact that Jordan had on a young roster despite his extremely limited role.
“To see the growth of our young team, DeAndre had a massive impact on that,” Borrego said near the end of the regular season. “He brought professionalism every day. A voice every day. A respect for every drill, every practice and every moment together.”
The Teammate of the Year award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.
Jordan just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, who has won the award three times and was the last Pelicans player to claim it back in 2020. Jordan earned 66 first-place votes to Holiday’s 39, but the Blazers veteran nearly made up the difference by accumulating more second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-place votes than the big man.
Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:
- DeAndre Jordan, Pelicans (1,445)
- Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers (1,437)
- Jeff Green, Rockets (1,420)
- Garrett Temple, Raptors (1,223)
- Pat Connaughton, Hornets (672)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (659)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (651)
- De’Aaron Fox, Spurs (640)
- Duncan Robinson, Pistons (523)
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder (471)
- Desmond Bane, Magic (445)
- Marcus Smart, Lakers (424)
Jordan’s win snaps a seven-year streak of a point guard being named Teammate of the Year. From 2018-25, Holiday won it three times, Mike Conley won twice, and Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry won once apiece.
Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard Fined By NBA
The Lakers’ backcourt duo racked up a pair of fines for their comments to the referees after Game 4, the league announced (via Twitter).
Marcus Smart has been fined $35K for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” while Luke Kennard was fined $25K for “directing inappropriate language towards game officials,” the NBA said, adding that the offending incidents took place after Game 4 concluded.
Smart, surrounded by both Lakers and Rockets players after the final whistle sounded, appeared to be shouting and pointing at referee James Williams, who ejected both Deandre Ayton and Adou Thiero during the second half of the game. Kennard was on the outskirts of the scrum at the time, talking to someone off screen (Twitter video link).
The Lakers seemed particularly displeased with the ejection of Thiero, a rookie who was playing in his first postseason game. He was thrown out of the game along with Aaron Holiday after the two players physically battled for position under the basket (Twitter video link).
“I’m more pissed off about them kicking Adou out. That was uncalled for and it made no sense,” LeBron James said after the game (Twitter video link). “Think that’s his first time he’s ever been thrown out of a game in his life. I don’t think that was warranted. Give him two technicals, the kid just got in the game, that was ridiculous.”
Amick’s Latest: Lottery Reform, Mosley, Lakers, Wolves, More
A “heavy frontrunner” has emerged as the NBA considers its options to reduce tanking, league and team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.
In March, the league presented three separate lottery reform concepts to its governors to address the problem. It appears option No. 1, which expands the draft lottery to 18 teams from the current 14, has received the best reception, according to Amick. The proposal would give each of the bottom 10 teams an 8% chance of landing the top overall pick, and the remaining 20% would be distributed among the other eight. It’s a significant change from the current system, which provides the three worst teams with a 14% chance at the No. 1 selection, with the odds steadily declining for the rest.
Several general managers that Amick contacted point out that option No. 1 could result in new problems that should be addressed before a vote is taken. There could be an outcry if one of the four lottery teams that reaches the playoffs winds up winning the top overall selection. Although the odds of that happening are slim, the huge jumps taken by Atlanta, Dallas and other teams in the last two lotteries show that it’s possible.
The next step in the process will take place on Tuesday with a league-wide meeting of GMs on Zoom. Draft reform won’t be the only topic of discussion, but it will be the main issue, Amick adds. He hears that commissioner Adam Silver is taking a “collaborative approach,” welcoming extensive feedback, with the league’s competition committee taking the lead and representatives from the players union also involved.
A vote on reform is expected at the next Board of Governors meeting in May, and at least 23 of the 30 teams must approve the proposal for it to be adopted. Silver stated in February that he hopes to have a new system in place by next season.
There’s more from Amick:
- Orlando’s playoff success may be complicating a few expected coaching moves. Amick notes that rumors about Jamahl Mosley being on the hot seat have been circulating since October, and they intensified when the Magic lost their final regular season game and their first play-in contest. Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham were seen as potential replacements, and Mosley was viewed as a possible candidate for the Pelicans. However, Orlando holds a 2-1 lead in its series with top-seeded Detroit, and Amick believes Mosley is worthy of a “second look” from Magic officials if he can get the team to at least the second round.
- Amick addresses a few other coaching situations, including Tiago Splitter‘s unique position with the Trail Blazers and Mike Brown‘s Finals-or-bust mandate with the Knicks. Amick also believes pressure has increased on the Sixers’ Nick Nurse and the Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson following Sunday’s playoff losses.
- The Lakers and Timberwolves have experienced terrible injury luck, with L.A. losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves before its series started and Minnesota seeing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards both suffer significant injuries in Saturday’s game. Amick praises the foresight of the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka and the Wolves’ Tim Connelly for adding depth that gives their teams a chance to survive those losses. Pelinka signed Marcus Smart last summer following a buyout with Washington, then acquired Luke Kennard from Atlanta in February. Connelly made possibly the best deal at this year’s deadline, getting Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in exchange for two little-used players and a package of second-round picks.
Lakers Notes: Game 3 Comeback, Smart, Reaves, Bronny
The Lakers hold a 3-0 lead in their series with Houston after pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in their long playoff history, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Trailing by six points with less than 30 seconds remaining, L.A. rallied to tie the game before claiming a 112-108 win in overtime.
Marcus Smart made a game-changing play by picking off a pass from Jabari Smith Jr. in the backcourt with 27.8 seconds left. He immediately shot an errant three-pointer, but sank all three free throws after being fouled by Jae’Sean Tate.
“It was a smart play,” said Smart, who had five steals in the game. “My vet savvy. Been in the league for 12 years. I picked up some tricks.”
On the next possession, LeBron James knocked the ball away from Reed Sheppard, then drilled a three-pointer after Rui Hachimura passed it back to him.
The Lakers became the second team in the past 30 years to win a playoff game after trailing by six or more points in the final 30 seconds of regulation, McMenamin notes. They are remarkably on the verge of sweeping a series with Luka Doncic (left hamstring) and Austin Reaves (left oblique) sidelined by injuries.
“The last week of the season, the last thing you would want or even want to imagine or think about is, s–t, two of your best players going down with injuries and not being ready for the postseason,” James said. “So it was a shift for all of us, it’s challenging for all of us … and we’re figuring it out together on the fly.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- In its Last Two Minutes Report, the NBA determined that Smart stepped over the line before the ball hit the rim on his final free throw and should have been whistled for a lane violation, McMenamin adds in a separate story.
- Reaves is listed as questionable for Sunday’s Game 4, per Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter link). Reaves was also questionable for Game 3 and wound up not playing.
- Bronny James admitted being nervous when he made his 2026 playoff debut in Game 1, but he’s getting more comfortable as the series wears on,
Lakers Notes: Ayton, Doncic, Smart, Redick, Reaves
Lakers center Deandre Ayton scored just six points in Tuesday’s win over Houston and wasn’t part of the team’s closing lineup in the fourth quarter. However, Ayton was upbeat when he spoke to the media on Thursday and head coach JJ Redick has raved about the work the big man is doing that doesn’t necessarily show up on the stat sheets, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. That includes setting screens, switching on defense, and boxing out on rebounds.
“We love giving DA praise,” Redick said. “We love to give him — I mean, when he does what we ask him to do, he should get all the praise in the world. Again, he’s the former No. 1 pick, and he’s doing a lot of thankless work at times, so we always praise him for that.”
According to Redick, the decision to sit Ayton for the final five minutes of the Lakers’ Game 2 victory was less about anything he did wrong and more about how well backup center Jaxson Hayes was playing down the stretch.
“(Ayton’s) been a big key in both these games. Defensively, I thought (he) was really good in the second half of Game 2 and had played a ton down the stretch — or to start the fourth, he had had a really long run,” the Lakers’ coach said. “And that was during a stretch where there wasn’t a lot of dead balls. I told him I was going to get him out real quick, get him back in, and then Jaxson just played great.
“DA and I had a conversation today, like, ‘You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s not the reason you didn’t finish the game.’ It was just a group out there was winning, and Jaxson was doing a great job. But we can’t win at the level we want to win without those two guys playing great.”
Here are a few more notes on the Lakers:
- Although Luka Doncic was deemed award-eligible after coming up just short of the 65-game criteria, the Lakers star wasn’t among the finalists for this season’s Most Valuable Player award, meaning he didn’t finish in the top three in voting. Speaking before Game 2 (YouTube link), Redick said he was “disappointed” by that outcome and chalked it up to other candidates having more “media momentum” down the stretch. “I think he deserved to be there,” Redick said, “(but) I think all three guys that did end up being the finalists had a strong case.”
- The Lakers were taking a bit of a gamble when they signed Marcus Smart last summer after the guard had been limited to 54 regular season appearances across the previous two seasons due to injuries, but he has rewarded their faith in him, writes Melissa Rohlin of The California Post. “It’s easy to write somebody off as being older or not being as good,” Redick said. “But all of the analytics defensively, the analytics as a secondary play-maker, they were all really favorable. So, we felt really comfortable bringing him on board.” For his part, Smart is appreciate of the opportunity to be starring in the postseason again, telling Rohlin that the chance to “go out here and redeem myself is the best feeling you can have.”
- The Lakers look like the better-coached team through the first two games of their first-round series, according to Mirjam Swanson of The Los Angeles Times, who suggests that Redick is making a strong case that he’s the right coach for the playoffs.
- In case you missed it, guard Austin Reaves – out since April 2 with a strained oblique – is listed as questionable for Game 3 on Friday. “My understanding is Austin Reaves is trying to play in Game 3 tonight,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said on NBA Today on Friday (Twitter video link). “If not Game 3, then Game 4.”
Free Agent Stock Watch: Los Angeles Lakers
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents – or could become free agents – during the 2026 offseason. We’ll consider whether each player’s stock is rising or falling due to his performance and several other factors.
Today, we’re focusing on a handful of players on the Lakers, who have 11 potential free agents this summer, the most in the NBA.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Smart, Reaves, Doncic, Lakers
The Suns have ruled Mark Williams out for Game 2 against the Thunder on Wednesday, Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), adding that the big man is still in a walking boot.
Williams, who was previously considered questionable, is still experiencing soreness related to a left foot third metatarsal stress reaction that kept him on the shelf for 15 straight games in March. He returned for four contests in early April before being sidelined again.
Jordan Goodwin has also been ruled out while Grayson Allen has been upgraded to available after both warmed up with the intention to play, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports (Twitter link). Head coach Jordan Ott acknowledged earlier in the day that Allen was the most ready to return of the trio, having been a full participant in shootaround and shown the ability to sprint at full speed.
Goodwin missed the second half of Game 1 as he continues to fight through a calf injury that has limited him since February. Allen is dealing with a hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since April 10.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- Marcus Smart was tasked with taking the Kevin Durant matchup for the Lakers in Game 2’s win over the Rockets and he delivered, Dave McMenamin writes for ESPN. Durant made 1-for-3 shots and committed three turnovers when guarded by Smart. The former Defensive Player of the Year served as the team’s tone-setter, according to Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times, scoring 25 points and adding seven assists along to go with his five steals.
- The Lakers are weathering their first-round series without their two top scorers, but they are encouraged by the progress Austin Reaves (oblique) and Luka Doncic (hamstring) have made, Khobi Price writes for the California Post. Reaves has already begun his return-to-play protocols, while coach JJ Redick says that Doncic will be following suit soon. There is still no exact timeline for either player to be reactivated.
- Through two games, Smart has joined LeBron James and Luke Kennard to form an unexpected “big three” for the Lakers, Broderick Turner writes for the Los Angeles Times. The trio combined for 76 points and 16 assists in the club’s Game 2 victory, led by James’ 28-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist performance. “When you’ve got two big guns out like we have, we all got to pick up our play,” the four-time MVP said. “And that’s all it’s about. We’re all just trying to contribute, make contributions in all facets of the game, pick up our play. Obviously, we’re missing Luka and missing AR, so we’re just trying to seize the opportunity. That’s all.”
Lakers Notes: Smart, LeBron, Bronny, Schedule, Ayton
The Lakers are big underdogs in their series against the Rockets due to the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. At least initially, that could work to the Lakers’ advantage, according to guard Marcus Smart.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don’t think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
In any case, Smart says his team will put up a fight, regardless of playing shorthanded.
“We’re competitors,” he said. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James and son Bronny James will share the floor at times during the series. Bronny has carved out a rotation role due to the backcourt injuries. “Me being on the floor with him, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished,” LeBron said to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years. He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be ready.”
- If the Lakers can make it a series, they could get Doncic and/or Reaves back at some point. The playoff schedule works in the Lakers’ favor, with two days off between multiple games, Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets — despite starting on Saturday, the series could stretch to May 3, the latest possible Game 7 date. “The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we’re gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point,” coach JJ Redick said. “We don’t know what that is, and that’s just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
- Deandre Ayton will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023. The Lakers big man knows he’ll have to ramp up his production. “I can play hard on offense. I can play hard on defense,” he said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “So, that’s just really my goal — running the floor always and closing out possessions with rebounds and protecting the rim. So, just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.” Redick says the team can play at an elite level when Ayton is productive. “The whole season for him has been about finding consistency,” he said. “When he’s at his best, we’re an elite basketball team. That’s just the reality. He raises our ceiling so much — and it’s on both sides of the ball.”
Injury Notes: Wembanyama, Leonard, Curry, James, Highsmith
Two days after meeting the 65-game criteria, Victor Wembanyama is out for the Spurs‘ season finale against the Nuggets on Sunday.
“He’s doing well but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate decision,” said head coach Mitch Johnson, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Wembanyama is dealing with a sore rib cage following a collision with the Sixers’ Paul George on Wednesday.
“I think he’s the strongest, the best in shape he’s been since I’ve been around,” Johnson said. “But, yeah, I think he’s fought through some games just in terms of, not injury, I’m talking about just physicality, the toll of a really competitive high-level game.”
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will suit up tonight, per The Athletic’s Jared Weiss (via Twitter), as he needs to play at least in 15 minutes in order to reach the 65-game threshold and become award-eligible.
We have more injury news from around the NBA:
- Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for the Clippers as they face off against the Warriors in their season finale. Head coach Ty Lue said of his star forward that he “has been dealing with some things with his wrist and ankle the last couple weeks,” per Mark Medina of Essentially Sports (via Twitter). Leonard recently hit the 65-game mark, making him eligible for end-of-season awards.
- Stephen Curry will start for the Warriors against the Clippers on Sunday, and head coach Steve Kerr hopes to get him up to around 30 minutes played, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reports (Twitter link). Curry has played between 25 and 27 minutes in each of his three games since returning from his extended absence due to a knee injury.
- LeBron James will play for the Lakers on Sunday against the Jazz, Dave McMenamin of ESPN notes (via Twitter), adding that, according to coach JJ Redick, no Laker is expected to play more than low-30s in terms of minutes, including Marcus Smart, who will be on a minutes restriction. Redick wants to try to “control what they can control” by going for the win against Utah, McMenamin writes (Twitter link).
- Haywood Highsmith will play for the Suns tonight after being out since March 17 with right knee injury management, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic notes (Twitter link). “I think that’s what he was shooting for this whole time, just to get back and be available, credit to him,” said head coach Jordan Ott. “He’s had a season where he’s been off the court a ton, and when he’s been on the court for us he’s been super helpful. So excited to see him go back out there and be available.“
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Horford, Santos, Durant, Suns
After missing nine straight games due to a right ankle contusion, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will return to action on Friday for the Lakers, tweets Jovan Buha. Los Angeles, which is jockeying for playoff seeding in the Western Conference, faces Phoenix tonight.
Head coach JJ Redick said Thursday that he spoke to Luka Doncic, who is rehabilitating from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Europe, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Redick said Doncic was in “relatively good spirits,” adding that it’s been good to have Austin Reaves around the team as he recovers from his own injury (oblique strain).
Redick also had a conversation with Jarred Vanderbilt about Tuesday’s spat in which the 27-year-old forward accosted Redick for calling a timeout to remove him from the game (Twitter link via McMenamin). Redick didn’t divulge any details about that conversation but said it went “great.” Vanderbilt played 26 minutes in Thursday’s win at Golden State after receiving just five on Tuesday.
Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
- As expected, Al Horford will return from a 14-game absence on Friday in Sacramento, relays Anthony Slater of ESPN (via Twitter). The Warriors big man has been out since March 13 due to a right calf (soleus) strain. Horford, who holds a $5.97MM player option for next season, has averaged 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 blocks in 43 appearances in 2025/26 (21.7 minutes per game).
- Several filmmakers from Brazil have been recording documentary footage of Gui Santos throughout the course of the Warriors forward’s third NBA season, as Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard details. The former second-round pick has unexpectedly been thrust into a major rotation role the past couple months after Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Santos said he watches every episode and his family back home in Brazil loves the series, which is released on YouTube with English subtitles. “It’s on the internet, so that’s one thing that’s never going to get lost,” Santos told Emerman. “So, when I’m 50 years old or 40 years old, sit with my grandsons on the sofa just watching that: ‘Look, your grandpa was strong, your grandpa was playing in the NBA.’ That will be nice.“
- Rockets forward Kevin Durant said prior to Tuesday’s matchup in Phoenix that he’s “pretty much over” the way his Suns tenure ended, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. It was Durant’s first game in Phoenix since he was traded to Houston last summer. “At the time, it was tough to take. A place I wanted to be. I wanted to keep building, but it’s the business of the league and it’s the business of basketball,” Durant said. “You’re not going to be in the same place all the time. It is what it is. Yeah, I was sour early on, but I think I’ve gotten over it. Time heals all. Just move on.” The 37-year-old star had 24 points, four rebounds and three assists during Tuesday’s game, which Houston won.