Stephon Castle, Jalen Johnson Named Players Of The Week
Spurs guard Stephon Castle has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week and Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has won the award in the East, the NBA announced today (Twitter links). Week 16 of the 2025/26 season covered games played from February 2-8.
Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, helped San Antonio go 3-0 last week. The 21-year-old filled the stat sheet, averaging 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.0 block in just 26.7 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .630/.364/.769.
As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com details, Castle’s week was highlighted by a phenomenal performance in Saturday’s victory vs. Dallas. The former UConn standout scored a career-high 40 points (on 15-of-19 shooting, or 78.9%), grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds, dished out 12 assists, and swiped three steals in 32 minutes.
Castle became the youngest player in NBA history with a 40-12-12 stat line (the record was previously held by Oscar Robertson), per Wright, and the second player in league history to register a 40-point triple-double while shooting at least 75.0% from the field, joining Wilt Chamberlain, who accomplished the feat three times. And it all came on the one-year anniversary of when he set his previous career high with 33 points.
“I don’t know, something about this day,” Castle said, smiling. “Having a game like this, it’s definitely a dream come true. It felt good just to be out there feeling comfortable with every shot that I took and [got to] see them go in.”
As for Johnson, the 2026 All-Star continued his standout season last week, averaging 27.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 11.3 APG and 1.0 SPG on .544/.294/.750 shooting in three games (Atlanta went 2-1 in those contests). Johnson recorded a pair of triple-doubles from Feb. 2-8, raising his season total to 10, the most in the East and second-most in the NBA, only trailing Nikola Jokic (18).
No other player has ever recorded 10 triple-doubles in their entire Hawks career, let alone in a single season, per the team. It was the second weekly honor for the fifth-year forward, who also won Player of the Week in November.
According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Trail Blazers teammates Donovan Clingan and Jerami Grant, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, and Castle’s teammate Victor Wembanyama. Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Knicks, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid of the Sixers, Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), and Ryan Rollins (Bucks) were nominated in the East.
Atlantic Notes: Alvarado, Clarkson, Celtics, Nets, Barnes
Jose Alvarado‘s first game with the Knicks came in Boston rather than at Madison Square Garden, but the New York City native said that representing his hometown team felt “like it was meant to be,” according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required).
“This is a blessing,” Alvarado said. “I’m from here. My family never left the city. To be in that atmosphere, I mean, they’ve been Knicks fans since before me. To be with a team that’s trying to contend for something and me be a part of it is pretty special. … To be part of the city, it’s just a surreal feeling.”
After being traded from New Orleans to New York on Thursday, Alvarado played 25 minutes on his Sunday in his Knicks debut, a 111-89 win over Boston.
The newest Knick immediately supplanted Jordan Clarkson in the team’s backcourt rotation — even with Miles McBride on the shelf following surgery for a sports hernia, Clarkson logged just eight minutes. The veteran guard, who has had four DNP-CDs in the past two-plus weeks, said that besides getting accustomed to inconsistent playing time, he’s also had to fit into a new role.
“Offensively and defensively,” Clarkson told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). “They’re asking me to do things defensively as well. And then offensively, I got to figure it out and make stuff out of what comes in the offense in terms of opportunities. It’s not like I’m featured in the offense or anything. I’m playing hard, I’m crashing the glass, figuring out different things — little things to be effective on that end. So it’s a whole new thing for me. But I’ll continue to be a pro and stay in the gym and working on my craft and keep it going.”
We have more from across the Atlantic:
- Jaylen Brown acknowledged after Sunday’s blowout loss to New York that there will be an adjustment period for the Celtics while they get used to their new-look roster, per Jay King of The Athletic. New center Nikola Vucevic had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench against the Knicks, but the team was outscored by 24 points in his 23 minutes on the court. “We got to figure out the chemistry a little bit, the flow a little bit,” Brown said. “We want Vuc to be a little bit more aggressive, looking for him to get going and make him feel confident in taking those shots and where he can catch the ball. I think he’s still learning, but we need him to be aggressive. So we’ll make adjustments, we’ll communicate, we’ll watch film, and we’ll be better for it.”
- The trades that sent Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji to Brooklyn were essentially salary dumps for Boston and Toronto, respectively. However, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, the Nets will give both Minott and Agbaji an opportunity to earn spots in their rotation — and maybe even spots in the club’s plans beyond this season. “We know they’re very good players. That’s why they’re here,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Show me what you can bring to the group, and if you can be part of this group, you can be a future Net.”
- Scottie Barnes is headed to his second All-Star game this season, but Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic sees an even higher ceiling for the star forward. “Scottie is Defensive Player of the Year. He’s an All-Star. He’s gonna be a Finals MVP. He’s going to be an MVP one day,” Rajakovic said after Barnes racked up 25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks in Sunday’s win over Indiana (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca). “Write down the date I said that.”
NBA Announces Competitors For Slam Dunk, Shooting Stars All-Star Events
The Spurs‘ Carter Bryant, the Lakers‘ Jaxson Hayes, the Heat‘s Keshad Johnson and the Magic‘s Jase Richardson have been named the participants in the All-Star Slam Dunk competition, the league announced in a press release. It will be held next Saturday at the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome.
All four players will be making their event debuts. Richardson, a rookie guard, does have a familial connection with the contest. He is the son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson (2002 and 2003).
The league also announced the teams for the Shooting Stars competition on Saturday. Four teams of three – each featuring two NBA players and one NBA legend – will compete in the event.
- Team All-Star: Raptors star Scottie Barnes and Thunder big man Chet Holmgren will be joined by three-time All-Star Richard Hamilton.
- Team Cameron: Three Duke University alums will team up, with Hawks All-Star Jalen Johnson and Hornets star rookie Kon Knueppel being joined by former 14-year NBA veteran Corey Maggette.
- Team Harper: Five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr. pairs up with his sons, Spurs guard Dylan Harper and Celtics swingman Ron Harper Jr.
- Team Knicks: Knicks teammates and All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will team up with Allan Houston, who made two NBA All-Star teams and is now a member of New York’s front office.
The Shooting Stars will feature a two-round format, with all four teams competing in the first round and the top two advancing to the final round.
Teams will compete one at a time and have 70 seconds to score points while rotating through seven designated shooting locations around the court, with all three players on a team shooting at each spot in a set order. The team with the higher score in the final round will be crowned the champion.
Team Rosters For All-Star Game Revealed
The rosters for the three-team 2026 All-Star Game were revealed by the NBA on Tuesday night (Twitter link).
The USA Stars, coached by the Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff, will be made up of the following eight players:
Scottie Barnes- Devin Booker
- Cade Cunningham
- Jalen Duren
- Anthony Edwards
- Chet Holmgren
- Jalen Johnson
- Tyrese Maxey
The USA Stripes, coached by the Spurs’ Mitch Johnson, will have the following roster:
- Jaylen Brown
- Jalen Brunson
- Stephen Curry
- Kevin Durant
- LeBron James
- Kawhi Leonard
- Donovan Mitchell
- Norman Powell
The World team, coached by the Raptors’ Darko Rajakovic, will feature these nine players:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Luka Doncic
- Deni Avdija
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Nikola Jokic
- Jamal Murray
- Pascal Siakam
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Victor Wembanyama
The U.S. All-Stars were assigned to teams based on age, with the younger group placed on USA Stars and the older group placed on USA Stripes. Team World is composed of international players.
The format for the Feb. 15 event consists of a round-robin mini-tournament with four 12-minute games. The matchups are as follows:
- Game 1: USA Stars vs. World
- Game 2: USA Stripes vs. winning team of Game 1
- Game 3: USA Stripes vs. losing team of Game 1
- Game 4: Championship (top two teams from round-robin play)
If all three teams finish 1-1 after the round-robin games, the first tiebreaker will be point differential across each team’s two games.
NBA Announces 2026 All-Star Reserves
The NBA has announced its 2026 All-Star reserves, revealing this year’s honorees on NBC ahead of the Knicks/Lakers matchup (Twitter links).
The following players will join the 10 All-Star starters the league announced on Monday, January 19.
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Guard: Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)- Guard: Norman Powell (Heat)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
- Frontcourt: Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
- Frontcourt: Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
- Frontcourt: Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Frontcourt: Jalen Duren (Pistons)
The East will see three first-time All-Stars in Johnson, Powell, and Duren. Powell is averaging a career-high 23.0 points per game in his first season in Miami, while Johnson has emerged as one of the league’s most versatile point forwards on offense, averaging 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per night while hitting 36.0% of his threes. Duren is averaging 18.0 PPG and 10.7 RPG, and is the second-leading scorer on the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
Towns is having a down year from an efficiency standpoint but has managed to contribute in other ways, leading the NBA in rebounds per game (11.8) while scoring 20.0 points per game on 36.4% shooting from deep. He will join teammate Jalen Brunson, who was named a starter for the second straight year, while Duren will join running mate Cade Cunningham.
Western Conference Reserves:
- Guard: Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Guard: Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
- Guard: Devin Booker (Suns)
- Frontcourt: Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Frontcourt: Kevin Durant (Rockets)
- Frontcourt: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Frontcourt: LeBron James (Lakers)
For the Western Conference, Murray, Holmgren, and Avdija are all first-time All-Stars. Murray had long been considered one of the league’s best players – if not the best – to never take part in the event, but will no longer hold that title. He’s having his best scoring (25.8 PPG) and play-making (7.4 APG) season as a pro, and has helped the Nuggets hold onto the No. 2 seed despite missing co-star and All-Star starter Nikola Jokic for 16 games.
Avdija has exploded for the Blazers this season, averaging 25.5 points per game (after scoring 16.9 PPG last season) while also contributing 7.2 RPG and 6.7 APG and leading Portland to what is currently a play-in spot.
Despite cooling off a bit since his scorching start, Holmgren is averaging 17.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 2.0 BPG and has anchored Oklahoma City’s dominant defense all season, especially while starting center Isaiah Hartenstein faced an extended absence due to a calf injury.
Booker was named to the team after leading the overachieving Suns to a 30-19 record — they’re currently percentage points behind the Lakers for the No. 6 spot in the West.
James was named to his 22nd consecutive All-Star team despite having a down year by his own standards. He is currently averaging 21.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 6.6 APG for the Lakers, who are 29-18 coming into tonight’s game against the Knicks.
The Lakers, Knicks, Thunder, Pistons, and Nuggets are the teams with multiple players represented.
Some notable players not to make this year’s All-Star team include Michael Porter Jr., Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, and Alperen Sengun — they’re among the top candidates to become injury replacements.
As Ian Begley of SNY notes (via Twitter), the NBA’s decision to include a USA versus World component requires at least eight international players. Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Jokic, Avdija, Murray, and Siakam will make up a majority of the World roster, but with starter Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the league will need to decide whether Towns, who suits up for the Dominican Republic in international play, as well as Powell, who played with Jamaica last summer, will be considered international or American players, Marc Stein observes (via Twitter). Either way, an injury replacement will need to be named for the Eastern Conference.
Stein adds that the NBA will announce the official roster breakdowns on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Giannis Trade Rumors: Timeline, Lakers, Sixers, Raptors
Although the Bucks are more willing than ever to consider trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the widespread expectation around the league is that the Giannis saga will extend to at least Thursday and potentially well beyond that, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
As Bontemps and Windhorst note, general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks won’t want to rush into an Antetokounmpo trade without making sure they’re getting the best deal they can. Three sources who spoke to ESPN speculated Milwaukee will decide not to pull the trigger until the offseason.
“I’m just not sure why it wouldn’t make sense to wait,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “They can see where the draft (lottery) is, and survey their options then.”
Several of the teams involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes will be in position to offer stronger trade packages in the summer. For example, the Knicks don’t have any of their own first-rounders to move now, but could put two (2026 and 2033) on the table in the offseason. The Heat have two of their own first-round selections available right now, but could offer as many as four (one would be conditional) in June.
Additionally, Bontemps and Windhorst write, the fact that Antetokounmpo is currently out indefinitely due to a calf strain is another factor for the Bucks to consider as they decide whether or not to wait. If Milwaukee plans to pivot into tank mode to improve its 2026 first-rounder (the team controls the last favorable of its own pick and the Pelicans’ pick), hanging onto the superstar forward and shutting him down may be the best way to do so.
Here’s more on Antetokounmpo:
- Appearing on The Zach Lowe Show (Spotify link; 19:00 mark), Howard Beck of The Ringer suggested the Lakers may appeal to Antetokounmpo as a landing spot. “I was told recently that the Lakers were a team to keep an eye on from Giannis’ standpoint, just as another team of interest,” Beck said. However, he acknowledged that Los Angeles probably doesn’t have the pieces necessary to make a strong offer, at least until the offseason. The Lakers can only offer one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) right now, but could include up to three (2026, 2031, and 2033) in an offseason package.
- While one Thursday report suggested Antetokounmpo is intrigued by the idea of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia, there has been no indication to this point that the Sixers are planning to make a play for the nine-time All-Star. In fact, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link) spoke to a league source who “completely shot down” the idea that Philadelphia would be willing to include standout rookie VJ Edgecombe in an offer for anyone on the trade market, including Giannis.
- Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca spoke to several sources around the NBA about what it would take for the Raptors to acquire Antetokounmpo, and the general consensus was that the Bucks would be unlikely to make a deal that doesn’t include Scottie Barnes. One executive who talked to Grange suggested that Toronto could still make a competitive proposal centered around draft assets (four first-round picks and three pick swaps) and promising youngsters like Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead, but Grange views either scenario as a long shot.
- In the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) observes that teams pursuing Antetokounmpo will have to determine not just whether they’re comfortable giving up a huge trade package for him, but also whether they want to do a four-year extension projected to be worth $275MM when he becomes eligible in October. That contract would begin in 2027/28, his age-33 season. “I think most teams would say yes, but I’m not sure everybody would. In fact, I know that,” Windhorst said. “There’s one team I talked to who would be able to put a package together, a pretty compelling package, and they said, ‘We’re just not crazy about that contract, with our other options that we can do. Just don’t know if we want to commit to $275MM to him.’ And you can’t trade all that stuff if you’re not that committed to him.”
Peyton Watson, Scottie Barnes Named Players Of Week
Nuggets wing Peyton Watson and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Watson led the depleted Nuggets to a 3-1 record during the week of January 5-11, posting averages of 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while making 70% of his three-point attempts (14-of-20).
The fourth-year swingman entered Denver’s starting lineup in November due to injuries and is enjoying a career year ahead of his restricted free agency. This is the first Player of the Week award of his career.
The Raptors also had a 3-1 record last week with Barnes averaging 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists — he sat out the team’s loss to Boston on Friday due to a right knee sprain, so Toronto was 3-0 when he played.
Barnes’ best game of the week came in an overtime victory over Philadelphia on Sunday — he racked up 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, and was a +15 in a game the Raptors won by a single point.
It’s the second time Barnes has earned Player of the Week honors in his career.
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees, while Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Joel Embiid (Sixers), Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Andrew Nembhard (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Raptors Notes: Martin, Ingram, Agbaji, Injuries
The Raptors had to rely on some unfamiliar players in Friday’s loss at Boston, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes were both unavailable, joining Jakob Poeltl on the injured list, and RJ Barrett left the game after rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. That resulted in 19 minutes for Jonathan Mogbo and 15 minutes for Alijah Martin, who have both spent most of the season in the G League.
Martin, the 39th pick in last year’s draft, had only logged seven combined minutes in three NBA games prior to Friday, but his duties included trying to contain Jaylen Brown, Boston’s MVP candidate. Martin was up to the challenge, as Brown scored 25 points but shot just 6-of-16 from the field. Martin countered with seven points, three assists and a blocked shot.
“I felt good, really good,” he said. “I got to look at the film, but (Brown’s) a big, strong guy, and his first step, with him being so strong, it’s tough. You can’t give him no space because with a guy like him and his speed and power, if you do, you’re just cooked.
There’s more on the Raptors:
- Ingram, who sprained his right thumb Wednesday night against Charlotte, missed his first game of the season after appearing in 38 in a row, Grange states in the same piece. He’s relieved to be playing regularly again after being limited to 18 appearances last season due to a high ankle sprain. “I’m very happy about it, especially being away from the game for so long, being able to be on the floor every single night,” Ingram said. “It’s been a long time since I played consecutive games over and over again. It’s feeling good just to be on the floor, just to be on the floor and having a basketball in my hand.” Ingram participated in Friday’s shootaround and hopes to return for Sunday’s matchup with Philadelphia.
- Even though the Raptors were shorthanded, Ochai Agbaji didn’t see any playing time, Grange adds. The fourth-year shooting guard started 10 consecutive games in December, but his minutes have been reduced lately. Agbaji has a $6.4MM expiring contract and should be viewed as a potential trade candidate as Toronto tries to get under the luxury tax threshold, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
- X-rays on Barrett’s ankle were negative, Grange tweets. He and Poeltl have already been ruled out for Sunday’s game, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link), while Ingram and Barnes are listed as questionable.
Raptors’ RJ Barrett Suffers Left Ankle Injury Friday
Raptors wing RJ Barrett suffered a left ankle injury late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s eventual loss at Boston, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
According to Lewenberg, Barrett turned his left ankle and appeared to be in a good deal of pain as he limped back to the locker room. He was formally ruled out for the remainder of the game and will undergo additional testing, Lewenberg adds (via Twitter).
The injury occurred when Barrett stepped on Sam Hauser‘s foot, causing his ankle to roll (Twitter video link via Sportsnet.ca). The 25-year-old guard/forward, who missed extended time earlier this season due to a right knee sprain, finished with 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds in 28 minutes.
Toronto was already shorthanded entering Friday’s game, as starters Jakob Poeltl (back), Scottie Barnes (right knee sprain) and Brandon Ingram (right thumb sprain) were all sidelined. It was Poeltl’s ninth straight absence, though he’s said to be close to returning and went through a light practice on Thursday.
Barnes and Ingram, meanwhile, had each appeared in every game for the Raptors this season heading into Friday. Both players were listed as questionable prior to being downgraded to out and are considered day-to-day, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
Recent first-round picks Ja’Kobe Walter and Gradey Dick received more playing time on Friday amid the injuries, a trend that could continue if Barrett and other regulars are forced to miss additional time.
Raptors’ Hepburn Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out At Least Six Weeks
Raptors guard Chucky Hepburn has undergone surgery to address a torn meniscus in his right knee and will be reevaluated in six weeks, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).
Hepburn spent three years at Wisconsin prior to transferring to Louisville for his senior season in 2024/25. He went undrafted in June and quickly agreed to a two-way contract with the Raptors.
The 6’0″ point guard has only made two NBA appearances with Toronto for a total of 13 garbage-time minutes. Hepburn has been a productive player at the G League level with the Raptors 905 though, averaging 12.4 points, 8.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.1 rebounds on .415/.368/.871 shooting in 18 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games (29.3 minutes per contest).
The 22-year-old’s absence won’t have much of an impact on the Raptors’ NBA rotation, given his modest role as a rookie. But obviously the Raptors 905 will miss having their top passer and play-maker for the next several weeks.
In other Raptors injury news, Jakob Poeltl (back) went through a light practice on Thursday in Boston, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but will miss his ninth consecutive game on Friday against the Celtics (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sports.net). Scottie Barnes (right knee sprain) and Brandon Ingram (right thumb sprain) are questionable to suit up tomorrow, Murphy adds.