And-Ones: Bediako, Risacher, Expansion, Hayes-Davis
A Tuscaloosa circuit court judge had denied Charles Bediako‘s motion for a preliminary injunction that would allow him to continue playing college basketball for Alabama, according to reports from Nick Kelly of AL.com and Myron Medcalf of ESPN.
Bediako, who went undrafted in 2023 and has since signed three Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams (including one that was converted into a two-way deal), never actually appeared in an NBA game. However, he was attempting to become the first player regain NCAA eligibility after signing NBA contracts.
Daniel F. Pruet, the circuit court judge responsible for the ruling, said that Bediako didn’t have a “reasonable expectation” that he’d be permitted to return to college basketball when no player had ever been granted eligibility in his situation. NCAA president Charlie Baker referred to it as a win for “common sense,” while Bediako’s attorney Darren Heitner said he was “deeply disappointed” by the ruling.
“This ruling ignores that an athlete’s NIL value is directly tied to his ability to play, overlooks that NCAA rules do not distinguish between athletes with prior college experience and those without, and contrasts with eligibility grants to many other former pros,” Heitner wrote on Twitter. “We fight on for fairness.”
Bediako is considering his options for a possible appeal, Heitner added.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher will take part in the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, having been named an injury replacement for Ajay Mitchell of the Thunder, according to the NBA (Twitter link). With Mitchell battling an abdominal strain, Risacher will take his spot on Team T-Mac this Friday.
- While there have been no announcements or concrete reports to this point, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) has heard rumblings about the NBA’s Board of Governors potentially voting this summer to expand the league by two teams. Seattle and Las Vegas have long been viewed as the favorites in that scenario, Townsend notes.
- With Nigel Hayes-Davis appearing likely to head back to the EuroLeague after being waived by Milwaukee last week, Hapoel Tel Aviv has emerged as the frontrunner to land the forward, reports Donatas Urbanos of BasketNews. Fenerbahce is also still in the running but isn’t offering as much as the Israeli club, according to Urbonas, who says it would be a surprise if Hayes-Davis ends up with a team besides Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Hawks’ Porzingis Out Another Week; Risacher Day-To-Day
While Kristaps Porzingis has resumed basketball activities, he’ll still be out a while longer, according to the Hawks, who announced in a press release that the veteran center will be reexamined in a week (Twitter link).
The Latvian big man has been sidelined for Atlanta’s past nine games due to left Achilles tendinitis and will miss at least three more — at Boston, vs. Houston, and at Indiana — before being checked out again next week.
Health issues have limited Porzingis to just 17 appearances thus far in 2025/26, which is his first season as a Hawk. Atlanta is now 23-25 after Monday’s comeback victory over the Pacers.
The prognosis is more promising for second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher, who has also missed the team’s last nine games. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft is making progress in his recovery from a left knee bone contusion and is considered day-to-day, per the Hawks.
Risacher, 20, appeared in 75 games as a rookie last season and had been pretty healthy prior to his recent injury absence, playing in 36 of Atlanta’s first 39 games. He practiced with the G League’s College Park Skyhawks on Sunday, an encouraging sign that his return is near.
Southeast Notes: F. Wagner, Bam, Spoelstra, Jovic, Risacher
Magic forward Franz Wagner will miss his third straight game on Monday at Cleveland, but his injury designation has changed from left ankle soreness to left high ankle sprain injury management, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
As Beede notes (via Twitter), Wagner missed five-plus weeks — a span of 16 games — due to the high ankle sprain before returning for a pair of overseas contests in Berlin (his hometown) and London. Head coach Jamahl Mosley said the German star did some light shooting ahead of Saturday’s game vs. Cleveland, but didn’t take contact (Twitter video link).
Asked by Beede whether Wagner may have rushed back from the injury, Mosley said he’s focused on the present and future and not the past.
“I can’t … Those are things that I’m not looking at,” Mosley said. “When he said he could go, he went. And when we thought he could go, he went. You can’t look back and say what we could or should have done at the end of the day. In that moment, it’s how he felt and then that’s what we’ve got to be smart [about] moving forward with him.”
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- Head coach Erik Spoelstra and star big man Bam Adebayo had some heated words during a team meeting on Saturday morning ahead of the Heat‘s blowout victory over Utah, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Spo kind of went off on us, especially on Bam, which I think kind of set the tone,” Nikola Jovic said. “When you start talking to the captain first, we just knew we had to take more responsibility and be more locked in. So I think it’s simple as that. Just maybe we had a little more pressure on us and it helped.” Spoelstra was upset by the team’s defensive performance in Thursday’s loss at Portland. For his part, Adebayo downplayed the exchange, Winderman adds. “I mean, it definitely is clearing the air in the room,” Adebayo said. “All that being said, we like when coach confronts us. It’s just he’s gotta be prepared when we bark back. We’re all grown men at the end of the day, so we don’t like what he said, we can always have a man-to-man conversation.”
- Fourth-year forward Jovic is having a down season after inking a four-year, $62.4MM rookie scale extension in October. He says he’s still adjusting to Heat‘s new motion-based offense, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I’m adapting,” Jovic said. “Like I always say, whatever coaches need us to do, I’ll do it. I mean, I’m not a guy who you build a system around right now. We’re not going to build our offense around me. So for right now, it’s just whatever coaches need me to do and whatever playstyle they want to play, I just have to adapt. So I don’t think post-ups are going to be a big part of the game. Maybe at one point.”
- Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher has been assigned to the team’s G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, for a Sunday practice, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks. Risacher, the top pick in the 2024 draft, has missed eight straight games with a left knee bone contusion. The 20-year-old wing is expected to be reevaluated in the next day or two.
Kristaps Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher To Miss At Least Another Week
The Hawks provided injury updates (via Twitter) Monday morning on Kristaps Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher, saying both players are making progress with their recoveries and will be reevaluated in approximately one week.
Porzingis has missed the past five games with left Achilles tendinitis and has only played 17 times this season. Acquired over the summer in a trade with Boston, Porzingis has been effective when he’s been healthy, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24.3 minutes per night while shooting 45.7% from the field and 36% from three-point range. He also missed significant time with an illness earlier this season.
Porzingis has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate, as his $30.7MM expiring contract could be useful in matching salaries.
Risacher, the top pick in the 2024 draft, has sat out the last five games with a left knee bone contusion. The 20-year-old small forward is averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 24.6 minutes per night during his second NBA season while connecting at 46.2% from the field and 35.8% from beyond the arc. He has already missed eight games this season, exceeding his total from all of last year.
Atlanta has reportedly been unwilling to part with Risacher in trade talks, even to acquire a star player.
At 20-24, the Hawks are in a precarious position and will need a healthy lineup as soon as possible. They’re holding onto the East’s final play-in spot, 1.5 games ahead of the Bucks, whom they’ll host today in an afternoon matinee.
Hawks Notes: McCollum, Kispert, Draft, Risacher, Porzingis
The Hawks traded Trae Young to Washington last Friday, roughly four weeks ahead of this season’s trade deadline. Speaking to reporters on Monday, general manager Onsi Saleh acknowledged that he could’ve waived until closer to February 5 to see what other opportunities materialized involving Young, but he explained that he liked the return from the Wizards enough that he didn’t feel the need to wait.
“If there are deals to be done, why wait, is my philosophy,” Saleh said, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. “If you like something that makes a lot of sense, we’re going to do that. We just do what’s best for our organization. And, you know, I’m not one to really wait on anything like that.
“Trae has been so huge in our community. Him and (his wife) Shelby, what they’ve done, we just wish them the best. They’ve been phenomenal for our organization. (We’re) talking about a guy that’s been the face of our franchise for quite a long time. I really wish him the best, and he’s going to do some cool stuff over there too.
“But we like the trade, and what we did was something we really thought would help us now and in the future. The players coming back, I think they’re excellent fits with us and make a lot of sense for us, and we get deep in our rotation too.”
Saleh cited increased cap flexibility as one reason why Atlanta pulled the trigger on the deal with Washington, though he repeatedly stressed during Monday’s media session that the Hawks value the players they acquired, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. The Hawks’ GM views the newcomers as players capable of complementing a core whose evolution this season is viewed as a major positive.
“Jalen (Johnson)‘s game has evolved so much, and he’s doing some amazing things on the court,” Saleh said. “Most importantly, I think he’s making his teammates better as well. And that’s how we kind of look at this as like as the group grows. It’s the group, it’s not simply just one player either, right? It’s Jalen, it’s Dyson (Daniels), it’s Onyeka (Okongwu), it’s Zacch (Risacher), it’s Nickeil (Alexander-Walker). We got two guys, Nickeil and Jalen, who have just made tremendous leaps, and when Dyson’s on the ball, we’ve seen that leap as well. So, again, it just comes down to what we’re seeing and how this fits the entire group rather than one person.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Saleh declined to comment on whether the Hawks have pursued or will pursue a contract extension with McCollum, but referred to the veteran guard as “somebody that I think could fit here long term,” per Hollinger. McCollum is on an expiring contract, but at least one report indicated Atlanta has some interest in working out a new deal with the 34-year-old.
- The Hawks control three picks in the 2026 draft, including the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s first-rounders, which could be a top-five selection. Saleh made no effort to downplay how important this year’s draft is for the organization, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). “The draft is, to me, our biggest transaction period. The draft is how you build organically,” the GM said. “It’s how you build internally. And I feel like this is a really good draft, the talent that’s available. So again, that will be our most important transaction period. We’ve got to nail the draft. That’s going to be really important for us as we build this thing out.”
- It didn’t take long for McCollum and Kispert to make a positive impact on their new team, as Williams writes for the AJC (subscription required). Although the duo shot a combined 5-of-18 from the floor on Sunday, McCollum was a team-high +19 in his 24 minutes off the bench in the victory over Golden State. “I think he settled us,” head coach Quin Snyder said of McCollum. “There’s a level of poise and confidence that he has that when you’re on the court, whether it’s your teammates or even your coach, you see him with the ball and you feel confident in what he’s going to do.”
- After missing the past two games due to what the Hawks referred to as left knee inflammation, Risacher has had his injury designation updated to a left knee bone contusion, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. Risacher is considered questionable to play on Tuesday vs. the Lakers, while big man Kristaps Porzingis will miss a third straight game due to left Achilles tendinitis.
Trade Rumors: Davis, Hawks, Raptors, Zion, Bulls
ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Hawks were considered likely to remain in pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis after clearing Trae Young‘s salary from their books for next season. However, a Davis deal between the two teams looks unlikely at this juncture, sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.
While Atlanta has a level of interest in Davis, the team has been unwilling to part with either Zaccharie Risacher or the prized 2026 first-round pick the team controls (better of Pelicans’ or Bucks’) in talks for the 10-time All-Star, Afseth writes. I’d be very surprised if that 2026 first-rounder is ever made available under any circumstances, let alone for an oft-injured star in his 30s like Davis, so a potential trade may hinge on whether the Hawks change their stance on Risacher.
Several reports have stated Davis is looking for a contract extension in the offseason, but the Mavs aren’t making any promises on that front, according to Afseth. The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Davis’ camp aren’t convinced Dallas is interested in an extension and wouldn’t mind trying to get him to a team more likely to pursue a new deal.
Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca confirms the Raptors have conveyed “exploratory interest” in Davis, but he’s skeptical that a trade will be consummated (Twitter video link). As Lewenberg explains, Toronto’s outgoing salary in a two-team deal with Dallas for Davis would probably consist of RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, and if that were the case, the Mavericks would likely want multiple first-round picks in the deal. The Raptors have shown a willingness to take buy-low swings on stars with lengthy injury histories in the past, Lewenberg adds, but giving up two or three first-rounders for Davis wouldn’t qualify as buying low.
- As for what moves look likely for the Raptors, getting below the luxury tax line is a priority, according to Lewenberg, who continues to hear Ochai Agbaji is a potential salary-dump candidate, though he acknowledges the team would likely have to attach a sweetener or two in such a deal. Lewenberg points to Daniel Gafford (Mavericks) and Goga Bitadze (Magic) as a couple of centers to keep an eye on, but says the Raptors have also been happy with the development of Collin Murray-Boyles and don’t want to impede the rookie big man’s progress. Overall, a significant Raptors trade looks more likely to occur in the offseason than before the February 5 deadline, Lewenberg adds.
- On the “Clutch Scoops” show (Twitter video link), Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints said the Bulls are a potential suitor for Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. “Keep a close eye on the [Bulls] maybe pursuing Zion Williamson. … I’ve heard that there’s been some smoke there about Chicago scouting New Orleans in recent weeks and Zion would be the ideal buy-low candidate for a team like the Bulls who have a lot of expiring contracts,” Siegel said.
Trae Young Trade Notes: Possible Extension, Trade Bonus, TPE, More
Once the trade sending Trae Young to Washington is officially complete, the Wizards and their new starting point guard will be open to exploring a potential contract extension, but it won’t be “top of mind,” reports ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link).
As Shelburne explains, both the Wizards and Young may take the opportunity to evaluate the situation and the fit before making a decision on their long-term future together. That process could extend to the 2026/27 season, since Young holds a $49MM player option that he could pick up if he doesn’t sign an extension and doesn’t want to test the free agent market.
If Young were to sign an extension with the Wizards in the coming months, it would require him to turn down his option and replace it with a new deal starting in ’26/27. An agreement between the two sides could tack on a maximum of three years to the current season.
If Young picks up his option in June, he would be eligible during the offseason to sign an extension that begins in ’27/28 and adds up to four new seasons to his option year.
Here’s much more on the first trade of the 2025/26 NBA season:
- Young’s contract includes a 15% trade kicker, and there has been no indication that he won’t receive his bonus as part of the trade. However, trade bonuses don’t apply to option years and can’t increase a player’s salary beyond his maximum for that year. Young currently has a $45,999,660 cap hit for this season and his maximum salary would be $46,394,100, so if he receives his full bonus, he’ll get a $394,440 bump.
- The Hawks are sending out more salary than they’re taking back in the deal and will generate a small traded player exception as a result. That exception will be worth $1,357,994.
- Having cleared Young’s salary from their books for next season, the Hawks are considered likely to remain in pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday evening during an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link). As John Hollinger of The Athletic observes, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert can’t have their salaries aggregated in a second trade prior to the February 5 deadline, so any Atlanta package for Davis ($54.1MM) would have to start with the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), and it may have to include Zaccharie Risacher ($13.2MM) too.
- The Wizards will open up a roster spot once the trade is complete, and Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) suggests it could be used to promote two-way player Tristan Vukcevic to a standard multiyear contract. Washington may wait on that until after the trade deadline, since Vukcevic won’t hit his 50-game limit for another month or so, and maintaining roster flexibility could help the team accommodate another deadline deal.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN thinks the trade could be a win-win for the Wizards and Hawks, giving both teams a grade of B for the deal. Zach Harper of The Athletic is far less bullish on the move from Atlanta’s perspective, assigning the Hawks a D-plus grade while giving Washington an A.
- McCollum told Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime (Twitter link) that he “loved” his brief time in D.C. but is looking forward to joining the Hawks. “(The Wizards’) organization was great to my family and I,” McCollum said. “(Executives) Michael Winger and Will (Dawkins) did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning. Love the city and they’re doing things the right way over there. Excited to get to the A and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and front office. Good group of players.”
Scotto’s Latest: Trae, Risacher, AD, Zubac, Pacers, Celtics, Cavs
The Bucks, Timberwolves, and Clippers are among the teams that are monitoring Trae Young‘s situation along with Washington, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
While Dallas doesn’t appear to have any interest in the Hawks‘ point guard, the Mavericks are among the clubs that have called to inquire about former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, league sources tell Scotto. However, the Hawks have been opposed to including either Risacher or their top 2026 first-rounder (the most favorable of the Bucks/Pelicans picks) in any trade discussions involving big man Anthony Davis.
If Atlanta and Dallas do pursue a deal involving Davis, the Mavericks would likely be seeking expiring contracts like those belonging to Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), according to Scotto, who notes that Hawks senior VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham is close with Davis dating back to their time together in New Orleans.
Here’s more from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:
- Although Ivica Zubac has drawn significant interest from potential suitors, the Clippers don’t appear inclined to become deadline sellers, especially after their recent run of seven wins in eight games. Earlier in the season, there was a sense that it would take at least two first-round picks for L.A. to consider parting with Zubac, Scotto writes, adding that the Pacers and Celtics both expressed interest in the big man. Those two clubs were previously linked to the Clippers center.
- In addition to Zubac, the Pacers have checked in on Nic Claxton of the Nets, Yves Missi of the Pelicans, Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks, and Walker Kessler of the Jazz as they seek out a long-term answer at center, league sources tell Scotto.
- The Celtics, meanwhile, have been unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons to move off his contract, Scotto writes. Presumably, the Celtics would be more open to that idea in a deal that nets them a quality player, but not in a pure salary-dump trade for luxury tax purposes. Scotto goes on to say that Boston isn’t looking to take back multiyear salary in any Simons trade, so if the team were exploring a deal with a trade partner like the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.25MM team option for 2026/27) and Ziaire Williams (ditto) would hold far more appeal than Terance Mann, who is owed $31.5MM over the two seasons after this one.
- The Cavaliers have rebuffed inquiries on their core players, but teams around the NBA – cognizant of Cleveland’s unfavorable cap/tax situation – are continuing to monitor the situation to see if that stance changes. According to Scotto, the belief among executives is that if the Cavs do decide to move someone like Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, it’s more likely to happen during the offseason than in the next month.
Stein’s Latest: Davis, Mavs, VanVleet, Lakers
The Hawks and Mavericks are in something of a holding pattern when it comes to a potential Anthony Davis trade, Marc Stein reports for The Stein Line (Substack link).
Given Atlanta’s tendency to avoid the luxury tax, Stein suggests it’s unlikely that the team will add Davis’ contract, which will pay him $58.5MM next season and $62.8MM in the 2027/28 season, without moving Trae Young, who has a $48.9MM player option for next season.
Stein adds that, despite previous reports that the Hawks would be willing to move former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in the right deal, his sources indicate that an in-season trade for Davis likely wouldn’t fit that bill.
Rich Paul, who represents Davis, is also a player in these conversations. Stein notes that Paul has a strong, plugged-in relationship with many of the top decision-makers in the Mavericks’ organization and that there are indications he views Atlanta as a good landing spot for his client, though such a deal may have to wait until the offseason.
We have more from Stein’s most recent newsletter:
- Regardless of what happens with Davis, it’s clear that the Mavericks are taking a hard look at their roster. Stein writes that there’s a belief that everyone on the team outside of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving is considered potentially on the table. The Mavs have a 13-23 record on the season and have lost six of their last eight games.
- When Fred VanVleet tore his ACL during an unofficial Rockets preseason mini-camp, the expectation was that he would miss the rest of the 2025/26 season. However, Stein reports that Houston isn’t ruling out a return for the 31-year-old point guard. VanVleet is apparently attacking his rehab process hard with the intention of giving himself the chance of returning to play before the season is over.
- The Lakers‘ desire to add a two-way wing such as Herbert Jones or Trey Murphy III is well-documented, but their pathway to adding that player is complicated for multiple reasons. The first is that the two Pelicans‘ wings are considered unlikely to be moved before the trade deadline, and the second is that the Lakers are not expected to sacrifice their 2026 financial flexibility in any deal that doesn’t net them a player they consider a real needle-mover, Stein writes. Given that two-way wings are some of the most coveted players around the league, there’s no guarantee anyone who meets that criteria will be attainable for L.A. at the deadline.
Amick’s Latest: AD, Kuminga, Warriors, Hawks, Trae, Bucks, MPJ, Clippers
Although team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that the Warriors haven’t fully closed the door on the possibility of pursuing a trade for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, Amick also hears from club sources that Golden State is “staunchly” opposed to the idea of trading Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green.
The Mavericks do have some interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, a league source tells Amick. But given that Golden State is operating right up against the second tax apron and Davis is earning $54MM+ this season, it would be nearly impossible to trade for the Warriors to acquire AD without an outgoing salary bigger than Kuminga’s $22.5MM.
Amick adds that it was the Mavericks, not the Warriors, who instigated discussions about the possibility of the two teams making a Davis trade, so it’s not as if Golden State was actively looking for a way to make it work.
Focusing on a handful of teams who look like they need to make a trade, Amick shares several more items of interest in his latest story for The Athletic. Here are more highlights:
- Following up on rumors linking Davis to the Hawks, Amick says sources in Atlanta have “pushed back hard” on the idea that the team would be willing to send 2024’s first overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, to the Mavericks in a deal for the veteran big man. Dallas is known to be seeking young prospects and expiring contracts in return for Davis, but Hawks officials remain bullish on Risacher’s long-term potential based on his second-half performance in 2024/25, Amick explains.
- The Hawks appear more open than ever to talking to teams about a potential Trae Young trade, but the veteran guard’s market seems to be limited, according to Amick, who suggests that Atlanta might need to wait until the summer to resolve Young’s situation. “Trae is an extremely difficult player to win at the highest level with,” one rival scout said, explaining why a market for the four-time All-Star hasn’t materialized.
- League sources who spoke to Amick added Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. to the growing list of potential trade targets on the Bucks‘ radar. Jerami Grant, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk are among the other players who have been cited as possible options for Milwaukee.
- Despite a very slow start to the season, the Clippers have no plans to sell off veterans and would actually prefer to add an impact player to complement James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, league sources tell Amick. L.A. has been surging as of late, with five consecutive wins, and there have been no signs that Harden is seeking a change of scenery, Amick notes, adding that the Clippers still hope to maintain cap flexibility for the summer of 2027 and will be hesitant to take on any contracts that run beyond that.