Jazz Sign Bez Mbeng To Second 10-Day Contract
The Jazz have signed guard Bez Mbeng to a second 10-day contract, according to a team press release.
The former Yale standout has appeared in five games (one start) with Utah, averaging 4.8 points, 4.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. He played 45 minutes against Philadelphia on Saturday, supplying 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
He has also seen action in 41 games (12 starts) this season with the NBA G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, posting 6.5 points on 49.5 percent shooting, along with 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 27.5 minutes per contest.
Mbeng was signed by the Heat to a camp contract in mid-October, then was quickly waived, lining him up to join Miami’s G League affiliate.
Mbeng has made a reputation of being a standout defender. He went undrafted in June after a standout four-year college career at Yale. He was named the Ivy League’s Defensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons and won the conference’s Player of the Year award in 2024/25 as well.
A 6’4″ guard, Mbeng averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals on .429/.368/.699 shooting in 29 appearances last season (32.7 minutes per game). He helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA tournament in three of his four years at Yale and is the school’s all-time leader in steals.
Once Mbeng’s latest 10-day contract expires, he would have to sign a standard contract to remain with Utah.
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Pacific Notes: James, Kennard, Suns Injuries, Clifford, Hayes
LeBron James added another record to his long list of accomplishments. The Lakers forward officially played on Saturday in the 1,612th regular-season game of his career, a new NBA mark. Longtime Celtics center Robert Parish held the previous record, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports.
“It’s not like I’m like writing things down and looking at the record book and saying: ‘I’m going to get that, I’m going to get that, I’m going to get that.’ It just kind of happened,” James said. “It was not on the list of things that I wanted to accomplish.”
James has always prided himself in pushing through injuries and being available to play for much of his storied career.
“I’ve always kind of just prided myself on trying to be as available as possible in my career to my teammates,” James said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “Going out on the floor every night and keeping my body intact. And the only way I can do that, is how I treat my body. How I prepare my mind to be available for 23 years as much as I possibly can.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers extended their winning streak to nine games on Saturday by defeating Orlando, 105-104. Luke Kennard knocked down a game-winning 3-pointer in the final second. “I didn’t really know what was going on, I was just screaming,” Kennard said, per Khobi Price of the California Post. “I remember somebody, I don’t know who it was, somebody picked me up. But it was really cool. It’s a cool moment. Haven’t had many like that in the NBA, I don’t think. It means a lot how excited everybody was. I felt that. And again, just to win a game like that is pretty special and just shows what we have in the locker room.” Kennard, a free agent after the season, was acquired from Atlanta last month.
- The Suns fell to the Bucks, 108-105, on Saturday. Phoenix was without six players and coach Jordan Ott lamented how the injuries have affected the club, which had lost five straight until it defeated Toronto 120-98 on Sunday. “We just want everyone back. In a rhythm would be a blessing,” Ott said, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). “We just want everyone back. Said it constantly. Tried to stay away from it the last couple of weeks. That’s what we’d like to do.”
- Injuries continue to pile up for the banged-up Kings. They have won five of their last eight games, including a victory over the Nets this weekend, but two more players were injured. Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford departed in the fourth quarter after twisting his ankle. Recent addition Killian Hayes, who has been starting at the point lately, suffered a toe injury, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “Man, it sucks, especially for the young guys because you want them to be out there playing,” Kings forward DeMar DeRozan said. “You want them to get as many reps and experience as possible, and to see them go down, it definitely sucks. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.”
Grizzlies Sign Tyler Burton, DeJon Jarreau To Second 10-Day Deals
The Grizzlies have brought back Tyler Burton and DeJon Jarreau on second 10-day contracts, the team announced (via Twitter).
Burton, a 26-year-old small forward, signed a hardship deal with Memphis on March 12. He has appeared in six games, all off the bench, and is averaging 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per night with .306/.313/.867 shooting numbers.
This is Burton’s first NBA opportunity since going undrafted out of Villanova in 2024. He was in training camp with the Grizzlies on an Exhibit 10 contract and has spent most of the season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.
Jarreau, a 28-year-old shooting guard, signed his contract on March 13. In five appearances as a reserve, he’s averaging 6.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 21.4 minutes per night with .419/.111/.714 shooting splits.
Jarreau has some previous NBA experience, playing nine games with Memphis during the 2023/24 season and one game with Indiana in 2021/22.
The hardship exception allows a team to temporarily exceed the usual 15-man standard roster limit when it has at least four players who have missed three or more games and are expected to miss at least two more weeks due to an injury or illness. With 10 players listed on the injury report for tonight’s game at Atlanta, Memphis easily meets that threshold.
Both players will be eligible for six more games before their contracts expire on April 1. At that point, they would have to be signed for the rest of the season if the Grizzlies want to keep them on the roster.
Burton will earn $73,153 over the next 10 days, while Jarreau will make $131,970.
Northwest Notes: Hyland, Wolves, Watson, Markkanen, George
Bones Hyland has provided a heavy dose of fun for a Timberwolves team that badly needs it, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Pressed into a larger role with star guard Anthony Edwards and several other players injured, Hyland has responded by averaging 20 PPG over his last four games, including a 23-point performance in Sunday’s win at Boston. He’s also been displaying his vibrant personality, which includes exuberant celebrations and verbal jousting with opponents.
“It feels good to be here,” Hyland said in a post-game interview with NBC. “Everyone loves each other. We go out shopping together. We eat together. It’s a fantastic team, phenomenal team. Everyone can step up and contribute to winning. That’s what we’re doing right now, creating the vibes for the playoffs.”
Krawczynski states that Hyland’s enthusiasm is a welcome addition for a Minnesota team that has been fighting to stay out of play-in territory after two straight trips to the Western Conference Finals. He describes them as a “brooding group” that tends to quietly handle the ups and downs of a long season. But Hyland, who Krawczynski calls the team’s “Chief Vibes Officer,” stands out from his teammates and is enjoying his time in the spotlight until Edwards returns.
“We can’t fill Ant-Man’s shoes. He’s a superstar,” Hyland said. “He’s the head of our team. Trying to fill in his shoes would be tough, but we’ve got a lot of guys on our team that can step up and come out here and put on a show. That’s what we did tonight.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
Sixers Notes: McCain, Barlow, Edgecombe, Bailey, Embiid
The Sixers will see a familiar face when Jared McCain returns to Philadelphia tonight, but they don’t anticipate a friendly reunion, at least not on the court, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes in a subscriber-only story. The second-year guard was traded to the Thunder at last month’s deadline, and his former teammates expect him to make a statement in their first meeting since the deal.
“Jared McCain’s about to try to come kill us,” Trendon Watford said. “We know how that’s about to go.”
McCain was a candidate for All-Rookie honors last year before injuries ended his season after 23 games. After returning from knee and thumb surgeries, it was difficult for him to get regular playing time in a crowded Sixers backcourt and he had a couple of brief stints with the G League team in Delaware.
President of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters that he was “selling high” on McCain when he sent him to Oklahoma City in exchange for a collection of draft picks that included a 2026 first-rounder that originally belonged to Houston. Mizell points out that the deal also helped Philadelphia escape the luxury tax.
McCain has become another potent bench weapon in OKC, where he’s averaging 12.3 PPG and shooting 44% from three-point range for the defending champs. McCain was a popular presence in the locker room, Mizell adds, and Sixers players are glad that he’s succeeding.
“That’s our dog,” VJ Edgecombe said. “Everyone still [loves] Jared. I’m pretty sure it’s vice versa. I’m just happy to see him hooping.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- The Sixers’ injury list got longer on Saturday when Dominick Barlow was forced out of a game at Utah with a sprained left ankle, Mizell states in a separate story. Head coach Nick Nurse said X-rays were negative, and Barlow was able to walk out of the locker room without any protection on the ankle. He’s listed as doubtful for Monday’s game.
- Edgecombe and Ace Bailey, whom the Sixers were deciding between with their No. 3 pick last June, had their first NBA meeting on Saturday, Mizell adds in another piece. Philadelphia is ecstatic with Edgecombe, who’s in the midst of an outstanding rookie season, but Bailey has also been playing well lately as his minutes have increased. Edgecombe said they became friends during the pre-draft process, but never discussed who might be taken third. “I let him be. He let me be,” Edgecombe said. “And we just congratulated each other on draft night.”
- Joel Embiid will miss another game tonight with a right oblique strain, but there’s some promising news on the star center, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Embiid has been conducting on-court workouts, and although he’s still experiencing some pain, he hasn’t suffered any setbacks. He’s played in 33 games this season and has been sidelined since February 26.
Jayson Tatum Admits Frustrations Since Return From Achilles Injury
Jayson Tatum‘s return to the court roughly 10 months after an Achilles tear has been a remarkable story, but the Celtics star admitted that he’s been frustrated by the difficulty of trying to get back to the player he used to be, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required). Tatum held a brief session with reporters after Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, which saw him go scoreless in the first half before he finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
“I mean, I ain’t know how this [expletive] was going to be,” he said. “I mean, it’s tough. In the moment, you try not to think about it, you just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I’m not Superman, so it’s obviously going to take some time. I think the next day I can give myself a little more grace over certain things, but in the moment, I mean, it’s frustrating.”
Tatum shot 6-of-16 on Sunday and 2-of-7 from three-point range, and Himmelsbach points out that he has yet to make half his shots in any game since returning to action on March 6. He’s averaging 19.1 PPG in eight games, but connecting at just 38.8% from the field and 29.3% from beyond the arc.
Tatum told reporters that he hasn’t fully rediscovered his feel for the game yet and is trying to slow down and regain his rhythm. He dismissed the idea that he’s just suffering through a regular shooting slump.
“I wouldn’t say normal slump, because it’s the first time I went through something like this,” he said. “I mean, it’s just been a long time. It was a long time before I could shoot a basketball, before I could walk. So just trying to knock the rust off game by game. I find great spurts and moments from game to game and, you know, just trying to put more of them together.”
Even though Tatum isn’t back to his usual standards, his return has boosted the Celtics in their battle for playoff position. They’ve gone 6-2 in the games he’s played and hold a half-game lead over New York for the No. 2 seed in the East.
There was some concern about how Tatum’s comeback might affect Jaylen Brown, who emerged as the team’s top scoring option and put up career-best numbers in several categories during his absence, but Brown said he and Tatum discussed how they would fit together, per Souichi Terada of MassLive.
“Sometimes as guys, you gotta do what you gotta do as a job,” Brown said in a pregame interview on NBC. “Sometimes your communication falls off. So to be able to get back on the same page is important. But it’s going to take more communication as the year goes on. Things change. You got adversity. Ups and downs. We just communicated that it was going to be me and you. Our communication sets the tone for the rest of the team. We both gotta be better going forward if we want this thing to work.”
Central Notes: Mitchell, Tyson, Harden, Toppin
On Saturday, Donovan Mitchell returned to action following a one-game absence from the Cavaliers’ lineup due to an eye injury, scoring 27 points on 23 shots in a five-point win. Jamal Collier of ESPN reports that Mitchell sustained the injury after colliding with teammate Evan Mobley during practice prior in the week to the game.
“He was having issues last game, like blurry [vision],” said coach Kenny Atkinson. “It’s not like a scratched cornea, nothing dangerous, but we got to let it clear up.”
Mitchell was dealing with the injury during the Cavs’ win over the Bucks on Tuesday, sporting a bloodshot eye. He went 4-of-14 from the field in that game, scoring 19 points in nearly 34 minutes.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Jaylon Tyson has been a breakout player for the Cavaliers this season, but a toe injury has thrown his place in the postseason rotation into limbo, Chris Fedor writes for Cleveland.com. Tyson exited Thursday’s game against the Bulls early with the injury and decided to leave the game rather than hurt his team by gutting it out. “It’s always difficult,” Tyson said, per Fedor. “I’m a competitor. I had a good opportunity today, so I wanted to be out there.” Tyson’s role has changed as the team added players like James Harden, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schröder, but he has tried to stay ready and be productive in his minutes.
- Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is relishing having a second superstar in James Harden to pair with Mitchell, Fedor writes in a separate story on Cleveland’s Saturday night win over New Orleans. “It’s nice to have two superstars,” Atkinson said. “As poorly as we were playing, that’s a game maybe with a younger team or less experienced team, you would lose by 25 or 30 on the last game of the road trip.”
- After missing four months while recovering from foot surgery, Pacers forward Obi Toppin is back on the floor and trying to find his way to his normal game, writes Tony East for Forbes. Toppin said he was itching to get back on the court, at times getting shots up while riding around in a scooter. “We didn’t want to rush anything, but we still wanted to get out a couple of games just so I’m not going into the summer wondering how it’s going to feel when I’m out there playing real basketball,” the athletic 6’8″ forward said. “So that’s what we’re doing now and everything’s been good.” East notes that it’s unusual for a player to miss 50-plus games and then come back before the end of the year with no playoff berth on the horizon. But Toppin, who is averaging 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game this season, is doing his best to hit the offseason running in preparation for a bounce-back 2026/27.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Yurtseven, Booker, Mathurin
Moses Moody has been upgraded to questionable for the Warriors‘ game against the Mavericks on Monday, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). Moody has been out with a wrist sprain for the last 10 games, and his impending return should help boost the injury-depleted Golden State roster.
Slater notes (via Twitter) that Kristaps Porzingis has also been upgraded to probable for Monday’s game after missing the last game with a back injury. Porzingis has played just seven times since being acquired by the Warriors, averaging 14.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game with his new team.
The Warriors are currently in firm command of the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, and are 1.5 games out of No. 9.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Omer Yurtseven has impressed in his initial efforts for the Warriors, the Eurohoops team writes. After signing a 10-day contract with Golden State, the Turkish center had a strong outing against the Pistons, recording eight points along with six rebounds and two assists, and impressing coach Steve Kerr along the way. “I’m a fan of Omer — he’s a very good player, very talented,” Kerr said. “He’s a good passer, he can shoot, and he’s had success in the NBA. We’ve only had him for a few days, but I enjoy watching him every day and seeing how he fits with the other guys,”
- The Suns are struggling of late, and it’s taking a toll on star Devin Booker, Doug Haller writes for The Athletic. “I’ve been around Book a long time,” said former coach Earl Watson. “You can just see in his face when something is wrong.” According to Haller, there was a palpable disconnect between Booker and the team after its fifth straight loss, this time against the Bucks. He says that Booker needs help, but time is running out for the Suns to make a run at a guaranteed playoff spot. They’re currently in 7th place with a 39-32 record.
- Bennedict Mathurin is making progress in his injury rehab for the Clippers, Grant Mona of the Sporting Tribune reports (via Twitter). Mathurin was ruled out for L.A.’s recent three-game road trip due to a right big toe injury, but according to head coach Tyronn Lue, he’s making progress. “He’s getting better,” Lue said. “He got on the court yesterday and shot, and he shot again this morning. But he’ll be out tonight.” Mathurin has averaged 19.9 points and 5.9 assists since being traded to the Clippers.
Southeast Notes: Johnson, Kuminga, Bitadze, Ball
Jalen Johnson missed the Hawks‘ win over the Warriors on Saturday with a shoulder injury, but head coach Quin Snyder is hopeful the star forward be back in time for Monday’s game against the Grizzlies, per Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks (Twitter link). Snyder didn’t elaborate on Johnson’s injury, simply stating, “He’s okay.”
A first-time All-Star this season, Johnson has played 63 of Atlanta’s 71 games this season, averaging 22.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per night while ranking second in the league in triple-doubles.
The Hawks are currently tied with the Sixers for sixth place in the East, having won nine of their last 10 games.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Jonathan Kuminga‘s first game with the Hawks against his former team didn’t end up being can’t-miss television, as he scored just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in Atlanta’s win over Golden State. Despite their very public split, both Kuminga and his former team maintain that their personal relationship is still positive, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “I like Jonathan. We always got along well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “The basketball part was the hard part. We couldn’t quite offer him what he needed and vice versa.” Kuminga focused on his teammates in discussing his former team, stating, “I’ve still got great friendship and connection like they’re my brothers. I could call them at any time if they need something and they could call me anytime if they need something, so I think that shows a lot. Our relationship is very strong and we’re brothers at the end of the day.”
- Goga Bitadze refuted Luka Doncic‘s account of the interaction that took place during the Magic‘s one-point loss to the Lakers that led to both players being given technical fouls, which were subsequently rescinded. Doncic claimed that Bitadze made a comment about his mother. “Where I come from, it’s really sacred and we really respect each other’s families, and I would never directly say that,” Bitadze said. “He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language, which, I played in Serbia, I understand.” The Georgian big man also extended an olive branch to the Slovenian superstar. “It was just in the heat of the moment. I heard what he said, and I felt like I had to respond the same way,” he said. So, from my side, if he feels like I said something too much or crossed the line, I apologize as a man. I can take [accountability], but I didn’t say anything, but what he said.”
- LaMelo Ball has led the Hornets to a 37-34 record, including 21 wins in their past 27 games. Head coach Charles Lee credits Ball’s infectious energy and approach as a tone-setter for the team, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “There’s just so much joy that he brings. His teammates love him. They love being around him,” Lee said. “He is one of those guys that’s so open-minded to being coached. He’s still hungry to learn.” Teammate Brandon Miller credited Ball’s defensive focus, which Miller believes has been underrated this season, as another example of the point guard’s adaptability and growth as a player.