Dillon Brooks To Serve One-Game Suspension
Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul, according to the league office.
Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.
Brooks received his most recent technical foul with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter of the Suns’ 136-109 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. Brooks will serve his suspension Feb. 19 when the Suns play at San Antonio.
The Lakers’ Luka Doncic (13), the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart (12) and the Warriors’ Draymond Green (11) are the other players in double digits in technicals this season. Stewart is currently serving a seven-game suspension for his participation in the Pistons-Hornets brawl this week.
Jeremy Sochan Plans To Join Knicks After Clearing Waivers
Jeremy Sochan plans to join the Knicks once he clears waivers, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
The Knicks have an open roster spot and made some moves prior to the trade deadline to free up cap space. They have enough room below their second-apron hard cap to sign another player to the roster immediately, rather than having to wait until later in the season. By adding Sochan prior to the March 1, he’ll be playoff-eligible.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link), New York went from $148K below the second apron to $1,148,358 last week. That gives the Knicks enough room to sign Sochan to the prorated veteran minimum and remain under the apron. He’ll be a free agent again after the season.
Sochan was placed on waivers on Thursday by mutual agreement with the Spurs. According to Charania, 10 teams were interested in signing him following the waiver procedure. He had an expiring $7.1MM salary, which made it highly unlikely he’d be claimed.
The No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Sochan had fallen out of San Antonio’s rotation since December and was viewed as a change-of-scenery candidate ahead of last week’s trade deadline. The club reportedly gave his representatives permission to explore a potential move leading up to February 5. The Knicks were one of the teams who were reportedly interested in trading for him.
Sochan made 149 starts and averaged 27.3 minutes per game in his first three seasons with the Spurs, contributing 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest during that time.
He could provide depth for the Knicks at a number of positions and his defensive prowess could come in handy during the playoffs. Sochan’s main weakness is his outside shooting, having made just 28.7% of his career three-pointers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Play In All-Star Contest; Fox Chosen As Replacement
Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, according to the Bucks (Twitter link).
The news comes as no surprise, since he hasn’t played since suffering a right calf strain on Jan. 23. Antetokounmpo was chosen to play for World Team in the new three-team format.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox has been selected by commissioner Adam Silver as his replacement, the league announced (Twitter link), but Fox won’t join the World Team. Rather, he’ll play for the USA Stripes group while the Heat’s Norman Powell will be reassigned to the World Team. Powell has ties to Jamaica.
According to the Bucks, Antetokounmpo will help coach the All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday and then cheer on his World teammates on Sunday. The perennial All-Star, who is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, had been the subject of trade rumors leading up last week’s deadline.
His availability to Milwaukee, which currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference, is another matter of intrigue. The Bucks could make a push for a play-in spot when he’s ready to go but it’s also possible they may limit his availability or even shut him down in order to improve their lottery chances.
Fox will be making his second All-Star appearance — his first came in 2023 with Sacramento. Fox is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32 minutes per game while appearing in 45 games.
He’ll give San Antonio, the team sitting in second place in the West, another All-Star representative along with Victor Wembanyama. The Stripes team will be coached by the Spurs’ Mitch Johnson.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 2/12/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the new-look Cavaliers, the Hornets' surge and Charles Lee's Coach of the Year chances, the NBA's options to limit tanking, whether Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard is more likely to be traded and more!
Ace Bailey, Bub Carrington, Jahmir Young Added To Rising Stars Event
Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Wizards guard Bub Carrington and Heat guard Jahmir Young have been selected to participate in Friday’s Rising Stars competition as injury replacements, the NBA announced in a series of tweets.
Bailey will replace Mavericks star Cooper Flagg, who is unavailable due to a left midfoot sprain, while Carrington will take the place of his teammate, Alex Sarr, who is sidelined by a strained hamstring. Young will fill in for Bulls guard Mac McClung, who is out with a right calf injury. Bailey will be part of Team Melo, coached by Carmelo Anthony, Carrington will be on Team T-Mac, coached by Tracy McGrady, and Young is on Team Austin, coached by Austin Rivers.
Selected with the fifth pick in last year’s draft, Bailey is part of a talented rookie class throughout the league. The 19-year-old has appeared in 48 games, making 37 starts, and is averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 26.2 minutes per night with .449/.343/.708 shooting numbers.
Carrington, 20, was the 14th pick in the 2024 draft. He hasn’t missed a game in his NBA career and is averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his second season with .402/.393/.761 shooting splits.
Young has spent most of the season in the G League and has only appeared in eight games with Miami. The 25-year-old is averaging 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 9.8 assists in 16 regular season games with Sioux Falls.
The Rising Stars event will match three teams consisting of NBA rookies and sophomores, along with a fourth team of G League players. They will compete in a three-game tournament to crown the winner.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Out For The Season
Jaren Jackson Jr. will have surgery to remove a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) growth in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the season, the Jazz announced in a press release.
The team states that the growth was identified in an MRI during a physical after Jackson was acquired in a trade with Memphis last week. The procedure is expected to take place during the All-Star break.
Jackson appeared in three games with Utah, averaging 22.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24 minutes per night. The Jazz went 2-1 with him in their lineup.
Utah acquired Jackson to be part of a supersized frontcourt for the future alongside Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Jackson and Markkanen are both under contract for the next three seasons, with Jackson holding a $53.5MM player option for 2029/30. Kessler is considered likely to be re-signed this summer as he approaches restricted free agency.
Jackson is a two-time All-Star and was selected as Defensive Player of the Year in 2022/23. He has been named to the All-Defensive team three times and has twice led the NBA in blocks during a season.
The Jazz will convey this year’s first-round pick to Oklahoma City if it falls outside the top eight, so there’s no urgency to keep Jackson on the court. Undergoing the operation now should ensure that he’ll be fully healthy in time for training camp in the fall. Utah currently has the sixth-worst record in the league at 18-37.
Mavericks Notes: Cuban, Ownership, New Arena, Middleton
After reporting on Wednesday that the Dumont and Adelson families have no interest in selling the Mavericks back to Mark Cuban, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required) sheds some light on Cuban’s diminishing role with the franchise. Cuban was brought back to the inner circle of decision makers after former general manager Nico Harrison was fired in November, but sources tell Stein that his influence has already started to wane.
Co-interim GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley were solely responsible for the decision to trade Anthony Davis to Washington last week, according to Stein. He also hears that Riccardi addressed the players on Saturday to explain the trade deadline moves and set expectations for the remainder of the season.
Stein notes that the 2023 sale agreement gives the Dumonts and Adelsons an option — believed to be in effect through December of 2027 — to buy more of Cuban’s shares in the franchise and reduce his minority stake from 27% to as low as 7%. Stein adds that the families’ strong public denial of sale rumors could be interpreted as a message to Cuban to be more careful in his public comments.
Cuban told Stein on Wednesday that he hasn’t talked with team governor Patrick Dumont recently, but stated that he has received calls from “individuals, groups, financial people, you name it” who expressed interest in getting involved if the opportunity arises to repurchase the team.
There’s more from Dallas:
- It’s unlikely that the Adelsons would consider selling the Mavericks at any price, writes Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Although they recognize it could take several years, the family bought the team with the vision of linking it to their casino business and they want to be ready if gambling is ever legalized in Texas.
- The Mavericks have reached an agreement with CAA Sports to handle their commercial strategy for a planned new arena, the team announced in a press release. The effort will focus on finding “world class brands” for naming rights and other opportunities. “We have an ambitious vision for the future of the Dallas Mavericks,” CEO Rick Welts said. “The opportunity ahead of us is significant. CAA Sports brings global expertise, deep industry relationships and a strong track record of delivering transformational partnerships for top echelon sports properties. They are the right teammate as we move into this next chapter.”
- There’s been speculation that Khris Middleton may be a buyout candidate after being acquired from Washington in the Davis deal, but coach Jason Kidd likes having him on the roster, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Middleton came off the bench to contribute 13 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes on Tuesday in his Mavericks debut. “Some would say he was a throw-in,” said Kidd, who formerly coached Middleton in Milwaukee. “He’s a lot bigger than you think. He can post. He can shoot it. For me, it was exciting to be able to work with Khris early on in his basketball journey. He did all the hard work. When we got him, he was our best player at the time. Giannis (Antetokounmpo) not that far behind.”
Alex Sarr To Miss Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Alex Sarr has suffered a hamstring strain that will sideline him for roughly two weeks, the Wizards announced (via Twitter). That means Sarr won’t be available for Friday’s Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.
Sarr was held out of Wednesday’s loss at Cleveland with hamstring tightness. He also didn’t play last Saturday at Brooklyn.
The 20-year-old big man is having a productive second NBA season, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 41 games. He has established himself as a foundational piece in Washington after being selected with the second pick in the 2024 draft and finishing fourth in last year’s Rookie of the Year race.
Because Sarr’s injury occurred just before the All-Star break, he’ll have a full week to rest before the Wizards play again. Their next game is February 19 at home against Indiana.
Washington will be focused more on maximizing the value of its draft pick rather than trying to win over the next two months, so there’s no incentive to bring back Sarr before he’s fully recovered. The Wizards hold the league’s second-worst record at 14-39 heading into the break, and their first-round pick is top-eight protected.
Tristan Vukcevic also missed Wednesday’s game with an illness, so Washington used an extremely small starting lineup with no real center. Anthony Davis, who was acquired at last week’s deadline, also didn’t play amid conflicting reports on whether he will be held out for the rest of the season.
Nigel Hayes-Davis Signing With Panathinaikos
After spending half the season in the NBA, Nigel Hayes-Davis has returned to Europe, agreeing to sign with Panathinaikos, writes Johnny Askouinis of Eurohoops. Owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos confirmed the deal on social media and stated that Hayes-Davis’ new contract will run through 2028.
The Greek team won the bidding war for Hayes-Davis after reportedly having its offer turned down early in the process. Hapoel Tel Aviv and Fenerbahce in Istanbul were the other top contenders.
The deal has a total value of $10MM, club sources tell Askounis, which will make Hayes-Davis the third highest-paid player in Europe. He trails only Hapoel’s Vasilije Micic and new teammate Kendrick Nunn, two other former NBA players.
Hayes-Davis, a 31-year-old small forward, was a star in Europe for seven years, earning Final Four MVP honors last spring while helping Fenerbahce capture the EuroLeague championship. He saw brief action with the Lakers, Raptors and Kings early in his career after going undrafted out of Wisconsin, but only appeared in nine total games before deciding to head overseas in 2018.
Hayes-Davis returned to the NBA in July, signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Phoenix, but he only averaged 7.2 minutes per night in 27 games. He became a free agent after being traded to Milwaukee at last week’s deadline and waived a day later.
Northwest Notes: Jones, Johnson, Nuggets, Dosunmu
It’s widely expected that the Nuggets will sign two-way player Spencer Jones to a standard contract once he clears concussion protocol, but there are still hurdles to clear before the move is completed. According to head coach David Adelman, the team and Jones have not yet come to terms on a deal, though that shouldn’t give fans any cause for alarm.
“The negotiation that’s going on there obviously is being slow-played because of (Jones’) concussion,” Adelman said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “The negotiation, I’ve been updated by (vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer) and (executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace), but it’s slow-moving right now. But the concussion thing is real, we’ll probably have more information after the break. Right now, I think it’s just, let’s get him right and then let Ben and Jon and his agency and his people talk.”
Jones has already reached his 50-game limit with the Nuggets as a two-way player, so getting a deal done will be a top priority as the team moves forward into the final stretch of the season.
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets have been dealing with injuries all season, and this most recent stretch of games is no exception. That’s why Cameron Johnson‘s return to play is timely, Bennett Durando writes for the Denver Post. Johnson suited up last Saturday against the Bulls in his first action since December 23, scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. With Peyton Watson sidelined for at least a month, Aaron Gordon out for multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, and Jones in concussion protocol, Denver’s depth at forward has grown very thin heading into the All-Star break. Johnson feels good physically about his return. “It’s been a lot of time spent trying to get conditioning back up to where it is, and we track a lot of stuff over the course of (the recovery) to be able to come back and play in the mid to high 20s minutes, instead of having to be a lot lower,” the veteran wing said. “Obviously, with any situation, you come back and just try to feel your best. Sometimes, it’s not all the way 100. But I feel good enough to definitely go out there and compete.”
- After converting Jones, the Nuggets will have one more 15-man roster spot to fill, which they will look to do on the buyout market. Durando examines 10 options that could fit Denver’s needs. Lonzo Ball, Tyus Jones, and Chris Paul are all guards Durando thinks could help stabilize the Nuggets’ backcourt depth if they become available, while Khris Middleton, Kyle Anderson, Chris Boucher, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, and Georges Niang could all be useful wings and bigs, especially given the team’s injuries. Durando notes that Love has an existing relationship with Adelman, as they were together in Minnesota in the early 2010s. The team has previously been reported to have some level of interest in Ball.
- The Timberwolves‘ move to trade for soon-to-be restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline filled an immediate need, but the team is hoping that the deal yields returns that last much longer than this season, writes the AP’s Tyler Mason. “We’re certainly hopeful it’s a long-term match,” said team president Tim Connelly. “He wasn’t just identified for the next 30-plus games. He was identified because we think he’s a guy that could be a huge part of our core.”
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that the Timberwolves‘ pivot to Dosunmu came when it was clear that the Bucks were not reciprocating trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo in meaningful ways, and that pulling off the smaller deal helped ease the new ownership’s mind when it came to not wanting to break up the core of Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid. Krawczynski also writes that Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s success with the Wolves is a helpful blueprint for Dosunmu and the style he will need to play to help elevate the team in similar ways. Dosunmu, for his part, is ready to compete at a higher level. “I want to be labeled as a guy who plays in the playoffs, a guy who’s a winning player, a guy who does whatever it takes to help the team win,” he said. “So now that I have the opportunity, don’t take it for granted.”