Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper Named Rookies Of The Month
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel has won a fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). No other Eastern rookie has earned the honor in 2025/26, as Knueppel has now claimed the award in October/November, December, January, and February.
Knueppel continued to solidify his case for Rookie of the Year recognition by leading Charlotte to an 8-3 record in 11 games in February. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while knocking down more than half of his field goal attempts (50.3%).
Perhaps most impressively, Knueppel made 49-of-101 three-pointers, averaging 4.5 makes per game at a 48.5% clip.
Knueppel had shared Rookie of the Month honors with his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg three times in a row, but with Flagg sidelined for much of February due to a foot injury, Spurs guard Dylan Harper became the first non-Blue Devil to break through this season, earning the Rookie of the Month award in the West.
Harper’s Spurs didn’t lose a single game in February, going 10-0 when he was active. The No. 2 overall pick registered 12.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 25.1 MPG while shooting 55.4% from the floor. San Antonio had a +21.0 net rating during Harper’s 252 minutes on the court in February.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, Wizards forward Will Riley, and Nets guard Nolan Traore were also nominated for Rookie of the Month in the Eastern Conference, while Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Grizzlies guard Javon Small, Kings big man Maxime Raynaud, and Mavericks forward Flagg were the other nominees in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Southwest Notes: Middleton, Nembhard, Murphy, Prosper, Barnes
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was pleased with Khris Middleton‘s decision to remain in Dallas for the rest of the season rather than seeking a buyout to get to a playoff team, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
“It’s great,” Kidd said. “Khris is a vet. He’s already had some impact with us, on and off the floor. For him to be able to stay, it’s great. We’ll try not to play him 40 minutes a night, but his ability as a vet to score and to lead is something that’s needed in that locker room, so we’re happy he stayed.”
Although Middleton stayed put, another veteran – Tyus Jones – negotiated his release from the Mavericks, which opened up a roster spot on Dallas’ 15-man roster. The team used that newly created opening to promote standout rookie guard Ryan Nembhard from his two-way contract.
According to Curtis (subscription required), Nembhard said after signing the deal that it “feels great” to get his first real NBA contract and that he’s “looking forward to building on this.” The former Gonzaga standout added that he has long felt valued by the Mavs, who tried to acquire a second-round pick to acquire him last June before ultimately signing him as an undrafted free agent.
“They showed a lot of love,” Nembhard told Curtis. “They got me in for a workout the day before the draft. I feel like there was an opportunity for me. That’s the biggest thing.”
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III played on Sunday for the first time since before the All-Star break, returning from a right shoulder contusion that kept him on the shelf for five games, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “A versatile player playing at a high level,” interim head coach James Borrego said of Murphy, who generated significant interest from rival teams ahead of February’s trade deadline. “He just raises our level, our standard, our ceiling. He’s having a tremendous year to this date. The energy, the vibe, the spirit, the competitiveness and the belief. I know he’s happy to be out there with his brothers.”
- Two-way forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper has taken on an increased role for the Grizzlies as of late, starting five straight games, playing small-ball center, and averaging 15.2 points per night on .628/.471/.867 shooting since February 6. Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal takes an in-depth look at Maxence-Prosper, who only has six games of eligibility left on his two-way deal and is making a strong case for a promotion to the standard roster. “All of O-Max’s energy is just contagious,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo told Afseth. “He’s one of the highest-motor players in the whole league. He’s had to basically shift up a position or two spots and is doing a great job. He’s improved his shooting from the outside and is shooting with a lot of confidence. … How he’s improving in the little facets of the game overall, it’s a testament to the hard work he’s putting in.”
- Removed last month from the Spurs‘ starting lineup after making 775 consecutive starts for four NBA teams, veteran forward Harrison Barnes continues to play regular minutes off the bench and has taken his new role in stride, notes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “Harrison Barnes is as professional and as good of a veteran as you could want in your locker room,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said of his teammate, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Stein’s Latest: Flagg, Young, Middleton, Jones, Peterson
There’s rising optimism within the Mavericks organization that Cooper Flagg is close to returning from the midfoot sprain that has sidelined him since the All-Star break, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports in his latest Substack article.
Flagg is unlikely to play on Tuesday against Charlotte — he’s listed as doubtful — but Dallas has three more road games this week — Orlando on Thursday, Boston on Friday and Toronto on Sunday. Flagg grew up in Maine, so suiting up for the Mavs’ lone visit to Boston would have special meaning to him, Stein notes.
Flagg hasn’t played since Feb. 10. The top pick in last year’s draft is averaging 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Here’s more from Stein:
- Expect Trae Young and the Wizards to come to terms on a projected three-year contract extension this summer, Stein says. Young holds a $49MM option on his contract for next season, which wouldn’t be exercised if he signs an extension. The Hawks‘ unwillingness to sign Young to a new deal was the main reason the high-scoring point guard was dealt. What shouldn’t be expected is Young suiting up this season — Stein says skepticism persists around the league that the team would let the veteran guard, who has been sidelined with knee and quad issues, play again this season and jeopardize their lottery pick. The Wizards have a tenuous hold on the NBA’s fourth-worst record and need to stay there or lower to ensure that its draft pick won’t fall beyond No. 8 in the lottery. Their pick is only top-eight protected — otherwise, it must be conveyed to the Knicks.
[UPDATE: Trae Young to make Wizards debut Thursday] - As Stein reported over the weekend, Khris Middleton decided to remain with the Mavericks rather than pursue a buyout. Middleton would have sacrificed his Bird rights if he was bought out and waived. Middleton remains eligible for a potential sign-and-trade this summer but Dallas is interested in retaining Middleton — an unrestricted free agent after the season –depending on the state of the roster. Middleton has made a strong impression within the organization off the court and has also made a positive impact on the court, averaging 12.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in eight games.
- Tyus Jones was waived by the Mavericks on Saturday, allowing him to hook on with a playoff contender. Which one remains a mystery. The Rockets were expected to pursue a veteran point guard following the trade deadline but don’t have any plans in the short run to make a roster addition, says Stein.
- At least one talent evaluator from a lottery-bound team says he wouldn’t take Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson with the top pick. Peterson’s spotty availability has raised some red flags. “Too many question marks,” the evaluator told Stein.
Mavericks Sign Tyler Smith, Waive Miles Kelly
The Mavericks have signed free agent forward Tyler Smith to a two-way contract, per a team press release (Twitter link). In a related move, guard Miles Kelly has been waived.
Smith, 21, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 draft and spent his rookie season with the Bucks. However, he played a very limited role in Milwaukee, logging just 122 total minutes across 23 NBA appearances.
Smith played more regularly in the G League, averaging 25.1 minutes per contest across 25 outings for the Wisconsin Herd, but he didn’t put up big numbers for the Bucks’ NBAGL affiliate, averaging 10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game with a .415/.327/.824 shooting line.
The victim of a roster crunch in Milwaukee, Smith was waived by the Bucks in October and entered the G League draft, where he was selected second overall by the Osceola Magic. The 6’9″ forward was subsequently traded to the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s affiliate, appearing in eight games before his rights were acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Smith signed a two-way contract with the Rockets in early December, but he didn’t appear in any NBA games prior to being cut in early January before his deal became guaranteed for the rest of the season. He has played 19 regular season games (27.0 MPG) with the Vipers, averaging 15.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .509/.391/.690 shooting.
Kelly, a 6’4″ shooting guard, spent his first three college seasons at Georgia Tech prior to transferring to Auburn in 2024/25. He went undrafted in June and quickly signed a two-way deal with Dallas.
Kelly has played a modest NBA role for the Mavs, averaging 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game across 14 appearances. The 23-year-old has spent much of 2025/26 in the G League with the Texas Legends, appearing in 26 games (32.5 MPG) and averaging 19.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.4 APG and 0.9 SPG while shooting 37.1% from three-point range on high volume (9.1 attempts).
As we noted in another story, Dallas has also finalized a two-way deal with John Poulakidas, a sharpshooting wing who had been playing for the San Diego Clippers.
John Poulakidas Signs Two-Way Deal With Mavericks
11:31 am: Poulakidas’ two-way deal is official, per the Mavs (Twitter link).
7:42 am: Free agent wing John Poulakidas will sign a two-way contract with the Mavericks, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (via Twitter).
Poulakidas went undrafted in 2025 after playing four years of college basketball for Yale. He averaged 19.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 27 games as a senior last season and shot 40.2% from three-point range during his college career.
A 6’6″ shooting guard, Poulakidas signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Clippers in the fall, was waived before the regular season began, and has spent the 2025/26 campaign in the G League with the San Diego Clippers.
The 22-year-old got off to a relatively slow start in the NBAGL, making 13 Tip-Off Tournament appearances and averaging 8.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game while shooting 38.5% from deep. Poulakidas has played a larger role for San Diego since the regular season began, averaging 14.7 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 27 games (30.9 MPG) and shooting 47.3% from long distance on high volume.
Dallas will have an open two-way spot once the team officially converts Ryan Nembhard to a two-year standard contract. Assuming his deal is finalized in the next three days, Poulakidas will be eligible to be active for up to 12 regular season games for the Mavericks.
Mavs Promote Ryan Nembhard To Two-Year Standard Deal
March 1: Nembhard has officially been converted to a standard deal, the Mavericks announced (Twitter link).
February 28: The Mavericks are promoting two-way guard Ryan Nembhard to a two-year standard contract that features a team option for 2026/27, league sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
Nembhard’s agents, Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani of Life Sports, confirmed the news to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Nembhard is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 assists in 38 appearances with the NBA club, including 17 starts. In those starts, he’s averaging 9.9 points and 6.1 assists while making 44.4% of his 3-point attempts.
However, Nembhard hasn’t appeared in a game with the Mavericks since February 5 as he approached the 50-game limit for two-way players. The rookie got an extensive look from the coaching staff earlier in the season due to backcourt injuries and made the most of it.
Dallas opened a roster spot by deciding to waive Tyus Jones. Once Nembhard is promoted into that opening, the Mavs will have an open two-way slot, which can be filled any time before the March 4 deadline for two-way signings.
Nembhard, 22, went undrafted out of Gonzaga. He signed his two-way contract shortly after the draft. Earlier in the season, he discussed his hopes of getting a standard deal.
“I’ll let my agents and everybody figure that out,” Nembhard said. “Obviously that’s there, and obviously I’m on a two-way. But at the end of the day, if I go on the court and handle business and do my job at a high level, then that will take care of itself when the time comes. So I’m not too concerned about that. I’m just trying to win games and enjoy hooping.”
Khris Middleton To Finish Season With Mavericks
Khris Middleton has decided not to pursue a buyout and will remain with the Mavericks for the rest of the season, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
To be eligible to appear in the playoffs with another team, Middleton would have needed to finalize a buyout with Dallas by the end of the day on Sunday. He was considering his options earlier in the week, and the Mavs indicated that they were willing to negotiate a buyout of his $33.3MM expiring contract if that’s want he wanted.
The Nuggets and Spurs were mentioned as teams that had interest in Middleton if he became available, and there would likely have been numerous other suitors. He would have been eligible to sign with anyone except the Cavaliers, Warriors and Knicks because they’re operating in apron territory and aren’t permitted to add a player waived during the season who had been earning more than the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
There was “pessimism” in Denver this week that Middleton could be lured away from the Mavericks, according to Stein’s sources (Twitter link).
A buyout would have resulted in the loss of Middleton’s Bird rights, which transferred when he was acquired from Washington at the trade deadline. Although Middleton is almost certain to get a sharply reduced salary next season, having his Bird rights in place could help him land a contract above the veteran’s minimum.
With a small number of teams possessing cap space for the offseason, Middleton could have value in a potential sign-and-trade deal, suggests Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
Middleton, 34, has been productive with Dallas in his seven games since the deal, averaging 13.9 PPG with .485/.364/.893 shooting numbers. He’s made five starts and is logging 24 minutes per night.
Southwest Notes: Middleton, Mavs, Spurs, J. Smith
Prior to Friday’s loss vs. Memphis, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that Khris Middleton is a buyout candidate ahead of Sunday’s deadline to be waived by one team and remain eligible to appear in the postseason for another club, per Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Mavs (Twitter video link).
“That’s up to Khris,” Kidd said. “We support whatever decision he makes if he’s going to stay or if he’s gonna get bought out. But I think he’s gotta make that decision here pretty quick.”
As reported by Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Middleton is evaluating whether to finish out his expiring contract with Dallas or to reach a buyout agreement to sign with a playoff team. The Nuggets and Spurs are said to be among the teams with interest in the 34-year-old small forward.
According to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com, NBA personnel have been keeping close tabs on Middleton since he was traded to the Mavericks ahead of this month’s deadline. One scout likes what he’s seen of the 14-year veteran, while an anonymous executive said Middleton might be better off staying with Dallas — the three-time All-Star would forfeit his Bird rights if he agrees to a buyout.
“His numbers have been down quite a bit — and his efficiency never recovered with the Wizards,” the executive told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “He might be best off playing this season out in Dallas where they’re letting him play his game and build some momentum for himself going into free agency. He’s going to get minutes and touches in Dallas. That may not be consistent on a contender. He could join a contender in the summer. I understand the appeal of joining a contender now, though.”
That same front office employee told Afseth that Middleton could help the Mavericks, but it’s not a straightforward situation.
“When he’s in a rhythm, he’s going to help a team win games. That may hurt the Mavericks’ chances of maximizing draft position now,” the executive said. “But he’s a great locker room guy. He’s genuine about helping younger teammates. That’s a good veteran to have on your team. He’d be a piece that could help them when Kyrie Irving is healthy and ready to go next season. You want vets like [Middleton] around Cooper Flagg.”
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- During Thursday’s game vs. Sacramento, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts joined the team’s broadcast and said governor Patrick Dumont decided not to raise ticket prices for 2026/27 because the Mavs didn’t meet expectations, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “It was one of the strangest meetings I’ve been in in my 48 years in the league, where you sit down with the owner,” Welts said. “The staff has done two months of work to figure out where tickets might be underpriced. Patrick preempted the conversation before it got started and said, ‘Look, we didn’t deliver this year. We didn’t deliver on the team as expected. We’re not going to raise one ticket price this year.’ A popular decision. The right one as well.”
- Thursday’s win at Brooklyn marked the Spurs‘ 11th consecutive victory, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs went undefeated in February, the third time the team has had an unblemished month. “It feels like the players are finding different ways to win,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “That’s a sign of growth.” Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes a closer look at San Antonio’s undefeated month, writing that a variety of players contributed on a game-to-game basis. The Spurs have also found ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best. “Does (the undefeated month) mean it was perfect? Not at all,” Victor Wembanyama said. “But looking back, it’s never really perfect. So it’s pretty satisfying.”
- Fourth-year Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. was sidelined for Saturday’s game in Miami and will miss Monday’s game at Washington as well, per Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Smith, who sprained his right ankle in Thursday’s comeback win in Orlando, is targeting next Thursday against Golden State for his return to the court, Shankar adds.
Mavericks Waive Tyus Jones
10:32 am: Jones has officially been waived, the team announced (via Twitter).
5:22 am: The Mavericks intend to waive point guard Tyus Jones, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Because the move will happen before the end of the day on Sunday, Jones will retain his playoff eligibility for his next team.
Jones, 29, is an 11th-year NBA veteran known for his ability to set up teammates and take care of the ball. He has career averages of 7.3 points, 4.3 assists, and just 0.8 turnovers in 20.7 minutes per game across 738 regular season appearances for Minnesota, Memphis, Washington, Phoenix, Orlando, and Dallas.
After four-year stints with both the Timberwolves and Grizzlies, Jones has bounced around the NBA in recent years, playing for four teams in the past three seasons. He opened this year with the Magic, having signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the team during the 2025 offseason, but had a disappointing year in Orlando, averaging just 3.1 PPG and 2.6 APG on .349/.281/.875 shooting in a bench role.
Jones was traded to the Hornets at the deadline in what was a salary-dump deal from the Magic’s perspective, allowing them to duck below the luxury tax line. Charlotte subsequently flipped him to the Mavericks in a separate trade.
At the time, reports indicated that Dallas had attempted to sign Jones last summer before ending up with D’Angelo Russell and that they’d be happy to have him on the roster for the rest of the season. However, it appears as if the guard prefers to try to catch on with a playoff team.
Waiving Jones will open up a spot on the Mavs’ 15-man roster, and Stein suggests there’s a strong chance that two-way guard Ryan Nembhard will be promoted to fill that opening. Nembhard, who can’t be active for more than 50 regular season games on his two-way contract, appeared in 33 consecutive contests from late November through early February and has been active for 44 in total, but has been on Dallas’ inactive list since Feb. 5.
If the Mavs were to convert Nembhard to a standard contract in the coming days, it would remove his games-played cap for the season and would allow the club to back-fill his two-way slot by the March 4 deadline for two-way signings.
Besides Jones, veteran forward Khris Middleton is another buyout candidate in Dallas. The team has reportedly left the decision up to him, with Denver said to be among his potential suitors.
Cooper Flagg (Foot Sprain) Likely Out At Least Two More Games
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg continues to deal with a left midfoot sprain. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick missed his sixth consecutive game on Friday due to the injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two more, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“Probably not that he will play,” head coach Jason Kidd replied when asked if Flagg would be active for Tuesday’s road game in Charlotte.
The Mavs host Oklahoma City on Sunday before embarking on a six-game road trip, which begins on Tuesday against the Hornets. Flagg’s primary competition for Rookie of the Year is Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, his former teammate and roommate at Duke.
As Afseth notes, Dallas initially thought Flagg would return to action immediately after the All-Star break, but that didn’t happen. The 19-year-old last played on February 10, when he sustained the injury, which was confirmed by an MRI.
There has been some speculation around the league that the Mavericks might shut Flagg down for the rest of the season to preserve his long-term health and improve their odds of landing a top draft pick, Afseth writes. The team hasn’t addressed that speculation publicly and Kidd hasn’t given any indication that Dallas is considering going that route, per Afseth.
Flagg has appeared in 49 games (34.1 MPG) this season for Dallas, averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals on .482/.302/.804 shooting splits.