Injury Notes: Curry, Harris, Embiid, Giddey, Jones Garcia
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr provided an encouraging update on Stephen Curry after the 38-year-old went through another scrimmage on Thursday evening, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“He looked good … he looks like Steph Curry,” Kerr said.
Kerr wouldn’t commit to Curry playing on Sunday, saying that would be up to the star guard and director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini. A final call will likely happen on Friday, Friedell adds, but it certainly sounds like Curry is on track to suit up this weekend, barring a last-minute setback.
The two-time MVP has been sidelined since late January due to patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee.
Here are a few more health-related updates from around the NBA:
- Veteran forward Tobias Harris suffered a left knee contusion in the first half of Thursday’s matchup with Minnesota and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the Pistons announced (via Twitter). Harris, who has started each of the 59 games in which he’s appeared this season, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Sixers center Joel Embiid has been listed as doubtful ahead of Friday’s game vs. Minnesota because of an illness, per Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice. Embiid sat out Wednesday’s win against Washington because he was sick and the doubtful designation suggests he’s likely to miss a second consecutive game.
- Josh Giddey was held out of Wednesday’s contest vs. Indiana after experiencing left hamstring tightness and his status for the final six games of the season is up in the air, according to Brian Sandalow of The Chicago Sun-Times. The Australian guard missed 19 games due to left hamstring issues earlier in 2025/26 and is considered day-to-day, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said.
- Rookie wing David Jones Garcia, who is about two months removed from season-ending ankle surgery, is no longer using a scooter and is traveling with the Spurs during their ongoing road trip, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Jones Garcia is expected to make a full recovery at some point in the offseason. “He’s a big part of the locker room and the group and the guys, so it’s been good to have him around,” head coach Mitch Johnson said.
Pacific Rumors: Warriors, Kawhi, Kerr, LeBron, Williams
Multiple reports since February’s trade deadline have indicated that the Warriors talked to the Clippers earlier this season about a possible Kawhi Leonard deal. According to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, multiple league sources he spoke to this week suggested that Golden State actually came “reasonably close” to acquiring the star forward. The two sides had “generally agreed” on what a deal would look like before the Clippers decided to withdraw from those talks, Kawakami says.
Those same sources believe the Warriors will once again go big-game hunting this offseason, with Leonard among their targets, Kawakami writes. The two-time Finals MVP will be entering 2026/27 on an expiring $50.3MM contract, assuming it’s not voided as part of the NBA’s investigation into Leonard and the Clippers.
Kawakami also notes within the same story that he believes head coach Steve Kerr will be back on the sidelines for the Warriors next season, though he admits that’s just speculation and that he’s not sure Kerr himself has even made a decision at this point. Team owner Joe Lacob, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., and star guard Stephen Curry “absolutely want Kerr back,” per Kawakami.
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Checking in on where things stand with the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Leonard’s relationship with the now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration, Baxter Holmes of ESPN says interviews are still ongoing and there’s no set timeline for the probe to wrap up. Holmes also digs further into Leonard’s promotional deal with Aspiration, examining the factors that investigators will consider as they weigh how unusual the agreement may have been.
- Responding to the latest round of speculation about LeBron James‘ future beyond 2025/26, agent Rich Paul said on the Game Over podcast that there’s “no truth to any of it” and insisted that even the Lakers forward himself isn’t sure what next season might hold. “I don’t know what’s happening. … He don’t know either,” Paul said (Twitter video link). “We don’t even talk about it… Just enjoy the moment. The man is playing minutes with his son. Meaningful minutes. … The Lakers are 12-1, they’re playing well, why are you talking about some stuff about next year? I get it, you have to talk about it. … (But) nobody knows. I don’t care what article is written. I don’t care what tweet is out there. Nobody knows anything.”
- Suns center Mark Williams, who has been sidelined since March 3 due to a left foot stress reaction, has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday’s game in Charlotte, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams missed the first of Phoenix’s two games against his former team in March, so it’s safe to assume he’ll try to do all he can to make it back for Thursday’s matchup with the Hornets, whom he hasn’t faced since they traded him to the Suns last June. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) expects the fourth-year big man to return tonight.
Checking In On Playoff Picture, Expired 10-Day Contracts
Although we already know which 20 teams will be taking part in the NBA’s postseason, only seven of those clubs have officially clinched playoff spots, assuring themselves of a top-six finish in their respective conferences. The Pistons, Celtics, and Knicks have booked their tickets in the East, while the Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, and Nuggets have done so in the West.
Two more teams could secure top-six playoff spots on Thursday. According to the NBA (Twitter link), the Cavaliers will clinch a playoff berth with a win tonight in Golden State, while the Rockets will be assured of a playoff appearance if the Suns lose in Charlotte.
Although the Timberwolves can’t clinch their own playoff spot with a win tonight, they hold a 4.5-game lead over Phoenix for the No. 6 spot in the West, where we’re getting pretty close to the playoff and play-in fields being set. Barring a late-season collapse, Minnesota and Houston will almost certainly join Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Lakers, and Denver as top-six seeds, leaving the Suns, Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Warriors to battle it out in the play-in tournament. Those last three teams are already locked into the play-in, though seeding remains up for grabs.
The most compelling remaining playoff race figures to be for the final guaranteed playoff spot(s) in the East. The Cavs, who could’ve clinched with a win on Tuesday or a Philadelphia loss on Wednesday, will undoubtedly secure their spot sooner or later, but the fifth and sixth seeds in the conference are far from settled. The No. 5 Hawks (44-33) are separated from the No. 10 Heat (40-37) by just four games, with the Sixers (42-34), Raptors (42-34), Hornets (40-36), and Magic (40-36) also battling to finish in the top six — or at least to take part in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game, which would guarantee them two chances to make the playoffs.
While none of those Eastern teams is locked into the play-in yet, blowout home losses on Wednesday have made it increasingly difficult for Orlando and Miami to claw their way into the top six. Conversely, Atlanta strengthened its hold on the No. 5 seed with an impressive win over the Magic. The Hawks have now won 17 of their last 19 games.
In other housekeeping news, a total of four 10-day contracts expired overnight on Wednesday: Bez Mbeng (Jazz), DeJon Jarreau (Grizzlies), Tyler Burton (Grizzlies), and Markelle Fultz (Raptors).
Reporting has already indicated that the Jazz intend to re-sign Mbeng for the rest of the season, but that’s not an option for the Grizzlies with Jarreau or Burton unless they waive someone from their 15-man roster, since they were on hardship deals and aren’t eligible to sign another 10-day contract with Memphis. The Grizzlies remain eligible to re-add two players in those hardship slots, but barring more significant roster changes, they’ll likely have to bring in a pair of newcomers to replace Jarreau and Burton.
The Raptors, meanwhile, have the ability to re-sign Fultz, since they now have an open 15-man roster spot and the former No. 1 overall pick has only received a single 10-day deal with the team. He did appear in five games during his first 10 days with the club, but played very limited minutes and wasn’t all that effective (four total points on 2-of-11 shooting in 36 minutes).
The expectation is that the Raptors will sign someone else to replace Fultz, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who identifies Raptors 905 sharpshooter Tyreke Key as a potential candidate for a 10-day deal. If Toronto signs Key or someone else to a 10-day contract on Thursday, it would expire next Saturday night, allowing the team to promote one of its two-way players to the standard roster ahead of the postseason next Sunday.
Since there are only 11 days left in the season, time is quickly running out for teams to sign players to standard 10-day contracts. Starting on Friday, a team with an open roster spot would simply be signing a player to a rest-of-season deal. However, hardship “10-day” signings are still permitted through the end of the season. They would expire after the regular season finale, making those players free agents immediately.
Several more 10-day contracts, including Omer Yurtseven‘s with the Warriors, Malachi Smith‘s with the Nets, and Charles Bassey‘s with the Celtics, will end this weekend. Boston will have to either re-sign Bassey or bring in a new 14th man on Saturday after the center’s second 10-day deal expires on Friday night, since the Celtics aren’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for a full day for the rest of the season.
Our 10-day tracker shows the full list of active deals.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Doncic, Centers, Smart
The amount of money LeBron James is willing to accept in his next contract will help determine where he plays next season or if he plays at all, according to Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps of ESPN. James will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, which is an unusual position as he typically holds a player option that gives him leverage in determining his future.
“Will he play for the mid-level exception? For the minimum?” one scout asked the authors. “A big part of this is knowing what he will be willing to do [financially].”
McMenamin and Bontemps point out that if James is willing to accept a veteran’s minimum deal just to continue his career, he becomes an attractive option for any team in the league. If he demands the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will be about $15MM, or tries to work out a sign-and-trade, his next team may have to make other roster moves to get below the first tax apron.
The Lakers will hold James’ Bird rights and won’t face the same salary restrictions as their competitors. However, the need to re-sign free agent Austin Reaves, who could be in line for a max deal, will affect how much L.A. might be willing to spend in other areas. Sources tell the authors that along with Reaves, the Lakers are hoping to reach new deals with Jaxson Hayes, Luke Kennard and possibly Rui Hachimura if he can be re-signed at a reasonable price.
McMenamin and Bontemps list the Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks, Nuggets and Clippers as teams to watch if James decides to go elsewhere.
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Head coach JJ Redick is touting Luka Doncic for Most Valuable Player honors, McMenamin adds in a separate story. L.A. went 15-2 in March with Doncic scoring 600 points, making him one of 10 players in NBA history to reach that total in any month. “He’s the engine that’s driving all of our winning,” Redick said. “Certainly, we have a ton of guys starring in their roles, but he’s the driver.” Doncic declined a chance to campaign for himself as MVP, per Melissa Rohlin of The California Post (Twitter video link).
- The Lakers have been getting improved play at center with the postseason approaching, notes Khobi Price of The California Post. It’s a welcome change from last year, when Redick was sometimes forced to use centerless lineups in a first-round loss to Minnesota.
- Marcus Smart will miss his sixth straight game with an ankle contusion when the Lakers travel to Oklahoma City on Thursday, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Warriors Star Stephen Curry Targeting Sunday Return
April 1: The Warriors issued an update Wednesday on Curry’s condition (Twitter link), stating that he participated in in a five-on-five scrimmage on Tuesday and “continues to make progress in his return-to-play protocol.” He’s expected to take part in another scrimmage later this week before being reevaluated over the weekend.
March 31: Warriors star guard Stephen Curry is targeting Sunday’s game against the Rockets for his long-awaited return to action, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Nick Friedell report.
Curry has been out since January 30 due to patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) in his right knee. Curry, who went through his first full practice in two months on Tuesday, was scheduled to take part in five-on-five scrimmaging after practice. As long as he continues to progress, the tentative plan is for him to return against Houston.
“He went through a full practice, but it was very light,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We didn’t do anything live.”
A team source later told Amick and Friedell that Curry handled the scrimmage well, but his status will continue to be assessed daily. Curry has appeared in 39 games, averaging 27.2 points and 4.8 assists in 31.8 minutes per night.
Golden State has a back-to-back this Wednesday and Thursday. After Sunday’s contest, the team will have four regular season games remaining.
The Warriors are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, holding the last play-in spot. They’re a game-and-a-half behind the No. 9 Trail Blazers and three games behind the No. 8 Clippers.
Warriors forward Gui Santos said the team was excited to have Curry participate in practice.
“It’s amazing, man,” Santos said. “Just to have him out there with us, it’s always great. We have a lot more confidence when we have a guy like Steph on the court. There’s no doubt about it.”
Draymond Green Considered Unlikely To Test FA Market
Longtime Warriors forward Draymond Green holds a $27.7MM player option for the 2026/27 season, giving him the ability to opt out of his contract and test the unrestricted free agent market in search of a change of scenery. However, league and team sources don’t expect him to take that route, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
As Slater explains, the expectation is that Green will either exercise his option, locking in a $27.7MM salary for next season, or turn down that option in order to negotiate a multiyear deal with Golden State that features a lower first-year cap hit. Taking the latter route, Slater writes, would likely increase the odds of the 36-year-old finishing his career with the Warriors.
Slater’s update on Green’s contract situation comes within a larger profile on the former Defensive Player of the Year and his place within the organization as he nears the end of his 14th season in the NBA. Although Green didn’t discuss his next contract with ESPN, he did address a number of other topics, including the trade rumors involving him earlier this year.
The Warriors reportedly pursued Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo at February’s trade deadline and almost certainly would’ve included Green in their package in order to match Antetokounmpo’s maximum-salary contract. Green was aware of the situation, and while he admits he was initially irked by the idea, he understood the team’s thinking and quickly accepted it.
“I’m a human being,” Green said. “There was a second of me that felt like, ‘Damn, they really going to do that to me?’ … (But) I understand this business probably (as) good as any player. I understand like, yo, this is Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’re not just about to trade me for a bag of peanuts. It would’ve almost been a point of pride.
“I’ll be honest though. I didn’t want to play for Milwaukee.”
League sources tell Slater that if the Warriors and Bucks had made a trade involving Giannis and Draymond, Green had the Los Angeles teams – the Lakers and Clippers – on his radar as possible landing spots he could be rerouted to. However, it doesn’t sound at this point as if being involved in those trade rumors will spur him to seek an exit from Golden State this summer.
Whether or not Green’s Warriors career continues beyond 2025/26, he remains confident that he can be an impact player, especially on defense. While he admitted that he’s “not as fast” as he was and doesn’t “jump as high” as he used to, Green still believes he’s among the NBA’s most impactful defenders, placing only Victor Wembanyama above himself, according to Slater.
“I feel better defensively than I ever have,” Green said. “The numbers won’t show with straight up steals and blocks. Stocks, which is what people look at. But I just do it a different way. I can’t get the block shot all the time anymore, but I can cover it. I may not come up with the steal, but I make sure (the action is) gridlocked.”
Green is technically already eligible for a veteran contract extension that would replace his ’26/27 player option, so there’s nothing stopping him and the Warriors from discussing his next deal sooner rather than later.
NBA Announces Finalists For Sportsmanship, Teammate Of The Year Awards
The NBA announced the 2025/26 finalists for a pair of awards on Tuesday, naming the six players who are eligible to win the Sportsmanship Award for this season, as well as the 12 players who are in the running to be named Teammate of the Year.
The Sportsmanship Award honors the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” per the NBA. Each of the league’s 30 teams nominates one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner.
The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96. This season’s finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
Bam Adebayo (Heat)- Harrison Barnes (Spurs)
- Al Horford (Warriors)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- T.J. McConnell (Pacers)
- Derrick White (Celtics)
Gilgeous-Alexander is the only one of this year’s finalists for the Sportsmanship Award who was also nominated last season. Whoever earns the honor for 2025/26 will be a first-time winner. Jrue Holiday took home the Joe Dumars Trophy a year ago.
Meanwhile, the NBA also announced its finalists for the Teammate of the Year award for 2025/26. According to the league, the player selected for the honor is “deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.”
The voting process is similar to the Sportsmanship Award — a panel of league executives selects 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, then current players vote on the winner.
Holiday is a three-time Teammate of the Year, having earned the honor in 2020, 2022, and 2023. He’s the only past recipient who is among this season’s group of finalists.
Those Teammate of the Year finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
- Desmond Bane (Magic)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Pat Connaughton (Hornets)
- De’Aaron Fox (Spurs)
- Jeff Green (Rockets)
- Jrue Holiday (Trail Blazers)
- DeAndre Jordan (Pelicans)
- Duncan Robinson (Pistons)
- Marcus Smart (Lakers)
- Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
- Garrett Temple (Raptors)
- Jaylin Williams (Thunder)
Injury Notes: Giannis, Wagner, Smart, Melton
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said on Sunday that there’s still a chance star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee hyperextension; bone bruise) will be cleared to return before the end of the regular season on April 12, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
However, teammate Bobby Portis is skeptical that will happen. The veteran Bucks forward/center stated during a recent appearance on FanDuel TV (Facebook video link) that he doesn’t think it makes sense for the two-time MVP to come back at this point, with the team having been eliminated from postseason contention.
“I don’t think he’ll play another game this year, for sure,” Portis said (hat tip to Nehm). “Obviously, he’ll stay in the gym and keep his body tight and keep his game tight. But playing a game on court, I don’t think that’s in the picture at all.”
Reports earlier this month indicated that the Bucks wanted to shut Antetokounmpo down for the season and that he was resisting that plan and pushing to return to action. However, Portis made it clear that he understands why the club would be motivated to keep his superstar teammate off the floor during the final couple weeks of 2025/26, even if he recovers from his knee injury.
“If y’all talking about trading him, you don’t want any injury to knock value off or whatever,” Portis said. “That’s just business-wise, and then player-wise, obviously, you gotta look at just the total picture of what’s going on. We’re (9.5) games behind for the 10th seed and (with eight) games left, we can’t even make up ground.”
We have more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Magic forward Franz Wagner is “progressing well” as he looks to make it back from a high ankle sprain for the final stretch of the season, head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel). Wagner has done some 5-on-5 work, according to Mosley, who said the team will see how the 24-year-old responds to today’s treatment before determining next steps. It sounds like Wagner’s return may not be far off. He has played just four times since December 7, having experienced multiple setbacks related to his ankle.
- Lakers guard Marcus Smart missed a fourth consecutive game on Monday due to a right ankle contusion, but there’s no expectation the injury should result in a long-term absence. Head coach JJ Redick said Smart remains “day-to-day” in his recovery process and potential return, per NBA reporter Mark Medina (Twitter link).
- Although De’Anthony Melton has appeared in – and started – seven of the Warriors‘ past eight games, the veteran guard isn’t at 100%, as head coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after Melton went scoreless in 25 minutes of action in a loss to Denver on Sunday. “He’s banged up,” Kerr said, per Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “His thumb is really bothering him, and I think he’s pressing a little bit. … De’Anthony will bounce back. He’s had a great season. His last couple games have been tough, but he’s banged up. We’ll help him get right. I have total faith in his ability to bounce back.”
Celtics Clinch Playoff Spot; Warriors, Blazers Locked Into Play-In
The Celtics clinched a playoff spot with their win over the Hornets on Sunday, per the NBA (Twitter link). They became the second Eastern Conference team to do so, behind the Pistons, who officially nabbed a berth over a week ago.
Jayson Tatum had a vintage performance for the short-handed Celtics, scoring 32 points and adding eight assists in 31 minutes.
In the Western Conference, the Warriors and Trail Blazers are officially locked into a play-in spot thanks to the Rockets winning their matchup against the Pelicans on Sunday. This marks the third-straight play-in entry for Golden State, and the fourth in six years, Angelina Martin writes for NBC Sports Bay Area.
“I’m sick of the play-in,” Draymond Green said recently. “It seems like we’re a play-in magnet. It sucks, but it’s great when you want an opportunity to get into the playoffs. And that is the reality for us.”
The Warriors rank 10th in the Western Conference standings but could still move up a spot or two before the regular season wraps up. Entering Sunday’s contest vs. Denver, they were one game behind the No. 9 Blazers and 2.5 games back of the No. 8 Clippers.
The Blazers are 1.5 games behind the Clippers after beating the Wizards on Sunday. If they manage to make it through the play-in, it would be their first playoff appearance since 2021.
The Knicks could have locked in their own playoff spot with a win over the Thunder tonight, but they lost 111-100 and are now just 1.5 games ahead of the Cavaliers as they try to maintain their hold on the No. 3 seed in the East.
Warriors Rumors: Kawhi, LeBron, Porzingis, Kerr, More
There’s a significant amount of curiosity around the NBA about what the Warriors will do this offseason, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
According to Stein, Golden State made a “determined trade run” for Clippers star Kawhi Leonard in the final hour before the February 5 deadline. Los Angeles wasn’t interested in moving Leonard at the time, but the Warriors may revisit that concept this summer.
Rival teams also view the Warriors as “one of the few credible destinations” for Lakers star LeBron James, who will be a free agent this summer, Stein notes.
“It has some legs,” one league source told Stein.
League insiders had already been anticipating that the Warriors would re-sign Kristaps Porzingis this summer, per Stein, and that expectation has increased after the Latvian big man recently praised Rick Celebrini, Golden State’s director of sports medicine and performance.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Appearing on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Nick Friedell of The Athletic said he believes Porzingis will be on the roster in 2026/27. “I absolutely, as we’re sitting here right now, believe that Porzingis and the Warriors will work something out where we will see him again next season in a Warriors jersey,” Friedell said (hat tip to HoopsHype).
- Friedell also weighed in on the future of head coach Steve Kerr, whose contract expires after the season. “Stephen Curry wants Steve Kerr,” Friedell said (transcription via HoopsHype). “I’ve been asked repeatedly: ‘Do you think Steve’s coming back?’ I absolutely do because I think this team, especially because of what we’ve been talking about now tonight on this episode, they want to go for it. There’s not another person you’re going to plug in that’s going to take them to some other spot more than Steve Kerr. Plus the fact that Steph wants him and they have a partnership for all these years.“
- In a column for The San Francisco Standard, Kawakami argues the Warriors should pursue either Leonard or James this summer. Kawakami says there are rumblings that the NBA might void the final year of Leonard’s contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27, as part of the punishment for the ongoing investigation into the Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap to sign the 34-year-old forward. In Kawakami’s scenario, the Warriors would try to re-sign Draymond Green and Porzingis to two-year, $40MM contracts, which would open up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign either Leonard or James, assuming they’re open to taking a major pay cut (the MLE is projected to start at $15.05MM next season).