Peyton Watson Out At Least Four Weeks With Hamstring Strain
February 6: Watson is expected to be reevaluated in four weeks, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
February 5: Nuggets forward Peyton Watson has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It’s a tough blow for both Watson, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Nuggets, who have dealt with several injuries to key rotation players throughout the 2025/26 season.
Watson suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s loss at New York. Head coach David Adelman indicated Watson would be undergoing an MRI, which reportedly revealed the Grade 2 strain.
“Waiting to see the MRI,” Adelman said after the game. “But just seeing so much of this this year. I just feel bad for the guys in the locker room. It’s deflating when you keep seeing people go down around you when you’re trying to build towards something.”
Watson was in the midst of a breakout fourth season for Denver, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steal on .496/.417/.727 shooting in 49 appearances (30.7 minutes per game). The 23-year-old wing has been particularly effective since the start of January, averaging 21.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 BPG and 1.1 SPG on .486/.457/.711 shooting in 18 outings (36.1 MPG).
Watson is now the second Nuggets forward recovering from a hamstring stain, as Aaron Gordon is out several weeks after aggravating a hamstring injury on his right leg. Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise) remains out as well — he last played on December 23.
Nikola Jokic (knee), Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf strain) all missed extended time this season as well, though they’re all active now.
Mike Conley Plans To Rejoin Timberwolves
Veteran point guard Mike Conley intends to re-sign with the Timberwolves after he clears waivers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Conley was traded twice this week. Minnesota originally sent him to Chicago in a salary-dump deal on Tuesday, then the Bulls flipped him to Charlotte along with Coby White. The Hornets subsequently cut him.
NBA rules prohibit a player who is traded and then waived to immediately re-sign with the team that traded him away. However, that restriction doesn’t apply to the Timberwolves because Conley was traded twice. Once he clears waivers and becomes a free agent, he’d be ineligible to re-sign with the Bulls, the last team that traded him away, but nothing would be standing in the way of a reunion with Minnesota.
Conley, who is in his 19th NBA season, became the Wolves’ starting point guard when they acquired him at the 2023 trade deadline and maintained that role through last season. However, he ceded his starting role to Donte DiVincenzo this fall and has averaged a career-low 18.5 minutes per night in 44 outings (nine starts) so far this season. His 4.4 points and 2.9 assists per game are also career lows, as is his 32.2% field goal percentage.
Despite Conley’s declining production, there were rumblings ahead of the trade deadline that the team wasn’t eager to move the 38-year-old due to his locker room leadership. With that in mind, getting the opportunity to move off of the guard’s $10.8MM expiring contract and then bring him back on a prorated minimum-salary deal represents the best of both worlds for the Wolves.
Minnesota has two open spots on its 15-man roster following its deadline moves, so no corresponding move will be necessary to create room for Conley.
According to Charania, the two sides are working on the timing of the deal. Conley will clear waivers on Saturday afternoon, but the Wolves may not re-sign him immediately since doing so would increase their projected luxury tax penalty and move them closer to the first tax apron.
Grizzlies Plan To Trade Ja Morant In Offseason
Two-time All-Star Ja Morant was among the most notable trade candidates who wasn’t on the move this week, but the Grizzlies‘ decision to hang onto him after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. shouldn’t be viewed as a change in the team’s direction, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
League sources tell Vardon that the Grizzlies will revisit Morant trade talks during the 2026 offseason and intend to move him at that time.
Vardon’s report comes as no surprise. Memphis acquired a total of seven first-round picks and a first-round swap in trades involving Desmond Bane (last summer) and Jackson (on Tuesday), and has clearly pivoted to rebuilding around its younger core, led by Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, and Jaylen Wells.
Still, it will be interesting to see how Memphis handles Morant in the next couple months. The 26-year-old is currently sidelined due to a sprained elbow, but that injury likely isn’t significant enough to end his season.
The Grizzlies – who have slipped out of the play-in picture at 20-29 – may be inclined to tank down the stretch in the hopes of maximizing their draft lottery position, which could mean holding out Morant for longer than they normally would. But they’ll have to weigh the merit of that approach against the possible benefits of reinserting the point guard into their lineup and giving him the opportunity to rebuild his trade value — at least to some extent.
Chris Mannix of SI.com wrote earlier this week that “availability, attitude and diminished production” are among the concerns potential suitors had about Morant, and it’s safe to assume his maximum-salary contract – which will pay him $87MM for the two seasons after this one – is another red flag. He wouldn’t be able to assuage all of those concerns with a strong finish to the season, but it might help improve offers from potential trade partners this summer.
Those offers were reportedly too underwhelming for the Grizzlies to seriously consider making a deal prior to Thursday’s deadline, despite the fact that they signaled they’d be willing to take on long-term salary if it came attached to stronger draft compensation.
The Heat, Kings, Bucks, and Timberwolves were linked to Morant this week. That list of possible suitors could grow – or at least change – this summer, depending on which direction certain teams take and which clubs become more motivated to shake up their rosters as a result of early postseason exits.
Luka Doncic To Undergo MRI On Left Hamstring Injury
February 6: Doncic will undergo an MRI on his left hamstring on Friday, head coach JJ Redick confirmed after Thursday’s victory, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“Yeah, he felt some soreness in his hamstring, so he didn’t feel like it was good enough to go back in,” Redick said. “Neither did (our) medical (staff), so we held him out. And he’ll get some imaging. I mean, too early to say if there’s an injury, but just had a sore hamstring.”
February 5: Lakers star Luka Doncic experience left leg soreness in Thursday’s game vs. Philadelphia and has been ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the team announced (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).
According to Jovan Buha (Twitter link), the Slovenian guard was grabbing at his hamstring for a couple of possessions prior to leaving the court. He was also holding his hamstring when he went to the locker room with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
Obviously, any type of hamstring injury is very concerning for an athlete. The Lakers will be hoping Doncic’s soreness is simply that and not a strain, which would likely sideline him for multiple weeks.
Doncic, 26, has missed eight games to this point in 2025/26. Through 41 appearances, the NBA’s leading scorer has averaged 33.4 points, 8.7 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 36.0 minutes per game. His shooting slash line is .475/.348/.779.
Austin Reaves is currently on a minutes restriction in his second game back from a calf strain, but he’s a candidate for more on-ball responsibilities if Doncic misses additional time. LeBron James and trade addition Luke Kennard are among the other Lakers who could receive more usage depending on the severity of Doncic’s injury.
2026 NBA Trade Deadline Recap
Just over a month ago, some NBA executives were predicting a quiet trade deadline. And entering this past weekend, it looked like we might be headed that way, with just one trade – the Wizards acquiring Trae Young – having been completed through the first three-plus months of the 2025/26 season.
But that changed in a major way this week, with 28 separate deals completed between Sunday and Thursday. Twenty-seven of the NBA’s 30 teams took part in at least one trade this week — only the Heat, Rockets, and Spurs stood pat.
In total, 69 players on NBA rosters changed teams at least once in this week’s trades, including 67 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals. Four more players’ draft rights were included in deals, for a total of 73 players on the move.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the 28 trades made and 73 players dealt during deadline week both represent new records.
Two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, this winter’s most intriguing trade candidate, wasn’t among the group of players on the move. But another former MVP (James Harden) was, and so was a former Defensive Player of the Year (Jaren Jackson Jr.).
Anthony Davis and Darius Garland were among the other multi-time All-Stars dealt, along with Nikola Vucevic, Khris Middleton, and Chris Paul. And All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac headlined a group of high-level role players involved in this week’s trades.
Thanks for following along with us at Hoops Rumors. Here’s a recap of all of 2026’s deadline deals, with the details reported and announced so far:
Trades completed during deadline week
The Cavaliers and Clippers swap star point guards (story)
- Cavaliers acquire James Harden.
- Clippers acquire Darius Garland and the Cavaliers’ 2026 second-round pick.
The rebuilding Jazz become a buyer and upgrade their frontcourt (story)
- Jazz acquire Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Vince Williams Jr., and Jock Landale.
- Grizzlies acquire Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, Taylor Hendricks, Walter Clayton, the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected); either the Cavaliers’, Timberwolves’, or Jazz’s 2027 first-round pick (whichever is most favorable); and the Suns’ 2031 first-round pick.
The rebuilding Wizards become a buyer and upgrade their frontcourt (story)
- Wizards acquire Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum.
- Mavericks acquire Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, Tyus Jones, either the Thunder’s, Rockets’ (top-four protected), or Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable); the Warriors’ 2030 first-round pick (top-20 protected); the Suns’ 2026 second-round pick; the Bulls’ 2027 second-round pick; and the Rockets’ 2029 second-round pick.
- Hornets acquire Malaki Branham.
The Pacers land their new starting center (story)
- Pacers acquire Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown.
- Clippers acquire Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected; 10-30 protected), the Pacers’ 2029 first-round pick, and the Mavericks’ 2028 second-round pick.
- Note: If the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick falls in its protected range, the Clippers will instead receive the Pacers’ 2031 first-round pick.
The Warriors bring the Kuminga saga to an end (story)
- Warriors acquire Kristaps Porzingis.
- Hawks acquire Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
The red-hot Hornets add a potential long-term cornerstone to their backcourt (story)
- Hornets acquire Coby White and Mike Conley.
- Bulls acquire Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, the Nuggets’ 2031 second-round pick, and the Knicks’ 2031 second-round pick.
- Note: The Hornets also sent a 2029 second-round pick to the Bulls in the original version of this trade, but the two teams agreed to remove it after White’s physical exam revealed a calf issue.
The Timberwolves belatedly bring in a Nickeil Alexander-Walker replacement (story)
- Timberwolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips.
- Bulls acquire Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, either the Nuggets’ or Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable); the Cavaliers’ 2027 second-round pick; either the Timberwolves’ or Warriors’ 2031 pick (whichever is most favorable); and either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
The Celtics save some money and fortify their frontcourt (story)
- Celtics acquire Nikola Vucevic and the Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick.
- Bulls acquire Anfernee Simons and either the Pelicans’, Trail Blazers’, Timberwolves’, or Knicks’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
The Cavaliers reshape their rotation while the Kings upsize on the wing (story)
- Cavaliers acquire Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder, and Emanuel Miller (two-way).
- Kings acquire De’Andre Hunter.
- Bulls acquire Dario Saric, the Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick (from Cavaliers), and either the Pistons’, Bucks’, or Knicks’ 2029 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Kings).
The Lakers add some outside shooting (story)
- Lakers acquire Luke Kennard.
- Hawks acquire Gabe Vincent and the Lakers’ 2032 second-round pick.
Oklahoma City uses its draft-pick surplus to roll the dice on a promising youngster (story)
- Thunder acquire Jared McCain.
- Sixers acquire either the Thunder’s, Rockets’ (top-four protected), or Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable); either the Thunder’s, Rockets’, Pacers’, or Heat’s 2027 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable); the Thunder’s 2028 second-round pick; and the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick.
The Knicks create a little cap flexibility… (story)
- Bulls acquire Guerschon Yabusele and cash ($500K).
- Knicks acquire Dalen Terry.
… and add a New York native to their backcourt rotation (story)
- Knicks acquire Jose Alvarado and the draft rights to Latavious Williams.
- Pelicans acquire Dalen Terry, either the Magic’s, Bucks’, or Pistons’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable), either the Pacers’, Heat’s, Rockets’, or Thunder’s 2027 second-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable), and cash.
The Bulls take a shot on a former lottery pick while the Pistons bring in a shooter (story)
- Pistons acquire Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric, and the right to swap their 2026 first-round pick for the Timberwolves’ 2026 first-round pick (top-19 protected).
- Bulls acquire Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley.
- Timberwolves acquire cash ($1.1MM; from Pistons).
The Raptors avoid the tax, the Nets use their cap room, and the Clippers and CP3 finally part ways officially (story)
- Raptors acquire Chris Paul.
- Nets acquire Ochai Agbaji, the Raptors’ 2032 second-round pick, and cash ($3.5MM; from Clippers).
- Clippers acquire the draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic.
The Raptors add some depth up front (story)
- Raptors acquire Trayce Jackson-Davis.
- Warriors acquire the Lakers’ 2026 second-round pick.
The Suns get out of the tax while the Bulls and Bucks add some size (story)
- Bulls acquire Nick Richards.
- Bucks acquire Ousmane Dieng, Nigel Hayes-Davis, and cash ($4.5MM; from Suns).
- Suns acquire Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey.
A journeyman center joins his fifth team in five NBA seasons (story)
- Hawks acquire Jock Landale.
- Jazz acquire cash.
Portland acquires a shooter (story)
- Trail Blazers acquire Vit Krejci.
- Hawks acquire Duop Reath, the Hawks’ 2027 second-round pick, and the Knicks’ 2030 second-round pick.
- Note: The Hawks’ 2027 second-round pick was previously traded to the Trail Blazers.
The Sixers make room under the tax to sign Dominick Barlow (story)
- Grizzlies acquire Eric Gordon and the right to swap their 2032 second-round pick for the Sixers’ 2032 second-round pick.
- Sixers acquire the draft rights to Justinian Jessup.
Cleveland bails on a disappointing offseason acquisition (story)
- Jazz acquire Lonzo Ball, the Cavaliers’ 2028 second-round pick, and the Cavaliers’ 2032 second-round pick.
- Cavaliers acquire cash.
The Celtics sneak below the tax line, part one (story)
- Jazz acquire Chris Boucher, the Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick, and cash.
- Celtics acquire John Tonje (two-way).
The Celtics sneak below the tax line, part two (story)
- Nets acquire Josh Minott.
- Celtics acquire cash ($110K).
The Celtics sneak below the tax line, part three (story)
- Hornets acquire Xavier Tillman Sr. and cash ($3.5MM).
- Celtics acquire the Hornets’ 2030 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
The Magic avoid being a taxpayer (story)
- Hornets acquire Tyus Jones, either the Magic’s or Celtics’ 2027 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable), and the Magic’s 2028 second-round pick.
- Magic acquire cash.
The Nuggets duck the tax (story)
- Nets acquire Hunter Tyson and the Nuggets’ 2032 second-round pick.
- Nuggets acquire either the Clippers’ or Hawks’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
The first of three Ousmane Dieng trades helps Oklahoma City avoid the tax (story)
- Hornets acquire Ousmane Dieng and either the Hawks’ or Heat’s 2029 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Thunder acquire Mason Plumlee.
Two Northwest rivals make a minor move (story)
- Thunder acquire the draft rights to Balsa Koprivica.
- Jazz acquire cash.
Notable trade candidates who stayed put
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (story)
- Ja Morant, Grizzlies (story)
- Domantas Sabonis, Kings (story)
- Zach LaVine (Kings)
- DeMar DeRozan (Kings)
- Malik Monk (Kings)
- Trey Murphy III (Pelicans)
- Herbert Jones (Pelicans)
- Zion Williamson (Pelicans)
- Yves Missi (Pelicans)
- Michael Porter Jr. (Nets)
- Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
- Daniel Gafford (Mavericks)
- Kyle Kuzma (Bucks)
- Bobby Portis (Bucks)
Players waived on deadline day
Officially released:
- Lonzo Ball, Jazz (story)
- Chris Boucher, Jazz (story)
- Mike Conley, Hornets (story)
- Pat Connaughton, Hornets (story)
- N’Faly Dante, Hawks (story)
- Nigel Hayes-Davis, Bucks (story)
- Haywood Highsmith, Nets (story)
- Tyrese Martin, Nets (story)
- Georges Niang, Grizzlies (story)
- Mason Plumlee, Thunder (story)
- Duop Reath, Hawks (story)
- Cam Thomas, Nets (story)
- Hunter Tyson, Nets (story)
Expected to be waived:
- Eric Gordon, Grizzlies (story)
- Chris Paul, Raptors (story)
Nets Waive Cam Thomas
9:50 pm: The Nets have officially waived Thomas in order to complete their acquisition of Josh Minott.
2:10 pm: After not trading him at today’s deadline, the Nets are waiving fifth-year guard Cam Thomas, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Assuming Thomas goes unclaimed on waivers, he’ll be eligible to sign with any NBA team that has room on its roster and under its hard cap for him.
Thomas wasn’t with the Nets on their flight to Orlando on Wednesday and was listed as out for tonight’s game due to personal reasons, so there were hints that a split was coming.
He held a de facto no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last summer, which limited Brooklyn’s ability to move him. The Cavaliers and Bucks were mentioned as possibilities, but no trade emerged before the deadline.
Thomas and his representatives were hoping the Nets would release him if he wasn’t traded so he could pick his next team once he clears waivers, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Thomas shared his outlook with Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link), saying, “Super excited ready to actually help and contribute to another team. My next team is getting elite scoring, good play-making and a good combo guard.”
Thomas has been a reliable scorer for Brooklyn, but injuries have limited his playing time as he appeared in just 25 games last season and 24 this year. The Nets didn’t make a strong effort to work out a long-term contract in free agency, and it became clear that his future was probably with another team.
Pelicans Trade Jose Alvarado To Knicks
9:02 pm: The trade is official, according to the Knicks (Twitter link). New York also acquired the draft rights to Latavious Williams, a 36-year-old forward who is currently playing in Saudi Arabia, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
11:33 am: New York native Jose Alvarado is heading home, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Pelicans have agreed to a deal that will send the fifth-year guard to the Knicks.
According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), New York will send a pair of second-round picks along with Dalen Terry to New Orleans in exchange for Alvarado. The Pelicans will also receive cash, per Charania (Twitter link).
The two second-rounders headed to New Orleans are 2026 and 2027 selections, adds James L. Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) has the full details on those selections — the 2026 pick figures to be Detroit’s second-rounder, while the 2027 pick will be the second-most favorable of four teams’ picks.
Alvarado had been connected to the Knicks in rumors for much of the season leading up to the trade deadline. New York was in the market for backcourt help and the 27-year-old was viewed as a logical fit due in part to his affordable $4.5MM cap hit, which the Knicks could accommodate by sending out Guerschon Yabusele ($5.5MM).
The Pelicans reportedly weren’t interested in taking back Yabusele, whose contract includes a 2026/27 player option, so the Knicks found another taker, making a deal with Chicago for Terry, and will flip the newly acquired forward to New Orleans in this deal — it’s also possible the two moves will be officially completed as a single transaction.
Considered a tenacious defender who brings energy off the bench, Alvarado has averaged 7.9 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game across 41 appearances for the Pelicans this season. His shooting line is .418/.363/.833.
Alvarado’s contract features a $4.5MM player option for next season. If he opts out of his deal, the Knicks would have the ability to re-sign him using his Bird rights, but they may prefer for him to opt in and negotiate an extension that begins the following season, since it would help keep the team’s payroll in check for 2026/27.
The Knicks’ need for backcourt depth was heightened on Thursday as the team got word that Miles McBride will require core muscle surgery that could sideline him until the postseason, so Alvarado is well positioned to take on a significant role upon joining his new team.
New York will now have enough breathing room below its second-apron hard cap to sign a 15th man to a minimum-salary contract rather than having to wait until late in the season to do so.
As for the Pelicans, while they were widely viewed as one of the biggest potential sellers at this year’s deadline, they’ve been quiet to this point, having reportedly told teams they wouldn’t be moving prime trade chips like Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones. While potential suitors believed that stance might change if the offers were strong enough, New Orleans hasn’t been convinced to move anyone besides Alvarado so far.
Clippers Trade Ivica Zubac To Pacers
8:26 pm: The deal is official, the Clippers confirmed in a press release.
1:13 pm: The Pacers have their new starting center, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports (via Twitter) that Indiana has reached an agreement to acquire Ivica Zubac from the Clippers.
The full trade, according to reports from Charania (Twitter links), Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (all Twitter links), and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter links), is as follows:
- Pacers to acquire Zubac and Kobe Brown.
- Clippers to acquire Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected and 10-30 protected), the Pacers’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), and the Mavericks’ 2028 second-round pick.
If that 2026 Pacers pick doesn’t land between No. 5 and No. 9, the Clippers will instead get Indiana’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder, according to Fischer.
Ever since losing Myles Turner to the division-rival Bucks in free agency last summer, the Pacers have been in the market for a new starting center, having attempted to temporarily address the position this season with a combination of Jackson, Jay Huff, Micah Potter, Tony Bradley, and James Wiseman.
Indiana was linked to several starting-caliber centers on the trade market, with a focus on players with modest or mid-sized contracts, such as Daniel Gafford, Nic Claxton, Walker Kessler, and Yves Missi. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), the Pacers made a recent push to acquire Kessler, offering a package that included two unprotected first-round picks, but were rebuffed by the Jazz.
Zubac was the one name continually being linked to the Pacers for much of the season, but it was unclear if the Clippers intended to entertain offers for him after fighting their way back into the postseason picture with a 16-3 stretch. In the wake of the Clippers’ deal sending James Harden to Cleveland earlier this week, Zubac rumors once again began percolating as it became clearer that the organization had an eye toward its future, and Indiana pivoted its attention to the 28-year-old big man.
Zubac is coming off a career year in which he averaged 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, finished as the Most Improved Player runner-up, made the All-Defensive second team, and placed sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
While he may not receive the same kind of award consideration this season as a member of sub-.500 teams, Zubac has once again been a valuable anchor at the five, averaging 14.4 PPG and 11.0 RPG on 61.3% shooting through 43 games. He also has a team-friendly contract that includes an $18.1MM salary this season, with guaranteed salaries of $19.6MM and $21MM to follow.
Those cap hits will increase slightly as a result of the 5% trade kicker included in Zubac’s contract, adding nearly $800K per year, notes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link). Still, his contract should provide strong value to the Pacers over the next two-and-a-half seasons as the team looks to return to contention after a disappointing 2025/26 showing.
Speaking of the Pacers’ ’25/26 performance, they currently have the third-worst record in the NBA at 13-38. They’re narrowly ahead of the Pelicans and Kings in the standings and just one game back of the Nets and Wizards, so their place in the lottery standings could change between now and the end of the season, but right now, there’s a 52.1% chance they’ll land a top-four pick and a 47.9% chance they’ll be between No. 5 and No. 7, per Tankathon.
In other words, the Clippers will have roughly a 50/50 chance – or slightly better, depending where the Pacers finish – of securing a lottery pick in the 5-9 range of what is considered a very strong draft.
That pick could be the crown jewel of the Clippers’ return for Zubac, but even if it ends up in the top four and Indiana keeps it, L.A. will be on track to receive two unprotected Pacers first-rounders down the road and is adding two young players to its roster in Mathurin (23 years old) and Jackson (24 years old).
Mathurin, the sixth overall pick in 2022, has battled thumb and toe issues this season that have limited him to 28 games, but he’s still averaging career highs in points (17.8), rebounds (5.4), and assists (2.3) per contest while shooting 37.2% from beyond the three-point line. The Canadian guard will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
Jackson, meanwhile, has started 14 of his 38 games for the Pacers this season, coming off an Achilles tear that limited him to five outings in 2024/25. He has averaged 6.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 16.8 MPG.
The fifth-year center has a $7MM salary for next season and a $6.4MM salary for ’27/28. There’s some injury protection language in his deal, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), but unless he injures his Achilles again, those salaries will remain guaranteed.
Bulls Trade Ayo Dosunmu To Timberwolves
The Bulls have officially traded guard Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves, the Wolves and Bulls have confirmed in a pair of press releases.
Third-year forward Julian Phillips heads to Minnesota in the deal along with Dosunmu, with the Bulls acquiring 2024 first-round pick Rob Dillingham, third-year forward Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) first reported that the two teams were finalizing a deal involving Dosunmu, while ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter links) confirmed that an agreement was in place and provided the full details.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the four second-rounders are as follows:
- Either the Nuggets’ or Warriors’ 2026 pick (whichever is least favorable).
- The Cavaliers’ 2027 pick.
- Either the Timberwolves’ or Warriors’ 2031 pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 pick (whichever is most favorable).
The Timberwolves have been on the lookout for a way to upgrade their backcourt for much of the season. Veteran Mike Conley, the starting point guard for most of last season, saw his production fall off significantly, while youngsters like Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. didn’t take the sort of steps forward the team hoped they would. That resulted in Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo taking on more ball-handling responsibilities.
Although Dosunmu isn’t a true point guard, he’ll give Minnesota another player capable of handling the ball, initiating the offense, and making outside shots. The Chicago native is in the midst of a career year, with averages of 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game and an excellent shooting line of .514/.451/.857 through 45 outings (10 starts).
It’s a disappointing end to Dillingham’s tenure with the Wolves — the club gave up an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap in order to draft him eighth overall in 2024, but he didn’t develop into a reliable rotation player, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 1.9 APG on .398/.346/.657 shooting in 84 regular season appearances (10.0 MPG).
While Dillingham may benefit from a change of scenery, Dosunmu could become a fixture in Minnesota’s backcourt if the team can find a way to lock him up beyond this season. The 26-year-old is on an expiring $7.5MM contract and is eligible until June 30 for an extension worth up to about $52.4MM over three years. If he and the Wolves don’t reach an agreement by then, he’ll reach unrestricted free agency, with Minnesota holding his Bird rights.
It’s worth noting that this move shouldn’t take the Wolves out of the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo, their top trade target, but there’s widespread skepticism that the Bucks star will be moved before the deadline.
As for the Bulls, besides taking a shot on Dillingham, they continue to add to their collection of future draft assets. They’ve now completed or agreed to six separate trades this week and have acquired nine second-rounders in those deals, increasing their total count to 14, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Although Dosunmu and Coby White are headed to new NBA homes, Chicago still has a backcourt logjam. Josh Giddey and Tre Jones remain on the roster, with newcomers Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Anfernee Simons, and now Dillingham joining the mix. Still, an unbalanced roster may not be an issue for the Bulls in the short term, given that they appear to be focused on building for the future rather than maximizing their playoff chances this season.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), the Bulls expressed interest in rookie big man Joan Beringer during their conversations with the Wolves, but Minnesota is high on the 19-year-old Frenchman and was unwilling to include him in its offer for Dosunmu.
Chicago will cut into its projected 2026 cap room a little as a result of this deal. While Miller has a $2.4MM team option for 2026/27, Dillingham’s $6.9MM salary is fully guaranteed. The Bulls will have until October 31 to decide whether or not to exercise Dillingham’s $8.8MM team option for the ’27/28 season.
Lakers Trade Vincent, Second-Round Pick To Hawks For Kennard
8:03 pm: The trade is official, the Lakers and Hawks confirmed.
9:40 am: The Lakers and Hawks have agreed to a trade, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who hears from sources that Atlanta is acquiring guard Gabe Vincent and the Lakers’ 2032 second-round pick from Los Angeles in exchange for sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
Dan Woike of The Athletic first reported (Twitter link) that the Lakers were closing in on a deal sending Vincent to the Hawks.
Finding another shooter was among the Lakers’ priorities heading into the deadline, and they’re able to fill that role with Kennard, who’s connecting at 49.7% from beyond the arc in 46 games this season. Kennard, 29, is also a Duke alum, just like head coach JJ Reddick.
Vincent, 29, wasn’t able to provide the value the Lakers were hoping when they signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2023. Injuries played a role as he was limited to 11 games in his first season in L.A. and has appeared in just 29 this year. He’ll get a fresh start in Atlanta before becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The two players have similar expiring contracts with Kennard at $11MM and Vincent at $11.5MM, so the trade won’t carry any major financial implications, either this season or beyond.
The Lakers parted with their last available second-round pick in the trade, notes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link). However, he points out that the $500K they save in the exchange could be useful on the buyout market, since they didn’t have a ton of breathing room below their first-apron hard cap.
The Hawks will create an $11MM traded player exception in the deal, Charania adds (Twitter link). That means they figure to absorb Vincent’s contract into the TPE from last year’s Bogdan Bogdanovic trade — that $13.1MM exception would have expired on Friday, so Atlanta is essentially rolling it over for another year.
The Hawks also agreed to a deal on Wednesday to acquire Buddy Hield from Golden State, and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line hears that they plan to keep both Hield and Vincent on their roster (Twitter link).