LeBron Says He’s Not Interested In Owning NBA Team
Lakers star LeBron James has spoken multiple times in the past about his desire to be part of an NBA ownership group after he retires, having specifically named Las Vegas as a market he had his eye on. However, with momentum seemingly growing toward Vegas being awarded an expansion team, James suggested on Wednesday that his enthusiasm about becoming a team owner has dwindled.
Asked by Dan Woike of The Athletic if ownership is still something he’s interested in, James quickly replied, “No, I’m not. Not at all” (Twitter video link via Khobi Price of the California Post).
James’ comments come in the wake of a report indicating that Fenway Sports Group – the sports holding conglomerate that counts LeBron among its partners – won’t be pursuing a team in Vegas due primarily to the exorbitant cost of the anticipated expansion fee.
ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that the fee for incoming expansion teams will likely be in the $7-10 billion range, while The Athletic cited an estimate of $8 billion.
Of course, James’ brief post-game comments on Wednesday aren’t binding, so it’s not as if he can’t change his mind and become involved with an expansion franchise – or buy into an existing team’s ownership group – down the road. Still, it sounds like it’s no longer part of his future plans for now.
It’s also worth reiterating that active players aren’t permitted to own a stake in an NBA team, and even at age 41, James isn’t looking like a player ready to coast into retirement. In Wednesday’s win over Houston – the Lakers’ seventh consecutive victory – the four-time MVP racked up 30 points on 13-of-14 shooting.
After the game, Rockets star Kevin Durant told reporters that he doesn’t see why his longtime rival couldn’t keep playing for several more seasons beyond this one.
“I think he could play until he’s 45 years old,” Durant said of James (Twitter video link). “I don’t know if he wants to be around that long, but I think he could play for another four to five years, to be honest.”
FSG Reportedly Not Interested In Expansion Team, Limiting LeBron James’ Ownership Options
LeBron James‘ partnership with Fenway Sports Group won’t help him get any closer to becoming an NBA owner, according to Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Two sources with direct knowledge of the firm tell the authors that FSG currently has no interest in pursuing ownership of an expansion team in Las Vegas.
Cost was cited as the main reason, as the NBA will reportedly seek fees of up to $8 billion per team if the Board of Governors approves exploring expansion opportunities in Las Vegas and Seattle at its meeting next week.
Vardon and Vorkunov note that James first expressed his desire to someday own an NBA franchise in 2016, and he stated four years ago that he would like to be part of the investment in Las Vegas. He has been a business partner with FSG since 2011.
“With Fenway no longer pursuing NBA ownership, it is less likely that LeBron will pursue a team,” a source close to James told the authors.
Forbes cites James’ worth at $1.4 billion, which doesn’t come close to covering the expected expansion fee, and Vardon and Vorkunov state that he always understood that he would have to be part of a team of investors. They also point out that he has connections with wealthy business owners apart from FSG. That includes a 2023 visit to Saudi Arabia as a guest of the Ministry of Sport, which is a partner of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, but the authors explain that the NBA doesn’t permit sovereign wealth funds to own more than 20% of a franchise.
Vardon and Vorkunov also note that James would have to retire as a player before he could pursue an ownership opportunity. He hasn’t stated publicly if he plans to return next season, and with the new franchises targeted to possibly begin playing in 2028, there will be a limited window for James to round up new investment partners and submit a formal bid.
The authors state that James viewed FSG as his path toward ownership. He’s an equity stockholder in the company and became a partner in 2021, giving him partial ownership in the Boston Red Sox, Roush Fenway Racing and the firm’s other properties. His longtime friend Maverick Carter is also an FSG partner, and they were given more equity in 2023.
Shams: ‘Cautious Optimism’ Steph Curry Will Return In March
There’s “cautious optimism” in Golden State that Warriors star Stephen Curry will be able to return to action at some point before the end of March, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday during a segment on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
Curry, who last played on January 30, has missed the past 18 games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee. However, both he and head coach Steve Kerr have expressed optimism about his ability to return before the end of the regular season. Charania’s latest update suggests it could happen within the next couple weeks.
“I’m told he had a strong on-court workout Tuesday afternoon in Boston,” Charania told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “Starting to run, cut, move, take some slight contact, like the Stephen Curry that we know. The most important part though is that he’s not experiencing the swelling that he’s had over the last several weeks or a month ago, when he needed to get a PRP injection, from my understanding, due to those knee issues.”
As Anthony Slater of ESPN tweeted earlier today, Curry is still doing individual workouts and hasn’t progressed to team activities, but the fact that he’s ramping up his on-court work is a positive sign. According to Charania, the next steps for the 38-year-old will be to improve his conditioning and to make sure he’s comfortable running and jumping with that right knee.
While injuries have limited Curry to 39 games so far this season, he has continued to perform at an All-NBA level when he’s been available, averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per night, with a .468/.391/.931 shooting line. He earned his 12th All-Star berth this winter and has led Golden State to a 23-16 record in games he’s played. The team has gone just 10-19 without him.
Despite losing 10 of their past 14 games, the Warriors still have a firm hold on a play-in spot. At 33-35, they have a 9.5-game cushion on the No. 11 Grizzlies. However, they’ve fallen behind the No. 8 Clippers in the standings and are ahead of the No. 10 Trail Blazers by just a half-game.
Giannis Resisting Bucks’ Plan To Shut Him Down For Season
It has been an injury-plagued season for star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has appeared in just 36 of the Bucks‘ 68 games due to knee, groin, ankle, and calf issues and is currently sidelined due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
With just 14 games left in the regular season and Milwaukee now six-and-a-half games out of a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks have made it clear to Antetokounmpo that they believe it would be in both parties’ best interest to have him sit out the rest of the season and focus on getting healthy for 2026/27, reports Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
However, Antetokounmpo isn’t on board with the Bucks plan and has let the team know he wants to get back on the court immediately once he has recovered from his latest injury, according to Nehm.
Confirming Nehm’s reporting, Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links) says there have been multiple meetings about Antetokounmpo’s status within the past 24 hours and that the two sides disagree about the best path forward. In an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link), Charania added that the 31-year-old has been “adamant” about his desire to return this season.
The Bucks must tread especially carefully with Antetokounmpo due to their desire to keep him happy in the hopes of reaching an agreement on a long-term extension with him when he becomes eligible this October. Milwaukee reportedly entertained trade offers for Giannis prior to last month’s deadline, but never came close to making a deal involving the two-time MVP, who didn’t request a trade and has repeatedly stated that his preference would be to stick with the Bucks if they have a roster capable of contending for another championship.
While they don’t want to upset their franchise player, the Bucks presumably recognize they have no path to a playoff spot this spring and would be better off sliding a little further down the lottery standings. They don’t technically control their own 2026 first-round pick, but the Bucks will receive the least favorable of their own selection and the Pelicans’ pick. At 28-40, Milwaukee remains several games ahead of New Orleans (23-46) in the standings, so even the least favorable of those two first-rounders should be a top-10 selection.
Of course, shutting down Antetokounmpo for the final few weeks of the season would also ensure that he gets a head-start on getting back to 100% health, whereas having him play in meaningless games in late March and early April would put him at risk of re-aggravating one of his previous injuries or suffering a more significant one.
Whether the Bucks plan to revisit trade talks involving their star forward or try to continue reshaping the roster around him during the offseason, having him fully healthy would be in the team’s best interest going forward.
Pistons’ Cade Cunningham Exits Early Due To Back Spasms
Pistons All-Star guard and Most Valuable Player candidate Cade Cunningham departed his team’s game against the Wizards on Tuesday during the first quarter due to back spasms, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.
He asked to sub out with 6:40 remaining in the quarter. Moments earlier, Cunningham collided with Wizards rookie Tre Johnson when the two were attempting to corral a loose ball, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
Afterward, coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not provide an update on Cunningham’s condition or availability for upcoming games. Detroit defeated the lottery-bound Wizards 130-117 behind a career-high 36 points from its other All-Star, Jalen Duren.
Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. He needs to play in at least five more games to meet the NBA’s 65-game rule regarding eligibility for major awards. Detroit has 14 regular season games remaining.
The Pistons play the Wizards in Washington, D.C. once again on Thursday before beginning a four-game home stand against Golden State on Friday. If Cunningham needs to miss some time, they will have to rely on Marcus Sasser and Daniss Jenkins to run the point. The duo combined for 24 points and 11 assists on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we’ve dealt with a lot this season and had to call on different guys throughout the year,” Bickerstaff said, per Patterson. “Tonight was an opportunity to do that, give guys minutes and give guys opportunities to see what they could do.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pistons announced that key reserve Isaiah Stewart would miss at least a week of action due to a calf strain.
“The most important thing is health and habits,” Bickerstaff said of approaching the postseason. “We’ve got to make sure, this month has been a lot of games for us, it will be a lot of games for us. So, making sure that we’re doing things right on the off days, how we’re recovering and all those things, to get guys opportunities to get on the floor, so that we can continue to work those habits. That’s priority number one for us.”
Thunder Become First Team To Clinch Playoff Spot
The Thunder became the first team to clinch a playoff spot by virtue of their 113-108 victory over Orlando on Tuesday. It’s the 13th playoff spot earned by the franchise since 2010, the team tweets.
The Thunder, winners of nine straight games, improved their record to an NBA-best 54-15 with 13 games remaining. Oklahoma City is now assured of a top-six finish in the Western Conference and a berth in the first round of the playoffs. The Suns, who held the No. 7 spot in the conference entering Tuesday’s action, had 39 wins pending the result of their game against Minnesota.
The Thunder still has plenty of work to do to notch the top seed in the playoffs. The Spurs have 50 wins entering their game against Sacramento on Tuesday and remain in hot pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The defending champions set a blistering pace, winning 24 of their first 25 games. The Thunder then split their next 12 games before a four-game winning streak in late December and early January. They also reeled off five straight victories in mid-January, then went 10-8 over their next 18 games prior to their latest winning streak.
Oklahoma City’s depth has allowed it to overcome extended injury absences from two starters — Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Out At Least One Week Due To Knee Injury
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise and will be reevaluated in one week, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Milwaukee ruled out Antetokounmpo approximately 90 minutes before its game against Cleveland on Tuesday. Coach Doc Rivers told reporters during his pregame press conference that Antetokounmpo underwent testing on the knee, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.
“The good news was it was a really good image, so there was no damage,’ Rivers said. “Nothing. It was really just good news. But I don’t know the next part (regarding a timeline).”
The Bucks also ruled out Myles Turner for Tuesday’s game due to a calf injury.
Antetokoumpo suffered his injury on Sunday, late in the third quarter of a 134-123 victory over Indiana, when he came down awkwardly on a dunk following a spin move. The two-time MVP stayed in the game for a little over a minute before exiting the rest of the night.
After the game, Antetokounmpo didn’t anticipate undergoing imaging but obviously that thinking changed over the past two days. The veteran forward has only played in 36 of the Bucks’ games this season, having battled knee, groin, and repeated calf ailments. He’s averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest.
The Bucks are barely clinging to hopes of a play-in tournament berth. They’re currently 11th in the East at 28-39, five-and-a-half games behind 10th place Charlotte (34-34).
Antetokounmpo’s latest injury could extinguish all hopes of making the postseason. Following their home game on Tuesday, the Bucks embark on a four-game road swing that begins in Utah on Thursday.
Santi Aldama Undergoes Knee Procedure, Out For Remainder Of Season
The Grizzlies have ruled out big man Santi Aldama for the remainder of the season, the team announced (Twitter link).
Aldama underwent an arthroscopic procedure and received an orthobiologic injection on Tuesday to address discomfort in the trochlear compartment of his right knee. He is expected to make a full recovery prior to the start of next season.
The team revealed on Sunday that Aldama would undergo the procedure.
Aldama hasn’t played since February 4 due to ongoing knee pain. He averaged a career-high 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game in 43 appearances for Memphis this season after signing a three-year, $52.5MM contract in restricted free agency last summer. He shot 47.9% from the floor and 35.0% from beyond the three-point line, both above his career rates.
Earlier on Tuesday, the team announced that Scotty Pippen Jr. underwent toe surgery and would sit out the rest of the season.
The Grizzlies’ training room has been busy all season. Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant have all missing significant chunks of action. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was ruled out for the remainder of ’25/26 last month after undergoing finger surgery.
Grizzlies’ Pippen Undergoes Toe Surgery, Won’t Return This Season
March 17: The Grizzlies confirmed today that Pippen underwent his sesamoidectomy on Tuesday and that he’ll miss the rest of the season (Twitter link). He’s expected to make a full recovery for the start of 2026/27, per the team.
March 13: Pippen is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
March 12: Fourth-year guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is undergoing a sesamoidectomy to address pain in his right big toe, the Grizzlies announced in a press release (Twitter link).
A return timeline for Pippen will be established after the procedure, per the team, but the 25-year-old is expected to make a full recovery.
If you’re experiencing a bit of déjà vu, you’re not alone. Pippen underwent a sesamoidectomy back in October to deal with discomfort in his big toe, but that was on his left foot, not his right.
Pippen wound up missing 15-plus weeks of action following his initial toe surgery, having made his season debut on February 6. Given how long he was out after the first procedure, it’s probably safe to say he’ll miss the rest of the season following this one.
In 10 appearances (21.2 minutes per game) for Memphis in 2025/26, Pippen averaged 11.4 points, 4.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals on .448/.313/.783 shooting splits. He was a key reserve for the Grizzlies last season, appearing in a career-high 79 games while averaging 9.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.3 RPG and 1.3 SPG in 21.3 MPG. He posted a shooting slash line of .480/.397/.713.
The Grizzlies have been ravaged by injuries again in ’25/26, with Pippen, Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant all missing the majority of the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was also ruled out for the remainder of ’25/26 last month after undergoing finger surgery.
Memphis was granted a hardship exception on Thursday and used it to sign Tyler Burton to a 10-day deal. The 26-year-old wing has spent this season in the G League with the Grizzlies’ affiliate club, the Memphis Hustle.
Wolves Rule Out Anthony Edwards (Knee) For 1-2 Weeks
After being ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup with the Suns due to right knee soreness, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards underwent an MRI that revealed inflammation in that right knee, the team announced today in a press release.
According to the Wolves, the plan is for Edwards to be reevaluated in a week or two, with further updates to be provided when available.
While that timeline doesn’t necessarily give us a clear idea of when Edwards will be able to return, it suggests he’ll miss at least three games beyond Tuesday’s contest vs. Phoenix, even if he’s reevaluated and cleared one week from today. Minnesota hosts the Jazz on Wednesday and the Trail Blazers on Friday before visiting the Celtics in Boston on Sunday.
Edwards, 24, has been enjoying a career year for the Timberwolves, averaging 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in 35.5 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .492/.402/.796.
After earning a spot on the All-NBA second team in each of the past two seasons, he’s making a case for first team honors in 2025/26 — but he’ll need to play in at least eight of Minnesota’s 14 remaining games to qualify for end-of-season awards. He has appeared in 58 contests so far, but one of those 58 won’t count toward the 65-game minimum since he exited after just three minutes.
The Wolves, meanwhile, are in the midst of a competitive race for postseason seeding in the Western Conference. Entering Tuesday’s games, they’re the No. 6 seed at 41-27, but they’re only a half-game behind the No. 4 Rockets and two games up on the No. 7 Suns, their opponent tonight.
While Minnesota certainly won’t want to rush back its franchise player, the team might need his help sooner rather than later to secure a guaranteed playoff spot.