Stein’s Latest: Middleton, Irving, Sabonis, Porzingis
Will veteran forward Khris Middleton seek a buyout in the coming days? According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), the Mavericks have essentially left that decision up to Middleton and his camp and would be open to either negotiating the 34-year-old’s release or hanging onto him for the rest of the season.
Middleton, who has dealt with injuries in recent years, is no longer the same player who earned All-Star berths three times in four years from 2019-22, but he has performed pretty well since arriving in Dallas. His performance in Sunday’s win over Indiana – 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting, seven assists, and seven rebounds – was arguably his best of the season.
As Stein writes, the Mavericks have conveyed to Middleton that they’ll be in need of shooting heading into this offseason, so if he sticks around, it’s possible the relationship between the two sides could extend beyond 2025/26. If Middleton instead decides to pursue a buyout, he would want to do so sooner rather than later, since players waived after March 1 don’t retain their playoff eligibility with a new team.
In the event of a buyout, the three-time All-Star would be ineligible to sign with Cleveland, Golden State, or New York, since clubs operating over either tax apron aren’t permitted to sign a player waived during the season who had been earning more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM). Middleton’s $33.3MM expiring salary far exceeds that figure.
It’s also worth noting that Middleton would forfeit his Bird rights if he agrees to a buyout. While he’ll certainly have to take a pay cut this summer either way, retaining those Bird rights would likely put him in a better position to avoid settling for the veteran’s minimum or something close to it.
Here are a few more items of interest from Stein:
- Although Kyrie Irving won’t return from his torn ACL for the Mavericks until the fall, the club is hopeful that the star guard will be able to take part in at least one or two full-speed practices before the end of this season, Stein writes. Teams typically don’t practice in full during the season unless they have multiple consecutive days off — that will be the case for Dallas on March 19-20, March 28-29, and April 1-2.
- The Kings entertained trading Domantas Sabonis prior to February’s trade deadline, but it’s not considered a lock that they’ll do so again this summer, a source tells Stein. Sacramento’s interest in an offseason Sabonis deal could hinge in large part on where the team lands in the draft lottery and which prospect they select with that pick, Stein explains. Toronto and Washington were among the teams linked to Sabonis earlier this season, though the Wizards pivoted to acquiring Anthony Davis. It’s possible the Raptors would circle back on the Kings big man this offseason if he’s made available again.
- The Warriors‘ hope when they traded for Kristaps Porzingis at the deadline, according to Stein, was that he’d “click” with the team and its medical staff and would be willing to re-sign with Golden State at a more team-friendly price once his current $30.7MM contract expires. However, Porzingis’ availability remains an ongoing concern as he deals with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), creating uncertainty about his future in the Bay Area beyond this season.
Injury Notes: Avdija, White, Porzingis, Suggs
After a 54-point drubbing at the hands of the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers bounced back with a win over the shorthanded Suns on Sunday in Phoenix, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Portland’s victory came at a cost, however, as Deni Avdija was forced to exit the game after 59 seconds when he tweaked his lower back — he was questionable entering the contest because of the injury.
As Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link) writes, Avdija first injured his back on January 11 and he has experienced multiple flare-ups since. The All-Star forward has missed 10 games over the past six weeks due to the injury and was clearly was less than 100% in some of his seven appearances over that stretch, Highkin adds.
“I’m not a doctor, but yeah, we’ve got to see what’s going on,” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said. “Dive deep and see what’s really happening.”
The Blazers would be better off resting their leading scorer for an extended period rather than having him constantly be in and out of the lineup, according to Highkin, who notes that Portland has the easiest remaining schedule (by opponent winning percentage) in the league and the team is likely locked into the play-in tournament regardless of whether Avdija plays or not.
Having the 25-year-old healthy for the stretch run and postseason should be the Blazers’ top priority, says Highkin.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Coby White is expected to make his debut for Charlotte on Tuesday in Chicago, as the Hornets have listed the impending free agent as probable to suit up against his former team (Twitter link). White has been sidelined since Feb. 3 due to a left calf strain, but head coach Charles Lee said the 26-year-old guard has made “great strides” in his recovery.
- Warriors big man Kristaps Porzingis, who woke up sick on Sunday and didn’t play in the comeback victory vs. Denver, didn’t travel with the team for Golden State’s two-game road trip and isn’t expected to play on Tuesday at New Orleans or on Wednesday at Memphis, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. Porzingis has formally been ruled out of Tuesday’s contest.
- Magic guard Jalen Suggs is questionable to suit up for Tuesday’s game at the Lakers due to a back strain, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Suggs experienced back spasms last week in Thursday’s win in Sacramento and missed Orlando’s back-to-back road games over the weekend because of the issue.
Warriors Notes: Podziemski, Porzingis, Moody, Curry
The Warriors have needed contributions throughout the roster while their stars are sidelined, and Brandin Podziemski delivered in a big way on Sunday, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis all unavailable, Podziemski took over in the fourth quarter against Denver, posting 15 points and eight rebounds in the final 12 minutes while making all six of his shot attempts.
“Everything feels slow motion, kind of,” he said. “I think those last two threes that I shot, everything felt so slow … the goal is to always try to find that. The great players do that. That’s really what it felt like.”
Podziemski’s outburst, which came after he missed nine of his first 10 shots, summarized his overall season. The third-year guard has seen his minutes fluctuate and he’s been a frequent target of online criticism from the Warriors’ fan base, but he’s become a reliable scorer while Curry has been injured, reaching double figures in the past five games.
“It’s been up and down for sure,” coach Steve Kerr said. “But our season has been up and down as a whole, and sometimes a team’s struggles impacts the individuals. But we know what he can do — for the last couple years, he’s been one of our highest plus/minus players. He’s a very versatile player. The rebounding is what attracted us to him in the first place, coming out of Santa Clara. When a guy rebounds like that, you know he has great anticipation.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Golden State is receiving its first taste of the Porzingis experience as he was a late scratch on Sunday, states Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kerr was counting on Porzingis to help neutralize Nikola Jokic, but an illness kept him out of action and Green was ruled out about 20 minutes before tip-off with lower back soreness. Porzingis, who was acquired from Atlanta at the trade deadline, has been a highly skilled big man throughout his career, but his availability has been limited due to physical issues so Poole suggests Kerr may have to get used to making lineup adjustments. “I haven’t talked to him,” Kerr said in his pregame meeting with reporters. “Just got a text this morning that he was sick and at the hotel, and he’s not even going to come over here. He’s pretty sick.”
- The Warriors have benefited from the improved play of Moses Moody, who contributed 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists on Sunday, per Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area. Already one of the team’s top perimeter defenders, Moody has been providing more scoring of late, averaging 13.1 PPG since the start of January. “Moses has been brilliant for six weeks,” Kerr said. “You know, he’s shooting the lights out … the confidence; he’s maybe been our most consistent performer. His on-ball defense; he’s top of the league against pick-and-roll. And he’s such a great teammate. He’s there for you every night, the way he works.”
- Curry, who hasn’t played since January 30 due to “runner’s knee,” said the injury has been especially frustrating because there’s still no definite timeline for him to return, relays Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). He’s set to be reevaluated on March 1, so that means at least another week without playing. “We all know the goal is to be healthy come play-in or playoff time, whatever it is,” Curry said. “We kind of know where we’re slotted in the standings right now. A lot has happened this year, so we just want to get in a playoff series and have a chance.”
Warriors’ Porzingis Out Sunday Due To Illness
Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis will be sidelined for Sunday’s afternoon game against Denver due with what the team is calling a general illness, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link).
As Slater notes, Porzingis was able to practice the past two days. The team had been planning to slightly increase the big man’s playing time after he logged 17 minutes in his Warriors debut on Thursday.
Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Sunday that he got a text this morning stating that Porzingis was ill and he won’t be at the arena (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of The Athletic). The 30-year-old’s status for Golden State’s upcoming two-game road trip is to be determined, Friedell adds.
Injuries and illnesses have been a major issue for Porzingis this season, as he has only played in 18 of a possible 56 games in 2025/26. The one-time All-Star has been productive when he’s been on the court, averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 23.9 minutes per game, but it’s safe to assume his lack of availability played a significant role in Atlanta’s willingness to trade him to Golden State.
Porzingis was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) after missing an extended stretch of time down the stretch and in the playoffs during the 2024/25 season. He expressed optimism this past fall about his ability to manage the condition going forward.
Porzingis, who is earning $30.7MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before the start of the new league year.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Kerr, Draymond, Porzingis
The Warriors have no plans to shut down Stephen Curry for the remainder of the season, head coach Steve Kerr said Friday on 95.7 The Game’s Willard and Dibs show (YouTube link). The superstar guard continues to deal with patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) in his right knee and is out at least one more week.
“We’re not going to do anything silly, obviously,” Kerr said (story via Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). “We are protecting him. But as soon as he’s healthy, he’s going to play. That’s what this is about. We have lots to play for. We’re right in the mix in the playoffs.
“This is an injury that’s been nagging. It’s not like this is something that’s going to hurt him next year if we put him out there now. It’s just injury management. As soon as he’s healthy and ready to go, he’ll be out there.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry told Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area that while he’s frustrated with his knee issue, he’s focused on returning “as fast as possible.” “The goal is to be healthy come playoff time and be available when it matters most,” Curry said (Twitter video link). “Obviously, I’d love to be playing right now. If you’re healthy, you’re able to play. I’m headed in the right direction and hopefully it won’t be too much longer.”
- Draymond Green struggled mightily in Thursday’s loss to Boston, missing all seven of his field goal attempts and finishing with zero points, three assists and two rebounds. The nine-time All-Defensive member was minus-28 in 18 minutes. Kerr said the onus is on him and his coaching staff to figure out ways to help Green with Curry out, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “I’ve got to do a better job of helping Draymond,” Kerr said after Friday’s practice. “The game is so different without Steph. Those two guys have built such a rapport for 14 years now. They’ve been playing together, and for sure, in my 12 (years), the two-man game with those two guys has been our bread and butter. When Steph goes out, it really changes everything in terms of how defenses guard us, and it impacts Draymond probably more than anybody.”
- Trade deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis was a little rusty in his Warriors debut on Thursday, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN, but his overall performance was encouraging and he’s eager to play more minutes after logging 17 in the defeat. “Even tonight, I would’ve liked to go longer,” Porzingis said. “Even if I’m exhausted out there, I still want to push myself. But I know I have to take it step by step. Add a couple minutes next game hopefully.” The Latvian big man will get his wish, Friedell tweets — Kerr said Porzingis will play “a few more minutes” in Sunday’s contest vs. Denver.
Warriors Owner Lacob Discusses Kuminga, Porzingis, Kerr, More
In an interesting interview with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Warriors owner Joe Lacob discussed a number of topics, including Jonathan Kuminga, Kristaps Porzingis, his expectations for the rest of the season, the future of head coach Steve Kerr, Draymond Green, tanking, and more.
As Kawakami writes, Lacob was one of Kuminga’s biggest supporters in Golden State, but he said the decision to trade the former lottery pick (and Buddy Hield) to Atlanta for Porzingis wasn’t a difficult one.
“Not hard; everyone assumes a lot about that,” Lacob said. “Look, I liked him as a player, I like him as a person. … And at times, he showed a lot of potential for us. Just never quite really worked entirely. And he got injured at inopportune times.
“I think we all knew we had to do something. But we weren’t going to give him away, either. Because he is a talent, and a lot of people think that, too. It just worked out — we got something that we thought was worth doing. Otherwise, we would’ve kept him.”
Of course, Kuminga demanded a trade on January 15 following a prolonged contract standoff with the team in the offseason, so the two sides weren’t exactly on great terms prior to parting ways. Lacob expressed skepticism that the Warriors could have received more value in return for the 23-year-old forward if they had moved him a year or two ago.
“I don’t think so,” Lacob said. “People say I loved him as a player, I was protecting him, I was whatever. That’s just not true. I did like him. I like all our players. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be acquiring them if we didn’t all like them. But you know, it just didn’t work. It looked like it was going to work. It was off and on a lot.”
Here are a few more highlights from Kawakami’s conversation with Lacob, which is worth checking out in full for Warriors fans.
On being encouraged by Porzingis’ Warriors debut on Thursday:
“He showed you a little bit about what he can do and why we got him. He’s always been one of my favorite players, to be honest, just in terms of his skill set, his size. You know, [general manger] Mike Dunleavy [Jr.] and the guys always laugh because I’m always yelling for more size. And we finally got it. He’s 7-foot-3, so I’m happy with that. We’ve got two real seven-footers on the team now [along with Quinten Post]. I like what I saw. Let’s get him ready, get him back to playing, get his timing back, and get used to our players. I think it’s encouraging.”
On whether there’s any clarity about Kerr’s future (his contract expires this offseason):
“I think Steve has answered that question; there’s nothing more I can say. He has said we’re going to wait until after the season. That’s 100% accurate. We’ve discussed it. No point in talking about it now. He’s got a job to do. Let’s just let people focus — I mean, why would you do that now? Let’s just focus on the season. Really, it’s up to him. What does he want to do? And he doesn’t know, I don’t think. So we’ll have that discussion later.”
On what Lacob thinks of Kerr’s job performance in 2025/26:
“I don’t look at it in one season. I look at it — he’s been our coach for 12 years. I think you can make the assumption that I think a lot of Steve Kerr. He’s a great coach. He’s been very successful. He’s won us four championships. Been to six Finals. He is a great human being, I really really, really respect him, admire him. But it depends what he wants to do and how he feels at the end of the season, and where we’re at. We’ll take all of it, put it into a bowl and figure it out. And I’m not really very worried about it, and I don’t think he’s very worried about it, either.“
Stephen Curry Out At Least Five More Games Due To Knee Injury
Superstar guard Stephen Curry underwent an MRI on Wednesday night, which confirmed he has patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee and revealed no structural damage, according to the Warriors (Twitter link).
Curry will miss at least five more games, as he will be reevaluated in 10 days, per the team.
The injury update on Curry, who has been sidelined for Golden State’s last five games due to the right knee issue, was first reported by Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN.
Head coach Steve Kerr said yesterday that Curry was unable to scrimmage on Wednesday as he continues to deal with pain in his right knee. According to Slater and Charania, Curry’s knee has been bothering him after individual workouts.
“It’s just lingering soreness.” Kerr said before Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics. “We were hoping he’d be ready for tonight, but it wasn’t the case. He just needs more time.”
As Law Murray of The Athletic tweets, the two-time MVP will be ineligible for major postseason awards due to the nagging injury, which is also known as runner’s knee. Curry has already missed 15 games this season and his continued absence will put him up to at least 20 — players can only miss 17 games to remain eligible for All-NBA and other honors.
Curry, who made 11 All-NBA teams in the 12 years leading up to this season, would have been a strong contender for that distinction again. The four-time champion remains highly productive at age 37 (he turns 38 next month), averaging 27.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.5 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .468/.391/.931 shooting in 39 games (31.3 MPG).
In other Warriors news, trade acquisition Kristaps Porzingis is expected to make his debut for Golden State on Thursday, Slater tweets. The 30-year-old big man will be on a restriction of approximately 15-to-20 minutes and will come off the bench.
Porzingis went through Wednesday’s practice and impressed his former Celtics teammate.
“Looked great,” Al Horford said (Twitter video link via Slater). “Thought his timing was good, overall energy.”
Warriors Notes: Stephen Curry, Porzingis, Seth Curry, Schedule
Stephen Curry won’t be available when the Warriors resume their season Thursday against Boston, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link). Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Curry wasn’t able to participate in Wednesday’s practice and would be reevaluated by the training staff later in the day.
Curry has been sidelined since January 30 with patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is also known as runner’s knee. He was forced to withdraw from the All-Star Game, but there was hope that the week off might provide enough healing to get him back on the court.
Kerr said Curry may have to undergo another MRI to determine what’s causing the lingering pain in his knee, Friedell adds (Twitter link). Curry told Kerr that something in the knee still doesn’t feel right and he wasn’t ready to try a full workout.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Kristaps Porzingis was able to participate in a scrimmage on Wednesday, which means his Golden State debut could come against the Celtics, notes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). Porzingis played an important role on Boston’s 2024 championship team, but he was traded to Atlanta last summer in a cost-cutting move. “It’s gonna be weird, especially first game back against Boston,” he said. “It’s gonna be cool, seeing all the guys again.”
- The final two months of the season will help shape the Warriors’ roster for the future, Friedell observes in a full story. Porzingis will be a free agent this summer, but the team might be interested in a long-term deal if he proves to be a good fit. De’Anthony Melton is expected to decline his $3.5MM player option for next season and test the open market, according to Friedell, and Al Horford faces a decision on a nearly $6MM player option. Brandin Podziemski will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the offseason, while Gui Santos and Pat Spencer are headed for restricted free agency.
- Seth Curry will be reevaluated in two weeks for a sciatic nerve-related injury, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). The team stated that he “continues to make good progress” and was able to intensify his on-court workouts over the past week, including live play. Curry, 35, has only been available for two games since joining the team on December 1.
- The Warriors have the seventh-easiest remaining schedule in the West and may be able to take advantage of some tanking teams over the rest of the season, observes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). He notes that 10 of their 27 games after the All-Star break are against teams that are “incentivized to lose.”
Injury Notes: Giddey, Zubac, Toppin, Porzingis, Young
Bulls point guard Josh Giddey has been out since January 28 with a left hamstring strain, but he went through a full practice on Wednesday and expects to make his return on Thursday vs. Toronto, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network.
It will be Giddey’s first game since Chicago overhauled its backcourt by trading Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Dalen Terry and waiving Jevon Carter while bringing in Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Jaden Ivey, and Rob Dillingham.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Pacers center Ivica Zubac was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice and both he and forward Obi Toppin (foot surgery) are making “steady” progress in their injury recoveries, head coach Rick Carlisle said on Tuesday. However, neither player is all that close to seeing the floor. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, Carlisle said “it’s gonna be a while” before either Zubac or Toppin returns.
- Kristaps Porzingis practiced with the Warriors on Tuesday and “looked good,” according to head coach Steve Kerr, who said on decision on the big man’s availability for Thursday’s matchup with Boston will be made after Wednesday’s scrimmage (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of The Athletic).
- Point guard Trae Young, who has yet to make his Wizards debut after being traded to Washington over a month ago, didn’t practice on Wednesday and still hasn’t been cleared for contact, per head coach Brian Keefe (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic). Young has been listed on the injury report as recovering from a right MCL sprain and a quad contusion.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Porzingis, Christie, Suns
As the Clippers host the NBA world for All-Star weekend, their recent trade deadline moves make the future of the team difficult to gauge, Kelly Iko writes for Yahoo Sports.
The Clippers traded James Harden for the much younger – but oft-injured – Darius Garland, in addition to sending out starting center and defensive backbone Ivica Zubac, to bring back wing scorer Bennedict Mathurin, who has come off the bench to start his tenure in Los Angeles.
The moves, for a team that was one of the hottest in the league following a slow start to the season, require a recalibration of expectations, Iko writes. The team got younger with the moves, but lost two of their most consistent contributors. Garland is also sidelined with a toe sprain and has no set timeline for return.
“It’s not easy,” veteran Nicolas Batum said. “Especially when you trade away big pieces. But the thing we got back is pretty huge as well. You still gotta do your job, but it’s going to be an adjustment for sure.”
Coach Ty Lue said that despite the moves, the goals haven’t changed from his perspective.
“Our expectations are still to win and win at a high level,” Lue said. “Come out and compete every single night and play hard. No matter who’s on the floor.”
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- Kristaps Porzingis has yet to suit up for a game with the Warriors due to a combination of Achilles tendinitis and an illness, but coach Steve Kerr said that he’s hoping the All-Star break helps give him time to get his body right, Anthony Slater of ESPN notes (Twitter video link). “Kristaps played today and was moving better than yesterday and seemed to be in a good rhythm,” Kerr said on Wednesday night, adding that the big man was playing half-court five-on-five. While there have been rumors that Porzingis will be able to play in Golden State’s first game after the All-Star break, Kerr wasn’t ready to lock that in. “We’ll just see how it plays out,” he said.
- With Wednesday’s 121-93 loss to the Jazz, the Kings have matched their longest losing streak in franchise history, Jason Anderson writes for the Sacramento Bee. It’s the first time the team has lost 14 straight since moving to Sacramento in 1985. For head coach Doug Christie, who experienced some of the franchise’s most memorable moments as a player, it’s particularly painful. “I’ve been here for the absolute best of the Sacramento Kings, the best record, and now you deal with this,” said Christie. “…One thing I know is that adversity does not define you, but it clarifies some things about you as an individual and us as a collective because when you face that you come together in brotherhood, you communicate, you compete at a high level and we will be better for it in the long run.” There was at least one bright spot in the loss, as second-year guard Devin Carter set his career-high in points (19).
- The Suns are heading into the All-Star break on something of a down note, winning just once in their last four games and being blown out by a Thunder team missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in their last game before the break. However, head coach Jordan Ott holds a slightly different view of the team’s position, Duane Rankin writes for the Arizona Republic. “This is exciting,” Ott said of the team’s current seventh-place seeding. “What we’re playing for, the next 27 games, that’s exciting. You don’t want the result, but if that doesn’t motivate you, and I know it will, so that part, we’re going to take this as a positive.”