Trade Rumors: Ellis, Hunter, Ball, Bucks, Sochan, Deadline
In addition to the Cavaliers, the Lakers, Pacers, Spurs and Celtics are among the many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Timberwolves and Knicks have also been mentioned as teams interested in Ellis.
The 26-year-old is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
Cleveland has seemed to be in the best position to acquire Ellis over the past 48 hours, Fischer reports (via Twitter), but other teams are still in the mix as well.
According to Stein and Fischer, while the Kings are reluctant to take on long-term money in trades, they’re believed to be open to that possibility if Malik Monk is included the deal. Sacramento has also brought up including DeMar DeRozan in trades involving Ellis.
Here are several more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Lakers have been mentioned multiple times as a potential suitor for De’Andre Hunter, Stein and Fischer hear Los Angeles’ interest in the Cavaliers forward has been “repeatedly overstated.” As Stein and Fischer explain, Hunter’s $24.9MM salary for next season would inhibit the Lakers’ offseason flexibility, which they prefer to maintain.
- Before Giannis Antetokounmpo became the focus of the trade deadline, the Bucks made offers for Hunter centered around Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, Stein and Fischer confirm. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported on Friday that Milwaukee had pitched Cleveland on the idea of a Portis/Hunter trade, but the Cavaliers declined. The Warriors also held a level of interest in Hunter, per Stein and Fischer, but that was before the Bucks began listening to offers for Antetokounmpo and now their focus is on the two-time MVP.
- The Wizards have checked in with the Cavaliers about Lonzo Ball and have let teams know they’re willing to be a salary dumping ground if they receive draft compensation in return, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Cleveland is the only team in the NBA over the second tax apron, and Ball — who is shooting just 26.9% from three-point range — is on pseudo-expiring $10MM contract ($10MM team option for next season).
- While this sort of move would be contingent on what happens with other trade constructs, the Bucks have expressed interest in packaging some of their minimum-salary contracts to acquire higher-priced players, including Nets guard Cam Thomas and Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Scotto. As Scotto explains, Milwaukee’s goal would be to either take an upside swing (Thomas) or add second-round picks by taking on unwanted money (Russell). Thomas, an unrestricted free agent this summer, holds an implied no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer last offseason.
- Several teams — including the Suns — have talked to the Spurs about fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan, according to Scotto. Those discussions, which Scotto describes as exploratory, also involved Phoenix center Nick Richards, but the Suns weren’t interested in that swap because it would have pushed them deeper into the luxury tax, which they’d prefer to dip below.
- We’ve only seen one in-season trade to this point. One veteran NBA executive who spoke to Stein and Fischer is optimistic about that number rising significantly in the coming days. “I still think the avalanche is coming,” said the team official.
Spurs Notes: Hornets Game, Castle, Champagnie, Tatum, Wembanyama
The Spurs’ Saturday game against the Hornets will be played earlier than scheduled. Tipoff will occur shortly after noon ET today due to an impending snowstorm in the Charlotte area, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reports.
The Spurs are hoping that the earlier start time will allow them to fly out of Charlotte without a long delay. They’re scheduled to host the Magic on Sunday.
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is averaging 16.6 points and 7.0 assists per game, but he believes his greatest contributions come on the defensive side. “I’m trying to hang my hat on that end,” Castle told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “So any challenges the coaches give me on that end, I kind of accepted.” Head coach Mitch Johnson believes Castle can get league-wide recognition on that side of the ball. “He’s an All-NBA defender when he puts his energy and focus into the right areas,” Johnson said.
- Julian Champagnie‘s twin brother Justin Champagnie has carved out a rotation role with the Wizards. The Athletic’s Jared Weiss details how the twins pushed each other to greater success during their youth and still do during their pro careers. Julian Champagnie, a 6’7” forward, is averaging 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game this month.
- Injured Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum marvels at Victor Wembanyama‘s skills, Chris Spiering of ClutchPoints relays. “Watching him on a nightly basis when I can and seeing him in person is just ridiculous,” Tatum said. “I don’t even know how else to express it… He’s still figuring himself out… Things he’s able to do, we’ve never seen that.”
Southeast Notes: Banchero, Mosley, Isaac, Heat, Young, Sarr
On Wednesday’s Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said there has been a lot of chatter around the NBA that Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and forward Paolo Banchero “might not be seeing eye-to-eye,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
Beede asked both Mosley and Banchero about MacMahon’s remarks.
“I don’t really have reactions to that,” Mosley said prior to Wednesday’s game. “That’s outside opinion which is the case and everybody’s fair to have their opinion on that. What me and Paolo have is a constant level of competitiveness that wants to find a way to get a win. No one’s happy when you’re on a losing streak. And there shouldn’t be happiness on a losing streak.
“So, I don’t give too much to those versus what’s going on in our locker room as our guys have that edge that wants to find a way to get a win.”
While Mosley didn’t exactly address the rumor, Beede writes that Banchero denied it pretty strongly after Wednesday’s victory, which snapped a four-game losing streak.
“We have a lot of open communication,” Banchero said about his relationship with Mosley. “Whatever those reports are, I wouldn’t say those are true, in my opinion. One thing I know about myself and one thing that I know about him is that we’re both fierce competitors. So, when you’re losing a lot of games and stuff’s not going well, people are upset. Me and him haven’t had any blowups or arguments, going back and forth. Me and him are pretty aligned with when we talk to each other trying to figure stuff out.
“Now that’s not saying when we lose four or five in a row that I’m not pissed off, he’s not pissed off,” Banchero added. “But in terms of our relationship, it’s been good since I’ve gotten here. Obviously as a team we need to keep improving and I’ve been vocal about that. He understands that, we all understand that. I don’t think anything that I’ve said or he’s said isn’t already known in terms of the team and the organization. So, those reports, I don’t know where that’s coming from. … So, it is what it is, but I think winning cures all. The more we win, the more quiet those reports will get.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Magic big man Jonathan Isaac has been a healthy scratch three times this month and was averaging a career-low 10.1 minutes per game entering Friday (he played 13 minutes in the win over Toronto). He said he’s not frustrated by his lack of playing time, Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel. “I know that they’re trying to figure things out [and] Coach is trying to figure out what works, what doesn’t work,” Isaac said Wednesday. “So I just try to be myself every time I get in there. My job is to work really hard, try to make it easier on the players around me and be a disruptor on defense. Anytime he puts me in the game, that’s what I’m going to give.”
- If the Heat are unable to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, they should pivot to selling off assets to avoid the “hamster wheel of mediocrity” they’ve been stuck on the past couple seasons, argues Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
- In a feature story for ESPN.com, Ramona Shelburne says the Wizards are hoping Trae Young can help unlock the potential of second-year center Alex Sarr. “You see a lot of the potential that he has in his game,” Young said. “He’s very smart, especially on the defensive end. Being smart and athletic and that type of size is very uncommon in the league. He was the No. 2 pick for a reason — he’s got a lot of talent and potential and I want to be part of the process to kind of bring it out.”
Cavs Rumors: Giannis, Hunter, Ball, Lakers, Ellis, More
While there have been no indications to this point that the Cavaliers are considering making an offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the possibility can’t be ruled out, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link).
“It’s Giannis,” a rival NBA executive told Fedor. “Nothing more needs to be said.”
As Fedor writes, the Cleveland’s pathway to a potential deal for the Bucks superstar would be very complicated and would require a significant reduction in payroll — as a second-apron team, the Cavaliers can’t currently aggregate salaries for matching purposes and can’t take in more money than they send out. So in that sense, a Giannis trade is a long shot.
On the other hand, sources tell Fedor that the Cavs have been aggressively looking for roster upgrades ahead of the deadline, and they also have one of the top players who could theoretically be dangled in talks for Antetokounmpo — Evan Mobley, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year. On the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also pointed to Mobley as a centerpiece to a potential Cavs offer.
The Cavaliers, who have dealt with several injuries in 2025/26, have underachieved this season and are facing pressure to contend for championships. No individual player they could theoretically acquire would be remotely as impactful as Antetokounmpo, who has finished top four in MVP voting each of the past seven years.
Still, Cleveland is on the upswing, Fedor notes, having won five straight games and seven of the past eight. The front office has also yet to show any desire to make that sort of drastic mid-season overhaul, with blockbuster moves viewed as more likely to occur in the offseason, depending on what happens in the playoffs.
Here are a few more highlights from Fedor’s report:
- Fedor continues to hear De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball are the most likely Cavs to be headed out of Cleveland in the coming days. Confirming reporting from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Fedor says the Cavaliers have discussed a trade framework with the Lakers that would send Hunter to Los Angeles in exchange for Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht. Sources tell Fedor the Lakers have also countered by offering the expiring contracts of Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber. Those talks have involved a third team as well — Fedor doesn’t specify which club it is, but Siegel said it was the Nets.
- Before they reportedly started listening to offers for Giannis, the Bucks explored the possibility of acquiring Hunter using a package built around Bobby Portis. The Cavs declined that proposal, sources tell Fedor.
- Fedor confirms the Cavs are one of many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, noting that Malik Monk could be included as well if Hunter is sent to Sacramento.
- Reiterating a point he previously made, Fedor says the Cavs are eyeing Mavericks forward Naji Marshall. The framework would involve Ball and unspecified draft assets being sent to Dallas, though Fedor points out that Marshall has drawn interest from multiple teams. It’s also unclear if the Cavs would be willing to part with their lone tradable first-round pick (either 2031 or 2032) for a role player, even a quality one like Marshall.
- Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey and Wizards forward Justin Champagnie are among the other players who might interest the Cavs, Fedor writes.
And-Ones: Lottery, Combine, Dunk Contest, Hayes, More
The NBA has officially set the dates for this year’s most significant pre-draft events, including the combine and lottery.
According to the league (Twitter link), the G League combine will take place from May 8-10, with the full-fledged combine to follow from May 10-17. Typically, the NBA invites approximately 75 top prospects to the combine, with a group of several dozen less-heralded draft-eligible players taking part in the G League combine. A handful of standouts from the G League event then receive invitations to stick around for the rest of the week.
As for the draft lottery, it will take place on Sunday, May 10, giving lottery teams the opportunity to learn exactly where their picks will land before they evaluate and interview prospects at the combine.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Spurs rookie Carter Bryant have accepted invitations to take part in this year’s NBA dunk contest, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Both players are first-time participants.
- It’s poised to be an eventful few weeks for Hayes, who is also in the final stages of securing Slovenian citizenship, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. According to Urbonas, Hayes is putting the finishing touches on the paperwork required for a Slovenian passport and would be eligible to play for the national team this summer in World Cup qualifiers if there are no snags. Hayes spoke back in October about his goal of gaining Slovenian citizenship to team up with Lakers teammate Luka Doncic in international play.
- Danny Leroux of The Athletic looks ahead to the 2026 offseason, previewing the spending power for each NBA team, including the ones projected to have cap room. While trades made in the next six days could impact Leroux’s estimates, the Bulls (up to $68MM) and Wizards (up to $50MM) currently project to have the most space, while four teams – the Cavaliers, Thunder, Magic, and Knicks – are on track to operate in second-apron territory.
- The sixth season of the Basketball Africa League will tip off in South Africa on March 27. Marc J. Spears of Andscape has the details on the schedule and the format for the coming season, which will wrap up in late May with an eight-team playoff and a championship game.
Injury Notes: F. Wagner, Okongwu, Giddey, Kawamura, T. Johnson
Franz Wagner doesn’t appear close to returning from the left ankle injury that has kept him on the sidelines for 20 of the Magic‘s past 22 games, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The fifth-year forward was limited to riding a stationary bike during Wednesday’s shootaround in Miami and was scheduled to do standstill shooting after his teammates left the court.
Wagner didn’t experience a setback after he returned for a pair of games earlier this month, according to Beede, who hears the 24-year-old likely hasn’t undergone recent imaging on the ankle. Instead, the soreness is viewed as a lingering effect of the original high ankle sprain he sustained on December 7.
The 24-year-old admitted this week he probably returned too early when he played a pair of contests in Europe against the Grizzlies, the first of which was the NBA’s first-ever regular season game in his home country of Germany. The game took place in Berlin, his home town.
“Definitely not where I want it to be to play, and to play consistently,” Wagner said Wednesday, per Beede. “It’s consistently (that) is the big thing. Obviously I really wanted to play in Berlin but probably wasn’t ready for that yet. So, yeah, tough situation just looking back but definitely still got a little bit to go.”
Wagner explained that he experienced the soreness after the second game in London, when he played 26 minutes in a loss, and continued to feel it days later, Beede notes. He will miss his fifth straight game on Friday and he’s not sure when he’ll be able to return.
“I’m learning that it’s one of those things that can linger a little bit,” Wagner said. “So, I just want to make sure that once I get back, I’m really back, and don’t have to sit out a game here and feel good again. I want to be good for the rest of the year.”
We have more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu lost a couple of teeth when he was elbowed in the face by Jaylen Brown in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s victory over Boston, relays Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Brown received a flagrant 1 foul for the play, though he said it wasn’t intentional. “Just being aggressive like I always am,” Brown told reporters. “Just a basketball play. It’s unfortunate. Okongwu is a good player. I know from my own experiences with a fractured face and chipped teeth, that (stuff) is a hassle. It wasn’t intentional, and I know it’s going to be a long day at the dentist tomorrow, so hopefully he has a good recovery.” Okongwu underwent a successful dental procedure in Atlanta on Thursday morning, per the Hawks (Twitter link). He was ruled out of Thursday’s loss to Houston and is considered day-to-day moving forward.
- Bulls guard Josh Giddey, who missed about three weeks due to a left hamstring strain before returning last week, experienced tightness in that hamstring in Wednesday’s loss at Indiana and was held out of Thursday’s loss to Miami, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The original plan was for Giddey to play both ends of the back-to-back before the tightness occurred. “Because of the past injury they want to make sure they can clear the tightness up because I think they worry about it going from one thing to the next,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I don’t know when he’ll return. There was no strain or a setback, anything like that. It’s just a matter of how long it will take them to remove the tightness where he could just play without it.”
- Second-year point guard Yuki Kawamura, whom the Bulls waived in October but re-signed to a two-way deal earlier this month, was grateful to be active for the first time this season on Thursday, Cowley adds. Kawamura has fully recovered from the blood clot in his lower right leg which prompted the team to release him. “Rehab wasn’t easy,” Kawamura said. “It was a long way. I found out I had a blood clot before the season started and I felt real bad because I was so super excited to play. I’m super happy to be here and to be back on the court.” At 5’7″, Kawamura is the shortest player in the NBA, but he’s confident in his ability to play in the league and the longtime Bulls fan is “super excited” to play for the team and its fans.
- Rookie guard Tre Johnson, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 draft, suffered a right ankle sprain in Thursday’s victory over Milwaukee and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the Wizards announced (via Twitter). Johnson played 11 minutes prior to the injury.
Southeast Rumors: Okongwu, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards, Magic
The Hawks have rebuffed inquiries from rival teams on center Onyeka Okongwu, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says Atlanta isn’t looking to move Okongwu and would prefer to add more frontcourt depth around him. Indiana was said earlier this month to have interest in Okongwu.
While Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard are viewed as trade candidates and could be involved in a more significant trade, the Hawks have also signaled that they’re open to using their flexibility below the luxury tax line to take on additional salary if it comes with second-round draft compensation attached, Scotto writes.
The Hawks currently have nearly $7MM in breathing room below the tax threshold and have several trade exceptions at their disposal, including one worth more than $13MM. They could also cut big man N’Faly Dante, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear, if they need to open up a roster spot, Scotto observes.
Here are a few more items of interest from around the Southeast Division:
- It remains to be seen whether the Hawks will enter the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but they have “zero interest” in trading either Jalen Johnson or their top 2026 draft pick (the most favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ first-rounders), tweets Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
- Following up on a report stating Hornets forward Miles Bridges has drawn interest from the Bucks (and other teams), Siegel says Milwaukee and Charlotte had trade conversations about Bridges and big man Bobby Portis. While the Hornets have some level of interest in Portis, they’d want a greater return to move on from Bridges and there has been no momentum on that front, per Siegel. The Bucks may also be less inclined to pursue veteran role players like Bridges if they end up trading Antetokounmpo.
- Although a recent report indicated the Wizards have interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler and could consider making a run at him in restricted free agency this summer, Washington views Alex Sarr as its center of the future, league sources tell HoopsHype. Scotto also reports that the Wizards have received some exploratory interest on Khris Middleton and his $33.3MM expiring contract, though I imagine it would be difficult to extract real value for the veteran forward.
- The Magic have gauged the trade market for former lottery pick Jett Howard since the offseason, league sources tell Scotto. However, moving off Howard’s $5.5MM expiring contract wouldn’t get Orlando out of luxury tax territory, so Tyus Jones ($7MM) and Jonathan Isaac ($15MM) may be the more likely trade candidates for the Magic.
Stein’s Latest: Sochan, Knecht, Pelicans, Kessler, Towns, Ellis, Dinwiddie
The Spurs have given Jeremy Sochan and his representatives permission to explore a potential trade, league sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required).
Sochan was selected with the ninth pick in the 2022 draft and was a consistent starter during his first two seasons in San Antonio. He has been pushed out of the rotation as the team has improved and has only appeared in 27 games this season, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 13.1 minutes per night. Shooting continues to be an issue for the 22-year-old power forward, who is only connecting at 46.9% from the field and 28.7% from three-point range for his career.
The Knicks have been speculated as a potential Sochan suitor in their search for low-cost frontcourt help. He has a $7.1MM expiring contract and will be a restricted free agent this summer if he receives a qualifying offer.
Stein shares more inside information from around the league:
- Second-year Lakers small forward Dalton Knecht could also be on the move, according to Stein. He was a first-round pick in 2024, but is only seeing 12.5 minutes per night in 36 games this season and hasn’t played at all outside of garbage time over the past two weeks. Knecht was sent to Charlotte at last year’s deadline as part of a Mark Williams deal that was later rescinded.
- The Pelicans are seeking a “Desmond Bane-type offer” to part with Trey Murphy III or Herbert Jones, Stein states. Memphis received four future first-round picks and a first-round pick swap when Bane was sent to Orlando last summer. While New Orleans continues to flounder at the bottom of the West, both players are under long-term contracts, so there’s no urgency to move them.
- League sources tell Stein that the Jazz are confident about re-signing center Walker Kessler, who’s out for the season following left shoulder surgery. The Wizards are expected to pursue Kessler to team with Alex Sarr, according to Stein, but Utah will be able to match any offer for the restricted free agent.
- Teams around the league are watching the Knicks to see if they’re willing to consider moving Karl-Anthony Towns before the deadline or if they’re holding onto him as an asset for a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, Stein adds.
- Stein hears that an estimated 14 teams have expressed interest in Kings guard Keon Ellis. In an earlier column, Stein cited Ellis as possibly the most likely player to be traded before the deadline.
- Former NBA guard Spencer Dinwiddie said on a recent podcast that he’s interested in signing with the Rockets, Stein relays. Dinwiddie is a free agent after parting ways with Bayern Munich earlier this month, but Stein states that Houston is unlikely to consider any signings until the deadline passes.
Wizards GM Dawkins Talks Trae, Sarr, Coulibaly, Whitmore
Speaking to Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins confirmed that newly acquired point guard Trae Young will remain on the shelf through the All-Star break, but stressed that the team isn’t shutting him down for the season. According to Dawkins, it’s “important” to the team to see how Young meshes with the Wizards’ young players.
“It’s important because Trae has a decision to make,” Dawkins explained. “He’s got the power of choice as a free agent. So you want to make sure that he’s comfortable playing with the young guys, to have the opportunity to play with Alex (Sarr) and to play with Bilal (Coulibaly) and see when they move and how they fit positionally. We have a lot of questions on our team and how we play moving forward. So you want to see that before you make that decision in July.”
Young holds a player option worth nearly $49MM for the 2026/27 season. Given that he has been limited to 10 games this season due to injuries, the four-time All-Star seems more likely to pick up that option than to turn it down in search of a more lucrative free agent contract. However, that’s not a lock, especially if he returns in the second half and plays well down the stretch.
The Wizards would likely look to negotiate a new deal with Young if he opts out this summer. Even if he opts in, he’d be extension-eligible, meaning Washington’s front office could attempt to tack on additional years to his current contract. Dawkins says those conversations haven’t happened yet, but the groundwork has been laid for those talks.
“Yeah, we have good relationships with his reps,” he told Medina. “So we’ve had communication on what it would look like to be a Wizard because he really wanted to be here, and that was important to us. And we want to make sure everybody feels comfortable and builds that partnership and relationship until we have any real conversations.”
Dawkins had more to say about Young and about many other aspects of the Wizards’ roster and rebuilding plan in his discussion with Medina, which is worth checking out in full. Here are a few more highlights from Washington’s GM:
On how he envisions Sarr and Coulibaly complementing Young:
“Very well, to be honest with you. Both of those guys have an opportunity to be high-level defenders individually, but within a team concept as well. They can have a huge impact individually with shutting their man down and making life difficult. But they’re also smart players who can read the game and can play in a defensive system as well. I think their length, their size, their versatility, and their ability to switch is always a positive. They’re always getting bigger, getting better, and getting stronger. So you can imagine what they look like two, three, four, or five years from now in their prime.”
On Sarr’s improvement this season and whether he has a case for All-Star consideration:
“He’s a talented basketball player. We knew he would be able to figure it out earlier on defense. He’s shown that just with his timing, his physicality, and the growth he made this summer. He’s protecting the paint. I would also say he’s living at the rim on both ends. He’s guarding the most shots at the rim, but he’s also blocking the most shots. He’s putting a fear on players. At the same time, he’s more active. He’s changed his shot diet. He’s rolling. He’s at the rim. He’s comfortable finishing through contact with his left hand and right hand. He’s using more physicality to get to the free throw line as well.
“… I think (he’s) pretty close (to being All-Star worthy). When you put him statistically with most centers in the league, especially the centers in the East, if you put a blindfold on it and didn’t have the picture and the name, I think his stats would speak volumes. He would be really considerable.”
On Cam Whitmore‘s productive meeting earlier this season with head coach Brian Keefe:
“(Keefe) basically sat him down and asked him what type of player he wants to be known as and what type of career he wants to have, and who those types of players are. So let’s work on the habits that those players have and basically emulate how they’re playing. I think he bought in, and I’m looking forward toward getting him healthy and back on the floor.”
On whether he expects the Wizards to be a playoff team in 2026/27:
“Next season, I wouldn’t put the ‘playoff’ word out there. We want to get incrementally better every day. I think if we keep up with the work that the guys have put in and continue to develop as players, they’ll rise to the occasion when they’re ready. I know we have a competitive group. So they’ll want to do that sooner rather than later.
“We won’t hold them back. We’ll let them compete and get after it. But I don’t think we’re at the point where we’re ready to push the button, rev the engine, and say it’s a ‘full go.’ We’ll let these young guys develop on their own time. That’s what I’ve done in my past. That’s what (team president) Michael (Winger) has done in his past. We’ll continue along that route.”
Wizards Sign Skal Labissiere To 10-Day Deal
11:35 am: Labissiere’s 10-day contract is official, the Wizards confirmed in a press release.
8:14 am: The Wizards have agreed to sign big man Skal Labissiere to a 10-day contract, agent Daniel Hazan tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
A first-round pick in 2016, Labissiere appeared in 148 regular season games from 2016-19 for Sacramento and Portland, averaging 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per night.
The former Kentucky standout subsequently spent several years out of the NBA, playing in the G League and Puerto Rico before earning another shot with the Kings last season. He appeared in four games with the club while on a 10-day deal last March, seeing his first NBA action in over five years.
Labissiere returned to the G League this fall and has been playing very well for Washington’s affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. In 26 total games, he has averaged 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 2.1 assists in 31.0 minutes per contest, with an excellent shooting line of .554/.441/.857.
The Wizards have been carrying an open spot on their 15-man roster since making their two-for-one trade for Trae Young earlier this month, so no corresponding roster move will be necessary to sign Labissiere. Assuming it gets finalized today, his 10-day deal will run through next Thursday (February 5), though the Wizards could cut it short early if they need that roster spot to accommodate a trade-deadline move.
Labissiere will earn $153,330 over the course of his 10-day contract, while Washington carries a cap hit of $131,970. If he’s signed ahead of Tuesday’s matchup vs. Portland, the 6’10” center could be active for up to six games for the Wizards before his deal expires.