Cam Thomas signs with Milwaukee Bucks as free agent after being waived

Free agent Cam Thomas has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The terms for the deal were not initially disclosed.

Thomas averaged 21.4 points per game over the past three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.

The 24-year-old guard was waived by the Nets on Thursday, Feb. 5, after the trade deadline.

He had signed a one-year, $5.9 million qualifying offer in September and was set to become a free agent after the season.

Thomas is expected to help bolster a Milwaukee roster that still features Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo was a popular name in trade rumors leading up to the deadline but was not traded by the Bucks.

Cam Thomas 2026 stats

Cam Thomas averaged 15.6  points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 24 games played for the Nets this season.

When was Cam Thomas drafted?

Thomas was drafted by the Nets in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft with the 27th overall pick.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cam Thomas signs with Milwaukee Bucks as free agent

‘Scottie Barnes will be an MVP’ Raptors coach says after win

TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 8: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors reacts on the floor during the first half of their NBA game against the Indiana Pacers at Scotiabank Arena on February 8, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Super Bowl Sunday in Toronto means an early Raptors game, and showing up at the arena for 1pm media almost feels like being here before the sun is up. It was a quiet one at Scotiabank Arena today, with a lot of the usual suspects around instead taking the day off to watch some guys play football before and after a Bad Bunny concert.

Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers were in town, and it immediately seemed like coach Rick Carlisle also had another sport on his mind… but it wasn’t football. He came into the Raptors’ media room and immediately launched into some thoughts about Olympic curling, saying he was watching this morning and couldn’t help but “live or die for the Canadian Curling team.” Unfortunately, Canada’s mixed pairs curlers were eliminated later in the afternoon. Sorry, Rick.

As for the actual basketball, Coach Rajakovic says that while Jakob Poeltl was still being held out of today’s game, he was progressing well. After missing over 20 games with a sore back, the team is working to recondition him for a return to the lineup. Unfortunately, Collin Murray-Boyles also ended up leaving the game early due to a lingering thumb injury. The Raptors prepared for this, though! This is why they went out and traded for Trayce Jackson-Davis! He was able to make his Raptors debut in light of CMB leaving the game.

He did well, too, scoring 10 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes. After the game, Darko Rajakovic said that while it was the plan all along to give him some minutes today, losing CMB gave them a little bit more freedom to do so. There was no pressure from the coach on his newest player, as TJD himself said that Darko texted him after yesterday’s practice and told him to just “play free.” As for CMB, he was hit on the hand, reaggravating an existing injury, and is considered day to day.

After a slower start and a close halftime score, the Raptors found themselves again in the third quarter. Of course, the scars from Wednesday night’s crumble were fresh, and no one was about to prematurely call this a dub before it was official. They seemed to have learned their lessons from last week, though, and were able to keep their 20-point lead throughout the rest of the game. In the end, Toronto took it 122-104 over Indiana.

It was a fantastic game for Scottie Barnes, who scored 25 points on 12-20 shooting from the field, adding 12 rebounds and 6 assists. RJ Barrett scored 20 of his own, and Mamukelashvili scored 17 points off the bench.

Rajakovic had the same words of praise for his All-Star player that he usually does, emphatically saying that “Scottie Barnes is the Defensive Player of the Year” and will one day win the NBA’s MVP award.

“That’s Darko for you,” Scottie said of his reaction to Darko continuing to sing his praises this season (and always). He went on to talk about how much he appreciates Darko as a coach, saying that having a coach that you can consider a friend, someone you can get deep with in conversations, someone who rides for you — it makes a huge difference.

Darko has been saying stuff like this for years, of course. He has always had faith in his star, knowinf his potential and talking him up to the max. Now that Scottie is starting to reach that potential, Darko’s faith in his super star is only getting stronger.

Overall, it was a good win, and one that was expected of this team. The Pacers are 13-40 on the season and headed for the lottery — similar to the Raptors from one year ago. Having back to back wins going into their first meeting with the No. 1 seeded Detroit Pistons on Wednesday (the last game before the All-Star break) will hopefully give them a boost as they take on a tough opponent.

Jakucionis goes 6 for 6 from 3 as Heat roll past Wizards 132-101

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kasparas Jakucionis was 6 for 6 from 3-point range and scored 22 points, Bam Adebayo also had 22 and the Miami Heat routed the Washington Wizards 132-101 on Sunday.

Norman Powell added 21 points for Miami, and Kel’el Ware had 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Heat snapped a two-game losing streak and added to their team record with a 14th 130-plus point effort of the season.

Andrew Wiggins had 11 points and 10 rebounds as eighth-place Miami closed within a half-game of seventh-place Orlando in the Eastern Conference.

Tristan Vukcevic had 14 points to lead Washington. The Wizards lost back-to-back games for the first time since a nine-game slide from Jan. 7-24.

Alex Sarr added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who saw both Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly depart early with injuries.

KNICKS 111, CELTICS 89

BOSTON (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and Josh Hart added 19 to help New York beat the cold-shooting Boston.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who never trailed over the final 42 minutes. Mikal Bridges (14 points) and recently acquired Jose Alvarado (12 points) rounded out the double-digit scorers for New York, which shot 14 of 45 (40%) from behind the 3-point line.

Jaylen Brown socred 26 points and Derrick White added 19 for the Celtics, who saw their five-game winning streak snapped, Baylor Scheierman started in place for the injured Sam Hauser and finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

Boston shot 37% for the game and was 7-of-41 (17.1%) from behind the arc.

The matchup pitted two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, with Boston entering with a one-game lead over New York for second place. They’ll meet one more time during the regular season on April 9 in New York.

CLIPPERS 115, TIMBERWOLVES 96

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had 41 points and eight rebounds and Los Angeles beat the slumping Minnesota.

John Collins had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser also scored 15 points. The Clippers took command with a 17-3 run closing out the third quarter.

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 23 points, and Julius Randle had 17. The Timberwolves have lost three of their last four, all to sub-.500 opponents. Minnesota made just 8 of 33 3-point attempts and committed 20 turnovers while being held under 100 points for just the second time this season.

Ayo Dosunmu, making his Timberwolves debut after being acquired in a trade with Chicago, had 11 points and two steals.

RAPTORS 122, PACERS 104

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 rebounds to help Toronto beat Indiana.

Barnes was 12 of 20 from the field and had six assists, four blocks and two steals in 33 minutes. Toronto won its second straight to move 10 games above .500 at 32-22.

RJ Barrett had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Sandro Mamukelashvili added 17 points.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 18 points, Jay Huff had 15 and Jarace Walker 13. Last in the Eastern Conference, the injury-ravaged Pacers have lost four straight to fall to 13-40.

Pacific Northwest Sportswatch Daily Listings

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Monday, February 9
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN'S)
8:30 p.m.

Oregon at Indiana — FS1

NBA BASKETBALL
10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Portland — KUNP Portland, NBCS Philadelphia, BlazerVision, NBA League Pass

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Betts delivers 16 points, 16 rebounds as No. 2 UCLA edges No. 8 Michigan 69-66

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Lauren Betts had 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks to help No. 2 UCLA hold off No. 8 Michigan for a 69-66 win on Sunday.

The Wolverines trailed by 11 points with less than two minutes left and with a chance to tie the game, Syla Swords shot an airball on a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left.

UCLA (23-1, 13-0 Big Ten) took a two-game lead over Michigan (20-4, 11-2) in the conference with its 17th straight victory since losing to No. 4 Texas in November.

The Bruins outscored Michigan by 14 over the second and third quarters, leading by as much as 13 points, and finished with their NCAA -high ninth win over an AP Top 25 team.

The Wolverines’ school-record, nine-game winning streak in Big Ten games was snapped by a big and experienced team that plays stifling defense and is led by a 6-foot-7 preseason All-America center that does it all.

NO. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA 93, TENNESSEE 50

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ta’Niya Latson scored 21 points, Joyce Edwards added 20 and South Carolina ran past Tennessee for its ninth straight victory over the Lady Vols.

The Gamecocks (24-2, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) pulled away midway through the second quarter and never let up after that, finishing with a single-game program SEC shooting mark of 69% (36-52).

Tennessee has struggled, like most other SEC teams, against South Carolina the past few years, although the Lady Vols’ previous three games — all Gamecock wins — were decided by single digits.

And the Lady Vols matched the Gamecocks energy early on as things were tied at 16 last in the first quarter. That’s when South Carolina took control with a 9-2 run as Latson had five points and Edwards four.

Tennessee faltered again right before half, missing six of its final seven shots. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks were on fire, hitting six of their last eight to lead 47-32 at the break.

Things only got worse the rest of the way as the Lady Vols were outscored 46-18. Tennessee was held 28 points below its season average. The 43-point defeat was the worst in program history, surpassing a 31-point loss to Texas in 1984.

NO. 5 LSU 77, AUBURN 44

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — ZaKiyah Johnson scored 16 points, Mikaylah Williams added 12 and LSU bounced back from a midweek loss to rout Auburn.

LSU’s defense proved to be the key, holding Auburn to 25% shooting from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range.

Flau’jae Johnson, LSU’s leading scorer, finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Amiya Joyner notched a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

LSU (22-3, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) jumped out to an early lead after holding Auburn (13-12, 2-9) to just six points in the first quarter and took a 36-13 lead into the half. Auburn made 5 of 30 shots from the field and missed all 14 from behind the arc in the first half.

LSU built its advantage with a 10-0 run that lasted nearly eight minutes during the first half, then closed out the half with an 8-0 spurt.

Once again, size proved to be an issue for Auburn. The Tigers were outrebounded 54-30, and LSU held a 34-24 advantage in points in the paint.

NO. 6 LOUISVILLE 84, SYRACUSE 65

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Laura Ziegler scored 22 points and Louisville raced out to a quick lead it never gave up in a win over Syracuse.

The Cardinals (22-4, 12-1 ACC) were coming off a one-point loss to Duke that snapped the team’s 14-game winning streak. They scored the first 12 points against Syracuse, holding the Orange without a field goal in the first quarter. Louisville built the lead to 28-6 over the Orange (19-5, 9-4) as Syracuse missed all 13 of its field goal attempts in the first 10 minutes.

Syracuse didn’t score its first basket until a jumper by Dominique Darius with 10 seconds gone in the second quarter, but the Cardinals went on to build a 36-14 lead.

The Orange stormed back, closing the first half on a 22-6 run to narrow the margin to 44-36 at the break. Darius fueled the comeback, scoring all her 16 first-half points in the quarter and going 6-of-6 from the field, including two 3s.

Syracuse closed to within five at 59-54 on a layup by Burrows off a Louisville turnover with two minutes to go in the third, but that’s the closest Syracuse would get. The Cardinals closed the game on a 25-11 run.

NO. 9 OHIO STATE 80, OREGON 64

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Elsa Lemmila scored a career-high 23 points to help Ohio State beat Oregon.

Kennedy Cambridge added 20 points, hitting five 3-pointers, for the Buckeyes (22-3, 11-2 Big Ten), who won their fourth straight game and 11th in 12 games. Jaloni Cambridge scored 19 points to surpass 1,000 points in her career.

The Buckeyes shot 52% from the field and made 17 of its 19 free throws. Senior guard Chance Gray, who played her first two years at Oregon before transferring to Ohio State, had eight points and five rebounds in her return game.

Ari Long made four 3-pointers while scoring 16 points to lead the Ducks (18-8, 6-7), who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Oregon is 2-4 vs. Top 25 teams this year, but 0-3 against those opponents at home.

Sarah Rambus added 13 points for Oregon, which committed 23 turnovers that led to 17 points for Ohio State. Mia Jacobs had 13 points and five rebounds for the Ducks, who shot 37% from the field.

COLORADO 80, NO. 14 TCU 79

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Jade Masogayo’s three-point play with two seconds remaining lifted Colorado to a stunning victory over TCU, denying the Horned Frogs a spot at the top of the Big 12 Conference.

After Donovyn Hunter’s driving layup gave TCU a 79-77 lead with five seconds remaining, Masogayo took a sideline inbounds pass, drove the right side of the lane and made a short bank shot to tie the score. Kennedy Basham was called for a foul on the play and Masogayo sank the and-1 for the win.

TCU led 76-70 after a layup by Olivia Miles with about three minutes remaining. Colorado scored the next five points, then Miles made a free throw for a 77-75 lead with 50 seconds left. Masagayo made two tying free throws with 24 seconds left.

Masaqayo scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting plus 9 of 10 free throws. Desiree Wooten added 19 points, Logyn Greer 17 and Zyanna Walker 15 for the Buffaloes (16-8, 7-5 Big 12). Masagayo topped her previous best of 22 points against TCU last season.

Miles matched her season high with 31 points. Marta Suarez scored 20 and Hunter 17 for TCU (21-4, 9-3). With a win, TCU would have shared first place with 15th-ranked Baylor, which is 10-2 in the conference.

NO. 17 DUKE 95, SMU 36

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Freshman center Arianna Roberson had career highs of 22 points and 16 rebounds off the bench, Toby Fournier added 26 points and Duke routed SMU for the Blue Devils’ 15th straight win.

Duke’s 13th straight ACC victory extends the Blue Devils’ best conference start under head coach Kara Lawson. The 15 consecutive wins are also the most under Lawson, who is in her fifth full season leading the Blue Devils (18-6, 13-0).

Delaney Thomas had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Ashlon Jackson was Duke’s third player with a double-double in the game, scoring 11 points to go with 10 assists.

Fournier and Jackson scored eight points each and the Blue Devils raced out to a 24-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. They led 5-2 before going on a 19-3 run.

Roberson and Fournier scored eight points each in the second quarter and the Blue Devils continued to dominate, ending the half with a 46-16 lead. The Blue Devils shot 56% in the first half, compared to 22% for SMU.

NO. 24 WASHINGTON 91, WISCONSIN 86, OT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Avery Howell had a career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds — the 6-foot sophomore’s sixth double-double this season — and Sayvia Sellers scored 23 points to help Washington beat Wisconsin in overtime.

Howell scored eight points in OT, including two of her career-high tying six 3-pointers. Elle Ladine finished with 16 points for Washington (18-6, 8-5 Big Ten). The Huskies had lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Destiny Howell hit five 3-pointers and finished with 28 points for the Badgers. Gift Uchenna had 24 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Laci Steele added 10 points and Ronnie Porter tied her season high with 10 assists to go with eight points and six steals.

Destiny Howell made a 3-pointer and, after Brynn McGaughy hit two free throws on the other end, was fouled as she hit another and the and-1 free throw gave the Badgers a one-point lead with 1:09 to play. Avery Howell answered with a putback off a miss by McGaughy that made it 87-86 with 43 seconds left.

NO. 25 NORTH CAROLINA 84, WAKE FOREST 56

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Nyla Brooks scored 21 points, Nyla Harris added 19 and North Carolina rolled past Wake Forest.

North Carolina (20-5, 9-3 ACC) has won seven straight and reached 20 wins for the 34th time in program history.

Wake Forest led 9-6 through the first five minutes before North Carolina hit four 3-pointers — two each from Brooks and Lanie Grant — in a 16-0 run. The Tar Heels led 22-11 heading to the second quarter. Two more 3s from Brooks helped push the lead to 14 points before the Tar Heels settled for a 39-29 advantage at halftime.

Harris scored 11 points in the third quarter and the Tar Heels extended their lead to 65-42 entering the fourth. Carolina’s lead first reached 30 points at 78-48 on a short jumper by Blanca Thomas with about 3 1/2 minutes to go.

Mets sign MJ Melendez to Major League deal

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 10: MJ Melendez #1 of the Kansas City Royals singles bats during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on April 10, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mets and MJ Melendez agreed to a one year, $1.5m deal (with $500k in incentives) in the twilight of the 2026 offseason, giving the Mets another option to fill out their bench, and giving Melendez a legitimate shot to open the 2026 season on a Major League roster. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic it is a split deal, meaning his salary differs depending on whether he is in the big leagues or in the minor leagues.

Melendez, now 27, spent his entire professional career up until now with the Kansas City Royals. The Daytona Beach, Florida native was drafted in the second round by the Royals in 2017, forgoing a commitment to Florida International University to turn pro. He eventually became one of the best prospects in the sport, earning Top 100 prospect status from Baseball Prospectus (#35), Baseball America (#42) and MLB Pipeline (#51) prior to the 2022 season, then as a catcher. He eventually made his debut in 2022, moving positions and converting to the corner outfield, where he has been a regular part of the Royals Major League roster, until last season.

He never reached the heights he did as a prospect in the Majors, putting together three okay seasons at the plate (97 wRC+ in 2022, 93 wRC+ in 2023, 86 wRC+ in 2024) before falling off a cliff in 2025, hitting .083/.154/.167 (-14 wRC+) in 23 games before getting sent to Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He was non-tendered after the season, and became a free agent. He comes to the Mets a career 215/.297/.388 hitter, with 52 home runs in 435 games, good for an 88 wRC+.

The Mets were in clear need of someone who can handle the corner outfield, especially after the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. and the continued presence of Tyrone Taylor (and, frankly, the likely debut of Carson Benge) leaving them completely covered in center field. They could also use someone who could hit left handed off the bench, as their roster became right-handed heavy over the course of the offseason.

For the Mets, Melendez represents a chance to get some pop off the bench, and a chance to recapture some of his former Top 100 prospect status that he had not too long ago. He also put together some roughly league average season as a Major Leaguer, and that is a welcome development from a bench player if they can get him back to that. He can serve as cover in the corner outfield, perhaps first base (again, according to Sammon), and will likely serve has the emergency catcher if he does make the roster. He will be a project for the new hitting apparatus of Jeff Albert and Troy Snitker. He also, according to FanGraphs, still has an option remaining, which still leaves David Stearns open to acquiring someone else for the role and stashing Melendez in Syracuse.

For Melendez, the Mets represent a competitive environment that has a pretty open bench spot, so the combination of being on a Major League roster on a good team on Opening Day is likely too good to pass up for him.

Pistons ink Daniss Jenkins to two-year deal

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 06: Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after making a 3-point basket against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena on February 06, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Daniss Jenkins, the two-way player who has become an integral part of the Detroit Pistons’ rotation, has inked a two-year deal with the club. Jenkins used up the last of his two-way player availability with the Pistons in Friday’s dominant win over the New York Knicks. He scored 18 points and hit three 3-pointers in the game.

Details of his contract have not been disclosed, but reports indicate that the new two-year contract include a team-option for next season. The Pistons reportedly used part of their remaining portion of the bi-annual exception.

The Pistons are required to release a player to make room for Jenkins on the 15-man roster, and while unconfirmed, it is likely that player is veteran Dario Saric.

Jenkins went undrafted in 2024 after an impactful four-year college career with stints at Pacific for two years before transferring to Iona to play with Rick Pitino at Iona and following him to St. John’s for his final season of eligibility.

He signed a two-way deal with Detroit last season where he showed some promise, but he took a big leap forward in Summer League where it became clear he might have an NBA future. He put any questions about his ability to stick in the league to rest early in the season as he filled in for an injured Cade Cunningham.

He averaged 20.2 points per game over a five-game span, including hitting 44% of his threes and 7.6 assists. He’s scored at least 10 points in 15 of his 42 appearances this season.

He is averaging 8.2 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 turnovers in 42 games so far. He has also cemented himself as the team’s backup point guard, and made Jaden Ivey even more expendable. Ivey was traded to the Chicago Bulls at the NBA trade deadline so he could get consistent minutes while he’s working himself back from his broken fibula injury suffered at the beginning of 2025.

Jenkins has clearly earned the trust of head coach JB Bickerstaff, including Bickerstaff choosing to end games with both Cunningham and Jenkins in the back court as dangerous ball-handlers and scorers.

The young guard, who recently said he felt like it was crazy that he was undrafted, now doesn’t have to worry about his availability and gets what likely amounts to a raise of 10 times his two-way contract.

Brooklyn Nets seek more of the same from Josh Minott, Ochai Agbaji

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets did not trade away any player at the 2026 trade deadline. After the constant rumors swirling around Michael Porter Jr. — not to mention the chaotic departures of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant in deadlines past — it was a nice, calm week in the borough.

The Nets, however, did waive three players, including Cam Thomas. On Sunday afternoon, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Thomas would sign with the Milwaukee Bucks…

It was a deadline befitting a rebuilding team, with some minor shuffling around the margins, including two low-stakes acquisitions that hardly cost a thing. About a century after the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000, the Boston Celtics sent Josh Minott to Brooklyn for the minimum $110,000 of cash considerations.

The Nets also traded for Ochai Agbaji and his expiring salary, which also earned them a 2032 second-round pick and $3.5 million in cash considerations. Both Minott and Agbaji play on the wing, low-usage off-ball guys who, at their best, hit spot-up threes while defending and filling lanes with a passion. Recall August of 2024, when the Nets took on Ziaire Williams — and a future second — as a salary-dump from the Memphis Grizzlies, a trade that’s worked out pretty well for Brooklyn.

Minott played 526 minutes with the Celtics this season, more than he had played in his first three seasons combined with Minnesota Timberwolves. The #45 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Minott spent plenty of time with the G League’s Iowa Wolves, until this past summer, when he signed with Boston. And to begin this season, the 23-year-old flashed real defensive and spot-up ability, though Jordan Walsh ultimately supplanted him in the rotation…

“I’d say I kind of line up perfectly with, just like, the core values here in terms of defensive pressure and, you know, just being disruptive on the defensive end,” said Minott in his introductory presser in Brooklyn. “Additionally, I feel like my shooting has come such a long way for sure. I feel like that’s something I can confidently list as one of my strengths, and I know they believe in taking the right and open shots here.”

He sounds like a Net already! Not to mention that, despite a career-best season, Minott is still a fringe-rotation player on a $2.5 million contract with a team option for next season. Making a good impression over the final two months of Brooklyn’s season could go a long way.

When asked why he felt he’d excelled in Boston, Minott said, “I’d say it was just the hunger I was playing with. That’s something I’m planning on definitely bringing here, just the hunger and desperation. I feel like that’s something that the organization will definitely value considering, like I said, their core principles of defensive, their mindset of just disruption.”

Minott was born in Florida but plays for the Jamaican national team, and some folks call him ‘Why Not’, not only because it fits as a personal mantra but because it’s also a reminder on how to pronounce his last name. If Minott makes his first few 3-pointers in Brooklyn, you’ll be wondering how the hell Sean Marks nabbed him for free. If he starts out cold, not so much. But the man can really defend…

Ochai Agbaji arrives with striking similarities. He was selected by the Cavaliers at #14 in the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, then was traded to the Utah Jazz in the Donovan Mitchell deal before his debut. Then a trade to the Raptors, and finally, a trade to Brooklyn.

He had by far the best season of his career last year, mainly because he shot 39.9% from three on decent volume…he’s down to 18.5% this season, though his minutes were quite sporadic in Toronto.

“I think it’s just a matter of rhythm, really finding that rhythm,” said Agbaji in his introduction. “And, you know, the conversation with Jordi has been good, brief. Obviously, there’s been a lot going on, but briefly, he just told me he wants me here, and he wants me as a piece of this team, and sees a lot more in me, and a lot more of what I can do and what I can bring to this team.”

Fernández may be telling the truth. The Brooklyn Nets did not have to scoop up Minott or Agbaji; they did not have to duck a tax to get these guys, they didn’t have to match salaries, give up any of their draft hoard …they just scooped ‘em up because they were available.

And Fernández did not hesitate when asked what the newest Nets could bring to the floor: “Every time you can apply ball pressure, whether it’s in the full-court or the half-court, you can create turnovers, deflections, make the other team’s offense uncomfortable, play out of position late in the clock. So, we believe those guys can do that, and I’m excited. I’m excited to watch them play.”

Minott is about 6’9” with a plus-wingspan, a wiry NBA body if there ever was one. Agbaji is a bit stockier, makes some great closeouts and loves to get physical, though there is still some juice in those legs, a welcome sight for fans of one the league’s least athletic teams…

Agbaji, 25 years old, played with Jalen Wilson at Kansas for three seasons, and they won a national championship together.

“I actually knew him before he came to Kansas,” said Agbaji. “I was one of his hosts on his on his recruiting visit, so I’ve known him for a long time now, and seen him grow and expand in his game, his career. So now, ending up with him as a teammate and as a teammate again is great. So, like I said, it just feels like even more of a home here with him and some other guys.”

Neither player checked in during Brooklyn’s blowout of the Washington Wizards, though the trades had just been finalized. It remains to be seen where Minott and Agbaji will land in Jordi Fernández’s rotation, but their next opportunity to play will come on Monday evening against the Bulls. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Bucks sign Cam Thomas

BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 27: Cam Thomas #24 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 27, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Before Thursday’s trade deadline, a rumor last week linked the Bucks with former Nets guard Cam Thomas, primarily from HoopsHype’s Mike Scotto. While the contract isn’t public yet, usually post-deadline signings are for the veteran’s minimum, which would be about $905k for Thomas over the remainder of the year. Milwaukee can use the minimum salary exception to add him, and their cap hit would be $846k in that case. They had an open roster spot after waiving Nigel Hayes-Davis on Thursday evening, hours after acquiring him and Ousmane Dieng in exchange for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey.

The 24-year-old Thomas spent four and a half seasons as a Net, after they selected him 27th overall in 2021. He first broke into their rotation during the latter years of the KD/Kyrie squads as a microwave scorer off their bench, moving into the starting lineup in his third campaign. In 2023–24, he assumed the mantle of their leading scorer the year after Kevin Durant was traded to Phoenix with 22.5 PPG and 2.9 APG on .442/.364/.881 shooting over 66 games (51 starts), but on subpar efficiency. Last season, he missed 57 contests with a left hamstring injury that held him out for three months, then ended his year six games after his late February returned. He’d been averaging a career-high 24.0 PPG. In each campaign, he put up 18+ attempts per game, so he’s earned a reputation as a chucker.

Perhaps due to that, Thomas didn’t receive any multiyear offers after hitting restricted free agency last offseason, including from the Nets. The 6’3” LSU alum therefore took the qualifying offer, giving him the ability to veto trades during 2025–26. He’s appeared in 24 contests for the Nets, starting only eight, with scoring (15.6 PPG), rebounding (1.8 RPG), and shooting (.399/.325/.843) numbers down across the board and his typical 3.1 APG. He also strained that same hammy in November, knocking him out for 20 games until just before New Years. After two years averaging 31+ MPG, he was down to 24.3 this year. Recognizing Brooklyn didn’t envision him as part of his future given the lack of an offer last summer, he surely would have waived that right had the Nets found a deal for him last week, but they couldn’t get anything done. He missed the team’s flight on February 4th, listed as out with “personal reasons,” which many speculated to be a pending move.

The initial Scotto rumor also liked Thomas to the Cavs, echoing a trade idea Jackson proposed between them, the Bucks, and Nets. Scotto mentioned that Cleveland discussed a Thomas trade that would have sent Lonzo Ball (since traded to Utah and waived) and “second-round draft compensation” to Brooklyn. Those talks didn’t progress, and the Nets waived Thomas very shortly after the 2 p.m. Central deadline on Thursday. That’s apparently what he was hoping for, telling Andscape’s Marc Spears:

“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… I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they’ve been interested for years now. So, it’s good to have this opportunity come to fruition. And I’m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible.”

It’s worth noting that Milwaukee also has about $3m remaining on its room exception this season (the rest of it was used to sign Kevin Porter Jr. to a new contract last July), and could use that to outbid other Thomas suitors. But given the mutual interest between Thomas and the Bucks, it’s probably a minimum contract. Since he is changing teams in free agency, Milwaukee will have Non-Bird rights on him this offseason, so their next contract could only give him a 20% raise on his new salary—a fair bit less than the $6m Brooklyn is still paying him this season. For anything more, they’d need to use a different exception, like the mid-level or bi-annual.

Getting a scorer as talented as Thomas, despite his inefficiency, for next to nothing is certainly a steal. What’s more interesting is what this means for Milwaukee moving forward this season. On their first three-game winning streak of the season, their competition before the break is more serious than the cellar-dwelling Pelicans and Pacers. Still, at just 21-29, they’re 2.5 games back of Charlotte—whom they have a tiebreaker over after winning the season series 3-1—for the East’s final play-in spot. So the hill is still steep, if they choose to climb it.

Thomas can only score, doesn’t defend, and while he’s right that he can play-make, it’s really only for himself. He probably will help more than he hurts the rest of the year, but maybe not to a great extent. Mainly, he’ll give the moribund Bucks offense (24th in ORtg per Cleaning The Glass) a definite boost whenever he’s on the floor, and the Bucks are simply not good enough to not add talent. I wonder about his future, though: he’ll be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this summer, and will certainly be trying to raise his stock after a disappointing last year or so in Brooklyn, which impacted his market last summer. Giannis has complained about selfish play from his teammates and how guys are playing for their next contracts; few would call Thomas unselfish, and he’s hoping for a multiyear deal come July. So perhaps he isn’t a good long-term fit if Giannis sticks around. But a new team-friendly deal over two years (at most) could be tradable, especially if it has a team option.

One more note: many assumed that up-and-coming big man Pete Nance would be converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal (Milwaukee currently has one two-way spot open) for that final roster spot. While that could happen yet, if the Bucks were to open a spot by waiving Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., or Jericho Sims, they’d have to stretch their 2026–27 salary over three more years. That’s because each of them has a player option for next season, which is counted as guaranteed money. Nance has 21 games of two-way eligibility remaining, having been active for 29 so far this year.

Your Handy Guide To Current And Former Ottawa Senators Competing At Winter Olympics

The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy gets underway next week, with preliminary games opening Wednesday in a 12-team field that features a strong Ottawa Senators flavour.

Between current and former Senators, the Ottawa connections will be scattered all across this event. Here’s a country-by-country look at the current and former Senators set to take part in the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Italy.

Just after the holidays, Team USA Bill Guerin made the official call to Sens star Jake Sanderson, inviting him to join the Olympic team.

Canada

Canada’s roster includes a familiar and popular former Senator in Mark Stone, who now captains the Vegas Golden Knights. Stone spent several seasons in Ottawa and remains one of the most respected two-way forwards to ever wear a Senators jersey.

Now in the seventh year of his eight-year contract in Vegas, the former Senators regime gravely miscalculated how much good hockey Stone still had left in the tank and then made a horrible trade.


Czechia

Czechia’s roster features two former Senators forwards in Filip Chlapik and Dominik Kubalik. Chlapik came through Ottawa’s system and saw 57 NHL games with the club before returning to Europe, while Kubalik spent the entire 2023-24 season here, arriving in the Alex DeBrincat deal. 


Denmark

Veteran centre Lars Eller, a current Senator, brings extensive experience. He's the first Danish player to win the Stanley Cup (2018) and the first to play 1,000 NHL games.

He’s joined by Mads Søgaard, the towering goaltender from the Belleville Senators. With the Danes likely to be outmatched in most games, NHL veteran Freddy Andersen is expected to handle most of the work for the Danes.


Finland

Finland’s roster also includes a blend of current and former Senators. Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo can't get in Ottawa's lineup these days, but he earned his place with the Finns through steady play.

Former Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was named to Finland's team as an injury replacement. It's hard to fully describe him as a former Senator since the Sens are still paying him $1 million a year.


France

France will feature former Ottawa forward Stéphane Da Costa, who spent time in the Senators organization earlier in his career. After taking his NHL shot, playing 47 games in Ottawa spread over four seasons, the 37-year-old Da Costa has been a KHL star for most of the past decade, and the French will once again lean on him for scoring and leadership. 


Germany

Germany’s Olympic hopes will heavily involve current Ottawa star Tim Stützle. One of the NHL's most dynamic offensive players, Stützle is expected to be a focal point for the Germans and one of the most exciting players to watch throughout the tournament. Germany has enough star power at the top of their lineup to be troublesome by going to a short bench in this short tournament. 


Latvia

Forwards Rūdolfs Balcers and Kaspars Daugaviņš, along with defenseman Kristiāns Rubīns, all have Ottawa Senators ties. Rubins was drafted by Ottawa but never played, though he did get into three NHL games with Toronto. Latvia has built a reputation for its loud, partying fan base and being a difficult opponent in short tournaments, and its Ottawa contingent will play major roles.


Sweden

As former first-rounders, centre Mika Zibanejad and defenceman Erik Karlsson both spent their formative years in Ottawa before continuing their careers elsewhere. In goal, Filip Gustavsson could see significant action as the Swedes aim for a medal.


Switzerland

Former Senators training camp attendee Pius Suter will skate for Switzerland. Now an established NHL pro in St. Louis, Suter should be a top player on a Swiss team that always impresses and continues to close the gap on the traditional hockey powers.


United States

Team USA will feature two cornerstone pieces from the current Sens roster. Captain Brady Tkachuk brings his trademark physicality and leadership, while defenceman Jake Sanderson has quickly emerged as one of the NHL’s premier young blueliners. Both were expected to play major roles as the Americans pursue Olympic gold.

*** As an update, Sanderson may be a healthy scratch for the Americans' opener next week.

With current and former Senators at the Olympics totalling 16, their impact on the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament will be impossible to miss.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

Read more great Sens features at The Hockey News:

Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Out Long Term With Lower Body Injury
Senators Can Further Boost Playoff Hopes By Upgrading One Position
Head Coach Travis Green Has Changed The Conversation In Ottawa
Senators Trade Deadline History: Key Deals of the Last Decade
NHL Insider Says The Senators Aren't Happy With Him

How much was UNC basketball fined by ACC for court storming vs Duke? Conference rules

North Carolina basketball picked up a thrilling win over rivalDuke on Saturday, Feb. 7, but will feel its pockets getting lighter as a result.

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Sunday, Feb. 8, that it was fining the Tar Heels $50,000 for fans storming the court at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, following Seth Trimble's game-winning shot.

"The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that the University of North Carolina has been fined for violation of the league’s event security policy at the conclusion of its men’s basketball game versus Duke University on February 7," the league wrote in a news release.

"The conference’s event security policy is designed to protect the safety and well-being of all student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans."

The fine is $50,000 for UNC, as it was the first offense for the program. The penalty increases to $100,000 for a second offense and is $200,000 for each subsequent offense within two years.

All fines for storming the court or rushing the field that are collected under the policy are directed to the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Fund, which benefits ACC student-athletes pursuing graduate education.

In addition to the court storming, following the game, Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer alleged that members of his staff "got punched in the face."

"It's hard to talk about the game when I was most concerned for the safety of our players,” Scheyer said. “I don't wanna make it about that, but ... I got staff members that got punched in the face ... That's not what this game is about. That was a scary ending."

The University of North Carolina did not respond to USA TODAY Sports' request for comment on the claim from Scheyer.

Fans actually stormed the court on two separate occasions. Fans first rushed the court following Timble's 3-pointer, but the clock still showed 0.4 seconds remaining in the game. They rushed the court once again after the clock officially hit triple zeroes, however, it was treated as one incident by the conference.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UNC basketball fined by ACC for fans storming court after Duke win

Jade Masogayo's three-point play wins it for Colorado women against No. 14 TCU

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Jade Masogayo's three-point play with two seconds remaining lifted Colorado to a stunning 80-79 victory over No. 14 TCU on Sunday, denying the Horned Frogs a spot at the top of the Big 12 Conference.

After Donovyn Hunter's driving layup gave TCU a 79-77 lead with five seconds remaining, Masogayo took a sideline inbounds pass, drove the right side of the lane and made a short bank shot to tie the score. Kennedy Basham was called for a foul on the play and Masogayo sank the and-1 for the win.

TCU led 76-70 after a layup by Olivia Miles with about three minutes remaining. Colorado scored the next five points, then Miles made a free throw for a 77-75 lead with 50 seconds left. Masagayo made two tying free throws with 24 seconds left.

Masaqayo scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting plus 9 of 10 free throws. Desiree Wooten added 19 points, Logyn Greer 17 and Zyanna Walker 15 for the Buffaloes (16-8, 7-5 Big 12). Masagayo topped her previous best of 22 points against TCU last season.

Miles matched her season high with 31 points. Marta Suarez scored 20 and Hunter 17 for TCU (21-4, 9-3). With a win, TCU would have shared first place with 15th-ranked Baylor, which is 10-2 in the conference.

TCU took its first lead of the game, 37-34, on a 3-pointer by Suarez to open the third quarter. Colorado never led in the third but 10 points from Greer helped keep it close, 67-62 heading to the fourth quarter.

Wooten scored 10 points in the first quarter and Colorado led 28-20 after one. It was 34-all at halftime.

Up next

TCU: The Horned Frogs visit Baylor on Thursday.

Colorado: at Houston on Wednesday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball.

Would Matvei Michkov Make Russia's Olympic Team? Top Coaches Omit Flyers Star

It's inarguable that young Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov has massive potential, but two years into his NHL career, the talented forward is not yet on the radar for a potential Team Russia Olympic squad.

Russia, of course, is banned from international competitions at all levels, which means no NHL players will be representing their nation at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Tampa Bay's superstar winger Nikita Kucherov said it best: it's not a best-on-best competition without Russia, but the reality is the reality.

The hockey powerhouse's exclusion has long raised questions of what their squad would look like if they were competing in the Olympics, and two Russian legends recently weighed in on the topic for themselves.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, iconic forward-turned-SKA St. Petersburg head coach Igor Larionov chose his roster, which came with a few surprises.

Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin were among the obvious choices at forward, and Montreal Canadiens starlet Ivan Demidov managed to sneak in on the third line as well.

Why Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantWhy Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantMichkov's key assist in the spotlight was exactly what Tocchet wanted.

As for the fourth line, though? Players like Vasily Podkolzin, Ivan Barbashev, and Vasily Podkolzin all got in ahead of the Flyers' Michkov.

Larionov also opted for a "PK guy" in Ilya Mikheyev for roster depth, so Michkov wasn't particularly close to being considered.

But, Larionov isn't the only coach to omit Michkov from their hypothetical Olympic roster.

Former Russian national team head coach Ilya Vorobyov, a two-time Gagarin Cup-winning coach with an Olympic Gold Medal to his resume, didn't include Michkov, either.

Vorobyov, in his interview with MatchTV, had a number of roster overlaps with Larionov's team, though youngsters like Danila Yurov, Dmitri Voronkov, and Pavel Dorofeyev made his cut in addition to Demidov.

Vorobyov's explanation for Demidov likely tells us why Michkov wasn't on his team.

"He is a young boy, and just starting his career. The level of wingers in the Russian national team is very high," the sage bench boss said of Demidov.

Ex-Flyers Coach John Tortorella Recounts Golden Matvei Michkov StoryEx-Flyers Coach John Tortorella Recounts Golden Matvei Michkov StoryTortorella dished on Michkov's surprising but enthusiastic penalty box strategy, which goes to show how well the two understood each other while they were together on the Flyers.

"We need to look at who would have been eliminated due to injury, and what line Vanya would have ended up in. What would he have brought to those three? I really like Demidov as a player. He is the future young star of the national team. But the Olympics are a fleeting tournament, and there is no time for experiments. And we need not only those guys who score."

So, with Demidov in, and the likes of Ovechkin, Panarin, Kucherov, Kaprizov, Kirill Marchenko, and others occupying the wings, there was no room for Michkov.

Michkov, of course, was the captain of the Russia U20 and Russia 25 teams back in 2022-23 and dominated representing his country in the 2021 U18 World Junior Championships.

In that tournament, the now-21-year-old led all players in scoring with 16 points and broke the Russian single-tournament goals record with his 12 tallies.

Flyers' Matvei Michkov Compares First NHL Game to 'PlayStation'Flyers' Matvei Michkov Compares First NHL Game to 'PlayStation'Even for players like <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> star Matvei Michkov, making your first NHL appearance can be a little frazzling.

Oh, and Michkov was named MVP and Best Forward.

Kucherov and Ilya Kovalchuk previously held Russia's goals record with 11 apiece.

Michkov has proven he can handle and produce in the international spotlight, but a frustrating sophomore season in the NHL under new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has seemingly left him with his fair share of doubters.

Barnes has 25 points and 14 rebounds in Raptors' 122-104 win over Pacers

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 rebounds to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 122-104 on Sunday.

Barnes was 12 of 20 from the field and had six assists, four blocks and two steals in 33 minutes. Toronto won its second straight to move 10 games above .500 at 32-22.

RJ Barrett had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Sandro Mamukelashvili added 17 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes in his Toronto debut following a trade with Golden State.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 18 points, Jay Huff had 15 and Jarace Walker 13. Last in the Eastern Conference, the injury-ravaged Pacers have lost four straight to fall to 13-40.

Toronto rookie center Collin Murray-Boyles left with 3:47 left in the first quarter and did not return after he sprained his left thumb. He had two points in eight minutes.

Indiana swingman Johnny Furphy left after taking a bad fall in the third quarter. The Pacers said he was out with right leg soreness.

Up next

Pacers: At New York on Tuesday night.

Raptors: Host Detroit on Wednesday night.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Avery Howell has 34 points and 14 rebounds, No. 24 Washington women beat Wisconsin in OT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Avery Howell had a career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds — the 6-foot sophomore’s sixth double-double this season — and Sayvia Sellers scored 23 points to help No. 24 Washington beat Wisconsin 91-86 in overtime on Sunday.

Howell scored eight points in OT, including two of her career-high tying six 3-pointers. Elle Ladine finished with 16 points for Washington (18-6, 8-5 Big Ten). The Huskies had lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Destiny Howell hit five 3-pointers and finished with 28 points for the Badgers. Gift Uchenna had 24 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Laci Steele added 10 points and Ronnie Porter tied her season high with 10 assists to go with eight points and six steals.

Destiny Howell made a 3-pointer and, after Brynn McGaughy hit two free throws on the other end, was fouled as she hit another and the and-1 free throw gave the Badgers a one-point lead with 1:09 to play. Avery Howell answered with a putback off a miss by McGaughy that made it 87-86 with 43 seconds left.

Wisconsin (13-11, 5-8), which has lost four straight, went 0 for 3 from the field — all 3-point shots by Destiny Howell — from there.

The Badgers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run and scored eight — all by Uchenna — of the first 11 in the fourth to take a six-point lead with 6:09 left in regulation. The Huskies scored nine — five by Sellers and four by Howell — of the next 12 to make it 71-all with 3:40 remaining.

Up next

Washington: Plays Wednesday at No. 10 Iowa.

Wisconsin: Visits Illinois on Wednesday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball.