Giannis Antetokounmpo had one of the quietly funniest moments during the All-Star Game. While not playing due to his ongoing calf strain, he was on the World Team bench for the opening game of the night, seated at the end of the court near "The Wall" of fans who stand and cheer all game (the group is called "The Swell"). Fans on the Wall started chanting "We want Giannis" midway through the 12-minute game. He heard them, waved, then jokingly ran halfway up the sideline toward the scorer's table starting to unzip his jacket, before turning around with a laugh and going back to the bench.
Will he or won't he has felt like the question of Antetokounmpo's season.
He put himself in the media spotlight in Los Angeles during All-Star Weekend and continued to walk the same line he has all season: Right now he is fully committed to the Bucks, he loves Milwaukee, but when summer arrives he will reassess his situation like he always does. It is summed up well in what he said to Malika Andrews of ESPN.
"As of today, I'm committed to the Milwaukee Bucks. I'm committed to the people that I work with, my teammates, the coaching staff, Coach Doc [Rivers] and [GM] Jon [Horst] in the front office. What I've said from the beginning of this year is that, out of my mouth and the way I've carried myself, you will never hear me say I don't want to be a Milwaukee Buck."
While the Bucks listened to trade offers from other teams at the deadline, the sense from those other front offices was that Horst and the Bucks front office were simply guaging the market, not seriously negotiating or planning to trade him.
Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks will play out one of three ways.
1) Milwaukee will be able to use its three draft picks it can trade this summer plus expiring salaries to make a bold move — such as the Bucks previously trading for Jrue Holiday or Damian Lillard — that convinces Antetokounmpo to sign another extension (four years, $275 million is the max) and stay with the team. This is what has happened every other time Antetokounmpo has been up for an extenion, he used that as leverage to make the Bucks bring in more talent.
2) Milwaukee cannot make a move that appeases Antetokounmpo enough that he signs the extension on Oct. 1, but he does not demand a trade and the Bucks determine that he is good enough and important enough that it's worth the risk to hold on to him and not trade him. The Bucks then run the risk he leaves for nothing in free agency, but that's worth the risk for some players, as Oklahoma City did with Kevin Durant.
3) Milwaukee cannot make a move that appeases Antetokounmpo (or he just doesn't see a path to contention with the Bucks) and he tells the team he will not sign an extension with them, and the Bucks decide to trade him this summer.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets owner Steve Cohen likes the vibe in a revamped clubhouse, and says he'll never have a captain in charge of that scene.
“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said in his first meeting with reporters at spring training Monday. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique. And let the locker room sort it out, year in, year out.”
New York said goodbye to popular slugger Pete Alonso, star closer Edwin Díaz and two other Mets stalwarts before Christmas, but added free agent Bo Bichette and traded for All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta.
The Mets are going into their third season with manager Carlos Mendoza after they missed the playoffs following a run to the 2024 NL championship series.
“I just was in that locker room and in the meeting and I sense an energy that really is exciting,” Cohen said on the day of the team's first full-squad workout. “These are new faces, fresh faces that I think our fans are really going to enjoy watch playing. It’s different. And I think we’ll play a different type of baseball, and I think that’s great.”
The rival Yankees had Derek Jeter, known simply as the “the captain,” for all 20 of the Hall of Famer's seasons. Becoming an owner in the same city won't sway Cohen, whose view might also keep the Mets from having a tricky choice between two of their biggest stars, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
“Just my own views on how I want a locker room to be,” Cohen said. “My view is every year the team’s different and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room rather than having a designation. Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual.”
40 years and counting
The Mets have alternated between making and missing the playoffs during Cohen's tenure. New York made the playoffs in 2022, then missed in 2023 with an underperforming group that led to the unloading of star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the trade deadline.
Disappointment returned last season after the Mets lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. New York's most recent World Series title came in 1986.
“About not winning? Yeah, I’m annoyed,” Cohen said. “I’m absolutely annoyed. Every year that goes by, I get frustrated. I’m really committed to this team. I know how much the fans care. I know we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1986, and that’s just too long.”
Looming labor situation
Asked about the big-spending Dodgers, Cohen said he had no problem with their approach, while drawing laughter from reporters by saying the billionaire hedge-fund manager could spend big, too.
Cohen also didn't sound opposed to a salary cap, which figures to be the primary point of contention during collective bargaining talks that could jeopardize the 2027 season.
“Obviously, I’m listening to all the arguments,” Cohen said. “But I’ve always been a league-first owner. So I’m listening to all the sides and I haven’t made up my mind yet. We’ll see where it goes. Sometimes I put the league’s interests above my own interests.”
Tuckered out
Although the Mets pivoted with the signing of Bichette and the trade for Peralta, they thought they were going to land the biggest prize in free agency before four-time All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker signed with those free-spending Dodgers.
“I’m competitive,” Cohen said. “When you’re actually making a bid and you decide you want that player, you don’t want to lose, like anything else. And then you get over it, and then you move on. It’s sort of like in my business. I have a bad trading day, all right, I move on to the next day, and then the next day's better.”
More investment
The Mets are set to break ground on a player development complex at their spring training home in Port St. Lucie. The 55,000-square-foot facility will include locker space, a training room, therapy pools and a dining facility.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Tuesday morning AEDT to put his side into the Super Eights and leave Australia on the brink of elimination.
Michigan (24-1) took over the top spot in the poll on Monday, Feb. 16, and has won 10 consecutive games since dropping its only game this season against Wisconsin on Jan. 10. Nine of its wins during the win streak have been by double digits, outside of its 75-72 win over No. 9 Nebraska.
Arizona not only fell out of the No. 1 ranking, but fell behind Michigan, No. 3 Houston and No. 4 Duke after its back-to-back-losses. Elsewhere, Purdue jumped five spots to No. 7 in the update, ahead of the Boilermakers' top 10 showdown against No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 17.
Here's a look at the updated men's college basketball USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for Feb. 16:
Arizona’s reign as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is over for now. After five weeks at the top, the Wildcats took their first two losses of the season, losing their hold on the Big 12 lead as well.
Michigan reclaims the No. 1 ranking, the unanimous choice after the Wolverines extended their current winning streak to 10. Houston, now alone atop the Big 12, climbs to No. 2. Duke vaults to third as Arizona falls to No. 4. Connecticut continues to round out the top five.
It was a mixed week for Iowa State, which drops two positions to No. 6 but picked up a convincing bounce-back win against red-hot Kansas. Purdue leaps back into the top 10 at No. 7, a gain of five positions. Gonzaga, Nebraska and Illinois round out the top 10.
Kansas slips to No. 12 behind Florida, whose late charge continues with another three-spot gain. Texas Tech also moves up three places to No. 13 after beating Arizona on the road.
Virginia checks in a slot higher at No. 14, but a couple other ranked ACC squads weren’t as fortunate as North Carolina tumbles seven places to No. 20 and Clemson takes a six-position fall to No. 24.
Wisconsin, nudges into the poll at No. 25, replacing fellow Big Ten member Iowa.
Stunning ton by Pathum Nissanka seals hosts’ run chase
Australia need Ireland to beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday
Australia could be out of the T20 World Cup before they even play their final first round group match after a stunning fightback by Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Returning captain Mitch Marsh and a revived Travis Head looked to have set Australia on course for a victory that would have kept their tournament hopes alive as they smashed a century-plus opening stand at more than two-runs-a-ball.
The second half of the NBA season is here and while we've had a two-man race for most of the season, there is a third option that is making noise, and he's the only healthy player of the top three.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-210) and Nikola Jokic (+300) are the frontrunners for MVP and rightfully so. The two have won the past two MVP awards and four of the past five, but Cade Cunningham (+1400) has steadily been the third option in this race.
Detroit recorded the best record in the NBA during the first half of the season and Cunningham has played 47 out of 53 games, which is more than the other four players on this top-five list. If SGA, Jokic, Luka Doncic (+2000) and/or Victor Wembanyama (+3500) struggle to reach the 65-game minimum, then Cunningham's odds will continue to improve as he will certainly reach 65-plus games played at this rate.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (-210)
Points Per Game: 31.8 (2nd) Assists Per Game: 6.4 (16th) Rebounds Per Game: 4.4 RPG (110th)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander last played on February 3rd and missed the last five games for the Thunder with an abdominal injury. SGA has missed seven games in total this season and is expected back within a few games for the start of the second half, if not, right away on the 20th against the Brooklyn Nets.
Oklahoma City went 2-3 in the last five games without SGA as Detroit overtook OKC for the best record in the NBA. Last year, SGA received 71 out of 100 first-place votes for MVP (Jokic got 29) and this year, he could see a similar number of votes, if not more depending on whether or not Jokic or Victor Wembanyama meet the 65-game requirement.
SGA is second in the NBA with 31.8 points per game over 33.3 minutes per game and is averaging career-highs in field goal percentage (55.4%) and assists (6.4). The current price of -210 for SGA to win MVP is likely the lowest odds he will have the remainder of the season, pending another injury. I would be shocked if he doesn't win MVP back-to-back seasons.
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+300)
Points Per Game: 28.7 (7th) Rebounds Per Game: 12.3 (1st) Assists Per Game: 10.7 (1st)
Nikola Jokic returned before the All-Star break and recorded seven games played. Jokic has missed 16 games this season and can only miss one more game before he's ineligible to win MVP because of the 65-game rule, so at +300 odds, he is skating on thin ice.
Jokic is averaging a triple-double this season with 28.7 points (7th), 12.3 rebounds (1st), and 10.7 assists (1st). Jokic accomplished a triple-double average last year and leads the NBA with 20 triple-doubles and third with 34 double-doubles.
The Joker has played at least 69 games in every season, so this will be his lowest games played of his career at 30-years-old. If Jokic misses two more games, that opens the door for the next player on this list to possibly catch SGA in the MVP race.
3. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (+1400)
Points Per Game: 25.3 (14th) Rebounds Per Game: 5.6 (T-70th) Assists Per Game: 9.6 (2nd)
Coming off a career-year in 2024-25, Cade Cunningham put together an impressive first half to this season. Cunningham is second in the NBA with 9.6 assists per game and averages 25.3 points per game (14th), which is slightly less than his 26.1 PPG last season.
Cunningham has been durable as well in a year where almost every MVP candidate has missed significant time due to injuries. Cunningham has played in 47 out of 53 games and Detroit has the best record in not only the East, but the entire NBA! At 40-13, the Pistons are exceeding expectations and own the NBA's second-rated defense behind the reigning champion, Thunder.
With 27 double-doubles on the year, Cunningham is fourth overall in that department and tied-sixth with three triple-doubles. He's played 34.9 minutes per game, which is the fourth-most in the NBA, so Cunningham is doing a bit of everything for the first-place Pistons.
4. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+2000)
Points Per Game: 32.8 (1st) Assists Per Game: 8.6 (3rd) Rebounds Per Game: 7.8 (25th)
Luka Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 32.8 points per game, which is the second-most of his career, plus he ranks top five this season in triple-doubles (6) and double-doubles (25). Doncic has missed 12 games so far and can only miss five more before he becomes ineligible to win MVP, which plays into his +2000 odds.
For the second time in his career, Doncic is averaging more than 10 three-pointers per game, but shooting his lowest percentage from deep since 2022-23 and fourth-lowest in his eight-year career. His 22.0 field goal attempts per game is tied for the second-most of his career and in the NBA this season, so Doncic is clearly option No. 1 in Los Angeles even with LeBron James and Austin Reaves having solid campaigns.
5. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (+3500)
Points Per Game: 24.4 (19th) Rebounds Per Game: 11.1 (5th) Blocks Per Game: 2.7 (1st)
Victor Wembanyama is having a fantastic season for the Spurs and is one of the few reasons why the NBA's All-Star Game was a success over the weekend. Wembanyama brought a competitive edge to the weekend and that's a big reason why the Spurs sit in second-place of the Western Conference at 38-16.
Wembanyama has missed 14 games this season, so the most he can play is 68, giving him three games to miss before he's ineligible to win a major award. While he's considered a long shot for MVP, Wemby is the frontrunner to win the Defensive Player of the Year at -320 odds. Wemby leads the NBA in blocks per game (2.7) and has offensive shooting splits of 51/36/81.
The 7-foot-4 alien is truly a one-of-one in this league and changing the game with how he impacts players' decisions around the rim and his ability to stretch the floor and shoot from anywhere. However, an MVP this year is unlikely, but next year, Wembanyama might be the best bet before the season starts depending how the Spurs' postseason run looks.
Honorable Mention
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics (+5000)
Points Per Game: 29.3 (4th) Rebounds Per Game: 6.9 (40th) Assists Per Game: 4.7 (43rd)
The Boston Celtics finished the first half of the season 35-19, ranking second in the Eastern Conference behind only the Detroit Pistons. A large part of their success derives from Jaylen Brown who is posting career-highs without Jayson Tatum.
Brown averages a career-high 29.3 points per game this season (4th in the NBA) on 10.9 makes and 22.6 field goal attempts (both rank 1st), plus 48.3% from three, and 77.5% from the free-throw line. Brown's 6.9 rebounds per game is tied for the most in his career and if his 4.7 assists per game holds, that will be a career-best for Brown.
Unless Boston goes nuclear in the second-half of the season, steals the No. 1 seed, and Brown's numbers increase to something like 32/8/6, then he likely won't win MVP, but a top-five finish is very possible. Brown has never received a regular season MVP vote in his career, but this will be the year it happens. Tatum received MVP votes in each of the past four seasons, but it's Brown's turn.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
NBA All-Star Weekend has come and gone, and the Association will tip off for the final quarter of the season on Thursday. As we move into “silly season,” some teams will start looking to the future and developing their young players rather than worrying about wins.
Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for the second half of Week 17.
Priority Adds
1. Day’Ron Sharpe
2. Nique Clifford
3. Ty Jerome
4. Nolan Traoré
5. Kyle Filipowski
6. Devin Carter
7. Tristan Vukčević
8. Gui Santos
9. Scoot Henderson
10. Brice Sensabaugh
Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies (35 percent rostered)
Jerome continues to offer monster production in limited minutes, and due to his excellent play, this will surely be the last week I can mention him in this column before he’s no longer widely available. In just 20.2 minutes per game, Jerome has averaged 19.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 6.0 dimes, 1.2 swipes and 2.3 triples. He’s started all six of his appearances and should be locked into a starting gig for the rebuilding Grizzlies the rest of the way.
Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz (28 percent rostered)
With Jaren Jackson Jr. done for the season and Utah actively tanking, Filipowski should see a ton of playing time for the remainder of the season. Jusuf Nurkić and Kevin Love don’t figure into Utah’s long-term plans, but Filipowski is the future. He’s averaged 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.5 blocked and 1.1 triples across 19 starts this season.
Sacramento extended its losing streak to 14 before the All-Star break, and the Kings will be one of the teams anxiously waiting for ping pong balls to determine their fate in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. Zach LaVine (hand) is out for the season, and the Kings recently traded guard depth to Cleveland for De’Andre Hunter. Expect Clifford to see big run down the stretch. In two games since his 30/4/4/2/2 eruption, he’s struggled tremendously from the field, shooting 5-of-31, including 1-of-11 from beyond the arc. Shooting woes aside, Clifford managed 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals in that pair of contests while seeing 37.5 minutes per game. The Kings have every reason to incentivize development after the break, which is a huge positive for Clifford’s fantasy value.
Brice Sensabaugh, Utah Jazz (18 percent rostered)
Sensabaugh isn’t going to offer much in the way of peripheral stats of defense, but if you need scoring and triples, he’s your man. Over his last 15 outings, Sensabaugh has averaged 18.7 points and 2.5 triples to go with 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 steals. His 48.7/83.3 shooting splits should be quite attractive to fantasy managers, too.
Like Ty Jerome, Scoot has only appeared in a handful of games this season, but he’s been great with his limited playing time. Unlike Jerome, Henderson has come off the bench in all four of his games, but his playing time could ramp up after the All-Star break. He’s averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 triples while shooting career-best marks from the floor (51.7%) and the charity stripe (82.6%).
Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors (16 percent rostered)
Santos has been the most consistent option for the struggling Warriors, and he seems to have a meaningful role locked down for the foreseeable future. He’s started six of the Dubs’ last eight games, averaging 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.9 blocked shots and 1.6 triples across 27.6 minutes in that span. Santos is a poor free-throw shooter, but he’s knocked down 59% of his shots across his last eight.
Sharpe has lottery ticket value, but he’s been steady enough as of late that adding him isn’t a major gamble. Grabbing him off the waiver wire early could prove highly beneficial down the final stretch of the season. Over his last 12 games, Sharpe has averaged 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals across 20.4 minutes. Sharpe is behind Nic Claxton on the Nets’ depth chart, but he’s done well in his allotted time and made the most of expanded opportunities. In four starts, Sharpe has averaged 13.8 points, 8.5 boards, 4.3 dimes, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks across 30.8 minutes. Claxton (hip) sat out the Nets’ final game before the All-Star break, and Sharpe produced a monster 19/12/5/2/2 line across 31 minutes. Brooklyn isn’t playoff bound, and the team may finally decide to give Sharpe some additional run after the break. With career per-36 averages of 16.3 points, 13.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 swats, Sharpe has tremendous upside. Add now, and hope that an expanded role materializes.
Traoré has started eight straight games, but he’s turned up the production as of late. Across his last four games, he’s averaged 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 triples in 31.5 minutes. In that span, Traoré has shot 59.1% from the floor and 71.4% from the charity stripe. The rookie could see north of 30 minutes for the remainder of the season as Brooklyn prioritizes development before heading to another draft lottery.
Carter could join Nique Clifford as a permanent starter in Sacramento’s backcourt sooner rather than later. The last-place Kings have no reason to play Russell Westbrook or Malik Monk meaningful minutes, and the second-year man out of Providence should get a long look to close out the 2025-26 campaign. He’s averaged 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists across 26.6 minutes over his last five games.
Tristan Vukčević, Washington Wizards (4 percent rostered)
Alex Sarr will be back no earlier than February 26 while dealing with a right hamstring strain, which gives Vukčević ample runway until he returns. Washington is looking ahead to next season when Trae Young and Anthony Davis are healthy, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Wizards take a cautious approach with Sarr. Vukčević has logged 20+ minutes in nine games this season, averaging 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers in those contests.
Other options:Jaden Ivey (26%), Dylan Cardwell (20%), GG Jackson (19%), Dylan Harper (17%), Ryan Kalkbrenner (14%), Jeremiah Fears (14%), Paul Reed (10%), Ousmane Dieng (6%), Jose Alvarado (4%)
British No 1 beaten 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 by Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic
World No 67 reels off six games in a row to claim victory
Emma Raducanu lost the final six games in a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 defeat against Antonia Ruzic in the opening round at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The British No 1, whose original opponent Elisabetta Cocciaretto withdrew at late notice because of fatigue, fought back in the second set to level the match and led 2-0 in the decider before losing all momentum.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket as Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game on October 24, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Sam Hodde/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Washington Wizards post Anthony Davis has yet to play a game for his new team. And he realistically won’t play again until the start of the 2026-27 season when the Wizards are poised to make the postseason for the first time since 2020-21, at least on paper.
Davis has suffered a number of injuries in recent years. But not long before his trade to Washington, Davis injured his left hand and finger in a game for the Dallas Mavericks when they were playing the Utah Jazz on Jan. 8, 2026. He sustained ligament damage and faced the possibility of having surgery, though Davis ultimately refused.
To break down hand and finger injuries, we spoke with Dr. Noah Raizman, an orthopaedic surgeon for The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery. Dr. Raizman has worked with athletes at the high school, NCAA Division I and professional levels, including for active players on the PGA Tour, the MLB’s Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians, and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.
As a disclaimer, Dr. Volk’s statements are spoke in the aggregate and aren’t specific to Young’s situation. They are also not official diagnoses. Please consult your physician for your situation.
BF: What kind of injury did Davis have within his hand?
Dr. Raizman: While the Dallas Mavericks [Davis’ team at the time of injury] did not disclose what specific injury is, it is likely a volar plate injury on one of the small joints in the metacarpal phalange.
(Note: In plain English, what Dr. Raizman wrote is that Davis may have injured his hand by jamming a finger and getting a torn or stretched ligament at the knuckle joint in the process.)
BF: What is the typical recovery time for this type of injury?
Dr. Raizman: It typically takes 6-8 weeks for the ligament to solidly heal, and there is conditioning work that can help support it. To support NBA caliber play, longer than 6 weeks is the best recovery timeline.
BF: Should Davis be worried about repeating this injury again once he’s back?
Dr. Raizman: This injury does not put Davis at a higher risk for other similar injuries, but there is a risk of further injury if he returns too early, not allowing the finger to fully heal.
BF: Anything else to note about this injury?
Given how the Wizards are performing this season and their potential to get a high 2026 draft pick, it does not seem like they are in a major rush to get him back on the court. Again, since Davis could risk reinjury if he returns too early, the Wizards should hold off on playing him, ensuring that the injury is fully healed.
Dec 7, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) is fouled by Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns went 1-1 in their two games before the All-Star Break this week, defeating the Dallas Mavericks and losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While the team had off, Devin Booker participated in the three-point contest and was a member of the winning All-Star squad. Meanwhile, management signed free agent forward Haywood High to a multi-year deal.
Here are the main questions for Week 17 that we want your thoughts on:
What do you think of the Haywood Highsmith Signing?
Highsmith didn’t play at all for the Brooklyn Nets this season before he was waived, but before he was traded to to them in the offseason, he played in 35 playoff games in four seasons for the Miami Heat, and was a bench contributor to their 2022-2033 Finals team that became one of the only eight-seeds to ever make the finals.
Standing at 6’5”, Highsmith is an undersized forward known for his defensive and shooting abilities. In his last two seasons, he shot at least 38% from three, and averaged a steal and a block per 48 minutes.
With Cole Anthony likely to be waived, and the open roster spot to be used to convert Jamaree Bouyea’s two-way contract into a standard one, Highsmith looks to be the only new player the Suns will sign the rest of the season. Highsmith will be returning from a torn meniscus he suffered but was slated to make his season debut with Brooklyn before he was waived.
Do you think the Suns should have signed someone else with the roster spot or was Highsmith the right choice?
What did you think of the new All-Star game format?
The format helped the Suns, as Devin Booker came away victorious, but many seemed to like the three teams involved in the game with one of them being filled with players not from the US.
Three out of the four games were one-possession contests and we saw some spectacular performances, like Kawhi Leonard scoring 31 out of Team Stripes’ 48 points in the third game. Players appeared to be playing harder than they had been in recent All-Star games, and one match even went to overtime.
Do you think the new format is a sustainable one that will keep the game quality as strong as it was this year?
The All-Star game is returning to Phoenix
For the first time in 18 years, the NBA All-Star game will be played in Phoenix next season, when Mortgage Matchup Center will be the host of All-Star weekend. No current Sun was active the last time the game was played in Arizona, and Devin Booker is sure to be representing the team if he has a strong year next season.
What does it mean to the city of Phoenix to be hosting another All-Star game? Will you be in attendance?
For more questions on the Suns follow @HoldenSherman1 on X for content after every game.
6 Suns scored in double figures tonight.
How was Phoenix able to have such a balanced attack? The team’s leading scorer Dillon Brooks had just 23.
MEXICO CITY, MEX- FEBRUARY 24: A Mexico City Capitanes fan stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Long Island Nets on February 24, 2024 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading end/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright NBAE (photo by Trecy Wuattier/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
MEXICO CITY — For decades, talk of an NBA franchise in Mexico was not fringe speculation but a recurring thought experiment in league discourse, especially as the league deepened its ties with Mexican basketball fans and infrastructure as years passed.
The NBA first staged an international game on Mexican soil back in 1992 — its third-ever matchup outside of the United States — when the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets faced each other at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City. So great was the experience that the league sent the Rockets and, this time, the New York Knicks for another preseason matchup one year later.
Ultimately, Mexico went on to put together a five-year run of hosting exhibition games for the NBA, then welcomed American teams sparsely in 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2012. The first regular-season NBA game to take place in Mexico happened in 1997, and the south-of-the-border country has hosted such games every season since the 2014-15 one, barring the COVID-impacted campaigns.
The arrival of the CDMX Capitanes to the G League only intensified the Mexican belief of belonging, giving fans their closest link yet to the NBA when they joined the NBA’s developmental league in 2021-22 after they were officially welcomed two years earlier, in 2019.
And for a major segment of those supporters — call them dreamers, idealists, or any other optimistic descriptor you can find for them — the ones convinced that an NBA franchise belongs here almost by birthright, the expectation now feels like set-in-stone destiny rather than a mere, perhaps even distant, possibility.
Those fans talk about expansion not as a remote outcome, but as something that could, or for some, should, happen as early as “tomorrow.” In their minds, the city formerly known as Distrito Federal and politically rebranded into — coincidentally or not — much more internationalized CDMX is huge, vibrant, full of passionate fans, and simply the right place for the NBA to land next.
“Mexican fans bring more passion than people think,” said a supporter named Alex, pointing to how soccer culture has translated naturally into basketball fandom.
At different points in time, during press conferences tied to NBA Global Games in Mexico City, commissioner Adam Silver publicly described the city as a potential site for future expansion.
“We think there’s an enormous opportunity to continue growing the game of basketball here in Mexico City and throughout the country,” Silver said in Nov. 2023. “And we also see this as a gateway essentially to the rest of Latin America.”
But even at the height of that buzz, the conversation was not one of imminent commitment to expanding south of the American border. By late 2024, Silver was clear that Mexico City’s place in expansion was still behind compelling proposals from other American markets.
“Personally, I would love to have a team [in CDMX],” Silver said then. “[But it] would be more difficult to expand to Mexico City than it would be to expand to U.S. cities that have very publicly sought NBA teams.
“Being direct, it’s highly unlikely Mexico City would jump above U.S. cities that are currently under consideration.”
Capitanes, for one, keep proving Silver right (in making a strong case as a proper fit for NBA expansion) and wrong (as a team based in a place still far from being an NBA-level hub).
The team’s games take place in cavernous Arena CDMX (opened in 2012 and with a maximum capacity of 22,300) and are packed with families, fans pounding drums, Latin American flags representing the multinational talent showcased on the court, and a level of emotional attachment that does not exist anywhere else in the G League.
Many Capitanes supporters attending the team’s home opener for the 2025-26 season against the OKC Blue insist the city is ready for the NBA in every way that matters: culture, passion, atmosphere, and symbolic weight. They describe Capitanes games as proof that Mexico City can be a “basketball destination,” a place where fan noise, family crowds, and a growing sense of belonging are enough to convince the league to plant a flag here permanently.
“Mexico City is ready,” claimed a middle-aged fan named Adrian. “With the team we have, any players would adapt to it tomorrow.” For him and many others, the city’s size, diversity, and infrastructure already solve everything the NBA or outsiders might be worrying about.
“The atmosphere here is special,” said Leo, a longtime fan who attended the opener along with his wife and three kids. “People feel connected to the team. It’s a family thing, and the fans give everything. We already support this like an NBA team.”
The CDMX team steadily leads the league in attendance, and although it took some ruthless and conniving marketing related to LeBron James’ son Bronny to break the all-time record, they destroyed the prior mark — one that already belonged to them — by bringing 19,328 souls to the arena for a developmental-league game held on Jan. 4, 2025 (that ended up not featuring Bronny after all).
Capitanes’ jerseys and all other merchandise sales are unparalleled, and the social engagement the team generates is on another level. They are the only unaffiliated G League team after the Ignite project vanished, but that fact only helped Ciudad de Mexico Capitanes feel like a true national project.
On the surface, one could believe Capitanes simply has outgrown and outpaced the G League structure. It feels like a leap from a player-development league and its surroundings to a full-blown competition, such as the NBA, is the most natural of moves. So much so, that a Capitanes PR member just confirmed tickets for international NBA games staged in CDMX always fly off of selling platforms the minute they go up for sale.
To many fans, the conclusion is simple: if Mexico City can fill the building for a one-off game in the middle of the NBA season, it can fill it 41 times a year with a local team calling Arena CDMX home.
But the closer the NBA gets to defining its future, the clearer it becomes that Mexico City’s biggest obstacles are not emotional or cultural. They have everything to do with infrastructural and financial hurdles, and they are, inevitably, deeply tied to the Association’s global strategy.
People who work inside Capitanes — the staffers, the media members who cover them daily, the executives who deal with the League (NBA or G) on a daily basis, and even the most fervent of super-fans who have earned unique access to all things Capitanes and call themselves Familia Capitan, understand the scale of these challenges far better than the dreamy fans who can only imagine a seamless transition into the largest stages basketball has to offer.
For some around the organization, the idea of a near-term NBA franchise is outright impossible to entertain.
“No,” Capitanes PR staffer Raúl Bravo told SB Nation when asked whether an NBA expansion could happen in the short term. “There are a few reasons. There’s competition from other cities like Las Vegas and Seattle. And even if the NBA called us and said ‘let’s go,’ the financial power needed to operate an NBA team is enormous — more games, more hotels, more staff, more everything.
“NBA player salaries are way above those of the G League players, so the investment would be magnified incredibly, and out of reach.”
The most common thread among insiders navigates the understanding that, beneath the NBA-level arena and the international buzz generated by the team and their approach to roster building in what most consider “the team of Latin America,” Capitanes operate on a reality completely different from what an NBA franchise requires.
When Bravo describes the problem, he is not talking about the fanbase or the Mexican culture being roadblocks on CDMX’s path to the NBA. Bravo is talking about the organization-wide budgets, high-end salaries, top-tier facilities, and fine-tuned logistics needed to be in place in order to make the jump. The gap in all of those areas, sadly, cannot be closed by the immeasurable passion and the emotional pull of Capitanes.
Capitanes head coach Vítor Galbani, in his first season at the helm, framed the gap directly when discussing the day-to-day competitive realities the team faces shortly after earning his first win of the season, in front of the Arena CDMX crowd.
“We have fewer resources than other teams,” Galbani said. “We’re at the mercy of call-ups. Other teams can send NBA players down and bring them back up. We can’t. Our roster is built differently — younger, mostly Latin American — and that makes the challenge bigger.”
Galbani’s view also speaks to a deeper truth that fans still don’t quite grasp: Capitanes are designed as a development platform, not a contender, as independent as they might be.
From the fans’ perspective, there’s a powerful emotional component at play that trumps it all, given the fact — acknowledged and proudly communicated by the organization itself — that Capitanes represents not just Mexico City, but the whole Latin American landscape.
The feeling, which extends well beyond Mexico’s borders, is what makes Capitanes what it is and has always been, and in the eyes and hearts of most fans, it’s not going anywhere — expansion or not.
“Capitanes, even if they’re not full of Mexicans, represent Latin Americans,” said Gerardo, a fan whose kid is honing his skills at the Capitanes’ underage developmental team. “It’s a platform for the player who wants to reach the NBA and sees Capitanes as a trampoline.”
The Latin American identity of the team is a core branding element, a selling point for fans, and a genuine pipeline for players with dreams of making it to the NBA or hooping overseas. But if the Capitanes were ever to become an NBA franchise, that identity would disappear almost instantly.
One staff member stated clearly: “There’s no way to keep five Latinos on an NBA roster — the level isn’t there.”
“That core wouldn’t survive,” said Rubén Calderón, who works both for Capitanes PR and NBA Mexico. “It’s impossible. Fans don’t see it — maybe because they don’t understand how the NBA works — but you can’t have five or six Latin American players on an NBA roster unless they’re truly NBA-level.
“There’s not enough Mexican and Latin American talent to keep an NBA team competitive.”
A fellow Capitanes PR member echoed that sentiment: “People don’t see that. Maybe because they don’t really know the NBA level.”
The human contradiction is as obvious as it is disheartening. Capitanes fans love the team for the most part because it represents them, from cultural traits to the region, starting in the northernmost Baja California and spanning all the way down south to Chile’s Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region.
“People from Latin American countries — Brazil, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico — they’re not going to fly to the NBA to watch a random game,” says Capitanes superfan Sinuhe Yepez. “But they’d come here and pack the arena to root for their colleagues and to watch teams that come from the United States.
“They’d be paying a fifth of the cost in CDMX compared to attending a game in the USA, and they’d get the same experience.”
An NBA franchise built in Mexico City would not represent that at all. The Association tipped off in October with a record 135 international players from 43 different countries across six continents.
The Atlanta Hawks, with 10 international players, led the league on that front. None of them was born south of the United States of America.
Multiple media members, including national reporters Erick Aguirre and Mario Alberto Castro, brought this up immediately.
“There would be a loss of identity,” they said. Both agreed that a roster built on Americans, as any NBA roster has its foundation in, would change the heart of what Capitanes currently are.
“You need a Latin icon,” they argued. “A Jaime Jaquez Jr. or a Juan Toscano Anderson. Ideally, someone like [NBA prospect] Karim López.” Without that, they fear fans would lose their rooting anchor and thus their interest in attending Capitanes games and following the team so closely and passionately as they currently do.
None of the conversations above, however, addresses the largest barrier of all: the humongous financial effort needed to make it to the NBA.
Every person inside the organization who deals with logistics on a weekly basis mentioned the facilities problem currently hurting CDMX’s case for landing an expansion team.
“To have an NBA franchise, you need a place where the entire team — offices, staff, medical, athletes — can spend their time and operate,” Calderón said. “Capitanes don’t have that. They train at the Comité Olímpico Mexicano (around 6.5 miles from Arena CDMX). Offices are split into COM and a separate building in the southern part of the city. Capitanes don’t own the arena, and everything is scattered.”
More worryingly, a few staffers revealed that there is nowhere in the city to build centralized facilities akin to what the NBA would require, or at the very least prefer.
“In the Valle de México area, there is no land left of that size,” Calderón said. “Not with the location needed. Around the arena, there’s nothing — you can find train yards, old neighborhoods, and then the poshest in Polanco. But there’s no open space.
“To build such facilities, you would need to build a new arena with everything in one place, and that means finding land far away from the current location and the city center — let alone the massive investment and the amount of money that’d take.”
It is a view echoed by people who see the team every day, such as Rodrigo Goyeneche, one of Mexico’s most reputed up-and-coming media voices and a longtime analyst for both Capitanes and fellow CDMX basketball team Diablos Rojos of Mexico’s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional.
“Being fully honest, right now, we’re not ready for something like that,” Goyeneche said. “Not structurally, not logistically. The arena is huge, but the NBA needs more exclusivity. And here, the arena is privately owned and used for concerts and many other events. It’s not built for hosting a team every other day.”
The “exclusivity” of becoming the freshest member of the NBA family would inevitably bring a larger expense with it. Many supporters attend Capitanes games, and surely all of them adore the NBA Mexico Game, but they don’t attend it because it’s cheap — they attend because it happens just once a year.
Tickets for this season’s Mavericks vs. Pistons game on Dia de Muertos ranged from 850 pesos (around $46 USD ) to nearly 20,000 (approaching $1,090 USD), sitting courtside. Capitanes’ G League games are affordable, with the cheapest tickets available for 50 pesos (less than $3 USD). For a single event, people save, plan, and spend. But a season of 41 home games at that rate, the equation would change entirely.
“A lot of fans struggle to get to the arena,” one Capitanes staff member acknowledged. “They only come on weekends. Between weekday and weekend sales, the difference is huge.”
Local fans who save for months to attend a single NBA Mexico game, or who buy Capitanes jerseys knowing the player may leave next month, would suddenly face a season with 41 home games and consistently NBA-level prices. Most of them simply could not afford NBA prices or frequency. Yepez, one of the most passionate and active fans of Capitanes, acknowledged he’s stopped attending so many games already for financial reasons and an increase in prices.
“I need to earn a lot of money to afford attending,” Yepez said. “Back then, I got full-season tickets close to courtise for 7,000 pesos. Now, I need to pay close to 2,500 pesos per game to sit in the same area. I’d probably need to sell an eye and a kidney to afford that.”
Goyeneche also pointed out the competitive reality that many fans often overlook when rooting for their home team, which has to do with the developmental nature of the G League compared to the NBA.
“The goal now isn’t to win a championship,” Goyeneche said. “It’s to develop talent. But people want a champion. They want their stars to stay. And with Capitanes, the roster changes every year. Yet the fans still come. That’s unique, but it has everything to do with the core values of the organization.”
While fans would get more familiar with the team’s faces and supposedly know Arena CDMX like the back of their hands, would they be able to pony up the money needed to root for their squad at the court level three times a week?
That tension is reflected in talking with fans who follow the team closely but acknowledge the financial limits already in place while being part of the lesser, more affordable G League.
Ivan, a longtime Capitanes and Oklahoma City Thunder fan, envisions the dream clearly but understands the barrier.
“There’s still not a big enough basketball fan base in Mexico for the NBA to give the country its own team,” Ivan said. “Capitanes helped grow the fanbase. More people follow the sport now, but there’s a long way to go.”
For Ivan and many others, travel is another point to consider. Flying from Mexico City to Texas doesn’t pose a big challenge. Flights to Cleveland or Toronto, in Ivan’s eyes and pocket, are long and costly.
From a logistics standpoint, the NBA solved the concern years ago. While it’s been proven that travel isn’t an operational barrier these days, for franchise ownership, staff, and operations, the expenses related to it could become unmanageable quickly.
And that is exactly why NBA discourse has pivoted heavily toward planting a flag in Europe rather than exploring home expansion, let alone looking south of the border.
Although Silver said after September’s Board of Governors meeting that the league was on “parallel tracks” regarding potential expansion involving both national and international moves, things appear to have changed of late.
While there has been resurgent buzz about Las Vegas and Seattle in recent weeks, over the past few months, the league has signaled that its most urgent expansion opportunity is not in Mexico or the U.S., but across the Atlantic. The “NBA Europe” project, tentatively targeted for a 2027-28 proper launch, would include up to 16 teams in cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, and Istanbul. Then, in late December, both the NBA and FIBA made their “joint exploration” of a new league based in Europe official.
The NBA has already hired JPMorgan Chase and The Raine Group to secure investors. The conversations, according to multiple reports, have involved sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, and ultra-wealthy family groups. The Middle East has shown particular interest, given that it could finally find a way to circumvent the current rules capping foreign passive ownership at 20 percent in NBA teams.
What Europe offers is simple: enormous capital, established sports corporations arriving from the soccer sphere, existing arenas already owned by world-renowned organizations such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, massive markets with a foothold in the continent’s premier competition — the Euroleague — and global investment appetite to tie their names to the NBA.
According to the NBA’s Managing Director for Europe and the Middle East, the NBA sees a “$50 billion European sports market” and noted that basketball barely captures “0.5 percent of it.” Not to mention, some NBA owners — most notably Knicks steward James Dolan, according to rumors — are hesitant to dilute U.S. media revenue further unless expansion fees are astronomical, while the European model would offer them a parallel revenue stream with no media dilution at all.
None of these incentives points toward Mexico City landing a team for the time being.
The immediate implications of the European move are unmistakable. If the NBA arrives in Europe by 2028, the move could delay U.S. expansion for years. And if ownership groups with the deepest of pockets push billions into the project, Ciudad de México will inevitably slip further away — not because it lacks passion, but because the NBA’s financial thirst will lie elsewhere.
Even the most optimistic insiders acknowledge the financial gap. NBA Mexico managing director Raúl Zárraga, speaking before the 2024 NBA Mexico Game, praised Capitanes’ success in building a collective Mexican and, by extension, Latin American identity.
“When you are in the arena, you’ll see that the people are rooting not for Mexico City Capitanes, they’re rooting for Mexico’s Capitanes,” Zárraga said.
He also praised their competitiveness, merchandise leadership, and visibility throughout multiple channels. But even Zárraga, with at least some partial, inside knowledge of the NBA’s operations, offered no timeline for NBA expansion into Mexico.
“There’s no plan in action to look for a potential owner or potential group of people dedicated to get a new team in Mexico or in any other place in Latin America,” Zárraga said. “So there’s nothing new to announce or confirm about Mexico being considered.
“It’s a complicated process. You can imagine the international locations, all the different cities, but there is no doubt that many cities will be participating, including Mexico City.”
In the sharpest corners and deepest streets of Ciudad de México, the people closest to the Capitanes project understand that better than anyone. When asked whether an NBA roster could adapt to living in Mexico full-time, staff members repeatedly said yes — but with caveats.
Calderón said players would “live in good zones, with a good quality of life,” as they do now as members of the G League squad. That said, he cautioned they’d effectively be forced to live in a bubble, having personal chefs, security, private routes, and minimal city interaction.
Others mentioned that Capitanes already house players in the Polanco neighborhood, one of the most expensive areas in Latin America, hosting the most expensive street in Mexico, and believe that the model could scale to host a full NBA operation.
Idealistic Capitanes fans, meanwhile, don’t deny the challenges; they simply believe everything will sort itself out. Cultural adaptation? “They will adapt.” Travel? “Distances aren’t worse than some NBA-to-NBA trips.” Roster identity? “Capitanes represents Latin America.” Financial strain? “It’s the NBA — they’ll make it work.” Player discomfort? “They’ll live in Polanco.”
These solutions, however, highlight another gap. For an NBA franchise, such bubbles must be permanent, secure, and supported by a full organizational machine, bringing back to the table one more financial hurdle to clear and invest in.
Even the city’s biggest strengths, like Arena CDMX’s size and ambience, come with their own challenges. Bravo pointed out that weeknight attendance is a problem already in the G League.
Some fans, who attend games clad in bootleg clothes available for purchase at pirate-market prices — snapback hats at 100 pesos or $5 USD, and screen-printed jerseys selling at 150 pesos or barely $9 USD — right outside the stadium, admitted that Capitanes games scheduled on working days noticeably have “less atmosphere.”
Going from barely 20 home games to double that figure if in the NBA is an entirely different sales reality.
A longtime superfan from Europe, but who has lived in CDMX for a few years, put the economic tension bluntly. “Tickets for the annual NBA game can cost 20,000 pesos courtside,” he said. “Capitanes’ games remain accessible, but an NBA season? Only if the NBA puts in money to help the organization. With a single owner here, it’s difficult.”
Across interviews, one underlying thread emerged from insiders, journalists, and staff, in that they all agree about the collective desire to keep Capitanes grounded in what they currently are — not an NBA team, but a gateway to the League.
A development hub for Latin American talent, a cultural point of pride, a bridge between the NBA and a region that hungers for representation in the biggest stages, and is eager to announce itself to the world. A team whose power comes from being different, not similar.
And ironically, that difference is exactly what would disappear in the jump to the NBA.
The players would be mostly from United States towns and come with American upbringings. The structure of the organization would be more centralized, the roster rules won’t allow Capitanes to rotate the cast of Latin talents, the operations would be much more strict, and the culture and atmosphere risk getting under heavy control and within stiff boundaries.
One fan admitted he fears the NBA would water down the true Mexican spirit that currently exists in the arena for a more Americanized audience, and risk the loss of Spanish chants, the charming presence of team mascot Juanjolote and other sponsor-affiliated wild characters, the cameos of paper-built Alebrijes, and the use of other local traditions, tunes, or Mexican descriptions of what’s going on on the court, from coaches’ challenging plays, to (Silencio! Sshhhhh…) tense moments at the free-throw line.
Asked if expansion could maintain the team’s Latin American identity, a fan named Roberto paused before offering his most honest answer.
“It would hurt a little,” he said. “It’d take away part of the fanbase.”
The drums? Might be muted. The Spanish chants? Curated. The fans who love the chaos and identity that make Capitanes a unique entity in the world of basketball would face a polished entertainment product built for global, if not American, consumption.
The people who work inside the organization know this truth intimately. They also know Mexico City is not ready. Not because it lacks heart, but because it lacks the dollars, acres of land, modern NBA facilities, an owner willing — and capable —to fund a multi-billion-dollar project, and a league that sees Europe as a more strategic and profitable next step.
So while Mexico City is closer to the NBA than ever before in history, the NBA, however, is moving somewhere else in its global strategy.
Capitanes may have already proven that Mexico is a basketball country. They have proven that the fans will come to the games, fill the arena with deafening noise, and build a culture that can sustain the sport. What CDMX cannot prove is that the infrastructure exists to support the most powerful league in the world and the business of the NBA — at least not yet.
Until that gap closes, the vision remains what it has always been: an emotion-fueled dream, just out of reach.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) plays tight defense on Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on February 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Six and a half minutes remained in the second quarter of a dog fight between the Lakers and a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team. With a timeout, head coach J.J. Redick calls for a switch in their defense from traditional man coverage to zone, leading to three straight stops and pushing a six-point lead to a more comfortable 13 en route to an eventual blowout win behind a triple-double from LeBron James.
LA heads into the All-Star break ranked 23rd in defense, a position that puts a clear ceiling on any hopeful contender. While it’s not a long-term solution, increased zone implementation has given the team a counter to some of the natural defensive liabilities on the roster while simplifying responsibilities.
When you are a defense ranked in the bottom seven, you clearly need a shakeup not just with personnel but in schematics or style.
Since playing the Raptors on January 18, the Lakers increased their zone usage to 17.6%, a number that would lead the league by a mile, as revealed in the graphic shown below during Amazon Prime’s NBA coverage.
The team’s zone is allowing stingy 0.86 points per possession and while that’s not a sustainable level of production on that end of the floor, it reveals the new look defense is having some success.
LA mainly relies on a 2-3 zone defense, featuring two perimeter players and three backside players, moving from man-to-man responsibility to defending an area of the floor.
Watch below as the Lakers settle into their 2-3 zone against the Mavs following a timeout. LA, who struggles with dribble penetration, forces the offense to keep moving the ball across the perimeter while shutting off driving lanes and eating up the clock.
It’s a protection against getting beat off the dribble, which happens frequently as the Lakers play a host of slow perimeter players, and it provides certainty about where defensive help comes from. Jaxson Hayes operates from the middle here but shifts across the floor in sync with his team.
“I feel like it gives all of us a better vision of the offense,” Hayes said postgame. “We are all a little back some more, so we all can see and communicate a little better. We’re not just hugged up on our mans. The paint is a little more crowded, so it’s harder for teams that struggle with shooting to score on it.”
The Lakers give up the highest field goal percentage at the rim at 72.4%. One way to alleviate some of the damage is to prevent teams from getting there in the first place.
The Raptors, who came in with the fourth-highest percentage of points in the paint, were held in check and flummoxed by the Lakers’ zone defense.
One of the points of the zone is to force the offense into multiple passes, creating more opportunities for indecision and mistakes. It can be especially useful for two big lineups that otherwise lack foot speed, helping them stay in front of defenders.
Watch below as Redick uses it against the Raptors with a Drew Timme and Deandre Ayton frontline, leveraging their size alongside LeBron James and Jared Vanderbilt.
Once again, as the ball swings on the perimeter, all five guys on the floor shift into their correct positions. The Lakers close out the driving lanes, fly around, and force a tough, contested step back three from Gradey Dick.
“We’ve ran it a few times a game recently,” Redick said after the Toronto win. “Sometimes it’s hard, both as a coach and as a player, when you run it, and it’s a good possession of defense, and the other team hits an off-the-dribble three, which has happened this week. One game it happened three times and it can kind of deflate you.
“But we think it could be a weapon for us tonight, we talked pregame about something that I certainly wanted to do and we wanted to do as a staff and the players were bought into it.”
A zone, no doubt, has loud weaknesses, and there’s a reason teams go to it in spurts as a change of pace. Zone busters, or high-volume 3-point shooters, also exist across the league, waiting for the open shot opportunities they create for offenses. In addition, teams running zone can give up more offensive rebounds as box out responsibilities become disoriented.
The first hurdle to get over in a defensive scheme is buy-in from the players, something Redick seems to have in this group.
“Yeah, that thing got us going,” Ayton said of the zone. “I think really just talking and communicating, getting the blood flowing, knowing who got your back out there and the coaches seeing what works here. Just seeing different coverages thrown at the team and seeing what they could throw back at us.”
This defense has provided an unexpected jolt for the Lakers and even if it has flaws, it might be enough to keep them going for the rest of the season, especially if health allows their high-powered offense to find a similar groove.
Feb 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) hugs Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum after the game at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
For what it is worth, Jayson Tatum has yet to make any announcement about his return to the court this season. He has not ruled out the possibility that he could miss the entire season. That makes sense because any number of setbacks could move his timeline back in an abundance of caution.
However, all outward signs seem to indicate that he’s gearing up for a return in the near future. Some recent news indicates that NBC will be airing a documentary on his comeback journey. In addition, many have speculated about the league’s decision to move the March 1st game against Philadelphia into primetime on NBC. Of course there are other, non-Tatum reasons to flex the schedule, and it doesn’t mean it will be his debut.
So I thought I’d throw this topic out. Keeping in mind that he has said in the past that he wants to return in a home game, when do you think he’ll return?
Here’s a quick look at the schedule coming up:
Feb 19 – 25: One long road trip out West, with games against the Warriors, Lakers, Suns, and Nuggets
Feb 27: Home against Brooklyn
Mar 1: Home against Philadelphia
Mar 2: Away at Milwaukee
Mar 4: Home against Charlotte
Mar 6: Home against Dallas
Mar 8 – 12: Road trip to Cleveland, San Antonio, and OKC
So let us know in the comments, when do you think he’ll return?
