DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer had 22 points and 12 rebounds and helped No. 3 Duke rout Syracuse 101-64 victory Monday night.
Isaiah Evans scored 21 points, Nikolas Khamenia added 14 points off the bench and Patrick Ngongba and Cayden Boozer each had 12 for the Blue Devils (24-2, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who looked primed for a weekend nonconference showdown with top-ranked Michigan.
Duke shot 62.3% from the field, including 12 for 20 from 3-point distance.
Boozer shot eight for 10 from the field and finished with the 14th double-double of his freshman season.
William Kyle III scored 12 points and Nate Kingz added 10 for Syracuse (15-12, 6-8), which failed to carry the momentum from back-to-back victories for the first time since winning three straight in January.
NO. 6 IOWA STATE 70, NO.. 2 HOUSTON 67
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey came up with an offensive rebound in the final seconds to cap Iowa State’s rally in a victory over Big 12 leader and Houston.
Heise was 3 for 3 from 3-point range hours after sister Taylor Heise scored to help the U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey team beat Sweden 5-0 to reach the gold-medal game in Milan.
The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3) closed with a 17-4 run to take down a second top-10 team in three days. Iowa State topped No. 8 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday.
The Cougars (23-3, 11-2) had their six-game winning streak snapped and their conference lead was cut to a half-game over No. 4 Arizona heading into their matchup Saturday in Houston. Iowa State is third, a game behind Houston.
Heise hit the 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:17 to play to give the Cyclones a 69-67 lead. Houston had two chances to tie or take the lead, but was called for a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds to play, then Chris Cenac Jr., missed a shot with four seconds left.
Blake Buchanan was fouled after rebounding Cenac’s miss, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Lipsey, though, got the offensive rebound, tapping the ball back to Joshua Jefferson, who was fouled with asecond left. Jefferson made his first free throw for the final margin.
Jefferson led Iowa State with 12 points. Heise had 11 and Buchanan had 10.
Kingston Flemings led Houston with 22 points. Emanuel Sharp had 16 points, all in the first half. Milos Uzan had 11 points.
Philadelphia made a couple of moves on Monday to help solidify and add depth to its roster for the final 30-game push into the playoffs.
The first is signing veteran point guard Cameron Payne for the remainder of the season, something first reported by Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Payne played for 10 seasons in the NBA — he was in 72 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 15 minutes and 6.9 points a night — but couldn't land a contract this season, so he signed to play with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia, where he averaged 12.4 points and 3.9 assists but in just 10 games. The team has agreed to release him.
Partizan Belgrade will receive $1.75 million in the buyout, according to Stein, but under the terms of the CBA, the 76ers can contribute only $875,000 of that.
Philadelphia has All-Star Tyrese Maxey at the point, but is a little thin at the guard spot after trading Jared McCain to Oklahoma City at the deadline. Payne provides depth that coach Nick Nurse can trust.
The other piece of business was much more straightforward: Converting Jabari Walker from a two-way to a standard, two-year contract, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Walker has played in 45 games for the 76ers this season, starting six, and giving the team solid rotation minutes at the four. He was bumping up against the two-way contract limit of 50 games and the Sixers did well to just lock him up. It is very likely that the second year of this contract is not (or is minimally) guaranteed.
When Chris Klieman decided after last season that his health couldn’t take the unruly state of college football, and that Kansas State wasn’t helping matters by how it approached player procurement for the front porch of the university’s sports programs, he retired and left no doubt why.
“You guys are smart enough to realize that those who have the most money, have the best players,” Klieman said after K-State’s regular season final against Colorado. “And they’re spending $40-50 million. The ones like us that don’t, man, we’ve got to scratch and fight and claw.”
So K-State accepted the resignation of the best coach it could possibly ask for since Bill Snyder’s second retirement, and hired former Wildcats great Collin Klein.
I don’t think I’m breaking news by saying K-State had to have made significant financial promises to Klein to get him to take the job. You’re not winning at a high level in the Big 12 if you’re not spending, and Klein could’ve waited at Texas A&M until the right job opened at an SEC school.
We now circle back to Tang, who led K-State to the NCAA tournament after his first season in 2023, and then signed a lucrative seven-year extension. The program has struggled since, and K-State has every right to terminate the contract of a struggling coach.
Then pay him what he is owed on the remainder of his deal: $18.7 million.
Now here’s where it gets fuzzy, and quite frankly, more than disturbing.
After an ugly home loss to Cincinnati, Tang ripped into his players, saying they “don’t deserve to wear this uniform” and “they don’t love this place, so they don’t deserve to be here.”
Then he said he’d wear a paper bag on his head, too, if he were a K-State fan.
If John Calipari said this at Arkansas, if Rick Pitino said this at St. Johns, they’d be celebrated for not pandering to today’s lavished student-athletes.
Hell, Mick Cronin does it nearly every game at UCLA — win or lose.
But now — now — K-State is deep in its feelings. Now we’re supposed to believe the hardscrabble, no guts, no glory athletics program is offended by a basketball coach spitting truth to a bunch of players paid to play a game?
Mommy, the mean man said I won’t be around much longer because I’m not playing defense and giving effort!
I’m gonna puke.
Make no mistake, K-State took the fiscally prudent road out. Even with all the inherent potholes of trying to fire for cause.
K-State officials say Tang ripping his team embarrassed the university, and is just cause for dismissal. Uh, folks, your basketball team embarrassed the university.
And this decision is a close second.
By firing for cause, K-State is trying to avoid losing millions in buyout money, and that $18-and-change million owed to Tang sure would look good supporting the new coach of a football program that won six games in 2025.
The football program that has again fallen behind in the Big 12, this time after an elite coach could take it no more. The state of college football is bad enough, it’s worse when the financial support isn’t there.
So you better believe K-State is going down this road, reputation be damned. They’ll take it to court and hope Tang wants to coach again, and just wants a resolution to the whole mess.
Pay him half of what they owe him (or less), and use the rest to support the one program that fuels all in Manhattan. It’s not like this hasn’t happened before.
Tennessee self-reported NCAA violations to get out of paying Jeremy Pruitt’s buyout, paying an $8 million fine to the NCAA instead. Michigan State did the same to Mel Tucker when he was accused of sexual harassment — a case from the alleged victim that was later thrown out in court.
This is how universities clean up their contractual messes: by starting fires in the other corner as diversionary tactics.
I’m guessing Snyder, the man who orchestrated the greatest turnaround in college football history at woebegone K-State, told players on some of those early teams in Manhattan that they didn’t deserve to wear the purple. Told many that they weren’t coming back the following season.
After a one-point loss to TCU in 2018 that included a missed extra point and a critical fumble by wide receiver Isaiah Zuber, Snyder said, "It wasn't special teams as much as it was an individual."
And that was tame compared to how he held players accountable.
But Snyder is a hero in the heartland. Has a statute in front of the stadium that bears his name.
Hell, he probably puked, too, when he heard the news.
Until he learned it could help the football program.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
Among the many questions on my mind, the ones about the Suns’ passing this season keep coming back: How clean is their ball handling? In what situations do they turn the ball over the most? Are they really playing fast? Many questions often go unanswered, or at least aren’t fully explored.
Today, I decided to dig seriously into this topic, analyzing key stats from the last 500–600 Suns turnovers (excluding offensive fouls and violations) since the start of the season. Enjoy the read!
According to available data, the Suns average around 570 passes per game this season. That’s a high volume, clearly in the upper range of the league. For comparison, the Thunder average 494, and the Cavaliers 644 passes. If we dig further, looking at passes per possession (Phoenix averages about 100 possessions per game), we get 5.7 passes per offensive possession.
Even if that doesn’t always mean pace, it confirms what the Suns have been trying to show all season: the ball moves…a lot. This figure is interesting because it reflects collective intent, even on a roster where Devin Booker remains a major playmaker (30.1% AST, 35% ball dominance), and Collin Gillespie acts as a secondary creator (23.8% AST, 31%). These numbers aren’t extravagant, showing it’s not “elite” passing, but rather a shared, team-oriented passing.
The Suns play about 100 possessions per game. For veterans, that can be fast, but in today’s NBA, it’s actually slow (22nd in pace). So yes, they pass a lot, but in a controlled, half-court, highly systemic style. This completely nuances the idea of “fast” or “run & gun” teams that have made the franchise famous in the past.
Looking deeper at touches highlights the Suns’ passing DNA: a methodical, structured game where actions are generally built carefully. With 3.05 seconds and 2.37 dribbles per touch (15th and 19th), Phoenix prioritizes reading the defense over speed — though they can certainly accelerate the tempo when needed. Initiation zones confirm this profile: very few post-ups (24th), moderate use of elbows (22nd), but more emphasis in the paint (15th). Everything points to half-court passing, intentional, perimeter-focused, aiming to create three-point opportunities, perfectly matching the team’s slow pace.
The results? The Suns generate a lot without being ultra-sharp: 25 assists for 45.7 potential passes, 65.7 points created, and 3.8 secondary assists. An AST-to-pass% of 8.9% shows patient, constructed passing rather than aggressive ball-hawking. It reflects both the team’s pace and the tendency to be inconsistent in some sequences or games.
Looking at the 594 turnovers this season, I divided the analysis into two parts: first, who loses the ball the most? Second, in which situations?
Unsurprisingly, Devin Booker leads with 125 turnovers. 64 of them on bad passes; Collin Gillespie and Royce O’Neal round out the podium with 80 and 68. But looking at turnover rate (TOV%, the percentage of a player’s possessions ending in a turnover) tells a different story, as it measures efficiency rather than volume.
Oso Ighodaro tops the chart at 21.7% TOV, a concerning figure (he has only 12% usage, meaning he loses one in five possessions), but still workable as a sophomore with added responsibility. Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neale hover around 15%. Booker and Gillespie steer the ship cleanly at ~13%, excellent numbers.
Booker is slowly becoming a reliable primary creator. He is elite in half-court decision-making, stabilizing the offense. This season, only six players have +1000 minutes, +30% AST, +30% USG, and <15% TOV: Booker, Luka Dončić, James Harden, Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Now, the core of the work: the goal isn’t just analyzing a single game, but understanding a team as a dynamic system. By studying possessions — especially turnovers — I aim to separate structural trends (tactics, talent, team DNA, schemes) from contextual factors (fatigue, injuries, lineups, opponent adaptation, pace).
The goal isn’t to predict a score, but to anticipate scenarios: spot recurring vulnerabilities, understand when they emerge, and distinguish what remains stable from what fluctuates.
This work will take time and a deep video study. Eventually, the tracking will allow objective insights, like “33% of DHO actions at the top of the key in Q4 against a top-10 defense end in turnovers.”
Looking at the numbers, the Suns’ biggest ball exposure isn’t isolation, but speed and primary creation. Transition is the main friction point: 13.1% TOV on 18.8 possessions, high and frequent, usually caused by moments of haste or inattention. Next is ball-handler pick-and-roll: 13% TOV on 21.8 possessions. Even though their league ranking (4th/30) shows they are relatively clean, the volume naturally produces turnovers.
By contrast, isolation (9.9% on 6.9 possessions) and post-up (8.2% on 3.4 possessions) are well-controlled, low-volume plays — clearly not Phoenix’s game this season. Roll man in PNR seems secure (9.8%, 5.4 possessions) but is rarely used; DHO (11.4%, 5 possessions) is secondary and should be optimized.
Ultimately, the Suns’ passing reflects neither chaos nor over-reliance on isolation. It shows a structured, patient team focused on half-court play. The ball moves a lot, within a methodical framework as emphasized by Jordan Ott, and turnovers appear mostly when pace increases, or primary creation is pressured.
The issue isn’t volume, it’s context. Identifying situations where the ball is most vulnerable helps understand Phoenix’s true identity, and anticipate weaknesses rather than merely observe them.
UNIONDALE, NY - FEBRUARY 2: Nate Williams #19 of the Long Island Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Grand Rapids Gold on February 2, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Marcus Stevens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Long Island Nets lost a big piece of their team on Monday afternoon as wing Nate Williams officially signed with the Golden State Warriors on a two-way deal. This comes as Williams has been one of Long Island’s biggest scorers and playmakers.
Williams becomes the first Long Island player to be called-up for a two-way deal this season…
The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer was first with the news…
The Golden State Warriors are signing Nate Williams of the Long Island Nets to a two-way contract, according to league sources.
A league source told NetsDaily that Williams had hoped to remain with the Nets at the NBA level, but ultimately planned to pursue the best available opportunity for him. “He can really help out a playoff team,” the source said. Now Williams gets the chance to do just that as the Warriors control their own destiny, sitting with a 29-26 record.
While Williams would have been a solid player on both ends of the court with Brooklyn, his turning 27 years old this weekend put him outside of Brooklyn’s timeline. The Nets’ average age, a little more than 23 years old, is youngest in the NBA. The Warriors who still see themselves as a contender got a very talented shooter.
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Williams joined the Utah Jazz for the 2022 NBA Summer League. He would later sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Jazz before being waived and ending up on the Salt Lake City G League team.
Since then, Williams has bounced around, playing a total of 47 games at the NBA level, starting four of them, across three seasons from 2022 through 2025. He played five games for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022-23, then the Houston Rockets, averaging 3.3 points in 7.4 minutes per contest.
He also appeared in 81 regular-season G League games, starting 62 of them, across three seasons with the Salt Lake City Stars and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. After Williams was waived by the Rockets in July, he found himself on the South Bay Lakers roster. It’s safe to say that Williams has become a bit of a mainstay on the West Coast, despite being a Sag Harbor, Long Island native.
When Williams was asked about his development so far this season, Williams told NetsDaily, “I feel good, I feel really good … I feel confident. I’m just continuing to work every day, take care of my body, and put in the work behind the scenes that nobody sees. I just want to continue to try and perform and get this team to win some games.”
Long Island fans saw a connection built between Williams and Yuri Collins before Collins left to go and play overseas in Israel. Williams and Collins who had been the G League’s top playmaker were both G League veterans that Brooklyn acquired this summer to help with the rookies’ adjustment as they cycled through the Island. Collins had some very nice words to say about Williams.
“Nate’s just one of those guys who knows how to play basketball,” Collins told ND. “You don’t have to say too much to him. He’s an older guy. He’s played in the NBA and has a lot of minutes in the G League as well. A lot of our stuff is stuff we don’t even have to talk about, it’s just kind of our experiences coming together and making plays like that on the court.”
Nate Williams on his performance tonight, being the only player to average at least two offensive rebounds, steals, and three pointers made per game, the final Brooklyn Nets two way deal, and his development.@NetsDaily#StrongIsland#NetsWorldpic.twitter.com/WgWNGFWLr1
For the remainder of the season, Williams shared a few goals he had in mind with ND: “Shooting, playmaking, just trying to be a complete player for this team and a leader for this team. Not be emotional. Not get down on my teammates. Try to encourage my teammates, and just be a good teammate and a good player. Moreso, be a good teammate. I put a lot of work in. I’m not worried about the basketball part of it; that’ll take care of itself. But, just be a good teammate, and try my hardest to help this team win.”
Williams has averaged 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 steals in his 22 regular-season games for the Long Island Nets. These numbers are fairly on par with what he did throughout the first 13 games in the Tip-Off Tournament, where he averaged 19.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 steals.
In his final game for Long Island before the All-Star break, Williams showed up in a big way. The New York native (Rochester) separated himself head and shoulders from everyone else. Williams finished the game connecting on 12 of his 23 shots, for better than 50%, and went 3-of-9 from deep for a huge 30-point game.
Williams impressive day didn’t stop there. He hauled in seven rebounds, as well as picking up two assists. Now, he has his chance to play alongside one of the NBA’s greatest shooters of all time, Steph Curry.
Williams signing opens up a G League standard spot for Long Island, but it doesn’t yet resolve Brooklyn’s open roster spot or the secondary moves if Brooklyn makes a call-up of their own from Long Island.
For a long time this season, one had to figure that a two-way deal was going to be given to Grant Nelson or Nate Williams. Now, it seems like the Warriors have answered that question for Long Island. Now, should Brooklyn want to elevate E.J. Liddell to a standard deal, a two-way spot would be Nelson’s to lose. Not to mention, Brooklyn can also use a 10-day deal here and there for tryouts of sorts.
All in all, this is a fantastic move for Williams. It’s a move that’s well-deserved. However, this will put Long Island in a less-than-ideal spot as the G League playoffs are right around the corner. Who steps up now? Long Island lost arguably its best scorer and biggest playmaker; however, all hope is not lost. The Long Island team now revolves around their NBA assignees, their three two-ways and Alabama seven-footer Grant Nelson who has repeatedly said his goal in a two-way slot. .
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 14: Jabari Walker #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates after dunking the ball during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that the Sixers will be signing Jabari Walker to a two-year standard contract. Walker hasn’t been able to play for Philadelphia since Feb. 3 after playing the maximum 50 games on his two-way contract.
The Philadelphia 76ers intend to sign forward Jabari Walker to a new two-year contract, sources tell ESPN. 76ers and Klutch Sports' Rich Paul and Anthony Fields negotiated the new deal for Walker, who earned a rotation role after maxing out the games allowed on his two-way deal. pic.twitter.com/1f0Qcxwiv6
Details of this contract haven’t come out just yet, but Derek Bodner of PHLY has been doing some math on when the Sixers can use two prorated minimum contracts while staying under the luxury tax. Doing so now seems to signal that they were able to.
Ran through the numbers the other day, but we're now at the point in the schedule where the Sixers can fit two prorated vet min contracts without going over the tax, hence the timing of the Cam Payne news.
Walker’s promotion will also open a two-way spot for the team to use. Bodner reports former Brooklyn Net and Allentown native Tyrese Martin will fill that slot.
Once the Sixers convert Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract, they intend to sign Tyrese Martin to a two-way deal to fill their open two-way slot, per source.
Walker, who played in 45 of those 50 active games will suddenly come as some much needed depth for a Sixers team; Payne and Martin as well. As the last two games before the All-Star break showed, it only took a couple guys getting sick for the team needing to play Kyle Lowry extended minutes.
Walker’s averaged 12 minutes a night putting up 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in that time. He’s given the Sixers some solid hustle off the bench, in the 76th percentile for defensive rebounding rate while having career-highs in block and offensive rebounding rate, per Cleaning the Glass.
Martin, 26, is a combo guard who stands at 6-foot-6. He played his college ball at Rhode Island and UConn before being selected in the second round by the Golden State Warriors in 2022. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a draft night deal. He spent two years in the G League before getting a two-way deal with Nets ahead of last season. Brooklyn converted him to standard contract in 2024-25, but recently waived him on Feb. 5 after a busy trade deadline.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 7: Alondes Williams #31 of the Capital City Go-Go dribbles the ball during the game against the Birmingham Squadron on February 7, 2026 at CareFirst Arena in Washington, DC. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have signed Alondes Williams to a 10-day contract, the team announced Monday.
Official: The Washington Wizards have signed Alondes Williams to a 10-Day Contract. 🤝
Williams, 26, has averaged 20.2 points per game on 43.5% 3PT across 13 appearances with the Capital City Go-Go this season. The 6-foot-4 guard was recently named a G League All-Star.
The Wake Forest product is an efficient 3-point shooter with a score-first mindset. He recently dropped 40 points on 62% FG in the Go-Go’s 122-116 loss to the Birmingham Squadron on Feb. 7.
The Wizards have signed Alondes Williams to a 10-day contract, the team announced today.
The 6-foot-4 guard recently dropped 40 points on 62% FG with the Capital City Go-Go.
It's time for the NBA to recognize and treat the 3-Point Contest for what it is — the best part of All-Star Saturday. It has the star players, it has the drama, and it brings it every year. It is time to start closing All-Star Saturday Night with the 3-point contest.
Next year might be the right time because the field is already starting to stack up. This year’s winner, Damian Lillard, posted a screenshot of a text he had with Stephen Curry — and Curry had already said on NBC that he would be back in the contest next year.
Devin Booker told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic that he was in for next year, but losing this year stung, so the one on his home court in Phoenix might be his last.
Devin Booker said next year may very well be the last time he competes in the NBA All-Star 3-point contest as he lost, 29-27, to Damian Lillard in this year's final.
"This one hurt a little bit. I wanted this one bad. Wish I was defending it in Phoenix but it'll probably be the…
For Kawhi Leonard, this season has been the ultimate roller coaster.
He went from being the biggest snub of the NBA All-Star Game to putting on its best performance after commissioner Adam Silver added him as an injury replacement.
He went from helping the Clippers become the hottest team in the league amid a 17-5 run to watching them deteriorate into rebuild mode after they traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac earlier this month.
Kawhi Leonard dribbles past Sacramento Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden.s Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
He went from being embroiled in drama before the season even began amid allegations that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap regarding a $28 million endorsement deal through Aspiration to having one of the best seasons of his career.
He went from being dismissed an injury-riddled has-been to reminding everyone that he’s one of the league’s top superstars.
Leonard has quietly been one of the biggest storylines of the season for both the best and worst reasons.
And on Sunday, he was at the center of the basketball world after eking his way into the All-Star Game as the sole representative of the Clippers and their shiny new $2 billion arena, which hosted the event.
Leonard responded by putting on a MasterClass in showmanship. He scored 31 points in 12 minutes on 11-for-13 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc during the World versus Stripes contest, including making a game-winning stepback 3-pointer with four seconds left.
Even though his team didn’t make the championship round of the league’s new round-robin tournament, he received four of the 14 MVP votes. (Anthony Edwards received the remainder of the votes after leading his team to win the competition.)
For Leonard, Sunday was a microcosm of his season as a whole: He has managed to shine through all of the drama.
“I feel like I’m one of the best when I am playing basketball,” he said.
Kawhi Leonard goes to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Getty Images
There are a long list of hypotheticals surrounding this season for Leonard.
If it weren’t for the Clippers’ dreadful 6-21 start, would he have been in the MVP conversation? If the team hadn’t punted this season by trading two of their most important players, could he have helped them claw their way up the Western Conference standings? If it weren’t for the Aspiration scandal, would the league’s coaches have voted him into the All-Star Game as a reserve?
For Leonard, the most frustrating part of all this is he’s finally playing like himself again.
He’s averaging a career-high 27.9 points a game and is leading the league in steals (2.1). He’s also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Clippers, who are in 10th place in the Western Conference with a record of 26-28.
There’s no doubt about it: When Leonard is healthy, he’s atop the league.
The problem is that’s a big caveat.
Heading into this season, Leonard had missed 226 regular season games since joining the Clippers in free agency in 2019, as well as multiple playoff series. It has been such a glaring issue that two years ago, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith said Leonard should retire.
Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
But this season, Leonard has come roaring back. He’s dominant. He’s fluid. He’s one of the top two-way players in the game.
It’s unfortunate timing considering his great play has been overshadowed by all of the drama.
He was embroiled in controversy beginning at Clippers’ media day, when he was peppered with questions about the salary cap circumvention allegations. “None of us did no wrongdoing,” he said at the time. “We invite the investigations.”
Five months later, Leonard was once again in the spotlight after the Clippers stunningly traded Harden and Zubac in an attempt to get younger and clear salary cap space for free agency in 2027.
The player who’s famous for his stoicism couldn’t help but show tinges of disappointment.
“It’s a complete turnaround from what I thought we could potentially do,” Leonard said Feb. 6. “Not saying we were contenders. But we thought we could make some noise or mess somebody’s season up.”
For Kawhi Leonard, this season has been the ultimate roller coaster. AP
The question is what’s next for Leonard?
That’s a big unknown for now. He has one season left on his deal after this one. And the Clippers reportedly turned down multiple inquiries about him ahead of the trade deadline.
Leonard, who has been the face of the franchise for seven seasons, watched Paul George leave in free agency in 2024 and then Harden wanted out a few weeks ago. Now, the championship window on this iteration of the team has been officially slammed shut.
Will he be a part of what’s next for the Clippers?
Could he demand a trade? Or eventually leave in free agency? Or will he remain a centerpiece of the team’s retooling? And how does the Aspiration scandal impact all of this?
Right now, there are more questions than answers for the beleaguered superstar.
Leonard is clearly choosing to deal with the uncertainty by focusing on the one thing he can control.
His game.
He’s finally healthy and he’s hellbent on reminding the world what that means.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman was treated for minor injuries and released, the team said on Monday after New York police received reports that he was jumped by four men in a hotel lobby.
The Browns said Hickman, 24, was at home resting with his family. There have been no arrests and an investigation continues, according to a statement from the New York Police Department.
Authorities said they responded to a 911 call at 4:35 a.m. Monday reporting an assault in a hotel lobby.
“Upon arrival, officers were informed that four unidentified individuals punched a 24-year-old male about the body following a verbal dispute,” police said. “The suspects fled the location in an unknown direction.”
An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, Hickman has played 41 games over three seasons, recording 173 tackles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery.
GIRONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal missed a penalty as Barcelona lost at Girona 2-1 on Monday and passed up a chance to overtake Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
The defeat was the second in less than a week for Barca and left it second in the table, two points behind Madrid.
A win would have taken it above its archrival but, instead, a crisis brewed for coach Hansi Flick, whose side lost to Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Copa del Rey last week.
The second loss came even though Barcelona took the lead early in the second half.
Yamal hit the post with his spot kick on the stroke of halftime but 14 minutes into the second period Pau Cubarsí met Jules Kounde’s cross from the right and placed his header perfectly into the top corner.
The goal was Barcelona’s 100th in all competitions this season and made it the second club in Europe's big five domestic leagues to hit the century after Bayern Munich.
However, Girona roared back into the game just three minutes later.
Barcelona’s Joan Garcia was already the busier of the two goalkeepers but he could not stop Thomas Lemar side-footing home from close range after nice work from Vladyslav Vanat on the left wing.
Both sides pushed for a decisive second and it was Girona who executed with three minutes remaining, substitute Fran Beltrán scoring with a low shot from just inside the box.
Girona’s Joel Roca was sent off in the dying seconds but there were no more goals.
The victory ended a three-game winless streak for Girona and lifted it three places into 12th, equal on points with Getafe.
Only seven points separate the 11 clubs from eighth to 18th in La Liga.
"I think they ain't really going to take in what I'm saying, but I like this format," All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards said. "I think it makes us compete because it's only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good … I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense."
Edwards was not the only player thinking that way.
"I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season," Kevin Durant said.
"I know the world guys wanted to win. I know Victor [Wembanyama] wanted to win bad," Devin Booker said. "You could see it. And I know our team did.
"Shout-out Kawhi. We were watching that game in the back. That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed."
Booker also threw the NBA league office some love for changing around the players' schedules during All-Star Weekend.
"The NBA did a good job of us doing all our media and pictures yesterday. So today, we could just come in and properly get our bodies activated. I think that was a big part of it," Devin Booker said. "I think every team honestly wanted to win."
"We wanted to play hard. It doesn't matter what the format was, I came in, I'm going to play some defense," Maxey said. "I'll score when I can, but I want to play hard, bring energy, get some steals, and have fun."
Karl-Anthony Towns said this was his favorite All-Star Game he's played in, partly because he got to represent the Dominican Republic on the World Team, and partly because of the level of competition.
"Fans have been asking for it. Media have been asking for it," Towns said. "I feel that after today, I think you all can see the competition is there, and I think that we all brought it today and a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it."
A number of the World players were excited to represent the growth of the game.
"I think it brought some competitiveness with it, and it's a fun format," first-time All-Star Deni Avdija said. "So it shows how the game went global, which is amazing to see."
Victor Wembanyama was the guy credited with sparking the hard play — Edwards the MVP said Wemby set the tone at the start of the first game, when he scored the World's first seven points.
Wembanyama liked the USA vs. World format, but is open to a return to tradition.
"I liked it," Wembanyama said of the format. "I wouldn't be against this format in the future, and I wouldn't be against the regular East versus West either."
Wemby isn't the only player who still likes the East vs. West
"I thought it was good," Kawhi Leonard said. "But I still think going back to East-West will be great. I think guys will compete still."
Whatever the format is next year in Phoenix, hopefully we see the same level of player buy-in, defense, and competitiveness. It's what we've all been hoping for.
Damian Lillard might have just sparked anticipation for possibly the greatest NBA 3-Point Contest of all-time.
After Lillard won his third State Farm NBA 3-Point Contest in a stunning, edge-of-the-seat fashion during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend, he caught the attention of another great NBA shooter, arguably the greatest of all-time, who seemingly wants in on next year's competition.
Stephen Curry, the NBA's all-time leader in three-point shots made, confirmed in an Instagram direct message to Lillard that he would compete in the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend's 3-Point Contest in Phoenix, Arizona.
Lillard reached out to Curry first to assemble the troops.
He lobbied for himself, Curry, Klay Thompson and Devin Booker to be frontrunners in next year's competition, adding they would need to find four more participants.
"Next year ... me, you, Klay, Book, and 4 more real shooters," Lillard said.
Curry responded with excitement and interest in the ultimate competition between the league's best shooters.
"Yessir I'm in. Know Klay will do it if I ask and Book will be at home. Perfect setup," Curry wrote, according to Lillard's Instagram story.
Lillard posted the interaction to his social channel, seemingly confirming the arrangement.
"It's lit," Lillard captioned his Instagram story.
Next year’s 3-point contest is going to be special 🍿
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Fans look on in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
After years of being the butt of jokes, NBA commissioner Adam Silver finally produced a winning product for the NBA All-Star game.
The league scrapped the boring East vs. West and captains’ pick models and introduced a USA vs. World format — a three-team (two USA, one world) four-game round-robin tournament.
No 200-195 scores. No coasting. No cherry-picking. No boredom.
Instead, fans were treated to four 12-minute games. Pride. Patriotism. Competition.
Kevin Durant #7 of the USA Stripes Team drives to the basket during the game against World Team during the 75th NBA All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images
The top two teams advanced to a championship game, and suddenly, pride wasn’t just a marketing slogan. It was bragging rights.
Kudos to you, Mr. Commissioner.
Too bad no one was in attendance to watch. This is the next problem Silver needs to fix for the NBA All-Star weekend.
Accessibility.
A chance to watch Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant share the court one more time? To watch Damian Lillard win the 3-point contest? To watch the next generation of stars — led by Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama — take the reins?
The demand is there… but the price is not.
The All-Star game had tickets priced between $1,000-$1,700 for Sunday and $500-$900 for All-Star Saturday night. That’s ridiculous, tragic and pathetic.
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Fans look on in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. William Liang-Imagn Images
Which family, with say one or two kids, could spend upwards of $4,000 to for a few hours of fun? The lack of attendance by fans is proof that making memories comes at a cost, and many aren’t willing to pay it.
The league said the NBA All-Star Weekend’s two marquee days, All-Star Saturday and the All-Star game on Sunday, were sold out. But to those with eyes who were forced to watch at home, “sold out” might have a different definition.
It was apparent that the stadium wasn’t even close to capacity. In fact, the arena itself barely looked half full. Reporters in attendance noticed the many available seats. Fans were shocked at the emptiness. Intuit Dome holds a capacity of 18,000, but due to everything going on Saturday night, that number was reduced to just over 15,000 — and it would be a shock if 10,000 people were watching from the seats.
Fans stood outside the Intuit Dome on Sunday, doing what they could to scrounge up tickets from the resale market. Still, those prices were outrageous.
Jalen Brunson #11 of the USA Stripes Team drives to the basket during the game against the USA Stars Team during the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday. NBAE via Getty Images
According to a story by The Athletic, “most owners only receive about four official tickets to purchase through the league, according to sources from multiple teams familiar with the process. In order to bring along friends, family and corporate partners, they have to buy tickets with everyone else, which helps drive the demand for obscenely priced resale tickets in the thousands.”
If the NBA All-Star game isn’t about competition — and one year of doing so isn’t enough to wash away the decade of incompetence — then the least Silver and the league could do is find a way to make it more accessible for fans.
Until then, arenas will continue to be empty for what’s supposed to be one of the NBA’s marquee events of the season. And regardless of the competition factor, that’s a loss for everyone.
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CAGLIARI, Italy (AP) — Lecce beat Cagliari 2-0 and gained a vital three points in its struggle to avoid relegation from Serie A on Monday.
The southern club remained in 17th place but the win took it three points clear of the relegation zone. It was tied on points with the two clubs above it, Cremonese and Genoa.
After a goalless first half, the visitor was more clinical in a decisive second period.
Omri Gandelman put Lecce ahead with a header after 65 minutes, and Ylber Ramadani doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
It was the second win in a row for Lecce after a run of eight games without a victory and only the second time in 12 games it has scored twice in one match.
It was the second loss in succession for Cagliari, which remained in 13th place, a point behind Parma and one clear of Torino.
