ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 26: Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Atlanta Hawks arrives to the arena before the game against the Indiana Pacers on January 26, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Per head coach Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors plan to keep Kristaps Porziņģis out of the next three games (tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers, Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies, and Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs), keep him in San Francisco to work towards game fitness, and debut him after the All-Star break.
Steve Kerr said the Warriors plan is to hold Kristaps Porzingis out the next three games, keep him working in San Francisco during the All-Star break and debut him out of the break.
Porziņģis was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, a pivot-move from failing to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Porziņģis hasn’t played since January 7 due to being diagnosed with what’s called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS. However, reports are that Porziņģis is healthy enough to return to play, with conditioning being the only hurdle he has to overcome.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 07: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards shoots over Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Barclays Center on February 07, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This matchup with the Brooklyn Nets was the Wizards’ most important game of the season, and they came prepared. Shorthanded because of the Anthony Davis trade — apparently, it’s a long walk from Dallas to DC — the Wizards sat mainstays Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Alex Sarr with “injuries.”
Also sitting this one out: Trae Young (“injury”), Tre Johnson (sprained ankle), and Cam Whitmore (deep vein thrombosis).
Too good to play: Justin Champagnie produced 21 points and 9 rebounds in just 22 minutes in the Wizards’ all-important loss to the Brooklyn Nets. | NBAE via Getty Images
And darn the luck, Skal Labissiere’s 10-day contract expired, and they couldn’t come to an agreement on another one. Or something. The front office didn’t forget that 10-day contracts exist — they gave one to Keshon Gilbert, who’s been playing for the Capital City Go-Go. Gilbert got 29 minutes.
Also, starters like Justin Champagnie (22 minutes), Tristan Vukcevich (20 minutes), and Bub Carrington (22 minutes) were apparently on some kind of minutes restriction. Presumably to protect their health.
Oh yeah, did I mention it was critical for the Wizards to lose this one? Yeah, it was essential. At 13-37, the Nets were a game ahead of Washington in the quest for better draft lottery odds. Losing this one puts the team’s in a virtual tie, but the Wizards are now 1-2 against Brooklyn, which means they have the tie-breaker. The teams have one more game against each other (likely a must-lose for both, which might lead to tank-tacular shenanigans), which is April 5. Mark your calendars.
Despite all that preparation, the Wizards played the Nets close for the first 6-7 minutes. Then Brian Keefe went to the bench, and things avalanched. Washington gave up 46 points and trailed by 26 after the first quarter. They fell behind by as much as 34 before mounting a second half comeback that got them as close as 12. Kudos to the available for playing hard throughout.
Thoughts & Observations
Champagnie had 21 points on 8 shots to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in just 22 minutes.
Good offensive game from Will Riley, who scored 27 points on very good efficiency (129 offensive rating). He managed just three rebounds and two assists in 45 minutes. The three steals and a block were nice.
Sharife Cooper had another solid game — 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists — though the team was -20 with him out there.
I’ve not been impressed by Danny Wolf so far this season, but he played the game of his (short) NBA life against Washington — 7-11 from the floor, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and zero turnovers.
Nolan Traore is fast. YODA didn’t like him much as a draft prospect, but I can see what the eyeball scouts saw in him. So far, on balance, YODA is looking more likely to be correct. We’ll see.
Michael Porter Jr. had a decent though subpar game (for him). Overall, his numbers this season look eerily like they did when he was with the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic was not in the game.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
NETS
LGAVG
eFG%
53.8%
62.1%
54.3%
OREB%
13.5%
34.2%
26.1%
TOV%
15.1%
13.1%
12.7%
FTM/FGA
0.354
0.154
0.208
PACE
99
99.4
ORTG
114
128
115.5
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 15: James Harden #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a NBA Preseason game on October 15, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
11-time NBA All-Star James Harden is set to make his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road tonight against the Sacramento Kings at 10 PM Eastern.
Cleveland acquired Harden in a stunning blockbuster deal earlier this week, trading away long-time point guard and two-time All-Star Darius Garland in the process.
It was an emotional week for Cavs fans. Many had personal attachments and appreciation for Garland’s time in Cleveland. His departure was marked final in Los Angeles as the entire team hugged him goodbye after their win over the Clippers.
Harden joins a roster rebuffed by championship expectations. Alongside him are two other newcomers in Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. Those two made their debuts against the Clippers on Wednesday night. They return to play their former team tonight.
Watching how Harden can fit in will be a treat. This is a generationally talented playmaker who demands the ball more than most players in league history. At the same time, Harden has co-existed with numerous stars throughout his career. Fitting in with Donovan Mitchell shouldn’t be too heavy a challenge.
Harden is averaging an elite 25 points and 8 assists this season. He still has an uncanny ability for drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. But, he’s also as good as it gets at orchestrating the pick-and-roll. Pay close attention to how Harden and Jarrett Allen get along tonight. Their two-man action could quickly become a bread and butter for the Cavs.
Cleveland has been on a roll recently. They’ve won eight of their last two games, improving to 31-21 after a rocky start to the season. They have the easiest remaining schedule in the Eastern Conference and might have improved at the deadline. We will get our first look at their biggest addition in just a few hours.
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks newly acquired forward Jonathan Kuminga will miss at least one week while recovering from a left knee bone bruise.
The Hawks announced before Saturday night's home game against Charlotte that Kuminga suffered the injury while playing for Golden State at Dallas on Jan. 22. The Hawks acquired Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield in the trade which sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors on Wednesday night.
The Hawks say Kuminga will be evaluated following the All-Star break.
Atlanta forward-center Onyeka Okongwu is available against Charlotte after missing four games with a dental fracture. Okongwu wore a protective mask in pregame warmups.
Jaylen Brown dunks the ball during a playoff game between the Celtics and Knicks in 2025.
BOSTON — The hobbling Knicks arrived here Saturday to a snowy city, where the locals were gearing up for their big Drake Maye Day and Jaylen Brown had his sights set on the opponent he enjoys beating the most.
“We just got to keep it up,” Brown said after the Celtics toppled the Heat on Friday night. “Sunday is going to be a big matchup so we need the fans to have the same energy.
“Looking forward to it.”
For the Beantowners, it’s a pre-Super Bowl showdown against the Knicks, who eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs last year and are now among a handful of teams jockeying at the top of the East.
The Knicks (33-19), whose eight-game winning streak was embarrassingly snapped Friday night in a blowout defeat to the Pistons, are third in the conference and a full game behind the No. 2 Celtics (34-18).
Jaylen Brown dunks the ball during a playoff game between the Celtics and Knicks in 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
“He just brings a level of toughness to the team, his energy is unmatched,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the frontcourt on the ball, especially on pick-and-rolls and stuff like that, is at a pretty high level.”
The Celtics also have a newcomer — the skilled but athletically limited Nikola Vucevic — who they got from the Bulls ahead of the trade deadline.
But Boston’s success this season — which is a surprise given Jayson Tatum’s absence following Achilles surgery — rides on the shoulders of Brown, who has made it known how he feels about the Knicks.
“Last year [in 2024] we were a championship team,” Brown said in a Netflix show ahead of this season. “We won the championship … Duckboats, champagne. … This year we gotta listen to insufferable Knicks fans. I don’t know how we lost in general.”
In December, Brown was more blunt: “F–k the Knicks,” he said on a livestream, a few weeks after dropping 42 points in a victory over New York at TD Garden.
Sunday is the latest installment of the rivalry and occurs with New York looking up at Boston in the standings.
The Knicks had been impressive for weeks before their ugly effort Friday in Detroit, where they managed a season-low 80 points and were overwhelmed by the Pistons speed and physicality.
Jaylen Brown attempts a shot during the Celtics’ Dec. 2 game against the Knicks. Imagn Images
“We missed a lot of shots offensively,” reserve guard Jordan Clarkson said. “They pressured us. We were just taking tough shots throughout the whole game. So, they got out and scored easy transition points and stuff like that. So, it’s definitely tough to beat a team on their own court when stuff like that is happening.”
The Celtics, who have won five straight, are theoretically a better matchup than the Pistons for the Knicks, who won’t win a footrace but can handle size.
The teams split the first two matchups of this season.
And if the current standings hold up, the Knicks would again meet the Celtics in the second round.
That’s an opportunity Brown — who is averaging 29.5 points this season — has been waiting for.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 20: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz brings the ball up the court against the Orlando Magic during the second half of their game at the Delta Center on December 20, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The new-look Utah Jazz will take on the Orlando Magic in the first game, with Jaren Jackson Jr., Vince Williams, and John Konchar now available for the Jazz. What’s exciting for Jazz fans is that they get to watch them all together at least this one time, including Keyonte George tonight.
Jazz starters tonight: Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic.
Keyonte George on a minutes restriction around 24 MPG.
It’s the best lineup possible for the Jazz, even if Keyonte George will be on a minute restriction. It’s an important one to watch for Jazz fans because you might not see much of this lineup this season with the Jazz looking to keep their pick, or even rise higher in the tank standings.
Next season, Utah will likely be adding Walker Kessler and, hopefully, a top-8 pick in the draft. It’s going to be a team with a ton of potential. This game is a preview of that, and it’ll be exciting to get a flavor of Jaren Jackson Jr. next to Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xzayvier Brown scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Oklahoma held off No. 15 Vanderbilt 92-91 on Saturday to end a nine-game losing streak.
Nijel Pack added 17 points for the Sooners (12-12, 2-9 Southeastern Conference) who had a 21-point lead with 12:03 left. Oklahoma shot 53.4% from the field.
Tyler Tanner led Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4) with 37 points. Tyler Nickel added 18.
Nickel hit a 3-pointer with 1 1/2 minutes left to cut Oklahoma's lead to 10. AK Okereke had a 4-point play to make it a two-possession game with 49 seconds remaining.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 22 points, and Florida State survived a late Notre Dame rally for an 82-79 win on Saturday in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Florida State (11-12, 4-6 ACC) hit five straight 3-pointers to open the game and jumped out to a 17-2 lead with 14:00 left in the first half. The Seminoles led 41-32 at halftime, then watched Notre Dame close the gap in the final minutes of regulation.
Logan Imes’ 3-pointer gave Notre Dame a 75-74 lead with 2:07 remaining, but Wiggins answered on the next possession, burying a 3 of his own to put Florida State back in front 77-75. Lajae Jones made two free throws with 35 seconds left, Martin Somerville split a pair with 17 seconds remaining, and Alier Maluk made two with nine seconds left to seal the win.
Wiggins went 5 of 10 from 3-point range as Florida State made 15 3s and committed five turnovers. Robert McCray V scored 15 points and hit four 3s, Alex Steen had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Jones added 11.
Braeden Shrewsberry scored 18 points for Notre Dame (11-12, 2-8). Jalen Haralson had 15 before fouling out, Cole Certa scored 14 and Sir Mohammed added 11 off the bench for the Fighting Irish.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Labaron Philon Jr. tallied 25 points, six assists and five rebounds, Amari Allen added 17 points and six rebounds, and Alabama took down Auburn 96-92 on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (16-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) trailed by as many as 10 points, but rallied back with runs of 11-0 and 8-0 in the second half. They took the lead for good with 10:39 remaining in regulation.
Aden Holloway scored 15 points, and Charles Bediako had 12 on 5-for-5 shooting. Aiden Sherrell had a game-high four blocks.
The Tigers (14-9, 5-5) were led by Tahaad Pettiford, who scored 25 points to go with seven assists. Keyshawn Hall added 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting before fouling out late, and Kevin Overton scored 17. Keshawn Murphy had a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Auburn led 41-37 at the half, with Overton pacing the Tigers with 11 points in the first frame. Philon Jr. scored nine first-half points for Alabama.
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 01: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on February 01, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Freeing up two roster spots after sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porziņģis and trading Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick, the Golden State Warriors signed Pat Spencer to a standard roster contract. Their one remaining roster spot is now left open for a potential buyout acquisition.
Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Warriors are looking closely at Lonzo Ball, currently a free agent after being waived by the Utah Jazz, not long after acquiring him from the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 35 games this season, Ball has averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes.
As the Warriors are working to convert two-way guard Pat Spencer to a roster spot, Golden State also has its sights set on adding Lonzo Ball via the buyout market, sources say.
Ball certainly hasn’t had a good season, but the Warriors may be seeking his ability to be a connector, a trait the Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr highly value. Furthermore, Ball has been somewhat of a turnover-generator on defense (2.2 steals per 75 possessions), which does fall in line with the Warriors’ defensive identity of a team that forces tons of turnovers (fifth in non-garbage-time opponent turnover rate, per Cleaning the Glass). Furthermore, his rebound and assist rates for a guard (6.8 rebounds per 75 possessions and 6.7 assists per 75 possessions) are nothing to scoff at.
However, signing Ball would do little to alleviate the problem of shooting and spacing, as Ball is shooting 27.2 percent on 4.2 three-point attempts per game, not to mention a less-than-ideal 44.8 percent on two-point shots. Ball has struggled to recover his shooting stroke after coming back from two seasons of inactivity due to knee problems.
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. Contenders buffed out their scratches, owners ducked their taxes, and now, Tank Season awaits the rest of us serfs. With two months left in the regular season, injury reports and funky substitution patterns provoke cries for Adam Silver and essays questioning whether Giannis Antetokounmpo publicly embracing Kalshi as a shareholder is a greater threat to the NBA’s integrity than Keshon Gilbert getting 29 minutes in a regular-season game for the Washington Wizards. It’s a dark, confusing world out there.
But at least it’s funny. Few sporting events capture this like a true NBA Tank-Off, so shameless and so absurd, with its participants forbidden from acknowledging it as such. World-class athletes don’t just have their own fans rooting against them, but their bosses too. Would NBA League Pass really be worth it without this perverse spectacle?
On Saturday afternoon, the 14-36 Wizards held up their end of the bargain. Forget some legitimately injured vets like Anthony Davis and Trae Young, they put ten guys on the injury report. Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and Kyshawn George were questionable with injury, and none of them played. At the very least, the Wiz had the excuse of a back-to-back (facing the Miami Heat on Sunday) and four wins in their last six tries.
The 13-37 Brooklyn Nets did not, and they did not partake in the calculated fun. They handed in their cleanest injury report of the season; even trade acquisitions Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji were available, though neither played. Perhaps Brooklyn didn’t learn their lesson from last season…
Maybe ownership believes you can’t turn the tank up to ten before the All-Star break. Maybe Michael Porter Jr.‘s knee is 100% fine and they didn’t want a call from the league office, maybe they thought there was no way to lose to the skeleton-crew Wizards. Maybe, they just wanted Jordi Fernández to see his team play well.
“While we’re not changing, you have to play hard and with purpose,” said Fernández pregame. “If we find that balance, we’ll see a competitive group. It’s not that hard, you just have to be committed. Lately we haven’t found those two things together.”
On Saturday, the Nets were finally on the other side of a lopsided first quarter. The hosts led 46-20, then 80-47 by halftime. Of course, it marked their highest point-total in any half this season, and Fernández got what he wanted: “I mean, playing extremely hard and with purpose. I thought we, like you said, found ways to score the ball. And I think that second group had a great thing going, from defense to offense, running the floor, doing the right things. And I think that group, if you look all the way through, that’s the one that gave us the win.”
Fernández isn’t lying. Michael Porter Jr. led the team in scoring with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, and Nolan Traore played well in another start, putting up 15/3/4 on 6-of-7 shooting with one lone turnover, but it was the bench that truly embarrassed Washington. To no surprise, the fringe NBA players off their bench couldn’t handle Day’Ron Sharpe, who mauled his way to 19/9/4.
Nor could they handle Sharpe’s partner in the front-court, Danny Wolf. The two were attached at the hip on Saturday, sharing all their minutes together. Wolf dropped 16/7/6, with three of those assists to Sharpe down low.
The rookie was highly complimentary of the vet, postgame: “He’s playing 20 minutes, and he’s giving you 19/9/4, I don’t know how many bigs in the NBA are doing that. I think his superpower is rebounding, right? And a lot of his points come off put-backs, and you might just look at that as an easy bucket, but it’s not easy to do … As you play with someone more, you’re gonna get that confidence in one another, and you’re gonna learn to play off each other, and it makes the game so much easier for everybody.”
Wolf stole the show, though. He made two threes and shot 7-of-11 without a turnover, all of his problem areas becoming strengths at least for one shining afternoon. Most importantly, Wolf seemed calmer, more self-assured than Nets fans have seen him for months. Not coincidentally, without Traore or Cam Thomas in the backcourt, he had the ball in his hands much more.
Said Wolf: “The last month, two months, it’s just a lot of learning. I was playing off the ball, and for me, it’s just like everything felt — I felt a little bit too sped up, and there’s gonna be games where that’s my role. And then when coach does give me the ball and trust me with it, it’s on me to make the right play.”
Danny Wolf splashes a 3 to give the Nets 46 points in the first quarter.
Egor Dëmin only had four points, going 0-of-5 from three. Still, the rest of the rookies all had shining moments, whether it was an athletic finish from Drake Powell at the rim, a fast-break dunk for Ben Saraf, or this sexy Traore bucket…
The Wizards hit some 3-pointers in the final third of the game, and as a result, Brooklyn’s starters somehow ended up losing their minutes … not that it really mattered. Washington almost almost made it a game, but thanks to Brooklyn’s big bench, the game was over long before halftime.
The Nets shot an incomprehensible 69.8% inside the arc on Saturday; if they had gotten hot from deep, they would’ve put up 150 points. If they were gonna disregard the Tank-Off and win, at least they did it in style.
We’ll see if the NBA Draft Lottery gods reward them for their nobility on May 10.
Final Score: Brooklyn Nets 127, Washington Wizards 113
Milestone Watch
Now here’s some querying: All five rookies have recorded multiple assists in the past two games. Brooklyn becomes the first team in NBA history 5+ rookies do so in the same game, multiple times, since the 1980-81 New Jersey Nets.
Brooklyn’s 36 assists matched a season-high. Six players recorded 4+ assists, tying a franchise record.
Wolf and Sharpe are the first duo in Nets history to both record at least 16/7/4 off the bench in the same game.
Brooklyn outscored Washing by 26 in the first quarter, their best point differential in a quarter since going +29 against Warriors in the first on 12/21/22.
Injury Report
The Nets were completely healthy on Saturday! Only the two-ways, down in Long Island, missed this one. Which means that, yes, Ziaire Williams was a DNPCD, as well as Jalen Wilson, Agbaji, and Minott.
Nets bid farewell to Cam Thomas
Saturday’s game marked the beginning of Brooklyn’s post-Cam Thomas era. When asked about the decision to waive him, Jordi Fernández, didn’t offer much: “I’m not going to speak for Sean [Marks]. When Cam was here, he wore our jersey, he played hard, and competed. The only thing I can say is thanks for the time he spent with us. He always worked, always tried, and was a teammate. Now it’s exciting for him to start somewhere else. We just wish him luck and say thanks for wearing our jersey.”
Remember, English is Fernández’s third language … but that is some quote. He wore our jersey. He was a teammate. Indeed, the Nets did compensate Cam Thomas for his services. This is all true.
When asked about the deadline in general, Danny Wolf singled out Tyrese Martin as a great mentor and someone he’d miss, though didn’t Thomas. Day’Ron Sharpe, a Nets pick alongside CT in the 2021 NBA Draft, was asked directly about Thomas and wished him well, noting their long-term relationship.
Cam Thomas averaged 24 points for the Nets just last season! You wouldn’t know it by his exit.
Tankathon Update
Yep, it’s that time of the year:
Next Up
<p>Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images</p><br>
The Brooklyn Nets continue their homestand with a game against the Chicago Bulls and their revolving door of guards. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday evening.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles won their salary arbitration case Saturday against pitcher Keegan Akin, the first victory for teams this year after five decisions in favor of players.
Akin was awarded $2,975,000 rather than his $3,375,000 request by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower, who heard arguments Friday.
A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.
Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Players lead 5-1 with up to seven decisions remaining.
In other decisions, catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, right-hander Graham Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer and right-hander Edwin Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal.
Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).
Five players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by Tristan Vukcevic #00 of the Washington Wizards during a game at American Airlines Center on October 24, 2025 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. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday night, Chris Haynes of Prime reported that Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season. Davis already had various injuries including his hand and groin.
BREAKING: Washington Wizards star Anthony Davis (hand, groin) expected to sit out the remainder of the season to fully get healthy for the 2026-27 season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/HKqEL9mBFC
Sorry I was late on posting this one. However, this news shouldn’t be a surprise because the Wizards are still in position to get a high draft pick later this season. This also means that Trae Young, who is already going to miss all games through All-Star Break, would not be in a rush to get back anytime soon either.
After reaching the 50-game limit afforded to two-way-contract players after the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Phoenix Suns, Pat Spencer has been signed to a standard contract by the Warriors, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors are signing two-way guard Pat Spencer to a contract for the rest of the season, Mark Bartelstein and Ross Aroyo of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/SBmavXvzVb
Spencer has proven himself to be a stable backup point guard option for Steve Kerr, with season averages of 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 14.4 minutes per game.
This is the second season in a row that Spencer’s two-way contract has been converted to a standard roster contract, the difference being that his contract last season was converted prior to the start of the playoffs. Spencer will take up one of two roster spots freed by the Jonathan Kuminga/Buddy Hield swap for Kristaps Porziņģis and Trayce Jackson-Davis being shipped to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick.
The last spot will be left open for the time being, possibly to make room for a player on the buyout market.
Part of it was the Nets getting past the angst of the trade deadline.
Most of it was playing the shell of a Wizards team far more committed to the tank than they were.
But in the end, Brooklyn rolled to a 127-113 rout of Washington before a sellout crowd of 17,548 in a game nowhere near that close.
In a Tank Bowl against a foe that suited up just eight players and sat ten — including newly-acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis — the Nets led by 34 and were never threatened.
The only thing threatened was their own lottery standing.
The victory — one many of their fans would call Pyrrhic — saw the Nets (14-37) fall into a fourth-place tie with the Wizards, and 1 ½ games behind both Indiana and New Orleans/Atlanta.
But Brooklyn snapped a three-game skid, and did it in style.
“We were just playing hard, playing together,” said Day’Ron Sharpe. “They were smaller in the second group, so just dominating in that aspect.”
They dominated the glass 45-30, and scored 66 points in the paint.
Brooklyn put seven scorers in double figures, led by Michael Porter Jr.’s 23 and six rebounds.
Nolan Traore drives to the basket during the Nets’ Feb. 7 win over the Wizards. Imagn Images
Sharpe had 19 points and nine boards in just 19:38 off the bench.
He played every second alongside Danny Wolf, who added 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists with no turnovers.
“[Saturday] the message was there shouldn’t be distractions anymore, and this is who we are,” said Wolf. “Guys did a great job buying into the game plan.”
They also beat up on an outmanned team.
Young is out with an MCL injury, Davis is yet to arrive from his trade (with Washington coach Brian Keefe sidestepping an Amazon report that the big man may sit the rest of the season) and eight more Wizards out including Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George.
Their 46-20 edge after one was their most lopsided period since outscoring the Warriors by 29 on Dec. 21, 2022.
Ben Saraf dunks the ball during the Nets’ Feb. 7 win against the Wizards. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And they led 80-47 at the break, their fifth-highest scoring first half ever.
Porter’s layup made it 77-43 with 1:19 in the first half, and they held on in the second.
With Porter, Sharpe, Claxton, and the waived Cam Thomas and Tyrese Martin all having their names in rumors leading up to the trade deadline, now the Nets finally know who their team is.
“It’s been tough for everybody. Some of those teammates are like brothers,” said Wolf. “It’s part of the NBA and it sucks, guys getting cut or moved to new cities. But credit to the guys for pushing past it.”
Jordi Fernandez said of Thomas: “When Cam was here, he wore our jersey, he played hard and competed. The only thing I can say is thanks for the time he spent with us. He always worked, always tried and was a teammate. Now it’s exciting for him to start somewhere else. We just wish him luck and say thanks for wearing our jersey.”
