It’s no surprise the Sixers were targeting a guard on the open market after the trade deadline.

The team sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies with no NBA players coming back to Philly. With Quentin Grimes missing two games with an illness before the All-Star break, the Sixers’ lack of depth at guard was exposed.

While names like Lonzo Ball and D’Angelo Russell were thrown out there, the Sixers ultimately decided to bring back a familiar face in Cameron Payne. The 31-year-old was playing in Serbia for Partizan when he got word of the Sixers’ interest a few days ago.

His agent warned him things could move quickly from there.

“It actually happened really fast,” Payne said at the Sixers practice facility Wednesday. “[My agent] told me, ‘It’s going to happen pretty fast, so you might want to pack.‘”

Payne is no stranger to these types of twists and turns. He was the 14th overall pick in 2015 out of Murray State by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He struggled with injuries and inconsistency early in his career. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls, spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and even played two games in China in 2019.

He was able to resurrect his career with the Phoenix Suns, helping that team reach the Finals in 2020-21. He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023-24 and was traded (along with a second-round pick) to the Sixers for Patrick Beverley. He gave the Sixers some solid minutes down the stretch and into the playoffs, parlaying that into a contract with the New York Knicks in 2024-25.

The Knicks moved on and Payne was in camp with the Indiana Pacers ahead of the 2025-26 season. He didn’t make the opening night roster and was waived. Instead of sitting around waiting for his next opportunity, Payne made the decision to go overseas.

As Payne learned, if you’re playing basketball somewhere in the world, the NBA will still have eyes on you.

“I told my agent this morning, I was like, ‘I don’t know how I keep finding a way to get back [the the NBA],‘” Payne said. “But I guess the NBA is still watching. If you still take your game seriously and do the right things, play the right way, they’re still looking.”

Payne enjoyed the experience with Partizan. He said the environment is a little wild — almost college-like. “It was lit, man,” he said. The other thing he got to do there was be the focal point of an offense, something he hadn’t been able to do since college. It was an opportunity and responsibility he didn’t take lightly.

While nobody will be asking that of him with the Sixers, they could certainly use a guard off the bench. Tyrese Maxey leads the NBA in minutes per game by a healthy margin. VJ Edgecombe leads all rookies in minutes — also by a healthy margin. Payne can play alongside either guy while giving the duo some rest during the final 28 games of the season.

Nick Nurse made it known that Payne will get minutes — in part to help his electric backcourt get to the postseason as fresh as possible.

“He can eat into some of those minutes to get those guys off the floor, for sure,” Nurse said. “And I would imagine down the stretch there’ll be games where he’ll play super huge minutes, too, when those two guys …. the workload gets [high] we can throw him in there in certain games, and he’s capable of doing that.”

If nothing else, Payne provides stability. The team knows what he is and what he brings to the table every night, something you couldn’t say about the Sixers’ guards off the bench this season.

“We know him,” Nurse said. “Veteran ball-handler. Guy who’s played in some big games. I think we’ve seen Cam provide some speed, energy, three-point shooting, run some pick-and-roll, get some layups here and there. … He looked like he’s in a really good rhythm. He’s been playing at a pretty high level over there.”

Payne has been in these spots. He knows what it takes to succeed, whether he’s playing big minutes or barely leaving the bench.

“I just always say ‘be you,’” Payne said. “Don’t ever change for anybody. Just be yourself.”

In 31 games for the Sixers back in 2023-24, Payne shot 38.2% from three and averaged 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. If that’s what the team gets now — on top of the energy he brings to the table — it’ll be a shrewd signing.

The Lakers were relatively quiet at the trade deadline aside from swapping Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard. That’s in part because their proximity to their first-apron hard cap (less than $1.5 million away) limited what they could do.

That shouldn’t be the case this offseason.

The Lakers have long been projected to boast max or near-max cap room and the trade deadline did not change that. Because both Vincent and Kennard are on expiring contracts, that trade had no bearing on the Lakers’ outlook beyond this year.

That was undoubtedly intentional. With LeBron James’ future still very much up in the air, the Lakers are keeping their options open.

That isn’t the case for every team that was initially projected to be a factor in the 2026 free-agent market. The Washington Wizards were initially projected to have $80-plus million in cap space this offseason, but they spent it all in “pre-agency” by acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of the trade deadline. The Utah Jazz blew through theirs as well by acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. while the L.A. Clippers made a pair of trades that suggests Kawhi Leonard could be next to go this offseason.

Keith Smith of Spotrac now projects only three teams to have significant cap space this offseason, plus/minus the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons. The Lakers are leading the way.

Longtime salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan took it one step further.

That seems good. Is that good? (Just don’t spend it all on a 34-year-old Paul George. Take it from a Sixers fan.)

The Lakers’ 2026-27 cap sheet

The Lakers have two major variables to confront this offseason: LeBron’s future and Austin Reaves’ free agency. The good news is that until they re-sign Reaves, their cap sheet is relatively clean at the moment.

Luka Dončić will begin the three-year max extension he signed this past August, which will start at 30% of whatever next year’s salary cap ends up being. Based on the current $166 million cap projection, Dončić’s new deal would start at $49.8 million.

For now, Dončić is the only Lakers player under contract for next season who’s earning more than $15 million. Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht ($4.2 million) and Adou Thiero ($2.2 million) are the only four other players on guaranteed contracts, while nearly $1.26 million of Bronny James’ $2.3 million salary is guaranteed.

The Lakers will also enter the offseason with a $20.9 million cap hold on their books for Reaves. As we’ve covered before, the Lakers will presumably try to follow the same blueprint the Philadelphia 76ers used with Tyrese Maxey to take advantage of his below-market cap hold. They’ll spend the rest of their cap space first, then re-sign him via Bird rights even though that will push them over the salary cap.

Between Dončić, Vanderbilt, LaRavia, Knecht, Thiero, the guaranteed portion of Bronny’s contract and Reaves’ cap hold, the Lakers will be entering the offseason with $96.7 million in guaranteed salary on their books.

That doesn’t mean they’ll have nearly $70 million of cap space to spend, though.

For one, they’ll have an incomplete roster charge of roughly $1.36 million for every open roster spot below 12. Even if they fully guarantee Bronny’s contract, they’d have $6.8 million of incomplete roster charges on their books until they filled those spots.

The bigger swing factors are Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton, who have $5.4 million and $8.1 million player options for next season, respectively. They also have a $2.5 million team option on Kobe Bufkin, which they figure to decline to maximize their financial flexibility.

Assuming the Lakers do decline their team option on Bufkin, here’s how much cap space they’re projected to have depending on what Ayton and Smart do with their respective player options.

• Both decline: $61.4 million
• Smart picks up, Ayton declines: $57.1 million
• Ayton picks up, Smart declines: $54.7 million
• Both pick up: $50.3 million

All of those figures would require the Lakers to renounce the rights to all of their free agents other than Reaves, including LeBron and Rui Hachimura. They also don’t factor in whichever first-round pick the Lakers land this summer.

The Lakers’ free-agency outlook

Based on the current $166 million cap projection for 2026-27, a max contract for someone with 0-6 years of NBA experience would start at $41.5 million, someone with 7-9 years of NBA experience (like Luka) would start at $49.8 million and someone with 10 or more years of NBA experience would start at $58.1 million.

That makes James the first domino that must fall for the Lakers. Until they either re-sign him or renounce his free-agent rights, they won’t have any cap space whatsoever.

If the Lakers do clear $50-plus million in space, they’ve already discussed going after Andrew Wiggins, Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, among others, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He mentioned Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade as other possible candidates who fit the Lakers’ need for more long-range shooters and defenders.

After the trade deadline, general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters that the Lakers had been “aggressive” in conversations, but they decided to prioritize their long-term future.

“I would say we were aggressive,” Pelinka said. “And one form of being aggressive is saying no to moves that come your way that might not be best for the short- and long-term future, that’s like being aggressive even though you end up doing nothing. Because it’s hard to say no sometimes to getting a good player that could be a quick short-term fix but could have implications for the long-term where it doesn’t fit into the overall vision you have for the team.”

If the Lakers look to maximize their financial flexibility, there’s a wide range of possible outcomes this offseason. The NBA has become even more unpredictable in the second-apron era, as teams are more desperate than ever to dump overpaid stars (or former stars) on massive contracts.

The Wizards acquired both Young and Davis for pennies on the dollar ahead of this year’s trade deadline. The Memphis Grizzlies were reportedly eager to offload Ja Morant as well, but they couldn’t find a taker even after trading Jackson to Utah.

Pelinka believes the Lakers might be able to take advantage of other teams this offseason that are looking to dump contracts for whatever reason.

“Knowing that there’s an unintended consequence when a new system comes into place — teams kind of learn their way through it — we felt like creating optionality or having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason,” Pelinka told reporters. “Because there’s some teams that maybe have gotten too deep into the aprons. And I think players, we see around the league, that become available when teams get in that position.”

“Whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s keeping our own players, whether it’s looking around the league for players that are really good that maybe teams are trying to get off salary, we feel like there’ll be so many different ways to complete our roster in the offseason.”

The Lakers have a megastar in Dončić and a unique amount of potential cap space for a title hopeful this offseason. This summer will go a long way toward determining how well they can build a championship contender around Luka over the next few years.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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Tonight, the post-All-Star break gauntlet begins. And if it feels like you have heard me use that word before when talking about the Phoenix Suns, you are not imagining things. It always feels this way. For whatever reason, the Suns routinely land in the top ten in remaining strength of schedule, and yes, I went to Tankathon to double-check myself before saying it out loud again.

Checks Tankathon…

Ummm…why aren’t the Suns on anyone’s ‘toughest opponent’ list? What are we? Chopped liver here?!

What’s left is no joke. The final 27 games are stacked with teams that have something at stake. These are not drifting opponents. These are teams fighting for playoff positioning, teams clawing to avoid the Play-In, teams scrapping to get into it. And that is exactly where Phoenix lives right now, right in the middle of the mess, where every night feels like it carries a little extra weight.

The difference now is perception. The Suns are no longer sneaking up on anyone. That part of the season is gone. They have exceeded expectations, changed the tone around the league, and earned a reputation. Teams know what’s coming. They know about the pressure, the physicality, the disruption Phoenix brings possession after possession. Whether opponents can actually execute through that chaos is a different conversation, and one we are going to track in real time as this thing winds down. But the margin is thinner now. The urgency is louder. And this final stretch is going to tell us exactly who the Suns are, even though everyone knows the test is coming.

When you dig into the numbers and look at what remains, a few things jump out that feel worth paying attention to. Of the 27 games left, 14 are against teams currently above the .500 mark. To this point in the season, the Suns are 13–17 against teams over .500. That tells you that they have been good, not great, in those environments. Competitive but not dominant.

Where they have made their money is against lesser competition. Phoenix is 19–6 against teams under .500, and there are still 13 games left on the schedule against that tier of opponent. It reinforces what we already know. This team takes care of business when it should, and that has been a defining characteristic of the season.

So if you take those pre-All-Star break trends, apply the same winning percentages to what lies ahead, and do a little honest math (.433 winning percentage against over .500 teams, .760 winning percentage against sub-.500 teams, divided into the respective remaining totals against teams currently classified as such), the projection lands in a very reasonable place. A 17-12 finish over the final 27 games. That puts the Suns at 49–33. The question is now can that do that?

The feel-good story of the Suns is about to be tested over the remainder of the season, and a big part of that is because the expectations have quietly shifted, at least in the eyes of the fan base. This was a team that most people penciled in for around 31 wins, maybe fewer if things broke the wrong way. They hit 32 before the All-Star break.

When you start there, the natural question becomes how much the organization adjusts its priorities, its internal expectations, and its timelines. If the trade deadline told us anything about how Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory view this season, it is that they are committed to staying the course. The focus remains on long-term viability and organizational health rather than chasing short-term fixes in a season where a championship run still feels out of reach. There was no panic. No swing for the fences. No attempt to paper over cracks with temporary solutions.

Now the roster is set. This is the team. And the interesting thing is that Phoenix is not alone in that reality. Every team they are chasing, or being chased by, has issues of its own. Oklahoma City does not look like the same juggernaut it was a year ago, and it is dealing with health concerns. Houston is staring down a Kevin Durant-sized cloud, something Suns fans know all too well. Minnesota has struggled to consistently beat quality opponents. The Lakers lack depth. The Warriors are showing the very real effects of age and injuries.

There are no clean paths in this part of the standings. No perfect teams waiting at the top. The Suns are flawed, but so is everyone else, and that is what makes the final stretch of this season so fascinating.

So the question becomes: as we march toward March, how many of the Suns’ deficiencies will actually show themselves and be exploited by opposing teams over the remainder of the schedule? How many wins? How many losses? Where does this ultimately land them in the standings? There are 27 games left, and every one of them feels like a data point in a larger experiment. How much of what we have seen so far is sustainable? How much of it was momentum, surprise, and timing lining up just right?

And maybe the most important question of all: how do you feel about the very real possibility that this team stumbles down the stretch? Because that possibility exists. The reasons are clear. The margin is thin. The league adjusts. The legs get heavy. The film piles up.

But if this team has taught us anything this season, it is to expect the unexpected. To acknowledge all the reasons it should not work, then sit back and enjoy it when it does. This is not a team built through traditional roster construction, clean archetypes, or tidy measurables. They are winning through things you cannot easily chart. Heart. Connectivity. Trust. Talent that keeps outperforming expectations.

So here we go. The final 27. No safety net. No mystery left. It starts tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Mountain West men’s basketball season is in full swing, but it’s never a bad time to discuss past Mountain West stars and their journeys after being in the conference. It’s time for our annual “Mountain West in the NBA” update, so let’s not waste any more time and dive into it!

Colorado State:

Isaiah Stevens, G/F, Sacramento Kings

After parlaying a strong summer into a two-way contract with the Miami Heat last season, Stevens found a new home in Sacramento. Though he’s spent most of the season in Stockton with the Kings’ G-League affiliate, averaging 14.1 points and 8.3 assists in 27 combined games. Stevens has played six career NBA games up to this point, totaling 10 points with five rebounds, 10 assists and six steals in 49 minutes.

Fresno State:

Orlando Robinson, C, UFA

Robinson was recently released by the Orlando Magic, who he held a two-way contract with. Robinson has been apart of four organizations (Heat, Kings, Raptors, Magic) the last three seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds across 13.1 minutes per game over that span (84 games; 16 starts).

Nevada:

Cody Martin, F, Indiana Pacers

Martin’s career has largely been affected by injury, playing roughly 37 percent of available games over the last four seasons. He signed a 10-day hardship contract with the beleagured Indiana Pacers in November, and has since played 10 games with the Noblesville Boom (Pacers G-League affiliate), averaging 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 54.9 percent true shooting.

Caleb Martin, F, Dallas Mavericks

Martin was dealt to Dallas in February of 2025 as part of the Quentin Grimes 1-for-1 swap with Philadelphia. Martin, 30, has appeared in 46 games (10 starts) with the Mavericks this season, averaging 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 44.5 percent shooting, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range and 62.9 percent from the charity stripe.

Kobe Sanders, G, Los Angeles Clippers

Drafted No. 50 overall in last summer’s draft, Sanders’ emergence with Los Angeles has been one of their brighest spots this season. The Clippers recently converted Sanders into a standard contract, where he’s averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 43.6/37.0/80.0 shooting splits.

San Diego State:

Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers

Leonard has been one of the NBA’s best players for the last 2-3 months. The Aztec alum is leading the NBA in steals (2.1), tallying 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 49.1 percent shooting and 61.9 percent true shooting. Notably, Leonard took All-Star weekend by storm, scoring 37 points in three 12-minute games on 13-of-24 shooting and 7-of-12 from distance. The 14-year vet has, once again, reinforced the belief that he’s arguably the league’s best two-way player — when he’s on the court, which has occassionally been a struggle.

UNLV:

Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers

Our third Clipper! Jones has been one of their best point-of-attack defenders and 3-point shooters the last two seasons. In 99 games with the Clips, Jones is averaging 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds on 36.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, where he’s taken nearly 40 percent of his attempts.

Utah State:

Sam Merrill, G, Cleveland Cavaliers

Merrill has carved a niche as an elite 3-point shooter. Over the last three seasons, the Aggie alum is shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc on 5.8 3-point attempts per game (86.5 3PAr!), including a remarkable 47.2 percent on 7.5 triple tries in 31 games (22 starts) this year. He’s been in-and-out of the team’s lineup due to injury, but he’s been the best shooter on a middle-of-the-pack 3-point shooting team through 55 games.

Neemias Queta, C, Boston Celtics

Amid the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet, Queta, a five-year veteran, has been thrust into a much larger role with the Celtics this year. And he’s played up to expectation, tallying 9.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 65.5 percent true shooting in 51 games (50 starts) this year. Most importantly, he’s shown he can be a starting-level center in the right context, even though he still has plenty of room to grow as a defender.

Wyoming:

Larry Nance Jr., F, Cleveland Cavaliers

Nance, now in his age-33 season, has sparingly played with Cleveland in his second stint there. He’s essentially been an end-of-bench rotation player this time around, averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game across 25 appearances. We are toward the end of the hill with Nance, who has largely battled injuries over his 11-year journey.

Kansas' Darryn Peterson has been one of the best players in college basketball season — when he has been on the court.

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, that hasn't happened nearly as much as the NCAA Tournament champion hopefuls might have envisioned.

Peterson's inconsistent availability has been head-scratching at times, as he has played in 15 of Kansas' 26 games this season due to a nagging hamstring injury. He also missed a game against top-ranked Arizona with flu-like symptoms. He most recently subbed himself out early in the second half of Kansas' 81-69 win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 18, and didn't sub back in after playing 18 minutes.

REQUIRED READING: 'Learned to play without him': Kansas' Bill Self addresses Darryn Peterson saga

Peterson's participation in games has become a national story in recent weeks, and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said on Thursday, Feb. 19, that he wouldn't take Peterson No. 1 overall due to the questions surrounding the talented guard.

"There is no team in (expletive) that should grab Darryn Peterson No. 1," he said on ESPN's "First Take." "You cannot do it. The first ability is availability. And my brother, Darryn Peterson, I hope you're watching because I'm talking directly to him, and whoever — his family members, his inner circle, whatever. What the (expletive) is going on? ... This is business. I can't trust him. You cannot be trusted."

The projected No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft is averaging 20 points per game this season on 48.5% shooting and a 43.1% mark from 3-point range. Kansas coach Bill Self said after the game Peterson left due to "cramping," adding he was disappointed because he thought Peterson was "good to go" pregame.

Former Duke star Jay Williams, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls, also questioned drafting Peterson at No. 1.

"If I were a general manager, I would be extremely concerned about Darryn Peterson," Williams said on ESPN's "Get Up" on Feb. 19. "I don't question his talent at all. His talent is the No. 1 pick in the draft. But I would take (BYU forward) AJ Dybantsa because I'm not sure about the availability of Darryn Peterson."

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt also questioned Peterson's intangibles on Feb. 18 after Peterson checked himself out of the Oklahoma State game.

“When the presumed No. 1 player sits out a home game against unbeaten, No. 1 Arizona with the flu after having all these questions and managing minutes throughout the season with other issues, it makes people wonder," Van Pelt said, "Not about his talent, but about those intangibles that can’t really be measured."

In a year with multiple high-end NBA draft prospects such as Dybantsa, Duke's Cameron Boozer, Houston's Kingston Flemings and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, an NBA organization may have second guesses when it comes to Peterson as a prospect given his recent availability. At least, according to some NBA experts around the league.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen A. Smith, others weigh in on Darryn Peterson's NBA draft prospects

After an anomalous hot December produced a 7-4 record and—briefly—the NBA’s best defense, the Nets have settled back into their intended losing ways. Going into the final two months of a long season, they have the
fifth-worst offense in the league, the fifth-worst defense, and the fifth-worst record. (Note to lottery dreamers: the fifth-worst record earns the sixth pick, on average.)

Unsurprisingly, the Nets haven’t been good at much. Their effective field goal percentage is 27th in the league (52.6%), and their effective field goal defense is 28th (56.5%). If you can’t make shots and can’t prevent the other guys from making shots, you’re not going to win. But let’s be a little more specific. What have the Nets done (relatively) well? And what are their most urgent problem areas?

The NBA tracks offensive and defensive performance for a variety of distinct play types. The most common types—spot-up shots, pick-and-roll plays, and transition plays—each account for roughly one-fifth of a typical NBA offense. The Nets are below league average in efficiency (points scored per possession) in all three of those categories. (The size of each circle in the figure reflects the frequency of those plays, and the position above or below the dotted line indicates the Nets’ efficiency relative to other teams.)

The most distinctive aspect of the Nets’ offensive profile is their reliance on spot-up shooting. More than 28% of their offense consists of stationary spot-up shots, about 5% more than the league average. However, they average a bit less than one point per possession on those shots, well below the league average.

Noah Clowney is 8th in the NBA in spot-up shots per game (5.7), but 253rd in efficiency (.96 points per). Michael Porter Jr. is 18th in volume (5.0 per game), but 245th in efficiency. Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams take fewer shots, but they are among the league’s top 20 in their reliance on spot-up shots, and they rank 193rd and 200th in spot-up scoring efficiency. If spot-up shooting is going to be the team’s offensive calling card, these are probably not the guys you want taking the shots. (Egor Dëmin is 46th in the league in spot-up scoring efficiency, but he takes just 3.5 per game.)

Handoff plays are another notable offensive weakness. They are among the least efficient offensive options, even for average teams—only slightly more efficient than isolation plays. As a result, most teams limit their use of handoffs to less than 5% of offensive possessions. The Nets rely on them much more heavily, for 9% of their offensive possessions, despite being well below the low league average in efficiency. Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe are both posting the best assist numbers of their careers, so hurray?

The Nets are even further below average in transition scoring. Typical NBA teams score 1.14 points per transition play, making them the most efficient common play type. But the Nets get out in transition less often than most other teams do—and when they do, they manage just 1.07 points per possession. As a result, they are dead last in the league in transition points per game and in fast break points per possession. They need more defensive rebounds (currently 28th), more steals (currently 22nd), and more emphasis on pushing the ball all the way up the court, not just far enough to get into offensive sets.

Play type weaknesses are arguably even worse for a team’s defense. If the Nets’ offense does poorly with, say, post-up plays, they can simply choose to run fewer post-up plays. But on defense, they need to defend whatever comes at them, and well-prepared opponents will aim to exploit weak links. While offensive versatility is a virtue, defensive versatility is a matter of survival.

The Nets’ problems in transition are mirrored at the defensive end. Their opponents get out in transition on 20% of their plays, and they score a league-high 1.20 points per possession on those plays. The result: No team gives up more fast break points. Both the frequency and the efficiency of opponents’ transition plays owe something to the Nets’ numerous live-ball turnovers; they average 9 opponents’ steals and almost 22 transition possessions per game. Still, it is striking that a team well above average in defending putbacks is so far below average in transition defense.

The Nets have been even more inefficient defending screen plays. These aren’t a big part of most teams’ offensive repertoires, nor are they generally all that potent; but Nets’ opponents have averaged a remarkable 1.29 points per possession on screen plays. The next worst team in the league, Sacramento, gives up just 1.13, and average NBA defenses give up just .98. With 135 screen plays defended so far this season, this is hardly the Nets’ most important defensive failing—but it should be a point of embarrassment.

The Nets are a young team heavily invested in “development.” But development mostly means focusing on what is hard. As a wise young man put it even before the season got underway, “I’m not only trying to do what I’m good at and be happy with whatever I have. I’m trying to be a versatile player and to be able to execute whatever I’m being asked.” That’s a good philosophy for teams as well as individuals. In the Nets’ remaining 29 games, even fans who are not looking for wins should be looking for collective improvement in the areas where they are weakest.

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The next few weeks will be a joy. Can the San Antonio Spurs catch the Thunder atop the West? Can the Phoenix Suns escape the Play-In Tournament?

My Suns vs. Spurs predictions expect San Antonio to start the season’s homestretch with aggression, one of many NBA picks for Thursday, February 19.

Suns vs Spurs prediction

Suns vs Spurs best bet: Spurs -7.5 (-110)

Predicting results immediately after the All-Star Break can be an exercise in educated guessing. But looking at the NBA standings, it should be clear that the San Antonio Spurs have an opportunity in front of them, sitting only three games behind the Thunder for the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Phoenix Suns were already stumbling heading into the break, losing three of four both outright and against the spread. It would be bold to assume those mistakes turned into focus during the weeklong break.

Suns vs Spurs same-game parlay

Devin Booker has played only two games in three weeks. He is not in rhythm, and that will become an issue against the Spurs’ length. Those misses should lead to transition opportunities for Victor Wembanyama to capitalize on.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Spurring on the offense

San Antonio’s last five games before the All-Star Break all went Over their totals.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points
• Over 229.5

Suns vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Suns +7.5 (-110) | Spurs -7.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Suns +235 | Spurs -290
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)

Suns vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Spurs not only cashed five straight Overs before the All-Star Break, but did so by an average of 18.9 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Spurs.

How to watch Suns vs Spurs

Suns vs Spurs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Our NBA player prop projections are back for Wednesday’s showdown, and the model has circled a few player props worth your attention.

We ran the numbers, compared projections to the posted lines, and found the spots where there’s actual breathing room.

In these Celtics vs. Warriors predictions, we’re not guessing — we’re leaning on data.

If you’re building out your card, these are the NBA picks the system says have value on February 19.

Celtics vs Warriors computer picks for February 19

Celtics	Warriors
Queta o6.5 points -105	Green o8.5 points  -105
Pritchard o3.5 rebounds -125	Porzingis o12.5 points -105
Brown o4.5 assists  +122	Santos u4.5 rebounds  -112

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Celtics computer picks

Neemias Queta Over 6.5 points (-105)

Projection: 8.5 points

Neemias Queta doesn’t need plays drawn up for him; he scores off effort. Dump-offs, put-backs, and rim runs add up fast if he sees mid-20s minutes. The projection has him comfortably clearing this, and 6.5 is still a role-player number, not a featured-minutes number.

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Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds (-125)

Projection: 4.5 rebounds

Payton Pritchard crashes hard for a guard and benefits from long rebounds off perimeter-heavy games. He plays enough minutes and stays active enough to clear four more often than not. The projection gives him a full-board cushion over this line.

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Jaylen Brown Over 4.5 assists (+122)

Projection: 4.7 assists

Jaylen Brown is averaging 4.7 assists per game, which already clears this number. You’re getting plus money on a line that sits below his season average. With the ball in his hands consistently and his usage steady, this is asking him to simply be himself — not have a spike game.

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Warriors computer picks

Draymond Green Over 8.5 points (-105)

Projection: 9.5 points

Draymond Green doesn’t need volume to clear this number. Between transition buckets, short-roll finishes, and the occasional open three, he usually stumbles into double digits when the minutes are there. This line is modest, and the projection gives him a full point of cushion.

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Kristaps Porzingis Over 12.5 points (-105)

Projection: 14.0 points

When Kristaps Porzingis is healthy and involved, 13 points is a low bar. He can get there with a few post touches, pick-and-pop looks, and trips to the line. The projection leans comfortably Over, and this number hasn’t fully adjusted to his scoring role.

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Gui Santos Under 5.5 rebounds (-112)

Projection: 4.8 rebounds

Gui Santos would need above-average minutes or an outlier rebounding game to get to six. His role fluctuates, and he’s not a primary glass-crasher when the regular rotation is intact. The projection keeps him safely below this number.

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How to watch Celtics vs Warriors tonight

Location	Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date	Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off	10:00 p.m. ET
TV	Prime Video

Not intended for use in MA.
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Cooper Flagg has set yet another record.

A jersey the Dallas Mavericks phenom wore in his NBA debut earlier this season sold privately this month for $1 million, auction house Sotheby’s announced Thursday.

The price tag makes it not only the most expensive Flagg memorabilia to date, but also the costliest jersey ever sold through NBA Auctions, besting the $762,000 figure Victor Wembanyama’s rookie-debut threads netted in 2023, Sotheby’s added.

Flagg donned the white-and-blue uni on Oct. 22, when the Mavericks faced the Spurs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

The former Duke star, who was just 18 years old at the time, played 32 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. He added 10 rebounds and one steal. The Mavericks got blown out, 125–92.

Flagg went on to have a stellar first half of the season, averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest in 49 games before the NBA’s All-Star break.

“The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut jersey is a powerful testament to the
significance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables.

“This jersey captures the very beginning of a special career, one carrying huge expectations and excitement.”

Several other rookie debut jerseys, including ones worn by 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe, Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Spurs guard Dylan Harper, will go up for sale in an “NBA Rookie Debut Auction” next month, Sotheby’s said.

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Heading into the season, the Philadelphia 76ers had a gargantuan-sized hole at the power forward position.

With limited avenues available in offseason free agency based on the team’s salary cap situation, Daryl Morey sought to spackle over the hole by signing Trendon Watford to a minimum contract and bringing in a couple of two-way contract signings, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Watford has been productive at times after being slow out of the gate due to injury, while Walker has exceeded expectations in his own right, recently signing a standard NBA contract.

However, Barlow, who also has since been awarded a standard deal with the Sixers, proved to be the true diamond in the rough.

The 6-foot-9 forward has made 36 starts across 43 appearances for Philadelphia this season. His averages of 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds don’t jump off the page, but as a “doing the little things All-Star,” Dominick was integral to the Sixers exceeding expectations heading into the All-Star break.

Barlow fits as the perfect glue guy alongside the team’s high-usage stars. While he does have some off-the-dribble game, he does most of his damage without the ball in his hands, whether setting screens, spotting up in the corner, or lurking in the dunker spot. Barlow’s 10 offensive rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month were a perfect encapsulation of how he causes damage when the opposing defense takes their eyes off him to focus on his higher-profile teammates.

Defensively, Barlow is a Swiss-army knife, with great length and the ability to fluidly switch on the perimeter. While he’s not a prodigious shot blocker, Nick Nurse has still occasionally turned to small-ball lineups with Barlow at the five. There’s a lot of value in someone able to competently defend across multiple positions, particularly within Nurse’s defensive scheme.

If you had to rank reasons for the Sixers’ success thus far, it’s probably Tyrese Maxey jumping from All-Star to All-NBA, Joel Embiid and (pre-suspension) Paul George having better than expected health, VJ Edgecombe being an absolute stud the minute he stepped on an NBA court, and then Barlow. Barlow went from a two-way player to someone who they needed to sign to a standard NBA contract so badly that they just had to trade away a second-year former lottery pick in Jared McCain (that’s not true at all, but it’s crazy from the Barlow perspective that the team used that spin for it).

Is Barlow a perfect player? No, you’d like to have him shoot better than 28.6 percent from three, for starters. But after having genuine stars, having legitimate starters on minimum-salary contracts is probably the most beneficial contribution to a roster build. He may not get mentioned much by media outside the Delaware Valley when discussing the Sixers as a fun story this season, but Barlow should be right alongside the better names when singing this team’s praises.

Knicks basketball is back as New York takes on Detroit for a third and final time this season.

The Pistons won the first two meetings easily, but they have their two brutes—Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart—suspended for Thursday.

Knicks, please.

Mike Brown

On the losses to the Pistons ahead of Thursday’s matchup:

“Yeah it should. They didn’t just win the game. They beat us pretty bad. So for us, I don’t want to say this game is more important than the next game. Every game is extremely important, but there comes a certain point when you’re in competition. If wins and losses are as lopsided as those two losses, that should shake you up a little bit. At the end of the day, we win tomorrow or win the next two games or however many games we play them, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee come playoff time or vice-versa. I’m a firm believer that I’ve been around this thing too long enough to see some teams go 0-4 and still win the series and some teams go 3-4 and still win the series. So that part doesn’t matter, it’s just about how the first two games turned out for us.”

On the need for evaluating Sochan before the playoffs:

“[Sochan] knows the league. The league knows him. He knows the officials and vice-versa, so they’re gonna get an opportunity, but at the end of the day, I’m gonna play who I think is best for us and right now, Jeremy, he hadn’t played for us, so I’ve gotta see — rather quickly — what we have in him before getting to the playoffs.”

On new lineup combinations and Sochan’s fit:

“When we put our rotation together, I try to think of how the group on the floor fits for a lot of different reasons, not just because this guy is a high-level shooter and this guy is not a high level shooter, but can this center play with this power forward? Can this guard play with this guard in terms of being able to bring the ball and handle against pressure? So there are a lot of different–does this group have enough guys that can go defensive rebound? So I try to look at a lot of different combinations when it comes to putting them together or the pros and cons of the individuals when it comes to putting the individuals together, and it’ll be no different with Jeremy or Jose at the end of the day.”

On Sochan’s size and versatility:

“When you look at Jeremy, you like his size right off the bat, especially for a four. OG is of that size but nobody else really is of that size. And you look at the versatility, over the years, he’s been able to guard one through five, and so to have that versatility on that end of the floor is huge, especially if OG’s out. We’re a lot smaller if OG or Josh or they both are out. And then [Jeremy’s] energy, his physicality, all those things that don’t necessarily show up in a stat sheet in my opinion are welcomed by any team.”

On missing OG Anunoby’s presence:

“At that size and skill set, you always miss that when he’s out. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who’s in uniform. You’ve gotta go try and play the right way to win but it’s good to see him back on the floor for sure.”

On Sochan’s expected role:

“I’m not sure how many minutes I’m going to play him, but I plan on trying to use him. And hopefully we get to a point where he’s versatile enough to play one through five for us.”

On Mo Diawara’s future with Sochan in tow:

“Mo’s had a good season so far. As a young guy… and, as you guys know, I’ll play young guys. I have played young guys in front of vets before. But I’m going to give Jeremy an opportunity.”

On Landry Shamet as a true professional:

“When you think of a (true professional), you think on time. When you tell him something, he always looks you in the eye, always trying to correct things. Always playing hard. Never making excuses. Sacrificing for his teammates. Always thinking team first. He can play two minutes, come out and be OK. Or he can play 30 minutes in a row, come out and be OK. The maintenance aspect isn’t there. He’s always connected to the group, trying to help others be connected and his competitive spirit is off the charts. He believes in his teammates and the process. He wants to be held accountable. All those things bode well for having someone like (Shamet) on your team.”

Jeremy Sochan

On struggling with his diminishing role in San Antonio:

“Yeah, it’s tough. In my whole career, I’ve never been sitting on the bench and getting DNPs [did not play, coach’s decision]. You go through a process of questioning why or what’s happening. It can get stressful. But at the end of the day, I came from England, where basketball’s not big. I know my worth. I know what I can bring to the team, and I’m blessed that the organization here has seen that.”

On a fresh start in New York:

“I’m super excited to get a fresh slate and show what I can do.”

On what he brings to the Knicks:

“[I bring] energy, the kind of mold that coach has been doing and what the Knicks have been doing and what he wants from me, I feel I can really excel in. I bring versatility, defense, energy, a little bit of that nasty, so I can’t wait.”

On the lack of opportunity in San Antonio:

“Just no real opportunity, in my opinion. And it is what it is. It’s a very deep team. And maybe I didn’t see eye to eye with Coach, and Coach didn’t see anything I could do for the team. And it is what it is. And I’m just blessed to be in an opportunity where I can grow and blossom.”

On choosing New York as a free agent:

“We’ve talked a lot and it’s just seizing whatever opportunity I can get. And I think one of the reasons I picked New York is it’s a really deep roster, a lot of really talented players. I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity to watch and grow from that too. I think I’m still young, too. So just being around players who have established themselves and have done a lot of stuff in this league is a crazy opportunity for me. … I do believe in myself and I do believe I can do well on the court, too. But I do look at it in the bigger picture. And what’s happening here, I think I can be a part of it.”

On the NYC culture:

“Very excited. The culture here, at the Knicks and New York in general, is crazy and very global. And I feel like I’m global, too. So I’m just super excited to be here and just grow with this city and the club.”

On his versatility and level of effort:

“I’m versatile. I can do a little bit of everything, so whatever coach wants me to do, you know, whatever gets me on the court, I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it 100 percent.”

On always being himself on court amid comparisons to Draymond Green:

“At the end of the day, I wanna be Jeremy. I wanna be myself. … I bring versatility, defense, energy, a little bit of tenacity, so I can’t wait.”

On fitting Mike Brown’s plans:

“I think I embody what Mike Brown is asking from his players. I’m a quick learner, so I think I’ve been doing pretty well… The way I view everything is team-first. I’m always gonna be there for my teammates on and off the court. I’m bringing energy, positive vibes and I think that’s the most important thing – consistency. Whether that’s on the court, off the court, I’m gonna be myself every time.”

Jalen Brunson

On Knicks lacking intangibles compared to last season:

“We’re very gifted. We’re very talented. But we need the little things that help us be better, the intangibles. We got to that point last year where we had it. We don’t have it right now.”

On his contract sacrifice and future expectations:

“If I’m thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me. I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent, I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of. … Obviously, we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.”

On regular season vs. playoffs:

“I don’t look at regular-season games as a barometer because, come playoffs, it’s a different basketball game. Especially when you talk about a seven-game series. I’ve been with different teams that went to the Finals or played deep in the playoffs that lost the season series to teams and still won in the playoffs.”

On the meaning of true professionalism:

“It should be. It’s not as common (as you would think). It’s more than showing up every day. If you’re doing the bare minimum, you’re not a true professional.”

On Shamet’s value around the league:

“He’s also a big asset. He does a lot for the teams he’s on, and other teams see that. It’s who he has been. I’ve seen that from afar playing against him, and it’s even better when you’re playing with him.”

OG Anunoby

On his toenail injury and recovering from it:

“I’m not for sure exactly how or what led up to it, but I had it removed. It’s getting better each day. It’s not even 2 weeks yet. But it’s healing and each day, it’s getting better and better. I have no toenail. I don’t know when it’ll grow back.”

Josh Hart

On Shamet as an example in today’s NBA:

“People come in and they have to learn to be professionals. Depending on where you get drafted to, it can take two, three or four years, especially if you don’t have a good vet. With how things are shaking out now, there’s a lot less vets on teams to hold guys accountable. It’s (rarer) now, and (Shamet) is a great example of that.”

Currently, the Washington Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA standings. It is no secret that they are trying to get a high pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Meanwhile, the NBA itself is looking to deter teams from tanking for long periods of time. One possible idea of it is by creating a tournament among lottery teams where the winner of the tournament gets the top pick in the draft.

TrillBroDude, SB Nation’s NBA “Feed” administrator, originally wrote a post last week which had some good feedback. In particular, Gaboshyn had a solid comment which I will quote an excerpt below.

As far as I can tell, the NBA is discussing these three actions:

• Limiting Draft Pick Protections: The league is looking to limit protections on traded first-round picks to only top-four or top-14 (and higher), eliminating the “middle” protections that encourage teams to lose just enough to land in a specific, protected spot.
• Prohibiting Back-to-Back Top-Four Picks: A proposal to stop teams from drafting in the top four in consecutive years, which would reduce the incentive for multi-year “tank-athons”.
• Locking Lottery Positions Early: The NBA is considering locking in lottery positions based on the standings as of March 1. This would prevent teams from dropping in the standings—and increasing their lottery odds—by sitting players in the final month of the season. 

It’s clear that the NBA wants to curb tanking to the extent possible. And here’s my take on a tournament, draft protections, etc.

• On a tournament: The worst team in the NBA will be among the least talented as well. I don’t see a tournament being fair to those teams who will likely have a lower pick and get punished for being bad AND not have the talented enough to win either.
• Draft pick protections on trades: This is a fair move to make.
• Prohibiting back-to-back Top 4 picks: I think Top 4 may be a bit too restrictive. But I can see teams being prohibited from a Top 2 pick for consecutive years.
• Locking lottery positions early: Locking the positions by a certain date sounds good in theory, but then teams that are looking to tank will tank even harder in the first several months of the season. Not sure the records of such teams will improve very much after Mar. 1 or whatever arbitrary date they settle on.

I liked the responses from the Feed post and provided some more thoughts. Anyway, do you have more opinions on this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Thankfully, the NBA returns to action following the All-Star break with a big 10 games on the schedule for hungry basketball bettors to dig into, and I’m double-dipping on some big swings in tonight’s action.

I’m backing a pair of big men who have played limited minutes lately but who should be primed for big performances coming out of the break.

Those and more NBA picks for Thursday, February 26 below.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Kelly Oubre Jr.	Over 5.5 rebounds	+110
Jakob Poeltl	Double-double	+625
Nikola Vucevic	Double-double	+195

Prop #1: Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 5.5 Rebounds

+110 at bet365

The Atlanta Hawks have a great rebounder in All-Star Jalen Johnson. However, the Hawks are not a particularly strong rebounding team. They aren’t even a mediocre one. 

The Hawks own the fourth-worst rebounding rate and surrender the fifth-highest opponent rebounds per game. That means I’m fading them with a Philadelphia 76ers rebounding prop.

My favorite on the board is Kelly Oubre Jr. The Sixers’ wing pulled down 5.7 rebounds per game over his last seven games heading into the break. His number is at 5.5, a number he’s topped four times in that seven-game stretch.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Atlanta, NBCSP

Prop #2: Jakob Poeltl Double-Double

+625 at bet365

If Jakob Poeltl isn’t a full go for the Toronto Raptors by now, he might never be. 

The Raps' big man played 20 minutes in his return from injury, going for nine points and six rebounds against the Detroit Pistons.

Now, he’s even more rested and gets a great matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Chicago plays really small these days, thanks to injuries and trading away Nikola Vucevic. 

The Bulls surrender the fourth-most points in the paint per game this season and are 28th in rebounding rate over the last five games.

This sets up well for a classic Jak attack.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet, CHSN

Prop #3: Nikola Vucevic Double-Double

+195 at bet365

Speaking of Vucevic, while he isn’t starting for the Boston Celtics, he’s still having the same impact if he were, and is as efficient as he’s ever been. 

Vucevic is averaging 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds playing 26 minutes per game as a member of the Celtics. He’s also recorded two double-doubles in three games with his new team, and I’m betting he gets another tonight.

He faces the Golden State Warriors, whose best interior presence is still Draymond Green. The Dubs now rank 23rd in rebounding rate. Vuc should clean the glass while hitting double digits in the scoring column.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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