NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Major Injuries & Returns
James Harden espn.com will miss Wednesday's game after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb during Tuesday's matchup against the Knicks. Meanwhile, Dejounte Murray espn.com is expected to make his long-awaited return from a ruptured Achilles tendon when the Pelicans host the Warriors on Tuesday night.
Player Movement & Suspensions
Banned by the NBA espn.com, Jontay Porter is planning to join the upstart USBL's Super Hawks as he awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to a federal charge related to gambling. In other movement news, Jonathan Kuminga espn.com shined in his debut for the Hawks after months of riding the bench in Golden State, while Coby White espn.com is set to make his Hornets debut against his former Bulls team on Tuesday.
Team Updates & Coaching Changes
The Lakers have added former Virginia coach Tony Bennett espn.com as an NBA draft adviser to president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka. New Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen espn.com made it clear that GM Rob Pelinka will remain in his role and be flanked by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi.
All-Star Weekend & Awards
Suns owner Mat Ishbia espn.com wants more star players participating in All-Star Weekend events when Phoenix hosts next year and is offering a $1 million prize to the winners of the competitions. Meanwhile, MVP odds espn.com have tightened with the top two betting favorites -- Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver's Nikola Jokic -- at risk of not qualifying for the award due to potential rest days.
Notable Performances & Games
The Kings snapped a 16-game losing streak -- the longest in franchise history -- with a 123-114 victory over the Grizzlies on Monday night, led by Russell Westbrook's espn.com 25 points. The Spurs won their ninth straight game, beating the Pistons in what coach Rick Carlisle called a "potential NBA Finals preview" on Monday night.
Health Updates
Bulls guard Anfernee Simons espn.com aggravated a fractured left wrist that he suffered while with the Celtics, and the team did not offer a timeline for his return. Hawks All-Star forward Jalen Johnson espn.com played only 5½ minutes before leaving Tuesday's win over the Wizards with a left hip flexor injury. Utah center Jusuf Nurkic espn.com will undergo nose surgery this week and sit out the rest of the season.
Lineup Changes
The Hawks have removed former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher espn.com from the starting lineup in favor of veteran CJ Mc Collum. Meanwhile, Hawks coach Quin Snyder espn.com questioned the NBA's process for fining the Pacers $100K for violating the league's player participation policy, claiming the league did not speak with team doctors or players before issuing the fine.
International & Future Events
Kevin Durant espn.com told ESPN that he plans to play in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. With Los Angeles 2028 up next on the Olympic calendar, USA Basketball espn.com faces a new era with a new coach and new decisions to make.
Historical & Cultural Notes
In late 2002, Nike began creating a global campaign featuring the black mamba -- and presented it to an NBA superstar. That star was not Kobe Bryant espn.com. Meanwhile, Hall of Fame finalist Marques Johnson espn.com celebrated another year with his annual birthday dunk.
Controversies & Fines
The NBA fined Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. espn.com and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner $35,000 each for their scuffle in a game over the weekend. Additionally, a grand jury returned a no-bill in the case involving former NBA guard Patrick Beverley espn.com, who was arrested last fall in what police called a "family violence" incident.
Fantasy & League Analysis
A look around the league reveals Zion Williamson espn.com finding the ability to stay on the court, plus emerging options on the Clippers, Kings and Jazz. Every week in fantasy basketball, there are available players who can help fill holes in your roster. Here are the ones to add for the week ahead, including Malachi Melton espn.com, Bruce Wallace, and Rudy Gobert.
Power Rankings & Future Outlook
NBA insiders break down where all 30 teams land coming out of the All-Star break in the latest power rankings espn.com. our NBA insiders break down the biggest questions for 10 lottery-bound teams after the trade deadline and ahead of the draft in their analysis of the NBA's 10 worst teams espn.com.