The 2025-26 NBA common season is coming to a detailed and the playoff image is beginning to solidify, however buzz across the draft and offseason is already buzzing.
For the ten groups already eradicated from playoff rivalry, the main focus has turned to the Might 10 NBA draft lottery order and the way it impacts their franchises.
The 2026 draft (June 25 and 26) is extensively considered as deep and proficient; a number of of the highest gamers are anticipated to be future stars within the league, which has resulted in among the most overt tanking efforts in years.
Elsewhere, the Golden State Warriors anticipate Stephen Curry to return Sunday towards the Houston Rockets after lacking 27 video games with a proper knee harm; the Los Angeles Lakers introduced Friday that celebrity Luka Doncic will miss the remainder of the common season with a hamstring harm; and the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration investigation continues on for ever and ever. Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t deal with the investigation ultimately week’s board of governors assembly.
Here is what our insiders are listening to from their sources throughout the league.
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April 6
Brian is joined by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to debate Cooper Flagg’s large weekend and the place the Rookie of the Yr award race at the moment stands. They then soar into the largest storylines over the ultimate week of the common season, together with the drama between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the playoff races to look at and the mounting accidents hampering the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes.
Extra: Full episode breakdowns
April 4
Williamson unlocks extra money in 61st sport
New Orleans Pelicans ahead Zion Williamson has reached one other monetary benchmark for video games performed.
The wage safety for his $42.2 million wage in 2026-27 was nonguaranteed headed into the season. However now that he has performed in 61 video games, 80% ($33.7 million) of his $42.2 million wage for subsequent season is protected.
The remaining $8.4 million will turn into assured if Williamson’s mixed physique weight and physique fats proportion is lower than 295. There have been seven instances he was required to weigh on this season. It is unclear what he weighed throughout these check-ins.
Williamson has one of many league’s most uncommon contracts. His wage subsequent season and in 2027-28 initially turned nonguaranteed when he missed greater than 22 video games within the 2022-23 season. His $44.9 million wage in 2027-28 stays nonguaranteed.
The 61 video games performed this season is tied for the third most in his profession. He is averaging 21.1 factors and 5.7 rebounds per sport. The Pelicans, who’ve been eradicated from playoff rivalry, have 4 video games left on their schedule. — Bobby Marks
1:49
Shams: Luka out remainder of common season, playoff standing ‘unsure’
Shams Charania joins “SportsCenter” to offer the most recent on Luka Doncic’s hamstring harm suffered Thursday evening towards the Thunder.
April 3
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 proper hamstring harm, sources instructed ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin. Doncic will miss the remainder of the common season, and his availability for the playoffs is unsure.
Within the 20 minutes after the information broke, the Lakers’ title probabilities dropped from 30-1 to 100-1, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
Doncic, who has performed in 64 video games and ranked fourth in ESPN’s newest MVP straw ballot, will apply for what’s known as an “extraordinary circumstances problem” to the 65-game rule for award consideration, per his agent, Invoice Duffy.
Assertion from Luka Doncic’s agent Invoice Duffy of WME Basketball: “This season, Luka Dončić has carried out at a historic degree, main the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to 3rd place within the Western Convention and inserting himself in the midst of some of the tightly… https://t.co/bKVOmzheDE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2026
Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Doncic can apply the exception for the 2 video games he missed in December for the beginning of his daughter. The applying have to be made no sooner than 12 p.m. ET on the final day of the common season and no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day after the final day of the common season.
Doncic signed a three-year extension final August and has been named All-NBA in 5 of the six earlier seasons.
There can be no monetary implications in his subsequent contract if the appliance is denied.
Although the Lakers have not supplied a timeline for his return, Grade 2 hamstring accidents usually require a monthlong restoration. Doncic has averaged a league-high 33.5 factors this season, together with 7.7 rebounds and eight.3 assists.
The Lakers, who’ve gone 8-2 of their previous 10 video games, are third within the Western Convention, one sport forward of the No. 4-seeded Denver Nuggets, 2.5 video games forward of the No. 5-seeded Houston Rockets and three.5 forward of the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
Maxey reaches necessary milestone
Reaching the 65-game standards for postseason honors may have important monetary implications for Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.
Within the state of affairs Maxey is called All-NBA this season, he would turn into eligible to signal a four-year, $300 million supermax extension within the 2027 offseason if he’s additionally named All-NBA subsequent season. The primary 12 months of the extension would start in 2029-30.
A participant with seven or eight years of NBA service is supermax eligible if they’re named All-NBA within the instantly previous season or in two of the instantly previous three seasons. Maxey ranks fourth within the league in factors per sport (28.8) and third in whole clutch factors. — Bobby Marks
Brian is joined by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to go over this season’s closing version of the MVP straw ballot, together with whether or not Victor Wembanyama nonetheless has an opportunity to catch reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for the award. In addition they cowl the shut battle within the Rookie of the Yr race between Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg.
Extra: Full episode breakdowns
April 2
The investigation into an alleged deal between the LA Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the corporate Aspiration is ongoing, sources instructed ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
“Wachtell’s investigation is ongoing,” stated an NBA spokesperson. “There may be extra work to be performed and no set timeline.”
The information broke in September of 2025 that the Clippers have been being investigated over allegation {that a} $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration constituted wage cap circumvention. Proprietor Steve Ballmer has denied the allegations.
Learn extra: The most recent on the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Tim Bontemps talked to executives throughout the league concerning the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, together with whom they consider can be taken with the primary total choice, what issues entrance places of work have with prospects and most closely fits.
“I feel this draft is, in some methods, much like the [2024 Zaccharie] Risacher 12 months, however on a better degree,” they stated. “That 12 months it was like, ‘Is anybody going to be actually good?’ This 12 months, it is like, ‘Effectively, s—, there’s plenty of guys.’ You have got excessive confidence that at the very least a few of them are going to be actually, actually good. You are probably not positive which of them.
“You do not need to be drafting at 1 and find yourself with the fifth-best participant.”
The NBA draft lottery takes place on Might 10 forward of the draft on June 25 and 26.
Learn extra: 2026 NBA draft: What scouts, execs are watching in high 5 picks
March 31
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin broke down the six doable avenues LeBron James may take this offseason, together with staying with the Los Angeles Lakers, returning residence to Cleveland and or touchdown with some shocking wildcard groups across the league.
Learn extra: Subsequent for LeBron? NBA insiders on Lakers, Cavs, free company choices
March 27
Of their weekly intel file, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst talked to coaches, entrance places of work and scouts to gauge the rising hype across the San Antonio Spurs’ playoff run.
“They’re my favourite now,” the scout instructed ESPN. “I have been pondering quite a bit about it. His sport goes to be much more dominant within the playoffs and each sport he’ll get an increasing number of into your head. In Recreation 1, your gamers will take into consideration him on a few of their pictures. By Recreation 4, they will be having full-on nightmares.”
The Spurs are at the moment two video games behind the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for the highest seed within the Western Convention.
Learn extra: NBA intel: Spurs title buzz grows among execs, coaches, scouts