NBA Player News

The Nuggets were initially scheduled to play in Charlotte on Friday, but that game has been postponed due to COVID-19 contact tracing for the Hornets. The Cavs also have a five-day gap in the schedule after Wednesday’s game vs. the Spurs was postponed, so they’ll each pick up a new game in an attempt to avoid back-loading the schedule more than necessary.

Walker signed to play in Lithuania after the Celtics waived him in October, but he will return to the United States to suit up for Philadelphia. Walker played well for Brooklyn last season and will have a chance to play a significant reserve role for the 76ers. If that happens, he’ll split guard minutes with Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler, who have been the top two reserve guards for Philly as of late.

Payton started Charlotte’s final game before the All-Star break with LaMelo Ball (ankle) sidelined, and he’ll remain with the team until February 28. Payton will only be able to provide value in standard leagues if he starts, and he will be a reliable source of assists in that scenario. They play the Lakers on Wednesday, and if Ball remains out, Payton may be in line for another start.

Powell has been sidelined since January 17, but even when he has been available this season, he has only played 7.6 minutes per game. However, with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively III all sidelined, Powell may end up moving into the starting lineup and playing a significant role when he returns. Powell has averaged 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a starter in his career. The Mavericks return to the court on Friday against the Pelicans, and if Powell is able to suit up, he is worth considering for a roster spot, especially in deeper leagues.

Despite Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart reportedly expecting to make their respective Wizards debuts after the break, the team has rewarded a player who has performed well for their G League affiliate. Stevenson, a shooting guard who went undrafted after completing his college career at West Virginia, has averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game for the Capital City Go-Go. To free up a roster spot for Stevenson, the Wizards have waived Jaylen Nowell.

Doncic played his first two games as a Laker before the break, logging 24 and 23 minutes in two matchups with Utah. He missed 19 games with a strained right calf, so the conservative approach to Doncic’s playing time was expected. According to Stein, the Lakers will likely maintain that strategy as Doncic continues to work off the rust and get acclimated to his new situation. The Lakers play three games for the remainder of Week 16, beginning with a Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back. Luka is expected to miss one of those games (vs. Charlotte, at Portland), giving Dorian Finney-Smith added streaming value in deep leagues.

The 2025 NBA All-Star game was received rather disappointingly from fans, pundits and players alike, leading to the obvious question - what’s next? One idea that’s received traction among international players is a game pitting All Stars from the USA against All Stars from the international community. Sengun - who played in his first All-Star game - said “Of course, I think it would be nice. You know, that’s not my decision, but yeah, they try different stuff every year, and I’m excited to see what’s gonna happen next year.” Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama supported the idea, too. It’s unclear if the NBA will stick with its new, four-team, single-elimination tournament.

Irving told reporters that “we’re in the process of that right now, just trying to figure out the best route for me to be eligible. There’s a lot of paperwork involved. Obviously, USA still has a decision to make, but for me, I’m just trying to do what’s best.” Irving represented the USA in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he helped his team win gold. If it happens, the switch would be a huge boost to an already competitive Australian national team.

15 of Tatum’s 21 points came in Team Shaq’s 41-25 win over Team Chuck in the championship of the 2025 All-Star Game. Tatum’s 15 were the most in any individual matchup of the All-Star Game, and his 21 points across the two games were the most by any player as he edged out Stephen Curry’s 20 for the lead. Curry’s theatrics and the game being played in the Warriors’ arena may have factored into Curry winning All-Star MVP over Tatum, but the Celtics star was still fantastic.

The All-Star Game was played in San Francisco, so it’s only right that Steph was named MVP. He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six three-pointers across their two games, with 12 of those points coming in the championship. Curry put on a show, which was highlighted by a three-point shot from nearly halfcourt to put Team Shaq up 26-15 over Team Kenny. This was Curry’s second time winning All-Star MVP, with the first coming in 2022.

This is a cumulative line over two games. The No. 1 overall pick in 2023 played in his first All-Star Game on Sunday, but he wasn’t able to help Team Chuck walk away victorious. Wemby scored 11 of his 17 points in the championship game against Team Shaq, which was nearly half of his team’s 25 points. Wembanyama didn’t have much help from his teammates in the championship, but he still played well in his first of many All-Star appearances.