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 competition, the main target has turned to the Could 10 NBA draft lottery order and the way it impacts their franchises.
The 2026 draft (June 25 and 26) is broadly 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 a number of the most overt tanking efforts in years.
Elsewhere, the Golden State Warriors count on Stephen Curry to return Sunday in opposition to the Houston Rockets after lacking 27 video games with a proper knee harm; the Los Angeles Lakers introduced Friday that famous person Luka Doncic will miss the remainder of the common season with a hamstring harm; and the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration investigation continues on with no sign of ending. Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t deal with the investigation finally 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 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 out to be assured if Williamson’s mixed physique weight and physique fats proportion is lower than 295. There have been seven occasions 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 competition, have 4 video games left on their schedule. — Bobby Marks
April 3
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 proper hamstring harm, sources advised 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 possibilities 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 referred to 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 one 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 delivery of his daughter. The applying should 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 offered 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 might have important monetary implications for Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.
Within the situation Maxey is called All-NBA this season, he would turn out to be 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 yr 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 complete clutch factors. — Bobby Marks
April 2
The investigation into an alleged deal between the LA Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the corporate Aspiration is ongoing, sources advised ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
“Wachtell’s investigation is ongoing,” stated an NBA spokesperson. “There’s extra work to be achieved 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 newest on the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Tim Bontemps talked to executives throughout the league in regards to the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, together with whom they imagine can be taken with the primary total choice, what considerations entrance places of work have with prospects and most closely fits.
“I feel this draft is, in some methods, just like the [2024 Zaccharie] Risacher yr, however on a better degree,” they stated. “That yr it was like, ‘Is anybody going to be actually good?’ This yr, it is like, ‘Properly, s—, there’s quite a lot of guys.’ You may have excessive confidence that not less than a few of them are going to be actually, actually good. You are probably not certain 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 Could 10 forward of the draft on June 25 and 26.
Learn extra: 2026 NBA draft: What scouts, execs are watching in prime 5 picks
March 31
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin broke down the six potential avenues LeBron James might take this offseason, together with staying with the Los Angeles Lakers, returning house to Cleveland and or touchdown with some stunning 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 advised ESPN. “I have been pondering lots about it. His sport goes to be much more dominant within the playoffs and each sport he will get an increasing number of into your head. In Recreation 1, your gamers will take into consideration him on a few of their photographs. By Recreation 4, they will be having full-on nightmares.”
The Spurs are at present two video games behind the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for the highest seed within the Western Convention.
Learn extra: NBA intel: Spurs title buzz grows amongst execs, coaches, scouts
