ALL THE LATEST INTEL

The 2025-26NBA regular seasonis complete and the first-roundplayoff pictureis nearly set, but buzz aroundJune's draftand the 2026offseasonis already humming.

For the teams alreadyeliminated from playoff contention, the focus has turned to the draft lottery May 10 and how it will impact each franchise. The 2026 draft is widely viewed asdeep and talented; several of the top players are expected to befuture starsin the league, which has resulted in some of the most overttanking effortsin years.

Check back here for all the latest buzz, news and reactions from our EasyChamp insiders, with the latest info at the top:

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The NBA retroactively assessedCharlotte HornetsguardLaMelo Ballwith aflagrant foul 2for trippingMiami HeatcenterBam Adebayoin Tuesday's Eastern Conference play-in game, which Charlotte won in overtime thanks to Ball's last-second layup.

But for the Heat and their fans, it doesn't erase Adebayo's injury, it doesn't remove Ball from Friday's 8-9 game against theOrlando Magicand it all but certainly won't impact the Hornets should they reach the first round.

That's because one quirk of the tournament's addition is that, not unlike the NBA Cup title game, the play-in tournament lives as its own statistical entity. They are neither playoff nor regular-season games, with no bearing on postseason and regular-season stats or awards.

That's also the case with flagrant foul points, which can have a massive impact when they start to add up. In 2016,Draymond Greenwassuspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finalsfor accumulating four flagrant points over the course of the postseason, something that helped Cleveland pull off its stunning 3-1 comeback.

While the Hornets' playoff stay isn't likely to last as long -- Charlotte needs to win Friday just to set up a first-round meeting with the top-seededDetroit Pistons-- Ball entering the playoffs with two flagrant points would have at least given heft to the belated punishment.

Instead, the decision felt fairly hollow. And in asking sources around the league Wednesday ahead of the NBA's announcement that Ball wouldn't be suspended, opinions were mixed. Some argued that a hefty fine would suffice, because you shouldn't retroactively remove him from the next game because of Adebayo's unfortunate injury. Others argued the opposite, saying he should have to sit out Friday's win-and-in showdown.

None of it, however, will reverse the agonizing end to Miami's season.

"I'm not really thinking about that anymore," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters Thursday during the team's exit interviews. "I don't think [Ball] is a dirty player. It should have been caught in the moment, and it wasn't. And you move on."-- Tim Bontemps

Brian is joined by EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to cover the two exciting play-in games from Tuesday night, including the wild ending between theCharlotte HornetsandMiami Heatand whetherLaMelo Ball's controversial trip ofBam Adebayowill have ramifications moving forward. They then move on to thePortland Trail Blazers' late win over thePhoenix Sunsin the West before closing on previews of this week's other play-in games.

The Hornets will face the loser of Wednesday'sOrlando Magic-Philadelphia 76ersplay-in game for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Friday.

TheMiami Heatand team president Pat Riley will be in the market for a superstar this offseason, including theMilwaukee Bucks'Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources report's Shams Charania.

"The Heat, Pat Riley, it's clear around the NBA when I talk to rival executives: Pat Riley wants his whale, his shark, his tiger," Charania said on "NBA Today." "They'll be back in the Giannis hunt and then whatever star they can find that becomes available to see, 'Can we get that No. 1 guy?'"

The Heat play theCharlotte Hornetson Tuesday night to keep their season alive as the No. 10 team in the East play-in.

EasyChamp's Tim MacMahon detailed theDallas Mavericks' search for a new head of basketball operations on his podcast, "Howdy Partners," on Tuesday. Dallas has targeted theMinnesota Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, for the same position with the franchise.

MacMahon also listedDetroit Pistonsvice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsay as a potential target for the Mavericks opening.

Brian is joined by EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to discuss the final day of the NBA regular season, including how upsets influenced the playoff seeding. They then move on to the most exciting first-round playoff storylines and if theLos Angeles Lakerscan get their injured stars back in the first round. They close on interesting comments from theMilwaukee Bucks'Giannis Antetokounmpoabout his future with the franchise.

The Lakers face theHouston Rocketsin the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

After seeing his season cut short a year ago because of ablood clot in his right shoulder,Victor Wembanyamais now eligible for postseason awards. He reached the 65-game criterion in theSan Antonio Spurs'139-120 winover theDallas Maverickson Friday night. He finished with 40 points and 13 rebounds in just 26 minutes.

Wembanyama is eligible to sign a five-year, $251 million extension this offseason. Because he was ineligible for league honors last year, there are no financial implications in the extension if he were named All-NBA or Defensive Player of the Year this season.

The extension will likely include a 30% clause that increases the total amount $50 million if he is named MVP, All-NBA or Defensive Player of the Year in 2026-27.

Wembanyama has 10 games of at least 20 points and 15 rebounds this season. That trails onlyTim Duncanfor the most in Spurs history. He has 16 games of at least 25 points and four blocks this season, the most by any player. --Bobby Marks

After failing to reach an extension last offseason, theDetroit Pistons'Jalen Durenis set to cash in.

Duren, who is a restricted free agent this summer, has now reached the 65-game mark to be eligible for All-NBA honors. Entering their game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Duren had played 68 games. However, four of the games did not qualify because he played fewer than 15 minutes.

Due to a clause in the CBA, Duren and his representatives are allowed to negotiate a contract up to 30% of the maximum salary if he's named to an All-NBA team. The contract can be for up to five years and $287 million.

If Duren is not named All-NBA, he is eligible for a five-year, $239 million contract.

Duren led the NBA in total points per game and was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career. --Bobby Marks

TheGolden State Warriorshave announcedStephen Currywill miss Thursday night's game against theLos Angeles Lakersdue to it falling on a back-to-back, as the star player returns from injury.

The missed game means that Curry andLeBron Jameswill not have met in the regular season, and they likely won't meet in the playoffs.

ThePhiladelphia 76ersannounced thatJoel Embiidwill undergo surgery for appendicitis in Houston on Thursday afternoon. They also reported that further updates will come.

EasyChamp's Anthony Slater talked to players, coaches and executives about how they feel about tanking in the NBA and the future it has in the league.

Brian is joined by EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to discuss theChicago Bullsfiring president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley and why the franchise could finally be moving in the right direction. They then move on to the potential playoff matchups, including the possibility of an intriguing series between theCleveland CavaliersandAtlanta Hawksand why theDenver Nuggets' wins of late have them set up for a deep playoff run. They close on whether theLos Angeles Lakersshould shut downLeBron Jamesfor the regular season

TheChicago Bullsare expected to engage a search firm in order to find a replacement for vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, whom the teamfired after six seasonsrunning the basketball operations department, sources report.

It's a different approach from the process Chicago used when it hired Karnisovas in 2020. Team president and CEO Michael Resindorf said then that he targeted the top "No. 2" in basketball and went after general managers such as Karnisovas, who was then with theDenver Nuggets, and Bobby Webster, who was then general manager of theToronto Raptors, but has since been promoted to their head of basketball operations.

This is only the second time since 2003 that the Bulls have hired a new head of basketball operations. Before Karnisovas got the job in 2020, John Paxson assumed the role for 17 years from 2003 to '20. Karnisovas and Eversley went 224-254 across six seasons leading the organization to one winning season and one playoff appearance.

Even though Chicago sits 29-49 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, the opening is expected to be an attractive one around the league. The Bulls have flexibility on how they can build their roster with their own lottery pick, approximately $60 million in cap space and young players on the roster without long-term salary commitments.

Chicago is still expected to try toretain coach Billy Donovanin some capacity after the season. --Jamal Collier

EasyChamp's Shams Charania went inside the drama between two-time MVPGiannis Antetokounmpoand theMilwaukee Bucks, as a crucial summer window approaches. The story details what has led to the falling out in Milwaukee and what it means for the future of both Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

The Bucks have officially been eliminated from the playoffs.

TheChicago Bullshave dismissed the executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley after six seasons, sources report's Shams Charania.

The 29-49 Bulls sit in 12th in the East and are bound for the lottery.

The North Carolina Tar Heels areexpected to hireformerDenver Nuggetscoach Michael Malone for the same position with the school, sources report Pete Thamel.

Malone won the 2022-23 NBA championship with the Nuggets.

Brian is joined by EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to discussCooper Flagg's big weekend and where the Rookie of the Year award race currently stands. They then jump into the biggest storylines over the final week of the regular season, including the drama between theMilwaukee BucksandGiannis Antetokounmpo, the playoff races to watch and the mounting injuries hampering theLos Angeles Lakers' playoff hopes.

New Orleans PelicansforwardZion Williamsonhas reached another financial benchmark for games played.

The salary protection for his $42.2 million salary in 2026-27 was nonguaranteed headed into the season. But now that he has played in 61 games, 80% ($33.7 million) of his $42.2 million salary for next season is protected.

The remaining $8.4 million will become guaranteed if Williamson's combined body weight and body fat percentage is less than 295. There were seven times he was required to weigh in this season. It's unclear what he weighed during those check-ins.

Williamson has one of the league's most unusual contracts. His salary next season and in 2027-28 originally became nonguaranteed when he missed more than 22 games in the 2022-23 season. His $44.9 million salary in 2027-28 remains nonguaranteed.

The 61 games played this season is tied for the third most in his career. He's averaging 21.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Pelicans, who have been eliminated from playoff contention, have four games left ontheir schedule. --Bobby Marks

Los Angeles LakersstarLuka Doncicis out indefinitely with a Grade 2 right hamstring injury, sources report's Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin. Doncic will miss the rest of the regular season, and his availability for the playoffs is uncertain.

In the 20 minutes after the news broke, the Lakers' title chances dropped from 30-1 to 100-1, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

Doncic, who has played in 64 games and ranked fourth inESPN's latest MVP straw poll, will apply for what's called an "extraordinary circumstances challenge" to the 65-game rule for award consideration, per his agent, Bill Duffy.

sources report's Bobby Marks, Doncic can apply the exception for the two games he missed in December for the birth of his daughter. The application must be made no earlier than 12 p.m. ET on the last day of the regular season and no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day after the last day of the regular season.

Doncic signed a three-year extension last August and has been named All-NBA in five of the six previous seasons.

There will be no financial implications in his next contract if the application is denied.

Though the Lakers haven't provided a timeline for his return, Grade 2 hamstring injuries typically require a monthlong recovery. Doncic has averaged a league-high 33.5 points this season, along with 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists.

The Lakers, who have gone 8-2 in their past 10 games, are third in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the No. 4-seededDenver Nuggets, 2.5 games ahead of the No. 5-seededHouston Rocketsand 3.5 ahead of the No. 6-seededMinnesota Timberwolves.

Reaching the 65-game criteriafor postseason honors could have significant financial implications forPhiladelphia 76ersguardTyrese Maxey.

In the scenario Maxey is named All-NBA this season, he would become eligible to sign a four-year, $300 million supermax extension in the 2027 offseason if he is also named All-NBA next season. The first year of the extension would begin in 2029-30.

A player with seven or eight years of NBA service is supermax eligible if they are named All-NBA in the immediately preceding season or in two of the immediately preceding three seasons. Maxey ranks fourth in the league in points per game (28.8) and third in total clutch points. --Bobby Marks

Brian is joined by EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to go over this season's final edition of the MVP straw poll, including whetherVictor Wembanyamastill has a chance to catch reigning MVP,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for the award. They also cover the close battle in the Rookie of the Year race betweenKon KnueppelandCooper Flagg.

The investigation into an alleged deal between the LA Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the company Aspiration is ongoing, sources report's Baxter Holmes.

The news broke in September of 2025 that the Clippers were being investigated over allegation that a $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration constituted salary cap circumvention. Owner Steve Ballmer has denied the allegations.

EasyChamp's Jeremy Woo and Tim Bontemps talked to executives across the league about the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, including whom they believe will be taken with the first overall selection, what concerns front offices have with prospects and best fits.

The NBA draft lottery takes place on May 10 ahead of the draft on June 25 and 26.

EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin broke down the six possible avenues LeBron James could take this offseason, including staying with the Los Angeles Lakers, returning home to Cleveland and or landing with some surprising wildcard teams around the league.

In their weekly intel file, EasyChamp's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst talked to coaches, front offices and scouts to gauge the growing hype around the San Antonio Spurs' playoff run.

The Spurs are currently two games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed in the Western Conference.