Tag: Fox Sport News

Fact or Fiction: The Thunder won the trade deadline

Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.

Last week: LeBron James belongs in the All-Star Game

Fact or Fiction: The Thunder won the trade deadline

If nobody drastically improved at the NBA’s 2026 trade deadline, did the Oklahoma City Thunder — heavy betting favorites for this year’s championship, before and after — win it?

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There were more winners and losers, of course, but in terms of the title picture — what actually matters this season — can anyone match the defending champions on talent?

After all, the Thunder were the only serious contender — and the only team with a winning record, in fact — to trade a first-round draft pick at the deadline. They traded one of their many first-round picks (probably the one belonging to the fourth-place Houston Rockets), along with a trio of second-rounders, to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jared McCain, who was in the Rookie of the Year conversation last season before surgery on a torn left meniscus.

McCain averaged a 14-4-4 (on 39/38/88 shooting splits) per 36 minutes, almost entirely off the bench, for the Sixers in 37 appearances this season. It will be difficult for him to crack a guard rotation that is headlined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell, though injuries to SGA (now out through the All-Star break with an abdominal strain) and Mitchell (hip) have left the door open for additional contributions.

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And McCain could contribute. He was averaging a far more efficient 21.4 points per 36 minutes before his knee injury, and he remains on a rookie contract through the 2027-28 season. The Thunder must have liked him more than whoever they figured they might get with Houston’s pick, and for good reason. McCain is good. He may not meaningfully alter their championship odds, but they were already the team to beat, and they got deeper.

(Of course, this all hinges on the health of Gilgeous-Alexander, as it does for any team and its superstar. Let us not pretend that McCain is some sort of SGA insurance. He may help in the absences of Mitchell, who hardly played on last year’s title run, and other guards.)

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And if the Thunder are willing to spend a first-round pick to get deeper, then shouldn’t everyone else in pursuit of the defending champions be willing to spend even more?

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Well, not so fast. The Thunder own a dozen first-round picks over the next handful of years, as many as any other team, and that is what makes them so unique. They have both constructed the best roster and compiled the most draft assets, all at the same time.

In fact, the Thunder own the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick, and they just traded two of their three best players — James Harden and Ivica Zubac — for a collection that includes Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and multiple picks in each round of the draft. They all but guaranteed they will hand-deliver a lottery pick to the Thunder in June. Another reason the Thunder may have won the deadline.

It’s not as though nobody tried to get better. It’s just that no contender took a big swing.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves scored Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls for a package that included Rob Dillingham and four second-round picks. Dosunmu is very good, posting a 21-4-5 on 51/45/85 shooting splits(!) per 36 minutes, mostly off the bench, for Chicago.

Dosunmu deepens a playoff outfit that includes Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid. They were already capable of giving the Thunder a series, as their 2-1 record against OKC indicates, and with Dosunmu in place of a 38-year-old Mike Conley they are a little deeper on the back end of their rotation.

[Get more Thunder news: Oklahoma City team feed]

The Timberwolves failed in rumored pursuits of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant. Three of the bigger names to move ahead of the deadline — Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young — joined the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, two teams that have strong incentive (with picks protected only for the top eight) to lose the rest of the year.

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(The Jazz owe their pick to the Thunder if it falls anywhere from 9-30.)

The other big name, Harden, joined a Cleveland Cavaliers team that was looking up in the Eastern Conference standings at the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. It was a bet on a 36-year-old against a 26-year-old’s health, and it is unclear whether it made the Cavaliers any better than the second-round playoff fodder they were in 2025.

The Pistons, Knicks and Celtics all made moves on the fringes, respectively turning Jaden Ivey, Guerschon Yabusele and Anfernee Simons into Kevin Huerter, Jose Alvarado and Nikola Vučević. While all of those deals extend their rotations, none of them close what is perceived to be a significant gap between the East and whoever emerges from the West.

Speaking of which, neither the Denver Nuggets nor San Antonio Spurs — arguably the two biggest threats to the Thunder, when healthy — made any moves ahead of the deadline. Likewise, the Rockets, who were already teetering on the brink of serious contention, with injuries to both Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, did nothing to further bolster the roster.

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The Los Angeles Lakers, the fringiest of title contenders, turned two-way guard Gabe Vincent and a second-round pick into sharpshooter Luke Kennard, and it is hard to see how that move helps their 24th-rated defense. Maybe they just stun OKC on offense.

In reality, though, where there are only a handful of challengers who could upset the Thunder, none of them closed the gap on the current betting favorites. While that does not guarantee the defending champions of a repeat, it allows them to breathe a sigh of relief, as they are now assured of carrying their edge on talent into the playoffs, if healthy.

Determination: Fact. The Thunder won the deadline.

February 22, 2026

Justin Boone’s 2026 running back dynasty rankings and trade value charts for February

Justin Boone is a two-time winner of the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award (2019, 2025) and has nine top-10 finishes in the competition.

Once per month, he’ll be updating his dynasty trade value charts in this space, while providing insights when major moves happen.

These charts are based on 12-team PPR leagues and should be used as a guide to compare players and build trade offers. So bookmark this page and check back whenever you’re working on your dynasty rosters.

And be sure to follow the links below to see his latest dynasty rankings and values at every position.

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

Note: Each running back is assigned a value in the chart below to help fantasy managers weigh roster and trade decisions.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	PPR
1	Bijan Robinson	108
2	Jahmyr Gibbs	102
3	Ashton Jeanty	85
4	De’Von Achane	79
5	Jonathan Taylor	78
6	James Cook III	75
7	Omarion Hampton	74
8	Chase Brown	67
9	TreVeyon Henderson	66
10	Bucky Irving	66
11	Saquon Barkley	66
12	Cam Skattebo	65
13	RJ Harvey	62
14	Quinshon Judkins	59
15	Christian McCaffrey	55
16	Josh Jacobs	48
17	Kyren Williams	48
18	Breece Hall	48
19	Kenneth Walker III	47
20	Travis Etienne Jr.	42
21	Javonte Williams	36
22	Derrick Henry	34
23	D’Andre Swift	35
24	Bhayshul Tuten	34
25	Kyle Monangai	33
26	Zach Charbonnet	31
27	Rhamondre Stevenson	31
28	Jaylen Warren	31
29	Rico Dowdle	30
30	Trey Benson	30
31	Blake Corum	29
32	Jacory Croskey-Merritt	28
33	Tony Pollard	28
34	Chuba Hubbard	28
35	Tyler Allgeier	27
36	Woody Marks	26
37	David Montgomery	26
38	Jordan Mason	25
39	Braelon Allen	24
40	Aaron Jones Sr.	23
41	James Conner	22
42	Alvin Kamara	22
43	Tyrone Tracy Jr.	22
44	Tyjae Spears	22
45	J.K. Dobbins	22
46	Jonathon Brooks	22
47	Kenneth Gainwell	21
48	Kaleb Johnson	20
49	Rachaad White	19
50	Keaton Mitchell	18
51	Sean Tucker	17
52	Kendre Miller	17
53	Dylan Sampson	16
54	Kimani Vidal	15
55	Jaydon Blue	15
56	Devin Neal	15
57	Brian Robinson Jr.	15
58	Tank Bigsby	15
59	Isiah Pacheco	14
60	Ray Davis	14
61	Ollie Gordon II	14
62	Joe Mixon	13
63	Najee Harris	13
64	Jaylen Wright	12
65	Isaiah Davis	12
66	Chris Rodriguez Jr.	11
67	Emanuel Wilson	11
68	Brashard Smith	11
69	Tahj Brooks	11
70	Jarquez Hunter	10
71	Trevor Etienne	10
72	LeQuint Allen Jr.	10
73	Will Shipley	10
74	MarShawn Lloyd	10
75	Devin Singletary	9
76	Kareem Hunt	9
77	DJ Giddens	9
78	Jordan James	8
79	Emari Demercado	8
80	Jawhar Jordan	7
81	Austin Ekeler	7
82	Bam Knight	7
83	Michael Carter	7
84	Phil Mafah	7
85	Nick Chubb	5
86	Justice Hill	4
87	Isaac Guerendo	4
88	Jerome Ford	4
89	Ty Johnson	4
90	George Holani	4
91	Jaleel McLaughlin	3
92	Ameer Abdullah	2
93	Tyler Badie	2
94	Miles Sanders	1
95	Jeremy McNichols	1
96	Samaje Perine	1
97	Dameon Pierce	1
98	Roschon Johnson	1
99	Zamir White	1
100	Antonio Gibson	1
101	Audric Estime	1
102	Tyler Goodson	1
103	Cam Akers	1
104	Raheem Mostert	1
105	Chris Brooks	1
106	Malik Davis	1
107	Raheim Sanders	1
108	Kalel Mullings	1
109	Rasheen Ali	1
110	Khalil Herbert	1

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

February 22, 2026

Mike Conley Jr. reportedly rejoining Timberwolves after being waived by Hornets

Mike Conley Jr. is returning to Minnesota after a trade deadline pinball trip through the league.

After being traded twice and waived this week, the longtime NBA veteran is planning to return to the Timberwolves as a free agent, according to ESPN. Conley and Minnesota are working out the timing of him re-signing with the team.

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Conley, 38, was first dealt this week from the Wolves to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team trade that sent Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić to the Detroit Pistons. Detroit also received a 2026 protected first-round swap with Minnesota. Also in the deal, Jaden Ivey went from the Pistons to the Bulls.

A day later, Conley was on his way to the Charlotte Hornets with Coby White in exchange for Collin Sexton and three second-round picks. The Bulls also acquired Ousmane Dieng from Charlotte in a deal in which the Oklahoma City Thunder got Mason Plumlee.

Yet neither the Bulls nor Hornets intended to keep Conley and his $10.7 million salary for the 2025-26 campaign. He can be a free agent after the season.

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[Get more Timberwolves news: Minnesota team feed]

The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement says teams are not allowed to trade a player and then re-sign him if he’s waived. However, Conley can return to Minnesota since he was traded a second time before he was let go.

Following the brief interruption to his stay, Conley will resume his fourth season with the Timberwolves. He returns to a Minnesota team that added Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips in another deadline deal that sent Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round picks to Chicago.

Before being dealt, Conley was averaging 4.4 points, 2.9 assists and 1.8 rebounds while limited to 44 games with back spasms and tendinopathy in his right Achilles.

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Overall, Conley has played 19 seasons in the NBA, 12 for the Memphis Grizzlies and four with the Utah Jazz. During his career, he has averaged 13.7 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 39% on 3-pointers.

Minnesota is 32-20 and in sixth place in the West.

February 22, 2026

Justin Boone’s 2026 wide receiver dynasty rankings and trade value charts for February

Justin Boone is a two-time winner of the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award (2019, 2025) and has nine top-10 finishes in the competition.

Once per month, he’ll be updating his dynasty trade value charts in this space, while providing insights when major moves happen.

And be sure to follow the links below to see his latest dynasty rankings and values at every position.

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

Note: Each wide receiver is assigned a value in the chart below to help fantasy managers weigh roster and trade decisions.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	PPR
1	Puka Nacua	105
2	Jaxon Smith-Njigba	105
3	Ja’Marr Chase	103
4	Malik Nabers	95
5	Amon-Ra St. Brown	94
6	CeeDee Lamb	94
7	Drake London	89
8	Justin Jefferson	86
9	Nico Collins	80
10	Rashee Rice	73
11	George Pickens	73
12	Chris Olave	72
13	Tetairoa McMillan	72
14	Garrett Wilson	67
15	Luther Burden III	66
16	Tee Higgins	55
17	Jameson Williams	54
18	Zay Flowers	53
19	DeVonta Smith	52
20	Emeka Egbuka	50
21	Marvin Harrison Jr.	49
22	A.J. Brown	48
23	Jaylen Waddle	48
24	Ladd McConkey	47
25	Christian Watson	45
26	Brian Thomas Jr.	45
27	Rome Odunze	45
28	DK Metcalf	43
29	Ricky Pearsall	41
30	Travis Hunter	40
31	Michael Wilson	39
32	Jordan Addison	38
33	Jayden Higgins	38
34	Terry McLaurin	37
35	Courtland Sutton	37
36	Chris Godwin Jr.	37
37	Jakobi Meyers	36
38	Alec Pierce	36
39	Michael Pittman Jr.	36
40	Davante Adams	35
41	Mike Evans	34
42	Stefon Diggs	33
43	Jauan Jennings	32
44	Wan’Dale Robinson	32
45	Jalen Coker	31
46	Jayden Reed	30
47	Parker Washington	30
48	Matthew Golden	29
49	Quentin Johnston	28
50	Xavier Worthy	27
51	Khalil Shakir	27
52	Josh Downs	27
53	DJ Moore	27
54	Brandon Aiyuk	27
55	Tyreek Hill	27
56	Deebo Samuel Sr.	26
57	Adonai Mitchell	25
58	Pat Bryant	25
59	Kayshon Boutte	24
60	Troy Franklin	24
61	Chimere Dike	23
62	Rashid Shaheed	21
63	Jerry Jeudy	20
64	Tre Harris	20
65	Romeo Doubs	20
66	Jaylin Noel	20
67	Jalen McMillan	20
68	Tre Tucker	19
69	Tory Horton	19
70	Isaac TeSlaa	19
71	Kyle Williams	19
72	Calvin Ridley	17
73	Elic Ayomanor	16
74	Tank Dell	15
75	Darnell Mooney	15
76	Keon Coleman	15
77	Malik Washington	15
78	Ryan Flournoy	14
79	Dontayvion Wicks	13
80	Marvin Mims Jr.	12
81	Keenan Allen	11
82	Rashod Bateman	11
83	Jack Bech	11
84	Xavier Legette	11
85	Isaiah Bond	11
86	Konata Mumpfield	11
87	Mack Hollins	11
88	Darius Slayton	10
89	Devaughn Vele	10
90	Tez Johnson	10
91	DeMario Douglas	10
92	Christian Kirk	10
93	Marquise Brown	10
94	KaVontae Turpin	10
95	Treylon Burks	9
96	Jaylin Lane	8
97	Devontez Walker	8
98	Savion Williams	7
99	KeAndre Lambert-Smith	7
100	Jahan Dotson	7
101	Jalen Nailor	7
102	John Metchie III	6
103	Luke McCaffrey	6
104	Brandin Cooks	6
105	Cooper Kupp	5
106	Cedric Tillman	5
107	Kendrick Bourne	5
108	Joshua Palmer	5
109	Jordan Whittington	5
110	Calvin Austin III	5
111	Arian Smith	5
112	Jimmy Horn Jr.	4
113	Andrei Iosivas	4
114	Demarcus Robinson	4
115	DeAndre Hopkins	3
116	Xavier Hutchinson	3
117	Jalen Royals	3
118	Dont’e Thornton Jr.	2
119	Efton Chism III	2
120	Jordan Watkins	2
121	Malachi Corley	1
122	Roman Wilson	1
123	Tutu Atwell	1
124	Dyami Brown	1
125	Olamide Zaccheaus	1
126	Tyquan Thornton	1
127	Jalen Tolbert	1
128	Jacob Cowing	1
129	Jamari Thrash	1
130	Marquez Valdes-Scantling	1

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

February 22, 2026

Justin Boone’s 2026 tight end dynasty rankings and trade value charts for February

Justin Boone is a two-time winner of the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award (2019, 2025) and has nine top-10 finishes in the competition.

Once per month, he’ll be updating his dynasty trade value charts in this space, while providing insights when major moves happen.

And be sure to follow the links below to see his latest dynasty rankings and values at every position.

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

Note: Each tight end is assigned a value in the chart below to help fantasy managers weigh roster and trade decisions.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	PPR	TE Prem.
1	Trey McBride	76	108
2	Brock Bowers	70	103
3	Colston Loveland	58	85
4	Harold Fannin Jr.	52	79
5	Tucker Kraft	51	76
6	Tyler Warren	45	67
7	Sam LaPorta	36	54
8	Dalton Kincaid	33	48
9	Kyle Pitts Sr.	32	47
10	Oronde Gadsden II	24	37
11	George Kittle	21	34
12	Mason Taylor	20	33
13	Jake Ferguson	19	31
14	Hunter Henry	18	30
15	Dallas Goedert	17	29
16	Brenton Strange	16	28
17	Juwan Johnson	16	28
18	Mark Andrews	16	28
19	Isaiah Likely	16	28
20	Theo Johnson	15	27
21	Dalton Schultz	15	27
22	Travis Kelce	14	26
23	Terrance Ferguson	14	26
24	AJ Barner	13	25
25	T.J. Hockenson	13	25
26	David Njoku	13	25
27	Gunnar Helm	13	25
28	Chig Okonkwo	12	24
29	Colby Parkinson	11	23
30	Pat Freiermuth	10	22
31	Cade Otton	9	20
32	Elijah Arroyo	9	20
33	Darren Waller	8	18
34	Evan Engram	7	17
35	Ja’Tavion Sanders	7	17
36	Jake Tonges	7	17
37	Cole Kmet	6	16
38	Michael Mayer	5	15
39	Mike Gesicki	4	14
40	Zach Ertz	4	14
41	Tyler Higbee	3	13
42	Ben Sinnott	3	13
43	Darnell Washington	2	12
44	Luke Musgrave	2	12
45	Jonnu Smith	2	12
46	Noah Gray	2	11
47	Erick All Jr.	2	11
48	Cade Stover	1	10
49	Luke Schoonmaker	1	9
50	Noah Fant	1	7
51	Jared Wiley	1	7
52	Dawson Knox	1	7
53	Jackson Hawes	1	6
54	Taysom Hill	1	6
55	Charlie Kolar	1	6
56	Mitchell Evans	1	5
57	Greg Dulcich	1	5
58	Davis Allen	1	4
59	Tommy Tremble	1	2
60	Thomas Fidone II	1	2
61	Elijah Higgins	1	2
62	Josh Oliver	1	2
63	Austin Hooper	1	1
64	Jeremy Ruckert	1	1
65	Daniel Bellinger	1	1
66	Grant Calcaterra	1	1
67	Brevin Jordan	1	1
68	Josh Whyle	1	1
69	Moliki Matavao	0	1
70	Tip Reiman	0	1
71	Tanner Hudson	0	1
72	Drew Sample	0	1
73	Durham Smythe	0	1
74	Devin Culp	0	1
75	Brevyn Spann-Ford	0	1

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

February 22, 2026

Justin Boone’s 2026 rookie dynasty draft pick trade value charts for February

Justin Boone is a two-time winner of the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award (2019, 2025) and has nine top-10 finishes in the competition.

Once per month, he’ll be updating his dynasty trade value charts in this space, while providing insights when major moves happen.

And be sure to follow the links below to see his latest dynasty rankings and values at every position.

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

Note: Each draft pick is assigned a value in the chart below to help fantasy managers weigh roster and trade decisions.

2026 Rookie Draft Pick Values

Pick	1QB	2QB
1.01	75	75
1.02	67	67
1.03	66	66
1.04	53	53
1.05	52	52
1.06	46	51
1.07	40	46
1.08	39	40
1.09	37	39
1.10.	35	37
1.11	34	35
1.12	33	34
2.01	28	33
2.02	28	28
2.03	26	28
2.04	24	26
2.05	24	24
2.06	24	24
2.07	21	24
2.08	20	24
2.09	18	23
2.10.	17	21
2.11	17	20
2.12	17	18
3.01	17	17
3.02	16	17
3.03	16	17
3.04	15	17
3.05	15	16
3.06	15	16
3.07	14	15
3.08	13	15
3.09	11	15
3.10.	11	14
3.11	10	14
3.12	10	13
4.01	10	13
4.02	8	12
4.03	7	11
4.04	7	11
4.05	7	10
4.06	7	10
4.07	5	10
4.08	4	8
4.09	3	7
4.10.	1	7
4.11	1	7
4.12	1	7

2027 Rookie Draft Pick Values

Pick	1QB	2QB
Early 1st	70	75
Mid 1st	55	60
Late 1st	40	45
Early 2nd	30	35
Mid 2nd	25	30
Late 2nd	19	23
Early 3rd	12	17
Mid 3rd	9	12
Late 3rd	8	10
Early 4th	6	7
Mid 4th	4	5
Late 4th	3	4

Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values (PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Rookies | Draft Picks

February 22, 2026

Legendary NFL QB Sonny Jurgensen, who starred in Washington and Philadelphia, dies at 91

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen has died. He was 91.

“We are enormously proud of his amazing life and accomplishments on the field, marked not only by a golden arm, but also a fearless spirit and intellect that earned him a place among the legends in Canton. But to those of us who knew him beyond the stadium lights, he was the steady, humorous and deeply loving heart of our family.”

Sonny Jurgensen threw for 32,224 yards and 255 touchdowns during his 18-season NFL career. (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images)

(Nate Fine via Getty Images)

Jurgensen built a prolific, 18-season NFL résumé that was deserving of not only a bust and gold jacket but also a place on the league’s 1960s All-Decade Team.

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He won an NFL championship as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1960 and wrapped up his five-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro career in Washington.

After showcasing his talent at Duke, where he helped the Blue Devils win a pair of ACC titles, Jurgensen spent seven seasons in Philadelphia (1957-63) and 11 more in Washington (1964-74). His pure passing was influential at the time.

In fact, Jurgensen led a run-first NFL in passing yards five times: first in 1961 and then again in 1962, 1966, 1967 and 1969.

That stretch began when Jurgensen took over as a full-time starter with the Eagles. Filling the big shoes left by Norm Van Brocklin, he tied Johnny Unitas’ single-season touchdown passing record with 32 scoring strikes.

Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen (9) of Washington throws a pass during the team’s 20-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 13, 1974, at RFK Stadium in Washington. (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images)

(Nate Fine via Getty Images)

Jurgensen played in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and until he was in his 40s.

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Respected for his ability to make throws under pressure, fearlessly against relentless pass rushes, Jurgensen was admired as a drop-back passer in a league that increasingly attacked defenses through the run. He totaled 32,224 passing yards and 255 passing touchdowns in his career. Plus, even though he wasn’t known as a runner, he added 15 scores on the ground.

“All I ask of my blockers is four seconds,” Jurgensen once said famously, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame, of which he’s a 1983 class member.

“I try to stay on my feet and not be forced out of the pocket. … I beat people by throwing, not running. I won’t let them intimidate me into doing something which is not the best thing I can do.”

Jurgensen’s No. 9 jersey is immortalized in D.C., and his 31 passing touchdowns in 1967 are still the most a Washington quarterback has thrown in a single season.

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He stayed involved in the game after hanging up his helmet and pads. For 38 years he was an analyst on Washington broadcasts, a run that lasted until he retired in August 2018.

“Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football,” Commanders majority owner Josh Harris said in a statement Friday.

“He was a brilliant leader, Hall of Fame quarterback, and had one of the best arms the game has ever seen. After his career on the field, Sonny’s voice became a fixture of Washington Sundays for decades, shaping the way generations of fans experienced the game.”

February 22, 2026
NBA trade deadline 2026: Ja Morant stays with Grizzlies; Bucks don’t trade Giannis Antetokounmpo; Clippers send Ivica Zubac to Pacers; Bulls trade Ayo Dosunmu to Wolves
The 2026 trade deadline came and went on Thursday, with plenty of high-profile names in the rumor mill, but only a few on the move. The biggest question was whether Giannis Antetokounmpo would be dealt, which was answered well before the deadline when a report surfaced that the Milwaukee Bucks would keep him for now. Ja Morant, who had also been a top potential target, remained with the Memphis Grizzlies as the deadline passed.

But several other teams were active in the hours leading up to the deadline, with players like Jose Alvarado, Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac on the move.

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The action began to ramp up on Tuesday, with the headliner being the Clippers’ trade of James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. Earlier in the day, the Grizzlies, who had fielded offers for Morant, took the first step toward a significant rebuild by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz in a massive eight-player deal.

The Bulls were also busy, shipping out Kevin Huerter, Dario Šarić and a 2026 first-round protected pick in one three-team deal, and sending two-time All-Star Nikola Vučević to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick. They followed up on Wednesday by reportedly trading Coby White to the Hornets, and on Thursday, reportedly sent Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves in exchange for Rob Dillingham and Leonard Miller.

On Wednesday, the Mavericks reportedly traded All-Star Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in a massive eight-player swap. Shortly after, the 76ers sent Jared McCain to the Thunder and the Clippers traded Chris Paul to the Raptors after their messy breakup. Later Wednesday, the Warriors swung a trade that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for veteran center Kristaps Porzingis.

[Check out the NBA trade tracker for full details on every move]

Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news, rumors and updates ahead of Feb. 5’s NBA trade deadline.
Live coverage is over94 updates

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:03 PM PST

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and it appears several of the bigger names on the market are staying put, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Domantas Sabonis, and Ja Morant.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM PST

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 1:36 PM PST

Andy Backstrom

The Golden State Warriors finally traded forward Jonathan Kuminga, and they got big man Kristaps Porziņģis in return from a deal that also sent Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks.

Kuminga, whom the Warriors selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, will get a fresh start in Atlanta.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr was asked about Kuminga’s four-plus-season tenure.

He told ESPN that Kuminga “needed the runway to make more mistakes,” per Anthony Slater.

“For us as a staff, it was tricky trying to develop him while we were trying to win. I think it’s as simple as that.”

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 1:28 PM PST

Tarohn Finley

The Boston Celtics reportedly traded center Xavier Tillman Sr. to the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

This move gets the Celtics out of the luxury tax. The Celtics also traded Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets and Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz, he will reportedly be waived. The Celtics also traded Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic. The Celtics also converted 2025 second-round pick Amari Williams to a standard deal. The Celtics are 33-18 and tied for second in the East.

Tillman gives the Hornets depth at center behind Moussa Diabate and rookie Ryan Kaulkbreener. The Hornets traded Mason Plumlee to OKC on Wednesday, before he was waived. The 23-28 Hornets also added Coby White in a trade with the Chicago Bulls and currently on a seven-game winning streak.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:57 PM PST

Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed put at Thursday’s trade deadline, and the Bucks’ social media team (and head coach Doc Rivers) decided to have some fun with all the rumors. All-Star weekend is just over a week away, and Antetokounmpo is set to coach ESPN’s Shams Charania in the celebrity game.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:56 PM PST

Criss Partee

The Charlotte Hornets have waived point guard Mike Conley after acquiring him as part of the Coby White deal from Chicago. This now frees up Conley to sign with any NBA team as a free agent.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:45 PM PST

Criss Partee

Charlotte Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations sounds quite pleased with the addition of Coby White to the team and spoke about the deal and why they did it on Thursday.

“He’s a guy I remember watching in high school… His energy, he plays the game with joy, passion, he’s a winner. He loves to compete…He’s a dynamic shooter, his offensive skillset is high level”

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:31 PM PST

Ben Rohrbach

For a fourth time in five years, James Harden had a trade request granted, this time landing him on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have eyes for championship contention.

Only, with Harden in place of Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick, they appear no closer to a title than their second-round playoff exits from the previous two seasons.

Raise your hand if you think Harden will elevate the Cavaliers from their current standing, fourth place in the Eastern Conference, to a berth in the NBA Finals? We are still waiting and have been since he was a sixth man on the West champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

It has been 15 years since then, and Harden has come no closer. His Houston Rockets did make the 2018 conference finals, largely because he was benched in a Game 6 comeback. He has been no better in Game 7s. We have as much evidence of his playoff failures as we do his successes, if not more, and still the league cannot stop giving him tens of millions.

Read more trade deadline takeaways here.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:29 PM PST

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:23 PM PST

Tarohn Finley

The Brooklyn Nets will reportedly waive guard Cam Thomas, according to ESPN Insider Shams Charania reported as the trade deadline passed.

Thomas did not depart with the team before Thursday’s game against the Orlando Magic, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. Thomas was ruled out for personal reasons.

Thomas has averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds on 39.9% from the field. Thomas role has also decreased under Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. He has only started in eight games and has averaged 24.3 minutes per game. The Nets are 13-36.

Read more on the move here.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:18 PM PST

Tarohn Finley

The Memphis Grizzlies will apparently not be moving Ja Morant ahead of the NBA trade deadline, despite reports of a potential trade.

The team reportedly shopped the 26-year-old point guard prior to Thursday’s deadline, but no trade materialized. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, despite the intrigue in talent, no teams were willing to “make a serious offer.”

News that the Grizzlies would be keeping Morant comes just two days after the team traded away Jaren Jackson Jr. in a stunning eight-player swap with the Utah Jazz. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year was sent to the Jazz, along with John Konchar, Vince Williams Jr. and Jock Landale.

In return, the Grizzlies received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks and Georges Niang — along with three future first-round draft picks.

Read more.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:11 PM PST

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 12:09 PM PST

Tarohn Finley

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:56 AM PST

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:47 AM PST

Criss Partee

The Charlotte Hornets are trading point guard Tyus Jones to the Dallas Mavericks for guard Malaki Branham, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. Charlotte creates a $7 million trade exception with this move.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:18 AM PST

Tarohn Finley

The Los Angeles Clippers continue to make moves ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, reportedly trading starting center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.

In return, the Clippers will receive Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2026 first-round pick from the Pacers (protected 1-4 and 10-30) and a 2029 unprotected first-rounder from the Pacers, Charnia adds.

The move comes after the team also traded away 11-time All-Star and 17-year veteran James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Zubac has become a solid role player over the past few years for the Clippers. His stock rose even more after his breakthrough season last year, when he was a second-team NBA All-Defensive player for the first time. Zubac also averaged a career high of 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds last season and finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Read more.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:17 AM PST

Tarohn Finley

The Denver Nuggets reportedly converted forward Spencer Jones to a standard contract, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes. Jones was previously on a two-way contract.

The Nuggets’ roster spot was opened up by trading Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Jones has averaged 6 points, 3.1 rebounds and has started 34 games with Cam Johnson and Christian Braun missing time this season.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:14 AM PST

Criss Partee

The Denver Nuggets have traded Hunter Tyson and a second-round pick in 2032 to the Brooklyn Nets for the least favorable of a Clippers/Hawks 2026 second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:05 AM PST

Kate Magdziuk

The Philadelphia 76ers have traded veteran guard Eric Gordon and a 2032 second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies, Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reported Thursday.

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 11:03 AM PST

Andy Backstrom

The Boston Celtics are sending forward Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Minott signed with the Celtics last summer after starting his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
February 22, 2026
Are the Hornets the buzz of the NBA? Their 8-game winning streak is franchise’s longest since 1999

There’s finally NBA buzz in Charlotte again. That’s because the Hornets, amid the league’s longest active playoff drought, have won eight games in a row for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

They extended that head-turning streak with a 109-99 road win over the Houston Rockets, despite Kevin Durant scoring at least 30 points for the fifth time in his past eight games.

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In their first game since acquiring Coby White in a trade with the Chicago Bulls before the deadline, the Hornets (24-28) pulled away from the Rockets (31-19), causing the Western Conference’s fourth-place team to pull its starters for the back half of the fourth quarter in a game that wasn’t even as close as the 10-point differential suggests.

Continuing his standout rookie campaign, Kon Knueppel poured in a team-high 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting. LaMelo Ball made five 3s and wasn’t far behind with 20 points.

White didn’t play, and he’s not expected to until after the All-Star break due to a lingering calf injury, but the former UNC star is excited for this new chapter of his career.

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“Every time I come back to Charlotte to play, I would just tell people it just felt different,” White, a Goldsboro, North Carolina, native told The Charlotte Observer on Thursday.

“I just felt the love every time I was in the building just being there, it was just weird. … Something triggers every time I was in there. So I’m excited I get to play there more.”

White was talking about the Spectrum Center. The guard averaged 22.5 points per game in his two outings there with the Bulls earlier this season.

It’s also where Hornets fans will anxiously await their up-and-coming squad on Monday, when Charlotte returns home to host the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.

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That matchup will mark the first of four consecutive home contests for the Hornets.

But first they’ll head to Atlanta to play the Hawks on Saturday. With a win there, they’ll officially match that 1999 surge, which occurred during a strike-shortened season that saw the late Paul Silas take over as interim head coach after Dave Cowens resigned in the wake of a 4-11 start.

That Hornets team lost eight of its first nine games. Similarly, the 2025-26 Hornets recorded only three victories in their first 10 games and were a meager 4-14 by late November.

This time, a coaching change hasn’t precipitated the turnaround.

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In his second year on the job, Charles Lee has overseen the midseason transformation.

The Hornets are getting production from an assortment of young players. In addition to the 20-year-old Knueppel and 24-year-old Ball, Brandon Miller is making a sizable impact. In his third season, Miller, 23, is leading the team in scoring at 20.4 ppg. Plus, it helps that big man Moussa Diabaté, 24, has become a reliable rebounder for the group.

Miles Bridges is still doing his thing, too. The Hornets’ future is bright, and they’re suddenly 1.5 games back of the Hawks for ninth place in the East — prime play-in position.

Charlotte plays Atlanta twice in the next three games, starting on Saturday night.

February 22, 2026
Sources: Sacramento State making aggressive effort to join FBS league, proposing an eight-figure entry fee

Last summer, in an effort to join a power conference, Memphis and its corporate sponsors pooled as much as $200 million in an offer to join the Big 12.

Ultimately, the Big 12 decided against further expansion.

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But the Memphis offer — bold and somewhat unprecedented — provided a future path for those seeking a promotion: Buy your way in.

A few months after Memphis’ proposal, the move — albeit at a much lesser scale — is being replicated.

Officials from Sacramento State are in the midst of an aggressive effort to join a Football Bowl Subdivision conference as soon as this coming football season, proposing to multiple leagues an eight-figure entry fee, plus the forgoing of league revenues.

While many FBS leagues have rebuffed the proposal — the Mountain West and the Pac-12 — other league executives are exploring the possibility, most notably the Mid-American Conference.

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Multiple sources within college athletics spoke to Yahoo Sports for this story under condition anonymity. Officials at Sacramento State declined to comment. Those in the MAC also declined comment, citing a standard policy of not discussing expansion.

For months now, Sacramento State executives — athletic director Mark Orr and university president Luke Wood — have made public their desire to elevate to FBS in football. In fact, the school’s waiver to play as an FBS independent this season was denied last summer. A waiver is necessary for those seeking to move from FCS to FBS without an invitation into a conference.

The school’s athletic department transitions this year from the Big Sky to the Big West, which does not sponsor football. The shift puts the Hornets football program in an awkward position of competing in FCS as an independent. The program has scheduled seven football games for 2026 so far, with six of those FCS opponents.

The MAC has yet to release its 2026 conference football schedule. The proposal puts the MAC in an interesting position. The league loses Northern Illinois this coming year and added UMass last year to remain at 12 member schools. The conference also has upcoming negotiations with ESPN for its new television deal.

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Presumably, Sacramento State’s offer is for football-only with its other sports to remain with the Big West — a model, as it turns out, similar to Northern Illinois, which left the MAC to play only football in the Mountain West with most other sports in the Horizon.

At a time of financial stress for universities — most notably the low-budget schools in the MAC — Sacramento State’s proposal is attractive and lucrative. In proposals made to other leagues, the school offered upwards of $10 million in an entry fee plus the forfeiture of conference revenues for a certain stretch of time— a similar proposal that helped move SMU into the ACC two years ago.

Those financial figures do not include the $5 million NCAA entry fee of moving from FCS to FBS. Executives increased that figure three years ago from $5,000 — a whopping jump that is indicative of the desire from many power conference leaders to slow a rapidly growing FBS group that now stands at 136 universities.

Sacramento State presents a fascinating case for FBS membership.

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The school, part of the California State System with an enrollment of about 30,000 students, is located in a burgeoning metropolis of more than 2 million people that is ranked 20th nationally among television markets, according to the latest Nielsen ratings.

Led by a non-traditionalist president intent on competing in major college football, the university’s athletic department has made significant investments for athletic promotion, even erecting billboards in an attempt last year for an invitation into the new-look Pac-12.

Renovations are planned for its football stadium to reach FBS standards and plans for a new stadium have been in the works. The university last year hired as its men’s basketball coach Mike Bibby, a 14-year NBA veteran, and announced Shaquille O’Neal as the program’s voluntary general manager.

In football, the team is led by Alonzo Carter, a first-year coach who’s won multiple recruiting and coach-of-the-year awards over a 27-year career. Carter replaced Brennan Marion, a long-time power conference assistant who left for a position on Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado. Marion earned more than $1 million in salary in his one year at the school, dwarfing many of his counterparts in FCS.

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His roster featured several power conference transfers as the program’s NIL-related funding was believed to be on par with many programs in the lower reaches of FBS. In fact, just this week, the university landed a five-year, $7.5 million sponsorship deal with Wilton Rancheria and Sky River Casino.

“They do have money,” quipped one conference executive with knowledge of Sacramento State’s plans.

The school has a recent history of dominant football success. In three years under Troy Taylor, the program won three consecutive Big Sky championships and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals in 2022 with a 12-1 record. However, before 2019, their last conference title was 1995 as a member of the American West Conference, then 1-AA.

Notable former players of the school include NFL receiver DeAndre Carter and Cam Skattebo, who played his first two seasons at Sac State before transferring to Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

February 22, 2026