標籤: Stein

Fans will know the results of the NBA vote in the coming days employed Forming teams in Las Vegas and Seattle by the 2028–2029 season.

Expansion has always been on the NBA’s agenda, especially with its continued success and expanding reach. It has been at the forefront of globalization in sports, possibly including the introduction of NBA Europe.

It was recently reported that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver would be working with FIBA ​​to launch a league similar to soccer in Europe, specifically in major cities.

NBA insider Mark Stein, however, does not agree with the idea, expressing concern on the “All-NBA Podcast” that the league may be biting off more than it can chew.

“I’ve spent a lot of time watching soccer in England, and I’m just trying to imagine NBA Europe franchises in London and Manchester that would essentially be expansion teams. You know, start-up teams. It’s different when you’re talking about Real Madrid and Barcelona going from the EuroLeague to NBA Europe,” Steen said.

“Those teams have a history. Those teams already have a fan base. They’ll obviously bring immediate credibility to NBA Europe. But a large portion of NBA Europe is in cities that don’t currently have basketball. And how is that going to work if the talent level isn’t good?”

Some are already concerned that competition will weaken if the NBA expands to Las Vegas and Seattle. So what’s more if NBA Europe moves forward? Silver and FIBA ​​are reportedly planning to start with a 12-team or 16-team league.

Europe’s talented players may spurn the NBA to stay closer to home. At the start of the current season, 71 Europeans were part of the opening-night roster, the most in league history.

In January, the NBA held two games featuring the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic in Berlin and London. Meanwhile, Paris has hosted five Games since 2020.

Even before the start of the 2025–26 season, Cooper was the favorite to win the Flagg Rookie of the Year award. A good opportunity awaits him with the Dallas Mavericks, as after the Luka Doncic trade, he has a chance to step up immediately and become the superstar talent the team needs to develop. And for its price, the Flag is as good as advertised, if not better.

While Flagg’s averages of 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season are certainly good enough for him to win the prestigious award, Kon Nueppel’s consistency for a much-improved Charlotte Hornets team could take the award away from the Mavericks star.

NBA insider Mark Stein, who has many ties to the Mavericks, also believes that the conflict between what is best for Dallas at the end of the year and what is best for Flagg from a personal standpoint could hinder Flagg’s ROTY candidacy.

“The Mavs have 18 games left, and the truth is, if they can go 0-18 it would be the best thing for them. That’s the way the system is,” Steen said on the All NBA Podcast. “The way the system is structured, the best thing for the Mavs is to lose, and lose royally, and that’s obviously not going to be very good if you’re chasing Rookie of the Year.”

Mavs face crucial year in Cooper Flagg-focused rebuild

As Steen said, 2026 is the last time the Mavericks control their first-round pick until 2031. It simply means Dallas has all the incentive in the world to try to lose as many games as possible to put itself in a better position to add a blue-chip prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft.

This will be the priority of the team. It is imperative for Flagg to acquire a potential long-term co-star if he is to bounce back from the Luka Doncic tragedy.

It looks like the Boston Celtics are on the verge of seeing Jayson Tatum return after suffering a setback during last year’s playoffs.

According to The Stein Report on Substack, Marc Stein, a veteran basketball writer, believes in a “conspiracy theory” as to when and why Tatum will return. Basically, Tatum would like to return to the Celtics’ games on NBC.

“PPS – Boston has games March 10 (at San Antonio) and March 22 (home game against Minnesota) on NBC. If you buy the conspiracy theory that Jayson Tatum wants to make his comeback from an Achilles tear the network is running extended coverage behind the scenes of his rehab.”

However, media personality Bill Simmons believes Tatum will return much earlier on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Tatum suffered an Achilles injury during the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks last May. A series in which the Celtics lost in six games.

Tatum finished last season averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

Currently, the Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 40–20. At the same time, they have won eight of their last ten matches.

Tatum won an NBA championship with Boston in 2024. He is also a 6-time NBA All-Star and was the 2023 NBA All-Star Game MVP.

Additionally, he has won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, in Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024.

Tatum has been with Boston since the 2017–18 NBA season as the third overall pick out of Duke.

As the buyout season approaches, Khris Middleton’s future is one that is being monitored heavily around the league. Middleton, an NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks and a smooth-shooting wing, could emerge as one of the biggest buyout candidates on the market if he chooses to pursue a buyout.

Middleton was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards at the NBA trade deadline. Since the trade, Middleton has suited up for the Mavericks, playing in four games, and even had a 25-point outing for the Mavericks on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. But his name is still being discussed as a buyout candidate.

“Is there any chance we can convince Khris Middleton to buy?”.@TheSteinLine I wonder if the Pistons could be a landing spot for the Mavericks small forward @talkhoops

Listen to Deals & Dunks weekdays at 1-2PM ET https://t.co/uGOfTU9PUj pic.twitter.com/kARlVfi6xS

– SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) 24 February 2026

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks have allowed Middleton to control his own destiny, determining whether he wants to stay with the team for the remainder of the season or seek a buyout to join a contender. This has led Steen to openly consider whether Middleton could be a candidate to join the surging Pistons, who are on top of the Eastern Conference.

“I have to think. There are a handful of contending, playoff-bound teams, and I have to think the Pistons are among them. Wondering, is there a chance we can convince Khris Middleton for a buyout? What I reported last night was basically the Mavericks putting the ball in Khris Middleton’s court. If Khris Middleton wants a buyout to join a playoff-bound team, Dallas Will gladly cooperate.”

The Pistons would be an interesting landing spot for Middleton. Only a few years ago, he was the number two option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Bucks and often found himself taking clutch shots in close game situations. But due to injuries as well as his contract, the Bucks “expired” his time with the organization by trading him to the Wizards in a deal that also included Kyle Kuzma.

Khris Middleton is still proving to be an effective player, averaging 14 points per game and 35% from three in 5 games played with the Mavericks. With the Wizards, his numbers were more modest during the 34 games he played with the team, as he averaged $10.3 points per game and shot 33% from the field. Perhaps a reunion with the Pistons could bode well for Middleton. He was drafted in the second round with the 39th pick by the Pistons in 2012 and was eventually traded to the Bucks in 2013.

The Pistons have emerged as a contender, adopting their old-school physicality and rapid development as players like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren have emerged as young stars in the league; However, the team lacks consistent shooting on volume. In Monday’s loss to San Antonio, the Pistons made only 7 of their 36 three-point attempts, while the Spurs made 18. Middleton could provide a nice spark in playmaking and shooting for the Pistons as they look to further seize control of the Eastern Conference and make a run at the NBA Finals.

The Pistons will play the Thunder tonight at 7:30 Eastern. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

As the Dallas Mavericks deal with injuries to top stars like Kyrie Irving, another key player who is dealing with the issue is rookie Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks rookie was seen wearing the boots while attending a Duke basketball game in Flagg, the latest reporting detailing his outlook on his injury.

According to NBA insider Mark Stein, Flagg is wearing a boot because MRI results revealed a sprain in the middle of his left foot, with the diagnosis of which, Dallas “feels fortunate.” Despite not knowing the timeline for his return, the team ‘seems to be in relief’ from a left medial sprain, as it could have been worse.

“Cooper Flagg was seen with a boot on his left foot at Duke’s home game against Clemson on Saturday, but league sources tell The Stein Line that Dallas feels fortunate that Flagg’s MRI results last week revealed only a left foot sprain,” Stein wrote on Monday. “It is still not known exactly how long the 19-year-old will be sidelined, but the Mavericks are relieved that the injury is not more serious.”

Cooper Flagg is in attendance for today’s Duke game. He is wearing a boot because of a sprain in the middle of his left foot. pic.twitter.com/TX5G0FGIFY

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 14 February 2026

Mavericks have “big concern” over Cooper Flagg’s injury

While Flagg had to miss representing the Mavericks during All-Star weekend, it can’t be ruled out that the team will take it with caution, as he is the player who will be drafted for the foreseeable future. As Steen says, the “big concern” for Dallas is the “care” of the 19-year-old, with the team having lost nine straight games heading into the All-Star break, leading to a 19-35 record at the moment.

Stein wrote, “The bigger concern for the Mavericks – of course, that the injury not get worse – is taking care of Flagg during their ongoing losing season of 19-35.” “Dallas has lost nine consecutive games, which is certainly the longest losing streak in Flagg’s basketball career and certainly the franchise’s longest losing streak since a 15-gamer stretch in 1997–98.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen when the flag returns, as the Mavericks are in 12th place in the Western Conference, with their first game after the break on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

芝加哥公牛隊有望再次進入附加賽錦標賽，他們最近一場胜利是在德里克·羅斯的球衣退役儀式上以 114-111 戰胜波士頓凱爾特人隊，今年戰績為 23-22，在東部聯盟排名第九。過去幾年，他們一直徘徊在中間，而且這種平庸的狀態似乎沒有盡頭。

公牛隊的一部分球迷希望球隊在轉向青年運動方面更加積極主動。他們至少希望為一些合同即將到期的球員獲得合理的回報，其中最著名的是尼古拉·武切維奇、科比·懷特和阿約·多孫穆。

至少，如果 NBA 內部人士馬克·斯坦因的最新報告有任何跡象的話，公牛隊似乎將在交易市場上表現活躍。

“人們普遍預計公牛隊將連續第二個冬天參與某種賽季內的交易，”斯坦寫道。 “今年冬天，一直有傳言稱公牛隊渴望利用一些即將到期的合同來採取行動……科比·懷特和阿約·多孫穆都是最常被提及的潛在離職球員。”

公牛隊將交易科比·懷特和阿約·多孫穆？

懷特和多孫穆分別只有25歲和26歲，但他們的合同狀況使他們成為需要保持資產線運轉的公牛隊的合理交易候選人。他們倆都可能在幾個月後以自由球員身份離開，所以為他們得到一些東西可能是一場胜利。

ClutchPoints NBA內部人士布雷特·西格爾此前的報導也表明，公牛隊確實正在市場上尋找懷特和多森穆的穩定回報，而斯坦因的最新報導只是為這些謠言火上澆油。