The Los Angeles Sparks have acquired two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins from the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster Sunday trade involving 2024 draft pick Rickea Jackson.
The Olympic gold medalist arrives in California after briefly being designated as a core franchise player by her former team.
In return, the Midwestern outfit secures a promising young talent who is currently operating on her rookie contract.
Sparks build formidable roster
This high-profile acquisition signals clear championship ambitions for the Los Angeles organisation heading into the 2026 season.
The Western Conference side has aggressively retooled its squad, recently securing the signature of 10-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike.
They have also guaranteed the long-term futures of multiple title-winners, including Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby.
These established veterans will now line up alongside rising star Cameron Brink and newly added playmaker Erica Wheeler.
Sky continue dramatic rebuild
Moving the 5-foot-10 guard represents another major structural shift for the rebuilding Chicago-based club.
Management has heavily altered the rotation in recent days, most notably shipping out star forward Angel Reese for future draft capital on the eve of free agency.
Securing a talented 6-foot-2 forward adds vital youth to a remade roster that now features experienced additions like Skylar Diggins and Azura Stevens.
Contrasting skillsets exchanged
The departing veteran brings exceptional two-way ability to her new team, boasting five all-defensive selections alongside reliable perimeter shooting.
The 2019 championship winner contributed significantly during her last campaign, averaging 13.1 points and 3.6 assists per game.
Conversely, the incoming sophomore prospect offers immediate offensive output for her new employers.
Following an impressive All-Rookie campaign in 2024, the former fourth-overall selection elevated her scoring production to 14.7 points per contest last season.
LeBron James recorded his 12,000th career assist to help a depleted Los Angeles Lakers secure a commanding 101-73 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
The 41-year-old superstar delivered an outstanding performance, posting 28 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds.
This milestone makes the four-time NBA champion only the fourth player in league history to reach the 12,000-assist mark.
His playmaking masterclass guided Los Angeles to their 15th win in 19 games, clinching home-court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs.
The victory leaves the home side poised to secure the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference.
They currently trail the third-placed Denver Nuggets by just a single game, crucially holding the tiebreaker advantage.
Suns struggle offensively
Phoenix endured a miserable night on the court, managing their lowest-scoring performance of the entire season.
The Arizona franchise committed 24 turnovers and shot a dismal 33.8% from the field.
Their offensive struggles were compounded by the absence of Devin Booker, who was rested to protect an injured right ankle ahead of the postseason.
Jalen Green also missed the contest due to right knee soreness, while Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen were benched for the second half.
The visitors managed a mere nine points in a disastrous fourth quarter, missing 17 of their 21 field goal attempts.
Dillon Brooks offered the only notable resistance for the Suns, finishing as a rare bright spot with 12 points.
Despite the heavy defeat, Phoenix remain seventh in the West and are locked into the top position for the upcoming play-in tournament.
Lakers overcome injury crisis
Los Angeles produced this dominant display despite missing key rotation pieces, including injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Luke Kennard stepped up admirably in their absence, adding 19 points to support the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Rui Hachimura also provided valuable offensive output with a 13-point contribution.
The hosts were further boosted by the return of Marcus Smart, who tallied six points and seven assists after missing nine games.
The veteran Lakers leader dictated the tempo from the tip-off, scoring or assisting on nine of his team’s first 10 field goals.
His dominant third-quarter stretch, capped by a ferocious uncontested dunk, firmly extinguished any hope of a Phoenix comeback.
The Atlanta Hawks secured their spot in the NBA play-offs and claimed the Southeast Division title with a decisive 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Needing just one win from their final two regular-season fixtures to guarantee a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference, the home side comfortably dismantled their already-qualified opponents.
A dominant third-quarter performance saw the divisional champions score 35 points, stretching a 61-48 half-time advantage into an insurmountable 96-65 lead.
Guard CJ McCollum paced the offense with a game-high 29 points, ensuring his team bypassed the play-in tournament for the first time in five seasons.
James enters exclusive assist club
Over in the Western Conference, veteran superstar LeBron James etched his name further into the history books during a 101-73 rout of the Phoenix Suns.
The iconic forward became only the fourth player in the history of the league to record 12,000 career assists.
His stellar individual output of 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds helped the Los Angeles Lakers secure crucial home-court advantage for the upcoming post-season.
The dominant victory marked a 15th win in 19 outings for the California franchise, officially locking in a top-four finish in the standings.
Former Utah Jazz maestro John Stockton remains the undisputed all-time assist leader with 15,806, while Chris Paul and Jason Kidd are the only other individuals ahead of James.
Celtics tie three-point record
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics cemented the second seed in the East by wrapping up the Atlantic Division with an emphatic 144-118 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 18-time champions were devastating from beyond the arc, sinking a record-equalling 29 three-pointers as forward Sam Hauser contributed eight of his own.
That historic shooting display forced the New York Knicks to settle for the third seed, despite finishing their campaign with a 112-95 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.
Defeat for the Canadian outfit caused them to slip down into sixth place, leaving them tied with the Orlando Magic after the Florida franchise beat the Chicago Bulls 127-103 for a fifth consecutive win.
Wembanyama shines on return
Rising star Victor Wembanyama returned from a brief injury absence to guide the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs past the Dallas Mavericks with a 139-120 win.
The 22-year-old Most Valuable Player contender strengthened his credentials by amassing a staggering 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets kept their hopes of securing third place in the West alive by defeating reigning champions and top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107.
Victor Wembanyama has secured his eligibility for NBA postseason awards by playing his 65th game of the season during a 139-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The French centre delivered a dominant 40-point performance, adding 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks to seal the win.
Despite returning from a bruised left rib, the 22-year-old showed no signs of slowing down during his 26 minutes on the court.
“I tried to protect the injured rib as much as possible while still being respectful of the game,”
the towering defender explained to reporters after the match.
“It didn’t bother me that much, just a few times where it was a specific moment or specific hit where it was painful.”
Matching a Spurs legend
The basketball prodigy’s latest display marks his fifth game this season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds.
That achievement ties him with Hall of Famer David Robinson, who set the franchise record during the 1993-94 campaign.
San Antonio have been in formidable form recently, boasting an impressive 24-3 record since the mid-season All-Star break.
“I’m sure he’ll be sore tomorrow, but he made it out good,”
stated Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, praising his star player’s resilience following the commanding victory.
Questioning the 65-game rule
Reaching the mandatory appearance threshold makes the French international the clear favourite for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
However, he expressed empathy for peers like Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards, who currently fall short of the required game count due to injuries.
Engaging with the media, the former top draft pick questioned whether total minutes played might offer a fairer metric than total games.
“Because a guy that plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 50 times 35. That’s 1,750 minutes, right? And if a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500 minutes.”
He then suggested that a threshold of 75% of the season, or approximately 62 games, might be a more logical benchmark for future campaigns.
At least 168 players, including recent Most Valuable Player award winners Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, were held out of Friday’s penultimate NBA regular-season fixtures.
All 30 franchises were in action for game 81 of the gruelling 82-game basketball schedule.
However, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets opted to rest all of their regular starters.
The Memphis Grizzlies were among the most severely depleted rosters, with 14 squad members absent through injury or illness.
Focus shifts to the postseason
The Thunder have already secured the number one overall seed for the upcoming Western Conference playoffs.
Head coach Mark Daigneault insisted his squad had earned the right to manage their physical workloads.
“If we didn’t clinch coming into tonight, everybody would be playing.”
Mark Daigneault explained to reporters before tip-off.
The situation remains slightly different for the Nuggets and their Serbian superstar.
Award eligibility drives playing time
Denver entered the weekend still battling for vital playoff seeding.
Furthermore, their three-time league MVP requires one more appearance to meet the NBA’s strict 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards.
It is widely expected he will feature in Sunday’s finale to ensure his name remains on the official ballot.
San Antonio Spurs phenomenon Victor Wembanyama successfully cleared that identical hurdle on Friday night.
The French rookie needed to play precisely 20 minutes to reach his required 65-game total.
“If I had 65 games before, I for sure wouldn’t have played.”
Victor Wembanyama admitted after logging 26 minutes on the court.
The towering center still managed to deliver a breathtaking performance, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Record-breaking shooting in Boston
Elsewhere across the league, the Boston Celtics equalled an all-time NBA record by sinking 29 three-pointers.
It marks only the fourth time in league history a franchise has hit that astonishing number from beyond the arc.
“Hopefully, we didn’t use them all up in one game.”
Joked Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla following the historic shooting display.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors utilised their penultimate fixture to fine-tune their starting lineup.
Head coach Steve Kerr reunited veteran mainstays Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as the team prepares for the high-stakes play-in tournament.
Two-time WNBA scoring champion Brittney Griner is finalising a seven-figure deal to join the Connecticut Sun ahead of their 2027 relocation to Houston.
The blockbuster transfer was initially reported by Sun sideline reporter Terrika Foster-Brasby and subsequently confirmed by multiple sources.
This move carries added significance for the 35-year-old, as the Connecticut franchise is currently preparing to move to her Texan hometown in three years.
A fresh start after statistical dip
The impending transfer marks the beginning of another transitional phase for the 6-foot-9 forward.
She departed the Phoenix Mercury last season to join the Atlanta Dream, leaving the only WNBA organisation she had ever previously represented.
However, her recent stint in Georgia proved challenging within an offensive system that prioritised a rapid pace and high-volume perimeter shooting.
The 10-time All-Star recorded career lows across almost every major statistical category, averaging just 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
An elite basketball pedigree
Despite a quieter recent campaign, the three-time Olympic gold medallist boasts one of the most decorated resumes in women’s basketball history.
Over her 12-year professional career, she has secured a WNBA championship and consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards.
The Sun will now hope her formidable interior presence can propel them toward championship contention before their permanent move to the South.
Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid has been discharged from hospital following emergency appendicitis surgery, with no established timeline for his return to the court.
The 32-year-old was admitted to a Houston medical facility on Thursday after his condition suddenly deteriorated overnight.
Team physicians and his surgeon will now manage the recovery process as the Eastern Conference standout travels back to Pennsylvania.
Playoff picture remains uncertain for Philadelphia
His unexpected absence is a significant setback for a franchise desperately fighting for optimal post-season positioning.
Philadelphia suffered a 113-102 defeat against the Houston Rockets on Thursday evening without their primary offensive weapon.
The team currently occupies eighth place in the Eastern Conference with only two regular-season fixtures remaining against the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Depending on weekend results, the Sixers could still secure the sixth seed to guarantee a playoff berth or plummet to tenth ahead of Tuesday’s play-in tournament.
Nurse laments unexpected setback for 76ers
Head coach Nick Nurse revealed the reigning league MVP had participated normally in Wednesday’s practice session before falling ill.
“It is a tough blow,” Nurse said.
“I think that the biggest thing right now is that Joel comes out of the surgery as best as possible and all that goes well.”
“That’s where most of my thoughts are right now.”
The towering centre has been highly productive when available this season, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds across 38 appearances.
The Los Angeles Lakers face a daunting first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets without star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves following significant muscle injuries.
The 2025-26 NBA regular season concludes this weekend with severe roster concerns for the Western Conference franchise.
Both the Slovenian playmaker and his American backcourt partner have been diagnosed with Grade 2 strains.
Medical staff will evaluate Doncic’s hamstring and Reaves’ oblique issues, but the team must prepare for their absence throughout the upcoming series.
LeBron James shoulders the burden
These devastating injuries force 41-year-old LeBron James back into a primary shot-creation role.
The four-time NBA champion had recently thrived by sacrificing offensive touches to accommodate a third star in the starting lineup.
Head coach JJ Redick and his staff are currently examining tactical adjustments to survive without their primary ballhandlers.
“Honestly, the Lakers need LeBron to have a hot shooting series and for the Rockets to have a cold shooting series,” an Eastern Conference scout told ESPN.
Houston defense poses severe threat
The Texas outfit presents a formidable challenge for a severely depleted Los Angeles rotation.
“Houston’s defense will just swallow them up,” warned one Western Conference executive.
To stand any chance of advancing, the Lakers also desperately need sidelined point-of-attack defender Marcus Smart to return to full fitness.
A heavy reliance on veteran leadership is now the only remaining strategy for the 17-time NBA champions as they enter the postseason.