Wizards to host Fan Appreciation Night on April 9

The Washington Wizards will celebrate and show their appreciation to their loyal, dedicated, and passionate fanbase on Fan Appreciation Night on Wednesday, April 9, at 7:00 p.m. when the Philadelphia 76ers come to Capital One Arena.

To celebrate the night, hip-hop duo Ying Yang Twins will entertain the crowd at halftime with hits “Salt Shaker,” “Get Low,” “Say I Yi Yi,” and “Halftime.” The Wizards Entertainers and G-Wiz will also be featured throughout the performance.

Prior to the game, fans can attend the Fan Appreciation Night Block Party at District E Powered by Ticketmaster beginning at 5:00 p.m. Fans will enjoy giveaways, a virtual reality activation, custom trading card photobooth, free appetizers while supplies last, and District Bites drink specials.

All fans in attendance at the game will take home a Wizards City Edition DMV t-shirt (photo attached). Bilal Coulibaly will address the crowd before the start of the game and the team will present the 2024-25 Dr. E.B. Henderson Award during a pregame ceremony. The team award, introduced during the 2021-22 season, recognizes a Wizards player for their work in the community.

Rockets forward Dillon Brooks suspended one game

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2024-25 season, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.

Brooks received his most recent technical foul with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter of the Rockets’ 143-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on April 2 at Toyota Center. Brooks will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center.

Knicks sign P.J. Tucker for remainder of season

The New York Knicks have signed P.J. Tucker for the remainder of the season.

Tucker, 39-years-old (6-5, 245-pounds), returns to New York after signing consecutive 10-Day contracts with the Knicks. He appeared in one game for the Knicks this season. Last season Tucker appeared in 31 games (10 starts) with the 76ers and Clippers, recording 1.7 points (37.1% 3PT%) and 2.7 rebounds over 15.7 minutes. Tucker, over his 13-year career, has made at least 50 three-pointers and recorded at least 50 steals nine times each. He holds career averages of 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals over 28.2 minutes in 884 games (666 starts) for the Raptors, Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Heat, 76ers and Clippers.

Pelicans sign Elfrid Payton to second 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Elfrid Payton to a second 10-day contract.

Payton, 6-4, 202, has appeared in 517 NBA games (400 starts) across nine seasons with Orlando, Phoenix, New Orleans, New York and Charlotte. Selected 10th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Payton holds career averages of 9.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per contest.

This season, Payton has appeared in 17 games (five starts) with New Orleans and Charlotte, averaging 3.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per contest.

Nets sign Drew Timme to multi-year contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Drew Timme to a multi-year contract.

Timme (6’10”, 235) has appeared in 29 regular season games (28 starts) this season with Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, registering averages of 23.9 points (eighth in the league) on 57.0 percent shooting from the field, 38.5 percent shooting from 3-point range and 73.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 10.3 rebounds (fourth in the league), 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 35.6 minutes per game.

The 24-year-old is the only player in the NBA G League this season to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and has tallied 17 double-doubles. The reigning NBA G League Player of the Week, Timme earned the recognition for games played from March 17 through March 23, recording averages of 35.7 points on 68.4 percent shooting from the field and 63.6 percent shooting from distance, 12.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest while leading Long Island to a 2-1 record.

Grizzlies name Tuomas Iisalo as interim head coach

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team has named Tuomas Iisalo interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Iisalo joined the Grizzlies as lead assistant coach prior to the start of the 2024-25 season following serving as a head coach in Europe with Paris Basketball (2023-24), Telekom Baskets Bonn (2021-23) and Crailsheim Merlins (2016-21).

Lakers sign Jordan Goodwin, waive Cam Reddish

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Jordan Goodwin. In a related move, the team has waived forward Cam Reddish.

Goodwin (6’5”, 220) most recently signed a two-way contract with the Lakers Feb. 7. In 19 appearances (five starts), the 26-year-old has averaged 6.4 points on 47.0% shooting from the floor, 41.3% from long distance and 81.8% from the foul line, while adding 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes. He’s collected multiple steals in six games and registered at least one block in seven contests. Prior to signing the two-way contract, Goodwin appeared in 17 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season G League games (nine starts) for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 24.0 minutes.

In 140 career NBA games (24 starts) across four seasons with the Lakers (2024-25), Memphis Grizzlies (2023-24), Phoenix Suns (2023-24) and Washington Wizards (2021-23), Goodwin has averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 18.3 minutes. The Illinois native went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft following four collegiate seasons at St. Louis University (2017-21).

Good news for Kings on Domantas Sabonis

Via the Sacramento Bee:

Kings center Domantas Sabonis could be back in the lineup much sooner than expected.

The Kings announced Sabonis was a full participant in Sunday’s practice after making significant progress in his recovery from a right ankle sprain.

Sabonis is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Boston Celtics at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Malik Monk (illness) and Devin Carter (illness) are also questionable

Celtics depth helps with win over Trail Blazers

Via the Boston Herald:

The depth of the Celtics’ roster was on full display Sunday in Portland.

Even with Jaylen Brown nursing a bone bruise in his knee and fellow starters Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday both sitting out on the first night of a back-to-back, Boston convincingly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, rolling to a 129-116 win at the Moda Center.

All nine Celtics who played in the game scored at least four points, and six hit double figures, with Jayson Tatum leading the way with 30 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one block.

Sam Hauser added 24 points while shooting 8-for-10 from 3-point range. Derrick White went 4-for-10 from three and tallied 17 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.