Betway Scores

Scoring		Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	OT	T
Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns		27	40				67
Southern Miss Golden Eagles		33	41				74

Match Info

Date/Time2026-01-03 18:00

News

Wizards continue to scan market, linked to Pelicans’ Zion Williamson

File photo The Wizards have made one thing clear: They are no longer afraid of risk. Last summer it was Cam Whitmore. Earlier this month it was Trae Young. Different profiles, same idea. Washington is willing to bet on elite talent that has stalled elsewhere, believing a new environment can change the outcome. League sources tell The Athletic’s Josh Robbins that approach is not finished. Executives around the NBA expect the Wizards to keep scanning the market for distressed stars ahead of the trade deadline, players with upside that still outweighs the risk. One name that keeps surfacing is Zion Williamson. The Pelicans have publicly signaled that Williamson is not available. Around the league, that message is being met with skepticism. Williamson’s talent is unquestioned. His availability has never been reliable. That combination tends to reopen conversations, whether teams admit it or not. The belief, however, is that Washington would not mortgage its future for him. League sources say the Wizards are unlikely to part with their own premium first-round picks, but a lesser 2026 first, most notably Oklahoma City’s, could be the type of asset they’d consider putting on the table. Robbins notes the Williamson idea remains a long shot, rooted more in league chatter than active negotiations. Still, the fact that his name keeps coming up is telling. Another name mentioned in similar circles is Jonathan Kuminga, though recent reporting suggests Washington has not been among the most aggressive teams pursuing him. The post Wizards continue to scan market, linked to Pelicans’ Zion Williamson appeared first on Hoops Wire.

37 minutes ago

Wizards’ Khris Middleton viewed as trade or buyout candidate

Getty The Wizards will keep their eyes open for another buy-low swing like the one they took on Trae Young, but league sources tell The Athletic’s Josh Robbins that is not the most likely way they operate at the trade deadline. Instead, expect Washington to lean into its flexibility. The Wizards are sitting roughly $30 million below the luxury tax line, and rival executives tell Robbins that makes them a natural dumping ground for unwanted contracts. The idea is simple. Take on multiyear money if it comes with draft capital or young players attached. Two examples frequently mentioned around the league are Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant. Quickley carries a $32.5 million cap hit this season and has three years left on his deal. Grant is at $32 million and has two years remaining, including a player option. That said, Robbins reports there is little appetite in Toronto or Portland to attach draft assets simply to unload those contracts. Both teams view those salaries as tools to improve their rosters rather than escape hatches for cap relief. “I think any smart front office would first obviously use those salaries to get better,” one rival team official told The Athletic. That dynamic matters when it comes to Khris Middleton, whose $33 million expiring deal has made him a frequent name in deadline speculation. Most league sources believe the cleanest outcome is also the most boring one — Middleton stays in Washington through the deadline and then becomes a buyout candidate later in the season. That would fit the Wizards’ current lane. Accumulate assets. Preserve flexibility. And stay patient while other teams feel the pressure to act. The post Wizards’ Khris Middleton viewed as trade or buyout candidate appeared first on Hoops Wire.

37 minutes ago