RealGM Basketball Wiretap

13 February 2026

• NBA Fines Jazz $500K For 'Conduct Detrimental To The League; Pacers Receive $100K Fine

  The NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 for "conduct detrimental to the league" on Thursday.

  The fine stems for a February 7 game versus the Magic and a February 9 game versus the Heat in which Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. did not play in the fourth quarter even though they were able to and the "outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt."

  The Jazz would lose 120-117 to the Magic and beat the Heat 115-111.

  The NBA also fined the Pacers $100,000 for violating its Player Participation Policy during a February 3 game against the Jazz.

  It was determined that Pascal Siakam and two other Pacers starters, who all sat out the game, could have played under the medical standard set by the Policy.

  The Jazz won the game 131-122.

  "Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games," said Adam Silver of the fines.

• Jaren Jackson Jr. Faces Season-Ending Knee Surgery After PVNS Diagnosis

  Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to miss the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season after a PVNS growth was found in his left knee and he will undergo surgery.

  The growth was identified in a physical with MRI after he was traded by the Memphis Grizzlies to the Utah Jazz. Upon consultation with multiple medical experts, Jackson, his representation, and the Jazz determined the procedure would take place in the coming days over NBA All-Star break.

  Jackson played three games for Utah since the trade where he averaged 22.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24.1 minutes per game during that brief stretch.

  The Grizzlies signed Jackson to a renegotiated five-year extension worth $240 million prior to this season.

  The injury carries broader front-office implications for Utah. The Jazz currently hold the sixth-worst record in the league, placing their top-8 protected first-round pick owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder in jeopardy of conveying.

  The Jazz have not yet issued an official timeline for Jackson's surgical procedure or projected recovery window.

• Blake Hinson, Jazz Sign Two-Way Contract

  The Utah Jazz have signed forward Blake Hinson to a two-way contract. Hinson is represented by Paolo Zamorano.

  The 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward has appeared in 30 games with the Rip City Remix, averaging 23.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 33.6 minutes per contest.

  The Deltona, Florida native has compiled solid statistics across two G League seasons. He logged time with both Rip City and the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2024-25, posting career averages of 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 80 total games.

• NBA Teams Push Boundaries With Aggressive Tank-And-Flip Approach To Rebuilding

  The NBA faces mounting concerns about tanking tactics as teams pursue an aggressive rebuild strategy that executives warn could undermine competitive integrity. League officials discussed the issue at a recent competition committee meeting, though no immediate rule changes are expected this season.

  "You've heard of Icarus and what happens when you fly too close to the sun," one team president said. "I think some teams are in danger of flying too close to the ground."

  The controversial approach centers on what executives call "the flip," which is acquiring star players during lost seasons while continuing to tank for high draft picks, then attempting immediate playoff pushes the following year. The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz lead the trend after trading for multiple All-Stars despite holding bottom-tier records.

  The Wizards acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis in separate deals but have kept both sidelined. Young has not played in six weeks despite recovering from a quad injury with Atlanta. Davis, initially given a six-week timeline by Dallas, saw his recovery extended to 10 weeks after joining Washington.

  Utah executed a similar strategy by adding Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis. In his debut Saturday, Jackson scored 22 points in 25 minutes before being benched in the fourth quarter of a three-point loss. Teammate Lauri Markkanen, who scored 27 points in 27 minutes, also sat during crunch time.

  "Trae and AD plus a top-five pick in this draft, or Jaren and Markkanen plus a top-five pick and you have something that could be special," one Eastern Conference head coach said. "No stud from this draft and you have teams that are at the bottom who maybe can just get to the middle."

  Both franchises hold top-eight protected picks, creating powerful incentives to lose games. The Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets appear positioned for similar flips, with the Pacers acquiring Ivica Zubac despite star guard Tyrese Haliburton's torn Achilles.

  After playing 15 of 16 games with the Los Angeles Clippers, Zubac was announced unavailable for upcoming contests due to an ankle issue not previously reported. The Nets retained Michael Porter Jr. at the deadline despite interest, prioritizing their rebuild trajectory over immediate returns.

  "You know what's ironic?" one Western Conference executive asked. "Charlotte trades for White hoping to use him right away, and they find out he's actually injured. And you have Utah, Indy and Washington trade for players and find ways to keep them out."

  The competition committee addressed these non-competitive strategies, but meaningful rule changes remain unlikely before next season.

  "You may think your fans are the toughest ones to answer to when you're rebuilding," one longtime league executive said. "But it's really your owner. And owners want to know when a rebuild will end, and it's clear some of these teams have a deadline."

• Jazz, Blake Hinson Agree To Two-Way Contract

  The Utah Jazz signed Blake Hinson to a two-way deal, his agent told Shams Charania.

  Hinson averaged 21.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for the G League's Rip City Remix.

  The 26-year-old joins Elijah Harkless and Oscar Tshiebwe as two-way players for the Jazz.

• Jazz To Waive Chris Boucher

  The Utah Jazz plan to waive Chris Boucher, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

  Boucher, who was on a $2.3 million expiring deal, was traded by the Celtics to the Jazz on Thursday.

  Boucher averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in nine games with the Celtics.

  Boucher is expected to generate interest from playoff teams.

• Warriors Held Serious Talks With Grizzlies For Jaren Jackson Jr.

  The Golden State Warriors held extensive talks with the Memphis Grizzlies on a deal for Jaren Jackson Jr. a few weeks ago with a similar package that was ultimately offered by the Utah Jazz.

  The Warriors tabled those conversations with the Grizzlies when Giannis Antetokounmpo came to market. With Jackson off the board to the Jazz, the Warriors made a lower risk move with the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis.

  Jackson is a two-time All-Star and one-time Defensive Player of the Year who is 26 and under team control until his player option in 2029. Jackson is represented by Austin Brown and Max Saidman of CAA.

  The Grizzlies signed Jackson to a renegotiate-and-extend contract worth $240 million over five seasons in the offseason.

• Celtics Trade Chris Boucher To Jazz

  The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz.

  Boucher was on a $2.3 million expiring contract and the Celtics open up a roster spot with the maneuver.

  Boucher appeared in only nine games with the Celtics, averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.5 minutes.

• Jazz Trade Jock Landale To Hawks For Cash Considerations

  The Utah Jazz are trading newly required center Jock Landale to the Atlanta Hawks for cash considerations. The Jazz acquired Landale from the Memphis Grizzlies in the eight-player trade that also sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah.

  The Hawks will need to waive a player to bring in Landale, who will provide much-needed depth at the center position. The Jazz needed a roster spot to pick up Lonzo Ball, who they are acquiring from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a salary-shedding move for the Cavs.

• Cavs Trade Lonzo Ball, Two 2nd Rounders To Jazz

  The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading point guard Lonzo Ball to the Utah Jazz along with two second-round picks. The Cavs will shave $10 million off the books in this move. This will bring Cleveland to roughly $3.8 million from getting under the second apron.

  Utah is expected to waive Ball. The veteran point guard will then be able to sign with another team for the remainder of the season. The 2026-27 team option for Ball will be declined as a result of the waiver, leaving no long-term money on the Jazz cap sheet.