The Los Angeles Lakers intend to sign Wenyen Gabriel to a Two-Way contract.

Gabriel has played for the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans this season.

Gabriel has showed flashes of athleticism and versatility at 6'9.

The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as the frontrunners to sign DeAndre Jordan either as a waiver claim or a free agent signing. 

The Sixers have been aggressive in pursuing a backup center since trading Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden trade.

Jordan, who signed a one-year, $2.6 million minimum deal to join the Lakers this season, would save the Sixers $2.3 million in luxury tax if he signed a free agent deal instead of getting claimed on waivers.

The 76ers have an open roster spot to sign Jordan. 

The Los Angeles Lakers will waive DeAndre Jordan to sign DJ Augustin.

The Lakers wanted to add a veteran point guard with shooting ability to back up Russell Westbrook.

The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to sign Alize Johnson to a 10-day contract.

Johnson played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards earlier this season.

Johnson has appeared in 68 career games since the 18-19 season.

The Boston Celtics have climbed to No. 4 in the NBA in Net Rating at +5.4 points per 100 possessions, which leads the Eastern Conference.

NBA Net Rating (Week 19)
1. Phoenix: 7.8
2. Golden State: 7.3
3. Utah: 7.0
4. Boston: 5.4
5. Miami: 4.8
6. Memphis: 4.7
7. Cleveland: 4.2
8. Dallas: 3.4
9. Milwaukee: 3.3
10. Denver: 2.9
11. Philadelphia: 2.4
12. Chicago: 2.2
13. Minnesota: 1.0
14. Atlanta: 0.9
15. Toronto: 0.7
16. San Antonio: 0.1
17. Brooklyn: -0.3
18. Charlotte: -0.4
19. LA Clippers: -0.8
20. LA Lakers: -1.9
21. New York: -2.0
22. Indiana: -2.3
23. New Orleans: -2.5
24. Washington: -2.9
25. Portland: -5.0
26. Sacramento: -5.2
27. Oklahoma City: -6.8
28. Orlando: -8.4
29. Houston: -9.4
30. Detroit: -9.7

Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are virtually tied for the NBA's lead in PER at 31.9, 31.8 and 31.8 respectively.

NBA PER (Week 19)
1. Nikola Jokic: 31.9
2. Joel Embiid: 31.8
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 31.8
4. LeBron James: 26.2
5. Kevin Durant: 25.9
6. Rudy Gobert: 25.2
7. Trae Young: 24.9
8. Ja Morant: 24.9
9. Jimmy Butler: 24.8
10. DeMar DeRozan: 24.8
11. Brandon Clarke: 24.7
12. Luka Doncic: 24.3
13. Anthon Davis: 24.2
14. Karl-Anthony Towns: 23.9
15. Montrezl Harrell: 23.8
16. Jarrett Allen: 23.2
17. Domantas Sabonis: 22.9
18. Donovan Mitchell: 22.8
19. Dejounte Murray: 22.5
20. Kristaps Porzingis: 22.0
21. Robert Williams: 21.9
22. Deandre Ayton: 21.9
23. Stephen Curry: 21.7
24. James Harden: 21.5
25. Daniel Gafford: 21.5

The NBA has considered expansion for several years, but it has consistently said its horizon is not to do so in the short-term. The league may be getting closer to movement in this area, according to Bill Simmons of The Ringer.

"I have some intel," said Simmons on his podcast. "I think the league is going to expand to Vegas and to Seattle. And I think the leading contender to get that Vegas team is going to be the Fenway Sports Group. They have Liverpool. They bought the Penguins. They've been circling different NBA teams for a while. I think they looked at Minnesota. I think they're the leading contender to Vegas.

"If I had to bet on a LeBron scenario, it would be for him to be involved with whatever happens with that where he is the point man of that Vegas team. I haven't heard that mentioned. I don't care if that gets aggregated because I think I'm right. I think that is scenario A for LeBron. He wants to be an owner. I think he wants to run one of these teams.

"And I think conversely, I think the NBA is looking at this going 'We can add these huge expansion things.'

"I heard combined, we're talking $6.5 billion to $7 billion for the two teams."

While the existing 30 teams would lose out long-term over an additional split of media rights, they would receive cash up front in the form of the expansion fee.

"Ultimately, they want LeBron to be the point man of the team. They did this with [Michael] Jordan, we watched them do it. I think they want to do it with LeBron.

"How's that going to work with him playing basketball? I don't know. Could it be Fenway Sports Group buys Vegas and then LeBron plays them for two years and then eventually joins as the lead owners? I don't know. Can you see Adam Silver bending the rules making it so an owner could also play for the team? Would you put it past Adam Silver? He's bent over for the players in all these different ways."

Simmons added that expansion is getting closer.

"I think it is officially real," said Simmons. "In rich guy circles, there's a lot of people jockeying. I think that's why some people let the Minnesota thing go. Minnesota, everyone agrees, got a pretty good deal. But I think there's a feeling two more teams are coming. Wait for the two teams. I think they're going to be really, really, really, really focused on having minority representation with the two ownership groups. However that happens. LeBron is definitely going to be involved in that. I think that would be my prediction."

Simmons predicts Seattle and Las Vegas will each have a team within the next five or six years. 

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed forward D.J. Wilson to a third 10-day contract.

The Raptors originally signed Wilson to a 10-day contract Dec. 23, then a second 10-day deal Jan. 7 – both via the COVID hardship exception.

Wilson, 6-foot-10, 231 pounds, averaged 8.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 16.0 minutes in three games during his first two stints with the Raptors. He recorded 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a career-high five steals Dec. 26 at Cleveland.

Wilson has also appeared in 31 games (23 starts) with the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League this season. He is averaging 17.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 27.8 minutes. Wilson is shooting .530 (214-404) from the field, has scored 20+ points 12 times and recorded 17 double-doubles with the Blue. He set career highs with 37 points Jan. 29 at Agua Caliente and 17 rebounds Feb. 9 vs. Sioux Falls.          

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A look at the latest for 13 of the teams in the West, catching up on trade deadline acquisitions, new rotations, film study on specific players, and more.

Timestamps: UTA (0:00), DEN and SAC (9:20), POR (24:40), SAS (31:36), HOU (38:26), LAC (48:53), LAL (55:21), MEM (1:04:21), MIN (1:10:11), NOP (1:18:07), PHX (1:23:06), OKC (1:28:09).

With host Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA). And if you like this pod, please donate to support Nate and Danny at Patreon.com/DuncanLeroux. Merchandise available at NateDuncanNBA.com.

Detroit Pistons wing Hamidou Diallo was fined $20,000 for making contact with a game official. Midway through the second quarter in Saturday afternoon's loss to the Boston Celtics, Diallo pushed off on a referee while running down the court.

The play was reviewed for a hostile act. Diallo was assessed a technical foul and ejected from the game for making contact with the official. Diallo and Pistons coach Dwayne Casey protested the ruling, feeling the contact was incidental and not hostile.