Sports
Why San Antonio Spurs Is the Best Trade Partner for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The San Antonio Spurs have taken a massive leap forward this season and have already found themselves among the serious contenders in a loaded Western Conference. Victor Wembanyama has firmly positioned himself as one of the top 10 players in the league, and he has an excellent young core surrounding him.
However, when you have a guy with Wemby’s stature, injury concerns are always going to be a lingering issue.
Wembanyama has already missed 14 games this season, 36 last season, and 10 in his rookie season. It’s not that uncommon for Wemby to be missing from the Spurs. Even though he’s missed some time this year, the Spurs have still found ways to win when he’s absent. They’re 10-4 over the fourteen games he’s missed, and score six more points a night when he’s subject to the bench.
Nobody would argue that San Antonio is better without Wemby, but they do believe they’ve built a tremendous core of players and seem unwilling to part with any of them. The Spurs need to improve at the power forward position and add more versatility next to Wemby on defense. To make a trade, they have to be willing to part with Stephon Castle or Dylan Harper, and they seem reluctant to that idea.
The Spurs have first-round picks available through 2030, and a ton of second-round picks. They could package those picks, one of their two young guards, and Harrison Barnes to make salaries work, and potentially land Lauri Markkanen or even Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Obviously, trading for Giannis is the real eyebrow-raising move. A frontcourt of Giannis and Wemby is the most versatile big-man combo we’ve ever seen in the league — maybe the best since the Spurs had David Robinson and Tim Duncan playing next to one another.
I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I’m not sure how long you can keep a guy as big as Wemby healthy and able to move as he does. Maybe he defies odds and has a long, prosperous career, but it wouldn’t be something I’d risk my career on as a GM.
The market for Giannis is as low as it will ever be. There are very few teams that can create an enticing package for the Bucks, and I don’t think any team could make a deal as sweet as San Antonio’s. I’m willing to go all in on this combo and see how far it takes you. There aren’t many teams that can guard a freak like Giannis, pairing him with Wemby just feels like a cheat code.
You don’t always want or need to move pieces on a young up-and-coming team, but I think this could be the move to make San Antonio a title contender right now. Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle have shown flashes of being elite players, but how great would they have to be to offset three to five good years of Giannis? I’m not sure they will ever reach those highs. That’s why you have to go all in on Giannis.
Sports
Washington ends skid against short-handed Minnesota
Feb 14, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies guard Courtland Muldrew (30) shoots the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Hannes Steinbach scored 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds as Washington snapped a three-game skid with a 69-57 Big Ten Conference victory against short-handed Minnesota on Saturday night in Seattle.
Zoom Diallo added 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting with four assists for the Huskies (13-13, 5-10).
Cade Tyson scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Golden Gophers (11-14, 4-10), who lost for the ninth time in their past 10 games. Because of injuries, Minnesota had just six scholarship players available. Bobby Durkin scored 13 and Isaac Asuma added 11.
The Huskies shot 63.0% from the field (29 of 46), while limiting Minnesota to 42.9% (21 of 49), with more than half of those attempts coming from 3-point range (7 of 28). Washington had a 44-26 edge in points in the paint, 10-0 in bench scoring and 14-4 in fast-break points.
There were 10 lead changes before the Huskies closed the first half with a 14-0 run over the final 3:57 to turn a one-point deficit into a 39-26 lead.
A 3-pointer from the top of the lane by a wide-open Durkin gave the Golden Gophers a 26-25 lead, causing Washington coach Danny Sprinkle to call a timeout.
The Huskies got the message, holding Minnesota to 0-for-4 shooting and forcing four turnovers the rest of the half.
A step-back jumper in the lane by Courtland Muldrew sparked the Huskies’ closing run. Steinbach followed with a driving layup off a turnover and Franck Kepnang made a jumper in the lane off an offensive rebound.
Muldrew blocked a 3-point attempt by Isaac Asuma and made a layup off a pass from Steinbach on the fast break.
Two free throws by Yates, a turnaround jumper by Kepnang and a tip-in by Steinbach on the fast break following another turnover closed the half.
Grayson Grove, the lone big man available for Minnesota, picked up his second foul with 12:34 left in the first half, leaving the Golden Gophers with a five-guard lineup.
Fifth-year senior Maximus Gizzi, who enrolled at Minnesota after starring at NAIA schools Marian and Huntington, appeared for eight minutes in the first half and 11 overall. Gizzi had made six previous appearances this season, totaling 14 minutes. Gizzi got his first rebound and second steal of the season but shot an airball on his lone 3-point attempt.
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 3 South Carolina extends dominance of No. 6 LSU with road win
Zakiyah Johnson 11, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Tessa Johnson scored a season-high 21 points as No. 3 South Carolina beat No. 6 LSU 79-72 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Johnson shot 4-of-5 from 3-point land to power the Gamecocks (25-2, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) to their sixth straight win. Raven Johnson scored a career-best 19 points for South Carolina and also tallied seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Madina Okot added a double-double of 12 points and 17 boards, while Joyce Edwards chipped in 10 points.
In defeat, the Tigers (22-4, 8-4) were paced by Flau’jae Johnson’s 21 points and eight rebounds, while Mikaylah Williams added 11 points.
Facing her former team, LSU guard MiLaysia Fulwiley — who won a national championship with South Carolina two years ago — finished with just six points on 1-of-8 shooting. She also had four steals, four rebounds and three assists.
It was South Carolina’s 18th consecutive victory over LSU, and the win also made Gamecocks’ coach Dawn Staley the fourth in SEC history to win 500 games along with Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, Georgia’s Andy Landers and Auburn’s Joe Ciampi.
LSU led by as many as six points in the first half, but Tessa Johnson scored 11 points in the second frame – sinking a trio of 3-pointers – to push the Gamecocks ahead by a single point at the break.
South Carolina then opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run, bookended by layups from Edwards. That gave the Gamecocks their largest lead of the game at eight points.
Flau’jae Johnson kept LSU in the game late, scoring seven points and grabbing four offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter. With about 45 seconds to play, she drew the call that fouled out Edwards for South Carolina and – trailing by just one point – went to the charity stripe with the chance to take the lead for the Tigers. But both of Johnson’s free-throw attempts were off the mark.
On South Carolina’s next possession, Raven Johnson killed some clock before driving inside and dishing to Okot, who sank a close-range shot to push the Gamecocks’ advantage to three points with 25 seconds to go.
On the next possession, Flau’jae Johnson missed a would-be game-tying 3-pointer for LSU. Okot hit two free throws and Raven Johnson flushed two more in the game’s final moments to seal the victory for South Carolina.
Prior to the start of the game, the selection committee for the women’s NCAA Tournament unveiled its projection of the top 16 seeds. South Carolina was slotted in as the third No. 1 seed, while LSU was the fourth No. 2 seed. Currently, six SEC teams are projected to host games during the opening weekend of March Madness, tied with the Big Ten for the most in the country.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Women's Top 25 roundup: No. 3 South Carolina holds off No. 6 LSU
Marquette Golden Eagles guard Jordan Meulemans (20) and guard Bridget Utberg (7) fights for position against UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (21) and guard Ashlynn Shade (12) during the fourth quarter of the game on Saturday February 14, 2026 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tessa Johnson scored a season-high 21 points as No. 3 South Carolina beat No. 6 LSU 79-72 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Johnson shot 4-of-5 from 3-point land to power the Gamecocks (25-2, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) to their sixth straight win overall and 18th in a row over the Tigers (22-4, 8-4).
Raven Johnson scored a career-best 19 points for South Carolina and also tallied seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Madina Okot added a double-double of 12 points and 17 boards, while Joyce Edwards chipped in 10 points. With the win, head coach Dawn Staley became just the fourth coach in SEC history win 500 games.
LSU (22-4, 8-4) was paced by Flau’jae Johnson’s 21 points and eight rebounds, while Mikaylah Williams added 11 points. LSU guard MiLaysia Fulwiley — who won a national championship with South Carolina two years ago — finished with just six points on 1-of-8 shooting.
No. 1 UConn 71, Marquette 56
Azzi Fudd scored 25 points and Sarah Strong had 22 as the Huskies continued their undefeated season with a win over the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee.
Fudd knocked down five 3-pointers, while Strong had three steals and three blocks to lead the Huskies (27-0, 16-0 Big East). KK Arnold added 10 points, six rebounds and a career-best nine assists.
Lee Volker scored 15 points and Skylar Forbes chipped in 14 to pace the Golden Eagles (16-10, 10-7). Marquette jumped out to briefly lead by five, but the Huskies outscored the Golden Eagles 36-19 for the remainder of the first half and held their double-digit advantage through the final buzzer.
Oklahoma State 75, No. 16 Texas Tech 65
Jadyn Wooten scored 16 points off the bench to guide the Cowgirls to an upset victory over the Red Raiders at home in Stillwater, Okla.
Wooten also had seven assists and was one of five players to score in double figures for Oklahoma State (20-7, 9-5 Big 12). Amari Whiting collected 13 points and 11 rebounds, Achol Akot also scored 13 points and Stailee Heard and Haleigh Timmer each had 12 apiece.
Bailey Maupin scored 19 points for Texas Tech (23-4, 10-4) and Snudda Collins added 18.
After trailing by a point at the end of the first quarter, the Cowgirls outscored the Red Raiders 22-9 in the second frame and led for the rest of the game. Oklahoma State — which led by 17 at one point — won the rebounding battle by 10 and shot 8 of 16 from 3-point land.
No. 24 Princeton 59, Cornell 38
Madison St. Rose scored 15 points to help the visiting Tigers defeat the Big Red in Ithaca, N.Y.
Skye Belker scored 12 points and Fadima Tall added 11 for Princeton (20-3, 8-2 Ivy League). It was a bounce-back win for the Tigers, who lost on the road at Columbia on Friday night. Princeton has now won at least 20 games in 15 of its last 16 seasons.
Clarke Jackson and Paige Engels each scored eight points for Cornell (8-15, 3-7).
The Big Red led by as much as 10 points in the second half, but the Tigers blitzed Cornell with a 23-5 third quarter to overcome that deficit and take the lead. Princeton scored 13 points off 20 Cornell turnovers.
–Field Level Media
Washington ends skid against short-handed Minnesota
Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 15, 2026
