LeBron James' achievement has been hailed as "absolutely incredible" by Tiger Woods, who also praised Tom Brady's legendary playing career.

James last week became the all-time points leader in NBA history, with the Los Angeles Lakers star overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's long-standing record.

The 38-year-old is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time league MVP.

Ahead of his return to the PGA Tour at the Genesis Invitational, Woods was asked for his thoughts on James' feat, and suggested Sam Snead and himself would be golf's equivalent to the 19-time NBA All-Star.

"What he accomplished is absolutely incredible," Woods told reporters.

"Just the durability, the consistency and the longevity. I grew up watching Kareem, he was the Cap [Captain], that's all I remember – the showtime Lakers, watching Cap.

"That record, nobody ever thought it would be broken, but also the amount of minutes he's playing, nobody's ever done it at that age and the way he's done it, being able to play all five positions. That's never been done at this level for this long.

"As far as our equivalent to that... I don't know, maybe you look at me and Sam, at 82 [PGA Tour wins each, a joint-record]. It takes a career to get to those numbers, that's probably best how you look at it."

While James is set to play on, a star of another sport – Brady – has retired.

NFL great Brady, who had a short-lived retirement in 2022, called time on his playing days "for good" earlier in February, ending a 23-year career at the highest level.

The quarterback is one of the most successful players of all time, with seven Super Bowl rings to his name, and has the most career wins of any QB.

Aaron Rodgers might also be considering retirement, and Woods is astounded at the pair's longevity, especially when it comes to 45-year-old Brady.

"There was a touch and go whether I'd be back after my back fusion," said Woods when asked about the mindset of the duo when it comes to retirement. 

"I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk again, I came back and had a nice little run. The same again with this leg. I didn't know if I was going to be able to play again and I played three majors last year.

"When you get a little bit older and a little more banged up, you’re not as invincible as you once were – that's just the reality of all of us ageing. Those are contact sports, I don't know how they've played [so long].

"Tom, playing as long as he did and the level he played at, it was phenomenal. We just have to look at him as an outlier, as how great that was.

"I remember as a kid growing up watching John Elway speak and just crying as he said 'I can do it but my body won't allow me to anymore'. He won the last two Super Bowls but he just could not physically do it anymore.

"I've got to that point a few times where you think of [retirement]. My sport, there's no contact, I don't have 300lb guys falling on me. It's just a matter of shooting a low score. We have the ability to pick and choose, play a little bit longer.

"We've seen my hero – Arnold Palmer – play in 50 straight Masters. Fifty straight. I'm not even 50 years old yet! You look at Gary Player, who played in 51 Masters. We're different sports."

The Boston Celtics will head into Tuesday's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks without four starters after Jayson Tatum and Al Horford were ruled out in the hours before tip-off.

Tatum and Horford are the latest additions to a star-studded injury list for the Celtics, who were already without All-Star Jaylen Brown due to a facial fracture, while reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart is recovering from an ankle injury.

Horford is officially listed out due to right knee swelling, while Tatum has also been given the game off for Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons as the Celtics give their leader in starts and minutes this season some extended rest leading into the All-Star Weekend.

The Bucks will be close to full strength after it was confirmed Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton – who were initially marked down as questionable – were cleared to play. They will only be missing sixth man Bobby Portis and new trade acquisition Jae Crowder.

With a win, the Bucks can trim Boston's lead as the best record in the Eastern Conference, and in the league, to a half-game.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker expects "exciting times" after Kevin Durant's trade made the rest of the NBA stand up and take notice.

Durant's move to Phoenix represents a big acquisition for new Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who completed his takeover last week and acted swiftly to bring in the 13-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP.

The 34-year-old, joining from the Brooklyn Nets with T.J. Warren, has averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season.

After hitting the courts with Durant – who has been out of action over a month due to a knee injury – Booker hailed the small forward's quality as he lauded the Suns for attracting such talent.

"You can't put it into words, man," Booker said on Tuesday. "It's just all feeling. Looking forward to the post-All-Star break when we actually get the chance to compete with each other.

"I've never got to do that besides the Olympics with Kev, so it's exciting times around here.

"We built something that the league has picked up on. We were probably the laughingstock of the NBA about four or five years ago, and just turning that around to something serious to championship contenders is a quick turnaround for us, so we take a lot of pride in what we've built here.

"People reach out and they're like 'Oh, that's what y'all are on?' Just trying to get it done, man. Just trying to get it done.

"For us to be a destination that Kev wanted to come to is a big sign of that, to show respect for what we've done so far. We still have more to do, but we're moving in the right direction."

Phoenix fell narrowly short in the 2021 Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, losing 4-2, and Booker believes the Suns will soon achieve glory as they assemble their squad.

"One-hundred per cent. We kind of had the same approach with the team before the trade. Once you get a taste of Finals experience and having that under your belt, that's all that you want," he said.

"We have one goal; we know it's not going to be easy to get there, but we feel we have the talent, we have the mindset and everything it takes right here in this gym."

While Durant arrives with a major reputation and experience at the top of the game, Booker does not expect the Suns to have to adjust much to another star player.

"We don't have a hierarchy," he continued. "That's the thing about it. You have Chris Paul, one of the greatest leaders of all time. You have coach Monty [Williams], you have [general manager] James Jones, we have guys that are all on the same plan.

"I think we all have different types of leading styles, which is the great thing about leadership it comes in many different forms. And I think all of our games, and our mindsets, complement each other very well."

Booker sees Durant as "one of the best to ever do it", as he added: "It's just something that you got to be around. To feel when you're around greatness.

"It's just a different look, a different feel – but I'm excited to be a part of it."

The 31-27 Suns sit fourth in the Western Conference and host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said he will need to figure out how to get the best out of Ben Simmons in the wake of losing star duo Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

Irving and Durant left the Nets for the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns respectively before the trade deadline, leaving Brooklyn shorn of two players who often took opposition attention away from Simmons.

The Australian played less than 13 minutes of Monday's 124-106 loss at the New York Knicks, having only once played for a shorter period in a game this season.

"It's going to be some work that we have to do," Vaughn said after the defeat at Madison Square Garden. "Because you just take a look at what the lineups could potentially look like.

"You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then if you put another playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball. Then if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him?

"So, the challenges are ahead of us. We'll look them head-on. We'll figure it out. We have the personnel to figure it out. Whether it is me mixing and matching throughout different pieces of the game, and allowing him to have a group and run with a group, that part we'll figure out, but you see the challenges that lie ahead."

Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired as part of the trade for Irving, top-scored for the Nets with 28, though he was no match for another former Dallas player in Jalen Brunson, who scored 40, making 15 from 21 field-goal attempts and six from nine three-point shots, and Vaughn said Brunson's performance was a factor in his thinking around Simmons.

"With Brunson being out there, trying to throw different bodies with him," he said. "We're always concerned about [rebounding], so didn't want Ben to be the lone big out there.

"We tried him with another big; I didn't like that rhythm of the game because we weren't scoring enough at that time. A lot of different problems thrown at you in the course of a game; you try to figure them out.

"Trying to figure out what lineup fits around Ben, what position fits for Ben, how we can make him look good at every opportunity. That's the goal. I'm still trying to figure that out. That's on me to figure that out. But I think overall as a team, we're going to try different lineups to try to figure this out."

The Boston Celtics will hit the road on Tuesday to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview.

In a tantalising battle between the top two teams in the East, it will also be a clash between two of the NBA's top-four defenses this season.

The Celtics will head into the contest boasting the rare statistical profile of the fourth-best defense (conceding 110.5 points per 100 possessions) and the third-best offense (116.8 points per 100 possessions). 

Meanwhile, the Bucks have relied primarily on their second-ranked defense (109.7), grinding out wins despite their offense ranking only 21st (112.6).

While their offensive production has differed, the way these two sides approach the game is very similar. They are two of the most perimeter-centric offenses in the league, both top-five in average three-point attempts, while both also sit bottom-five in average points in the paint.

It makes sense that, because both of these teams so heavily value the three-point shot, they also make just as much of an effort to disrupt that area for their opponents. They are both top-six in limiting opponent three-point makes, presenting an interesting conundrum.

Two teams who want to bomb away from deep, who also know exactly how to run their opposition off the three-point line, forcing them to take a step inside and attempt less valuable two-point jump shots, or daring them to finish at the basket against elite rim protectors.

They are also the best two teams in the league at limiting opposition free throw attempts, meaning that even when they force opponents inside into traffic, they are challenging without fouling.

But the wrench in that equation is Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who lives in the paint, contributes nearly half (19.0) of his side's 45.4 points in the paint per game, and leads the league in free throw attempts (13.8 per game).

It puts the opposition in a quandary – do you follow the scouting report and try to limit the Bucks' three-point shooting, potentially giving Antetokounmpo the free rein to dominate inside, or do you go all-in on stopping the former back-to-back MVP and force somebody else to hit shots?

That is not to say the Celtics' stars are incapable of getting into the paint – with both Jaylen Brown (11.7 paint points per game) and Jayson Tatum (11.5) in the top-20 in the league – but Brown is the primary slasher of the pair, and will miss this game with a broken bone in his face.

Brown will be joined on the sideline by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, meaning Tatum will not just be the Celtics' most important offensive player, he will also be their top perimeter defender.

The Celtics are struggling in the health department right now, while the Bucks are trending in the right direction. Both Milwaukee All-Stars – Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday – will play, and All-NBA wing Khris Middleton has games of 22 points and 24 points in his past three after recovering from his own serious injury.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Boston Celtics – Robert Williams III

Smart will be missed, but there is arguably not a more valuable defender to the Celtics than Robert Williams III – especially against an interior force like Antetokounmpo.

The 25-year-old came from out of nowhere to force his way onto the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season, finishing fourth in the league for blocks per game (2.2). That block figure has come back down to earth this season – still a team-leading 1.2 per game – but, simply put, the Celtics are a force defensively with him on the court. 

During his minutes, the Celtics concede only 104.8 points per 100 possessions – the fourth-best figure for any player averaging at least 20 minutes per game – which is over five points better than the league's best defense this season (Cleveland Cavaliers, 108.9).

Stephen Curry is unwilling to set a target date for his return from a leg injury, but he will not be back for the Golden State Warriors' first game after this weekend's NBA All-Star break.

Curry was forced off in the third quarter of a 119-113 win against the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month after his knee collided with that of opposing point guard McKinley Wright IV.

Scans subsequently revealed Curry had suffered tears to his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, as well as a contusion to his lower left leg.

While the two-time NBA MVP hopes to return to the court for practice after Sunday's All-Star game, he has ruled himself out of the Warriors' trip to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 23.

"Ligaments can heal in all different types of timelines," Curry said. "So there's a window for each checkpoint. 

"After the All-Star break, I will hopefully get back on the court, and then depending on how things go from there, we can key in on a specific date to get back."

Asked if it was fair to assume he would miss a "chunk" of games after the break, Curry added: "I don't know how you define chunk, but yes, I won't be playing against the Lakers the first game back.

"It's a slow process early, letting everything settle, let the healing process start. 

"The goal right now is just trying to let it heal while you maintain as much of your strength and conditioning. Keeping everything as active as possible around the injury."

The Warriors snapped a two-game losing run with a 135-126 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday, and Curry – who saw Golden State win five of the 11 games he missed after suffering a shoulder injury in December – is hoping they can stay afloat until his return.

"It's just about trying to figure out how to win the next game," Curry said. "It sounds boring, but all we can really focus on is guys battling every single night trying to build momentum, find a little separation in the standings, find more of an identity of who we are as a team.

"[I'm] very optimistic that we can finish these last two games strong and get to the All-Star break. Get refreshed mentally and physically."

All-Star DeMar DeRozan exited the Chicago Bulls' 100-91 defeat to the Orlando Magic with a right hip injury that he revealed has been bothering him for over a month.

DeRozan exited with 1:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, having scored 19 points on eight-of-20 shooting across 36 minutes in the loss that leaves the Bulls with a 26-31 record.

The loss was Chicago's fourth in a row and marked the fourth straight game that DeRozan has not reached 20 points.

The Bulls small forward missed last Monday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with the same hip issue and is due to undergo further testing on the problem on Tuesday.

"It was bothering me the whole game," DeRozan told reporters. "I just felt it. I didn't want to risk nothing. Hurting it anymore, what it was or anything.

"Just the accumulation of what it's been, attempting to play on it."

DeRozan, who was selected for the upcoming All-Star Game, is averaging 25.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season.

"It's too early to say. I always take everything day by day," DeRozan said, when asked if he will rule himself out of the All-Star Game.

"Get some rest, wake up, see how I feel tomorrow, get it checked out, get a better idea of what exactly it is, have a better idea of how to treat it and how to deal with it.

"It's something that I've been playing on for the last month and a half, just never said anything. Just want to get it right, especially going to the break."

Kyrie Irving scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter but it was not enough as the fast-finishing Dallas Mavericks lost 124-121 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

Irving and Luka Doncic (33 points) combined for 69 points for the Mavs, who trailed 100-82 at three-quarter time and rallied from a 26-point deficit.

The Mavs point guard, however, lost the ball to Taurean Prince with an errant pass on the final possession, denying Dallas getting a shot away to tie the game after a disrupted play where he exchanged passes with Doncic.

Irving's 26-point fourth quarter was the highest scoring quarter of his career, finishing the game on 15-of-23 shooting with four-of-nine from beyond the arc, along with five rebounds and six assists.

Doncic had 12 rebounds and six assists with his 33 points, while Christian Wood added 24 points off the bench.

For the triumphant Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 32 points with five rebounds, while Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

The defeat means the Mavs have lost both games Doncic and Irving have played together since the latter's trade from the Brooklyn Nets last week.

Lillard leads long-range Blazers blitz over Lakers

Damien Lillard scored 40 points as the Portland Trail Blazers hit 23 three-pointers in a 127-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, who were missing LeBron James for the third straight game with a sore left ankle.

The Blazers' 23 triples were a season-best, while they broke their first-half franchise record with 17 three-pointers. Lillard led the way from range, making eight-of-14 three-point attempts.

Malik Beasley came off the bench to top score for the Lakers with 22 points, including six three-pointers, while Anthony Davis scored 19 points with 20 rebounds and three blocks.

Mitchell stars as Spurs lose 13th straight

Donovan Mitchell scored 41 points with five three-pointers as the Cleveland Cavaliers condemned the San Antonio Spurs to a joint franchise record 13th straight defeat.

The Cavs won 117-109 led by Mitchell with Jarrett Allen adding 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, securing their seventh successive victory to improve their record to 38-22.

The loss leaves San Antonio with a 14-44 record, with their run of defeats marking their worst since the 1988-89 season.

Dallas Mavericks acquisition Kyrie Irving does not want to be constantly asked about committing long term to his new franchise, which he says is "very emotionally draining".

Irving was unveiled by the Mavericks to Dallas media alongside Markieff Morris following their trades from the Brooklyn Nets prior to their home debuts against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

The Mavericks have made it clear their move for Irving was geared towards chasing an elusive NBA title and the 30-year-old point guard proactively requested that reporters not ask him about his future beyond this season.

"It puts unwarranted distractions on us and our team," Irving told reporters. "I've dealt with it before, and it's very emotionally draining to ask questions like, 'What's the long term? What's the long term?'

"I will say that from the start, from when I came here, there's been nothing but a warm embrace, nothing but genuine love and nothing but a familiarity of relationships that I can really look to in times of questioning or confusion.

"There's just a positive note there. I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's all I can do in this life.

"What the future holds is really only going to be dictated on what I do right now and how I prepare for those next steps, and that's being the best teammate that I can be in that locker room and a great leader out here and within the Dallas community and within the NBA. I'll just continue to be myself.

"I'm just putting that to bed and just focusing on what we have ahead of us as a team."

Irving has started life with the Mavs well, averaging 25.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists across three games where they have won two.

The eight-time All-Star's acquisition does come with question marks given the off-court issues he has caused over the past few years, but Mavs general manager Nico Harrison downplayed any risk.

"I don't see any risk involved," said Harrison, whose relationship with Irving dates back to high school. "I've known Kyrie for a long time. I know his core. I know what kind of person that he is.

"I think anybody that's ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is. I don't see the risk involved. I actually see the risk in not doing the deal."

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone believes his side should have been rewarded with more than one All-Star selection after building such a commanding lead in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets came into Monday's play at 39-18, owners of a 4.5-game lead atop the West, but their only All-Star is reigning back-to-back league MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic, the favourite to win again this year and earn the first three-peat since Larry Bird from 1984-86, was an obvious selection, but the Nuggets had been campaigning for Aaron Gordon's first selection early in the season, before Jamal Murray also found his footing in the past couple months after an injury-impacted start to the campaign.

Gordon has started 49 of his side's 57 games – the same number as Jokic – while functioning as the team's top defender and averaging 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists on career-best efficiency. In fact, his field goal percentage of 58.7 per cent is the fifth highest in the league among players attempting at least 10 shots per game.

Meanwhile, after a slow start, Murray is averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals on shooting splits of 49/41/91 across his past 15 games.

Speaking to the media ahead of Monday's game against the Miami Heat, Malone said he would have liked to see the best team get rewarded in the All-Star Game for their dominance.

"It definitely bothers you, when you are in first place in the West by four games and you have the second-best record in the NBA," he said. 

"Yes, Nikola is a great player and he's on his way to potentially winning three MVPs in a row, but we have other great players as well. 

"A guy like Aaron Gordon, like Jamal Murray, you would hope they would be given some respect, if you will.

"But we're not going to focus on that because I know for Aaron, for Jamal, for everybody in that locker room, our goals are much bigger than the All-Star game."

There have already been two replacement All-Stars named in the West after it became clear Zion Williamson and Stephen Curry were not going to be able to participate, but those reserve selections went to Minnesota Timberwolves rising star Anthony Edwards and Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox.

The Washington Wizards' second all-time leading scorer Bradley Beal was issued a $25,000 fine on Monday after he was found guilty of making contact with an official during Saturday's win against the Indiana Pacers.

The incident occurred when Beal tried to intercept a long-range pass near the sideline, accidentally bumping his face into referee John Butler's shoulder, before appearing to push Butler away in an immediate response.

Butler fell into some empty seats courtside, and the game proceeded without any technical foul as a result of the contact.

The three-time All-Star – who needs only 577 more points to overtake Elvin Hayes as the Wizards' all-time leading scorer – may have thought he had gotten away with it, but the fine was picked out during the review process.

He will not miss any time for the 26-29 Wizards, who entered Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without LeBron James yet again when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

James, 38, will make it three missed games in a row since breaking the all-time scoring record against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, officially listed out with an ankle injury.

It may be a case of the Lakers trying to give their star an extended rest leading into the All-Star break in the hope he will come out the other side refreshed and ready to attack the home stretch, having averaged over 30 points per game in the 30 games he has played since the beginning of December.

But unfortunately for Los Angeles, they are running out of wiggle room.

With a 26-31 record, the Lakers are 13th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference, and although they sit only four games behind the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers, there are a host of competitive teams in the play-in race with the same goal.

The Lakers are 5-8 in the 13 games James has missed this season, including just two wins from their past eight attempts.

Making matters even more precarious is the fact that fellow star Anthony Davis is also listed as day-to-day, and there has been no confirmation that he will suit up either, although it is likely the Lakers would have ruled him out at the same time as James if they were going to do so.

It will be another chance for the Lakers' new additions to prove their worth, with D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt immediately impressing after arriving in the Russell Westbrook trade, while Malik Beasley could also prove himself to be a valuable shooter off the bench in a team lacking much of a threat from outside.

The Trail Blazers will also be undermanned as their top wing, Jerami Grant, has been ruled out with a concussion.

The Golden State Warriors will approve the four-team trade they agreed to at the deadline, but not before filing a complaint to the NBA about Gary Payton II's injury not being disclosed.

Payton, who was a member of the Warriors' championship-winning team in 2022, left the franchise to sign a free agent deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason.

He had been battling a number of injuries that kept him out of action until the new year, but he has managed 15 appearances since January 2.

Payton's return to action had the Warriors believing his injury problems were behind him, and they were given no indication during negotiations that he was still struggling.

However, their medical examination of him revealed a core muscle injury that the Warriors' medical staff believe will take months to heal.

It meant the Warriors had the ability to void the deal – which was a complicated four-team trade that also sent James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, while the Atlanta Hawks received Saddiq Bey – but with the deadline already passed, Golden State would not be able to make any further moves.

That is a crucial point because while the acquisition of Payton was important, the Warriors were just as interested in parting ways with Wiseman. 

The Athletic reported that because of Golden State's status as a luxury tax repeater, the franchise were going to have to pay over $50million for Wiseman's $9m salary this season, and over $80m for his $12m salary in 2023-24.

With how little the former number two draft pick has proven, the Warriors decided his time with the team had run out, and they would prefer the playoff-proven Payton on a cheaper contract.

While they are still going through with the trade, the Warriors filed a complaint to the league about the Trail Blazers providing misleading information about Payton's injury status, prompting the league to launch a review.

It is also being reported that Payton was being pushed by Portland's training staff to play through his injury with the help of pain relief medication.

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown says he is "day to day" in his recovery from a facial fracture and has not ruled himself out of next weekend's All-Star Game.

Brown suffered the injury when he collided with the elbow of team-mate Jayson Tatum during last Wednesday's 106-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The two-time All-Star was ruled out indefinitely by the Celtics, but Brown offered an update on his status prior to Sunday's 119-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I'm taking it day to day right now," Brown said. "I'm just letting the swelling go down, letting the pain subside, and then I'll kind of go from there. I can't make any determinations long-term because I'm just taking it day to day."

Brown, who was voted into the upcoming All-Star Game as a reserve by the league's coaches, confirmed he had avoided surgery and was on the mend.

"Feeling a lot better for sure," Brown said. "Still having a little bit of pain but feeling better from the first couple days.

"Had to get a couple scans, see a bunch of specialists and different doctors to get all the info. But they came to the determination I don't have to have surgery, so that's the good thing.

"I'm just happy that I don't have to go through that process because I probably would have missed a lot more games. I don't think it'll be too long. I figure I'll be fine."

Brown is enjoying an outstanding season, with career-high averages for points (26.5), rebounds (7.0) and field goal percentage (48.7 per cent).

The Golden State Warriors will approve the four-team trade they agreed to at the deadline, but not before filing a complaint to the NBA about Gary Payton II's injury not being disclosed.

Payton, who was a member of the Warriors' championship-winning team in 2022, left the franchise to sign a free agent deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason.

He had been battling a number of injuries that kept him out of action until the new year began, but he has since managed 15 appearances since January 2.

Payton's return to action had the Warriors believing his injury problems were behind him, and they were given no indication during negotiations that he was still struggling.

However, their medical examination of him revealed a core muscle injury that the Warriors' medical staff believe will take months to heal.

It meant the Warriors had the ability to void the deal – which was a complicated four-team trade that also sent James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, while the Atlanta Hawks received Saddiq Bey – but with the deadline already passed, Golden State would not be able to make any further moves.

That is a crucial point because while the acquisition of Payton was important, the Warriors were just as interested in parting ways with Wiseman. 

The Athletic reported that because of Golden State's status as a luxury tax repeater, the franchise were going to have to pay over $50million for Wiseman's $9m salary this season, and over $80m for his $12m salary in 2023-24.

With how little the former number two draft pick has proven, the Warriors decided his time with the team had run out, and they would prefer the playoff-proven Payton on a cheaper contract.

While they are still going through with the trade, the Warriors filed a complaint to the league about the Trail Blazers providing misleading information about Payton's injury status, prompting the league to launch a review.

It is also being reported that Payton was being pushed by Portland's training staff to play through his injury with the help of pain relief medication.