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Spurs’ G League Affiliate Acquires Christian Koloko

December 14th, 2025 at 11:30am CST by Rory Maher

The Austin Spurs have acquired the G League rights to Christian Koloko from the available player pool, San Antonio’s affiliate team announced in a press release.

Koloko was technically claimed off the waiver wire, per the NBAGL’s transaction log.

The 33rd overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft, Koloko had a promising rookie season with the Raptors, but he was unable to suit up during the 2023/24 campaign due to a blood clot issue and was released by Toronto in January 2024. The 6’11” center signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in July 2024 and was medically cleared to resume his career by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel in October 2024.

Koloko spent all of last season with the Lakers and re-signed with Los Angeles on another two-way deal in July. However, the Lakers waived the Cameroonian big man in late November to make roster space for Drew Timme.

In 97 career NBA games, Koloko has averaged 2.8 points, 2.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per contest.

Despite being acquired by Austin, Koloko remains an unrestricted NBA free agent.

Thunder Notes: SGA, J-Dub, Win Mark, Caruso, Topic

December 14th, 2025 at 10:47am CST by Rory Maher

While the Thunder were disappointed to drop Saturday’s game to San Antonio — Oklahoma City’s first loss in five-plus weeks — they were more focused on areas of improvement afterward rather than hanging their heads, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“Personally, I think it’s exciting,” superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s easier to learn when you don’t feel the way you want to feel. It stings a little bit more.

“We’ll also see these guys [twice in the next five] games. So, it will be a good challenge. Kind of like an automatic test, almost like in school. You fail the test, you get to retest a couple days later. That’s what it will probably feel like. Losing is where you find growth and where you really get better.”

Oklahoma City had its typical starting lineup available on Saturday for the first time since the team won the championship in June, MacMahon notes. The Thunder were up 16 points late in the second quarter, but the Spurs rallied before half time and wound up winning by two points.

Gilgeous-Alexander took responsibility for his part in the team’s “stagnant” offense — he finished with a game-high 29 points but also committed a season-high five turnovers.

“We can’t be spoiled,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per MacMahon. “We can’t think we’re above anything. Us, along with every team in the league, if you show up on a night and don’t do the necessary thing to win, you probably won’t win, no matter how talented or no matter what your record looks like. That was the case for us tonight.”

Here’s more on the defending champions:

The Thunder went 68-14 last season and won the NBA championship. However, they fell in the final of last year’s NBA Cup and were eliminated in the semifinals on Saturday. Star forward Jalen Williams, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals but shot just 5-of-17 from the field, admitted the team was hoping to add to its trophy case, relays Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “Yeah, it’s frustrating,” said Williams. “There’s perspective on it, for sure. I think an average team would probably be like, ‘Oh, it’s the Cup, whatever, we lost one.’ What are we, 24-2? I mean, we can go home and just hang our hat on that, or we can look at it as a way to get better and understand that we played against a playoff team that beat us and gave us a 2 on our (loss record). So that’s how we’ll look at it from a competitive standpoint.”
Entering Saturday’s game, the Thunder were tied with the 2015/16 Warriors for the best 25-game start in NBA history. Golden State went on to break Chicago’s regular season win mark by compiling a 73-9 record, but fell in the 2016 NBA Finals to Cleveland. As MacMahon writes for ESPN.com, Gilgeous-Alexander said on Friday that it would “absolutely” be meaningful if the Thunder were able to break the Warriors’ record, but he also cautioned that the team was more focused on repeating as champions and continuing to make day-to-day improvements.
The reigning MVP was asked about the win record again after Saturday’s loss, according to Vardon. “Seventy-three and nine? I mean, the position we’re in right now, what are we, 24-2? My goal is to get better,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “So if we get better than what we are now, that should take care of itself. That’s kind of how I see it. Goals to me are pointless trying to reach at when they are so far away. You have to take care of everything step-by-step, and tonight we didn’t. If we stack nights like we did tonight, we won’t even come close to it.”
Veteran guard Alex Caruso was one of the standouts for the Thunder in Saturday’s loss, observes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). On a night in which the offense wasn’t firing on all cylinders, Caruso did his best to will the team to victory in crunch time, Martinez writes, recording seven points, three rebounds and two steals in eight fourth-quarter minutes. The two-time champion finished with 11 points (on 5-of-9 shooting), eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, with the Thunder outscoring the Spurs by 22 points in his 24 minutes.
Williams was recently asked about 2024 lottery pick Nikola Topic, who is undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. The Serbian guard missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL prior to the cancer diagnosis this fall. “He doesn’t come in like, ‘It sucks.’ He’s going in, working out and shooting and trying to get better, which is insane to me. … He’s been really strong about the situation. He doesn’t feel sorry for himself,” Williams said of Topic (Twitter link via Martinez).

Yabusele On Limited Knicks Role: ‘It’s Very Difficult’

December 14th, 2025 at 9:41am CST by Rory Maher

Guerschon Yabusele‘s first season with the Knicks hasn’t gone the way either side envisioned after the team signed the veteran big man to a two-year, $11.25MM contract over the summer.

After averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists on .501/.380/.725 shooting in 70 games (27.1 minutes per contest) with Philadelphia last season, Yabusele’s numbers have dropped considerably in 2025/26. He’s averaging just 3.0 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 24 appearances (9.8 MPG), with a shooting slash line of .400/.295/.600; more than half of his field goal attempts have been threes.

Prior to Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against Orlando, Yabusele admitted to a level of frustration with his limited role in a French interview with AFP and Basket USA (story via Ouest-France; hat tip to Nikola Miloradovic of Eurohoops).

“I don’t want to lie to you, it’s very difficult,” Yabusele said. “I’m a competitor first. It’s not a situation I thought (I would be in) coming here.”

Yabusele, who turns 30 years old on Wednesday, played in Europe for several years after a two-season stint with Boston early in his career. He says he’s staying positive despite the difficult circumstances, and credits the Knicks’ supportive locker room for helping him remain upbeat.

“I try to be ready whenever my name is called,” Yabusele said. “I try to control my impact on the court, no matter how much time I get.“

Knicks, Spurs Advance To NBA Cup Final

December 14th, 2025 at 8:11am CST by Rory Maher

Behind game highs of 40 points and eight assists from star guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks defeated the Magic by 12 points on Saturday in Las Vegas to advance to the final of the NBA Cup, also known as the in-season tournament.

“When you have an MVP of the league candidate in Jalen Brunson, you know, 16-for-27, 40 points, he makes the game easier for everybody,” head coach Mike Brown said, per Vincent Goodwill of ESPN. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do, and he definitely did that tonight.”

Karl-Anthony Towns (29 points on 9-of-11 shooting, nine rebounds) and OG Anunoby (24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, three steals) were among the other standouts for New York.

Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 26 points and seven assists, but he was forced to leave the game in the third quarter due to a left hip injury.

The other semifinal matchup featured San Antonio and Oklahoma City. The Spurs emerged with a two-point victory over the defending champions, ending the Thunder’s 16-game winning streak in the process.

As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com details, while four Spurs finished with 20-plus points, the primary takeaway from the game was the play of big man Victor Wembanyama, who was making his first appearance in a month after missing the past 12 games due to a left calf strain. Coming off the bench for the first time in his career, the French star finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, with San Antonio outscoring OKC by 21 points in his 21 minutes.

“It’s our first time playing [with] everybody [healthy],” Wembanyama said. “We were already a solid team already more than 20 games ago. It’s just experience. We’re just figuring it out. And the difference with us and [Oklahoma City] is we haven’t had this many reps recognizing what it takes to win. And this is our next step.

“This OKC team, they’re not just first in the league. They’re way ahead of everybody. And when you watch them, no matter who, whether it’s the 12th man or the starting five, whether they’re playing against the 15th seed or any kind of game, they’re playing the same way. They’re enjoying the little things that make them win, and this is the next step we have to pass.”

The final between New York and San Antonio will take place Tuesday at 7:30 pm CT in Las Vegas, the NBA announced (via Twitter). Both teams are currently 18-7.

Jalen Suggs Leaves NBA Cup Game With Hip Injury

December 13th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic guard Jalen Suggs engaged in a scoring battle with Knicks star Jalen Brunson during the first half of Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals matchup, but pain forced him out of the game after he injured his hip in the third quarter, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Suggs was in obvious discomfort as he talked to reporters in the locker room, Bontemps adds, and he’ll be evaluated further when the team returns to Orlando on Sunday.

“It’s the part that sucks the most,” Suggs said of potentially having to miss time. “I truly tried (to play). There’s nowhere else I would have rather been than on the court battling with my guys, especially in a close game. But (God) be having other plans, and I can’t be mad at his plans.”

Bontemps states that Suggs refused to answer any more questions about his condition, and he struggled to stand up and leave the area. He also couldn’t explain exactly what caused it.

“I don’t even know,” he said. “We’ll figure out what it is.”

Suggs was injured on a drive to the basket with 5:58 left in the third quarter when OG Anunoby stole the ball from him (video link via NBA.com). Suggs yelled and grabbed at his left hip, but tried to continue playing before a timeout was called. He remained in the game after the stoppage, but was removed for good shortly afterward.

Suggs was in the midst of one of the best games of his career, as he poured in 25 points before halftime. Bontemps notes that he was able to get wherever he wanted to go against New York’s defense and repeatedly drove to the basket. He finished with 26 points in a little more than 29 minutes, and the Knicks pulled away for a 132-120 victory.

Injuries have been a frequent problem for Suggs throughout his five years in the NBA, as he’s only had one season where he’s played more than 53 games. Last season ended in January due to a knee injury that required surgery, and his recovery process lasted through most of October.

The Magic were expected to be one of the top teams in the East, but injuries to their stars have limited them to a 15-11 record. Franz Wagner is currently out with a high left ankle sprain and Paolo Banchero recently returned from a left groin strain.

“He’s been battling through some pain the last few games,” Banchero said of Suggs. “He’s just been giving it his all for the team and kind of playing through it, so you hope it’s not too bad, whatever the injury is. We don’t want to lose him. He gave us a great effort in that first half … unfortunately, he couldn’t go in the second half.”

Lakers Notes: Vanderbilt, Reaves, Smart, Buss Brothers

December 13th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers‘ success has helped to mask their defensive deficiencies, but they’ve been a concern all season long, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Even though L.A. is off to a 17-7 start, the team ranks 18th in the league in points surrendered at 116.8 per game, 22nd in opponents’ field goal percentage at 48.1% and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting at 38.2%.

Jarred Vanderbilt, who has made just one brief appearance in the past 10 games, is hoping he can help improve those numbers. A spot is the rotation has opened up while Austin Reaves recovers from a mild calf strain, and Vanderbilt could be called upon, beginning with Sunday’s game at Phoenix.

“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after Saturday’s practice. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”

The Lakers were hoping to be in Las Vegas this weekend for the NBA Cup semifinals, but they were eliminated Wednesday in a game where they gave up 132 points to San Antonio. Vanderbilt is averaging just 4.3 PPG and shooting 43.1% from the field, so his limited production has kept him on the bench, but his value could rise if coach J.J. Redick decides to place a greater emphasis on defense.

“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt told Turner. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

Redick said the team will be careful with Reaves’ recovery, but he doesn’t expect it to turn into a prolonged absence, Turner adds. Reaves played nearly 40 minutes on Wednesday before the issue was discovered. “It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said. “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnoses with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”
Marcus Smart said defense was the primary topic during a team meeting on Friday (Twitter video link from Khobi Price of The Orange County Register). “It exposed us a lot, which we already knew,” Smart said. “… The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard.”
After being removed from their front office roles with the Lakers last month, Joey Buss and Jesse Buss may consider investing in Major League Baseball’s Athletics franchise, according to Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Two sources confirmed to Shaikin that discussions took place, but they’re described as preliminary. The Buss brothers still have their ownership stakes in the Lakers.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Kuminga, Backcourt, Green

December 13th, 2025 at 8:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry showed no effects from the quad injury that sidelined him for five games as he returned to the court Friday night, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. Even though the Warriors lost to Minnesota, Curry gave the offense a much-needed lift with 39 points in 32 minutes while making 14 of his 28 shots from the field.

“Started to feel normal again,” he said. “So individually, it was a good first game back just to get my lungs back and feel like myself.”

Curry came out firing, taking six shots and scoring 10 points during his eight-minute stint in the first quarter. He also helped to erase a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter with 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers. He didn’t travel with the team on its three-game road trip, staying in San Francisco to get treatment on the injury and participate in a Wednesday night scrimmage.

“He looked great,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Just the movement, the flow. I asked him how he was feeling after the first eight-minute run in the first quarter, and he said, ‘I feel great.'”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Curry responded to questions this week about Jonathan Kuminga, who hasn’t played in the past two games after being pulled from the rotation, relays Nick Friedell of The Athletic. Curry expressed support for the young forward, stating that he’ll likely get another chance to contribute before long. “We still have high hopes that he’ll impact our team this year,” Curry said. “But it’s just an idea you can’t lose your spirit when things aren’t going your way, because you’re a game or two away from it coming right back to you. And if you’ve checked out, or if you’re still not engaged in the learning process, then you might miss your moment on the back end. So it is a back-and-forth, and it’s the responsibility of both sides. As a team, it’s our job to support him because we know he’s a great dude, a very talented player, (and) we still have belief that he can help us.”
Curry’s return creates a crowded situation in the Golden State backcourt, observes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). The team has nine guards on its roster, and the availability of De’Anthony Melton, who made his season debut last Thursday, along with the emergence of Pat Spencer will lead to some difficult decisions regarding playing time. “We have a lot of guys now and it’s a great problem to have but it’s not an easy problem to solve, because I also would say there’s not a ton of separation between our players,” Kerr said. “… You always like to have a set rotation, but we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
Draymond Green will rejoin the team Sunday in Portland, but it hasn’t been determined if he’s going to play, according to Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area. Green has missed the past three games for personal reasons, and Kerr told reporters that the right mid-foot sprain he aggravated last week has healed. “It’s just a question of whether (director of sports medicine and performance) Rick (Celebrini) feels comfortable putting him out there,” Kerr said. “So, he’ll meet us in Portland and we’ll assess him there.”

Celtics Notes: Queta, Tatum, Walsh, Trade Options

December 13th, 2025 at 7:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Neemias Queta has solved the Celtics‘ center problems this season, but he has been disappointed with his free throw shooting, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. There were concerns about what Boston would do in the middle after trading Kristaps Porzingis and seeing Al Horford and Luke Kornet leave in free agency, but Queta stepped into the starting role and has provided consistent scoring, rebounding and defense. However, he’s connecting at just 61.2% from the foul stripe after being a 71.3% career shooter coming into the season.

“I can get better,” Queta said. “It’s been a tough year for me at the line. I usually feel pretty confident when I’m out there. I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe it’s repetition or maybe it’s just getting my legs under it. But something I need to get better at, most definitely, because that’s unacceptable. … I’m too good of a shooter to shoot that bad.”

Terada adds that Queta’s breakout season has been massive considering that backup big men Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman have both dropped out of the rotation. Coach Joe Mazzulla has gone with smaller lineups when Queta rests, using Josh Minott and other players in the middle.

There’s more from Boston:

Jayson Tatum posted several lengthy workout videos to his Instagram account this week, but Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required) cautions that doesn’t mean the All-Star forward will be returning soon. It’s been seven months since Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon, and Himmelsbach states that he continues to remind team officials that he wants to play this season. However, a league source tells Himmelsbach that Tatum still has to reach several milestones in the recovery process before that can be considered.
Doc Rivers is the latest opposing coach to be impressed by Jordan Walsh, Himmelsbach adds in the same piece. The third-year forward has established himself as an elite defender this season, and his shooting has been outrageous lately as he’s 30-of-37 from the field and 9-of-12 from three-point range in December. “It seems like they just put him on anybody to pressure,” Rivers said of Walsh after Thursday’s game in Milwaukee. “His energy is infectious, man. If you don’t want to play hard when you’re watching him play, then there’s something wrong with you.”
The prospect of Tatum returning could prompt the Celtics to be more aggressive about finding another center at the trade deadline rather than waiting for the offseason, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Robb responds to a question about Ivica Zubac, saying the team may be hesitant to part with multiple first-round picks for a big man and is likely to pursue minimum-salary options if a player of that caliber isn’t available.

Kings’ Drew Eubanks To Miss At Least Three Weeks With Thumb Fracture

December 13th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings center Drew Eubanks has an avulsion fracture in his left thumb and will be reevaluated in three weeks, according to Sean Cunningham of KCRA News in Sacramento (Twitter link).

The injury occurred during Thursday’s loss to Denver, as Eubanks was forced to leave the game after playing just four minutes. He underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed the damage.

Eubanks was inserted into the starting lineup after center Domantas Sabonis was sidelined with a torn meniscus in mid-November. However, rookie big man Maxime Raynaud has been more productive lately and has taken over that role in the past three games, averaging 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds during that stretch.

Eubanks, 28, is in his first season with the Kings after signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract over the summer. He has appeared in 25 games, making 11 starts and averaging 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per night while shooting 61.5% from the field.

Sacramento is the sixth team in eight seasons for Eubanks, who was traded from the Jazz to the Clippers at last year’s deadline. He became a free agent when L.A, waived him in July to avoid paying his $4.5MM non-guaranteed salary.

With Eubanks out of action until at least January, Precious Achiuwa and Dario Saric could see an increase in playing time until Sabonis returns.

Wolves Notes: DiVincenzo, Gobert, Shannon, Edwards, Injuries

December 13th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

The season that Donte DiVincenzo spent with the Splash Brothers helped him build the confidence to take late-game shots like the ones he hit against the Warriors on Friday night, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. DiVincenzo drilled a three-pointer to tie the score with 1:48 remaining and another 80 seconds later to put the game out of reach as the Timberwolves spoiled Stephen Curry‘s return from injury.

“I didn’t shoot the ball well at all tonight, but I could care less if I’m being honest with you,” DiVincenzo said. “My year here changed my entire mindset. Playing with that dude over there, 30 (Curry), it just changed my mindset on my misses, my mindset on my approach. I want the big shot at the end of the game. That’s the mindset I have.”

As Krawczynski notes, DiVincenzo was looking for a new NBA home when he signed a one-year deal with Golden State in the summer of 2022. He had been a starter on Milwaukee’s 2021 championship team, but he was removed from the starting lineup the following season and traded to Sacramento halfway through. Joining the Warriors gave him the chance to learn from Curry and Klay Thompson, picking up their practice habits and their fearlessness about taking clutch shots.

“It changed me, my approach, my mentality, how I process the game, how I live with negatives in my career,” DiVincenzo said. “I think it changed my entire trajectory of my career, and after that, I’ve been who I am.”

There’s more on the Wolves:

Another flagrant foul for Rudy Gobert any time this season will trigger an automatic suspension, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Gobert was whistled for flagrants in back-to-back games over the past week, putting him one flagrant-foul point away from a one-game suspension and two points away from a two-game suspension. He disputed the call in Monday’s game when he was assessed a flagrant foul for making “significant” contact to the ribs of Phoenix center Mark Williams while Williams was airborne. “There was an intent to foul, but I don’t feel like it was meant to really hit him in the rib to hurt him,” Gobert said. “It was more like to take away his momentum and contest the shot. They deemed that it was winding up. I didn’t feel like it. I just felt like it was just maybe a very physical foul. But I hope he’s doing OK. It seems like he was doing OK after that. It was just, to me, a physical basketball play.”
In the same Star Tribune story, head coach Chris Finch pointed to Terrence Shannon Jr.‘s defensive habits as the reason for the second-year guard’s inconsistent play. “It’s largely rooted in readiness,” Finch explained. “He’s a great athlete. He’s probably spent a lot of his time making up ground with his closing speed. It’s a dangerous habit to get into at this level, the guys that have either equal or greater athleticism, but also teams that execute well and can take advantage of that. So his screen navigation is poor, and that puts him even further behind the play.”
Anthony Edwards missed Friday’s game due to soreness in his right foot and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s home matchup with Sacramento. Bones Hyland, who left Friday’s contest with a right knee contusion, is also questionable, while Mike Conley has been ruled out with a right Achilles issue.

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