NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Raptors Notes: Barnes, Shead, Ingram, Record, Schedule

November 16th, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Rory Maher

After a disappointing 1-4 start, the Raptors have been on a tear ever since, winning seven of their past eight games to improve to 8-5. Thursday’s win in Cleveland was the team’s most impressive victory of the season, and Scottie Barnes was the best player on the court, recording 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks in 35 minutes.

“I know what I’m capable of, so just gotta bring that every single night,” Barnes said, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “Be aggressive, attacking downhill, being aggressive on both ends, and I was just helping my teammates a lot. If someone gets beat just trying to be help for them. So just doing those things on both ends. Once I’m aggressive, then I’m attacking downhill and just drawing the defense on me and being able to kick out. You know, just opens up a lot for our team.”

If Barnes continues to play at the level he has lately, the Raptors will be a dangerous team in a seemingly wide-open Eastern Conference, says Eric Koreen of The Athletic. As Koreen writes, Barnes may have been miscast in the past as a No. 1 offensive option, but the acquisition of Brandon Ingram has allowed Barnes to showcase his all-around skills and push the ball hard in transition.

“When you look at 28 points, eight assists and the offensive stuff, it’s easy to identify he had a good game,” head coach Darko Rajaković said. “He does so much more for us — defensively with five blocked shots, (the) deflections that he’s creating, rotations, how he’s covering for us defensively. He’s doing an outstanding job for us.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Barnes was effusive in his praise of 2024 second-round pick Jamal Shead after Thursday’s game, Grange adds. “When he steps on the floor for us, he’s a game changer,” Barnes said of the second-year guard. “We had a lot of games this year where offense looks slow, comes in the game defensively, offensively, changes that entire game. It’s like a little boost, like a little sense of like ‘we’re ready to go’ when he steps on the floor. He changes the game with his offense, defense, be able to get downhill, make those extra reads … he’s super important for our team. He’s been a leader every single day. It’s his, what, second year in the league? And I feel like he’s one of our main leaders.”
While the starters are still getting used to playing with each other and the defense remains an issue, the offensive attention Ingram draws due to his half-court shot-making has created scoring opportunities for his teammates, Koreen writes for The Athletic. “The reality of it is we haven’t really had a player like him with his play style in the past couple years,” center Jakob Poeltl said after Tuesday’s win at Brooklyn. “(There are) a lot of new situations for us that everyone is trying to get used to. Considering where we are in the season … I think we’re doing a good job.”
The last time Toronto was three games above .500 was February 2022, when Barnes was a rookie, notes Grange of Sportsnet. It’s been a while since the Raptors were a solid team, but Barnes is optimistic about the future. “It’s been a long time, man,” he told Grange. “I know we’ve probably been struggling here in Toronto, but I’m happy and we’re super blessed to be in this position. But we can’t take nothing for granted. It’s still a grind; we got to still stay hungry. Just because we’re over .500, that don’t mean nothing.”
As Grange observes in another story, the Raptors have a favorable schedule over their next four games, with upcoming matchups against the Hornets (4-9), Sixers (7-5), Wizards (1-11) and Nets (1-11), giving the team an opportunity to move further up the standings.

OG Anunoby Out At Least Two Weeks With Left Hamstring Strain

November 16th, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Maher

November 16: Anunoby will miss at least two weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

November 14: Knicks forward OG Anunoby sustained a left hamstring strain in the first quarter of Friday’s game against Miami and will not return, the team announced (via Twitter).

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), Anunoby appeared to suffer the injury while on a fast break. The 28-year-old grabbed at his hamstring after missing a layup and quickly exited the game.

Jordan Clarkson started the second half in Anunoby’s stead, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

While it’s unclear how much time Anunoby will miss, it seems somewhat ominous that he was diagnosed with a hamstring strain so soon after the injury occurred; typically, teams initially refer to soft tissue injuries as tightness or soreness rather than strains.

Anunoby, a one-time All-Defensive honoree, was off to an impressive start to the 2025/26 season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals through 11 games (33.5 minutes per contest). His shooting line over that span was .483/.397/.760.

Josh Hart, Landry Shamet and Clarkson are all candidates for more playing time with Anunoby out.

Star guard Jalen Brunson was out Friday as well after suffering a Grade 1 right ankle sprain late in Wednesday’s loss to Orlando. Head coach Mike Brown had a simple explanation for why Brunson was still playing with New York down 16 points with 1:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, as Peter Sblendorio of The New York Daily News relays.

“I’ve been a part of some crazy, crazy comebacks,” Brown said before Friday’s game. “I’m trying to win the game. A couple minutes left. A stop and two threes, and it’s a two-possession game. That’s all I was trying to do, is win the game.”

Miles McBride got the starting nod on Friday with Brunson sidelined.

KJ Martin To Sign With Chinese Team

November 16th, 2025 at 9:16am CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward KJ Martin plans to sign with the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association, a source tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (story via Dario Skerletic).

The 52nd overall pick in the 2020 draft, Martin had spent the past five years in the NBA prior to being released by the Jazz in late September. His $8MM contract for 2025/26 was fully non-guaranteed.

A 6’6″ combo forward, Martin has appeared in 309 career NBA games, including 77 starts. He holds averages of 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .545/.329/.673.

Martin spent his first three seasons in Houston prior to being sent to the Clippers in the 2023 offseason. His stint with Los Angeles was brief, as he was rerouted to Philadelphia in the James Harden trade a few months later.

The 24-year-old, who missed about six weeks of action last season due to a foot injury, split the 2024/25 campaign with the Sixers and Jazz, averaging 6.4 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 43 games (21.2 MPG). Philadelphia technically traded him to Detroit prior to the February deadline, but he was immediately flipped to Utah as part of the Jimmy Butler blockbuster.

Known for his energy and athleticism, Martin was unable to find another NBA team after being cut by the Jazz this fall. This will be the first overseas stint for the son of former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin.

Lakers Notes: Hachimura, Thiero, Game Ball, LeBron, AD

November 16th, 2025 at 8:28am CST by Rory Maher

Rui Hachimura missed his first game of the season on Saturday in Milwaukee due to a sore left calf, an issue Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the starting forward had been dealing with “all week,” writes Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.

“With a back-to-back, probably just smart to hold him out,” Redick said. “But I don’t think it will be a lingering thing. We’ll miss him. It feels like every game I’m coaching, it’s this way. So, nothing changes.”

Marcus Smart (viral illness) was also ruled out of Saturday’s game, with Bronny James and Jake LaRavia sliding into the starting lineup. It was James’ first start of the season and second of his career, Price notes. The 2024 second-round pick has been part of the rotation amid backcourt injuries this fall, though he only played 10 minutes against the Bucks, below his season average of 11.9 MPG.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Rookie forward Adou Thiero made his NBA debut in Saturday’s lopsided win, recording four points and one rebound in a little under five minutes of action. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN details, while the outcome of the game was never in question, there was a minor controversy after the final buzzer ended. Jarred Vanderbilt was holding the game ball to give it to Thiero for scoring his first career points, but apparently crew chief Pat Fraher had other plans, as he took the ball from Vanderbilt and gave it to a Bucks team attendant, telling players it belonged to Milwaukee. “[Fraher] said he’s going to write me up,” Vanderbilt told ESPN. “I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. These refs, they just want to have their power or something, I don’t know. I don’t know what he was reaching for. That’s been a thing since way before I was in the league. What, was he going to take the ball home or something?“
According to McMenamin, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo intervened at center court, taking the ball from the attendant and handing it to Luka Doncic, who presented the ball to Thiero in the Lakers’ locker room. “At first I didn’t realize it was all for me,” said Thiero, who was selected No. 36 overall in June’s draft. “But I’m very thankful for this team. I think that shows how connected we are and how much we want each other to succeed.”
LeBron James, who practiced two times with the team’s G League affiliate in recent days, could make his season debut as soon as Tuesday, McMenamin adds. The 40-year-old star has been recovering from sciatica on his right side.
Before sending him to Dallas in February as part of the Doncic blockbuster, the Lakers quietly gauged trade interest in Anthony Davis last December, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Siegel hears those December conversations centered around the possibility of dealing Davis during the 2025 offseason, not before the February trade deadline, but obviously things changed when the Lakers were presented with the opportunity to acquire Doncic.

Northwest Notes: Mitchell, Ball, Trail Blazers, Adelman

November 15th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s best team keeps finding ways to get better, and Ajay Mitchell‘s recent breakout has given the Thunder another dangerous weapon, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. With Jalen Williams still recovering from wrist surgery, Mitchell has seized the opportunity to become OKC’s latest star. The second-year shooting guard is averaging 16.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists though 13 games while ranking sixth in the league with 1.8 steals. He has taken over Williams’ role of carrying the offense whenever Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rests and provides a complement to the reigning MVP in late-game lineups.

“I mean, he was breaking out last year before he got hurt (last season),” Isaiah Hartenstein said. “We see it on a day-to-day basis, and (coach Mark Daigneault) has a system that if you go out there and show what you can do, he’ll let you ride.”

Mitchell is the latest find by general manager Sam Presti, who selected him out of Santa Barbara with the 38th pick in the 2024 draft. Mitchell started on a two-way contract before being converted to a standard deal in February. Once Williams returns, Mitchell figures to get consideration for Sixth Man of the Year honors and may be a strong contender for Most Improved Player as well.

“You want to take advantage of it,” Mitchell said of his role, “but I always look at it as, ‘Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m gonna do it.’ With injuries, I have to step up.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

LaMelo Ball‘s poor interview with the Timberwolves during the 2020 pre-draft process helped convince them to make Anthony Edwards the No. 1 pick, relays Sam Jane of The Athletic. His colleague, Jon Krawczynski, told the story of Ball’s presidential aspirations during a recent appearance on Zach Lowe’s podcast. “One of the questions that was asked of him was: ‘Hey, LaMelo, after you’re done playing, what do you see yourself doing when your career is over? What kind of things do you aspire to?’ And LaMelo said, ‘I want to be president of the United States,’” Krawczynski stated. He adds that the team wasn’t sure if the answer was legitimate or if Ball was bored with conducting interviews, but it helped to make Minnesota’s decision clearer.
The Trail Blazers held a players-only meeting after losing by 24 points Friday night in Houston, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. It was their first lopsided defeat of the season, and they want to make sure things don’t get out of control. “Sometimes, we’ve got to talk with each other,” Deni Avdija said. “We’re like family here. And families have to say what’s on their mind.”
Coach David Adelman’s main concern about the Nuggets‘ early-season schedule has been two instances of traveling for back-to-back games that tipped off less than 24 hours apart, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “Especially when you’re playing national TV games that are a lot longer (due to commercial breaks),” Adelman said. “That’s something I think we all have to talk about. If we’re talking about the betterment of the players, and you want to see the best product possible nightly, you have to give them time for their bodies to come back and be themselves.”

Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Queta, Gonzalez, Kalkbrenner

November 15th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has gotten used to contending for championships, so he wasn’t exactly eager to have a roster filled with unproven players, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. His team may be overachieving somewhat with a 6-7 start, but Mazzulla calls it more of a “fulfillment” than an “enjoyment.”

“I don’t enjoy being in the position that we’re in and I don’t enjoy some of that, but I’m fulfilled because at the end of the day we know where we are and we know what we’re trying to get to,” he said. “And we’re doing it with a group of guys that have a competitive care factor that can pay dividends in the long term.”

Boston was already heading toward a roster overhaul because of second apron restrictions, but the process was sped up by Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear in the playoffs. Four rotation members of the 2024 title team were lost during the summer, and Mazzulla is now trying to maximize young players, several of whom weren’t able to succeed elsewhere. There have been a few bright spots such as Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez, and the team is taking on the competitive attitude of its head coach.

“We haven’t played perfect but there has been a care factor to the process of ‘I’ve got to get this right, I’ve got to get this detail right. I have to execute. I have to understand my role. I’ve got to execute it every single night,’” Mazzulla said. “Those things have come easy to guys because of their work ethic.”

There’s more from Boston:

Neemias Queta has gotten plenty of advice from Tatum as he’s taken over as the team’s starting center, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Queta has adjusted to the role and currently ranks 12th in the NBA in plus/minus. “Yeah, he’s been on me from the moment I got here in Boston, and we’ve been able to build that relationship,” Queta said of Tatum. “He’s always trying to help me figure out why I could do better, figure out how I can get my teammates open, and just trying to be a kind of coach, so to speak, as he can’t play right now. But I feel like he’s been one of the most vocal guys, and he’s always trying to lead us away the way he can see.”
Gonzalez has played so well to start the season that a G League assignment doesn’t seem to be under consideration, Robb adds in a separate story. The 19-year-old has appeared in 11 of the team’s first 13 games and is averaging 12.4 minutes per night. “I haven’t thought about that, no,” Mazzulla responded when asked about the possibility of Gonzalez spending time with the Maine Celtics. “He just came into the season with an open mind through training camp and preseason, and I think he showed and proved, one through his work ethic, his maturity, but really his defensive instincts, that he could play at this level. And so I think that’s more valuable than anything at this particular time. We’ll assess it as it goes on but he’s proven he can play and can impact winning. He’s got to get better at continuing to do that.”
Boston traded away the pick that the Hornets used to select Ryan Kalkbrenner, but there’s no guarantee the Celtics would have taken him if they had stayed at No. 32, Robb states in a mailbag column. He points out that it’s too early to make a definite judgment on Kalkbrenner, an early standout, and the benefits they got in the deal — four extra second-round picks, one of which was used to unload Georges Niang‘s salary — make it worthwhile.

Marcus Smart Says Grizzlies’ Downturn Was Predictable

November 15th, 2025 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Marcus Smart‘s disappointing year-and-a-half with the Grizzlies ended with a trade to Washington in February, and he’s not surprised by the chaos the franchise has undergone since he left. In an interview with Josue Pavon of ClutchPoints, Smart said there were clear indications that a breakdown was coming.

“Way better. You see what’s going on now,” Smart said. “That started with me. I came back from injury, and I got traded because they said I didn’t want to be there. I’m injured. What do you mean, I don’t want to be here? I’m here every day working my ass off, cheering. I’m the only one on the bench coaching, but you know how it is. Control what you can control.”

Smart only appeared in 19 games with the Grizzlies last year — and 39 total during his time with the franchise — before being shipped to the Wizards. A few weeks after he left, the team fired head coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in the regular season, replacing him with assistant Tuomas Iisalo, and was swept out of the playoffs in the first round.

This season is off to a disastrous start as Memphis fell to 4-10 after losing Saturday in Cleveland. Iisalo’s unorthodox substitution patterns haven’t been popular with players, and they led to a rift with star guard Ja Morant that resulted in a one-game suspension.

Although his time in Memphis didn’t work out well, Smart stated that he doesn’t harbor any animosity toward the organization.

“I wish nothing but the best for them. Those guys — they work their ass off,” he added. “But you could definitely see this coming, and now, this is what you get.”

The Grizzlies were among the top teams in the West for most of last season and were still in the race to host a playoff series when Jenkins was dismissed. However, they stumbled down the stretch and finished as the No. 8 seed, which required them to go through the play-in tournament. They lost to Golden State before beating Dallas to claim the West’s final playoff spot.

Smart said there were plenty of warning signs before he was traded that things were about to go badly.

“You could see it. Even when I was there, me and (current Lakers teammate) Jake (LaRavia),” he said. “You could see just how they were handling things, going about things. And it’s unfortunate — you’ve got some good talent over there. It’s unfortunate. Hopefully, they can get it together.”

Southwest Notes: Morant, Edey, Finney-Smith, Davis

November 15th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant left Saturday’s game in Cleveland midway through the first quarter due to soreness in his right calf, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Returning to the court after missing Wednesday’s contest at Boston due to an ankle injury, Morant was only able to play six minutes against the Cavs, finishing with seven points and two assists. Vardon states that he was jogging gingerly on Memphis’ final possession before being removed.

Coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters after the game that he’s not sure which play caused Morant’s injury, relays Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link). Morant is expected to undergo further testing, and likely an MRI, when the team gets back to Memphis.

Vince Williams Jr., who took over lead guard duties when Morant exited, turned his ankle late in the first half, per Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), but he was able to return. The Grizzlies are low on point guards with Ty Jerome yet to make his season debut due to a right calf strain and Scotty Pippen Jr. recovering from toe surgery.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Zach Edey played nearly 25 minutes in his first game of the season and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Grizzlies center is happy that the long recovery process following ankle surgery in June is finally over (Twitter video link from Grind City Media). “It felt good. I’ve been waiting all season,” Edey said. “My legs felt better than I expected. My wind, I didn’t really catch it until like the third quarter. I felt good out there.” Iisalo was happy with the performance of his new starting lineup featuring Edey and rookie forward Cedric Coward (Twitter video link). “Overall I like that lineup,” he said. “It gives us a lot of length, a lot of defense, a lot of physicality. Even though we lost today, I thought overall there were a lot of positives.”
The Rockets‘ depth took a hit with Tari Eason sidelined four-to-six weeks with an oblique strain, and it doesn’t appear that Dorian Finney-Smith will be able to help any time soon, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. The free agent addition is still recovering from offseason surgery on his left ankle and hasn’t been cleared for contact drills.
The Mavericks are listing Anthony Davis as doubtful for Sunday’s meeting with Portland, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who points out that Davis has been considered questionable for the past few games. Davis has missed the last eight games with a left calf strain, and Stein notes (via Twitter) that he’s already been surpassed in career minutes as a Maverick by rookie forward Cooper Flagg.

Aaron Nesmith Projected To Miss Four Weeks With Sprained Knee

November 15th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After saying the Pacers appeared to have “dodged a bullet” when Aaron Nesmith was injured on Thursday, coach Rick Carlisle told reporters tonight that his small forward is expected to miss four weeks, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Nesmith has been diagnosed with a sprained left knee, and he and the team are grateful that there was no ligament damage, Carlisle added.

“It’s likely going to be at least four weeks, so talk to me on the 15th (of December),” Carlisle said in his pregame press conference. “But it’s very good news. Very, very good news. He’s not in a brace. He’s walking. I say it’s likely going to be four weeks, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be less. It’s unclear at this time, but he’s doing very well and the news was very, very good.”

As Dopirak details, Nesmith injured the knee when his right foot came down on teammate Jeremiah Robinson-Earl‘s left foot. Nesmith’s right leg slid after the collision, causing his left knee to buckle. He rolled off the floor and had to be helped to the locker room.

Nesmith played a crucial role in Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals last season and has been asked to carry more of the scoring load as the Pacers have been decimated by injuries during a 1-11 start. He’s averaging a career-high 15.5 PPG through 11 games, but his shooting numbers have declined sharply to 36.7% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range.

Carlisle offered some encouraging injury news on Saturday as Bennedict Mathurin is nearing a return from a right great toe sprain. Mathurin scored 36 and 26 points in the first two games of the season before being sidelined.

“He’s getting close,” Carlisle said. “We did a simulated game kind of workout this morning. He went through things in prep today. He’s moving in a good direction.”

Lakers Among Several Teams Ordered To Turn Over Cell Phones In Gambling Probe

November 15th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

As part of its investigation into illegal gambling, the NBA has asked several teams, including the Lakers, to turn over documents and other items, six league sources tell Joe Vardon, Mike Vorkunov and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Prodded by Congress, the league is conducting a probe related to the federal charges brought last month against Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player Damon Jones, who previously served as LeBron James‘ shooting coach and had access to inside information on the Lakers.

The investigation is being handled by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which has been contacting teams for access to cell phones, according to the authors. League sources tell them that Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims are already cooperating with the investigation and voluntarily turned over their phones.

Vardon, Vorkunov and Amick point out that Mancias has served as James’ personal trainer for the past two decades and Mims has been James’ close friend since high school. Their connections to Jones are expected to be further explored as part of the investigation.

“The NBA engaged an independent law firm to investigate the allegations in the indictment once it was made public,” a league spokesman told The Athletic. “As is standard in these kinds of investigations, a number of different individuals and organizations were asked to preserve documents and records. Everyone has been fully cooperative.”

The authors point out that James, Mancias and Mims haven’t been charged with anything and haven’t been directly named in any charging document. However, their relationship with Jones could be significant, as he’s being accused of selling private injury information to gamblers regarding two Lakers players.

Jones entered a not guilty plea at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on November 6. The government is accusing him of twice selling information to bettors regarding the injury status of two Lakers stars. The case alleges that Jones found out on the morning of February 9, 2023, that “Player 3” wouldn’t be active that night against Milwaukee and relayed that information to another person, whom he told to place a “big bet” on the Bucks. The authors note that James didn’t play that night.

A similar incident took place for a January 15, 2024, game against Oklahoma City, according to the government’s case.

League sources also tell Vardon, Vorkunov and Amick that at least two executives with teams mentioned in the charges against Jones and Rozier received notice from the league about an expanding investigation.

The authors state that the government also alleges that a “regularly starting player” with the Magic told a gambler that the team planned to rest its starters during an April 2023 game against Cleveland, and that information was sold to other bettors. A league source tells the authors that Orlando officials haven’t been contacted by the Department of Justice and the player in question is no longer with the team.

Illegal bets were placed against Portland with information supplied to gamblers by a coach matching Billups’ description, according to the government, but Billups has only been charged with participating in illegal poker games.

Sources tell the authors that the NBA is in the process of adopting stricter rules for teams to follow in reporting the status of injured players.

Load More Posts