Scotto’s Latest: Clippers, Kings, AD, Hawks, Kuminga, Poeltl
The Kings and Clippers engaged in exploratory talks about a possible trade that would have sent forward DeMar DeRozan and guard Keon Ellis to Los Angeles in exchange for big man John Collins and another “small salary filler,” reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
However, those conversations occurred before the Clippers reeled off 11 wins in their past 13 games, according to Scotto. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the talks are dead, the implication seems to be that L.A. is far less likely at this point to shake up its roster in a major way.
After getting off to a 6-21 start, the Clippers are now 17-23, tied with Memphis for the 10th-best record in the Western Conference.
Here are a few more items of interest from Scotto:
- Given how limited Anthony Davis‘ value will be this winter as he recovers from a hand injury, several NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype predicted that the Mavericks will hang onto him for the rest of the season unless Dallas is content to essentially salary-dump him. The Hawks, the team most frequently connected to Davis, aren’t operating with any urgency now that he’s hurt again, per Scotto.
- Exploring whether any new teams can be added to the list of potential suitors for Jonathan Kuminga, Scotto says the Heat and Wizards were previously thought to be in the mix, but Miami’s interested has diminished and Washington is unlikely to seriously pursue the Warriors forward. Scotto does confirm that the Trail Blazers are believed to have some interest in Kuminga, as Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports previously reported.
- In addition to doing so with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, the Raptors have also been gauging Jakob Poeltl‘s value on the trade market, Scotto writes. Poeltl is dealing with back issues this season and is owed $103.5MM over the next four years after this one, so it’s probably safe to assume he wouldn’t be a hot commodity.
Cissoko, Love Nearing Active Game Limits
- A pair of two-way players for the Trail Blazers are nearing their active games limits, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link). Assuming he’s active every game between now and then, forward Sidy Cissoko will reach his 50-game limit on February 11, Highkin writes, while guard Caleb Love is projected to hit his limit toward the end of February. Both players have made cases to be promoted to standard contracts after becoming rotation regulars amid a series of injuries, Highkin notes.
Knicks’ Shamet, Trail Blazers’ Grant Available Thursday
A pair of veterans who have missed significant time due to injuries will be active on Thursday. Knicks wing Landry Shamet was upgraded to questionable before being listed as available for Thursday’s game at Golden State, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter links).
Head coach Mike Brown said on Sunday that Shamet had been cleared for full contact work as he worked his way back from a right shoulder injury, which he sustained on November 22 against Orlando.
Shamet was an important part of Brown’s rotation early in the season, averaging 9.3 points while shooting 42.4% from three-point range in 15 games (20.9 minutes per contest). The 28-year-old wing is in his eighth NBA season and second with New York.
In other Knicks news, Jalen Brunson will miss tonight’s game but the right ankle sprain he suffered early in Wednesday’s loss in Sacramento isn’t serious — he’s considered day-to-day, Bondy writes for The New York Post.
Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant will return to action on Thursday as well, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). Head coach Tiago Splitter indicated that Grant, who has missed the past 14 games due to left Achilles tendonitis, will come off the bench and be on a minutes restriction tonight against Atlanta.
The 31-year-old Grant was off to a solid start to 2025/26 prior to the injury, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on .436/.389/.866 shooting in 26 games, including 14 starts (30.3 MPG).
Splitter also provided an injury update on star forward Deni Avdija, Highkin adds. Avdija, who will miss his second straight game tonight due to lower back soreness, is “getting better” and the team considers him day-to-day.
Western Rumors: Pelicans, Rockets, Clippers, Suns, Blazers
Although the Pelicans have turned away teams expressing interest in forward Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, potential trade partners who have talked to New Orleans have gotten the impression the club is open to moving center Yves Missi and/or swingman Jordan Hawkins, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
After starting 67 games and averaging 26.8 minutes per night as a rookie, Missi has made just seven starts and is averaging 18.2 MPG this season, having fallen behind newcomer Derik Queen on the frontcourt depth chart. As for Hawkins, the former 14th overall pick is having his worst NBA season, averaging just 4.4 points in 14.2 minutes per game, with a 30.3% mark on three-point tries.
While Hawkins likely wouldn’t have much value on the trade market, the Pelicans could potentially extract a decent return for Missi, who had a solid first year in 2024/25. Fischer confirms the Pacers have inquired on the big man, as previously reported by Michael Scotto.
Meanwhile, some of the teams interested in Murphy and Jones continue to hold out hope that the Pelicans are just posturing when they say they aren’t trading either of them this season, but Fischer believes the Pels’ stance is real, given how strongly they’ve rebuffed inquiries on those players so far.
Here are a few more Western Conference rumors from Fischer:
- The Rockets have dropped four of their last six games and have gone just 8-9 since their 15-5 start, but Fischer doesn’t get a sense that Houston is panicking at all, pointing out that the club played 23 of its first 36 games on the road. According to Fischer, the Rockets’ struggles would probably have to worsen considerably for the team to feel any urgency to acquire another ball-handler, especially since there’s still a chance Fred VanVleet could return from his ACL tear for the playoffs.
- When the Clippers got off to a 6-21 start this season, there were teams optimistic that James Harden and Ivica Zubac would be on the trade block this winter, but those hopes have “faded considerably” with L.A. winning 11 of 13 games to reenter the postseason race, Fischer writes.
- Rival executives are keeping a close eye on the Suns and Trail Blazers, per Fischer. Phoenix has won nine of its past 12 games, while Portland won seven of eight before losing to New York and Golden State this week. There’s curiosity about whether one or both of those teams could emerge as a “sneaky” buyer at the trade deadline, Fischer explains, observing that both the Suns and Blazers have multiple mid-tier contracts that could be used as trade chips in various kinds of deals.
Injury Notes: Brunson, Garland, Flagg, Gafford, Avdija
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson exited Wednesday’s loss to Sacramento after just five minutes of action due to a sprained right ankle, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.
According to Bondy, Brunson wasn’t using crutches or wearing a walking boot when he left the arena, which is a positive sign. Still, the team figures to be careful with the two-time All-Star, who missed about a month last season – and multiple games this past November – when he sprained the same ankle.
The Knicks struggled without their star guard available for most of the night on Wednesday — Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby made a combined 16-of-47 shots (34.0%) from the floor en route to a 112-101 loss to the Kings. New York will be back in action on Thursday as the team visits Golden State.
Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland suffered a right foot injury on Wednesday in Philadelphia and is considered doubtful to play on Friday in a rematch with the Sixers, head coach Kenny Atkinson said after Wednesday’s victory, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). However, Donovan Mitchell told reporters that his teammate was in “good spirits” in the locker room. “That’s always a good sign,” Mitchell said. “That’s all we have.” Cavs wing Sam Merrill, who missed 14 games earlier in the season due to a right hand injury, also appeared to re-injured that hand on Wednesday and may miss time, Fedor notes.
- An already banged-up Mavericks squad lost two more players on Wednesday night vs. Denver, as Cooper Flagg exited the game with a left ankle sprain while Daniel Gafford aggravated a right ankle sprain he initially dealt with during training camp, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. It’s unclear if either player will be available when the Mavs host Utah on Thursday in the second game of a back-to-back set.
- Although Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is unlikely to play on Thursday after missing Tuesday’s game vs. Golden State due to lower back soreness, it bodes well that his injury designation is “doubtful” rather than “out,” tweets Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report. That’s a signal that Avdija shouldn’t be facing an extended absence.
Northwest Notes: Avdija, Edwards, Gobert, Shannon Jr., Braun
Trail Blazers breakout star forward Deni Avdija won’t play on Tuesday against Golden State. He’s sidelined with lower back soreness, the team’s PR department tweets. Avdija, who is averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game, has appeared in all 40 of Portland’s previous games.
Another key Blazers player, forward Jerami Grant, is doubtful due to left Achilles tendonitis.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards won’t suit up on Tuesday against Milwaukee due to right foot injury maintenance, the team’s PR department tweets. This will be the eighth game Edwards has missed this season — he’ll be ineligible for postseason awards if he misses 10 more games. Center Rudy Gobert will also miss the game — he’s serving a one-game league suspension for accumulating too many flagrant fouls. Regarding Gobert’s suspension, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes that the one-game ban will cost Gobert $201,149 (Twitter link). The Wolves will also receive a tax variance credit of $100,575.
- Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is making progress from his left foot abductor hallucis strain but there’s no timetable for his return, according to a team press release. Shannon will miss his 10th straight game this evening. The 2024 first-round pick has appeared in 22 games off the bench this season but has only averaged 4.5 points in 12.8 minutes per game.
- Nuggets guard Christian Braun will miss his second consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain. Braun warmed up to play against Milwaukee on Sunday but didn’t feel right and was ruled out, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. It’s a concerning development, considering Braun missed nearly two months of action with an ankle injury before returning earlier this month.
- The Thunder‘s Luguentz Dort is a late scratch for tonight’s key matchup with San Antonio due to left foot soreness, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman tweets.
Peyton Watson, Scottie Barnes Named Players Of Week
Nuggets wing Peyton Watson and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Watson led the depleted Nuggets to a 3-1 record during the week of January 5-11, posting averages of 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while making 70% of his three-point attempts (14-of-20).
The fourth-year swingman entered Denver’s starting lineup in November due to injuries and is enjoying a career year ahead of his restricted free agency. This is the first Player of the Week award of his career.
The Raptors also had a 3-1 record last week with Barnes averaging 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists — he sat out the team’s loss to Boston on Friday due to a right knee sprain, so Toronto was 3-0 when he played.
Barnes’ best game of the week came in an overtime victory over Philadelphia on Sunday — he racked up 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, and was a +15 in a game the Raptors won by a single point.
It’s the second time Barnes has earned Player of the Week honors in his career.
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees, while Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Joel Embiid (Sixers), Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Andrew Nembhard (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Deni Avdija Leaves Game With Lower Back Injury
Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija was forced out of Sunday’s game after injuring his back late in the fourth quarter, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
Avdija told reporters it’s “nothing major,” adding, “I’m not really concerned,” but he was visibly in pain in the locker room, Freeman observes. The forward went through an extensive session of postgame treatment, and all but two of his teammates were gone by the time he left the trainers’ area with a wrap around his midsection. He couldn’t bend over to take off his socks or sit down to do his interviews.
The injury occurred with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter as Avdija jumped to pull down a rebound. He grabbed the left side of his lower back after landing and rolled the ball to teammate Caleb Love. He pointed to the sideline to request a substitute and then hobbled to the locker room.
“I’m going to recover as fast as I can and try to come back,” Avdija said. “I just felt my back give up on me and I couldn’t straighten up. … “I’m a tough guy. I’m going to be all right. … I’m telling you, as soon as I’m walking on two feet, I’ll be able to play.”
Avdija added that he has played with lower-back pain before, but characterized his potential return as “TBD.”
An extended absence for Avdija would be a serious blow for the surging Blazers, who had won five straight games before Sunday’s loss to New York and have a solid hold on a play-in spot at 19-21. Avdija has been a huge part of their success, making a strong bid for an All-Star spot by averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists while playing all 40 games.
While Avdija downplayed the seriousness of his injury, interim coach Tiago Splitter took a different tone, per Freeman.
“It’s a tough one, a tough hit, after what he’s doing for us,” Splitter said. “I don’t want to sound (the alarm) too early. But I’m definitely worried.”
Avdija’s injury put a damper on a night that began with the return of Jrue Holiday, who was back on the court after missing 27 games with a right calf strain. The veteran guard played 16 minutes off the bench and contributed eight points, two rebounds and four assists.
“I don’t have too many years left, so I’d love to play as many games and minutes as I can,” Holiday told reporters, including Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (subscription required). “This team, they’re fun to watch, but I’d rather have fun playing with them.”
Holiday was originally expected to miss a week or two with the injury, but he said the calf often flared up after he participated in practices and scrimmages. The team’s medical staff wasn’t comfortable clearing him to play considering his age and the prevalence of calf and Achilles injuries around the league.
Jrue Holiday Will Return Sunday For Trail Blazers
3:35 pm: Both Holiday and Williams will be active for Sunday’s game, according to Highkin (Twitter link). Holiday will be on a minutes restriction in his first game in two months.
12:51 pm: Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday has been upgraded from questionable to probable for Sunday’s matchup against New York, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
The two-time champion was off to a solid start in his first season with Portland, averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals on .446/.365/.840 shooting in 12 games (33.4 minutes per contest). However, he sustained a right calf strain on November 14 and has missed the past 27 games due to the injury.
Holiday’s return appearing imminent is obviously welcome news for Portland, which has been hit hard by injuries in 2025/26. Despite missing several key members of the rotation for multiple weeks, the Trail Blazers have been resilient, winning five straight games — and seven of their past eight — to improve to 19-20 on the season.
Backup center Robert Williams III, who exited Friday’s win over Houston with knee soreness, has also been upgraded from questionable to probable, notes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (via Twitter).
The 28-year-old big man is viewed as a trade candidate in part because he’s playing on a $13.3MM expiring contract. A former All-Defensive member, Williams has averaged 5.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.2 BPG in 26 appearances this season (15.7 MPG).
Trail Blazers’ Kris Murray (Back) Out Indefinitely
Shortly after upgrading Jrue Holiday to probable for Sunday’s game vs. New York, the Trail Blazers announced (via Twitter) that third-year wing Kris Murray has been diagnosed with a lumbar strain in his lower back.
No return timeline was provided for Murray’s injury, with the Trail Blazers simply saying that additional updates will be provided “as appropriate.” In other words, Murray is out indefinitely.
Murray sustained the injury in Monday’s game vs. Utah. He was evaluated after the win it was determined that he has a lumbar strain, per the team.
Murray, the No. 23 pick in the 2023 draft, has been a rotation regular for Portland in 2025/26, averaging 6.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34 games, including 11 starts (25.7 minutes per contest). His shooting slash line is .446/.256/.738.
A 6’8″ small forward, Murray has missed the past two games with the back injury and will miss his third consecutive contest on Sunday. The 25-year-old is earning $3.1MM in the third year of his rookie scale contract and will make $5.3MM next season.
Sidy Cissoko, Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert are among the Blazers who could receive more playing time with Murray out.