L.A. Notes: Vanderbilt, Lakers, Harden
Playing his first game of the season after undergoing offseason surgeries on both feet, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injected Los Angeles with a shot of adrenaline, observes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The Kentucky product made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball in his 12 minutes of action in a 118-108 victory over Golden State on Friday.
“Vando was awesome,” first-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “Did all the things that we need him to do.”
Vanderbilt scored just two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field, but he collected four rebounds and three steals while handing out two assists.
“I knew I might be a little rusty coming in and as far as rhythm and knowing the plays and all that stuff,” Vanderbilt said. “So my main goal was just to go in there and play hard. Bring the energy and then everything else — just control the controllable and everything else will play its hand.”
Vanderbilt has played sparingly since inking a four-year, $48MM contract extension with the Lakers in the summer of 2023. That deal just kicked in this season. The 6’8″ forward missed all but 29 games in 2023/24, and sat out for L.A.’s first 42 bouts this year. But Saturday’s performance was a reminder of what he can bring to the team when healthy.
“It looked like he didn’t miss a beat,” teammate LeBron James said. “I mean, he’s flying around. What he does don’t even always show up in the box score.”
There’s more out of Los Angeles:
- Vanderbilt’s return has given the Lakers some additional optionality as the NBA’s February 6 trade deadline approaches, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. At 25-18, Los Angeles is firmly in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. Players like Vanderbilt have mid-sized contracts that could be movable — alternately, Vanderbilt’s return to the court could improve L.A.’s ceiling on its own. Buha notes that the Lakers have significant draft equity they could leverage in trades, but wonders what kind of appetite the front office will have for sacrificing future assets.
- Clippers star guard James Harden racked up 40 points in L.A.’s 127-117 victory over the Bucks on Saturday night, but it was the savvy plays beyond his scoring that helped the Clippers register a big win, per The Athletic’s Law Murray. As Murray details, Harden managed to control the ball (he had just one turnover) and played enthusiastic defense on Milwaukee All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- In case you missed it, the Clippers have relied on their depth beyond star players Harden and the oft-injured Kawhi Leonard to help L.A. secure a 26-19 record on the season so far.
And-Ones: Carter, Bryant, Free, Katz
Vince Carter joined six other Nets legends when his number was retired Saturday night at Barclays Center, writes Pat Pickens of The Associated Press. Three members of that club, Julius Erving, Bill Melchionni and Buck Williams, showed up for the celebration along with Carter’s family, team president Rod Thorn and many of his former Nets teammates.
“This is truly something my family and I will cherish forever,” Carter said during the ceremony. “To be the seventh number to go up is insane. It is an honor to be up there with you gentlemen. No. 15 Carter is going up there, but we’re going up there together.”
Carter spent four and a half years with the Nets after being acquired from Toronto midway through the 2004/05 season. He credits the trade and the partnership he formed with Jason Kidd for reviving his career.
“There was new life,” Carter said. “My role in Toronto was just give me the ball, and I’ll get you a (basket). But when I got here, they had a guy … he made the game easier for me.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- On the fifth anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash, Sam Amick of The Athletic looks at the impact the Lakers star still has on the game and the culture in Los Angeles. NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement (via Twitter) to mark the occasion, saying, “Kobe Bryant continues to serve as an inspiration to aspiring and current NBA and WNBA players, young athletes playing at all levels and those who are motivated by his relentless pursuit of excellence. Our thoughts today are with Vanessa and the Bryant family as we remember Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, with whom he shared a special bond around a profound love of the game of basketball.”
- World B. Free would consider it “a tear-dropping moment” if he were to be elected to the Hall of Fame, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Free, who retired in 1988 after a 13-year NBA career, admitted that he had given up on the honor until the veterans committee nominated him for the first time last month. The finalists will be announced February 14. “The way I played the game, I know people didn’t think it was the right way. But it was the way I grew up, and it was something — it was always good for me. I enjoyed playing the game,” Free said. “That was the knock on me — ‘He’s going to shoot. He’s shooting before he gets into the building. And he’s taking these long shots.’ Well, yeah, I was taking those shots. But those shots are going in.”
- Former Sixers owner Harold Katz died Friday at 87, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Nutrisystem founder owned the franchise for 15 years before selling to Comcast Spectacor. “It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Harold Katz, who owned the Philadelphia 76ers from 1981-96,” the Sixers wrote in a Twitter post. “He was a successful businessman and entrepreneur who helped deliver an NBA title to our city and fans in 1983. We send our condolences to Harold’s family and friends.”
Sixers Confident About Joel Embiid’s Return, Won’t Pursue Tanking Strategy
While there may be advantages to tanking the rest of the season, the Sixers made their intentions clear with a pair of huge wins this weekend. They defeated the East-leading Cavaliers at home on Friday and topped the Bulls on Saturday to pull to within a game of Chicago for the 10th spot in the conference.
Philadelphia is still committed to winning despite a horrendous start and a 17-27 record midway through the season, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. Injuries have limited Joel Embiid to 13 games so far, but majority owner Josh Harris told Aldridge that the organization remains confident he’ll be able to return and lead the Sixers into the playoffs.
“We’re still really happy with Joel,” Harris said. “He’s a warrior. I’ve seen this. He’s fought through a lot of injuries. You remember when we started, in his first (two) years, he didn’t play at all. And then, in his third year, he played 30-something games. And then, he fought through all of that, and became the MVP. So, he’s fighting right now, and we’re fighting. And I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll get through.
“I want him to get his body right and get on the court. If he gets back on the court, everything’s going to fall into place. I know him as a person, and I know him as an individual, and I know how hard he’s working. I think he’s also super-smart and very in-tune with his body. He has a whole team around him, and we have a whole team around him. He’s getting the absolute best care and best advice. I’m hopeful that he’ll fight through this and make it happen, and that’s what we’re going to plan for right now.”
Embiid is currently dealing with swelling in his left knee that began during a workout last week. He was projected to miss at least seven to 10 days, so an update on his status should be coming soon. Before that, he sat out the previous six games due to a sprained left foot that has since healed.
According to Aldridge, the Sixers don’t believe Embiid’s knee issue will require surgery and they remain hopeful that he’ll return to action “sooner rather than later.” They don’t view extended rest as the best solution, considering him to be more effective when he’s playing and practicing regularly.
Aldridge also hears that the Sixers aren’t convinced that the benefits of a tank would be worthwhile, despite the fact that they would keep their 2025 first-round pick if it lands in the top six. With 17 wins already, it would be difficult for the club to get higher than fifth or sixth in the lottery race.
League sources tell Aldridge that the front office doesn’t see much difference between the quality of a pick in that No. 5-6 range or a selection a little later in the first round that would have to be sent to Oklahoma City. He adds that it would be difficult to sell a tanking strategy to Paul George, who came to Philadelphia on a four-year, $212MM contract in free agency last summer, or to Tyrese Maxey, who recently agreed to a five-year, $204MM extension.
“To be honest, we don’t know what we look like, because we haven’t been healthy. So, to be honest, we might have enough in here already,” George said after the win over Cleveland.
The Sixers’ history of tanking also has to be considered, Aldridge adds. Embiid was the only real prize to show from four years of losing during “The Process” era, and fans might not be on board with heading down that road again, even if it’s only for half a season.
Harris emphasized that he has no interest in pursuing that strategy.
“I would say that, again, we always start with trying to build elite teams,” he said. “We started this season with two potential Hall of Famers, and one All-Star. We were very excited about the season. Obviously, it’s been a disappointing season. No one’s happy with where we are. We’re not happy. I go to a lot of games. We want to be winning and creating the contending team that we’ve had over the last five years. The injuries haven’t helped us. The elite team we had hasn’t been on the court more than seven games, where they started and finished the game. We won six of seven of those. I think we got it right.
“But what’s happened is, obviously, Joel hasn’t played a lot. He’s the lynchpin of the whole thing. When he doesn’t play, the pressure comes on Paul, and it comes on Tyrese. And Tyrese has had to carry a lot of the load, and, in some cases, Paul has had to carry a lot of the load. And people have had to do things that they weren’t necessarily prepared for.”
Heat Notes: Butler, Highsmith, Herro, Team Meeting
While the Heat played at Brooklyn on Saturday, Jimmy Butler was at the Reserve Club Miami padel tournament, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Butler was completing his two-game suspension, which was imposed Wednesday for a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules.” Sources tell Jackson that Butler is expected to rejoin the team for Monday’s home game against Orlando.
Butler was serving as captain for the third straight year for the padel tournament, which is a racket sport that originated in Mexico. He briefly addressed the crowd, calling Miami a city that “I care so dearly and so much about.”
He also talked to reporters at the event, telling them, “There’s no breaking news — I know that you’re all hoping for that. We’re just out here to have some fun, put on a show.” Asked if he believed it was his final weekend with the Heat, Butler responded, “I don’t know. But it’s going to be a fun weekend.”
Butler didn’t directly address the suspension or the team’s ongoing efforts to work out a trade, but he again professed his affection for Miami.
“I love this city with everything that I have,” Butler added. “I’m so glad that I get to be around so many incredible people, friends and family that are here. This city deserves everything.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Haywood Highsmith was back in the starting lineup Saturday after being replaced for the previous two games, Jackson adds. Highsmith missed all three of his shots and went scoreless in 21 minutes, but Jackson states that he made an impact on defense. Rookie Pelle Larsson, who started on Thursday in Milwaukee, played just five minutes off the bench. “Possibly I was overthinking things in the Milwaukee game,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “H has given us good minutes in that role. His defense, his activity, even with the fouls is what we needed.”
- Spoelstra told Jackson and other reporters that it’s “not my style” to push his players for All-Star honors, but he made a case for coaches to select Tyler Herro as one of the Eastern Conference reserves. Herro is in the midst of his best season, averaging career highs with 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 43 games. “Opposing teams have to game-plan against him,” Spoelstra said. “You have to spend a good deal of time in shootarounds and film sessions developing some kind of specific plan for him. In January, he’s been the most trapped player on pick and rolls. That’s a sign of great respect. His off-ball movement, all of those things have really improved. I think it will happen. I do. His play has been that consistent.”
- Defense was emphasized as the Heat held a team meeting Friday night, according to Jackson. He notes that going into Saturday, Miami had allowed at least 107 points in six straight games and at least 116 in four of those. “We’ve just got to hang our hats on (defense),” Terry Rozier said. “We talked about it (Friday). Next-play mentality no matter if the shot’s falling or not. Sometimes we get caught up hanging our heads and it affects the next two or three plays, and the next thing you know, we’re in the hole.”
Jusuf Nurkic Doesn’t Believe Suns Will Be Able To Trade Him
Jusuf Nurkic talked more about his diminished role with the Suns before Saturday’s game, telling reporters that he and coach Mike Budenholzer went two months without speaking to each other, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
Sources confirmed to Rankin that Phoenix has been making an effort to trade the 30-year-old center. Nurkic is aware that’s the team’s preference, but he’s skeptical that it will happen.
“Yeah, for sure,” Nurkic responded when asked if he believes he’ll still be with the Suns after the February 6 trade deadline. “Because we are the Phoenix Suns and new (collective bargaining agreement) and all the rules, it’s not easy to get traded when you’re over the second tax apron. Even that, I can’t control.”
Nurkic has barely played since being removed from the starting lineup earlier this month. He saw 14 minutes off the bench on January 6 at Philadelphia and 19 the next night at Charlotte, but has been out of action ever since. He said Budenholzer didn’t give him advance notice that he wouldn’t be used in a January 9 game against Atlanta or a January 11 contest against Utah.
“We don’t have a relationship,” Nurkic said. “So, it’s fine. For me, just be a pro and do the best I can. Work and stay ready for whatever might be, but there is no chaos or bringing that to this team. They already have plenty of it. Trying to be as professional as I can and work my ass off for something else.”
Nurkic then missed four games due to the flu and two more for “return to competition reconditioning.” He said he feels better now, but he wasn’t used in Saturday’s win over Washington.
Budenholzer addressed Nurkic’s comments after the game, saying he understands that the veteran big man is “frustrated.” He also disputes Nurkic’s claim that he hasn’t been informed about his situation.
“There’s been conversations that have been had. There’s been communication, but we’ve got three or four guys that play the same position,” Budenholzer told reporters. “We’re going to go with who we think gives us our best chance. You’ve got to earn your minutes. And that’s been communicated.”
While Nurkic has been out of action, the Suns bolstered their center ranks by acquiring Nick Richards from Charlotte. Richards made his third straight start Saturday night, delivering 20 points and 19 rebounds, so he appears set as the starter moving forward. If Nurkic stays in Phoenix, he’ll have to battle for minutes with Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro, who are both currently ahead of him on the depth chart.
As Nurkic mentioned, the Suns’ second apron status limits their options in making a trade. They can’t aggregate salaries and they can’t take back more money than they send out in any deal. Also working against a potential Nurkic trade is his contract, which has one season left at $19.375MM.
“It’s hard to understand why,” Nurkic said of being relegated to the end of the bench. “As you know, I try to do whatever they want from me. I play my role or whatever, but at the end of the day, it’s the NBA. That’s why (Ighodaro) and young guys get to play. It’s always next man up, but I’m just glad I’m not out there for two minutes. … I know who I am as a person and as a player. Like I said, ‘one door close, another will open eventually.’ That’s what I’m working for and hoping for.”
Paul George To Undergo MRI On Finger
Paul George suffered an injury to his left pinky finger during Saturday’s game at Chicago and will undergo an MRI on Sunday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters that George jammed the finger, which caused him to be removed from the game in the second quarter. George played just under 13 minutes, finishing with nine points, one rebound and one assist.
It’s been a difficult season for George and the Sixers in general, although Saturday’s win pulled them to within one game of the Bulls for 10th place and the final play-in spot in the East. They were expecting to be among the league’s top teams after adding George in free agency, but he and Joel Embiid have suffered a series of injuries that have wrecked the season.
George has missed 14 games already with a variety of ailments, including left groin soreness that forced him to sit out twice last week. He has appeared in 30 games in his first season with Philadelphia, and his scoring average of 17.4 PPG is down more than five points from what it was with the Clippers last season. However, he’s collecting 5.8 rebounds and dishing out 4.8 assists per night, which are both above last season’s averages.
The Sixers were already missing five rotation players for tonight’s game, including rookie guard Jared McCain, who was lost for the season after surgery on his left meniscus. Embiid is dealing with swelling in his left knee and hasn’t played since January 4. Backup center Andre Drummond sat out while recovering from an injury to his left toe, Caleb Martin has a strained right hip and KJ Martin hasn’t played since December 23 due to a stress reaction in his left foot.
Both Martins are expected to return to practice next week and their availability will be determined from there, Pompey states in a full story on the game.
L.A. Notes: Clippers, Harden, Davis, Hachimura
The Clippers are built around their stars, but they also have a deep roster that’s capable of competing when their top players aren’t available, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. With six rotation members sidelined against the Celtics on Wednesday, L.A. managed to take the game into overtime before falling to the defending champions.
“We have four starters out and to be able to come out with the team that we had just shows how deep we are,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “It just shows you that guys deserve opportunities to play, but you can’t play 15 players. And so, it’s hard. But it definitely shows the job that (president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank and (general manager) ‘Red’ (Trent Redden) and (assistant GM) Mark Hughes putting a team together that’s deep, that can step up and play when guys are out and we were able to see that tonight.”
Derrick Jones Jr., who signed with the Clippers over the summer after an NBA Finals run in Dallas, said he tries to create a “next man up” mentality among the team’s younger players so they’re ready when needed. That was evident against Boston as Kevin Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Amir Coffey added 24 as they both got a rare chance to start.
“I always tell ’em to be aggressive, be who you are. You are on the team for a reason, you in the NBA for a reason, so just go out there and be who you are,” Jones said. “Don’t shy away from no pressure, don’t shy away from no opportunity. Just go out there and take it in full force.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- James Harden returned to the Clippers‘ lineup on Thursday and notched his 79th career triple-double, passing Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time list, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “It means a lot, just impacting the game in other ways,” Harden said. “Scoring is one thing, but rebounding the basketball, facilitating is another thing. And just impacting the game. You don’t get to be the best player on the court by just scoring the basketball every single night. Obviously that helps, but there’s other ways to impact games and you’ve seen it throughout the course of history of the NBA. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
- Lakers management is paying attention to Anthony Davis‘ request for another big man, Shams Charania of ESPN said on tonight’s NBA Countdown (Twitter video link). Charania expects the front office to be aggressive in shopping its first-round picks for 2029 and 2031 to try to add another piece or two before the deadline.
- Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is missing tonight’s game against Golden State due to left calf soreness, tweets Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Jarred Vanderbilt made his season debut after recovering from offseason surgery, but coach J.J. Redick said Hachimura’s absence won’t affect Vanderbilt’s minutes, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Dorian Finney-Smith got the start in place of Hachimura.
Maxi Kleber Sidelined With Broken Right Foot
Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber suffered a broken right foot in Saturday’s loss to Boston, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The team confirmed the news (via Twitter), adding that Kleber will be reevaluated later this week.
Kleber was injured late in the third quarter when he fell to the ground while backing up after a missed shot by Jaylen Brown, according to The Dallas Morning News (video link). He continued playing defense after the Celtics got the rebound, but began limping when he tried to contest a shot by Derrick White (video link).
Kleber hopped around on one leg before leaving the game during a stoppage in play. The team announced that he had been ruled out with what was originally believed to be an ankle injury.
Kleber had been playing on a restriction of 20 minutes per game after dealing with an oblique issue in early January. He has been considered one of Dallas’ top trade candidates due to his $11MM cap hit, but suffering a serious injury so close to the deadline will hurt his value. He’s under contract for $11MM again next season before becoming a free agent in 2026.
Kleber has been a valuable contributor mostly in a reserve role throughout his eight years in Dallas. He has appeared in 34 games this season and was averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per night coming into today.
The timing of the injury is devastating for the Mavericks, who are already missing Dereck Lively and Dwight Powell from their big man rotation. The team announced Wednesday that Lively suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle and will be reevaluated in four weeks. Powell is dealing with a strained right hip that has kept him out of action since January 17.
“It’s a hole. It’s tough,” coach Jason Kidd told reporters after the game (Twitter video link from Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). “I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s not gonna get any better.”
Northwest Notes: Gobert, McDaniels, Nuggets, Hartenstein
The Timberwolves have rarely looked like a team that was in the Western Conference Finals last year, but they played one of their best games of the season in Saturday’s 133-104 victory over Denver, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Minnesota dominated on offense, shooting 56% from the field and putting seven players in double figures. Anthony Edwards led the way with 34 points and nine assists as the Wolves controlled the game from the opening tip.
“Number one, it’s not getting bored of doing the right thing,” Mike Conley said. “We’ve had spells where we do it for four or five possessions and then we say, ‘Let’s go [isolations], or let’s try something else.’ No, just keep playing fast. Keep throwing the ball ahead, getting transition looks, just getting downhill and sharing the basketball. When we put energy to that side of the basketball, I think it bodes well for us.”
Rudy Gobert, who recently vowed to do a better job of rebounding, kept that promise on Saturday by grabbing 14 boards while also contributing 14 points and five assists. Hine notes that Gobert was able to operate effectively both inside the paint and in the middle of the floor off screens, which created a lot of scoring opportunities.
“He understands when we give it to you, you have to do the right thing with it every time,” Conley added. “It’s a hard thing, especially for Ant sometimes, to want to throw that pass if we don’t get something out of it. For Rudy, it’s just about making the right reads early, not trying to do too much. When we make the right reads, we’re really tough and our offense is not so much a stagnant offense.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Jaden McDaniels continued his recent scoring surge with 13 points, putting him in double figures for the sixth straight game, Hine adds. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch notes that McDaniels has been attacking the basket more often. “This looks like how he played in the first couple years of his career,” Finch said. “He was a lot more aggressive out of the corners, and then the last few years, you know, he was probably more catch-and-shoot out of the corners, but we see him now driving and connecting with Rudy.”
- Saturday marked the Nuggets‘ fourth straight loss to the Wolves, who knocked them out of the playoffs in the second round last season, observes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Aaron Gordon explained why Minnesota is a difficult matchup. “They have big wings. They’ve got a big center. Big power forward,” Gordon said. “They’ve got good size and good skill, so this is a very physical team, and you’ve gotta match their physicality. Even Ant, he’s a big two-guard. So just to have a chance with that team, you’ve gotta match their physicality first.”
- Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to return to action Sunday against Portland, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. Hartenstein missed five games with a strained left calf.
Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Grizzlies, Whitmore, Murray
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was overcome with gratitude after getting to play two games in Paris, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. San Antonio split the series with Indiana, losing big on Saturday after a convincing win on Thursday, but the overall experience outshined the results for the 21-year-old French native.
“I just want to underline that this week was amazing,” Wembanyama said as he fought back tears during a post-game session with the media. “Everybody did their job to make this week incredible. All of this contributes to making our sport better and making me happy.”
Wembanyama did his best to entertain the French fans, posting 20 points and 12 rebounds today after racking up 30 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocks on Thursday. He also got to share some tourist sites in Paris with his teammates. It may be a while before it happens again, as Vardon hears from league sources that the NBA is considering other cities for its European games next season.
“I’m sure at some point he’ll look back on this and realize what a treat it was,” Chris Paul said. “We wish we could have won both games for him, but you guys are going to be lucky for a long time to be able to follow Vic. So you guys make sure you not only take care of him, but treasure him.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Memphis has been mentioned as the one city that Heat forward Jimmy Butler doesn’t want to get traded to, but Grizzlies players don’t feel slighted if that’s true, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The players who talked to Cole said they enjoy playing in Memphis, even if outsiders don’t understand why. “I guess the city isn’t like Miami or nothing or isn’t like Phoenix or isn’t like a big city that free agents want to go to,” Brandon Clarke said. “I completely get that. That’s just up to them. I obviously don’t really understand it because this is all I know. I like it here. I love it here.”
- Cam Whitmore has become a productive scorer off the Rockets‘ bench, but he had to fix his defensive issues before getting regular playing time, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Coach Ime Udoka said Whitmore has improved his “awareness” and “recognition” in his second NBA season, and Whitmore agrees. “I just had to be locked in for real,” Whitmore said. “Sometimes I’m in la-la land a little bit, but that’s just on me. I owe it all to my (lack of) effort and laziness, but effort is free. It’s just something I had to do, dial in on it a little bit more and try to get on the floor with that.”
- Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray will undergo X-rays on his right hand after missing tonight’s game with a sprained index finger, tweets Andrew Lopez of Pelicans.com.