Bucks To Bring Khris Middleton Off Bench
The Bucks have informed forward Khris Middleton that they’ll be removing him from their starting lineup and bringing him off the bench moving forward, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter video link).
As Haynes explains, the Bucks are trying to establish continuity with their starting lineup while Middleton continues to work his way back to full strength following offseason surgeries on both ankles. The 33-year-old sat out Monday’s game in Toronto for “injury management” purposes related to his ankles and continues to face a minutes restriction, Haynes notes.
Deploying a starting lineup of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, Andre Jackson, and Taurean Prince will allow head coach Doc Rivers to stick with that starting five even if Middleton has the miss the occasional game. Bringing the three-time All-Star off the bench will also make it easier for the team to manage his playing time for as long as he remains on a minutes limit.
Middleton, who made his season debut on December 6, came off the bench in his first five appearances of the season before starting each of his past seven outings. He has averaged 12.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in 23.8 minutes per game across those 12 contests, with a shooting line of .447/.404/.852.
Middleton is the second multi-time All-Star to be removed from his team’s starting lineup this week while his name comes up in Jimmy Butler trade rumors, joining Suns guard Bradley Beal.
While the Bucks have reportedly considered the idea of pursuing Butler, it would be very challenging from a cap perspective to pull off a deal and they’re rumored to be among the teams who have been advised not to trade for the Heat star. So even though Middleton would almost certainly have to be included in a Milwaukee offer for Butler, it seems unlikely that such a deal will come to fruition.
Middleton will be available to play for the Bucks on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, Haynes adds.
Recap Of 2024/25 Salary Guarantee Decisions
Entering the day on January 7, there were 25 players who were signed to standard, full-season contracts but whose salaries for the 2024/25 campaign weren’t fully guaranteed.
The deadline for teams to waive those players and avoid having their full ’24/25 salaries become guaranteed was on Tuesday, January 7 at 4:00 p.m. CT.
Although their salaries won’t technically become guaranteed until January 10, those players would still receive their full-season guarantees if they’re cut today or tomorrow, since they wouldn’t clear waivers before Friday’s guarantee deadline.
Here’s a roundup of the decisions teams made with those 25 players:
Players on standard contracts who will have their salaries guaranteed:
Each player’s salary is noted here. His cap hit is identical to his salary unless otherwise indicated.
- Zion Williamson, Pelicans: $36,725,670
- Taj Gibson, Hornets: $3,303,771 *
- James Johnson, Pacers: $3,303,771 *
- Doug McDermott, Kings: $3,303,771 *
- Markieff Morris, Mavericks: $3,303,771 *
- Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers: $3,303,771 *
- Jae Crowder, Kings: $2,620,232 ^
- Talen Horton-Tucker, Bulls: $2,425,403 *
- James Wiseman, Pacers: $2,237,691
- Dalano Banton, Trail Blazers: $2,196,970
- Lindy Waters, Warriors: $2,196,970
- Sam Merrill, Cavaliers: $2,164,993
- Keon Johnson, Nets: $2,162,606
- Keon Ellis, Kings: $2,120,693
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder: $2,019,699
- Ricky Council, Sixers: $1,891,857
- Andre Jackson, Bucks: $1,891,857
- Craig Porter Jr., Cavaliers: $1,891,857
- Gui Santos, Warriors: $1,891,857
- Jalen Wilson, Nets: $1,891,857
- Landry Shamet, Knicks: $1,682,008 #
- Ariel Hukporti, Knicks: $1,064,049
(*) cap hit of $2,087,519
(^) cap hit of $1,655,619
(#) cap hit of $1,343,690
Besides Williamson, whose maximum salary was already mostly guaranteed prior to Tuesday, each of the players on a non-guaranteed contract who was retained through January 7 is earning his minimum salary for the season, so the financial impact of keeping those players is relatively minor for their respective teams.
Still, open roster spots are valuable at this time of year. A handful of these players were fortunate not to be let go by a club prioritizing flexibility ahead of the trade deadline; many others have played regular rotation minutes during the first half or hold long-term value and were never candidates to be cut.
Players on standard contracts who were waived before their salaries became guaranteed:
Each player’s cap hit is noted here. The team would no longer be on the hook for that cap charge if a player is claimed off waivers.
- Bruno Fernando, Raptors: $1,115,128
- Orlando Robinson, Kings: $959,779
- Branden Carlson, Thunder: $365,767
All three of these players were on minimum-salary contracts. Carlson is a rookie who was signed well after the regular season began, which is why his cap hit is so modest compared to the others.
These players are all still on waivers, so they’re technically candidates to be claimed on Thursday. A team that places a claim on one of those players would have to commit to guaranteeing his salary for the rest of the season, so it’s unlikely.
There were several other players with partially or non-guaranteed salaries who were cut earlier in the season. That group consisted of the following players, listed in the order they were waived (with their accompanying cap hits):
- Alex Reese, Thunder: $79,804
- Malevy Leons, Thunder: $126,356
- Jaylen Nowell, Pelicans: $278,782
- Elfrid Payton, Pelicans: $274,809
- Moses Brown, Pacers: $306,660
- Paul Reed, Pistons: $2,485,563
- Note: After clearing waivers, Reed was re-signed to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract.
- Javante McCoy, Pistons: $32,596
- Matt Ryan, Knicks: $621,438
- PJ Dozier, Timberwolves: $1,051,255
These moves didn’t go down to the wire like the others listed above, having occurred well in advance of the salary guarantee deadline.
Players on two-way contracts who were waived before their salaries became guaranteed:
Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league-wide salary guarantee date of January 10 also applies this season to players on two-way contracts. Prior to 2024, the guarantee date had been Jan. 20 for two-way salaries.
Two-way salaries are only worth half of the rookie minimum and don’t count against the salary cap, so many teams likely weren’t feeling a ton of pressure to make rest-of-season decisions on their two-way players by Tuesday. Two-way contracts can be signed until March 4, so there will be many clubs that make changes between now and then.
Still, there were seven players on two-way contracts who were waived between the start of January and Tuesday’s waiver deadline. Those players, who subsequently won’t receive their full two-way salaries this season, are as follows:
- David Jones, Jazz
- Jaylen Martin, Nets
- Daishen Nix, Timberwolves
- Cole Swider, Pistons
- Alondes Williams, Pistons
- Pete Nance, Sixers
The seventh player in that group, Tristen Newton, was waived by the Pacers but was claimed two days later by the Timberwolves and retained through Tuesday’s deadline, so he’ll still earn his full two-way salary despite being cut within the last week.
There are currently three open two-way slots around the NBA, belonging to the Warriors, Magic, and Sixers.
The full list of players who are still on two-way contracts and earned full guarantees can be found right here.
Central Notes: Atkinson, Cavaliers, Ivey, Mathurin
After finishing 22nd in the NBA in pace last season, the Cavaliers are playing at the sixth-fastest pace so far this season, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, who notes that coaches and scouts around the league are praising new head coach Kenny Atkinson for embracing the strengths of his players while implementing his preferred style.
“It’s exactly the way Kenny wants to play,” one scout said. “The speed with which they play is so advantageous for (Evan) Mobley and (Darius) Garland, and it also helps cover up deficiencies for other players. … They’ve simplified things from last year.”
The 31-4 Cavaliers have the NBA’s best record and will carry a 10-game winning streak into a showdown with the West-leading Thunder (who have won 15 regular season games in a row) on Wednesday night.
Still, as impressive as Cleveland has been in the first half of this season, there are people across the league who remain somewhat skeptical about how the club’s style will translate to the postseason.
“I think they’re a really good regular-season team, but when the game slows down and is more targeted, I have some concerns,” said an assistant coach whose team recently faced the Cavs. “Can Donovan (Mitchell) and Darius make a bunch of shots when that happens? That’ll be the biggest question.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- The Cavaliers‘ front office is hesitant to risk messing with the chemistry in the team’s locker room in order to make a marginal deal ahead of the February 6 trade deadline, sources tell ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. That doesn’t necessarily mean Cleveland will stand pat, but it probably means that in order to make any deal of significance, the club would have to be pretty confident it would be a meaningful on-court upgrade.
- Dr. Clint Soppe, a sports medicine doctor based in Los Angeles, tells Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press that a fibula fracture like the one Pistons guard Jaden Ivey suffered generally takes four-to-six months to fully recover. The Pistons haven’t ruled out Ivey for the season after he broke his leg last week, but that timeline suggests the odds are against him returning this spring. Still, it’s worth noting that Soppe hasn’t examined Ivey himself and can’t speak to his specific case.
- Bennedict Mathurin‘s willingness to buy into his role has been an important factor in the cohesion of the Pacers‘ starting five, which has helped fuel the team’s run of nine wins in 12 games, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “This is a winning brand of basketball that he’s playing now,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s learned some things. He’s realized some things. He and I have spent a lot of time talking about it and watching things. If he’s willing to run and take open shots, avoid the temptation to drive into crowds and try to draw fouls and play tough, hard-nosed defense, that’s a winning formula for a young player.” Mathurin will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2025 offseason.
Beal’s Agent: Waiving No-Trade Clause Not Being Discussed
Suns guard Bradley Beal and his agent Mark Bartelstein haven’t had any talks about waiving Beal’s no-trade clause to approve a deal to a new team, Bartelstein tells ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“There have been no discussions about trades with the Suns or any other team,” Bartelstein said. “Bradley’s total focus is on helping the Suns turn things around.”
As we outlined on Tuesday, Beal has been at the center of trade rumors as of late due to the reported mutual interest between the Suns and Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who is seeking a trade out of Miami. Phoenix is reportedly the only team willing to pay Butler the contract he wants and is believed to be the 35-year-old’s preferred landing spot.
Due to the Suns’ position relative to the second tax apron, they’re not permitted to aggregate salaries in a trade for Butler, meaning they would have to give up one of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, or Beal, all of whom have bigger cap hits than Butler’s $48.8MM figure.
Beal is the obvious choice of that trio from the Suns’ perspective, but his no-trade clause – one of just two in the NBA – complicates matters, as does his maximum-salary contract, which the Heat are reportedly unwilling to take on.
Phoenix has reportedly explored the market in search of a third team that would take on Beal, but any facilitator would have to be well compensated and the Suns, who would also have to incentivize Miami, don’t have many draft assets available to trade.
Speaking to Windhorst, Bartelstein didn’t rule out the possibility that Beal would waive his no-trade clause for a “perfect” situation, as he did when he was sent from Washington to Phoenix in 2023. But that isn’t currently under consideration.
It’s also worth reiterating that a no-trade clause doesn’t go away after a single trade — it covers a player’s entire contract unless he agrees to surrender it. Bartelstein tells Windhorst that his client wouldn’t be willing to give up that veto power before the end of the contract.
If Beal agreed to remove the no-trade clause from his contract upon being dealt, it might make a rival team more willing to roll the dice on him, since that club would have freedom to move him in a year or two. However, as long as Beal insists on hanging onto his NTC, it will make it that much more difficult for the Suns to find a taker.
California Notes: Curry, Warriors, Kings, Vanderbilt
The Warriors continue trying to thread the needle between building toward a future without aging All-Star guard Stephen Curry and looking to win while he’s still performing at a high level. Curry, who turns 37 in March, is aware that his time as an All-NBA talent could be fairly finite, notes Tim Keown of ESPN.
“I want to do this for as long as I can,” Curry said. “But the clock’s ticking. We all know that.”
Keown notes that Golden State’s success very much hinges on Curry being able to knock down jumpers. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is conserving Curry’s minutes with an eye towards keeping him healthy late into the year, even though he’s aware it could ironically cost the team a shot at the postseason.
At 18-17, the No. 8-seeded Warriors are currently just one game clear of the No. 11 Kings and two ahead of the No. 12 Suns.
“For me, it’s more like this: We want to put ourselves in position to give him a chance in the playoffs,” Kerr said. “We did that when we won the title in ’22; we caught lightning in a bottle and the matchups worked our way and Steph does what Steph does. We want to give him that chance again. We want that at-bat.”
There’s more out of California:
- Steve Kerr said on Tuesday that injured Warriors guards Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II are traveling with Golden State on its current four-game road trip, with an eye towards returning to action at some point during the trip, reports Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Kings rallied on Monday from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit without All-Star De’Aaron Fox to pick up their fifth straight win, and are now 5-1 under interim head coach Doug Christie, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “I just kept telling them to believe,” Christie said. “You can do this. You’ve got to believe you can do it. You need to get stops. You need to fly around. You need to have each other’s back.”
- Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt continues to inch closer to making his 2024/25 season debut. Head coach JJ Redick has revealed that the 6’8″ vet played 5-on-5 against the team’s coaches in a workout, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Redick added that Los Angeles wants Vanderbilt to participate in 5-of-5 scrimmages against players, either with the NBA team or the G League’s South Bay Lakers. Vanderbilt will be playing on a minutes restriction to start his season, according toMcMenamin (Twitter links), who adds that the Lakers will reassess Vanderbilt in a week.
Northwest Notes: Finch, DiVincenzo, Wolves, Clingan, Jazz
After Saturday’s loss to the Pistons, the Timberwolves‘ third consecutive defeat, head coach Chris Finch insisted that he was not going to make any changes to his starting lineup, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
“You guys ask me this question all the time,” Finch said. “If I felt that the magic bullet was changing the starting lineup, I would’ve done that already. I don’t think I’m being particularly stubborn. There’s a chain reaction to everything you do. There are other combinations and things that go on on the floor that are just as important if not more so than the starting lineup.”
Finch’s starting five for most of the season was made up of guards Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards, forwards Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle, and center Rudy Gobert. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details, Finch defended the group’s struggles in the opening frame against the Pistons. In the eventual 119-105 Minnesota loss, the Pistons managed to overcome a 53-point effort out of Edwards.
“In fact, our starters didn’t get us off to a poor start tonight, except they had some low energy,” Finch said. “I didn’t like their defense, particularly… But I thought that, offensively, they looked OK.”
Apparently they didn’t look OK enough, as Finch opted to swap in combo guard Donte DiVincenzo for Conley ahead of a 108-106 victory over the Clippers on Monday, Krawczynski writes in a separate story for The Athletic. Minnesota used the new-look starting lineup again on Tuesday in New Orleans.
“I just read all the papers, and what everybody was telling me and said, ‘You know what, s–t, I should change the starting lineup,’” Finch joked on Monday.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- The 2024/25 iteration of the Timberwolves are still seeking an identity, contends Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. “Every game matters, especially in the West,” Gobert said. “We have confidence in who we are and who we can be as a team, but it has to show on the court. We have to focus on the things we can control, and everything else will follow.” Goodwill writes that the club’s on-court dynamic ahead of the Clippers clash was looking remarkably shaky, adding that the team has struggled to mesh with new additions Randle and DiVincenzo. Although Randle’s shooting from long range has improved significantly from his last season with New York, Goodwill notes that he has been a defensive liability.
- Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan has impressed defensively, but remains very raw on the other end, notes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report in a reader mailbag (Substack link). Highkin projects that Clingan will be a long-term pro thanks to his already high-level defense, but notes he has a ways to go as a scorer. Highkin also predicts a long-term futures for general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups and unpacks the upside of his squad’s young core.
- As the Jazz‘s youth movement begins to find its footing, Utah has started winning occasional games — entering Tuesday’s action, the team was 4-5 in its last nine games after starting the season 5-20. Those on-court improvements could prove detrimental to the club’s clear goal of maximizing its draft position this summer, observes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Utah currently has only the fifth-best lottery odds. “The messaging doesn’t change,” head coach Will Hardy told Jones. “The players deserve all of the credit. They have dug in, and they have bought into the little things that it takes to win. This has become a cohesive group that’s committed to helping each other.
And-Ones: Randle, Ingram, EuroLeague, Non-Guaranteed Deals
Timberwolves forward Julius Randle and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram each have All-Star berths under their belts, and Ingram is coming off a five-year, maximum-salary contract. Under the NBA’s old new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Randle and Ingram might have already secured lucrative new extensions. In the current CBA landscape, their uncertain futures reflect teams’ wariness to commit big money to second- or third-tier stars, according to William Guillory and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Guillory and Krawczynski take a closer look at potential next steps for the two standout forwards, pointing out that both players continue to perform well but also laying out reasons why their days with their current teams may be numbered. Ingram will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, while Randle holds a player option for 2025/26.
Guillory believes Ingram is more likely than not to be somewhere besides New Orleans next season. Krawczynski suggests Minnesota may look to trade Randle or let him walk as a free agent in the summer unless everything comes together for the Wolves during the second half of this season in a way that it hasn’t in the first half.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The EuroLeague and IMG, the league’s primary business partner, have reached an agreement to extend their relationship through the 2035/36 season. What does that mean for the NBA’s efforts to introduce a new professional league in Europe? Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic digs into the subject, writing that the EuroLeague’s 13 permanent members – including clubs like Real Madrid, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Anadolu Efes – now seem less likely to leave for an NBA-run European league, though the new contract does include opt-out clauses for teams.
- Noting that it was a relatively quiet January 7 in terms of roster cuts, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron explores whether teams have become more inclined in recent years to hang onto players on non-guaranteed contracts through the annual league-wide salary guarantee deadline.
- In an ESPN roundtable, Tim Bontemps, Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton, Michael Wright, and Jamal Collier discuss several topics related to the upcoming trade deadline, including which team most needs to make a splash, which team in each conference will improve the most at the deadline, and whether the Lakers will make another in-season deal.
New York Notes: Johnson, Evbuomwan, KAT, Knicks
Nets wing Keon Johnson is getting some extra run as a result of injuries up and down the roster, giving him an opportunity to showcase a broader range of skills, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post.
With Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson and Ben Simmons all unavailable in a 123-94 blowout loss to the Sixers on Saturday, Johnson helped guide the club’s offense. The guard scored 15 points while grabbing eight rebounds and handing out eight assists.
“I’m always trying to prove myself and just show what I can bring to the league and to the table for my team,” Johnson said Saturday. “I feel like each night I get more and more comfortable, but my role doesn’t change. It doesn’t waiver. I know that I come in, play defense, play as hard as I can, and everything goes on [from there]. So, that’s what I’m focusing on, night in and night out.”
Johnson has thrived while playing in the stead of Thomas, who has missed all but two games since November 25 due to hamstring issues. Since that date, Johnson has averaged 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19 games (15 starts) for Brooklyn.
There’s more out of New York:
- The aforementioned health issues compelled the Nets to press newly signed two-way player Tosan Evbuomwan into service for the first time all year against Philadelphia on Saturday, Reilly notes in another piece. Brooklyn brought in Evbuomwan to help after he had some impressive games for the club’s NBAGL squad, the Long Island Nets. “This is what I work for, these types of opportunities,” Evbuomwan said. “Again, really blessed to be back here. So, whatever, everything that comes with it, I’m ready to take it in stride and kind of attack it. Collectively, I just got here but the team spirit is high.” After going undrafted out of Princeton in 2023, Evbuomwan wound up playing 17 games last season for the Grizzlies and Pistons. Through two games with Brooklyn, the 6’8″ forward is averaging 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 22.5 minutes per contest.
- Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns sat out the club’s Monday tilt against the Magic with a right knee tendinopathy. The 103-94 defeat to Orlando represented New York’s third consecutive loss following a nine-game win streak, with Jericho Sims replacing Towns, whose versatility as a scorer was badly missed, notes Peter Botte of The New York Post. “He obviously brings a lot to the game, but it’s unfair to the rest of the guys on the team, who put in all the work, to say without him we weren’t able to do a lot,” All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson said of playing without Towns. “We just need to come ready to play with energy, regardless of what happens.” In his 34 healthy games this year, the seven-footer out of Kentucky is averaging 25.3 points on .550/.440/.828 shooting splits. He’s also pulling down 14.0 rebounds and dishing out 3.4 assists per night.
- The Knicks’ outlook this year is looking particularly sunny. Accordingly, James L. Edwards of The Athletic makes five New York-related predictions for the forthcoming calendar year. Edwards predicts a timeline for the Knicks’ next significant trade, the team’s postseason upside, and more.
Grizzlies Notes: Trade Options, GG Jackson, Morant, JJJ, More
Reporting on Monday suggested the Grizzlies were among the teams discussing the possibility of pursuing Jimmy Butler, but a Tuesday report stated that Memphis has been advised not to trade for the 35-year-old, who is allegedly uninterested in joining the Western Conference’s current No. 3 seed.
If that puts an end to the idea of the Grizzlies acquiring Butler, what are the most logical alternatives on the trade market for the front office? Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal weighs that question, suggesting three possible paths for the team.
Checking in on Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is one option the Grizzlies could consider, according to Cole, who says focusing on Nets forward Cameron Johnson might also make sense for a team that could use an upgrade on the wing.
Of course, standing pat and seeing how this version of the team performs down the stretch and in the postseason is another viable route, Cole writes, noting that it could benefit the Grizzlies to take a longer look at youngsters like GG Jackson and Vince Williams once they’re healthy.
Here’s more out of Memphis:
- Speaking of Jackson, he appears to be nearing his season debut after recovering from offseason surgery on his right foot. The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday (via Twitter) that the second-year forward was assigned to the Memphis Hustle to participate in today’s practice.
- Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been out of his sling for at least four days and is doing more on-court work as he moves closer to a return from his shoulder injury, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “It is going to be on the shorter term than the longer term,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said on Monday. “He is making progress. I cannot pinpoint a game, but I don’t think that it will be much longer.”
- In two more Commercial Appeal stories, Cole examines Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s growing case for All-Star consideration and details a memorable day for brothers Cam Spencer of the Grizzlies and Pat Spencer of the Warriors, who shared the same NBA court for the first time on Saturday in Golden State and even spent a few possessions guarding one another.
- Grizzlies point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. recently spoke to Grant Afseth of RG.org about stepping into a starting role with Morant sidelined, why and how he’s succeeded in Memphis, and the lessons he learned from his Hall-of-Fame father Scottie Pippen, among other topics.
Mavs Hopeful Gafford’s Ankle Injury Not Significant
5:00 pm: While Gafford will miss Tuesday’s game vs. the Lakers, the Mavericks are hopeful that he’ll be day-to-day going forward rather than having to be ruled out for an extended period, Kidd told reporters (Twitter link via Afseth).
8:19 am: Already missing top scorers Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks had another key rotation player go down with an injury during Monday’s loss in Memphis.
With 8:26 left in the second quarter, center Daniel Gafford turned his left ankle when he came down on Grizzlies forward John Konchar‘s foot while battling for a rebound (video link via NBA.com). After spending a moment on the floor in pain, Gafford limped to the locker room and didn’t return (Twitter video link via Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal).
Speaking to reporters after the game (YouTube link), Kidd acknowledged that the team is expecting to be without Gafford for the next little while.
“A sprained ankle, I think it is, so we’ll see how he feels. But he’s probably going to be out for some time,” Kidd said with a sigh. “That’s just part of the game. Unfortunately it’s happening to us — it seems like we’re losing a guy each day. So, next-man-up mentality.”
Gafford has shared center duties with Dereck Lively this season, starting 15 of 35 games and averaging a career-high 11.7 points per game with a league-leading 71.8% field goal percentage. He has also contributed 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 20.1 minutes per night.
Gafford’s return timeline is unclear, but Maxi Kleber – who started Monday’s game – figures to continue playing an increased role, with P.J. Washington seeing some time at center in small-ball lineups. Veteran big man Dwight Powell will also move up the depth chart in Gafford’s absence.
The shorthanded Mavericks will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak when they host the Lakers on Tuesday on the second night of a back-to-back set.