After missing nine straight games due to a right ankle contusion, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will return to action on Friday for the Lakers, tweets Jovan Buha. Los Angeles, which is jockeying for playoff seeding in the Western Conference, faces Phoenix tonight.
Head coach JJ Redick said Thursday that he spoke to Luka Doncic, who is rehabilitating from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Europe, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Redick said Doncic was in “relatively good spirits,” adding that it’s been good to have Austin Reaves around the team as he recovers from his own injury (oblique strain).
Redick also had a conversation with Jarred Vanderbilt about Tuesday’s spat in which the 27-year-old forward accosted Redick for calling a timeout to remove him from the game (Twitter link via McMenamin). Redick didn’t divulge any details about that conversation but said it went “great.” Vanderbilt played 26 minutes in Thursday’s win at Golden State after receiving just five on Tuesday.
Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
- As expected, Al Horford will return from a 14-game absence on Friday in Sacramento, relays Anthony Slater of ESPN (via Twitter). The Warriors big man has been out since March 13 due to a right calf (soleus) strain. Horford, who holds a $5.97MM player option for next season, has averaged 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 blocks in 43 appearances in 2025/26 (21.7 minutes per game).
- Several filmmakers from Brazil have been recording documentary footage of Gui Santos throughout the course of the Warriors forward’s third NBA season, as Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard details. The former second-round pick has unexpectedly been thrust into a major rotation role the past couple months after Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Santos said he watches every episode and his family back home in Brazil loves the series, which is released on YouTube with English subtitles. “It’s on the internet, so that’s one thing that’s never going to get lost,” Santos told Emerman. “So, when I’m 50 years old or 40 years old, sit with my grandsons on the sofa just watching that: ‘Look, your grandpa was strong, your grandpa was playing in the NBA.’ That will be nice.“
- Rockets forward Kevin Durant said prior to Tuesday’s matchup in Phoenix that he’s “pretty much over” the way his Suns tenure ended, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. It was Durant’s first game in Phoenix since he was traded to Houston last summer. “At the time, it was tough to take. A place I wanted to be. I wanted to keep building, but it’s the business of the league and it’s the business of basketball,” Durant said. “You’re not going to be in the same place all the time. It is what it is. Yeah, I was sour early on, but I think I’ve gotten over it. Time heals all. Just move on.” The 37-year-old star had 24 points, four rebounds and three assists during Tuesday’s game, which Houston won.
Horford really chose the Warriors over everyone else lol,
So did DeAnthony Melton, Seth Curry, Gary Payton…
With two games left, you finally decide to ask the question. I suppose you are still looking for another contract.
Think of it this way Klay Thompson picked Dallas over the warriors.
To be fair Dallas had Luka at that time.
Also Klay landed Dallas’s own Hot Girl Meg, so…mission accomplished. He has the rings, he just adding zeros to his bank account with Hot Girl Meg as his gf…oh well, bro!! lol
Wrong city. Wrong team
Well, actually arc, the Warriors kicked Klay to the curb. At least that’s how I remember it.
They had the offer on the table out of allegiance and loyalty, but when Klay rejected 2×22 or so for 45 total, they took the offer off the table and told him he’s on his own.
I think the Lakers were interested but didn’t have any money and Dallas needed a guy like him so I think they offered 17×3? Not bad.
But it’s not that Klay chose the Mavericks over the Warriors. He wanted more than the Warriors offered. They said no and Thompson had to find a new home.
Klay did want out and he felt the wrriors offer was a slap in his face. Lakers wanted Thom,pson but didn’t want to trade any value to get Thompson is why the warriors saw the Dallas offer and took it.
All of you who just don’t know ball. A d rather hate on a player. Instead of informing yourselves on him. I am not the only person who said the Warriors made a mistake not taking Raynaud. Plenty of sports writers. And reputable sports publications said the same thing. So instead of reading up on Raynaud or checking his videos. All you clowns rather disrespect him. Rather than look out for whats best for Warriors. I know all of you are adults. Yet you act like little whiny 10 yr olds.
Then there is the washed_bon r. Who can’t fathom that something can go right for Kings. My god what a crew yall make. Worthless haters that can’t even discuss a young talent. Bunch of WAGONEERS.
Dave J may be an overzealous fan. But at keast he understands his team sometimes will get it wrong. So you learn from it so you get it right next time.
Just gotta love this non crew lmao ..,.,
Raynaud show you what a real Center looks like. You get it now. Did 39 mins, 23 pts, 9/12 FG, 2/4 3 pt, 3/5 FT, 9 reb, 4 ast. Teach your DAreses something. UDKB little fellas … ha ha ho ho hi hi. Ha Ga ho.
Or losing to Kings do it —
KP – 25 mins, 11 pts, 7 rebounds, 4/12 FG
Dra – 33 mins, 7 pts, 4 rebounds
Horford – 17 mins, 10 pts, zero rebounds
Post – hiding out
Bassey – 15 mi s, 6 pts, 4 reb
KnickerbockerAl knows ball. Raynaud played 4 yrs at Stanford. How could you not know him. UnFnbelievable ……… pick #42
And remember. If Warriors draft Lendeborg. I want all the Wagoneers to write e-mails to Warriors FO. To cut me a check. Good to be me 🤫🤫🤫😂😂
WGaryRedSoxxWarriors
January 23, 2026
By the way against the Cavaliers tonight, who have two excellent big men, Maxine is having such a wonderful game. Yep a quality big man lol. Whoever labeled him as that, I can only guess from conversations of two months ago. Evidence states otherwise. It’s ridiculous the amount of garbage spewed by commenters on this site who have no clue. “Warriors need a big man” they cry. “Here’s a guy who was great in college” they bemoan. Yup, simply displaying zero NBA basketball acumen.
— I guess This clown doesn’t get what a Rookie means. It’s why he hated on Kuminga too. Knowledge is truth. Sometimes people in life. Really know what they talk about.
Where is the other clown Peter Con —- come tell me about 2nd rd picks, please.
Raynaud is all offense and no defense. No block shots and didn’t stop the warriors from scoring.
@arc Raynaud was +20, he absolutely stopped them from scoring. He also had 9 rebounds, more than any Warriors player. Al is correct.
Al, you are correct, but the GSW front office only wants a roster of all-6’1″ guys. If there is an undersized guard on the table, the Warriors are picking him no matter what. Not even any taller guards, ever! These losers drafted Wiseman over Lamelo and have been obsessing over it ever since. Even though Wiseman was a main piece in Steph’s best single game. Hm..
Pat Spencer is absolutely terrible and Podz had his first 30 point game in a loss to a 20 win team…pathetic. Get these white dudes off my team!!
I get who Kerr is. And what his offense is. But Davey, they are still bringing in bigs today. Obviously they think about using one. Raynaud is showing he is a real talent. A starting center in NBA. You don’t pass on that at #42. But the worse thing is all these so called fans just hating on a guy cause I said it was a mistake. Not a big deal really. But if I disagreed with it. I would learn all I could about the player. To see if it really was a mistake. Just ball man. Cause I care about the NBA. And getting informed or getting knowledge. Is ALL part of the fun to me. These adult clowns here. All they care about is disrespecting a rookie center. And in the process of their hate. Show their true knowledge of the game. Not a big deal to be wrong on a pick. Much better to be right. When you are building a team lol. Fact is this kid helps the Warriors.And helps your best players the most. That’s what true bigs do. That’s why Warriors today are still looking for one lol.
I just love rubbing it in. When haters pass the line.
Why would the Warriors want a rookie project at center who doesn’t play defense? Lots of other teams who were actually looking for a center passed on Raynaud.
🤫🤫🤡🤫🤫🤡🤫🤫🤡🤫🤫learn the game.
You got a major W on that one Al, Raynaud is a perfect match on GSW and would mean no need for KP. While they traded around to end up with Will Richard, who is way better than his draft spot, if they simply picked Raynaud they would never need KP. Problem is Kerr, who won’t play more than 2 bigs at once and usually plays 1 big with 4 smalls. Not enough minutes (that idiot Kerr puts the restrictions on)