Jazz’s Vince Williams Jr. May Have ACL Injury In Left Knee
Vince Williams Jr. had to be carried to the locker room during Monday’s loss at Houston and multiple sources who spoke to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News (Bluesky links) believe the Jazz guard sustained a “significant ACL injury.”
According to Todd, Williams left the arena on crutches and will undergo an MRI in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
“It doesn’t look good, we’ll get an MRI,” head coach Will Hardy said.
Williams injured his knee while running back on defense when the Rockets had a fast break. He was bumped by Tari Eason and lost his balance, and his left knee hyperextended inward in a gruesome manner. The video is not for the squeamish (Bluesky link via Todd).
Hardy was upset about the play, which wasn’t called a foul, Todd adds.
“That’s not basketball,” Hardy said.
Eason checked on Williams after the game, Todd reports (via Bluesky), and let Williams know he wasn’t trying to injure him.
The 47th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Williams was acquired by Utah earlier this month in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with Memphis. Entering Monday’s game, Williams was averaging 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five appearances with Utah (15.2 MPG).
The former Toledo guard played in 34 games with the Grizzlies prior to being traded, averaging 8.0 PPG, 4.4 APG and 4.0 RPG in 21.6 MPG.
Williams is in his fourth NBA season and is making $2.3MM this season. The Jazz hold a $2.5MM team option on his contract for 2026/27.
And-Ones: Durant, Olympics, U.S. Roster, Parker, Brooks
Four-time gold medalist Kevin Durant tells Vincent Goodwill of ESPN he wants to represent Team USA again at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old Rockets forward, who is the U.S men’s team’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition, did add a caveat, however.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant said. “I would love to, but I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make (managing director) Grant (Hill) and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win.
“Today, yeah I feel like I’ll put my name in that hat.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Speaking of the 2028 Olympics and USA Basketball, Zach Kram of ESPN takes an early look at potential candidates for the Americans’ roster. Kram predicts that Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Jalen Duren, Amen Thompson, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo and Jayson Tatum will be the 12 players selected (they’re listed by age). Durant could take the final wing spot on the roster, according to Kram, but only if he’s still “engaged and deserving” two-plus years from now.
- Partizan Belgrade is expected to loan former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker to Spanish club Joventut Badalona for the rest of the season, according to a report from Mozzart Sport (hat tip to Sportando). Parker been away from the Serbian club for several weeks, last playing on January 9. The veteran power forward is still under contract with Partizan through 2026/27, though his future with the team is uncertain.
- Shooting guard Armoni Brooks, who played parts of three NBA seasons from 2020-24, has been named MVP of the Italian Cup after helping lead Olimipia Milano to a title in the domestic tournament, per Fabio Cavagnera of RealOlimpiaMilano.com (hat tip to Sportando). The 27-year-old said he “100%” wants to re-sign with the Italian squad. international
Raptors Notes: Walter, Mamukelashvili, CMB, Barnes, Poeltl
Ja’Kobe Walter is finding his niche with the Raptors, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The 2024 first-round pick was Baylor’s leading scorer in his lone college season, but he recognizes he needs to impact the game on the other end of the court to have a significant NBA role.
“I was always a defender, but I didn’t know I was going to be aiming towards being the main guy,” Walter told Grange. “When I got here, they were telling me that they see the length and tools that I have, and just make sure I use them all the time. When I got to Toronto is when I really started focusing and realizing that I wanted to be the stopper type guy.”
At 6’4″ and 180 pounds, Walter is on the smaller side for a shooting guard, but he has a 6’10” wingspan and is an aggressive on-ball defender, Grange notes. His swing skill will likely be his outside shot — the 21-year-old has converted 35.3% of his three-point attempts this season.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic was complimentary of Walter’s performance following Thursday’s victory in Chicago and said the second-year wing is earning the trust of his coaching staff and teammates.
“I thought he played a very good game. I thought he did an outstanding job defensively. I thought he was in the right spots on offense, took the right shots,” Rajakovic said. “There is a growing confidence inside this group that he’s ready for this challenge.”
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- A bruised rib has Sandro Mamukelashvili in a good deal of pain, but he’s determined to play through the injury because he’s eager to get his first real playoff experience, per Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “I’m mentally blocking it out,” Mamukelashvili said of his injury. “There are no issues. I’m telling myself there is nothing hurting and however many minutes I get, I’ll go out there and play like I’m a hundred percent healthy.” The 26-year-old forward/center technically made the postseason as a rookie with Milwaukee, but he was ineligible to suit up because he was on a two-way contract. Mamukelashvili has been one of the most impactful reserves in the league this season, Koreen writes, averaging 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists on .525/.383/.764 shooting in 55 games (22.5 minutes per contest). The Georgian big man should be in line for a substantial pay raise this summer — he holds a $2.8MM player option for 2026/27 he seems likely to decline.
- Collin Murray-Boyles has similarly been playing through a thumb injury, Koreen adds. The lottery pick is having an impressive rookie season, appearing in 45 games (22.2 MPG) and averaging 8.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG while playing solid, switchable defense, according to Koreen. “That’s why I was drafted — to make an impact,” Murray-Boyles said when asked about the rarity of a rookie playing significant minutes for a winning team. “(I) don’t take it lightly.”
- All-Star forward Scottie Barnes was out Sunday for personal reasons, but he’s not on the injury report and is expected to return for Tuesday’s game vs. Oklahoma City, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca relays (Twitter links). Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain injury management) is out against the Thunder on the front end of a back-to-back — Toronto faces San Antonio on Wednesday.
Jae’Sean Tate To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Grade 2 MCL Sprain
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his right knee and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, including Michael Shapiro of Chron.com (Twitter link).
According to Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle, Tate suffered the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s loss at New York. Udoka said the 30-year-old would be reevaluated in two weeks, but noted that Grade 2 MCL sprains typically result in a four-to-six week absence.
Tate hasn’t played much in 2025/26, averaging just 8.4 minutes per game across 34 appearances. However, he was reinserted into the rotation just before the All-Star break, playing 13 minutes against the Clippers on February 11. He logged 15 minutes at Charlotte on February 19 and sustained the injury two days later.
Tate, who is playing on a minimum-salary contract and is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, underwent offseason surgery to address an impingement in his right ankle. He was unable to participate in Houston’s training camp or the preseason while he was recovering from that injury.
A former undrafted free agent who played four years of college ball at Ohio State, Tate has seen his minutes decline in each of his six seasons with the Rockets. The veteran forward had a brief G League stint in late November because he wanted to get some playing time and a chance to find his rhythm.
It’s unclear if Tate will make it back before the regular season ends on April 12, but based on Udoka’s timeline, the veteran combo forward should return prior to the postseason. The Rockets are currently 34-21, the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Injury Notes: Avdija, White, Porzingis, Suggs
After a 54-point drubbing at the hands of the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers bounced back with a win over the shorthanded Suns on Sunday in Phoenix, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Portland’s victory came at a cost, however, as Deni Avdija was forced to exit the game after 59 seconds when he tweaked his lower back — he was questionable entering the contest because of the injury.
As Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link) writes, Avdija first injured his back on January 11 and he has experienced multiple flare-ups since. The All-Star forward has missed 10 games over the past six weeks due to the injury and was clearly was less than 100% in some of his seven appearances over that stretch, Highkin adds.
“I’m not a doctor, but yeah, we’ve got to see what’s going on,” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said. “Dive deep and see what’s really happening.”
The Blazers would be better off resting their leading scorer for an extended period rather than having him constantly be in and out of the lineup, according to Highkin, who notes that Portland has the easiest remaining schedule (by opponent winning percentage) in the league and the team is likely locked into the play-in tournament regardless of whether Avdija plays or not.
Having the 25-year-old healthy for the stretch run and postseason should be the Blazers’ top priority, says Highkin.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Coby White is expected to make his debut for Charlotte on Tuesday in Chicago, as the Hornets have listed the impending free agent as probable to suit up against his former team (Twitter link). White has been sidelined since Feb. 3 due to a left calf strain, but head coach Charles Lee said the 26-year-old guard has made “great strides” in his recovery.
- Warriors big man Kristaps Porzingis, who woke up sick on Sunday and didn’t play in the comeback victory vs. Denver, didn’t travel with the team for Golden State’s two-game road trip and isn’t expected to play on Tuesday at New Orleans or on Wednesday at Memphis, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. Porzingis has formally been ruled out of Tuesday’s contest.
- Magic guard Jalen Suggs is questionable to suit up for Tuesday’s game at the Lakers due to a back strain, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Suggs experienced back spasms last week in Thursday’s win in Sacramento and missed Orlando’s back-to-back road games over the weekend because of the issue.
Thunder Notes: Joe, Injuries, Holmgren, Caruso, Topic
Thunder guard Isaiah Joe is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, but the 26-year-old contributes to winning in other ways as well, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscriber link).
Joe lit up the Cavaliers on Sunday, tying his season high with 22 points and converting six of his 11 looks from behind the arc. But he also had a career-high five steals, plus three assists and two rebounds in 30 minutes.
“From a young age, I’ve always taken pride in it,” Joe said of his defense. “Being undersized out there, you don’t want to be the weak link. With this team that we have, we have tremendous defenders. We can almost live and die on our defense every single game. So whenever I’m out there I just try to stay physical, make the right rotations, take charges and try to win on the defensive end.”
As Martinez writes, Joe is an adept off-ball mover and cutter on top of being an unselfish passer. Fellow guard Cason Wallace, who had his first career double-double Sunday (20 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, three steals), praised Joe’s all-around game.
“He’s a great cutter,” Wallace said. “If you overplay him, he’s very smart. He’ll back-cut you and finish at the rim. He’s a high-level rebounder. He has a full game, for sure.”
We have more from Oklahoma City:
- Head coach Mark Daigneault praised Joe after Sunday’s win, according to Martinez (Twitter video link). As Martinez notes, Joe is averaging 16.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 50.8% from long distance in nine February games (26.4 MPG) amid injuries to several key players. “He’s been unbelievable,” Daigneault said of the former second-round pick. “We’ve obviously endured injuries but also the fluidity of those injuries. It hasn’t been the same people out that have allowed us to get into a team rhythm. It’s just been a weird situation where the minute we get one guy back, another has gone out. He has been a stabilizing force.”
- The Thunder were missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell on Sunday, yet they outplayed the Cavs, who entered the game having won seven straight games and 12 of their past 13. OKC’s shorthanded victory over Cleveland is one reason why the NBA should rethink it’s marketing strategy and focus more on the depth of talent across the league and on the best teams rather than just star players, says Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I think we do discredit ‘team,’” Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said. “This wasn’t a situation where we were like, ‘All right, we’re going to come in here (and dominate, because of OKC’s injuries).’ They’re a championship-level team. But I do think you see that, no SGA, no J-Dub, as fans, not as us (the Cavs), and you do think, ‘Oh, it should just be a (cakewalk).’ You know what I mean? These guys can go. They can play. We’ve seen that. This league is very talented.”
- All-Star big man Chet Holmgren is questionable for Tuesday’s game against Toronto because of lower back spasms, tweets Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire. Caruso (left ankle sprain) is also questionable.
- After his second NBA game on Friday, Nikola Topic reflected his difficult road back to the court, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. The 20-year-old Serbian guard recovered from a torn ACL only to be diagnosed with testicular cancer in the fall. “I have to thank the organization as a whole, from the players and coaching staff to the medical team,” Topic said. “They were incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. And, of course, the fans as well.” Topic received a standing ovation in his first home game. “I’ll remember that for the rest of my life, and I’ll try to kind of say thank you on the court,” he added.
Jonathan Kuminga Expected To Make Hawks Debut Tuesday
New Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Tuesday’s game vs. Washington, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Kuminga is expected to make his Hawks debut tomorrow against the Wizards (Twitter link).
Kuminga last played on January 22, when he suffered a bone bruise in his left knee after hyperextending it. Atlanta acquired the 23-year-old along with Buddy Hield ahead of the trade deadline in the move which saw Kristaps Porzingis head to Golden State.
The seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Kuminga had a prolonged contract standoff with the Warriors as a restricted free agent last offseason. He ultimately signed a two-year, $46.8MM deal that includes a $24.3MM team option for next season.
The final 23 games of the season will be important for Kuminga, as that team option means he could be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Through 20 games this season, he has averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 23.8 minutes per contest, with a shooting slash line of .454/.321/.742.
Atlanta, which made a noteworthy change to its starting lineup for Sunday’s win over Brooklyn, is currently 28-31, the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. This is the fifth straight season in which the Hawks project to make the play-in tournament.
Kings Sign Killian Hayes To 10-Day Contract
February 23: The Kings have officially signed Hayes, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets.
February 22: The Kings plan to sign free agent guard Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Detroit selected Hayes with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, but he struggled with offensive efficiency during his Pistons tenure and the team waived him in February 2024.
Still just 24 years old, Hayes has largely been out of the NBA for the past two seasons. He spent most of last season in the G League with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island, averaging 17.3 points, 7.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals on .463/.371/.689 shooting in 33 games (32.9 minutes per contest).
Hayes, who played six games with the Nets in 2024/25 on a 10-day contract, signed an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with the Cavaliers in the fall to secure a bonus for playing for their affiliate team, the Cleveland Charge. Through 28 games with the Charge this season, Hayes is averaging 23.1 PPG, 8.3 APG, 3.9 RPG and 1.7 SPG on .468/.325/.800 shooting.
The Kings have an opening on their standard roster, which means they won’t need to waive anyone to sign Hayes. As a five-year veteran, Hayes will earn $153,330 over the course of his 10 days with Sacramento, while the Kings will carry a cap charge of $131,970.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 2/23/2026
Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 3:00 pm Central time (4:00 pm Eastern).
Jazz’s Jusuf Nurkic To Undergo Surgery, Miss Rest Of Season
Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic will undergo a surgical procedure on his nose on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, NBA on Prime insider Chris Haynes reports (via Twitter).
According to Haynes (Twitter link), Nurkic has had issues breathing and sleeping since he broke his nose a few years ago.
Nurkic has appeared in 41 games this season, including 36 starts. The 31-year-old big man averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 26.4 minutes per game.
Nurkic hasn’t played since the All-Star break. Earlier in the season, he missed time due to a toe injury and also had several DNP-CDs. He was a prime candidate to be dealt before the Feb. 5 trade deadline due his expiring $19.3MM contract.
The Jazz never found a suitable deal for him, so instead that money will come off their cap and Nurkic will be seeking a new opportunity as an unrestricted free agent. Utah is expected to have significant cap space this offseason to chase free agents and facilitate trades, though the team may also have interest in bringing back Nurkic.
The Jazz raised eyebrows over the summer when they attached a second-round pick to Collin Sexton in a trade with Charlotte for Nurkic, who was coming off a down year. However, the big man played a larger role than anticipated due to Walker Kessler‘s season-ending shoulder injury.
With Nurkic, Kessler, and Jaren Jackson Jr. all out for the rest of the season, Kyle Filipowski, Kevin Love and Oscar Tshiebwe are Utah’s options in the middle.