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Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Kolek, Robinson, Schedule, McBride

December 20th, 2025 at 9:42am CST by Dana Gauruder

OG Anunoby threw in a rare clunker in a nine-point Knicks loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Anunoby had just two points on 1-of-9 shooting and wasn’t much of a factor defensively, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post writes.

“I thought he was aggressive on his drives, he didn’t get any calls,” coach Mike Brown said. “It’s a weird game and the officials, they got a tough job but I don’t know if I’ll ever understand what’s a foul and what’s not a foul. Because guys, especially quick guys, they’ll put their head down and they’ll drive from point A to point B and if you lead with your chest, and they’re able to flop or fall off you good enough, it’s a foul. OG is a big, strong guy. When he drives, he doesn’t do that, he’s trying to attack the rim. He’s getting rerouted on his drive, but he can’t seem to get a call. “

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Tyler Kolek had an off night on Friday after some strong performances, including a 16-point, 11-assist outing vs. Indiana on Thursday, Schwartz notes. The reserve guard finished with two points, two assists, four turnovers and five fouls in 15 minutes vs. Philadelphia.
Notoriously poor free throw shooter Mitchell Robinson only missed one of his eight attempts on Friday after changing his routine. “We’ve just been working on a lot of arc on the free throws,” he said, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “We went in there this morning actually like 10 AM but it paid off tonight. So I guess we’re gonna put that in the routine now.” Robinson also said he’s changed the mechanics of his shot. “It feels way more comfortable,” he said. “Getting my elbow under it. Getting it up in the air a little more. It’s been great.”
Friday’s loss snapped a seven-game winning streak but might have been predictable, according to Schwartz. Following their NBA Cup triumph this week, the Knicks had to play a back-to-back. They won at Indiana despite being shorthanded on Thursday. “These guys are human,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, we try to pride ourselves on being a no-excuse team. We’re gonna go out and play to the highest possible standard, or the highest possible level. Most times, we’ll probably have it, but tonight we didn’t.”
Miles McBride is doing on-court work but has yet to practice since spraining his ankle, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tweets. The Knicks haven’t practiced or held a shootaround since Monday.

NBA Seeking Changes To Injury Reporting, Prop Bets

December 20th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA is seeking to tighten its rules regarding injury reporting and prop betting as well as exploring new ways to discourage tanking, ESPN’s David Purdum and Shams Charania and The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov report.

A memo sent to all teams on Friday also outlined plans to upgrade its education program on gambling, adopt new measures to protect players, coaches, and team personnel from harassment from sports bettors, and enhance its ability to investigate unusual betting activity.

Issues regarding injury reporting and prop betting became magnified by the arrests of Heat player Terry Rozier, former player Damon Jones, and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups in October as part of a federal investigation. Federal prosecutors accused Rozier and Jones of supplying bettors with nonpublic information regarding injuries, while Billups — though not specifically named or charged by the feds in this instance — is accused of providing a bettor with nonpublic information about the Trail Blazers.

According to the memo, teams will be required to submit injury reports on game days between 11 AM and 1 PM local time, except on the second night of back-to-back games, and then update public injury reports on NBA.com every 15 minutes, rather than hourly.

In terms of prop bets, the league will push “industry stakeholders” such as sports betting companies for limits on under bets, a maximum amount that can be wagered on player props, limiting which players can be subject to prop bets, and getting rid of what it calls “problematic bet types” like ones that can be determined by one play.

Regarding tanking, the league is mulling changes to rules regarding draft pick protection and the draft lottery.

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Injury Notes: Markkanen, Davis, Lakers, Grizzlies, Mann

December 19th, 2025 at 11:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is likely to miss his second straight game on Saturday vs. Orlando, with Utah officially listing him as doubtful due to right groin injury management (hat tip to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune).

The 28-year-old is off to a strong start to the 2025/26 campaign, averaging a career-high 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal on .469/.352/.893 shooting through 24 games (35.3 minutes per contest). Second-year big man Kyle Filipowski started Thursday’s loss to the Lakers with Markkanen out.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis battled through an illness and a left calf contusion in Thursday’s overtime victory over Detroit, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “Still feel under the weather,” said Davis, who finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks in 37 minutes. “I actually threw up twice during the game, but I’m just trying to compete. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win. Just leaving it all on the floor.” Davis was returning from a one-game absence due to the calf issue.
The Lakers will continue to be without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness) for Saturday’s contest at the Clippers, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic. Forward Rui Hachimura is questionable to suit up due to right groin soreness.
An eye-popping nine Grizzlies will be unavailable for Saturday’s game in Washington, the team announced (via Twitter). A pair of two-way players (GG Jackson II and Jahmai Mashack) are on a G League assignment, but the other seven players — including Ja Morant (left ankle sprain) and Vince Williams Jr. (left knee soreness) — are out due to injuries.
Hornets guard Tre Mann could return to action on Saturday in Detroit, having been listed as probable to suit up (Twitter link via the team). Mann has missed the past seven games, with his most recent injury designation being a right knee bone bruise. Pat Connaughton (right calf strain) is questionable for Charlotte, while Collin Sexton is doubtful as he continues to deal with a left quad strain.

Community Shootaround: No. 1 Prospect In 2026 Draft

December 19th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Ahead of the 2026 NBA draft, there is widely considered to be a three-player race for the top overall prospect and No. 1 overall pick. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is ranked No. 1 on Jeremy Woo of ESPN’s latest big board, followed by BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and Duke forward/center Cameron Boozer.

Woo and Jeff Borzello of ESPN recently spoke to several NBA scouts and college coaches to get their impressions of the three freshmen, who are all viewed as “legitimate No. 1 prospects” who simply happen to be in the same class.

Peterson has been highly productive when healthy, but missed seven games with a hamstring injury and was forced to leave his most recent contest due to quad cramps. In four games, he has averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals, with a shooting slash line of .528/.423/.769.

One Eastern Conference scout said the 6’5″ combo guard, who is touted as an explosive — and consistent — offensive player, was the top prospect on his board and it was hard to envision that changing no matter how well Dybantsa and Boozer play for the remainder of the season. While one coach had questions about Peterson’s ability to run the point, a different Eastern scout said that shouldn’t be an issue at the next level.

“What a point guard is now in the NBA, he’s that,” the scout told ESPN. “Are you able to create advantages, are you able to [be a] play-maker, are you a scorer when you see a defense break down? Darryn can do all those things.”

Dybantsa, a 6’9″ forward, is generally considered to have the most upside of anyone in the class, with outside shooting and consistency viewed as his biggest question marks. In 11 games, he’s averaging 21.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .556/.321/.743 shooting.

“I would have AJ No. 1 still,” one Western Conference scout told ESPN. “The positional versatility, the size, is so unique. His ability to be able to create off the dribble, be dynamic from the mid-post. The fadeaway jumpers, that style of play. I think he can make really crisp passes off one hand, really good adjusting midair. … He takes long strides on defense, someone that you can insert in very different lineups playing different positions.”

As Woo and Borzello detail, Boozer had an extremely impressive résumé prior to entering college, winning four high school state championships in Florida and two gold medals — and two MVPs — with Team USA (at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup in 2023 and the FIBA U17 World Cup in 2024).

The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer has been the most productive college player in the country in the early portion of the season (he’s averaging 23.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.6 SPG on .563/.348/.789 shooting through 11 games) and is the favorite to win Player of the Year for the 11-0 Blue Devils. However, questions persist about the younger Boozer’s athleticism and upside at the NBA level, at least relative to Peterson and Dybantsa.

“Can you put the ball in his hands and you know he’s going to be able to get a bucket or create something at the end of a game, when the game’s on the line? Is he good enough at that at the NBA level?” an Eastern Conference scout said, per ESPN. “It’s not a knock on Cam, it’s just that those other two guys have the potential to be the best player on NBA championship teams.”

We want to know what you think. In what seems to be an eye-of-the-beholder draft, which prospect would you currently rank No. 1 overall? Do you agree that any of the three would ordinarily be considered top overall prospects in their own right? Head to the comments section to weigh in with your thoughts!.

Mavs Unlikely To Name Permanent GM Until After Trade Deadline

December 19th, 2025 at 8:40pm CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks fired former president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison on November 11 and promoted Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi to be the team’s co-interim GMs. However, the Mavs indicated at the time that they would conduct a “comprehensive” search for a permanent replacement for Harrison.

That search is still a ways off. Christian Clark of The Athletic reports that Harrison’s successor as head of basketball operations likely won’t be named for “several” months.

According to Clark’s sources, it’s essentially viewed as a lock that Finley and Riccardi will lead the front office through the trade deadline, which falls on February 5. They may even remain in place for the entire season.

While both Finley and Riccardi will receive consideration for the full-time GM job, Clark hears governor Patrick Dumont is focused on finding an executive with previous experience as a top basketball decision-maker. According to Clark, the Mavericks are expected to cast a wide net when they do look for candidates, with the search likely to begin in the spring.

Marc Stein, ESPN and The Athletic previously cited former Jazz GM and current Pistons senior VP of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey as a potential external candidate for the position. Minority owner Mark Cuban is reportedly in favor of targeting Lindsey, a longtime NBA executive who is from Texas and worked with the Mavs as an advisor during the 2023/24 season.

Kings’ Domantas Sabonis Out At Least 4-5 More Weeks

December 19th, 2025 at 6:47pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who has missed a little over a month with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, continues to make progress in his recovery. However, he will be out at least four-to-five more weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140).

Sabonis experienced knee soreness after a November 16 game at San Antonio and subsequently underwent an MRI, which revealed the meniscus tear. The Kings confirmed a few days later that Sabonis would be checked out again in three-to-four weeks; it has been just over four weeks since that initial announcement.

While Sabonis was unlikely to be selected to his third All-NBA team in 2025/26 anyway with the Kings holding one of the worst records in the NBA (they’re currently 6-21), today’s update will officially make him ineligible, as he has already missed 16 games and will not be able to meet the 65-game requirement for major postseason awards.

The Lithuanian big man, 29, has led the league in rebounds per game each of the past three seasons, earning one of his three All-Star nods and both of his All-NBA berths during that span. In 11 games this season, Sabonis averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.

Sabonis’ name has popped up in several trade rumors in ’25/26. But an in-season move appears increasingly unlikely, given that, even in a best-case scenario, he wouldn’t be back until January 16, about three weeks before the February 5 deadline, notes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (via Twitter).

With both Sabonis and backup center Drew Eubanks (thumb fracture) out, the Kings have been leaning heavily on rookie second-round pick Maxime Raynaud to man the middle. The French big man has filled in admirably of late, recording career highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s overtime loss to Portland.

Siegel’s Latest: Turner, Bucks, Pacers, Nets, Cavs, Alvarado

December 19th, 2025 at 6:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Multiple reporters have indicated that the Bucks are looking to add win-now help in the coming weeks despite an 11-17 start to the season. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has heard similarly, writing that people around the NBA are wondering if Myles Turner could be a trade candidate after signing a four-year, $108.8MM contract with Milwaukee over the summer.

As Siegel explains, the Bucks have a limited number of assets to work with, and Turner would likely draw “significant interest” if he’s made available due to his ability to stretch the floor on offense and protect the rim on defense. The same was true of last season, when Turner was on an expiring contract as a member of the Pacers, per Siegel.

It’s worth pointing out that Turner ($25.3MM) is one of only two Bucks making between $14MM and 54MM in 2025/26, with the other being Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM). According to Siegel, a trade involving combo forward Kuzma, who is having a modest bounce-back season after a disappointing ’24/25, remains more likely than a potential move including Turner.

While it’s unclear how much interest Kuzma would generate on his own, league sources tell Siegel the Bucks are hopeful they’d be able to deal the 30-year-old because there is currently a dearth of wings available on the market and Kuzma has one additional year left on his contract, which will pay him $20.4MM in ’26/27.

Here are a few more highlights from Siegel’s latest trade rumor round-up:

The Pacers have shown a willingness to discuss Bennedict Mathurin in trades ahead of his 2026 restricted free agency, according to Siegel, who reports that Indiana appears reluctant to make a lucrative long-term investment in the fourth-year wing. While Siegel calls Mathurin the Pacers’ top asset ahead of the February 5 deadline, he also hears that forwards Jarace Walker and Obi Toppin have popped up in early trade talks as Indiana looks for frontcourt upgrades.
Forward Michael Porter Jr. and guard Cam Thomas are a couple of names worth monitoring for the Nets, Seigel writes. Porter, who is thriving as Brooklyn’s top offensive option, is expected to draw interest from contenders. Thomas, meanwhile has the ability to veto trades and there doesn’t seem to be much interest in the 24-year-old, who continues to be sidelined with a left hamstring strain that cost him most of last season. Still, Siegel speculates that Brooklyn might be able to receive a second-round pick or two for the high-scoring guard, even if he’s only a rental — Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Although the 15-13 Cavaliers have been one of the most disappointing teams to open the season, Cleveland has been plagued by injuries in ’25/26 and has thus far shown no willingness to engage in discussions involving Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, both of whom have drawn interest from multiple teams, sources tell Siegel. The Cavs have been frustrated by their play and there’s a rising sense of urgency around the team after falling into the play-in picture, but they’re optimistic they’ll be able to turn their season through a combination internal improvements and getting players back from injuries, Siegel adds.
The Hawks are among the teams who have registered interest in fifth-year guard Jose Alvarado, who appears to be the Pelicans player most likely to be moved ahead of the deadline, says Siegel. Indiana and New York have also checked in with New Orleans about Alvarado, Siegel notes.

Blake Griffin, Joe Johnson Among Hall Of Fame Nominees

December 19th, 2025 at 4:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA standouts Blake Griffin and Joe Johnson are among the noteworthy first-time nominees eligible to be inducted into the class of 2026, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced in a press release.

For women’s hoops, ex-WNBA stars Elena Delle Donne and Candace Parker are also eligible for the first time, and both two-time MVPs are likely shoo-ins to be enshrined on August 14. Coaches Kelvin Sampson, Bruce Pearl and Mike D’Antoni, the latter of whom is technically in the “contributor” category, are among the other first-time nominees.

Returning eligible candidates include Mark Few, Doc Rivers, Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.

The finalists will be selected on February 9, while the 2026 class will be unveiled on April 4.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, Griffin was sidelined for his first professional season due to a left knee injury, which eventually required surgery. He made a triumphant return in 2010/11, winning the Rookie of the Year award and earning the first of six All-Star berths.

Griffin, 36, was named to five All-NBA teams over the course of his 13 active years in the league. Injuries continued to be an issue, however, particularly at the end of his career.

Johnson, 44, was the 10th overall selection in 2001. He played parts of 18 years in the NBA, making seven All-Star appearances and earning one All-NBA nod in 2009/10.

Central Notes: Bucks, Cavs, Hunter, Buzelis, Mathurin

December 19th, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks hoped last Thursday’s win over Boston would act as a catalyst as they look to turn their season around. But they’ve since dropped back-to-back games to Brooklyn and Toronto and now have an 11-17 record, with Giannis Antetokounmpo seemingly not close to returning from the calf strain that has sidelined him since December 3.

Still, head coach Doc Rivers said this week that he doesn’t plan to make any major tactical or personnel changes as Milwaukee attempts to get out of its slump, per Steve Megargee of The Associated Press.

“We like our team,” Rivers told reporters on Wednesday. “I really like this team. We’re not playing well. We’re not playing well for a lot of reasons. You don’t recreate the wheel. You just don’t. Teams that do that, then they fail. I’m just being honest. I’ve been around this long enough.

“… We want to tweak things. We like what we run. We like our defensive package overall. We’ve just got to do it better. We’ve got to take care of the ball. But we like the parts of this team, and that has not changed. This is not, ‘OK, guys, we’re five games under .500, let’s blow it all up.’ This is not where we’re at. We’re not even thinking in those terms.”

We have more from around the Central:

Shortly after Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com published a column advocating for the Cavaliers to move De’Andre Hunter out of the starting lineup, the team did just that on Wednesday, as Fedor writes in a separate story (subscription required). The early returns weren’t great, as the new starting five – with Jaylon Tyson in Hunter’s spot – was outscored by eight points in 11 minutes of action in a loss to Chicago. However, sources tell Fedor that the Cavs plan to stick with it for the foreseeable future in the hopes of stabilizing the second unit and getting Hunter, who thrived as a sixth man last season, back in his “comfort zone.”
According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls‘ priority in the coming months shouldn’t be competing for a play-in spot — it should be doing all they can to unlock the star potential of forward Matas Buzelis, who has been up and down in his second NBA season. In Cowley’s view, it’s not inconceivable that Buzelis and Josh Giddey could be the only current Bulls still on the roster in a year, so maximizing their potential is crucial.
As Tony East of Circle City Spin details, a handful of Pacers players provided updates this week on injuries they’re coming back from or are continuing to deal with. Among those players was Bennedict Mathurin, who admitted that the toe injury which sidelined him for 11 games earlier in the season isn’t fully behind him. “Still an issue. I would say it’s still a problem, but I’m a problem solver, I find solutions,” said Mathurin, who has played in every game since November 17. Asked specifically how the injury is affecting what he does on the court, the Pacers wing replied, “Without saying too much, I can still feel it, man.”

Evaluators Split On Keon Ellis’ Value

December 19th, 2025 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at potential Lakers trade targets, Dan Woike of The Athletic reports that league sources believe the current asking price for Kings guard Keon Ellis is a protected first-round pick.

Ellis, who will turn 26 next month, has a reputation as a solid defender, is a career 41.8% three-point shooter, and is earning just $2.3MM in 2025/26, making him an appealing option for teams not well positioned from a cap perspective to acquire a player on a larger contract.

However, there’s not a consensus on Ellis’ value, according to Woike.

One league source who spoke to The Athletic referred to the fourth-year guard as “maybe the most divisive player in the league,” pointing out that rival scouts are high on him but neither Mike Brown nor Doug Christie has been comfortable leaning on him consistently in Sacramento. After starting 28 games and averaging 24.4 minutes per game last season, Ellis has made two starts and averaged 17.6 MPG in 2025/26.

As Woike explains, some skeptics believe Ellis’ defensive skill set is more suited to generating turnovers than to actually slowing down opposing offensive offensive players, while others have reservations about his size and ability to hold his own against bigger guards.

It’s also worth noting that Ellis will reach unrestricted free agency in July if he doesn’t sign an extension before then (he’ll become eligible on February 9), so a team acquiring him would risk losing him for nothing during the 2026 offseason.

Still, Woike believes Ellis is one of the possibilities being considered by the Lakers, who could badly use another defensive-minded player in their rotation. Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., Nets guard Terance Mann, Hornets wing Josh Green, and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu are among the other potential targets Woike mentions, though he cautions that not all of them will be available, especially for a price the Lakers would be comfortable meeting.

Los Angeles only has one tradable first-round pick (in either 2031 or 2032) and one movable second-rounder (2032). The team could also offer a handful of first-round pick swaps. The trade value of Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder, has slipped since last season, as he has fallen out of JJ Redick‘s regular rotation this fall.