Pistons Share Injury Updates On Harris, Duren, LeVert
The Pistons have issued updates on a trio of injured players, making the following announcements on Saturday (Twitter link):
Forward Tobias Harris has been diagnosed with a left hip sprain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.- Center Jalen Duren has a sprained right ankle and will be reevaluated in one week.
- Guard/forward Caris LeVert remains day-to-day due to right knee inflammation, but won’t travel to Cleveland for Sunday’s game vs. the Cavaliers as he continues to receive treatment.
The timeline for Harris, who already missed Thursday’s contest against Miami, suggests he’ll remain sidelined for a minimum of five more games, starting with intra-conference showdowns against the Cavs on Sunday and the Knicks on Monday. His absence may extend beyond that five-game stretch, since there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to return when he’s evaluated on January 17.
Harris, 33, has been a full-time starter since arriving in Detroit as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. In 23 games this season, he’s averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 27.4 minutes per night, with a .455/.333/.848 shooting line. Due to his expiring $26.6MM contract, the 15th-year forward is considered a potential in-season trade candidate.
While Harris’ recovery period may last longer, Duren’s absence figures to have a greater impact on the Pistons’ lineup in the short term. The 22-year-old is enjoying a breakout season ahead of his restricted free agency in 2026, with averages of 17.9 PPG and 10.6 RPG through his first 31 games (28.4 MPG).
Reigning Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month Isaiah Stewart will likely take on a larger role with Duren out, and Paul Reed is a capable backup too. But Detroit has been much better with Duren on the court (+8.9 net rating) than off it (+2.4) so far this season.
Javonte Green, Jaden Ivey, and Marcus Sasser are a few of the other players who figure to see minute bumps while the Pistons’ injured players get healthy.
Magic Notes: Suggs, Wagner Bros., Black, Technicals
After sitting out five games in October and November following his return from left knee surgery, then missing seven contests in December due to a left hip contusion, Magic guard Jalen Suggs exited Friday’s loss in Chicago in the third quarter after just 20 minutes of action due to what the team initially called a right knee strain, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required).
The severity of the injury isn’t yet known. Head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters after the game that Suggs would be reevaluated when the Magic return home (Twitter link via Beede).
“He fights his tail (off) to get back with us, and then hopefully it’s not bad,” Mosley said of Suggs, who was playing in just his second game following his absence due to the hip injury.
Based on on/off-court data, Suggs has been Orlando’s most valuable player this season. His +10.1 net rating dwarfs the second-best mark on the team (Wendell Carter Jr.‘s +2.9), and the Magic have a -3.7 mark when he’s not on the floor. Suggs’ impact was evident again on Friday, as Orlando outscored Chicago by 15 points when he was playing but lost the game by seven.
Here’s more on the Magic:
- While Orlando awaits an update on Suggs, there may be good news for the team on a couple other injury-related fronts. As Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily relays, local color commentator Jeff Turner of FanDuel Sports Network Florida said during the pregame broadcast that Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner should both be back within the next week (Twitter video link). Franz has been out with a high left ankle sprain since December 7, while Moritz is making way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in December of 2024.
- Third-year Magic guard Anthony Black is in the midst of a breakout season, averaging career highs in points (15.5), rebounds (4.1), assists (3.6), and steals (1.3) per game. Since entering the starting lineup last month, he has averaged 20.6 PPG on .472/.391/.744 shooting. Fred Katz of The Athletic takes a look at the strides Black has made on offense, examining the way the former No. 6 overall pick creates scoring opportunities by changing speeds. Black, who will turn 22 later this month, will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the coming offseason.
- Six Magic players have accumulated multiple technical fouls this season, led by Desmond Bane‘s five. After three players were hit with technicals in Wednesday’s two-point win over Indiana, Paolo Banchero and Bane were among the players who spoke about the team’s need to play with more poise, according to Beede (subscription required). “We’ve got to show a little more maturity as a whole,” Bane said. “Every guy on the roster was chirping back, asking for certain calls. Once we understand the way the game’s going to be officiated and kind of how it’s going, we just need to ride with that, instead of trying to change it or beg for something. That’s definitely something that we need to work on, and we’ll continue to get better at as the season goes on.”
Northwest Notes: Murray, Nuggets Injuries, Wallace, Clingan
Jamal Murray, who has had his share of major injuries, is currently the only member of the Nuggets‘ usual starting five available to play.
“It sucks. It just adds a whole dynamic to the game, with so many guys out,” Murray told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “You’ve just gotta focus on just bringing energy, playing hard, controlling what you can control, playing together, talking, being a leader. Playing aggressive, playing confident, trying to share that confidence. All those little things kind of go into, obviously, what a team is.”
Murray is certain to draw more scrutiny from opposing defenses until Nikola Jokic and other regulars return to action.
“He’s gonna have attention beyond attention all over the floor,” coach David Adelman said. “He’s gonna get doubled and blitzed in pick-and-rolls and all those things. So we have to do things for Jamal. We have to screen to get him open. We have to do unselfish things for him, and on the flip side of that, he’s got to keep making the right play, which he has. … When there’s two on you, and there’s an open man, you throw it to your teammate.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- With Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas inactive, the Cavaliers out-rebounded the Nuggets 62-45 on Friday. DaRon Holmes II started in the middle with Zeke Nnaji backing him up as Denver lost by five. “Obviously, we’re at a disadvantage at certain positions. But I’ll take this kind of effort every night,” Adelman said, per Durando.
- Thunder third-year guard Cason Wallace suffered a right knee contusion against the Warriors on Friday and did not return, Thunder sideline reporter Nick Gallo tweets. Wallace, who averaged 26.1 minutes per game last month, played just 14 minutes. The Thunder exercised their option on his fourth-year contract in October — he’ll be extension-eligible beginning in July.
- Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan has become a double-double machine, averaging 10.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in his second NBA season. He had a double-double on Friday for the sixth time in eight games, recording 11 points and 15 rebounds in a win over New Orleans. “He’s just growing as a basketball player, growing as a big,” interim coach Tiago Splitter told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “He’s getting used to playing high minutes and being effective.”
- Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report examines the five biggest questions surrounding the Trail Blazers this year, including how soon new owner Tom Dundon will make his presence felt and when the team will officially make a decision on head coach Chauncey Billups‘ future.
Pacific Notes: Raynaud, Doncic, James, Knecht, Allen
Kings rookie big man Maxime Raynaud is hopeful he didn’t suffer a significant injury on Friday, Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee reports. He had to be helped off the court during the fourth quarter after injuring his left leg while attempting to set a screen for Russell Westbrook.
“I’ll be fine,” Raynaud said. “It was just scary. … I think it was just an unpleasing sensation you’re not used to.”
Raynaud will undergo an MRI on his left knee in Sacramento on Saturday. The second-round pick has appeared in 25 games (11 starts), averaging 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per night.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Luka Doncic and LeBron James didn’t have any trouble blending their talents on Friday, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Lakers‘ superstar duo led the club to a 128-121 win over Memphis. Doncic made 17-of-20 free throws while scoring 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds, and James had 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists. It marked the first time since March that Doncic and James have scored at least 30 points in the same game. “It was just playing and playing in rhythm,” James said. “We’re trying to find ways that we can be productive.”
- Dalton Knecht got a chance to play some minutes off the bench on Friday but the Lakers wing didn’t do much with his playing time. He went scoreless in 11 minutes, missing both of his shots. However, Knecht won’t be judged on offensive output alone. “Play hard – that’s been the biggest playing emphasis for him all season,” coach JJ Redick said, per Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “He’s not going to be judged on whether he makes or misses shots. That helps. When you go through a stretch and you feel like your team isn’t playing hard, you got to play the guys that are consistently playing hard.” Knecht’s role has been reduced drastically this season after he appeared in 78 games as a rookie.
- Suns guard Grayson Allen missed his eighth consecutive game on Friday but he’s close to returning from a right knee injury, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “He did (five-on-five on Thursday). That’s a big step,” coach Jordan Ott said. “And then it’s just the response back, which was great. Now he just wants another one. We’re right there.” Allen will participate in another five-on-five again before he comes back to action.
Nets Notes: Thomas, Porter Jr., Claxton, Sharpe, Traore
When Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Nets in early September, it guaranteed that he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Rockets star Kevin Durant believes whichever team signs him this offseason will get a superior talent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
“I feel like Cam has a bright future. It just takes somebody to believe in his talent and his skill,” Durant said. “Scorers and guys that score the basketball at a high rate, they get taken for granted in this league a bit. We’re so used to loving defenders, play-makers, and guys that can be connectors. Sometimes scorers get taken for granted.
“Hopefully, somebody takes a chance on Cam and gives him what he deserves and puts the ball in his hands and builds around him and lets him grow into a player. What is he, 24? He’s still got a lot of time in this league to keep getting better. Hopefully a team puts some trust in him.”
Thomas, who was rested against the Wizards on Friday, is averaging 21.4 points per game in 11 appearances this season.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Brooklyn fell to 0-6 this season when Michael Porter Jr. doesn’t play. The Nets’ leading scorer sat out the second game of a back-to-back due to an illness as Washington blew them out by 20 points. They shot just 39.5% overall and 6-of-29 from three-point range while dropping their third straight. Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports takes a closer look at whether the Nets should deal Porter for assets prior to the trade deadline.
- Nic Claxton also didn’t suit up on Friday due to personal reasons and that led to expanded minutes for Day’Ron Sharpe. The latter was one of the few bright spots on Friday as he contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks in his first start this season. “One thing we know is Day’Ron is going to play extremely hard,” coach Jordi Fernandez said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “And going from the minutes he’s played to pretty much 30 minutes, your body has to adjust to that. So it’s a great opportunity for him… but also being careful with that.” The Nets hold a $6.25MM club option on Sharpe’s contract for next season.
- Fernandez wasn’t happy with rookie Nolan Traore‘s shot selection on Thursday against the Rockets. Traore took five three-pointers and made one. He finished 1-for-8 from the field. “I need him to use his superpowers and touch the paint. And it felt like he got caught shooting the unders. And a lot of times it didn’t go … because that’s what they want you to do,” Fernández said. “And if you keep shooting and missing, then sometimes, if you keep doing the same thing and seeing the same results, that’s the definition of insanity. And I know how good he is.” Traore didn’t attempt a three on Friday while scoring 12 points in 26 minutes.
Pacers Notes: Potter, Mathurin, K. Jones, Nesmith
Fifth-year big man Micah Potter only signed with the Pacers on December 26, but he’s making a case to have his contract guaranteed next week, writes Tony East of Circle City Spin.
While Potter’s counting stats (eight points, three rebounds and three assists) were fairly modest in Wednesday’s two-point loss to Orlando, the Pacers played much better better when he was on the court — he was a game-high plus-23 in 26 minutes.
“Micah just knows the game. Plays hard, physical. Kinda just fits in,” Andrew Nembhard said. “He’s a good hooper. He’s had a lot of experience and can kind of just fill in.”
The 27-year-old got the starting nod over Jay Huff and Tony Bradley (DNP-CD) on Friday and responded with 16 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. Indiana wound up losing to San Antonio by 10 points, but the Pacers were plus-four with Potter in the game.
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin had a disappointing outing Friday, recording five fouls in just under 20 minutes of action. He finished with two points (on 1-of-6 shooting), five rebounds and three assists. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime for Benn Mathurin,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game (Twitter link via East). “He’s starting… he’s second on the team in minutes played. There’s great opportunity here. We have to work at helping him adjust to this level of responsibility. This is a lot… It’s work.” Mathurin will be a restricted free agent in the summer if he’s tendered a qualifying offer.
- Carlisle liked what he saw from rookie guard Kam Jones on Friday, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. The second-round pick’s NBA debut was delayed by a back injury, but he was plus-16 in 10 minutes off the bench in the loss to the Spurs. “When he goes in games, good things happen,” Carlisle said. “That’s something that I gotta consider. He had a rough start of the season missing two months. … I see good things. I like his spirit. I like his energy.”
- Small forward Aaron Nesmith, who recently returned from a left knee sprain, appeared to suffer an injury to his left hand during Friday’s contest, per East (Twitter link). Nesmith got two of his fingers taped during the game and was in noticeable pain at times, East adds.
Knicks Notes: Hart, Robinson, Towns, McCullar
Knicks wing Josh Hart will be out at least one more week as he continues to recover from a sprained right ankle, the team announced (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).
Hart has begun light on-court work and will be checked out again near the end of next week, per the Knicks. The 30-year-old guard/forward hasn’t played since he injured the ankle on December 25.
Here’s more from New York:
- Friday’s loss to Atlanta marked Mitchell Robinson‘s third straight absence with what the team has called left ankle injury management, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. The Knicks say the 7’0″ center hasn’t experienced any setbacks. “Shoot, we’d rather have him than not,” head coach Mike Brown said. “When we do he definitely protects us on the back side, in a lot of different ways. At the end of the day, I truly believe the guys that we have on this roster are more than capable. I’m going to keep pushing. No matter who’s in uniform, I’m going to keep pushing them to play better because I believe in them. I feel they believe in each other, too, and what we’re doing.”
- Big man Karl-Anthony Towns was a game-time decision Friday due to an illness, but after going through his warm-up routine he decided he wasn’t feeling well enough to play, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. It was the five-time All-Star’s third missed game of the season.
- Second-year wing Kevin McCullar Jr. has gotten an opportunity for playing time with Hart sidelined and has drawn praise from Brown in the process, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “He’s tough,” Brown said Friday. “He does all the little things that don’t show up in the box score all the time. His shifts are really good. His physicality without fouling is really good. He can rebound, or at least he’s not afraid to get in there and hit somebody when it comes to keeping your opponent off the glass. And then he understands how to play [against] different individuals. He’s got a good feel to know, like if you’re a hot shooter or a guy that can really shoot the ball, how to close out, take away that air space. If you’re not, if you’re more of a driver, he knows how to close out where he can take away an angle. Just a good feel for a lot of little things that he has along with that toughness and that’s what you like for a guy his size.”
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Braun, Jokic, Holmes, More
NBA on Prime reporter Cassidy Hubbarth gave encouraging injury updates on three Nuggets starters during Friday’s contest at Cleveland, tweets Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports.
According to Blackburn, Hubbarth said Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) are still experiencing some soreness, but both players could return at some point during the team’s road trip, which ends next Wednesday in Boston. Hubbarth also said the Nuggets have been “pleasantly surprised” by the progress Nikola Jokic has made in his recovery from a left knee injury, Blackburn adds.
Here’s more on the Nuggets, who are very shorthanded at the moment:
- The Nuggets are only carrying 14 players on their standard roster and could theoretically sign a player to a 10-day contract starting Monday. When asked about that possibility prior to Friday’s game, head coach David Adelman said the team would weigh its options but expressed some skepticism about it happening. “Right now, we are who we are,” he said (Twitter link via Bennett Durando of The Denver Post). Durando hears the Nuggets are unlikely to add a player to a 10-day deal, which isn’t surprising — they’re currently about $400K over the luxury tax line and will likely look to move below that threshold ahead of the trade deadline to avoid the repeater tax.
- With four starters and their backup center out, Adelman said the Nuggets would be learning on the fly Friday, tweets Durando. “This will sound crazy, but we’re playing an NBA game in an hour and a half, and that’s our scrimmage to see, like, where we’re at and how we’re gonna play. I can’t put in 19 new offensive things and change our whole defensive scheme,” Adelman said.
- Second-year big man DaRon Holmes II admitted he was gassed after playing 22 minutes in Wednesday’s win at Toronto, the first meaningful action he’s received to this point in his young career, Durando writes for The Denver Post. “He gives up the offensive rebounds. I didn’t see him put his head down. He just kept playing,” Adelman said. “And that’s the key in the NBA. You’re gonna have moments when you get embarrassed or somebody physically owns you, whatever it is. You’ve just gotta go to the next play. Be ready to make the next shot, make the appropriate decision with the ball, take care of it. And he did that.” Holmes, a 2024 first-round pick who missed last season with a torn Achilles tendon, received his first career start Friday.
Clippers’ Ivica Zubac To Return Saturday
The Clippers will get their starting center back on Saturday, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Ivica Zubac will be active for tomorrow’s game against Boston.
Los Angeles confirmed the news in its latest injury report, which does not feature Zubac for the first time since he suffered a Grade 2 left ankle sprain on December 20.
As Charania notes, it’s a swift recovery for Zubac, who was initially expected to miss at least three weeks due to the injury. Instead, he’ll return to action after just two weeks.
Zubac, 28, has averaged 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 block per game in 28 appearances this season for L.A. After a miserable 6-21 start to the season, the Clippers have won six straight games, including going 5-0 without the Croatian big man.
As Fred Katz of The Athletic details, backup center Brook Lopez has added a new look to the Clippers’ offense with Zubac sidelined. Even after going 1-of-12 from deep last night against Utah, Lopez has converted 38.6% of 7.3 three-point attempts per game during the winning streak, and the spacing he provides has created driving lanes for James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.
Katz isn’t suggesting the Clippers should continue starting Lopez with Zubac back — he’s simply pointing out that the 37-year-old has been positively impacting his new team of late after a slow start to his 18th NBA season.
Devin Vassell To Miss Time With Left Adductor Strain
Spurs wing Devin Vassell recently underwent an MRI which confirmed he has a left adductor strain, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape).
Vassell, a sixth-year guard/forward who played two seasons of college ball at Florida State, suffered the injury in Monday’s loss to Cleveland.
While the Spurs didn’t specify how much time Vassell will miss due to the strained adductor, head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters ahead of Friday’s game at Indiana that the 25-year-old’s return isn’t imminent, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.
“That will be more than a few games,” Johnson said. “Just kind of have to continue to see how he ramps up and feels. … We are encouraged by it in terms of, it should not be something that will be nagging him for the year. We just want to get him all the way right.”
Vassell started each of San Antonio’s first 32 games of 2025/26 prior to sitting out Wednesday’s win over New York. He’s averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 31.9 minutes per game while shooting 37.9% from three-point range.
Johnson was more optimistic regarding Victor Wembanyama‘s injury prognosis, McDonald adds. Johnson confirmed the team’s star center is considered day-to-day and didn’t rule out the possibility of Wembanyama suiting up on Saturday vs. Portland.
“It’s too quick to say for sure,” Johnson said. “But we’re encouraged by what we’ve seen.”