Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr., Vit Krejci Out Multiple Weeks
Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. and guard Vit Krejci both had to leave a 112-106 win over Orlando on Monday with injuries and will face extended absences.
According to the Hawks (Twitter link), Krejci departed Monday’s game with a lower back contusion. After he underwent imaging, he was diagnosed with a non-displaced lumbar fracture and is set to be reassessed in three-to-four weeks.
Nance, meanwhile, exited the contest with a right knee injury. He has sustained a non-displaced fracture of his right medial femoral condyle, and is set to be on the shelf for at least six weeks, at which point he will be reevaluated.
Nance was acquired as part of a blockbuster offseason deal with New Orleans for guard Dejounte Murray. Across his 24 healthy games this season, the 6’8″ forward/center is averaging 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in just 19.3 minutes per night.
Krejci, 24, is in his third season with Atlanta. This year, he’s averaging a career-high 6.9 points per game on an efficient .447/.384/.667 shooting line. The 6’8″ pro is also chipping in 2.7 APG, 2.7 RPG, 0.7 SPG and 0.5 BPG for the Hawks.
This is a big blow to the depth of the new-look Hawks, who have retooled their personnel through an active trade deadline stretch.
Without Nance or star forward Jalen Johnson, Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder will likely need to lean more on rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher and newly added stretch four Georges Niang.
Sans Krejci or Kobe Bufkin, Snyder will presumably give more touches to other backcourt contributors like Dyson Daniels, Garrison Mathews, and fresh trade acquisition Caris LeVert.
Sixers’ Joel Embiid May Require Another Knee Surgery
Sixers center Joel Embiid has had very limited availability for Philadelphia this season due to a lingering left knee ailment that he has been dealing with since last February.
A year ago, Embiid incurred a lateral meniscus injury against Golden State, underwent surgery, and made a hasty return in April for a playoff push.
His knee apparently hasn’t been right ever since. Embiid has played especially sparingly since the calendar flipped over to 2025, appearing in just five games amidst knee issues.
During Philadelphia’s nationally televised matchup with Milwaukee on Sunday, ABC’s Lisa Salters reported (Twitter video link) that the 30-year-old may require another knee surgery and an extended recuperation window.
“I asked Joel Embiid how that left knee feels and he gave a really long pause and just said, ‘It is what it is,'” Salters said. “He said to still be talking about it and dealing with it almost a full year after the injury first occurred has been frustrating and the most difficult thing he’s ever had to go through in his career. He said he wishes he could play in every game, but his body just isn’t allowing him to do that right now. When the knee swells up, there’s just nothing he can really do about it.
“Sixers GM Daryl Morey this week said the organization is hopeful that there will come a time that the knee isn’t an issue anymore, and Embiid said he believes that will be the case. But he said he thinks it will likely take another surgery and a long recovery period, something he didn’t have after the initial injury last February.”
In the 16 games he has managed to play for the 20-32 Sixers, Embiid has put up solid numbers, though they’re well below his typical All-NBA production since the 2020/21 season.
Across those 16 games, the Kansas alum is averaging 24.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 steals per game.
Warriors Notes: Butler, Looney, Older Players
Speaking this week to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Warriors center Kevon Looney reflected on Golden State’s decision to acquire six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler in a five-team blockbuster trade.
“He’s great wherever he has been,” Looney said of Butler. “Individually, he has a way of elevating the group. He’s able to elevate guys that you wouldn’t think are great because they play well next to him. I’m excited to play with him and see how he is and get to experience it. I know that he’s tough as nails. I love playing with guys like that. I’m excited to see how it goes.”
In Butler’s debut as a Warrior on Saturday, the 6’7″ swingman helped propel his new club to a road win against Chicago, racking up 25 points to go along with four assists. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and made 11-of-13 attempts from the foul line, an encouraging sign for a Golden State team that ranked dead last entering Saturday in free throw makes per game (14.7) and free throw percentage (72.0%).
“This was probably the most eventful trade deadline that I’ve been in from the standpoint of things going on around the league and internally,” Looney said. “Since I’ve been here, we haven’t really made a lot of trades. So to be involved in it was surreal.”
There’s more out of Golden State:
- Warriors players were impressed by what they saw from Butler on Friday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Head coach Steve Kerr is looking to occasionally stagger the minutes of Butler and Curry with an eye on keeping a star scorer on the floor at all times. Following a superlative 24-point third quarter in which he was played all 12 minutes, All-NBA guard Stephen Curry was rested for the first several minutes of the fourth. Butler helped stabilize Golden State in his absence. Kerr specifically praised Butler’s attitude after the game. “That’s kind of the key, to me,” Kerr said. “It’s the swagger that he gives us. He gives confidence to the rest of the group, including Steph and Draymond [Green], and that’s important. When all those guys are feeling empowered and confident, you feel the difference. … This is the whole point of the deal, to inject that confidence and presence Jimmy brings.”
- The Warriors’ new core features three Hall of Famers in their mid-30s: Curry (36), Butler (35), and Green (34). With $287MM owed to those players after this season, Golden State has the most money committed to players in their age-35 seasons and beyond, observes Frank Urbina of HoopsHype. Green will turn 35 in March.
- In case you missed it, Butler’s tumultuous last weeks with Miami were recently detailed in full.
Bulls Notes: Karnisovas, New Players, Butler
Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas defended his team’s limited moves leading up to the trade deadline in an interview with K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
In a three-team deal with San Antonio and Sacramento, the Bulls traded former two-time All-Star wing Zach LaVine to reacquire control of their own top-10 protected first-round 2025 pick, along with three fringe role players.
Headed nowhere fast with a 22-30 pre-deadline record, Karnisovas opted to otherwise stay quiet and not move on from former two-time All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, despite there being trade overtures for his services.
During his conversation with Johnson, Karnisovas cited system continuity as part of the reason he didn’t want to move more key rotation players from what’s looking to be barely a play-in team.
“I think I’m happy where we are,” Karnisovas told Johnson. “I remember [the] trade deadline four years ago, when we acquired Vuc and we had, like, [five new] players. And it was tough for the 30 games remaining in season… to keep the same group and learning how to play with each other and all that stuff.”
After trading for Vucevic at the 2020/21 season deadline, Chicago went 12-17 across its final 29 contests and finished as the No. 11 seed. In the intervening seasons, the team had made zero trade deadline moves until this year. Although they’ve qualified for the play-in tournament several times, the Bulls have only made the actual playoffs once since adding Vucevic, with or without in-season trades.
A more talented Philadelphia team is breathing down the Bulls’ necks, just one game behind 10th-seeded Chicago as of this writing. Karnisovas’ argument for system continuity to effectively preserve an underwhelming team performance rings hollow.
Jon Greenberg of The Athletic also calls out Karnisovas for not having or explaining a clear vision for Chicago after dealing LaVine, while his colleague Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic is similarly baffled.
There’s more out of Chicago:
- Karnisovas looked into flipping the three new Bulls — guards Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter and center Zach Collins — after trading for them on Tuesday, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The players were with Chicago but sat out its game on Wednesday, while awaiting possible trades away from the team. “It was definitely crazy,” Collins said of the uncertainty. “You’re sitting there, you don’t know what’s going on, then you see a tweet or you see an Instagram post and you call your agent three times. You’re just like, ‘Somebody tell me something.’” Poe notes that Huerter and Collins are both under team control through the 2025/26 season, while Jones reaches free agency this year.
- Jones, Huerter and Collins since made their debuts for the Bulls in a 132-111 blowout defeat to Golden State on Friday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The players may all have tenuous long-term futures with Chicago, however, with Jones on an expiring deal and Huerter and Collins potential offseason trade candidates. Head coach Billy Donovan acknowledged that the new Bulls are essentially auditioning to stick around beyond this season. “These guys fitting in stylistically on how we want to play, you want to give them a chance and see how they can help our group more or less,” Donovan said. “For those guys, and we had discussed this, and it’s this way around the league, there are always these pins and needles, ‘Am I going to be here? I just got here. Am I going somewhere else?’”
- That Warriors loss marked an uncomfortable moment for Bulls fans. The return of Jimmy Butler — playing his first game ever for Golden State — to the United Center served as a reminder to fans that not much has changed for the team since its last half-hearted rebuild, opines Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. The last time the Bulls traded away a multi-time All-Star was in 2017 when it was Butler who was sent to Minnesota for LaVine and others.
Lakers Trade Knecht, Draft Assets To Hornets For Mark Williams
FEBRUARY 6: The trade is official, the Lakers and Hornets have announced in a pair of press releases.
FEBRUARY 5: The Lakers have reportedly found their Anthony Davis replacement.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Los Angeles is acquiring Hornets center Mark Williams in exchange for rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, the Lakers’ unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 first-round pick swap.
The Lakers shook the basketball world when they landed five-time All-NBA superstar guard Luka Doncic from the Mavericks over the weekend along with big men Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Adding the reigning Western Conference Finals MVP cost the Lakers All-NBA Second Team center Davis, however.
With Kleber out indefinitely due to a broken foot, Los Angeles found itself badly in need of center depth to complement fill-in starter Jaxson Hayes.
While comments made this week by general manager Rob Pelinka suggested the Lakers may seek out a stop-gap option for the rest of the season and take a bigger swing in the summer, the front office instead took that swing now, surrendering a promising rookie in Knecht and two valuable future draft assets in order to land Williams.
The seven-footer out of Duke had been enjoying a breakout season with Charlotte in 2024/25. Williams is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 boards, 2.5 dimes, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 22 healthy contests.
Williams has dealt with some health issues early in his career, including a back injury and a small fracture in his left foot, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), but the Lakers are confident about the 23-year-old’s medicals.
As McMenamin and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN outline (Twitter links), in his initial conversations with the Lakers, Doncic impressed upon their decision-makers how much it benefited him in Dallas to play with vertical lob threats like Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, prompting the Lakers to more aggressively pursue a young, athletic center rather than some of the older, slower bigs that had been on the club’s radar.
Lakers head coach J.J. Redick also has a connection to Williams, Shelburne notes (via Twitter), having done some mentoring of him at his alma mater of Duke.
Williams will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2025 offseason. If he and the Lakers don’t agree to a deal at that point, he’d be a restricted free agent in 2026.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the two-for-one deal will open up a standard roster spot for Los Angeles. The Lakers have several movable contracts still on their roster, though they no longer have any tradable first-round draft picks on hand. The team could end up using that open roster spot to go shopping on the buyout market, McMenamin suggests (via Twitter).
Knecht, meanwhile, has slowed down since a hot start to the season, but the 6’6″ Tennessee alum is having a solid rookie season and looks capable of developing into a regular rotation piece on the wing in Charlotte. He’s averaging 9.4 points per game on .465/.358/.825 shooting splits in 48 outings so far this season.
Reddish, whose inclusion was necessary for salary-matching purposes, is on an expiring minimum-salary contract. The former 10th overall pick is a solid defender, but has a limited offensive game. He’s averaging career lows in points (3.3) and minutes (18.1) per game in 31 appearances (eight starts) for the Lakers this season.
The Hornets will need to trade or waive a player from their 15-man roster in order to open up a spot for the extra incoming player. They’ve now moved both of their top two centers in recent weeks, having also sent Nick Richards to the Suns last month for a package primarily made up of future second-round picks.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Trail Blazers Notes: Draft, G League, Postseason
The Trail Blazers have found themselves on a surprisingly impressive run of late, observes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. After cleaning the clock of the star-studded Suns on Saturday, Portland claimed its seventh win across its last eight contests.
As Highkin notes, Portland’s recent success has likely damaged its chances of nabbing the top talent in this summer’s impending draft.
Sporting a 20-29 record, the Trail Blazers are now just one victory away from matching their 2023/24 total of 21 wins. The strong play of forwards Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija, the intriguing defense of rookie center Donovan Clingan, and improved play from backcourt standouts Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson has helped boost the club’s record.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- The Trail Blazers assigned center Duop Reath, wing Rayan Rupert and forward Jabari Walker to their G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, the team announced on Sunday (Twitter link). Reath, who was assigned to Rip City on Saturday for the first time this season, enjoyed a standout rookie year in 2023/24 before falling to a fourth-string role this year following the arrival of Clingan and the return of Robert Williams. Thanks to this surplus of centers in Portland, Reath has been viewed as an intriguing trade candidate for rival clubs this year.
- Portland is now just 4.5 games away from the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed, but the Trail Blazers are taking a measured approach to their postseason prospects, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “I don’t even think we think about none of that stuff,” center Deandre Ayton said. “We’re just taking it one game at a time. We’re not even there yet … We’ve still got to take care of these fundamentals and be known for that, despite how these games go.”
- In case you missed it, Henderson has been developing as a player and a leader of late after an up-and-down start to his NBA career.
Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Postseason, Robinson
Knicks forward OG Anunoby has been diagnosed with a sprained right foot, but head coach Tom Thibodeau said that initial X-rays on the injury were negative for a break, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
According to Begley, Thibodeau wasn’t sure on Saturday night whether or not Anunoby would undergo an MRI to assess the severity of the injury.
Anunoby played just 17 minutes before hurting the ankle during the Knicks’ 128-112 home loss to the Lakers on Saturday. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor.
On the year, the 6’7″ wing is averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game through 49 appearances. He’s logging shooting splits of .482/.365/.792.
There’s more out of New York:
- If Anunoby’s injury proves to be significant after all, it could dash the Knicks’ postseason aspirations this spring, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link). Anunoby, who signed a five-year, $212.5MM contract last summer, is a crucial component of New York’s attack due to his versatility on both ends of the court. At 32-17, the Knicks have firmly established themselves as the East’s No. 3 seed. They’re four games ahead of the fourth-seeded Pacers. Still, New York has little room for error, as head coach Thibodeau has proven reticent to play his bench significant minutes, Bonds notes. A long-term absence for Anunoby would test the team’s depth.
- Thibodeau told reporters on Saturday that Knicks reserve center Mitchell Robinson is finally nearing a return to a full-contact team practice, reports Peter Botte of The New York Post. The veteran big man has been sidelined for the entirety New York’s 2024/25 season while recuperating from a May ankle surgery. Earlier this week, he began partaking in “light contact” practices for the first time since the injury. Robinson could be a key reserve or an intriguing trade chip for New York, should he be able to prove he’s healthy prior to the February 6 deadline.
- In case you missed it, two-way Knicks forward Jacob Toppin is nearing his limit for active NBA games this season.
Mavericks Notes: Trade Deadline, Exum, Kelley, Marshall
The Mavericks have been reeling in their last month-plus of action with All-Star guard Luka Doncic sidelined. How many of Dallas’ issues just boil down to the absence of Doncic and some other injured vets? As the February 6 deadline approaches, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News previews the team’s trade options.
Since Doncic strained his left calf during a Christmas Day loss to Minnesota, the Mavericks have gone 6-11. Dallas has fallen to a 26-22 record on the season, and now occupies the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are just 2.5 games behind the fourth-seeded Nuggets, but also only lead the No. 11-seed Warriors by two games.
Last season, Dallas made two pivotal deadline deals, acquiring forward P.J. Washington and center Daniel Gafford. With the club’s frontcourt hugely improved, the Mavericks made a run all the way to the 2024 NBA Finals. This year, Curtis observes that Dallas has significantly more depth heading into the deadline, but has been waylaid by multiple injuries.
While Curtis doesn’t expect as active a deadline as in 2024, he’s skeptical that general manager Nico Harrison will fully stand pat and posits that Dallas could look to add a defense-first swingman.
There’s more out of the Lone Star State:
- Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said on Wednesday that reserve guard Dante Exum, who has missed the entire season so far while recuperating from a right wrist surgery, is inching closer to a comeback, according to Curtis (Twitter link). “He’s trending in the right way,” Kidd said. “His wrist feels really good. He looks good. We’ll see how he does today/tomorrow. Hopefully that continues and we’ll get to see him sometime maybe on this trip. Maybe.” The Mavericks have four games remaining on their current five-game road trip.
- Two-way Mavericks big man Kylor Kelley spoke to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscriber exclusive) about his pro debut in a 130-108 Monday victory over Washington. “It was unreal, really. It was my first NBA regular season game,” the 27-year-old rookie told Afseth. “I had played one preseason game with L.A. back in October, but this was totally different. It was just awesome being out there. I wasn’t really feeling nervous, just excited, and had a lot of energy that I wanted to express on the court, and I thought I did that with the time that I got.” In eight minutes, Kelley score one point and grabbed four boards. He earned praise from Kidd for his efforts. “ I thought his activity and his talk… he was vocal for someone just to get here,” the Mavs’ coach said. “His voice could be heard on the floor, and that’s a great sign for a newcomer.”
- Following four-game absence, Mavericks reserve forward Naji Marshall returned from an illness for Dallas’ 137-136 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday. Playing his first game since January 20, he was held to a minutes restriction, Afseth tweets. In 15 minutes of action, the 6’7″ wing scored five points on 2-of-5 shooting from the floor.
Hornets’ LaMelo Ball Out At Least One Week With Ankle Sprain
After exiting Monday’s game due to a left ankle injury, All-Star Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball appears to have avoided a long-term issue.
Upon further testing, the original diagnosis of a left ankle sprain was confirmed, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer, who reports that Ball will be sidelined for at least one week before his status is reevaluated.
During the second quarter of an eventual 112-107 defeat to the Lakers, Ball injured his ankle after nailing a one-footed three-point jumper and inadvertently stepping on the foot of Los Angeles forward Jarred Vanderbilt on his way back up the court (Twitter video link). Ball fell and hit his head, stopped play with a deliberate foul, and limped to the locker room.
He was quickly ruled out for Charlotte’s bout with Brooklyn on Wednesday, a 104-83 loss. The defeat dropped the Hornets to a 12-32 record on the year. Charlotte currently has the fourth-best odds of landing the top pick in this summer’s draft.
Ball has struggled with his health throughout his NBA career. The 2021 Rookie of the Year has only appeared in more than 51 games once in his first four seasons in the league.
In 31 healthy games this year, the 23-year-old is averaging 28.2 points, 7.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per night, while providing plenty of highlight reel-worthy plays.
Nets Notes: Wilson, Sharpe, Watford
Nets forward Jalen Wilson has been making the most of his opportunity as a starter while Cameron Johnson rehabs a right ankle injury. His play in an expanded role suggests he could be a real piece for Brooklyn moving forward, opines Andrew Crane of The New York Post.
“What he does is something that every team can utilize,” veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell raved. “I mean, he’s a young player, but you ask the majority of the teams in the league would they want him, I’m sure they would… He’s just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of doing.”
As Crane notes, Wilson’s recent tenure as a starter could become a longer-term gig, depending on Johnson’s fate after the February 6 trade deadline.
In his three games as a starter, the Kansas product is averaging 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals a night.
There’s more out of Brooklyn:
- Following a two-month injury absence at the start of the 2024/25 season, Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe is staying healthy and contributing in a big way, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. He’s averaging 7.8 points and 6.3 boards across his 25 healthy games so far this season. This past month, those numbers have improved to 8.9 points and 7.1 rebounds, in line with his elevated bench minutes. “I feel like when I first got back, I was in a hurry,” Sharpe said. “Just trying to go too fast. Not paying attention. Not really focused. I was just trying to play hard so I could play the right way. But I feel like the month of January I’ve been getting my rhythm back. So, just pacing myself and perimeter [defense]. Being able to slide, switch. I feel like I’ve been working on that a lot. I’ve got a ways to go though.” Sharpe will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.
- Another young Nets frontcourt piece, forward Trendon Watford, is preparing to return to the hardwood for the first time since December 16. He has been recovering from a hamstring injury. Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez spoke on Wednesday about Watford’s anticipated comeback, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). “He’ll be on some sort of minute restriction, but it’s great to have him back,” Fernandez said. “It’s like new energy. He’s done a great job getting himself back… It’s good. I’m happy for him and he deserves it and he’ll play tonight.”
- In case you missed it, the Nets are considered a potential suitor for Kings All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, but also continue to hope for a chance to acquire Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is considered their “white whale.”