Sixers Center Andre Drummond To Miss At Least Five More Games
Andre Drummond, who has been sidelined since March 12 with a sprained left toe, will miss at least five more games before being reevaluated in a week, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Given how little time is left in the season and the Sixers‘ position near the bottom of the standings, it seems likely that Drummond’s year could be finished. Philadelphia will only have four games remaining after his reevaluation and needs to protect its first-round draft pick, which will convey to Oklahoma City if it falls outside the top six.
The 31-year-old center signed a two-year contract last summer with the expectation of serving as a backup to Joel Embiid on a title-contending team. However, injuries to Embiid and nearly every other rotation player destroyed the Sixers’ season and left them currently with the sixth-worst record in the league at 23-50.
Drummond has experienced his own injury issues, primarily with the toe, as he’s been limited to 40 games in his 13th NBA season. He’s averaging 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per night while shooting 50% from the field.
Drummond’s contract includes a $5MM player option for next season, with a decision due by June 29. He may be able to find a better offer on the open market, but the Sixers could be motivated to offer a new deal if he declines the option, considering Embiid’s continued fragility.
Grizzlies GM Says Coaching Change Was Entirely His Decision
In a brief session with reporters on Saturday, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman accepted sole responsibility for the decision to dismiss head coach Taylor Jenkins, but he didn’t explain why he felt a coaching change was necessary, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Kleiman spoke for less than three minutes during the team’s shootaround (Twitter video link), stating that he didn’t talk with any players before opting to replace Jenkins. It was his first public comment since the move was announced.
“I came to the conclusion that this is in the best interest of the team, and urgency is a core principle of ours, so decided to go on with the move,” Kleiman said. “… The players were not consulted on this decision. This decision is mine and mine only.”
McMenamin notes that hiring Jenkins was one of Kleiman’s first major decisions after being put in charge of the front office in 2019. Jenkins leaves as the winningest coach in franchise history, compiling a 250-214 regular season record, but he had limited success in the playoffs, winning just one series.
The Grizzlies are in the midst of a 9-13 slide after starting the season 35-16 and rising as high as second in the West. They are currently tied with the Lakers at 44-29 and face a difficult schedule the rest of the way as they try to avoid the play-in tournament.
Kleiman opened his remarks by thanking Jenkins for his years of service to the organization and saying that he has a bright future in the NBA, according to Jonah Dylan of The Commercial Appeal.
“Taylor made very significant contributions to this team on the court and off the court during his six years here,” Kleiman said. “Leaves the team in a much better position than when we started. Great person and a great coach, and he’s going to be a great coach in this league for a long time.”
There have been rumors that star guard Ja Morant has been unhappy with changes to the offense that emphasize movement over screens, leading to him playing off the ball more often than in past seasons. Responding to a question about Morant, Kleiman reiterated that the move wasn’t made in response to player complaints, per William Guillory of The Athletic.
“I’m focused on how we operate. I’m responsible for everything. I’m responsible for coaching. I’m responsible for the roster. I’m not trying to absolve myself of anything. I’m excited to see what this team can do the rest of the way,” Kleiman said. “This is the conclusion I came to that this is in the best interest of the team and we push forward with this group.”
Assistant Tuomas Iisalo was named interim coach in the wake of Jenkins’ firing and will guide the team for the first time tonight in a showdown with the Lakers. Kleiman refused to say whether the rest of the season and the playoffs will be an audition for Iisalo to become the permanent coach.
“Looking forward to seeing what he is able to do with this group,” Kleiman said. “There is realistic expectations. There’s not going to be time to install a bunch of things this time of the year. My expectations are clarity of direction, and we’ll see what we can do, we’ll see what we can execute.”
Wizards Notes: Record Loss, Sarr, Champagnie, Middleton
Losing games is beneficial for the Wizards as they try to maximize their lottery odds, but there was nothing to be gained from Thursday night’s performance, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington set franchise records by giving up 162 points to Indiana and losing by 53 points. The Pacers overwhelmed the Wizards’ defense, shooting 64.1% from the field and 57.4% from three-point range.
“You should be upset,” coach Brian Keefe said. “You shouldn’t be happy. But it’s always about what you do going forward. Unfortunately, losses like this happen. You don’t want them to. No one’s happy about it, most of all our organization, me and the players especially. We’ve got competitive guys in our locker room. But it’s how you go forward. It’s always how you respond.”
At 16-57, Washington remains a half-game “behind” the 16-58 Jazz in the race for the league’s worst record. Robbins points out that the Wizards have been playing better lately, putting together a 6-4 run from February 24 to March 15 that included wins at Detroit and Denver. They also won at Philadelphia on Wednesday, so there were no warning signs that they were about to break this 54-year-old record.
“We’re competitors, so we definitely don’t want to be on the bad side of games like that,” Jordan Poole said. “I think we know that the longer you play, the more games you play, there will be nights like this, especially coming off of a back-to-back. I think we in the locker room know that’s not acceptable, especially for the standard that we’re trying to set, in how we played. But we’ve got to find ways to just learn from it, get better and then bounce back in a couple of days.”
There’s more from Washington:
- Rookie big man Alex Sarr scored 22 points Thursday night and led the Wizards in shots for the seventh time in the last eight games, according to Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. The No. 2 overall pick is enjoying his best month of the season, averaging 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in March, and may be making a late bid for Rookie of the Year honors. “I think it’s a nice accomplishment. But at the same time I think there’s way more than just getting (an) individual award,” Sarr said. “… I’m going to be part of this team hopefully for a lot of years to come. And what we’re building right now is more important than (individual awards).”
- In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Justin Champagnie admits he considered giving up his NBA dream as he fought to earn a roster spot over the last three years. The 23-year-old small forward’s efforts were rewarded this season when he signed a four-year, $10MM deal with the Wizards that includes $1.8MM in guaranteed money. “To be honest with you, I probably thought about quitting three or four times,” Champagnie said. “I always told myself no matter what happens, stay grounded, remember where you came from, keep doing what you’re doing, and let it be what it’s going to be.”
- Khris Middleton, who was traded to Washington at the deadline after a long career in Milwaukee, believes the Wizards have a bright future and could challenge for the playoffs soon, Scotto adds. “I think if you give us a full offseason and give us a full season together,” he said, “with the improvement of the young core, which is going to be huge, I think they can take a big step because of the way they work, how talented they are, and how smart they are.”
Grizzlies Fire Taylor Jenkins
The Grizzlies have announced the firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins. It’s a surprising late-season move for a team that’s solidly in the playoff picture and fighting for home court in a first-round series.
“I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons,” general manager Zach Kleiman said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward.”
Jenkins was fired in person this morning when he arrived at the team’s office, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who expects him to be among the league’s top free agent coaches when the offseason begins.
Although they’re tied for fourth in the Western Conference playoff race at 44-29, the Grizzlies have been on a downslide lately, losing five of their last seven games and 12 of their last 20. Even so, Jenkins has done an admirable job of keeping the team competitive with star guard Ja Morant limited to 43 games.
There’s no immediate word on who will replace Jenkins for the rest of the season. Memphis has a huge game set for Saturday night, hosting the Lakers, who are also 44-29.
Jenkins, 40, has put together a 250-214 record since being hired as head coach in 2019, making him the winningest coach in franchise history. However, the Grizzlies have only won a single playoff series in his tenure, advancing to the second round in 2022.
Jenkins, who won a G League title with the Austin Toros in 2012, was hired as an assistant coach by Atlanta in 2013. He spent five seasons with the Hawks and one with the Bucks before taking over the Grizzlies.
Hawks Notes: Young, LeVert, Daniels, Capela
A year ago, there was trade speculation regarding Trae Young, but the Hawks now seem committed to him as the veteran leader of an inexperienced roster. Young, who’s in his seventh year with Atlanta, talked about his situation in an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, saying it’s “not new territory.”
“People probably know that this isn’t the first time I’ve been a part of a team with young guys and where they wanted me to lead,” he said. “I think this is really what they wanted me to do this year. Not focus on the wins and losses. It’s more about how I can bring the young guys along and build them up and build their confidence up as much as possible.”
The Hawks appear to have a bright future after remaking their roster over the past 12 months. The most significant moves were trading for Dyson Daniels and drafting Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick. They form a promising young core along with Jalen Johnson, who was in the midst of his best NBA season before it was ended in January by a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Young will become eligible for an extension this summer, but he sidestepped a question from Scotto about whether he expects to sign a new deal.
“I’m still stuck in the moment right now and not really focusing on that right now,” he said. “I know it’s going to come. People will be asking questions here. I’m just focusing on this team, building these young guys, and giving them confidence. At the end of the year, everything else will be discussed.”
There’s more on the Hawks, all from Scotto:
- Caris LeVert, who was acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, tells Scotto that he’s interested in staying with Atlanta when he becomes a free agent this summer. LeVert adds that he was “playing a certain role” with the Cavaliers and he “can play more like myself” in the Hawks’ system. “I love this situation that I’m in right now. I love this team,” LeVert said. “The staff has welcomed me with open arms. I didn’t really know (head coach) Quin (Snyder) previously before coming here. Obviously, I’ve admired his style from afar for a long time. Antonio (Lang), Ekpe Udoh and Ron Nored on the staff I’ve had relationships with, so I feel pretty comfortable here. Like I always tell them, I’d love to re-sign here. My focus right now is the rest of the season and making the playoffs. It’s definitely something I’d want.”
- Daniels is among the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year honors, but he tells Scotto it feels like “a big man’s award.” Daniels, who leads the league in steals by a wide margin, adds that he gained more confidence in his game since coming to Atlanta. “Coach Quin has instilled confidence in me to play freely and be myself,” Daniels said. “My teammates have given me confidence as well. It’s just that my mindset has changed. I’ve come in wanting to be more aggressive and play more freely without any restrictions. I think it’s been more that my mindset has changed rather than anything between the two organizations.”
- Clint Capela is expected to leave the Hawks in free agency this summer, sources tell Scotto. The veteran center is currently sidelined with a ligament injury in his left hand and may not return if Atlanta doesn’t reach at least the first round of the playoffs.
Lakers Notes: Playoff Picture, Goodwin, Koloko, Jemison, Bronny
“Devastation” is how coach J.J. Redick described the feeling after the Lakers let a lead slip away on Thursday and lost in Chicago on Josh Giddey‘s half-court shot at the buzzer (Twitter video link), writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. led by 18 points in the fourth quarter and was up by five with 12.6 seconds left, but couldn’t close out the game.
Patrick Williams hit a corner three-pointer for the Bulls with 9.8 seconds remaining, then Giddey stole a LeBron James inbounds pass that James called a “horrible turnover.” Coby White nailed a three to put Chicago in front, but Austin Reaves responded with a layup with 3.3 seconds left, setting the stage for Giddey’s heroics.
“It sucks,” Reaves said. “We probably had a high-percentage chance of winning after my layup went in. There’s not many half-court buzzer-beaters to lose a game. And it’s just, it’s frustrating.”
It’s a loss that could have huge playoff implications for the Lakers as the season winds down. L.A. dropped into a tie with the Grizzlies for fourth place at 44-29 ahead of a trip to Memphis on Saturday. Both teams are two losses ahead of the Clippers and Warriors and three losses ahead of the Timberwolves as the race for the six automatic playoff spots in the West becomes tighter.
“There’s another game in two days, less than two days, that’s how you do it,” James said. “That’s the NBA. You can’t go into a game on Saturday thinking about what happened on Thursday.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Jordan Goodwin had eight points, a steal and two blocks in his first game since being promoted to the 15-man roster. Speaking to reporters before Thursday’s contest, Redick cited “competitive spirit” and “toughness” as the main things Goodwin brings to the team, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register (Twitter link). “I joked with him this morning, he can’t get soft on us now,” Redick said. “He’s been a banshee for us since he’s been with us on the two-way and has provided not just the attitude, the toughness on the court, but he’s played some really good basketball for us. We’re very confident in him.”
- Two-way players Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison could be battling for another promotion before the season ends, Jovan Buha of The Athletic states in his latest podcast (hat tip to BasketNews). Buha notes that Koloko is more of a rim protector, while Jemison contributes on both ends of the court. He expects both players to be given minutes over the final nine games to help the coaching staff determine who would be more valuable in a playoff series.
- Bronny James turned in his best G League performance this week with a 39-point outing for the South Bay Lakers, per Chuck Schilken of The Los Angeles Times. James admits being motivated by those who doubt that he can succeed at the highest level. “Just that I belong out there,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to prove. A lot of people say I don’t, but I just come out, work every day, try to get better every day and prove myself every day. … All the criticism that’s thrown my way, it’s just amazing to shut all that down and keep going.”
NBA Searching For New All-Star Format For 2026
The NBA will scrap its mini-tournament format for the All-Star Game and go back to the drawing board in a search for new ideas, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
At a press conference Thursday in New York, commissioner Adam Silver admitted that this year’s experimental format was “a miss.” It involved a four-team tournament featuring the 24 NBA All-Stars divided up into three teams, along with another squad consisting of rookies and second-year players who won the Rising Stars event. Instead of being timed, all the games were played to a 40-point target score.
“We’re not there in terms of creating an All-Star experience that we can be proud of and our players can be proud of,” Silver admitted.
Finding a workable solution to the All-Star Game has been a problem for the league for roughly the last decade. The traditional East vs. West matchup grew stale, as there was nothing to motivate players or inspire them to put forth much effort on defense. The NBA had captains pick their teams for a few years, and the Elam ending was a brief success, but most often the quality of play has been low.
This year’s changes were instituted after the 2024 game resulted in a 211-186 final score that drew intense criticism from league insiders and media members.
One drawback to this year’s competition was a nearly 20-minute break during the championship game that was used to recognize TNT’s broadcast team, which was airing the game for the last time.
“It was well-intentioned,” Silver said. “But I think the long stoppage in play in that final game didn’t work for anyone.”
NBC will televise the game next year as part of its new broadcast deal, and Silver said the league is talking to network officials about potential changes. Reynolds notes that the game will take place during the Winter Olympics, which could lead to a U.S. vs. the World format that has been proposed for some time.
The 2026 game, which will be hosted by the Clippers at their new Inuit Dome, will have an earlier starting time, Reynolds adds. It will be played in the afternoon, leading up to Olympics coverage at night.
France Eyes Victor Wembanyama For EuroBasket
The Spurs shut down Victor Wembanyama last month due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, but there’s hope that he might be able to represent France at EuroBasket this summer.
In an interview with L’Equipe, French national team coach Frédéric Fauthoux said Wembanyama’s condition is being monitored to see if he can return for the international tournament, which gets underway in late August.
“We had Victor before his operation, he is motivated to be part of the team,” Fauthoux said. “We’ll see as he evolves physically, we’ll make the decision when it’s the right time, until then, we’ll be in the dark. But he feels good, everything is going well (in his rehabilitation).”
Wembanyama underwent surgery for the condition, which was discovered when he returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game. Deep vein thrombosis is a form of a blood clot that affects the flow of blood to his shoulder. The Spurs don’t believe it’s a concern for Wembanyama’s long-term health, and he’s expected to be ready when training camp opens in late September.
Wembanyama was in the midst of an outstanding second NBA season before the medical issue arose. He averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and a league-high 3.8 blocks in 46 games and had been considered a heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year honors. He made his first All-Star appearance after being selected by coaches as a reserve.
Having Wembanyama, who starred at the Olympics last summer, would significantly improve the prospects for the French team, which wound up with difficult early matchups at Thursday’s draw. France will meet Luka Doncic and Slovenia in the group stage and could face Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Greek team later on.
Fauthoux expects to have several NBA players on his EuroBasket roster, including the Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher and the Wizards’ Alex Sarr, who were the top two picks in last year’s draft.
“They are close to a pre-selection,” he said. “They are two players with a great future, with a lot of talent, and both have playing time in the NBA, it’s very important for me, for possible selections, it’s essential with the competition from EuroLeague, Eurocup, Champions League players.”
EuroBasket will take place from August 27 to September 14 with games in Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 3/25/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included whether the Pistons should go star hunting this summer, the potential of the young rosters in Washington and Portland, the Mavericks' chances of making another playoff run, the Celtics' ability to keep their expensive talent together and more! Use the link below to read the transcript.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Sarr, Daniels, Magic
The Wizards looked like a team in contention for the top pick in the draft for most of Saturday’s game at New York before a late rally made things close, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Washington trimmed a 33-point deficit down to four points early in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks were able to regroup and finish off a 122-103 victory, giving the Wizards a half-game edge over Utah in the race for the league’s worst record.
“Showed great resolve during that period. … The guys just continued to make the right play on both ends of the floor,” coach Brian Keefe said. “It wasn’t home run plays. It was a box out, a deflection, making the right pass. And then we just stacked those possessions.”
After reducing the minutes for his veteran players earlier this week, Keefe has returned to a regular rotation. Khris Middleton was held out Saturday because it was the second night of a back-to-back, but Jordan Poole was on the court for nearly 28 minutes and backup center Richaun Holmes returned to action after sitting out the previous three games. Shankar notes that Keefe only used eight players until late in the third quarter when Colby Jones and Anthony Gill entered the game and helped to spark the rally.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards showed more confidence in rookie center Alex Sarr than they did in their last meeting the Knicks, Shankar adds. Previously, Keefe used small forward Justin Champagnie as the primary defender on Karl-Anthony Towns, with Sarr roaming on defense. On Saturday, Keefe let Sarr handle Towns one-on-one. “I loved it,” teammate Marcus Smart said. “He’s learning. Towns is a vet in this league, and he’s been doing this for a very long time. … [Sarr] has to get a little bit stronger — he knows it. But I liked the approach he had. He wasn’t running from the challenge. And he’s only going to get better.”
- Hawks guard Dyson Daniels had three more steals on Saturday, increasing his league-leading total to 197 on the season. With at least one steal in 41 straight games, he tied Mookie Blaylock for the third-longest streak in franchise history, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m proud of that kid. I think he’s DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year) for the season,” Onyeka Okongwu said. “I’m excited to watch him going forward.”
- The Magic are hoping Friday’s 120-point outburst at Washington will spark their offense for the rest of the season, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. He notes that Orlando is 7-1 when reaching the 120-point mark, but the team still has the league’s least-productive offense at 104.8 PPG. “It was huge,” coach Jamahl Mosley said of Friday’s performance. “Our guys understanding what we need to do, how we need to take care of business when we are on the road one game at a time and focus in these moments to play the right-type defense and have our offense clicking at the right is very important for this group as continue down the stretch.”