Magic Notes: Banchero, Suggs, Bane, Da Silva
How did Magic forward Paolo Banchero celebrate his rookie scale extension this summer? By going back to the gym that night, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“I definitely signed it right away. There was no real thought. Just where do I sign?” Banchero said. “It was a surreal feeling. The day it got announced and everything, the day it got done, I didn’t know what to even do. My phone was blowing up. Everybody wanted to congratulate and call me and it was like the middle of the day and I was just sitting in the house and I was just like, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ Am I supposed to go celebrate or am I supposed to respond to everybody? I don’t know.’
“So, I had worked out that morning and I ended up just going back to the gym that night. And I was just like, ‘I’ll just go say thank you to the game and just go get some shots up.’ And that’d be my way of celebrating, kind of paying it back to the game for blessing me in that way. So that’s kind of what I did. I didn’t really know how else to handle it.”
Banchero signed his five-year, maximum-salary extension in early July. He’s averaging 23.3 points, a career-high 9.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game so far this season.
Here’s more on the Magic:
- Jalen Suggs didn’t play on Monday against Portland due to left knee injury management and still hasn’t been cleared for back-to-backs, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. Suggs had 20 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes during Sunday’s 111-107 loss to Boston. Suggs, who underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee in March, is not on the injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets.
- Slumping Desmond Bane, the team’s big offseason acquisition, hit a three-pointer at just the right time. Bane knocked down his first career game-winning buzzer beater against the Trail Blazers in Monday’s 115-112 victory. Bane has missed his five previous three-point tries during the contest. “I just want to be a part of winning,” Bane said, per Youngmisuk. “But I think moments like tonight really help you settle into a new situation.” Bane, a career 40.7% three-point shooter, has made only 27.7% of his long-distance tries this season.
- Tristan Da Silva had just two points and three rebounds in 17 minutes on Monday but generally, he’s shown growth offensively during his second NBA season, Beede notes. The 24-year-old forward is averaging 10.9 points on 46.7% shooting from the field and 39.2% from distance. As a rookie, he averaged 7.2 points on 41.2% shooting (33.5% on threes).
All-Star Game To Feature U.S. Vs. World Three-Team Format
This season’s All-Star Game will have a U.S. vs. World format, the NBA confirmed today in a press release. The game is scheduled to be played Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
Two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (the World team) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games. The three teams will each have a minimum of eight players.
The NBA has experimented with an number of different formats to make the All-Star Game more entertaining and encourage players to take the game more seriously. This is the latest attempt by the league and Player’s Association to make that happen.
As in the past, 24 NBA All-Stars (12 from each conference) will be selected as follows: The five starters from each conference will be selected by fans (50% of the vote), current NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%). The seven reserve players from each conference will be chosen by NBA head coaches.
This year, the All-Stars will be selected without regard to position. The process for assigning players to the two U.S. teams will be determined at a later date.
According to the release, if All-Star voting does not result in the selection of 16 U.S. players and eight international players (which can include American players with ties to other countries, if necessary), commissioner Adam Silver will select additional All-Stars to join either group to reach that minimum.
In the round-robin tournament, Team A will play Team B in Game 1. The winning team from Game 1 will take on Team C in Game 2, followed by the losing team of Game 1 meeting Team C in Game 3.
After Game 3, the top two teams by record will advance to face each other in the championship game (Game 4). If all three teams have a 1-1 record after Game 3, the tiebreaker would be point differential in each team’s two round-robin games.
The All-Star Game will be played earlier in the day than usual because it will be broadcast by NBC, which is building All-Star Weekend around the network’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps points out.
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Injuries, Harris, Jenkins, Green
Cade Cunningham, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, scored a career-high 46 points in the Pistons’ wild 137-135 overtime win over the Wizards on Tuesday. With a handful of regulars sitting out, Cunningham attempted 45 field goals and made 14. He went 16-of-18 from the foul line.
Cunningham also recorded his first triple-double of the season — he contributed 11 assists, 12 rebounds, five steals and two blocks, becoming the first player in NBA history with those numbers in a single game since the league began tracking steals and blocks in 1973/74, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link).
Cunningham also took a hard fall in the fourth quarter when he was fouled by Wizards forward Cam Whitmore but he stayed in the game, which was the Pistons’ seventh straight win.
“I didn’t like the way that it happened,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Whitmore’s foul, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “When you take a guy out of the air like that, you don’t walk up on him. I thought (the officials) could have done a better job of controlling that situation. … It shows the courage of Cade, the resilience of Cade, the want to not let his teammates down. He could’ve stayed in the back, very easily, with what he was going through. But he didn’t want to give up. He wanted to continue to fight even when we were down, and he led us to the victory.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Detroit played without Ausar Thompson (right ankle), Tobias Harris (right ankle), Jaden Ivey (right knee), Isaiah Stewart (left ankle), Caris LeVert (left knee) and Marcus Sasser (right hip). Harris has missed five consecutive games. “It’s a high ankle sprain and he’s progressing,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s just those things that take a little longer than you would like, but he’s progressing day to day. We’re hopeful he’ll be back soon.” Harris and Thompson are listed as out against Chicago on Wednesday, while Stewart is doubtful, Patterson tweets.
- Two-way player Daniss Jenkins logged 34 minutes and finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists in what was just his 13th career NBA game. Jenkins sent the game into overtime on a corner three-pointer in the final second of regulation. “You dream of stuff like this,” Jenkins told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “To come out and really hit that type of shot, I didn’t know what to do. I was just filled with a lot of joy and excitement and just congratulating myself, staying true to the journey, staying true to everything. I have to practice what I preach. This life is a marathon, everything is a marathon. My journey is a marathon.”
- Due to the injuries, Javonte Green made his first start with the Pistons, notching his first double-double of the season and second of his career with 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 38 minutes. Detroit signed Green, who played for New Orleans and Cleveland last season, to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal in the summer. “He blocked [two] threes, which is hard to do…Again, It’s top to bottom. These guys care about winning, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win. [Green] knows who he is and understands how he impacts winning,” Bickerstaff said.
Eastern Notes: Ware, Cavs Injuries, Shead, White
Heat second-year big man Kel’el Ware had 14 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in 34 minutes while making his third straight start in place of the injured Bam Adebayo on Monday. Miami pulled out an overtime win over Cleveland and coach Erik Spoelsta heaped praise on Ware.
“That’s the best game he’s played in a Miami Heat uniform,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I don’t care what the stats are. I know he had 20 rebounds. But those efforts on the glass were incredible. And he was reliable defensively. He was with it. He was in the right spots. (Evan) Mobley made a couple great shots, but Kel’el was there. He was there, doing the right thing.”
The Heat have won all three games Ware has filled in for Adebayo.
“I feel like that’s something they always wanted to see,” Ware said. “They’ve been wanting to see it from me. It feels [good] to see them encouraging me on that end and proud of me for bringing that out.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Cavaliers will be missing three starters in their rematch against Miami on Wednesday, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets. Darius Garland (injury management — left big toe), Donovan Mitchell (rest) and Evan Mobley (rest) are listed as out, while Larry Nance Jr. (knee contusion) is considered questionable.
- Jamal Shead has continued to give the Raptors a reliable play-maker off the bench in his second season, Michael Grange of Sportnet writes. “He’s able to do a lot of things,” forward Brandon Ingram said. “We know what he can do on the defensive end, but he’s able to attack the paint, he’s always searching for guys. He knows he’s playing with scorers, so when he gets the ball, he’s trying to attack, and he always knows where guys are.” In 10 games, Shead is averaging 6.4 points and 5.0 assists, compared to 1.1 turnovers, in 17.4 minutes per game. He’s making just $1.96MM this season and Toronto holds a club option on his contract for next season.
- Coby White (strained right calf) made it through a practice on Monday with the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s G League affiliate. White, who has yet to make his season debut, could return at some point during the team’s upcoming road trip, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports, though he won’t play on Wednesday when they visit Detroit. ‘‘Everything that I heard was that it went well,’’ head coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘I think the biggest thing is always trying to find out the next day how it went. The plan right now . . . would be to get back into practice with us when we get back from Detroit. We’ll have three days. One of those days, we’ll certainly have contact. The plan is to get him into that practice pretty extensively.’’
Sixers Notes: Broome, 10-Game Start, Grimes, Barlow
Sixers rookie power forward Johni Broome has only made two cameo appearances this season. He’s trying to adjust to his NBA reality as a second-round pick, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“I’m just kind of trusting my work and my faith,” Broome said. “Obviously, it’s a little difficult at times because it’s kind of something I’m getting used to. But I understand what comes with it. So I’m taking it day by day. I’m not getting frustrated. I know I just have to keep working, keep staying ready. When Coach (Nick Nurse) feels like he’s ready to put me in, he’s going to put me in. Until then, like I say, I’m going to keep working and keep earning his trust however I can.”
Broome sprained his right ankle while playing with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats over the weekend. When he returns to action, he’ll likely spend most of the season with the Blue Coats.
“Wherever I’m at, I’m going to try to compete and get my work in,” Broome said. “If they want me to go down to the G League and play, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- They are off to a decent start at 6-4 but they could have won a couple more games with better crunch time execution, Tony Jones of The Athletic notes. All but one of their games has come down to clutch time, which is defined as a game being within five points or less with five minutes remaining. In three of their losses, they missed a shot on the final possession of the game. Guard Tyrese Maxey has seen a lot of positives. “I like that we can do a lot of different things, and I like that we can play a lot of different ways,” Maxey said. “We can play fast and we can play slow. We can play in the halfcourt, and we can play in transition. There are a lot of different things that we can do to win games.”
- Quentin Grimes has switched agents. Grimes will now be represented by CAA Basketball, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points tweets. Grimes, who was previously repped by agent David Bauman, went through a lengthy restricted free agency process over the summer and ultimately signed his $8.74MM qualifying offer. Grimes will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and also has the ability to veto any trade this season.
- Dominick Barlow worked out on the court before the Sixers faced the Celtics on Tuesday, Pompey tweets. Barlow will miss his seventh straight game due to a right elbow laceration.
- In case you missed it, center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Tuesday’s contest due to right knee soreness. It’s the first non-scheduled absence so far this season for Embiid, who had an MRI on his knee on Tuesday.
Pistons Sign Wendell Moore Jr. To Two-Way Deal, Waive Colby Jones
3:22 pm: The Pistons have officially signed Moore and waived Jones, the team announced today (via Twitter).
11:17 am: The Pistons are signing guard Wendell Moore Jr. to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, who reports that the team is waiving Colby Jones to open up a roster spot for Moore (Twitter links).
Moore has been seeking another NBA opportunity since the Celtics waived him during training camp. Detroit’s coaching staff is quite familiar with Moore — he spent part of last season with the Pistons organization.
A late first-round selection in 2022, Moore played two seasons with the Timberwolves. The Pistons acquired him in an offseason trade and he appeared in 20 games before he was waived at the trade deadline in February. He then joined the Hornets on a two-way contract about a week later, finishing the season in Charlotte. Boston brought him in this offseason on a training camp deal.
Overall, Moore has seen action in 90 NBA games, averaging 2.3 points in 8.1 minutes per contest. Last season, he played in a combined 36 games and averaged 4.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.2 APG in 13.9 MPG.
Jones received seven minutes of garbage time in one game this season. An early second-round pick in 2023, Jones appeared in 30 games off the bench for Sacramento as a rookie, then played a combined 39 games for the Kings and Wizards last season.
Jones was traded by Washington to Oklahoma City in June, but the Thunder immediately waived his non-guaranteed $2.22MM contract. The Pistons added him on a two-way deal in late July.
Cade Cunningham, Nikola Jokic Named Players Of Week
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, while Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been chosen as the Western Conference Player of the Week, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Cunningham led Detroit to four consecutive wins during the week of November 3-9 while averaging 31.0 points and 9.8 assists per game on 54.7% shooting. This marks the second time in his career that Cunningham has received a Player of the Week award.
Jokic also led his team to a 4-0 week, with home victories over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double, with 31.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 11.3 rebounds per contest. His biggest game of the week came last Wednesday against the Heat, when he racked up 33 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds, and three steals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.
Devin Booker (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Julius Randle (Timberwolves) and Alperen Sengun (Rockets) were also nominated in the West.
Central Notes: Giannis, Duren, White, Okoro
The Bucks folded in the late stages of a 122-115 loss to Houston on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 37 points, eight rebounds and three assists but couldn’t sustain that same level of production in crunch time, Eric Nehm of The Athletic notes. In the final five minutes, Antetokounmpo had one field goal, went 2-of-6 from the free throw line, and committed two turnovers.
“We didn’t execute as well (as them),” Antetokounmpo said. “The ball was sticking a lot… Whenever we were double-teaming or trapping the pick-and-roll, they were moving the ball, finding the open man. They were able to make some shots and we did the complete opposite.”
The Bucks superstar is listed as probable to play against Dallas in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets.
We have more from the Central Division:
- The Pistons are shooting for the seventh straight victory when they host the Wizards on Monday. They pulled out a 111-108 road win over Philadelphia on Sunday. During the winning streak, Cade Cunningham is averaging 29.2 points and 11.2 assists per game, while center Jalen Duren — who is headed to restricted free agency — is averaging 23.5 PPG and 13.5 RPG.“He’s been dominant,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Duren, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “The way he helps us protect the rim, the job he does on the boards, the threat that he is in the pick-and-roll and in the pocket … he’s a guy that can connect our group, too. He’s another guy who can facilitate and playmake, and then he’s an elite communicator, which has been a huge growth for him defensively. He’s talking to guys, always in the right spot, so I thought he was great again (Sunday).”
- Coby White (strained right calf) has yet to play this season, but the Bulls guard is expected back soon. Coach Billy Donovan anticipates he’ll make a seamless return to the rotation, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I feel pretty good about him coming back,” Donovan said. “He’s always been a team guy. The rhythm for him individually, he’s going to work through that, and in time, it will get better, but in terms of him seamlessly coming back, I don’t worry about the chemistry at all, not with him. He plays the right way. Being around these guys, his IQ, his years in the league, I think he’ll know how to come back and integrate himself.” White was assigned to the G League’s Windy City Bulls on Monday to get some practice time, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets.
- Isaac Okoro faced his former team on Saturday when the Cavaliers defeated the Bulls, 128-122. The Bulls forward, who was traded by Cleveland during the offseason, scored 19 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes. “I had a wonderful five years in Cleveland,” Okoro said, per Johnson (Twitter link). “They treat their players right –coaches, front-office staff. I love all these guys. But once tip goes up, it’s Bulls vs. Cavs.”
Bucks Forward Taurean Prince Out Indefinitely With Neck Injury
Bucks reserve Taurean Prince has a herniated disk in his neck and is expected to miss a significant period of time, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
The team released an update via social media (Twitter link), which indicated that Prince underwent an MRI last week that revealed the herniated disk. The veteran forward will be sidelined indefinitely as the team’s medical staff and external specialists determine the best treatment plan.
Prince has appeared in eight games this season but missed Milwaukee’s last two contests after going 0-for-5 from the field against Toronto in 21 minutes of action on Tuesday. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per game.
Prince was a starter for most of last season, appearing in 80 games for the Bucks, including 73 starts. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.1 minutes per contest. Milwaukee re-signed him on a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract this summer.
Prince’s ability to guard multiple positions on defense and knock down three-pointers on offense makes him a valuable rotation player on the wing. He converted a career-high 43.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc in 2024/25.
Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers has used smaller starting lineups this season with A.J. Green and Gary Trent Jr. manning the wings. The loss of Prince could result in more minutes for Kyle Kuzma and Amir Coffey.
Prince, 31, began his NBA career in 2016 and has had stints with the Hawks, Nets, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Lakers.
Northwest Notes: Hartenstein, Edwards, Hardy, Markkanen
Isaiah Hartenstein erupted for a 33-point night in the Thunder‘s win over Sacramento on Friday. Along with his career high in points, Hartenstein grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked three shots.
“He was on one today,” Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell told Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. “Hart is a great player. We were able to find him, and he had a great game. He made it very easy for us.”
Hartenstein is averaging a double-double for the banged-up Thunder, with 12.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in the early going this season.
“He’s played great as time has gone on here,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “He’s getting better and better with his teammates here inside the system. He was obviously highly impactful at the beginning, but he’s only gotten better, especially on the offensive side of the floor.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- In his second game back from missing four due to a right hamstring strain, Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards poured in 37 points in a 40-point romp over Utah. “He’s our leading light, and he’s got to be aggressive, and he’s got to be himself,” head coach Chris Finch told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. “That’s what we need. And I thought he played quick and clean. Thought we all did to start the game, and it was just really good, really fun to watch.”
- Jazz coach Will Hardy has been very vocal this season and that’s by design, according to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “It’s all intentional,” Hardy said. “There is a real process right now of trying to have all of our players, especially our young players, understand that every time you take the court, you’re trying to win.” Hardy’s team is currently holds a 3-6 record. “I feel like I need to give the team the urgency every single night to not let moments pass them by, to not take their minutes for granted, to not take this moment in their career for granted — because nothing’s guaranteed,” he said.
- Lauri Markkanen was held to 12 points in 21 minutes on Friday but the Jazz forward is still averaging 28.3 points per game, which would easily be a career best. “He can truly play any style,” Hardy told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “He can play with anybody there. You could name any All-Star player, and I would say Lauri could play with them. Because he doesn’t dribble too much, because he’s not really an iso player, because he’s not a pick-and-roll ball handler who needs X number of screens a night. It’s nice having somebody who’s that caliber player who doesn’t necessarily dictate your style. There are certain players that dictate the style you kind of have to play. Lauri gives us a lot of flexibility. It’s a real luxury as a coach and it would appear that that would be a luxury from a team-building standpoint.”