Injury Notes: Curry, Green, Johnson, Morant, Booker, Green, Gafford, Williams, Poole
Good news for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is no longer on the injury report, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). Curry hasn’t played since Nov. 26 due to a quad injury.
The future Hall of Famer will suit up against the Timberwolves on Friday but two Golden State frontcourt players won’t be available. Draymond Green will miss the game for personal reasons, while Al Horford continues to be sidelined by a nerve issue in his back.
Here’s more injury-related news:
- The Wizards list four prominent players — Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert, Alex Sarr and Khris Middleton — as out for their game against Cleveland on Friday (Twitter link). However, one key player isn’t on the injury report. Lottery pick Tre Johnson, who has been sidelined since Nov. 21 due to a hip flexor, is expected to suit up.
- The Grizzlies list seven players as out for their against Utah on Friday. Star guard Ja Morant isn’t one of them. Morant is considered questionable to play. A right calf strain has sidelined him since Nov. 15.
- Suns star guard Devin Booker will return either Sunday against the Lakers or next Thursday against the Warriors, according to Arizona radio host John Gambadoro (Twitter link). Booker hasn’t played since Dec. 1 due to a groin injury. Jalen Green, who has only played two games this season due to a hamstring strain, is tracking toward a return just after Christmas, Gambadoro adds.
- The Mavericks list big man Daniel Gafford as doubtful to play against Brooklyn on Friday due to right ankle injury management, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets.
- The Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams (illness) and Yang Hansen (facial contusion) won’t play against New Orleans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. Both players were originally listed as questionable.
- Jordan Poole is available to play for the Pelicans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. He has been out since Nov. 4 due to a left quad strain.
Hornets Guard Josh Green Could Make Season Debut On Friday
Hornets guard Josh Green could make his season debut on Friday. He’s not listed on the team’s injury report for its game against the Bulls, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets.
Green underwent left shoulder surgery in June and has been rehabbing the injury since the procedure. Green was unable to participate in training camp but has made steady progress. He was assigned to the team’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, last week to get additional practice time.
Green is in the second season of a three-year, $41MM contract. He appeared in 68 games with Charlotte in 2024/25, all but one as a starter, and averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 27.8 minutes per contest.
Green, who spent his first four seasons with Dallas, will boost a backcourt that has been thinned by injuries. LaMelo Ball (left ankle bone bruise), Tre Mann (right knee bone bruise) and Collin Sexton (left quad strain) are listed as out for Friday’s game (Twitter link).
Monte Morris Signs With Olympiacos
December 10: Morris has officially signed with Olympiacos, the team announced in a press release.
December 9: The Greek team Olympiacos is in advanced talks with veteran NBA guard Monte Morris, according to Michalis Stefanou of Eurohoops.net.
There’s optimism from the EuroLeague club that an agreement can be reached with Morris sooner rather than later on a one-year contract. The point guard became a free agent when the Pacers waived him on Nov. 21 after he appeared in six games, averaging just 10.8 minutes per contest.
Indiana had signed Morris two weeks earlier. The Pacers originally planned to sign him to compete for a roster spot in training camp, but the deal fell through when he sustained a calf injury in late September.
The 30-year-old played 45 games (12.7 MPG) for Phoenix in 2024/25, averaging 5.2 PPG, 1.6 APG and 1.5 RPG on .426/.360/.826 shooting. He has also played for the Nuggets, Pistons and Timberwolves.
Frank Ntilikina, Saben Lee and Evan Fournier are among the former NBA players on the Olympiacos roster.
Magic, Knicks Advance To Cup Semifinals
The Magic and Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas with victories on Tuesday. They’ll face each other in the East semifinal on Saturday at 5:30 ET, the league confirmed (via Twitter).
Orlando was carried by a big outing from offseason acquisition Desmond Bane. He scored 37 points, while Jalen Suggs added 20 points and Paolo Banchero supplied 18. The Magic trailed by 13 after the first quarter, pulled within one by halftime, then outscored Miami 61-51 in the second half.
The Heat had four starters with at least 19 points, led by Norman Powell‘s 21.
The Knicks moved on with a 117-101 win over the Raptors. Jalen Brunson was the star of the game with 35 points. Josh Hart contributed 21 points and Karl-Anthony Towns tossed in 14 with 16 rebounds. Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points.
New York took control in the second quarter, outscoring Toronto 34-13.
The teams that were eliminated on Tuesday will now play each other on Monday, as the Heat will host the Raptors at 7:30 ET, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.
The Suns and Thunder will square off in the first of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday, with the Lakers and Spurs playing in the late game. The winners of those two contests will face one another in the West semifinal on Saturday.
Northwest Notes: Kessler, Hendricks, Hyland, Braun, Gordon, Strawther
Jazz center Walker Kessler indicated to the media that his season-ending left shoulder injury stems back to his college days at Auburn. Kessler only played five games before surgery was required.
“I’ve had a posterior labrum tear on my left shoulder since Auburn. I think the Tennessee game, I tore it and just kind of tried to play through and strengthen it,” Kessler said, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “The doctor explained it … there’s no amount of strength that’ll keep it from slipping out again and again. So he told me, ‘You got to have the surgery.'”
If he didn’t address the problem, Kessler could have endured many more issues with the shoulder during his career.
“Another thing is, the more you sublux it, the more risk of injury (there is), of destroying everything around it: you know, the rotator cuff, the anterior labrum, and so that’s why it was necessary,” Kessler explained.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- After suffering a severe leg injury last season, Taylor Hendricks has been in and out of the Jazz rotation and is now getting reps in the G League, Larsen notes. “I think right now, the G League minutes are so important for Taylor, because he needs as many repetitions as he can get at the reactive part of the sport that you just can’t replicate when you miss a year,” coach Will Hardy said. “Getting your body used to making those decisions and reacting and fully trusting your body in those moments is where we’re trying to get to with Taylor.” The 2023 lottery pick has appeared in 13 games with Utah this season.
- Bones Hyland has at least temporarily displaced Rob Dillingham in the Timberwolves rotation, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “We’re 24 games in, and I thought it was time to try something different,” coach Chris Finch said. “(Hyland)’s been patient. He’s been playing really well in practice, doing everything we ask him to do. We need a spark there.” Hyland, who signed a one-year contract during the offseason to return to Minnesota, had 14 points and three assists in 16 minutes against Phoenix on Monday.
- Nuggets coach David Adelman doesn’t expect Christian Braun (ankle) or Aaron Gordon (hamstring) to return to action before Christmas, Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette tweets. Julian Strawther (back) is a little bit further along in his recovery process. He played some half court 3-on-3 after Tuesday’s practice.
Los Angeles Notes: Paul, Lue, Smart, Kleber, James
Chris Paul says he’s “at peace” with the Clippers’ decision to “part ways” with him and is looking forward to his next NBA opportunity, according to Jordan Greene of People Magazine (hat tip to ESPN).
“I’m actually at peace with everything,” he said. “More than anything, I’m excited about being around and getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next.”
On a related subject, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue denies reports that he wasn’t on speaking terms with Paul.
“That ain’t true,” Lue said, per Clippers beat writer Joey Linn (Twitter video link). “We were talking. How he gonna play and I’m not talking to him? There was a stretch when he wasn’t gonna play and be out of the rotation, it was tough for him because he’s a competitor.”
Lue added he wasn’t part of the final conversation with Paul when the future Hall of Famer was told by team officials that he was no longer welcome around the club. Lue added that Clippers players aren’t happy about the decision but he has “no problem with Chris.”
Here’s more on the Los Angeles teams:
- Lakers guard Marcus Smart is not on the injury report for the team’s NBA Cup game against the Spurs on Wednesday. Smart missed the last six games due to a back ailment. “Back is feeling good. Felt good in practice today … I’m gonna give it a shot tomorrow and see how it feels,” Smart said, according to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell (Twitter link).
- In fact, the Lakers could be at full strength on Wednesday. Maxi Kleber (lumbar muscle strain) is the only player who is considered questionable to play, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets.
- LeBron James scored 29 points — a season high — against Philadelphia on Sunday, including 10 straight points in the fourth quarter. The Lakers forward feels he’s rounding into form, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “At 40 years old, I mean, it just takes a while for my body to kind of get back into a rhythm,” James said. “And so it felt good (Sunday) to kind of feel like myself a little bit.”
Raptors’ Quickley To Miss NBA Cup Game With Illness
Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley will miss his team’s NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Knicks on Tuesday due to an illness, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.
It’s a big blow to Toronto’s chances of advancing. The Raptors are already without RJ Barrett, who is sidelined by a right knee sprain. The good news is that reserve point guard Jamal Shead, who was listed as questionable with a right quad contusion, will play tonight.
Quickley has started all 25 games for Toronto, averaging 16.5 points, 6.2 assists, 4.2 assists and 1.2 assists in 32.2 minutes per game. Shead figures to receive the bulk of his minutes with Ja’Kobe Walter also seeing plenty of action.
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Big Lineup, Fontecchio, Herro
The Heat–Magic matchup in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup will tip off shortly. Bam Adebayo believes Miami can not only make noise during the in-season tournament but also the postseason.
“People are going to call us crazy, but I think we’re a contender,” Adebayo told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “We’re going to be called delusional. But how I look at delusion [is] if you ask how many people could be NBA players, what is the percentage of that? So, you’ve got to have a little bit of delusion when it comes to speaking stuff into existence. Like I always say, ‘Speak stuff into existence that matters.’ Manifest things that matter. Being able to just dream about that, write it down and keep looking at that. That goes a long way. And some of that is real. So, I think we’re contenders when we’re fully healthy.”
Following last season’s trade sending Jimmy Butler to Golden State, Adebayo has embraced the role of team leader and face of the franchise.
“This season, for sure, it’s like I’m the one in the driver’s seat,” Adebayo said. “That’s a big responsibility. It’s a big ask. But if they didn’t believe in me, they wouldn’t put me in the seat. That’s how I look at it. If I haven’t done things in the past where they were comfortable with saying, ‘He can be our guide,’ and I wouldn’t be in this seat.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Coach Erik Spoelstra is banking on the two-big lineup of Adebayo and Kel’el Ware to show improvement. “I just want to see that group, when we play bigger, just for it to be a plus,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “So we have some work to do there. It should be a very good defensive group, but that’s a group that hasn’t been able to defend so far, and we’ve got to continue to work at that.” The Heat has been outscored by 12.5 points per 100 possessions in the 123 minutes Adebayo and Ware have played together this season.
- Simone Fontecchio snapped a three-point shooting slump by hitting four outside shots against the Kings on Saturday. Spoelstra didn’t consider taking the Italian forward out of the rotation despite his shooting woes. “For us we know the value that he brings,” Spoelstra said, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “One way or another, he gives you the gravity. But all the other details, we’ve been really encouraged by the team defense that he provides. He’s very detailed. He’s intentional. He wants to do the right thing defensively. He also has a toughness about him. He handles his own under the basket, rebounding against bigger players. He sticks his nose in there.”
- After a two-game absence with a toe contusion, Tyler Herro was cleared to return for tonight’s game. Herro is averaging 23.8 points in the five games he’s played. He’s in the starting lineup tonight, Chiang tweets.
Warriors Add Malevy Leons On Two-Way Deal, Waive Alex Toohey
3:18 pm: The moves are official, according to the Warriors, who confirmed in a press release (Twitter link) that Leons has taken Toohey’s two-way spot.
2:29 pm: The Warriors are adding 6’9″ wing Malevy Leons on a two-way contract and waiving Alex Toohey, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN (via Twitter).
Toohey requires knee surgery and will miss the rest of the season, according to Slater.
Leons is averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds for the G League’s OKC Blue, the Thunder’s affiliate.
After going undrafted out of Bradley in 2024, Leons signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Thunder last September and was waived before the 2024/25 season began. However, he was re-signed on a standard contract and spent two-plus weeks with the Thunder last fall before being cut in mid-November. He made six cameo regular season appearances for Oklahoma City during his brief stint with the team.
Leons spent the rest of the 2024/25 season with the Blue, appearing in 47 G League games. He was on Oklahoma City’s training camp roster this year via an Exhibit 10 contract but was waived prior to opening night and rejoined the Blue.
Toohey, a 6’7″ forward out of Australia, played two years with the Sydney Kings prior to coming over to the NBA this year. Last season, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 23.0 minutes per game.
Toohey was drafted in the second round in June and signed to a two-way in late September. He has yet to appear in an NBA game.
Timberwolves Notes: McDaniels, Edwards, Shannon, Beringer, Conley
Forward Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points as the Timberwolves notched their fifth straight victory on Saturday, a 109-106 win over the Clippers. He is averaging a career-high 16 points per game while shooting 48.5% from three-point distance.
McDaniels has been primarily viewed as a top-notch perimeter defender during his career but now his offensive game is coming along, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details. McDaniels is applying some of the lessons he learned from Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard when they worked out together in the offseason.
“Just not letting the defense speed you up, play at your pace at all times,” McDaniels said. “And that’s something I took from him and just staying at your own pace. I don’t want to give out too much because, you know.”
His teammates are appreciative of his all-around contributions.
“What he’s bringing to us is huge,” guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “Throughout the game, sometimes we’re all looking for a spark and he delivers. Sometimes we’re looking to put our foot on the neck and he delivers. And sometimes we’re looking for just some steadiness throughout the game. He’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do and what’s expected of him.”
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- Star guard Anthony Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. are listed as questionable to play against the Suns on Monday due to illness, Krawczynski tweets. Neither player attending the team’s shootaround this morning.
- Adjusting to the NBA game is just one of the things first-round pick Joan Beringer is learning this season. The French-born center is also trying to get comfortable with the English language while taking driving lessons. The Star Tribune’s Chris Hine talked to Beringer and some of the team’s coaching staff about the challenges the 19-year-old rookie has faced. Beringer has appeared in nine games off the bench.
- Veteran point guard Mike Conley has been coming off the bench for Minnesota this season, but he has been on the floor during crunch time in four of the past five games that were within five points in the last five minutes, John Schuhmann of NBA.com notes. Conley made two free throws to tie Saturday’s game with the Clippers in the final minute, then set up Naz Reid’s game-winning three-pointer by attacking a close-out and getting into the paint.