Jamal Murray Likely Out 3-4 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will likely be out three-to-four weeks due to his right hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Murray sustained the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game vs. Chicago. In addition to missing the rest of that contest, he also sat out Monday’s game and will likely be sidelined for the remainder of November, according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski’s report lines up with what head coach Michael Malone said on Monday.
“We’ll kind of continue to talk to our doctors, but his injury is not a one- or two-game injury,” Malone said. “That’s what I do know. This will be something that will be longer than we would like.
“… You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in position to get healthy before he comes back. Because this is an injury that, if you keep having recurring hamstring injuries or soft tissue injuries, they can linger and become even worse. And that’s the one thing we do not want to happen.”
It’s a tough blow for Murray, who missed the entire 2021/22 season with a torn ACL. His return last season was well worth the wait, however, as he had a spectacular playoff run in helping Denver win its first title.
Through six healthy games, Murray was averaging 18.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 8.7 APG on .436/.438/.842 shooting (34.4 MPG). Denver’s starting point guard is under contract through ’24/25.
Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a super-max veteran extension – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he earns All-NBA honors in ’23/24. But the league instituted a games-played requirement (min. 65) to make All-NBA teams going forward, and the 26-year-old will likely be out at least 12-to-14 games with the hamstring strain. Even assuming he has an All-NBA caliber season, it could be challenging for him to play at least 65 games.
Reggie Jackson has been starting in Murray’s place, with Collin Gillespie receiving minutes at backup point guard. Rookie first-rounder Julian Strawther has also been receiving more run and playing well. The defending champions are currently 7-1 ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Golden State.
Walker Kessler Out At Least Two Weeks With Elbow Sprain
Second-year center Walker Kessler suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the Jazz announced in a press release.
According to the Jazz, Kessler initially sustained the injury during the team’s season opener on October 25. However, the injury wasn’t formally diagnosed until recently, when the 22-year-old underwent an MRI. He had been playing through discomfort the past couple weeks.
While it’s obviously unfortunate that Kessler was injured, it doesn’t sound like the UCL sprain will require surgery. The 7’1″ big man will be resting and participating in non-contact activities over the next two weeks in order to facilitate his recovery process, per the team.
Tony Jones of The Athletic first reported that Kessler would likely be out multiple games with an elbow injury.
Kessler, the 22nd overall pick in 2022, was an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2022/23 and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 9.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 2.3 BPG while shooting 72.0% from the field across 74 games (40 starts, 23.0 MPG). He was particularly effective in the second half of last season once he became Utah’s full-time starting center, averaging 11.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 2.9 BPG in 34 games (29.0 MPG).
The Jazz have gotten off to a slow start in 2023/24, currently sitting with a 2-6 record. Kessler’s numbers are down compared to his rookie season as well — he has averaged 8.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 2.1 BPG while shooting 54.9% from the floor through eight games (24.0 MPG). Obviously, the elbow injury may have been negatively impacting his performance.
With Kessler sidelined for at least the next seven games, frontcourt players like Kelly Olynyk, Omer Yurtseven and Luka Samanic figure to move up on the depth chart.
Warriors Sign Gui Santos To Three-Year Deal
NOVEMBER 7: The Warriors have officially signed Santos, per NBA.com’s transaction log. His contract is worth the minimum across all three seasons, including a prorated $1,029,483 salary for the rest of the 2023/24 season.
Only $75K of that money is guaranteed, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who adds that the second and third seasons are non-guaranteed. The deal includes a third-year team option.
NOVEMBER 6: The Warriors are finalizing a three-year contract with 2022 second-round pick Gui Santos, report Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link).
Golden State will use the second-round pick exception to sign Santos, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Due to their tax situation, the Warriors can only offer free agents a minimum-salary contract, which can only run for up to two years. Using the second-round exception will allow the Warriors to give Santos a three-year deal.
Santos, 21, was selected No. 55 overall last year. He signed a G League contract with Santa Cruz (Golden State’s affiliate) in 2022/23 and was essentially a draft-and-stash prospect because the Warriors still held his NBA rights.
A 6’8″ forward from Brazil, Santos averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.2 APG on .500/.333/.813 shooting in 26 regular season games with Santa Cruz last season. He had a strong Summer League showing for the Warriors this offseason and also played for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup.
A report at the end of August indicated that Santos was unlikely to play for the Warriors this season, in part because they would have to buy out his contract from Brazilian club Minas. That deal reportedly expires at the end of ’23/24. Evidently there was a change of plans, however, and now Golden State will be giving the young wing a three-year standard contract.
The Warriors only have 13 players on standard contracts after waiving several training camp invitees before the ’23/24 season started. Instead of signing an external free agent, they’ll be adding Santos for their 14th spot, which they were required to fill within 14 days.
Golden State will still have a standard roster opening even after signing Santos, but it seems unlikely that the team will sign a player to fill that 15th spot until later in the season in order to maintain roster and financial flexibility.
Northwest Notes: Jackson, Nuggets, Towns, Edwards
Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray sustained a right hamstring strain on Saturday and has been ruled out for Monday’s contest against New Orleans. Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports expects Murray to miss a couple weeks, noting that the Nuggets are often cautious when it comes to managing injuries.
Murray being sidelined means Reggie Jackson, who had been the primary backup, will likely take over as starter. As Wind writes, Collin Gillespie and Jalen Pickett could be in line for minutes at point guard behind Jackson, with Gillespie getting the nod on Saturday.
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- After winning their first championship in 2022/23, the 6-1 Nuggets once again lead the Western Conference and head coach Michael Malone says they aren’t resting on their laurels, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “I think we’re playing a very effective brand of basketball,” Malone said. “Our defense has been pretty good. Our offense, besides turning the ball over too much, has been very good. I’m always looking for improvement, so I think we can be playing so much better on both ends of the floor. But there has been no championship hangover from our guys coming into this season. There has been no thought that we can just turn it on because we’re the defending champs, and the guys deserve a lot of credit for that. They have understood the responsibility that comes along with winning a championship. And for most nights of the year, they have come out with that proper mindset and approach.”
- The Timberwolves have the league’s best defense early on in 2023/24, but their offense looked sluggish until Saturday’s dismantling of the Jazz, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Karl-Anthony Towns, who had been in a shooting slump, finished with a season-high 25 points (on 7-of-14 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line), while Anthony Edwards had his most efficient scoring night as well (31 points on 13-of-19 shooting). Having both former No. 1 overall picks playing well at the same time may be the biggest key to unlocking Minnesota’s offensive upside, Krawczynski notes. “They’re both hard-wired scorers,” head coach Chris Finch said. “When they see it go in a couple of times, they want to see it go in 10 times in a row. That can be a good thing, but it also can be something you gotta watch. Tonight it felt good.”
- Edwards admits his “selfish” play has been a detriment at times for the Timberwolves‘ offense, and he’s working on impacting the game beyond just scoring, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “Starting with myself, just can’t come out being selfish, worrying about however many points I wanna score,” Edwards said. “I think that’s the main thing with me. I be worried so much about scoring and how many points I got and how many points I’m tryin’ to get instead of just worrying about the little things — rebounding, boxing out, getting back on [defense]. … I think if I come out with the mentality of not worrying about points, we’ll be all right.”
Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum Named Players Of The Week
Warriors guard Stephen Curry (Western Conference) and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (East) have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter).
A two-time MVP and four-time champion, Curry averaged 30.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.3 SPG on a sparkling .574/.523/.870 shooting line in four games last week (31.1 MPG), though he did struggle with turnovers (4.8 per night). He helped lead the Warriors to a 3-1 record (they are 5-2 overall).
Tatum, meanwhile, averaged 31.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 2.7 APG on a remarkable .589/.542/.941 shooting line in three games (31.7 MPG). The Celtics went 3-0 last week and are the league’s only unbeaten team at 5-0.
According to the NBA, Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Jerami Grant, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama were the other nominees in the West, while Scottie Barnes, Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre, Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell, Dejounte Murray and Cam Thomas were nominated in the East (Twitter links).
Injury Notes: Zion, Ingram, Kyrie, Kleber, Nets
While he technically isn’t injured, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will miss Thursday’s game against Detroit — which is the second game of a back-to-back — due to rest, per Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com.
Williamson, who missed the entire 2021/22 season with a foot injury and was limited to 29 games last season due to hamstring issues, is averaging 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists through four games (30.8 minutes) for the 3-1 Pelicans.
New Orleans’ other star forward, Brandon Ingram, is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable with right knee tendinitis. Head coach Willie Green said Ingram underwent an MRI a few days ago, but there was no structural damage in his knee, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The 26-year-old has missed the past two games and is considered day-to-day.
Here are a few more injury notes:
- Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who has missed the past two games with a left foot sprain, is questionable for Friday’s matchup against Denver, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. Big man Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) is also questionable. In an interview with Grant Afseth of DallasBasketball.com, Irving recently discussed a number of topics, including his injury, the team’s 4-0 start, and more.
- Nets center Nic Claxton has been ruled out of Friday’s matchup with Chicago as he continues to deal with a left ankle sprain, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays (via Twitter). On a more positive note, guards Spencer Dinwiddie (left ankle sprain) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left hip contusion) are listed as questionable — both players were sidelined for Wednesday’s victory in Miami.
- Nets first-round pick Dariq Whitehead has progressed to 5-on-5 work with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island, a person familiar with the matter tells Net Income of NetsDaily. Whitehead is recovering from offseason foot surgery and was playing 2-on-2 with teammates and coaches early last week.
Central Notes: LaVine, Williams, Wiseman, Hayes, Pistons
There has been speculation that the Sixers might have interest in Zach LaVine, but a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that the Bulls have “no intention” of trading the two-time All-Star in the near future, and even if they change their mind, Chicago’s front office probably wouldn’t be interested in what Philadelphia has to offer.
LaVine, who is in the second year of a five-year, maximum-salary contract, recently said he’s not bothered to see his name pop up in rumors again. The Bulls are off to a 2-3 start and will face Brooklyn on Friday for their first in-season tournament game.
Here’s more from the Central:
- Patrick Williams was eligible for a rookie scale extension before the season began, but that deadline has passed and now he could be a restricted free agent next summer if the Bulls tender him a qualifying offer. The former No. 4 overall pick has had a very slow start to 2023/24, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 3.2 RPG on .267/.125/1.000 shooting through five games (22.4 MPG). Still, the 22-year-old tells Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic that his contract situation isn’t on his mind. “Nah. None at all,” he said. “Knowing it’s a long season. Knowing what I can do. I’ve always had confidence in myself, what I can do, what I bring to the game. Knowing it’s going to be stretches like this and times like this. It’s all about how you bounce back from it. It’s not a matter of what you go through but how you go through it. I kind of look at it as an opportunity to show what I’m really made of. Everybody can be happy when everything’s going well for them. But when it’s not, when it’s shaky, when you can’t make a shot, when you lose a couple of games in a row, then what are you really made of?“
- Pistons center James Wiseman, another player who could be a restricted free agent in 2024, made his season debut in Wednesday’s loss to Portland, notes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). The 2020 No. 2 overall pick finished with four points and two rebounds in six minutes off the bench, committing four fouls in his limited run, including three in a two-minute span in the first quarter.
- Killian Hayes has once again struggled to score efficiently early in ’23/24, attempting 8.8 shots per game but only averaging 6.4 points (on .273/.235/.571 shooting), and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic believes it may be time for the Pistons to remove him from the starting lineup. As Edwards writes, Hayes got a starting guard spot after a strong preseason showing, but Detroit’s loss to Portland is the latest evidence that the team needs more offensive spacing. Alec Burks (once he returns from injury) and Jaden Ivey are logical choices to start, but Edwards wonders if rookie Marcus Sasser might be the best option for what head coach Monty Williams is seeking (shooting and defense).
Former Suns Star Walter Davis Passes Away
Walter Davis, who starred in college at North Carolina, passed away on Thursday morning of natural causes, the Tar Heels announced in a press release. He was 69 years old.
Many of Davis’ top NBA accomplishments came while he was on the Suns, who selected him fifth overall in 1977. He earned an All-Star nod, was named second-team All-NBA, and won Rookie of the Year during his debut season in 1977/78. He followed that up with All-Star and second-team All-NBA honors in ’78/79.
The 6’6″ guard/forward made six All-Star teams in 11 seasons with Phoenix, and he remains the team’s all-time leading scorer. His No. 6 jersey was retired by the Suns.
Davis, who won a gold medal with the U.S. in 1976, averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals over the course of 15 years in the NBA, which included stints with the Nuggets and Trail Blazers at the end of his career (1033 regular season games, 27.9 minutes per night). He shot 51.1% from the field and 85.1% from the free throw line.
We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Davis’ friends and family, which includes his nephew, former NBA guard Hubert Davis, who is currently head coach of the Tar Heels.
Southeast Notes: Muscala, Shamet, Hornets, Hawks
Wizards big man Mike Muscala, who was acquired from Boston this offseason in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, got the Latin phrase “carpe diem” (it translates to “seize the day”) tattooed on his right forearm this summer in honor of his late mother, who passed away prior to 2022/23. As Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network writes, the 11-year veteran tries to his embody his mother’s zeal for life by bringing her “positive energy” and gratitude, both on and off the court.
“You owe [the starters], when you come in off the bench, just to have that extra energy, and try to, like you said, bring a spark,” Muscala said. “It doesn’t got to be anything crazy, but something to just kinda change the game up a little bit, figure out how you can fit into that. I feel like we got a lot of guys on this team that can do that, too. That’ll be a big thing for us throughout the season.”
Muscala, 32, has appeared in three of Washington’s four games, averaging 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per night. He’s playing on an expiring $3.5MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- Wizards guard Landry Shamet, another offseason addition who was acquired from Phoenix in the Bradley Beal trade, made his ’23/24 season debut on Wednesday, recording eight points, two assists and a steal in 12 minutes. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), Shamet had missed all of preseason and Washington’s first three games with a fractured left toe. Now on his fifth team in six seasons, Shamet could be a free agent next summer — his contract is only guaranteed for this season.
- Slow starts to games and poor defensive rotations have plagued Charlotte through four games, with the Hornets off to a 1-3 start. Head coach Steve Clifford said he’s still trying to figure out how to juggle the rotations, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “That’s ever evolving,” Clifford said. “That’s every day. To be honest with you, I think once you start playing, I think if you talk to most coaches, that’s what you spend your time on. But I do have to be careful in that it still starts with you want the guys on your team to be in rhythm when they are playing. And you can’t just do, ‘We are going to play match-up basketball every night,’ because you can’t be taking guys out. I really think if a guy doesn’t play at least six minutes, you can’t expect him to play well.”
- Hawks head coach Quin Snyder told reporters on Wednesday that minutes at power forward will be split between Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson and — to a lesser extent — De’Andre Hunter, who mostly plays the three. Neither Snyder nor the players are concerned with who starts, per Brad Rowland (Twitter link). “People get fixated on starting,” Snyder said as part of a larger quote. “It is what it is. You go watch a game in Europe, they start different lineups all the time and no one thinks anything of it. … I think, particularly in Saddiq and Jalen’s case because they’ve both started games, they haven’t thought about it the way the general public thinks about it. … And that’s refreshing, because I think it shows their commitment to the bottom line, which is not the stat sheet. It’s the wins.”
Keon Johnson Signs Two-Way Contract With Nets
NOVEMBER 1: The Nets have officially signed Johnson to a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release.
OCTOBER 31: Free agent guard Keon Johnson plans to sign a two-way deal with the Nets, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
As our tracker shows, the Nets have an open two-way spot, so they won’t need to waive anyone to sign Johnson. Their 18-man roster will be full once the move is official.
Johnson, the 21st overall pick of the 2021 draft, was sent to Phoenix from Portland in the three-team blockbuster that saw Damian Lillard land with Milwaukee. The 21-year-old was waived by the Suns last week, just before the season started, due to the team’s roster crunch.
The fourth-year option on Johnson’s rookie scale contract was declined when he was cut by Phoenix, though the team will still be paying his $2.8MM salary this season. After clearing waivers, the third-year guard became an unrestricted free agent, but he was ineligible to return to the Suns on a two-way deal since his contract was guaranteed for more than $75K (the maximum two-way protection amount). Phoenix is now the lone NBA team with a two-way opening.
An explosive athlete who was viewed as a developmental project when he declared for the draft after one college season at Tennesseee, Johnson struggled to score efficiently over his first two NBA seasons with the Clippers and Trail Blazers, averaging a combined 5.9 PPG, 1.8 APG and 1.6 RPG on .362/.343/.739 shooting in 77 games (14.4 MPG). Due to the Nets’ crowded backcourt, Johnson will likely be spending a good chunk of 2023/24 in the G League with their affiliate in Long Island.
If Johnson officially signs on Wednesday, he’ll earn a two-way salary of $534,045 and will be eligible to appear in up to 48 regular season games.