Bradley Beal Out At Least One Week With Hamstring Strain
An MRI has revealed that Bradley Beal has a low-grade left hamstring strain, the Wizards announced in a press release. He will miss Washington’s next three games and will be reevaluated in one week.
Beal missed six games last month with a low-grade right hamstring strain, returned for five games, and then injured the hamstring on his other leg. He missed three games with left hamstring soreness, but aggravated it when he returned to action in Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee.
“I tried to make a few accelerations, and (it) kind of prevented me from doing that,” Beal told reporters. “It’s frustrating because I didn’t have that the last 48 hours. Nobody wants to play more than me. But I’ve just got to be smart about it.”
Through 24 games (33.6 MPG), Beal is averaging 22.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.2 APG and 1.0 SPG on .525/.340/.861 shooting. With Beal sidelined, players like Corey Kispert and Delon Wright could receive more minutes.
The Wizards are currently 17-22, the No. 11 seed in the East, but they only trail the Bulls by a half-game for the final play-in spot.
Celtics Trade Vonleh To Spurs; Spurs Waive Dieng, Vonleh
3:18pm: The trade is now official, per Boston. The Celtics acquired a future protected second-round pick from the Spurs to complete the deal.
The Spurs have waived both Dieng and Vonleh, as expected, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
1:08pm: The Celtics are trading big man Noah Vonleh and cash considerations to the Spurs, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Spurs are waiving center Gorgui Dieng to create a roster spot for Vonleh, who will also be waived, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
It’s a salary dump move for Boston, as Vonleh’s salary is non-guaranteed and would have become fully guaranteed if he remained under contract through Saturday. The Celtics will free up a roster spot and save $7.15MM toward their projected luxury tax bill, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The Celtics will also generate a small $1.16MM traded player exception, Marks notes (via Twitter). That’s the amount of guaranteed money owed to Vonleh.
The 27-year-old was a deep-bench reserve for Boston. In 23 games, he averaged just 7.4 minutes per contest. The ninth overall pick of the 2014 draft, Vonleh has played for eight different teams in as many NBA seasons. He played in China in 2021/22.
San Antonio has plenty of cap room available — $27.1MM, per Marks — to waive Dieng’s guaranteed salary without worrying about the financial implication. He was on a veteran’s minimum deal and rarely saw the court this season, appearing in just 13 games with averages of 4.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.0 APG in 11.6 MPG.
In fact, the Spurs are well below the salary cap “floor” of $111,290,000, so it was an easy decision for them from a financial standpoint — adding more money to the books just means they’ll be that much closer to the floor. If they don’t reach the threshold, the Spurs are obligated to make up the difference by distributing the shortfall to the players on their roster.
San Antonio will also open a roster spot with an eye toward flexibility ahead of the February 9 trade deadline. Since the Spurs still have so much cap room available, they’re likely to be involved in more minor trades that involve dumping salary.
The Spurs will have to send something back to Boston to make the trade official, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic, likely something with little-to-no value, like a heavily protected second-round pick or the rights to a draft-and-stash player.
As Hollinger tweets, it’s possible that a couple more players with non-guaranteed contracts could be traded in advance of the January 7 deadline, with an eye on savings toward the luxury tax.
Celtics’ Marcus Smart Fined $35K By NBA
Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $35K for “directing inappropriate language toward a game official,” the NBA announced (via Twitter).
Smart received a second technical foul and was ejected for the incident during Tuesday’s blowout loss in Oklahoma City.
The veteran guard is no stranger to fines, having been docked several times over the course of his nine-year career. The 28-year-old was the No. 6 overall pick of the 2014 draft and has spent his entire career with Boston.
Through 34 games (32.9 MPG) in 2022/23, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 11.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, a career-high 7.4 APG, and 1.3 SPG on .424/.333/.763 shooting splits. The Celtics are currently 26-12, the top record in the league.
Jae’Sean Tate To Return Thursday Following Lengthy Absence
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate will return to action on Thursday against Utah, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tate will be on a minutes restriction, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (Twitter link).
The 27-year-old has only appeared in three games thus far this season, having last played on October 30. He has been dealing with a right ankle injury, which was evidently quite cumbersome given his lengthy absence.
Tate re-signed with Houston on a three-year, $22.1MM deal as a restricted free agent in the offseason. In his first two NBA seasons, both with the Rockets, he averaged 11.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.1 SPG on .501/.310/.701 shooting in 148 games (135 starts, 27.7 MPG).
It will be interesting to see which players have their minutes reduced with Tate returning to the lineup — the Rockets have a lot of young forwards on their roster.
Central Notes: Williams, Donovan, Jackson, Grant, Pistons
Bulls forward Patrick Williams, the fourth overall pick of the 2020 draft, might not be progressing at the rate that many had hoped, but he is still improving, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The 21-year-old scored a season-high 22 points on just eight shot attempts in Wednesday’s victory over Brooklyn. He also contributed seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“I’m just maturing in this league,” Williams said. “That [wrist] surgery last year cost me, what? Sixty-some [65] games? But where it cost me was the experience, playing. So I’m trying to learn on the fly and get better. And to be honest with you, I’m enjoying this maturation process. Maybe not everyone else is enjoying how quickly it’s happening, but my mindset has changed a lot lately and I feel like so has the mindset of my teammates.”
Williams, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason, is averaging 9.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 0.9 BPG on .462/.411/.929 shooting through 38 games (28.7 MPG).
Here’s more from the Central:
- There has been some talk of Zach LaVine being frustrated about not getting his number called in clutch situations at the end of games, even though he publicly said he was fine with DeMar DeRozan getting most of those looks. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan pushed back on the notion that LaVine isn’t involved in his late-game plays, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).
- Pacers big man Isaiah Jackson has been out of the rotation lately, so he’s temporarily heading to the G League to get more playing time with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, including Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). The Pacers tweaked their starting lineup to go small, starting three guards and Aaron Nesmith at power forward, which moved Jalen Smith to backup center and cut into Jackson’s minutes. Jackson, who turns 21 next week, was the 22nd pick of the 2021 draft.
- Forward Jerami Grant was traded to Portland in the offseason, but he appreciated his time with the Pistons, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). “I think it was a very important step in my career,” Grant said. “For me, just going (to Detroit) and being able to kind of spread my wings and show people what I can do. Not just on the defensive end, but also on the offensive end. I think it opened a lot of people’s eyes going there. I’m grateful for Detroit and (general manager) Troy (Weaver).”
Southwest Notes: Morant, Brooks, Zion, Pelicans, Wright
Grizzlies star Ja Morant is being sued, according to TMZ Sports. The lawsuit was reportedly filed by a 17-year-old who was playing a pickup game at Morant’s home over the summer. The two got in a verbal altercation and the teenager threw the ball at Morant’s face, with Morant punching him in return.
The point guard admitted to striking the teenager, per TMZ, but said it was in self-defense after he’d been threatened. Police investigated the incident and referred the matter to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, which declined to press criminal charges, as Lucas Finton of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays.
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- Morant and the rest of the Grizzlies appreciate Dillon Brooks‘ contributions, even if some question his shot selection, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Insider link). “He’s the head of the snake on the defensive end for us,” Morant said. “Guards the best player, takes on that challenge every single day. Obviously when he’s out there, being Dillon, he gives us a lot of energy. And then once he goes to the offensive end and makes shots, it’s hard for teams to guard us.”
- Expect the Pelicans to be very cautious with Zion Williamson‘s hamstring strain — they can be very tricky injuries and are prone to being aggravated if not fully healed, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. Williamson is officially out at least three weeks, but Guillory thinks it will be longer than that. He also expects Brandon Ingram to return to action pretty soon, though it’s hard to say exactly when — the forward has been dealing with a big toe sprain, but has been ramping up his practice activity.
- Mavericks point guard McKinley Wright IV, who is on a two-way contract, has been getting some run lately with so many key rotation players injured. He’s grateful for the opportunity to play NBA minutes, as Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com writes. “It’s been a dream come true for me,” Wright said. “Everybody’s dream is to play in the NBA and I’ve been earning pretty valuable minutes to help contribute to our winning. Right now, that’s defending the ball, bringing energy off the bench and using my speed to get downcourt. I’m thankful to be in the position I am.” The former Colorado star has primarily played in the G League in his first two pro seasons.
Injury Notes: Caruso, Warren, Payton, Vassell, Payne
Alex Caruso was ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday’s win over the Nets after suffering a sprained right ankle, the Bulls announced (via Twitter). The veteran guard rolled the ankle when he jumped and landed on Ben Simmons‘ foot, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).
As Johnson notes (via Twitter), it’s an unfortunate setback for the defensive stalwart, who recently returned from a three-game absence after dealing with a concussion and shoulder sprain. We’ll have to await further updates to see if Caruso will miss more time with the injury.
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Nets forward T.J. Warren suffered a left rib contusion in the same game and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. After playing just four games over the previous two seasons, Warren has provided a nice spark off Brooklyn’s bench in 2022/23, averaging 10.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.5 APG on .548/.318/.857 shooting through 13 games (20.2 MPG).
- Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II made his season debut on Monday and the team definitely appreciated his “all-out effort,” writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. “Most teams don’t have a guy like him,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. Unfortunately, the free agent addition was ruled out in advance of Wednesday’s loss to the Wolves, as he’s dealing with a right ankle sprain (Twitter link).
- Devin Vassell is having a breakout season for the Spurs, but he continues to be hampered by left knee soreness. The third-year guard was out for Wednesday’s loss to the Knicks, with head coach Gregg Popovich referring to his status as day-to-day due to injury management, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link).
- In his just his second game back from right foot soreness, which caused him to miss nine games, Suns guard Cameron Payne aggravated the injury in Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Payne said he tripped when called for a foul on Donovan Mitchell and was ruled out for the second half. “Our team just called it. Just told me to wrap it up for the night,” he said.
Warriors Hopeful Stephen Curry Can Return Next Week
Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is optimistic that reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry can return to action sometime next week, possibly next Friday in San Antonio, according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.
“He’s working out on the court, and the two-week mark to reevaluate him this weekend,” Myers said on Bay Area radio station 95.7. “There have been no setbacks, so (next Friday) would be a hope. That’s what we would be shooting for, something in that range when he could be back. He’s been, not contact, but out there doing all this stuff. He looks like the same guy. He’s got a sleeve on his shoulder and arm.”
The Warriors announced earlier today that Curry would be reevaluated on Saturday. He sustained a left shoulder subluxation on December 14 while trying to strip the ball away from Pacers big man Jalen Smith. Next Friday, January 13, would be just over four weeks since he was initially injured.
Head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that next Friday is a realistic timetable for Curry’s return, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
“I think so. He’s progressed really well,” Kerr said.
When Curry first went down, there was some fear that Golden State’s season might spiral out of control. The team lost three of its first four contests without the star guard, including a couple of blowouts.
However, the Warriors have righted the ship, reeling off five straight home wins to move to 20-18, the No. 9 seed in the West. The Warriors finish off their lengthy home stand against Detroit (Wednesday), Orlando (Saturday) and Phoenix (next Tuesday) prior to the January 13 contest in San Antonio.
The eight-time All-NBA guard was having another stellar season prior to getting injured, averaging 30.0 PPG, a career-high 6.6 RPG, 6.8 APG and 1.0 SPG on .500/.434/.919 shooting through 26 games (34.4 MPG). Until he returns, Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson will continue to carry a heavy offensive load.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Klay, Kawhi, Clippers, Kings
The Warriors provided updates (via Twitter) on several injured players on Wednesday evening. Star guard Stephen Curry will have his left shoulder reevaluated on Saturday, which is in line with what the team previously announced.
Starting forward Andrew Wiggins has begun practicing and is ramping up his conditioning after missing the past 14 games due to a strained right adductor and then an illness. He will be reevaluated later this week, per the team.
The Warriors also announced that JaMychal Green (right lower leg infection), Jonathan Kuminga (right foot sprain) and James Wiseman (left ankle sprain) will all be out at least one more week — that’s when they’ll be reevaluated.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Klay Thompson missed two-plus seasons after a couple of major injuries, first a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, followed by a torn Achilles tendon. On Monday, he scored a season-high 54 points in the Warriors‘ double-overtime victory over the Hawks, a performance he doesn’t take for granted. “It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Thompson said, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “There were some hard days for me when I didn’t know that this would be possible in real time. I am just going to embrace the heck out of it.”
- After missing Monday’s loss to Miami with a non-COVID illness, Kawhi Leonard is no longer on the Clippers‘ injury report for Thursday’s contest in Denver, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Paul George, who tweaked his hamstring on Monday, is listed as questionable, while Nicolas Batum is out with a left ankle sprain.
- Can Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue find lineups that work whether or not Leonard and/or George are in the lineup? Law Murray of The Athletic explores that topic, writing that if Lue is unable to optimize the current group, trades could be in order for a team that hopes to compete for a championship.
- The Kings have three players — Matthew Dellavedova, Chima Moneke and KZ Okpala — on partially guaranteed deals, and none are locks to have their salaries guaranteed for the rest of the season, writes James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com. It’s possible one or more might be released in the next few days (the deadline to waive partially and non-guaranteed deals before they become fully guaranteed is January 7) in order to create roster flexibility ahead of the trade deadline, according to Ham, who says the Kings figure to be aggressive in their push to break their lengthy playoff drought.
Collin Sexton Out At Least A Week With Hamstring Issue
Collin Sexton, who turns 24 on Wednesday, will miss at least a week due to hamstring weakness, according to Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). The Jazz guard did not participate in Monday’s practice and he will rest and be reevaluated in a week.
The Jazz initially announced that Sexton had sustained a mild right hamstring strain on December 8, a day after playing the Warriors. He wound up missing a couple weeks — including seven consecutive games — before returning on December 22.
Through 32 games (10 starts, 24.1 MPG), Sexton is averaging 14.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG and 2.9 APG on .487/.386/.844 shooting. While he has scored efficiently this season, posting a career-high .605 true shooting percentage, defense and shot selection remain an issue for the talented guard, and his adjustment to playing point guard more often has been pretty bumpy — his 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio is not ideal.
With Sexton out, the 19-20 Jazz will likely lean on Nickeil Alexander-Walker for backup point guard minutes. There’s a chance Talen Horton-Tucker could receive some playing time as well, though he’s rarely seen the court of late.