Latest On Anthony Davis
NBA on Prime insider Chris Haynes hears the Warriors are considering putting together a trade package to try and acquire Anthony Davis (Twitter video link). However, Haynes says the Mavericks aren’t enamored with the assets Golden State could offer for Davis, so if the Warriors do try to make a run at the star big man, a third team might have to be involved.
If it isn’t Davis, the Warriors are still hoping to find a strong defensive center ahead of the trade deadline in February, according to Haynes.
Sources confirm to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com that the Warriors, Raptors and Hawks are interested in acquiring Davis (story via Ashish Mathur).
Whether he remains with Dallas or is traded to a new team, the 32-year-old is expected to seek a lucrative long-term extension once he becomes eligible to sign one in August, per Dallas Hoops Journal. Both Haynes and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) have heard the same.
Davis, who has dealt with numerous injuries over the years, is currently battling a groin strain. He was initially listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest in Sacramento, but has subsequently been downgraded to out.
“Hopefully, it’s not long,” head coach Jason Kidd said of Davis’ absence (Twitter link via Christian Clark of The Athletic).
Haynes also reported that the Hawks are “very intrigued” by the possibility of trading for Davis. In a separate story for Dallas Hoops Journal, Afseth takes a look at Atlanta’s potential interest in the 10-time All-Star, writing that people around the league think the Hawks might be open to a major roster shake-up in order to snap out of their recent funk — they’ve lost five straight games and are just 2-9 in December.
According to Afseth, a Hawks trade package involving Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM expiring contract), Luke Kennard ($11MM expiring salary) and Zaccharie Risacher ($13.2MM in the second year of his rookie scale deal) is very close to what Davis earns this season ($54.1MM), which is one reason why Atlanta is viewed as a potential fit. The Mavs would almost certainly send out another smaller salary or two in that scenario to have additional breathing room below their second-apron hard cap.
Kennard hasn’t made the sort of impact Atlanta was hoping when it signed him to a one-year deal over the summer, Afesth notes. The veteran guard received his first DNP-CD during Friday’s loss to Miami.
Fischer’s Latest: CP3, Harden, Gillespie, Cavs, Knicks
There had been some speculation that Chris Paul could be moved by the Clippers on December 15, the day he became trade-eligible, but that did not occur. While Paul is no longer around the team after Los Angeles announced that it was “parting ways” with the franchise icon, the Clippers are working with his representatives to find Paul a new club that he finds desirable, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Paul’s minimum-salary contract would theoretically be simple to trade from a mechanics standpoint, but a deal doesn’t appear imminent. Sources tell Fischer that it’s possible Paul might be included as part of a larger trade around the February 5 deadline. In that scenario, Paul could be waived by the team that acquires him, Fischer continues, which would allow the 40-year-old to pick a new destination as a free agent.
While the Lakers have been linked to Paul for years, Fischer has been “strongly advised” they aren’t expected to pursue the 11-time All-NBA point guard, who is in his 21st and final season. Houston could theoretically use backcourt depth, but Fischer hears the Rockets are content with their roster right now and likely won’t consider changes until late January due their proximity to the first apron, at which they’re hard-capped.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up, which is centered on point guards:
- The Clippers continue to signal to rival teams that they aren’t willing to discuss trading James Harden, according to Fischer. As he points out, Harden has an implicit no-trade clause for 2025/26 and a $42.3MM player option for 2026/27 that’s partially guaranteed for $13.3MM. In order to approve a potential trade, Harden would likely want to know if the team interested in acquiring him planned to keep him past his July 11 salary guarantee date or if it would be open to re-signing him to a new deal, Fischer writes.
- Collin Gillespie, who is having a breakout season for the Suns, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Rival teams are projecting the 26-year-old to receive a contract similar to the three-year, $27MM deal Ty Jerome signed with Memphis this past summer, per Fischer.
- While rival clubs are reportedly monitoring both players, the Cavaliers have shown no interest to this point in making an in-season deal involving Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, Fischer confirms, echoing reporting from Brett Siegel.
- As Fischer writes, Tyler Kolek‘s impressive recent play with the Knicks has opposing teams wondering if New York will target frontcourt help ahead of the deadline instead of a veteran point guard. It’s unclear which position the Knicks will ultimately look to fortify.
Pistons Expected To Promote Daniss Jenkins To Standard Deal
The Pistons are considered likely to give Daniss Jenkins a promotion at some point in the coming weeks, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who reports that there is a “growing expectation” that Jenkins’ two-way contract will be converted to a standard deal.
Jenkins has been active for all 31 of Detroit’s games this season. Two-way players are permitted to be active for up to 50 games in a season, so the conversion will likely occur closer to the February 5 trade deadline.
A 24-year-old point guard, Jenkins performed exceptionally well during a five-game span in mid-November when the Pistons were hit hard by injuries. He was nominated for the Player of the Week award in the Eastern Conference for games played from Nov. 10-16.
While Jenkins’ role has been reduced with the Pistons at full strength, he continues to be part of the team’s rotation, appearing in 15 of the club’s past 16 games. Overall, the second-year guard has averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 assists and 1.8 rebounds on .427/.356/.771 shooting in 25 appearances, including six starts (16.2 minutes per contest).
In order to promote Jenkins, the Pistons would have to make a change to their standard roster, which is currently at the maximum of 15 players under contract. Isaac Jones‘ roster spot appears the most tenuous — his minimum-salary contract is non-guaranteed until January 7, and he has only made one appearance with Detroit since he was claimed off waivers on Nov. 6.
Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith Expected To Return Saturday
Pacers small forward Aaron Nesmith has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game in Miami, the team announced (via Twitter).
According to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link), Nesmith is expected to play tonight. He has been out since November 13 — a span of 19 games — due to a left knee sprain.
Head coach Rick Carlisle indicated on Friday evening that Nesmith had a chance to return at some point in December.
In 11 games this season, Nesmith was averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while converting 37.3% of his three-point attempts, though he’s also shooting a career-worst 35.9% on twos. The latter figure will likely normalize over time, as 11 games is obviously a small sample size.
The 26-year-old wing, who is a strong and versatile perimeter defender, played an important role in helping Indiana reach the NBA Finals last season. Nesmith signed a veteran contract extension in October and cannot be traded in 2025/26.
Longtime backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who played 14 minutes in Friday’s loss to Boston, will be out Saturday due to right hamstring soreness, per the Pacers.
Injury Notes: Knueppel, Sengun, Fox, Davis, Adebayo
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, one of the early frontrunners for Rookie of the Year, suffered a right ankle injury late in the second quarter of Friday’s game in Orlando and was ruled out for the second half of the eventual win, the team announced (via Twitter). Knueppel appeared to come down on Desmond Bane‘s foot after contesting a floater near the basket, causing him to roll his ankle (Twitter video link).
Head coach Charles Lee said after the game that X-rays on Knueppel’s ankle were negative, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is dealing with left calf tightness and is listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest vs. Cleveland, according to the NBA’s official injury report (hat tip to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com). The 23-year-old was also questionable for Thursday’s game at the Lakers prior to being upgraded to available. Sengun made his first All-Star appearance in 2024/25 and there’s a good chance he’ll be in the exhibition game again in 2025/26 if he maintains his current level of production. Through 26 games, the Turkish center is averaging 22.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block in 35.6 minutes per contest.
- Former All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, who had a huge first half on Thursday in leading the Spurs to their third straight victory over Oklahoma City, is questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Utah due to left adductor tightness, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Fox had appeared in each of San Antonio’s past 22 games after missing the first eight contests of the season with a hamstring injury.
- While Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Anthony Davis is expected to miss multiple games with a mild right groin strain, the Mavericks have listed the five-time All-NBA forward/center as questionable for Saturday’s matchup at Sacramento with right adductor soreness, per Marc Stein (Twitter link). Davis exited Thursday’s loss at Golden State after experiencing groin spasms. The hip adductor muscles are part of the medial (middle) thigh and injuries to the area are often called groin strains.
- The Heat will be cautious with Bam Adebayo‘s injury, head coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Friday’s game vs. Atlanta, which the star big man missed due to lower back soreness. “I think if we handle it now, he’ll be fine,” Spoelstra said after Friday morning’s shootaround, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He’s pretty sore.” Miami had lost eight of its past nine games entering Friday, but bounced back with a decisive victory over the struggling Hawks.
Lakers’ Reaves Out At Least Four Weeks With Grade 2 Calf Strain
Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain and will miss at least four weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced on Friday (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic).
The gastrocnemius is the largest and most powerful muscle in the calf.
Reaves suffered a mild left calf strain on December 8 and returned to action on December 23. He experienced soreness in his calf in yesterday’s game against Houston, forcing him to leave the eventual loss at halftime. An MRI confirmed the strain.
While the Grade 2 gastrocnemius strain seems likely to be connected to the initial injury Reaves suffered earlier this month, it’s technically a different part of his calf, team and league sources tell Woike. The calf is comprised of the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris muscles, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Reaves told fellow guard Luka Doncic on Thursday that he wasn’t sure how severe the injury was, according to Woike.
“Just hoping. I just say, ‘If you need something to help with, I know how it is to go to a calf injury.’ It’s not fun at all,” said Doncic, who suffered a calf strain last Christmas in his final game with Dallas. “Just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous.”
It’s a tough blow for Reaves, who is playing for his next contract. He’ll almost certainly turn down his $14.9MM player option for 2026/27 and sign a new deal as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The 27-year-old was in the midst of a breakout fifth season for Los Angeles, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .502/.365/.873 shooting in 23 games (35.3 minutes per contest). He was a strong candidate to make his first All-Star appearance this season and likely would have been in the Most Improved Player conversation as well, but his latest injury will make him ineligible for the award, as he has already missed six games and will be out at least 14 more.
It’s also rough timing for the Lakers, who started out 15-4 but have lost six of their past 10 games, including three straight. Head coach JJ Redick was highly critical of the team’s professionalism and commitment to winning following Thursday’s loss, as we relayed this morning.
Keegan Murray To Miss At Least One Week With Calf Strain
Kings forward Keegan Murray has been diagnosed with a mild right calf strain after undergoing an MRI, a source tells Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento (Twitter link).
Murray, who sustained the injury in Tuesday’s loss to Detroit, will be reevaluated in one week, according to Cunningham. He will likely miss at least the next four contests before being checked out again.
The Kings officially confirmed the news in a press release (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee).
Murray, 25, missed the first 15 games of the season after undergoing thumb surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb in mid-October.
Murray, who would rank second in the league in minutes per game (37.1) if he had made enough appearances to qualify, was averaging 14.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks in 15 outings. His shooting slash line was .438/.263/.765.
Nets Sign Chaney Johnson To Two-Way Contract
The Nets have signed free agent Chaney Johnson to a two-way contract, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
A 6’7″ small forward, Johnson was a key reserve for an Auburn team that reached the Final Four last season, averaging 9.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 38 games (23.5 MPG) as a senior in 2024/25. He went undrafted in June and spent training camp and part of the preseason with the Cavaliers prior to being released from his Exhibit 10 deal.
Johnson, 23, has been playing in the G League with the Cleveland Charge to open the 2025/26 campaign. Through 16 games (25.5 MPG) with the Cavs’ affiliate team, the Alabama native has averaged 12.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .604/.400/.731 shooting.
Brooklyn had the only two-way opening in the NBA, so no corresponding move was necessary to add Johnson.
RJ Barrett Considered Day-To-Day After Full Contact Work
5:50 pm: Lottery pick Murray-Boyles was actually a late scratch, per Murphy (Twitter link), so either his symptoms resurfaced or there was a miscommunication at some point.
5:15 pm: Raptors wing RJ Barrett has missed extended time due to a right knee sprain, but he’s inching closer to a return. Head coach Darko Rajakovic said Barrett was able to do full contact work on Friday and is progressing “really well,” according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, who tweets that the Torontonian is now considered day-to-day.
Barrett was already ruled out of Friday’s contest at Washington, which will be his 15th straight absence. The 25-year-old guard/forward last played on November 23.
Barrett resumed on-court activities last week as he continues to ramp up toward his return. He received a PRP injection to promote healing in his injured knee earlier this month.
The No. 3 overall pick of the 2019 draft, Barrett was off to a solid start to 2025/26 prior to sustaining the injury on November 23 vs. Brooklyn. Through 17 games, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.9 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .506/.356/.725.
Rajakovic said pregame that Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles will be active on Friday, Murphy adds. Both forwards were battling illnesses, but they’re feeling better now. They were previously considered questionable.
Toronto is currently 18-13, the No. 4 seed in the East.
Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, Cedric Coward Will Return Friday
December 26: Morant and Coward will be active Friday, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter). Both players will be on minutes restrictions, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
December 25: The Grizzlies could get a pair of starters back on Friday, having listed point guard Ja Morant and Cedric Coward as questionable to suit up against Milwaukee (Twitter link).
Morant sprained his left ankle last Monday in just his second game back from a right calf strain which sidelined him for 10 contests. He has missed Memphis’ past four games with the ankle issue.
Coward, the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s draft, is dealing with left heel soreness. He was out for Tuesday’s loss in Utah, the first absence of his rookie campaign.
The Grizzlies have been decimated by injuries once again in 2025/26 and will be without six players (Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, John Konchar, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Vince Williams Jr.) on Friday. The team has still managed to be competitive though and holds a 14-16 record after 30 games.