Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Towns, Robinson, Anunoby
Trade rumors continue to swirl around Guerschon Yabusele, and the veteran forward/center concedes he thought his time with the Knicks would be much different than what has actually taken place, according to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post.
“It’s definitely not what I was expecting to [do] coming into the season,” Yabusele said before Saturday’s win at Philadelphia. “I thought it would be a little more different.”
After being a rotation regular for the Sixers last season, Yabusele has played a very minor role with New York, averaging just 9.2 minutes per game across 38 appearances. He went scoreless in three minutes against his former team on Saturday.
The 30-year-old sounds open to a new destination, Schwartz writes, as Yabusele recently retweeted a social media post from a French account that read, “A trade and a good situation for the captain [of the French national team], that’s all we’re asking.” Still, he’s not used to being the subject of trade speculation.
“It’s nothing that I can control,” Yabusele said. “Just try to be smart, preparing, [be] as ready as I can. To go out there when my name is called and to give everything on the court.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Head coach Mike Brown said after Friday’s practice that he has made some changes to the offense to help Karl-Anthony Towns, but wing Josh Hart said he’d rather have the big man locked in on other end of the court, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. “It’s a little different [playing under Brown compared to Tom Thibodeau, but] we are basketball players. We have to be able to adapt to different situations,” said Hart. “I think coaches have to adapt, and their players have to adapt to their coach. I think there’s a good middle ground and sometimes we’re still trying to figure that out. At the end of the day, he’s a good offensive player and he’s going to figure that out. He’s gotta make sure he focuses on defense. I don’t wanna hear too much about him shooting. I want to hear about him blocking shots.”
- Towns, who was a game-time decision for Saturday’s contest due to back spasms and appeared to be bothered by the issue throughout the game, only managed to play 16 minutes before fouling out with 5:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
- With Towns struggling, backup center Mitchell Robinson stepped up and helped lead the team to a victory, Bontemps adds. “We locked in defensively,” said Robinson, who finished with six points, 10 rebounds (six offensive), two steals and two blocks. “We came back into halftime to see what we were lacking, especially myself. Defensively in the first half, I ain’t do too great. But definitely in the second half came with more energy.” Robinson, who was plus-14 in 27 minutes, is playing on an expiring $13MM contract and will be a free agent in the summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.
- New York led Saturday’s game by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter, but Philadelphia mounted a comeback bid that came up just short thanks in part to the late-game heroics of OG Anunoby, Schwartz notes. The final two minutes were chaotic, with both teams blowing opportunities, but the Knicks managed to win their second straight game. Anunoby scored five points and dished out an assist on a Landry Shamet three down the stretch. “OG changed the game defensively,” Brown said. “And his quick decisions with the basketball. It was beautiful to watch.“
Trade Rumors: Morant, Antetokounmpo, Yabusele, Pelicans, Clippers
Injuries to two star players may be taking some of the excitement out of the trade deadline, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo were expected to be two of the top names on the market, but Morant suffered an elbow sprain that will force him to miss at least three weeks and Antetokounmpo left Friday’s game with a right calf injury that he expects will keep him out of action for four-to-six weeks.
Bontemps notes that the market for Morant was already shaky, in part because of his availability issues. He has played just 20 games this season and 79 total over the past three years. Morant’s contract, which pays him $42.2MM next season and $44.9MM in 2027/28, also limits his trade value, along with his diminished shooting — he’s currently connecting at 41% from the field and 23.5% from three-point range.
If Antetokounmpo does miss several weeks, the Bucks’ season could be a “lost cause” by the time he returns, Bontemps adds. Already sporting an 18-26 record, it would be easy for Milwaukee to fall down the standings and focus on the draft rather than trying to make a run at the play-in tournament. That could result in a high selection in a year with a loaded draft class, while seeing if Antetokounmpo is willing to commit to signing an offseason extension.
There’s more trade news to pass along:
- The Knicks‘ strategy for the deadline will likely include trading away Guerschon Yabusele, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Begley is the latest media member to suggest the Spurs as a possible destination for Yabusele because of his experience playing alongside Victor Wembanyama on the French national team. Begley mentions Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado as a possible addition for New York, and he doesn’t believe Karl-Anthony Towns will be moved.
- Trading Alvarado could be one of several moves for the Pelicans, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link), who says New Orleans continues to get calls about Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones and Saddiq Bey. No deals are close, but Siegel said there’s a belief around the league that the Pelicans will be active before the deadline.
- Head coach Tyronn Lue doesn’t expect the Clippers to be involved in any major deals, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).“If a team’s trying to trade for you, then somebody wants you,” Lue said. “You could be in other guys’ shoes where nobody wants you, nobody wants to trade for you, and then you’re out of the league. … In our situation, I don’t see much movement. So I think we’ll be good.”
Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Brown, Towns, Dadiet, Giannis
The Knicks are engaged in active talks with multiple teams about big man Guerschon Yabusele, league sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link). An offseason free agent addition, Yabusele hasn’t been a fit in New York, and multiple reports in recent weeks have indicated the Knicks have made him available.
While his $5.5MM cap hit for 2025/26 is relatively modest, Yabusele’s contract also features a $5.8MM player option for ’26/27, which will make him more difficult to move. Despite the Frenchman’s strong season for Philadelphia in ’24/25, he won’t have positive value on the trade market due to his struggles this season (2.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, .394/.317/.667 shooting).
Bondy doesn’t specify which teams the Knicks have talked to, but San Antonio has been frequently speculated as a possible landing spot due in large part to the presence of Yabusele’s frontcourt partner on the French national team, Victor Wembanyama.
We have more on the Knicks:
- With the Knicks looking to snap a four-game losing streak, head coach Mike Brown acknowledged ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Brooklyn that some adjustments to the team’s usual game plan were necessary, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “We’ve made significant changes on both sides of the ball to help them,” Brown told reporters after Tuesday’s practice. “All I’m saying is, we didn’t overhaul anything, throwing it out the window, but we’ve made some changes. And like I said before, my staff’s been great, when you go through this you tell your players to look in the mirror. It starts with me, I’ve got to look in the mirror.”
- Although he reported earlier this week that the Knicks have spoken to multiple teams about the possibility of a Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required) stresses that the team absolutely isn’t looking to sell off the star big man for 50 cents on the dollar. Popper suggests that a Knicks deadline deal is more likely to be a less significant one, perhaps involving Yabusele and/or Pacome Dadiet.
- With the Knicks and Bucks both struggling as of late, James L. Edwards III and Eric Nehm of The Athletic consider whether a deal sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to New York is any more viable now than it was last summer, when the two teams reportedly had brief discussions about the idea. Nehm views an in-season Antetokounmpo trade as very unlikely and both writers agree it would be extremely difficult for the Knicks to put together an offer that would hold real appeal for Milwaukee.
- Ahead of a Knicks/Nets matchup on Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst takes an in-depth look at the relationship between longtime friends Brown and Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez. After the two men met in 2009, Brown – who was coaching the Cavaliers at the time – arranged for Fernandez to take an internship with the team and to train his son Elijah. Fernandez “practically became an extended member of Brown’s family” during that time, Windhorst writes.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Meeting, Trade Deadline, Brown, More
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson called a players-only meeting following Monday’s home loss to injury-depleted Dallas, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
According to Shelburne’s sources, Brunson reiterated that the onus was on the players — not the coaching staff — to find solutions for their struggles over the past few weeks. New York has lost nine of its past 11 games. While the team is still 25-18 and holds the No. 3 seed in the East, it only has a one-and-a-half game lead on the No. 7 Cavs.
Shelburne’s report isn’t surprising, considering what the players said after the game. The Knicks trailed by 28 points at halftime, eventually losing by 17 in a game that was never really competitive.
“We all need to do some soul searching,” Hart said. “Right now we’re playing embarrassing basketball. We’re not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we’ve been abysmal. We’ve been terrible defensively all year.”
For his part, team captain Brunson expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rediscover the play that resulted in a 23-9 start and an NBA Cup title.
“[Our soul searching] should have started a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve got to start tomorrow,” Brunson said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link). “We’ve got to figure this out.
“I have the utmost confidence in every person in this room, in this locker room. Just things haven’t gone our way. But we have the ability to do it.”
Here’s more from New York:
- Head coach Mike Brown didn’t mince words about the team’s performance on Monday, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “They scored 75 points in the first half,” Brown said. “At halftime, we usually do the clips and talk about technical X’s and O’s, all that crap that coaches and teams do. There was nothing to be said at halftime except for ‘Lock in and do your f—ing job.’” Edwards believes the Knicks should “strongly” consider making major changes to the roster ahead of the trade deadline.
- Speaking of the deadline, Fred Katz of The Athletic evaluates five proposals from fans to determine whether the deals make sense for the Knicks or their trade partners. One of the theoretical trades would send Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet to San Antonio for Jeremy Sochan in a cost-cutting move. Katz says he personally wouldn’t make the deal and thinks the Knicks are unlikely to as well, though he doesn’t rule it out entirely if they can’t find anything else of value for Yabusele and/or Dadiet.
- In an appearance on NBA Today, Shelburne said the Knicks were not happy with Brown for an incident that took place during Thursday’s loss at Golden State. Draymond Green fouled Karl-Anthony Towns on a post-up and was arguing with an official after the play. Brown, an ex-Warriors assistant who coached Green for six years, evidently found the exchange amusing and the two hugged near the sideline (YouTube link). “That hug did not land well with a lot of folks in New York,” Shelburne said. “In that locker room, in that organization — while you can understand he might have a bond with Draymond Green — I don’t think that landed well.”
- Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News passes along a few more quotes from Monday’s loss.
Spurs Notes: Olynyk, Trade Deadline, Wembanyama
Kelly Olynyk has acquired a lot of knowledge during his 13 NBA seasons, and he’s happy to share it with his young Spurs teammates, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe writes in a subscriber-only story. At age 34, Olynyk has mostly been a mentor since being traded to San Antonio last summer, averaging just 9.7 minutes of action in 26 games. But he’s not complaining about his new responsibilities.
“Your role changes but it’s something I enjoy, helping others,” he said. “I had a lot of guys help me along the way. The ins and outs of the league and how to be a professional, just what you’re trying to pass on to these kids and it’s awesome to be part of. You want to see them succeed. You want to be a part of a team and something great, and that’s where this team is going. To be able to have your voice heard is special.”
The Spurs are Olynyk’s eighth team, and they may provide his best chance to win a title as their young core develops around Victor Wembanyama. Olynyk, who is in the last year of his current contract, hopes to remain with the franchise for several more years, saying he still has a passion for the game, even when playing pickup in the gym.
“I’m blessed that I haven’t had any major injuries or setbacks,” he said. “It’s hard to stay in this league for 10 years and then you get to 12, 13, and I’m super blessed to be able to do that. You just don’t know, but for me it’s awesome and it’s something where I wake up every day and love going to work. If that ever fades then you stop playing, but if it doesn’t then you ride it until you can’t no more.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- The Spurs are only 5-6 since Christmas Day, but they’re still ahead of schedule in their development and don’t need to make a major trade this season, contends Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). He suggests a smaller deal such as possibly moving Olynyk or Jeremy Sochan to add another shooter or role player and states that Knicks big man Guerschon Yabusele might be worth considering because of his experience playing alongside Wembanyama on the French national team.
- Wembanyama limped to the locker room early in Thursday’s game after bumping knees with Giannis Antetokounmpo, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama was able to return, but McDonald notes that he has come up limping four times in the past seven games. Wembanyama understands that the injury risk is part of being a star in a physical league. “We have a target on the other team’s best players as well,” he said. “Never in a dirty way, but that’s just what we all have to go through.”
- Antetokounmpo, who had a build similar to Wembanyama’s when he entered the league, believes “the sky’s the limit” for the French star “as long as he can stay healthy,” relay Jared Weiss and Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Sources tell the authors that the Spurs want Wembanyama to become more aware of injury prevention during games and to fall on the floor less often.
Knicks Notes: Trade Targets, Buyout Restrictions, Hart, Achiuwa
All signs point to the Knicks having a desire to move Guerschon Yabusele ahead of the trade deadline. Marc Stein reported as much recently, and that reporting has been confirmed by Stefan Bondy of the New York Post as well as by The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III.
In a recent mailbag for The Athletic, Edwards broke down the various limitations facing the Knicks – who have few expendable trade assets and little financial flexibility – as they look to improve their depth. The Knicks are currently only about $150K below the second apron and is unable to take back more money than they send out in a deal.
They’re unlikely to move on from any core pieces, and players like Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson have proven themselves important to the rotation. While Robinson is on an expiring contract that could make him a trade candidate, his ability to generate multiple possessions via offensive rebounds has become a staple of the team’s offense. McBride’s team-friendly deal also makes him unlikely to be moved.
That leaves Yabusele and possibly second-year wing Pacome Dadiet as the odd men out, in addition to whatever draft capital the Knicks are willing to surrender. Edwards notes that the two players’ combined salaries work out to roughly $8.3MM, so any trade would likely be for a player who makes around that much (or less) — Edwards notes Miami’s Simone Fontecchio is one player whose cap hit is right in that neighborhood.
When it comes to what kind of player the Knicks will prioritize, Edwards writes that his understanding is that the team is most interested in adding someone who can both handle the ball and defend, whether on the wing or in the backcourt. The team has plenty of guards already, but after McBride and Jordan Clarkson, the depth remains somewhat unproven.
Edwards adds that there has been talk of the team considering a reliable third-string big man as insurance for Robinson, who is prone to missing time.
We have more from the Knicks:
- Another impact of the Knicks’ financial situation is their ability to be players on the buyout market. While contenders are often able to add impact players after the trade deadline via the buyout player pool, the Knicks will not be able to sign any player who made more than the $14MM mid-level exception prior to being bought out by their team. Their position relative to the tax apron will also prevent them from adding a free agent until April unless they reduce their team salary at the deadline.
- The Knicks have become worryingly reliant on Josh Hart, writes Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. They’re 12-3 when Hart starts and 5-5 when he doesn’t play, but the impact goes beyond the win and loss columns. Winfield writes that the team’s offensive identity, built around ball movement and hammering the offensive boards, goes away without Hart, as does their defensive toughness. “He just does so many things for us that are hard to replace as a singular player and we — starting with me — have to do a better job of finding ways to continue to elevate others around us,” said head coach Mike Brown.
- Precious Achiuwa doesn’t believe that last year’s second unit got a fair shake, he told Bondy ahead of the Knicks’ matchup with the Kings on Wednesday. “I’m not going to sit here and go back and forth on what is a good bench and what is not a good bench,” he said. “But you can’t say something isn’t working if you’ve never tried it.” After playing well for former head coach Tom Thibodeau the previous year, Achiuwa found his minutes and role were inconsistent and he struggled to find his place with the 2024/25 team. “It wasn’t easy knowing things that you’re able to do to contribute to a team like that — especially if you just did it the year before and fast forward a year later, you’re not even given an opportunity to do that, to help get success in that type of way,” Achiuwa said. A New York native, Achiuwa said he’d never rule out a return to the Knicks if things broke that way.
Stein’s Latest: Morant, Young, Knicks, Gafford, More
Ja Morant has become the name to watch in NBA trade circles following reports that the Grizzlies were open to listening to offers for their star point guard.
In his latest article for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein notes that, due to their reported interest in trade targets like Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Domantas Sabonis, there is a belief around the league that the Raptors may be facing internal win-now pressure, which could lead to them making a play for Morant.
Stein also states that, despite rumors that the Kings aren’t looking to making a move for the oft-injured point guard, he has heard rumors that Sacramento’s interest in Morant could be piqued if the Grizzlies would consider a return built around DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter, and draft assets.
Carter was the 13th pick in the 2024 draft but has struggled to carve out a role with the Kings, averaging just 8.4 minutes this season.
Morant has played 18 games this season and is averaging 19.0 points and 7.6 assists on .401/.208/.900 shooting splits.
We have more from Stein’s latest newsletter:
- One of the lingering questions following the Wizards‘ trade for Young is whether Washington will extend its newly acquired guard. Stein, who notes that the Hawks’ refusal to extend Young was one of the impetuses that led to their separation, says there are rumblings that the four-time All-Star will ultimately land a two-year extension. With Young widely expected to see little to no action during the second half, Stein notes that the Wizards will likely to point to Toronto’s handling of Brandon Ingram last year as a precedent if the league takes issue with their new point guard sitting out. Ingram didn’t suit up for the Raptors last season, with the team citing an ankle injury.
- The Knicks have struggled to regain their footing after claiming the NBA Cup, winning just one of their last six games. While it’s unlikely that they’ll part with any of their core players, Stein writes that Guerschon Yabusele and second-year wing Pacome Dadiet are both available as New York attempts to tinker around their margins. Yabusele, after a breakout return to the NBA with the Sixers last season, has struggled to find a rhythm or role in coach Mike Brown‘s system, leading to him being in and out of the rotation. Dadiet, the 25th pick in the 2024 draft, has seemingly been overtaken in the rotation by youngsters like Mohamed Diawara and Kevin McCullar Jr., having played just 44 minutes in 14 games.
- While the Hawks‘ interest in Davis is well-documented, Stein writes that they also have some level of interest in another Mavericks big man: Daniel Gafford. Gafford offers less upside than Davis, but such a deal would help the Hawks keep Zaccharie Risacher out of trade talks. Stein adds that the Pacers and Celtics are also interested in pursuing the 27-year-old center.
- Spencer Dinwiddie is now eligible to sign with an NBA team after parting ways with Bayern Munich, but Stein reports that he could need some time to deal with the personal matters that led to his leaving the EuroLeague club.
- According to Stein, the Mavericks are holding off on waiving Dante Exum to open up a roster spot to promote Ryan Nembhard because they hope they can use Exum’s $3.3MM salary in a trade instead. Decisions on converting two-way players like Spencer Jones (Nuggets), Daniss Jenkins (Pistons), and Pat Spencer (Warriors) will likely all happen after the trade deadline for similar reasons, especially since those players won’t reach their active game limits until around that time.
Knicks Notes: Hart, Young, Brunson, Robinson, McBride, Yabusele
The Knicks have struggled without Josh Hart, who has missed eight games due to a right ankle sprain. Hart could return as early as Sunday when the Knicks visit Portland, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
“I’ll be back at some point. We’ll see. Pretty good little sprain,” Hart said. “If this is my left ankle, I’m back by now. Because I’ve had some good ankle sprains on my left ankle. But I haven’t had many good ankle sprains on my right. This was a good one. After this, I won’t have any ligaments to sprain. So I’ll be solid.”
The Knicks have gone 3-5 without Hart’s all-around efforts, including five losses in their last six games.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- On paper, Trae Young should make the Wizards better, which could increase the possibility of losing their top-eight 2026 protected pick to the Knicks. However, it appears that Washington will allow Young to sit and rest his injuries, rather than boosting the team’s chances this season, Bondy notes. If the Wizards’ 2026 first-rounder lands within the top eight, New York will instead receive Washington’s 2026 and 2027 second-round picks.
- Jalen Brunson didn’t deliver in the clutch on Friday. He shot just 1-for-6 in the fourth quarter with two turnovers, both in the final 95 seconds of a 112-107 loss to the Suns. “I just feel like I need to execute and be better towards the end of the night,” Brunson told Bondy. “That’s when I’m at my best. That’s what I pride myself on. … I just need to be better down the stretch and be more sound and be more fundamental.”
- There are many factors at play regarding Mitchell Robinson‘s impending free agency. The key to determining his market value will be his playoff performances, Bondy opines. As Bondy notes, the Wizards, Clippers, Lakers, Jazz, Nets and Bulls could have significant cap space while several other teams project as non-taxpayers with the full mid-level exception. ESPN’s Bobby Marks projects that Robinson would likely command a full mid-level deal.
- Miles McBride believes he can bring elite defense to the table, he told Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “I know I can be one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA,” he said. “I believe in myself, I believe that guarding really gets us going, gets us out in transition, which we did throughout the second half, which was really big for us.”
- Guerschon Yabusele missed Friday’s game due to a quad injury, Bondy tweets. He played 13 minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday, contributing eight points. Coach Mike Brown is looking for Yabusele to be aggressive when he suits up. “We need him to continue being aggressive if he can snap–drive it. Especially at his size, attacking the rim with aggression,” Brown said, per Schwartz. “And then we need him to rebound, that’s one of the big reasons he’s on the floor. For him to get out and help in that department, that was big.”
Knicks Notes: Losing Streak, Brunson, Towns, Dolan, Brown, Yabusele
The Knicks were clobbered by the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, 121-90, on Monday. Jalen Brunson had a team-high 25 points but no assists while committing six turnovers in the team’s fourth straight loss.
“We just gotta respond. A lot more needs to be said. We keep it internal,” he said, per ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “If we want to be the team we say we want to be, we have to be better, simple as that.”
Head coach Mike Brown said the Pistons physically dominated his club.
“It’s pretty simple, they just physically kicked our ass. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it,” he said. “We had 20 turnovers for 33 points. They were into us the whole game. And then for us, we did it in spurts. And versus a team like that, you can’t do it in spurts. It’s got to be 48 minutes. It’s just as simple as that.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Karl-Anthony Towns scored in single digits for the fourth time this season after reaching double digits in all but one game last season under previous coach Tom Thibodeau. Towns is taking fewer shots under Brown’s offensive scheme. “Biggest adjustment is for me. Like Mike said, I make the biggest sacrifice,” Towns told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “We’re figuring it out. We’ve got a long flight, a practice tomorrow, we’ve got to sit down and figure out who we are and how we want to get back on track.”
- The Knicks got run out of Detroit’s home court almost immediately after owner James Dolan declared the Knicks, as presently constituted, were good enough to win a championship. The owner said he doesn’t anticipate a big move before the trade deadline next month, whether for Giannis Antetokounmpo or somebody else, but a few more performances like Monday’s could alter his thinking, Bondy opines.
- The Knicks are ranked 17th in the league defensively and Brown said “everything is on the table” regarding their defensive schemes, according to The Athletic’s James Edwards III. However, he also downplayed the losing streak to a certain extent. “You have to keep a perspective on it because you’re going to have ups and downs,” he said. “I’ve said this many times, ‘It’s not going to be just like this.’ When you do go down, you hope it’s not three, four or five games. That’s where we are now, but it’s not time to panic. We do have to make sure we are doing what we can do to help this group. Our guys have to try and take it to another level as a group, and not try to do too much, but take it to another level as a group in other areas.”
- Free agent pickup Guerschon Yabusele continues to play sparingly in his fourth season in the league. He’s highly motivated to exercise his $5.8MM option on next year’s deal, rather than returning to Europe, BasketNews.com relays. “If you play three years in the NBA, you get a lifetime pension. After four seasons, medical expenses are covered for life,” Yabusele told a French YouTuber. “And after five years, the medical coverage is extended to the entire family. I want to play for five years here in the NBA so that my family can benefit from that lifetime care. You never know what can happen in life.”
Injury Notes: Lakers, Knicks, Daniels, Watson, McConnell
Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided encouraging updates on injured guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on Monday, tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, has a lower left leg contusion and is considered day-to-day. The 26-year-old had the bruised area taped during the portion of Monday’s practice that was open to the media, Price notes.
Reaves was able to go through portions of Monday’s practice and is also considered day-to-day, Redick said. The fifth-year guard has missed the past three games with a left calf strain the team described as mild.
[UPDATE: Doncic is out Tuesday at Phoenix, but Reaves has been upgraded to questionable, the Lakers announced (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).]
Starting center Deandre Ayton should return to action on Tuesday, according to Price. Ayton won’t be listed on the team’s injury report after sitting out the past two contests due to a sore left elbow.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Knicks will be shorthanded on Tuesday, as Eastern Conference Player of the Week Jalen Brunson (right ankle injury management), defensive ace OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness) and backup big man Guerschon Yabusele (illness) have all been ruled out ahead of the contest at Minnesota, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Brunson missed a couple of games in mid-November due to a right ankle sprain.
- Reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels has been ruled out of the Hawks‘ rematch with Chicago on Tuesday due to right hip inflammation, according to Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link). It will be Daniels’ first absence of the 2025/26 campaign. Reserve forward/center Mouhamed Gueye is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable with a right shoulder sprain.
- Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, who was kneed in between the hip and rib areas last Monday, had a minor setback in terms of the pain he’s experiencing from the injury, head coach David Adelman said ahead of Saturday’s loss to Houston (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). While Watson has been out most of the past three games with the right trunk contusion, it doesn’t sound like a long-term issue — Adelman said the former first-round pick had a 50% chance to play Saturday before he was ruled out.
- Veteran Pacers guard T.J. McConnell will be sidelined for Monday’s game vs. Boston due to left knee soreness, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files relays (via Twitter). McConnell missed the first 10 games of the season with a strained hamstring, but had been active for the past 18 contests heading into Monday.