Los Angeles Clippers Rumors

Jackson Jr., Brunson Named Players Of Week

December 22nd, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to NBA Communications (Twitter links).

This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson Jr., who averaged 27.0 points on 55.6% shooting, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week. Jackson Jr. recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.

Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.

It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup.

Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award. Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.

Ivica Zubac To Miss At Least Three Weeks With Ankle Sprain

December 21st, 2025 at 4:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

Ivica Zubac will be out for at least three weeks for the Clippers after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, reports NBA on Prime’s Chris Haynes (via Twitter).

Zubac exited Saturday’s game against the Lakers after playing just 10:47 due to the injury. He is averaging 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season after having a breakout year for the Clippers and earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team in 2024/25.

The victory over the Lakers broke the Clippers’ five-game losing streak and earned them their seventh win on the season, as they’ve struggled to find success on either end of the floor. They come into Sunday ranked 24th in offensive rating and 26th in defensive rating, with the fifth-worst record in the league.

The loss of Zubac will be a difficult blow to overcome for the team, as backup center Brook Lopez, who signed with the team this offseason, has struggled to make an impact. However, Lopez stepped up on Saturday, scoring 11 points and adding two blocks in a season-high 25 minutes.

Stein’s Latest: Atkinson, Harden, Sabonis, White

December 21st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

There have been “rumbles in coaching circles” that Kenny Atkinson’s job is becoming less safe amid the Cavaliers‘ recent stumbles and their disappointing 15-14 record, Marc Stein of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Atkinson led the Cavs to the best record in the East a year ago in his first season with the team, but a second-round playoff ouster and this season’s shaky start have built up frustrations in Cleveland.

A report that owner Dan Gilbert is “very unhappy” with the team’s recent play provides another reason to be concerned about Atkinson’s job security. The Cavaliers headed into the season expecting to challenge New York for the top spot in the East, but they’re currently in play-in territory after dropping eight of their last 11 games, with several losses coming against teams near the bottom of the standings.

However, a source tells Stein that Gilbert’s anger is unlikely to result in a quick coaching change. He points out that Gilbert was one of Atkinson’s strongest supporters during the hiring process, preferring him over James Borrego, who’s now the interim head coach in New Orleans.

Stein shares more inside information from around the league:

After speculating in a recent column that the struggling Clippers might listen to offers for James Harden before the deadline, Stein heard from a rival front office member who’s expecting Harden to be made available in trade talks. Stein points out that as a one-year Bird Rights signee who remained with his team, Harden has the ability to veto any trade he doesn’t like. Harden’s new contract technically covers two seasons, but it contains a player option with a partial guarantee.
With Domantas Sabonis projected to miss at least four-to-five more weeks while recovering from a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, Stein points out that there’s a chance he might not return to the court by the February 5 trade deadline, which is roughly six-and-a-half weeks away. Stein states that it’s unclear if the Kings are willing to listen to trade offers for the former All-Star center, as they prefer to part with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. However, there’s sure to be league-wide interest in Sabonis if the front office commits to a full rebuilding project.
Stein hears that rival teams are getting the impression that the Bulls are more willing to consider trading Coby White than they’ve been in the past. White has an expiring $12.9MM contract this season and is headed for unrestricted free agency next summer. Stein notes that White’s modest salary complicates Chicago’s effort to get back equivalent value in a deal, since he’s unlikely to sign an extension before reaching unrestricted free agency next summer.

Clippers Notes: Lue, Zubac, Paul, Niederhauser

December 21st, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers‘ season got a little brighter on Saturday with a win over the rival Lakers, but they have a long way to go to recover from a disastrous start, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Prior to the game, coach Tyronn Lue challenged his team to go 35-20 the rest of the way to reach .500 and later amended that to 36-19 for a winning season.

That may not be realistic for a team that entered the night near the bottom of the Western Conference, but Lue wants to give his players something to shoot for. He wasn’t completely happy with the performance on Saturday, but he hopes it will move the team in the right direction.

“We got to start at one,” Lue said. “We told our guys that today. I thought we came out with the right intent. Like I said, being up 15 at halftime, I thought we should have been up probably 20 to 25. And that second half, we just didn’t run through the tape. We got to get better with that. But it is a huge win for us.”

Lue adopted a must-win mentality for Saturday’s game and relied heavily on his stars, playing Kawhi Leonard nearly 42 minutes and James Harden almost 41 minutes. The Clippers snapped a five-game losing streak, picking up their first victory since December 3 and their first win at home in more than seven weeks. Although they’re still in a dire position, holding the league’s fifth-worst record and owing their first-round pick to Oklahoma City, there’s at least some hope for the future.

“I think we’ve probably led in every single game we played,” Harden said. “We’ve had big leads and then allowed them to just (dissolve), however that looks. So just finding a way to win a game, man. And it feels like it’s been forever, but I feel good.”

There’s more on the Clippers:

The only downside on Saturday was the loss of center Ivica Zubac, who suffered a left ankle injury in the first quarter and was ruled out of the game, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Zubac, who’s averaging 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per night, hasn’t missed a game all season. The Clippers said his condition will be evaluated Sunday.
LeBron James told reporters after the game that he hasn’t talked with longtime friend Chris Paul since the Clippers announced they were “parting ways” with him earlier this month (video link from McMenamin). James declined to give his opinion on the situation, saying, “It’s not for me to comment on, to be honest. It’s none of my business.”
Lue wasn’t able to offer an update about the status of first-round pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who has been experiencing knee soreness, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). The rookie center has only made one brief appearance since December 3.

Derrick Jones Jr. Participating In Five-On-Five Scrimmages

December 20th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Derrick Jones Jr., who’s sidelined with an MCL sprain, has begun playing in five-on-five scrimmages, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Murray suggests that Jones might be able to beat his projected timetable for a return in early January.

Injury Notes: Markkanen, Davis, Lakers, Grizzlies, Mann

December 19th, 2025 at 11:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is likely to miss his second straight game on Saturday vs. Orlando, with Utah officially listing him as doubtful due to right groin injury management (hat tip to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune).

The 28-year-old is off to a strong start to the 2025/26 campaign, averaging a career-high 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal on .469/.352/.893 shooting through 24 games (35.3 minutes per contest). Second-year big man Kyle Filipowski started Thursday’s loss to the Lakers with Markkanen out.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis battled through an illness and a left calf contusion in Thursday’s overtime victory over Detroit, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “Still feel under the weather,” said Davis, who finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks in 37 minutes. “I actually threw up twice during the game, but I’m just trying to compete. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win. Just leaving it all on the floor.” Davis was returning from a one-game absence due to the calf issue.
The Lakers will continue to be without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness) for Saturday’s contest at the Clippers, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic. Forward Rui Hachimura is questionable to suit up due to right groin soreness.
An eye-popping nine Grizzlies will be unavailable for Saturday’s game in Washington, the team announced (via Twitter). A pair of two-way players (GG Jackson II and Jahmai Mashack) are on a G League assignment, but the other seven players — including Ja Morant (left ankle sprain) and Vince Williams Jr. (left knee soreness) — are out due to injuries.
Hornets guard Tre Mann could return to action on Saturday in Detroit, having been listed as probable to suit up (Twitter link via the team). Mann has missed the past seven games, with his most recent injury designation being a right knee bone bruise. Pat Connaughton (right calf strain) is questionable for Charlotte, while Collin Sexton is doubtful as he continues to deal with a left quad strain.

Evaluators Split On Keon Ellis’ Value

December 19th, 2025 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at potential Lakers trade targets, Dan Woike of The Athletic reports that league sources believe the current asking price for Kings guard Keon Ellis is a protected first-round pick.

Ellis, who will turn 26 next month, has a reputation as a solid defender, is a career 41.8% three-point shooter, and is earning just $2.3MM in 2025/26, making him an appealing option for teams not well positioned from a cap perspective to acquire a player on a larger contract.

However, there’s not a consensus on Ellis’ value, according to Woike.

One league source who spoke to The Athletic referred to the fourth-year guard as “maybe the most divisive player in the league,” pointing out that rival scouts are high on him but neither Mike Brown nor Doug Christie has been comfortable leaning on him consistently in Sacramento. After starting 28 games and averaging 24.4 minutes per game last season, Ellis has made two starts and averaged 17.6 MPG in 2025/26.

As Woike explains, some skeptics believe Ellis’ defensive skill set is more suited to generating turnovers than to actually slowing down opposing offensive offensive players, while others have reservations about his size and ability to hold his own against bigger guards.

It’s also worth noting that Ellis will reach unrestricted free agency in July if he doesn’t sign an extension before then (he’ll become eligible on February 9), so a team acquiring him would risk losing him for nothing during the 2026 offseason.

Still, Woike believes Ellis is one of the possibilities being considered by the Lakers, who could badly use another defensive-minded player in their rotation. Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., Nets guard Terance Mann, Hornets wing Josh Green, and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu are among the other potential targets Woike mentions, though he cautions that not all of them will be available, especially for a price the Lakers would be comfortable meeting.

Los Angeles only has one tradable first-round pick (in either 2031 or 2032) and one movable second-rounder (2032). The team could also offer a handful of first-round pick swaps. The trade value of Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder, has slipped since last season, as he has fallen out of JJ Redick‘s regular rotation this fall.

Stein’s Latest: Kings, Harden, Kessler, Rozier, Jones, Payton

December 18th, 2025 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

If executives around the NBA were asked which team is viewed as the most likely seller ahead of this season’s trade deadline, many would name the Kings first, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

“Active is the word I would use to describe them,” one exec said of Sacramento.

Few players on the Kings’ roster are off limits, with the team seemingly open to inquiries on anyone outside of fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, Stein writes.

Sacramento has “certainly” made veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan available, Stein continues, though the club is reportedly telling teams that it has no intention of attaching draft assets – or highly regarded guard Keon Ellis – to any of its higher-paid vets in order to accommodate a deal.

Stein has more to share from around the NBA:

A number of teams are keeping a close eye on Clippers guard James Harden, a source tells Stein. Given L.A.’s disappointing record, Harden’s age (36), and his contract situation (he holds a partially guaranteed player option for 2026/27), the former MVP would make an intriguing trade candidate if the Clippers are open to moving him. Stein points out that the Timberwolves are among the teams seeking a play-maker on the trade market.
Echoing recent reporting from Grant Afseth, Stein says the Pacers have registered interest in Walker Kessler, though he adds that the Jazz have shown no signs that they want to trade the big man ahead of his restricted free agency.
Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA haven’t confirmed one way or another whether the Heat would be permitted to trade Terry Rozier while he remains on leave following his arrest in connection to a federal gambling investigation. However, Stein hears that the Heat are “quietly confident” that the league wouldn’t block them from making a deal that includes Rozier’s $26MM+ expiring contract for salary-matching purposes.
Nuggets two-way forward Spencer Jones is being viewed as a near lock to have his contract converted into a standard deal later in the season, Stein reports. Denver has an open spot on its 15-man roster but is navigating the luxury tax line. Still, the club seems likely to promote Jones, who has been active for all 25 Nuggets games so far and has averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on .564/.448/.682 shooting in 10 games since entering the starting lineup.
Like big man Christian Koloko, veteran guard Elfrid Payton has also recently joined the Spurs‘ G League affiliate in the hopes of making an impression on NBA evaluators at this weekend’s NBAGL Showcase, Stein notes.

Pacific Notes: Brooks, LeBron, Maluach, Harden

December 18th, 2025 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns were a +12 when Dillon Brooks was on the floor in Sunday’s game vs. the Lakers, but were without him in the decisive final seconds of the fourth quarter after he received his second technical foul and was ejected from the game. It was his first ejection since joining the Suns and was a reminder of an important lesson, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic.

“How to stay in the game and be able to affect the game when I’m in the game,” Brooks said of that lesson. “That’s my problem through my whole career, is I let those things happen and then I’m off the floor. Then at the end of the day, how much people hate on me and say I’m not a good player and all that, but when I’m on the floor it changes the whole game.”

Brooks went back and forth with LeBron James during Sunday’s game. The Lakers star received a technical foul in the third quarter for aggressively trying to confront the Suns forward after he felt Brooks intentionally batted the ball at him, then Brooks was hit with his second technical foul with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter after chest-bumping James.

Speaking on Wednesday, Brooks said that James received “a lot of special treatment” and added that he wasn’t sure what LeBron was upset about during that third quarter incident.

“I guess he’s a social-media junkie,” Brooks said. “He be all over the socials, so he be seeing I guess what I’m saying. … Like I’ve (said) he thinks that people should think a way about him or not say nothing about him or play a certain way, and I’m not going to play that way. He gets in his moods or in his modes or whatever it is. I’m all for that.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

With James’ statistics down across the board through his first nine games this season, Zach Kram of ESPN considers whether Father Time has caught up with the 40-year-old, evaluates whether the Lakers forward has permanently adjusted his playing style, and explores the lineups the team is using with its big three of James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. The Lakers have a -5.1 net rating in 132 minutes with that trio on the floor together, despite the fact that Doncic and Reaves have a +8.6 mark in their 442 minutes sharing the court.
Suns lottery pick Khaman Maluach has barely played at the NBA level so far this season, logging just 59 total minutes in 12 appearances off the bench. However, the rookie big man is making an impact in the G League, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Maluach has four straight double-doubles for the Valley Suns and is averaging 19.8 points and 15.3 rebounds per game during that stretch. “It’s been great,” Maluach said of his G League experience. “It’s been going good for me, especially at this stage of my development. I need that. I need the reps, the G League reps. It’s great to go down there and just be able to get on the floor, run, get up and down, and get better now. I get to get film and watch film and watch what to work on because sometimes, some stuff doesn’t really show in practice. It can only show during the games.”
Clippers guard James Harden has been ruled out for the team’s matchup with Oklahoma City on Thursday due to a left calf contusion, tweets Joey Linn of SI. Harden appeared to be affected by the calf issue in Monday’s loss to Memphis, as he scored just 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting. His status for Saturday’s game against the Lakers is up in the air, Linn adds.

NBA Will Decide On Expansion In 2026, Silver Says

December 17th, 2025 at 12:00am CST by Rory Maher

At a press conference prior to the NBA Cup championship game, commissioner Adam Silver said the league would determine at some point in 2026 whether it will add a pair of domestic expansion teams, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Tuesday evening marked the first time Silver has given a timeline for a decision on expansion since he first broached the possibility ahead of the 2020/21 season.

“I’d say in terms of domestic expansion, that is something we’re continuing to look at,” Silver said. “It’s not a secret we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle. We’ve looked at other markets, as well. I’d say I want to be sensitive there about this notion that we’re somehow teasing these markets, because I know we’ve been talking about it for a while.

“As I’ve said before, domestic expansion, as opposed to doing a new league in Europe, is selling equity in this current league. If you own 1/30 of this league, now you own 1/32 if you add two teams. So it’s a much more difficult economic analysis. In many ways, it requires predicting the future.

“I think now we’re in the process of working with our teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams and what a pro forma would look like for them, and then sometime in 2026 we’ll make a determination.”

While Silver mentioned the NBA has looked at several possibilities, he clarified to Vardon after the press conference that the league is primarily focused on the cities of Las Vegas and Seattle, which have long been viewed as the frontrunners for potential expansion.

“I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities,” Silver said, per Bontemps. “Obviously we had a team in Seattle that had great success. We have a WNBA team here in Las Vegas in the Aces. We’ve been playing the summer league here for 20 years. We’re playing our Cup games here, so we’re very familiar with this market.

“I don’t have any doubt that Las Vegas, despite all of the other major league teams that are here now, the other entertainment properties, that this city could support an NBA team.”

Silver also discussed several other topics on Tuesday, Bontemps adds, including the ongoing WNBA negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, Chris Paul‘s acrimonious exit from the Clippers, and the number of injuries around the league.

After the press conference ended, Silver suggested the NBA Cup final might be held at different venues going forward, per Jason Jones of The Athletic. The first three in-season tournament championship games were held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“We’ve loved our experience in Vegas,” Silver said in an appearance on the NBA on Prime pregame show. “We’re talking with Amazon Prime about whether it makes sense to maybe go to some unique locations for the final game. They’ve suggested, for example, some storied college arenas. So we’re just looking at other ways to do this.”