Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Morant, Zion, Mavs, Sheppard
The Grizzlies lost for the seventh time in eight games on Wednesday, suffering a 36-point blowout defeat at the hands of the Celtics. Memphis made just 33.7% of its shots from the floor while allowing Boston to convert at a 50.5% clip. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged after the game that the discrepancy in field goal percentage was a reason for the loss, but he was unhappy with his team’s overall effort, according to Jay King of The Athletic.
“I would say this: One way to lose is not to make shots,” Iisalo said. “Today we struggled a lot, even with open three-pointers. We couldn’t convert underneath the basket. At the same time, their shot-making was at a relatively high level. That’s all good. That’s part of basketball. It happens sometimes. The fact that today the Celtics were the things that we aspire to be — faster than the other team, harder working, better organized — that’s a tough pill to swallow as a coach, and I think it should be for all of our guys.
“… You can lose games,” Iisalo added. “That’s part of basketball. But to go away from your identity or the things that we know produce wins, that’s something that we must correct right away.”
The Grizzlies, who are still playing without big men Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke, were also extremely shorthanded in the backcourt on Wednesday. With ball-handlers Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Javon Small all unavailable, Vince Williams Jr. earned the start at point guard. Still, Iisalo didn’t want to use those injuries as an excuse for his team’s performance.
“We got bullied on the boards,” the Grizzlies’ coach said. “I think we gave up almost 40 second-chance points against a team that’s not particularly big or bigger than us. Transition game, that’s one thing, but in the half court we were late for several actions, unable to communicate or arrive with the ball. Basic things. It started out early, obviously, with two early timeouts. And we then had stretches, but nothing consistent.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Although there has been some tension between them in recent weeks, Iisalo said that it has been “great” coaching Morant since he joined the Grizzlies last season, according to King. “We have had a lot of dialogue,” Iisalo said. “We see the game in very similar ways. He’s a very intelligent player. He sees things on video; you don’t even have to point it out, he already knows what could have been an option there. And overall it’s just been a pleasure.”
- Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to resume full-contact, on-court basketball activities, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williamson has been sidelined since November 2 due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, but today’s update suggests he’s making progress toward a return.
- In the wake of Nico Harrison‘s ouster in Dallas, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports contends that it’s time for the Mavericks to blow up their roster and make virtually all of their veterans available for trade. As O’Connor outlines, Cooper Flagg is the kind of prospect a team can build around, and the Mavs could be in position to add another top prospect in a strong 2026 draft. O’Connor also proposes eight hypothetical Anthony Davis trades, suggesting that Atlanta and Detroit are among the teams that look like potential fits.
- Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has taken on more responsibilities this season following Fred VanVleet‘s torn ACL, has had his three best performances of the fall within the past week, averaging 17.7 points in 26.7 minutes per game on .645/.619/.855 shooting during that stretch, as Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle writes (subscription required). “That’s the Reed we like to see,” teammate Kevin Durant said on Wednesday after Sheppard scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Washington. “I think these last three games, he’s just playing freely and not thinking too much, playing under control and knocking down shots. It’s a make-or-miss league, so if you continue to work on your game and become efficient, then the rest of the game is pretty easy for you.”
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Okogie, Kornet, Mavs
The Pelicans‘ first 10 games of the 2025/26 season have gone about as poorly as they could have, according to William Guillory of The Athletic, with star forward Zion Williamson sidelined due to another hamstring injury and Willie Green‘s hold on his head coaching job looking tenuous.
As Guillory writes, even when the 2-8 Pelicans have been relatively healthy, things haven’t gone according to plan — the trio of Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones has a net rating of -11.3 during their 75 minutes on the court together.
Lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen have been two of the only reasons for optimism in New Orleans so far, Guillory continues. Fears has shown off his ball-handling skills and his ability to make things happen in open-court situations while improving as a decision-maker in pick-and-roll scenarios. Queen, meanwhile, has acted at times as the team’s offensive hub and has scored double-digit points in each of his last four games despite playing a relatively modest role (23.5 MPG).
Guillory also singles out offseason trade addition Saddiq Bey as a bright spot for the Pelicans in the early going, observing that the veteran forward has played better in his return from an ACL tear than Jordan Poole has through three weeks. The duo was acquired from Washington in a summer deal that sent out CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk.
Things won’t get any easier for the Pelicans in the near future, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com, who writes that the team is about to begin a five-game home stand against Western Conference opponents that includes matchups with the Lakers, Warriors, Thunder, and Nuggets.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- In an offseason that saw the Rockets acquire players like Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela, minimum-salary free agent addition Josh Okogie flew under the radar. However, he has emerged as a valuable part of the team’s rotation, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Okogie has started seven of nine games and Houston is 6-1 in those starts. “He has the same DNA as the guys that we brought in initially and (does) some of what Dillon (Brooks) did, and Dorian, Jae’Sean (Tate), those guys,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “His defensive versatility, offensive rebounding, being able to knock down those shots, it’s what we need at that position. Takes the pressure off Amen (Thompson), and so he’s a guy you can kind of plug in with all these different lineups, and adds more to our depth than just versatility on defense.”
- After missing seven games due to ankle and shoulder injuries, Spurs center Luke Kornet had a big game in his return on Monday, scoring 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds in a win over Chicago. The Kornet/Victor Wembanyama pairing playfully known as “French Vanilla” came up big down the stretch and now has a +23.0 net rating in three games together, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) details. “It’s good to have him back,” Wembanyama said. “There are not a lot of shot-blockers like him in the league. It’s always good to play with Luke.”
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) considers what’s next in Dallas following the dismissal of general manager Nico Harrison, suggesting that trades involving Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving could take some time to materialize even if the Mavericks are open to moving them. Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) also examines the challenges facing new co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who take over a team that lacks draft assets and features several underachieving veterans.
Cade Cunningham, Nikola Jokic Named Players Of Week
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, while Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been chosen as the Western Conference Player of the Week, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Cunningham led Detroit to four consecutive wins during the week of November 3-9 while averaging 31.0 points and 9.8 assists per game on 54.7% shooting. This marks the second time in his career that Cunningham has received a Player of the Week award.
Jokic also led his team to a 4-0 week, with home victories over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double, with 31.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 11.3 rebounds per contest. His biggest game of the week came last Wednesday against the Heat, when he racked up 33 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds, and three steals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.
Devin Booker (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Julius Randle (Timberwolves) and Alperen Sengun (Rockets) were also nominated in the West.
Pelicans Notes: H. Jones, Queen, Murphy
Former second-round pick Herbert Jones signed a three-year, $68MM extension with the Pelicans over the summer. The 27-year-old forward is now under contract through 2029/30, including a player option for the final season.
In an interview with Grant Afseth of RG.org, Jones says he’s worked to become a more vocal leader for New Orleans, particularly on offense.
“I think most of my growth has come through just being more vocal and telling guys what I see — not necessarily scoring more points, but coming from a defensive-minded guy, telling guys what I see on the offensive end that we might be able to capitalize on,” Jones said. “If the defense is doing something, I can see it and try to give our guys something to beat it.”
Through nine games (30.1 minutes per contest) this season, the 2023/24 All-Defensive member is averaging 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals on .449/.450/.667 shooting. Jones tells Afseth he’s very high on the team’s group of rookies, which is headlined by lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
“Their competitive nature,” Jones said with a smile. “There’s never a day that goes by that we don’t compete. Whenever we do, those guys show up and don’t back down from anything. You gotta love that.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- Speaking of Queen, the ex-Maryland big man has put together an impressive string of games lately, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. During Tuesday’s victory over Charlotte — the Pelicans’ first win of the season — Queen notched 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the fourth quarter, the first player to record such a stat line in any quarter since the NBA started play-by-play tracking in 1996/97. The 20-year-old also impressed Spurs legend Tim Duncan during Saturday’s loss at San Antonio, Walker adds. During the game, which Duncan attended, the five-time champion sent a text message to Pelicans analyst (and Duncan’s former teammate) Antonio Daniels that read, “I really like that Queen guy.”
- After a slow start to the season, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III had a huge night on Saturday against the Spurs, Walker notes. Murphy, who is in the first season of a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension, tied a career-high by scoring 41 points (on 15-of-22 shooting) while also contributing nine rebounds and three assists in the defeat. “It was great and we needed it from him,” head coach Willie Green said. “He scored on every level tonight. He got to the free throw line. He got to the paint. He shot the ball well. He rebounded the ball well, something that we’ve been talking about. We can see him starting to implement it.”
- In case you missed it, you can find all the latest updates on New Orleans — including Jordan Poole‘s quad injury and Zion Williamson‘s reported trade value (or lack thereof) — on our Pelicans team page.
Controversial Decisions May Lead To Willie Green's Departure
- An 0-6 start increased speculation about Willie Green’s job security, and the Pelicans‘ front office had “serious internal conversations” about making a change, Siegel adds in the same piece. Controversial decisions may lead to Green’s demise, Siegel states, citing the choice of giving playing time to rookie point guard Jeremiah Fears ahead of Jordan Poole. Sources tell Siegel that the move caused “visible frustration” for Poole and “did not sit right” with some of his teammates. There was also consternation about starting DeAndre Jordan ahead of Yves Missi, who made the All-Rookie team last year, and lead executive Joe Dumars was unhappy early in the season that Derik Queen wasn’t getting enough minutes.
Jordan Poole Sidelined With Left Quad Strain
Jordan Poole has been diagnosed with a mild left quad strain and will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days, the Pelicans announced (via Twitter).
After playing 27 minutes Tuesday against Charlotte, Poole missed his first game of the season Wednesday at Dallas due to soreness in his left knee. Subsequent testing showed that pain was being caused by the quad issue.
The 26-year-old guard is enjoying a relatively strong start in New Orleans after being acquired from Washington in an offseason trade. He’s averaging 17.3 points and 3.4 assists in seven games, but he’s fallen into a shooting slump lately, going a combined 5-of-25 in his last two outings.
Saddiq Bey was inserted into the starting lineup on Wednesday and may keep that role while Poole is sidelined. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins also saw an increase in their minutes.
The Pelicans’ schedule for the upcoming week includes games against San Antonio (Saturday), Phoenix (Monday), Portland (Wednesday) and the Lakers (next Friday), so Poole may not miss much action if his next reevaluation is positive.
New Orleans is already playing without Zion Williamson, who’s sidelined with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. The Pelicans have won back-to-back games as they try to rebound after an 0-6 start.
Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Young, Zion, Ball, Giannis
Trae Young is still the top star on a Hawks team that’s expected to be a contender in the East, but a rival executive believes Atlanta officials will at least listen to trade offers for the 27-year-old guard, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Young’s future is uncertain because he holds a $49MM player option for 2026/27 and can become a free agent next summer. The Hawks could pursue an extension at any time, but there were no negotiations during the offseason and sources tell Windhorst that no progress has been made on that front.
Young’s situation is complicated by a sprained MCL that will sideline him for at least three more weeks. He led the NBA in assists last season, but he got off to a slow start this year and it’s possible that the Hawks could have a promising future without him. They have a collection of young talent centered around Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher, and they hold the Pelicans’ unprotected first-rounder in next year’s draft.
“Atlanta is good enough to keep Trae and be good and make the playoffs,” an Eastern Conference executive told Bontemps. “But with the pick and Jalen, Dyson and Zach, they’ll at least pick up the phone and listen when called (about Young).”
The Hawks are 3-1 since Young’s injury, although two of those wins came against Brooklyn and Indiana, who are a combined 2-14. Per Windhorst, the sense around the league is that Atlanta’s front office, as well as Young’s representatives, will see how the season plays out before trying to determine his value. He’s eligible for an extension worth up to a projected $230MM over four years, and the team has already committed a combined $55MM to Johnson and Daniels for next season while facing Kristaps Porzingis‘ upcoming free agency.
Bontemps and Windhorst share information on three other NBA stars:
- There’s not much trade interest in Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who’s currently sidelined with a strained left hamstring. The authors point out that it’s already the fifth hamstring injury of Williamson’s career, and he continues to experience physical issues despite his commitment to improved conditioning. Williamson’s contract isn’t guaranteed for the next two years, but teams aren’t eager to take a chance on him considering his history. New Orleans doesn’t own its 2026 first-rounder, so the team’s best option seems to be trying to improve the talent around him. “To be honest, their move might be a win-now trade, not a Zion trade,” a rival executive said. “His trade value isn’t there and they are facing some pressure to win.”
- Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is another talented but oft-injured player who doesn’t seem likely to be traded soon, according to Bontemps and Windhorst. There was hope for improvement in Charlotte this season based on a young core of Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, but Miller is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury and Ball has already missed two games due to an ankle impingement. “Yes, he’s talented, but he doesn’t take basketball seriously enough,” a Western Conference scout said. “It’s hard to build a winner with him because of how he plays, and the liberties he takes for himself when he plays. Would someone take a flier on him? For sure. But Charlotte isn’t taking a flier price for him.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation has calmed down with the Bucks off to a 5-3 start. Antetokounmpo is averaging 32.3 PPG while shooting 67.7% from the field, and his revamped supporting cast has been better than expected. However, Windhorst advises caution, pointing to an earlier report from Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo is likely to take 20 to 25 games to assess whether the team can be a real contender.
Western Notes: Warriors, Mavs, Achiuwa, Pelicans, Reaves
Warriors forward Jimmy Butler exited Tuesday’s win over Phoenix in the second quarter due to lower back soreness and is listed as questionable to play in the second end of the team’s back-to-back set on Wednesday, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Golden State could be missing multiple stars against Sacramento tonight. Stephen Curry has already been ruled out due to an illness that was bothering him on Tuesday, while Slater hears that Butler is more likely than not to be inactive. Draymond Green is also listed as questionable due to a right rib contusion.
The Warriors’ trio has suited up for all eight games so far this season, but head coach Steve Kerr suggested they could probably use a breather.
“I could tell on the [recent] road trip, all three of those guys looked tired,” Kerr said. “They just ran into a little bit of a wall.”
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, who was ruled out last week for at least two games due to a left calf strain, will remain sidelined for a third contest. He and Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain) will both miss Wednesday’s matchup with New Orleans, tweets Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.
- Precious Achiuwa signed on Tuesday with the Kings, who were seeking frontcourt help. He feels he can help them in a variety of ways. “Size. Defense. Rebounding. Toughness. Competing at a high level,” Achiuwa said in a video posted by Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham. “Things that I do really, really well.” Achiuwa played for the Knicks last season and was signed by the Heat as a free agent but he was waived just prior to opening night. “I was just waiting,” Achiuwa said of what he did after being cut loose. “Something is always going to present itself. I’m just always staying ready.”
- With the Pelicans off to a disappointing start this season, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) explores how three offseason trades might have made the 2025/26 campaign unsalvageable for New Orleans, while Keith Smith of Spotrac considers what the next steps are for the franchise. Besides the Pelicans’ trade up on draft night for Derik Queen, Gozlan singles out the Jordan Poole trade with Washington and the decision to send the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick back to them. Smith, meanwhile, argues that it’s time for the team to move on from former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson.
- Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, having been downgraded to out due to right groin soreness, tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Dana Gauruder contributed to this story.
Zion Williamson Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Pelicans star Zion Williamson has sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to the team, which announced today (via Twitter) that the former No. 1 overall pick will be reevaluated in approximately seven-to-10 days.
That timeline suggests Williamson will be sidelined for upcoming games vs. Charlotte (Tuesday), Dallas (Wednesday), San Antonio (Saturday), and Phoenix (next Monday), and could miss additional time beyond that.
Hamstring issues are nothing new for Williamson, who has now been forced to miss time in each of the last four seasons due to a hamstring injury, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. The 25-year-old forward was limited to just 30 outings in 2024/25 as a result of hamstring and back problems.
Williamson appeared in five of the Pelicans’ first six games to open this season and performed well, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while getting to the free throw line a league-high 11.4 times per contest. However, that strong production hasn’t translated into wins — New Orleans is off to an 0-6 start.
As Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports points out (via Twitter), things could go from bad to worse for the Pelicans without Williamson available, given that his -9.0 net rating this season is actually one of the better marks on the team. New Orleans has been outscored by a staggering 28.7 points per 100 possessions in the 136 minutes Williamson hasn’t played through six games.
The silver lining for the Pelicans is that a Grade 1 strain is considered mild, but given Williamson’s injury history, the club figures to manage the injury carefully.
As Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes, head coach Willie Green spoke on Monday about looking to “turn the page” on the 0-6 start, beginning with Tuesday’s game vs. the Hornets. At that time, Williamson was considered questionable to play due to what the team was referring to as hamstring soreness.
“Obviously we’re all disappointed, frustrated with our start,” Green said. “But we continue to come in, work at it and address it.”
Stein’s Latest: Morant, W. Green, Borrego, Vucevic, Irving, Davis
Trade speculation regarding Ja Morant has perked up following his confrontation with the coaching staff and subsequent one-game suspension, but the idea of the Grizzlies moving Morant isn’t a new concept, Marc Stein of The Stein Line writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).
Rival teams have been monitoring Morant’s situation in Memphis since this summer, according to Stein, when the organization gave a huge extension to Jaren Jackson Jr. but didn’t pursue a similar deal with Morant. The Grizzlies unloaded salary for a renegotiation and extension that resulted in a new deal for Jackson valued at an estimated $240MM over five years.
Regarding Morant, who has two years at $87MM+ left on his current deal after this season, Stein notes that general manager Zach Kleiman called this “a big season for Ja” at media day, adding, “I think it is fair to say as we continue to build this team, to be able to achieve a high-end outcome, we need Ja to be a consistent All-NBA-caliber player.”
Stein also points out that Kleiman has “very publicly backed” head coach Tuomas Iisalo in the current dispute with Morant.
Stein offers m0re inside information from around the league:
- Sunday’s 31-point loss at Oklahoma City is turning up the heat on Pelicans coach Willie Green, Stein adds. At 0-6, New Orleans is one of two remaining winless teams and time may be running out to salvage the season. They already have three 30-point losses, and there are serious concerns about whether the Pelicans have enough shooting and play-making to work their way into the play-in race. Stein notes that owner Gayle Benson is fond of Green, and there were rumors that she forced Joe Dumars to keep him in place when he took over as head of basketball operations. New Orleans is under pressure to win this season after sending an unprotected 2026 first-rounder to Atlanta in the Derik Queen trade, so patience with Green might be very thin. Stein notes that the Pelicans denied a request from the Knicks to interview associate head coach James Borrego this summer to become the lead assistant on Mike Brown‘s staff. Stein states that there were whispers behind the scenes that the organization was keeping Borrego in anticipation of a potential coaching change.
- Nikola Vucevic was heavily involved in trade speculation dating back to last season’s deadline, but he’s rewarding the Bulls‘ decision to hold onto him, Stein notes. The 35-year-old center, who has an expiring $21.5MM contract, is off to a fast start, averaging 19.3 points and 12.3 rebounds through six games. His trade value is increasing, but Chicago may decide to keep him if it remains in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
- Head coach Jason Kidd offered hope over the weekend that Kyrie Irving may be back sooner than expected, but sources tell Stein that the timeline for the Mavericks guard should still be considered “fluid.” Stein was surprised to see Anthony Davis going through a pregame workout Saturday at Mexico City. Davis is sidelined with a low-grade left calf strain and will be reevaluated on Tuesday after the team returns from its current road trip.