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Grizzlies’ GG Jackson Out Another 6-8 Weeks For Surgery Recovery

December 4th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II has missed Memphis’ entire 2024/25 season thus far while recuperating from an offseason surgery to treat a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.

Memphis announced on September 4 that the 6’9″ second-year pro would be reevaluated in three months. Having apparently completed that evaluation, the team believes he needs more time to recuperate.

According to a Grizzlies announcement (Twitter link), the team anticipates Jackson will be back on the hardwood in six-to-eight weeks.

Jackson was selected with the No. 45 overall pick out of South Carolina in 2023. He was joining a Grizzlies club then coming off two straight 50-win seasons, so he wasn’t initially expected to make much of a rotational impact. But Memphis was bit hard by the injury bug last year.

In the frontcourt, injuries to Brandon Clarke, then-Grizzlies center Steven Adams, and Jaren Jackson Jr. opened up a rotational role for GG Jackson. Across 48 healthy contests last year, he averaged 14.6 points on .428/.357/.752 shooting splits, plus 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He was named to the 2024 All-Rookie Second Team for his efforts.

This season, even amidst further injury woes, the Grizzlies have managed to cobble together a far more robust start. Memphis is currently the No. 4 seed in the competitive Western Conference, with a 14-8 record.

Nuggets’ Vlatko Cancar Undergoes Knee Surgery

December 4th, 2024 at 4:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Nuggets reserve forward Vlatko Cancar had a successful left knee scope this week, Denver announced Wednesday (Twitter link). He will be reexamined in eight weeks.

The 6’8″ vet played in just four games this fall for the 11-8 Nuggets, averaging 2.3 points on 57.1% shooting from the floor, including 50% shooting from deep. He had been serving as the third-string, small-ball center behind MVP Nikola Jokic and new free agency acquisition Dario Saric to open the season.

As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post notes, Cancar has been away from the team since injuring the knee in a 122-110 victory over Memphis on November 19. The ailment was initially referred to as a sprain, but Cancar underwent further medical consultation and ultimately landed on an arthroscopic procedure as the best path forward.

The Nuggets selected the Slovenian standout with the No. 49 pick in 2017, though he remained overseas until 2019/20.

Cancar became a full-time rotation player in 2022/23, his best NBA season to date. The 27-year-old subsequently missed the entire ’23/24 season with a torn ACL in the same knee, and has since fallen further down head coach Michael Malone‘s depth chart.

A recovery timeline of eight-plus weeks means Cancar’s comeback will likely happen after this year’s February 6 NBA trade deadline. The forward/center is currently inked to a one-year, $2.1MM veteran’s minimum deal, meaning his money owed would be an afterthought in any deal. Still, he could be added as outgoing money to match salaries as part of a larger transaction for the capped-out Nuggets.

Pelicans Provide Injury Updates On Zion Williamson, Four Others

December 4th, 2024 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The injury-ravaged Pelicans have announced in a press release that forward Zion Williamson is progressing well in his recovery from a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in about two weeks.

Reporting nearly two weeks ago indicated that Williamson wasn’t close to a return — the latest update from the Pelicans doesn’t suggest otherwise. While it’s possible the former No. 1 overall pick will be ready to suit up when he’s examined in two weeks, it’s more likely that his absence will extend beyond that date.

Williamson has been limited to just six games so far this season and hasn’t been active since November 6. The Pelicans have gone 1-12 since he last played.

Besides providing an update on Williamson, New Orleans also shared news on several other injured players within today’s announcement. Here’s the latest from the team:

Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, like Williamson, is said to be progressing well through his rehabilitation process and will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks. Alvarado has been sidelined since November 11 due to a left hamstring strain.
Second-year wing Jordan Hawkins, who has missed 11 games this season due to what the team has typically referred to as low back soreness, has been diagnosed with a lumbar spine annular fissure. He’ll be reevaluated in about a week.
Forwards Brandon Ingram (right plantaris tendonitis) and Herbert Jones (right shoulder strain) both went through a full practice on Wednesday and will be listed as questionable to play on Thursday vs. Phoenix. Ingram has missed New Orleans’ past five games, while Jones has been out for 18 in a row. Shams Charania of ESPN reported earlier this week that both players were trending toward being able to return on Thursday.

Kevin Durant Out At Least One Week Due To Sprained Ankle

December 4th, 2024 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns star Kevin Durant, who exited Tuesday’s win over San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain, will be reevaluated in one week, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Suns have confirmed the news in a press release.

Even if Durant is fully recovered in a week, he’ll miss Phoenix’s games in New Orleans on Thursday, Miami on Saturday, and Orlando on Sunday. The earliest he might return would be on December 13 in Utah.

Durant appeared to sustain the injury with about 4:30 left in the second quarter vs. the Spurs, when he drove to the basket and attempted to split a pair of San Antonio defenders for a layup (video link). He stepped on Julian Champagnie‘s foot as he attempted to rise up and ended up falling to the floor and grabbing at his ankle.

Durant was able to stay in the game a little longer, knocking down a free throw and a mid-range jumper before checking out with 3:51 remaining in the second quarter. He didn’t return to the game after that.

This will be Durant’s second injury absence of the season. The former MVP missed seven games in November due to a left calf strain — Tuesday was just his fourth game back.

The Suns have a solid 12-8 record for the season, but they went just 1-6 in games Durant missed, so they’ll be looking to do a better job of surviving without their leading scorer in the coming week.

Royce O’Neale, Josh Okogie, and rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are among the candidates for increased minutes with Durant out, while Phoenix’s other stars – Devin Booker and Bradley Beal – will take on more offensive responsibilities.

Haliburton: Pacers’ Play ‘Embarrassing,’ I Have To Be ‘Better Leader’

December 4th, 2024 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers were starting to hit their stride at this time a year ago, earning a spot in the knockout round of the in-season tournament and advancing all the way to the championship game in Las Vegas. This time around, Indiana went 0-4 in NBA Cup group play, capped by a one-sided loss in Toronto on Tuesday to a Raptors team that entered the game with a 6-15 record.

Speaking to reporters after the game, star guard Tyrese Haliburton stressed that he and his teammates are capable of more and that they need to start showing that (YouTube link).

“The product we’re putting on the floor right now as a group is embarrassing,” Haliburton said (hat tip to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). “… Every team is playing hard right now. Every team is young and has energy. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be matching that and beyond. I just think the product that we’re putting out there on a nightly basis right now needs to be better because we work too hard. Too many people care. We have too much pride in it. The product has to be better and the effort has to be better.”

Haliburton, who has been an All-Star in back-to-back seasons and made the All-NBA Third Team in 2023/24, has gotten off to a slow start this fall. His 41.6% field goal percentage and 34.0% three-point percentage would both be career lows, and he’s averaging just 17.6 points and 8.5 assists per game after putting up 20.4 PPG and 10.7 APG over the previous two seasons.

The Pacers, who won 47 regular season games and made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, have struggled along with Haliburton, posting a 9-13 record through the first quarter of the season. Tuesday’s defeat in Toronto extended the team’s current losing streak to three games.

“There needs to be a reality check right now, individually and collectively,” Haliburton said. “Guys need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves what they can do better. That starts with me. I have to be a better leader. I’ve got to do everything better and harder because I’m not ready to piss away a year of my career or this organization or this team’s season.

“… We’re 9-13 right now. We can act like the world is falling apart and that’s not the case, but there also needs to be a sense of urgency. Everybody can keep saying, ‘Oh, it’s four games, we’ll be back to .500.’ It ain’t that easy.”

The Pacers have dealt with some injury issues in the first six weeks of the season. Starting guard Andrew Nembhard missed 12 games in November due to a right knee ailment and starting wing Aaron Nesmith has been out for over a month due to a left ankle sprain. Indiana also lost both of its backup centers – Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman – to Achilles tears.

Still, Haliburton doesn’t view that as an excuse, suggesting that the Pacers should be able to raise their compete level, regardless of who’s on the floor.

“You cannot control if you make every shot. You can’t control substitution patterns. You can’t control stuff like that,” Haliburton said (hat tip to Eric Koreen of The Athletic). “But you can control how hard you’re going to play. You can control your energy and your spirit. Those are all controllable things. Everybody’s got to do a little bit of a gut check, check themselves in the mirror and figure out what we can do better.”

The Pacers will have a chance to bounce back on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday when they visit Brooklyn to face the Nets, who will also be looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Knockout Round Matchups Set For NBA Cup; Games Scheduled For Non-Quarterfinalists

December 4th, 2024 at 6:27am CST by Luke Adams

Following the conclusion of the group play games in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the eight teams advancing to the knockout round have been set, and the quarterfinal games have been scheduled.

After the Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks previously clinched spots in the knockout round, the Thunder, Mavericks, Bucks, Knicks, and Magic joined them as a result of Tuesday’s outcomes. The quarterfinal matchups are as follows, per the NBA (Twitter links):

Eastern Conference:

Orlando Magic (No. 4) at Milwaukee Bucks (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (7 pm ET)
Atlanta Hawks (No. 3) at New York Knicks (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (7 pm ET)

Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) at Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (9:30 pm ET)
Golden State Warriors (No. 3) at Houston Rockets (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (9:30 pm ET)

While those four games will be played in the home team’s arena, the winners will advance to a neutral site for the final four. The semifinals (Dec. 14) and final (Dec. 17) will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The quarterfinal and semifinal results will count toward each team’s regular season record, whereas the final won’t. A team that loses in the quarterfinals will play the other quarterfinal loser in its conference in newly scheduled regular season games to make sure those clubs get the full 82.

Meanwhile, the 22 teams who did not advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup have each had two regular season games added to their initial 80 to fill that mid-December gap on their schedules.

Here are the newly added games for those clubs, according to the league (Twitter link):

Thursday, December 12:

Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm ET)
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (7:30 pm ET)
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (8 pm ET)

Friday, December 13:

Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (7 pm ET)
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (7 pm ET)
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves (8 pm ET)
Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (8 pm ET)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (8 pm ET)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9 pm ET)
Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (9:30 pm ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers (10 pm ET)

Sunday, December 15:

New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers (5 pm ET)
Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (6 pm ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs (7 pm ET)
Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (8 pm ET)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 pm ET)

Monday, December 16:

Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (7 pm ET)
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons (7 pm ET)
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (7:30 pm ET)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets (7:30 pm ET)
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings (10 pm ET)
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm ET)

Pelicans Waive Elfrid Payton

December 3rd, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

4:20pm: The Pelicans have officially waived Payton, the team announced in a press release.

4:00pm: The Pelicans are waiving veteran guard Elfrid Payton, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Payton, who had been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, caught on with the Pelicans last month on a non-guaranteed contract and was one of the feel-good stories of the fall.

The Louisiana native, who played in Puerto Rico and the G League while trying to make his NBA comeback, immediately jumped into the starting lineup for his hometown team and posted a 14-point, 21-assist, seven-rebound line in his third game back.

However, the Pelicans have been getting healthier, with both Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum recently returning to the team’s backcourt, which resulted in a reduced role for Payton. He logged just six minutes in Monday’s loss to Atlanta.

New Orleans should be getting a couple more players back this week, with Shams Charania of ESPN reporting on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link) that Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones appear on track to play Thursday.

The Pelicans are operating slightly over the luxury tax line and have no desire to be a taxpayer this season, so there’s certainly a financial reason involved in the decision to waive Payton. Leaving that 15th roster spot open for the time being would reduce New Orleans’ projected tax bill and make it easier for the team to duck out of tax territory with a trade later in the season.

Payton’s 14 days on the Pelicans’ roster and two days on waivers will result in a cap charge of $274,809 for New Orleans, assuming he clears waivers. As Bobby Marks tweets, the team will be about $1.4MM above the tax line and $3.8MM below the first apron after jettisoning Payton.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum Earn Player Of The Month Honors

December 3rd, 2024 at 3:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for games played in October and November, while Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has earned the honor for the Eastern Conference, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Gilgeous-Alexander played all 19 of the Thunder’s games in October and November, leading the team to a 15-4 record by scoring 29.8 points per game on .503/.339/.857 shooting. He also contributed 6.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 34.5 minutes per night.

The Thunder had an eye-popping +15.1 net rating in the 655 minutes in which Gilgeous-Alexander was on the court, compared to a mark of just -0.9 net rating in the 257 minutes he sat. That was the widest on/off-court margin for any Oklahoma City player by a significant margin.

Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Clippers teammates James Harden and Ivica Zubac, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama were also nominated for Player of the Month in the West, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

In the East, Tatum beat out fellow nominees Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, Donovan Mitchell, Pascal Siakam, Franz Wagner, Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Tatum led the Celtics in points (28.7), rebounds (8.5), and assists (5.8) per game in his first 19 contests, guiding the team to a 16-3 record, which included a dramatic victory over the 15-0 Cavaliers.

Tatum made 46.1% of his shots from the field, including 37.8% of 10.6 three-point attempts per game as Boston averaged 19.2 made threes per game — that would easily be an NBA record if the club can maintain that pace.

Spurs’ Wembyanama, Hawks’ Daniels Named Defensive Players Of The Month

December 3rd, 2024 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has introduced a new monthly award, announcing today that Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama (Western Conference) and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (Eastern Conference) are the first players to earn the Defensive Player of the Month honor (Twitter link). The award applies to games played in October and November

Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year and last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, matched his NBA-leading block average from last season by blocking a league-high 3.6 shots per night in his first 16 games this season. According to the NBA, Wembanyama also ranked fourth in the league in contested shots (10.1) and eighth in deflections (3.3) per game during that time.

While the Spurs’ 111.5 defensive rating in October and November ranked outside the NBA’s top 10, that mark improved to 108.5 during Wembanyama’s time on the court, the equivalent of the league’s sixth-best defense.

The other nominees for Defensive Player of the Month in the West, per the NBA (Twitter link), were Anthony Davis, Luguentz Dort, Draymond Green, Jaren Jackson Jr., Toumani Camara, Clippers teammates Ivica Zubac and Kris Dunn, and Rockets reserves Tari Eason and Amen Thompson.

Over in the East, Daniels made a strong first impression with his new team after being traded from New Orleans to Atlanta during the offseason, leading the NBA in steals (3.0), deflections (6.7), and forced turnovers (2.8) per game in 19 outings (all starts) in October and November.

Daniels also contributed 0.9 blocks per contest as he made a strong early-season case for All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year consideration.

Daniels beat out fellow Eastern Conference nominees Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, Bam Adebayo, OG Anunoby, Evan Mobley, and Jalen Suggs for the new award, according to the league.

Jared McCain, Jaylen Wells Named Rookies Of The Month

December 3rd, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Jared McCain and Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells have been named the NBA’s Rookies of the Month for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, respectively, the league announced today (via Twitter). The honor technically covers more than a month, since it’s for games played in October as well as November.

The 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft, McCain didn’t initially project to be part of Philadelphia’s regular rotation and played fewer than four minutes in each of his first two games of the season.

However, injuries cleared a path for him to get minutes and he took advantage of that opportunity, averaging 16.0 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 rebounds on 25.2 minutes per game across 18 outings (seven starts) to open his NBA career. McCain also posted a solid shooting line of .448/.364/.906.

Wells, who was drafted with the No. 39 pick in June, is an even unlikelier early-season standout than McCain, but also took advantage of his team being affected by the injury bug and capitalized on an opportunity to play rotation minutes right out of the gate.

In 20 games (15 starts) in October and November, Wells averaged 12.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.9 APG in 25.3 MPG. He provided some much-needed outside shooting for the Grizzlies, knocking down 39.4% of 5.0 attempts per night from beyond the arc.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), McCain beat out fellow nominees Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, and Carlton Carrington for Rookie of the Month recognition in the East. The other nominees in the West were Dalton Knecht, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Ryan Dunn, and Wells’ teammate Zach Edey.