Isaiah Thomas Rejoining Jazz’s G League Team
In search of another NBA opportunity, veteran guard Isaiah Thomas is signing a G League contract and rejoining the Jazz‘s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
A two-time All-Star, Thomas was a Sixth Man of the Year runner-up in 2015 and finished fifth in MVP voting back in 2017 after averaging 28.9 points per game for the Celtics.
However, a right hip injury sidetracked his career, as concerns about his health, age (36 in February), and limited contributions on defense made it more difficult for him to find NBA work in recent years. He has only appeared in 31 regular season games since the start of the 2020/21 season.
If the idea of Thomas joining the Salt Lake City Stars as he seeks an NBA comeback sounds familiar, it’s because he took the same route last March.
During a brief stint for Utah’s G League team last winter, the 5’9″ guard scored at least 30 points in four straight games, earning an NBA call-up with the Suns, who signed him to a pair of 10-day contracts and a rest-of-season deal near the end of the 2023/24 regular season.
Although he spent the final month of the 2023/24 season – and the playoffs – in Phoenix, Thomas played a very limited role for the Suns, getting into six regular season games and scoring eight points in 19 total minutes on 3-of-10 shooting. He also saw four garbage-time minutes in a single postseason appearance.
Mavericks Sign Kylor Kelley To Two-Way Deal, Waive Gortman
In need of another big man due to injuries, the Mavericks have added center Kylor Kelley on a two-way deal and waived guard Jazian Gortman, the team tweets.
Kelley joins Dallas after spending this season with the G League’s South Bay Lakers, where he appeared in nine regular season games (seven starts) and averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. In 14 Tip-off Tournament games for South Bay, he averaged 12.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.6 APG and 2.9 BPG in 13 starts.
The seven-footer was on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Lakers during training camp but was waived prior to the start of the regular season.
Kelley spent the 2023/24 season with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s affiliate, and earned NBAGL All-Defensive honors after averaging a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game in 29 regular season appearances (22.0 MPG). Kelley, 26, also contributed 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest.
Dallas’ frontcourt depth has been ravaged by a spate of injuries. Maxi Kleber suffered a broken right foot on Saturday. The team announced Wednesday that Dereck Lively suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle and will be reevaluated in four weeks. Dwight Powell is dealing with a strained right hip that has kept him out of action since January 17.
Gortman originally signed with Dallas on July 10, and had his contract converted to a two-way deal on Oct. 18. He appeared in 16 games for the Mavericks this season, averaging 1.5 points in 3.6 minutes per night.
Gortman also saw action in 12 total games, all starts, for the Mavericks’ G League team, the Texas Legends. In five regular season outings for the Legends this year, he averaged 21.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 7.2 APG and 1.6 SPG.
Sixers Confident About Joel Embiid’s Return, Won’t Pursue Tanking Strategy
While there may be advantages to tanking the rest of the season, the Sixers made their intentions clear with a pair of huge wins this weekend. They defeated the East-leading Cavaliers at home on Friday and topped the Bulls on Saturday to pull to within a game of Chicago for the 10th spot in the conference.
Philadelphia is still committed to winning despite a horrendous start and a 17-27 record midway through the season, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. Injuries have limited Joel Embiid to 13 games so far, but majority owner Josh Harris told Aldridge that the organization remains confident he’ll be able to return and lead the Sixers into the playoffs.
“We’re still really happy with Joel,” Harris said. “He’s a warrior. I’ve seen this. He’s fought through a lot of injuries. You remember when we started, in his first (two) years, he didn’t play at all. And then, in his third year, he played 30-something games. And then, he fought through all of that, and became the MVP. So, he’s fighting right now, and we’re fighting. And I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll get through.
“I want him to get his body right and get on the court. If he gets back on the court, everything’s going to fall into place. I know him as a person, and I know him as an individual, and I know how hard he’s working. I think he’s also super-smart and very in-tune with his body. He has a whole team around him, and we have a whole team around him. He’s getting the absolute best care and best advice. I’m hopeful that he’ll fight through this and make it happen, and that’s what we’re going to plan for right now.”
Embiid is currently dealing with swelling in his left knee that began during a workout last week. He was projected to miss at least seven to 10 days, so an update on his status should be coming soon. Before that, he sat out the previous six games due to a sprained left foot that has since healed.
According to Aldridge, the Sixers don’t believe Embiid’s knee issue will require surgery and they remain hopeful that he’ll return to action “sooner rather than later.” They don’t view extended rest as the best solution, considering him to be more effective when he’s playing and practicing regularly.
Aldridge also hears that the Sixers aren’t convinced that the benefits of a tank would be worthwhile, despite the fact that they would keep their 2025 first-round pick if it lands in the top six. With 17 wins already, it would be difficult for the club to get higher than fifth or sixth in the lottery race.
League sources tell Aldridge that the front office doesn’t see much difference between the quality of a pick in that No. 5-6 range or a selection a little later in the first round that would have to be sent to Oklahoma City. He adds that it would be difficult to sell a tanking strategy to Paul George, who came to Philadelphia on a four-year, $212MM contract in free agency last summer, or to Tyrese Maxey, who recently agreed to a five-year, $204MM extension.
“To be honest, we don’t know what we look like, because we haven’t been healthy. So, to be honest, we might have enough in here already,” George said after the win over Cleveland.
The Sixers’ history of tanking also has to be considered, Aldridge adds. Embiid was the only real prize to show from four years of losing during “The Process” era, and fans might not be on board with heading down that road again, even if it’s only for half a season.
Harris emphasized that he has no interest in pursuing that strategy.
“I would say that, again, we always start with trying to build elite teams,” he said. “We started this season with two potential Hall of Famers, and one All-Star. We were very excited about the season. Obviously, it’s been a disappointing season. No one’s happy with where we are. We’re not happy. I go to a lot of games. We want to be winning and creating the contending team that we’ve had over the last five years. The injuries haven’t helped us. The elite team we had hasn’t been on the court more than seven games, where they started and finished the game. We won six of seven of those. I think we got it right.
“But what’s happened is, obviously, Joel hasn’t played a lot. He’s the lynchpin of the whole thing. When he doesn’t play, the pressure comes on Paul, and it comes on Tyrese. And Tyrese has had to carry a lot of the load, and, in some cases, Paul has had to carry a lot of the load. And people have had to do things that they weren’t necessarily prepared for.”
Jusuf Nurkic Doesn’t Believe Suns Will Be Able To Trade Him
Jusuf Nurkic talked more about his diminished role with the Suns before Saturday’s game, telling reporters that he and coach Mike Budenholzer went two months without speaking to each other, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
Sources confirmed to Rankin that Phoenix has been making an effort to trade the 30-year-old center. Nurkic is aware that’s the team’s preference, but he’s skeptical that it will happen.
“Yeah, for sure,” Nurkic responded when asked if he believes he’ll still be with the Suns after the February 6 trade deadline. “Because we are the Phoenix Suns and new (collective bargaining agreement) and all the rules, it’s not easy to get traded when you’re over the second tax apron. Even that, I can’t control.”
Nurkic has barely played since being removed from the starting lineup earlier this month. He saw 14 minutes off the bench on January 6 at Philadelphia and 19 the next night at Charlotte, but has been out of action ever since. He said Budenholzer didn’t give him advance notice that he wouldn’t be used in a January 9 game against Atlanta or a January 11 contest against Utah.
“We don’t have a relationship,” Nurkic said. “So, it’s fine. For me, just be a pro and do the best I can. Work and stay ready for whatever might be, but there is no chaos or bringing that to this team. They already have plenty of it. Trying to be as professional as I can and work my ass off for something else.”
Nurkic then missed four games due to the flu and two more for “return to competition reconditioning.” He said he feels better now, but he wasn’t used in Saturday’s win over Washington.
Budenholzer addressed Nurkic’s comments after the game, saying he understands that the veteran big man is “frustrated.” He also disputes Nurkic’s claim that he hasn’t been informed about his situation.
“There’s been conversations that have been had. There’s been communication, but we’ve got three or four guys that play the same position,” Budenholzer told reporters. “We’re going to go with who we think gives us our best chance. You’ve got to earn your minutes. And that’s been communicated.”
While Nurkic has been out of action, the Suns bolstered their center ranks by acquiring Nick Richards from Charlotte. Richards made his third straight start Saturday night, delivering 20 points and 19 rebounds, so he appears set as the starter moving forward. If Nurkic stays in Phoenix, he’ll have to battle for minutes with Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro, who are both currently ahead of him on the depth chart.
As Nurkic mentioned, the Suns’ second apron status limits their options in making a trade. They can’t aggregate salaries and they can’t take back more money than they send out in any deal. Also working against a potential Nurkic trade is his contract, which has one season left at $19.375MM.
“It’s hard to understand why,” Nurkic said of being relegated to the end of the bench. “As you know, I try to do whatever they want from me. I play my role or whatever, but at the end of the day, it’s the NBA. That’s why (Ighodaro) and young guys get to play. It’s always next man up, but I’m just glad I’m not out there for two minutes. … I know who I am as a person and as a player. Like I said, ‘one door close, another will open eventually.’ That’s what I’m working for and hoping for.”
Paul George To Undergo MRI On Finger
Paul George suffered an injury to his left pinky finger during Saturday’s game at Chicago and will undergo an MRI on Sunday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters that George jammed the finger, which caused him to be removed from the game in the second quarter. George played just under 13 minutes, finishing with nine points, one rebound and one assist.
It’s been a difficult season for George and the Sixers in general, although Saturday’s win pulled them to within one game of the Bulls for 10th place and the final play-in spot in the East. They were expecting to be among the league’s top teams after adding George in free agency, but he and Joel Embiid have suffered a series of injuries that have wrecked the season.
George has missed 14 games already with a variety of ailments, including left groin soreness that forced him to sit out twice last week. He has appeared in 30 games in his first season with Philadelphia, and his scoring average of 17.4 PPG is down more than five points from what it was with the Clippers last season. However, he’s collecting 5.8 rebounds and dishing out 4.8 assists per night, which are both above last season’s averages.
The Sixers were already missing five rotation players for tonight’s game, including rookie guard Jared McCain, who was lost for the season after surgery on his left meniscus. Embiid is dealing with swelling in his left knee and hasn’t played since January 4. Backup center Andre Drummond sat out while recovering from an injury to his left toe, Caleb Martin has a strained right hip and KJ Martin hasn’t played since December 23 due to a stress reaction in his left foot.
Both Martins are expected to return to practice next week and their availability will be determined from there, Pompey states in a full story on the game.
Maxi Kleber Sidelined With Broken Right Foot
Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber suffered a broken right foot in Saturday’s loss to Boston, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The team confirmed the news (via Twitter), adding that Kleber will be reevaluated later this week.
Kleber was injured late in the third quarter when he fell to the ground while backing up after a missed shot by Jaylen Brown, according to The Dallas Morning News (video link). He continued playing defense after the Celtics got the rebound, but began limping when he tried to contest a shot by Derrick White (video link).
Kleber hopped around on one leg before leaving the game during a stoppage in play. The team announced that he had been ruled out with what was originally believed to be an ankle injury.
Kleber had been playing on a restriction of 20 minutes per game after dealing with an oblique issue in early January. He has been considered one of Dallas’ top trade candidates due to his $11MM cap hit, but suffering a serious injury so close to the deadline will hurt his value. He’s under contract for $11MM again next season before becoming a free agent in 2026.
Kleber has been a valuable contributor mostly in a reserve role throughout his eight years in Dallas. He has appeared in 34 games this season and was averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per night coming into today.
The timing of the injury is devastating for the Mavericks, who are already missing Dereck Lively and Dwight Powell from their big man rotation. The team announced Wednesday that Lively suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle and will be reevaluated in four weeks. Powell is dealing with a strained right hip that has kept him out of action since January 17.
“It’s a hole. It’s tough,” coach Jason Kidd told reporters after the game (Twitter video link from Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). “I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s not gonna get any better.”
Stein: Optimism Mavs’ Doncic Will Return Before ASG
There’s optimism in Dallas that star Mavericks guard Luka Doncic will be able to return to action prior to next month’s All-Star Game, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Doncic sustained a left calf strain on Christmas Day vs. Minnesota, with subsequent reports indicating that he was expected to miss at least a month. The Mavs confirmed that they intended to reevaluate the five-time All-Star in approximately one month, so a formal update from the team could be around the corner.
Beginning with Saturday’s NBA Finals rematch vs. the defending champion Celtics, the Mavericks have 11 more games before All-Star weekend (Feb. 14-16). Doncic has already missed the club’s past 15 games as a result of his calf strain. Dallas is 5-10 during that stretch, with a handful of key players battling injuries.
[RELATED: Dereck Lively Has Fracture In Ankle, Expected To Miss 2-3 Months]
While the Mavericks will obviously be inclined to play it safe with Doncic, who has dealt with multiple calf injuries over the course of his career, it would provide a huge lift if they can get him back on the court in the coming weeks.
The Mavs’ recent slump has dropped them into play-in territory in the Western Conference — the club currently holds the No. 7 seed, with a 24-21 record, and is just a single game ahead of the No. 10 Suns.
Prior to his injury, Doncic was averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and a career-high 2.0 steals in 35.7 minutes per game across 22 outings, with a shooting line of .464/.354/.767. As a result of this lengthy absence, he won’t be eligible for any end-of-season awards, since he’ll fall short of the 65-game requirement. He had made the All-NBA First Team five consecutive times entering 2024/25.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal previously reported that Doncic was on track to get healthy prior to the All-Star break.
Lakers’ Anthony Davis: “I Think We Need Another Big”
After writing on Wednesday about LeBron James‘ and Anthony Davis‘ desire for the Lakers to be aggressive on the trade market and their belief that the team might just be a piece or two away from contending for a championship, Shams Charania of ESPN shared an in-depth interview with Davis on Thursday in which the star big man publicly expressed that belief (YouTube link).
Asked by Charania whether he feels the Lakers are a couple pieces away from having a legitimate shot at a title, Davis emphatically replied, “We are. I really feel like we are.”
Davis pointed to what he believes is a specific area of need for the team, suggesting that he could use some more help in the frontcourt.
“I think we need another big,” he told Charania. “You see the teams that have been effective. Our biggest matchup the past couple years has been against Denver, trying to beat Denver. You watch Minnesota – obviously they’re a different team now – but you see how Minnesota beat Denver (in the 2024 playoffs) — two bigs.
“I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the four and having a big out there. We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale (McGee) and Dwight (Howard) at the five and I’m at the four.”
Jovan Buha of The Athletic recently identified the Lakers’ greatest needs as a two-way wing, another play-maker and ball-handler, and a center who can protect the rim and rebound. It’s possible the team will have enough bodies on the wing after acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith last month, especially if Jarred Vanderbilt is effective in his return from injuries that have sidelined him all season.
That would leave a ball-handler/play-maker and a big man as the two pieces the Lakers could most use. However, the club reportedly hasn’t been especially aggressive on the trade market and remains reluctant to trade its two movable first-round picks (2029 and 2031).
Los Angeles will also have to figure out which of its mid-sized contracts make sense to move. Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura are all making between $10MM and $17MM, but Vanderbilt and Vincent are considered negative assets due in part to their recent injury history. Meanwhile, the Lakers haven’t been willing to discuss Reaves and seem reluctant to part with Hachimura, since losing him would leave a hole in the lineup at forward.
As Buha writes in a story for The Athletic, Davis’ and James’ desire to trade those 2029 and 2031 first-round picks and go all-in is butting up against the front office’s preference to take a more conservative approach with an eye toward both the present and future.
Davis, James, and the Lakers made a strong case on Thursday for additional investment in this roster when they dismantled the Celtics, registering a 21-point home victory over the defending champions to push their record to 24-18. That’s the best mark Los Angeles has had at this point in the season since 2020/21.
According to Buha, when asked by reporters after the win about his comments to Charania, Davis said he knows Rob Pelinka and the front office are working the phones in search of upgrades. He also stressed that he and James have a “championship mindset,” echoing comments he made to ESPN about wanting to win another title.
“One, we want to win it for the city. Two, we never got a parade. Three, it’s a lot of talk about an asterisk next to the (2020) championship, which I believe was probably the toughest championship to win,” Davis told Charania. “We just think it’s time. We feel like we’re right there as far as the team and everything like that. (LeBron) and I are very, very motivated to win another championship.”
Timberwolves’ Donte DiVincenzo Won’t Need Surgery On Toe
Timberwolves starting point guard Donte DiVincenzo injured his toe during a January 15 matchup against the Warriors and has been on the shelf since then. He was ruled out indefinitely with what was termed a Grade 3 toe sprain.
According to a press release from the team, imaging revealed that DiVincenzo is dealing with a turf toe injury and has partially torn his plantar ligament in the toe. However, after the Wolves guard received a second opinion on the injury, it was determined that it would not require surgery.
DiVincenzo is set to be reevalauted in three weeks.
While DiVincenzo still faces an extended absence, this is a huge break for the Timberwolves. Had he required surgery, he could have been looking at recovery timeline measured in months, rather than weeks.
Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell, for instance, was recently ruled out for at least 10-to-12 weeks following a turf toe surgery.
DiVincenzo looked out of sorts in his new digs for the first few months of the season, but he had turned a corner lately. Across his last 11 healthy games, DiVincenzo had begun to look like his New York-era self at last, averaging 16.4 points per game while slashing .446/.436/.852 shooting splits. He also registered 4.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in those 11 bouts.
Rookie guard Rob Dillingham and 37-year-old veteran Mike Conley could get more run with DiVincenzo sidelined. DiVincenzo had recently replaced Conley as a starter.
Bucks “Active” In Trade Talks, Seeking “Impact Player”
The Bucks have been one of the most aggressive teams in looking for roster upgrades over the past several years, pulling off blockbuster deals for Jrue Holiday in 2020 and Damian Lillard in 2023. Milwaukee has also been active in trade discussions leading up to the February 6 deadline, report Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link).
According to ESPN’s duo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are all expected to be on the trading block as the Bucks seek an “impact player” to improve their chances at winning another championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Three-time All-Star Middleton is the most prominent name of the group. An essential part of Milwaukee’s title in 2021, the 33-year-old forward has dealt with a litany of major injuries over the past few seasons, appearing in just 106 games regular season games since the start of the 2022/23 campaign. He missed Thursday’s victory over Miami with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day.
As Windhorst and Bontemps observe, the Bucks are currently over the second tax apron and would need shed about $6.5MM from their payroll in order to aggregate salaries. Connaughton, who earns $9.42MM in ’24/25, with an identical player option for ’25/26, has been viewed as the player most likely to be moved, but due to injuries and declining play, Milwaukee would have to attach sweeteners to trade him.
Middleton, meanwhile earns $31.67MM this season, with a $34MM player option for ’25/26. Portis makes $12.6MM in ’24/25, with a $13.45MM player option for next season.
All three played important roles during Milwaukee’s title run a handful of years ago, but so did Holiday, and that didn’t prevent the Bucks from trading him. Milwaukee has one future first-round pick (2031) it can dangle in trade talks, per Windhorst and Bontemps.
After starting the season with an abysmal 2-8 record, the Bucks have been surging up the standings, winning five straight and eight of their past nine. They’re currently 25-17, making them the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Bucks have yet to beat Cleveland, Boston or New York this season, going 0-8 thus far against the three teams directly ahead of them in the East’s standings, as Windhorst and Bontemps point out.