Khris Middleton To Make Season Debut On Friday
The Bucks have been rolling along lately, winning nine of their last 11 despite Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta. They’ll now add longtime starter Khris Middleton to the mix.
Middleton will make his season debut at Boston on Friday, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Middleton was medically cleared to return to action on Nov. 20 after undergoing surgery on both ankles during the offseason. At that time, Middleton didn’t feel quite ready to suit up and has since continued the rehab process, working on improving his conditioning and increasing his comfort level on his surgically repaired ankles.
Middleton, a three-time All-Star, has dealt with a myriad of health issues in recent seasons. He only appeared in 33 games two seasons ago and 55 regular season contests last season.
In those last two seasons, Middleton has averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game — all far cries from his numbers during his final All-Star season, 2021/22. He registered averages of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per night that season, with .443/.373/.890 shooting splits.
Middleton holds a $34MM player option on his contract for next season and it’s hard to see him passing that up unless he shows he can recapture that All-Star form. The Bucks probably don’t need him to perform at that level but he’ll boost their depth at the wing position and will take some of the scoring burden off Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
In his absence, Taurean Prince has started at small forward and provided a steady three-point threat. Prince is averaging 9.0 points on 6.3 shot attempts per game, knocking down 55.6% of his long-range attempts.
It’ll be interesting to see what Doc Rivers does in terms of his lineup. Middleton came off the bench 14 times two seasons ago but has generally been a fixture in the starting five since he was acquired from Detroit in 2013.
De’Anthony Melton Undergoes Surgery On Partial ACL Tear
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton underwent surgery on Wednesday in Los Angeles to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced in a press release.
It was initially reported over two weeks ago that Melton would undergo season-ending surgery to address a left ACL injury, though this is the first time the team referred to that injury as a partial tear.
According to the Warriors, the plan is for Melton to begin rehabilitation on the knee in the coming weeks. He’s expected to make a full recovery prior to the start of the 2025/26 season.
The next step for the Warriors will likely be to apply for a disabled player exception, a salary cap exception that can be awarded to teams who lose a player to a season-ending injury. It would be worth approximately $6.4MM, half of Melton’s $12,822,000 salary.
Although Golden State could theoretically use that exception to sign a free agent to a one-year contract or to acquire (via trade or waiver claim) a player on an expiring deal, the team is less than $600K away from its hard cap, so taking on additional salary isn’t really an option at this point. Assuming the Warriors are granted a disabled player exception, they’d have to move off some salary to make use of it.
Melton’s $12.8MM expiring contract could also be used as a salary-matching piece in a trade prior to the February 6 deadline. If the Warriors go that route before using their disabled player exception, they would forfeit that exception.
Clippers’ Terance Mann To Undergo Surgery On Broken Finger
Clippers swingman Terance Mann will undergo surgery to repair the fractured middle finger on his left hand, a team source tells Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The 6’5″ wing incurred the injury during a 127-105 Tuesday victory over the Trail Blazers.
Mann, 28, is expected to be reassessed in three weeks, Murray adds. Murray notes that the ailment afflicts his non-shooting hand.
The Los Angeles Times’ Broderick Turner tweets that Mann is scheduled to go under the knife on Thursday.
Across 23 healthy bouts this season, including 11 starts, the Florida State product is averaging 6.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per night, with a .438/.340/.667 shooting line.
Despite not having All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard available for a single game this season while the former two-time Finals MVP deals with right knee inflammation, L.A. has gotten off to an impressive 14-9 start. Former MVP James Harden has been playing more like his Rockets-era self, while guard Norman Powell is scoring at a career clip.
Mann remains a solid two-way wing for the club, though he has yet to take a leap this season in line with the improvements of Harden or Powell. To wit, this season’s numbers are actually below Mann’s career averages of 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 1.9 APG.
Turner adds that Clippers forward Kobe Brown is set to be reevaluated in two weeks as he recovers from a herniated disc injury.
Grizzlies’ GG Jackson Out Another 6-8 Weeks For Surgery Recovery
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
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
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
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’
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
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.
[RELATED: Details On NBA Cup Prize Money For 2024]
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
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.