Damian Lillard Had Cortisone Injection, Could Return Sunday
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard had a cortisone injection in order to mitigate the pain from his abdominal injury, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes notes that Lillard is scheduled to be re-evaluated Friday and could return as soon as Sunday versus Minnesota.
Lillard has been dealing with the injury for a few years, but the pain had gotten worse prior to the injection, Haynes adds. Cortisone shots are typically short-term solutions, so it’s not clear if the injury will heal with rest or a more invasive procedure might be necessary in the future. Lillard reportedly considered surgery over the offseason to address the injury.
There’s been a lot of turmoil, injuries, and trade speculation out of Portland recently, and Lillard’s performance upon his return could impact potential suitors. He has gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, averaging 21.5 PPG with a .397 FG% and a .302 3PT% through 20 games (35.7 MPG). That scoring average would be his lowest mark since 2014/15, while the shooting numbers are career worsts.
Ja Morant Enters Health And Safety Protocols
Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who’s currently sidelined with a sprained knee, has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, the team announced (Twitter link). Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets that Morant is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and has received a booster shot.
It’s not clear if Morant tested positive or not, but if he did, he will be out for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests a minimum of 24 hours apart. Being in the protocols could impact his rehab process, but since he was already sidelined, he’s unlikely to miss any extra games.
Morant was in the midst of an outstanding season before the injury, averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game on 48% shooting. Despite Morant being sidelined, the Grizzlies have won five games in a row, including a record-breaking 73-point victory over the Thunder.
Memphis faces Dallas Wednesday night. In addition to Morant, the team also listed Brandon Clarke (sore knee), Sam Merrill (ankle sprain), and rookie Ziaire Williams (ankle sprain) as out, with Kyle Anderson (back) doubtful.
Hawks’ Solomon Hill Out For Season With Torn Hamstring
Hawks forward Solomon Hill will miss the remainder of the 2021/22 season with a right hamstring tendon tear, the team announced on Wednesday. Hill suffered the injury on Sunday against Charlotte and a subsequent MRI revealed the tear. He will undergo surgery to repair the injury.
Hill, 30, has played for the Pacers, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Heat and Hawks over the course of his nine-year career. This season with the Hawks, he appeared in just 13 games (10.7 MPG), with modest averages of 0.9 PPG and 1.8 RPG. At 6’6″ and 226 pounds, Hill is primarily known as a burly defensive presence.
Hill was the No. 23 overall pick of the 2013 draft by the Pacers. Across 448 career games (189 starts), he holds averages of 5.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 1.5 APG in 21.5 MPG, with a .388/.331/.797 shooting line.
Hill re-signed with the Hawks over the summer on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Coach Nate McMillan says Hill was a locker room leader for the Hawks, according to Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“It’s really tough,” McMillan said. “Any time you lose a player for the season, it’s tough, because he was not only a player that has filled roles for us, starting back last season, he’s that emotional leader for us. He’s been a big-time voice for us in the locker room, both on and off the floor.
“It’s a real big loss for us. One of our captains on the team and just a guy that, whenever we’ve had injury, we’ve been able to plug in at the 2, 3, 4 position, whether that’s coming off the bench or starting. Tough loss for us. Sorry to see that for Solo.”
The Hawks have dealt with a number of injuries to wings this season. Starting small forward De’Andre Hunter had right wrist surgery in mid-November and is expected to be sidelined for several more weeks, Bogdan Bogdanovic suffered a sprained ankle, and Cam Reddish is dealing with a sprained wrist.
CJ McCollum Has Collapsed Right Lung
8:53pm: McCollum released an optimistic statement addressing the injury on his personal Instagram page.
7:32pm: Trail Blazers starting shooting guard CJ McCollum has suffered a collapsed right lung, according to a team press release. A CT scan revealed the injury.
Per Portland, McCollum incurred the injury, also known as a pneumothorax, during a 145-117 loss to the Celtics on December 4. The team went on to disclose that McCollum would undergo further testing before a recovery timeline is determined.
The 30-year-old is averaging 20.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.1 RPG and 1.1 SPG across 35.3 MPG for the 11-14 Trail Blazers, currently the N0. 10 seed in the Western Conference and losers of three straight games. McCollum owns a shooting line this season of .424/.393/.700.
Portland is also missing All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, still recuperating from lower abdominal tendinopathy. The 31-year-old is in the first season of a four-year, $176.3MM maximum contract with the Trail Blazers. Lillard will become eligible for a two-year maximum extension to that deal during the 2022 offseason.
McCollum, who has three years and $100MM guaranteed on his deal, has long been considered a viable candidate for a trade to improve the team alongside his All-NBA backcourt running mate. Prior to this injury news, a deal for embattled Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons seemed possible.
This news is very scary for one of the NBA’s most dynamic players. We at Hoops Rumors wish McCollum a speedy and full recovery and can’t wait to see him lighting up box scores very soon.
T.J. McConnell Undergoes Hand Surgery, May Miss Rest Of Season
2:21pm: The Pacers issued a press release confirming that McConnell underwent surgery today to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist. According to the team, the guard will be in a cast for the next 10-to-12 weeks. Once he gets the cast off, the Pacers will provide an estimate for his recovery and return to action.
12:52pm: Pacers guard T.J. McConnell has undergone surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, McConnell is expected to miss several months and may not return at all this season.
McConnell has only made six starts for the Pacers in 2021/22, but he has been an important part of the team’s rotation. Entering action last Wednesday, the 29-year-old had appeared in all 23 of Indiana’s games and was averaging over 25 minutes per contest, with 8.7 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 1.1 SPG on 50.3% shooting.
McConnell left last Wednesday’s contest vs. Atlanta after playing just three minutes, having suffered what was initially called a right wrist injury. The veteran guard received multiple opinions on how to treat the ailment and it appears he and the team ultimately decided surgery was the right path.
It’s possible that McConnell’s status is a factor in the Pacers’ apparent willingness to pivot to a rebuild rather than continuing to push all-out for a playoff spot.
McConnell re-signed with Indiana in the offseason, agreeing to a four-year deal worth nearly $34MM. He’ll become trade-eligible on January 15, but because he’s unlikely to be of much use to contending teams this season, he’ll likely remain with the Pacers through the February 10 deadline. If Indiana falls out of the playoff hunt, the club may focus on getting McConnell back to 100% for the start of next season, rather than trying to bring him back this spring.
Bam Adebayo Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks
DECEMBER 7: Adebayo underwent surgery on Monday to repair the torn UCL in his right thumb and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, the Heat confirmed today (via Twitter).
DECEMBER 1: Heat big man Bam Adebayo has sustained a torn UCL in his right thumb, according to a press release from the team. Adebayo will undergo surgery on the injury this weekend and has been ruled out indefinitely.
The Heat will have a better sense of Adebayo’s potential recovery timeline once the procedure is complete. The expectation for now is that he’ll be sidelined for approximately six weeks, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggests (via Twitter) that a four-to-six week recovery is possible, but Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes notes (via Twitter) that no player has come back in less than five weeks from an in-season torn UCL repair.
Adebayo, 24, is the anchor of Miami’s defense and one of the team’s go-to scorers. In 18 games (32.9 MPG) so far this season, he has averaged 18.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 3.2 APG with a .519 FG%.
The Heat have had bad injury luck against Denver so far this season. Forward Markieff Morris hasn’t played since the November 8 meeting between the two teams, having suffered whiplash when he was hit from behind by Nikola Jokic. Adebayo tore the UCL in his thumb during the Heat’s rematch vs. the Nuggets on Monday.
Morris and Dewayne Dedmon, who is currently day-to-day with a knee injury, would see an uptick in minutes during Adebayo’s absence if they’re available. P.J. Tucker could also take on an increased role, a backup big man like Udonis Haslem or Omer Yurtseven could start playing regular minutes.
Pacers Open To Roster Shakeup, Intend To Be Active On Trade Market
After getting off to a slow start this season, the Pacers have become receptive to the idea of pivoting to a rebuild and trading multiple veterans, sources tell Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic. According to The Athletic’s duo, the team intends to be “very active” prior to the February 10 trade deadline.
Charania and Kravitz identify swingman Caris LeVert and big men Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis as some of the Pacers’ potential trade candidates. All three players have generated “significant interest” from rival teams, per The Athletic’s sources. It’s unclear if Indiana would be willing to move both Turner and Sabonis or just one of the two, but Charania and Kravitz suggest a breakup of the two centers “now appears on the horizon.”
T.J. Warren, who is on an expiring contract, could also theoretically be a trade chip, but he continues to recover from a foot injury and has told team management that he’d like to remain in Indianapolis, sources tell Charania and Kravitz. Malcolm Brogdon is ineligible to be traded this year after recently signing an extension.
The Pacers would like to open up more playing time for rookies Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson. The team raved about Jackson during the preseason and Duarte has quickly become a favorite of head coach Rick Carlisle, according to The Athletic.
Pacers owner Herb Simon, who is 87 years old, has historically resisted the idea of rebuilding due to concerns that any extended period of losing could substantially hurt attendance in one of the NBA’s smaller markets. However, with the Pacers already second-last in the league in attendance this season, Simon – apparently recognizing that it can’t get much worse – has become more willing to get on board with a rebuild, per Charania and Kravitz.
The Athletic’s duo clarifies that the Pacers don’t intend to embark on a years-long “tankathon” akin to the Sixers’ “Process,” but president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and the front office are prepared to make some major roster changes and look ahead to the future after starting the season with a 10-16 record (13th in the East).
It’s worth noting that Indiana has been hurt this season by poor showings in crunch-time minutes and perhaps isn’t as bad as that 10-16 record suggests. Despite missing Warren – their top scorer in the 2020 Orlando bubble – the Pacers have a positive point differential through their first 26 games. However, even with some better late-game luck and a healthy Warren, the current roster probably doesn’t have the upside to legitimately contend for a title.
Rival teams aren’t sure how soon the Pacers will be ready to make deals, according to Charania and Kravitz. The expectation is that the front office will exercise patience and wait for the best offers to materialize, so it’s possible Indiana won’t do anything major until closer to the deadline. Trade talks around the league figure to start picking up a little next Wednesday, when more than 100 players become newly trade-eligible.
Alex Caruso To Be Reevaluated Next Week
The Bulls expect to be without key reserve Alex Caruso until at least early next week, head coach Billy Donovan stated on Monday evening. Donovan told reporters, including Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic (Twitter link) that Caruso, who is dealing with a right hamstring strain, would be reevaluated in about a week.
According to Cody Westerlund of 670TheScore.com (Twitter link), Donovan said that Caruso’s hamstring injury isn’t considered significant, but the team wants to play it safe in order to ensure the veteran guard doesn’t make the minor ailment any worse.
Caruso’s offensive numbers during his first year in Chicago – 8.5 PPG and 4.1 APG on .442/.333/.857 – have been relatively modest through 23 games. However, the 27-year-old has been a major part of the Bulls’ top-five defense. He leads the league with 2.2 steals per game despite averaging a relatively modest 28.6 MPG.
The Bulls’ net rating is nine points better when Caruso plays (+8.9) than when he sits (-0.1).
With Caruso on the shelf and Coby White and Javonte Green in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Bulls figure to lean heavily on Lonzo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu in the backcourt. Shooting guard Matt Thomas also logged a season-high 19 minutes in Monday’s win over Denver.
Tyreke Evans Seeks Reinstatement
Tyreke Evans is hopeful of being reinstated soon by the league, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets.
Evans played in the league from 2009-19. He was dismissed and disqualified by the NBA in May 2019 for violating the league’s anti-drug program. At the time, the league declared Evans would be eligible to apply for reinstatement after two years.
Evans has been training in preparation for a return, Shaw adds.
Evans, 32, was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft and played for the Kings, Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Pacers. He had a down year in 2018/19 after signing a one-year, $12.4MM contract with Indiana, averaging 10.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a career-worst .389 FG% in 69 games (20.3 MPG).
He has averaged 15.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 4.8 APG in 594 career games.
Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan Enters Protocols
Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan has entered into the league’s health and safety protocols, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The team plays the Nuggets on Monday.
Just hours before the announcement, DeRozan was named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week. DeRozan posted averages 30.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 4.0 APG while shooting 58.7% from the floor in wins over Charlotte, New York, and Brooklyn.
He’s the fourth Bulls player who has entered protocols this season, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets.
DeRozan will need to produce two consecutive negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart, or be isolated for at least 10 days. It’s obviously a big blow in the short term for a much-improved team that owns a 16-8 record. Following tonight’s home game, Chicago goes on a two-game road trip to Cleveland (Wednesday) and Miami (Saturday).
If DeRozan must sit out for 10 days, he’d also miss next Tuesday’s home game against Detroit and the Nov. 16 road game at Toronto.
A sign-and-trade acquisition from San Antonio, DeRozan has enjoyed an All-Star caliber season. He’s averaging 26.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 4.1 APG in 24 starts with his new team.