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Kevin Durant To Miss Rockets’ Next Two Games

November 23rd, 2025 at 2:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss the next two games as he tends to a family matter, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter).

Houston plays at Phoenix on Monday and at Golden State on Wednesday.

Durant continues to produce at a high level in his age-37 season. In 14 games (36.1 minutes per contest) so far with the Rockets, the 15-time All-Star has averaged 24.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steal, with a shooting line of .485/.364/.800.

While Durant has long been admired for his tremendous work ethic, he often preferred to lead by example. Being with a younger group in Houston has required the future Hall of Famer to become a more vocal leader, writes Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports.

“I got more comfortable speaking up when I see stuff,” Durant said. “I feel like I study the game a lot. I’ve been through every situation and experienced every situation. So I feel like that’s given me more confidence to speak up when I see things and to help my teammates as much as possible. But it’s just been a natural progression of me just being comfortable in the locker room, and also my teammates being open-minded to hear what I have to say.”

According to Iko, Durant is “particularly fond” of second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who has been playing excellent basketball over the past few weeks.

“Knowing the kind of person he is and how much confidence he’s given me is really cool,” said Sheppard, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft.

The Rockets will be shorthanded at forward with Durant out and Dorian Finney-Smith (offseason ankle surgery) and Tari Eason (oblique strain) recovering from injuries. Veterans Jae’Sean Tate and Jeff Green could receive more minutes in the short term, though Tate would need to be recalled from his G League assignment.

Aaron Gordon Out At Least 4-6 Weeks With Hamstring Strain

November 23rd, 2025 at 11:17am CST by Rory Maher

11:17 am: The Nuggets put out a press release (via Twitter) which confirms Charania’s report.

10:57 am: Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Denver will be down two members of its starting lineup for the next several weeks, as guard Christian Braun is expected to be out for at least another month due to a sprained left ankle.

Gordon missed Wednesday’s win over New Orleans with bilateral hamstring injury management before returning to action on Friday at Houston. He was initially listed as probable for the game against the Rockets before being upgraded to available.

Unfortunately, three minutes into the game, he injured his right hamstring.

As Charania notes, Gordon suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain during Denver’s second-round playoff series against Oklahoma City. He played through the injury in Game 7, and has now injured his opposite hamstring.

Gordon, who missed extended time last season due to a calf strain, had gotten off to an excellent start this fall. Through 12 healthy games (30.4 minutes per contest), he was averaging 20.3 points and 6.3 rebounds on elite efficiency (.536/.452/.879 shooting splits) while playing strong defense.

Denver is plus-20.7 per 100 possessions when the 30-year-old is on the court — a fantastic number — and plays exactly even with the opposing team when he’s not.

Head coach David Adelman said Gordon was seeking second opinions on his injured right hamstring after Saturday’s loss to Sacramento, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Second-year forward Spencer Jones, who is on a two-way deal, started in Gordon’s place against the Kings, but struggled to slow down DeMar DeRozan late in the fourth quarter.

According to Durando, the Nuggets could use more double-big lineups featuring Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas with Gordon out. The two centers haven’t shared the court much yet in their first season together, and the results have been mixed in a small sample size.

“We are trying to figure it out,” Jokic said. “Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s really bad. I think we need to have more minutes to be there and to play in different positions, different type of players who we’re guarding. But I think we communicate on the floor.”

Knicks’ Landry Shamet Leaves Game With Shoulder Injury

November 22nd, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks shooting guard Landry Shamet had to leave Saturday’s game at Orlando early in the first quarter after his right shoulder appeared to pop out of its socket, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game that Shamet will undergo a full evaluation within the next couple of days.

Shamet was injured after running into a pick set by Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (Twitter video link from New York Basketball). Shamet grimaced in pain after the hard contact and immediately headed to the locker room.

The injury is concerning because it’s the same shoulder that Shamet dislocated during the 2024 preseason, causing him to be waived before the start of last season. He didn’t fully recover until late December, when he rejoined the team on a one-year veteran’s minimum deal.

That same scenario could be in place this season, as Shamet’s $2.3MM contract is non-guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date of January 10. Shamet re-signed with New York in September and won a training camp competition for the lone veteran contract the team was able to fit under its hard cap.

Shamet has been a valuable addition to the Knicks’ backcourt, averaging 9.9 PPG in 14 games coming into today while shooting 45.2% from the field and 42.4% from three-point range. He made his third consecutive start — and sixth overall — on Saturday as the team deals with a variety of injuries. He reached double figures in scoring in four of the last five games, including a 36-point outburst in Wednesday’s victory over Miami.

Bondy notes that rookie small forward Mohamed Diawara saw expanded first quarter minutes after Shamet departed, and Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet were used in the first half as well. They could all be in line for additional playing time if Shamet’s injury is serious.

Bruce Branch III Reclassifies, Making Him A Top 2027 NBA Draft Prospect

November 22nd, 2025 at 7:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bruce Branch III, who was considered one of the top college basketball prospects in the 2027 graduating class, has decided to reclassify to 2026, according to Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi of ESPN.

The move puts Branch, a standout at Prolific Prep in Florida, in contention to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, the authors add, noting that the draft class has been viewed as lackluster compared to its 2026 counterparts.

“I believe in my ability. I am confident that I can do this,” Branch said. “I have been playing up my whole life. I am not going to let anyone outwork me. I remember when I was in the first grade playing against third graders. I got pushed down, and I got back up.”

Branch, who turned 17 in October, hasn’t made any official college visits yet, saying he plans to “take things one step at a time.” He’s expected to announce his choice of schools in the spring, and the authors note that Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, USC, BYU, Arizona, Houston and Miami are considered to be among the top contenders.

Branch is 6’7″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, and Borzello and Biancardi describe him as possessing “NBA-level athleticism with his speed and explosiveness.” They state that he’ll be one of the top three-point shooters in his class and that he has a high release on his mid-range shot that makes it difficult for opposing defenders to contest.

“I want to expand my opportunities,” Branch said in explaining why he opted to reclassify. “I know there are challenges with this decision. The mental side is as hard as the physical side.”

Branch displayed his skills during the summer at the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, per Tobias Bass of The Athletic. Branch earned a spot on the All-Camp Team and received the Rising Star award while competing against some of the world’s best young talent, many of whom were two years older than him.

Bass talked to a couple of NBA scouts, who seem to support his decision to reclassify.

“This obviously was a strategic move in the planning for a while now,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “It’s straight out of the Cooper Flagg playbook. He’ll be super young, 19 years old for his entire rookie season. By moving up a year he’s legitimately a top-three prospect, and you can make the case for him being No. 1 overall. He’s a great kid off the court, a hybrid athlete with IQ, play-making skills and will be a switchable defender.”

Former NBA Sixth Man Of The Year Rodney Rogers Dies At 54

November 22nd, 2025 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA forward Rodney Rogers died on Friday at age 54, according to a Wake Forest press release written by Will Pantages.

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Rogers had a highly decorated college career with the Demon Deacons, having been named the ACC’s Freshman of the Year in 1991, earning first-team All-ACC honors in 1992, and winning the conference’s Player of the Year award in 1993. He helped Wake Forest make three straight NCAA tournament appearances and held averages of 19.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals on .579/.349/.694 shooting in 89 games (31.6 minutes per contest).

According to the university, Rogers is one of only seven players in ACC history to win both the Freshman and Player of the Year awards, and is the only Demon Deacon to hold that distinction.

Rogers turned pro after his junior season and was selected ninth overall in the 1993 draft. The 6’7″ combo forward played 12 seasons in the NBA for seven different teams (the Nuggets, Clippers, Suns, Celtics, Nets, New Orleans Hornets, and Sixers) and registered career averages of 10.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.0 SPG in 866 regular season contests, including 347 starts (25.3 MPG).

Rogers’ most productive seasons came with Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix. He was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 1999/00 season while a member of the Suns, averaging 13.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.1 SPG on .486/.439/.639 shooting in 82 regular season appearances (27.9 MPG).

Unfortunately, Rogers was paralyzed from the shoulders down following a serious accident in 2008. His wife Faye said in a statement that Rodney passed away from natural causes related to the spinal cord injury he suffered 17 years ago.

The NBA put out a statement (via Twitter) saying it was “deeply saddened” by Rogers’ death.

“He will be remembered not only for his achievements on the court but also for the extraordinary resilience, courage and generosity that he demonstrated throughout his life — qualities that inspired so many,” the league said in part.

We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Rogers’ family and friends.

Ty Jerome’s Season Debut Still 6-9 Weeks Away

November 22nd, 2025 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome is making good progress in his rehab from the high-grade right calf strain he suffered during the preseason, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

However, Jerome’s regular season Grizzlies debut remains a ways off. According to the team, the 28-year-old is expected to return to play in approximately six-to-nine weeks. Further updates on his recovery will be shared as appropriate, the club adds in its statement.

A Sixth Man of the Year finalist in 2024/25, Jerome averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers, posting an impressive .516/.439/.872 shooting line. His breakout contract year earned him a three-year, $27.7MM deal with the Grizzlies, who were able to poach him from a Cleveland team already operating above the second tax apron.

Memphis envisioned Jerome as a player who could back up and complement star point guard Ja Morant, but the former University of Virginia standout now appears unlikely to see any action for his new team until sometime in the new year.

Jerome is one of several players unavailable for the injury-plagued Grizzlies, who are especially shorthanded in the backcourt. Morant is currently on the shelf with a right calf strain; another point guard, Scotty Pippen Jr., hasn’t played at all this season after undergoing toe surgery in October; and two-way player Javon Small will be out until at least sometime in December due to a toe injury of his own.

Kawhi Leonard Expected To Return On Sunday

November 22nd, 2025 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is expected to return to action on Sunday vs. Cleveland, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Leonard has been sidelined since November 3 while dealing with right ankle and foot sprains. He has missed nine games during that time and has been ruled out of a 10th on Saturday vs. Charlotte. Based on Haynes’ reporting, it sounds like the 34-year-old will suit up for the second game of the Clippers’ weekend back-to-back set, barring a setback.

Leonard got off to a strong start this season, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per night on .505/.400/.963 shooting through six games. The Clippers, who were 3-3 in those games, have struggled mightily without Leonard, losing eight of nine contests since he went down.

As disappointing as L.A.’s start has been, the team certainly isn’t out of the playoff race in the Western Conference. The 5-10 Jazz currently hold the 10th spot in the standings, so it wouldn’t take much for the 4-11 Clippers to get back among the play-in teams.

Defensive ace Kris Dunn initially started in Leonard’s place. Following injuries to Bradley Beal and Derrick Jones Jr., the Clippers have also inserted John Collins and Kobe Sanders into their starting five, so one of them – likely Sanders – figures to move back to the bench when Leonard returns.

Chris Paul To Retire After Season

November 22nd, 2025 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA point guard Chris Paul will retire at the end of the 2025/26 season, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Heading into free agency this past summer, Paul said that he would likely only play for no more than one more year, and Charania stated when he reported CP3’s one-year contract agreement with the Clippers a few weeks later that it would likely be the 40-year-old’s final NBA season. However, that decision wasn’t confirmed until now.

As Charania notes (via Twitter), Paul revealed his plans in a roundabout way on Saturday morning, publishing an Instagram reel of several career highlights with the caption, “Back in NC!!! What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!”

The Clippers are visiting the Hornets on Saturday for what will be their only game in Charlotte this season. Paul, who played his college ball at Wake Forest, was born and raised in North Carolina.

A 12-time All-Star, Paul entered the NBA as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft and is playing in the league for a 21st season. He has made 11 All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams in addition to leading the league in steals six times and assists five times. He also won a Rookie of the Year award and claimed a spot on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.

In recent years, the point guard’s production has declined and he has bounced around the league more than he did earlier in his career. Paul is playing for his fourth team in four years, having gone from Phoenix to Golden State to San Antonio to L.A., where he rejoined a Clippers club with whom he spent six seasons with from 2011-17.

Paul has played a very minor role for the Clippers so far this season and hasn’t been effective in his limited minutes. In 10 games off the bench, he has averaged 2.5 points and 3.3 assists on 27.3% shooting in 13.7 minutes per contest.

For his career, Paul holds averages of 16.9 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 33.5 minutes per game across 1,364 regular season outings. He has also put up 20.0 PPG, 8.3 APG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.9 SPG in 149 playoff games.

DeRozan, LaVine Discuss ‘Frustrations’ After Latest Loss

November 21st, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings entered Thursday’s contest at Memphis on a seven-game losing streak, but there were reasons to believe the outcome might be different against the slumping Grizzlies, per Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings had Keegan Murray making his season debut; Memphis was just the second team Sacramento has faced this season that had a losing record; and the Grizzlies were without Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Instead, the Kings were humiliated on Thursday, extending their skid to eight games after being blown out by 41 points. All eight losses have come by double digits.

Veteran wing DeMar DeRozan attempted just three field goals and scored seven points yesterday, Biderman notes. The six-time All-Star is averaging 17.9 points per game, his lowest total in 13 seasons.

“In a s—ty place,” DeRozan said when asked about where his team is emotionally. “Don’t nobody want to lose the way we’ve been losing. I think it’s just everything right now for us is just s—ty, honestly. Sometimes when you’re in the deep end, it’s hard to hear anything. You’re just trying to swim your way out, one way or another.”

According to Biderman, DeRozan expressed uncertainty about his future with the Kings after their latest defeat. The 36-year-old is earning $24.6MM this season, but his $25.7MM salary for 2026/27 is only partially guaranteed (for $10MM).

“I’m pretty sure everything comes into question when you’re in the situation like we’re in now,” DeRozan said. “That’s another thing that’s frustrating. That’s another thing. Only time will tell. We’ll see.”

As Biderman writes, DeRozan isn’t the only highly-paid scorer on the roster who is unhappy with the team’s performance this season. Zach LaVine had a hot start to the season, averaging 29.5 points over his first five games, but had cooled off lately prior to putting up 26 points on Thursday. The two-time All-Star said the Kings are still trying to discover how to play together, but he knows he has to be aggressive to be successful.

“I’m not my best self when I take eight to 10 shots,” said LaVine, who attempted seven and 10 shots in the two games leading up to Thursday. “I can be as efficient as you want me to be. But if I’m taking eight shots, it’s like, what are we doing? So today I just tried to be a little more aggressive, try to find spots, my teammates (were trying) to find me, which was great.

“But obviously it didn’t result in anything like a win. I’d love to go 4-for-8 and we win. I scored a lot of points in my career. We’re just trying to get a win right now. Gotta go sit on this flight. Got a day tomorrow. Got a game Saturday. Come Saturday, gotta figure it out.

“Only time will tell. It’s hard to say right now. A lot of frustrations from a lot of angles. Still a lot of season left, still a lot that’s in front of us. We gotta fight for something.”

LaVine only played two combined minutes over the previous two fourth quarters heading into Thursday’s game, and both of those losses were within striking distance entering the final period. According to Biderman, the 30-year-old acknowledged he didn’t like being benched, but he recognizes head coach Doug Christie might need to shake things up to get different results.

“I’ll always be a team guy,” LaVine said. “(But) personally, I don’t like it. I’ve never not played in the fourth. But when you’re trying to find a win you do whatever you can, I guess.”

Blazers Announce Injury Updates On Henderson, Holiday

November 21st, 2025 at 7:49pm CST by Rory Maher

While third-year guard Scoot Henderson has made progress in his recovery from a torn left hamstring, he will be sidelined for at least two-to-four more weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.

The update on the former No. 3 overall pick was expected, as Henderson recently told Jason Quick of The Athletic that his return wasn’t imminent and his return to basketball activities was considered “week to week.” The 21-year-old point guard initially sustained the injury in late September during a workout before training camp.

Veteran guard Jrue Holiday, who was initially questionable for Friday’s contest at Golden State prior to being ruled out for his fourth straight game (Twitter link), will miss at least one more week with a right calf strain. According to the Blazers, the two-time All-Star will be checked out again in one-to-two weeks.

Holiday, a six-time All-Defensive member, was off to a solid start in his first season with Portland prior to the injury, averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals on .446/.365/.840 shooting in 12 games (33.4 minutes per contest).

While the press release doesn’t say anything about shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe, he will missed Friday’s game as well. It will be the high-flying Canadian’s second consecutive absence. Sharpe is, at least for now, considered day-to-day, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link).

The Trail Blazers have been hit hard by backcourt injuries this fall. Henderson has yet to play in 2025/26; Blake Wesley is expected to miss extended time after undergoing foot surgery earlier this month; Matisse Thybulle is three weeks removed from thumb surgery which was expected to sideline him for four-to-six weeks; and Damian Lillard is out for the season with a torn Achilles, though the front office knew that when it re-signed Portland’s all-time leading scorer.

After a 5-3 start, the Blazers have dropped six of their past seven games and are currently 6-9.

“It’s just part of the game,” acting head coach Tiago Splitter said earlier this week, per Highkin. “We’ve got to adapt a little bit, and we will. Find ways to win basketball games just like everybody else. You’ve seen all the guys that are out lately [around the NBA], and the teams that adapt better to those situations are the teams that do well. So that’s what we’ve got to do.”

Highkin takes a look at some options the team might consider in the wake of all the guard injuries, including applying for a hardship exception. It’s unclear if the Blazers would be granted the exception, Highkin notes, as it will depend on how much more time Thybulle is expected to miss.

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