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Jimmy Butler Views Return To Miami As ‘Another Game’

March 23rd, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler doesn’t want his return to Miami on Tuesday to be a dramatic event for him or his team, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Butler, who repeatedly clashed with Heat officials before being traded to the Warriors at last month’s deadline, said he views it as just “another game.” It’s an experience he’s been through several times already after leaving the Bulls, Timberwolves and Sixers.

“Yeah, I was traded from there, yada, yada, yada,” Butler said after Saturday’s loss in Atlanta. “Yeah, it didn’t end the way that people wanted to, yada yada yada. But that’s so far behind me now. I don’t even think about it. I don’t pay attention to nothing except for the trajectory of this squad.”

It was a little more than six weeks ago that the Heat were trying to find their way out of a toxic situation with Butler. He was suspended three times this season — the last one being indefinite — as they searched for someone to take him off their hands. Phoenix was his preferred destination, but Miami couldn’t work out a deal without taking back Bradley Beal in return. The Warriors became a late option after their efforts to land Kevin Durant from the Suns fell through.

The teams have been on much different paths since the trade was completed. Golden State has surged to sixth place in the West, holding a 16-4 record since acquiring Butler. Miami, which is on a 10-game losing streak, has gone 4-17 while falling to 10th in the East.

Butler can probably expect a mixed response from what’s sure to be a boisterous crowd at the Kaseya Center. Although fans might blame him for destroying this season, he’s still beloved for helping the Heat reach the NBA Finals twice in his five and a half seasons with the team.

“Not really, don’t make no difference,” Butler responded when asked if he has any concerns about how fans will react. “I’m a member of the Golden State Warriors. I love that fan base. They showed me a lot of love while I was there. But I’m there to win now. I’m on the opposing team.”

He added that the Heat were “all right” while he played there and made some “cool runs,” but they weren’t able to accomplish their goal of winning an NBA title.

Tuesday’s game will also be a reunion for ex-Warriors Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson, who were sent to Miami in the five-team deal. Wiggins spent five years with Golden State and played an important role in winning the 2022 title. Anderson was in his first season with the Warriors after being traded there in July.

“We got Jimmy over here, I know this is a big game for him,” Draymond Green said. “They got Wiggs over there. I know it’s a huge game for him. We want to win for Jimmy, they’re going to want to win for Wiggs. We got to come out ready to play.”

Kings Promote Isaac Jones To Standard Contract

March 22nd, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:18pm: Jones’ new contract is official, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.

6:14pm: The Kings will convert two-way center Isaac Jones to a standard contract covering two years, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Jones, 24, reached his active-game limit on Wednesday after playing four minutes in a victory over Cleveland. As a two-way player who has been with his team since the start of the season, Jones was eligible to be on the active roster for 50 games, whether he played or not.

Jones will be able to resume playing immediately, starting with tonight’s home game against Milwaukee, assuming the new contract is finalized in time. The deal also enables him to participate in the postseason, including play-in games.

Jones signed the two-way contract in July after going undrafted out of Washington State. He has appeared in 31 games in his rookie season, averaging 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per night and shooting 67.6% from the field. He has also played 11 regular season games with the team’s G League affiliate in Stockton.

Jones provides interior depth while starting center Domantas Sabonis is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Sabonis is expected to remain out of action for at least another week.

Sacramento has an opening on its 15-man roster, so another move won’t be necessary before Jones can be promoted. The Kings won’t be able to add someone else to replace him because the deadline for signing two-way players was March 4.

Jalen Brunson Doing Controlled Workouts, Likely To Miss At Least Another Week

March 22nd, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who has been sidelined since March 6 with a sprained right ankle, continues to make progress toward a return. The team announced (via Twitter) that he has started doing controlled court work, and his status will be updated in “approximately one week.”

Tonight will mark the eighth game that Brunson has missed since suffering the injury in the closing minutes of an overtime loss to the Lakers. New York has gone 3-4 since then and remains in third place in the East, three games ahead of Indiana.

With their playoff position virtually set, there’s no reason for the Knicks to bring back Brunson before he’s fully healed. A report earlier this week said he’s out of his walking boot and has been cleared to do some “light shooting.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania stated last Saturday that the severity of Brunson’s ankle injury make it “more of a three- to four-week minimum return time frame.”

Brunson is in the midst of another stellar season, averaging 26.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 7.4 assists per night and making his second straight All-Star appearance. He’s a strong contender for All-NBA honors, but he’ll have to play four more times to meet the NBA’s 65-game criteria.

Anthony Davis Could Return During Mavs’ Upcoming Road Trip

March 22nd, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s increasing optimism that Mavericks big man Anthony Davis will have a chance to return to action during the team’s upcoming four-game road trip, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Substack link).

Davis, who has been sidelined by an adductor strain since his Mavs debut on February 8, practiced with the Texas Legends in the G League multiple times this week and got through those sessions without experiencing any setbacks. As Stein relays, head coach Jason Kidd said last night that it was a “positive day” on Friday for Davis and fellow injured big men Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, who also practiced with the Legends.

While Kidd said there’s “no timetable” for any of them to return, he expressed hope about having all three centers back this season, and Stein suggests Davis is the furthest along of the three in his recovery process. He has advanced to 5-on-5 play, while Lively and Gafford have reportedly only done 3-on-3 work.

The Mavericks’ four-game Eastern Conference swing will begin on Monday in Brooklyn and also includes stops in New York (Tuesday), Orlando (Thursday), and Chicago (next Saturday). Stein, who previously reported that Davis is “very eager” to resume playing, suggests it’s possible we could see him in one or more of those games.

There had been speculation following Davis’ adductor injury that the Mavericks may simply shut him down for the rest of the season and focus on 2025/26, especially after Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL. However, there was never any indication from Dallas that the team was seriously considering that route, especially with a postseason berth still within reach.

Although they sit at No. 11 in the Western Conference right now, the Mavericks are tied with the No. 10 Suns at 34-37 and are just two games back of the No. 9 Kings (35-34). Even without Irving, an otherwise healthy version of this Mavs team could cause problems for opponents in the postseason, and making or missing the play-in tournament is unlikely to significantly impact their draft position.

NBA Fines Trendon Watford, Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard

March 21st, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets forward Trendon Watford, Pacers center Myles Turner, and Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard were each fined by the NBA on Friday night for their roles in a Thursday altercation, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link).

Watford and Turner were hit with fines of $35K apiece, while Nembhard received a $20K penalty.

As we detailed earlier today, the altercation began as Bennedict Mathurin was driving to Brooklyn’s basket for a layup during the fourth quarter of Indiana’s victory. Watford and Nembhard engaged in a little pushing and shoving away from the play before Turner entered the fray and shoved Watford (YouTube link via ESPN). Both teams got involved at that point, with coaches and officials eventually separating the two sides.

Nembhard and Watford received double technical fouls for their exchange, as did Turner and Watford for theirs. As a result of being hit with two technicals, Watford was automatically ejected from the game.

According to the NBA, Nembhard and Watford were both responsible for initiating the skirmish, but Watford escalated it when he “delivered a right forearm to (Nembhard’s) chest region.” Turner was also considered to have escalated matters by shoving Watford.

Relative to their full-season salaries, the fines are more significant for Watford, who is earning $2.73MM, and Nembhard ($2.02MM) than they are for Turner, whose cap hit this season is $19.93MM.

Hawks’ Clint Capela Out At Least 3-4 Weeks With Hand Injury

March 21st, 2025 at 2:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Clint Capela has been diagnosed with a ligament injury in the fourth metacarpal of his left hand, according to the Hawks, who announced (via Twitter) that the veteran center will be out at least three-to-four weeks as he rehabilitates.

It’s worth noting that Atlanta says Capela will be reevaluated in three-to-four weeks, not that he’s expected to return at that time. The 30-year-old underwent an MRI on Monday which revealed the injury, per the team.

Although the Hawks didn’t outright say it, Capela will almost certainly miss the remainder of the 2024/25 regular season, which concludes on April 13. Depending on how they fare in the postseason — they’re currently the No. 7 seed in the East — it’s possible he might be able to return at some point later next month.

It’s unclear when Capela sustained the injury, but Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears it occurred earlier this month and he initially tried to play through it (Twitter link). Capela has missed the past four games, with his most recent injury designation being personal reasons.

Capela was a longtime starter for the Hawks, but the Swiss big man was moved to the second unit in late January, having been supplanted by Onyeka Okongwu. Capela has averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 55 games this season (21.4 minutes per contest).

Obviously, it’s unfortunate news for the Hawks, who have already lost Jalen Johnson and Kobe Bufkin to season-ending shoulder injuries. They’ve also been playing without backup big man Larry Nance Jr., who has been out since mid-February due to a knee injury. He’s set to be reevaluated next week.

It’s a disappointing setback on a personal level as well — Capela will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

With Capela out, the Hawks have been utilizing small-ball lineups off the bench, with forwards like Georges Niang and Dominick Barlow receiving more playing time. That figures to continue for the time being.

Stephen Curry Out Saturday With Pelvic Contusion

March 21st, 2025 at 1:23pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors received some promising news on Friday, as Stephen Curry‘s MRI confirmed a pelvic contusion but revealed no structural damage, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

Curry, who sustained the injury after a hard fall in the third quarter of Thursday’s game vs. Toronto, won’t travel to Atlanta and will miss Saturday’s game against the Hawks. He will be reevaluated on Monday, per the Warriors.

Shams Charania of ESPN first reported (via Twitter) the update on Curry, which was later confirmed by Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Saturday’s matchup in Atlanta is the start of the six-game road trip for the Warriors. As Slater notes, the second game of the trip will be on Tuesday in Miami — it’s the first matchup between the Warriors and Heat after last month’s blockbuster trade of Jimmy Butler.

Butler struggled with his shot (4-of-15 from the field) on Thursday, but he still recorded a triple-double (16 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds) and had a clutch block late in the fourth quarter. After the game, he said the Warriors will need to play “perfect basketball” without Curry, according to Slater (Twitter video link).

“We can’t afford to turn the ball over. We can’t afford to foul. Because we don’t have the one individual who can automatically get us back into the game,” Butler said.

The Warriors have surged up the standings since they acquired Butler, currently holding a 41-29 record, good for the No. 6 seed in the West. However, they’re only 1.5 games ahead of the Clippers and Timberwolves in the race to secure an automatic playoff berth, so each of their 12 remaining games will be critical if they want to avoid the play-in tournament this spring.

Mavericks’ Davis, Lively, Gafford To Practice In NBAGL

March 21st, 2025 at 12:08pm CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks assigned a trio of injured big men to their G League affiliate on Friday, announcing (via Twitter) that Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford will be heading to the Texas Legends.

According to Dallas-based NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter links), Davis will be going through his second round of 5-on-5 practice with the Legends, while Lively and Gafford are expected to start with a 3-on-3 session.

Davis first practiced with Dallas’ affiliate team on Monday, though head coach Jason Kidd later cautioned that the star forward/center had to clear additional hurdles before he’s able to play again. Davis has been out since February 8, when he sustained a left adductor strain in his Mavericks debut.

Second-year center Lively is recovering from a right ankle stress fracture that has kept him on the shelf since January 14. He has been doing individual on-court work in recent weeks.

Gafford was set to be reevaluated today after suffering a Grade 3 MCL sprain in his right knee on February 10. Evidently that examination went well, as Gafford will be practicing today for the first time in nearly six weeks.

Stein reported a couple weeks ago that Davis and Lively were on track to be healthy before the end of the season, though it wasn’t clear if they’d actually play again in 2024/25. A subsequent report stated there have been no indications the Mavs plan to shut down any of Davis, Lively or Gafford while they remain in postseason contention.

Amid a devastating wave of injuries, the Mavericks have dropped four straight and 11 of their past 13 games. At 33-37, Dallas is currently the No. 11 seed in the West. The Mavs have the same record as Phoenix, but the Suns control the head-to-head tiebreaker and thus the No. 10 seed.

Pelicans Sign Elfrid Payton To 10-Day Contract

March 21st, 2025 at 10:35am CST by Rory Maher

10:35am: Payton’s 10-day contract is now official, the Pelicans confirmed in a press release. He is eligible to play in five games over the next 10 days.

9:30am: The Pelicans intend to sign free agent guard Elfrid Payton to a 10-day contract, agent Darrell Comer tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

A Louisiana native who played college ball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Payton appeared in seven games with the Pelicans in the fall on a non-guaranteed deal. In one of those games, he recorded a career-best 21 assists. He was released in early December.

Payton, 31, signed a pair of 10-day hardship contracts with Charlotte last month. He struggled to make an impact in his six games with the Hornets, only scoring six points on 3-of-21 shooting (14.3%) in 123 total minutes.

Prior to 2024/25, it had been two full seasons since Payton had appeared in an NBA game, last suiting up for Phoenix in ’21/22. He has spent time in the G League over the past three campaigns, including playing for the Pelicans’ affiliate — the Birmingham Squadron — in ’24/25.

In 13 total games with New Orleans and Charlotte this season, Payton has averaged 4.1 points, 5.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes per contest. He has converted 38.8% of his field goal attempts, including missing his only three-pointer, and split his two free throws.

Mohamed Bamba‘s 10-day contract with the Pelicans recently expired, creating an opening on the team’s standard roster. It’s possible the Pelicans might be able to bring back Bamba while adding Payton — they could qualify for a hardship exception due to the injuries to Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy and Brandon Boston. Boston’s injury, a left ankle stress reaction, is the only one of the four that might not be season-ending — he’ll be reevaluated today.

Payton will earn a $171,756 salary on his new 10-day contract, while New Orleans carries a cap charge of $119,972.

Robert Williams III To Miss 4-6 Weeks After Arthroscopic Procedure

March 20th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III will miss at least four-to-six weeks after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Williams had been dealing with inflammation in the knee.

Given that there are just over three weeks of games remaining on the Trail Blazers’ schedule, Williams will almost certainly miss the rest of the regular season.

Portland is only two games back of the No. 10 seed, so if they were to qualify for the play-in and then earn a playoff berth, there’s technically a chance Williams could return at some point in the postseason during that four-to-six week timeline. However, that’s no certainty even in the unlikely event the Blazers advance that far.

Williams hasn’t played since Feb. 20 and has been limited to 20 games (three starts) with Portland this season. He’s averaging 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per night. Williams has appeared in just 26 total games since being traded to the Trail Blazers prior to the start of the 2023/24 season.

At full health, Williams is one of the premier defenders in the league. He averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 2.2 blocks in the 2021/22 season, finishing seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He has appeared in 235 career games.

With Williams and fellow big man Deandre Ayton dealing with injuries this year, rookie center Donovan Clingan has filled in as Portland’s starting center in recent weeks and is performing admirably.