Stephen Curry Undergoing MRI On Injured Knee
11:46am: Curry will miss Monday’s game vs. Oklahoma City as the Warriors continue to evaluate his injury, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who tweets that it might take a couple days for the team to officially announce a diagnosis and timeline for the All-Star guard.
8:35am: The Warriors got a win over Dallas on Saturday night, but lost their star player along the way, as Stephen Curry exited in the third quarter due to an apparent left knee injury.
According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, X-rays on Curry’s knee were negative, but he’s undergoing an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
The injury occurred when Curry was defending Mavericks guard McKinley Wright IV with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. The two players’ knees appeared to collide on Wright’s drive and Curry immediately came up limping (video link). The two-time MVP, who was called for a foul on the play, checked out of the game, was briefly examined on the bench, then made his way to the locker room.
The Warriors won’t have a clear sense of whether Curry will have to miss time – and how long an absence might last – until they get the results of the MRI.
“Any time a guy gets an MRI, there’s a concern level,” head coach Steve Kerr said, per Andrews. “We’ll just have to wait and see the results. … This has happened many, many times over the years. So fingers crossed he’s OK.”
Curry has only missed one extended stretch of games so far this season — he sat out 11 contests in December and January due to a left shoulder subluxation. He was unavailable for four other games over the course of the season, but three of those were rest nights on the second halves of back-to-back sets.
The 34-year-old has been playing at his usual All-NBA level so far this season, averaging 29.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.3 rebounds in 38 games (34.6 MPG), with an eye-popping shooting line of .495/.427/.922.
Northwest Notes: Murray, Hyland, Wolves, Thunder
Asked after Thursday’s win over Golden State about Nuggets players being willing to sacrifice individual opportunities for the sake of team success, Jamal Murray suggested that’s an important reason why the 37-16 Nuggets are tied for the NBA’s best record, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
“We’re a championship team,” Murray said. “All that stuff, not being happy, has gotta go out the window or else we’re not going to win. It’s nice to have a coach that knows that and knows what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Murray’s comments could be interpreted as a dig at fellow guard Bones Hyland, who is reportedly on the trade block due in part to unhappiness about his role. However, according to Singer, Murray was talking more about teammates like Vlatko Cancar, whose commitment to doing what’s best for the club hasn’t changed even as his playing time has. Murray, who referred to Cancar as “selfless,” clarified on Saturday that he wasn’t taking any shots at Hyland, tweets Singer.
“It’s tough for Bones, man … No one wants to be in this position,” Murray said of his teammate, who has been a DNP-CD for Denver’s last two games as trade rumors swirl. “… He’s doing his best. Me and him are cool, we don’t have no problems. Just trying to keep him in good spirits and know that his time’s coming.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Nuggets head coach Michael Malone also weighed in on Saturday on Hyland’s status as a trade candidate who has been out of the rotation this week. “It’s a real sensitive area for everyone involved,” Malone said, per Singer (Twitter link). “… Just trying to give him some space, but also let him know, yes, this is a business, but we also care about you. …. I put myself in his situation, and it’s not easy.”
- In a Q&A with Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said the Timberwolves have had “varying degrees of discussions” about contract extensions with D’Angelo Russell, Naz Reid, and Jaylen Nowell, and view all three players as “very important” to the team. Connelly also admitted he doesn’t particularly enjoy trade season. “The whole idea of trading guys is kind of gross,” he said. They’re human beings, not assets.”
- Anthony Slater of The Athletic checks in on the Thunder‘s rebuilding process, which has been progressing ahead of schedule. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s emergence as an All-NBA caliber player has been the driving force behind Oklahoma City’s relative success (the team has surpassed its win total for each of the last two seasons with 30 games still to play), Slater notes that Josh Giddey has been a capable “co-pilot” and the team is putting together an impressive defensive-minded supporting cast.
Latest On Kyrie Irving
Although Kyrie Irving ostensibly missed Saturday’s Nets game – a dramatic comeback win over Washington – due to right calf soreness, it’s safe to assume his Friday trade request was the reason he wasn’t on the court in Brooklyn.
The Nets are scheduled to play three more home games before Thursday’s trade deadline – Monday vs. the Clippers, Tuesday vs. the Suns, and Thursday vs. the Bulls – but we shouldn’t expect Irving to be available for any of those ones either. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), Brooklyn plans to keep Irving sidelined until a trade is finalized.
And what if the trade deadline comes and goes without the Nets finding a suitable deal for Irving? According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), the 30-year-old hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’d sit out the rest of the season in that scenario, but Lewis says it’s a “nuclear option” that has been discussed.
Here’s more on Irving:
- Although the Lakers are widely considered a frontrunner to land Irving, having been linked to him since last summer, sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times expressed pessimism about the odds of Kyrie being dealt to the Lakers.
- As Woike explains, Irving’s expectations for his next contract are a factor working against a trade to the Lakers — the All-Star guard is expected to seek a four-year, maximum-salary deal, while the Lakers would prefer no more than a two-year commitment. A similar disconnect between Irving and the Nets is reportedly what led to his trade request in the first place.
- Asked about the possibility of the Lakers acquiring Irving, LeBron James said it was a question for Rob Pelinka and the front office, but made it clear he wouldn’t be against a reunion with his former Cavs teammate. “Obviously, that’s a — what’s the word you use — ‘duh’ question when you talk about a player like that,” James said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
- Russell Westbrook would have to be part of an outgoing package in any Irving deal involving the Lakers, but he said on Saturday that he’s not feeling any added pressure hearing his name in trade rumors once again, according to McMenamin. “That’s not up to me. Like I said, I’ve known this was a business since I was 18, 19 years old, since I got into it,” Westbrook said. “My dad taught me that at that age, getting to this league is a business, and people make whatever decision they make. And I’ll make sure I’m ready and professional, like I always have been and always will be.”
- Law Murray of The Athletic explores the Clippers‘ reported interest in Irving, noting that L.A.’s up-and-down season has made the team more open to pursuing Kyrie than it would have been last summer. Murray hears that the Clippers have made a “strong offer” for Irving.
- While there’s no indication that Kevin Durant will follow Irving’s lead and request a trade before this Thursday, rival executives are hopeful that the Kyrie drama will help expedite Durant’s own exit from Brooklyn, perhaps as soon as this offseason, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “I know (Nets owner) Joe Tsai came into this year looking at it like, ‘Let’s see how this plays out,'” an Eastern Conference GM said to Deveney. “Well, he’s seen how it has played out. … No matter what happens with Kyrie in the next few days, you have to think that Joe Tsai is going to say it is time to tear it all down and start over. And that means KD is next up.”
Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Crowder, Heat, Thybulle, Wood, Russell, Plumlee
The Raptors will be looking for young talent rather than draft assets if they decide to trade OG Anunoby, multiple league insiders tell Christian Clark of NOLA. Toronto plans to wait until its current road trip ends on Sunday before making a decision on whether to part with Anunoby or any of its other top players.
Clark points out that the Pelicans can offer players such as Dyson Daniels, Herbert Jones and Naji Marshall, who are all on team-friendly contracts, along with a large collection of draft picks. In addition to holding all its own first-round picks over the next five years, New Orleans is owed future first-rounders from both the Lakers and Bucks.
Anunoby is one of the league’s top perimeter defenders, ranking first in both steals and deflections per game, and he shoots 39.2% on three-pointers. He can be used at shooting guard in a fully healthy lineup or he can handle either forward slot if Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson continue to battle injuries.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:
- The Bucks have been considered a potential landing spot for Jae Crowder, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets that the Suns are unlikely to accept Milwaukee’s latest offer of Serge Ibaka, George Hill, Jordan Nwora, and second-round draft capital. Gambadoro also doesn’t expect Phoenix to wind up with Anunoby (Twitter link).
- Assuming the Heat don’t make a play for Kyrie Irving, their main focus before the deadline will be finding another power forward or center who would be worth giving up a first-round pick, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson talks to a scout from a rival team about several trade prospects and what it would take to acquire them.
- The Hawks have joined the Kings as suitors for Sixers guard Matisse Thybulle, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. Sources tell Stein there’s a significant chance of Thybulle being moved by the deadline.
- The Clippers are considering Mavericks big man Christian Wood and Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell, Stein adds in the same piece. He also states that the Kings have contacted the Hornets to see if Mason Plumlee is available. Sacramento is hoping to deal Richaun Holmes and Alex Len and would like to improve its interior defense.
Bamba, Rivers, Suggs Suspended For Fight
The NBA has announced suspensions (via Twitter) for three players involved in an altercation during Friday night’s game between the Magic and Timberwolves.
Orlando center Mohamed Bamba was suspended for four games and Minnesota guard Austin Rivers received three games for their roles in the fight. Magic guard Jalen Suggs received a one-game suspension for escalating the incident, and Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels was fined $20K for running into the fray and pushing Bamba in the back.
All four players were given technical fouls and were ejected from the game. Minnesota’s Taurean Prince was also ejected, but he wasn’t disciplined by the league.
Bamba appeared to start the fight with a comment to Rivers after his missed three-pointer late in the third quarter. Rivers took exception and challenged Bamba on Orlando’s bench. Both players threw punches, although it looked like none of them connected. Suggs tackled Rivers, and McDaniels and Prince also got involved.
The NBA’s press release states that Bamba tried to “continue to engage with Rivers in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms where he also aggressively shoved a security representative,” which explains why he got the longest suspension.
Southwest Notes: Doncic, Wood, Valanciunas, Branham, JJJ
Luka Doncic is out tonight against the Warriors and Monday against the Jazz, but the Mavericks are optimistic that his right heel contusion won’t sideline him much longer, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Coach Jason Kidd told reporters that Doncic underwent an MRI on Friday, and the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility that he might play later in its five-game road trip, which runs through next Saturday.
“Luka — right heel contusion —healing, day to day, doing better, but will not join us in Utah,” Kidd said. “We’ll see where he’s at after that Utah game.”
Kidd also provided a few other injury updates, saying that Christian Wood participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage Friday without a setback and could be ready to play by Monday. Maxi Kleber took part in a 1-on-1 workout for the first time since having surgery on his right hamstring in mid-December. Kidd said Davis Bertans will “probably” be sidelined through the All-Star break after straining his left calf in Thursday’s game.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Mavericks appear willing to discuss a two-year extension with Wood, but probably nothing longer, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on Zach Lowe’s podcast. MacMahon is skeptical that a better deal exists in free agency, saying the teams he has talked to are showing limited interest in Wood. He also identifies Wood as the rotation player that Dallas is most likely to trade before Thursday’s deadline, although he’s not sure the team can find equal value in return.
- Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas will undergo an MRI Sunday morning after leaving tonight’s game with a right knee injury, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.
- Spurs guard Malaki Branham reached new career scoring highs twice this week, notes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio has seen a lot of progress from Branham, who was selected with the first-round pick the team received when it sent Thaddeus Young to the Raptors at last year’s deadline. “Things are just slowing down, picking my spots on the court, and doing what I know how to do,” Branham said. “That’s just as simple as it gets.”
- In an interview posted on the Memphis Commercial Appeal website, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. talks about the excitement of heading to his first All-Star Game and a possible matchup against teammate Ja Morant.
Clippers Part Of Kyrie Irving Trade Talks
The Clippers are among the teams that are active in trade negotiations for Nets guard Kyrie Irving, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
When Irving’s trade request was made public Friday, Wojnarowski listed the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns as the teams with the greatest interest in acquiring him. Sources tell Woj that the Clippers, who are in need of point guard help, should be added to that list.
Wojnarowski hears that Brooklyn is talking to a number of teams about Irving and appears determined to work out a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline. He adds that the Nets expect Kevin Durant to return soon from his MCL sprain and are focused on getting a return that will keep them in title contention.
Sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the Clippers made a “strong offer” to Brooklyn and that Tyronn Lue is interested in coaching Irving again after they spent time together in Cleveland.
Irving decided to seek a trade after being unhappy with an extension offer that Brooklyn presented to him last week. Wojnarowski’s sources say Irving wants a deal close to the maximum $198.5MM over four years that he’s eligible to receive. If he’s traded, he can sign a two-year extension with his new team worth up to $78.6MM through the end of June.
Wojnarowski cites a “strong mutual interest” between Irving and the Lakers that dates back to last summer when he was considering whether to pick up his option for the current season. Woj’s sources describe the Lakers as a “motivated suitor” for Irving and say LeBron James is “an immense proponent” of dealing for his former Cavaliers teammate.
Irving missed tonight’s game with right calf soreness, and there’s a chance he might not play for the Nets again if they’re serious about trading him away.
Clippers May Seek Buyout With John Wall If He’s Not Traded
The Clippers are attempting to trade point guard John Wall and may consider a buyout if they can’t find a deal, multiple sources tell Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.
Wall, 32, signed with L.A. in July after reaching a buyout with Houston. His two-year contract includes a $6.479MM salary for this season and a $6.8MM team option for 2023/24.
After sitting out all of last season, Wall was playing fairly regularly before suffering an abdominal injury on January 13. He has missed the past 11 games, and Greif hears there are concerns about his fit with the Clippers for the remainder of the season.
Wall has averaged 11.4 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 34 games, but he’s shooting just 40% from the field and 27% on pull-up jumpers. Wall also has a team-low minus-9.2 net rating, which measures the point differential between when he’s on the court and not.
Wall still doesn’t have a target date to return from his injury, although Greif notes that he was able to participate in a full-court scrimmage with coaches and some of his teammates this week. Wall wouldn’t comment directly on trade rumors, telling Greif that he’s concentrating on things he can control.
“This period for the whole league is interesting, trying to see if any trades happen, getting to see if teams stay healthy and stuff like that, so you kind of just all playing it by ear,” Wall said. “Kind of like, if you be here just try to figure out what your role is, and if you’re not here, then you got to try to find a new situation, like what the new situation might be and stuff like that. I’m just trying to focus on trying to get back and play. Just let everything else happen the way it’s going to happen.”
The Wall rumors come as the Clippers continue to search for point guard help before Thursday’s trade deadline. Greif identifies Toronto’s Fred VanVleet as the team’s number one target, and notes that Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have also been linked to L.A. in trade rumors. Greif doesn’t consider the Clippers to be a potential landing spot for Kyrie Irving, who submitted a trade request to the Nets on Friday.
Kyrie Irving Sitting Out First Game Since Trade Request
In the wake of Friday’s trade request, Kyrie Irving won’t be active for the Nets‘ game tonight against the Wizards, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. Brooklyn has added Irving to its injury report, citing right calf soreness.
In a pre-game session with reporters, coach Jacque Vaughn said Irving didn’t attend the team’s afternoon walkthrough, and he’s not sure if Kyrie plans to show up for the game (Twitter link). Vaughn added that he considers Irving’s status to be day-to-day and doesn’t know when he might play again.
Vaughn reached out to Irving on Friday after the trade request became public, but not to talk about basketball or his future with the team, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
“There’s a business side to this thing and there’s a human side to this thing,” Vaughn said. “I elected to touch on the human side and check on him as an individual. I’ll leave the business side to (general manager) Sean (Marks) and that group.”
If Irving has played his last game for Brooklyn, Vaughn faces the challenge of trying to keep the team competitive, especially while Kevin Durant remains sidelined with a right MCL sprain, Lewis adds. Vaughn instructed his players to remain focused on business and shut out the distractions.
“I said to them, we’re not gonna make this weird,” he stated. “We’re here to play, we’re here to do a job, show up and do your job. I said you’ve done the first step of this thing … let’s do the work to get a win tonight.”
There’s more news regarding Irving:
- Friedell reports that the Nets’ locker room feels “off” after Irving’s decision, but some players expressed support for him (Twitter link). Nic Claxton and Royce O’Neale admitted they were surprised by the trade request, but Claxton dismissed the idea that Irving let the team down. “At the end of the day we’re all our own individuals,” he said.
- In a full story for the New York Post (subscription required), Lewis examines the organization’s options with Irving and cites a limited market for a trade to be completed before Thursday’s deadline. The Lakers are considered to be the most interested suitor, with one Western Conference general manager telling Lewis, “I think there’s only one team that actually wants him.” Lewis also doesn’t believe it’s out of the question that Irving could eventually re-sign with Brooklyn if he’s not dealt.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic identifies nine teams that might have some interest in trading for Irving, listing the Lakers as the number one option. Hollinger states that a three-team trade may be the most likely outcome and notes that Brooklyn will be asking for players who can help right away, rather than draft picks.
- Sources tell Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) that the Hawks won’t be among the teams pursuing Irving.
Cavaliers Interested In Josh Hart
The Cavaliers, who are looking to bolster their small forward position at the trade deadline, are one of multiple clubs registering “very strong interest” in Trail Blazers swingman Josh Hart, according to Marc Stein’s latest Substack story (subscriber link).
Hart, 27, is currently in the second season of a very reasonable three-year, $37.9MM deal. He has a player option for the 2023/24 season, meaning he can choose to enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Across 49 games this year, all starts, the Villanova alum is averaging 9.4 PPG on .506/.311/.732 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in a career-high 8.1 RPG, along with 4.0 APG and 1.1 SPG.
Hart has the outlines of a solid 3-and-D contributor, but in his first full season for Portland, he is falling short on one element of that equation. Hart’s three-point shooting has regressed this season, in both volume and success rate. His 31.1% completion percentage represents a career low, and his 2.1 attempts per contest are likewise his lowest nightly average for a given season.
Cleveland could certainly use help along the wing. The team is currently starting raw swingman Isaac Okoro, a solid defender averaging a modest 6.0 PPG on .485/.333/.720 shooting splits on low volume.