Maxi Kleber Has Surgery For Hamstring Tear
Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber underwent surgery Tuesday for a torn right hamstring, the team announced (via Twitter). Kleber suffered the injury at a practice last week.
Rehab is set to begin immediately, and no timetable has been set for him to return.
The average recovery time for a player who suffers a hamstring tear is about 62 days, according to Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com (Twitter link). However, the average recovery time dips to 38 days in cases where surgery isn’t required, so Kleber could certainly be sidelined for more than two months.
As Stotts adds (via Twitter), Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd compared Kleber’s injury to one Khris Middleton suffered in 2016. Middleton returned to action 133 days (over four months) after undergoing surgery on his torn hamstring.
Dallas is just 2-8 this season in games that Kleber has missed, so a prolonged absence is an unfortunate break for a team locked in a tight battle for a playoff spot. The German forward is averaging 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds through 22 games.
Donovan Mitchell Discusses Trade To Cavs, Gobert Relationship, More
Facing his former team for the first time since being traded from the Jazz to the Cavaliers over the offseason, Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting on Monday, leading the Cavs to a 23-point victory.
Utah’s leading scorer on the night, with 24 points, was forward Lauri Markkanen, who was traded by Cleveland in the Mitchell blockbuster. Mitchell’s and Markkanen’s strong performances were the latest indication that the deal seems to be working out pretty well for both teams so far.
“It looks a like a win-win to me, and you love to see something like that,” Mitchell said, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. “It’s good to see Lauri doing his thing and the Jazz playing well. I’m happy in Cleveland, so sometimes, these kinds of things work out for the best.”
As Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes, besides providing the Cavaliers with some much-needed scoring punch on the court, Mitchell has impressed his new teammates and coaches in Cleveland with his character off the court.
“I would love people to understand what type of human being he is,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He’s an unbelievable person to be around every day. Ups, downs, roundabouts, eight-game winning streak, five-game losing streak, he never changed. And he was always uplifting, he was always positive, and he’s always thinking about other people first, and to me, that’s more important than all this put the ball in a basket stuff. Because those are the types of people you want to surround yourself with, and those are the types of people, and you see it, his teammates want to play with him and play for him because he’s that type of person.”
Before he and the Cavs hosted the Jazz on Monday, Mitchell spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about being traded, the differences between Cleveland and Utah, the Cavs’ potential ceiling, and several other topics. The Q&A, which includes Mitchell’s explanation for why his time in Salt Lake City was sometimes “draining” off the court, is worth checking out in full, but here are a few of the highlights:
On his relationship with former Jazz co-star Rudy Gobert:
“Honestly, basketball just didn’t work. We live in such a world where it has to be really negative. Basketball just didn’t work. We didn’t see eye to eye. We wanted to both win, but we wanted to do it two different ways. It didn’t work. But as far as him and I go as people, I don’t hate him, and he doesn’t hate me. I wouldn’t say we’re the best of friends, but we’re not at the point where it’s like, I can’t stand him. … There’s no hatred. There’s no ill will towards any of that. Basketball just didn’t work out. It happens.
“… Honestly, it really started with COVID. Everything we did up to that point was under microscope to the point where we were getting evaluated on how many times we threw the ball (to each other). And that’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality of it. And it just didn’t work. I wish it did. I wish we went farther. We had the opportunity, but we didn’t. And we’re both in different spots now. But I want to wish him the best and I know he feels the same way.”
On when he realized the end was near in Utah:
“Realistically when we lost (to the Mavs in last season’s playoffs). You just felt it early. I didn’t think it would be this immediate. I didn’t think it would be everything. But I knew something was going to change this summer. I didn’t know what. And then with (head coach) Quin (Snyder) leaving I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ And then Rudy getting traded, it’s like, ‘All right, let’s go.'”
On whether he thinks the Jazz should retire his No. 45 jersey:
“I don’t think I did enough. I hold myself to a high standard. Now, other people may feel that it should. I’d be happy and forever grateful, honored and blessed for sure for that to happen. But I don’t think I’ve done enough in five years to have my jersey up there with Karl (Malone), John (Stockton), Pistol Pete (Maravich), and Darrell Griffith. I got a long way in my career to go to continue to be better.”
Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Kings, Suns, Booker, Beverley
Before Kings center Domantas Sabonis racked up 28 points, 23 rebounds, and seven assists in Sunday’s loss to Charlotte, head coach Mike Brown said there’s “no question” that the big man should be an All-Star this season, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Sunday’s performance increased Sabonis’ season-long averages to 18.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG, and 6.4 APG. He’s also shooting a career-best 62.7% from the floor.
“If you don’t vote for him to be an All-Star, in my opinion, you don’t know basketball because what he’s doing, it’s almost on a historic level, and I’m not just talking about his ability to score or his ability to pass,” Brown said.
As impressive as Sabonis has been, the Kings are still seeking a reliable backup at the center position. The team began the season with Richaun Holmes playing that role, then turned to Chimezie Metu. On Sunday, two-way player Neemias Queta got a look, playing seven minutes in just his second appearance of the season. Brown said on Sunday that Holmes and Queta will get more opportunities, per Anderson, and that he expects to continue experimenting until he finds a reliable option in that spot.
“I can’t run Domas 40 minutes every night,” Brown said, according to Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. “So I need to find a guy in that spot who’s going to defend, run the floor, spell Domas for six, eight minutes a half, and play as hard as he as can while following the game plan. Not fouling, boxing out, doing all the little things that need to keep that group solid for those six to eight minutes. We’ve found it in spurts. But I want to get to a point where it can be a little bit more consistent, so I’m going to keep searching until I feel like that person is there.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Although Suns owner Robert Sarver was suspended and fined by the NBA and is now planning to sell the team, a number of current and former Suns employees are still wondering whether other executives who contributed to creating a toxic workplace will face any punishment, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. CEO Jason Rowley is among those accused of mistreating staffers. As Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets, the club put out a statement claiming that there are “factual inaccuracies” in Holmes’ report and that the franchise’s leaders have taken accountability for the allegations found to have merit.
- Suns head coach Monty Williams blamed himself for the groin injury that sidelined Devin Booker on Monday. “Let’s be straight, I played him way too many minutes,” Williams said (Twitter link via Bourguet). “I can’t look at anybody else when I put players in harm’s way.”
- Suns point guard Chris Paul brushed off a taunt from Lakers guard Patrick Beverley on Monday, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Beverley made a “too small” gesture when he converted an and-one against CP3 that cut L.A.’s deficit from 26 points to 23. “You can’t pay attention to that stuff,” Paul said. “That ain’t new. He ain’t come up with it. But just play basketball, man.” Beverley was suspended three games for shoving Deandre Ayton the last time the two teams faced one another.
Magic’s Okeke Out At Least One Month Following Knee Procedure
The Magic will be without forward Chuma Okeke for at least the next month, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that Okeke underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.
Wojnarowski specifies that the procedure was a chondroplasty, which is designed to “repair and reshape damaged cartilage in a joint.” The plan is for Okeke to be reevaluated in four weeks, Woj adds. He had already missed the last 14 games due to the injury.
The 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Okeke has a history of left knee problems. He spent his first professional season in the G League before signing an NBA contract because he was still recovering from a torn left ACL that he suffered while playing at Auburn.
The 24-year-old, now in his third NBA season, has shown some flashes of promise as a three-and-D contributor, knocking down 34.8% of his three-point attempts as a rookie in 2020/21. However, he has struggled with his shot so far this season, making just 36.8% of his field goal attempts, including 30.0% of his threes. In 18 appearances (seven starts), he has averaged 5.4 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 21.8 minutes per night.
Fortunately, the Magic have no shortage of options at forward, with Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Bol Bol all having strong seasons. Reserve forward Admiral Schofield has also been playing well as a rotation piece as of late, putting up 22 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes across his last two games. There’s optimism that Jonathan Isaac, who is the final stages of his own injury rehab process, will be back at some point in the near future too.
Community Shootaround: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers reached the 30-game mark on Monday, as their depleted group got blown out by the Suns. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook missed the game with minor ailments but of course the bigger issue is Anthony Davis‘ foot injury.
Los Angeles dropped to a 13-17 record, 12th-best in the Western Conference, and it’s going to be difficult to hang around in the postseason chase with Davis sidelined for multiple weeks. It’s uncertain just how long Davis will be out, but naturally the Lakers will exercise plenty of caution for a superstar with a long history of injuries.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Lakers’ prospects were a lot rosier. Davis was on a tear, scoring 99 points in a two-game span at one point, as the Lakers came within two games of .500 after a 2-10 start.
They pulled out a narrow victory over the slumping Wizards without Davis on Saturday, but continuing to win games without him won’t be easy. Sunday’s contest against the Suns began a stretch in which they’ll play seven of eight games on the road.
There have been all kinds of trade rumors surrounding the Lakers since the summer. Westbrook and his $47MM expiring contract have, of course, has been at the forefront of that trade buzz. There have been all kinds of names bandied about as possible trade targets, including Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, Bojan Bogdanovic, Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier, just to name a few.
Their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, however valuable they may be, have also been a hot topic of discussions.
Now, it’s fair to wonder what approach the Lakers should take. During the uptick, it seemed like a good idea to get immediate help.
Now, it might be prudent to bite the bullet and use the cap room they’ll gain from Westbrook’s expiring contract, among others, to retool next summer. The only big salary commitments they have beyond this season are the contracts of Davis and James. That cap space would give them much more elbow room than they had this past offseason to make deals and free agent signings.
That brings us to our question of the day: In light of Davis’ latest injury, should the Lakers make moves now to improve their chances of staying in the playoff chase? Or should they stand pat and use the cap space they’ll gain from expiring contracts to revamp the roster next offseason?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Eastern Notes: Avdija, Westbrook, Koloko, Taylor, Knicks
Wizards forward Deni Avdija credits former teammate Russell Westbrook for mentoring him during his rookie season, as he told Josh Robbins and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
The current Lakers guard continues to have an impact on Avdija, who is averaging 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Wizards this season. “He really took care of me,” Avdija said. “He really cared about my success, and he wanted me to be mentally tough. When he sees me now, every time he sees me, he gives me advice after the game or something that I need to do better, and I love it. He always has a lot of effect (on me) because he was my first veteran that I met when I came to the league.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Rookie Christian Koloko leads the Raptors in games played this season due to rash of injuries throughout the roster but he’s not yet the answer at center, Josh Lewenberg of TSN writes. Koloko’s growing pains are showing during the team’s current slide and he may need more seasoning in the G League. “He’s got to play through those mistakes,” Fred VanVleet said. “It’s not necessarily his fault that we need him at his mature self right this second.”
- Pacers forward Terry Taylor will play with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in their two games this week at the G League Showcase, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Taylor will get some much-needed playing time. The second-year player hasn’t appeared at all in the past five games for Indiana and has only seen seven total minutes of action in December.
- The Knicks open a four-game homestand this week but they’ve been better on the road, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. They’ve won seven consecutive games overall and six straight outside of Madison Square Garden. “How do I say this? I don’t know what the word I’m supposed to use is, but on the road we’re locked in. At home we’re comfortable,” Jalen Brunson said. “It’s something we’ve got to get better at and continue to do that. I just like the way we’re playing.”
Pacific Notes: McNair, Lakers’ Picks, Wiseman, Wiggins
There’s “fresh buzz” around the league that talks regarding an extension for Kings general manager Monte McNair have advanced, Marc Stein reports in a Substack story. There’s a growing expectation among NBA circles that McNair will sign an extension as soon as next month.
Entering the final year of his contract, McNair hired Mike Brown as head coach, traded for Kevin Huerter, signed Malik Monk as a free agent and drafted Keegan Murray in the lottery. So far, that’s worked out for the Kings, as they have the fifth-best record in the Western Conference.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Anthony Davis‘ foot injury, expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks, shouldn’t deter the Lakers’ front office from trading their 2027 and 2029 first round picks for immediate help, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times opines. The fact the Lakers didn’t trade those picks during the offseason showed that the front office was unsure that the team was just a move or two away from contending. The Lakers have built their team around LeBron James and Davis and they shouldn’t change that approach despite Davis’ latest injury, Hernandez concludes.
- Stephen Curry‘s shoulder injury should motivate the Warriors’ front office to make a deal, John Hollinger of The Athletic argues. They have a valuable trade asset in 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, who isn’t helping them this season. If they can remove his $12MM salary for next season for a veteran with an expiring contract, they can improve their prospects for this season and get substantial savings from their luxury tax bill for 2023/24, Hollinger observes.
- Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins remains sidelined due to a groin injury. He’s listed as out for Golden State’s road game against the Knicks on Tuesday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Wiggins hasn’t played since Dec. 3.
Western Notes: Gordon, Green, Porter Jr., Davis
The Rockets are more inclined to deal Eric Gordon than at any point over the past two seasons, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports.
The Rockets, who have had preliminary talks regarding Gordon with numerous teams, have more interest in acquiring a young player or a future first-round pick for Gordon than a late first in next year’s draft, according to Iko, since they already two first-rounders in the next draft — their own and Milwaukee’s pick.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Josh Green won’t return until next month from his elbow injury, he told Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News. “Doing as much treatment and working on it as much as I can, but we’re going to revisit it in another couple weeks with the training staff,” the Mavericks guard said. The 2020 first-rounder hasn’t played since Dec. 9. The Mavericks would be very hesitant to trade Green, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic, with a front office source telling him that he’s considered the team’s third-most important player after Luka Dončić and Spencer Dinwiddie.
- Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who has missed a dozen games due to a heel injury, has been upgraded to doubtful for Tuesday’s game against Memphis, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets. Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jeff Green are all listed as questionable.
- Anthony Davis‘ foot injury is a grim development for the Lakers, who are already floundering under the .500 mark. First-year coach Darvin Ham is trying to take a positive approach, hoping Davis’ absence will benefit the team in the long run, according to Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of the period of discovery,” Ham said. “When you’re missing a huge piece like A.D., it allows you to mix and match and I think people are getting caught up in him not being there but I’m looking at another opportunity to see what we have and what combinations we can throw out there so upon his return, we can have several, several different bullets in the chamber that we can use.”
Central Notes: Bogdanovic, Bey, Bulls’ Slide, DeRozan
Veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic has become one of the hottest names on the trade market. However, the Pistons have been telling potential suitors that they plan on holding onto Bogdanovic, according to Marc Stein in his latest Substack post.
Bogdanovic, who signed a two-year extension this season, is the Pistons’ leading scorer with Cade Cunningham out. They’re hoping when Cunningham returns next season they can make a playoff push with the aid of Bogdanovic. Detroit’s current stance could eventually change prior to the trade deadline and it’s also possible the front office is posturing in order to secure an unprotected first-round pick, and possibly more, for Bogdanovic.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pistons forward Saddiq Bey isn’t upset about being moved to the second unit, he told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Bey has been thrust into a scoring role off the bench, as coach Dwane Casey has opted to go with a bigger lineup on the first unit. “It’s a good challenge because I’ve always wanted to be one of the guys that does whatever the team needs, whatever role,” he said. “I just try to be that glue guy who can adapt to any role. I think that holds value.”
- The Bulls gave up 150 points to the depleted Timberwolves on Sunday. Coach Billy Donovan said in-game adjustments can only go so far if the effort level is lacking, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times writes. ‘‘I can switch to zone, I can switch to different pick-and-roll coverages, but if the compete level isn’t high enough collectively as a unit, it doesn’t make a difference,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘When you line up and play, the beauty of it is it doesn’t make a difference what happened yesterday or two weeks ago. You are not escaping the moment of the physicality and what you’ve got to do.’’
- With the Bulls having to seriously consider blowing up their roster, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago ranks their trade assets. DeMar DeRozan tops that list, followed by Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. Johnson believes DeRozan is the front office’s best hope to replenish the draft capital it surrendered in previous deals.
Lakers’ James, Suns’ Booker Out For Monday’s Matchup
Lakers star LeBron James has been ruled out for Monday’s contest in Phoenix due to left ankle soreness, tweets Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group.
Guard Austin Reaves will also be sidelined with a right ankle sprain, while fellow guard Patrick Beverley is questionable with right calf soreness.
It will be James’ eighth missed game thus far in 2022/23, and the timing isn’t great since Anthony Davis is reportedly out for at least a month after injuring his right foot in Friday’s win over Denver. However, it’s the second game of a back-to-back — the Lakers defeated the Wizards on Sunday night — so the team is likely being cautious with its star forward, who will turn 38 on December 30.
Losing Reaves is a big blow as well. His counting stats are fairly modest — he’s averaging 10.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 2.1 APG through 29 games (29.5 MPG) — but his efficiency is elite: his shooting slash line is .521/.391/.915, including a .680 true shooting percentage. It will be the 24-year-old’s first missed game of 2022/23.
The Suns will also be without their best player, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Shooting guard Devin Booker, who was previously listed as questionable with groin soreness, has been downgraded to out for tonight’s game against the Lakers.
Booker scored a season-high 58 points in Saturday’s victory over New Orleans, but he’d been dealing with left hamstring tightness early last week, which caused him to miss a couple games. It’s unclear if the two injuries are related or how long the 26-year-old might be sidelined, but the fact that he was initially deemed questionable seems to indicate that he should be back in action fairly soon.