Injury Notes: Leonard, Suns, Green, Harris, Banchero
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will not play on Friday against Golden State and he will not travel with the team for its upcoming three-game road trip, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link). Leonard has yet to play this season as he recovers from a right knee injury.
However, the two-time Finals MVP continues to make progress — he went through a 5-on-5 practice on Thursday and he will practice with the G League’s San Diego Clippers while the NBA club is out of town.
“Making sure he’s doing everything so this doesn’t occur again so we can kind of monitor the fluid and see how it’s working,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “So far it’s been really good and we just want to continue to keep progressing.”
For what it’s worth, Leonard released a vague teaser video (via Twitter) on Friday saying he’ll be back “pretty soon.”
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- The Suns will be without All-Star guard Devin Booker for the fourth straight game on Friday when Phoenix faces Dallas, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Booker is recovering from a left groin strain. Grayson Allen (concussion protocol) and Bol Bol (left knee contusion) will also be sidelined for the Suns.
- After previously being listed as questionable, Warriors forward/center Draymond Green has been downgraded to doubtful ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Clippers, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. An eight-time All-Defensive member, Green is dealing with a contusion on the left side of his lower back.
- Magic guard Gary Harris may suit up on Friday vs. New York after missing the past 13 games with a left hamstring strain. He’s listed as probable, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links), who notes that while Paolo Banchero is still out, his injury designation has changed from torn right oblique to “return to competition reconditioning.” Banchero, who hasn’t played since Oct. 30, has been ramping up his on-court activities, but he’s not doing contact work yet.
Hawks Sign Daeqwon Plowden To Two-Way Contract
2:13pm: Plowden’s two-way contract is now official, the Hawks announced in a press release.
9:10am: The Hawks are signing free agent wing Daeqwon Plowden to a two-way contract, agent Drew Kelso tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Atlanta opened up a two-way spot last week by waiving Seth Lundy, who has yet to play this season as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. Plowden will now take that spot, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirms (via Twitter).
Plowden, 26, is a Philadelphia native who spent five college seasons at Bowling Green prior to going undrafted in 2022. He is technically an NBA rookie, having spent his entire professional career to this point playing in the G League.
Plowden, who played for the affiliate clubs of the Pelicans and Magic during the 2022/23 and ’23/24 campaigns, was signed by the Warriors on a two-way deal over the summer. While Plowden drew strong reviews for his play in Summer League, Golden State wound up waiving him in September to make roster space for second-round pick Quinten Post.
The College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL affiliate, acquired Plowden’s returning player rights a few months ago. After being cut by Golden State, he quickly signed an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with the Hawks, then was waived before the ’24/25 season began.
Plowden has been playing for College Park this season, averaging 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .427/.385/.783 shooting in 14 games (27.8 MPG).
And-Ones: Dybantsa, Hartenstein, Samanic, Ratings, Threes
Utah Prep wing AJ Dybantsa is a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. When he received his first basketball paycheck — $1,000 for winning Massachusetts Player of the Year as a freshman — he didn’t keep it, instead donating it to a local Boys & Girls Club, as Jared Weiss details in a feature story for The Athletic.
“Don’t take anything for granted,” Dybantsa told The Athletic recently. “People are less fortunate and don’t have what we have. If I continue this route, I’m going to get a lot more money than that. So, I might as well just donate (that check) back to the community.”
Dybantsa reportedly secured a massive name, image and likeness (NIL) windfall when he committed to BYU. According to Weiss, the 17-year-old has kept his focus on basketball despite becoming a very famous — and wealthy — athlete.
“People just gonna talk, but I (didn’t) even know how much I’m getting. They just tell my dad all of that,” Dybantsa said of his father Ace, who negotiated the deal. “I’m trying to make it to the NBA, so wherever they can get me the fastest there with the best development, there’s a whole lot of pillars that come with it. Money’s going to come if I do the work, so I’m not worried about the money in a year.”
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein has become a minority owner of Ratiopharm Ulm, the German basketball club announced in a press release. “I got involved because I was searching for a German team that I could be a part of — one that, if I were younger and trying to make the next level, would get me there,” Hartenstein said. “I feel like they do a great job of developing young talent and helping them advance in their careers. The team is well-run, and even though they focus on helping players take the next step, they remain competitive. That mix was really exciting for me. And growing up, I always loved the fans they had.” Hartenstein grew up in Germany, where both he and his father Florian played professionally.
- Former NBA forward Luka Samanic is in advanced talks to join Spanish club Baskonia, which competes in the EuroLeague, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. Samanic, who played for Utah last season, has been playing for Cibona in his native Croatia. Cibona is not a member of the EuroLeague.
- Ahead of the NBA Cup championship game, commissioner Adam Silver discussed the NBA’s declining TV ratings and the increase in three-point field goals, which some fans and observes believe has hurt the league’s appeal. John Hollinger of The Athletic thinks the discourse about ratings and threes “ring hollow.” Marc Stein conveys a similar sentiment in a Substack post, downplaying any concerns about ratings.
Warriors Notes: Payton, Curry, Green, Help
Veteran guard Gary Payton II will miss at least four games after sustaining a “mild” left calf strain in Wednesday’s loss to the Lakers, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). Payton underwent an MRI on Thursday which confirmed the injury. He’ll be reevaluated in a week.
Known for his strong defense, Payton has appeared in 28 games this season, averaging 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13.1 minutes per contest. He has converted an impressive 71.6% of his two-point attempts, but has struggled with his outside shot thus far in ’24/25, going just 5-of-32 from three point range (15.6%).
Payton, 32, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s also eligible for a veteran extension through June 30.
Here’s more on the Warriors, who are currently 15-14, the No. 10 seed in the West:
- Golden State has a back-to-back on Friday (at the Clippers) and Saturday (vs. Phoenix). Two-time MVP Stephen Curry will miss Friday’s contest to manage bilateral knee pain, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN relays. Draymond Green (left lower back contusion) is questionable for Friday’s game.
- Curry was at his best on Christmas Day, nearly giving the Warriors a comeback victory by recording 38 points — including a couple of clutch three-pointers late — and six assists. However, after he tied the game with a 31-foot three, Austin Reaves made a game-winning layup, sealing a Lakers victory. The Warriors need more performances like that from Curry to have a shot at another deep playoff run, but they also risk running him into the ground if they don’t get him more help on the trade market, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
- In case you missed it, the Warriors had a player-led meeting prior to Wednesday’s game, with Curry being especially vocal. Read more details here.
Luka Doncic Out At Least One Month; All-NBA Streak To End
Mavericks guard Luka Doncic will be sidelined for at least one month after suffering a left calf strain in the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, according to Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Multiple other reporters, including Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, Dallas-based NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter links), and Lauren Merola and Christian Clark of The Athletic, have confirmed the news.
As Charania and MacMahon detail, Doncic underwent an MRI on Thursday and consulted with multiple medical professionals to establish a return timeline. ESPN’s duo reported on Wednesday that the Mavs were anticipating Doncic would miss an “extended period of time” with the injury, which caused him to leave the arena on crutches.
Doncic appeared to suffer the injury when he drove into the lane while being defended by Jaden McDaniels (Twitter video links). There was no contact to his left leg on the play.
According to ESPN, this is third time Doncic has strained his left calf in the past few years. He also missed all of preseason action with a left calf contusion and recently returned from a left heel contusion.
Doncic, who has made the All-NBA First Team each of the past five seasons, will see that streak come to an end in 2024/25. He has already missed eight games this season, and Dallas plays 16 games between now and January 25, which is around the time he’ll be reevaluated. That would put him on pace to miss at least 24 games, making him ineligible for major end-of-season awards, including MVP, due to the 65-game rule.
The 25-year-old superstar has averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists and a career-high 2.0 steals in 22 games this season (35.7 minutes per contest). His shooting line is .464/.354/.767.
With Doncic out, star backcourt mate Kyrie Irving will take on additional scoring and play-making responsibilities. Quentin Grimes will likely start in Doncic’s stead, with Spencer Dinwiddie another candidate for more touches and minutes.
The Mavericks have had success without Doncic in ’24/25, going 6-2 to this point. But the reigning Western Conference champions will be tested over the next several weeks without their best player.
Grizzlies Interested In Nets Forward Finney-Smith
The Grizzlies are a “team to watch” as the Nets look to move forward Dorian Finney-Smith, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.
The two teams could be a match because the Nets have interest in the Grizzlies guard John Konchar, league sources tell Stein, who says the Magic and Heat are also looking at Konchar as a potential trade target.
It’s no secret Brooklyn is open for business regarding its veteran players as it tries to stockpile assets. Long noted for his defensive prowess, Finney-Smith is averaging 10.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season. He’s also shooting a career-best 45.2% on 3-point attempts.
Finney-Smith has missed the last three games with a left calf contusion. He’s pulling in $14.9MM this season and has a player option on his contract for 2025/26 worth $15.4MM.
Finney-Smith could provide depth at the power forward spot for the Grizzlies behind Jaren Jackson Jr. and offer an alternative to rookie Jaylen Wells at small forward.
Konchar has seen his playing time plummet this season. He started 46 games over the previous two seasons but has come off the bench this season and appeared in just 15 contests.
Konchar is in the first season of a three-year, $18.5MM contract. Luke Kennard‘s $9.25MM expiring deal would a logical contract to package with Konchar in a deal for Finney-Smith but there’s a big catch. As Stein notes, Kennard would lose his Bird rights if he’s traded, since he re-signed with Memphis on a one-year contract. That means he would have to approve any trade involving him, and it’s hard to see him agreeing to go to a rebuilding team like the Nets.
And-Ones: Fears, 2025 Draft, 2026 Draft, Graham, Young, Wells
Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears has improved his draft stock with his early season performances, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. In Wasserman’s view, Fears now projects to go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 next June after leading the Sooners to a 12-0 start, including a 30-point outing against Michigan.
Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis have also been impressive during the first two months of the college season. Fleming is now receiving first-round consideration, while Jakucionis is solidifying his projected lottery status.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- While the 2025 draft class has received plenty of hype, the top of the 2026 draft could be even more impressive, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Wing AJ Dybantsa is the top player in his class, while Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson have also generated some buzz regarding their futures. One NBA executive suggested to Vorkunov that teams might start positioning themselves for the 2026 draft ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
- Unsigned NBA veteran guard Devonte’ Graham may have earned at least a 10-day deal with his outing in the G League Showcase, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Graham had a 24-point game for the South Bay Lakers. Graham spent training camp and the preseason on a non-guaranteed contract with the Trail Blazers before being waived. A few other unaffiliated players stood out, Hollinger adds, with Grand Rapids Gold guard Jahmir Young heading that group. He had 50 points in two games. He was waived by the Nuggets during training camp.
- The race for the Rookie of the Year award is wide open, The Athletic’s Fred Katz notes. With the Sixers‘ Jared McCain sidelined, Grizzlies‘ second-rounder Jaylen Wells currently tops Katz’s ballot. He lists Pelicans big man Yves Missi second and Spurs wing Stephon Castle third but any number of players could emerge from the pack in the coming months and challenge for top honors.
Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Paul, Thompson, Missi
Those who tuned in for the early Christmas game between the Spurs and Knicks saw an overwhelming performance by Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, even though the Knicks pulled out a three-point win.
Wembanyama finished with 42 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in 40 minutes. No previous player had ever turned in a combination of that many points, rebounds, assists and blocks on Christmas Day. Wembanyama also came close to Wilt Chamberlain‘s record of 45 points in a Christmas debut.
However, Wembanyama was more focused on the loss than his big numbers, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes.
“It’s not my first thought at all, I don’t even know the real history by heart of the best Christmas games in history,” Wembanyama said. “I’m thinking about the game right now and just thinking we’re close, but we lack some attributes at times. You know, we’re right there. It was a really disputed game.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Spurs are sitting at .500 after losing their last two games. Chris Paul believes the team’s next step is to learn to execute during crunch time, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “For us, the next step is winning those games,” Paul said. “We got to get to that point where all that ‘young guy stuff’ got to go out the window. We pros just like everybody else and there’s a grit and a will that you got to have in this league in order to figure out ways to win those games, especially on the road when we are the only ones that’s cheering for us.”
- Klay Thompson has passed Reggie Miller for fifth place on the league’s all-time 3-point makes list. That’s a special accomplishment for the Mavericks guard, “I loved Reggie Miller growing up,” Thompson told Christian Clark of The Athletic. “I watched his film and game-winners my whole life. He’s always inspired me to shoot the ball and be a killer. It’s just surreal. Talk about times I prayed for. I prayed for times like that.” Thompson is wearing No. 31 as a tribute to Miller, who wore the same number in his 18 seasons with the Pacers.
- Due to injuries, Pelicans rookie center Yves Missi has been thrown into the fire this season and he seems to be improving with each game. Messi had 21 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals against Denver on Sunday. “He’s well ahead of the curve,” teammate CJ McCollum told Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “He’s probably surprised himself. The development has been great for him. From the first day he got here to now has been night and day.”
Southeast Notes: Butler, Banchero, Coulibaly, Sarr, Wong, Miller
Jimmy Butler was in the spotlight quite a bit on Thursday, but he won’t be on the court tonight when the Heat play in Orlando. He’s listed as out due to return to competition reconditioning, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Butler is expected to rejoin the team on Friday when it prepares for Saturday’s road game against the Hawks.
Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley issued a statement on Thursday declaring that he won’t trade Butler. There has been heavy speculation regarding the future of Butler, who holds a $52.4MM option on his contract for the 2025/26 season.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Magic star Paolo Banchero continues to ramp up his on-court work, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Banchero has been sidelined eight weeks since he was diagnosed with a torn right abdominal muscle. However, he still hasn’t gone through a contact practice, so his timeline to return remains unclear.
- Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr are available to play for the Wizards tonight against Charlotte, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post tweets. Both players sat out Monday’s loss to the Thunder.
- 2023 second-rounder Isaiah Wong is averaging 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in seven December games. Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer explores whether the Hornets may have found a diamond in the rough in Wong, who was signed to a two-way deal earlier this month.
- Hornets forward Brandon Miller is back in action tonight after missing the last three games due to an ankle injury, Boone tweets.
Pacific Notes: Carter, Davis, Reaves, Schröder
Lottery pick Devin Carter appears to be nearing his season debut for the Kings.
Sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento that Carter, who underwent surgery in July to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, has been cleared for “unrestricted basketball activity.” The team confirmed the news in a press release (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat).
The former Providence star is expected to be assigned soon to Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton to participate in live play, Cunningham reports.
The Kings announced in November that Carter had been cleared for unrestricted shooting. When he underwent surgery, Carter was given a return timeline of six months, and he seems to be right on track in his recovery process.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Anthony Davis tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN he’s confident the left ankle sprain he experienced on Wednesday won’t keep him out for the Lakers‘ next matchup (Twitter link). “I’ll be OK. I am playing against SAC on Saturday,” Davis said. The star big man missed most of yesterday’s game with the injury.
- Austin Reaves says he’s “not really an emotional person” but he nearly teared up after notching a 26-point triple-double and making a game-winning layup in the Lakers‘ Christmas victory over Golden State, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “I know all my people back home are locked in and sitting around with family watching the game and that means a lot to me. I say it all the time, I’m not necessarily supposed to be in this position,” said Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021 and wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. “I got lucky, got my foot in the door and took advantage of an opportunity. And now I’m sitting here … on Christmas with a game-winner and a triple-double, and really the win that matters the most to me.”
- Veteran guard Dennis Schröder is still adjusting to his new role after being traded to the Warriors less than two weeks ago, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. An impending free agent, Schröder has struggled in his first four games with Golden State after putting up some of the best numbers of his career this season with Brooklyn. He says he doesn’t mind switching teams so many times over the past several years. “Twelve years in, I don’t really care no more,” Schröder said. “As long as I’m somewhere where I’m wanted and people appreciate me, and that is what I’ve had so far from the coaches. Steve Kerr is one of the best coaches. For him to believe in me like that, everybody in the organization telling me, ‘You kicked our ass the last couple of years.’ Of course, that is great. If I can stick here, cool. But if not, then I will move on to next city and organization. I don’t really mind. There are 400 people out of eight billion who play in the NBA. I don’t take those moments for granted. I can play 25, 30, 35 minutes every night. I don’t care what nobody has to say. You played on eight teams. That’s fine. I’m really blessed. I have more money to spend and help my family.”