Joel Embiid Fined $75K By NBA
Sixers center Joel Embiid has been fined $75K, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Embiid was ejected from Monday’s game vs. San Antonio for arguing with and confronting an official about a foul call, but this fine wasn’t related to that incident. According to the league, the $75K penalty is for “making obscene gestures on the playing court” during the first half of Philadelphia’s win in Boston on Wednesday.
The NBA didn’t specify exactly which gestures Embiid was being fined for, but there were a couple candidates captured on ESPN’s broadcast. After being fouled on a first-quarter basket, the star center made a subtle crotch-chopping gesture while lying on his back on the court (Twitter video link). He also appeared to flip off the home crowd after making a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first half (Twitter video link).
Embiid was fined during both the 2022/23 and ’23/24 seasons for “obscene gestures” on the court (crotch chops, in both cases), so his history – along with the bigger Christmas Day stage – may have been a factor in the more significant penalty this time around.
Embiid’s cap hit this season is approximately $51.4MM, so the fine represents a drop in the bucket for the former MVP.
Embiid is questionable to play on Saturday in Utah, with the Sixers’ injury report citing both his sinus fracture and a left foot sprain, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
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.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, Martin, Yabusele
The Sixers didn’t panic after a disastrous start to the season, and they’re starting to look like the team everyone expected when they revamped their roster over the summer, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Philadelphia continued its turnaround on Wednesday with a victory at Boston, winning for the eighth time in its past 11 games.
The team has weathered a long string of early-season injuries, with the Christmas showdown marking just the sixth game when Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have all been available. Embiid had a minor pre-game scare when he twisted his ankle while stepping on a security guard’s foot, but he was able to put up 27 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
“We got a high ceiling,” Embiid said. “It’s all about us putting it together. I don’t think that was close to our best basketball, but we got a pretty good chance. So it’s all about looking for some luck and staying healthy.”
Maxey also had a huge night with 33 points and 12 assists, and Bontemps notes that the Sixers did the little things well, such as beating the Celtics 13-6 in the turnover battle and making all 19 of their free throws. Philadelphia is now just one game away from the play-in tournament and 3.5 games behind Miami for sixth place and a guaranteed playoff spot.
“I think the biggest thing that we’ve really done is we’ve come together a lot more,” Maxey said. “I feel like we had a lot of new guys. I don’t know how many new people we have, like seven or something like that, and it’s difficult. You don’t know how you want to play. You don’t know what combinations go with each other. I think we’re finally figuring that out.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Caleb Martin has experienced shoulder, back and neck injuries since the season began, but this week marks the first time he’s been able to play without pain, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Martin enjoyed one of his best games of the season on Wednesday, scoring 23 points while going 7-of-9 from three-point range. “He’s much healthier now than he was two weeks ago,” coach Nick Nurse said. “The first thing he said to me was … ‘Coach I feel so much better physically.'”
- Philadelphia had success with a small-ball lineup as Guerschon Yabusele was plus-18 in 21 minutes of action, Pompey adds. Kyle Lowry (plus-20) and Reggie Jackson (plus-11) frequently played together while Maxey was resting, and the Sixers were able to frustrate Boston with a zone defense.
- The Christmas Day matchup with the Celtics was significant for Yabusele, who started his NBA career in Boston before being waived in 2019, notes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He spent five years overseas and eventually became a star with Real Madrid before an outstanding Olympics performance opened the door for another NBA opportunity. “I’ve got to be the hungriest on the court,” Yabusele said. “So just try to help the team and play with a lot of energy and a lot of force. … I understand, also, that it’s rare to have a second chance in the NBA, so when I’m out here, I just try to compete the best that I can.”
Community Shootaround: Christmas Day Games
Merry Christmas from the Hoops Rumors staff!
As usual, the NBA has a five-game slate on tap for Christmas Day, with many of the league’s top teams and biggest stars in action on December 25. Here’s today’s schedule:
- 11:00 am CT: San Antonio Spurs (15-14) at New York Knicks (19-10)
- 1:30 pm CT: Minnesota Timberwolves (14-14) at Dallas Mavericks (19-10)
- 4:00 pm CT: Philadelphia 76ers (10-17) at Boston Celtics (22-7)
- 7:00 pm CT: Los Angeles Lakers (16-13) at Golden State Warriors (15-13)
- 9:30 pm CT: Denver Nuggets (16-11) at Phoenix Suns (14-14)
While the goal on Christmas Day is generally to showcase some of the day’s biggest stars and best teams, this year’s schedule is a little lacking in the latter.
Despite featuring seven teams from the Western Conference, today’s slate of games doesn’t include any of the West’s top three seeds, the Thunder, Rockets, and Grizzlies. While Houston and Memphis weren’t necessarily expected to be this good, Oklahoma City’s absence is conspicuous, given that the Thunder were the No. 1 seed in the West last season.
Over in the East, we’ve got the No. 2 and 3 seeds in action today, but the NBA’s best team, the 26-4 Cavaliers, won’t be part of the Christmas Day slate. Instead, the third Eastern club is the 12th-seeded Sixers, who have been plagued by injuries but at least will have their big three available on Wednesday — Tyrese Maxey and Paul George aren’t on the injury report, and Joel Embiid is listed as available.
Despite the absence of so many top teams, each matchup still has something going for it, with plenty of star power on display.
The afternoon will feature rising phenom Victor Wembanyama visiting Madison Square Garden and the streaking Knicks, who have won four games in a row; a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals between the Timberwolves and Mavericks, who should have star guards Kyrie Irving (available) and Luka Doncic (probable) active today; and those aforementioned three Sixers stars going up against the defending champions in Boston.
The first evening contest between the Lakers and Warriors pits the No. 7 seed in the West against No. 8, but it also could be one of the last few times that NBA legends LeBron James and Stephen Curry face one another. James is considered questionable due to left foot injury management, but I’d be shocked if he didn’t play. A couple more would-be Western contenders who have had up-and-down starts will wrap up the day when the Nuggets visit Phoenix in a game that will feature a pair of former MVPs in Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant.
We want to know what you think. Are there any teams you wish were or weren’t part of today’s schedule? Which of these five games are you most looking forward to? Which five teams are you picking to win this year’s Christmas Day matchups?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in, and feel free to use it as an open thread to discuss today’s games.
Sixers’ KJ Martin Out At Least Two Weeks With Foot Injury
Sixers forward KJ Martin underwent an MRI on Tuesday, which revealed a stress reaction in his left foot, the team announced (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).
Martin will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks, according to the 76ers.
Martin was expected to have a modest role in Philadelphia this season, but injuries up and down the roster opened the door for him to play regular minutes and he secured a rotation spot with his strong play in recent weeks. Since November 24, he has started six of 12 Sixers games and averaged 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per contest, with a .614/.375/.867 shooting line.
Wings Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, and Ricky Council, along with forward/center Guerschon Yabusele, are among the candidates for increased roles for as long as KJ Martin on the shelf.
Martin’s recovery from his left foot injury will also be worth monitoring for trade purposes. He re-signed with the team over the summer on a two-year, $16MM contract that is non-guaranteed for the second season, making it a de facto expiring deal. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George are the only three players on the roster earning more than about $8.15MM, and they certainly won’t be going anywhere, so Martin, at $7.98MM, is among of the highest-paid trade candidates on the roster.
Martin will become trade-eligible on January 15.
Sixers' Big Three Poised For Fifth Game Together
- Lack of cohesion has been a big factor in the Sixers‘ slow start, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Joel Embiid is expected to play tonight against San Antonio, which would mark just the fifth time this season he’s been on the court alongside Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Maxey is on the injury report with an illness, but he’s listed as probable to suit up, Pompey tweets.
Atlantic Notes: Drummond, Embiid, Whitehead, Quickley
With Joel Embiid missing a majority of the Sixers’ games so far, Andre Drummond has played an unheralded role in Philadelphia, not just on the court but also as a respected locker room voice, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
Drummond, who signed a two-year, $10MM with the Sixers during the summer, is averaging 7.1 points and 8.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game across 23 outings (14 starts). That’s his highest MPG average and the most starts he has made since the 2021/22 season.
“I’m at a point now where I’ve done everything individually, accolade-wise,” Drummond said. “A lot of things that guys in this league haven’t done, I’ve done it already, individually. My goal now is to win. And whatever capacity that comes in, you know, I’m down to do for the team. Do I want to play more? Of course, who doesn’t want to play more? But that’s not best for the team right now.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Embiid’s latest injury was a right sinus fracture but he was able to rack up 34 points against Charlotte this week. The Sixers star said he’s stopping feeling sorry for himself when he gets injured, Pompey writes. “A lesson that I learned is stop feeling bad about myself, live day by day, enjoy the good people around, the positive and not focus on the negative,” he said.
- Dariq Whitehead has only appeared in three games with the Nets this season but the 2023 first-rounder isn’t upset. He’s actually glad to be spending time with the Long Island Nets, since being in the G League gives the forward an opportunity to play regular minutes. “I was very clear with my agent that I needed to continue to play,” he told Eric Slater of Clutch Points (hat tip to NetsDaily.com). “I knew we had some guys that were injured, some older guys, and I knew they were gonna come back and get back in the rotation. So I was very adamant with my agent that I needed to go back down to the G League and play. That was a big boost for me.”
- Immanuel Quickley is inching closer to a return after missing 17 games due to a left elbow injury. The Raptors guard, who also had an eight-game absence early in the season due to a pelvic injury, went through a light practice Saturday and was a full participant in all non-contact elements, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. He’ll know he’s ready to suit up again when he can throw all the one-handed passes a point guard needs with his left hand, Grange adds.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Guards, Celtics, Johnson
Although not much has gone right for the Sixers this year, the growing bond between rookie Philadelphia guard Jared McCain and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry is one of the bright spots. Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines the relationship between the 38-year-old former All-Star and the 20-year-old Duke alum.
“I call him Unc Lowry,” McCain said of Lowry. “Grandpa. Super vet. Super duper vet.”
McCain is now sidelined indefinitely after undergoing a left knee surgery. But prior to that, the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft was looking like a bona fide Rookie of the Year contender. Lowry’s tutelage has abetted the rookie’s early-season rise.
McCain had earned the Sixers’ starting shooting guard role by early November, but was versatile enough to also spell All-Star starter Tyrese Maxey at the point when he sat. Lowry talked him through that transition on the floor.
“Sometimes when I’m out there on the court, and I’m the only point guard out there, it’s hard for me to kind of adjust to being a shooting guard or a point guard,” McCain said. “Knowing where everybody is at on the court, being able to talk, being vocal. I’ve just got to adjust and be a leader.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- On Thursday, the Sixers got the green light from Philadelphia’s city council – on a vote of 12-5 – to construct a new $1.3 billion stadium downtown, per ESPN/The Associated Press. Local activists and residents from nearby Chinatown had been protesting the proposed deal. Sixers ownership hopes to relocate the club from its current home, Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, to this new locale by 2031.
- Although the Grousbeck family, majority owners of the Celtics franchise, had claimed they hoped to offload a majority ownership stake in the franchise by late 2024 or early 2025, no such agreement is yet on the horizon, a source informs Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The source tells Himmelsbach that prospective buyers are still waiting on initial meetings with Celtics ownership, with bidding expected to tip off in January.
- Nets forward Cameron Johnson is trying to ignore growing trade chatter ahead of this year’s February 6 deadline, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “We’ve communicated that: Be where your feet are,” Johnson told Lewis of his conversations with Brooklyn brass. “I think the understanding is, don’t get caught up in things that we can’t control or things that are off the court when we have so much to worry about on the court.” Through his first 26 games this season, the 6’8″ vet is averaging 19.2 points (on .489/.431/.874 shooting splits), 4.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per night.
Injury Notes: Strus, Embiid, Suggs, Booker, Nets
Cavaliers wing Max Strus, who initially hoped to make his season debut last Friday, is being listed as questionable for tonight’s Central Division showdown with the Bucks and has a chance to suit up for the first time this season, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Strus sustained a hip contusion early in the preseason and was nearing a return from that injury when he sprained his right ankle during an individual workout just days before the season opener. He has been recovering from that sprain for the last two months.
“Nine weeks is a very long time,” Strus said on Thursday. “It’s been hard. There’s been definitely dark days. But this is the best team. Best vibes ever been around. These guys have made it easy and kept me involved and kept me around and made sure to reach out at times when I needed it. I’m itching to get back.”
As Fedor writes, Strus’ impending return is coming at a good time, given that the player who replaced him at small forward in the starting five – Isaac Okoro – is now sidelined with an injury of his own. Strus will be on a minutes restriction upon returning, so he may not reclaim his starting role right away, Fedor writes, but there’s excitement within the organization about how he’ll fit in head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s offense.
“It’s been fun to watch from the outside, but also frustrating that I haven’t been able to be a part of it. Hopefully sometime soon I could join the party,” Strus said. “The way we’ve played offense and scored the ball, it’s kind of everything I’ve wanted to do since I’ve been here. We struggled with that last year.”
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Sixers star Joel Embiid (sinus fracture) practiced on Wednesday and Thursday and is considered questionable to play on Friday vs. Charlotte, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The 76ers announced on Monday that Embiid would be reevaluated in one week, but it sounds like he has a good chance to return to the court before that one-week evaluation date.
- Magic guard Jalen Suggs sustained an ankle injury on Thursday vs. Oklahoma City, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel tweets. Suggs injured the ankle late in the first half and started the third quarter, but was pulled after less than four minutes and didn’t play the rest of the night. “As he comes out in the second (half) I just saw there wasn’t a high pace,” head coach Jamahl Mosley explained. “I mean, there were moments of it but I just want to make sure he’s going to be OK for the long haul.” Orlando is already playing without forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, so the team will be hoping Suggs doesn’t have to miss much – if any – time.
[UPDATE: Suggs has been listed as probable to play on Saturday vs. Miami, per Beede.] - Suns guard Devin Booker exited Thursday’s game vs. Indiana in the third quarter with left groin tightness and didn’t return, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Booker’s status for Saturday’s game vs. Detroit remains unclear.
- Nets guards Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain) and Ziaire Williams (left knee sprain) are making progress in their respective recoveries but aren’t yet cleared for contact, according to head coach Jordi Fernandez (story via Bridget Reilly of The New York Post). “They’ve been able to shoot, and that’s all they’re doing right now,” Fernandez said. “It’s step by step.” Meanwhile, Nets forward Trendon Watford was out for Thursday’s game due to left hamstring soreness — Watford missed the first 13 games of the season due to a left hamstring strain.
Warriors Remain Atop 2024 NBA Franchise Valuations
The Warriors remain the NBA’s most valuable team, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, who unveiled the website’s updated NBA franchise valuations for 2024 on Wednesday.
Badenhausen projects the Warriors’ value at $9.14 billion, making them one of three teams to surpass the $8 billion mark this year. The Knicks have a projected worth of $8.3 billion, while the Lakers come in at $8.07 billion, per Sportico. Only the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys – at $10.3 billion – have a higher valuation than Golden State among North American sports teams, says Badenhausen.
While Sportico’s figures suggest the Warriors, Knicks, and Lakers are worth significantly more than the fourth-place team (the Nets at $5.7 billion), the average value of an NBA franchise is up to $4.6 billion, with no team worth less than $3 billion.
That average has increased by 15% since Sportico released its 2023 valuations last December and has nearly doubled since the site published its first NBA franchise valuations four years ago, when the average was $2.37 billion.
The NBA’s new $77 billion media rights deal and a 15% increase in team sponsorship are among the factors contributing to the rising valuations of the league’s franchises, according to Badenhausen, who notes that a post-COVID boom in concerts and other major events has been good news for team owners who also control their arenas.
NBA team owners operated 10 of the world’s 20 highest-grossing concert venues in 2024, with the Nets’ Barclays Center coming in at No. 1, says Badenhausen. The Nets’ valuation is up 43% this year, per Sportico, easily the largest year-over-year increase among the 30 NBA franchises.
When Forbes put out its NBA franchise valuations in October, it pegged the average value of a team at $4.4 billion. In the past, we’ve used Forbes as our primary source for NBA franchise valuations, but with Badenhausen making the move from Forbes to Sportico in recent years and the outlet establishing itself as a go-to resource for sports business news, we begun highlighting Sportico’s projections as of 2023.
Of course, it’s worth noting that figures from Sportico, Forbes, or any other media outlet are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands. But these projections are usually in the right ballpark and remain useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.
Here’s Sportico’s full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2024:
- Golden State Warriors: $9.14 billion
- New York Knicks: $8.3 billion
- Los Angeles Lakers: $8.07 billion
- Brooklyn Nets: $5.7 billion
- Los Angeles Clippers: $5.68 billion
- Boston Celtics: $5.66 billion
- Chicago Bulls: $5.56 billion
- Miami Heat: $5 billion
- Houston Rockets: $4.77 billion
- Toronto Raptors: $4.66 billion
- Philadelphia 76ers: $4.57 billion
- Dallas Mavericks: $4.46 billion
- Phoenix Suns: $4.32 billion
- Sacramento Kings: $4.11 billion
- Atlanta Hawks: $4.07 billion
- Denver Nuggets: $4.06 billion
- Washington Wizards: $3.98 billion
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $3.95 billion
- Milwaukee Bucks: $3.91 billion
- San Antonio Spurs: $3.79 billion
- Indiana Pacers: $3.74 billion
- Utah Jazz: $3.67 billion
- Portland Trail Blazers: $3.6 billion
- Oklahoma City Thunder: $3.55 billion
- Orlando Magic: $3.46 billion
- Detroit Pistons: $3.45 billion
- Charlotte Hornets: $3.39 billion
- Minnesota Timberwolves: $3.29 billion
- New Orleans Pelicans: $3.09 billion
- Memphis Grizzlies: $3.06 billion
As Badenhausen notes, Sportico’s projections are based on a control sale price, rather than limited stake purchases. No NBA franchise saw its majority control change hands in 2024, but that could change in 2025, with control of the Celtics up for sale.
According to Badenhausen, team executives and investors have predicted a sale price ranging from $4.5 billion to $6.5 billion for the Celtics. The final valuation will be determined by a number of factors, including how many bidders are on the mix, what percentage of the team they can buy, and whether current governor Wyc Grousbeck insists on remaining in that role until 2028, which he has indicated is his goal.