Raptors’ RJ Barrett Suffers Left Ankle Injury Friday
Raptors wing RJ Barrett suffered a left ankle injury in late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s eventual loss at Boston, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
According to Lewenberg, Barrett turned his left ankle and appeared to be in a good deal of pain as he limped back to the locker room. He was formally ruled out for the remainder of the game and will undergo additional testing, Lewenberg adds (via Twitter).
The injury occurred when Barrett stepped on Sam Hauser‘s foot, causing his ankle to roll (Twitter video link via Sportsnet.ca). The 25-year-old guard/forward, who missed extended time earlier this season due to a right knee sprain, finished with 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds in 28 minutes.
Toronto was already shorthanded entering Friday’s game, as starters Jakob Poeltl (back), Scottie Barnes (right knee sprain) and Brandon Ingram (right thumb sprain) were all sidelined. It was Poeltl’s ninth straight absence, though he’s said to be close to returning and went through a light practice on Thursday.
Barnes and Ingram, meanwhile, had each appeared in every game for the Raptors this season heading into Friday. Both players were listed as questionable prior to being downgraded to out and are considered day-to-day, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
Recent first-round picks Ja’Kobe Walter and Gradey Dick received more playing time on Friday amid the injuries, a trend that could continue if Barrett and other regulars are forced to miss additional time.
Raptors’ Hepburn Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out At Least Six Weeks
Raptors guard Chucky Hepburn has undergone surgery to address a torn meniscus in his right knee and will be reevaluated in six weeks, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).
Hepburn spent three years at Wisconsin prior to transferring to Louisville for his senior season in 2024/25. He went undrafted in June and quickly agreed to a two-way contract with the Raptors.
The 6’0″ point guard has only made two NBA appearances with Toronto for a total of 13 garbage-time minutes. Hepburn has been a productive player at the G League level with the Raptors 905 though, averaging 12.4 points, 8.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.1 rebounds on .415/.368/.871 shooting in 18 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games (29.3 minutes per contest).
The 22-year-old’s absence won’t have much of an impact on the Raptors’ NBA rotation, given his modest role as a rookie. But obviously the Raptors 905 will miss having their top passer and play-maker for the next several weeks.
In other Raptors injury news, Jakob Poeltl (back) went through a light practice on Thursday in Boston, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but will miss his ninth consecutive game on Friday against the Celtics (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sports.net). Scottie Barnes (right knee sprain) and Brandon Ingram (right thumb sprain) are questionable to suit up tomorrow, Murphy adds.
Raptors Notes: Murray-Boyles, Mamukelashvili, Ingram, Barnes
It’s easy to overlook Collin Murray-Boyles in a talented rookie class, but the Raptors power forward has started showing that he’s worthy of recognition, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Murray-Boyles displayed his versatility in Monday’s win over Atlanta, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks, making him the first rookie to reach those numbers in a single game since 1991. Grange notes that only three players overall have achieved that combination over the past decade.
“A common mistake is when a player comes in, you already have an idea of what he has to be,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “Sometimes we as coaches just try to box them in. Obviously, there is a role and there is stuff you’ve got to do. There is stuff you’ve got to learn. We’re constantly learning about Collin, what he can do, how he’s learning, how he is picking up on things. It’s really impressive, his development. The opportunity he’s taking on right now, he’s doing impressive things for us.”
Murray-Boyles does the little things as well, Grange adds, such as getting loose balls, hitting the offensive boards and playing the passing lanes on defense. Averaging just 19.2 minutes per night, he’s not going to have the flashy numbers of some of his peers, but he finds satisfaction in being part of such a strong rookie class.
“Everybody’s finding their niche,” he said. “Everybody’s making an impact on whatever team they were picked. … We’re proud of what we’ve done so far.”
There’s more from Toronto:
- As a late second-round pick in 2021, Sandro Mamukelashvili has felt the need to prove himself since he arrived in the NBA, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. He’s finding ways to limit his self-doubts while enjoying a breakout season in his first year with Toronto. “It’s been tough because of the position I was in,” Mamukelashvili said. “It’s not like you have a lot of chances to make a mistake. When you’re a second rounder on a two-way (contract), you’re such an easy person to move. If they like somebody else, you’re the first one gone. … I was hard on myself because I put a lot of work in and nothing came easy for me.”
- Brandon Ingram left tonight’s game at Charlotte with a sprained right thumb, but X-rays were negative, Lewenberg relays (Twitter link).
- The decision to waive veteran center Mo Bamba on Tuesday leaves the Raptors $967K over the tax threshold and $717K away from the first apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Toronto is not operating under a hard cap.
- Eric Koreen of The Athletic breaks down the roster into trade tiers, with Scottie Barnes as the only player listed as “practically untouchable.”
Siegel’s Latest: Sabonis, Raptors, Bucks, Warriors, Nets, White, Lakers
After buying low on Brandon Ingram at last season’s trade deadline, could the Raptors seek out a similar move this February? According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kings center Domantas Sabonis is one name that has been continually linked to Toronto. The Raptors’ interest in Sabonis was first reported in December by Jake Fischer and has since been corroborated by several other outlets.
Malik Monk is another player who has intrigued Toronto in the past, Siegel writes, noting that Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted current Raptors veterans RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley when he was in New York’s front office. While there’s no indication that the two teams have seriously discussed such a deal involving those four players, Siegel suggests that sort of framework could be worth keeping an eye on.
If Toronto does end up moving Barrett in that sort of bigger move, he’d likely draw interest from several teams besides Sacramento, Siegel writes, given the lack of high-level wing talent on the trade market. The Bucks, for example, expressed interest in Barrett last season, per Siegel.
Here’s more from Siegel’s latest NBA rumor round-up:
- The Warriors have internally discussed many possible center trade targets, including Myles Turner and Bobby Portis of the Bucks, per Siegel. A number of teams around the NBA are curious about Milwaukee’s plans for Portis, Siegel continues, with the Hornets and Suns also considered possible suitors, perhaps in multi-team scenarios.
- Suns guard Jalen Green is among the players the Bucks have inquired on, but Phoenix isn’t interested in moving him at this point, says Siegel. Given that Green has only played two games this season due to hamstring issues, the Suns view him as a sort of trade-deadline addition themselves, Siegel explains.
- Although the Nets are fielding inquiries on players like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, they aren’t actively looking to move them. In order for Brooklyn to consider a deal involving either player, the starting point for a package would have to be a “true” unprotected first-round pick, Siegel writes.
- The Mavericks and the Clippers are among the teams with interest in Bulls guard Coby White, sources tell Siegel, who reiterates that the Timberwolves also remain interested and notes that some league insiders have speculated that the Hawks could be a destination for White in the event of a Trae Young trade.
- With higher-level options like Herbert Jones potentially out of reach, players like Bulls forward Isaac Okoro, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and Nets wing Haywood Highsmith are considered more realistic possibilities for a Lakers team seeking defensive help, according to Siegel. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall is another possible trade candidate to add to that group if Dallas commits to becoming a seller.
Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Win Player Of The Month Awards
A pair of star point guards and MVP candidates have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson of the Knicks winning the award in the East and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder claiming it in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Brunson was named Player of the Week twice in December and led the Knicks to an NBA Cup championship. He averaged 30.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per contest in 13 December outings, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.405/.826 and leading his team to a 10-3 record in the games he played.
Those stats don’t include the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season, but he was excellent in that game too, racking up 25 points and eight assists as the Knicks toppled the Spurs.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continued to strengthen his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award in 12 December appearances, with averages of 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, and a scorching-hot .594/.436/.882 shooting line.
Gilgeous-Alexander now ranks second in the NBA in scoring (32.1 PPG), while his Thunder – following a 9-4 December – hold the league’s best record at 29-5.
It’s the third time Brunson has won a Player of the Month award and the fifth time Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the honor. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were the NBA’s first Players of the Month this season, for games played in October and November.
Cunningham was also nominated for the Eastern Conference award in December, along with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward, Jalen Johnson, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and Brunson’s teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, Jazz guard Keyonte George, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Trail Blazers teammates Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Raptors Rumors: Davis, Sabonis, Barrett, Ball, Richards, More
Discussing the potential Anthony Davis trade market during an appearance on the DLLS Mavs podcast (Twitter video link via Omer Osman), NBA insider Marc Stein suggested that of the three Eastern Conference teams linked to the Mavericks big man, the Raptors seem to have expressed the most real interest.
“Toronto has definitely registered interest,” Stein said. “That is for certain. The Hawks, I think, it is more exploratory. … And I think (the Pistons‘) interest has been vastly overstated.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also used the word “exploratory” to describe Atlanta’s potential interest in Davis and suggested that Detroit doesn’t seem especially inclined to make a big in-season splash on the trade market.
However, that doesn’t mean the Raptors are on track to make a deal for the 10-time All-Star. Toronto has other possible targets on its radar, and the Mavericks aren’t committed to making a move involving Davis. As Scotto writes, Dallas is in the process of evaluating AD’s fit with Cooper Flagg, his health, and his impact on winning with the current Mavs roster.
Confirming a Jake Fischer report, Scotto says Domantas Sabonis is another player whom the Raptors have been intrigued by, adding that Toronto expressed exploratory interest in the Kings center over the summer.
While it doesn’t seem like the two teams are engaged in discussions regarding Sabonis at this time, Scotto points out that Sacramento general manager Scott Perry drafted RJ Barrett during his time in the Knicks’ front office and is still “fond” of him. In other words, if the Raptors do circle back to Sabonis at some point, Barrett would be a player to watch in those talks. Toronto has gauged the market on Barrett’s value, sources tell HoopsHype.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto checked in on the availability of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball during the offseason, according to Scotto. There’s no indication those conversations went anywhere or that Charlotte is currently looking to move Ball, but Immanuel Quickley would be a logical outgoing piece in any Raptors deal for a higher-paid point guard.
- The Raptors and Suns have engaged in exploratory discussions about the possibility of a deal that would send wing Ochai Agbaji and second-round draft compensation to Phoenix in exchange for center Nick Richards, Scotto reports. That sort of deal would allow Toronto to fortify its frontcourt while sneaking below the tax line and would allow the Suns to replenish their depleted draft assets a little. However, it would also push Phoenix further into tax territory and it’s unclear if Agbaji would appeal much to the Suns, who are more focused on a power forward upgrade, per Scotto.
- Scotto spoke to Raptors forward Brandon Ingram about his transition to Toronto, playing with star forward Scottie Barnes, and a handful of other topics, including why he felt comfortable signing a three-year, $120MM extension with his new team before he had played a single game as a Raptor. “I told myself whoever wanted me, that I was going to be content in being there,” Ingram said. “Around the (2025) trade deadline, I heard two or three teams (had interest), and I picked the best choice where I knew I was going to get a fresh start.”
Magic, Knicks Advance To Cup Semifinals
The Magic and Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas with victories on Tuesday. They’ll face each other in the East semifinal on Saturday at 5:30 ET, the league confirmed (via Twitter).
Orlando was carried by a big outing from offseason acquisition Desmond Bane. He scored 37 points, while Jalen Suggs added 20 points and Paolo Banchero supplied 18. The Magic trailed by 13 after the first quarter, pulled within one by halftime, then outscored Miami 61-51 in the second half.
The Heat had four starters with at least 19 points, led by Norman Powell‘s 21.
The Knicks moved on with a 117-101 win over the Raptors. Jalen Brunson was the star of the game with 35 points. Josh Hart contributed 21 points and Karl-Anthony Towns tossed in 14 with 16 rebounds. Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points.
New York took control in the second quarter, outscoring Toronto 34-13.
The teams that were eliminated on Tuesday will now play each other on Monday, as the Heat will host the Raptors at 7:30 ET, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.
The Suns and Thunder will square off in the first of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday, with the Lakers and Spurs playing in the late game. The winners of those two contests will face one another in the West semifinal on Saturday.
Raptors Notes: Recent Slide, Barnes, Ingram, Battle
The Raptors have lost four of their last five games and were pummeled by Charlotte on Friday, 111-86. Head coach Darko Rajakovic suggested after the blowout defeat that he felt the schedule caught up to his team — it was Toronto’s fifth game in seven nights.
“Physically, we were worn down,” Rajakovic said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN (Twitter link). “I’m really proud of our guys tonight. We tried. But when you’re trying and you’re missing layups and wide open shots, it’s hard to keep it up. We didn’t quit. We continued fighting but we didn’t have enough in the tank.”
We have more on the Raptors:
- Rajakovic believes Scottie Barnes should be a contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). “He’s guarding point guards, wings, fives. He’s doing it all,” the coach said. “There’s a reason why he was voted Defensive Player of the Month and he needs to be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. Obviously it’s early in the season but he’s trending that way.”
- Brandon Ingram has suffered a number of long-term injuries over the course of his career, but he’s not a fan of load management. He expects to play every night that he’s healthy this season, Lewenberg tweets. Ingram has appeared in all 24 of the Raptors’ games so far this season, averaging 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 33.8 minutes per contest. “It’s intentional to not miss games because I have no reason to,” Ingram said. “If I hear from the training staff and they tell me my body doesn’t look good, I’ll listen. But so far, my body’s been feeling good. I’m doing everything in my control to be ready for games.”
- Jamison Battle suffered a left ankle sprain in Friday’s game. X-rays were negative and he’s considered day-to-day, Lewenberg tweets.
Atlantic Notes: Ingram, Powell, Sixers, Chisholm
Brandon Ingram showed once again on Wednesday why the Raptors were willing to give him a three-year, $120MM extension after trading for him in February, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. In a grind-it-out game against Indiana, Ingram hit a game-winning pull-up jump shot over Pascal Siakam, securing Toronto’s ninth straight win and 13th in the past 14 games.
“That’s why I’m here,” Ingram said after a 26-point, eight-rebound night when asked what he was shouting on the court after making that last shot. “That’s the cleanest I can say it.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- Of the Nets‘ five first-round picks, Drake Powell has looked the most ready to contribute as a rookie, says Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The former North Carolina wing finished with 15 points and four assists in 24 minutes during Monday’s loss vs. New York. “As we go, he’s gonna continue to understand the league [and] the schemes, especially defensively,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “I consider him a very, very good defender with a really high ceiling defensively and I’m gonna keep challenging him to be better.”
- With injuries mounting, the Sixers are starting to look more like last year’s version of the team, contends Tony Jones of The Athletic. Philadelphia suffered its worst defeat of the season on Tuesday against Orlando, having been blown out by 41 points. “We got spanked,” star guard Tyrese Maxey said. “That’s all there is to it. There are two or three games every year where everything kind of goes wrong for you. That’s what tonight was for us. Everything went wrong for us, and everything went right for them. Jett Howard had one that went off the top of the backboard and fell through the net. That’s when you just have to realize that it isn’t your night.”
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic takes a look at how Bill Chisholm went from relative obscurity as a wealthy head of a private equity firm to the new majority of the Celtics, the team he grew up rooting for as a child. While Chisholm’s group set a then-record for purchasing the Celtics for $6.1 billion, they outbid the second-place finisher — believed to be Philadelphia Phillies minority owner Stan Middleman — by less than $100MM, sources tell Vorkunov. “Anyone who’s had their boyhood team or girlhood team and have this happen — I want to say it’s like a dream come true but… I didn’t even know to dream this,” Chisholm said. “What does it mean to be the owner of the Boston Celtics? I don’t know.”
Atlantic Notes: Queta, Ingram, George, Sixers
Celtics starting center Neemias Queta will sit out for the first time this season on Wednesday when the team faces the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, Brian Robb of MassLive.com reports. Queta suffered a sprained left ankle in Sunday’s win over the Magic and did not practice on Tuesday.
Queta is averaging a career-high 9.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and the Celtics are a far superior defensive team with him on the floor this year, Robb notes. Boston has allowed 25.7 fewer points per 100 possessions during his 402 minutes on the court.
Boston will have to rely on Xavier Tillman, Chris Boucher and Luka Garza at the center spot in his absence. Queta’s three-year, $7.2MM contract is only partially guaranteed for next season, but he has significantly outplayed that deal so far this season.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Brandon Ingram kept shooting and the Raptors kept on winning. Ingram took 30 field goal attempts while scoring 37 points in an 11-point win over Cleveland on Monday. Toronto stretched its winning streak to eight games. “He’s a player, especially when he gets going, we as a team recognize that. We need that,” coach Darko Rajaković said, per Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “It’s good for us. At the same time, we’ve got to stay inside our principles and make good decisions, play with ball movement, finding him through that style of play as well.”
- Paul George sat out Tuesday’s game against the Magic after he experienced ankle soreness, coach Nick Nurse told the media, including The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link). George had originally been listed as probable. Nurse isn’t sure if the veteran forward will miss more than one game. He has played three games this month after returning from offseason knee surgery.
- On a related topic, Jones examines whether the Sixers have enough depth to overcome injuries. He concludes they don’t have enough quality bodies to compete, relative to the East’s top teams, who have dealt with their own injury issues. “Yeah, we have to do the best that we can,” Nurse said. “We have to plug in who we can plug in, and we have to do what we need to do. We have to start who’s next in line and figure out the matchups. We have to make decisions. Some of them work and some don’t. The ones that don’t work, we have to change them. We have our discussions, and we have to try and do what’s best for the group.”