Hawks Notes: McCollum, Kispert, Draft, Risacher, Porzingis
The Hawks traded Trae Young to Washington last Friday, roughly four weeks ahead of this season’s trade deadline. Speaking to reporters on Monday, general manager Onsi Saleh acknowledged that he could’ve waived until closer to February 5 to see what other opportunities materialized involving Young, but he explained that he liked the return from the Wizards enough that he didn’t feel the need to wait.
“If there are deals to be done, why wait, is my philosophy,” Saleh said, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. “If you like something that makes a lot of sense, we’re going to do that. We just do what’s best for our organization. And, you know, I’m not one to really wait on anything like that.
“Trae has been so huge in our community. Him and (his wife) Shelby, what they’ve done, we just wish them the best. They’ve been phenomenal for our organization. (We’re) talking about a guy that’s been the face of our franchise for quite a long time. I really wish him the best, and he’s going to do some cool stuff over there too.
“But we like the trade, and what we did was something we really thought would help us now and in the future. The players coming back, I think they’re excellent fits with us and make a lot of sense for us, and we get deep in our rotation too.”
Saleh cited increased cap flexibility as one reason why Atlanta pulled the trigger on the deal with Washington, though he repeatedly stressed during Monday’s media session that the Hawks value the players they acquired, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. The Hawks’ GM views the newcomers as players capable of complementing a core whose evolution this season is viewed as a major positive.
“Jalen (Johnson)‘s game has evolved so much, and he’s doing some amazing things on the court,” Saleh said. “Most importantly, I think he’s making his teammates better as well. And that’s how we kind of look at this as like as the group grows. It’s the group, it’s not simply just one player either, right? It’s Jalen, it’s Dyson (Daniels), it’s Onyeka (Okongwu), it’s Zacch (Risacher), it’s Nickeil (Alexander-Walker). We got two guys, Nickeil and Jalen, who have just made tremendous leaps, and when Dyson’s on the ball, we’ve seen that leap as well. So, again, it just comes down to what we’re seeing and how this fits the entire group rather than one person.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Saleh declined to comment on whether the Hawks have pursued or will pursue a contract extension with McCollum, but referred to the veteran guard as “somebody that I think could fit here long term,” per Hollinger. McCollum is on an expiring contract, but at least one report indicated Atlanta has some interest in working out a new deal with the 34-year-old.
- The Hawks control three picks in the 2026 draft, including the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s first-rounders, which could be a top-five selection. Saleh made no effort to downplay how important this year’s draft is for the organization, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). “The draft is, to me, our biggest transaction period. The draft is how you build organically,” the GM said. “It’s how you build internally. And I feel like this is a really good draft, the talent that’s available. So again, that will be our most important transaction period. We’ve got to nail the draft. That’s going to be really important for us as we build this thing out.”
- It didn’t take long for McCollum and Kispert to make a positive impact on their new team, as Williams writes for the AJC (subscription required). Although the duo shot a combined 5-of-18 from the floor on Sunday, McCollum was a team-high +19 in his 24 minutes off the bench in the victory over Golden State. “I think he settled us,” head coach Quin Snyder said of McCollum. “There’s a level of poise and confidence that he has that when you’re on the court, whether it’s your teammates or even your coach, you see him with the ball and you feel confident in what he’s going to do.”
- After missing the past two games due to what the Hawks referred to as left knee inflammation, Risacher has had his injury designation updated to a left knee bone contusion, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. Risacher is considered questionable to play on Tuesday vs. the Lakers, while big man Kristaps Porzingis will miss a third straight game due to left Achilles tendinitis.
Kings, Bulls, Lakers Interested In Jonathan Kuminga
While it’s widely expected that Jonathan Kuminga will be on the move by the February 5 deadline, the Warriors don’t feel any urgency to deal him when he becomes trade-eligible on January 15, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the market for Kuminga has shrunk since he was a restricted free agent over the summer, and it doesn’t help matters that he couldn’t crack Golden State’s rotation even before he reportedly started being held out due to trade talks. Fischer points to the Suns as a team that was interested in Kuminga over the offseason but has since moved on.
While the Mavericks reportedly initiated trade talks with the Warriors and expressed some interest in Kuminga, those conversations were centered around Anthony Davis. With the star big man injured and thus not expected to be moved, Dallas seems unlikely to circle back to Kuminga now, Fischer explains.
According to Fischer, the Wizards were once viewed as a possible landing spot for the former No. 7 overall pick, but that was when they still had Corey Kispert on the roster, a player the Warriors have liked for years. Kispert was traded to Atlanta in the Trae Young deal.
Confirming recent reporting from ESPN and The Athletic, Fischer hears the Kings remain high on Kuminga and “would welcome” the opportunity to acquire him prior to Feb. 5, but they know a two-team deal is unlikely and that may be true of multi-team constructs as well if general manager Scott Perry maintains his stance of being unwilling to include a first-round pick.
The Bulls are another team that has expressed previous interest in Kuminga, Fischer writes, and a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that they’re still evaluating whether to make a run at him. Cowley hears there has been increased recent chatter about Coby White being on the market, and Fischer refers to the impending free agent as being “oft-discussed,” though the Warriors don’t appear to have interest in the 25-year-old guard.
Cowley also confirms the Bulls have long been intrigued by Zion Williamson, but he may not be available.
Lastly, while the Lakers are known to be looking for a three-and-D wing and Kuminga doesn’t really fit that bill, they did inquire about his availability in the offseason and have continued to keep an eye on his situation, Fischer reports.
Hawks Trade Trae Young To Wizards
The Hawks and Wizards have officially completed a trade sending point guard Trae Young to Washington in exchange for guard CJ McCollum and swingman Corey Kispert, Atlanta confirmed today in a press release.
ESPN’s Shams Charania, who first broke the news of the trade agreement, previously reported that Washington was Young’s preferred destination in a deal. He’ll get a fresh start as a veteran presence on a rebuilding Wizards team after spending seven-plus seasons in Atlanta.
“On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I’d like to thank Trae for how he embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community,” Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said in a statement. “Over more than seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise’s history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.
“Adding CJ McCollum, one of the NBA’s most prolific shooters and a respected veteran, along with an established young veteran in Corey Kispert, will strengthen our team on the court and in the locker room, and we retain flexibility for future opportunities to continue building our program.”
Young was a four-time All-Star with the Hawks, including last season when he was the NBA’s assists leader with 11.6 per game. However, he has been limited to just 10 games this season after suffering a sprained MCL in late October and a right quad contusion that has kept him out recently.
According to Charania (Twitter link), the Hawks liked the look of their offense over the past two months centered around dynamic forward Jalen Johnson and a collection of wings and depth rather than relying on a ball-dominant guard like Young.
They also get out from under Young’s $49MM player option for 2026/27 and his desire for a contract extension. McCollum is a versatile guard with playoff experience who has a $30.6MM expiring deal, while Kispert is under contract for nearly $14MM this season and next and roughly $13MM in 2027/28.
The salary flexibility could make Atlanta more willing to increase its pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis before the trade deadline. Numerous reports have indicated that the Hawks are interested in acquiring Davis, but didn’t want to have his salary and Young’s on their books at the same time.
Charania points out that the deal reunites Young with Wizards executive Travis Schlenk, a former Hawks general manager who drafted him with the fifth pick in 2018 (Twitter link). Charania adds that team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins have been targeting a veteran star to blend with the young talent they’ve accumulated in recent drafts (Twitter link).
The Hawks no longer project to be over the cap this summer and could have $29MM in cap space, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). With McCollum, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, Atlanta has more than $70MM in expiring contracts. The acquisition of Young leaves the Wizards with a projected $46MM in cap room, down from about $80MM, assuming he doesn’t opt out and leave in free agency.
The Hawks “heavily valued” Kispert’s three-point shooting and viewed him as a vital part of the deal, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. He has been limited to 19 games this season due to injuries to his thumb and hamstring.
McCollum, who has been a full-time starter in his first season with Washington, provides another proven scorer for the Hawks’ backcourt. He’s not likely to get bought out once the deal is complete, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), because his Bird rights could become useful in an offseason sign-and-trade. If there is a buyout, Gozlan notes that apron teams such as Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, Minnesota and New York wouldn’t be permitted to sign McCollum.
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Young left the Hawks’ bench with about 31 seconds left in tonight’s game and gave high-fives to a few of his teammates as he headed to the locker room (YouTube link). At a post-game press conference, coach Quin Snyder told reporters that he’s “not at liberty to talk about or answer” any questions about the Young deal because it hasn’t been officially finalized, per Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link).
Wizards Rumors: Young, Sarr, Carrington, Kispert
Although rival executives have been expecting new Wizards point guard Trae Young to exercise his $49MM player option for 2026/27, he has yet to make a decision on that option, according to David Aldridge, Sam Amick, and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who say the four-time All-Star is also open to discussing a contract extension with his new team or even opting out in favor of free agency this summer.
If Young did become a free agent, the Wizards would make a “full push” to sign him to a new contract, since they don’t want to lose him for nothing, per The Athletic’s trio. If he picks up his option, the team’s plan would be to talk to Young and his reps to see if he’s happy in Washington, then decide on the next steps from there. An extension, another trade, or Young playing out the final year of his contract would all be options in that scenario.
The Wizards want to assess how several members of their young core – including Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson – respond to playing alongside Young, since that will be a key factor in determining whether the 27-year-old fits on their roster long-term, according to The Athletic’s report. However, it’s unclear how often that will happen in the next few months.
As Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins note, Young has appeared in just 10 games this season due to various injuries – most recently a quad issue – and the team isn’t in a hurry to rush him back. Pointing out that the Wizards have little incentive to win this season because their 2026 first-round pick is top-eight protected, The Athletic’s reporters suggest it’s possible Young will play a “limited number” of games the rest of the way, with the team more focused on his impact in 2026/27 (and potentially beyond).
If the Wizards go that route, it would be similar to what the Raptors did with Brandon Ingram last season. Toronto traded for the forward at the trade deadline and signed him to a contract extension, but with the club in tank mode down the stretch and Ingram still recovering from an ankle injury, he didn’t play until this fall.
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- The Wizards believe they have the sort of defensive personnel that can help make up for Young’s shortcomings on that end of the floor, per Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, including rim protector Alex Sarr and wing stopper Bilal Coulibaly. The team is also optimistic about the way in which Young may be able to unlock the offensive potential of many of its young players, giving Sarr a pick-and-roll partner and Johnson someone who will get him more open looks.
- While George, Coulibaly, and Carrington have all taken on ball-handling responsibilities this season, George and Coulibaly are forwards rather than point guards, and some members of the organization believe Carrington is better suited to playing off the ball, per The Athletic. That’s one reason why the front office was motivated to make a deal for a true point guard like Young.
- Corey Kispert was “highly regarded” within the Wizards’ organization for his professionalism, according to Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, but he was viewed as expendable due to the club’s depth on the wing.
Trae Young Trade Notes: Possible Extension, Trade Bonus, TPE, More
Once the trade sending Trae Young to Washington is officially complete, the Wizards and their new starting point guard will be open to exploring a potential contract extension, but it won’t be “top of mind,” reports ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link).
As Shelburne explains, both the Wizards and Young may take the opportunity to evaluate the situation and the fit before making a decision on their long-term future together. That process could extend to the 2026/27 season, since Young holds a $49MM player option that he could pick up if he doesn’t sign an extension and doesn’t want to test the free agent market.
If Young were to sign an extension with the Wizards in the coming months, it would require him to turn down his option and replace it with a new deal starting in ’26/27. An agreement between the two sides could tack on a maximum of three years to the current season.
If Young picks up his option in June, he would be eligible during the offseason to sign an extension that begins in ’27/28 and adds up to four new seasons to his option year.
Here’s much more on the first trade of the 2025/26 NBA season:
- Young’s contract includes a 15% trade kicker, and there has been no indication that he won’t receive his bonus as part of the trade. However, trade bonuses don’t apply to option years and can’t increase a player’s salary beyond his maximum for that year. Young currently has a $45,999,660 cap hit for this season and his maximum salary would be $46,394,100, so if he receives his full bonus, he’ll get a $394,440 bump.
- The Hawks are sending out more salary than they’re taking back in the deal and will generate a small traded player exception as a result. That exception will be worth $1,357,994.
- Having cleared Young’s salary from their books for next season, the Hawks are considered likely to remain in pursuit of Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday evening during an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link). As John Hollinger of The Athletic observes, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert can’t have their salaries aggregated in a second trade prior to the February 5 deadline, so any Atlanta package for Davis ($54.1MM) would have to start with the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), and it may have to include Zaccharie Risacher ($13.2MM) too.
- The Wizards will open up a roster spot once the trade is complete, and Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) suggests it could be used to promote two-way player Tristan Vukcevic to a standard multiyear contract. Washington may wait on that until after the trade deadline, since Vukcevic won’t hit his 50-game limit for another month or so, and maintaining roster flexibility could help the team accommodate another deadline deal.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN thinks the trade could be a win-win for the Wizards and Hawks, giving both teams a grade of B for the deal. Zach Harper of The Athletic is far less bullish on the move from Atlanta’s perspective, assigning the Hawks a D-plus grade while giving Washington an A.
- McCollum told Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime (Twitter link) that he “loved” his brief time in D.C. but is looking forward to joining the Hawks. “(The Wizards’) organization was great to my family and I,” McCollum said. “(Executives) Michael Winger and Will (Dawkins) did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning. Love the city and they’re doing things the right way over there. Excited to get to the A and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and front office. Good group of players.”
Hawks Have Interest In Corey Kispert
The Hawks have interest in Wizards wing Corey Kispert, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, who reports (via Twitter) that if the two teams make a trade involving Trae Young, Atlanta hopes to acquire Kispert in the deal.
Known as a sharpshooter, Kispert has been limited to 19 games so far this season due to thumb and hamstring injuries. When healthy, he has averaged 9.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per contest, with a .496/.395/.765 shooting line.
The Wizards are operating far below the luxury tax line and are in position to take on some salary in a trade, but in order to match Young’s $46MM cap hit, they would have to send out more than CJ McCollum and his $30.7MM expiring contract in order to make the trade legal. Washington could get there by including other expiring deals, starting with Malaki Branham and his $5MM salary, but Kispert ($14MM) would also do the trick.
Notably, Kispert is in the first season of a four-year, $54MM rookie scale extension that is fully guaranteed for two more seasons beyond this one, so if the Hawks were to acquire him in a deal for Young, it would cut into their cap flexibility going forward. Still, Atlanta would be adding a solid role player on the wing while still creating significant savings by removing Young’s $49MM player option for 2026/27 from its books.
Although Washington is said to be Young’s preferred landing spot, the Hawks still have four weeks to see if any other viable suitors emerge for the veteran point guard, so a deal between the two Southeast teams may not be imminent. The Wizards and Hawks would also need to figure out what the draft compensation would look like, which might not be simple.
Still, Stein says (via Twitter) that if the teams do eventually make a trade involving Young, the players going from Washington to Atlanta appear increasingly likely to be McCollum and Kispert.
Interestingly, Kispert has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game in Philadelphia due to left hamstring injury management. Kispert has missed six of Washington’s past seven contests due to that hamstring issue, but wasn’t listed on today’s injury report at all until the 6:00 pm Eastern time update. McCollum will also miss his first game of the season tonight due to right quad soreness.
Trae Young Rumors: Wizards, Nets, Rockets, Wolves
While Washington looks like the “clear favorite” for Trae Young at this juncture, no trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards is imminent, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who suggests Atlanta will continue to explore other trade scenarios involving the four-time All-Star guard in the coming weeks. The Hawks’ talks involving Young have been “minimal” so far, Siegel adds.
As ESPN first reported on Monday, the Hawks and Young are working together in the hopes of finding a trade partner. Ideally, Siegel writes, that trade partner would be willing to sign Young to a contract extension after acquiring him, though it’s unclear if the Wizards would be on board with that plan.
Exploring the possibility of a deal between Atlanta and Washington, Josh Robbins of The Athletic speculates that Wizards officials may view a hypothetical Young acquisition as a “one-year trial.” In that scenario, Young would presumably exercise his $49MM player option for the 2026/27 season, which Siegel notes is the most probable outcome if he’s not extended before then. An in-season extension would require Young to turn down that option.
As for what a trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards might look like, Siegel says Washington is seeking draft compensation in addition to Young, while Atlanta would like to add young talent alongside CJ McCollum and his expiring $30.6MM contract. Siegel speculates that the Hawks are likely asking about players like Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson, though he cautions that the Wizards have signaled they don’t want to part with their top young talent in a deal for Young.
Exploring next steps for the Hawks and Young, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) wonders if there’s a way for both Atlanta and Washington to get what they want out of a deal. For instance, Gozlan suggests the Wizards could include a useful role player like Corey Kispert along with McCollum, while the Hawks could perhaps offer a first-round pick swap.
Here’s more on Young:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps examines why the trade market for Young is limited, while in the same article, Kevin Pelton and Zach Kram pose four hypothetical trade offers for the Hawks guard. Bobby Marks’ favorite of the four proposals for Atlanta is one that would send McCollum, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, and Oklahoma City’s 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks for Young and a future second-rounder. However, Marks isn’t sure whether the Wizards would make that offer, pointing out that they may want more draft compensation from Atlanta for taking on Young’s potential $49MM salary for next season.
- While the Nets and Rockets have been connected to Young in the past, they don’t have interest in pursuing him at this time, Siegel writes for ClutchPoints. Sam Amick of The Athletic said the same of Sacramento on Monday.
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) views the Timberwolves as an unlikely suitor for Young. As aggressive as Tim Connelly is on the trade market, Young’s $46MM cap hit for this season and $49MM option for next season would make it difficult for the Wolves to put together a package they’re comfortable with — and to accommodate Young on their cap going forward.
Southeast Notes: Bridges, Diabate, Wizards, Wiggins
Injuries continue to be a problem for the Hornets, whose standout rookies Kon Knueppel (right ankle sprain) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain) were among the players inactive for Monday’s loss to Milwaukee.
Veteran forward Miles Bridges joined Charlotte’s list of injured players in the first quarter of that game when he landed on Gary Trent Jr.‘s foot and turned his right ankle. Bridges grabbed at the ankle in obvious discomfort and checked out of the game at the next whistle — he didn’t return.
As Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, head coach Charles Lee didn’t have a formal update on Bridges after Monday’s game, so it’s not yet clear whether the 27-year-old will miss additional time as a result of his ankle injury.
“We’ll evaluate him (Tuesday) at practice,” Lee said. “Right ankle.”
We have more from across the Southeast:
- With Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee (right groin strain) both on the shelf for the Hornets, Moussa Diabate has started the team’s past three games at center and has handled the role admirably, averaging 12.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest with a 78.9% field goal percentage. Spencer Davies of RG.org spoke to Diabate about his path to his current role and his impact on the offensive glass, among other topics. The big man is under contract through 2026/27 on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract that has turned into a bargain for Charlotte.
- Wizards forward Kyshawn George missed a second consecutive game on Monday vs. Phoenix due to a left hip flexor strain, while sharpshooter Corey Kispert sat out for a third game in a row as a result of a left hamstring strain, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Kispert, who has reportedly been the subject of some trade interest, has played just once since November 25 due to thumb and hamstring ailments.
- Andrew Wiggins‘ scoring average this season (16.4 points per game) remains below his career rate, but he has been at his best in the team’s past three games, putting up 21.7 PPG on .628/.571/.750 shooting. The Heat want to keep seeing the former No. 1 overall pick play with that sort of assertiveness offensively, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “They just tell me an aggressive me is the best version of myself,” Wiggins said on Monday. “So, I just got to stay with it and continuously do it.” Wiggins’ name has popped up in some trade rumors since the offseason, but there has been no indication as of late that Miami is looking to move him. He’s earning $28.2MM this season, with a $30.2MM player option for 2026/27.
Central Rumors: Bucks, Grant, Kispert, Cavs, White, Duren
The expectation around the NBA is that the Bucks are looking to make an impactful in-season trade in the hopes of upgrading their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
According to Siegel, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant – rumored to be a potential Milwaukee target – was the name linked to the Bucks most frequently by executives at the G League Winter Showcase over the weekend, with some sources speculating that Milwaukee could land both Grant and center Robert Williams in a deal with Portland.
While Siegel suggests that the Bucks could package Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and one more smaller contract for those two players, I’m not convinced that sort of deal would meaningfully affect Milwaukee’s outlook. Williams’ availability has been extremely limited due to his extensive injury history, and the Blazers have been better when he’s off the court than when he’s on it this season.
In addition to confirming that Grant and Heat forward Andrew Wiggins are receiving consideration from the Bucks, Siegel identifies Wizards wing Corey Kispert as another player who is on Milwaukee’s radar. Known as a three-point marksman, Kispert is hitting 40.3% of his outside shots this season, though he’s playing a career-low 19.9 minutes per game.
We have more rumors from across the Central Division:
- Many sources who have spoken to Siegel downplayed the idea that the Cavaliers are looking to shake up their roster in a significant way this season. Still, that doesn’t mean the team won’t be active with non-core players prior to the deadline. Siegel singles out forwards De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade as trade candidates to watch, noting that the Rockets had interest in Wade before signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency this past summer.
- At least six teams around the NBA have inquired on Bulls guard Coby White, Siegel writes, with league executives speculating that the Magic, Hawks, and Cavaliers could be among his suitors. There’s a belief that Orlando wants to add more scoring punch by trading Jonathan Isaac and second-round draft capital, per Siegel, though he adds that the Bulls are optimistic about getting at least one unprotected first-round pick for White. While Chicago could probably extract a 2026 first-rounder from a playoff team for White, I think the team would have a harder time acquiring a future first-rounder with more significant lottery upside in exchange for a player who almost certainly won’t sign an extension prior to reaching unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
- Teams around the NBA are curious to see what Jalen Duren‘s next contract will look like, with the Pistons big man in the midst of a career year ahead of restricted free agency, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). “The Pistons are being overshadowed by OKC and San Antonio, but they’re just as set up to compete for the next five years as anyone,” one assistant general manager told Fischer, who writes that Duren could be headed for $40MM+ per year on his second NBA deal. A five-year, maximum-salary contract for a fifth-year player like Duren next summer projects to be worth over $48MM annually.
Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly Expected To Return Thursday
Alex Sarr is expected to make his return on Thursday against the Spurs from the adductor injury that has kept him sidelined for the month of December. The Wizards released their injury report (via Twitter), which didn’t include either Sarr or Bilal Coulibaly, who has missed the last four games with an oblique injury.
Sarr has played in 16 of the Wizards’ 24 games this season, averaging 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in just 29.7 minutes per night. He also has managed to raise his field goal percentage from 39.4% in his rookie season to 51.5% as a second-year big man.
Coulibaly’s season has been derailed multiple times due to injuries. He has only managed to suit up for 12 contests and struggled in that time to find his rhythm offensively, averaging 8.8 points in 27.2 minutes per game while posting career lows in field goal percentage (37.4%) and three-point percentage (26.8%).
Still, the return of the two young Frenchmen will undoubtedly come as a relief to the Wizards, who boast the worst defensive rating in the league by a wide margin. Sarr and Coulibaly are averaging a combined 3.0 blocks and 2.1 steals per game this season and are expected to serve as the backbone of the team’s defensive structure. The two have played just eight games together this fall.
The Wizards’ injury report notes that Malaki Branham is questionable with a right thumb sprain, while Khris Middleton (right knee contusion) and Corey Kispert (right thumb distal phalanx fracture) remain out.