Southwest Notes: Eason, Fox, Bey, Flagg
After he missed 14 games in November and December due to an oblique strain, Tari Eason‘s return has allowed the Rockets to try a new-look starting five. Eason replaced Josh Okogie in Houston’s new, jumbo-sized lineup in the last two games and has made an impact on both ends of the floor in back-to-back wins over the Lakers and Cavaliers, amassing six steals and three blocks while making 3-for-8 three-pointers.
“It was amazing to be out there. [Head coach Ime Udoka] finally trusted me to go out there. I just had to do what I do best,” Eason said, per The Athletic’s Will Guillory (via Twitter). “We had to get back to being dogs defensively, and I knew I could come out there and set the tone.”
Asked if he valued being in the starting lineup after spending the last few years as a reserve, Eason responded, “Yes, I do.”
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- De’Aaron Fox missed the Spurs‘ game Saturday against the Jazz with left adductor tightness, but the team is optimistic that he won’t be out for long, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “Not too many big concerns,” said head coach Mitch Johnson. “Obviously he’s out, so it’s real. But hopefully it will be short-term.” Johnson added that he started Julian Champagnie rather than Dylan Harper in order to keep the No. 2 overall pick in a more consistent role. “It goes a long way for players to expect if they’re going to play, when they’re going to play, when do they come out,” Johnson said. “They are creatures of habit from when they wake up to when they go to bed. I think being able to help provide consistency where you can (is important).” The Spurs have gone 17-5 in games that Fox has played this season.
- Saddiq Bey was something of an afterthought coming into this season for the Pelicans, having not played a game since March 2024, when he tore his ACL. But following a trade from the Wizards to the Pelicans this summer, Bey knew he had been given a second chance to establish himself as a reliable rotation player, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “Just to be wanted at that time after not playing in a year and a half meant a lot to me,” Bey said. “New Orleans was showing that they still believed in me and that meant the world to me.” Bey has responded to the opportunity by averaging 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while starting 24 of the 32 games he played this season. “He’s been incredible all year,” said coach James Borrego. “He’s built for these moments. He doesn’t shy away from it.” Bey said that the experience has given him a new perspective on his career: “I feel like I owe it to the front office, the city and this organization for believing in me. Every single game, I’m literally thanking God for letting me finish that game. Win or lose. I’ll never take another game for granted.”
- Mavericks‘ coach Jason Kidd went back to an early-season strategy in an attempt to grind out a win over the Kings without Anthony Davis: using Cooper Flagg as the de facto point guard, Christian Clark writes for The Athletic. The effort ended up coming in a 113-107 loss, but Flagg was able to help Dallas trim a 15-point halftime deficit to three points before Sacramento pulled away again. He finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists, though he had five turnovers as well. “Once we had to sub, (the Kings’ lead) went back up to 18 (points),” Kidd said. “Just understanding the change — we talked about it at halftime — it gave us an opportunity to get us back in the game.”
Injury Notes: Knueppel, Sengun, Fox, Davis, Adebayo
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, one of the early frontrunners for Rookie of the Year, suffered a right ankle injury late in the second quarter of Friday’s game in Orlando and was ruled out for the second half of the eventual win, the team announced (via Twitter). Knueppel appeared to come down on Desmond Bane‘s foot after contesting a floater near the basket, causing him to roll his ankle (Twitter video link).
Head coach Charles Lee said after the game that X-rays on Knueppel’s ankle were negative, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is dealing with left calf tightness and is listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest vs. Cleveland, according to the NBA’s official injury report (hat tip to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com). The 23-year-old was also questionable for Thursday’s game at the Lakers prior to being upgraded to available. Sengun made his first All-Star appearance in 2024/25 and there’s a good chance he’ll be in the exhibition game again in 2025/26 if he maintains his current level of production. Through 26 games, the Turkish center is averaging 22.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block in 35.6 minutes per contest.
- Former All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, who had a huge first half on Thursday in leading the Spurs to their third straight victory over Oklahoma City, is questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Utah due to left adductor tightness, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Fox had appeared in each of San Antonio’s past 22 games after missing the first eight contests of the season with a hamstring injury.
- While Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Anthony Davis is expected to miss multiple games with a mild right groin strain, the Mavericks have listed the five-time All-NBA forward/center as questionable for Saturday’s matchup at Sacramento with right adductor soreness, per Marc Stein (Twitter link). Davis exited Thursday’s loss at Golden State after experiencing groin spasms. The hip adductor muscles are part of the medial (middle) thigh and injuries to the area are often called groin strains.
- The Heat will be cautious with Bam Adebayo‘s injury, head coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Friday’s game vs. Atlanta, which the star big man missed due to lower back soreness. “I think if we handle it now, he’ll be fine,” Spoelstra said after Friday morning’s shootaround, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He’s pretty sore.” Miami had lost eight of its past nine games entering Friday, but bounced back with a decisive victory over the struggling Hawks.
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Fox, OKC Rivalry, K. Johnson
The Spurs are looking like title contenders after posting their third win of the season over Oklahoma City, but the exuberance won’t change their plans with Victor Wembanyama‘s recovery from a left calf strain, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story. Wembanyama has been on a minutes restriction since returning from the injury, which sidelined him for 12 games. He has come off the bench in all seven games during that stretch and put up 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes in Thursday’s victory over the defending champs.
“I don’t know when it becomes unrestricted, but his minutes will be mindful for dot, dot, dot,” coach Mitch Johnson told reporters before the game. “There’s nothing that’s going to make us flinch or change on that. If this game goes into triple overtime, he will not be in the game. There’s no circumstances that will allow us to get outside of ourselves with that regard.”
Johnson added that Wembanyama agrees that the gradual ramp-up is in his best interest. He wasn’t able to play after the All-Star break last season due to deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, and he wants to be available this year as San Antonio looks capable of making a long playoff run.
“Again, the emotions, the excitement, the circumstances of being in a Cup game, playing on Christmas, playing a big-time team, having a couple wins in a row, none of that is going to allow us or dictate to us in terms of the big picture of what we want for that young man and for this team,” Johnson said. “And so when you look at the injury and what history tells us in terms of being mindful of bringing a guy, a player back from that, and you look at his unique anatomy and all the things we want to accomplish, not today, not this year, but years to come, there’s nothing worth sacrificing or risking his long-term health and his long-term growth.”
There’s more on the Spurs:
- De’Aaron Fox was able to get the shots he wanted against the league’s best defense and helped the Spurs get off to a strong start by scoring 21 of his 29 points in the first half, Orsborn adds. Fox was determined to make an impression in his first appearance in the NBA’s holiday showcase. “This being my first Christmas game, I just wanted to have a good game and come out with a win,” he said. “We did that, and we did it from the jump outside of the first couple of possessions. I think we were really good throughout the course of the game.”
- The Spurs and Thunder both cited a playoff atmosphere as they met for the third time in less than two weeks, per Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press. OKC fell to 26-5, and according to ESPN, it’s the first time since the 1966/67 season that three of a team’s first five losses have come against the same opponent. With so many games left to play, Wembanyama was reluctant to say that Thursday’s outcome made a statement. “Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t,” he said. “But we’re focused on the rest of the season. It’s very long. We’re not even halfway through, so I’m not really sure it’s, I don’t know the word — I’m not really sure it’s smart to think so far into the future.”
- Thursday marked Keldon Johnson‘s 400th game with the Spurs, Orsborn notes in a separate story. Johnson also rec0rded his 25th career game with 20 or more points off the bench. “That’s my job,” he said. “I take pride in doing what my team needs me to do. And for me, it’s being an energy guy, being a leader, being whatever, being adaptable to whatever role I need to be in for my team to be successful. And I put my teammates first. I put my team first.”
NBA Announces All-Tournament Team For 2025 Cup
Knicks guard and NBA Cup Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson is among the five standout players named to the All-Tournament team for the 2025 Cup, according to an announcement from the league (Twitter link).
The All-Tournament team, which was voted on by 20 media members and is based on players’ performance in both group play and the knockout round, is as follows:
Jalen Brunson, Knicks (20 total votes)- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (18)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks (12)
- Luka Doncic, Lakers (11)
- De’Aaron Fox, Spurs (11)
Brunson led the Knicks to this year’s NBA Cup title by averaging 33.2 points and 5.8 assists per game with a .531/.462/.658 shooting line in six games, including Tuesday’s final. Towns complemented him by putting up 21.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per night in his seven Cup outings, shooting 48.4% from the floor and 37.1% on three-pointers.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in six Cup games before his Thunder were sent home in Saturday’s semifinal. He also had a scorching hot shooting line of .595/.481/.877 in those games.
Doncic’s Lakers were eliminated in the quarterfinals, but he put up monster numbers in his five Cup contests, including 36.2 PPG, 10.0 APG, and 7.6 RPG per game, plus a 44.2% three-point mark.
Fox helped guide the Spurs to the Cup final by averaging 22.3 PPG and 7.7 APG while converting 39.5% of his three-pointers.
Magic wing Desmond Bane, Knicks forward OG Anunoby, and Spurs teammates Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama were among the players who just missed the cut for the team. The full voting results can be found right here.
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Fox, Harper, Kornet, M. Johnson
Victor Wembanyama made an enormous impact in his first game back from a calf strain, helping lead the Spurs to a victory over the defending champion Thunder and a berth in the final of the NBA Cup. The star big man came off the bench on Saturday and was on a minutes restriction, with head coach Mitch Johnson suggesting on Monday that may be the case again for Tuesday’s matchup with New York.
“It’ll be something that Victor and I will continue to talk through,” Johnson said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “It’s hard. He wants to play. He wants to start. He wants to finish. Wherever you put some minutes, that means you have less over there.
“We still have to think about what’s best for the team, unfortunately. That decision can’t be made in a vacuum, even though it’s a very impactful and influential decision. We still have to make sure it fits with the other rollout of who’s playing with who and how that affects others.”
Johnson confirmed prior to Tuesday’s game that Wembanyama would come off the bench and receive a similar amount of minutes to the 21 he played against Oklahoma City, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
We have much more on the Spurs:
- Wembanyama raised some eyebrows after Saturday’s win when he said, “I’m just glad to be a part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful. So pure and ethical basketball.” As Weiss writes for The Athletic, “ethical basketball” could be interpreted as a slight at the playing style of the Thunder, who are now 24-2 after having their 16-game winning streak snapped. But the first part of Wembanyama’s comment was a reference to San Antonio’s play while he was injured — the team went 9-3 — and he clarified what his ideal version of basketball looks like on Monday. “In modern basketball, we see a lot of brands of basketball that don’t offer much variety in the dangers they pose to the opponents. Lots of isolation ball. Sometimes kind of forced basketball,” Wembanyama said. “We try to propose a brand of basketball that can be described as more old school sometimes, the Spurs’ way, as well. It’s tactically more correct basketball, in my opinion.”
- According to Weiss, many Spurs players entered the season simply hoping to make the playoffs, but their goal has become more ambitious after an 18-7 start. “We want to play in the playoffs. We want to put ourselves in a position to win a championship,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “Obviously, that’s always a goal. How many teams are true contenders? Most would say three, maybe a fourth team. But for us, we’re just, like I said, going day by day. We know with the talent that we have in our locker room that we are a playoff team, yes. But we have to continue to do the little things that help us become a contender.”
- Fox has nothing but good things to say about the Spurs, telling Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he hasn’t “stopped smiling” since he was traded to San Antonio last February. “There is just so much talent in this locker room, and guys like seeing other guys succeed,” Fox said. “That is where it starts and you trust the other guy behind you. We’re going out there and playing together. We have a lot of individuals that could go into a lot of different gyms and put the ball in the basket and play in a lot of different scenarios. But everybody is sacrificing for each other. And this [versus the Thunder] is our first game with everybody, and I think we made a statement.”
- While Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have put up the gaudiest stats thus far among the rookies from the 2025 draft, a rival Western Conference executive tells Mark Medina of Athlon Sports that he still views Spurs guard Dylan Harper as the second-best player (behind Flagg) in the class. “He plays with force,” the executive said of the No. 2 overall pick. “He’s not afraid of the moment. He believes in himself, and he’s competitive.”
- In an interview with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, veteran center Luke Kornet discusses his first few months with the Spurs. Kornet signed a four-year deal with San Antonio as a free agent, though only the first two seasons are fully guaranteed. “I definitely feel like it’s a different part of life and career,” Kornet told ClutchPoints on Tuesday. “Overall, I just feel like I am in a different place in my career now. It’s about wanting more responsibility, and with a generally younger team as well, I embrace being someone who can help guide my teammates since I was once in their shoes. Becoming a member of the Spurs had definitely been a personal transition for me, not just on the court, but in terms of me and my family life.”
- Johnson has the full trust of the team’s players, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News, as well as the respect of opposing coaches. “I trust in Mitch a hundred percent,” said Spurs guard Devin Vassell, who had a game-high 23 points against the Thunder. “Mitch was my player development coach when I first got here, so me and him have an even better connection than the outside sees. But we all trust him. He’s the brains of all of this.”
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Guard Trio, Castle
While Victor Wembanyama is technically listed as probable for Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against Oklahoma City, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was certainly talking on Friday as though the star big man would be playing, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
“He’s going to be tired, the excitement, the mental fatigue. He was tired the first time I saw him play live against video guys. … I would expect an early sub and not his normal minutes,” Johnson said of Wembanyama, who has been out since November 14 due to a left calf strain.
Johnson added that Wembanyama was pushing hard behind the scenes to return to action, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Wembanyama admitted he was hoping to return sooner than Saturday, according to Orsborn (Twitter link). “I would have come back earlier, but it is more reasonable to listen to (the team’s medical staff),” Wembanyama said. The French center also discussed San Antonio’s surprising 9-3 record without him, Orsborn adds (via Twitter). “The brand of basketball we were playing … it’s getting closer to the ideal basketball. … And everybody has something to eat,” Wembanyama said. “Everybody can step up at any time. … Everybody trusts the next teammate, so it’s just beautiful to see.”
- They’ve only shared the court together for two games, but the backcourt trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have already developed chemistry both on and off the floor, Orsborn writes for The Express-News. In 78 total minutes during Wednesday’s quarterfinal win over the Lakers, Fox, Castle and Harper combined for 63 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals, Orsborn notes. “It’s been great,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “Each of them are different and their games complement each other. They’re all trying to make the right play, investing in the time off the court for that chemistry. So for us as a group, it’s great as we continue to evolve this thing and continue to get healthy, that those three continue to figure out ways to be effective.”
- Former UConn star Castle has purchased a stake in two professional expansion soccer teams in Connecticut, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It was the right choice just to start at my age and to also give back to the state of Connecticut for what they’ve done for me,” Castle told Andscape in a phone interview Thursday. “I just wanted to put my name out there as well and just have it build up as my career goes on. Just to have this on the back end is another great idea.”
Spurs Notes: Harper, Fox, Castle, Wembanyama
No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper helped lead the Spurs to a victory over New Orleans on Monday with a 22-point, six-assist outing, proving that he can be successful in his role even when De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle are both available. Still, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) writes, it was evident with all three of those guards were healthy and active for the first time this season that there are still some kinks to work out in the backcourt.
While Harper thrived, Castle showed some rust in his first game back from a hip injury, making just 5-of-15 shots and turning the ball over three times in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, McDonald suggests that Fox seemed “unsure of when to assert himself” — the former All-Star scored just 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting and committed four turnovers.
Still, the trio of Harper, Castle, and Fox combined for 54 points and 18 assists in a three-point victory over the Pelicans, and Harper is optimistic that it won’t be long before all three players are firing on all cylinders.
“This is just a little sample size of what you’re going to see,” the rookie said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “When (Castle) really gets back into the groove of things, we’re going to be scary.”
“I’m trying to get adjusted to the game,” Castle added. “Having a little three-week break, I’m trying to get back in rhythm.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Harper’s teammates were impressed by the way that the 19-year-old bounced back from his worst game of the season – a 1-for-11 dud in Cleveland on Friday – to set a new career high in points on Monday, as Orsborn relays. “He has so much skill and maturity to his game,” Fox said of Harper. “It’s a long season. I’ve talked to him about that as well. You’re not going to play well in every single game. It would be asinine to think that.”
- Although head coach Mitch Johnson said this week that Victor Wembanyama is “getting closer” to returning from the calf strain that has sidelined him since November 14, the big man has been ruled out for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Lakers, as Orsborn writes for The Express-News. The Spurs have taken a cautious approach with Wembanyama’s recovery timeline, and Johnson noted earlier in the week that the NBA Cup game wouldn’t be treated any differently, “medically speaking.”
- While many of the Spurs’ cornerstone players – including Wembanyama, Harper, and Castle – are in their early 20s, the team also has a handful of veterans in their 30s – such as Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, and Bismack Biyombo – providing leadership in the locker room. In a story for The Express-News (subscription required), McDonald explores how those two generations of players have meshed and the mentorship that the vets have provided. “At times, the older ones are barking at the younger ones like older dogs do puppies,” Johnson said. “Other times, the bigger personalities step up and command the room. Sometimes, you have this electric energy from these young guys. It’s a good balance.”
Jaylen Brown, Jamal Murray Named Players Of The Week
Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Brown won for the Eastern Conference, while Murray claimed the award in the Western Conference.
Brown, the 2024 Finals MVP, led Boston to an unblemished 3-0 record in games he played from December 1-7. He sat out the Dec. 4 contest at Washington, which the Celtics won by 45 points. The 29-year-old averaged 34.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.0 steal on .538/.471/.889 shooting in three appearances last week (37.7 minutes per game).
A Georgia native who played one season of college ball for California, Brown is well on his way to making his fifth All-Star game in 2025/26. He’s averaging career highs of 29.1 PPG and 4.9 APG while also contributing 6.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG through 23 contests (33.7 MPG).
Murray, meanwhile, helped guide Denver to a 3-1 record last week. The 28-year-old Canadian averaged 29.8 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.5 RPG and 1.3 SPG on .595/.621/.929 shooting in four appearances (33.8 MPG).
Murray is off to a fantastic start to the season himself and appears well-positioned to make his first All-Star appearance. Through 22 games (35.0 MPG), he’s averaging 25.0 PPG, 6.8 APG and 4.5 RPG — all career highs — with an elite shooting line of .506/.447/.898.
According to the NBA, De’Aaron Fox (Spurs), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams (Thunder), and Murray’s teammate Nikola Jokic were the other nominees in the West (Twitter link). Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), Michael Porter Jr. (Nets), and Brown’s teammate Derrick White were nominated in the East.
Southwest Notes: Fox, Spurs Injuries, Pelicans Core, Coward
With Victor Wembanyama out, De’Aaron Fox has stepped into a leadership role and brought the Spurs‘ offense together, Jared Weiss writes for The Athletic. Fox has become increasingly comfortable getting into the teeth of the defense and then kicking out to shooters, Weiss writes. He has also helped the team get its turnover issues under control.
Weiss notes that the Spurs’ game plan around Wembanyama can, at times, make their offense more predictable, but Fox’s speed and creativity add wrinkles that will help open things up as he continues to build chemistry with San Antonio’s young star.
Fox has also helped the offense with his improved shooting from deep, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Despite averaging 33.2% from three for his career, he is currently shooting 37.8% on 6.4 attempts per game, a weapon which was deployed on two clutch possessions to seal a victory over the Magic on Wednesday.
“If we’re going to play one-on-one, a lot of defenders in this league give me a step, knowing that I’m trying to get downhill,” Fox said. “If they give me the step, I have the confidence to step back, knowing that I have time and space to knock shots down.”
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- Stephon Castle and Luke Kornet are both questionable for the Spurs’ game against the Pelicans on Monday, McDonald notes (via Twitter), adding that there’s some level of optimism about both being able to make a go of it. Castle missed the last nine games for San Antonio with a hip injury, while Kornet missed the Spurs’ loss against the Cavaliers with an ankle injury. Castle is averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in his second season.
- While rumors have begun to circulate about the future of the Pelicans‘ core veteran trio of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones, some sources around the team say that New Orleans has not held trade talks with other teams about any of the three, reports Rod Walker for NOLA.com. The Pelicans are currently a league-worst 3-21 on the season.
- The Grizzlies‘ prized rookie Cedric Coward is looking to accelerate his development by seeking guidance from one of the league’s great wings, Kawhi Leonard, according to Matt Infield of WMC Action News 5 (Twitter video link). “I asked him, like, in the summer, could we get some work in together?” Coward said after the Grizzlies’ win over the Clippers on Friday. “He’s not on social media, so I gotta figure out a way to talk to him.”
Spurs Notes: Fox, Wembanyama, Kornet, Olynyk
The Spurs have won back-to-back games since Victor Wembanyama went down with a calf strain, pulling out a 10-point victory over Memphis on Tuesday despite also missing reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle due to a hip flexor strain. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes (subscription required), De’Aaron Fox led the way with a team-high 26 points, but San Antonio got important contributions from several less heralded players.
Veteran forward Harrison Barnes scored 23 points; Kelly Olynyk was a +15 in 19 minutes of action; Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds off the bench; and Luke Kornet, despite going scoreless, played solid defense in his second start in place of Wembanyama.
“We want to play our brand of basketball and try to maintain our same identity no matter who is in,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “It was really good to see so many people help win.”
“No one thought we’d be missing this many guys or two of our top three scorers,” Fox added. “We’ve had a lot of guys that have been in and out of the lineup. You’ve got to continue to get wins. That’s what good teams do.”
Here’s the latest on the 10-4 Spurs:
- The Spurs figure to take a very cautious approach with Wembanyama’s return timeline, according to McDonald (subscription required), who notes that calf strains have become increasingly common across the NBA and have been precursors to Achilles tears in some cases. Even if that worst-case scenario is a rare outcome, rushing back from a minor calf strain can lead to an aggravation that requires a lengthier absence, McDonald writes. “As we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Johnson said. “We don’t want to push it there.”
- San Antonio is better positioned to navigate a Wembanyama injury this season due to the frontcourt depth the front office added in the offseason, including signing Kornet and trading for Olynyk. Writing for the Express-News (subscription required), McDonald examines the impact that duo has had so far and describes how Kornet rejuvenated his career after briefly considering retirement in 2022 during a stint in the G League. “A big perspective (shift) was just realizing if you’re not enjoying your time in the G League, you’ll not enjoy it in the NBA,” Kornet said. “… It was just recommitting to, ‘How do I serve and where do I fit in?’ And just letting that take you wherever you go.”
- After playing only five games together last season, Fox and Wembanyama shared the court for just four games this fall between the time Fox returned from his hamstring strain and Wemby sustained his calf injury. Despite their limited time playing together so far, Fox has bought into the idea of being the Robin to Wembanyama’s Batman, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “It’s very clear we have the face of our franchise and (Fox is) comfortable with that and everyone around him is,” Johnson said. “I think for De’Aaron to be one of the faces of his franchise (in Sacramento) prior to joining our group and wanting to really be here and show that desire, it helps set the tone for everybody else. Because he has been someone who’s been in similar shoes, where he’s been the max guy and the big dog with his group.”