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Injury Notes: Young, Eason, Clarke, Edey, Booker

December 13th, 2025 at 3:10pm CST by Rory Maher

All-Star point guard Trae Young continues to ramp up his reconditioning activities and is expected to return to practice next week, the Hawks announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Young injured his right knee in a collision with teammate Mouhamed Gueye in the first quarter of an October 29 game at Brooklyn. He was ruled out for the rest of that game and was diagnosed with a sprained MCL a few days later after undergoing an MRI, which revealed no additional damage.

Young has missed the past 21 games with the injury. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week that Young was optimistic about returning to action this month.

Atlanta is currently 14-12, the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Rockets forward Tari Eason, who has been out since November 14 due to a strained oblique, could return to action in a couple days. Head coach Ime Udoka said Eason practiced on Saturday and the team is “hoping” the 24-year-old will be available for Monday’s game at Denver, tweets Rockets sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson. Udoka clarified that Eason’s return will depend on if he experiences soreness after practice.
Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke was assigned to the G League’s Memphis Hustle to practice on Friday prior to being recalled, the team announced (via Twitter). Clarke underwent an arthroscopic procedure in September to address synovitis in his right knee after having his 2024/25 season cut short due to a PCL sprain in that same knee. He’s expected to be out at least a couple more weeks, but obviously practicing is a positive development — the 29-year-old Canadian hasn’t suited up for a game since March 19.
Second-year Grizzlies center Zach Edey missed the first 13 games of the season as he recovered from offseason surgery on his left ankle. He will be out at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in the same ankle. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo discussed Edey’s situation prior to Friday’s loss to Utah, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (video link). “He’s been a huge part of what we’ve been doing … it’s a big loss, ” Iisalo said. “But at the same time, it’s for the long-term benefit of everybody involved.”
Suns star Devin Booker did “everything” during Friday’s practice and was also a full participant in Saturday’s practice, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video links). “Responding well,” head coach Jordan Ott said of Booker. “That’s encouraging. No issues. Practiced today. Just see exactly how it responds.” The four-time All-Star guard, who has missed the past three games with a right groin strain, could return Sunday vs. the Lakers.

Injury Notes: Curry, Green, Johnson, Morant, Booker, Green, Gafford, Williams, Poole

December 11th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Good news for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is no longer on the injury report, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). Curry hasn’t played since Nov. 26 due to a quad injury.

The future Hall of Famer will suit up against the Timberwolves on Friday but two Golden State frontcourt players won’t be available. Draymond Green will miss the game for personal reasons, while Al Horford continues to be sidelined by a nerve issue in his back.

Here’s more injury-related news:

The Wizards list four prominent players — Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert, Alex Sarr and Khris Middleton — as out for their game against Cleveland on Friday (Twitter link). However, one key player isn’t on the injury report. Lottery pick Tre Johnson, who has been sidelined since Nov. 21 due to a hip flexor, is expected to suit up.
The Grizzlies list seven players as out for their against Utah on Friday. Star guard Ja Morant isn’t one of them. Morant is considered questionable to play. A right calf strain has sidelined him since Nov. 15.
Suns star guard Devin Booker will return either Sunday against the Lakers or next Thursday against the Warriors, according to Arizona radio host John Gambadoro (Twitter link). Booker hasn’t played since Dec. 1 due to a groin injury. Jalen Green, who has only played two games this season due to a hamstring strain, is tracking toward a return just after Christmas, Gambadoro adds.
The Mavericks list big man Daniel Gafford as doubtful to play against Brooklyn on Friday due to right ankle injury management, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets.
The Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams (illness) and Yang Hansen (facial contusion) won’t play against New Orleans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. Both players were originally listed as questionable.
Jordan Poole is available to play for the Pelicans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. He has been out since Nov. 4 due to a left quad strain.

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Booker, Lakers’ Court, Post, LaVine

December 10th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are tied for 13th in the West at 6-18, but this season hasn’t been the complete disaster that the record would suggest, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register (subscription required). L.A. has been competitive in numerous games before seeing them slip away at the end, including its last two losses at Memphis and Minnesota. The Clippers are only three games away from a play-in spot, and coach Tyronn Lue believes a turnaround is coming.

“We’ve really played some good basketball and had a chance to win those games,” he said. “So, when you look at it and you’re not able to close the game and finish the game, that’s the only thing that’s kind of frustrating. … I mean, we definitely can turn it around. One big shot, one big rebound, one less turnover, things like that. And when you’re able to do that, that’s when you can start winning games.”

Injuries have played a role in the disappointing start, as Bradley Beal was lost for the season after appearing in just six games, Kawhi Leonard has been limited to 14 outings and Derrick Jones Jr. has been sidelined since mid-November with an MCL sprain. Nicolas Batum said the team needs to find a way to overcome that adversity.

“It’s not an excuse, but it is a challenge every day to come with a different lineup,” he said. “When you start losing one, two, three, four, five games, you think about that also. We right now just need to focus on what we have. We have more than enough to beat teams and to be winning games.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

There was hope that Devin Booker might be able to return from a groin injury in time for tonight’s NBA Cup contest at Oklahoma City, but the Suns downgraded him to out shortly before game time, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “He’s continuing to make progress,” coach Jordan Ott said (Twitter video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “We checked in with him after his work there in shootaround. He’s making great progress. We just need a couple of days. We’ll be smart with this thing. It’s a long season.”
The Lakers won’t be using their NBA Cup court when they host the Spurs tonight, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. There were complaints that the surface was too slippery after it was unveiled for a November 25 game, and the Lakers opted for their normal court when they hosted Dallas in another NBA Cup contest three nights later. “That was bad,” Rui Hachimura said after playing on the court, per Dan Woike and Sam Jane of the Athletic. “I felt it right away when I was warming up. It just felt weird. Just like oily, slippery. Everybody was on the floor, literally. Every second.”
Warriors big man Quinten Post said last season’s playoff series against Houston showed him that he needed to get stronger so he could handle the NBA’s physical style of play, per Spencer Davies of RG. Post didn’t make his NBA debut until after Christmas last season, but now he’s an important part of Golden State’s rotation. “At first, your body has to get used to all the work that you put in, and you’re sore because we spent a lot of time in the weight room this summer,” Post said. “But now that the season has started, I definitely feel different just in being able to hold my ground and going up without fouling.”
The Kings have ruled Zach LaVine out for Thursday’s game against Denver due to soreness in his right thumb, relays Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Dennis Schröder is doubtful with a strained right hip flexor.

Western Notes: Powell, Beringer, Two-Ways, Booker, Suns

December 10th, 2025 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban shot down a report indicating that big man Dwight Powell will likely retire at the end of this season, tweeting that it’s “not true.”

Powell, 34, no longer plays a significant role in Dallas, but has been with the Mavericks for over a decade and has appeared in 20 of the club’s 25 games so far this season, averaging 10.9 minutes per night.

Powell is on a $4MM expiring contract in 2025/26, so if he does intend to extend his career beyond this season, he’ll need to sign a new deal. In all likelihood, he’ll be a minimum-salary player going forward.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

The Timberwolves assigned rookie center Joan Beringer to the G League for the first time this season on Tuesday, per the team (Twitter link). Beringer has played limited minutes at the NBA level so far this fall, so he’ll get an opportunity to take on a more significant role for the Iowa Wolves when they face the Motor City Cruise this Friday.
Two-way contracts recently signed by LJ Cryer (Warriors), Malevy Leons (Warriors), and Tyler Smith (Rockets) are all for two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Golden State and Houston will have the option of retaining those players on their two-way deals through the 2026/27 season. However, it’s somewhat rare for a player to play out a full two-year, two-way contract, as most are either promoted or waived before the deal expires.
After Suns head coach Jordan Ott indicated over the weekend that Devin Booker has a chance to return to action on Wednesday from his groin injury, the team officially upgraded the star guard to questionable for its NBA Cup showdown with Oklahoma City, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes shares the latest details on the legal battle between Suns owner Mat Ishbia and a pair of minority shareholders, Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg. While attorneys for Seldin and Kohlberg are taking aim at Ishbia’s majority control of the franchise, a spokesperson for Ishbia dismissed the claims in the lawsuit as “ridiculous,” according to Holmes. “Unwilling to take responsibility and invest in the team, these guys are resorting to threats and publicity stunts to get Mat to buy them out just so they make more money,” that spokesperson said.

Injury Notes: SGA, Thunder, Booker, Essengue, Schröder

December 7th, 2025 at 9:54am CST by Rory Maher

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss his first game of the season on Sunday when the Thunder face the Jazz in Utah, tweets Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire. Gilgeous-Alexander is dealing with bursitis in his left elbow, per the team.

The superstar guard is one of seven Oklahoma City players who will be out Sunday. Others include rotation members Luguentz Dort (right adductor strain), Alex Caruso (right quad contusion), Isaiah Joe (left knee soreness) and Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain).

Here are more injury notes from around the NBA:

Suns head coach Jordan Ott provided an update on star guard Devin Booker on Friday, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link). Booker is recovering from a right groin strain and could return for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal at Oklahoma City. “We’ll continue to assess him day-by-day, but he’s been through this before,” Ott said. “So he knows exactly where he’s at and his body and he’s made good progress in a short amount of time. … If his body is feeling good and he’s in a good place, he’ll absolutely be available (Wednesday).”
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Bulls lottery pick Noa Essengue said his season-ending left shoulder injury was a dislocation, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network relays (via Twitter). The French forward added that he dislocated the same shoulder a couple of years ago and his surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.
Kings point guard Dennis Schröder was out again last night in Miami due to a right hip flexor strain, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). While Schröder’s strain is “mild” and he’s considered day-to-day, he has now missed five straight games, having last suited up on Nov. 24 vs. Minnesota.

Devin Booker Out At Least One Week With Groin Strain

December 3rd, 2025 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker will be reevaluated in one week after being diagnosed with a right groin strain, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Booker, who sustained the injury on Monday vs. the Lakers, will miss games against Houston on Friday and Minnesota next Monday, with next Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal in Oklahoma City looking like his earliest possible return date.

Even if Booker isn’t ready to return in seven days, this outcome appears to be a “best case” for the Suns, according to Charania, who suggests the star guard’s injury isn’t a significant one.

Booker, 29, has been the top scorer for a surprisingly competitive Suns team this fall, averaging 25.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 34.7 minutes per game through his first 22 outings. Phoenix was expected to take a step back this season after trading Kevin Durant and buying out Bradley Beal over the summer, but the club is off to a 13-9 start, with Booker leading the way.

The Suns’ backcourt depth will be tested with Booker sidelined for multiple games. The team is also still without Jalen Green, who has missed most of the season due to hamstring issues.

However, Phoenix did get Ryan Dunn back on Monday after he missed five games with a sprained wrist. And while Grayson Allen sat out on Monday due to an illness, he had returned to action on Saturday following a seven-game absence due to a quad injury. Assuming they’re healthy, Dunn and Allen figure to play key roles for the Suns in the next week, along with guards Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and perhaps Jamaree Bouyea, who logged a season-high 23 minutes on Monday.

Devin Booker, Jamal Murray Exit Monday’s Games With Injuries

December 1st, 2025 at 10:26pm CST by Rory Maher

A pair of star players were injured during separate games on Monday, with Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray exiting an eventual loss to Dallas with a right ankle sprain, while Suns shooting guard Devin Booker sustained a right groin injury in the road contest at the Lakers (Twitter links via the Nuggets and Dave McMenamin of ESPN).

Murray, who is a candidate to make his first All-Star appearance this season, was deemed questionable to return Monday but didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets were up two points entering the final frame and wound up losing by 10 without their second-leading scorer.

It’s unclear if Murray will miss additional time with his ankle injury. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely receive more minutes if the Canadian guard is ruled out of future games.

Denver is fairly banged up right now, with starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun out multiple weeks due to their own injuries and third-year wing Julian Strawther continuing to miss time with a back issue.

As for Booker, he was ruled out at halftime of the game in Los Angeles. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), all the Suns know so far is the four-time All-Star experienced soreness in his groin.

Phoenix’s all-time leading scorer has yet to miss a game in 2025/26 after making 75 appearances last season. Through 21 games, the 29-year-old is averaging team highs of 25.7 points and 6.9 assists while also contributing 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal per night.

Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Jamaree Bouyea are among the Suns who could take on additional play-making duties with Booker out at least the remainder of Monday’s game.

The Suns are also shorthanded, as Jalen Green continues to be sidelined with a hamstring strain he has aggravated multiple times. Second-year forward Ryan Dunn did return to action on Monday after missing the past five games with a sprained right wrist, though Grayson Allen was ruled out with an illness.

Pacific Notes: Perry, DeRozan, Booker, Durant, Goodwin, Paul

November 24th, 2025 at 10:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings are in a familiar place, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings after a 4-13 start. New general manager Scott Perry is preaching something that fans in Sacramento have heard for many years — be patient.

“I totally understand their frustrations to this point,” Perry told Sam Amick of The Athletic. “It hasn’t been what they wanted. But again, it’s the old saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day — and that’s a fact. If you look at a number of the top teams in the league, they all went through a very tough stretch when they were trying to lay a foundation and create an environment that led to sustainable winning. … All I’ve ever asked from the very beginning is just: buckle up, be patient for the ride. We definitely have a plan in place, and we’ll do this thing together.”

Complicating Perry’s mission is the fact that six high-salary players are signed through next season. The highest of the 2026/27 salaries, Zach LaVine‘s $49MM, is a player option and there’s no clarity as to whether he’ll pick it up, according to Amick. The Clippers have shown some interest in the oldest player on the Kings’ roster, DeMar DeRozan, per Amick. He has a partial guarantee ($10MM) on his $25.7MM contract for next season.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Kevin Durant will miss the Rockets’ game at Phoenix tonight due to a family matter. Suns guard Devin Booker is disappointed he won’t get to face his former teammate, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “I hope everything is OK with his family first, but yeah, I would love a matchup with him,” Booker said.
Jordan Goodwin won a training camp battle to earn a roster spot after being claimed off waivers by the Suns. Goodwin has been a steady contributor off the bench, averaging 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. “He just has a knack not only on offensive rebounds, but deflections. Any type of loose balls. Just has a hunger to get the basketball. That’s part of who he is, that’s part of what made him and that’s part of why we love him,” coach Jordan Ott said, per Rankin (Twitter link).
Chris Paul evokes a wide range of reaction but The Athletic’s Zach Harper lays out his case of why the Clippers guard should be appreciated by NBA fans. The 12-time All-Star is retiring after the season.

Suns Notes: Ighodaro, Booker, Brooks, Allen

November 14th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Oso Ighodaro put his name in the Suns’ record book Thursday night by posting a plus-52 in a win over Indiana, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The second-year big man put up the gaudy number in 26 minutes off the bench as Phoenix pulled away and led by as many as 46 points.

“I thought it was a typo,” coach Jordan Ott said as Ighodaro recorded the highest single-game plus-minus rating in franchise history and the third best in the NBA’s play-by-play era. He finished with a career-high 17 points, along with seven rebounds, three assists and a career-best three steals.

“Felt like I was going after winning,” Ighodaro said. “That’s been my focus the last four, five games. Not worrying about stats. Not worrying about anything like that. Just trying to impact the game in a positive way.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

The Suns are one of the league’s early-season surprises at 8-5, but the schedule has been somewhat grueling with 13 games in 23 days, Rankin adds in the same piece. Devin Booker, who posted his seventh 30-point game of the season on Thursday, admits he was feeling worn down, but he got a lift from his teammates. “It’s been tough,” Booker said. “I know I didn’t have a lot of juice coming in, but I was looking around the locker room and everybody was ready to go. Kind of revived me.”
Dillon Brooks, who has helped to spark the Suns’ revival after arriving in an offseason trade, was asked after the game about the last time he hasn’t felt confident on the court. He pointed to a 2023 playoff series against the Lakers when he was still with the Grizzlies, Rankin tweets. “I couldn’t shoot the ball. The GM (Zach Kleiman) is telling me to only shoot six shots,” Brooks recalled. “Not giving me the confidence I needed and you can feel that energy coming from front office and coaches. Never the players, the players want to win, but you feel that energy. Even if you’re working and put in the time, it’s not falling. Probably that was the last time.”
Ott is getting the most out of Grayson Allen by trusting him as a ball-handler, observes Fred Katz of The Athletic. He notes that Allen had already run 160 pick-and-rolls this season going into Thursday’s game, which is already more than halfway to his previous career high. He’s also averaging 3.2 pull-up three-point attempts per game and is sinking 45% of them.

Cade Cunningham, Nikola Jokic Named Players Of Week

November 10th, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, while Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been chosen as the Western Conference Player of the Week, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Cunningham led Detroit to four consecutive wins during the week of November 3-9 while averaging 31.0 points and 9.8 assists per game on 54.7% shooting. This marks the second time in his career that Cunningham has received a Player of the Week award.

Jokic also led his team to a 4-0 week, with home victories over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double, with 31.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 11.3 rebounds per contest. His biggest game of the week came last Wednesday against the Heat, when he racked up 33 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds, and three steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.

Devin Booker (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Julius Randle (Timberwolves) and Alperen Sengun (Rockets) were also nominated in the West.