Ja Morant

Kings Rumors: Murray, Clifford, Sabonis, LaVine, Ellis, Monk

November 23rd, 2025 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings pulled off an impressive win in Denver on Saturday night, upsetting the Nuggets by a score of 128-123. However, even after handing the Nuggets just their second home loss of the season, Sacramento has a 4-13 record, having dropped its previous eight games by an average margin of 23.4 points.

As a result, the Kings are very much open for business, writes Jake Fischer of Stein Line (Substack link). It’s still a little early for the in-season trade market to pick up, but Sacramento is willing to listen to inquiries on players “up and down” the roster, according to Fischer.

While most players on the Kings’ roster could be had for the right offer, Fischer identifies fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie guard Nique Clifford as a couple exceptions. Sources tell Fischer that both players are expected to be off limits this season, with the front office hoping that the young duo will be part of the long-term future in Sacramento. Murray and Clifford are the only two players on the roster whose contracts run beyond the 2027/28 season.

Domantas Sabonis is also something of a question mark, Fischer notes, since team owner Vivek Ranadive is a big fan of the veteran center, and Sabonis enjoys Sacramento and isn’t considered likely to ask for a trade. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Kings wouldn’t move him, but he’s on a maximum-salary contract and is viewed around the NBA as a negative defensively, Fischer explains, so it could be hard for the team to extract the kind of value it would want in a trade.

“It’s tough to pay a center that much who doesn’t protect the rim and doesn’t shoot threes — no matter how great of an offensive hub he can be,” one Western Conference executive told Fischer.

Here’s more on the Kings:

Besides Sacramento, the Warriors were the only other team to exhibit legitimate interest in Zach LaVine before he was traded out of Chicago last season, according to Fischer, who notes that Golden State – having acquired Jimmy Butler since then – won’t be in on LaVine now. LaVine’s maximum-salary contract will make him difficult to move for any real value, though Fischer hears that teams would have more interest if the high-scoring guard were willing to eliminate his $49MM player option for 2026/27 in favor of a multiyear deal that starts at a lower figure.
According to Fischer, the Kings’ former front office showed some interest in Trae Young, and LaVine’s camp made a push in the offseason to sell the Hawks on a deal that would’ve sent LaVine to Atlanta and Young to Sacramento. However, Fischer hears that general manager Scott Perry isn’t interested in pursuing Young, Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, or Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, none of whom fits the defense-first mindset the organization is prioritizing under the new regime.
“More than half the league” has called the Kings about guard Keon Ellis, a source tells The Stein Line. Teams around the NBA view Ellis as a “plug-and-play addition with two-way ability,” Fischer writes, noting that Ellis will become eligible for a contract extension before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2026. Fischer suggests Sacramento might be able to extract a first-round pick for Ellis; he could also be used to improve a package that includes a bigger contract like LaVine’s or DeMar DeRozan‘s.
The Pistons were viewed by several of Fischer’s sources as a potential landing spot for Malik Monk during the offseason, but “no one is saying that anymore,” he writes.

Klay Thompson, Ja Morant Exchange Words Following Grizzlies’ Win

November 23rd, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Star point guard Ja Morant missed his third straight game on Saturday due to a calf strain, but he was at the center of a post-game incident in Dallas after his Grizzlies beat the Mavericks. As Tim MacMahon writes for ESPN.com, Morant and Mavs wing Klay Thompson exchanged words on the court following the final buzzer and had to be separated by security staff members and coaches (Twitter video link).

After seemingly directing some trash talk Thompson’s way during that confrontation, Morant interrupted teammate Cam Spencer‘s post-game television interview to say, “Tell ’em who the best shooter in the house was, it wasn’t bro from Golden State” (Twitter video link).

Asked during his post-game media session about what Morant was saying to him on the court, Thompson told MacMahon and other reporters it was “nothing of intelligent depth,” per MacMahon.

“He’s a funny guy,” Thompson said. “He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability. … It was really just running his mouth, and he’s been running his mouth for a long time. It’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s kind of the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more.”

Both Morant and Thompson are having the worst years of their professional careers so far in 2025/26. The Grizzlies guard is averaging 17.9 points and a career-high 3.8 turnovers per game while shooting 35.9% from the floor and 16.7% on three-pointers. Thompson has put up 10.1 PPG on 34.7% shooting (32.1% from beyond the arc).

Thompson, who will turn 36 later in the season, has a Hall of Fame résumé but has seen his numbers decline in recent years. Morant, 26, should be in his prime, but has been plagued by injuries over the past couple seasons. He also had his career derailed by off-court incidents, including a pair of lengthy suspensions that stemmed from brandishing a firearm in videos on social media. Thompson didn’t directly reference that off-court behavior on Saturday, but he alluded to it.

“We all want to see him out there and do his best, but he’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that,” Thompson said of Morant. “We need that in the NBA. We need our best players to be out there, and when you’re a star, it comes with a great responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste.”

Thompson’s Warriors had some memorable games against the Grizzlies over the years, eliminating Memphis from the playoffs in both 2015 and 2022. The veteran sharpshooter spoke with more fondness of those matchups that occurred earlier in his career than the ones from the past few seasons.

“I do actually have a lot of respect for the Grind House,” Thompson said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol. That was a hard team to beat. This new team, though? They just talk a lot. They’ve always talked a lot. They’ve never really backed it up, either. I don’t really respect that. I respect guys who back up the talk with play. Because talk is cheap. I know that better than anybody. I have been in this league a long time.”

Bontemps’ Latest: Davis, Morant, Markkanen, Kings, Nets, More

November 21st, 2025 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Mavericks decide to move Anthony Davis prior to the trade deadline, the expectation is that the return would resemble what Phoenix got for Kevin Durant rather than a haul that features several first-round picks, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. In other words, Dallas probably shouldn’t count on getting more than a couple solid players and a single first-rounder.

Although many of the sources who spoke to Bontemps had trouble coming up with many suitors who would make sense for Davis, a few of those sources speculated about whether the Bulls might make a play for the Chicago native.

“I could see it,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN. “(Josh) Giddey has worked well with (Nikola) Vucevic, but he could use a roll man to throw it up to.”

Bontemps’ sources put Ja Morant in a similar boat as Davis, predicting that the Grizzlies will explore the trade market for the point guard but will have trouble finding a package they like.

According to Bontemps, people around the NBA are also keeping a close eye on Lauri Markkanen, who is having a bounce-back season with the Jazz on the heels of a down year in 2024/25. After averaging 19.0 points per game on .423/.346/.876 shooting in 47 games last season, Markkanen has put up 30.6 PPG on .485/.385/.885 shooting through 14 outings this fall, so he’d have more trade value now — if Utah is open to dealing him.

“He’s putting up monster numbers,” a West executive said. “They’re running everything through him. If he goes to a place that he’s an additive piece … you have to have the right team around him to go after him.”

Here are a few more highlights from Bontemps’ look at all 30 NBA teams:

Scouts around the league are speculating about Doug Christie‘s job security in Sacramento and are waiting to see if the Kings begin looking to trade veterans like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and/or Zach LaVine. “They’re a disaster,” an Eastern Conference scout told Bontemps. “They’re going nowhere fast. They just have to put a rock on the accelerator and keep going into the tank … they’re expensive, bad and aging.”
Multiple executives who spoke to ESPN believe the Nets have the least talented roster in the NBA. Brooklyn is off to a 2-12 start, with its only victories coming against fellow bottom-feeders Washington and Indiana.
There’s skepticism about whether 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham can become the Timberwolves‘ point guard of the future, Bontemps writes. Dillingham is still just 20 years old but is off to a slow start in his second season, having shot just 37.3% from the floor, including 20.0% on three-pointers. “I’m not sure that’s ever going to work,” one scout said. “Maybe things come around, but it’s hard to see it.”
According to Bontemps, there was “virtually no talk” during the preseason about a possible rookie scale extension for Jalen Duren, with the Pistons and the big man believed to be far apart on a potential deal. Duren, who turned 22 on Tuesday, has taken a significant step forward in the early going this season, with averages of 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and appears to be in line for a significant payday next summer.
Scouts have been impressed by the work first-year head coach Jordan Ott has done with the Suns, who are outperforming expectations so far with a 9-6 record and could be a playoff contender. “They’ve been way better than I thought,” a Western Conference scout said. “They’ve got enough pieces around Devin (Booker) where they’ll win the games they should win. (Ott) has them playing the right way and competing.”

Fischer: Hornets ‘Not Actively Looking To Move’ LaMelo Ball

November 20th, 2025 at 10:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported on Thursday that LaMelo Ball has become “increasingly frustrated” with the Hornets and is open being traded to a new team. Iko, citing league sources, also wrote that Charlotte’s front office had grown “disillusioned” with the star point guard and was open to a deal as well.

NBA insider Jake Fischer has heard differently. In his latest Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), Fischer said he made several calls on Thursday regarding Ball’s situation with the Hornets, and while rival teams are “hoping” and “preparing” as though the 23-year-old may become available prior to the February 5 deadline, that is not currently the case.

“I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Hornets are not actively looking to move LaMelo Ball any time soon,” Fischer reported.

Fischer went on to say that several key members of the organization — including Ball, coaches and front office executives — want to get a better idea of what the team looks like when Brandon Miller returns to action before making any type of drastic changes.

“LaMelo Ball is not asking out, to my understanding,” Fischer said. “And the Hornets are not actively looking to trade him by any stretch right now.”

According to Fischer, Ball isn’t the only former All-Star point guard that rival teams are monitoring: Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Trae Young of the Hawks — both of whom are injured at the moment — fall into that category as well.

Fischer’s Stein Line colleague Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack story that the Hornets, Grizzlies and Hawks have each denied that they’re willing to listen to offers for their maximum-salary guards. Yet Stein also hears rival clubs are skeptical of that posturing and think that Ball, Morant and/or Young could indeed be on the market in the coming months.

Southwest Notes: KD, Sengun, Bey, Zion, Mavs, Morant, Edey, Coward

November 18th, 2025 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

When Fred VanVleet tore his ACL prior to training camp, it raised questions about how the Rockets would function without a veteran point guard on the court to organize the offense. However, VanVleet’s absence hasn’t slowed down Houston’s attack at all through the season’s first four weeks — Houston ranks first in the NBA with an offensive rating of 123.4.

As William Guillory of The Athletic writes, the offseason addition of forward Kevin Durant, the ongoing improvement of center Alperen Sengun, and the chemistry quickly formed between that duo have been major factors in the Rockets’ success so far. Durant recently told Guillory that he has never played with a big man who can “dominate in the post” the way that Sengun does. Sengun, meanwhile, said he has “never played with so much space in my life” thanks to the defensive attention that Durant commands.

While Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard have handled their increased on-ball responsibilities admirably in the wake of VanVleet’s injury, the Rockets are frequently running their offense through Sengun, who is operating as something of a “point center,” Guillory writes. The big man is leading the team with 7.4 assists per game, as he and Durant look to take advantage of defenses keying on them by getting their teammates involved — the rest of the Rockets are shooting 48.8% from the floor so far this season.

“We know teams are going to go after Kevin quite a bit. Alpi in the pocket is a great decision-maker and scorer. We invite the double-teams and let Alpi play with the numbers behind it,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “It’s a good thing for us. Alpi gets doubled in the post; KD gets doubled on the perimeter. It opens up shots for everyone else. The chemistry between those guys is really growing.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey missed a game for the first time this season on Monday, having been ruled out of the second end of a back-to-back set due to a sprained left ankle (Twitter link). He was originally listed as questionable, as was forward Zion Williamson, who ultimately sat for an eight straight game. Those initial injury designations suggest that Williamson is close to returning and that Bey shouldn’t be out long.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who has been without multiple rotation players in every game this season, expressed some frustration on Monday over the team’s ongoing injury issues, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “Our health is a big problem,” Kidd said. “We have guys out for one game and then they’re in and on minute restrictions. There’s no continuity. There won’t be any continuity. We’re trying to piece this thing together, and give those guys in that locker room credit. They’re fighting, and it’s just what it is right now until we can get healthy.”
While rival teams are wondering whether the struggling Grizzlies might consider blowing up their roster, the messaging out of Memphis is that the team has no interest in taking that route and remains committed to building around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Even if the Grizzlies change their minds and make Morant available, Fischer doesn’t view the Timberwolves as a logical trade partner, given Minnesota’s lack of draft assets and the fact that the Wolves would have to give up at least one valuable starter for salary-matching purposes.
Center Zach Edey, who recently returned from ankle surgery, and forward Cedric Coward, who has been dealing with some foot soreness, were both on minutes restrictions on Saturday, according to Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Both players logged about 25 minutes. “It’s a challenging situation, because both guys have done a great job for us, we like to play them a lot and both are starting for us,” Iisalo said, per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. “But at the same time, we have to be smart because their future is also very important for us. So, we’re making sure we make good decisions right here, especially with those two guys.”

Ja Morant Out At Least Two Weeks Due To Calf Strain

November 17th, 2025 at 12:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has a Grade 1 right calf strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team’s PR department tweets.

Morant injured his calf on Saturday during the team’s road game at Cleveland. He played just six minutes in that contest, then underwent an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

It’s just the latest development in what has already been a tumultuous season for Morant. He had been dealing with right ankle soreness prior to the calf strain.

Trade speculation surrounding Morant began a couple of weeks ago after he had a disagreement with the coaching staff during a loss to the Lakers. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly confronted Morant about his effort level and focus during halftime and following the game, and Morant expressed frustration over Iisalo’s unorthodox substitution pattern.

The situation has been calmer since Morant returned from a one-game team suspension. The Timberwolves are one of the teams reportedly keeping an eye on Morant, who is in the third season of a five-year extension worth $197.2MM. He’s averaging 17.9 points, his lowest output since his rookie year, and 7.6 assists.

Morant has gained a reputation of being susceptible to injuries. He hasn’t appeared in more than 61 games in any of the past four seasons. He served an NBA suspension to open the 2023/24 campaign, then appeared in only nine games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He was limited to 50 games last season.

Given the timeline of his last injury, Morant will miss a minimum of eight games, beginning with a nationally televised game against San Antonio on Tuesday.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Edey, Finney-Smith, Davis

November 15th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant left Saturday’s game in Cleveland midway through the first quarter due to soreness in his right calf, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Returning to the court after missing Wednesday’s contest at Boston due to an ankle injury, Morant was only able to play six minutes against the Cavs, finishing with seven points and two assists. Vardon states that he was jogging gingerly on Memphis’ final possession before being removed.

Coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters after the game that he’s not sure which play caused Morant’s injury, relays Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link). Morant is expected to undergo further testing, and likely an MRI, when the team gets back to Memphis.

Vince Williams Jr., who took over lead guard duties when Morant exited, turned his ankle late in the first half, per Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), but he was able to return. The Grizzlies are low on point guards with Ty Jerome yet to make his season debut due to a right calf strain and Scotty Pippen Jr. recovering from toe surgery.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Zach Edey played nearly 25 minutes in his first game of the season and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Grizzlies center is happy that the long recovery process following ankle surgery in June is finally over (Twitter video link from Grind City Media). “It felt good. I’ve been waiting all season,” Edey said. “My legs felt better than I expected. My wind, I didn’t really catch it until like the third quarter. I felt good out there.” Iisalo was happy with the performance of his new starting lineup featuring Edey and rookie forward Cedric Coward (Twitter video link). “Overall I like that lineup,” he said. “It gives us a lot of length, a lot of defense, a lot of physicality. Even though we lost today, I thought overall there were a lot of positives.”
The Rockets‘ depth took a hit with Tari Eason sidelined four-to-six weeks with an oblique strain, and it doesn’t appear that Dorian Finney-Smith will be able to help any time soon, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. The free agent addition is still recovering from offseason surgery on his left ankle and hasn’t been cleared for contact drills.
The Mavericks are listing Anthony Davis as doubtful for Sunday’s meeting with Portland, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who points out that Davis has been considered questionable for the past few games. Davis has missed the last eight games with a left calf strain, and Stein notes (via Twitter) that he’s already been surpassed in career minutes as a Maverick by rookie forward Cooper Flagg.

Injury Notes: Edey, Coward, Poole, Dort, Eason, Oubre

November 14th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Second-year center Zach Edey could make his season debut on Saturday. He has been listed as questionable for the matchup in Cleveland, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).

As Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes, the Grizzlies are reeling, with seven losses in their past eight games and a 4-9 record on the season. The team is looking forward to having the former Purdue star back in the middle.

“He brings a lot,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said of Edey. “He’s a tremendous finisher around the rim, and he also has a gravitational pull that forces defenders to have to help.”

Edey has been steadily ramping up his activity after undergoing ankle surgery in June, which prevented him from participating in training camp and the preseason. Iisalo cautioned that there will be an adjustment period for the 7’4″ big man once he returns, Wallace adds.

“He’s a tremendous rebounder on both ends, which is a huge benefit,” Iisalo assessed. “He’s a high-level rim protector, and having both him and Jaren (Jackson Jr.) as our twin towers out there worked really well for us last year. He’s also a second-year player who had an operation five months ago. So, it will be a gradual process to bring him along and we just have to stay true to our process.”

After missing Wednesday’s game in Boston due to a right ankle injury, point guard Ja Morant will be active on Saturday, but standout rookie wing Cedric Coward is doubtful to suit up due to right foot soreness, per the team.

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

While Pelicans guard Jordan Poole is making “good progress” in his recovery from a mild left quad strain, he’ll miss at least one more week, which is the next time he’ll be reexamined, the team today announced in a press release (Twitter link). Poole is in his first season with New Orleans, having been acquired in an offseason trade with Washington.
Thunder wing Luguentz Dort, who has missed the past five games with a right upper trap strain, has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game at Charlotte, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. The 26-year-old forward could hit free agency next summer, depending on what the Thunder do with Dort’s $18.2MM team option for 2026/27. The Montreal native was named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2024/25.
Impending restricted free agent Tari Eason suffered a right hip contusion in Friday’s matchup against Portland and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, according to the Rockets (Twitter link via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Eason, a 24-year-old forward, entered Friday’s game averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds on .517/.531/.714 shooting (24.5 minutes per contest).
Sixers forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason, exited Friday’s loss in Detroit with a hyperextended left knee and did not return, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (via Twitter). After a 4-0 start, the 76ers have cooled off of late, dropping five of their past eight games.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Morant, Zion, Mavs, Sheppard

November 13th, 2025 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies lost for the seventh time in eight games on Wednesday, suffering a 36-point blowout defeat at the hands of the Celtics. Memphis made just 33.7% of its shots from the floor while allowing Boston to convert at a 50.5% clip. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged after the game that the discrepancy in field goal percentage was a reason for the loss, but he was unhappy with his team’s overall effort, according to Jay King of The Athletic.

“I would say this: One way to lose is not to make shots,” Iisalo said. “Today we struggled a lot, even with open three-pointers. We couldn’t convert underneath the basket. At the same time, their shot-making was at a relatively high level. That’s all good. That’s part of basketball. It happens sometimes. The fact that today the Celtics were the things that we aspire to be — faster than the other team, harder working, better organized — that’s a tough pill to swallow as a coach, and I think it should be for all of our guys.

“… You can lose games,” Iisalo added. “That’s part of basketball. But to go away from your identity or the things that we know produce wins, that’s something that we must correct right away.”

The Grizzlies, who are still playing without big men Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke, were also extremely shorthanded in the backcourt on Wednesday. With ball-handlers Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Javon Small all unavailable, Vince Williams Jr. earned the start at point guard. Still, Iisalo didn’t want to use those injuries as an excuse for his team’s performance.

“We got bullied on the boards,” the Grizzlies’ coach said. “I think we gave up almost 40 second-chance points against a team that’s not particularly big or bigger than us. Transition game, that’s one thing, but in the half court we were late for several actions, unable to communicate or arrive with the ball. Basic things. It started out early, obviously, with two early timeouts. And we then had stretches, but nothing consistent.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Although there has been some tension between them in recent weeks, Iisalo said that it has been “great” coaching Morant since he joined the Grizzlies last season, according to King. “We have had a lot of dialogue,” Iisalo said. “We see the game in very similar ways. He’s a very intelligent player. He sees things on video; you don’t even have to point it out, he already knows what could have been an option there. And overall it’s just been a pleasure.”
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to resume full-contact, on-court basketball activities, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williamson has been sidelined since November 2 due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, but today’s update suggests he’s making progress toward a return.
In the wake of Nico Harrison‘s ouster in Dallas, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports contends that it’s time for the Mavericks to blow up their roster and make virtually all of their veterans available for trade. As O’Connor outlines, Cooper Flagg is the kind of prospect a team can build around, and the Mavs could be in position to add another top prospect in a strong 2026 draft. O’Connor also proposes eight hypothetical Anthony Davis trades, suggesting that Atlanta and Detroit are among the teams that look like potential fits.
Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has taken on more responsibilities this season following Fred VanVleet‘s torn ACL, has had his three best performances of the fall within the past week, averaging 17.7 points in 26.7 minutes per game on .645/.619/.855 shooting during that stretch, as Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle writes (subscription required). “That’s the Reed we like to see,” teammate Kevin Durant said on Wednesday after Sheppard scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Washington. “I think these last three games, he’s just playing freely and not thinking too much, playing under control and knocking down shots. It’s a make-or-miss league, so if you continue to work on your game and become efficient, then the rest of the game is pretty easy for you.”

Injury Notes: LeBron, Garland, Sharpe, Morant, Edey

November 12th, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Lakers star LeBron James has been assigned to the G League today in order to practice with the South Bay Lakers, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

James, whose season debut has been delayed while he deals with sciatica on his right side, is being sent to the G League for the first time since he entered the NBA in 2003. The assignment will, of course, be a brief one, giving the 40-year-old an opportunity to take part in his first full practice of the season, including 5-on-5 play, Charania notes.

Charania reported nearly a month ago that James and the Lakers were targeting mid-November for his 2025/26 debut. His progress so far appears to line up with that timeline.

The Lakers, led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, have played well in James’ absence, winning eight of their first 11 games this season.

We have a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers announced today that point guard Darius Garland has been diagnosed with a contusion on his left great toe after re-injuring that surgically repaired toe in Monday’s game vs. Miami (Twitter link). While Garland will miss Wednesday’s rematch with the Heat, the diagnosis is a best-case scenario for him and the Cavs, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who notes that the team hasn’t ruled out the point guard for any additional games yet. Garland will receive daily treatment and his status will be updated as appropriate, per the club.
Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe sat out on Tuesday vs. Toronto due to what the team referred to as a left glute contusion, but the injury isn’t considered significant, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). “He’s day-to-day, we’re not concerned,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And we want to make sure he feels good and mentally in a good place to be ready to play. So, that’s all good news, and it’s an opportunity for the next man up.” One of those “next men up” could be rookie forward Danny Wolf, who was recalled from the G League before Tuesday’s game and made his second NBA appearance.
While Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is questionable to play on Wednesday vs. the Celtics due to right ankle soreness, center Zach Edey (left ankle surgery recovery) has taken another step toward his season debut, having been upgraded from out to doubtful, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. While he may not play on Wednesday in Boston, Edey could be available for Saturday’s game in Cleveland. “I’ve seen him on the court working out,” teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “I’m excited for him to be back.”

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