Central Notes: Cavs, Ball, Wade, Vucevic, Walker
Cavaliers wings De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade have generated some interest on the trade market, and opposing teams continue to check in with Cleveland to see whether the club would be open to breaking up its “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
However, according to Fedor, the Cavs’ front office has consistently conveyed that it’s not interest in a significant shake-up and that it believes a healthy version of the current roster is capable of contending in the Eastern Conference.
As a result, Fedor believes any major roster changes are more likely to happen in the offseason, though he can envision Cleveland making a smaller deadline deal, perhaps involving Lonzo Ball. The veteran point guard hasn’t been the impact reserve the Cavs hoped he would be, and his contract – which includes a $10MM team option for 2026/27 – could appeal to a team seeking more cap flexibility this offseason.
One possible target for the Cavs is Naji Marshall, according to Fedor, who says Cleveland is among the teams to express interest in the Mavericks forward. While a deal centered around Ball and Marshall may intrigue the Cavs, Dallas is reportedly seeking at least a first-round pick for the veteran wing, and it’s unclear if Cleveland wants to give up its lone movable first-rounder (either 2031 or 2032) at this time, given the club’s up-and-down performance this season.
We have more from around the Central:
- Describing Dean Wade as “unheralded and overlooked” in a separate story for Cleveland.com (subscription required), Fedor says the veteran forward is one of the Cavaliers‘ best defenders and is a critical connector in some of their most effective lineups. “He’s the ultimate glue guy,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “That’s the cliche everyone uses but it’s true.” Wade is extension-eligible through June 30 and will reach unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t sign a new deal by then.
- Bulls center Nikola Vucevic recognizes that it could be an active trade deadline in Chicago, given that more than half the roster is on expiring contracts. Still, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times relays, Vucevic referred to his teammates as a “great group” and said he’d welcome the opportunity to finish the season with them. “There are a lot of guys that have a chip on their shoulders and want to prove people wrong because we’ve been doubted,” the big man said. “I would like to see what we can do and where we can go this year, but the front office has to make decisions and we all understand that.”
- A big offseason is on tap for Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who will be extension-eligible beginning in July. With that context in mind, it bodes well for the 22-year-old that he’s playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career this January, including setting a new personal high with 26 points in Oklahoma City against the league’s best defense last Friday. “This is an enormous moment for him in his young career,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). “He just showed all the things that he can do out there. From the shooting to the driving to the defense to the rebounding to passing. It was great to see that.”
Scotto’s Latest: Trae, Risacher, AD, Zubac, Pacers, Celtics, Cavs
The Bucks, Timberwolves, and Clippers are among the teams that are monitoring Trae Young‘s situation along with Washington, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
While Dallas doesn’t appear to have any interest in the Hawks‘ point guard, the Mavericks are among the clubs that have called to inquire about former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, league sources tell Scotto. However, the Hawks have been opposed to including either Risacher or their top 2026 first-rounder (the most favorable of the Bucks/Pelicans picks) in any trade discussions involving big man Anthony Davis.
If Atlanta and Dallas do pursue a deal involving Davis, the Mavericks would likely be seeking expiring contracts like those belonging to Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), according to Scotto, who notes that Hawks senior VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham is close with Davis dating back to their time together in New Orleans.
Here’s more from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:
- Although Ivica Zubac has drawn significant interest from potential suitors, the Clippers don’t appear inclined to become deadline sellers, especially after their recent run of seven wins in eight games. Earlier in the season, there was a sense that it would take at least two first-round picks for L.A. to consider parting with Zubac, Scotto writes, adding that the Pacers and Celtics both expressed interest in the big man. Those two clubs were previously linked to the Clippers center.
- In addition to Zubac, the Pacers have checked in on Nic Claxton of the Nets, Yves Missi of the Pelicans, Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks, and Walker Kessler of the Jazz as they seek out a long-term answer at center, league sources tell Scotto.
- The Celtics, meanwhile, have been unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons to move off his contract, Scotto writes. Presumably, the Celtics would be more open to that idea in a deal that nets them a quality player, but not in a pure salary-dump trade for luxury tax purposes. Scotto goes on to say that Boston isn’t looking to take back multiyear salary in any Simons trade, so if the team were exploring a deal with a trade partner like the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.25MM team option for 2026/27) and Ziaire Williams (ditto) would hold far more appeal than Terance Mann, who is owed $31.5MM over the two seasons after this one.
- The Cavaliers have rebuffed inquiries on their core players, but teams around the NBA – cognizant of Cleveland’s unfavorable cap/tax situation – are continuing to monitor the situation to see if that stance changes. According to Scotto, the belief among executives is that if the Cavs do decide to move someone like Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, it’s more likely to happen during the offseason than in the next month.
Fischer’s Latest: CP3, Harden, Gillespie, Cavs, Knicks
There had been some speculation that Chris Paul could be moved by the Clippers on December 15, the day he became trade-eligible, but that did not occur. While Paul is no longer around the team after Los Angeles announced that it was “parting ways” with the franchise icon, the Clippers are working with his representatives to find Paul a new club that he finds desirable, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Paul’s minimum-salary contract would theoretically be simple to trade from a mechanics standpoint, but a deal doesn’t appear imminent. Sources tell Fischer that it’s possible Paul might be included as part of a larger trade around the February 5 deadline. In that scenario, Paul could be waived by the team that acquires him, Fischer continues, which would allow the 40-year-old to pick a new destination as a free agent.
While the Lakers have been linked to Paul for years, Fischer has been “strongly advised” they aren’t expected to pursue the 11-time All-NBA point guard, who is in his 21st and final season. Houston could theoretically use backcourt depth, but Fischer hears the Rockets are content with their roster right now and likely won’t consider changes until late January due their proximity to the first apron, at which they’re hard-capped.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up, which is centered on point guards:
- The Clippers continue to signal to rival teams that they aren’t willing to discuss trading James Harden, according to Fischer. As he points out, Harden has an implicit no-trade clause for 2025/26 and a $42.3MM player option for 2026/27 that’s partially guaranteed for $13.3MM. In order to approve a potential trade, Harden would likely want to know if the team interested in acquiring him planned to keep him past his July 11 salary guarantee date or if it would be open to re-signing him to a new deal, Fischer writes.
- Collin Gillespie, who is having a breakout season for the Suns, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Rival teams are projecting the 26-year-old to receive a contract similar to the three-year, $27MM deal Ty Jerome signed with Memphis this past summer, per Fischer.
- While rival clubs are reportedly monitoring both players, the Cavaliers have shown no interest to this point in making an in-season deal involving Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, Fischer confirms, echoing reporting from Brett Siegel.
- As Fischer writes, Tyler Kolek‘s impressive recent play with the Knicks has opposing teams wondering if New York will target frontcourt help ahead of the deadline instead of a veteran point guard. It’s unclear which position the Knicks will ultimately look to fortify.
Cavaliers Notes: Merrill, Allen, Mobley, Mitchell
Sam Merrill was back in the starting lineup Tuesday night in his second game since returning from a jammed finger, and he made an obvious difference in the Cavaliers‘ win over New Orleans, Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story. Merrill not only finished with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists, Sands notes that he teamed with Darius Garland to provide an outside shooting threat that stretched the Pelicans’ defense and gave the rest of the team more room to operate.
“You guys are going to get tired of me saying connector, connect, but he connects. He connects the game,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game. “He connects pieces. He connects the bigs and the smalls. He’s running. He’s just causing chaos out there. And that just opens up space and then we can throw the ball to space.”
Merrill was sidelined for more than a month, and his absence coincided with the team’s recent downturn. Jaylon Tyson moved to a bench role on Tuesday, and Sands points out that he and De’Andre Hunter are both capable of providing offense as reserves. Sands states that there was no stagnation against the Pelicans when the starters came out of the game.
“I think it obviously helps when there’s so much unpredictability,” Donovan Mitchell said about the lineup change. “But that’s been our biggest thing about us, right? Like, that’s who we are when we’re at full strength and at our best. … We’ve shot well the past two nights, but I think the biggest thing is just our intensity level. Both ends of the floor has been great.”
There’s more from Cleveland:
- Atkinson was happy to see Jarrett Allen being physical with the Pelicans’ rugged frontcourt, Sands adds. The Cavs outscored New Orleans in the paint by a 72-54 margin and held a 27-18 advantage in second-chance points. “My challenge with JA, he can do better,” Atkinson said. “Like, I want more. Like, this is how the playoffs are. They go at you, they pound you. But I thought he put up pretty good resistance tonight. Right now, with Evan (Mobley) out, he’s kind of our guy.”
- Mobley has a chance to beat expectations in his return from a left calf strain. Projected to miss two-to-four weeks, he’s listed as questionable for the Christmas Day game at New York.
- Mitchell has been carrying a heavier-than-usual offensive load for the Cavaliers, but it’s due to necessity rather than by design, per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Mitchell’s scoring average is at a career-high 30.6 PPG, and he’s sporting the highest usage rate in his four seasons in Cleveland. “I don’t want him to,” Atkinson said. “I don’t think that’s (sustainable) long-term. Conference finals, Finals, we need more balance. And I do think (we can get it) as we get healthier … as Darius starts to get his rhythm and we get guys back. But right now it’s (on him). He’s got to carry us.”
Cavaliers Rumors: Allen, Trade Candidates, Atkinson, J. Bryant
Even after bouncing back with a seven-point win over Charlotte on Monday, the Cavaliers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA to open the 2025/26 campaign, currently holding a 16-14 record after going 64-18 last year. Owner Dan Gilbert is said to be “very unhappy” with the state of affairs in Cleveland, and there’s a rising sense of urgency to turn things around.
Despite the situation looking pretty bleak at the moment, the Cavaliers have reportedly yet to entertain the idea of trading Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, two members of the “core four.”
On Saturday’s Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said the Cavs appear reluctant to part with Allen for many of the same reasons as Garland — he’s been limited by injuries, is having a down season, and they’d likely get pennies on the dollar if they thought about moving him before the deadline. As with Garland, the Cavs also seem to be higher on Allen than opposing teams, which is another factor that can’t be discounted, per Fedor.
The Pacers, Knicks and Raptors are among the Eastern teams looking for help in the middle, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Cavs would have to be blown away to trade Allen to a conference rival.
“[Allen] has a lot of fans around the NBA, but unless the trade package was just irresistible, it’s hard to see the Cavs being willing to help another team in the East,” one source told Afseth. “Keep that in mind.”
Here are a few more rumors regarding the Cavaliers:
- On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
- Afseth hears from sources that Wade, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Cleveland, is a name to watch in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old is known as a solid defender and decent three-point shooter (36.0% for his career), but he’s converting just 29.0% of his outside looks through 27 games in ’25/26, which is by far the worst mark of his career.
- Marc Stein reported on Sunday that Kenny Atkinson could be on the hot seat in the coming weeks unless the Cavs start winning again despite being named Coach of the Year last season. According to Afseth, there have been “internal questions about Atkinson’s leadership,” and if the Cavs do decide to dismiss him, Donovan Mitchell is said to favor Johnnie Bryant taking over as interim coach. Bryant, who is known to have a close relationship with Mitchell, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job over the summer — that position went to his former colleague Jordan Ott.
Siegel’s Latest: Turner, Bucks, Pacers, Nets, Cavs, Alvarado
Multiple reporters have indicated that the Bucks are looking to add win-now help in the coming weeks despite an 11-17 start to the season. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has heard similarly, writing that people around the NBA are wondering if Myles Turner could be a trade candidate after signing a four-year, $108.8MM contract with Milwaukee over the summer.
As Siegel explains, the Bucks have a limited number of assets to work with, and Turner would likely draw “significant interest” if he’s made available due to his ability to stretch the floor on offense and protect the rim on defense. The same was true of last season, when Turner was on an expiring contract as a member of the Pacers, per Siegel.
It’s worth pointing out that Turner ($25.3MM) is one of only two Bucks making between $14MM and 54MM in 2025/26, with the other being Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM). According to Siegel, a trade involving combo forward Kuzma, who is having a modest bounce-back season after a disappointing ’24/25, remains more likely than a potential move including Turner.
While it’s unclear how much interest Kuzma would generate on his own, league sources tell Siegel the Bucks are hopeful they’d be able to deal the 30-year-old because there is currently a dearth of wings available on the market and Kuzma has one additional year left on his contract, which will pay him $20.4MM in ’26/27.
Here are a few more highlights from Siegel’s latest trade rumor round-up:
- The Pacers have shown a willingness to discuss Bennedict Mathurin in trades ahead of his 2026 restricted free agency, according to Siegel, who reports that Indiana appears reluctant to make a lucrative long-term investment in the fourth-year wing. While Siegel calls Mathurin the Pacers’ top asset ahead of the February 5 deadline, he also hears that forwards Jarace Walker and Obi Toppin have popped up in early trade talks as Indiana looks for frontcourt upgrades.
- Forward Michael Porter Jr. and guard Cam Thomas are a couple of names worth monitoring for the Nets, Seigel writes. Porter, who is thriving as Brooklyn’s top offensive option, is expected to draw interest from contenders. Thomas, meanwhile has the ability to veto trades and there doesn’t seem to be much interest in the 24-year-old, who continues to be sidelined with a left hamstring strain that cost him most of last season. Still, Siegel speculates that Brooklyn might be able to receive a second-round pick or two for the high-scoring guard, even if he’s only a rental — Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
- Although the 15-13 Cavaliers have been one of the most disappointing teams to open the season, Cleveland has been plagued by injuries in ’25/26 and has thus far shown no willingness to engage in discussions involving Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, both of whom have drawn interest from multiple teams, sources tell Siegel. The Cavs have been frustrated by their play and there’s a rising sense of urgency around the team after falling into the play-in picture, but they’re optimistic they’ll be able to turn their season through a combination internal improvements and getting players back from injuries, Siegel adds.
- The Hawks are among the teams who have registered interest in fifth-year guard Jose Alvarado, who appears to be the Pelicans player most likely to be moved ahead of the deadline, says Siegel. Indiana and New York have also checked in with New Orleans about Alvarado, Siegel notes.
Central Notes: Cavaliers, Merrill, Bucks, K. Jones
Boos from the home crowd have become a familiar sound lately for the Cavaliers, whose frustrating season continued Sunday with an overtime loss to Charlotte, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Facing a Hornets squad without LaMelo Ball, the Cavs were flat for most of the game, but rallied late to force the extra session. However, they missed all 10 of their shots after regulation and wound up falling to one of the NBA’s worst road teams.
Fans loudly expressed their displeasure with the loss, and Donovan Mitchell understands their response, saying, “We deserve it. I was a fan once. I would boo us, too.”
Cleveland is now 15-12 and in a tie for eighth place after being viewed as one of the Eastern Conference favorites coming into the season. Injuries have played a role in the slow start, but Darius Garland emphasized that can’t be used as an excuse. Withers notes that Garland displayed obvious discomfort late in the game stemming from a lingering toe injury that required offseason surgery. Jarrett Allen was able to return Sunday after missing nine games with an injured finger, but the team is facing a long stretch without Evan Mobley, who may be out for a month with a strained left calf.
“No one is feeling sorry for us,” Mitchell said. “I wouldn’t feel sorry for us. I know it’s cloudy. I know it’s dark. As long as we continue to stay together in this locker room, we’ll be all right.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Cavaliers shooting specialist Sam Merrill remains sidelined four weeks after jamming his right finger in an on-court collision, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). He wore a wrap around the injury during an individual workout last week, Fedor adds, but he only had limited use of his right hand. “He’s frustrated. We’re frustrated. It’s just a slow healing process,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Hasn’t gotten worse. Swelling is decreasing. It’s just hard to move forward. He’s frustrated more than anybody that this thing is not healing quicker. There’s nothing structural.”
- The Bucks may be at a crisis point following Sunday’s 45-point loss at Brooklyn, suggests Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Players had talked about needing to build momentum following Thursday’s win over Boston, but they turned in one of their worst performances of the season and are barely holding on to the East’s final play-in spot. “That was disappointing, probably one of the more disappointing games I’ve ever been involved in with the way we performed and competed,” coach Doc Rivers said. “And we wanted to blame everybody but ourselves. We’re blaming the refs. We’re looking at each other. No one wanted to play hard. We got a lot of soul-searching to do.”
- Second-round pick Kam Jones hasn’t played yet this season, but he was on the Pacers‘ active roster Friday night. Coach Rick Carlisle believes there was value in having the rookie shooting guard participate in the game-day experience, even though he didn’t get on the court, relays beat writer Tony East (Twitter link).
Siegel’s Latest: H. Jones, Poole, Pacers, Warriors, Cavs, Heat
The Pelicans have long signaled that forward Herbert Jones is off limits in trade talks, and that stance didn’t change when Joe Dumars was hired to run the front office in the spring, writes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
However, according to Siegel, with the Pelicans off to a miserable 3-20 start to the season and Dumars seemingly becoming more open to the idea of major changes, the odds of a deal involving Jones have grown “exponentially” in recent months. After signing a contract extension in July, Jones isn’t currently eligible to be traded, but that will restriction will lift on January 14, a few weeks before this season’s deadline.
Jordan Poole‘s status with the Pelicans will also be worth monitoring this winter, Siegel writes, pointing out that Jeremiah Fears‘ emergence as Dejounte Murray‘s potential return in the new year are factors that could make Poole expendable.
After being acquired by the Pelicans in the offseason, Poole got off to a shaky start this fall and has missed the past month with a quad strain. The 26-year-old also doesn’t have an especially team-friendly contract — he’s owed $31.8MM this season and $34MM next season – so his value would probably be pretty limited.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest round-up of rumors from across the NBA:
- While Pacers role players like T.J. McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard have drawn plenty of interest in recent years, Indiana is unlikely to make major changes to its roster this season, since the team believes it can be a contender again in 2026/27 with Tyrese Haliburton back in the lineup, according to Siegel. If the Pacers do make an in-season move, Bennedict Mathurin is considered their most likely trade candidate, Siegel adds, since he’s on an expiring contract and is eligible for restricted free agency over the summer.
- Siegel believes that if Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade and the Warriors make an offer, it’s more likely to be centered around Jimmy Butler than Draymond Green. According to Siegel, trading Green is “not something the Warriors plan on doing,” given his long-time importance to the organization.
- Teams around the league are keeping a close eye on the Cavaliers, who are off to an underwhelming 13-10 start, with rival executives wondering if the team might listen to inquires on starting center Jarrett Allen, per Siegel. Allen is earning $20MM this season before his three-year, $90.7MM extension begins in July.
- Viewed entering the season as possible deadline sellers, the 14-8 Heat are now widely viewed as more likely to be buyers, with forward Andrew Wiggins considered unlikely to be moved unless it’s in a deal that upgrades Miami’s roster, says Siegel.
Cavaliers Announce Injury Updates On Nance, Allen, Merrill
Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right soleus (calf) strain and will miss about three-to-four weeks, the team announced on Sunday (via Twitter).
Nance injured his right calf in Friday’s loss at Atlanta and underwent an MRI on Saturday, which revealed the soleus strain, according to the Cavaliers.
An 11-year veteran who is in his second stint with the Cavs, the Akron native has unfortunately been plagued by injuries throughout his time in the NBA, having played between 24 and 67 games each season. Nance has made 16 appearances for Cleveland this fall, averaging 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 15.0 minutes per contest.
Cleveland also provided injury updates on starting center Jarrett Allen, who will miss at least a week with a right finger strain, and sharpshooter Sam Merrill who has missed the past five games with a right hand sprain. Merrill remains out and is considered day-to-day, per the team.
Allen, who is earning $20MM this season before his three-year, $90MM extension begins in 2026/27, has been playing through a non-displaced fracture in his left ring finger. He had been sidelined for the three games leading up to Friday with the right finger sprain before playing 28 minutes against Atlanta. He will now miss at least five more games, with Dec. 12 at Washington likely being his earliest possible return date.
Merrill had gotten off to a strong start to the season after re-signing with the Cavs on a four-year, $38MM contract in the offseason. He was posting career-best numbers in virtually every major statistic through 12 games (25.9 MPG), averaging 13.9 PPG, 2.3 APG, 2.1 RPG on .466/.444/.938 shooting (85% of his field goal attempts come from behind the arc).
Dean Wade, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Jaylon Tyson and Lonzo Ball are among the reserves for Cleveland who could receive more playing time with Nance, Allen and Merrill injured. Key rotation wing Max Strus remains sidelined as well after undergoing offseason foot surgery — he has yet to make his season debut.
Eastern Notes: Ivey, Pistons, George, Carter, Cavs
Playing in his first regular season game since January 1, Pistons guard Jaden Ivey made his season debut on Saturday in Milwaukee and helped his team pick up its 12th straight win by registering 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Ivey said during his post-game media session that he “cherished the moment” to be back on the court after being sidelined due to a fractured left fibula last season and right knee surgery this fall. Ivey said he had “so much gratitude to be out there again,” and his head coach suggested the team reciprocated that feeling.
“We’re just happy to have him back,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters, including Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “That’s the most important thing. For him to have that joy and competition and competing with his teammates, that was the most important thing for him out there. Obviously you see the way that he can impact the game at a high level. Fifteen minutes is hard to catch a rhythm sometimes but I thought he did all the things we needed him to do. This was just more celebration of his journey to get back out on the court and we were happy to be a part of it.”
All 13 Pistons who were active for the game saw the court in the 129-116 win over the Bucks, with 11 logging at least 13 minutes. Bickerstaff said after the victory that he’s going to try using a 12-man rotation going forward as he assesses Detroit’s best lineups and fits.
“We’re going to give guys opportunity, especially in the first half and see how the game progresses in the second half,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Sankofa). “It may not always be easy but guys are going to have an opportunity because they’ve earned it.”
We have more from across the Eastern Conference:
- With the 14-2 Pistons sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings and well positioned from a salary cap perspective for in-season roster moves, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates whether it makes sense for them to try to make a major trade before February’s deadline. Gozlan ultimately concludes that Detroit is more likely to wait until the 2026 offseason to take a big swing.
- Sixers forward Paul George played well in his second game back from knee surgery on Thursday, contributing 21 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes of action. George’s conditioning still isn’t 100%, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, but he provides the team with some stability at the forward spot and said all the right things after the game about his role. “Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said, referring to Tyrese Maxey. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.”
- Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. has been an under-the-radar impact role player for the Magic so far this season, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who takes a look at the ways in which Carter is making the team better both offensively and defensively. “Both sides of the floor, (he has) a huge gravitation. Whether that’s rebounding, defensive position, I feel like that’s stuff that maybe goes unnoticed,” teammate Tristan Da Silva said of Carter, who is averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on .530/.458/.797 shooting.
- Darius Garland (toe) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion) returned to the Cavaliers‘ lineup on Friday after missing five games apiece due to injuries and were on minutes restrictions of roughly 30 minutes, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. While the Cavs got some reinforcements in that game, they remain banged up as they prepare to host the Clippers on Sunday. Jarrett Allen (finger) will miss a second consecutive contest, while Craig Porter Jr. has been ruled out for the first time this season due to a left hamstring strain, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).