Karl-Anthony Towns

New York Notes: Towns, Hart, Embiid, Nets, Johnson

January 16th, 2025 at 9:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns missed Wednesday’s overtime victory over Philadelphia due to a thumb injury. He has a bone chip in the thumb, which he injured during a loss to Detroit on Monday, but plans to play through it, Peter Botte and Stefan Bondy of the New York Post report.

The thumb is also sprained but surgery isn’t necessary or anticipated, either during or after the season, the Post duo adds. Towns is averaging 25.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in his first season in New York.

We have more on the New York City teams:

Josh Hart called out unnamed Knicks teammates after recent losses for letting “egos” and “individual agendas” get in the way of team goals. Coach Tom Thibodeau said on Wednesday that Hart needs to choose his words more carefully, Bondy writes. “I think oftentimes the next day after you look at the film, you’re putting a mic in front of someone right after a game. And sometimes they may say things, we all may say things that we wish we had not said until you watch the film the next day,” the coach said. “And then there’s usually a pretty good reason why something occurred. So before you say something, you probably should think.”
The Knicks are fortunate they didn’t go all in and trade for Joel Embiid when rumors circulated last season about the team’s interest in the Sixers center, Bondy opines. They would have squandered their draft capital and other assets for an oft-injured center still owed $300MM due to his extension without injury protections. Of course, Philadelphia never actually made Embiid available.
The games just keep getting uglier for the rebuilding and tanking Nets, as they suffered the worst loss in franchise history on Wednesday. The 126-67 pummeling by the Clippers was also one of the 10 biggest routs in NBA history, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. “This is not the time to point or deflect anything,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “It’s time for everybody to own, and I will own first. The guys kept fighting; I don’t think that they quit. And it’s one of those days that you don’t do anything right, you don’t have that right energy and togetherness. But you try and you just need a little bit more focus and all these things.” Cameron Johnson, who could be moved before the trade deadline, missed the second game of a back-to-back due to a sprained right ankle, Lewis adds.
With the front office clearing more cap space than any other team for next offseason and hoarding draft picks in trades, the Nets have the flexibility to make a franchise-altering move, Lewis writes for the New York Post (subscription required). The big prize would be Giannis Antetokounmpo if he ever asks out of Milwaukee, as the Nets covet the superstar forward.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Sims, Robinson, First-Half Review

January 14th, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns suffered an injury to the thumb on his shooting hand during Monday’s loss to Detroit, but he didn’t provide much information about it after the game, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns kept his hand in his pocket during a post-game session with reporters and responded, “It is what it is,” four times during the interview.

Towns hit his hand on the backboard during the first half and it appeared to bother him for the rest of the game, Bondy observes. A couple of his subsequent shots misfired badly, but he still played 43 minutes and finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds

His hand was struck again late in the third quarter and he grabbed it in pain as he ran into the crowd, according to Bondy. Towns refused to reveal whether X-rays had been taken, and coach Tom Thibodeau only said, “I haven’t talked to medical yet,” when asked about the injury.

“They hit shots when they had to,” Towns said in explaining the loss. “We could sit here and talk about all the things we could’ve done. We just didn’t do it. Cost us in the end.”

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks are exploring Jericho Sims‘ value on the trade market, sources tell Bondy in a separate story. The backup big man was recently replaced in the rotation by Ariel Hukporti, and he missed Monday’s game due to back spasms. One of Bondy’s sources said there’s some interest around the league in Sims, and the Knicks are seeking a second-round pick in return. That would be a markdown from the offseason, when the team was reportedly asking for two second-rounders. Sims will be a free agent this summer.
Sims’ availability coincides with the impending return of Mitchell Robinson, who is still recovering from offseason ankle surgery, Bondy adds. Thibodeau said Robinson is expected to begin practicing at some point this month, but he still hasn’t been cleared for sprinting. “That’s the next step,” Thibodeau told reporters. “He’s doing some light shooting right now.”
Towns has opened up the offense since arriving in an October trade with Minnesota, James L. Edwards of The Athletic states in a review of the first half of the season. The Knicks are 26-15 through their first 41 games, good for third place in the East, as Edwards notes that the shooting efficiency has been much better and they’ve been able to avoid serious injuries. On the downside, there have been too many defensive breakdowns, the bench isn’t producing enough to earn Thibodeau’s trust, and the team only ranks 24th in three-point attempts per game.

Community Shootaround: First Half’s Pleasant Surprises, Disappointments

January 11th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has been able to play in 19 games so far this season is an achievement in itself, given that he missed the previous two-and-a-half years while dealing with ongoing knee problems. As Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps write for ESPN.com (Insider link), what’s even more impressive is how impactful Ball has been during his time on the court.

Although his numbers, including 5.8 points per game on .359/.318/.750, don’t look especially strong, Ball is once again making the sorts of winning plays that don’t show up in the box score. Chicago has a +6.9 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -5.0 mark when he’s not.

“Someone is going to get him next year and look smart,” one executive said to ESPN of Ball, who is on an expiring contract.

Ball is among several players identified by Windhorst and Bontemps as the pleasant surprises of the first half of the 2024/25 NBA season. Here are a few more of the names on that list:

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: “He’s been everything the Knicks were hoping for and more, and his absence has left a larger hole than the Wolves would’ve ever thought,” a scout told ESPN.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons: “When the Pistons gave him the max, there were quite a few people who thought it was a risk, and he’s been very strong,” a general manager said.
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: “What he’s doing is just ridiculous,” an executive said. “Say whatever you want about him meeting expectations; if he gets that roster to the playoffs, he should get MVP votes. And he might.”
Norman Powell, Clippers: “He’s gotten more minutes and shots, but no one would’ve believed he’d take this leap at this stage of his career,” an exec said to ESPN.

James Harden (Clippers), Dyson Daniels (Hawks), and Cameron Johnson (Nets) are among the others mentioned by ESPN’s duo.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Heat teammates Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez, and Sixers center Joel Embiid are among the season’s biggest disappointments, as identified by Windhorst, Bontemps, and the sources they spoke to. Here are a few more of the players in that group:

Paul George, Sixers: “Philly probably knew there was a chance they’d have a rough PG year on this contract but they probably thought it would be year four — not year one,” an executive said.
Kyle Kuzma, Wizards: “I know he’s dealt with an injury,” one scout told ESPN, “but I think this has been the most disappointing season of his career.”
Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: “I thought it was a guarantee he’d play much better this year than last and show some things,” an exec said. “I’ve been wrong. His numbers are down, and the eye (test) confirms it.”

We want to know what you think.

Which NBA players have you been most pleasantly surprised or disappointed by so far this season? Are there any names on ESPN’s lists – or scouts’ and executives’ comments – that you strongly agree or disagree with?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

New York Notes: Knicks, Injuries, Claxton, Clowney

January 11th, 2025 at 10:48am CST by Earnest Marshall

The Knicks trailed by as many as 30 against the Thunder on Friday and were booed heading into the locker room at halftime, Andrew Crane of the New York Post writes. After winning nine games in a row, the Knicks have now lost four of their last five, including three by double figures.

As Ian Begley of SNY points out, the Knicks are 0-5 this season against the top two teams in each conference, 4-7 against the eight best teams in the league, and 9-11 against teams over .500. Still, at 25-14 and third in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are confident they have plenty of time to sort things out.

“Yeah, I think we do,” Josh Hart said. “I think at the end of the day we have to go out there and execute at a high level; we have to go out there with energy, we have to go out there with no egos. We have to go out there with no individual agendas. We have to go out there and sacrifice. I think that’s the biggest thing.

“We’re a new group. We’re still learning, figuring it out, but we can’t expect to just have talent and go out there and win games. We’ve got to lock in and compete.”

We have more from New York:

Karl-Anthony Towns and Hart both suffered minor injuries against the Raptors and were both able to play through them, but it served as a reminder as to how pivotal health is for the contender hopefuls, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post writes. New York. The Knicks lost several members of their rotation to injuries near the end of a 50-win season in 2023/24 and were defeated in the second round of the playoffs.
After dealing with an injury early in the season, Nets center Nic Claxton appears to be mostly healthy, but he’s still aiming to improve on what’s proven to be a difficult season, Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily writes. Claxton’s averages of 9.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game are below his career rates and he’s averaging fewer than half the blocks he did two years ago. “Yeah. Just trying to keep our morale up, keep my morale up, and try to be as vocal as I can be,” Claxton said of how he’s trying to impact the team.
Second-year Nets forward Noah Clowney has showcased a three-point shot in recent weeks, making 10 across a pair of outings on Dec. 23 and 26 and knocking down five more on Wednesday. As Bridget Reilly of the New York Post notes, Clowney has taken over the starting forward position in the wake of Dorian Finney-Smith being traded away and is seizing the opportunity. “What I like to call it is I like to keep teams honest,” Clowney said. “I don’t like where teams have the ability to sag off of me because I’m a weak shooter. I feel like that hurts my team in general. So if I’m able to shoot the ball and I can keep somebody honest and keep the floor spaced for my guys to get in the lane, then that’s always been the goal. So after ‘Bama, I think I shot 29 percent at Alabama, something like that, but I knew I could shoot. I think other people knew I could shoot. Somebody took a chance, and here we are.” Clowney is shooting 37.8% from deep this year on 5.3 attempts per game.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Thibodeau, Hart, Shamet

January 9th, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns missed his third game of the season on Monday. Two of his absences have been related to patellar tendinopathy in his right knee. It’s a very common injury, but that doesn’t mean it can’t become serious down the line, according to a surgeon who spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

“It’s the most common injury I see in basketball athletes. It’s not even classified as an injury half the time because it just kind of exists and people live with it,” said Dr. Abi Campbell, the director of the NYU Langone Center for Women’s Sports Medicine. “The fact that it’s flared up so severely that he’s had to take time out either points to the fact that it’s cautionary in order to maintain him for the next set of games. Or, it’s having such a severe flare-up that he’s not going to be able to play at full capacity and he has no other option but to come out.

“If that’s the case, I think that in the offseason the only option is to have it fully addressed because it seems like it’s been lingering and not getting better.”

Campell, who has not treated Towns or viewed his medical records, told Bondy that patellar tendinopathy is a “microtearing of the tendon” and a “chronic issue.” She guessed that Towns has likely been dealing with the injury for “years.” While it can be painful and result in limited function, it’s typically manageable — until it flares up again.

“In order to heal, there are a lot of options but unfortunately most of them [like a PRP injection] need to be done in the offseason because they require some down time,” Campbell said. “So the natural way — which I’m sure he’s been doing for a long time — is doing blood-flow restriction training to try to strengthen your quad muscle to take the load off the patellar tendon, all those straps and braces you see them wear. And resting.”

Here’s more on the Knicks, who are currently the No. 3 seed in the East with a 25-13 record:

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has been criticized by the media over the years for playing rotation regulars a lot of minutes. Mikal Bridges (39.1), Josh Hart (37.7) and OG Anunoby (36.5) rank first, second and seventh in the league in minutes per game, with Jalen Brunson (35.0) at No. 23 and Towns (34.6) at No. 30. Towns believes the criticism is misguided, as Bondy relays (via Twitter). “I feel like y’all give him flack all the time,” Towns said. “No matter where he is. But y’all keep talking about him and that means he keeps getting a job and that means everyone keeps respecting him and knowing what he can do for a team. He’s done it in Chicago, he did it in Boston, he did it with us in Minny. And he’s doing it here. Even before I got here. So say what you want about Thibs — he gets the job done.”
Hart has accumulated six technical fouls this season, but he’s working to avoid them going forward, according to Bondy. “Some of the techs I got, I haven’t even cursed so I kind of been surprised by them,” Hart told The Post. “So I’m not going to say what ref but I asked him, ‘Do I have a bad reputation? Or what? Man-to-man, let me know. Because I’m trying to work on it.’ And he was just like, ‘No, you’re an amazing competitor. But sometimes in the heat of competition, it’s like you’re against us, too. Like you look at it 8 on 5.’ Which I do sometimes. So I think my complaining and getting techs hurts us. We’re giving them free points or the ball or whatever it is and those kind of things. So it’s just something I’m trying to be more cognizant of and work on.”
Veteran guard Landry Shamet recently had his contract guaranteed after New York decided to retain him past the cut-down deadline. He tells James Edwards III of The Athletic that he appreciates the opportunity to have a second chance with the Knicks after being cut during preseason due to a shoulder injury. “Playing for a lot of different teams, a lot of different teammates, seeing a lot of different situations, great players, different coaching styles, I think you just build up your memory bank and things you can draw from,” Shamet said. “I’m grateful for the journey I’ve had so far and thankful to be here and try to build and grow with this group.”

New York Notes: Johnson, Evbuomwan, KAT, Knicks

January 7th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Nets wing Keon Johnson is getting some extra run as a result of injuries up and down the roster, giving him an opportunity to showcase a broader range of skills, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post.

With Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson and Ben Simmons all unavailable in a 123-94 blowout loss to the Sixers on Saturday, Johnson helped guide the club’s offense. The guard scored 15 points while grabbing eight rebounds and handing out eight assists.

“I’m always trying to prove myself and just show what I can bring to the league and to the table for my team,” Johnson said Saturday. “I feel like each night I get more and more comfortable, but my role doesn’t change. It doesn’t waiver. I know that I come in, play defense, play as hard as I can, and everything goes on [from there]. So, that’s what I’m focusing on, night in and night out.”

Johnson has thrived while playing in the stead of Thomas, who has missed all but two games since November 25 due to hamstring issues. Since that date, Johnson has averaged 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19 games (15 starts) for Brooklyn.

There’s more out of New York:

The aforementioned health issues compelled the Nets to press newly signed two-way player Tosan Evbuomwan into service for the first time all year against Philadelphia on Saturday, Reilly notes in another piece. Brooklyn brought in Evbuomwan to help after he had some impressive games for the club’s NBAGL squad, the Long Island Nets. “This is what I work for, these types of opportunities,” Evbuomwan said. “Again, really blessed to be back here. So, whatever, everything that comes with it, I’m ready to take it in stride and kind of attack it. Collectively, I just got here but the team spirit is high.” After going undrafted out of Princeton in 2023, Evbuomwan wound up playing 17 games last season for the Grizzlies and Pistons. Through two games with Brooklyn, the 6’8″ forward is averaging 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 22.5 minutes per contest.
Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns sat out the club’s Monday tilt against the Magic with a right knee tendinopathy. The 103-94 defeat to Orlando represented New York’s third consecutive loss following a nine-game win streak, with Jericho Sims replacing Towns, whose versatility as a scorer was badly missed, notes Peter Botte of The New York Post. “He obviously brings a lot to the game, but it’s unfair to the rest of the guys on the team, who put in all the work, to say without him we weren’t able to do a lot,” All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson said of playing without Towns. “We just need to come ready to play with energy, regardless of what happens.” In his 34 healthy games this year, the seven-footer out of Kentucky is averaging 25.3 points on .550/.440/.828 shooting splits. He’s also pulling down 14.0 rebounds and dishing out 3.4 assists per night.
The Knicks’ outlook this year is looking particularly sunny. Accordingly, James L. Edwards of The Athletic makes five New York-related predictions for the forthcoming calendar year. Edwards predicts a timeline for the Knicks’ next significant trade, the team’s postseason upside, and more.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Towns, Knicks, Martin

January 5th, 2025 at 1:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics All-Star wing Jaylen Brown has seen his injury status upgraded ahead of Boston’s Sunday tilt against Oklahoma City. According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the 6’6″ forward will play his first game of 2025 after having been sidelined with a right shoulder strain since New Year’s Eve.

The 28-year-old has been in fine form when he has played for the 26-9 Celtics. Brown is averaging 24.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per night through 28 healthy games, with shooting splits of .461/.332/.734. The reigning Finals MVP seems well on his way to earning the fourth All-Star berth of his career and should be in the mix for his second All-NBA spot.

As Noa Dalzell of CLNS Sports tweets, Brown’s availability marks the first time in 17 games that Boston will be fielding a fully healthy rotation.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns seems to have dodged a major injury after exiting an eventual 139-126 Saturday loss to the Bulls late, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns departed the game with just over 90 seconds remaining after being on the receiving end of a hard Nikola Vucevic foul while attempting a layup. He was able to walk under his own power, albeit with a noticeable limp. New York ultimately decided that additional testing was unnecessary. “I got hit,” Towns said. “I was going to go for a dunk. Saw [Coby White] was probably not going to give it to me, and then I switched hands, tried to do my best Michael Jordan impression… It hurt. Really all I saw was an and-one that was too late to help us win. Honest to God, I didn’t even know I made it.”
Despite leading Chicago 72-63 at the break, the Knicks seemed to lose their verve in the second half, Bondy writes in another story for the New York Post. New York was outscored 41-17 in the third quarter and essentially never recovered. In fairness, the Knicks were playing the second game of a back-to-back set, having also lost to the West-leading Thunder on Friday. “Back-to-backs are part of the league,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, conceding that his team losing steam could be the result of a Chicago energy advantage. “Couple that with [the Bulls] were off for three days. I knew they were going to be high energy. And I thought offensively we scored plenty. Defensively, we have to do better.
First-year Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez heaped high praise on young two-way player Tyrese Martin on Saturday, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. With forward Cameron Johnson and guards Cam Thomas, D’Angelo Russell and Ben Simmons injured, Brooklyn had to lean on its depth for help against the Sixers in a blowout loss Saturday. Martin chipped in 16 points, five boards and three dimes. “Tyrese has been great the whole year,” Fernandez said. “He’s been consistent. Consistent in the rotation, for the most part, and he’s taking advantage of his opportunities. It starts, not just right now, it starts in the summer. He was fighting for a two-way spot. He did all the right things every single day… And now he’s getting NBA minutes and doing a great job.”

Knicks Notes: Hart, All-Stars, McBride, Robinson, Centers

January 4th, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Josh Hart is having the best season of his nine-year NBA career, averaging personal bests of 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, along with a career-high 57.1% mark on field goal attempts. His 14.6 points per game and 38.2% three-point rate are also well above his career rates, and he has been a positive asset defensively for the 24-11 Knicks.

As Steve Popper of Newsday writes, teammate Karl-Anthony Towns believes Hart has a real All-Star case. Hart himself is less convinced — and suggested he’d be perfectly happy to be excluded and take advantage of his vacation time during All-Star week.

“I can get an All-Star? Hell no,” Hart said. “I feel like they appreciate what I do but like I said, my game is not glitz and glamour that breeds that kind of accolade. And I’m fine with that. I’m a servant to these guys. I want to make sure they’re good. I want them to get the accolades. I want to have my toes to touch some sand come February.”

Hart admitted it would be “amazing” to earn All-Star recognition, but he pointed to Jalen Brunson and Towns as the Knicks’ likely representatives and made a case for the team’s other two starters ahead of himself.

“(Mikal Bridges) and OG (Anunoby) would be more than deserving,” Hart said. “I think that’s on us to continue to win and continue to highlight those guys and show what they can do on both sides of the ball. So we got to continue to win for that to happen and make sure we sacrifice so those guys can be in that position.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

In a battle of red-hot clubs, the Knicks had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Friday by a Thunder team that won its ninth straight contest. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a closer look at the matchup, writing that the Knicks continue to trend in the right direction despite being unable to record a signature win.
Knicks guard Miles McBride missed a second consecutive game on Friday due to a hamstring strain. Referring to the injury as “frustrating”, he told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that he’s playing it safe with his recovery because he doesn’t want to risk making things worse. “Just seeing how it feels. It’s tough with hamstrings,” McBride said. “Those type of injuries, you don’t want to rush it. But I’m progressing.”
A number of teams have been inquiring about the health of Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says three clubs he spoke to recently didn’t gain any clarity on the subject. Although Robinson is a potential trade candidate, Begley believes New York’s preferred outcome would be for the big man to get healthy and finish out the season with the team, since his value on the court would exceed his value on the trade market due to concerns about his surgically repaired feet.
If the Knicks aren’t confident about Robinson’s ability to get healthy and stay healthy, Jonas Valanciunas, Goga Bitadze, and Nick Richards are among the centers the team may be interested in, Begley says, noting that all three of those big man were on New York’s radar last summer.

Atlantic Notes: Barrett, Quickley, Towns, Butler

January 3rd, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors‘ anticipated starting five heading into the 2024/25 season has yet to play a game together. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), forward RJ Barrett was originally listed as questionable to suit up against the Magic on Friday due to an illness — had he played, it would have marked the first time Toronto’s starters were all available.

Barrett was eventually ruled out against Orlando, per Murphy (via Twitter). Ochai Agbaji started in his stead, scoring 15 points in the 106-97 loss. The team fell to 8-27 on the season and dropped its ninth game among its last 10.

The next opportunity for the Raptors to field all of their first five will be in a Monday matchup with the 17-15 Bucks.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

On New Year’s Day against the Nets, Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley made his first return to action after a 22-game absence. His comeback from a partially torn UCL in his left elbow could open up the offense of All-Star forward Scottie Barnes, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who opines that Quickley’s abilities as a play-maker and distributor should help Barnes as a scorer. “It was amazing,” Barnes said of Quickley’s return. “ Something that we really missed, and we needed. His play-making ability, his ability to get to the paint, his shooting, all that, we needed it.”
Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns is thriving during his second stint with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Towns believes the two-time Coach of the Year has greatly altered his approach in New York, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Towns notes that Thibodeau is now “a different man” and far more mellow. “I like this version going into 2025,” Towns said. Thibodeau previously coached Towns from 2016-19 on the Timberwolves. Towns and fellow All-Star Jalen Brunson have clicked incredibly well together on offense, a new point of emphasis for Thibodeau. All told, New York is 24-11 on the year, good for the East’s No. 3 seed. “I’ve grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota,” Towns said of Thibodeau. “He’s grown. I think that we’re just, in this game of life, we’re just finding ourselves and getting better all the time.”
The Sixers explored a potential trade to reacquire embattled Heat All-Star forward Jimmy Butler during this past offseason, notes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Seven-time All-Star Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had been pushing for a reunion with Butler, alongside whom he played for part of the 2018/19 season. The five-time All-NBA swingman departed for Miami in free agency. Prior to the team’s signing of Paul George, Butler had been known to be on the Sixers’ list of potential summer targets, but the Heat weren’t really considering moving him during the offseason. Now, Butler’s relationship with Miami has soured to the point that the Heat have suspended him for seven games and have indicated they are amenable to a trade.

And-Ones: All-Star Voting, NBAGL Standouts, Diamond Sports, Rookies

January 3rd, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Luke Adams

MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets are the leading vote-getters in their respective conferences in the first All-Star fan voting results announced by the NBA on Thursday (Twitter link).

Jayson Tatum, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James are the other stars who rank among the top three frontcourt players in their respective conferences. In the backcourt, LaMelo Ball and Donovan Mitchell lead the way in the East, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are the top vote-getters in the West.

Fan voting counts for 50% of the total to determine All-Star starters, with players and the media each getting 25%. The fan vote will close on January 20.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

What do Trey Burke, T.J. Warren, and Jaylen Nowell have in common? They’re NBA veterans who are thriving this season in the G League and making strong cases for call-ups as the 10-day contract window for 2025 opens on Sunday, Keith Smith of Spotrac writes. Smith and Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) also identify some other G League players who deserve to be considered for NBA promotions, with Valley Suns guard Jaden Shackelford topping Murphy’s list.
Diamond Sports Group announced on Thursday that it has exited bankruptcy and will be known as Main Street Sports Group going forward, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The company that was once $9 billion in debt has reduced that figure to $200MM, Vorkunov adds. Diamond Sports Group’s regional sports networks – once known as Bally Sports and now branded as FanDuel Sports Network – broadcast games locally for 13 NBA teams.
Kelly Iko and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic discuss their impressions of some of the notable members of the 2024 rookie class from the Southwest Division, including Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Grizzlies teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, and Rockets guard Reed Sheppard. Vecenie explains that he’s not worried about Sheppard’s slow start because it’s rare for one-and-done rookies to make an impact for a team like Houston, the West’s No. 3 seed.

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