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Raptors Rumors: Webster, Trade Talks, Barrett

August 21st, 2025 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

It didn’t come as a surprise to people around the NBA that the Raptors ultimately named general manager Bobby Webster their permanent head of basketball operations, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said in a live stream on Wednesday (YouTube link). In fact, according to Fischer, the only surprise during the process was that Toronto publicly announced a search for a new top executive after parting ways with president Masai Ujiri.

“Someone I consult with who is involved in (executive) search firm stuff was taken aback by the fact that was even put out publicly,” Fischer said. “He was taking it – and the league was taking it – as a foregone conclusion that Bobby Webster would be running the show.”

The Raptors, who traded away Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby during the 2023/24 season, have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons, but the expectation is that they’ll be more competitive going forward, per Fischer.

“The Raptors have definitely been given some type of formal pressure, some type of direction from their new leadership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to end this sort of rebuild era they’ve been in,” Fischer said, adding that the team will be aiming to claim a top-six playoff spot this season, not simply make the play-in tournament.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Following up on rumors from earlier in the offseason, Fischer confirmed that the Raptors were having trade discussions involving the No. 9 overall pick leading up to the draft and talked to the Celtics, among other teams. “They had conversations with Boston about both Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, trying to figure out ways to add either veteran into their backcourt,” Fischer said. Toronto ultimately kept the No. 9 pick and used it to select Collin Murray-Boyles.
While he acknowledged that it’s hard to predict trade-deadline activity in August, Fischer suggested that he fully anticipates the Raptors will continue seeking win-now help during the 2025/26 season. “I have the Raptors already earmarked as a buyer,” he said. “Now, if things go awry (or) if there’s something injury misfortune, maybe the Raptors don’t fully go that direction. But if everything goes as intended, if they’re faring night after night in the standings as they hope to be, as they intend to be, I’ve got the Raptors as a buyer.”
Veteran forward RJ Barrett looks like the top trade candidate on Toronto’s roster, according to Fischer, who noted that Barrett came up in the Brandon Ingram trade talks with the Pelicans in February, but New Orleans didn’t have much interest in him. “RJ Barrett’s representation is fully aware that he is someone that could be discussed in trades moving forward for the Raptors,” Fischer said.
In case you missed it, we took a closer look over the weekend at the Raptors’ offseason so far.

Raptors Notes: Webster, Pritchard, Roster Moves, Rotation

August 19th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors announced on Monday that they’ve decided not to fill the president role formerly held by Masai Ujiri, with Bobby Webster hanging onto his title of general manager as he takes over as the team’s permanent head of basketball operations. That’s fine with Webster, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays.

“On the title, what’s the best way to put it? The title, to me, probably isn’t as important as the responsibilities,” Webster said. “I’m really thankful for this opportunity. I’ll make the most of it and that (not getting the president title) is not something that concerns me.”

While Webster seems unfazed by not being named the Raptors’ president, he’s still expected to have a chance to earn a promotion to that position based on how he handles his new responsibilities, Grange adds.

“This is his chance,” a source close to the hiring process told Sportsnet. “Show (us) he’s the president. It’s a process. It’s all about the rebuild, it’s all about the strategy going forward. Can Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes become an incredible duo? How do you manage the tax situation we’re currently in?

“At the end of the day, it will be about Bobby making the right decisions moving forward. He’s (40 years old) and he’s got every quality that you want representing your organization. Now, it comes down to wins and losses, building the reputation of the brand and dealing with the salary cap.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Grange hears from sources that Toronto formally interviewed Pacers president Kevin Pritchard, former Kings general manager Monte McNair, and former Raptors coach Dwane Casey for its president role, while Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports that Pacers GM Chad Buchanan and Bulls GM Marc Eversley also interviewed for the job. Pritchard was believed to be the candidate that intrigued the Raptors the most, but “prying him away from the Pacers proved difficult,” Grange writes.
While Webster believes the roster the Raptors have put together is ready to “make the next step” in 2025/26, there’s skepticism around the NBA about some of the moves the team has made in recent years. According to Grange, one Eastern Conference executive questioned the team’s investments in Immanuel Quickley (five years, $162.5MM), Ingram (three years, $120MM), and Jakob Poeltl (three years, $84MM): “I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” Another rival executive, per Grange, suggested there’s an excess of wings on the roster and a lack of depth at point guard and center. “They have a lot of nice pieces,” that executive said. “It’s just not clear how they all fit.”
Some of the executives who interviewed for the Raptors’ president job were among those questioning the club’s recent personnel decisions, according to Lewenberg, who says one of those external candidates referred to the Ingram trade as a “desperate Hail Mary.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic previews what the Raptors’ rotation might look like this fall, projecting Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jamal Shead, and Collin Murray-Boyles to be the top options off the bench behind a starting lineup of Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ Barrett.

Trade Rumors: Brown, White, Holiday, Hawks, NAW, Collins

June 25th, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

After having agreed to trades that send out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics have moved below the second tax apron. However, they may not be done dealing yet. Appearing on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday night (YouTube link), Shams Charania reported that Boston is fielding calls from teams with interest in Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White.

According to Charania, the Celtics’ preference is still to hang onto Brown and White, and they’ve set “high price thresholds” for both players. But they’re also not entirely shutting down inquiries on those guys, so it remains possible that there will be a team willing to meet Boston’s high asking price.

“At minimum,” Charania says, the Celtics are still a strong candidate to make additional deals involving role players who are a little less valuable than Brown and White. Charania specifically identifies Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons as players who might fit that bill.

Simons technically isn’t even a Celtic yet, so the agreed-upon deal involving him and Jrue Holiday could be expanded to include more pieces and send Simons to a third team before it’s officially finalized. Even if that trade is completed as currently constructed, Simons could be flipped to another team immediately — his salary simply couldn’t be aggregated with another player’s salary for two months after he’s traded.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

According to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link), he has heard from two sources who refuted the report claiming that Holiday is unhappy about being traded to the Trail Blazers. We passed along that rumor on Tuesday, but suggested taking it with a grain of salt.
As the Hawks continue to mull various scenarios for how they could use the $25MM+ traded player exception they generated in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal, one possible target to watch is Nickeil Alexander-Walker, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Hawks are expected to show interest in Alexander-Walker, who will be a free agent this summer, and could potentially use that TPE to acquire him via sign-and-trade. The Timberwolves have expressed a desire to retain the three-and-D guard, but will also have Julius Randle‘s and Naz Reid‘s contract situations to resolve.
Although John Collins is considered a potential offseason trade candidate, his market is still taking shape, so a deal seems more likely to happen after the draft than before or during it, per Stein and Fischer. Collins also must exercise his $26.6MM player option before he officially becomes trade-eligible. His decision is due on Thursday.
Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Raptors forward RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley, Jazz guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, Wizards guard Marcus Smart, and Bucks wing Pat Connaughton are among the other players viewed as candidates to be on the move this summer, according to Stein and Fischer.

Scotto’s Latest: Thunder, Pacers, Kings, Barrett, Rockets, Wolves, KD

June 23rd, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Their seasons ended less than 24 hours ago, but the Thunder and Pacers will have significant roster decisions to make in the coming days, and executives around the NBA are keeping an eye on both teams to see how they’ll handle them, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Thunder have the ability to essentially run it back with their same roster, since 13 of their players are on guaranteed deals for next season, while the team holds cost-effective options on the other two. However, Oklahoma City also has multiple first-round picks at No. 15 and No. 24 and could be facing a roster crunch.

According to Scotto, rival executives believe the Thunder may either trade the No. 24 pick for a future first-rounder or use it to select a potential draft-and-stash prospect like Hugo Gonzalez or Noah Penda. Execs also view former lottery pick Ousmane Dieng as a possible trade candidate as he enters the final year of his rookie scale contract, Scotto notes.

Meanwhile, with Tyrese Haliburton potentially sidelined for all of the 2025/26 season after tearing his Achilles, people in league circles are wondering if the Pacers and team owner Herb Simon are still prepared to go into luxury-tax territory in 2025/26 to re-sign Myles Turner and keep their roster intact, says Scotto. There’s an expectation that rivals will inquire this summer on the trade availability of role players like Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and Jarace Walker, Scotto adds.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Although a Sacramento Bee report over the weekend indicated that the Kings haven’t yet engaged in trade discussions about Malik Monk, Scotto hears from sources that the team has gauged the market on both Monk and Devin Carter as it seeks a potential first-round pick and a point guard upgrade. Sacramento was unwilling to move Carter when the club talked to the Nets about Cameron Johnson prior to the trade deadline, Scotto writes, but Scott Perry has replaced Monte McNair as the Kings’ head of basketball operations since then and may not be as attached to last year’s No. 13 overall pick.
According to Scotto, the Raptors have continued to gauge the trade market for forward RJ Barrett. The former No. 3 overall pick hasn’t come off the bench since his rookie year in 2019/20, but could be the odd man out of Toronto’s starting five with Brandon Ingram set to make his Raptors debut this fall.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, who spent a season with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, was in favor of the Celtics trading for Durant during his time in Boston and advocated for Houston to acquire the star forward this summer, per Scotto. In addition to reuniting with Udoka, Durant will be teaming up again with friend and fellow Texas alum Royal Ivey — the Rockets assistant interviewed for the Suns‘ head coaching vacancy and turned down interest from the Grizzlies and Spurs for assistant coaching positions, Scotto reports.
In addition to being concerned about Durant’s lack of enthusiasm for Minnesota, the Timberwolves didn’t want to lose Rudy Gobert, a Suns target in trade talks, which is why the Wolves didn’t end up beating Houston’s offer for the 15-time All-Star, Scotto explains. Giving up Gobert and potentially having Durant play alongside Julius Randle in their frontcourt wasn’t considered an “ideal pairing defensively” for the Wolves, Scotto writes.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Raptors Trade Candidates, Celtics, Sixers

June 20th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Knicks should be taking notes as they watch the Thunder and Pacers face off in the NBA Finals, according to Kristian Winfield for the New York Daily News, who suggests the two clubs currently fighting for a title have shown the blueprint for a new era of team-building.

For the Knicks, who had their own title aspirations dashed in a hard-fought series with Indiana, depth and flexibility should be two key takeaways when it comes to how the two smaller-market teams have built themselves into the powerhouses they are. Both teams have hit big on the margins. The Thunder picked up Isaiah Joe after he was cut, drafted Aaron Wiggins at No. 55 in 2021, and added Lugentz Dort as an undrafted free agent, while the Pacers drafted Andrew Nembhard in the second round and Ben Sheppard at the end of the first round.

As important as identifying talent is, Winfield writes that the next Knicks coach needs to prioritize developing the role players so that they’re ready when the time comes. With the financial burdens the team faces, getting contributions from players further down the depth chart will be crucial if the team wants to continue making deep playoff runs.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

While they don’t own a first-round pick, the Knicks could find value with the 50th pick in the 2025 NBA draft. James L. Edwards III of the Athletic breaks down some of the candidates New York may consider at that spot, noting that adding an older, more ready-to-contribute prospect could be beneficial for a team that in need of depth. One such name would be Kentucky’s Koby Brea, arguably the best shooter in the draft at 6’6″. Edwards also looks at Micah Peavy (Georgetown), an athletic defender with a questionable shot, Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Kobe Sanders (Nevada), and Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes). Pate is only 19 years old and has a rawer skill set, but at 6’8″ with real ball skills, he could be an interesting developmental flier for down the road.
The Raptors‘ desire to make a splash with a big-name addition is no secret. With that in mind, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen goes through the roster to determine who is most likely to be moved. In his opinion, Ochai Agbaji and RJ Barrett are the two players least likely to be back next season. Moving Agbaji would likely be done to avoid going into the luxury tax, while Koreen writes that Barrett’s game is too duplicative with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram for the team to pay all three. He adds that at least one of Barrett, Ingram, Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, or Jakob Poeltl will be needed in a big deal, though it appears unlikely that Poeltl will be moved.
If the Celtics go into next season without making changes, they’ll be looking at a $500MM commitment, accounting for both salaries and luxury tax penalties, Spotrac’s Keith Smith writes in his offseason preview. With Jayson Tatum out for the season, it’s crucial for Boston to find a way to avoid the second apron, not only to save tax money, but also to ensure future flexibility, including unfreezing the team’s 2032 first-round pick. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser are the notable names to watch, as two of them will likely need to be moved, and it will be difficult to bring back both Al Horford and Luke Kornet, though they can likely keep one of them.
When it comes to what the Sixers need most for next season, the answer is simple for The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey: a healthy Joel Embiid. Given the money committed to the current roster, even before they make their decision on whether or not to re-sign Quentin Grimes, who is likely to receive a deal between $15-20MM per year, ensuring Embiid’s future availability is paramount for the team’s success going forward.

Windhorst: Timberwolves Most Aggressive In Pursuit Of Kevin Durant

June 16th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have been the team most aggressively pursuing Kevin Durant in trade talks so far, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning during an appearance on Get Up (Twitter video link). Windhorst notes that Minnesota made a strong push to acquire Durant from the Suns before the February trade deadline to team him with Anthony Edwards, and that effort has been renewed this offseason.

Windhorst identifies the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga, with Toronto offering the ninth pick in this year’s draft along with combinations of players in “multiple different scenarios.”

A list of Durant’s preferred destinations leaked over the weekend, with the Spurs, Rockets and Heat said to be the only teams he would considering signing an extension with. However, Windhorst hears that those three teams “have not made offers that have gotten Phoenix excited.” A report on Sunday indicated that the Suns are more focused on maximizing their return in a Durant trade than sending him someplace he wants to go.

Sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Raptors are willing to give up either RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley to upgrade their roster, and several league figures have said they would consider including Jakob Poeltl as well if it means getting Durant in return. Phoenix is reportedly seeking a starting-level center for next season, and the Durant deal might be the best opportunity to acquire one.

Fischer reports that Toronto’s No. 9 selection is being viewed around the league as “perhaps the most likely top-10 pick in the draft to be traded.” He adds that the Raptors would prefer not to move out of the first round completely, so the Suns’ choice at No. 29 could be part of the deal.

Phoenix would love to get Ivica Zubac, Fischer adds, but the Clippers consider him off limits. However, he notes that L.A. has two future first-round picks and some swap rights that it could offer along with Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones.

Fischer doesn’t expect the Grizzlies to get involved in the Durant chase, even though they have a fresh collection of draft assets from Sunday’s Desmond Bane trade. He notes that Memphis was reluctant to pursue Jimmy Butler before the deadline because of fears that he wouldn’t sign an extension, and Durant is probably viewed the same way.

Addressing the Suns’ desire for a center, Fischer states that the team has done background work on Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in case he’s made available. Fischer also hears that Phoenix would be interested in free agent Myles Turner if he doesn’t re-sign with the Pacers.

Fischer’s Latest: Raptors, Maluach, Barrett, Suns, Triano

June 7th, 2025 at 8:34am CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors are among the teams who “highly value” Duke center Khaman Maluach ahead of this month’s NBA Draft, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, it remains to be seen if the 7’2″ big man will be available at No. 9, which is the lottery pick Toronto currently controls.

If Maluach — who is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s big board — is unavailable, rival teams have gotten the impression the Raptors might target a different center, Fischer writes. For what it’s worth, Derik Queen (No. 13), Joan Beringer (No. 15) and Thomas Sorber (No. 18) are the next three centers on ESPN’s board.

Here are a few more items of interest from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:

As we relayed on Friday evening, Fischer pointed to Raptors wing RJ Barrett as a potential salary-matching piece if Toronto decides to make a play for Kevin Durant. Citing sources, Fischer also confirms a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype stating that Barrett’s name came up in the Brandon Ingram trade talks between the Pelicans and Raptors. Toronto ultimately acquired Ingram in February by sending New Orleans Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder.
New head coach Jordan Ott intends to meet with the Suns‘ current assistants in the coming days, according to Fischer, who says there was a “strong belief” during the search process that Phoenix would ask associate head coach David Fizdale to remain on staff under the new hire. However, it’s unclear if Fizdale will be amenable to that arrangement after receiving multiple interviews for the head coaching job. Cavaliers assistant DeMarre Carroll — who has worked with Ott on three different teams — and Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley are also viewed as candidates to join Ott’s staff, Fischer writes.
Following up on a report from his Stein Line colleague Marc Stein, Fischer hears former Suns and Raptors head coach Jay Triano is finalizing a contract to join the Mavericks as an assistant under Jason Kidd. The Knicks are interested in speaking to Kidd for their coaching vacancy, though Dallas would have to grant New York permission for that to happen.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Hauser, Nets, Sixers

June 6th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Raptors are considered by “numerous NBA figures” to be a potential suitor for Suns star Kevin Durant, Jake Fischer reports for The Stein Line (Substack link), especially if their well-documented interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t come to fruition.

Fischer writes that the pieces the Raptors have assembled would make for a more realistic trade package for Durant, who is not necessarily expected to receive an extension from the team that trades for him, than for Antetokounmpo. If the Bucks star reaches the market, the trade packages teams will put together could put the Raptors out of the running, but with Phoenix likely looking to stay competitive around Devin Booker, the Raptors’ collection of young veterans could prove enticing.

Fischer points to Raptors’ president Masai Ujiri‘s aggressiveness in trading for Kawhi Leonard in 2018, which led to a championship, though this version of the Raptors roster is much less ready to win now than that one was. That said, the team did pursue Durant in 2022, Fischer writes, and there’s a belief that the Raptors have some internal pressure to take real steps forward this coming season. That could lead to the team shopping RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and others.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics are facing an offseason that will require some serious introspection to figure out which players should be retained until Jayson Tatum eventually returns from his torn Achilles, SI’s Chris Mannix said during an NBC Sports Boston appearance. The most likely player to be moved, according to Mannix, is backup wing Sam Hauser. Hauser, an excellent shooter and decent defender, is entering the first season of a four-year, $45MM contract extension, a deal that would cost the team significantly more in luxury tax penalties if he remains on the roster. Mannix adds that rookie Baylor Scheierman could be tapped to fill in Hauser’s role if coach Joe Mazzulla thinks Scheierman ready for it.
After a down year, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer doesn’t rule out the Sixers attempting to move one of Joel Embiid or Paul George if the team’s struggles continue. However, those contracts are likely to be difficult to trade, given their size and length. Within the same mailbag, Pompey fields a question about the idea of drafting Khaman Maluach with the No. 3 pick, noting that going that route would be an indication that the 76ers have more concern about Embiid’s future than they’ve indicated to this point. Pompey doesn’t view it as a likely scenario.
The Nets have conducted pre-draft workouts for Johni Broome (Auburn), Taelon Peter (Liberty University), and Wade Taylo r IV (Texas A&M), according to Nets Daily (via Twitter). While the latter two players are viewed as undrafted free agent targets, Broome is considered a likely late-first or second-round pick. The 6’10” SEC Player of the Year and All-American averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game for Auburn during his senior year.

Scotto: Trae Young, LaMelo Ball Among Players To Monitor In Offseason

March 3rd, 2025 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks guard Trae Young has just one guaranteed year left on his contract after this season, with a player option for 2026/27. As he nears potential free agency, executives around the NBA are wondering whether Atlanta will be looking to extend Young this offseason or whether he might emerge as a trade candidate, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

As Scotto notes, Young has spoken about wanting to win a championship in Atlanta with head coach Quin Snyder, and the Hawks have an intriguing collection of young talent around him, including forward Jalen Johnson, defensive ace Dyson Daniels, and 2024’s No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

However, the Hawks have been a middle-of-the-pack team since making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, compiling between 36 and 43 wins and failing to get out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the three years since then — this season, they’re on pace for 37 wins and another play-in spot. They also don’t control their own first-round picks in any of the next three drafts.

Additionally, Scotto writes, Hawks ownership will be looking to avoid surpassing the luxury tax threshold in 2025/26, which could affect their ability to re-sign free agents such as Clint Capela, Caris LeVert, and/or Larry Nance Jr. — or to bring in additional talent.

Atlanta did have talks with the Pelicans prior to this year’s trade deadline about forward Brandon Ingram, with Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic among the names that came up in those multi-team discussions, Scotto reports. Ingram was ultimately sent to Toronto, with the Hawks sending Hunter to Cleveland and Bogdanovic to the Clippers.

Shortly after the trade deadline passed last month, NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) referred to Young’s future in Atlanta as “murky,” while Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) wondered if the 26-year-old might request a trade this summer. Scotto doesn’t quite go that far, but says Young’s situation in Atlanta is one that executives around the league will be monitoring in the coming months.

Here’s more from Scotto on players to watch entering the 2025 offseason:

Rival executives are curious about whether point guard LaMelo Ball is still at the forefront of the Hornets‘ long-term plans and will be keeping an eye on him this offseason, Scotto reports. Veteran forward Miles Bridges is another name to watch in Charlotte, since his contract has a declining salary structure that was meant to make it more trade-friendly, Scotto adds. It also remains to be seen whether the Hornets will put center Mark Williams back on the trade block after a deadline deal with the Lakers fell through due to medical concerns.
RJ Barrett‘s name came up in the Ingram trade talks between the Raptors and Pelicans, but New Orleans didn’t view the forward as an ideal fit on their roster, according to Scotto, who suggests that Barrett could emerge as a trade candidate this summer with Toronto prioritizing Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and Gradey Dick. The former No. 3 overall pick is under contract for $57MM+ across two more years after this season.
NBA executives widely expect Wizards forward Khris Middleton to pick up his $33.35MM player option for 2025/26, Scotto reports. If he does, he and guard Marcus Smart – who will have an expiring $21.59MM deal, will be trade candidates to monitor in Washington. The same goes for Richaun Holmes, though his expiring $13.28MM contract only features a small partial guarantee ($250K), so he’s probably more likely to be waived than traded.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Robinson, Towns, Raptors

February 26th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics star Jaylen Brown suffered a bone bruise in his left quad during Tuesday’s victory over Toronto. After the game, he told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscriber link) that he wasn’t sure whether or not he’d play in Wednesday’s back-to-back in Detroit.

After initially being listed as questionable, Brown was later ruled out against the red-hot Pistons, who have won seven straight games, one more than Boston’s current streak. Center Luke Kornet will also miss his second straight game due to personal reasons, per the Celtics (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

The Knicks are optimistic that Mitchell Robinson will be able to make his season debut this weekend, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York plays two games this weekend, on Friday vs. Memphis and on Sunday against Miami. Assuming he keeps progressing without issue, either date is a possibility for Robinson to make his first appearance of 2024/25 following offseason ankle surgery, according to Begley.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau stated after Tuesday’s practice that Robinson was “projected to be the starting center on the team.” On Wednesday, Thibodeau clarified that Robinson will not immediately enter the starting lineup — he was referring to before the season began, and presumably before New York’s blockbuster trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, as James L. Edwards III of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
Speaking of Towns, the Knicks big man was ruled out of Wednesday’s game after having his left knee flare up near the end of Sunday’s loss to Boston. He was initially listed as questionable. Rookie center Ariel Hukporti will get his first career start in Towns’ stead, per Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Eric Koreen of The Athletic lists several Raptors trends to monitor for the remainder of the season, as well as some to ignore. Koreen is keeping close tabs on Immanuel Quickley‘s three-point volume and accuracy, Gradey Dick‘s defense, and the overall play of Ochai Agbaji. On the other hand, he says the team’s defensive rating and RJ Barrett‘s dip in offensive efficiency aren’t particularly important as the season winds down.