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

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

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

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

Here’s more injury-related news:

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

Fischer’s Latest: Centers, Vucevic, Davis, Sabonis, Isaac

November 26th, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

There will likely be several veteran big men available on the trade market ahead of this season’s February 5 deadline, Jake Fischer writes in his latest article for Marc Stein’s Substack.

As Fischer details, the Nets are expected to receive calls about center Nic Claxton, the Suns have made Nick Richards available since the offseason, and the Trail Blazers are considered more open to moving Robert Williams than they were last season. Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic is also expected to generate some interest from rival teams, per Fischer, though I’m skeptical Utah will be able to extract much of value for Nurkic, given his $19.4MM cap hit.

One of the more intriguing in-season trade candidates among frontcourt players could be Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who has an expiring $21.5MM contract and has remained productive at age 35, with averages of 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game to go along with a .495/.407/.786 shooting line.

While Vucevic could generate interest on his own, Fischer suggests that rival executives have wondered whether the Bulls might make a play for a big man like Anthony Davis of the Mavericks or Domantas Sabonis of the Kings, given all the expiring money and cap flexibility Chicago has at its disposal.

Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:

There’s an “expectation in some corners” that Davis and his representatives will seek a contract extension if he’s traded to a new team in the coming months, Fischer writes. Davis’ current maximum-salary contract with the Mavericks runs through 2026/27, with a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. If he hopes to lock in another lucrative deal that would begin in 2028, when he’ll be 35, Davis would probably have to stay relatively healthy and play at his usual All-Star level this season after he returns from a calf strain.
Fischer is skeptical that the Warriors will be a major factor in any Sabonis sweepstakes, pointing out that Golden State would have likely have to add multiple quality role players to Jonathan Kuminga‘s $22.5MM contract in order to match Sabonis’ $42.3MM salary. The Warriors did show interest in Sabonis before Indiana traded him in 2022, but Fischer doesn’t think the club is desperate enough to “tear up its roster” for the Kings big man at this point, especially since he’s not a floor spacer or rim protector.
According to Fischer, rival cap strategists believe the Magic‘s cap situation may force the team to part ways at some point with forward Jonathan Isaac, whose four-year, $59MM contract is partially guaranteed in 2026/27 and non-guaranteed beyond that. While it’s unclear whether Orlando would make Isaac available during the ’25/26 season, he’s a name worth keeping an eye on, Fischer says.

Blazers’ Thybulle Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Out 4-6 Weeks

October 31st, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle underwent surgery on Friday morning to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb and will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks, the team announced (via Twitter).

According to the Blazers, Thybulle sustained the thumb injury during Wednesday’s game in Utah. The 28-year-old had an MRI on Thursday, which revealed the UCL tear.

It’s a tough blow for the guard/forward, who is now in his seventh NBA season. Thybulle is on an expiring $11.5MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer unless he signs a veteran extension before the league year ends on June 30, 2026.

After playing at least 65 games in each of his first five seasons, Thybulle was limited to just 15 contests in ’24/25 due to knee and ankle injuries. The former first-round pick, who was selected 20th overall in 2019, is mostly known for his athleticism and top-tier defense, having been named to a pair of All-Defensive teams (in 2021 and 2022).

In four appearances this fall, Thybulle has averaged 5.0 points and 2.5 steals in just 12.3 minutes per game. It’s a very small sample size (49 minutes), but Portland has been much better when Thybulle is on the court (+21.0 net rating) than when he’s not playing (+1.8).

On a more positive note, oft-injured center Robert Williams will make his season debut on Friday versus Denver, interim head coach Tiago Splitter told reporters, including Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). Williams had been listed as questionable to suit up.

Third-year wings Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert are candidates for more playing time while Thybulle recovers from thumb surgery.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, K. George, Wolves, R. Williams, A. Mitchell

October 31st, 2025 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

New Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge vowed back in June at his introductory press conference that the team wouldn’t tank in 2025/26 like it did last year. We’re just four games into the season, but so far the team is backing up that assertion, as Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune writes.

The 2-2 Jazz have won games against the Clippers and Suns, while their losses against Sacramento and Portland came by a combined total of three points. Keyonte George‘s play has been one of the more notable developments of the first two weeks of the season, Larsen notes — the third-year point guard is averaging 22.3 points and 9.3 assists per game through his first four outings.

“I credit, you know, (CEO) Danny (Ainge), (general manager Justin Zanik), Austin, (head coach) Will (Hardy),” George said when asked about his maturation this season. “My exit interview, it was pretty blunt. … It basically was about — you know, ‘It’s time to grow up.'”

George has still struggled with his three-point shot (22.2%) and turnovers (4.3 per game) in the early going, but Larsen describes his defensive effort as “night and day” compared to last season and notes that the 21-year-old is prioritizing setting up teammates instead of seeking out his own shot.

“Put the ball in our play-makers’ hands,” George said in describing his approach. “Whether it’s Lauri (Markkanen), Walker (Kessler), Brice (Sensabaugh), or anybody. And then that’s when I can go get a layup every now and then, or make an open shot.”

We have more from around the Northwest:

The Timberwolves‘ typically stout defense has faltered early on this season, ranking 24th in the NBA through Thursday’s games. Minnesota is just 2-3 so far and has a 119.5 defensive rating after finishing sixth at 110.8 last season. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic relays, head coach Chris Finch has challenged his “All-Defensive guys” – Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert – to do a better job of setting the tone on that end of the court. “Jaden’s gotta be better at the point of attack, into his guy a little bit more,” Finch said. “Rudy’s gotta challenge more stuff at the rim.”
Trail Blazers center Robert Williams, who has yet to make his season debut, has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game vs. Denver, the team announced (Twitter link). Williams, who has been plagued by knee issues throughout his career, was limited to just 20 games last season and didn’t play during the preseason.
After missing most of the second half of his rookie season due to toe surgery, Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell signed a three-year, $8.7MM contract in July that includes a team option on the third year. Mitchell, who has averaged 18.5 points per game in his first six appearances off the bench this fall, has already outplayed that contract, suggests ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That team-friendly deal should benefit Oklahoma City significantly during the next couple seasons as extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren take effect and the club enters tax-apron territory.

Blazers Notes: Williams, Splitter, Avdija, Holiday

October 28th, 2025 at 6:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers center Robert Williams was assigned to the G League’s Rip City Remix for conditioning purposes, the team’s PR department tweets. Williams is working his way back from a knee injury.

Health issues have limited Williams to 26 total outings since he was traded to Portland two years ago. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back in March.

Williams will try to work his way into the rotation upon his return. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season and could be a valuable trade piece prior to this year’s deadline.

We have more on the Trail Blazers:

Interim coach Tiago Splitter is the first Brazilian-born head coach in NBA history. It’s a matter of pride for Splitter, who has replaced Chauncey Billups after Billups was shockingly arrested by the FBI following the team’s season opener. and placed on indefinite leave by the league. “It’s an honor, to be honest,” Splitter said, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “You know, coming from Brazil is really, you know, a soccer country where basketball is growing, but it’s not there yet. And a lot of people follow me in Brazil and proud of just this accomplishment.”
The Blazers have gone 2-1 since Splitter took over, including a 14-point win over the Lakers on Monday. Deni Avdija has led the team in scoring in all three games. “He knows how to talk to us. He knows how to prepare us,” Avdija said of Splitter, per Mark Medina of RG.org. “His basketball knowledge is very good. Other than that, I don’t want to get into that (the coaching situation) too much.”
The team’s scoring limitations will define its ceiling, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. The Blazers shot 37% in a loss to the Clippers but bounced back to knock down 45.6% of their shots against the Lakers. They’re shooting 33.8 percent from deep and that could be a season-long issue. “I think our offense will definitely catch up to our defense,” Jrue Holiday said. “There’s been times where we get a bit stagnant, but it could be because we’re playing so hard on the defensive end. But I really enjoy our offense. The way we move the ball, the way we get each other involved, it’s not just one person doing everything. Everybody gets involved. That’s how I like my basketball.”
Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) examines Shaedon Sharpe‘s four-year extension as well as Toumani Camara‘s four-year extension and what moves the front office might have in store in the near future, including a potential extension for Avdija.

Injury Notes: Trail Blazers, Knicks, Heat, Pelicans

October 20th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Rory Maher

While he’s not sure who will be ready for Wednesday’s season opener against Minnesota, head coach Chauncey Billups said Toumani Camara (knee), Deni Avdija (back), Robert Williams (knee) and Matisse Thybulle (knee) were full participants in Monday’s practice, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.

Williams, who has been plagued by knee issues throughout his career, was limited to just 20 games last season. He didn’t play at all during the preseason, nor did Thybulle, who appeared in just 15 games last season due to knee and ankle issues.

Camara, the recipient of a new four-year, $81MM extension, appeared in two preseason games, while Avdija played in all four but exited the finale with upper back stiffness.

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

The Knicks may be without a pair of key rotation players for their regular season opener vs. Cleveland, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Josh Hart (back spasms) and Mitchell Robinson (load management) didn’t practice Monday, and head coach Mike Brown isn’t sure if either player will be available Wednesday. “Everything we’re doing with him is about managing his workload, which we’ll do the whole year,” Brown replied when asked if there is an injury for Robinson.
Rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis (right groin strain) and second-year Kel’el Ware (neck spasms) were unable to practice Monday for the Heat, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Ware is being evaluated by a doctor, Chiang adds. Miami’s regular season begins Wednesday in Orlando.
Lottery pick Derik Queen went through a full practice Saturday for the first time since undergoing left wrist surgery in July. While the Pelicans big man thinks he could play in Wednesday’s opener at Memphis, head coach Willie Green was careful to temper expectations after a lengthy layoff, writes Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. “We’ve got to listen to how his body is responding,” Green said. “This is his first time playing with contact in a few months. We don’t want to rush. If he’s ready, that’s another conversation that we’ll have.” Second-year center Karlo Matkovic was unable to practice Saturday due to an elbow injury the team continues to evaluate, Green added.

Western Notes: THJ, Horford, Kuminga, R. Williams

October 7th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Although three or four teams reached out to convey their interest in him early in free agency, Tim Hardaway Jr. was drawn to the Nuggets in part because J.J. Barea and Jared Dudley were joining David Adelman‘s coaching staff, as he tells Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Hardaway played alongside Barea with the Mavericks from 2019-20, while Dudley was a Mavs assistant coach during three of Hardaway’s years in Dallas.

“It gives you more confidence (having Dudley and Barea on staff), just because they understand your style of play,” Hardaway said. “They reiterate that to the rest of the coaching staff. I mean, Jared Dudley was my assistant coach in Dallas for years, so he knows what I can do on and off the floor for the team.”

Hardaway made 77 starts in Detroit last season and hasn’t averaged fewer than 26.8 minutes per game in a season since 2015/16. He also hasn’t earned less than $16MM in a season since ’16/17. This year in Denver, he’s on a minimum-salary contract and will likely be part of the Nuggets’ second unit. However, he’s embracing the opportunity to play for a championship contender and wants to set an example for his younger teammates who may end up playing lesser roles.

“I’ve realized throughout my career, sulking and being upset about something, it’s just being an energy-drainer at that point,” Hardaway told Durando. “So just coming in there, letting those guys understand if they’re having rough days, bad days, (my job is) lifting them up, if I have to take them to dinner, (or) if I have to get the team all out together.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Al Horford‘s two-year contract with the Warriors, which is worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception and includes a second-year player option, also features a 15% trade kicker, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Horford will become trade-eligible on January 1, three months after he officially signed with Golden State.
Within a look at Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga as an in-season trade candidate, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (subscription required) observes that even though Golden State is right up against a hard cap and will have to account for Kuminga’s trade kicker, the lack of base year compensation restrictions will make it easier to move him during the season than it would have been in a sign-and-trade. For instance, the Warriors wouldn’t have been able to take back Malik Monk in a sign-and-trade with Sacramento without sending out another player, but a straight-up deal involving those two players (plus draft assets) would be cap-legal now.
Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams still hasn’t been cleared for contact, head coach Chauncey Billups said on Monday, but he has been taking part in non-contact work and the team is “very happy” with the progress he has made (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report). Health issues have limited Williams to 26 total outings since he was traded to Portland two years ago.

Blazers Notes: Lillard, Henderson, Grant, Camara, Clingan, More

September 29th, 2025 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked at the Trail Blazers‘ media day on Monday if there’s any scenario in which he plays this season, Damian Lillard admitted it’s hard to envision making it back from his Achilles tear before the 2026/27 campaign.

“I don’t plan on it,” Lillard said of playing in ’25/26, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). “I feel like if this team is a one seed (without me), they probably got it. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible.”

Lillard added that the trainers and other players who have sustained Achilles injuries who have spoken to him about the recovery process have stressed patience and suggested that he shouldn’t be trying to make it back “in record time” (Twitter link via Highkin).

Although he almost certainly won’t be suiting up for the Trail Blazers this season, Lillard will still be one of the 15 players on the team’s standard roster, which head coach Chauncey Billups believes puts the longtime star point guard in a unique position when it comes to mentoring Portland’s younger players.

“He’s not a coach. He’s still a player. There’s a different level of connectivity that comes with that,” Billups said, noting that he wants Lillard to “keep a really close eye” on Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and Scoot Henderson (Twitter link via Highkin).

Henderson, like Lillard, will be unavailable when the season begins, though his hamstring injury is only projected to keep him out for the start of the season, not all of it. Speaking on Monday to reporters, he referred to the injury as a “freak accident” and “minor setback” and said he’s still feeling positive about the season (Twitter links). Billups noted it’s a disappointing turn of events for the former No. 3 overall pick because he’d had an “incredible summer” prior to the injury (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the Blazers’ media day, via Highkin:

Billups said on Monday that there are “a lot of ways” the Trail Blazers’ starting lineup could go this fall and that the players who want starting jobs will have to earn them (Twitter link). Interestingly, when forward Jerami Grant was asked about the possibility of coming off the bench, he replied, “I don’t really expect that” (Twitter link). There had been some speculation this offseason that Grant could be asked to accept a reserve role due to the emergence of young forwards Avdija and Toumani Camara.
Speaking of Camara, he’s eligible to sign a contract extension but said on Monday that he’s leaving that up to his agent. “I’m just focused on basketball,” Camara said (Twitter link). “I’m trying to stay away from that right now. If I take care of my business on the court, everything will work itself out.”
With Deandre Ayton no longer in Portland, second-year center Donovan Clingan will be looking to play a major role. He said on Monday that he has worked on improving his conditioning and is aiming to average 30-plus minutes per night (Twitter link). Rookie big man Yang Hansen will be among the players vying for minutes in the middle, with Billups referring to the No. 16 overall pick as “right there in the mix” for minutes. “I think Hansen’s done a really good job of getting situated and understanding what we’re doing,” Billups said (Twitter link). “He’s definitely going to play.”
Big man Robert Williams, who underwent a procedure on his knee in March and has been limited to 26 games in two seasons since arriving in Portland, said he’s not sure when he’ll be cleared to play, though he and the training staff have a target date in mind (Twitter links).
Jrue Holiday and Matisse Thybulle are among the players who expressed enthusiasm on Monday about the defensive potential of the Blazers’ roster (Twitter links). “Playing games in your mind of what lineups we can put out there is pretty fun,” Thybulle said. “We have a few All-Defense-level players. I think we can put some ridiculous lineups out there.”

Trail Blazers Notes: Lillard, Williams, Centers, Sale Process

August 9th, 2025 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The three-year contract that brought Damian Lillard back to Portland contains a rare no-trade clause. In a mailbag column, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (subscriber link) speculates on why the Trail Blazers were willing to include it.

Highkin notes that Lillard has talked about his personal reasons for wanting to return to the Pacific Northwest, which allows him to be close to his children as he wraps up his career. The no-trade clause gives him the security of knowing he won’t have to change teams again unless he wants to.

Highkin suggests that general manager Joe Cronin may have believed it was necessary to offer the no-trade clause to help regain Lillard’s trust after sending him to Milwaukee in the summer of 2023 when his first choice was to go to Miami. Highkin also notes that it might have been a tradeoff for Lillard accepting less money than he was eligible to get. Lillard will make $14.1MM on his MLE deal this season before declining to $13.4MM the following year and returning to $14.1MM in 2027/28. With maximum 5% raises, he could have earned about $2.8MM more.

In response to a separate question, Highkin admits there’s reason to be skeptical about whether Lillard can resume being an elite scorer after he returns from the injury. He offers a comparison to Kobe Bryant, who was also 35 when he tore his Achilles, but notes that medical advances over the past 12 years will work in Lillard’s favor, along with the fact that he plans to take 18 months to recover.

There’s more from Portland:

Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen will see most of the center minutes, while Robert Williams III will be a wild card, Highkin adds in the same piece. Williams has played 26 combined games during his two seasons in Portland, but Highkin says he’s healthy this summer. He’ll likely see limited minutes and won’t be used in back-to-backs, but he should be at least a part-time factor in the middle.
The Trail Blazers are being very guarded about their sale process, Highkin adds in a separate mailbag. He doesn’t expect any details about potential buyers to be leaked before a sale agreement is in place, but he expects the franchise to go for at least $4 billion.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson had a 30-minute phone call with commissioner Adam Silver on June 4 to discuss the city’s commitment to keeping the Trail Blazers, according to Andrew Theen of Oregon Public Broadcasting. The call took place about three weeks after plans were announced to sell the franchise. Cody Bowman, a spokesperson for the mayor, said Wilson has “been working closely” with team officials throughout the sale process.

Lakers Notes: Doncic, Smart, Vanderbilt, Kleber, More

July 21st, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

“External fretting” about whether or not Luka Doncic will make a long-term commitment to the Lakers has subsided significantly in recent weeks, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says the star guard and his camp have worked closely with the front office this summer as it has bolstered the roster in free agency.

As previously reported, Doncic played a major role in the Lakers’ efforts to recruit both center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart to Los Angeles. According to Stein, Doncic’s pitch to Smart “particularly resonated” with the former Defensive Player of the Year, who ultimately chose the Lakers despite the division-rival Suns making a “determined push” to land him.

As of August 2, Doncic will be eligible to sign an extension that could be worth up to a projected $222.4MM over four years. While there’s no guarantee he’ll sign for the maximum four years or that he’ll get a deal done immediately on Aug. 2, it seems increasingly likely that the five-time All-Star will have a new extension in hand before the 2025/26 season begins, as reporting over the weekend indicated.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Like Doncic, Smart has been working hard this offseason on his body and his conditioning, according to Stein, who writes that the Lakers are optimistic about getting a “sleeker” version of the 31-year-old next season after he battled health issues over the past couple years.
Stein has also heard that forward Jarred Vanderbilt is healthier now than he was at any point during the 2024/25 season. Although both players were on last season’s roster, healthy versions of Vanderbilt and big man Maxi Kleber could feel sort of like offseason additions for the Lakers, Stein writes. Vanderbilt played a very limited role in 36 regular season outings last season, while Kleber didn’t make his debut as a Laker until the playoffs — both of them missed time while recovering from foot surgery.
People around the league believe Trail Blazers veterans Jrue Holiday and Robert Williams are potential trade targets to watch for the Lakers this season, according to Grant Afseth of Fast Break Journal. I’m skeptical of the Holiday fit, given that Los Angeles has shown no interest in taking on long-term money (Holiday is still owed $104.4MM over three years) and Portland was prepared to give up a pair of draft picks along with Anfernee Simons to acquire him (those two second-rounders ultimately weren’t included due to minor concerns about Holiday’s physical). However, if he proves he’s healthy, Williams might make some sense for the Lakers due to their limited depth behind Ayton in the middle.
In case you missed it, the Lakers waived both Jordan Goodwin and Shake Milton on Sunday in order to create the cap flexibility necessary to sign Smart using their bi-annual exception.