Northwest Notes: Topic, Blazers, Nnaji, Wolves, Harkless
Misko Raznatovic, the agent for Thunder guard Nikola Topic, shared an update on his client, telling the Serbian-based outlet Arena Sport TV that Topic has successfully completed chemotherapy to treat his testicular cancer, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
“The chemotherapy was successfully completed, and he is now returning to the training process, although he was active during the therapy as well,” Raznatovic said. “It’s hard to pinpoint a timeline, but I sincerely hope he gets minutes this year, not only in the G League but on the NBA floor as well, if everything goes the way it is right now.”
Word broke in October that Topic, a 2024 lottery pick who missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL injury, had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and was undergoing treatment. As Raznatovic acknowledges, there’s still no timeline for the 20-year-old to make his NBA debut, but this is a major positive development.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- The Trail Blazers intend to present a proposal to the Oregon state legislature next month to have all state income taxes from players and team employees (for both the Blazers and visiting teams) redirected from Oregon’s general fund to a $600MM renovation project for the Moda Center, reports Bill Oram of The Oregonian (subscription required). One source who spoke to Oram about the proposal suggested it would help “guarantee the Blazers’ future” in Portland.
- Nuggets forward/center Zeke Nnaji hasn’t developed like the team hoped since signing a four-year, $32MM contract extension in October 2023, but with centers Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas sidelined, Nnaji has been giving the team solid minutes at the five, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Nnaji, who has five steals and six blocked shots in his past three games, is playing “amazing” defense, according to teammate Jamal Murray — head coach David Adelman didn’t disagree. “I don’t remember him moving this well,” Adelman said after Wednesday’s win over Boston. “…He guarded everybody in this game, because we were switching. Just cool to see him have some success. Obviously, he hasn’t been in the rotation.”
- The streaking Timberwolves have won four games in a row and now hold a top-four spot in the Western Conference. In a pair of stories for The Athletic, Jon Krawczynski examines the impact of center Rudy Gobert, writing that the big man is playing as well as he ever played in Minnesota, and notes that Anthony Edwards reached the 10,000-point mark on Thursday. Edwards was the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach that plateau, behind only LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
- Two-way player Elijah Harkless has appeared in just seven games for the Jazz so far this season and hasn’t seen any NBA action since November 18, but he has been thriving in the G League. Harkless was named the NBAGL’s Player of the Month for December after he averaged 28.3 points and 5.2 assists per game, per the league (Twitter link).
Holmgren, Stewart Named Defensive Players Of The Month
A Thunder player has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for a second consecutive time. After guard Cason Wallace won the award for October/November, big man Chet Holmgren has earned the honor for December, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
The Thunder, who entered December with a 20-1 record, have looked more mortal in recent weeks, winning nine of 13 games over the course of the month. However, they still posted the conference’s top defensive rating (106.2) in December, with Holmgren acting as the team’s anchor and rim protector.
Holmgren’s 2.0 blocks per game in December ranked second in the conference, while his 8.5 contested shots per game placed him seventh among Western players. Oklahoma City’s defense this past month was nearly six points per 100 possessions better when Holmgren was on the court (101.7) than when he wasn’t (107.6).
Clippers guard Kris Dunn and a trio of former Defensive Players of the Year – Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies) – were also nominated in the Western Conference, per the league (Twitter link).
An unlikely winner claimed the Eastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month award for December, with Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart taking it home despite coming off the bench in 12 of his 13 games and averaging just 23.0 minutes per night during the past month.
Despite his limited role, Stewart ranked second in the East in blocks (2.2) and contested shots (9.4) per game, helping lead Detroit to a 9-4 record and the league’s third-best defensive rating (109.8) in December. The Pistons’ defensive rating with Stewart on the floor was 104.5, compared to 112.2 when he sat.
Knicks teammates OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, and Celtics guard Derrick White were the other nominees in the East. Notably, the Nets didn’t have a nominee despite posting the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) in December.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week
Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson, who averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week of December 15-21.
Jackson recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.
Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.
It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup. He also becomes the first two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season, having also earned the honor on December 1.
Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award.
Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.
Wolves Notes: DiVincenzo, Gobert, Shannon, Edwards, Injuries
The season that Donte DiVincenzo spent with the Splash Brothers helped him build the confidence to take late-game shots like the ones he hit against the Warriors on Friday night, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. DiVincenzo drilled a three-pointer to tie the score with 1:48 remaining and another 80 seconds later to put the game out of reach as the Timberwolves spoiled Stephen Curry‘s return from injury.
“I didn’t shoot the ball well at all tonight, but I could care less if I’m being honest with you,” DiVincenzo said. “My year here changed my entire mindset. Playing with that dude over there, 30 (Curry), it just changed my mindset on my misses, my mindset on my approach. I want the big shot at the end of the game. That’s the mindset I have.”
As Krawczynski notes, DiVincenzo was looking for a new NBA home when he signed a one-year deal with Golden State in the summer of 2022. He had been a starter on Milwaukee’s 2021 championship team, but he was removed from the starting lineup the following season and traded to Sacramento halfway through. Joining the Warriors gave him the chance to learn from Curry and Klay Thompson, picking up their practice habits and their fearlessness about taking clutch shots.
“It changed me, my approach, my mentality, how I process the game, how I live with negatives in my career,” DiVincenzo said. “I think it changed my entire trajectory of my career, and after that, I’ve been who I am.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Another flagrant foul for Rudy Gobert any time this season will trigger an automatic suspension, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Gobert was whistled for flagrants in back-to-back games over the past week, putting him one flagrant-foul point away from a one-game suspension and two points away from a two-game suspension. He disputed the call in Monday’s game when he was assessed a flagrant foul for making “significant” contact to the ribs of Phoenix center Mark Williams while Williams was airborne. “There was an intent to foul, but I don’t feel like it was meant to really hit him in the rib to hurt him,” Gobert said. “It was more like to take away his momentum and contest the shot. They deemed that it was winding up. I didn’t feel like it. I just felt like it was just maybe a very physical foul. But I hope he’s doing OK. It seems like he was doing OK after that. It was just, to me, a physical basketball play.”
- In the same Star Tribune story, head coach Chris Finch pointed to Terrence Shannon Jr.‘s defensive habits as the reason for the second-year guard’s inconsistent play. “It’s largely rooted in readiness,” Finch explained. “He’s a great athlete. He’s probably spent a lot of his time making up ground with his closing speed. It’s a dangerous habit to get into at this level, the guys that have either equal or greater athleticism, but also teams that execute well and can take advantage of that. So his screen navigation is poor, and that puts him even further behind the play.”
- Anthony Edwards missed Friday’s game due to soreness in his right foot and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s home matchup with Sacramento. Bones Hyland, who left Friday’s contest with a right knee contusion, is also questionable, while Mike Conley has been ruled out with a right Achilles issue.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, K. George, Wolves, R. Williams, A. Mitchell
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.
Timberwolves Notes: Randle, Finch, Defense, Dillingham
In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, forward Julius Randle explains why he re-signed with the Timberwolves this summer. In addition to seeking stability and happiness both on and off the court, Randle says his strong relationship with head coach Chris Finch also played a significant factor in his decision.
“I just think Finch ultimately trusts in me as a player,” Randle said. “I think he knows how I approach the game and how I work. I think that builds trust. It’s the same thing with him. I know that every night, Finch’s ultimate job and motivation is that for every game, he’s going out there to win.
“Finch is a hell of a competitor. He wants to win at every single thing. He wants to win every single game. I know coming into the game that is his mindset. And myself, I want to win just as badly. So the trust is always going to be there.
“It’s also understanding too that, through adversity, how he showed up for me as well. That was important for me, knowing that he had my back. He was a big reason for me coming to Minnesota. He wanted me here. So that’s my guy, man. I’ll ride with Finch all day, for sure.”
Medina’s interview with Randle covers several other topics, including his relationships with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, the team’s belief that it can win a championship, and more. It’s worth checking out in full for any fans of Randle and/or the Wolves:
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Randle previously spoke about this offseason as being perhaps the happiest one he’s had in the NBA. Medina asked him why it was so enjoyable. “Just balance, man,” Randle replied. “I think I was able to refresh. I took about a month just to spend time with the family and travel and vacation and all of that different type of stuff. I was feeling refreshed and motivated, basketball-wise. You’re coming into a season knowing that you’re competing for a championship. So I think that makes the training fun because you got a lot of motivation behind it. I just woke up every day excited to be able to do what I love to do. Knowing that I’m coming to a spot where I’m appreciated and somewhere I’m able to enjoy coming to work every single day, that was important for me.”
- The Timberwolves have made the Western Conference finals each of the past two seasons largely due to their stellar defense, which ranked first and sixth in the league during those campaigns. However, their defensive effort has been sorely lacking through most of the first two games of 2025/26, writes Jon Kraczynski of The Athletic. “Honestly, it was just effort,” Donte DiVincenzo said after Friday’s lopsided loss to the Lakers. “Collectively, we know we didn’t bring the effort. A team that we knocked out of the playoffs is going to come in with more hunger. … They wanted to rip your head off. I think we just didn’t match their energy tonight.”
- Second-year guard Rob Dillingham has been out of the rotation in the early going, and when he was put in for garbage-time minutes on Friday, he suffered a broken nose nose after taking an elbow to the face, Krawczynski adds. The 20-year-old is questionable for Sunday’s matchup vs. Indiana, per the league’s latest injury report.
Timberwolves Notes: Hyland, Dillingham, Gobert, Beringer, Zikarsky
Bones Hyland led the Timberwolves in scoring as they opened the preseason Saturday with a win over Denver and he could be making a strong case for regular playing time, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Hyland finished with 18 points, three assists and one turnover in 22 minutes, building on a strong performance during training camp.
Hyland is currently third on the depth chart at point guard behind Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham, according to Krawczynski, who notes that Minnesota has a lot invested in Dillingham after trading up to select him with the eighth pick in the 2024 draft. He saw limited playing time as a rookie, appearing in 49 games and averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 assists in 10.5 minutes per night.
Hyland re-signed with the Wolves in September after joining the team in late February on a two-way contract. He formed a bond with Dillingham last season and has been supportive of his younger teammate.
“He kind of reminds me of myself,” Hyland said. “We’re both shifty. We’re both slim-framed. We both have heart. … He really is like a little brother to me.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Rudy Gobert looked sharp in the preseason opener and said he feels good after skipping international basketball this summer, Krawczynski adds. After playing in the 2024 Olympics, Gobert bypassed an opportunity to represent France at EuroBasket. “As much as I love it, I had to make the decision this summer to focus on recharging the batteries,” he said. “It also allows me to work differently — work on my body, get stronger. As a competitor, it’s never easy. But you’ve also got to be smart about thinking about what’s best for your body and your mind.”
- First-round pick Joan Beringer had an impressive debut with 14 points and four rebounds in nearly 24 minutes. On the downside, Krawczynski notes that he committed five fouls and was often overpowered by Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas. “He’s so strong,” Beringer said of Valanciunas. “I couldn’t move him.”
- Second-round pick Rocco Zikarsky also had an intriguing game with eight points and nine rebounds in 13 minutes, Krawczynski observes. The 7’3″ Australian center is on a two-way contract and is expected to spend most of the season in the G League.
- The Wolves wrapped up a calm training camp, and the drama-free approach could be a positive sign for the regular season, suggests Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
Western Notes: Gobert, Abdelfattah, Sengun, Durant
The Timberwolves paid a hefty price to the Jazz to acquire Rudy Gobert. Minnesota was heavily criticized for giving up five players and a package of first-rounders for the defensive stalwart after Gobert’s first season in the organization. However, the trade can now be considered a resounding win for the Timberwolves, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic opines.
Krawczynski cites Gobert’s impact over the past two seasons and suggests the team’s success during that stretch have changed the culture in Minnesota. The organization has become a place players want to play with heightened expectations and Gobert has been a big part of that change.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- The Timberwolves have officially hired Mahmoud Abdelfattah as head coach of the Iowa Wolves, the club’s NBA G League affiliate, according to a team press release. The Wolves’ decision to hire him was reported last month. Most recently, Abdelfattah spent the 2023/24 season as the head coach of the Sydney Kings of Australia’s National Basketball League. Prior to his time with the NBL’s Kings, the Chicago native spent four seasons (2019-2023) in the Rockets organization.
- Alperen Sengun has been one of the stars of the EuroBasket tournament, which comes as no surprise to Rockets coach Ime Udoka, according to Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle. That’s what Udoka advised his starting center when he visited Turkey this summer. “It was really, ‘Be aggressive and get back to dominating as you have throughout your career,’ basically,” Udoka said. “For him, we wanted to work on specific things and the way they guard him over in Europe, in EuroBasket. And he’s doing a great job, obviously, getting high assist numbers, being very efficient, but doing all the things and trying to be well rounded. So it wasn’t just about scoring the ball.”
- Speaking of Udoka, the Rockets coach received this message from Kevin Durant — use me in any way necessary. Durant would rather fit in than have their young core become passive. “He wants to kind of be implemented into the group, and people not take a back seat to him,” Udoka told Lerner. “That’s his message to a lot of the young guys: Be who you are, continue to grow in those areas, and I’ll fit in where we see necessary.”
International Notes: Bacon, Anderson, Hall, Gobert
Ahead of the team’s first season in the EuroLeague, Dubai Basketball is loading up on former NBA players. The team announced this week in a pair of press releases that it has signed free agent shooting guard Dwayne Bacon and wing Justin Anderson.
Bacon, who will turn 30 next month, hasn’t been on an NBA roster since being waived by the Lakers in October 2022, but the former No. 40 overall pick out of Florida State appeared in 207 regular season games for Charlotte and Orlando from 2017-21. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game – with a shooting line of .402/.314/.780 – during that time and has since played in Monaco, Greece, China, Puerto Rico, and Russia.
Anderson, meanwhile, is a 2015 first-round pick who made 242 NBA regular season appearances for six teams from 2015-22. The 31-year-old, who averaged 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game on .410/.292/.775 shooting in the NBA, has played for three separate clubs in Spain since 2023.
In addition to Bacon and Anderson, Dubai recently added former Brooklyn swingman Dzanan Musa and former Dallas guard McKinley Wright. The roster also features longtime NBA big man Davis Bertans, who played for Dubai last season.
Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:
- Big man Donta Hall, who suited up for three NBA teams from 2020-21, has agreed to a three-year deal with the Greek team Olympiacos, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. Hall also drew interest from Panathinaikos, tweets Marc Stein, while his former team in Spain (Baskonia) will receive a buyout payment, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops details.
- Speaking to the French outlet L’Aisne Nouvelle, Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert explained why he won’t be suiting up for France at this year’s EuroBasket tournament. “I’ve had busy summers in recent years, and it’s taken a toll,” Gobert said (hat tip to Eurohoops). “People don’t always realize how intense the EuroBasket is. It finishes just before the NBA resumes, and it’s a big responsibility. I had said I’d wait until the end of the season to decide, and now I have. This summer, I’m focusing on myself, my family and my son.”
- We’ve passed along several international basketball updates over the course of this week, including updates on Nassir Little‘s new team overseas, a Cavaliers second-round pick signing in Italy, and former NBA guard Vasilije Micic ending up in Israel. Our full archive of international basketball stories can be found right here.
Latest On Bradley Beal
After he was hired as the Suns‘ head coach in June, Jordan Ott met with Bradley Beal and shared his plan for how the team could use the veteran shooting guard next season, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. However, according to Windhorst, Beal had already decided after meeting with agent Mark Bartelstein that he wanted to move on from Phoenix.
“We couldn’t take the chance [of another lost year],” Bartelstein told Windhorst. “This decision was about basketball. Bradley wants to play in big games and in big moments.”
When Phoenix traded Kevin Durant to Houston for a package headlined by another shooting guard – Jalen Green – it cemented Beal’s decision.
According to Windhorst, the Suns and Timberwolves had discussed the possibility of a Durant package that would’ve included Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, Terrence Shannon Jr., and the No. 17 pick in this year’s draft, which could’ve left an opening for Beal in the Suns’ lineup. But with Durant uninterested in playing in Minnesota, the Wolves were unwilling to move forward on those talks and Phoenix pivoted to the Rockets’ offer.
After the Durant trade was completed, the Suns gave Beal and Bartelstein permission to speak to other teams, and more than 20 showed interest, sources tell ESPN. Beal ultimately met via Zoom with about a half-dozen of them, and after trading Norman Powell to Miami earlier this month, the Clippers emerged as the clear frontrunner.
[RELATED: Bradley Beal Agrees To Buyout With Suns, Plans To Sign With Clippers]
According to Windhorst, while Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and head coach Tyronn Lue spoke to Beal about what the club could offer him, the most noteworthy pitch came from star guard James Harden, who lobbied the front office to pursue Beal and then reached out directly to the guard (and to Bartelstein) to recruit him.
In addition to selling Beal on the Clippers’ depth and how he would fit in with the current group, Harden pointed out that his own career has been rejuvenated in Los Angeles after disappointing stints in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, Windhorst notes. After a couple discouraging years in Phoenix, Beal is in a similar spot — he’ll be looking to bounce back next season and views L.A. as a good spot to do it.
“No one wants to be released. There’s heartache with that,” Bartelstein said. “But Bradley wants to be in a position where no one remembers he got released, that they’ll remember how he plays next season.”
Here’s more on Beal:
- The Suns needed Beal to give up at least $13.9MM of the $110.8MM still owed to him in order to legally waive-and-stretch his contract. Phoenix’s front office actually pushed for the 32-year-old to give up more than that, resulting in buyout talks getting “heated,” per Windhorst, who says Beal ultimately forfeited not a penny more than he needed to for the Suns to use the stretch provision. “There were some intense conversations,” Bartelstein said.
- Bartelstein also spoke to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda about why things didn’t work out for Beal in Phoenix and why he chose the Clippers over other suitors. Citing Beal’s existing relationship with Lue, along with the Clippers’ vision for his client, Bartelstein explained that L.A. checked all their boxes. “He was heavily pursued by pretty much everybody in the NBA and certainly almost every top-tier team,” Bartelstein said. “I had made it known in conversations around the league that we were looking to go somewhere where he could play in really big games and big moments. We knew there were places he can go to and score 30 points a game again. But he really wanted to go to a place where he can compete for a championship. With that in mind, we quickly narrowed down to six or seven teams that we thought were in that world and with the roster shaped up, it would be a great fit for Brad. … It was a really tough choice. … We felt at the end of the day that the Clippers was the very best fit.”
- The Suns’ trade for Beal will go down as one of the biggest missteps in franchise history, contends Doug Haller of The Athletic. Haller doesn’t blame Beal, noting that he was willing to change his game and continued to score efficiently. However, his production didn’t match his salary, Haller writes, which was a microcosm of the Suns as a whole — the league’s most expensive roster failed to win a playoff game during the two years after acquiring Beal.