Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Guard Trio, Castle
While Victor Wembanyama is technically listed as probable for Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against Oklahoma City, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was certainly talking on Friday as though the star big man would be playing, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
“He’s going to be tired, the excitement, the mental fatigue. He was tired the first time I saw him play live against video guys. … I would expect an early sub and not his normal minutes,” Johnson said of Wembanyama, who has been out since November 14 due to a left calf strain.
Johnson added that Wembanyama was pushing hard behind the scenes to return to action, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Wembanyama admitted he was hoping to return sooner than Saturday, according to Orsborn (Twitter link). “I would have come back earlier, but it is more reasonable to listen to (the team’s medical staff),” Wembanyama said. The French center also discussed San Antonio’s surprising 9-3 record without him, Orsborn adds (via Twitter). “The brand of basketball we were playing … it’s getting closer to the ideal basketball. … And everybody has something to eat,” Wembanyama said. “Everybody can step up at any time. … Everybody trusts the next teammate, so it’s just beautiful to see.”
- They’ve only shared the court together for two games, but the backcourt trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have already developed chemistry both on and off the floor, Orsborn writes for The Express-News. In 78 total minutes during Wednesday’s quarterfinal win over the Lakers, Fox, Castle and Harper combined for 63 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals, Orsborn notes. “It’s been great,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “Each of them are different and their games complement each other. They’re all trying to make the right play, investing in the time off the court for that chemistry. So for us as a group, it’s great as we continue to evolve this thing and continue to get healthy, that those three continue to figure out ways to be effective.”
- Former UConn star Castle has purchased a stake in two professional expansion soccer teams in Connecticut, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It was the right choice just to start at my age and to also give back to the state of Connecticut for what they’ve done for me,” Castle told Andscape in a phone interview Thursday. “I just wanted to put my name out there as well and just have it build up as my career goes on. Just to have this on the back end is another great idea.”
Spurs’ Wembanyama Expected To Return On Saturday
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to return to action on Saturday for the team’s NBA Cup semifinal matchup with Oklahoma City, per ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). San Antonio has officially listed Wembanyama as probable to play.
Wembanyama has missed the Spurs’ past 12 games due to a left calf strain he sustained on November 14. However, there was a sense this week that he was in the final stages of his recovery from that injury.
Asked after his team’s NBA Cup quarterfinal win on Wednesday whether there was a chance Wembanyama could be back for the semifinal, head coach Mitch Johnson replied, “Very much so.”
Wembanyama, who will turn 22 in January, was playing at an MVP-caliber level prior to his injury, averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.6 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game as San Antonio won eight of its first 12 games.
Despite losing their defensive anchor, the Spurs have remained firmly in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture by going 9-3 in his absence. At the time of Wembanyama’s injury, the Spurs ranked 12th in the NBA in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating. Since November 15, the team has the league’s 20th-best defense but the sixth-best offense.
Barring a late setback for Wembanyama, it appears as if Saturday will be the first time that the Spurs have De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Wembanyama active for the game game. Whether that will be enough to topple the 24-1 Thunder and earn a spot in Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship contest remains to be seen.
Thunder, Spurs Advance In NBA Cup: League Announces Schedule Changes
The Thunder and Spurs will meet in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday after winning their respective quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday.
The Thunder improved to 24-1 on the season with a blowout home victory over the Suns. The game was never close, as Oklahoma City won each quarter by double-digits and defeated Phoenix by 49 points, making it the most lopsided loss in Suns history.
Oklahoma City made 55% of its three-pointers, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points) and Chet Holmgren (24 points) leading the way and no Thunder player logging more than 27 minutes.
In the late game, the Spurs overcame 35 points from Lakers star Luka Doncic and 26 from Marcus Smart in his return from a back injury to pull off a 132-119 win on the road. Stephon Castle had 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in his second game back from a hip injury, while six other Spurs scored in double digits.
The Thunder and Spurs will face one another on Saturday at 8:00 pm Central time for the right to advance to the NBA Cup final on Tuesday. Players on the losing team in that game will receive bonuses of roughly $106K apiece, while the winning team will face either the Magic or Knicks in the championship game a shot at the top prize ($531K per player).
Notably, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has a shot to return from his calf strain for that game vs. the Thunder, per head coach Mitch Johnson.
“Very much so,” Johnson said after Wednesday’s win when asked if a Saturday return is in play for Wembanyama (Twitter link via Mark Medina). “He had a very good day today. He had a very intense day this morning. We’ll have to see how he responds and reacts tomorrow.”
The Thunder and Spurs will now play each other five times this season, including three times in December. The two clubs are scheduled to square off on December 23 in San Antonio and on Christmas Day in OKC.
The NBA also announced a handful of scheduling updates on Wednesday night, per Medina (Twitter link). The Suns and Lakers, who only had 81 games apiece on their respective regular season schedules, will face one another on Sunday in Phoenix at 7:00 pm CT.
The Thunder and Spurs had both been scheduled to play games on December 17, but those contests have been pushed back one day to Dec. 18 in order to give them an extra day of rest following the NBA Cup. OKC will now host the Clippers next Thursday, while San Antonio hosts the Wizards that night.
Spurs Notes: Harper, Fox, Castle, Wembanyama
No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper helped lead the Spurs to a victory over New Orleans on Monday with a 22-point, six-assist outing, proving that he can be successful in his role even when De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle are both available. Still, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) writes, it was evident with all three of those guards were healthy and active for the first time this season that there are still some kinks to work out in the backcourt.
While Harper thrived, Castle showed some rust in his first game back from a hip injury, making just 5-of-15 shots and turning the ball over three times in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, McDonald suggests that Fox seemed “unsure of when to assert himself” — the former All-Star scored just 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting and committed four turnovers.
Still, the trio of Harper, Castle, and Fox combined for 54 points and 18 assists in a three-point victory over the Pelicans, and Harper is optimistic that it won’t be long before all three players are firing on all cylinders.
“This is just a little sample size of what you’re going to see,” the rookie said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “When (Castle) really gets back into the groove of things, we’re going to be scary.”
“I’m trying to get adjusted to the game,” Castle added. “Having a little three-week break, I’m trying to get back in rhythm.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Harper’s teammates were impressed by the way that the 19-year-old bounced back from his worst game of the season – a 1-for-11 dud in Cleveland on Friday – to set a new career high in points on Monday, as Orsborn relays. “He has so much skill and maturity to his game,” Fox said of Harper. “It’s a long season. I’ve talked to him about that as well. You’re not going to play well in every single game. It would be asinine to think that.”
- Although head coach Mitch Johnson said this week that Victor Wembanyama is “getting closer” to returning from the calf strain that has sidelined him since November 14, the big man has been ruled out for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Lakers, as Orsborn writes for The Express-News. The Spurs have taken a cautious approach with Wembanyama’s recovery timeline, and Johnson noted earlier in the week that the NBA Cup game wouldn’t be treated any differently, “medically speaking.”
- While many of the Spurs’ cornerstone players – including Wembanyama, Harper, and Castle – are in their early 20s, the team also has a handful of veterans in their 30s – such as Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, and Bismack Biyombo – providing leadership in the locker room. In a story for The Express-News (subscription required), McDonald explores how those two generations of players have meshed and the mentorship that the vets have provided. “At times, the older ones are barking at the younger ones like older dogs do puppies,” Johnson said. “Other times, the bigger personalities step up and command the room. Sometimes, you have this electric energy from these young guys. It’s a good balance.”
Injury Notes: Wembanyama, Smart, H. Jones, Sheppard
It’s unclear if he’ll be available to play, but star center Victor Wembanyama will travel with the Spurs to Los Angeles for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Lakers, head coach Mitch Johnson told Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News and other media members (Twitter link).
Wembanyama was a full practice participant on Sunday. He was out again Monday — his 11th straight absence — due to a left calf strain he sustained on November 15.
Through 12 appearances this season, Wembanyama has averaged 26.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.6 blocks in 34.7 minutes per game. The 7’4″ big man was the first overall pick of the 2023 draft.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Lakers are hoping to have former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart back for Wednesday’s matchup vs. San Antonio, writes Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group. The 12th-year guard has missed the past six games due to a back issue — his injury designation has changed multiple times, with the latest being left lumbar muscle strain, Price notes. Smart went through an on-court workout on Sunday in Philadelphia. “Over the last couple days, he’s [gotten] closer,” head coach JJ Redick said before Sunday’s game. “We were hoping he’s back Wednesday, but still day-to-day.”
- After missing eight games with a right calf strain, Pelicans defensive ace Herbert Jones returned to action on Monday against San Antonio, the team announced (via Twitter). Jones, whose name has popped up in some trade rumors with New Orleans off to a disastrous 3-22 start, had a strong outing in his first game since Nov. 11, recording 17 points (on 6-of-10 shooting), six rebounds, four assists (zero turnovers), four steals and one block in 26 minutes.
- Pacers guard Ben Sheppard has a Grade 1 left calf strain and will be out at least 10 more days, head coach Rick Carlisle said on Monday (Twitter links via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). The former Belmont star has been sidelined for the past two games with the injury and will be out at least three more, with Dec. 20 at New Orleans likely being his earliest possible return date.
Wembanyama, Castle Return To Spurs Practice
Star center Victor Wembanyama and 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle were full participants in the Spurs‘ practice on Sunday, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, who reports that backup guard Jordan McLaughlin participated as well.
“It’s definitely amazing to see everyone back working,” guard Dylan Harper said. “We did well without those guys. Now when they come back, you’ll see a whole other team.”
Wembanyama has missed the past 10 games with a left calf strain he sustained on November 15. He is not expected to play in Monday’s game vs. New Orleans and is considered “iffy” for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal at the Lakers, McDonald writes.
Castle, who has been out for the last nine games due to a left hip flexor strain, is likely to return to action tomorrow against the Pelicans, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link).
Veteran point guard McLaughlin will at least be out again Monday, says McDonald. He has been dealing with a right hamstring strain.
Obviously, the injury updates are welcome news for the Spurs, who will soon be getting two of their top players back. San Antonio is currently 15-7, the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Southwest Notes: Edey, Morant, Wembanyama, Castle, Zion
Second-year center Zach Edey has helped change the trajectory of the Grizzlies‘ season after returning to action in mid-November, writes Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. After a 4-11 start, Memphis has won five of its past six games, largely due to the two-way play of the former Purdue star.
“(Edey’s impact has meant) everything,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “Great job overall by him and the whole team for realizing that’s where the advantage is.”
The 7’3″ big man from Toronto had the best game of his NBA career on Sunday in Sacramento, dominating the Kings en route to 32 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks in just 29 minutes. He shot 16-of-20 (80%) from the field and Memphis was plus-25 with the 23-year-old on the court in the eight-point win.
“I’ve just been really comfortable this year,” Edey said of a stretch that made him a finalist for NBA Western Conference Player of the Week honors. “I’ve been settling in, feeling like I’m back at Purdue a little bit – just comfortable. It feels like everybody’s been playing good basketball, executing the game plan and the vision. And that’s what we’ve been working for.”
Over the past three games — all victories — Edey has averaged 19.3 PPG, 17.0 RPG and 3.3 BPG while shooting 71.8% from the field in 32.0 MPG.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- While it’s too early to say how meaningful it is, Ja Morant was visibly engaged with and encouraging his teammates and coaches during the Grizzlies‘ win on Sunday, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. As Amick observes, Morant has been the subject of trade chatter this fall amid a very poor start, disinterested body language, and a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. Memphis will continue to receive buy-low trade calls on Morant, Amick writes, with the Kings and Timberwolves among the clubs monitoring the situation. But for now, the injured point guard seems to be pleased with the team’s turnaround. “It’s a huge advantage for us,” Iisalo said of Morant’s engagement on the sidelines. “It’s during the games. He’s … asking stuff of me and giving some tips there for the guys. Overall, really good communication, really good leadership, both from him and also from Jaren (Jackson Jr.) and our veteran guys.”
- Injured Spurs Victor Wembanyama (left calf strain) and Stephon Castle (left hip flexor strain) are out again on Tuesday vs. Memphis, but they are making progress and have begun on-court work, relays Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter). According to Mike Finger of the Express-News (Twitter link), neither player will travel to Orlando for Wednesday’s back-to-back, and while there’s a chance they could eventually join the four-game road trip that runs through next Wednesday, that doesn’t necessarily either of the past two Rookie of the Year winners will play during that stretch.
- Two days before it was reported that he would miss extended time with a strained adductor, Pelicans star Zion Williamson expressed confidence that he had turned the corner on his injury woes, per Athlon Sports contributor Mark Medina. “I haven’t felt like this since college, high school,” Williamson said Sunday. “I walk in the gym, and I feel good.” While interim head coach James Borrego praised Williamson in other ways, he said at the time he’d like to see the former Duke forward improve as a leader, Medina adds. “That’s one area of growth for him that he and I consistently talk about: it’s how to lead,” Borrego said. “He’s obviously a talent. But the more he can lean into leadership and grow into his teammates, that’s where he wants to go. I just see a curious individual, trying to get better in all aspects of his game.”
Western Notes: Clippers, Suns, Rockets, Wembanyama, Spurs
Head coach Tyronn Lue thought having Kawhi Leonard back in the fold would help turn around the Clippers‘ disappointing season, but that hasn’t happened over the past four games, observes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Los Angeles has dropped all four contests since Leonard returned and is now 5-15 after losing at home to a struggling Dallas team on Saturday.
“I know we’ve had some tough circumstances in the last five years, which is six years, but I have been able to figure it out. But this year, it’s been tough,” Lue said.
Lue has tried several different lineup combinations over the first 20 games, Carr writes, but none have been effective. With an injured and aging roster, both the present and future are looking pretty bleak, leading to fans on social media calling for major changes, including the ouster of Lue. Fans aren’t the only ones who are frustrated.
“The situation here is difficult,” James Harden said. “We’re not making shots offensively. Defensively, we just allow game-plan mistakes, we allow that to happen too many times, so that’s one of the reasons why we lose games.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- On the other end of the spectrum, the Suns have been one of the most surprising teams in a positive way through the first quarter of the season. As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes, Phoenix was widely projected to miss the playoffs in 2025/26, and those predictions looked accurate after the team started out 1-4. However, the Suns have gone 11-5 since and are currently 12-9, making them the No. 7 seed in the West. Whether the team’s success is sustainable remains to be seen, but Phoenix has dealt with its share of injuries as well and continues to find ways to remain competitive with players out.
- The 13-4 Rockets have the NBA’s second-best offense despite attempting the fewest three-pointers in the league and not shooting well on their two-point tries, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Houston’s unusual offensive strategy is reliant on dominating the boards, which leads to extra shot attempts — the Rockets are outrebounding their opponents by more than 10 per game, with most of that work coming on the offensive glass.
- Injured star Victor Wembanyama has been cheering on the Spurs as he continues to recover from a calf strain, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The French big man has been leading the team’s supporter section — nicknamed “The Jackals” — during recent home games. In fact, Wembanyama came up with the idea of the section and hand-picked the captains over the summer, McDonald writes. “The saying goes, when people show you who they are, believe them,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s been committed and invested. He’s trusted. He’s worked. He’s had his actions back up his words. It’s awesome.”
Spurs Notes: Fox, Wembanyama, Kornet, Olynyk
The Spurs have won back-to-back games since Victor Wembanyama went down with a calf strain, pulling out a 10-point victory over Memphis on Tuesday despite also missing reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle due to a hip flexor strain. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes (subscription required), De’Aaron Fox led the way with a team-high 26 points, but San Antonio got important contributions from several less heralded players.
Veteran forward Harrison Barnes scored 23 points; Kelly Olynyk was a +15 in 19 minutes of action; Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds off the bench; and Luke Kornet, despite going scoreless, played solid defense in his second start in place of Wembanyama.
“We want to play our brand of basketball and try to maintain our same identity no matter who is in,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “It was really good to see so many people help win.”
“No one thought we’d be missing this many guys or two of our top three scorers,” Fox added. “We’ve had a lot of guys that have been in and out of the lineup. You’ve got to continue to get wins. That’s what good teams do.”
Here’s the latest on the 10-4 Spurs:
- The Spurs figure to take a very cautious approach with Wembanyama’s return timeline, according to McDonald (subscription required), who notes that calf strains have become increasingly common across the NBA and have been precursors to Achilles tears in some cases. Even if that worst-case scenario is a rare outcome, rushing back from a minor calf strain can lead to an aggravation that requires a lengthier absence, McDonald writes. “As we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Johnson said. “We don’t want to push it there.”
- San Antonio is better positioned to navigate a Wembanyama injury this season due to the frontcourt depth the front office added in the offseason, including signing Kornet and trading for Olynyk. Writing for the Express-News (subscription required), McDonald examines the impact that duo has had so far and describes how Kornet rejuvenated his career after briefly considering retirement in 2022 during a stint in the G League. “A big perspective (shift) was just realizing if you’re not enjoying your time in the G League, you’ll not enjoy it in the NBA,” Kornet said. “… It was just recommitting to, ‘How do I serve and where do I fit in?’ And just letting that take you wherever you go.”
- After playing only five games together last season, Fox and Wembanyama shared the court for just four games this fall between the time Fox returned from his hamstring strain and Wemby sustained his calf injury. Despite their limited time playing together so far, Fox has bought into the idea of being the Robin to Wembanyama’s Batman, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “It’s very clear we have the face of our franchise and (Fox is) comfortable with that and everyone around him is,” Johnson said. “I think for De’Aaron to be one of the faces of his franchise (in Sacramento) prior to joining our group and wanting to really be here and show that desire, it helps set the tone for everybody else. Because he has been someone who’s been in similar shoes, where he’s been the max guy and the big dog with his group.”
Wembanyama Sustains Left Calf Strain, Out Multiple Weeks
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a left calf strain after undergoing an MRI, the team announced in a press release. The French center suffered the injury in Friday’s loss to Golden State.
While the Spurs didn’t give a return timeline for the former No. 1 overall pick, ESPN’s Shams Charania hears Wembanyama will miss a few weeks (Twitter link).
Through 12 appearances this season, Wembanyama has averaged 26.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals and a league-high 3.6 blocks in 34.7 minutes per game. He’s second in the league in rebounds per contest (Nikola Jokic is at 13.0) and holds a shooting slash line of .500/.345/.857.
The 21-year-old big man missed his first game of the season on Sunday due to the injury — head coach Mitch Johnson indicated Wembanyama experienced soreness in his calf on Friday and would undergo testing.
According to Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link), Wembanyama was wearing a “small sleeve” on his calf in the locker room following Sunday’s win, but was otherwise in good spirits and didn’t seem to be in any pain. Still, San Antonio is known for being cautious with injuries, and calf strains are notoriously tricky to manage — they can also lead to more severe injuries.
Both Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press and Wright (Twitter links) hear Wembanyama will be reevaluated in two-to-three weeks, confirming Charania’s reporting.
Backup center Luke Kornet and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk are among the Spurs who could receive more playing time with Wembanyama out.
Second-year guard Stephon Castle was also hurt recently, having suffered a hip injury on Sunday which prevented him from returning from the victory over Sacramento (Twitter link via Matthew Tynan). It’s unclear if the reigning Rookie of the Year will miss additional time as a result of the injury.
Several noteworthy players — including Anthony Davis, Ja Morant, Wembanyama and Spurs rookie Dylan Harper — have been diagnosed with calf strains in recent weeks.