Injury Notes: Banchero, Jokic, Wemby, Grizzlies, Knicks
When the Magic announced on October 31 that Paolo Banchero had been diagnosed with a torn right oblique, they said he would be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks. However, the expectation was that he would likely be sidelined well beyond that window.
So when will we see Banchero back on the court? If it’s up to the All-Star forward, he’ll make his return in about a month.
“This isn’t from the medical team or anything, but the way I feel and I’ve been feeling, I think before Christmas,” Banchero said, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter video link). “Maybe that’s a week before, a couple days before. I think I can get back before Christmas.”
As Banchero acknowledged, the decision will ultimately be up to the Magic’s medical team, so he’ll defer to the experts if they’re not ready to clear him by Christmas.
Orlando lost its first four games after Banchero went down, but has hit its stride as of late, picking up six straight victories and moving into third place in the Eastern Conference at 9-6.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Last season’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year will both remain sidelined on Tuesday. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic isn’t injured, but will miss a third consecutive game for personal reasons as his team visits Memphis, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Meanwhile, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama – who missed Saturday’s loss to Dallas – won’t be available vs. Oklahoma City due to a right knee contusion, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
- Grizzlies center Zach Edey (left ankle sprain) will miss a game for the first time this season on Tuesday, joining star guard Ja Morant (right hip subluxation; pelvic muscle strains) on the inactive list vs. Denver. As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, Grizzlies two-way guard Cam Spencer – who has been out all season due to an ankle injury – is inching closer to making his debut, having been cleared for five-on-five action.
- Knicks guard Miles McBride has missed the past three games due to what the club is calling right knee inflammation. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post notes, McBride hyperextended that knee last month, though the Knicks didn’t confirm that the two issues are related. Bondy also provides an update on Precious Achiuwa (hamstring strain), citing a source who is optimistic the big man will be cleared to begin practicing with the team on its five-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Phoenix.
Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Doncic, McCollum, Missi
The Spurs have officially listed Victor Wembanyama as doubtful for Tuesday night’s game against the Thunder due to a bruised knee, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. San Antonio had indicated after practice the star center would be listed as questionable, according to Orsborn.
Wembanyama sat out Saturday’s loss at Dallas after suffering the injury in a collision with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis on Friday night. The reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks in his second season.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic is listed as questionable to play against the Pelicans on Tuesday due to a right knee contusion, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets. Doncic logged a season-low 28 minutes against the Spurs on Saturday.
- Pelicans guard CJ McCollum practiced on Monday but didn’t go through any contact drills, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. McCollum hasn’t played since Oct. 29 due to a thigh injury. He has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s game.
- Could Yves Missi be the answer for the Pelicans at center? William Guillory of The Athletic explores this question. The 21st overall pick in this year’s draft has posted double digits in rebounds in three of the last four games and has shown versatility on defense. Missi has also proved to be a quick learner. “It’s great for him to get these minutes and these experiences early in the season. It’s going to pay off huge for him as we progress throughout the year,” coach Willie Green said. “We expect this is going to pay off for him in the long run.”
Texas Notes: Mavericks, Smith, Sengun, Jones
The Mavericks’ 110-93 victory over the Spurs on Saturday ended a four-game losing streak, which included an 0-3 road trip. At 6-7, Dallas is still struggling to find consistency just a few months after making a run to the 2024 Finals, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“(The players) have things that go on outside of the arena, and that’s always monitored (but) those things aren’t shared publicly,” head coach Jason Kidd said prior to the victory over San Antonio. “This has been an emotional week, starting in Denver, having an opportunity to win there and just the buildup of the game against Golden State with Klay (Thompson). We could be a little bit more concerned of not just the buildup, but what the effects are.”
As Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com notes, Dallas has been getting the best efforts from the opposition, night after night. New additions to the club are a bit perplexed by the club’s lack of a clutch gene this season.
“We’re still trying to figure it out,” small forward Naji Marshall said. “Stuff happens. Obviously it didn’t go in our direction, all we can do is get better from here. It’s still early in the season… We’re just having a rough patch right now, but we’ll definitely get through it.”
There’s more out of the Lone Star State:
- 2022 lottery Rockets lottery pick Jabari Smith Jr. enjoyed something of a breakout performance in a 125-104 NBA Cup victory over the Clippers on Friday, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The 6’11” big man, who had averaged 10.5 points per game on 38.1% shooting in his first 12 games (all starts), scored 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds.
- Fourth-year Rockets center Alperen Sengun continues to develop his game after signing a five-year, $185MM extension with the team last month, Feigen writes in another piece. Sengun notched his first triple-double of the season in Houston’s victory over the Clippers on Friday. His defensive growth has been a primary focus. “I do (a) good job,” Sengun said. “I do my best on defense, trying to help my teammates. Everybody is trying their best on defense. I’m just trying to help them more.” On Houston’s third-ranked defense, opposing players are connecting on a scant 42.9% of their looks when being guarded by Sengun. Head coach Ime Udoka singled out and praised the big man’s rim protection acumen.
- After a 12-game absence, Spurs reserve guard Tre Jones came back from an ankle injury in the team’s loss to the Mavericks on Saturday, notes Jeff Macdonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The 6’1″ Duke product scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field, while also contributing four dimes and three boards.
Spurs Notes: Paul, Castle, NBA Cup, Wembanyama
Spurs point guard Chris Paul reached another milestone Friday night, handing out the 12,000th assist of his career, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. John Stockton may be out of reach at 15,806, but Paul is closing in on Jason Kidd’s second place total of 12,091. At age 39, Paul attributes his longevity to staying in top shape and studying the game.
“It’s training all day and all night,” he said. “The late-night massages. It’s getting up in the morning. It’s eating right. It’s training while you’re on vacation. It’s watching film day in and day out.”
Listed at 6’0″, Paul is by far the shortest player to reach 20 NBA seasons, McDonald adds. That list mostly includes big men, along with a few hyper-athletic wings. One of them is Paul’s close friend LeBron James, who met him after the game and discussed what it’s like to be in the twilight of their careers.
“Me and ‘Bron talked about it a little bit,” Paul said. “We don’t know how much longer it’s going to be, but I have so much gratitude for this game and the things I’ve been able to do and learn over the years.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- James also talked briefly to Stephon Castle after the game ended, which made a strong impression on the rookie guard, McDonald states in a separate story. After the Lakers pulled out a narrow victory, James shared some advice on a few reads that Castle could have made. “I’ve been watching him since I was a kid,” Castle said. “So for him to come up to me and talk to me for even that little bit, it really meant a lot. … I really respect him and appreciate him for coming up and saying that to me. He didn’t really have to.”
- Friday’s losses left the Spurs and Grizzlies as the only teams without an NBA Cup win since the tournament was introduced last season, McDonald adds in the same piece. San Antonio will get three more chances, hosting Oklahoma City on Tuesday and then traveling to Utah on November 26 and Phoenix on December 3.
- Victor Wembanyama will miss Saturday’s game at Dallas with a right knee contusion, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Zach Collins will replace him in the starting lineup.
Fischer’s Latest: Bucks, Caruso, Ingram, Johnson
The Bucks still aren’t planning on engaging teams on potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trades anytime soon, but Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, echoing earlier reporting, confirms that they are looking for “perimeter defensive adjustments and reinforcements.”
As Fischer notes, Milwaukee’s trade options are limited as a team operating over the second apron. The team can’t package two or more player salaries for matching purposes or send out cash, for starters. According to Fischer, the Bucks are dangling their 2031 first-round pick as trade bait. They value that pick highly, as it would follow Antetokounmpo’s age-37 season.
MarJon Beauchamp was mentioned as a piece the Bucks were interested in moving in October. With his fourth-year option declined, Beauchamp is on the books for $2.7MM and is a free agent after the season. However, while packaging Beauchamp with that 2031 first-rounder seems like a decent offer for a role player, the Bucks couldn’t take back a player earning more than $2.7MM, significantly reducing their potential targets in that scenario.
Brook Lopez has been floated as a potential outgoing piece, but Fischer is skeptical the Bucks will look to move the big man, at least at this point. With Milwaukee trying to improve its defense, Lopez is someone the team might just be better off keeping to stay afloat on that end. Fischer – who reported in the offseason that Lopez was a possible trade candidate – said he hasn’t heard the veteran’s name come up much this season, for what it’s worth.
If the Bucks aren’t moving off either Damian Lillard or Khris Middleton, their only other potential trade pieces earning over $3MM are Bobby Portis ($12.6MM in 2024/25, player option for next season) and Pat Connaughton ($9.4MM in ’25/25, player option in ’25/26).
We have more sourced notes from Fischer:
- An extension for the Thunder‘s Alex Caruso seems to be on the horizon, according to Fischer. That’s always been the goal since Oklahoma City acquired the defensive-minded guard in exchange for Josh Giddey this past summer. Caurso, whose extension eligibility remains limited for now, will become eligible for a deal worth up to four years and roughly $81MM as of Dec. 21, six months from the date he was acquired by OKC.
- The Pelicans‘ injuries continue to pile up to an insurmountable level, but New Orleans’ isn’t giving the indication that it’s pressing the panic button on this current build, Fischer says. That means there’s been no serious talks on any potential Zion Williamson trade. Instead, Fischer says this situation gives Brandon Ingram a runway to build on his trade value. As we’ve previously relayed, Ingram and the Pelicans couldn’t bridge the gap on any potential extension talks during the offseason — Fischer hears that Ingram was asking for close to $40MM annually. The Pelicans explored possible trades involving Ingram but couldn’t find a suitable offer due to the fact that he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer and any team acquiring him would have to make a similar financial investment.
- The Spurs have won three of their last five games under interim head coach Mitch Johnson, with their two losses in that stretch coming by a combined six points. Fischer confirms that Johnson was a leading candidate to fill Washington’s head coaching role that ended up remaining with Brian Keefe, and says Johnson was also a strong candidate for the Hawks‘ head coaching role after they let go of Nate McMillan. Johnson, filling in for Gregg Popovich as he recovers from a mild stroke, is a name to watch on the coaching market whether he stays with the Spurs and succeeds Popovich down the line or ends up in another head coaching role, Fischer says.
Southwest Notes: Thompson, Eason, K. Johnson, Pels’ Injuries, Boston, Grizzlies
The Rockets‘ duo of Amen Thompson and Tari Eason completely took over in Houston’s Wednesday victory over the Clippers, Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle observes. The two players combined for 36 points, 21 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the win.
Clippers star James Harden made his first four shots before Thompson and Eason helped limit him to just 18.2% from the field for the rest of the game.
“It’s becoming the regular thing,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of the two reserves. “Both [were] very disruptive on both ends — 18 and 18 [points], 11 and 10 rebounds, and guarding all over the place, doing what they do. Yeah, we needed a spark. It was kind of a back-and-forth game, and they brought it.”
Thompson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, is averaging 10.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks in his second season. Eason, selected 17th overall in 2022, has put up 12.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG and 1.2 BPG while making 36.4% of his threes. Despite their impressive seasons thus far, Udoka expressed he’s happy to have them where they are in the rotation.
“Don’t know if it would be any different if they started or came off the bench,” Udoka said. “That’s who they are. Very disruptive. You know, they’re going against starters half the time. It’s not like they’re playing against bench guys. They just impact the game. It’s just a tandem. It makes it stick out even more because they’re so disruptive all over the court. … It’s more magnified when two guys are … flying all over the court and making that impact.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Keldon Johnson knew his approach to the game would have to change as the Spurs made win-now moves in adding Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes this offseason, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. “Ultimately, I just wanted to be more efficient,” Johnson said. He changed his diet and got his weight down before the season and has reshaped his offensive profile to be that of a slasher, according to Iko. 70% of Johnson’s 12.5 points per game this season come from drives. Johnson is under contract for $19MM this season and is on the books for $17.5MM in each of the following two seasons.
- The Pelicans lost to the Thunder in blowout fashion on Wednesday, and it’s another culmination of their devastating list of injuries, Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes. Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Jordan Hawkins, Zion Williamson and Jose Alvarado are all out with multi-week injuries. The Pelicans have lost six in a row to fall to 3-9 entering Thursday.
- As Clark observes in the same piece, primary play-making duties have fallen to Brandon Ingram and Brandon Boston Jr. Though Boston has limited NBA experience, let alone professional play-making experience, he has been impressive from a statistical standpoint in the wake of New Orleans’ injuries. He’s averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game after being claimed on waivers by the Pelicans from the Spurs just before the season. Boston is on a two-way contract.
- The Grizzlies have a rotation predicament on their hands, Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes. With Luke Kennard returning to action last week, Marcus Smart coming back this week and Vince Williams Jr. on the verge of making his season debut, Memphis is getting healthier, forcing the team to consider how the rotation will look. While it’s a good problem to have, Memphis’ deep reserves have more than proven their spot in the league by helping leading the team to a 7-5 record amid injury absences. “I can’t give you that answer right now, but it’s been on my mind a lot,” coach Taylor Jenkins said of the rotation. “As I told these guys, it doesn’t matter whether you start or come off the bench. It’s about impacting winning. We’re looking to find our advantages.“
Southwest Notes: Pippen, Smart, V. Williams, Mavericks, Popovich, Wembanyama
There’s extra motivation for Grizzlies point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. any time he faces the Lakers, writes Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. Pippen signed a two-way contract with L.A. in 2022 after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. He only appeared in six NBA games that season, but starred with the team’s South Bay affiliate in the G League. He returned to South Bay the following season before Memphis signed him in January of this year.
“It’s been full circle,” Pippen said. “When I was over there (in L.A.), not really much opportunity.”
The Grizzlies are 2-0 since Ja Morant was sidelined with a hip injury and Pippen took his place in the starting lineup. He’s making the most of the opportunity, posting a triple-double in his first start with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists last Friday and following that with 17 points and four rebounds on Sunday.
In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Pippen expanded on his time with the Lakers, saying he didn’t get much feedback from the people in charge.
“I was kind of in the dark with that,” he said. “I didn’t really know what they wanted from me and what they expected from me. Once I left there, I felt like it was a feeling that they didn’t want me there and that I didn’t have a future there. I didn’t really get too much dialogue on why I wasn’t there.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Grizzlies welcomed Marcus Smart back tonight after he missed two weeks with a sprained right ankle, per Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link). Vince Williams, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a stress reaction in the upper portion of his left tibia, has “looked fantastic” in workouts this week and may be ready to return Friday, Wallace adds (Twitter link).
- The Mavericks need to solve their problems with late-game execution, observes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The Mavs have dropped three straight games by three points or less, leaving them in 12th place in the West when they could be near the top. “In the last two minutes, we have to get better,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The last three games, the last two minutes, we’ve turned the ball over. We haven’t been rebounding the ball. We can’t maintain offensive rebounds.”
- In a session with reporters before Wednesday’s game, Spurs general manager Brian Wright said coach Gregg Popovich is “doing well” in his recovery from a mild stroke, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Wright also talked about the emotional toll on players and staff members from watching their leader deal with a medical emergency. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades, right?” Wright said. “And we all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, different presence about them, and clearly he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence. And so not having him, there’s clearly a void and we miss him.”
- In Wednesday’s win over Washington, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 50 points for the first time in his NBA career. He’s the fourth-youngest player in league history to reach that mark, as well as the tallest, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
Spurs’ Gregg Popovich Suffered Mild Stroke
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich suffered a mild stroke on November 2, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Popovich, who will turn 76 in January, has started a rehabilitation program and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the Spurs. A timeline for his return to the team’s bench has yet to be determined.
Word first broke on November 4 that Popovich would be away from the Spurs indefinitely due to a health issue that occurred two days earlier. However, this is the first we’ve heard that health issue described in more specific terms.
Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson has served as the club’s acting head coach in Popovich’s absence, leading San Antonio to a 3-3 record since taking the reins and earning praise from his players for how he has handled the new responsibilities. He figures to remain in that role for the foreseeable future until Popovich is healthy enough to resume his duties.
Popovich is the NBA’s all-time leader in head coaching wins, with a 1,391-824 regular season record (.628). He ranks third in playoff wins at 170, behind Phil Jackson (229) and Pat Riley (171).
We at Hoops Rumors send our best wishes to Popovich during his recovery.
Western Notes: Wembanyama, Thompson, Booker, Reddish, Russell
Victor Wembanyama enjoyed his best game of the season against Sacramento on Monday. The second-year Spurs star racked up 34 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. He knocked down half of his 12 three-point attempts and the team’s interim coach wants him to keep hunting shots after a slow offensive start to the season.
“He makes shots every day,” Mitch Johnson said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “He missed really good shots to start the year, and I understand why it’s a talking point. But I don’t think we ever wavered on him not making shots. I think it is just the percentages evening out at this point.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Klay Thompson feels even better now about his decision to move on from the Warriors and join the Mavericks, he told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Thompson says it was a necessary move mentally as well as career-wise. “Honestly, it’s rejuvenated me and done something I needed bad just for my mental and my career,” Thompson said. “So, I really feel the love here, and I feel highly valued that I can do great things.” Thompson is averaging 13.8 points in 3o.1 minutes per night while starting 10 games.
- Devin Booker is still adjusting to Mike Budenholzer‘s rotation patterns. With past coaches, Booker often played the entire first quarter. That hasn’t happened this season — Budenholzer prefers to utilize his players in shorter bursts, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. “Probably the last eight years of my career, I played the first 12 minutes,” the Suns star guard said. “Trying to find a rhythm, but at the same time, set guys up. It’ll come.”
- The Lakers are off to a 6-4 start and the Orange County Register’s Khobi Price offers 10 observations through the team’s first 10 games. He notes Cam Reddish has made the most of his increased playing time since being added to the rotation last week and that bench scoring has jumped since D’Angelo Russell was moved to the second unit.
Stein’s Latest: Nets, Giannis, Mexico City, Spurs
The Nets lost both games of their back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, but they pushed the Celtics to overtime on Friday in Boston and took the undefeated Cavaliers down to the wire in Cleveland on Saturday.
Projected before the season to be the NBA’s worst team, Brooklyn has looked surprisingly competitive under new head coach Jordi Fernandez, winning four of its first 10 games and holding its own against a relatively tough schedule. Only two of the Nets’ losses have been by more than five points.
As Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article, the Nets’ front office signaled during the summer by reacquiring control of their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks in a trade with Houston that they were expecting to finish firmly in the lottery. If they want to ensure the team has a shot at a franchise player in the ’25 draft, the front office may need to start making in-season deals sooner than expected, Stein notes.
According to Stein, Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic are the veterans mentioned most frequently by rival teams as Nets players they expect to be on the move by the February 6 trade deadline. All three are on manageable contracts (with cap hits below than $20MM) and could become unrestricted free agents in 2025. Schröder and Bogdanovic are on expiring deals, while Finney-Smith holds a player option for 2025/26.
Here’s more from Stein:
- After writing last weekend about the “league-wide lusting” for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stein follows up to clarify that the league’s 29 non-Bucks teams understand the two-time MVP will only ever be made available if he pushes for a trade. That hasn’t happened, but several clubs have started planning for the possibility it might and have let Milwaukee know they’ll be ready to talk if and when the time comes, according to Stein.
- Stein recently wrote about the idea of the NBA expanding to Mexico City and said he “just can’t see it happening.” In today’s Substack article, he says one “well-placed Mexico expert” warned him not to be so dismissive of the possibility, pointing out that the “immense financial opportunities” available in the country make it an idea the NBA won’t give up on easily. That source also pointed out that if the NBA realigns to four-team divisions, a Mexico City franchise would be well positioned to share a division with Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Still, Las Vegas and Seattle remain the presumptive frontrunners for the league’s next round of expansion, says Stein.
- The Spurs turned to 37-year-old Mitch Johnson rather than former NBA head coach Brett Brown with Gregg Popovich recently forced to be away from the team due to a health issue. As Stein explains, that was always the plan in the event that Popovich had to miss time, since Brown prefers to remain in his current role that allows him to provide guidance to the team’s young players, young coaches, and video staffers. Brown’s focus, per Stein, is on “helping Johnson thrive” as acting head coach.