Keyonte George Could Miss Time With Left Ankle Sprain
Jazz guard Keyonte George suffered a left ankle sprain late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to Brooklyn, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter links).
While X-rays on George’s ankle came back negative, he had a noticeable limp in the locker room and was being attended to by training staff, according to Larsen, who thinks the 22-year-old could miss time due to the injury.
George is having a breakout third season for Utah, averaging 24.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .454/.378/.899 shooting through 46 games (34.4 minutes per contest). He finished Friday’s game with 26 points (on 9-of-11 shooting), seven assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes.
If George is forced to miss some games, second-year guard Isaiah Collier and rookie Walter Clayton are among the candidates to receive more playing time for the Jazz, who fell to 15-34 following Friday’s loss.
Elijah Harkless, who is on a two-way contract with Utah, is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury. He told Larsen on Friday that he expects to be ready to return in a couple weeks (Twitter link). Harkless was named the G League’s Player of the Month for December.
Trade Rumors: Mathurin, Murray, Olynyk, Blazers, Nuggets
Chatter around the NBA suggests the Pacers are engaged in trade talks with multiple teams about fourth-year wing Bennedict Mathurin and appear likely to move him before next Thursday’s deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Reporting earlier in the month indicated that the Pacers had spoken to the Pelicans about a possible Mathurin deal, but it sounds like New Orleans isn’t the only team with the former lottery pick on its radar. While a right thumb sprain and turf toe have limited Mathurin to 25 appearances this season, he returned to action on Monday and is averaging 17.7 points in 31.8 minutes per game in the final year of his rookie contract.
If Mathurin remains with the Pacers through the deadline, he’ll be a sign-and-trade candidate this offseason, since Indiana – which already has over $177MM in guaranteed money on its books for next season – isn’t looking to give the 23-year-old a lucrative long-term contract in restricted free agency, Siegel writes.
Here are a few more trade rumors from across the league:
- There’s a sense that Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray and his representatives at Klutch Sports wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, says Siegel. New Orleans’ new front office brought in guards Jordan Poole and Jeremiah Fears last offseason, creating a more crowded backcourt. However, given that Murray continues to recover from an Achilles tear and has yet to make his season debut, it likely won’t be easy to move his three-year, $94MM contract at this point.
- In addition to Jeremy Sochan, big man Kelly Olynyk is also considered a Spurs trade candidate, per Siegel. Packaging those two players together would give San Antonio roughly $20.5MM in expiring salary for matching purposes, which could be useful on the trade market.
- Although Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday are thought to be available, the Trail Blazers don’t consider themselves sellers and would likely only be open to moving Holiday if they can do so in a deal that “immediately improves their outlook,” Siegel writes.
- The Nuggets are widely expected to make a small trade to duck below the tax line, which they’re currently above by about $400K, says Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Denver is confident that can be done without giving up a rotation player, though teams around the NBA are curious about the Nuggets’ plans for Peyton Watson, who may be difficult to retain in restricted free agency this summer. Teams projected to have cap room, including the Lakers, are preparing for the possibility of making a run at Watson in July, sources tell Fischer.
- Front offices around the NBA are expecting several trades completed in the next eight days to require three or four teams, Fischer writes. The Nets, Hornets, and Jazz have made it clear to rival clubs that they’re willing to get involved in multi-team scenarios to take on salary and help grease the wheels on potential deals, sources tell The Stein Line.
Southeast Rumors: Okongwu, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards, Magic
The Hawks have rebuffed inquiries from rival teams on center Onyeka Okongwu, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says Atlanta isn’t looking to move Okongwu and would prefer to add more frontcourt depth around him. Indiana was said earlier this month to have interest in Okongwu.
While Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard are viewed as trade candidates and could be involved in a more significant trade, the Hawks have also signaled that they’re open to using their flexibility below the luxury tax line to take on additional salary if it comes with second-round draft compensation attached, Scotto writes.
The Hawks currently have nearly $7MM in breathing room below the tax threshold and have several trade exceptions at their disposal, including one worth more than $13MM. They could also cut big man N’Faly Dante, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear, if they need to open up a roster spot, Scotto observes.
Here are a few more items of interest from around the Southeast Division:
- It remains to be seen whether the Hawks will enter the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but they have “zero interest” in trading either Jalen Johnson or their top 2026 draft pick (the most favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ first-rounders), tweets Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
- Following up on a report stating Hornets forward Miles Bridges has drawn interest from the Bucks (and other teams), Siegel says Milwaukee and Charlotte had trade conversations about Bridges and big man Bobby Portis. While the Hornets have some level of interest in Portis, they’d want a greater return to move on from Bridges and there has been no momentum on that front, per Siegel. The Bucks may also be less inclined to pursue veteran role players like Bridges if they end up trading Antetokounmpo.
- Although a recent report indicated the Wizards have interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler and could consider making a run at him in restricted free agency this summer, Washington views Alex Sarr as its center of the future, league sources tell HoopsHype. Scotto also reports that the Wizards have received some exploratory interest on Khris Middleton and his $33.3MM expiring contract, though I imagine it would be difficult to extract real value for the veteran forward.
- The Magic have gauged the trade market for former lottery pick Jett Howard since the offseason, league sources tell Scotto. However, moving off Howard’s $5.5MM expiring contract wouldn’t get Orlando out of luxury tax territory, so Tyus Jones ($7MM) and Jonathan Isaac ($15MM) may be the more likely trade candidates for the Magic.
Stein’s Latest: Sochan, Knecht, Pelicans, Kessler, Towns, Ellis, Dinwiddie
The Spurs have given Jeremy Sochan and his representatives permission to explore a potential trade, league sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required).
Sochan was selected with the ninth pick in the 2022 draft and was a consistent starter during his first two seasons in San Antonio. He has been pushed out of the rotation as the team has improved and has only appeared in 27 games this season, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 13.1 minutes per night. Shooting continues to be an issue for the 22-year-old power forward, who is only connecting at 46.9% from the field and 28.7% from three-point range for his career.
The Knicks have been speculated as a potential Sochan suitor in their search for low-cost frontcourt help. He has a $7.1MM expiring contract and will be a restricted free agent this summer if he receives a qualifying offer.
Stein shares more inside information from around the league:
- Second-year Lakers small forward Dalton Knecht could also be on the move, according to Stein. He was a first-round pick in 2024, but is only seeing 12.5 minutes per night in 36 games this season and hasn’t played at all outside of garbage time over the past two weeks. Knecht was sent to Charlotte at last year’s deadline as part of a Mark Williams deal that was later rescinded.
- The Pelicans are seeking a “Desmond Bane-type offer” to part with Trey Murphy III or Herbert Jones, Stein states. Memphis received four future first-round picks and a first-round pick swap when Bane was sent to Orlando last summer. While New Orleans continues to flounder at the bottom of the West, both players are under long-term contracts, so there’s no urgency to move them.
- League sources tell Stein that the Jazz are confident about re-signing center Walker Kessler, who’s out for the season following left shoulder surgery. The Wizards are expected to pursue Kessler to team with Alex Sarr, according to Stein, but Utah will be able to match any offer for the restricted free agent.
- Teams around the league are watching the Knicks to see if they’re willing to consider moving Karl-Anthony Towns before the deadline or if they’re holding onto him as an asset for a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, Stein adds.
- Stein hears that an estimated 14 teams have expressed interest in Kings guard Keon Ellis. In an earlier column, Stein cited Ellis as possibly the most likely player to be traded before the deadline.
- Former NBA guard Spencer Dinwiddie said on a recent podcast that he’s interested in signing with the Rockets, Stein relays. Dinwiddie is a free agent after parting ways with Bayern Munich earlier this month, but Stein states that Houston is unlikely to consider any signings until the deadline passes.
Flagg, Knueppel, Edgecombe Among Rising Stars Participants
The 2026 Rising Stars event will feature 11 sophomores, 10 rookies and seven G League representatives, the NBA announced in a press release. The mini-tournament will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on February 13.
Here’s the full list of participants:
Rookies
- Cedric Coward, Grizzlies
- Dylan Harper, Spurs
- Egor Dёmin, Nets
- Tre Johnson, Wizards
- VJ Edgecombe, Sixers
- Kon Knueppel, Hornets
- Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors
- Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
- Derik Queen, Pelicans
Sophomores
- Matas Buzelis, Bulls
- Alex Sarr, Wizards
- Stephon Castle, Spurs
Reed Sheppard, Rockets- Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers
- Cam Spencer, Grizzlies
- Kyshawn George, Wizards
- Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers
- Ajay Mitchell, Thunder
- Kel’el Ware, Heat
- Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
G League
- Sean East II, Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz‘s affiliate)
- Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
- Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
- Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets‘ affiliate)
- David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
- Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers‘ affiliate)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
All 10 of the rookies — headlined by No. 1 overall pick Flagg, No. 3 Edgecombe, and No. 4 Knuppel — were lottery selections in last year’s draft, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links). By contrast, only five of the sophomores were lottery picks, with three being first-rounders outside of the lottery and three picked in the second round.
NBA assistant coaches selected the 21 rookies and sophomores, according to the release, and those players will be drafted onto three different seven-player teams on Tuesday at 6:00 pm CT on Peacock. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will draft and be the “honorary coaches” of the three squads, while Austin Rivers will be the honorary coach for the G League representatives.
The four actual head coaches will be assistants from the All-Star game coaching staffs.
Six of the seven players representing the G League are actually on NBA contracts: Yang (No. 16) and Niederhauser (No. 30) were 2025 first-round picks, while Martin, Harper, Newton and Garcia are on two-way deals with their respective clubs. East, who played in Canada and Romania last season, is the lone player on an actual G League contract after Utah waived him in the fall.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, is the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr. Both players are the sons of longtime NBA guard Ron Harper, who won five championships with the Bulls and Lakers.
As for the tournament itself, the four teams will face off in a single-elimination semifinal, with the two winners competing in the final. The semifinal is first to 40 points, whereas the final will be first to 25.
Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen Expected To Return Tuesday
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, who has missed the last seven games while recovering from an illness, was able to practice on Monday and is expected to play in Tuesday’s game against the Clippers, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Markkanen is averaging a career-high 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal on .483/.365/.884 shooting through 33 games this season (36.0 minutes per contest). While multiple teams are said to have interest in the Finnish star, he’s reportedly not expected to be traded prior to the deadline.
Utah has a 14-19 record with Markkanen in the lineup in 2025/26, compared to an abysmal 1-12 mark when he’s unavailable. Overall, the team is 15-31, the sixth-worst record in the NBA.
The Jazz’s place in the reverse standings is noteworthy because they will owe their 2026 first-round pick to Oklahoma City if it lands outside the top eight.
Northwest Notes: Valanciunas, Wolves, Markkanen, Thunder
The Nuggets have been without their top two centers since the calendar turned to 2026, but they appear on the verge of getting one of them back on the floor. According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link), Jonas Valanciunas has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Washington.
After star center Nikola Jokic suffered a knee injury on December 29, Valanciunas stepped into Denver’s starting lineup for a Dec. 31 contest in Toronto but was unable to finish that game due to a right calf strain. Although the Nuggets officially announced a day later that Valanciunas would be reevaluated in four weeks, it seems he has a good chance to beat that projected timeline. If he doesn’t play on Thursday in Washington, the Lithuanian’s next chance to suit up would be the following night in Milwaukee.
Jokic was said last week to be making good progress in his recovery from a bone bruise in his left knee, but remains out for now. Nuggets head coach David Adelman indicated on Tuesday that Valanciunas was on track to return before Jokic.
- While he acknowledges that the Timberwolves could also use another point guard and some additional rim protection, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic believes the team’s most glaring need is a bench scorer. As Krawczynski explains, big man Naz Reid has had to carry the scoring load for the second unit for much of the season due to the inconsistent play of the team’s reserve guards and wings.
- Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will be inactive for a sixth game in a row on Thursday vs. San Antonio, but his injury designation has been changed from an illness to “return to competition reconditioning,” notes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). That update suggests Markkanen is close to returning.
- After a 6-6 stretch in December and early January, the Thunder are on a roll again, with seven wins in their past eight games. Still, the 37-8 club is dealing with no shortage of health issues. After losing Jalen Williams to a hamstring strain over the weekend, Oklahoma City had guard Alex Caruso (right adductor strain), big man Jaylin Williams (left glute contusion), and Aaron Wiggins (right groin soreness) inactive on Wednesday, and guard Ajay Mitchell exited early due to a right hip contusion. There has been no indication that any of the injuries are significant — notably, Jaylin Williams was initially listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game, while Wiggins was a late addition to the injury report.
Northwest Notes: Nurkic, Avdija, Henderson, Nuggets
Since raving about the Jazz organization last month, Jusuf Nurkic has been in and out of the team’s lineup, missing time due to a toe injury and then receiving his first three DNP-CDs of the season last week. That hasn’t diminished the big man’s enthusiasm for his current situation, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Nurkic – who is on an expiring $19.4MM contract – has been the subject of some trade speculation leading up to the February 5 deadline. However, he expressed a desire to remain in Utah, referring to himself with a smile as a “Jazz for life,” as Larsen relays.
“I mean, I obviously love being here. It’s been a great experience so far, and hopefully we continue the journey for a long time. But you can’t really control a lot of things,” Nurkic said. “It’s not probably bad or wrong or good to be in the trade rumors, it’s something in between. But if it’s up to me, I’m not leaving, so, (I want to) finish the season with the Jazz.”
According to Larsen, Nurkic is highly regarded in Utah, with the club’s brain trust pointing out that he leads the NBA in screen assists and has been a good fit on a young Jazz roster. That doesn’t mean the 31-year-old won’t be moved, but if the Jazz do trade him, Larsen can envision a scenario in which he returns as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and backs up center Walker Kessler in 2026/27.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Sixth-year forward Deni Avdija has emerged as an impact player for the Trail Blazers, averaging career highs in points (26.2) and assists (6.9) per game so far this season. Avdija’s star turn has made his current four-year, $55MM contract (he’s in year two) one of the most team-friendly deals in the NBA, but he has no regrets about signing that extension, per Jason Quick of The Athletic. “It gave me a lot of calmness, because I know I’m secure,” Avdija said. “That was my goal. I told my agent, and he was like, ‘I think you should sign for less years,’ but I was like, ‘If I outplay my contract, I outplay my contract. We will deal with that later.’ I’m not going to worry about $10 million more or $20 million less. This is what I got, and I’m going to say thank you and not take it for granted. It’s still a lot of money.”
- Scoot Henderson has yet to play this season due to a torn left hamstring, and while his return isn’t imminent, the Trail Blazers guard was spotted on Tuesday running full-court sprints after practice, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “He is progressing,” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said. “He’s getting better. I understand. Everybody’s a little bit frustrated about this, but it’s a tough injury. It’s (one) where people tend to have a second injury, so we’ve got to be careful with him. He’s a big part of our franchise. We’ve got to protect him. And I think we’re doing the right thing and he’s feeling better day by day.”
- Nuggets head coach David Adelman provided updates on his two injured centers on Tuesday, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required). Adelman referred to Jokic’s recovery from a hyperextended left knee as “kind of up and down,” indicating that Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) will likely return before Jokic does.
LaMelo Ball, Lauri Markkanen Reportedly Not Expected To Be Traded
A pair of former All-Stars are not expected to be traded ahead of the February 5 deadline, league sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. According to Siegel, LaMelo Ball of the Hornets and Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz are considered likely to stay put with their respective teams through the remainder of the regular season.
Siegel says Charlotte will have discussions about Ball’s future with the organization in the offseason, and points out that there are several promising guards in the 2026 draft who could potentially be his long-term replacement if the Hornets choose to go that route.
Ball, 24, is on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2028/29. He’s averaging 19.9 points, 7.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals on .413/.374/.878 shooting through 29 games this season (27.8 minutes per contest).
According to Siegel, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are the only untouchable Hornets, with the front office open to listening to offers on anyone else on the roster. Siegel hears veteran guard Collin Sexton, who is on an expiring $19MM contract, has drawn interest from several teams.
As for Markkanen, the Jazz view him as part of their core and they want to be more competitive in 2026/27, Siegel writes. While injured center Walker Kessler has generated “plenty” of trade interest, he’s also viewed as an important part of the team and is not expected to be moved in the next few weeks, Siegel confirms.
Through 32 games, Markkanen is averaging 27.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals on .483/.365/.892 shooting. He’s also on a lucrative long-term deal that runs through ’28/29.
Ace Bailey Remains Day To Day With Strained Hip Flexor
The Nuggets have been using Aaron Gordon off the bench since he returned from a hamstring strain to maximize the value of his limited minutes, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Coach David Adelman wants Gordon to be available to help close out games, so he’s playing him strategically the rest of the time.
“When you have a minute restriction, if you start somebody, they sit for so long before you put them back in. So this allows me to kind of play with the minutes,” Adelman said after Friday’s loss to Atlanta. He pointed out that a starting lineup with Hunter Tyson and DaRon Holmes was able to keep the game close until Gordon checked in.
Gordon logged 24 minutes on Friday, the most he has played in any of the three games since his return after a six-week absence, and finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists. He said the hamstring feels “fine” now, but he’s still adjusting to the unfamiliar role.
“I’m just trying to figure out the flow of my minutes, you know? It’s a longer halftime for me right now, for going in at halftime, then coming off the bench out of halftime,” Gordon said. “It’s a little bit longer for me. So I’m just trying to figure out how I can continue to get my body back and contribute more in the second half. And help my team win. I feel like if I was better in the second half, we would have won that game. At least in the fourth quarter. So I take this one on me.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Trail Blazers are on a five-game winning streak, triggering memories of last season’s second-half surge, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report states in a subscriber-only story. Injury issues created opportunities for two-way players Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love, who have become trusted parts of the rotation. “It’s just the confidence that these guys are getting,” interim coach Tiago Splitter said. “True minutes, meaningful minutes. Knowing that we have a system and a way to play, and we just follow it.”
- Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday is close to returning after missing the past 27 games with a right calf strain, according to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. He has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game against New York and could be back on the court for the first time since November 14. Freeman notes that Holiday was originally expected to be reevaluated in one to two weeks, but the injury continued to linger. In 12 games, Holiday is averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in 33.4 minutes per night.
- Jazz rookie Ace Bailey was only able to play 10 minutes on Wednesday against Oklahoma City as he tried to return from a strained hip flexor. It’s the only time he’s been on the court since suffering the injury on December 26. “Yeah, it’s still day to day,” coach Will Hardy told reporters, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). “You know, he felt like he could go in OKC, and then after his first two shifts, we didn’t love how he looked moving, he didn’t love how he felt, and so we don’t want to put him in a position that hurts him. So we’re taking it day by day. He’s working really hard. He was on the court today. Still got a long way to go.”