Northwest Notes: Henderson, Krejci, Nuggets, Murray
According to Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter, third-year guard Scoot Henderson is expected to make his return “very, very soon,” Joe Freeman reports for The Oregonian (Twitter link).
Henderson has missed the entire season to this point with a left hamstring tear, but was recently said to be in the final stages of recovery. While Splitter and the team’s ownership have been wary of putting an exact timeline on when he could make his debut, it sounds like it should happen sooner rather than later.
The third overall pick in the 2023 draft, Henderson holds career averages of 13.3 points and 5.2 assists on 34.0% shooting from three in 27.5 minutes per game. Turnovers have been an issue for him early in his career, though he lowered his giveaways from 3.4 per game as a rookie to 2.7 in his second season.
The Blazers currently hold the ninth seed in the West despite Jrue Holiday only playing 21 of the team’s 49 games. Henderson’s return could help stabilize the point guard rotation while giving Portland more data on the third-year guard, who will be extension-eligible this summer.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Splitter said that he talked to newly-acquired guard Vit Krejci today, Freeman writes (via Twitter). Splitter suggested that – given the current makeup of the Trail Blazers’ roster – Krejci will be a very welcome presence in the rotation. “He’s excited about coming here,” Splitter said. “Great shooter. A guy that doesn’t need many inches to shoot the basketball. And I think we are thirsty for a shooter like him … he’s a player that’s going to help us a lot.” Krejci is a career 40.5% shooter from three and is averaging a career-high 9.0 points per game this season. Portland currently ranks last in the NBA in three-point percentage, hitting just 33.6% as a team.
- The Nuggets aren’t expected to move veterans like Jonas Valanciunas or Cameron Johnson at the trade deadline, writes Bennett Durando of the Denver Post, who says he would be “shocked” by such a move. Peyton Watson is also presumed to be off-limits, despite the Nuggets’ expected difficulty in retaining him this summer in free agency. Instead, Durando reiterates that Denver’s priorities will likely be getting under the luxury tax and converting two-way forward Spencer Jones into a standard deal. Zeke Nnaji is the player the Nuggets would most like to move, but his guaranteed multiyear salary will make that difficult.
- Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was named to his first All-Star game on Sunday, ending his run as one of the league’s most decorated players without an All-Star appearance. Several around the league felt it was long overdue, Durando writes. “When I saw (the announcement), so many things went through my mind,” coach David Adelman said. “Multiple 50-point games. Multiple 50-point games in the playoffs… Triple-double in the Finals. NBA champion. Most wins in the West over the last 10 years.” Ahead of the team’s matchup with their Western Conference rivals in Oklahoma City, Thunder coach Mark Daignault echoed Adelman’s sentiment. “First of all, congrats to Jamal Murray,” Daigneault said, unprompted. “It’s remarkable he’s never been an All-Star. He’s an All-Star-level player. And very deserving this season.” Murray is the first Nugget All-Star outside of Nikola Jokic since Carmelo Anthony, Durando notes.
Trade Rumors: Williams, Blazers, Kings, Strus, Dieng
The Trail Blazers have been “shopping” Robert Williams ahead of the trade deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link). The veteran big man is on an expiring $13.3MM contract and has long been viewed as a possible trade candidate.
As Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report writes (Substack link), Portland values Williams, who is “beloved” in the locker room on top of being a “cultural tone-setter.” The 28-year-old has also been the healthiest he’s been in years, averaging 5.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 33 games (16.3 minutes per contest).
Still, it will be tricky for the Blazers to get a substantial return for Williams given his long injury history, Highkin notes. That spotty track record also makes the possibility of re-signing him in the summer a clear risk.
Here are some more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- The Trail Blazers reportedly have interest in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Incoming owner Tom Dundon is a wild card in the Giannis sweepstakes, writes Bill Oram of The Oregonian (subscriber link). As Oram explains, Dundon has developed a reputation as someone who is highly competitive and unafraid to take risks. While Dundon’s purchase of the team won’t be finalized until after the deadline, the front office has gotten to know him well and recognizes the types of moves he’d be willing to sign off on. Oram believes the Blazers should pass on Antetokounmpo, especially if the Bucks ask for Deni Avdija (and they definitely would). For what it’s worth, new Blazer Vit Krejci shares an agent (Alex Saratsis) with Antetokounmpo, Highkin notes.
- The Kings continue to be active in trade talks after the De’Andre Hunter deal, confirms James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com. The Kings created two openings on their standard roster by sending out three players for one, and Ham hears one of those spots will eventually go to Dylan Cardwell. However, that won’t occur until after the deadline. The additional roster flexibility could be useful if Sacramento takes in multiple players (starting with RJ Barrett) from the Raptors in a Domantas Sabonis trade, Ham observes, though nothing is imminent on that front.
- In addition to looking for trades involving Lonzo Ball, the Cavaliers have also received some external interest in swingman Max Strus, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Strus has yet to play this season following offseason foot surgery.
- Fourth-year forward Ousmane Dieng is considered one of the Thunder‘s top trade candidates and there’s a “real possibility” he’ll be on the move by February 5, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). “I don’t really think about it,” Dieng told The Oklahoman. “I’m just trying to improve every day and help the team win.”
Hawks Trade Krejci To Blazers For Reath, Second-Rounders
3:40 pm: The trade is official, the Hawks and Trail Blazers announced.
11:20 am: The Hawks and Trail Blazers have agreed to a trade, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports (via Twitter) that Vit Krejci will be heading to Portland for Duop Reath and two second-round picks.
The Hawks will receive their own 2027 second-round pick back from Portland, as well as New York’s 2030 second-rounder, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Blazers controlled both of those picks from previous trades.
Reath, a 6’9″ big man, recently underwent season-ending foot surgery. Although he doesn’t state it outright, Charania suggests Reath could be waived to open a roster spot for the Hawks (Twitter link). N’Faly Dante, who is also out for the season after tearing his ACL, is another candidate to be released, tweets cap expert Yossi Gozlan.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), the Trail Blazers have been very active in trade conversations. They plan to promote two-way players Caleb Love and Sidy Cissoko to standard contracts after the February 5 deadline, Stein adds.
As several NBA insiders have noted, Atlanta evidently viewed Krejci as expendable after the team acquired Corey Kispert from Washington.
A 6’8″ guard, Krejci has averaged 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 42.3% from three-point range in 46 appearances this season (22.3 minutes per game). The 25-year-old is on a very affordable contract, earning $2.3MM this season, a non-guaranteed $2.7MM in 2026/27, with a $3MM team option for ’27/28.
Krejci’s outside shooting fills an immediate need for the Blazers, who rank last in the league in three-point percentage (33.6%). The former second-round pick will be extension-eligible in July, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Reath, meanwhile, is earning $2.2MM this season and could be a restricted free agent in the summer if he finishes his current contract and is given a qualifying offer, though that seems unlikely.
And-Ones: Gortman, Bamba, All-Value Team, TV Ratings
Multiple college coaches have reached out to Jazian Gortman‘s camp to see if the 22-year-old guard, who has been playing for the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League, would have interest in playing NCAA ball, tweets Jeff Goodman of Field of 68.
Gortman was part of the Overtime Elite program in 2022/23, went undrafted in 2023, and has spent multiple years since then playing in the G League. However, unlike James Nnaji, who enrolled at Baylor this week two years after being drafted by Charlotte, Gortman has actually played in the NBA.
In addition to signing Exhibit 10 contracts with the Bucks, Mavericks, and Thunder since 2023, Gortman also spent over three months in 2024/25 on a two-way deal with Dallas, appearing in 16 NBA games during that time.
According to Goodman, Gortman conveyed that he’s not interested in going the college route. However, the fact that he generated interest at all is an indication that college programs are continuing to test the limits of the NCAA’s increasingly lenient interpretation of rules related to a player’s so-called “amateur” status.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- After recently suggesting that the Raptors should strongly consider Mo Bamba for a 10-day contract next month, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca asked sources why the former lottery pick is currently toiling in the G League rather than the NBA. The general consensus, Grange says, is that there are concerns about the consistency of Bamba’s effort. “He has every tool necessary to be an elite player … but he will always be a tease, unfortunately,” one league executive said. Bamba has averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game in 14 outings for the Salt Lake City Stars this season.
- Which NBA players are on the most team-friendly contracts? Bobby Marks of ESPN selects his 15-man “All-Value team,” singling out players like Hawks guard Vit Krejci, Celtics center Neemias Queta, Mavericks guard Brandon Williams, and the Spencer brothers (Pat Spencer of the Warriors and Cam Spencer of the Grizzlies). Marks’ team is made of players earning less than $3MM this season who weren’t signed via the first- or second-round cap exceptions.
- Ahead of the NBA’s Christmas Day games, the league announced that more than 87 million people have watched games so far this season on ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and NBA TV (Twitter link). That figure represents an 89% increase on last season in the first year of the NBA’s new media rights deal, according to the league.
Eastern Notes: Hawks, Embiid, McConnell, Robinson, Ball
Trae Young is currently on the shelf with a strained MCL, while Kristaps Porzingis isn’t yet producing at his usual level, but the Hawks have picked up back-to-back wins due in large part to big games from unlikely sources.
As Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, third-year forward Mouhamed Gueye came up big in Saturday’s victory over the Lakers, scoring a career-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting while also contributing seven rebounds and seven assists. It was a career night for Gueye, who was making his second start of the season with several regulars – including Porzingis and Jalen Johnson – sidelined.
“He’s been hungry,” head coach Quin Snyder said after the game. “He wants to get better. He’s putting the time in games, like tonight, he gets even more opportunity to do that, obviously, on the floor.”
Gueye had a quiet night off the bench on Monday vs. the Clippers, but fellow reserve Vit Krejci set his own career high in points (28), as well as three-pointers, knocking down 8-of-10 tries from beyond the arc. As Williams details, Krejci’s hot shooting helped fuel Atlanta’s comeback, and his banked-in three-pointer to beat the shot clock with 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter helped seal the win (video link).
Both Gueye and Krejci are on multiyear minimum-salary contracts, so the Hawks have the ability to retain them on team-friendly deals beyond this season.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Tuesday’s contest vs. Boston due to right knee soreness, the team announced today (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). It’s Embiid’s first non-scheduled absence so far this season, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. It’s also worth noting that it’s not the knee that has been a recurring issue for the big man in recent years — Embiid underwent surgery on his left knee in the spring. He’s being evaluated further by team doctors, per the Sixers.
- Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell, who was said over the weekend to be “getting closer” to making his season debut, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s game in Utah, according to the team (Twitter link). McConnell has yet to play this fall due to a left hamstring strain, but his return appears to be imminent — if he’s unable to suit up against the Jazz, the veteran’s next opportunity to play would be on Thursday in Phoenix.
- Mitchell Robinson has played sparingly so far this season, suiting up for just four of the Knicks‘ first nine games as the team carefully manages his workload. However, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes, Robinson has made the most of his limited role, grabbing nine offensive rebounds in 16 minutes vs. Minnesota last Wednesday, then finishing as a remarkable +40 in less than 17 minutes of action against Brooklyn on Sunday. “I don’t really fall into the plus-minus stuff a ton, but it’s another amazing stat,” head coach Mike Brown said. “He keeps throwing up these stats that are amazing. … To impact the game that way — again, not a huge believer in it — but to see a number like that in the short amount of time he was playing, was just amazing.”
- Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the Greensboro Swarm (Twitter link). Ball has missed Charlotte’s past four games due to a right ankle impingement, but head coach Charles Lee expressed enthusiasm on Monday about the progress the 24-year-old has made in his recovery (Twitter video link via Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer).
28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025
On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.
However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.
The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.
At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.
By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.
Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:
Group A
Czechia (Czech Republic)
- Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: None
Estonia
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Henri Drell
Latvia
- Current NBA players: Kristaps Porzingis (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: Davis Bertans, Dairis Bertans
Portugal
- Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
- Former NBA players: None
Serbia
- Current NBA players: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev
Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Turkey
- Current NBA players: Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Adem Bona (Sixers)
- Former NBA players: Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Shane Larkin, Omer Yurtseven, Onuralp Bitim
Group B
Finland
- Current NBA players: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Germany
- Current NBA players: Franz Wagner (Magic), Dennis Schröder (Kings), Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Former NBA players: Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga
Great Britain
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Tarik Phillip
Lithuania
- Current NBA players: Jonas Valanciunas (Nuggets)
- Former NBA players: Deividas Sirvydis
Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.
Montenegro
- Current NBA players: Nikola Vucevic (Bulls)
- Former NBA players: Marko Simonovic
Sweden
- Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
- Former NBA players: None
Group C
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Cyprus
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Georgia
- Current NBA players: Goga Bitadze (Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors)
- Former NBA players: Tornike Shengelia
Greece
- Current NBA players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Former NBA players: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Tyler Dorsey, Kostas Papanikolaou, Kostas Antetokounmpo
Italy
- Current NBA players: Simone Fontecchio (Heat)
- Former NBA players: Danilo Gallinari, Nicolo Melli
Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Spain
- Current NBA players: Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)
- Former NBA players: Willy Hernangomez, Juancho Hernangomez
Group D
Belgium
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
France
- Current NBA players: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Guerschon Yabusele (Knicks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Theo Maledon, Elie Okobo, Jaylen Hoard
France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Iceland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Israel
- Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Former NBA players: None
Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Poland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd
Slovenia
- Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
- Former NBA players: None
Czechia’s Tomas Satoransky To Miss EuroBasket With Back Injury
Former NBA guard Tomas Satoransky will miss EuroBasket 2025 due to a lingering back injury, he announced today on social media (Instagram link). The tournament begins next week.
“I had to make a very difficult decision today,” Satoransky wrote, per Sportando. “Those who know me understand what it means for me to play for the national team and how much I wanted to take part in my fifth European Championship in national colors. However, due to my current health condition, I cannot help the guys the way I would like and as expected of me. Therefore, I must apologize for withdrawing.
“ … Before the summer, I didn’t know if this would be my ‘last dance’ with the national team, but now I know for sure that I want to say goodbye on the court! I believe we will all see each other soon in the arena, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed from afar in Riga for the guys, hoping they can add another valuable result for Czech basketball.”
The 32nd pick of the 2012 draft, Satoransky spent several years in Spain before coming to North America, where he appeared in 388 NBA regular season games — including 182 starts — from 2016-22. He holds career averages of 6.9 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds on .468/.354/.820 shooting in 22.2 minutes per game.
Since he returned to Europe in the summer of 2022, Satoransky has been a valuable role player for the Spanish EuroLeague club Barcelona. He turns 34 years old in a couple months.
Ex-NBA big man Jan Vesely, Satoransky’s teammate with Barca, will also miss the EuroBasket tournament for Czechia as he continues to rehab from injuries which plagued him in the second half of 2024/25.
Czechia’s official 12-man roster is headlined by Hawks guard Vit Krejci, according to FIBA. The other 11 players are Richard Balint, Jaromir Bohacik, Vojtech Hruban, Adam Kejval, Martin Kriz, Petr Krivanek, Tomas Kyzlink, Martin Peterka, Ondrej Sehnal, Martin Svoboda and Jak Zidek.
Eastern Notes: Peter, Krejci, Pistons, Sixers
Taelon Peter‘s two-way contract with the Pacers will cover two seasons, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks at Sports Business Classroom. Peter, the 54th overall pick in this year’s draft, is the fourth 2025 second-rounder to a sign a two-year, two-way contract, joining Rocco Zikarsky (Timberwolves), Javon Small (Grizzlies), and Kobe Sanders (Clippers).
Peter’s two-way deal includes a $85,300 partial guarantee for now, but half of his full $636,435 salary will become guaranteed if he remains under contract through the start of the regular season, Hoops Rumors has learned.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Hawks guard Vit Krejci is the lone active NBA player named to the preliminary Czech roster for this year’s EuroBasket tournament, notes Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com (Twitter link). Veteran guard Tomas Satoransky, who appeared in 388 NBA games from 2016-22, is among the other notable names representing the Czechs.
- With oddsmakers considering the Pistons the betting favorites to land Cam Thomas if he leaves Brooklyn, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press explores the possibility of the restricted free agent guard landing in Detroit but expresses skepticism it will happen. As Sankofa notes, Thomas isn’t an obvious fit on a roster that already features multiple ball-dominant guards (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey) and likely “doesn’t check enough boxes to justify the expense.” Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (YouTube link) also recently checked in on the Pistons as a possible suitor for Thomas and found nothing doing.
- In a mailbag for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Keith Pompey fields questions on Joel Embiid‘s and Paul George‘s trade value, why Guerschon Yabusele wasn’t moved in February if the Sixers were going to let him walk, and what the club’s backcourt rotation might look like. Pompey expects Quentin Grimes, assuming he re-signs, to start alongside Tyrese Maxey, with Kelly Oubre at small forward and Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe coming off the bench.
Southeast Notes: Black, Magic, Krejci, Wizards
Second-year Magic guard Anthony Black is looking to close the season on a high note, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Black, who is averaging 9.0 points and 3.1 assists in 62 games, has seen his minutes increase while he’s started fewer games. His overall efficiency has declined in his second season, though his counting numbers have improved.
“Good, bad … I would say mediocre,” Black said when asked to describe his second season. “I don’t think I was able to find enough consistency in just everything I was doing but I definitely think I got a lot better with the opportunities that I’ve had. It’s been good to get some reps.”
When the Magic have been at full strength, Black’s role has been limited, but that has rarely happened this season, as Orlando has dealt with injuries affecting several key players, including guard Jalen Suggs. Black is planning to take advantage of the opportunity for playing time down the stretch and is leaning on veteran teammates like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph and Gary Harris for advice.
“They know what it takes to do everything that I’m trying to do,” Black said. “It’s just good having a group of older dudes that have been in the league. Definitely thankful for them.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Magic are searching for good vibes as they prepare for the third game of a five-game road trip, Beede writes in a separate story. Orlando currently averages the fewest points in the league (104.3), so increasing that number has been a focal point for the team, which currently holds the eighth seed in the East. “Practice was great. There was a focus on creating offense, stepping into shots with confidence, execution,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Those small pieces are what we really, really honed in on.”
- Hawks guard Vit Krejci recently returned from an extended absence due to a lumbar fracture. He’s become a key piece of Atlanta’s rotation over the past year and is averaging 7.0 points in 41 games (15 starts) this season. As Caleb Johnson of 92.9 The Game (Twitter link) relays, Krejci said this week that he also was dealing with a sprained right wrist at the same time as his lumbar fracture, and that both injuries occurred on the same play. He made his return on March 10.
- The Wizards have played better as of late, with five wins in their past nine games, but all their recent moves have been made with an eye toward the future. With that in mind, Varun Shankar of The Washington Post takes a closer look at the strides that potential building blocks like AJ Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly (who is out now due to injury), and Kyshawn George have taken. As Shankar notes, Johnson played his most minutes in a Wizards jersey on Monday, registering six assists in a loss to Toronto.
Southeast Notes: Magic, Johnson, Hawks Injuries, Snyder, Adebayo
Almost nothing is going according to plan for the Magic this season, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins writes. Orlando’s loss to the Bulls on Thursday was the fifth loss in a row for the team, which has been left searching for answers.
As recently as last season, it seemed like the Magic was following a trajectory similar to that of the Thunder or Rockets. All three teams added to their cores with the top-three picks in the 2022 draft, and the tandem of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner led the Magic to the fifth seed in the East last season, where they were able to push the Cavaliers to seven games.
But now, the Thunder are the top team in the West with Houston firmly in the playoff picture. As Robbins writes, a season with promise is in danger of falling apart as the Magic sit in ninth place this season and will have to win at least one play-in game (and possibly two) to earn a first-round date with the Cavs or Celtics.
“It’s a different year,” Banchero said. “It’s almost the end of this season, so we’re a different team. Teams, I think, are seeing what our weaknesses are and they’re attacking it, and we’ve had trouble adjusting.”
Injuries and three-point shooting are the biggest reasons for the tougher year, Robbins writes. Defensive ace Jalen Suggs is out for the season while Banchero and Wagner both had long-term absences in the first half. That trio has only shared the court for 97 total minutes. With Suggs out for the foreseeable future, the Magic will need to figure out how to get into a groove without him. They’re 9-20 this season when the former Gonzaga standout isn’t available.
Additionally, the Magic have missed the production they received from Moritz Wagner off the bench. He’s not only their statistically best three-point shooter, but he also gives them optionality at center, which the team is sorely missing. The Magic rank last in the league in three-point percentage.
“The message at the end was we’ve got to fight our way out of this funk,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s a funk, and we’ve got to fight our way out of it.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Rising Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, who is out for the season due to a torn labrum, is confident he’ll be ready for the start of the ’25/26 season, per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren L. Williams. “When you’re in the league, you’re constantly learning about your body, how things may need to tweak here and there,” Johnson said. “So, I’m still learning things, learning new things. I got a great staff around me who provides great insight on things like that. So I just been trying to take knowledge from a lot of people, other athletes and stuff like that as far as you know, maybe what they do, I mean their preparation. But I’m confident in what I do, and I know I’ll get back to 100%.”
- Hawks guard Vit Krejci, out since Feb. 10 due to a lumbar fracture, was upgraded to questionable for the team’s Saturday game against the Pacers, Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks tweets. Krejci is averaging 6.9 points per game while shooting 38.4% from three in 39 games (15 starts) this season. Meanwhile, impressive trade deadline acquisitions Caris LeVert (knee inflammation) and Terance Mann (quad contusion) are in danger of missing a game for the first time since arriving in Atlanta. Both players are questionable for Saturday’s contest.
- Hawks head coach Quin Snyder returned to the bench on Thursday against the Pacers after missing one game due to illness, ESPN reports. Snyder missed that game due to the flu and assistant Igor Kokoskov took his place. “His level of experience makes you very comfortable in those situations,” Snyder said of Kokoskov.
- Bam Adebayo is working his way up the Heat’s all-time rankings, recently surpassing Rony Seikaly for the most double-doubles in franchise history. Impressively, Adebayo is already fourth in all-time scoring for the Heat and has a shot to move into second place as soon as next season. He’s already No. 2 among the Heat’s all-time leading rebounders and, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, isn’t shy to let current leader Udonis Haslem know he’s coming for his record. “He’s been texting me every spot,” Haslem said. “Every spot he comes up the chain, he texts me.”