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Warriors’ Al Horford Will Return Thursday

December 25th, 2025 at 3:44pm CST by Rory Maher

As expected, Warriors big man Al Horford will return to action on Thursday. The 39-year-old has been upgraded to available for the Christmas matchup vs Dallas, tweets Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

Horford has missed the past seven games — and 11 of the past 12 — due to right sciatic nerve irritation. Head coach Steve Kerr indicated on Wednesday that the longtime forward/center would likely play today.

Health issues have limited Horford’s availability and effectiveness in 2025/26. He had appeared in 13 of Golden State’s 30 games entering Thursday, averaging career lows in points (5.6), rebounds (4.4) and minutes (21.5) per game. Horford is also posting career-worst percentages on twos (38.1%) and threes (29.8%), though the sample sizes are very small (8-of-21 and 17-of-57, respectively).

A five-time All-Star, Horford has transitioned into an effective role player in the latter stages of his career, helping Boston win the championship in 2024. The 19-year veteran was the Warriors’ marquee free agent addition in the offseason, signing a two-year, $11.7MM deal that includes a player option for 2026/27.

Horford will come off the bench on Thursday, with Kerr using the same starting lineup (Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post) he has been running for the past handful of games, notes ESPN’s Anthony Slater (via Twitter).

Dorian Finney-Smith Set To Make Rockets Debut

December 25th, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

2:56 pm: Finney-Smith will make his season debut on Thursday, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). The veteran forward will be on a “strict” minutes restriction, Charania adds.

8:55 am: Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith could make his Rockets debut on Thursday when Houston faces the Lakers. He’s listed as questionable to play in the Christmas Day matchup, according to Ben DuBose of RocketsWire.

Finney-Smith would be playing against his most recent team if he does suit up. He left the Lakers as a free agent over the summer, signing a four-year, $53MM contract with the Rockets.

Noted for his defensive versatility, Finney-Smith was traded from Brooklyn to Los Angeles last December and appeared in 43 games for the Lakers in 2024/25, making 20 starts. He averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 28.8 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .442/.398/.714.

Finney-Smith underwent left ankle surgery in June, weeks before signing his new deal. At that time, he was expected to be ready for training camp, but that timeline proved optimistic. The 32-year-old missed a total of 20 games last season related to issues with the ankle, including eight with Los Angeles.

Starting power forward Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging a career-high 34.5 minutes per game. Finney-Smith’s availability will likely cut into Smith’s playing time.

And-Ones: Gortman, Bamba, All-Value Team, TV Ratings

December 25th, 2025 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Cameron Johnson Out At Least 4-6 Weeks With Knee Injury

December 25th, 2025 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

December 25: Although Johnson’s knee injury wasn’t as significant as initially feared, he’ll still be out of action for the foreseeable future. According to Charania (Twitter link), Johnson will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.

December 24: The Nuggets got good news on forward Cameron Johnson following his right knee injury on Tuesday. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), an MRI on Johnson’s knee showed a bone bruise, but no structural damage.

As Shams Charania of ESPN tweets, Johnson is still expected to miss some time, but it’s a best-case scenario for him and the Nuggets, since there was concern he sustained a more serious injury.

The injury occurred in the fourth quarter when Johnson went up for a defensive rebound (Twitter video link via Grant Afseth). He landed awkwardly and fell to the floor, grabbing his right knee, then exited the game shortly thereafter.

There still appears to be some uncertainty regarding Johnson’s recovery timeline, according to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link), who says there should be more information by Thursday. However, it sounds safe to assume that the Nuggets forward will miss the team’s Christmas Day divisional showdown with the Timberwolves.

Johnson, acquired from Brooklyn in an offseason trade that sent Michael Porter Jr. to the Nets, got off to an extremely slow start in Denver this fall, averaging 7.2 points with a .372/.211/.813 shooting line in his first 11 games. He has looked more like his normal self in recent weeks, with 14.6 PPG on .503/.523/.810 shooting in his past 17 outings.

The Nuggets are already missing a pair of starters, with Christian Braun (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (hamstring) still recovering from their own injuries. Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones have been starting alongside Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Johnson in place of Braun and Gordon. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. are the top candidates to be promoted to the starting five with Johnson out too.

Community Shootaround: NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule

December 25th, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Merry Christmas from the Hoops Rumors staff!

As usual, December 25 features a full slate of five NBA games that tipped off at noon Eastern time and will run well past midnight. The Cavaliers visited the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in the day’s early game, which will be followed by four Western Conference matchups:

2:30 pm ET: San Antonio Spurs (22-7) at Oklahoma City Thunder (26-4)
5:00 pm ET: Dallas Mavericks (12-19) at Golden State Warriors (15-15)
8:00 pm ET: Houston Rockets (17-10) at Los Angeles Lakers (19-9)
10:30 pm ET: Minnesota Timberwolves (20-10) at Denver Nuggets (21-8)

Having the Spurs visit the defending champion Thunder on Christmas Day, with Victor Wembanyama coming off a major health issue and San Antonio having won just 34 games last season, was a risk. But it has paid off in a major way for the NBA — the Spurs have already upset the Thunder twice this month, and this will be just the second time in the past 40 years that the Western Conference’s top two teams have faced one another on December 25, per the league (Twitter link).

The rest of the teams currently holding playoff spots in the West – the Rockets, Lakers, Timberwolves, and Nuggets – will be in action in the final two games of the day, while the Warriors/Mavericks contest is the only contest to feature two teams outside the top six. However, Dallas has looked much improved as of late, having gone 7-4 after a 5-15 start. With Anthony Davis healthy and Cooper Flagg beginning to show his star-level upside more consistently, that bout with Stephen Curry and Golden State is hardly a bust.

With so much uncertainty surrounding the top Eastern Conference teams entering the season, the NBA was probably right to lean heavily on Western matchups, and it looks like the league picked the right teams. The Suns are the only top-eight club in the conference not in action today, and the Mavs – thanks to the presence of Davis and Flagg – are a compelling alternative despite ranking 11th.

While it’s disappointing not to see the 24-6 Pistons in action today, the league probably couldn’t have predicted that Detroit would be this good in the first half. Sticking with the Cavaliers and Knicks was a safe choice — Cleveland and New York were two of the last four Eastern Conference teams left standing in 2024/25, and the other two (Boston and Indiana) are both missing a star player due to an Achilles tear.

What do you think? Are you happy with the NBA’s Christmas Day slate? Would you have shuffled around any of the matchups, or avoided scheduling any of these 10 teams in favor of another? Which of the rest of today’s games are you most looking forward to?

Head to the comment section to share your thoughts, and enjoy the holiday basketball!

Lakers Notes: Doncic, Hayes, Reaves, Hachimura, Vincent, Defense

December 25th, 2025 at 11:51am CST by Dana Gauruder

Good news for Lakers and NBA fans in general today: Luka Doncic is expected to play in the fourth of five games on the Christmas slate, the Lakers’ home game against the Rockets, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (video link).

Doncic suffered a lower left leg contusion in Saturday’s loss to the Clippers. He subsequently missed the team’s 24-point loss to the Suns. The Most Valuable Player candidate is averaging 34.1 points, 8.8 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Doncic has officially been upgraded to probable, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets, while big man Jaxson Hayes has been ruled out due to an ankle ailment.

[Update: Both Doncic and Hachimura have been upgraded to available, tweets Marc Stein].

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Head coach JJ Redick believes Austin Reaves will be an All-Star this season (Twitter video link via McMenamin). “I would imagine it would mean a lot to him—a whole lot. He and I have had discussions about how surreal it is for him to be playing at this level and in this position. I absolutely think he’ll be an All-Star this year,” Redick said. “You always have to be careful as an athlete to stop and smell the roses. With the nature of competition, particularly over 82 games, there’s really no time to take your foot off the gas. That’s the opposite of who he is. He’s the type of player who consistently wants to get better, wants more, is willing to put in the work, and is willing to go out on the court and play hard enough to go for more. He’s proven that over and over again.”
Doncic and Reaves have developed a “bromance,” which McMenamin chronicles for ESPN.com. “We act like we’re probably 10-year old best friends,” Reaves said. “You have a deeper care for one another than just basketball. And then that bleeds into basketball, because you don’t want to let that person down. … You don’t want to not give it your all.” Doncic signed a contract extension with the Lakers over the summer, while Reaves figures to sign his next contract in July of 2026.
Rui Hachimura (groin) could also return to action today, but guard Gabe Vincent, one of the team’s top perimeter defenders, will miss his fourth game with lower back soreness, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Thuc Nhi Nguyen. The Lakers are ranked 28th defensively over the last 14 games and Redick says his team can’t take possessions off, as we detailed on Wednesday.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Turnovers, Towns

December 25th, 2025 at 10:39am CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks wing Mikal Bridges always answers the bell, which makes him stand out among NBA players. Bridges is the only current player to appear in at least 500 consecutive games — he’ll push his streak up to 638 if he doesn’t miss a regular season game this season.

Bridges detailed his pregame routine to the New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.

“I take advantage of the cold tubs, always get a massage before the game, the stretcher routine and everything,” Bridges said. “I think it’s just being consistent with it. It’s a long season with a lot of emotions going on. People tend to stop doing all the things. I just try to be consistent all the time and continue to do all the things that are going to get me prepared for the game.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Pressing defenses with quick, athletic guards can give New York problems. That was a case in point during Minnesota’s nine-point victory on Tuesday, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes. “It’s gonna be hard to win on the road if you have 19 turnovers for 22 points off those turnovers,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. “And part of it — those turnovers led to easy baskets in transition. … Give Minnesota credit, because they brought a lot of physicality to the game and created a lot of those turnovers.”
Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out after his 40-point effort against the Timberwolves and was also whistled for four fouls in each of the previous two games. Schwartz notes that Towns has recorded 30 offensive fouls this year — most in the NBA, and six more than the next-highest player. “He just has to continue to try to not pick up cheap fouls,” Brown said. “Had a couple of cheap fouls where he led with his hands or he hooked a guy. Now, we have to sit him for X amount of minutes when he needs to be on the floor. So, 40 [points] and 13 [rebounds], it doesn’t surprise me at all, because he’s more than capable. But if you’re gonna be a great player, and I’m sure he does too, we expect more from him so he can be out on that floor.”
In case you missed it, Knicks prospect James Nnaji has enrolled at Baylor and has been granted four years of college eligibility. Get the details here.

Hornets Sign PJ Hall To Two-Way Deal

December 24th, 2025 at 11:59pm CST by Luke Adams

11:59 pm: Hall’s two-way contract is official, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.

10:06 am: The Hornets are adding more depth to their frontcourt, having agreed to a two-way deal with center PJ Hall, agent Matt Bollero tells Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link).

A former All-ACC standout at Clemson, Hall spent his rookie season with Denver on a two-way deal in 2024/25, then signed a new two-way contract with the Grizzlies this past summer. He didn’t play a significant role for either team, logging 66 minutes in 19 appearances for the Nuggets last season and 27 minutes in seven games for Memphis this fall before being waived in November to make room for Jahmai Mashack.

However, Hall has been a solid contributor in the G League, having joined Charlotte’s affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, after being cut by the Grizzlies. In 14 total outings for the Swarm and the Memphis Hustle, the 6’8″ big man has averaged 14.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 27.5 minutes per game.

Hall will give Hornets head coach Charles Lee another option in the middle after centers Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain) and Mason Plumlee (right groin strain) were both inactive for Tuesday’s win over Washington.

Charlotte’s lone healthy center, Moussa Diabate, had a huge night against the Wizards, with 12 points, 18 rebounds, and a +38 mark in 36 minutes. But the team was outscored by 21 points in his 12 minutes on the bench and could use more reinforcements at the five if either Kalkbrenner or Plumlee is expected to miss additional time.

The Hornets waived two-way forward Drew Peterson to make room on the roster for Hall.

Warriors Notes: Dunleavy, Butler, Green, Horford

December 24th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors turned their season around last February by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn’t expect to make another deal of that magnitude, relays Vince Lontz of NBC Sports Bay Area. During an appearance on “Warriors Pregame Live” before Monday’s game, Dunleavy admitted it would be difficult to pull off another blockbuster trade.

“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” he said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”

Golden State was in position to pounce on Butler after the Heat weren’t able to work out a deal to send him to Phoenix, which was reported to be his preferred destination. Butler had an immediate impact on the Warriors, sparking them to a 23-8 finish and a first-round playoff victory.

While Dunleavy doesn’t expect to repeat that success, he hopes to find a way to solve the team’s issue with turnovers. Golden State is one of the league’s worst teams in that category with 16.2 per game, and it has contributed to the disappointing 15-15 record.

“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy said. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively. People talk a lot about our size, between Quinten (Post) and Draymond (Green), when those two are in the game our rim protection is fantastic. When (Stephen Curry)’s off the court, and Jimmy’s on with the group, our offense is pretty good.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Apart from small-ball lineups, Butler and Green have been more effective this season when they’re not on the court at the same time, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Gordon notes that since their last small-ball start on December 2, Butler and Green have a minus-24.2 net rating in 51 combined minutes. Gordon finds that the most effective lineups have Butler surrounded by shooters and ball-handlers. “I think (coach Steve Kerr) will continue to try to figure out the right combinations,” Curry said, “but the style of — me, Jimmy and Draymond can play together all the time because we know each other so well. Those other two guys, he’s trying to figure out the right combinations there. I know you want me and Jimmy on the floor at all times, and Jimmy with shooting is kind of reflective of when he was at his greatest in Miami. We just have to understand what we’re trying to do with whoever is on the floor and not think the same play calls work for 48 minutes.”
Constant matchups against bigger players may be wearing on Green, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears suggested in an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). “I’m hearing to that Draymond’s a little frustrated with having to guard centers and having the guys that are 40, 50 pounds heavier than him on a nightly basis,” Spears said. The Warriors added Al Horford in free agency to give Green more time at power forward, but injuries have limited Horford to just 13 games so far.
Saturday’s ejection and Monday’s shouting match with Kerr have made headlines, but the biggest problem with Green is his diminished skill set, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. To be successful, the Warriors need to recognize Green is no longer the star he used to be and find ways to take advantage of the things he still does well, Friedell states.
Horford is expected to return for the Christmas Day game against Dallas after missing the past three weeks due to sciatica, Friedell tweets.

Nets Notes: Porter, Trade Possibilities, Demin, Traore

December 24th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Porter Jr. might be too good to keep on the roster if the Nets intend to tank, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter, who has been an offensive force since he was acquired in an offseason trade with Denver, poured in 28 points in Tuesday’s win at Philadelphia.

It was the latest in a string of impressive performances by Porter, but it’s not what Brooklyn needs if it intends to maximize the value of its first-round pick as owner Joe Tsai suggested early in the season. Sources told Lewis that philosophy hasn’t changed, so Porter may have to be dealt or shut down at some point.

Porter has a long medical history that includes herniated discs, three back surgeries, a damaged peroneal nerve and “foot drop,” which requires him to wear a brace while playing. He’s under contract for one more season at $40.8MM, and Lewis suggests he might have more value to a contender than he would as a long-term piece for the Nets to build around.

Lewis cites the Pistons and Bucks as potential trade partners. Detroit can offer a first-round pick, Tobias Harris‘ $26.6MM expiring contract and another piece such as Caris LeVert, Ron Holland or Jaden Ivey, while Milwaukee could trade its first-rounder in 2031 or 2032, along with Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis.

A source tells Lewis that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is determined to turn around the season after a slow start and is “not interested in rebuilding in any form or fashion.” Lewis proposes a deal sending Porter and Cam Thomas to L.A. in exchange for an unprotected 2032 first-rounder, John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

There’s more from Brooklyn:

Rookie guard Egor Demin continues to respond well to challenges from coach Jordi Fernandez, Lewis states in a separate story. Demin turned in one of his best games with 20 points, five assists and two rebounds in Tuesday’s win, and he ranks second among rookies by hitting at least four three-pointers in six games, answering pre-draft concerns about his outside shot. “Egor is a kid that cares so much about doing the right thing the whole time. Obviously it stands out, his size for his position and ability to shoot the ball and share the ball,” Fernandez said. “He does a great job finding the three-point line for his teammates and shooting the three himself, but he’s done a much better job being aggressive getting into the paint. When he’s finished aggressive at the rim, he’s done a great job.”
In another piece, Lewis examines how the Nets were able to turn around a defense that was headed toward being the worst in NBA history.
Nolan Traore may get more NBA opportunities after scoring eight points in Sunday’s win over Toronto, per Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. The Nets have brought the 19-year-old French point guard along slowly, playing him mostly in the G League so far. “He did a great job overall. (It) looked like all the minutes he’s played (on) Long Island right now are paying off,” Fernandez said. “And now he came here with a lot of confidence, and this is what it’s all about. Minutes are the best coach to develop you. And he took advantage of those minutes (on) Long Island, and now he’s taking advantage of his minutes here, and he was a big part of us winning this game.”

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