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Grizzlies Sign Christian Koloko To 10-Day Hardship Contract

December 22nd, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Arthur Hill

10:25 am: The signing is official, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).

9:54 am: The Grizzlies will sign center Christian Koloko to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Koloko, 25, began the season on a two-way deal with the Lakers, but he was waived in late November to create an opening for the team to add Drew Timme. Koloko made two brief appearances before the move, with no points and one rebound in six total minutes.

The Austin Spurs acquired his G League rights last week, claiming him off the waiver wire. He has played in four total G League games this season, two with Austin and two with the South Bay Lakers.

Koloko was selected with the 33rd pick in the 2022 draft and had a strong rookie season with Toronto. However, a blood clot issue prevented him from playing in 2023/24 and he was released in January of that season. The Lakers signed him to a two-way contract in July 2024, and he was medically cleared to resume his career by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel three months later.

He has appeared in 97 total NBA games with career averages of 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per night.

The Grizzlies qualify for the hardship exception because of massive injury issues. Eight players are listed as unavailable for Monday’s game at Oklahoma City, including four on standard contracts – Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, John Konchar, and Scotty Pippen Jr. – who have missed three or more consecutive games and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks.

And-Ones: European League, Morant, FIBA Hall Of Fame, Lewis

December 22nd, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA and FIBA will begin talking to prospective teams and ownership groups in January in their next move toward forming a new European basketball league, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. The organizations issued a press release Monday morning announcing their intentions.

Along with permanent spots in the league, teams are being promised “a merit-based pathway” to qualify on an annual basis either through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League or an end-of-season qualifying tournament. The league plans to align its schedule with domestic league and national team schedules, allowing players to appear in international tournaments without conflict.

The release also promises that the NBA and FIBA will devote financial support to the development of “Europe’s basketball ecosystem.” That includes domestic leagues, club team academies and the existing programs operated by the NBA and FIBA to develop players, coaches and game officials.

“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Together with FIBA, we look forward to engaging prospective clubs and ownership groups that share our vision for the game’s potential in Europe.”

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is investing in European basketball through his Catch 12 company, according to Michele Nespoli of Sportando. Morant has purchased a stake in EuroStep Ventures, a holding company that controls the Levallois Metropolitans. The French team received tremendous international exposure due to Victor Wembanyama before he entered the NBA draft.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is part of FIBA’s 2026 Hall of Fame class, which includes seven players and one coach, Eurohoops relays. Hedo Turkoglu and Wang Zhizhi are other members of the class with NBA ties, while Sue Bird was a star in the WNBA. The induction ceremony will take place April 21 in Berlin, Germany.
Referee Eric Lewis was reinstated this week as a G League official, possibly giving him a path back to the NBA, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN. Lewis retired suddenly in 2023 after violating the NBA’s social media policy by having a Twitter burner account. The account, which was deleted, frequently responded to negative posts about Lewis and other officials. “I got chill bumps right now thinking about it,” Lewis said. “I’m excited about earning people’s trust back, getting back to the work and getting back to the game. What was always the plan when this came about was trying to get back to the NBA.”

Knicks May Move Guerschon Yabusele By Trade Deadline

December 22nd, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are open to trading Guerschon Yabusele before the February 5 deadline, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

The 30-year-old big man was the team’s top free agency addition over the summer, but he hasn’t been effective in the first two months of the season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per night while shooting 39.4% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range. His numbers across the board are down sharply from what he posted in Philadelphia last season as he returned to the NBA after five years in Europe.

Yabusele is making $5.5MM this season and holds a $5.7MM player option for 2026/27, and multiple league executives tell Edwards that New York will likely have to give up other assets to get another team to take that contract.

The Knicks have been reaching out to rival teams in their search for another ball-handler and frontcourt player, Edwards hears from league sources. They don’t have a veteran lead guard in place who can play dependable minutes when Jalen Brunson rests. Edwards notes that Tyler Kolek has shown promise, especially during the past week, but there’s no guarantee he’s ready to fill that role.

New York is also looking for another big man, as the options on the current roster are limited behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. Robinson is having another outstanding rebounding season, pulling down 8.6 boards per game in 18.2 minutes per night, but Edwards states that he’s still on a load management program in hopes of keeping him healthy for the playoffs. Robinson has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, and the Knicks aren’t in position to withstand a long-term absence.

The Knicks face financial limitations as they eye the trade market because of their proximity to the hard cap. They’ve been carrying 14 players on standard contracts all season and can’t fill their roster opening until early April.

With those restrictions in mind, Edwards identifies a few potential trade candidates:

Ayo Dosunmu — The Bulls guard would provide ball-handling and defense, but his $7.5MM salary means New York would have to send back Landry Shamet ($2.3MM), who was productive before injuring his shoulder, or possibly Pacome Dadiet ($2.9MM) or Kolek ($2.2MM) along with Yabusele or Miles McBride ($4.3MM). Edwards is skeptical about Chicago’s willingness to take Yabusele’s contract, so McBride would likely have to be part of the deal.
Jose Alvarado — Edwards suggests that the Pelicans guard may be more obtainable than Dosunmu, and his contract ($4.5MM with a $4.5MM player option for next season) would be easier to fit onto the roster. He also points out that the Knicks have multiple second-round picks that could be used to entice New Orleans to part with Alvarado.
Marvin Bagley III — His defense remains shaky, but he has been scoring and rebounding for the Wizards and his $2.2MM cap hit makes him an inexpensive option as a third center. Edwards believes he might be obtainable for a second-round pick.

Injury Notes: Warriors, Antetokounmpo, Suggs, Flagg, Lively

December 21st, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

Jonathan Kuminga is expected to be available on Monday after missing the Warriors‘ win over the Suns on Saturdaydue to an illness, reports The Athletic’s Nick Friedell (Twitter link).

Friedell notes that Kuminga was at Golden State’s film session on Sunday. The 23-year-old forward has only played in one of the Warriors’ previous five games, as he has been in and out of coach Steve Kerr‘s rotation even when he’s active.

Friedell adds that Al Horford and Seth Curry are still out with back and glute injuries, respectively.

Horford has only played 13 games this season, his first with Golden State, and has suited up for two of the team’s last 13 contests. He’s averaging career lows in points and rebounds.

Curry has played just two games since joining the Warriors on December 1. He scored 14 points in just under 18 minutes in his season debut, but was held scoreless in his second outing.

We have more injury news from around the league:

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains out with the calf strain that has kept him sidelined since early December, but he participated in the Bucks‘ shootaround before Sunday’s contest against the Timberwolves, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter video link). Head coach Doc Rivers previously stated that the team would be cautious with their star forward’s recovery process, but this marked a step in the right direction for the two-time MVP.
Jalen Suggs is listed as questionable for the Magic‘s game against the Warriors on Monday due to a left hip contusion, notes Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). Suggs has missed the team’s last two games due to the injury. Beede adds that Tristan Da Silva is questionable with a shoulder contusion.
Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg is questionable for Monday’s game against the Pelicans with a back contusion, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The No. 1 overall pick has been on a hot streak of late, averaging 27.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks over his last four games. Curtis adds that Klay Thompson (left knee soreness), Max Christie (illness), and two-way players Moussa Cisse and Miles Kelly are all questionable for the game as well.
Dereck Lively II underwent successful surgery on his right foot, the Mavericks announced via their team Twitter account. It was reported on December 10 that Lively would undergo season-ending surgery to address ongoing discomfort in the foot. The operation was performed in London.

Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Powell, Gonzalez, Mamukelashvili

December 21st, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Cam Thomas went through a five-on-five workout for the Nets on Saturday and experienced no setbacks, writes the New York Post’s Brian Lewis (via Twitter).

A hamstring injury has limited Thomas to just eight games this season. He hasn’t played since November 5, when he left the game less than six minutes into his night. In the seven games before that, the Nets guard averaged 24.4 points and 2.9 assists on .408/.356/.875 shooting splits, including a 41-point performance in a loss to the Spurs.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez said there is still no specific target date for Thomas to suit up for the Nets, but noted that this represented a significant step toward his return.

Brooklyn entered Sunday’s game against the Raptors with a 7-19 record, the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Drake Powell left the Nets‘ loss to the Heat on Thursday after playing just four minutes due to a right ankle injury. This marks the third right ankle injury Powell has suffered this season, but Fernandez says he’s not overly worried about the issue, according to Lewis (Twitter link). “Not concerned, and he’ll be back soon,” Fernandez said of last year’s 22nd-overall pick. Powell has played 19 games for the Nets this season, averaging 6.0 points in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting 37.8% from three and hitting 20-of-21 free throw attempts.
Hugo Gonzalez has emerged as a bright spot in the Celtics‘ wing rotation and is proving to be one of the steals of the 2025 draft, opines Brian Robb of MassLive. Gonzalez posted his first double-double in a win on Saturday against the Raptors and was only limited by foul trouble. Head coach Joe Mazzulla was impressed by the young Spaniard’s performance, suggesting he doesn’t mind that Gonzalez’ play occasionally borders on reckless. “[He’s] finding the balance of knowing how to be super aggressive versus defending without fouling so we can keep you on the floor,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t want to take that away because of his instincts and ability to make plays on both ends. He has a great knack for the ball defensively and he’s learning how to play against different matchups and coverages on the offensive end.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili has gone from career journeyman to key contributor for the Raptors, who entered Sunday with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, writes Michael Grange for Sportsnet. “My main focus was [always] like, ‘Just come in there and beat the odds and prove everybody that I can actually stay in this league,’” Mamukelashvili said. Grange notes that the two-year, $5.5MM deal the 26-year-old signed this summer created the most stable situation he has experienced during his time in the league. The versatile big man has responded by posting career highs in points and assists while shooting 39.8% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game. He has been an important part of the Raptors’ season as starting center Jakob Poeltl has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. That trend continued on Sunday’s game against the Nets, as Poeltl exited early with back stiffness.

Spurs Sign Stanley Umude To Two-Way Deal, Waive Kyle Mangas

December 21st, 2025 at 6:46pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Spurs have signed Stanley Umude to a two-way contract, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter). To accommodate the move, the team waived 26-year-old guard Kyle Mangas.

Mangas, who signed a two-way deal earlier in December, didn’t appear in any games for the Spurs, but has made 11 appearances for the Austin Spurs, averaging 16.5 points and 5.0 assists per contest and shooting 39.3% on three-pointers.

After signing a training camp deal with San Antonio this offseason, Umude was waived prior to the season’s start to make room for Bismack Biyombo. He stayed with the Spurs’ G League team, playing 11 games and averaging 20.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals while shooting 39.5% from three on 7.8 attempts per game.

The 6’6″ guard has appeared in 47 NBA games over the course of his career, most recently with the Bucks, for whom he played 22 times last season. Prior to that, he played with the Pistons, averaging 5.3 points in 12.8 minutes per night during the 2023/24 season.

Orsborn writes that Umude is expected to play out the rest of the season with the Spurs. He’ll be eligible to be active for up to 32 games.

Since Umude is in his final season of two-way eligibility, his two-way contract will cover just one year before he returns to free agency in 2026.

David Adelman Fined $35K Following Ejection Saturday

December 21st, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Nuggets head coach David Adelman has been fined $35K by the NBA after he was ejected from Saturday’s loss to the Rockets, the league announced (Twitter link).

According to the statement by the NBA, Adelman was fined for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection.”

This marked Adelman’s first career ejection as a head coach. The first-year coach was irate midway through the fourth quarter after he believed that star Nikola Jokic should have been rewarded a foul, and stormed the court, yelling and pointing at one of the game’s referees while cursing at him.

“It felt like a reaction to the game earlier in the week. That’s what it felt like to me,” Adelman said after the game, per Logan Struck of SI. “They had one foul with five minutes to go in the second quarter, and I just felt like both teams were playing extremely hard, physical… Honestly, I was confused. And so I was just looking for answers, and it turns out I had to leave.”

The Rockets and Nuggets both ended the game with 20 personal fouls.

Ivica Zubac To Miss At Least Three Weeks With Ankle Sprain

December 21st, 2025 at 4:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

Ivica Zubac will be out for at least three weeks for the Clippers after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, reports NBA on Prime’s Chris Haynes (via Twitter).

Zubac exited Saturday’s game against the Lakers after playing just 10:47 due to the injury. He is averaging 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season after having a breakout year for the Clippers and earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team in 2024/25.

The victory over the Lakers broke the Clippers’ five-game losing streak and earned them their seventh win on the season, as they’ve struggled to find success on either end of the floor. They come into Sunday ranked 24th in offensive rating and 26th in defensive rating, with the fifth-worst record in the league.

The loss of Zubac will be a difficult blow to overcome for the team, as backup center Brook Lopez, who signed with the team this offseason, has struggled to make an impact. However, Lopez stepped up on Saturday, scoring 11 points and adding two blocks in a season-high 25 minutes.

Stein’s Latest: Atkinson, Harden, Sabonis, White

December 21st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

There have been “rumbles in coaching circles” that Kenny Atkinson’s job is becoming less safe amid the Cavaliers‘ recent stumbles and their disappointing 15-14 record, Marc Stein of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Atkinson led the Cavs to the best record in the East a year ago in his first season with the team, but a second-round playoff ouster and this season’s shaky start have built up frustrations in Cleveland.

A report that owner Dan Gilbert is “very unhappy” with the team’s recent play provides another reason to be concerned about Atkinson’s job security. The Cavaliers headed into the season expecting to challenge New York for the top spot in the East, but they’re currently in play-in territory after dropping eight of their last 11 games, with several losses coming against teams near the bottom of the standings.

However, a source tells Stein that Gilbert’s anger is unlikely to result in a quick coaching change. He points out that Gilbert was one of Atkinson’s strongest supporters during the hiring process, preferring him over James Borrego, who’s now the interim head coach in New Orleans.

Stein shares more inside information from around the league:

After speculating in a recent column that the struggling Clippers might listen to offers for James Harden before the deadline, Stein heard from a rival front office member who’s expecting Harden to be made available in trade talks. Stein points out that as a one-year Bird Rights signee who remained with his team, Harden has the ability to veto any trade he doesn’t like. Harden’s new contract technically covers two seasons, but it contains a player option with a partial guarantee.
With Domantas Sabonis projected to miss at least four-to-five more weeks while recovering from a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, Stein points out that there’s a chance he might not return to the court by the February 5 trade deadline, which is roughly six-and-a-half weeks away. Stein states that it’s unclear if the Kings are willing to listen to trade offers for the former All-Star center, as they prefer to part with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. However, there’s sure to be league-wide interest in Sabonis if the front office commits to a full rebuilding project.
Stein hears that rival teams are getting the impression that the Bulls are more willing to consider trading Coby White than they’ve been in the past. White has an expiring $12.9MM contract this season and is headed for unrestricted free agency next summer. Stein notes that White’s modest salary complicates Chicago’s effort to get back equivalent value in a deal, since he’s unlikely to sign an extension before reaching unrestricted free agency next summer.

Heat Notes: Jakucionis, Guard Depth, Adebayo, Ware, Rozier

December 21st, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Friday’s loss at Boston was the sixth in the last seven games for the Heat, but they got an encouraging performance from rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required). Pressed into duty because of the team’s lengthy injured list, the 20th pick in this year’s draft got his first career start and responded with 17 points in nearly 36 minutes.

“He gives us the energy, the pace. He’s fearless in terms of his play-making, aggressiveness, getting into the paint,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He has really improved his three-point shooting. So that was definitely a bright spot. With Davion (Mitchell) being out, Kas got an opportunity and he really played well.”

Jakucionis has dealt with a bumpy start to his NBA career, caused in part by a sprained left wrist that sidelined him for part of training camp and the preseason, along with a strained right groin that forced him to miss the first seven regular season games. He has been playing mainly in the G League, where he’s averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game with Sioux Falls.

“You never know when the chance is coming, when D-Mitch was out,” Jakucionis said. “I just have to be ready every time they need me, and I’m trying to stay ready every time they need me.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Jakucionis’ potential emergence adds to an extremely crowded backcourt in Miami, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel states in a mailbag column (subscription required). Injuries have been a factor so far, but Jakucionis could eventually be competing for playing time with Mitchell, Norman Powell, Tyler Herro and Dru Smith. Winderman notes that Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are also used in guard roles, so there could be difficult decisions about playing time if everyone gets healthy.
Spoelstra experimented with small-ball lineups earlier in the season, but injuries have forced him to rely more on the double-big combination of Bam Adebayo and second-year center Kel’el Ware, Winderman observes in a separate story. The Heat tend to use Ware in drop coverage to protect the rim, while switching on defense more often when he’s not in the game. “I mean, it keeps teams off balance,” Adebayo said. “We’ve got to look at it in a positive way. We keep teams off balance.”
In another piece, Winderman calls for commissioner Adam Silver to make a decision on what the Heat can do with Terry Rozier‘s contract before the January 7 salary guarantee date and the February 5 trade deadline get any closer.