Celtics Notes: Tatum, Williams, Minott, Garza, Hauser, Simons
Jayson Tatum has been out of the spotlight as he recovers from the Achilles injury he suffered during the playoffs, but his teammates continue to rave about the progress he’s making, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required).
Tatum has expressed hope that he can resume playing by the end of the season, although the Celtics haven’t given any indication on how close he is to that goal. Himmelsbach suggests that even if he’s not ready to lead the team on a run through the playoffs, it could be valuable for Tatum to play a few games and develop on-court chemistry with his younger teammates.
“He’s staying mentally, physically, emotionally prepared,” Sam Hauser said. “He’s working his tail off every day, as you can see. And his presence is still felt even though he’s not out there with us. We appreciate him giving his time to us still, even though he hasn’t been able to compete with us in full. But hopefully (he’ll return) at some point in the season. If not, no big deal. But he’s definitely still one of our leaders.”
Over the past few weeks, Tatum has become more active during the portions of practice that are open to the media, Himmelsbach adds. Most of the work has involved shooting drills with off-the-dribble and change-of-direction moves, and Himmelsbach has seen nothing to suggest that he’s still limited by the injury.
There’s more on the Celtics:
- The team’s coordination with its G League affiliate in Maine paid off Wednesday as Amari Williams logged 15 minutes in a victory over Detroit, Himmelsbach adds in the same piece. The two-way center had only played seven NBA minutes up to that point, but he was pressed into duty as Neemias Queta missed the game with an ankle injury. Williams fit right into Boston’s scheme and contributed one point, three rebounds and two blocks. “The ability for a guy to step right in and know the plays, know the coverages, all the pregame work that the player development staff does on the court, and then with personnel, that’s just kind of a testament to the alignment,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “One, to Amari’s mind-set, but also to the staff (in Maine). So, I think with all those things combined, (it) felt just as comfortable for him to be on the floor. I thought he did some good stuff.”
- Saturday’s game at Minnesota was a homecoming for Josh Minott and Luka Garza, who both spent several years with the Timberwolves before signing with the Celtics this summer, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “Just appreciative, where I started my career,” Minott said. “The development was great. It wasn’t like I was sitting on my ass for three years. A great environment, great group of people. I don’t think anybody in this city would say I left on a sour note. I loved everybody here and to my knowledge I think they all loved me.”
- The contracts of Hauser and Anfernee Simons will be vital in the Celtics’ efforts to trade for a center, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. He suggests the team may be willing to swap Simons’ expiring contract for a player with a longer deal in order to retain a tradable asset for the summer.
Chris Finch Plans To Give Julius Randle A Larger Role In The Offense
- Timberwolves coach Chris Finch plans to expand Julius Randle‘s role in the offense, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).“We need to put him more in the heart of what we’re doing,” Finch said at Friday’s practice, “and that’s a lot of things we worked on today.”
More Details On "Mandatory" Meeting Initiated By Conley
- After letting games slip away against Sacramento and Phoenix, Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley led a team dinner Tuesday night where several issues were discussed. Chris Hine of The Star Tribune has more details on the meeting, which involved more than just talking about the Wolves’ late-game troubles. “It’s OK to eat, enjoy each other and watch other basketball games and talk basketball and not be all about business all the time,” Conley said. “Sometimes you need that.”
Siegel’s Latest: DeRozan, Sabonis, Wolves, Claxton, Kuminga, Wiggins
Of the three Kings veteran stars considered in-season trade candidates, DeMar DeRozan looks like the one most likely to be on the move ahead of the February 5 deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
As Siegel explains, DeRozan’s relatively team-friendly contract structure – $24.6MM this season and a $10MM partial guarantee on his $25.7MM salary for 2026/27 – makes him a more manageable investment for most clubs than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis. LaVine is earning $47.5MM this season, with a $49MM player option for ’26/27, while Sabonis will be owed $94MM over the next two seasons after making $42.3MM in ’25/26.
The Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Grizzlies are some of the potential suitors to watch for DeRozan, says Siegel, though he doesn’t explicitly state that all those clubs have shown interest in the veteran forward.
Sabonis, who is currently on the shelf with a meniscus tear, will likely have to show he’s healthy before drawing real interest on the trade market. According to Siegel, the Sacramento big man isn’t expected to begin the return-to-play portion of his recovery process until sometime around Christmas.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA, courtesy of Siegel:
- There’s a “growing sense” that the Timberwolves would be willing to sell high on forward Julius Randle in the right deal this season, Siegel writes. Minnesota is known to be on the lookout for a point guard, having checked in on Ja Morant. The team has also inquired about Cavaliers guard Darius Garland for the past year-plus, sources tell Siegel. However, the Wolves’ lack of tradable first-round picks will be complicate their ability to make any major moves.
- Nets center Nic Claxton is considered a trade candidate and has come up in discussions with sources around the NBA as a possible Warriors target, Siegel writes. However, given that the Nets showed no interest in pursuing Jonathan Kuminga using their cap room when he was a restricted free agent over the summer, it doesn’t appear the fifth-year forward would be a target for Brooklyn. Claxton has also been considered a potential Lakers target dating back to last season, Siegel notes.
- The Pacers are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Kuminga, having “quietly” scouted him since the start of last season, according to Siegel, who wonders if the Warriors would have any interest in a deal involving Bennedict Mathurin. There’s a sense around the league that Indiana might look to move a player like Mathurin, Jarace Walker, or Obi Toppin due in part to the club’s cap situation going forward, Siegel adds.
- The Warriors are known to have interest in forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones and will likely talk to the Pelicans during the season, Siegel writes. It’s unclear if New Orleans would be open to moving either Murphy or Jones, but they represent the sort of “versatile wings” that Golden State will likely be targeting in a Kuminga trade, Siegel explains.
- If the Heat were to trade Andrew Wiggins this season, they’d be seeking a first-round pick, plus a player or two who could step into their rotation and be a positive contributor, per Siegel. The Lakers were linked to Wiggins during the offseason and the Bucks also inquired about him, Siegel reports, but Miami hasn’t had any serious trade talks about the veteran forward as of late.
Northwest Notes: Edwards, Blazers, Watson, Strawther
Although Donte DiVincenzo replaced Mike Conley in the starting lineup entering the 2025/26 season, head coach Chris Finch says it’s more accurate to describe Anthony Edwards as the Timberwolves‘ point guard, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“Anthony’s probably more of our point guard than Donte is our point guard,” Finch said. “He has the ball. He is our lead guard in that regard.”
Edwards, a former No. 1 overall pick who has been an All-Star each of the past three seasons, says he’s still adjusting to the role.
“I just got to get used to being a point guard, going to get the rock at the end of the game, bringing it up, even though they pressure,” Edwards said.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- The Trail Blazers were disappointed to be eliminated from the NBA Cup on Wednesday, but their young roster valued competing in a game with relatively higher stakes — they would have clinched the top seed in their group if they had beaten San Antonio. “We wanted it,” said Deni Avdija, who finished with 37 points, eight assists and six rebounds (story via Kevin Pelton of ESPN). “We wanted that game. It was a good opportunity for us to advance in the Cup. We fought. We tried to be in the game. It was a tough game; it was a close game. I feel like it was a first taste of kind of like a playoff game. I know I’m not experienced, other guys are not experienced yet, and it was a tough test for us, but I think from this game we can learn a lot.”
- Nuggets forward Peyton Watson switched agencies a couple weeks ago, going from Excel Sports to Klutch Sports Group. Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette asked Watson about the decision on Wednesday (Twitter link). The 2022 first-round pick explained that he had a good relationship with Excel, but viewed Klutch’s “attention to detail” as beneficial ahead of restricted free agency next summer. “There’s a big opportunity at hand just this year for me in general on the court, and that’s something I’ve been taking the most seriously, because at the end of the day that’s just going to make my agent’s job, whoever my agent is, easier if I’m doing my job out there on the court,” Watson said as part of a larger quote.
- Third-year wing Julian Strawther will miss his sixth straight game on Friday vs. San Antonio due to lower back injury management, the Nuggets announced (via Twitter). When healthy, Strawther has largely been out of the rotation this season following the free agent additions of Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Mike Conley Leads Dinner Where Team Issues Were Discussed
- After letting games slip away against Sacramento and Phoenix, Timberwolves guard Mike Conley led a team dinner Tuesday night where several issues were discussed, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Julius Randle described the gathering as “not optional.”
Scotto’s Latest: Ellis, Pacers, Sabonis, Morant, Wolves, More
With Keegan Murray very unlikely to be traded this season due in part to the poison pill provision, the most coveted player on the Kings‘ roster might be guard Keon Ellis, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says executives across the NBA have been surprised by Ellis’ limited role so far this fall.
Ellis started 28 of his 80 games last season and averaged 24.4 minutes per night. The 25-year-old contributed 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, with a .489/.433/.849 shooting line, and the sub-.500 Kings had a +3.0 net rating during his time on the court. However, so far this fall, he’s averaging just 17.4 MPG.
According to Scotto, the Pacers have been one of several teams to convey interest in Ellis, having also targeted him in the past. Ellis is in the final year of his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he’s not signed to a new deal after he becomes extension-eligible in February.
As Scotto writes, the trade market for Kings veterans like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been “relatively quiet” so far, despite a report suggesting the Clippers have some interest in DeRozan.
[RELATED: Bucks Keeping Eye On Zach LaVine]
Kings center Domantas Sabonis could make for an interesting trade chip, but he’s currently sidelined due to a knee injury and his production had slipped a little before he went down. According to Scotto, Sabonis has been disappointed by Sacramento’s declining win totals since their playoff season in 2022/23 and hasn’t always loved his usage under head coach Doug Christie.
Here’s more NBA chatter from Scotto:
- The Grizzlies have consistently rebuffed trade inquiries on Ja Morant in recent weeks following a confrontation between the point guard and head coach Tuomas Iisalo, league sources tell HoopsHype. While a number of rival teams have been curious about a buy-low opportunity on Morant and will continue to monitor the situation, Memphis isn’t eager to kick-start a rebuild and recognizes that Morant wouldn’t command a significant return on the trade market at this point, Scotto explains.
- The Timberwolves, who were among the teams to inquire on Morant, are keeping an eye out for opportunities to upgrade at point guard, per Scotto. Minnesota obviously has zero interest in moving Anthony Edwards in any deal and also considers rising forward Jaden McDaniels “close to untouchable,” sources tell HoopsHype.
- The Celtics had hoped to pursue Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe in free agency, but he received a more lucrative offer from Brooklyn ($6.25MM for this season) than the minimum-salary offer he would’ve gotten from Boston, Scotto writes. Sharpe could be a player to watch if the Celtics and Nets get together for another trade this season — the C’s had been prepared to offer him a chance to compete for their starting center job, Scotto adds.
Lakers Become Second Team To Secure Spot In NBA Cup Quarterfinals
With their 135-118 win over the rival Clippers on Tuesday, the Lakers moved to 3-0 in NBA Cup group play and clinched their spot atop Western Conference Group B. They’re the second team to secure a place in the knockout round, joining the Raptors.
As Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group writes, the Lakers’ “big three” propelled the team to victory on Tuesday. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James combined for an impressive 99 points, 24 rebounds, and 22 assists, with Doncic (43 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds) leading the way.
The Lakers have one more round-robin NBA Cup matchup this Friday, against Dallas, but the 1-2 Mavericks can’t catch them in the group standings, and neither can the 1-1 Grizzlies or 0-3 Pelicans. The Clippers dropped to 2-1 in NBA Cup group play as a result of Tuesday’s loss, which gave the Lakers the tiebreaker edge.
The Lakers would be assured of hosting their quarterfinal game if they defeat the Mavs on Friday.
The final NBA Cup group play contests will take place on Wednesday and Friday, with six quarterfinal spots still up for grabs — three in each conference. Here are a few details on the races for those spots:
- The Thunder (2-0), Suns (2-0), and Timberwolves (2-1) are battling for Western Conference Group A, with Oklahoma City set to host the Wolves on Wednesday and the Suns on Friday. A win in Sacramento on Wednesday would put the Suns in good position to advance to the knockout round even if they fall to OKC on Friday.
- The Trail Blazers are below .500 on the season but are in the driver’s seat in West Group C — they’re 2-1 in group play so far and can win the group with a victory over the Spurs (1-1) on Wednesday. If San Antonio wins that game, the Spurs would face the 2-1 Nuggets on Friday with the Group C crown on the line.
- In the East, the Magic (3-0) and Pistons (2-0) are vying for control of Group B and will face each other on Friday. Detroit would win the group with a victory over Orlando, even if the Pistons drop Wednesday’s game to Boston.
- In Eastern Conference Group C, the 2-0 Bucks and 1-1 Knicks are each looking to become the first team to make the NBA Cup knockout round in three straight seasons, but the 2-1 Heat are in the mix too. Milwaukee will visit Miami on Wednesday and New York on Friday, and there’s a chance that superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will be back for those games.
Northwest Notes: Kessler, Lillard, Wolves, Thunder
The Jazz lost Walker Kessler to a season-ending shoulder injury at the end of last month. It has greatly affected their defense, as Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune details.
Jusuf Nurkic has been thrust into the starting center role and while he’s a prolific rebounder, he’s a subpar defender. Kevin Love, 37, has been Nurkic’s primary backup and the only other option is to move true power forwards into that spot. Utah has allowed 130 or more points in six of its last nine games.
Kessler will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, so if the Jazz keep struggling mightily on defense without him available, his representatives could use that point to generate some leverage during contract negotiations.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Trail Blazers defeated Milwaukee on Monday after losing seven of their previous nine games. Damian Lillard, rehabbing this season from his Achilles injury he suffered during last season’s playoffs, has been dispensing advice to his younger teammates during the rough patch, Jason Quick of The Athletic writes. “I told these dudes: this is the time when you find your true identity,” Lillard said. “It’s not when you win a couple games and everything feels good. It’s in the moments when it would be easy to walk away — like now, we have some injuries, a rough patch, a tough schedule — but this is the time when you make a decision to march forward and up.”
- The Timberwolves have collapsed in back-to-back late-game situations. After surrendering a nine-point lead with 50 seconds to play in Phoenix on Saturday, they gave away a 10-point lead in the final three minutes of regulation during a 117-112 overtime loss to the Kings on Monday. This has set off alarm bells amongst the team and its fans and The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski examines some possible causes to their crunch-time woes. “Hopefully we learn,” center Rudy Gobert said. “We still have an amazing opportunity ahead of us, but we have to decide who we want to be.”
- How good has the Thunder’s defense been this season? The Athletic’s Fred Katz (Twitter link) notes that they are allowing 7.5 fewer points per 100 possessions than the second-ranked Mavericks are. That’s the same difference as the gap between Dallas and the No. 22 ranked Bulls in that category.
Injury Notes: Shannon, Shamet, Barrett, Bulls
Terrence Shannon Jr. has been cleared for full-contact, five-on-five practice, the Timberwolves announced in a press release. He is being listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Kings.
Shannon has missed the last nine games for the Wolves with a left foot fifth metatarsal bone bruise. After playing 339 regular season minutes in his rookie season, he saw his playing time increase following the departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but has struggled to increase his production in the early going, averaging 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game through the team’s first seven contests.
In Shannon’s absence, Minnesota has turned to Jaylen Clark, Bones Hyland, and Leonard Miller, among others. The Wolves are 10-6 on the season and have gone 8-3 in their last 11 games.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Landry Shamet exited the Knicks‘ loss to the Magic in the first quarter and is now listed as out for Monday’s game against the Nets with a sprained right shoulder, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Bondy notes that head coach Mike Brown stated Landry would have a full evaluation in “the coming days,” and that this designation is only tied to the next game’s status. Shamet has been a productive role player for the Knicks this season, starting six games and averaging 9.3 PPG on 42.4% shooting from deep.
- RJ Barrett exited the Raptors‘ win against the Nets on Sunday early with a right knee sprain after landing awkwardly on a dunk, reports Danielle Michaud, as relayed by Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link). According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet (via Twitter), Barrett will get imaging done on his knee on Monday.
- Isaac Okoro and Dalen Terry are listed as out for the Bulls‘ game against the Pelicans on Monday, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Kevin Huerter and Patrick Williams are listed as questionable with an illness and wrist injury, respectively.