Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Chris Paul Hopes To Continue Playing Next Season

April 4th, 2025 at 1:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to end his NBA career. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Spurs guard says he’ll talk to his family about it this summer, but he wants to keep playing.

“I’ll be 40 in May. So, yeah man, I’m going to keep playing, I think,” Paul said. “At the end of every season, I evaluate everything. Evaluate playing. Evaluate how my body feels. But the more years that go by, it’s more conversations with my family, with my kids. They have a lot of say so. They got a lot of input. Obviously, I got a lot of homies, friends that have retired or whatnot. And they are always like, ‘Man, play as long as you possibly can. Play as long as you possibly can.’ And I appreciate that. But I also, I just always want to talk to my kids about it because that’s the most important job that I have.”

Paul, who was selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the fourth pick in the 2005 draft, is the second-oldest player in the league, a few months behind LeBron James. He has been extremely durable in his 20th NBA season, starting all 76 of San Antonio’s games, but he’s averaging a career-low 8.8 points per game while shooting a career-worst 42.8% from the field.

Spears notes that rookie guard Stephon Castle is likely to become a starter next season alongside De’Aaron Fox, possibly leaving Paul with a reduced role if he returns to San Antonio. He’ll be a free agent again in July after signing a one-year, $10.6MM contract last summer. Brought in to be a veteran leader, Paul said he has been able to “teach what he can, but not be overwhelming” for the young roster, and it sounds like the Spurs have been happy with his influence.

“He’s a teacher at heart. People just see when he’s on the court, but there’s so much more to what he teaches,” general manager Brian Wright told Spears. “Life routine, big picture, business brand, all of it. He’s professional. He made it his home and jumped right in. We’ve had a lot of things happen this year and he’s never wavered. He’s been the same person. He’s been incredible to have him around.”

Spears notes that Paul was drawn to San Antonio by the chance to play for coach Gregg Popovich and team up with Victor Wembanyama, but they both were hit by serious health issues. Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November, and it’s uncertain if he’ll return to coaching next season. Wembanyama was shut down in February with a blood clot in his right shoulder, although he’s projected to make a full recovery.

“It’s extremely tough,” Paul said. “I’ve played against Pop for a number of years. It’s a huge reason why I came here. And so was Vic — two of the main reasons why I came here. But getting to know him the way that I have trumps any other thing that’s going on. I’m grateful for even the opportunity for the time that we did get to play together.”

Ja Morant Fined $75K For Finger-Gun Gestures

April 4th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Ja Morant was fined $75K for making finger-gun gestures during Thursday’s game at Miami, the NBA announced (via Twitter). The statement from the league notes that the Grizzlies guard was warned about the gestures earlier this week.

Morant displayed the gesture (Twitter link) multiple times on Thursday, according to James Jackson, Will Guillory and Alex Andrejev of The Athletic. He did it after scoring his first basket midway through the first quarter and again after hitting a three-pointer in the third quarter.

Guns are a sensitive issue regarding Morant, who was twice suspended for displaying a firearm in social media videos. The NBA didn’t punish him after he and Warriors guard Buddy Hield exchanged the gestures during Tuesday’s game, but he was asked to refrain from using it again, according to Jackson, Guillory and Andrejev.

Sources tell the authors that representatives from the league reached out to both teams, calling the gestures inappropriate and instructing them to tell Morant and Hield to stop. The teams reportedly argued that the gestures aren’t intended to promote violence.

Morant talked about the finger-gun celebrations and his perception around the league after hitting a dramatic game-winning shot to beat Miami.

“Every little thing,” he said. “If somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. I don’t care no more. … I’m used to it. I’ve pretty much been a villain for two years now.”

He also said “I love it” when asked about playing the villain role.

Joel Embiid, Sixers’ Front Office Clashed Over Knee Issues

April 4th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Arthur Hill

There was some “tension” between Joel Embiid and the Sixers‘ front office before he made the decision to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Thursday in an appearance on First Take (Twitter video link; hat tip to RealGM).

Embiid has experienced repeated knee issues since suffering a lateral meniscus injury last winter. He underwent a procedure on the knee and was able to return for the playoffs, although his mobility was limited. After playing in the Summer Olympics, Embiid continued to be bothered by swelling in the knee and was only able to suit up for 19 games this season.

“The team believed he needed to play at some points of the season, that he needed to get his conditioning right through playing and getting better that way,” Charania said. “He felt like he needed surgery. He ends up getting the surgery.”

Embiid and the Sixers have been consulting with medical specialists to determine the best treatment, and Charania states that some of the “radical” options would have resulted in Embiid missing all of next season. By choosing arthroscopic surgery, he’s projected to be reevaluated in six weeks and to eventually make a full recovery that will enable him to play in 2025/26.

Embiid’s knee issues are among a flood of injuries that destroyed the season in Philadelphia. The Sixers entered training camp hoping to contend for a title, but instead they’re 23-54 with a 10-game losing streak and are trying to hold onto their top-six protected first-round pick in this year’s draft.

Before the Bucks and Sixers met Thursday night, Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers informed reporters that Embiid told him during a February 9 game that he was probably headed for surgery again, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rivers, who coached Embiid for three seasons in Philadelphia, expressed sympathy for his former player.

“I mean, it’s tough,” Rivers said. “The guy is as talented as anyone I ever coached. And it’s just too bad for him.”

Sixers Guard Tyrese Maxey Expected To Miss Rest Of Season

April 3rd, 2025 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey is expected to be shut down for the rest of the season, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

Maxey has not played since March 3 due to finger tendon injury. He has attempted to rehab the finger, but continues to deal with discomfort and needs treatment. The team’s other stars, Joel Embiid and Paul George, have already been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Maxey has started 52 games this season, averaging a career-high 26.3 points to go along with 6.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per contest.

He was named the league’s Most Improved Player last season, then signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract during the summer. Maxey averaged 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 37.5 minutes per game across 70 outings (all starts) last season.

The Sixers have lost 26 of their last 30 games with six games remaining. Philadelphia, which has lost nine straight, faces Milwaukee tonight. The Sixers owe a first-round pick to Oklahoma City but will retain it if they wind up with one of the top six selections.

Rockets Clinch Playoff Spot, Southwest Division

April 2nd, 2025 at 9:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In blowing out the Jazz, 143-105, on Wednesday, the Rockets earned their 50th win of the 2024/25 season and locked in a top-six playoff seed in the Western Conference. Houston also secured the Southwest Division crown with the victory.

With no starter playing more than 29 minutes in a dominant win over the rebuilding Jazz, Houston was paced by Jalen Green‘s 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting. All-Star Rockets center Alperen Sengun and reserve forward Jabari Smith Jr. each notched 15-point, 14-rebound double-doubles. Sengun was also one assist shy of a triple-double.

Houston didn’t emerge from the contest totally unscathed, however. Starting wing Dillon Brooks incurred his 16th technical foul of the season for kicking Utah guard Collin Sexton in an inconvenient place, and will net a one-game suspension unless the tech is rescinded.

In their second season under head coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets have returned to the playoffs for the first time in five years. This iteration of the club is quite different from the club’s last playoff team.

Young talents like Sengun, Green, Smith, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson will get their first postseason run, and will be supported in that effort by playoff-seasoned pros like Brooks and Fred VanVleet. It will be fascinating to see how this relatively inexperienced squad might stack up in a battle with one of the West’s more veteran-heavy playoff teams.

At present, Houston is the No. 2 seed in the West. Only six games separate the Rockets from the West’s No. 8 seed, the 43-32 Clippers. Houston is also just 2.5 games better by record than the 47-29 Nuggets, and three games better than the 45-29 Lakers, so the Rockets’ seed and first-round opponent remain very much up in the air.

Houston hardly has an easy road for its final six games of the 2024/25 regular season. The Rockets will face off against only postseason-bound West rivals, with two games against the Warriors, two games against the Clippers, and matchups with the Lakers and the top-seeded Thunder left on the docket.

Mavericks’ Dereck Lively To Play For First Time In 36 Games

April 2nd, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is set to return to action for a Wednesday night tilt against Atlanta, per a team press release (via Twitter).

Lively has missed 36 consecutive contests for the Mavericks. The second-year pro has been on the shelf since January 14 with a right ankle stress fracture.

Dallas head coach Jason Kidd told reporters that the 7’1″ big man will be operating on a 15-minute restriction, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

Ahead of the postseason, several previously ailing Mavericks are healing. Beyond Lively, fellow big men Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford recently returned to the lineup.

Among the Mavs’ core rotation, only nine-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving — arguably the team’s most important player — is out long-term, as he recuperates from surgery to address an ACL tear. Forward P.J. Washington is also out, for now, due to an undisclosed illness.

Before his injury, the Duke alum had taken over starting duties at the five from Gafford early in the season. It remains to be seen how Kidd will ultimately deploy his big man rotation with Davis, Lively and Gafford all having started at center for the team this year.

In his 32 healthy games for the team, including 25 starts, Lively has averaged 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks per night.

At present, the Mavericks occupy the No. 9 seed in the competitive Western Conference. They’re just a half-game ahead of the No. 10 Kings and two games up on the No. 11 Suns.

Suns’ Bradley Beal Plans To Return This Weekend

April 2nd, 2025 at 5:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran guard Bradley Beal is planning to be back in the fold for the Suns at some point during the club’s ongoing road trip, reports Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).

The Suns will face the Celtics in Boston on Friday and the Knicks in New York on Sunday before returning to Phoenix.

Beal has been on the shelf with a left hamstring strain for eight games, having last played on March 16 against the Lakers.

The 6’4″ wing has been dogged by health issues for years. He hasn’t appeared in more than 53 games since the 2020/21 season, and hasn’t been available in more than 60 since 2018/19.

This year, Beal has suited up for 48 contests so far, starting 33 of them. At most, he’ll be able to make 54 apperances for the 35-41 Suns.

In his available contests, the 31-year-old is averaging 17.3 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.4 RPG and 1.0 SPG. He’s also posting an efficient shooting line of .505/.395/.813, but his defensive issues have resulted in him being occasionally benched by first-year head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Chemistry issues between Beal and All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have made winning a tough prospect this year in Phoenix. As of this writing, the club occupies the Western Conference’s No. 11 seed and is 1.5 games behind the No. 10-seeded Sacramento for the conference’s final play-in tournament slot.

Joel Embiid To Undergo Arthroscopic Surgery On Knee

April 2nd, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Joel Embiid will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week, a team official tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 76ers ruled out Embiid for the rest of the season on February 28 after he continued to be affected by ongoing left knee issues. He and the team have been consulting with medical specialists and weighing treatment options in the weeks since then and have decided to go the surgical route.

According to Charania (Twitter link), Embiid will be reevaluated six weeks after the procedure and is expected to make a full recovery. The knee in question is the same one the former MVP underwent surgery on in February 2024 after he sustained a lateral meniscus injury.

Embiid was able to return last April and played all six games of the Sixers’ first-round playoff series vs. New York in the spring before suiting up for Team USA at the Paris Olympics over the summer. However, he continued to deal with swelling in the knee in the fall, which delayed his season debut until November 12.

He never looked fully healthy after that, making just 19 appearances this season and averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 30.2 minutes per game. While those numbers would be impressive for most players, the scoring and rebounding rates were well below Embiid’s career averages, as were his 44.4% field goal percentage and 29.9% mark on three-pointers.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) reported in February that Embiid had met with more than 10 doctors over the course of the season in an attempt to figure out the best way to reduce – or, ideally, eliminate – the discomfort and swelling in that troublesome left knee.

Embiid told Lisa Salters of ABC/ESPN earlier in February that he may require offseason surgery, which reportedly took Sixers staffers by surprise, since the team had still been hoping at that point that non-surgical treatment and maintenance could help the big man regain his All-NBA form.

Getting Embiid fully healthy again is the Sixers’ number one priority, since the franchise has invested heavily in his long-term future. He is owed $179MM in guaranteed money over the next three seasons, with a $69MM player option for the 2028/29 season.

Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears Entering 2025 NBA Draft

April 2nd, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears has decided to go pro following his freshman year, announcing today on ESPN’s The Paul Finebaum Show that he’ll enter the 2025 NBA draft and forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility, as Jonathan Givony of ESPN relays.

Fears, who ranks No. 7 on ESPN’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects, averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 30.2 minutes per game in 2024/25, earning a spot on the SEC’s All-Freshman team and helping the Sooners claim a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

According to Givony, Fears’ combination of “size, speed, pace, shot-creation, shot-making and scoring instincts” makes him one of the top backcourt prospects in this year’s draft. He’s also one of the youngest players in the 2025 draft class — he won’t turn 19 until October.

Givony has expressed some reservations about Fears’ defense, which needs improvement. And it’s worth noting that the 18-year-old sometimes struggled with his shot as a freshman, making just 28.4% of 3.9 three-point attempts per game.

However, Fears’ stock remains high enough that he doesn’t feel the need to test the draft waters and leave the door open for a second college season.

Pelicans Sign Elfrid Payton To Second 10-Day Contract

April 2nd, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

April 2: Payton has officially signed his second 10-day contract with the Pelicans, the team announced today in a press release.

March 31: Elfrid Payton will get a second 10-day deal with the Pelicans, agent Darrell Comer of CSE tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The 31-year-old point guard appeared in four games for New Orleans during his first 10-day contract, which expired on Sunday. He moved into a regular rotation role off the bench and handed out 14, 10, and six assists in his last three outings.

Payton also spent time with the Pelicans in November and December on a non-guaranteed contract, and he signed a pair of 10-day deals with Charlotte in February. In 17 total games this season, he’s averaging 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 20.4 minutes per night with .348/.352/.333 shooting numbers.

The Pelicans will have a full 15-man roster again once the contract becomes official. Payton will earn a $171,756 salary on his new deal, just as he did on his other 10-day contracts. New Orleans will incur a cap charge of $119,972.

The Pelicans don’t play again until Wednesday, so it’s possible that Payton’s contract won’t be finalized until then. If that happens, he would be eligible to appear in six games before it expires at the end of the day on April 11. If the team wants to keep him on the roster for its April 13 finale, he’ll have to be signed to a standard deal.