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Zion Williamson Out At Least Three Weeks With Adductor Strain

December 2nd, 2025 at 3:48pm CST by Rory Maher

3:48 pm: The Pelicans put out a press release (via Twitter) confirming the news. According to the team, Williamson underwent imaging on Tuesday which revealed a Grade 2 right hip adductor strain. There’s no official timetable for his return.

3:12 pm: Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a right adductor injury and will miss at least three weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reexamined, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

A two-time All-Star, Williamson has been plagued by injuries throughout his time in the NBA after being selected No. 1 overall out of Duke in the 2019 draft. This season has been no exception, as Williamson missed eight games last month with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain prior to his latest ailment.

According to Charania (Twitter link), Williamson has a strained adductor, which a muscle in the hip, and will be out an extended period of time — far longer than the two-plus weeks he missed with the hamstring strain.

It’s unclear when Williamson’s adductor injury occurred, but he last suited up on Saturday, when New Orleans lost at Golden State. Through 10 games in 2025/26, the 25-year-old has averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.9 minutes per contest.

Williamson has been limited to 30 games or fewer in four of his first full six years in the NBA, including missing the entire 2021/22 campaign. He has dealt with a variety of different injuries throughout his career.

The Pelicans have once again been hit hard by injuries this fall, with their five highest-paid players — and seven total — all sidelined on Sunday. That figure includes Williamson, who was held out of the second night of a back-to-back — he makes the most money on the team on his maximum-salary contract.

New Orleans should qualify for a hardship exception in the wake of the injuries, depending on how long other players will be out (Dejounte Murray presumably isn’t close to returning after rupturing his Achilles at the end of January). Still, that’s of little consolation to a club that does not control its 2026 first-round pick and currently holds the worst record in the NBA at 3-18.

Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham Earn Player Of The Month Honors

December 2nd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham are the NBA’s Players of the Month for October/November, earning the honor for the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively, per an announcement from the league (Twitter link).

It’s the ninth time that Jokic has won a Player of the Month award over the course of his 11-year career. He earned it in this case with a superlative start to the season that saw him comfortably average a triple-double – 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game – while leading Denver to a 14-5 record.

Jokic’s shooting percentages were arguably even more remarkable than his per-game averages, as he shot 63.7% from the field and converted 45.3% of his three-point attempts.

The Nuggets star came out on top of a competitive field that included nominees like fellow MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Lakers. Clippers guard James Harden, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Lakers guard Austin Reaves, and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards were also nominated for Player of the Month in the West, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

In the East, meanwhile, Cunningham’s Pistons have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season’s first six weeks. While Detroit was viewed as a strong playoff contender, few NBA observers expected the team to win 16 of its first 20 games and sit atop the Eastern Conference at the end of November.

Cunningham was the driving force behind the Pistons’ hot start, averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game across 17 outings, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and 81.5% from the free throw line.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat guard Norman Powell, Magic forward Franz Wagner, and Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Month, which Cunningham won for the first time in his career.

Warriors Sign LJ Cryer, Waive Jackson Rowe

December 2nd, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Rory Maher

December 2, 12:24 pm: Cryer’s two-way contract with the Warriors is now official, according to the team (Twitter link).

December 1, 5:12 pm: Rowe has been released, the Warriors announced (Twitter link).

December 1, 4:42 pm: The Warriors plan to waive second-year forward Jackson Rowe, who is signed to a two-way contract, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter).

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Warriors will sign free agent guard LJ Cryer to fill Rowe’s two-way spot — the former Baylor and Houston standout spent training camp and the preseason with the Warriors prior to being released in October.

The 24-year-old also played with the Warriors’ Summer League club after going undrafted in June, averaging 9.2 points and 2.8 assists on .500/.421/.833 shooting in four appearances (18.1 minutes per game). He averaged 5.0 PPG in 9.6 MPG during the preseason.

Cryer, a 6’0″ point guard, had a decorated college career and has put up impressive statistics with Santa Cruz during the Tip-Off Tournament this fall, averaging 24.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds on .444/.414/.867 shooting in seven games (34.1 minutes per contest). He’s attempting 12.4 threes per game and making 5.1 of them — eye-popping numbers.

Rowe, 28, went undrafted in 2020 after four years at Cal State Fullerton. The Toronto native spent his first four post-college seasons playing in France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, and the NBA G League prior to signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Golden State in July 2024.

A 6’6″ forward, Rowe was initially waived by the Warriors before the 2024/25 season began, opening that campaign in the G League with their affiliate team in Santa Cruz. He signed a two-year two-way contract with Golden State in January, appearing in six NBA games last season while averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per night. He didn’t play in any NBA games this season for the Warriors.

Rowe has performed well for Santa Cruz the past few seasons, which is how he earned his promotion last season. In 36 games in ’24/25 (33.0 MPG), he averaged 16.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.3 SPG on .515/.391/.681 shooting. Through five games this fall, he’s averaging 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.4 SPG, though his three-point percentage dropped (23.8%) in a small sample size (5-for-21).

Danilo Gallinari Announces Retirement

December 2nd, 2025 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA forward Danilo Gallinari has announced his retirement from professional basketball, confirming the decision in a social media post (Instagram link).

“Today, with a heart full of gratitude, I am announcing my retirement from a career I’ve always dreamed of,” Gallinari wrote. “A career built through hard work, sacrifice, victories, defeats, teammates who became brothers, guidance from my coaches, and, of course, family and friends that were with me every step of the way.

“It’s been an incredible journey filled with countless memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. To those who believed in me, to all those who supported me, and to those who shared every moment with me – thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

“I’m beyond excited for the next chapter!”

Gallinari, 37, was the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft. The 6’10” Italian forward began his NBA career with the Knicks before being sent to Denver in the blockbuster 2011 trade that landed Carmelo Anthony in New York. Most of the best years of his career came with the Nuggets, though he later played for the Clippers, Thunder, Hawks, Wizards, Pistons, and Bucks too.

In 777 total regular season games, Gallinari averaged 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 28.8 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .428/.381/.876. His ability to stretch the floor from the power forward position was his calling card — he knocked down 1,456 three-pointers over the course of his career, which currently ranks 61st on the NBA’s all-time list.

Gallinari spent 16 seasons in the NBA – including two full years that he missed due to ACL injuries – and last played in the league in 2023/24. He subsequently suited up for the Puerto Rican team Vaqueros de Bayamón last season and represented Italy in one final international competition at this year’s EuroBasket.

The veteran forward spoke earlier this year about the possibility of signing one more NBA contract or possibly returning to the EuroLeague, but he has decided to call it a career instead.

Devin Booker, Jamal Murray Exit Monday’s Games With Injuries

December 1st, 2025 at 10:26pm CST by Rory Maher

A pair of star players were injured during separate games on Monday, with Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray exiting an eventual loss to Dallas with a right ankle sprain, while Suns shooting guard Devin Booker sustained a right groin injury in the road contest at the Lakers (Twitter links via the Nuggets and Dave McMenamin of ESPN).

Murray, who is a candidate to make his first All-Star appearance this season, was deemed questionable to return Monday but didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets were up two points entering the final frame and wound up losing by 10 without their second-leading scorer.

It’s unclear if Murray will miss additional time with his ankle injury. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely receive more minutes if the Canadian guard is ruled out of future games.

Denver is fairly banged up right now, with starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun out multiple weeks due to their own injuries and third-year wing Julian Strawther continuing to miss time with a back issue.

As for Booker, he was ruled out at halftime of the game in Los Angeles. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), all the Suns know so far is the four-time All-Star experienced soreness in his groin.

Phoenix’s all-time leading scorer has yet to miss a game in 2025/26 after making 75 appearances last season. Through 21 games, the 29-year-old is averaging team highs of 25.7 points and 6.9 assists while also contributing 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal per night.

Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Jamaree Bouyea are among the Suns who could take on additional play-making duties with Booker out at least the remainder of Monday’s game.

The Suns are also shorthanded, as Jalen Green continues to be sidelined with a hamstring strain he has aggravated multiple times. Second-year forward Ryan Dunn did return to action on Monday after missing the past five games with a sprained right wrist, though Grayson Allen was ruled out with an illness.

Pacers Re-Sign Garrison Mathews To Second 10-Day Deal

December 1st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

4:00 pm: Mathews’ new 10-day contract is official, the Pacers confirmed in a press release.

3:25 pm: The Pacers have been granted another hardship exception and will use it to re-sign sharpshooter Garrison Mathews to a second 10-day contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).

Hardship exceptions are granted when at least four players have missed three or more consecutive games and are projected to be out for at least two more weeks. Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Obi Toppin (foot), Aaron Nesmith (knee), and Kam Jones (back) all appear to fit that bill for Indiana.

Mathews, who is in his seventh NBA season, starred in college at Lipscomb prior to going undrafted in 2019. He has played for Washington, Houston, Atlanta and now Indiana during his time in the league.

The 29-year-old wing signed a non-guaranteed camp deal with the Knicks earlier this fall but was released before the season began, making him a free agent. In 319 career games (17.3 minutes per contest), Mathews has averaged 6.4 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 38.0% from long distance.

In five games with the Pacers so far in 2025/26, Mathews has played a modest role, averaging 9.2 MPG and converting 2-of-13 shots from three-point range. It’s worth noting that players cannot sign three 10-day contracts with the same team — Indiana would have to release someone if it wanted to retain Mathews beyond his second 10-day deal.

Mathews will earn $165,197 over the course of his 10 days with the Pacers, while the team takes on a cap hit of $131,970.

Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week

December 1st, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Doncic led the Lakers to three wins during the week of November 24-30 while averaging 37.3 points, 10.3 assists and 8.7 rebounds per contest. Those performances, which included a 43-point outburst against the Clippers, increased his league-leading scoring average to 35.1 points per game.

Brunson lifted the Knicks to four wins by averaging 28.8 points and 4.5 assists per game while knocking down 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts. He matched his season high on Friday by racking up 37 points against Milwaukee.

Doncic and Brunson, of course, were backcourt partners in Dallas. Brunson has earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors seven times since joining the Knicks, while this is the first time Doncic has achieved the feat since becoming a Laker.

The other nominees in the West were Zach Edey (Grizzlies), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Jamal Murray (Nuggets) and Austin Reaves (Lakers).

Desmond Bane (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Tyler Herro (Heat), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Pascal Siakam (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.

Seth Curry Rejoins Warriors On One-Year Deal

December 1st, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Eli Cohen

December 1: Seth Curry has officially signed with the Warriors, according to a team press release.

November 30: Free agent guard Seth Curry plans to re-sign with the Warriors on Monday on a deal that will cover the rest of the 2025/26 season, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).

After spending training camp with Golden State, Curry was waived in mid-October as the team made its final cuts for the regular season roster, mostly because his veteran’s minimum salary couldn’t fit under a second-apron hard cap.

Reporting at that time suggested Curry was expected to rejoin the Warriors eventually, but the club had to wait until at least November 11 in order to squeeze his prorated minimum-salary contract below the hard cap.

Waiting an extra few weeks to bring him back will create some extra breathing room for Golden State. Assuming he signs on Monday, as planned, Curry’s rest-of-season cap hit will be $1,755,198, leaving the Warriors roughly $264K below their hard cap. He’ll earn a salary of $2,777,830 if he finishes out the season with the club.

Curry, an 11-year veteran, played last season for the Hornets, leading the league in three-point percentage at 45.6% on 182 total attempts. A 6’1″ three-point specialist, he holds lifetime averages of 10.0 points per game on 43.3% shooting from deep.

This will be the first time that Seth and his brother, Stephen Curry, play on the same NBA team during the regular season.

Bulls Considered Unlikely To Trade For Anthony Davis

December 1st, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls’ front office has engaged in internal discussions about trading for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. Davis is viewed as a potential solution for the team’s poor interior defense, but sources tell Collier that Chicago is reluctant to make any move that involves giving up a portion of its young core until it becomes more competitive.

“I don’t think going out and chasing X megastar is the way to proceed — at least today,” one source said.

Collier points out that the Bulls have plenty of ammunition for such a deal. They own their first-round picks for the next seven years, along with a 2026 first-rounder from Portland that’s top-14 protected. The team could also have nearly $70MM in cap room for next summer’s free agent market.

Trade speculation surrounding Davis has increased amid Dallas’ 6-15 start to the season and the emerging stardom of rookie forward Cooper Flagg. The Mavs may decide to embrace a youth movement, but Davis’ injury history and his pricey contract make him a significant trade risk. He has only played six games this season and recently returned after an extended absence caused by a left calf strain.

Collier’s information on the Bulls’ interest in Davis is part of a larger story about what has caused the team to fall to 9-10 after a 6-1 start. There was an early-season belief that coach Billy Donovan’s up-tempo style had the team headed in the right direction, but opponents seemed to have adjusted to it over the past few weeks.

Donovan admits that he has patterned the approach after the Pacers after watching them reach the NBA Finals last season.

“That’s who we have to be,” he said. “We have to be better than the sum of our parts. … Everybody sees Indiana play, and the thing that everybody goes to right away is oh, their pace, their pace, their pace. The one thing that Indiana probably doesn’t get enough credit for is yes, they play really, really fast and (Tyrese) Haliburton‘s a unique play-maker back there, but the physicality of those guys defensively is where our evolution has to continue.”

The Bulls have entrusted Josh Giddey, who was acquired from Oklahoma City before the start of last season, to lead the team in the Haliburton role. However, there are questions about whether the rest of the roster is good enough to ever reach that level. Collier notes that Indiana has been much better defensively than Chicago, and it has a second star in Pascal Siakam to pair with Haliburton.

“They have Haliburton, who is an All-Star, and they have Siakam,” a Bulls source told Collier. “If Giddey can develop into an All-Star and be what Hali was, when do we pull the trigger to get our Siakam?”

Management still views Giddey, Coby White, Matas Buzelis and 2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue as its future core, team sources told Collier. Essengue, who won’t turn 19 until later this month, has been brought along slowly and didn’t make his season debut until November 22. Those same sources state that the Bulls understand they need to keep adding to that core to be successful and they plan to make moves in that direction.

Cavaliers Players Unhappy With Effort After Latest Loss

December 1st, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Frustration is growing in Cleveland after the Cavaliers fell to 12-9 with Sunday night’s home loss to Boston, writes Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com. The Cavs have championship aspirations and were projected to be one of the two best teams in the East coming into the season. However, they’re currently in play-in territory with roughly a quarter of the season gone.

Second-year wing Jaylon Tyson said it’s a matter of delivering consistent effort as he questioned the team’s competitiveness after Sunday’s game.

“I just think we’re in cruise control,” he said. “As a team, I think that we’re not hungry enough. What happened to us last year, it’s a similar thing that’s happening this year. Getting ran out the gym. Getting beat on the glass. Toughness, right? So, I mean, it’s just a common theme, and ultimately it’s on us to fix it. We have three of some of the best players in the NBA. Our starting five, I’ll put them up with anybody in the NBA. One of the most talented teams in the NBA. But talent don’t win championships. It’s all the little stuff, the grittiness, the hunger. I feel like that’s what wins championships.”

Injuries have played a role in the slow start, as the Cavaliers have rarely been able to put their best lineup on the court. The injured list continues to grow as the team announced Sunday that backup big man Larry Nance Jr. will miss three-to-four weeks with a right calf strain and starting center Jarrett Allen will be sidelined for at least a week with a strained right finger. Three-point specialist Sam Merrill has missed the past five games with a sprained right hand and is considered day-to-day.

However, Sands points out that Boston was short-handed on Sunday as well — starters Derrick White and Neemias Queta both missed the game with injuries. The Celtics were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but still seemed more energetic, building a 21-point lead before the Cavs started their comeback.

“Everyone wants to be better, everyone wants to win, everyone wants to be the best we can be but right now we’re not,” said Evan Mobley, who had 27 points and 14 rebounds in the loss. “We got to find a way on how we’re going to fix that. Frustration might help, honestly, a little bit.”

The Cavaliers posted the best record in the East with 64 wins last season, but questions about their toughness reemerged after they were eliminated by Indiana in the second round of the playoffs. Sands notes that those concerns haven’t gone away, as players frequently talk about not letting opposing teams “punk” them, which carries both mental and physical components.

Coach Kenny Atkinson exuded calmness after Sunday’s loss, saying “the sky is not falling,” but Sands points out that certain mistakes are visible in every game. Transition defense and rebounding have been glaring concerns, and he states that too many players seem to be waiting for someone else to take control in crucial situations.

Sunday’s game was typical for the Cavs, Sands adds, as the bench unit sparked a rally after the Celtics built their big lead. That’s been a familiar pattern, and Tyson, who has started 11 of the 16 games he’s played, alluded to it in his post-game comments.

“It’s up to all of us to feed off their energy,” Tyson said of the bench group. “It should never be, like (Donovan Mitchell) said it, the young guys and the role players, like, it shouldn’t be us having to bring energy every time, right? Everybody has to bring energy. Everybody has to pour into this thing.”