Magic Rumors

Southeast Notes: Rozier, Johnson, Jaquez, Banchero, Williams

January 11th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Tristan Tucker

Terry Rozier is waiting on his three-point luck to turn around, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. A career 36.3% shooter, Rozier is connecting on just 33.2% during his Heat tenure, including 29.2% this season.

“I shoot the same every year. It will work for me. It’s just ups and downs,” Rozier said. “Once it starts clicking, it’s going to start clicking. I don’t care what my percentage is; I know it’s always 50 percent chance of going in.”

Rozier was removed from the starting lineup for 14 games but has been a starter in five of his past six outings. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on the season. The Heat traded a first-round pick and Kyle Lowry to acquire Rozier ahead of last year’s deadline.

“We all want to start in this league,” Rozier said. “Nobody wants to be a starter and go to the bench no matter what they say. I’m happy being in the starting lineup. It might not be [permanent]; you never know.”

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In the same article, Jackson notes that Heat rookie Keshad Johnson received a call from Charlotte after going undrafted in 2024, but Johnson knew he wanted to sign with Miami. “Here is where dreams come true,” Johnson said regarding the Heat’s previous success with undrafted players.
Second-year Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is enjoying the best stretch of his season, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. He’s averaging 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 54.5% from the floor and 36.4% on three-pointers in his last four games — he also pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds on Monday and scored a season-high 20 points on Thursday.
Paolo Banchero made his return for the Magic on Friday after missing the last two months with a torn oblique. He scored 34 points in a narrow loss to the Bucks in his first game back, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes. “I didn’t see that one coming, I can tell you that,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “But that’s who he is. The kid’s been working his tail off to get back in. And so, what he was able to do with poise, taking the right shots at the right time, defending, taking matchups on, this tells you how much he wants to go get it and get after it. That’s who he is. He’s a star for a reason.” While the Magic stayed afloat without Banchero, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes that his return and tremendous play gives the team more hope going forward.
Mark Williams has picked up where he left off for the Hornets after returning from health issues that sidelined him for a full year, averaging 12.2 points and 7.7 rebounds in 13 games (10 starts) this year. In an interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Williams opened up about his recovery and having his minutes restriction lifted. “In my time that I was out, I was working on my game,” Williams said. “Obviously my teammates are finding me. There are a lot of spots that I’m comfortable in on the floor, whether it’s my floaters or my dunks. I’m also finding them at the same time for kicks and handoffs. That’s just us regaining the chemistry back with my teammates.“

Southeast Notes: Butler, Kispert, Banchero, Hornets

January 9th, 2025 at 6:21pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Wizards two-way guard Jared Butler is stepping up in recent games and has impressed each time he’s gotten a chance at extended minutes this season, The Washington Post’s Varun Shankar observes. Over the past three games, Butler is averaging 19.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists while finishing with a positive plus/minus in three Washington losses. He registered season highs of 26 points and seven assists on Wednesday against Philadelphia.

The Wizards were without Jordan Poole for all three of Butler’s recent big games and Malcolm Brogdon for two of those outings. In the 11 games this season in which Butler has played 10 or more minutes, he’s averaging 11.4 PPG and 4.1 APG on .477/.406/.714 shooting.

“Just settles us down, gets us organized, has the ability to get in the paint, create for himself, create for others,” head coach Brian Keefe said. “His defense is really good, too — pressuring the ball, picking up full court. He’s doing the stuff that we want him to.”

Butler originally signed with the Wizards on a two-way deal in the summer of 2023 before having that deal converted late last season. Facing a roster crunch last October, the Wizards waived him but were able to re-add him on a two-way contract after no team put in a claim for the former Baylor guard. If Washington clears a standard roster spot this season, Butler is a candidate to have his two-way deal converted.

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After an ankle sprain sidelined him for five games last month, Corey Kispert has found his confidence again, Shankar writes in another story for The Post. Since Dec. 19, Kispert is shooting 43.1% from beyond the arc on 5.9 attempts per game while averaging 13.5 PPG. In his last two games, Kispert scored a season high of 23 points in each outing while making a combined nine threes.
Magic star forward Paolo Banchero will make his return to game action on Friday against the Bucks after missing over two months with an oblique injury, NBA insider Chris B. Haynes reports (Twitter link). Banchero warmed up on Thursday after being ruled questionable, but was ultimately deemed out until tomorrow. While the re-introduction of Banchero into the lineup is obviously a boon for Orlando, it will likely take an adjustment period before the Magic are firing on all cylinders again after they went 19-14 without him, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. “Finding that flow again is going to take some time and we all understand that,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “It’s going to be us being able to watch the film, get on the court together and that’s going to take some time.”
The Hornets snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Suns on Tuesday, with the quartet of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams playing together for just the eighth time, Shane Connuck of The Charlotte Observer writes. “We have enough in that locker room when it comes to talent. We have enough in that locker room when it comes to competitiveness. We just have to sustain it for four quarters,” head coach Charles Lee said. “We did that tonight, and we need to continue to just stack good days over good days, and we’ll come out on the other side of all of it.“

Magic Notes: Banchero, Suggs, Carter, M. Wagner

January 9th, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing more than two months with a torn oblique, star forward Paolo Banchero will reportedly return to action on Thursday or Friday. As expected, the Magic have officially listed the former No. 1 overall pick as questionable for Thursday’s contest vs. Minnesota.

Speaking to the media after Thursday’s shootaround, Banchero discussed his lengthy layoff and what he learned while being sidelined, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter video links). The 21-year-old said having more time to watch helped him process the game in a different way, but he’s ready to get back on the court.

“I feel like my coaching career, I’m happy for it to be over,” Banchero said jokingly. “I want to start playing again, but it was fun while it lasted.”

Banchero also talked about how he sustained the injury and what he learned from the incident, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

“I think it was a play where I think I made, like, a jump pass and contorted my body in a weird way and just felt that,” Banchero said. “It happens, and I think some of it had to do with fatigue, which is partially on me. I was playing really well, so I was maybe not telling guys, or the team, when I was tired. So, I think fatigue maybe had something to do with it, just playing so hard. So, I definitely (have) got to start listening to my body. No matter how good I’m playing, if I’m dead-tired, I’ve got to come out of the game.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

Despite dealing with injuries to several key players, the banged-up Magic are confident they can compete with any team in the NBA, according to Beede. “We really can roll out any five [players] and compete,” big man Wendell Carter said. “The proof is in the pudding now. We’ve competed and won against some of the top teams in the league. It’s really just a belief system.” Jalen Suggs, who remains out as he deals with a lower back strain, plays a major role in the team’s conviction. “Suggs is the heart of this team,” guard Cole Anthony said. “Obviously we miss him but we know that we’re going to have his support whether he’s playing or not. It’s awesome to have a dude like that in our corner and I can’t wait to get him back.”
Carter missed 12 games earlier in the season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He said after Monday’s win in New York that he’s starting to round into form, as Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel. “I’m definitely starting to get my swag back,” said Carter, who scored a season-high 19 points vs. the Knicks. “That’s something I kind of lost when I went down early. Coming back, trying to get back in tune with the team — went from starting and came off the bench a couple of games and back to starting, guys coming in and out of the lineup — it’s kind of tough for me just to find my groove. But it’s a lot of kudos to my teammates. They keep me [in] high spirits, tell me how good a player I am when I’m aggressive.”
Center Moritz Wagner underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the torn ACL in his left knee, the Magic announced in a press release (Twitter link). The German big man will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Wagner could hit unrestricted free agency this summer if Orlando declines the $11MM team option on his contract for ’25/26.

Magic’s Paolo Banchero Set To Return This Week

January 8th, 2025 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Star forward Paolo Banchero is expected to suit up for the Magic this week for the first time since October, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to Charania, the expectation is that Banchero will be upgraded to questionable on Orlando’s next injury report and will be available for either Thursday’s home game vs. Minnesota or Friday’s vs. Milwaukee.

Banchero got off to an impressive start to the season in the fall, averaging 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 36.4 minutes per night in the first five games of the season. However, he sustained a torn right oblique on October 30 and was ruled out indefinitely. The former No. 1 overall pick has now missed 33 consecutive games.

After earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 and making his first All-Star team in 2024, Banchero won’t be eligible for major awards in 2025 due to the NBA’s 65-game rule. But his return will be a boon for a Magic team that has played very well in his absence, even after forward Franz Wagner went down with a nearly identical injury in early December.

Orlando currently has a 22-16 record and holds the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

If Banchero is activated for Thursday’s game, it would be bad luck for the Timberwolves, who have already faced Zion Williamson on Tuesday in his first game since early November and Kawhi Leonard on Monday in just his second game of the season. However, Charania tweets that Banchero is more likely to make his return on Friday vs. the Bucks.

Southeast Notes: F. Wagner, Anthony, Kuzma, Walker

January 6th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Magic star Franz Wagner offered an encouraging update on his torn oblique, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Wagner, who has now been sidelined for a full month, is set to be reevaluated when the team returns home after tonight’s trip to New York.

“I think I’ve progressed really well,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game. “Now, I’m continuing to rehab it [and] make sure that we don’t make any jumps too soon because you don’t want to re-injure it, obviously. It’s a weird spot. But I feel pretty good.”

Wagner became the focus of the offense following an injury to Paolo Banchero, and he helped the Magic remain near the top of the Eastern Conference. Orlando has gone just 5-7 since he was sidelined, as numerous injuries have left the team short-handed. Wagner has never missed this much time in his NBA career and admitted it’s difficult knowing that his return could still be a long way off.

“After the first couple of days, I felt totally normal,” he said. “Normally, when you have an injury and you’re out, it’s [a] foot or knee or something, and you have trouble walking or stuff like that. There was nothing like that. It’s just mentally a little weird that nothing really hurts but obviously, you can’t really go yet.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Cole Anthony has been in and out of the rotation this season, but the Magic may need to rely on him while Jalen Suggs is sidelined with a lower back strain, Beede adds in a separate story. It’s been a disappointing year for Anthony, but he played 34 minutes and tied a career high with 11 assists after Suggs had to leave Friday’s game at Toronto. “He’s a force on the offensive end,” Cory Joseph said. “A lot of times he draws two people to him and he was just making the right plays over and over again. Guys were getting open, good looks. He was just making the right plays and was amazing to watch.”
Kyle Kuzma, who’s considered one of the Wizards‘ top trade candidates, had a season-high 28 points in Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Kuzma credits his recent scoring burst to an increased off-ball role in the team’s offense and improved health after dealing with a groin strain. “I’ve been over that hurdle now, and I feel really comfortable and very confident in my body and my movements,” he said. “I think you’ve been seeing that over the past couple games being back.”
Hornets legend Kemba Walker talks to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer about why he decided to join Charles Lee’s coaching staff after ending his playing career in July.

Southeast Notes: Suggs, Johnson, Wallace, Ball, Miller

January 5th, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic starting guard Jalen Suggs missed Sunday’s game against Utah due to a lower back strain. He seems certain to sit out their road game against the Knicks on Monday as well, according to coach Jamahl Mosley. “Backs can be tricky. So, it’s like on and off a little bit. He’s just going to continue to be evaluated over these next few days,” he told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Suggs is averaging 16.4 points and 3.7 assists per game.

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Jalen Johnson has become Trae Young‘s co-star in the Hawks‘ offensive attack. They are increasingly relying on Johnson in their quick-passing, fast-breaking offense, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger notes how Johnson ranks among the top five in the league in passes made per game and that he also ranks the top 10 in frontcourt touches for non-centers. Johnson is averaging a career-best 5.3 assists per game.
Two-way Hawks player Keaton Wallace has spent the majority of his time with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, but he also saw action in four late December games with the NBA club. Wallace, a 25-year-old rookie, doesn’t mind going back and forth between the two teams, he told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I’ve been feeling all right,” he said. “This is part of the process of being converted to a two-way (contract). I’m just accepting everything that comes with it.”
LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller were back in the Hornets lineup against Cleveland on Sunday. They hadn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 26. Ball was battling left ankle soreness and right wrist soreness, while Miller had a left ankle injury.

Magic Notes: Suggs, Da Silva, Harris, Joseph

January 4th, 2025 at 8:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Suggs will miss Sunday’s game against Utah after leaving Friday’s contest with severe back spasms, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Suggs had to be wheelchaired to the locker room after collapsing to the court and writhing in pain late in the second quarter.

It’s the latest in a seemingly endless string of injuries for Orlando, which was already playing without stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, along with Anthony Black, Moritz Wagner and Gary Harris. Beede said Suggs seemed to be in good spirits after the game, but “the concern level was real” about the injury, which was diagnosed as a lower back strain.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as it looked out there,” Cory Joseph said. “It’s kind of been, unfortunately, a theme this season — we have guys going down. We just know ‘next man up’ mentality but definitely we wanted to pull this one out for him, as for Moe and Franz, Paolo, Gary and AB. Too many people, right? So, [we] never want to see that happen but we know he’s a fighter and whatever it is, he’ll overcome it. For us, we’ve just got to continue the course.”

There’s more on the Magic:

Tristan Da Silva set a career high in scoring for the second time this week with 25 points Friday night, Beede adds in the same piece. The rookie small forward had 21 points against Brooklyn on Wednesday, but he has also been held scoreless in two of his last four games. “I’m just really trying to take it all in as a journey,” Da Silva said. “As a rookie, you’re obviously going to have ups and downs. There’s games where you might not play as well, where the shot is not falling. And you have games like tonight where you feel really good. But I’m just trying to stay even-keeled and trying to not let a single game kind of define my mental headspace.”
Harris is dealing with another left hamstring strain, the same injury that sidelined him for 13 games earlier in the season, Beede tweets. Harris missed Friday’s contest and has already been ruled out for Sunday.
Joseph, a native of Canada, scored in double figures for the first time with the Magic during Friday’s game at Toronto, Beede states in a separate story. It was part of a dominant night for Orlando’s reserves, who outscored Toronto’s bench, 43-18.

Kings Rumors: Fox, Brown, Ranadivé, Johnson, Ellis

January 2nd, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Mike Brown‘s dismissal, there has been plenty of speculation that De’Aaron Fox played a role in the Kings‘ decision, given that Brown was often critical of Fox when speaking to the media, including in the final days before he was let go. The Kings star was asked by one reporter over the weekend whether he felt “pressure or guilt” about Brown losing his job.

However, Fox has adamantly denied any involvement in the move, telling ESPN that he was on good terms with Brown and liked being coached hard by him. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, team and league sources have backed up Fox’s account.

Brown himself is known to believe that Fox had nothing to do with the decision, league sources tell The Athletic. While general manager Monte McNair claimed responsibility for the coaching change, Amick writes that team owner Vivek Ranadivé was actually the “driving force” behind Brown’s ouster. Ranadivé has not spoken to the media.

Here’s more on the Kings:

The decision to fire a well-respected coach and then not adequately explain the decision to reporters is a textbook example of how to turn Fox into a “sympathetic figure” and perhaps make him more justified in seeking a change of scenery sooner or later, Amick observes. Fox has not asked for a trade, per league sources who spoke to The Athletic, but potential suitors are monitoring the situation closely. Among those teams, there’s a belief that the Kings point guard is more likely to become available in the offseason than prior to the February 6 trade deadline, Amick reports. Fox will be extension-eligible again next summer after passing on a new deal this past offseason.
According to Amick, the Spurs, Heat, and Lakers are atop the list of teams most frequently discussed as possible suitors for Fox if he becomes available via trade. The Magic and Rockets are among the other clubs thought to be considering the idea of pursuing Fox, though “the Spurs noise is the loudest,” Amick says.
For the time being, the Kings are focused on upgrading their current roster and don’t intend to entertain inquiries on Fox, according to Amick, who confirms that Nets forward Cameron Johnson is high on the team’s wish list, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported. Sacramento has had “extensive” discussions with Brooklyn about Johnson, Amick writes.
The Kings moved to 2-1 under interim head coach Doug Christie with a 113-107 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Defensive ace Keon Ellis earned a start and played a season-high 38 minutes, with Sacramento outscoring the Sixers by 17 points during Ellis’ time on the court. “He’s amazing,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis said of Ellis, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “He’s a professional. He stays ready, and he’s always there when we need him, especially on defense.”

Southeast Notes: Magic, Mosley, J. Johnson, Plowden

January 1st, 2025 at 9:24am CST by Rory Maher

The Magic recently provided injury updates on Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel relays. All-Star forward Banchero, who has been out since Oct. 30 due to a torn abdominal muscle, was able to practice on Tuesday, but he’ll remain out for Wednesday’s contest vs. Detroit.

“Paolo was able to go through some light contact through practice, but that’s about it,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Banchero recently stated that he’ll have to go through full contact work and participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages before being cleared to return.

Suggs sustained a right wrist sprain on Sunday vs. Brooklyn, but it sounds like the injury is relatively minor. The All-Defensive guard was able to practice on Tuesday and is probable for Wednesday’s game, according to Beede.

As for Black, he did not practice on Tuesday and is questionable for today’s game due to a lower back contusion. The second-year guard has missed one game to this point with the injury.

Here are a few more notes from the Southeast Division:

Despite significant injuries to Banchero, Franz Wagner and most recently Moritz Wagner, who is out for the season after tearing his ACL, the Magic have remained highly competitive, currently holding a 20-14 record, good for the No. 4 seed in the East. In a subscriber-only column for The Orlando Sentinel, Mike Bianchi argues that Mosley should be the frontrunner for the NBA’s Coach of the Year award for the way he’s managed the team — and the resilience the club has displayed — amid the absences.
In a post-game interview on NBA TV (Twitter video link), former NBA head coach Sam Mitchell noted that Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has started to receive some All-Star buzz. Asked if he’s been thinking about that possibility, Johnson said it’s a secondary priority. “I’ve got All-Star on my mind, but there’s more important things at task right now and that’s winning,” he said.
Last Friday, the Hawks signed guard/forward Daeqwon Plowden to a two-way contract. The deal covers two years, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac, which means Plowden will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2026. All two-way deals are non-guaranteed, however, so it’s certainly not a lock that Plowden will still be on Atlanta’s roster by that point.

Injury Notes: Kuzma, Raptors, Morant, Celtics, Suggs

December 29th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

The Wizards and Kyle Kuzma are targeting Monday’s rematch with New York for the veteran forward’s return to action, team sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Robbins notes, Kuzma has missed the past 12 games with a sprained rib cartilage, having last played on Nov. 27. The two sides will determine if he’s able to suit up in the hours leading up to the game.

League executives believe the Wizards are “eager” to move Kuzma before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, as Marc Stein reported last week. However, the bonuses in his contract could complicate matters for suitors operating in close proximity to the tax aprons.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Raptors will have a handful of players back in action on Sunday vs. Atlanta, including swingman Bruce Brown, who will be making his season debut following offseason knee surgery, and starting center Jakob Poeltl, who has missed the past four games with a groin issue (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca).
Ja Morant will be sidelined for Sunday’s matchup with Oklahoma City due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the Grizzlies announced (story via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). It’s unclear how much time Morant might miss beyond Sunday’s contest between the top-two seeds in the West.
The Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) and Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement) for Sunday’s contest vs. Indiana, the team announced (Twitter links). Both starters had previously been listed as questionable. Asked about Holiday’s status, head coach Joe Mazzulla suggested the injury was relatively minor, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets. “He’s getting better every day,” Mazzulla said. “He’ll continue to get better and we’ll see how it is.”
All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs sustained a right wrist sprain on Sunday against Brooklyn and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Any type of extended absence for Suggs would certainly be rough — Orlando has already been playing without three of its top four scorers (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner). Suggs, who signed a lucrative long-term extension with the Magic before the season began, has averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game in 2024/25.

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