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Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoing Knee Surgery, Out At Least One Month

March 7th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

9:11pm: Towns will undergo surgery to repair his torn left meniscus and will be reevaluated in a month, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, Towns is expected to make his return early in the Western Conference playoffs.

8:18am: Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is out indefinitely, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets. Towns has reached out to numerous medical professions regarding the injury over the last 24 hours, Charania adds (Twitter link).

Towns had been listed as out by the team’s PR department (Twitter link) for the team’s Wednesday road game against Indiana tonight due to left knee soreness. The injury has proved to be much more serious.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski paints a somewhat different picture regarding the injury. He indicates that it’s unclear how much, if any, time Towns will be required to miss, as the Timberwolves star forward and the team continue to gather information regarding the extent of the damage (Twitter link).

It’s a stunning blow for a team competing for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves are currently tied with the Thunder at 43-19 with 20 regular season games remaining.

Towns, whose career has been marred by long-term injuries in recent seasons, is averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games this season.

A Grade 3 calf strain limited him to 29 regular season games last season. However, Towns bounced back strongly this season, sitting out only two games to this point.

His production had dipped the past four games, as he failed to reach the 20-point mark in any of those contests. He played only 21 minutes against Portland on Monday, the second game of a back-to-back, and posted only 14 points and four rebounds.

With the trade deadline having passed a month ago, the Timberwolves have limited options to replace him. Backup big Naz Reid could slot into the starting lineup or coach Chris Finch could go with versatile forward Kyle Anderson. The team also signed T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract on Wednesday.

Northwest Notes: McDaniels, KAT, Edwards, Blazers Injuries, Kessler

March 7th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

With Karl-Anthony Towns out indefinitely, the Timberwolves are going to need Jaden McDaniels to step up on the offensive side of the ball in order for Minnesota to reach its potential, Michael Rand of The Star Tribune writes.

For most of the season, the Wolves’ late-game offense consisted of Mike Conley getting Towns and Anthony Edwards in the best positions to succeed offensively. With or without Towns, McDaniels getting more involved could increase the team’s ceiling, Rand writes.

McDaniels is averaging 10.5 points per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 36.0% from deep this season. However, he’s taking roughly the same number of shots per night as Conley and Rudy Gobert, and with the Wolves ranking 26th in offensive rating in fourth quarters, Rand believes McDaniels’ high ceiling holds the key to Minnesota’s improvement.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

There’s no replacement for Towns and his All-Star production, but Conley expressed optimism in the rest of a roster that has helped the Timberwolves post a West-best 43-19 record this season. “We’ve got full confidence in our roster for guys to step up and make plays in his absence,” Conley said, per Alan Horton of Wolves Radio (Twitter link). “We’ve had some experience with this [last season] and we’re gonna have to do it by committee, there’s no way to take up what he does with just one guy.“
In their first game after the Towns injury news, the Timberwolves defeated the Pacers 113-111 behind 44 points from Anthony Edwards. Edwards exited for the locker room with a foot injury (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski), but returned to propel Minnesota to the win with 16 points and a big game-sealing block in the fourth quarter.
The Trail Blazers are dealing with a plethora of injuries to key players as the season winds on, with Malcolm Brogdon (elbow, out since Feb. 2), Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal, out since Jan. 11) and Scoot Henderson (thigh, out since Feb. 15) among them. Head coach Chauncey Billups provided updates on that trio, according to Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin (Twitter link). Brogdon is doing more work but is still experiencing discomfort in his elbow while Sharpe has begun light shooting. Henderson is further along and could be back this weekend (Twitter link).
Jazz center Walker Kessler, who hasn’t played since Feb. 27, was a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen (Twitter link). While there isn’t definite news for his status in Utah’s Saturday game against Denver, it’s a step in the right direction, Larsen adds. In 51 games (17 starts) this season, Kessler is averaging 8.5 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Southeast Notes: Bey, Windler, Wizards, Mosley

March 7th, 2024 at 7:32pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Hawks forward Saddiq Bey is no stranger to hard work, transforming himself into a more physical player who’s averaging a career-high 6.5 rebounds per game and is driving to the basket more often, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link).

Williams dives into Bey’s regimen and work with trainer Myron Flowers. Bey, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason if he’s extended a qualifying offer, has played a variety of roles for the Hawks.

Bey is averaging 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest this season. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract, making $4.6MM this season, and recently met the “starter criteria” for potential restricted free agents, so if he’s extended a qualifying offer, it will be worth $8.5MM.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Hawks signed Dylan Windler to a two-way contract on Monday, and he’s already seeing how he can mesh with the team, Williams writes in a separate story. “I mean, even just from the little bits I’ve seen and playing against the Hawks from time to time, seeing Coach Quin’s system, I think it’s a system that I fit right into it,” Windler said. “A lot of threes up, run, good spacing, crash the offensive glass, prioritize next possessions. And so I think it’s a system I good fit really well into.“
The Wizards fell to Orlando on Wednesday, blowing a 21-point lead en route to a franchise record-tying 16th consecutive loss, The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace observes. “Yeah, we addressed [the streak],” point guard Tyus Jones said. “But six games, 16 games, you don’t want to lose many in a row, ever. Regardless of how many it is. At this point … we’ve got to be more desperate. We’ve got to want it more. We don’t want it enough right now. We’ve got to come out and by any means get a win, and that’s not the attitude we have right now.“
The Magic, conversely, won their fifth straight game by beating Washington and are in fourth in the Eastern Conference. Josh Robbins of The Athletic explores the job Jamahl Mosley has done in Orlando this season, writing that he should at least be in the conversation for Coach of the Year. Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony and Moritz Wagner are key contributors who praise Mosley’s ability. “He has some fire to him,” Wagner said. “Obviously, you need to have that. I think we all trust him. I think he trusts us to respond. He cares a lot. As players, we feel that when your coach cares about you. So, you take to heart what he says.“

Pacers Notes: Mathurin, McDermott, Hield, Smith

March 7th, 2024 at 6:11pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pacers second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin is set to miss at least the next three games, and probably a fourth, as he deals with a sprained right shoulder, according to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Mathurin will be reevaluated after Indiana’s upcoming two-game road trip that concludes March 12 in Oklahoma City. That reevaluation will come before the Pacers play the second half of a back-to-back against the Bulls on March 13, so it’s unlikely he plays in that game, according to Dopirak.

“We hope it’s not serious,” Carlisle said. “He’s a guy who bounces back very quickly and hates missing game. We hope that it’s relatively short term, but he will miss a week at least.”

Mathurin is averaging 14.5 points per game in his second year in the league.

We have more notes on the Pacers:

There’s still no return timetable for Doug McDermott, who is dealing with a right calf strain. According to Dopirak, as of Saturday, McDermott hadn’t engaged in any on-floor work since suffering his injury on Feb. 26. He’s averaging 5.7 points and shooting 41.5% from three this season.
Buddy Hield recently opened up about his trade from the Pacers, explaining how he didn’t see a future with the organization. “I love Buddy. I wish we could have kept him. The whole organization wishes they could have kept him,” Carlisle said in response to Hield’s comments (Twitter links via Dopirak). “And we could have, but it would have been self-serving for the organization. … He’s one of a kind. I loved him. I loved working with him for two years. He was a total pro with everything with he did.”
Jalen Smith is knocking down a career-high 61.2% of his field goals and 44.3% of his three-point attempts. According to Smith, the key to his better shooting is to stop thinking about knocking them down, Dopirak writes in another story. “I guess it’s just an ‘F-it’ mentality,” Smith said. “I’m pretty much saying if it goes in, it goes in. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.” Smith is playing just 17.7 minutes per night in a crowded frontcourt, but has been highly efficient in his limited time and is averaging 20.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Suns To Host 2027 All-Star Weekend

March 7th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 7: The Suns have been officially selected to host NBA All-Star 2027, according to a release from the league (Twitter link). The 76th All-Star Game will take place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2027.

FEBRUARY 26: All-Star Weekend appears to be headed to Phoenix in 2027, multiple sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

It’s a huge achievement for new owner Mat Ishbia, who took control of the Suns a little more than a year ago. Ishbia’s Phoenix Mercury will host the WNBA All-Star Game this year.

With a roster featuring Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the team could be well represented in the 2027 game. Durant has been an All-Star 16 times in his career, while Booker is a four-time All-Star and Beal has been selected three times.

After taking place in Indianapolis this year, the next three All-Star Weekends will be hosted by Pacific Division teams, Charania notes (Twitter link). San Francisco will host next year’s festivities, followed by Los Angeles in 2026.

It will be the fourth All-Star Game in Phoenix and the first since 2009. The city also served as host in 1975 and 1995.

New York Notes: Knicks Injuries, Nets, Johnson, Sharpe, Thomas

March 7th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave injury updates on multiple players on Thursday, as Fred Katz of The Athletic relays (All Twitter links).

Thibodeau said forward OG Anunoby, who is recovering from right elbow surgery, has been doing contract drills and is playing five-on-five, which indicates he’s getting close to returning. He’ll be day-to-day moving forward, though he hasn’t yet been fully cleared to play. Anunoby last suited up on January 27.

According to Katz, Thibodeau gave a brief update on Mitchell Robinson, who has been sidelined since December 8 following foot surgery, saying, “Mitch looks good. He told me to tell everyone that.”

Thibodeau also said star guard Jalen Brunson was able to participate in most of Thursday’s practice, but he wasn’t sure what his status would be for the injury report ahead of Friday’s game vs. Orlando, Katz adds.

Here are a few more notes out of New York:

With 20 games remaining, the Nets are three games behind the Hawks for the No. 10 seed in the East — the final spot in the play-in tournament. As Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post writes, Brooklyn has the league’s second-easiest remaining schedule, but is embarking on a stretch with 10 of 11 games on the road, where the team is just 9-19 thus far in 2023/24. How the Nets fare over that stretch could determine whether or not they make the playoffs.
Nets forward Cameron Johnson exited Tuesday’s victory over Philadelphia with a right ankle sprain and was unable to return, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Yeah, it’s just a right ankle sprain and we’re gonna evaluate him [Wednesday],” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “I imagine they’ll evaluate him [Tuesday night], but we’ll have more information [in the morning].” Johnson is officially out for Thursday’s matchup in Detroit, Lewis tweets. On the NBA’s latest injury report, backup center Day’Ron Sharpe has also been ruled out due to a right wrist contusion he sustained during a hard fall Monday.
In more positive news for the Nets, their second-leading scorer could return this weekend, according to Lewis (Twitter link). Cam Thomas has been battling a right ankle/midfoot sprain and will be out Thursday, but he might be back either Saturday vs. Charlotte or Sunday vs. Cleveland. The third-year guard will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason.

Hornets To Hire Dotun Akinwale Jr. As Assistant GM

March 7th, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Rory Maher

New executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson is making the first addition to his front office, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the Hornets are hiring Hawks executive Dotun Akinwale Jr. as their new assistant general manager.

Akinwale is currently Atlanta’s vice president of player personnel, having been promoted last summer. One of his responsibilities was managing the team’s pre-draft workout process, tweets Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A native of Maryland, Akinwale played basketball at Thiel College in Pennsylvania before graduating and getting his NBA start as an intern with Orlando. He spent two seasons with the Magic, and over the past nine seasons he has worked his way up the ranks in Atlanta, but now he’ll be heading to Charlotte to work with his former Hawks colleague Peterson.

Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall is familiar with both Peterson and Akinwale, as he was previously a minority owner of the Hawks. Peterson, 35, most recently worked as a Nets executive before being hired to become Charlotte’s top basketball decision-maker.

In an interview on Wednesday, Peterson said the team planned to make some new hires in the front office, which is now coming to fruition.

Heat Notes: D. Robinson, Martin, Mills, Jovic

March 7th, 2024 at 12:58pm CST by Rory Maher

While Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson says he’s fine with either role, he has been far more effective starting in 2023/24 compared to coming off the bench, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

“The competitive aspect, you always want to be out there,” he said. “But… you got to have a full 100 percent buy in of what we’re trying to achieve.”

The numbers are pretty eye-opening: in Robinson’s 24 starts, Miami is 18-6 and +149 in his 782 minutes on the court. He has averaged 16.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 4.0 APG on .487/.456/.841 shooting in those 24 appearances (32.6 MPG).

Conversely, in the 32 games with Robinson coming off the bench, the Heat are 15-17 and -53 in his 799 minutes (they’re 2-3 in games he’s missed). As a reserve, he has averaged 11.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 3.2 APG on .424/.362/.946 shooting in 25.0 MPG.

As Jackson writes, Robinson is very unlikely to remain a starter once Tyler Herro – who will miss his sixth consecutive game Thursday with a right foot injury – returns from injury. Robinson says he’s still improving and trying to make it difficult for the coaching staff to keep him in the game whether he’s starting or not.

“It’s always an ambition of mine to have the biggest role for myself possible,” Robinson said. “I don’t put any limitations on what I can achieve.

“I’m 29 years old. I still feel like I’m improving and still feel like there’s more to tap into from a basketball perspective and the impact I can have. I don’t know what that’s going to look like as far as the actual role. Let those decisions fall in the hands of the coaching staff, and deal with it the best way I can, which is showing up working and handling my business.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Fourth-year forward Caleb Martin is dealing with a “loose tooth or two, six stitches in his mouth, a sore thumb and a balky ankle,” but he has been playing his best basketball of the season of late, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). “I think I’m just letting go,” Martin said of his improved three-point shot. “I think mentally I’m just playing more free and stop overthinking. I’m not overthinking stuff as much. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym with the coaches. I know I’m a good shooter. So I’m not going to miss when I’m just letting it go.” Martin is averaging 14.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 1.0 BPG while shooting 15-of-23 (60.9%) from deep over the past five games.
New free agent addition Patty Mills says he sees similarities between the Spurs and Heat organizations and he hopes that will make the first time he’s switched teams midseason a bit smoother, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “Although it’s only been 24 hours, the impression of what the culture is here hits very hard,” Mills said. “It doesn’t take long for you to understand, to see it and to appreciate it. And within those 24 hours, there’s definitely [things] I’m used to and what I’m also about. That will be set up here for a smooth transition, hopefully.” Mills, who played 10 seasons with San Antonio, will be active Thursday, though it’s unclear if he’ll play.
Mills also said he was “fully committed” to playing for the Australian national team in the Olympics this summer in Paris, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The news isn’t surprising — it will be the 35-year-old guard’s fifth Olympic appearance with the Boomers, who won the bronze medal at the last Olympics in Tokyo.
Second-year forward Nikola Jovic says he would like to play for either Partizan or Crvena Zvezda — two EuroLeague teams in his native Serbia — in the future, he told Srdjan Todorovic of Telegraf. “… I love both teams, I follow them a lot, ” Jovic said, per BasketNews. “At some point, I would like to come back to play for one of our two big teams, especially because I played in Mega against both of them, and I would like to feel everything that happens there.”

Jazz Notes: Bulls’ Scuffle, Collins, Hendricks, Dunn

March 7th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz’s 119-117 loss to the Bulls on Wednesday included a scuffle in the closing seconds, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports.

With Utah down one and nine seconds left, Collin Sexton fouled DeMar DeRozan next to the Bulls’ bench. Sexton and injured Bulls forward Torrey Craig exchanged words, leading to an escalation. Bulls assistant coach Chris Fleming shoved Utah big man John Collins, who reached for Fleming’s neck before they were separated.

“I ran over. I’m standing there. And the coach comes over and just shoves me for no reason,” Collins said. “Y’all can go watch the film. And I just protected myself. I’m literally just standing there, and the dude puts a forearm in my chest and is pushing me back. So I don’t know. He needs some more self-control. But it’s whatever. I don’t know what to say about that. That was weird.”

A technical foul was called on Craig, while Collins and Fleming were handed double technicals. DeRozan’s free throws proved to be decisive but Bulls coach Billy Donovan was upset with his team and staff.

“We’ve got to be able to do a better job than that all the way around,” he said. “And I’m not just saying the players. On the bench. Everybody. We’ve got to be better in those moments.”

We have more Jazz news:

Rookie forward Taylor Hendricks will be reevaluated next week after injuring his left big toe, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News tweets. Hendricks, whose playing time has expanded since the trade deadline, was injured during the second quarter of the Jazz’s game against Washington on Monday. An MRI confirmed a ligament sprain to the toe.
Kris Dunn has revived his career with the Jazz after stints in the G League during the 2021/22 and ’22/23 seasons. The 2016 lottery pick never lost faith that he’d return to the NBA, he told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I always knew I was going to get back,” he said. “The main thing with me was the health part. I had to get my body back and then my shooting. I had to clean those two things up.” Dunn will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
In case you missed it, Isaiah Thomas has joined the Jazz’s G League, the Salt Lake City Stars, with the aim of getting another NBA contract.

Knicks Notes: McBride, Hart, Milton, Schedule

March 7th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

With Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson nursing a left knee contusion, backup Miles McBride has been thrust into an iron man role, Peter Botte of the New York Post writes.

McBride has been on the court for at least 40 minutes in three of the last four games. After playing 47 minutes and 13 seconds against the Cavaliers on Sunday — when Brunson was injured during the opening minute — McBride logged 45 minutes and 38 seconds in a loss to the Hawks on Tuesday.

“I’m glad Coach (Tom Thibodeau) trusts me to be playing me those minutes. Just wish we would’ve got the job done,” said McBride, who signed a three-year extension in late December. “Honestly, I feel fine. I think I’m more mad about losing than worrying about how my body feels.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Wing Josh Hart is the league’s top rebounder among player who stand 6’7” or less. Hart is just 6’4” but he’s pulled down an average of 7.6 rebounds per game. “Josh is the king of stealing rebounds,” Donte DiVincenzo told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “He loves stealing them. But I don’t care. As long as we get it, he can steal them all day long.”
Shake Milton has looked for guidance from Knicks executive William Wesley during his career and that played a factor in his decision to sign with the Knicks, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. Milton became a free agent when the Pistons, who acquired the reserve guard at the trade deadline, bought him out. “He’s there anytime I need him. Whether it’s to talk, do whatever. He’s always there,” Milton said of Wesley.
The banged-up Knicks have three pivotal games coming up, Botte notes. Looking to avoid the play-in tournament, the Knicks face the Magic on Friday and the Sixers on Sunday and Tuesday. “Obviously, you don’t want to be in the play-in. You’d like to have that three or five days of rest going into the first round,” Hart said. The team is hopeful Brunson can return soon but frontcourt regulars Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson remain out, though Randle and Anunoby have been cleared for basketball activities.