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Injury Notes: Sochan, Embiid, Henderson, R. Williams, Wade

December 3rd, 2024 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan appears set to take on the court on Tuesday night for the first time in nearly a month, having been listed as probable for San Antonio’s NBA Cup game in Phoenix, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

Sochan has been sidelined since November 4, missing the Spurs’ past 13 games due to a fractured thumb that required surgery.

The former ninth overall pick appeared to be taking an impressive step forward prior to the injury. In his six full games this season, he averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 32.2 minutes per night, with a 50.6% field goal percentage.

The Spurs have been playing well lately with rookie Stephon Castle starting in place of Sochan, having won five of their past six games, so we’ll see if Sochan reclaims his spot in the lineup upon his return or if acting head coach Mitch Johnson has him come off the bench.

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

Sixers star Joel Embiid remains listed as out for Tuesday’s game in Charlotte due to left knee injury management and personal reasons, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team hasn’t provided any sort of timeline for Embiid’s return, but this will be the fifth consecutive contest the big man has missed.
Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson underwent an MRI this week on the quad injury that has forced him to miss three games, including the past two, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. However, that MRI didn’t show anything more than a contusion, so Henderson is considered day-to-day and is listed as questionable to play in Los Angeles on Tuesday vs. the Clippers. Blazers center Robert Williams, however, didn’t make the trip to L.A. and will miss a fourth straight game while he remains in the concussion protocol, Highkin adds.
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who has been unavailable for the past six games due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as questionable to play vs. Washington on Tuesday and was in attendance for today’s shootaround, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter links). According to Fedor, Wade – whose +12.9 net rating ranks second among Cavs players – wanted to play on Sunday vs. Boston and went through a 3-on-3 workout on Monday in the hopes of showing Cleveland’s training staff that he’s ready to return.

Sixers Sign Pete Nance To Two-Way Deal, Waive Quinones

December 3rd, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Dana Gauruder

DECEMBER 3: The Sixers have officially signed Nance and waived Quinones, the team announced today in a press release.

DECEMBER 2: The Sixers have agreed to a two-way contract with Pete Nance, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps tweets.

Nance is the younger brother of veteran NBA forward Larry Nance Jr. Pete has played eight games this season in the G League’s Showcase Cup for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ affiliate. He’s averaging 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per contest.

The 6’10” Nance also played in the NBAGL for most of last season. He made eight NBA appearances with the Cavs but averaged just 3.4 minutes in those games.

Nance participated in camp with the Cavs this fall, but was waived in October. He signed a two-way contract with Cleveland in February but wasn’t offered another one. He went undrafted in 2023.

With centers Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond sidelined by injuries and — in Embiid’s case — personal reasons, the Sixers were seeking another frontcourt option in the short run.

As our two-way contract tracker shows, Philadelphia has three players currently signed to two-ways and will have to drop one of them to make room for Nance. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the odd man out will be guard Lester Quinones.

Quinones, who has appeared in four games with the Sixers this season, signed a two-way contract in September after playing for Golden State last season.

Sixers Notes: KJ Martin, Council, George, Drummond, Trade Options

December 2nd, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Plagued with a team that has looked old and slow during a disastrous start, Sixers coach Nick Nurse has begun experimenting with younger options, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. KJ Martin and Ricky Council, who are both 23, have seen expanded playing time in the last two games, and Pompey believes they’re earning larger roles.

Martin posted a season-high 19 points, along with six rebounds and three 3-pointers in Saturday’s win at Detroit. He logged more than 27 minutes while shooting 7-of-8 from the field.

“He brought athleticism, obviously,” Nurse said. “He’s able to switch out onto pretty much anybody on the perimeter, keep them in front with some physicality. He made some timely cuts to the rim, made a couple of threes, and just was on the glass. He was doing a good job on everything.”

Council put up similar numbers with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting in nearly 27 minutes. That followed a 12-point, 10-rebound performance Wednesday against Houston.

“You saw Ricky Council for the second night in a row now, when he got in the game … he knew, ‘I’m supposed to play hard,’” Tyrese Maxey said. “‘I’m supposed to crash. I’m supposed to guard and defend the best offensive player out there. And I do what I do in transition, score the ball.’ Now you’ve got an open spot.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Paul George said he felt good in his return Saturday after missing three games with a bone bruise on his left knee, Pompey states in a separate story. George concentrated on being a play-maker, setting up open shots for teammates against a collapsing Detroit defense. “That’s just the mindset I’m shifting to just be a play-maker,” he said. “Scoring will happen. Shots will fall. I just want to make winning plays. And I think that the way we want to do is kind of attack, create, open the floor up, and everybody makes plays for one another.”
The Sixers were relieved following an injury scare involving Andre Drummond, Pompey adds. The veteran center wasn’t able to put any weight on his right ankle after collapsing to the court following a put-back basket early in the game, but he escaped a major injury. “They did all the X-rays and stuff and it is just a sprain,” Nurse said. “There’s nothing else there. He’s going to be in a boot, yeah, I say a minute. I think I heard Simon [Rice, the Sixers’ vice president of athlete care] say something like it’s maybe not as bad as it looked. But again, it’s a screen. He’s a big guy, all that kind of stuff.” Drummond will miss three games before being reevaluated this weekend, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Martin’s contract, which includes a non-guaranteed $8MM salary for next season, makes him the team’s top trade candidate, Scotto adds in a full story. Caleb Martin and Kelly Oubre are in the same salary range, but sources tell Scotto that they’re still considered to be valuable parts of the Sixers’ rotation. Scotto suggests that KJ Martin might be packaged with a future first-round pick or two in exchange for an immediate upgrade.

Injury Notes: Sixers, Gordon, Powell, Richards, Bronny

November 30th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Joel Embiid (left knee injury management and personal reasons) will miss a fourth straight game on Saturday when the Sixers face the Pistons in Detroit, while Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) will sit out for a fifth in a row, according to Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The good news for the 76ers is that Paul George, who has been out since November 20 due to a left knee bone bruise, has been upgraded to questionable and appears on track to be a game-time decision.

“We did do a good amount of contact and playing as well, so it was good to see,” head coach Nick Nurse said after George participated in Friday’s practice. “He looked pretty good out there.”

As for the status of Embiid’s knee? “The swelling’s gone down a bit,” Nurse said. “Still some soreness there. That’s about all I can say.”

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

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon participated in Saturday’s practice and is nearing a return, head coach Michael Malone said today (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). Gordon has been on the shelf for Denver’s past 10 games as he recovers from a right calf strain. His return will be a boon for the Nuggets, who have a +10.3 net rating in Gordon’s 212 minutes on the court this season.
Clippers swingman Norman Powell has missed the team’s past six games due to a left hamstring issue but is expected to return for the four-game homestand that begins on Sunday vs. Denver, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Powell is the Clippers’ leading scorer so far this season with an average of 23.3 points per game.
Hornets center Nick Richards will be available to play on Saturday against Atlanta for the first time since November 1 after recovering from a broken rib, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. With Mark Williams unavailable so far this fall, Richards was Charlotte’s starting center prior to his injury.
Lakers guard Bronny James, who hasn’t played in either the NBA or the G League since November 17 due to a left heel contusion, will begin his ramp-up process after team doctors determined in a Friday exam that the injury is healing, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James will be reevaluated in one week.

Sixers, Pelicans Remain Focused On Making Playoffs

November 29th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers will carry a 3-14 record into Saturday’s game in Detroit. The Pelicans are 4-16 after losing in Memphis on Friday. The two teams have combined for just four wins in the past month and – based on historical NBA outcomes – the odds are heavily against either one making the playoffs.

Still, neither the Sixers nor the Pelicans are prepared to throw in the towel in on this season, despite some compelling reasons to consider a pivot.

As Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes in an Insider-only story, the 76ers’ owe their 2025 first-round pick to Oklahoma City but would hang onto it if it lands in the top six. With uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid‘s health, rival executives are keeping an eye on the situation in Philadelphia to see if bottoming out and trying to hang onto that pick is a route the club contemplates.

However, sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps they don’t expect the Sixers to opt for that path, and certainly not this early in the season. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (video link) conveys a similar sentiment, noting that he’s been given no indication a major change of direction has been considered in Philadelphia. The team still hasn’t seen its three stars – Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey – play a full game together.

“You would want at least 25 games before you really judge your team and they haven’t had their top guys together at all,” one rival executive said to Windhorst. “Normally you wouldn’t even have this conversation right now; you’d be focused on saving your season.”

“They have the information on Joel’s health and that will probably inform their moves,” another league exec told ESPN. “There’s a lot of things to consider, including what your owner wants to do.”

As ESPN’s duo and Fischer point out, the underwhelming level of competition in the Eastern Conference is one key reason why the Sixers remain optimistic about their playoff chances. Sub-.500 teams like the Hawks, Nets, Bulls, and Pistons are currently vying for three of the play-in spots in the East and are only a few games ahead of Philadelphia in the standings.

Over in the Western Conference, the Pelicans – another team with major aspirations that has been hit hard by injuries – face a more daunting challenge, given the relative strength of their opponents in the West. As Windhorst writes, the idea of taking a “gap” year – like the 2023/24 Grizzlies and 2019/20 Warriors did when they were decimated by injuries – looks like an increasingly tempting option for the Pelicans, who control their own 2025 first-round pick.

But that’s not a consideration in New Orleans right now, sources tell ESPN. Fischer (video link) has heard the same thing and suggests that, like the Sixers, the Pelicans still plan to be an in-season buyer, not a seller, on the trade market.

It’s possible that stance will change before the February 6 deadline. According to Bontemps, rival teams believe the Pelicans have dug themselves too deep a hole in the season’s first few weeks and won’t be able to make up enough ground to be a playoff team even if and when they get healthy. If New Orleans comes to the same conclusion in a couple months, it would certainly impact how the front office approaches the trade deadline.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, who is in the process of changing agents, remains a player to watch, says Windhorst, citing sources who say the two sides still can’t find common ground on a contract extension. However, finding a suitor willing to give up a desirable package to acquire and extend Ingram – and with whom the forward would be comfortable signing long-term – has been an challenge, Windhorst adds.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Meeting, Practice

November 27th, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Before agreeing to a three-year, maximum-salary extension during the 2024 offseason, the Sixers and star center Joel Embiid sought a half-dozen medical opinions on the big man’s health, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

According to Shelburne, all of those experts consulted by the Sixers and Embiid expressed a belief that his left knee issue could be managed by “a combination of strategic rest and procedures to promote healing.” Embiid has been undergoing those procedures since last season, Shelburne adds.

However, despite optimism that Embiid would be ready to start the 2024/25 season, his surgically repaired knee remained a problem and postponed his fall debut. The former MVP has appeared in just four of 16 games so far this season and is currently sidelined again due to what the team refers to on its injury report as left knee injury management.

Shelburne’s ESPN feature includes several more interesting tidbits on the 76ers. Here are a few of them, plus one more Sixers-related note:

Sixers team sources believe it will take at least 33 wins to be in a play-in position in the Eastern Conference this spring, Shelburne writes. While it certainly wouldn’t be ideal for Philadelphia to enter the postseason as the No. 10 seed – which would mean winning two play-in games just to earn a first-round matchup with the East’s No. 1 team – that projection gives the 3-13 club time to turn things around. The 76ers would have to go just 30-36 the rest of the way to reach 33 total wins.
Former Sixers star and current Nets guard Ben Simmons reached out to Embiid “and others” last summer in the hopes of mending fences, sources tell ESPN. As Shelburne notes, Simmons’ relationships with Embiid and other members of the Sixers organization soured due to his trade request and holdout during his final year in Philadelphia.
While players and coaches came out of last Monday’s team meeting feeling like it was a productive session, those positive vibes were negated by the fact that details about the meeting leaked to the media almost instantly, Shelburne writes, “further exacerbating the tension and lack of trust” in the locker room.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer explores how the Sixers are doing their best to “stay together” during their early-season struggles and climb out of the 3-13 hole they’ve dug themselves. Tuesday’s practice included a 5-on-5 scrimmage and was more competitive than a typical session on a day before a game, according to Ricky Council.
In case you missed it, Embiid, Paul George, and Kyle Lowry will all be unavailable for Wednesday’s game vs. Houston. Caleb Martin is considered questionable ahead of pre-game warmups.

Atlantic Notes: George, Embiid, Anunoby, Boucher

November 26th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers stars Paul George (left knee bone bruise) and Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) will remain out for the team’s game on Wednesday vs. Houston, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (Twitter link).

While George was a partial participant in Tuesday’s practice, Embiid, Kyle Lowry (right hip strain), and Caleb Martin (low back soreness) didn’t take part at all. Lowry will join Embiid and George as unavailable for Wednesday’s contest; Martin will be listed as questionable to suit up.

George told reporters, including Pompey (Twitter link), that he hopes to return within the next week. After hosting the Rockets on Wednesday, the 76ers will head out on a brief two-game road trip to Detroit on Saturday and Charlotte on Tuesday before returning home next Wednesday to face Orlando. Based on George’s comments, it sounds like he’ll try to make it back for one of those back-to-back games next Tuesday and Wednesday.

A return timeline for Embiid remains unclear.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Sixers signed Embiid to a three-year, maximum-salary extension this past offseason that will keep him under contract through at least 2028, with a 2028/29 player option projected to be worth north of $69MM. The move was viewed by the 76ers at the time as a “no-brainer,” writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, but given the way this season has played out so far, it’s fair to wonder if the club will come to regret that investment, Pompey acknowledges.
On Saturday, OG Anunoby scored 27 points, his highest total since joining the Knicks nearly a year ago. On Monday, he dwarfed that total by pouring in a career-high 40 points in a win over Denver. “I’ve never been on a team like this before,” Anunoby said after New York scored 145 points and tied a franchise record with 45 assists, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “… It’s cool to score 40 points, but it’s better to win. What did we win by, 20-something? I’m happier about that.” Anunoby spoke earlier this month about wanting to be known as a standout “two-way player” rather than just a defender. His recent performances have certainly helped make that case.
Within a grab-bag article about various Raptors-related topics, Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers whether big man Chris Boucher will have any value as an in-season trade chip. Boucher is averaging 11.2 points per game, the second-best mark of his career, and the team is 4.4 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court. Koreen suggests that Boucher, who is earning $10.81MM on an expiring contract, could potentially bring back a second-round pick or two, along with matching salary.

Eastern Notes: Porzingis, Nets, Djurisic, McCain

November 26th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup on Monday in his return from a leg injury that had sidelined him since June and looked like his old self. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Porzingis helped Boston secure a blowout 126-94 win over the Clippers by racking up 16 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocked shots in just under 23 minutes of action.

“I felt great,” Porzingis said, smiling, after the game. “It was a long rehab, and I was itching to get back out there with this team after winning a championship. It was a good beginning, good first game back.”

As Bontemps points out, while Porzingis’ ability to score around the basket and from beyond the arc will further diversify a Celtics offense that ranks third in the NBA (120.9 offensive rating), his impact on defense figures to be even more significant. Entering Monday’s game, Boston ranked 19th in the NBA in rim defense after placing first in that category last season, Bontemps notes. In Monday’s game, the club set a season high with 11 blocks.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Already shorthanded entering Monday’s matchup in Golden State, the Nets saw Cameron Johnson leave the game in the first half due to a sprained right ankle and Cam Thomas exit in the third quarter after battling a back issue. They still managed to go on a 27-6 second half run and pull out an upset victory over the Warriors, led by Dennis Schröder (17 fourth quarter points) and de facto center Ziaire Williams (19 points, 10 rebounds), as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details. “Shout out to the guys, we lost two more, but our guys stepped up, made big-time shots,” Williams said. “(Trendon Watford) made big-time shots, and it was a team effort. It was super fun out there.”
Hawks rookie Nikola Djurisic, the No. 43 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is fully recovered after undergoing foot surgery in July, according to agent Misko Raznatovic, who says (via Twitter) that the 6’7″ swingman is on track to make his G League debut on Tuesday for the College Park Skyhawks vs. the Long Island Nets. Djurisic is essentially a draft-and-stash prospect — he signed a G League contract for the 2024/25 season and Atlanta still holds his NBA rights.
The 3-13 Sixers have the NBA’s second-worst record, but No. 16 overall pick Jared McCain should be considered the Rookie of the Year frontrunner, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who makes McCain’s case for the award.

Injury Notes: Monk, Sixers, Hayes, Dick, Hornets, Ball

November 25th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings guard Malik Monk has been unavailable since November 10 due to a right ankle sprain, but it sounds like he could be back in action on Monday. Sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) that Monk will go through pre-game warm-ups with the intention of playing vs. Oklahoma City.

Monk has officially been listed as questionable to suit up, notes Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 in Sacramento (Twitter link).

It would provide the Kings’ offense with a much-needed jolt if Monk is able to return. The team, which had a 115.2 offensive rating (ninth in the NBA) and a 6-4 record through its first 10 games, has posted a 111.9 mark (18th) and gone 2-5 with Monk inactive.

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

Paul George (knee bone bruise) did some on-court work over the weekend and the swelling has gone down in Joel Embiid‘s left knee, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Sunday (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports). While Nurse said both stars are making progress, it remains to be seen whether either will be available on Wednesday vs. Houston.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has been on the shelf since November 10 due to a left ankle sprain, has been listed as probable to play on Tuesday vs. Phoenix and said he “definitely” expects to suit up, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter links).
Second-year wing Gradey Dick had appeared in the Raptors‘ first 17 games this season, emerging as one of their go-to scoring options, but he’ll be sidelined on Monday vs. Detroit due to a left calf strain, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. It’s unclear how much time Dick might miss beyond Monday as a result of the injury.
The Hornets assigned injured centers Mark Williams (left foot tendon strain) and Nick Richards (rib fracture) to the G League to practice with the Greensboro Swarm on Monday, according to the team (Twitter link). That’s a sign that both big men are getting close to returning. Williams has yet to make his season debut, while Richards has been out since November 1.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been upgraded to doubtful for Tuesday’s contest vs. the Wizards, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). That’s the first time Ball has been listed as anything besides “out” since spraining his right wrist on October 28, so it appears his return isn’t far off.

And-Ones: Harrell, Covington, Neto, Awards, More

November 25th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA big man Montrezl Harrell, who won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2020, is currently playing in Australia’s National Basketball League as a member of the Adelaide 36ers. The 30-year-old received a three-game suspension on Monday for his part in on- and off-court incidents during a Nov. 17 game vs. Melbourne United.

As Olgun Uluc of ESPN details, United big man Rob Loe drew a charge on Harrell early in the fourth quarter of the contest, and while both players were on the ground, Harrell shoved Loe. That led to a “melee involving most players” for both teams. Harrell appeared to throw a punch at one opponent and “multiple open-handed strikes” at other United players, per Uluc.

Directly after the on-court scuffle, 36ers staffers and players — including Harrell and teammate Kendric Davis — were involved another altercation, this time with spectators behind the team’s bench. Davis received a two-game suspension for initiating contact in that incident, which saw four spectators ejected. Davis claimed a fan directed racist language at him; the United put out a statement saying they were unable to corroborate that allegation.

The 36ers have 24 hours to appeal the suspensions, according to Uluc, who says Harrell has suggested multiple times on social media he may not return to Australia, pending the outcome of his punishment; he’s currently back home in the United States with the NBL season on pause due to the FIBA window (qualifiers for international tournaments).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In an interview with Sam Yip of HoopsHype, free agent forward Robert Covington says he’s confident he can still contribute to NBA teams. “Ain’t nothing changed,” Covington said. “Someone that can give energy on the other side, the defensive side, can come in space the floor, move the ball, do the little things that won’t show up on the stat sheet, what made me very effective.” The 33-year-old, who holds 11 seasons of NBA experience, dealt with a knee injury for most of last season, last suiting up on December 30, 2023, but he says he’s fully healthy now. Covington is currently playing for Team USA in a qualifying round for the AmeriCup. One recent report said he might be open to playing in the G League as he attempts to make it back to the NBA.
Former NBA guard Raul Neto has signed a rest-of-season contract with Spanish club Barcelona, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Neto, who played eight seasons in the NBA from 2015-23, missed all of last season with a knee injury, but he’s “fully recovered” now. Barcelona was looking for backcourt help after losing Nicolas Laprovittola to a season-ending ACL and meniscus injury, Askounis notes.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports lists his award winners for the first month of the 2024/25 season. As of now, O’Connor has Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the frontrunner to win his fourth MVP in five years, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama leading the race for Defensive Player of the Year, and Sixers guard Jared McCain as the league’s top rookie.
On a somewhat related note, with the first month of the season finished, several writers for The Athletic to compiled a list of each team’s biggest concern, with one exception — the 17-1 Cavaliers don’t have a have a real weakness right now, says Joe Vardon.
Magic guard Anthony Black and Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson are two of the six young players John Hollinger of The Athletic highlights as showing marked improvement in their season seasons.

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