Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Curry, Green, Johnson, Morant, Booker, Green, Gafford, Williams, Poole

December 11th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Good news for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is no longer on the injury report, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). Curry hasn’t played since Nov. 26 due to a quad injury.

The future Hall of Famer will suit up against the Timberwolves on Friday but two Golden State frontcourt players won’t be available. Draymond Green will miss the game for personal reasons, while Al Horford continues to be sidelined by a nerve issue in his back.

Here’s more injury-related news:

The Wizards list four prominent players — Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert, Alex Sarr and Khris Middleton — as out for their game against Cleveland on Friday (Twitter link). However, one key player isn’t on the injury report. Lottery pick Tre Johnson, who has been sidelined since Nov. 21 due to a hip flexor, is expected to suit up.
The Grizzlies list seven players as out for their against Utah on Friday. Star guard Ja Morant isn’t one of them. Morant is considered questionable to play. A right calf strain has sidelined him since Nov. 15.
Suns star guard Devin Booker will return either Sunday against the Lakers or next Thursday against the Warriors, according to Arizona radio host John Gambadoro (Twitter link). Booker hasn’t played since Dec. 1 due to a groin injury. Jalen Green, who has only played two games this season due to a hamstring strain, is tracking toward a return just after Christmas, Gambadoro adds.
The Mavericks list big man Daniel Gafford as doubtful to play against Brooklyn on Friday due to right ankle injury management, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets.
The Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams (illness) and Yang Hansen (facial contusion) won’t play against New Orleans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. Both players were originally listed as questionable.
Jordan Poole is available to play for the Pelicans tonight, the team’s PR department tweets. He has been out since Nov. 4 due to a left quad strain.

Thunder, Spurs Advance In NBA Cup: League Announces Schedule Changes

December 11th, 2025 at 7:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder and Spurs will meet in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday after winning their respective quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday.

The Thunder improved to 24-1 on the season with a blowout home victory over the Suns. The game was never close, as Oklahoma City won each quarter by double-digits and defeated Phoenix by 49 points, making it the most lopsided loss in Suns history.

Oklahoma City made 55% of its three-pointers, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points) and Chet Holmgren (24 points) leading the way and no Thunder player logging more than 27 minutes.

In the late game, the Spurs overcame 35 points from Lakers star Luka Doncic and 26 from Marcus Smart in his return from a back injury to pull off a 132-119 win on the road. Stephon Castle had 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in his second game back from a hip injury, while six other Spurs scored in double digits.

The Thunder and Spurs will face one another on Saturday at 8:00 pm Central time for the right to advance to the NBA Cup final on Tuesday. Players on the losing team in that game will receive bonuses of roughly $106K apiece, while the winning team will face either the Magic or Knicks in the championship game a shot at the top prize ($531K per player).

Notably, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has a shot to return from his calf strain for that game vs. the Thunder, per head coach Mitch Johnson.

“Very much so,” Johnson said after Wednesday’s win when asked if a Saturday return is in play for Wembanyama (Twitter link via Mark Medina). “He had a very good day today. He had a very intense day this morning. We’ll have to see how he responds and reacts tomorrow.”

The Thunder and Spurs will now play each other five times this season, including three times in December. The two clubs are scheduled to square off on December 23 in San Antonio and on Christmas Day in OKC.

The NBA also announced a handful of scheduling updates on Wednesday night, per Medina (Twitter link). The Suns and Lakers, who only had 81 games apiece on their respective regular season schedules, will face one another on Sunday in Phoenix at 7:00 pm CT.

The Thunder and Spurs had both been scheduled to play games on December 17, but those contests have been pushed back one day to Dec. 18 in order to give them an extra day of rest following the NBA Cup. OKC will now host the Clippers next Thursday, while San Antonio hosts the Wizards that night.

Devin Booker Unable To Return For NBA Cup Matchup With OKC

December 10th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

There was hope that Devin Booker might be able to return from a groin injury in time for tonight’s NBA Cup contest at Oklahoma City, but the Suns downgraded him to out shortly before game time, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “He’s continuing to make progress,” coach Jordan Ott said (Twitter video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “We checked in with him after his work there in shootaround. He’s making great progress. We just need a couple of days. We’ll be smart with this thing. It’s a long season.”

And-Ones: Front Offices, I. Mobley, NBA Europe, Quaintance

December 10th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder are coming off a championship and are just the third team in NBA history to open a season with at least 23 wins in their first 24 games, so it comes as no surprise that general manager Sam Presti came out on top in The Athletic’s annual poll on the league’s best front offices.

A group of The Athletic’s NBA writers asked 36 executives around the NBA to rank their top five front offices, and Oklahoma City received an overwhelming 31 first-place votes.

The rest of the top five wasn’t simply made up of the teams at the top of the NBA’s standings. Brad Stevens and the Celtics placed second, followed by Rafael Stone and the Rockets at No. 3, Pat Riley and the Heat fourth, and Kevin Pritchard and the Pacers rounding out the top five. Each of those front offices received at least one first-place vote.

The Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Knicks, Spurs, and Warriors finished in the top 10, with another 15 teams cited at least once, either as a top-five front office or as a group considered to be “on the rise” and earning an honorable mention. According to The Athletic, the five clubs not to be mentioned at all were the Mavericks, Kings, Pelicans, Suns, and Bulls.

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

Isaiah Mobley, the older brother of reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, is in the process of finalizing an agreement with Hapoel Jerusalem, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link). Mobley, a 2022 second-round pick who spent parts of three seasons in the NBA with Cleveland and Philadelphia from 2022-25, has been playing this fall with Manisa Basket in Turkey.
The fall of 2027 continues to be viewed as a “realistic target” for the launch of the NBA’s European league, according to FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis. Joe Vardon of The Athletic passes along some of the other comments Zagklis made about the prospective league during a news conference on Tuesday, including the fact that the goal is to give more teams across Europe a pathway to qualifying for the NBA’s league than can currently qualify for the EuroLeague.
Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance has cracked the top five in the latest 2026 NBA mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, behind the usual suspects at the top. The 6’10” sophomore forward is making his way back from an ACL tear he sustained while playing for Arizona State last season.

Western Notes: Powell, Beringer, Two-Ways, Booker, Suns

December 10th, 2025 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban shot down a report indicating that big man Dwight Powell will likely retire at the end of this season, tweeting that it’s “not true.”

Powell, 34, no longer plays a significant role in Dallas, but has been with the Mavericks for over a decade and has appeared in 20 of the club’s 25 games so far this season, averaging 10.9 minutes per night.

Powell is on a $4MM expiring contract in 2025/26, so if he does intend to extend his career beyond this season, he’ll need to sign a new deal. In all likelihood, he’ll be a minimum-salary player going forward.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

The Timberwolves assigned rookie center Joan Beringer to the G League for the first time this season on Tuesday, per the team (Twitter link). Beringer has played limited minutes at the NBA level so far this fall, so he’ll get an opportunity to take on a more significant role for the Iowa Wolves when they face the Motor City Cruise this Friday.
Two-way contracts recently signed by LJ Cryer (Warriors), Malevy Leons (Warriors), and Tyler Smith (Rockets) are all for two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Golden State and Houston will have the option of retaining those players on their two-way deals through the 2026/27 season. However, it’s somewhat rare for a player to play out a full two-year, two-way contract, as most are either promoted or waived before the deal expires.
After Suns head coach Jordan Ott indicated over the weekend that Devin Booker has a chance to return to action on Wednesday from his groin injury, the team officially upgraded the star guard to questionable for its NBA Cup showdown with Oklahoma City, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes shares the latest details on the legal battle between Suns owner Mat Ishbia and a pair of minority shareholders, Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg. While attorneys for Seldin and Kohlberg are taking aim at Ishbia’s majority control of the franchise, a spokesperson for Ishbia dismissed the claims in the lawsuit as “ridiculous,” according to Holmes. “Unwilling to take responsibility and invest in the team, these guys are resorting to threats and publicity stunts to get Mat to buy them out just so they make more money,” that spokesperson said.

Injury Notes: SGA, Thunder, Booker, Essengue, Schröder

December 7th, 2025 at 9:54am CST by Rory Maher

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss his first game of the season on Sunday when the Thunder face the Jazz in Utah, tweets Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire. Gilgeous-Alexander is dealing with bursitis in his left elbow, per the team.

The superstar guard is one of seven Oklahoma City players who will be out Sunday. Others include rotation members Luguentz Dort (right adductor strain), Alex Caruso (right quad contusion), Isaiah Joe (left knee soreness) and Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain).

Here are more injury notes from around the NBA:

Suns head coach Jordan Ott provided an update on star guard Devin Booker on Friday, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link). Booker is recovering from a right groin strain and could return for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal at Oklahoma City. “We’ll continue to assess him day-by-day, but he’s been through this before,” Ott said. “So he knows exactly where he’s at and his body and he’s made good progress in a short amount of time. … If his body is feeling good and he’s in a good place, he’ll absolutely be available (Wednesday).”
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Bulls lottery pick Noa Essengue said his season-ending left shoulder injury was a dislocation, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network relays (via Twitter). The French forward added that he dislocated the same shoulder a couple of years ago and his surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.
Kings point guard Dennis Schröder was out again last night in Miami due to a right hip flexor strain, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). While Schröder’s strain is “mild” and he’s considered day-to-day, he has now missed five straight games, having last suited up on Nov. 24 vs. Minnesota.

Western Notes: Morant, Frank, K. George, Markkanen, Gillespie

December 4th, 2025 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who has been out since November 15 due to a right calf strain, has been participating in drills, though he isn’t going full speed or taking contact yet, head coach Tuomas Iisalo said on Thursday, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

While there are still some hurdles Morant needs to clear before he’s ready to return to the court for the Grizzlies, Iisalo feels good about the progress the 26-year-old has made, noting that Morant is considered day-to-day.

“He’s already moving and able to do some things with the team, so looking positive,” Iisalo said.

As Cole writes, even once Morant is available, the Grizzlies will still be short on point guard depth, with Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe), Ty Jerome (calf), and Javon Small (toe) all still inactive.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

While some sources who spoke to Joe Vardon of The Athletic said that Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and other members of his front office are on track to sign contract extensions, other team sources said that talk of extensions is “premature,” according to Vardon. For what it’s worth, all of those sources stressed that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer values continuity, so there’s no indication that a front office or head coaching change is on the horizon despite the team’s poor start this season, Vardon notes.
Tony Jones of The Athletic provides an interesting, in-depth look at how Keyonte George‘s offseason trip to Lauri Markkanen‘s home country of Finland strengthened the chemistry between the two Jazz teammates and helped set up what has been a breakout season for George so far. Within the story, Markkanen also speaks about his desire to see Utah’s rebuild through. “For me, the journey of getting better and better as a team and then finally breaking through means a lot to me,” the star forward said. “I would love to be a part of the next great Jazz team.”
Suns point guard Collin Gillespie spoke to Mark Medina of RG.org about his increased role, learning from Devin Booker, and his goals for the rest of the season, among other topics. “I just want to continue to play good basketball and shoot the ball well and be efficient,” Gillespie said when asked about his individual goals. “I want to prove that I can be a consistent role player in the NBA. That’s really it. Everything that comes with winning and team success, everything else will come individually.”

Devin Booker Out At Least One Week With Groin Strain

December 3rd, 2025 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker will be reevaluated in one week after being diagnosed with a right groin strain, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Booker, who sustained the injury on Monday vs. the Lakers, will miss games against Houston on Friday and Minnesota next Monday, with next Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal in Oklahoma City looking like his earliest possible return date.

Even if Booker isn’t ready to return in seven days, this outcome appears to be a “best case” for the Suns, according to Charania, who suggests the star guard’s injury isn’t a significant one.

Booker, 29, has been the top scorer for a surprisingly competitive Suns team this fall, averaging 25.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 34.7 minutes per game through his first 22 outings. Phoenix was expected to take a step back this season after trading Kevin Durant and buying out Bradley Beal over the summer, but the club is off to a 13-9 start, with Booker leading the way.

The Suns’ backcourt depth will be tested with Booker sidelined for multiple games. The team is also still without Jalen Green, who has missed most of the season due to hamstring issues.

However, Phoenix did get Ryan Dunn back on Monday after he missed five games with a sprained wrist. And while Grayson Allen sat out on Monday due to an illness, he had returned to action on Saturday following a seven-game absence due to a quad injury. Assuming they’re healthy, Dunn and Allen figure to play key roles for the Suns in the next week, along with guards Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and perhaps Jamaree Bouyea, who logged a season-high 23 minutes on Monday.

Pacific Notes: Brooks, M. Williams, Hachimura, Sabonis

December 2nd, 2025 at 10:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Suns forward Dillon Brooks relished beating the Lakers in Los Angeles on Monday as well as the opportunity to trash talk LeBron James, Tim MacMahon writes for ESPN.com.

As MacMahon notes, Brooks infamously got under James’ skin during the first round of the 2023 playoffs with Memphis, only to see the strategy backfire — he struggled for the rest of the series while James dominated, and the Grizzlies were eliminated in six games. Ever the antagonist, Brooks poured in 33 points on Monday — one off his season-high — and “relentlessly” mocked James and the crowd.

“I love playing in this arena,” Brooks said. “They show me a lot of love in here, and I reciprocate it back. I’m a competitor, man. I don’t really like the smiling and the giggling and all that, so just letting them know that I’m here. And I’m still rising.”

Phoenix cruised to an easy victory on Monday despite missing Devin Booker (right groin injury) for the majority of the contest. Brooks was the driving force behind the result.

“Sometimes, I’m trying to tell him to chill out, but I think he just blacks out,” said point guard Collin Gillespie, who scored a career-high 28 points on Monday and whom Brooks has nicknamed “Villain Jr.” due to his tenacity. “That’s Dillon Brooks. It fuels us. Obviously, we love when he gets going. He’s the tone-setter for us. Consistent energy, brings it every night. He’s fearless. Doesn’t back down from anybody, and he will go toe-to-toe with anybody.”

We have more from the Pacific:

Now a member of the Suns, center Mark Williams admitted he’d have a “little extra” motivation facing the Lakers on Monday after L.A. traded for him in February — only to rescind the deal over to what the team said was a failed physical (story via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Williams said he was never told exactly why the Lakers nixed the trade with Charlotte. “Not in real detail,” said Williams, who is averaging 12.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals through 18 games (25.4 minutes per contest). “I’m kind of past it now. Just moved on from it.” The ex-Duke center will be a restricted free agent in 2026.
Entering Monday, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura had scored in double figures in 14 of his 18 appearances. The 27-year-old had his worst outing of the season in Monday’s loss, going scoreless — he missed his lone shot attempt — and pulling down one rebound in 23 minutes. “I don’t remember when I had the ball this whole game,” Hachimura said, per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation (Twitter link). “I mean, that’s happened. Playing with these guys, I signed up for that. I understand it… But with this, I think the whole team, everyone knows and understands, that’s not how we’re gonna win. Those games that we’ve been winning, we’ve been passing to each other, we’ve been trusting each other and playing for each other to win those games. So it’s a tough one for me, but it is what it is. It’s one of those games where I gotta just [forget it] and move on to the next game.”
Kings center Domantas Sabonis is likely at least a couple weeks away — if not more — from returning from a partially torn meniscus, but his injured left knee is progressing well and he’s traveling with the team on its three-game road trip, which will conclude next Tuesday at Indiana, as Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento relays (via Twitter). The Kings clarified that Sabonis is not yet practicing, which was expected given his initial return timeline. The Lithuanian big man has popped up in trade rumors this fall amid Sacramento’s poor start to the season.

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.