Suns’ Jalen Green Expected To Return Friday
Fifth-year guard Jalen Green, who has missed the Suns‘ last three games after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring last week, is set to return for Friday’s contest in Cleveland, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
Green has been limited to just four appearances this season after repeatedly aggravating a right hamstring strain he initially suffered in training camp. He isn’t listed on the injury report for tonight’s game, Rankin writes.
A former No. 2 overall pick, Green underwent an MRI over the weekend, which didn’t reveal a new injury. He missed the first eight games of the season due to the right hamstring strain, then was sidelined for 33 consecutive contests after re-injuring it on November 8.
Green just returned to action on Jan. 20 following that lengthy absence. He experienced the tightness in his second game back.
The 23-year-old averaged 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists on .422/.343/.799 shooting in 307 games across his first four seasons, all of which were spent with Houston (32.7 minutes per contest). Green, who was sent to Phoenix last summer as part of the Kevin Durant blockbuster, has averaged 11.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG and 2.0 APG on .432/.421/.778 shooting in just 13.5 MPG this season.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, James, Clippers, Brooks
Many factors will go into any trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but among realistic suitors, the Warriors could have the cleanest path to putting together a compelling trade package, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Marks looks at 11 teams who could potentially make a move for the Bucks’ star. Among those 11, he has the Warriors and Pistons tied for the lowest degree of difficulty in terms of making an enticing offer due to the two teams’ combination of young players, salary-matching contracts, and available draft picks.
He notes that Jimmy Butler‘s two-year, $111MM contract would be required in any deal for Antetokounmpo, and that the Warriors could then include Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, four first-round picks (including one in this year’s loaded draft) and up to three pick swaps. Such a deal would require taking back either Bobby Portis or Kyle Kuzma, whom the Bucks would likely be interested in moving off.
While Antetokounmpo’s preference will likely come into play in any deal, the number of picks the Warriors can offer should appeal to the Bucks. By comparison the Heat can only offer two first-rounders starting in 2030, while the Knicks can’t trade a first-round selection until the offseason outside of a protected Wizards 2026 pick that is unlikely to convey.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- LeBron James is almost certain to stay with the Lakers through this trade deadline, but some in his circle have speculated he could play another season in the NBA somewhere outside of Los Angeles, reports Shams Charania for ESPN (YouTube video link). “If he does actually play one more season, there is definitely chatter,” Sharania said. “Where could that be? Could that be in Cleveland? Where could that be? Could it be back in L.A.?” Charania emphasized that James’ focus at present is playing out the year with the Lakers, who will be active trying to improve the team at the trade deadline.
- With Patrick Baldwin Jr.‘s 10-day deal having expired, the under-15 clock is back on for the Clippers, notes Spotrac’s Keith Smith (via Twitter). This rule prevents a team from having its two-way players active for more than 90 combined games while carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster. Unless the team re-adds a 15th man, Los Angeles has just five more games in which both Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller can be active. Converting one of the two of them to a standard contract after the trade deadline could solve the issue, with Miller looking the more likely candidate for a promotion. The third-year wing has averaged 14.3 points in 28.5 minutes per game over his last 10 games.
- A technical foul that Dillon Brooks received in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game between the Suns and Nets, the NBA announced (Twitter link). This puts Brooks at a league-leading 14 technicals for the season, one ahead of the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, which means he’s still two techs away from a one-game suspension.
Scotto’s Latest: Celtics, Simons, Boucher, Wolves, Knicks, More
Avoiding the luxury tax this season isn’t necessarily a top priority for the Celtics, who have conveyed to rival teams that they’re not looking to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons‘ expiring $27.7MM contract in a cost-cutting move, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Presumably, the Celtics would remain open to the idea of moving Simons and draft compensation for a meaningful upgrade, but not for a lateral move that simply reduces their tax bill. For instance, Scotto says the Bulls inquired earlier this season about a swap of Simons and a first-round pick for center Nikola Vucevic, which didn’t interest Boston.
On the other hand, the Celtics did kick the tires on the possibility of a deal sending Simons, a first-round pick, and a first-round pick swap to the Clippers in exchange for big man Ivica Zubac and salary filler, but they didn’t gain any momentum on that front, per Scotto. Having won 16 of their past 19 games, the Clippers reportedly aren’t entertaining the idea of a Zubac trade at this point.
Although they’d be open to a deal that upgrades their frontcourt, the Celtics are also weighing the possibility of trading some of their depth in the middle, given that Neemias Queta has played well as the starting five and Luka Garza is handling the backup role. Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman are possible trade candidates, Scotto writes, citing league sources who say the Hawks, Sixers, and Suns are among the teams to express exploratory interest in Boucher.
Here are a few more of the highlights from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Timberwolves have been receiving calls from rival teams about key contributors like Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo, but they highly value those players and aren’t looking to move any of them, according to Scotto. McDaniels is viewed as borderline untouchable, while Minnesota would likely only seriously consider moving Reid and DiVincenzo for an All-Star caliber player, Scotto adds.
- Although there were some whispers about the possibility of the Spurs and Knicks swapping Jeremy Sochan for Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet, San Antonio wasn’t interested in that construction due to Yabusele’s $5.8MM player option for next season, says Scotto.
- As the Knicks consider their trade options, they’re willing to include the Wizards’ top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick to upgrade their roster, per Scotto. That pick almost certainly won’t convey, which means it would instead turn into Washington’s 2026 and 2027 second-round selections, but given where the Wizards are in their rebuild, those second-rounders are still considered valuable.
- As Ayo Dosunmu nears unrestricted free agency, some executives around the NBA believe the Bulls guard will be in line for a contract in the neighborhood of the full mid-level exception or even higher, Scotto writes.
Pacific Rumors: Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Sabonis, Suns
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and his expiring $18.3MM contract are considered available as Los Angeles scours the market for help on the wing, according to reports from Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The team has also dangled Gabe Vincent ($11.5MM) and Maxi Kleber ($11MM) on the trade market, Scotto notes.
Turner and Scotto provide a long list of names viewed as potential Lakers targets, including Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter, Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and several players who have previously been linked to L.A., like Herbert Jones, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga.
According to Turner, Hachimura’s strong play as of late has increased his trade value while also potentially making him less expendable for the Lakers. Turner confirms that second-year wing Dalton Knecht is another potential trade candidate to watch, as Marc Stein reported in the past 24 hours.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- The red-hot Clippers aren’t looking to trade Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, or Ivica Zubac, but John Collins isn’t off limits, according to Turner. Sources tell the L.A. Times that acquiring a pick-and-roll oriented point guard and creating room on the roster to promote two-way players Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller are among the Clippers’ goals at the trade deadline.
- The Kings have had discussions with some teams about the possibility of packaging DeMar DeRozan and Ellis together in a trade, sources tell HoopsHype. Scotto also checks in on the Domantas Sabonis situation, reporting that at least one team was told Sacramento would be seeking at least one first-round pick in return for the big man. In talks with the Raptors about Sabonis, RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji have been discussed, but the Kings are resistant to taking on the pricey long-term contracts of Jakob Poeltl and/or Immanuel Quickley, Scotto adds.
- Confirming reporting from the Arizona Republic, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) says the Suns are on the lookout for an upgrade at power forward, in the hopes of finding a player who can provide more “scoring punch” than current starter Royce O’Neale. However, Phoenix isn’t just looking for a short-term rental, per Fischer, who writes that the front office will be mindful of the long-term price and fit of any acquisition.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Green, Reaves, Collins, Zubac
With Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring) currently out of action, the Suns are looking for ways to survive this stretch. Booker is averaging a team-high 25.4 points and 6.2 assists per game and his presence alone helps generate better looks for his teammates, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes.
“When he’s in the game, I think it simplifies the way we get open looks,” wing Grayson Allen said. “We still do a good job most of the time of generating open looks for each other without him in the game, but it’s just harder and it’s harder to sustain for a 48-minute game.”
Green has only appeared in four games this season — he played just four minutes on Friday after experiencing right hamstring tightness and didn’t suit up against the Nets tonight. Green has either reinjured or tweaked the hamstring three times since initially straining it in training camp.
“When he’s ready to play and he feels good, he’ll be back out there,” coach Jordan Ott said. “He’s been out for a while. He’s going to have to learn his body and he wants to be sure, too. He’s 23 years old. He wants to feel right. We’re going to have to work through some of that.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers have ruled out Austin Reaves for their game against Cleveland on Wednesday, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel tweets. The Lakers have expressed optimism that Reaves, who has been sidelined by a left calf strain after suffering the injury on Christmas, can return during their current road trip. The Lakers will make three more stops after Wednesday before returning home from their eight-game journey.
- Clippers big man John Collins has an expiring $26.58MM contract, which could act as a nice trade sweetener. However, Collins is hopeful that he’ll remain with the organization through the trade deadline and re-sign with L.A. in the offseason, he told Mark Medina of EssentiallySports.com. “I’m hoping things are great. It feels like we are,” he said. “It feels like we’re doing well and speaking and all of that stuff. So I try not to think about that too much because it’s really out of my control. But from what I see right now, it’s looking good. Playing well doesn’t hurt.” Collins is averaging 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks this month for the resurgent Clippers.
- Ivica Zubac will carry a five-game double-double streak into the Clippers’ game against the Jazz tonight. His best outing during that stretch was an 18-point, 19-rebound performance in a win over the Lakers on Thursday. “They were going small and I thought Zu did a really good job of just showing his presence as a big man,” coach Tyronn Lue said, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. “It was huge for us.”
Injury Notes: Mathurin, Green, Jerome, Cunningham
The Pacers will be adding a bit more firepower to their offense soon, as Bennedict Mathurin is nearing his return. He is officially being listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Hawks, according to the team (via Twitter).
It has been common this season for players bumped to a “questionable” designation after missing multiple games to suit up as soon as they’ve been upgraded, notes Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.
Mathurin has missed the last 11 games for Indiana after exiting a January 2 matchup against the Spurs early with a right thumb sprain. He initially tried to play through the injury, but it was decided that some time away to heal would do him good. He also missed 11 of the team’s first 13 games with a big toe sprain.
Mathurin is second in scoring for the Pacers on the season, averaging a career-high 17.8 points per game, which puts him behind only Pascal Siakam (23.8 PPG) and narrowly ahead of Andrew Nembhard (17.7 PPG).
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Suns guard Jalen Green underwent an MRI following his early departure from Friday’s game, but there was no new injury revealed by the test, according to head coach Jordan Ott (Twitter video link per AZ Central’s Duane Rankin). “That’s great news for us,” Ott said, adding that Green will be considered day-to-day moving forward. “Get a workout today, and we’ll see where he goes this week.” Green has struggled to stay on the floor for multiple games as he looks to fully put his hamstring issues behind him. Twice now, he has played one healthy game before exiting the next one after only a few minutes. “It was just so unlucky, you know, he was feeling so good in the end of that third quarter,” Ott said. “So that’s why you take an image, that’s why you see what it feels like the next day, and we know he’s an incredible healer and a guy that’s gonna do everything it takes to play the next one, so that’s encouraging news.”
- Ty Jerome is nearing his season debut for the Grizzlies, writes Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). “He’s already progressed to five-on-five live,” said coach Tuomas Iisalo (video link). “So we’re very close. I think the evaluation is somewhere within one or two weeks… he still needs to build a little bit of load before the actual games, but he’s doing great, he’s progressing really well.” Jerome signed a three-year deal with Memphis this summer after a breakout year with the Cavaliers that saw him land third in Sixth Man of the Year voting as he averaged 12.5 points and 3.4 assists in just 19.9 minutes per game.
- Cade Cunningham is nursing a wrist injury but is attempting to find the balance between rest and treatment and playing through it for the Pistons, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Cunningham downplayed the impact, saying that he felt good coming into Sunday’s game against the Kings. “Felt great this morning, felt great last night, so it’s cool to be able to come out and just… get some reps up with it,” Cunningham said, per Sankofa (Twitter video link). The All-Star guard said that it’s been difficult, but he’s hoping that he’s through the worst of it now. “It’s been a battle as far as, like, mentally, as far as figuring out how I can help us, was not liking how I felt shooting and just constantly kind of, like, flinching when I was shooting ’cause I didn’t know how I would feel,” he said. Cunningham added he thought the injury happened against Cleveland on January 4, when he fell on it, and that it was exacerbated when he got hit in the same spot in the next day’s game against the Knicks. “For the most part we felt like it wasn’t going to get worse from me playing or anything, unless someone smacked it,” he noted. “For me it was just based on if I was willing to play with it hurting like that.”
Devin Booker Out At Least One Week With Right Ankle Sprain
January 25: Booker, who was ruled out of Sunday’s game vs. Miami, will miss at least one week, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced today (Twitter link via Shane Young).
January 23: In the same game in which his teammate Jalen Green was ruled out after just four minutes due to hamstring tightness, Suns star Devin Booker appeared to suffer a right ankle injury, tweets Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark.
Booker’s injury occurred in the closing seconds of the third quarter of Friday’s contest at Atlanta (Twitter video link via ESPN). After having his defensive rebound dislodged by Mouhamed Gueye, Booker started jogging up the court, but then noticed that Grayson Allen — who had picked up the loose ball — dribbled the ball off his leg and out of bounds.
Since he was distracted and looking at Allen on the sideline, Booker was unaware of the presence of Onyeka Okongwu, who was also looking at Allen lose control of the ball, and inadvertently stepped on the Hawks big man’s left foot, causing his right ankle to roll.
Booker immediately collapsed to the court in pain and began grabbing at his ankle. He was eventually helped up with assistance and limped off the court, proceeding straight to the visitor’s locker room, per Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks (Twitter link). The 29-year-old guard did not return to the game.
A four-time All-Star, Booker had 31 points (on 12-of-21 shooting), four rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes, with the Suns up seven entering the final frame. They only managed 12 points in the final period without their best player and wound up losing 110-103.
If Booker misses additional time as a result of his ankle injury, Allen, Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin are among the Suns guards who could receive more minutes.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Green, Schröder, LaVine, Jones, Bogdanovic, Bufkin
Suns star Devin Booker will miss Sunday’s game against Miami due to a right ankle sprain, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The 29-year-old guard sustained the injury in Friday’s loss at Atlanta.
While Booker will be out, his teammate Jalen Green has a chance to suit up — he’s listed as questionable with what the team is calling right hamstring injury management. Green also exited Friday’s game early after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- Dennis Schröder offered a profane response to hearing his name pop up in trade rumors, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Several Kings, including the veteran guard, have been the subject of rumors leading up to the February 5 deadline with Sacramento holding the fourth-worst record (12-34) in the NBA. “I don’t give a f–k about that,” Schröder said after Friday’s loss in Cleveland. “At the end of the day, I enjoy every single day being in the NBA. I don’t take it for granted.”
- The Kings will be playing without Zach LaVine during Sunday’s game at Detroit, Anderson adds in another story. The two-time All-Star was ruled out of today’s game due to lower back soreness.
- Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (right knee sprain) and guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic (left hamstring injury management) were limited participants in Saturday’s practice, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Both players will be out again for Sunday’s contest vs. Brooklyn.
- Kobe Bufkin‘s 10-day contract with the Lakers expired on Thursday night and he since been re-acquired by G League’s South Bay Lakers, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN (via Twitter). The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Bufkin appeared in four games with Los Angeles, averaging 3.0 points in 11.3 minutes per contest.
NBA Rumors: Trade Deadline, Bridges, Mavs, Luka, Lakers
While the grand majority of in-season trades occur during the week of the deadline, this season has been unusually slow as far as deal-making goes. For instance, at this time last year, we had already seen five in-season trades — to this point in 2025/26, we’ve only had one. So why haven’t we seen more action?
ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently spoke to NBA front office executives to get a better understanding of the answer to that question. There are four main reasons for the relative lack of activity to this point, Marks writes.
The first and most important factor holding up the market, per Marks, is that rival teams are waiting to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade or if the Bucks decide to listen to offers for the two-time MVP.
Second, a few teams who were viewed as potential deadline sellers entering the season — including the Celtics, Sixers and Suns — are instead vying for home court advantage in the postseason. As Marks observes, Philadelphia made multiple deals last year to dip below the luxury tax line, but that’s unlikely to occur again in ’25/26.
Third, the Mavericks and Grizzlies will likely get underwhelming offers for Anthony Davis and Ja Morant, respectively, leading up to the deadline with their values at low points, so they may not be moved prior to February 5. Davis is out several weeks due to ligament damage in his left hand, while Morant, who has missed extended time this season with calf issues, has been diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his left elbow and was ruled out of Friday’s loss at New Orleans (Twitter link via the Grizzlies).
The final factor for the slow-moving market, according to Marks, is that teams seem more willing to retain their own expiring contracts to maintain financial flexibility in the summer rather than take on multiyear salaries that could disrupt future plans. Multiple teams, including the Lakers, Bulls and Jazz, have long lists of players who could hit free agency in 2026, Marks notes.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA:
- Confirming a report from Sam Amick of The Athletic, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) says the Suns are indeed fans of Miles Bridges. However, the Hornets reportedly want at least one first-round pick for the veteran forward, and Gambadoro points out that Phoenix lacks moveable first-rounders to include in such a deal. Gambadoro also confirms the Suns are reluctant to risk upsetting their positive chemistry by making a significant in-season move, and suggests a minor trade is more likely.
- Ahead of Luka Doncic‘s second game in Dallas since he was shockingly traded to Los Angeles last February, Christian Clark and Dan Woike of The Athletic share several sourced notes on both the Mavericks and the Lakers. According to the authors, part of the reason the Mavs — led at the time by head of basketball operations Nico Harrison, who has since been dismissed — moved Doncic is because they believed he had poor habits related to conditioning and were concerned about the calf strain he sustained in late December 2024 and possible future injuries. One source in the Mavericks’ organization compared Doncic to Elvis Presley and claimed the trade helped him develop better habits and get in better shape. “They got skinny Elvis,” the team source told The Athletic.
- People close to Doncic dispute that characterization, however, and say that line of thinking is a factor in why the Slovenian star is no longer on the Mavericks. According to Clark and Woike, Doncic’s camp believed whether he was traded or not, he “was on a path to improving his diet and conditioning as he matured.” Doncic and those around him have been focused on the present and future and not the past, per the report.
- It took multiple seasons for the Mavericks to surround Doncic with sort of complementary players that led to a trip to the NBA Finals in 2024, and it will take time for the Lakers to reshape their roster around the 26-year-old guard as well, sources in L.A. tell The Athletic. Those same sources noted that the Lakers need to upgrade their athleticism, defense and shooting, and some people around the organization think the any significant roster changes will occur in the offseason, not ahead of the deadline.
- The Mavericks have started the process of vetting candidates to replace Harrison on a permanent basis, per Clark and Woike, but are unlikely to hire anyone until at least the spring. The Athletic’s duo point out that Harrison, a longtime Nike executive, had no previous experience running an NBA team when he was hired in 2021. That won’t be the case for his replacement. “(They) are going to over-index on the safety aspect of it,” a league source told The Athletic.
Suns’ Jalen Green Exits Friday’s Game With Hamstring Tightness
Suns guard Jalen Green checked out of Friday’s game in Atlanta after just four minutes of playing time, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green left Phoenix’s bench and headed back to the locker room, with the Suns later ruling him out for the remainder of the contest with what they called “precautionary right hamstring tightness.”
It’s a discouraging setback for Green and for the Suns, as the 23-year-old has repeatedly dealt with right hamstring issues over the past four-plus months.
Green just returned to action on Tuesday after missing 33 consecutive games, scoring 12 points in 20 minutes off the bench in a win at Philadelphia. Friday marked his second game back since November 8.
Strangely, Green’s latest setback closely mirrors what happened in early November, when he played 23 minutes in his season debut on Nov. 6 and then re-injured his hamstring a couple days later just seven minutes into his second game of the 2025/26 campaign.
The former No. 2 overall pick initially strained the hamstring during training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October, delaying his ’25/26 debut. He has only played in four of Phoenix’s 45 games to this point, and obviously two of those appearances were very brief.
Head coach Jordan Ott said earlier this week that Green did not aggravate his hamstring strain during his 33-game absence, explaining that the team was just being cautious with the 6’4″ shooting guard. He had come off the bench the past two contests and was on a minutes restriction.
We’ll have to wait for further updates on Green to see if he’ll miss additional time as a result of the tightness he experienced on Friday.