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Chet Holmgren Progressing, Will Be Reevaluated In 3-5 Weeks

January 17th, 2025 at 6:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder big man Chet Holmgren is continuing to make progress in his recovery from a right iliac wing fracture, according to the club, which announced on Friday that he’ll be reevaluated in approximately three-to-five weeks.

Holmgren suffered the injury, a form of pelvic fracture, on November 10, with Oklahoma City announcing the following day that he would be reevaluated in eight-to-10 weeks. That was approximately nine-and-a-half weeks ago, so an update from the team had been expected around this time.

The Thunder have handled Holmgren’s absence admirably, posting a 26-4 record without him. For most of that time, they’ve started Isaiah Hartenstein at center in place of Holmgren, though Hartenstein has missed some time with health issues of his own — he’s currently on the shelf with a left soleus strain.

Oklahoma City still hasn’t gotten a chance to see Hartenstein, the club’s top offseason free agent addition, on the court at the same time as Rookie of the Year runner-up Holmgren, since the two big men have yet to be healthy at the same time. There’s still hope that will happen at some point before the end of the regular season, but Holmgren’s recovery process will take at least a few more weeks.

Before getting injured in his 10th game of the season, Holmgren had averaged 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 28.9 minutes per game across nine outings, with a .519/.400/.776 shooting line.

In other Thunder injury news, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to be a game-time decision on Friday vs. Dallas due to a sore right wrist, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic.

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Thunder Notes: Mitchell, Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren

January 1st, 2025 at 3:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder two-way player Ajay Mitchell continues to see his role expand. The 6’5” rookie wing has scored in double digits in three of the last five games.

Mitchell was chosen with the No. 38 pick of the draft and acquired in a draft night deal with the Knicks. Oklahoma City heavily scouted Mitchell, who played collegiately for Santa Barbara.

“(GM Sam Presti) loved him from the jump,” coach Mark Daigneault told Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “I can remember (Presti), all the way back into last season, he was on the road watching him, and I remember him telling me about him before I ever laid eyes on him.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said Mitchell was a revelation in training camp.

“His situation coming into the season, you might not have expected this — I certainly didn’t. But after being with him for the first couple weeks of training camp and preseason, you can see where he’s going with it,” the All-Star guard.

We have more on the Thunder:

  • Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has already endorsed SGA as the league’s MVP in an interview with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Thunder star scored 40 points in an eight-point victory over Minnesota on Tuesday. “I don’t know if they could give it to [Nikola Jokic] again,” Edwards said. “Yeah, I would say Shai. Yeah, he’s looking like the MVP, man. He was incredible once again tonight. He’s consistent every night. His team gonna give him the ball and just let him rock out every night. It’s nothing to think about. ‘Hey, get Shai the ball and he going to get busy, and then we’re going to figure it out after that.’ I love watching that. It’s incredible, man. If he is keeping him like that, I hope they give [MVP] to him this year for sure. I feel like he should have won it last year, but he’s playing out his mind right now.”
  • Chet Holmgren is itching to get back on the court, Gilgeous-Alexander told Lorenzi (Twitter link). “(Tuesday) he came in the locker room and said that he’s ready to go through shootaround with us. Typical Chet Holmgren. … I can’t imagine the game being taken from me like that. … for him to be on his way back, can only imagine how it feels. To see that smile on his face again, it’s very exciting.” Holmgren is recovering from a pelvic fracture suffered in November. On Nov. 11, he was given a timeline of eight-to-10 weeks for a reevaluation.
  • In case you missed it, Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week. Get the details here.
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Northwest Notes: Murray, Jazz Rookies, Sensabaugh, Holmgren

December 30th, 2024 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

After signing a four-year, maximum-salary extension during the offseason, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has faced some criticism in recent months for a slow, inconsistent start to the season. However, after averaging 17.8 points per game on .402/.337/.782 shooting in his first 13 outings, Murray has registered 22.2 PPG on .481/.407/.905 shooting in his last 11, including a season-high 34 points in Saturday’s win over Detroit.

“If people are gonna talk about me not making shots, then so be it,” Murray said after that performance, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “I know what I’m capable of. I know what I do. There’s a reason why I’m here, and there’s a reason why I’ve been able to win with this team and be here for years and be able to develop chemistry and all that. So I just let people talk. That’s what they do best.”

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who told reporters that Murray’s best stretch of the season has come in the past “seven to eight games,” noted that the standout guard often gets off to slow starts in the fall before finding his rhythm and producing like an All-Star. Malone stressed that he remains fully confident in Murray and added that he hopes the 27-year-old is tuning out his critics.

“I know that everybody is really riding Jamal Murray really hard right now. That’s not gonna do him any favors, man,” Malone said. “The guy cares. He wants to play better. He wants to help this team. His heart’s in the right place. And supporting him will go a long way. And that’s why I tell guys, don’t look at the damn phone. I don’t give a damn what you guys say about me. And he shouldn’t either.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • The lack of progress so far this season from Jazz rookies Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier is an issue, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who points out that Williams and Collier rank 331st and 332nd in both PER and BPM out of the 332 players who have logged at least 200 minutes so far this season. While it’s good news for Utah’s draft position that the duo hasn’t been more productive, Williams’ ineffectiveness on offense and Collier’s shooting and turnover issues are becoming concerning, Hollinger opines.
  • The Jazz did see some positive player development in Saturday’s loss to Philadelphia, with Brice Sensabaugh scoring a season-high 20 points and turning in one of the best games of his career, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscription required). Sensabaugh isn’t a defensive asset, but performance like Saturday’s suggest he may have enough offensive potential to make up for that, Larsen writes.
  • Thunder big man Chet Holmgren‘s recovery from his pelvic fracture is “testing his patience,” according to head coach Mark Daigneault, who says Holmgren wants to be working out and playing, but still needs to fully heal. “I’m not going to give you guys the blow-by-blow of what he’s doing, but you don’t go from like crutches to playing,” Daigneault said on Sunday (Twitter link via Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman). “So there’s going to be a progression, and he’s going to go through that, and he’s right where he should be right now.”
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And-Ones: Harper, Bailey, Demin, Wembanyama, Langford

December 3rd, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s a mixed bag for the Rutgers’ freshmen duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey so far this season, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo. While Harper is considered a rising prospect and potential top pick, Bailey heads the list of prospects “who still have a lot to show.” The ESPN duo also identifies Houston’s Joseph Tugler, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis as risers during college basketball’s first month with an eye toward the 2025 draft.

We have more from around the basketball world:

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Northwest Notes: Hartenstein, Holmgren, Wolves, Nuggets

December 1st, 2024 at 8:15pm CST by Rory Maher

One of the prominent free agents of the 2024 offseason, Isaiah Hartenstein has been terrific for the Thunder since he returned from a left hand fracture, averaging 14.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 blocks in his first four games with the team (32.0 minutes per contest).

Since he was injured to open 2024/25 and Chet Holmgren subsequently sustained a pelvic fracture that will keep him sidelined for at least a couple months, the two big men have yet to play alongside each other in the regular season.

In a lengthy interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Hartenstein expressed confidence that his game will complement Holmgren’s once he returns, noting that his injured teammate is in “good spirits” as he continues to recover.

“Offensively, he’s really good with handling the ball,” Hartenstein said of Holmgren. “He can play that four position. So having that versatility with two big guys, especially defensively, is the biggest thing. You have two great rim protectors. He knows how to play the game. He’s smart. I think things can be really good when he comes back. We have different games. I’m probably more physical and will probably try to get other guys more open. He’s probably playing more on the outside. It’s similar, but different in the same way.”

Here’s more from the Northwest:

  • All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards had some pointed words for his Timberwolves teammates after they lost their fourth straight game earlier this week (they snapped that skid with a one-point victory over the Clippers on Friday). Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid recently responded to Edwards’ comments, particularly about the team being thin-skinned, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes. Alexander-Walker said the team misses the leadership of veteran forward Kyle Anderson, who landed with Golden State in free agency. “It’s a different team and dynamic, when you look at the team a season ago,” Alexander-Walker said. “Different personalities. Lost Kyle, who was a very, very vocal person in the locker room. He was kind of the glue to a lot of that stuff. It put guys in a position where now Ant is more vocal than ever. This is his first year doing so.”
  • Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has taken on an increased offensive role this season. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post takes a look at how Porter, who has undergone multiple major surgeries over the years, is still improving his game with the help of an unorthodox workout regimen.
  • Former first-round pick Peyton Watson will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason. He recently discussed a number of topics with Sportskeeda contributor Grant Afseth, including his growing confidence as a member of the Nuggets‘ starting lineup — a role that will likely end soon, with Aaron Gordon officially ready to return to action on Sunday (Twitter link via the team).
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Northwest Notes: Billups, Trail Blazers, Holmgren, Nix

November 11th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups tore into his team for failing to be competitive in Sunday’s loss to Memphis, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. Portland lost by 45 points while playing at home against a Grizzlies squad that was missing Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. Billups told reporters that he has no plans to rewatch the game, then criticized his players for their lackluster effort.

“We were soft as hell the whole game,” he said. “Nobody really fought. It was just embarrassing. That’s just not who we are. There’s no excuse for that. You have a lot of rough nights in this league, obviously. But I don’t even care. This wasn’t even that. Guys showed up because they had to be here but they didn’t want to play. They didn’t want to actually work. That’s embarrassing. It’s unfortunate that we had to go out there in front of our fans that paid their hard-earned money to come see their favorite team play. And you show up and do that. It was embarrassing.”

The poor performance and Billups’ reaction raise questions about how much longer he’ll be with the organization, Highkin adds. Billups is already considered likely to be replaced after the season ends, but Highkin suggests that more outings like Sunday’s may force general manager Joe Cronin to make a coaching change before the spring.

In addition to criticizing his players, Billups accepted part of the blame for what happened.

“We’ve lost by more points than this,” he said. “But it’s how. We’re laying down and caving in. At the end of the day, that’s on me. I’m the leader in this. This is our team, but I’m the head of this. I take that very personally. I don’t have one bone of that in my body. That’s on me. I’ve got to be better. I’ll have them a little more prepared next time.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Trail Blazers are likely to be active on the trade market before the February 6 deadline, Highkin adds in a separate story. He expects Robert Williams III to be in demand if he stays healthy, considering the number of teams that need help at center. Highkin also believes contenders will keep calling about Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle, but he considers Deandre Ayton and Anfernee Simons less likely to be moved.
  • After suffering a right iliac wing fracture on Sunday that will sideline him for at least eight-to-10 weeks, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren shared his thoughts on the injury (Twitter link). “Can’t tell if I feel better or worse about this having been through something similar before,” he wrote. “On one hand I know how to approach it, I know what to do, what not to do and how beautiful the other side is. But on the other hand I’ve felt the frustration of this process, and the wear it puts on your mind. Most of all I’m hurt I can’t help my teammates and play for our fans and supporters for a while. Everyone who sticks with me and our team, along with my need for hoops, is a big part of my passion to return. Don’t pity me or feel bad, there’s lots of people out there right now with real problems that don’t heal. Anyways excuse my rambling just wanted to address our OKC fans and family.”
  • Daishen Nix, who signed a two-way contract with the Timberwolves this summer, had a huge game for the G League Iowa Wolves on Saturday. He posted 45 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and capped off the night with a game-clinching steal and assist (Twitter video link from Charlie Walton).
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Chet Holmgren Expected To Miss At Least 8-10 Weeks

November 11th, 2024 at 5:34am CST by Luke Adams

Thunder big man Chet Holmgren has been diagnosed with a right iliac wing fracture after taking a hard fall during the first quarter of the team’s loss to Golden State on Sunday (video link), Oklahoma City announced in a press release (Twitter link via Rylan Stiles of SI.com). An iliac wing fracture is a form of pelvic fracture.

While the Thunder say Holmgren is expected to return to action later in the 2024/25 season, he’ll be out for an extended period. The plan is to reevaluate him in eight-to-10 weeks, per the club.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Holmgren missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury, then appeared in all 82 regular season games in 2023/24.

“Can’t tell if I feel better or worse about this, having been through something similar before,” Holmgren wrote on Twitter. “On one hand I know how to approach it, I know what to do, what not to do and how beautiful the other side is. But on the other hand I’ve felt the frustration of this process, and the wear it puts on your mind.

“Most of all I’m hurt I can’t help my teammates and play for our fans and supporters for a while. Everyone who sticks with me and our team, along with my need for hoops, is a big part of my passion to return. Don’t pity me or feel bad, there’s lots of people out there right now with real problems that don’t heal.”

Holmgren’s injury is a tough blow to a Thunder team that entered the season as the favorite to be the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed and had lived up to expectations this fall, winning eight of its first nine games before falling to the Warriors on Sunday.

Holmgren, last year’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, had been a key part of that early success, averaging 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 28.9 minutes per game across nine outings, with a .519/.400/.776 shooting line.

The Thunder signed center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency over the summer to bolster their frontcourt and help out Holmgren in the middle, but Hartenstein has been sidelined in recent weeks with an injury of his own, having fractured his left hand during the preseason.

Oklahoma City announced nearly four weeks ago that Hartenstein would be reevaluated in five-to-six weeks, so that exam will happen soon. While there’s no indication yet that his return is imminent, it sounds like he should be back on the court well before Holmgren is.

The Thunder have also been waiting on big man Jaylin Williams, who went down with a hamstring strain nearly two weeks ago. He’s expected to remain sidelined for a few more weeks.

Until the Thunder gets Hartenstein and Williams back, the team will have to rely on smaller lineups, as it did on Sunday after Holmgren’s exit. Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe opened the second half alongside usual starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and Jalen Williams. Ousmane Dieng, a 6’10” forward, is also a candidate for an increased role.

“This is a resilient, tough, competitive, adaptive team,” head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game, per The Athletic. “And that’s what we’re gonna be regardless of the circumstance.”

It’s worth noting that rookie forward Malevy Leons is currently occupying the Thunder’s 15th roster spot on a non-guaranteed deal. If the team wants to bring in a veteran center on a temporary basis, he’d be the most likely release candidate. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype points out (via Twitter), 13-year vet Bismack Biyombo – who spent part of last season in OKC, is among the top options available in free agency.

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Northwest Notes: Jazz, Holmgren, A. Mitchell, Alexander

November 1st, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Following the Jazz‘s loss to San Antonio on Thursday in Utah, head coach Will Hardy had some pointed words for his club, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz committed a ghastly 26 turnovers, with the Spurs stealing the ball nine times in the third period — the most thefts in a single quarter since 1996.

“This is not guaranteed. Being in the NBA is not guaranteed,” Hardy said. “There’s a lot of players who have established themselves, but they’ve had to fight to do so. You have to scratch and claw and battle to be an NBA player for a long time. I think the average NBA career is like under four years or something, and that’s because the league will just churn players in and out.

“And right now, I just don’t feel that desperation. I don’t feel that hunger on every play.”

Larsen points to a couple of bad plays by second-year guard Keyonte George as being emblematic of the team’s poor effort, and writes that none of Utah’s young players — aside from maybe Walker Kessler — should feel secure about their place in the NBA. The Jazz (0-5) are the only team in the league that has yet to win a game.

Here’s more from the Northwest:

  • Chet Holmgren and the Thunder bested Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Wednesday in a marquee matchup between two of the league’s top young big men, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Holmgren finished with 19 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 28 minutes, while Wembanyama recorded just six points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes. Both players downplayed any talk of a budding rivalry, with Holmgren saying Oklahoma City’s defense was key to the 105-93 victory. “We won tonight on the defensive end,” Holmgren said. “It wasn’t perfect on offense. I feel like we were very solid almost throughout the whole game on the defensive end.”
  • Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell has been receiving rotation minutes to open his rookie season, writes Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. The 22-year-old, who was selected No. 38 overall in June’s draft, turned in his best performance on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, finishing with 12 points (on 5-of-6 shooting), four rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes. “We play a lot of 5-on-5 at training camp, so there is a lot underneath the surface that you guys might not see, but we do,” Head coach Mark Daigneault said of Mitchell. “We take those minutes really seriously…he showed a capacity early, on both ends of the floor. As good as he was offensively tonight, he was really good defensively. He continues to make strides and get better defensively.”
  • It appears as though rookie Trey Alexander, who is on a two-way deal, is ahead of Jalen Pickett in the Nuggets‘ backcourt rotation, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. Pickett, a 2023 second-round pick who is on a standard contract, was recently assigned to the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate, while Alexander remains with the Nuggets.
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Southwest Notes: Wembanyama Vs. Holmgren, Pelicans, McCollum, H. Jones, Huff

October 30th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Two of the league’s best young big men will square off tonight as the Thunder host the Spurs, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Victor Wembanyama was a unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year honors last season, with Chet Holmgren getting all but one second-place vote. Even their teammates are excited about their first meeting of the new season.

“Two big guys going at it,” Zach Collins said. “You don’t really see that too much anymore, so it is fun to watch. Kind of has a very old-school feel to it, two bigs going at it, two heavyweights, and it seems like both of those guys like that matchup and they take it personal.”

The duo faced off three times last season, putting up similar numbers as OKC won twice. Wembanyama averaged 20.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.7 blocks and 1.0 steals in their head-to-head matchups, while Holmgren countered with 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steals. San Antonio’s victory came in February on a night when Wembanyama all but locked up the ROY vote, Orsborn notes. He posted 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and two steals, then punctuated the win by screaming an expletive into a house microphone.

“It’s fun to be a part of and it’s good to see Vic have that motivation going against (Holmgren) and trying to get that upper hand,” Collins added.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Coach Willie Green wants the Pelicans to shoot at least 40 three-pointers per game, but the team isn’t coming close to that mark, per Christian Clark of NOLA. New Orleans was just 9-of-22 from beyond the arc in Tuesday’s loss at Golden State, with the absence of Trey Murphy contributing to the shortage of three-point attempts. Clark observes that the offense hasn’t really lived up to expectations since CJ McCollum was acquired to team with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. The Pelicans added another play-maker by trading for Dejounte Murray this summer, but he suffered a fracture in his left hand in the season opener.
  • McCollum will undergo an MRI tonight to determine what’s causing right adductor/hip soreness, according to Andrew Lopez (Twitter link). The Pelicans expect to have an update on Thursday. Herbert Jones had medical imaging done on his right shoulder Tuesday night, Lopez adds. The results were negative and he’s considered day-to-day.
  • Jay Huff‘s new four-year contract with the Grizzlies includes a prorated minimum salary for the rest of the season, a source tells cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). Huff is set to receive $2.4MM in 2025/26 and $2.7MM with a $379,382 guarantee in 2026/27. Memphis will have a $3MM team option with a $427,323 guarantee for 2027/28. Gozlan notes that the Grizzlies are now $1.8MM below the tax line and have $8.6MM left in their non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
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Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis Named Players Of The Week

October 28th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum and Lakers star forward/center Anthony Davis were named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the stretch of Oct. 22-27, the league announced (Twitter link). Tatum was the Eastern Conference’s winner, while Davis claimed the Western Conference award.

Tatum helped the Celtics to a 3-0 start to the season, which included blowout wins over the Knicks and Wizards. In his first three games, Tatum averaged 33.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting a blistering 54.7% from the field and 48.6% from beyond the arc.

Davis has also shot the ball extremely well to open the year, connecting on a .571/.400/.800 line. He has helped the Lakers win against three playoff hopefuls this year, defeating the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings to remain undefeated. Davis is averaging 34.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 steals per game to open the year.

According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the East were Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Atlanta’s Trae Young. Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, the Clippers’ James Harden and Ivica Zubac, and the Lakers’ LeBron James were nominated in the West.

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