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Central Notes: Cunningham, Lillard, Toppin, Buzelis

December 22nd, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons collected a road win over the Suns on Saturday and Kevin Durant gave high praise to Detroit guard Cade Cunningham, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic writes.

“I think it’s his year to be an All-Star, take off and go to that next level. It’s always a joy to play against him because we compete,” Durant said. “He doesn’t treat me like the old head and take it easy on me and vice versa. I don’t try to take it easy on him.”

Cunningham, who grew up watching Durant, was grateful for the support from the star forward, referring to him as a “living legend.”

“It’s an honor, man,” said Cunningham, who signed a max rookie scale extension in the offseason. “Every time. I tell (Durant) every time we play each other, it’s an honor to be able to compete with him. He’s such a basketball junkie. I’ve gotten the chance to work out with him, see what he’s like in the offseason and how he works. It’s an honor to be able to play against him, somebody that I’ve watched as a kid.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks don’t expect Damian Lillard to miss much time. Lillard, who sat out Friday’s game against Cleveland due to a right calf strain, felt some discomfort before the NBA Cup final but still scored 23 points. “He could play as early as Chicago on Monday or right after that, so he’s close,” head coach Doc Rivers said told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “He worked out (Saturday) and felt pretty good.”
Obi Toppin signed a four-year, $60MM contract during free agency to remain with the Pacers. He’s backing that up by posting some solid numbers. Over his last eight games, Toppin is averaging 15.1 points on 59.2% shooting (including 42.9% from three-point range), 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. As the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak points out, the forward is impressing head coach Rick Carlisle with more than just his offensive production. “In the last two-and-a-half, three weeks, Obi has taken his game to another level,” Carlisle said. “More physical. Defense and rebounding really, really tremendous. Offensively, he’s getting in a rhythm. He’s one of our important weapons. When he defends and rebounds the way he has been in recent games, it’s another really important factor for us.”
After the Bulls selected him in the lottery, Matas Buzelis set two goals, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe: 1. Win as many games as possible; 2. Win Rookie of the Year. Buzelis has been getting rotation minutes but has posted modest stats thus far. Buzelis discusses his rookie season at length with Poe.

Pacific Notes: Monk, Allen, Budenholzer, Durant, Kuminga

December 22nd, 2024 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are expected to make Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and draft capital available as they go shopping for help on the trade market ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. However, given the fact that Sacramento is off to a 13-16 start this season and is currently out of the play-in picture, teams around the NBA are curious about whether the Kings will consider becoming in-season sellers, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (video link).

“I’m not reporting that Malik Monk is available,” Fischer said. “However, rival teams certainly want to know if Malik Monk will be someone that the Kings are willing to part with.”

In discussing Monk, Fischer acknowledged it would be “tricky” to move last season’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, who signed a new four-year, $78MM contract with the Kings over the summer.

“He’s so crucial to what the Kings have done,” Fischer said. “… He’s best friends with De’Aaron Fox dating back to Kentucky. If you’re curious about the long-term ramifications of keeping De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento, you’re probably not wanting to move his best friend, who he recruited to join the Kings.”

Of course, Fox’s own long-term future in Sacramento isn’t certain either, so the Kings are a team worth watching closely in the coming weeks.

We have more items from around the Pacific:

The Suns are monitoring swingman Grayson Allen for a possible concussion, head coach Mike Budenholzer said after Saturday’s loss to Detroit (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). “We’ll see how he is in the morning,” Budenholzer said of Allen, who took a Simone Fontecchio elbow to the head while battling the Pistons forward under the basket in the third quarter (video link).
Budenholzer and Kevin Durant engaged in a heated discussion during a timeout in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss, with the head coach appearing to call out Durant for a defensive mistake and the Suns star firing back. Both men downplayed the dispute after the game. “We know we got the microscope on us, so any little spat like that may be taken the wrong way, but coach respects my perspective,” Durant said (Twitter video link via PHNX Sports). “… When you look at it from the outside, the chemistry may look off, but I just think that’s part of great chemistry actually, when you can have those conversations in the heat of the moment and move on.” Budenholzer agreed with Durant’s assessment, as Bourguet relays (Twitter video link). “He’s a pro, he’s coachable,” Budenholzer said. “If you don’t have a few of those, there’s probably something wrong with your team. KD’s the best. He wants to be coached, and I love being around him.”
After starting six games in a row, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench on Thursday in Memphis and Saturday in Minnesota. However, head coach Steve Kerr said that the experiment of having Kuminga in the starting five isn’t over, explaining that he started Kyle Anderson on Saturday because he liked how the former Timberwolf matched up against his old team (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). It was Anderson’s first start of the season.

Pacific Notes: Beal, Durant, LeBron, Lakers, Huerter

December 15th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic both returned Friday night, but the Suns may have a new injury concern, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Bradley Beal was a late scratch for the game at Utah with swelling in his right knee. Coach Mike Budenholzer said he was added to the injury report after the knee issue began to develop between Thursday night and Friday morning. Beal was able to take part in a shootaround on Saturday, but he’s listed as questionable for tonight’s game against Portland.

“We’ve been in that situation already this season,” Devin Booker said of Beal’s absence. “It’s obviously a different game plan. You can’t replace what he does on the court, but everyone has to give a little bit more.”

Durant was able to play 34 minutes and compiled 30 points and eight assists after sitting out three games due to a sprained left ankle. He told reporters that the ankle felt “great” after the game as the team improved to 12-2 with him in the lineup.

“Of course his scoring, the iso plays, but his off the ball defensively,” Ryan Dunn said of what Durant brings to the team. “His leadership role as well. Just trying to motivate everybody to keep going.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers have provided some clarity regarding LeBron James‘ absence, saying it’s for “left foot injury management,” according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. James hasn’t played since Dec. 6 and has been away from the team for “personal reasons.” He has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s home game against Memphis.
The Lakers are searching for answers for their sputtering offense after scoring just 87 points in Friday’s loss to Minnesota, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Price notes that the team has failed to score 110 points in eight of its last 10 games after reaching that mark 12 times in the first 15 contests. “Got to score,” Anthony Davis said. “Getting good looks. We haven’t been shooting the ball from three well. Just got to make shots. We’re getting great looks. We’re generating open threes, generating open looks for our guys. We just got to be confident enough to make them.”
Kings guard Kevin Huerter suffered a minor AC joint sprain to his surgically repaired left shoulder Thursday night, relays Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. The injury occurred on a foul by New Orleans center Yves Missi midway through the third quarter. Huerter is considered day-to-day, and his status for Monday’s game against Denver is uncertain. Huerter underwent surgery in March after dislocating the shoulder.

Gambo: Heat’s Butler “Absolutely Interested” In Suns

December 12th, 2024 at 10:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Confirming a report from Shams Charania of ESPN, plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 says Heat star Jimmy Butler is indeed open to joining the Suns. In fact, Gambadoro took it a step further.

“I always take a little bit of time, make sure I get stories correct,” Gambadoro said on the Burns & Gambo show Thursday (story via Kevin Zimmerman of ArizonaSports.com). “Jimmy Butler is absolutely interested in coming to the Phoenix Suns.

“I would go as far as to say that I believe this will be his number one choice, is to play for the Phoenix Suns.”

However, as multiple outlets have pointed out, a direct deal between Miami and Phoenix seems extremely unlikely. According to Gambadoro (Twitter link), the rough framework of a trade would involve Bradley Beal and draft compensation. That would require Beal to waive his full no-trade clause, which is far from certain, and even if he does, his contract — he’s owed about $161MM through 2026/27 — would be “unappealing” to the Heat, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Gambadoro hears the Suns would prefer to keep their lone tradable first-round pick (2031) out of any potential talks for Butler. Even if that were included, it’s difficult to envision any scenario in which Miami would be interested in that offer.

The Suns also aren’t actively pursuing Butler — according to Gambadoro, they plan to evaluate their roster over the next 10-to-15 games to see where they stand. If Phoenix performs well over that stretch, a run at Butler is even less likely.

As expected, Suns star Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) is probable to return to action on Friday vs. Utah following a three-game absence, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Jusuf Nurkic is not listed on the injury report, which mean’s he’s expected to play after missing the past five games.

Gambadoro reports (Twitter links) that the the only way a deal might come together is if Butler tries to force his way to Phoenix, but there have been no signs that he plans to do so. There’s also no indication Miami would entertain the idea of trading him to the Suns over other offers, which would presumably be more appealing. That’s assuming the Heat even decide to trade him at all — they’ve won four straight.

Ever the troll, Butler put bright orange highlights in his braids ahead of Thursday’s victory over Toronto. Unsurprisingly, he said there was no particular reason for that decision, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald tweets.

Butler did say he enjoyed his agent Bernie Lee going after Charania for what Lee claimed was “made-up bulls–t.” Charania stood by his reporting.

“I love it. I am all for the back and forth,” Butler said, per Chiang (Twitter link). “I mean, before he’s my agent, I guess we’re like brothers now, we do everything together. But I feel for him and at least somebody is sticking up for me.”

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Monk, McDermott, Durant

December 11th, 2024 at 11:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers‘ wish to see Kawhi Leonard back on the court might come true by Christmas, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Leonard, who has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee that dates back to spring, was able to practice for the first time on Tuesday. Coach Tyronn Lue said that barring any setbacks, Leonard could be playing again within two weeks.

“Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well,” Lue said. “I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it. So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy.”

The Clippers were counting on Leonard to serve as the foundation of the team when they gave him a three-year, $150MM extension midway through last season. They have been able to remain surprisingly competitive without him, sitting in sixth place in the West with a 14-11 record and the sixth-ranked defense in the league.

Lue cautioned that even though Leonard continues to make progress, there’s still not a firm target date for him to return.

“He’s got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor,” Lue added. “We just want to make sure he’s 100%. We don’t want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let’s just take our time, make sure we get it right. … We’re not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Kings‘ offense has been sparked by the recent decision to move Malik Monk into the starting lineup, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. In the five games since coach Mike Brown made the move, Sacramento ranks first in the league in scoring and offensive rating, fourth in field goal percentage and seventh in three-point shooting. “He adds another play-maker and another guy who can really get downhill,” De’Aaron Fox said. “Ultimately, that makes your offense a lot better, especially from the start of the game to the end.”
Doug McDermott enjoyed his best game since joining the Kings in Sunday’s win over Utah, Anderson adds in a separate story. The 32-year-old forward scored 18 points in eight minutes of the fourth quarter, sinking 6-of-7 three-point shots. “Once the first couple went in, I figured I might as well keep shooting,” said McDermott, who wasn’t used in the previous four games. “It was a good win for us. Our group came out really happy with the way we closed the game. Everyone on the bench was ready to play.”
Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic are both due to be reevaluated this week, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Suns have an 11-2 record when Durant plays, but they’re just 1-9 without him. “We’re not playing a complete 48 minutes,” Tyus Jones said. “I think we’re playing good enough to win, but we’re not playing a full 48. We have stretches throughout the game where we kind of get careless, too many turnovers. Not getting the stops that we need.” A previous report stated that Durant could return on Friday vs. Utah or Sunday vs. Portland.

Jimmy Butler’s Agent Denies Report About Interest In Suns

December 11th, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Phoenix is a potential destination that interests Jimmy Butler as trade rumors continue to swirl around the Heat star, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). However, while Charania’s report suggests that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has “indicated in league circles” that Phoenix would be a favorable landing spot, Lee immediately and vehemently denied any involvement.

“Alright listen. I gave you a pass yesterday because I was busy, but if you don’t stop putting my name on your complete and utter made up bulls–t because you know you normally aren’t worth my time to acknowledge,” Lee responded (via Twitter). “I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike.

“World… all this is fabricated. I have never and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent to do anything that’s been reported by said ‘journalist.’ Shams, this is your opportunity to say, ‘My bad I let ChatGPT write my tweets and it went old school Peter Vescey..’ (Shams, Peter was a writer in the 90’s). Be a trend setter.. invent the new ‘I was hacked.’ Carry on all. Thank you.”

Charania reported on Tuesday that Lee had made it clear in league circles that Butler would be open to destinations like Houston, Dallas, and Golden State in the event of a trade.

It’s worth noting that Lee and Charania have clashed before, including in April when Charania reported that Butler was feared to have suffered an MCL and was expected to miss several weeks following a collision with Sixers wing Kelly Oubre in a play-in game.

Lee denied the report, as did the team’s beat writers, noting that Butler had yet to undergo an MRI. The Heat star ended up missing the first-round series against Boston with a sprained MCL.

Lee also lashed out following at Charania following his 2021 claim that there were “very, very testy moments behind the scenes” between Butler and the Heat coaching staff, referring to the reporter as an “ambulance chasing, dirt bag piece of s–t” in a tweet he later deleted.

If there’s substance behind Charania’s latest report, it’s significant because any team dealing for Butler would like some assurance that he’ll consider re-signing. He holds a $52.4MM player option for next season and has indicated that he plans to turn that down and test free agency.

Butler is making $48.8MM this season, so it would be difficult to get him to a team like Phoenix, which is operating under second apron restrictions and isn’t permitted to combine salaries in any trade. ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link) that Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combine for 68% of the Suns’ salary, and Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, but one of them (presumably Beal) would have to be sent out in any deal involving Butler.

A source tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) that the Suns aren’t pursuing a trade for Butler, regardless of any interest he might have. Bourguet’s source states that management has faith in its current roster, pointing out that the team is 11-2 when Durant, Booker and Beal are all healthy.

Bourguet also notes that because Miami and Phoenix are both apron teams, neither can take back more salary than it sends out. The only loophole would be for Miami to attach a veteran’s minimum deal along with Butler’s contract because Phoenix could take on that contract using the minimum salary exception (Twitter link). Involving a third team to take on salary would also work.

Charania’s Latest: Ingram, Jones, McCollum, Blazers, Kuzma, Durant

December 10th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Pelicans and Brandon Ingram discussed an extension during the offseason, he and his representatives at Excel Sports Management were seeking $50MM per season, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Insider link). Previous reporting indicated that Ingram was pursuing a maximum-salary extension, which would’ve been worth up to $208MM over four years, so an ask of $50MM per season would’ve been in the neighborhood of his max.

As Charania explains, based on their current commitments, the Pelicans project to be $31MM below the tax in 2025/26, so re-signing Ingram to a $45MM+ starting salary would’ve pushed that figure well beyond the tax line and into apron territory, which probably isn’t feasible for a team that has never been a taxpayer.

The Pelicans value Ingram highly and are expected to keep the door open for a potential extension now that the forward has changed agents and is represented by Klutch Sports, Charania writes, but a trade is considered the more likely outcome, given the team’s financial outlook.

When New Orleans’ front office discussed possible Ingram trades over the summer, the Timberwolves were among the teams to show interest, sources tell Charania. However, a deal would’ve needed to be centered around Karl-Anthony Towns, and it likely only would’ve been viable if the two teams had reached an agreement during the 2023/24 season, before Towns’ super-max extension went into effect.

According to Charania, with the injury-plagued Pelicans off to a dismal 5-20 start this season, rival teams have begun to express interest in players like Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum. Charania doesn’t say whether or not New Orleans will consider moving either player, but I’d imagine the front office would be very reluctant to make a trade involving Jones, who is the team’s most valuable defensive player.

Here’s more from Charania:

Multiple teams have begun to express interest in veteran Trail Blazers trade candidates Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams, sources tell Charania. Grant and Simons have gotten off to slow starts this fall and Williams has a concerning injury history, but the three players are still among Portland’s most valuable – and most logical – trade chips.
Several contending teams are expected to pursue Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma this season, Charania reports. Kuzma has been limited to just 12 outings for health reasons and has seen his offensive output dip in the early going (15.8 PPG, .420/.276/.688 shooting) but has a strong track record as a scorer and is on a contract with a team-friendly declining structure.
There’s optimism that injured Suns star Kevin Durant could return from his ankle sprain on either Friday in Utah or Sunday vs. Portland, Charania writes. While Phoenix obviously won’t want to rush back its leading scorer, it has been night and day for the team this season when Durant is available (11-2 record) and when he isn’t (1-9).
In case you missed it, we passed along a few more items from Charania earlier today in separate full stories.

Western Notes: Flagler, Durant, Leonard, Ingram

December 9th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder two-way player Adam Flagler will miss four-to-six weeks due to a right fourth metacarpal fracture, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets.

The 25-year-old guard out of Baylor has appeared in 11 games with the Thunder this season. He’s averaged 1.4 points and 0.5 rebounds in 3.4 minutes per contest, having played almost exclusively in garbage time.

Flagler is a holdover from last season, as he originally signed his two-way deal in February. He was a critical contributor for the Oklahoma City Blue’s championship squad in 2023/24. In three G League contests this season, he has averaged 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.3 SPG.

We have more from the Western Conference:

The Suns are 11-2 with Kevin Durant in uniform and 1-9 without him. Phoenix should be able to overcome Durant’s absences better than that, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com writes. Their futility in the games he’s missed is due in large part to Devin Booker‘s subpar efficiency and spotty defense, as well as Bradley Beal‘s inability to step up his game to fill the void, according to Bourguet.
Kawhi Leonard appears to be progressing toward a return this month and it would be an ideal time to ease him back into the Clippers‘ lineup, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The Clippers don’t have back-to-back games until New Year’s Day and will only play six games in the 21-day window that begins on Monday, which should help their injured players heal up. “He’s a defensive-minded guy who can guard the basketball, guard five different positions,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Leonard. “For him coming into what we’re doing, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get involved.”
Brandon Ingram‘s ankle injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely, means the floundering Pelicans must soon make some difficult decisions, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. They must decide what to do with Ingram, a free agent after the season, and whether there’s still a trade market for him. They also must figure out what to do with their other oft-injured star, Zion Williamson.

Pacific Notes: James, Harden, Durant, Kuminga

December 8th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James had appeared in all 23 of the Lakers‘ games this season until Sunday. The 39-year-old forward missed Los Angeles’ game against the Trail Blazers because of left foot soreness, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.

James played a season-high 43 minutes on Friday in an overtime loss at the Hawks. He racked up 39 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

The four-time MVP was listed as probable earlier on Sunday before being downgraded to doubtful after the team’s walk-through.

“You don’t want him out of the lineup, that’s for sure, but he has an opportunity to get four days’ rest before we practice again,” coach JJ Redick said. “So, it could be really good for him.”

Austin Reaves missed his fifth straight game because of a left pelvic contusion.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Like James, Clippers guard James Harden sat out for the first time this season on Sunday. Harden was sidelined by a groin injury, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Harden scored a season-low five points against Minnesota on Wednesday, but is averaging 21.6 points, 8.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game on the season.
Kevin Durant is making good progress from his left ankle sprain, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We feel like the reports that we’re getting back are very positive,” Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’ll see how the next day or two go and I think re-evaluate him. It’ll be good for us to get back and give him some love. He’ll probably give us some love. It’s always good to be around Kevin. He’s good for our spirit.” The team stated on Wednesday that Durant would be out at least a week.
The Jonathan Kuminga era has begun for the Warriors, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic writes. Kuminga has been inserted into Golden State’s lineup at Draymond Green‘s expense in order to infuse that unit with another offensive jolt. “He’s a big weapon for us. … So we’ve got to lean into that. And it may not go well every night, but that’s what we’re trying to build,” Stephen Curry said. Kuminga will be a restricted free agent after the season.

Kevin Durant Out At Least One Week Due To Sprained Ankle

December 4th, 2024 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns star Kevin Durant, who exited Tuesday’s win over San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain, will be reevaluated in one week, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Suns have confirmed the news in a press release.

Even if Durant is fully recovered in a week, he’ll miss Phoenix’s games in New Orleans on Thursday, Miami on Saturday, and Orlando on Sunday. The earliest he might return would be on December 13 in Utah.

Durant appeared to sustain the injury with about 4:30 left in the second quarter vs. the Spurs, when he drove to the basket and attempted to split a pair of San Antonio defenders for a layup (video link). He stepped on Julian Champagnie‘s foot as he attempted to rise up and ended up falling to the floor and grabbing at his ankle.

Durant was able to stay in the game a little longer, knocking down a free throw and a mid-range jumper before checking out with 3:51 remaining in the second quarter. He didn’t return to the game after that.

This will be Durant’s second injury absence of the season. The former MVP missed seven games in November due to a left calf strain — Tuesday was just his fourth game back.

The Suns have a solid 12-8 record for the season, but they went just 1-6 in games Durant missed, so they’ll be looking to do a better job of surviving without their leading scorer in the coming week.

Royce O’Neale, Josh Okogie, and rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are among the candidates for increased minutes with Durant out, while Phoenix’s other stars – Devin Booker and Bradley Beal – will take on more offensive responsibilities.