Kevin Durant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

Injury Notes: Cavs, Durant, Mann, George, Embiid, Reaves

December 4th, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (shoulder) and Darius Garland (head) appear to have avoided major injuries after suffering scares in Tuesday’s win over Washington, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

While Garland, who took a hit to the back of his head in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game, may have to clear the NBA’s concussion protocol before he can play again, head coach Kenny Atkinson sounded optimistic about his status.

“He looked fine in the locker room,” Atkinson said of Garland, per Fedor. “Doesn’t look like anything that’ll hold him out. He gave me the thumbs up, and I don’t think he’ll miss any time at all. I think he’s fine.”

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

Suns star Kevin Durant exited Tuesday’s win over San Antonio shortly before halftime and didn’t return due to a sprained left ankle, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. Head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the game that Durant had yet to undergo an MRI and that he didn’t have any information yet on whether the veteran forward will miss time. “I think he stepped on somebody’s foot in transition, and I think at halftime it stiffened up,” Budenholzer said. “We will have to evaluate him again in the morning, see how he feels coming out of it, see how he does overnight. I don’t really know a whole lot more than the report at halftime.”
Clippers guard/forward Terance Mann fractured the middle finger on his left hand in Tuesday’s win over Portland, according to the team (Twitter link via Mark Medina of Sportskeeda). The Clippers indicated that Mann will be reevaluated on Wednesday, so we should have more information on his outlook once that evaluation has been completed.
After playing a season-high 37 minutes and scoring 29 points in Tuesday’s win over Charlotte, Sixers forward Paul George will sit out Wednesday’s game vs. Orlando, tweets ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. That’s no surprise, given that it’s the second night of a back-to-back and George has dealt with a knee injury this season. As for Joel Embiid, the Sixers’ star center has also been ruled out for the Orlando game, but he’s getting back on the court and starting his ramp-up process, says Bontemps.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who has missed the past two games with a left pelvic contusion, was a partial participant in today’s shootaround and is still considered questionable to play in Wednesday’s game vs. Miami, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Pacific Notes: Harden, Nurkic, Durant, Ighodaro, Dunn, Green, Monk

December 2nd, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers re-signed James Harden on a two-year deal over the summer. It has turned into a wise move, as Harden has dominated games in Kawhi Leonard‘s absence.

Harden had 39 points in a 126-122 win against the Nuggets on Sunday. Last week, he erupted for a season-high 43 points in a road win against the Wizards.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Harden told The Athletic’s Law Murray. “My role has changed. You know, I haven’t had this role in, four or five years. So it just took me some time to get there. But you guys can see us, game by game, I continue to get better.”

We have more from around the Pacific:

Suns center Jusuf Nurkic has been ruled out for at least a week due to a right thigh contusion, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Nurkic has appeared in 16 games this season, averaging 8.9 points and 9.9 rebounds. Nurkic has a four-year, $70MM contract that runs through next season.
Suns forward Kevin Durant has been impressed with the contributions of rookies Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets. Dunn only attempted two shots in 20 minutes in a win over Golden State on Saturday but contributed four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Ighodaro played 31 minutes off the bench and added six points and eight rebounds. “We expect that out of them. I think that’s what they bring to our team is that energy, that aggressiveness on defense, that physicality on defense….They’re setting a high standard for themselves every night,” Durant said.
Warriors forward Draymond Green didn’t practice Monday in Denver due to left calf tightness, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. He’s doubtful to play against the Nuggets on Tuesday, according to coach Steve Kerr, Slater tweets. Green hasn’t missed a game yet this season after appearing in just 55 regular season contests last season.
Malik Monk, one of the league’s top sixth men, made his first start since joining the Kings on Sunday. He played 37 minutes and supplied 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists but the Kings fell to San Antonio. Monk hadn’t started since he was in the Lakers’ lineup 37 times in 2021/22.

Pacific Notes: LeBron, Davis, Suns, Warriors, Curry

November 27th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

An unexpected development for the slumping Lakers has been losing the minutes when their two stars are on the court together, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Going into Tuesday night, L.A. was being outscored by 5.5 points per 100 possessions in the 365 minutes that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were both in the game.

There are several glaring issues with the James-Davis lineups, Price adds. No matter who else is paired with them, the groups haven’t rebounded well or forced enough turnovers, and they’re letting opponents shoot high percentages from the field.

The inability to gain an advantage when their best players are sharing the court has contributed to the Lakers’ recent slowdown after a 10-4 start, but coach J.J. Redick doesn’t consider it to be a cause for alarm.

“Not concerned, not concerned at all,” Redick said. “It’s more diving deeper into the why and trying to self-correct that.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Tuesday’s return of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal has the Suns looking like an elite team again, observes Doug Haller of The Athletic. Durant and Beal sparked a 27-point rout of the Lakers in an NBA Cup game and provided a reminder of how good the team looked during its 8-1 start to the season. “I just wanted to be out there with the guys,” said Durant, who missed seven games with a strained left calf. “Wanted to travel. When you’re injured, you’re still a part of the team, you’re still on the roster, but there’s a level of separation you have (with guys who are playing). I just wanted to be part of the group again.”
Defense has become an issue for the Warriors in their last two games, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. They let a 17-point second half lead slip away in Saturday’s loss to San Antonio, then squandered an 18-point lead Monday against Brooklyn. The Warriors ranked 25th in team defense in those two games and allowed an atrocious 154.2 points per 100 possessions in the combined fourth quarters. Defensive issues were the focus of Tuesday’s practice. “Our communication wasn’t good and we didn’t rotate and trap the box how we normally would,” Kevon Looney said of Monday’s game. “(Assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jerry Stackhouse) talks about us being early, being aggressive and I think we were a half-second late on everything.”
After being listed as questionable on Tuesday, Warriors guard Stephen Curry will sit out tonight’s game against Oklahoma City with bilateral knee pain, Gordon adds in a separate story. This will be Curry’s fourth missed game of the season, and Golden State has won the first three.

Southwest Notes: Durant, Rockets, Cuban, Udoka, Williamson

November 25th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets’ interest in Kevin Durant has been overstated, Marc Stein reports in a Substack post. Stein wrote last month that there was a strong belief around the league that the Rockets were interested in a Durant deal.

Stein hears now that Houston is determined to prioritize internal development this season rather than looking to make a big move before the February trade deadline. Houston’s front office intends to prioritize timeline considerations, as much as talent and fit, when they do make their next major trade. The Rockets’ roster is loaded with younger players, featuring seven first-round picks who are 23 or younger.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic previously reported that the Rockets aren’t interested in breaking up their young core to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. Of course, it’s worth noting that neither Durant nor Antetokounmpo is available at this time.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Mark Cuban has essentially ceased going to Mavericks games on the road and there’s a big reason why, he told Stein. “The NBA got really, really, really petty and said that I can’t sit behind the bench anymore,” Cuban said. Stein points out that Cuban’s presence in the second row behind the bench was a violation of league rules but the league ignored it for many years when he was the franchise’s controlling owner. Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks last year. Cuban talks to Mavs general manager Nico Harrison frequently but Patrick Dumont is the Mavericks’ official governor and operates as day-to-day owner, according to Cuban.
The Rockets’ strong start has been fueled by an improved defense and that’s no accident. Head coach Ime Udoka firmly believes that defense wins championships. “We’re only as good as our one-on-one defense,” Udoka told The Ringer’s Michael Pina. “We’re only as good as all our five on the court, and any weak link is exploited. Everything flows out from that philosophy, which makes a ton of sense on paper but is quite grueling in practice. It’s not a lot of schematics to it. There’s a lot of will and want to it, for sure. But it’s also very eye-opening when you show them the numbers from the previous few years in those areas. If you’re honestly tired of losing and want to change the perception of the team, I mean, that’s where we all start.”
The Pelicans have a lot of hard decisions to make in the coming months and offseason, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith opines. One thing they should seriously consider, in Smith’s view, is moving on from oft-injured Zion Williamson via the trade route or by getting out of his contract. He’s a dominant offensive force when healthy but his rebounding and defense is subpar, Smith notes. Due to a games played clause, the Pelicans can get out of Williamson’s contract after this season with no more than $7.8MM owed to him if he doesn’t appear in at least 41 total games this season. Williamson is currently out with another hamstring injury.

Suns’ Durant, Beal On Track To Return Tuesday

November 25th, 2024 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Injured Suns stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal intend to return to Phoenix’s lineup on Tuesday when the team faces the Lakers in an NBA Cup matchup, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Durant and Beal have both been sidelined due to left calf strains. Durant last played on November 8, having missed the Suns’ past seven games, while Beal has been out since Nov. 12 and has been inactive for the club’s past five contests. Reporting on Friday indicated that both players were full participants in practice and were targeting Tuesday for their respective returns.

The Suns won eight of their first nine games this season with Durant in the lineup and the star forward playing at his usual All-NBA level, averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks per night with an excellent shooting line of .553/.429/.836.

However, Phoenix has lost six of seven games with Durant on the shelf, including all five since Beal went down. The Suns are still firmly in the midst of the Western Conference playoff race at 9-7, but the hope is that having all three of their stars – Durant, Beal, and Devin Booker – back in the lineup will help fuel another hot streak.

Tuesday’s game against the Lakers is the third in a six-game home stand — the Suns will host the Nets on Wednesday, the Warriors on Saturday, and the Spurs on Tuesday before heading back out on the road to New Orleans, Miami, and Orlando.

The Suns will have to win on Tuesday if they hope to advance to the knockout round of the NBA Cup. They’re 1-1 in the in-season tournament so far, while the 2-0 Lakers are the only undefeated team in West Group B. A win tomorrow would give Phoenix the tiebreaker edge over L.A.

Injury Notes: Morant, Embiid, Bridges, Durant, Beal, M. Jones

November 22nd, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hip) is listed as doubtful to play on Saturday vs. Chicago, but the plan is for him to get workouts in during the coming days and potentially return early on in Memphis’ four-game homestand that begins on Monday, per Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link).

As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes (via Twitter), the fact that Morant is considered doubtful for Saturday instead of being ruled out entirely suggests he’s getting closer and that a Monday return is in play.

Morant has been sidelined since November 6, but the Grizzlies have held their own in his absence, winning four of seven games. They’re 9-7 overall this season, putting them in a three-way tie with the Suns and Clippers for the No. 6 spot in the West entering Friday’s action.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from across the NBA:

The 2-12 Sixers will be down two stars on Friday vs. Brooklyn as they look to snap a five-game losing streak. Center Joel Embiid has been ruled out due to left knee injury management, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. He’ll join forward Paul George (knee bone bruise) on the sidelines, with third star Tyrese Maxey active but still on a minutes limit.
Hornets forward Miles Bridges stepped on a foot and aggravated his right knee bone bruise on Tuesday, according to the team (Twitter link). Bridges, who missed Thursday’s game, will remain on the shelf a little longer. The Hornets say he’ll be reevaluated one week after suffering the injury, which would be next Tuesday (Nov. 26).
Injured Suns stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were full participants in Friday’s practice and did 3-on-3 work, head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters, including Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The hope is that Durant and Beal – both out due to left calf strains – will be able to play 5-on-5 on Sunday and be activated for Tuesday’s game vs. the Lakers, Rankin adds.
Kings two-way guard Mason Jones sustained a right hamstring strain in a G League game on Wednesday, according to the team (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). Jones, who has seen limited action in three games for Sacramento this season, will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days.