Nassir Little Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Wolves, Graham, Suns, VanVleet, Rockets

February 6th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves‘ front office has been scouring the trade market in the hopes of addressing a couple areas of concern on the bench and better positioning the team for a deep postseason run, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. According to Krawczynski, Minnesota would like to bolster its second unit by adding another ball-handler and/or a scorer or shooter.

Krawczynski confirms a number of previously reported point guard targets for the Wolves, including Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, while also naming Dennis Schröder and Kyle Lowry as a couple more players of interest. Lowry would have to be a buyout target, since Minnesota isn’t in position to match his $29.7MM salary on the trade market.

If the Wolves focus on a scorer rather than a point guard, Alec Burks and Bones Hyland are among the players who could be fits, Krawczynski writes.

Krawczynski doesn’t expect Minnesota to move Kyle Anderson, referring to him as a key part of the team’s defense and an important voice in the locker room. That’s notable, since hanging onto Anderson and their other five highest-paid players (Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid) would leave the Wolves with no trade chips earning more than $5MM, limiting their ability to salary-match for players earning much beyond the mid-level.

Here are a few more notes and rumors from around the Western Conference:

Veteran point guard Devonte’ Graham hasn’t griped about not having a role with the Spurs this season and has enjoyed being in San Antonio, but he acknowledged that he wouldn’t be opposed to a trade if it gives him an opportunity to play more, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “I mean, yeah,” Graham said. “Everybody wants to play.”
Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic previews the trade deadline for the Suns, noting that a potential package of Nassir Little and second-round picks hasn’t generated a ton of interest among prospective trade partners.
The Rockets will be without starting point guard Fred VanVleet on Tuesday in Indiana, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who says VanVleet has been ruled out due to a left adductor strain. That injury often requires a multi-game absence, but Houston hasn’t issued an update on the guard’s status beyond Tuesday.
Rockets center Jock Landale and forward Jae’Sean Tate are trying to tune out the trade rumors surrounding them as Thursday’s deadline nears, Feigen writes in another story for The Chronicle. “Whether they choose to trade me or keep me is completely up to them. I signed here to play for (head coach) Ime (Udoka),” Landale said. “I signed here to help the Rockets to get back to their winning ways. It’s not a decision that’s in my power or my control. We’ll see what happens.”

Trade Rumors: Bucks, Wright, Suns, Mavs, Hornets, Knicks, Magic, Bulls

February 6th, 2024 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks remain committed to upgrading their roster in the hopes of contending for a championship this season and are “shopping hard for help,” one league source tells Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Milwaukee doesn’t have a ton of trade assets on hand to offer, so the team’s most likely outgoing package would consist of Pat Connaughton, Cameron Payne, and Portland’s 2024 second-round pick (currently projected to be No. 35), says Fischer. Connaughton and Payne only make up $11.4MM in outgoing money, so Bobby Portis and his $11.7MM cap hit would need to be included if Milwaukee targets a higher-salary player, Fischer notes.

One potential target who has been linked to the Bucks is Wizards guard Delon Wright, sources tell Fischer. Wright would be a logical fit for a Milwaukee team looking to improve its perimeter defense, though it’s unclear how high he ranks on the Bucks’ list of targets, Fischer writes, adding that the veteran point guard has a wide-ranging market.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Suns are still viewed as the leading suitor for Hornets forward Miles Bridges, league sources tell Fischer. Phoenix’s offer would likely consist of Nassir Little, Josh Okogie, and two second-round picks, per Fischer, though Charlotte is holding out hope of landing a first-rounder for Bridges. The Pistons and Jazz also continue to be linked to the Hornets forward, who has the ability to veto a trade, but the Mavericks – who are seeking forward help – haven’t shown interest in Bridges or Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith as of late, Fischer reports.
The Hornets are fielding more trade inquiries on forward P.J. Washington than any other player, though they aren’t necessarily actively shopping him, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Fischer confirms a previous report stating the Mavericks are among the teams with interest in Washington, but hears that the Clippers are an unlikely landing spot.
Although the Knicks are among the other clubs with interest in Washington, sources tell Fischer, New York is believed to prefer Raptors wing Bruce Brown. Fischer adds that Quentin Grimes continues to generate interest from teams like the Hawks and Jazz, while Tony Jones of The Athletic said during an appearance on ESPN 700 in Utah that he believes Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson would welcome a trade to the Knicks (hat tip to Patrick Byrnes of SI.com).
There have been some whispers around the league about the Magic targeting an experienced point guard such as Kyle Lowry (Hornets) or Chris Paul (Warriors), but Fischer doesn’t believe Orlando has trade interest in either player. Additionally, while the Magic could use some more outside shooting, the club isn’t thought to be pursuing upgrades in that area unless there’s a player who would be a positive on defense as well, according to Fischer, who cites Kings sharpshooter Kevin Huerter as one example of a player who is not on Orlando’s wish list.
Bulls guard Coby White is considered off limits in trade talks and Chicago’s asking price for Alex Caruso is very steep, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. With Zach LaVine out for the season, center Andre Drummond now appears to be the Bull most likely to be dealt, Fischer adds.

Pacific Notes: LeBron, AD, Westbrook, Harden, Little, Beal

February 3rd, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Lakers superstar LeBron James declined to elaborate on what he meant by sending out an hourglass emoji after Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

On Friday, Rich Paul, James’ agent, publicly said his most famous client won’t seek a trade and won’t be dealt ahead of the February 8 deadline.

There was no reputable reporting suggesting James would seek a trade, but there had been some speculation from fans and media members about his future, given the Lakers’ middling record (25-25) this season, his age (39), and his contract situation (he can become an unrestricted free agent this summer).

James said he hasn’t thought about whether or not he’s going to exercise his $51.4MM player option for 2024/25, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relays.

The Lakers were without James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) and Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasms) for Thursday’s upset victory over Boston, and both players are questionable for Saturday’s contest in New York. James, who said he was “very proud” of the team’s effort vs. the Celtics, is “hoping” to play against the Knicks.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

According to Buha, James also addressed Jarred Vanderbilt‘s foot injury, which is expected to keep him out for several weeks. “Well, honestly, obviously, we took a big hit with Vando last game,” James said. “Our team has always been constructed around how healthy we can be and how much chemistry we can put on the floor. So, obviously, that’s a big-time hit, big-time blow for us. But guys have to pick it up in his absence. If we can play some good basketball, string a couple wins together, and not be so Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on any given night, then we’ll be OK.”
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook reached a historic milestone in Friday’s win over Detroit, as he became just the 25th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points (Twitter link via the league). The former league MVP is also only the second player to record at least 25,000 points, 9,000 assists and 8,000 rebounds — James is the other.
Regarding his omission from the All-Star game, Clippers guard James Harden says he’s focused on a bigger prize, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “I’ve got bigger goals,” Harden said. “None of that — scoring titles and assists and All-Stars and MVPs — right now. I’ve done it all. I’m here for one reason. And I think everybody knows what the reason is.” Harden, of course, is looking for his first NBA championship. The 34-year-old is averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.5 APG, 4.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 0.9 BPG in 42 games for the Clips this season (34.1 MPG). He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Suns forward Nassir Little is nonplussed by hearing his name in trade rumors, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m doing good,” Little said. “It’s a normal thing in the league. It’s been like that since I’ve gotten into the league. Your name is always going to be thrown around in trade rumors. It’s part of the business. So I don’t really be seeing it that much, but I just chill until something happens. I get a text from my agent or somebody call me in the office, I’m going to keep doing what I got to do.” Little, 23, is in the first season of a four-year, $28MM rookie scale extension.
Suns star Kevin Durant praised Bradley Beal‘s toughness for playing through a broken nose he sustained last week against the Pacers, Rankin tweets. “He’s a soldier out there,” Durant said of Beal. “He could’ve easily took a game off in Orlando. Taken the rest of the game off in Indiana. … We’re behind him. We want him to continue to be aggressive.” Beal has missed 24 games this season due to back and ankle injuries and has struggled to get comfortable with the protective masks he’s wearing due to the nasal fracture, averaging 13.3 PPG (on .345/.125/.733 shooting), 7.0 APG and 4.5 RPG in the past four games (37.6 MPG).

Pacific Notes: Suns Rumors, Caruso, Clippers, Powell, Barnes

January 27th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at some of the potential trade targets who have recently been linked to the Suns, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports reports that a source close to the situation has described Phoenix as “very confident” about its ability to make a competitive offer for Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Bourguet adds that Charlotte center Nick Richards is also a target, but that the team would likely only be able to acquire one Hornet or the other due to salary-matching considerations.

Bourguet also confirms that Nets forward Royce O’Neale is a legitimate target for the Suns, observing that O’Neale is more attainable than Dorian Finney-Smith due to his expiring contract and smaller cap hit.

The Suns would almost certainly need to use Nassir Little ($6.25MM) as their primary outgoing salary piece in any trade and would need to get to within 10% of the incoming salary, so acquiring a player who is earning much more than O’Neale ($9.5MM) would be tricky. Phoenix would presumably need to add one or two minimum-salary players and multiple second-round picks to its package for either Bridges or O’Neale.

The buyout market could also prove fruitful for the Suns, Bourguet writes, even though they’ll be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM. P.J. Tucker would have interest in Phoenix if he’s bought out, according to Bourguet, who says the team has also been in touch with center Bismack Biyombo, a current free agent.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Veteran guard Alex Caruso, who left the Lakers for the Bulls as a free agent in 2021, tells Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports that he still sometimes thinks about how things would have played out if he had remained in Los Angeles. “Yeah, definitely,” Caruso said. “Just because of how well I played with them when I was here. I know how I supported them. And I’ve gotten better. I was expecting myself to get better. It’s actually what had to move me on. I kept getting better and eventually I was at a point where I couldn’t stay here. I definitely have always thought about it because those guys (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) are my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. Always good seeing them. Every now and then you think about what could’ve been.”
Rival coaches and executives are praising Clippers head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for the way his gamble on James Harden has paid off so far, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I didn’t think it would work out,” one exec said. “A lot of people didn’t think it would work out. But he had it right. Russell (Westbrook) is playing within himself. Harden is sharing the ball. They have great chemistry right now.”
In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Clippers wing Norman Powell spoke about his impressions of Harden and Westbrook as teammates, the role that coach Tyronn Lue has played in the team’s success, and how these Clippers compare to the 2019 champion Raptors, among other topics.
Viewed as a probable outgoing piece if the Kings make a major deadline trade, Harrison Barnes has been on a heater this week, scoring 32 points on Monday and a career-high 39 on Thursday, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes.

Jazz, Suns, Pistons Among Possible Miles Bridges Suitors

January 26th, 2024 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz, Suns, and Pistons are among the teams that have called the Hornets to inquire on forward Miles Bridges, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Bridges, 25, is considered a potential trade candidate for a Hornets team that appears lottery-bound and already moved one key player (Terry Rozier) this week in exchange for a first-round pick. Bridges has been productive in his return to the court this season, averaging 20.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 37.0 minutes per game across 31 appearances, with a shooting line of .455/.355/.866.

However, Bridges’ trade value is complicated by a couple factors. One is his contract situation. Having accepted his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last summer, Bridges will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. He also has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he’s dealt this season, which could affect what a team is willing to give up to acquire him.

The other factor limiting Bridges’ trade value is his legal situation off the court. The Hornets forward sat out the entire 2022/23 season following accusations of domestic violence and has faced new allegations following the resolution of that case. While the former Michigan State star would be an ideal fit on the court for many teams seeking another wing or forward with size, there may be teams unwilling to pursue him due to the off-court allegations.

According to Fischer, the Jazz are viewed as both a buyer and seller at this season’s trade deadline. While players like Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Talen Horton-Tucker are considered available, Utah is also keeping an eye out for possible additions who could help the team win now. One item on the Jazz’s wish list is a veteran who could handle point guard duties while rookie Keyonte George continues to learn the ropes. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is one player Utah has expressed interest in, says Fischer.

The Suns’ interest in Bridges was reported earlier this week and has since been confirmed by Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Unlike Utah and Detroit, Phoenix isn’t in position to open up cap room this summer to potentially re-sign Bridges and would likely have to view him as a rental. However, if the cost is modest enough due to Bridges’ expiring contract and legal issues – perhaps Nassir Little and a couple second-round picks – the Suns would still be interested.

According to Fischer, the Suns are eyeing potential rotation players at various positions who could be acquired using Little as the primary outgoing salary-matching piece. That group includes guards Delon Wright and Monte Morris, forwards Jae’Sean Tate and Royce O’Neale, and center Nick Richards.

As for the Pistons, they project to have significant cap room this summer and appear to be attempting to get a head-start on free agency by acquiring a player to whom they could dedicate a chunk of that room. They were linked to Pascal Siakam before he was sent to Indiana and have reportedly discussed Zach LaVine as well.

In his latest Substack article, Marc Stein says that those talks with the Bulls about LaVine have “by no means gone dormant,” noting that the Pistons maintain interest in the two-time All-Star.

Pacific Notes: Kings Rumors, Suns, LeBron, Davis

January 25th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Kings have expressed trade interest in Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, who made his comments during The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross (hat tip to HoopsHype). Amick said the Kings are a bad defensive team looking to get better, and those two in particular could help.

Finney-Smith and O’Neale are both valued assets leaguewide and Sacramento’s interest is the latest in a series of rumors surrounding Brooklyn’s pieces. The two players — along with Spencer Dinwiddie, who’s also involved in trade rumors — are the oldest on the Nets’ roster, and win-now teams seem to be targeting them for their veteran presence and two-way versatility.

Finney-Smith, making about $13.4MM this year, is averaging 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc. He’s under contract through at least 2024/25, and has a player option for the following season. O’Neale is making $9.5MM this year and is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. He’s averaging 7.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists this year.

It’s unclear what Brooklyn would covet from Sacramento’s side in a potential trade. Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell are among players who could help fill out a trade from a salary standpoint.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Huerter, Mitchell and Harrison Barnes have been mentioned in possible trade packages for weeks now, and The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson writes that it could be weighing on a Kings team that recently went on a season-long four-game losing streak. “Everybody’s human, so everybody feels it in some way shape or form,” head coach Mike Brown said. “You can talk about it as much as you want or as little as you want, but at the end of the day rumors and speculation are rampant as the trade deadlines nears every year for every team. It’s part of our business. You’ve just got to deal with it and keep moving forward as best you can.”
Given how the team’s payroll is structured, the Suns don’t have many contracts that would be useful for salary-matching. The three maximum-salary stars aren’t going anywhere, and the team values Jusuf Nurkic ($16.9MM) and Grayson Allen ($8.9MM), per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, which leaves Nassir Little ($6.3MM) as potentially the biggest available salary on the books. Bourguet sifts through 30 trade scenarios, sorting them based on their likelihood.
Lakers superstars LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (Achilles) were both listed as questionable ahead of Thursday’s game against the Bulls (Twitter link via Los Angeles Times’ Brad Turner). However, both were upgraded to available ahead of the game and started (Twitter link). James didn’t play the previous contest against the Clippers, but Davis hasn’t missed a game since Dec. 15.

Pistons Notes: Muscala, Thompson, Ivey, Cap Room

January 22nd, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons got a strong performance from their new-look bench in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Alec Burks scored 33 points and teamed with newly acquired Mike Muscala to hit 11-of-18 shots from beyond the arc as Detroit’s reserves put up 85 points, the most of any team this season. Muscala has noticed a commitment to effort from his new teammates since being acquired in a trade last week.

“Guys play really hard here, and it’s an honor to be a part of that,” he said. “It was a good game today, we just couldn’t get it done, especially on defense. We get a chance to play them again on Monday, and obviously they’re a great team. They have a lot of weapons on offense, but I thought we battled hard today.”

Rookie forward Ausar Thompson, who started for much of the first half of the season, has also become an important part of the bench unit, and Sankofa notes that his rebounding and ability to attack the basket make him an effective complement to Muscala. Coach Monty Williams seems confident in his current bench group.

“Ausar coming off the bench and knocking down shots was huge for his confidence and huge for the development of our young group,” Williams said. “Having (Danilo) Gallinari and Mike out there, they’re seamlessly fitting in and figuring out how we play. Burks has been phenomenal. His ability to score the ball, his ability to communicate and help the young guys on the floor have helped us a ton. You don’t typically get that kind of bench production, but with the vets we have coming off the bench, it certainly helps us.”

There’s more from Detroit:

Jaden Ivey has excelled over the past two weeks with Cade Cunningham sidelined by a left knee strain, and he’ll continue to have a role in running the offense once Cunningham returns, Sankofa adds. “It’s good to see him not just score the ball. Like I said he’s defending, attacking the basket, knocking down open shots,” Williams said. “I think it’s going to be a good complement with those two playing together within the system.”
The Pistons could have $60MM in cap room this summer, and James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic look at how they might spend it, agreeing that it’s likely to be more useful in trading for big salaries rather than signing free agents. Hollinger speculates that the Pistons might have interest in Andrew Wiggins if the Warriors can’t move him before the trade deadline, although he’s a gamble with three years and $85MM left on his contract. Hollinger mentions a few other potential targets with long-term deals, including the Nuggets‘ Zeke Nnaji, the Suns‘ Nassir Little and the Kings‘ Davion Mitchell.
The NBA has moved the starting time of the Pistons’ January 28 contest against the Thunder so it doesn’t conflict with the Detroit Lions’ playoff game on that Sunday, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Fischer’s Latest: Tucker, Suns, Warriors, Mavs, Blazers, Graham

January 17th, 2024 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After being traded from Philadelphia to the Clippers earlier this season, veteran forward P.J. Tucker is a “strong” candidate to be moved again ahead of the February 8 deadline, says Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, Washington is viewed as a potential trade destination for Tucker, who would likely be bought out if he’s sent to the Wizards. In that scenario, the Suns and Bucks would be among the teams expected to pursue the 38-year-old on the buyout market, Fischer adds.

Tucker is earning $11MM this season, with an $11.5MM player option for 2024/25, so unless he gives up a significant portion of his remaining money in a buyout agreement, he’d still have a real impact on his team’s salary cap for next season. With that in mind, the Wizards (or another trade partner) would presumably want a solid asset or two as a sweetener to take on his contract, especially if they’re also giving up a rotation-caliber player in the process.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Suns are one of the more active teams on the trade market and have explored what a package that includes Grayson Allen and Nassir Little could bring back, Fischer reports. Those efforts are complicated by the fact that Phoenix’s draft assets consist of just four second-round picks, according to Fischer, who points out too that Allen has been arguably the team’s most important players outside of its three stars.
Although the Warriors and Mavericks have displayed interest in Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Golden State has shown little desire to part with either Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody, Fischer writes. As for the Mavs, they’ve been linked to many forwards, per Fischer, including Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Washington of the Hornets, and former Mav Dorian Finney-Smith, now a member of the Nets.
Jerami Grant is the sort of player who would appeal to teams like the Mavericks and Kings, but the Trail Blazers aren’t expected to seriously consider offers for the veteran forward, according to Fischer. Portland guard Malcolm Brogdon, on the other hand, is viewed as a more viable trade candidate.
In addition to veterans like Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman, who were previously identified as trade candidates, guard Devonte’ Graham is another Spurs player who is available via trade, sources tell Fischer. Graham has been out of San Antonio’s rotation all season and has a $12.1MM cap hit for this season, with a $2.85MM partial guarantee for 2024/25, so he presumably won’t have positive value.

Suns Notes: Beal, Durant, Okogie, Gordon, Rotation

January 1st, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns have won three straight entering their contest against Portland on Monday night. Bradley Beal has played the last two games after recovering from an ankle injury and his presence has been a “game-changer,” according to Devin Booker, Jack Thompson of The Associated Press relays.

Beal had seven assists against Charlotte in his return and 25 points in a five-point victory over Orlando.

“It’s a game-changer, being at full strength,” Booker said. “The offense was moving, the ball was hopping around and we were getting the best available shot.”

We have more on the Suns:

Kevin Durant had a team-high 31 points in 39 minutes against the Magic. He’ll sit out the second game of the back-to-back with the Suns listing right hamstring soreness as the reason. Eric Gordon (right calf soreness) is questionable, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
Josh Okogie has only scored one point in three games since returning from an ankle injury but coach Frank Vogel is glad to have the defensive specialist at his disposal, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “He’s an important part of what we do with his ability to guard on the perimeter,” Vogel said. “We’ll measure it game to game in terms of what his nights look like. Some nights are going to be bigger than others based on the matchup.”
Beyond sixth man Gordon, the second unit remains in flux, Rankin notes. Even Okogie’s spot is not guaranteed, due to subpar perimeter shooting. Nassir Little or Jordan Goodwin could emerge as alternatives.

Injury Notes: Lively, Little, C. Martin, Smart, Hawks

December 25th, 2023 at 8:29pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing the past four games with a left ankle sprain, Mavericks center Dereck Lively will be available tonight against Phoenix, Dallas announced (via Twitter). Marc Stein was the first to report that Lively was on track to return (Substack link).

The 12th pick of the 2023 draft, the 7’1″ Lively has made an immediate impact as a rookie, averaging 8.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG and 1.6 BPG while shooting 73.4% from the field in 23 games (25.3 MPG). The Mavs have gone just 1-5 without him this season, including 1-3 over the past four contests.

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

Suns wing Nassir Little has been upgraded from out to questionable for the matchup with Dallas, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Little, who is averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 16.2 MPG over 21 appearances, is dealing with left knee soreness.
Heat wing Caleb Martin sprained his right ankle and was ruled out for the remainder of Monday’s game against Philadelphia, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Miami was already shorthanded, with Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Josh Richardson all out for the Christmas Day contest.
Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart is questionable for Tuesday’s contest in New Orleans, Memphis announced (via Twitter). Smart has been out since November 14 with a left foot sprain.
Rising Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is officially questionable for Tuesday’s game against Chicago, but he’s ready to return, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Star point guard Trae Young is also questionable with a right shoulder AC sprain, as Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays (via Twitter).