Posts

Posted on

Fantasy Basketball Week 10 Injury Report: How much longer will Luka Dončić sit?

Christmas Eve means that the entire NBA is off for the first time since Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, one day isn't enough to help with the recovery of some of the league's most important players, leaving many fantasy managers to scour the waiver wire for help in the final days of Week 10. And while there are some key injuries, most notably Luka Dončić, other teams have already shifted into "injury management" mode, opening the door for some unheralded players to step up. Let's look at some key injuries heading into the second half of Week 10.

G Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

Thomas has not appeared in a game since straining his left hamstring on November 5, but he is progressing in his recovery. As of Sunday, the guard was cleared to resume 5-on-5 activities, and Thomas went through a session the day prior without any issues. There still isn't a timeline for a return to game action, but Thomas's presence on the floor affects multiple Nets.

Terance Mann (three percent rostered, Yahoo!) may be the player most likely to move out of the starting lineup, even though he was a starter at the time of Thomas' injury. That's because of the development of rookie Egor Dëmin (eight percent), as it would clearly be in the Nets' best interest to let him develop in his current starting role. Dëmin's fantasy value remains relatively low, but he and Danny Wolf have been the Nets' most promising rookies thus far.

C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets

Kalkbrenner has missed the last two games with an elbow injury. Mason Plumlee (less than one percent) started the December 22 loss to the Cavaliers, but he did not play in Tuesday's win over the Wizards due to a groin injury. Moussa Diabaté (10 percent) received the starting nod, finishing with 12 points, 18 rebounds and one assist in 36 minutes. Even when he did not start against Cleveland, Diabaté was the superior streaming option with Kalkbrenner out. Behind him, the Hornets had to go small, with Tidjane Salaün (one percent) picking up additional minutes off the bench. Diabaté is the only player to consider if Kalkbrenner remains out.

F Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis exited Tuesday's win over the Hawks during the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury and did not return. At the time of publication, no update was available on the second-year forward's injury or whether he will have to miss time. Josh Giddey (100 percent) re-entered the game after Buzelis' injury, but he clearly isn't available on waiver wires. If Buzelis has to miss time, Ayo Dosunmu (17 percent) and Kevin Huerter (12 percent) are the two players who stand to benefit most from additional opportunities and playing time.

F P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks

Washington did not play in Tuesday's win over the Nuggets due to right midfoot soreness, opening up a spot in the starting lineup for Jaden Hardy (less than one percent). He played 27 minutes against Denver, finishing with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. Regardless of Washington's availability for Thursday's game against the Warriors, Naji Marshall (25 percent) is a player who should be more popular in 12-team formats. As for Hardy, there's no need to target him as a streamer if Washington remains out.

NBA: Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Russell Westbrook and Brook Lopez back into fantasy relevance
Brook Lopez has an opportunity to produce for the Clippers and fantasy managers with Ivica Zubac sidelined.

F Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets

Johnson suffered a knee injury during Tuesday's loss to Dallas and was due to undergo an MRI on Wednesday. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, he has been diagnosed with a bone bruise and is expected to miss time. As was the case when Peyton Watson (18 percent) missed a few games, Tim Hardaway Jr. (eight percent) and Bruce Brown (10 percent) are the players who are likely to be first in line to fill the resulting vacancy in the starting lineup. Of course, the Nuggets are still awaiting the returns of Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon, who may not be available until early January.

F/C Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

Jackson suffered a head injury during Monday's loss to the Celtics and was not available for Tuesday's loss to the Bucks. Starting center Jay Huff (29 percent) only played 21 minutes on Tuesday, but he would be the "best" option for fantasy managers willing to consider rostering a Pacers center. The team recently re-signed James Wiseman (less than one percent), and he played 12 minutes off the bench on Tuesday. The Pacers were also willing to go small at times, factoring into Jarace Walker (two percent) picking up a few additional minutes off the bench. Even with Huff as the starter, he's averaging only 19.6 minutes per game this season; there aren't any appealing options on the Pacers' roster.

C Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers

Zubac suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain during Saturday's win over the Lakers and has been ruled out for at least three weeks. Brook Lopez (15 percent) moved into the starting lineup for Tuesday's win over the Rockets, producing five points, six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. He's been challenging to rely on in fantasy basketball this season, and that's unlikely to change, even with Zubac's injury. First-round pick Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (less than one percent) played 15 minutes off the bench on Tuesday and is a better option for dynasty league managers who can afford to stash him than redraft leagues.

G Luka Dončić and F Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers

Dončić suffered a leg contusion during Saturday's loss to the Clippers and did not play in Tuesday's loss to the Suns, while Hachimura has missed the last two games with a groin injury. Nick Smith Jr. (less than one percent) and Jake LaRavia (seven percent) moved into the starting lineup, with the latter's four defensive contributions being most notable about their performances. While LaRavia would be worth a look in deep leagues if Hachimura remains out on Thursday against the Rockets, there's no need to consider Smith.

The expectation is that Luka is on track to play Thursday, so Smith may be headed to the bench regardless of what happens with Austin Reaves' minutes restriction. Reaves, who missed time with a calf injury, logged 22 minutes off the bench on Tuesday.

F/C Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies

By itself, Clarke's injury would not affect fantasy basketball. However, he was Zach Edey's replacement in the starting lineup before going down with a strained right calf. Jock Landale (12 percent) filled in for Clarke for the December 22 loss to the Thunder, but Santi Aldama (45 percent) received the nod for the December 23 win over the Jazz. And he went off, finishing with 37 points, five rebounds, seven assists, one steal and seven three-pointers in 34 minutes. While starting would make Landale worth a look in deep leagues, Aldama deserves consideration in 12-team formats, whether he starts or comes off the bench.

F Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves

McDaniels suffered an oblique injury during Minnesota's December 21 win over the Bucks and did not play two nights later against the Knicks. Mike Conley (one percent) moved into the starting lineup, finishing with eight points, one rebound, two assists, two steals, one block and two three-pointers in 30 minutes. Even if McDaniels remains sidelined, Conley's production has not been good enough to merit rostering in most leagues. Bones Hyland (three percent) has earned rotation minutes recently, but there should be better options available on most waiver wires.

G/F Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans

Jones has been banged up recently, first developing a migraine after taking a hit to the face during Saturday's win over the Pacers. He was able to play two nights later against the Mavericks, but then the Pelicans wing sprained his right ankle. Jones did not play in Tuesday's loss to the Cavaliers, resulting in Bryce McGowens (one percent) moving into the starting lineup. In 31 minutes, McGowens recorded eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one three-pointer.

If Jones has to miss more time, fantasy managers would be better off targeting Saddiq Bey (36 percent), especially as he continues to start over Zion Williamson. Williamson's minutes limit will disappear at some point, but Bey has played well enough to continue figure prominently in the rotation, even if he's pushed to the bench.

G Jalen Brunson and F OG Anunoby, New York Knicks

Neither Brunson nor Anunoby traveled with the team for Tuesday's loss to the Timberwolves, staying back in New York to get a little more time off for injury maintenance reasons. Both should be fine for Thursday's game against the Cavaliers, with Brunson already cleared and Anunoby listed as probable. Tyler Kolek (three percent) and Mitchell Robinson (16 percent) moved into the starting lineup, with the former recording career-highs in points and rebounds. Kolek isn't worth holding onto when Brunson is available, but his recent performances have made the second-year guard a player worth keeping in mind for nights when the Knicks rest their star point guard. And with the Knicks not having more than one day off at any point until January 14, it would be unsurprising if starters not named Mikal Bridges get an occasional night off.

G Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mitchell did not play in Tuesday's loss to the Spurs after entering the league's concussion protocol following Monday's win over the Grizzlies. While he may not be a starter, the second-year guard has played well enough to put himself on the radar of some standard leagues despite coming off the bench on most nights. The minutes that would have gone to Mitchell were spread among multiple players, including Cason Wallace (25 percent), Alex Caruso (nine percent) and Isaiah Joe (five percent). While Joe boasts the highest scoring average of the trio, Wallace's 2.3 steals per game have made him the best option for category league managers.

G Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns

Allen has been out since December 14, missing the last three games due to right knee injury management. Royce O'Neale (15 percent) has returned to the starting lineup, averaging 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 28 minutes per game. He's mainly worth a look for those needing steals and three-pointers, but that's about it. And it's always a good time to target Collin Gillespie (31 percent), especially with Jalen Green unlikely to return from his hamstring injury until sometime in January.

F Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

Grant has missed Portland's last three games with a sore Achilles tendon. While this isn't believed to be an injury that will sideline the forward for an extended period, it does affect the Trail Blazers' rotation. Kris Murray (one percent) moved into the starting lineup, averaging 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 30.7 minutes. While the playing time is encouraging for the former first-round pick, the production isn't enough to make Murray a player worth streaming if Grant remains out.

F Keegan Murray and G Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings

Unfortunately, Murray's name was added to the long list of players who have suffered calf injuries this season. The Kings' forward had to exit Tuesday's loss to the Pistons after playing 20 minutes, having appeared to tweak his right calf. Rookie Nique Clifford (one percent) was the replacement, and he finished with 14 points, two rebounds, two steals and two three-pointers in 25 minutes. With Zach LaVine also sidelined, the rookie wing's playing time increased even before Murray's injury.

Clifford isn't someone to target if Murray misses time, but he is worth tracking. Something else to watch in Sacramento is Malik Monk's (19 percent) playing time. He played 14 minutes off the bench on Tuesday and five two nights prior against the Rockets. The veteran guard picked up two DNP-CDs before then, with injuries getting him back onto the fringe of the Kings' rotation. If Murray has to miss time, Monk would be a better streaming option, provided he receives rotation minutes.

C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors

The lower back injury that first became a problem for Poeltl during the preseason flared up recently, sidelining him during Toronto's December 21 loss to the Nets. The 7-footer did not play at all in Tuesday's win over the Heat, with Sandro Mamukelashvili (11 percent) moving into the starting lineup. In 27 minutes, Mamu tallied 14 points, six rebounds, seven assists, one steal and four three-pointers.

And he wasn't the only Raptors frontcourt player to provide solid value in Poeltl's absence. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (two percent) recorded his first double-double, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, one block and one three-pointer in 25 minutes off the bench. While Mamu is the superior streaming option if Poeltl remains out, Murray-Boyles is worth keeping an eye on.

F Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

It looks like we're at the point in the season when the Jazz begin to sit some of their established players for "injury management" reasons. Neither Markkanen nor Jusuf Nurkić played in Tuesday's loss to the Grizzlies, resulting in Utah starting Kevin Love (one percent) and Kyle Filipowski (24 percent). Filipowski, who can probably be rostered even when Markkanen and Nurkić are available, finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two three-pointers in 35 minutes.

Deeper into the rotation, Taylor Hendricks (one percent) may be a "silly season" option in deeper leagues where Filipowski has already been claimed after the trade deadline. He recorded a line of 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, three steals and two three-pointers in 27 minutes off the bench.

Posted on

NBA Christmas 2025: Five things to watch across five NBA Christmas games

While the NFL has entered the arena, Christmas Day remains one of the biggest days on the NBA calendar — the biggest stars in some of the best matchups. It is a showcase day for the league.

That showcase happens across a slate of five games — Cavaliers at Knicks, Spurs at Thunder, Mavericks at Warriors, Rockets at Lakers, Timberwolves at Nuggets — and here is what to look for in each of those contests.

Can Cavaliers slow Brunson, Knicks offense?

Christmas Day in New York City is one of the NBA's great traditions, and this year Spike Lee and the Knicks faithful are going to get the present of offensive fireworks.

In the last four games Jalen Brunson has played, the New York Knicks have a 121.6 offensive rating, third best in the NBA for that stretch— and that doesn't even count their NBA Cup championship game. Brunson has been the spark in those contests, scoring 40, 25, 22 and 47. Ignore Miike Brown's way-too-early argument that Brunson should be the MVP, but know that he's not wrong in making the case for the Knicks' guard has to be considered one of the best offensive players in the game.

Meanwhile, without Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley for the last five games (and he will be out on Christmas, too, due to a calf strain), the Cavaliers have had a bottom-five defense in the league. While Cleveland won its last two games, it was because the Cavs' offense exploded for 139 and 141 points.

All of which sets up a high-scoring, entertaining first game of the Christmas Day showdown (of what we thought would be the two best teams in the East, but Cleveland has not lived up to the hype). The challenge for Cleveland is whether it can get enough stops to stay close.

One other thing to watch: Brown has the Knicks playing faster, and with that, both teams want to run, while neither is particularly good at stopping opponents in transition. The team that gets the most easy buckets by winning the transition battle may take the game.

Can the Spurs upset the Thunder for a third time?

Welcome to the best game of the day — and the NBA's best budding rivalry.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have made the Thunder look human, beating them twice in the last week. Do that a third time and we're going to have some serious questions. For both teams.

Not many teams have the perimeter athleticism to match up with Oklahoma City, but San Antonio does, with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell. The Spurs look like a legitimate top-four team in the West that can host a playoff round, which is way ahead of schedule for this young roster.

One big X-factor in this game: Luke Kornet. Signed last summer as Wembanyama's backup, he remains the starter even with Wemby back (Wembanyama is coming off the bench as the Spurs try to limit his minutes). Kornet has thrived and proven to be a problem for the Thunder this season.

Oklahoma City doesn't need to make a statement in this game — they remain the clear team to beat in the NBA and even with the losses are on a 71-win pace — but on their home court after a couple of losses don't be surprised if they come out looking to remind everyone why this team started 24-1, and just how suffocatingly dominant their defense can be.

OKC is led by reigning MVP (and current frontrunner to repeat) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams taking turns on any given night to see who is the second-best player on the team. They bring lockdown defenders like Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace off the bench.

Don't be surprised if the Thunder looks every bit that dominant team on Christmas… but underestimate these Spurs at your own peril. The Thunder won't.

Curry who? Come to watch the future: Cooper Flagg

If there has been a theme in the NBA in 2025, it's been the changing of the guard. While Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant are still high-level players and big draws (especially for casual fans), the league itself has started to move on.

Enter Cooper Flagg.

The No. 1 pick out of Duke has found an offensive comfort level and is thriving this season in Dallas. He looks like a future top-five player in the league. Just ask the Nuggets.

One thing to watch in this game is how Flagg handles what will be physical defense from Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. The Warriors are going to try to knock the rookie off his game. Literally.

The X-factor in this game may be Dallas center Anthony Davis — if he is dominant in the paint, as he was against Denver Tuesday, he's going to find room to operate and put up numbers. Maybe Steve Kerr adjusts and puts Green on Davis, but that just provides chances for Flagg to do his thing.

Also, while there will be a lot of chatter around the latest spat between Green and coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors have already moved on – they have been there, done that with these fights and just look past it. That will not impact them in this game. Flagg is the much bigger problem.

Durant vs. LeBron? Sure. But which team can get stops?

The first thing to watch with this game: Luka Doncic is expected to play after missing the last two Lakers games with a leg contusion. It's a safe bet he takes the court (and shows off his new signature shoe), but it's something to at least monitor.

Houston in Los Angeles got the prime time slot on Christmas Day because it's Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James. It's the first time these two future Hall of Famers have faced off on Christmas Day since 2018, and it's always a show when they do.

The KD/LeBron matchup also might be the fourth-most interesting thing about this game.

At the top of the list of things to watch is a question about the defenses – both teams are struggling on that end to get stops of late.

"The theme with our team, these young teams that move, we just can't move. It's like we're stuck in mud," Lakers coach J.J. Redick said Tuesday, calling out his team's defense in a blowout loss to the Suns. The Rockets are a young team that can move.

The Lakers have the 28th-ranked defense in the NBA over the last seven games — and the Rockets are 27th. Houston is 2-5 in those games because their defense can't get stops, as evidenced by Kawhi Leonard torching them for 41 points on Tuesday. Whichever team gets stops should take this one.

For fans who just start watching the NBA at Christmas, there's going to be a lot of, "Who is this Sengun guy?" Kevin Durant might have asked that when he got to Houston, but not anymore — Durant and Sengun, both locks to be All-Stars, have developed real chemistry. Sengun is averaging 23 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists a night as the hub of the Houston offense.

"The way Kevin plays, he's a good fit with anybody," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of Durant. "With his hands on the basketball, whether it's catch-and- shoot, whether it's pick-and-roll with him and Sengun, whatever it may be, when you have a great talent like that, he can fit around anyone."
One Xs and Os thing to monitor: The Lakers switch more on defense than any team in the league, and surprisingly, the Rockets have struggled against teams that switch a lot.

Can Anthony Edwards grab the spotlight?

The best player walking the face of the earth is in this nightcap game. Nikola Jokic is again averaging a triple-double — 28.9 points, 12 rebounds and 10.9 assists a game — and playing like an MVP.

However, the story to watch is the guy in the other uniform: Anthony Edwards.

Denver has beaten Minnesota twice this season already, and in the one game Edwards played he put up 26 points, but on 8-of-23 shooting. The Nuggets' defense, with Aaron Gordon, can make Edwards work for his points.

Except Gordon is out with a hamstring injury. The Edwards assignment may have fallen to Cameron Johnson, but he suffered a knee bruise on Tuesday night that will keep him out for a while (though it looked like it might have been worse; the Nuggets will take the bruise). A third starter, Christian Braun, is also out.

All of this leaves this season's Nuggets looking too much like last season's Nuggets — Jokic is brilliant, but there isn't enough around him.

Which gives Edwards a chance to be the superstar in this game.

"I don't think it's no pressure. I don't think I'm under a spotlight. I don't really think I'm a superstar," Edwards said recently. "I think to some people I may be. But to myself, I'm really not. So I don't really put no pressure on myself. They got other guys in the league for that."

He may not feel the pressure, but he is that guy.

Posted on

The State Of The Canadiens’ Defence

In the latest edition of The Hockey News, Jared Clinton takes a stab at ranking the defence corps of every NHL team from best to worst. Atop his rankings are the Colorado Avalanche, which has Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Josh Manson, and Brent Burns, followed by the Dallas Stars, who have three projected Olympians on their blueline: Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, and Esa Lindell, and the Florida Panthers round out the top three with Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, and Seth Jones.

Where do you think the Montreal Canadiens stand? Well, they rank sixth. Clinton justifies his decision by the fact that Lane Hutson’s arrival has changed the face of the franchise and that adding Noah Dobson turned the blueline into a position of strength. There’s no arguing with those points, but I think it would have been worth digging a little deeper.

Canadiens’ Montembeault Is Training In Brossard
Canadiens' Prospect Back With Gavin McKenna
The Canadiens Have Options In The Shootout

To anoint the Canadiens’ defence the sixth best in the league, you have to look past a couple of headliners. There’s no denying that Hutson is a star in the making and that his arrival has made the blueline so much better. Replacing retired right-shot defenseman David Savard with Noah Dobson was a masterclass. The Habs have needed someone there for such a long time that it’s no wonder his arrival has been so celebrated.

Mike Matheson deserves some props as well: he had a significant offensive role in Montreal for a while, has reinvited himself twice in as many seasons, and has agreed to re-up on a team-friendly deal, showing he doesn’t mind not having power-play time and focusing on the penalty kill.

Having these three defensemen makes the Canadiens a real threat in overtime; they give Martin St-Louis a world of possibilities, especially given the depth he has up front.

Once you look past those three, though, you have Kaiden Guhle, who’s a great defenseman on paper. A rare mix of mobility and physicality, but the problem is, he’s not there very often. Injuries are piling on so much that the Canadiens have to have a backup plan at all times for the next time he’ll have to step out.

Then, there’s Alex Carrier, who looked like a saviour when he came in last season, a stabilizing presence to ease the defensive worries. But it’s much tougher for him this year, and he doesn’t look as safe an option as he did. Could it be that Tom Wilson’s hit during the playoffs changed him somehow? Is he worried it could happen again on some level? Hard to say, but his performance has been far from ideal.

As for Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj, they have been competing for the sixth defenseman role for two and a half seasons, and neither has been overwhelmingly better than the other. They’ve been worrying so much about each other that they didn’t realize that Adam Engstrom was coming up fast in their rearview mirror. The Swede has performed incredibly well of late, and he has shown that he can handle many tricky situations on the ice.

That’s without even talking about David Reinbacher, who is improving in Laval and working hard to stay healthy. Sooner or later, the Canadiens will have some choices to make on the back end. There are a lot of bodies and only so many spots in the lineup. Who’s better? Struble or Xhekaj? Can the Habs plan for the long term with Guhle despite the recurring injuries? Despite those questions, the Canadiens deserved that high ranking, at least when everyone is healthy.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Image

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Posted on

James Nnaji, whose draft rights are owned by Knicks, joins Baylor with immediate college basketball eligibility: reports

James Nnaji, whose NBA Draft rights are owned by the Knicks, enrolled at Baylor University with immediate eligibility to play college basketball this season, according to multiple reports Wednesday. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress first reported the news, citing Nnaji's agents at Gersh Sports.

The 21-year-old center was on the Knicks' 2025 Summer League team and played in all five of New York's games. He averaged 3.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes.

Nnaji, whom the Knicks' Summer League roster listed at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, spent the past five years and change playing overseas.

The Detroit Pistons selected Nnaji with the 2023 NBA Draft's No. 31 overall pick -- the first selection in the second round -- and traded his rights to the Charlotte Hornets.

The Knicks acquired his rights in October 2024 when they made their three-team trade with the Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves, which brought Karl-Anthony Towns to New York.

The Makurdi, Nigeria, native's playing career continues on a Baylor team that is 9-2 overall entering Monday's game against Arlington Baptist. The Bears open Big 12 Conference play next Saturday, Jan. 3, at TCU.

Posted on

Takeaways: Flyers Celebrate Holiday Season With Win Over Blackhawks

The Philadelphia Flyers closed out the pre-break portion of their schedule with a controlled, 3–1 road win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

It was the first of two meetings between the teams this season after they split the series last year, and Philadelphia handled the game with the kind of discipline that tends to travel well.

1. The Flyers’ Top-End Production Stays Red Hot.

Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras continue to drive offense in ways that go beyond highlight moments. Konecny finished with a goal and an assist—his eighth multi-point game of the season, which leads the team—and recorded the 300th assist of his NHL career. His night was efficient, finding soft ice and making quick decisions when Chicago collapsed low.

Zegras, meanwhile, extended his point streak to nine games with an assist on Philadelphia’s opening goal. Over that stretch, he has totaled 11 points (5G, 6A), and only the Oilers' Connor McDavid enters the break with a longer active point streak. What stands out is how Zegras is influencing games without needing to dominate the puck; his reads off the rush and ability to draw coverage continue to open lanes for linemates.

2. Special Teams Provided Separation, Not Just Support.

Noah Cates’ power-play goal proved to be the difference-maker, extending his point streak to four games and putting him one game shy of tying his career-long streak of five. The goal itself wasn’t overly complex, but it reflected better spacing and decisiveness from the Flyers’ power-play unit.

Philadelphia didn’t overwhelm Chicago with volume, but they avoided the stalled possessions that have crept into their power play at times this season. The puck moved quickly enough to force the Blackhawks’ penalty killers to collapse, and Cates capitalized from a high-danger area.

Carl Grundstrom’s empty-net goal later sealed the result, continuing a quietly productive stretch. Since entering the lineup on a consistent basis on Dec. 9, Grundstrom and Zegras now share the team lead in goals (five each). For a player slotted primarily into a depth role, Grundstrom’s finishing has added real value to this lineup.

3. Depth Contributions Reinforced Game Control.

Sean Couturier’s two-assist night pushed him to 16 assists on the season, and both reflected strong positional awareness and timing. Couturier continues to serve as a stabilizing presence in transition, particularly when the Flyers are protecting narrow leads.

Philadelphia didn’t overload any single line, and that balance showed. The Flyers were comfortable rolling shifts, maintaining structure through the neutral zone, and forcing Chicago to generate offense from the perimeter. It wasn’t an overly-high-event game, and that suited Philadelphia just fine.

4. Injuries Cast a Brief Shadow.

The win wasn’t without concern. Denver Barkey did not return for the third period after being hit from behind during a penalty sequence. Head coach Rick Tocchet addressed the situation postgame.

“He got hit from behind on that penalty,” Tocchet told media. “Just get reevaluated from the doctors.”

Later, Travis Sanheim was also pulled from the game with roughly 12 minutes remaining due to concussion spotters. Tocchet offered reassurance afterward, telling media, “I think he’s fine.”

While neither situation overshadowed the result, they’re worth monitoring as the Flyers head into the break. Sanheim, in particular, has been a heavy-minute defender, and any missed time would test the team’s blue-line depth.

5. The Standings Now Reflect What the Play Has Suggested.

With this win, the Flyers head into the break with 45 points, the third-most in the Eastern Conference. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division, just two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes.

This result against Chicago wasn’t about proving legitimacy—it was about handling an opponent they were expected to beat. Philadelphia did exactly that, without overextending or leaving themselves exposed late.

More importantly, it reinforced something tangible: the Flyers have enough skill and work rate across the lineup to support playoff-level results, and they’re winning games in multiple ways. That combination, paired with their current position in the standings, gives them a clear and realistic path as the season resumes.

Posted on

Fantasy Basketball Christmas Day Slate Breakdown

Christmas Day delivers an NBA feast, with five marquee matchups featuring playoff implications, star power and plenty of fantasy basketball intrigue. From a bruising Eastern Conference showdown at Madison Square Garden to a heavyweight clash between San Antonio and Oklahoma City, this slate offers no shortage of storylines.

[It's not too late to create or join a High Score league, a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring]

Injuries loom large across several games, creating potential value swings and unexpected rotation changes. Superstars like Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell headline the action, while emerging contributors could swing outcomes. Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of what to watch as the NBA takes center stage on Christmas.

New York leads this season series 1-0. It's 7-3 over its past 10 games and it is 14-2 at home. Cleveland is 5-5 over its past 10 and is 6-6 on the road.

Like many of the games on this Christmas Day slate, there’s a notable injury report. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are both questionable, while Evan Mobley remains sidelined. Potential absences to Brunson and Anunoby could lead to more minutes for Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson, plus Mitchell Robinson and wing players like Ariel Hukporti.

For the Cavs, Dean Wade has been starting in place of Evan Mobley, and Sam Merrill is coming off a great performance and will help with the team’s offensive punch. Jaylon Tyson and Jarrett Allen should also continue seeing expanded roles. Donovan Mitchell has been Cleveland’s best performer, averaging 31.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals this month.

Brunson has been New York’s best player, but know for sure that Karl-Anthony Towns will be available. In December, he’s producing 23.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals.

The Spurs lead this season series 2-0. They’re 9-1 over their past 10, winning seven straight and are 10-5 on the road. OKC is 7-3 over its past 10 and is undefeated at home.

This game has a much cleaner injury report than Cavs/Knicks, though Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell are notably questionable. Their potential absences could create more opportunities for Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and others. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to produce at an MVP level, averaging 32.4 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in December.

For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has come off the bench for five straight games and produced 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 blocks in 20.6 minutes. It’s unclear if he’ll rejoin the starting five and see a minutes increase for Christmas Day.

This is the first time these teams have faced off this season. The Mavericks are 3-9 on the road but are 6-4 overall across the past 10 games. Golden State is 9-4 at home and 5-5 across the past 10 games.

Dallas has a handful of role players questionable for this game, and one starter in PJ Washington. Cooper Flagg is coming off an excellent performance, with 33 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and 1 block against the Nuggets. Anthony Davis has rounded back into form as well, averaging 26.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks across his past six games.

For the Warriors, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler continue to be the team’s go-to options offensively. Curry is averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals over his past five. During that same stretch, Butler is averaging 21.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals.

This is the first matchup of the season for these squads. Houston is 9-8 on the road and 4-6 across the past 10. The Lakers are 7-4 at home and 5-5 over the past 10.

Luka Dončić and Rui Hachimura are questionable for this one, as is Jaxson Hayes. That means we could see expanded roles from Austin Reaves and LeBron James as the Lakers’ primary creators, while Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart could see extra run. Reaves played 22 minutes in his return from a calf strain on Tuesday but should be at full strength for Christmas. In his prior 10 games, he averaged 27.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Over LeBron’s past six games, he’s putting up 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.0 steals. The Rockets are being led by Alperen Şengün, who is having a career year with 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks.

Denver leads this season series 2-0. It's 9-5 at home and 7-3 across the team's past 10 games. Minnesota is 8-5 on the road and is 8-2 over the past 10 with a three-game win streak.

For Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels is questionable. His potential absence could lead to more minutes for Jaylen Clark and Terrence Shannon. Anthony Edwards continues to lead the way with averages of 28.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals.

Denver could be even more shorthanded than usual as Cam Johnson suffered a knee sprain Tuesday against the Mavericks. Assuming he is sidelined, more minutes should be in store for Tim Hardaway Jr. and Spencer Jones. Nikola Jokić is putting up MVP numbers with 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.4 steals in December.

Posted on

Christmas has renewed meaning for Abols as a father and Flyer

Christmas has renewed meaning for Abols as a father and Flyer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Not even a year ago, Rodrigo Abols was taking his rookie lap in Philadelphia.

This was not your typical NHL debut; a 29-year-old from Latvia, with his wife and son in the stands.

But the long journey, the never-ending travel and what probably felt like his final chance, have all been worth it.

“When I’m done with hockey,” Abols said before his first game, “I’m glad at least I came here and gave it another shot.”

Now, his wife Paula and their 4-year-old son Aleksi are enjoying their first Christmas with Dad being a full-time NHL player. And that was not a surefire thing this fall.

As Abols returned to the area for training camp, Paula and Aleksi stayed back in Latvia. Last season, they lived in a hotel here as Abols went back and forth between minor-league affiliate Lehigh Valley and the Flyers.

This season, they arrived later after Abols made the big club with an impressive camp and the Flyers told him to seek permanent residence toward the end of October.

“She has been massive,” Abols said of his wife. “She sacrifices a lot for me to have a chance to play here, holding the fort down, especially this season. The first three months being home, we thought that was the right call for everyone, for her mental sake, for Aleksi because he has got kindergarten and she has got help back home. But now that we have a place here, she can come over for a month.”

Despite entering camp without the hype of some younger prospects, Abols was arguably the Flyers’ biggest standout. Head coach Rick Tocchet tested him with six of the Flyers’ seven preseason games.

The 6-foot-4 center answered the challenge.

“I laugh because early in camp, we had him playing in Game 1 and we were looking at lineups for Games 2, 3 and 4. At first, we didn’t have him in any of those games,” general manager Danny Briere said in October. “After Game 1, Tocchet came back and he said, ‘I want to see him again.’ So we put him in Game 2. After Game 2, he said, ‘I need to see him one more time.’ We put him in Game 3 and Game 4 and Game 5. At the end, we were trying to give him a break and find a way to give him a little bit of a breather.”

His wife had to be ecstatic as she followed from back home.

Abols met Paula before they were even teenagers.

“We’ve known each other for super long,” he said two weeks ago.

He played Latvian youth hockey with her brother Bruno. Eventually, Abols and Paula started dating.

“I wasn’t so interested in her brother anymore,” Abols said with a laugh. “Just kidding.”

Rodrigo Abols
Rodrigo Abols celebrates his goal last week at Madison Square Garden with Carl Grundstrom. (Brad Penner/USA Today Images)

As the Flyers went into the holiday break on a good run, so did Abols. He had a goal, two assists and a plus-3 rating over the last three games before Christmas. Abols has played in 31 of 36 games for the Flyers, who are 19-10-7. He has two goals and three assists as the club’s fourth-line center.

He’ll enjoy Christmas with his wife and son, perhaps in New York again.

“That’s the classic,” Abols said, “and it has been kind of our tradition before Aleksi was born.”

Christmas has become different as parents.

“I think there was a stretch when you grow old or grow out of the Christmas excitement I guess,” Abols said. “Now I have a 4-year-old, so he understands what Christmas is and what it means. It’s more exciting just to see his joy and kind of make his day. Definitely now the Christmas spirit is more back than maybe a couple of years before when it was just the two of us.”

Prior to taking a shot with the Flyers last season, Abols spent the previous four seasons in the SHL, Sweden’s top pro league. Six of his first seven professional seasons were in the SHL.

“Pretty much ever since I’ve turned pro, every Christmas has been on the road,” Abols said.

Last season wasn’t an easy transition with a wife and young son. Abols and Paula were taking a leap for his NHL dream.

“I think that’s one thing that burned her up last year, was just being at the hotel a lot and staying here the whole year,” Abols said, “so that kind of takes a huge toll on her.”

This season, he’ll play for Team Latvia at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Paula may head home to Latvia at some point before rejoining Abols in Italy.

“She might go back before the Olympics to acclimatize, get the jet lag out of the system,” he said, “so she can come to Milan and kind of enjoy her time there and not be on a different time zone.”

Aleksi is just starting to soak up the thrills of his dad playing in the NHL.

“I don’t think he quite grasps what the NHL is, but he just finds it cool to come to the games,” Abols said. “He’s super excited to see me. He has grown so much in these three months. The first week, when he got here, I couldn’t even recognize him. He got so much smarter, so much wiser, so much funnier. It has been awesome.

“You realize you have to appreciate every moment you get with him and that’s what I try to do. After games, he’s coming up, he’s running, hugging, he’s asking if I scored and then he’s like, ‘Flyers had four, Sharks had one. Flyers won!’ He’s definitely having a lot of fun.”

His parents helped fuel his passion for hockey by giving him a sticker page with all the NHL logos.

“So he picks and chooses the ones he likes,” Abols said. “Last year, we put the Flyers ones somewhere, he already used them up, so he was like, ‘I don’t have Flyers ones!’ It’s pretty cool he learns the logos that way. He was asking me who we were playing. ‘We play the Sharks.’ He was like, ‘Oh, that’s the team that bites the stick!'”

Abols is grateful to have the support of Paula and Aleksi here in America, especially at this time of year. The game can be a grind, so far away from home. The journey is better with them.

“It has been fun, definitely much needed in a tight schedule,” Abols said. “When you’re alone and if maybe you’re not playing your best hockey, you can get very down on yourself. So they definitely help me take my thoughts away from the rink.”

Posted on

Mets signing veteran reliever Mike Baumann: report

The Mets are signing right-handed reliever Mike Baumann, according to a report Wednesday by the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Baumann, 30, spent the 2025 season with Nippon Professional Baseball's Tokyo Yakult Swallows. In 15 IP over 16 games, Baumann went 0-2 with a 4.20 ERA and one hold. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 17 hits (three homers) while striking out 19 and walking 12.

The veteran Baumann was most recently in MLB for the 2024 season when he split his time with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Miami Marlins. In 58.1 IP across 57 games, Baumann was 3-1 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.

The Marlins were the end of the road for the righty as they claimed Baumann off waivers on Aug. 25, 2024. There, he posted a 6.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 13.2 IP through 11 games.

Before the 2024 season, Baumann spent most of his career with the Orioles. Baltimore designated him for assignment on May 18, 2024, and he was traded four days later, with catcher Michael Pérez going to Seattle for catcher Blake Hunt.

Baumann's best season was 2023, his last full year in Baltimore, when he went 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 64.2 IP over 60 games. He made his MLB debut Sept. 7, 2021, allowing one run (unearned) on two hits in 3.2 IP of relief for the Orioles' 7-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals and getting the nod as the winning pitcher.

The Orioles selected Baumann from Jacksonville University with the No. 98 overall pick in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

Posted on

Warriors superstar Steph Curry is GOAT of this NBA era, Kevin Garnett declares

Warriors superstar Steph Curry is GOAT of this NBA era, Kevin Garnett declares originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry and LeBron James have dominated the last two decades of NBA basketball.

But deciding which one is the best player of this era of NBA basketball is in the eye of the beholder. Curry and James are all-time greats who have made immense impacts on the game.

Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett has taken sides in the debate.

“I think all the young stars of our league are starting to come into their own,” Garnett told Paul Pierce on their podcast, “Ticket and The Truth with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce” on Tuesday. “I’ve said this countless times. I think that we’re in the Curry era. He is the GOAT of this era. When we talk about the long ball and the 3 ball, you got to talk about the messiah of that long ball, you understand, and that’s how I look at it.

“So in this era right here, I’m watching [the Thompson] twins, those twins, [Amen and Asaur], we didn’t see them come out of no … you know what I’m saying. We got stars that are just blossoming out of this league. Look at Cade Cunningham. Cade Cunningham, [the Detroit Pistons] are the number one team in the East. We wouldn’t have, you know, but if you watch their trajectory and you watch that Knicks series, you see what you’re seeing, right?”

Garnett went on to praise the young crop of players who just entered the NBA and those who will join the league next summer.

“Yeah, man, I’m so excited about what the future is,” Garnett told Pierce. “The rookies that’s coming, that came into the league this year, [Kon Knueppel], f—–g [Cooper] Flagg, [Derik] Queen … and all these guys. Then we got another rookie class coming in [2026]

“We’re gonna look at [Jayson] Tatum. We’re gonna look at [Jaylen] Brown. We’re gonna look at all these certified superstars, and we got all these young hungry wolves just, man, bro, the league is gonna be in a really good place, bro.”

Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, has a legitimate case as the best player of this generation, having led the Warriors to four NBA championships while changing the game with his 3-point shooting.

James, on the other hand, routinely is mentioned along with Michael Jordan as the two greatest NBA players ever.

But Garnett has made it clear he believes this era belongs to Curry, and The Big Ticket won’t find much argument in the Bay Area.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

Scott Morrow Continues To Roll With The Punches Through Highs And Lows Of His Development

David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Scott Morrow’s time with the New York Rangers has been a rollercoaster ride this season, but there’s one aspect about his character that you can’t take away. 

When the Rangers acquired Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the sign-and-trade deal involving K’Andre Miller, they were getting a player who was highly successful in the NCAA and American Hockey League level, largely due to his ability to create offense as a defenseman, but he had yet to etch his mark in the NHL. 

Despite failing to make the Rangers’ roster out of training camp, Morrow was called up a couple of times, and once Adam Fox landed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, Morrow got the opportunity to step into the lineup and play a prominent role.

When asked about what he wanted to see from Morrow shortly after Fox’s injury, Sullivan gave a blunt answer, a sign that he was simply expecting more out of the young defenseman. 

“Assertive play,” Sullivan said about what he wants to see from Morrow. “Making decisions with conviction and not being in between. Eliminating hesitation from his game.”

Since Sullivan’s request for Morrow to play with more assertiveness, he’s been in the lineup for nine games, which has come with its highs and lows. 

Even though the 23-year-old defenseman has specialized in the power play at practically every level of hockey, Sullivan decided to utilize a five-forward power-play unit upon Fox’s absence. 

At first, Sullivan didn’t fully trust Morrow to quarterback the first power-play unit. 

“We don't think that's the strength of their games to this point,” Sullivan said of why Schneider or Morrow are not playing on the first power-play unit. “We're trying to put a power play together that we think gives us the best opportunity to have success. Obviously, Foxy, I think, is an elite power-play defenseman, with how he distributes the puck up there, the way he sees the game. He's got really good instincts. We don't necessarily think that that's the strength of some of the guys you just mentioned.”

Sullivan did emphasize that Morrow was the most equipped defenseman outside of Fox to play on the man advantage. 

“We’ve made a decision to go with five forwards at this point, but we know that if we were to use a defensemen, he would be the guy because of the instincts that he has,” Sullivan said.

With the five-forward unit failing to produce offense, Sullivan recently added Morrow to that first power-play unit. 

In this role, Morrow has gone through a steep learning curve, committing some costly turnovers in the process, showing that there’s still room for him to grow. 

From an overall standpoint, Morrow has been prone to making some defensive mistakes. Specifically on Saturday afternoon in the Rangers’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Morrow committed two costly turnovers, the first one coming on the power play, which led to a shorthanded goal, and the next one taking place in overtime, nearly leading to the game-winning goal. 

Through the mistakes, Morrow has continued to play an assertive game per request from Sullivan, earning his coach’s admiration. 

“What I'll say is, he's an incredible kid, and his ability to shrug off some of the plays and continue to perform out there, I think, speaks volumes for the character of what he's about,” Sullivan said. “He's a young player. He's going to make some mistakes, and let's be honest, we're putting him in some really high-profile positions, whether it be on the power play and overtime, things of that nature. He's playing a significant role here with this group right now, especially with Foxy being out, and so I think he's done a great job with just playing through the ups and the downs. 

Rangers Put Scoring Barrage On Display En Route To Comeback Win Over Capitals Rangers Put Scoring Barrage On Display En Route To Comeback Win Over Capitals In a season filled with scoring woes, the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> flipped the switch on Tuesday night, scoring five goals in the third period against the Washington Capitals, en route to a 7-3 win.&nbsp;

“I think that's what you get when you deal with young players, especially defensemen. I said this to you guys all the time, I think it's the hardest position to play, but I admire his resilience because that would affect a lot of young players the wrong way. When you watch Scotty play, if he makes a mistake, he shrugs it off, he learns from it. We couldn't be more proud of him for his ability to respond to those situations.”

Sullivan has continued to roll with Morrow on the first power-play unit and give him heavy minutes despite some of his defensive blunders, not trying to punish Morrow for mistakes as he continues to develop. 

On Tuesday night in the Rangers’ 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals, Morrow played arguably his best game of the season. 

He led all Rangers defenseman with a 2.50 Game Score, an analytical stat used to quantify a player's single-game impact, blending goals, assists, shots, penalties, faceoffs, and 5v5 goal/Corsi differentials (shot attempts) into one number, with higher scores indicating better overall performance in that specific game. 

Morrow clearly has the talent to transform into an impactful NHL defenseman. Now it’s about fully adapting to the speed of the NHL game and providing more of a reliable presence for the Rangers, something that should come with time.

Posted on

'I Had No Purpose': Danault Speaks For The First Time Since Trade From The Kings

It's been almost a week since the Los Angeles Kings traded Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens. Both sides have moved on, and Danault made his season debut for the Canadiens on Tuesday.

Ahead of Danault's return to Montreal, he spoke to the media for the first time since the trade went down.

The 32-year-old veteran did not mince his words when describing his time with the Kings and what ultimately led up to the trade.

"I felt like I had no purpose and that I couldn't bring anything to the team with what I had," Danault said to reporters in French. "I felt helpless and not important. That's how I felt at the end."

This was all before the Habs faced the Boston Bruins. Montreal beat its Atlantic Division rivals 6-2 in Danault's first game back.

In terms of the former Kings' performance, he didn't get his name on the scoresheet.

Danault centered Montreal's third line, with Alexandre Texier on his left wing and Josh Anderson on his right. He finished the contest with 24 shifts and 15:29 of ice time. With Los Angeles earlier this season, he averaged 16:19 of ice time, 50 seconds more than he played on Tuesday.

Phillip Danault and Sean Kuraly (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

The Victoriaville, Que., native is still looking for his first goal of the season. He has five assists in 31 appearances this season.

In his five seasons with the Canadiens before joining the Kings as a free agent, he played 360 games, scoring 54 goals and 194 points. He also registered a plus-47 rating and averaged 16:53 of ice time in his first stint with the Habs.

'A Lot Of Hard Feelings': NHL Insider Talks Messy Departure For Danault And The Kings'A Lot Of Hard Feelings': NHL Insider Talks Messy Departure For Danault And The KingsPhillip Danault is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Kings, as he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. But details about a messy and intense departure are coming out in the aftermath.

Danault costs $5.5 million against Montreal's salary cap and is the sixth-highest-paid forward on the roster in terms of average annual value for this campaign. He has one more year on his current contract after this season.

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Ben Simmons has gone fishing, buys controlling stake in professional sport fishing team

Sometimes in our modern age, stories gain traction where your first thought turns to, "Is this AI slop?" Then, it turns out to be legit.

Former NBA All-Star Ben Simmons has purchased a controlling stake in a professional sports fishing team, the South Florida Sails Angling Club, the Sports Fishing Championship announced.

Simons was born in Australia and grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales, where he developed a love of fishing, he said in a statement.

"I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward," Simmons said in a statement. "Sportfishing has given me incredible experiences, and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport it is."

The Sports Fishing Championship is a 16-team professional offshore saltwater fishing league with 16 tournaments a year. Simmons is not the only big name to invest in the Championship, with golfer Scottie Scheffler, Las Vegas Raiders running back and kick returner Raheem Mostert, and NASCAR driver Austin Dillon among the other investors.

Simmons, 29, a three-time NBA All-Star, played 51 games between the Nets and Clippers last season and was solid enough on the offensive end in Los Angeles to get looks from a few teams, but no contract was forthcoming. He is still trying to catch on with an NBA team this season or get a chance next season.

In the meantime, he has fishing.