Category: Basketball

The NBA world received some shocking news in the early hours of Wednesday, as the Los Angeles Clippers announced they’re moving on from Chris Paul. One of the veterans added to that roster in hopes of being a contender in the West, CP3's return to the Clippers did not go as planned. He received inconsistent rotation minutes, going from someone who was a legitimate fantasy option in San Antonio last season to a person whose rostership (five percent in Yahoo! leagues) could not be justified.

It goes without saying that his exit will not affect fantasy basketball in the short term, especially since the Clippers are a second-apron team that cannot add another player (or waive Paul) immediately. Let's look at some of the key injuries affecting fantasy basketball during Week 7.

C Kristaps Porziņģis and G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Young last appeared in a game on October 29, and on Saturday, it was announced that he will miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from a sprained right MCL. Nothing changes from a fantasy standpoint, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker (47 percent) will continue to start, and he should be on the radar for more 12-team leagues and some 10-team leagues as well. The question is whether he'll be worth holding onto after Young returns, and Alexander-Walker should be. In Atlanta's first four games, when Young was also available, NAW averaged 29.8 minutes per game. That's more than enough time to continue to provide reliable fantasy value.

As for Porziņģis, he has missed the last three games with an illness, and that unfortunate streak will hit four on Wednesday when the Hawks host the Clippers. The concern is that a late-season illness derailed his 2024-25 season, and Porziņģis never seemed to get back to his usual self. Hopefully, this current situation isn't similar, but fantasy managers can't be blamed for being concerned. Onyeka Okongwu (86 percent) will start until Porziņģis returns, and he'll have reliable value regardless of his place within the rotation. Mouhamed Gueye (two percent) has played rotation minutes, but the production has not been there to justify rostering him in most leagues.

F Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

Miller appeared to tweak his left shoulder, the same one he injured earlier this season, during Saturday's win over the Raptors. While his injury description for Monday's loss to the Nets was a sore left shoulder, the Hornets changed it to a shoulder subluxation for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. That's the injury that sidelined him for 13 games, with rookie Sion James (one percent) filling the void in the starting lineup. Managers in 12-team leagues (and some 10-team leagues) should consider leaping Kon Knueppel (51 percent) if they haven't already, and Collin Sexton (28 percent) is a bit more appealing in deeper leagues, especially with LaMelo Ball's shaky injury history.

G Coby White and G Kevin Huerter, Chicago Bulls

Chicago's injury report for Wednesday's game against the Nets was loaded with names, with White and Huerter being the most noteworthy. While White is recovering from a strained calf, Huerter strained his hamstring during Monday's loss to the Magic. Tre Jones (22 percent), who's questionable for Wednesday with a sprained ankle, and Ayo Dosunmu (23 percent) are the players to target, with the latter possessing a slightly higher ceiling when the Bulls are close to whole.

Also, Zach Collins (one percent) participated in Wednesday's shootaround and could make his season debut against Brooklyn. He isn't worth adding immediately, but he is worth watching as someone who may be able to provide value playing behind (and at times alongside) Nikola Vučević.

Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Collin Gillespie breaking through

Gillespie is stepping up for the Suns in his third NBA season.

• Cole Huff,

C Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers

Allen was held out of Sunday's loss to the Celtics with a strained right ring finger, and the Cavaliers announced that he will miss at least one week. With the Cavaliers' starting center missing five of the team's last six games, we have a decent idea of who to target in Allen's absence. Jaylon Tyson (20 percent) has been close to a top-50 player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, and the only game he didn't start was the one that Allen was able to play. This also shifts Evan Mobley to the five, and while it hasn't paid immediate fantasy dividends yet, he has (in theory) more room to operate in the frontcourt.

C Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks

Lively has appeared in only seven games this season, with a foot injury the reason for his current absence. Based on the timeline provided by the Mavericks on November 25, that the 7-foot-1 center would miss at least another seven to ten days, an update should be provided by the end of this week. With Daniel Gafford (16 percent) also struggling with injuries, the Mavericks have used Anthony Davis as their starting center when available. And in their most recent game, Dwight Powell (less than one percent) served as the backup.

The most appealing option on the waiver wire would be Naji Marshall (18 percent), especially with P.J. Washington (45 percent) having missed the last two games with a sprained right ankle. Marshall isn't going to provide blocked shots, but he has been a solid late-round option in nine-cat formats.

G Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Murray sprained his right ankle during Monday's loss to the Mavericks and is questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the Pacers. He's only missed one game this season, a November 8 win over Indiana, with Jalen Pickett (less than one percent) replacing him in the starting lineup. However, Pickett was a DNP-CD on Monday, with Murray's fourth-quarter minutes being split among Tim Hardaway Jr. (six percent) and Bruce Brown (two percent). Brown's second stint with the Nuggets has not been as productive as his first, but a spot start could boost his short-term fantasy value.

Murray's potential absence also affects Nikola Jokić, whose playmaking is even more critical to the Nuggets. Also, with Aaron Gordon (49 percent) and Christian Braun (69 percent) out, Peyton Watson (26 percent) has heightened fantasy value, and Spencer Jones (five percent) scored a career-high 28 against the Mavericks.

G Stephen Curry and F Jimmy Butler III, Golden State Warriors

Curry has missed the Warriors' last two games, most recently sitting out Tuesday's loss to the Thunder, with a right quad contusion. Following the game, head coach Steve Kerr revealed that the guard will not travel with the team on its three-game road trip that opens in Philadelphia on Thursday. The earliest that Curry will be able to play is on November 12 against the Timberwolves. Brandin Podziemski (37 percent) is the player to target, as he is Curry's direct replacement in the starting lineup.

Also of note from Tuesday was Butler exiting during the first half with a sore left knee. The Warriors leaned into their "strength in numbers" mantra, with four reserves scoring in double figures, including new addition Seth Curry (one percent) and Pat Spencer (less than one percent). Those two aren't worth grabbing right now, especially if Podziemski or Moses Moody (14 percent) is available in your league. But they're worth keeping an eye on, especially if Curry is not ready to go when the Warriors return home from their road trip.

G Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Morant has been out since November 15 with a strained right calf. However, due to the Grizzlies' timeline provided two days later, there should be an update sometime this week. Vince Williams Jr. (19 percent) has moved into the starting lineup, and he's a good source of rebounds, assists and steals in this role. However, over the past three weeks, he has been shooting 32.7 percent from the field and 64.7 percent from the foul line. Cam Spencer (seven percent) may still be coming off the bench, but he has been a more productive option for managers seeking a streamer with Morant sidelined.

G Norman Powell, Miami Heat

If you include Wednesday's game against the Mavericks, Powell has missed two of Miami's last five games, with the most recent absence being due to a sprained left ankle. And with the Heat ending Week 7 with an away/home back-to-back against Orlando and Sacramento, Powell may miss at least one more game. Pelle Larsson (two percent) made the start for Miami's November 24 win over the Mavericks, and that may be the case for Wednesday's rematch. However, his fantasy ceiling is limited, especially with Tyler Herro back in the fold. The same can be said for Jaime Jaquez Jr. (39 percent), whose value has taken a significant hit as the Heat have gotten healthier.

G Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

While the basketball world is processing reports of conversations between Giannis Antetokounmpo, his representation and the Bucks regarding his future in Milwaukee, head coach Doc Rivers has another issue to address. Porter Jr. exited Monday's loss to the Wizards with lower back spasms and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Pistons. The biggest beneficiary if KPJ sits is Ryan Rollins (57 percent), who is ranked just outside the top-100 in nine-cat formats over the past week. No Porter means more time on the ball for Rollins, which is a good thing for those who have him rostered. AJ Green (14 percent) has been a fixture in the starting lineup, and he's been more than a points and three-pointers option recently. He's someone to make a run for in deeper leagues, especially if Porter misses time.

F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

Sadly, fantasy managers find themselves in a spot where they have to once again account for Williamson's absence due to injury. On Tuesday, the Pelicans announced that a strained right adductor will sideline the former first overall pick for at least three weeks. Given his history of lower-body injuries, that timeline could prove to be conservative. With Yves Missi (nine percent) also out for Tuesday's overtime loss to Minnesota, the Pelicans started Derik Queen (42 percent) at the five, something they've done on multiple occasions this season.

Of course, Trey Murphy's return from an elbow injury helped account for Williamson's absence. Saddiq Bey (36 percent) needs to be on the radar of more 12-team league managers, while Bryce McGowens (one percent) isn't worth the risk despite remaining in the starting lineup on Tuesday. Another question for the Pelicans is when Herb Jones (20 percent) and Jordan Poole (85 percent) will return from their injuries, and that could happen soon based on the team's timelines.

G Luguentz Dort and G Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning champs continue to motor along, moving to 21-1 with their win over the Warriors on Tuesday. And they've been without Dort and Caruso, with the former being sidelined by a strained adductor and the latter dealing with a sore quad. The absences have allowed Ajay Mitchell (35 percent) and Cason Wallace (26 percent) to remain on the radar in 12-team leagues, even with Jalen Williams making his season debut late last week. Oklahoma City has also been without Isaiah Hartenstein, whose calf strain may keep him out through Week 8. That's coincided with J-Dub's return, so there hasn't been another post player on the roster worth streaming.

G Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Booker exited Monday's blowout of the Lakers with a groin injury, not seeing any time after the first quarter. He will reportedly be re-evaluated in one week, meaning that Booker will miss at least three games. As has been the case throughout the season for the Suns, others stepped up to pick up the slack. "Villain" Dillon Brooks (43 percent) and "Villain Jr." Collin Gillespie (32 percent) continue to play well enough to merit rostering in 12-team leagues. Royce O'Neale (20 percent) also has value due to the continued absence of Jalen Green, and Grayson Allen recently missed time due to a quad contusion and an illness that sidelined him on Monday. Beyond those three, Jordan Goodwin (six percent) may be worth a look in extremely deep leagues, especially if Allen can't play on Friday against the Rockets.

G Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers

Holiday has been out since November 14 with a strained calf, leaving the Trail Blazers without a healthy point guard. Deni Avdija (99 percent) has taken on more playmaking responsibilities, and while the turnovers have been high, his production in other categories has compensated for that. Jerami Grant (41 percent) and Toumani Camara (43 percent) are worthy of a look in more 12-team formats, even with Grant not bringing much to the table defensively and Camara having a limited offensive ceiling.

C Victor Wembanyama and G Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama and Castle did not travel with the team ahead of Wednesday's game against Orlando, the first of four games the Spurs will play on this road trip. However, head coach Mitch Johnson said both are progressing from their calf and hip injuries, respectively, and he did not rule out either rejoining the team during the road trip.

For now, the approach remains the same for fantasy managers. Luke Kornet (11 percent) and Julian Champagnie (17 percent) have added value as the replacements in the starting lineup. In comparison, Keldon Johnson (23 percent) and Dylan Harper (22 percent) have higher ceilings than usual despite coming off the bench.

G/F RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

Barrett has missed Toronto's last five games with a sprained right knee, most recently sitting out Tuesday's win over the Trail Blazers. An MRI revealed no structural damage, and he's expected to be re-evaluated toward the end of this week. Second-year guard Ja'Kobe Walter (one percent) has been Barrett's replacement in the starting lineup, providing 12th-round value in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Whether it's him or Gradey Dick (three percent), the production has not been good enough to make either a must-stream player with Barrett sidelined.

C Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards

Sarr has missed Washington's last two games with a sore right adductor, and at the time of publishing, his status for Thursday's game against the Celtics had not been determined. Marvin Bagley III (13 percent) has been the replacement in the starting lineup, and he has provided top-25 value over the past two weeks. Is that sustainable? Probably not, considering Bagley's track record. However, he's worth the risk if Sarr continues to miss time.

Also of note for Washington have been the absences of Tre Johnson (four percent) and Corey Kispert (one percent), which have led to more playing time for Justin Champagnie (one percent). With Khris Middleton getting the night off, Champagnie started Tuesday's loss to the 76ers. The Wizards won't have their next back-to-back until December 20-21, so there isn't much to gain from adding Champagnie right now.

On Tuesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo scrubbed virtually all mentions of the Milwaukee Bucks from his social media — a troubling sign for a 9-13 team built around the two-time MVP.

Now comes a report that Antetokounmpo and his agent are meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks to discuss "whether his best fit is staying or a move elsewhere," Shams Charania reports at ESPN. The report states that the sides are expected to reach a resolution "in the coming weeks," which will impact whether Antetokounmpo is available around February's NBA trade deadline.

This is far from the first time Antetokounmpo trade rumors have surfaced. He reportedly pushed the Bucks to discuss a trade with the New York Knicks over the offseason, but those talks went nowhere. That led to these comments from Antetokounmpo at the team's media day.

"I've said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I'm here," Antetokounmpo said. "I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I'm here to lead this team to wherever we can go and it's definitely going to be hard... Now, if in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that's human too, you're allowed to make any decision you want, but I'm locked in. I'm locked into this team. I'm locked in to these guys, to this group and to this coaching staff and to myself."

"Six or seven months" implied Antetokounmpo would revisit the issue next offseason, a re-evaluation he says he makes every summer. However, the Bucks' rough start may have changed his thinking and his timeline.

Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level this season, averaging 30.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists a game. Milwaukee recently went 0-4 when Antetokounmpo was out with a groin strain. The team is now 1-5 on the season when he does not play and just 8-8 when he does, including an ugly loss to the Wizards on Monday night. Milwaukee is not a contender as constructed, even in a wide-open East. Beyond that, the Bucks don't have the draft picks or young players it would likely take to make a trade that would dramatically upgrade the team this season.

The Bucks are not going to trade Antetokounmpo unless he directly requests it. Even if he does, trading Antetokounmpo and his $54.1 million salary during the season is incredibly challenging. Especially considering the teams he would want to be traded to — the Knicks, maybe the Warriors, others — are also hard-capped or up against the luxury tax aprons themselves.

If Milwaukee is forced to trade him, it will ask for a massive haul of quality young players, high draft picks, and veteran contracts it can flip in a trade, all to jump-start the inevitable rebuild. To use the Knicks as an example, they are thin on quality young players and have only one first-round pick, plus a couple of swaps, to offer. The math works on a trade of Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride plus the pick, but is that nearly enough for Milwaukee? Especially considering there would be a long line of teams at least checking in — Houston, San Antonio, Golden State, the LA Clippers, and the list will go on and on — and some (many?) of those would put together offers more enticing to the Bucks.

All of that is getting ahead of things. For now, the Buck and Antetokounmpo (as well as his agent Alex Saratsis) are sitting down and figuring out what is next. Even if that is a decision to part ways, an offseason trade is far more likely than one at the deadline.

Elden Campbell, the all-time leading scorer in Clemson basketball history, who went on to play 15 seasons in the NBA and won a ring as part of the 2004 Detroit Pistons, has died at the age of 57.

Clemson and the NBA confirmed his death. No cause of death has been given.

Campbell was a 6'11" big man known for his easy-going style off the court — his nickname was "Easy."

On the court, he scored 1,880 points for the Clemson Tigers, a university scoring record that still stands today. He came to Clemson as Horace Grant's backup, but by his senior season, he and Dale Davis formed a formidable frontline that led the Tigers to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of Elden Campbell's passing," Cliff Ellis, Campbell's head coach at Clemson, said in a statement released by the university. Elden was a great player for four years, especially in 1989-90, when he was a major reason we won Clemson's only ACC regular season championship. He went on to a 15-year career in the NBA and won a World Championship. But most of all, Elden was an outstanding, giving person. This is a sad day for the Clemson family."

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Campbell with the No. 27 pick in the 1990 NBA Draft.

That coming season was Magic Johnson's last in the NBA — Campbell was on the Lakers' team that lost to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals — and from there Campbell was a key part of the Lakers teams between the Showtime era and when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal came to town. He is still third on the Lakers' all-time blocked shots list.

After that, Campbell played for the Hornets, Sonics, and then was part of the 2004 Detroit Pistons championship team, a season where he played in 65 games, primarily off the bench.

For his career, Campbell averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across the 1,044 games he played.

The LA Clippers knew exactly what they were getting when they signed Chris Paul last offseason: A very vocal leader in the locker room who will hold everyone accountable and call anyone out. It's why San Antonio wanted him around Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle a season ago, to teach them, but get in their face at points. The Clippers also knew Paul's leadership style could annoy coaches and teammates. The Clippers organization had been down this road before, during the Lob City era, when Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan grew weary of CP3's constant criticism, and it created some friction.

This time, on a struggling 5-16 team with a lot of issues, Paul's vocal criticism of everyone — including coach Tyronn Lue and management — just wore too thin, which is why the Clippers have parted ways with the future Hall of Fame point guard in an awkward late-night breakup on the road. Paul and Lue were not speaking to one another, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes.

ESPN's Shams Charania added these details.

There are a lot of things to criticize with the Clippers. This was a team fueled to 50 wins a season ago based on a top-three defense in the league, but this season it's 26th, with the second-worst transition defense in the league (which pairs very poorly with the third-highest turnover percentage in the league). The Clippers run the highest percentage of isolation plays in the NBA, and with that and the picks for Harden, their offense is very predictable. Injuries have been an issue, but the bet by the front office on the combo of Bradley Beal and John Collins to replace Norman Powell was a huge miss (to be fair, keeping Powell on a new contract would have messed with their plans to keep their books clean in the summer of 2027). Put simply, the Clippers are old and slow, and that's a bad combo in an increasingly up-tempo NBA.

Paul was likely talking about all of it, but this is a veteran roster that was not going to be receptive. In a locker room with concerning vibes and guys openly discussing the team's lack of energy, CP3's leadership style likely didn't play well.

That said, the Clippers can't just waive him — they have 14 guys on the roster, to waive him would mean replacing him, and they are so close to their first apron hard cap they can't sign even a veteran minimum player until January. The Clippers are going to keep Paul on the roster and look for a trade (something Paul's agents will be involved with) to a place where he can have the farewell tour the future Hall of Famer deserves. For now, he's home with the family and waiting on next steps.

This is really a conversation for the summer, but "patience" and "Knicks" are rarely words used together, especially by their media and fans.

Off to another All-Star level start to the season this year, Karl-Anthony Towns was asked if he hopes to sign an extension with the team this summer. His answer was clear, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

"Hell yeah. Hell yeah, I want to stay here," Towns said... "Obviously get a chance to be home, see my family. It means more than the money, you know. So just to be able to be here with the fans, be with the family. It means a lot. I would like it to continue."
Towns also said his relationship with Leon Rose and the front office remains strong.

Towns and the Knicks front office could not reach terms on an extension last summer, but the conversation will come up again next offseason. Towns is making $53.1 million this season and will make $57.1 million next season, followed by a player option at $61 million for the 2027-28 season. The max extension the Knicks could offer next summer is four years at around $260 million, although the expectation would be a shorter extension at closer to the $55 million a year average he's near now.

Towns has found a comfort zone in Mike Brown's offense, where he alternates between playing the four and five, and is averaging 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds a game. While not an elite defender, he is a solid one in the paint (albeit one prone to lapses). He's a fantastic fit next to Mitchell Robinson, but the Knicks are working to protect Robinson's health for the playoffs when they will need him most.

Whatever the price ends up being, expect Towns and the Knicks to reach some kind of extension next offseason.

With most teams having played at least 20 games, the NBA season has reached its quarter mark, so it’s time to take stock of what we’re seeing.

Some of it, the continued dominance of the Thunder and Nuggets, and the struggles of the Nets and Wizards, was to be expected. However, there are a few teams that have really stood out with surprising starts to the 2025-26 NBA season. Some for better reasons than others.

Let’s look at some of the teams that have given us the biggest surprises at the start of the season.

Detroit Pistons

As the calendar flips to December, the Detroit Pistons are sitting with the second-best record in the entire NBA at 17-4. The fact that the Pistons are a good team isn’t surprising. They finished 44-38 last season and earned the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference before giving the New York Knicks all they could handle in a 4-2 first-round series loss. They came into the 2025-26 season with a core that included five key members who were 24 years old or younger and a collection of experienced veterans like Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert, and Duncan Robinson. Still, not many people saw them making this big a leap.

The Pistons are 5th in the NBA in net rating, with the 13th-ranked offense and the 2nd-ranked defense. Offensively, they’re 12th in the league in points per game but are a highly efficient offense that is 8th in field goal percentage and 2nd in rebounding. They don’t shoot particularly well from deep, ranking 2nd-to-last in made three-pointers per game, but they push the pace and rely on their physical defense. They’ve also been buoyed on offense by a big leap from center Jalen Duren, who is averaging 19.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game in 18 games this season. He has become a tremendous complement to Cade Cunningham, who has taken his game to a new level. The 24-year-old remains limited when shooting from beyond the arc, but is ninth in the NBA in scoring at 28.2 points per game, while also ranking 2nd in the league with 9.3 assists per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Both he and Duren rank inside the top 15 in Player Impact Estimate, among all starters, so while this hot start may be a surprise, it has all the makings of something real.

Toronto Raptors

Toronto had underachieved for a couple of seasons with this Island of Misfit Toys roster that never seemed to mesh, too many same-sized midrange players, and the addition of Brandon Ingram last season at the trade deadline just felt like more of the same. It wasn't. This is a team that plays pressing, aggressive defense and converts those opportunities in transition — no team starts more of its offense in transition than Toronto, at nearly 20%. Also, they are touching the paint — fifth in the league in points in the paint — and Ingram is leading a mid-range shot renaissance north of the border that is working. The Raptors are not reliant on the 3-pointer (they are in the bottom five in the league in percentage of points from beyond the arc). All of that gives them some stability. Toronto has been a great story early this season, and they are a team poised to take a big swing at the trade deadline if the right opportunity presents itself.

Miami Heat

The Heat headed into the season preparing for their first year since 2018 without Jimmy Butler running the show. With Tyler Herro also sidelined by offseason surgery, the team needed to switch up how they played if they had any shot of remaining successful. Well, all head coach Erik Spoelstra did was drastically reshape his offensive philosophy to essentially cut out any form of pick-and-roll and replace it with constant motion. The Heat play with the league’s fastest pace and run an offense based around a cut-and-replace style of constant motion. While they are 11th in offensive rating, they rank 2nd in the league in points per game, 2nd in drives per game, 3rd in assist rate, and attempt the most shots per game of any team in basketball. While they don’t shoot tons of threes, they rank 5th in three-point field goal rate, so this is an offense that can beat you in a number of ways. So far, that has propelled the Heat to a 14-7 record that puts them third in the Eastern Conference. With their new pace and style, they are proving to be a real challenge for anybody to figure out.

Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant is out the door, Dillon Brooks comes in and picks up his scoring load — who had that on their 2025-26 NBA bingo card? Phoenix looked on paper like a team in transition from its failed “Big 3” era to whatever was coming next. Instead, credit coach Jordan Ott came in, and both got this team to play hard — something it did not do a season ago — and gave it an identity. Phoenix is a trapping, pressing defensive team now in the Oklahoma City/Toronto mold. Beyond that, Ott gave players space on offense to be themselves and step up, and not only is Brooks doing that (a career high 22.3 points per game for the defensive specialist), but players such as Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen are thriving. Plus, this team still has Devin Booker to fall back on. The Suns are building something real in the desert.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs were supposed to be an ascending team, but they weren’t necessarily supposed to have arrived already. Despite star Victor Wembanyama missing multiple weeks with a calf injury and point guard De’Aaron Fox starting the year late with an injury, head coach Mitch Johnson has the Spurs sitting at 14-6 and in fourth place in the Western Conference. When he’s been healthy, Wembanyama has been otherworldly, averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.6 blocks per game in his 12 contests. However, the Spurs have really taken off because of the play of their guards. Fox has averaged 24.5 points, 6.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in his 12 games, and second-year combo guard Stephon Castle has had a mini breakout this year, posting 17.3 points, 7.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game in his 13 contests. With rookie Dylan Harper also acquitting himself well, the Spurs have three young guards who are able to push the pace and facilitate an efficient offense around their star center. What’s even more impressive is that none of those four players has played more than 13 games this season. If this team can get everybody healthy, they could make some noise in the playoffs.

New Orleans Pelicans

Blame injuries if you want, there have been plenty, although Zion Williamson being out for an extended period — this time with an adductor strain — can't be a surprise. Blame Willie Green if you want; the Pelicans used him as a scapegoat and fired him 12 games into the season (they should have fired him over the summer in that case). The fact of the matter is, New Orleans is a young, banged-up, and ill-fitting roster struggling without an identity, all of which has interim coach James Borrego thinking more long-term than short-term. “This is a process of learning, exploring, seeing what lineups, giving guys opportunities to grow, to lean into mistakes, to take risks, to fail, to succeed. That's all part of growth,” Borrego said. That all sounds good, except the Pelicans traded away the rights to their first-round pick next June to move up in last year’s draft and select Derik Queen (who shows real potential, but that doesn’t make the process good or the price fair).

New Orleans has come to a pivot point: Is it time to move on from Zion Williamson as the foundation of what they are building? How can the Pelicans build anything of substance without a stable foundation they can count on to just be on the court? That likely is a question for next offseason, but it may be time to explore the trade market, even if the return is not going to be near what they might hope.

Los Angeles Clippers

We started writing this even beforethe Clippers released future Hall of Famer Chris Paul at 2:40 a.m. on Wednesday, but that’s just par for the course in what has been a disaster of a season. The season began with the NBA launching an investigationinto whether Clippers owner Steve Ballmer used back-channel investments to give star wing Kawhi Leonard more money while circumventing the salary cap. Leonard then missed an extended period of time with an injury, veteran Bradley Beal was lost for the season with a hip injury, wing Derrick Jones Jr. was lost for a few weeks due to injury, and newly acquired John Collins struggled so much to fit into the offensive flow that the team has reportedly already begun looking to trade him.

After a big loss to the Heat on Monday, the Clippers now sit at 5-16 on the season. They rank 24th in net rating, with the 27th-ranked defense and 20th-ranked offense (mostly thanks to James Harden). They play at the third-slowest pace in the league, put up the second-fewest shots per game, and are 19th in field goal rate, 21st in made three-pointers per game, and 26th in rebounds. Everything about this team seems fractured and disjointed, and with one of the oldest rosters in the league and no first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, it’s hard to see where the Clippers go from here.

Stephen Curry is going to stay home when the Warriors head out on a three-game road trip, coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors fell to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Curry continues to recover from a bruised right quad, which has kept him out of the last two games (the Warriors are 1-1 in his absence).

"He's going to stay home. It was a long shot for him to play in the back-to-back and we don't play again until Friday," Kerr said, via Ana Thanawalla NBC Sports Bay Area. "So it just makes perfect sense for him to stay home with [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini], get the rehab done here, get his work in and hopefully be ready for Minnesota next Friday."

After the Warriors return home, they will be off until Friday, Dec. 12, giving Curry plenty of time to recover.

The status of Jimmy Butler for the upcoming road trip also is in question after he left Tuesday's game with knee soreness. Kerr said postgame he did not have an update on Butler and the team has yet to announce anything.

The 11-11 Warriors have a +0.4 net rating this season, but that falls to -1.8 when Curry is off the court and -10.8 when both Curry and Butler are on the bench.

A few weeks ago, veteran point guard Chris Paul announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Then, early on Wednesday morning, he made another shocking announcement: he had been sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers in the middle of the night.

The post, in which Paul said, "Just found out I'm being sent home," was shared at 2:40 a.m. ET. The Clippers, through president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, later followed up with a statement around 3 a.m. that said, "We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

The suddenness of the move, the timing of it, and the nature of it happening to a future Hall of Famer had much of the basketball world in shock.

As of now, it's unclear what sparked such a drastic move, but it's another stain on what has been a dreadful start to the season for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The season began with the NBA launching an investigationinto whether or not Clippers owner Steve Ballmer used backchannel investments to give star wing Kawhi Leonard more money while circumventing the salary cap. Leonard then missed an extended period of time with an injury, veteran Bradley Beal was lost for the season with a hip injury, and newly acquired John Collins struggled so much to fit into the offensive flow that the team already began looking to trade him.

After a dreadful performance on Monday night against the Heat, in which Clippers coach Tyronn Lue pulled all of his starters two minutes into the third quarter, the Clippers now sit at 5-16 on the season and don't even have the rights to their first-round draft pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

It's a startling collapse for a franchise that has had 14 consecutive winning seasons, including six with Paul in uniform between 2011-2017. Those seasons were marked by Paul making three appearances on the NBA First-Team, five First-Team All-Defense honors, and two top-five MVP finishes. In his career, he is a 12-time All-Star, an 11-time All-NBA selection, and a nine-time All-Defense selection. He's second in the NBA in career assists, trailing only John Stockton, and was the first player to score at least 20,000 points and record 10,000 assists.

This is obviously not the same version of Chris Paul. In his first 16 games, the 40-year-old is averaging 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 32.1% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. He's playing just 14 minutes a game after playing 28 minutes per game and starting all 82 games for the Spurs.

Yet, with this being Paul's last year, it would be surprising if we didn't see him on the court with somebody this season. He is not going to let his career end with a middle-of-the-night release. So the Clippers will most likely look to facilitate a trade, just like they traded Eric Bledsoe in 2022 before he never played a game again, and like they traded John Wall in 2023, before he never played a game again.

Hopefully, this saga will end differently for Chris Paul, and his farewell tour can continue in a new location.

It is 75 days until the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles — and it makes its return to NBC and debuts on Peacock.

In celebration of that, the NBA and the Los Angeles Clippers are giving away 75 All-Star-branded outdoor hoops a day throughout Los Angeles until the big game. Baskets that can go to families to put in their driveways, as well as to schools, neighborhood centers and more. In total, more than 5,600 baskets will be given out, provided by Dick's Sporting Goods.

For the next 75 days, fans can expect surprise hoop drops and citywide celebrations across Los Angeles.

Coaches, parents, players, and kids are invited to submit their personal story at https://www.nba.com/clippers/hoops, which can include:

• Why do they want a hoop?
• What inspires them to play?
• How has basketball impacted their life, family, or neighborhood?
• How could the game change their future?
 
The submission portal includes a short storytelling form with an optional photo/video upload.

This is just one of the signature events leading up to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers. This year's All-Star Game takes place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock and has a new three-team, U.S. vs. international players format.

Chris Paul says the Los Angeles Clippers are sending him home from their road trip, putting a shocking twist on what is expected to be the veteran point guard's final NBA season.

“Just Found Out I'm Being Sent Home,” Paul posted on social media at around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, adding a peace emoji.

The struggling Clippers are in Atlanta for a road game against the Hawks on Wednesday night. Los Angeles lost at Miami on Monday night to fall to 5-16 in a wildly disappointing start to the season.

The 40-year-old Paul is playing his 21st NBA season, and he strongly hinted last month that it will be his last. The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist has earned four All-NBA first team selections, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists.

He became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers' first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July, rejoining a franchise where he is loved by fans while having an outside chance to contend for his first championship alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers' top basketball executive, issued a statement confirming Paul's departure to several media outlets early Wednesday. He indicated the Clippers will attempt to trade Paul, who signed a $3.6 million deal to return to LA.

“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team,” Frank said. “We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we've struggled. We're grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

Paul hasn’t spoken to reporters since he strongly hinted at retirement while the Clippers were back in his native North Carolina. But he acknowledged a video retrospective of his career played by the Clippers during a timeout at Intuit Dome last week. The video ended with “Congratulations, Point God” on the screen.

Paul couldn't really be blamed for the Clippers' profound struggles this season because he hasn't played much.

He is averaging 2.6 points and 3.3 assists while playing just 14.3 minutes per game - all career lows - and he didn't play at all in five straight games in mid-November. Paul had eight points and three assists while playing 15 minutes against the Heat in what turned out to be his final game with the team - a game in which Harden and other starters were effectively benched, in the latest sign of discord for coach Tyronn Lue's team.

The Clippers are on a five-game skid, and they're tied with Sacramento for the second-worst record in the Western Conference heading into Wednesday's games. Leonard has been limited to 10 games by injuries, and they've already lost guard Bradley Beal to season-ending hip surgery.

The Clippers’ streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons is the longest active streak in the NBA, but owner Steve Ballmer’s club has yet to show signs of contention this season - and now they're going forward without a historically talented point guard and franchise favorite.