Category: Basketball

Damian Lillard is out for this season, recovering from a torn Achilles.

Don't forget about him. The seven-time All-NBA guard is working hard on his recovery and mentoring a young Portland Trail Blazers team showing promise. Lillard recently joined Allie Clifton for an episode of the Road Trippin’ Show and said this about his rehab so far (hat tip to Real GM).

"It's going great. I think it's just one of those injuries where you've got to take your time—you know, it takes what it takes. The first couple of weeks to maybe two or three months is kind of frustrating because you're so limited. But with patience, giving yourself grace, and doing the things necessary to continue progressing, you get to a point where you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Lillard chose to take a year off and not push to return this season at age 35. He said he is happy with that decision, the growth he has seen from the Trail Blazers, and where this could lead next season.

"I feel great about it — even better now than I did when I made that decision. Just getting further along and seeing that everything is coming back...

"Now that I've gotten to that point, I feel better about the decision to give myself the maximum amount of time. Also, looking at our team and the type of growth that we've had, I know if I'm able to do this and come correct, we'll have a great shot next season."

Deni Avdija has played like an All-Star in Portland this season, it will be interesting to see how the Trail Blazers might look next season with him, Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson (who has yet to play this season due to injury), and maybe Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant (although trade talk about those two will heat up next summer). Portland is starting to build something, and Lillard wants to be a part of it.

The Chicago Bulls will be without their two leading scorers for at least the next week, and in Josh Giddey's case, it will be longer.

Giddey has a strained left hamstring and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the Bulls announced. Although it's a safe bet he will be out longer than that. Chicago also will be without point guard Coby White for the next week due to calf soreness. Both suffered their injuries Monday night in a loss to the Timberwolves.

The Bulls have a packed schedule with nine games in the next 14 days.

Giddey and White are tied for the team lead in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game. Giddey also leads the team with nine assists a game (White is at 4.7) and the Australian is dragging 7.8 rebounds a game. Giddey is a borderline All-Star in the Eastern Conference, although his play has trailed off since a fast start.

The Bulls have built an ethos around depth and having the next man step up, at least that has been the plan of executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas, who believes that having 9-10 good players is better in the regular season than having a couple of great players but then a sharp talent drop off. That will get put to the test in the next couple of weeks.

The Bulls have lost their last two games but won five in a row before that and sit ninth in the East at 15-17. They are just 1.5 games above falling out of the play-in entirely, with one of the teams chasing them being a Milwaukee side that just got Giannis Antetokounmpo back.

2025 was filled with seismic NBA stories, many of which will play out into 2026 and beyond. True game-changers in the literal and figurative sense.

On New Year's Eve, let's take a look back at the 10 biggest NBA stories of 2025.

1. Luka Doncic trade

On Feb. 1, we all thought Shams Charania had been hacked. No way this was real.

Turns out it was very real — Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison had convinced a new ownership to trade a fan-favorite 25-year-old, top-five player in the world entering his prime to the most hated empire in the NBA. For pennies on the dollar. It was unfathomable.

It changed everything. Before the year was out Harrison had been fired. Dallas fell apart without Doncic, slid into the lottery, then got blessed by the basketball gods when its 1.8% chance ended up getting the Mavericks the top spot in the NBA Draft and Cooper Flagg. The Lakers instantly became a threat again, although they are still figuring out how to build a team around Doncic that works.

This trade out of nowhere will be one of the biggest NBA stories of the decade, maybe the first half of the century. It was seismic in the changes, and nothing in 2025 was as big.

2. Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested, indicted

Federal authorities arrested and indicted current Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups as part of two illegal gambling investigations. Also arrested was former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones (who was charged in both cases). One of those indictments alleged Rozier worked with illegal gambling consortiums to rig player prop bets by leaving a game early due to an "injury" (with the gamblers betting big on his unders). The other had Billups as the face of a rigged poker match, where being with the Hall of Famer and coach was the draw to bring in people who lost at the fixed games.

Both Rozier and Billups pled not guilty as their cases work their way through the court system. The NBA reopened its investigation, and both men are on unpaid leave from their teams. And through all of this, the NBA continues to have strong ties and promote legal gambling products and apps (in states where it's allowed).

This is one story we will hear much more of in 2026.

3. Thunder win NBA Title

More than just a title, it felt like the start of a dynasty.

Oklahoma City was clearly the best team in the NBA last season, winning 68 games behind MVP Shai Gilgous-Alexander, and in the end, it was fitting that this crew brought home the first title in the city's history. Jalen Williams played through incredible wrist pain, Chet Holmgren emerged as a star in the middle, and a deep team that could bring a stopper like Alex Caruso off the bench proved too much for everyone.

This is a young team — SGA is 27, Williams and Holmgren are on their rookie contracts (although that changes next season) — and while the tax aprons will hit them hard in the coming years, the club's stockpile of quality draft picks (they could have three first-rounders this season) allows them to replenish the cupboards without too much expense. The NBA has worked hard to make dynasties nearly impossible (whether that is a wise strategy is another topic), but no team is better situated to beat those odds than the Thunder.

4. Tyrese Haliburton tears Achilles in Game 7

The greatest "what if" of 2025 — and one of the big ones in NBA history — is what if Haliburton had not torn his Achilles early in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The Pacers had improbably pushed the Thunder to a deciding game with their depth, pressure, pace and the play of Haliburton. In Game 7, Haliburton played through a sore calf but came out red-hot, hit 3-of-4 from deep, had a fast nine points, and then came the moment midway through the first quarter when he took a step back to explode forward, his Achilles tendon tore, and he went to the ground.

Would the Pacers have won Game 7 with him? We'll never know. The injury also turned the Pacers into a lottery team for the 2025-26 season, but it sets up a great bounce-back story for 2026-27.

5. Jayson Tatum tears Achilles

Entering last season and even the playoffs, Boston was the team to beat. The defending champs had won 61 games with the second-best defense in the league and a top-10 offense. The Celtics had the talent, the experience, and a Finals showdown with the Thunder could have been epic.

Then, with about three minutes left in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Jayson Tatum dove to the floor in a scramble for a loose ball, tore his Achilles and could not get up. It ended his playoff run and Boston's chances (though whether they would have beaten the Knicks in that series even with him is at best debatable and more likely doubtful).

Tatum missing time was the start of an offseason financial reset for the Celtics, who sent away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, and set up what was supposed to be a gap year for the Celtics. It may not be that at all. Boston sits third in the open East, and Tatum is expected to return in the first months of 2026, setting up a very interesting playoff run. Still, his injury was a massive story this year.

6. Dallas wins lottery, drafts Cooper Flagg

Don't buy anyone telling you Nico Harrison had a plan — trading Luka Doncic to get a 1.8% chance of winning the NBA Draft Lottery is not a plan. It's a pipe dream.

Sometimes dreams come true. They did for Dallas, which landed a franchise cornerstone player for the next 10 years in Flagg. After a slow start because Jason Kidd played him out of position (or at least felt he had to because of how the now-fired Harrison built the roster), Flagg has come on strong and is averaging 19.4 points and 6.4 rebounds a game while playing strong defense. He looks like the next long-term, fan-favorite in Dallas, and the new ownership there is not going to make the same mistake twice.

7. Knicks make Eastern Conference Finals

There is nothing as much fun as Madison Square Garden rocking in the playoffs. It is one of the hallowed grounds in sport, and after too many years of watching their team wandering in the wilderness, Knicks fans have something worth cheering for again — not just a relevant team, but a contender.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season might have been the best game of the year, even if the ending is painful for those Knicks fans.

Honorable mention stories

• NBA changing of the guard with youth (like Oklahoma City, but also Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Maxey) stepping up and taking over the league in a generational change.

• Jimmy Butler joins Stephen Curry in Golden State to chase one more ring in the Bay.

• Unending Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.

• Chris Paul/Clippers break up.

• The Kawhi Leonard/Aspiration/Clippers story. Many people may think this should be higher on the list. Pablo Torre and his "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast created a massive splash just before the NBA season tipped off with an investigative report about what was termed a "no-show" endorsement deal between Leonard and San Francisco-based environmental credits company Aspiration, with seven anonymous former employees of the company saying the deal was set up to help the Clippers circumvent the salary cap. The Clippers have vehemently denied any wrongdoing from the start, with owner Steve Ballmer saying he was one of the investors duped by Aspiration (whose CEO pled guilty to wire fraud). The NBA resumed its investigation.

So why is this so far down the list? Because the buzz out of league circles right now is that there is not nearly as much meat on the bone as implied in the initial reports, and that the Clippers are not going to face as stiff a punishment as some expected. This is something to watch in 2026.

The days after Christmas have been rough for the NBA from an injury standpoint. In addition to the illness-related absences that can happen this time of year, multiple players who are highly impactful in fantasy basketball have been sidelined due to injury. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is the headliner, as a hyperextended left knee will sideline him for at least four weeks. Already without Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson, Denver will be down four starters for the foreseeable future.

Among the other teams needing to compensate for the loss of starters this week are Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas and New York, to name a few. Below is a look at some of the injuries affecting fantasy basketball and team rotations.

Nikola Jokić sidelined by knee injury: timeline and fantasy impact

The Nuggets will be without the three-time MVP for multiple weeks, leaving a massive hole in the team’s lineup.

• Raphielle Johnson,

C Ryan Kalkbrenner and F Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets

Including Wednesday's game against the Warriors, Kalkbrenner has missed Charlotte's last five games with a sprained left elbow. While Mason Plumlee (less than one percent rostered, Yahoo!) was the initial replacement in the starting lineup, Wednesday's game will be the fourth that he's missed due to a strained right groin. That's opened the door for Moussa Diabaté (22 percent) to step into the void, and he has been close to a top-50 player in eight-cat formats over the last four games, according to Basketball Monster. Given the opportunity, with Diabaté playing nearly 33 minutes per game, it would be wise to hop onto the bandwagon.

Bridges sprained his right ankle during the first half of Monday's loss to the Bucks and, at the time of publishing, was considered questionable for Wednesday afternoon. While he only scored three points against Milwaukee, Tidjane Salaün (one percent) grabbed 11 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. However, Collin Sexton (19 percent) would be a superior streaming option for those needing offense if Bridges misses time, even though he does not have forward eligibility.

G Josh Giddey, G Coby White and F/C Zach Collins, Chicago Bulls

Monday's loss to the Timberwolves was brutal for the Bulls, who stood no chance after losing Giddey and White to hamstring and calf injuries. On Tuesday evening, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Giddey has been diagnosed with a strained left hamstring and is expected to miss "at least a few weeks." As for White, he was diagnosed with tightness in his right calf, but it would be unsurprising if he were sidelined for multiple games as well.

As for waiver wire options, Tre Jones (18 percent), Ayo Dosunmu (16 percent) and Kevin Huerter (eight percent) are the players to target. Jones began the season as a starter due to White's offseason injury, averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.1 steals in 29.9 minutes over 11 games. With Giddey also out, the Bulls will likely require more from Jones as a floor general.

As for Collins, an injury initially described as a sore left big toe is now a sprain. His absence cuts into Chicago's depth behind starting center Nikola Vučević, leaving the backup responsibilities to Jalen Smith (three percent). At first glance, this won't do much for Smith's fantasy value. He's averaging 18.0 minutes per game this season, and that number may not increase much, if at all, since Vooch is healthy. However, if Smith can exceed 20 minutes consistently, he may turn into a deep-league option for managers needing rebounds.

F/C Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks

Davis exited the Mavericks' Christmas Day loss to the Warriors with right groin spasms and has missed the last two games. Daniel Gafford (15 percent) moved into the starting lineup, totaling 28 points, 17 rebounds, two steals and four blocks in losses to the Kings and Trail Blazers. And his playing time increased, with Gafford playing 23 and 26 minutes in those two games. If Davis remains out, Gafford will be worth a look in a higher percentage of fantasy leagues, but it would be nice if he could be relied on to hit the high-20s in minutes.

Someone else to watch in Dallas is Max Christie (seven percent), who has replaced Naji Marshall (21 percent) in the starting lineup and scored 25 points in Tuesday's loss to Portland. If Christie can retain his place in the starting lineup, deep-league fantasy managers may be able to get some value from rostering him, but the 2022 second-round pick is not worth the risk just yet.

G Caris LeVert, Detroit Pistons

LeVert had to leave Detroit's December 28 loss to the Clippers after playing 13 minutes due to a sore left knee, and he did not play against the Lakers on Tuesday. While the production has not been good enough to affect fantasy basketball, LeVert's absence may ultimately benefit Jaden Ivey (21 percent). Working his way back from the fractured leg that ended his 2024-25 season on New Year's Day, he played a season-high 29 minutes against the Clippers. We'll see if that trend continues and whether Ivey ultimately returns to the starting lineup, especially given Ausar Thompson's offensive limitations.

C Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

Şengün has missed Houston's last two games with a left soleus strain. While Steven Adams (eight percent) moved into the starting lineup, he had to leave Monday's win over the Pacers with a sprained right ankle. If Şengün and Adams can't play on Thursday against the Nets, it may be "Clint Capela time" in Houston. Rostered in one percent of Yahoo! leagues, Capela is averaging 11.0 minutes per game as the third man in the Rockets' center rotation.

F/C Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

Jackson has been in the league's concussion protocol since suffering a head injury during a December 22 loss to the Celtics, missing Indiana's last five games. While Jay Huff (24 percent) was already the starting center, Jackson's absence has not resulted in a sharp increase in his playing time. Huff has averaged 20.6 minutes per game over the last four, with recent signing Micah Potter (less than one percent) averaging 13.6 minutes in his three appearances. Huff has been fantasy-relevant in the minutes he's received, but fantasy managers have to keep their expectations in check for obvious reasons.

G Austin Reaves and F Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers

Reaves was forced to exit the Lakers' Christmas Day loss to the Rockets with a Grade 2 left calf strain, and he will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Marcus Smart (six percent) has been the replacement in the starting lineup, and that won't change anytime soon. The veteran guard can be inconsistent offensively, but there's a clear need for what Smart can bring to the table defensively. He's a player who fantasy managers should track for the time being, rather than rushing to pick him up.

Unable to participate in Monday's practice, Hachimura was diagnosed with a sore right calf. During his availability ahead of Tuesday's game against the Pistons, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that he expected Hachimura to be out for "about" one week. Jake LaRavia (10 percent) was moved into the starting lineup, and he's in a similar boat to Smart regarding fantasy streaming value. Adding him can be considered, but it isn't a must.

G/F Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat

Having missed time earlier this season with a sprained left ankle, Larsson suffered a sprained right ankle during Monday's win over the Nuggets and did not return. While he has not been an especially impactful fantasy option, the second-year wing missing time would free up additional minutes for Jaime Jaquez Jr. (42 percent) and Nikola Jović (16 percent), with the former offering a higher fantasy ceiling. However, since returning from a right elbow injury, Jović has been close to a top-50 player in eight-cat formats.

F Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans

Jones has missed the Pelicans' last five games with a sprained right ankle, including Wednesday's matchup with the Bulls. While Bryce McGowens (less than one percent) was the replacement in the starting lineup for the first three games, interim head coach James Borrego took a different approach for Monday's loss to the Knicks.

Zion Williamson (98 percent), who was coming off the bench as part of his minutes restriction, was inserted back into the starting lineup, while McGowens (who's on a two-way contract) was inactive. That change preserved the fantasy value of Saddiq Bey (33 percent), who scored 23 of his 27 points in the first quarter of Monday's defeat. Fantasy managers certainly can't find Williamson on the waiver wire, but that isn't an issue for Bey, who's worth a look as long as he's playing starters' minutes.

G/F Josh Hart and C Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks

Hart and Robinson are dealing with ankle issues, robbing the Knicks of two rotation players. Injured during the fourth quarter of New York's Christmas Day win over the Cavaliers, Hart did not travel with the team for its three-game road trip, which concludes in San Antonio on Wednesday. Rookie Mohamed Diawara (less than one percent) moved into the starting lineup for wins over Atlanta and New Orleans, going for a career-high 18 points (16 in the first quarter) against the Pelicans.

Diawara isn't worth the risk in fantasy leagues, but Miles McBride (five percent) and Tyler Kolek (five percent) are worth watching, especially with Deuce playing 18 minutes in his first game back from a sprained ankle. Robinson's absence initially resulted in rotation minutes for Ariel Hukporti (less than one percent), but a mouth contusion sidelined him for the second half of Monday's win in New Orleans. Guerschon Yabusele (less than one percent) also isn't worth the risk in fantasy leagues, although he was solid in his return to the rotation on Monday.

Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Donovan Clingan leveling up

Clingan has notched a double-double in six out of his last seven games.

• Cole Huff,

C Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder

Hartenstein has not been playing in both games of back-to-backs recently, but Wednesday's game will be the second that he's missed with a right soleus strain. Cason Wallace (23 percent) has moved into the starting lineup when iHart is unavailable, which moves Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren down a position. Also, more minutes become available to Ajay Mitchell (24 percent), Aaron Wiggins (five percent) and Isaiah Joe (three percent). Wallace and Mitchell are the players who fantasy managers should first seek on their league's waiver wires.

G Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic

Bane left Monday's loss to the Raptors briefly due to back spasms but returned and ultimately logged 30 minutes. However, at the time of publishing, he was considered questionable for Wednesday's game against the Pacers. With Anthony Black (40 percent) now on the radar of many fantasy managers due to his play in the absence of Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, there aren't any great options if Bane is limited or cannot play. Jase Richardson (less than one percent) played 20 minutes off the bench in Toronto, but he has not reached the point where he can be trusted in redraft leagues.

G Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns

Despite having missed Phoenix's last seven games, including Wednesday's matchup with the Cavaliers, Allen's issue is still listed as right knee injury management on the official injury report. With Jalen Green still sidelined by a strained hamstring, there really isn't a good reason not to go all-in on Collin Gillespie (37 percent). Over the past three weeks, he has provided third-round per-game value in eight-cat formats. Of course, Royce O'Neale (15 percent) has been Allen's replacement in the starting lineup, but he has not offered the all-around fantasy value that Gillespie has.

F Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

Counting Wednesday's matchup with the Thunder, Grant has missed the last seven games with left Achilles tendonitis. With details scarce, it's unknown when he'll be healthy enough to return. Kris Murray (one percent) was Grant's replacement in the starting lineup, but he has also missed time due to injury and was listed as questionable for Wednesday night at the time of publishing with a right quad contusion. His absence opened the door for Sidy Cissoko (less than one percent) to make a few starts, but he hasn't done enough to merit rostering.

If fantasy managers are going to commit to any of the Trail Blazers wings sitting on more than half of Yahoo! waiver wires, it should be Toumani Camara (41 percent). His percentages have been poor recently, but he has been able to offer solid value in the steals and three-point categories.

G Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings

LaVine has missed seven straight and eight of Sacramento's last nine games, most recently sitting out Tuesday's loss to the Clippers with a sprained left ankle. Kings head coach Doug Christie has gone big with the guard's replacement, starting Precious Achiuwa (five percent) at power forward with DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray (when available) shifting up a position. Unfortunately, Achiuwa has not offered much value to fantasy managers, ranking well outside the top-200 in eight-cat formats since moving into the starting lineup on December 18. He and LaVine may not play the same position, but rookie center Maxime Raynaud (31 percent) is deserving of more fantasy attention as he continues to fill in for the injured Domantas Sabonis.

G Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

Vassell was ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Knicks with a strained left adductor, and that's the kind of injury that can cost a player multiple games, depending on the grade. With Stephon Castle listed as questionable at the time of publishing with a sprained left thumb, the Spurs could be down two perimeter starters against the Knicks. Julian Champagnie (six percent) and Dylan Harper (22 percent) have usually been next in line when the Spurs are down a perimeter starter, and while the former may offer a safer floor, it's hard to overlook Harper's ceiling as a lottery pick. Another option is Keldon Johnson (15 percent), but he offers no defensive production in his reserve role.

C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors

Poeltl's lower back has been an issue since the preseason, and Wednesday's game against the Nuggets will be the fifth straight that he's missed. On Monday, it was announced by the team that the 7-footer would miss at least one more week before he's re-evaluated. Sandro Mamukelashvili (21 percent) has not been guaranteed to start every night when Poeltl is unavailable, but he has been a sixth-round player over the last two weeks. He should be the first player considered by fantasy managers looking to compensate for Poeltl's absence. Collin Murray-Boyles (two percent) has seen his playing time increase recently, but not to the point where he should be rostered in most redraft leagues.

G/F Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz

Tuesday's loss to the Celtics was the second that Bailey has missed since suffering a strained right hip flexor during Friday's win over the Pistons. Brice Sensabaugh (10 percent) moved into the starting lineup, totaling 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four three-pointers in games against the Spurs and Celtics. While the production hasn't been elite, Sensabaugh has played 33 minutes or more in each of Utah's last three games. That may make him worth a roll of the dice in deep leagues until Bailey is cleared to return. Taylor Hendricks (one percent) replaced Svi Mykhailiuk (two percent) in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game but only played 17 minutes. There's no need to consider rostering either player.

F Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

Wednesday's game against the Bucks will be the third that George has missed with a strained left hip flexor, and the Wizards have not provided a return timeline. Could it be "Tre Johnson time" in the nation's capital? The rookie, who's rostered in seven percent of Yahoo! leagues, has totaled 38 points, six assists, two steals and seven three-pointers in two games as George's replacement in the starting lineup.

Johnson does not offer much value as a rebounder or defender, but he shot 14-of-23 from the field in games against the Grizzlies and Suns. Bilal Coulibaly (25 percent) and Bub Carrington (15 percent) are also worth a look, but managers looking for pure scoring should consider Johnson now. And he'll likely be a popular target for the "silly season."