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Fantasy basketball Week 12 Injury Report: Victor Wembanyama makes his return

Another week, and another loaded injury report. However, in the case of one play, trade rumors that have grown louder by the day may complicate his availability until a decision is made. That's not a good thing for fantasy managers, who can definitely use some clarity as they look to adjust their rosters. However, there was some good news on the injury front: Victor Wembanyama returned after a two-game absence, and the 76ers are getting healthier. Here's a look at some of the impactful injury situations during Week 12 in fantasy basketball.

G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Young, who has missed Atlanta's last five games with a quad contusion, was listed as questionable on the injury report for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. However, while fantasy managers know that Nickeil Alexander-Walker (49 percent rostered, Yahoo!) will be the starting point guard when Young is out, they've got another variable to consider. Young has been the subject of trade rumors recently, with ESPN's Shams Charania reporting on Tuesday that the player and his agent are working with the franchise to make a deal happen.

If that's indeed the case, why would the Hawks put Young back on the court if there is any question about his quad injury? For fantasy managers relying on the point guard for high-level value, this season has been a disappointment. Now, they may not get any value from Young until he's traded. And it's impossible to gauge how a trade will affect his fantasy value without knowing the destination.

F/C Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls

Wednesday's game between the Bulls and Pistons will be the second that Smith has missed since entering the league's concussion protocol. With Zach Collins already sidelined with a toe injury, the Bulls are light on options behind starting center Nikola Vučević. For Monday's loss to the Celtics, Lachlan Olbrich (less than one percent) played 12 minutes off the bench. There's no need to consider adding him.

Fantasy managers looking at the Bulls roster for low-rostered options are best served focusing on the backcourt, even with Coby White returning from a calf injury on Monday. Josh Giddey is still out, which benefits Ayo Dosunmu (22 percent) the most. Tre Jones (24 percent) took a hit to his fantasy value when White returned, as he only played 20 minutes on Monday.

G/F Max Strus, Cleveland Cavaliers

We got a Strus update on Tuesday, as it was reported that he will be re-evaluated in four weeks as the wing continues to work his way back from offseason foot surgery. The fifth starter role has rotated among multiple Cavaliers thus far, with Dean Wade (one percent) receiving the nod for Tuesday's win over the Pacers.

However, Wade did not return after halftime due to a left knee injury, with Jaylon Tyson (23 percent) filling the void. The second-year wing out of Cal has been the most productive of Cleveland's supporting cast, playing well enough to merit being rostered even when he comes off the bench. Sam Merrill (11 percent) can provide three-point production, and he started on Tuesday since Donovan Mitchell was out for rest.

F P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks

Washington sprained his right ankle during Saturday's win over the Rockets and did not play against the Kings on Tuesday. Naji Marshall (17 percent) was the replacement in the starting lineup, and he would be worth rostering in deep leagues if Washington misses more time. There was another lineup change for the Mavericks over the past week that was not injury-related, with Daniel Gafford (15 percent) moving into the starting lineup and Ryan Nembhard (three percent) being bumped to the bench. Gafford's starting means Anthony Davis can play at the four, his preferred position.

If Gafford can get to where he's playing at least 25 minutes per night, he can be a valuable option for fantasy managers. As for Nembhard, his production has tailed off, resulting in Brandon Williams (11 percent) playing more. However, with both coming off the bench, Cooper Flagg is the primary playmaker for the starters. Given his experience at the position to begin this season, that may raise his fantasy ceiling for as long as Jason Kidd sticks with this lineup.

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C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Nothing has changed regarding Jokić's timeline as he recovers from a left knee injury; he'll be re-evaluated in a little over three weeks. However, he has progressed to doing some spot shooting while he continues to rehab the injured knee.

The Nuggets did get Christian Braun (73 percent) and Aaron Gordon (52 percent) back from their injuries on Sunday, and they played 24 and 21 minutes, respectively, in a loss to the Nets. Neither played on Monday in Philadelphia, and Jamal Murray also sat, but the Nuggets found a way to win thanks to Jalen Pickett (one percent), Peyton Watson (30 percent) and Zeke Nnaji (three percent). Of the three, Watson is the one to trust, especially with Cameron Johnson still out.

Nnaji, the 22nd pick in the 2020 draft, has been a disappointment, but Jokić's injury means there will be opportunities for him and DaRon Holmes II (six percent) to step up. With Holmes missing all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, he isn't going to take on a full starter's workload. For this reason, Nnaji is worth a roll of the dice.

C Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

Şengün exited Saturday's loss to the Mavericks just over a minute into the game with a sprained right ankle. On Monday, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said that his starting center will be re-evaluated at the end of the week but is expected to miss 10-14 days. When available, Steven Adams (nine percent) has been the replacement in the starting lineup. Most recently, he played 31 minutes in Monday's win over the Suns, grabbing 11 rebounds. The veteran center is worth streaming in deep leagues if there's a need for rebounds. Clint Capela (six percent), who started when the Rockets were without Şengün and Adams, only played nine minutes on Monday. He's only worth a look if Adams can't play, and Houston doesn't have another back-to-back until Thursday/Friday of Week 13.

F/C Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

Jackson has been in the league's concussion protocol since suffering a head injury during a December 22 game against the Celtics. He had fallen off the fantasy radar well before that injury. And with the Pacers waiving Tony Bradley on January 5, they're relying on Jay Huff (16 percent) and Micah Potter (10 percent) to handle the center position. Before Tuesday's loss to the Cavaliers, in which he played 17 minutes off the bench, Potter made two starts and exceeded 25 minutes in each of the three games prior. Huff was productive as a scorer on Tuesday, scoring 20 points, but he only grabbed two rebounds. Can either player be trusted in standard leagues? Probably not, but they'll both have opportunities to prove otherwise.

G James Harden, LA Clippers

Harden did not play in Monday's win over the Warriors due to a sore right shoulder and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. Rookie Kobe Sanders (less than one percent) replaced Harden in the starting lineup on Monday and had a breakthrough performance, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 36 minutes. The Clippers only went eight deep on Monday, and they could be forced to take a similar approach against the Knicks if Harden remains out.

G Ja Morant and G/F Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

Unfortunately, Morant can't seem to stay healthy. Tuesday's win over the Spurs was the second game that he's missed due to a right calf contusion, and at the time of publishing, Morant's status for Wednesday's game against the Suns had yet to be determined. Cam Spencer (18 percent) has started in Morant's place. While he struggled with his shot in Sunday's loss to the Lakers, the second-year guard rebounded nicely, tallying 21 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, one steal and three three-pointers in Tuesday's win over the Spurs, even hitting the game-winning shot.

Also of note from Tuesday's game was the return of Vince Williams Jr. (two percent), who had been Morant's replacement in the starting lineup in the past. He came off the bench against the Spurs, playing 22 minutes and finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and four three-pointers. Williams shot 5-of-7 from the field, an impressive showing considering that he's a 35.3 percent shooter for the season. Spencer remains the priority add if Morant misses more time, but Williams is worth watching for those targeting assists.

Coward joined Morant on the injury report after spraining his left ankle during Sunday's loss to the Lakers. Before Tuesday's game, Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo said that the rookie's injury was not as severe as the team initially feared, which is good news. Coward's absence opened up a spot in the starting lineup for GG Jackson (three percent), who struggled offensively. Shooting 1-of-6 from the field, he accounted for two points, seven rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. Jackson isn't worth streaming right now, but he's worth keeping an eye on just in case Coward sits for an extended period.

F Jaime Jaquez Jr. and G Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

Jaquez sprained his right ankle during the first half of Miami's January 3 loss to the Timberwolves and has missed the last two games. Under normal circumstances, his absence would raise the ceilings of Nikola Jović (26 percent) and Pelle Larsson (four percent). However, Tyler Herro returned from a toe injury on Tuesday and played 29 minutes off the bench, finishing with 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer. The good news for those holding onto Jović is that the Heat essentially went with an eight-man rotation on Tuesday until the final five minutes, when the outcome was no longer in doubt. But his fantasy ceiling is limited, even if Jaquez misses more games.

Herro's return impacts the entire rotation, especially with it being clear that someone will be bounced from the starting lineup once he's moved back into his usual role. Kel'el Ware (68 percent) was the player bumped to the bench when Herro returned from offseason surgery, and that may be the case here as well. Fantasy managers should not drop Ware in that scenario, as he has provided solid fantasy value when used in a reserve role.

F Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans

Bey had been on a roll for just over a month, locking down a spot in the Pelicans' starting lineup as the team was without multiple starters due to injury. Unfortunately, he hasn't appeared in a game since New Year's Eve due to a right hip flexor strain. Herb Jones (20 percent) made his return from a sprained right ankle on Tuesday and struggled with his shot, going 1-of-9 from the field in a loss to the Lakers.

While his ability to play 35 minutes despite not playing in a game since December 22 was a positive, Jones's offensive struggles severely limit his fantasy impact. And with the Pelicans visiting the Hawks on Wednesday, he may be in line for an injury management day. And the Pelicans' roster is short on available fantasy alternatives, with Jeremiah Fears (21 percent) being the only player worth the risk.

G/F Josh Hart, New York Knicks

On January 2, the Knicks announced that Hart would be re-evaluated in one week. That would coincide with the first game of New York's four-game road trip in Phoenix. Hart's impact is missed, with the Knicks going 2-4 in his absence and dropping the last four. Miles McBride (13 percent) has played in five of those six games and has been nearly a top-50 player despite coming off the bench in four of those appearances. He's worth the risk as long as Hart is out. While Mitchell Robinson (seven percent) has gained attention for his rebounding prowess, the overall fantasy value isn't there, especially as the team has to manage his playing time due to the lingering ankle issue.

C Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder

For just the second time this season, the Thunder have lost consecutive games. However, more concerning than that is Hartenstein's health, who has been out since December 28 with a right soleus strain. Wednesday's game against the Jazz will be the sixth that he's missed, and the Thunder have not provided a return timeline. While Cason Wallace (20 percent) filled the resulting void in the starting lineup in the past, Aaron Wiggins (four percent) received the nod for Monday's blowout loss to the Hornets.

Both logged 25 minutes, with Wiggins (11 points, two rebounds, two steals and two three-pointers) being more productive than Wallace (two points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals). However, Wallace's season-long fantasy value makes him the more trustworthy option of the two. Ajay Mitchell (28 percent) should be targeted before either Wallace or Wiggins, as he continues to provide top-100 fantasy value after barely being on the fantasy radar during the preseason. All three players also receive a slight boost due to Alex Caruso missing the last two games (including Wednesday) with a sore lower back.

G Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic

After missing seven games with a hip injury, Suggs played in two games before being sidelined by a Grade 1 MCL contusion. Counting Wednesday's matchup with the Nets, he has missed the last three games. And based on Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley's words ahead of Tuesday's loss to the Wizards, this may be an injury that keeps Suggs out for an extended period. The point guard still has not resumed on-court activities, which is obviously an issue.

Tristan da Silva (two percent) has moved into the starting lineup, but the production has not been good enough to justify streaming him. Anthony Black (46 percent), who has been highly productive since the Magic lost Franz Wagner to a high ankle sprain, is still available in more than half of Yahoo! leagues. If he isn't sitting on your league's waiver wire, accounting for Suggs' absence may require looking at other teams for potential alternatives.

C Joel Embiid, F Kelly Oubre Jr. and F Trendon Watford, Philadelphia 76ers

Embiid is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Wizards, but this stretch of games has been nothing but positive for him. He's played at least 33 minutes in each of the last four games, including a season-high 40 in Monday's loss to the Nuggets. With Embiid available for six of Philadelphia's last seven games, the availability and production have been positive for fantasy managers. If he doesn't play on Wednesday, Adem Bona (one percent) may receive the starting nod after Andre Drummond (seven percent) was a DNP-CD against Denver.

Also questionable for Wednesday are Oubre and Watford, who have not played since November due to knee and adductor injuries, respectively. Oubre's imminent return stands to be more impactful on the 76ers' rotation. Dominick Barlow (three percent) may not make waves in fantasy basketball, but he has been an effective contributor as the starting power forward. That said, he's still on a two-way contract and has been active for 24 games (two-way players cannot be active for more than 50 games).

The 76ers have yet to have Oubre and Paul George available for the same game this season; will they be the starting forwards? Or does Oubre come off the bench even after any potential restrictions are removed? Philadelphia's depth will receive a welcome boost soon, but that may complicate things for fantasy managers.

F Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

Murray sprained his left ankle during a January 4 loss to the Bucks, which was also Zach LaVine's first game back from a sprained ankle. Murray is expected to be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, opening up a spot in the starting lineup for LaVine. This also meant that Precious Achiuwa (two percent) remained in the starting five for Tuesday's loss to the Mavericks. Despite starting Sacramento's last 11 games, he hasn't done enough to move the needle in fantasy, averaging 5.8 points and 5.2 rebounds on 35.3 percent shooting. And there isn't much to gain from trusting Keon Ellis (three percent) or Malik Monk (14 percent) either, with the latter currently out of the Kings' rotation entirely.

C Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

After missing two games with a left knee injury, Wembanyama returned to action Tuesday night in Memphis. As was the case in his first games back from a calf injury that sidelined him for 12 games, the Spurs brought the 7-foot-4 phenom off the bench. Despite playing 21 minutes, Wembanyama racked up 30 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and three three-pointers. As we've seen in the past, he does not need to play starters' minutes to make a significant impact.

Luke Kornet (18 percent) played 27 minutes as the starter, but his impact was limited with Wemby in the rotation, and Kelly Olynyk (less than one percent) played nine minutes off the bench. Kornet is worth holding onto in deep leagues as long as he's starting, and that could be for a few more games if the Spurs' handling of Wembanyama's return from the calf strain is an indication of how they'll handle his latest return from injury.

C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors

While Poeltl has missed Toronto's seven (and nine of the last ten) games with a persistent lower back injury that first became an issue during the preseason, there was some good news on Monday. The 7-footer has been cleared for contact, a step in the right direction despite Poeltl being ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Hornets. Sandro Mamukelashvili (22 percent) was the replacement in the starting lineup for three of the first four games that Poeltl missed, but rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (five percent) assumed that role for the last two.

In Monday's win over the Hawks, CMB was responsible for 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocked shots in 31 minutes. His game is well-suited for category leagues, and the upside makes Murray-Boyles worth the risk. And he may be worth holding onto even after Poeltl is cleared to play.

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Victor Wembanyama returns from knee injury, scores 30 off bench, but sits at end of Spurs loss to Grizzlies

Missing just two games following a hyperextension of his knee, Victor Wembanyama was back on the court Tuesday night and dropped 30, but had to miss the end of a loss to Memphis because of his minutes limit.

Spurs fans — and hoops fans everywhere — held their breath after Wembanyama hyperextended his knee, something that usually results in missing considerable time with bone bruises or ligament damage, such as with Nikola Jokic. But two games later, there was Wemby on the court pregame doing things that have you shaking your head, even in warm-ups.

Wembanyama started the game on the bench but entered the game midway through the first quarter, and from there on put up 30 points with five boards in just 21 minutes of playing time.

That minutes limit came into play in the fourth quarter, when Wembanyama was subbed out with 3:45 remaining and the Spurs up by one. After some back and forth and a couple of buckets from De'Aaron Fox (who was ice cold most of the night), the Grizzlies Cam Spencer scored the final five points of the game to give Memphis the 106-105 victory. Spencer finished the night with 21 points.

Before the game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson essentially said part of the Spurs' job was to protect the competitive Wembanyama from himself — he wanted to come back earlier, but the team is thinking long term.

"I do know his long-term health and making sure we keep that kid from himself in terms of his competitiveness [is a priority]," Johnson said. "We want him to be healthy for years, not for just trying to win the next couple of games."

Santi Aldama's block of a Fox 15-footer sealed the win, and that snapped the Grizzlies' four-game losing streak.

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Why Draymond Green believes Steph Curry gets unfavorable calls from NBA referees

Why Draymond Green believes Steph Curry gets unfavorable calls from NBA referees originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors star Steph Curry doesn’t seem to get the same favorable calls other NBA stars tend to get. 

His teammate, Draymond Green, believes there’s a key reason why.

“Does his lack of saying things to the referee affect the whistle that he doesn’t get? I think so,” Green stated in the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” “Not that Steph isn’t someone that’s going to stand up for himself. He just doesn’t on the court from a referee perspective. But I do think it ultimately affects him.” 

Curry, unlike many other NBA stars, isn’t one to berate the officiating crew when he doesn’t get a call after contact. He will sometimes gesture or look towards a referee, but it’s not the same demonstrative lobbying that you would see from a player such as Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić.

Green assuredly is the opposite and will make sure the officials know his thoughts. Even though he ranks towards the top of the league in technical fouls along with Dončić, he says it works his way more often than not. 

“I think I get a better whistle than Steph,” Green noted. “A much better whistle than Steph, in my opinion. If something wrong, it’s wrong.” 

Although it may be a reason why he doesn’t get more calls his way, Green says Curry’s calm demeanor is admirable. 

“I think we all want to be like Steph Curry when it comes to that,” Green explained. “But I I do think ultimately him not saying much to the referees, they call less. And yet that’s who we would all want to be is to have that reaction that he has.” 

Regardless, officiating will always have its inconsistencies, according to Green. 

“It’s human beings involved, which means there’s emotion and feeling and judgment involved — it isn’t robots,” Green said. “And so, just that thing alone — it being human beings — is naturally and automatically going to make it inconsistent because we’re human beings. We miss things we make mistakes.” 

Unfavorable officiating came to the forefront in the Warriors’ 103-102 loss to the LA Clippers on Monday, in which coach Steve Kerr was ejected and Steph Curry fouled out in crunch time. 

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Why potential Anthony Davis-to-Warriors trade is more fantasy than reality

Why potential Anthony Davis-to-Warriors trade is more fantasy than reality originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers were going through pregame warmups Monday before tipoff at the Intuit Dome, two NBA power brokers were sitting on the bench next to each other deep in conversation.

There was Mike Dunleavy, the Golden State general manager who is exploring myriad trade options in hopes of boosting a team mired in mediocrity.

And there was agent Rich Paul, who represents Golden State forward-center Draymond Green.

Paul also represents Dallas Mavericks forward-center Anthony Davis, a 13-year veteran the Warriors have probed from a distance for several years, with varying degrees of curiosity.

The Warriors still have an interest in Davis, according to a report in The Athletic. Two league sources contacted by NBC Sports Bay Area on Wednesday confirmed their interest.

Davis would address several of Golden State’s most conspicuous needs. He’s lengthy – 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan – an efficient scorer and an elite rim protector. On talent alone, he’s an ideal target.

Davis, 32, also comes with a gigantic caveat, as he is among the least durable stars in NBA history. Only once since 2018 has he played in more than 70 percent of his team’s games. He has played in 19 of the Mavericks’ 35 games this season.

The availability factor is, according to sources, among several reasons it is unlikely that Golden State would trade for Davis, who is making $54.1 million this season and is set to gain $58.5 million in 2026-27.

“A month ago, I would have said there’s no chance,” said one source, who asked not to be identified. “Now, I’d say there is a tiny, tiny chance. A lot would have to happen, including moving a big salary and a slew of first-round picks. It’s not impossible, but it’s very unlikely.”

It must be understood that any attempt by the Warriors to acquire Davis – or anyone with a sizable contract upward of $40 million – would require moving a comparable salary. Stephen Curry ($59.6 million this season, $62.6M next season) is off limits. Golden State so far has indicated no willingness to part with Jimmy Butler III ($54.1M, $56.8M).

Which brings us to Green, whose current salary is $25.9 million, with a player option next season worth $27.7 million. The Warriors have long been reluctant to part with Green, with Curry’s influence being a significant factor. And Draymond’s salary would have to be packaged with another sizable contract (Jonathan Kuminga makes $22.5 million, with a team option for $24.3 million next season – but has a 15 percent trade kicker that would push total value above $48 million).

Green’s play this season has declined, most visibly on offense. Opponents dare him to shoot, but he has not been able to routinely exploit their generosity. The 13-year veteran’s turnover rate is at a career high, mostly because he tends to force passes through defenses anticipating them. Draymond’s greatest value to the Warriors is that his defense remains stellar.

We are two weeks removed from Dunleavy telling NBC Sports Bay Area that he does not expect the Warriors to make a move like that which delivered Butler before the trade deadline last season.

“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better, but I wouldn’t bank on that type of move,” the GM said on “Warriors Pregame Live” on Dec. 22. “To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement we did from being a 500 team to 23-8 (last season), that’s going to be pretty unrealistic.

“I think that the key with this team frankly, right now and moving forward, is improvement from within. The biggest area we know is turnovers. We’ve got to start taking care of the ball.”

Golden State is 5-3 since that statement. Some things have changed, and some have not. 

Paul is among the league’s most daring and aggressive agents. The Mavericks, according to one source, are not looking to trade Davis but are open to the possibility if it means getting future draft picks.

The Warriors are not seeking to trade Green, either, but each loss – and each game in which he is subpar or unavailable – won’t allow them to responsibly dismiss the possibility. Remember the departure of Klay Thompson? 

Golden State is not close to a deal for Kuminga, according to sources, but all 29 possible destinations know he is on the market after Jan. 15. His contract alone would not be enough to acquire a game-changing star.

If the Warriors don’t part with one of their three core members, Dunleavy’s comments will be validated. They’ll hope this core takes them to great heights. And they won’t get anywhere near Davis – or any other perennial All-Star.

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Why Scott Perry won't make ‘rash' decision despite Kings' disastrous season

Why Scott Perry won't make ‘rash' decision despite Kings' disastrous season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The way the Kings have operated over the past two decades has given Scott Perry some clarity on how he plans to handle things as general manager moving forward.

If you need a refresher: The Kings, after 16 long seasons without a playoff appearance, finally broke the streak as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference just three seasons ago. Since then, they fired coach Mike Brown, traded away franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox and hired a new front office regime to clean up the mess.

If you take a closer look, the Brown firing fell on the lap of Fox, who was blamed for the decision despite being vocally outspoken about his close relationship with the coach. Amid all the outside narratives, no one from the Sacramento leadership held a press conference to clarify the situation or address the decision.

Instead, they let the narratives run and then traded Fox two months later.

“You fire the coach and don’t do an interview?” Fox told ESPN’s Anthony Slater after the trade. “So all the blame was on me. … I felt at the time the organization didn’t have my back.”

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive urged McNair to fire Brown as the coach was driving to the airport for a road trip, a decision that stemmed as “panic was rising internally” among the organization, Slater reported in a column published Wednesday, citing team sources. Ranadive, at the time, was on vacation in Cabo San Lucas.

Sacramento then, in another desperate move, traded Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal that brought Zach LaVine, a player Ranadive has long been enamored by, to the Kings. The move was finalized despite McNair’s apprehension, Slater reported, citing league sources.

McNair was relieved of his duties immediately after the Kings’ play-in loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

From the Beam Team fairytale to back to the dumps of the West, Perry watched from afar, and he was hired to fulfill the challenging role left vacant after McNair’s firing. But he took notes as he observed the three-year rollercoaster. And now, even as the Kings sit with an 8-29 record and remain one of the worst teams in the league, Perry, unlike previous front offices, won’t make decisions out of desperation.

“I use the phrase prudent and opportunistic,” Perry told Slater. “Which I’m going to continue to be. I’m not someone who’s going to do something rash. Nothing rushed or panicked.”

The trade deadline is where things are perceived to change for Sacramento, but as Perry alluded to, he won’t “blow it up” if it doesn’t make sense for the Kings long-term.

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Bench boost: Four players who are turbo-charging Celtics' second unit

Bench boost: Four players who are turbo-charging Celtics' second unit originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Considering all the consternation about the Boston Celtics’ depth following their summer roster overhaul, maybe the most surprising aspect of their climb to No. 2 in the Eastern Conference has been how much they’ve been able to lean on their depth pieces. 

The Celtics, winners of four straight and eight of their last nine overall, have routinely leaned on a 10-man rotation in recent weeks, and that’s with early season starter Josh Minott struggling to break free from the land of DNPs. 

The C’s are now 17-3 whenever their bench generates 35+ points this season (and 6-9 when they don’t). What’s more, Boston is 18-2 when the bench makes at least seven 3-pointers (and 5-10 when they don’t). 

Over the last eight games, Boston’s bench production is up to 41.9 points per game, with bench players shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 42.6 percent beyond the 3-point arc. Celtics reserves are averaging 7.9 3-point makes per game over that span.

Boston’s bench players are a combined +80 in that span. The next-closest bench unit is Detroit’s at +44.

Boston’s recent bench boost coincidences with the resurgence of Luka Garza, who overcame his own DNP stretch to reenergize the Celtics’ reserve groups. Offseason addition Anfernee Simons looks more comfortable in his bench role and shoulders the offensive burden, while Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh fly around injecting a little bit of chaos into every possession.

Given Boston’s bench success, here’s one notable way each of the four primary bench players have impacted winning:

Simons says… defense?

Simons’ offensive credentials are well-established. He erupted for 27 points in the second half against the Bulls to ensure the Celtics got to the finish line of a win on a night where Jaylen Brown and Derrick White were struggling with their offensive efficiency. 

But Joe Mazzulla keeps making it a point to highlight Simons’ defensive efforts.

The NBA’s defensive tracking data suggests that opponents are shooting a team-worst 36.7 percent against Simons over the last eight games. He’s holding opponents to a team-best 8.4 percent below expected field goal percentage in that span.

The Celtics have done a good job hiding Simons. The folks at the stat-tracking site BBall Index suggest he ranks 486th out of 506 players this season in matchup difficulty. But Simons also deserves credit for his defensive toughness. He’s fighting through screens, he’s staying attached to cutters, and he’s doing all he can to repair a reputation as an uninterested defender.

Simons limits his fouls — something he’s done throughout his NBA career — and when he stays close to his assignment, he’s making things difficult.

Opponents are shooting 1.7 percent less than expected on all of his contested shots, and 4.5 below expected at the rim. Both marks rank in the 83rd percentile or better for his position.

Hugo and the o-boards

The Celtics are gathering offensive rebounds on a staggering 46 percent of their missed shots while the 19-year-old Gonzalez is on the floor over their last eight games. For context, the Houston Rockets lead the NBA with an offensive rebound percentage of 40.8, while the Celtics slot sixth overall at 33.6 percent. 

Gonzalez and his relentless motor can often be seen streaking from the corner in hopes of extending possessions. Even when he doesn’t corral the miss, the chaos he creates throwing himself into the big-man mosh pit can often create second-chance opportunities for Boston.

Individually, Gonzalez corrals rebounds on 6.6 percent of his team’s missed shots while he’s on the court, which ranks in the 88th percentile among all wings, per Cleaning the Glass data. Gonzalez’s ability to help clean the glass has been vital for a Celtics team that lacks pure size, particularly off the bench.

One more notable number for Gonzalez: The Celtics have a defensive rating of 96.5 during his 165 minutes of floor time over the last eight games. That’s the best mark on the team by nearly 5 points. 

Garza’s bone-crunching screens

Garza’s been a force since rejoining the rotation, averaging 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds over 21.9 minutes per game over his last eight outings. What’s more, he’s shooting 54.5 percent on 3-pointers in that span.

But his biggest impact is generating quality looks for everyone else on the roster.

Garza leads the NBA with 41 screen assists since December 20. That’s five more than the next-closest player (Sacramento’s Maxime Raynaud, 36). Garza’s 96 screen points generated also tops the NBA in that span, with the next closest player being Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert at 81 screen assist points. 

For the season, Garza is averaging 6.6 screen assists per 36 minutes. That’s the second-best per-36 number in the league, trailing only Dallas’ Dwight Powell (8.2). Garza is content to set screens and either roll like a maniac to the basket, or pop free for an open 3-point look. 

The Celtics are outscoring opponents by a team-best 28.5 points per 100 possessions during Garza’s 175 minutes of floor time over the past eight games.

Baylor taking charge(s)

Like Simons, fans will tend to fixate on Baylor Scheierman’s offensive output (and he’s actually been highly efficient while shooting 42 percent on 3s this season). But he’s quietly emerging as a defensive pest with the way he’s goading opponents into offensive fouls.

Scheierman, despite limited playing time, is second on the team with 11 offensive fouls drawn. Only Derrick White (19) has drawn more this season, and the next-closest is Gonzalez at six.

Scheierman has a knack for taking a charge in a key spot or getting a whistle while getting jostled by a moving screen. He ranks in the 99th percentile for his position while generating 1.6 offensive fouls per 100 possessions.

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Kings reportedly ‘checked in' with Warriors on Jonathan Kuminga situation

Kings reportedly ‘checked in' with Warriors on Jonathan Kuminga situation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings’ interest in young Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t wavered.

And since Kuminga is back out of Steve Kerr’s rotation, those talks apparently have been rehashed.

Kuminga, who signed a two-year, $46.8 million contract in late September that ended a months-long standoff with the Warriors, is trade eligible beginning Jan. 15.

The Warriors reportedly are “exploring the deadline landscape,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported in a column published Wednesday, citing league sources, but are willing to keep Kuminga past the deadline if nothing appealing materializes.

Slater added, citing league sources, that Kings general manager Scott Perry checked in with Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy last week on the situation.

Kuminga, in a stunning turn of events, started the first 12 games for Kerr this season, averaging 14.9 points on 48.1-percent shooting, with 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 29.1 minutes over that span.

Since then, he has registered several DNPs, including sitting out of 12 of Golden State’s last 13 games.

Over the summer, the two teams engaged in several discussions for a trade involving Kuminga. Perry visited Kuminga during his workout in Miami over the summer when he was a restricted free agent. He, Kings assistant GM B.J. Armstrong and coach Doug Christie also had conversations with Kuminga over the offseason.

“There remains mutual interest,” Slater wrote.

However, Perry is hesitant to offer the same 2030 protected first-round pick that was on the table for Kuminga in the summer, Slater wrote. The Warriors don’t want to take on a multiyear contract they view as “negative value,” Slater reported, citing league sources, which has made veteran Kings guard Malik Monk a “nonstarter” in negotiations.

There are other pathways to getting a deal done, but it isn’t easy.

And both sides have made it clear they won’t make any rash or impulsive decisions to get it done.

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Middling Warriors in similar spot as last year ahead of NBA trade deadline

Middling Warriors in similar spot as last year ahead of NBA trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s déjà vu all over again for the Warriors less than a month from the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline. 

A 103-102 loss to a James Harden-less Los Angeles Clippers team Monday night, one month to the date from the deadline, dropped them to 19-18 on the season, giving the Warriors the same record through 37 games in four of the last six seasons. 

The other three seasons are 2020-21 when they finished as the No. 9 seed and missed the playoffs after losing twice in the play-in tournament, 2022-23 when they were the No. 6 seed and beat the Sacramento Kings in seven games before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in six, and last season when they won their play-in game as the No. 7 seed and lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games without Steph Curry after beating the Houston Rockets in seven. 

The two seasons they weren’t 19-18 were the 2021-22 championship team, in which the Warriors were 29-8 through 37 games, and 2023-24 when they went 17-20. That season ended with a play-in tournament blowout loss to the Kings in Sacramento that also was Klay Thompson’s final game with the Warriors. 

Hope didn’t start for the Warriors last season until the trade deadline after acquiring Jimmy Butler. But the Warriors were stuck in the blocks at the beginning of the race and sprinted to the end to try and catch up. Their superstar who will be 38 years old at the start of this season’s playoffs couldn’t make it through the finish line. 

Curry’s strained hamstring put a stop to the Warriors’ puncher’s chance of making a run at another ring. He’s averaging 28.7 points per game in Year 17, the fourth highest of his career, and ranks ninth in the league. Of the eight players ahead of him, Nikola Jokić, 31 on Feb. 19, is the only one who’s in his 30s. 

The first and most obvious avenue for improvement this season starts the day Jonathan Kuminga becomes trade eligible on Jan. 15. The summer saga of Kuminga’s restricted free agency has turned into him holding a $22.5 million contract on the bench as he watches games in warmup gear. Kuminga played 21 and a half minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 6 and then was a healthy DNP (Did Not Play) in the Warriors’ next three games, going 1-2. 

Coach Steve Kerr raved about a string of practices Kuminga put together and said he would be rewarded in the Warriors’ Dec. 18 game against the Phoenix Suns. The Warriors lost by one point and Kuminga played nine and a half minutes where he scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting and had four rebounds. 

Kuminga was ruled inactive with an illness two nights later against the Suns and was back to being a healthy DNP in five straight games. Kerr said Kuminga was going to be in the rotation against the Oklahoma City Thunder but he was a late addition to the injury report with lower back soreness and missed a game the Warriors also were down Curry, Butler and Draymond Green. Kuminga has been a healthy DNP in the two games since. 

The Warriors are 9-9 in games Kuminga has played this season, and 10-9 without him.

League sources told NBC Sports Bay Area the Kings, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards all have different levels of interest in Kuminga. The Dallas Mavericks, who initiated contact with the Warriors about their thoughts on trading for Anthony Davis, as The Athletic’s Sam Amick first reported, also like Kuminga, sources confirmed. But the Mavericks do not have interest in Green, whose $25.8 million contract would be needed in a deal to get Davis, who’s making $54.1 million. 

And the Warriors also haven’t shown any interest in trading Butler, another big contract that would land Davis, one year later.

The Mavs badly want to get off Davis’ contract ahead of him being eligible for a $275 million max deal next summer, and draft picks are more enticing. Teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets are eyeing the future and will want draft compensation more than anything for their best players who could be available. One league source speculated Trey Murphy’s price tag would cost giving the Pelicans three first-round picks, and two to the Nets for Michael Porter Jr., if either player is available. 

Letting go of draft picks while also knowing what the post-Curry era could look like is the Warriors’ best bet of adding a big enough piece to really compete. How far will they go? 

The Warriors own their future first-round pick in every year aside from 2030, which they can trade the rights to that year only if it lands in the top 20. They have three unprotected firsts, the ability to swap in three other years and the protected pick in 2030 over the next seven drafts. 

The Butler move made Curry believe again. Can he believe the Warriors in their current construction right now are championship material? 

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy joined NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli on “Warriors Pregame Live” before Golden State’s eventual 120-97 win against the Orlando Magic two weeks ago and poured water on the idea of making a move as big as last year’s Butler acquisition. Kerr recently also spoke publicly on the precautionary tales of teams that went all-in for a star and now don’t have any future first-round picks.

“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” Dunleavy said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”

The Warriors went 23-8 with Butler down the stretch last season. Their record was one game below .500 at the trade deadline, and the season ended in the second round of the playoffs after Curry’s injury. 

Even if the Warriors don’t make a move to the magnitude of Butler, this year’s situation is similar in the way of addition by subtraction, and the sentiment is shared despite them liking the players who make up the bottom half of the roster. The Warriors lost four players and brought in one with Butler. Aside from his talent, the move allowed the Warriors to solidify roles and rotations much better. 

If the Warriors can move multiple players for one who would be in their top four every night, “that would make things a lot easier [for them], it’s kind of what happened last year,” one league source said.

Kerr still is using 12 guys, and Kuminga isn’t one of them, with 14 players healthy. Open roster spots would open a lane to a standard contract for Pat Spencer, and the Warriors might have big help, literally, in waiting from their Santa Cruz G League affiliate. 

Charles Bassey, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound center/power forward was a former top high school recruit and second-round pick in the 2021 draft who has 115 games of NBA experience, including two this season. Santa Cruz traded for Bassey, 25, on Dec. 27 and in 26.4 minutes per game he has averaged 17.6 points, 11 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots through his first five games with a 60.3 field goal percentage and 45.5 3-point percentage. 

His last three games have been some crazy box scores, and Bassey’s energy and effort jumps out. First, he went for 17 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots on New Year’s Eve and then dropped 34 points on 13 of 21 from the field and 3 of 6 on threes, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots. Bassey in Santa Cruz’s most recent game went for 14 points, 15 rebounds and another three blocked shots. The Sea Dubs won all three games. 

“He’s an NBA player,” one source said. 

“He still is,” another source said. “All that stuff is real.”

Like Kevin Knox last year, though, Bassey isn’t eligible for a two-way contract. Teams started being able to sign players to 10-day contracts on Jan. 5. As Bassey has impressed the Warriors, the big man is sure to be on other teams’ radars outside of them as well with rosters soon to be in flux.

More traction to Kuminga’s market is going to come the closer we get to Jan. 15, starting a three-week window to the trade deadline. Both sides agree it’s best to move forward and on from each other. The Warriors’ picture of what team they’ll be to make another run should become clearer in the next four weeks, and likely sooner, just like a year ago.

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