The Thunder continue to deal with major injuries, including playing chunks of the season without Isaiah Hartenstein and nearly all of it without Chet Holmgren. Part of the reason Oklahoma City is staying afloat – far above and beyond in fact – is the play of Jaylin Williams, Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI writes. “First off, he has become a leader. Always doing the right things, … [Read more...] about Northwest Notes: Williams, SGA, Gordon, Dillingham
And-Ones: All-Star Game, Fernando, Snyder, NBRPA, Woj
Six NBA reporters at The Athletic, including Sam Amick, Fred Katz, and Joe Vardon, made their picks for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star starters, with all six writers selecting the same three frontcourt players in the East: Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander … [Read more...] about And-Ones: All-Star Game, Fernando, Snyder, NBRPA, Woj
Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoff Race
Of the 15 teams in the Western Conference, only two are clearly focused more on the 2025 draft lottery than the 2024/25 standings. The 10-31 Jazz and 14-28 Trail Blazers don’t have realistic postseason aspirations this season, with management prioritizing the development of young players and the possibility of landing another high draft pick. Those two teams are sandwiching the … [Read more...] about Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoff Race
Raptors Rumors: Facilitation, Brown, Boucher, Mitchell, Olynyk
Doug Smith of The Toronto Star reported last week that the Raptors have signaled their interest in getting involved in a potential Jimmy Butler trade as a facilitator. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), it’s not just a Butler deal that Toronto is open to facilitating. The Raptors have let it be known around the league that they’re willing to help … [Read more...] about Raptors Rumors: Facilitation, Brown, Boucher, Mitchell, Olynyk
Western Notes: Murray, Moody, Powell, Williamson, Missi
Jamal Murray isn’t fazed by criticism. The Nuggets guard signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract extension in September and feels it comes with the territory, he told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “I’m totally ready for it,” Murray said. “That’s why I literally signed up for it.” Murray understands that with the big contract numbers comes increased scrutiny. He’s … [Read more...] about Western Notes: Murray, Moody, Powell, Williamson, Missi