NBA Player News
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Dylan Cardwell C | SAC
Kings' Dylan Cardwell: Narrowly misses double-double
Cardwell ended Sunday's 111-98 win over the Rockets with nine points (4-11 FG, 1-4 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist across 19 minutes.
Despite coming off the bench, the rookie big man flirted with what could've been his first career double-double. The door remains open for Caldwell to play meaningful minutes, with Domantas Sabonis (knee) still out, but Caldwell also has Precious Achiuwa and Drew Eubanks as competitors for playing time behind Maxime Raynaud.
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Jakob Poeltl C | TOR
Raptors' Jakob Poeltl: Another absence coming
Poeltl (back) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the 76ers.
Poeltl was cleared for contact back on Jan. 5 and is trending in the right direction, but the Raptors haven't determined a target date for his return. For what it's worth, head coach Darko Rajakovic said Sunday that Poeltl is without a definitive target date for a return, though that's not necessarily an indication that the veteran center has suffered a setback, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. With Poeltl out for another game, Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili will absorb most of the available minutes at center.
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Joel Embiid C | PHI
76ers' Joel Embiid: Iffy for Monday
Embiid (knee) is questionable for Monday's game against the Raptors.
After getting the night off for maintenance Sunday against the Raptors, Embiid remains day-to-day with some left knee soreness. The 76ers tend to be cautious with Embiid, and they may see how he responds to warmups before a decision is made.
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Jusuf Nurkic C | UTA
Jazz's Jusuf Nurkic: Available to play
Nurkic (toe) will be available for Monday's game against Cleveland.
Nurkic is set to return from a two-game absence, and it's possible he faces some restrictions. With this news, Kevin Love will likely shift back to the bench for Utah. Over his last 12 appearances, Nurkic has averaged 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 threes and 0.9 steals over 27.9 minutes per game.
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Moe Wagner C | ORL
Magic's Moritz Wagner: Light minutes in season debut
Wagner (knee) registered eight points (3-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists across 10 minutes in Sunday's 128-118 win over the Pelicans.
Wagner made his season debut Sunday, after he had been sidelined for the Magic's first 39 games of the campaign while completing his recovery from Jan. 8, 2025, surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. Before he sustained the knee injury last season, Wagner had been regularly serving as the top backup to Wendell Carter, who missed Sunday's game due to a right hip strain. As a result, Goga Bitadze moved into the starting five Sunday, but it's unclear if the Magic will have room in the rotation for both Bitadze and Wagner once Carter is back to full health. Even if Wagner continues to maintain a regular role on the second unit, the Magic are likely to ramp him up slowly, given he's coming off the major knee injury.
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Naz Reid C | MIN
Timberwolves' Naz Reid: Double-doubles in win
Reid closed with 17 points (7-18 FG, 3-7 3Pt), 11 rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals in 31 minutes during Sunday's 104-103 win over San Antonio.
This was a strong line for Reid, and he'll be looking to keep his momentum going in a possible start Tuesday against the Bucks -- Rudy Gobert has been suspended for one game. Over Reid's last eight games, he's averaging 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers in 25.2 minutes per contest.
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Christian Koloko C | ATL
Christian Koloko: Back on free-agent market
Koloko became a free agent Monday after his second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies expired, Keith Smith of Spotrac.com reports.
Memphis would have the ability to retain Koloko by signing him to a rest-of-season deal, though it's unclear if the Grizzlies plan to keep him around with Zach Edey (ankle) seemingly drawing closer to a return to game action. Koloko was a regular member of the rotation over the course of his two 10-day deals, averaging 2.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 0.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting 40 percent from the field in 11 appearances.
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Rudy Gobert C | MIN
Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert: Gets one-game ban for flagrant foul
Gobert will be suspended for Tuesday's game against the Bucks after he triggered a one-game ban by accruing his fifth flagrant foul of the season in Sunday's 104-103 win over the Spurs, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports.
The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year drew the flagrant foul with 7:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, when he was deemed to have recklessly closed out on a Victor Wembanyama three-point attempt. Gobert was then handed a technical after bumping a referee while protesting the flagrant call, but he wasn't ejected from the game and finished the contest with two points (1-4 FG, 0-2 FT), 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 29 minutes. Naz Reid now appears poised to start at center for the Timberwolves on Tuesday, but Gobert should be back in action Friday in Houston upon serving his one-game ban. Any future flagrant fouls that Gobert accrues over the rest of the season will result in a two-game suspension for the veteran center.
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Alperen Sengun C | HOU
Rockets' Alperen Sengun: Returns with 19 points
Sengun (ankle) chipped in 19 points (8-20 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 2-6 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block across 35 minutes during Sunday's 111-98 loss to the Kings.
Sengun returned to action without any restrictions after missing the Rockets' previous three games due to a right ankle sprain. Though he delivered a rather standard stat line in his return and didn't seem to be compromised by the ankle injury, Sengun may nonetheless be a candidate to sit out one half of the Rockets' upcoming back-to-back set this week. After hosting the Bulls on Tuesday, the Rockets have home games Thursday and Friday versus the Thunder and Timberwolves, respectively.