NBA Player News
-
Isaiah Hartenstein C | OKC
Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein: Won't play Sunday
Hartenstein (calf) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Heat.
Hartenstein will miss his eighth straight game due to a right soleus strain, and it's not a positive sign that he continues to be ruled out a day in advance of tipoff. The big man's next opportunity to suit up will come Tuesday against the Spurs.
-
Jay Huff C | IND
Pacers' Jay Huff: Not starting Saturday
Huff is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Heat, Tony East of Forbes.com reports.
Huff has been a regular starter for the Pacers of late and has been part of the first unit in all but two of the Pacers' last 20 games, but that won't be the case Saturday. Huff should still see sizable minutes as a rim protector. He's averaging 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks across 16.7 minutes per game in 18 outings off the bench this season.
-
Zach Edey C | MEM
Grizzlies' Zach Edey: Out against Brooklyn
Edey (ankle) is out for Sunday's game against the Nets.
Edey hasn't played since Dec. 7, and it's unclear when he'll be able to return to the hardwood. The big man, who's averaging 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, should be considered doubtful for the Grizzlies' next game against the Magic on Thursday. He's expected to be re-evaluated soon.
-
Isaiah Jackson C | LAC
Pacers' Isaiah Jackson: Out of protocol, but needs ramp-up time
Head coach Rick Carlisle said Saturday that Jackson has been cleared from the league's concussion protocol, though he'll need at least one more week to ramp up his conditioning, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Jackson hasn't played since Dec. 22 but appears to be nearing a return to action now that he's no longer experiencing concussion symptoms. Even so, Jackson looks like he'll remain out through at least next Saturday's game against Detroit while he ramps back up. In the meantime, the Pacers are likely to make use of a three-man rotation at center that includes Jay Huff, Micah Potter and Tony Bradley.
-
Robert Williams III C | POR
Trail Blazers' Robert Williams: Questionable to face New York
Williams (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Knicks.
Williams left during the second quarter of the Trail Blazers' 111-105 win over the Rockets on Friday after sustaining a right knee injury. If he's not cleared to play Sunday, then Yang Hansen would be in line for a more prominent role off the bench behind starting center Donovan Clingan.
-
Joel Embiid C | PHI
76ers' Joel Embiid: Questionable to play Sunday
Embiid is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Raptors due to left knee injury management, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com reports.
The 76ers and Raptors play in back-to-back games in Toronto on Sunday and Monday. Embiid will likely sit out of one of those games while managing a left knee injury, in which case Andre Drummond would be the top candidate to enter the 76ers' starting five. Embiid has played in each of the 76ers' last six games, and over that span he has averaged 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 blocks over 33.7 minutes per game.
-
Jakob Poeltl C | TOR
Raptors' Jakob Poeltl: Absence streak to continue
Poeltl (back) is out for Sunday's game against the 76ers, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports.
Poeltl is trending in the right direction but is still not ready to return. This means Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles will continue to handle the minutes at center against Joel Embiid (knee) and the 76ers. Poeltl's next chance to return will come against Philadelphia on Monday in the second leg of a back-to-back set.
-
Jusuf Nurkic C | UTA
Jazz's Jusuf Nurkic: Downgraded to out
Nurkic (toe) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against Charlotte.
Nurkic will miss a second straight game due to a toe sprain in his left foot. His absence will mean more opportunities for Kevin Love and Kyle Filipowski. Nurkic's next chance to play will come Monday at Cleveland.
-
Marvin Bagley III C | DAL
Wizards' Marvin Bagley: Cut out of rotation Friday
Bagley (coach's decision) went unused off the bench in Friday's 128-107 loss to the Pelicans.
After missing a Dec. 21 game against the Kings due to a calf injury, Bagley had served as the top backup to starting center Alex Sarr in each of the ensuing nine contests while averaging 10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.6 steals in 19.0 minutes per contest. The Wizards provided no indication that Bagley was nursing any sort of injury heading into Friday, so the 26-year-old's lack of playing time simply looks to be the result of head coach Brian Keefe wanting to get a look at two-way player Tristan Vukcevic as the team's second-unit center. Vukcevic came through with an excellent line -- 15 points, five blocks, four rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes -- and fits better with the rebuilding Wizards' timeline than Bagley, a well-traveled veteran on an expiring deal. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising if Bagley remains out of the rotation moving forward to allow the Wizards to give Vukcevic an extended evaluation.
-
Moe Wagner C | ORL
Magic's Moritz Wagner: Making season debut Sunday
The Magic announced that Wagner (knee) will be available to make his season debut Sunday against the Pelicans.
Wagner had been in the midst of a career-best season in 2024-25 before tearing the ACL in his left knee in a Dec. 21, 2024 game before undergoing surgery a few weeks later. After a year-long rehab and recovery process, Wagner has finally been cleared to play again, though he'll likely operate under a minutes restriction. Prior to getting hurt, Wagner had been serving as the top backup to starting center Wendell Carter, though it's uncertain whether he'll be able to unseat Goga Bitadze for the No. 2 role following his lengthy absence due to the knee injury.