NBA Player News

The Grizzlies announced Thursday that Pippen will undergo a sesamoidectomy to address discomfort in his right big toe and is without a timeline for a return.

The guard is expected to make a full recovery from the procedure, and while a timeline for his return hasn't been established, the non-contending Grizzlies will most likely hold him out for the remainder of the season. Pippen has been limited to just 10 appearances so far in 2025-26, after his season debut was delayed while he recovered from a October surgery on the big toe on his left foot. His absence should help open up extra opportunities in the backcourt for rookies Walter Clayton (ankle) and Javon Small.

Middleton finished with 35 points (10-17 FG, 8-10 3Pt, 7-7 FT), two rebounds, one assist and two steals in 25 minutes during Thursday's 120-112 victory over Memphis.

Middleton was getting nearly everything to fall, especially from beyond the arc, where he buried a season-high eight triples. He paced the Mavs in scoring despite being deployed off the bench and even found a way to add production on the defensive end. It's unfair to expect this kind of scoring production from the 34-year-old regularly, but he still shows flashes of elite scoring from time to time.

Mitchell finished with 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt), five rebounds, five assists and one steal in 27 minutes during Thursday's 112-105 victory over the Bucks.

Mitchell got back on track from beyond the arc after going 0-for-5 in his previous two appearances. He enjoyed an efficient performance in the win, needing only nine attempts from the field to score in double figures. The Baylor product has scored in double digits in three of his last four outings and is averaging 5.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds over that span.

Jakucionis logged 18 points (6-12 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 35 minutes during Thursday's 112-105 victory over the Bucks.

Jakucionis drew a second consecutive start with Tyler Herro (quadriceps) sidelined, and he looked much more comfortable Thursday evening. He put together his best showing in the scoring column since Feb. 9 and snagged a season high in boards on the way to a win. While Jakucionis has logged north of 30 minutes in back-to-back outings, these kinds of opportunities are expected to dwindle once Miami's backcourt returns to health.

Rollins racked up 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, 10 assists and one steal across 33 minutes during Thursday's 112-105 loss to the Heat.

Rollins moved to the bench Thursday after making four consecutive starts, but he didn't allow the role change to impact his performance. He's now scored in double figures in five straight games, and he's recorded a pair of double-doubles during that hot stretch, showing that he can grab double-digit boards or dish out double-digit assists on any given night.

Kuminga (knee) logged two points (0-4 FG, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds and two assists across 19 minutes during Thursday's 108-97 win over the Nets.

After missing the previous three games due to a left knee bone bruise, Kuminga was back in action Thursday and served as the ninth man in the Hawks rotation. While Kuminga did a nice job attacking the glass, he also missed all four of his shot attempts and struggled at the charity stripe. Consistency has been an issue for Kuminga throughout his career, and even though he's ostensibly healthy again, he could struggle to earn more minutes so long as Jalen Johnson remains available.

Okongwu totaled 13 points (4-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 5-7 FT), nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 30 minutes during Thursday's 108-97 victory over the Nets.

This was Okongwu's second straight game with four swats and nine boards, and he finished with a plus-six differential in the 11-point win. Okongwu is on pace to hit career highs in points (16.1), assists (3.3), triples (2.1) and steals (1.2) this season, and he's flirting with top-30 value on the year.

Isaac was diagnosed with a left knee sprain after undergoing an MRI following Thursday's 136-131 overtime win over the Wizards. The Magic announced that a timeline for Isaac's return will be dependent on how he responds to treatment.

After missing three straight games with a left knee strain, Isaac was cleared to play Wednesday but wasn't part of the rotation in a 128-122 win over the Cavaliers. The Magic turned to Isaac off the bench for the second leg of the back-to-back set, but he played just 1:25 before succumbing to a new knee injury. Given that Isaac previously tore the ACL in the same knee back in August 2020, the Magic are likely to take a cautious approach with the veteran big man, even though the severity of his injury isn't yet known. Isaac should be expected to miss multiple games.

Johnson posted 21 points (7-15 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 36 minutes during Thursday's 108-97 win over Brooklyn.

Johnson got hot during the fourth quarter, scoring nine of his 21 points on 3-for-5 shooting, and he finished with a team-best plus-12 differential. The Hawks have now won a season-best eight straight games, which is their longest win streak in five years. They'll look to make it nine in a row Saturday versus the Bucks.

Alexander-Walker posted 18 points (5-13 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 6-6 FT), two rebounds, two assists and three steals over 36 minutes during Thursday's 108-97 victory over Brooklyn.

While Alexander-Walker's shot wasn't falling Thursday, he did a nice job of getting to the line for easy buckets, and he was phenomenal on the defensive end. This marked his second straight game with at least two steals and his fourth consecutive outing with multiple triples. Alexander-Walker will look to keep the momentum rolling into Saturday's matchup with the Bucks.