NBA Player News

The Nuggets like their young core, and they’re hopeful they’ll be able to move back in the draft if they do move the selection. They should get some offers tossed their way prior to draft night, but it’s possible nothing materializes.

No surprises here, as rumors of a potential Durant trade have been floating around since February’s trade deadline. The teams most likely to land Durant are the Spurs, Rockets, Timberwolves, Knicks and Heat, though Charania notes several other teams have inquired. At this point, a Durant trade seems imminent, and no matter where he lands, he should be an elite fantasy option thanks to his ability to rebound, facilitate, play defense and score efficiently.

Haliburton sported a notable limp following Sunday’s Game 2 loss, but he should face no restrictions in a pivotal Game 3. He scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2, and he emphasized his need to be more aggressive on offense early in the game. Expect him to make a concerted effort to score early and often on Wednesday.

Brown finished the season with a partial tear in his right meniscus, and after much consultation, he’ll undergo surgery. With Jayson Tatum (Achilles) set to miss an extended part of the upcoming campaign, Brown’s availability carries some extra weight.

While Finch, Houston’s Ime Udoka and Dallas’s Jason Kidd have all been mentioned as people of interest regarding the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy, all are expected to stay put in their current roles. Tuesday night, Charania reported that formal requests to speak with Finch and Udoka were denied by their respective franchises. As for Kidd, The Athletic reported that Dallas expects him to stay, with the head coach possibly looking for a contract extension with the Mavericks.

Since firing Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have reportedly been interested in speaking with three sitting head coaches regarding their opening: Udoka, Minnesota’s Chris Finch and Dallas’s Jason Kidd. While New York reportedly has not formally requested permission to speak with Kidd, they did take that step with Udoka and Finch. According to Charania, Houston and Minnesota denied those requests. In Udoka’s case, he isn’t believed to have much interest in leaving the Rockets, who earned the two-seed in the West this season and have a young, developing roster to work with.

While Kidd has been connected with the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy, there has yet to be a request for permission to speak with him. And, based on recent reports, the Mavericks do not appear to be worried about possibly losing their coach this summer. According to The Athletic, the belief is that Kidd is looking to parlay the Knicks’ interest into a contract extension with the Mavericks. Given his connection to Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, and Dallas having the first overall pick in this month’s draft, Kidd staying in his current role would not be surprising.

Edey reinjured the left ankle that he sprained during the regular season, resulting in the center undergoing surgery to stabilize the area. The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday that the procedure was successful, and he will be re-evaluated in four months. With Edey not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season, Memphis can either slide Brandon Clarke into the starting lineup or move Jaren Jackson Jr. to the five as part of a smaller quintet. Edey’s surgery may also impact Memphis’s approach to Santi Aldama, who will be a restricted free agent next month.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said ahead of Sunday’s Game 2 that Walker was “not close” to returning, so Tuesday’s update is unsurprising. Obi Toppin has been Pascal Siakam’s primary backup throughout the season, but was ineffective in 19 minutes in Indiana’s Game 2 defeat. He’ll hold onto the role, also seeing a little time at the center position when the Pacers decide to go small.

Haliburton was seen limping after Game 2, but he downplayed the severity of it. “I’m fine,” Haliburton said. “Really just a lower leg thing. I’ll leave it at that. I feel fine, and I’ll be ready to go for Game 3.” After being the hero in Game 1, Haliburton was solid in Game 2, but it wasn’t enough for the Pacers to steal another game on the road. Still, the series is tied 1-1, and the Pacers have homecourt advantage for the rest of the series. We’ll see if Haliburton has more magic up his sleeve on Wednesday.

The expectation that Durant will be moved this offseason has been around since the trade deadline. Reports from then indicated that Durant didn’t want to be traded in the middle of the season again, but they did shop him. The draft starts on June 25, and trade negotiations should heat up around then. There are multiple teams that would be interested in parting with assets to bring Durant in to help elevate their team to contention. Regardless of where he ends up, Durant will continue to be one of the best players in the league, and he should have the ball in his hands as much as he wants it.