June 2016 Basketball Wiretap

Nikola Pekovic Prepared To Retire

Dec 30, 2016 2:00 PM

Nikola Pekovic acknowledged this week that he's "more prepared for ending my career than returning" to the NBA.

Minnesota is expected to pursue a medical retirement for Pekovic after Jan 31st. Pekovic has had persistent ankle issues.

Pekovic has one year left on the five-year, $60 million deal he signed during the 2013 offseason.

Pekovic has been running Partizan Belgrade while away from the Wolves.

Marc Stein/ESPN

Tags: Nikola Pekovic, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Injury

Discuss
Josh McRoberts Out Indefinitely With Stress Fracture In Left Foot

Dec 27, 2016 7:57 PM

Josh McRoberts is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his left foot.

"I wish I had something philosophical, a good quote to say to help other people through tough times," McRoberts said before sitting out Tuesday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at AmericanAirlines Arena. "But I think that's part of it. You just keep it in perspective. It could be a whole lot worse. It's an injury and I'll be back. It's never a good thing. It's always frustrating, always disappointing, but you try to stay as strong as you can and get through it, keep things in perspective."

McRoberts has had a cycle of injuries since joining the Miami Heat in 2014. McRoberts arrived in 2014 dealing with a toe issue and was lost for the balance of that 2014-15 season on Dec. 10 with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Last season he missed 26 games at midseason due to a bruised right knee. This season, he missed all of training camp and the start of the season as the result of a broken foot sustained during last season's playoffs.

"I feel for Josh, right now," Erik Spoelstra said. "He wants to be out there and he was starting to get into a great rhythm. We'll use all of our resources to come with the solution for him."

Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel

Tags: Josh McRoberts, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Goran Dragic Sits With Back Spasms

Dec 27, 2016 7:54 PM

Goran Dragic is out of Tuesday's game due to back spasms.

It is Dragic's third injury absence of the season. He missed three games in early November with a sprained left ankle, then two later that month with a strained left elbow.

"There's not a breaking point," Erik Spoelstra said. "You're capable of handling whatever you need to handle. In this league, anything that comes at you is an opportunity to grow as a team."

Josh Richardson will start at point guard with Dragic out.

Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel

Tags: Goran Dragic, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Gerald Henderson Suffering From Intolerable Hip Pain

Dec 27, 2016 11:23 AM

Gerald Henderson left Monday's loss by the Philadelphia 76ers against the Sacramento Kings due to intolerable left hip pain.

Henderson was pulled out of the game early in the fourth quarter when he was visibly laboring.

“I’ve just been in a bit of pain, man,” Henderson said “It actually hasn’t been feeling pretty good. I just pulled myself out. I felt some other guys could do better at the time. I wasn’t moving great at all. 

“I was getting blown by on defense, and I really wanted to win the game. I told him to take me out.”

Henderson said soreness and stiffness are a result from his having two surgeries in that hip. Henderson initially had surgery to repair a torn labrum in the hip in May 2011 while with the  Charlotte Bobcats. His second surgery  in July 2015 was debridement arthroscopy surgery.

Keith Pompey/Philadelphia Inquirer

Tags: Gerald Henderson, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Larry Nance Jr. Out Four Weeks With Bone Bruise

Dec 25, 2016 11:06 PM

Larry Nance Jr. will miss the next four weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee.

Nance suffered the injury on Dec. 20th at Charlotte.

Nance is averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds off the bench this season for the Lakers.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Larry Nance, Jr., Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Damian Lillard Day-To-Day With Sprained Ankle

Dec 25, 2016 10:39 AM

Damian Lillard is day-to-day after rolling his ankle in Friday's loss to the Spurs.

Results of an X-ray came back negative but Lillard left the arena in a walking boot.

"I know I rolled it good. I went back in the game because I wanted to test it, and it hurt,'' Lillard said. "Went out there for a few possessions and it didn't make sense to even be out there."

Lillard is averaging 27.0 points and 6.2 assists per game.

Chris Haynes/ESPN

Tags: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Chris Paul Day-To-Day With Strained Left Hamstring

Dec 23, 2016 12:23 PM

Chris Paul will be listed as day-to-day after straining his left hamstring in the third quarter of Thursday's 106-101 victory over the Spurs. 

"I don't think it's bad, but you don't really know about a hamstring until the next day," Doc Rivers said. 

The Clippers are already without Blake Griffin after he underwent surgery on his right knee.

Paul had 19 points and six assists in 23 minutes before pulling up on defense in the third quarter. 

NBA.com

Tags: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
J.R. Smith Out 12-14 Weeks Following Surgery On Thumb

Dec 23, 2016 12:16 PM

J.R. Smith will miss the next 12 to 14 weeks after undergoing surgery on his broken right thumb. The surgery repaired a complex fracture. If Smith returns at the beginning of that timetable, it would be the middle of March.

Smith suffered the injury against the Milwaukee Bucks this week.

Smith will now undergo a period of recovery and rehabilitation for his thumb.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Jared Sullinger Approximately One Month Away From Return

Dec 23, 2016 11:04 AM

Jared Sullinger is about a month away from returning to the lineup for the Toronto Raptors.

Sullinger has been recovering from the surgery on his left foot he underwent in training camp.

Sullinger is no longer wearing a walking boot and has been able to put more pressure on the foot.

"He has been great with his insights. I tell him I would rather have him as the player Sully than the coach Sully, but he has a great basketball IQ and some great advice," said Dwane Casey. "You know when guys are pulling your tail and giving you bullcrap, but his stuff is real, really intelligent insight into who we are playing and how to play certain guys and certain situations. That has been very helpful. And it’s like I told him, this can help him when he goes on the floor so now he can think through situations so he has no excuse before he makes a mistake."

Josh Lewenberg/TSN

Tags: Jared Sullinger, Toronto Raptors, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
Larry Nance Jr. Out Indefinitely With Bone Bruise In Knee

Dec 22, 2016 10:56 AM

Larry Nance Jr. will be out indefinitely with a bone bruise in his left knee. 

Further results of the exam were inconclusive due to swelling in the knee, so Nance will be re-examined Sunday in Los Angeles by team physician Dr. David McAllister of UCLA Health.

Nance is averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds off the bench this season for the Lakers.

Nance was a first round pick by the Lakers in 2015.

Baxter Holmes/ESPN

Tags: Larry Nance, Jr., Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Injury

Discuss
J.R. Smith Breaks Right Thumb, Will Undergo Surgery

Dave McMenamin, Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Ian Mahinmi Out Six Weeks With PRP Treatment

RealGM Staff Report

Victor Oladipo Continues To Miss Time But Won't Need Surgery On Wrist

Erik Horne/Oklahoman

Clint Capela Out Four Weeks With Broken Fibula

Hunter Akins/Houston Chronicle

Blake Griffin Out 3-6 Weeks With Surgery On Right Knee

RealGM Staff Report

Kevin Love Out With Knee Contusion

RealGM Staff Report

Blake Griffin To Undergo Minor Surgery On Right Knee

Shams Charania/The Vertical

Cameron Payne Nearing His 16-17 Season Debut

Chris Haynes/ESPN

Festus Ezeli Likely To Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

Shams Charania/The Vertical

Chris Andersen Out For Season With Torn ACL

RealGM Staff Report

Jerryd Bayless Likely Out For Season With Wrist Surgery

RealGM Staff Report

Mike Conley Could Return From Back Injury Three Weeks Early

Adrian Wojnarowski/The Vertical

Ben Simmons On 76ers' Practice Floor For First Time Since Surgery

ESPN

Dirk Nowitzki Acknowledges Injuries Could Force Him To Retire In 2017

AFP

Heat Hope Justise Winslow Won't Need Offseason Surgery On Wrist

Manny Navarro/Miami Herald

Jeremy Lin Returns From Strained Left Hamstring

ESPN

D'Angelo Russell, Nick Young Return To Lakers' Lineup

Baxter Holmes/ESPN

Victor Oladipo Suffers Sprained Right Wrist

Royce Young/ESPN

Isaiah Thomas Receives Plasma Injection For Injured Groin

Chris Forsberg/ESPN

J.R. Smith's MRI On Left Knee Shows No Damage

Shams Charania/The Vertical