Sources: Wembanyama set to play in Cup semis
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to return for Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against the Thunder in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN.
Month: December 2025
NBA Cup predictions, Ja check-in & the AD sweepstakes with Tom Haberstroh + Draft Class with James Barlowe
NBA Cup predictions, Ja check-in & the AD sweepstakes with Tom Haberstroh + Draft Class with James Barlowe
Subscribe to The Kevin O’Connor Show
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Kevin O’Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to break down the Oklahoma City Thunder dominating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinal as they continue their historic winning streak. Can OKC break the NBA record for the longest single-season win streak? Then, they discuss the San Antonio Spurs’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers without superstar Victor Wembanyama and share their picks for who will reign supreme in the NBA Cup.
Next, the duo dives into why the NBA is seeing a rise in calf strains across the league and shares their thoughts on the NBA’s response. And, are the Grizzlies better without Ja Morant? Where are potential landing spots for Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Plus, James Barlowe joins KOC’s Draft Class to discuss AJ Dybansta’s electric game against Clemson, Darryn Peterson’s return to Kansas and how Nate Ament can bounce back from his struggles.
(0:47) OKC defeats Phoenix in NBA Cup quarterfinals
(6:10) Spurs beat Lakers in NBA Cup quarterfinals
(8:54) Thunder vs. Spurs NBA Cup semifinal preview
(13:00) Increase of calf strain injuries in the NBA
(23:54) Knicks vs. Magic NBA Cup semifinal preview
(34:35) Ja’s last chance to make things right with Memphis
(43:36) Queen continues to shine for Pelicans
(46:28) Anthony Davis trade suitors
(57:20) Draft Class with James Barlowe
Wendell Cruz
🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube
Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv
Signed Kobe card fetches $1.22 million at auction
Signed Kobe card fetches $1.22 million at auction
A 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements card of Kobe Bryant recently sold for $1.22 million, including buyer’s premium, with Goldin Auctions.
Chris Paul is 'at peace' after Clippers exit; Tyronn Lue says report they were feuding 'ain't true'
Chris Paul is 'at peace' after Clippers exit; Tyronn Lue says report they were feuding 'ain't true'
Former Clippers point guard Chris Paul says he’s “at peace with everything” after being abruptly dismissed by the team last week.
“Stuff’s been a little crazy in the past few days — to say the least,” Paul told People magazine in an interview published Tuesday. “But honestly, I’m home. My daughter had tryouts yesterday. My nephew had a basketball game. My son has a game coming up on the 12th.”
Paul’s son, Chris Paul II, is a sophomore guard for the Campbell Hall varsity basketball team, which plays Newbury Park on Friday.
“I have never seen my son play a game in person,” the elder Paul said. “Not a middle school game, not a high school game. So I’m excited about seeing him play.”
Also on Tuesday, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue denied an ESPN report from last week that he and Paul hadn’t been on speaking terms in the weeks leading up to the team’s decision to part ways with one of its most iconic players.
“That ain’t true. We were talking,” Lue told reporters at practice. “I mean, he played. How he gonna play [if] I’m not talking to him?
Read more:Chris Paul cut by Clippers after conflict with teammates, coaches and executives
“I mean, there was a stretch when we said he wasn’t gonna play, he’s gonna be out of the rotation. That was tough for him because he’s a competitor and what the game means to him and what he brings every single day. But after that it wasn’t really much.”
Paul is a 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist who ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the first player with at least 20,000 points and more than 10,000 assists.
Playing for the Clippers from 2011-17 — the team’s “Lob City” era — Paul and fellow superstar Blake Griffin led the team to six winning seasons, its first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. As a 40-year-old free agent in July, Paul signed a $3.6 million deal to return to the Clippers for his 21st, and very possibly final, NBA season.
This season, Paul averaged career lows in points (2.6), assists (3.3.) and minutes (14.3). He didn’t play at all in five consecutive games in mid-November. The Clippers, off to a disastrous 5-16 start to the season, were in Atlanta for a game against the Hawks when Paul made a surprise announcement on social media.
“Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” Paul posted Dec. 3 on social media at around 3 a.m. Eastern time.
Read more:James Harden moves to 10th on NBA’s all-time scoring list in Clippers loss
Later that morning, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank confirmed the move.
“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team,” Frank said in a statement. “We will work with him on the next step of his career.”
Frank indicated that the team will attempt to trade Paul, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday.
A league source not authorized to discuss the issue publicly told The Times last week that Paul had called out teammates, coaches and Frank this season. Paul apologized, but “everyone was fed up,” the source said.
Lue insisted Tuesday that his relationship with Paul wasn’t an issue.
“I had no problem with Chris,” Lue said. “The guy’s a competitor, he wants to play. You can understand that. So, you know, he was a little frustrated at first, but we got over that. … That’s my guy, my friend before he got here. So you don’t want to see that happen to anybody no matter what the circumstances are.”
Read more:Take a swing? Two Buss brothers consider investing in baseball’s Athletics
Asked why the team ultimately decided the situation with Paul couldn’t be fixed, Lue responded, “You gotta ask Lawrence.”
In his interview with People, Paul didn’t offer any insight on what happened between him and the Clippers. Instead, he seems to be focused on the present — “I’m excited to be back here with my family,” Paul said — and the future.
“More than anything, I’m excited about being around,” he said, “and getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next.”
Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Wolves Turn To Bones Hyland As Rob Dillingham Loses Rotation Spot
Wolves Turn To Bones Hyland As Rob Dillingham Loses Rotation Spot
The Minnesota Timberwolves inserted Bones Hyland back into their rotation Monday night, replacing Rob Dillingham as Chris Finch searches for more offensive production off the bench. Hyland scored 14 points in 16 minutes during a 108-105 loss to Phoenix, his first meaningful action in nine games.
Finch made the change after 24 games to inject a spark into a second unit lacking scoring punch. The Timberwolves have struggled with slow starts despite their 15-9 record and sixth-place standing in the Western Conference.
“We’re 24 games in, and I thought it was time to try something different,” Finch said. “He’s been patient. He’s been playing really well in practice, doing everything we ask him to do. We need a spark there.”
Hyland shot 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range against the Suns. The performance provided the quick-strike scoring Minnesota has lacked from its reserves, though he committed three turnovers in his expanded role.
Anthony Edwards, who finished with 40 points, has been a vocal supporter of Hyland receiving more playing time. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly originally drafted Hyland while running the Denver Nuggets.
“Sometimes you can just see some people are meant to be a star,” Edwards said. “And I feel like I may not know the criteria to being a star, but if I think I do, I think he’s one of them.”
The move comes as Minnesota searches for consistent point guard play. Dillingham has shot just 35 percent from the field with only six made three-pointers in 21 games this season. Mike Conley, 38, has delivered inconsistent performances and struggled Monday, going 0 of 5 from the field.
The loss was compounded by Rudy Gobert’s third-quarter ejection for a Flagrant-2 foul. Gobert now has five flagrant foul points this season, with a suspension looming if he reaches six.
Derik Queen's impressive rookie season pushes back on draft-night narrative about Pelicans' trade
Derik Queen's impressive rookie season pushes back on draft-night narrative about Pelicans' trade
It was a trade that left the NBA confounded.
Joe Dumars, newly in charge of the New Orleans front office, made what was seen as the biggest blunder in the 2025 NBA Draft — and Derik Queen was catching strays. Dumars and the Pelicans traded control of their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — seen as an incredibly deep draft at the top — to Atlanta for the rights to move up 10 spots and get Queen, a big man from Maryland. To say that trade was ripped to shreds by the media and other front offices is an understatement.
Queen, however, is making Dumars look much better with his play this season, including a recent 30-point triple-double.
DERIK QUEEN: 33p, 10r, 10a, 4b
The FIRST ROOKIE since blocks began being tracked in 1973-74 to record a 30-point triple-double with 4 blocks! pic.twitter.com/VRk0dvbcqk
— NBA (@NBA) December 9, 2025
Both Dumars and Queen spoke about the perception and his fast start to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“I get it. So much of today’s NBA narrative is around picks and different things like that,” Dumars told ESPN. “I’m trying to build culture here with some really good young players, and I gave up some draft capital to do that. And I love the two young players we have [Jeremiah Fears and Queen]. I hope that doesn’t get lost in all of this.”
I’ve been [hearing] it all my life,” Queen said. “Like everybody hated me [before the season started]. I played a little bit at the beginning, and the whole media was hating me. And then once I got to that Charlotte game [and had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on Nov. 4], the whole media started liking me.
“[I’m used to] pretty much people not liking me at one moment, then liking me later on in life.”
Two things can be true: Queen can be better than expected and a future star, and the process and price to move up 10 spots to get him can also be very flawed.
Queen’s potential was no secret around the draft, despite a rough NBA Draft Combine that led to a slide down draft boards. In grading the June draft I wrote: “Queen is the most skilled power forward/center in this draft… Queen has potential, but the cost of that 2026 pick was steep.” Watch Queen in person and his ability to get off his shot and his touch are impressive. He is better than I thought he would be.
Queen should not be catching strays in this debate.
That said, right now the Pelicans have the worst record in the NBA — Dumars traded away the rights to what right now would be a guaranteed top-five pick with a 40% chance of landing in the top three. Whatever happens between now and June, that is going to be a very high draft pick in what is projected to be one of the deepest drafts at the top in a long time. There is a reason other teams have been hoarding picks in this draft rather than trading them away.
Queen, to his credit, looks like one of the best rookies in what has been an impressive 2025 draft class so far.
‘He’s already unlocked things’: Why the Magic needed Desmond Bane
‘He’s already unlocked things’: Why the Magic needed Desmond Bane
Orlando is hoping its all-in approach for Desmond Bane will help stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner win a championship.
Nets Engage In Talks Using $15M In Cap Space To Absorb Salary To Facilitate Trades
Nets Engage In Talks Using $15M In Cap Space To Absorb Salary To Facilitate Trades
The Brooklyn Nets are engaging in trade discussions to absorb salary in exchange for draft assets, utilizing their $15 million in available cap space, league sources said.
Brooklyn, along with Detroit ($14.1 million trade exception) and Utah ($18.4 million trade exception), are the only teams with significant financial flexibility. The Nets can take on larger contracts without facing luxury tax apron restrictions.
The Nets could work with Cam Thomas’ representatives at Octagon to determine his future, potentially through a trade. Thomas is playing on a qualifying offer and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Thomas is averaging 21.4 points per game but has not played since November 5 due to a hamstring injury. His contract status creates uncertainty around his long-term fit with the rebuilding franchise.
Brooklyn selected five players in the first round of June’s draft. Rookies Egor Demin and Danny Wolf have progressed in their development throughout the season.
Third-year forward Noah Clowney is having a career year, averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 36.1 percent shooting from three-point range. His improvement represents a positive development for Brooklyn’s youth movement.
The Nets executed multiple offseason transactions involving Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, and Haywood Highsmith. Brooklyn rented out their cap space in those deals to acquire future draft assets.
The strategy aligns with the franchise’s long-term rebuilding approach focused on accumulating young talent and draft capital.
Clippers Remain Motivated To Work With Chris Paul On Trade
Clippers Remain Motivated To Work With Chris Paul On Trade
Despite his messy exit last week, the Los Angeles Clippers remain motivated to find a trade of Chris Paul beginning on December 15th. The Clippers will work with Paul and his CAA representation on finding a new home as he wants to continue his playing career in what will be his final NBA season.
The Clippers are hard-capped at the first apron and are unlikely to sign a replacement if they were to waive him.
Paul wanted to return to Los Angeles this past offseason after spending the 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs. The Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns also had interest in signing Paul.
Paul’s criticisms became untenable as his playing time diminished, which led to his exit from the Clippers.
Magic F Franz Wagner reportedly has high-ankle sprain, but avoided more serious injury; will miss multiple weeks, remainder of NBA Cup
Magic F Franz Wagner reportedly has high-ankle sprain, but avoided more serious injury; will miss multiple weeks, remainder of NBA Cup
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner has a high left-ankle sprain that’s expected to sideline him for multiple weeks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
The injury projects to sideline Wagner for the remainder of NBA Cup play. Orlando will play the Miami Heat in the quarterfinals Tuesday night. The championship final is scheduled for next Tuesday in Las Vegas.
The good news for Wagner is that he avoided more significant structural damage after a scary fall against the Knicks on Sunday, according to the report. Wagner fell to the court after a hard foul by New York’s Ariel Hukporti.
Franz Wagner injury. Prayers up pic.twitter.com/SI8Az605BJ
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 7, 2025
Wagner immediately grabbed his lower left leg and rolled around on the floor in pain. He eventually needed the help of teammates to limp off the court.
This story will be updated.