Knicks Injury Tracker: Karl Anthony-Towns, Josh Hart probable vs. 76ers with Joel Embiid out

Knicks Injury Tracker: Karl Anthony-Towns, Josh Hart probable vs. 76ers with Joel Embiid out

Here are the latest news updates and possible return dates for Knicks players…

Dec. 19, 2:00 p.m.

On the heels of a back-to-back, the Knicks will get some of their core back in the lineup on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness) and Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain) are listed as probable, while Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby aren’t on the injury report and should be available. Towns, Hart, and Robinson all did not play in Thursday’s win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) will remain out for New York on Friday. Additionally, Pacôme Dadiet was assigned to the Westchester Knicks.

The Sixers will be without former MVP Joel Embiid (illness, right knee injury management), who was downgraded from questionable. Embiid has played in just 11 of Philly’s 25 games this season, averaging only 20.5 points and 6.6 rebounds when on the court (26.2 minutes per game). Philadelphia will also be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

Dec. 18, 5:15 p.m.

Fresh off the NBA Cup triumph, the Knicks are going to be without a host of players for Thursday night’s matchup with the lowly Indiana Pacers (6-20).

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness), Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain),  and Mitchell Robinson (ankle management) will all not feature due to slight injuries. New York will already be without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, who are on the shelf with longer-term injuries.

OG Anunoby (knee contusion) was on the injury report, but will play.

Dec. 7, 3:22 p.m.

Knicks guard Miles McBride exited Sunday’s win over the Orlando Magic in the first half, and according to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the guard is still in the process of being evaluated for a left ankle injury.

The Knicks say they will know more on McBride’s status on Monday. 

As a starter or a bench player, McBride has been terrific this season. In 19 games (nine starts), McBride has averaged a career-best 15.8 points per games while shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Dec. 4, 5:10 p.m.

The Knicks are seemingly close to getting OG Anunoby back. According to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, Anunoby (hamstring) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz at MSG.

Begley noted on Thursday’s episode of The Putback that this weekend’s games are a target for the Knicks to get Anunoby back on the court.

Anunoby has missed every game since suffering the injury on Nov. 14 against the Miami Heat.

Head coach Mike Brown said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice and it seems as though the forward is reacting to it in a positive manner. Of course, this doesn’t mean Anunoby will play on Friday, but it leaves open the possibility.

Dec. 3, 6:40 p.m.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave a short update on OG Anunoby (hamstring). The coach said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice.

“It’s still the same, he’s still progressing in the right direction,” Brown said of Anunoby before Wednesday’s game against the Hornets. “We’re not going to rush him.”

Brown also confirmed that Mitchell Robinson (injury management) will miss Wednesday’s game, as it’s the second of a back-to-back. 

Nov. 19, 9:05 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) will return to the court and start on Wednesday night in Dallas against the Mavericks, the team announced prior to tip-off.

Brunson suffered a Grade 1 right ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 12 and missed the team’s next two games against the Miami Heat. New York split the two contests, winning at home and losing on the road. The team is still searching for its first road win of the season, dropping all four games away from the Garden.

Over 11 games this year, Brunson is averaging 28.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 6.5 assists per game. 

Meanwhile, the Mavs will be without rookie Cooper Flagg (illness) on Wednesday night as he’ll miss the first game of his career.

Nov. 18, 6:50 p.m.

The Knicks upgraded Jalen Brunson (ankle) to questionable for their Wednesday tip against the Mavericks in Dallas. 

Brunson had missed the team’s last two games since suffering a right ankle sprain back on Nov. 12 against the Orlando Magic at MSG. Already without OG Anunoby (hamstring), the Knicks could use their captain to try and get their first road win of the season. 

Oct. 28, 7:18 p.m.

Before the Knicks’ tip-off against the Bucks, the Knicks announced that Towns (right quad strain) will play, but Yabusele (left knee sprain) will be out, joining McBride (personal) and Robinson (ankle sprain management) as players who are unavailable for Tuesday’s game.

Oct. 28, 3:35 p.m.

Miles McBride has been downgraded from questionable to out for the Knicks’ game on Tuesday at the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced. This is the second-straight game the guard missed due to personal reasons. He was out for Sunday’s loss against the Miami Heat.

Oct. 27, 6:45 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson still isn’t ready to make his season debut, as the Knicks have officially ruled him out again for Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Robinson has been sidelined for the first three games due to left ankle injury management, and it’s still unknown when he’ll make his return to the court. 

New York has also listed Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain), Miles McBride (personal reasons), and Guerschon Yabusele (left knee sprain) as questionable for the contest. 

Yabusele is the only new addition to the injury report. Towns has been included heading into each of the first three games, but played in all three, and McBride missed Sunday’s game against the Heat for personal reasons. 

Yabusele left Sunday’s game at one point and had his knee checked, but he was able to return and saw regular time off the bench down the stretch.

Oct. 23, 6:10 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has been released and the Knicks have designated center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) as out for Friday’s home game against the Celtics.

Robinson missed Wednesday’s season opener and the Knicks are being cautious with their big man this season as they want to have him at close to full strength for an anticipated long playoff run.

The Knicks have also designated both Josh Hart (lower back) and Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain) as questionable. 

Hart also missed the season opener but has not seen action since the first preseason game where he tweaked his back. Towns almost missed Wednesday’s game but toughed out his quad strain and to help the Knicks’ win against the Cavaliers.

OG Anunoby, who played Wednesday despite being questionable with an ankle sprain, is probably for Friday’s game.

Oct. 22, 10:59 p.m.

Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable, then doubtful, then questionable again in the hours leading up to the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers and now we know exactly why.

The Knicks forward told reporters after Wednesday’s win that he is playing through a Grade 2 quad strain. 

“I’ve been banged up and haven’t really got a chance to practice or play in the last two preseason games,” Towns said. “I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, dealing with a Grade 2 quad strain. It’s not something that’s easy to do. We made it happen tonight. Glad the fans respect the effort I put in to play tonight, and my teammates, too. Shoutout to them for supporting me, knowing the situation that I was in.”

Towns played through the pain to give the Knicks 19 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes.

by Editor

NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: While Anthony Davis gets headlines, Mavericks to ‘explore’ Klay Thompson trade

NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: While Anthony Davis gets headlines, Mavericks to ‘explore’ Klay Thompson trade

Front office personnel from around the league gather in Orlando starting today (Dec. 19) for the G-League showcase. And while the GMs are keeping one eye on the prospects on the court, there is a lot more action off it as this is when trade deal-making really starts to get done.

Where do things stand? Here are the latest rumors on some of the biggest names (if you want the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo, click here).

Anthony Davis

Davis is the biggest name and best player known to be available at the trade deadline — Antetokounmpo doesn’t count until he actually asks for a trade and the Bucks start talking to teams — but the Dallas Mavericks are not looking just to dump Davis’ contract. This was the main guy they got in return for Luka Doncic, and while Nico Harrison is gone, the Mavericks still want a lot in return for AD, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.

“Sources say Dallas, furthermore, is not at all interested in just shedding Davis’ contract, which is essentially the same deal as Antetokounmpo’s in Milwaukee. The Mavericks have maintained to date that they would only be willing to part with the centerpiece of their infamous [Luka] Doncić deal last February if the trade brings back a return of real consequence.”

Dallas’ problem? A market that brings “a return of real consequence” does not seem to exist right now. Davis, being 32 and having played in just a dozen games this season due to nagging injuries, and wanting a contract extension this offseason, has limited his market. That said, for optics reasons, Dallas has to get a big haul in any Davis trade.

Atlanta and Toronto are the teams most mentioned as teams interested in Davis — teams in the East who see themselves as close and one player away. Detroit gets brought up as a possibility, too, although its level of interest is up for debate.

Much like Antetokounmpo, a Davis trade is more likely to happen in the offseason than at the deadline. That said, the Mavericks are entertaining offers.

Klay Thompson

Another player Dallas will explore the trade market for is Klay Thompson, reports ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon.

The bigger question: How much of a market is there for Thompson right now? How much of a return could Dallas get?

Thompson, 35, is averaging 10.8 points a game, largely coming off the bench in Dallas. He can still hit big shots, but he’s shooting 35.7% from 3-point range this season — although that has jumped to above 40% in his last 10 games — and he is not near the defender he used to be. He is making $16.7 million this season and is owed $17.5 million next season, complicating matters for teams that might have interest in him.

Lauri Markkanen

Despite interest from teams such as Detroit, Memphis, and maybe San Antonio (where he would be an upgrade in the Harrison Barnes spot), the Utah Jazz are signaling to teams so far that they plan to hold on to Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.

At this point, however, Utah has signaled a desire to build with Markkanen despite constant trade interest in his services, HoopsHype has learned.

Utah owes its first-round pick to the Thunder, but it is top-eight-protected. Utah currently has the eighth-worst record in the league, which means that if the NBA Draft Lottery were held today, the Jazz would have a 60.7% chance of keeping their picks. Are those odds good enough for Utah, or will they look to trade Markkanen to improve them (Kessler is off the table)?

Ivica Zubac

With the Clippers struggling and looking more and more like a team in need of a pivot, a lot of other front offices are watching, waiting and checking in to see if LA becomes a seller at the trade deadline. Even if they are open to it, don’t expect deals for high-priced veterans with baggage — such as James Harden or Kawhi Leonard — to come in February.

Ivica Zubac is another story. Teams are interested in the underrated big man, but the Clippers are not interested, The Ringer’s Zach Lowe said on the Bill Simmons podcast.

“The Clippers have shoved away people calling, because the vultures are circling with Zubac. And the Clippers are shoving people away.”
While the Clippers have set themselves up for a pivot with the books cleared in 2027, there is just one rotation player with a contract that extends beyond that — Zubac. The Clippers see him as part of whatever comes next at the Intuit Dome. It would take a lot to pry him out of LA.

The Clippers’ struggles on the perimeter have defenses collapsing on him and focusing more on Zubac, yet he is still averaging 16.2 points, 11.5 rebounds (third most in the league), and is shooting 61.3% this season.

Nick Richards

If Zubac isn’t available, one of the big men eyed by a lot of teams is Phoenix big man Nick Richards, but the Suns are being patient, reports the tied in John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix.

The Suns and Raptors reportedly discussed a trade that would have sent Richards to Toronto in exchange for Ochai Agbaji and a second-round pick, but those talks are on hold.

• One team looking to trade for a big man is Indiana, which misses what Myles Turner brought to the table. They have called Utah about Walker Kessler and been shot down, and have engaged Dallas in talks about Daniel Gafford, who is available but the price will be steep.

Sacramento sellers

The Kings are open for business and there is some interest in Domantas Sabonis, but less so in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

However, it’s not those big names that are drawing the most talk in league circles, it’s Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray — and the Kings will not talk Murray trade. Here is how Marc Stein put it at The Stein Line.

The Kings have largely been open to fielding trade calls on pretty much anyone on the roster outside of Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford but have also been telling potential trade partners that they do not intend to attach draft capital to veteran contracts to try to move them … or use Keon Ellis’ contract to try to sweeten deals. Ellis has been attracting trade feelers for some time given the leaguewide dearth of 3-and-D players currently available.

Expect Sabonis trade chatter to pick up, but if a team wants Ellis it’s going to cost them.

by Editor

Rivers: Struggling Bucks don’t need big changes

Rivers: Struggling Bucks don’t need big changes

Bucks coach Doc Rivers isn’t planning to make any major changes in the wake of a 45-point loss to Brooklyn that dropped Milwaukee to 11-16 on the season.

by Editor

Knicks’ Brunson, Towns make All-NBA Cup team

Knicks’ Brunson, Towns make All-NBA Cup team

The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were selected to the NBA Cup All-Tournament Team along with Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

by Editor

All-Fantasy Basketball NBA Trade Deadline Teams: Which stars could be moved, altering the season landscape?

All-Fantasy Basketball NBA Trade Deadline Teams: Which stars could be moved, altering the season landscape?

The NBA trade window opened on December 15, and now’s the time to prep for potential chaos. Whether it’s a big-name star forcing his way out or a role player landing in a perfect spot, these are the guys who could swing your fantasy hoops league. I’ve broken down my All-Deadline Fantasy Teams into two squads — players whose names are heating up in trade chatter and those whose value could pop or plummet in the weeks ahead. Contracts matter. Fit matters. Opportunity matters. Let’s debate!

🥇First-Team All-Deadline Fantasy Squad

Giannis Antetokounmpo – PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks

It’s Giannis. You already know. He hasn’t publicly requested a trade (yet), but if the Bucks don’t pick it up, there will undoubtedly be suitors interested in acquiring the Greek Freak. Finding a match for his $54M contract this season will be a challenge that will likely involve multiple teams, but no matter what team he’s on, Antetokounmpo is a top-five asset in High Score, points leagues and a guy you’ll need to build around his strengths and faults in 9-cat formats specifically.

LaMelo Ball – PG, Charlotte Hornets

Upside’s never been the issue. It’s staying healthy. Yahoo’s NBA writer Kelly Iko reported that Ball would be open to a trade. This franchise hasn’t made any headway in becoming a playoff contender with Ball running the show. LaMelo’s locked into a fat deal through 2029, so he’s not easy to move — but if Charlotte shakes it up, you’re looking at a big fantasy swing. 

Anthony Davis – PF/C, Dallas Mavericks

Always dominant, always fragile. That’s AD. But this year? Davis looks uninspired. He’s still putting up 20 points with 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 stocks per game. However, fantasy managers haven’t seen much of him, as he’s played in only 11 games thus far. The Mavs are still in the Play-In race, but for how long? This is Cooper Flagg’s team now, and if they’re not a real contender, it’s best to extract what value you can before AD’s production or health really falls off. His current $54M salary balloons to $62M in 2027-28 with a player option, which may prove to be the genuine hurdle in moving one of the best big men in the league when healthy.

Jonathan Kuminga – SF/PF, Golden State Warriors

We’ve been waiting. So has JK. He wants a bigger role and the Warriors won’t budge. Over the last three games, Kuminga has earned three straight DNPs. It’s a very odd negotiation tactic — not playing your disgruntled lottery pick enough minutes to draw interest in the open market. At this point, trade him to the Nets, Bulls or Pelicans and get whatever veteran you want in return. Kuminga’s skill set doesn’t scream must-add fantasy asset, but in the right situation (on a bottom-feeding team that offers more opportunities), it could do wonders for his ceiling.

Ja Morant – PG, Memphis Grizzlies

I would love for Ja to stay in Memphis. He is Memphis. But there’s been too much drama brewing with his new coaching staff, so it makes sense to see what you can get for the polarizing star. Now, his on-floor production has dipped — taking and making fewer shots at the rim, shooting a putrid 19.4% on 3s. He’s looking at career lows in PER and TS% by a wide margin. Morant is still a good source of assists and points, but a change of scenery and system could be the next step that brings him back to one of the top guards in the NBA. He is still solid for points leagues, but I feel for those who have him in 9-cat, he’s ranked 214 in per-game value, woof.

🥈 Second-Team All-Deadline Fantasy Squad

DeMar DeRozan – SF/PF, Sacramento Kings

Domantas Sabonis – C, Sacramento Kings

Zach LaVine – PG/SG/SF, Sacramento Kings

I’m lumping all of these Sacramento Kings veterans into one because they all need to go. The Kings built one of the most senseless rosters in 2025, putting four ball-dominant players (adding Russell Westbrook) on the floor, thinking it would produce wins. This isn’t NBA2K, Vivek Ranadivé. All three players have seen declines in their scoring, rebounding and assists from a year ago. From a fantasy perspective, each player is underperforming relative to their ADPs, so breaking up the crew would be a benefit for each player if they get moved. Where would they go? That’s the bigger question because Sabonis is hurt and really thrived as the hub of the offense — a role he may not see again. And there’s DeRozan and LaVine, who will always be a bucket who provides middling rebounding and assists. Either way, the Kings need to do something to free up Keegan Murray.

Bennedict Mathurin – SG/SF, Indiana Pacers

Mathurin has an expiring contract because the Pacers did not extend him before the 2025-26 season. The Pacers are already looking ahead to the 2026 NBA draft, but making a move to acquire a big man for Mathurin would make a lot of sense, considering they’re rocking with journeyman Jay Huff at the moment. Mathurin has proven to be an elite reserve who could help a contender, much like JR Smith back in the day. I have several shares of Mathurin in fantasy, so I want him to stay in Indy as long as possible, but I see the logic in trading him before the deadline.

Nikola Vučević – C, Chicago Bulls

Vooch is boring. However, he can help teams in need of a center. The Bulls have emphasized playing faster and getting the ball into their guards’ hands, which, obviously, leads to fewer touches for Vučević. Still, he’s capable of a double-double, can stretch the floor and is a serviceable passer. I could see him being traded to a contender before the deadline. But in typical Bulls fashion, maybe they hold him and he walks for nothing by the summer, lol.

🤝 Honorable Mentions

  • Anfernee Simons – PG/SG, Celtics

  • CJ McCollum – PG/SG, Wizards

  • Myles Turner – C, Milwaukee Bucks

by Editor

Rockets' Kevin Durant claims he was not warned that his calf strain could lead to torn Achilles during 2019 NBA Finals

Rockets' Kevin Durant claims he was not warned that his calf strain could lead to torn Achilles during 2019 NBA Finals

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant is considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time and recently admitted that he was not aware his calf strain during the 2019 NBA Finals could lead to him tearing his Achilles, which is exactly what happened in Game 5. 

“If I knew that information I would’ve made a different decision. If they told me, ‘Ah, you can tear your Achilles, I probably wouldn’t have went out there.” 

The 2019 NBA Finals turned out to be the end of Durant’s run with the Golden State Warriors that produced back-to-back championships and three consecutive Finals appearances. Durant had suffered a calf strain earlier during the 2019 postseason run, which caused him to miss the entire Western Conference Finals, in which Golden State swept the Portland Trail Blazers. He’d also missed the first four games of the NBA Finals and made his return in Game 5.

Durant was done after Game 5, and the Warriors would fall to the Toronto Raptors in six games, failing in their attempt at a three-peat. In Durant’s interview on teammate Fred VanVleet’s podcast, “Unguarded,” Durant said he never really thought the Achilles injury was a possibility. He mentioned the late Kobe Bryant’s Achilles tear, which happened in 2013. 

At the time, there weren’t as many high-profile players such as Durant or Bryant suffering Achilles injuries in the same way we’ve seen in recent years. Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum all ruptured their Achilles tendons last season. Former Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson suffered his Achilles tear after Durant in late 2020 while recovering from an ACL tear.

While it could’ve been a sign of the time, it is strange that Durant wasn’t given a heads-up that his calf strain could lead to further injury, especially when a torn Achilles is part of that possibility. 

by Editor