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Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane close to return

Via the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

The Memphis Grizzlies could get an early Christmas present as Desmond Bane was upgraded to questionable on Thursday ahead of the team’s matchup at the Phoenix Suns Friday (9 p.m., Bally Sports Southeast/ESPN).

Bane has missed 17 games since being out with a sprained right toe suffered on Nov. 11. On Dec. 7, the Grizzlies said he’d miss at least three-to-four additional weeks as he began a gradual re-loading protocol.

The Grizzlies are 19-11 this season, which ties them with the Denver Nuggets for the best record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2022-23 are Ja Morant at 27.0 PPG, Bane at 24.7 PPG, Dillon Brooks at 18.0 PPG, and Jaren Jackson Jr. at 16.4 PPG.

Catching up with Clippers forward Nicolas Batum

Via the Los Angeles Times:

Clippers teammates were gathering in the key and coaches were talking in a circle at midcourt, but Nicolas Batum was in no hurry to leave his courtside chair and begin shootaround on a late November morning.

Only weeks from his 34th birthday, the wing turned his eyes toward the empty upper deck of Portland’s Moda Center and his memories of the younger version of himself that spent his first seven seasons with the Trail Blazers.

“It’s a special place,” Batum said. “I grew up here.”

Growing up in the NBA requires absorbing often painful lessons. Growing old in the league, however, is reserved for the few who can put what they’ve learned into action. Batum, with 1,006 games on his resume including the regular season and playoffs, counts as a survivor, a longevity he traces to the first, and perhaps the most enduring, career lesson he took in weeks before his first official game.

The Clippers are 19-14 this season, which is the 5th best record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2022-23 are Paul George at 23.4 PPG, Kawhi Leonard at 15.3 PPG, and Norman Powell, mostly off the bench, at 14.8 PPG.

Suns guard Devin Booker remains out

Via the Arizona Republic:

Devin Booker will miss his third straight game with groin soreness Friday against the West-leading Grizzlies (19-11) at Footprint Center to end a four-game homestand.

The Suns All-Star guard hasn’t played since scoring a season-high 58 points in Saturday’s comeback win over the Pelicans. Phoenix (19-13) is coming off a 113-110 loss to Washington, which had lost 10 in a row.

The Suns are currently 4th in the Western conference.

Thunder forward Jaylin Williams out with concussion

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams sustained a concussion during last night’s Oklahoma City Blue game and has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Williams will now begin the NBA-mandated Return-to-Participation Protocol. This process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom-free behavior before resuming basketball activities. There is no predetermined timetable to complete the protocol, as each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.

NBA penalizes Knicks for early free agency discussions on Jalen Brunson

The NBA announced today the New York Knicks violated league rules governing the timing of this season’s free agency discussions and that the league has rescinded New York’s own second-round pick in the 2025 Draft.

From the league: “This outcome reflected a finding, following an investigation, that the Knicks engaged in free agency discussions involving Jalen Brunson prior to the date when such discussions were permitted. The team fully cooperated with the investigation.”

Per the New York Post, “the Knicks signed Brunson to a four-year, $104 contract, and he has been worth every penny so far, leading the Knicks to an 18-13 record and their current eight-game winning streak.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd fined by NBA

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been fined $25,000 for coming onto the court to confront and direct inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Kidd was assessed two technical fouls and ejected, occurred with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter of the Mavericks’ 116-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 19 at Target Center.

Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk steps down

Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk is stepping down from his position as president and transitioning to an advisor position reporting directly to Principal Owner Tony Ressler.

Effective immediately, General Manager Landry Fields will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Hawks Basketball Operations team.

Hired in May 2017, Schlenk has overseen the rebuilding of the Hawks beginning with a 24-win season in 2017-18 and peaking with the franchise’s second-ever trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. Last season, the Hawks finished 43-39 and were eliminated in the First Round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs in five games by the Miami Heat.

“Throughout this season, Tony and I have had multiple, honest conversations about some of the personal things I’ve been going through and how I’ve been feeling, and I appreciate the counsel he has provided me as well as the opportunity he gave me six seasons ago to be a first-time general manager. As we enter a new year, the timing feels right for me to take a step back, reflect and prioritize my family,” Schlenk said.

“I am proud of the group I assembled both on the floor and in the front office. We have built a strong foundation for the Hawks franchise and achieved a high level of success. As an advisor, I look forward to working with Tony and Landry and continuing to make contributions in less visible but still impactful ways.”

Under Schlenk’s guidance, the Hawks drafted two-time All-Star and 2022 All-NBA guard Trae Young, All-Rookie Team selections John Collins and Kevin Huerter and 2021 Rising Star recipient De’Andre Hunter.

“We have a great appreciation for the work Travis has done in guiding our franchise through a quick rebuilding process and shaping us into a playoff contender. He has worked tirelessly from his first day with our organization to move us toward our ultimate goal of becoming a championship franchise,” Ressler said. “With his strong eye for talent, work ethic and knowledge of our team, we are confident that he will serve us well as a trusted advisor.”

Former NBA player Louis Orr dies

Louis Orr, who mostly played for the New York Knicks during his NBA career, has sadly passed away at a fairly young age. Via the New York Times:

Louis Orr, a star forward at Syracuse who in the 1980s played for the Knicks alongside Bernard King and Patrick Ewing and who later became a college coach, including as Ewing’s assistant at Georgetown, died on Thursday at his home in Cincinnati. He was 64.

The cause was melanoma, his daughter, Monica Russell, said.

Orr shot over 50 percent for all four years of his Syracuse career. After serving as the sixth man as a freshman, he became a starter, with his best year coming as a senior, in the 1979-80 season, when he averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The Orange won the Big East championship that year, and Orr was named the team’s most valuable player and selected for the all-Big East first team.

He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1980 and joined the Knicks in 1982. He found that his skinny physique was an issue in the N.B.A.