Ja Morant’s hot start in Portland has run straight into a setback.
The Trail Blazers said Morant has a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in four weeks after getting hurt Thursday against Memphis, his first game back against his former team. That timetable is only a checkpoint, which means the absence could carry past November.
Before the injury, Morant had given Portland a real lift. Through the Blazers’ first three games, all wins, he was averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 58.8% from the field. With Shaedon Sharpe already out with a torn meniscus, Portland now has to absorb the loss by leaning even more on Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson.
Around the league, Minnesota is making a split decision on its young players. The Timberwolves are exercising the 2027-28 options on Terrence Shannon Jr. and Joan Beringer, but they are turning down Cody Williams’ $7.67 million option, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, via Hoops Rumors.
Williams is still under contract for this season, but the move puts him on track for unrestricted free agency next summer. Krawczynski reported that Minnesota has liked what it has seen from Williams, but the cost was tough to defend because of the team’s cap situation and his limited NBA production.
Shannon has opened the year strongly, averaging 14.2 points through five games. Beringer has added 6.8 points and 7.6 rebounds.
Boston also locked in two more future contract pieces. The Celtics picked up their 2027-28 options on Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez, according to RealGM’s transaction log.
Scheierman’s fourth-year salary, about $4.95 million, is now guaranteed. He averaged 5.5 points and hit 39.9% from three last season over 77 games.
Gonzalez’s third-year option is worth roughly $3.06 million. As a rookie, he played in 74 games and averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds. Boston will have another option call to make on him next fall.
In Other News...
Payton Pritchard Is Giving The Celtics More Than Just Scoring
Early in the season, Joe Mazzulla pushed Payton Pritchard to bring more to the Celtics than shot-making, and the guard has clearly taken the message to heart. In Bostons recent NBA Cup game against the Chicago Bulls, Pritchard paired his usual scoring punch with a noticeably sharper edge on the defensive end, showing the kind of activity that can help him stay on the floor in bigger moments.
Pritchard has said he wants to add more on-ball pressure and rebound better, and Mazzulla was encouraged enough by the showing to point to even more room for growth. For a Celtics team that already leans on Pritchards offense, the appeal is obvious if he can keep turning those defensive habits into something steady rather than occasional. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Is Driving A Celtics Change That Could Matter In May
Bostons defense has looked noticeably more disruptive early on, with the ball pressure and activity level showing up in ways that go beyond the usual opening-month noise. The Celtics are getting into passing lanes, swiping at dribbles and turning stops into chances to run, a shift that has given the group a different kind of edge while also cutting down on second-chance looks at the other end.
Paul George has been right at the center of that change, bringing the kind of defensive playmaking that can swing possessions before a set offense ever gets started. His rebounding has helped finish possessions, too, and if this level of aggressiveness holds, it could give Boston a useful wrinkle when the games tighten and the margins shrink later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Hit Another Low After Celtics Loss As Frustration Boils Over
The opening night of the 2026 NBA Cup had no shortage of eye-catching moments around the league, from Stephen Curry leading the Warriors back from a big first-quarter hole against the Lakers to Kevin Durant throwing down a highlight dunk for the Rockets. But from the Celtics' perspective, one of the cleaner results came in Chicago, where Boston handled the Bulls and kept a team already searching for answers mired in the same defensive trouble that has followed them through the start of the season.
For Chicago, the loss only deepened the sense of unease around a team that has struggled to find any traction early. The Bulls have been giving up points in bunches, and the frustration around that slide is starting to show in public. Caleb Wilson did not hide how he feels after the game, underscoring just how raw the mood has become as the Bulls try to stop the bleeding. [Read more 🡒]