<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/nba-rumors-hornets-wont-pursue-chris-paul-because-why-would-they');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Hornets won’t pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Los-Angeles-Clippers-guard-Chris-Paul-warms-up.jpg"><figcaption>© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Hornets won’t pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T06:57:02-08:00">December 12th, 6:57am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T06:58:54-08:00">December 12th, 6:58am</time><address><a href="https://linktr.ee/colinloughran">Colin Loughran</a>Colin Loughran is a NYC-based Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He has spent several years covering sports and has worked for outlets such as the New York Post, AP Radio, and FanSided. Colin is also a three-time NYSBA award winner and a proud graduate of Fordham University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-chris-paul-true-feelings-la-release">Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul is still attempting to end his career on a high note</a>, but it does not appear as though the Charlotte Hornets have any interest in the 12-time All-Star.</p><p>According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hornets are <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/lots-of-the-nbas-latest-trade-talk?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=181361687&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">not expected to cut a trade</a> for Paul.</p><p>“Charlotte is among the teams that had interest in Chris Paul this past offseason when the future Hall of Fame point guard (and North Carolina native) was adamant that he was willing to play no farther away from his Los Angeles-based family than Phoenix,” Stein wrote. “Now?.”</p><p>“A source with knowledge of the Hornets’ thinking said this week that they are not expected to pursue the 40-year-old, but Paul is said to be open-minded about destinations now to go somewhere he can assemble a final chapter with a far happier ending than his second stint as a Clipper featured.”</p><p>This most recent rumor follows the Clippers’ decision to move on from Paul amidst what is expected to be his final NBA season. The 40-year-old becomes eligible to be traded on Monday.</p><p>“As Jake Fischer reported here earlier this week, Paul becomes eligible to be traded Monday and is seen as a strong candidate to be traded sooner rather than later in the wake of the Clippers essentially banishing him from the team on Dec. 3. League sources say that the Clippers want to facilitate a trade as soon as possible to help Paul find a new home.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-chris-paul-timberwolves-rockets-knicks-trade-buzz-heats-up">Paul has already been linked to the New York Knicks,</a> Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets. It remains to be seen which team will make a play for the veteran, but it does not seem as if a hometown return is in the works.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Hornets won’t pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-espn-suggests-warriors-trade-draymond-green-jonathan-kuminga-for-anthony-davis-with-lakers-twist');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Warriors trade Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga for Anthony Davis, with Lakers twist');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Austin-Reaves-defends-Anthony-Davis.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Warriors trade Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga for Anthony Davis, with Lakers twist</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T09:35:33-08:00">December 11th, 9:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T09:35:33-08:00">December 11th, 9:35am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>NBA <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/nba-rumors-espn-proposes-5-team-trade-anthony-davis-hawks-trae-young-kings-zach-lavine-to-mavericks-kristaps-porzingis-to-warriors">trade speculation intensified this week</a> after ESPN proposed a four-team hypothetical deal involving the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets — a scenario that would send Anthony Davis to Golden State while routing Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga to Dallas. The concept arrives as all four franchises navigate varying levels of urgency early in the 2025–26 season.</p><p>In the proposal, ESPN’s NBA insiders <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47262180/anthony-davis-trade-guide-five-deals-mavericks-warriors-spurs-pistons-hawks-raptors" rel="noopener">constructed a multiteam framework</a> designed to reshape each roster’s long-term direction.</p><p><i><b>Warriors get:</b></i><br>Anthony Davis<br>Mason Plumlee</p><p><i><b>Mavericks get:</b></i><br>Draymond Green<br>Jonathan Kuminga<br>2026 first-round pick (via Warriors)</p><p><i><b>Lakers get:</b></i><br>Buddy Hield</p><p><i><b>Hornets get:</b></i><br>Maxi Kleber<br>Dalton Knecht<br>Cash considerations (via Lakers)</p><p>They explained the rationale behind the hypothetical structure.</p><h2><b>ESPN’s hypothetical deal explores trade paths for the Warriors, Lakers, Mavs, and Hornets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Draymond-Green-confirms-Jonathan-Kuminga-s-stance-on-Golden-State-return.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“Should the Warriors break up the Green-Stephen Curry pairing for a shot at Davis? Probably not, but if they can’t figure out more consistency when healthy, it’s worth considering because of the massive offensive upgrade Davis would provide.</p><p>Although Golden State continues to play at a high level with Green on the court, he’s shooting 38% from the field, his lowest mark since his rookie season — worse even than 2019-20, when Curry played just five games during what became a gap year.</p><p>Davis would be the rim threat as a roll man the Warriors have long sought. They could also save money this season by structuring this as a multiteam deal, sending Hield to a third team. In this case, he goes to the rival Lakers to supply the shooting threat they need.</p><p>Meanwhile, Charlotte steps in to take on Kleber’s $11 million expiring contract in order to get Knecht after unsuccessfully attempting to acquire him in a rescinded deadline deal for Mark Williams.</p><p>For Dallas, making this deal would essentially be a bet against Golden State finding health and chemistry during the regular season, making the 2026 first-rounder a valuable pick to have. The Mavericks would also create financial flexibility via Kuminga’s team option for the 2026-27 season.”</p><p>Davis is averaging 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three across 10 appearances. Green is posting eight points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 blocks per game through six contests. Kuminga is averaging 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 17 games. Hield is contributing eight points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 25 games.</p><p>All four teams will continue their regular-season schedule as speculation circulates. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-weakness-la-fix-prove-rich-paul-wrong">Lakers (17–7) prepare for Sunday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns</a> (14–11) at 8 p.m. ET after their NBA Cup quarterfinal loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-stephen-curry-injury-update-timberwolves-clash">Warriors (13–12) will face the Minnesota Timberwolves</a> (15–9) on Friday at 10 p.m. ET on NBA TV in their first meeting since last season’s second-round series. Dallas (9–16) hosts the Brooklyn Nets (6–17) on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET, while the Hornets meet the Chicago Bulls (9–14) at 7 p.m. ET.</p><p>ESPN’s proposal remains entirely theoretical, but it adds another layer to the league’s early-season trade discourse as front offices evaluate potential pathways ahead of the deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Warriors trade Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga for Anthony Davis, with Lakers twist

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/sacramento-kings/nba-rumors-stop-all-your-lamelo-ball-to-kings-trade-jokes');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Stop all your LaMelo Ball-to-Kings trade jokes');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lamelo-Ball_42e994.jpg"><figcaption>Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Stop all your LaMelo Ball-to-Kings trade jokes</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T08:55:09-08:00">December 11th, 8:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T08:55:09-08:00">December 11th, 8:55am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-mourning-is-all-of-us-when-it-comes-to-lamelo-ball-trade-rumors">NBA trade speculation accelerates</a>, one rumor continues to circulate online: a potential LaMelo Ball deal involving the Sacramento Kings. League reporting, however, indicates there is no basis for linking the Charlotte Hornets guard to Sacramento’s plans.</p><p>NBA insider Jake Fischer addressed the topic on the latest episode of Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook with Jake Fischer, clarifying that Sacramento has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAMVMh9f7KA" rel="noopener">shown no interest in pursuing</a> the former All-Star.</p><p>“I don’t think Sacramento is really interested in LaMelo Ball. I think everything Scott Perry has talked about, both privately and publicly since taking over this team, points to a desire to reestablish a tough, gritty identity,” Fischer said.</p><p>He also cited how Ball is viewed in some league circles.</p><p>“Someone I spoke with on the phone this morning — a prominent NBA figure — called LaMelo Ball ‘the most unserious player in the NBA.’ That’s not my opinion — that was a quote from someone inside the league. I don’t think Sacramento would view LaMelo as someone to really reinvigorate their culture around,” he said.</p><h2><b>Kings’ guard-heavy roster and culture shift leave no room for LaMelo Ball pursuit</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ball.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Sacramento’s roster construction further undercuts any notion of a Ball pursuit. The Kings already carry significant guard depth, featuring Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, and Devin Carter among a group that totals 10 guards. The organization has spent the season emphasizing defensive size, physicality and versatility — areas that do not align with adding another high-usage playmaker.</p><p>Ball, 24, remains a core figure in Charlotte’s long-term outlook despite team struggles. He is averaging 19.4 points, 8.5 assists, six rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting career-lows of 38.6% from the field and 28.5% from three. He has appeared in 16 games this season while logging 28.9 minutes per contest.</p><p>Both franchises continue forward with their schedules. The Hornets (7–17) face the Chicago Bulls (9–14) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-zach-lavine-out-thumb-injury-sacramento-upset-nuggets">Kings (6–18) return home to host the Denver Nuggets</a> (17–6) on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.</p><p>Despite ongoing league-wide rumor activity, indications remain unchanged: Sacramento is not expected to explore a trade for LaMelo Ball.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Stop all your LaMelo Ball-to-Kings trade jokes

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-tidjane-salaun-gets-real-career-game-raptors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ Tidjane Salaun reflects on career game in blowout win over Raptors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Hornets-forward-Tidjane-Salaun-vs-Raptors.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ Tidjane Salaun reflects on career game in blowout win over Raptors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-06T06:23:03-08:00">December 6th, 6:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-06T06:23:03-08:00">December 6th, 6:23am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-charles-lee-opens-about-lamelo-ball-brandon-miller-minutes-restrictions">Charlotte Hornets were desperate to break free from the losing column</a>, and Tidjane Salaun rose as the unlikely hero by erupting for a career-high that completely reshaped the night. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-darko-rajakovic-toronto-recharge-very-quickly-hornets-loss">forward powered the Hornets’ 111-86 win over the Toronto Raptors</a>, lifting Charlotte to 7-16 and snapping a stretch where they had won only three of their last ten. Salaun came off the bench and poured in 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 5-of-6 from deep, adding three rebounds and a +18 in 22 minutes. For someone averaging 6.6 points this season, the leap felt loud.</p><p>Tidjane Salaun <a href="https://x.com/HornetsReddit/status/1997165948751487443?s=20" rel="noopener">said</a> the performance started with belief. “It’s just about confidence,” he explained. “When I’m confident, I feel like I can be the best player, but that’s also because my teammates trust me and we have this great spirit and energy with each other.” The Hornets needed conviction, and he supplied it possession after possession.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">🎙️ Tidjane Salaun: "It's just about confidence. When I'm confident, I feel like I can be the best player, but that's also because my teammates trust me and we have this great spirit/energy with each other."</p><p>"We have a high-character group because we don't want to lose every… <a href="https://t.co/K3WSeXSe1A">pic.twitter.com/K3WSeXSe1A</a></p><p>— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsReddit/status/1997165948751487443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2>A Hornets showing that changes the conversation</h2><p>The Raptors are now at 15-9 and still holding the No. 3 spot in the East. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lebron-james-ultimate-sacrifice-rui-hachimura-game-winner">After losing to the Lakers</a>, this matchup against the lowly Hornets should have been a reset. Instead, the Raptors absorbed a second straight hit as the Hornets controlled tempo, spacing, and every shooting window Salaun created.</p><p>He credited the coaching staff for the foundation behind nights like this. “We have a high-character group because we don’t want to lose every time—we want to win, but also play the right way,” Salaun said. “That’s what the coach has been teaching us for the past year. Without this type of coach and the spirit we’ve built, we can’t play like this or with each other on the court.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-brandon-miller-playing-raptors-injury-report">The Hornets walked away with a needed win</a>, and Tidjane Salaun walked away with a career-high that felt like the start of something bigger. If this is the version that keeps emerging, how far can Charlotte climb?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ Tidjane Salaun reflects on career game in blowout win over Raptors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-hilariously-ran-out-onto-court-raptors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ LaMelo Ball hilariously ran out onto the court with Raptors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Scottie-Barnes.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ LaMelo Ball hilariously ran out onto the court with Raptors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-05T19:25:34-08:00">December 5th, 7:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-05T19:25:34-08:00">December 5th, 7:25pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LaMelo Ball got himself into a hilarious mix-up ahead of the Charlotte <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-brandon-miller-playing-raptors-injury-report">Hornets’ matchup against the Toronto Raptors</a> on Friday night.</p><p>Ball is going through the sixth season of his NBA career, all with the Hornets. He looks to achieve a playoff berth with the team, something he has yet to do aside from play-in tournament cameos.</p><p>Preparing for the matchup, Ball somehow got himself in a situation where he ran out onto the court. It wasn’t just a typical run out with his team; instead, it was the Raptors squad he <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997117488048624058" rel="noopener">ended up running out with</a>. The Hornets did play it off with a laugh, noticing the blooper he just had.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why’d LaMelo Ball run out onto the court with the Raptors? 😅😅</p><p><a href="https://t.co/RDiSKz4PA1">pic.twitter.com/RDiSKz4PA1</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997117488048624058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How LaMelo Ball, Hornets played against Raptors</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Immanuel-Quickley.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Aside from the funny mix-up, LaMelo Ball and the Hornets took care of business as they blew out the Raptors 111-86.</p><p>Charlotte got off to a slow start in the game, trailing 24-1 after the first quarter. Despite this, they came alive for the remainder of the night by scoring 93 points in the last three quarters. They also held Toronto to under 20 points throughout the second and fourth periods, paving the way for a solid blowout win.</p><p>Free throws, rebounding and ball movement made the difference in this matchup. The Hornets prevailed in all three categories by making 24 free throws, securing 47 rebounds and creating 26 assists. It wasn’t the same for the Raptors as they only made nine shots at the line, grabbed 41 rebounds and dished out 19 assists.</p><p>Six players scored in double-digit for Charlotte in the win, including Ball. He finished with a stat line of 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. He shot 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. Kon Knueppel led the team in scoring with 21 points and seven assists. Tidjane Salaun came next with 21 points and three rebounds, Miles Bridges had 15 points and nine rebounds, Brandon Miller put up 12 points and three rebounds, while Ryan Kalkbrenner provided 12 points and six rebounds.</p><p>Charlotte improved to a 7-16 record on the season, holding the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 1.5 games above the Brooklyn Nets and 2.5 games above the Indiana Pacers while trailing the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks by three games.</p><p>The Hornets will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ LaMelo Ball hilariously ran out onto the court with Raptors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-brandon-miller-playing-raptors-injury-report');   ga('set', 'title', 'Are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller playing tonight? Hornets vs. Raptors injury report');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/LaMelo-Ball-brings-the-ball-down.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller playing tonight? Hornets vs. Raptors injury report</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-05T08:23:59-08:00">December 5th, 8:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-05T08:37:36-08:00">December 5th, 8:37am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Charlotte Hornets will play the Toronto Raptors on the road on Friday night. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are among the Hornets listed on the injury report, however. So, are Ball and Miller playing tonight vs. the Raptors?</p><p>LaMelo is on the injury report with a left wrist sprain. Miller is dealing with left shoulder subluxation.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/lamelo-ball-playing-tonight-hornets-bucks-nba-cup-injury-report">Ball has dealt with injury concerns</a> at times this season. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-brandon-miller-miss-multiple-weeks-shoulder-injury">same can be said for Miller</a>. Both players feature high ceilings, but they need to find a way to stay on the floor.</p><p>Here’s everything we know about LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller’s injury statuses for tonight’s game vs. the Raptors.</p><p><b><i>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (</i></b><a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="sponsored noopener"><b><i>Get Access | Save $30</i></b></a><i>)</i><b><i>*</i></b></p><h2><b>LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller’s injury statuses vs. Raptors</b></h2><p>According to the NBA injury report, Ball is <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2025-12-05_10AM.pdf" rel="noopener">listed as probable</a> while Miller is questionable to play on Friday night.</p><p>Friday’s matchup projects to be a challenge for the Hornets. Toronto’s 15-8 record is good for third in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is 12th in the conference with a 6-16 record.</p><p>Having Ball and Miller available would go a long way toward a potential upset. As for the question of if LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are playing tonight vs. the Raptors, the answer is uncertain at the moment.</p><h2><b>Hornets’ injury report</b></h2><p>The Hornets have nine players on Friday’s injury report.</p><ul><li>LaMelo Ball (left wrist sprain): Probable</li><li>Brandon Miller (left shoulder subluxation): Questionable</li><li>Tre Mann (right knee soreness): Questionable</li><li>Ryan Kalkbrenner (left ankle contusion): Questionable</li><li>Pat Connaughton (right calf strain): Out</li><li>Josh Green (left shoulder surgery): Out</li><li>Collin Sexton (left quad strain): Out</li><li>Grant Williams (right knee surgery): Out</li><li>Drew Peterson (G League two-way): Out</li></ul><p>The Raptors were defeated 123-120 on Thursday night by the Los Angeles Lakers. As a result, Friday’s game represents the second of a back-to-back for the team, meaning they have yet to release their injury report for the contest.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller playing tonight? Hornets vs. Raptors injury report

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-mourning-is-all-of-us-when-it-comes-to-lamelo-ball-trade-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Alonzo Mourning is all of us when it comes to LaMelo Ball trade rumors from the Hornets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ball.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Alonzo Mourning is all of us when it comes to LaMelo Ball trade rumors from the Hornets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-04T12:09:57-08:00">December 4th, 12:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-04T12:09:57-08:00">December 4th, 12:09pm</time><address><a>Jake Faigus</a>Jake Faigus graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 and has written for several publications and websites. He has had stops at Catena Media, Playmaker, DraftKings, USA Today, Spike Up, and Spotlight Sports Group. He also writes for Sporting News and works at iHeartMedia in Phoenix when he is not writing for ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 2025 season has been awful for the Charlotte Hornets. They are 6-16 and do not have much hope of turning things around this season. The rough start has led to a lot of trade speculation about LaMelo Ball and who might be interested in trading for him. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-open-to-trade-amid-rumored-frustration" rel="noopener">Those rumors will persist for the Hornets until the trade deadline</a>, unless they somehow turn their season around.</p><p>Former Charlotte Hornet and Miami Heat center, Alonzo Mourning, talked all things basketball in an exclusive interview with “Videogamer.” In the interview, Mourning mainly spoke about the Miami Heat, as he is the Vice President of Player Programs and Development. However, he also talked about his old team, the Hornets, and when asked about Ball, <a href="https://www.videogamer.com/news/alonzo-mourning-exclusive-nba-jam-heat-lebron/" rel="noopener">he said he has no idea what will happen with him</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Alonzo Mourning is all of us when it comes to LaMelo Ball trade rumors from the Hornets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-kon-knueppel-rookie-of-the-month-honor-cooper-flagg');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ Kon Knueppel discusses Rookie of the Month honor alongside Cooper Flagg');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Kon-Knuppel-attempts-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ Kon Knueppel discusses Rookie of the Month honor alongside Cooper Flagg</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-03T12:14:39-08:00">December 3rd, 12:14pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-03T12:14:39-08:00">December 3rd, 12:14pm</time><address><a>RB Hayek</a>RB Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of ClutchPoints' editorial team after primarily focusing on betting content. In addition, he is also a published author of thriller novels, available on Amazon.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rookie-power-rankings-kon-knueppel-leads-cooper-flagg-at-quarter-mark" rel="noopener">NBA Rookie of the Year battle between the Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel and the Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg</a> is heating up as the 2025-26 NBA season rages on. Now, he sat down on The Tonight Show to <a href="https://x.com/FallonTonight/status/1996088758433972342" rel="noopener">talk about being named</a> Rookie of the Month alongside Flagg, according to a post on X from The Tonight Show.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Kon2Knueppel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kon2Knueppel</a> reacts to winning <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>’s Rookie of the Month! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FallonTonight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FallonTonight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAonNBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAonNBC</a> <a href="https://t.co/wot7xQGnsi">pic.twitter.com/wot7xQGnsi</a></p><p>— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) <a href="https://twitter.com/FallonTonight/status/1996088758433972342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Knueppel discussed how Flagg texted him that day, while acknowledging that it was great to be honored as Rookie of the Month. Significantly, Knueppel and Flagg were college roommates, and both are now competing for the same honor.<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppel-drawing-klay-thompson-devin-booker-comparisons"> Knueppel has drawn comparisons </a>to NBA veterans and stars for his outstanding play. So far, he is averaging 18.3 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field, including 41.5 percent from beyond the arc. He is the third-best scorer on the Hornets right now.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-reggie-miller-bold-claim-kon-knueppel-stephen-curry">Knueppel has even drawn praise from legends,</a> demonstrating how well he has played throughout this young NBA season. While the Hornets are still rebuilding, they have the budding young talent that can eventually turn this team around. The appearance on The Tonight Show was an indication of the rising star power of this rookie and what he could possibly become.</p><p>Knueppel has shared the spotlight with Flagg, who is flourishing over in Dallas, while also taking on more responsibility in the wake of injured stars. Currently, Flagg is averaging 17 points per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the hardwood, but 25.6 percent from the triples. With Kyrie Irving out until at least January, Flagg is the second-best scorer on a depleted Mavericks’ roster that has struggled to stay afloat.</p><p>Despite their teams’ records, Knueppel and Flagg have continued to shine individually and will certainly be an important part of the future. For now, Knueppel will continue to develop throughout the season and do everything he can to help his team succeed while also competing against someone he holds in high regard.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets’ Kon Knueppel discusses Rookie of the Month honor alongside Cooper Flagg

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/why-lamelo-ball-globetrotter-label-unfortunately-100-spot-on');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why the LaMelo Ball ‘Globetrotter’ label is unfortunately 100% spot-on');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ball.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why the LaMelo Ball ‘Globetrotter’ label is unfortunately 100% spot-on</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-03T11:00:21-08:00">December 3rd, 11:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-03T11:00:21-08:00">December 3rd, 11:00am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-rumors-lamelo-ball-trade-buzz-cold-water-dumped">LaMelo Ball arrived in Charlotte in 2020</a> amid massive hype, a high school phenom whose combination of size, skill, and flair immediately drew comparisons to elite point guards across the league. Four seasons later, the Hornets’ 24-year-old star remains a fascinating talent but a frustrating case study, earning the ‘Globetrotter’ label from scouts and executives alike, a label that, as much as it stings for his fans, is difficult to dispute.</p><h2><b>Talent that turns heads but doesn’t always translate</b></h2><p>From a purely statistical perspective, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-open-to-trade-amid-rumored-frustration">Ball has never failed to impress.</a> In 245 career games, he’s averaged 20.9 points, 7.5 assists, and 6 rebounds per night, with flashes of brilliance that showcase his court vision, deep shooting range, and elite passing ability.</p><p>Individual seasons have included multiple 23+ point averages and more than eight assists per game, underscoring his potential as a franchise cornerstone.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LaMelo Ball this season:</p><p>18.9 PPG<br>6.1 RPG<br>8.9 APG<br>38/28/87 Splits<br>49.9 TS%</p><p>He’s shooting under 40% (39.8) from the field over his last 60 career games <a href="https://t.co/ghkqiovLpC">pic.twitter.com/ghkqiovLpC</a></p><p>— 🎞 (@PeakRT_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeakRT_/status/1995692430541422811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Yet, numbers alone mask inconsistencies that frustrate teams and fans. His shooting splits this season, 37.9% from the floor and 28.1% from deep, reflect poor shot selection and an unbalanced approach to scoring.</p><p>Executives routinely cite his penchant for launching long, contested threes early in the shot clock as emblematic of a player who sometimes values spectacle over efficiency.</p><p>Even the most optimistic scouting reports admit that while his talent is unquestioned, his approach on any given night can feel more like a highlight reel than a disciplined game plan.</p><h2><b>Fragility that costs teams</b></h2><p>Talent alone is rarely enough in the NBA; availability matters just as much. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-charles-lee-opens-about-lamelo-ball-brandon-miller-minutes-restrictions">Ball’s career thus far has been marred by injuries</a> that limit his value as a reliable leader.</p><p>He has missed significant time in each of the past three seasons due to recurring right ankle issues, including six games this year alone with impingement.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LaMelo Ball showing off the range to the Nets crowd 🔥 <br> <a href="https://t.co/bWNIlWrdP1">pic.twitter.com/bWNIlWrdP1</a></p><p>— Hornets Nation (@HornetsNationCP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsNationCP/status/1995677721243123755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Over 36, 22, and 47 games across previous campaigns, he has not managed a full slate of games, leaving Charlotte perpetually scrambling for continuity and rhythm.</p><p>Even when on the court, there are subtle questions about his stamina and ability to maintain peak performance over a grueling 82-game season.</p><p>Durability concerns, coupled with his inconsistency, exacerbate the impression that while Ball can dominate for flashes, he cannot yet be counted on in the grind of the regular season, let alone high-stakes playoff moments.</p><h2><b>The question of focus and maturity</b></h2><p>Perhaps the most critical and damning aspect of the ‘Globetrotter’ label is Ball’s composure. Scouts, executives, and even his own coaching staff have expressed frustration at a perceived laissez-faire attitude.</p><p>He’s frequently described as “unserious,” a player whose incredible gifts are undermined by poor decision-making and a sometimes casual approach to game management.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-lamelo-ball-blasts-false-amid-info-swirling-trade-rumor">While LaMelo has publicly dismissed trade rumors</a> and expressed commitment to the Hornets, his on-court habits, long-range heaves, high-risk passes, and moments of unnecessary flair reinforce the narrative.</p><p>In high-pressure situations, particularly late-game and playoff contexts, there remains legitimate uncertainty about whether Ball can consistently make the right choices.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LaMelo Ball reportedly has “negative trade value” according to ESPN </p><p>If true, this would mean the Hornets would have to incentivise teams to take him with draft capital or sacrifice one of their young players to get rid of him and his contract <a href="https://t.co/jkWpyjmtoe">pic.twitter.com/jkWpyjmtoe</a></p><p>— DKM 🏀 (@DKM_Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/DKM_Sports/status/1996289544753209736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Talent, in this case, only partially mitigates the concern.</p><p>LaMelo Ball is undeniably a gifted player whose highlight-reel plays captivate fans nightly. Yet, when viewed through the lens of consistency, durability, and composure, <a href="https://www.espn.in/nba/story/_/id/47179857/ja-morant-lamelo-ball-trae-young-three-all-star-guards-limbo" rel="noopener">the ‘Globetrotter’ label</a>, frustrating as it may be, is a fair characterization of where he stands today.</p><p>Until he proves he can combine elite talent with sustained focus and health,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-rumors-insider-reveals-absolutely-certain-mindset-lamelo-ball-trade"> the Hornets’ hopes will continue to ride on flashes</a> rather than the full measure of a franchise-defining star.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why the LaMelo Ball ‘Globetrotter’ label is unfortunately 100% spot-on

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-former-la-big-man-elden-campbell-passes-away-57');   ga('set', 'title', 'Former Lakers big man Elden Campbell passes away at 57');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Former-LA-big-man-Elden-Campbell-passes-away-at-57.jpg"></figure><h1>Former Lakers big man Elden Campbell passes away at 57</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-03T00:07:20-08:00">December 3rd, 12:07am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-03T00:13:55-08:00">December 3rd, 12:13am</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Elden Campbell, a forward/center who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2025-12-02/former-laker-elden-campbell-known-for-his-effortless-style-dies-at-57" rel="noopener">has passed away</a> at the age of 57, per Broderick Turner of the LA Times. A strong rim-protector on defense and a capable contributor on offense, the former Clemson star played more than 1,000 games in the NBA.</p><p>It is no coincidence that Campbell spent his basketball career on teams that were in the midst of important or historic eras. He was an integral component of the Tigers’ revival, helping them reach the NCAA Tournament in three of his four years at the South Carolina-based university. The former No. 27 overall pick was then fortunate enough to land on his hometown Lakers at the 1990 NBA Draft.</p><p>Campbell did his part to push LA through a trying transition period, as all-time great point guard Magic Johnson stepped away from the team after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/magic-johnson-wife-reaction-hiv-diagnosis">announcing he was HIV-Positive</a>. He was a dependable player during his eight-and-a-half-year tenure with the Purple and Gold and brought stability to an organization that needed it in the early and mid 1990s. Although Campbell missed out on the Lakers’ dynastic run at the turn of the 21st Century — traded to the Charlotte Hornets — fans still appreciate the impact he made.</p><h2><b>Elden Campbell got to experience the ultimate NBA triumph late in his career</b></h2><p>The 1990 First-Team All-ACC selection continued to be an elevating presence, maintaining a regular starting role during what was a high point in Charlotte’s history. The Hornets advanced to the playoffs in each of the three full seasons that Campbell played in the Queen City, a feat they never accomplished before or since. The team’s seven-game showing in the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals is the farthest it has ever gone, and he was one of the reasons why.</p><p>Elden Campbell was able to seize the Larry O’Brien Trophy before retiring in 2005, operating as a trusted role player for the Pistons. He celebrated <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-the-most-improbable-title-runs-in-league-history">a championship victory</a> at the expense of the Lakers, a full-circle moment that surely felt surreal for the Los Angeles native. He offered a welcome veteran presence that nicely meshed with the rest of the group.</p><p>The man consistently added value over the course of his 15-year NBA career. He averaged 10.3 points on 46.0 percent shooting to go along with 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He did not allow many free trips to the basket and ranks in the top-40 on the all-time blocking list. Campbell deserves his due for making a difference in multiple places during his long hoops journey.</p><p>But he had a life beyond the court. Thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Former Lakers big man Elden Campbell passes away at 57

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rookie-power-rankings-kon-knueppel-leads-cooper-flagg-at-quarter-mark');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel leads Cooper Flagg at quarter mark');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NBA-Rookie-Power-Rankings-Kon-Knueppel-leads-Cooper-Flagg-at-quarter-mark.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel leads Cooper Flagg at quarter mark</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-02T14:26:17-08:00">December 2nd, 2:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-02T14:26:17-08:00">December 2nd, 2:26pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Many did not think the 2025 NBA rookie class would be anything special outside of Cooper Flagg. Well, we are learning very quickly that there are several rookies becoming essential parts of their new organizations outside of Flagg, and none more than Kon Knueppel with the Charlotte Hornets.</p><p>Flagg was the big name coming out of Duke, but Knueppel was also an NBA-ready talent on the Blue Devils’ roster.</p><p>Between his 3-point shooting and shot-making skills on the wing, Knueppel has quickly cemented himself as one of the long-term pillars in Charlotte, and that is why he was u<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-cooper-flagg-kon-knueppel-make-league-history-rookie-honors">ltimately named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month</a> for games played in October and November.</p><p>Flagg earned this honor in the Western Conference, marking the <a href="https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1995944601400553506" rel="noopener">first time in NBA history</a> that two first-year players from the same college have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month.</p><p>Although VJ Edgecombe got off to a fast start with the Philadelphia 76ers, he has since been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/nba-rookie-power-rankings-25-26-cooper-flagg-falls-behind">surpassed by Knueppel and Flagg in the NBA rookie rankings</a>, as it’s the Hornets’ wing who has the upper hand through the quarter mark of the 2025-26 season.</p><h2><b>1. Kon Knueppel – Charlotte Hornets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Kon-Knueppel-warming-up.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous Ranking: #4</i></p><p><i>Stats: 21 games, 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 46.5 FG%, 41.5 3P%</i></p><p>Knueppel finished November averaging 19.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range. His best performance came on Nov. 14 against the Milwaukee Bucks, as Knueppel scored a career-high 32 points on 12-20 shooting in his Milwaukee homecoming.</p><p>So far this season, the Hornets wing has logged 10 games with at least 20 points, and he’s made at least four triples in 11 different games.</p><p>Through 21 games, Knueppel has made 73 total threes, trailing just Donovan Mitchell (81), Stephen Curry (75), and AJ Green (74) in the NBA.</p><p>With Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball dealing with injuries to begin the year, Knueppel stepped up in Charlotte to be their leading scorer. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues now that Miller and Ball are back in the fold.</p><h2><b>2. Cooper Flagg – Dallas Mavericks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mavs-Cooper-Flagg-shooting.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous Ranking: #5</i></p><p><i>Stats: 21 games, 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 46.6 FG%, 25.6 3P%</i></p><p>While Flagg got off to a slow start with the Dallas Mavericks, he has been sensational as of late. The Mavs rookie has scored at least 10 points in all but one game this season, and he’s registered three different 20-point performances over his last six games.</p><p>This includes a 35-point, eight-rebound night in a 114-110 win over the LA Clippers on Saturday.</p><p>What makes this <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-cooper-flagg-dallas-need-clippers">performance so memorable for Flagg</a>, besides it being a career-high scoring night for him, is that he became the youngest player to ever record 35 points in a game in league history. He also <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1995017536208011294" rel="noopener">joined LeBron James</a> as the only players in NBA history to score 25 points before turning 19.</p><p>A lot of lofty expectations were placed on Flagg entering the league, especially with many comparing him to LeBron as being a historic draft prospect. So far, he has delivered for Dallas, and he is right in the mix for the Rookie of the Year award with Knueppel entering December.</p><h2><b>3. VJ Edgecombe – Philadelphia 76ers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/VJ-Edgecombe-dunking-1.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous Ranking: #1</i></p><p><i>Stats: 16 games, 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 41.0 FG%, 36.0 3P%</i></p><p>When VJ Edgecombe began the year averaging 21.2 points per game through his first five contests for the Philadelphia 76ers, everyone started to believe he would be the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-vj-edgecombe-nba-debut-turns-heads-history-books">main competitor to Flagg for the Rookie of the Year award.</a></p><p>Although Edgecombe is still very much a part of this race with Flagg and Knueppel, he has looked like a rookie as of late, and he’s settled into his role alongside Tyrese Maxey.</p><p>Edgecombe averaged just 12.3 points per game in November, and that was mainly because of a left calf injury he battled through.</p><h2><b>4. Cedric Coward – Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Grizzlies-Cedric-Coward-shooting-over-SGA.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous Ranking: #3</i></p><p><i>Stats: 21 games, 13.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 45.2 FG%, 35.4 3P%</i></p><p>The most consistent rookie this season has been Cedric Coward. Once again, the Memphis Grizzlies have a key rookie contributor, and Coward has been extremely reliable in his role as a key scoring weapon off the bench in Memphis.</p><p>Coward has scored at least 10 points in 16 of the 21 games he’s played to this point, and his efficiency as a catch-and-shoot option from the perimeter has helped open the Grizzlies’ offensive attack.</p><p>Without Ja Morant on the court due to a calf injury, Coward has stepped into more of a leadership role for his team, which will only help him once he reverts back to being the third or fourth option down the line.</p><h2><b>5. Derik Queen – New Orleans Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pelicans-Derik-Queen-vs.-Nikola-Jokic.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous Ranking: #8</i></p><p><i>Stats: 21 games, 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 48.0 FG%</i></p><p>Some have compared Derik Queen’s game to Nikola Jokic’s. As crazy as this may sound, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-may-stink-but-nikola-jokic-sees-vision-derik-queen">Jokic himself gave the rookie his stamp of approval,</a> claiming that he sees similarities between their games.</p><p>Since the New Orleans Pelicans fired Willie Green, Queen has been cast into the spotlight, and he’s been the Pelicans’ featured player.</p><p>His best three-game stretch came in the middle of November, as he averaged 23.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.</p><p>These are the performances that have Pelicans fans excited about their future with Queen.</p><h2><b>6. Jeremiah Fears – New Orleans Pelicans</b></h2><p><i>Previous Ranking: #10</i></p><p><i>Stats: 21 games, 15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 44.5 FG%, 36.0 3P%</i></p><p>With Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole, and others out with injury for the Pelicans, Jeremiah Fears has been thrown into the spotlight, much like Derik Queen.</p><p>Since the start of November, Fears has averaged 16.1 points per game while shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point range. This type of production proves that he can be the Pelicans’ franchise point guard.</p><h2><b>7. Ryan Kalkbrenner – Charlotte Hornets</b></h2><p><i>Previous Ranking: #7</i></p><p><i>Stats: 19 games, 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 81.1 FG%</i></p><p>Although Ryan Kalkbrenner has missed a couple of games with a sprained ankle, he still leads the league with his 81.1 shooting percentage. Between his rebounding and finishing abilities in the paint, Kalkbrenner has been the ideal center for the Hornets through the early portion of his career.</p><h2><b>8. Ace Bailey – Utah Jazz</b></h2><p><i>Previous Ranking: Not Ranked</i></p><p><i>Stats: 20 games, 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 46.2 FG%, 35.8 3P%</i></p><p>Now that Ace Bailey is starting and getting the chance to prove himself, he is emerging as a key offensive weapon alongside Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George for the Utah Jazz.</p><p>Over his last 12 games, Bailey is averaging 13.7 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range. In this span, Bailey has recorded at least 20 points in three different games.</p><h2><b>9. Tre Johnson – Washington Wizards</b></h2><p><i>Previous Ranking: #6</i></p><p><i>Stats: 15 games, 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 44.5 FG%, 39.5 3P%</i></p><p>Unfortunately, Tre Johnson is set to miss some time with a strained left hip flexor, which is unfortunate since he was elevating the Washington Wizards’ offense.</p><p>Through the first 15 games of his career, Johnson had made at least three triples five different times, and he scored in double figures 11 different times. His shooting potential presents optimism for the Wizards’ future.</p><h2><b>10. Egor Demin – Brooklyn Nets</b></h2><p><i>Previous Ranking: Not Ranked</i></p><p><i>Stats: 18 games, 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 37.7 FG%, 34.7 3P%</i></p><p>Not much has gone right for the Brooklyn Nets this season, as they appear to be focused on securing a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. However, Egor Demin has shown flashes of his lead-guard potential during the first month or so of the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Demin does a little bit of everything, and the Nets are hopeful that his perimeter shooting will continue to develop to the point where he will be a real offensive threat. Right now, he appears to be in the mix to be an All-Rookie performer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel leads Cooper Flagg at quarter mark

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-hilarious-reaction-to-danny-wolf-poster-dunk');   ga('set', 'title', 'Michael Porter Jr.’s hilarious reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk over Miles Bridges');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Danny-Wolf.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Michael Porter Jr.’s hilarious reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk over Miles Bridges</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-01T22:54:21-08:00">December 1st, 10:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-02T07:08:33-08:00">December 2nd, 7:08am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brooklyn Nets rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-danny-wolf-reacts-to-encouraging-performance-surprise-debut">Danny Wolf is making the most</a> of his first extended NBA opportunity. After scoring a team-high 22 points off the bench during Saturday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the big man provided another electrifying moment on Monday.</p><p>Wolf <a href="https://x.com/erikslater_/status/1995688200317313489?s=20" rel="noopener">threw down a poster dunk</a> over Miles Bridges during the fourth quarter of Brooklyn’s 1116-103 win over the Charlotte Hornets. The viral highlight shocked several of the rookie’s Nets teammates, including Michael Porter Jr., who shared why the dunk caught him off guard.</p><p>“[That’s a] white boy,” Porter Jr. said with a laugh. “Nah, I’m playing. Danny’s been showing out since training camp. I’ve said it multiple times that Danny is one of my favorite rookies that I’ve ever played with and seen. From day one of training camp, he surprised me with his ability to handle the ball, the way he moves quick on his feet, the way he can pass and shoot. So being out there with him was really fun. It was my first time on the floor with him.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Michael Porter Jr. on his shocked reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk:</p><p>“White boy.”</p><p>😂😂😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5">https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5</a> <a href="https://t.co/HnGhEOPitm">pic.twitter.com/HnGhEOPitm</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1995701826231173213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Following a slow start, Wolf was among Brooklyn’s main closers down the stretch of Monday’s win.</p><h2>Danny Wolf continues to impress during first extended NBA opportunity with Nets</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Danny-Wolf-_d5e95b.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The 21-year-old scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter. He shot 4-of-6 from the field with five rebounds and an assist in 12 minutes during the final frame. His dunk over Bridges was the exclamation point on the Nets’ first home win of the season.</p><p>“It felt great,” Wolf said of the play. “Against Milwaukee, there was another opportunity for that, and I laid the ball up [instead]. Before today’s game, I said I was going to try to catch a body or try to dunk on somebody. I was kinda saying that as a joke. But kind of looking at that as an opportunity, and just kind of trying to attack the rim. And I did it, and I reaped the rewards.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Danny Wolf on his poster dunk over Miles Bridges:</p><p>“Before the game I said I was gonna try to catch a body.” <a href="https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5">https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5</a> <a href="https://t.co/OCu4mzrKJx">pic.twitter.com/OCu4mzrKJx</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1995696291683381330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-danny-wolf-assigned-to-g-league">Wolf was the only one of the Nets’ five rookies yet to play</a> extended NBA minutes before last weekend. However, following <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-danny-wolf-receives-jordi-fernandez-offensive-challenge">a productive G League stint</a>, the No. 27 pick has impressed over Brooklyn’s last three games, averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .444/.429/.875 shooting splits in 20.8 minutes per night.</p><p>Wolf’s performance may have solidified his place in the Nets’ rotation moving forward.</p><p>“Obviously, coming into the NBA, you don’t really know exactly the fine details as to what you’re getting yourself into,” he said. “I look back on the first month, and you’re not getting the opportunity. You’re sitting on the bench, and you just have that itch to play. I think going down to Long Island, the coaching and front office told me that how you look at it is what you can get out of it. That’s what I said from day one. Credit to a lot of the guys who passed that mindset on to me. I went down there with a great mindset and looked at it as an opportunity to work on my game and get reps.</p><p>“It’s just being ready for your opportunity. Just trying to do the little things. And I think these last two and a half, three games, I’ve kind of done what I could… [Now] it’s just kind of putting these past me and continuing to get better and know that I just gotta keep working to get what I want.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Charlotte
Hornets NEWS

Hornets News: Get the latest Charlotte Hornets news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Hornets News

NBA rumors: Hornets won’t pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?

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• Michael Porter Jr.’s hilarious reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk over Miles Bridges

CharlotteHornets NEWS

Hornets News: Get the latest Charlotte Hornets news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Hornets News

NBA rumors: Hornets won’t pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?

NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Warriors trade Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga for Anthony Davis, with Lakers twist

NBA rumors: Stop all your LaMelo Ball-to-Kings trade jokes

Hornets’ Tidjane Salaun reflects on career game in blowout win over Raptors

Hornets’ LaMelo Ball hilariously ran out onto the court with Raptors

Are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller playing tonight? Hornets vs. Raptors injury report

Alonzo Mourning is all of us when it comes to LaMelo Ball trade rumors from the Hornets

• Hornets’ Kon Knueppel discusses Rookie of the Month honor alongside Cooper Flagg

• Why the LaMelo Ball ‘Globetrotter’ label is unfortunately 100% spot-on

• Former Lakers big man Elden Campbell passes away at 57

• NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel leads Cooper Flagg at quarter mark

• Michael Porter Jr.’s hilarious reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk over Miles Bridges

Charlotte
Hornets NEWS