RealGM Basketball Wiretap

22 February 2025

• Jusuf Nurkic Suggests Orlando Should Trade For Portland Guard

  Following his debut game in the Charlotte Hornets loss to the Orlando Magic, Jusuf Nurkic was asked where he thinks the Magic are at as a team. Nurkic was complimentary of Orlando, while making a suggestion for a future transaction.

  "They are a really good young team and they are doing a really good job. They have a really good coaching staff, but I think they are missing one player. I can't name it, but that's my little fella from Portland, but I love my Portland people...but I think they are waiting and missing one player to be a really good team," Nurkic said.

  The veteran center seems to be hinting at former Portland Trail Blazers teammate Anfernee Simons with his comments. Simons is an Orlando native, and an often-suggested trade target for the Magic. Simons has one year left on his contract with the Blazers at $27.7 million for next season.

• Deandre Ayton Out At Least Four Weeks With Left Calf Strain

  Deandre Ayton exited Monday night's game at Denver with an injury to the left calf. Ayton underwent an MRI on Tuesday which confirmed a left calf strain.
  
  Ayton will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks.

• Trail Blazers To Sign Sidy Cissoko To Two-Way Contract; Waive Taze Moore

  The Portland Trail Blazers are signing forward Sidy Cissoko to a two-way contract. To create the roster spot for Cissoko, the Blazers are waiving guard Taze Moore from his two-way deal.

  Cissoko was recently traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings then sent Cissoko to the Washington Wizards in a subsequent trade. The Wizards waived Cissoko to free up a roster spot at the trade deadline.

• NBA Reschedules 9 Games Postponed By Wildfires, Ice; Clippers To Play 6 Games In 9 Nights

  The NBA rescheduled nine games featuring nine teams postponed by wildfires and ice from last week.

  The new schedule features the Clippers, who had four games affected by the new schedule, playing six games in nine days.

  "We've just got to take it game by game. We can't fall victim to the schedule. It was out of the NBA's hands, what happened to our city, and so we understand that. So we just got to lock in, take it game by game and then just go from there," said Ty Lue.

  The Spurs matchup against the Lakers, originally scheduled for 1/11, is still TBD.

  The new dates for rescheduled games are below:

  Hornet at Lakers: 2/19

  Rockets at Hawks: 1/28

  Hornets at Clippers: 3/16

  Bulls at Clippers: 1/20

  Wizards at Jazz: 3/19

  Jazz at Lakers: 2/10

  Wizards at Clippers: 1/23

  Wizards at Blazers: 3/17

  Clippers at Jazz: 2/13

• Donovan Clingan Out One Week With Mild Left Ankle Sprain

  Donovan Clingan has been diagnosed with a mild left ankle sprain. Clingan suffered the injury during Tuesday's game for the Portland Trail Blazers against the Brooklyn Nets. Clingan will be re-evaluated in one week.

  Clingan is averaging 5.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 16.7 minutes over 37 games this season.

• Matisse Thybulle Out At Least Two More Weeks

  Portland Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle will be out at least two more weeks. Thybulle is continuing in the reconditioning process. Thybulle has missed the entire season to date after a severely sprained right ankle.

  The sixth-year guard has been mentioned in trade rumors this season. Thybulle is considered an excellent defender. He's also been an improved shooter since arriving in Portland.

  Thybulle makes just over $11 million this season and has an $11.55 million player option for next season. That's an affordable contract for a playoff team that is looking for a wing defender.

• Get Your Latest NBA News From RealGM's Basketball Wiretap
  Get all the latest news and happenings from around the NBA with RealGM's Basketball Wiretap.