NBA Notes: Hawks, Kristaps Porzingis, Nets, Michael Porter Jr., Pacers

Hawks

The Hawks are playing the waiting game with two important pieces.

Atlanta announced Monday that Kristaps Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher are both making progress and will be re-evaluated in about a week.

Porzingis has missed five straight games with left Achilles tendinitis and has appeared just seventeen times all season. When available, he has been productive, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in limited minutes.

He also carries a $30.7 million expiring contract, which has kept his name circulating in trade conversations.

Risacher, the No. one pick in the 2024 draft, has been sidelined with a left knee bone contusion. He is averaging 11.2 points per game in his second season and has already missed more time this year than he did as a rookie. Atlanta has consistently signaled it has no interest in moving him, even in star-level talks.

At 20-24, the Hawks are clinging to the East’s final play-in spot and could use bodies quickly.

Nets

The Nets continue to look lost without Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn fell again Sunday with Porter resting and is now 0-8 without its leading scorer. Those losses have come by an average of more than 16 points, as relayed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Coach Jordi Fernandez did not sugarcoat it.

“We didn’t compete to the best of our ability,” Fernandez said, taking responsibility and promising a film-heavy reset.

Pacers

The Pacers officially brought back Tony Bradley on a second 10-day contract.

Bradley has logged meaningful minutes since returning, but this is his final 10-day allowance. If Indiana wants to keep him beyond January 28, it will have to convert him to a standard deal.