Rockets
Barring a last-minute setback, Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet is expected to return to action on Saturday against Sacramento, reports Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle.
VanVleet has missed the Rockets’ past 11 games due to a right ankle strain. The team, which was 32-15 entering February, lost the game in which VanVleet was injured and has gone just 5-6 in his absence. His return is anticipated to be a significant boost for the Rockets.
Head coach Ime Udoka confirmed on Friday that VanVleet will immediately reclaim his role as Houston’s starting point guard, while Amen Thompson, who has stepped in as the primary ball handler during VanVleet’s absence, will continue to start in the backcourt.
“Me and Amen have had a good synergy,” VanVleet said. “He’s always going to have ball-handling responsibility. We love him pushing the break, getting us into offense. I thought we started to see that when we had a stretch in January when he jumped into the starting lineup. Yeah, we got to keep pushing, getting ready for coming April. We got to get back to playing at the level that we know we’re capable of.”
Magic
Magic guard Jalen Suggs, who has missed the past 14 games due to what the team initially described as a left quad contusion, has been ruled out indefinitely after further testing revealed a trochlea injury in his left knee, reports Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.
The team confirmed the diagnosis in a press release. Suggs had been experiencing discomfort during his return-to-play activities, prompting the Magic to re-evaluate the fourth-year guard and conduct an MRI. The results of the additional tests revealed the trochlea injury.
As Beede explains, the trochlea is “a groove in the lower end of the femur that guides the kneecap during knee movements.” When damaged, it can lead to pain, instability, and other knee-related complications.
The Magic have stated that a treatment plan for Suggs is still being developed, but they remain optimistic about his full recovery.
Suggs has now missed 24 of the Magic’s last 25 games, having also sat out 10 consecutive contests in January due to a low back strain. The 22-year-old guard has been limited to just 35 total appearances this season, averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 28.6 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .410/.314/.882.
Hornets
Malachi Flynn will join the Hornets on a 10-day contract, sources have confirmed to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The 26-year-old point guard was in training camp with the San Antonio Spurs after signing an Exhibit 10 deal in August. He was waived prior to the start of the season and has since been playing for the Spurs’ G League affiliate in Austin, where he has averaged 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 18 regular season games.
Flynn will replace Elfrid Payton, whose second 10-day contract with the Hornets expired on Thursday, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Payton had been signed under a hardship exception, which remains in effect due to long-term injuries affecting Tre Mann, Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Josh Okogie.
Payton appeared in six games for the Hornets, starting two, and averaged 1.0 point, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 20.5 minutes per game.
Once his contract is finalized, Flynn will become the fourth team of his career in the past two seasons. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and spent three and a half seasons with the team before being traded to New York as part of the OG Anunoby deal. The Knicks then sent him to Detroit at last February’s trade deadline.
Flynn has appeared in 213 games through his first four NBA seasons, averaging 5.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 14.2 minutes per night. His most notable performance came last April when he scored 50 points off the bench for Detroit.
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