NBA Notes: Thunder, Chet Holmgren, Spurs, Cavs

Thunder

No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren will miss the season with a foot injury, but indicated he has no regrets playing in the Seattle pro-am game, where the injury occurred.

“There’s freedom of speech and criticism comes along with anything. Basketball players are going to play basketball,” Holmgren said, via Brandon Rahber of Daily Thunder. “You have to feed the love of the game. I don’t want an injury like this to take away from that.” 

Holmgren has said he’s talked to 76ers center Joel Embiid about the injury. Embiid had a similar injury as a rookie.

“I’ve never had a serious injury in my life. So I had nothing to compare it to.. I didn’t imagine anything like this for sure,” Holmgren said, via Rahber. “I can pretty much work out everything except putting weight to my foot at this time.”

Spurs

• Josh Primo will miss the start of the preseason with an MCL sprain, the team announced in a press release.
• The injury occurred at an opening gym prior to training camp and is not considered serious, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
• Both Primo and Keldon Johnson are expected to be ready for the Spurs’ season-opener, per Orsborn. Johnson is currently out with a dislocated shoulder.

Cavaliers

Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team is focusing on conditioning ahead of the 2022-23 season. “We are running more,” he told reporters. “We have more of an emphasis on just old school sprints that we hadn’t done as much in the past.”

Bickerstaff said the Cavs felt Evan Mobley should’ve won Rookie of the Year last season. “Without trying to put too much on him, he is the guy who can help take us to the next level,” Bickerstaff said.

• How are the Cavs’ overall vibes at practice? We have some new Dribbles on that very subject right here. There are also some Dribbles on the battle to start at small forward.
• For more on the Cavs, including a few more notes from earlier, be sure to visit our Cavs page right here.