Day: March 28, 2025

LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the season as he undergoes two minor procedures to address right ankle and wrist issues. Ball had played through pain in recent weeks before he and the team consulted doctors and determined these procedures will allow him to have a full and productive offseason.

Ball has dealt with ankle injuries over recent years, missing at least 25 games in each of the past three seasons after playing a career-high 75 games in 2021-22.

Ball finishes the season with averages of 25.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 rebounds in 47 games. Ball finished the first season of his five-year, $203.8 million contract extension with the Charlotte Hornets.

The Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins. Jenkins had a 464-250 (.539) record over nearly six seasons with the Grizzlies. Jenkins was hired by the Grizzlies in 2019 following his extended tenure as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks.

“I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons,” said Grizzlies President and GM of Basketball Operations Zach Kleiman. “This was a difficult decision, given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward.”

The Grizzlies are currently fifth in the Western Conference despite enduring injuries to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Marc Lore has made it a priority to sign Tim Connelly to a contract extension once he assumes full control of the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN. Lore and Alex Rodriguez have yet to gain control of the Wolves despite an arbitration ruling in their favor over Glen Taylor.

Connelly agreed to an amendment in his contract last year that pushed his opt-out to this offseason. The Wolves signed Connelly away from the Denver Nuggets in May 2022 on a five-year, $40 million deal. Connelly quickly moved forward with a trade for Rudy Gobert in his first offseason with the team.

If Connelly were to hit the open market, he would figure to receive considerable outside interest given his role in building the eventual champion Nuggets while also constructing a Wolves’ roster that reached the Western Conference Finals.

Gersson Rosas and then Sachin Gupta were the two previous lead decision-makers for the Wolves before Connelly’s tenure.