PHILADELPHIA — Guard/forward Kelly Oubre Jr. may rejoin the 76ers as early as this weekend after nearly two months on the sideline with a sprained left knee, head coach Nick Nurse said. The veteran has been inactive since Nov. 14 but has progressed from three-on-three work Monday to four-on-four drills Wednesday and could advance to full five-on-five action Friday.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Oubre’s availability for Saturday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden will hinge on how his knee responds in that scrimmage. “I’m just going off what the trainers and the docs say,” Oubre told the paper. “I don’t feel any pain or shortness after workouts, which is a good sign.”
Philadelphia is also expected to welcome forward Trendon Watford back soon from an adductor strain. Even with additional depth on the horizon, Nurse indicated Paul George will continue to see most of his minutes on the wing, while power-forward assignments could be split based on nightly matchups.
Grizzlies Bring Back Koloko
MEMPHIS — The NBA approved another hardship exception for the injury-depleted Grizzlies, allowing the club to sign center Christian Koloko to a second 10-day contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The 7-footer joined Memphis on Dec. 22, appeared in five contests and logged 18.6 minutes per game, including one start. Although his scoring output was limited, the team posted a positive net rating during his floor time thanks to his defense and rebounding.
League rules permit only two successive 10-day agreements; if Memphis wants to keep Koloko after the new deal expires, the organization must commit to a standard contract for the remainder of the season.
Expansion Talks Complicated by European Plans
Commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly said a decision on adding NBA franchises could arrive in 2026, but insiders now question whether that timetable is realistic. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that stakeholders involved in both domestic expansion and the league’s proposed European division believe launching a Europe-based circuit—targeted for fall 2027—would likely delay enlargement on this side of the Atlantic.
If those projections hold, the NBA may elect to finalize its overseas plans first and revisit new North American teams a year or two later.
Source: Hoops Wire
