PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain has a meniscus tear in his left knee that requires surgery and is expected to be out indefinitely.
McCain who has starred for the struggling Sixers early in the season, reported a sore left knee after Friday night's 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Philadelphia said an MRI on Saturday showed a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee that requires surgery.
McCain, the 16th overall pick in the draft out of Duke, is the leading scorer among rookies this season, averaging 15.3 points through the first 23 games. McCain, who is averaging 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists, finished with five points and three assists in 29 minutes against the Pacers.
Also against Indiana on Friday, Sixers center Joel Embiid sustained a sinus fracture while going for a defensive rebound late in the first half of the loss. The team said Embiid, who had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes, will be further evaluated this weekend.
Embiid was only playing his sixth game out of the 23. He has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and also served a three-game suspension for physical contact with a reporter.
Injuries to Philadelphia stars Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — billed as the team's “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival — have limited the trio to playing parts of only three games together. As a result, the Sixers have stumbled to a 7-16 start.
Through it all, McCain has been one of the few highlights, scoring a career-high 34 points in a loss to Cleveland in mid-November. The 20-year-old guard has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
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Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain, center right, gets helped by Paul George, right, and Indiana Pacers' Andrew Nembhard, center left, after a hard fall to the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. The Pacers won 121-107. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, right, shoots against Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, right, drives into Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. during the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Jimmy Butler was suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a move that adds to the possibility he has already played his final game for the franchise.
Butler drew the latest suspension — this one will last two games — for what the team in a statement Wednesday night called a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team," including missing the Heat's flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and at Brooklyn on Saturday.
The earliest he could play for the Heat again is Monday, at home against Orlando.
And that would hinge on him still being on the roster, which seems far from guaranteed.
Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, a demand he has not made publicly because league rules do not allow players to do so. Any player who makes such a demand known is risking a fine of up to $150,000.
But the Heat revealed that request when suspending him in early January for what they called conduct detrimental to the team, and said at that time that they will work to accommodate his trade request.
The NBA's trade deadline is Feb. 6.
Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary. Butler returned last week and has played in each of the last three Miami games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes.
The Heat left for Milwaukee around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. That departure time is earlier than Miami leaves for most of its trips, and it's unclear if that was a factor for Butler.
The dates for the scheduled games on this Heat road trip coincide with a padel tournament in Miami, one that lists Butler as an honorary chairman and co-captain. Butler’s coffee company, Big Face, is also involved with the event. But it was not known if Butler planned on being present for that event in Miami and if that had anything to do with him missing the flight to Milwaukee.
Butler's expected breakup with the Heat has been brewing for several weeks, if not months. The primary issue that caused the fracture in the relationship was money; he’s eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension and the Heat never offered such a deal, largely because he’s missed about 25% of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.
There were other factors. Butler has made no secret that he's not happy with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn't participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters for the last three games, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle going on around the bench.
“There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back following the suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking. ... The whole truth will come out.”
The latest chapter of the Butler-Heat saga comes one day after Phoenix swung a deal with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks that the Suns are expected to use as pieces in another trade — presumably one that would bring Butler to them. Such a deal for Butler would be complicated for the Suns, and likely would involve at least three and possibly even more teams to make all the pieces fit.
The Butler trade watch has gone on for weeks, and his hair color for some December games just happened to match the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Houston — the four teams that were most prominently mentioned as possible trade partners for Miami.
And for Tuesday’s game against Portland, Butler wore shoes tinged in orange — perfectly matching the Suns’ color scheme.
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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler walks on the court after an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, greets rapper Lil Baby, right, after an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) stands on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
