DOUBLE SURGERY: ANALYZING JAYDEN REED'S LONG-AWAITED PACKERS RETURN
Packers WR Jayden Reed is still awaiting clearance from team doctors after surgeries on his collarbone and foot. Coach LaFleur remains cautious, aiming for a Week 14 return.
About two weeks ago, Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed posted a picture of himself in uniform, making fans think he'd be back soon. He last played in Week 2 against Washington, where he broke his collarbone. Usually, he'd have recovered by now.
But Reed's case is different. He had a foot fracture in training camp that he decided to play through. When the collarbone injury happened, he chose to get his foot fixed, too. So, it's been a long wait to get him back on the field.
Reed's post led to thoughts that he would return in Week 12 against the Vikings. That didn't happen, but there was still hope for Thanksgiving against the Lions. Detroit's coach, Dan Campbell, even said his team was ready for Reed to play. Still, he sat out again. Now, Week 14 is coming up fast.
Packers Haven't Cleared Jayden Reed
Coach Matt LaFleur told reporters on Monday that there's no update on Reed. Since Reed is on injured reserve, team doctors have to clear him before he can start practising. Then, the team has three weeks to bring him back. His practice isn't open yet.
LaFleur said they plan to check on Reed at the end of the week, and if he's ready, he needs to be cleared first. He also said that he's back to practising, but he still needs the OK to play in a game.
The bad news is Reed isn't cleared yet. The good news is there's still time—he might be cleared by Friday.
Packers Have Good Receiver Depth
The Packers have a solid group of receivers with good talent, even if they don't have a top receiver. They haven't all been healthy at the same time, but Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson would be great second receivers on most teams. Plus, rookie Matthew Golden has struggled with injuries and has been out for three of the last four games.
Dontayvion Wicks had a great game on Thanksgiving, catching six passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns. That was his second-highest yardage and his third game with two scores in his three seasons with the Packers. Wicks has had problems with drops, but he seems to have fixed that.
In his rookie year in 2023, Reed had a team-best 64 catches for 793 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2024, he followed that up with 55 catches for 857 yards and six touchdowns. There are still questions about whether Reed is, or could, turn into a true top receiver, but he was their most reliable player going into 2025.
WARRIORS' NEW DYNAMIC: STEVE KERR EXPLAINS HOW PAT SPENCER FITS WITH STEPH CURRY BACK
Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed Pat Spencer's excellent play (13.6 PPG, 59% FG) guarantees him minutes, even with Steph Curry returning to the backcourt rotation.
The Golden State Warriors may have found a gem in guard Pat Spencer while Steph Curry was out. It sounds like they plan to keep him in the mix.
Coach Steve Kerr talked on Tuesday about how Spencer will fit in now that Curry is back.
"I'm not going to cut his minutes completely," Kerr said about Spencer on the Willard & Dibs show on Tuesday, December 9. I plan to play him with Steph some. We'll see how it goes. It will depend on who we're playing, how well we defend, and which three guys we put out there with them. It's something we still need to figure out.”
Kerr added, But with how Pat is playing and how he’s helping us win and bringing a competitive attitude to the team. I have to keep playing him. We’re winning, and he’s a big reason why.
Spencer has played well in the 5 games since Curry got hurt.
Curry hurt his quadriceps against the Houston Rockets on November 26. He’s scheduled to be back on Friday, December 12, at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In those five games without Curry, the Warriors went 3-2. Spencer started in the last two wins.
In those five games, Spencer played about 23 minutes each night. He averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, plus almost one steal per game. He shot nearly 60% from the field and almost 67% from three on around two attempts a game.
The Warriors are now 13-12 for the season and are currently eighth in the Western Conference.
Draymond Green will practice before the Warriors' next game.
Curry is coming back on Friday after the team had five days off because they didn't make the NBA Cup tournament. Draymond Green, Curry's longtime teammate, is still uncertain.
Green has missed the last two games with a foot injury. Kerr hoped Green might return on Friday, but he doesn't have enough info yet.
Kerr said, "He's supposed to practice [Wednesday] and scrimmage [Thursday]." Afterwards, we'll know more about how close he is to coming back. I don't know yet if he'll be able to play on Friday.
After a three-game road trip in the East, the Warriors play one home game before going back on the road for two games out West. Golden State plays the Portland Trail Blazers on December 14 and then the Phoenix Suns on December 18.
"HE LOOKS GOOD OUT THERE":LEBRON JAMES PROUDLY PRAISES BRONNY'S NBA IMPROVEMENT
LeBron admits balancing team leadership with advising Bronny is hard, but says the young Laker star must experience challenges to reach his full potential.
LeBron James missed training camp and the first 14 games this season—a first for him. All he could do was watch.
He got to see the Lakers start strong at 10-4, and he watched Bronny James grow as a player.
Bronny stood out in the Summer League in Las Vegas. When the season started, he even started a game against the Bucks. One of his best games was against the Hawks, where he shot 4-6 and scored 9 points.
LeBron talked about how much he enjoys watching Bronny improve on his “Mind The Game” podcast.
“It’s been great, as a father and someone who loves the game, to see him build on what he did in the G League, get comfortable, and then do even better in the Summer League. Now, when he gets his chances this year, he just looks good out there. Young players get better with more time on the court.
“You pick up the little things, and you get used to the speed and strength of the game. I was really proud of him in those games when Luka, AR, or Marcus was out. He played well at home and then had a tough back-to-back in Portland and did it again. That’s what the NBA is all about.”
Every player's path is different, but Bronny's is unique. As part of the first father-son duo in the NBA, he's under a huge spotlight, especially as a late second-round pick.
He seems to handle it well, though he admitted the pressure got to him at first. Now that things have calmed down, he can focus on his game.
Even with less media attention, Bronny’s situation is still special. His dad is not just his coworker but also one of the best to ever play the game.
Bronny can’t change that. LeBron has to figure out how to handle it, as he mentioned on the podcast.
“It’s a tricky balance. During practice and games, I’m a leader on the team. But we also have time where I can give him advice based on what I see. He has to go his own way, and I can share what I’ve learned, but he needs to experience things for himself. Going through those challenges will teach him the most.”
Despite some concerns about the LeBron-Bronny dynamic, it hasn’t been a problem.
Bronny is getting better and looks more comfortable in NBA games. The Lakers are one of the top teams in the West, so it’s tough for him to get consistent playing time. Still, he’s ready, and he’ll get his chance when injuries happen.
If Bronny keeps working hard and improving, he’ll reach his full potential, and that’s what matters most.