Raptors: Waived Koloko’s health ‘in hands of NBA’
TORONTO – Raptors president Masai Ujiri said Thursday that the health status of former Toronto center Christian Koloko “is in the hands of the NBA.”
Later Thursday, Shams Charania of the Athletic reported that Koloko is suffering from a blood clot issue and has been referred to the league’s Fitness-to-Play panel, preventing him from playing for or practicing with an NBA team.
The 23-year-old Koloko was waived Wednesday after the Raptors traded Pascal Siakam to Indiana in exchange for three players.
Koloko has not played this season because of what the Raptors called a “respiratory issue.”
Thursday’s games
Bulls 116, Raptors 110: Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 13 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points against his former team and visiting Chicago snapped a four-game losing streak in Toronto. Patrick Williams scored 12 points, and Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu each had 10. Chicago outscored Toronto 74-50 on points in the paint. Scottie Barnes had 31 points, one shy of his career best, for Toronto. RJ Barrett added 17 points. Bruce Brown scored 15 points in his Toronto debut, a day after being part of thetrade that sent two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam to Indiana. Fellow Toronto newcomers forward Jordan Nwora and guard Kira Lewis Jr. were both active but neither played.
Knicks 113, Wizards 107: Jalen Brunson had 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, leading host New York to eight wins in its past 10 games since adding OG Anunoby to the roster. Brunson scored 18 of the Knicks’ 21 points during a lengthy stretch of the fourth quarter, helping them push a one-point lead to 105-97 with 1:26 remaining. He scored at least 30 for the second straight night after missing two games because of a bruised left calf. Jordan Poole (Michigan) scored 24 points for the Wizards, while ex-Piston Marvin Bagley III had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his first start for the Wizards. Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma (Flint) each scored 15 points.