NBA Rumors and News Roundup: Latest Update on Injuries, Extensions and More

Wednesday night was the deadline for 2008 draft picks to sign contract extensions, and some notable players were left without new deals to sign.

There were a number of injuries sustained in an evening which featured an unbelievable 13 games on the schedule, and we'll have to wait to see the severity of each and how it impacts teams around the league.

With so much volatility in both the Western and Easter Conference in terms of playoff seeding, it'll be interesting to watch the ups and downs of certain clubs as they deal with moving parts in and out of the lineup.

Al Jefferson

Jefferson left Utah's practice on Thursday briefly only to return and say he'd be playing on Wednesday night, but he didn't see a single second on the floor.

The Jazz ruled him out of the game prior to the tip with an inflamed right ankle, and he was seen wearing a walking boot after the action concluded.

Fortunately for the Jazz, the team has some solid depth in the big man department, but the team has to be hopeful it's not an injury that puts Jefferson on the sidelines for an extended period.

Andrea Bargnani

Bargnani had missed six consecutive games with a calf strain before returning to the lineup, but he went down with the same ailment once again on Wednesday.

He was seen "walking gingerly" after the game was over, and the big man is set to have an MRI on Thursday to assess the extent of the damage.

Muscle strains can be awfully tricky to treat and recover from, and Toronto certainly won't rush Bargnani back after he aggravated the injury.

Andrew Bogut

Bogut just can't stay healthy for the Bucks, and it's not a new trend in his career.

He's already missed a handful of games again this season, and after Bogut sprained his ankle pretty badly on Wednesday night, he was unable to return to the game.

The starting center is expected to miss "a couple" games and will get an MRI on Thursday, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him sit for an extended period.

Nicolas Batum

The Trail Blazers have been adamant about how much value Batum brings to the team, but it wasn't reflected in their contract offers to the versatile swingman.

The two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to the deadline, and Batum will be a restricted free agent this summer as a result.

He is a very solid player and deserves more minutes than he's received in Portland, so another team could very well swoop in with a convincing offer and leave the club with a tough decision to make.

JaVale McGee

McGee is another player who failed to garner an extension prior to Wednesday's deadline, but the Wizards won't let him sign elsewhere during the offseason.

Washington has the right of first refusal since he'll be a restricted free agent, and the team reportedly plans to match any offer the uber-athletic big man receives from another team.

His basketball IQ has been questioned at times, but if he can improve his offensive game in the low-post, McGee could blossom into one incredibly impressive player for the long haul.

Kosta Koufos

Koufos' stock was down around the league prior to this season, but the 22-year-old is still learning and growing as a player.

He's provided the Nuggets with solid depth along the frontline as well as production when his number has been called this season, and he was rewarded with a three-year extension on Wednesday.

The deal will pay him a total of $9 million dollars, and considering how difficult it is to find size with real talent these days, Koufos' contract could wind up looking like a major bargain for Denver.

Chris Kaman

Kaman's expiring contract was the major motivating factor for his inclusion in the Chris Paul trade, and he has really struggled to adjust in New Orleans.

He's completely fallen out of the rotation, and Kaman was a healthy scratch for the Hornets on Wednesday night.

With Eric Gordon (knee) sidelined, Kaman not playing and Al-Farouq Aminu looking less than stellar, David Stern's facilitated deal isn't looking any better for New Orleans as the season moves forward.

Luol Deng

Some were fearing the worst when it was revealed that Deng had a torn ligament in his wrist, but he's not going to let the injury get in his way of playing.

An issue of pain tolerance, Deng has no interest in receiving surgery and is aiming to return to the court within the next week.

It's hardly a surprise that Deng is going to tough it out and play through the injury, as the veteran hadn't missed a regular season game since the 2009-10 season before suffering the ligament tear this year.

Marcus Thornton

Thornton has had a nagging thigh contusion which has kept him out of action, but on Wednesday it was revealed to be a bit more than what the Kings had been labeling it.

He has a "significant hematoma" on his thigh and will be out for at least the next one to two weeks while he allows the injury to heal.

Jimmer Fredette will see an increase in playing time while Thornton is out, but the latter will see major minutes upon his return after the Kings signed him to a lucrative pay day in the offseason.

Ty Lawson

Lawson has been instrumental in Denver's early season success, but the team will likely be without him for at least the next one or two games.

The point guard sprained his ankle on Wednesday night and didn't return to the game, and his timetable will likely be predicated on any swelling he has in the area.

Andre Miller will fill in for as long as Lawson is out, and the Nuggets have some serious depth on the bench that other teams are extremely jealous of in this compacted season.

Eric Gordon

Although David Stern approved a possible contract extension for Gordon, the shooting guard was unable to come to terms with the franchise before the deadline.

He rejected a four-year deal from the Hornets, and the Pacers have been mentioned as a team that will likely make a strong push for his services in the offseason.

Originally from Indianapolis, Gordon played his college ball at Indiana University and has long been rumored to be seeking a return to where he's most comfortable.

The Pacers are already a dangerous team, and the addition of Gordon would really add an interesting element to the mix.