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Magic Declining Jett Howard’s 2026/27 Option

October 29th, 2025 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic won’t exercise their fourth-year option on Jett Howard‘s rookie scale contract for the 2026/27 season, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

The move will make Howard an unrestricted free agent during the 2026 offseason, assuming he plays out the current season without being waived. The Magic – or Howard’s new team, if he’s traded prior to February’s deadline – would not be permitted next summer to offer him a starting salary exceeding $7,337,938, which is the amount of the ’26/27 option being declined.

The 11th overall pick in the 2023 draft and the son of former NBA star Juwan Howard, Jett has yet to establish himself as a reliable rotation player at the NBA level. In 80 total appearances since he made his professional debut, the former Michigan standout has averaged just 3.7 points and 1.0 rebound in 9.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .369/.294/.667.

The Magic’s financial situation made the decision to decline Howard’s fourth-year option a more straightforward one. Even without his $7.34MM cap hit on their books, they project to operate in tax apron territory in 2026/27, with Paolo Banchero‘s maximum-salary rookie scale extension set to take effect.

While Howard won’t have his 2026/27 option exercised, Orlando is picking up Anthony Black‘s fourth-year option and Tristan Da Silva‘s third-year option for next season, according to Beede (Twitter link).

Black, 21, is off to a strong start in a significant role off Orlando’s bench, averaging 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting 53.1% from the field. The sixth overall pick from the 2023 draft will earn $10,106,315 on his newly exercised 2026/27 option and will become eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason.

As for Da Silva, last year’s 18th overall pick had a solid rookie season for the Magic in 2024/25, averaging 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 74 outings (38 starts). The 24-year-old German will make $3,991,200 in ’26/27 and the team will have to decide next October whether to exercise his $6.14MM option for the ’27/28 season.

We’re tracking all of this year’s rookie scale team option decisions right here.

Central Notes: McClung, White, LaVine, Green, Rollins

October 29th, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that Mac McClung was the most impressive participant in a three-player free agent workout the team hosted on Monday, earning him a non-guaranteed deal. According to Carlisle, the Pacers believe the three-time dunk contest champion is a more well-rounded player than his limited NBA résumé suggests.

“He can score, he’s a hard-playing guy,” Carlisle said. “For all the things we did in the workout, he didn’t dunk the ball once. … We need a guy that has energy, can go hard, is healthy – I think ‘is healthy’ is probably the number one thing – and that can play a couple of positions. He can play point, he can play off the ball.”

McClung’s contract with Indiana is a two-year, minimum-salary deal that includes a team option for 2026/27, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). He has a cap hit of $2,283,168 for the current season, but would only be assured of earning that full amount if he remains under contract through January 7.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Although Bulls guard Coby White is scheduled to be reevaluated next week, there’s no guarantee he’ll be cleared to return at that time from what head coach Billy Donovan refers to as a “tricky” calf strain, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Just talking to the medical, here’s the problem: Like (White) doesn’t have any pain at all with what he’s doing,” Donovan explained on Monday. “He’s on the court shooting, he’s able to jog, but what ended up happening and what became a problem when we were playing competitively in practice were those stops, starts, quick explosiveness that maybe he’s not doing a lot of that in individual workout.”
Wednesday’s game between the Bulls and Kings will mark the first time Zach LaVine returns to Chicago as an opponent since being traded to Sacramento in February. Bulls center Nikola Vucevic wants to see his former teammate get a warm reception from fans at the United Center. “I hope Bulls fans give him the welcome he deserves,” Vucevic said, per Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. “He gave a lot to the Bulls organization throughout the years. I know people criticized him at times, but it wasn’t always fair. He’s a great guy, always competed, played hard, tried his best and cared and wanted to do what’s right for the organization. He didn’t win, but I don’t think he always had the pieces (around him). And when we did, it didn’t work out for all of us.”
Newly signed to multiyear contracts, A.J. Green and Ryan Rollins have played important roles in the Bucks‘ 3-1 start this season, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Green has knocked down 3.3 three-pointers per game at a 59.1% clip, while Rollins has stepped in as the starting point guard following Kevin Porter Jr.‘s ankle injury and is averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals per contest. Green signed a four-year, $45MM extension earlier this month; Rollins received a three-year, $12MM contract as a free agent in July.

Warriors’ Kerr: Kuminga Has Earned Full-Time Starting Role

October 29th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

After suggesting before the season that Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were the only three Warriors players assured of starting every night, head coach Steve Kerr is adding a fourth name to that list, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Kerr said prior to Tuesday’s win over the Clippers that Jonathan Kuminga has secured his spot as a full-time member of the starting five and will be tasked with defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer to open the game.

“He’ll be our starter going forward,” Kerr told reporters, including Slater. “He’s been fantastic. (Monday) we put him on Ja (Morant). Tonight we’ll put him on James Harden. I think he’s ready.”

As Slater observes, it’s an important development for Golden State on the heels of the contentious contract negotiations over the summer between the team and Kuminga, who sought a more prominent and more consistent role. The former seventh overall pick started 46 of his 74 games in 2023/24 but never made more than 16 starts in any other season since entering the league.

Kuminga wasn’t initially projected to open the 2025/26 season as a starter either, but Kerr reconsidered a plan to start Al Horford, determining it made more sense to bring him off the bench in order to manage his minutes. Another potential starter, Moses Moody, sustained a calf injury in training camp, setting him back and delaying his regular season debut.

That opened the door for Kuminga to claim a starting role and he has run with the opportunity, averaging 16.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 30.2 minutes per game through five games (all starts).

While the 23-year-old has been very effective offensively, posting a shooting line of .537/.438/.762, his defense and rebounding have been arguably more impressive. Kuminga averaged 4.0 RPG in his first four seasons — his 37 boards to open the season are the most he has ever recorded in a five-game stretch, according to Slater. Kerr also pointed out that Kuminga’s willingness to drive to the basket and pass the ball has helped alleviate concerns about spacing issues.

“You’ve hardly seen any of the mid-shot clock, 17-foot pullups [from Kuminga],” Kerr said. “You’re seeing him being much more purposeful, getting the ball to Jimmy, getting the ball to Steph, attacking the rim. He’s really putting a lot of pressure on people. The combination of Jimmy and Draymond and JK wasn’t great last year, but because of all the improvements JK has made, his passing, it’s just really clicking. So we’re going to stay with that.”

According to Slater, the Warriors haven’t settled on a permanent fifth starter alongside that trio. Kerr’s plan is to use either big man Quinten Post or guard Brandin Podziemski in that spot, depending on the matchup.

Giannis: Trade Speculation ‘Doesn’t Concern Me One Bit’

October 29th, 2025 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their third win in four games to open the 2025/26 season on Tuesday, scoring 37 points en route to a 121-111 victory over the Knicks.

The first matchup between the two teams this season came just three weeks after ESPN reported that the Bucks and Knicks had brief discussions this offseason about the possibility of a trade involving Antetokounmpo, who reportedly conveyed that New York would be a preferred landing spot if he ever left Milwaukee. Asked on Tuesday about that report, Antetokounmpo pleaded ignorance, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“I don’t remember that,” Antetokounmpo said, shaking his head when asked about the ESPN story (YouTube link). “Right now, I’m here representing my team. And that’s it. We beat the Knicks. That’s all. Doesn’t really matter. What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row.

“But I didn’t read that article. I try to stay away from all that rumors and speculation and trades and all this. It doesn’t concern me one bit.”

Antetokounmpo, who has been with the Bucks since being selected 15th overall in the 2013 draft, has repeatedly expressed his love for Milwaukee over the years while also stressing that being in position to continue competing for championships is important to him.

The Bucks’ past three seasons have ended with first-round playoff losses, so the outcome of the 2025/26 campaign could go a long way toward determining whether or not Antetokounmpo’s long-term future is in Milwaukee. He has two guaranteed years left on his contract, followed by a player option, meaning he could reach free agency as soon as 2027.

While Antetokounmpo dismissed the trade speculation on Tuesday, he acknowledged that the victory over the Knicks meant a little something extra to a Bucks team with aspirations of winning the Eastern Conference.

“For sure, there was a lot extra,” Antetokounmpo said. “They swept us last year. Swept us. They were way better than us last year. We didn’t make it tough for them. It was very easy, in my opinion. As the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things, and I try to – from early shootaround – set the tone for the team and try to remind them, ‘Last year they swept us.’ Same with the Cavs. So I think the team responded in the best way, so I’m happy.”

The Bucks weren’t able to exact the same form of revenge on the Cavaliers on Sunday that they did on the Knicks on Tuesday, falling 118-113 to their division rivals in Cleveland. However, Antetokounmpo had a monster game in the Bucks’ only loss so far this season, racking up 40 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. He’s playing at an MVP level in the early going — Milwaukee has a +12.5 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -6.2 mark when he sits.

Pelicans Notes: Williamson, Green, Fears, Jordan

October 28th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zion Williamson sat out the Pelicans’ game Monday against Boston due to a left foot bone contusion. Without their star forward, the Celtics blew them out 122-90. Williamson, who practiced on a limited basis on Tuesday and is questionable to play Wednesday at Denver, told Rod Walker of NOLA.com that the injury is minor.

“Right now we’re in a day-to-day thing,” he said. “But nothing major. Nothing that is going to keep me out for a long time. Just day to day.”

Williamson was injured during Friday’s game against the Spurs on a put-back dunk. He stepped on the foot of Victor Wembanyama.

“Landed on someone’s foot and the side of my foot just banged the ground,” Williamson said. “The pain level didn’t really pick up until a day or two days later. I spoke with the team, made the best decision on it. Got it looked at.”

We have more on the Pelicans:

Is head coach Willie Green already on the hot seat after the team’s 0-3 start? Green spoke of the team’s “lack of toughness” after Monday’s debacle, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. “I’m disappointed in how we approached the game. I’m disappointed in the lack of toughness on the floor more than anything. That’s the part that’s difficult,” Green said. “It’s one thing to not win a game. It’s a whole other thing to get kind of punked on your home floor. And I’m a part of that.”
Lottery pick Jeremiah Fears made his first career start in Williamson’s absence, Les East of NOLA.com notes. It didn’t go well. The No. 7 overall pick missed 10 of the 11 shots he attempted and finished with two points, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes.
Veteran big man DeAndre Jordan made his Pelicans debut after signing a one-year deal on Friday. He made an immediate impact, according to Walker, scoring and getting fouled on a dunk just 14 seconds after entering the game. Jordan, 37, finished with seven points and five rebounds in 11 minutes.

Cavaliers Notes: Merrill, Mitchell, Garland

October 28th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Weighed down by salary cap concerns, the Cavaliers made Sam Merrill a priority in free agency. They re-signed him to a team-friendly four-year, $38MM contract. The early returns have been very promising, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). After Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, coach Kenny Atkinson has “probably been our best player over the first three games.”

“Guys just love playing with him,” Atkinson said. “He’s a winner. That’s why we gave him a nice contract this offseason. If there’s ever a guy that deserved it, he’s the guy.”

Merrill has been starting in the early going. Last season, Merrill averaged 7.2 points on 40.6% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.

“When you’re in a position that I have been in, it’s you want to almost know your place type of thing,” Merrill said. “But having been with these guys for three or four years, we all have trust in each other, and we all listen to each other. I’m not out here pretending I’m a 10-time All-Star or anything. But I know guys trust in what I have to say and as long as everyone is on the same page and having that trust in being accountable, I guess anyone can say what they need to say.”

Merrill only played 18 minutes at Detroit on Monday due to a hip injury.

“He’s hurting,” Atkinson said, per Spencer Davies of Clutch Points. “When Sam can’t come back in the game, it’s [painful]. I think Evan [Mobley] actually hit him in the hip. Somehow they [collided].”

We have more on the Cavaliers:

Atkinson believes Donovan Mitchell is underappreciated on a national basis. Mitchell tore up the Pistons with 35 points on the second game of a back-to-back. “I think he’s underrated,” Atkinson said. “First Team All-NBA, I don’t know why people don’t talk about him more. Because he’s no controversy, low-key, humble? Does that equal, you get underrated because of that personality? I don’t know.”
Guard Darius Garland was assigned to the G League’s Cleveland Charge for conditioning purposes, according to the NBA transactions log at RealGM.com. Garland is working his way back from offseason toe surgery. Mitchell’s backcourt partner in the middle of a five-year contract and his salary carries a cap hit of $39,446,090 this season.
Merrill, who has been diagnosed with a right hip contusion, won’t play against the Celtics on Wednesday, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com relays. Garland also remains listed as out.

Blazers Notes: Williams, Splitter, Avdija, Holiday

October 28th, 2025 at 6:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers center Robert Williams was assigned to the G League’s Rip City Remix for conditioning purposes, the team’s PR department tweets. Williams is working his way back from a knee injury.

Health issues have limited Williams to 26 total outings since he was traded to Portland two years ago. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back in March.

Williams will try to work his way into the rotation upon his return. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season and could be a valuable trade piece prior to this year’s deadline.

We have more on the Trail Blazers:

Interim coach Tiago Splitter is the first Brazilian-born head coach in NBA history. It’s a matter of pride for Splitter, who has replaced Chauncey Billups after Billups was shockingly arrested by the FBI following the team’s season opener. and placed on indefinite leave by the league. “It’s an honor, to be honest,” Splitter said, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “You know, coming from Brazil is really, you know, a soccer country where basketball is growing, but it’s not there yet. And a lot of people follow me in Brazil and proud of just this accomplishment.”
The Blazers have gone 2-1 since Splitter took over, including a 14-point win over the Lakers on Monday. Deni Avdija has led the team in scoring in all three games. “He knows how to talk to us. He knows how to prepare us,” Avdija said of Splitter, per Mark Medina of RG.org. “His basketball knowledge is very good. Other than that, I don’t want to get into that (the coaching situation) too much.”
The team’s scoring limitations will define its ceiling, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. The Blazers shot 37% in a loss to the Clippers but bounced back to knock down 45.6% of their shots against the Lakers. They’re shooting 33.8 percent from deep and that could be a season-long issue. “I think our offense will definitely catch up to our defense,” Jrue Holiday said. “There’s been times where we get a bit stagnant, but it could be because we’re playing so hard on the defensive end. But I really enjoy our offense. The way we move the ball, the way we get each other involved, it’s not just one person doing everything. Everybody gets involved. That’s how I like my basketball.”
Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) examines Shaedon Sharpe‘s four-year extension as well as Toumani Camara‘s four-year extension and what moves the front office might have in store in the near future, including a potential extension for Avdija.

Pistons Notes: Gores, Cunningham, Thompson, Cavs Loss

October 28th, 2025 at 4:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons owner Tom Gores believes the team’s players and coaches are “fully aligned” after last season’s surprise run to a playoff berth, according to Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois.

“There’s alignment,” Gores said. “There’s tremendous alignment between the players and what they’re trying to accomplish, the coaching staff and (J.B. Bickerstaff). We are fully aligned. I’m sleeping much better at night knowing that. Nobody is laying low on what we did last year. Last year we came out with great urgency, a chip on our shoulder and we won. It’s great, but we’ve go to come in with a bigger chip and great urgency. I think it’s right down from Trajan (Langdon)‘s front office folks to the coaching staff to the players. There’s a huge opportunity for the Pistons to do a lot of special things.”

Gores attended the team’s home opener on Sunday afternoon and spoke with the media prior to its win over Boston. The franchise has generally floundered since he took control of the franchise but Gores believes he’s finally got the right front office and coaching staff to produce a consistent winner.

“I was thinking today driving in, it’s been a decade, really, trying to get to where we are today,” he said, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “It’s taken a lot of patience and a lot of hard times. It feels great. I feel like we’re set up to be a machine. I feel like we’re set up to be a sustainable winner. But I’m also nervous, we have to win.”

We have more on the Pistons:

Can Cade Cunningham work his way into the Most Valuable Player conversation? If the Pistons can build off last season’s success, Cunningham believes it’s possible, he told ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “If I can help get this team to where my goal is to get this team this season, all this stuff will be on the way,” he said. “I’m not shy to say that. I think that’s very possible.”
Ausar Thompson averaged 4.7 assists during the team’s first three games. Bickerstaff believes that Thompson can develop into a reliable play-maker during his third year in the league. “That was part of the plan,” Bickerstaff said. “We go back and you try to study every summer, try to figure out ways to help guys improve, and ways to help your team improve. We noticed, obviously, how many good things happen when we put the ball in Ausar’s hands. … The next step for him was the ball in his hands as a playmaker. Being that Swiss army knife that we knew he was capable of.”
The Pistons’ three-game winning streak was halted on Monday by the Cavaliers, who blew them out by a score of 116-95. Bickerstaff isn’t overly concerned with the team’s clunker against an elite club. “They’re a good defensive team. We just had a rough night (Monday),” he said. “We turned the ball over 26 times. It’s hard moving your offense when you’re turning the basketball over. But it’s one night – we’ll be better.”
The Pistons host Orlando on Wednesday. Thompson is questionable to play because of an illness, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
In case you missed it, the Pistons picked up their rookie scale options for 2026/27 on three players. Get the details here.

Southeast Notes: Young, Magic, Miller, Hornets, Heat

October 28th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks opted not to pursue contract extensions with stars Trae Young or Kristaps Porzingis ahead of the 2025/26 season, deciding instead to assess the fit of the roster in the coming months before determining whether to commit long-term to their current core. Although Young admitted late last month that he was a little disappointed about entering training camp without a new deal in place, he told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN he’s not stressing about the situation.

“I think it’s going to be great. I’m not worried about it,” Young said. “As much as I wish it was, it’s not all in my hands and I can’t control everything. I just can only control the present. And I know if we win, everybody eats … I understand what winning can do. If certain things don’t go my way as far as injuries, health and stuff that I can’t control, that may be the man above telling me there’s another plan for me. I’m focused on making sure all my guys, (head coach) Quin (Snyder) included, get taken care of and succeed.”

The Hawks have dealt with some health issues to open the season, but had three starters back in the lineup on Monday, as Jalen Johnson (right ankle sprain), Porzingis (flu-like symptoms), and Zaccharie Risacher (right ankle sprain) all returned from brief absences. It wasn’t enough to beat the Bulls though, as Atlanta fell 128-123 to drop to 1-3 in the first week of the season.

Still, Young expressed to Youngmisuk that he’s bullish about the amount of talent on the Hawks’ new-look roster, as well as the opportunity to play alongside a big man like Porzingis.

“I haven’t had a guy like him in the NBA,” Young said. “So I think you’ll be able to really see what different things that I can do with a guy that can pick and pop and spread the defense, spread the five man out to 30 feet. I think you’ll be able to see a lot of different things that I haven’t been able to show in the past, too. Hopefully this year I get a lot more catch-and-shoot shots, something that a lot people don’t think I can do.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Atlanta isn’t the only Southeast team off to a slow start after upgrading its roster this offseason. The Magic lost a third straight game on Monday, prompting Josh Robbins of The Athletic and Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) to explore whether the club will be able to play the uptempo style of offense it wants to while maintaining its defensive identity. “I think you can do both,” Magic guard Jalen Suggs said. “… A lot of what we’re talking about and trying to put emphasis on is getting out, playing fast, getting good looks, crashing (the offensive boards) … It just takes being very detailed and a concerted effort to then get back on defense after all that and sit down and get stops.”
Hornets forward Brandon Miller is seeking a second opinion on his injured shoulder, NBA insider Chris Haynes said during an appearance on The Association on NBA TV (Twitter video link). Miller’s injury – a left shoulder subluxation – is one that can be treated either surgically or non-surgically depending on the severity, so he and the Hornets are likely weighing all his options as they consider the best path forward for the former No. 2 overall pick.
Exploring whether the Heat have a case for compensation after not being informed of an NBA investigation into Terry Rozier before they acquired him from the Hornets in January 2024, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald speaks to ESPN’s Bobby Marks about what Marks calls an “unprecedented situation.” The Hornets haven’t said one way or another whether they knew about the investigation into unusual betting related to Rozier when they made the deal. “It’s a gray area that I think the league is going to have to look long and hard at,” Marks told Chiang. “When players are being investigated and are part of trade discussions, do they have the authority and morality to disclose that information? Because on the other end, legal will say, ‘Well, wait a minute. If we disclose it and the guy is not guilty, then we’ve just harmed the trade.'” Marks added that the Heat are “highly unlikely” to recoup the first-round pick they gave up for Rozier.

And-Ones: Payne, Fernando, Free Agents, Breakout Candidates

October 28th, 2025 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Pacers earlier this month, veteran point guard Cameron Payne reportedly received strong interest from KK Partizan, a EuroLeague-team based in Belgrade, Serbia. However, according to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link), Payne has opted to forgo overseas opportunities for now and will remain stateside in order to seek out his next NBA opportunity.

A 10-year NBA veteran who has earned regular playing time in Phoenix, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York in recent years, Payne appeared in 72 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 6.9 points and 2.8 assists in 15.1 minutes per night while shooting 40.1% from the floor, including 36.3% from beyond the three-point line.

Payne received a training camp invitation from Indiana this fall but didn’t make a strong case in the preseason for a regular season roster spot, shooting just 28.6% from the field and registering nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven).

We have more from around the basketball world:

While Payne apparently won’t be headed to Belgrade, another NBA veteran is set to join KK Partizan. As Javier Molero of Eurohoops relays, big man Bruno Fernando is signing with the Serbian club to fortify its frontcourt. Fernando, whose last stop was Real Madrid, made 220 regular season appearances in the NBA for four teams from 2019-25. He played in 17 games last season for the Raptors, but has been out of the league since being waived by Toronto in January.
Even though the 2025/26 season is now underway, there are still several notable players who finished last season on NBA rosters and remain unsigned. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranks the top 10 players who fit that bill, with Malik Beasley, Ben Simmons, and Precious Achiuwa topping his list.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN identifies his top five breakout candidates for the 2025/26 season, including Celtics wing Payton Pritchard, Pistons center Jalen Duren, and Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard.

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