Ja Morant Trade Market Expected To Expand In Offseason
The Grizzlies discussed possible Ja Morant trades with a handful of teams prior to February’s deadline, but they didn’t gain traction in those talks, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright, who say that at least one potential trade partner – the Kings – wanted Memphis to attach a first-round pick to the two-time All-Star, prompting the Grizzlies to end their negotiations.
Morant’s trade value has fallen off drastically in recent years due to a combination of health issues, declining production, and off-court transgressions. However, even though he made just 20 appearances in 2025/26, the expectation is that the Grizzlies will be in better position to find a viable deal this offseason, per MacMahon and Wright — even if the return for the veteran guard will fall well short of what the team could’ve gotten a few years ago.
[RELATED: Grizzlies Plan To Trade Ja Morant In Offseason]
As MacMahon and Wright explain, there are a few factors that could help grease the wheels on a Morant deal in the coming months. For one, a suitor will likely feel comfortable about incorporating a ball-dominant player like Morant during the summer rather than midway through the season. Interested teams should also have more time during the offseason to conduct thorough background research on Morant, including going through his medical history.
Additionally, if Giannis Antetokounmpo is traded this summer, teams that miss out on the star forward may feel more compelled to pivot to a Plan B like Morant. And even if Antetokounmpo isn’t dealt, clubs who didn’t meet their expectations in 2025/26 could feel more pressure to roll the dice on a buy-low opportunity.
“There’s certainly going to be hesitation,” one Western Conference director of pro personnel told ESPN, “but there’s going to be several desperate teams.”
“There will be teams that will feel like they didn’t get what they wanted in the draft or free agency, and that’s when something could happen for Ja,” another West executive added.
Here’s more from MacMahon and Wright on Morant:
- Many rival executives were preparing for Morant to become available last offseason after the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane and declined to engage in extension talks with the star point guard, MacMahon and Wright say. The belief that Morant’s time in Memphis is nearing an end only grew after he had an early-season disagreement head coach Tuomas Iisalo and was suspended for one game by the team. That suspension rubbed Morant the wrong way, according to ESPN’s reporters, who say he told “players around the league and some of his former coaches that he isn’t playing for Memphis anymore.”
- The return that the Hawks got when they traded Trae Young to Washington in January – CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, with no draft picks – is the type of package that many league executives view as “reasonable” for Morant, per ESPN’s duo.
- There’s a sense that the Kings could circle back to Morant during the summer if they don’t land a lead guard of the future with their lottery pick, sources familiar with the team’s thinking tell MacMahon and Wright.
- Some executives believe Morant – who is still just 26 years old – is a strong bounce-back candidate in the event of a trade. “Maybe I’m naive, but that type of talent doesn’t grow on trees,” one exec told ESPN. “Especially if he’s going to a different place and he’s motivated: ‘OK, I’ll show you guys.’ I could see some teams talking themselves into it, at least kicking the tires.”
Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jerome, Offseason, Coward
Since winning 48 games in 2024/25, the Grizzlies have traded away Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. and appear to be embarking on a full-fledged rebuild after posting a 25-57 record this season. Will star point guard Ja Morant be the next veteran on the move this summer?
General manager and executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman was noncommittal on Monday when asked about Morant’s future with the team. As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal observes, the fact that he didn’t refer to the two-time All-Star as a franchise cornerstone represented a notable departure from his remarks in past end-of-season pressers.
“I’ll reiterate Ja has been a pro,” Kleiman said. “Ja has been a pro behind the scenes the last few months here. We have had open dialogue, we’ve had respectful dialogue. I think everyone is on the same page as much as they can be in this situation. I’m not going to speculate on potential transactions.”
Like Morant, reserve point guard Ty Jerome was limited by injuries in 2025/26. But the 28-year-old, a free agent addition last summer, was excellent in his 15 outings, averaging 19.7 points and 5.7 assists in just 22.6 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .474/.420/.875. While Jerome would likely have real value on the trade market this summer, Kleiman suggested the veteran guard remains part of Memphis’ plans going forward, according to Cole.
“I think we were all impressed with the balance Ty was able to strike as a scorer and as a facilitator,” Kleiman said. “He’s a very good basketball player. Of course, we see what he can be as part of this group.”
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Kleiman acknowledged on Monday that there’s plenty of work still to do to turn the Grizzlies’ roster into one capable of contending, but he’s optimistic about the foundation already in place and the assets the team has on hand to keep building. “I’m confident that this is going to be a group people can rally around and be excited about going forward,” he said, per Cole. “I think if you zoom all the way out and look at the group of young players we already have, coupled with having as many first-round assets as nearly anyone in the league, it’s going to speak for itself soon.”
- After another injury-plagued season in Memphis, Kleiman suggested that the team will look this offseason into whether changes can be made within the organization to improve player availability and durability, according to Cole. “Every season, we look at the entire operation and make sure we’re doing what we can to put the group in the best possible spot going into the following season,” he said. “We’ll do that this offseason just like we always do.”
- A bright spot in a forgettable season for the Grizzlies, rookie wing Cedric Coward has made a case for a place on the All-Rookie first team, Cole writes in another Commercial Appeal story. The 11th overall pick averaged 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 47.1% shooting across 62 contests. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo lauded Coward for his contributions to winning, noting that he’s “just scratched the surface of what he can be,” while veteran big man Taj Gibson said on Monday that Coward reminds him of a “young Jimmy (Butler),” per Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- In his preview of the Grizzlies’ offseason, Bobby Marks of ESPN examines some of the decisions facing Kleiman and the front office this summer, including what to do with Morant. Marks also observes that swingman Jaylen Wells will be extension-eligible beginning in July and could sign an extension of up to four years if the team declines his 2027/28 option as part of a deal.
Ten Postseason Seeds Up For Grabs On Final Day Of Regular Season
While we’ve known which 20 NBA teams will be competing in the 2025/26 postseason for some time, 10 seeds are still in flux entering April 12, the final day of the 2025/26 regular season. Most importantly, three Eastern Conference teams are still vying for the final guaranteed playoff spot ahead of Sunday’s slate of games, which will see all 30 teams take the floor.
Here are the current playoff and play-in standings in both conferences, as well as where each team could finish, per the league (Twitter links).
Eastern Conference:
- Detroit Pistons (59-22)
- Boston Celtics (55-26)
- New York Knicks (53-28)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (51-30)
- Atlanta Hawks (46-35) — fifth or sixth
- Toronto Raptors (45-36) — fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth
- Orlando Magic (45-36) — sixth, seventh or eighth
- Philadelphia 76ers (44-37) — sixth, seventh or eighth
- Charlotte Hornets (43-38) — ninth or 10th
- Miami Heat (42-39) — ninth or 10th
Western Conference:
- Oklahoma City Thunder (64-17)
- San Antonio Spurs (62-19)
- Denver Nuggets (53-28) — third or fourth
- Los Angeles Lakers (52-29) — third or fourth
- Houston Rockets (51-30)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (48-33)
- Phoenix Suns (44-37)
- Portland Trail Blazers (41-40) — eighth or ninth
- Los Angeles Clippers (41-40) — eighth or ninth
- Golden State Warriors (37-44)
Notes: Teams in bold are locked in to their current seeds. A top-six seed ensures a guaranteed playoff spot, while the Nos. 7-10 teams will compete in the play-in tournament to determine the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.
The most critical matchup Sunday is Brooklyn at Toronto. If the Raptors win, they can finish no worse than sixth place, securing the final guaranteed playoff berth.
The Hawks have ruled out most of their top players ahead of Sunday’s game at the Heat after securing a guaranteed playoff spot on Friday, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. That matters for Miami, because if they beat Atlanta and the Hornets lose at New York, the Heat would move ahead of Charlotte due to a head-to-head tiebreaker. That said, the Knicks will be playing without four of their five starters tonight, and if the Hornets win, they stay at No. 9.
It would be shocking if the Raptors don’t win Sunday, since the tanking Nets have already ruled out nine players (a 10th is doubtful) and have an incentive to lose the game. We’ll get more into that shortly.
Still, if the Raptors do lose Sunday’s game, it opens the door for the Magic or Sixers to move up to No. 6. A Raptors loss combined with a Magic win at Boston — the Celtics are likely to be without their top-seven rotation members — would see Orlando earn the guaranteed playoff berth. The 76ers, who face Milwaukee, need to win and need Toronto and Orlando to lose to move up two spots.
If the Hawks, Raptors, Magic and Sixers all win, they will finish where they currently are in the standings.
In the West, the scenarios are more straightforward. If the Nuggets win at San Antonio, they stay at No. 3. If they lose and the Lakers beat the Jazz, Denver and Los Angeles will switch places in the standings.
The Trail Blazers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Clippers, so if they beat Sacramento tonight they will finish No. 8. The Clippers could move up if they beat Golden State and Portland loses to the Kings.
Lottery odds and traded draft picks
At the other end of the standings, the Wizards (17-64) have clinched the worst record in the league and thus have the top draft-lottery floor, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington has a 52.1% chance at landing a top-four pick in the 2026 draft lottery and 47.9% odds at No. 5, which is the worst selection the team can end up with.
The Pacers (19-62) and Nets (20-61) are also guaranteed to finish with bottom-three records and will have identical 52.1% odds at moving into the top four, including a 14.0% chance at No. 1 overall. If the Nets lose this evening and the Pacers beat Detroit, the two teams would tie and a coin flip would determine which team has the second-best lottery floor. The winner of the coin flip can finish no worse than sixth in the draft lottery, while the loser can finish no worse than seventh.
The Clippers will be hoping the Pacers lose tonight, since Indiana will send its 2026 first-round pick to L.A. if it lands outside the top four. The Pacers will retain the pick if it stays in its protected range (top four).
Several other lottery situations are still in flux entering Sunday. The Jazz and Kings are currently tied for the fourth-worst record (22-59), the Grizzlies and Mavericks are tied for the sixth-worst record (25-56), and the Pelicans (26-55) have a chance at making the latter situation a three-way tie. The Hawks will be hoping the Pelicans lose and Grizzlies and Mavericks win, since they control the better of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s first-rounders.
Utah will send its first-round pick to the Thunder if it’s not in the top eight. But even if the Jazz finish with the NBA’s fifth-worst record (or finish tied for the fourth-worst record and lose a coin flip), the odds of their pick landing at No. 9 would be minuscule (0.6%).
There’s a chance the Bulls (31-50) and Bucks (32-49) could have a coin flip for the ninth and tenth spots. It would require Chicago to win at Dallas and Milwaukee to lose at Philadelphia.
The four other lottery teams will be the four clubs that are eliminated in the play-in tournament.
Grizzlies Re-Sign Lucas Williamson To Hardship Deal
The Grizzlies have re-signed guard Lucas Williamson to a second hardship contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). Williamson’s initial 10-day deal expired overnight on Thursday.
Because he’s being signed using a hardship exception, Williamson’s deal is considered to be a 10-day contract, though it’ll only actually cover the last three days (two games) of the regular season before expiring. He’ll earn $21,946, a prorated portion of the usual 10-day salary for a rookie.
A G League veteran who spent this season playing for the Memphis Hustle and Windy City Bulls prior to his call-up, Williamson appeared in five games during his first 10 days with the Grizzlies, averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28.2 minutes per contest. The 27-year-old has logged at least 36 minutes in each of his past three outings for a banged-up Memphis squad.
Williamson is one of four Grizzlies players signed to a hardship contract to close the regular season. The team is permitted to comfortably exceed the usual 15-man limit because it has seven total players who have missed at least three consecutive games and have been ruled out for the season. Dariq Whitehead, Toby Okani, and Adama Bal are also on 10-day deals that will expire on Sunday night, following Memphis’ regular season finale.
The Grizzlies are in full-on tank mode as the regular season winds down, having lost 19 of their past 21 games. Leaning heavily on their four late-season hardship additions has helped that cause — Williamson’s individual net rating is the best of the bunch at minus-15.4, while Whitehead’s is the worst at minus-29.4.
Southwest Notes: Edey, Prosper, Kyrie, Fears, Rockets
Speaking to reporters earlier this week for the first time since December, Grizzlies center Zach Edey said he was pleased with how he performed in his 11 games this season, suggesting he “showed who I can be,” per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Edey was excellent in his limited appearances, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in just 25.8 minutes per contest and leading the team to a 7-4 record, though he acknowledged that his health issues made it feel like a “wasted” season.
“Every game it kind of got a little worse,” he said of the left ankle injury that eventually required a second surgery following the initial repair last June. “My first few games, I didn’t feel it at all. Then I may have pushed it too much — played too many minutes or whatever it was. Toward the end of that stretch, it started giving me problems.”
In addition to getting a second surgery on his left ankle, Edey also underwent a procedure on his left elbow in March. However, the big man downplayed the elbow issue, confirming that it wasn’t a new injury.
“Just a little clean-up,” Edey said. “I’ve had some problems with my elbow since middle school. I played through it for a while. I figured I might as well just get it cleaned up while I have this boot on my foot.”
Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), guard Jaylen Wells (right big toe surgery), and Scotty Pippen Jr. (right big toe surgery) also spoke this week about their respective injury recoveries, as Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays.
Aldama indicated he expects to be fully recovered by mid-summer; Wells said he should be good to go by late June; and Pippen projected a three-month recovery timeline following his mid-March surgery. In other words, all three players expect to be ready for training camp in the fall.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Waived after two seasons in Dallas, former first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper has had a breakout year with the Grizzlies (10.0 PPG on .549/.405/.754 shooting). Speaking to Ben Steele of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Prosper says it was important for him to find his “niche” and make sure he excels in that area. “For me, it was focusing on my ability to guard multiple positions and be versatile on both sides of the ball,” the former Marquette forward said. “Offensively, you can put me as a three, four, five. And defensively, I can guard one through five. So that’s been my calling card. Now you can add to your game after that. Add to your shooting, add to your bag, but first you have to do what your calling card and do that and be consistent and stay poised the whole way through the season.”
- Kyrie Irving hasn’t played at all in the past year while recovering from a torn ACL, but the Mavericks have appreciated how his calm, level-headed presence and locker-room leadership have helped the team navigate a turbulent season, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “He sees when guys are in their heads,” big man Daniel Gafford said. “He’s taking all of his experience, all of his game knowledge and he’s giving it to the younger generation.” Irving has a guaranteed $39.5MM contract for 2026/27 with a $42.4MM player option for ’27/28.
- While it hasn’t been a successful season overall for the Pelicans, the development of their rookies has been a silver lining. Jeremiah Fears provided a reminder of that in the team’s home finale on Tuesday, setting a new career high and a new franchise rookie record by scoring 40 points in a victory over Utah, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “I’m really just proud of his growth,” interim head coach James Borrego said. “From training camp to where he’s at today, he’s taken a massive step. This franchise is in a really good place because of players like him. Fantastic.”
- The Rockets have a $180MM renovation plan for Toyota Center in the works, according to Houston mayor John Whitmire, who said on Wednesday that the state is expected to contribute $95MM to the project, with Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta funding the rest. Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) has the details.
Grizzlies Re-Sign Adama Bal To Hardship Deal
The Grizzlies have re-signed forward Adama Bal following the expiration of his first 10-day contract on Monday night, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
While Bal’s new deal is referred to by Memphis as a second 10-day contract, there are only technically six days left in the season, so it’ll pay him just $43,892, a prorated portion of the usual $73,153 figure for a rookie. Standard 10-day signings are no longer permitted, but the Grizzlies can sign Bal to a “10-day” contract using a hardship exception, since they’re dealing with so many injuries.
A 6’7″ French forward who spent most of the season with the Westchester Knicks, Bal got into six games during his first 10 days with Memphis. He played 27.3 minutes per night off the bench and contributed 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per contest, making 43.3% of his three-point tries (13-of-30).
The former Santa Clara standout is one of four players on hardship deals with the Grizzlies, who are carrying a 22-man roster since they have seven players out with season-ending injuries. Lucas Williamson‘s 10-day contract will expire on Thursday night, while Dariq Whitehead‘s and Toby Okani‘s will – like Bal’s – run through Sunday’s regular season finale.
Pacific Notes: LeBron, Curry, Post, Horford, Ott
After Lakers star LeBron James made disparaging comments about Memphis on a YouTube show this week, he may have alienated a couple of other fan bases on Saturday, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Given a chance to clarify his statements about the city and his feeling that the Grizzlies should move to Nashville, James pointed out to reporters that he criticized the Bucks‘ hometown as well.
“Milwaukee was, too. Did they miss that one, too? They didn’t see that?” James said. “Forty-one years old, it’s two cities I do not like playing in right now. That’s Milwaukee, and that’s Memphis. What is the problem?”
James was reacting to a question about NBA travel, telling the host that “it just wears on you more” at his age. The Akron, Ohio, native also listed Cleveland as one of the cities he doesn’t enjoy visiting, which probably comes as a surprise to Cavaliers fans.
“I don’t like going home either … and I’m from there,” he said. “People are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son (Bronny) being on the (Lakers), too. So what are we talking about? People need to figure out other ways to put their energy to other things that’s important. Like seriously? I’m not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don’t like staying at the Hyatt Centric. What’s wrong with that? Nothing! What are we talking about? … People need to chill the hell out.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Warriors are likely stuck in 10th place, but there’s optimism that the season can be saved with Stephen Curry expected to return Sunday after missing more than two months with a knee issue, per Noah Furtado of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). “Now, Superman’s back,” Gary Payton II said, “so we’ll figure it out with that.” After being out of action since January 30, Curry is looking forward to teaming up with Kristaps Porzingis, who wasn’t acquired until the trade deadline in February. “I was telling him, I don’t know how people are going to guard our pick-and-roll,” Curry said. “Anytime you have talent like that and two guys that can demand attention, it’s always a good thing, to create good offense and help elevate whoever we’re out there with.”
- The Warriors say Quinten Post, who’s sidelined with soreness in his right foot, is making progress and will be reevaluated next week, relays Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). Al Horford is also set for a reevaluation next week and seems to be getting close to returning before the regular season ends, adds Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Jordan Ott picked up his first technical foul as Suns head coach in Thursday’s loss at Charlotte, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. His players weren’t sure if he might make it through all 82 games without one. “I’ve been waiting all season for him to get one,” Royce O’Neale said. “I think it was right timing. Moments like those help us get a boost of energy. Just shows that he got our back in every situation.”
Southwest Notes: Kidd, Cuban, Zion, Clarke, Memphis
Responding in more detail on Friday to the implication that he was involved in last season’s decision to trade Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd refuted Mark Cuban‘s statements and reiterated that he wasn’t informed of the blockbuster deal that shocked the NBA until an agreement was in place, per Christian Clark of The Athletic and Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“Cuban has mentioned that I knew about the trade,” Kidd said. “Unfortunately, as I have said, I was not part of the process. I was informed at the 11th hour. And that’s the truth.”
Cuban, the Mavs’ former majority owner who is now a minority shareholder in the franchise, made a reference during a recent podcast appearance to “our coach and general manager” trading Doncic. According to Kidd, he called Cuban “right away” to discuss those remarks and stressed that he was telling the truth about his involvement – or lack thereof – in Dallas’ controversial trade with the Lakers.
“I was called (by former Mavs GM) Nico (Harrison into) the room, and he told me that there was a trade that was going to go public at 11 o’clock,” Kidd explained. “That’s what happened. That’s the details of the conversation. I waited until 11 o’clock, and that trade, the world changed.”
In a subscriber-only column for The Dallas Morning News, Tim Cowlishaw argues that by implicating Kidd, Cuban is ignoring his own involvement in the most unpopular transaction in team history — after all, the ownership group that Cuban sold control of the team to had final say on the deal.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- By appearing in his 61st game of the season on Friday, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has now ensured that at least 80% of his $42.17MM salary for 2026/27 will be guaranteed entering the offseason, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The remaining 20% would be guaranteed if Williamson meets certain weight-related benchmarks or if he remains under contract through at least July 15, which should be a lock.
- Lucas Finton of The Memphis Commercial Appeal has more details on Brandon Clarke‘s arrest in Arkansas, reporting that the Grizzlies forward led local deputies on a “miles-long chase” and was driving over 100 miles per hour. When he was eventually stopped, over 230 grams of kratom were found in his possession, per an arrest affidavit. Kratom, described by the Mayo Clinic as a herbal extract that can act as a stimulant at lower doses and a sedative for pain relief at higher doses, is legal in Tennessee but is considered a Schedule 1 controlled substance in Arkansas.
- Lakers star LeBron James drew the ire of NBA fans in Memphis when he suggested in the latest episode of the Bob Does Sports YouTube show that the Grizzlies should move from Memphis to Nashville, as Devon Henderson of The Athletic and Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal detail. “Staying at the f—ing Hyatt at 41 years old, you think I want to do that s—?” James said. “Being in Memphis on a random-ass Thursday. I’m not even the first guy to talk about this in the NBA. We’re all like, ‘You guys have to move.'”
NBA Tells 13 Teams To Look For New Regional TV Deals
The NBA has informed the 13 teams affiliated with Main Street Sports Group that they’re free to seek new in-market media rights deals ahead of the 2026/27 season, reports Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal.
Main Street, previously known as Diamond Sports Group, runs FanDuel Sports Network, which broadcasts local and regional TV games for the Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Cavaliers, Clippers, Heat, Timberwolves, Magic, Hornets, Hawks, Pacers, Grizzlies, and Bucks. However, the company is headed for insolvency and will discontinue broadcasting for those teams when the regular season concludes on April 12.
“FanDuel Sports Network has reached agreements with the NBA and NHL to broadcast games and other programming through the end of the 2026 NBA regular season and the end of the first round of the NHL playoffs,” a Main Street Sports Group spokesperson said in a statement to Sports Business Journal.
“We are preparing to wind down our operations upon seasons’ end unless we reach a strategic transaction. We’re pleased to finish out the NBA and NHL seasons, and we appreciate the collaborative relationships we have enjoyed with our team and league partners as well as the connections we have fostered with local fans.”
While this has been an expected outcome for months, it leaves nearly half of the teams in the league without in-market broadcasting contracts for next season. According to Friend, the 13 teams could opt for over-the-air channels or streaming options (or both), but whichever route they take, the league has been urging those clubs to sign one-year agreements or to at least have an opt-out after one season, so they can join the streaming hub for local broadcasts the NBA plans to launch down the line.
While previous reporting indicated the NBA might try to launch that streaming RSN hub for 2026/27, it didn’t come up at last month’s Board of Governors meetings, Friend writes, and teams are operating as though it won’t be ready until ’27/28 at the earliest. DAZN has been aggressively reaching out to those 13 clubs to try and secure media rights with an eye on possibly running the streaming RSN platform.
As Friend details, DAZN could have competition for that national streaming project, with Amazon, YouTube TV and the ESPN app all potentially in the mix. DAZN also has competition for local rights, as multiple teams are considering streaming-only options instead of having over-the-air broadcasts. Victory+ (streaming only), ViewLift (Altitude for Denver and Monumental for Washington) and Kiswe (Jazz) are the other companies vying for regional streaming projects.
None of the 13 teams have received rights fee payments from Main Street in 2026, but multiple sources tell friend each club could receive up to 60% of its lost TV money once dissolution agreements are finalized with the NBA and Main Street.
Those lost payments impacted the latest salary cap projection for 2026/27, decreasing it by $1MM. It’s unclear whether the projection might bounce back slightly if part of that lost money is recouped or if that was already factored into the most recent estimate.
Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Mel Raines confirmed to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star that Indiana is seeking a new broadcast partner for next season.
“We’re throwing a very wide net and looking to both potential over-the-air partners and direct-to-consumer partners and looking at every possible option to reach as many of our fans as we can next season over local television,” Raines said.
Grizzlies’ Caldwell-Pope Expected To Exercise $21.6MM Option
Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to exercise his $21.6MM option for the 2026/27 season, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link). It’s the last year of a 3-year, $66MM deal negotiated by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
It comes as no surprise that KCP chose to take the guaranteed money rather than test the free-agent market. It’s been an abbreviated season for the veteran wing, who underwent season-ending surgery in February to address a misalignment of his right pinky finger.
Caldwell-Pope, who was acquired from Orlando last summer in the Desmond Bane trade, made 51 appearances in ’25/26 for the Grizzlies, averaging 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game. His shooting line was .410/.316/.913.
His salary for next season is second-highest on the club behind Ja Morant‘s $42,166,510.
The 33-year-old was a quality three-and-D contributor for several years, winning a pair of championships (with the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023) as a key role player. However, his production has fallen off for the past two seasons, particularly from behind the arc — he shot 38.9% from three-point range in the seven seasons leading up to 2024/25, but has converted just 33.3% of his three-point shots since that point.
Caldwell-Pope’s lone season with the Magic, who signed him to his current deal, was also a disappointment, as he averaged 8.7 PPG in 77 starts.