Coby White Sets Return Target Date
Coby White has been sidelined during the Bulls‘ red-hot start to the season due to a calf strain, but his time on the sidelines may soon be coming to an end, reports Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.
According to Lorenzi, White pointed to a three-game Western Conference trip starting on November 16 as “what [he’s] been told” in terms of a potential return. That trip includes matchups with the Jazz in Utah (Nov. 16), the Nuggets in Denver (Nov. 17), and the Trail Blazers in Portland (Nov. 19).
White and head coach Billy Donovan both said that White will likely begin practicing next week, and Donovan points to the team’s three-day break from Nov. 13-15 as a chance for White to get some full-contact practice reps in. White is currently going through 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 work with teammates and the coaching staff.
White has been out since mid-August with the injury. He initially hoped to be ready for the season opener, but calf tightness forced him to push his timetable back.
“I just practiced, and I probably practiced a little too long, and I felt some symptoms,” White said of the delay. “It wasn’t a re-strain or anything, it was just a minor setback.”
The team tested the calf extensively, especially after last season’s league-wide run of Achilles tears that seemed to follow calf injuries, and says his strain wasn’t a serious injury — just one that required a longer-than-expected recovery.
“I feel good physically,” White said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’ve been running a lot, and a lot, and a lot, so it’s been good just trying to stay with my conditioning. I’ve been pushing it just to build the tolerance in my calf, so it’s been good.”
White has averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 assists per game over the last two years with the Bulls, but the team was unable to surpass 39 wins in either of those seasons. Chicago is off to a 6-1 start this fall, which has him itching to get back on the floor.
“I think the way I play fits perfectly with the way that we play,” he said. “Quick decisions. I’m not a ball stopper, I don’t hold the ball. I just play to win. So I don’t see no problem or anything when it comes to me getting back to it.”
Donovan is excited to get White back on the floor, but also issued a few words of caution when it comes to reintegrating him into a rotation that’s already operating at full speed.
“I think the mistake he can make is to come back tip-toeing in, that’d be the first issue. Then the second thing, I think he’s got to give himself some grace,” Donovan said. “I don’t think that you can go a good portion of August, all of September, October training camp, and doing a several-week ramp up where he’s not in any 5-on-5, and think he’s gonna be at his normal as a player. It’s going to take him some time. And I think he needs to be patient with himself.”
White is on track to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and while he isn’t expected to sign an extension with the Bulls before then due to the limitations on what they can offer him, Cowley says the two sides have stayed on good terms throughout the negotiation process and both hope to get a deal done once free agency opens up next summer.
Damon Jones Pleads Not Guilty To Gambling Charges
Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to his alleged involvement in a rigged poker game as well as a sports gambling scheme, according to Michael R. Sisak of The Associated Press.
Jones was arrested in late October and was charged in both cases with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. While 30 people were charged as a result of one of the two indictments, Jones was one of three people who faced charges in both cases.
There was speculation at the time of Jones’ arrest that his involvement could be the most problematic for the league, given his connection to both cases, as well as his alleged use of privileged information involving Lakers star LeBron James.
Jones never held a formal coaching position with the Lakers, but as a longtime friend of James who played with and coached the four-time MVP in Cleveland, he was often around the team and would occasionally fly with the players to road games.
Federal prosecutors have accused Jones of using his access to sell non-public information to sports gamblers, most notably in relation to a game on February 9, 2023 between the Lakers and Bucks, which James sat out. Jones allegedly sent a text message to an unnamed co-conspirator that read, “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”
Jones was released on a $200K bond, as was sports bettor Marves Fairley, who also pleaded not guilty to his charges of alleged involvement in the sports gambling scheme. According to prosecutors, Fairley paid Jones around $2,500 for a tip involving the playing status of then-Laker Anthony Davis, which turned out to be incorrect, causing Fairley to demand a refund from Jones.
As part of his bail agreement, Jones’ travel is restricted to parts of Texas and New York City.
Nuggets, Jonas Valanciunas Adjust 2026/27 Contract Terms
The Nuggets and Jonas Valanciunas have agreed to restructure the final year of the veteran center’s contract, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer details, Valanciunas’ deal runs through 2026/27, but his entire $10MM salary would have been non-guaranteed if he was waived by June 29 — the two sides have agreed to push back that trigger date to July 8.
According to Fischer, the amended terms of Valanciunas’ contract now call for the Lithuanian big man to earn a partially guaranteed $2MM (as opposed to zero) if he’s waived before July 8, which is why he agreed to the arrangement.
The restructured deal gives the Nuggets more time to decide what to do with Valanciunas, who could be an appealing trade option for teams looking to trim salary next summer, Fischer writes. The 33-year-old will also be extension-eligible in the offseason if his deal is guaranteed, Fischer adds.
It’s worth noting that Valanciunas reportedly wanted to sign with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos over the summer, but the Nuggets wouldn’t agree to a buyout because they had just traded for him and viewed him as an ideal backup to Nikola Jokic. So the fact that Valanciunas could potentially hit free agency much later than other players — after the July moratorium — may not matter much to him if he intends to finish his career overseas anyways.
In seven games with Denver this season, Valanciunas has averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per contest.
Pistons Claim Isaac Jones Off Waivers
The Pistons have claimed second-year big man Isaac Jones off the waiver wire, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jones was released by Sacramento on Tuesday so the team could create roster space to sign Precious Achiuwa.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Kings will now have $191,043 removed from their cap sheet — that’s the amount they would have owed Jones had he not been claimed.
Jones will earn $1,955,377 in his second season, though that total won’t become fully guaranteed until January.
A former Washington State standout, Jones caught on with the Kings as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and appeared in 40 games off the bench for the team, earning a promotion from his two-way deal to a standard contract in March.
While he exceeded expectations during his time in Sacramento, Jones played a very limited NBA role, averaging 7.6 minutes per game last season and logging just 17 minutes in three contests so far in 2025/26.
The 25-year-old forward/center was a far more significant contributor at the G League level, averaging 21.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks on .580/.294/.735 shooting in 16 games as a rookie for the Stockton Kings (32.1 minutes per contest).
Jones will fill the 15th and final standard roster spot for the Pistons.
Blake Wesley Undergoes Foot Surgery, Out 8-12 Weeks
Blake Wesley underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to address a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release. He will begin rehabbing right away and is expected to miss eight-to-12 weeks.
Wesley had initially been ruled out “indefinitely” following the announcement of his broken bone. This timeline would put his earliest return date somewhere around the end of 2025, with his absence more likely to extend into 2026.
Wesley had been playing some of the best basketball of his career in his first six games with the Blazers, serving as one of the team’s primary backcourt options off the bench with Scoot Henderson sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Wesley signed a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with Portland this summer after averaging 4.3 points and 2.4 assists in 14.3 minutes per game across three seasons with the Spurs. He was traded from San Antonio to Washington and then bought out with the Wizards before joining the Blazers.
With Wesley and Henderson sidelined and Damian Lillard out for the season, the Blazers turned to a pair of two-way players in Sidy Cissoko and rookie Caleb Love to provide backcourt depth in their last game against the Lakers.
LeBron James Preparing For Five-On-Five Play
LeBron James has missed the first eight games of the Lakers‘ season and will remain on the shelf for at least a few more, but he’s making progress toward his return to the court, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter video link).
“LeBron James has been working out individually, and I’ve been told that the next step for him is five-on-five live play,” Charania explained.
Charania adds that James will not be traveling with the team on its five-game road trip that starts in Atlanta this weekend, following Wednesday’s game against the Spurs. It’s not certain if that live action would occur with the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, who will be practicing in El Segundo, California, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, or if James will rejoin the team once it returns from the road trip on November 15.
As ESPN’s Malika Andrews notes in her conversation with Charania, this would indicate that the earliest James would return is November 18 against the Jazz.
The Lakers have started the season 6-2 entering Wednesday’s game against the Spurs, despite playing without not only James but also Luka Doncic, who has missed four of the team’s eight games.
McMenamin notes that once James appears in his first game, he will officially become the first player to play 23 seasons in the NBA.
Jalen Green Probable To Make Suns Debut Thursday
Suns guard Jalen Green has been upgraded to probable for Thursday’s matchup against the Clippers, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). If he is able to suit up, it would mark both Green’s season and Suns debut.
Green came over to Phoenix in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Rockets and was expected to be a major part of the Suns’ new-look offense, but a right hamstring strain has kept him on the sidelines since early in training camp.
He missed all of camp as well as the first eight games of the season — the Suns are off to a 3-5 start without him. First-year head coach Jordan Ott has experimented with different starting lineups while Green and fellow former Rocket Dillon Brooks have been out with injuries, but Green’s return should help provide stability to the team’s backcourt rotation.
The fifth-year shooting guard holds career averages of 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 307 career regular-season games, but he struggled with consistency in terms of shot selection and defensive focus. He expressed excitement this summer about playing off of Devin Booker, with whom he believes he can form a two-headed scoring and play-making attack.
The Suns will still have to wait to see their team at full strength, as Brooks continues to be listed as out due to the core muscle strain that has caused him to miss the last five games.
Congressional Committee, NBA Meet To Discuss League Gambling
NBA staffers were in Washington, D.C. today to meet with lawyers and aides for the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee in a discussion about the recent gambling scandals connected to the league, writes Joe Vardon for The Athletic.
The NBA representatives, including league lawyers and a gambling consultant, spent less than an hour answering questions about the charges facing Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, and former player and coach Damon Jones, among others, Vardon reports, though he adds that requests for additional documents are likely to follow.
The topics in question were the actions the league intends to take to curb bad actors from being able to act on non-public information for their own gain, what the NBA’s Code of Conduct does and doesn’t restrict in terms of such disclosures and acting upon information not yet public, and whether the recent troubles have caused the NBA to reconsider any of its profitable partnerships with gambling companies.
Vardon writes that a separate bipartisan Senate committee has asked for a briefing in writing that covers many of the same topics, while also questioning why Rozier was cleared by the league when the federal investigation was still ongoing and, in fact, resulted in Rozier facing criminal charges.
For what it’s worth, a source in the league office recently told Pablo Torre that while the NBA didn’t find any wrongdoing when it looked into Rozier, it also never formally closed that investigation.
“This is a matter of Congressional concern. The integrity of NBA games must be trustworthy and free from the influence of organized crime or gambling-related activity,” wrote Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell in a statement. “Sports betting scandals like this one may lead the American public to assume that all sports are corrupt. As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over professional sports, and as dedicated basketball fans, we want to ensure the NBA is protecting the integrity of the sport.”
Vardon notes that the House committee also previously sent a letter to the NCAA about the recent announcement that collegiate athletes and coaches could bet on pro sports.
Neither NBA commissioner Adam Silver nor deputy commissioner Mark Tatum were in attendance at today’s meeting, according to Marc Stein of the Stein Line (Twitter link).
Anthony Edwards To Return To Action On Wednesday
Anthony Edwards is available to play for the Timberwolves‘ game against the Knicks on Wednesday after missing his previous four games, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Stefan Bondy of the New York Post adds (via Twitter) that Edwards will not be on a minutes restriction.
Edwards was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain on October 27 after exiting the previous night’s game against the Pacers after just three minutes of play.
In his first two games of the season, Edwards was averaging 36.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per night while carrying over his prolific three-point shooting from the previous season by going 8-for-16 from beyond the arc.
The Wolves managed to beat the Pacers by a score of 114-110 and split their next four games, with wins against the Hornets and Nets and losses to the Nuggets and Lakers. They face a Knicks team coming off back-to-back wins against the Bulls and Wizards.
“He’s itching to play,” head coach Chris Finch said of Edwards, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Missing these four games marked the second-longest absence of the guard’s career, Krawczynski writes, behind only a six-game stretch he missed due to COVID-19 in his sophomore season.
Pacers Sign Cody Martin To 10-Day Hardship Deal
3:33 pm: The Pacers have officially signed Martin, according to a team press release.
9:17 am: The Pacers intend to add free agent forward Cody Martin to their roster, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). According to Scotto, Martin will be signed using a hardship exception, which means he’ll receive a 10-day contract.
Martin, 30 spent five-and-a-half seasons in Charlotte from 2019-25 before being sent to the Suns at February’s trade deadline along with Vasilije Micic in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic. The 6’6″ forward established himself early in his career as a versatile defender who could contribute in a variety of ways — he averaged 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 26.3 minutes per game for the Hornets in 2021/22, posting a .482/.384/.701 shooting line in 71 total outings.
However, Martin battled injuries that limited him to just 35 total games over the course of the next two seasons. He bounced back to some extent in 2024/25, making 53 appearances for Charlotte and Phoenix, but his shooting percentages dipped to 41.8% on field goal tries and 28.5% on three-pointers, below his career averages.
Waived by the Suns on June 30, Martin spent over four months on the open market and will now join an Indiana team that has been decimated by injuries in the early going this season. According to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link), the former Hornet and Sun was among the free agents who worked out for the Pacers before they signed Mac McClung last month.
The Pacers already have Jeremiah Robinson-Earl under contract via a hardship exception but would be permitted to retain Robinson-Earl while adding Martin as long as they’ve been granted a second exception.
A hardship exception, which allows a team to temporarily carry an extra player beyond the usual 15-man limit, is granted when a team has four players who have missed three consecutive games due to injuries and are expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks. If a team has five players who fit that bill, a second hardship exception can be awarded.
Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Obi Toppin (foot), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Bennedict Mathurin (foot), Kam Jones (back), and Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) have all been out for at least the Pacers’ past three games. Haliburton will miss the entire season and Toppin is expected to be out until February; the timelines for the others aren’t entirely clear, but if at least three of them are projected to miss two more weeks, the Pacers qualify for a second hardship exception.
Martin will earn $165,197 on a 10-day contract, while Indiana carries a cap hit of $131,970.