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Magic Exercise 2025/26 Options On Banchero, Black, Howard

October 4th, 2024 at 2:12pm CST by Rory Maher

The Magic announced (via Twitter) that they have exercised their 2025/26 rookie scale options on Paolo Banchero, Anthony Black and Jett Howard.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Banchero won Rookie of the Year in ’22/23 and followed that up with his first All-Star appearance in ’23/24. Now that his fourth-year option for ’25/26 (worth $15,334,769) has been picked up, Banchero will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer.

Obviously, it was a foregone conclusion that Orlando would exercise its option on Banchero, who recently discussed what he’s been working to improve as he enters his third season. He’ll earn $12,160,800 in ’24/25.

Black, a 6’7″ guard, and Howard, a 6’8″ wing, were both lottery picks in 2023 (No. 6 and No. 11, respectively). Howard only played 67 regular season minutes over 18 NBA games, having spent much of his rookie season in the G League. Black was a rotation regular though, averaging 4.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 69 regular season games (16.9 minutes per contest).

Both players were already under contract this season. This move means they’ll earn guaranteed salaries for their third seasons in ’25/26. Black will make $7,970,280 that year, while Howard will earn $5,529,720.

Our tracker has the full list of rookie scale team options for ’25/26. The deadline for teams to make those decisions is Oct. 31.

Pelicans Exercise 2025/26 Option On Jordan Hawkins

October 4th, 2024 at 1:25pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans have picked up their third-year team option on Jordan Hawkins, they announced in a press release (Twitter link).

Hawkins, who was selected 14th overall in last year’s draft, was already under contract for $4,525,680 in 2024/25. He will now earn a guaranteed $4,741,320 during the ’25/26 season as well.

The Pelicans will have until next October to determine whether they want to exercise their fourth-year option on Hawkins. That option for the ’26/27 season is worth $7,021,895.

As a rookie last season, the former UConn guard appeared in 67 regular season games (17.3 minutes per contest), averaging 7.8 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 36.6% from three-point range. He had a handful of big scoring games, including a career-high 34 points in a January 13 victory over Dallas, but his minutes were sporadic when the Pelicans were at full strength.

Hawkins, 22, said in July that he was focused on improving defensively as he enters his second season.

The deadline for teams to decide on ’25/26 rookie scale team options is Oct. 31. We’re tracking all of those decisions right here.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Thibodeau, McCullar, DiVincenzo

October 4th, 2024 at 12:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was understandably stunned by the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Knicks after spending his first nine seasons in Minnesota, writes Chris Herring of ESPN. Still, Towns believes his familiarity with head coach Tom Thibodeau, his former coach with the Wolves, should make the transition to New York a little smoother.

“I think it gives us a little bit of a head start,” Towns said of his relationship with Thibodeau. “I know the offense he likes to run. I know the way he likes to play defense and what he expects from his players.”

Towns, who is from New Jersey, has several other ties to the Knicks — president of basketball operations Leon Rose is his former agent, another executive, William Wesley, has known Towns for over a decade and remains a family friend, and senior VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was Minnesota’s top basketball executive after Thibodeau’s exit. Towns’ first stint with Thibodeau was rocky, but the 28-year-old said they settled their differences “years ago,” and a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that Thibodeau was fully on board with the trade.

“He’s a lot more experienced,” Thibodeau said of Towns. “I think all those experiences teaches you a lot. He’s been through a lot of different things now, so he’s bringing all those experiences here.

“I think as with most players, now he’s had experience being deep in the playoffs. He knows what that’s like. As much as you try to prepare for it, until you go through it, you don’t fully understand what it is and I think his understanding is much further along now than it was his second year in the league, and his skill set is so unique. I think he fits well with everybody.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

James L. Edwards III and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic take an in-depth look at how Towns and Thibodeau repaired their relationship and now have a second chance to find success together. “There is some benefit to having coached him before and to know who he is as a person, but, also, that was more than five years ago,” Thibodeau said. “He’s in a different place, he’s a different player. There is going to be a learning curve and we have to adjust quickly.”
Rookie Kevin McCullar, who sustained a knee injury at Kansas prior to the draft, traveled with the Knicks to Charleston, South Carolina, for training camp. However, he hasn’t been an active participant as he continues to rehab from the injury, league sources tell Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link). A 6’5″ wing who was selected 56th overall in June, McCullar is on a two-way contract with New York.
Donte DiVincenzo, who was sent to Minnesota in the Towns trade, recently sent out a thank you message to Knicks fans, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter).
In case you missed it, the Knicks have reunited with Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. You can find the full story right here.

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Miller, Salaun, Carrington

October 4th, 2024 at 11:09am CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, new Hawks big man Larry Nance Jr. singled out Jalen Johnson and Vit Krejci as players who have impressed him in training camp, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.

“He dominated practice today,” Nance said of Johnson. “He was awesome. He was knocking down threes in transition. He’s been really, really impressive, and I’m trying to push him into speaking some more and leading the group and breaking the huddles and stuff like that, because he’s going to be a guy in this league and with that comes ‘heavy is the head that wears the crown.’ He’s going to wear the crown one day, and he is being groomed for that.”

Nance, who was acquired from the Pelicans this offseason in the Dejounte Murray trade, said he wasn’t very familiar with Krejci’s game before he joined Atlanta, but that has quickly changed.

“The dude can really play,” Nance said of Krejci. “He passes, he dribbles, he can shoot it. He’s shooting the heck out of it. And he defends. … Vit has been super impressive.”

Johnson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason ahead of the final season of his rookie contract, while Krejci just signed a new four-year contract with Atlanta over the summer.

Here’s more from the Southeast:

With several new players on the roster, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder is trying to figure out which lineup combinations work best together, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Snyder suggested that the starting lineup is very much up in the air, and could change over the course of the season. “So, I think the question really is, ‘How does our team function?’” Snyder said Thursday. “And the other part of it is, people will focus on the first game as, like, a definitive statement about something. And, we have an 82-game (regular) season. Well, say that we’ll have focus on that in the first (exhibition) game. And, we could start anybody we want, and there’ll be different starters, I think, throughout the year, based on a lot of things, there’ll be different lineups, and it’s something we have to continue to observe and see how guys play together, see who complements each other, see what rotations look like.”
Hornets wing Brandon Miller is coming off a strong debut season in which he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. While he has a reputation as a scorer, Miller has set an unusual goal for the 2024/25 season, per Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer. “I want to lead the team in charges taken,” said Miller, who added that he wants to be an “elite two-way player.” As Fowler writes, the rookie led the team several hustle stats last season, including charges taken. The 21-year-old Miller also wants to add muscle to his lean frame.
French forward Tidjane Salaun, whom the Hornets selected No. 6 overall in June, may have a lengthy learning curve as he enters his rookie season. But the team has been pleased with Salaun’s competitiveness, work ethic, and constant desire to improve his game, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “It’s for sure a lot for Tidjane right now,” head coach Charles Lee said. “I think the terminology is a lot different than what he’s experienced — the physicality, the pace of the game. He’s in different positions on the floor, but he’s done a really good job of paying attention and asking questions.”
Wizards wing Corey Kispert says rookie guard Carlton Carrington has a great on-court mentality, according to Chase Hughes of The Monumental Sports Network (Twitter link). “I mean, he flips the switch, man,” Kispert said. “He’s the most friendly, talkative, bubbly guy off the court. And then as soon as the ball goes up, he turns into a killer. You want guys like that on your team and you hate playing against guys like that on other teams.”

Knicks Hire Patrick Ewing As Basketball Ambassador

October 4th, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have hired Patrick Ewing as a basketball ambassador (Twitter link), a new position in which the Hall of Famer will assist both the basketball and business operations departments. ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Chris Herring were first to report the news.

“As I said the day my number 33 jersey lifted into the rafters at MSG, I will always be a Knick and I will always be a New Yorker,” Ewing said. “I can’t wait to get started in this new position and to officially be back with the organization I love so much. The Garden has always been my home and I’m looking forward to working with (president of basketball operations) Leon Rose, Coach (Tom) Thibodeau, the team and everyone else that makes this place so special.”

Sources tell ESPN that Ewing will work directly with Thibodeau and the front office in his new role.

A franchise legend, Ewing was selected by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1985 draft. He made 11 All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA teams, and earned three All-Defensive nods during his 15 seasons with New York and is the team’s all-time leading scorer.

The Knicks made two trips to the NBA Finals with Ewing, losing on both occasions (to the Rockets and Spurs, respectively).

As Herring writes, Ewing was a longtime NBA assistant coach following his playing career and was head coach at his alma mater, Georgetown, prior to being fired last year. He most recently served as a coaching consultant with the Hornets.

Ewing, who won two gold medals (in 1984 and 1992) with Team USA, was also named an assistant coach for USA Basketball ahead of the AmeriCup qualifiers in November and February, per a press release. Former Rockets coach Stephen Silas will serve as head coach for the qualifiers, while veteran NBA coach Keith Smart will be another assistant on Silas’ staff.

Magic Notes: Banchero, Wagner, Bitadze, Basketball Ops

October 4th, 2024 at 8:48am CST by Rory Maher

All-Star forward Paolo Banchero says he was “all the way spent” following Game 7 of the Magic‘s first-round playoff loss to Cleveland last spring, so he spent the majority of the summer working to get in “tip-top, elite shape” for a possible deeper postseason run in 2024/25, he tells David Aldridge of The Athletic.

“I worked on my body three or four days a week — sometimes lifting, sometimes agility, some days conditioning,” Banchero said. “Just trying to get in the best shape heading into this season. And obviously, as the season goes on and on, just trying to stay consistent with my habits, and once you get to the playoffs, just having that second wind.”

Franz Wagner, who signed a maximum-salary rookie scale extension this offseason, says that both he and Banchero need to evolve into more vocal leaders as the team’s best players, Aldridge writes. Wagner admits it doesn’t come naturally to either player.

“Honestly, that’s something we have to grow into,” Wagner said. “We’re not the super-outgoing personalities, not the yellers on the team. At some point, that’s going to be required from us, though, especially with each other. We’ve got a great deal of respect for each other. We both really enjoy playing together. I think we have a great relationship. I think that’s the start, just having that trust that when you are holding each other accountable, the other person knows it’s coming from a good place.”

“This year, (I want to be) just a super consistent voice for our team and for the group,” Banchero said, per Aldridge. “When I see something, when you just say it, it gives everyone, whether it’s the guys you’re playing with, your coaches, whoever you say it to, it gives them a chance to take what you said and adjust. … I think me just being a consistent leader and consistent voice is going to take us to another level.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

While Wagner posted career highs in several major statistics in ’23/24, he struggled with his three-point shot, converting a career-low 28.1% from beyond the arc after shooting a combined 35.8% from deep over his first two seasons. The 23-year-old says he spent a lot of time working to fine-tune his outside shot this offseason and is confident in it entering ’24/25, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “Getting the mechanics right and my mindset too,” Wagner said. “That’s where it starts coming in with the right mentality and just having a clear mind knowing what I want to accomplish and what the team’s intentions are. That’s when I can be at my best.”
Former first-round pick Goga Bitadze was unable to finish out his rookie scale contract with Indiana, having been waived by the Pacers during the ’22/23 season. The Magic gave him a second chance, inking the Georgian big man to a two-year, minimum-salary contract that expired over the summer. Bitadze suggested he could have gotten more money from another team in free agency, but he re-signed with the Magic on a three-year, $25MM deal because “he’s really happy” in Orlando, according to Beede. “You [can] get paid a little bit more somewhere else, but this is like home,” Bitadze said. “How much this team has done for me, I feel like I still got to give it back so I’m just super excited to be back.”
The Magic recently announced several promotions and additions to their basketball operations department. Ameer Bahhur (assistant coach/staff coordinator), Becky Bonner (director of pro personnel), Randy Gregory (assistant coach), Stephen Mervis (assistant general manager) and Rodney “Sid” Powell (vice president of team operations) are a handful of the 23 employees listed in the press release.

Raptors Notes: Boucher, Barrett, Quickley, Dick

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:54pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Chris Boucher is entering his seventh season with the Raptors at age 32, and his long tenure with the team is a testament to his skill and professionalism. He entered his stint with the Raptors on an Exhibit 10 deal, battling it out for a two-way contract. He was with Toronto for the club’s 2019 championship and has since fluctuated between being a sixth man, key rotation piece, and veteran mentor.

However, his 14.1 minutes per game last season represented his lowest mark since the 2019/20 season. He received 15 DNP-CDs and wasn’t happy about the lack of minutes, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

“When you’ve got a career or you played a lot of years, you get kind of lost in how many minutes you’re playing and all and you forget about a lot of little things,” Boucher said. “I did a lot of that in the summer, work on that just to make sure my mind’s at the right place to start the year.”

However, Grange emphasizes that Boucher’s relationship with coach Darko Rajakovic is in a good place, despite the lack of minutes.

“Coach is doing a really good job to teach me the game and make me a better leader, a better vet,” Boucher said. “I think that’s something I needed a lot to work on and this summer, I took a lot of time for that.”

We have more from the Raptors:

RJ Barrett‘s transition to Toronto last season after being acquired in exchange for OG Anunoby went about as well as it could have. He averaged 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 55.3% from the field, all of which would have been career highs over the course of a full season. Despite his impressive offensive season, Barrett recognizes he has a ways to go on the defensive side of the ball, Grange writes in another piece. “If you want to win, it starts with defense,” Barrett said. “And I’ve been practicing it, working on it, especially during the summertime. That was huge for me to just get reps defensively, and now just keep working on it. Every day, you know, coaching, drills, playing, keep that mindset of defending and keep going that way.“
Immanuel Quickley has been spotted sporting a brace on his wrist after practice. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet, this is mostly precautionary after Quickley suffered a sprained thumb at a workout leading up to training camp. He has been participating in non-contact portions of training camp and is not expected to miss any time in the regular season due to the injury.
Second-year wing Gradey Dick looks to have bulked up this offseason, Murphy notes in the same piece. Adding strength was a part of Dick’s offseason planning and he’s officially listed as eight pounds heavier than he was last season. Dick was 205 pounds last year at 6’6″ and averaged 8.5 points per game while shooting 36.5% from three.

Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Hartenstein, Caruso, Jazz, Scoot, R. Williams

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Thunder big man Jaylin Williams has been ruled out for the remainder of training camp and the preseason due to a right hamstring strain, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.

Upon his return, Williams is poised to back up a crowded frontcourt that is composed of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Coach Mark Daigneault was especially complimentary of what Williams brings to the table.

“Those guys are really, really verbal players,” Daigneault said. “Defensively especially, that position has to be the most vocal on the court. [Williams] is a very bold communicator in his coverages.”

Williams will be reevaluated after the preseason, per Lorenzi.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder offseason acquisitions Hartenstein and Alex Caruso have been as advertised, Lorenzi writes in a separate story. Both players have been early standouts in training camp. “I think the easiest thing for both of us is that we both play really hard,” Caruso said. “When you have that as your base and your foundation, the rest of the stuff will fall into place.”
Messaging from the Jazz has been clear all offseason regarding their desire to focus on youth. Walker Kessler is among the players the front office considers as part of its young core. However, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, John Collins sees and considers himself a starter, which primes the Jazz for a starting center position battle in camp. Head coach Will Hardy threw another name in the ring – that of free agent addition Drew Eubanks – when speaking to media. Larsen notes that the Jazz tried starting Lauri Markkanen, Collins and Kessler together last season, but that supersized lineup wasn’t successful.
Many scouts and fans regarded last year’s No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson as a generational prospect when he entered the draft. While Henderson struggled to score efficiently and didn’t garner the headlines that No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama did, he still showed he could have a long future in the league. Perhaps underrated entering his second season, the Trail Blazers guard averaged 16.6 points and 7.1 assists in his last 19 games last year. Head coach Chauncey Billups indicated he’s seen improvement from Henderson this offseason. “You can tell that his confidence is so much different now,” Billups said, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). “He plays ferocious, as we all know, but he has a little extra chip on his shoulder now after having struggled his rookie year. So I’ve been happy with where he’s at. I think Scoot’s going to have a good season.”
After playing in just six games last year due to knee surgery that ended his season, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams has been taking steps to return this year. According to Highkin (Twitter link), Williams went through all of practice as a full participant on Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday with soreness. The team is being careful with him in his recovery and his status for the preseason opener is to be determined, per Highkin.

Central Notes: Rondo, Tyson, Okoro, Jerome, Duren, White

October 3rd, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Tristan Tucker

When Rajon Rondo got married this summer, his first NBA coach Doc Rivers was one of the attendees, Baxter Holmes of ESPN writes. Rivers motivated and encouraged Rondo to get into the coaching sphere this season.

That’s exactly what Rondo is doing, as he’s serving as a guest coach for the Bucks during training camp. According to Holmes, Rondo will remain with the Bucks through the rest of the season in an unspecified role. Rondo has said he “absolutely” hopes to be a head coach some day.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into coaching,” Rondo said. “You just can’t say, I’m going to be a coach, and then everything works out and that’s how it happens. So certain personalities have to mesh, [and there’s] a lot of sacrifice. There are certain things that I’m learning. The morning meetings, the amount of hours you’re spending watching film, it’s a lot.”

Rondo declined to say whether he received any other offers from teams. However, it was reported in June that he was high on the list of preferred staff members for new Lakers coach J.J. Redick.

We have more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers rookie Jaylon Tyson — the No. 20 overall pick this year — is making a strong first impression in training camp so far, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “Our rook has impressed me,” Max Strus said. “He plays basketball the right way. He’s mature in the way he carries himself. He’s not out here asking for the ball or trying to do too much. He’s just trying to get in where he fits in. As a rookie, that’s not easy to do always. It’s impressive to see that. It’s refreshing to have a rookie come in and do that.” All three Cavs players who were asked for their immediate standout named Tyson, who has shown a little bit of everything, including rebounding, defense, and shooting. While Cleveland has a deep rotation, there’s a chance Tyson will make an impact right away.
Isaac Okoro admitted that he considered taking the Cavaliers‘ one-year, $11.8MM qualifying offer in order to hit unrestricted free agency next year. He eventually signed a three-year contract that includes $33MM in guaranteed money. “In my head I was like, ‘Nah, I think Cleveland wants me and I want to be here.’ I wanted to be here,” Okoro said. Fedor writes in a separate piece that head coach Kenny Atkinson is considering an expanded role for Okoro, who will be expected to screen more often and diversify his game.
In the same piece, members of the Cavaliers continue to point to Ty Jerome as a standout player in camp, per Fedor. “Ty has been one of the best players in camp in my opinion,” Darius Garland said. Jerome could be a surprise member of the rotation due to the fact that he was previously coached by Atkinson in Golden State and the front office likes him.
Jalen Duren served as an effective rim-runner and shot-blocker during his first two seasons as a member of the Pistons. However, according to Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press, Detroit is hoping to unlock other aspects of Duren’s game — namely his play-making. He has been working on those skills in camp, and with just three true play-makers on the roster, Duren might be leaned on sooner rather than later. “I think we’re going to let him play with the ball some,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Whether he defensively rebounds the ball and has the ability to bring it up the floor some, whether he catches it on the elbow and we play split action and he can make those reads. So I think just trying to diversify where he touches it, and then we’ll keep building from there.“
DeMar DeRozan left the Bulls for the Kings this offseason, but he’s still giving advice to Most Improved Player runner-up Coby White, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. White is aiming to limit the number of off nights he has as a scorer after breaking through last year. “It’s got to be an every night thing. … I’ve got to build on this,” White said. “That’s what I talked to DeMar a lot about, how he prepares for every moment.“

Pelicans Notes: Murray, McCollum, Ingram, Johnson

October 3rd, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Tristan Tucker

New Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is hoping to get back to the defensive level he showcased as a member of the Spurs before joining the Hawks. As William Guillory of The Athletic writes, Murray has displayed during training camp practices that he’s still capable of being that kind of player, making a series of impressive steals and deflections.

The Pelicans ranked sixth in defensive efficiency over the past two seasons due in part to their ability to create turnovers. According to Guillory, the Pelicans actively sought Murray due to the fact that he played into their identity and would be a seamless fit on that end.

While losing Naji Marshall to free agency and Dyson Daniels as part of the move to bring Murray in could be a blow, the Pelicans are hoping a motivated Murray alongside Herbert Jones can create one of the best defensive duos in the league. With Trey Murphy likely sidelined to open the season due to injury, that would leave Jones, CJ McCollum and Daniel Theis battling for two starting spots next to Murray, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

“The Pelicans have been a top defensive team for years, (we’re going) to continue to grow,” Murray said. “The sky is the limit. If you get stops with this group, and the length we have and guys who can space out and can attack the basket, that’s what we want. That’s the best offense: getting out and running.”

We have more from the Pelicans:

McCollum will shift to more of an off-ball role while playing alongside Murray, Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes. McCollum has played both guard spots for New Orleans since being acquired from Portland, but he’ll continue the trend of taking catch-and-shoot threes that he displayed last season. “I think the beauty of it is both of those guys over the course of their careers have played off other point guards or scoring guards,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Dejounte did it early in San Antonio. He also did it in Atlanta. CJ, for almost his whole career, was with Damian Lillard. Those guys are interchangeable. They can adjust on the fly. I think it makes us a problem for other teams.“
While Ingram was an oft-rumored trade candidate this offseason as he enters the final year of his contract, he ultimately stayed put. According to Clark (Twitter link), the star forward has been motivated in training camp so far. “He’s not just fitting in. He’s dominating,” Green said. “It’s really refreshing to see him come into camp (and) play at a high level, high speed. He’s focused on getting to the rim more. Making threes. He’ll still have his mid-range game because he’s elite in those positions. But overall, his leadership and spirit has been really good.” Ingram will make $36MM this season and is on track to hit unrestricted free agency next July after not yet receiving the maximum extension he was seeking.
Former Pelicans wing Wesley Johnson is joining New Orleans’ official broadcasting crew as a studio analyst alongside Erin Summers, the team announced (Twitter link). Johnson played with the Pelicans for 26 games (13 starts) in 2018/19 while averaging 3.7 points. Johnson spent the last three seasons as a member of Tyronn Lue‘s coaching staff in Los Angeles.

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