Central Notes: Turner, Ball, Mathurin, Sarama, Russell
The Bucks got their first glimpse of the Giannis Antetokounmpo–Myles Turner pairing on Sunday, and what they saw in just over five minutes should excite them, says Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Despite Antetokounmpo’s somewhat pedestrian box score numbers, his presence opened up the floor for the team’s shooters, Nehm writes. Most importantly, Turner’s instincts, not only as a spacer but also as a cutter, worked perfectly alongside Antetokounmpo’s scoring gravity, creating wide-open looks for the Bucks’ guards.
“The most important thing about him is that he sacrifices,” Antetokounmpo said. “At times, he knows that he’s not going to get the ball and he’s going to create the open shot for his teammate.”
While the on-court stint may have been over quickly, Nehm feels it’s indicative of why pursuing Turner was the right choice for a team featuring Antetokounmpo. So far, the Bucks’ star seems to agree.
“It’s fun playing with him. Makes the game easier for me,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think I’ll try to make the game easier for him. When I draw a lot of attention, I think he’s gonna be able to create a lot of open shots … So he just makes the game easier not just for me, for the whole team.”
We have more notes from around the Central Division:
- Speaking of proving the value of an offseason pursuit, Lonzo Ball showed during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Pistons why the Cavaliers targeted him in trade talks this summer, writes Chris Fedor for Cleveland.com. Ball did a bit of everything in his 20 minutes, with nine points, nine assists, four rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Coach Kenny Atkinson said that was exactly what he was envisioning Ball’s role to be. “He hasn’t disappointed,” Atkinson said. “Everything that we thought we were getting, we’re getting. He’s just got a great, great feel. I’m excited to coach any NBA player, but this is a guy I’ve watched for a long time. He’s kind of the ultimate system fit.” It appears the only questions surrounding Ball’s tenure in Cleveland will be related to health, not skill set.
- Bennedict Mathurin is expected to command a significant role for the Pacers this season with Tyrese Haliburton recovering from an Achilles tear. In Monday’s preseason matchup against the Spurs, he showed that he could not only create his own shot, but also play within the flow of the offense, writes Dustin Dopirak for the Indianapolis Star. Mathurin ended the game with 31 points on 11-of-12 shooting. On the less encouraging side of things, the Pacers’ four centers, Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley, scored three total points on 0-of-10 shooting. With the departure of Turner, figuring out how to survive the center rotation will be crucial for the Pacers to stay competitive.
- Alex Sarama, who spent the last year and a half as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, has been announced as the first head coach for the newly-christened Portland Fire WNBA team, writes Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports. Sarama worked with Fire general manager Vanja Cernivec during their time with the London Lions in the British Basketball League, serving as the Lions’ director of methodology.
- Walker Russell Jr. has played for the Pistons, as did his father, Walter Russell Sr. He now returns to the organization as an assistant coach for its G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, writes Omar Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. The Russells remain the only father-son duo to ever both play for the Pistons, and Sankofa adds that both father and son started and ended their playing career in Detroit. Russell Jr. is eager for the opportunity. “This right here is the best feeling I ever had, coming home,” he said. “I get to grind player development, I get to grind with the guys and tell my story, the good and the bad. The bad is what I really, really like to harp on because everybody talks about the good in this business. Nobody really talks about how you stay in this business.“
And-Ones: Core Trios, MVP, Hayward, NBA App
Tim Bontemps of ESPN ranks the core trios of every NBA team based on their current and future value. Unsurprisingly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the defending champion Thunder sit atop Bontemps’ tiered list, followed by the Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Bontemps’ final tier (“rebuilding”) is comprised of the Nets (Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore), Trail Blazers (Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe), Jazz (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton, Lauri Markkanen), and Wizards (Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Using six categories (narrative score, expected ridiculous stats score, team quality score, clutch score, player impact score, and perceived value score), Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a stab at predicting who will win the NBA’s MVP award in 2025/26. Jokic, who was the runner-up last season, earns the most points (55/60), followed by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander (50/60) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50/60), who finished third in voting last season. However, Harper’s “gut” says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (45/60) will claim his first MVP.
- Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who retired last summer after a 14-year career in the league, is returning to his alma mater in a new role. According to a Butler press release written by John Dedman, Hayward will be an executive basketball advisor for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. In addition to advising in multiple areas, Hayward will also serve as a mentor to student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and professional development.
- The NBA announced in a press release that it has launched a new multi-platform streaming offering as well as the “reimagined” NBA TV, both of which can be accessed via the NBA App. There’s also a new flagship program on NBA TV and the NBA App called “The Association,” which features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, among others.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Wants To Finish Career In Greece
After speaking in more general terms last month about the possibility of suiting up for a team in the EuroLeague before retiring as a player, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo stated more plainly during an appearance on a Greek late-night talk show called The 2night Show that he’d like to finish his career in his home country.
“I’m 30 years old,” Antetokounmpo said, per BasketNews. “I can play in the NBA until I’m 36, 38. I’d like to end my career in a Greek team, why not? I don’t want to live in the United States. As soon as I leave the NBA, I want to return to Greece. I could end my career here, whether this team is called Filathlitikos, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, or Aris, I’m talking about all the teams now.”
It’s not uncommon for NBA players – especially ones who were born overseas – to spend the twilight years of their careers in Europe. However, it’s a much rarer occurrence for a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber.
Still, it’s worth noting that Antetokounmpo played for Filathlitikos from 2011-13 before being drafted and that he has long made it a priority to represent Greece in international competitions. Last month, he referred to winning a EuroBasket bronze medal this summer with the Greek national team as his “greatest accomplishment” as an athlete, despite his NBA championship and two NBA MVP awards.
Whether Antetokounmpo eventually plays in Greece remains to be seen, but his NBA future over the next few years could be determined in large part by how the Bucks’ 2025/26 season plays out.
Although the star forward has repeatedly expressed a desire to win another championship in Milwaukee, his comments have also strongly suggested that competing for another championship is a greater priority than spending his entire career as a Buck. If Milwaukee’s season ends early again next spring following three consecutive first-round exits in 2023, 2024, and 2025, Giannis will likely weigh his options more seriously as he prepares to enter a potential contract year.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Robinson, Hart, Giannis, Clarkson
Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson have both started in the Knicks‘ first three preseason games, and new head coach Mike Brown seems to like the idea of using the two big men together, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. It’s an option that Tom Thibodeau rarely had last season because Robinson was recovering from ankle surgery and was only available for 17 games. Their time together was mostly limited to the playoffs, and Braziller notes that the Knicks outscored opponents by 4.4 points per 100 possessions with the double-big lineup.
“The length on the floor is just unbelievable, when you’re playing KAT at the 4, playing OG (Anunoby) at the 3, Mikal (Bridges) at the 2,” Brown said. “That’s a big, long team, with a lot of interchangeable parts. And then offensively, not just for KAT, but for the rest of the group, it just gives you a different look. You’d think that group should be able to offensive rebound at a high level, which is one of our staples.”
Braziller points out that Robinson was very effective once he was able to begin playing last season, especially in the playoffs where he averaged 4.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while posting a +2.7 net rating. Brown believes Robinson can adapt to his up-tempo system, and Braziller states that the seven-footer engaged in an intense conditioning program during the summer to prepare himself.
“First of all, he’s a great runner. Not a good runner, a great runner,” Brown said. “And he’s got to — like all of us — play at this pace, especially all the time. We don’t wanna do it most of the time, we wanna do it all the time. Having said that, you know Mitch is a vertical threat. I’m just guessing off the top of my head. He might be the best vertical threat I’ve been around.”
There’s more from New York:
- Josh Hart hasn’t been able to practice since suffering back spasms in the first preseason game, but he has advanced to on-court work, Braziller adds in a separate story. Brown believes Hart will be able to pick up the new system once he’s healthy. “He’s practiced a few times, played in one game. So you have a feel of what you’re going to get from Josh,” Brown said. “But the tough part about it is because what we’re doing is new, and he hasn’t gone through it, he’s a little behind in that regard. But he’s got a great feel, has watched us enough, he should be able to jump in. He might be a few steps behind, but he should be able to catch up quickly with the guys.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s reported interest in coming to New York if he ever asks to leave Milwaukee should be considered a major sign of progress for the franchise, contends Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). He notes that the Knicks have done a lot of work to rebuild their reputation around the league since Leon Rose took over as team president. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) offers his suggestions for a couple of Antetokounmpo deals.
- Free agent addition Jordan Clarkson discusses the highlights of his long career in an interview with James L. Edwards of The Athletic.
Stein’s Latest: Giannis, Westbrook, Mavericks, Referees
If Giannis Antetokounmpo is ever traded, it’s more likely to happen during the offseason, Marc Stein of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). That’s the conclusion Stein reaches after listening to the chatter out of Milwaukee since it was revealed last week that the Bucks and Knicks had trade discussions regarding the Greek superstar during the summer.
Stein cites Antetokounmpo’s response when asked about the rumor, saying that he’s happy in Milwaukee now but could reconsider his stance in “six, seven months.” He also said the idea of forcing a trade is “temptation,” adding that it “starts when the season ends (and lasts) until the season begins.”
Given that background, Stein believes this might be a “make-or-break” season regarding Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks. The front office took a huge gamble over the summer, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard‘s contract to create enough cap space to sign Myles Turner away from Indiana. However, the rest of the roster is virtually the same as it was when the team finished 48-34 last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Antetokounmpo has repeatedly expressed his desire to compete for another NBA title and seems likely to revisit the idea of changing teams if Milwaukee can’t make progress toward that goal.
Antetokounmpo’s contract runs through 2026/27, with a $62.8MM player option for the following season. Stein points out that he’s about to enter the first season of a three-year, $175MM extension he agreed to shortly after the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard in 2023.
Stein shares information from around the league:
- Russell Westbrook remains a free agent eight days away from the start of the regular season, but he appears very unlikely to continue his career overseas. League sources tell Stein that there have been “zero discussions” about that possibility. A report on Sunday indicated “strong mutual interest” between Westbrook and the Kings, and Stein’s sources say the 36-year-old guard remains focused on his next NBA opportunity, even if it doesn’t come until later in the season.
- The Mavericks are expected to play two preseason games at The Venetian Macao resort next October, Stein hears. He adds that team owner Patrick Dumont was instrumental in helping the NBA rebuild its business relationships with China following a 2019 dispute sparked by Daryl Morey’s online support of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
- NBA referees have been wearing earpieces during the preseason to allow them to communicate easier with each other, Stein adds, and they could become standard equipment when the regular season begins.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Giannis, Barlow, Sixers, Plumlee
Nets owner Joe Tsai raised some eyebrows by stating during a recent panel appearance that his team is prioritizing a good draft pick in 2026 and that, as a result, “You can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.” Asked on Sunday about that remark, head coach Jordi Fernandez deftly put a positive spin on it, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“He says he wants a good draft pick because no matter where we pick, our front office is so good we’re going to pick a very good player,” Fernandez said. “… So whatever we pick, that’s why he’s excited, because we’re going to pick right.”
Despite Fernandez’s spin, the general consensus is that it will be a challenging season for the Nets, who are incorporating five rookies and traded away second-leading scorer Cameron Johnson over the summer. Still, it’s worth noting that Fernandez’s team outperformed expectations last season by winning 26 games after being widely viewed as the NBA’s worst team entering the year.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo took part in five-on-five work at Saturday’s practice and the plan is for him to make his preseason debut on Sunday against Chicago, according to head coach Doc Rivers (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). Antetokounmpo got off to a late start this fall due to a case of COVID-19 that forced him to miss the first several days of training camp.
- Sixers forward Dominick Barlow is making a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to a standard deal with his play this preseason, contends Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. I’d be surprised if Philadelphia is in any rush to fill its 15th roster spot due to the luxury tax implications, but Barlow is well positioned for rotation minutes to open the season. He even has a chance to be the team’s starting power forward until Paul George is ready to suit up, suggests Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Sixers are naming JP Clark the head coach of their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Clark, who has previously worked for the Clippers and Celtics, is being promoted from his role as Blue Coats assistant.
- Mason Plumlee is the experienced veteran among a group of Hornets centers that features 23-year-olds Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner, but he said this week that he didn’t sign with Charlotte as a free agent just to be a mentor and leader, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes. “I think I have a lot to offer, especially the young guys in my position,” Plumlee said. “But my understanding is we’re playing to win this year. So, that was my interest in coming here and I want to contribute to that.”
Knicks Made Brunson ‘Untouchable’ In Giannis Trade Talks
When the Knicks and Bucks discussed the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade in August, New York made Jalen Brunson “untouchable,” team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The news comes as no surprise, given that the goal of an Antetokounmpo trade for the Knicks would be to pair him with Brunson, not have him replace the star point guard.
With Brunson off limits and Mikal Bridges not eligible to be moved at that time due to his recently signed extension, it stands to reason that Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson were likely among the players discussed by the two sides, Amick writes.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier this week that the Knicks and Bucks spoke about Antetokounmpo over the summer after the star forward expressed some concerns about his team’s championship upside and conveyed that New York would be the only team he’d be interested in if he were to leave Milwaukee.
However, Charania stressed that those discussions didn’t gain any traction, with the Bucks making it clear they wanted to hang onto the two-time MVP and New York not making a compelling enough pitch to force them to reconsider that stance.
The Knicks have already traded away several future first-round picks, so any offer they made for a star like Antetokounmpo would have to be player-heavy in terms of value. And even if the Bucks had interest in some of those players, New York has concerns about the potential roster imbalance that sort of blockbuster trade would create, according to Amick.
While subsequent reports, including this one from The Athletic, have confirmed that those trade talks generated no momentum, Amick says this development was definitely “not nothing.” He refers to it as “nothing short of an escalation,” since it’s the strongest signal yet that Antetokounmpo is considering options outside of Milwaukee.
[RELATED: Bucks’ Antetokounmpo, Rivers Address Giannis Trade Rumors]
Although the Knicks were the only team to have a conversation with the Bucks about Giannis this offseason, many more teams around the league would be ready to pursue him if he were ever to be made available, according to Amick, who suggests that the 30-year-old’s future in Milwaukee could be largely determined by what happens this coming season. Giannis only has one more guaranteed year on his contract beyond 2025/26, with a player option for ’27/28.
Knicks Notes: Giannis, Towns, Yabusele, Robinson, Tyndale
In a subscriber-only mailbag, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post confirms the Knicks and Bucks discussed a trade involving two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, but cautions those negotiations went “nowhere productive” beyond revealing the Greek superstar would prefer to play in New York if he ever leaves Milwaukee.
According to Bondy, the Knicks don’t have a realistic pathway to acquire Antetokounmpo unless the 30-year-old specifically demands a trade to New York. And even if Milwaukee struggles this season, there’s no indication that Antetokounmpo would go that route.
Unless the Knicks would be willing to trade Jalen Brunson in a possible multi-team construct, they simply lack the draft assets to compete with other teams in a potential bidding war, Bondy explains.
While it’s a positive development that Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to play for the Knicks after they have been spurned by other stars in the past, the situation could be a distraction if New York gets off to a slow start, Bondy writes. It will also be an important “measuring stick” for the current front office regime, according to Bondy, who points out that the Knicks spent most of their previous draft capital to trade for Mikal Bridges — a move that may or may not pay off in the long run.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Guerschon Yabusele have been faced with the difficult task of adjusting to the unique requirements of playing in Mike Brown‘s offensive system, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. How Towns in particular acclimates may determine the Knicks’ ceiling this season, Crane notes. “They’re both doing a fantastic job trying to adjust,” Brown said of Towns and Yabusele, “but it’s going to take them a little longer than everybody else just because they’re playing both of the positions within the framework of our offense — and so their learning curve’s gonna have to be a lot steeper than anybody else’s.”
- Towns has been impressed with Mitchell Robinson in training camp and is looking forward to building chemistry with him in the frontcourt, according to Crane. “He’s very gifted with his feet, just the way he can maneuver around the court,” Towns said of Robinson. “I had good expectations of what I thought of Mitch walking in, especially on the offensive end, how I can maximize his offensive game. But even he surprised me with his ability.”
- Brown is excited to be the home coach at Madison Square Garden for the first time on Thursday, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. “MSG is such an iconic venue,” Brown said. “And whether it’s a preseason game or regular-season game, to be able to know that that’s your home court every night and to do it for the first time, it gives you goosebumps.”
- Brown’s coaching staff continues to grow, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the Knicks are hiring Mark Tyndale as a player development assistant. Tyndale had previous stops in Portland and Toronto, Scotto notes.
NBA GMs Expect Thunder To Repeat, Jokic To Win Fourth MVP
NBA general managers view the Thunder as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions this season, according to the 24th annual GM survey conducted by John Schuhmann of NBA.com. GMs were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel.
Eighty percent of general managers predicted Oklahoma City to win the 2026 NBA Finals, with the Cavaliers and Nuggets tied for second at 7% each. The Rockets and Knicks were the only other teams to receive votes.
If the Thunder do go back-to-back, they would be the first repeat champions since Golden State in 2018.
Still, it’s worth noting that 83% of GMs thought Boston would win its second consecutive title in 2025 during last year’s edition of the survey, and the Celtics wound up being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is heavily favored to win his fourth award in 2025/26. The Nuggets superstar received 67% of the vote and was also tabbed as the league’s best center (maximum possible 97%), best international player (93%), best passer (80%), the player with the best basketball IQ (80%), and the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (57%).
NBA GMs view Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson as the league’s most athletic player (58%) and most versatile defender (18%), as well as the player most likely to have a breakout season (30%).
For the second straight year, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was tabbed as the best player to build a franchise around, receiving 83% of the vote. The French center was also voted the league’s best defender (80%) and tied with Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league’s most versatile player (30% apiece).
Unsurprisingly, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg is the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year, claiming the maximum 97% of the vote. General managers also think he’s the rookie who will be the best player five years from now (93%).
Fifty-three percent of GMs surveyed think the Hawks made the best offseason moves, while 47% believe the Magic will be the most improved team this season.
According to general managers, Milwaukee made by far the two most surprising offseason moves: waiving and stretching Damian Lillard (43%), and subsequently signing Myles Turner in free agency (30%).
Schuhmann’s survey is worth checking out in full and can be found right here.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo, Rivers Address Giannis Trade Rumors
Asked on Wednesday about an ESPN report that stated the Bucks and Knicks had offseason discussions about Giannis Antetokounmpo after he expressed some concerns about Milwaukee’s ability to contend for a title, the two-time MVP said he hadn’t read the story, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Antetokounmpo spoke in more general terms about the trade speculation that has swirled around him in recent months and years.
“I’ve said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I’m here,” Antetokounmpo said. “I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go, and it’s definitely going to be hard. We’re going to take it day by day, but I’m here. So all the other extra stuff does not matter. I think I’ve communicated with my teammates, communicated with the people I respect and love, that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, I wear this jersey, the rest does not matter. I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me.”
Despite expressing confidence in the Bucks’ revamped roster and making it clear he’s not seeking a change of scenery at this point, Antetokounmpo stopped short of stating that he’s committed to Milwaukee for the long term.
“If in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that’s human too,” he continued. “You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in. I’m locked in to this team. I’m locked in to these guys, to this group, and to this coaching staff and myself.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers was also asked on Wednesday about ESPN’s report and made more of an effort to downplay it, framing the discussions Milwaukee reportedly had with the Knicks as a single conversation that was instigated by New York and didn’t go anywhere.
“I’ve been coaching 26, 27 years and one thing that I know is that 30 teams call 30 teams, all right?” Rivers said, per Nehm (Twitter link). “‘Hey, would you like to trade Chris Paul?’ And you say no. That does not constitute a conversation, all right? I read where it said ‘several conversations.’ Well, that never happened. It was a conversation where a team called and (general manager) Jon (Horst) has been saying no now for 11 years. I don’t know why this is a new story, but I guess it is.
“… I can tell you Jon has never called a team about Giannis. That has never happened. And until that happens, you really don’t have a story.”
Antetokounmpo has two more guaranteed years left on his current maximum-salary contract, with a player option for the 2027/28 season. Speculation about his future has intensified as of late because the Bucks have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past years and are coming off their worst regular season since 2017/18.
For his part, Antetokounmpo continues to perform at an MVP level, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game while shooting 60.1% from the floor in 67 outings last season.