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Southwest Notes: Minix, Edey, Pelicans Offense, Kleber

October 15th, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Undrafted rookie Riley Minix signed a training camp deal with the Spurs in July. The former Morehead State guard has been so impressive, he’s got a shot to earn one of the team’s two-way spots, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes.

Minix came into Tuesday night’s preseason game against the Heat averaging 7.8 points in 7.8 minutes per game while shooting 57.1% from 3-point range on 2.3 attempts per night. He didn’t get off the bench as the Spurs played their regulars to a great extent.

“He’s a young man that is probably still pinching himself that he is on an NBA team and doing what he is doing because it’s probably not what he expected several years ago,” coach Gregg Popovich said of the 24-year-old, who played four seasons at an NAIA school before joining Morehead State. “But he is a tough young man. He is intelligent. He learns. And he can shoot the basketball. He has become a pleasant surprise.”

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Some people were skeptical of whether former Purdue star center Zach Edey could make a smooth transition to the NBA. Edey, drafted in the lottery by the Grizzlies, put on a show against Indiana on Monday, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal notes. Edey finished with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting in 19 minutes and had nine rebounds. Edey displayed a sweet hook shot and a variety of low-post moves. “History will likely show that where he was chosen in the draft was low,” opposing head coach Rick Carlisle said of the No. 9 overall pick after the game, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
The Pelicans have ranked among the bottom 10 in the league in three-point attempts during Willie Green‘s first three seasons as head coach. Green is intent on changing that, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. New Orleans averaged 32.6 three-point tries last season. “The message has been pretty clear,” Zion Williamson said. “Get up at least 40 per game. That means we have to play with pace. And just play basketball. In the grand scheme of things, it’s definitely going to be a positive for us.”
The Mavericks are hopeful big man Maxi Kleber will be able to suit up for the regular season opener, according to Dwain Price of Mavs.com. “He got hurt in September – right before camp. He stepped on someone’s foot and sprained his ankle,” coach Jason Kidd said. “But his rehab and everything, he’s doing great. He had a great workout this morning, so he should be, hopefully, ready to go on opening night.”

Spurs Sign, Waive Isaiah Miller

October 15th, 2024 at 5:48pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 15: Miller has been waived, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

OCTOBER 14: The Spurs have signed free agent guard Isaiah Miller to a training camp contract, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.

Miller went undrafted out of UNC Greensboro in 2021 and was a G League player for his first three professional seasons, spending one year with the Iowa Wolves and two with the Salt Lake City Stars. In 49 games last season for Salt Lake City, the Jazz’s G League affiliate, he averaged 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .486/.236/.676.

Over the summer, the 25-year-old suited up for the Grizzlies’ Summer League team that advanced to the championship game in Las Vegas. He subsequently signed with APR, a Rwandan team based in Kigali, and helped lead them to a title in the Rwanda Basketball League last month.

The Stars traded Miller’s returning rights to the Austin Spurs this offseason, lining him up to play for San Antonio’s affiliate if and when he returns to the G League. In all likelihood, the contract he signed with San Antonio is an Exhibit 10 contract that will entitle him to a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived before the NBA season and then spends at least 60 days with Austin.

The Spurs now have a full 21-man preseason roster, with another week to trim that total to 18 (15 on standard contracts and three on two-way deals) for the regular season.

Pacific Notes: Kaminsky, Suns, Watson, Kawhi, Kings

October 15th, 2024 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

It’s unclear whether or not the Suns will carry a 15th man on their standard roster to start the season, since doing so will cost them exponentially more in tax penalties beyond the player’s minimum salary. If Phoenix does carry a full roster, big man Frank Kaminsky looks like the favorite to be that 15th man, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Suns waived two other camp invitees – Mamadi Diakite and Moses Wood – on Monday.

“He’s a veteran, smart, a lot of things we want to be about,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said of Kaminsky. “Having Frank in camp has been great and those will be the hard decisions with (Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein and general manager James Jones) and the front office. We’ve got to sit down and put everything together and make good, hard decisions.”

Kaminsky’s minimum-salary contract is non-guaranteed, so if the Suns do decide to hang onto him beyond the preseason, they’d essentially be paying him by the day. However, they’d also be increasing their projected tax bill each day he remains on the roster. That projected bill is already worth north of $185MM based on the team’s current financial commitments.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Phoenix’s G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, completed a trade on Monday, acquiring Paul Watson‘s returning rights from the Austin Spurs in exchange for the rights to Lindell Wigginton and Matt Lewis (Twitter link). Wigginton and Lewis are both playing overseas this fall, so the deal appears mostly about funneling Watson to the Suns’ NBAGL roster.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard won’t play at all during the preseason, head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed on Monday, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Leonard, who dealt with inflammation in his right knee at the end of last season and during the offseason, has yet to take part in contact drills and is working on strengthening the knee. His status for the team’s regular season opener next Wednesday vs. Phoenix remains up in the air.
Breaking down the reported trade agreement that will send Jalen McDaniels to San Antonio, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee wonders if the Kings might be setting up another deal by creating additional financial flexibility in their deal with the Spurs. The trade will move Sacramento about $5.8MM below the luxury tax line, with 13 players on standard contracts.

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Lawson, Murphy, Morant, Jackson Jr.

October 14th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has put his players, particularly the less experienced ones, on notice. The longtime coach will be much less forgiving of mistakes this season, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” he said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.'”

Tre Jones believes it’s natural for Popovich to take that approach as expectations rise.

“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”

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A.J. Lawson said he’s benefited significantly in Mavericks training camp, working alongside stars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Every day you learn something new with these guys,” Lawson said. “They’re great at what they do—Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers, Luka is one of the best players, and Klay is one of the best shooters. Having these guys on the same team is a lot to learn from. I can take shooting techniques from Klay, ball-handling and decision-making from Kai, and learn how to run the floor with Luka. There’s so much opportunity as a wing player like me, and I’m excited for this season.” Lawson signed a two-way contract with Dallas over the weekend shortly after he was waived by the club from his standard deal.
It has been another rough preseason for the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy. He was sidelined at the beginning of last season with a left knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out of action at the start of this season. “Very tough,” Murphy told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “Not starting the season again hurts me a lot. Doing everything I can summer-wise to be prepared for a season and having that happen really sucks. But just looking at it with perspective, it could be a lot worse. Good thing it’s an NBA season. I’ll be there for the majority of it.” Murphy will be a restricted free agent next summer unless he signs a rookie scale extension by Oct. 21.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are being held out of the rest of the preseason due to minor ailments. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his stars to make the best of training camp in other ways. “I actually talked to both of those guys about being fully invested in all the practice reps and using their voices,” Jenkins said, per Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I want them to get mental reps, whether it’s through film sessions or their teammates’ film feedback that they’re getting. They’ve been ever present, so we’re going to make the most of the situation over the next week-plus. And thankfully, they’re going to be ready for opening night.”

Texas Notes: Thompson, Hardy, Collins, Johnson

October 13th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson bristled as the notion that he can’t guard at a high level anymore and is eager to prove skeptics wrong, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“I still want to get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson said. “I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong, that I can still guard the elite players in this league.”

The fact that he has joined a Mavericks team with two stars in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic adds to that motivation.

“That’s a big reason why I came here, those two guys,” Thompson said. “(I have) big dreams and aspirations with this team. They were so close last year (reaching the NBA Finals) and I really feel we have everything we need.”

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Reserve guard Jaden Hardy is intent on establishing himself as a rugged defender, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Right now, I’m focused on defending the three better, picking up full court, and challenging guys while they bring the ball up,” he said. “I’m also working on being in the right spots on defense, communicating, and bringing energy.” Hardy will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Spurs big man Zach Collins made his preseason debut on Saturday after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He contributed 11 points in a win over Utah. “Considering (the layoff), I thought he looked really good,” coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “He boarded. He banged with people. He wasn’t afraid of the shoulder or anything like that.”
In the same preseason game, Keldon Johnson excelled as the Spurs’ sixth man, pouring in 20 points. Johnson shed 10 pounds during the offseason and believes that has made a difference in his performance level, he told McDonald. “I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. “Best I felt in a long time.”

Spurs Sign, Waive Nathan Mensah

October 13th, 2024 at 2:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

OCTOBER 13: Mensah has been released, the Spurs announced. San Antonio now has 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason limit.

SEPTEMBER 28: Free agent big man Nathan Mensah has been added to the Spurs‘ camp roster, a source tells Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). The agreement between Mensah and the Spurs was first reported back in July.

The 26-year-old center appeared in 25 games for the Hornets last season on a two-way contract before being waived in early March. He averaged 1.3 points and 2.6 rebounds off the bench in 12.3 minutes per night.

Mensah signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Charlotte last summer after going undrafted out of San Diego State. He took part in the Hornets’ training camp, but was waived before the start of the season.

Earlier this month, the Austin Spurs acquired Mensah’s rights as part of a four-team G League trade. San Antonio has a two-way slot open, but if Mensah winds up with Austin this season, and assuming he has another Exhibit 10 contract, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the team.

The Spurs recently created an opening on their 21-man roster by waiving Jameer Nelson Jr., so Mensah’s signing will bring them back to the offseason limit.

Harrison Barnes Looks Like Natural Fit For Starting LIneup

October 12th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Harrison Barnes‘ high basketball IQ makes him a natural fit for the Spurs‘ starting lineup, Iko adds in the same piece. Throughout his career, Barnes has been a play-maker and low-maintenance glue guy who fits well around star players like Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.

Southwest Notes: Eason, Wembanyama, Paul, Irving, Ingram

October 10th, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After a promising rookie season in which he played all 82 games, Rockets forward Tari Eason played just 22 times in his sophomore season due to a leg injury. Now, Eason is reestablishing his value this preseason, Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle writes.

Eason, when healthy, is an integral part of the Rockets’ present and future. A strong defensive-minded wing, he holds averages of 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 104 career games. The preseason minutes Eason is receiving represent his first NBA action since Jan. 1.

“I don’t think there were too many jitters just because this is my third year, and I try not to overcomplicate things,” Eason said. “The anticipation was real, but I don’t like to say jitters or nerves. When you spend your time worrying, I think that affects performance. So, I try not to worry too much, be as comfortable as possible, trust myself, trust my game, trust my work.”

Eason projects to be a key reserve for the team alongside other young players like Amen Thompson (if he isn’t promoted to the starting lineup), Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore.

“For me, it was just trying to figure out a way to fit in as well as possible with that second unit,” Eason said. “[I’m] just figuring it out.”

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The Spurs signed NBA legend Chris Paul this offseason, but Victor Wembanyama was blunt in his assessment of where the team stands. According to San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald, Wembanyama cautioned that flashy plays like lobs are among the first things opposing teams think to guard. That connection looked ahead of schedule in San Antonio’s Wednesday preseason game against Orlando, but Paul agreed that fundamentals need to be the first focus of synergy. “The game is tough,” Paul said. “A lot of people think it’s just going to be lob, lob, lob. But there’s a lot of regular, fundamental basketball we’ve got to play to hopefully at some point get to that.“
Kyrie Irving helped lead the Mavericks renaissance that culminated in them reaching the NBA Finals last season. In an extensive interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Irving spoke on several Mavs and personal topics, including how he’s feeling content with a veteran role in Dallas. “I used to think leadership is just this lonely, lonely, lonely thing, and it’s not,” Irving said. “It’s literally surrounding yourself with great-minded people, great-hearted people, and being able to ask them to push you at times when you’re not able to push yourself.“
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram won’t make a preseason appearance until the finale next Tuesday against the Rockets, NOLA.com’s Christian Clark tweets. Ingram is out for undisclosed reasons until then. “He’s fine,” head coach Willie Green said.

Southwest Notes: Hawkins, Morant, Kawamura, Flynn, CP3, Wemby

October 9th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Jordan Hawkins made just 38.2% of his shots from the floor as a rookie, he knocked down a respectable 36.6% of his three-point tries and was a regular part of the Pelicans‘ rotation for much of the season. The team believes Hawkins has more to contribute in 2024/25, with head coach Willie Green giving him the green light to fire away from beyond the arc and teammate Zion Williamson stating that the second-year wing “can bring a lot to this team,” per Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

“He’s special, man,” Green said. “The force and speed he comes off of plays with. His gravity creates a domino effect. We want to incorporate him in our offense. Sometimes we are playing through him.”

Hawkins’ shooting ability made him the 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft and helped him stay on the floor in his rookie year, but he knows he has to perform more consistently on the other end of the court to earn a consistent bump in minutes in year two, as Clark relays.

“I think the defensive end, I’ve trended on the way up since last year,” Hawkins said. “I’m doing a lot more things I’m comfortable with. I know the rotations, the NBA defense. It’s different from the college defense.”

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Ja Morant, who tweaked his ankle during Monday’s preseason opener, has formally been diagnosed with a “mild’ sprain, according to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, who said he expects his starting point guard to be ready for opening night (Twitter link via Chris Herrington of Daily Memphian). Still, the team will take a cautious approach, so it remains to be seen whether Morant will play in any of Memphis’ four remaining preseason contests.
Grizzlies camp invitee Yuki Kawamura, a 5’8″ Japanese guard, has earned praise from his teammates for his competitiveness and fearlessness, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. While Kawamura won’t make the standard roster, there’s a chance his Exhibit 10 contract could be converted into a two-way deal if the club creates a two-way opening by promoting Scotty Pippen Jr. to the standard roster, Cole adds. “He’s fierce, he’s a competitor and he loves the game of basketball,” Luke Kennard said. “I like what I’ve seen from him for sure. He’s talented. He’s going to make a lot of money playing the game.”
Malachi Flynn isn’t one of the 15 Spurs players with a guaranteed contract for 2024/25 and isn’t eligible for a two-way deal, but he has made a positive impression on head coach Gregg Popovich over the past week, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “He’s had a good camp,” Popovich said after Flynn racked up nine points, two assists, and two steals in eight minutes in Monday’s preseason opener. “He’s a tough nut. He shoots the heck out of the ball. He takes no prisoners. He works very hard. With the limited time he had, I thought he did well.”
Chris Paul will make his Spurs debut and reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama will make his 2024/25 debut on Wednesday vs. Orlando, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.

And-Ones: G League Trades, Charania, Breakout Candidates, More

October 8th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of teams have acquired the G League rights for players who are in camp with them on Exhibit 10 contracts.

The Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) sent Marquese Chriss‘ rights and a 2025 first-round pick to the Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) in exchange for Liam Robbins‘ rights (Twitter link), while the Raptors 905 are receiving Jared Rhoden‘s rights from the College Park Skyhawks (Hawks) in exchange for the rights to Omari Moore and a 2025 first-rounder (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet).

Robbins is currently on Milwaukee’s preseason roster, while Rhoden is under contract with Toronto.

In other G League trade news, the Austin Spurs announced (via Twitter) that they’ve sent the returning rights for Yauhen Massalski to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick, while the Cleveland Charge (Cavaliers) acquired Elijah Hughes‘ rights from the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) in exchange for the rights to Sam Merrill and a 2025 second-rounder.

Trading away Merrill’s returning rights won’t mean anything for the Cavaliers as long as he remains on Cleveland’s NBA roster, but if he were to be waived down the road, the Bucks’ affiliate would have first dibs on him as a G Leaguer.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Shams Charania, who has spent the past few years with The Athletic, is making the move to ESPN to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as the network’s senior NBA insider, Charania announced on Twitter. Recent reporting suggested that ESPN news-breakers currently covering other sports – including Jeff Passan (MLB) or Adam Schefter (NFL) – were among the candidates being considered to replace Wojnarowski, but Charania was always the more logical choice, given his lengthy history of major NBA scoops.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN, Jeremy Woo identifies 11 players he believes are prime breakout candidates in 2024/25. Woo’s 11 candidates fall into four groups: players who could make the leap to an All-Star level, such as Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley; players who could ascend to borderline All-Stars, like Hawks forward Jalen Johnson; players who will benefit from taking on larger roles, including Bulls guard Josh Giddey; and role players who could make bigger impacts, such as Kings guard Keon Ellis.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports predicts the 10 players most likely to be traded in 2024/25, ranging from big names like Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine to role players such as Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas. Three of the players in Helin’s top 10 – Bojan Bogdanovic, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cameron Johnson – are currently members of the Nets.