San Antonio Spurs Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Jokic, Branham, Conley, Wallace

October 28th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nikola Jokic was concerned about how the Nuggets performed in the preseason. Denver has also lost its first two regular season games but the superstar center says the offense simply isn’t clicking yet, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.

“I think we are struggling to score,” Jokić said. “We have scored 87 and 104 points in our two games. That’s not enough. In today’s NBA, you have to score more points. I think the defense has been good, so that’s a positive. But we are just not scoring enough points. We aren’t making shots. Open looks aren’t going in. We just aren’t converting and executing the way we need to.”

Jones points out that Christian Braun is still settling in to the starting lineup, while Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric and second-year shooting guard Julian Strawther are trying to do the same on the second unit.

We have more from the Western Conference:

With Spurs backup point guard Tre Jones sidelined by an ankle sprain, Malaki Branham has been thrust into the rotation, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes. Branham had seven points, two assists and two blocks in 14 minutes against Houston on Saturday. “We have so many guys on this team who can contribute,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “It’s about the next man staying ready and being professional. That’s one of the biggest things on our team.” The Spurs picked up the 2025/26 option on Branham’s contract earlier this month.
Timberwolves guard Mike Conley is experiencing some nagging wrist soreness, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Conley has been dealing with the issue for a few years and will need to address it after his playing days are over, Krawczynski adds. However, he won’t blame his poor shooting (20%) through the first three games on his wrist, since he’s navigated the issue successfully in the past.
Cason Wallace showed off his defensive prowess for the Thunder against Hawks star Trae Young in the fourth quarter on Sunday, holding Young without a fourth quarter field goal. Young also committed three turnovers during that portion of OKC’s 24-point win. “It’s a lot of fun being a competitor at one of the highest levels,” Wallace told Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “Taking pride in not wanting to get scored on, especially in an iso situation.” Wallace was the 10th pick of the 2023 draft.

Takeaways From First Win

October 27th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) shares three takeaways from the Spurs‘ 109-106 victory over Houston on Saturday, including head coach Gregg Popovich using lottery pick Stephon Castle in crunch time. “I feel like just being out there late game is credit to my defense,” Castle said. “I feel like that’s when it’s needed most. So I was really just trying to lock in on that and then on the other end, just execute whatever Pop calls.”

And-Ones: Franchise Valuations, Breakout Candidates, Bitim, More

October 26th, 2024 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

Forbes has released its NBA franchise valuations for 2024, and according to Justin Teitelbaum and Brett Knight, the Warriors are the league’s most valuable team for a third straight season, with an estimated valuation of a whopping $8.8 billion. The Knicks ($7.5 billion), Lakers ($7.1 billion), Celtics ($6 billion), and Clippers ($5.5 billion) round out Forbes’ top five.

As Teitelbaum and Knight detail, franchise valuations are up 15% as a whole from last year’s estimates, with an average of $4.4 billion for the league’s 30 teams. Forbes projects that none of those 30 clubs would sell for less than $3 billion if it were put on the market today, with the No. 30 Grizzlies coming in at a valuation of exactly $3 billion.

According to Forbes, new and renovated arenas – which have led to an increase in local revenue via premium seating and sponsorship revenue – have helped spur growth across the league. Teitelbaum and Knight suggest that the Warriors’ total revenue during the 2023/24 season reached $800MM.

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

John Hollinger of The Athletic published an 11-player list of prime breakout candidates on Friday, naming Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Raptors forward RJ Barrett, Hornets guard Tre Mann, and Rockets jack-of-all-trades Amen Thompson as a few of the players he believes are poised for big seasons.
Relaying reporting out of Turkey, Dario Skerletic of Sportando writes that forward Onuralp Bitim is believed to be drawing interest from Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague after being waived by the Bulls last week. Bitim made his basketball debut with Anadolu Efes earlier in his career and also spent time with multiple other clubs in his native country of Turkey before signing a two-way contract with Chicago in the summer of 2023. He averaged 3.5 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 23 NBA games (11.7 MPG) last season.
Grizzlies center Zach Edey sits atop the rookie power rankings published by Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link). Woo’s list, which ranks players based on their potential to make an immediate impact in 2024/25, also has Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, Spurs guard Stephon Castle, and Wizards big man Alex Sarr in the top five.
Ben Golliver of The Washington Post takes a look at the new court designs for this season’s NBA in-season tournament and explains why last season’s issue with slippery surfaces shouldn’t be a problem this time around.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Paul, Sochan, Castle

October 25th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Playing extended minutes for the first time since the Olympics, Victor Wembanyama admitted conditioning was a factor in Thursday’s loss at Dallas, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The Spurs were careful with their star big man during the preseason, limiting him to about 40 combined minutes in two games. Coach Gregg Popovich gave him a breather less than five minutes into Thursday’s contest.

“Some moments felt great,” Wembanyama said. “A little hard conditioning-wise at first, of course [as] I expected. But I think we had some good basketball moments and some really bad ones.”

Wembanyama struggled with his shooting, scoring 17 points while going 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. But veteran point guard Chris Paul was encouraged that San Antonio only trailed by two points and halftime and was able to remain competitive against the defending Western Conference champions without having Wembanyama at his best.

“I love the fight we showed,” he said. “There are no moral victories, but we played against a team that went to the Finals. So, there’s a continuity they have. For me, not knowing what to expect in the preseason is one thing. The regular season is another thing. But I’m honestly so excited about the spurts that I’ve seen and what I know our team is capable of.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd doesn’t mind seeing Paul getting close to him for second place on the career assists list, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Kidd believes the new partnership with Wembanyama will make it easier for Paul to eclipse his total. “When you have a target like Victor, he shouldn’t be thinking about my spot,” Kidd said, “but maybe John (Stockton)‘s.”
Back at forward after last season’s ill-fated point guard experiment, Jeremy Sochan tied for the team lead with 18 points, McDonald adds. Sochan appears more relaxed now that he’s locked into his natural position. “You grow up every year, you learn some things,” he said. “My situations a little different than last year. It’s just me playing with energy, playing hard, trying to be everywhere.”
Popovich was happy with the competitive fire shown by lottery pick Stephon Castle, whose first NBA action included time guarding Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Popovich warned Castle about the challenge prior to the game. “I said, ‘You know, basically you’re a sophomore in college,’” Popovich told reporters. “‘At some point in the game, you’re going to guard the possible MVP of the NBA.’ It kind of hit him. It’s a little different.”

Injury Notes: Kawhi, Vassell, Sharpe, Huerter, Grizzlies, Livers

October 23rd, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard won’t be making his season debut anytime soon, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today (Twitter video link). According to Charania, Leonard’s absence will be measured in weeks rather than days.

“I’m told Kawhi Leonard will be missing weeks,” Charania said. “This is not an injury that’s going to be measured by a week (or) two weeks, potentially. Not days, obviously. This will be an extended period of time that the Clippers are starting this season without him.”

Leonard battled inflammation in his right knee at the end of the 2023/24 season that flared up again during the summer. While it’s obviously problematic that he’s not ready for the start of the season, Charania suggests there’s optimism that once the two-time Finals MVP gets back on the court, he won’t be in and out of the lineup.

“I’m told they feel they have a plan and a protocol in place that will allow him, when he is ready to return, to actually sustain his play on the court,” Charania said.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Spurs guard Devin Vassell still hasn’t been cleared to take contact, but the team remains hopeful that he’ll be ready to return from foot surgery sometime in early November, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is scheduled to be reevaluated on Nov. 1.
Shaedon Sharpe is making good progress in his return from a labral tear in his left shoulder, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who says the Trail Blazers guard has been cleared for non-contact basketball activities and is shooting and going through ball-handling drills in practice. A return in early- to mid-November return still seems realistic, Highkin adds.
Kings wing Kevin Huerter, who missed the preseason and hasn’t played since March 18 due to shoulder surgery, will be available to suit up on Thursday vs. Minnesota, tweets Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento. Head coach Mike Brown previously told reporters that Huerter would “probably start” if he’s ready to go for Thursday’s regular season opener.
The NBA’s most injury-plagued team last season, the Grizzlies will open the 2024/25 campaign with five players sidelined. The team has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that GG Jackson II (foot), Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring), Luke Kennard (foot), Cam Spencer (ankle), and Vince Williams (leg) are all unavailable for Wednesday’s regular season opener in Utah.
Free agent forward Isaiah Livers announced on Instagram that he underwent a hip resurfacing surgical procedure last Friday after playing through a hip injury for the past two seasons (hat tip to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). It’s unclear how long the recovery process will take, but it seems safe to assume Livers won’t be an option for an NBA team until at least sometime in 2025.

Spurs Notes: Castle, Minix, Wembanyama

October 21st, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Rory Maher

No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle said both before and after the draft that he views himself as a point guard, but his role heading into his rookie season is uncertain, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). The Spurs signed Chris Paul in free agency and also have Tre Jones, who started most of the past two seasons at point. Third-year guards Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley have initiated the offense at times as well.

“I don’t really know, but it doesn’t really matter to me,” Castle said of how head coach Gregg Popovich plans to use him.

Whichever positions Castle is tasked with, he says he’s ready to contribute.

“I feel like just using my versatility to be on the court is the main thing,” said Castle. “Just going out there and not really giving myself any kind of expectations. Just kind of trying to play free. So, I feel like the biggest thing is being on the court so I can find a way to help us win. That’s a good enough role for me.”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Popovich claimed last week that he didn’t know who Riley Minix was when training camp opened, but the undrafted rookie forward has made a strong impression on the legendary coach, Orsborn adds. The Spurs recently converted Minix’s Exhibit 10 deal to a two-way contract. He says he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary to get Popovich’s attention. “Just staying confident, playing my game, doing whatever the team needed, being able to shoot the ball, make shots when I was open, just all the little things I have been doing all my life,” Minix said.
Rookie of the Year. Runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. All-Defensive First Team. Silver medal. Big man Victor Wembanyama accomplished all of those things in his first year-plus after being selected No. 1 overall in 2023. While he doesn’t take those accolades for granted, Wembanyama says he has much more he wants to accomplish, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “It’s the same for all of my trophies, team trophies or even individual,” Wembanyama said. “I love them. I really cherish them. But I want all my trophies that I get right now to be bricks to build something great in the future. You know, one brick by itself is not much. You can get a palace when you accumulate them.”
In case you missed it, guards Malachi Flynn, Brandon Boston and Jamaree Bouyea — all of whom were on Exhibit 10 deals for training camp — were released on Saturday to finalize San Antonio’s regular season roster. Boston was subsequently claimed by the Pelicans on Monday.

Spurs Waive Malachi Flynn, Brandon Boston

October 19th, 2024 at 4:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs have set their opening-night roster, waiving Malachi Flynn and Brandon Boston to reach the limit, the team announced in a press release. Also let go was Jamaree Bouyea, who signed with the team on Friday.

Flynn, a 26-year-old point guard, was traded twice last season, spending time with Toronto, New York and Detroit. He posted a 50-point game in April, but otherwise had an unremarkable season, averaging 5.5 PPG in 69 combined games with the three teams.

Boston, a 22-year-old swingman, played the past three seasons with the Clippers. He only appeared in 32 games last season, averaging 5.2 PPG in 10.8 minutes per night.

All three players were in camp on non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contracts, so the Spurs won’t have any future financial obligations to them. They will be eligible to earn bonuses worth $77.5K apiece if they spend at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate in Austin.

There are 18 players on San Antonio’s roster, with 15 holding standard contracts plus three two-way deals.

Spurs Convert Riley Minix To Two-Way Contract

October 19th, 2024 at 11:20am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Spurs announced on Saturday that they’ve converted former Morehead State forward Riley Minix to a two-way contract. Minix impressed in this offseason for San Antonio, averaging 7.7 points in 7.8 minutes across three preseason games.

San Antonio signed Minix to an Exhibit 10 deal in July after he went undrafted in June. Minix averaged 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 34.9% from three as a 6’7″ forward at Morehead State. He also averaged 9.0 PPG in four summer league games.

Because he was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal and the Spurs had an open two-way slot, no corresponding moves were necessary in converting his contract. The Spurs’ roster still stands at 21 players, three over the regular season limit. Minix’s conversion is an indication that fellow Exhibit 10 signees Malachi Flynn, Brandon Boston Jr. and Jamaree Bouyea didn’t make the team.

Assuming that’s the case, all three of those players will likely be waived today. If they spend at least 60 days with the Austin Spurs in the G League, they’ll each receive a bonus worth $77.5K.

Minix joins David Duke Jr. and Harrison Ingram as San Antonio’s two-way players for the upcoming season.

Spurs Sign Jamaree Bouyea To Exhibit 10 Deal

October 18th, 2024 at 11:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Jamaree Bouyea is back under contract with the Spurs on an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Bouyea signed a two-year, two-year contract with San Antonio back in March and appeared in three NBA game down the stretch of the 2023/24 season. He spent most of ’23/24 in the G League, averaging 16.4 points, 7.2 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.3 blocks in 37.5 minutes per contest across 38 total outings for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Austin Spurs.

The Spurs kept Bouyea around on his two-way deal for much of the offseason, having him play a significant role on their Summer League team in July, but eventually waived him about a month ago, prior to training camp. His new Exhibit 10 deal and an Austin Spurs trade to acquire his returning rights from the Skyforce signal that the 6’2″ guard remains in San Antonio’s plans for the coming season.

In all likelihood, Bouyea will be waived before opening night and will report back to the Austin Spurs, where he’ll be eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with San Antonio’s NBAGL team.

The Spurs now have a full 21-man preseason roster, with cuts to come in the coming days in order to get down to the regular season limit by Monday.

Southwest Notes: CP3, Flynn, Pippen, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Hawkins

October 18th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the hundreds of players currently on NBA rosters, only two are older than 39-year-old Chris Paul. While the Spurs point guard’s days as an NBA player may be numbered, he’s still not sure what the next stage of his career will look like, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

One potential path that intrigues Paul is being part of an NBA team’s ownership group, which he acknowledges is a little ironic, given that he served as the head of the National Basketball Players Association earlier in his career.

“I definitely want to be part of an organization because being the president of the union, I am probably the only guy who knows from being a player to ownership to the business side of it and all that,” Paul said. “There is probably nobody else who has the lens and the views I have.”

NBA general managers recently voted Paul as the active player who would make the best head coach after retiring. While coaching has never been atop CP3’s list of goals, he admitted that he hasn’t ruled out the idea.

“I was talking to my wife today because I have always said I would never coach,” he said. “But just thinking about it, I don’t know. Trying to figure it out. My wife and friends are always telling me I have so much knowledge and love for the game that I could coach. But I also think about being a dad because I have missed so much of my kids’ lives. So, yeah, I don’t know.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Although fifth-year guard Malachi Flynn joined the Spurs hoping to earn a spot on the team’s regular season roster, he knows his non-guaranteed contract makes him more likely to be cut before opening night. In that scenario, he may end up playing for the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate, which is a scenario he’s open to, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio-Express News (subscription required) details. “There’s a history of what (the Spurs) have been able to do with people, if they do end up going to the G League, they have a good success rate at that,” Flynn said. “It felt like a good spot for me.”
Scotty Pippen Jr.‘s new four-year standard contract with the Grizzlies is worth his minimum in all four seasons, for a total of $9,608,931, Hoops Rumors has learned. Memphis used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing and gave Pippen two guaranteed seasons, with a $350K partial guarantee in year three. The deal includes a fourth-year team option that would be partially guaranteed for just under $397K if it’s exercised.
With Pippen elevated to the standard roster, the Grizzlies have a two-way slot open ahead of the season. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal considers the candidates for that spot, speculating that Yuki Kawamura is the frontrunner, with Maozinha Pereira representing his top competition and Armando Bacot and Miye Oni representing longer shots. While those four players are all on Exhibit 10 contracts that could be converted to two-way deals, Memphis could also look outside the organization to fill that two-way opening.
Head coach Willie Green‘s ability to adapt to and maximize an unorthodox Pelicans roster will be a key factor in determining the team’s upside in 2024/25, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic.
Green said on Friday that second-year shooting guard Jordan Hawkins will “absolutely” be part of the Pelicans‘ regular rotation this season, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Hawkins saw his minutes fluctuate during his rookie year and averaged just 7.3 MPG in 14 appearances in March and April.