Suns’ Ishbia, Gregory Discuss 2025/26, Offseason, More
The Suns have made major changes each of the past three offseasons under owner Mat Ishbia . However, unlike last year, when Ishbia’s buzzword was “alignment,” he was preaching “continuity” at Thursday’s end-of-season media availability, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic.
Phoenix exceeded external expectations in 2025/26, winning 45 games and making the playoffs one year after finishing 36-46 with the most expensive roster in the league. The Suns were only projected to win 31.5 games entering the season, and they were swept in the first round by Oklahoma City, Ishbia viewed ’25/26 as a building block for the future.
“Can we win more games?” he said. “Can we win a playoff series? That’s what we’re going to focus on. … I like the culture that we’ve built. We’re not going to do anything silly to mess that up.”
Player development was another talking point for both Ishbia and general manager Brian Gregory, who replaced James Jones last year, Haller notes.
“We have a young, ascending team,” Ishbia said. “Where in years past we had players that were maybe on the decline, we have players that are getting better, and they’re going to continue to get better.”
“This is an ongoing process for sure,” Gregory said (subscriber-only story via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “Mat talked about it. Our continuity, our development, our internal development is so critical for us right now and that’s just the players and we’re going to demand the best out of them.”
Here’s more from Ishbia and Gregory:
- According to Haller, Gregory is confident Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green will look better together in ’26/27 after injuries limited their opportunities to share the court this season. “One hundred percent,” the GM said. “You’re talking about three guys who are driven to become better, to do what is asked of them and help the team be successful to win. When you have that baseline, it puts you in a pretty effective spot to move forward.”
- Gregory spoke in general terms about the team’s approach to the offseason, per Rankin. “Where are the gaps we need to fill?” Gregory said. “You can’t fill them all to the top, but what are the critical ones that we have control over? Does that mean tighten up systems, schemes, or whatever the case might be? Was there one thing that led to the other that if you eliminate the first, now you can get better at the second? All those things are done at this time and if it has to be a personnel issue, then we’ll have to address it at that time, but a lot of times, you see dramatic improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 simply because of the understanding and the ability to execute automatically where it comes who we are every single day.”
- Gregory mentioned the Suns plan to have their players back in the gym in a couple weeks rather than taking extended time off, Rankin writes. He also praised the roster for buying into the team’s identity based on “grit, toughness and unselfishness” while acknowledging maintaining that culture is an ongoing process.
- Ishbia, who lauded head coach Jordan Ott‘s work ethic, stressed the team isn’t satisfied despite the positive steps that were taken this season. “I’m really proud of where we are and hopefully you realize that although I’m proud of where we are, we have a long way to go to where we’re going,” Ishbia said, per Rankin. “I’ve got the right people and the right vision and the right organization here with me and we’re going to do it together.”
44 Prospects Invited To 2026 G League Combine
Earlier today, the NBA revealed the 73 prospects that have been invited to the draft combine in Chicago later this month. That group of players will be joined by a small group of standouts from the G League combine, which takes place from May 8-10 in the days leading up to the main event.
While the league typically doesn’t formally announce which prospect receive invites to the G League combine, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link) has the details, reporting that the following 44 players make up the list of invitees:
- Michael Ajayi, F, Butler (senior)
- Alijah Arenas, G, USC (freshman)
- Donovan Atwell, G/F, Texas Tech (senior)
- Nathan Bittle, C, Oregon (senior)
- Elliot Cadeau, G, Michigan (junior)
- Rafael Castro, F/C, George Washington (senior)
- Zach Cleveland, F, Liberty (senior)
- Jacob Cofie, F, USC (sophomore)
- MJ Collins, G, Utah State (senior)
- Quadir Copeland, G, North Carolina State (senior)
- Melvin Council, G, Kansas (senior)
- Tucker DeVries, G/F, Indiana (senior)
- Tre Donaldson, G, Miami (senior)
- Reynan Dos Santos, G, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2004)
- Malique Ewin, F/C, Arkansas (senior)
- Jamal Fuller, G/F, Long Island (senior)
- Isiah Harwell, G, Houston (freshman)
- Jaden Henley, G/F, Grand Canyon (senior)
- Bryce Hopkins, G/F, St. John’s (senior)
- Graham Ike, F, Gonzaga (senior)
- Kasen Jennings, G, Appalachian State (senior)
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F, Purdue (senior)
- Keba Keita, C, BYU (senior)
- Kobe Knox, G/F, South Carolina (senior)
- Xaivian Lee, G, Florida (senior)
- Malique Lewis, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Tamin Lipsey, G, Iowa State (senior)
- Fletcher Loyer, G, Purdue (senior)
- Aidan Mahaney, G, Santa Barbara (senior)
- Robert McCray, G, Florida State (senior)
- Kevin (Boopie) Miller, G, SMU (senior)
- Mark Mitchell, F, Missouri (senior)
- Paulius Murauskas, F, Saint Mary’s (junior)
- Jaron Pierre, G, SMU (senior)
- Kowacie Reeves, G/F, Georgia Tech (senior)
- Jaylin Sellers, G, Providence (senior)
- Markhi Strickland, G, North Dakota State (senior)
- Aiden Tobiason, G, Temple (sophomore)
- Seth Trimble, G, North Carolina (senior)
- Cade Tyson, F, Minnesota (senior)
- Ernest Udeh, C, Miami (senior)
- Lamar Wilkerson, G, Indiana (senior)
- Darrion Williams, F, North Carolina State (senior)
- Noam Yaacov, G, Belgium (born 2004)
While the players invited to the G League combine generally aren’t regarded as highly as NBA prospects as those selected for the primary combine, there are always at least a handful who end up in the league on two-way or standard contracts. Last year, for instance, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Dylan Cardwell, Ryan Nembhard, Amari Williams, Will Richard, and Jahmai Mashack were among the invitees.
The G League combine will give some players who declared for the draft as early entrants an opportunity to see where they stand ahead of the draft withdrawal deadline on May 27. Not all of the players who participate in this event will remain in the draft pool.
Arenas, for instance, is the highest-rated prospect on ESPN’s board among the G League combine invitees, coming in at No. 52, but Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times reported this week that he’s expected to withdraw and return to USC. As Givony notes (Twitter link), the list above is subject to change — if Arenas or other players end up declining invitations because they don’t plan to stay in the draft, they could be replaced before the event begins next Friday.
Nuggets Notes: Offseason, Watson, Johnson, Valanciunas
With $201MM+ committed to eight players for the 2026/27 season and multiple key contributors, including Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Spencer Jones, and Bruce Brown facing free agency, the Nuggets will have a hard time keeping their current roster intact let alone upgrading it, as Jason Quick and Sam Amick write for The Athletic.
Examining some of the difficult roster decisions facing Denver this offseason, Quick and Amick wonder if players like Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, and/or Julian Strawther could end up on the trade block. While Christian Braun and Zeke Nnaji are also potential trade candidates, Nnaji has been a negative trade asset essentially since signing a four-year rookie scale extension back in the fall of 2023, and Braun’s own five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension, which will go into effect later this year, will limit his appeal on the trade market, according to The Athletic’s duo.
If the Nuggets stick with their current core, they’ll be leaning heavily on two players entering their age-31 seasons (Nikola Jokic and Gordon) and one who will turn 30 during the ’26/27 season (Jamal Murray). However, EVP of player personnel Jon Wallace tells The Athletic that Denver doesn’t have any concerns about the ages of its top players.
[RELATED: Nikola Jokic: ‘I Still Want To Be A Nugget Forever’]
“We’re mature, but we are not old,” Wallace said. “You look at OKC and the San Antonios and yes, they are here, they have arrived, and they have a lot of good, young talent. But I think we have a good mixture of both maturity and some youth.”
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- While there are a few teams with cap room expected to be among Watson’s suitors this offseason, re-signing the restricted free agent wing is considered the Nuggets’ top offseason priority, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
- Johnson, who has been traded from Phoenix to Brooklyn to Denver in recent years, acknowledged after Thursday’s season-ending loss that he understands the “business side” of basketball, but added that he hopes to get another chance to make a run with this team next season, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. “For me personally, there’s a lot left to be done with this group, but it’s not always in my hands,” Johnson said.
- Nuggets reserve center Jonas Valanciunas is technically under contract for next season, but his $10MM salary is non-guaranteed, so he’s a strong candidate to be waived. If so, it sounds like a return overseas is very much in play after it didn’t happen a year ago. According to Jonas Lekšas of Krepsinis.net (Twitter link), Zalgiris Kaunas – the EuroLeague’s only current team based in Valanciunas’ home country of Lithuania – is prepared to offer a guaranteed two-year deal that would start at two million Euros (hat tip to Stefan Acevski of Eurohoops). The big man reportedly sought a move to the Greek club Panathinaikos last summer, but the Nuggets were unwilling to negotiate a buyout at that time.
- Within his preview of the Nuggets’ offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggests the team needs to add a reserve point guard and a reserve big man who can protect the rim. Replacements for Hardaway and Brown will also be necessary if they don’t want to return on team-friendly contracts, Marks notes.
NBA Team Option Decisions For 2026/27
Having already created a space to track this offseason’s player option decisions, we’re turning our attention today to team options. Over the next couple months, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the team options for 2026/27, making note of whether they’re exercised or declined.
True team options are different than non-guaranteed salaries, which aren’t listed in the space below. Non-guaranteed salaries are less restrictive and provide a little more flexibility than team options, which clubs must act upon by a specific date (June 29) each year.
However, team options can be useful at the end of a contract, since turning down that option allows the team to retain some form of Bird rights on the player — waiving a player with a non-guaranteed salary doesn’t present that same opportunity. Additionally, a handful of contracts still don’t become fully guaranteed once an option is picked up, giving teams an extra level of flexibility.
The list below doesn’t include rookie scale team options for 2026/27, since those third- and fourth-year options function differently than team options on standard veteran contracts. Those ’26/27 rookie scale team option decisions were made in 2025, and can be found here.
The standard team options for 2026/27 are listed below. This list – which can be found anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu – will be updated throughout to note the latest decisions as they’re reported and/or announced.
Unless otherwise indicated, a player’s salary will become guaranteed once his team option is exercised.
Atlanta Hawks
Jonathan Kuminga ($24,300,000)- Mouhamed Gueye ($2,406,205)
- If Gueye’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Boston Celtics
- Dalano Banton ($2,801,346)
- If Banton’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Neemias Queta ($2,667,944)
- If Queta’s option is exercised, his salary would be partially guaranteed ($1,333,972) until the start of the regular season.
- Ron Harper Jr. ($2,584,539)
- If Harper’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Jordan Walsh ($2,406,205)
- If Walsh’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until July 20.
- Max Shulga ($2,150,917)
- If Shulga’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Amari Williams ($2,150,917)
- If Williams’ option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Brooklyn Nets
- Day’Ron Sharpe ($6,250,000)
- Ziaire Williams ($6,250,000)
- Josh Minott ($2,584,539)
- If Minott’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until July 15.
- Malachi Smith ($2,150,917)
- If Smith’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Charlotte Hornets
- Pat Connaughton ($3,815,861)
- If Connaughton’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Chicago Bulls
- Mouhamadou Gueye ($2,411,090)
- If Gueye’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Leonard Miller ($2,406,205)
- If Miller’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until June 30.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Craig Porter Jr. ($2,406,205)
- If Porter’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Dallas Mavericks
- Ryan Nembhard ($2,150,917)
Denver Nuggets
- Jalen Pickett ($2,406,205)
Detroit Pistons
- Daniss Jenkins ($4,000,000)
- Tolu Smith ($2,411,090)
- If Smith’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Houston Rockets
- JD Davison ($2,584,539)
- If Davison’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Indiana Pacers
- Micah Potter ($2,801,346)
- If Potter’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Los Angeles Clippers
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($16,020,000)- Brook Lopez ($9,187,500)
- Nicolas Batum ($5,881,680)
- Jordan Miller ($2,497,812)
- Kobe Sanders ($2,150,917)
- If Sanders’ option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Nick Smith Jr. ($2,497,812)
- If Smith’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper ($2,497,812)
- GG Jackson II ($2,406,205)
Miami Heat
- Jahmir Young ($2,411,090)
- If Young’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Pelle Larsson ($2,296,271)
- If Larsson’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until the start of the regular season.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Andre Jackson Jr. ($2,406,205)
- If Jackson’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until July 7.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Julian Phillips ($2,406,205)
New Orleans Pelicans
- Kevon Looney ($8,000,000)
- Karlo Matkovic ($2,296,271)
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Isaiah Hartenstein ($28,500,000)
- Luguentz Dort ($18,222,222)
- Kenrich Williams ($7,163,000)
Orlando Magic
- Jamal Cain ($2,584,539)
- If Cain’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Dominick Barlow ($3,415,000)
- Trendon Watford ($2,801,346)
- Dalen Terry ($2,584,539)
- If Terry’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Phoenix Suns
- Jamaree Bouyea ($2,584,539)
- If Bouyea’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Sacramento Kings
- Killian Hayes ($3,018,158)
- If Hayes’ option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
San Antonio Spurs
Julian Champagnie ($3,000,000)
- If Champagnie’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until August 1.
Toronto Raptors
- Trayce Jackson-Davis ($2,406,205)
- Jonathan Mogbo ($2,296,271)
- Jamal Shead ($2,296,271)
Utah Jazz
- Hayden Gray ($2,150,917)
- If Gray’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
- Bez Mbeng ($2,150,917)
- If Mbeng’s option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Washington Wizards
- Jamir Watkins ($2,150,917)
- If Watkins’ option is exercised, his salary would remain non-guaranteed.
Eastern Notes: George, Rondo, Heat, Thompson
The Sixers only got six total points from their reserves on Thursday, but an impressive all-around performance from their starters, each of whom scored at least 14 points, helped them secure a victory that will send the series back to Boston for a Game 7 on Saturday.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 30 points and Joel Embiid nearly had a triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists). But the team also benefited from a big game third star Paul George, who scored 23 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. George fueled a defensive effort that limited Boston to 41.9% shooting on the night.
As Dan Gelston of The Associated Press writes, George referred to his first season in Philadelphia as “rock bottom.” He was limited to 41 games in 2024/25 due to injuries and the team registered just 24 wins after giving him a four-year, maximum-salary contract. While George only made 37 appearances in ’25/26, that was largely due to a 25-game suspension that served as an extended recovery period for his knee issues and resulted in something of a “physical rebirth,” Gelston notes.
“I’m finally enjoying it now that I’m able to do things I was once able to do again,” George said. “It’s fun again. It’s like seeing who I am again. How can I be relevant again? How can I chase some of the things I was doing in my past? … Before the suspension, I was kind of saving myself for games because of the soreness and I wanted to be as fresh as possible going into the games. Now, I can focus on basketball.”
“Once he came back from his 25 games, he had a mission,” Maxey said of his veteran teammate. “I think he’s been accomplishing that mission.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- With reports linking Rajon Rondo to New Orleans’ head coaching vacancy, Eric Nehm of The Athletic explores how Rondo’s two years as a coaching associate with the Bucks have helped prepare him for a larger coaching role. Rondo, who worked closely with breakout guard Ryan Rollins in Milwaukee, told Nehm that he believes he’s ready to coach a team. “I know I can do it now,” Rondo said. “I have the discipline, preparation and, obviously, it’s about having the right people around you. I feel like I know who I am, and I know the people I can trust in this business for the most part. I’ve had a lot of great mentors, a lot of people rooting for me. I definitely think I’ll be ready to go.”
- Given how few top players have reached unrestricted free agency in recent years, carving out significant cap room isn’t as advantageous as it once was for would-be contenders. Still, Heat president Pat Riley said during his annual postseason media session that his team is planning on opening up cap space in 2027. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays Riley’s comments and breaks down what they mean for the club’s approach over the next 12 months, noting that extensions or multiyear deals for Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, and Norman Powell seem unlikely.
- Cade Cunningham led the way with his 45 points, but Ausar Thompson was the Pistons‘ “silent hero” in Wednesday’s Game 5 win, writes Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News. Thompson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, scored just six points but racked up 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals, and two blocks, all team highs. “Ausar is awesome. He understands how to impact the game,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “What stands out is that he sacrifices himself every single night to do whatever the team needs from him. He has taken on tough defensive assignments. Not to mention his ability to get deflections, get steals and create chaos out there.”
NBA Announces 73 Invitees For 2026 Draft Combine
The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 73 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 10-17.
In addition to those 73 players, a handful of standout players from the G League combine, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.
Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2026 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 27 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 13. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.
Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2026 draft combine:
(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)
- Matt Able, G, North Carolina State (freshman)
- Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Amari Allen, F, Alabama (freshman)
- Nate Ament, F, Tennessee (freshman)
- Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech (sophomore)
- Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona (senior)
- Flory Bidunga, F/C, Kansas (sophomore)
- Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA (senior)
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (junior)
- Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (freshman)
- Kylan Boswell, G, Illinois (senior)
- Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin (senior)
- Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (senior)
- Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas (senior)
- Maliq Brown, F, Duke (senior)
- Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville (freshman)
- Brayden Burries, G, Arizona (freshman)
- Cameron Carr, G, Baylor (junior)
- Chris Cenac, F/C, Houston (freshman)
- Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (junior)
- Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville (senior)
- Sergio De Larrea, G, Spain (born 2005)
- AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (freshman)
- Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (sophomore)
- Jeremy Fears, G, Michigan State (junior)
- Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (freshman)
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee (senior)
- Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara (freshman)
- Keyshawn Hall, G/F, Auburn (senior)
- Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest (sophomore)
- Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State (senior)
- Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan (sophomore)
- Alex Karaban, F, UConn (senior)
- Jack Kayil, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (senior)
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan (senior)
- Karim Lopez, F, Australia (born 2007)
- Aday Mara, C, Michigan (junior)
- Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (senior)
- Baba Miller, F/C, Cincinnati (senior)
- Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Milan Momcilovic, F, Iowa State (junior)
- Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky (freshman)
- Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida (senior)
- Tyler Nickel, F, Vanderbilt (senior)
- Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford (freshman)
- Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee (senior)
- Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia (senior)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (senior)
- Koa Peat, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (sophomore)
- Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Tarris Reed, C, UConn (senior)
- Billy Richmond, G/F, Arkansas (sophomore)
- Richie Saunders, G, BYU (senior)
- Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston (senior)
- Braden Smith, G, Purdue (senior)
- Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington (freshman)
- Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa (senior)
- Andrej Stojakovic, G/F, Illinois (junior)
- Peter Suder, G, Miami (OH) (senior)
- Luigi Suigo, C, Serbia (born 2007)
- Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas (junior)
- Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
- Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (senior)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (senior)
- Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (junior)
- Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina (freshman)
- Tounde Yessoufou, G/F, Baylor (freshman)
It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:
- A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child). That player would be required to complete combine activities at a later date.
- Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
- Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.
Injury Notes: Ingram, Tatum, Harris, Huerter, Lakers
After initially listing Brandon Ingram as questionable for Friday’s do-or-die Game 6 due to right heel inflammation, the Raptors are downgrading the veteran forward to doubtful, according to Michal Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
Ingram, who exited Game 5 in the second quarter after aggravating a heel issue that sidelined him for three games during the final few weeks of the regular season, is still experiencing pain in that heel and wasn’t on the court for the portion of Friday’s shootaround that was open to the media, tweets Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Ingram was Toronto’s leading scorer during the regular season but has struggled in the first round of the playoffs vs. Cleveland, making just 19-of-58 shots from the floor (32.8%), including only 14-of-45 two-pointers (31.1%). Still, he demands significant defensive attention when he’s on the floor and his absence figures to hamper the Raptors’ offense as they attempt to extend their season on Friday. With Ingram unavailable in Wednesday’s second half, the club made just 15-of-50 (30.0%) field goal attempts.
The good news for the Raptors is that forward Scottie Barnes, who was hobbled in Game 5 after taking a shot to the quad, isn’t listed on the injury report and will be good to go for Game 6.
We have more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Celtics forward Jayson Tatum didn’t play the last 16 minutes of Thursday’s loss to Philadelphia. Tatum, who returned in March from a torn right Achilles, was battling a left leg issue, he confirmed after the game, but he downplayed the issue and suggested he’ll be fine for Game 7. “It was my other leg,” Tatum said, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “So not the one I injured last year. I wasn’t overly concerned. I came out at four minutes (left in the third quarter) like I was supposed to and just kind of assessed the game. And they took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter. So yeah, it was not like that big of a deal.”
- Pistons forward Tobias Harris (left ankle sprain) and Kevin Huerter (left adductor strain) are both listed as questionable for Friday’s Game 6 in Orlando, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic (Twitter link). Huerter has played a very limited role in the series, scoring just six points in 42 total minutes, but Harris has started and scored at least 16 points in all five games, so his status will be worth monitoring closely ahead of tonight’s contest.
- Outside of Luka Doncic, who isn’t close to returning from his left hamstring strain, the Lakers have an otherwise clean injury report for Friday’s Game 6 in Houston, tweets Jovan Buha. After winning the first three games of the series, the Lakers will get their third chance to close out the Rockets and avoid a Game 7.
Nikola Jokic: ‘I Still Want To Be A Nugget Forever’
On the heels of a dispiriting first-round exit, Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic didn’t express any reservations about continuing his career in Denver, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.
“I still want to be a Nugget forever,” Jokic said during his post-game media session following Thursday’s Game 6 loss to Minnesota. When asked if that means he plans to sign a contract extension with the team this offseason, he repeated, “I still want to be a Nugget forever.”
Jokic is under contract for two more years, but that includes a player option for 2027/28, so he would essentially enter ’26/27 on an expiring contract if he and the Nuggets don’t work out a new deal by October. A maximum extension for the big man would begin at 35% of the ’27/28 salary cap and would tentatively be worth about $285MM over four years, based on a projected $165MM cap in ’26/27 and a 10% increase the following year.
Jokic nearly averaged a triple-double against the Timberwolves, putting up 25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game. However, his 44.6% field goal percentage and 19.4% mark on three-pointers were well below his season rates and Denver was outscored during his time on the court, so it was a poor series by the three-time MVP’s lofty standards.
Still, it seems safe to assume the Nuggets won’t hesitate to put another maximum-salary offer on the table for their franchise player. The big question is what the roster around him will look like going forward. Jokic admitted that after a first-round loss, the team is “far away” from title contention, but said it was on him to play better and deflected when asked if offseason roster changes are needed.
“That’s not my decision, to be honest,” Jokic said. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”
While the Nuggets’ roster around Jokic will be scrutinized in the coming weeks and months, the same figures to be true of head coach David Adelman, who just wrapped up his first full season on the job. Adelman, who has now lost two of three playoff series since being promoted, hasn’t had nearly as much playoff success so far as the man he replaced, Michael Malone. But Jokic insisted his head coach didn’t deserve to shoulder the blame for the team’s first-round exit.
“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound,” Jokic said. “It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It’s all us.”
Missing Peyton Watson (hamstring) for the entire first round and Aaron Gordon (calf) for half the series was a major problem for Denver, given the key roles those wings played during the regular season. But the Timberwolves were arguably even more banged up, with star guard Anthony Edwards out since midway through Game 4 due to a knee injury and guards Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu also missing time.
“They missed a bunch of guys tonight and still won,” Jokic said on Thursday. “Did we need (Gordon and Watson)? Definitely. But if they are not here, we cannot think if, if, if.”
Mavs Unlikely To Get Permission To Speak To Tim Connelly
Even before the Timberwolves pulled off an unlikely Game 6 win over Denver on Thursday without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu available, the Mavericks had grown pessimistic about the likelihood that they’ll be granted permission to speak to Tim Connelly, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
Connelly, the Timberwolves‘ president of basketball operations, was among the “big names” cited a month ago as potential targets for the Mavs as they seek a new top basketball executive. Several of the candidates identified in that report were viewed as essentially pipe dreams, but there was said to be a sense among some rival teams that Connelly might be open to a new job.
However, multiple reports since then have suggested that Minnesota is motivated to lock up Connelly to a longer-term extension, and Stein suggests Dallas is unlikely to get the opportunity to meet with him.
While it may have been trending in that direction even before Thursday night, the Wolves’ upset victory to advance to the second round likely only increased team ownership’s desire to keep Connelly in his current position.
Rudy Gobert, whom Connelly memorably gave up five first-round picks to acquire during his first year on the job, played a crucial role in slowing down three-time MVP Nikola Jokic during that first-round series, while 2024 first-rounder Terrence Shannon Jr. came up big when thrust into a starring role in Game 6, scoring 24 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Additionally, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, each of whom has received a long-term commitment from Connelly’s front office, stepped up to help Minnesota advance to round two, and Dosunmu – a 2026 deadline acquisition – had a massive series before missing Game 6 due to a calf injury.
Connelly signed a five-year contract when he was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022, so he has one year left on that deal.
The Mavs, meanwhile, parted ways with their president of basketball operations, Nico Harrison, during the 2025/26 season and had Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi finish the year as co-interim GMs. Both Finley and Riccardi are among the candidates for the permanent job, even as Dallas considers more experienced candidates.
Rockets Notes: Smith, Sheppard, Young Core, Durant
Fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. raised some eyebrows when he said the Rockets were “obviously the better team” ahead of Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Lakers, but he backed up the statement by helping his team stave off elimination again, per Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle.
“It’s just a mindset to have,” said Smith, who had a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds and two blocks while playing solid defense. “I don’t care who we play, I don’t care what team I’m on. When we were winning 22 games (in his rookie season), I would probably have said we were the better team every night. I mean, people are gonna take it how they want to take it, but I don’t care. Whoever I’m with on the court. I’m gonna think that my team is better than the other team.”
The Rockets lost the first three games of the series, blowing a lead late in Game 3. But they now have a chance to even the series at three games apiece on Friday when they return to Houston.
Smith only averaged 20.4 minutes per game in last year’s playoffs, Young notes, but he’s at 42.0 MPG through five games in 2026. The former third overall pick has averaged 19.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 1.2 SPG in the series, which he’s hoping to extend further on Friday night.
“You can’t just say it and then come out and tuck your tail,” Smith said of his comment. “You’ve got to get out there fighting and do the things that it takes to win. So, I’m gonna stand on that statement, and we’ve just got to keep proving it.”
We have more from Houston:
- Late-game miscues from Smith and Reed Sheppard contributed to the Rockets’ Game 3 collapse, but Sheppard was more composed with the Lakers attempting another comeback on Wednesday, as Varun Shankar writes for The Houston Chronicle. The second-year guard made some key plays down the stretch, scoring four straight points after the Lakers went on a 11-1 run to get the game within three (Twitter video link). “We didn’t want to let that happen again,” said Sheppard, who played through a cold.
- No matter what happens the rest of the series, young players like Smith, Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason have shown significant growth over the past two games, according to William Guillory of The Athletic. The Rockets have held L.A. below 100 points each of the past two contests. “Big-time performances by everybody across the board,” head coach Ime Udoka said Wednesday. “You start this really young lineup, and they are somewhat battle-tested now. (We needed to) show growth in certain moments and progress in certain moments. Obviously, in a game situation when you turn the ball over twice and foul a shooter (in Game 3’s collapse), you want to show growth, and I think we did that tonight.”
- ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday morning that Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) will remain sidelined for Game 6. The team hasn’t formally ruled him out yet, but he’s listed as doubtful, Guillory tweets, which suggests he’s unlikely to play.