Dereck Lively II Expected To Be Ready For Camp
Dereck Lively II is expected to be ready for the Mavericks‘ training camp following offseason foot surgery, writes Grant Afseth for Dallas Hoops Journal.
Lively underwent a procedure to clean up bone spurs in his right foot in July and was initially in a walking boot. This followed a diagnosis of a stress fracture in the same foot in January. Previous reports indicate that the handling of Lively’s foot injury had led to a confrontation between the team’s director of health and performance, Johann Bilsborough, and the athletic performance director, Keith Belton (Belton has since been let go).
Lively’s foot issue limited him to 36 games last season, during which time he averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 23.1 minutes per night.
On Saturday, the Mavs posted a video of Lively working out in Philadelphia, where he has been training with head video coordinator Riley Crean (Twitter video link).
In addition to his rehabilitation, Lively has spent a large part of the offseason in communication with new Maverick Cooper Flagg, giving him advice and helping him get acclimated to the NBA world.
Bryn Forbes Signs With Aris BC
Bryn Forbes will join Aris BC in the Greek league, per the team at Eurohoops.net.
Forbes signed a one-year deal with the team. This will be the 32-year-old sharpshooter’s first time playing in Europe.
Forbes played seven seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Spurs. The 6’2″ guard averaged 8.8 points, 1.2 assists, and 41% from three for his career. His last NBA action came during 2022/23 for the Wolves, a season that was cut short for Forbes following an arrest on domestic violence charges.
He played last season for Santeros de Aguada in Puerto Rico, where he averaged 21.0 points and 3.5 assists in 11 games. He will team up in Greece with Alex Antetokounmpo, brother of former teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also recently joined Aris.
NBA, NBPA Support Limitations On Certain Betting
The NBA has seen a rise in gambling-related concerns since sports betting became widely legalized in 2018. The most famous case was when Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA and pleaded guilty to a federal felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, but recent investigations into Malik Beasley as well as Terry Rozier have once again brought the issue to the forefront of public consciousness.
It’s a matter that both the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are aware of and are searching for answers to, according to ESPN’s David Purdum, who writes that both the league and the players’ union have come out in support of limitations on specific types of bets that are most likely to be vulnerable to manipulation by players and gamblers.
In the wake of the Porter case, the NBA asked its betting partners not to allow prop bets for players on two-way contracts. There is now an expectation that more restrictions will follow, especially given widespread sentiment among players that the league’s gambling partnerships are problematic.
There are other reasons for the desired changes. Purdum writes that the players’ union is less concerned with Porter’s case representing a nascent trend and more concerned about the abuse bettors direct towards players regarding failed prop bets.
“[Players] are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” an NBPA spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”
One area of specific focus is microbets, which are centered around specific in-game outcomes. New Jersey and Ohio have both introduced bills to ban microbets, and Major League Baseball is currently engaged in discussions about them after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were placed on leave over suspicious microbet activity.
Community Shootaround: 2025 Rookie Class
The 2025 draft lottery produced some unexpected results, with the Mavericks (No. 1), Spurs (No. 2) and Sixers (No. 3) leapfrogging multiple teams to select Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe, respectively.
Flagg is, unsurprisingly, the odds-on favorite (-190 at ESPN BET) to win Rookie of the Year for the 2025/26 season, according to Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com.
But the last two American prospects who were as hyped as Flagg — Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis — didn’t end up winning the award, so it’s not a given that the 18-year-old will claim it next spring, even if it currently seems as though it will “probably be Flagg’s award to lose,” as Pelton puts it.
Which players from the 2025 rookie class are best positioned to challenge Flagg for the award? Pelton groups them into categories, with the “contenders” being Kon Knueppel (No. 4; Hornets), Tre Johnson (No. 6; Wizards) and Ace Bailey (No. 5; Jazz).
As Pelton explains, Johnson, Knueppel and Bailey were selected by three of the NBA’s worst teams from last season should be given plenty of opportunities to earn both shots and minutes. While Knueppel is a distant sixth in betting odds (+2800), Pelton thinks the former Duke guard/forward might be in the best position to have a strong start to his career, followed by Johnson (+750) and Bailey (+1600).
Harper (+1000) and Edgecombe (+1200) are in their own “wild cards” tier. Although they’re undeniably talented, Pelton writes that both guards are joining crowded backcourts on teams that are striving to be competitive, so their playing time might be limited, barring injuries.
Pelton’s final group of rookies — Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18; Jazz), Nique Clifford (No. 24; Kings), Egor Demin (No. 8; Nets), Jeremiah Fears (No. 7; Pelicans), Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34; Hornets) and Derik Queen (No. 13; Pelicans) — are the “long shots” to win the award. Kalkbrenner is the only second-rounder of the bunch and isn’t among the top 28 betting favorites, but Pelton is “intrigued” by his potential as a rookie, noting that the former Creighton center could be a day-one starter in Charlotte.
We want to know what you think. Do you agree with Pelton’s categories of the players best positioned to challenge Flagg for Rookie of the Year? Is there anyone who wasn’t mentioned that you believe could be a dark-horse contender? Head to the comment section to weigh in.
Moussa Diabate Declines To Rejoin French National Team
Hornets big man Moussa Diabate was cut from the French national team on August 8 ahead of EuroBasket 2025. After a knee issue forced Vincent Poirier to withdraw from the tournament, France’s head coach, Frederic Fauthoux, reached out to Diabate about the possibility of rejoining Les Bleus, according to Arthur Puybertier of BeBasket.
However, after consulting with his camp, Diabate declined the offer in order to “focus on his upcoming NBA season” (hat tip to Eurohoops).
2025/26 is a big season for the 6’11” center, whose minimum-salary contract with Charlotte is non-guaranteed. Diabate emerged as a rotation regular in ’24/25, averaging 5.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 59.6% from the field in 71 appearances (17.5 minutes per game).
While the Hornets could be facing a roster crunch this fall, head coach Charles Lee recently praised Diabate, so it would be somewhat surprising if the 23-year-old ends up being released.
The French national team announced on Sunday (via Twitter) that it has finalized its 12-man group for EuroBasket, with Poirier and Paris Basketball guard Nadir Hifi the final two players cut. According to Eurohoops, France’s roster will likely consist of Theo Maledon, Sylvain Francisco, Elie Okobo, Isaia Cordinier, Matthew Strazel, Zaccharie Risacher, Bilal Coulibaly, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Guerschon Yabusele, Jaylen Hoard, Alex Sarr and Mouhammadou Jaiteh.
Risacher (Hawks), Coulibaly (Wizards), Yabusele (Knicks) and Sarr (Wizards) are current NBA players, while Maledon, Okobo, Luwawu-Cabarrot and Hoard previously spent time in the league. Cordinier is a former second-round pick (44th overall in 2016), but the 28-year-old has only played in Europe to this point in his career.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Kuminga, Kerr, Lacob
Warriors star Stephen Curry isn’t panicking as the offseason drags along without his team making a roster addition, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Personnel moves have been on hold as Golden State’s front office tries to resolve a stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry are among the candidates to sign with Golden State once Kuminga’s situation is settled, and Stephen Curry doesn’t have any anxiety about the situation with training camp still roughly six weeks away.
“It’s different, for sure,” the two-time MVP told reporters on Thursday at his youth basketball camp. “But my confidence is built on the identity we were able to create over the last third of the regular season last year and the playoff journey.”
Curry added, “We have a really good team,” but acknowledged there’s a “need for some pieces to help get us to the next level.”
As he prepares for his 17th NBA season, Curry explained that his offseason routine has “evolved drastically” and his workouts now emphasize “checking off all the boxes of movement and skill set that’s relevant to my game.” He doesn’t seem to have any lingering effects from the strained left hamstring that forced him to miss nearly all of the second-round playoff loss to Minnesota.
“Pacing myself nice,” he said. “Ready to finish the summer strong. … When you see me whenever Media Day is, should be primed and ready to go.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Six of the top eight players selected in the 2021 draft already have lucrative extensions in hand, but Kuminga hasn’t been able to reach an agreement on a modest salary with Golden State, notes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Landing with an established team, Kuminga didn’t receive the regular rotation role and consistent minutes that top-seven picks usually get. Add that to a depressed market where none of the top restricted free agents have landed an offer sheet, and it’s easy to understand Kuminga’s frustration. “He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham–Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract,” a league source told Kroichick. “… It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for the Warriors and bad for him.”
- Appearing on the Glue Guys Podcast (YouTube link) Steve Kerr talked about the frustrations of trying to work with young players in the midst of a hectic NBA schedule. “We don’t practice anymore,” Kerr said. “So we have to develop these 19-year-old kids who are coming into the league without much practice time. … Frankly, I’m not great — I’m an older coach. … So I lean on the young (coaches).”
- As vice president of basketball development Kent Lacob leaves the organization, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic explores the reasons behind his decision and the stressful journey to break the news to his father, Warriors owner Joe Lacob.
Heat Sign Dru Smith To Three-Year Contract
10:00pm: Smith has officially re-signed with Miami, per a team press release.
5:49pm: Restricted free agent guard Dru Smith will remain with the Heat on a three-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The deal has a total value of $7.9MM, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), which suggests it’ll be worth the veteran’s minimum ($7,898,151). A source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that the first year of the deal is fully guaranteed, while the final two seasons carry conditional guarantees (Twitter link).
Miami opened a roster spot to sign Smith by trading Haywood Highsmith to Brooklyn on Friday. Unloading Highsmith’s $5.6MM salary enabled the Heat to add Smith and stay under the cap, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
The 27-year-old guard appeared to be on his way to a standard contract with a strong start to last season, but he suffered an Achilles tear in December. Even though he remained inactive, the team kept him on a two-way contract for the rest of the season.
Heat officials are optimistic that Smith will be fully recovered from the injury in time for the October 22 season opener or shortly afterward, Jackson adds in a full story on the signing.
Appearing in 14 games last season, Smith averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 19.1 minutes per night with .508/.533/.750 shooting numbers. His improvement as a three-point shooter led to his expanded role, and Jackson points out that he logged double-digit minutes in eight straight games before the injury and played the entire fourth quarter in five of his last seven games.
Smith began his career with Miami in 2022 on a two-way contract, then went to Brooklyn later that season on a two-way deal after being waived. He returned to the Heat in the summer of 2023 and was converted to a standard contract before the start of the season. However, that campaign was cut short by his first untimely injury, as he suffered a third-degree ACL sprain in November.
Miami extended a qualifying offer to Smith in June, but league rules prevented him from signing another two-way contract with the team.
A report earlier today suggested that the Heat had interest in adding size to their roster, with an eye on free agents Trey Lyles and Kai Jones. Jones reportedly made a good impression during workouts in Miami this week.
Jackson believes Smith’s signing will put an end to any pursuit of Lyles or Jones. The Heat don’t have much depth in the frontcourt, but Jackson states that the need might be addressed with a trade rather than another free agent signing.
The Heat are back to 14 players with standard contracts and won’t be able to add a 15th player until later in the season without moving back into tax territory.
Jackson notes that Smith, newly re-signed Davion Mitchell and first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis are all natural point guards. However, they could all come off the bench if coach Erik Spoelstra decides to use Tyler Herro and Norman Powell as his starting backcourt.
New York Notes: Towns, Thibodeau, Brown, Wolf, Highsmith
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (subscriber link) finds it curious that there hasn’t been more talk about an extension for Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns this summer. Towns has until October 20 to add two more years to his current deal, which runs through 2026/27 with a $61MM player option for the following season.
Bondy states that he hasn’t been able to get any information about possible extension talks. Towns’ agent didn’t respond to a text regarding the subject, and team president Leon Rose almost never communicates with the media.
Bondy expects Towns to play out the remainder of his contract, possibly including the player option, before getting a new deal. His max extension would be $150MM over two years, and even though Towns is a perennial All-Star, Bondy doesn’t view him as being worth $75MM per year as teams maneuver to stay below the second apron.
Bondy also brings up several questions the Knicks might want to have answered before they consider committing that kind of money to Towns. Can he stay healthier than he did in Minnesota, will he and Jalen Brunson develop better chemistry in the offense, can he improve his pick-and-roll defense, and does he fit better as a center or a power forward?
There’s more from New York City:
- Knicks fans are expecting a trip to the NBA Finals this season and would consider anything less to be a disappointment, a survey taken by James L. Edwards of The Athletic reveals. More than 3,000 fans responded, and most are cautiously optimistic that New York will be the No. 1 seed in the East, but they’re split on the firing of Tom Thibodeau. A plurality of 37.7% agree with the move, while 29.6% oppose it and 32.7% are indifferent. Nearly 70% are withholding judgment on new head coach Mike Brown.
- Danny Wolf, the last of the Nets‘ five first-round picks this year, brings a lot of versatility to the roster, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). He’s a big man who can orchestrate the offense and shoot from the outside, and he has the potential to see time at power forward and center. “He’s just so unique. I don’t want to compare him to certain players,” Summer League coach Steve Hetzel said. “He’s very unique because he can handle, he can play pick-and-roll … at Michigan, he was a primary ball-handler in pick-and-rolls. So he has a ton of skill and he can shoot the three.”
- The Nets are acquiring Haywood Highsmith from Miami, but he seems to be more of a trade chip than a long-term investment, Bondy observes in another story. Brooklyn is emphasizing the development of its young players, and there might be interest around the league in the 28-year-old Highsmith, who has a $5.6MM expiring contract, once he recovers from knee surgery.
EuroBasket Notes: Gallinari, Poirier, Musa, Bogdanovic
In an interview with Giuseppe Nigro of Gazzetta dello Sport, f0rmer NBA forward Danilo Gallinari said this year’s EuroBasket will be the final international competition of his long career. Gallinari, 37, played for eight teams during a 16-year NBA career that wrapped up in 2023/24. He’s currently with the Vaqueros de Bayamón in Puerto Rico.
“Yes, it will be my last summer with the national team,” Gallinari said. “Knowing this gives an extra boost. These are feelings that a club does not give you. I have been part of many different groups: at the beginning I was the little one and I played with my idols, now I am the veteran and I see the young guys who have created a special group, they are strong and talented. They keep you young.”
Gallinari is coming off a major victory this week in Puerto Rico, leading the Vaqueros to their 17th league title while being named Finals MVP. He hopes to duplicate that success with Italy to provide a memorable ending to his international career.
“I’m missing a medal with the national team and then I can be happy,” he said. “It is also difficult to quantify what could have been and was not: I started in the Azzurri when I was 17-18 years old when there was still the group of the 2004 Olympics, and of all the possible summers since then I have missed eight. There are many. It makes me think if I had played those eight what could have happened, better not to think about it. Every summer anything can happen, even this one.”
There’s more EuroBasket news to pass along:
- French center Vincent Poirier had to withdraw from EuroBasket due to injury concerns involving his right knee, writes Yann Ohnona of L’Equipe. France is already missing Victor Wembanyama, Mathias Lessort and Rudy Gobert, so the team will be undersized in the tournament.
- Dzanan Musa of Bosnia and Herzegovina may also have to miss the tournament after undergoing emergency surgery due to pain in his abdominal area, according to Eurohoops. “Dzanan expressed his desire to do everything possible to ensure his recovery and to leave room for a possible appearance at the upcoming EuroBasket, in line with his great desire to be with the team in Cyprus,” a representative of Musa told Radio Sarajevo. “In this situation, his appearance is certainly uncertain.”
- Serbia remained unbeaten in exhibition play with a 29-point win over the Czech Republic on Saturday, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who led the way with 20 points, believes his team is ready to make a strong run at the EuroBasket title, per Basket News. “We approached with respect and played with it. I think we could be a bit better, especially on defense, but that’s why we play friendly games,” he said.
Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Pritchard, Queta, Luis
Joe Mazzulla has the security of a new contract extension, but he’ll be facing the toughest coaching job of his career when the upcoming season tips off, writes Christopher L. Gasper of The Boston Globe.
Since taking over as head coach shortly before the start of the 2022/23 season, Mazzulla has been able to rely on one of the most talented rosters in the league. That’s changed due to an Achilles injury that might sideline Jayson Tatum for the entire season, along with cost-cutting trades that sent out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and the loss of Luke Kornet and probably Al Horford in free agency.
The current version of the Celtics isn’t nearly as well equipped for Mazzulla’s preferred approach to the game, which includes a heavy reliance on three-point shots. Gasper states that Mazzulla will have to be flexible and show a willingness to adapt the offense to get the most out of his players.
Former Celtics player and longtime radio analyst Cedric Maxwell tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe that Mazzulla’s natural competitiveness will be an asset for the depleted roster.
“Here’s the beauty about all that,” Maxwell said. “Joe Mazzulla’s not going to let them take a step back. Joe Mazzulla is going to use that as fuel to have these guys compete on a nightly basis. We’ve seen teams in the NBA, perhaps not as talented as other teams but at the end, because they played hard every single night, you get your opportunities to win.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are the only certain starters heading into training camp, but Brian Robb of MassLive believes Payton Pritchard should be in that category as well. Robb states in a mailbag column that Pritchard is most likely to join White as a backcourt starter because Anfernee Simons doesn’t appear to be in the team’s long-term plans. The frontcourt may be more flexible, Robb suggests, with Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta starting most of the time, but Chris Boucher being used when Mazzulla wants a double-big starting lineup.
- Queta suffered a minor injury to his right hip area during an exhibition game this week in preparation for EuroBasket, relays Souichi Terada of MassLive. Queta is reportedly fine and will be ready to represent Portugal when the tournament begins.
- RJ Luis got two-way offers from the Celtics and Jazz in June before deciding to sign with Utah, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said in a recent Bleacher Report livestream (YouTube link; hat tip to Robb). Boston landed Luis as part of a trade involving Georges Niang and draft picks earlier this month. Luis wasn’t able to play for Utah’s Summer League team due to a leg injury.