Nikola Topic Undergoes Back Procedure, Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Nikola Topic underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure on his spine, the Thunder announced Saturday. The second-year guard won’t be available for Summer League, but the team expects him to be healthy when training camp opens in late September.
Team medical personnel were present for the lumbar microdiscectomy, which was performed by Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas. It involves making small incisions to fix a bulging disk in the lower back, according to Jeff Patterson and Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman.
The procedure is the latest in a string of health-related misfortunes for Topic, who was selected with the 12th pick in the 2024 draft. He suffered a torn ACL prior to the draft that forced him to miss his entire first season, then he received a testicular cancer diagnosis last fall that necessitated another operation followed by chemotherapy.
After recovering, Topic made his NBA debut on February 12 and played in 10 games during the regular season, averaging 5.2 points and 4.4 assists in 16 minutes per night. He also made brief appearances in nine playoff games.
Topic was a major star in Europe before deciding to come to the NBA and was viewed as a potential high lottery pick prior to the ACL injury. He could have a much larger role next season if he remains healthy, particularly if the Thunder make some cost-cutting roster moves this summer.
NBA Finals Notes: Game 5, Wembanyama, Dynasty, Kornet
After watching their team rally from a 29-point deficit and pull out an improbable victory in the closing seconds of Game 4, Knicks fans lingered inside Madison Square Garden on Wednesday and celebrated like they had just won the championship, writes Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). However, the players and coaches can’t afford to get caught up in that jubilation, as they still need one more victory to close out the series.
“It is hard. We’re all human,” coach Mike Brown said. “It was hard even in the series that we swept. You win two, three, four, five games in a row, there’s a tendency to relax a little bit. That’s just in life. In your job, you have success for 10 months straight, maybe you feel like, I got this, I know what I’m doing. You’re not as sharp then because everybody’s been patting you on your back and telling you how great you are. Trying to manufacture things to help guys lock in, trying to talk to guys individually so they can continue to talk to their teammates to lock in, all that stuff is huge.”
Popper notes that the coaching staff had plenty of video to review with the players over the past two days of the mistakes that enabled the Spurs to build that huge advantage. San Antonio has charged out of the gate faster in every game of the series, holding leads of eight, nine, 11 and 19 points after the first quarter.
“We know they come out with a lot of energy,” Josh Hart said. “They’ve been doing it all playoffs. We’ve been very up and down with that a lot this year. So we’ve got to make sure we come in focused with a great attention to detail and taking things a possession at a time.”
There’s more on the NBA Finals:
- The Knicks have been able to wear down Victor Wembanyama by forcing him to switch onto dangerous shooters and not letting him relax in the lane, observes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. A “veer” attack has caused Wembanyama to guard Jalen Brunson on 27.9 partial possessions throughout the series, which brings him away from the basket and causes the rest of the defense to rotate.
- New York fans are hoping for a potential dynasty, but Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post cautions them to enjoy this year and not get caught up in the future. He points out that the Knicks don’t have the kind of transcendent superstar that dynasties are usually built around, and 17 teams currently have younger rosters. Dunleavy suggests the upstart Spurs are a better dynasty candidate.
- Spurs coach Mitch Johnson confirmed that backup center Luke Kornet has been cleared to play in Game 5 after being listed as questionable with an illness (Twitter video link from Spurs Nation). “I didn’t hear about it in Game 4,” Johnson said in his pre-game press conference Saturday. “He’s been sick, but he’s getting better, and he’ll be available tonight.”
Rich Paul Says 10-12 Teams Have Inquired About LeBron James
Appearing Friday on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link), LeBron James‘ agent revealed that there’s already significant interest in his client if he decides to leave the Lakers. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports said at least 10 teams have expressed an interest in signing James if he can’t work out a new contract with L.A. before the start of free agency on June 30.
“There have been incoming calls from every team with the excitement of possibly him playing for them,” Paul said. “So, at 41 years of age, going on 42, that’s something to be extremely proud about, and it’s one of those things that’s like ‘Wow, even at 42 I’m still wanted.’ That’s admirable. Without naming names, I would say about 10-12 teams.”
Although Paul didn’t identify any of the suitors, a couple of potential destinations have been widely reported. There has been repeated speculation that James might want to end his career playing alongside Stephen Curry with the Warriors after they joined forces to win a gold medal on Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Steve Kerr coached that team, and James has a strong relationship with Draymond Green, so it may be a logical next step. However, Golden State’s offer would be limited to around $15MM through the mid-level exception unless there’s a sign-and-trade or a massive roster overhaul.
It’s also been suggested that James would like to return to Cleveland, where he was drafted in 2003 and delivered the city’s only NBA title in 2016. But the Cavaliers already have an expensive roster in place and wouldn’t be able to offer more than a veteran’s minimum deal.
Age hasn’t been a factor yet for James, who’s coming off his 22nd straight All-Star appearance and might have challenged for All-NBA honors if he had reached the 65-game minimum. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per night in 60 games and helped the Lakers claim the fourth seed in the West. With Luka Doncic unavailable and Austin Reaves also dealing with an injury, James led L.A. past Houston in the first round of the playoffs before falling to Oklahoma City.
With the start of free agency a little more than two weeks away, leaguewide chatter regarding James’ next destination has already started to heat up. However, Paul told McAfee that none of the reports so far have any basis in fact, and he repeated that message on his Game Over podcast on the Ringer (Twitter video link).
“There’s nobody that knows anything about anything that pertains to LeBron,” Paul said. “All these reports, nobody knows. They’re just speculating. They put out salaries, nobody knows. There’s been zero conversations and there won’t be conversations until I have a conversation with the man himself.”
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, D. Green, Bryant, Harper, M. Johnson
Warriors forward Draymond Green believes Spurs star Victor Wembanyama deserves to be suspended for his actions throughout the playoffs, relays Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. Green, who’s working as a studio analyst on ESPN’s coverage of the NBA Finals, made the remarks on the latest edition of his podcast (Twitter link).
“Listen, I’m not one that wants to see series decided by suspensions,” Green said. “That’s not good for anyone. It leaves a lot of questions, a lot of what-ifs. I don’t enjoy that. I will say, he’s been shown a lot of grace. He probably should be suspended at some point – or (should) have been already – but he’s been shown a lot of grace.”
Wembanyama is one flagrant foul point away from triggering an automatic suspension after being whistled for a flagrant 1 for elbowing Karl-Anthony Towns in the chin during Wednesday’s game. Wembanyama could have been assessed another flagrant 1 for shoving Jalen Brunson in the back of the head during Game 3, but the NBA opted not to impose a penalty.
Green, of course, has a long history with league discipline, being suspended six times during his career, including Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 2016. Even though he supports suspending Wembanyama, he understands that the league office doesn’t want to decide the series.
“I wish the NBA would just come out and say, ‘In most cases, this probably should be a suspension, but it’s not because we want our best in the NBA Finals and that’s the way it should be,’” Green added. “And I agree with that.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Wembanyama has been a huge influence on rookie Carter Bryant, Tom Orsborne of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story. The French star has helped the 20-year-old forward adjust to NBA life, frequently offering advice during long flights. “Me and Vic sit next to each other on the plane, so we’ve had a ton of conversations, whether that was easy conversations, hard conversations, just me checking up on him, him checking up on me,” Bryant said. “Sometimes you need a brother to lean on, somebody to hug and somebody to spill out your emotions to and your words to. We’ve both been there for each other. I’m super grateful for Vic.”
- A larger role for Dylan Harper could help the Spurs salvage the series, suggests Steve Aschburner of NBA.com. The rookie guard is averaging 16.3 PPG off the bench during the Finals and has been outplaying De’Aaron Fox. However, coach Mitch Johnson still seems inclined to lean on Fox’s experience in crunch time.
- Johnson believes the Spurs lost their focus in the third quarter of Game 4, which planted the seeds for New York’s dramatic comeback, per Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. “There [were] a lot of things that we did, where it felt like we could have put our energy into the right spots in that third quarter,” Johnson said. “Some things that I could have done to help that, as well. I think that quarter probably was the most disappointing for me. There’s some learning things in every quarter, don’t get me wrong, some things we want to be sharper with, better at, finish games. We weren’t as connected and disciplined as we should have been.”
Draft Notes: Lendeborg, Warriors, Wilson, Suder, Kayil
Former Michigan forward/center Yaxel Lendeborg worked out for the Warriors on Thursday and believes he’d be a great fit with Golden State, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Lendeborg is a projected late lottery pick and the Warriors hold the 11th overall selection.
“I would say, like five assists a game maybe to start off,” Lendeborg said. “A lot of defense, fast-break opportunities for me. Depending on if I’m here or anywhere else, my role will be a lot different. But if I was here, I’ll be more like a secondary ball-handler. Whenever Steph [Curry] is taken out of the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little more offense or instant offense.”
In addition to the Warriors and Thunder (Nos. 12 and 17), Lendeborg has also worked out for the Heat (No. 13), Bucks (No. 10), Hornets (Nos. 14 and 18), and Mavericks (No. 9), and has upcoming workouts with the Clippers (No. 5) and Hawks (No. 8), Johnson notes.
“In a way, it kind of makes me envision myself playing on a team like this, Charlotte, the Heat, all those teams that I’m getting mocked to,” Lendeborg said. “It kind of gives me something to get attached to. I can’t get too attached, though. If I don’t get drafted by any of them, I don’t want to be upset. Either way, it’s nice to see and it’s a blessing to be part of this.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- While North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson is viewed as a less-polished offensive player compared to fellow top prospects Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa, he expressed confidence in his shooting and passing ability at last month’s combine, as Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network writes. “People don’t think I can really shoot, which is kind of funny to me. I really work on it and I can shoot,” Wilson told reporters. “I didn’t have the best numbers this year, but it was an interesting situation because that’s not what I was asked to do at the college I was at. I was just doing what I needed to do to help us win. People that say I can’t shoot, I feel like that’s interesting, but I’ll prove it over time. It doesn’t really matter.”
- Peter Suder was considered a relatively unheralded prospect when he was invited to the combine, but NBA teams have grown familiar his game over the last couple months, per Grant Afseth of Ballislife.com. “I’ve done 17 (pre-draft) workouts so far and have five more through June 20,” Suder told Afseth. “One of the main things I’ve learned is that it’s your job now. That’s how it’s treated at the next level. It’s not really like recruiting in college. You go in, show what you can do, and then move on to the next workout. The main thing I’m working on right now is movement shooting and different types of catch-and-shoot situations. I’m just trying to perfect that skill for the next level.” The former Miami Redhawk, a 6’5″ guard, was named MAC Player of the Year as a senior last season and is ranked No. 93 on ESPN’s big board.
- German guard Jack Kayil is keeping his name in the draft, agent Milan Nikolic confirmed to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony reported a month ago that the projected second-round pick planned to stay in the draft as an early entrant.
Cavs’ Riley Minix Reportedly Nearing Deal With ASVEL
Cavaliers forward Riley Minix is close to signing a contract with ASVEL in France, according to a report from Blazo Komnenic of Meridian Sport (hat tip to Eurohoops).
After going undrafted out of Morehead State in 2024, Minix initially signed an Exhibit 10 training camp contract with San Antonio and was promoted to a two-way deal shortly before the 2024/25 season began.
The 25-year-old only played seven minutes in one game as a rookie with the Spurs, but he was a steady contributor for the team’s G League affiliate in Austin, averaging 19.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks on .524/.414/.853 shooting in 19 games (31.6 minutes per contest).
Minix returned to the Spurs on a two-way contract last summer and appeared in three games with the club in 2025/26 before being waived in mid-December. He signed a two-year, two-way contract with Cleveland in February, making six appearances for the Cavs late in his second season.
In 34 NBAGL games (31.9 MPG) with the Austin Spurs and Cleveland Charge in 2025/26, Minix averaged 18.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.3 SPG on .519/.428/.800 shooting splits.
While Minix is technically under contract for 2026/27, his two-way deal is non-guaranteed, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Cavaliers permit him to pursue an overseas opportunity. Signing with ASVEL would represent Minix’s first stint in Europe.
2026 NBA Offseason Preview: Houston Rockets
The Rockets took major strides toward relevancy in the Western Conference playoff picture in both 2023/24 and 2024/25, increasing their win total from 22 to 41 to 52, and entering the '24/25 playoffs as the No. 2 seed.
However, the upstart Rockets were upset by the seasoned Warriors in the first round of last year's playoffs, with the lack of a go-to scoring option being a major factor in the team's seven-game loss. Houston averaged just 104 points per game in that series after averaging 114.3 PPG in the regular season.
Recognizing they needed a top offensive talent to complement their young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard, the Rockets traded Jalen Green, the 10th pick in last year's draft (Khaman Maluach) and Dillon Brooks to Phoenix for 12-time All-NBA forward Kevin Durant, a four-time scoring champion still playing at a high level late in his career.
Houston also re-signed Fred VanVleet to a more affordable contract ($50MM over two years instead of $45MM for one), extended Steven Adams, who played an important role anchoring the team's defense and bludgeoning opponents on the offensive boards, and signed three-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
While the Durant trade mostly worked the way the Rockets hoped during the 2025/26 regular season, when he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 0.9 blocks in 78 games (36.4 minutes per contest), the playoffs were another story: the 37-year-old managed to play in just one game during Houston's first-round loss to the Lakers due to knee and ankle injuries.
It was a disappointing outcome for the Rockets, who won 52 games again despite missing their on- and off-court leader in VanVleet, who tore his ACL last September and missed all of 2025/26. They also only had Adams for 32 games before he tore ligaments in his ankle in December, and Finney-Smith was a disappointing non-factor in 37 appearances after his '25/26 debut was delayed by offseason ankle surgery.
In some ways it's impressive that Houston managed to have the success that it did considering how little the team received in aggregate from those three players, who were earning a combined $51.8MM this season. The development of the Rockets' young players was an overall positive but was slightly choppy as well, with Smith and Sheppard taking strides forward while Sengun, Thompson and Eason were more up and down.
The Rockets have been a paper tiger for the past two seasons, ranking seventh and sixth in the NBA in net rating. They were in the top 10 in the NBA in both offensive (eighth) and defensive (sixth) rating in 2025/26, but struggled to replicate that success in the playoffs. Houston's core is still pretty young, but the team projects to be considerably more expensive in both 2026/27 and '27/28, leaving lingering questions about its long-term future.
The Rockets' Offseason Plans
General manager Rafael Stone didn't strike me as someone eager to make major changes when he discussed the Rockets at the end of the season. Instead, Stone projected confidence in the group he had assembled and lamented the injuries that never gave the roster a chance to reach its ceiling.
James Harden Arrested, Charged With Unlawfully Carrying Gun
1:31 pm: The Cavaliers released a brief statement acknowledging Harden’s arrest, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information. We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”
12:43 pm: Cavaliers guard James Harden, who could be a free agent this summer if he declines a $42.3MM player option that’s partially guaranteed for $13.3MM, was arrested early Saturday morning in Texas on a misdemeanor charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon after police say a handgun in his car was in plain sight rather than in a holster, according to TMZ.
Harden was released on bond, with a court date set for June 22, per TMZ. His bond terms prohibit him from possessing a firearm or other weapons, and he has to submit to a random urinalysis and can’t consume alcohol, controlled substances, marijuana or other drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
Citing court records, Edward Lewis of The California Post reports that Harden’s arrest occurred at 3:41 am local time in Houston. The complain alleges the 11-time All-Star “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” had the weapon in his vehicle.
Harden had the most productive years of his career with the Rockets, leading the league in scoring three consecutive seasons and finishing in the top three in Most Valuable Player voting four straight times. Sources tell Lewis that Harden and a large group of friends were at a Hookah lounge before the arrest.
An eight-time All-NBA member and two-time assists champ, Harden spent two-and-a-half seasons with his hometown Clippers before angling his way to Cleveland ahead of the deadline when it became clear he didn’t have a long-term future in Los Angeles. The Cavs traded two-time All-Star point guard Darius Garland to the Clippers in the blockbuster deal.
In 70 total regular season games (34.8 minutes per contest) in 2025/26, Harden averaged 23.6 points, 8.0 assists (against 3.5 turnovers), 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .434/.375/.884 shooting splits. After an uneven first two rounds against Toronto and Detroit, Harden really struggled in Cleveland’s Eastern Conference finals sweep at the hands of New York. Overall, he averaged 19.2 PPG, 5.5 APG (4.7 turnovers), 5.1 RPG and 1.7 SPG on .410/.299/.831 shooting splits in 18 playoff games (37.3 MPG).
Harden, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers each expressed interest in continuing their working relationship after the team was eliminated by the Knicks. Harden, a former third overall pick, turns 37 years old in August.
Luigi Suigo Withdraws From Draft; Sergio De Larrea Staying In
Italian center Luigi Suigo has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA draft and has committed to playing college basketball at Villanova in 2026/27, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).
Suigo is a massive presence in the middle, having been measured at 7’3″ without shoes (likely at least 7’4″ with them) and 289 pounds at the draft combine. He was viewed as a possible late first-round pick, typically ranking either in the late 20s or early 30s (No. 32 at ESPN) on most big boards.
Still only 19 years old, Suigo has a chance to become a lottery pick if he plays well for the Wildcats next season. He spent the ’25/26 campaign playing professionally for Mega Superbet in the Adriatic League, averaging 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 16 games (18.2 minutes per contest).
While Suigo may test the draft waters again as an early entrant in 2027, Spanish wing Sergio de Larrea intends to stay in the 2026 draft, according to Givony (Twitter link).
A 6’6″ guard/forward, de Larrea has spent the past four seasons with EuroLeague club Valencia. In 28 games (18.3 MPG) in Spain’s top domestic league (Liga ACB), the 20-year-old has averaged 9.7 PPG, 3.7 APG and 3.0 RPG on .443/.407/.833 shooting splits.
De Larrea is viewed as likely to get a guaranteed contract, whether it comes late in the first round or early in the second. He’s No. 34 on ESPN’s board.
We’re still awaiting the decisions on a handful of other international early entrants. They have until 5:00 pm ET on Saturday to decide whether to stay in or withdraw from the draft.
Central Notes: Giannis, Pacers Workout, Pacers Extensions, Buzelis
Assuming the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo before the draft, they apparently are looking to rebuild quickly through this draft class.
The Bucks will assuredly receive the Heat’s No. 13 pick along with other draft capital if they deal their franchise player to Miami, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line tweets. Fischer also hears that Milwaukee is calling other teams in search of a third top-20 pick in this draft, potentially another pick in the top 10.
Milwaukee already holds the No. 10 selection in the draft, which is 10 days away.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Pacers will hold another pre-draft workout on Monday, featuring Donovan Atwell (Texas Tech), Anthony Dell’Orso (Arizona), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue), Xaivian Lee (Florida), Rienk Mast (Nebraska), and Braden Smith (Purdue), according to a team press release. It’s their fifth pre-draft workout this year. This group is mainly comprised of second-round prospects, headlined by former Boilermakers point guard Smith (ranked No. 38 on ESPN’s Best Available list).
- The Pacers have eight extension-eligible players on the roster, including Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak notes the eligibility date, current contract and highest possible extension for each of those players and gives his insights on how the front office might approach each of those decisions.
- In an interview with K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (video link), Bulls forward Matas Buzelis describes the impact that broadcaster and former Bull Stacey King had on the team’s younger players. King, 59, passed away last weekend.