Pelicans’ Jones, Murphy Expected To Be Ready For Season Opener
Pelicans forwards Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III have been back on the court at full strength and full speed in recent weeks and are on track to be available when the team’s regular season tips off next month, executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via sideline reporter Erin Summers).
Jones and Murphy both had their 2024/25 campaigns cut short due to shoulder injuries. Jones underwent surgery in February to repair a torn right rotator cuff, while Murphy suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff in March that also required surgery.
The Pelicans didn’t provide a specific return timeline for either player last winter, so it was unclear whether their recoveries might extend into the fall and cost them the start of the 2025/26 season. Based on Dumars’ comments today, it doesn’t sound like that’s a concern, which is good news for a team coming off a season that was derailed by injuries.
Jones, who made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team in 2024, was limited to just 20 games in 2024/25. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in a career-high 32.4 minutes per night, but didn’t play after January 8. The Pelicans still consider him an important part of their future, however, and signed him to a three-year, $68MM extension in July.
Prior to his season-ending injury, Murphy was on track for a career year after signing a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension last fall. His 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in 53 outings (51 starts) all represented career highs, and he posted a solid shooting line of .454/.361/.887 while increasing his volume.
Although Jones and Murphy are expected to be ready for the start of the season, that doesn’t necessarily mean New Orleans will be at full strength this fall. It doesn’t sound as if guard Dejounte Murray (Achilles tear) and rookie forward Derik Queen (wrist surgery) are as far along in their respective recovery processes. Dumars said today that their rehabs are going well but that there’s no update at this time on when they’ll be available (Twitter link via Summers).
2025/26 NBA Over/Unders: Northwest Division
With the 2025/26 NBA regular season tipping off next month, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including BetMGM and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2024/25, our voters went 13-17 on their over/under picks. Can we top that in ’25/26?
We’ll continue our series today with the Northwest Division…
Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2024/25 record: 68-14
- Over/under for 2025/26: 62.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Thomas Sorber
- Lost: Dillon Jones
- Note: Sorber has been ruled out for the 2025/26 season due to a torn ACL.
Denver Nuggets
- 2024/25 record: 50-32
- Over/under for 2025/26: 53.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2024/25 record: 49-33
- Over/under for 2025/26: 49.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Joan Beringer, Bones Hyland
- Lost: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luka Garza, Josh Minott
Portland Trail Blazers
- 2024/25 record: 36-46
- Over/under for 2025/26: 34.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Yang Hansen, Blake Wesley
- Lost: Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, Jabari Walker, Dalano Banton
- Note: Lillard is expected to miss the entire 2025/26 season while he recovers from a torn Achilles.
Utah Jazz
- 2024/25 record: 17-65
- Over/under for 2025/26: 18.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
Previous voting results:
- New York Knicks (53.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
- Boston Celtics (42.5 wins): Over (52.7%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (42.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
- Toronto Raptors (37.5 wins): Over (50.2%)
- Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Over (54.4%)
Armando Bacot Explains Why He Chose Europe Over Hornets
Armando Bacot was expecting to sign with the Hornets when the summer began, but he changed his mind when he got an opportunity with Fenerbahce. In an interview with Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops, Bacot explains why he chose to go to Istanbul rather than try to secure an NBA contract.
“Early in the summer, I got offers from a couple of EuroLeague teams, not Fenerbahce though, and I intended to sign with the Charlotte Hornets,” he said, “But Fenerbahce called me. I got a chance to talk with the coach (Sarunas Jasikevicius) and with some people who play here and have been around this atmosphere. I liked what they said, and it was a no-brainer.”
The 25-year-old big man signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Memphis last September after going undrafted out of North Carolina. He was waived before the start of the season and played for the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, where he averaged 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in 34 games. He was selected to participate in the 2025 Up Next event at the NBA’s All-Star weekend.
Bacot said he was influenced by the chance to play for Jasikevicius, who coached Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague title last season. He compares the atmosphere to being with the Tar Heels.
“It’s great because you have huge fan bases and big brands,” Bacot said. “You gotta be built to be able to play in environments like these because obviously the fans are passionate, the coaches, players, the community, everyone’s passionate, so it’s a good type of thing to be a part of. I’ve been blessed to be able to be a part of some great teams in college, but also put up some great performances that’re up there with some of the greats, so I’m just thankful.”
Bacot discussed the demands of playing a EuroLeague schedule along with domestic competition in Turkey, and he credited new teammates Devon Hall and Khem Birch with making his adjustment to European basketball easier.
Bacot also indicated that he would consider remaining in Europe for the rest of his career.
“It’s great basketball,” he said. “You see around here, it’s beautiful. They treat you just like the NBA, so I’m definitely open to staying here if it’s the right situation.”
Heat Extension Notes: Herro, Jovic, Powell
The Heat are operating in something of a middle ground from a competitive standpoint in their first full season of the post-Jimmy Butler era. They were able to land Norman Powell via trade while sending out Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson, who were unlikely to play major roles for the team, but have otherwise had a relatively quiet offseason.
However, there are still some big decisions to be made, as Ira Winderman explores for the South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). Tyler Herro, who recently underwent ankle surgery, is extension-eligible, as are Powell and Nikola Jovic.
As Winderman writes, the window for the Heat and Herro to come to an agreement will be open for less than three weeks, from October 1-20. The 25-year-old, who is under contract through 2026/27, is coming off his first All-Star selection after averaging a career-highs of 23.9 points and 5.5 assists while playing a career-best 77 games.
A maximum extension for Herro would come out to three years and $149.8MM. While Herro has been a productive, hard-working player throughout his time in Miami, Winderman notes that the team has always appeared more committed to Bam Adebayo as a cornerstone than Herro.
Ultimately, Winderman predicts that unless Herro budges off his max number, the two sides will not reach an agreement before the extension deadline. However, he believes that there will be plenty of willingness to find a deal that works for both sides in future offseasons.
When it comes to Jovic, Winderman observes that there’s no argument for him commanding a deal in the same range of Herro or Adebayo, but that locking in guaranteed long-term money somewhere in the neighborhood of the mid-level – such as a deal worth between $50-60MM over four years – could appeal to both sides.
Jovic would get security with the team and not have to risk restricted free agency, which has a tendency to squeeze less-established young players, and if he can prove himself to be a fifth starter or even one of the first players off the bench, the extension could become a team-friendly contract for Miami.
Finally, there’s Powell. He’s by no means a seamless fit next to Herro in the backcourt, assuming both start, which is not guaranteed. There’s also the locker-room issue of potentially signing Powell to an extension while not signing Herro, which could rankle the Heat lifer.
The Heat also may want to maintain as much cap flexibility as possible for 2026, when Terry Rozier‘s big expiring contract will also come off the books.
These factors have Winderman leaning no on a Powell extension, unless the Heat extend or trade Herro. However, Winderman notes that should Powell break out for the team with Herro recovering from surgery, that would improve his chances of landing a long-term deal.
This lines up with previous reporting from Miami Herald writer Barry Jackson, who indicated that the Heat would be open to the possibility of an extension if Powell starts the season well. Unlike Herro and Jovic, he’ll remain extension-eligible beyond opening night, all the way until June 30, 2026.
Nets No Longer Signing Ricky Council IV
After previous reporting had indicated that Ricky Council IV was signing with the Nets on a partially-guaranteed deal, Nets Daily now hears from a source that Council will not, in fact, be joining Brooklyn (Twitter link).
Council was reportedly poised to join the Nets after being waived by the Sixers following two seasons in Philadelphia. As a 76er, he averaged 6.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game.
Council has struggled to find consistency from three-point range throughout his time in college and the NBA, but he emerged as an athletic transition weapon during his rookie season with the Sixers. As of now, it’s unclear where he’s set to land instead.
Nets Daily also notes that Chinese forward Fanbo Zeng will be heading to Brooklyn on an Exhibit 10 deal, rather than the two-way spot some outlets had suggested he might sign.
Zeng is a skilled 6’11” forward who averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.5% from three last season for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. His agreement with the Nets was reported in August.
Nuggets To Sign Javante McCoy
The Nuggets have agreed to sign free agent Javante McCoy, reports Chris Haynes (via Twitter). Haynes doesn’t specify the terms of the deal, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
McCoy is a 27-year-old shooting guard out of Boston University, where he played for five years, averaging 17.4 points and 2.9 assists per game while making 42.5% of his three-point attempts in his final season.
McCoy averaged 12.9 PPG and 2.3 APG on .552/.451/.889 shooting last season for the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He previously played for the Austin Spurs and South Bay Lakers.
After signing McCoy, the Nuggets will have 20 of their 21 training camp roster spots filled. With an Exhibit 10 deal, McCoy could earn an $85,300 bonus if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.
Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Final Roster Spots
The Knicks have been busy lately. After signing Jordan Clarkson following a buyout with the Jazz, as well as Guerschon Yabusele earlier in the summer, New York found itself in a severe salary cap crunch, but that hasn’t stopped the team from trying to upgrade on the margins.
The Knicks added Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on training camp deals, and are reportedly hoping to keep both for the regular season, despite their cap limitations. They also signed Garrison Mathews, a sharpshooter like Shamet, along with Alex Len and Matt Ryan on camp deals.
Finally, they signed second-round draft pick Mohamed Diawara to a non-guaranteed deal while rounding out their two-way contract rotation with deals for Trey Jemison, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Kevin McCullar Jr.
For a team with limited space and money, the Knicks have done a good job of finding quality NBA players to compete for their final roster spot behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti.
With Diawara expected to claim a roster spot due to his rookie-minimum cap hit, the Knicks technically have two more openings on their 15-man roster. However, without enough room below a second-apron hard cap to carry a full 15-man squad, retaining two more veterans would require a salary-shedding trade, likely involving one of McBride, Kolek, or Dadiet.
McBride is the most proven player of that group, having demonstrated his ability to contribute during the playoffs after a tough opening series against the Pistons. He’s on a team-friendly contract, but only for one more season after this one. While it’s unlikely McBride would be moved, his defense and shooting could appeal to a team looking to add an established backcourt contributor on the cheap.
Among the Knicks’ 2024 draftees, Kolek played more than Dadiet last season and showed himself to be a heady decision-maker, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter to cover for his defensive limitations. While Dadiet played less than half the minutes of Kolek, his size (6’8″), flashes of shooting, and the fact that he’s four years younger than Kolek could make him a more attractive trade target for teams.
As for who will win the training camp battle for the final roster spot(s), Shamet appears to be a frontrunner. The 6’4″ guard played well when called upon by former coach Tom Thibodeau, operating as an effective off-ball shooting threat and giving good effort on defense. Head coach Mike Brown has reportedly put an emphasis on player movement this summer, which should play into the skill set of Shamet, as well as Mathews and Ryan.
Brogdon is the most accomplished of the players under consideration. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016/17 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2022/23, had a season of shooting over 40/50/90 while scoring 15.6 points per game, and holds a career three-point percentage of 38.8%, as well as a career assist-to-turnover rate of 4.7 to 1.7. For a team that was lacking secondary ball-handling alongside Brunson last season, Brogdon’s ability to function in either guard spot and play alongside Brunson could be appealing, especially with the defensive concerns that could come with playing Brunson and Clarkson together for long stretches.
However, Brogdon comes with an extensive injury history, having played just 166 games over the last four seasons. The decision on Brogdon could come down to how comfortable the team is with his health, as well as his willingness to move the ball quickly.
The Knicks’ roster-building strategy this summer has been very focused on offensive-minded guards and wings. Brown faces an uphill battle when it comes to ironing out an effective defensive scheme, and starting Robinson could be one way that he addresses it.
Adding Shamet and Brogdon, along with Clarkson, would make for a roster crunch in the backcourt with McBride still there as the incumbent sixth man. Starting McBride could make it easier to slot the guards in around Hart and Yabusele, while also allowing McBride to take over the primary initiator defensive duties, a role that Bridges struggled with at times last season. This would allow the team to have three high-level wing defenders in McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby while also playing five shooters offensively.
If Brown decides during training camp to start the two-big lineup, it could change the team’s plans for the back of its roster. Brown coached Len for over two years in Sacramento, so there’s a built-in familiarity between the two. Jemison has less size than Len, but he could be viewed as a potential longer-term depth piece given that he’s only 25 years old.
We want to hear your thoughts. How do you think the Knicks should round out the final spots on their roster?
Checking In On Top Remaining Free Agents
Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas have generated most of the free agency headlines this offseason. While Giddey (four years, $100MM) and Cam Thomas (one year, $6MM) re-signed with their respective teams earlier this month, Kuminga and Grimes remain restricted free agents ahead of the October 1 deadline to accept their qualifying offers.
There haven’t been many updates on Grimes’ situation with the Sixers of late, but there has been movement on the Kuminga front. The Warriors reportedly made a new three-year offer to the young forward, but his agent said signing the $8MM QO remains a viable option unless the team’s offers improve.
The prolonged Kuminga stalemate has prevented the Warriors from completing other roster moves, with unrestricted free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II among the veterans expected to sign with Golden State. The team has been linked to Seth Curry and Cody Martin as well.
The Warriors also have the NBA’s two remaining unsigned 2025 draft picks (Alex Toohey and Will Richard) as well as the lone two-way RFA (Taran Armstrong). As of now, Golden State technically only has 10 players under contract — five fewer than any other team.
Russell Westbrook is the most accomplished UFA left on the board. However, he has really only been linked to the Kings, who reportedly covet Kuminga and have been wary of making other trades until his restricted free agency is resolved. Sacramento would likely need to open a spot in the backcourt to make room for Westbrook.
Precious Achiuwa is another player who surprisingly remains unsigned ahead of training camp. He was added to our list of 2025’s top 50 free agents in late June after spending the past year-plus in New York.
Achiuwa, who recently turned 26 years old, reportedly drew EuroLeague interest from Panathinaikos in early August before the Greek team decided to sign Richaun Holmes. He has since been linked to the Heat, though Miami isn’t in position to sign him to a veteran’s minimum deal without crossing the luxury tax line.
Ben Simmons (who has reportedly mulled retirement), Monte Morris, Cameron Payne, Malik Beasley (who remains a subject in a federal gambling probe), Alec Burks, Mo Bamba and Thomas Bryant are among the other noteworthy names who have yet to find new teams with training camps set to begin within the next two weeks.
Suns Notes: Fifth Starter, Backcourt, Key Dates, TV Deal
First-time head coach Jordan Ott will be faced with some difficult decisions this fall as the Suns prepare for training camp, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
In addition to managing Devin Booker‘s workload and discovering if Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea can contribute as rookies, Ott and his staff will also have to determine Phoenix’s starting lineup. According to Rankin, Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will likely be four of the five starters, but the fifth is less certain.
Rankin views second-year wing Ryan Dunn as the most logical candidate to be the fifth starter, assuming he was able to improve his three-point shot over the summer. If Dunn’s offensive efficiency is still lacking, Royce O’Neale would be a more proven option as a small-ball four.
Second-year forward/center Oso Ighodaro is another player who could receive starting consideration if Ott experiments with two-big lineups, Rankin adds.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Although pairing Booker with Bradley Beal didn’t turn out very well, the Suns are optimistic about the backcourt duo of Booker and Green, Rankin writes in another story. “We are two people who are going to accept the double team and be able to play off each other,” Green said during Summer League in Las Vegas. “When you look at something like that, it’s like, we’re two people who know how to score the basketball. We’re two people who know how to attract the defense. When we’re doing something like that, you got to pick who you want to score tonight. He and I are going to be a deadly scoring duo.”
- In a third article for The Arizona Republic, Rankin lists several key dates to monitor ahead of the regular season. Phoenix’s media day (Sept. 24) and training camp (Sept. 25) are set for next week due to a preseason trip to China (Oct. 10-12).
- Owner Mat Ishiba has agreed to a two-year extension with Gray Media to broadcast Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury games free over the air throughout the state of Arizona, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who reports that the deal is worth $30MM+ annually. Both teams’ local ratings have skyrocketed over the past two years since they switched to the free model. “It’s been a win-win,” Ishbia told ESPN. “It was do right by the fans and get the games more accessible. And when you grow your fanbase, good things happen.”
- In case you missed it, Kevin Durant recently offered his perspective on his trade saga with the Suns. Durant was eventually dealt to Houston in the deal that brought back Green, Brooks and the rights to the No. 10 pick (Maluach).
Nets Waive Yuri Collins
The Nets have opened up a spot on their standard roster ahead of training camp by waiving Yuri Collins, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Collins was signed on Friday to a one-year deal with a partial guarantee of $85,300, just like the recent agreements with David Muoka and D’Andre Davis, who were also released shortly after their contracts were finalized.
Collins’ contract essentially served the same purpose as an Exhibit 10 deal, as he’ll likely be joining the Nets’ G League affiliate in Long Island to open 2025/26. The only real difference is the Nets will carry that $85,300 on their cap sheet as they look to get above the minimum salary floor by opening night.
A 6’0″ point guard, Collins has spent the past two seasons in the NBAGL with the Santa Cruz Warriors after going undrafted out of Saint Louis in 2023. In 49 games (32.3 minutes per contest) with Santa Cruz in 2024/25, Collins averaged 13.7 points, 10.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals, with a shooting line of .412/.264/.780.
Collins also had a brief stint with Golden State last season, making his NBA debut in February after signing a 10-day contract with the Warriors. In 16 minutes of playing time across two games, he recorded two points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
The Nets now have 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason limit.