Pacific Notes: Kings, Butler, Warriors, Clippers, K. Brown
Keegan Murray‘s thumb injury creates a difficult lineup decision for the Kings, who don’t have much reliable depth behind the former No. 4 overall pick at power forward, writes James Ham of The Kings Beat.
“It’s tough because Keegan has size, strength, athleticism and he shoots 40 percent [from 3-point range], I think everyone is looking for that,” head coach Doug Christie said on Sunday. “We have a couple of different guys that can equal Keegan, but we don’t have Keegan, so replacing him is definitely going to be difficult.”
The Kings have a pair of preseason games still to come on Wednesday and Friday, and Christie said he intends to “try a couple of different things” during those contests as he weighs his options for a fifth starter alongside Dennis Schröder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis.
As Ham writes, veterans Dario Saric and Drew Eubanks and rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud are among the potential candidates for the role, but the Kings have more depth in the backcourt, where Malik Monk and Keon Ellis currently project to come off the bench. The team’s thin depth chart at the four is one reason why Sacramento was so interested in Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, Ham notes.
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Warriors forward Jimmy Butler won’t play on Tuesday vs. Portland after spraining his ankle in a Friday practice, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. However, the injury isn’t considered serious and head coach Steve Kerr is hopeful that Butler will return for Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Clippers.
- After ESPN’s Kevin Pelton projected the Warriors to win 56 games, the second-most in the NBA, his ESPN colleague Zach Kram breaks down why Golden State could be more dangerous than the general consensus suggests. Kram cites Al Horford‘s potential impact, a well-balanced roster, and the fact that the Warriors have fewer obvious question marks than several of their Western Conference rivals.
- Within a report detailing how the NBA approved the Clippers‘ initial sponsorship agreement with the green-bank company Aspiration in 2021, Bobby Marks and Baxter Holmes of ESPN note that people familiar with the investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard believe the probe will take months, perhaps not wrapping up until after the 2026 playoffs. The league hired the law firm Wachtell Lipton, Rosen & Katz to look into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by paying Leonard via a separate “no-show” endorsement deal with Aspiration.
- Clippers forward Kobe Brown, a first-round pick in 2023, believes he’s a “way better” player now than he was when he entered the NBA two years ago, but he also recognizes that his role may still be limited due to the team’s impressive veteran depth, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. He’s OK with that if head coach Tyronn Lue determines it’s what’s best for the club. “If the team’s winning, I’m winning,” Brown said. “I don’t look at it as a negative thing. I just do my job basically.”
Lakers Notes: Luka, Smart, Knecht, Ayton, Manon, Kleber
Perennial All-NBA guard Luka Doncic and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will make their preseason debuts for the Lakers on Tuesday against Phoenix, head coach JJ Redick told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Redick said both players will suit up for two of L.A.’s final three preseason games. Given Wednesday’s contest vs. Dallas is the second of a back-to-back, it seems likely that Doncic and Smart will play again on Friday against Sacramento, McMenamin observes.
Doncic hasn’t been injured during the preseason — the Lakers have just been cautious not to overexert him after the 26-year-old spent part of the summer playing for the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket 2025. Redick indicated that Doncic will be on a minutes restriction vs. the Suns.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt said Doncic has looked good in recent practices, according to Price.
“He’s moving great,” Vanderbilt said Monday. “Everything that I’ve seen from him, like, he’s being vocal. He’s leading the charge, he’s being everything we need him to be right now. We’re happy to have him out there right now during this week, him getting some good practices and running with us, and just starting to build that momentum towards the regular season.”
Smart was originally supposed to play in Sunday’s game against Golden State but his preseason debut was pushed back a couple days. He has battled both Achilles tendinopathy and a stomach illness during training camp.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- While Dalton Knecht‘s trade value has reportedly taken a hit over the past several months, the second-year forward has drawn praise from Redick for his offensive play in training camp, Price adds in another story. Knecht was moved into the starting lineup for Sunday’s win against the Warriors and responded with 16 points. “His sort of ceiling is going to be based on his improvement this season as a defender,” Redick said of Knecht. “He’s a big-time threat and a big-time player, and he’s made improvements. That’s ultimately going to be what the ceiling is for him. He’s earned the opportunity to [get] a look with him in the starting lineup. And our conversations all summer, all preseason, this is a year of player development for him, of growth and what that looks like, it’s got to be incremental. He’s bought into that, which is great.”
- As Price writes, Deandre Ayton also had a solid showing on Sunday, recording 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. The former No. 1 overall pick has been something of an afterthought the past couple years in Portland, but Austin Reaves believes the Bahamian big man is capable of producing at a high level for the Lakers. “Just how much skill he has,” Reaves responded when asked what has stood out about Ayton. “People forget about when he was in Phoenix and how dominant he was there and how he was one of the biggest reasons that team made it to the Finals [in 2021]. Talent is high. Can play in the pick-and-roll. Can protect the rim. We need that. We need him to flourish in that role.”
- Rookie wing Chris Manon will likely miss the remainder of preseason after suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain, according to Redick (Twitter link via Price). Manon, who is known for his defense, signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in July after playing for the Warriors during Summer League.
- Veteran big man Maxi Kleber has dealt with a variety of injuries in recent years, including a broken right foot he suffered in January. He has been battling a quad injury during preseason but was able to play in a stay-ready game on Monday, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Clippers, Cavaliers Make Changes To Preseason Rosters
The Clippers have officially re-signed TyTy Washington Jr. and waived John Poulakidas, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter links).
It’s unclear why Los Angeles brought back Washington — perhaps the team wants to give him an opportunity to play in preseason. The former first-round pick was signed in August and waived in late September, so he was already eligible for his Exhibit 10 bonus, which is worth $85,300, the maximum allowable.
Former Yale sharpshooter Poulakidas was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal as well. The 6’5″ shooting guard averaged 19.4 points and 3.3 rebounds on .451/.408/.897 shooting in 27 games (31.6 minutes per contest) as a senior with the Bulldogs last season. He went undrafted in June.
The Cavaliers also made a change their preseason roster on Monday, waiving forwards Miller Kopp and Chaney Johnson, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
Cleveland signed Kopp and Johnson to Exhibit 10 contracts on September 26. Both players spent training camp with the Cavaliers — Kopp appeared in two preseason contests, while Johnson played one.
Kopp, 26, went undrafted out of Indiana in 2023. He has spent the past two seasons in the G League with the Thunder’s affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. In 48 games (29.6 MPG) with the Blue in 2024/25, Kopp averaged 12.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.1 SPG while shooting 41.8% from three-point range.
As for Johnson, his Exhibit 10 deal with the Cavs was first reported shortly after he went undrafted earlier this year. The 6’7″ wing was a key reserve for an Auburn team that reached the Final Four last season, averaging 9.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 38 games (23.5 MPG).
Pelicans Sign, Waive Chase Hunter, Josh Oduro
October 13: Both Hunter and Oduro have been released, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
October 9: The Pelicans have signed Chase Hunter and Josh Oduro to Exhibit 10 contracts, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
New Orleans’ intent to sign Hunter, an undrafted rookie guard, was reported just after this year’s draft.
Hunter had a lengthy college career with Clemson, which spanned six years from 2019-25. He was awarded a medical redshirt after a foot injury limited him to nine appearances in his freshman year, then was granted another extra year of extra eligibility due to COVID-19.
Hunter ended up appearing in 167 games across those six years, making 123 starts. As a super-senior in 2024/25, he averaged a career-best 16.5 points per game on .470/.407/.866 shooting while also contributing 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 33.5 minutes per contest. Hunter earned first-team All-ACC honors this year and left Clemson as the school’s third all-time leading scorer.
Oduro was signed and waived by the Pelicans during last season’s training camp. The 6’9” forward, who went undrafted in 2024, played four collegiate seasons at George Mason before transferring to Providence for his final year. He averaged 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds across 148 college games (128 starts).
Oduro played 44 games last season for the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, averaging 11.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 blocks in 29.4 minutes per game.
Both players are likely to be waived and join the Squadron. They’ll be eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they stay with that club for at least 60 days.
Nets Sign Terry Roberts, Tre Scott
The Nets have signed free agents Terry Roberts and Tre Scott, the team announced (Twitter link via Keith Smith of Spotrac).
A 6’3″ guard who went undrafted out of Georgia in 2023, Roberts caught on with Long Island in his first post-college season in 2023/24. However, his life was derailed in February 2024 after being shot in the upper chest by a stray bullet.
Roberts, who was temporarily placed on a ventilator as a result of the incident, eventually made a full recovery and returned to Long Island last season. In 31 games in ’24/25, he averaged 6.7 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 25.7 minutes per contest.
Scott, a 6’8″ forward, has played professionally since 2020. He has spent time in Puerto Rico, France, and Canada but has primarily competed in the G League in recent years. He also had a two-game stint with the Cavaliers in ’21/22.
After playing a modest role with the Osceola Magic during the Tip-Off Tournament last fall, Scott joined Brooklyn’s NBAGL affiliate for the ’24/25 regular season. In 34 games (32.0 MPG) with Long Island, the 28-year-old averaged 11.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.4 SPG.
The terms of the contracts were not disclosed, but both may have signed Exhibit 10 deals, which would make each player eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived in the coming days and then spends at least 60 days in the G League with the Long Island Nets.
It’s worth noting that Brooklyn, which has operated below the NBA’s minimum salary floor for most of the offseason, has also been signing future Long Island players to standard contracts that include a partial guarantee of $85,300. The difference between those contracts and Exhibit 10 deals is that the 60-day requirement is waived and the $85,300 counts against the Nets’ cap. It’s possible Roberts’ and Scott’s contracts are structured that way.
Brooklyn is now back at the offseason limit of 21 players under contract. The Nets opened up a pair of roster spots earlier on Monday when they waived Dariq Whitehead and Drew Timme.
Keegan Murray Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Out At Least 4-6 Weeks
October 13: Murray underwent successful surgery on Monday, according to the Kings (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). He will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.
October 12: Kings forward Keegan Murray has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, the team announced today in a press release.
It’s unfortunate timing for Murray, who is eligible to sign a rookie scale extension between now and October 20. While his injury likely won’t impact the Kings’ long-term view of him or significantly impact those negotiations, the 25-year-old won’t have the opportunity to make a final case for a new deal on the court this week in the team’s two remaining preseason games.
The fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, Murray had a promising rookie season in which he averaged 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, shot 41.1% from beyond the three-point line, and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting as he started 78 games for Sacramento.
The 6’8″ forward has remained a starter for the Kings in the two years since then and has improved as a defender, but hasn’t taken a step forward offensively. In 2024/25, he averaged 12.4 PPG on .444/.343/.833 shooting while playing a career-high 34.3 minutes per night.
If Murray, who is earning roughly $11.1MM this season, doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension by next Monday, he’ll be on track for free agency during the summer of 2026. The Kings would have to tender him a qualifying offer worth approximately $14.7MM to make him a restricted free agent at that time.
It’s unclear who will take Murray’s spot in the starting five while he recovers, but forward Nique Clifford started the second half in his place on Friday alongside Dennis Schröder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis. Dario Saric and Doug McDermott are among the team’s other options at forward — if head coach Doug Christie wants to roll with a guard-heavy lineup, he could make Malik Monk or Keon Ellis a starter.
RAJ Sports Drops Lawsuit Involving Trail Blazers Sale
RAJ Sports, a company run by the Bhatal family, has dropped its lawsuit against the Cherng family, one of the minority investors in Tom Dundon‘s ownership group that has signed a purchase agreement to buy the Trail Blazers, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
Dundon and his group reportedly beat out a bid from RAJ Sports, which controls the Portland Thorns in the NWSL and the Portland Fire, the WNBA expansion team that will make its debut next season.
According to Vorkunov, Dundon helped facilitate a resolution between the Bhatals and the Cherngs.
“We are pleased to have reached a resolution out of court which we believe recognizes our position while also preserving the future of basketball in Portland,” RAJ said in a statement (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report). “We look forward to working closely with the Blazers as the Fire join them at Moda Center next Spring.”
RAJ Sports claimed in its lawsuit that the Cherng family — which owns Panda Express — breached an exclusivity agreement and asked a judge to stop them from buying a stake in the Blazers. The lawsuit, which has been withdrawn “without prejudice,” was aimed only at the Cherngs, not the Trail Blazers or the Dundon group.
Now that the lawsuit has been dropped, the impending sale of the Blazers should proceed as normal, Vorkunov notes.
Magic Sign Javonte Smart, Phillip Wheeler To Exhibit 10 Deals
The Magic have signed Javonte Smart and Phillip Wheeler, per a team press release. To complete the signings, Orlando waived Jalen Crutcher and Alex Morales.
Both Smart and Wheeler received Exhibit 10 contracts, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
Smart holds two years of NBA experience, appearing in a total of 18 games with Milwaukee, Miami and Philadelphia while on two-way contracts with those clubs. He spent all of last season with the Magic’s G League affiliate in Osceola after signing an Exhibit 10 deal last fall.
The 26-year-old guard, who played for Team USA during the FIBA AmeriCup tournament this summer (the Americans finished in third place, winning a bronze medal), appeared in 44 games (27.1 MPG) for Osceola in 2024/25, averaging 14.1 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.5 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .459/.359/.737 shooting.
Wheeler’s Exhibit 10 agreement with the Magic was first reported in early September. The 6’9″ forward, who went undrafted in 2022, has spent the majority of the past three seasons playing in the NBAGL and the Puerto Rican league. He made his NBA debut in ’24/25, appearing in five games with the Sixers while on a 10-day hardship contract.
Crutcher and Morales were on Exhibit 10 deals as well. Both players are now eligible for a bonus worth $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with Osceola in ’25/26.
Orlando’s roster is still at the offseason maximum of 21 players.
Hawks Sign Lamont Butler, Deivon Smith, M.J. Walker
The Hawks have made three additions to their preseason roster, announcing in a press release that they have signed guards Lamont Butler, Deivon Smith and M.J. Walker.
While the terms of the contracts were not disclosed, all three players likely signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deals, which would put them in line for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they’re waived before the season begins and spend at least 60 days with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate.
It’s unclear why Atlanta brought back Butler — the former San Diego State and Kentucky guard already signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Hawks in late September. He was cut a couple days later.
Smith, a Georgia native has spent the past five years playing at four different colleges, suiting up for Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Utah and St. John’s. In 30 games last season for the Red Storm (27.1 minutes), the 6’1″ guard averaged 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals, with a shooting line of .380/.352/.667.
Both Butler and Smith played for the Hawks’ Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Walker, another Georgia native, went undrafted in 2021 and has spent the past four seasons in the G League with the Westchester Knicks and the Greensboro Swarm (the Hornets’ affiliate). The 27-year-old also had a brief 10-day hardship stint with the Suns in 2021/22, playing eight NBA minutes in two appearances.
Atlanta now has 21 players under contract, which is the offseason limit.
Five Under-The-Radar Veteran Extension Candidates To Watch
The deadline for teams to sign players to rookie scale extensions is a week from today, and we'll be keeping an eye on several notable rookie scale extension candidates in the coming days. That group includes Pistons teammates Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, Nuggets guard Christian Braun, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Rockets forward Tari Eason, Kings forward Keegan Murray, and Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe.
A number of big-name players are also eligible for veteran contract extensions, with Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Heat guard Tyler Herro, and Hawks guard Trae Young among those we're been monitoring ahead of the 2025/26 season.
However, many of the most viable extension candidates have flown somewhat under the radar this fall, so we want to shine a spotlight on some of those players today. In the space below, we'll take a closer look at five players who are eligible for veteran contract extensions and who could realistically sign new contracts either before opening night or at some point during the season.
Let's dive in...
