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Magic Viewed As Possible Suitor For Nickeil Alexander-Walker

May 31st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

There are “rumbles in circulation” that the Magic are a team to watch as a suitor for free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Alexander-Walker, who was traded from Utah to Minnesota at the 2023 deadline as part of a bigger three-team deal, has emerged as a reliable rotation player for the Timberwolves over the past two seasons.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old has averaged 8.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game, with a .438/.386/.787 shooting line. He has also served as one of Minnesota’s top point-of-attack defenders and has been extremely durable, having not missed a game in over two years.

While the Timberwolves would certainly like to have Alexander-Walker back on the roster next season, they may face a financial squeeze after operating above the second tax apron this year, which could open the door for rival suitors to make a run at him.

The six-year veteran is coming off a $4.3MM salary and has never earned more than $5MM in a season, but appears to be in line for a significant raise. Several teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) figure to have interest, and Jake Fischer reported in February that some executives believe Alexander-Walker could earn up to $20MM per year on his next contract.

Whether the Magic will be in position to make an aggressive offer to Alexander-Walker remains to be seen. They have roughly $175MM in guaranteed money committed to 11 players for next season and the luxury tax line projects to come in just under $188MM, so if they want to make a play for the Wolves guard while staying out of the tax, they’d probably have to shed some salary.

Orlando has long been viewed as a team likely to seek backcourt help this summer, though much of that speculation has centered around the Magic targeting more of an offensive-minded player to complement defensive ace Jalen Suggs. While Alexander-Walker doesn’t really fit that bill, he has been a more reliable three-point shooter than Suggs in recent years.

Latest On Suns’ Head Coaching Search

May 31st, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have now completed in-person interviews with Sean Sweeney, Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant, and Chris Quinn as they evaluate candidates for their head coaching vacancy, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Marc Stein (Substack link) confirms Gambadoro’s report, noting that those interviews took place this week and were run by new general manager Brian Gregory.

Thunder assistant Dave Bliss remains under consideration for Phoenix’s head coaching job as well, but with Oklahoma City headed to the NBA Finals, the Suns haven’t been able to bring him in for an in-person meeting. An interview with Bliss would probably have to take place in OKC, Stein notes.

Sweeney, Ott, Bryant, Quinn, and Bliss were identified earlier in the week as the remaining contenders for the Suns’ open position. One subsequent report indicated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix, but neither Gambadoro nor Stein mentions him, so that report remains unconfirmed.

It’s believed that the Suns will pick a smaller group of finalists – likely just two candidates – who will meet face-to-face with team owner Mat Ishbia next week, Stein reports.

According to Stein, Suns star Devin Booker has “had a level of involvement” in this stage of interviews, which backs up the club’s repeated assertions that its plan is continue building around Booker going forward. While all three Phoenix stars have been the subject of trade speculation in recent months, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are considered far more likely to actually end up on the trade block this summer.

Speaking of Durant, the fact that the Suns are trending toward hiring a first-time head coach has only increased the league-wide belief that KD is a strong candidate to be dealt this offseason, Stein writes. However, he cautions that Durant may not actually reach the trade market until there’s clarity on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay in Milwaukee or seek a change of scenery.

Pistons Have Interest In Naz Reid, Myles Turner

May 31st, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are “known to covet” a big man who can space the floor, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports in his latest Substack article (subscription required) that the team is said to have interest in both Naz Reid and Myles Turner.

Reid followed up his Sixth Man of the Year campaign in 2023/24 with another strong season for the Timberwolves in ’24/25, averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 27.5 minutes per game across 80 outings (17 starts). He has made 39.5% of 5.4 three-point attempts per game over the past two seasons.

Turner, who was drafted 11th overall by the Pacers in 2015 and has been the team’s starting center for the last decade, averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 30.2 minutes per contest across 72 games this season. The 29-year-old knocked down a career-high 39.6% of 5.5 three-pointers per night and has played a key role in getting the Pacers within one game of an NBA Finals appearance.

It remains to be seen whether the Pistons have a viable chance to land either player, Stein acknowledges.

Reid holds a $15MM player option for next season and the Timberwolves have made it known they’d have strong interest in working out a new deal with him if he declines that option, Stein writes.

As for Turner, multiple reports have indicated that Indiana is well positioned to re-sign the longtime Pacer in unrestricted free agency this summer, and Stein confirms that the team has conveyed a willingness to go into the tax next season to keep its roster together.

As we detailed earlier this week, the Pistons could potentially create nearly $17MM in cap room without making any cost-cutting moves, but it would mean renouncing their rights to key free agents like Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schröder. If the club operates over the cap, it could offer the full mid-level exception, worth a projected $14.1MM, to a free agent, but wouldn’t be able to exceed that figure without a sign-and-trade.

Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Paul Reed handled big-man duties for Detroit in 2024/25. While that trio was effective, none of the three is a threat from beyond the arc — they made a combined 25 three-pointers on the season, with Duren not attempting a single one.

Southwest Notes: Rockets, B. Williams, Grizzlies, Jackson

May 31st, 2025 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

League sources who have spoken to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports expect the Rockets to explore trading the No. 10 overall pick in next month’s draft. As O’Connor writes, while a move up or down is possible, a trade could also mean moving out of the first round altogether, either as part of a package for an impact player or in exchange for future draft assets, similar to what San Antonio did last year with the No. 8 overall selection.

Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in 2024, played an extremely limited role for a deep Houston team this past season, even though the front office was repeatedly said to be very high on him. A similar fate could be in store for this year’s 10th overall pick if the Rockets hang onto that selection, O’Connor notes.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

With Kyrie Irving‘s recovery from ACL surgery expected to extend well into 2025/26, the Mavericks will be seeking backcourt help this offseason. However, Brandon Williams – an unsung hero for the banged-up team during the second half of ’24/25 – is preparing to reclaim an increased role if necessary, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Williams, who averaged 15.4 points and 4.1 assists in 24.2 minutes per game across 13 March and April appearances, told Curtis on Friday that he’s well on his way to being fully recovered from an oblique strain that affected him at the end of the season. “Working out every day. Just taking it one day at a time,” Williams said. “Trying to stay sharp on a few things. My ball-handling, shooting, all those types of things. Being the point guard and having everybody just jell together earlier than later in the season.”
Within a preview of the Grizzlies‘ offseason open to non-subscribers, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron digs into what an extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. might look like and explores the idea of Memphis trading using Brandon Clarke‘s $12.5MM salary to trade for help on the wing. In that scenario, Gozlan writes, Memphis could use its room exception to target a big man.
Keith Smith of Spotrac also previews the Grizzlies‘ offseason and covers similar ground, though he takes a closer look at what wing options might be available for the team in free agency using the room exception or non-taxpayer mid-level, depending on whether Memphis operates under or over the cap.

Eastern Notes: Pacers, Knicks, Edgecombe, Hornets, Raptors

May 31st, 2025 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Maher

After taking a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers‘ high-octane offense only managed 94 points in a Game 5 loss in New York. As Jamal Collier of ESPN writes, that total was a playoff-low for the Pacers, who also turned the ball over 20 times, the most turnovers they’ve committed in a game this postseason.

“We’re a resilient group,” star point guard Tyrese Haliburton said after the game. “We always want to respond when things don’t go well after a game like that. We understand what the stakes are. … We’re fine. There’s no need to panic or anything.”

Despite the wire-to-wire defeat, All-Star forward Pascal Siakam is confident Indiana will rebound with a strong home showing tonight in Game 6, according to Collier.

“You’re going to have bad games,” Siakam said. “This is the NBA, and there’s going to be times where a team is going to play hard. In fact, they’re going to beat you.

“It is just all about us, man. It’s always been us against the world, and I don’t expect it to change. … We are 3-2 in a series, and we have an opportunity to go back home and show what we’re made of.”

Here are a few more notes from around the East:

ESPN insiders Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Zach Kram and Chris Herring list some keys to watch ahead of Game 6. Kram views the health and play of Aaron Nesmith as the Pacers‘ biggest X factor, while how well Jalen Brunson holds up on defense will be critical for the Knicks.
Rival executives believe the Hornets will target V.J. Edgecombe if he’s still available at No. 4 in next month’s draft, according to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, who hears the Baylor guard had an “excellent” interview with Charlotte. Unsurprisingly, O’Connor has the Hornets selecting Edgecombe — who’s also the fourth-rated prospected on ESPN’s big board — at No. 4 in his latest mock draft.
According to O’Connor, several rival teams think the Raptors are leaning toward selecting a prospect who can contribute right away rather than a long-term project with their lottery pick. Toronto holds the No. 9 pick in June’s draft. For what it’s worth, O’Connor has the team picking Washington State wing Cedric Coward.

Knicks Notes: Injury Report, Hart, Turnovers, Game 6

May 31st, 2025 at 10:57am CST by Rory Maher

No Knicks are listed on the team’s injury report this morning ahead of Saturday’s pivotal Game 6 in Indiana, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. That’s certainly a good sign for the Knicks, as one of their best players was considered a game-time decision on Thursday.

Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was initially questionable to suit up for Game 5 due to a left knee issue, but he wound up playing 36 minutes and recording 24 points and 13 rebounds in New York’s victory.

Here are a few more notes on the Knicks:

Wing Josh Hart had a bounce-back performance on Thursday after being disappointed with his effort in Game 4, writes Barbara Barker of Newsday (subscriber link). Hart fouled out in Game 4 and only dished out one assist while committing five turnovers. “I was really embarrassed about what I was doing, how I looked and the lack of intensity, lack of passion and lack of competitiveness,” Hart said of how he felt after watching the Game 4 loss that gave the Pacers a 3-1 lead. “I was embarrassed, honestly. Not even the turnovers. But giving up back cuts, not communicating. I’m the guy who’s supposed to play with a high competitive nature, a high motor. Those were things I wasn’t doing. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror, let alone look at these guys.” The Knicks will need Hart to continue playing like he did in Game 5 in order to stave off elimination again tonight, Barker adds.
Although Game 5 was the Knicks’ first decisive victory of the Eastern Conference Finals, they still committed 15 turnovers, which has been an ongoing issue in the series, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Eliminating some of those miscues will be important in Game 6. “It’s not just [Towns, who had four turnovers],” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “The big thing is keeping it simple. The first open man, hit him. Oftentimes, the intent is good, but we’re trying to thread the needle and we can’t do that.”
Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required) lists three keys for the Knicks ahead of Game 6, with the first — and most important — being finding a way to slow down Tyrese Haliburton again. After recording 32 points (on 11-of-23 shooting), 15 assists and 12 rebounds in Game 4, New York limited Haliburton to eight points (on 2-of-7 shooting), six assists and two rebounds in the Game 5 victory.

‘No Untouchables’ On Pelicans’ Roster?

May 31st, 2025 at 9:35am CST by Rory Maher

Kevin O’Connor’s latest 2025 mock draft for Yahoo Sports features a few interesting tidbits. Citing league sources, O’Connor writes that there are “no untouchables” on the Pelicans, who are gauging the trade value of every player on their roster.

O’Connor cautions that major roster changes in New Orleans may not be in the works, but at the very least the team seems open to listening to offers for core players and could decide to shake things up if an attractive opportunity presents itself.

Assuming it’s accurate, the news doesn’t come as a major surprise. The Pelicans are coming off disappointing, injury-plagued season in which they won just 21 games, leading to an overhaul in the front office. Former Pistons executive Joe Dumars now runs the basketball operations department, with Troy Weaver also in a prominent position.

Star forward Zion Williamson has been floated as a possible trade candidate, though an offseason deal is reportedly considered “very unlikely.” Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones and Yves Missi are among the other Pelicans who would likely receive significant interest on the market.

O’Connor also updated his 2025 big board, with several noteworthy differences compared to ESPN’s.

For instance, O’Connor is very high on Washington State wing Cedric Coward (No. 5), Stanford center Maxime Raynaud (No. 14), and North Carolina wing Drake Powell (No. 16), who are ranked 29th, 24th, and 31st, respectively, on ESPN’s list, respectively. O’Connor is also relatively lower on some prospects, including BYU’s Egor Demin (No. 22 vs. No. 11 on ESPN), Michigan’s Danny Wolf (No. 32 vs. No. 19) and French big man Joan Beringer (No. 34 vs. No. 15).

Zalgiris, Deividas Sirvydis Nearing Extension

May 31st, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Rory Maher

Guard/forward Deividas Sirvydis, a former second-round pick (No. 37 overall in 2019) who played 22 games with the Pistons from 2020-22, is nearing a contract extension with EuroLeague club Zalgiris Kaunas, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Zalgiris is based in Lithuania, Sirvydis’ home country.

According to Urbonas, the 24-year-old wing received “significant interest” on the market this spring after a solid season in which he averaged 8.4 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 38.8% from long distance in 34 EuroLeague appearances (16.5 minutes per game). Although his current contract runs through 2027, it features an opt-out clause, giving him an opportunity to negotiate with other teams.

Urbonas hears that Sirvydis’ new deal with Zalgiris will cover at least one season and could extend beyond the original contract’s expiration date.

Poll: Who Will Win Knicks/Pacers Game 6?

May 30th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Pacers and Knicks are the only two teams left standing in the Eastern Conference, as each team seeks to seal a ticket to Oklahoma City to face a rested and waiting Thunder team.

Indiana jumped out to a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, aided, in part, by a massive comeback in what has become a pivotal Game 1 in New York that saw the Knicks melt down in the fourth quarter. On the brink of elimination, the Knicks won a wire-to-wire victory against the Pacers on Thursday night to extend the series to at least six games.

Now, the two teams will head back to Indiana as the Knicks seek to continue their road dominance and push the series to a Game 7 back in Madison Square Garden. New York is 6-2 on the road during the playoffs, while the Pacers have only lost four games all postseason, two being to the Knicks.

The Knicks, as a franchise, are 0-15 in series in which they’ve faced a 3-1 deficit, and the last instance of an Eastern Conference Finals team surrendering a 3-1 lead was in 1981, when the Celtics came back to beat the 76ers.

Both the Knicks and Pacers have engineered their fair share of miracle comebacks this playoffs, with the Knicks overcoming 20-point deficits twice against the Celtics and once against the Pacers, while Indiana has had at least one massive comeback in each series so far, against the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks.

In Game 5, the Knicks were able to tap into a defensive gear they had struggled to maintain throughout the playoffs, limiting stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam to a combined 23 points on 20 shots, while Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns took turns dominating offensively. The Knicks also seemed to find success with bench units that coach Tom Thibodeau had been reluctant to turn to before this series, with Landry Shamet, Delon Wright, and Precious Achiuwa all finding success in limited minutes.

The Pacers have yet to lose two games in a row in the playoffs, and have won games following a loss by an average of 18.3 points. They are also hoping to be bolstered by Aaron Nesmith returning to form after he played just 16 minutes in Game 5 while struggling through an ankle injury. He is no longer listed on the injury report. Haliburton has vowed to be more aggressive getting downhill in Game 6, after the Knicks’ increased defensive intensity seemed to take him out of his game and limited him to just seven shot attempts.

The Knicks will be looking to their wings to knock down open shots. While OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are each averaging 16 points per game, they’re shooting 29% and 33% from three, respectively, and have been unable to take advantage of the open looks created by the attention Brunson and Towns command. On the other side of the coin, Pacers shooting guard Andrew Nembhard has been uncharacteristically quiet, averaging just 9.0 points and 2.6 assists per game for the series after averaging 14.6 PPG and 6 APG in the first two rounds.

Brunson and Haliburton have proven themselves to be two of the most clutch performers in the sport, which will make any contest that’s tight going into the final five minutes that much more exciting.

While it can be expected that the star tandems of Brunson and Towns and Haliburton and Siakam will show up in such a high-pressure game, whether or not this series gets extended to seven games will likely come down to which team’s ancillary players are able to make the other team pay for allowing them room to find their offense.

We want to hear from you. Will the Pacers close out the series and advance to their first NBA Finals since 2000, or will the Knicks be able to extend the series to a winner-takes-all Game 7?

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jordan, Thunder

May 30th, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nuggets are looking to rebuild their depth after losing several key free agents in recent years, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, while certain signings – such as Reggie Jackson and Dario Saric – have proved unsuccessful. Bennett Durando of the Denver Post breaks down some of the potential options they could look at in free agency as they seek to create another title-contending roster.

The first name Durando looks at is a former Nugget: Bruce Brown. Brown left the Nuggets for a two-year balloon deal with the Pacers in 2023, and was included in Indiana’s trade for Pascal Siakam the following season. He split this season between Raptors and Pelicans, but only played 41 games due to injury.

Brown is still a fan favorite in Denver, Durando writes, and posted about the Nuggets hiring head coach David Adelman on his Instagram story. It’s believed that there is mutual interest between the two parties moving forward.

Durando also mentions Chris Boucher, whom the Nuggets looked at prior to this year’s trade deadline. Boucher averaged 10.0 points in 17.2 minutes per game for the Raptors this season while shooting 36.3% from three, and could make for an interesting backup center, a position where the Nuggets desperately need depth.

The other options cited by Durando are Tyus Jones, Larry Na nce Jr., Jake LaRavia, Dennis Schröder, Justin Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Luke Kennard, Clint Capela, and Mason Plumlee.

We have more from around the Northwest Division:

DeAndre Jordan, the Nuggets‘ current backup center, took to Instagram to thank Denver fans after wrapping up his 17th year in the NBA, notes Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto (via Twitter). “Can’t say enough how grateful I am for this team, this city, and everyone who supported us along the way. Playing this game never gets old, and doing it with this group made it even more meaningful,” he wrote, before adding “This isn’t a retirement post!” Jordan is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
“These guys are uncommon,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of his team, as reported by The Athletic’s Sam Amick. Part of that is the youthful exuberance the club displays after the final whistle blows, which Amick likens to a college program. However, there’s nothing playful about the Thunder’s approach during the game. Their ferociousness on the floor, combined with the genuine joy the players appear to feel for each other, marks it as a model of sustainable competitive team-building. “It makes sense. They’re great people first. That’s why it’s so easy to coach this team,” Daigneault said. That’s why Amick believes that this Thunder team is here for the long haul.
There are striking similarities to this Thunder team and the rise of the Warriors dynasty, writes ESPN’s Zach Kram. Both teams feature a 26-year-old MVP guard leading a team to nearly 70 wins en route to winning the Western Conference in five games, and both were largely built through shrewd drafting of heady, versatile players who could impact the game on both ends of the floor. For Golden State, that meant Klay Thompson and Draymond Green complementing Stephen Curry‘s greatness. For the Thunder, it means Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren supplementing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s dominance. Both teams added a versatile, dominant defender via trade: the Warriors acquired Andre Igoudala while the Thunder traded for Alex Caruso, and they both had smart rim protectors who could be taken off the floor when the team wanted to go small (Andrew Bogut and Isaiah Hartenstein, respectively). The Warriors eventually added Kevin Durant to complete the dynasty. While the Thunder might not have that opportunity, they do have one of the biggest stockpiles of draft assets to trade in the league, so it’s not entirely out of the question. The important part is: both teams were built to last.

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