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Injury Notes: Sochan, George, Demin, Suggs, K. Jones, Ingles

October 16th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs will be without forward Jeremy Sochan when they open their regular season in Dallas next Wednesday night, according to the team (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic).

Ramping up this fall from a calf injury he sustained during the summer, Sochan had progressed to 5-on-5 scrimmages this week and was trending toward potentially being available for opening night. However, the Spurs say that he sprained his left wrist in practice on Thursday. He’ll enter the regular season considered day-to-day, per the club.

Sochan is one of 15 players who remain eligible to sign rookie scale extensions. If he and the Spurs don’t agree to terms on or before Monday, he’ll be on track to play out his contract year and become eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

After progressing to 3-on-3 work on Wednesday, Sixers forward Paul George took another step forward on Thursday, fully participating in practice, including 5-on-5 action, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. However, head coach Nick Nurse quickly replied “no” when asked if there’s optimism about George suiting up for Friday’s preseason finale or next Wednesday’s regular season opener (Twitter video link). “Yesterday was his first day live,” Nurse said. “… Today was a short amount of 5-on-5, so we have to just keep waiting.”
No. 8 overall pick Egor Demin will make his preseason debut for the Nets on Friday vs. Toronto, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Demin has been dealing with a plantar fascia tear during training camp and the preseason, but it appears he’ll be ready for the start of the season unless he experiences a setback before then.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs responded well to the limited contact work he did this week, but there are still hurdles to clear before he’s cleared for game action, head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Thursday. “We’ll have a couple more scrimmages where we’ll be able to go live, some 3-on-3, some 5-on-5, and we’ll see how he responds after each one of those days,” Mosley said, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “Then we’ll be able to tell you accordingly, you’ll know whether he is or isn’t [ready] on opening night.”
After announcing last week that rookie guard Kam Jones could miss multiple weeks due to a back issue, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided an update on Thursday, telling Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) to check back in on Jones around November 9. That’s the same date that T.J. McConnell (hamstring) is scheduled to be reevaluated.
Timberwolves forward Joe Ingles, diagnosed last week with a left groin strain, has been cleared for basketball activities and will be available for Thursday’s game against Chicago, the team announced today in a press release.

Thunder Sign Cameron Brown, Waive Erik Reynolds

October 16th, 2025 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have signed free agent forward Cameron Brown, the team announced today. Guard Erik Reynolds, who was signed on Wednesday, has been waived to create room on the roster for the newcomer.

A 6’6″ wing who played his college ball at Saint Joseph’s from 2019-24, Brown went undrafted a year ago and spent the 2024/25 season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League. In 43 total outings for the Thunder’s NBAGL affiliate, he averaged 7.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.6 minutes per game and posted a .397/.339/.633 shooting line.

Although Brown’s numbers were modest, the Thunder saw enough to want to keep him in the organization. The plan is likely to waive him at some point in the next couple days and have him rejoin the Blue in the coming weeks.

Players who sign Exhibit 10 contracts can earn bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with their team’s NBAGL affiliate. However, it’s possible Brown’s bonus will come in below that maximum, given his relatively modest role at the G League level.

Reynolds, after being signed and waived by the Thunder, is also on track to be part of the Blue’s roster this fall.

Celtics Sign Hason Ward To Exhibit 10 Contract

October 16th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have signed free agent forward Hason Ward to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Ward, who went undrafted out of Iowa State in 2024, spent his first professional season with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate. He also stints with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in the summers of 2024 and 2025.

In 50 G League games last season for Maine, Ward averaged 7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 21.9 minutes per contest. He made 66.0% of shot attempts from the floor but just 50% from the free throw line.

It’s a virtual certainty that Ward will be waived at some point in the next 24 to 48 hours, which would put him on track to rejoin the Celtics’ G League team this fall. His Exhibit 10 bonus would ensure that he receives a bonus worth as much as $85,300 on top of his standard NBAGL salary if he spends at least 60 days with Maine.

Boston had an open spot on its 21-man roster after waiving two-way player RJ Luis on Wednesday, so Ward filled that opening.

Nuggets Notes: Two-Big Lineup, Braun, Watson, Murray, Jones, Delk

October 16th, 2025 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

After being named the Nuggets‘ permanent head coach in the spring, David Adelman has shown during the preseason that he’s willing to experiment with unusual lineup combinations to see what clicks, writes Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.

One of those lineups has seen centers Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas share the court. Adelman, who has used the two big men together for just a couple minutes in the second quarter in each of the past two games, admitted prior to Tuesday’s preseason matchup with Chicago that the unit is a work in progress, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required).

“I thought it was hilarious to watch it on tape,” Adelman said. “We haven’t had a ton of time (practicing with) those guys. They’ve scripted together, but they haven’t played together. But it’s kind of like, rip the Band-Aid off and just see what happens.

“… If they end up playing together a lot, we’ll slowly but surely add a package for those two guys,” he continued. “And not just for them, but to make the other three guys comfortable. I’ve made this point about Houston. Offensively, with the two bigs, (Alperen) Sengun was the point person, and (Steven) Adams just crushed the glass. So it’s like, our personalities are a little bit different. Val can crash the glass, but he’s also skilled. So I have to find a way to get those guys comfortable in space so they’re not right on top of each other.”

We have more on the Nuggets:

Both eligible for rookie scale extensions until Monday, fourth-year players Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have shown this month that they’re still adding new elements to their games, Durando writes in another story for The Denver Post. Braun has exhibited an increased willingness to take the ball to the basket, while Watson has operated on the ball more frequently this fall than in the past, Durando notes. Braun and Watson will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2026 if they don’t sign new deals before the season begins.
Jamal Murray has a history of starting seasons slow, but he looks well positioned to change that narrative this year, Benedetto writes for The Denver Gazette. Murray scored 30 points on 18 shots in Tuesday’s win over Chicago and appears to be “physically and mentally” ready for the season, says Benedetto.
Within the same story, Benedetto observes that two-way player Spencer Jones has frequently been used as the 10th man in Denver’s rotation this preseason, ahead of players like Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, and DaRon Holmes. The former undrafted rookie out of Stanford, entering his second season on a two-way contract with the Nuggets, has been lauded by Adelman for his defensive versatility.
The Nuggets have hired former NBA guard Tony Delk as a scout, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Delk, who appeared in 545 regular season games for eight teams from 1996-2006, most recently served as a pro personnel scout for the Mavericks.

Grizzlies Sign Nate Hinton, Waive Charlie Brown Jr.

October 16th, 2025 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have made a minor change to their roster ahead of Friday’s preseason finale, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed swingman Nate Hinton and waived guard Charlie Brown Jr.

Hinton, 26, appeared in 38 regular season games for Dallas, Indiana, and Houston from 2021-24 but was out of the league last year after being waived by the Rockets ahead of opening night.

Hinton appeared in a total of 37 games in the G League in 2024/25 for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ affiliate. He averaged 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 29.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .483/.378/.614.

The 6’5″ guard/forward appears likely to report back to the Hustle this fall. Assuming he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Grizzlies, which is likely, he’ll be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with Memphis’ affiliate.

That’s also likely the plan for Brown, who signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Grizzlies earlier this week.

Hornets Waive Spencer Dinwiddie

October 16th, 2025 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

12:28 pm: The move is official, according to a Hornets press release.

12:08 pm: Just three months after signing a guaranteed contract with the Hornets as a free agent, veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie is being waived, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Dinwiddie agreed to terms with Charlotte early in free agency on a one-year, minimum-salary deal and officially finalized that agreement on July 13. Because his salary was guaranteed, the 32-year-old will still receive his full $3,634,153, while the Hornets will carry $2,296,274 in dead money on their cap, assuming Dinwiddie goes unclaimed on waivers.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Dinwiddie played a more significant role than expected in Dallas last season due to the Luka Doncic trade and a series of injuries affecting guards like Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum. He was one of the only Mavericks players who made it through the season without dealing with any major health issues.

In 79 games (30 starts), Dinwiddie averaged 11.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .416/.334/.802. All of those numbers were in the ballpark of his career rates.

The Hornets’ decision to sign Dinwiddie in July was a little curious, given that the team had already traded for Collin Sexton and agreed to re-sign Tre Mann at that point in the offseason. It appeared the front office was making it a priority to load up on point guard depth after Mann and starter LaMelo Ball missed significant time last season due to injuries.

However, facing a roster crunch this fall and with Ball and Mann both healthy, the Hornets decided that Dinwiddie was the odd man out. He registered six points and six assists in 30 total minutes across two preseason games with the club — Charlotte was outscored by 20 points in those 30 minutes.

Once Dinwiddie is officially placed on waivers, the Hornets will have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, plus center Moussa Diabate on a non-guaranteed deal. There had been speculation that Pat Connaughton would be the roster casualty in Charlotte, but unless more moves are coming in the next few days, it looks like the former Buck is now on track to make the team’s regular season roster.

Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 10/16/2025

October 16th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included whether the Sixers and Hornets whiffed on Ace Bailey, Russell Westbrook's impact on the Kings, the Antetokounmpo family gathering in Milwaukee, Joe Mazzulla's hatred of the preseason and more!

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Jonathan Kuminga Fined $35K By NBA

October 16th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has been hit with a $35K fine, the NBA announced on Thursday in a press release (Twitter link).

Kuminga is being penalized for “making inappropriate contact with and continuing to pursue a game official,” according to the league. The incident occurred late in the second quarter of Tuesday’s preseason game vs. Portland and resulted in the the 23-year-old’s ejection.

Kuminga believed he was fouled on a drive to the basket that resulted in a missed layup (Twitter video link) and immediately confronted referee Rodney Mott about the no-call. Kuminga later explained that he was upset about the contact on the same ankle he injured last season, as ESPN’s Anthony Slater relays (Twitter link).

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game that he “didn’t mind the ejection at all” and appreciated the “fire” and “passion” Kuminga was playing with (Twitter video link via Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle). Presumably, Kerr didn’t realize at that point that Kuminga had made contact with Mott and wasn’t endorsing that aspect of the incident.

The $35K fine won’t impact Kuminga’s earnings as significantly as it would have last season. After making about $7.6MM in 2024/25, the final year of his rookie contract, the former No. 7 overall pick is earning $22.5MM on his new deal in ’25/26.

Hornets Sign, Waive Jonas Aidoo

October 16th, 2025 at 10:27am CST by Rory Maher

October 16: The Hornets have waived Aidoo, per the team (Twitter link), putting him on track to join the Swarm in the coming weeks.

October 15: The Hornets have officially signed center Jonas Aidoo, announcing the news in a press release (Twitter link).

As is the case with most transactions this time of year, Aidoo likely received an Exhibit 10 contract, which would put him in line for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived before the season begins and spends at least 60 days with Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Aidoo played three college seasons at Tennessee prior to transferring to Arkansas for his senior year in 2024/25. In 33 games for the Razorbacks last season, including 15 starts (18.9 minutes per contest), the 6’11” big man averaged 6.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

Aidoo went undrafted in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.

As Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer notes (via Twitter), the Hornets opened up a spot on their 21-man roster yesterday evening when they waived Ibou Badji. The team is now back at the offseason limit of 21 players under contract.

Injury Notes: Sabonis, George, Williams, Bailey, Vanderbilt

October 16th, 2025 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings fell to 0-3 during the preseason on Wednesday with a loss to the Clippers. More concerning than the defeat was the fact that star center Domantas Sabonis exited the game midway through the third quarter and was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the night due to what the team called a right hamstring issue, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required).

Sacramento already projects to be shorthanded in the frontcourt when the regular season begins next week, with forward Keegan Murray sidelined due to thumb surgery. It’s unclear whether or not Sabonis’ injury is serious enough to jeopardize his availability for the start of the season — head coach Doug Christie said after the game that he didn’t have a concrete update yet on the big man’s status.

“Listen, your star player goes down, you never want to see that, period,” Christie said, according to Anderson. “I can’t speculate on what it is. Hopefully it’s nothing. We have some time before the first game, but those are the things you just don’t want to see. But it’s part of what we do. It’s the same thing with Keegan. As unfortunate as it is, it’s just part of our game.”

We have more notes on injuries from around the NBA:

Sixers forward Paul George continues to make progress in his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Wednesday that George has advanced to participating in live, full-court three-on-three drills, as Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports relays (via Twitter). It’s the first time the veteran forward has taken part in live action this fall.
There’s a belief in Phoenix that center Mark Williams will be available for opening night after not playing at all in the preseason, says John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link). The Suns big man has been playing 5-on-5 and will get the opportunity to take part in a few more scrimmages before the team’s opener next Wednesday. Gambadoro adds (via Twitter) that he doesn’t expect Jalen Green (hamstring) to miss more than two or three games at the start of the season unless he experiences another setback.
Rookie forward Ace Bailey has been ruled out for the Jazz‘s preseason finale on Thursday due to bilateral knee tendinopathy, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Head coach Will Hardy downplayed the issue earlier this week, so there’s no indication at this point that Bailey won’t be ready when the regular season tips off next Wednesday.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was ruled out of the second half of Wednesday’s preseason game vs. Dallas due to a left quad contusion, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says the injury appeared to occur when Vanderbilt got kneed in the thigh. Vanderbilt is hoping to play a key role for L.A. this season after being limited to 65 total outings over the last two regular seasons due to health issues.