Pacers GM Hoping To Retain Turner Beyond This Season
The Pacers are hoping to re-sign starting center Myles Turner next offseason, general manager Chad Buchanan told the media on Tuesday.
“We’re big believers in Myles,” Buchanan said. “We want him to be here.”
Turner, who will make $19,928,500 this season, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Complicating matters for Indiana is that Turner will not become extension-eligible before free agency.
As Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star points out, when Turner signed a two-year contract extension in January 2023, he and the Pacers also renegotiated of the final year of his previous contract. Typically, players become extension-eligible on the two-year anniversary of their previous signing, but renegotiating a contract pushes that timeline to three years.
The Pacers will have a small window after the NBA Finals to negotiate with Turner before other teams can come calling, thanks to a new rule allowing teams to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents between the end of the Finals and June 30.
Turner is an impact player at both ends of the floor. He averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game last season. He has led the league in blocks twice and is also a respectable three-point shooter (35.4% for his career).
“His development fit with (coach Rick Carlisle’s) system,” Buchanan said. “He fit with our point guards. Fit with Pascal. You see how he seamlessly fits into the way we play.”
Re-signing Turner may not be a simple process, as Indiana has long-term salary cap concerns. Tyrese Haliburton and Siakam are on maximum-salary contracts, while forward Obi Toppin and guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell each signed long-term deals worth eight figures annually this offseason.
The Pacers will likely have to exceed the luxury tax threshold in 2025/26 to pay Turner market value and retain their core group.
Kawhi Leonard Underwent Knee Procedure This Offseason
Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard underwent a procedure on his right knee in the offseason, Shams Charania and Law Murray of The Athletic report (Twitter link).
It’s a troubling development as the Clippers head into training camp. Leonard will be limited in training camp, and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank isn’t sure if Leonard will be ready to play by the season opener. But Frank also indicated during a press conference on Tuesday that he expects Leonard to have a “great year” and that his star forward feels he’s trending in the right direction (Twitter links here).
Leonard was sidelined at the end of the 2023/24 season due to right knee inflammation. He missed the last eight games of the regular season and first game of the playoffs due to the ailment. The 33-year-old returned for Game 2 and Game 3 vs. Dallas, then sat out the final three contests of the Clippers’ first-round loss.
Leonard was on Team USA’s roster but was replaced shortly before the Paris Olympics due to health concerns.
Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 34.3 minutes per game last season. He started 68 regular season games, the most he’s appeared in since he started 74 games for San Antonio in the 2016/17 season. He signed a three-year max extension with the Clippers in January.
Heat Sign Nassir Little To Non-Guaranteed Contract
SEPTEMBER 24: The Heat have officially signed Little, the team announced today in a press release.
According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Little’s one-year contract is fully non-guaranteed.
SEPTEMBER 23: Nassir Little has agreed to a one-year contract with the Heat, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets.
The free agent forward had worked out for a number of other teams, including the Celtics, Warriors and Kings.
The Heat already have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, plus others on training camp or non-guaranteed contracts. They have major luxury tax considerations and would surpass the second tax apron threshold by carrying a 15th man, so it remains to be seen what kind of contract Miami offered. It’s likely to be a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deal.
Little, 24, has been a free agent since Phoenix waived him late last month. The combo forward appeared in 45 games for the Suns last season, making two starts and posting 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per night. The former No. 25 overall pick spent his first four NBA seasons in Portland before coming to Phoenix in a three-team trade last September.
Hornets’ Soriano, Pelicans’ Robinson, Two Cavs Among Tuesday’s Cuts
The Hornets have waived Joel Soriano, according to the NBA.com official transaction log. Soriano was on an Exhibit 10 contract, which he signed earlier this month.
A 6’10” center, Soriano went undrafted in June after finishing his college career at St. John’s. The big man averaged a double-double (14.5 points, 10.7 rebounds) in 66 games during his final two college seasons while also chipping in 1.6 blocks and 1.4 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest.
Soriano could receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K after he clears waivers, then spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate.
Here are a few more of the latest cuts from around the league:
- After announcing earlier today that they’ve signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Pelicans have already waived Galen Robinson Jr., per NBA.com’s transaction log. The Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate, holds Robinson’s returning rights, so the quick sign-and-waive transaction was simply designed to get him an Exhibit 10 bonus (worth up to $77.5K) on top of his standard G League salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Squadron this season.
- Shortly after signing them to Exhibit 10 contracts, the Cavaliers have waived Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Gabe Osabuohien, according to the transaction log at NBA.com. The cuts had been expected, since today’s reporting indicated that Cleveland had agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with six players but only had room to bring four of them to training camp. Tomlin and Osabuohien figure to open the season with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Pistons Announce Coaching Staff Under Bickerstaff
The Pistons have officially announced new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s staff via a press release.
Luke Walton, Sidney Lowe, Fred Vinson, Vitaly Potapenko, Kevin Burleson, Jerome Allen and Josh Estes have been named as assistants.
Walton’s decision to join Bickerstaff was reported in mid-July. The former Kings and Lakers head coach comes to Detroit after spending the last two seasons in Cleveland on Bickerstaff’s staff. Lowe’s decision to join Bickerstaff was also revealed in July. This will be his third stint in Detroit, where he served as an assistant during the 2005/06 season and again from 2018 to 2021.
Vinson was hired in June prior to the Pistons’ decision to fire Monty Williams with five years remaining on his contract. Vinson spent 14 years with the Pelicans organization and is highly regarded for his expertise as a shooting instructor.
Potapenko spent the last six years with Memphis, while Burleson had been the head coach of the Rockets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the last two seasons. Allen was a candidate for the head coaching job after Williams’ dismissal and spent two seasons on Dwane Casey‘s staff in Detroit. He served as a pro personnel scout for the Celtics last season.
Estes spent the last four seasons as a coaching analyst and analytics coordinator in Cleveland under Bickerstaff.
Suns Sign Tyrese Samuel To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Suns have signed Tyrese Samuel to an Exhibit 10 contract, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
Phoenix’s intention to sign Samuel was reported shortly after he went undrafted out of Florida. He saw action in four Las Vegas Summer League contests with the Suns.
Samuel, a 6’10” All-SEC big man, spent his first four collegiate seasons at Seton Hall before transferring to the Gators in 2023/24. He scored 13.9 points per game on 56.4% field goal shooting and 56.2% foul shooting. He also averaged 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest.
Samuel will be eligible for a bonus up to $77.5K if he’s waived and the spends at least 60 days with the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League club.
Cavs Adding Four Players To Fortify Camp Roster
The Cavaliers have agreed to training camp deals with Pete Nance, Jules Bernard, Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Gabe Osabuohien, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
Cleveland had 17 players, including two-way contracts, on its roster. If the Cavs don’t make any additional moves after finalizing these newly reported deals, they’ll have a full 21-man roster entering training camp.
Nance is a familiar name to Cavs fans. He finished last season on a two-way contract with Cleveland and also played on the Cavs’ Summer League team. The 24-year-old forward appeared in eight Cavs games last season.
Bernard, a 24-year-old guard, played 19 games for the Wizards last season on a two-way contract. The Cleveland Charge, the team’s NBA G League squad, recently acquired his returning rights.
Tomlin is an undrafted rookie forward out of Memphis. Osabuohien, another forward, has spent the last two seasons with the Charge.
Eastern Notes: Stewart, Pistons, Krauskopf, Heat Arena
With Mitchell Robinson now targeting December or January for his return to action from ankle surgery, the Knicks are seeking more depth in the middle, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic.
New York has spent a good portion of the last few months scouring the league for another frontcourt player, Edwards reports. One of those potential targets is the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart.
Stewart’s four-year, $60MM extension kicks in this season and includes a club option. He’s expected to fight for playing time at both power forward and center for the revamped Pistons.
The Pistons received numerous inquiries on Stewart before he signed the extension. Injuries limited him to 46 games last season.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Speaking of the Pistons and Stewart, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required) examines three position battles heading into Detroit’s camp. That includes Stewart and Jalen Duren squaring off for the starting center job. There will also be camp battles for backup point minutes behind Cade Cunningham, as well as numerous candidates elbowing for playing time at the forward spots.
- Kelly Krauskopf is leaving her post as the Pacers’ assistant GM to become the president of basketball and business operations for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star relays via a press release from Pacers Sports and Entertainment. Krauskopf was the Fever’s president and GM from the team’s inception in 2000 until 2018. She was then hired by the Pacers and became the first woman in league history to hold an executive basketball management role. “I want to thank (Pacers president) Kevin Pritchard for asking me to join his management staff six years ago. There’s no doubt that experience will serve me well as I enter this next chapter,” she said.
- Kaseya Center, the current name of the Heat‘s home arena, has undergone a series of multimillion-dollar facility upgrades, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. The arena upgrades include a new scoreboard, new lighting and audio systems and a new retractable seating system in the lower bowl. The upgrades were made this summer.
Grizzlies Waive Derrick Rose
5:54pm: The Grizzlies have officially waived Rose, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
4:00pm: The Grizzlies plan to waive veteran point guard Derrick Rose, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Rose had one year left on the two-year, veteran’s minimum contract he signed with Memphis last offseason.
According to Ian Begley of SNY TV (Twitter link), Rose requested to be released from his contract. Expect the former MVP to provide an update on his status later in the week, Begley adds. It remains to be seen whether Rose is contemplating retirement or seeking out another opportunity.
Rose had been expected to battle for playing time behind starting point guard Ja Morant. Memphis’ decision to waive Rose may signal that it will offer a standard contract to Scotty Pippen Jr., who is currently on a two-way deal. However, the Grizzlies will likely target more depth at that position, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
There are some veteran point men still on the free agent market, including Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. As our Offseason Check-In displays, the Grizzlies have exceptions available if they choose to use them but would risk surpassing the luxury tax line if they offer anyone more than the veteran’s minimum, assuming Rose didn’t give up any of his salary.
Rose, who turns 36 next month, only appeared in 24 games with the Grizzlies last season, including seven starts. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes. He battled knee, hamstring, ankle and back ailments last season. He hasn’t appeared in more than 27 games in any of the past three seasons after playing in a combined 50 games with Detroit and New York in 2020/21.
The first overall pick of the 2008 draft, Rose made three All-Star teams before knee injuries plagued his career. He has appeared in 723 regular season games, averaging 17.4 points and 5.2 assists in 30.5 minutes.
Western Notes: Gordon, Rockets Roster, Divac, Doncic, Kennard
Aaron Gordon becomes eligible for a four-year contract extension later this week and that will be one of the big storylines at the Nuggets’ training camp, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post writes. Gordon has a player option for the 2025/26 season but could replace that with the first year of a new deal as part of an extension agreement.
Jamal Murray‘s health and the way Russell Westbrook fits into the Nuggets’ rotation are among the other storylines to watch in Denver, according to Durando.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- With the Rockets buying out and waiving forward AJ Griffin, they have an open spot on the official roster. How will it be filled? It could turn into a competition among players on two-ways and training camp deals, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Jeenathan Williams, Nate Hinton, N’Faly Dante, Jermaine Samuels and Jack McVeigh comprise that group. Houston could also opt to leave that spot open or sign a free agent.
- Former Kings general manager Vlade Divac made one of the biggest draft blunders in recent years when he passed on Luka Doncic in favor of Marvin Bagley in 2018. Divac admits he made a mistake but explained that he already had a talented floor leader in De’Aaron Fox. “I could’ve taken Luka, but then I would’ve had to trade Fox,” he said in an interview with Index, a Croatian outlet (hat tip to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Sports Journal).
- Grizzlies players have been competing in 5-on-5 scrimmages for over a month and Luke Kennard is impressed by the team’s competitiveness and attention to detail. “Something I haven’t really seen before,” Kennard told Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re really pushing each other and competing really hard. I think that’s going to go a long way. We start that right now. We’re getting a few steps ahead until the season starts.”