Western Notes: Jokic, Branham, Conley, Wallace
Nikola Jokic was concerned about how the Nuggets performed in the preseason. Denver has also lost its first two regular season games but the superstar center says the offense simply isn’t clicking yet, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
“I think we are struggling to score,” Jokić said. “We have scored 87 and 104 points in our two games. That’s not enough. In today’s NBA, you have to score more points. I think the defense has been good, so that’s a positive. But we are just not scoring enough points. We aren’t making shots. Open looks aren’t going in. We just aren’t converting and executing the way we need to.”
Jones points out that Christian Braun is still settling in to the starting lineup, while Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric and second-year shooting guard Julian Strawther are trying to do the same on the second unit.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- With Spurs backup point guard Tre Jones sidelined by an ankle sprain, Malaki Branham has been thrust into the rotation, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes. Branham had seven points, two assists and two blocks in 14 minutes against Houston on Saturday. “We have so many guys on this team who can contribute,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “It’s about the next man staying ready and being professional. That’s one of the biggest things on our team.” The Spurs picked up the 2025/26 option on Branham’s contract earlier this month.
- Timberwolves guard Mike Conley is experiencing some nagging wrist soreness, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Conley has been dealing with the issue for a few years and will need to address it after his playing days are over, Krawczynski adds. However, he won’t blame his poor shooting (20%) through the first three games on his wrist, since he’s navigated the issue successfully in the past.
- Cason Wallace showed off his defensive prowess for the Thunder against Hawks star Trae Young in the fourth quarter on Sunday, holding Young without a fourth quarter field goal. Young also committed three turnovers during that portion of OKC’s 24-point win. “It’s a lot of fun being a competitor at one of the highest levels,” Wallace told Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “Taking pride in not wanting to get scored on, especially in an iso situation.” Wallace was the 10th pick of the 2023 draft.
Clippers Exercise 2025/26 Option On Kobe Brown’s Contract
The Clippers have exercised their 2025/26 option on Kobe Brown‘s rookie contract, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets.
Brown is due to make $2,654,692 next season after earning $2,533,920 in ’24/25. The 24-year-old was the 30th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Missouri.
Brown saw action in 44 regular season games as a rookie, though he only averaged 9.0 minutes per contest. He posted averages of 2.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists in those 44 games and made 18 starts at the G League level as well.
Brown also appeared in three postseason games but has yet to see any action this season.
With the Clippers signing Kawhi Leonard, Terance Mann and Ivica Zubac to extensions this calendar year, plus James Harden holding a $36.3MM option on his contract for the 2025/26 season, they need some low-cost options to round out the roster. This locks in Brown for another season as he continues to develop his game and attempts to become a rotation player.
Brown excelled in Summer League action, averaging 16.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 4.2 APG.
Rudy Gobert Signs Three-Year Extension With Timberwolves
OCTOBER 25: Gobert’s extension with the Timberwolves is now official, the team announced today in a press release.
Gobert was permitted to sign the contract after the regular season began because it’s a veteran extension and he declined his 2025/26 player option as part of the agreement.
The deal begins at $35MM in 2025/26 and increases to $36.5MM in ’26/27, with a $38MM player option for ’27/28, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links), who adds that Gobert’s trade kicker is worth 7.5%.
OCTOBER 22: The Timberwolves and center Rudy Gobert have agreed to a three-year, $110MM contract extension, Shams Charania of ESPN tweets.
The move comes on the heels of Minnesota trading away Gobert’s frontcourt partner, Karl-Anthony Towns, this offseason at the start of Towns’ max extension, which created more long-term cap flexibility for the club.
Gobert, 32, is scheduled to make $43,827,587 this season on his current deal. He had a $46,655,173 option for the 2025/26 season, which he’ll decline and replace with a smaller number in order to lock in two additional years beyond that.
The new extension will include a player option for 2027/28, as well as a trade kicker, Charania adds (Twitter link).
Minnesota will get some cap relief with Gobert declining that 2025/26 option, giving the team more flexibility to make moves next offseason. Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the team’s other main frontcourt players, could become free agents if they decline their own ’25/26 player options next summer.
Gobert is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, having won the award for a fourth time this past spring. After a rocky first season with the organization following the blockbuster deal between Minnesota and Utah, Gobert settled in last season and played an integral role on a team which reached the Western Conference Finals.
Gobert is also one of the more durable players in the league by current standards. He hasn’t appeared in fewer than 66 regular season games since the 2018/19 season.
Last season, he made 76 starts and averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per night. He also started 15 postseason games, averaging 12.1 PPG and 9.8 RPG.
The Wolves had a +8.0 net rating during the regular season when Gobert was on the court, compared to a +3.0 mark when he sat. During the playoffs, that gap increased to +9.8 in the center’s minutes and -6.3 when he on the bench.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Maxey
As expected, the NBA has officially launched an investigation into Joel Embiid‘s player participation, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
The player participation policy requires stars (defined as players who have made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons) to suit up for nationally televised games. If they’re held out of action without an injury or without the league granting an exception, the team is subject to a fine.
The Sixers have already stated that Embiid, who also didn’t play in the preseason, will miss the first three games of the season. They are determined to keep him fresh for the postseason.
We have more on the Sixers:
- Philadelphia opened its season with a 15-point loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday, as Paul George also sat out with a knee injury. Tyrese Maxey said that injuries can’t be used as an excuse, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We played one game,” Maxey said. “I’m not about to sit here and say that just because Jo was out, we played bad. Yes, we did not win the game, which is the ultimate goal. But we’ve been with Jo all preseason. All training camp for the most part. … I mean, this team, us winning can’t solely be on Joel Embiid. It just can’t.”
- Embiid and George have developed a strong friendship. The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell delves deep into this topic, noting they had extensive conversations at All-Star weekends. “He was like, ‘Man, regardless of what goes on, I look at you as someone that I want to be friends with for a long part of my life,’” George said. “And that was deep to me. Because we knew each other, but we didn’t know each other on that level yet. … [From] that point on, we just kind of built a stronger relationship, where it came to this summer.”
- Despite the presence of that star veteran duo, Maxey feels he needs to become more of a leader, he told The Athletic’s Tony Jones. “I need to lead by example. I need to lead with my voice,” he said. “I know that I’m young, but I have to play well and if I do that I can demand respect with my play. I think Joel has given me the green light to lead, especially because he doesn’t talk as much. I have a lot of veterans in the locker room that are here to help me. But I really want to set a good example just by how hard I work.”
Western Notes: Warriors, Davis, Morant, Pelicans
Most coaches stick with a nine- or 10-man rotation. Warriors coach Steve Kerr feels he has so many bench options, he can use a dozen players during the course of a game.
That was on display on opening night, as Golden State blew out Portland. Early in the second quarter, 12 players had already seen the floor.
“This is as deep of a team as I’ve ever coached, and we’ve got to lean into that,” Kerr said, per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. “I’ve never played 12 before, but we’re going to do it. I was thinking, well, maybe I’ll just play 10 and we’ll have to tell two of these guys that they’re going to sit. But I just couldn’t justify that.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- JJ Redick‘s plans to feature Anthony Davis in his Lakers offense was on display opening night against Minnesota, The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes. Signed through the 2027/28 season, Davis racked up 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. He also attempted 23 shots on which he wasn’t fouled. “I think it’s a good first step of seeing how (Redick) wants me to play and how he wants me to be that hub and to orchestrate the offense, in a sense,” he said.
- Ja Morant was limited to nine games last season due to a suspension and a shoulder injury. He came back strong in the Grizzlies’ opener, contributing 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in 28 minutes against Utah. “My job as a point guard is to control the game,” said Morant, per The Associated Press. “I hate if I let the other team’s point guard control the game. Whatever I can do to make sure it’s in our favor, I try to do.”
- It was an ominous start for the Pelicans, as Zion Williamson sat out with an illness against Chicago and Dejounte Murray broke his hand. Trey Murphy was already out with a hamstring strain. “Guys are ready for more opportunities whenever they may come,” CJ McCollum told William Guillory of The Athletic. “… It’s unfortunate that injuries are part of the game, but they happen sometimes. That’s why you need depth on your roster to compete in an 82-game season.”
Southeast Notes: Williams, Lee, Johnson, McClung
The Hornets won’t have their starting center available for the season opener. Mark Williams has been ruled out while he continues to rehab a left foot injury, the team’s PR department tweets. Williams has returned to on-court activity, so he should be back in action soon.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Hornets first-year coach Charles Lee says he’s ready to get the season started, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “I feel the same way — cool and calm — and I can feel that way because I feel like we’re prepared,” said Lee, whose team opens its season at Houston on Wednesday. “I think that we talked through a lot of situations offensively, defensively. We put in a good amount of information and I think it’s going to help us be competitive in the early part of the year. As the season continues to evolve, we’ll continue to evolve and will continue to put more things in on defense and on offense. But I feel great and a lot of it is because I have a really good team and a team that’s been open-minded the whole preseason. And they’ve been consistent with their work ethic and their work habits.”
- The Hawks gave Jalen Johnson a giant commitment, signing him to a five-year, $150MM rookie scale extension. General manager Landry Fields was comfortable signing Johnson to a long-term deal because of his work ethic and attitude. “He’s competitive, he works his tail off and he’s willing to do what needs to be done in order to get better. For a lot of guys, that’s not always the case. But he embodies all of that,” Fields said, per The Athletic’s Jared Weiss and John Hollinger. “When we get those types of players, we want to invest in them. So we’re happy and excited to invest in him for our future because we see a high ceiling for him.” Johnson had a breakout last season after two nondescript seasons and is thrilled to have long-term security, according to Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I mean, Atlanta is where I want to be,” Johnson said. “There’s nothing, no doubt about that. I feel like we’re building something really special here, and I want to be a part of it. So it meant a lot for, you know, them to want to get something done with me as well.”
- After toiling in the G League last season, Mac McClung is relieved to receive a two-way contract with the Magic, he told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “It was a special moment,” he said. “I’ve been working hard to get something like this, so it was just very special and a relief, for sure.” McClung entered camp on an Exhibit 10 deal.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors Injuries, Raptors Schedule, Mazzulla, McCain
The Raptors have listed RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Bruce Brown as out for their season opener against Cleveland on Wednesday, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets.
Barrett is making progress in his recovery from shoulder injury. He was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday but still hasn’t been cleared for contact, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter links). Olynyk is dealing with back stiffness, while Walter and Brown are recovering from shoulder and knee injuries, respectively.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Raptors have acknowledged this will be a rebuilding season but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. The Raptors plan to push the pace and play an entertaining brand of basketball but their early schedule is brutal, Koreen notes. In its first 25 games, Toronto will have 22 matchups against teams that finished better .500 in 2023/24.
- Joe Mazzulla had a blunt and somewhat amusing response to questions about the pressure to repeat as champions. “It’s not pressure,” said the Celtics coach, per ESPN News Services. “There’s nothing anyone in this circle can do to me that’s going to impact my identity and who I am as a person or a coach. We’re either going to win or we’re not, and 40 years from now, none of you are invited to my funeral and that’s it.”
- Sixers first-rounder Jared McCain averaged 12.8 points and shot 37.9% on 3-pointers in five preseason games but he’s unlikely to find many minutes on a win-now team. McCain plans to work hard and deal with whatever’s thrown at him in his rookie campaign, he told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. McCain will be available for Philadelphia’s opener on Wednesday despite suffering bruised lungs during a preseason game last week. He’s not listed on the injury report, Pompey tweets.
Western Notes: Huerter, Murphy, Braun, Strawther, Jokic
Kings guard Kevin Huerter went through a full practice, including a scrimmage, on Tuesday. Huerter was cleared for full contact earlier this month after undergoing left shoulder surgery during the spring. It appears he’ll jump right back into a starting role.
“He looks good. Doesn’t look like he missed a beat at all. If he plays (in Thursday’s regular season opener), he’ll probably start,” head coach Mike Brown said, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Now that the Pelicans have locked in Trey Murphy to a rookie scale extension, it’s time to see what he can do as a full-time starter, Will Guillory of The Athletic opines. Guillory believes Murphy could play at an All-Star level and make New Orleans a prime contender but needs an expanded role to show if he can develop into that type of player. Murphy signed a four-year extension worth $112MM on Monday.
- While Christian Braun is generally considered the likely successor to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the Nuggets’ starting shooting guard, coach Michael Malone continues to insist that Julian Strawther is still in the running for that spot, Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports tweets.
- The Nuggets open their season on Thursday and center Nikola Jokic says the team needs to ramp it up after what he feels was a poor preseason, he told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “I think we didn’t play the preseason how we’re supposed to be playing,” Jokic said. “The defense was not where it’s supposed to be. We couldn’t make shots. So we played really bad and poorly the whole preseason. So hopefully we can do something a little bit better when the (regular) season comes.”
Hardy Signs Three-Year Extension With Mavs; No Extension For Grimes
OCTOBER 22: Hardy has officially signed his extension, according to Mavs PR (Twitter link).
OCTOBER 21: Third-year guard Jaden Hardy has agreed to a three-year, $18MM extension with the Mavericks, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The final year of Hardy’s extension will include a team option, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets.
Hardy was a second-round pick in 2022 and the contract he’s signing is considered a veteran extension rather than a rookie scale extension.
He was eligible to sign at any point this season, unlike some other veterans who faced a Monday deadline. However, Hardy and the team chose to get the deal done sooner rather than later.
In related news, the Mavericks won’t be signing Quentin Grimes to a rookie scale extension, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets. Grimes will be headed to restricted free agency next summer.
Hardy has proved to be a valuable rotation player in his two NBA seasons. He saw action in 73 regular season games last season, including seven starts, averaging 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13.5 minutes per contest. He’s established himself as a reliable three-point threat in his two seasons in Dallas (37.9%).
The 6’4” Hardy also played regularly in the postseason, albeit in limited minutes. He averaged 4.2 PPG in 6.8 MPG. He could have an opportunity for more minutes early in the 2024/25 season with Dante Exum sidelined due to wrist surgery.
Low-cost rotation players are extremely valuable to contenders with max contract players on their ledger, so Hardy’s willingness to sign for an average of $6MM per season was naturally an incentive for the Western Conference champions.
The Grimes news comes somewhat as a surprise, considering he was reportedly negotiating a three-year extension with Dallas. According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), despite some initial optimism, the two sides were unable to bridge a gap in their discussions during the final days leading up to Monday’s deadline.
Grimes, a late first-rounder in 2021, spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Knicks, then was dealt to the Pistons at the February trade deadline. Detroit included Grimes in the offseason Tim Hardaway Jr. deal.
Los Angeles Notes: Porter Jr., Harden, Olivari, James Family
The NBA’s investigation regarding Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. remains ongoing, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets. Porter will be able to play until the NBA decides whether to take disciplinary action. The Clippers signed Porter to a two-year contract in the summer despite his past troubles with the law.
In 2023, following an arrest on a domestic assault charge, Porter was traded by the Rockets to Oklahoma City shortly before the start of the regular season. The Thunder waived him the day after the deal was completed and he didn’t play in the league last season.
Porter reached a plea agreement of a third-degree reckless assault misdemeanor in January. He was required to complete a court-ordered program, after which his plea was to move to not guilty with no criminal record.
We have more on the Los Angeles teams:
- With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely due to his knee rehab, James Harden is thrust into the role of primary scorer for the Clippers. However, coach Tyronn Lue doesn’t want to place too much of a burden on the 35-year-old guard. “Yeah, we got to be smart about it. We’ve been talking about it, meeting about it, just making sure we don’t run him into the ground,” Lue told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “When you lose a power player like Kawhi to start, you can see yourself playing James way more minutes than you need to. So, we just got to make sure we keep him healthy and make sure we’re doing the smart thing, and we’re still working on that right now as far as minutes and what we try to have to start the season.”
- Quincy Olivari had his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal by the Lakers after his strong preseason showing. He’s thrilled to make the roster but has loftier goals in mind. “This ain’t my end goal in life, but it’s another milestone that I’ve completed and accomplished and I’m just ready,” Olivari told Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “I’m just glad I was able to come back here to practice, honestly. I woke up and I was like, ‘It might be early, I might still be tired, but there’s some people that don’t have this blessing that I have so I’m just going to take full advantage.’ It changed my whole mindset.”
- Will Bronny James appear on the court at the same time as his father in the Lakers’ season opener? LeBron James says there’s no rush to make history. “Whenever it happens, it will happen,” he said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “If it’s tonight or if it’s down the line, whenever it happens, it will happen. But it’s been a treat, and just in preseason, the practices, just every day … just bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about and how to prepare every day as a professional.” The Lakers host Minnesota on Tuesday.