Texas Notes: Eason, Smith, Rockets, Thompson, Dinwiddie
There was little doubt the Rockets would pick up the 2025/26 contract options of Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. However, both players expressed their appreciation, as The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen writes.
Eason had leg surgery in March.
“I’m very happy about that,” Eason said of the option decision. “I love this group, I love this city, I love this team. The fact that I have the opportunity to continue to be involved with these guys is truly a blessing. I’m very happy. Missing all that time, there’s a lot of questions, a lot of what-ifs. First major surgery for me, first injury for me, there’s a lot of question marks. But I think that they saw how serious I was in my work coming back and just how ready I was and eager I was to get back with the team. Seeing my work ethic, (the option decision showed) just the trust and faith was there.”
Smith also voiced his gratitude.
“It’s a blessing, everything is a blessing,” Smith said. “It’s just how you look at it. I’m really excited to know it’s another year I have in the league. Just trying to build on it.”
We have more on the Texas teams:
- The Rockets are near the bottom of the league in shooting percentage but are still scoring at a respectable rate by getting offensive rebounds and forcing turnovers, according to Feigen. Smith isn’t concerned about the team’s 40.9 field goal percentage. “Just keep shooting,” he said. “It can be like that sometimes. I feel like we’re getting good shots. When I rewatch the games, it looks like all my shots are wide open. Looks like everybody’s shooting the right type of shots. It’s just a matter of making them, and I know that’s going to come. Five games into the season, you can’t overreact to it too much. We know we can make shots. We know we can shoot the ball. It’s just a matter of keep trusting and keep getting good shots.”
- Klay Thompson is taking 12.8 shots per game, his lowest total since his rookie season. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd wants Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to get the ball in Thompon’s hands more often. “We’ve got to make sure that Klay’s involved,” Kidd said, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I think here of late, you look at Kyrie and Luka, their attempts have definitely gone up. It’s just about being conscious of who’s on the floor. And when Klay’s on the floor, we need to make sure that we use him the right way.”
- Spencer Dinwiddie‘s role with the Mavs has been shifting game-t0-game, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com notes. Dinwiddie, who is playing on a one-year contract, is trying to adjust. “To be honest, we’re figuring it out at the moment,” he said of his role. “I’ve been first off the bench some games and I’ve been told I wasn’t going to play some games. It’s early and we’re figuring all that out. I look forward to helping anyway I can.”
Southwest Notes: Williamson, Ingram, Hawkins, Collins, Sochan
With Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones all sidelined due to injuries, there’s even more pressure on Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to carry the Pelicans, The Athletic’s William Guillory writes.
New Orleans dropped three straight before defeating Indiana on Friday. Williamson and Ingram combined for 60 points and 17 assists in that victory.
“People always try to tell us that we can’t hoop together,” Williamson said. “Me and him just want to have fun and make it happen. That’s what basketball is all about.”
However, Williamson was a late scratch himself on Sunday due to right hamstring tightness, the team tweets.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Jordan Hawkins entered Sunday’s action with a 17.3 PPG scoring average in his second NBA season. His Pelicans teammates compare his offensive skills to Hall of Famer Ray Allen, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “He’s got a pretty release,” McCollum said. “It’s fast. It’s a lot like Ray Allen. He always seems to be on balance.” Williamson agrees: “Me and him talk about it a lot. I tell him it reminds me of Ray Allen. Being able to catch and shoot on the move, whether you’re facing the basket or not. Or just a spot-up shot.”
- Spurs big man Zach Collins has been fined $2,000 by the NBA for flopping, according to the league (Twitter link). Collins was assessed the flopping fine after a post-game review of a play in which Minnesota’s Julius Randle drove to the basket and made contact with Collins.
- Jeremy Sochan has been getting under opponents’ skin. The Spurs believe Sochan has been unburdened this season because he’s no longer tasked with playing the point, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “It’s part of his game,” center Victor Wembanyama said. “It can also be beneficial sometimes.”
New York Notes: Towns, Hart, Williams, Schroder
The Knicks’ bold move to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns paid off in a big way on Wednesday. The former Minnesota big man, who averaged 15.3 points in his first three games with his new team, erupted for 44 points in a victory over Miami.
Towns had 25 field-goal attempts after not attempting more than 11 in the first three games.
“I think we did a good job of just feeding the hot hand,” Jalen Brunson told the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy. “He was hot and we were just playing through him. He was making the right reads and when they doubled he either got fouled or he made the right play. We trust him. We trust him.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- Josh Hart was listed as questionable entering the contest after getting accidentally kicked in the shin by Cleveland’s Caris LeVert on Monday. He wound up playing 42 minutes and contributing 10 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. “That’s what you love about him,” coach Tom Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “There’s no other agenda other than winning. So whatever you ask him to do he’s going to give you everything he has.”
- Ziaire Williams was thrilled to get some revenge on his former team on Wednesday, as the Nets beat the Grizzlies on the road. Williams, a 2021 pick, was dealt to the Nets over the summer in what was essentially a salary dump. He contributed 17 points, three assists and four steals in the 13-point win. “Oh, man, it feels great. I wanted this one bad, man,” Williams told Brian Lewis of the New York Post . “It was a weird feeling just being out there on the other side. It’s still all love, yeah, miss those guys. But nah, I was definitely happy I was able to talk some smack and more importantly get the win.”
- Dennis Schröder, an unrestricted free agent next summer who’s hopeful of re-signing with the Nets, poured in 33 points — including 11 in the fourth quarter — against the Grizzlies. He’s averaging 24.6 points and 8.2 assists per game. “At one point, he said, ‘Just give me the ball. I’ll take care of this.’ And that’s what he does. He’s a leader,” coach Jordi Fernandez said, per Lewis. “He puts everybody in place. If he has to score, he scores. And he finished the game. So it’s really, really, really good to have him on the court.”
Thunder Add Malevy Leons, Cut Reese
The Thunder have signed big man Malevy Leons to a standard contract and waived Alex Reese, according to a team press release.
Leons went undrafted in June out of Bradley and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Oklahoma City in September. He was waived on Oct. 19.
Leons appeared in four preseason games and averaged 5.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.50 steals in 13.5 minutes per game. In his last college season, he appeared in 35 games (all starts) with the Braves and averaged 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.3 assists while shooting 49% from the floor.
Reese was signed to a non-guaranteed contract less than two weeks ago. He made a two-minute cameo in one game.
The Thunder are dealing with frontcourt injuries. Isaiah Hartenstein is recovering from a hand fracture, while Jaylin Williams is out at least a month with a strained hamstring. That could open up the door for some playing time for Leons.
Considering Reese’s short stint, it’s uncertain how long Leons will remain on the roster. He’ll fill the 15th spot for the time being, but his contract will likely be non-guaranteed, so the Thunder could continue to look at other options in the coming weeks.
Rockets Exercise Contract Options On Four Players
The Rockets have picked up their 2025/26 four-year options on Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason’s contracts, as well as their third-year options on Amen Thompson’s and Cam Whitmore’s contracts, according to the Houston’s Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen.
None of the moves are surprising, considering Smith is a starter and the three others are second-unit players. Smith, the third pick of the 2022 draft, will make $12,350,392 next season. Eason, the 17th pick of the same draft, will bring in $5,675,766. Both will be eligible for rookie scale extensions next offseason.
Thompson, the fourth pick of last year’s draft, will make $9,690,212 next season. Whitmore, the No. 20 pick in that draft, will earn $3,539,976.
Houston has been busy making commitments to its young players. Alperen Sengun signed a five-year extension on Oct. 21, while Jalen Green inked a three-year deal on the same day.
Smith is currently averaging 11.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game with Eason, Thompson and Whitmore are contributing a combined 21.6 PPG off the bench.
Lonzo Ball Has Wrist Sprain, Out At Least 10 Days
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is dealing with another injury. He has a right wrist sprain and will be reevaluated in 10 days, the team’s PR department tweets.
Ball suffered the injury during the first quarter against Memphis on Monday. Chicago has two games remaining this week and four more next week, so the point guard will miss a minimum of six contests.
The 27-year-old played a season-high 18 minutes off the bench against the Grizzlies and contributed six points and six assists without a turnover. Ball has appeared in three of Chicago’s first four games, averaging 4.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game.
Ball missed the last two-and-a-half seasons with persistent knee issues. He hadn’t suited up since January 2022 before his long-awaited return last Wednesday, when he played 14 minutes against New Orleans. While the wrist injury is an unfortunate setback, the good news is that his knees have held up fine so far this fall.
Ball’s four-year, $80MM contract expires after the season.
Bucks Notes: Cap Relief, Giannis, Rondo, Celtics Loss, G League
The Bucks, under second apron restrictions this season, will have a lot more financial flexibility beginning next offseason, according to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Even with the contracts of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard still on the books, there’s a good chance Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis will decline their player options with the salary cap rising. Brook Lopez, who is making $23MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent.
“I’d like to say it’s by design,” Bucks co-owner and governor Wes Edens said. “We’ve worked pretty hard to be in the position we’re in. I think we have one of the most competitive teams. I think we have a very good chance to really contend and maybe win a championship (this season) and we have a real chance for continuity and continuance beyond this. That’s the goal.”
We have more on the Bucks:
- Antetokounmpo was outspoken after Sunday’s 13-point loss to the rebuilding Nets, saying the team is searching for an identity. “Right now, we don’t have an identity. Like, how are we going to win the game?” he said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Are we going to defend for 48 minutes? Are we going to move the ball for 48 minutes? Are we going to attack and play fast for 48 minutes — or 36 minutes and slow down in the last 12? We gotta find an identity. We don’t have that right now.”
- Rajon Rondo is working with the club on a part-time basis under head coach Doc Rivers, who explained Rondo’s status. “He’s got a son, it’s not that he didn’t want to be a coach,” Rivers told Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “He’s got a son that’s a really talented player and he’s working with him. We’re crafting out a schedule right now to try to give him enough time to be there and to be with us.”
- Their third consecutive loss, this time to the Celtics on Monday, was a reminder that swapping out Jrue Holiday for Lillard hasn’t worked out for Milwaukee, Robb notes. The Bucks led at halftime but were outscored by 11 in the third quarter and couldn’t mount a meaningful rally. “I don’t like moral victories, but I just thought that’s what we can be — at least for three quarters,” Rivers said, per Nehm. “I thought we kind of ran out of gas a little bit. Didn’t get a lot of help tonight from our bench, so we extended minutes.”
- The Wisconsin Herd, their NBA G League club, has announced its camp roster. James Akinjo, Terence Davis, Henry Ellenson and Justise Winslow are among the notable names with NBA experience on the list.
Atlantic Notes: Nets Big Lineup, Simmons, Towns, Barnes
The Nets have experimented with a bigger lineup and thus far, the results are promising, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post notes. The frontcourt of Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams and Noah Clowney has posted a plus-24.3 net rating.
“It’s great because Noah was committed to shoot the three. Ziaire will let it fly. And if you look at those three guys it’s like a lot of length, size,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We’ve been talking about how small we’ve been, but right now, you see those three guys on the court and you’re like, wow, there’s no room. They’re flying around. Their effort has been amazing. They’re long, so very, very happy to see those guys working well together and doing the right things for the team.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ben Simmons didn’t suit up for Tuesday’s game against Denver. Simmons was ruled out on Monday due to lower back injury management, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The former No. 1 overall pick has posted modest stats in three outings this season — 5.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Simmons, who is making over $40MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
- What does Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson think of the Knicks’ acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns? A whole bunch, according to Peter Botte of the New York Post. “What an incredible pickup for the Knicks. I mean, as soon as I saw that, I said they are championship contenders, because he’s that good,” Atkinson said. “I think he’s really improved. His defense has improved since his first couple of years [in the NBA]. Heck of a player.”
- The Raptors won’t have their top player against the Hornets on Wednesday. Scottie Barnes didn’t travel with the team on Tuesday to Charlotte. He’s undergoing medical assessments after taking an elbow to his right eye in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to Denver, Marc J. Spears of ESPN tweets. His condition will be updated on Wednesday.
Hawks’ Bogdanovic, Bufkin, Krejci Will Be Out Multiple Weeks
Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic will be sidelined for at least a month, the team announced in a press release on Tuesday.
Bogdanovic underwent a non-surgical procedure on Monday. He missed the team’s game on Sunday with what the team labelled right hamstring tendinopathy. He will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.
The team also provided updates on three other players.
Guard Kobe Bufkin (right shoulder subluxation) has begun treatment and rehabilitation. Like Bogdanovic, he will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks. Bufkin suffered a partially dislocated shoulder in practice last week.
Guard/forward Vit Krejci sustained a right adductor strain during Monday’s game against Washington. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Guard Dyson Daniels has a right hip flexor strain, which also occurred on Monday. He’s out for Wednesday’s game at Washington and will continue to receive treatment.
The news regarding Bogdanovic, who is in the second year of a four-year, $68MM contract, is the most significant. He averaged a career-best 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals last season while appearing in 79 games. He’s one of the top three-point shooters in the league, making 38.4% for his career.
The injuries on the backcourt and wing will mean more playing time for Garrison Mathews and Keaton Wallace.
Grizzlies Notes: Huff, Jenkins, Morant, Edey
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Jay Huff earned his promotion by delivering when called upon, Jenkins said in the pregame press conference on Monday. Huff had his two-way deal converted into a standard four-year contract on Monday.
“He took full advantage of his opportunity. Once he signed here, he was a participant [in the] offseason workouts with his teammates, and then at the start of the season, we learned a lot,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, we had studied him in college and his first couple of years in the NBA, but he’s more dynamic than I remember. The way he can run the floor [and] obviously his shooting has been a great addition to this group, especially at the four or five position. Some versatility there offensively, the principles that we’re talking about, how he moves without the ball. I think he’s picked up on that great.
“… And then defensively, he’s still learning our system, things that we need to do to deploy him. But I think he was Defensive Player of the Year in the G League last year. … This guy has said multiple times that he’ll accept any role, and it’s great to see that he got rewarded for that, because that just adds to the depth that we need for the season.”
We have more on the Grizzlies:
- Huff’s contract includes two guaranteed years with partial guarantees for the third season and a fourth-year team option, The Athletic’s John Hollinger tweets. That option would be partially guaranteed if it’s exercised.
- Ja Morant missed Monday’s game due to right thigh soreness, the team’s PR department tweets. Morant averaged 20.7 points and 7.3 assists in the first three games after playing just nine times last season due to a suspension and shoulder surgery.
- Zach Edey was touted as a potential Rookie of the Year but he’s off to a slow start. Edey is still adjusting to the NBA pace, he told Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “We didn’t really get up and down too much at Purdue,” Edey said. “We were more in the half court, slow the pace down. But it’s just basketball. You just have to adjust.”