Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu Expects To Be Ready For Training Camp
Bulls swingman Ayo Dosunmu expects to be a full participant in training camp after his 2024/25 season was cut short by shoulder surgery, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports (subscription required).
Dosunmu underwent left shoulder surgery in early March. He had an estimated four-to-six month recovery window.
“I feel great,” Dosunmu said. “I feel right on schedule if not ahead. I’m just excited for these next couple of months to really get in even better shape and be able to go out there.”
Dosunmu has been cleared for contact and is looking forward to scrimmaging against teammates such as Coby White and Matas Buzelis later this summer when Bulls players host an informal mini-camp in Miami, according to Poe.
Dosunmu appeared in 46 games this past season, making 26 starts and averaging a career-high 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest with .492/.328/.785 shooting splits. His shoulder injury may partially explain why his three-point shooting dropped off from a 40.1% success rate the previous season.
The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his three-year, $21MM contract. He will make $7.5MM next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer, unless he’s signed to an extension.
Dosunmu was nagged by a shoulder injury over the last two years. At some point, he fractured the anterior of his non-shooting shoulder, creating weakness in the socket. That led at times to partial dislocation, resulting in numbness.
He tried to play through the pain but he dislocated his shoulder in a Feb. 20 game against the Knicks and toughed it out a few more games before being shut down.
Dosunmu projects to play regular minutes at the two and three and could slot into the starting lineup alongside guards Josh Giddey and Coby White, as he did frequently last season. He’ll be battling Kevin Huerter and Isaac Okoro, among others, for playing time.
Latest On Jonathan Kuminga
The Kings have been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for weeks but there’s little common ground in sign-and-trade talks with the Warriors.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast (hat tip to BasketNews) that Golden State isn’t interested in either DeMar DeRozan or Devin Carter as part of a trade package.
“My understanding is the Warriors weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple of weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range,” Amick said.
Multiple reports have indicated Kuminga and his agent are seeking a contract in the $30MM range annually.
The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson reports that the Kings have not given up in their pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga and offered Golden State a package of Carter, Dario Saric and draft compensation, which could include a protected first-round pick or multiple second-round picks.
Anderson speculates the Warriors would likely make a deal with Sacramento if the Kings were willing to add Keegan Murray or Keon Ellis to the mix. However, Anderson hears that Murray and Ellis have not been discussed in those negotiations and are considered off limits by the Kings.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported last week that the Warriors would like to add a talented young player and a first-rounder for Kuminga. The Suns have been identified as another suitor for Kuminga but don’t possess the draft capital Golden State is seeking.
Slater added in a radio interview relayed by Anderson that the 22-year-old forward came away with a good impression after a recent meeting with Kings representatives, which included general manager Scott Perry, assistant GM B.J. Armstrong and head coach Doug Christie.
“He’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento. … I think part of that – I know part of that pitch – is you’re talking starting role, you’re talking bigger opportunity than the Warriors are necessarily offering right now. And I think that’s the part that shouldn’t get lost in this situation,” Slater said. “Jonathan Kuminga isn’t just looking for the exact contract he wants in free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court.”
Slater and ESPN’s Shams Charania report that the Warriors are making a stronger push to resolve the Kuminga impasse but he continues to reject their two-year, $45MM contract offer. Kuminga’s decision is due in large part to the Warriors’ insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause, the ESPN duo adds.
His agent, Aaron Turner, presented the Warriors several proposals this month, including a three-year deal worth around $82MM that would allow them to stay below the second tax apron.
The Suns have been the most aggressive team pursuing Kuminga, including a proposal of up to four years and approximately $90MM for Kuminga with a player option for the final season, per ESPN’s report.
In recent days, Golden State has begun signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely, according to Charania and Slater. The Warriors have the ability to play hard ball with Kuminga, figuring he could either accept their contract offer or sign his qualifying offer of $7.9MM and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Grizzlies, Magic To Play In Berlin, London In January
The Grizzlies and Magic will play regular season games in Berlin on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, and London on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, according to an NBA press release.
Additionally, the league announced that it will play regular season games in Manchester, England and Paris in 2027 and in Berlin and Paris in 2028. The dates and participating teams for the games in 2027 and 2028 will be announced prior to those seasons.
The NBA has not previously held a regular season contest in Germany. The matchup in England will be the league’s 10th regular-season game in London.
The 2027 contest in France will be the NBA’s sixth regular season game in Paris; the Manchester game will be the league’s first in the city.
The Grizzlies will be playing their fifth and sixth games in Europe, while the Magic will be playing its fourth and fifth games in Europe.
The game in Germany will be a special treat for the Magic’s brother duo of Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, who are natives of Berlin.
“To have the Orlando Magic and the NBA play a regular-season game in our hometown of Berlin means everything to us. Growing up here, we dreamed of moments like this,” they said, according to the press release. “It’s a huge honor to represent Berlin and Germany and show how much the city and country love basketball. We hope we can inspire kids the way we were inspired watching games from afar.”
Berlin, London, Paris, and Manchester are some of the cities that have been rumored as potential markets for the new European league that the NBA is exploring.
Marcus Morris Arrested On Fraud Charges, Denied Bond
Longtime NBA forward Marcus Morris was denied bond during a hearing Tuesday morning in Florida’s Broward County, two days after he was arrested on fraud charges, Chuck Shilken of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Morris’ legal issues stem from allegations he stole more than $250K from two prominent Las Vegas casinos, according to TMZ Sports. The judge denied Morris’ motion to set bond, saying that she did not have the jurisdiction to make such a ruling for an out-of-state case, per Shilken.
According to court documents, Morris allegedly received $115K from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino via bad checks in May 2024 and never paid it back when the checks bounced. The following month, he took $150K in a similar fashion from the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. There were two felony counts in each case — drawing or passing a check for $1,200 or more with the intent to defraud and theft valued at $100K or more.
There were two separate warrants for Morris’ arrest were issued over the claims earlier this year. Morris was taken into custody at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport due to the warrants.
Yony Noy, an agent for Morris, published a Twitter post in which he denied that his client committed fraud.
“Just so everyone understands this is zero fraud here or whatever crap outlets have said regarding fake checks or whatever the hell,” Noy wrote. “This is due to an outstanding marker with a casino. Apparently if you have over $1,200 they can issue a warrant for your arrest. Absolute insanity!”
According to the L.A. Times story, the prosecuting attorney representing the state of Florida confirmed that there are two warrants for Morris’ arrest in Nevada and both are for outstanding markers for more than $100K each. The prosecuting attorney also indicated that although Nevada is looking to extradite Morris, it is willing to dismiss the charges if Morris’ debts are paid in full.
An attorney representing Morris said that “a large payment” had already been made in order to resolve the issue.
Morris played in the NBA from 2011-24, including a total of 49 games with the Sixers and Cavaliers during the 2023/24 campaign. He went unsigned as a free agent after that season.
Paul Excited For Clippers Reunion Despite Backup Role
Chris Paul started every game for the Spurs last season but he’s content to be James Harden‘s backup with the Clippers, he told reporters this week.
“My role on this team is obviously different than it’s been the past 20 years, being in the NBA,” Paul said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But showing up every day, if I can show some of the guys what it looks like every day to clock in and clock out, I’m excited for it.”
Paul signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract to continue his Hall of Fame career and once again chase a championship, the one thing that has eluded him in his career. He’s hopeful the drought will end during his second stint with the franchise.
“I’m just so excited about the moves that the team has made this offseason,” Paul said. “Brad (Bradley Beal) coming to the team, Brook Lopez, all the young guys. I talked to James, I talked to Kawhi (Leonard), and I’m even more excited about what I think we have a chance to do.”
Returning to Los Angeles as a free agent was a “no-brainer” for Paul, since his family is situated there..
“If I’m really honest, I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,” Paul said.
It was reported that Paul also seriously considered returning to Phoenix but the Suns brass was cool to the idea of a reunion.
There was well-documented friction between Paul and Harden when they played together in Houston but Paul shrugged off those past disagreements.
“You know we got on each other in different situations,” he said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “But that team, I can honestly say, it was one of the funnest teams I’ve ever been on in my career, and James is one of those guys that loves to be in the gym all day long. And so it’s wild that you get this opportunity again after those two years and the success that we had, and we definitely know we had unfinished business. So we get a chance to see what’s going on here.”
Paul, who is entering his 21st year in the NBA, refused to reveal whether he plans to make this season his last.
Mavs Notes: Davis, Lineups, Arena Site, Casson, Preseason
Injuries prevented the Mavericks from taking a long look at double-big lineups last season. They plan to utilize their size next season in the hopes of making a deep playoff run, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes.
Clark notes that Anthony Davis logged only 95 minutes with either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford in the middle. Davis is expected to play the bulk of his minutes at power forward next season.
“That’s something we have a huge advantage (with) going forward: our size,” Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghame said. “The talent with that size, that’s something we put on a premium here, and it’s been really, really good for us so far.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- In the same story, Clark projects the opening night lineup, with Davis and Lively joined by top pick Cooper Flagg in the frontcourt and D’Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson starting in the backcourt. P.J. Washington, Gafford, Caleb Martin, Naji Marshall and Dante Exum or Max Christie are projected to fill out the rotation.
- Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said that multiple sites for a new arena are being considered and the process is in the early stages. “We have been presented several sites by the city and we are doing a deeper dive on two of them currently to see how viable they are,” he told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Neither may work and we may refocus on others.” Welts has set a goal of choosing a site by the end of the year or early next year. “The process is going to go on, I would guess, for months. But, no, we’re not like on the 10-yard line,” he added.
- Ethan Casson has been named president of business operations for the franchise, Townsend reports in a separate story. Casson announced last month he would step down after nine years as the Timberwolves’ CEO after the sale of the franchise was finalized. He will report to Welts once his new job officially begins on Aug. 11.
- The Mavs will play an Oct. 6 preseason game against the Thunder in Fort Worth, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal, as well as a neutral site preseason contest in Las Vegas against the Lakers on Oct. 15. The remainder of the preseason slate has yet to be revealed.
Jrue Holiday Willing To Play Any Position For Blazers
Point guard Jrue Holiday believes he can coexist in a backcourt pairing with Scoot Henderson. Holiday, who was traded to the Trail Blazers by the Celtics in June, is projected as the starter alongside Shaedon Sharpe with Henderson likely playing a sixth man role.
“Scoot is aggressive,” Holiday said, per Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link). “How he gets to the basket is amazing. Me being able to space the floor and shoot the three is something that will help him out. Being able to play off him and knowing that Scoot is the next one up and [helping him] showcase what he can do.”
Holiday doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a one-dimensional guard.
“I think I play every position,” he said. “I’ve proven that and shown that throughout my career. I’m a complete basketball player. You can’t put one position on someone, the way the game is changing now. Guys who have never played point guard are coming into the league and playing point guard. I’m a good fit with anyone.”
Holiday’s contract was the main reason for the deal from the Celtics’ perspective. Boston was looking to shed salary in order to escape the punitive second tax apron and Holiday will make $32.4MM next season and $104.4MM in total over the next three years.
Holiday is going from a perennial contender to an organization trying to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2021. He’s hopeful Portland can take that step next season.
“[I’m coming in] not just help out as much as possible, but try to win,” he said. “They have a great coaching staff that have done a lot, and a Hall of Fame coach in Chauncey (Billups). But I think as a current player who’s been through it not too long ago, as far as going through the struggle to win a championship, I still have that feeling and that itch. I’m closer to what that feeling is and how hard it is to actually win.”
Holiday won a championship with Boston with a big assist from Portland’s front office. The Trail Blazers acquired Holiday from the Bucks two years ago in the Damian Lillard trade before general manager Joe Cronin flipped him to the Celtics. Holiday was grateful that the Blazers made that move and he’s willing to do whatever the organization asks of him.
“I really appreciate what they did for me the first time around. That really does mean a lot for me and my career,” he said.
Where Holiday fits in beyond this season remains to be seen. Lillard re-signed with the Blazers on a three-year deal after being waived by Milwaukee. He’ll spend the upcoming season rehabbing an Achilles tendon tear. Holiday said on Tuesday that he’d actually relish the opportunity to play with Lillard next season if he gets the chance.
Hawks’ Kristaps Porzingis Feels ‘Fantastic’ After Recovering From Illness
Kristaps Porzingis is feeling refreshed and ready to play again, he said in an interview with Latvia’s Sports Studija (YouTube link).
Porzingis struggled mightily in the playoffs with the Celtics due to the lingering effects of a mysterious illness he contracted in February. It was later described as post-viral syndrome. He was dealt to the Hawks this summer.
“I feel fantastic, to be honest,” Porzingis said, per BasketNews.com. “I took time to rest after the season. Something was lingering during the playoffs—I had fatigue, dizziness, even moments where I felt like I might faint. It wasn’t great.”
Porzingis will play for Latvia’s national team in the EuroBasket tournament before joining Atlanta for training camp.
“In June, I fully rested and lowered the intensity. All of that has gone away,” he said. “I haven’t felt any of the playoff symptoms anymore. I feel great and ready to join the national team. Super happy.”
Porzingis has a $30.7MM expiring contract, so his stay in Atlanta could be a short one, though he’s eligible to sign a contract extension. The Hawks hope he can make them a true playoff contender. Atlanta also upgraded its roster by adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard this offseason.
“I think expectations are high. Atlanta’s been on the edge of the playoffs the last few years, sometimes getting through the first round,” Porzingis said. “It’s a great situation for me to come in and contribute. Maybe even better than Boston, where it was championship or bust.”
Boston”s front office was motivated to shed salary after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles during the playoffs. Porzingis anticipated he could be moved, though not necessarily to the Hawks.
“After the season, I spoke to my agent and kind of expected that one or more of us would be traded,” he said. “For a while, I thought I might end up with the Spurs, but then Atlanta came in—and that was a nice surprise. It was out of my hands.”
Porzingis believes he’ll mesh quickly with his new teammates.
“I’ve always been a player who can fit into any system, but now I adapt faster,” he said. “I read defenses better and make quicker decisions. That comes with experience.”
The veteran big man produced at a high level when he was available last season, averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game across 42 starts for the Celtics in 2024/25, with a shooting line of .483/.412/.809.
Latest From Stein, Fischer: Paul, Smart, Thomas, Kuminga
Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.
The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.
Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.
Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:
- The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Heat‘s Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
- Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
- Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.
And-Ones: Spagnolo, Storylines, Offseason Grades, Givony
Matteo Spagnolo, whose NBA rights are held by the Timberwolves, will continue his EuroLeague career in Spain, having signed a three-year deal with Baskonia, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
Minnesota selected Spagnolo with the 50th overall pick of the 2022 draft. The point guard’s contract with Baskonia includes NBA exit clauses, per Urbonas.
Spagnolo is coming off a second EuroLeague season with ALBA Berlin, for whom he averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 21.0 minutes per game. He played for the Timberwolves’ Summer League team the year he was drafted but hasn’t since participated in any NBA contest.
Here’s more from around the international basketball world:
- What are the big storylines still hovering over the NBA this offseason? ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks examine that topic, citing Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency, Luka Doncic‘s extension talks and Russell Westbrook‘s free agency among the issues that have yet to be resolved.
- The Hawks, Nuggets, Rockets get the highest marks from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton for their offseason moves. Pelton hands out grades for every team in the league, with the Pelicans receiving an F for their transactions.
- Draft expert Jonathan Givony has left ESPN after an eight-year stint with the network, he announced on his Twitter page. ESPN offered him an extension but Givony declined, stating “we were unable to find alignment on my value to the company.” He will continue to analyze the draft as well as college, high school, and international basketball for the company he founded, DraftExpress.