Moses Moody To Miss Remainder Of Preseason
Moses Moody will miss the final three games of the Warriors‘ preseason due to a left calf injury, reports ESPN’s Anthony Slater (via Twitter).
According to head Steve Kerr, the Warriors are “not too concerned” about the injury, which occurred in practice. Slater adds that the team is hopeful that Moody can return in time for the season opener.
Moody started both of the Warriors’ preseason games to this point, averaging 14.5 points and 1.0 steal per contest while hitting seven of his 12 three-point attempts.
After years of being in and out of the Warriors’ rotation, Moody seems to have finally carved out a role for himself as a floor spacer and versatile wing defender in Kerr’s main rotation. If he were to miss time to open the season, it could open the door for Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield to earn extra minutes.
Jazz’s Georges Niang Out At Least 2-3 More Weeks
Jazz forward Georges Niang will be reevaluated in two to three weeks as he works to come back from a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot, the team announced in a press release.
The injury, which Niang suffered during offseason training and conditioning, was announced on September 27. At that time, the Jazz said that Niang would be reevaluated in two weeks. The newest update confirms that he is progressing in his rehabilitation, but there is still no definitive return date.
Niang’s return to Utah this summer came in the form of a trade by the Celtics aimed at freeing up cap space, as he was dealt along with two second-round picks for rookie RJ Luis. Niang split last season between the Hawks and Cavaliers, and held season averages of 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
The career 39.9% three-point shooter played four seasons with Utah from 2017-21 and appeared in 23 playoff games for the team, averaging 5.0 points in 13.0 minutes. The Jazz, in the midst of a rebuild, reportedly value Niang for the impact he could have as a veteran among the many young players on their roster.
Pistons Notes: Thompson, Cunningham, Stewart, Defense
The Pistons, coming off last season’s unexpected run to the playoffs, are still working to iron out their formula around star point guard Cade Cunningham. One idea they’ve pushed in the preseason, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, is giving third-year wing Ausar Thompson more primary ball-handling duties.
While Thompson’s ball-in-hand role last season was mostly limited to fastbreaks and dunks off drop-offs, the Pistons are expanding his role in the lead-up to this season to see how he handles it, Patterson writes.
“That’s something we’re going to do more of,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The tempo that [Thompson] plays at when he has the ball in his hands, and the threat that he becomes when he has the ball in his hands changes the way that teams have to guard him. He has the ability to make his teammates better.”
Patterson points to Thompson’s ability to change speeds and use both his strength and quick-twitch athleticism to get to the rim or beat defenders as key reasons why giving him the ball more is intriguing. Bickerstaff is also interested in exploring different ways to free up Cunningham off-ball to get him easier looks.
“Teams decide they want to pick Cade up full court, and sometimes because of the gravity he holds, people just hug up on him,” Bickerstaff said. “Now his defender has to play off a screen or off a shift, and it just makes him a better offensive player when people can’t get their hands on him to wrestle and hold him.”
While Thompson still has to tighten his handle, the team has seen encouraging signs.
“Ausar is a guy who can initiate offense at a high level,” Cunningham said. “Giving him room to get more and more comfortable with it as the preseason goes along, I think that’ll be a big weapon for us.”
We have more notes from the Pistons:
- Cunningham had a breakout year last season, earning his first All-Star nod in addition to making the All-NBA third team and placing seventh in MVP voting. According to Patterson, Cunningham’s is looking for new ways this preseason to take his game to another level. While he wasn’t always willing to shoot off the dribble from behind the arc during Detroit’s playoff series against the Knicks last spring, there has been no hesitation in the preseason. “I want to shoot more threes, the highest quality possible,” he said. “I’m confident, I feel good about my game right now.” Cunningham ranked 27th in threes attempted off the dribble last season and 11th in the playoffs and struggled with his percentages on those shots, hitting them at a 33.8% and 16.0% clip, respectively — the latter percentages was the worst among players attempting at least four such shots a game. Turning the pull-up shot into a real weapon could bear huge dividends for the Pistons’ offensive attack moving forward.
- Isaiah Stewart is another Piston who understands the team’s need for three-point shooting, Patterson writes. After attempting 380 total threes in the 2022/23 and ’23/24 seasons, he had just 53 tries last year, hitting 32.1%. Patterson notes that both Stewart and Bickerstaff have spoken this offseason about getting that volume back up. While he has only attempted three threes over the first two games of preseason, Stewart has made two of them. Given the Pistons’ lack of shooting, especially at the big man positions, his willingness to let fly from deep could provide a different wrinkle to their offense.
- On the other end of the floor, Patterson notes that Bickerstaff had previously mentioned being interested in experimenting with zone defense due to the number of athletes with impressive wingspans on the team. “We have found some zones that we like. It comes down to the time to implement the zones so you can get good at them,” Bickerstaff said last week. That idea bore out on Thursday’s matchup against the Bucks, when the Pistons alternated between playing man-to-man and employing a 1-3-1 zone. Patterson writes that the Bucks seemed undeterred by Detroit’s zone efforts. Whether this is just preseason experimentation or a weapon Bickerstaff hopes to unleash during the regular season remains to be seen.
Injury Notes: Jazz, Williams, Sheppard, Furphy
The Jazz are getting closer to full health, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. According to Larsen, Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Kyle Filipowski, who missed the start of training camp due to lower back, left shoulder, and left wrist injuries, respectively, were full participants in practice on Sunday.
The three big men were unavailable for Utah’s opening two preseason matchups, but are gearing up for their returns. Markkanen previously stated that while his injury was minor, he wasn’t sure of his exact timetable for return.
Larsen also notes that Kyle Anderson, who played at least 14 minutes in each of the opening preseason games, was not able to suit up for practice due to right knee tendinitis.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Vince Williams Jr. missed the Grizzlies‘ game against the Hawks on Friday night, but according to head coach Tuomas Iisalo, his absence wasn’t a cause for concern. Iisalo said the decision was made because of “small precautions,” according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter), and added that it was “nothing serious at this moment.”
- Ben Sheppard has been absent from each of the Pacers‘ two preseason games so far and is doubtful for Monday’s upcoming tilt against the Spurs, reports Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). According to coach Rick Carlisle, Sheppard is still working his way back to being a full practice participant. The Pacers are very light on healthy guards at the moment; in addition to Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana is already missing T.J. McConnell, who will be out at least a month with a hamstring injury, as well as 2025 draft pick Kam Jones, who is sidelined due to a back injury.
- Pacers sophomore Johnny Furphy is joining Sheppard on the injury report after he sprained his left ankle in Saturday’s contest with the Thunder, Dopirak writes. Furphy’s recovery timeline has not been reported yet, nor has the severity of the sprain.
Pistons Sign, Waive Jaden Akins
October 11: The Pistons have waived Akins, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
October 10: The Pistons have signed Jaden Akins to an Exhibit 10 deal, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (via Twitter).
Akins, who went unselected in the 2025 draft, played for four years at Michigan State. The 6’4″ guard averaged 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and made just 29.3% of his three-point tries after converting 38.6% in his first three college seasons. He was named to the All-Big 10 team, as well as the All-Big 10 All-Defense team, in his senior year.
The 22-year-old played four Summer League games for the Magic this offseason, averaging 5.8 points and 1.8 steals in 13.9 minutes per game.
Signing an Exhibit 10 contract will allow Akins to earn a bonus of up to $85,300 if the Pistons waive him and he spends at least 60 days with their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
Mavs Notes: Williams, Powell, Medical Staff, Camp
With Kyrie Irving injured, fourth-year guard Brandon Williams is expected to take on a larger ball-handling role with the Mavericks behind D’Angelo Russell.
Williams has spent the past two seasons with Dallas, averaging 8.3 points and 2.3 assists per game and making 40.0% of his three-point shots in 33 outings last saeson. The 25-year-old played twice for the Mavs this offseason at Summer League, where he averaged 16.0 PPG and 4.5 APG and drew the praise of head coach Jason Kidd.
“I thought at the end of the summer, he was playing at a high level,” Kidd said, as relayed by Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “When he’s healthy, he’s a problem.”
Williams’ health has been a question mark as of late, as Kidd announced on October 1 that the guard sustained a hamstring strain that would keep him out for at least a week. When asked about his status for Saturday’s preseason game against the Hornets, Williams said that he’s “playing it day-by-day,” according to Curtis (via Twitter).
As for what Kidd expects when Williams returns to the floor, the head coach said: “Growth as always. Understanding time and score, who hasn’t gotten a shot, how are we playing on the offensive end. When we have the ball, you’re a leader so some of that leadership role is something that he’s going to have to show us again this year.”
We have more from the Mavericks:
- Dwight Powell is the longest-tenured Maverick, having played the last 10-plus seasons in Dallas after a quick five-game start to his career in Boston. Having seen many iterations of the team, he’s excited about the season to come, writes Eddie Sekfo for NBA.com. “It’s one thing to be talented,” Powell said. “But you got to have that competitive edge and want to compete on every possession. Our ability so far to be able to do that in practice is a great sign for what’s to come in the season ahead. That’s something I’m very excited about.” With Daniel Gafford injured, Powell has a better chance to earn minutes early in the season than he will when the team is fully healthy, but regardless of his role, he’s ready to contribute any way he can. “I try my best,” he said. “Try my best to help any way I can, be a spark where I can and lead where I can. And find ways to help us be successful. That role’s going to change throughout the year. You just got to be ready for the opportunities.”
- After facing a slew of injuries last season, most notably to Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, and Irving, the Mavs overhauled their medical staff this season, writes Curtis. Curtis notes that last year’s team was one of the NBA’s most injured, losing 444 total man games. In the hopes of reversing that trend, the Mavs promoted Jana Austin from assistant athletic trainer to head athletic trainer and hired Geoff Puls from the Bulls as their head of strength and performance. They also let go of Dionne Calhoun, who had been with the team for 21 years. Johann Bilsborough, who was at the center of an in-depth article last season detailing the turmoil within the Mavs’ health and performance team, will oversee the staff for the second straight year.
- One of the changes the Mavericks will have to deal with this season, especially while Irving recuperates, is adjusting to a more egalitarian style that relies less on a ball-dominant guard like Doncic, Sekfo writes. “In this league or any league as a coach, you got to be able to pivot with the roster you have,” Kidd said. “This is a different roster than I’ve had in the past. When you have players that I’ve had, you play to their strengths. This team is different. So to be able to be big and play with that type of pace is to our advantage.” Kidd noted that players like Russell and Klay Thompson will likely benefit from the team’s emphasis on pushing the pace.
Rockets’ Tate Aiming To Be Ready For Start Of Season
Jae’Sean Tate isn’t back on the court yet, but he’s hoping to be healthy and available for the Rockets‘ season opener against the Thunder on October 21, writes Danielle Lerner for the Houston Chronicle.
Tate underwent surgery on his right ankle this summer because of an impingement that kept him out of the postseason for Houston. The injury has forced him to miss the Rockets’ training camp and preseason as well, but he’s optimistic that he’ll be able to return soon.
“I’m going day-by-day. I hope [returning for the season opener is] the case,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been on a leg and a half the last couple of years, so looking to just be able to move a little better, not be in my head about it. And, yeah, I can’t wait.”
Head coach Ime Udoka said that Tate and Dorian Finney-Smith are in the midst of similar recoveries, but that Tate is slightly further ahead in the process.
According to Tate, the surgery address an issue that has been bothering him since his second year in the league. Going into his sixth year, he’s looking to earn a role for the suddenly resurgent Rockets. He was in and out of the rotation last season, but he believes his well-rounded skill set can help him provide whatever Udoka needs.
“Whatever I’m asked to do, I can, if that’s helping us get the ball up the court, spacing in the corner, guarding one of their best players, or going small ball,” he said. “It just doesn’t matter. You know, coach will put me in a position where he thinks I could be successful, and I’m gonna just try to do that to the best of my ability.”
After re-signing with the Rockets on a one-year, minimum-salary contract this summer, Tate said that he wanted to stay in Houston rather than explore the market.
“I believe in the staff, I believe in everything here,” he said. “And you know, it wouldn’t sit right with me to leave, especially now, with all the other things we have going for us, are the pieces that we’ve added, I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Atlantic Notes: Edgecombe, Minott, Bridges, Raptors
VJ Edgecombe missed the Sixers‘ game on Friday against the Magic due to hip soreness, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Pompey notes that despite receiving a day-to-day injury designation, Edgecombe was a part of shootaround this morning and will be a participant in practice next week, barring a setback.
Staying healthy is crucial for Edgecombe, especially since he has an opportunity to play a big role for the Sixers this season. Tony Jones of The Athletic writes that the rookie guard has a real shot at being a starter, though his role could hinge in large part on the health of Paul George and Joel Embiid.
Regardless of whether he starts or not, Edgecombe should be in line for plenty of minutes this year, according to Jones, who highlights Edgecombe’s ability to play as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and passer off the dribble as a more underrated part of his skill set. As is the case for many athletic guards, Edgecombe’s development will hinge on how good he can become as a shooter and ball-handler.
We have more notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- As part of the Celtics‘ plan to reset their books with Jayson Tatum injured, the team brought in younger, unproven players to try to rebuild its depth following the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. One such player who has stood out so far, according to Brian Robb of MassLive, is Josh Minott. The 23-year-old forward, who came to Boston after three years with the Wolves, showed a bit of everything except for shooting in the Celtics’ preseason game on Wednesday. While all of the Celtics’ young players played well on Wednesday, Robb writes, Minott’s hustle and defensive ability stood out. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (subscription required) echoed that sentiment, while adding that Minott’s versatility could allow him to carve out a role in head coach Joe Mazzulla‘s game plan.
- The Knicks are still adjusting to Mike Brown‘s offense, but there’s excitement about the changes the new head coach is bringing to the team, with second-year Knick Mikal Bridges expressing appreciation for Brown’s approach, writes Ian Begley for SNY. “He and his coaches, they all run a tight ship. You can tell that whatever we’re doing out there, they’re all on the same page, no matter what the situation is,” Bridges said. “And that’s a lot of credit to him… for everybody to be on the same page makes it easier for us players when they talk to us because any coach you talk to, you’re going to hear the same thing.” Brown knows it’s going to be a process to incorporate his changes. “Right now, I don’t care if we win or lose, as long as we keep trying to play the right way and trust it,” he said. “I want them to learn how to play basketball the right way offensively within our staples. That’s pace, whether it’s in the full court or the half court… If you hit that paint and you don’t have the ball, don’t just stand there. Get out right now and re-space to create more opportunities for driving and kicking…. Space the right way all the time… Hey, it hits your hands, shoot it, pass it, snap drive it to try to collapse the defense. Those are things that we believe in.”
- With 14 Raptors on guaranteed standard contracts, head coach Darko Rajakovic is unsure if the team will fill its 15th spot for the regular season, indicating on Friday that Toronto is weighing its options, per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg (via Twitter). A.J. Lawson would likely be the favorite if the team does carry a 15th man, Lewenberg notes. Lawson was a standout for the Raptors’ Summer League team and has averaged 4.0 points in 5.4 minutes through two preseason games.
Knicks, Raptors Agree To Dismiss Lawsuit
The Knicks and Raptors have agreed to voluntarily dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Knicks in 2023, reports Baxter Holmes for ESPN.
The lawsuit alleged that former Knicks employee Ikechukwu Azotam “illegally took thousands of proprietary files with him to his new position” in Toronto at the behest of the Raptors, who looked to gain a competitive advantage.
“The Knicks and (Raptors ownership group) Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment withdrew their respective claims and the matter is resolved. The Parties are focused on the future,” the two teams said in identical statements to ESPN.
The Knicks sought over $10MM in damages, while the Raptors filed a motion aimed at dismissing the charges and called upon league commissioner Adam Silver to adjudicate the proceedings. The Knicks then questioned Silver’s impartiality based on his close relationship with Raptors minority owner Larry Tanenbaum. In response, the Raptors accused the Knicks of dragging out the case for publicity and threatened to counter-sue.
Ultimately, a judge agreed with the Raptors that the matter should be resolved by Silver.
Along with Azotam and the Raptors organization, head coach Darko Rajakovic was listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, along with player development coach Noah Lewis and 10 unidentified employees.
Holmes notes that the case has now been voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, which means the decision is permanent.
Heat Notes: Mitchell, Ware, Jakucionis, Keels
Kasparas Jakucionis and Pelle Larsson returned from injuries to make their preseason debuts on Wednesday, and there appears to be more good news on the horizon for the Heat, writes Anthony Chiang for the Miami Herald. According to Chiang, guard Davion Mitchell, who missed part of training camp with calf soreness and has yet to suit up during the preseason, is expected to be available for Sunday’s game against the Magic.
The 27-year-old point guard was not overly concerned about the injury.
“It was just a calf strain,” he said. “I kind of felt something in my calf. They kind of have been cautious of it because obviously the calf is a big part, especially with the injuries [around the NBA] that we had last year and things like that. So they kind of just wanted to be cautious and make sure I’m ready 100 percent.”
With Tyler Herro likely to miss the first month of the season as he recovers from left ankle surgery, Mitchell is expected to be vying for the role of day-one starter for the Heat. After playing some of the best basketball of his career down the stretch last season, he expressed frustration with being slowed down by the injury.
“Especially with the new offense we got, you kind of want to get that chemistry together to play faster,” he said. “So I kind of got a little step behind not going through the actual games with them. But I’ve been doing it in practice, so I feel good about it.”
Chiang also notes that Simone Fontecchio is participating in practice but remains limited due to left lower leg tightness. Herro and Terry Rozier are both still out without firm return dates.
We have more news from the Heat:
- After Kel’el Ware put up a double-double in the Heat’s second preseason game, head coach Erik Spoelstra expressed that he was not moved by the big numbers and wanted the big man to focus on making a positive impact on the game. Ware wasn’t discouraged by those remarks, viewing them instead as an opportunity, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (subscriber link). “I always take anything Spo says to me as motivation,” Ware said. “I take it and I try to impact it in my game and I try to play as hard as I can.” Ware responded on Wednesday with 29 points and 12 rebounds — and most importantly, he helped the Heat outscore the Spurs by 10 when he was on the court. It was a big performance, and his coach noticed. “He put a lot of it together,” Spoelstra said. “His pick-and-roll coverages were really good, protecting the basket. He was closing out when he needed to. He rebounded the ball very well. And he was playing with force.” While Ware has a lot of skill, playing with force is a clear point of emphasis for Spoelstra. “My favorite play was when he had an opportunity to shoot a three at the top of the key and he just drove it so hard,” Spoelstra said.
- Also turning in an impressive performance on Wednesday night was Jakucionis, who scored eight points and handed out 10 assists in his preseason debut after missing the first two games with a sprained wrist. It was a strong start for the 2025 first-round pick, writes Chiang. Spoelstra noted that there was already a budding chemistry between the rookie point guard and second-year big man, saying, “You can see a natural connection between him and Kel’el.” Jakucionis, for his part, knows there’s still a lot of work to do, especially in terms of scoring efficiency. “I’m just trying to be consistent, stay the same,” he said. “Discipline, and stay the same mind. Don’t go too high when I’m doing good and don’t go too low when I’m doing not that good. So I’m just trying to stay consistent, stay the same way, and just improving every day to try to get 1 percent better.“
- Ware and Jakucionas were not the only recent Heat first-round picks to show out on Wednesday, Chiang writes in a separate article. Jaime Jaquez Jr., coming off a slightly disappointing sophomore season, scored 19 points on eight shots in 28 minutes. He impressed Spoelstra, who, characteristically, still wants to see more from the young forward. “He’s such a downhill force that he’s going to attract help-side defenders,” Spoelstra said. “So naturally, he has to evolve and make enough plays to keep the defense honest because we need him to be aggressive.”
- Trevor Keels was recently waived in order for Miami to sign Gabe Madsen. Both players are expected to end up with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Winderman writes (subscriber link). Spoelstra spoke on the two players, both of whom showed enough for the Heat coach to take notice. “We want to continue to develop him, for sure,” Spoelstra said of Keels. “He showed a lot of improvement over the last few weeks. He’s gotten in better shape. He’s committed to our defensive system. And I told him this is just the beginning.” As for Madsen, Spoelstra saw some of the famous “Heat Culture” in the young guard. “He showed a level of grit, a competitive toughness that we like,” Spoelstra said. “And he’s also skilled. He knows how to play without the ball and shoot the ball, or drive off those catches. So we’re encouraged by that.”