Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Grimes, Edgecombe
The Sixers are already starting training camp without prized sophomore Jared McCain, who recently sustained a torn thumb ligament, and it looks like they will also be without star wing Paul George, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (subscriber link). George told reporters at Philadelphia’s media day on Friday that he won’t be a full participant in camp.
Jones writes that George is still working his way back from the knee injury that required surgery in June, though he is apparently reaching the final stages of his recovery process. According to George, he has done almost everything except for full-contact gameplay, and the next few weeks will be critical for understanding his timeline.
“I’m feeling stronger and stronger,” George said. “I feel a lot better now than I did at this point last year.”
When it comes to his on-court outlook, George has said that he’s “very comfortable playing at the four spot this year,” according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (via Twitter).
That willingness to play power forward could be important for a team light on that position in the depth chart. Outside of George, the team only has Trendon Watford and two-way player Jabari Walker to man the four. George notes that the ball-handling and play-making he brings could be very valuable at the power forward position.
We have more from the Sixers:
- Joel Embiid is feeling “pretty good” as he works to return from his knee injury, but there is still no specific timeline for his return, as Jeff Borzello for ESPN and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix write. “Obviously the goal is to play consistently and not be the position that we were last year.” Embiid said. “… I want to play every single game. I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that compared to most NBA players. When you get to the point where I was last year where it was so unpredictable, it sucks. It is mentally draining.” When it comes to managing Embiid’s health, president Daryl Morey said, “The doctors’ advice, what Joel said on listening to his body, which is a big component on how doctors manage injuries — that’s going to be what carries the day this year.”
- Despite the public reports of a significant gap in negotiations between the Sixers and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, Morey said he’s feeling optimistic about the partnership, Borzello writes. “I think we will get to a resolution in the next few days, hopefully,” Morey said. “But we’re excited to bring him back. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do, now and into the future, if we can get things resolved.”
- Sixers head coach Nick Nurse indicated that No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe will get a chance to play a role for the team as a rookie, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (via Twitter). “I think success for him this year is minutes. How many minutes did he play? Because we need to let him play through the ups and downs,” Nurse said, adding that Edgecombe has been working hard on his shooting since being drafted. With McCain set to miss the beginning of the season, Edgecombe will have a chance to earn some playing time early on. Capitalizing on that opportunity could be an important part of his season’s trajectory.
Hawks Waive Kobe Johnson, Lamont Butler, Malik Williams
The Hawks announced today that they have requested waivers on Lamont Butler, Kobe Johnson, and Malik Williams, writes Caleb Johnson for 929 The Game (via Twitter). With the move, Atlanta has finalized its 18-man training camp roster.
Johnson was officially signed to his Exhibit 10 deal just over two weeks ago, and Butler and Williams were signed two days ago. Having been signed and waived by Atlanta, the three players will be eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 apiece if they spend at least 60 days with the Hawks’ G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. College Park acquired Williams’ returning rights earlier this month.
Johnson, brother of Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, went undrafted earlier this year after averaging 7.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game with a .464/.362/.704 shooting line for UCLA as a senior.
Butler, a 6’2″ guard who played his final college season at Kentucky, averaged 11.4 PPG and 4.3 RPG while shooting 39.1% from three as a fifth-year senior. He also went undrafted in June.
Williams played five seasons for Louisville. The 6’11” center averaged 9.5 PPG and 8.0 RPG in his final season before going undrafted in 2022. He appeared in seven games with the Raptors in 2023/24.
Mavericks Sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
September 26: Robinson-Earl is officially a Maverick, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
September 21: The Mavericks are in the process of signing Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a training camp deal, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). While Stein doesn’t specify the terms, the deal will likely be an Exhibit 10 contract.
Robinson-Earl is a four-year NBA veteran who has spent two seasons with the Thunder and two with the Pelicans after being drafted 32nd overall by the Knicks, who were selecting on behalf of Oklahoma City.
He played a career-high 66 games for New Orleans last season, averaging 6.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per night while shooting 34.1% from three.
This would mark the 21st and final training camp roster spot the Mavs have to offer. Dallas has a good amount of depth at the big man positions, with Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Dwight Powell all expected to play rotation roles at the four and/or five.
Stein notes (via Twitter) the lack of roster space for Robinson-Earl, but adds that the 24-year-old chose to accept a non-guaranteed offer from Dallas rather than going overseas, where there was interest in his services.
Heat Extension Notes: Herro, Jovic, Powell
The Heat are operating in something of a middle ground from a competitive standpoint in their first full season of the post-Jimmy Butler era. They were able to land Norman Powell via trade while sending out Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson, who were unlikely to play major roles for the team, but have otherwise had a relatively quiet offseason.
However, there are still some big decisions to be made, as Ira Winderman explores for the South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). Tyler Herro, who recently underwent ankle surgery, is extension-eligible, as are Powell and Nikola Jovic.
As Winderman writes, the window for the Heat and Herro to come to an agreement will be open for less than three weeks, from October 1-20. The 25-year-old, who is under contract through 2026/27, is coming off his first All-Star selection after averaging a career-highs of 23.9 points and 5.5 assists while playing a career-best 77 games.
A maximum extension for Herro would come out to three years and $149.8MM. While Herro has been a productive, hard-working player throughout his time in Miami, Winderman notes that the team has always appeared more committed to Bam Adebayo as a cornerstone than Herro.
Ultimately, Winderman predicts that unless Herro budges off his max number, the two sides will not reach an agreement before the extension deadline. However, he believes that there will be plenty of willingness to find a deal that works for both sides in future offseasons.
When it comes to Jovic, Winderman observes that there’s no argument for him commanding a deal in the same range of Herro or Adebayo, but that locking in guaranteed long-term money somewhere in the neighborhood of the mid-level – such as a deal worth between $50-60MM over four years – could appeal to both sides.
Jovic would get security with the team and not have to risk restricted free agency, which has a tendency to squeeze less-established young players, and if he can prove himself to be a fifth starter or even one of the first players off the bench, the extension could become a team-friendly contract for Miami.
Finally, there’s Powell. He’s by no means a seamless fit next to Herro in the backcourt, assuming both start, which is not guaranteed. There’s also the locker-room issue of potentially signing Powell to an extension while not signing Herro, which could rankle the Heat lifer.
The Heat also may want to maintain as much cap flexibility as possible for 2026, when Terry Rozier‘s big expiring contract will also come off the books.
These factors have Winderman leaning no on a Powell extension, unless the Heat extend or trade Herro. However, Winderman notes that should Powell break out for the team with Herro recovering from surgery, that would improve his chances of landing a long-term deal.
This lines up with previous reporting from Miami Herald writer Barry Jackson, who indicated that the Heat would be open to the possibility of an extension if Powell starts the season well. Unlike Herro and Jovic, he’ll remain extension-eligible beyond opening night, all the way until June 30, 2026.
Nets No Longer Signing Ricky Council IV
After previous reporting had indicated that Ricky Council IV was signing with the Nets on a partially-guaranteed deal, Nets Daily now hears from a source that Council will not, in fact, be joining Brooklyn (Twitter link).
Council was reportedly poised to join the Nets after being waived by the Sixers following two seasons in Philadelphia. As a 76er, he averaged 6.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game.
Council has struggled to find consistency from three-point range throughout his time in college and the NBA, but he emerged as an athletic transition weapon during his rookie season with the Sixers. As of now, it’s unclear where he’s set to land instead.
Nets Daily also notes that Chinese forward Fanbo Zeng will be heading to Brooklyn on an Exhibit 10 deal, rather than the two-way spot some outlets had suggested he might sign.
Zeng is a skilled 6’11” forward who averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.5% from three last season for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. His agreement with the Nets was reported in August.
Nuggets To Sign Javante McCoy
The Nuggets have agreed to sign free agent Javante McCoy, reports Chris Haynes (via Twitter). Haynes doesn’t specify the terms of the deal, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
McCoy is a 27-year-old shooting guard out of Boston University, where he played for five years, averaging 17.4 points and 2.9 assists per game while making 42.5% of his three-point attempts in his final season.
McCoy averaged 12.9 PPG and 2.3 APG on .552/.451/.889 shooting last season for the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He previously played for the Austin Spurs and South Bay Lakers.
After signing McCoy, the Nuggets will have 20 of their 21 training camp roster spots filled. With an Exhibit 10 deal, McCoy could earn an $85,300 bonus if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.
Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Final Roster Spots
The Knicks have been busy lately. After signing Jordan Clarkson following a buyout with the Jazz, as well as Guerschon Yabusele earlier in the summer, New York found itself in a severe salary cap crunch, but that hasn’t stopped the team from trying to upgrade on the margins.
The Knicks added Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on training camp deals, and are reportedly hoping to keep both for the regular season, despite their cap limitations. They also signed Garrison Mathews, a sharpshooter like Shamet, along with Alex Len and Matt Ryan on camp deals.
Finally, they signed second-round draft pick Mohamed Diawara to a non-guaranteed deal while rounding out their two-way contract rotation with deals for Trey Jemison, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Kevin McCullar Jr.
For a team with limited space and money, the Knicks have done a good job of finding quality NBA players to compete for their final roster spot behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti.
With Diawara expected to claim a roster spot due to his rookie-minimum cap hit, the Knicks technically have two more openings on their 15-man roster. However, without enough room below a second-apron hard cap to carry a full 15-man squad, retaining two more veterans would require a salary-shedding trade, likely involving one of McBride, Kolek, or Dadiet.
McBride is the most proven player of that group, having demonstrated his ability to contribute during the playoffs after a tough opening series against the Pistons. He’s on a team-friendly contract, but only for one more season after this one. While it’s unlikely McBride would be moved, his defense and shooting could appeal to a team looking to add an established backcourt contributor on the cheap.
Among the Knicks’ 2024 draftees, Kolek played more than Dadiet last season and showed himself to be a heady decision-maker, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter to cover for his defensive limitations. While Dadiet played less than half the minutes of Kolek, his size (6’8″), flashes of shooting, and the fact that he’s four years younger than Kolek could make him a more attractive trade target for teams.
As for who will win the training camp battle for the final roster spot(s), Shamet appears to be a frontrunner. The 6’4″ guard played well when called upon by former coach Tom Thibodeau, operating as an effective off-ball shooting threat and giving good effort on defense. Head coach Mike Brown has reportedly put an emphasis on player movement this summer, which should play into the skill set of Shamet, as well as Mathews and Ryan.
Brogdon is the most accomplished of the players under consideration. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016/17 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2022/23, had a season of shooting over 40/50/90 while scoring 15.6 points per game, and holds a career three-point percentage of 38.8%, as well as a career assist-to-turnover rate of 4.7 to 1.7. For a team that was lacking secondary ball-handling alongside Brunson last season, Brogdon’s ability to function in either guard spot and play alongside Brunson could be appealing, especially with the defensive concerns that could come with playing Brunson and Clarkson together for long stretches.
However, Brogdon comes with an extensive injury history, having played just 166 games over the last four seasons. The decision on Brogdon could come down to how comfortable the team is with his health, as well as his willingness to move the ball quickly.
The Knicks’ roster-building strategy this summer has been very focused on offensive-minded guards and wings. Brown faces an uphill battle when it comes to ironing out an effective defensive scheme, and starting Robinson could be one way that he addresses it.
Adding Shamet and Brogdon, along with Clarkson, would make for a roster crunch in the backcourt with McBride still there as the incumbent sixth man. Starting McBride could make it easier to slot the guards in around Hart and Yabusele, while also allowing McBride to take over the primary initiator defensive duties, a role that Bridges struggled with at times last season. This would allow the team to have three high-level wing defenders in McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby while also playing five shooters offensively.
If Brown decides during training camp to start the two-big lineup, it could change the team’s plans for the back of its roster. Brown coached Len for over two years in Sacramento, so there’s a built-in familiarity between the two. Jemison has less size than Len, but he could be viewed as a potential longer-term depth piece given that he’s only 25 years old.
We want to hear your thoughts. How do you think the Knicks should round out the final spots on their roster?
Jordan Loyd Signs With Anadolu Efes
Jordan Loyd has a deal in place from Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes, reports Aris Barkas for Eurohoops. The deal necessitated a buyout from AS Monaco, the team with which he played for the last three seasons.
Loyd, who appeared in 12 games for the Raptors in the 2018/19 season and averaged 2.4 points in 4.6 minutes per game, averaged 10.7 PPG for Monaco during last year’s EuroLeague play.
The 6’4″ guard rose once again to prominence this summer as a key contributor on the Polish national team that went to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. He averaged 22.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 42.2% from three, and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Second Team.
It was previously reported that Real Madrid had made a strong push for Loyd’s services, but his Liga ACB rights are held by Valencia.
As a member of Anadolu Efes, Loyd will join former NBA players Shane Larkin, Rodrigue Beaubois, PJ Dozier, Cole Swider, Kai Jones, Georgios Papagiannis, and Vincent Poirier.
Nuggets Sign, Waive Dane Goodwin
The Nuggets have signed and subsequently waived Dane Goodwin, per the NBA’s transaction log. Goodwin was likely on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.
The 6’6″ guard went undrafted in 2023 and has been signed and waived by the Kings and Jazz in the last two seasons. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 40.4% on three-pointers with the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah’s G League affiliate) last season.
Goodwin was a five-year player for Notre Dame, where he held career averages of 10.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .443/.391/.823 shooting splits.
The move will allow Goodwin to secure a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he stays with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, for at least 60 days. That is a likely outcome, as the Gold acquired Goodwin’s returning rights from the Stars in a trade in August.
Suns Sign David Duke Jr., Damion Baugh
The Suns have signed David Duke Jr., reports Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were unreported, but it will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
This will mark Duke’s fifth season in the NBA. He spent the first two years of his career with the Nets and the last two with the Spurs, with whom he was on a two-way contract last season. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes per night.
Garcia also reports (via Twitter) that the Suns have signed Damion Baugh to a training camp deal. Baugh was previously on a two-way contract with the Hornets, but was waived to accommodate the team bringing in Antonio Reeves.
A 6’4″ shooting guard, Baugh averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets last year after going undrafted in 2023.
The Suns’ roster currently contains 13 fully guaranteed deals, with Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler on non-guaranteed deals vying for a standard roster spot. While it’s possible Duke or Baugh could get a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot, they seem more likely to be ticketed for the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate.