Pacific Notes: Curry, Paul, Brooks, Moody
Stephen Curry isn’t planning on retiring from the Warriors soon, but when he does, he wants it to be on his terms, he told Complex’s Speedy Morman (YouTube link).
“I’m kind of just taking it in two-year chunks,” Curry said of how he approaches the twilight years of his career. “You have to give yourself some motivation to go after.”
Curry adds that it’s not the grind of the 82-game season that’s a struggle now that he’s at this stage: “The offseasons, for me, are the hardest… the games are so much fun, you get lost in the game. That’s the easy part. So if I get through offseasons, that’s a mark for how long I can push it.”
Curry also reflected on his place in NBA history and the achievements he’s still chasing, especially when it comes to his place on the all-time scoring list and his ability to potentially crack the top 10.
“I do that math all the time, just to get in your head how long do you have to play and what level to catch those at the top of that list,” Curry said. “But that’s not why I’ll keep going, it’s more that I want to be at a level where we’re competing and playing for championships and hopefully control as much of that as possible down the stretch of my career.”
Curry currently sits 27th on the list with 25,386 points. At his typical rate of scoring, it would take him somewhere between three to four seasons to bump Moses Malone out of the 10th spot, where he sits with 29,580 points.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Chris Paul‘s return to the Clippers isn’t just a way to relive former glories, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Although the Clippers are as deep as any team in the league, adding Paul’s skill set will be very beneficial, according to Murray, who points out that Los Angeles ranked 23rd in turnover percentage and assist-to-turnover rate last season, an area in which Paul has always excelled. “Ball-handling and play-making were areas we wanted to address this offseason,” said Clippers’ president Lawrence Frank. “When we were at our best, we were taking care of the ball.” Murray also points out that despite a rocky ending with the Rockets, James Harden was a big part of bringing Paul back to the City of Angels. Paul will serve as a reliable depth option, coming off the bench alongside fellow high-level veteran Brook Lopez, and will provide insurance should Harden miss time.
- The Suns wanted to get younger this summer once it became clear that Kevin Durant was leaving, but they also wanted to get tougher, writes Doug Haller for The Athletic. Enter Dillon Brooks. Brooks brings a level of intensity, sometimes bordering on chaos, that the Suns have rarely had, but he’s also a valuable and versatile defender, which will be important on a young team full of players still figuring out that end of the floor. While Brooks might be best known for his scrappy style of play and a tendency to rack up technical fouls, those who have spent time with him know his game contains multitudes. “If you’re giving a scout, you could ask Dillon about the best player,” former Grizzlies assistant coach Blake Ahearn said. “You could also ask him about the 13th player — Dillon will be able to give you a full scouting report on everybody. His attention to detail and how he prepares in order to guard guys is special.”
- Moses Moody is set to become the third-longest tenured player on the Warriors if restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t return, writes DJ Siddiqi for RG. Moody credits his relationship with Draymond Green as a big part of his growth over the years. “He teaches me so much, not even just about basketball, but I’ll go to his room, hang out and talk to him all the time about all types of things. We actually went to his house when I was in LA last week, and he showed me different things and was teaching me about art,” Moody said. “He’s taught me about finance, about money, about the league, about being a professional… He’s just been that guy for me.”
Magic Sign Jamal Cain To Two-Way Contract
The Magic have signed free agent forward Jamal Cain to a two-way contract, reports Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
Orlando confirmed the signing in a press release (via Twitter).
Cain played 37 games for the Pelicans last season, averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .430/.325/.680.
The 26-year-old spent the previous two seasons with the Heat after going undrafted in the 2022. Over 44 games in Miami (11.3 MPG), Cain averaged 4.4 PPG and 2.0 RPG on .490/.353/.778 shooting splits.
After previously signing Orlando Robinson to a two-way deal, the Magic have one more two-way spot open. Orlando recently had Ethan Thompson on a two-way deal, but waived him earlier in the week.
NBA Insiders Talk 2025, 2026 Drafts
Now that the 2025 Summer League has wrapped up, scouts and evaluators around the NBA are looking ahead to the 2026 draft and considering how this year’s draft class might perform as rookies.
Among league personnel, there’s a near-consensus that the Mavericks‘ Cooper Flagg will win Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN’s annual survey of NBA executives and scouts conducted this year by Jeremy Woo. Flagg was the overwhelming favorite, with 17 votes, followed by the Spurs‘ Dylan Harper, who picked up two votes. The Wizards’ Tre Johnson also received a vote.
Those polled speculated that while some rookies, like Johnson or Ace Bailey of the Jazz, may get a chance to shoot and score more points, Flagg’s overall contributions to a team that will likely be fighting for a play-in spot will push him over the edge.
While he didn’t receive a vote for Rookie of the Year, the Sixers‘ VJ Edgecombe was the top vote-getter for those asked who would end up the best non-Flagg pick in the draft.
“VJ might be Philly’s second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid‘s uncertain health,” one general manager said.
When Woo’s poll respondents weighed in on the biggest draft steal, the Spurs’ Carter Bryant led the way, followed by Joan Beringer (Timberwolves) and Kasparas Jakucionis (Heat), though this question proved to be the most wide-ranging in terms of responses.
Executives also discussed the 2026 draft, which is widely anticipated to be a star-studded draft class. When asked about who the top pick would be, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson led the way with 12 votes, while BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa was a close second with eight.
Peterson is described in the article as “one of the best lead guard prospects in recent memory,” though Woo writes that given the high level of competition for the No. 1 spot, the race for the top spot is unlikely to be as open-and-shut as it was in 2025, when Flagg remained relatively unchallenged throughout the draft cycle.
“It’s a total toss-up right now — by no means is [there a] consensus yet,” one executive said.
While only Peterson and Dybantsa received votes as the probable No. 1 pick for 2026, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Nate Ament (Tennessee), and Mikel Brown (Louisville) are also considered top prospects who could be in the mix for a top spot.
While it’s never easy to predict the future when it comes to the NBA draft, last year’s executive survey had Flagg as the top vote-getter for the number one pick, far ahead of Harper’s second-best vote tally, with Bailey and Edgecombe coming in third and fourth.
In that same poll last year, Reed Sheppard and Zach Edey were forecasted as the top candidates for Rookie of the Year, though eventual winner Stephon Castle came in a close third.
Knicks Notes: Coaching Staff, Starting Lineup, Youth, Brown
The Knicks are making some changes on their bench, as new head coach Mike Brown has begun the process of assembling his coaching staff, reports The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy (via Twitter).
According to Bondy, Andy Greer, Dice Yoshimoto, Daniel Brady, and Othella Harrington will not be back with the team for the coming season. Greer had been an assistant with the Knicks since the 2020/21 season, and Yoshimoto had been with the team for three seasons, while last season was the first for Brady and Harrington.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype adds (via Twitter) that Nick Thibodeau is also departing. Thibodeau was the assistant video coordinator and is the nephew of former head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Brown added player development coach Riccardo Fois to the coaching staff earlier this month, and the Knicks have been granted permission to speak to Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni about a potential role.
We have more from the Knicks:
- Although the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals this year for the first time since the 1999/2000 season, there is debate about whether they will keep the same starting lineup as last season, writes Kristian Winfield for the New York Daily News. Winfield notes that there’s internal support to keep the same group starting and that Brown has indicated he wants the team to play fast, which would point toward no changes being made. However, Winfield adds that starting Mitchell Robinson would not only help shore up the defense but could also keep him happy as he and the team determine his long-term future in New York. Winfield looks at a variety of potential starting units, including ones that add Robinson, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele, and, as an out-of-left-field proposition, the rangy young wing Pacome Dadiet.
- Despite Winfield’s unorthodox suggestion, it will be tough for any of the Knicks’ Summer League players to crack the rotation this season, especially after a not-particularly-noteworthy showing in Las Vegas, opines Peter Botte for the New York Post. Adding Jordan Clarkson and Yabusele to a bench that includes McBride and either Robinson or Josh Hart brings the rotation to nine, and the team has another veteran minimum deal available to fill out the roster. Tyler Kolek would be facing an uphill battle with a plethora of other small guards on the roster, though Botte notes that Ariel Hukporti could find himself looking at minutes if the oft-injured Robinson misses time.
- Botte also writes that Brown has a history of not being afraid to hold stars accountable, whether that was Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or De’Aaron Fox. “I’d be upset if he was just letting me skate through things,” Bryant once said of Brown. “You make mistakes and the coach’s responsibility is to point those out. If he can’t point that out to me, he has no chance of pointing that out to anybody else.” Botte considers that a double-edged sword, as such bluntness can eventually wear on players, but calls it something to monitor during Brown’s time in New York, especially given the duties he’ll be expected to perform as the primary point person for the New York media.
Sixers Waive Ricky Council IV
The Sixers are waiving Ricky Council IV, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter).
Council signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sixers in 2024, which included a non-guaranteed $2,221,677 salary for the 2025/26 season and a team option for ’26/27. Last season, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per night.
As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes (via Twitter), the timing of the move was unexpected, given that Council’s guarantee date is on January 10, 2026, and the team currently has an open roster spot if they need it to add restricted free agent Quentin Grimes.
While Council struggled with his three-point shot last season, he emerged as a reliable depth contributor, playing a team-high 73 games while bringing athleticism and energy from the wing positions.
Philadelphia is now carrying 13 players on standard contracts. Twelve of those 13 are fully guaranteed, while Adem Bona‘s deal has a 50% partial guarantee.
Lakers Waive Jordan Goodwin
The Lakers have waived Jordan Goodwin, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter). The move was necessary to create room below the first tax apron to sign Marcus Smart following his buyout from the Wizards.
The Lakers had recently picked up the $2.3MM team option on Goodwin’s contract, but only $25K of the deal was guaranteed.
As the only remaining Laker with a non-guaranteed contract following the team’s decision to waive Shake Milton earlier today, Goodwin’s place on the roster became tenuous once it was clear the Lakers were bringing in Smart on a two-year, $11MM deal that necessitated multiple cost-cutting moves. Smart’s salary for next season is expected to be worth the full bi-annual exception of $5.1MM.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, once Smart signs, the Lakers will be operating about $1MM below the first apron, so they won’t have enough breathing room to sign a 15th man before the season begins without further cost-cutting moves.
Marks adds (via Twitter) that because Goodwin has played in the league for four seasons, he’s ineligible for a two-way deal. The 26-year-old defensive-minded guard played 29 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 18.7 minutes per night. He shot 38.2% from three and appeared in four of the five Lakers’ playoff games against the Timberwolves, averaging 7.8 minutes per game in the postseason.
Goodwin will now hit waivers and then become an unrestricted free agent if no one claims him (the priority order is determined by the reverse order of last season’s standings). The Athletic’s Tony Jones speculates (via Twitter) that Goodwin is likely to have a number of suitors on the open market.
Heat Notes: Lineups, Jakucionis, Summer League, Askins
The Heat haven’t had as active an offseason as some teams, but their moves have opened up some interesting options for head coach Erik Spoelstra, Ira Winderman writes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Winderman speculates that Miami’s opening night starting lineup will likely feature Tyler Herro and Norman Powell in the backcourt alongside Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, and Bam Adebayo.
However, he notes the unit’s lack of play-making, which could result in either Nikola Jovic taking the place of Ware or Davion Mitchell replacing Powell to add some more ball movement. Ware moving to the bench would also help firm up the center depth, which Winderman points to as a current weak spot on the depth chart, though Vladislav Goldin, who is on a two-way deal, played well in Summer League.
There’s also the question of which reserves becomes prioritized, with Simone Fontecchio, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Pelle Larsson among the candidates for rotation minutes. Winderman predicts that Jaquez will continue to get opportunities, especially because of his ability to slide into the starting unit if Wiggins were to be traded.
We have more from the Heat:
- While rookie Kasparas Jakucionis‘ time in Summer League had some strong moments as well as clear areas for improvement, the Heat feel that the most important thing is that they came away knowing what comes next, writes Anthony Chiang for the Miami Herald. “We got to learn him, he got to learn us. We got some stuff on tape. And now we have seven, eight weeks to get him better, to get him ready for the start of the season and to improve his skills,” said Summer League head coach Eric Glass. “It’s important to have that learning process and help him understanding as a 19-year-old what it’s going to be like to play professional basketball against grown men in the NBA.” Jakucionis struggled with his shot and with turnovers, but excelled at getting to the free throw line. He will now head back to Lithuania before returning to Miami in early August.
- The Heat are known for excavating diamonds from the rough when it comes to team-building, but this year’s Summer League didn’t offer the team the usual hope at unearthing hidden talent, writes Winderman. That said, Winderman points to Bryson Warren, Dain Dainja, Kira Lewis Jr., Javonte Cooke, Erik Stevenson, and Myron Gardner as players who had some real positive moments for the team.
- Before the Heat had Pat Riley, Dwyane Wade, or Udonis Haslem, there was Keith Askins, Winderman writes in a profile of the team’s senior director of college and pro scouting. The undrafted forward has been in the organization for 35 years, first as a player, than an assistant coach, and now in the position of senior director of college and pro scouting. “I hope to find someone that’s extremely talented of that mindset, that they’ve got to prove themselves every day,” Askins said of the type of player he looks for. “And if they feel like every day they come out they’ve got to prove they’re the best, man we’re going to have a stud.” Winderman describes Askins traveling from Slovenia to the Bahamas to American colleges nowhere close to being considered blue blood programs. “We all try to get it right. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. But you can never say we’re not working hard,” Askins says.
Potential For New Form Of Draft-And-Stash Prospects
The rise of older European players in collegiate basketball has created an interesting draft eligibility question for the NBA to figure out, writes The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov.
As Vorkunov details, a small section of said international NCAA players this year were already 22 years old and therefore automatically eligible for the draft. This led to the question of what would happen should one of those players be selected in the draft but still wish to play in college, which may now meet the NBA’s definition of a professional sport due to recent rulings about player payments from programs.
Vorkunov notes that according to the CBA, a league is professional if it pays players beyond living expenses, which is soon to be the case with the NCAA.
“Playing intercollegiate basketball will be considered under the provisions of Article X, Section 5 of the CBA to be signing a player contract with a non-NBA professional basketball team,” the league said in a memo before the draft.
This ruling would allow those players to become collegiate draft-and-stashes if they chose – in collaboration with the teams that selected them – to remain in school. The team would hold onto the players’ draft rights indefinitely without the player losing collegiate eligibility, similar to a player remaining overseas after being drafted.
However, this matter has not been decided outright. The league and the National Basketball Players Association will need to work together to determine how to handle this new wrinkle.
There are only a few players to whom this currently applies, according to Vorkunov, who cites Mihailo Petrovic (Illinois), Ilias Kamardine (Ole Miss), and Sananda Fru (Louisville) as examples. Currently, such players are allowed to play in college while being considered free agents. This would allow them to leave college mid-season to sign with a team if the opportunity arose, a situation that has not occurred since 2007, when Randolph Morris went left school to sign with the Knicks after having gone undrafted while not signing with an agent two years earlier.
The lack of clarity on the future of these players illustrates the complications of rapidly changing rules governing player payments in the NCAA in regard to how they impact draft eligibility.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Smart, Thomas, Bassey
Despite the Sixers‘ lottery luck that landed them prized rookie VJ Edgecombe, the team’s outlook hasn’t changed, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Everything still revolves around the health of Tyrese Maxey and especially Paul George and Joel Embiid.
That plan has already hit a snag with the announcement that George underwent knee surgery following an injury sustained during workouts, an injury that Pompey says has the potential to keep him sidelined through the start of the season, depending on how the rehab process goes.
Pompey adds that the offseason drama, which the Sixers are no stranger to in recent years, also includes a recent ESPN article about Embiid that cast an unnamed member of the roster into suspicion when Embiid claimed to know which teammate had leaked information about a players-only meeting last season.
Team president Daryl Morey is still expressing optimism about the coming season, including George’s ability to not only recover from the injury but also bounce back after a disappointing first season in Philadelphia.
“I know he really wants to show the Philadelphia fans what he can do,” Morey said. “He didn’t feel like he was able to do that last year. So I know he’s very optimistic and excited to get out there and show what he can do.”
We have more from around the Atlantic division:
- The Knicks checked in on Marcus Smart‘s availability and desire to join the team after it became clear that he would be bought out by the Wizards, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (via Twitter). Bondy notes that the conversations didn’t move forward, since Smart wanted a clearer pathway to major minutes than the Knicks could offer. Smart ultimately signed with the Lakers on a two-year, $11MM deal with a player option on the second year.
- Cam Thomas, who is currently a restricted free agent and attempting to secure a new deal with the Nets or another team, took umbrage at recent comments from The Ringer’s Zach Lowe, writes Net Income for NetsDaily.com. After an aggregator Twitter account relayed Lowe saying that there’s a consensus about Thomas being an “empty calories ball hog,” the guard responded. “F–k you and the consensus,” Thomas wrote to Lowe. “This is most likely the same consensus teams who can’t guard me and send double teams from jump ball.” Net Income notes that this comes after multiple less-than-positive summaries of Thomas’ value had emerged online in recent days, and that Thomas is likely to be particularly sensitive, as it has been speculated that there is little movement toward him receiving the kind of offer he’s looking for.
- Charles Bassey had a strong Summer League for the Celtics, who are very thin at center, but according to Brian Robb of MassLive, that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a spot for him on Boston’s roster. In a mailbag article, Robb writes that Bassey’s skill set overlaps with Neemias Queta‘s, and that Bassey’s play as a fifth-year player in Summer League might not be as convincing to the team as to fans. However, it has been widely reported that the Celtics are still pursuing a variety of trades before the season begins, so a deal that sends multiple players out could make room for Bassey to join the team on a guaranteed deal. Barring such a move, it’s more likely that Bassey lands a non-guaranteed training camp invitation, Robb writes.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Looney, Monk, Niederhauser
The Suns are embracing a new identity, writes Gerald Bourguet for Go PHNX. With Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant gone and Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach, and Rasheer Fleming in, the team has pivoted towards a younger, more athletic team construction around the recently extended Devin Booker.
The Suns now enter into a phase they will find unprecedented during the brief tenure of Mat Ishbia‘s ownership: one of patience. However, Bourguet writes that Ishbia’s own words make the concept of following through on a more long-term team build a question mark.
“When I make a mistake or things don’t go well, I change fast,” Ishbia said during exit interviews this spring. “We make quick moves, and I’m not afraid to do that… Patience isn’t gonna be my strongest suit, okay? We’re gonna try to compete and win, and we’re gonna get better.”
However, Ishbia did give reason to hope.
“I’m very patient if I think we’re on the right path and plan,” Ishbia said. “So, say it again, I expect us to win more games next year. But let’s just say we lost more games next year, but it was aligned, the vision and the tone that I’m gonna set, and we’re on a path, then we’re gonna go that way.”
We have more from the Pacific division:
- Kevon Looney‘s departure from the Warriors was facilitated in part by his lack of playing time, especially in the playoffs, as Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “It was anybody but me it seemed like at this point. It wasn’t no one moment,” he explained during an appearance on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast. “Even this year, probably the playoffs. We going up against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do.” Looney added that after 10 seasons in Golden State, he didn’t feel like he should still have to prove himself or his worth. “When you prove yourself the first four, five years, all right, cool. But after 10 years of it, it’s like, all right. You either trust me or you don’t.” He added that he knows the coaching decisions from Steve Kerr weren’t personal, but he still felt that he drew the short end of the stick in Kerr’s quest to win.
- After the rumored Kings sign-and-trade of Malik Monk to bring in Dennis Schröder never took place, Monk is ready to do what’s needed to win, writes Will Zimmerle for SI.com. The Kings now have Schröder and Zach LaVine as their presumed starting backcourt, and despite Monk expressing a desire to be a starter in the league in the past, he’s reportedly willing to go to the bench if that’s what coach Doug Christie needs. “Malik has told Doug Christie, ‘I will do whatever you need, even if that includes coming off the bench,'” Matt George of ABC10 said on a recent ESPN radio show. “I don’t think he’s going to pout or throw a fit about it.” Monk was runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year in 2023/24, but split time as a starter last year and put up career-highs in points (17.2) and assists (5.6) per game.
- The Clippers‘ first-round pick, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, showed different skills in each of his first three Summer League games, writes Broderick Turner of the LA Times. While defense is his primary selling point, he was able to display some of the offensive package that intrigued the Clippers enough to select him with the No. 30 pick in the 2025 draft. “That’s the guard skills I was talking about,” Niederhauser said of a high-energy dunk he was able to throw down over a defender on a fast break. Those guard skills come from when he was a 6’5″ 16-year-old, before the growth spurt that shot him up to 6’11” and cemented his future as a center. “For a guy that’s his age, he’s still learning and growing into his frame that he hasn’t really had his whole life,” said general manager Trent Redden. “We just haven’t had a guy that size at that position in a backup role that’s young that we can feed into and give to our developmental staff.” Niederhauser enters a developmental situation where he can learn from two high-level defensive bigs in Brook Lopez and Ivica Zubac.