Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Iisalo, Wells
After serving a one-game suspension on Sunday for conduct detrimental to the team, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was back in action on Monday vs. Detroit. Morant registered a double-double, with 18 points and 10 assists, but turned the ball over five times and made just 5-of-16 shots from the floor in an eight-point loss to the Pistons.
Asked after the game if he feels as if the conflict that led to his suspension has been resolved (Twitter video link Matt Infield of WMC Action News 5), Morant replied, “Yeah, they (head coach Tuomas Iisalo) told y’all that, right? Obviously they can’t go and tell you something I didn’t say.”
Morant added that he feels like he has a good relationship with the franchise, telling reporters, “If I didn’t have a good relationship, I wouldn’t talk to them at all.” However, when asked if he’s playing with the same “joy” that he has in the past, the 26-year-old responded with a simple “no.”
What can be done to get that joy back? “We’ll see,” Morant said.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Iisalo’s substitution patterns have resulted in Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. playing far less often together than usual so far this season. Entering Monday’s game, the duo was averaging just 14.6 minutes per game after averaging 21.4 in 2024/25. According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN (YouTube link), Morant isn’t the only Grizzlies star who hasn’t been thrilled with Iisalo’s rotation decisions. “I think Jaren, from what I hear, is equally as frustrated,” Spears said during an NBA Today segment.
- Memphis’s record dropped to 3-5 on Monday, but Jackson remains confident that the current group is capable of more than it has shown so far. “We have all the tools and pieces,” Jackson said (Twitter video link via Grind City Media). “We have everything we need to be successful. So it’s not something I’m too worried about, but the urgency’s got to be there.”
- A Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024/25, Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells is looking to avoid a sophomore slump — he’s off to a slow start, with his shooting percentages dropping from .425/.352/.822 last season to .352/.256/.643 through seven games this year. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever missed this many shots in my life, but I’m going to keep shooting it,” Wells said on Monday, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). “I know how many shots I put in every day.”
- In case you missed it, we published a separate round-up of Grizzlies notes on Monday evening.
Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer Sued By Aspiration Investors
Eleven former Aspiration investors have sued Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, alleging that he used the company to circumvent the NBA salary cap to pay star forward Kawhi Leonard, reports investigative journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre.
According to Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, those investors initially filed suit against Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg and the company – which is now known as Catona – in July, well before Torre began reporting on Ballmer’s investments and Leonard’s apparent “no-show” endorsement deal. The Clippers owner was added to the lawsuit as a defendant on Monday in the wake of that reporting.
“It served Ballmer’s interest in getting extra money to Leonard so he could circumvent the salary cap, beat out the competition and re-sign his team’s superstar player,” the plaintiffs state in their suit. “Ballmer was complicit in and aided and abetted Sanberg’s fraud for his own self-serving purpose. Ballmer publicly endorsed Catona and infused over $50 million into the company. Absent Ballmer’s support, Catona could not have sustained the frauds set forth herein.”
The NBA is currently conducting its own investigation into the accusations of cap circumvention levied against the Clippers, having hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to lead that probe.
While the NBA’s investigation is focused on possible violations of the league’s own rules, the lawsuit – filed in Los Angeles – is about recouping losses for investors defrauded by Sanberg, who recently pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud. Skip Miller, an Aspiration investor also serving as counsel for the plaintiffs, issued the following statement to Torre:
“A lot of people have been hurt here. This lawsuit is being brought to recoup their losses. We look forward to our day in court where everything will be aired out and justice will be done.”
For what it’s worth, the allegations made about Ballmer in the lawsuit appear to be based on reporting by Torre and other outlets — the suit doesn’t include a smoking gun or any new revelations. However, it could lead to more new information about the Clippers’ owner’s connection to the company surfacing as the legal process plays out.
“Plaintiffs allege that Ballmer transferred other funds to Catona to keep the company afloat and buy Sanberg’s support, cooperation and silence about the secret deal with Leonard,” the lawsuit reads, per Torre. “The full extent of Ballmer’s transfers of funds to Catona and Sanberg will be ascertained in discovery.”
Westbrook: Nuggets ‘Told Me Not To’ Pick Up Player Option
Returning to Denver on Monday for the first time since departing the team as a free agent over the summer, Kings point guard Russell Westbrook had a big night, racking up 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in a 130-124 loss. Asked after the game about his time with the Nuggets, Westbrook said he thought it was “great” but that “other people” didn’t necessarily feel the same way (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports).
“The truth is that they didn’t want me back,” Westbrook said. “It ain’t up to me. God always has a plan. Be patient. Not up to me. They don’t want me, that’s OK. Somebody else do.”
Westbrook, who signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with Denver during the 2024 offseason, played a significant role for the club, averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per game across 75 appearances (36 starts) during the regular season. He also contributed 11.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 3.7 RPG in 13 playoff contests (24.1 MPG).
The former MVP was lauded by coaches and teammates in Denver for his energy, competitiveness, and leadership, but he didn’t score efficiently (.449/.323/.661 shooting) and his high-energy style results in some out-of-control plays and a high turnover rate, making him a somewhat polarizing player.
Although Westbrook held a $3.47MM player option for the 2025/26 season on his Nuggets deal, he opted to turn it down in favor of unrestricted free agency. He was on the market for nearly the entire offseason before signing a new veteran’s minimum deal with Sacramento last month. Asked about that option decision, the 36-year-old suggested Denver didn’t want him to exercise it.
“They told me not to,” he said. “I don’t go anywhere I’m not wanted. I don’t need to.”
As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post observes, the Nuggets underwent some significant organizational changes in the spring, hiring a new head coach and installing a new head of basketball operations. While those changes may have contributed to Westbrook’s exit – veteran center DeAndre Jordan also indicated last week that the team didn’t want to bring him back, Durando notes – new head coach David Adelman had nothing but kind words for the veteran guard prior to Monday’s game.
“He’s the most consistent energy guy I’ve ever been around,” Adelman said, per Durando. “… Huge part of why we won the first round last year against the Clippers. Huge part of some of the defensive things we could do against OKC (in the second round). So it’s really cool to see Russ get picked up by (Sacramento), and just to see the longevity and what he’s done in this unbelievable, magical career he’s had. So he should be in the NBA. It’s good to see him out there competing. Watching him on film reminded me of a lot of things — just the relentlessness of what he is.”
Knicks Notes: Towns, McBride, Novak, Bridges
After expressing some uncertainty ahead of the regular season about his fit in Mike Brown‘s offense, Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has gotten off to a shaky start this fall. The big man is shooting just 35.2% from the floor through four games and scored a season-low eight points on 2-of-12 shooting in Tuesday’s loss in Milwaukee.
As Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News writes (subscription required), Towns attempted just one shot in the first half of that loss to the Bucks while playing the way Brown wants him to — making quick decisions and giving up the ball when the defense zeroes in on him. He was a +15 in those first two quarters. In the third quarter, Towns began hunting for his own shot and was a -14 while making just 1-of-9 field goal attempts.
“(Towns’) first half was beautiful. He played the right way. And that’s all you can ask your All-Star guys to do,” Brown said. “If you’ve got an All-Star, and they’re taking him out with a second guy (double team), believe in your teammates, believe in the process. When those guys make plays, eventually they won’t double as much, and you’ll get it back.”
While the Knicks’ first-half success as a team (they were up 71-59 at the break) back up Brown’s comments, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) argues that it’s “unreasonable” for the new head coach to ask the Knicks’ maximum-salary star to embrace a style that results in him attempting a single shot through two quarters.
Brown is attempting to make the Knicks’ players adjust to his system rather than adjusting his system to the talent on the roster, according to Bondy, who suggests that some tweaks may be necessary to better take advantage of Towns’ elite scoring ability. For his part though, the five-time All-Star continues to try his best to fit into Brown’s scheme.
“I got to do whatever’s needed to win, and first half I played how we needed me to play,” Towns said after Tuesday’s loss, per Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). “And the game, I felt, switched up and I tried to get going just in case we needed me, and I just didn’t make a shot so I pressed a little bit too much. I have more experience than to do that, but I didn’t do what we needed me to do, and that’s on me and I take full responsibility.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- Miles McBride has rejoined the Knicks after being away from the team for family reasons for two games, according to Bondy. The team’s bench scoring has slipped during McBride’s absence, and Brown is happy to have him back. “He does a lot of things on both ends of the floor,” the Knicks’ coach said. “His energy is contagious, he’s a two-way player. He can play on the ball, he can play off the ball defensively. He can play on the ball or off the ball offensively. Even though he’s a small guard, his athleticism and power obviously make him a good offensive rebounder. He can defensive rebound too. So there’s a lot he can bring to the table besides scoring that you miss when he’s not around.”
- Former NBA sharpshooter Steve Novak, who appeared in 135 regular season games for the Knicks from 2011-13, has joined MSG Networks as a game analyst, per Bondy. The plan is for Novak to work about a dozen games this season when Clyde Frazier is off.
- Veteran forward Mikal Bridges has embraced a mentorship role with younger Knicks players like Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “You can see that when he was a younger guy in the league that he had those vets, too,” Kolek said. “They built a culture of brotherhood. You don’t see that every day in the NBA nowadays. (Mikal) was so welcoming and teaching us the little things, and not just the basketball stuff. He shows us how to move, how to be a man and be an actual professional.”
- Speaking of Dadiet, he’s the only player with a 2026/27 rookie scale team option who hasn’t had that option exercised or declined yet. The deadline to pick up that option is the end of the day on Friday, so the Knicks’ decision should be reported in the coming hours.
- In case you missed it, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson went through a full practice on Thursday and is considered a game-time decision for Friday’s game in Chicago. Robinson has yet to play this season due to what the team has referred to as left ankle injury management.
Hornets Exercise 2026/27 Options On Miller, Salaun
The Hornets have picked up their rookie scale team options on wing Brandon Miller and forward Tidjane Salaun, the team announced today in a press release.
[RELATED: Decisions On 2026/27 Rookie Scale Team Options]
The club’s decision to exercise Miller’s fourth-year option and Salaun’s third-year option ensures that both players are guaranteed to receive their full salaries for the 2026/27 season. Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, will make $15,104,626 in the final year of his rookie contract, while Salaun, 2024’s sixth overall pick, will earn $8,237,880.
Miller had a terrific rookie season for Charlotte in 2023/24, averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in 74 outings (68 starts) and finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting behind star big men Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. However, he has been limited to just 29 appearances since then due to health issues, including wrist surgery last season. He’s currently sidelined as a result of a left shoulder subluxation.
Salaun didn’t make the same sort of impact as Miller in his own rookie season in 2024/25, posting an underwhelming shooting line of .330/.283/.713 in 60 games and averaging just 5.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per contest. The 20-year-old Frenchman has played 13.8 minutes per night off the bench so far this fall, but the Hornets remain confident enough in his longer-term outlook to lock in his $8.2MM salary for next season.
While Miller will become eligible for a rookie scale extension in 2026, Charlotte will have to make one more decision on Salaun’s rookie contract, either exercising or declining his 2027/28 option (worth about $10.45MM) next fall.
Community Shootaround: NBA’s Undefeated Teams
If NBA fans had been polled prior to the season about which four teams would be the last to lose a regular season game, it’s safe to assume the defending champion Thunder would have received a ton of votes. So it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that Oklahoma City – which set a new NBA record by winning a 21st consecutive game against an Eastern Conference opponent on Thursday, per Nick Gallo (Twitter link) – is the league’s only 6-0 team entering Friday’s games.
But fans would presumably have hard a much tougher time predicting the other three teams in that undefeated group alongside the Thunder. After 10 days of regular season action, the Spurs (5-0), Sixers (4-0), and Bulls (4-0) also haven’t lost a game.
Incredibly, while the Spurs have been playing in the NBA for a half-century and have won five titles during that time, this is the first year the team has ever gotten off to a 5-0 start. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN details, Victor Wembanyama has been leading the way by playing at an MVP level. After piling up 26 points, 18 rebounds, and five blocked shots on Thursday vs. Miami, Wembanyama leads the league in rebounds (14.6) and blocks (4.8) per game while also averaging 30.2 points per night.
“It feels great,” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ five consecutive wins, per Wright. “It’s not random. We didn’t get those five wins randomly. We worked for it. We started this season strong, and we need to keep that streak going for as long as possible.”
As impressive as the Spurs’ hot start has been on the heels of a 34-win performance in 2024/25, it’s not the most surprising season-opening run. That honor belongs to either the Sixers, who went 24-58 last season and still haven’t had star forward Paul George in their lineup, or the Bulls, a perennial play-in team who had an over/under of 32.5 wins prior to the season.
Besides not having George available yet, the Sixers have had star center Joel Embiid on a minutes restriction — he has played in just three of the team’s four games and has logged 21.0 minutes per night. Philadelphia’s success has been largely driven by a trio of guards, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes, who have combined to average a remarkable 77.5 points per night, led by 37.5(!) from Maxey.
While the 76ers’ ability to make a deep playoff run in the spring will largely come down to what Embiid and George can give them, the fact that they’re thriving in the early going without major contributions from either of those two veteran stars is an extremely encouraging sign.
As for the Bulls, they opened the season with wins over three far trendier Eastern Conference playoff picks – the Pistons, Magic, and Hawks – before beating old friends Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on Wednesday in a victory over the Kings. As Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required) writes, the Bulls – without top scorer Coby White – are succeeding as a result of a balanced offensive attack, with at least six players scoring in double figures in all four of their victories and no one averaging more than 20 points per game.
Whether their strong start will continue is up for debate, but Josh Giddey seems to be carrying his momentum from last year’s strong second half over to 2025/26, while Matas Buzelis is taking a step forward in his second NBA season and veteran center Nikola Vucevic continues to be a reliable source of offense. Role players like Tre Jones (.581/.625/.750), Ayo Dosunmu (.524/.500/.857), and Patrick Williams (.542/.500/.571) have all be on fire to open the season too.
We want to know what you think of those four undefeated teams. While there’s probably not much to say about the Thunder, what do you make of the Spurs’, Sixers’, and Bulls’ hot starts? Will they come back to earth sooner rather than later, or have you seen enough so far to feel confident about those teams’ chances to exceed their preseason expectations? Which team will be the last to lose a game this season?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Rockets Pick Up 2026/27 Options On Thompson, Sheppard
The Rockets have exercised their team options for the 2026/27 season on guards Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, reports Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
While Houston waited until deadline day to pick up those options, there was never a doubt that they’d be exercised. Both players project to be major parts of the team’s future and will have relatively team-friendly cap hits for ’26/27, with Thompson earning $12,258,609 and Sheppard making $11,108,880.
It’s a fourth-year option for Thompson, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason and is line for a lucrative second contract after earning All-Defensive first team honors as an NBA sophomore in 2024/25. So far this season, he’s averaging 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game through four outings (33.5 MPG).
Sheppard, the third overall pick in 2024, played a very limited role as a rookie, averaging just 12.6 minutes per night in 52 games. However, he’s being counted on to take on more responsibilities this season in the wake of Fred VanVleet‘s ACL tear. In his first four games, he he averages of 10.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per contest, with a 36.4% mark on three-point attempts.
Because Sheppard is having his third-year option picked up, the Rockets will have one more decision to make on his rookie scale contract — his $14.04MM option for 2027/28 will have to be exercised next fall.
With Houston’s moves complete, we’re only awaiting word on Charlotte’s and New York’s ’26/27 rookie scale option decisions, as our tracker shows.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, K. George, Wolves, R. Williams, A. Mitchell
New Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge vowed back in June at his introductory press conference that the team wouldn’t tank in 2025/26 like it did last year. We’re just four games into the season, but so far the team is backing up that assertion, as Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune writes.
The 2-2 Jazz have won games against the Clippers and Suns, while their losses against Sacramento and Portland came by a combined total of three points. Keyonte George‘s play has been one of the more notable developments of the first two weeks of the season, Larsen notes — the third-year point guard is averaging 22.3 points and 9.3 assists per game through his first four outings.
“I credit, you know, (CEO) Danny (Ainge), (general manager Justin Zanik), Austin, (head coach) Will (Hardy),” George said when asked about his maturation this season. “My exit interview, it was pretty blunt. … It basically was about — you know, ‘It’s time to grow up.'”
George has still struggled with his three-point shot (22.2%) and turnovers (4.3 per game) in the early going, but Larsen describes his defensive effort as “night and day” compared to last season and notes that the 21-year-old is prioritizing setting up teammates instead of seeking out his own shot.
“Put the ball in our play-makers’ hands,” George said in describing his approach. “Whether it’s Lauri (Markkanen), Walker (Kessler), Brice (Sensabaugh), or anybody. And then that’s when I can go get a layup every now and then, or make an open shot.”
We have more from around the Northwest:
- The Timberwolves‘ typically stout defense has faltered early on this season, ranking 24th in the NBA through Thursday’s games. Minnesota is just 2-3 so far and has a 119.5 defensive rating after finishing sixth at 110.8 last season. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic relays, head coach Chris Finch has challenged his “All-Defensive guys” – Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert – to do a better job of setting the tone on that end of the court. “Jaden’s gotta be better at the point of attack, into his guy a little bit more,” Finch said. “Rudy’s gotta challenge more stuff at the rim.”
- Trail Blazers center Robert Williams, who has yet to make his season debut, has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game vs. Denver, the team announced (Twitter link). Williams, who has been plagued by knee issues throughout his career, was limited to just 20 games last season and didn’t play during the preseason.
- After missing most of the second half of his rookie season due to toe surgery, Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell signed a three-year, $8.7MM contract in July that includes a team option on the third year. Mitchell, who has averaged 18.5 points per game in his first six appearances off the bench this fall, has already outplayed that contract, suggests ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That team-friendly deal should benefit Oklahoma City significantly during the next couple seasons as extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren take effect and the club enters tax-apron territory.
Austin Reaves Boosting Value In Contract Year
The Lakers have held their own in recent days despite missing both LeBron James and Luka Doncic due to injuries. The play of guard Austin Reaves has been a major reason why Los Angeles has put up a 2-1 record without its two superstars — after scoring 51 points in Sacramento on Sunday and pouring in 41 more vs. Portland on Monday, Reaves hit the game-winning shot in Minnesota on Wednesday to cap a 28-point, 16-assist performance.
“That guy is going to show up in the big moments,” head coach JJ Redick said after Wednesday’s win over the Timberwolves, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m not surprised. He’s done that many times in his career.”
Reaves, 27, is averaging an eye-popping 34.2 points, 10.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds through his first five games this season, making 52.5% of his shots from the field, including 38.5% of his three-pointers. He also leads the NBA in free throws made per game (10.4).
While he’s very unlikely to continue producing at that rate, Reaves is off to a terrific start in what figures to be a contract year. He holds a $14.9MM player option for the 2026/27 season but is a virtual lock to decline that option in search of a more lucrative deal.
The fifth-year guard is technically extension-eligible now, but can’t sign for more than $87.4MM over four seasons, so he reportedly plans to wait until the 2026 offseason to get a new contract done. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the belief around the NBA is that he’ll be able to command at least $30MM per year, and potentially well above that number.
“He’s always been a very good player, but now he’s in a role where he can have the ball and generate a lot of offense,” a Western Conference executive told ESPN. “Someone is going to pay him a lot of money next summer.”
Another executive who spoke to Bontemps suggested that Reaves’ value on the open market could far exceed $30MM per year, speculating that a rival suitor might be willing to offer him $180MM for four seasons. While that may be more than the Lakers were prepared to pay for the former undrafted free agent, they have the cap flexibility to make a significant offer themselves and could give themselves a leg up by putting a five-year deal on the table — other teams wouldn’t be able to exceed four years.
“I don’t think he’s going to quite keep up this pace because LeBron will take away touches,” that second executive said to ESPN. “But he is good and the Lakers intend to keep him and he intends to stay, so my guess is it gets done.”
And-Ones: Korkmaz, Aprons, Mexico City, Gambling Cases
Former NBA wing Furkan Korkmaz has a new team in Europe, having signed with Tofas in his home country of Turkey, according to an announcement from the team. Korkmaz’s deal with Tofas is for the rest of the 2025/26 season and reportedly includes a EuroLeague buyout clause, per Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops (Twitter link).
Korkmaz, the 26th overall pick in the 2016 draft, arrived stateside a year later and spend seven seasons in the NBA from 2017-24, all with the Sixers. He averaged 6.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game across 328 NBA regular season outings, making 35.6% of his three-point tries.
Korkmaz was dealt from Philadelphia to Indiana at the 2024 trade deadline and was waived shortly thereafter by the Pacers. The 28-year-old has been out of the NBA since then, having spent last season with AS Monaco and Bahcesehir Koleji overseas.
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- How do players around the NBA feel about the tax-apron rules in the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement? Joe Vardon of The Athletic spoke to a number of them to get a sense of that, noting that several had concerns about the apron rules are impacting non-stars. “A few years ago, the days of calling the ‘middle class’ or middle guys in the league are getting quote-unquote overpaid, that was nice for a long time for a lot of these guys trying to make way for themselves,” Bucks center Myles Turner said. “But now you’re starting to see it’s either you’re getting max, big-ass contracts or you’re getting minimum. And it really is affecting a lot of guys within the league.”
- Mexican-American forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. would love to see the NBA expand to Mexico City, he tells Grant Afseth of RG.org. Jaquez called it a “great experience” to get to play in the city with the Heat last season. “I definitely think it’d be a great location if the league wants to expand,” he said. “It’s a beautiful city with a lot to do down there. I think it only makes sense — there’s already a team in Canada, so to have one down in Mexico would be great.”
- Multiple Congressional committees have sought briefings from NBA commissioner Adam Silver in the wake of Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, and former player and coach Damon Jones being arrested in a pair of illegal gambling cases. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation both sent letters to Silver and the league requesting information. In another story for The Athletic, Vardon provides details on what those committees want to know and why Silver probably won’t be called to testify in person at Capitol Hill — at least not anytime soon.
- Discussions are ongoing between the NBA and its partner sportsbooks about which bets might be most susceptible to manipulation, reports David Purdum of ESPN. As Purdum outlines, FanDuel and DraftKings agreed before the season not to offer bettors the ability to wager on missed free throws, fouls, and turnovers.