Warriors’ Kerr: Kuminga Has Earned Full-Time Starting Role
After suggesting before the season that Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were the only three Warriors players assured of starting every night, head coach Steve Kerr is adding a fourth name to that list, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Kerr said prior to Tuesday’s win over the Clippers that Jonathan Kuminga has secured his spot as a full-time member of the starting five and will be tasked with defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer to open the game.
“He’ll be our starter going forward,” Kerr told reporters, including Slater. “He’s been fantastic. (Monday) we put him on Ja (Morant). Tonight we’ll put him on James Harden. I think he’s ready.”
As Slater observes, it’s an important development for Golden State on the heels of the contentious contract negotiations over the summer between the team and Kuminga, who sought a more prominent and more consistent role. The former seventh overall pick started 46 of his 74 games in 2023/24 but never made more than 16 starts in any other season since entering the league.
Kuminga wasn’t initially projected to open the 2025/26 season as a starter either, but Kerr reconsidered a plan to start Al Horford, determining it made more sense to bring him off the bench in order to manage his minutes. Another potential starter, Moses Moody, sustained a calf injury in training camp, setting him back and delaying his regular season debut.
That opened the door for Kuminga to claim a starting role and he has run with the opportunity, averaging 16.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 30.2 minutes per game through five games (all starts).
While the 23-year-old has been very effective offensively, posting a shooting line of .537/.438/.762, his defense and rebounding have been arguably more impressive. Kuminga averaged 4.0 RPG in his first four seasons — his 37 boards to open the season are the most he has ever recorded in a five-game stretch, according to Slater. Kerr also pointed out that Kuminga’s willingness to drive to the basket and pass the ball has helped alleviate concerns about spacing issues.
“You’ve hardly seen any of the mid-shot clock, 17-foot pullups [from Kuminga],” Kerr said. “You’re seeing him being much more purposeful, getting the ball to Jimmy, getting the ball to Steph, attacking the rim. He’s really putting a lot of pressure on people. The combination of Jimmy and Draymond and JK wasn’t great last year, but because of all the improvements JK has made, his passing, it’s just really clicking. So we’re going to stay with that.”
According to Slater, the Warriors haven’t settled on a permanent fifth starter alongside that trio. Kerr’s plan is to use either big man Quinten Post or guard Brandin Podziemski in that spot, depending on the matchup.
Giannis: Trade Speculation ‘Doesn’t Concern Me One Bit’
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their third win in four games to open the 2025/26 season on Tuesday, scoring 37 points en route to a 121-111 victory over the Knicks.
The first matchup between the two teams this season came just three weeks after ESPN reported that the Bucks and Knicks had brief discussions this offseason about the possibility of a trade involving Antetokounmpo, who reportedly conveyed that New York would be a preferred landing spot if he ever left Milwaukee. Asked on Tuesday about that report, Antetokounmpo pleaded ignorance, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
“I don’t remember that,” Antetokounmpo said, shaking his head when asked about the ESPN story (YouTube link). “Right now, I’m here representing my team. And that’s it. We beat the Knicks. That’s all. Doesn’t really matter. What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row.
“But I didn’t read that article. I try to stay away from all that rumors and speculation and trades and all this. It doesn’t concern me one bit.”
Antetokounmpo, who has been with the Bucks since being selected 15th overall in the 2013 draft, has repeatedly expressed his love for Milwaukee over the years while also stressing that being in position to continue competing for championships is important to him.
The Bucks’ past three seasons have ended with first-round playoff losses, so the outcome of the 2025/26 campaign could go a long way toward determining whether or not Antetokounmpo’s long-term future is in Milwaukee. He has two guaranteed years left on his contract, followed by a player option, meaning he could reach free agency as soon as 2027.
While Antetokounmpo dismissed the trade speculation on Tuesday, he acknowledged that the victory over the Knicks meant a little something extra to a Bucks team with aspirations of winning the Eastern Conference.
“For sure, there was a lot extra,” Antetokounmpo said. “They swept us last year. Swept us. They were way better than us last year. We didn’t make it tough for them. It was very easy, in my opinion. As the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things, and I try to – from early shootaround – set the tone for the team and try to remind them, ‘Last year they swept us.’ Same with the Cavs. So I think the team responded in the best way, so I’m happy.”
The Bucks weren’t able to exact the same form of revenge on the Cavaliers on Sunday that they did on the Knicks on Tuesday, falling 118-113 to their division rivals in Cleveland. However, Antetokounmpo had a monster game in the Bucks’ only loss so far this season, racking up 40 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. He’s playing at an MVP level in the early going — Milwaukee has a +12.5 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -6.2 mark when he sits.
Southeast Notes: Young, Magic, Miller, Hornets, Heat
The Hawks opted not to pursue contract extensions with stars Trae Young or Kristaps Porzingis ahead of the 2025/26 season, deciding instead to assess the fit of the roster in the coming months before determining whether to commit long-term to their current core. Although Young admitted late last month that he was a little disappointed about entering training camp without a new deal in place, he told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN he’s not stressing about the situation.
“I think it’s going to be great. I’m not worried about it,” Young said. “As much as I wish it was, it’s not all in my hands and I can’t control everything. I just can only control the present. And I know if we win, everybody eats … I understand what winning can do. If certain things don’t go my way as far as injuries, health and stuff that I can’t control, that may be the man above telling me there’s another plan for me. I’m focused on making sure all my guys, (head coach) Quin (Snyder) included, get taken care of and succeed.”
The Hawks have dealt with some health issues to open the season, but had three starters back in the lineup on Monday, as Jalen Johnson (right ankle sprain), Porzingis (flu-like symptoms), and Zaccharie Risacher (right ankle sprain) all returned from brief absences. It wasn’t enough to beat the Bulls though, as Atlanta fell 128-123 to drop to 1-3 in the first week of the season.
Still, Young expressed to Youngmisuk that he’s bullish about the amount of talent on the Hawks’ new-look roster, as well as the opportunity to play alongside a big man like Porzingis.
“I haven’t had a guy like him in the NBA,” Young said. “So I think you’ll be able to really see what different things that I can do with a guy that can pick and pop and spread the defense, spread the five man out to 30 feet. I think you’ll be able to see a lot of different things that I haven’t been able to show in the past, too. Hopefully this year I get a lot more catch-and-shoot shots, something that a lot people don’t think I can do.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Atlanta isn’t the only Southeast team off to a slow start after upgrading its roster this offseason. The Magic lost a third straight game on Monday, prompting Josh Robbins of The Athletic and Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) to explore whether the club will be able to play the uptempo style of offense it wants to while maintaining its defensive identity. “I think you can do both,” Magic guard Jalen Suggs said. “… A lot of what we’re talking about and trying to put emphasis on is getting out, playing fast, getting good looks, crashing (the offensive boards) … It just takes being very detailed and a concerted effort to then get back on defense after all that and sit down and get stops.”
- Hornets forward Brandon Miller is seeking a second opinion on his injured shoulder, NBA insider Chris Haynes said during an appearance on The Association on NBA TV (Twitter video link). Miller’s injury – a left shoulder subluxation – is one that can be treated either surgically or non-surgically depending on the severity, so he and the Hornets are likely weighing all his options as they consider the best path forward for the former No. 2 overall pick.
- Exploring whether the Heat have a case for compensation after not being informed of an NBA investigation into Terry Rozier before they acquired him from the Hornets in January 2024, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald speaks to ESPN’s Bobby Marks about what Marks calls an “unprecedented situation.” The Hornets haven’t said one way or another whether they knew about the investigation into unusual betting related to Rozier when they made the deal. “It’s a gray area that I think the league is going to have to look long and hard at,” Marks told Chiang. “When players are being investigated and are part of trade discussions, do they have the authority and morality to disclose that information? Because on the other end, legal will say, ‘Well, wait a minute. If we disclose it and the guy is not guilty, then we’ve just harmed the trade.'” Marks added that the Heat are “highly unlikely” to recoup the first-round pick they gave up for Rozier.
And-Ones: Payne, Fernando, Free Agents, Breakout Candidates
After being waived by the Pacers earlier this month, veteran point guard Cameron Payne reportedly received strong interest from KK Partizan, a EuroLeague-team based in Belgrade, Serbia. However, according to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link), Payne has opted to forgo overseas opportunities for now and will remain stateside in order to seek out his next NBA opportunity.
A 10-year NBA veteran who has earned regular playing time in Phoenix, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York in recent years, Payne appeared in 72 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 6.9 points and 2.8 assists in 15.1 minutes per night while shooting 40.1% from the floor, including 36.3% from beyond the three-point line.
Payne received a training camp invitation from Indiana this fall but didn’t make a strong case in the preseason for a regular season roster spot, shooting just 28.6% from the field and registering nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven).
We have more from around the basketball world:
- While Payne apparently won’t be headed to Belgrade, another NBA veteran is set to join KK Partizan. As Javier Molero of Eurohoops relays, big man Bruno Fernando is signing with the Serbian club to fortify its frontcourt. Fernando, whose last stop was Real Madrid, made 220 regular season appearances in the NBA for four teams from 2019-25. He played in 17 games last season for the Raptors, but has been out of the league since being waived by Toronto in January.
- Even though the 2025/26 season is now underway, there are still several notable players who finished last season on NBA rosters and remain unsigned. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranks the top 10 players who fit that bill, with Malik Beasley, Ben Simmons, and Precious Achiuwa topping his list.
- Jeremy Woo of ESPN identifies his top five breakout candidates for the 2025/26 season, including Celtics wing Payton Pritchard, Pistons center Jalen Duren, and Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard.
Pacers’ Toppin Out At Least One Month, Mathurin Week To Week
A pair of key Pacers rotation players will be unavailable for the foreseeable future, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, who said on Tuesday that forward Obi Toppin will be out for at least one month as a result of his right hamstring strain, while guard Bennedict Mathurin is considered “week to week” due to a right great toe sprain, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
The Pacers entered their opener last week preparing to be without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season as he recovers from an Achilles tear and have since added several new names to their injury report.
Toppin sustained his injury during Sunday’s loss in Minnesota, while Mathurin’s occurred in Saturday’s loss in Memphis when he tripped over Jock Landale‘s foot on his way to the basket. According to Carlisle, both players will undergo more testing when the Pacers return home following the last game of their road trip on Wednesday in Dallas.
“I can’t give you a definitive answer with either guy,” Carlisle said. “But they’re gonna miss some time.”
According to Carlisle, Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain) did some “court work” on Tuesday but isn’t ready to play yet, while Taelon Peter (right groin strain) is “doing better” but is “not there yet” either. Johnny Furphy (left foot soreness) will undergo additional testing on his foot when the team returns to Indianapolis, Carlisle added.
T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain) and Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction) were doing some work near the end of Tuesday’s practice, tweets Dopirak, though the Pacers have previously indicated that both players will be out until at least November 9.
With injuries hitting the team hard at virtually every position except center, the Pacers made a roster move on Tuesday, waiving big man James Wiseman to add guard Mac McClung. As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, Indiana should soon qualify for at least one hardship exception as well.
A hardship exception allows a team to temporarily exceed the standard 15-man roster limit if at least four players have missed three consecutive games for health reasons and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks. Players signed via the hardship exception receive 10-day contracts.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Powell, Wolf, Oubre, Watford, Robinson
The members of the Nets‘ organization who are prioritizing a “good pick” in the 2026 draft likely aren’t overly upset about the team’s 0-4 start, but head coach Jordi Fernandez wasn’t pleased with the compete level he saw from his club in a blowout loss to Houston on Monday, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“I need consistency and urgency. And that’s got to be like something that we cannot decide if we’re doing it or not,” Fernandez said. “It’s a matter of who we want to be, right? Giving up 42 (first-quarter points) to start, it’s not great. It’s just unacceptable to take an NBA game for granted. And our guys are trying. They just don’t know how much harder and focused they can do things. And I believe they’ll keep taking those steps. A lot of it is just lack of experience.”
Only two of the Nets’ five 2025 first-round picks were active in Houston, with Egor Demin (plantar fascia) ruled out and Drake Powell and Danny Wolf assigned to the G League. Still, seven of the 12 players who saw the floor for Brooklyn are under 25 years old, and three others are just 26.
As Lewis writes, the challenge for the Nets as an organization this season will be to lose enough games to get that high draft pick coveted by management and ownership while not establishing the sort of hard-to-break habits that will negatively impact the team’s culture going forward.
“A lot of these teams that try to bottom out by tanking like Brooklyn is doing, they think there’s no consequences,” one player agent told Lewis. “You risk eroding the environment you’re trying to create.”
We have more from around the Atlantic:
- Powell played just two minutes in the Nets‘ opener, while Wolf has yet to make his regular season debut. Both players have been dealing with ankle injuries, but Fernandez suggested on Monday that they’ll likely get a look in the NBA after they spend some time with Long Island in the G League and get healthy. “We have a plan for everybody. Sometimes, those plans have to be made on the go because we didn’t know they’d sprain their ankles,” Fernandez said, per Lewis. “They did. Now, they’re ready to practice. Now, they can get real practices. That’s very good that they can do that, so when we need them, they’re ready to go. I’m very happy with the resources we have, how we use them, and it’s good that they have this practice and then they can help us soon.”
- While the backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has deservedly gotten much of the credit for the Sixers‘ hot start head coach Nick Nurse was effusive in his praise for the team’s third-leading scorer, Kelly Oubre Jr., after the forward racked up 25 points and 10 rebounds in Monday’s win over Orlando. As Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports tweets, Nurse raved about Oubre’s defensive versatility and effort on the boards. “Kelly was awesome,” Nurse said. “That was one of Kelly’s best games, if not his best game, as a Sixer. He was awesome from the beginning.” The 29-year-old is on an expiring $8.38MM contract and was considered a possible trade candidate during the offseason.
- Forward Trendon Watford will make his Sixers debut on Tuesday in Washington, reports Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Watford, who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent over the summer, has been sidelined since training camp due to a right hamstring injury.
- The Knicks have ruled out center Mitchell Robinson for a fourth straight game to open the season due to left ankle injury maintenance, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Robinson has yet to play this season despite no indication from the team that he suffered a new injury or a setback this month.
Rookie Scale Option Decisions Due On Friday
The NBA’s transaction wire hasn’t been as busy in the past week as it was leading up to to the regular season, but we can still expect one last flurry of moves in October. The deadline for teams to exercise their 2026/27 team options on rookie scale contracts arrives on Friday (October 31), and several of those decisions have yet to be reported or announced.
Unlike player or team options on veteran contracts, third- and fourth-year options on rookie scale contracts for former first-round picks must be exercised a year in advance. For instance, when the Spurs picked up Victor Wembanyama‘s fourth-year option earlier this month, they were locking in his salary for the 2026/27 season — his ’25/26 salary became guaranteed last October when the team exercised his third-year option.
As our tracker shows, 30 options have been picked up so far, but a number of teams still have decisions to make on players who were first-round picks in 2023 and 2024. Some of those remaining option decisions are no-brainers — the Sixers haven’t yet exercised Jared McCain‘s $4,422,600 option for 2026/27, for instance, but there’s no doubt they’ll do so.
Other decisions are less cut-and-dried. For example, the Knicks must decide whether they want to pick up Pacome Dadiet‘s $2,983,680 fourth-year option for ’26/27. Given New York’s position relative to the tax aprons and the fact that Dadiet has yet to show much at the NBA level, there’s no guarantee the Knicks will lock in that cap hit.
Here’s the list of the 24 option decisions that have yet to be officially finalized:
Atlanta Hawks
- Zaccharie Risacher (third year, $13,826,040)
Boston Celtics
- Baylor Scheierman (third year, $2,744,040)
Charlotte Hornets
- Brandon Miller (fourth year, $15,104,626)
- Tidjane Salaun (third year, $8,237,880)
Golden State Warriors
- Brandin Podziemski (fourth year, $5,679,458)
Houston Rockets
- Amen Thompson (fourth year, $12,258,609)
- Reed Sheppard (third year, $11,108,880)
Los Angeles Clippers
- Kobe Brown (fourth year, $4,792,058)
New York Knicks
- Pacome Dadiet (third year, $2,983,680)
Orlando Magic
- Anthony Black (fourth year, $10,106,315)
- Jett Howard (fourth year, $7,337,938)
- Tristan Da Silva (third year, $3,991,200)
Philadelphia 76ers
- Jared McCain (third year, $4,422,600)
Utah Jazz
Taylor Hendricks (fourth year, $7,805,900)- Keyonte George (fourth year, $6,563,925)
- Cody Williams (third year, $6,015,600)
- Brice Sensabaugh (fourth year, $4,862,237)
- Isaiah Collier (third year, $2,763,960)
Washington Wizards
- Alex Sarr (third year, $12,370,680)
- Bilal Coulibaly (fourth year, $9,240,012)
- Cam Whitmore (fourth year, $5,458,310)
- Bub Carrington (third year, $4,900,560)
- AJ Johnson (third year, $3,237,120)
- Kyshawn George (third year, $3,108,000)
Pistons Pick Up 2026/27 Options On Three Players
The Pistons have exercised their 2026/27 rookie scale team options on the following three players, according to RealGM’s official NBA transaction log:
- Ausar Thompson (fourth year, $11,117,925)
- Ron Holland (third year, $9,069,600)
- Marcus Sasser (fourth year, $5,198,983)
The Pistons actually made the moves last week, but didn’t formally announce them on social media or on their website. Their decisions had been due by October 31.
Thompson, the fifth overall pick in the 2023 draft, is a breakout candidate in Detroit this season. The 6’7″ wing had one of his best all-around games as a pro in Sunday’s win over Boston, notes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a game-high +15 plus/minus mark. He’s averaging 14.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 3.5 APG through the team’s first four games.
Holland, 2024’s No. 5 pick, appeared in all but one of the Pistons’ games as a rookie last season and figures to play a crucial role off the bench in ’25/26 too. Through his first four outings, he has increased his scoring average to 12.0 PPG on .457/.313/.846 shooting while also contributing 3.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.8 SPG in 21.3 MPG.
Sasser, 25, made 57 appearances last season and averaged 6.6 PPG and 2.3 APG, with a .463/.382/.843 shooting line. The third-year guard, who was drafted 25th overall in 2023, has yet to play this season due to a right hip impingement.
All three players now have guaranteed salaries for the 2026/27 season, with Thompson and Sasser on track to become eligbile for rookie scale extensions during the 2026 offseason. The Pistons’ next decision on Holland will come a year from now, when they’ll have to either pick up or turn down his $11.49MM fourth-year option for ’27/28.
Warriors Notes: Horford, Kornet, Green, Markkanen, Lineups
The fact that Al Horford accepted a two-year, $11.7MM deal this summer to join the Warriors inspired some jealousy among multiple teams that had hoped to land the veteran center themselves, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Horford was one of the best signings in the league over the summer, it broke our hearts because we wanted him badly,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “And they got him for $5 million.”
As Anthony Slater of ESPN reports, team sources say that Horford was Golden State’s “absolute 1A” target during the offseason. The team also had interest in Luke Kornet, but he signed a lucrative contract with San Antonio that was out of the Warriors’ price range, so the team was thrilled that the taxpayer mid-level exception was sufficient to land Horford.
“(General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.)’s been looking for a player like him his entire time here,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Not just a pick-and-pop guy, but a legitimate big, who can make Draymond (Green)‘s job easier, who can make Steph (Curry)‘s job easier. It’s really hard to find those guys.”
Horford is expected to be inactive on Friday on the second end of a back-to-back as part of a plan to limit his workload in his age-39 season, Windhorst notes.
We have more on the Warriors:
- Within an in-depth story about Horford’s arrival and the Warriors’ approach to roster-building, Slater points out that the organization continues to balance a long-term view with a win-now philosophy, as its decision to re-sign Jonathan Kuminga instead of signing-and-trading him showed. “That’s one of the beautiful things about having this organization,” Green said. “We’re not sitting here like, ‘Yo, give away everything because we don’t give a f–k about what this thing looks like in 10 years.’ We do. And so I think it’s only fair to Mike that he’s given a future, too. It’s important to do it the way that we’ve done it. We found a good balance to where we can compete and possibly win now and yet still have that flexibility and resources for the future.”
- As Slater details, that resistance to going all-in was on display last year when Green discouraged the Warriors from giving up a massive package of young players and draft picks in a trade for Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. “I’m a big fan of [Markkanen’s] game,” Green said. “But I think if you want to do something so huge you better be certain that this is THE move. You usually don’t win those things against (Jazz CEO) Danny Ainge. I look at history.”
- Assistant coaches Terry Stotts and Chris DeMarco convinced Kerr to use a bigger lineup of Curry, Green, Horford, Kuminga, and Jimmy Butler down the stretch on Thursday vs. Denver, according to Slater. The group helped erase a fourth-quarter deficit and secure the victory in overtime, posting a +47.1 net rating in eight minutes on the floor together. “Where we going to score?” Kerr said. “That was my biggest concern. Could we execute [offensively]? But [Stotts and DeMarco] reminded me we have Steph and Jimmy, and they’ll find a way to score. … It was really fun to watch a group that’s never played together close a game against one of the best teams in the league.”
Heat Notes: Rozier, Cap, Offense, Fontecchio
In the wake of Terry Rozier‘s arrest, the Heat had a team meeting on Thursday to “address things,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said on Friday, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). While Spoelstra noted that the team has learned how to “compartmentalize” off-court issues and focus on the next game, Rozier was popular in the locker room and teammates couldn’t help but notice his absence at Friday’s shootaround.
“You support him, through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day,” big man Bam Adebayo said. “It felt kind of weird in him not being here, actually, because he’s usually the first person I get to talk to in the morning, and he brings that great energy to our team.”
Rozier is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after being accused of removing himself from a March 2023 game (when he was a member of the Hornets) so that several “under” prop bets would hit. While Spoelstra and Rozier’s teammates didn’t address the specifics of the case on Friday, they uniformly expressed support for the veteran guard, who has been placed on leave by the NBA.
“I mean obviously we can’t comment on the situation,” Spoelstra said. “But Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us. He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room, and the staff and players alike, and that includes last year, when he wasn’t in the rotation oftentimes. We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”
Here’s more on the Heat, including additional notes on the Rozier situation:
- Because Rozier has been placed on leave rather than being suspended or having his contract voided, he’ll continue to occupy a Heat roster spot and will continue to be paid his $26.6MM salary for the time being, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald outlines. The Heat would only gain immediate cap relief if the NBA decided to void Rozier’s contract, which would remove it from the team’s books.
- Jackson posits (via Twitter) that the Heat were “wronged” by the NBA, which looked into unusual betting activity related to that March 2023 game at the time and found no wrongdoing by Rozier. The Heat reportedly weren’t informed of that investigation before trading for the veteran guard in January 2024. While Jackson stresses that he doesn’t expect the team to take any extreme measures like suing the NBA, he suggests it remains to be seen whether the Heat will seek some sort of restitution.
- The Heat couldn’t pull out a victory over the Magic in Wednesday’s season opener, but Spoelstra was encouraged by how an offense that looked faster and more efficient than last season’s unit, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I don’t want to take too much of a moral victory on this,” Spoelstra said. “I just see a blueprint for us, and I think there are some things that are going to get better and better as we spend more time with each other.”
- In a wide-ranging conversation with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype, new Heat forward Simone Fontecchio spoke about his transition from the EuroLeague to the NBA, what he thinks his role will be in Miami, and several other topics. According to Fontecchio, continuing to improve defensively is a priority for him this season. “I don’t like to be looked at as a casual European guy that doesn’t play defense, just to shoot, you know?” he said. “I never liked that. And I think I was never like that. So hopefully, I’ll keep working on that, keep getting better and better, and people will start to realize that too.”