Kings Name Saagar Sarin GM Of G League Affiliate
Saagar Sarin will be the new general manager of the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s NBA G League affiliate announced in a press release.
Sarin is currently Sacramento’s senior director of pro personnel, an expansive scouting role, and he will continue in that job on top of being Stockton’s GM.
A California native, Sarin got his NBA start with Houston, spending three years with the Rockets (from 2016-19) prior to a two-year stint with Minnesota (2019-21). The 31-year-old has been with the Kings for the last five years.
Sarin, whose educational background is in business, statistics and analytics, will take over a G League club that has had a lot of success in recent years. Stockton won the NBAGL championship in 2025 and lost in the 2026 finals last month.
Mavericks Rumors: Ujiri, Dumont, Front Office, Kidd
While the Mavericks‘ hiring of Masai Ujiri was somewhat unexpected, it makes sense for a number of reasons, Marc Stein writes in his latest story for The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Stein reported multiple times, there had been a belief around the NBA that governor Patrick Dumont was hoping to find a big name to run Dallas’ basketball operations department, and the longtime Raptors president certainly fits that bill. Dumont also wanted to stick to his self-imposed deadline of filling the position by the middle of May. The draft lottery takes place on May 10.
League sources tell Stein that Dumont wanted to find a top executive with a “proven track record” who was also willing and able to speak to the media. Tuesday’s press conference to introduce Ujiri will only be Dumont’s second time speaking to the media since he became an owner of the team, Stein notes, and former head of basketball operations Nico Harrison was just as reticent to address the public.
Ujiri, on the other hand, is well known for holding press conferences as well as making bold public proclamations, Stein observes.
According to Stein, the search process was “essentially conducted” by Dumont, CEO Rick Welts and president of business of operations Ethan Casson. Sources tell The Stein Line that Dumont spoke to ex-Warriors executive Bob Myers multiple times, but Myers decided to stay in his position with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the group that owns the Sixers.
Stein reiterates that Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was another target, but the Mavs were not granted permission to talk to him. Ujiri, meanwhile, was awaiting another opportunity after being dismissed by Toronto last June.
Here are a few more Mavs-related rumors from Stein:
- Ujiri will be given the freedom to fill out the front office as he sees fit, according to Stein, who reports that the 55-year-old is expected to hire a general manager to work alongside him in the coming days.
- On a related note, Stein hears Ujiri is expected to meet with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, who acted as co-interim GMs in the wake of Harrison’s dismissal, to determine whether either executive will remain in Dallas.
- While Ujiri will likely be asked on Tuesday about the status of head coach Jason Kidd, Stein has heard for months that Dumont desired to hire an executive who wanted to keep Kidd in place. Sources tell Stein that Kidd still has four years left on his contract after signing offseason extensions in both 2024 and 2025.
- The staff of The Dallas Morning News lists 10 things to know about Ujiri, who played professionally in Europe before he became an NBA executive.
Northwest Notes: Connelly, Wolves, Lloyd, Gonzalez, Jazz
The Timberwolves have registered interest in extending the contract of president basketball operations Tim Connelly, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Scotto reported last week that Minnesota was hoping to sign Connelly to a new deal. His current contract will expire in 2027.
Connelly, a longtime Nuggets executive, was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022. Minnesota has made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years and advanced to the second round of this year’s playoffs last week when it eliminated Denver for the second time in three seasons.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch congratulated Bryson Graham — his former colleague in New Orleans — for landing the Bulls‘ head of operations job, but admits he was pulling for Wolves GM Matt Lloyd, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Congrats to Bryson Graham,” Finch said. “I worked with Bryson in New Orleans for a number of years. He’s a class act and an outstanding talent evaluator. I’m sure he will be a great pick for the Bulls. … Gunning for Matt. He’s one of the best executives I’ve ever worked with anywhere I’ve been. He’s an absolute rock star when it comes to that, from running processes to connecting with people in the building, to positivity to leadership, to being able to manage up and down. It’s only a matter of time until he gets his chance, I’m convinced of it. These are really hard jobs to get, highly coveted. Lots of things go into them. We’re fortunate to have him here and he’s been a huge part of our success.”
- The Jazz plan to add Ben Gonzalez to their front office, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 (Twitter link). Gonzalez is currently the director of basketball operations at the University of Georgia.
- Regardless of where their pick lands in next week’s draft lottery, Jazz fans have something to look forward to next season, since the team will no longer be prioritizing draft positioning, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News.
Suns Notes: Offseason, Free Agents, Rookies, Ishbia
Within his Suns offseason preview at the Third Apron (Substack link), Yossi Gozlan writes that Phoenix should “seriously consider” reconstructing its roster by trading its top players — including Devin Booker — to acquire draft picks.
As Gozlan explains, the Suns far exceeded external expectations by winning 45 games in 2025/26, ultimately advancing to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. However, he thinks the current roster is “likely at its ceiling,” which is why he advocates for a tear-down.
Despite being something of a feel-good story this season, the Suns still have a relatively bleak long-term outlook, according to Gozlan, because they have so few valuable assets and an unenviable cap situation. In no small part because of the dead money owed to Bradley Beal, Phoenix will have to dump salary to avoid the luxury tax just to try and re-sign some of its own free agents, a group that includes Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams.
Gozlan acknowledges the team appears unlikely to trade Booker and other veterans like Dillon Brooks, but says there’s a good chance that both of those players’ values could be at high points right now, and moving off Booker’s salary in particular would create far more financial flexibility going forward.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- In a story breaking down each player’s role and contract situation ahead of 2026/27, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscription required) reports that the Suns and Gillespie are already discussing a new contract, and hears the 26-year-old point guard could sign a deal worth $40MM over four years. As for starting center Williams, who will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a $9.6MM qualifying offer, Rankin suggests he’s not a lock to return next season. For what it’s worth, Gozlan viewed Williams as a sign-and-trade candidate, pointing to the Bulls as a team that could make sense as a suitor.
- It will be an important offseason for Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea, who just finished their rookie campaigns, Rankin states in another article (subscriber link). Maluach could become Phoenix’s starting center next season if the team decides not to retain Williams, while Fleming has a chance to become the starting power forward if he can improve some of his weaknesses, Rankin writes. As for Brea, who spent this season on a two-way deal, he’ll have to take significant strides forward if he wants to crack the rotation in ’26/27.
- In an exclusive interview with Rankin (subscription required), owner Mat Ishbia acknowledges other teams will have interest in the aforementioned free agent trio, but says the team would like to retain them and the feeling is mutual. He also stands behind the decision to trade Kevin Durant to Houston last year. “We knew we had to do it, to make the trade. We knew we were going to make the trade. What we had to do is make sure we got the right things that were aligned with our identity,” Ishbia told Rankin. “We look at it, we got four guys. We got Dillon, Jalen (Green), Khaman and Rasheer because we used those picks to get the 31st pick (in the second round). Those players, could they all start next year, could they start the year after? Those are all four great players. So we feel great about what we did. … I think we did a very good job with it. You look at it now, it turned out to be a great trade for us. Not everyone said that the day we did it, but it turned out to be a fantastic trade for us and a huge part of our resetting our identity with those guys and building for the future as well.”
Bulls Hire Bryson Graham As Head Of Basketball Operations
The Bulls have officially hired Bryson Graham to lead their basketball operations department, per a team press release. Graham’s title will be executive vice president of basketball operations.
“We’re excited to name Bryson Graham as our Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Bryson is an elite talent evaluator who has earned tremendous respect across the league, and that stood out immediately during our process. He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build and sustain a successful organization.
“He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker, and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players, and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture. Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level group around him. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting, and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson’s ability to lead, build, and move us forward.
The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links).
Graham was the Hawks‘ senior VP of basketball operations for the 2025/26 season. He spent 15 years in New Orleans before that, Charania notes, working his way up the ranks from an intern to general manager.
The 39-year-old was GM for the Pelicans under former top executive David Griffin until the end of last season, when Griffin was fired and replaced by Joe Dumars. Graham is highly regarded around the league for his scouting acumen, Charania writes, which will be important for the rebuilding Bulls.
While Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd had been reported by some outlets as the frontrunner for the top front office job in Chicago, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported over the weekend that Graham, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin were still in contention for the position as well.
According to Charania, the Bulls conducted in-person interviews last week and considered Graham, Lloyd and Lindsey over the weekend before selecting Graham on Monday.
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network says (via Twitter) there were four finalists, and hears all of them interviewed well. However, Graham was the unanimous pick, Johnson reports.
In a full story for ESPN.com, Charania and Jamal Collier report that Graham (in his executive role with Atlanta) helped facilitate trade talks between the Hawks and Pelicans last summer, when New Orleans moved up from No. 23 to No. 13 to select Maryland big man Derik Queen. The 2026 first-rounder the Pelicans sent the Hawks is unprotected and will be the most favorable of the Pels’ and Bucks’ picks.
Trey Murphy III (No. 17 overall), Herbert Jones (No. 35), Dyson Daniels (No. 8) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17) are among the players Graham has been credited for drafting, in addition to his work on trades.
Graham will replace former head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, who was fired near the end of the regular season alongside ex-GM Marc Eversley.
Wolves’ Ayo Dosunmu Out For Monday’s Game 1
Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu has been downgraded from questionable to out for Monday’s Game 1 matchup in San Antonio, the team announced (via Twitter).
Dosunmu, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before then, is dealing with right calf soreness. It’s the same injury which caused Dosunmu to miss Game 6 of Minnesota’s first-round series against Denver.
The 26-year-old had a huge series against the Nuggets, leading the Wolves in scoring at 21.8 points per game, with a scorching hot shooting line of .609/.545/.950. He also contributed 4.0 APG and 2.8 RPG in 32.4 MPG across five appearances.
A former second-round pick (38th overall in 2021), Dosunmu spent his first four-and-a-half seasons in Chicago, his hometown team. The Wolves traded for the former Illinois star ahead of the February deadline.
Minnesota will be shorthanded in the backcourt tonight, as Donte DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles tendon in the first round and will be sidelined indefinitely. On a brighter note, star guard Anthony Edwards will reportedly be available after hyperextending his left knee on April 25.
Pistons Sign J.B. Bickerstaff To Contract Extension
The Pistons have signed head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to a contract extension, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
Bickerstaff has led Detroit to a remarkable turnaround over the past two seasons. After finishing with the worst record (14-68) in the NBA in 2023/24, the Pistons improved by 30 wins in Bickerstaff’s first year at the helm, going 44-38 and making the playoffs.
The Pistons continued their upward trajectory in ’25/26, finishing with a 60-22 record, the top mark in the Eastern Conference. Detroit survived a first-round scare against No. 8 Orlando, falling in a 3-1 hole before winning the final three games to advance to the second round for the first time since 2008.
Bickerstaff, 47, reportedly signed a five-year contract when he was hired in July 2024, with the first four seasons being guaranteed. It’s unclear how many extra years his extension will cover.
It’s interesting timing that the Pistons decided to extend Bickerstaff on the same day that the Magic dismissed Jamahl Mosley. Bickerstaff defended his friend and said he disagreed with the Magic’s decision in an appearance on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show, as Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire relays (via Twitter).
Bickerstaff, who took over as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association earlier this season, is a finalist for the Coach of the Year award. The other finalists are Joe Mazzulla (Celtics) and Mitch Johnson (Spurs).
After starting his NBA coaching career as an assistant, Bickerstaff has had previous head coaching stops in Memphis, Houston and Cleveland prior to joining Detroit.
The Pistons will face the Cavaliers, Bickerstaff’s former club, in the Eastern semifinals.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe, More
History was made on Saturday in Boston, as the Sixers became the first No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference to defeat a No. 2 seed since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven format in the first round in 2003 (Twitter link via the league). Philadelphia also became the 14th team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 deficit.
As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, history was also made between the two teams, as the 76ers were 0-18 all time when in a 3-1 series hole, while the Celtics had been 32-0 when up 3-1. It had been 44 years since Philadelphia had beaten its Atlantic Division rival in the postseason, a span of six playoff series, three of which included Joel Embiid, Bontemps notes.
Embiid, who had an emergency appendectomy three-plus weeks ago, changed the complexion of the series when he returned to action in Game 4. Although the Sixers lost that contest in lopsided fashion, they outplayed the Celtics over the final three games, with Embiid recording 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes in the decisive Game 7 to help vanquish his longtime foes.
“It feels good to win,” Embiid said. “Obviously, we got a bigger goal in mind. But finally beating these guys feels pretty good.”
The former league MVP had plenty of help on Saturday, as All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey had 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists of his own, making them the first teammates in NBA history to each register 30-10-5 lines in a Game 7, according to Bontemps.
“I just really wanted the ball,” Maxey said of his late-game heroics. “Early in the fourth, we went to Joel, and I just felt like it was time for me to step up and make a play.”
Here’s more on the Sixers, whose second-round matchup with New York begins on Monday:
- Embiid took some time to “bask in the glow” of his first Game 7 victory, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who writes that the 32-year-old center appeared to hyperextend his knee near the end of the fourth quarter, though he jokingly dismissed the limp he played with afterward (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). Injuries were a major concern for the 76ers throughout 2025/26 as they went 45-37 during the regular season, but Maxey said the team never lacked belief. “We’ve had this weird swag about us all year,” he said. “We’ve had this confidence in that we know who we can be. And, we know who we are. We have never wavered. This group has always believed in each other. This group really likes each other, and we want to see each other succeed.”
- The Game 7 victory to complete the comeback was remarkable for several reasons, writes Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. Boston was viewed as one of the favorites — if not the favorite — to come out of the East. Instead, the Celtics were sent home early by the Sixers, with Embiid looking unstoppable at times in the mid-post, both as a scorer and passer, and Maxey delivering haymakers at the end of games. Both the Sixers and Embiid deserve a lot of credit for weathering the storm and persevering in the face of adversity, Bodner adds.
- No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe was another huge factor on Saturday, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. In addition to recording 23 points, six rebounds and four assists, the rookie guard specifically requested to defend Derrick White after the Celtics guard erupted for 19 first-half points. In the third quarter, White was just 1-of-7 from the field and “a lot of that was VJ,” according to head coach Nick Nurse. “Those are the things that make a huge difference in games like this,” Nurse said.
Charania’s Latest: Edwards, Doncic, Adelman, Nuggets
While Anthony Edwards will be sidelined to open the Timberwolves‘ second-round matchup vs. San Antonio, there’s optimism he could return to action as early as Game 3 or 4, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (YouTube link; story via ESPN’s Anthony Slater).
Edwards released a video on his YouTube channel about his recovery progress from the left knee injury he suffered in the second quarter of Game 4 against Denver. He hyperextended his knee at the time, causing a bone bruise, and he had already been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) in his opposite leg.
According to Charania, Minnesota will take a cautious approach to Edwards’ bone bruise, but he has historically healed quickly and is working diligently to come back. The four-time All-Star has done light on-court work the past two days, Slater writes.
Timberwolves VP of medical operations and performance David Hines said in the video that Edwards’ return timeline is one-to-two weeks, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (Twitter link). Game 3 will be played on Friday, with Game 4 scheduled for next Sunday.
Here’s more from Charania:
- Lakers superstar Luka Doncic appears unlikely to be active in the near future with Los Angeles set to face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals. The Slovenian guard, who is recovering from a left hamstring strain, is considered week-to-week, according to Charania. Although Doncic has been doing more on-court activities in recent days, a source tells Charania he hasn’t done any “full-fledged running or full-contact workouts” to this point.
- Confirming recent reporting from The Denver Post, Charania says Nuggets head coach David Adelman “is going to be back” for a second full season in Denver. “His job is safe,” Charania added.
- Charania reiterates that Nikola Jokic is expected to sign a maximum-salary contract to remain with the Nuggets. However, the rest of Denver’s roster could look much different in 2026/27. “There is going to be real roster changes coming to Denver to identify how they can surround Nikola Jokic with the right pieces to get this team over the top,” Charania reported. “… They’re going to get calls and listen to calls on everyone on the roster besides Nikola Jokic.”
Nuggets Rumors: Adelman, Gordon, Watson, Johnson, Murray, Braun
The Nuggets were left stunned by their first-round loss to the Wolves, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Against a stout Minnesota defense, almost the entire rotation — including stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray — underperformed relative to the regular season, when Denver won 54 games and entered the playoffs having won 12 straight contests.
Although there’s been some speculation about head coach David Adelman potentially being on the hot seat after the early exit, Durando hears the “immediate sense” within the Nuggets is he’ll be back at the helm in 2026/27. Both Jokic and Murray offered support for Adelman after the team was eliminated on Thursday, Durando notes.
“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound,” Jokic said. “It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It’s all us.”
Here are a few more notes and rumors related to the Nuggets, whose expensive payroll could lead to roster changes this summer:
- The Nuggets value Aaron Gordon and recognize how vital he has been to the team’s success over the years, but a series of hamstring and calf strains have limited his availability over the past two seasons, and those injuries have people wondering if he’ll be able to make it through another deep playoff run going forward, according to Durando. While Gordon has been off-limits in trade talks during previous transaction windows, league sources tell Durando that won’t be the case this summer.
- As Durando writes, the future of the core in Denver (outside of Jokic) seems very much up in the air following another early playoff ouster. Durando confirms the Nuggets want to re-sign restricted free agent Peyton Watson, who missed the series due to a hamstring strain. But that would push the team over the second tax apron, and ownership was considered unlikely to foot that bill even before the disappointing postseason run.
- In part because he’s entering the final year of his contract, which pays him $23MM in 2026/27, Cameron Johnson has long been viewed as the most likely starter to be traded this summer to clear out money for Watson, league sources tell Durando. Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette has heard similarly, pointing out that Christian Braun‘s five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension and the $106.4MM Gordon is owed over the next three years may make them more difficult to move.
- Both Durando and Benedetto wonder if Murray could be a trade candidate this offseason. He’s coming off the best regular season of his career and will likely make his first All-NBA team, but he has struggled against elite defenders the past two postseasons. Jokic expressed confidence in the duo’s ability on Thursday, Durando notes. “I mean, I think we are still good,” Jokic said. “I think we created the looks. Sometimes you need to make it. I think a miss doesn’t make you a bad player, and misses don’t make you a bad decision-maker. It’s a miss-or-make league. So we couldn’t make any shots. … I’m confident in my and Jamal’s two-man game.”
- Braun refused to use injuries as an excuse for the first-round loss, Durando adds. “Obviously I have confidence in us getting back and (winning a title) because we have done it. … This team is so good that every time you lose early is a disappointment,” Braun said. “So we’ve gotta be better. I know we can do it with this group. Whatever happens (this offseason), happens. We’ve gotta find a way to get better. You can’t blame anything. You can’t blame injuries. You can’t blame health. They had injuries, too, and they kicked our (butt).”