Drew Timme Signs Two-Year Deal With Nets
MARCH 28: Timme’s new contract is official, the Nets announced (via Twitter).
MARCH 27: The Nets are signing free agent forward Drew Timme to a two-year contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The second year will be a team option.
Timme went undrafted in 2023 after a highly decorated collegiate career at Gonzaga. He has spent the past two seasons in the NBA G League.
A 6’10” power forward, Timme signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Bucks in August 2023 and was waived before the 2023/24 season began. He spent his rookie campaign with Milwaukee’s NBAGL affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
Timme didn’t make the same impact in his first professional season as he did during his time with the Zags, but he found another NBA opportunity last fall, inking a training camp deal with Sacramento. He opened ’24/25 with the Stockton Kings during the Tip-Off Tournament, averaging 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field in 14 appearances, though he only played 19.0 minutes per contest.
Timme switched teams for the G League’s regular season this winter, landing with Nets’ affiliate in Long Island. As Scotto notes, Timme was recently named NBA G League Player of the Week after averaging 35.7 points and 12.7 rebounds over a three-game span, including a career-best 50-point performance.
The 24-year-old has put up big numbers for Long Island, averaging 23.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists on .574/.384/.731 shooting in 29 regular season games (35.6 minutes per contest). Now he’ll be getting his first standard NBA contract with the Nets.
As our tracker shows, the Nets currently only have 14 players on their standard roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Timme.
Wizards’ Khris Middleton To Undergo MRI On Right Knee
After playing 14 first-half minutes on Thursday against Indiana, forward Khris Middleton was ruled out for the second half due to right knee soreness, the Wizards announced (via Twitter).
In his post-game press conference, head coach Brian Keefe said Middleton would undergo an MRI on his right knee, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter link).
It’s unfortunate news for the three-time All-Star, who was traded to Washington last month after spending 10-plus seasons in Milwaukee. Middleton was a key part of the Bucks’ championship run in 2022, but his career has been derailed by a series of injuries the past few seasons.
The 33-year-old has appeared in just 36 total games in 2024/25, averaging 12.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists on .476/.362/.866 shooting in 23.0 minutes per contest. That’s the fewest minutes he’s averaged since he was a rookie with Detroit back in ’12/13.
Middleton holds a $33.3MM player option for ’25/26 that he’s widely expected to exercise.
In other Wizards injury news, forward Anthony Gill was also ruled out for the remainder of Thursday’s game after playing three minutes in the first half. He’s dealing with left hip soreness, per the team (Twitter link).
Knicks Clinch Playoff Berth
Atlanta’s loss in Miami on Thursday ensured that the Knicks will earn a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference and thus a guaranteed spot in the playoffs, the NBA announced (Twitter link).
2024/25 is the third straight season in which New York has made the postseason, all without needing to advance through the play-in tournament. The last time the Knicks made the playoffs for three straight years was 2011-13.
“That’s part of the goal, obviously to get to the playoffs,” Josh Hart said recently, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “That’d be a check. Check that box. I think it shows the stability that we’re building, the foundation that we’re building. Now it’s time to build off of that. Clinching would be nice. It shows the good stability and foundation that we’re building.”
The Knicks (45-27) have been the No. 3 seed in the East for much of the season and that seems likely to be the case entering the postseason, as New York trails Boston by 8.5 games and has a 2.5-game lead on Indiana with 10 games remaining (the Pacers only have nine games left).
The Hawks, currently the No. 7 seed, lost their 38th game tonight, so they can only win up to 44 games, assuming they’re victorious in each of their next 10 games.
The Knicks join the Cavaliers (59-14) and Celtics (54-19) as Eastern teams that have secured playoff spots.
International Notes: Sabonis, NBA Candidates, Canada, PSG
Kings star Domantas Sabonis is expected to miss this summer’s EuroBasket tournament due to personal reasons, sources tell BasketNews.com.
According to BasketNews, the Lithuanian big man is expected to inform Linas Kleiza — the GM of Lithuania’s national team — of his decision when Kleiza visits the United States. Kleiza will also meet with Matas Buzelis and Jonas Valanciunas during the trip, per the report.
Here are a few more international notes:
- A handful of EuroLeague players could land NBA contracts this summer. Some hold previous NBA experience; others do not. According to EuroHoops.net, Anadolu Efes guard Darius Thompson is the strongest candidate to sign with an NBA club in the offseason. Veteran guards Tyler Dorsey and Nigel Williams-Goss are among the other players to watch.
- Who will replace Jordi Fernandez as the next men’s head coach of Canada’s national team? Multiple sources have suggested to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that Gordon Herbert is the frontrunner for the job. Herbert, a Canadian who played for the team that made the Olympics in 1984, is currently the head coach of Bayern Munich and recently coached Germany’s national team. Former NBA assistant Nate Mitchell and current Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela are among the other possible candidates, Grange reports.
- Paris Saint-Germain has interest in joining the NBA’s European league, either by purchasing Paris Basketball or by starting a new team, according to Laurent Perrin and Julian Lesage of Le Parisien (hat tip to Sportando). Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday that the NBA and FIBA are moving forward on the possibility of a new European league, though he noted the process is still in the early stages.
Western Notes: Curry, K. Jones, Payton, Mitchell, Jazz
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is optimistic that Stephen Curry will return from his pelvic contusion on Friday in New Orleans, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
According to Slater, Curry took part in a six-minute scrimmage followed by an individual workout on Thursday. The two-time MVP, who has missed the past two games, will be listed as questionable for Friday’s contest. Curry sustained the injury on March 20 after a hard fall against Toronto.
Here are a few more notes from the Western Conference:
- Mavericks center Kai Jones had an impressive block on Franz Wagner in the first quarter of Thursday’s game in Orlando and immediately followed it up with an alley-oop dunk off an assist from Naji Marshall (Twitter video link via Christian Clark of The Athletic). Unfortunately, Jones was unable to brace himself after the dunk and had a scary-looking fall, with all of his weight landing on his left hip. The Mavericks later ruled him out for the remainder of the contest with a left hip contusion (Twitter link). Jones, who is on a two-way deal with Dallas, has started each of his past four games and played well over that span. He recently missed seven games with a left quad strain.
- Veteran guard Elfrid Payton, who is on a 10-day contract with the Pelicans, shined in Monday’s victory over Philadelphia, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. The Louisiana native finished with six points, six rebounds, 14 assists and was plus-14 in 25 minutes off the bench. “It felt good,” Payton said. “Felt like I was at home again. I love being here. This is the best thing ever.”
- Star guard Donovan Mitchell recently returned to Utah to face the Jazz for just the second time since he was traded to Cleveland in the 2022 offseason. While in town, he reflected on his Jazz tenure, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscriber link). “I think we had our opportunity. We had a lot of windows. I think we had our opportunity, we just missed it,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s just one of those things, we had plenty of opportunities to get things done. We had injuries that one year. The last year we were together, you know, we just didn’t capitalize. Sometimes you just miss your window. I talk about it with my friends a lot, we’re comparing this team we have now versus the first place team we had here (in Utah). I’ve gotten to a point that is like, ‘It’s okay,‘ We did a lot of positive things.”
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Watson, MPJ
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone was “nervous” ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Milwaukee due to the absences of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post relays. Malone explained that teams have a tendency to “relax” when facing shorthanded rosters — just a couple weeks ago, Denver pulled off a major upset in Golden State without Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
While it may not have been the best version of the Nuggets, particularly defensively, they came out victorious in Jokic’s first game back from elbow and ankle injuries. The three-time MVP looked rejuvenated after being sidelined for the previous five games leading up to Wednesday, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who writes that Jokic had been playing through the ailments for a while before he and the training staff decided he needed time off to heal.
“I felt a lot better than I thought I was going to feel,” said Jokic, who finished with 39 points (on 16-of-25 shooting), 10 rebounds and 10 assists. “I don’t want to say percentages or anything, but I feel much better than I thought I was going to be. I still feel the ankle a little bit, but it’s much, much, much less than how it was before.
“I think the most important thing is that we were able to win the game. What we want to do is figure out how to establish a rhythm in these last stretch of games. We want to be able to go to the playoffs and perform at our peak, and we can’t do that without being on the floor. We have to find some consistency. That’s what I want out of the rest of the regular season.”
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Jokic’s left ankle injury — an impingement — was particularly problematic, with the 30-year-old center telling reporters after the game that he was unable to jump off that leg for a time, per Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “It was really painful, and it was just better to feel good,” Jokic said. “And I don’t want to be on the floor and be nervous because I cannot play how I want to play, and on the level that I want to play.” Jokic is known for his durability and willingness to play through injuries.
- Third-year forward Peyton Watson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason, has been playing some of his best basketball of the season as of late, Durando writes for The Denver Post. “Peyton’s playing so good,” Murray raved. “He’s not just playing with confidence, but he’s being so active on both ends of the floor. Cutting, moving even if he doesn’t get it, setting screens, rebounding, back-taps, running the floor, causing confusion.” Over the past six games, the 22-year-old is averaging 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 58.2% from the field (50% from deep) in 30.2 minutes per contest.
- Michael Porter Jr. broke out of a prolonged slump in Wednesday’s win, finishing with 23 points on just nine field goal attempts (he made seven, including 6-of-8 from three-point range). After the game, Porter said a lingering hamstring injury was to blame for his shooting woes — he’s at 33.3% from three since the All-Star break, compared to 41.7% in 52 games before the break. If the Nuggets hope to win another title in 2025, they’ll need a much more consistent version of Porter in the postseason, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post, who argues that the 26-year-old is a detriment to the team when he isn’t making shots.
Thomas Sorber To Enter Draft While Maintaining Eligibility
Georgetown forward/center Thomas Sorber is entering the 2025 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
According to Givony, Sorber wasn’t viewed as a one-and-done candidate entering his freshman season in the fall, but he quickly moved up draft boards with his impressive play for the Hoyas. He’s currently ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s big board (Insider link), making him a projected first-round pick.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic is even higher on Sorber, writing that no NBA teams he’s spoken to recently have the 19-year-old outside of the first round, with several projecting him to land in the teens. He’s No. 12 on Vecenie’s latest mock draft, despite the fact that he underwent season-ending foot surgery last month, which will likely cause him to miss much of the pre-draft process.
In 24 games in 2024/25, Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest. His shooting slash line was .532/.162/.724 (he was 6-of-37 from long distance, so pretty low volume).
“I am the type of player who will always make the right play,” Sorber told Givony. “I can do a little bit of everything — pass, rebound, sit down, and switch onto guards. Read plays and come from the weakside for blocks. I have a good touch. A feel for the game. But the main thing is to try and help my team win. Everyone says they want to be like (Nikola) Jokic. I also like to watch Bam Adebayo. His hustle, the way he’s expanded his game and switches from 1-5.”
Sixers Sign Marcus Bagley To 10-Day Contract
The Sixers have signed free agent forward Marcus Bagley to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release.
Bagley, 23, went undrafted in 2023 after three injury-riddled seasons with Arizona State. He has been a member of Philadelphia’s organization ever since, initially playing for the 76ers’ Summer League squad that year and spending the past two seasons with the team’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Bagley struggled to make an impact during his first professional season in 2023/24 and got off to a relatively slow start this past fall during the Tip-Off Tournament. However, he has been more productive since the NBAGL regular season got underway in the winter, averaging 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18 games (29.3 minutes per contest). His shooting line over that span is .436/.320/.759.
The 76ers currently have a full 15-man roster, but they are permitted to carry extra players via the hardship exception due to injuries. It’s likely they qualify for a second hardship exception, as Chuma Okeke is currently on his second 10-day contract with the club — his deal expires March 25.
While it’s also possible Philadelphia decided to end Okeke’s contract a day early, there’s no mention of Okeke in the press release. Either way, Bagley will be getting his first standard NBA contract.
Bagley will earn $66,503 over the course of his 10 days with the team and Philadelphia will carry an identical cap hit on its books. Bagley, whose older brother is Grizzlies big man Marvin Bagley III, will be eligible to appear in five games for the Sixers.
Coby White, Kevin Durant Named Players Of The Week
Bulls guard Coby White has been named the Player of the Week for the Eastern Conference, while Suns forward Kevin Durant has won the award in the West, the NBA announced today in a press release.
It’s the second straight week that White has claimed the honor in the East. According to the Bulls (Twitter link), White joins Michael Jordan as the only players in team history to win the award in back-to-back weeks (Jordan accomplished it twice).
White, 25, helped guide Chicago to a 3-1 record last week, averaging 30.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds on .556/.394/.848 shooting in four appearances (35.5 minutes). All four games came on the road.
Durant, meanwhile, averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on .588/.471/.933 shooting in victories over Toronto, Chicago and Cleveland last week. It’s the 33rd time he has won the weekly award in his career, per the Suns (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic), tying Kobe Bryant for second-most all-time (LeBron James has by far the most with 69).
According to the NBA (Twitter link), White beat out Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, Cade Cunningham, his teammate Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes, Pacers teammates Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner, Celtics teammates Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young in the East.
The other nominees in the West were Deni Avdija, Durant’s teammate Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Kawhi Leonard.
Central Notes: Mobley, Cavs, Mathurin, Holland, Sasser
Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley is viewed as one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year in 2024/25, and while he had no qualms about making a case for himself, he was more interested in talking about the team’s goals when he recently spoke to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.
“I’m mostly just focused on the playoffs,” Mobley said. “I’m just trying to be as great as possible in the playoffs and go as far as we can in the playoffs.”
Mobley has been highly impressive in his fourth NBA season, averaging a career-best 18.6 points to go along with 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks in a career-low 30.2 minutes per contest across 63 outings. His shooting slash line is .568/.372/.729.
The 23-year-old forward/center is the only player from the East to have the won the new Defensive Player of the Month award two times this season, Medina notes. Mobley pointed out that his impact goes beyond what a traditional box score can measure.
“There are defenders not even taking a shot,” Mobley told Sportskeeda. “They’re coming in down the paint and see me there. Then they turn back around and go somewhere else. Those plays don’t necessarily get tracked. But that’s a big factor.”
Here’s more from the Central:
- Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link) and Tony Jones of The Athletic explain why Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson decided to have a “fun practice” on Saturday following a four-game losing streak, helping the players rediscover the joy they’ve played with all season. Instead of letting frustration seep in, the team instead played H.O.R.S.E and cracked jokes while watching highlights the coaching staff compiled of the players when they participated in the NCAA Tournament. “I think it’s been important to not overreact,” Atkinson said, per Jones. “To be clear, I’m not happy with the way we have played. We haven’t played well in the last week. But, you have to look at things in the big picture. And in the big picture, I’ll take who this team has been during the other 97 percent of the season over what we have been over the last week.” Cleveland snapped its four-game skid with a dominant second half on Sunday in Utah against the tanking Jazz.
- Over the course of Bennedict Mathurin‘s three seasons with the Pacers, there has been a constant effort to try to figure out how best to incorporate his more ball-dominant, one-on-one style within the movement-oriented flow of a Tyrese Haliburton-led offense. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, the issue becomes even more complicated in instances when Haliburton is unavailable — he missed time recently with a back ailment. When Haliburton is out, Mathurin, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, gets more freedom to try and score however he can out of necessity. The tension between the two playing styles has defined Mathurin’s tenure with the team to this point, Dopirak adds. “It’s two different styles,” Carlisle said, “and I just let him know at halftime (on Saturday vs. Brooklyn) that I acknowledge that if he had the ball every time and we spread it out every time and he was doing the stuff we were doing when we were down in those games (without Haliburton), that he would score and he would get to the free throw line. But in the flow of our normal game, that’s not who we are. We’ve gotta work to bring the two forces of nature together.”
- With Cade Cunningham (calf soreness) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle sprain) out Sunday vs. New Orleans, rookie forward Ron Holland helped spark a Pistons victory, recording 26 points (on 10-of-14 shooting), six assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes off the bench. The fifth overall pick in last year’s draft tied his career high for points in a game and set a new one in assists. Second-year guard Marcus Sasser, who has been in and out of the rotation in 2024/25, was also instrumental to the win, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Hunter Patterson of The Athletic and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com have the stories and quotes.