Mavs Notes: Harrison, AD, Gafford, Dirk, Cuban, Cisse, More
At 2-7, the Mavericks are in last place in the Western Conference, having lost at home to the 1-8 Wizards and the 2-6 Pelicans, who were on the second end of a back-to-back (and without Zion Williamson). They nearly suffered another home defeat to the 1-7 Pacers.
Dallas currently has the worst offensive rating in the NBA by a significant margin.
The disastrous start has people around the league questioning whether head of basketball operations Nico Harrison could be fired sooner rather than later, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Howdy Partners podcast with Michael C. Wright (YouTube link).
“A legitimate question right now is: Is Nico Harrison’s job in serious jeopardy? That is an absolutely legitimate question,” MacMahon said (hat tip to RealGM). “It’s the question obviously Mavericks fans have been hoping would be answered with an affirmative since early February.
“I don’t have a firm answer for you right now — that’s as much as I can tell you. But it is absolutely a legitimate question. When you talk to people about the Mavericks around the league, it is the first question that people are asking.
“(Harrison) stuck his neck out by making the most unpopular trade in NBA history.”
As MacMahon pointed out, Harrison has come under heavy scrutiny since he shockingly decided to trade franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers for a package headlined by Anthony Davis.
With an ill-fitting, injury-plagued roster and Doncic thriving in Los Angeles, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News argues it’s time for governor Patrick Dumont to listen to the fans who have been chanting for Harrison’s dismissal ever since the deal was completed.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Star big man Davis has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s matchup against Washington after missing the past four contests with a left calf strain, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He seems in good spirits, and I think he’s doing fine health-wise,” head coach Jason Kidd said Friday. “So we’ll see. But I don’t know about (Saturday).” MacMahon hears Davis has been targeting tonight’s contest for his return to action (Twitter link). Center Daniel Gafford is also questionable after aggravating his right ankle sprain in Friday’s loss in Memphis.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, didn’t mince words about the team’s poor start on Friday, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I feel bad for my Mavs fans,” Nowitzki said. “This has been a disastrous start. Obviously, there’s a hole at the point guard and play-making position…at shot creating, at shot making. They can’t shoot, they can’t make plays…nobody can make shots. It’s been tough to watch.”
- Longtime majority stakeholder and current minority owner Mark Cuban also weighed in on the team’s struggles during a radio appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, according to Townsend. “You know, I’m not thrilled with the composition of the team,” Cuban said. “I think we’re imbalanced. We don’t have enough depth at point guard. We don’t have somebody who’s a creator that gets other people shots or enough of that. And so I didn’t think we were going to crush it and start off 8-0, but I didn’t expect 2-6 (as of Friday).”
- Rookie center Moussa Cisse, who is on a two-way contract, provided a spark off the bench on Friday amid what was an otherwise dispiriting loss at Memphis, Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The 23-year-old big man finished with career highs of 10 points (on 4-of-5 shooting) and eight rebounds in 14 minutes — the team was plus-18 during his time on the court in the 14-point loss. “He plays hard — that’s how he plays,” Kidd said. “He’s out there to prove that he belongs. He’s hungry, and that’s what stands out when you watch him play. He plays one way — he plays hard and he plays fast.”
- Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal and Townsend of The Dallas Morning News pass along several more quotes from Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, who entered the night on a four-game losing streak (Memphis is now 4-6).
Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard Expected To Return Saturday
After missing the past seven games due to a left shoulder strain he sustained early in the Pacers‘ season opener, guard Andrew Nembhard has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s matchup at Denver.
While that injury designation theoretically suggests there’s a 50/50 chance the player will suit up, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reports (via Twitter) that Nembhard is expected to play vs. the Nuggets.
It’s certainly positive news for Indiana, which has been decimated by injuries this fall — seven other Pacers are out tonight, and several of them are dealing with long-term injuries.
Nembhard, 25, was the 31st overall pick in the 2022 draft. The Canadian combo guard, who is now in his fourth season, has been a solid two-way contributor for the Pacers and was expected to take on a larger role this season with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for all of 2025/26 due to a torn Achilles tendon.
Veteran point guard Monte Morris, who was just signed by Indiana on Friday, will also be active against his former team — the 30-year-old spent five years the Nuggets, who selected him 51st overall back in 2017.
Morris believes he’s a strong fit for Indiana’s fast-paced read-and-react offense (Twitter video link via the team).
“I think it’ll be good,” Morris said. “This is maybe the first team I’ve been on in the league with pace that I’m used to.”
Pacific Notes: Westbrook, Achiuwa, Brooks, Leonard, J. Green
Behind a 23-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple-double from Russell Westbrook, the shorthanded Kings dispatched the shorthanded Warriors on Wednesday, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.com.
“Humbly speaking, I’m the best rebounding guard ever,” Westbrook said post-game. “So if the ball come across the rim, I’m going to get it.”
According to Slater, the nine-time All-Star made that comment before discovering that he had made NBA history during the win by passing Jason Kidd for the most career rebounds for a guard.
“Oh,” Westbrook said. “Honestly, I didn’t even know that. I’m going to need the game ball.”
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- The one-year, minimum-salary contract that Precious Achiuwa signed with the Kings on Tuesday is non-guaranteed, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The 26-year-old forward/center recorded four points, three rebounds and one block in nine minutes in his debut with Sacramento on Wednesday.
- Suns forward Dillon Brooks is questionable for Saturday’s rematch against the Clippers in Los Angeles, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Brooks has missed the past six games with a core muscle strain. Kawhi Leonard will miss his third straight game for the Clips as he continues to battle a right ankle sprain, Murray adds.
- The Clippers have gotten off to a rocky start — they hold a 3-5 record after being dominated by the Suns on Thursday. Head coach Tyronn Lue is preaching patience with some new faces on the roster, as Janis Carr of The Orange County Register relays. “We really haven’t had the chance to get to our full potential as far as lineups and things like that,” Lue said. “So, we just gotta be patient, let our guys get healthy and then we’ll see.”
- After missing the first eight games of 2025/26 with a right hamstring strain, Jalen Green had an impressive Suns debut on Thursday, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former No. 2 overall pick scored a game-high 29 points (on 10-of-20 shooting) while chipping in three rebounds, three assists and two steals in just 23 minutes during the blowout victory. “Body wise, I felt really good,” the 23-year-old shooting guard said. “Overall, I was just really excited to get out there. I was telling the guys I couldn’t even sleep. Usually I take a pregame nap. I couldn’t even get my nap in. I was so excited.”
Wizards Notes: Whitmore, T. Johnson, Sarr, Front Office
Starting wings Bilal Coulibaly (lower left leg tightness) and Kyshawn George (illness) missed Friday’s game against Cleveland, creating an opportunity for other young players, but Cam Whitmore only played about five minutes in the Wizards‘ blowout loss to Cleveland, with all of his playing time coming in the first quarter, observes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (Twitter links).
It’s the fourth straight game in which Whitmore’s minutes have declined, Shankar notes.
Head coach Brian Keefe claimed prior to Friday’s contest that the drop in Whitmore’s playing time wasn’t due to his performance, saying, “Cam’s going to continue to play, he’s doing good.” Yet fellow reserve wings Jamir Watkins (20 minutes), Corey Kispert (20 minutes), Justin Champagnie (19 minutes) and Will Riley (10 minutes) all saw more action against the Cavs than Whitmore.
Keefe said after the game he wanted to see how other players — particularly Watkins — would perform with rotation minutes, according to Shankar (Twitter link).
The Wizards traded a pair of second-round picks to Houston over the summer in order to acquire Whitmore, who was selected 20th overall in the 2023 draft. The 21-year-old small forward will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Rookie guard Tre Johnson received his first career start on Friday with Coulibaly and George sidelined, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The sixth overall pick in this year’s draft finished with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 29 minutes.
- While the team’s 1-8 start has been disappointing, the early play of second-year big man Alex Sarr has been highly encouraging, Shankar writes for The Washington Post (subscriber link). Through eight games, the French center held averages of 19.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.3 blocks, with a shooting line of .540/.455/.800 — all of those figures represent significant jumps from his rookie campaign.
- Longtime former Thunder executives Michael Winger (now the Wizards’ president) and Will Dawkins (general manager) have made numerous positive changes behind the scenes even if the Wizards’ on-court product still leaves something to be desired, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). Kispert, one of only two holdovers from the previous front office regime, appreciates the new amenities, such as a traveling chef and more travel accommodations for players’ family members. “Everything changed when (Winger and Dawkins) showed up,” Kispert told The Oklahoman. “It adds up to a lot. Ultimately, the little things are what make the player experience special. … A lot of organizations do the same things across the board, but it’s that little stuff in the margins that make the difference.”
Injury Notes: Ball, Sexton, Finney-Smith, Sabonis, LeBron
After initially being listed as questionable with a right ankle impingement, Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was subsequently downgraded to doubtful and then out ahead of Friday’s matchup in Miami (All Twitter links via the team). It’s the third straight absence for the former Rookie of the Year, who has battled numerous ankle injuries over the past few years.
“Yeah, he’s got that ankle impingement and it’s been good to see he’s been able to get a little bit of work on the court,” head coach Charles Lee said of Ball, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “And I think every day he feels a little bit better. He’s joined some team activities, which is great. So, the goal is to have him available for as many games as possible this year.
“And so I think that we’re just trying to take a day-by-day, day-to-day approach and a process. He’s got a plan in place, and he’s getting better every day.”
The Hornets were also without Collin Sexton on Friday, as the veteran guard is dealing with a neck strain he sustained on Tuesday in New Orleans. Lee said Sexton, who also chipped his tooth during the hard fall, went through Friday’s shootaround but he didn’t feel like he was ready to play, Boone writes. Lee is optimistic Sexton will return soon, Boone adds.
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Free agent addition Dorian Finney-Smith has yet to make his Rockets debut as he continues to recover from offseason ankle surgery. It doesn’t sound like the veteran forward is particularly close to suiting up, as Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle tweets. “He’s getting non-contact work in, and got to see how the ankle responds to an increase in the load there,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “And so don’t really have a timeline.”
- Kings center Domantas Sabonis will miss his second straight game on Friday due to a left rib contusion, as first reported by Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) and later confirmed by the team (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). It will be the fourth overall absence for the two-time All-NBA big man, who missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury.
- Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an injury update on superstar forward LeBron James on Friday, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter links). James, who is working his way back from sciatica on his right side, has done one-on-one work with coaches after being cleared for contact activities and will continue to ramp up from there. There’s also a chance the 21-time All-Star could practice with the Lakers’ G League affiliate at some point, according to Redick, though that’s still tentative.
Sixers Notes: George, Barlow, McCain, Grimes
Sixers forward Paul George will meet with doctors this weekend, according to head coach Nick Nurse, and if this “final hurdle” goes well, the nine-time All-Star could make his season debut in the near future, as Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports relays (Twitter links).
George, who is in the second season of a four-year, maximum-salary contract, has been a full practice participant for two-plus weeks, but has yet to play in 2025/26 after undergoing offseason knee surgery.
Two-way forward Dominick Barlow, who has missed the past six games after suffering a right elbow laceration that required a procedure to address, will miss this weekend’s back-to-back and has a follow-up meeting with his surgeon on Monday, Bodner adds.
We have more from Philadelphia:
- Nurse also provided an update on Jared McCain, who will miss one of the games this weekend and will remain on a minutes restriction for now (Twitter link via Bodner). The second-year guard’s season debut was delayed after he underwent thumb surgery. McCain, a 2024 first-round pick, missed most of his rookie season after undergoing season-ending surgery to deal with a torn meniscus. He wore a knee brace in his first game on Tuesday and will continue to do so for at least a month, which is when he’ll be reexamined (Twitter video link courtesy of PHLY Sixers). “It feels like …. unbalanced,” McCain said of the brace. “It just feels like it’s super heavy, like you’re lugging a whole leg, another leg, on top of your leg. It’s just hard to move.”
- Although McCain didn’t play well in Tuesday’s loss at Chicago, finishing with no points (on 0-of-4 shooting), two assists and one rebound in 15 minutes, the 21-year-old was grateful to return to action after last suiting up nearly 11 months ago, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “There will be a lot of emotion,” McCain said. “It hasn’t really hit me yet. But I’m thankful for the medical staff, and I’m thankful to my support system. Conditioning-wise, I felt fine. I just have to get used to contact. It takes a minute. But hopefully it doesn’t take too long.”
- Quentin Grimes will be heading for unrestricted free agency next summer after signing his one-year, $8.7MM qualifying offer as a RFA over the offseason. The 25-year-old guard has boosted his stock in the early going due to his strong play as the team’s sixth man, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscriber link). “The opportunity that coach is giving me provides a lot of freedom out there on the court,” Grimes said. “The minutes he gave me are starter minutes to come off the bench at this point.” Through eight games (31.6 minutes per contest), Grimes is averaging 18.3 points, 4.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .465/.385/.791 shooting.
And-Ones: First-Time All-Stars, Adubato, BAL, Wood, More
As ESPN’s Kevin Pelton writes, there has been an average of between five and six first-time All-Stars over the past five years, including six first-time honorees last season. Pelton lists 10 players who have a shot at making their first mid-season exhibition game in 2025/26 based on their strong starts.
The All-Star format will be different again this year, Pelton notes, with two eight-player teams from the United States and one eight-player international group competing in a round-robin tournament. Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (Israel) and Bulls guard Josh Giddey (Australia) are among the international candidates on Pelton’s list, with Lakers guard Austin Reaves and Hawks forward Jalen Johnson among the first-time American candidates.
Reaves will miss his third straight game on Saturday in Atlanta due to a right groin strain, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA assistant and head coach Richie Adubato has passed away at age 87, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Adubato’s NBA coaching career spanned two decades, spending time with Detroit, New York, Dallas, Cleveland and Orlando. The New Jersey native also coached the WNBA’s New York Liberty and Washington Mystics, Beede adds, and was a radio analyst for the Magic from 2005-20. Our condolences go out to Adubato’s friends and family.
- The Basketball Africa League has largely been run as a tournament over the past several years, but NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape that the BAL will eventually have 12 teams and permanent franchises, though when that will happen is still to be determined. Spears hears there will likely be 10 permanent franchises down the line, with the other two spots going to annual at-large qualifying teams.
- Former NBA big man Christian Wood reportedly fired three gunshots at the ground to scare away three men who broke into a Los Angeles home he was inside on Wednesday, according to Alex Valdes of The Athletic. The LAPD told The Athletic that no property was taken in the incident, and the suspects fled the scene after being confronted. Wood, a 30-year-old forward/center, was waived by the Lakers in February 2025, but hasn’t played in a game since February 2024 due to a knee injury.
- A variety of former NBA figures have migrated to the college basketball scene over the past year because of the introduction of NIL deals and the transfer portal. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) takes a deep dive on the topic, writing that universities have pursued NBA talent due to their skills and expertise in navigating a variety of different job responsibilities that previously weren’t needed at the college level. “The trend will only continue to accelerate,” said Wes Wilcox, who left his post as assistant GM for the Kings late last season to become GM of the Utah Utes. “The number of colleges looking toward the NBA to help in this space is only going to rise.”
Cam Thomas Out At Least 3-4 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Nets guard Cam Thomas has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will miss at least three-to-four weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced today (Twitter link).
The 24-year-old sustained the injury in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against Indiana. He was able to leave the court on his own, though he did not return to Brooklyn’s first win of the season.
It’s a tough blow for Thomas, who has now strained his left hamstring four different times in the past year. He was limited to just 25 games played last season due to the same issue.
There could be significant financial ramifications as a result of Thomas’ latest hamstring strain — he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 after signing his one-year, $6MM qualifying offer as a restricted free agent this past offseason.
The 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Thomas has been a polarizing player during his time with the Nets. While he’s an undeniably gifted scorer, he doesn’t contribute in many other areas. In seven healthy games this season, the former LSU guard has averaged 24.4 points, 2.9 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .408/.356/.875.
If Thomas is able to return in exactly four weeks, which seems very optimistic given the repeated issues he’s had with his left hamstring, he will miss Brooklyn’s next 14 games.
Terance Mann, Tyrese Martin, Drake Powell and Egor Demin are among the Nets who could receive more minutes and/or touches with Thomas out for at least the next few weeks.
Pacers Sign Monte Morris, Waive Mac McClung
November 7: The Pacers have officially signed Morris and waived McClung, per a team press release.
Assuming Morris received a minimum-salary contract, he will earn a prorated $2,980,991 for the rest of the season, while the Pacers will carry a cap charge of $2,071,925. Both of those figures will be non-guaranteed until January.
November 6: The Pacers are waiving Mac McClung and signing Monte Morris, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter links).
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Pacers will carry a $164,060 cap hit for the remainder of the season by waiving McClung, whose two-year contract was non-guaranteed for both 2025/26 and 2026/27.
McClung, a 6’2″ guard, has become a household name among NBA fans by winning the past three slam dunk contests despite rarely playing in the league. He appeared in three games with the Pacers, averaging 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 11.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting slash line of .389/.200/.750.
McClung signed with Indiana on October 28 after an impressive showing during a free agent workout. Evidently the team prefers a more experienced player in Morris to man the point with several guards sidelined due to injuries.
The Pacers originally planned to sign Morris to compete for a roster spot in training camp, but the deal fell through when he sustained a calf injury in late September.
Morris, 30, is entering his ninth season in the league. He’s known for his ability to limit mistakes, with a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.9-to-1 — an elite mark.
Morris has been slowed by injuries the past couple years. He played 45 games (12.7 MPG) for Phoenix in 2024/25, averaging 5.2 PPG, 1.6 APG and 1.5 RPG on .426/.360/.826 shooting.
The defending Eastern Conference champions have been absolutely ravaged by injuries this fall and are off to a disappointing 1-7 start. The Pacers lost to Brooklyn on Wednesday, giving the Nets their first win of the season.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Luka, Ayton, Smart, Harding
LeBron James is reportedly gearing up to play five-on-five. The 40-year-old superstar’s 2025/26 season debut has been delayed by sciatica on his right side.
According to the Lakers, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has been cleared for contact work and will be reevaluated in one-to-two weeks (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group).
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The team recorded an impressive victory on Wednesday against San Antonio despite missing James and Austin Reaves (right groin soreness), writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Luka Doncic had a poor shooting night, but still finished with game highs of 35 points, 13 assists and five steals (he also contributed nine rebounds and two blocks).
- Perhaps more importantly, Deandre Ayton (22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, one steal, two blocks, and zero turnovers) outdueled Victor Wembanyama (19 points on 5-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and five turnovers before fouling out) in the battle of former No. 1 overall picks, Murray notes. “That’s something I’ve been wanting to show, especially to my coaching staff as well,” Ayton said of his defense. “And they trust me to really go out there and guard one or two dribbles before my help come. And yeah, I’ll be good, comfortable out there. I know my help coming, so I’m straight.”
- Veteran guard Marcus Smart nearly blew the game after committing a careless turnover in the final seconds, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Smart stepped on the end line as he attempted to make an inbounds pass. “To have that call at the end of the game, 1.2 [seconds], we got a guy wide open, all he’s got to do is catch it and the ballgame is over,” Smart said. “It’s kind of crazy, but as a 12-year vet, I can’t make that mistake. I take full ownership of it. My teammates understand. They are going to joke with me. They are going to let me hear about it. But it will never happen again.”
- Within an in-depth story for ESPN.com, McMenamin writes that Lakers assistant coach Lindsey Harding aspires to be the first female head coach in NBA history. Governor Jeanie Buss believes Harding has all the tools for the job. “She’s a professional, she knows the game, she is a great communicator, she brings a level of energy, positivity. She is just great,” Buss told ESPN. “I’m just thrilled that she is part of our staff. But I understand if people are going to try to pick her off because she’s just that good.”