Juan Nunez To Undergo Second Right Knee Surgery
Barcelona point guard Juan Nunez will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after experiencing inflammation upon his return to basketball activities, the Spanish club announced in a press release (hat tip to Eurohoops.net).
The 21-year-old’s 2024/25 season was cut short after undergoing surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in the same knee back in March. At the time, he was given a return timeline of about six months.
Nunez’s NBA rights were acquired by the Spurs after he was selected No. 36 overall in last year’s draft. He signed a three-year deal with Barcelona in July 2024.
In 25 EuroLeague contests last season, the 6’4″ guard averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game. His shooting slash line was .442/.275/.650.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said earlier this year the team was keeping close tabs on Nunez’s development. Still, it’s unclear if the Spanish floor general will be part of San Antonio’s long-term plans, given the Spurs already have De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper on their roster.
Trail Blazers Notes: Camp, Yang, Sharpe, Porter, B. Grant
It has been an extremely busy and eventful offseason for the Trail Blazers, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who lists five things he’ll be keeping a close eye on when training camp starts this week.
The first item on Highkin’s list is Yang Hansen, the 7’1″ center who was surprisingly drafted 16th overall after largely being projected as a second-round pick. Yang looked more ready to contribute than anticipated during Summer League action, Highkin notes, but it’s hard to read much into that performance — the real tests will begin soon.
While Damian Lillard won’t play at all this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, Highkin is curious to see how the franchise’s all-time leading scorer will impact his teammates behind the scenes. Who will be part of the starting lineup and whether or not Kris Murray or Rayan Rupert can carve out rotation roles in their third seasons are among the other storylines Highkin will be monitoring.
Here are a few more notes from Portland:
- Within the same story, Highkin says he’s skeptical about the Blazers and Shaedon Sharpe agreeing to a rookie scale extension before the season begins. Although Highkin views the Canadian guard as “the most talented player” on the roster, he writes that Sharpe hasn’t been able to consistently perform at a high level to this point in his career. If the 22-year-old doesn’t sign an extension by October 20, he will be a restricted free agent in 2026.
- In a story for The Players’ Tribune he wrote in Chinese and then had translated to English, which he’s still learning, Yang describes his upbringing in Zibo (Shangdong province), China, and his journey to being drafted by Portland. One interesting tidbit: Yang says he has been closely studying Nikola Jokic for the past three years and has patterned his game to imitate the Serbian star.
- The Trail Blazers recently announced several additions and promotions in their basketball operations department. Most notably, longtime Blazers point guard and ex-NBA head coach Terry Porter will serve as a scout this season, while former Blazers forward Brian Grant will hold the title of basketball liaison — he will be an off-court mentor to players. Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, who first reported that Porter and Grant would be returning to the organization in an official capacity, has more details on their specific positions.
Jazz’s Georges Niang Suffers Foot Injury, Out At Least Two Weeks
Veteran forward Georges Niang sustained a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot during offseason training and conditioning, the Jazz announced today in a press release.
According to the team, Niang will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Niang began last season with Cleveland and played 51 games for the Cavaliers, all but one off the bench, before being traded to Atlanta in February. He appeared in 28 games with the Hawks, including two starts.
Overall, Niang averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on .461/.406/.793 shooting in 79 appearances last season (21.5 minutes per contest).
Niang, 32, was sent to Boston in the Kristaps Porzingis trade in July and then was flipped to Utah in a salary-dump deal in August. He’s entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $8.2MM in 2025/26.
This is Niang’s second stint with the Jazz, having previously played for Utah from 2017-21. Niang is reportedly happy to be back with the team, which is said to view him as a potential rotation player and locker room leader.
Nets Notes: Bufkin, Traore, Saraf, Clowney, Mann
The Nets selected three prospects — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf — who project to be point guards in the first round of the 2025 draft. So why did they trade for Kobe Bufkin?
“I don’t think you ever have enough ball-handlers, right? Making plays for others is always important,” explained head coach Jordi Fernandez (story via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
As Lewis writes, Bufkin was on Brooklyn’s radar in the 2023 draft, but he was selected No. 15 overall, six spots before the Nets picked Noah Clowney. Bufkin also played his college ball at Michigan under Juwan Howard, who is now an assistant coach with the Nets.
“Obviously (Howard) knows the guy, and everything was very positive between Juwan, who knows him and speaks highly and positively about him,” Fernandez said. “We also have our scouting department that knew (him). … We were very high on him during the draft, and it was an opportunity to bring him in. So you put all that together, and that’s the reason why he’s here.”
For his part, Bufkin says he’s happy to be around a familiar face in Brooklyn.
“It’s definitely a big level of comfort. (Howard) is like family,” Bufkin said. “I spent two years with him. He was a mentor for me, kind of taught me about the league before I got to the league, what to expect, what not to expect. So it was good to see him.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Fernandez calls Traore’s speed his “superpower” but he acknowledges the French guard needs to improve in multiple areas to be a regular contributor as a rookie, Lewis writes in a subscriber-only story. “Yeah, there’s no saving here in the NBA. So he’s gotta play really, extremely hard every second he has the opportunity to play,” Fernandez said. “Nothing will be given to him, so they have to earn it. So far, we’re very happy with him. That’s his superpower, but his handle, he understands the game, he’s played in professional leagues for more than one year, so he has that experience, too. And you’ll see it soon. So, I trust him. I trust everything. His shooting, he’s putting time and work into everything and adjusting it to the NBA. It’s just going to take time. But, like I said, the first thing is come here, work and earn your minutes.”
- Veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton have been impressed by Saraf’s maturity and poise in training camp, Lewis adds in a third article for The New York Post. The Israeli guard noted he already has three professional seasons under his belt despite only being 19 years old. “I feel like, yeah, playing like it’s going to be my fourth year playing professional, so I’ve got some experience. With playoff games I played with full arenas, so I think it’s helped me,” Saraf said. “And my last teammates, my last vets … I’m trying to learn from each one of them. I don’t feel like a rookie here. I am a rookie, I’ll do all my duties, but it’s basketball, so I’m just going out there and playing.”
- Third-year big man Noah Clowney added several pounds of muscle this offseason and he believes his improved strength will help him level up several facets of his game, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Most importantly, Clowney is hoping for improved durability after being limited to just 46 games last season. “My primary goal is just to stay healthy, and outside of staying healthy, just to get better every game,” Clowney said. “I learn something from each game, but I don’t like to make the same mistake over and over again. That’s the goal.”
- As Lewis writes for The New York Post (subscription required), trade acquisition Terance Mann is used to being one of the younger players on his NBA teams but he’s currently the oldest Net (he turns 29 next month) on the league’s youngest roster. Fernandez says Mann, who grew up mere blocks away from where Barclays Center now stands, has impressed the team with his leadership. “He showed up and worked every single day, and now he can show others why he’s the type of player he is and he’s accomplished what he’s accomplished,” Fernandez said. “I think leading with your voice is great, but leading by example is even better, and that’s what Terance so far has been doing.”
Knicks Notes: Robinson, McBride, Brown, Anunoby
As he enters the final year of his contract, which will pay him a little under $13MM, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson says he doesn’t care if he starts or not in 2025/26, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
“Nah. It don’t matter to me at all,” Robinson said on Thursday. “I started before. I came off the bench before. I did great in both. So it’s whatever.”
As Winfield notes, Robinson saw his role reduced after finally returning from ankle surgery last season, but then was moved back into the starting lineup for the last four games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. New head coach Mike Brown called Robinson a “monster on the glass” but said he has yet to decide if the 7’0″ big man will start or come off the bench.
“Ideally, it would be great to have everybody’s role defined before the first game,” Brown said. “Now, they can change throughout the course of the season, but hopefully going into Game 1, we as coaches — and (new assistant) Billy Lange — get to a point where we have everybody’s role defined. And not only that, but they embrace it so that everybody knows specifically what they need to do.
“We’ve got a lot of guys and we’re a new staff. So if we get a little behind, maybe it doesn’t happen until after the first or second game. I don’t know. But ideally, I’d like to have all that done before game one.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Robinson, who said he added muscle and lost weight over the offseason after starting an organic farm in Nashville, isn’t sure if he’ll be cleared to play back-to-backs to open the season, according to Winfield. One of the NBA’s premier offensive rebounders, Robinson added that he isn’t concerned about potentially being involved in trade rumors ahead of 2026 free agency — he will remain extension-eligible throughout the season. “I’m gonna come out here and play hard still regardless, whether it’s my last (year) or my first (year), just come out here and play hard,” Robinson said. “But at the same time I’m gonna let my agent handle that part of it. I’m just gonna play basketball.”
- Guard Miles McBride has been floated as a possible trade candidate because New York reportedly wants to keep Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet, both of whom are signed to non-guaranteed training camp deals. McBride expressed appreciation for former coach Tom Thibodeau but is looking forward to playing under Brown, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “Honestly it was crazy. It was unexpected. All my four years were with Thibs. He did a great job with me and team,” McBride said. “… Coming in with Mike, I’m excited. … He’s been communicating with a lot of guys, allowing people to talk.”
- Forward OG Anunoby just missed out on making the All-Defensive Second Team last season, finishing with the most votes among players who didn’t make the cut. He has loftier goals for ’25/26, as Steve Popper of Newsday writes (subscription required). “For sure, defense, that’s what wins games, championships,” Anunoby said. “So it’s very important to me. Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Defense, those are always my goals.” Brown praised Anunoby’s defensive work, Popper adds. “First-team All-Defense,” Brown said. “He is more than capable. Really it’s up to him. That’s how good he is on that end of the floor. He’s a first-team — and I’ve been around those guys. Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan. I’ve been around a few of them, and he’s right there.”
Fischer’s Latest: Grimes, Kuminga, Bamba, Love, Rockets
Although the Sixers just made their first formal offer to restricted free agent Quentin Grimes earlier this week, they have discussed various contract frameworks with his agent David Bauman several times throughout the offseason, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer explains, the 76ers were hesitant to extend a formal offer until recently because they realized there was a significant gap in what they were willing to pay Grimes compared to what he and his representatives were seeking on a new deal.
While Grimes’ camp had some hope of a potential sign-and-trade materializing, that outcome appears unlikely, Fischer writes. The most likely scenario, Fischer continues, is Grimes signing a one-year deal that comes in above his $8.7MM qualifying offer.
Fischer confirms that Bauman asked the Sixers to extend Grimes’ qualifying offer deadline from October 1 to October 8, in part because the team is traveling to Abu Dhabi for a pair of preseason games. But Philadelphia hasn’t shown any interest pushing back the deadline to this point.
Following up on his previous report that the Sixers floated the idea of trading Kelly Oubre Jr. or Andre Drummond — or both — to make a more lucrative contract offer to Grimes, Fischer says Philadelphia’s front office has been “adamant” that it is unwilling to add draft picks to shed either of those salaries.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- The Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga have not had any talks about potentially moving back his Oct. 1 qualifying offer deadline, sources tell Fischer. Golden State appears unwilling to budge on its latest contract offers, per Fischer, including a three-year, $75MM proposal which contains a team option for 2027/28. Kuminga’s camp has “pushed hard” for a player option instead of a team option, Fischer writes, but hasn’t had any luck so far. Fischer confirms the Kings tried to restart sign-and-trade talks for Kuminga, but the Warriors remain unenthusiastic about taking back Malik Monk, in part because of his $21.5MM player option for ’27/28. The Warriors want to maintain maximum roster flexibility for the 2027 offseason, Fischer explains, when the contracts of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green expire.
- According to Fischer, the Heat showed some interest in Mo Bamba before the former lottery pick signed a training camp deal with the Jazz. Bamba landing with Utah has led to speculation that Kevin Love might be nearing a buyout agreement, but “all signs” currently indicate that Love will begin the season with the Jazz, Fischer writes.
- Fischer hears the Rockets aren’t expected to look for immediate backcourt help in the wake of Fred VanVleet‘s torn ACL, preferring instead to see how Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson respond to increased on-ball responsibilities. Houston may explore adding guard depth down the line, Fischer writes, but that likely won’t occur until at least December 15, when many free agent signings become eligible to be moved. According to Fischer, there’s still an expectation that Kevin Durant will eventually sign an extension with the Rockets, but a potential rookie scale deal for Tari Eason appears less certain.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Redick, Luka, Reaves, Buss Brothers
How and where will the NBA’s all-time leading scorer end his career? Yaron Weitzman explores that topic in a story for Bleacher Report, writing that most people around the league expect LeBron James to eventually retire with the Lakers.
If James does leave Los Angeles, the Cavaliers are viewed by agents and executives as the “only team LeBron would seriously consider joining,” Weitzman writes.
“If he wants to do a farewell tour like Kobe (Bryant) did, it’s the only other team that makes sense,” a league executive told Weitzman. “LeBron cares about narratives. He doesn’t want to be like Michael Jordan on the Wizards.”
Still, James potentially joining the Cavs is highly unlikely during the upcoming season for several reasons, Weitzman notes. If LeBron decides to return to Cleveland, it would likely occur in 2026 free agency, and would require the 40-year-old to take a major pay cut.
For his part, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka continues to insist the team wants LeBron around as long as he wants to be in L.A., per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“We would love if LeBron’s story would be he retired a Laker,” Pelinka said about the possibility of re-signing James next summer. “That would be a positive story.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- According to McMenamin, Pelinka explained why the team decided to extend the contract of head coach J.J. Redick after just one season at the helm. “We think he’s a special coach with a special voice that’s really helping us define the culture of Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what we’re going to lean into and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. I think having long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward.” Redick said he was grateful for the Lakers’ support, McMenamin adds.
- Redick also touched on his offseason conversations with James and Luka Doncic, expressing confidence in both of the team’s stars, as McMenamin writes. “[James is] in a great spot mentally and know he’s going to give us his absolute best,” Redick said. “… I expect the best version of Luka, and it’s my job as a coach to bring that out on a daily basis.”
- Doncic told Dan Woike of The Athletic he feels “way more comfortable” being a Laker now compared to when he was first traded to Los Angeles in February and is looking forward to the season. The Slovenian guard said he made progress becoming a more vocal leader during EuroBasket 2025. “(Being a leader), sometimes it’s comfortable, sometimes not,” Doncic said. “Sometimes it’s great to be a leader and sometimes you have to say things that you don’t want to, but that’s part of being a leader.”
- Evidently Doncic isn’t the only Laker who worked hard at getting in better physical shape this offseason, as Redick said Austin Reaves has improved his “burst” and “athleticism,” tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Redick added that Reaves has been the best player in the gym when he has participated in informal activities.
- Lakers alternate governor Joey Buss and his brother, assistant GM Jesse Buss, are launching an investment firm called Buss Sports Capital, McMenamin and Shams Charania report for ESPN. “Our vision is to really go after strategic investments and good partners — specifically sports-related investments,” Joey Buss told ESPN. “Buss Sports Capital is not going to compete with our interests in the Lakers or the NBA. This is our first step towards where the future of sports is going to lead us. It is exciting to see what growth opportunities exist — particularly opportunities that we can add value to, given our skill sets.” Both Joey and Jesse are expected to remain with the Lakers following the sale of the team to Mark Walter.
- Athlon Sports contributor Mark Medina shares five takeaways from Thursday’s joint press conference with Pelinka and Redick.
Grizzlies Announce Injury Updates On Clarke, Edey, Jackson
Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke is undergoing an arthroscopic procedure to address synovitis in his right knee, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter).
Clarke’s 2024/25 season was cut short in March when he suffered a PCL sprain in his right knee.
While that injury has fully healed, per the Grizzlies, he experienced synovitis — inflammation that affects the synovial membranes in joints — during recent training sessions. Memphis says it will provide a return timeline after the procedure, but Clarke is expected to make a full recovery.
Shams Charania of ESPN, who first reported the news, hears that Clarke is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks, which is when he will be reevaluated (Twitter link).
It’s another unfortunate setback for Clarke, who has been plagued by various injuries throughout his career, including a torn Achilles tendon that cost him most of ’23/24.
In the same press release, the Grizzlies also provided injury updates on center Zach Edey and forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr., both of whom are recovering from offseason surgeries.
Edey, who underwent left ankle surgery in June, has been cleared to ramp up basketball activities. However, he remains several weeks away from returning, as he is expected to make his season debut in six-to-nine weeks.
If Edey is ready to play in six weeks, he would be back in early November. The more conservative end of that time frame would see the former Purdue star return around the end of that month.
Jackson, who had surgery in July to repair a turf toe issue, will also begin ramping up his on-court activities. He’s expected to return in four-to-six weeks, which means he could miss a little bit of time to open ’25/26.
On a more positive note, first-round pick Cedric Coward will be a full training camp participant after recovering from a left shoulder injury he sustained last year at Washington State.
With Clarke, Edey and Jackson likely to miss the start of the season, Memphis’ frontcourt depth will be tested early on. Santi Aldama and Jock Landale are among the players who could receive more playing time in their stead.
Blazers’ Scoot Henderson Suffers Torn Left Hamstring
Guard Scoot Henderson sustained a torn left hamstring during a workout this week, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.
According to the team, Henderson is expected to resume basketball activities in four-to-eight weeks. Portland will provide additional updates on Henderson’s status “as appropriate.”
Crucially, the announcement doesn’t say that Henderson is expected to return in four-to-eight weeks — it’s just when he’ll resume basketball drills. It’s safe to say that, at minimum, Henderson will miss the start of his third NBA season.
A 6’3″ point guard, Henderson was a highly touted NBA prospect who spent two years with the now-defunct G League Ignite prior to being selected No. 3 overall in the 2023 draft.
Henderson got off to a pretty slow start as a rookie, putting up solid counting stats (14.0 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds) but struggling with turnovers (3.4) and efficiency (.385/.325/.814 shooting line) in 62 games (28.5 minutes per contest).
While 21-year-old’s per-36 numbers were quite similar in year two, he showed improvement defensively, took a little better care of the ball, and was more efficient (.419/.354/.767 shooting) in 66 contests, most of which came in a reserve role (26.7 MPG).
The Blazers were already going to be shorthanded in the backcourt after re-signing franchise icon Damian Lillard, who was waived by Milwaukee after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the playoffs, this offseason.
With Henderson out as well, offseason additions Jrue Holiday and Blake Wesley are candidates for more playing time at the point.
Raptors Waive Tyson Degenhart
The Raptors have released Tyson Degenhart, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.
Degenhart agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Raptors shortly after going undrafted in June. The deal became official a few days ago.
Now that he has been released, Degenhart is eligible for a bonus worth $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905.
A 6’8″ forward, Degenhart spent four college seasons at Boise State, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors each of the past three years. As a senior in 2024/25, he averaged 18.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG on .526/.349/.797 shooting in 37 games (33.6 MPG).