Andrew Nembhard Exits Pacers’ Opener With Sore Shoulder
The Pacers continue to be ravaged by point guard injuries. The team announced (via Twitter) that Andrew Nembhard has been ruled out for the second half of Thursday’s regular season opener against Oklahoma City due to left shoulder soreness.
Ben Sheppard, who missed most of the preseason with an undisclosed injury, started the second half in Nembhard’s stead, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Second-round pick Taelon Peter has also been getting minutes with Nembhard and several other players out, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter).
In addition to star Tyrese Haliburton, who will miss the 2025/26 entire season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, veteran backup T.J. McConnell is at least a couple more weeks from returning from a left hamstring strain he sustained earlier this month. Second-rounder Kam Jones (back issue) and fourth-year guard Quenton Jackson (right hamstring soreness) are hurt as well, though the latter’s injury isn’t believed to be serious.
Indiana originally intended to sign Monte Morris to compete for a roster spot as the third-string point guard behind Nembhard and McConnell, but the deal fell through before training camp when Morris suffered a calf strain. Veteran Delon Wright was signed instead, but was released a couple weeks later after he took two brutal blows to the head during the Pacers’ preseason opener, resulting in 10 stitches above his right eye and four on his right elbow.
While it’s unclear if Nembhard will miss additional time as a result of his shoulder issue, it’s obviously not a great sign that he was forced to leave the matchup against the defending champions. The 25-year-old averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 65 games last season (28.9 minutes per contest).
David Duke Jr. Signs With Perth Wildcats
After previously reporting that David Duke Jr. was in advanced negotiations with the Perth Wilcats, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc now hears from multiple sources that the free agent guard has officially signed a contract to join the Australian team for the remainder of the 2025/26 season (Twitter link).
The Wildcats, who compete in Australia’s National Basketball League, have been in the market for a replacement for Mason Jones, another former NBA guard whom the team parted ways with last week after he got off to a slow start.
Duke has spent parts of each of the past four seasons in the NBA, playing a total of 55 regular season games with the Nets and Spurs, mostly on two-way contracts. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .417/.262/.767.
The 26-year-old combo guard was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with Phoenix for training camp and the 2025 preseason, but was released last Friday.
While Duke’s NBA role has been pretty modest to this point in his career, he has been more productive at the G League level, including averaging 20-plus points per game during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. In 42 contests (31.6 MPG) with the Austin Spurs last season, the Providence, Rhode Island native averaged 16.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.6 SPG on .410/.306/.719 shooting.
Duke is the third veteran NBA guard to head overseas on Thursday, joining Spencer Dinwiddie (Bayern Munich) and Jared Butler (Crvena Zvezda).
Bulls Notes: Buzelis, Donovan, Vucevic, Expectations
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has set lofty goals — including making an All-Defensive team and winning the Most Improved Player award — for his second season, but he’s not only interested in individual accolades and says he’s willing to do whatever is necessary for the team to be successful, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune.
“I think I can be a go-to guy,” Buzelis said. “But at the end of the day it comes down to whatever the team needs to win the games. The NBA now, it’s positionless. So whoever has a heater, whoever’s playing extremely well, that’s who we’re going to go to. It’s a team sport. If it’s my night, it’s my night. If it’s not, I’m going to have to do the dirty work and rebound, defend as hard as possible, do the little things to impact the game.”
As Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, head coach Billy Donovan admits he was hard on Buzelis during his rookie campaign. Rather than be upset by being pulled from games for his mistakes, Buzelis accepted his imperfections and remained driven yet humble — an approach Donovan thinks will serve the 21-year-old well, both now and going forward.
“It’s about Matas keeping himself grounded and driven,” Donovan said. “He has not arrived. He just hasn’t. And that’s just the truth. And I love Matas and think he’s got an unbelievable runway to be an outstanding player in this league if he keeps his drive and his motivation and doesn’t think he’s arrived. The great ones are always driven, regardless of what’s going on around them.”
Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic and Drew Stevens of The Bigs Media (Twitter links) share additional quotes from Donovan looking to temper expectations for Buzelis as well as areas of growth he hopes to see from the Chicago native, who was selected 11th overall in the 2024 draft.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- While much of the media attention has been on Buzelis lately, veteran center Nikola Vucevic was the team’s top performer in Wednesday’s season-opening win over Detroit, per Lorenzi of The Athletic, finishing with 28 points and 14 rebounds and at least temporarily putting to rest any lingering concerns about how the 35-year-old might fit as the elder statesman on a young roster.
- Poe of The Chicago Tribune shares her takeaways from Wednesday’s victory, including that No. 12 overall pick Noa Essengue was completely out of the rotation.
- In a column for The Chicago Tribune, Paul Sullivan argues the Bulls can exceed expectations, be a fun team to watch, and win around 44 games this season if they play better against their Central Division rivals, perform better at home, and “do the little things that win games.”
Kings’ Clifford Out At Least A Week; Sabonis Progressing
Guard/forward Nique Clifford, the 24th overall pick of this year’s draft, underwent an MRI following Wednesday’s season-opening loss in Phoenix. The scan revealed that Clifford sustained a right hamstring strain, according to the Kings, who said the 23-year-old will be checked out again in a week (Twitter link via Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140).
Clifford will miss at least four games, with November 1 at Milwaukee appearing to his earliest possible return date.
The rookie wing received the starting nod in his regular season debut in place of injured forward Keegan Murray (thumb surgery). Clifford recorded two points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block and was plus-three in 24 minutes of action in the four-point loss.
In addition to being named to the All-Summer League first team in July, Clifford also had a strong preseason this fall, averaging 14.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .488/.313/1.000 shooting in four games (25.7 MPG).
On a more positive note, star center Domantas Sabonis appears to be progressing nicely from his own right hamstring injury, per Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports 1140 (Twitter video link). Sabonis, who was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain last Saturday and will be reevaluated this weekend, participated in a shooting drill during Thursday’s practice.
The 29-year-old big man, who has led the NBA in rebounds per game for three straight seasons, averaged 19.1 PPG, a career-high 13.9 RPG, and 6.0 APG in 70 appearances last season (34.7 MPG).
With Sabonis out Wednesday, Sacramento split the center minutes between Drew Eubanks (four points, four rebounds, two steals, four blocks in 22 minutes) and rookies Dylan Cardwell (three points and two blocks in 15 minutes) and Maxime Raynaud (four rebounds, two assists in 11 minutes).
Grizzlies’ Pippen Undergoes Toe Surgery, Out At Least 12 Weeks
Oct. 21: The surgery on Pippen’s left big toe took place on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets. As initially reported, he’ll be reevaluated in approximately 12 weeks, according to the Grizzlies.
Oct. 18: Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is undergoing a sesamoidectomy to address a lingering left big toe injury, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
Memphis said a return timeline wouldn’t be given until after the procedure, but Pippen is expected to make a full recovery. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who first reported the news (via Twitter), Pippen is expected to miss at least 12 weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated.
It’s a tough blow for the Grizzlies, who have been hit hard by injuries over the past couple years, a trend that has continued before the 2025/26 regular season even gets underway.
In addition to Pippen, who reportedly won’t make his season debut until at least January, second-year center Zach Edey continues to recover from left ankle surgery, veteran big man Brandon Clarke recently underwent a knee procedure, and star point guard Ja Morant has been battling a left ankle sprain. The team is optimistic that Morant might be ready for next week’s season opener, but Edey and Clarke may not be back until November.
Former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. also went offseason surgery to address a turf toe injury, but he should be ready for the opener after appearing in the team’s final two preseason contests.
Pippen, who turns 25 next month, was a key reserve for the Grizzlies last season, appearing in a career-high 79 games while averaging 9.9 points, 4.4 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 21.3 minutes per night. He posted a shooting slash line of .480/.397/.713.
Ty Jerome would typically be a prime candidate for more playing time with Pippen out, but he might be sidelined for a while too — he exited Friday’s preseason finale with a right calf injury, per the team (Twitter link), and will be reevaluated this weekend, according to head coach Tuomas Iisalo (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).
Second-year guard Cam Spencer and rookie second-rounder Javon Small, who is on a two-way deal, should receive additional run in the Grizzlies’ backcourt.
Pacers Sign Aaron Nesmith To Two-Year Extension
October 21: The Pacers have formally announced their extension with Nesmith, confirming the news in a press release.
“Aaron Nesmith embodies our team’s selfless, fast-paced style of play while also playing a key role in defining our culture, all of which is a testament to his talent, dedication, and commitment to this organization and our fans,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “We look forward to Aaron’s continued growth and contributions to both our team and our community, and we’re proud to have reached an agreement that will keep him here in Indiana.”
October 20: The Pacers and starting small forward Aaron Nesmith have agreed to a two-year, $40.4MM extension, agent Mike Lindeman tells ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal includes a trade kicker, Charania adds.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), Nesmith will earn $11MM each of the next two seasons. His extension, which begins in two years, will pay him a projected $19.4MM in 2027/28 and $21MM in 2028/29.
Nesmith, who turned 26 years old last week, has developed into one of the NBA’s top 3-and-D players in Indiana. He was selected 14th overall in the 2020 draft and spent his first two seasons with the Celtics, who traded him to the Pacers in the 2022 offseason.
Over the past two regular seasons, the 6’5″ wing has averaged 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per contest, posting an excellent shooting line of .500/.423/.829. Nesmith played an integral role in the Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals earlier this year, appearing in all 23 playoff games (28.3 MPG) while averaging 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.9 SPG and 0.8 BPG on .472/.492/.861 shooting.
Charania, citing ESPN research, says Nesmith’s 49.2% mark from long distance was the best percentage of any player who has attempted at least 100 threes in the playoffs.
Nesmith was among a handful of players our Luke Adams identified last week as an under-the-radar veteran extension candidate. Two others from his list — Toumani Camara and A.J. Green — have inked new deals as well.
The maximum the Pacers could have offered Nesmith was a three-year deal worth up to $62.9MM — what he agreed to was the maximum he could have received on a two-year extension.
The deadline for veteran extensions for players on non-expiring contracts is at 10:59 pm CT tonight.
Stein’s Latest: Connaughton, Knicks, Mazzulla, Curry, Mavs
Charlotte’s decision to release Spencer Dinwiddie — after signing the veteran guard to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract over the summer — surprised some people around the NBA, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
There was some speculation that the Hornets might waive Pat Connaughton instead, but Stein hears the team decided to keep the veteran wing because he’s popular in the locker room and has championship experience. Another key factor: the Hornets remain cautiously optimistic they might be able to use Connaughton’s $9.4MM expiring contract in a trade before February’s deadline, Stein writes.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Knicks attempted to speak to several employed head coaches when they were looking for a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, but all of their formal requests were denied. According to Stein, there have been rumblings that New York also informally explored the possibility of trying to pursue Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, which obviously went nowhere — a month after the Knicks hired Mike Brown, Mazzulla signed an extension with Boston. While the Celtics vaguely referred to Mazzulla’s agreement as a multiyear extension, Stein hears the 37-year-old likely received a six-year contract.
- There’s zero doubt that the Warriors will eventually re-sign Seth Curry — the only question is when, says Stein. While Golden State could technically bring Curry back on November 11, waiting a bit beyond that date would give the Warriors more breathing room below their second apron hard cap, and they are believed to be considering that path, per Stein.
- The Mavericks waived NBA veterans Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Dalano Banton and Dennis Smith Jr. on Friday. Their G League affiliate — the Texas Legends — controls the returning rights of Robinson-Earl and Banton, and Dallas expects both players to open the season with the Legends, according to Stein. The Mavs are also optimistic that Smith with play for the Legends, but Stein points out that the former lottery pick’s rights are currently held by the Wisconsin Herd — an NBGL trade between Wisconsin and Texas would need to occur for that to happen. Banton was on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Mavs (Robinson-Earl and Smith were on Exhibit 9s), so he’s the only player of the group who will receive a bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Legends.
Injury Notes: Trail Blazers, Knicks, Heat, Pelicans
While he’s not sure who will be ready for Wednesday’s season opener against Minnesota, head coach Chauncey Billups said Toumani Camara (knee), Deni Avdija (back), Robert Williams (knee) and Matisse Thybulle (knee) were full participants in Monday’s practice, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.
Williams, who has been plagued by knee issues throughout his career, was limited to just 20 games last season. He didn’t play at all during the preseason, nor did Thybulle, who appeared in just 15 games last season due to knee and ankle issues.
Camara, the recipient of a new four-year, $81MM extension, appeared in two preseason games, while Avdija played in all four but exited the finale with upper back stiffness.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Knicks may be without a pair of key rotation players for their regular season opener vs. Cleveland, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Josh Hart (back spasms) and Mitchell Robinson (load management) didn’t practice Monday, and head coach Mike Brown isn’t sure if either player will be available Wednesday. “Everything we’re doing with him is about managing his workload, which we’ll do the whole year,” Brown replied when asked if there is an injury for Robinson.
- Rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis (right groin strain) and second-year Kel’el Ware (neck spasms) were unable to practice Monday for the Heat, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Ware is being evaluated by a doctor, Chiang adds. Miami’s regular season begins Wednesday in Orlando.
- Lottery pick Derik Queen went through a full practice Saturday for the first time since undergoing left wrist surgery in July. While the Pelicans big man thinks he could play in Wednesday’s opener at Memphis, head coach Willie Green was careful to temper expectations after a lengthy layoff, writes Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. “We’ve got to listen to how his body is responding,” Green said. “This is his first time playing with contact in a few months. We don’t want to rush. If he’s ready, that’s another conversation that we’ll have.” Second-year center Karlo Matkovic was unable to practice Saturday due to an elbow injury the team continues to evaluate, Green added.
Thunder’s Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe Out For Opener
Thunder star Jalen Williams will not play in Tuesday’s regular season opener vs. Houston as the All-Star forward continues to recover from offseason surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who says (via Twitter) the 24-year-old is not expected to miss extended time.
In a full story for ESPN.com, MacMahon notes that Oklahoma City has been cagey about Williams’ recovery timeline.
“Just whenever I feel like I can be a hundred percent, then I’ll rock out,” Williams said during the preseason. “Part of the process is just figuring out how to get my jump shot back. A lot of it is just trying to get feel back.”
Williams sustained the wrist injury in early April, shortly before the regular season ended, and played with it during the playoffs, which saw the team win its first championship. He just started shooting with his right hand this month, MacMahon adds.
The Thunder’s injury report also includes sharpshooting guard Isaiah Joe, who has been ruled out with a knee issue, per Rylan Stiles of SI.com. Thomas Sorber (season-ending torn ACL), Kenrich Williams (arthroscopic knee surgery) and Nikola Topic (testicular procedure) are sidelined as well.
As for the Rockets, they will be without Fred VanVleet (torn ACL), Dorian Finney-Smith and Jae’Sean Tate, Stiles writes. Both Finney-Smith and Tate are recovering from offseason ankle surgery.
The Rockets announced they will use a jumbo-sized starting lineup on Tuesday consisting of Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams, as Stiles relays.
Ja Morant Expected To Play In Grizzlies’ Season Opener
Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is expected to play in Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. New Orleans after missing the entire preseason with a sprained left ankle, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required).
“Ja is progressing really well,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said after Monday’s practice. “He’s expected to make a return on opening night.”
As Cole notes, Morant sustained the injury during a practice on October 5. He was considered week-to-week at the time, and it sounds like he’ll be ready to go about two-and-a-half weeks later.
Morant, a two-time All-Star, only played nine games in 2023/24 — he was suspended for the first 25 games of the campaign, then underwent season-ending surgery in January 2024 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The 26-year-old was plagued by health issues last season as well, appearing in 50 games due to a variety of injuries, including repeated problems with the same shoulder.
Morant’s return appearing imminent is certainly good news for Memphis, which will be shorthanded in the backcourt before the season even begins — Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe surgery) is out 12-plus weeks, while Ty Jerome (right calf strain) will miss at least four.
Iisalo also provided a minor injury update on fourth-year wing Vince Williams Jr., Cole adds. Williams, who was limited to just 27 games last season due to injuries and missed some time during the preseason, is battling “nagging heel soreness,” an issue the team continues to monitor.