Draft Workouts: Jazz, Wolves, Kings, Broome
The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Clifford is the top-ranked prospect of the group, according to ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 22. Powell (No. 31), Kalkbrenner (No. 33) and Lanier (No. 37) are also viewed as strong bets to be drafted, either late in the first round or early in the second.
Utah currently controls four picks — Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53 — in June’s draft.
Here are a few more notes regarding pre-draft workouts:
- The Timberwolves, who control the 17th and 31st picks, are holding a workout Thursday that includes Asa Newell (Georgia), Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) and Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (via Twitter). Newell, who was invited to the green room, is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s board, while Watkins is No. 39. The other two players are unranked.
- The Kings will be hosting six players for a workout on Friday, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). The six are Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga, Curtis Jones of Iowa State, Koby Brea of Kentucky, Kadary Richmond of, Norchad Omier of Baylor, and Vladislav Goldin of Michigan. All six prospects appear on ESPN’s board, ranging from No. 47 (Brea) to No. 95 (Omier). Sacramento currently only controls the 42nd pick, but is rumored to be interested in moving into the first round.
- Big man Johni Broome, the 40th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, had a workout with the Warriors today, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former Auburn star said he has previously worked out for the Clippers, Pistons, Hawks, Nets, Raptors and Celtics, and has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Thunder, Timberwolves and Suns, according to Rankin. Golden State controls the 41st pick.
Mavs, Pistons To Play Regular Season Game In Mexico City
The Mavericks and Pistons will play a regular season game in Mexico City on November 1, 2025, the NBA has announced in a press release. The game will take place at Mexico City Arena (aka Arena CDMX).
It’s the second straight year in which the NBA’s annual Mexico City game will coincide with local Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. The Heat and Wizards played in Mexico during the 2024/25 season on Nov. 2.
The matchup between the Mavericks and Pistons will be the NBA’s 34th preseason or regular season game in Mexico since 1992. It will also be the eighth time that the Mavericks have participated in one of those contests south of the border.
The NBA has consistently played at least one regular season game in Mexico City since 2017, skipping only 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the first 2025/26 regular season game announced by the NBA that will take place outside of the U.S. or Canada, though the league previously confirmed a series of international preseason matchups for the fall. The Knicks and Sixers are competing in Abu Dhabi on October 2 and 4; the Pelicans will face teams from Australia’s National Basketball League in Melbourne on Oct. 3 and 5; and the Nets and Suns will be playing in Macao on Oct. 10 and 12.
Hawks Among Teams Eyeing Myles Turner
In addition to the Pistons, the Hawks are among the teams who have interest in center Myles Turner, reports Grant Afseth of RG.org. Turner, currently vying for a championship with the Pacers, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Reports in recent weeks have repeatedly indicated that the Pacers and Turner have interest in working out a new deal and that Indiana is willing to become a taxpayer for the first time since 2006 in order to make it happen. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) wrote on Sunday that there’s “strong sentiment” among league executives that Turner will remain in Indiana, with cap strategists projecting a deal in the range of $30MM per year.
However, Afseth says the Hawks are “monitoring Turner’s situation closely,” with their own veteran centers Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. headed for unrestricted free agency this offseason.
Even with Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Dyson Daniels wreaking havoc on the perimeter, Atlanta ranked just 18th in defensive rating in 2024/25. The team also came in at No. 18 in three-point percentage. Turner, a big man who can space the floor (.396 3PT% in 2024/25) and protect the rim (2.0 BPG), would be a major asset on both ends of the court.
Still, if the Pacers are committed to retaining Turner and he doesn’t want to go anywhere, it’s hard to envision a scenario in which he ends up in Atlanta. The Hawks don’t project to have cap room this summer, so barring some significant cost-cutting moves, the club would need Indiana’s cooperation to acquire Turner via sign-and-trade, which seems unlikely.
Since the Pacers hold Turner’s Bird rights, they’ll have the ability to offer any amount up to his maximum salary if they’re comfortable paying the associated luxury tax penalties.
Pistons Notes: Free Agents, Trades, Offseason Priorities, Thompson
Rival teams expect the Pistons to be players in the free agent market this summer, writes Jake Fischer for The Stein Line (Substack link). They have the ability to create around $17MM in cap space if they choose to operate below the salary cap, a decision which could help shed light on the team’s roster-construction plans moving forward.
Fischer writes that the Pistons are looking at different options, including renting out space as a third team in bigger deals in order to accumulate assets or continuing to add veteran talent, a path that helped the team achieve a good measure of success this season.
Fischer also confirms prior reporting that much of Detroit’s focus has revolved around shooting big men such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid — he also adds Grizzlies restricted free agent Santi Aldama to the list of possible Pistons targets. However, Fischer says teams around the league are expecting all three of those bigs to remain with their current clubs.
There’s also the question of Detroit’s own free agents. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dennis Schröder, and Malik Beasley are all unrestricted free agents this summer, and with Jaden Ivey set to return from injury, it’s unclear how many backcourt minutes will be available for all three. Fischer believes Hardaway is the least likely of those free agents to return. Beasley and the Pistons have expressed mutual interest in finding a new deal, and Schröder was a hugely valuable piece for Detroit, especially in the playoffs.
We have more Pistons notes:
- The Pistons have the pieces to go big-name hunting for the first time in many years, writes Omari Sankofa II for the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). They have up to four tradable first-round picks, 15 second-rounders, and a combination of young, promising players and established veterans. However, with many teams similarly stocked with trade assets, making a blockbuster trade would likely mean paying a significant price, Sankofa writes in a column breaking down three potential deals the Pistons could consider. The first name he considers is the Suns’ Devin Booker, suggesting that a package might consist of Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, and a massive combination of first- and second-round picks. He also looks at what it could take to land either Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaren Jackson Jr. The question the Pistons have to decide is whether Cade Cunningham‘s ascendance requires an acceleration of the team-building timeline.
- In a mailbag, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com breaks down the team’s priorities this offseason. The level to which Detroit succeeds next year depends, for the most part, on internal development, he writes. That includes Thompson experiencing his first healthy NBA offseason, Iver getting back to 100%, and players like Ron Holland II and Jalen Duren further honing their skill sets. Langlois also points to Cunningham becoming a more consistent three-point shooter and finding ways to cut down the turnovers as key points of emphasis.
- In the same mailbag, Langlois discusses which area is more important for Thompson moving forward — shooting or play-making. While a reliable jump shot would put Thompson over the top, Langlois believes that play-making is an area in which the athletic forward can find a great deal of value as he continues trying to develop his individual scoring. He points to a supercharged Josh Hart as a blueprint for how Thompson could find success as a defender, passer, and rebounder, and adds that in terms of the two options, the Pistons guard has a stronger base as a secondary play-maker to build off than he does as a shooter.
Barnes, Stewart, Vassell Candidates For Jamaican National Team
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart and Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell are in discussions to join Jamaica’s men’s basketball team, reports Daniel Blake of The Jamaica Observer (Twitter link).
Clippers wing Norman Powell has already committed to represent Jamaica during the pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer, as has Timberwolves forward Josh Minott, according to Blake (Twitter link).
Rockets wing Amen Thompson and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson may also represent Jamaica in FIBA competitions and possibly the Summer Olympics. Blake hears the Thompson twins began the process of applying for Jamaican passports last week — their father is from Jamaica.
Blake previously mentioned Suns center Nick Richards, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, as another candidate to join the national team.
If Jamaica is able to secure the commitments of all the aforementioned NBA players, the country would become a formidable opponent in international competitions. Former Rookie of the Year and All-Star Barnes is the most accomplished of the group, and all but Minott have established themselves as at least solid rotation players in the NBA.
Eastern Notes: Giannis, Nets, Raptors, Spoelstra, Pistons, Magic
Team personnel around the NBA who have spoken recently to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) are expressing less confidence that Giannis Antetokounmpo will ask the Bucks to trade him this summer.
“He’s not that guy (to cause trouble),” one source told Lewis. “He’s going to complain, but he isn’t going to actually burn it to the ground and be the bad guy to leave.”
As Lewis details, it’s perhaps no coincidence that rumors about the Nets‘ interest in pursuing a second lottery pick have gained some traction lately, since that’s viewed as a more realistic move for Brooklyn than landing Antetokounmpo. Even if the Bucks star does become available, the Nets have fallen behind teams like San Antonio, Houston, and Toronto as betting favorites to land him, Lewis notes.
“Toronto has more than anyone to offer for Giannis,” one league source told The Post. “But I don’t think he’s being moved.”
If Giannis were available, the Raptors could make a strong bid for him by including former Rookie of the Year and All-Star Scottie Barnes in their package. Still, it’s debatable whether such a move would make sense for Toronto, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who notes that paying a significant price (Barnes, plus other players and picks) for Antetokounmpo wouldn’t necessarily put the Raptors in a better position to contend than recent iterations of the Bucks.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Since we published our most recent list of the NBA’s longest-tenured head coaches last August, four of the top six names on that list (Gregg Popovich, Michael Malone, Taylor Jenkins, and Tom Thibodeau) have been let go or, in Popovich’s case, stepped down. That leaves Erik Spoelstra of the Heat as the league’s longest-tenured head coach by a significant margin, and he doesn’t take that longevity for granted, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald details. “You have to have great ownership and stability from the front office,” Spoelstra said during the season. “… I’m truly grateful for that, because we’ve been able to work through some tough losses and tough seasons and I think we’ve gotten better from that.”
- Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) considers how the Pistons might be able to leverage certain teams’ cap and apron positions this offseason by pursuing players from those clubs. Sankofa identifies Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Grayson Allen, Isaac Okoro, and Sam Hauser as four wings whom Detroit could target in free agency or trades. Minnesota, Phoenix, and Boston are coming off second-apron seasons, while Cleveland is on track to exceed the second apron in 2025/26.
- The Magic unveiled a new logo and three new uniforms earlier this week, per a team press release. Orlando’s updated look can be found here.
Eastern Notes: Scariolo, Heat, Celtics, Ainge, Fontecchio
According to a Eurohoops.net report, the Heat have expressed interest in adding Sergio Scariolo to their coaching staff. Scariolo is currently the head coach of Spain’s national team and served as an assistant coach with the Raptors for three seasons from 2018-21. However, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang hears from a source close to the organization that Scariolo is not a candidate for a Heat coaching position.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Heat might have to take a step back to move forward, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith writes in his offseason preview. Their cap sheet for next season is messy but they could reach the summer of 2026 with ample cap space, perhaps $30-40MM or even more, unless they make a major trade for a star player this summer. If they don’t make that sort of deal, it might be another down year for the franchise but the Heat will own their own first-round pick without restrictions in next year’s draft along with having salary flexibility.
- The departure of Celtics assistant GM Austin Ainge transpired quickly in recent days, and the hiring of a replacement for him is not imminent, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports. Ainge has joined the Jazz‘s front office as their president of basketball operations. “Ownership is awesome and it’s just kind of the next progression of my career,” Ainge said. “Kind of done a lot in Boston and we’ve had a lot of success over the years, and the chance to run my own team is a big part of it. And the Jazz have a lot of potential, man. It’s a lot of work, but a lot of potential.”
- Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio didn’t shoot as well from beyond the arc as he had the previous season but he maintained a rotation spot due to other factors, Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois writes. Fontecchio drew praise from coach J.B. Bickerstaff due to his defensive tenacity, versatility, energy, selflessness and basketball IQ. If Fontecchio can regain his three-point form, he’ll be a very valuable rotation piece heading into his walk year, Langlois adds — he has $8.3MM remaining on his contract.
Central Notes: Ivey, Bulls, Turner
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey had a very promising 2024/25 season — for the 30 games he was on the floor, at least.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reviews Ivey’s third pro season and considers what’s next for him, noting that the third-year pro evolved as a jump shooter and a creator under new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Across the aforementioned 30 healthy bouts, Ivey averaged 17.6 points, 4.1 boards and 4.0 dimes per game ahead of becoming extension-eligible this summer. Bickerstaff has been an ardent fan of Ivey’s play, according to Langlois, who writes that the 6’4″ guard can thrive both off-ball alongside All-NBA point guard Cade Cunningham and as a lead ball handler without Cunningham.
Langlois observes that Ivey’s role leading bench units could hinge on what happens with reserve guard Dennis Schröder in free agency.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Bulls are potentially interested in selecting BYU guard Egor Demin with the No. 12 pick in this month’s draft — if he’s still available at that point, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reiterates in a story breaking down four potential lottery targets for the team. Cowley, who previously reported Chicago’s potential interest in Demin, also takes a closer look at Derik Queen, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Asa Newell.
- The Pacers, now back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, face a major decision this summer when it comes to the future of free agent center Myles Turner, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. While Indiana is considered likely to retain the 6’11” big man, he could become a hot commodity this summer. A unique three-and-D center, the Texas alum has been a critical contributor to his team’s two straight Eastern Conference Finals runs, and will prove integral if it hopes to fend off Oklahoma City in the Finals. Indiana holds a $2.9MM option on his backup, Tony Bradley, while third-stringer Thomas Bryant will also hit unrestricted free agency.
- In case you missed it, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was honored as the club’s Eastern Conference Finals MVP for his performance against New York, in a narrow 5-4 vote.
Pistons Have Interest In Naz Reid, Myles Turner
The Pistons are “known to covet” a big man who can space the floor, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports in his latest Substack article (subscription required) that the team is said to have interest in both Naz Reid and Myles Turner.
Reid followed up his Sixth Man of the Year campaign in 2023/24 with another strong season for the Timberwolves in ’24/25, averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 27.5 minutes per game across 80 outings (17 starts). He has made 39.5% of 5.4 three-point attempts per game over the past two seasons.
Turner, who was drafted 11th overall by the Pacers in 2015 and has been the team’s starting center for the last decade, averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 30.2 minutes per contest across 72 games this season. The 29-year-old knocked down a career-high 39.6% of 5.5 three-pointers per night and has played a key role in getting the Pacers within one game of an NBA Finals appearance.
It remains to be seen whether the Pistons have a viable chance to land either player, Stein acknowledges.
Reid holds a $15MM player option for next season and the Timberwolves have made it known they’d have strong interest in working out a new deal with him if he declines that option, Stein writes.
As for Turner, multiple reports have indicated that Indiana is well positioned to re-sign the longtime Pacer in unrestricted free agency this summer, and Stein confirms that the team has conveyed a willingness to go into the tax next season to keep its roster together.
As we detailed earlier this week, the Pistons could potentially create nearly $17MM in cap room without making any cost-cutting moves, but it would mean renouncing their rights to key free agents like Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schröder. If the club operates over the cap, it could offer the full mid-level exception, worth a projected $14.1MM, to a free agent, but wouldn’t be able to exceed that figure without a sign-and-trade.
Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Paul Reed handled big-man duties for Detroit in 2024/25. While that trio was effective, none of the three is a threat from beyond the arc — they made a combined 25 three-pointers on the season, with Duren not attempting a single one.
How Salary Bumps For Cunningham, Mobley Affect Pistons’, Cavs’ Cap Situations
A year ago, four players signed maximum-salary rookie scale extensions that included Rose Rule language, putting each player in position to earn a starting salary worth 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap – rather than 25% – on his new deal if he met certain performance criteria.
Magic forward Franz Wagner and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes weren’t able to cash in and earn that extra 5%, but Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley did so when he won this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham followed suit by claiming a spot on the All-NBA Third Team.
As our maximum-salary projections show, Mobley and Cunningham are now in line to earn $269,085,780 over the next five seasons instead of the $224,238,150 they would have made if they hadn’t received those end-of-season awards. Those figures, which are based on a projected cap increase of 10%, include a $46,394,100 starting salary for 2025/26, up from $38,661,750.
While it’s great news for the Pistons and the Cavaliers that Cunningham and Mobley played well enough this season to warrant All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year recognition, that extra $7.7MM+ in salary that each team will have to account for could affect how Detroit and Cleveland operate this summer.
Let’s take a look at the Pistons first. If Cunningham had earned his standard 25% of the cap, Detroit could theoretically have created about $24.6MM in cap room by renouncing all their free agents. Depending on Malik Beasley‘s asking price following a season that nearly earned him Sixth Man of the Year honors, that cap room might’ve come in handy, since they only hold Beasley’s Non-Bird rights.
Operating under the cap in that scenario would’ve given the Pistons the ability to offer Beasley more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception while likely leaving some room left over, along with the $8.8MM room exception.
But with Cunningham’s extra $7.7MM+ on the books, the Pistons’ maximum projected cap room in that scenario dips to just $16.9MM. Renouncing their other free agents to offer Beasley that full $16.9MM would still be an option, but it would leave Detroit with no remaining cap room, rendering the team unlikely to be able to re-sign both Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr. (or one of the two, and a replacement for the other) using the room exception.
With Cunningham set to make over $46MM, the Pistons’ most likely path now is probably operating over the cap, which would allow them to retain Schröder’s Early Bird rights, Hardaway’s Bird rights, and the bi-annual exception while using the mid-level exception to try to re-sign Beasley. As long as Beasley is willing to accept a deal in that range, taking that route should work out fine for the Pistons.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, were projected to operate well into tax apron territory regardless of where Mobley’s new deal came in, but his $7.7MM+ raise will push them far beyond the second apron, significantly increasing their tax bill and making it more challenging to re-sign key free agents like Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill.
Let’s assume Cleveland simply retains its players currently under contract without re-signing any free agents and fills out its roster using its two second-round picks and minimum-salary free agent deals. The increase in the team’s projected tax bill as a result of Mobley’s raise, based on my math, is nearly $46MM. That number would increase further if the team brings back Jerome and/or Merrill.
Again, as long as Cunningham and Mobley continue to play at an All-NBA level, the Pistons and Cavaliers will be happy to pay them the mega-deals they earned with their performances in 2024/25. But those raises will make life a little more complicated for the cap strategists in the two teams’ front offices.