Atlantic Notes: Wolf, Nets, China, Tatum, Gordon, Edgecombe
Danny Wolf, the former University of Michigan big man, is already showing off his play-making ability, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. During the Nets’ first preseason game, the 27th overall pick of the draft dished out five assists in 15 minutes.
“I mean, when the coaches trust me with the ball in my hands, it’s up to me to make a play,” Wolf said. “I think a few times, I got a little too sped up and made a few — I made an errant pass and kinda lost the ball on a ball screen. But when coach Jordi [Fernandez] draws me up or tells us to run a play and it breaks off, it’s up to you to make a play, and I tried doing that to the best of my ability.”
Wolf’s 4.2 assists per game with the Wolverines last season represented the second-best average ever for a college player listed at seven feet or taller, according to Reilly.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets are playing the Suns in preseason games at China on Friday and Sunday, the first NBA games in that country in six years. The Nets began their 17-hour journey to China on Monday afternoon. “When you get there, I think it’s a complete time difference overall, so for the first few days you’re on the opposite schedule,” Michael Porter Jr. told C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News. “That’s a challenge when you go that far, but other than that, I’m excited to bring the NBA to China. I know there’s so many fans, so it’ll be fun. It’ll be fun to get our first taste against another NBA team in the Phoenix Suns, so we’ll really get to see where we’re at.”
- While he mends from a torn Achilles, Celtics star Jayson Tatum will have added duties at the collegiate ranks. He’s been named Duke’s Chief Basketball Officer, according to GoDuke.com. In the newly created position, Tatum will volunteer his time as a special advisor to head coach Jon Scheyer and the Duke program, bringing his insights and professional basketball experience to player development, leadership, and life as an elite athlete. “I am ecstatic about the opportunity to be Duke’s first Chief Basketball Officer,” Tatum said in a statement. “This program means so much to me, and I had an unbelievable time here. I already watch every game, come back whenever I can, and connect with Coach Scheyer often. To have the chance to formalize my relationship with the program and broaden my ability to impact the players and culture means the world to me.”
- Eric Gordon has played with VJ Edgecombe on the Bahamas national team. Gordon, entering his 18th season, is eager to embrace a mentorship role with the Sixers’ lottery pick, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays (subscription required). “At my age, in my phase of my career, you have to mentor,” Gordon said. “That’s without a doubt. I’ve been around VJ the most. I’ve known him for quite a while. Of course, I will be looking forward to not just helping him, but also all the young guys. … But when I’m in the game, I’m going to have to do my part: Knock down shots, spread the floor, let guys operate the length [of the court] on their own.”
And-Ones: All-Star Game, Australia, A. Antetokounmpo, More
Regardless of the findings of the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard for potential salary cap circumvention, the 2026 All-Star Game won’t be relocated away from Intuit Dome, commissioner Adam Silver confirmed on Monday.
There had been some speculation that taking this season’s All-Star Game away from the Clippers could be one form of punishment for the franchise if the league determines it circumvented the cap by paying Leonard extra money via a no-show endorsement deal. However, there’s no guarantee the investigation will wrap up by mid-February, and even if it does, the All-Star Game won’t be affected, as Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press relays.
“There’s no contemplation of moving the All-Star Game,” Silver said. “Planning for the All-Star Game and the surrounding activities are operating completely independently of the ongoing investigation.”
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Olgun Uluc of ESPN shares his takeaways from the Pelicans‘ two exhibition games in Melbourne over the weekend, noting that projected 2026 first-rounder Dash Daniels (Dyson Daniels‘ younger brother) held his own against NBA competition and that NBL owner Larry Kestelman expects the NBA to return to Australia based on the success of this trip.
- Alex Antetokounmpo, younger brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo, is expected to part ways with the Greek team Aris Thessaloniki and sign a G League contract, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The 24-year-old forward has never appeared in an NBA regular season game, but previously signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the Raptors (2021) and the Bucks (2022 and 2023) prior to playing for those teams’ NBAGL affiliates.
- The Athletic’s NBA beat writers pose one burning question facing each of the NBA’s 30 teams, including who will step up in the Celtics‘ frontcourt, whether or not the Magic have enough three-point shooting, and whether the Grizzlies can count on Ja Morant.
- In a pair of stories for ESPN, Tim Bontemps identifies 10 names that could define the 2025/26 NBA season, while Bobby Marks previews trade season for 14 teams well positioned to be active in the coming months.
And-Ones: Silver, NBA Europe, Lopez, Milton
Speaking at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum (Twitter video link via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic), commissioner Adam Silver suggested teams competing in NBA-run leagues in other continents could eventually participate in official NBA games.
“You could imagine teams from Europe, potentially Africa, competing in (the NBA Cup),” Silver said (transcript via Eurohoops). “You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs, top seeds from other leagues.
“But over time, I think, for example, certainly in Europe, as plane travel gets faster… I’m reading all the time about more opportunities in aviation. When I think of the flight from New York to LA, for example, there’s no reason that if we had four teams in Europe, you couldn’t travel, play the Knicks or Nets, travel to London, play three or four times in Europe, and come back home. So I think it’s very doable in our league.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- In an interview with Eduardo Tansley of The Athletic, NBA Europe and Middle East managing director George Aivazoglou discussed the three types of teams that could join the NBA’s proposed European league, as well as its big-picture goals. “I hope we establish European basketball from a sporting competitive level at the top, almost on par, in terms of interest as European football,” the Greek executive said. “We want to create a new era, an innovative product that would attract audiences from all over the world and across all demographics, not just hardcore basketball fans, who would also be very happy watching it. And (we hope) to ensure that the development of the talent grows even stronger, and ensure that the value that gets created gets redistributed to the European basketball ecosystem so that it continues to improve.” Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops passes along some other highlights from the interview for those who don’t subscribe to The Athletic.
- Eric Gomez of ESPN.com recently wrote a feature story on projected 2026 lottery pick Karim Lopez, who could be the first Mexican first-rounder in NBA history. Lopez, a 6’9″ forward who plays for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League, hopes his favorite player is still around if he’s drafted next year. “I hope LeBron (James) is still there if I get to the NBA,” the 18-year-old said. “Anything can happen, but I hope he’s there so I can play with or against my idol. … I mean, in the end, I’m not (in the NBA) yet, I have to keep working to get to that moment and make my dreams come true.”
- After seven seasons in the NBA, veteran guard Shake Milton signed a two-year deal with Serbian club Partizan Belgrade this summer. The 29-year-old says he’s still adjusting to the different playing style in Europe, according to Nikola Miloradovic of Eurohoops. “The biggest adjustment is just the different style of the game,” Milton told Eurohoops. “I’ve been playing one way for seven years, so now I have to adapt. It’s a challenge, but I’m excited. I’ve already started to make some adjustments, and the fun part is knowing I can get even better than I’ve been. I know it’ll all come together.”
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.
Miikka Muurinen Signs Three-Year Deal With Partizan Belgrade
Consensus five-star recruit and potential 2027 first-round pick Miikka Muurinen has officially signed with Partizan Belgrade, per a team press release (Twitter link).
According to BasketNews, the Serbian EuroLeague club specified that it has signed Muurinen to a three-year contract.
Muurinen helped Finland achieve its best-ever result (fourth place) at EuroBasket 2025 earlier this month, receiving the tournament’s Rising Star award in the process. In eight games with the Finnish national team, he averaged 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 11.1 minutes per contest, shooting 14-of-16 on two-pointers (87.5%), 6-of-17 from long distance (35.3%), and 7-of-15 on free throws (46.7%).
Muurinen, who was the youngest player (he’s 18) competing at the tournament, has spent the past two years in the United States playing high school basketball and had originally been expected to return to AZ Compass for his senior season before a recent change of plans, as agent Teddy Archer told Jonathan Givony of Draft Express (Twitter link).
A 6’10” forward, Muurinen displayed an intriguing combination of length, agility and athleticism at EuroBasket, including several highlight reel dunks. He’s expected to be one of the top college recruits in 2026 if he elects to go that route, though it’s unclear if his new contract has an out clause.
Finnish outlet Salon Seudun Sanomat first reported that Muurinen had reached an agreement with Partizan. Muurinen’s mother, Jenni Laaksonen, recently told Ilta-Santomat her son grew up admiring the play style of Serbian teams as well as Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos.
Partizan Belgrade, also known as KK Partizan, features several former NBA players, including Jabari Parker, Sterling Brown, and German wing Isaac Bonga, among others.
Central Notes: Pacers, Giannis, Giddey, Bulls, Pistons
The Pacers won’t have their star point guard and team leader Tyrese Haliburton available at all in 2025/26 while he recovers from an Achilles tear. However, that doesn’t mean the team views the coming season as a “gap year,” as Dustin Dopirak writes for The Indianapolis Star.
“I don’t think that’s ever been what we’ve been about,” general manager Chad Buchanan told reporters on Thursday. “With Mr. (Herb) Simon as our owner, it’s always been about trying to compete and trying to win. Some years are going to be more challenging than others. Obviously, we’re down Tyrese and that will make some challenges. But we’re not looking at this as a year to try and get through. We’d never wish away a season.”
The Pacers are widely expected to take a step backward without Haliburton after making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and NBA Finals in 2025. Oddsmakers view them as more likely to miss the playoffs than to make it. While Buchanan acknowledged that playing without Haliburton will likely affect Indiana’s style, slowing down the pace of the offense, he pointed out that most of the rest of the roster (with the notable exception of center Myles Turner) is returning and that those players have exhibited a tendency to defy expectations.
“This team has shown that they come together when people kinda doubt them,” Buchanan said. “I think they feel and they sense and they hear the doubt about this season for us. We’re still going to have a lot of the same identity. We still have a lot of the same core pieces on this team. The traits that those guys bring, what our coaches bring, are still there. I wouldn’t put a limit on anything this year.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, in an interview with Sport24, said he could envision himself playing for a European club later in his career if the timing and conditions were right, as Eurohoops relays. Antetokounmpo also suggested he’s probably not the only European star who feels that way. “Of course it can happen,” he said. “If you told (Nikola) Jokic that he would earn roughly the same money and be back home in Serbia, he would do it. For me, I think a lot about my body. The money is very different, and not just the money – the whole organization is completely different. You’ve been to the NBA, you’ve seen how things work. But every year when I play for the national team, I always end up saying the same thing.”
- Josh Giddey‘s new four-year contract with the Bulls is worth exactly $100MM, is fully guaranteed (with no incentives or options), and features annual cap hits of $25MM, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The flat structure of the deal means it will be worth a smaller percentage of the salary cap in future seasons, allowing Chicago to maximize its flexibility down the road.
- The Bulls announced a series of promotions and additions within their basketball opreations department, including naming Faizan Hasnany as their executive director of basketball strategy and analytics.
- Longtime Pistons scout Durand “Speedy” Walker has earned a promotion and will serve as the president of basketball operations of the Motor City Cruise, the team’s G League affiliate, according to a press release. Walker has more than 18 years of experience in the organization.
Frank Ntilikina Joins Olympiacos
September 26: Ntilikina has officially signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos, according to a press release from the team.
Reporting this week had indicated that talks between Olympiacos and Partizan hit a snag due to the Serbian club’s buyout requests. However, according to a Sport24 report (hat tip to Sportando), after initially asking for €500K and then reducing that figure to €300K, Partizan settled for an even smaller buyout amount, paving the way for the two teams to complete a deal.
September 22: Former NBA guard Frank Ntilikina appears to be headed to Olympiacos, sources tell Aris Barkas of Eurohoops (Twitter link). Barkas hears that “only details remain” in working out a deal between the Greek club and Ntilikina’s current team, Partizan Belgrade.
Earlier this month, Ntilikina agreed to an extension with Partizan through 2027. The team has been in Australia to participate in a tournament, so the arrangement sending Ntilikina to Olympiacos could be finalized soon.
Olympiacos is in need of backcourt help after former Texas Tech guard Keenan Evans suffered an injury, according to Mihalis Stefanou of Eurohoops. Ex-NBA players Evan Fournier and Saben Lee are among the team’s other guard options.
Ntilikina, a 27-year-old combo guard, was considered an elite prospect in France when the Knicks selected him with the eighth pick in the 2017 draft. He spent four years in New York before signing with Dallas in 2021, and finished out his stay in the NBA by appearing in five games with Charlotte during the 2023/24 season.
Ntilikina returned to Europe last summer, signing with Partizan, which captured the ABA League title. He averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 21 games while shooting 45.8% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.
International Notes: Harrell, Ntilikina, Rubio, Bogdanovic, King
The Adelaide 36ers of Australia’s National Basketball League have officially terminated the contract of veteran NBA big man Montrezl Harrell, announcing the news in a press release.
The 36ers say they decided to terminate Harrell’s contract because he is currently ineligible to practice or play as part of a provisional ban for testing positive for a banned substance while playing for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association this spring.
It doesn’t sound as though the team wanted to part ways with Harrell, stating that it was “grateful” for his contributions and wishes him well going forward. But Adelaide said it was unable to comment further on the situation because it is still ongoing.
Harrell made a cryptic reply to the press release (Twitter link), stating, “Wait till you hear the real story on this lol how quick the switch goes!”
According to BasketNews, Harrell previously suggested the positive test wasn’t for a performance enhancing drug.
“Like I understand fail a drug test!” he wrote. “I get what the test showed! What I get lost is on the doping part! Because doping is (a) rule on taking a drug to increase or gain an edge in competition use! I know damn well I had zero of anything like that in me so again doping???
“Much love for all the Australian fans man I truly appreciate and love the support and energy y’all gave to me! Made me fall in love with hoops again last year in a dark time! Will always be grateful for that!”
Harrell, 31, last played in the NBA for Philadelphia during the 2022/23 campaign. The 31-year-old won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2019/20.
ESPN’s Olgun Uluc first reported that Harrell and the 36ers would be parting ways.
Here are a few more notes from overseas:
- A previously reported initial transfer deal between Olympiacos and Partizan for Frank Ntilikina fell through, according to Eurohoops.net. Ntilikina reached an agreement with Olympiacos when Partizan was ready to release him, but Partizan eventually requested a $300K buyout which the Greek club refused to play. Partizan is changing course and will keep Ntilikina while Olympiacos will look elsewhere to enhance its backcourt.
[UPDATE: Partizan and Olympiacos have since gone back to the negotiating table and completed a buyout agreement, clearing the way for Ntilikina to join Olympiacos.] - After spending last season off the court, Ricky Rubio is playing this season for Joventut Badalona. According to Eurohoops.net, Rubio didn’t shut the door on making a return to the Spanish national team. He withdrew from the team ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup and hasn’t suited up for Spain since then.
- After retiring earlier this offseason, Bojan Bogdanovic is reportedly close to being named president of two-time EuroLeague champion Cibona in Croatia, where he played from 2009-11, per journalist Bruno Feliks (hat tip to Eurohoops.net).
- Former NBAer Louis King is signing with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China, according to Sportando. King played for the Pistons, Kings and Sixers on two-way deals from 2019-23, averaging 4.8 points per game in 27 appearances.
Earnest Marshall contributed to this post.
Stein’s Latest: Warriors, Kuminga, Wizards, Bailey, THT, Davis
As Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article for The Stein Line, the Warriors‘ training camp will tip off a week from today (September 30), while the deadline for Jonathan Kuminga to accept his qualifying offer arrives one day later (October 1).
That means that if Kuminga’s decision goes down to the wire, the Warriors may open camp with a significant portion of their eventual roster missing. The club is currently carrying just nine players on standard contracts and has opted not to fill the five remaining non-Kuminga roster spots until the restricted free agent’s situation is resolved in order to maximize cap flexibility.
According to Stein, the expectation around the NBA is that the five players who eventually fill the remaining third of Golden State’s roster will be Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry, and second-round pick Will Richard. In that scenario, Horford would be signed using the taxpayer mid-level exception, while the others would receive minimum-salary deals.
As for what happens with Kuminga, Stein says he’d be surprised if the 22-year-old sacrifices $40MM-ish in guaranteed money by signing his one-year, $8MM qualifying offer instead of accepting a reported three-year, $75MM proposal that includes a third-year team option, though he cautions that’s just informed speculation rather than sourced information.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The belief around the NBA since June’s draft is that the Wizards – who held the No. 6 overall pick – were Ace Bailey‘s preferred landing spot, says Stein. Utah ultimately drafted Bailey at No. 5. Given their apparent interest in Bailey, it raised some eyebrows when the Wizards signed Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract last week, according to Stein. Cooper, who had been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, is the son of Bailey’s manager Omar Cooper.
- Although six-year NBA veteran Talen Horton-Tucker officially signed a two-year contract with the Turkish team Fenerbahce over the weekend, the expectation is that he’ll try to return to the NBA next summer if his first year in Europe goes well, per Stein. That suggests Horton-Tucker’s deal includes an opt-out clause after year one.
- After reporting on Saturday that Mavericks star Anthony Davis had taken part in some five-on-five scrimmages for the first time since undergoing eye surgery in July, Stein cautions that Dallas will likely take a cautious approach with the big man once camp officially gets underway, since “pickup game intensity cannot compare to training camp intensity.”
Armando Bacot Explains Why He Chose Europe Over Hornets
Armando Bacot was expecting to sign with the Hornets when the summer began, but he changed his mind when he got an opportunity with Fenerbahce. In an interview with Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops, Bacot explains why he chose to go to Istanbul rather than try to secure an NBA contract.
“Early in the summer, I got offers from a couple of EuroLeague teams, not Fenerbahce though, and I intended to sign with the Charlotte Hornets,” he said, “But Fenerbahce called me. I got a chance to talk with the coach (Sarunas Jasikevicius) and with some people who play here and have been around this atmosphere. I liked what they said, and it was a no-brainer.”
The 25-year-old big man signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Memphis last September after going undrafted out of North Carolina. He was waived before the start of the season and played for the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, where he averaged 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in 34 games. He was selected to participate in the 2025 Up Next event at the NBA’s All-Star weekend.
Bacot said he was influenced by the chance to play for Jasikevicius, who coached Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague title last season. He compares the atmosphere to being with the Tar Heels.
“It’s great because you have huge fan bases and big brands,” Bacot said. “You gotta be built to be able to play in environments like these because obviously the fans are passionate, the coaches, players, the community, everyone’s passionate, so it’s a good type of thing to be a part of. I’ve been blessed to be able to be a part of some great teams in college, but also put up some great performances that’re up there with some of the greats, so I’m just thankful.”
Bacot discussed the demands of playing a EuroLeague schedule along with domestic competition in Turkey, and he credited new teammates Devon Hall and Khem Birch with making his adjustment to European basketball easier.
Bacot also indicated that he would consider remaining in Europe for the rest of his career.
“It’s great basketball,” he said. “You see around here, it’s beautiful. They treat you just like the NBA, so I’m definitely open to staying here if it’s the right situation.”