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Kings Sign Precious Achiuwa, Waive Isaac Jones

November 4th, 2025 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

4:52 pm: The Kings have officially signed Achiuwa and waived Jones, according to a team press release.

9:17 am: The Kings have reached an agreement with free agent forward/center Precious Achiuwa on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. According to Charania, Sacramento is expected to waive second-year forward Isaac Jones in order to make room on the roster for Achiuwa.

NBA insider Jake Fischer first reported on Monday that the Kings were eyeing Achiuwa, with Brett Siegel of Clutch Points stating at the time that Jones would likely be the odd man out if the team made a roster move.

The Kings have been shorthanded in the frontcourt after losing Keegan Murray to a thumb injury last month. With their starting power forward sidelined, the Kings have had to use smaller lineups while also leaning on rookies Nique Clifford and Dylan Cardwell more than expected in the early going.

Achiuwa, 26, began his career with the Heat as the No. 20 overall pick in 2020. He was sent to the Raptors as part of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade during the 2021 offseason and spent two-plus seasons in Toronto before being traded to the Knicks along with OG Anunoby in December 2023. Achiuwa was in New York for a season-and-a-half, then signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Heat this fall but didn’t make Miami’s regular season roster due to luxury tax concerns.

Achiuwa is a bit undersized for a center and isn’t a threat as an outside shooter, but he’s an athletic, high-energy player who rebounds well and is a versatile, switchable defender. In 57 games in 2024/25, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest, with a .502/.278/.594 shooting line.

As for Jones, the former Washington State standout caught on with the Kings as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and appeared in 40 games off the bench for the team, earning a promotion from his two-way deal to a standard contract in March. While he exceeded expectations during his time in Sacramento, Jones played a very limited role, averaging 7.6 minutes per game last season and logging just 17 minutes in three contests so far in 2025/26, even with Murray sidelined.

There were some conflicting reports on Jones’ contract when the Kings exercised his ’25/26 team option in June, but ESPN’s Bobby Marks confirms (via Twitter) that the 25-year-old’s minimum salary was non-guaranteed. That means Sacramento will only be on the hook for a $191,043 dead-money cap hit if Jones is cut on Tuesday — for the purposes of evaluating whether the team finishes the season in luxury tax territory, he’ll count for $214,151 due to tax variance.

Assuming Achiuwa officially signs on Tuesday, a prorated minimum deal would pay him $2,453,285, with the Kings carrying a cap charge of $2,111,516. I would expect his contract to be non-guaranteed, though that hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Zion Williamson Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain

November 4th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans star Zion Williamson has sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to the team, which announced today (via Twitter) that the former No. 1 overall pick will be reevaluated in approximately seven-to-10 days.

That timeline suggests Williamson will be sidelined for upcoming games vs. Charlotte (Tuesday), Dallas (Wednesday), San Antonio (Saturday), and Phoenix (next Monday), and could miss additional time beyond that.

Hamstring issues are nothing new for Williamson, who has now been forced to miss time in each of the last four seasons due to a hamstring injury, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. The 25-year-old forward was limited to just 30 outings in 2024/25 as a result of hamstring and back problems.

Williamson appeared in five of the Pelicans’ first six games to open this season and performed well, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while getting to the free throw line a league-high 11.4 times per contest. However, that strong production hasn’t translated into wins — New Orleans is off to an 0-6 start.

As Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports points out (via Twitter), things could go from bad to worse for the Pelicans without Williamson available, given that his -9.0 net rating this season is actually one of the better marks on the team. New Orleans has been outscored by a staggering 28.7 points per 100 possessions in the 136 minutes Williamson hasn’t played through six games.

The silver lining for the Pelicans is that a Grade 1 strain is considered mild, but given Williamson’s injury history, the club figures to manage the injury carefully.

As Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes, head coach Willie Green spoke on Monday about looking to “turn the page” on the 0-6 start, beginning with Tuesday’s game vs. the Hornets. At that time, Williamson was considered questionable to play due to what the team was referring to as hamstring soreness.

“Obviously we’re all disappointed, frustrated with our start,” Green said. “But we continue to come in, work at it and address it.”

Players Signed After Wednesday Won’t Be Trade-Eligible This Season

November 4th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

When a free agent signs a standard contract with an NBA team, he becomes ineligible to be traded for at least three months. Since this season’s trade deadline will land on February 5, that means a player who signs a new deal with a team anytime after Wednesday, November 5 won’t be eligible to be dealt this season.

That three-month trade restriction also applies to a player who is converted from a two-way contract to a standard deal. So if a player signs as a free agent or is promoted from a two-way deal to a standard roster spot this Thursday, his trade restriction wouldn’t lift until February 6, a day after this season’s deadline has passed.

If no new deals are completed by midnight Eastern on Wednesday, the last signee who will have trade eligibility later this season will likely be Precious Achiuwa, who is expected to sign with the Kings today or tomorrow. If Achiuwa officially signs on Tuesday and is still under contract with Sacramento three months from now, he’d become trade-eligible on February 4, the day before the deadline.

Pacers guard Mac McClung (January 28), Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan (January 23), Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (January 18), and Kings guard Russell Westbrook (January 16) are a few of the other players who would become eligible to be moved in the weeks leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline, assuming they remain under contract until then.

The three-month trade restriction doesn’t apply to players who sign two-way contracts — those players are ineligible to be dealt for just 30 days. Trades involving players on two-way deals are pretty rare, but it’s worth noting that anyone who inks a two-way contract on or before January 6 would still become trade-eligible ahead of this season’s deadline.

We previously shared lists of players who won’t become trade-eligible until December 15 or January 15 after signing new contracts in the offseason. We’ll soon publish one more list detailing which players have special, specific trade eligibility dates — that group will include Achiuwa, McClung, and the rest of the players mentioned above, plus many more, including several who signed offseason contract extensions.

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Pacers Notes: Turner, Furphy, Jackson, Nesmith, Walker

November 4th, 2025 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

After predicting ahead of his return to Indiana that he’d hear “some cheers” and “some boos,” longtime Pacers center Myles Turner – now a member of the division rival Bucks – admitted following Monday’s game that he wasn’t able to easily shrug off the fact that the boos were far more prevalent.

“It was disheartening, man. It was frustrating,” Turner said of the reaction (Twitter video link via WISH-TV News). “You give 10 years of your life, your blood, your sweat, your tears. You take pay cuts. You survive trade rumors. You try to do everything the right way, and then sometimes stuff shakes out. It is cool. I take it on the chin.”

Turner, who was selected by the Pacers with the 11th overall pick in the 2015 draft, spent the first decade of his professional career in Indiana, making 616 regular season starts – and another 63 in the playoffs – during that time. After he reached free agency this past offseason, he felt he was low-balled by the Pacers and opted to accept a more lucrative offer from Milwaukee.

In his first game back in Indiana on Monday, Pacers fans booed during Turner’s pregame tribute video and continued to boo each time he touched the ball once the game started, notes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Turner and his new team got the last laugh, however, as Giannis Antetokounmpo made a game-winning shot at the buzzer and gave the fans in Indiana a thumbs down as he walked off the court (Twitter video link).

“He had 10 years of service with one franchise,” Antetokounmpo said of Turner after the game, per Akeem Glaspie of The Indianapolis Star. “To be able to come to Indiana as the all-time blocks leader, to be booed, he might not say it but it kind of hurt.

“We’re here to pick him up. Tell him how much we love him and respect him. We understand how much he gave to Indiana and how much he’s going to give to Milwaukee. He’s a great, great person; great character, great competitor. I played against him for 10 years. I think he gave everything he had; blood, sweat, tears, his body, many times on the line for Indiana. … You can boo the Bucks, I understand. But booing Myles Turner, just think about yourself, put yourself in that position.”

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Second-year Pacers guard Johnny Furphy, who missed four games early in the season due to left foot soreness, exited Monday’s game early due to a left ankle sprain, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. While head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the game that he didn’t have an update on Furphy’s status, the 20-year-old left the locker room on crutches, according to Dopirak.
Furphy wasn’t the only Pacer to leave Monday’s game early due to an injury. Quenton Jackson, who is on a two-way contract, checked out in the third quarter due to right hamstring tightness. While he was initially listed as questionable to return, Jackson remained out for the rest of the night, per Dopirak. The fourth-year point guard had enjoyed a career night in Saturday’s win over Golden State, with 25 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and three steals.
Discussing the two latest injuries affecting the banged-up Pacers, star forward Pascal Siakam referred to it as “almost laughable” how many health issues the team has had to deal with so far this season, according to Dopirak (subscription required). “As bad as it’s getting I know there’s going to be another side of it and we’re going to come out of it,” Siakam said. “I’m just wired that way in a positive manner. I’m just going to continue to work and scratch and claw and we’re gonna find a way.”
Aaron Nesmith, who is averaging more than five field goal attempts more than his previous career high, and Jarace Walker, whose shot attempts are up from 4.8 per game last year to 12.6 this season, are among the players who have been asked to take on more offensive responsibilities due to Indiana’s injury absences. “They’ve had to figure things out on the fly,” head coach Rick Carlisle said, per Dopirak. “We have a lot of moving parts here. … We have a lot of guys who are playing unusual positions, and so there’s adjustments that are happening there. Everybody’s spirit is good about it and we just have to keep working at it. Both Aaron and Jarace are doing a good job and they’re both growing through this.”

Darius Garland Could Make Season Debut On Wednesday

November 4th, 2025 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland could make his season debut as soon as Wednesday vs. Philadelphia, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who reports that Garland will have his status upgraded on the team’s injury report.

Although Charania’s wording suggests Garland isn’t yet a lock to play Wednesday, it sounds like his goal is to suit up for that game, barring a setback today or tomorrow. If the 25-year-old isn’t ready to be activated against the Sixers, his next opportunity to return would be on Friday in Washington.

Garland had an excellent regular season in 2024/25, averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game. He posted a .472/.401/.878 shooting line and earned the second All-Star berth of his career.

However, a turf toe injury forced Garland to the sidelines for the final two games of the Cavaliers’ first-round series vs. Miami and the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Indiana. Surgery was ultimately deemed necessary to address that toe injury, so Garland underwent a procedure in early June. Reporting at the time indicated that he would miss the start of the ’25/26 season.

With both Garland and starting small forward Max Strus (foot surgery) sidelined this fall and some other players dealing with minor health issues, the Cavs have used a handful of different starting fives to open the season. Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, De’Andre Hunter, and Larry Nance Jr. are among the players to earn starts, along with lineup mainstays Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

While it’s safe to assume Garland will immediately be reinserted into Cleveland’s starting lineup, he seems likely to be on a minutes restriction as he gets reacclimated.

Western Notes: Draymond, Edwards, N. Smith, Kyrie

November 4th, 2025 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

Draymond Green learned earlier this year that he has a legitimate chance to add his name to a short list of NBA legends with 10 All-Defensive seasons, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who notes that the opportunity has become a major source of motivation for the Warriors forward. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Scottie Pippen, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only players who have accomplished the feat in the league history. Green, who has earned nine All-Defensive nods, needs one more to join them.

“You see a list like that, and that immediately becomes your ‘why,'” Green told Amick. “It’s like, ‘Man, I need to give all that I f—ing can to be on that thing.’ When you look at a list like that and you say, ‘Man, I can be on that list.’ It’s captivating. If I’m honest, it consumes you.

“You’re always looking to add these stamps (of approval). And I think for me personally, that’s one stamp that I would love to add, for no other reason than the little kid from Saginaw being able to one day look at that list and say, ‘Damn, my name is on the list with those guys.’ …So that’s a huge, huge, huge goal of mine.”

Amick’s wide-ranging interview with Green also touched on several other topics, including how much longer the 35-year-old plans to continue playing. According to Green, he thought at one point that he might only have another year or two in him, but he has since reconsidered that position.

“My body feels better and better every year,” he said. “I’ve learned more about my body and what I need to do. I still enjoy competing at the highest level. I still enjoy setting this goal and then going through the process and trying to reach it. So I wouldn’t necessarily say (just one more) year or two, like I would have said a year ago. I don’t really put a number on it, either. Like I’ve always said, the game will tell me when it’s time to go.”

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who has missed the past four games due to a right hamstring strain, has been cleared to resume contact basketball activities, the team announced on Monday in a press release. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets, it’s a sign that Edwards’ return to action should happen sooner rather than later, barring a setback.
With LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves all inactive on Monday, the Lakers picked up a 123-115 win over Portland on the second end of a back-to-back. While Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton had big games, Nick Smith Jr.‘s 25-point performance was the biggest surprise of the night, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN writes. Smith, a former first-round pick who joined the Lakers on a two-way deal last month after being waived by Charlotte, was reportedly battling an illness and threw up at halftime, per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet (Twitter link), but said the game was “probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
After raising eyebrows by hinting in Mexico City that Kyrie Irving has a chance to return from his ACL tear before the calendar turns to 2026, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd walked back those comments to some extent on Monday, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic. “When I made the statement (in Mexico), it was more or less, ‘We would love to have him back,'” Kidd said. “But he’s doing great mentally and physically. We still don’t have an official schedule for Kai. Once that comes out, then we can start to speculate if he’s going to be back by ’25. We do miss him. But hopefully it is sooner rather than later.”

Sixers’ Jared McCain To Make Season Debut On Tuesday

November 4th, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

November 4: McCain will be available for Tuesday’s game vs. the Bulls, the Sixers confirmed today (via Twitter).

November 3: Jared McCain is on track to make his season debut tomorrow, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Sixers guard will be listed as probable for Tuesday’s game in Chicago.

The 16th overall pick in last year’s draft, McCain sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb during an offseason workout just before training camp began. He subsequently underwent surgery to address the injury.

McCain was no longer wearing a splint early last week and then was able to practice on Thursday.

McCain, 21, was one of the early Rookie of the Year frontrunners in 2024/25, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds on .460/.383/.875 shooting in 23 games (25.7 MPG). However, he suffered a season-ending injury — a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery — last December.

After a disastrous 2-12 start to open last season, the 76ers have been one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises early on in ’25/26 — they’re currently 5-1. McCain will slot into a strong backcourt rotation featuring Tyrese Maxey (who was just named Eastern Conference Player of the Week), VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes.

Forwards Paul George (left knee surgery) and Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s contest, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.

Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 11/4/2025

November 4th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included Ja Morant's future with the Grizzlies, Patrick Williams' improvement in Chicago, the Pelicans' disastrous start, the chances of a Pacers' tank job and more!

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Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Iisalo, Wells

November 4th, 2025 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

After serving a one-game suspension on Sunday for conduct detrimental to the team, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was back in action on Monday vs. Detroit. Morant registered a double-double, with 18 points and 10 assists, but turned the ball over five times and made just 5-of-16 shots from the floor in an eight-point loss to the Pistons.

Asked after the game if he feels as if the conflict that led to his suspension has been resolved (Twitter video link Matt Infield of WMC Action News 5), Morant replied, “Yeah, they (head coach Tuomas Iisalo) told y’all that, right? Obviously they can’t go and tell you something I didn’t say.”

Morant added that he feels like he has a good relationship with the franchise, telling reporters, “If I didn’t have a good relationship, I wouldn’t talk to them at all.” However, when asked if he’s playing with the same “joy” that he has in the past, the 26-year-old responded with a simple “no.”

What can be done to get that joy back? “We’ll see,” Morant said.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Iisalo’s substitution patterns have resulted in Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. playing far less often together than usual so far this season. Entering Monday’s game, the duo was averaging just 14.6 minutes per game after averaging 21.4 in 2024/25. According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN (YouTube link), Morant isn’t the only Grizzlies star who hasn’t been thrilled with Iisalo’s rotation decisions. “I think Jaren, from what I hear, is equally as frustrated,” Spears said during an NBA Today segment.
Memphis’s record dropped to 3-5 on Monday, but Jackson remains confident that the current group is capable of more than it has shown so far. “We have all the tools and pieces,” Jackson said (Twitter video link via Grind City Media). “We have everything we need to be successful. So it’s not something I’m too worried about, but the urgency’s got to be there.”
A Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024/25, Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells is looking to avoid a sophomore slump — he’s off to a slow start, with his shooting percentages dropping from .425/.352/.822 last season to .352/.256/.643 through seven games this year. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever missed this many shots in my life, but I’m going to keep shooting it,” Wells said on Monday, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). “I know how many shots I put in every day.”
In case you missed it, we published a separate round-up of Grizzlies notes on Monday evening.

Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer Sued By Aspiration Investors

November 4th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Eleven former Aspiration investors have sued Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, alleging that he used the company to circumvent the NBA salary cap to pay star forward Kawhi Leonard, reports investigative journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre.

According to Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, those investors initially filed suit against Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg and the company – which is now known as Catona – in July, well before Torre began reporting on Ballmer’s investments and Leonard’s apparent “no-show” endorsement deal. The Clippers owner was added to the lawsuit as a defendant on Monday in the wake of that reporting.

“It served Ballmer’s interest in getting extra money to Leonard so he could circumvent the salary cap, beat out the competition and re-sign his team’s superstar player,” the plaintiffs state in their suit. “Ballmer was complicit in and aided and abetted Sanberg’s fraud for his own self-serving purpose. Ballmer publicly endorsed Catona and infused over $50 million into the company. Absent Ballmer’s support, Catona could not have sustained the frauds set forth herein.”

The NBA is currently conducting its own investigation into the accusations of cap circumvention levied against the Clippers, having hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to lead that probe.

While the NBA’s investigation is focused on possible violations of the league’s own rules, the lawsuit – filed in Los Angeles – is about recouping losses for investors defrauded by Sanberg, who recently pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud. Skip Miller, an Aspiration investor also serving as counsel for the plaintiffs, issued the following statement to Torre:

“A lot of people have been hurt here. This lawsuit is being brought to recoup their losses. We look forward to our day in court where everything will be aired out and justice will be done.”

For what it’s worth, the allegations made about Ballmer in the lawsuit appear to be based on reporting by Torre and other outlets — the suit doesn’t include a smoking gun or any new revelations. However, it could lead to more new information about the Clippers’ owner’s connection to the company surfacing as the legal process plays out.

“Plaintiffs allege that Ballmer transferred other funds to Catona to keep the company afloat and buy Sanberg’s support, cooperation and silence about the secret deal with Leonard,” the lawsuit reads, per Torre. “The full extent of Ballmer’s transfers of funds to Catona and Sanberg will be ascertained in discovery.”

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