Pacific Notes: Butler, Goodwin, Luka, Reaves, Warriors
The Suns came into the preseason carrying 13 players on guaranteed salaries, with Jordan Goodwin on a partially guaranteed deal and Jared Butler on a non-guaranteed contract. Given that Phoenix projects to operate slightly over the luxury tax line even without a 15th man, the expectation was that only one of Goodwin or Butler would make the team. However, both players finished the preseason strong on Tuesday, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes.
Earning the start in the Suns’ 113-104 win over the Lakers, Goodwin had 24 points and six assists in 37 minutes of action, with a team-high +14 plus/minus rating. But his fellow starter in the backcourt was even better, as Butler racked up 35 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in 34 minutes, making 14-of-25 shots from the field, including 5-of-9 three-pointers.
In Rankin’s view, Butler’s spot on the regular season roster is still far from a sure thing. But if he ends up being waived by the Suns, the 25-year-old has certainly shown he deserves consideration for a spot on another NBA roster.
“I’m just still believing in myself, and I’m just hoping that people catch up with the faith that I have in myself,” Butler said after Tuesday’s game (Twitter video link via Rankin).
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- It took some time for the shock of his trade out of Dallas to wear off last winter, but as Lakers guard Luka Doncic made his preseason debut on Tuesday, his teammates and coaches suggested that he seems looser and more comfortable with his situation this fall, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. “I think by being in a clearer headspace, and by that I mean just mentally and emotionally in balance, it allows you the freedom to just be yourself,” head coach JJ Redick said of Doncic. “And that gets reflected in his expressions, his interactions with teammates, his interactions with our coaching staff, his desire to toe that line between competition and joy and playfulness that truthfully makes him the special person and player that he is.”
- Even though Austin Reaves is unlikely to sign an extension with the Lakers ahead of his free agency, he’s still likely to stay in Los Angeles beyond his current contract, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac, who takes a closer look at the guard’s potential earnings going forward. Smith believes a five-year deal that begins in 2026/27 and is worth in the neighborhood of $150MM could make sense for both Reaves and the Lakers.
- Making an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio (SoundCloud link), Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke about a handful of topics, including why the team targeted Al Horford in free agency and building a contending roster around aging stars with the long-term view still in mind. “You’re balancing everything,” Dunleavy said. “You’re balancing your future assets, you’re balancing the cap. You’re trying to thread the needle of staying good now and having a chance to be good in the future. That’s the fun and the challenge of this job.”
Malcolm Brogdon Announces Retirement
Veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, who was competing for a spot on the Knicks‘ roster this month, has decided to call it a career, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. According to Charania (via Twitter), Brogdon is retiring as a player.
Charania suggests (via Twitter) that Brogdon was on track to make New York’s regular season roster after joining the team on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract. However, the 32-year-old had been considering retirement and informed the Knicks on Wednesday of his decision.
“Today, I officially begin my transition out of my basketball career,” Brogdon wrote in a statement to ESPN. “I have proudly given my mind, body, and spirit to the game over the last few decades. With the many sacrifices it took to get here, I have received many rewards. I am deeply grateful to have arrived to this point on my own terms and now to be able to reap the benefits of my career with my family and friends. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all who have had a place in my journey.”
The 36th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Brogdon was named Rookie of the Year in 2017 with the Bucks and won a Sixth Man of the Year award with the Celtics in 2023. He spent three seasons in Milwaukee and three in Indiana before playing one year apiece in Boston, Portland, and Washington.
Considered a reliable contributor on both ends of the court, Brogdon had career averages of 15.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 29.1 minutes per game across 463 total regular season outings, with a shooting line of .463/.388/.874.
Although he was a valuable rotation player when he was on the court, injuries were a recurring problem for Brogdon, who was reportedly medically red-flagged ahead of the 2016 draft due to concerns about his foot and later dealt with various knee and leg issues. After making 75 appearances as a rookie, he played more than 56 games just twice in the next eight seasons and never again cracked the 70-game mark.
Due to their hard cap situation, the Knicks would only have been able to keep one camp invitee out of a group that included Brogdon, Landry Shamet, and Garrison Mathews unless they were to make a cost-cutting trade within the next few days.
With Brogdon no longer in the mix, New York may simply decide between Shamet and Mathews, who are both receiving “strong” consideration for a regular season roster spot, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team would still have to shed salary elsewhere in order to keep both players.
NBA G League, NGBPU Announce Collective Bargaining Agreement
The NBA G League and the Next Gen Basketball Players Union (NGBPU) have officially announced their Collective Bargaining Agreement. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported earlier this month that the two sides had agreed to terms on the NBAGL’s first CBA since the NGBPU was formed in 2020.
The new CBA will cover a four-year term, beginning immediately and running through the 2028/29 season. The G League and the union will each have the ability to end the agreement a year early (ie. after the ’27/28 season) by exercising an opt-out clause on or before October 1, 2027.
Here are several of the rules that were collectively bargained by the league and the players’ union:
- The standard G League player salary will increase to $45K for 2025/26 (up 4.7% from the previous base salary) and will rise by 3% annually in subsequent seasons.
- A player who spends the entire season on a G League roster and doesn’t receive compensation from an NBA team (via an Exhibit 10 bonus or a partial/full salary) will receive an additional $5K in 2025/26. That amount, known as the “enhanced minimum salary payment,” will increase by 3% per year.
- NBA teams will now be permitted to designate a maximum of five affiliate players per season instead of four.
- Beginning in 2026/27, if a player has at least three years of NBA or G League experience, a team will only be able to control his returning rights for one year following his latest stint in the league. Previously, that term was two years.
- Beginning in 2026/27, the buyout amount for a player who has at least five years of NBA or G League experience will be reduced from $50K to $30K. That’s the amount that must be paid to the league if a player wants to terminate his G League contract early.
All of the key points of the new CBA for G League players can be found right here.
2025/26 NBA Over/Unders: Southwest Division
With the 2025/26 NBA regular season just around the corner, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including BetMGM and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2024/25, our voters went 13-17 on their over/under picks. Can we top that in ’25/26?
We’ll wrap up our series today with the Southwest Division…
Houston Rockets
- 2024/25 record: 52-30
- Over/under for 2025/26: 52.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
San Antonio Spurs
- 2024/25 record: 34-48
- Over/under for 2025/26: 44.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
Dallas Mavericks
- 2024/25 record: 39-43
- Over/under for 2025/26: 41.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Cooper Flagg, D’Angelo Russell
- Lost: Spencer Dinwiddie, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Kai Jones
Memphis Grizzlies
- 2024/25 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2025/26: 39.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
New Orleans Pelicans
- 2024/25 record: 21-61
- Over/under for 2025/26: 30.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
Previous voting results:
- New York Knicks (53.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
- Boston Celtics (42.5 wins): Over (52.7%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (42.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
- Toronto Raptors (37.5 wins): Over (50.2%)
- Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Over (54.4%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (58.0%)
- Detroit Pistons (46.5 wins): Over (60.5%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (42.5 wins): Over (74.4%)
- Indiana Pacers (37.5 wins): Over (50.1%)
- Chicago Bulls (32.5 wins): Over (60.8%)
- Orlando Magic (51.5 wins): Over (52.8%)
- Atlanta Hawks (47.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
- Miami Heat (37.5 wins): Over (54.4%)
- Charlotte Hornets (27.5 wins): Over (50.6%)
- Washington Wizards (21.5 wins): Under (62.4%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (62.5 wins): Over (62.9%)
- Denver Nuggets (53.5 wins): Over (72.1%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (49.5 wins): Over (58.7%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (34.5 wins): Over (57.1%)
- Utah Jazz (18.5 wins): Over (55.3%)
- Los Angeles Clippers (48.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
- Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Under (52.1%)
- Golden State Warriors (46.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
- Sacramento Kings (34.5 wins): Over (55.1%)
- Phoenix Suns (31.5 wins): Under (56.8%)
Thunder Sign Erik Reynolds, Cut Buddy Boeheim
The Thunder continue to churn players through their 21st roster spot ahead of the season, announcing today that they’ve waived guard Buddy Boeheim and signed guard Erik Reynolds to replace him.
A former Syracuse standout, Boeheim appeared in 20 NBA regular season games for the Pistons from 2022-24 while on two-way contracts. He spent last season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League and averaged 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 26.3 minutes per game across 40 outings. Known as a floor-spacer, the 25-year-old knocked down 37.7% of 9.2 three-point attempts per game for the Blue in 2024/25.
Boeheim, who just signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Thunder on Tuesday, is a safe bet to return to OKC’s G League affiliate this fall. He’ll earn an $85,300 bonus on top of his standard NBAGL salary as long as he spends at least 60 days with the Blue.
Reynolds, meanwhile, is joining the Thunder after going undrafted out of Saint Joseph’s in June. As a senior in 2024/25, he averaged 16.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.6 APG in 33.9 MPG, but struggled with his shot, making just 38.0% from the floor and 29.8% from beyond the arc. He had been a 37.0% three-point shooter in his first three college seasons.
Reynolds – who left Saint Joseph’s as the school’s all-time leader in several statistical categories, including points – played for the Thunder’s Summer League team in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas in July. He appears likely to join Boeheim with the Oklahoma City Blue as an affiliate player.
Warriors Waive Marques Bolden, Taevion Kinsey
The Warriors have cut two players from their preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that center Marques Bolden and guard Taevion Kinsey have been placed on waivers (Twitter link).
Bolden and Kinsey both signed Exhibit 10 contracts with Golden State at the start of training camp and were with the team through four preseason games.
Bolden, who has appeared in 18 total NBA regular season games for Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Charlotte since making his debut in 2020, saw action in two preseason contests for the Warriors. The 27-year-old out of Duke put up nine points and four rebounds in 11 total minutes of action.
Kinsey, who went undrafted out of Marshall in 2023, has signed two Exhibit 10 deals, a two-way contract, and a 10-day contract with Utah since then, but has yet to appear in an NBA regular season game. The 6’5″ wing saw limited action in three of Golden State’s preseason matchups, going scoreless in 13 total minutes with a pair of rebounds and an assist.
The Santa Cruz Warriors – Golden State’s G League affiliate – made trades this offseason to acquire Bolden’s and Kinsey’s returning rights, so it’s a safe bet that both players will end up in Santa Cruz this fall. They’d each earn a bonus worth $85,300 by spending at least 60 days with the Warriors’ affiliate.
Golden State now has two open spots on its 21-man preseason roster.
Nets Sign Grant Nelson To Exhibit 10 Contract
October 15: First reported in June, Nelson’s Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets is official, the team announced today (Twitter link via Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire).
It’s unclear whether Nelson will still get the chance to compete for a two-way contract (as noted below), given how late in the preseason he’s joining the club. But Brooklyn does still have an open two-way slot on its roster.
June 26: The Nets are signing Alabama forward Grant Nelson to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to his agency, Gersh Basketball (Twitter link). He’ll compete for one of Brooklyn’s two-way contracts in training camp, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Nelson played his first three college seasons at North Dakota State before transferring to Alabama for his final two years. He averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a super-senior.
He helped Alabama make two deep runs in the NCAA Tournament. His team went to the Final Four in 2024 before making it to the Elite Eight this past season.
Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed contracts, otherwise known as training camp deals. If Nelson were to be waived and spend at least 60 days with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island, he would gain a bonus worth up to $85,300.
And-Ones: Core Trios, MVP, Hayward, NBA App
Tim Bontemps of ESPN ranks the core trios of every NBA team based on their current and future value. Unsurprisingly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the defending champion Thunder sit atop Bontemps’ tiered list, followed by the Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Bontemps’ final tier (“rebuilding”) is comprised of the Nets (Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore), Trail Blazers (Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe), Jazz (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton, Lauri Markkanen), and Wizards (Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Using six categories (narrative score, expected ridiculous stats score, team quality score, clutch score, player impact score, and perceived value score), Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a stab at predicting who will win the NBA’s MVP award in 2025/26. Jokic, who was the runner-up last season, earns the most points (55/60), followed by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander (50/60) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50/60), who finished third in voting last season. However, Harper’s “gut” says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (45/60) will claim his first MVP.
- Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who retired last summer after a 14-year career in the league, is returning to his alma mater in a new role. According to a Butler press release written by John Dedman, Hayward will be an executive basketball advisor for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. In addition to advising in multiple areas, Hayward will also serve as a mentor to student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and professional development.
- The NBA announced in a press release that it has launched a new multi-platform streaming offering as well as the “reimagined” NBA TV, both of which can be accessed via the NBA App. There’s also a new flagship program on NBA TV and the NBA App called “The Association,” which features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, among others.
Zeng Fanbo Released By Nets
Chinese forward Zeng Fanbo has been waived by the Nets, the team announced today (Twitter link via Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com).
Zeng will likely be headed to the G League to play for the Long Island Nets. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal and is now eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Brooklyn’s affiliate team.
The 22-year-old has spent the past three seasons playing for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 42 appearances with the Ducks in 2024/25, Zeng averaged 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from three-point range.
Zeng, a 6’10” forward, played in one preseason game with the Nets.
Brooklyn now has a pair of openings on its offseason roster.
Injury Notes: Garland, Suggs, Adebayo, Bucks, Pacers, Thiero
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland took an important step forward in his recovery from toe surgery by participating in a 5-on-5 contact scrimmage on Tuesday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). While head coach Kenny Atkinson referred to as a positive development, he cautioned that it doesn’t mean Garland’s return is imminent.
“It was live. It was very short,” Atkinson said. “Now let’s see what tomorrow looks like. What does the recovery look like? We know this is not an easy injury to come back from. It’s just not. You see what happens in the NFL with this injury. It’s not linear, usually, the return to performance, and we’re hoping it will be and he’ll progress. But I side on the side of being conservative and making sure. This is a good step today. A small step but a good step.”
Sources who have spoken to Fedor have maintained that Garland still could miss the first 10-15 games of the regular season. With their starting point guard expected to be unavailable when the season tips off, the Cavs intend to start Sam Merrill in the backcourt alongside Donovan Mitchell, who will take on more ball-handling responsibilities, says Fedor.
We have several more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Magic guard Jalen Suggs did “a little bit” of contact work on Tuesday in a 3-on-3 setting, head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters, including Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). It’s unclear whether Suggs will be able to play in Orlando’s remaining preseason game on Thursday or if he’ll be ready for the season opener next Wednesday.
- Heat big man Bam Adebayo exited Monday’s preseason game early due to a knee injury, but it’s just a contusion and wasn’t serious enough to require an MRI, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). While it remains to be seen if Adebayo will suit up in the team’s preseason finale on Friday, it sounds like he should fine for the start of the season.
- After Myles Turner (right calf soreness) and Gary Harris (right hamstring strain) sat out the Bucks‘ last preseason game on Tuesday, head coach Doc Rivers downplayed Turner’s issue and suggested he’ll be ready for the start of the season, but said Harris’ hamstring injury will likely sideline him for a week or two, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter links).
- The injuries that Pacers reserves Johnny Furphy (left ankle sprain) and Quenton Jackson (right hamstring soreness) are dealing with aren’t “serious,” according to head coach Rick Carlisle, but there’s no guarantee either player will be ready for opening night. “There’s a chance they could be back for the opening of the season, but I don’t know how big of a chance,” Carlisle said, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. The Pacers’ coach added Ben Sheppard, who has been out with an undisclosed injury, is “trending in a good direction” and could be available on Friday for the club’s preseason finale.
- Lakers rookie Adou Thiero remains sidelined due to swelling in his knee but has progressed to on-court activities, the team announced on Tuesday (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic). The Lakers added that Thiero will be reevaluated in approximately two or three weeks.