Magic Notes: Bane, Banchero, F. Wagner, Black, Howard
The Magic took a major gamble by trading for Desmond Bane, but Paolo Banchero believes the high-scoring guard is exactly what Orlando needs to be a serious contender in the East, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The team sent a lot of assets to Memphis in return, parting with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round swap. Banchero has no doubt that Bane will be worth the high price.
“It’s a great fit for who we are as a team,” he said. “He adds what we’re missing, and he also adds to what we already have. It’s like the perfect match. We don’t have anybody who can make shots like him, who can kind of leverage the way he is able to make shots, then make plays for others and get downhill and create. He’s a Swiss Army knife just as a player, as a guard. He is stronger than 99 percent of the guards in the league with how he’s built. He’s going to fit into what we do.”
Bane tells Spears that he received a Father’s Day text from Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, along with a request to talk right away. Kleiman followed up by FaceTiming him to break the news of the trade. Even though Bane was caught by surprise after spending his first five NBA seasons in Memphis, he insists there’s “no bad blood at all” and he’s happy to be in a good situation in Orlando. He also regrets that the Grizzlies weren’t able to make a long playoff run while the foundation of the team was together.
“I feel like we never really got a chance to see what it would be like for a full season with our core and everybody healthy,” Bane said. “But you can only wait so long. In this business, you only got so many years to make something happen.”
There’s more from Orlando:
- Jamahl Mosely had Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner serve as coaches during Wednesday’s scrimmage, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Suggs is still recovering from a left knee trochlea cartilage tear that ended his season in January, while Wagner is rehabbing a torn ACL in his left knee. Since they couldn’t participate in the scrimmage, Mosely decided to give them a different perspective. “It’s huge because it talks about communicating,” he said. “It keeps communication as the high priority. You’ve got to be able to communicate with your teammates the things that you see, what you want, the standard that we’ve set. I’ve said this before but it’s easy for coaches to say things, to put things on boards, to watch it on film … It becomes real when these guys can repeat it back to you and they can repeat the message of what they’re calling themselves to do.”
- Franz Wagner sat out the first preseason contest after an active summer at EuroBasket, but he’s hoping to get back on the court in at least one of the next three games, Beede adds. “Yeah, I definitely want to play, get out there with the guys and get a couple minutes,” Wagner said. “Not that much time before the first real game.”
- In a separate story, Beede examines the importance of this season for Anthony Black and Jett Howard, who will both become eligible for rookie scale extensions next summer.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Hart, Starters, McBride
The Knicks‘ coaching change will result in new defensive responsibilities for Mikal Bridges, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Bridges was usually assigned to check opposing point guards last season, but Mike Brown plans to use him against the other team’s best perimeter weapon, regardless of position.
“He will (guard the point of attack) some,” Brown said after Wednesday’s practice. “If Reggie Miller was still playing, I’d throw him on Reggie, because I think he navigates screens well, and with those long strides, he can stay close to a shooter’s body, and then he’s contesting and he’s got long arms. But then if we need to put him on a point guard, because, again, he’s able to navigate through screens and if he does get hit, people still feel him. They feel him coming with his length, and so we’ll mix it up. He won’t always be at the point of the ball. He won’t always chase shooters.”
Winfield notes that Bridges’ matchups with point guards last season resulted in him facing a league-high 25 screens per game, the largest total in the 13 years the NBA has kept track of the statistic. The strategy limited the wear on Jalen Brunson, conserving his energy to carry the offense. Brown’s change is part of an aggressive approach to defense that he hopes will produce more turnovers and create transition opportunities.
“I think our coverages (are) just a little different, when it comes to shifting and stuff like that: concepts, making sure our verbiage is always different with different coaches and different systems,” Bridges said. “I think more emphasis in being aggressive when you’re off the ball. Obviously the usual X’ing out, the help in rotation. I think every coach in the NBA has that. But just putting an emphasis on shifting and helping the guy on ball a little bit more.”
There’s more from New York:
- Josh Hart missed practice the past two days due to illness and may not play Thursday against Minnesota, Winfield adds in a separate story. It’s the latest setback for Hart, who came to camp with a splint on his right ring finger, then suffered back spasms in the preseason opener in Abu Dhabi that forced him to miss the second game. Brown said he wasn’t sure if Hart’s back issue has fully cleared up.
- None of the starters played more than 18 minutes in the two overseas games, but Brown plans to increase their workload now that the trip is done, according to Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “Getting closer to the season, getting closer to the real thing, we’re still preparing as well as we need to be,” Brunson said. “So we’ll just continue with that preparation and that focus, and yeah, obviously minutes aren’t what they would be in a regular season game, but everything matters what we do.”
- Miles McBride has been mentioned as a possible trade target as the Knicks work out their final roster spots, but he avoids the speculation by staying away from social media, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper points out that McBride is probably too valuable to part with because he has a team-friendly contract and he’s a natural fit for Brown’s new system. “I love being here,” McBride said. “I want to be a Knick for life. I can’t control anything. So just going to come to work until they tell me otherwise.”
Bulls Notes: Okoro, White, Buzelis, Kawamura
The Bulls acquired Isaac Okoro from Cleveland over the summer to help them build a new defensive identity, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. The 24-year-old swingman’s skills on that end of the court were his calling card during five seasons with the Cavaliers, but his role was starting to deteriorate. Lorenzi notes that Okoro averaged a career-low 19.1 minutes in 55 games last season, and his playing time dropped to 14.2 minutes per night in the playoffs.
“I think for both parties, (Cleveland) probably wanted to change. … For me, I wanted to change,” Okoro said. “Of course, it was hard for both of us to be apart, because that’s where I was drafted to. But in this business, changes happen. Things like this, I look at as a blessing because I’m able to rebrand myself. (It’s) a new chance for me to come to this team and bring a leadership that I’ve learned (from) five years in Cleveland and try to help the team with the things I’ve learned throughout the years.”
Bulls management liked Okoro enough to send veteran guard Lonzo Ball to the Cavs in return. Coach Billy Donovan said the teams have different needs and he believes they both benefited from the deal, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
‘‘When I spoke to the front office about (the trade), it was, ‘Hey, this is an opportunity, and what do you think about Isaac?’ ’ Donovan recalled. ‘‘I think the trade, in my opinion, was good (for both teams). We needed some physicality, and Isaac brings that to the table. Where (the Cavaliers are) as an organization now in terms of trying to make a deep playoff run, they had some (backcourt) injuries last year, and this shores up their backcourt a little bit more.’’
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Coby White is still recovering from a calf strain he suffered in August, Cowley adds in a separate story. Donovan said White has been running and shooting, and there’s hope he can be ready for the final preseason game on October 16 and the regular season opener six days later. ‘‘The problem is when they all came back after Labor Day, the calf issue was bothering him,’’ Donovan added. ‘‘Treatment, rehab, all that stuff. And then every time they kind of ramped him up a little bit, it kind of always got to a place where he felt tightness. It wasn’t pain, but every time they got to this threshold, he felt tightness. So they basically just shut him down.’’
- Matas Buzelis showed no fear in attacking Cavaliers big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Lorenzi observes in a recap of Tuesday’s preseason game. Buzelis finished with 19 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, and Lorenzi believes he may be ready for a huge second season.
- Two-way point guard Yuki Kawamura was also impressive against the Cavs, handing out five assists in a little more than 14 minutes of action, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Kawamura is the shortest player in the league at 5’8″ and there are plenty of guards ahead of him in the rotation, but he believes he’s a perfect fit for the Bulls’ fast-paced attack if he gets a chance to play. “I feel like it fits me,” he said. “I love the system. That’s why it didn’t take me a long time to adjust to the Bulls’ offense.”
- Former NBPA director Justin Jackson – not to be confused with former NBA first-round pick Justin Jackson or former second-round pick Justin Jackson – has been hired as assistant general manager for the Bulls’ Windy City G League affiliate, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Pelicans Sign, Waive D.J. Carton, Trhae Mitchell
7:00 pm: The Pelicans have waived both Carton and Mitchell, per NBA.com’s official transaction log, putting them on track to join the Squadron.
9:17 am: The Pelicans have signed D.J. Carton and Trhae Mitchell to Exhibit 10 contracts, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
New Orleans had two openings on its training camp roster after waiving a pair of players earlier in the week.
Carton, who was on Portland’s Summer League roster in July, opened last season with the Raptors on a two-way contract, but was waived in December.
Across parts of two seasons with the Raptors, Carton appeared in eight NBA games, logging just 69 total minutes. The 6’3″ guard has compiled 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals with a .267/.143/.833 shooting line during his limited NBA minutes.
Carton appeared in 22 G League contests with the Raptors 905 and the San Diego Clippers last season, averaging 13.5 points and 5.0 assists in 29.6 minutes per game.
Mitchell was on New Orleans’ camp roster last season. He appeared in 50 games for the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, after being waived by the NBA club and averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 27.8 minutes per contest.
Both players will likely be waived and join the Squadron. They’ll be eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they stay with that club for at least 60 days.
Rockets Believe Extension Deal With Kevin Durant Is Close
There’s “optimism” that the Rockets will have an extension in place with Kevin Durant before the regular season begins on October 21, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Wednesday on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
Speculation about a new contract with Durant has been ongoing since Houston reached an agreement to acquire him from Phoenix in June. He’s currently on a $54.7MM expiring deal and will become a free agent next summer unless a new contract can be worked out.
Durant stated at media day that he expects to sign an extension with the Rockets, although he told reporters he wasn’t sure when it might happen. It has been suggested that the team would like to work out a rookie scale extension with Tari Eason first so it has a better grasp on its finances before finalizing a deal with Durant.
With a projected $166MM salary cap for 2026/27, Durant is currently eligible for an extension worth up to $119.1MM over two years. That number would increase to $120.85MM on January 6, which is six months after the trade was finalized.
A report in August indicated that the Rockets are hesitant to give Durant a maximum-salary deal, noting that the extension will cover his age-38 and -39 seasons. That was accompanied by speculation that he might be willing to accept $100MM over two years, which would be a slight decrease from his current salary.
Durant and the Rockets aren’t necessarily under any pressure to finalize a new deal before the regular season begins, since he’ll remain extension-eligible for the entire season, through June 30, 2026.
In an interview on Tuesday with Kay Adams of FanDuel TV (Twitter video link), Durant confirmed that he will make his Rockets preseason debut in tonight’s game against Utah.
“Just get some good run up and down the floor, just to get your wind right,” Durant responded when asked about he hopes to accomplish. “It’s a different feel when you’re underneath the lights, and the whistle and the real game.”
Pistons Sign, Waive Feron Hunt
October 8: Hunt has been waived, according to the NBA’s official transaction log. His next stop figures to be the G League with the Cruise.
October 7: The Pistons have added Feron Hunt on a training camp contract, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. Detroit had an opening on its camp roster.
The SMU product appeared in two games with the Knicks as a rookie in 2021/22. Otherwise, Hunt has mainly spent his pro career in the G League with a stop in Montenegro along the way.
Last season, Hunt appeared in 32 regular season games with the Cleveland Charge, posting averages of 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 35.2 minutes per contest. Overall, he played 48 games for the Charge, averaging 15.9 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, and 1.1 BPG.
Hunt, a 6’8” forward, also played for the G League United squad in the Intercontinental Cup last month.
It’s safe to assume Hunt will be waived with the intent of joining Detroit’s G League club, the Motor City Cruise. Assuming he signed an Exhibit 10 deal, which is likely, Hunt will be eligible for a bonus up to $85,300 if he stays with the Cruise for at least 60 days.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo, Rivers Address Giannis Trade Rumors
Asked on Wednesday about an ESPN report that stated the Bucks and Knicks had offseason discussions about Giannis Antetokounmpo after he expressed some concerns about Milwaukee’s ability to contend for a title, the two-time MVP said he hadn’t read the story, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Antetokounmpo spoke in more general terms about the trade speculation that has swirled around him in recent months and years.
“I’ve said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I’m here,” Antetokounmpo said. “I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go, and it’s definitely going to be hard. We’re going to take it day by day, but I’m here. So all the other extra stuff does not matter. I think I’ve communicated with my teammates, communicated with the people I respect and love, that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, I wear this jersey, the rest does not matter. I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me.”
Despite expressing confidence in the Bucks’ revamped roster and making it clear he’s not seeking a change of scenery at this point, Antetokounmpo stopped short of stating that he’s committed to Milwaukee for the long term.
“If in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that’s human too,” he continued. “You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in. I’m locked in to this team. I’m locked in to these guys, to this group, and to this coaching staff and myself.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers was also asked on Wednesday about ESPN’s report and made more of an effort to downplay it, framing the discussions Milwaukee reportedly had with the Knicks as a single conversation that was instigated by New York and didn’t go anywhere.
“I’ve been coaching 26, 27 years and one thing that I know is that 30 teams call 30 teams, all right?” Rivers said, per Nehm (Twitter link). “‘Hey, would you like to trade Chris Paul?’ And you say no. That does not constitute a conversation, all right? I read where it said ‘several conversations.’ Well, that never happened. It was a conversation where a team called and (general manager) Jon (Horst) has been saying no now for 11 years. I don’t know why this is a new story, but I guess it is.
“… I can tell you Jon has never called a team about Giannis. That has never happened. And until that happens, you really don’t have a story.”
Antetokounmpo has two more guaranteed years left on his current maximum-salary contract, with a player option for the 2027/28 season. Speculation about his future has intensified as of late because the Bucks have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past years and are coming off their worst regular season since 2017/18.
For his part, Antetokounmpo continues to perform at an MVP level, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game while shooting 60.1% from the floor in 67 outings last season.
Pacers Notes: Wright, McConnell, Bradley, Furphy
Pacers guard Delon Wright, who is competing to earn a spot on the team’s regular season roster, was forced to exit Tuesday’s preseason opener after spending just four minutes on the court, writes Devon Henderson of The Athletic.
Handling the ball just across the half-court line late in the second quarter, Wright went to change directions and took a brutal head-to-head shot from Timberwolves guard Jaylen Clark, who was attempting to sneak behind him for the steal. Wright was knocked to the floor and took another shot to his head when it struck the court (Twitter video link).
Wright, who had a bloody gash above his right eye as a result of the play, received treatment on the court and was eventually helped to the locker room. The veteran guard is with the Pacers on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, but is viewed as a legitimate contender to become the 15th man on a team that has 14 players on fully or partially guaranteed standard deals.
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Wright wasn’t the only Pacers point guard who had to leave Tuesday’s game early. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, T.J. McConnell exited in the second quarter due to a sore left hamstring and didn’t return. Indiana, of course, is already missing its starting point guard, as Tyrese Haliburton will spend the entire 2025/26 season recovering from an Achilles tear.
- Tony Bradley provided crucial frontcourt depth for the Pacers down the stretch last season, but with Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman back following injury absences, there may not be room on the roster for him this fall. Bradley, who is on a non-guaranteed contract, said this week that he knows “what’s at stake” during the preseason, and that he’s determined to do all he can to remain in the NBA after spending two full years out of the league from 2023-25. “I stayed motivated ever since I went down to the G League and came up,” Bradley said, according to Dopirak (subscription required). “My whole mindset is just different, how I see everything. I’m very motivated, always.”
- 2024 second-round pick Johnny Furphy had a very limited role as a rookie, averaging just 7.6 minutes per night in 50 games. However, he’s playing with more confidence ahead of his second NBA season and is making a case for a spot in the Pacers’ rotation, Dopirak writes for The Indy Star (subscription required). “He’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten bigger, I think he’s gotten taller,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s obviously a hard worker. He does a lot of things system-wise that really help us. Speed, rebounding, pressure on the rim, and defensively he’s improved. … He’s a fearless athlete. He attacks everything. He’s unafraid, tough, and every day he gets better.”
Knicks Hire Peter Patton As Shooting Coach
The Knicks have hired Peter Patton as a shooting coach, league sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Patton previously served as a shooting coach for the Timberwolves (2016-18) and Mavericks (2018-23). He joined the Bulls in 2023 as the team’s director of player development and spent the past two seasons in Chicago.
The Bulls decided in April not to bring back Patton for another season, which reportedly didn’t sit well with a handful of players on the roster. One report indicated that news of Patton’s exit left some players “beyond pissed,” while another noted that players like Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis had improved their shooting under Patton’s tutelage and publicly praised him.
Patton is the latest addition to an overhauled Knicks coaching staff under new head coach Mike Brown. While New York retained several coaches from Tom Thibodeau‘s staff, including Jalen Brunson‘s father Rick Brunson, the team has also brought in several newcomers, led by associate head coach Chris Jent and defensive coordinator Brendan O’Connor.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Watford, Starters, Grimes
Joel Embiid, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the spring, continues to trend in the right direction with the regular season around the corner. The Sixers center has increased his participation in practice and done some 5-on-5 work, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
Embiid still has to check a number of boxes before he’s given the go-ahead to suit up for a game, Bodner writes, adding that the former MVP is being evaluated daily by the team.
Embiid was limited to just 19 appearances last season due to knee issues. The seven-time All-Star didn’t play at his usual level even when he was available, averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in those 19 outings, well below his career averages entering 2024/25 (27.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG).
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- Having undergone an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee more recently than Embiid, forward Paul George isn’t quite as far along as his teammate. According to Bodner (Twitter link), George is still just doing individual workouts, though those the intensity of those sessions has increased and he’s expected to begin taking part in team activities in the coming days.
- Sixers forward Trendon Watford remains sidelined with a right hamstring issue and won’t play in Philadelphia’s next preseason game on Friday, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Watford, an offseason addition, is expected to do more on-court work within the next week, per Neubeck, who notes that imaging on the hamstring didn’t show any structural damage.
- The idea of a three-guard starting lineup is “on the table” for the Sixers, head coach Nick Nurse said today (Twitter link via Neubeck). Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes would all be part of the starting five in that scenario, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, with Jared McCain also factoring into the equation once he’s healthy.
- Grimes said on Wednesday that he has no hard feelings about his contract negotiations played out this offseason. The restricted free agent was on the market for three months and ultimately accepted his qualifying offer rather than working out a multiyear deal with the Sixers, so he’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to be back here longer,” Grimes said (Twitter link via Pompey). “I wanted to be back here on a longer-term deal, but I’m happy to be here right now and do everything I can to help this team win.”