Warriors To Reevaluate De’Anthony Melton In Three Weeks
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton is making “good progress” in his rehabilitation from last season’s ACL tear, having recently intensified his workouts, the team announced today (Twitter link).
According to the Warriors, Melton has been doing individual and “small group” work so far, but the plan is to integrate him into team practices during the next couple weeks. That will happen at both the NBA level and in the G League, where the Santa Cruz Warriors will be practicing more frequently than Golden State.
Melton will be reevaluated in three weeks, per the team, so his regular season debut won’t happen until at least late November. That lines up with comments made on October 1 by head coach Steve Kerr, who said during training camp that the 27-year-old would “hopefully be ready sometime in the next couple months.”
Melton opened the 2024/25 season with the Warriors and looked like a great fit on the roster last fall, but he tore his left ACL after appearing in just six regular season games. He was traded to Brooklyn for salary-matching purposes while injured, but returned to Golden State as a free agent this summer, signing a new two-year, minimum-salary contract that includes a second-year player option.
A jack-of-all-trades contributor who can handle the ball, knock down shots, and defend multiple positions, Melton is expected to play a regular role in the Warriors’ backcourt once he gets back to full health.
Southwest Notes: Okogie, Adams, Flagg, Mavs, G. Jackson
After using a jumbo starting lineup in their first two games of the season – both losses – the Rockets made a change on Monday, swapping in veteran wing Josh Okogie for center Steven Adams. As head coach Ime Udoka explained before the game, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required), he wanted a look at a smaller, more defensive-minded starting five.
“(Okogie) knows his role. He’s keeping it simple,” Udoka said. “Brings the physicality and aggressiveness on the defensive side of the ball. Knows how to play off other guys and then fits in with the areas we like: crashing the glass, slashing, making plays, second opportunities, and kind of gives Amen (Thompson) a break on ball at times.”
The change paid off, as Houston picked up its first win of the season. And while the sample size is very small, the Rockets’ lineup that features Okogie alongside Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. has an impressive +29.2 net rating in its first 13 minutes together.
Still, it’s worth noting that Monday’s victory came against the Nets, who didn’t put up much resistance against any lineups the Rockets used. Additionally, Houston has a +18.2 net rating in 59 minutes through three games with Sengun and Adams sharing the court, so Udoka figures to continue leaning on that pairing going forward.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg hurt his shoulder early in Monday’s game and appeared to be struggling with the injury after returning to the court, making just 1-of-9 shots on the night. However, he’s not on the injury report for Wednesday’s matchup with Indiana, so it sounds like he’s good to go, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic. Dallas will likely be without its starting center for a second straight game though, as Dereck Lively II is listed as doubtful due to a right knee sprain.
- Dallas’ NBA and NHL teams are at odds, as the Mavericks filed suit against the NHL’s Dallas Stars on Tuesday, claiming that the club is in breach of its agreement with the American Airlines Center and has obstructed maintenance and upgrades to the arena the team shares. Brad Townsend and Lia Assimakopoulos of The Dallas Morning News have the details on that lawsuit in an in-depth story on the two clubs’ dysfunctional relationship. Assimakopoulos published a separate Morning News story about the Stars countersuing the Mavs on Wednesday, writing that the NHL team alleges the Mavs are attempting a “hostile takeover” of the arena.
- GG Jackson II had a breakout rookie season for the Grizzlies as a 19-year-old in 2023/24, but has seen his playing time decline significantly since then, even as the club has dealt with a series of injuries depleting its rotation. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a closer look at Jackson’s efforts to earn regular minutes, noting that the Grizzlies have challenged the third-year forward to improve his defense. “GG is always very valuable for us,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said ahead of the season. “It’s easy to forget that he’s still the youngest player in our roster, even though he’s a third-year professional. He’s worked incredibly hard the whole summer. He’s looking to become a complete basketball player, and he’s taking the steps in the right direction.”
Hoops Rumors Mailbag: Three-Team Blockbuster Trade Idea
This week's Front Office mailbag covers a blockbuster trade idea. The question has been lightly edited for clarity.
Greg asks:
Do you see any logic at the deadline of a three-team deal like this:
- Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jerami Grant, Miles McBride, their picks back from Portland and second-rounders from Knicks.
- Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr.
- Trail Blazers receive: Mikal Bridges
- Note: Bridges can't be traded until February 1, 2026.
In this case the Bucks can stay competitive for a few years and have control of their picks from '28 and beyond. Portland gets off Grant deal. Thoughts?
Before I get into whether I see the logic in this blockbuster trade idea, let's first take a quick look at the mechanics involved.
Wizards’ Coulibaly Set To Make Season Debut
Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly has been cleared to make his regular season debut, according to head coach Brian Keefe, who told reporters today that Coulibaly will be available for Thursday’s game in Oklahoma City (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
The seventh overall pick of the 2023 draft, Coulibaly underwent surgery last month to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He suffered that injury while playing for the French national team at EuroBasket 2025 and missed the entire preseason, as well as the first four games of the regular season.
Coulibaly was a full-time starter for the Wizards in 2024/25, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 33.0 minutes per game across 59 outings. Although his shooting percentages slipped to 42.1% from the field and 28.1% on three-point attempts, the 6’8″ wing has shown some promise as a two-way wing and just turned 21 in July.
So far this season, the Wizards have been using a starting five of Bub Carrington, CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton, and Alex Sarr, which has posted a net rating of -7.2 in 69 minutes of action. It’s unclear if Coulibaly will be reinserted into the lineup in place of one of those players or if he’ll come off the bench initially.
Coulibaly is one of six Washington players whose contract includes a rookie scale team option for 2026/27. The Wizards have until Friday’s deadline to make decisions on those, and it would come as a major surprise if they don’t pick up their $9.24MM fourth-year option on Coulibaly.
Magic Declining Jett Howard’s 2026/27 Option
The Magic won’t exercise their fourth-year option on Jett Howard‘s rookie scale contract for the 2026/27 season, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The move will make Howard an unrestricted free agent during the 2026 offseason, assuming he plays out the current season without being waived. The Magic – or Howard’s new team, if he’s traded prior to February’s deadline – would not be permitted next summer to offer him a starting salary exceeding $7,337,938, which is the amount of the ’26/27 option being declined.
The 11th overall pick in the 2023 draft and the son of former NBA star Juwan Howard, Jett has yet to establish himself as a reliable rotation player at the NBA level. In 80 total appearances since he made his professional debut, the former Michigan standout has averaged just 3.7 points and 1.0 rebound in 9.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .369/.294/.667.
The Magic’s financial situation made the decision to decline Howard’s fourth-year option a more straightforward one. Even without his $7.34MM cap hit on their books, they project to operate in tax apron territory in 2026/27, with Paolo Banchero‘s maximum-salary rookie scale extension set to take effect.
While Howard won’t have his 2026/27 option exercised, Orlando is picking up Anthony Black‘s fourth-year option and Tristan Da Silva‘s third-year option for next season, according to Beede (Twitter link).
Black, 21, is off to a strong start in a significant role off Orlando’s bench, averaging 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting 53.1% from the field. The sixth overall pick from the 2023 draft will earn $10,106,315 on his newly exercised 2026/27 option and will become eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason.
As for Da Silva, last year’s 18th overall pick had a solid rookie season for the Magic in 2024/25, averaging 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 74 outings (38 starts). The 24-year-old German will make $3,991,200 in ’26/27 and the team will have to decide next October whether to exercise his $6.14MM option for the ’27/28 season.
We’re tracking all of this year’s rookie scale team option decisions right here.
Central Notes: McClung, White, LaVine, Green, Rollins
Appearing on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that Mac McClung was the most impressive participant in a three-player free agent workout the team hosted on Monday, earning him a non-guaranteed deal. According to Carlisle, the Pacers believe the three-time dunk contest champion is a more well-rounded player than his limited NBA résumé suggests.
“He can score, he’s a hard-playing guy,” Carlisle said. “For all the things we did in the workout, he didn’t dunk the ball once. … We need a guy that has energy, can go hard, is healthy – I think ‘is healthy’ is probably the number one thing – and that can play a couple of positions. He can play point, he can play off the ball.”
McClung’s contract with Indiana is a two-year, minimum-salary deal that includes a team option for 2026/27, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). He has a cap hit of $2,283,168 for the current season, but would only be assured of earning that full amount if he remains under contract through January 7.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Although Bulls guard Coby White is scheduled to be reevaluated next week, there’s no guarantee he’ll be cleared to return at that time from what head coach Billy Donovan refers to as a “tricky” calf strain, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Just talking to the medical, here’s the problem: Like (White) doesn’t have any pain at all with what he’s doing,” Donovan explained on Monday. “He’s on the court shooting, he’s able to jog, but what ended up happening and what became a problem when we were playing competitively in practice were those stops, starts, quick explosiveness that maybe he’s not doing a lot of that in individual workout.”
- Wednesday’s game between the Bulls and Kings will mark the first time Zach LaVine returns to Chicago as an opponent since being traded to Sacramento in February. Bulls center Nikola Vucevic wants to see his former teammate get a warm reception from fans at the United Center. “I hope Bulls fans give him the welcome he deserves,” Vucevic said, per Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. “He gave a lot to the Bulls organization throughout the years. I know people criticized him at times, but it wasn’t always fair. He’s a great guy, always competed, played hard, tried his best and cared and wanted to do what’s right for the organization. He didn’t win, but I don’t think he always had the pieces (around him). And when we did, it didn’t work out for all of us.”
- Newly signed to multiyear contracts, A.J. Green and Ryan Rollins have played important roles in the Bucks‘ 3-1 start this season, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Green has knocked down 3.3 three-pointers per game at a 59.1% clip, while Rollins has stepped in as the starting point guard following Kevin Porter Jr.‘s ankle injury and is averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals per contest. Green signed a four-year, $45MM extension earlier this month; Rollins received a three-year, $12MM contract as a free agent in July.
Warriors’ Kerr: Kuminga Has Earned Full-Time Starting Role
After suggesting before the season that Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were the only three Warriors players assured of starting every night, head coach Steve Kerr is adding a fourth name to that list, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Kerr said prior to Tuesday’s win over the Clippers that Jonathan Kuminga has secured his spot as a full-time member of the starting five and will be tasked with defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer to open the game.
“He’ll be our starter going forward,” Kerr told reporters, including Slater. “He’s been fantastic. (Monday) we put him on Ja (Morant). Tonight we’ll put him on James Harden. I think he’s ready.”
As Slater observes, it’s an important development for Golden State on the heels of the contentious contract negotiations over the summer between the team and Kuminga, who sought a more prominent and more consistent role. The former seventh overall pick started 46 of his 74 games in 2023/24 but never made more than 16 starts in any other season since entering the league.
Kuminga wasn’t initially projected to open the 2025/26 season as a starter either, but Kerr reconsidered a plan to start Al Horford, determining it made more sense to bring him off the bench in order to manage his minutes. Another potential starter, Moses Moody, sustained a calf injury in training camp, setting him back and delaying his regular season debut.
That opened the door for Kuminga to claim a starting role and he has run with the opportunity, averaging 16.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 30.2 minutes per game through five games (all starts).
While the 23-year-old has been very effective offensively, posting a shooting line of .537/.438/.762, his defense and rebounding have been arguably more impressive. Kuminga averaged 4.0 RPG in his first four seasons — his 37 boards to open the season are the most he has ever recorded in a five-game stretch, according to Slater. Kerr also pointed out that Kuminga’s willingness to drive to the basket and pass the ball has helped alleviate concerns about spacing issues.
“You’ve hardly seen any of the mid-shot clock, 17-foot pullups [from Kuminga],” Kerr said. “You’re seeing him being much more purposeful, getting the ball to Jimmy, getting the ball to Steph, attacking the rim. He’s really putting a lot of pressure on people. The combination of Jimmy and Draymond and JK wasn’t great last year, but because of all the improvements JK has made, his passing, it’s just really clicking. So we’re going to stay with that.”
According to Slater, the Warriors haven’t settled on a permanent fifth starter alongside that trio. Kerr’s plan is to use either big man Quinten Post or guard Brandin Podziemski in that spot, depending on the matchup.
Giannis: Trade Speculation ‘Doesn’t Concern Me One Bit’
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their third win in four games to open the 2025/26 season on Tuesday, scoring 37 points en route to a 121-111 victory over the Knicks.
The first matchup between the two teams this season came just three weeks after ESPN reported that the Bucks and Knicks had brief discussions this offseason about the possibility of a trade involving Antetokounmpo, who reportedly conveyed that New York would be a preferred landing spot if he ever left Milwaukee. Asked on Tuesday about that report, Antetokounmpo pleaded ignorance, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
“I don’t remember that,” Antetokounmpo said, shaking his head when asked about the ESPN story (YouTube link). “Right now, I’m here representing my team. And that’s it. We beat the Knicks. That’s all. Doesn’t really matter. What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row.
“But I didn’t read that article. I try to stay away from all that rumors and speculation and trades and all this. It doesn’t concern me one bit.”
Antetokounmpo, who has been with the Bucks since being selected 15th overall in the 2013 draft, has repeatedly expressed his love for Milwaukee over the years while also stressing that being in position to continue competing for championships is important to him.
The Bucks’ past three seasons have ended with first-round playoff losses, so the outcome of the 2025/26 campaign could go a long way toward determining whether or not Antetokounmpo’s long-term future is in Milwaukee. He has two guaranteed years left on his contract, followed by a player option, meaning he could reach free agency as soon as 2027.
While Antetokounmpo dismissed the trade speculation on Tuesday, he acknowledged that the victory over the Knicks meant a little something extra to a Bucks team with aspirations of winning the Eastern Conference.
“For sure, there was a lot extra,” Antetokounmpo said. “They swept us last year. Swept us. They were way better than us last year. We didn’t make it tough for them. It was very easy, in my opinion. As the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things, and I try to – from early shootaround – set the tone for the team and try to remind them, ‘Last year they swept us.’ Same with the Cavs. So I think the team responded in the best way, so I’m happy.”
The Bucks weren’t able to exact the same form of revenge on the Cavaliers on Sunday that they did on the Knicks on Tuesday, falling 118-113 to their division rivals in Cleveland. However, Antetokounmpo had a monster game in the Bucks’ only loss so far this season, racking up 40 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. He’s playing at an MVP level in the early going — Milwaukee has a +12.5 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -6.2 mark when he sits.
Pelicans Notes: Williamson, Green, Fears, Jordan
Zion Williamson sat out the Pelicans’ game Monday against Boston due to a left foot bone contusion. Without their star forward, the Celtics blew them out 122-90. Williamson, who practiced on a limited basis on Tuesday and is questionable to play Wednesday at Denver, told Rod Walker of NOLA.com that the injury is minor.
“Right now we’re in a day-to-day thing,” he said. “But nothing major. Nothing that is going to keep me out for a long time. Just day to day.”
Williamson was injured during Friday’s game against the Spurs on a put-back dunk. He stepped on the foot of Victor Wembanyama.
“Landed on someone’s foot and the side of my foot just banged the ground,” Williamson said. “The pain level didn’t really pick up until a day or two days later. I spoke with the team, made the best decision on it. Got it looked at.”
We have more on the Pelicans:
- Is head coach Willie Green already on the hot seat after the team’s 0-3 start? Green spoke of the team’s “lack of toughness” after Monday’s debacle, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. “I’m disappointed in how we approached the game. I’m disappointed in the lack of toughness on the floor more than anything. That’s the part that’s difficult,” Green said. “It’s one thing to not win a game. It’s a whole other thing to get kind of punked on your home floor. And I’m a part of that.”
- Lottery pick Jeremiah Fears made his first career start in Williamson’s absence, Les East of NOLA.com notes. It didn’t go well. The No. 7 overall pick missed 10 of the 11 shots he attempted and finished with two points, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes.
- Veteran big man DeAndre Jordan made his Pelicans debut after signing a one-year deal on Friday. He made an immediate impact, according to Walker, scoring and getting fouled on a dunk just 14 seconds after entering the game. Jordan, 37, finished with seven points and five rebounds in 11 minutes.
Cavaliers Notes: Merrill, Mitchell, Garland
Weighed down by salary cap concerns, the Cavaliers made Sam Merrill a priority in free agency. They re-signed him to a team-friendly four-year, $38MM contract. The early returns have been very promising, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). After Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, coach Kenny Atkinson has “probably been our best player over the first three games.”
“Guys just love playing with him,” Atkinson said. “He’s a winner. That’s why we gave him a nice contract this offseason. If there’s ever a guy that deserved it, he’s the guy.”
Merrill has been starting in the early going. Last season, Merrill averaged 7.2 points on 40.6% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.
“When you’re in a position that I have been in, it’s you want to almost know your place type of thing,” Merrill said. “But having been with these guys for three or four years, we all have trust in each other, and we all listen to each other. I’m not out here pretending I’m a 10-time All-Star or anything. But I know guys trust in what I have to say and as long as everyone is on the same page and having that trust in being accountable, I guess anyone can say what they need to say.”
Merrill only played 18 minutes at Detroit on Monday due to a hip injury.
“He’s hurting,” Atkinson said, per Spencer Davies of Clutch Points. “When Sam can’t come back in the game, it’s [painful]. I think Evan [Mobley] actually hit him in the hip. Somehow they [collided].”
We have more on the Cavaliers:
- Atkinson believes Donovan Mitchell is underappreciated on a national basis. Mitchell tore up the Pistons with 35 points on the second game of a back-to-back. “I think he’s underrated,” Atkinson said. “First Team All-NBA, I don’t know why people don’t talk about him more. Because he’s no controversy, low-key, humble? Does that equal, you get underrated because of that personality? I don’t know.”
- Guard Darius Garland was assigned to the G League’s Cleveland Charge for conditioning purposes, according to the NBA transactions log at RealGM.com. Garland is working his way back from offseason toe surgery. Mitchell’s backcourt partner in the middle of a five-year contract and his salary carries a cap hit of $39,446,090 this season.
- Merrill, who has been diagnosed with a right hip contusion, won’t play against the Celtics on Wednesday, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com relays. Garland also remains listed as out.