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.
Trail Blazers Notes: Camp, Yang, Sharpe, Porter, B. Grant
It has been an extremely busy and eventful offseason for the Trail Blazers, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who lists five things he’ll be keeping a close eye on when training camp starts this week.
The first item on Highkin’s list is Yang Hansen, the 7’1″ center who was surprisingly drafted 16th overall after largely being projected as a second-round pick. Yang looked more ready to contribute than anticipated during Summer League action, Highkin notes, but it’s hard to read much into that performance — the real tests will begin soon.
While Damian Lillard won’t play at all this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, Highkin is curious to see how the franchise’s all-time leading scorer will impact his teammates behind the scenes. Who will be part of the starting lineup and whether or not Kris Murray or Rayan Rupert can carve out rotation roles in their third seasons are among the other storylines Highkin will be monitoring.
Here are a few more notes from Portland:
- Within the same story, Highkin says he’s skeptical about the Blazers and Shaedon Sharpe agreeing to a rookie scale extension before the season begins. Although Highkin views the Canadian guard as “the most talented player” on the roster, he writes that Sharpe hasn’t been able to consistently perform at a high level to this point in his career. If the 22-year-old doesn’t sign an extension by October 20, he will be a restricted free agent in 2026.
- In a story for The Players’ Tribune he wrote in Chinese and then had translated to English, which he’s still learning, Yang describes his upbringing in Zibo (Shangdong province), China, and his journey to being drafted by Portland. One interesting tidbit: Yang says he has been closely studying Nikola Jokic for the past three years and has patterned his game to imitate the Serbian star.
- The Trail Blazers recently announced several additions and promotions in their basketball operations department. Most notably, longtime Blazers point guard and ex-NBA head coach Terry Porter will serve as a scout this season, while former Blazers forward Brian Grant will hold the title of basketball liaison — he will be an off-court mentor to players. Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, who first reported that Porter and Grant would be returning to the organization in an official capacity, has more details on their specific positions.
L.A. Notes: Redick, Lakers, Clippers, Kawhi Investigation
The contract extension the Lakers gave J.J. Redick after his first season on the job is a two-year deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an appearance on NBA Today (YouTube link). When Redick was hired by the Lakers in 2024, he received a four-year contract, so he’s now locked up for five seasons, through 2029/30.
Charania also reported that Redick will make $45MM over the course of the next five seasons. His original four-year contract was said to be worth approximately $32MM. We don’t know the exact year-to-year structure of that original deal, but it likely didn’t have more than about $25MM left on it after year one, which suggests Redick’s extension is in the neighborhood of $10MM per year, a step up from the $8MM annual salary he received on his initial agreement.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two Los Angeles teams:
- Law Murray of The Athletic takes a look at the changes the Lakers‘ roster has undergone since last season, noting that Redick has yet to confirm his starting five for the upcoming season. “I haven’t spent much time thinking about the starting lineup yet, but I feel there are seven to eight starting-caliber players on the roster,” Redick said. “We will know the official starters once the training camp starts.”
- Khobi Price of The Orange County Register identifies five Lakers-related storylines to monitor during training camp, including who will round out the starting lineup and who will emerge as the team’s primary backup center. Janis Carr of The Orange County Register conducts a similar exercise for the Clippers, with Bradley Beal‘s role and Chris Paul‘s return to L.A. among the storylines she believes are worth monitoring.
- Of course, the biggest Clippers-related storyline these days is the NBA’s investigation into possible salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard. While team owner Steve Ballmer has been interviewed about the subject, Leonard has yet to address it all. As Murray writes for The Athletic, that’s about to change with media day around the corner
- In a pair of in-depth stories for The Athletic, Joe Vardon surveys league sources and sponsors to get a sense of how Leonard’s “endorsement” deal with Aspiration compares to other arrangements about the NBA, while Dan Woike, Sam Amick, and Mike Vorkunov take a deep dive into what we know about Dennis Robertson, aka Uncle Dennis, who is a central figure in the league’s investigation into Leonard and the Clippers.
Eastern Notes: C. White, Porzingis, Knicks, Anthony, Magic
Despite modest projections from experts and outside observers, Coby White believes the Bulls have a chance to be “really good” in 2025/26, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Besides being positive about his team’s outlook, the 25-year-old guard has set a personal goal as he enters his seventh NBA season.
“I want to win and I want to become that All-Star-caliber player,” White said. “That’s the next step for me in my personal game. I’ve had two really good seasons, averaging 20 (points per game) or whatever. The next part is for us to take that leap as a team, and that’s to win and get out of this little play-in (tournament) stage that we are in, take my game to the next level and become an All-Star.”
White is entering the final year of his current contract and will make $12.9MM in 2025/26. Because starting salaries in veteran contract extensions are limited to a percentage of the player’s previous salary (or the average league-wide salary), White has let the Bulls know he doesn’t plan on signing a new deal before reaching free agency in 2026, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Cowley believes it would be in both teams’ best interest for the Bulls and Rockets to work out a trade involving White in the wake of Fred VanVleet‘s ACL tear — Cowley suggests a package of Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason. However, White told Spears that he remains very open to the idea of continuing his career in Chicago, even if he doesn’t sign a new contract until he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
“I love being in Chicago. I love the front office. I love my teammates. I love the staff,” White said. “I built a great relationship with coach Billy Donovan. And for me, if it is meant to be (to) stay a Chicago Bull, then I can’t ask for nothing else.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said on Friday that the team feels good about where Kristaps Porzingis‘ health stands after he was plagued by post-viral syndrome during the final months of the 2024/25 season. “We’re super confident in Kristaps’ health, and him playing a healthy season,” Saleh said (Twitter link via Malik Brown of ClutchPoints). “We wouldn’t have made the trade if we didn’t think that. There was no hesitation there from us. We felt comfortable doing that at the time. We feel great about it now, and we’re excited for him to play a bunch of games this season.”
- James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a closer look at Mike Brown‘s plan to better maximize Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on offense, which includes using Brunson off the ball more often and moving Towns around to different areas of the floor.
- New Bucks guard Cole Anthony said this week that he’s “super excited” to be in Milwaukee and that the change of scenery feels like a “breath of fresh air” after his playing time declined in Orlando in recent years, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays. “Obviously, I loved my time (with the Magic), but this feels like, for me, a stepping stone in my career,” Anthony said. “I just want to come in and help the team win in whichever way I can. I think they’re going to ask me to do what I can do, which is score, pass the ball, guard, whatever, but I’m just really happy to be a part of this team, specifically because it’s been great being here these past couple weeks and being with these guys. The energy is high. There’s a real professional vibe around everybody, and everybody has a chip on their shoulder.”
- Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) runs through four key questions facing the Magic ahead of the 2025/26 season, including when Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner will be ready to play, what the bench rotation will look like, and who will fill the club’s open two-way contract slot.
Celtics Sign Wendell Moore Jr. To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Celtics filled their 21-man preseason roster ahead of training camp by signing free agent guard/forward Wendell Moore Jr. to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog (Twitter link).
The 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Moore spent two seasons in Minnesota before being traded to Detroit during the 2024 offseason. He started last season with the Pistons, was waived at the trade deadline in February, then joined the Hornets on a two-way contract about a week later, finishing the season in Charlotte.
Moore, who turned 24 earlier this month, has played sparingly at the NBA level during his first three professional seasons, appearing in 90 games and logging just 8.1 minutes per night. He saw more action in Charlotte at the end of last season than he ever had before, averaging 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 17.5 minutes per game across 16 outings off the bench.
There may not be a path to a regular season roster spot for Moore with the Celtics, who are carrying 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. Boston is unlikely to carry a 15th man into opening night due to the luxury tax implications, so Moore’s best chance to make the team would be to have his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal. That would require the Celtics to cut one of their current two-way players.
[RELATED: Wendell Moore Jr. Makes Case For NBA Roster Spot]
If Moore is instead waived before the season begins, he’d be a candidate to report to the G League and join the Maine Celtics. If he were to spend at least 60 days with Boston’s NBAGL affiliate, he could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his base G League salary.
Suns Notes: Williams, Maluach, Gillespie, Ishbia
An inability to stay healthy has been the biggest impediment to success in Mark Williams‘ NBA career, so the Suns entered training camp with a plan to help him avoid injuries, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams appeared in 43, 19 and 44 games during his three seasons in Charlotte, and Phoenix officials understood they had to try something different after landing him in a draft-night trade.
“We know Mark’s history and we’re trying to change it,” coach Jordan Ott said Friday. “We’re taking an approach. He’s been out here and has been good. This is Sept. 26. Definitely added some strength to him. You can see it when he walks in the building. He definitely has great size. Excited to see where he goes, but we still do have a couple more weeks.”
Although the exact nature of their concerns was never specified, the Lakers opted to rescind a trade for Williams in February. L.A. had viewed Williams as a rim protector and a lob partner for newly acquired Luka Doncic, but something in his physical made the team change its mind. He was able to resume playing for the Hornets after the trade was called off.
Rankin indicates that Williams’ minutes might be limited in the Suns’ four preseason games so they can preserve him for the regular season. Ott noted on Saturday that Nick Richards, Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro have been getting most of the work in training camp, but that doesn’t mean there are concerns about Williams’ physical condition.
“He’s in a good place,” Ott said. “We want Mark to know we care about him this year and going forward so we have a really intentional plan for him.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Maluach had a difficult time during Summer League, but fellow Duke alum Grayson Allen sees promise in the rookie big man, Rankin tweets. “He talks non-stop on the court,” Allen said. “Like he’s commanding the defense, calling out coverages, constantly talking. For a rookie, let alone a 19-year-old guy to come into a gym and do that first day of training camp is impressive. He’s already ready in that aspect.”
- Hoping for a larger role in his second season with the Suns, Collin Gillespie spent the summer working to improve his jumper and take better care of the ball (Twitter video link from Rankin). “The way (Ott) talked about smaller guards like myself, we have to be able to shoot off the dribble and be efficient and not turn the ball over,” Gillespie said. “So I just worked on decision making, shooting, shooting from deeper, shooting off the dribble.”
- At Wednesday’s media day, owner Mat Ishbia responded to questions about five workplace discrimination lawsuits recently filed against the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, per Jason Wolf of The Arizona Republic. Ishbia dismissed the claims as “ridiculous” and “a cash grab,” adding, “We don’t settle. So if we don’t do anything wrong, I’m not paying someone.” ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reported this week that employees were told in the spring that to keep their jobs they had to sign an agreement limiting their ability to sue the team over workforce matters.
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Grousbeck, Chisholm, Training Camp, Simons
In an interview with Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required), Jayson Tatum said the realization that he won’t be able to play for several more months — or possibly the entire season — is sinking in as key dates on the calendar get closer. As the Celtics prepare to open training camp, Tatum is still recovering from the Achilles tear he suffered in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, which marked the first long-term injury of his career.
“At first I was sad, I was devastated,” he said. “I was defeated. I felt like it wasn’t fair. I felt I was doing everything right, I was doing everything they asked of me and giving 110 percent and I never cheated the game since I was a kid, so it felt like I got betrayed from the game. It felt unfair and I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t feel angry but you get to the point where you accept. Now is the tough part because you’ve got media day on Monday and practice on Tuesday and it’s becoming a reality that I won’t be out there to practice and play when the season starts and that’s frustrating to have to live through.”
Washburn notes that 19 weeks have passed since the injury, and Tatum has returned to walking normally. He’s also consulting with players who are going through the same process, such as Tyrese Haliburton, Dejounte Murray and Damian Lillard. Tatum vows that the time away from the court will motivate him whenever he’s able to resume playing.
“It’s a long process,” he said. “At first you don’t feel like yourself because you’re stationary. You’ve got a splint on, you got the boot and then the crutches and a walker and a shower seat. It’s hard to feel like yourself. Once I got out of the boot was the moment I started feeling normal again, you’re putting on a shoe, starting to work out, you’re traveling again and you’re starting to get into better spirits. You are starting to feel like yourself.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Former Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, who is remaining with the organization as alternate governor and CEO, said at a news conference on Thursday that the cost-cutting trades of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis would have been necessary even if the team hadn’t been sold this summer, relays Christopher L. Gasper of The Boston Globe. Grousbeck also reminded reporters that he was part of the committee that created the new collective bargaining agreement that made the moves necessary. At the same event, new owner William Chisholm promised that he’ll try to add to the Celtics’ collection of NBA titles, per Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press. “Let’s do whatever we can to win championships and raise banners, and raise as many as we can,” Chisholm said. “I will do whatever it takes, whatever the Boston Celtics need me to do.”
- Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe offers a preview of training camp, focusing on the battle for playing time at center, Jaylen Brown‘s increased responsibilities and the expectations for Anfernee Simons, whose time in Boston could be short as he enters the final year of his contract.
- Simons’ $26MM salary limits the Celtics’ trade options right now, but opportunities could open up as the season plays out, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Robb suggests that Simons is unlikely to ever get the kind of long-term deal he wants in Boston, so his best outcome would be to get traded to a team willing to invest in him.
Lakers Sign Anton Watson, Nate Williams
The Lakers have announced (via Twitter) the signings of forward Anton Watson and guard Jeenathan “Nate” Williams. Both players are expected to remain with the team for training camp, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
Watson, who’ll turn 25 next week, signed a two-way contract with Boston after being selected out of Gonzaga with the 54th pick in the 2024 draft. He didn’t see any playing time at the NBA level with the Celtics before being released in early March, but he got into nine games with the Knicks, who claimed him off waivers.
Williams, 26, spent the past two seasons in Houston after playing one year in Portland. He was promoted from a two-way contract to a standard deal in March, but the Rockets waived him in July to avoid paying his non-guaranteed $2,270,735 salary for the upcoming season. Williams appeared in 20 games last season, averaging 3.3 PPG in 7.4 minutes per night.
The Lakers created room on their roster by waiving Tevian Jones and Eric Dixon, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jones just signed on Friday, while Dixon has been with the team since late July.
Both players will likely wind up with L.A.’s G League affiliate, where their Exhibit 10 contracts will make them eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the team.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Brunson, Anunoby, Brown
Although it doesn’t match the sacrifice that Jalen Brunson made by giving up a potential $113MM in his latest contract, it’s still significant that Knicks forward Mikal Bridges accepted $150MM in the four-year extension he signed this summer when he was eligible for roughly $6MM more, writes Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required).
There was speculation that Bridges, who was set to become a free agent in 2026, might not be eager to sign up for a long-term commitment in New York after a difficult first season with the team. But he said at media day that he wants his future to be with the Knicks and he never considered any other options.
“Because I love it here,” he added. “Love the fans, love the culture, love the staff and everybody, front office, everything, teammates. That’s probably the biggest thing. I know, throughout last year, last year was tough throughout the season and playoffs helped a little bit but I think I just appreciate the fans and everybody. I think a lot of people thought I might be upset because everybody was getting on me too hard, but I think I was more mad at myself because everything they want was what I want so it’s not like a ‘why ‘y’all getting on me?’ Some things get a little too crazy, but that’s just life [and] how it is.”
There’s more from New York:
- Brunson dropped a few pounds over the summer in anticipation of playing at a faster pace under new head coach Mike Brown, according to Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscription required). “It was important for me to be a little lighter just throughout the course of the season,” said Brunson, who refused to divulge his new weight. “Not even being lighter, I’m not that much lighter, definitely more toned and like that. But it’s just important for me to get my body in the best shape possible I can and go from there.”
- When he was coaching the Nigerian national team, Brown tried to recruit OG Anunoby for the Tokyo Olympics, Braziller adds in the same piece. Anunoby declined the offer, partially due to COVID concerns, but he’s looking forward to finally playing for Brown. “I was excited (when the Knicks hired Brown),” Anunoby said. “I’ve known Mike for some years now. I was excited when I found out he was the coach. We talked pretty quickly, just about everything, not even basketball, but life stuff.”
- Brown is happy to see his players adapting to a new offensive system so quickly, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News (subscription required). While former coach Tom Thibodeau preferred a slower approach, Brown is installing the up-tempo, quick-decision attack he used in Sacramento. “Their attentiveness has been great,” Brown said after Friday’s practice. “Today was the first time where we really had a chance to bump heads and scrimmage. So when you go against a different color jersey instead of just going through it 5-on-0 or against the coaches, it’s a little different. But our guys did a good job. It’ll be even more different when we go against Philly in Abu Dhabi. I like our progress so far — but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Sixers Notes: Grimes, Embiid, George, Watford, Edgecombe
Sixers guard Quentin Grimes has the support of star center Joel Embiid in his ongoing contract standoff with the team, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Following Saturday’s practice, reporters asked Embiid for his stance on Grimes, who remains away from the team while trying to work out a new deal and isn’t expected to be part of an upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi.
“As players, this is a business. You gotta do what you gotta do as an individual to take care of yourself and your family,” Embiid said. “So just like it happened the last couple of times I’ve been here, it’s the same thing. I don’t blame anybody. I think we’re here with what we have, and I also don’t blame those guys who wanted to take care of themselves. That’s the right play. That’s what I would do if I was in that situation, too.”
Agent David Bauman claimed the Sixers made their first formal offer on Wednesday at $39MM over four years, which is far less than the restricted free agent is seeking. A source familiar with the negotiations told Pompey on Saturday that the reported amount wasn’t an actual offer and the two sides aren’t close to reaching a deal.
Pompey believes Grimes and the Sixers are headed toward a one-year agreement, whether that involves accepting an $8.7MM qualifying offer by Wednesday’s deadline or potentially a higher offer from the team if Grimes is willing to waive a no-trade clause.
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Sixers officials were encouraged by Embiid’s performance Saturday morning in his first workout of training camp, Pompey adds. The former MVP, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April and was limited to 19 games last season, was able to compete with few limitations. “Everything from the start was live. He was in there participating in that stuff,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He didn’t do everything, but he did do quite a bit. He was moving good and playing hard, and he had great spirit out there today.”
- According to Pompey, the only players who weren’t able to take part in today’s practice were Paul George and Trendon Watford, who both did individual sessions on the court. George is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in July, while Watford is day to day with tightness in his right hamstring.
- Veteran center Andre Drummond thinks the Sixers have something special in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Drummond said Edgecombe peppered him with a lot of questions the first time they met. “The first day I saw VJ, I was instantly impressed,” Drummond said. “My favorite thing about him is his confidence.”