Pelicans Notes: Peavy, Camp Vibe, Queen, Poole, Barnes
The Pelicans have a pair of lottery picks in training camp but don’t sleep on their second-rounder. Rookie wing Micah Peavy has made a strong impression on head coach Willie Green during the first week of camp, team website reporter Jim Eichenhofer writes.
“He may be flying under the radar (in terms of media and fan interest), but not in practices,” Green said. “He’s standing out big-time. He’s one of our guys who is doing really well.”
Peavy could help at both ends of the floor. He averaged 17.2 points and 2.3 steals per game for Georgetown last season.
“He fits sort of our core characteristics of how we want to play,” Green said. “Number one, he’s a high-character young man. On the floor, it starts with him being competitive. He brings toughness, he’s a good defender, he’s smart. He makes the right plays offensively, doesn’t hurt you at all.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- The team began training camp on Wednesday and there were plenty of positive vibes to go around. “It’s refreshing,” Green said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “We all understand that last season was not a season we expected to have. Now we are turning the page. That’s the biggest thing I saw from this group (Wednesday).” Newcomer Jordan Poole certainly appreciated the upbeat atmosphere. “A lot guys at media day (Tuesday) mentioned how good of a group this is and how good the energy is and how well we get along with each other,” Poole said. “The vibes are good. I think we are just ready to get back on the court. We’re a competitive team, and guys want to get going early and want to find a way to expedite our learning curve.”
- One of the lottery picks, Derik Queen, is recovering from left wrist surgery and has been a limited participant. “He’s stepping into some of our drills,” Green said, per Eichenhofer. “He can do some of that. But we won’t rush him. When he’s ready, we’ll get the heads-up… and he’ll be able to step in and have more contact.”
- After starting out in a winning organization with the Warriors, Poole went through a whole lot of losing with the Wizards during the last two seasons. He’s looking forward to being on a team with a greater chance to turn things around this season. “Now I’m able to incorporate what it feels like to be on the tougher end of it when it comes to winning and losing,” Poole told Walker. “The last two years for me were a bit more challenging. We weren’t able to win as much as I’d like. But coming to a situation with a new front office, that is the goal. That is the expectation. Everybody’s on the same page and it’ll be fun to go out there and compete against a really tough Western Conference.”
- The Pelicans revamped their front office this offseason but they made a significant in-house promotion this week. Adam Barnes has named assistant GM, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. He was previously Pelicans director of college scouting and the Birmingham Squadron’s GM, New Orleans’ G League affiliate. This is his seventh season with the organization.
Raptors Notes: Ingram, Luxury Tax, Expectations, Pelley
Brandon Ingram doesn’t have any limitations heading into training camp. Ingram was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Pelicans but didn’t make his Raptors debut last season due to an ankle injury.
“He’s one of the few guys who can go get his own shots but also can go get a pretty efficient shot on his own. I think that’s something that we’ve lacked a bit in prior years,” general manager Bobby Webster said of Ingram, per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. “He’s like a hooper’s hooper. I think people that watch him and people that have seen film on him (recognize he has a) high, high level of skill. Three-level scorer, not all that interested in what’s going on off the court. Not all that interested in what people say about him.
“We had another guy that was sort of like that (in Kawhi Leonard). But this guy, he just loves playing basketball. I think it’s fun to watch him. It’s fun to watch him warm up. It’s fun to watch him play. So we’re excited to see.”
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto enters the camp slightly over the luxury tax line, but Webster indicated it won’t be difficult to get below it. “The likelihood that this team is the exact same team by the end of the year is probably zero … I don’t see that as the urgent piece,” Webster said. However, if the Raptors have a strong season, ownership won’t hesitate to end up over the tax threshold. “If we don’t come out and we’re not competitive and we’re having (a down year again) then it forces us to evaluate it,” Webster said. “But I don’t think it’s exacerbated by any other outside timeline or financial pressure. I think we are fortunate to be one of the biggest, most lucrative markets in the NBA and so I don’t see the financial piece, affecting us.”
- The Raptors’ GM doesn’t have a “postseason or bust” mentality following a 30-win season, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “If you have a specific goal in mind, a specific [number of] wins … I just don’t know if that’s the best way to build, especially a young group,” he said. “These guys, when they lock in, that day-to-day improvement is what ends up resulting in being in the playoffs or being in the play-in (tournament). We won 30 games last year. So I don’t think there’s any sort of illusions of expectations of this number of wins or this playoff seed. We’ll see.”
- There’s room for them to outperform outside expectations and become one of the league’s feel-good stories, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. However, the potential of this roster remains a mystery, Koreen notes, as not many teams would trade positions with the expensive-but-unproven Raptors.
- In order for the Raptors to exceed expectations, they need their regulars to improve their shooting percentages, particularly from behind the 3-point arc, Grange opines. They also can’t afford a long-term injury to Jakob Poeltl, since he’s the only starting-caliber center on the roster.
- Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president Keith Pelley oversaw Europe’s entry at the past four Ryder Cup matches. He’s looking to bring his experiences from the golfing world to help build the culture for the Raptors and NHL’s Maple Leafs, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic. “As much as I love the game, and I love the NBA, and I love Major League Soccer, I’m the CEO of MLSE, so the people that are going to make the key hockey decisions, the people that are going to make the key basketball decisions, are basketball-oriented people and are hockey-oriented people,” Pelley said. “My role is to be a sounding board. My role is to try to create a culture and a chemistry within that organization that builds a culture of winning championships.”
Hornets Sign, Waive Jaylen Sims
September 27: The Hornets have waived Sims, the team’s PR department tweets.
September 26: The Hornets have signed free agent guard Jaylen Sims, the team announced today (via Twitter). Charlotte had an open spot on its 21-man preseason roster after waiving Nick Smith Jr. on Thursday.
While the team didn’t reveal any details about the deal, it’s almost certainly an Exhibit 10 contract. Sims has made a habit of signing Exhibit 10 deals with the Hornets over the years, having also done so in September of 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Sims, a Charlotte native who went undrafted out of UNC Wilmington, has spent most of his first three professional seasons playing for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. However, the 6’6″ shooting guard made his first NBA appearances this past April while on a 10-day deal with Charlotte, averaging 7.0 points and 2.0 assists in 18.7 minutes per game across six outings.
Prior to his NBA call-up, Sims enjoyed his most productive G League season. In 49 games for the Swarm, he averaged 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 32.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .441/.375/.837. The 26-year-old also played a key role in July for the Hornets’ Summer League team that won the Las Vegas championship, averaging 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .551/.438/.800 shooting in six appearances.
While Sims would be eligible to have his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal prior to the regular season, he’s more likely to be waived and report back to the Swarm for another season. In that scenario, he’d be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 (on top of his standard G League salary) if he spends at least 60 days with Greensboro.
Hornets Sign, Waive Isaih Moore
September 27: Moore has been been waived by the Hornets, the team’s PR department tweets.
September 24: The Hornets have announced the signing of 6’10” forward Isaih Moore, who played for their G League affiliate last season. Terrell Brown Jr. was waived to make room on the roster.
No details were provided on Moore’s contract, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 deal that will include a bonus of up to $85,300 if he returns to Greensboro and spends at least 60 days there. The moves leave the Hornets’ roster at the offseason limit of 21 players.
Moore, 25, appeared in 20 G League games last season, averaging 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per night. He spent the previous season with Sioux Falls in the G League after going undrafted out of Fresno State in 2023.
Brown spent just one day on the Hornets’ roster after being signed on Tuesday. Charlotte has cycled through several players over the past week to make them eligible for bonus money with the Swarm. DJ Rodman, Marcus Garrett, Brandon Slater and Keyontae Johnson have also been signed and waived recently.
Kings To Sign Daniel Batcho To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Kings plan to sign forward Daniel Batcho to an Exhibit 10 contract with the intent of having him join their NBA G League team in Stockton, James Ham of The Kings Beat reports (Twitter links).
Adding Batcho to the camp roster would give Sacramento 21 players, the league maximum.
Batcho, who attended Louisiana Tech, worked out for the Kings prior to the draft. Batcho played four years of college ball, the first two with Texas Tech. He started 32 games for Louisiana Tech last season, averaging 16.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.
Batcho, who stands 6’11” and was born in Paris, France, was a member of the Kings’ Summer League squad.
Once he’s waived, he’ll be eligible for a bonus up to $85.300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Stockton Kings.
Jazz’s Georges Niang Suffers Foot Injury, Out At Least Two Weeks
Veteran forward Georges Niang sustained a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot during offseason training and conditioning, the Jazz announced today in a press release.
According to the team, Niang will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Niang began last season with Cleveland and played 51 games for the Cavaliers, all but one off the bench, before being traded to Atlanta in February. He appeared in 28 games with the Hawks, including two starts.
Overall, Niang averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on .461/.406/.793 shooting in 79 appearances last season (21.5 minutes per contest).
Niang, 32, was sent to Boston in the Kristaps Porzingis trade in July and then was flipped to Utah in a salary-dump deal in August. He’s entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $8.2MM in 2025/26.
This is Niang’s second stint with the Jazz, having previously played for Utah from 2017-21. Niang is reportedly happy to be back with the team, which is said to view him as a potential rotation player and locker room leader.
Nets Notes: Bufkin, Traore, Saraf, Clowney, Mann
The Nets selected three prospects — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf — who project to be point guards in the first round of the 2025 draft. So why did they trade for Kobe Bufkin?
“I don’t think you ever have enough ball-handlers, right? Making plays for others is always important,” explained head coach Jordi Fernandez (story via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
As Lewis writes, Bufkin was on Brooklyn’s radar in the 2023 draft, but he was selected No. 15 overall, six spots before the Nets picked Noah Clowney. Bufkin also played his college ball at Michigan under Juwan Howard, who is now an assistant coach with the Nets.
“Obviously (Howard) knows the guy, and everything was very positive between Juwan, who knows him and speaks highly and positively about him,” Fernandez said. “We also have our scouting department that knew (him). … We were very high on him during the draft, and it was an opportunity to bring him in. So you put all that together, and that’s the reason why he’s here.”
For his part, Bufkin says he’s happy to be around a familiar face in Brooklyn.
“It’s definitely a big level of comfort. (Howard) is like family,” Bufkin said. “I spent two years with him. He was a mentor for me, kind of taught me about the league before I got to the league, what to expect, what not to expect. So it was good to see him.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Fernandez calls Traore’s speed his “superpower” but he acknowledges the French guard needs to improve in multiple areas to be a regular contributor as a rookie, Lewis writes in a subscriber-only story. “Yeah, there’s no saving here in the NBA. So he’s gotta play really, extremely hard every second he has the opportunity to play,” Fernandez said. “Nothing will be given to him, so they have to earn it. So far, we’re very happy with him. That’s his superpower, but his handle, he understands the game, he’s played in professional leagues for more than one year, so he has that experience, too. And you’ll see it soon. So, I trust him. I trust everything. His shooting, he’s putting time and work into everything and adjusting it to the NBA. It’s just going to take time. But, like I said, the first thing is come here, work and earn your minutes.”
- Veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton have been impressed by Saraf’s maturity and poise in training camp, Lewis adds in a third article for The New York Post. The Israeli guard noted he already has three professional seasons under his belt despite only being 19 years old. “I feel like, yeah, playing like it’s going to be my fourth year playing professional, so I’ve got some experience. With playoff games I played with full arenas, so I think it’s helped me,” Saraf said. “And my last teammates, my last vets … I’m trying to learn from each one of them. I don’t feel like a rookie here. I am a rookie, I’ll do all my duties, but it’s basketball, so I’m just going out there and playing.”
- Third-year big man Noah Clowney added several pounds of muscle this offseason and he believes his improved strength will help him level up several facets of his game, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Most importantly, Clowney is hoping for improved durability after being limited to just 46 games last season. “My primary goal is just to stay healthy, and outside of staying healthy, just to get better every game,” Clowney said. “I learn something from each game, but I don’t like to make the same mistake over and over again. That’s the goal.”
- As Lewis writes for The New York Post (subscription required), trade acquisition Terance Mann is used to being one of the younger players on his NBA teams but he’s currently the oldest Net (he turns 29 next month) on the league’s youngest roster. Fernandez says Mann, who grew up mere blocks away from where Barclays Center now stands, has impressed the team with his leadership. “He showed up and worked every single day, and now he can show others why he’s the type of player he is and he’s accomplished what he’s accomplished,” Fernandez said. “I think leading with your voice is great, but leading by example is even better, and that’s what Terance so far has been doing.”
Knicks Notes: Robinson, McBride, Brown, Anunoby
As he enters the final year of his contract, which will pay him a little under $13MM, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson says he doesn’t care if he starts or not in 2025/26, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
“Nah. It don’t matter to me at all,” Robinson said on Thursday. “I started before. I came off the bench before. I did great in both. So it’s whatever.”
As Winfield notes, Robinson saw his role reduced after finally returning from ankle surgery last season, but then was moved back into the starting lineup for the last four games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. New head coach Mike Brown called Robinson a “monster on the glass” but said he has yet to decide if the 7’0″ big man will start or come off the bench.
“Ideally, it would be great to have everybody’s role defined before the first game,” Brown said. “Now, they can change throughout the course of the season, but hopefully going into Game 1, we as coaches — and (new assistant) Billy Lange — get to a point where we have everybody’s role defined. And not only that, but they embrace it so that everybody knows specifically what they need to do.
“We’ve got a lot of guys and we’re a new staff. So if we get a little behind, maybe it doesn’t happen until after the first or second game. I don’t know. But ideally, I’d like to have all that done before game one.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Robinson, who said he added muscle and lost weight over the offseason after starting an organic farm in Nashville, isn’t sure if he’ll be cleared to play back-to-backs to open the season, according to Winfield. One of the NBA’s premier offensive rebounders, Robinson added that he isn’t concerned about potentially being involved in trade rumors ahead of 2026 free agency — he will remain extension-eligible throughout the season. “I’m gonna come out here and play hard still regardless, whether it’s my last (year) or my first (year), just come out here and play hard,” Robinson said. “But at the same time I’m gonna let my agent handle that part of it. I’m just gonna play basketball.”
- Guard Miles McBride has been floated as a possible trade candidate because New York reportedly wants to keep Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet, both of whom are signed to non-guaranteed training camp deals. McBride expressed appreciation for former coach Tom Thibodeau but is looking forward to playing under Brown, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “Honestly it was crazy. It was unexpected. All my four years were with Thibs. He did a great job with me and team,” McBride said. “… Coming in with Mike, I’m excited. … He’s been communicating with a lot of guys, allowing people to talk.”
- Forward OG Anunoby just missed out on making the All-Defensive Second Team last season, finishing with the most votes among players who didn’t make the cut. He has loftier goals for ’25/26, as Steve Popper of Newsday writes (subscription required). “For sure, defense, that’s what wins games, championships,” Anunoby said. “So it’s very important to me. Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Defense, those are always my goals.” Brown praised Anunoby’s defensive work, Popper adds. “First-team All-Defense,” Brown said. “He is more than capable. Really it’s up to him. That’s how good he is on that end of the floor. He’s a first-team — and I’ve been around those guys. Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan. I’ve been around a few of them, and he’s right there.”
Fischer’s Latest: Grimes, Kuminga, Bamba, Love, Rockets
Although the Sixers just made their first formal offer to restricted free agent Quentin Grimes earlier this week, they have discussed various contract frameworks with his agent David Bauman several times throughout the offseason, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer explains, the 76ers were hesitant to extend a formal offer until recently because they realized there was a significant gap in what they were willing to pay Grimes compared to what he and his representatives were seeking on a new deal.
While Grimes’ camp had some hope of a potential sign-and-trade materializing, that outcome appears unlikely, Fischer writes. The most likely scenario, Fischer continues, is Grimes signing a one-year deal that comes in above his $8.7MM qualifying offer.
Fischer confirms that Bauman asked the Sixers to extend Grimes’ qualifying offer deadline from October 1 to October 8, in part because the team is traveling to Abu Dhabi for a pair of preseason games. But Philadelphia hasn’t shown any interest pushing back the deadline to this point.
Following up on his previous report that the Sixers floated the idea of trading Kelly Oubre Jr. or Andre Drummond — or both — to make a more lucrative contract offer to Grimes, Fischer says Philadelphia’s front office has been “adamant” that it is unwilling to add draft picks to shed either of those salaries.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- The Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga have not had any talks about potentially moving back his Oct. 1 qualifying offer deadline, sources tell Fischer. Golden State appears unwilling to budge on its latest contract offers, per Fischer, including a three-year, $75MM proposal which contains a team option for 2027/28. Kuminga’s camp has “pushed hard” for a player option instead of a team option, Fischer writes, but hasn’t had any luck so far. Fischer confirms the Kings tried to restart sign-and-trade talks for Kuminga, but the Warriors remain unenthusiastic about taking back Malik Monk, in part because of his $21.5MM player option for ’27/28. The Warriors want to maintain maximum roster flexibility for the 2027 offseason, Fischer explains, when the contracts of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green expire.
- According to Fischer, the Heat showed some interest in Mo Bamba before the former lottery pick signed a training camp deal with the Jazz. Bamba landing with Utah has led to speculation that Kevin Love might be nearing a buyout agreement, but “all signs” currently indicate that Love will begin the season with the Jazz, Fischer writes.
- Fischer hears the Rockets aren’t expected to look for immediate backcourt help in the wake of Fred VanVleet‘s torn ACL, preferring instead to see how Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson respond to increased on-ball responsibilities. Houston may explore adding guard depth down the line, Fischer writes, but that likely won’t occur until at least December 15, when many free agent signings become eligible to be moved. According to Fischer, there’s still an expectation that Kevin Durant will eventually sign an extension with the Rockets, but a potential rookie scale deal for Tari Eason appears less certain.
Clippers Sign Telfort, Poulakidas To Exhibit 10s
September 27: The Clippers’ training camp deals with Telford and Poulakidas are now official, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (Twitter link).
June 27: The Clippers have agreed to a deal with Butler guard Jahmyl Telfort, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports (Twitter link).
Law Murray of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Telfort, along with Yale shooting guard John Poulakidas, will be on the Clippers’ Summer League roster, with both undrafted rookies likely to sign Exhibit 10 contracts.
After testing the waters during the 2024 draft process, the 6’7″ Telfort returned to school as a super-senior and averaged 16 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting a college career-high 36.1% on three-point attempts. He reportedly had a strong Portsmouth Invitational Tournament as part of his pre-draft process.
Poulakidas is a 6’5″ senior who shot over 40% from three on 604 attempts throughout his college career. He averaged 19.4 points per game for the Bulldogs this season.