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Chris DeMarco Leaving Warriors For WNBA’s Liberty

November 21st, 2025 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The New York Liberty of the WNBA are hiring Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco as their new head coach, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (story via Alexa Philippou of ESPN.com).

DeMarco, who is also the current coach of the Bahamian men’s national team, had been with the Warriors since 2012, prior to Steve Kerr‘s arrival in 2014. Initially a member of Mark Jackson‘s staff, DeMarco has had a variety of roles since being hired by Golden State, working in the video room, as a scout, in player development positions, and as an assistant coach.

As Anthony Slater of ESPN tweets, DeMarco was a front-of-bench assistant this season and had a major hand in the Warriors’ defensive game-planning. He worked closely with Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole during their time with the team, per Philippou.

DeMarco was one of two current NBA assistants in the running for the Liberty job, along with Jama Mahlalela of the Raptors. Former Nets assistant Will Weaver was also among the finalists for the position, as was current Phoenix Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver, who was previously an assistant coach with the Wizards and Mavericks.

It’s unclear whether DeMarco will leave the Warriors immediately, given that WNBA training camps don’t open until April.

Bontemps’ Latest: Davis, Morant, Markkanen, Kings, Nets, More

November 21st, 2025 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Mavericks decide to move Anthony Davis prior to the trade deadline, the expectation is that the return would resemble what Phoenix got for Kevin Durant rather than a haul that features several first-round picks, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. In other words, Dallas probably shouldn’t count on getting more than a couple solid players and a single first-rounder.

Although many of the sources who spoke to Bontemps had trouble coming up with many suitors who would make sense for Davis, a few of those sources speculated about whether the Bulls might make a play for the Chicago native.

“I could see it,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN. “(Josh) Giddey has worked well with (Nikola) Vucevic, but he could use a roll man to throw it up to.”

Bontemps’ sources put Ja Morant in a similar boat as Davis, predicting that the Grizzlies will explore the trade market for the point guard but will have trouble finding a package they like.

According to Bontemps, people around the NBA are also keeping a close eye on Lauri Markkanen, who is having a bounce-back season with the Jazz on the heels of a down year in 2024/25. After averaging 19.0 points per game on .423/.346/.876 shooting in 47 games last season, Markkanen has put up 30.6 PPG on .485/.385/.885 shooting through 14 outings this fall, so he’d have more trade value now — if Utah is open to dealing him.

“He’s putting up monster numbers,” a West executive said. “They’re running everything through him. If he goes to a place that he’s an additive piece … you have to have the right team around him to go after him.”

Here are a few more highlights from Bontemps’ look at all 30 NBA teams:

Scouts around the league are speculating about Doug Christie‘s job security in Sacramento and are waiting to see if the Kings begin looking to trade veterans like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and/or Zach LaVine. “They’re a disaster,” an Eastern Conference scout told Bontemps. “They’re going nowhere fast. They just have to put a rock on the accelerator and keep going into the tank … they’re expensive, bad and aging.”
Multiple executives who spoke to ESPN believe the Nets have the least talented roster in the NBA. Brooklyn is off to a 2-12 start, with its only victories coming against fellow bottom-feeders Washington and Indiana.
There’s skepticism about whether 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham can become the Timberwolves‘ point guard of the future, Bontemps writes. Dillingham is still just 20 years old but is off to a slow start in his second season, having shot just 37.3% from the floor, including 20.0% on three-pointers. “I’m not sure that’s ever going to work,” one scout said. “Maybe things come around, but it’s hard to see it.”
According to Bontemps, there was “virtually no talk” during the preseason about a possible rookie scale extension for Jalen Duren, with the Pistons and the big man believed to be far apart on a potential deal. Duren, who turned 22 on Tuesday, has taken a significant step forward in the early going this season, with averages of 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and appears to be in line for a significant payday next summer.
Scouts have been impressed by the work first-year head coach Jordan Ott has done with the Suns, who are outperforming expectations so far with a 9-6 record and could be a playoff contender. “They’ve been way better than I thought,” a Western Conference scout said. “They’ve got enough pieces around Devin (Booker) where they’ll win the games they should win. (Ott) has them playing the right way and competing.”

Clippers Apply For Disabled Player Exception

November 21st, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have applied for a disabled player exception in response to Bradley Beal‘s season-ending hip injury, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line and Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

An NBA team becomes eligible for a disabled player exception when one of its players sustains an injury that is considered more likely than not to sideline him through June 15 of that league year. That’s expected to be the case for Beal, who was diagnosed last week with a fracture in his hip.

A disabled player exception doesn’t grant the team an extra roster spot, but it generates some additional cap flexibility. The exception can be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waiver claim, or to sign a free agent to a one-year deal.

The value of the disabled player exception is equivalent to either the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or half of the injured player’s salary, whichever is lesser. Since Beal’s cap hit is $5,354,000, well below the mid-level, the DPE would be worth $2,677,000.

The Clippers have used their full mid-level exception and don’t have their bi-annual exception available this season since they used it in 2024/25. That means a disabled player exception actually could come in handy for L.A., perhaps accommodating a free agent signing above the veteran’s minimum or a trade for a player on a near-minimum contract.

The problem for the Clippers is that they’re currently operating just $1.28MM away from their first-apron hard cap. A team can’t exceed its hard cap for any reason, so if the NBA awards them a DPE for Beal, the Clippers wouldn’t be able to use more than $1.28MM of it unless they shed salary elsewhere on the roster.

March 10 is the deadline to use a disabled player exception.

Pacers Retain Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Waive Monte Morris

November 21st, 2025 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

November 21: The Pacers have officially signed Robinson-Earl and waived Morris, the team confirmed today in a press release. As we outlined in a separate story, Indiana also added Garrison Mathews on a 10-day hardship contract.

November 20: The Pacers intend to re-sign forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a non-guaranteed contract as his second 10-day deal concludes, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will waive point guard Monte Morris in order to create room on its 15-man roster.

The Pacers were able to sign Robinson-Earl to a pair of 10-day deals because they qualified for a hardship exception, which allows a team to temporarily exceed the usual 15-man limit. The NBA awards a hardship exception to a club if it has at least four injured players who have missed three consecutive games and are projected to miss at least two more weeks.

Indiana may still have four players who meet that criteria, with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Obi Toppin (foot), Aaron Nesmith (knee), and Kam Jones (back) all sidelined. However, a team can’t sign the same player to a third hardship contract, so the Pacers have to move Robinson-Earl to the standard roster in order to retain him beyond his current 10-day deal, which will expire on Thursday night.

Robinson-Earl, 25, has appeared in 10 games and made three starts since joining the Pacers, averaging 5.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per contest. The fifth-year veteran is shooting just 36.4% from the floor and Indiana is being outscored by 15.7 points per 100 possessions during his time on the court, but the club likes what it has seen from the former Pelican enough to keep him around for at least a little while longer.

According to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), Robinson-Earl will sign a two-year, minimum-salary deal. His salary for this season would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract beyond January 7, and he’ll have a non-guaranteed team option for 2026/27.

If Indiana still qualifies for a hardship exception, the team could sign a new player to a 10-day contract once Robinson-Earl has officially been moved to the standard roster. While Morris theoretically could be that player, he would have to clear waivers first and didn’t make much of an impact in his first six games with the Pacers, averaging 3.0 points and 1.5 assists in 10.8 minutes per night, with a .350/.250/.500 shooting line.

Heat Notes: Ware, Mitchell, Larsson, Smith, Rozier

November 21st, 2025 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

After starting either Kel’el Ware or Nikola Jovic alongside Bam Adebayo early in the season, the Heat didn’t have either youngster in their starting five when Adebayo returned from a toe injury on Wednesday. Jovic remained sidelined with a hip issue, while Ware moved to the second unit after having started six consecutive games in Adebayo’s place.

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes, head coach Erik Spoelstra faces a difficult decision going forward on whether or not to start Ware and Adebayo together. While a smaller starting five is better suited to the fast-paced offensive style the Heat are deploying this season, the club has struggled on the glass with those smaller lineups.

Overall, Miami ranks 26th in rebounding percentage, including 29th in defensive rebounding percentage. Ware is an asset in that department, having averaged 10.0 rebounds in just 24.3 minutes per game through the first month of the season. In 19 minutes off the bench on Wednesday, he racked up 16 boards, though the team was still out-rebounded 62-52 by Golden State.

Spoelstra’s starting lineup decisions may ultimately come down to game-by-game matchups, though he’ll have fewer options at his disposal this weekend, with Andrew Wiggins out due to a hip injury and Tyler Herro not on track to make his season debut until Monday.

We have more on the Heat:

There’s no expectation that red-hot shooting guard Norman Powell will come out of the starting lineup when Herro returns, according to Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Both Herald reporters expect either Davion Mitchell or Pelle Larsson to move to the bench to make room for Herro.
Chiang adds that Dru Smith is a candidate to lose his spot in the Heat’s rotation once Herro is back and the team is fully healthy, though he cautions that’s not a given. While Smith’s production has been relatively modest (6.1 points and 3.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per game), the 27-year-old is playing good defense and Miami has a +8.1 net rating when he plays, compared to just +0.2 when he’s not on the floor.
The Heat still haven’t received clarity from the NBA on whether or not they can include Terry Rozier‘s expiring $26.6MM contract in a trade for salary-matching purposes, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Rozier was placed on leave by the league after being arrested as part of an FBI investigation into illegal gambling.
If Miami knew Rozier couldn’t be used in a trade, the team would almost certainly consider waiving him, Chiang writes, since only $24.9MM of his salary is guaranteed. That means the Heat could create $1.7MM in flexibility under the tax line and sign a replacement player if they were to cut the veteran guard.

Lakers Notes: Jesse Buss, Scouts, Bronny, Thiero, Offense

November 21st, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

After being removed from his role as the Lakers‘ assistant general manager on Thursday, Jesse Buss told Dan Woike of The Athletic that he’ll always be a fan of the team, but that he hasn’t spoken to to general manager Rob Pelinka or his sister Jeanie Buss in five months and feels as if his voice was diminished in recent years.

“I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft,” Jesse explained. “And I kind of didn’t think much of it. But as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but the organization as a whole while I was combating various health issues, I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall. The sale of the team happening kind of more or less just solidified it in my mind. And I just more or less expected (to be let go).

“Obviously this is a job I’ve loved for a very long time. And I love this organization. I love the fans. I love the city of Los Angeles. It’s pretty much all I’ve known my entire life. … When it comes down to it, even if I’m not part of the organization in any capacity, I’m always gonna root for this team. And obviously I root for players that Joey and I had a part of bringing in on the team, such as Austin (Reaves) and Rui (Hachimura).”

According to Jesse, his father – the late Jerry Buss – envisioned having him and Joey work their way up the basketball operations department and eventually run the Lakers’ front office.

“That was something that was discussed over 15 years ago,” Jesse said. “And what he had told me at the time was that he wanted Jimmy (Buss) to retire at some point within the next five to seven years, so this was about 2010, and he started to slowly incorporate Joey and I into the day-to-day operations. And eventually, I think the plan was (that) Jeanie was gonna run the business side and Joey and I were gonna help run the basketball operations department.”

Jesse became a key member of the Lakers’ scouting department who had a “large amount of input” on the club’s draft picks, and he tells Woike that he was also consulted on certain free agent decisions and potential trades over the years. However, he said his involvement with the team “came in waves” before declining in recent years.

“Oftentimes within the organization, it kind of felt like I was being treated like I was working against them,” Jesse said. “And, I guess you could say, like an enemy. But the only thing I ever wanted was the most success for this team. The credit, or whoever was involved with those decisions, it didn’t really matter as long as it was the best possible thing for the Lakers.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Besides Jesse and Joey Buss, other scouting personnel let go by the Lakers on Thursday included scouts Sean Buss and Aaron Jackson, international scout Can Pelister, and scout support and strategy coordinator Moses Zapata, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
With a fully healthy roster, the Lakers have assigned a pair of young players – guard Bronny James and forward Adou Thiero – to the G League, according to Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group (Twitter link). Both players could suit up for the South Bay Lakers on Friday when Los Angeles’ affiliate hosts the Santa Cruz Warriors.
In a story for The Orange County Register, Price explores how LeBron James‘ return on Tuesday helped provide a glimpse of the Lakers’ offensive upside going forward. While Utah – which ranks 25th in the NBA in defensive rating – wasn’t exactly a formidable opponent, the fact that the Lakers set season highs in points (140) and efficiency (59.5% shooting) while making so many of their offensive possessions look “effortless” was a very encouraging sign, Price writes.

Community Shootaround: Early Eastern Conference Impressions

November 21st, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Coming into the 2025/26 season, the general consensus among NBA fans and experts alike was that the Western Conference would be deeper and much more competitive than the Eastern Conference, where multiple All-Stars – including Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton – would be sidelined while recovering from major injuries.

The sense was that at least seven or eight teams in the West looked like solid playoff clubs, while several more – including the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers, Kings, Suns, and Pelicans – believed they could break into that group.

So far this fall, the teams at the very top of the West have been just as good as we expected. The Thunder are 15-1, the Nuggets and Rockets only have three losses apiece, and the Lakers, Spurs, and Timberwolves are all at least five games above .500.

But the quality depth we expected in the West hasn’t been there yet. The ninth-place team – Portland – is just 6-9, with playoff hopefuls like the Grizzlies (5-11), Clippers (4-11), Mavs (4-12), Kings (3-13), and Pelicans (2-13) all falling well short of their preseason expectations.

Eastern Conference clubs still have a losing record against the West in the early going, but that has been largely a result of the East’s very worst teams playing a lot of inter-conference games — the Hornets, Nets, Pacers, and Wizards have gone 3-19 against Western Conference opponents, while the other 11 East teams have a 30-17 record vs. the other conference.

In the West, a 5-9 record currently puts the Jazz in a play-in spot, but the 8-8 Bucks are on the outside of the top 10 in the East. Still, it’s not as if Milwaukee faces an insurmountable deficit in the standings. While the 13-2 Pistons are three games ahead of anyone else in the conference, the Nos. 2 through 11 seeds are currently separated by just 2.5 games, from the 10-5 Raptors to those 8-8 Bucks.

The Pistons and Raptors have been two of the conference’s most pleasant surprises so far. Detroit was viewed as a solid playoff team and Toronto was expected to be better than last season’s 30-win version of the team, but both clubs have far exceeded expectations. The Pistons have the NBA’s second-best defense after barely cracking the top 10 in that category last season; the Raptors, meanwhile, are up from 26th in the NBA in offense to eighth this fall.

The Knicks and Cavaliers, who were expected to be good, are third and fourth in the East, closely followed by the 9-6 Heat and Sixers. Miami’s new uptempo offensive system has the Heat playing at the fastest pace in the NBA and has helped rejuvenate a team playing without All-Star guard Tyler Herro. In Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey appears to be taking a leap to a new level of stardom, whether or not Joel Embiid and Paul George are available — Maxey is the NBA’s second-leading scorer behind Luka Doncic.

The Bulls, Hawks, Magic, and Celtics hold the play-in spots in the East for the time being. Orlando and Atlanta, widely projected to be playoff teams, are still finding their footing as they incorporate offseason additions and deal with injuries affecting star players (Paolo Banchero and Trae Young), but Chicago and Boston have been better than expected.

The Bulls are getting contributions up and down their roster, with seven players averaging at least 13.3 points per game; the Celtics are showing they’re still a dangerous team without Tatum on the court, as Jaylen Brown has admirably taken on the No. 1 role on offense by averaging career highs in points per game (27.5) and field goal percentage (50.3%).

Finally, while the Bucks are sitting at .500 now, three of their recent losses have come in games that Giannis Antetokounmpo missed or exited early. As long as their superstar forward is available for most of the season, they look like a solid playoff contender.

We want to get your early impressions on the Eastern Conference. Which of the early-season surprises – including the Pistons, Raptors, Heat, Sixers, and Bulls – do you believe are for real? Which of the 11 current .500-and-above teams in the East do you expect to finish outside of the top 10? Which teams will be in the top six? Do you believe the East has a deeper group of top-10 teams than the West?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Queen, Dumars, Front Office

November 21st, 2025 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

Forward Zion Williamson returned to the court on Wednesday after missing the previous eight games due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, and the Pelicans played better than they had in the past week, writes Les East of NOLA.com. However, it wasn’t enough against the Nuggets. New Orleans lost its seventh consecutive game, and now has losing streaks of six and seven games sandwiching its only two victories of the season.

Despite not having registered a win since taking over for Willie Green as the Pelicans’ head coach last Saturday, James Borrego was encouraged by what he saw from Williamson, who was a +14 during his 29 minutes of action. The club was outscored by 21 points in the 19 minutes the former No. 1 overall pick didn’t play.

“He got us off to a really good start,” Borrego said after the loss. “His energy and spirit are really important for the team, the city and the organization. We feel like we have a shot every night when he’s on the floor. We didn’t drop the sword tonight, and that’s his spirit.”

Here’s more out of New Orleans:

Williamson went through a full practice on Thursday and isn’t listed on the injury report for Friday’s game in Dallas, but it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be cleared to play in back-to-backs coming off his latest hamstring injury, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. The Pelicans will return home after their matchup with the Mavericks to host Atlanta on Saturday.
Rookie big man Derik Queen continues to be one of the bright spots in New Orleans amid the team’s disappointing 2-13 start. He led the club with 30 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday’s loss, shooting 12-of-18 from the floor and chipping in four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Borrego referred to the performance as an “impressive first go” at three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, a player that Queen has “looked up to for many years,” as Rod Walker of NOLA.com relays. “He’s an amazing player,” Jokic said after the game. “You can see some similarities (to me). I don’t want people to see him and tell him he’s something like me. He’s a good enough player to have his own story.”
With the Pelicans’ front office facing scrutiny for some of its offseason decisions, Shamit Dua of In The N.O. shares an interesting new detail on the team’s basketball operations department, writing that Joe Dumars‘ son, 34-year-old Jordan Dumars, has become part of management’s inner circle. The Pelicans never formally announced the hiring of the younger Dumars, but sources who spoke to Dua describe Jordan, his father, and senior VP of basketball operations Troy Weaver as being “attached at the hip.” The team told Dua that Jordan’s title is “basketball operations consultant” and confirmed that he has been participating in basketball strategy meetings and discussions.

Mavs Rumors: Davis, Irving, Gafford, Lively, Front Office

November 21st, 2025 at 12:01am CST by Rory Maher

Despite minority owner Mark Cuban‘s public statements to the contrary, multiple reporters have heard the Mavericks will explore the trade market for star big man Anthony Davis before the deadline in February.

Marc Stein reports at Substack that Dallas plans to take “any” incoming trade calls on Davis in the coming months, though a deal actually materializing will depend on the quality of potential offers. Davis has a lengthy injury history, Stein notes, and is currently sidelined by a calf strain.

Team sources who spoke to Christian Clark of The Athletic say the Mavs plan to be “opportunistic in pursuing any scenario that strengthens the roster” around Cooper Flagg. Those same sources also insisted Dallas is still in “information-gathering mode” as the team weighs its options for the future.

Here are a few more rumors on the Mavericks:

According to Stein’s sources, Dallas isn’t looking to solicit offers for Kyrie Irving and would like to retain the nine-time All-Star, who is out indefinitely with a torn ACL. However, Stein points out that the Mavs lack future first-round picks, and suggests their stance on Irving might change if they receive an offer that’s too good to pass up.
Stein continues to hear center Daniel Gafford would have several suitors if the Mavericks put him on the trade market. The athletic big man has been rounding into form after his season debut was delayed by a right ankle sprain, having averaged 13.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over his last four games (27.0 minutes per contest).
In his latest Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), NBA insider Jake Fischer said he thinks the Mavs aren’t going to just sell off players to the highest bidders if their values are at a relative low point due to injuries. He made the comment in passing, but Fischer doesn’t expect Dereck Lively II to be among the players on the trading block.
Both Stein and Clark report that governor Patrick Dumont doesn’t feel a sense of urgency to begin a formal search for a new head of basketball operations after dismissing Nico Harrison. “The timeline won’t determine the hire. The qualifications will determine the hire,” one source familiar with ownership’s thinking told The Athletic. According to Clark, the Mavs are seeking “calmness and stability” from whomever gets selected to run the front office. Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley are currently serving as co-interim general managers.

Fischer: Hornets ‘Not Actively Looking To Move’ LaMelo Ball

November 20th, 2025 at 10:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported on Thursday that LaMelo Ball has become “increasingly frustrated” with the Hornets and is open being traded to a new team. Iko, citing league sources, also wrote that Charlotte’s front office had grown “disillusioned” with the star point guard and was open to a deal as well.

NBA insider Jake Fischer has heard differently. In his latest Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), Fischer said he made several calls on Thursday regarding Ball’s situation with the Hornets, and while rival teams are “hoping” and “preparing” as though the 23-year-old may become available prior to the February 5 deadline, that is not currently the case.

“I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Hornets are not actively looking to move LaMelo Ball any time soon,” Fischer reported.

Fischer went on to say that several key members of the organization — including Ball, coaches and front office executives — want to get a better idea of what the team looks like when Brandon Miller returns to action before making any type of drastic changes.

“LaMelo Ball is not asking out, to my understanding,” Fischer said. “And the Hornets are not actively looking to trade him by any stretch right now.”

According to Fischer, Ball isn’t the only former All-Star point guard that rival teams are monitoring: Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Trae Young of the Hawks — both of whom are injured at the moment — fall into that category as well.

Fischer’s Stein Line colleague Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack story that the Hornets, Grizzlies and Hawks have each denied that they’re willing to listen to offers for their maximum-salary guards. Yet Stein also hears rival clubs are skeptical of that posturing and think that Ball, Morant and/or Young could indeed be on the market in the coming months.

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