Knicks Notes: Position Clashes, Roster, Thibodeau, Dadiet
As the Knicks gear up for training camp, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) breaks down the team’s top narratives, position battles, new players, and more.
As Bondy writes, New York currently has enough room below its hard cap to carry a single veteran camp invitee into the regular season, but they’ve signed five to training camp deals. Guards Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are the leaders in the clubhouse, but guard Garrison Mathews, center Alex Len and wing Matt Ryan all still have a shot, according to Bondy.
While All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns and All-Defensive forwards Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are all pretty much locked in to starting roles, Bondy posits that guard Josh Hart and big man Mitchell Robinson could both stake a claim to that fifth starting gig.
In another subscriber-only article, Bondy takes a look at the storylines facing each rostered player heading into the season.
There’s more out of New York:
- Knicks players opted not to fight to retain head coach Tom Thibodeau despite a strong 51-31 season and an Eastern Conference Finals berth, Ian Begley said during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link). Begley noted that Hart “was very close” with the now-former coach, and suggested that, if Hart or other key players had insisted to management that Thibodeau be retained, he may have stuck around. Hart’s shooting went cold during the playoffs and he was toggled with Robinson for New York’s fifth starting spot. The Knicks ultimately replaced Thibodeau with Mike Brown.
- After they finished as the third seed in the East last year, Malik Smith of The New York Post (subscriber link) expects the Knicks to enjoy a more robust run in 2025/26, thanks to Achilles injuries and roster turnover knocking Boston and Indiana down a peg. As Smith observes, most sportsbooks peg the club to win in the neighborhood of 53 games next season.
- In a reader mailbag, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says he believes second-year wing Pacome Dadiet, a first-round pick last season, is the player most likely to be traded prior to February’s deadline. Edwards also wonders if New York could expand its rotation to 10 players and takes a look at how Brown can improve the club’s versatility, among other topics.
Jazz Sign Matthew Murrell
SEPTEMBER 22: The Jazz have officially signed Murrell, the team announced in a press release.
JUNE 27: Ole Miss guard Matthew Murrell has agreed to sign with the Jazz, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).
Givony doesn’t provide any specifics on the contract agreement, but it will likely be an Exhibit 10 deal, which could be converted into a two-way contract or would put Murrell on track to earn a bonus if he’s waived by Utah and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
After testing the draft waters in 2023 and again in 2024, Murrell was automatically draft-eligible this year. Unfortunately, he had a down year for the Rebels in his final college season, averaging just 10.8 points per game with a 31.9% mark on three-point tries. Both marks were below his career rates.
However, Murrell finished the season strong with a series of productive performances in the NCAA tournament as Ole Miss earned a spot in the Sweet 16. He had 15 points, four rebounds, and a pair of steals in a round-of-32 win over Iowa State.
Murrell, who racked up 1.8 steals per contest as a “super senior,” is known as an excellent defender and is one of the most explosive athletes in the 2025 draft class, says Givony. The 23-year-old ranked 93rd overall on ESPN’s pre-draft big board.
Steven Crowl Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Jazz
SEPTEMBER 22: The Jazz have announced in press statement that they have signed Crowl.
JUNE 26: The Jazz are planning to sign Steven Crowl to an Exhibit 10 deal, according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson (Twitter link).
Crowl played his entire five-year collegiate career with Wisconsin, averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 153 career games for the program.
Before even getting to free agency, the Jazz have a crowded roster, though all of Svi Mykhailiuk, Johnny Juzang, KJ Martin and Jaden Springer have partial or non-guaranteed contracts. The team also has Elijah Harkless currently signed to a two-way contract, but those can be swapped any time with relative ease, since they don’t count against the cap.
Crowl will have an opportunity to show he deserves a two-way contract in training camp — an Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way deal. If he’s waived from his fully non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal and then spends at least 60 days with Utah’s G League affiliate, he’ll earn a bonus worth up to $85K.
Hornets Sign DJ Rodman, Cut Marcus Garrett
The Hornets have signed free agent forward DJ Rodman and cut guard Marcus Garrett, the club announced (Twitter link).
Rodman, the son of Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman and brother to NWSL superstar Trinity, has been in the G League since going undrafted out of USC in 2024. He split his 2024/25 season with the Capital City Go-Go and Maine Celtics. Most recently, he suited up for Charlotte’s Summer League squad.
Rodman logged five collegiate seasons with Washington State and the Trojans, averaging 6.1 PPG on .411/.354/.764 shooting. The 6-foot-6 wing also averaged 4.2 RPG, 1.0 APG and 0.5 SPG across his 143 NCAA games.
Exact details of the contract have yet to be divulged, but it is likely to be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal for the 24-year-old. Garrett had also been inked to an Exhibit 10 contract.
Assuming Rodman and Garrett sign G League contracts and spend at least 60 days with the Hornets’ NBAGL affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, each player will be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his base G League salary.
Exhibit 10 signings can be promoted to two-way contracts, but at present, all three of Charlotte’s two-way contract slots are occupied.
Nets Sign Fanbo Zeng
September 22: The Nets have officially finalized their deal with Zeng, who appears on the 21-man training camp roster announced today by the team. He reportedly signed an Exhibit 10 contract.
August 2: Fanbo Zeng, one of the top prospects in China, has agreed to a contract with the Nets, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Zeng, 22, is a 6’10” forward who’s coming off a productive season with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from three-point range.
In 2020, Zeng announced his intention to play college basketball at Gonzaga, but he changed his mind the following spring and committed to the G League Ignite. He appeared in 19 total games for the former independent G League team during the 2021/22 season.
He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers the following summer and played five games for them during Summer League, but he returned to China that fall.
Zeng injured his back in late April during a CBA contest and decided to pull out of the FIBA Asia Games, which start next weekend, according to NetsDaily. The injury, diagnosed as a lumbar transverse process fracture, normally comes with a two- to three-month recovery process, so he should be fine by the start of training camp.
Zeng hired American agents three months ago in an effort to revive his NBA prospects, NetsDaily continues. He should be a featured attraction when Brooklyn travels to Macao in October for two exhibition games against Phoenix.
Scotto doesn’t provide any details about Zeng’s contract, but it may be an Exhibit 10 deal with an invitation to participate in training camp. The Nets already have 10 players with standard contracts, along with three more expected signings and four other players with non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals. They have one open two-way slot, so Zeng could be in position to compete for that.
Joe Dumars Discusses Zion, Expectations For Pelicans, More
As we relayed in a separate story, Joe Dumars told reporters on Monday that Pelicans wings Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones will be full participants in training camp this fall.
New Orleans’ new head of basketball operations made several other comments worth noting during his media session. Here are some highlights:
- Addressing oft-injured star forward Zion Williamson, Dumars said he has reiterated “responsibility” and “accountability” to the former No. 1 overall pick (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic). Dumars also wants Williamson to fully grasp the heightened expectations that come with his level of talent.
- Dumars said he told his colleagues during a meeting with the coaching staff this morning that he doesn’t have any set expectations for the Pelicans this season in terms of wins and losses (Twitter video link via the team). However, he does expect New Orleans to be a “high-competing team every night,” and believes that if that comes to fruition, “the wins will take care of themselves.”
- Dumars said he has been speaking to head coach Willie Green on a daily basis. He added that his offseason communication with the coaching staff has been vital (Twitter link via Guillory).
- According to Guillory (Twitter link), Dumars said the controversial draft-day trade to acquire big man Derik Queen doesn’t mean the Pelicans have a “playoffs-or-bust” approach this season. Dumars said the team was and still is focused on building a deep roster that can be competitive every game.
- Speaking of Queen, Dumars said the Pelicans have been encouraging him to get in better shape while he rehabilitates from wrist surgery, as sideline reporter Erin Summers tweets.
- The Pelicans have been hit hard by injuries for several seasons. Dumars said he has spent extended time with the medical staff and made some “tweaks” to their processes this offseason, per Summers (Twitter link).
- Dumars has been encouraged by Jeremiah Fears‘ work ethic, as the team has had to force the 18-year-old guard to stay out of the gym at times (Twitter link via Summers). New Orleans selected Fears No. 7 overall in June’s draft.
- “In order to be a contender you have to be obsessed with (basketball),” Dumars said, citing Fears and trade acquisition Jordan Poole as players who fit that bill (Twitter link via Summer).
Pacers Sign Ashworth, Felton To Exhibit 10 Contracts
The Pacers have signed guards Steven Ashworth and RJ Felton to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team announced today in a press release.
The announcement specifies the moves were designed for Ashworth and Felton to join the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, which implies both players will be released by Indiana before the season begins. Each player would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Noblesville.
Both players’ agreements with the Pacers were first reported in June, shortly after they went undrafted.
Ashworth spent three years at Utah State before spending his final two college seasons at Creighton. As a “super senior” in 2024/25, he averaged 16.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG and a Big East-best 6.8 APG in 35 games (36.0 MPG) for the Blue Jays.
Felton, who played four years of college ball at East Carolina, averaged 18.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.2 SPG on .414/.376/.743 shooting splits in 30 games (34.5 MPG) last season for the Pirates.
Ashworth and Felton also suited up for the Pacers’ Summer League team in July.
The Pacers currently have a full 21-man roster ahead of training camp.
Suns Sign Tyrese Samuel To Exhibit 10 Deal
The Suns have signed free agent forward Tyrese Samuel, according to RealGM’s official log of NBA transactions. It’s an Exhibit 10 deal, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
A 6’10” big man from Montreal, Samuel spent four seasons at Seton Hall prior to transferring to Florida for a “super senior” season in 2023/24. In 36 games with the Gators, he averaged 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 26.8 minutes per contest, earning a spot on the All-SEC second team.
After going undrafted last year, the 25-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Suns and was waived before the season began. He spent his first post-college season with the G League’s Valley Suns and will likely be headed back to Phoenix’s affiliate team to open ’25/26.
Samuel had a fairly slow start with the Valley Suns during the Tip-Off Tournament last fall, averaging 7.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 16 contests (17.1 MPG). His role was expanded during the regular season, however, and he responded by averaging 10.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 33 games (21.3 MPG).
If Samuel is cut by Phoenix and spends at least 60 days with the Valley Suns this season, he’ll be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his regular NBAGL salary.
Phoenix is now at the offseason limit of 21 players under contract.
Steve Nash Joining Suns As Senior Advisor
Suns owner Mat Isbhia announced (via Twitter) on Monday that former star point guard Steve Nash is “formally joining” the franchise as a senior advisor ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Marc Stein reported in April that Nash was being hired by Amazon Prime Video to be an analyst for its first season as an NBA broadcast partner.
Despite his longtime ties to the Suns and his head coaching experience with Brooklyn, Nash reportedly wasn’t interested in the Suns’ head coaching job this spring, a position that eventually went to veteran assistant Jordan Ott. But Nash will have another basketball-related role with the organization where he enjoyed his most success as a player.
During his 10 years in Phoenix, Nash won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 and finished second in voting 2007. The 6’3″ Canadian was named first-team All-NBA three straight years, had a pair of second teams nods, made six All-Star appearances, and won five assists titles.
Nash, 51, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Advisors often have less formal (and less stressful) roles than coaches, so it’s not surprising that Nash decided to take on this new venture, particularly since he said last year that he didn’t intend to continue coaching and was focused on spending time with his family.
Nash, who played his college ball at Santa Clara and had NBA stints with the Mavericks and Lakers, compiled a 94-67 (.584) record in two-plus regular seasons as Brooklyn’s coach, including a 7-9 (.438) mark in the postseason. He was fired following a 2-5 start to the 2022/23 season.
Nash was a part-time consultant with the Warriors before landing the Nets job. He also interviewed for the Raptors’ head coaching position in 2023.
Jrue Holiday ‘Excited’ About Joining Blazers, Not Thinking About Retirement
Although one report in June claimed that Jrue Holiday wasn’t thrilled about being traded from Boston to Portland, there has been no indication since then that the veteran guard is unhappy about his new situation. Speaking to DJ Siddiqi of RG.org, Holiday expressed enthusiasm about the coming season and about the talent on the Trail Blazers‘ roster.
“The goal is to win and to make some noise,” Holiday said. “I think that after the last few years of what has happened after Damian Lillard being traded — and then now Dame’s back — I think it’s an exciting time here in Portland. It’s an exciting time to be a Trail Blazer, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Holiday, who has three years and $104.4MM left on his contract, was traded straight up for Anfernee Simons, who is on an expiring $27.7MM deal. It was a financially motivated move for the Celtics. For Portland, it was an opportunity to bring in a championship-winning veteran to lead by example for the team’s rising young guards, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, who are 21 and 22 years old, respectively.
“I don’t think y’all understand, like, Scoot and Shaedon are so athletic and so smart the way that they play the game,” Holiday told Siddiqi. “They’re going to be so good, and I feel like all they need is time. I feel like the time is now, because they have all the tools. I’m super excited to play with them.”
Holiday won’t be the only veteran mentor for those young guards — Lillard returned to the Blazers this summer after spending two years in Milwaukee, and head coach Chauncey Billups is a Hall of Famer who made five All-Star teams and won an NBA Finals MVP as a point guard. Holiday is looking forward to teaming up with both of them, noting that he admired how Billups played the game.
“I’m old enough to have watched him play,” Holiday said. “He was one of the guys who I wouldn’t necessarily say mirrored my game after. But I felt like I played similar to how he played. He was very smart, he was obviously more than solid on one side of the ball. The way that he thinks the game, I feel like I think the game the same way. … How he controlled the game just from his personality, and you can see as a coach, he’s kind of brought that over from as a player to a coach and instilled it.”
Billups spent 17 seasons playing in the NBA, which will be the benchmark that Holiday reaches in 2025/26. However, asked by Siddiqi how much longer he wants to play, the former UCLA standout suggested that retirement isn’t in his short-term plans.
“Just kind of going with it,” Holiday said. “I’ve been blessed enough to play for this long, and I’ve never taken that for granted. I know this is a dream come true for most young kids, but I know 17 years is a dream come true for any 35-year-old who gets a chance to stay as healthy as possible and to play the game that they love. I’ll just continue playing until I can’t anymore.”