Pacific Notes: Suns, Looney, Monk, Niederhauser
The Suns are embracing a new identity, writes Gerald Bourguet for Go PHNX. With Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant gone and Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach, and Rasheer Fleming in, the team has pivoted towards a younger, more athletic team construction around the recently extended Devin Booker.
The Suns now enter into a phase they will find unprecedented during the brief tenure of Mat Ishbia‘s ownership: one of patience. However, Bourguet writes that Ishbia’s own words make the concept of following through on a more long-term team build a question mark.
“When I make a mistake or things don’t go well, I change fast,” Ishbia said during exit interviews this spring. “We make quick moves, and I’m not afraid to do that… Patience isn’t gonna be my strongest suit, okay? We’re gonna try to compete and win, and we’re gonna get better.”
However, Ishbia did give reason to hope.
“I’m very patient if I think we’re on the right path and plan,” Ishbia said. “So, say it again, I expect us to win more games next year. But let’s just say we lost more games next year, but it was aligned, the vision and the tone that I’m gonna set, and we’re on a path, then we’re gonna go that way.”
We have more from the Pacific division:
- Kevon Looney‘s departure from the Warriors was facilitated in part by his lack of playing time, especially in the playoffs, as Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “It was anybody but me it seemed like at this point. It wasn’t no one moment,” he explained during an appearance on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast. “Even this year, probably the playoffs. We going up against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do.” Looney added that after 10 seasons in Golden State, he didn’t feel like he should still have to prove himself or his worth. “When you prove yourself the first four, five years, all right, cool. But after 10 years of it, it’s like, all right. You either trust me or you don’t.” He added that he knows the coaching decisions from Steve Kerr weren’t personal, but he still felt that he drew the short end of the stick in Kerr’s quest to win.
- After the rumored Kings sign-and-trade of Malik Monk to bring in Dennis Schröder never took place, Monk is ready to do what’s needed to win, writes Will Zimmerle for SI.com. The Kings now have Schröder and Zach LaVine as their presumed starting backcourt, and despite Monk expressing a desire to be a starter in the league in the past, he’s reportedly willing to go to the bench if that’s what coach Doug Christie needs. “Malik has told Doug Christie, ‘I will do whatever you need, even if that includes coming off the bench,'” Matt George of ABC10 said on a recent ESPN radio show. “I don’t think he’s going to pout or throw a fit about it.” Monk was runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year in 2023/24, but split time as a starter last year and put up career-highs in points (17.2) and assists (5.6) per game.
- The Clippers‘ first-round pick, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, showed different skills in each of his first three Summer League games, writes Broderick Turner of the LA Times. While defense is his primary selling point, he was able to display some of the offensive package that intrigued the Clippers enough to select him with the No. 30 pick in the 2025 draft. “That’s the guard skills I was talking about,” Niederhauser said of a high-energy dunk he was able to throw down over a defender on a fast break. Those guard skills come from when he was a 6’5″ 16-year-old, before the growth spurt that shot him up to 6’11” and cemented his future as a center. “For a guy that’s his age, he’s still learning and growing into his frame that he hasn’t really had his whole life,” said general manager Trent Redden. “We just haven’t had a guy that size at that position in a backup role that’s young that we can feed into and give to our developmental staff.” Niederhauser enters a developmental situation where he can learn from two high-level defensive bigs in Brook Lopez and Ivica Zubac.
Atlantic Notes: Bridges, Hansen, Knicks Summer League, Embiid
The Knicks and Mikal Bridges have yet to agree to an extension. There’s a chance the team has an ulterior motive for putting off a new deal, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (video link).
While it’s likely not the only factor, Begley believes the lingering uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s status regarding his future with the Bucks may be playing a part in the lack of movement on a deal between the Knicks and Bridges.
“With the Knicks and all the other teams kind of keeping an eye on Milwaukee and what may or may not happen there, I think one of the reasons why he has not been extended yet is because once you extend him, you cannot trade him for six months, Begley said on an episode of The Putback. “I think that’s why you haven’t seen Bridges extended yet. When he does extend, I think that would tell you Giannis is put to bed, is off the table in a sense.”
The Knicks’ potential interest in the two-time MVP has been well documented. While the offseason noise surrounding Antetokounmpo has quieted since the acquisition of Myles Turner and the departure of Damian Lillard, the matter might not be closed yet.
We have more from around the Atlantic division:
- According to Nets Daily (via Twitter), the general manager of the Qingdao Eagles stated that Yang Hansen had a promise from the Nets if he fell to No. 19 in the 2025 draft. Danny Marang of 1080 The Fan tweets that the Trail Blazers were unwilling to trade further down than No. 16 due to Hansen’s stock rising in the lead-up to the draft. The Blazers ultimately traded from 11th to 16th overall to select the former Eagles center.
- The Knicks have posted a 1-3 Summer League record with a mixed bag of performances, even from their rostered players, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Tyler Kolek shook off a brutal start to display some self-creation flashes, but overall was too loose with the ball for someone billed as a floor general, says Edwards. Pacome Dadiet and Kevin McCullar‘s shooting struggles continued, but both were effective getting to the rim. The standout on the team was the team’s second-round draft pick, Mohamed Diawara, who showed an interesting set of ball skills and physical tools and may have played his way into conversations surrounding a two-way contract.
- The recent Joel Embiid feature from ESPN revealed the lack of trust Embiid has in the Sixers organization when it comes to his health, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey (subscription required), who also took the article as a sign that regardless of what the team wants, he will only return from his injury rehab when he’s ready. Pompey adds that the article suggested the team’s culture and lack of top-down cohesiveness under Sam Hinkie hasn’t significantly improved and that for Daryl Morey and the organization to restore the faith of fans, only winning will help.
More Details Emerge On Rozier Federal Investigation
Terry Rozier‘s status in conjunction with a federal probe into suspicious bets gained some clarity today, thanks to a report from ESPN’s David Purdum.
Rozier has not been charged with or accused of wrongdoing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, but neither has he been cleared, as reports this week indicated.
According to Purdum, the investigation stems from a game Rozier played with the Hornets on March 23, 2023. Ahead of the game, one bettor placed 30 wagers in 46 minutes on the “unders” on Rozier-related prop bets. All 30 bets won after the guard only played 10 minutes in the game before leaving with a foot issue, despite not being on the injury report prior to tip-off. The game was Rozier’s last of the season.
These bets were placed at a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, which flagged them as suspicious but ultimately paid out the winnings of $13,759. At the same time, there was a rush on multiple sportsbooks in New Orleans of “under” bets on Rozier props, which led to a halt being placed on those bets later in the day.
Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said that Rozier is not the subject of the investigation, though that was not confirmed nor denied by the U.S. Attorney’s office.
“My hope and expectation is that at some point that they’ll be done with their investigation and will be professional enough to let us know that it’s 100 percent over and that they reached the same conclusion that was reached in 2023,” Trusty said, referencing Rozier’s initial meetings with the FBI and NBA in 2023, which Trusty said resulted in an initial decision of no wrongdoing.
The federal investigation surrounding Rozier is the same one that led to Jontay Porter‘s ban from the NBA, and Purdum reports that there was overlap in the betting accounts that wagered on the two players, though Trusty stated that Rozier has no connections with any of those implicated in Porter’s case.
Keaton Wallace Signs Two-Way Contract With Hawks
Keaton Wallace has signed his two-way qualifying offer with the Hawks, reports Lauren Williams for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).
Wallace had been extended a two-way qualifying offer earlier in the summer, which is equivalent to a one-year, two-way deal with $85,300 in guaranteed money.
Wallace, the older brother of the Thunder’s Cason Wallace, played 31 games for Atlanta last season and averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 assists in 16.2 minutes per night. In the five games he started, he averaged 13.8 points, 8.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 steals, though he shot 29.4% from three in those games and 32.9% from three for the season.
The Hawks have had a productive offseason, bringing in a multitude of contributors, including Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and rookie Asa Newell, but while the team has become very deep on the wing, Wallace provides some needed depth at the point guard spot behind Trae Young and Kobe Bufkin.
Heat Notes: Spoelstra, Roster Spots, Smith, Jakucionis
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra doesn’t put much stock in the idea of the Eastern Conference being wide open, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“You can’t think that just because there have been some changes in rosters or some injuries that, ‘Oh, now we have a chance,’” Spoestra said. “That’s kind of a loser’s mentality. We want to compete at the highest level regardless of who’s out there.”
Instead, Spoelstra and the Heat staff are focused on figuring out what went wrong last season, including the team’s 8-17 record in close games, the third-worst mark in the league. The Heat also led the league with 22 blown double-digit leads and 21 blown fourth-quarter leads.
“Those close games are something that we’ve really analyzed,” he said. “That can change the trajectory of your season if you handle those moments of truth better, if you have a few more wins out of those groupings of games that were very winnable with fourth-quarter leads and that kind of stuff.”
Spoelstra feels that the team is heading into the coming season with a renewed focus and commitment to figuring out how to succeed.
“You can feel the energy, you can feel the excitement building,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be all there right now. But look, it’s happening organically. I feel it myself, the staff feels it, the players feel it.”
We have more from Miami:
- The Heat have an open roster spot, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to fill it, Chiang writes in a mailbag for the Miami Herald. Miami is currently around $1.3MM over the luxury tax line and approximately $4.2MM below the first apron. Chiang writes that the goal for this season is to finish below the tax line, thereby dodging the repeater tax after spending the last two seasons as a taxpaying team. Chiang believes that Miami making a trade to cut salary sometime before the trade deadline is more likely than the team filling the 15th roster spot heading into the regular season. The Heat have until the end of the season to get below the luxury tax if they want to avoid the repeater tax.
- Not only do the Heat have an open standard roster spot, but they also have a pair of two-way openings. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that after a disappointing Summer League showing, they may have to wait to add another prospect to the roster alongside Vladislav Goldin, who is currently the only player on a two-way deal for Miami. Winderman notes that one spot is expected to go to Dru Smith, who has a qualifying offer, once he recovers from his Achilles tear.
- Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis called his play at the Las Vegas Summer League a work in progress. “I’m adapting to the game. It’s a little bit different,” he said. “I’m just trying to control what I can control to give my 100% and work on the defensive end. I’m trying to get the rhythm back.” One thing that’s important for the rookie is not overindexing or getting too high or low based on whether shots fall: “It’s basketball. One day, you miss. Another day, you make. I’m working on that.”
Bradley Beal Signs With Clippers
Bradley Beal has officially signed with the Clippers, reports Law Murray of The Athletic (via Twitter). Beal cleared waivers at 4:00 pm Central time on Friday after having been officially waived by the Suns on Wednesday.
As previously reported, Beal’s deal with L.A. uses the remainder of the team’s mid-level exception. It’s worth $5,354,000 in year one, followed by a $5,621,700 player option for 2026/27.
“Players of this caliber are very rare, and they’re hard to come by,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said in a press release announcing the deal. “You can put him in so many different spots and he’ll find ways to score: out of pick-and-roll, coming off screens, catch-and-shoot. He can create his own or he can play off the ball. He’s a great cutter. He’s also a great playmaker who is going to make everybody else better. I’m excited he’s with us.”
In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein said, “The Clippers want the most aggressive and dynamic version of Brad. That’s music to his ears.”
Beal averaged 17.0 points and 3.7 assists per game last season for the Suns while splitting time between the starting lineup and a reserve role. The career 37.6% three-point shooter will join a Clippers team that has loaded up its bench with accomplished veterans like John Collins and Brook Lopez as they look to cement themselves as a contender around star Kawhi Leonard.
Chuma Okeke Expected To Sign With Real Madrid
Chuma Okeke is finalizing a deal to join Real Madrid, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Okeke, a former Auburn standout who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Magic after being drafted with the No. 16 pick in 2019, appeared in seven games with the Sixers last season and five with the Cavaliers, including three in the playoffs.
The 26-year-old spent the majority of the year with the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester, where he averaged 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per contest.
Orazio Cauchi of Basket News, who first reported that Okeke and Real Madrid were in advanced talks, says the 6’6″ wing is expected to primarily helm the power forward spot for the Spanish club.
Assuming a deal is finalized, Okeke would join former NBA players Facundo Campazzo, Theo Maledon, Mario Hezonja, Edy Tavares, Usman Garuba, Bruno Fernando, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes on Madrid’s roster.
Timberwolves’ New Owners Prepared To Continue Paying Tax
After paying a franchise-record $90.4MM in luxury tax penalties last season, the Timberwolves are now under new ownership. But the transfer from Glen Taylor to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez won’t make the team any less inclined to pay a tax bill, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
As Vorkunov relays, Lore said this week that he and Rodriguez are prepared to continue being taxpayers as long as they think it benefits the franchise in both the short and long term.
“We think about it like we do a startup, where startups lose money, but they’re investing because it’s creating enterprise value over the long term,” Lore said. “And I think that’s the way we think about. It is investing in the team, in winning, creates long-term franchise value. That’s not over the next three to five years, but 10 to 20, the next 50 years, even.
“So, we’re prepared to invest, we’re prepared to lose money to create a winning culture. But a sustainable winning culture, not just a one year — you’re not going to see us do what maybe people might expect us to do, which is come in as owners and make some big flashy move. We’re being very methodical about the decisions we make, and we’re thinking in every decision what’s in the best interest of building a long-term, sustainable culture of winning.”
While the Timberwolves have fallen short of a championship, they’ve appeared in the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons and were able to re-sign forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid to new deals in free agency this month. Those signings pushed Minnesota’s team salary well above the tax line again in 2025/26.
However, because the Wolves aren’t as far above the tax line this season, don’t qualify as a repeater taxpayer, and will benefit from reduced penalties for the first two tax brackets, their year-end tax bill should come in significantly lower than last season’s $90MM+. Their projected bill will depend on how they fill out their roster — they currently have 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts.
Nuggets’ Tenzer: ‘No Concerns’ About Valanciunas Reporting To Camp
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Friday, Nuggets general manager Ben Tenzer said the team has “no concerns” about the possibility of newly added center Jonas Valanciunas not showing up for training camp this fall, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link).
“We’ve had great conversations with him,” Tenzer said. “There’s been nothing but healthy conversations in terms of him honoring his contract and him excited to be a Nugget.”
Two days after the Nuggets reached a trade agreement with the Kings early in free agency to acquire Valanciunas in exchange for Dario Saric, the Lithuanian big man’s future became a hot topic of discussion, as word broke that he was close to accepting a three-year contract offer from the Greek team Panathinaikos.
There’s some precedent for a European-born player giving up his entire guaranteed NBA salary in order to secure his release and get FIBA clearance to play for a non-NBA team — Sasha Vezenkov did it just last year. However, the Nuggets were never motivated to let Valanciunas out of his contract, even if he were willing to forfeit his full $10.4MM salary, since they’ve long had their eye on him and view him as an ideal backup for star center Nikola Jokic.
As rumors about Panathianikos continued to swirl, reports indicated that the Nuggets had told Valanciunas’ camp they expected him to honor his contract, and the trade was officially completed this past Sunday. Since then, head coach David Adelman has spoken about how he envisions using Valanciunas, and now Tenzer has publicly confirmed that there are no plans for a buyout.
For his part, Valanciunas hasn’t publicly said he intends to report to the Nuggets and play out the 2025/26 season in the NBA, so it’s possible he could still look to press the issue. But for the time being, all signs are pointing to him being in Denver this fall.
Valanciunas’ contract features a non-guaranteed $10MM salary for 2026/27 in addition to his $10.4MM guaranteed salary for the coming season.
Derik Queen Undergoes Wrist Surgery, Will Be Reevaluated In 12 Weeks
Pelicans rookie Derik Queen has undergone surgery to address a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, the team announced today in a press release.
Queen sustained the injury in Tuesday’s Summer League game vs. Portland in Las Vegas and underwent the procedure days later in Los Angeles. He’s expected to be reevaluated in approximately 12 weeks, according to the Pelicans. Training camp is scheduled to get underway in about 10-and-a-half weeks.
Queen was selected with the 13th overall pick last month after the Pelicans sent Atlanta this year’s No. 23 selection and an unprotected 2026 first-rounder (the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks) for the right to draft the Maryland big man, who was highly productive in his freshman season with the Terrapins. He averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 30.4 minutes per contest across 36 total games, helping guide Maryland to a 27-9 record and a spot in the Sweet 16.
In three Summer League appearances for the Pelicans this month, Queen averaged 14.0 points per game and ranked first among players in Vegas in both rebounds (11.0) and turnovers (5.7) per contest.
A torn scapholunate ligament isn’t an uncommon injury among NBA players, with Thunder forward Jalen Williams the latest player to undergo surgery to address the issue. The timeline the Pelicans provided for their next update on Queen also doesn’t come as a surprise, since the ailment generally requires a few months to come back from — when Hornets forward Brandon Miller underwent surgery on January 23 of this year to repair the torn scapholunate ligament in his wrist, for instance, he was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Still, it’s a disappointing setback for New Orleans and for Queen, who won’t be ready for the start of training camp and whose availability for the start of the regular season is also very much up in the air.
Queen is one of several key Pelicans players who is now in the process of recovering from a major surgery. Dejounte Murray is coming off an Achilles tear, while Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy underwent procedures to repair labrum/rotator cuff tears during the second half of the 2024/25 season.