Southeast Notes: Whitmore, Coulibaly, F. Wagner, Howard, Sexton
The Rockets were thrilled when Cam Whitmore was still on the board at No. 20 in the 2023 draft, but his two seasons in Houston were marked by inconsistent playing time with occasional flashes of brilliance. With the Wizards visiting Toyota Center tonight, coach Ime Udoka told reporters there was a “number crunch” working against Whitmore, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle.
“We’ve kind of always had depth since I’ve been here, and he kind of got caught in that shuffle,” Udoka said. “And then just some of the things we stressed offensively, defensively for improvement we wanted to see (from) him and he’d be a little up and down with that. But happy for the opportunity he’s getting now and hopefully takes advantage of that.”
It likely would have been even harder for Whitmore to earn regular minutes in the wake of the Kevin Durant trade, so the Rockets opted to deal him to Washington in July in exchange for a pair of second-round picks. Whitmore got off to a slow start with his new team, but he has scored 19 and 20 points in his last two outings.
“Going to a new situation with a young team, it’s going to take a little bit of time, and just him being young in his career as well, but (he has) all the talent and potential in the world,” Udoka said. “And so just to kind of see what he did the last two games, and that’s what Cam has done when he gets regular opportunity.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Wizards coach Brian Keefe said forward Bilal Coulibaly is making progress toward returning from a bruised left calf, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Shankar adds that Coulibaly was doing “limited work” at the end of this morning’s shootaround. He’s missing his fourth straight game tonight, and Keefe didn’t offer a timetable for when he might be ready to play.
- Magic forward Franz Wagner plans to wear a mask “for a couple games, probably” after suffering a broken nose on Monday, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Wagner wasn’t listed on the injury report for tonight’s game in New York, and his teammates aren’t surprised that he decided to keep playing. “He looks savage with the mask,” Paolo Banchero said. “Unfortunate that he has the nose injury, but Franz is a warrior. He’s not going to sit out for nothing. I didn’t even know he broke the nose.”
- Jett Howard has barely been used for most of the season, but he played 19 minutes in Monday’s win over Portland, Beede adds in the same piece. The forward’s NBA future is uncertain after the Magic declined his fourth-year option, but he’s determined to find ways to help the team. “I’m just trying to stay mentally level as much as possible and just control what I can control,” Howard said.
- Collin Sexton has been a valuable addition for the Hornets, but hasn’t been seeing many minutes during crunch time. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer explores the reason for that.
Southeast Notes: Suggs, Spoelstra, Cavs/Wizards, Coulibaly
Magic guard Jalen Suggs underwent season-ending surgery in March to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee, then spent the offseason recovering from that procedure and going through a lengthy rehab process. The 24-year-old didn’t appear in any preseason games last month, and has been on a minutes restriction to open 2025/26, averaging just 19.6 MPG through seven contests.
Jamahl Mosley was asked on Friday when Suggs might be cleared for an increased workload, but Orlando’s head coach gave an evasive answer, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel relays (via Twitter).
“You’d like to try and ramp him up a little bit more but you want to be careful for the long haul of the season, being smart with it,” Mosley said. ” … The more we can get his minutes up, the better it’ll be because then there’s a routine and a continuity that can happen when you’d have similar lineups on the floor.”
Despite the relatively limited amount of playing time, Suggs has been very productive this season, averaging 11.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.1 RPG and 1.7 SPG on .551/.448/.909 shooting. The former No. 5 overall pick also has the best net rating differential on the team (+14.5 when he’s playing; -5.9 when he’s not).
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Erik Spoelstra‘s home burned down in a fire early Thursday morning. On Friday, the Heat head coach said he was grateful for the community’s support in the wake of the devastating blaze, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. No person was injured in the fire, nor was the family’s dog. “I just want to thank everybody for this overwhelming support,” Spoelstra said, with his sons on either side of him as he spoke and his daughter in his lap. “The South Florida community has just been absolutely remarkable. People reaching out, wanting to help. It’s obviously been something that’s uniquely challenging for our family, but Spoelstras are resilient.”
- There was a scoring error during Thursday’s game between the Cavaliers and Wizards, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link). With 8:15 remaining in the second quarter, Wizards guard Tre Johnson made both of his free throws, but the first was recorded as a miss. The final score and statistics have been corrected, according to the league. The error didn’t materially impact the game, which Cleveland won in lopsided fashion (148-115 after the correction).
- Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly missed his second straight game on Saturday with a left calf contusion, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The French wing, who was selected seventh overall in the 2023 draft, was out for the first four games of the season while recovering from thumb surgery.
Injury Notes: Mavs Bigs, Curry, Reaves, Coulibaly, Nets
The Mavericks have been shorthanded in the frontcourt as of late, and that will likely continue for at least another game. According to Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link), Anthony Davis is listed by the team as doubtful for Friday’s matchup against the Grizzlies, while Dereck Lively II will remain out for a sixth straight game.
Davis has missed the Mavs’ past three games after exiting the October 29 matchup against the Pacers in the first quarter. Prior to that, he was averaging 25.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per night, though Dallas was off to a slow start, with a 1-3 record in the full games he played.
Lively has only played three games this season and averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He’s averaging a career-low 17.0 minutes per contest in the early going, despite starting all three games.
The Mavs are currently tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 2-6.
We have more news on injuries around the league:
- Stephen Curry will miss the Warriors‘ NBA Cup opener on Friday against the Nuggets due to an illness sustained on the team’s recent road trip, reports Anthony Slater for ESPN. Slater writes that Curry began feeling symptomatic heading into the team’s matchup with the Suns on Tuesday, and admitted post-game that he felt drained in the second half. Curry will not travel with the team, but instead will stay in the Bay Area and prepare for Sunday’s game against the Pacers. Draymond Green, who has a rib contusion, is listed as probable, while Jimmy Butler is questionable due to a lower back strain. Kerr said that both players are hopeful to suit up against Denver after sitting out Wednesday in Sacramento.
- Lakers‘ coach JJ Redick says that Austin Reaves is “TBD” for the team’s next game on Saturday against the Hawks, reports Dave McMenamin (via Twitter). The club is being cautious as Reaves looks to return from a groin injury. McMenamin notes that Reaves tested the injury prior to Wednesday’s contest with the Spurs, but the medical staff ultimately decided to keep him sidelined.
- Wizards‘ third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly is listed as out for Friday’s game against the Cavs, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Coulibaly, who missed the team’s first four games while recovering from thumb surgery, exited the contest on Wednesday with lower left leg tightness. Robbins adds that Khris Middleton is available to play after missing the previous two games.
- The Nets will be missing Cam Thomas against the Pistons on Friday after he suffered a left hamstring injury, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). Rookies Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf are also out while on assignment with the team’s G League affiliate, though Drake Powell has been upgraded to questionable from his ankle injury. Terance Mann, who is dealing with left shoulder soreness, is probable to play.
Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, George, Lottery, Wall, Haywood
Third-year Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly had an impressive season debut in Thursday’s loss to Oklahoma City, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic details.
Coulibaly missed the entire preseason and the first four games of 2025/26 after undergoing surgery last month to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The 21-year-old suffered that injury while playing for the French national team at EuroBasket 2025.
Coulibaly, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer after having his fourth-year option for 2026/27 exercised, recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks in 24 minutes against the Thunder. While the statistics speak for themselves, the manner in which the French wing produced was an encouraging sign for the Wizards, Robbins writes.
“I’ve worked too much to be passive and all that,” Coulibaly said afterward. “I’m just trying to be as active as possible this year. Every possession, everybody’s got to feel me. I think it will be a really good step up.”
The seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft, Coulibaly was immediately reinserted into the starting lineup, with Bub Carrington moving to the bench. Head coach Brian Keefe likes the defensive versatility of Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr, and believes they can eventually form the “backbone of a top defense,” according to Robbins.
“He thinks we are guys that can really defend and be on top of the league at some point,” Coulibaly said.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- George, who will get more on-ball reps with the starters now that Carrington is running the second unit, recently spoke to Grant Afseth of RG.org about a number of topics, including what has led to his strong start to the season. The 21-year-old guard/forward says he hasn’t just been working to improve his on-court skills, but his leadership as well. “I think it ties into the player I want to be in the future — one of the best,” George told Afseth. “And I think to be one of the best, you’ve got to be a leader and you’ve got to be aggressive on the court. I worked a whole lot during the offseason. I was in Washington most of my offseason for a reason, and I think now it’s just about me putting it into practice in the game.”
- While it’s promising that George, Sarr, Coulibaly and Tre Johnson, among others, appear to be taking steps forward in their development, the Wizards will still need lottery luck next year if they hope to find a star-level talent, contends David Aldridge of The Athletic. As Aldridge observes, the 2026 draft class is considered very strong at the top, with Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer all viewed as having considerable upside.
- Former Wizards star John Wall and ex-Wizards big man Brendan Haywood have joined the team’s local broadcasts as analysts on Monumental Sports Network, as Scott Allen of The Washington Post relays (subscriber link).
Wizards Pick Up 2026/27 Options On Six Players
9:59 am: The Wizards have officially exercised those six options, the team confirmed in a press release.
7:54 am: The Wizards will exercise their team options for the 2026/27 season on the rookie scale contracts of six players, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Those players are as follows:
- Alex Sarr (third year, $12,370,680)
- Bilal Coulibaly (fourth year, $9,240,012)
- Cam Whitmore (fourth year, $5,458,310)
- Bub Carrington (third year, $4,900,560)
- AJ Johnson (third year, $3,237,120)
- Kyshawn George (third year, $3,108,000)
Coulibaly and Whitmore were selected seventh and 20th overall, respectively, in the 2023 draft, while Sarr (No. 2), Carrington (No. 14), Johnson (No. 23), and George (No. 24) were drafted in 2024. In total, they’ll earn roughly $38.3MM during the 2026/27 season.
While Johnson, who was acquired from Milwaukee in last season’s Khris Middleton/Kyle Kuzma trade, has only seen garbage-time action so far this season and Coulibaly has yet to make his season debut following offseason thumb surgery, the other four players in this group are either starting or have regular roles off the bench for Washington through four games this season.
George and Sarr, in particular, are off to strong starts. George, the team’s leading scorer, has averaged 20.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game and made 53.8% of his three-point shots; Sarr has put up 19.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 2.0 BPG.
Coulibaly and Whitmore will now become eligible to sign rookie scale extensions as of July 2026 and would reach restricted free agency in 2027 if they don’t sign new contracts next year. The Wizards will have to decide next fall on fourth-year (2027/28) options for Sarr, Carrington, Johnson, and George, assuming they’re all still on the roster by that point.
Rookie scale team option decisions for 2026/27 are due on Friday. We’re tracking all of them right here.
Wizards’ Coulibaly Set To Make Season Debut
Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly has been cleared to make his regular season debut, according to head coach Brian Keefe, who told reporters today that Coulibaly will be available for Thursday’s game in Oklahoma City (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
The seventh overall pick of the 2023 draft, Coulibaly underwent surgery last month to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He suffered that injury while playing for the French national team at EuroBasket 2025 and missed the entire preseason, as well as the first four games of the regular season.
Coulibaly was a full-time starter for the Wizards in 2024/25, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 33.0 minutes per game across 59 outings. Although his shooting percentages slipped to 42.1% from the field and 28.1% on three-point attempts, the 6’8″ wing has shown some promise as a two-way wing and just turned 21 in July.
So far this season, the Wizards have been using a starting five of Bub Carrington, CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton, and Alex Sarr, which has posted a net rating of -7.2 in 69 minutes of action. It’s unclear if Coulibaly will be reinserted into the lineup in place of one of those players or if he’ll come off the bench initially.
Coulibaly is one of six Washington players whose contract includes a rookie scale team option for 2026/27. The Wizards have until Friday’s deadline to make decisions on those, and it would come as a major surprise if they don’t pick up their $9.24MM fourth-year option on Coulibaly.
Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, A. Johnson, T. Johnson, Rebuild
Third-year Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly will be sidelined for Wednesday’s regular season opener in Milwaukee, head coach Brian Keefe told reporters, including Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick of the 2023 draft, underwent right thumb surgery on September 12 after suffering a torn ligament in the digit while playing for the French national team at EuroBasket 2025. A subsequent report stated the 21-year-old would likely be out six-to-eight weeks, so he may remain on the shelf for a little while beyond opening night.
A 6’8″ wing, Coulibaly was a full-time starter for Washington in 2024/25, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 59 games (33.0 MPG). His second season was cut short due to a hamstring injury he sustained in March.
Second-year guard AJ Johnson, meanwhile, will be good to go against the Bucks after missing the entire preseason with a leg bruise.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Robbins of The Athletic spoke to five anonymous scouts from rival teams to learn what they think of rookie guard Tre Johnson, whom the Wizards selected sixth overall in June. As Robbins notes, Coulibaly and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr were rightly viewed by scouts as defensive prospects, whereas Johnson is known for his offense — particularly his jump shot. There are question marks about the 19-year-old’s defense, but one talent evaluator thinks Johnson could develop into the third-best player on a contender, comparing his ceiling to a player who made his first All-Star appearance last season. “I don’t know that he gets to the Tyler Herro level,” the scout told Robbins. “But could that be the best-case scenario for him, a guy who can create a little bit off the dribble? Maybe he follows that. I think he’s got a chance to be a little bit better defensively than Tyler but maybe not as good offensively if the shooting doesn’t get to Tyler’s level. If it all goes well, and he kind of progresses along, that’s not a crazy projection for him.”
- In a column for The Washington Post, Candace Buckner questions whether the Wizards’ rebuild is on track — and whether it’s possible to even answer that question. As Buckner observes, the team appears no closer to being competitive than it was two years ago when the current front office — led by president Michael Winger — took over from the previous regime. The uncertainty of how long it will take to break out of the prolonged stretch of losing will eventually start to wear on everyone involved, Buckner adds, even as the Wizards publicly preach patience.
- In case you missed it, the Wizards set their roster for the regular season by waiving second-year forward Dillon Jones on Sunday. You can read more details right here.
And-Ones: Core Trios, MVP, Hayward, NBA App
Tim Bontemps of ESPN ranks the core trios of every NBA team based on their current and future value. Unsurprisingly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the defending champion Thunder sit atop Bontemps’ tiered list, followed by the Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Bontemps’ final tier (“rebuilding”) is comprised of the Nets (Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore), Trail Blazers (Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe), Jazz (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton, Lauri Markkanen), and Wizards (Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Using six categories (narrative score, expected ridiculous stats score, team quality score, clutch score, player impact score, and perceived value score), Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a stab at predicting who will win the NBA’s MVP award in 2025/26. Jokic, who was the runner-up last season, earns the most points (55/60), followed by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander (50/60) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50/60), who finished third in voting last season. However, Harper’s “gut” says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (45/60) will claim his first MVP.
- Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who retired last summer after a 14-year career in the league, is returning to his alma mater in a new role. According to a Butler press release written by John Dedman, Hayward will be an executive basketball advisor for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. In addition to advising in multiple areas, Hayward will also serve as a mentor to student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and professional development.
- The NBA announced in a press release that it has launched a new multi-platform streaming offering as well as the “reimagined” NBA TV, both of which can be accessed via the NBA App. There’s also a new flagship program on NBA TV and the NBA App called “The Association,” which features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, among others.
Southeast Notes: Suggs, Da Silva, Sarr, Coulibaly, Hawks
Magic guard Jalen Suggs admits that the rehab process after knee surgery has made this the most difficult summer of his NBA career, but adds that he’s “feeling really good” as training camp approaches, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Suggs was limited to 35 games last season by a combination of back, quad and knee issues. He was shut down after undergoing surgery in early March and has used the offseason to get his body right again.
“A big part of getting the operation over, just cleaning it, was so that there was no looking back, there was no changing my movement patterns or anything like that,” Suggs said. “Just taking care of it the first time so when coming back when it was time to really play instinctually, which I feel like is part of what my gift is, moving and trusting those instincts, I can do it without a doubt.”
Orlando was hampered by long-term injuries to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as well as Suggs last season and had to go through the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs. Expectations will be much higher this year with all three stars fully healthy for camp and Desmond Bane added in an offseason trade. Suggs is optimistic that he’ll be able to hold up after a summer of conditioning.
“I’m feeling healthy, feeling strong,” he said. “The rest of my body feels amazing. I have really gotten the time to work on all of it. I think this is the best my upper body has felt in terms of look, of functional strength. … The best that my lower body is feeling. The knee is coming along, but I’m just really getting to work on minute muscles and really detailed parts about my body that have just been overlooked up to this point.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Magic forward Tristan Da Silva got to team up with his brother and bring home a gold medal at EuroBasket, Beede writes in a full story. Wagner and Orlando assistant coach Randy Gregory were also part of the unbeaten German team, and they’re hoping the experience translates to the NBA. “(Head coach Jamahl) Mosley is very intrigued by what we did and wants to learn and wants to see how he can get better off of it,” Da Silva said. “With the way Franz played over the summer, a lot of guys are going to look his way and follow his lead in terms of demeanor and the way they approach the games.”
- Wizards center Alex Sarr, who suffered a right calf injury during EuroBasket, will miss the start of training camp, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. It doesn’t sound like a long-term issue, as general manager Will Dawkins told reporters that the team is “hopeful that he’ll see some time towards the end of that.” Dawkins added that Bilal Coulibaly, who underwent thumb ligament surgery earlier this month, is expected to be ready for the first or second week of the regular season (Twitter link).
- Ashton Smith, who worked as a player development coach with the Hawks last season, has been promoted to an assistant coach, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link).
Bilal Coulibaly Expected To Miss 6-8 Weeks
It was recently announced that Wizards‘ wing Bilal Coulibaly underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb that he suffered during his time with the French national team competing at EuroBasket. Grant Afseth of RG has now provided an update on the timeline of Coulibaly’s recovery process.
According to Afseth, the 21-year-old is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, which means he’ll likely be sidelined for at least the first week of the season, which tips off on October 21. Afseth notes that even if Coulibaly were to get back to full health on the earlier side of that timeline, he would still have to undergo a full return-to-competition ramp-up.
“Usually, you’re not touching a basketball, unless it’s just to do off-hand work, until that six-week mark,” a source told Afseth. “Then he’d have to do contact work before playing.”
Coulibaly averaged 12.3 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game for the Wizards last season before missing the final 23 games of the season with a hamstring injury. He saw his three-point shooting numbers drop from 34.6% as a rookie to 28.1% as a sophomore while shouldering a larger offensive workload.
Afseth notes that once Coulibaly returns, he’s expected to resume his place as a key member of the Wizards’ rebuild. A strong defender and open-court player, he projects to fit well alongside 2025 first-round pick Tre Johnson on the wing.
Afseth notes that Coulibaly’s teammate on both the French national team and Wizards, Alex Sarr, was also injured in competition, suffering a calf injury that caused him to pull out of the tournament.