Collin Sexton

Southeast Notes: Bane, D. Smith, Hawks, Wizards, Hornets

New Magic swingman Desmond Bane feels good about how he’ll fit alongside star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, telling Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com that he thinks his skill set “complements those guys very well” and will help “open up the floor for them to attack and do their thing.” Bane also pointed to Orlando’s roster versatility when asked why he’s confident about the team’s ability to be a contender in 2025/26.

“I think we can play so many different lineups,” he told Medina. “We have so many different handlers. We have so many different screeners. We have guys that can get baskets one-on-one when the game slows down and you get into crunch time. So we really have a lot of tools on this roster.

“It’s always easy to talk this highly at this time of the year. But once you get into December, some guys are playing well, some guys aren’t, some guys are in the rotation, some guys aren’t. That’s when teams really have a choice to come together or split. So we have a long way to go. It’s a long journey. But we got good people in the building and people that work hard and care. So I think that gives us a chance. That’s all you can ask for.”

Bane will be playing for a new team for the first time since entering the NBA in 2020 — he spent his first five professional seasons with the Grizzlies, who traded him to Orlando in June. Speaking to Medina, the 27-year-old made it clear he harbors no ill will toward his former team for ending their relationship over the summer.

“I’m rooting for Memphis 80 games out of the year,” Bane said. “I hope they do well. I got a lot of guys out of there that are up for contracts and things like that. So I want it to work out for them and that they get everything that they deserve. So I’m looking forward toward seeing how they do, and hoping for the best of them. There’s no bad blood at all.”

We have more from around the Southeast:

  • Heat guard Dru Smith, who tore his Achilles last December, has resumed five-on-five work, a league source tells Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Smith re-signed with Miami this summer on a three-year, minimum-salary deal, though only the first season is guaranteed.
  • The Hawks put out a press release this week announcing several hires and promotions in their basketball operations department. Most notably, Brittni Donaldson has moved from an assistant coaching role to the front office as Atlanta’s director of basketball development, methodology, and integration, while Mychel Thompson (Klay Thompson‘s brother) has been hired as a pro scout.
  • While Wizards general manager Will Dawkins assured fans on Wednesday that the front office has a “very clear vision” for its rebuild, he offered few specifics about the plan to turn the team from one of the league’s worst into a legitimate contender, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. With that in mind, Robbins reads between the lines of Dawkins’ comments in an effort to highlight the primary components of the Wizards’ approach to rebuilding, including casting a wide net for young talent, maintaining financial flexibility, and doing a good job scouting their own players.
  • In a mailbag for The Charlotte Observer (subscription required), Rod Boone explains why he views Collin Sexton and Mason Plumlee as strong candidates to start for the Hornets and evaluates whether an in-season Miles Bridges trade is likely, among other topics.

Hornets’ Josh Green, Grant Williams To Miss Training Camp

Hornets wing Josh Green and forward Grant Williams will both miss training camp as they continue to recover from their respective injuries, head coach Charles Lee recently told reporters, including Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Green underwent left shoulder surgery in June, while Williams tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee last November.

According to Boone, Lee said both players are making progress, but neither has a specific timeline to return, though Williams is apparently a little further along in his recovery.

Given that Green and Williams miss training camp, which begins September 30, it’s possible neither player will be active for Charlotte’s regular season opener on Oct. 22.

Here are few more items of interest from Boone’s story:

  • In addition to making on-court strides this offseason, Brandon Miller has also impressed Lee by becoming a vocal leader, Boone writes. In particular, Miller has been mentoring fellow 2023 first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. Miller is another Hornet whose ’24/25 season was cut short — he underwent right wrist surgery in January. He said in late July the wrist was close to fully healed.
  • Lee wants LaMelo Ball to become a locker-room leader as well and thinks trade addition Collin Sexton will help with that, per Boone. While Lee said Ball has made strides on defense, he still wants the team’s highest-paid player to be more consistent on that end of the court.
  • Each of Charlotte’s 2025 draft picks — Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner — will receive minutes during the preseason, according to Lee, who thinks big man Kalkbrenner could eventually have a career similar to Brook Lopez.

Charles Lee Talks Hornets’ Offseason

The Hornets have had a busy offseason.

They traded Jusuf Nurkic to the Jazz for Collin Sexton and a second-round pick and drafted Kon Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Sion James, and Liam McNeeley, who was selected with a pick that came over after trading Mark Williams to the Suns. They also added Pat Connaughton, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Mason Plumlee, either via trade or free agency, and retained free agent Tre Mann.

After getting only 74 combined games out of franchise cornerstones LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, the latter of whom is nearly fully recovered from wrist surgery, they will also be hoping for some better health luck this season.

Head coach Charles Lee went on Charlotte sports radio station WFNZ to discuss the team’s moves, preview the rotation outlook, and provide some injury updates.

Lee talked about the addition of Sexton, what was attractive about him from Charlotte’s standpoint, and what he will bring to the team this season.

[Hornets’ general manager Jeff Peterson] and his group, they’re just so well prepared,” Lee said. “… They understand what we need to do from a roster depth and balance standpoint, too. And I think, as they were approached with the situation, they broke it down, they prepared like they usually do, they chopped it up, and figured out what makes sense for our team going forward.

“I’ve been very excited about Collin Sexton joining our group. From afar, I’ve always witnessed him competing at a really high level. Since he’s been with our group and around our group, he’s elevated the intensity. He’s definitely a sociable and in-your-face type guy, but I love it. I think he’s going to add a lot to our group and our culture.”

When asked about the influx of guards to the roster, which now features Ball, Sexton, Knueppel, Mann, Dinwiddie, James, and Nick Smith Jr., Lee expressed excitement about the possibilities presented by having so many players capable of handling the ball.

I think we had a pretty good roster last year, but this year we are definitely a little more versatile,” he said. “Having so many guards and so many competitors with high basketball IQ, it’s gonna help us be able to play in a lot of different ways. If we watch the league, everybody’s playing a lot faster, it’s becoming a lot more positionless, and so I think with this versatility that we have of our roster, having a lot more guards, having a lot more ball-handlers that can help us hopefully create some more open shots. I’m really excited to see how it all comes together.

Charlotte’s center rotation in the wake of the Williams trade remains a question mark, but Lee seemed confident in the various looks the different big men can bring to the team.

We can play a lot of different ways this year, having Plumlee, having Kalkbrenner, having [Moussa Diabate], it allows you to be in center field sometimes or be able to switch. It’s a good balance,” he said.

Specifically addressing the offseason addition of Plumlee, who is expected by some to begin the season as the starting center, Lee said the Hornets are getting a player with “a ton of experience” who understands what it takes to win.

“He’s been used as a starter, he’s been used as a role player coming off the bench. He’s going to be able to adapt to whatever we need, I think that he’s going to be able to give a lot of corporate knowledge of the NBA,” Lee said. “He’s a professional, he’s in every day, focused on his body, focused on improving in the weight room, and even however many years he’s been in the league now, he understands and has a growth mindset, which is really important, I think, for our group and being open minded.”

Lee went on to praise the two younger big men who will play alongside Plumlee too.

I think Moussa had a phenomenal opportunity this summer,” Lee said. “He’s continued to grow, he’s one of our great success stories from a player development standpoint, and his all-in and commitment to trying to be better, try to be the most versatile and energetic big that he can possibly be. And we saw what Ryan brings in Summer League. I think he’s gonna be able to play both sides of the court at a really high level. I see a lot of Brook Lopez in him.”

Finally, Lee shared injury updates on Grant Williams, who has been rehabbing after tearing his right ACL and meniscus, and Josh Green, who underwent shoulder surgery this summer:

I think both guys have been attacking their rehab plans really well. I always have to give credit to our performance staff and to our coaching staff. They work so well together in putting together these roadmaps for our guys to be able to return to play. Both guys are making really good progress.”

However, when it came to their respective returns to action, he stopped short of any definitive proclamations.

“I can’t put a timetable on it as of right now of when they’ll be back, but they are making positive strides, and I’m just really happy with how they show up every day, how they’re attacking their rehab,” Lee said. “You take a couple steps forward and then all of a sudden you might have a step back, but I think that their mindset has been not to let that slow them down, and they’re really focused on trying to be around the team and get back to the team as soon as they can.”

Southeast Notes: Sexton, AJ Johnson, Richardson, Saleh

Collin Sexton feels reinvigorated by the offseason trade that sent him from Utah to the Hornets, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Sexton is only 26, but he’ll be a veteran leader in Charlotte, where he hopes to help mold his new teammates into a playoff contender.

“Super excited,” he said. “Super grateful for the opportunity. Ready to come in and help build the culture and just be a leader right away. I feel like the last couple of weeks practicing and stuff, it’s been a lot of fun but also getting used to the guys.”

Sexton, who will make $18.9MM in the final year of his contract, should bring more scoring punch to the offense. He averaged 18.4 PPG in 63 games last season while shooting 48% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range. He also brings a high level of competitiveness, which coach Charles Lee is happy to add to the team.

“At times he would stare me down during games as the opposing coach or scout coach, and he’s always looking for some fuel to get him going,” Lee said. “So, when he first got here, I made sure to remind them of that, ‘Like, don’t be looking at me crazy like that anymore or your minutes are going to suffer now.’ But it’s great. I’m so glad to have him on our side.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • The Wizards limited their top Summer League players to two games, which put a larger spotlight on AJ Johnson, observes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (subscriber link). Johnson finished the season strong after being acquired from Milwaukee in February, and he welcomed the chance to showcase his skills in Las Vegas. “I think it would be hard for us to find anybody who’s not wearing a Wizards uniform out here that can stay in front of AJ Johnson,” coach J.J. Outlaw said. “Such a talented player; he can settle for his midrange, but getting downhill is his thing.”
  • Even though the Magic were winless in Summer League play, they’re encouraged by the performances of rookies Jase Richardson and Noah Penda, as well as second-year player Tristan Da Silva, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Richardson, a first-round pick out of Michigan State, served as Orlando’s lead ball-handler and averaged 16.5 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 50% from three-point range. “He played two really tough, physical teams and he did a heck of a job commanding our offense, getting his teammates involved when he needed to and looked to score when he needed,” coach Ameer Bahhur said. “Defensively, for his first taste of NBA minutes, he did a great job of matching physicality and battling.”
  • Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh talks about adapting to his new job and the importance of Summer League for the team’s young players in an interview with Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). Saleh also said he appreciated seeing several Hawks veterans attend Summer League games to support the club’s youngsters. “It’s always great seeing our vets and our new guys kind of mesh together,” Saleh said. “It was really cool seeing, like, guys sit all together courtside and spend some time at different events that were going on in Vegas. So, it’s just fun. We got a good vibe about us, and everybody’s in a good place. I just feel like that will translate over to the season, hopefully.”

Eastern Notes: Sexton, Holland, Anthony, Embiid, Bassey

In a wide-ranging interview with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required), Hornets head coach Charles Lee spoke about the offseason additions to the roster, why he’s comfortable with the team’s frontcourt options, and how he expects LaMelo Ball to take another step forward as a leader next season, among other topics.

Discussing newly acquired veteran guard Collin Sexton, Lee suggested that the 26-year-old’s “fearlessness” and “competitiveness” are traits that stand out and joked that he’ll be expecting different treatment from Sexton during games now that they’re on the same side.

“From afar, he was very competitive. At times he would stare me down during games as the opposing coach or scout coach, and he’s always looking for some fuel to get him going,” Lee said. “So, when he first got here, I made sure to remind them of that, ‘Like, don’t be looking at me crazy like that anymore or your minutes are going to suffer now.’ But it’s great. I’m so glad to have him on our side.

“… I already appreciate so much of what he’s kind of giving to our group,” Lee continued. “Seeing him do group workouts with Melo, them having conversations, I just think is really important for our group to continue to grow. And he’s going to be a big part of that with his work ethic and then also with his competitiveness.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • While Ron Holland has been impressive all around for the Pistons during Summer League play, with averages of 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals per game in three outings, his three-point shooting has perhaps been the most encouraging part of his performance, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). It’s a small sample, but Holland has knocked down 7-of-15 threes (46.7%) after making just 23.8% as a rookie. “I feel like me and Freddie V have been in the gym, for sure,” Holland said on Sunday, referring to Pistons assistant coach and shooting guru Fred Vinson. “There’s no secret behind that.” Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) also weighs in on Holland’s strong Summer League play, suggesting that the Pistons should be very encouraged by what he has shown.
  • Cole Anthony‘s new one-year contract with the Bucks is worth the veteran’s minimum, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Anthony will earn $2,667,947 on the deal, while Milwaukee carries a cap hit of $2,296,274.
  • In a fascinating, in-depth feature, Dotun Akintoye of ESPN gets some candid comments out of Sixers star Joel Embiid, who discussed the media narratives that have followed him around, his altercation with local columnist Marcus Hayes, and his (successful) quest to find out who leaked details about a team meeting last fall, among many other topics.
  • Big man Charles Bassey has left the Celtics‘ Summer League team, as Souichi Terada of MassLive.com relays. Bassey’s deal with Boston only covered three games in Las Vegas, as he had other summer commitments. The former San Antonio center – who doesn’t yet have a contract in place for 2025/26 – performed well in Vegas, averaging a double-double (15.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG) and shooting 70.4% from the field.

Scotto’s Latest: Rollins, Hornets, Bucks, Ayton, Valanciunas

After having his qualifying offer withdrawn by the Bucks earlier this week, free agent guard Ryan Rollins is drawing interest from a handful of teams around the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says the Suns, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Lakers are among the clubs with Rollins on their radar.

A reunion with Milwaukee also hasn’t been ruled out either, Scotto reports. Even after rescinding his qualifying offer and making him an unrestricted free agent, the Bucks are in position to hang onto Rollins’ Early Bird rights, which would allow them to go over the cap to re-sign him after they use up all their room.

Portland still has its $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, while San Antonio and Los Angeles have the $5.1MM bi-annual exception on hand, Scotto writes. However, the Suns could only offer more than a minimum-salary deal if they shed salary — perhaps via a Bradley Beal buyout agreement.

Rollins had a modest breakout year this past season, registering averages of 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game, along with a shooting line of .487/.408/.800. He had only made 25 appearances across two NBA seasons prior to 2024/25.

Here’s more from Scotto:

  • Examining the Hornets‘ roster crunch, Scotto identifies Josh Okogie and DaQuan Jeffries – who are on non-guaranteed contracts – as candidates to be waived if no trade opportunities involving them arise. Executives who spoke to HoopsHype also view former first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. as a player who could be traded. That applies to veterans on expiring contracts like Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton as well.
  • Before he agreed to re-sign with the Hornets, point guard Tre Mann received interest from the Bucks, Scotto reports. Milwaukee is in the market for additional point guard depth after losing Damian Lillard to an Achilles tear and subsequently planning to waive him.
  • Echoing reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Scotto says that teams who reached out to Trail Blazers officials for feedback on Deandre Ayton got positive reviews on the big man, who was a “community staple in Portland and hosted many team bonding events.” Reporting from The Athletic had suggested that Ayton’s attitude and bad habits played a part in the decision to part ways with him.
  • Addressing the Jonas Valanciunas situation, Scotto notes that the Nuggets have tried to acquire the veteran center for the past couple years and have envisioned him playing a significant role if he reports to Denver, giving superstar Nikola Jokic more opportunities to rest. Amid rumors that Valanciunas is traveling to Greece and hopes to sign with the EuroLeague club Panathinaikos, Scotto hears that the 33-year-old is expected to address the situation soon.

Jazz Trade Collin Sexton To Hornets For Jusuf Nurkic

8:44 pm: The trade is official, according to press releases issued by both the Jazz and Hornets.


2:15 pm: The Jazz and Hornets have agreed to a trade that will send guard Collin Sexton and a 2030 second-round pick to Charlotte, with center Jusuf Nurkic headed to Utah, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 2030 pick headed to Charlotte will be the most favorable of the Jazz’s and Clippers’ second-rounders, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

Sexton, 26, spent four years in Cleveland before being signed-and-traded to Utah in 2022’s Donovan Mitchell deal. He has played for the Jazz for the past three seasons, averaging 18.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game in 63 contests (61 starts) in 2024/25.

The Hornets had reportedly been on the lookout for a veteran guard to back up point guard LaMelo Ball. While Sexton is more of a combo guard than a traditional point guard, he can handle the ball and is a pretty efficient scorer — he posted a shooting line of .480/.406/.865 this past season.

The move does further deplete Charlotte’s frontcourt after the club previously agreed to trade Mark Williams to Phoenix. That position figures to be an area the Hornets focus on in free agency, since they’re unlikely to enter the season with Moussa Diabate and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner as their top two options in the middle.

As for the Jazz, they’ll be adding a physical veteran center to their frontcourt, with Charania suggesting (via Twitter) that Nurkic is a player they like. The 30-year-old appeared in a total of 51 games last season for Phoenix and Charlotte, averaging 8.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 20.8 minutes per night.

Nurkic will join Walker Kessler and Kyle Filipowski on Utah’s depth chart at center. Meanwhile, moving Sexton may open up more playing time for the Jazz’s young guards, including newly drafted rookie Walter Clayton Jr.

Both Sexton and Nurkic are on expiring contracts in 2025/26. They’ll both be eligible for extensions in July and would become unrestricted free agents in 2026 if they don’t sign new deals before then. Sexton will earn approximately $18.98MM (with another $500K in unlikely bonuses) next season, while Nurkic will make about $19.38MM.

Jazz Reportedly Interested In Ty Jerome

The Jazz are among the teams hoping to sign free agent guard Ty Jerome, league sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.

The Cavaliers would prefer to keep the 27-year-old shooting guard, who’s coming off the best season of his career. However, they made several moves this week that indicate they might be preparing for his departure.

Cleveland added backcourt depth on Saturday by agreeing to a trade that will send Isaac Okoro to Chicago in exchange for Lonzo Ball. The Cavs also drafted Duke guard Tyrese Proctor with the 49th pick on Thursday and reached an early free agent agreement with guard Sam Merrill.

Cleveland is currently projected to have a payroll well above the second apron in 2025/26. A new contract with Jerome would result in significant luxury tax penalties.

Utah, which is in the market for experienced backcourt help, looks like a natural suitor. Sources tell Afseth that Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, who are both entering the final year of their contracts, are considered to be trade candidates this summer. He adds that the team has “explored scenarios” involving both players.

Afseth also points out that the Jazz opted to pass on point guard Jeremiah Fears in the draft, even though they had expressed interest in him during the pre-draft process. They took forward Ace Bailey instead, which leaves an opportunity to upgrade the backcourt through trades or free agency.

Jerome was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year honors after averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 70 games.

Trade Rumors: Brown, White, Holiday, Hawks, NAW, Collins

After having agreed to trades that send out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics have moved below the second tax apron. However, they may not be done dealing yet. Appearing on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday night (YouTube link), Shams Charania reported that Boston is fielding calls from teams with interest in Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White.

According to Charania, the Celtics’ preference is still to hang onto Brown and White, and they’ve set “high price thresholds” for both players. But they’re also not entirely shutting down inquiries on those guys, so it remains possible that there will be a team willing to meet Boston’s high asking price.

“At minimum,” Charania says, the Celtics are still a strong candidate to make additional deals involving role players who are a little less valuable than Brown and White. Charania specifically identifies Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons as players who might fit that bill.

Simons technically isn’t even a Celtic yet, so the agreed-upon deal involving him and Jrue Holiday could be expanded to include more pieces and send Simons to a third team before it’s officially finalized. Even if that trade is completed as currently constructed, Simons could be flipped to another team immediately — his salary simply couldn’t be aggregated with another player’s salary for two months after he’s traded.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Jazz Notes: Sexton, Kessler, Collins, Higgins, Maluach

Currently armed with four picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 5, 21, 43, and 53), the Jazz appear to be exploring the possibility of being active on the trade market before or during next week’s event. On Thursday’s installment of the Locked On Jazz podcast, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune unpacks a few trade scenarios that Utah’s brass has at least discussed.

Larsen suggests that the Jazz have had preliminary conversations with the Lakers about the idea of a Walker Kessler or John Collins trade, the Mavericks about a potential Collin Sexton deal, and the Sixers regarding a possible trade up for the No. 3 pick, among other potential discussions.

A deal for that Philadelphia pick could come at a steep price.

“I do think it’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers are interested in trading down to No. 5 potentially if they can get off the Paul George deal,” Larsen said. “That may not make sense given how long that contract is and how I think Paul George was [last year]. I don’t think the Jazz are going to take that offer, but do think that’s an offer that’s been presented.”

While the Jazz have had real discussions about each of those scenarios, Larsen clarifies (via Twitter) that they haven’t “gotten into the serious stages” and he’s not sure how many of those negotiations are ongoing.

There’s more out of Utah:

  • The Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, have officially announced (Twitter link) that Rick Higgins will serve as the club’s sixth head coach. Higgins had most recently been a Jazz assistant coach under Will Hardy for the past two years. “I’m looking forward to taking on this opportunity to lead the Stars and continuing within the Jazz organization,” Higgins stated in a team press release. “The Stars play a critical role in the development structure of the Jazz and I plan to continue to build on the team’s successes, preparing players for the next level.”
  • Back in the lottery for a third straight season and under the stewardship of new team president Austin Ainge, the Jazz face several big decisions this offseason, as Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron details in his preview of Utah’s summer (Substack link). The Jazz are currently $23MM below the league’s luxury tax. Gozlan observes that Utah could try to package together its two first-round draft picks this year, or could look to offload some of the surplus of future picks they possess through 2032. Gozlan notes that the Jazz could also consider the idea of trading star forward Lauri Markkanen, despite a 2024 contract extension.
  • Ahead of this year’s draft, the Jazz recently worked out one-and-done Duke center Khaman Maluach, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (via Twitter). Kessler, of course, is the club’s incumbent starter at the position, but Maluach boasts intriguing upside. The 7’2″ big man is one of the best-regarded prospects this year and considered a probable top-10 selection. Across 39 healthy games for the Blue Devils in 2024/25, the 18-year-old averaged 8.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.3 BPG.