Trade Rumors: Mathurin, Murray, Olynyk, Blazers, Nuggets
Chatter around the NBA suggests the Pacers are engaged in trade talks with multiple teams about fourth-year wing Bennedict Mathurin and appear likely to move him before next Thursday’s deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Reporting earlier in the month indicated that the Pacers had spoken to the Pelicans about a possible Mathurin deal, but it sounds like New Orleans isn’t the only team with the former lottery pick on its radar. While a right thumb sprain and turf toe have limited Mathurin to 25 appearances this season, he returned to action on Monday and is averaging 17.7 points in 31.8 minutes per game in the final year of his rookie contract.
If Mathurin remains with the Pacers through the deadline, he’ll be a sign-and-trade candidate this offseason, since Indiana – which already has over $177MM in guaranteed money on its books for next season – isn’t looking to give the 23-year-old a lucrative long-term contract in restricted free agency, Siegel writes.
Here are a few more trade rumors from across the league:
- There’s a sense that Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray and his representatives at Klutch Sports wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, says Siegel. New Orleans’ new front office brought in guards Jordan Poole and Jeremiah Fears last offseason, creating a more crowded backcourt. However, given that Murray continues to recover from an Achilles tear and has yet to make his season debut, it likely won’t be easy to move his three-year, $94MM contract at this point.
- In addition to Jeremy Sochan, big man Kelly Olynyk is also considered a Spurs trade candidate, per Siegel. Packaging those two players together would give San Antonio roughly $20.5MM in expiring salary for matching purposes, which could be useful on the trade market.
- Although Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday are thought to be available, the Trail Blazers don’t consider themselves sellers and would likely only be open to moving Holiday if they can do so in a deal that “immediately improves their outlook,” Siegel writes.
- The Nuggets are widely expected to make a small trade to duck below the tax line, which they’re currently above by about $400K, says Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Denver is confident that can be done without giving up a rotation player, though teams around the NBA are curious about the Nuggets’ plans for Peyton Watson, who may be difficult to retain in restricted free agency this summer. Teams projected to have cap room, including the Lakers, are preparing for the possibility of making a run at Watson in July, sources tell Fischer.
- Front offices around the NBA are expecting several trades completed in the next eight days to require three or four teams, Fischer writes. The Nets, Hornets, and Jazz have made it clear to rival clubs that they’re willing to get involved in multi-team scenarios to take on salary and help grease the wheels on potential deals, sources tell The Stein Line.
And-Ones: Bediako, Barcelona, Tax Teams, Worst Contracts
Former G Leaguer Charles Bediako is expected to play for Alabama against Tennessee tonight, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reports.
Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order earlier this week, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction regarding his eligibility.
“We are planning to play him,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “He’s eligible to play. We’re going to follow the court orders.”
It turns out that the judge who issued the order is an Alabama booster, according to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports. Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Jim Roberts and his wife Mary Turner Roberts are listed as active athletic donors on The Crimson Tide Foundation’s website, with lifetime contributions between $100K and $249K.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches held a conference call regarding the matter on Friday. Afterward, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA Senior VP of Basketball, released a statement voicing their concerns about college eligibility, Borzello tweets.
“If these rules surrounding the NCAA pre- and post-draft rules cannot be enforced, it would create an unstable environment” for the student-athletes, schools and the NBA, Gavitt said, in part.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Barcelona plans to pass on the NBA’s proposed league in Europe. FC Barcelona’s Board of Directors issued a statement declaring its allegiance to the EuroLeague: “The Board of Directors has agreed to ratify the extension of the first men’s basketball team’s participation license in the EuroLeague for the next 10 seasons (until the 2035-36 season), a competition of which it is a co-founding member. The Board of Directors reaffirms its desire to always participate in the best existing competitions.”
- In his latest Substack article, cap expert Yossi Gozlan takes a deep dive into the teams over the luxury tax and discusses why some teams just over the line have waited to make moves to get below the threshold. Gozlan also takes a look at how the Sixers are navigating the eligibility clocks for two-way players Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow and MarJon Beauchamp.
- The Sixers‘ star duo of Joel Embiid and Paul George hold the top two spots in the “Worst Value Contracts” in the NBA, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. Jakob Poeltl, Patrick Williams and Dejounte Murray round out the top five among Smith’s top 20 in that category.
Southwest Notes: Davis, Murray, Jones, Wemby
As trade rumors continue to swirl around Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said during an appearance on NBA Today on Monday that the Mavericks big man isn’t actively seeking a trade out of Dallas despite the team’s struggles in the past year.
“AD’s preference would be to stay in Dallas and to get that extension this summer,” MacMahon said (Twitter video link). “Now, does that make sense for a team trying to build around a teenage prodigy (Cooper Flagg)? I think you can answer that question on your own.”
Davis’ maximum-salary contract pays him $54.1MM this season and $58.5MM in 2026/27, with a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. While that number is manageable for now, an extension would likely overlap with Flagg’s second NBA contract — it would also begin when Davis, who has a lengthy injury history, is in his mid-30s. That’s a risky proposition not just for the Mavs but for any team entertaining the idea of pursuing a trade for the 10-time All-Star.
“The Mavericks are trying to generate a good trade market for Anthony Davis,” MacMahon said. “That is difficult because of the durability issues, and I think more so the dollars. In a situation like this, (agent) Rich Paul is going to be involved (and is) going to want AD traded somewhere that is willing to give him a long, lucrative extension. I just think mid-season it’s going to be very difficult to make all those pieces fit.”
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Asked over the weekend whether he expects guard Dejounte Murray to play this season, Pelicans head coach James Borrego told reporters – including Rod Walker of NOLA.com – that he “can’t say for sure.” However, Borrego suggested there should be an update on Murray, who is making his way back from an Achilles tear, in the coming weeks. “He’s making a lot of progress,” Borrego said. “We hope to get him back in our building here soon. He’s doing a lot of work getting ready to get back here. I say in the next month we’ll have a little bit more clarity on where he’s at. But he’s made a lot of progress. Significant progress.”
- Pelicans forward Herbert Jones has a chance to return to action on Tuesday vs. the Lakers after missing the past seven games with a right ankle sprain. Jones is listed as questionable, according to the team. He has been limited to 22 outings so far this season due to injuries, including a calf strain that cost him eight games in the fall.
- Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is also on the verge of making his return. He’s listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. Memphis after participating in 5-on-5 work on Monday, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama, who has been out for the past two games due to a left knee bone bruise, will be reevaluated ahead of Tuesday’s game, which is the first of a back-to-back set. If Wembanyama doesn’t end up playing on Tuesday, he could be activated on Wednesday against the Lakers.
Bucks, Pistons, Warriors Among Potential MPJ Suitors
As we relayed in a Front Office article earlier on Thursday, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. is an intriguing trade candidate ahead of the February 5 deadline. Just six months after essentially being treated as a salary dump by Denver, Porter has rebuilt his value with an outstanding first season in Brooklyn — he’s averaging career highs of 25.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 3.3 APG through 26 games, with an excellent .496/.410/812 shooting line.
“At worst he’s returned to neutral value, which is a major development,” one veteran NBA executive recently told Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Brooklyn has been taking incoming calls on Porter but the team doesn’t appear to be actively trying to move him, Fischer writes. Several people around the league familiar with the Nets’ thinking believe they will be aggressive in trying to accelerate their rebuild next offseason if they land a top pick in the 2026 draft, according to Fischer, who suggests the team might have a fairly high asking price to consider trading Porter mid-season.
Confirming a recent report from Sam Amick of The Athletic, Fischer says the Bucks are one team monitoring Porter’s situation as they look for roster upgrades around Giannis Antetokounmpo. Assuming he plays well in his return from a torn Achilles tendon, which is expected to occur in January, Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is another player the Bucks could pursue in the coming weeks, multiple sources tell Fischer.
Although the Pistons have not yet called the Nets about Porter, they’re considered a potential suitor for the 27-year-old, Fischer reports. Detroit is my favorite theoretical landing spot for Porter, as he would provide a secondary scorer and top-tier shooter alongside Cade Cunningham. As Fischer writes, the Pistons aren’t expected to make an all-in move for Anthony Davis or Lauri Markkanen, but Porter makes less money than either of those players and likely wouldn’t cost as much to acquire as Markkanen.
The Warriors have considered making a run at Porter, sources tell Fischer, and head coach Steve Kerr praised the 6’10” forward after Monday’s game in Brooklyn. But a two-team deal between the Nets and Warriors appears unlikely right now, per Fischer, as Brooklyn doesn’t seem high on Jonathan Kuminga, whose outgoing salary would be necessary for matching purposes.
While it’s unclear if they’ll be buyers or sellers and they aren’t expected to pick a direction until closer to the deadline, the Bulls are another possible suitor for Porter, according to Fischer, who says Chicago was in serious talks to acquire the former lottery pick from Denver last year for Zach LaVine. Obviously the trade didn’t occur and LaVine is no longer a Bull, but it shows Chicago’s front office has an affinity for Porter.
The Hawks and Sixers are two other teams who expressed interest in Porter when he was still a Nugget, but neither club seems to be targeting him this season, Fischer adds.
Jerami Grant Among Possible Targets On Bucks’ Radar
Echoing recent reporting from Marc Stein and Eric Nehm, Jake Fischer writes in his latest story for the Stein Line Substack that the Bucks are conveying to rival teams that they’d prefer to upgrade their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo rather than move their superstar forward.
One rival general manager who spoke to Fischer even suggested the Bucks are giving the impression that “they’re going big-game hunting” on the trade market.
Whether Milwaukee will maintain that stance by the February 5 trade deadline remains to be seen. As Fischer writes, some teams believe they’ll eventually pivot and become sellers, and many executives around the league think it would be in the Bucks’ best long-term interests to move Antetokounmpo sooner rather than later, even if he doesn’t request a trade.
For now though, given the Bucks’ lack of tradable draft picks, Fischer suggests that if they do pursue an upgrade, it might make sense to target a player whose contract isn’t especially team-friendly, since the cost would be lower. Kings guard Zach LaVine is one player who fits that bill and has been linked to Milwaukee. According to Fischer, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant is another player who has been on the team’s radar, both this season and in past years.
Grant is earning $32MM in 2025/26 and is owed another $70.6MM for the two seasons after this one. He had a down year in ’24/25, but has bounced back this fall, with averages of 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on .438/.395/.863 shooting through his first 25 outings.
Grant’s value has likely rebounded to some extent as a result of his strong start, and Fischer notes that general manager Joe Cronin has long been a fan of the veteran forward. Still, his contract probably isn’t considered to have positive value, so the idea of trading for Grant and perhaps seeking a draft pick in the deal (the Blazers control a handful of future Milwaukee picks as a result of the Damian Lillard trade) could appeal to the Bucks.
Heat forward Andrew Wiggins and Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray are two other players who have piqued the Bucks’ interest in the past, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that Milwaukee “regularly” called Golden State about Wiggins before he was dealt to Miami last season and also spoke to Atlanta about Murray before he was sent to New Orleans. Murray hasn’t played yet in 2025/26 due to a torn Achilles, but the Pelicans are hopeful he could return as soon as next month, per Fischer.
Fischer identifies Lakers guard Marcus Smart and Mavericks forward P.J. Washington as two more players the Bucks have previously had interest in, but acknowledges that Los Angeles is unlikely to move one of its best defenders, while Washington isn’t trade-eligible this season after recently signing an extension in Dallas.
Although Fischer doesn’t mention either player specifically, at least one of forward Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM) or new center Myles Turner ($25.3MM) would almost certainly have to be part of any significant Bucks deal not involving Giannis. Outside of Antetokounmpo ($54.1MM), they’re the only players on the roster earning more than $13.5MM this season.
Pelicans Notes: Queen, Jones, Murphy, Poole, Zion
Two of the league’s most promising rookies had the best games of their respective NBA careers on Monday in New Orleans. The Spurs and Dylan Harper, who scored 22 points and handed out six assists in 26 minutes off the bench, ultimately came out on top, with a three-point win over the Pelicans and Derik Queen.
Still, it was a memorable night for Queen, who became the first rookie center to ever record a 30-point triple-double, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The big man also blocked four shots and was a +14 in 33 minutes.
“Special night for him,” Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said of his standout rookie. “He was great. He did a really good job defensively on the boards, controlled the offense. We ran a lot of our stuff through him. He was fantastic.”
Although Monday’s loss dropped the Pelicans to a league-worst 3-22 on the season, Queen’s ongoing emergence is one reason for optimism, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). Walker adds that the rookie’s strong play may help turn down the heat on head of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who faced loud criticism for his decision to trade an unprotected 2026 pick to move up 10 spots for Queen in June.
Those critics are unlikely to go away if the pick Dumars sent to Atlanta in that deal lands in the top three next June, especially since there will always be questions about whether the Pelicans could’ve moved up from No. 23 to No. 13 in this year’s draft without giving up quite such a valuable asset. However, if Queen – who will turn 21 later this month – continues to turn in performance like Monday’s, the deal could turn into a win-win for the Pelicans and Hawks.
Here’s more from out of New Orleans:
- William Guillory of The Athletic considers what sort of in-season trades to expect from the Pelicans, writing that he views Herbert Jones as more likely to be moved than Trey Murphy III, though there’s no guarantee New Orleans will seriously consider dealing either player. Guillory notes that a move involving Zion Williamson would be easier to complete in the offseason than before the trade deadline, and adds that high-priced guards Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray and role players Saddiq Bey and Kevon Looney could also emerge as trade candidates.
- Although there’s still skepticism around the league that the Pelicans will trade either Jones or Murphy this season, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) says he spoke to five separate rival teams last week that said New Orleans isn’t shutting down inquiries on those players like the front office has in the past.
- Poole, who has been sidelined since November 4 due to a quad strain, participated in some parts of Tuesday’s practice, according to Borrego, who said the plan is for Poole to go through a full practice on Wednesday (Twitter link via Guillory).
- In a subscriber-only column for NOLA.com, Walker takes a look at the latest disappointing turn of events in the Williamson saga. This was supposed to be a “get-right” season for the former No. 1 overall pick, Walker writes, but hamstring and adductor strains have limited the two-time All-Star to just 10 appearances, and the Pelicans haven’t played well with or without him.
Pelicans’ Jones, Murphy Expected To Be Ready For Season Opener
Pelicans forwards Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III have been back on the court at full strength and full speed in recent weeks and are on track to be available when the team’s regular season tips off next month, executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via sideline reporter Erin Summers).
Jones and Murphy both had their 2024/25 campaigns cut short due to shoulder injuries. Jones underwent surgery in February to repair a torn right rotator cuff, while Murphy suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff in March that also required surgery.
The Pelicans didn’t provide a specific return timeline for either player last winter, so it was unclear whether their recoveries might extend into the fall and cost them the start of the 2025/26 season. Based on Dumars’ comments today, it doesn’t sound like that’s a concern, which is good news for a team coming off a season that was derailed by injuries.
Jones, who made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team in 2024, was limited to just 20 games in 2024/25. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in a career-high 32.4 minutes per night, but didn’t play after January 8. The Pelicans still consider him an important part of their future, however, and signed him to a three-year, $68MM extension in July.
Prior to his season-ending injury, Murphy was on track for a career year after signing a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension last fall. His 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in 53 outings (51 starts) all represented career highs, and he posted a solid shooting line of .454/.361/.887 while increasing his volume.
Although Jones and Murphy are expected to be ready for the start of the season, that doesn’t necessarily mean New Orleans will be at full strength this fall. It doesn’t sound as if guard Dejounte Murray (Achilles tear) and rookie forward Derik Queen (wrist surgery) are as far along in their respective recovery processes. Dumars said today that their rehabs are going well but that there’s no update at this time on when they’ll be available (Twitter link via Summers).
Joe Dumars Unfazed By Criticism Of Controversial Moves
The Pelicans’ new executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars has already made a number of eye-opening moves. He gave up CJ McCollum in a trade with the Wizards that brought Jordan Poole to New Orleans. He also traded up in the draft, giving up an unprotected 2026 pick in the process, to nab Maryland big man Derik Queen at the No. 13 spot.
Dumars took heat for those decisions, especially the latter. He told ESPN’s Marc J. Spears in an Andscape interview he doesn’t care about the backlash.
“I don’t mind the criticism. People say they don’t mind. But I really don’t mind,” Dumars said. “When you’re running a franchise, you make a determination of what you think you need to start growing your franchise. The opportunity presented itself that we could get two lottery picks, and to do that, you’re going to have to give up something. We gave up what we thought it would take to get these two lottery picks and we did.”
Dumars chose to return to his home state and take on the task of running a Pelicans franchise stuck in mediocrity. Dumars declined the vice president of basketball operations jobs with the Kings and Suns, according to Spears, but felt the New Orleans offer was “right place, right time, right people.”
Dumars addressed a wide range of topics in the interview. Here’s some of the highlights:
On the Poole acquisition:
“If you look around the league now, it’s almost a requirement to have high-level guard play, dynamic guard play. Jordan has a skillset that matches the most dynamic guards in this league. We’ve also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level. So, with his skill set, he’s a dynamic guard and I know we have proof that he’s helped teams win championships.”
On how he approached the roster after taking the job:
“I felt the core guys like Zion (Williamson), Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and Dejounte Murray, I thought that was a really good group of guys all around the age of 25 years old. I looked at it from there and said, ‘OK, we need to build out and how do we complement each other?’ I thought the core was really good there and I thought if you have a good core, let’s build out around that core with the type of players that we need.
“And I thought Jordan Poole was a dynamic guard. I thought that Saddiq Bey was the perfect guy to come off the bench and add depth to your team. I thought that (free agent acquisition Kevon) Looney was the perfect guy for a team full of guys who were 25, 26 years old.”
On his relationship with Williamson:
“He and I have had some incredible conversations. We are in constant contact with each other. I’ve talked to him about the responsibility of being great and the responsibility of being a leader, of being a captain, of being the best player, of being the face of a franchise. I’ve talked to him about how all of those things come with responsibility and how it’s time now at 25 years old to embrace those responsibilities.”
On why he left his job with the league office to become a team executive again:
“I loved my job at the NBA. I didn’t like it. I loved it. And I always said it would have to take something special for me to leave, otherwise I wouldn’t. And so, this was what I considered special to be able to come back, run the Pelicans in New Orleans with quite frankly a lot of people I knew in the organization and outside the organization. That’s what made it special for me to say that I would leave the NBA and take this job because I really enjoyed working at the league office.”
Pelicans Notes: Dumars, Fears, Queen, Murray, Size
New Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars has been very active, making three trades over the last nine days. He wound up with two lottery picks after moving the No. 23 pick and next year’s first-rounder to the Hawks for the No. 13 selection, with which he chose Maryland big man Derik Queen. Earlier, at the No. 7 spot, he chose Oklahoma point guard Jeremiah Fears.
Prior to the draft, Dumars agreed to deal CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to the Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 pick in this year’s draft.
“It’s the only way I’ve ever had success in this league. I’ve been around aggressive teams my entire life,” Dumars said on Wednesday, per Will Guillory of The Athletic. “We’re going to be an aggressive team. We’re going to be an aggressive front office.”
Dumars explained why he selected Fears, who struggled with his long-range shooting in his lone college season at Oklahoma.
“I like his skill set. The ability to get anywhere on the court like that is a unique ability,” Dumars said. “If you’re going to be a really, really good team, you have to have guys who can compromise the other team’s defense. … When you do that, you’ve got a chance.”
As for moving up to take Queen, Dumars indicated he was pursuing trades to go up and get the Maryland standout as early as the No. 9 pick.
“I put his IQ for the game up against anybody in this draft. This is a super, super high-IQ guy,” Dumars said. “He finds people. He has the mentality of a guard. He’ll push it up. He’s just got unique skills for a 6-10 big.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- Some draft pundits are questioning the fit of Queen with Zion Williamson, but the rookie is intent to show that Dumars made a wise decision, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “It shows how much they wanted me and how much they believe in me,” Queen said. “I’m just ready to show them they got their money’s worth and ready to put on for the Pelicans.”
- Dejounte Murray is looking forward to blending his talents with the new additions. Dumars spoke with the combo guard on Wednesday and Murray requested the phone numbers of the newcomers, leading Dumars to describe Murray as “all in,” Guillory tweets. Dumars has also addressed with Murray some of the concerns the veteran guard expressed about his first season with the franchise during a recent podcast. Murray called it his “worst experience in the NBA,” not only because of his injuries issues – a broken hand and a torn Achilles – but numerous personal problems. He felt that he didn’t get the sort of support he needed from the previous regime. “The organization, it got bad, man,” he said. “As you guys can see, such and such got fired, another guy left, they brought new people in.”
- The addition of Queen addresses at least part of the concerns raised by the trade of Olynyk, as it left the Pelicans thin in the frontcourt. Guillory noted prior to the draft (Twitter link) that Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic were the only centers remaining on the roster.
Southwest Notes: Murray, Edey, Flagg, Mavs, Hooper
Appearing on The Pivot Podcast (YouTube link) this week, Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray said he has “nothing but love” for the city of New Orleans but that the last year was his “worst experience in the NBA,” as Rashad Milligan of NOLA.com relays.
In addition to sustaining two major injuries – a broken hand and a torn Achilles – Murray dealt with a series of tragedies in his personal life, including the death of a cousin, his mother suffering a stroke, and an uncle overdosing. He also felt that he wasn’t getting the sort of support he needed from the Pelicans.
“The organization, it got bad, man,” he said. “As you guys can see, such and such got fired, another guy left, they brought new people in.”
Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin was let go at the end of the season, while general manager Bryson Graham left New Orleans to take a job in the Hawks’ front office.
“I’m stressed, I’m mad everyday, I’m sad, I’m angry, I don’t want to be there at that time. It’s just so much going on,” Murray said, describing his mental state during the season. “… It wasn’t just me, it was everybody’s mental. Every player. I hope this brings peace to my brothers. I hope everyone gets what they need. I hope the organization gets it together because you have the talent, but it ain’t just the talent. You need every dot to connect to have a chance to win.”
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Grizzlies center Zach Edey will have an initial hearing on Monday for a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, according to Ron Wilkins of the Lafayette Journal & Courier. As Wilkins reports, Indiana police say that stopped Edey on May 1 after he was driving 101 mph in a 55-mph zone. He told the state trooper who pulled him over that he was speeding because he was trying to pass another vehicle.
- Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscriber link) takes an inside look at Cooper Flagg‘s visit to Dallas this week, which included a Tuesday dinner with general manager Nico Harrison, head coach Jason Kidd, CEO Rick Welts, assistant GM Michael Finley, and other Mavericks staffers. According to Curtis, Flagg’s visit also included meetings with members of the Mavs’ business operations department, a tour of the team’s facilities, and a standard workout that included situational reads and shooting drills. He reportedly shot the ball “insanely well” during that workout, a league source tells Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.
- With Flagg set to join the Mavericks next Wednesday as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, Chris Mannix takes an in-depth look at the star prospect in a cover story for Sports Illustrated.
- The Mavericks plan to name Max Hooper as the new head coach of their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, reports Marc Stein (Twitter link). Hooper, the head video coordinator in Dallas, will replace Jordan Sears, who is expected to move back to the Mavs’ coaching staff after coaching the Legends for the past two seasons, Stein explains.