Devin Vassell

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Fox, Harper, Kornet, M. Johnson

December 16th, 2025 at 9:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Victor Wembanyama made an enormous impact in his first game back from a calf strain, helping lead the Spurs to a victory over the defending champion Thunder and a berth in the final of the NBA Cup. The star big man came off the bench on Saturday and was on a minutes restriction, with head coach Mitch Johnson suggesting on Monday that may be the case again for Tuesday’s matchup with New York.

“It’ll be something that Victor and I will continue to talk through,” Johnson said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “It’s hard. He wants to play. He wants to start. He wants to finish. Wherever you put some minutes, that means you have less over there.

“We still have to think about what’s best for the team, unfortunately. That decision can’t be made in a vacuum, even though it’s a very impactful and influential decision. We still have to make sure it fits with the other rollout of who’s playing with who and how that affects others.”

Johnson confirmed prior to Tuesday’s game that Wembanyama would come off the bench and receive a similar amount of minutes to the 21 he played against Oklahoma City, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

We have much more on the Spurs:

Wembanyama raised some eyebrows after Saturday’s win when he said, “I’m just glad to be a part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful. So pure and ethical basketball.” As Weiss writes for The Athletic, “ethical basketball” could be interpreted as a slight at the playing style of the Thunder, who are now 24-2 after having their 16-game winning streak snapped. But the first part of Wembanyama’s comment was a reference to San Antonio’s play while he was injured — the team went 9-3 — and he clarified what his ideal version of basketball looks like on Monday. “In modern basketball, we see a lot of brands of basketball that don’t offer much variety in the dangers they pose to the opponents. Lots of isolation ball. Sometimes kind of forced basketball,” Wembanyama said. “We try to propose a brand of basketball that can be described as more old school sometimes, the Spurs’ way, as well. It’s tactically more correct basketball, in my opinion.”
According to Weiss, many Spurs players entered the season simply hoping to make the playoffs, but their goal has become more ambitious after an 18-7 start. “We want to play in the playoffs. We want to put ourselves in a position to win a championship,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “Obviously, that’s always a goal. How many teams are true contenders? Most would say three, maybe a fourth team. But for us, we’re just, like I said, going day by day. We know with the talent that we have in our locker room that we are a playoff team, yes. But we have to continue to do the little things that help us become a contender.”
Fox has nothing but good things to say about the Spurs, telling Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he hasn’t “stopped smiling” since he was traded to San Antonio last February. “There is just so much talent in this locker room, and guys like seeing other guys succeed,” Fox said. “That is where it starts and you trust the other guy behind you. We’re going out there and playing together. We have a lot of individuals that could go into a lot of different gyms and put the ball in the basket and play in a lot of different scenarios. But everybody is sacrificing for each other. And this [versus the Thunder] is our first game with everybody, and I think we made a statement.”
While Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have put up the gaudiest stats thus far among the rookies from the 2025 draft, a rival Western Conference executive tells Mark Medina of Athlon Sports that he still views Spurs guard Dylan Harper as the second-best player (behind Flagg) in the class. “He plays with force,” the executive said of the No. 2 overall pick. “He’s not afraid of the moment. He believes in himself, and he’s competitive.”
In an interview with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, veteran center Luke Kornet discusses his first few months with the Spurs. Kornet signed a four-year deal with San Antonio as a free agent, though only the first two seasons are fully guaranteed. “I definitely feel like it’s a different part of life and career,” Kornet told ClutchPoints on Tuesday. “Overall, I just feel like I am in a different place in my career now. It’s about wanting more responsibility, and with a generally younger team as well, I embrace being someone who can help guide my teammates since I was once in their shoes. Becoming a member of the Spurs had definitely been a personal transition for me, not just on the court, but in terms of me and my family life.”
Johnson has the full trust of the team’s players, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News, as well as the respect of opposing coaches. “I trust in Mitch a hundred percent,” said Spurs guard Devin Vassell, who had a game-high 23 points against the Thunder. “Mitch was my player development coach when I first got here, so me and him have an even better connection than the outside sees. But we all trust him. He’s the brains of all of this.”

Southwest Notes: Flagg, Washington, Morant, Vassell

November 30th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Cooper Flagg made history for the Mavericks on back-to-back nights, writes Tim MacMahon for ESPN.

One day after becoming the youngest player to record 10 or more assists in a game, Flagg became the youngest player to score 35 points in a game, sneaking the record in five days earlier than LeBron James accomplished the same feat in 2003. Most importantly, Flagg’s 35 points came in a win, which have been few and far between for a struggling Mavericks team this fall.

“He’s only 18 years old, but he seems like he’s been in this league before,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You can call it point guard or whatever, but he ran the offense for us. He drove the ball. The ball touched the paint. He got to the rim, got to the free throw line, stepped up and made free throws for us late.”

Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who had one of his best games of the season in the win, spoke highly of Flagg following Saturday’s game.

“Cooper’s upside is limitless,” Thompson said. “He has every tool to be great. Sometimes I can’t believe he should be a freshman in college.”

Thompson also threw out a lofty comparison to his situation in relation to Flagg, according to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, making reference to the Lakers in the first year of Kobe Bryant’s career.

“I feel like [Byron Scott] sometimes,” Thompson said. “The old, wise veteran. The future of the franchise to my side. It’s pretty cool to be a part of it. To be witnesses to what he’s going to do for a long time.”

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was a late scratch on Saturday due to a right ankle sprain suffered when he slipped on a ball during warmups, Mike Curtis writes for the Dallas Morning News. Washington, who was still active for the game, was initially listed as questionable to return, but was ruled out around the end of the first quarter. His status for Dallas’ upcoming three-game road trip is unclear.
Ja Morant will be reevaluated next week once the Grizzlies return to Memphis on Tuesday following their four-game road trip, tweets Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. This update is in line with the timeline announced for Morant when he initially was diagnosed with the calf strain. Wallace notes that the point guard is currently engaged in light on-court warmup work.
Devin Vassell has been on a tear of late, scoring more points in the Spurs‘ past two games than in any other two-game stretch of his career, writes Jeff McDonald for the San Antonio Express-News. That run included a 35-point explosion in a win against the Nuggets on Friday night, in which his teammates were well aware of the zone he was in. “[Keldon Johnson] told me in the last two minutes if the ball comes to me, don’t think,” Vassell said. “Just be aggressive and shoot.” As impressive as Vassell’s scoring was, head coach Mitch Johnson was happy to see the intensity the 25-year-old brought on the defensive end of the court. “He’s becoming a winning player,” Johnson said. “We’ve got our arm around him and our foot up his backside to continue to do it. He’s a difference maker when he does that.”

Southwest Notes: Coward, Vassell, Wemby, Mavs

October 8th, 2025 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

It wasn’t exactly a memorable pro debut on Monday for Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward, who missed all seven of his field goal attempts, committed three fouls, and was a -22 in 18 minutes of action as Memphis lost to Detroit by a score of 128-112.

Still, while head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged it was a “rough night” for the 22-year-old, Coward and the team were just happy that he was able to get back on the court for the first time since November 2024, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. The former Washington State swingman missed most of last season and was held out of Summer League due to a shoulder injury.

“Now that I’ve touched an NBA court, you don’t really have to get your feet wet anymore,” Coward said. “It’s like your first time going swimming. Once you get in the pool, you’re straight. … Ultimately, it’s just getting the rhythm of the game. The shots I did take were shots I liked. That’s why I’m not worried about it. It wasn’t like I was rushing them or anything. They just weren’t falling.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

After dealing with knee and foot issues during the 2023 and 2024 offseasons, Devin Vassell made it through this summer fully healthy and is optimistic about having a bounce-back year in 2025/26 after his numbers dipped a little last season, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “It’s been huge,” the Spurs wing said. “Just being able to come into work every day and even have two-a-days to do certain things that I haven’t been able to do for a while, it’s been good. Strength-wise, conditioning-wise, on-court wise – it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been able to do that.” Vassell added that his goal is to play in all 82 games this season — his career high is 71 in 2021/22.
Michael C. Wright of ESPN is the latest reporter to take an in-depth look at a transformational summer for Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who explained why the blood clot that ended his 2024/25 season could ultimately be “beneficial.” Meanwhile, Jared Weiss of The Athletic explores how San Antonio’s plan for how to use Wembanyama has evolved, writing that the big man is acting as more of a creator on the wing and looking more like Kevin Durant than Anthony Davis.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd provided a series of injury updates on Tuesday, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Among them: Dante Exum remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury, and Brandon Williams, who suffered a hamstring strain early in camp, is still considered day-to-day.

Spurs, Rockets, Heat On Kevin Durant’s Wish List

June 14th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs and Rockets are Kevin Durant‘s preferred trade destinations, league sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic, who provides an overview of the status of trade talks along with Athletic writers Kelly Iko and Jon Krawczynski. Amick cautions that Durant’s desire to play in San Antonio or Houston doesn’t mean he’ll wind up in one of those cities, as there are “complicating factors” with both teams that make deals difficult.

Shams Charania of ESPN shares a similar report, but says Durant is interested in joining the Heat as well as the two Texas teams. He states that “people across the NBA” have been told that those are the three teams Durant would consider signing an extension with. He has one year left on his contract at $54.7MM.

Charania notes that once the trade is complete, Durant will become eligible on July 6 for a two-year contract extension worth up to $122MM. If he waits until six months after the trade becomes official, the extension rises to a potential $124MM over two years.

Sources tell Charania that Durant is being pursued by six to eight “seriously interested teams.” The Suns have informed those teams that they plan to make the best deal for themselves, even if Durant winds up somewhere he doesn’t want to go.

Within the Athletic’s report, Iko notes that the Spurs have a base of young talent, no current cap worries and a wealth of draft assets (13 first-round picks through 2032), putting them in position for a “timeline-altering move” to speed up the building process around Victor Wembanyama. League sources tell Iko that San Antonio remains unwilling to part with the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, which is expected to bring Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs would make the 14th pick available.

Echoing a report earlier today by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Iko states that Phoenix has been underwhelmed by offers constructed around Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes. Durant’s desire to join the Spurs will factor into the equation, but Iko sounds skeptical that a deal will happen unless their offers improve.

The Rockets are in a similar situation, Iko adds, as a young team that has to decide how badly it wants to disrupt its current timeline to add an aging and expensive player, even one as productive as Durant. He notes that Houston and Phoenix have been engaged in talks regarding Durant for more than a year, but the Suns’ decision to restructure their front office, with Brian Gregory taking over as general manager, have affected those negotiations.

Sources tell Iko that originally Phoenix was determined to regain control of its first-round picks that Houston owns in 2025, 2027 and 2029, and later switched to asking for multiple young players such as Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green. Team and league sources tell Iko that Jabari Smith Jr. has recently become the focus of the Suns’ pursuit. Iko hears that Green wants to stay in Houston and atone for his poor playoff performance and that the Rockets’ front office hasn’t shown much interest in breaking up its young core in pursuit of Durant.

Krawczynski discusses the challenge of bringing Durant’s contract to Minnesota, which is currently above the second apron, just like Phoenix. Wolves sources tell him that the team won’t part with Jaden McDaniels in a Durant trade, which means Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert would have to be included to help match salaries if Minnesota can regain the ability to aggregate by dropping below the second apron. Randle has a $30.9MM player option for next season that he would have to agree to pick up before being included in a deal, while Gobert is under contract for $35MM. Krawczynski notes that either player would be a solid addition alongside Devin Booker and could help the Suns get back into the playoff race.

He adds that another salary, such as Donte DiVincenzo’s $12MM, would have to be included, and Phoenix would probably want one of Minnesota’s young players thrown in, such as Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon or Jaylen Clark.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 14th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Suns cannot aggregate salaries in trades, they have been exploring ways to move below the second tax apron to ease some of the restrictions they’re currently facing. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), as part of the Kevin Durant trade talks, Phoenix’s front office has larger constructs involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in an effort to reduce the team’s payroll.

Dropping below the second apron is believed to be one of Phoenix’s “primary objectives” in a Durant deal, Fischer writes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns are trying to cut costs for financial reasons, they just recognize how difficult it is to operate over that threshold in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Fischer explains.

Sources tell Fischer that Phoenix hopes to acquire “starting-level talent” in exchange for Durant, with “quality draft capital” another desired part of the return package. Fischer hears the Suns have been evaluating first-round prospects “in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection” in the 2025 draft.

While Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Rockets are one of the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns for Durant, Fischer says Houston is “exceedingly reluctant” to meet Phoenix’s asking price. According to Fischer, the Suns view the Rockets as their ideal trade partner due to their combination of young talent and draft picks — Houston controls Phoenix’s first-rounders in 2025 (No. 10), 2027 and 2029.

Fischer adds that the Rockets’ front office recognizes this advantage and is “believed to be willing to go only so far” in its offer to Phoenix, indicating that the Suns might get more assets elsewhere.

League sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves and Heat are the teams most frequently talked about as potential destinations for Durant. Fischer adds that the Spurs and Rockets have been cited by league executives as having interest in acquiring Durant, along with the Clippers and Raptors “to a lesser extent.”

Fischer also speculates that Durant would enjoy the idea of returning to Texas — where he played collegiately — either with San Antonio or Houston. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously stated that the Texas teams may be atop Durant’s wish list.

That could be an important consideration because Durant holds a $54.7MM expiring contract. Fischer says that front offices are considering whether it’s worth the gamble to trade for Durant with no assurances that he will re-sign after next season.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that there have been discussions between Minnesota and Phoenix regarding Durant, but “nothing is close” right now. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that the Heat are interested in dealing for Durant, but “only at the right price.”

Ian Begley of SNY.tv considers it a “long shot” that the Knicks will get involved (Twitter link), echoing other reports from this week. Begley also points out that finding a starting center is among the Suns’ offseason priorities, and trading Durant may be their best opportunity to make that happen.

Fischer considers Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert the best center likely to be available in a Durant deal, but states that it’s difficult to create a workable trade scenario between the Wolves and Suns, who are both operating above the second apron for now. He points out that Minnesota will fall below the second apron if Naz Reid and Julius Randle both decline their player options, and Reid seems almost certain to do so. Otherwise, a trade between the two clubs would likely have to be agreed upon this month but not become official until after the moratorium is lifted in July.

Miami may be more realistic, according to Fischer, who notes that the city was on Durant’s list when he first asked the Nets for a trade. Fischer suggests that Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson are among the players the Heat can send to Phoenix to help match salaries, and they have three first-rounders that can be moved: No. 20 this year, along with their picks in 2030 and 2032.

Sources tell Fischer that Miami was unwilling to part with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez at the trade deadline, and he speculates that its willingness to include Ware could be a “true swing factor” in a Phoenix deal.

The Spurs and other teams have been reluctant to surrender significant draft capital for Durant, according to Fischer, who reports that the Suns have limited interest in the players San Antonio has offered so far. Fischer states that it’s believed the Spurs are keeping Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft off limits and are only offering players such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, DSJ, Brown, Spurs, Pelicans

June 6th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Acquiring a point guard is one of the top priorities for the Mavericks in the 2025 offseason, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. With star Kyrie Irving recovering from ACL surgery and not expected to get back on the court until at least January, the team will need help at the position this fall.

In a mailbag for the Morning News, Curtis discusses how Chris Paul will likely be a name to watch for Dallas, citing NBA Insider Marc Stein who listed him as a potential option along with Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday. The latter two players are still under contract but their respective teams may entertain offers for them, given roster construction and salary cap considerations.

After a rocky season as a part-time starter for the Suns, Curtis doesn’t consider upcoming unrestricted free agent Tyus Jones a serious target, writing, “Jones has proven he can run an offense, but there are better options on the market this offseason.”

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Dennis Smith Jr. is set to work out with the Mavericks next week as part of a veteran mini-camp, notes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. The athletic, defensive-minded guard is just one of a number of free agents who will take part in the mini-camp, but he could fill a need for the Dallas team that drafted him in 2017 and help complement the team’s budding defensive identity. Smith recently participated in a similar camp for the Sixers.
One name to watch as the Spurs continue to search for stars to put around Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox is Jaylen Brown, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix said during an NBC Sports Boston appearance (YouTube link). While Giannis Antetokounmpo has been linked to the Spurs, Mannix believes they may not be comfortable with the price they’d have to pay to acquire the Bucks star, which could lead them to look elsewhere. “I think if you’re Boston, you’re not going to… get a Stephon Castle in a potential Jaylen Brown (trade),” Mannix said. “You would get a No. 2 pick back in return, you would get some of the pieces… the Devin Vassells, the Keldon Johnsons, future first-round capital. That’s something I’d watch.” There’s no indication at this point that the Celtics will make Brown available.
The Pelicans conducted pre-draft workouts for UNC’s RJ Davis, Arkansas’ Johnell Davis, Wisconsin’s Steven Crowl, and Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson, reports The Athletic’s Will Guillory (via Twitter). Of the four players, UNC’s Davis ranks the highest on ESPN’s top-100 board, coming in at 93rd.
New Pelicans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars views the two teams in the NBA Finals as reasons to believe New Orleans can follow a similar small-market path, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. The first step in that process is building the proper culture and making the team feel like a first-class organization. “Taking care of the players. Taking care of their families. The way you do business. The way you travel. Everything. People have to feel good about coming into the building,” Dumars said.

Barnes, Stewart, Vassell Candidates For Jamaican National Team

June 5th, 2025 at 3:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart and Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell are in discussions to join Jamaica’s men’s basketball team, reports Daniel Blake of The Jamaica Observer (Twitter link).

Clippers wing Norman Powell has already committed to represent Jamaica during the pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer, as has Timberwolves forward Josh Minott, according to Blake (Twitter link).

Rockets wing Amen Thompson and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson may also represent Jamaica in FIBA competitions and possibly the Summer Olympics. Blake hears the Thompson twins began the process of applying for Jamaican passports last week — their father is from Jamaica.

Blake previously mentioned Suns center Nick Richards, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, as another candidate to join the national team.

If Jamaica is able to secure the commitments of all the aforementioned NBA players, the country would become a formidable opponent in international competitions. Former Rookie of the Year and All-Star Barnes is the most accomplished of the group, and all but Minott have established themselves as at least solid rotation players in the NBA.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 4th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

After reporting before the end of the regular season that there was some mutual interest between the Spurs and Suns star Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated that point last week during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link). Charania’s reporting has since been confirmed by a plugged-in Phoenix-area insider.

“The team that I heard last night in speaking to somebody pretty close to the situation with KD is keep your eye on the Spurs,” John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 said during the Burns & Gambo show on Tuesday (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM). “KD could have some interest in the Spurs. That might be a good landing spot for him, with (De’Aaron) Fox and (Victor) Wembanyama and an up-and-coming team on the rise that has a great defensive anchor.”

Gambadoro speculates that a Durant deal with San Antonio might include Harrison Barnes‘ $19MM expiring contract and a young player like Devin Vassell, who will make $27MM next season. While Vassell is primarily a shooting guard like Devin Booker, the Suns figure to prioritize acquiring the best young talent they can, rather than a perfect positional fit.

“You could (say), ‘Oh, you don’t want a guy who plays the same position as Booker,'” Gambadoro continued. “But you might have to take back somebody that plays the same position. You need to get younger talent. You could always trade somebody down the road, or move somebody to small forward instead of the two-guard spot, or you could have somebody be the point guard and not the two guard.”

As Gambadoro observes, the Suns will also likely be seeking draft assets in a deal for Durant, including perhaps a 2025 pick. That’s one reason why he thinks a deal could come together at some point in the coming weeks, prior to free agency.

“I expect – I’m not guaranteeing this, but I would expect – that a KD deal would happen right before the draft,” Gambadoro said. “Because you’d want to include draft capital in any deal, so I think that a Kevin Durant trade would come up this month, sometime before the draft. Probably close to the draft, if it’s going to happen.”

Marc Stein recently reported that the league-wide belief that a Durant trade will happen this offseason has only increased as the Suns trend toward hiring a first-time head coach. On Tuesday, Kelly Iko of The Athletic indicated that the Suns and Rockets have continued to talk about a possible Durant trade and shared some additional details on those discussions.

Spurs Notes: Paul, Vassell, McLaughlin, King, Ingram

April 3rd, 2025 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

When a player signs a contract that includes unlikely incentives, those incentives can be worth up to 15% of the player’s base salary. The Spurs took full advantage of that rule last summer when they signed Chris Paul, making the most of their cap room by agreeing to a one-year deal with a base salary of $10.46MM and another $1.569MM in achievable unlikely incentives that wouldn’t count against the cap.

Paul began cashing in on those incentives on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), when the Spurs registered their 32nd win of the season, beating the Nuggets in Denver. The veteran point guard earned a $262K bonus as a result of the team reaching that win total, Marks reports.

Paul is on track to earn another $523K before the end of the season by meeting two more individual performance benchmarks, Marks tweets. As Marks previously wrote for ESPN.com, those bonuses are related to Paul’s net rating and true shooting percentage.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Spurs wing Devin Vassell was held out of Wednesday’s win for left ankle injury management, missing a game for the first time since December 6. Acting head coach Mitch Johnson explained that the team decided to rest Vassell because he was “getting a little bit too much in the danger zone” after having been playing through an ankle injury, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “It’s being mindful of the big picture, keeping him healthy, and so we made the call,” Johnson said.
A throw-in piece in the De’Aaron Fox blockbuster in February, guard Jordan McLaughlin has barely played for the Spurs since being dealt from Sacramento to San Antonio. But he was a +8 in 17 minutes of action in Denver on Wednesday and made a crucial three-point shot in the fourth quarter. With just nine Spurs players active for the game, McLaughlin said the reserves’ attitude was to “go out there and have fun,” as Orsborn relays. “We all work really hard behind the scenes even when we’re not playing, so it was just a great opportunity for us to go out there and play basketball,” the veteran guard said.
Scott King, the head coach of the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate, has been named the NBAGL’s Coach of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday (Twitter link). A former Knicks player development coach, King led Austin to a 22-12 record and the No. 2 seed in the G League’s Western Conference in his first year at the helm, finishing ahead of runners-up DeSagana Diop (Westchester Knicks) and Quinton Crawford (Stockton Kings) in a vote conducted by the league’s 31 head coaches and GMs. At the time of his hiring, one report indicated that King was viewed as a future NBA head coach — he likely bolstered his case with his performance this season.
Speaking to Grant Afseth of RG.org, Spurs two-way forward Harrison Ingram said his goal is to earn a standard contract. The 48th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Ingram has appeared in just three games for San Antonio this season, having spent most of the year in Austin, an experience he discussed with Afseth. He’ll be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.

Southwest Notes: Doncic, Duffy, Davis, Vassell, Jackson

February 4th, 2025 at 9:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Confirming previous reports, Luka Doncic said he gave Mavericks management any indication that he wouldn’t sign a five-year, $345MM super-max extension this offseason prior to being dealt to the Lakers, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News tweets.

“Absolutely not,” Doncic said.

Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, indicated he expected to discuss the super-max with Dallas’ brass.

“We were going to talk at the end of the season,” Duffy said, per another Townsend tweet.

Doncic is no longer eligible for the super-max since he was dealt.

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Anthony Davis admits he was caught off-guard by the blockbuster trade that landed him in Dallas. “I was shocked,” Davis said, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I had no idea. I had just sent the team a text about congratulations on the win against the Knicks, big win, and then looking forward to Tuesday’s game against the Clippers, as far as standing purposes. And then, found out like an hour later I was no longer with the team. I was in shock, obviously. Had no idea that it was happening. But, I mean, now I’m kind of over it, and just kind of getting ready to play with Dallas.” Davis had lobbied for the Lakers to acquire a center so he could spend more time at power forward. The Mavericks have Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively, which will allow Davis to play power forward regularly again. “Anytime that I’m out on the floor, I feel better. I haven’t played power forward in a long time with another big,” Davis said. “We saw some spurts in L.A. with Jaxson (Hayes), but to be back naturally at the four, I’m excited to see how it goes.”
Spurs wing Devin Vassell sees a new offensive dimension with the addition of De’Aaron Fox, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. He feels defenses will be confounded by the combination of Fox and Victor Wembanyama. “Who do you stop between those two?” Vassell said. “I think we’re going to play a lot faster and we’re going to be out in transition a lot. I think it’s just going to open up a lot with Fox being our point guard. Him and Wemby on the screen-and-roll? Then you have me and (Julian) Champagnie and certain shooters around. It’s going to be an exciting offense, and I think defensively we’re going to be able to get after people, too. I know Fox likes to pick up full court and kind of change the pace of the game. He’s going to help us on both ends.” Fox is listed as available for the Spurs’ game against Atlanta on Wednesday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
In a subscriber-only story, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal details GG Jackson‘s breakout game against San Antonio and considers how Jackson’s ability to be a dynamic offense option impacts the Grizzlies going forward. The second-year forward, playing in his eighth game since returning from foot surgery, scored 27 points in 28 minutes.

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