Southwest Notes: Edey, Prosper, Kyrie, Fears, Rockets
Speaking to reporters earlier this week for the first time since December, Grizzlies center Zach Edey said he was pleased with how he performed in his 11 games this season, suggesting he “showed who I can be,” per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Edey was excellent in his limited appearances, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in just 25.8 minutes per contest and leading the team to a 7-4 record, though he acknowledged that his health issues made it feel like a “wasted” season.
“Every game it kind of got a little worse,” he said of the left ankle injury that eventually required a second surgery following the initial repair last June. “My first few games, I didn’t feel it at all. Then I may have pushed it too much — played too many minutes or whatever it was. Toward the end of that stretch, it started giving me problems.”
In addition to getting a second surgery on his left ankle, Edey also underwent a procedure on his left elbow in March. However, the big man downplayed the elbow issue, confirming that it wasn’t a new injury.
“Just a little clean-up,” Edey said. “I’ve had some problems with my elbow since middle school. I played through it for a while. I figured I might as well just get it cleaned up while I have this boot on my foot.”
Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), guard Jaylen Wells (right big toe surgery), and Scotty Pippen Jr. (right big toe surgery) also spoke this week about their respective injury recoveries, as Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays.
Aldama indicated he expects to be fully recovered by mid-summer; Wells said he should be good to go by late June; and Pippen projected a three-month recovery timeline following his mid-March surgery. In other words, all three players expect to be ready for training camp in the fall.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Waived after two seasons in Dallas, former first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper has had a breakout year with the Grizzlies (10.0 PPG on .549/.405/.754 shooting). Speaking to Ben Steele of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Prosper says it was important for him to find his “niche” and make sure he excels in that area. “For me, it was focusing on my ability to guard multiple positions and be versatile on both sides of the ball,” the former Marquette forward said. “Offensively, you can put me as a three, four, five. And defensively, I can guard one through five. So that’s been my calling card. Now you can add to your game after that. Add to your shooting, add to your bag, but first you have to do what your calling card and do that and be consistent and stay poised the whole way through the season.”
- Kyrie Irving hasn’t played at all in the past year while recovering from a torn ACL, but the Mavericks have appreciated how his calm, level-headed presence and locker-room leadership have helped the team navigate a turbulent season, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “He sees when guys are in their heads,” big man Daniel Gafford said. “He’s taking all of his experience, all of his game knowledge and he’s giving it to the younger generation.” Irving has a guaranteed $39.5MM contract for 2026/27 with a $42.4MM player option for ’27/28.
- While it hasn’t been a successful season overall for the Pelicans, the development of their rookies has been a silver lining. Jeremiah Fears provided a reminder of that in the team’s home finale on Tuesday, setting a new career high and a new franchise rookie record by scoring 40 points in a victory over Utah, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “I’m really just proud of his growth,” interim head coach James Borrego said. “From training camp to where he’s at today, he’s taken a massive step. This franchise is in a really good place because of players like him. Fantastic.”
- The Rockets have a $180MM renovation plan for Toyota Center in the works, according to Houston mayor John Whitmire, who said on Wednesday that the state is expected to contribute $95MM to the project, with Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta funding the rest. Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) has the details.
Southwest Notes: Flagg, Bagley, Prosper, Wembanyama
After appearing in a pair of games this week, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg is back on the injury report for Sunday’s contest at Toronto, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). Flagg, who missed close to a month with a left midfoot sprain, admitted that the foot was bothering him in Friday’s game at Boston.
“It was a little awkward,” said Flagg, who’s listed as questionable. “It was a little sore, but it was something I could play through. It was a little tender, but nothing I couldn’t deal with.”
Flagg played 30 minutes on Friday, but had to leave the game for evaluation after slipping in the first quarter. He went through stretching and movement drills with a trainer, then rode the stationary bike for a while before returning to action. He shot a combined 14-of-45 in the two games since the injury, but he attributes that to the long layoff rather than his health.
“I’m getting to my spots and taking the shots I want,” Flagg said. “They’re just not falling right now. It’s about getting my rhythm and touch back, and I’m not worried about it.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Marvin Bagley III has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday after missing the past five games with a neck sprain, Afseth adds. Bagley, who was acquired from Washington as part of last month’s Anthony Davis trade, has been productive since joining the Mavericks, averaging 13.0 points and 8.9 rebounds in seven games.
- Grizzlies forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper has his sights set higher after being promoted from a two-way contract to a standard deal this week, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal states. Prosper said he’s “grateful, but not satisfied” and wants to prove himself even more during the final five weeks of the season. “It’s just belief in myself and trusting that everything is going to work out,” Prosper said. “Staying true to the process. Staying true to my work. It was definitely something that I’m very grateful about (and) very happy.”
- The Spurs continued their remarkable season by erasing a 25-point deficit in Friday’s win over the Clippers, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Victor Wembanyama said after the game that he was “about to pass out” and called it one of the high points of his time in the NBA. “That was one of the best wins,” he added. “That was one of the best games, best parts of my career, my basketball life.”
Southwest Notes: Jordan, Murray, Sheppard, Prosper
After signing with the Pelicans at the start of the regular season, veteran center DeAndre Jordan made two appearances in his first week on the roster in October, then didn’t see any action until after last month’s All-Star break. He has played regular minutes since then, earning five starts and logging double-digit minutes in each of New Orleans’ past six games.
Even before his return to the rotation, Jordan “elevated our program tremendously,” according to interim head coach James Borrego, who spoke glowingly about the the 37-year-old’s leadership and “massive impact” on the Pelicans’ locker room, per Mark Medina of EssentiallySports.
“He has a high standard,” Borrego said. “He’s the first one to show up. Pregame, he does his work. Then you add the leadership piece. He’s wrapped his arms around the vets. He’s wrapped his arms around the young guys. … He’s brought us an edge and a physicality. He’s a massive and tremendous communicator. I think that’s what we’re trying to get our young guys to develop more. That’s the ability to communicate, especially for bigs. It’s massive. To look like a big defense or be a good defense, you have to talk, especially from that five spot. He does it as well as anybody.”
Despite not seeing the floor for over three-and-a-half months and playing for a team that opened the season by losing 31 of its first 39 games, Jordan hasn’t been discouraged by his situation or the modest role he has been asked to take on, he told Medina.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve embraced that locker room leader and mentor kind of role,” Jordan said. “Whenever my number is called, I’ll be ready to play and contribute in any way that I can in the days that I’m not playing. I encourage my teammates. I’ll criticize them when it’s necessary. I let them know about things that I see on the floor. I give them knowledge back.
“… We don’t want to be complacent and okay with losing nine or 10 games in a row. But we’ve had a lot of young guys who are playing big minutes early. So it’s about being able to get them some familiarity with the NBA and the speed and the sets and coverages. So that next year when we’re a healthy team, and these guys have a full rookie season under their belt, we’ll be better.”
Asked how much longer he hopes to play, Jordan – who is in his 18th NBA season – said it’s long been a goal to get to 20 seasons in the league if he can.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray has been effective since returning from his year-long absence due to an Achilles tear, scoring at least 13 points in each of his first four games, but he’s still not ready to play in back-to-back contests. Murray has been ruled out for Thursday’s matchup with Sacramento, the first of a back-to-back, due to “return to competition conditioning,” according to the team. Forwards Trey Murphy III (neck spasm) and Zion Williamson (right ankle sprain) are both considered questionable to suit up.
- With Reed Sheppard playing some of the best basketball of his career recently in an increased role, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports and William Guillory of The Athletic examine the strides the Rockets guard is making in his second NBA season and consider what his role will look like once starters Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. return from injuries. “My teammates are giving me the space to grow, and they’re pushing me to be aggressive. That’s made it a lot easier for me,” Sheppard told Guillory. “It hasn’t always been perfect, but I’m working to fix the mistakes. I know I can play an important role for us to get where we want to go.”
- The second year of Olivier-Maxence Prosper‘s new two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Grizzlies is a team option, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Prosper’s rest-of-season salary is $527,879, while his 2026/27 option is worth $2,497,812.
Grizzlies Sign Olivier-Maxence Prosper To Two-Year Contract
11:11 am: Prosper’s new contract is official, according to the Grizzlies (Twitter link).
10:54 am: The Grizzlies are promoting forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper from his two-way contract to their 15-man roster, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who hears from agents Todd Ramasar and Mike Simonetta that the two sides have agreed to a new two-year deal.
No corresponding roster move will be necessary for Memphis, since a spot opened up on the standard roster when Rayan Rupert‘s 10-day contract expired on Tuesday night.
Prosper, the 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, spent his first two NBA seasons in Dallas, but became a cap casualty last offseason and was waived in August when the Mavericks needed to create enough space below their hard cap to re-sign Dante Exum. Less than a week after he was cut by the Mavs, Prosper caught on with the Grizzlies on a two-way deal.
The 6’7″ Canadian forward didn’t have a major role at the NBA level during the first half of the season, but has become a fixture in the rotation in recent weeks. Since making his first start of the season on February 6, Prosper has averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 24.7 minutes per game across 10 outings (seven starts), with a scorching-hot shooting line of .611/.432/.867.
In 36 total NBA appearances in 2025/26, the former Marquette standout holds averages of 7.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 0.9 APG in 15.8 MPG on .541/.389/.873 shooting. Each of those per-game averages and shooting percentages would be a career high.
Prosper was active for a 45th game on Tuesday, moving him just five games away from reaching his limit as a two-way player. Promoting him to a standard contract will allow the Grizzlies to eliminate that games-played cap, freeing him up to be active for the rest of the season. It will also make him postseason-eligible, though that’s unlikely to matter, since Memphis has fallen five games out a play-in spot.
Prosper’s new contract figures to be a minimum-salary deal, since the Grizzlies used their full room exception last summer to sign Ty Jerome and don’t have the bi-annual available this season.
Converting Prosper to the 15-man roster before the end of the day will position the Grizzlies to back-fill his two-way slot with a newcomer ahead of Wednesday’s deadline for two-way signings.
Pelicans Only Team With Two-Way Opening As Deadline Looms
It’s Wednesday, March 4, which means today is the last day that teams can sign players to two-way contracts for the 2025/26 season, as we outlined earlier this week.
As the day begins, 87 of the 90 two-way slots around the NBA are currently occupied, with two more set to be filled shortly. The Hawks and Cavaliers both have two-way openings, but Atlanta is reportedly signing guard Keshon Gilbert and Cleveland is set to add big man Olivier Sarr.
That leaves the Pelicans as the league’s only team with a two-way contract spot available. In all likelihood, New Orleans will fill that slot by the end of the day on Wednesday, since the financial cost would be minimal and the cap impact would be nonexistent.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Pelicans will be the only team to make a two-way roster move today. Other clubs could make some last-minute changes by either waiving current two-way players or promoting them to standard contracts in order to back-fill their two-way slot with a newcomer. While two-way players can be elevated to the 15-man roster anytime up until the last day of the regular season, a team that does so after Wednesday wouldn’t be able to sign a new two-way player in his place.
Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love, Grizzlies forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Mavericks big man Moussa Cisse are among the notable players on two-way contracts who are nearing their respective games played limits and could be candidates for promotions, though not all of those clubs currently have space available on their 15-man rosters.
A year ago on March 4, seven players officially signed new two-way contracts, with one two-way player waived and four others promoted to standard contracts. Two years ago, March 4 brought six two-way signings and a pair of cuts involving two-way players.
It remains to be seen how busy today will be relative to the last couple two-way contract deadline days, but we’ll be monitoring transaction reports and announcements throughout Wednesday and bringing you all the latest updates.
Southwest Notes: Middleton, Nembhard, Murphy, Prosper, Barnes
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was pleased with Khris Middleton‘s decision to remain in Dallas for the rest of the season rather than seeking a buyout to get to a playoff team, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
“It’s great,” Kidd said. “Khris is a vet. He’s already had some impact with us, on and off the floor. For him to be able to stay, it’s great. We’ll try not to play him 40 minutes a night, but his ability as a vet to score and to lead is something that’s needed in that locker room, so we’re happy he stayed.”
Although Middleton stayed put, another veteran – Tyus Jones – negotiated his release from the Mavericks, which opened up a roster spot on Dallas’ 15-man roster. The team used that newly created opening to promote standout rookie guard Ryan Nembhard from his two-way contract.
According to Curtis (subscription required), Nembhard said after signing the deal that it “feels great” to get his first real NBA contract and that he’s “looking forward to building on this.” The former Gonzaga standout added that he has long felt valued by the Mavs, who tried to acquire a second-round pick to acquire him last June before ultimately signing him as an undrafted free agent.
“They showed a lot of love,” Nembhard told Curtis. “They got me in for a workout the day before the draft. I feel like there was an opportunity for me. That’s the biggest thing.”
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III played on Sunday for the first time since before the All-Star break, returning from a right shoulder contusion that kept him on the shelf for five games, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “A versatile player playing at a high level,” interim head coach James Borrego said of Murphy, who generated significant interest from rival teams ahead of February’s trade deadline. “He just raises our level, our standard, our ceiling. He’s having a tremendous year to this date. The energy, the vibe, the spirit, the competitiveness and the belief. I know he’s happy to be out there with his brothers.”
- Two-way forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper has taken on an increased role for the Grizzlies as of late, starting five straight games, playing small-ball center, and averaging 15.2 points per night on .628/.471/.867 shooting since February 6. Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal takes an in-depth look at Maxence-Prosper, who only has six games of eligibility left on his two-way deal and is making a strong case for a promotion to the standard roster. “All of O-Max’s energy is just contagious,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo told Afseth. “He’s one of the highest-motor players in the whole league. He’s had to basically shift up a position or two spots and is doing a great job. He’s improved his shooting from the outside and is shooting with a lot of confidence. … How he’s improving in the little facets of the game overall, it’s a testament to the hard work he’s putting in.”
- Removed last month from the Spurs‘ starting lineup after making 775 consecutive starts for four NBA teams, veteran forward Harrison Barnes continues to play regular minutes off the bench and has taken his new role in stride, notes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “Harrison Barnes is as professional and as good of a veteran as you could want in your locker room,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said of his teammate, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Injuries Leave Grizzlies Seeking Backcourt Help
The Grizzlies are considering adding another guard in the wake of multiple backcourt injuries, league sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.org. Memphis’ front office is looking at internal and external options to stabilize the team’s depth chart, Afseth adds.
Scotty Pippen Jr. became the latest significant loss over the weekend as the team announced that he’ll undergo surgery on his left big toe. Pippen doesn’t have a projected timeline to return, but he won’t be reevaluated for 12 weeks. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 79 games last season and made 21 starts.
Ja Morant is week-to-week after spraining his left ankle during practice in early October. There’s hope that he’ll be ready for Wednesday’s opener, but his status remains uncertain. Coach Tuomas Iisalo said Morant is “progressing really well” and was able to participate in the shootaround before Friday’s preseason finale in Miami.
“Ja continues to work with our group,” Iisalo said. “He’s ramping up well, but we’ll keep being cautious.”
[Update: Morant is expected to play in Memphis’ opener].
The injury issues mounted when offseason addition Ty Jerome left Friday’s game early after hurting his right calf. No updates have been provided on his condition, but he may also have to miss some time.
[Update: Jerome will miss at least four weeks with a high-grade right calf strain].
Afseth states that Memphis is assessing the players who became available Saturday when most teams made their final roster cuts. The Grizzlies are already at the maximum of 15 standard contracts, but they could open a two-way slot to get guard help while their rotation players heal. That would mean waiving either PJ Hall, Olivier-Maxence Prosper or Javon Small, the team’s current two-way players.
Small could be an option if Memphis decides to address the problem internally, Afseth adds. The rookie out of West Virginia was impressive during the preseason, averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds in four games while shooting 44.7% from the field and 52.9% from three-point range.
Southwest Notes: DFS, Eason, Bey, Spurs, Wemby, Prosper
Confirming previous reporting, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka acknowledged on Wednesday to reporters, including Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required), that newly added forward Dorian Finney-Smith will “probably not” be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from June ankle surgery. According to Udoka, Finney-Smith hasn’t yet been cleared for contact, though he’s doing “all the shooting and other things with treatment as well during practice.”
As Lerner writes, the Rockets are also continuing to manage the workloads of center Steven Adams and forward Tari Eason, who were coming off procedures on their right knee and left leg, respectively, last season and didn’t play in both ends of back-to-backs. Houston won’t have a back-to-back this season until the first week of December and it’s unclear whether or not Adams and Eason will get the go-ahead to suit up for both of those games.
With Finney-Smith sidelined for now, Eason will receive consideration for a spot in the starting lineup this fall, according to Udoka.
“We’ll see,” Udoka said. “Good to have athletic wing defenders that’ll do a lot of things that he does, especially with Dillon (Brooks) being gone, but still to be determined, and we’ll see what works well. It’s not just about starting with me, as you know. It’s about what fits best, as far as our group. He wants to push for that. We want him to as well. And we’ll see if he gets it.”
Udoka has spoken this week about experimenting with different types of lineups, per William Guillory of The Athletic, noting that he could try out a unit featuring Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Adams that would “probably be one of the biggest in the history of the league.”
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Jordan Poole was the headliner of the Pelicans‘ offseason trade with Washington, but the team also added veteran forward Saddiq Bey in that deal. Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com explores what Bey, who is returning from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2024/25 season, can bring to New Orleans, noting that he’s earning praise from his teammates and his new head coach in camp. “He’s sort of that Swiss Army Knife type of player,” Willie Green said. “He can play multiple positions, score, post up, defend, rebound. Those guys are extremely valuable to a team’s success.”
- The Spurs were one of the NBA’s worst rebounding teams and put up poor defensive numbers when Victor Wembanyama wasn’t on the court last season. They’re optimistic that the offseason additions of centers Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk will help address those issues, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes (subscription required). “We wanted to be able to have that roster versatility to play a bunch of different ways and also protect the paint when Vic’s not on the floor,” general manager Brian Wright said. “I think those guys allow us to do that.”
- After recovering from a blood clot and spending time traveling in China and Japan this offseason, Wembanyama embarked upon a training regimen he described as “brutal,” explaining that he wanted to “get my body back,” according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “I can assure you, nobody has trained like I did this summer,” the Spurs star said. “And this is my best summer so far. I can tell the progress is just incredible. I feel better, I look stronger and the scale says I’m heavier. So everything is a green light.”
- With Grizzlies big men Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, and Brandon Clarke all likely unavailable to open the 2025/26 season, new two-way addition Olivier-Maxence Prosper is among the players making a strong case for a rotation role in the frontcourt during camp, head coach Tuomas Iisalo said this week, per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media (Twitter link).
Contract Details: Sharpe, Liddell, Prosper, Brooks, Schumacher
As part of his two-year contract agreement with the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe waived his right to veto a trade during the 2025/26 season, Hoops Rumors has learned.
A player who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year deal or a two-year deal that includes a second-year option is typically given an implicit no-trade clause, but a team can ask the player to give up that no-trade clause upon signing. Because Sharpe agreed to do so, he would lose his Bird rights if he’s traded ahead of February’s deadline.
[RELATED: NBA Players Who Can Veto Trades In 2025/26]
Even though he re-signed with his previous team, got a raise exceeding 20%, and signed for more than the minimum, Sharpe will become trade-eligible on December 15 instead of January 15 because the Nets were still operating below the cap upon completing his deal.
Here are more details on a few recently signed contracts from around the NBA:
- E.J. Liddell‘s new two-way contract with the Nets will cover just one season, Hoops Rumors has learned. The former Ohio State forward received a partial guarantee of $85,300 on that deal.
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, also agreed to a one-year deal that includes a partial guarantee worth $85,300, but his partial guarantee would increase to $318,218 if he remains on the roster through opening night — that’s 50% of his full two-way salary ($636,435).
- As expected, the contract that Garrison Brooks signed with the Pelicans last week is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. He’ll earn a bonus worth $85,300 if he’s waived by New Orleans and then spends at least 60 days with the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate.
- While most Exhibit 10 contracts include that maximum bonus of $85,300, that’s not the case for every E10 deal. For instance, Alex Schumacher – who was signed and waived by the Suns last week – will earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth $20K if he spends 60 or more days with the Valley Suns in the G League.
Grizzlies Sign Olivier-Maxence Prosper To Two-Way Deal
3:59pm: Prosper’s two-way deal with the Grizzlies is official, the team announced (via Twitter).
11:48am: Free agent forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper intends to sign a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, agents Todd Ramasar and Mike Simonetta tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania, Prosper mulled multiple contract offers before ultimately choosing Memphis. The Grizzlies were among the teams that conveyed interest in acquiring Prosper via trade before Dallas decided to waive and stretch his contract last Friday, Charania adds (via Twitter).
However, the Mavericks were said to be reluctant to part with one of their two remaining second-rounders to shed Prosper’s salary, and instead stretched it over three years, with annual cap hits of about $1MM through 2027/28.
Dallas needed to open up room under the second tax apron — at which the team is hard-capped — to re-sign Dante Exum.
Prosper has been an unrestricted free agent for a handful of days after being cut by the Mavs. The 6’8″ Canadian spent one year at Clemson and two seasons at Marquette prior to being selected No. 24 overall in the 2023 draft.
Prosper played a very modest role over his first two NBA seasons, averaging just 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game across 92 regular season outings, with a .396/.260/.658 shooting line.
He also played 25 G League games with the Texas Legends as a rookie in 2023/24. The 23-year-old averaged 18.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.0 APG and 0.9 SPG on .498/.418/.762 shooting in those contests.
As our tracker shows, Prosper will fill the Grizzlies’ third and final two-way spot.