Pistons Notes: Robinson, Collins, Reed, Thompson, Joe
Duncan Robinson’s $16MM salary this season doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10 but he doesn’t have to worry about losing his roster spot. He’s averaging 19.7 points, 2.3 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game through the Pistons’ 3-0 start.
“He carries so much weight and so much gravity. The shots that he’s making aren’t always easy shots, so those frustrate defenses as well,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “Now, it’s going to force people to put more bodies on him, and that’s just going to keep opening up the game for everybody else. He’s doing a great job, obviously. He’s making shots, but the way he’s hunting them and creating them as well. And then, even bigger, his teammates keep getting him the ball and keep finding him.”
Robinson is currently second on the team in scoring behind superstar Cade Cunningham.
“Dunc’s been doing this. He was doing this when he was against us with Miami, and he’s been doing it at a higher level for us,” Cunningham said. “So, it’s who he is. He’s perfecting his craft. He’s the top in the world at it. He just makes everybody’s job easier.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Power forward John Collins was the biggest free agent signing by the club this offseason. Like Robinson, he’s off to a solid start, averaging 15 points and 7.7 rebounds. Bickerstaff also appreciates Collins’ enthusiasm. “Both sides of the ball; there is versatility,” Bickerstaff said, per Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “Having that size, coming off a year where he shot 40.0% from 3. His ability to put pressure on the rim. He can attack smaller matchups and put guys in the post. His spirit has been unwavering. Every day, he brings the same positive attitude. Team first, just wants to compete and win. He fits right in with our group.”
- With Jalen Duren out at least two weeks due to a hamstring strain, Paul Reed becomes even more important to the frontcourt. Reed is averaging 11 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Reed’s $5.6MM becomes fully guaranteed in January and he’ll be a free agent after the season unless he signs an extension. “Offensively, I think he’s taken huge steps,” said Bickerstaff per Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “His ability to finish around the rim in so many different ways … you watch his workouts and he’s working on things he plans on applying to the game.” Sixers coach Nick Nurse is also full of praise for the big man, Patterson tweets. “He just kind of hustles and slithers around to keep .balls alive. He’s a great finisher and has played really, really outstanding for them,” he said.
- Ausar Thompson, who missed the team’s victory at Philadelphia on Sunday, was back in the lineup against the Knicks on Tuesday. Isaiah Joe (right hip contusion) missed the game, Patterson tweets.
Anthony Edwards Needs Knee Surgery, Could Miss Two Months
Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and miss up to two months, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
As Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix points out (Twitter link), it’s been a brutal opening week. Jalen Williams, Paolo Banchero, Kawhi Leonard, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cason Wallace and Jalen Suggs have all been sidelined by significant injuries and now Edwards joins that group.
Edwards has been dealing with knee soreness and the club decided to address the issue as soon as possible with the hope he’ll be back sometime in December and be fully ready to go, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Despite the ailment, Edwards was off to a spectacular start, averaging 33.3 points, including a 47-point eruption in an overtime loss to Cleveland on Monday.
Krawczynski noted in a story published before the surgery was revealed that while his shots were falling, Edwards didn’t have the usual burst and occasionally walked with a limp. He wasn’t cleared to play against the Cavs until after pregame warmups and had been listed as questionable to play Wednesday against Golden State. Edwards dealt with a hyperextended left knee in the playoffs last season and was also bothered by inflammation in his right knee, Krawcyznski added.
During his first five NBA seasons, Edwards never appeared in fewer than 72 games. He saw action in 79 games for three consecutive seasons until last season, when he was limited to 61 games, mainly due to a foot injury.
With Edwards sidelined, new backcourt partner LaMelo Ball will undoubtedly try to pick up more of the scoring slack. Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Isaiah Evans will see their playing time increase as Minnesota tries to survive without its franchise player.
Northwest Notes: Jokic, Edwards, Holmgren, Caruso, Boozer, Peterson
Nikola Jokic criticized Nuggets fans who booed the team during an overtime victory over New Orleans on Saturday, MSN relays per ESPN. The team heard from some unhappy fans while piling up a 23-point deficit.
“We got booed at our first home game, and I think those fans who booed us, they don’t need to come anymore,” Jokic said. “If you guys follow us, you know that we never quit and we’ve come back from much worse situations. So, if they ask me, they are not welcome anymore.”
Denver followed that up with a 20-point home loss to Golden State on Monday. The fans were more forgiving, but Jokic didn’t back down from his stance, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.
“I think they are not real fans,” he said.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards is dealing with some right knee soreness but the team isn’t overly concerned about it, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski writes. “It’s a daily situation,” coach Chris Finch said. “I don’t think there’s any long-term concern.” Kraczynski notes Edwards always wants to play, mainly because he feels an obligation to his teammates and the fans to suit up as much as possible. Edwards is listed as questionable to play against Golden State on Wednesday.
- Not only are Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace dealing with long-term injuries but the Thunder have several other regulars nursing injuries heading into their game against Dallas on Wednesday. Chet Holmgren will be out for the second straight contest due to knee patellar tendinitis and Alex Caruso is also out due to an ankle sprain, Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder tweets. Ajay Mitchell is listed as questionable, also because of an ankle sprain.
- Carlos Boozer, Cameron Boozer’s father and a longtime NBA player, was hoping the Jazz would draft his son. Instead, they opted for Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick. The elder Boozer, who did some scouting for the Jazz last season, doesn’t blame Utah’s brass for making that decision, Shreyas Laddha of the Salt Lake Tribune. “I think Darryn’s a great fit for the Jazz,” he said. “Obviously, we have Jaren Jackson, who’s Triple J, a phenomenal basketball player with size. We have Lauri Markkanen, who’s a phenomenal player with size. … I was hoping in my heart that Cam could come play in Utah. I know Utah would love Cam being a part of it, but I think fit-wise, he fits way better in Memphis because they needed a player like him in Memphis.”
Hornets To Retire Muggsy Bogues’ No. 1 Jersey On Feb. 11
After retiring Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey last season, the Hornets announced plans on Tuesday to retire the No. 1 jersey worn by Curry’s longtime teammate Muggsy Bogues, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes. The ceremony will take place on February 11 during halftime of a game vs. the Bucks.
A 14-year NBA veteran, Bogues spent nearly a decade in Charlotte, averaging 8.8 points, 8.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in 632 total regular season outings (501 starts). Like Curry, he was selected in the 1988 expansion draft ahead of the Hornets’ first season and helped the team evolve from a bottom-feeder in its first few years of existence into a perennial playoff threat by the mid-1990s.
While Bogues was one of the NBA’s assist leaders during his playing career, he’s best known for his height. At 5’3″, the former point guard is the shortest player in league history.
“How ironic is that?” Bogues said to Reynolds in discussing his jersey retirement. “After all those times that you felt like you were looking up, looking up for so many years, at people. Then here comes this particular moment, and when that jersey actually goes up it’ll be like I’m the one looking down at the entire world. It’s going to be a surreal moment.”
Although Bogues was traded to Golden State in 1997 and later played for Toronto before wrapping up his career, he “essentially has called the Carolinas home” since his days as a Hornet, Reynolds writes. The team’s press release announcing the Feb. 11 ceremony highlights Bogues’ work in the community, and Reynolds notes that he represented the Hornets at local events and during his work as an NBA ambassador for many years after his retirement.
Bogues will be the third Hornet to have his jersey retired, joining Curry and Bobby Phills (No. 13).
“Honoring the players who helped build this franchise is an important part of our commitment to Hornets history,” Hornets co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said in a statement. “Muggsy was here from the beginning and played with a heart, toughness and competitive spirit that made him a fan favorite.
“At 5-foot-3, he overcame obstacles throughout his career and proved he belonged among the best players in the world. He became a role model for generations, showing young people that their size doesn’t have to limit what they can achieve. His accomplishments on the court and commitment to Charlotte have made him a beloved part of this organization. We look forward to celebrating Muggsy with our fans and raising No. 1 to the rafters of Spectrum Center.”
And-Ones: Tanking, Maxey, Edwards, LaVine, Billups, More
Although John Hollinger of The Athletic believes the NBA’s new anti-tanking lottery rules are a good thing, he points out that there are still a handful of situations in which certain teams won’t be disincentivized from trying to finish in the NBA’s bottom three. Most of those scenarios stem from the rule preventing teams from getting the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back years or a top-five pick in three consecutive years.
This year’s Nets are one example, since Houston has the ability to swap its own first-round pick for Brooklyn’s. If the Nets find themselves out of the playoff and play-in races, it may be in their best interest to finish in the NBA’s bottom three to reduce their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick from 8.1% to 5.4%. If Brooklyn wins the first overall pick in 2027, the team would be ineligible to get the No. 1 pick again in 2028, despite the fact that the Rockets would control the ’27 selection.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Within a recap of the highlights of the NBA’s first week, ESPN’s Bobby Marks identifies Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, and Kings guard Zach LaVine as three players to keep an eye on from a contract perspective. With all three players off to hot starts this fall, Marks notes that Maxey and Edwards can become super-max eligible next offseason by making this year’s All-NBA team and wonders if LaVine could have some in-season trade value if he stays hot, despite an exorbitant $49MM cap hit.
- Although Eric Earnest – a co-conspirator for the illegal gambling case involving Terry Rozier – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud last Thursday, his attorney insisted after the hearing that Earnest didn’t receive any inside information from former Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. Federal investigators have alleged that an unnamed co-conspirator matching Billups’ description told Earnest about Portland’s plan to tank and rest certain players, but attorney Peter Brill says he and Earnest have a “fundamental disagreement” with the government over that allegation. “Our position is that Chauncey Billups did not at any time provide inside information to Mr. Earnest that he used to place any bets,” Brill said, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.
- The NBA shared an interesting breakdown of this season’s opening rosters “by the numbers,” noting that – among the 519 players who opened the season on standard or two-way contracts – 276 have G League experience, 106 went undrafted, and 120 have been born since LeBron James debuted on October 29, 2003.
- Two U.S. senators have called on the NBA to reevaluate its partnership with Rwanda and dictator Paul Kagame, as Mark Fainaru-Wada of ESPN details. The same two senators conveyed similar concerns to the league two years ago, at which time deputy commissioner Mark Tatum was following the U.S. government’s lead “as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world.” However, senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) stated in their latest letter that the policies of the U.S., UK, and other European countries in regard to Rwanda have “shifted markedly” since then and suggest that the NBA should follow suit.
Jaren Jackson Jr. To Miss 6-8 Weeks Due To Torn MCL
3:04 pm: The Jazz have shared an update on their two injured forwards, confirming that Jackson has a torn MCL and will be reevaluated in six weeks (Twitter link via Shreyas Laddha of The Salt Lake Tribune).
According to the team, the news is more positive on Markkanen, who has been diagnosed with a sprained right wrist and is being considered day-to-day.
2:30 pm: Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has been diagnosed with a torn MCL in his right knee and is expected to miss approximately six-to-eight weeks of action, sources tell Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jackson won’t require surgery to repair the tear, Charania and MacMahon add.
Jackson suffered the injury early in the second quarter of Monday’s loss to Memphis when Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome fell into his right knee after driving to the net and getting fouled by Svi Mykhailiuk (Twitter video link). After remaining on the floor in pain for a few moments, Jackson was able to remain in the game for the next offensive possession, but he subsequently checked out and was ruled out for the night.
It’s a disappointing turn of events for a Jazz team that hopes to contend for a playoff spot this season after a lengthy rebuilding process. Utah acquired Jackson at last season’s trade deadline, envisioning him teaming up with Lauri Markkanen to form one of the NBA’s most formidable forward duos. However, he underwent season-ending knee surgery in February after appearing in just three games for his new team and now faces another lengthy injury absence only four games into the 2026/27 season.
In his three full games with the Jazz this fall, Jackson averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .513/.417/.778. Utah went 1-2 in those games and fell to 1-3 as a result of Monday’s loss.
Markkanen also exited Monday’s contest early due to a wrist injury. We’re still waiting for an update on the severity of that injury.
Even if Markkanen’s ailment isn’t serious, the Jazz will find themselves shorthanded in the frontcourt in the short term, with starting center Jusuf Nurkic also on the shelf as the result of a toe injury. Additionally, reserve center Jaxson Hayes missed Monday’s game due to right shoulder soreness.
Big man Mo Bamba and wings Josh Green and Josh Okogie were among the Jazz players who saw increased roles in the second half of Monday’s game with Jackson and Markkanen unavailable. Center Tony Bradley also played for the first time this season.
Malik Beasley Agrees To Plead Guilty In Sports Gambling Case
October 27: Beasley has agreed to plead guilty to federal changes stemming from the Department of Justice’s investigation into illegal sports gambling, Vorkunov reports (Twitter link). Beasley will submit his plea on December 9 in Brooklyn.
October 24: Veteran NBA guard Malik Beasley is in plea negotiations with Department of Justice lawyers regarding federal charges that he manipulated his play with the Bucks during the 2023/24 season in a sports gambling scheme, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reports.
Beasley was indicted in June by the Department of Justice on sports betting, money laundering, and wire fraud charges. Beasley initially pleaded not guilty, but court records on Friday night indicated that he intends to change his plea.
Steve Haney, a lawyer for Beasley, told Vorkunov that the former NBA sharpshooter has not yet decided if he will plead guilty. Beasley is expected to make a final decision early next week.
According to the indictment, Beasley allegedly manipulated prop bets regarding his play in games against the Cavaliers on Jan. 26, 2024, the Hornets on Feb. 27, 2024, the Clippers on March 10, 2024, and the Nets on March 21, 2024.
Beasley appeared in 79 games (77 starts) with Milwaukee that season, then signed a one-year deal with the Pistons. Beasley had a stellar 2024/25 season, appearing in all 82 games and averaging 16.3 points while finishing second in the Sixth Man Award voting.
He was poised to re-sign with the Pistons on a three-year, $42MM deal before the team found out he was under federal investigation. Beasley did not play in the NBA last season.
Ed Davis, also a former NBA veteran, was indicted as well and allegedly helped lead the scheme. Beasley, according to the indictment, fell into gambling debt and took a loan from Davis to repay the millions of dollars he owed. Beasley and Davis were teammates on the Timberwolves during the 2020/21 season.
They and four other men were charged in the case. Davis has pleaded not guilty. Paolo Zamorano, Beasley’s former agent, has also pleaded not guilty. The three others charged in the case have pleaded – or will plead – guilty.
Beasley and Davis are the fourth and fifth former NBA players who have been indicted by federal prosecutors as a result of a probe into illegal sports gambling, joining Terry Rozier, Jontay Porter, and Damon Jones. Porter was permanently banned from the NBA after a league investigation found that he had disclosed confidential information to bettors. Jones has also pleaded guilty in his case. Rozier is scheduled to go to trial in February.
Wolves Re-Signing Enrique Freeman To Two-Way Deal
Ten days after being waived by the Timberwolves, forward Enrique Freeman has agreed to return to the team on a new two-way contract, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Freeman, the 50th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, spent his rookie year with the Pacers before signing a two-way deal with Minnesota in August of 2025. Although he spent the entire season under contract with the Timberwolves, the former Akron standout appeared in just four NBA games for the club, registering 13 points and 10 rebounds in 37 total minutes of action.
Freeman was with the Iowa Wolves for most of the 2025/26 season, appearing in 39 G League games and averaging 16.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 33.2 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .542/.326/.728.
After re-signing Freeman to a two-way contract in early July, the Timberwolves cut him at the end of the preseason, which allowed the front office to consider other options with that open two-way slot. However, it seems as if the team wasn’t in love with any of the options available, which cleared a path for Freeman to return and fill that opening that he had occupied up until October 17.
Noting that Freeman is well-liked within the organization, Krawczynski cites his familiarity with Chris Finch’s system as another reason why the Wolves opted to bring him back. The 26-year-old is expected to report to Iowa after he officially re-signs, Krawczynski adds.
Freeman will join center Rocco Zikarsky and guard Zyon Pullin as Minnesota’s two-way players. Once his deal is official, the Raptors will be the only NBA team that still has a two-way slot available, as our tracker shows.
Mavs Notes: Aldama, Flagg, Clayton, Cuban
Mavericks forward Santi Aldama, who is making his way back from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the Texas Legends as part of his return to play protocol, the team announced (via Twitter).
The G League’s Tip-Off Tournament won’t begin until November 6, but training camps got underway this week, so teams are scrimmaging as they prepare for the season. That provided Aldama with the opportunity to take part in the sort of full practice that he wouldn’t get on Tuesday with the Mavericks, who are coming off a Monday night game and are back in action on Wednesday.
Aldama, acquired from Memphis in a six-team offseason trade, has yet to make his Mavericks debut, but the fact that he’s fully participating in scrimmages suggests that it shouldn’t be much longer until he’s available.
We have more on the Mavs:
- After sitting out on Saturday due to a sprained left shoulder, Cooper Flagg returned to action on Monday and played 40 minutes in a 113-109 road win over Miami. The reigning Rookie of the Year didn’t miss a beat following his brief absence, racking up 29 points, six rebounds, five steals, three blocks, and – perhaps most notably – 11 assists, which matched a career high. Lauding Flagg’s growth as a play-maker, head coach Dusty May predicted he’ll exceed that figure at some point this season, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “If we get to where we’re really finding our rhythm offensively, he’s gonna have some 15, 20 assist games,” May said. “There’s no question.”
- Referring to a 2025/26 rookie season split between Memphis and Utah as “up and down” and a “learning year,” Mavericks two-way player Walter Clayton said it has been a “seamless transition” to his new team, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal. Clayton, who was recruited by May before committing to the Gators, ended up as college roommates with Dusty’s son (and current Mavericks staffer) Jack May at Florida, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter links). Clayton was one of the standouts in Monday’s win over the Heat, with 15 points, four assists, and a team-high +22 mark in 17 minutes.
- Appearing on the Build or Break podcast (YouTube link), former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban said he learned some “hard lessons” based on how things played out after he agreed to sell his controlling stake in the franchise, as Christian Clark of The Athletic relays. As has been well documented, Cuban expected to continue to oversee the team’s basketball operations department, but that didn’t happen after the Dumont and Adelson families took over. “I’m a really trusting partner,” said Cuban, who is now a Mavs minority owner. “If I shake your hand, I mean it. So, yeah, that was a first for me.”
Sixers Apply For Disabled Player Exception For Hukporti
The Sixers have applied to the NBA for a disabled player exception in the wake of Ariel Hukporti’s season-ending Achilles tear, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and The Stein Line (Twitter link). Hukporti sustained the Achilles injury in his preseason debut and underwent surgery shortly thereafter.
A team can be granted a disabled player exception if one of its players suffers an injury that an NBA-designated physician determines is likely to sideline the player through June 15 of that league year. The exception does not award a team an extra roster spot, but it can generate extra spending flexibility for an over-the-cap club in the same way that a mid-level, bi-annual, or trade exception would.
If granted, the exception is worth either half the injured player’s salary or the amount of that season’s mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. Because Hukporti is on a one-year, $3.4MM contract, the Sixers would get a disabled player exception worth $1.7MM if the league grants their request.
A disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent or to acquire a player via trade or waiver claim. However, because it’s essentially a tool to add a rest-of-season injury replacement, it can only be used to sign a free agent to a one-year contract, and any player acquired via trade or waiver claim must be in the final year of his deal.
While Philadelphia’s DPE request will likely be approved, the exception would be of limited use due to its modest size. With the exception of a handful of rookies, no players currently on standard NBA contracts are earning less than $1.7MM this season. Additionally, the prorated minimum salary for a free agent signing won’t dip below $1.7MM until December 13, so it’s unlikely that the Sixers would even think about using the exception before then.
Still, it’s possible the DPE could come in handy later in the season. For instance, after the trade deadline, a $1.7MM rest-of-season salary would far exceed the prorated veteran’s minimum, which could give the Sixers the upper hand for a target on the buyout market.
It’s also worth noting that a team facing a hard cap can’t exceed that hard cap for any reason, including to use a disabled player exception. The 76ers are currently operating about $1.83MM from their first-apron hard cap, so if they take on any additional salary and move even closer to the first apron, they might not be able to use a full $1.7MM DPE later in the season.
January 15 is the last day for teams to apply for a disabled player exception during the 2026/27 league year. Any exceptions granted to teams will expire on March 10 if they haven’t been used by then. A team would also forfeit an unused DPE before March 10 if it waives or trades the player whose injury generated the exception, or if that player unexpectedly returns early from his injury.
The Thunder (Jalen Williams and/or Cason Wallace) and Kings (Ben Simmons) are among the other teams who may apply for disabled player exceptions in the near future.
