Injury Notes: Pacers, Adams, Dybantsa, Hornets, Jones
Pacers guard Ben Sheppard, who tore the meniscus in his left knee last week, is scheduled to undergo surgery to address the injury this Wednesday, head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters ahead of Monday’s game, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).
While the Pacers are unlikely to provide a specific recovery timeline until after that procedure is complete, Carlisle previously stated that Sheppard could be out for “a few weeks.” That suggests that the surgery will likely be a meniscectomy, which involves removing the meniscus, rather than a full repair of the tear. The recovery timetable for a meniscectomy can often be measured in weeks, whereas a full repair would typically sideline a player for several months.
In other Pacers injury news, Carlisle provided a positive update on center Ivica Zubac following Sunday’s left ankle sprain, indicating that the big man is “doing better,” according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
“He walked into the arena with no boot,” Carlisle said. “… No timetable, but encouraging. A lot of swelling last night, but better today.”
Meanwhile, guard Andrew Nembhard missed Monday’s game in Milwaukee due to what Carlisle referred to as a “back issue we’re trying to work through. The Pacers’ coach said he’s not sure whether Nembhard will have to miss additional time (Twitter link via Dopirak).
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Rockets will be without center Steven Adams until sometime in November, according to head coach Ime Udoka. As Will Guillory of The Athletic relays (via Twitter), Udoka said on Monday that Adams – who was ruled out for tonight’s game due to a right soleus (calf) strain – underwent imaging on that calf and will miss at least the next week or two.
- Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa missed a fourth straight game to open his rookie season on Monday, but the No. 1 overall pick is “progressing in a very positive way” and is expected to do more on-court work on Tuesday, head coach Brian Keefe said on Monday (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic). Keefe declined to say whether he thinks Dybantsa will be able to play on Wednesday in Cleveland.
- Asked where things stand with Coby White (left calf strain), Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), and Grant Williams (right hamstring strain), Hornets head coach Charles Lee said there’s no specific timeline yet for their returns. Lee added that all three are making “positive steps” and suggested he expects to have more information after the team returns from this week’s two-game road trip to Detroit on Wednesday and Washington on Friday (Twitter video link via Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer).
- According to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link), the hope is that Nuggets forward Spencer Jones will make his 2026/27 debut within the next three games. Jones has been sidelined since training camp and remains out with what the team is calling bilateral hamstring injury management.
Southeast Notes: Coulibaly, Gardner, Edwards, Magic, Hornets
Wizards big man Anthony Davis is bullish on Bilal Coulibaly’s defensive potential, according to Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link). Davis thinks the French forward basically has no ceiling on the defensive end, adding that he has the combination of size, foot speed and strength to battle the top wings in the NBA.
Davis, a five-time All-Defensive selection, specifically mentioned Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as players Coulibaly can match up against, per Hughes.
Starting in place of the injured AJ Dybantsa, Coulibaly recorded four steals and two blocks in 29 minutes in Wednesday’s season-opening win over Milwaukee. It was the first time in 51 years that a Wizards player had notched at least four steals and two blocks in a season opener (Twitter link via the team). The 22-year-old also had seven deflections, Hughes notes (via Twitter).
Assuming he’s given a qualifying offer, Coulibaly will be a restricted free agent next summer after failing to reach an agreement with the Wizards on a rookie scale extension prior to Monday’s deadline.
We have more from the Southeast:
- Second-year forward Myron Gardner initiated some trash talk with Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards during Minnesota’s blowout victory over the Heat on Wednesday, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “A player on their bench was talking trash on one of the dead-ball situations,” Edwards said after scoring 45 points in both teams’ season opener. “And I think it kind of crunked me up because he was talking pretty crazy. And then when I started talking to him, he didn’t really have too much more to say. And I don’t really like that. If you’re going to talk s–t, keep talking s–t. Don’t get quiet. So I think that was pretty much the reason why I was super intense tonight.”
- For his part, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said he’d like Gardner – who also had a run-in with Klay Thompson last season – to be more discerning about who he chooses to talk smack to — especially when he’s not in the game. “I love Myron’s competitive spirit, and he wants to infuse energy into the group,” Spoelstra said after Thursday’s practice. “You also have to be smart about it. I particularly don’t want him talking trash to the other team’s best scorers, especially when he’s not out there. But he’s got a good heart. He means the right thing. He’ll be better.” Gardner, whose contract is partially guaranteed for $500K, only played three garbage-time minutes in the lopsided loss, Chiang notes.
- While the Magic scored 125 points in their season opener on Wednesday, it wasn’t enough to overcome some costly mistakes, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The Magic gave up 132 points to Atlanta, including 60 in the paint, and struggled with turnovers (20), fouls (the Hawks shot 36 free throws) and transition defense (Atlanta had 18 fast-break points). “I think the intent was there and our hearts were in the right place to play the right way,” head coach Sean Sweeney said Thursday. “Now, we need to do a little bit of a better job of executing.“
- The Hornets will be shorthanded again for Friday’s matchup with Minnesota, as Coby White (left calf strain), Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), Grant Williams (right hamstring strain) and two-way rookie Kylan Boswell (right knee surgery) remain out, the team announced (via Twitter). Knueppel and Williams suffered their hamstring injuries in the offseason, while White strained his calf during training camp.
Eastern Notes: Watson, Sharp, Hornets, Magic
Cavaliers forward Peyton Watson, acquired from the Nuggets in a sign-and-trade deal, hopes his hard-nosed attitude will be adopted by his new team, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes.
“Just to go out there with a mean streak. Go out there and try to kill. Take no prisoners mentality,” Watson said. “That’s my mentality, and that’s something I’ll be echoing to the team. There is no time for being nice and buddy-buddy with the opposition. The league is more competitive than ever, and there are guys going out there that are trying to take what you have, and they want what you have.”
Watson also believes the team has to do everything it can to stay healthy and build chemistry in order to challenge for a title.
“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Everybody knows that is the most challenging thing is to stay durable and available for an entire season and practice the right principles. That’s something we’re challenging ourselves to do, and I think that we’ve got the personalities on the team for it, and we’ve got the roster for it. After that, it’s not about talking about what we’re going to do but actually going out there and doing it.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Raptors waived Jamarion Sharp at the end of training camp. However, he’s likely to stay within the organization. Their G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, has acquired his rights, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets. If Sharp, who was on an Exhibit 10 contract, joins the G League club and sticks with it for at least 60 days, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to 91K.
- It’s been a rough preseason for the Hornets injury-wise, but some key players are making progress. Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), Grant Williams (right hamstring strain) and Coby White (left calf strain) have resumed individual on-court work as they rehab their injuries, the team’s PR department tweets. They’ve all been ruled out for the team’s opening game against Brooklyn on Wednesday and figure to remain sidelined for a little while beyond that.
- The Magic are also banged up. Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury management) are all listed as out for Wednesday’s season opener against Atlanta, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. However, Franz Wagner (right shoulder soreness) and Jase Richardson (back soreness) are good to go, having not been included on the injury report, Beede adds (Twitter link).
Hornets’ Coby White Diagnosed With Left Calf Strain
Hornets guard Coby White suffered a left calf strain during training camp and will be sidelined for the entire preseason, according to the team (Twitter links).
Additional updates on the North Carolina native will be provided “as appropriate.”
White is the second projected Hornets starter — and third rotation player — to suffer a soft tissue injury before the season. Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams both suffered hamstring injuries during offseason workouts and are expected to be reevaluated during the first week of the regular season.
White re-signed with the Hornets this summer on a three-year, $74MM contract as an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old was traded from Chicago, where he spent his first six-and-a-half years in the league, to Charlotte in February.
The former UNC guard dealt with calf strains to both legs last season, most notably a right calf strain he suffered in August 2025. White was limited to 50 games played in 2025/26, which marked a career low.
The Hornets were originally going to include three second-round picks in their package for White, but after a physical revealed a left calf injury that would sideline him for a few more weeks, the two teams agreed to amend the deal to remove one of those draft picks. He ended up missing six games in February as a result of that left calf ailment.
White averaged 17.4 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game last season. His shooting line was .446/.362/.817.
In addition to the injury update on White, the Hornets also announced that two-way player Kylan Boswell is dealing with a right knee injury. The former Illinois guard, who went undrafted in June, is expected to resume basketball activities ahead of the NBA G League season in late October.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Nembhard, Heat, Burrell
LaMelo Ball was the driving force behind a Charlotte offense that ranked fifth in the NBA last season, so how do the Hornets intend to replace him after trading him to Minnesota over the summer? Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports considers that question, writing that the effort will be a collective one, with the club not asking one specific player to replicate what Ball did.
Coby White projects to be Charlotte’s starting point guard, and while he’s not the play-maker that Ball is, he’s a talented shot-maker who puts more pressure on the rim than LaMelo, O’Connor notes.
The Hornets will also be counting on wings Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel to take a step forward in 2026/27. As O’Connor details, Miller has battled health issues during his first three NBA seasons and he has struggled to create his own shot, ranking 61st out of 66 players (minimum 100 possessions) in isolation scoring efficiency last season. Improving in that area will be crucial for Miller with Ball no longer around to get him open looks.
O’Connor also observes that the acquisition of floor-stretching big man Naz Reid in the Ball trade will change the “geometry” of the Hornets’ lineups, allowing the team to run out five-man units made up entirely of shooters.
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Charlotte acquired Ryan Nembhard from Atlanta in a trade earlier this week, but reporting in the wake of that deal suggested the second-year guard might be waived. While the Heat could use another ball-handler in their backcourt, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) is somewhat skeptical that the 5’11” Nembhard would appeal to a Miami front office that generally tries to avoid undersized players.
- The Heat could benefit from the fact that the NBA recently bumped its salary cap projection for 2027/28 from $174MM to $176MM, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who details how that extra cap flexibility might help the club re-sign guard Davion Mitchell next summer while also using most or all of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to add another rotation player.
- New Osceola Magic head coach Ronnie Burrell, who was named the NBA G League’s Coach of the Year in 2023 with the Long Island Nets, said on Wednesday that he sought a return to the NBAGL this season after spending the last three years as an NBA assistant coach, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Burrell told reporters that he’s coming back to the G League as a “better version” of himself and is excited to “put to use” some of what he has learned in the past three seasons. “I love it. It fits me,” Burrell said of coaching in the G League. “It’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve done as a coach. So, I’m happy to be back and (I’m) very grateful.”
Southeast Notes: Simmons, Hornets, Suggs, Magic
Should the Heat have taken a flyer on Ben Simmons, who agreed to a contract with Sacramento this week? Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel doesn’t believe so.
Winderman opines that Simmons, who was out of the league last season and ineffective and/0r injured in previous campaigns, is an unknown quantity at this point. The Heat are in a win-now mode, which would have made Simmons a bad fit on their roster, while the Kings are rebuilding and can afford to take a chance that the three-time All-Star can regain some of the form he displayed earlier in his career.
Here’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Hornets had an eventful offseason, trading away former franchise player LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. ESPN’s basketball insiders shared their projections for the new-look team, anticipating that coach Charles Lee will need to take a by-committee approach to replacing Ball, who averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists per game while posting a 32.0% usage rate. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel will likely pick up the bulk of the scoring slack, supported by Coby White and recently acquired Dennis Schröder.
- Meanwhile, the Magic had a relatively quiet summer, except for a head coaching change. ESPN’s insiders believe the team’s X factor will be guard Jalen Suggs, who has struggled to stay on the court. Suggs’ 57 games last season were the second-most in his career. It’s also noted that his three-point shooting has dropped off during the last two seasons and he needs to turn that around.
- The Magic and Gray Media have announced a partnership to telecast approximately 70 regular-season games for viewers in Gainesville, Panama City and Tallahassee this season, according to a team press release. All regular-season games, excluding nationally televised games, will be broadcast over-the-air on WTGB 34.3 in Gainesville, WJHG 7.6 in Panama City, and WCTV 6.3 in Tallahassee.
Hornets’ Coby White Ready To ‘Surprise People’ In 2026/27
The Hornets traded away two starters this summer in LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, but Coby White is confident the team can move up the Eastern Conference standings in 2026/27, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
“I think we’ve got a really, really good team,” White told Boone. “We’ve got a lot of really, really good players. I think we got a lot of unselfish players, so that’ll make it easy in terms of coming together. A lot of us are already here now in Charlotte working out, so that’s a major step in — what is it, August?
“You don’t see that a lot in the NBA, so that already shows individually how bought in each player is. So for us, it’s just about doing it together, doing it as a collective, getting better each and every day on the court, off the court. Because I think we all value getting to that brotherhood off the court as well. It’s just as important as doing stuff on the court.”
White, who was acquired by Charlotte ahead of the February trade deadline and re-signed with the Hornets this offseason on a three-year, $74MM deal, has high expectations for the upcoming season.
“We’ve got a chance to be a really good team and surprise a lot of people, but we’ve got to put the work in,” White said. “And what comes with the work is doing what we’re doing now.”
As Boone writes, the Hornets have the longest active playoff drought in the NBA at 10 years and the East looks quite strong. White acknowledged the apparent strength of the conference but believes the competition will only help the team grow.
While the Hornets moved on from Ball and Bridges in separate deals, those trades brought back Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and draft assets, Boone notes. White reiterated that several players on the roster are already getting to know one another.
“Being here is important,” White said. “It’s important right now, especially when you’ve got not a totally different team, but you got some new individuals joining the team. Grayson Allen’s here as well. The rookies are here. Dorian Finney-Smith is here. You don’t normally see that during the summer. So, I think it’s important for us to just gain some traction going into the training camp. It’s going to be dope.
“A lot of guys being here this early, not just being here, but you start stuff early — the locker room talks, the meal room talks. And all that stuff is important. So, yeah, exciting times for sure.”
White called Reid “super talented” and praised the big man’s “unique skill set.” He also spoke extensively about Allen, whose teams have made the playoffs in six of his eight years in the league.
“The one thing I’ve always noticed about G.A. is his ability to impact winning,” White said. “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s won. Whether it’s Milwaukee. … he’s been a winner everywhere he goes. He’s been part of a winning culture. He’s been part of a winning organization. So I think first and foremost, he knows what winning looks like, and he knows what it takes to win at this level. I think obviously being one of the best shooters in the NBA is going to help us a ton.
“And something that’s underrated about him is his ability to put the ball on the floor, play-make as well, get into the paint. He has a variety of finishes, slow step finishes around the rim, great touch. He has a lot of game, obviously, but I think everybody sees him as just a shooter. But he’s a guy who’s like an elite competitor. He’s a guy that can put the ball on the floor, play-make, get in the paint, finish around the rim, like I said. So yeah, I’m excited to share the floor with him.”
Charles Lee Discusses Hornets’ Offseason Moves
In a pair of interviews with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, Hornets head coach Charles Lee expressed optimism about the team’s offseason moves while acknowledging it was tough to see longtime starters LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges be traded to the Timberwolves and Suns, respectively.
Below are a few highlights from Lee’s two-part conversation with Boone.
On re-signing Coby White to a three-year, $74MM deal:
“You take it back to when we traded for him, I was excited that we got him in our organization. I’ve always followed him. I’ve always thought he was a really good basketball player. Having (Hornets assistant coach) Josh Longstaff on my staff, he would also talk about how great of a person he was as well and how great of a professional he is. And he brought so much to our environment.
“And obviously that big-time shot versus Miami (in the play-in tournament) cemented his name in the Hornets’ history books. But I think when we got him then, we knew we wanted to re-sign him and it worked out great that we have him back. And I think that he has to be focused on — and I have to be focused, the whole team — he doesn’t have to be Melo. He has to be Coby White. And it’s going to look differently with him at the helm. I’m excited about what he brings to that defensive side of the floor in terms of his ability to take charges and have a really good basketball IQ of how to guard people’s tendencies and stuff. Then offensively, I think he’s able to stretch the floor with his ability to shoot threes.
“In Chicago, we got to watch him when he had the ball in his hands. He plays so fast and we want to play with great pace. And throughout the whole year, even last year when we had him, he’s able to get to the free throw line. He’s able to get to the basket a little bit. And then when he gets to the basket, he made some really good reads. So, I think that he’s going to help our offense continue to take positive steps.”
On the addition of Naz Reid, whom the Hornets acquired from the Wolves in the Ball trade:
“Yeah, big-time get with Naz. I think that between the size, the physicality, the experience in the Western Conference Finals, and when you talk about you’re trying to put together a team that has talent and versatility — he adds to that. But I think also we’ve struggled in the past with the level of physicality that comes as you get deeper in the season and in on all those playoff runs.
“He’s been there, he’s done it, he played a big part. So, I think that he’s going to be able to bring leadership from the perspective of by example, but also vocally. He can talk to the guys because he’s been in some of those pressure-packed, high-level situations and he succeeded. To be an undrafted player and then win the Sixth Man of the Year, be in the rotation, a key reserve on a Western Conference Finals team, is really impressive.
“I think that’s a testament to how hard he works. Everything that you hear about him as a teammate is phenomenal. To see what he does in the community, that every Timberwolves’ fan wants to go out and get tattoos of him and all those things, I think that he’s going to be very impactful on and off the court. And we’re super excited about getting him finally.”
On Lee’s excitement for the current roster and how the team can continue to take strides forward:
“I’m very excited about our group because I think it’s a great mix and balance of young talent and veteran experience. As our young talent continues to grow, they need vets around them that can still hoop, and do it at a high level and also communicate to them and show them the ropes from a professionalism standpoint. But also in-game tactically how to be flexible, how to be open-minded. And we’ve now surrounded our young group with some very good veterans that still have a lot in the tank and can gain a lot more knowledge from them.
“So, I’m really excited about that. I love where our versatility and depth is. I think that we’re going to be able to play a lot of different ways now. When you talk about all the shooting that we have on the court, I think that’s going to help us a ton, too. And the unselfishness from everybody that I’ve seen so far, there’s a hard work, there is an environment of trying to help the new guys and welcome them into our environment as fast as possible.
“There’s a ton going on in a positive way where I think our group is already starting to kind of jell and mesh together.”
On what Lee wants to see from Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel this offseason:
“I just want to see those two guys continue this summer working on their bodies, working on their games. I think both are in a really good spot. I would like to see their relationship continue to grow, and as their relationship grows, I want to see their leadership with the entire roster continue to grow. I think it’s important for both of them to find their voice. Both players are really smart, and they’ve got to be able to communicate with one another at an even higher level, and then even with their teammates.
“I look forward to them growing. Putting them in some different responsibilities on both ends of the floor this year is going to be important from my standpoint, too. But both guys are in a really good spot. They’ve had great summers. Watching Kon sit on the bench at summer league, watching Brandon during his rehab workouts, but also talking to everyone else in the gym and trying to impart wisdom to our rookies during summer league practice and going over to the vet workouts and talking …
“So, I’ve just seen a ton of growth from these guys and I just want to continue to encourage them to find their voice in leadership.”
Lee’s conversation with Boone also covered trade acquisitions Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, first-round picks Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson, and what he has seen from 2024 lottery pick Tidjane Salaun this summer. Both parts of the interview are worth checking out in full for Hornets fans.
Eastern Notes: Hornets, White, Tatum, Carpenter, Bucks
The Hornets‘ trades sending longtime starters LaMelo Ball to Minnesota and Miles Bridges to Phoenix aren’t yet official, so president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson didn’t specifically address those moves when he spoke to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday about the team’s offseason.
However, asked in more general terms about the front office’s approach to the summer – which has involved revamping a roster that closed out the 2025/26 regular season on a 28-10 run – Peterson offered a message to fans in Charlotte who may be confused about the team’s direction.
“The goal has never been to get to the playoffs one time and be out for seven, eight years and try to get back,” he said, per Boone. “I think the roster that we have will give us the best chance moving forward. Again, I like all the pieces. We are going to continue to build it the right way.
“We are not going to take shortcuts. We are going to be methodical and figure out how to put the best product on the floor and fans to be happy and excited about. And at the same time, how can we continue that sustainability that we talk about?”
We have more from around the East:
- One of the Hornets‘ biggest offseason moves was re-signing guard Coby White, who said he “loved every minute” of playing for his hometown team after being traded from Chicago to Charlotte in February, Boone writes. White also expressed his enthusiasm about the club’s other offseason roster moves. “I think we’ve got a really, really, really, really great team,” White said. “We obviously got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things and play a lot of different positions. So, I’m excited. I’m looking forward to getting on the court with these guys. I really like our roster. Continue to build and continue to build a culture of winning.”
- At an event promoting his new children’s book on Tuesday, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum spoke publicly for the first time about the trade that sent his longtime co-star Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, according to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog. Tatum said the news made him “appreciate the moments and time” that he and Brown had together. “To be honest, weird. It’s weird,” the Celtics star said. “You play on a team with a guy for nine years. I was fortunate enough to go to the (NBA) Finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.”
- Pacers assistant Johnny Carpenter, who had been on track to coach Indiana’s Summer League team in Las Vegas, has accepted a position with the Bucks as an assistant coach and head of player development, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star details. Bryce Taylor, the new head coach of Indiana’s G League affiliate (the Noblesville Boom), will take over as the Pacers’ Summer League head coach, Dopirak adds.
Siegel’s Latest: Durant, Sengun, Pistons, Brown, Duren
While there’s no indication to this point that the Rockets have shown interest in trading either player, they’ve received inquiries this offseason on forward Kevin Durant and center Alperen Sengun, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
As Siegel outlines, the Pistons and Celtics had interest in engaging with the Rockets on a three-team scenario that would’ve sent Durant to Detroit, Sengun to Boston, and Brown to Houston, but the Rockets weren’t interested in the concept and it didn’t go anywhere. Houston never actively pursued Brown, Siegel writes, echoing other reports, and he says Detroit didn’t make any headway in direct talks with the Rockets about Durant.
The Pistons also had interest in pursuing both Austin Reaves and Coby White in free agency, per Siegel, but didn’t get the chance to make a pitch to either player, as they both agreed to re-sign with their current teams (the Lakers and Hornets, respectively) well before June 30.
Detroit maintains interest in Durant, and Siegel suggests that interest might be mutual, noting that the veteran forward would be intrigued by playing alongside Cade Cunningham. However, even though Durant isn’t considered “untouchable” in Houston, it’s unclear whether the Rockets will seriously explore a trade before the 2026/27 season tips off.
Here’s more from Siegel:
- When the Hornets inquired on Brown, they were prepared to discuss a package that would’ve included Naz Reid, Miles Bridges, and some form of draft compensation, sources tell Siegel, but the Celtics sought Brandon Miller and/or more draft capital than Charlotte was willing to offer. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported that Charlotte put Reid and Bridges on the table in talks for Brown before agreeing to send Bridges to Phoenix. Brown, who was being kept apprised of which teams Boston was talking to, expressed that he wouldn’t want to be dealt to Charlotte, Siegel reports.
- The Nuggets also looked into a potential Brown deal, but they had very few draft assets to offer and their preliminary conversations involved Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon rather than Jamal Murray, so the Celtics looked elsewhere, Siegel writes.
- Restricted free agent center Jalen Duren and his representatives view him as a maximum-salary player, whereas the Pistons prefer not to exceed an average annual value of about $35MM on a long-term contract for the big man, says Siegel. Because Duren made an All-NBA team, Detroit could technically pay him up to five years and $287MM ($57.4MM annually), whereas a max offer from a rival team would come in at $177.3MM over four seasons ($44.3MM per year). No team has the cap room necessary to put that sort of offer on the table at this point though, hurting Duren’s leverage.
