Spurs Notes: Harris, Wembanyama, Castle, Fox
Tobias Harris has yet to suit up for the Spurs since signing a two-year, $31MM contract with them this summer as he deals with a left calf strain, and it’s not clear that his debut will be anytime soon, Tom Orsborn writes for the San Antonio Express-News.
According to head coach Mitch Johnson, the team is approaching Harris’ rehab “very, very methodically” as they look to integrate the veteran into their rotation.
“We need to just be patient and make sure we get it all the way right and get him all the way right in terms of being ready to prepare to play an NBA game at the (fast-paced) style of play we want,” Johnson said.
Teams around the league have taken a cautious approach to calf strains this season as they seek to better understand the connection between those injuries and Achilles tears.
“It’s a calf strain, so that’s a thing we’ve seen can be tricky,” Johnson said. “And so I think the medical (staff) has done a great job of trying to keep him engaged and trying to continue to progress in the right direction, but at the same time, being patient and not getting ahead of ourselves and understanding we have 70 whatever games left.”
We have more from the Spurs:
- Victor Wembanyama is averaging a career-high 28.0 points per game through six games this season, despite shooting at a rate that would be a career low from three (29.7%) and the free-throw line (74.4%). Despite his offensive success, he is still lacking something many of the great scorers in the league had, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic: a signature move. The Spurs star said that while he appreciates the legacy of a move like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook, his focus is not on the legacy but on the effectiveness of developing a go-to move. “If it has to become a signature move, it should be naturally,” Wembanyama said. “But now, going to go-to moves and go-to spots, this is something you can control. Because the signature move is somewhat of a narrative, you can’t really control it. Because you got to go win the game.”
- Stephon Castle came into Saturday’s game averaging 17.4 points in 30.8 minutes, but he was held to zero points in 22 minutes against the Wolves, adding three turnovers and four fouls to his four assists and five rebounds. After the game, Johnson revealed that Castle had been dealing with a migraine, which he overcame to suit up for the win, according to Orsborn. “A lot of people wouldn’t have went into work if they were feeling like Steph Castle and sometimes in this sport it doesn’t get enough attention,” Johnson said. “Steph Castle clocked in for work tonight, and we needed every second of it, and he probably shouldn’t have.”
- De’Aaron Fox has, at times, ceded the spotlight to young stars like Wembanyama and Dylan Harper, but on Saturday, he put together a stat line that the franchise has seldom seen, Orsborn writes. He had 22 points on 80% shooting from the field while adding eight rebounds and seven assists. According to Orborn, that’s only the fifth time a Spur has hit those numbers, and it’s indicative of how effective he has been to start the season, especially as an organizer of the offense. “We know to go to him,” Wembanyama said, despite leading the team in scoring with 43 points. “We know to put the ball in his hands. He knows to go get the ball. And he’s been reacting defensively too. So, it’s a true point guard.”
Lakers Notes: Sale, Carr, Williams, Vanderbilt
The sale of the Lakers is moving forward, as owner Mark Walter and prospective buyer Josh Kushner have agreed to all remaining terms on the $12.5 billion valuation sale, Ramona Shelburne reports for ESPN.
Walter and Kushner met on Thursday to finalize the deal and are expected to sign the agreement soon. The deal will then go to the NBA for review, but Shelburne writes that Kushner has made it clear he has raised the necessary money to close his end of the deal.
Meanwhile, drama continues among the Buss siblings, as Jeanie Buss filed a court document this week accusing her siblings, primarily Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, of a “cloak and dagger” conspiracy against her, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reports. Jeanie is claiming that the family resented her for being named successor by their father, former Lakers owner Jerry Buss, and that the current efforts to sell the Buss family’s stake in the franchise – which would prevent Jeanie from continuing on in her role of governor – is representative of that lingering ill will.
“Jeanie had no choice but to seek court intervention to enforce the clear terms of the trust and this court’s 2017 order,” Wednesday’s filing states. “Respondents respond [by] casting themselves as victims, when in reality, the entire episode is their own false flag operation. “The cloak and dagger, backroom ‘votes’ and ‘resolutions’ shared with ESPN, rather than their co-trustee and sister, and subsequent refusal to discuss the matter, was intended to force Jeanie’s hand, cry victim and again smear her in the media by sharing in advance their specious response.”
We have more from the Lakers:
- Rookie wing Cameron Carr, this year’s No. 24 overall pick, was removed from the Lakers’ injury report ahead of Sunday’s contest against the Raptors, clearing the way for him to make his season debut, The Athletic’s Law Murray notes (via Twitter). Carr, who has missed the team’s first six games with a right oblique strain, made two preseason appearances for the Lakers, averaging 12.0 points and 2.0 steals in 17.4 minutes per contest while hitting 40.0% of his threes.
- Ziaire Williams sat out a third straight game on Sunday against the Raptors due to left foot injury management, but the team is not overly concerned with the injury, as head coach JJ Redick said that imaging on the foot has come back clean, per Khobi Price of the California Post (Twitter link). Redick added that the foot is giving Williams soreness in the morning and that the Lakers are being cautious as they enter the first leg of a back-to-back.
- Jarred Vanderbilt was a DNP-CD for the first four games of the Lakers’ season before he played 21 minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday. His time on the bench helped him see where the team might need him when he was called upon, Benjamin Royer writes for the Orange County Register. “Whether that’s boxing out, securing rebounds, finishing possessions, obviously on the offensive glass too,” Vanderbilt said. “Just putting pressure on the rim and offensive glass, I think those are two areas I feel like I could contribute to.” While the veteran forward went scoreless and attempted just one shot, his rebounding energy and toughness were contagious in his minutes. Vanderbilt has seen his role change often during his time in L.A., but he stated that he’s ready to be an impact guy in whatever role he’s given.
NBA Suspends Hawks’ Kingston Flemings For One Game
The NBA has announced a one-game suspension without pay for Hawks guard Kingston Flemings, per an official press release (via Twitter).
The suspension stems from an incident that occurred late in the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s game against the Pelicans on Saturday, when the rookie point guard elbowed Pelicans wing Bryce McGowens in the head. Flemings and McGowens were behind the play as New Orleans brought the ball up the floor, with neither of them involved in the play (Twitter video link).
The eighth overall pick in the 2026 Draft, Flemings has quickly established himself as an important part of the Hawks’ second unit, averaging 7.1 points and 4.6 assists in 20.3 minutes per game as a reserve while knocking down 38.5% of his three-point tries.
Flemings will serve the suspension in Monday’s game against the Pacers. The one-game ban will cost him $42,234, which is 1/174th of his $7,348,680 salary for the 2026/27 season, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Thunder Exercise Options On McCain, Sorber, Will Decline Topic’s
The Thunder made several contract decisions on Sunday ahead of the November 2 deadline.
Oklahoma City exercised its rookie scale team options on big man Thomas Sorber and guard Jared McCain for the 2027/28 season, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Rylan Stiles of SI.com), but will not pick up its option on guard Nikola Topic, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (Twitter link).
Sorber’s third-year option for next season is worth $5.12MM, while McCain’s fourth-year option is for $6.78MM.
With the Thunder affected by injuries up and down their lineup, McCain has become an important part of the club’s rotation. He’s averaging 10.8 points in 24.7 minutes this season and has started three of his four games. The former Sixer was acquired in a trade-deadline deal in February.
Sorber has yet to play a game with Oklahoma City after missing his rookie season with a torn ACL in his right knee and then undergoing another knee procedure in July that has kept him sidelined thus far in the 2026/27 season.
Like Sorber, Topic missed his rookie season due to an ACL tear. He was subsequently limited to just 10 games in 2025/26 after going through chemotherapy for testicular cancer and hasn’t played yet in ’26/27 after undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy over the summer.
The choice to decline the $7.48MM option on Topic projects to save the Thunder around $60MM based on their current 2027/28 cap outlook, notes Martinez (via Twitter), given how far into luxury tax territory they project to be. According to Martinez, the decision should be viewed as a financial one rather than signaling that Oklahoma City no longer believes in Topic as a prospect.
Topic will now become an unrestricted free agent next summer, at which time the Thunder – or his new team, if he’s traded – will be prohibited from offering him a starting salary exceeding his $7.48MM option.
Coby White To Make Season Debut Monday
The Hornets have gotten off to a 3-4 start to the season despite missing their starting backcourt due to injuries, largely thanks to the efforts of Brandon Miller, who has carried the offense early in the season.
Charlotte is about to receive some help, especially on the offensive end, as starting point guard Coby White is set to make his season debut on Monday against the Pistons, the team announced today (via Twitter).
White was diagnosed with a left calf strain during training camp, which sidelined him for the preseason and kept him on the shelf for nearly the first two weeks of the season. In his absence, Dennis Schröder has stepped in as the starting point guard and helped keep things running relatively smoothly.
The Hornets re-signed White to a three-year deal this summer after trading LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves. The team performed well in a limited sample size with White in place of Ball last season, as the former Bull averaged 15.6 points and 3.0 assists in just 19.3 minutes per game after coming over from Chicago in a trade.
The Hornets are hoping that they can replicate that success this season as they continue to build out the team identity around a core of White, Miller, Naz Reid, and Kon Knueppel, who has also missed the first two weeks of the season as he deals with a hamstring injury.
Knueppel remains out for Monday’s game, but the sharpshooting second-year wing is believed to be close to making his season debut. He was recently assigned to the Hornets’ G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm to practice, marking an encouraging milestone in his recovery process.
Grizzlies Notes: Boozer, Stewart, Jackson, Spencer, Lopez
The Grizzlies went just 25-57 last season and ended 2025/26 in full-on tank mode, having signed several G League players to 10-day hardship contracts in the last couple months. Then they traded former franchise player Ja Morant to Portland in July, completely turning the page on the old core.
The way last season ended, combined with the trades of Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, understandably led to some frustration among fans, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscriber link). But those fans have had plenty to cheer for early on in 2026/27 — the Grizzlies blew out the Kings on Saturday to improve to 6-0, matching the best start in franchise history.
No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer led the way with 27 points — a new career high — to go along with nine rebounds in 26 minutes. Isaiah Stewart (24 points on nine field goal attempts in 20 minutes) and GG Jackson II (21 points on 10 field goal attempts in 21 minutes) had big games off the bench, with Cam Spencer (10 points, 13 assists, five rebounds in 25 minutes) filling in admirably for Ty Jerome, who’s battling a nagging back injury.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Head coach Tuomas Iisalo was pleased with Spencer’s decision-making after Saturday’s game (Twitter video link). “He’s one of the best shooters in the world and we encourage him to take as many shots as possible,” Iisalo said. “And that’s really what opens up other opportunities. … He played with a little bit different lineup composition with different type of guys. … There’s a different type of balance with the units. And I thought he brought a lot of spacing. He, like you said, 13 assists and zero turnovers, played with a lot of poise, and made sure everybody was involved.”
- Asked in his post-game interview about the team’s biggest challenge in the short term amid the 6-0 start, Stewart said Memphis can’t become complacent (Twitter video link via Brink Radio). “Well, we can’t get comfortable,” the big man said. “We haven’t done anything yet. We gotta continue to keep our heads down and keep chipping away at the goal. … It’s great that we put ourselves in a great position, but there’s a ton of work to be done.” Stewart also talked about the Grizzlies’ impressive depth after the game, per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media (Twitter video link).
- Fans began chanting “We want Lopez” with about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and the game out of reach, and Iisalo eventually granted their wish, putting rookie forward Karim Lopez in for the final four-plus minutes, Cole writes in another story (subscription required). The 21st overall pick in the draft scored the first points of his NBA career and got the game ball afterward.
Bulls Notes: Claxton, Wilson, Leadership, Rebounding, More
Veteran center Nic Claxton, who’s said to be close to making his season — and Bulls — debut, was a full participant in Sunday’s practice, head coach Tiago Splitter told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
It’s been 13 days since Splitter said Claxton would likely be out two more weeks, and Chicago’s next game will take place on Monday in Philadelphia. The Bulls have not yet released their injury report for that road game against the 6-1 Sixers.
[Update: Claxton has been upgraded to doubtful ahead of Monday’s game, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.]
Claxton suffered a left hamstring strain during training camp in early October. The 27-year-old has been ramping up his activity in recent days, and Sunday’s practice is further evidence that he’s inching closer to returning from his injury.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Caleb Wilson and several of his teammates were disappointed in Chicago’s lackluster effort during Friday’s lopsided loss in Boston, the team’s second blowout defeat to the Celtics in five days. After Sunday’s practice, the fourth overall pick reiterated that he doesn’t want bad habits to impede his — or the team’s — development. “I know that this is gonna be the most I lose in my life. I’m in the NBA now, and we’re not the team that we want to be in the future,” Wilson said, per Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). “… I mean, losing games doesn’t make you a loser, but your approach to losing games and your approach to basketball, how you play, is what makes you a loser.”
- When asked by Lorenzi whether he feels an obligation to be a leader in the locker room, Wilson didn’t hesitate (Twitter link). “For sure. I feel like there’s a lot of things that I do that rookies aren’t expected to do either,” he said. “On the court, rookies aren’t expected to play the way I do, or do a lot of the things that I do. Don’t have the expectations and pressure that I do. So me being a leader is a beautiful opportunity to afford to me. But nothing that I do, I feel like, is typical.”
- Splitter was pleased with the intensity Wilson brought in the second half Friday after the team struggled in the first two quarters, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I think his will to play well, to be effective, was contagious,” Splitter said. “He took some tough shots, but he made those. He was just trying to be effective and aggressive, especially to start the third quarter. He’s a winner; he wants to win. He wants to do the right thing.”
- Rebounding, particularly on the defensive end, has been an issue for the rebuilding Bulls amid their 1-5 start to 2026/27, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Point guard Josh Giddey has seen his rebounding numbers drop this season in a small sample size, and he says he’s still getting used to Splitter’s scheme, which requires him to box out more than he has in the past. “I’ve always been a guy that has tried to just hunt the ball down off of our misses, so I’m just adjusting to a different rebounding scheme,” Giddey said. “Before I’ve always been a guy to just go and hunt it.”
Hornets Pick Up 2027/28 Options On Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley
Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley have had their third-year options exercised, the Hornets announced in a press release.
As our tracker shows, Knueppel will now earn about $11MM in 2027/28, his third season in the league, and McNeeley will make approximately $3MM.
Knueppel was a lock to have his option picked up after he finished a close second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2025/26. McNeeley’s $3MM salary for next season is pretty close to his projected minimum ($2.61MM), so it made sense to lock in that relatively modest cap hit in the hope that he continues to improve after playing a modest role to this point in his young career.
Knueppel was selected fourth overall in the 2025 draft, while McNeeley came in at No. 25. Charlotte will have until November 1, 2027 to decide whether it wants to exercise its fourth-year options on the two wings.
Although Knueppel and McNeeley have now had their salaries for next season guaranteed, the Hornets’ press release didn’t mention anything about Tidjane Salaun — the team has until Monday to decide whether to pick up his fourth-year option, which is worth $10.4MM.
Salaun’s lack of mention could be a sign that the team will decline its option on the French forward, but that has yet to be confirmed. The 21-year-old was selected sixth overall in the 2024 draft and was the first significant pick made by head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson.
A 6’10” power forward, Salaun struggled as a rookie in 2024/25 but showed improvement in a lesser role in ’25/26. He’s averaging 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game through six appearances this season.
Wizards Exercise Rookie Scale Team Options On Five Players
The Wizards have exercised their rookie scale team options for next season on five players selected in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 drafts, according to a team press release.
Here are those five players, along with the salaries they’ll make in 2027/28 now that their options have been picked up:
- Alex Sarr (fourth year, $15,611,798)
- Tre Johnson (third year, $9,061,680)
- Bub Carrington (fourth year, $7,257,729)
- Kyshawn George (fourth year, $5,435,892)
- Will Riley (third year, $3,864,000)
Each of the five players was already earning guaranteed contracts this season. Now that their fourth-year options have been exercised, Sarr, Carrington and George will be eligible for rookie scale extensions next offseason.
Sarr, the second overall pick in 2024, is off to a quiet start to his third season, averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 block on .524/.250/.727 shooting through six appearances (25.3 minutes per game). The French big man averaged 16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.0 BPG in 48 games last season (27.2 MPG), though the Wizards weren’t exactly going all out to win.
Carrington was a part-time starter in his first two years, averaging 10.3 PPG, 4.5 APG and 3.8 RPG on .412/.374/.765 shooting in 164 regular season games (28.8 MPG). He has been the primary backup point guard to Trae Young this season, having averaged 6.7 PPG, 2.2 APG and 1.5 RPG on .387/.458/1.000 shooting in six contests (19.7 MPG).
A Swiss-Canadian wing, George is arguably the most intriguing prospect of the group. The 6’8″ guard/forward had a mini-breakout 2025/26 campaign and has posted similar numbers thus far in ’26/27.
Johnson (No. 6 pick last year) and Riley (No. 21 in 2025) both played rotation roles as rookie last season. While that’s been true again for Johnson in year two, Canadian forward Riley has mostly been buried on the depth chart as the team looks to be more competitive. It’s possible the foot injury recently suffered by Justin Champagnie could open the door for minutes for Riley.
The Wizards will have until November 1, 2027 to decide whether to exercise their fourth-year options on Johnson and Riley.
Hawks Exercise Asa Newell’s Third-Year Option
The Hawks have picked up their third-year option on forward Asa Newell, the team announced in a press release.
Newell, the 23rd overall pick in last year’s draft, is making about $3.4MM this season. The transaction locks in his $3.56MM cap hit for 2027/28.
The 21-year-old played one year of college basketball at the University of Georgia prior to being drafted in 2025. Newell didn’t play a ton as a rookie last season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds on .538/.387/.552 shooting splits in 44 NBA appearances (11.4 minutes per game).
Newell was more productive at the G League level with the College Park Skyhawks. In 15 appearances (32.5 MPG) with the Hawks’ affiliate team in 2026/27, the 6’10” power forward averaged 22.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.4 BPG on .567/.378/.692 shooting.
The Hawks fell to 3-4 on Saturday and have lost four of their past five games after a 2-0 start. Newell was a bright spot in the lopsided loss in New Orleans, recording season highs of 13 points and four rebounds in just under 19 minutes.
Newell hasn’t been a part of head coach Quin Snyder’s rotation early on in 2026/27, but the move was expected since his cap hit for next season is relatively modest.
Monday is the deadline for NBA teams to exercise their third- and fourth-year rookie scale options. We’re tracking all of those decisions right here.