NBA News
Latest stories across platforms — updated frequently
Articles are authored by Merlin — the SportsWZRD.
Oct 17, 2025
Walker Kessler, Jazz Extension Hits Timeout
The Jazz and Walker Kessler aren't expected to reach a rookie-scale extension, Tony Jones reports. Utah still "highly value Kessler and see him as a cornerstone to the future," but after "multiple meetings" the sides remain far apart. The 24-year-old will make $4.9M in the final rookie year before restricted free agency in 2026 — notable because Kessler is an elite rim protector (2.4 bpg) coming off 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 66.3% shooting and a league-leading 4.6 offensive boards. Merlin sees Utah weighing cap flexibility against locking a young anchor. Waiting preserves control and a potential cheaper path via RFA, but it also risks a much larger payday if Kessler takes another leap. The Oct. 20 deadline hangs like a spell ready to break the stalemate. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Kessler signing an extension before Oct. 20: 20%.
Nuggets Consider $25M Rookie Extension for Braun
Merlin sees the Nuggets and guard Christian Braun negotiating a rookie extension, with "the low end" of his range pegged "around $25 million per year." That matters because Denver can only finalize one 2022 rookie-scale extension by Oct. 20 and sits roughly $400,000 over the luxury tax line, creating a "tricky luxury tax situation" that could leave Peyton Watson without a new deal. Braun broke out as a starter last season (15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 35.3% 3PT) and would jump into Denver’s upper pay tier if the team meets his ask — a hint they might expect him to become Nikola Jokic’s first All-Star teammate. Merlin senses the front office leans toward rewarding production, but the luxury-tax arithmetic will shape whether they keep roster depth or open the purse. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Braun signs an extension by Oct. 20: 70%.
Oct 17
Jonathan Kuminga Trade Clock Ticks for Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga avoided the one-year qualifying offer and signed a two-year, $46.8M deal with Golden State that includes a team option and a 15% trade kicker — but the peace is fragile. As Jake Fischer reports, "The mounting expectation ... is that the Warriors will make Kuminga available in the trade market once he becomes eligible to be dealt on Jan. 15," a move that matters because Kuminga’s $22.5M salary and young upside give Golden State real currency to fix roster holes before the Feb. 5 deadline. Merlin sees a tense courtship turned bargaining table. Golden State and Kuminga’s camp strained after long talks, and prior sign-and-trade chatter with Sacramento shows real market interest. If Kuminga can’t carve a steady role under Steve Kerr, his name will follow trade winds — and the team option makes flipping him easier next summer. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Kuminga being traded by Feb. 5: 60%.
Oct 17
Kuminga, Grimes, Simmons, Westbrook: Why Still Unsigned?
Training camp opens and five notable names remain unsigned: Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Grimes (both restricted), Ben Simmons, Malik Beasley and Russell Westbrook. The hold-ups are practical — Kuminga and Grimes are tied to qualifying offers and teams wrestling with luxury-tax/apron math and trade-right quirks; Simmons is dented by fit and reputation; Beasley is clouded by a gambling probe (his lawyers say he is “no longer a target of the investigation”); Westbrook’s size, shot and role fit make teams cautious. These absences matter because they stall roster construction and could change trade or signing plans across the league. Merlin sees a market patient as a pond at dawn: the restricted pair likely get deals once clubs sort apron limits, Beasley needs clearance to spark playoff interest, and Simmons/Westbrook become late-season depth plays as injuries and roster moves open doors. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Kuminga signs a multi-year deal with Golden State before Oct. 1: 75%.
Oct 17
Jonathan Kuminga Ditches 00 for No. 1 with Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga is back with the Warriors and will switch his jersey from No. 00 to No. 1, Anthony Slater reported after his first preseason practice. More consequential: he agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million deal with "a team option designed for the contract to be ripped up and renegotiated next summer," per Shams Charania — a choice over a three-year, $75 million offer that keeps more control over his near future. That matters because Golden State could still trade him, and his role on a veteran-heavy roster is far from settled. Merlin sees a 22-year-old with clear upside who must sharpen one tool above all: outside shooting (30.5% from three last season). The number change is a small rebirth — a visual reset for a player on a short leash. If Kuminga can space the floor and bring steady defense, he becomes indispensable; if not, his contract design makes moving him likely. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Kuminga being traded this season: 40%.
Oct 17
Jalen Green Ditches Adidas, Becomes Suns' Sneaker Free Agent
Merlin sees Jalen Green entering the season as a sneaker free agent after turning down a "lucrative multi-year" extension from Adidas. That matters because Green, newly in Phoenix after the Kevin Durant trade, becomes "one of the NBA's top current sneaker free agents" — a high-profile player who can boost any brand and will "highlight his style by wearing a variety of sneaker companies" to start the year. Merlin notes the timing is perfect: Green’s signature logo already debuted on the Adizero 3.0 in January, but his move to the Suns raises his market value and visibility. Expect brands to court him aggressively while he samples options on court, giving him real leverage to land a richer, more bespoke deal once the market settles. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Jalen Green signs a new long-term sneaker deal before the All-Star break: 65%.
Oct 17
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Hornets Get Bam Adebayo; Heat Receive Miles Bridges, Picks
Merlin sees a bold proposal: the Charlotte Hornets would get Bam Adebayo while the Miami Heat would receive Miles Bridges, Kon Knueppel and a string of firsts and swaps through 2030. It matters because Adebayo would instantly upgrade Charlotte’s defensive identity and pair with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, while Miami would reclaim draft control and cap flexibility to stage a full rebuild. Merlin hears the author’s rallying cry — “Let’s cook up a blockbuster deal” — and admires the logic. Adebayo, 28, is a switchable defensive anchor and high-post facilitator who fits Charlotte’s timeline; Bridges and Knueppel offer salary and upside as short-term pieces. Still, trading a franchise cornerstone after the Butler era is heavy medicine, so the plan is clever but unlikely. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of this trade happening this offseason: 12%.
Oct 17
Bradley Beal Chooses Clippers: Ballmer’s Pitch Wins
Bradley Beal told reporters he chose the Los Angeles Clippers after being bought out by the Suns because "It wasn't an easy decision" and "Their pitch was honestly just better," praising owner Steve Ballmer and the organization's approach. The move matters: Beal joins a loaded core with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, John Collins and Ivica Zubac, shifting title expectations and creating a high-scoring, star-driven roster after his rocky end in Phoenix. He also framed the Phoenix exit plainly: "It's a business... Phoenix made a decision...I can't do nothing but respect it." Merlin sees promise and peril in equal measure. A lineup with so many ball-stoppers can light up the scoreboard, but chemistry and health will decide the spell’s strength. Ballmer’s culture and a clear role for Beal could speed the fit — yet the magic only works if shots fall and egos align. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of the Clippers reaching the Western Conference Finals this season: 28%.
Oct 17
GMs' Runaway Pick: Sasha Vezenkov Eyes NBA Return
Merlin sees the league’s GMs have named Aleksandar “Sasha” Vezenkov the best player outside the NBA, a clear signal after he captured 44% of the vote. That matters because Vezenkov followed a terse NBA stint (he called it “a weird season”) with a monster 2024–25 in Europe — 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, a 45-point game and strong shooting — reminding scouts he can still produce at a high level. Merlin notes the tale is part skill, part fit. At 6'9" with a high release and steady deep touch — “He comes in and he doesn't miss,” Kevin Huerter said — Vezenkov looks like a natural stretch forward. But age, a costly buyout and the need for a defined role mean the door back to the NBA is open, not wide. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Vezenkov signs an NBA contract within two seasons: 30%.
Oct 17
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Kevin Love To Attend Utah Camp — No Buyout
The Jazz don’t appear ready to buy out Kevin Love yet; they expect him at training camp next week, Marc Stein reports, and roster spots must be set by Oct. 20. Love, 37, was part of July’s three-team deal from Miami and has been “actively exploring potential pathways out of Utah,” but Stein says the team and player “have not yet moved into serious buyout discussions.” Merlin sees the tug-of-war: Love wants a playoff home, Utah is rebuilding, and buyouts often wait until a landing spot is certain. If no contender steps up, Utah keeps a veteran frontcourt mentor; if a contender offers the right fit (and perhaps a partial payback like Clarkson’s case), a swift exit could follow. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Kevin Love being bought out before Oct. 20: 40%.
Oct 17
Mark Cuban Denies Mavericks' Nowitzki "Sweetheart Deal"
Merlin sees Mark Cuban pushing back hard against renewed conspiracy theories about Dirk Nowitzki’s 2014 re-signing, calling suggestions the Mavericks used a co-owned production company to dodge the salary cap “nonsense.” Pablo Torre confirmed Magnolia’s purchase of the documentary was only $100,000, and Cuban reminded listeners that Nowitzki “wanted Tim Duncan money.” This matters because it touches owner transparency, cap-era roster-building and Dirk’s legacy in Dallas. Merlin notes the longer story: the salary cap barely moved from 2010–14, so aging stars often took smaller deals to help teams add pieces — Dallas used Dirk’s below-market season to chase Chandler Parsons — but those moves didn’t translate into postseason success. Cuban’s defense reads as reputation management as much as a factual rebuttal; old whispers die slowly in the league. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds the NBA reopens a formal probe into the 2014 Nowitzki deal this season: 10%.
Oct 17
Quentin Grimes vs. Sixers: $8.7M Qualifying-Offer Standoff
Quentin Grimes and the 76ers remain far apart in extension talks, and Grimes is "headed towards" accepting his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer, sources say. Philadelphia declined to extend the Oct. 1 deadline; Grimes skipped the team's Abu Dhabi trip; and although a four-year, $39 million offer was reported, his agent says the Sixers haven't been "negotiating with us in any way, shape or form." Any midrange one-year deal would reportedly require Grimes to waive his no-trade clause. Merlin sees the logic on both sides: Philly won't overpay into thin market competition, while Grimes preserves flexibility and a no-trade this season by taking the QO, then testing free agency next summer. Expect a season where Grimes plays an important role but carries extra leverage — and a bit of friction — until this story resolves. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Grimes signs the one-year qualifying offer: 75%.
Oct 17
Kevin Durant Teases Rockets Extension — Timing TBD
Merlin sees Kevin Durant telling the world he expects a contract extension with the Houston Rockets "at some point in the future," though he "can't tell you exactly when." That matters because Houston gave up Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick and five second-rounders to land Durant, who’s still owed $54.7 million next season — a commitment that signals the Rockets view him as the missing piece to push them from a 52‑30, No. 2 seed into true title contention. Merlin notes the fit is obvious on paper: Durant’s elite scoring and shooting could cure Houston’s offensive woes, while additions like Dorian Finney‑Smith and Clint Capela shore up depth. But timing of a new deal will shape roster flexibility and playoff ceiling. The spell is potent, yet fragile — chemistry and cap moves will tell the tale. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Durant signs a multiyear extension with Houston before the 2025-26 season: 70%.
Oct 17
Al Horford Bolts Celtics for Warriors' Starting Role
Al Horford said leaving Boston for Golden State "wasn't an easy decision" but that he "jumped at it" after signing a two‑year deal. The 39‑year‑old — who denied considering retirement — will be the Warriors’ starting center after helping the Celtics win the 2024 title and averaging 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds last season. His floor‑spacing and defensive IQ give Golden State a veteran anchor beside Stephen Curry, and that balance matters for their playoff hopes. Merlin sees a calming, stabilizing hand. Horford’s role will be complementary, not flashy, yet his shooting and instincts can unlock lineups, hide bad matchups and steady young wings like Kuminga. At limited minutes he still improves late‑game defense and pick‑and‑roll coverage, helping the Warriors convert a 48‑34 campaign into something deeper. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Golden State reaching the Western Conference Finals this season: 40%.
Oct 17
Mavericks Lock Down Jason Kidd, Snub Knicks
Merlin sees Dallas doubling down on Jason Kidd: the Mavericks blocked the Knicks’ attempt to interview him and have now given Kidd a multi‑year deal after an extension in May. That matters because Kidd led the club to the 2024 Finals and the front office is choosing continuity despite a chaotic year — Luka’s trade, major injuries and a missed play‑in — signaling trust in his leadership. Merlin notes this move is as much about stabilizing a franchise as it is about loyalty. With the No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis set to lead a new core, Kidd’s experience and Mavericks pedigree buy time to blend youth and veterans. Still, health, roster construction and how quickly Flagg adapts will decide whether this commitment becomes a championship bridge or a holding pattern. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of the Mavericks making the playoffs next season: 60%.
Oct 17
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Giannis-to-Hawks Blockbuster Sends Bucks Draft Windfall
A four‑team proposal would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Atlanta Hawks, with Milwaukee receiving Jalen Johnson, Josh Green and multiple first‑round picks, Charlotte getting Onyeka Okongwu and Portland collecting draft assets. Giannis told Sport 24, "I hope [a trade] never happens," but added, "I'm expecting it… I say anything is possible." If pulled off, the deal would instantly reshape contender status and long‑term front offices. Merlin smells the trade winds: Atlanta becomes an immediate title threat pairing Giannis with Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis, while Milwaukee flips a generational superstar into youth, picks and flexibility. Charlotte gains a defensive center to pair with LaMelo and Brandon Miller, and Portland stockpiles futures. Still, chemistry, luxury‑tax headaches and logistics make this a risky, high‑reward potion. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Giannis being traded before the season’s end: 12%.
Oct 17
Knicks Eye Justin Champagnie After Josh Hart Injury
Merlin sees a tidy three-team swap that would send Justin Champagnie to the Knicks, Pacome Dadiet to Utah and Kevin Love plus a protected 2026 first to Washington. For New York, the headline is simple: a cheap, 24-year-old wing who defends, rebounds and spaces the floor arrives under team control for about $8 million over three years — the kind of low-risk depth the Knicks sorely need with Josh Hart dinged and rotation wings thin. Merlin whispers that Champagnie is the kind of marginal move that changes late-game lineups and preserves payroll magic. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gets New York within striking distance of signing Landry Shamet and/or Malcolm Brogdon while giving Utah a developmental lottery ticket and Washington a safety valve on next year’s pick. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds the Knicks sign at least one of Shamet or Brogdon after this move: 80%.
Oct 17
Giannis Antetokounmpo Commits to Milwaukee Bucks — For Now
Merlin sees Bucks governor Wes Edens tell reporters at media day that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is committing to staying with the team — a public calm after weeks of trade chatter. That matters because Shams Charania had reported "there is nothing set in stone" about Giannis' future, and the superstar’s choice will decide whether Milwaukee remains a contender or heads toward a rebuild; oddsmakers already price the Bucks at 65-1 to win the title. Merlin notes Giannis is still dominant — 30.4 points on 60.1% shooting, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists last season — but time moves toward his 2027 player option. If the Bucks fail to make meaningful playoff progress in 2025-26, the whispers will return and trade interest will flare. For now, Edens has bought the franchise breathing room. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Giannis requesting a trade this season: 10%.
Oct 17
Giannis Antetokounmpo Evaluating Future; Bucks Insist Committed
Giannis Antetokounmpo confirmed he is still "evaluating" his future with the Milwaukee Bucks, repeating that he wants to be "on a team that allows me and gives me a chance to win a championship." Signed through 2026-27 with a 2027-28 player option, he’s asked whether Milwaukee’s current roster can deliver another title. Bucks governor Wes Edens says Giannis is "committed to Milwaukee," so no immediate exit is expected. Merlin sees a legend weighing options, not drama for drama’s sake. Giannis’s legacy in Milwaukee is secure — a 2021 champion, multiple MVPs and All-NBA nods — but roster turnover (Middleton, Lillard, Lopez gone; Myles Turner in) leaves real questions. Expect a cautious season: Giannis will give Milwaukee a chance while quietly listening to what other suitors offer. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Giannis requesting a trade this season: 12%.
Oct 17
Kevin Durant: Westbrook Reunion Would Be "Dope" for Rockets
With Fred VanVleet sidelined by a torn ACL, the Rockets are weighing all options and Kevin Durant said he hasn’t heard directly from Houston but that Russell Westbrook in town "would be dope." The reunion would tap an eight-year Thunder history, but Westbrook remains unsigned after a 2024–25 season of 13.3 points and 6.1 assists and poor three-point shooting (32.3%), raising real fit concerns. Merlin sees the appeal and the danger. Ime Udoka’s hinted playmaker-by-committee (Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün plus Durant) could be strained by Westbrook’s play style and past role friction; his experience helps short-term, but the Rockets must choose spacing and cohesion over nostalgia. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Westbrook signs with Houston this season: 25%.
Oct 17
Bucks Bet Big: AJ Green Gets 4-Year $45M
Merlin sees Milwaukee locked in AJ Green with a four-year, $45 million extension, per Shams Charania. The undrafted guard from Northern Iowa averaged 7.4 points in 73 games last season, shot a startling 42.7% from deep, and could move from bench spark to regular rotation. The deal is affordable (about $11.25M AAV) and gives the Bucks a cheap, floor-spacing piece as they juggle dead money from the Damian Lillard buyout. Merlin senses this is a low-risk, high-upside play: Green’s range fills a clear need, but roster and cap pressures — with Giannis’ contract situation and commitments to Turner, Kuzma and Portis — mean Milwaukee must balance short-term contention and long-term flexibility. If Green sustains his shooting, he forces matchup problems and could quietly become a starter; if not, the contract is manageable. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of AJ Green starting 50+ games this season: 40%.
Oct 17
NBA GMs Slam Apron Rules After Celtics Overhaul
GMs are pushing back on the second-apron era. In an NBA.com survey, 26 percent of GMs said "roster construction" needs changing, citing the "too harsh" apron rules, a desire for a draft-player cap discount, partial-salary trades and equalized minimums. The apron already shaped the offseason: Boston saved roughly $300 million by moving Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis and declining vets, Minnesota reworked contracts and traded Karl‑Anthony Towns to avoid the apron, and a few teams sit perilously close to the first apron — the Rockets $1.3M under it, the Mavericks only $51,000 under last season. Merlin sees a law meant to tame big spenders like Ballmer and Lacob now squeezing everyone else, forcing odd trades, withheld signings and roster gymnastics. If one team ever opts to forfeit rather than trigger penalties, the league will have to listen — change is brewing, not guaranteed. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds the NBA tweaks apron rules before the 2026 CBA talks: 30%.
Oct 17
Cavs' Jarrett Allen on Trade Radar
Teams are quietly "monitoring" Cleveland’s start to the season to see whether Jarrett Allen might be shopped, a sign that rival GMs value his rim protection and efficiency — he shot an NBA-high 70.6% last year while averaging 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds and starting all 82 games. That matters because moving Allen would reshape the Cavs’ frontcourt and the Eastern Conference pecking order, yet Cleveland just gave him a three-year extension and remains a title contender after a 64-win season. Merlin sees tension in the pairing: Evan Mobley’s long-term future looks like center, but Allen’s durability and shot-blocking are rare currency. If the Cavs stumble and the fit feels awkward, phone lines will light up; if they hum, the rumors vanish like smoke. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Cleveland trading Jarrett Allen this season: 20%.
Oct 17
B/R Top 100: Jokić Reigns, Shai Surges
Bleacher Report unveiled its human-panel Top 100 for 2025-26 — a season-opening snapshot built on votes, not analytics. Nikola Jokić sits atop the list unanimously, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis close behind. B/R excluded major injured players and promises regular in-season re-rankings, so this is a starting map that will shift with health, trades and performance. Merlin sees this list as a crystal ball scratched at the edges: proven stars anchor the top while young, ascending names and role players wait for the right fits to cast upward. Expect a few surprise climbs (and tumbles) as teams jigger rotations and injuries test depth — the preseason order is only the first whisper of the season’s true story. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds Nikola Jokić wins a fourth MVP this season: 35%.
Oct 17
Quentin Grimes Locks In with Sixers — $8.7M After Breakout
Quentin Grimes is returning to the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer that includes a no-trade clause. He broke out after arriving in February, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 25 starts while shooting 46.9% overall and 37.3% from three — numbers that matter because they give the Sixers immediate scoring and versatility while Jared McCain recovers from thumb surgery. Merlin sees this as a tidy, short-term bet: Grimes accepted an audition that preserves his freedom and the team’s flexibility — his agent pushed for bigger multi-year offers, but the no-trade clause shows Grimes wants control. If he sustains that late-season form alongside Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, he becomes either a core rotation piece or a valuable trade asset; health and consistency will decide which. 🧙♂️ Merlin’s Prediction: Odds of Philadelphia making the playoffs this season: 55%.
Oct 17