Hoops Rumors

Appearing on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that Mac McClung was the most impressive participant in a three-player free agent workout the team hosted on Monday, earning him a non-guaranteed deal. According to Carlisle, the Pacers believe the three-time dunk contest champion is a more well-rounded player than … [Read more...] about Central Notes: McClung, White, LaVine, Green, Rollins

The Pacers have been hard-hit by injuries, but there’s at least one ray of hope on the horizon, reports Marc Stein of the Stein Line (subscriber link). Andrew Nembhard left Thursday night’s game against the Thunder early after aggravating a pre-existing shoulder injury. Stein writes that following an MRI this week, there’s optimism that the injury will be more short-term than … [Read more...] about Central Notes: Nembhard, Cunningham, Jones, Allen

The Hornets made a statement about moving into a new era by starting rookies Ryan Kalkbrenner and Kon Knueppel on opening night, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Kalkbrenner, a second-round pick, became the second player in franchise history to record a double-double in his NBA debut, scoring 10 points and collecting 11 rebounds in a victory … [Read more...] about Southeast Notes: Kalkbrenner, Knueppel, Suggs, McClung, Houstan

Jalen Smith is getting another shot to be the Bulls‘ primary backup center after Zach Collins underwent surgery on October 18 to repair non-displaced fracture in his left wrist, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. As Poe details, Smith signed a three-year, $27MM contract with Chicago during the 2024 offseason and opened 2024/25 as the main backup to Nikola Vucevic. He … [Read more...] about Bulls Notes: Smith, Williams, Jones, Buzelis

Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has set lofty goals — including making an All-Defensive team and winning the Most Improved Player award — for his second season, but he’s not only interested in individual accolades and says he’s willing to do whatever is necessary for the team to be successful, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “I think I can be a go-to guy,” Buzelis … [Read more...] about Bulls Notes: Buzelis, Donovan, Vucevic, Expectations