Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Timberwolves re-sign Julius Randle

The Minnesota Timberwolves have re-signed forward Julius Randle.

In his first season with the Timberwolves, Randle saw action in 69 games (all starts), averaging 18.7 points on 48.5% shooting, including 34.4% from three, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 32.3 minutes per game. Randle finished the 2024-25 campaign with totals of 1,288 points, 487 rebounds and 323 assists, becoming the first player in franchise history to record 1,200+ points, 400+ rebounds and 300+ assists in his first 69 games with the team. He ended the season with three 30+ point games, 36 20+ point performances, 14 10+ rebound games and 14 double-doubles. Randle finished the final 21 games of the regular season averaging 18.2 points on 52.3% shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 31.7 minutes per game with the Wolves going 17-4 in that span.

Randle led the way for the Timberwolves against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 17, finishing with a team-high and season-high 35 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including a season-high-tying 5-of-11 from deep and seven assists. In the Nov. 17 game against the Suns, Randle connected on a 25-foot three-pointer as time expired to give the Wolves the victory, marking his first game-winning field goal at the buzzer of his career.

Grizzlies re-sign Santi Aldama

The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed forward Santi Aldama to a multi-year contract.

Aldama (6-11, 224) appeared in 65 games (16 starts) and set career highs by averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 25.5 minutes while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range with the Grizzlies last season. He has increased his scoring, rebounding and assist averages year-over-year in all four seasons since he was acquired by the Grizzlies with the 30th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 24-year-old scored at least 20 points 10 times last season, including a career-high 29 points on January 17, 2025, at San Antonio. He also posted single-game career highs with 17 rebounds on November 25, 2024, vs. Portland and 11 assists on March 1, 2025, vs. San Antonio. His 10 double-doubles set a single-season career best, and his six double-doubles off the bench tied the third-most by an NBA reserve last season.

Grizzlies sign Jock Landale

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed center Jock Landale.

Landale (6-11, 255) has appeared in 221 games (11 starts) and has averaged 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 12.8 minutes in four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets. He also has competed in eight postseason games for the Suns and Rockets. He played 42 games (three starts) and averaged 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes for Houston last season.

The 29-year-old went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Saint Mary’s, where he was named the 2017-18 West Coast Conference Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. He played professionally in Serbia, Lithuania and his native Australia before making his NBA debut with the Spurs during the 2021-22 season.

Landale helped Australia earn bronze, the country’s first Olympic men’s basketball medal, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He was the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.8 points.

Cavaliers sign front office executives to contract extensions

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced today that President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman and the team’s executive front office have been given multi-year contract extensions through 2030. The extensions also include General Manager Mike Gansey, Assistant General Manager Brandon Weems, Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Counsel Jason Hillman and Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Personnel Jon Nichols.

“Koby Altman has demonstrated that he is the right person to lead this franchise. He is not only an outstanding team-builder, but he has also created an exceptional culture that transcends the basketball side of our business and serves as a positive foundation and philosophy for the entire franchise,” said Cavaliers Chairman, Dan Gilbert. “Koby not only has a great nose for basketball talent, but he has recruited and developed extraordinary front office talent as well. This unique combination has positioned our franchise to compete for championships for years to come. The decision to extend Koby and his team is not solely based on recent success, but rather the entire body of work since he took over the role in 2018.”

Under Altman, the Cavaliers have executed 28 total trades and 15 in-season trades, including the additions of forward De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline this year and guard Lonzo Ball in a deal with Chicago on July 6. Other transactions that have helped shape the Cavaliers include the trade acquisitions of Jarrett Allen (2021), Donovan Mitchell (2022), Max Strus (2023) and the first-round draft selections of Darius Garland (No. 5 overall in 2019) and Evan Mobley (No. 3 overall in 2021). Over the past three years, the team has secured long-term contract extensions with Garland, Mitchell, Allen, and Mobley.

Grizzlies sign Ty Jerome

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Ty Jerome to a multi-year contract.

Jerome (6-5, 200) finished third in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting last season after averaging a career-high 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 19.9 minutes in 70 games (three starts) for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 11.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in nine playoff games during the Cavaliers’ run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals and scored 28 points (10-15 FG, 5-8 3P) in his postseason debut in Game 1 of the First Round against the Miami Heat.

The 28-year-old shot 51.6 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from 3-point range – both career bests – and made 87.2 percent of his free throw attempts. He ranked fourth in the NBA in 3-point percentage and was the NBA’s only qualifying player during the 2024-25 regular season to post a 50-40-87 shooting split.

76ers forward Paul George undergoes knee surgery

Paul George underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee to treat an injury sustained during a recent workout.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow at the NYU – Langone Sports Medicine Orthopedic Center.

George will now begin a rehabilitation program and his progress will be monitored regularly. He will be re-evaluated prior to the start of training camp.

Timberwolves re-sign Naz Reid

The Minnesota Timberwolves have re-signed center Naz Reid.

Reid, 25, finished his sixth season in the NBA, all with the Timberwolves, appearing in 80 games (a career-high 17 starts), marking the second consecutive season he has played 80+ games. He ended the season averaging 14.2 points per game on 46.2% shooting, a career-high 6.0 rebounds and career-high 2.3 assists in a career-best 27.5 minutes per game.

The Louisiana State University product saw his best season of his NBA career during the 2024-25 season, which included tallying a career-high 10 double-doubles, a career-best 19 20+ point games, a career-high 13 10+ rebound performances and a career-best six 20+ point/10+ rebound games. He finished fourth in the NBA in points per game off the bench (13.1) and was fifth in total points off the bench with 827. Reid connected on a career-high 175 three-pointers last season, including 128 threes off the bench, ranking 10th in the NBA. With his 20-point performance against the Indiana Pacers on March 24, Reid moved past Shabazz Muhammad for the most 20+ point games off the bench in franchise history. He led the way for the Timberwolves against the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 3, finishing with a season-high 30 points on a season-best 12-of-19 shooting, including 5-of-9 from three, five rebounds and two blocks, the contest marked his only 30+ point game of the season (fourth career).

Grizzlies re-sign Cam Spencer

The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed guard Cam Spencer to a multi-year contract.

Spencer (6-3, 201) appeared in 25 games (one start) as a rookie for Memphis last season and averaged 4.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 10.1 minutes. He set career highs with 23 points and seven assists in 37 minutes in his lone start on April 13 vs. Dallas.

The 25-year-old Maryland native also started eight NBA G League games for the Memphis Hustle during the Tip-Off Tournament and regular season and averaged 23.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field, 49.3 percent from 3-point range and 76.5 percent from the free throw line. He scored 51 points (18-24 FG, 12-15 3P, 1-1 FT) in a Tip-Off Tournament contest on December 2 vs. Birmingham.

Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg with first pick in 2025 NBA Draft

The Dallas Mavericks have selected forward Cooper Flagg from Duke University with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

In one season at Duke, Flagg (6-9, 225) averaged 19.2 points (.481 FG, .385 3FG), 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in 37 appearances (all starts) while leading the team to their second NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance in the last 10 years. Earlier this year, the 18-year-old was named National College Player of the Year (USBWA, NABC, AP, Wooden, Naismith, CollegeInsider.com), becoming the 11th player from Duke to be awarded the honor and the second freshman from Duke to do so (Zion Williamson). Additionally, he was voted consensus First-Team All-American and National Freshman of the Year. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Flagg was also selected as the AAC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year and named to All-ACC First Team, ACC All-Defensive Team and ACC All-Rookie Team.

The Maine native set the ACC freshman single-game scoring record after recording 42 points against Notre Dame on Jan. 11. He led Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game, becoming the second freshman in the last 25 years to lead his respective team in all five categories (Ben Simmons).

Flagg represented Team USA at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, where he was named All-Tournament Team after averaging 9.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 steals en route to a gold medal campaign for his country and was chosen for the USA Select Team ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Flagg will wear No. 32 for the Mavericks.

Hornets select Kon Knueppel with 4th pick in 2025 NBA draft

The Charlotte Hornets selected guard Kon Knueppel from Duke University with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

A native of Milwaukee, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 30.5 minutes per game across 39 appearances (all starts), helping lead the Blue Devils to a Final Four berth and earning NCAA All-Region honors. Knueppel tallied seven 20-point outings and became one of 15 freshmen in NCAA history with 550 points, 100 assists and 80 3s in a season.

Knueppel was named All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, All-ACC Tournament and ACC Tournament MVP as the Blue Devils claimed both the ACC regular season and tournament championships. He starred at Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee in high school, being named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball and leading the Vikings to a 2024 state championship and 30-0 record as a senior. Knueppel signed with Duke as a consensus top-20 recruit and enrolled at Duke in June 2024.

Knueppel’s mother and father both played college basketball, and his uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, played for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1997-98 season.