Browsing: Nikola

One of Nikola Jokić’s brothers was sentenced to a year of probation in connection with a viral fight at a Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Lakers game in April 2024, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, The Denver Post reported Friday.

Strahinja Jokić, 43, pleaded guilty to trespassing and disorderly conduct after punching a Lakers fan in the face courtside at the Nuggets’ Ball Arena. The trespassing charge is a misdemeanor, whereas the disorderly conduct charge is a petty offense.

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Strahinja Jokić was initially charged with third-degree assault after video of the punch made the rounds on social media. The Lakers fan, identified as Nicholas Meyer, claimed in a lawsuit that he suffered a concussion as well as cuts and bruises on his face, plus a deviated septum, per The Denver Post.

“The assault shattered my sense of safety and control,” Meyer said in court Friday, via 9News.

“I became fearful of leaving my home, especially with my family. I worry constantly about retaliation, not just from the Jokić family, but from fans who might recognize me and act out violently.”

Strahinja Jokić was charged in July 2024. At the time, he told investigators that he felt he wasn’t in the wrong because he was defending an elderly man, whom Strahinja Jokić said he’s known for a long time, per CBS News.

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In 2019, Strahinja Jokić was charged with assault and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing phone service and a felony count of trespassing as part of a deferred sentence, per The Denver Post, which reported that he was accused of choking and pushing a woman and then precluding her from calling 911.

Strahinja Jokić’s trespassing charge was dismissed in 2022 after he successfully followed court rules for unsupervised probation and didn’t commit another crime during the two-year term, according to The Denver Post, which cited court records. The plea agreement in that 2019 case also dropped false imprisonment and assault against Strahinja Jokić, The Denver Post reported.

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The annual NBA GM Survey offers a fantastic yearly glimpse into what the lead executives around the league value and how they think.

Itâ€s also a terrible predictive tool — donâ€t place your bets based on their responses (might I recommend the clever folks at the NBC Sports betting page for your tips). A year ago, 25 of the 30 GMs picked Boston to repeat (that was probably 26, Brad Stevens canâ€t vote for his own team), yet Oklahoma City won 68 games and the title — the GMs have picked the champion just once in the last seven years (the 2024 Celtics).

So, is it a worrying sign for Oklahoma City that 24 of the 30 GMS picked them to repeat as champions? No, itâ€s more a sign of the conventional wisdom thinking around the league, which this survey certainly provides. Some highlights from the voting:

NBA Champion: Oklahoma City Thunder (80% of the vote). Cleveland and Denver were tied for second (7% each).

East Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers (63% of voters had them first, 27% second), with the New York Knicks second (30% first-place votes, 53% second).

West Champion: Oklahoma City Thunder (87% of voters had them first). Denver was second (10% had them first).

Who will win MVP? Nikola Jokic, 67% of the vote. The next three in line were Luka Doncic (10%), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (8%), and Victor Wembanyama (7%).

Who will win Rookie of the Year? Cooper Flagg, who got all but one vote (and Nico Harrison canâ€t vote for his own guy, so there was one vote for VJ Edgecombe). Flagg was also overwhelmingly voted the rookie that will be the best in this class five years from now (just know five years ago the GMs voted James Wiseman that honor).

What player would you pick to start a franchise? Victor Wembanyama (83% of the vote, which makes you wonder what the other 17% are thinking).

Player most likely to have a breakout season: Amen Thompson in Houston (30% of the vote). Brandon Miller (Charlotte), Ausar Thompson (Detroit) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio) were tied for second.

Which team made the best overall moves this offseason? The Atlanta Hawks (53% of the vote). The second choice went to the Houston Rockets (27%).

Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact? Kevin Durant to Houston (73% of the vote). Desmond Bane to Orlando was second, and also voted the most underrated move of the offseason.

Most surprising move of the offseason: Milwaukee waiving/stretching Damian Lillard (second on this list was the Bucks signing Myles Turner, which only happened because of the waive/stretch of Lillard).

Who was the biggest steal in terms of where they were drafted? In a bit of a surprise, it went to Kasparas Jakucionis to Miami, selected at No. 20. Tied for second was Ace Bailey to Utah at No. 5 and Carter Bryant to San Antonio at No. 14.

Best defender in the NBA: Victor Wembanyama with 80% of the vote. Dyson Daniels was voted the best perimeter defender in the league.

Who is the best head coach in the NBA? Newly minted USA Basketball head coach Erik Spoelstra of Miami, with 52% of the vote (OKCâ€s Mark Daigneault was second, and the Clippers†Tyronn Lue was third).

Which teamâ€s level of success this season is toughest to predict? The Philadelphia 76ers got 47% of the vote (Dallas and Golden State were second and third). With all due respect to the questions around the Mavs and Warriors, how do you not pick the Sixers?

Which player is the most athletic? Amen Thompson got 58% of the vote to finish first (Anthony Edwards in Minnesota was second).

Hereâ€s one I questioned a little: The GMs voted Stephen Curry the best leader in the NBA. That surprised me. Not that Curry isnâ€t a strong leader, but would you put him ahead of Jalen Brunson, LeBron James, or even the injured Damian Lillard?

One other interesting question and answer: What rule most needs to change? The No. 1 answer was concerns about roster construction, specifically that the tax apron rules are too harsh, and that there should be a salary cap discount for a teamâ€s own drafted players. A lot of fans feel the same way.

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For the first time since the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, there will be a repeat champion in the NBA … at least, that’s what team general managers believe. The annual NBA GM survey was released Thursday, and a whopping 80% of those surveyed believe the Oklahoma City Thunder will repeat as champions.

While that’s a staggering number, it shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise. The Thunder boast an impressive young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. In fact, NBA GMs rate that core as the best in the league, with the team also earning a victory in that survey question. The Thunder received 50% of the vote there, with the San Antonio Spurs finishing second.

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With Holmgren and Williams signed to long-term deals this offseason, the Thunder should be a similar threat to win it all next season. Getting 80% of NBA GMs to agree on that topic might come as a shock, but that’s typically how the survey goes. The Boston Celtics — who were coming off a championship during the 2023-24 NBA season — managed to gain 83% of the vote when GMs were asked who would win the championship ahead of last season. Those GMs were wrong, though the Celtics were once again a tough contender.

If the Thunder aren’t going to win it all, NBA GMs see four other teams as possible candidates to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy. Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets each received 7% of the vote. The Houston Rockets and New York Knicks also received at least one vote among GMs.

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Nikola Jokić honored by NBA GMs in annual survey

At 30, Nuggets star Nikola Jokić might be entering the second half of his career. But NBA GMs don’t expect him to lose a step this season. Jokić dominated the annual survey, finishing first in seven different questions, all of which complimented his skills.

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Jokić is the most likely to win the 2025-26 NBA MVP award, the player who forces opponents to make the most adjustments, the best center in the NBA, the best international player in the game, the best passer in the game and the player with the best basketball IQ, per league general managers.

In addition to that, Jokić finished third in the voting for best leader and also received votes for most versatile player and player a GM would want to take a shot with the game on the line.

Despite being 30, Jokić also finished third when GMs were asked what player they would choose if they were building a new franchise from scratch. San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama easily won that category, picking up 83% of the votes. But Jokić’s presence in the top 3 proves NBA GMs still think extremely highly of his game.

NBA GMs take aim at Clippers?

NBA GMs chose “roster construction” as the one thing they would change in the league. That was a wide-ranging topic on the survey, which mentioned, “Apron rules too harsh, Add a cap discount for own drafted players, Allow trading partial salaries, Make all minimum contracts the same” as things GMs wanted to change. That option received 26% of the vote.

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Lower down the list, however, some GMs may have decided to take a shot at the Los Angeles Clippers. Five percent of GMs listed “Higher penalties for cap circumvention” as the biggest change they would make in the league.

That desire comes amid reports suggesting the Clippers tried to circumvent the NBA salary cap when negotiating a free-agent deal with star Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Both the Clippers and Leonard have denied any wrongdoing, though that didn’t stop the NBA from reopening its investigation into the situation.

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What is a sleeper? There can be multiple interpretations of who the word can apply to, and there are so many factors that can impact that. Depending on league size, scoring format or even fandoms within leagues, players are valued uniquely in every single league.

In my mind, a player is a “sleeper†if consensus isnâ€t high enough. Some of these players are sleepers in the more traditional sense that you can find them on the waiver wire or trade for them pretty easily. A few may already hold decent value, but I think there is still a ton of untapped potential there.

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So basically, this is a list of dynasty sleepers, but that doesnâ€t mean every player on this list will be a sleeper in your league. I would say that dynasty leagues should roster 250-300 players at minimum, but some people play in leagues that roster 150 players, and I have a league that can roster over 600 players, depending on how many IR spots are being used.

Some of these players may be such deep cuts that you shouldnâ€t consider rostering them in your dynasty league that rosters 200 players. Others may not qualify as a sleeper in a league that rosters 400+ players. And of course, if youâ€re playing with friends that are all fans of the same team, theyâ€re probably all well aware of a player that most may consider as a sleeper.

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Here are 11 players Iâ€d consider sleepers in dynasty leagues:

1. SG/SF Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

I was lower on George entering last yearâ€s draft, but his rookie season really impressed me. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.7 three-pointers per game. His shooting ability was arguably his strongest attribute entering the league, but he shot really poorly during his first year at 37.2 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from deep. Iâ€m confident his shot will come around, and his defense and playmaking were both really strong for a rookie. The Wizards have a lot of young talent on this roster, and George sticks out as one of the more well-rounded.

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2. PG/SG Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings

Eventually, someone is going to give Ellis a consistent starting job, and heâ€ll quickly become an elite player in fantasy. This may or may not be the year. The Dennis Schroder signing doesnâ€t give me much hope, but Ellis is talented enough to be worth hanging onto, and he can still be productive in a reserve role. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers in 24.4 minutes per game last season. All he needs is a chance, and he can be a dominant source of threes and defensive stats.

3. PF Nikola Jovic, Miami Heat

I think Jovic has the chance to be an excellent late-round value pick in redraft leagues, which means that his dynasty value could skyrocket quickly. That just means you need to acquire him before the hype train leaves the station. Last season, Jovic averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 three-pointers in 25.1 minutes per game. I already had Jovic pinned as a dynasty sleeper, but Erik Spoelstra starting him over Kelâ€el Ware only makes this more true. Miami is going to need help on offense with Tyler Herro (ankle) sidelined, and Jovicâ€s presence in the opening group will help with that. He could break out sooner rather than later.

4. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets

Sometimes, dynasty sleepers arenâ€t long-term options. They can also be players that are being undervalued that are set up to have a run of success, but they can quickly become overrated and should be traded after that. Kalkbrenner fits that mold. The center rotation in Charlotte is wide open, with Kalkbrenner competing with Moussa Diabate and Mason Plumlee. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.7 blocks per game for Creighton last season as one of the best players in college basketball. Thereâ€s also, of course, the chance that Kalkbrenner could end up having a successful NBA career after dominating college basketball. Many dynasty managers may be scared off by him being 23 years old, but thereâ€s a path for quick and sustained success.

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5. SF/PF Jake LaRavia, Los Angeles Lakers

The 2022 first round pick spent the first two years of his career in Memphis before being traded to the Kings at the deadline last season. He hasnâ€t seen a consistent role with either of his two previous teams, but he has a chance with Los Angeles this season. LaRavia should play a significant reserve role for the Lakers, which will give him an opportunity to finally live up to his potential, though in a limited capacity. However, it wonâ€t be long before LeBron James retires. LaRavia could get the first opportunity to be the small forward of the future in Los Angeles. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 three-pointers per game between his time with the Grizzlies and Kings last season.

6. PF/C Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto Raptors

When Mogbo got the chance last season, he was able to turn in some excellent performances. In 18 starts during his rookie year, Mogbo averaged 7.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Heâ€s not much of a shooter, but the well-rounded production makes him an enticing fantasy option. The short-term downside is that Toronto has multiple players that fit this mold as well in Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. Playing all three together could create headaches for opposing teams when Toronto is on defense, but those same headaches will be replicated when the Raptors are on offense. Whether it is with Toronto or elsewhere, Mogbo has intriguing potential.

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7. C Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic

Though the Magic may prioritize Wendell Carter Jr. in the lineup, Bitadze was a fantastic fantasy option last season when he was given the opportunity. It may not be with Orlando, but Bitadze could end up being a valuable player with a new team. In 42 starts last year, Bitadze averaged 9.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.8 blocks in just 24.9 minutes per game. WCJ fits better alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner due to his spacing ability, so this could be another scenario where Bitadze ends up breaking out on a different team. The encouraging thing is that weâ€ve already seen it happen. Now, we just need him to get an opportunity to play a large role somewhere else.

8. SF Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers

The 2024 first round pick is going to get a chance to shine early on with Darius Garland (toe) sidelined to start next season and Max Strus (foot) set to miss a few months. Tyson wonâ€t start unless there is another injury, but he had success when he played a large role last season, which includes a 16/11/7/2 line in a start in November and a 31/7/4/3/1 line with four triples as a starter in April. He also averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.7 threes per game during summer league.

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Donovan Clingan is among the second-year players with top-100 potential heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.

9. C Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns

Phoenix added Ighodaro in the second round of the 2024 draft, and he showcased some enticing upside during summer league. They put the ball in his hands, and he was able to average 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in Las Vegas. If theyâ€re able to develop him into a seven-foot ball handler, the sky is the limit.

10. C Adem Bona, Philadelphia 76ers

When Joel Embiid has been sidelined, Bona has turned in some impressive performances, and it appears that heâ€ll get the opportunity to play a large role often this year. Over the final two months of last season, Bona averaged 10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game while shooting 70.7 percent from the floor. With Embiidâ€s health always in question, Bona could get a chance to play a significant role this season.

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11. PF/C Mouhamed Gueye, Atlanta Hawks

Gueye was the starter in place of Jalen Johnson down the stretch of last season, and while he didnâ€t play big minutes, he was effective when he was given the opportunity. He played at least 20 minutes nine times last year, and he averaged 9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 threes per game while only exceeding 25 minutes once. In that game, he played 33 minutes and grabbed 18 rebounds. Gueye may not get as much of an opportunity for what should be a better Hawks team this season, but heâ€s worth stashing.

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DENVER — The Nuggets gave Nikola Jokic what he wanted this offseason, adding the kind of depth the Oklahoma City Thunder boasted when they survived a seven-game second-round series with Denver on their way to winning the NBA championship.

The expected payoff isn’t just in a deeper rotation and fresher legs come playoff time but also in a colossal contract extension for their superstar next summer.

Jokic bypassed the opportunity to sign a four-year, $212 million deal this summer because next year he can sign that same four-year extension for $293 million.

“I mean, I don’t think about it,” Jokic said. “I think those contract extensions come as a reward, as something that is natural to the sport. Especially in today’s NBA how you see how the salary cap is growing and everything.”

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While Jokic, who is entering the third year of his five-year, $276 million supermax contract, didn’t directly say if he intends to sign the extension in 2026, he did say, “My plan is to be a Nugget forever.”

Jokic seems energized by the changes the Nuggets made this offseason, when they took the interim tag off coach David Adelman, replaced general manager Calvin Booth with the duo of Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace and added several veterans following the trade of Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets.

“I mean, they definitely changed the team,” Jokic said.

Two seasons after winning their first NBA title, the Nuggets acquired sharpshooting wing Cam Johnson in the Porter trade that also freed up salary cap space to address myriad roster deficiencies.

They brought back Bruce Brown, who played a critical role in the Nuggets’ title run before cashing in as a free agent afterward. They also added another veteran in guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and traded for center Jonas Valanciunas to back up Jokic — and even play alongside him at times.

The Nuggets also get 2024 first-round pick DaRon Holmes back from a torn right Achilles tendon that sidelined him as a rookie.

“Bruce is back. We won with him. Need to save his career again,” the Joker joked. “We have Cam and Jonas — we have a bunch of new guys. We have Holmes healthy. We’ll see. It’s a new energy, new beginning for us. Hopefully, we can do something.”

Brown, who signed with Indianapolis after the Nuggets’ championship parade and was quickly traded to Toronto, said he pined to return to Denver soon after leaving.

“Indy was great for me when I was there but it was only three months,” Brown said. “And once I got to Toronto we were on two different roads, right? They were rebuilding … and I was past that time. So, I think right away, as soon as I got there, I wanted to come back.”

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While familiar names sit atop the preseason fantasy basketball rankings, the 2025-26 season has the potential to be a wild one, thanks to injuries that occurred either during the offseason or during last yearâ€s playoffs. Fred VanVleet‘s ACL tear means multiple players will be asked to do more in Houston, which may benefit Amen Thompson, Alperen Åžengün, and Reed Sheppard. And Achilles tendon tears suffered by Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton will also be impactful.

While Lillardâ€s on-court return to Portland will be delayed, this will be a critical season for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, whether weâ€re talking fantasy or “real†basketball. Boston lost multiple rotation players in the aftermath of Tatumâ€s injury; how will this impact Jaylen Brown and Derrick White? As for the Pacers, the combination of Haliburtonâ€s injury and Myles Turner moving to Milwaukee raises the ceilings of Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard, to name two. Below is our preseason top-200 ranking, led by Denverâ€s Nikola Jokić.

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Rank

Position(s)

Player

Team

1

C

Nikola Jokić

Denver Nuggets

2

PG

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Thunder

3

C

Victor Wembanyama

San Antonio Spurs

4

PG, SG

Luka DonÄić

Los Angeles Lakers

5

PF, C

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks

6

PF, C

Anthony Davis

Dallas Mavericks

7

PG, SG

Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons

8

PF, C

Karl-Anthony Towns

New York Knicks

9

PG, SG

Anthony Edwards

Minnesota Timberwolves

10

PG, SG

Devin Booker

Phoenix Suns

11

PG

Trae Young

Atlanta Hawks

12

SF, PF

Kevin Durant

Houston Rockets

13

PG, SG

Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland Cavaliers

14

SF, PF

Jalen Williams

Oklahoma City Thunder

15

PG, SG, SF

Amen Thompson

Houston Rockets

16

PG

Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors

17

PG, SG

James Harden

LA Clippers

18

C

Alperen Şengün

Houston Rockets

19

PG

Tyrese Maxey

Philadelphia 76ers

20

PF, C

Evan Mobley

Cleveland Cavaliers

21

C

Domantas Sabonis

Sacramento Kings

22

SF, PF

Jalen Johnson

Atlanta Hawks

23

PF, C

Pascal Siakam

Indiana Pacers

24

SG, SF, PF

Scottie Barnes

Toronto Raptors

25

PG

Jalen Brunson

New York Knicks

26

PF, C

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Memphis Grizzlies

27

PG, SG

Josh Giddey

Chicago Bulls

28

C

Myles Turner

Milwaukee Bucks

29

SF, PF

LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers

30

PG, SG

LaMelo Ball

Charlotte Hornets

31

PF, C

Chet Holmgren

Oklahoma City Thunder

32

PF, C

Paolo Banchero

Orlando Magic

33

PG, SG

Deâ€Aaron Fox

San Antonio Spurs

34

SG, SF

Desmond Bane

Orlando Magic

35

PG, SG, SF

Dyson Daniels

Atlanta Hawks

36

PG, SG

Derrick White

Boston Celtics

37

SF, PF

Franz Wagner

Orlando Magic

38

PG, SG

Jamal Murray

Denver Nuggets

39

C

Bam Adebayo

Miami Heat

40

PG

Darius Garland

Cleveland Cavaliers

41

PG

Ja Morant

Memphis Grizzlies

42

SG, SF

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

43

SF, PF

Kawhi Leonard

LA Clippers

44

SF, PF

Trey Murphy

New Orleans Pelicans

45

PG, SG

Austin Reaves

Los Angeles Lakers

46

C

Ivica Zubac

LA Clippers

47

C

Nikola VuÄević

Chicago Bulls

48

SF, PF

Deni Avdija

Portland Trail Blazers

49

SF

Cooper Flagg

Dallas Mavericks

50

SF, PF

Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz

51

C

Walker Kessler

Utah Jazz

52

C

Jarrett Allen

Cleveland Cavaliers

53

C

Kristaps Porziņģis

Atlanta Hawks

54

SF, PF

Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans

55

SF, PF

OG Anunoby

New York Knicks

56

SF, PF

Jimmy Butler III

Golden State Warriors

57

SF, PF

Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn Nets

58

C

Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers

59

PG, SG

Immanuel Quickley

Toronto Raptors

60

PF, C

Julius Randle

Minnesota Timberwolves

61

SF

DeMar DeRozan

Sacramento Kings

62

SF, PF

Mikal Bridges

New York Knicks

63

SF, PF

Brandon Miller

Charlotte Hornets

64

SF, PF

Ausar Thompson

Detroit Pistons

65

PG, SG

Jordan Poole

New Orleans Pelicans

66

PG, SG

Tyler Herro

Miami Heat

67

C

Mark Williams

Phoenix Suns

68

SG, SF, PF

Josh Hart

New York Knicks

69

SF, PF

Cameron Johnson

Denver Nuggets

70

PG, SG

Anfernee Simons

Boston Celtics

71

PG, SG

Zach LaVine

Sacramento Kings

72

C

Jalen Duren

Detroit Pistons

73

PG, SG

Andrew Nembhard

Indiana Pacers

74

PG, SG

Coby White

Chicago Bulls

75

SG, SF

Christian Braun

Denver Nuggets

76

SG, SF, PF

Brandon Ingram

Toronto Raptors

77

SF, PF

Miles Bridges

Charlotte Hornets

78

SG, SF

Norman Powell

Miami Heat

79

PG, SG

Jalen Green

Phoenix Suns

80

SG, SF

Cam Thomas

Brooklyn Nets

81

PG

Kyrie Irving

Dallas Mavericks

82

PG

Payton Pritchard

Boston Celtics

83

SG, SF

Devin Vassell

San Antonio Spurs

84

SF, PF

Tari Eason

Houston Rockets

85

SG, SF, PF

Paul George

Philadelphia 76ers

86

C

Donovan Clingan

Portland Trail Blazers

87

C

Onyeka Okongwu

Atlanta Hawks

88

SF, PF

Jaden McDaniels

Minnesota Timberwolves

89

PG

Dâ€Angelo Russell

Dallas Mavericks

90

PF, C

John Collins

LA Clippers

91

C

Jakob Poeltl

Toronto Raptors

92

C

Deandre Ayton

Los Angeles Lakers

93

C

Rudy Gobert

Minnesota Timberwolves

94

C

Isaiah Hartenstein

Oklahoma City Thunder

95

SG, SF

Bennedict Mathurin

Indiana Pacers

96

PG, SG

CJ McCollum

Washington Wizards

97

SG, SF

Bradley Beal

LA Clippers

98

PF, C

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors

99

SF, PF

Keegan Murray

Sacramento Kings

100

SF, PF

Andrew Wiggins

Miami Heat

101

SG

Malik Monk

Sacramento Kings

102

PG, SG

Brandin Podziemski

Golden State Warriors

103

PF, C

Naz Reid

Minnesota Timberwolves

104

PF, C

Alex Sarr

Washington Wizards

105

SF, PF

Herbert Jones

New Orleans Pelicans

106

PF, C

Santi Aldama

Memphis Grizzlies

107

PF

Tobias Harris

Detroit Pistons

108

C

Nicolas Claxton

Brooklyn Nets

109

C

Dereck Lively II

Dallas Mavericks

110

C

Zach Edey

Memphis Grizzlies

111

PG, SG

Collin Sexton

Charlotte Hornets

112

C

Daniel Gafford

Dallas Mavericks

113

PF, C

Bobby Portis

Milwaukee Bucks

114

C

Yves Missi

New Orleans Pelicans

115

C

Mitchell Robinson

New York Knicks

116

PG, SG

Jaden Ivey

Detroit Pistons

117

SG, SF

Shaedon Sharpe

Portland Trail Blazers

118

C

Brook Lopez

LA Clippers

119

PG

Scoot Henderson

Portland Trail Blazers

120

C

Wendell Carter Jr.

Orlando Magic

121

PF, C

Kelâ€El Ware

Miami Heat

122

PG, SG

Cason Wallace

Oklahoma City Thunder

123

PG

Dennis Schröder

Sacramento Kings

124

PG, SG

Stephon Castle

San Antonio Spurs

125

SG, SF

Bilal Coulibaly

Washington Wizards

126

SF, PF

Toumani Camara

Portland Trail Blazers

127

SF, PF

Matas Buzelis

Chicago Bulls

128

SG, SF

Klay Thompson

Dallas Mavericks

129

PF, C

Jabari Smith Jr.

Houston Rockets

130

SG

VJ Edgecombe

Philadelphia 76ers

131

SG, SF

Donte DiVincenzo

Minnesota Timberwolves

132

PG, SG

Keyonte George

Utah Jazz

133

SG, SF

Kyshawn George

Washington Wizards

134

SF

Aaron Nesmith

Indiana Pacers

135

PG, SG

Dejounte Murray

New Orleans Pelicans

136

C

Isaiah Jackson

Indiana Pacers

137

PG, SG

Jrue Holiday

Portland Trail Blazers

138

PG

Chris Paul

LA Clippers

139

PF

Nikola Jović

Miami Heat

140

SF, PF

Taylor Hendricks

Utah Jazz

141

PG, SG

Kevin Porter Jr.

Milwaukee Bucks

142

PG, SG

Lonzo Ball

Cleveland Cavaliers

143

C

Jay Huff

Indiana Pacers

144

SF, PF

Deâ€Andre Hunter

Cleveland Cavaliers

145

PG, SG

Reed Sheppard

Houston Rockets

146

PG, SG

Davion Mitchell

Miami Heat

147

C

Khaman Maluach

Phoenix Suns

148

C

Adem Bona

Philadelphia 76ers

149

PG, SG

Marcus Smart

Los Angeles Lakers

150

C

Jonas ValanÄiÅ«nas

Denver Nuggets

151

SG

Dylan Harper

San Antonio Spurs

152

PF, C

Kyle Filipowski

Utah Jazz

153

PF, C

Al Horford

Golden State Warriors

154

SF, PF

Rui Hachimura

Los Angeles Lakers

155

SG, SF

Jaylen Wells

Memphis Grizzlies

156

PG

Mike Conley

Minnesota Timberwolves

157

SF, PF

PJ Washington

Dallas Mavericks

158

SF, PF

Khris Middleton

Washington Wizards

159

SF, PF

RJ Barrett

Toronto Raptors

160

SF, PF

Sam Hauser

Boston Celtics

161

PG, SG

Scotty Pippen Jr.

Memphis Grizzlies

162

SF, PF

Jerami Grant

Portland Trail Blazers

163

PF, C

Aaron Gordon

Denver Nuggets

164

PG, SG

Bub Carrington

Washington Wizards

165

SG, SF

Grayson Allen

Phoenix Suns

166

PG, SG

Jared McCain

Philadelphia 76ers

167

SG, SF

Quentin Grimes

Philadelphia 76ers

168

PG

Ty Jerome

Memphis Grizzlies

169

SG, SF

Alex Caruso

Oklahoma City Thunder

170

PG

Cole Anthony

Milwaukee Bucks

171

SF, PF

Brice Sensabaugh

Utah Jazz

172

C

Moussa Diabaté

Charlotte Hornets

173

PF, C

Chris Boucher

Boston Celtics

174

SG, SF

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Memphis Grizzlies

175

SF, PF

Ryan Dunn

Phoenix Suns

176

PG

TJ McConnell

Indiana Pacers

177

SG, SF

Gary Trent Jr.

Milwaukee Bucks

178

SG, SF

Aaron Wiggins

Oklahoma City Thunder

179

PF, C

Noah Clowney

Brooklyn Nets

180

SF, PF

Jonathan Kuminga

Golden State Warriors

181

C

Jusuf Nurkić

Utah Jazz

182

SG, SF

Duncan Robinson

Detroit Pistons

183

PF

Obi Toppin

Indiana Pacers

184

SF, PF

Dillon Brooks

Phoenix Suns

185

SF, PF

Naji Marshall

Dallas Mavericks

186

C

Yang Hansen

Portland Trail Blazers

187

SF

Ace Bailey

Utah Jazz

188

PG, SG

Miles McBride

New York Knicks

189

PF, C

Brandon Clarke

Memphis Grizzlies

190

SG, SF

Buddy Hield

Golden State Warriors

191

SG, SF

Ziaire Williams

Brooklyn Nets

192

SF, PF

Zaccharie Risacher

Atlanta Hawks

193

PG, SG

Anthony Black

Orlando Magic

194

C

Neemias Queta

Boston Celtics

195

PG, SG

Isaiah Collier

Utah Jazz

196

SF, PF

Royce Oâ€Neale

Phoenix Suns

197

PG

Russell Westbrook

Free Agent

198

PG

Tyus Jones

Orlando Magic

199

SF

Kon Knueppel

Charlotte Hornets

200

SF, PF

Kelly Oubre Jr.

Philadelphia 76ers

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The Miami Heat and forward Nikola Jović agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension worth $62.4 million on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Jović is heading into his fourth season with Miami after the team selected him with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.

The Heat have just over $278.8 million in total cap allocations and $62.6 million in first-apron space for the 2026-27 season, the first year that Jović’s extension will kick in (via Spotrac).

The 22-year-old has shown encouraging signs when healthy, as he’s coming off a 2024-25 campaign in which he averaged a career-high 10.7 points to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He shot 45.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point territory.

Jović also looked sharp while suiting up for Serbia during EuroBasket 2025. He recorded 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game on 60.0/52.4/92.3 shooting splits during the tournament.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who traveled to Europe to watch the competition, was impressed with Jović.

“I’m really excited for Niko,” Spoelstra said, via Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I love it when he spends time with the national team. Every time he comes back to us, he comes back more mature. I think being around a group that knows how to win, that really cares about winning, the team is so connected also. So I think it makes a big impression on him. We’re looking forward to some great things ahead for him with us.”

Injuries have prevented Jović from making a larger impact in Miami’s rotation, as he’s appeared in just 107 of a possible 246 regular-season games to begin his career.

He was limited to just 15 games as a rookie due to back issues and only made 46 appearances last season after suffering a broken bone in his right hand on Feb. 23.

Still, the Heat are clearly excited about Jović’s long-term potential after making a financial commitment to him on Wednesday.

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This past summer, Nikola Jokic turned down an offer to sign a three-year, $212 million extension with the Denver Nuggets. There was a very logical reason for this — he can get an extra year and nearly $80 million more if he waits to sign an extension next summer.

Logic has never stopped random online speculation, and some wondered if it was a sign that he might want out in the summer of 2027, when he can become a free agent. No, he does not. Jokic ended that at Nuggets Media Day on Monday.

“Those contract extensions come as a reward as something that is natural to the sport,†said Jokic. “Especially in todayâ€s NBA with how the salary cap is going. My plan is to be a Nugget forever.â€

While there are teams aiming to have cap space in 2027, most of them are more focused on another former MVP, one who plays in a northern Midwestern city. Sure, they would be open to Jokic if he decided to bolt, but nobody really expected that to happen.

Now Jokic and Jamal Murray — one of the best duos in the NBA — can focus on returning the Nuggets to the NBA Finals, surrounded by an improved roster filled with solid role players such as Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim. Hardaway Jr., as well as the returning Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther.

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Any concerns that the Denver Nuggets’ late-season coaching and front-office upheaval would have a negative impact on Nikola Jokić’s future with the organization have been squashed, as the three-time NBA MVPmade it clear on Monday that he intends to be with the franchise for the rest of his career.

.”My plan is to be a Nugget forever,” Jokić told reporters.

ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported in July that Jokic would not seek a contract extension this offseason. He is currently eligible to sign a three-year, $200 million extension until Oct. 20. By waiting until next year, he can reportedly add a fourth year to the deal for an additional $77 million.

Following a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 playoffs, the Nuggets began the summer by trading Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson.

Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Nuggets’ financial savings from moving off Porter’s contract gave them most of the non-taxpayer midlevel exception to use:

Jokić currently has two more guaranteed years plus a player option for 2027-28 remaining on the five-year, $276.1 million deal that was signed in July 2022.

This summer was going to be huge for the Nuggets’ future. They made the surprise decision to fire head coach Michael Malone and said general manager Calvin Booth wouldn’t return next season in an announcement on April 8.

Malone was the only coach Jokić had ever played for in his NBA career prior to his dismissal.

Even though this level of apparent disarray would normally signal bad news for a franchise trying to keep a superstar player, there hasn’t been much concern that Jokić was seeking a way out of Denver.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne reported on April 11 the “assumption” from people around the NBA was that Jokić would extend his contract.

Jokić may not have had as big a problem with the Nuggets’ decision to fire Malone as one might have assumed when it happened. The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones noted several players, including Jokić, had “frustrated and fatigued by Malone’s fiery ways.”

Denver did respond well in the postseason under interim head coach David Adelman. He led the team to a seven-game win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round and took the eventual-NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven gamesin the Western Conference semifinals.

The Nuggets are hoping Adelman, who was promoted to the full-time job after finishing the season as the interim,will be able to stabilize things for the organization going forward. He’s walking into a great situation with Jokić being arguably the best player in the league and still very much in his prime at 30 years old.

Jokić became the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a full season. The seven-time All-Star averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game in 70starts during the 2024-25 campaign.

Jamal Murray’s health will be a key factor that determines how high Denver’s ceiling is going to be next season. This past season marked the first time since 2018-19 he played more than 65 games in the regular season.

The good news for Denver is that Jokić appears committed to the franchise long term.

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Sep 23, 2025, 10:19 AM ET

ZAGREB, Croatia — Croatian tennis great Nikola Pilić, the first captain to lead three countries to Davis Cup glory and who trained Novak Djokovic in his academy, has died. He was 86.

The Croatian Tennis Association said Pilić died on Monday.

Pilić was a French Open singles runner-up in 1973 and the catalyst for the Wimbledon boycott that year.

Yugoslavia tennis officials accused Pilić of refusing to play a Davis Cup tie against New Zealand. He denied it but was still suspended. The International Lawn Tennis Federation (now the ITF) supported the Yugoslav decision but reduced his suspension to one month — but that included Wimbledon.

Because Pilić was supported by the new Association of Tennis Professionals, 12 of the 16 top seeds and a total of 81 players boycotted Wimbledon.

Pilić was already a star when tennis turned fully professional in 1968. When U.S. businessman Lamar Hunt backed a new professional tour called World Championship Tennis, the likes of Pilić, John Newcombe and Tony Roche were the first eight men’s players signed — called the Handsome Eight.

Pilić won nine singles titles and reached a highest singles ranking of No. 6. He lost the French Open final to Ilje Nastase. His six doubles titles included the 1970 U.S. Open with Pierre Barthes against Newcombe and Rod Laver in a four-set final.

After his playing retirement in 1978, Pilić coached and won the Davis Cup as a non-playing captain with Boris Becker’s Germany (1988, 1989, 1993), Croatia (2005) and Serbia (2010).

Future stars who passed through his academy near Munich included Michael Stich, Goran Ivanisevic and Djokovic, who called Pilić his mentor.

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