Ja Morant's first game against Grizzlies takes painful turn after Trail Blazers star exits originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ja Morant's first game against the Memphis Grizzlies was always going to attract attention. The former face of the franchise spent seven seasons in Memphis, developed into one of the NBA's most electrifying guards and became one of basketball's most recognizable personalities.
His departure in June marked a significant change for both Morant and the organization that selected him with the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Thursday night provided the first opportunity for the two sides to face each other.
Unfortunately for Morant, the reunion did not end the way he hoped. The Portland Trail Blazers guard exited with a left hamstring injury during the fourth quarter of a 124-103 loss to Memphis.

#memphis #grizzlies

Sacramento Kings (0-5, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (5-0, second in the Western Conference)
Memphis, Tennessee; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Memphis will try to extend its five-game win streak with a victory against Sacramento.
Memphis went 25-57 overall, 19-33 in Western Conference action and 14-27 at home during the 2025-26 season. The Grizzlies averaged 27.8 ******* ists per game on 41.3 made field goals last season.
Sacramento finished 22-60 overall and 14-38 in Western Conference play during the 2025-26 season. The Kings gave up 121.0 points per game while committing 19.7 fouls last season.

#western #conference #sacramento

Blazers' Ja Morant exits Grizzlies game with hamstring injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Portland Trail Blazers took on the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, with Ja Morant's revenge the main storyline following his exit from Memphis in the summer. However, Morant's game ended prematurely after he left the game due to a left hamstring injury and did not return.
Ja Morant has a left hamstring injury and will not return to tonight’s game against Memphis.
— Brett Siegel (BrettSiegelNBA) October 30, 2026
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#hamstring #injury #clutchpoints

The Memphis Grizzlies, fueled by a triple-double from teenager Cameron Boozer, topped the Portland Trail Blazers 124-103 in a battle of NBA unbeatens on Thursday, Portland guard Ja Morant's first game against his former team ending with an injury.
Boozer, taken third in June's NBA draft, scored 18 points with 12 rebounds and 12 **** ists for the Grizzlies.
The game in Portland was billed as Morant's reunion with the Grizzlies, the team that drafted him second overall in 2019. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and emerged as a star in his seven-year tenure in Memphis.
He also had a pair of lengthy suspensions and, after multiple injuries limited him to 20 games last season, he was traded in June.
Morant finished with 14 points, two rebounds and three **** ists before exiting in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

#memphis #game #team

Cameron Boozer sets a historic triple-double record to beat LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Memphis Grizzlies have been the surprise story of the 2026-27 NBA season, mostly because of Ty Jerome's fantastic run as the top scorer, leading them to a 5-0 record with their latest win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
Jerome was pulled back down to earth after averaging 29.8 points and 6.5 **** ists per game for the Grizzlies. Thankfully for Memphis, they still had other phenomenal talents like Cameron Boozer, who was definitely the standout in the win against Portland.
Boozer had the best performance of the night because he was all over the court. He posted the first triple-double of his career by getting 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 **** ists in only 28 minutes.
It was such an impressive performance because he was playing against some talented defenders like Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara. Boozer also showcased why he was seen as one of the most NBA-ready prospects with his poise.

#cameron #memphis

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Cameron Boozer had the first triple-double of his NBA career with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 ***** ists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-103 on Thursday night to move to 5-0.
The Grizzlies had seven other players in double-figures, including three players off the bench. Isaiah Stewart led the Memphis reserves with 18 points. Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven ***** ists.
Ja Morant had 14 points and three ***** ists in 23 minutes in his first game against his former team but left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. One game after hitting a game-sealing 3-pointer against the Lakers, Damian Lillard went 3 of 13 from the field on Thursday.
With the Grizzlies holding a 2-point lead, they went on a 10-0 run to make it 87-75 with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
A 3-pointer by Zach Edey with 9:47 left gave the Grizzlies a 96-85 lead, forcing a Blazers timeout.

#points #game #left

Ja Morant's first meeting with his former team as a Portland Trail Blazer came to an early end, after the guard was ruled out with a left hamstring injury.
Morant was officially ruled out by the team during the fourth quarter of Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He finished with 14 points, two rebounds and three ****** ists in 23 minutes of play.
This story will be updated.

#team #ruled #memphis #grizzlies

NBA rumors: 2 Clippers named as Thunder trade targets in addition to Herb Jones, Ty Jerome appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After the Oklahoma City Thunder's first loss of the season in a 120-96 blowout to the Dallas Mavericks, will GM Sam Presti make a move for either New Orleans Pelicans' Herb Jones or Memphis Grizzlies' Ty Jerome sooner rather than later? The injuries continue to stack up for the Thunder, as Alex Caruso and Chet Holmgren were both out in addition to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace's setbacks ahead of Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
For a team like the LA Clippers, who lost first-round picks for the next five seasons, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn have also been mentioned as potential trade targets for Presti, who has more future firsts than any other GM in the NBA. While the Thunder are in no rush to make a trade, Presti will most likely do so at some point before this year's deadline, as ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel noted, per Clutch Scoops.
"The Thunder are going to make at least one trade. That's a given," Siegel said. "We know that Sam Presti is always very adventagous on the trade market. We didn't think that they were going to make a trade last season. And then, Jared McCain fell in their lap because they leveraged some draft picks — first-round and second-round picks — that we're going to be of use to them. We could see something similar happen this year, where it's not going to be a big splashy name; a $20-plus million guy.
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#jones #clutchpoints #make

Former Charlotte Hornets forward Taj Gibson announced his retirement Monday after 17 seasons in the NBA. Gibson was recently rostered by the Memphis Grizzlies but was later traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and was subsequently waived. Gibson spent one season with the Hornets, playing in Charlotte during the 2024-25 campaign. In 37 appearances, the former USC forward averaged 2.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.6 **** ists, 0.2 steals and 0.5 blocks. While with the franchise, Gibson served as a veteran presence and particularly helped recent Hustle Award winner Moussa Diabate in his development.
Throughout his 17-year career, Gibson played 1,012 games, averaging 8.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.9 **** ists, 0.5 steals and one block. He made the All-Rookie Team during the 2009-10 season and finished top-10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting three times. Following his retirement, Gibson agreed to join the team that drafted him (Chicago Bulls) as an **** istant coach.
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#former

Blazers news: Ja Morant reveals what he looks forward to most in Portland debut appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Portland Trail Blazers are well under two months away from kicking off their 2026-27 NBA season. The Blazers raised many an eyebrow this summer when they acquired Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies, giving up wing Jerami Grant and other ****** ets in the process.
Now, Morant has revealed what he is looking forward to most about beginning his new journey in Portland.
"Getting to play with new guys and being able to touch the floor again," he said, per the Blazers' official team account on X, formerly Twitter.
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#clutchpoints #memphis #grizzlies

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are sending Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick, and a future second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.
The main reason for this trade is pretty simple: New Orleans needed to clear salary before officially adding Bennedict Mathurin on his two-year, $16.0 million deal. Because the Pelicans are using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign him, they can't finish above the first apron afterward, so they had to open enough room under that line first. Memphis is basically getting paid to help the Pelicans clean up the payroll, and I think the Grizzlies did very well here.
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, future second-round pick, future second-round pick (swap)
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: AJ Johnson, Taj Gibson
Hawkins is making $7.0 million this season, and Peavy is at $2.2 million, so New Orleans moves roughly $9.2 million in salary. Johnson costs only $3.2 million, while Gibson's $3.8 million salary isn't guaranteed yet, so he's gone from $0 to $200K in the trade, as the Pelicans are likely to waive him. Mathurin's first-year salary will be about $7.8 million on the two-year deal he agreed to last month.

#pelicans #orleans #round

As the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Cameron Boozer joins the Memphis Grizzlies after a historic freshman campaign at Duke.
Boozer was the consensus National Player of the Year, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 ****** ists while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range. He is the only freshman in history to tally at least 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 ****** ists in a single season.
The 6-foot-8 Boozer ranked second in the country in points (855), second in field goals (290), third in rebounds (389) and fifth in free throws (221). He was also tied for the most double-doubles with 22, becoming just the second Duke freshman to reach that total in a season.
Boozer is the second player drafted with the No. 3 pick in franchise history. He is one of seven Blue Devils to be selected third, joining Christian Laettner (1992), Grant Hill (1994), Mike Dunleavy Jr. (2002), Jahlil Okafor (2015), Jayson Tatum (2017) and RJ Barrett (2019).
The son of former 13-year veteran Carlos Boozer debuted with the Grizzlies in summer league, averaging 18.5 points, eight rebounds, 3.7 ****** ists and 1.8 steals. He was named to the All-Summer League first team, ranking second in points (111) among all players in Las Vegas.

#boozer #rebounds #assists

After a busy summer reshaping the entire squad to fit the needs of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers spent the recent weeks trying to add Jonathan ****** inga, but the 23-year-old forward chose the Timberwolves instead, signing a two-year, $13.0 million deal while rejecting more money from the Lakers.
This team keeps having the same athletic questions now, as they obviously rebuilt the roster around defense for Luka and Reaves, but they still don't have the young athletic forward they hoped ****** inga could become for them. Matisse Thybulle gives them defense, Quentin Grimes helps on both ends, and Ziaire Williams adds some size, but there is still room for another bigger wing who can guard from guards to forwards.
There is another issue too: the Lakers currently have 16 guaranteed contracts, one more than they can carry into the regular season. So unless somebody gets waived, another move is already coming before Opening Night.
That is why a three-for-two trade makes a lot of sense right now. Instead of simply cutting somebody from the bottom of the roster, the Lakers could use that extra body as part of a bigger deal and still attack the hole ****** inga was supposed to fill.
This three-team mock trade with the Bulls and Grizzlies would do exactly that.

#Lakers #still #instead #team

The Dallas Mavericks are expected to have Kyrie Irving back after he missed the entire 2025-26 campaign because of a torn ACL, and Dirk Nowitzki is among those excited to see the 34-year-old guard again soon.
In a recent interview with WFAA's Joe Trahan, Nowitzki strongly believes Irving's return will address the Dallas Mavericks' Achilles heel last season – the point guard position. The one-time NBA champion is also interested in how Irving will play alongside franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg.
Nov 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks back at guard Kyrie Irving (left) during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
"The most exciting thing is, on the court, what struggled last year for the Mavs were the point guard position. And now you have one of the all-time greats coming back with Kyrie. He had a year off. He should be ready. He should be excited. He watched Cooper for a year, so I'm sure in his head, he has a plan on how they're going to play off each other," Nowitzki stated.
Irving is entering his contract year with the Dallas Mavericks, where he'll earn around $39.5 million, and the 34-year-old guard can exercise his $42.4 million player option in the summer of 2027 (or become an unrestricted free agent).

#irving #back

The Golden State Warriors' reported pursuit of Jaren Jackson Jr. before last season's trade deadline just shows how aggressive, or, to be kind of unfair, how increasingly desperate the team has been trying to build one more contender around Stephen Curry.
According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors did try to look at a potential Jaren Jackson Jr. move before the Memphis Grizzlies eventually traded him to the Utah Jazz.
On paper, the interest did make sense. Jackson is a former Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-Star, and still only 26 years old.
But his four-year, $204 million extension was yet to kick in, and that is a massive financial commitment, especially for a player who is not seen as a top-25 player in this league.
That is why this makes Golden State's interest so revealing.

#year

The Detroit Pistons keep having trouble with the Jalen Duren contract situation, which has dragged on much longer than I initially expected once no other team could throw him a deal in restricted free agency.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the gap is still pretty clear: Detroit has been offering Duren a five-year contract around $35.0 million per season, while Duren wants an average salary above $40.0 million. Training camp opens later this month, and Duren can still take his $9.6 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so this isn't something Detroit can simply wait and see what happens.
I still think Duren stays with the Pistons; there is too much sense for both sides to keep the partnership going, especially after he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 ******* ists on 65.0% from the field, became an All-Star and made All-NBA Third Team for a 60-22 team. But Detroit also traded Isaiah Stewart to the Grizzlies this summer, and that left them without the type of proven backup center they had last season.
That is why I would call the Dallas Mavericks about Daniel Gafford. Of course, he wouldn't replace Duren immediately, because that shouldn't be Detroit's plan, but he could give the Pistons one of the best backup centers in basketball right now, and if this Duren situation somehow becomes a sign-and-trade later, Detroit wouldn't suddenly enter the season without a starting center.
More importantly, his game fits Cade Cunningham in probably the easiest way possible: screen, roll, catch the lob, finish, protect the rim, repeat.

#season #situation

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: Sandro Mamukelashvili of San Antonio Spurs slam dunks in the NBA game between San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers currently sit somewhere that they are rarely found: over the luxury tax.
In fact, the Pacers haven't been a tax paying team since the 2004-05 season. In the two decades since, the franchise has always finished with a team salary below the luxury tax line and received a distribution of money from the league's taxpaying teams.
Since 2005, the only NBA teams to never cross the luxury tax threshold are the Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and Sacramento Kings. Reporting suggested that the Pacers may have been willing to do so in the 2025-26 season after their run to the NBA Finals, but Tyrese Haliburton's injury changed everything before Myles Turner left in free agency.
Since 2001-02, the Pacers have finished a season above the luxury tax barrier three times. Yet right now, they are in a position where if no money saving moves are made between now and the last day of the league year, that streak would end at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.

#Pacers #since #season

The Portland Trail Blazers star Ja Morant has officially put his Memphis days behind him, as he no longer has a home in the city where he was drafted. The former Grizzlies player sold his two-story mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, for a reported amount of $3.2 million earlier this week after initially listing it for $3.5 million.
He initially paid $3.05 million for the mansion and has since made a $150,000 profit on the sale four years after buying it in 2022, when he signed his $197.2 million max contract with the Grizzlies. The house reportedly has seven bedrooms and spans 13,836 square feet on 6.45 acres.
'Homes of Celebs' got an inside look at the property. They described that it has a beautiful foyer, a home office, a living room with a built-in bar, a formal dining room, a kitchen, a private lounge, an en-suite bathroom, walk-in closets, a salon, a poker room, a billiards room, a sauna, a movie theater, and much more.
This property is apparently just 62 feet away from a property that he bought for his parents with his first contract in 2019. Morant reportedly has a net worth of $50 million and has already earned about $150 million through 2026 of his $236.8 million in guaranteed career earnings (leaving almost $87 million in future earnings over the next two years).
The 27-year-old begins a new life in Portland with the Trail Blazers, now looking to bounce back from a controversy-ridden 2025-26 season in Memphis. Former NBA players Isaiah Thomas, Matt Barnes, and Stephen Jackson feel all eyes will be on Ja Morant in 2026-27 for a comeback season.

#memphis #property #grizzlies

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's Philadelphia welcome has already come with a story most people would struggle to believe. The veteran guard had barely settled into his new home with his family before Mother Nature apparently decided to make an introduction of her own.
According to Caldwell-Pope's wife, McKenzie, their penthouse was struck by lightning shortly after they paid the lease, causing flooding and forcing the family to temporarily move down several floors.
Naturally, the bizarre turn of events had the NBA world talking.
Caldwell-Pope joined the 76ers this offseason after agreeing to a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies last month. Once he became a free agent, the two-time NBA champion followed his good friend, LeBron James, to Philadelphia.
McKenzie explained that shortly after they paid for the top-floor apartment, lightning struck the building, causing flooding. The family had to move down a few floors while service personnel worked on the damage.

#philadelphia

The Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with OrthoSouth, the team announced on Aug. 28. OrthoSouth has been the Grizzlies' sports medicine partner since 2023.
When the two sides agreed to a deal in 2023, the partnership was initially for 10 years.
"The Memphis Grizzlies represent the resilience and determination we admire about our city – toughness, heart and an unwavering commitment to the community," Kimble Jenkins, OrthoSouth CEO said in a statement. "We're proud of the work our physicians and staff delivered during this partnership, and we will carry a deep respect for the Grizzlies organization going forward. OrthoSouth's mission has always been to help people move better and live fuller lives by delivering top-tier customer service in orthopedic and sports medicine care. We're excited about what lies ahead as we continue to grow and serve the Memphis region."
Injuries have been a major point of discussion with the Grizzlies over the past three seasons. Many of the team's best players battled injuries, leading to two of the most injury-riddled seasons in franchise history in 2023-24 and 2025-26.
The Grizzlies hired Mike Curtis as team's head of player health and performance in June and made overhauling changes to the staff.

#we 're #injuries #sports #partnership

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's full autopsy report on late Memphis Grizzlies veteran forward and former Phoenix Desert Vista standout Brandon Clarke was released Monday, Aug. 24. Clarke had cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and multiple other medications "within therapeutic levels," per the report obtained by USA Today Sports.
Clarke's roommate told officials that Clarke had a "history of drug use" and underwent multiple rehabilitation stints for drug addiction, according to the report's synopsis.
Clarke died at his San Fernando Valley residence on May 11. He was 29 years old. The cause of death was an accidental overdose from the "effects of heroin and cocaine" in Clarke's system, which matched the medical examiner's initial statement about Clarke on Aug. 7.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials listed in the incident's early reports that he was found unresponsive and declared dead at the scene.
Drug paraphernalia was found at Clarke's home, according to the synopsis report. That included "vape devices, cannabis products, prescription medications, injectable peptides, syringes, a box of Narcan, blister packets of medications, vitamins and other medical evidence." Also, there was a plate with an "unknown white powdery substance and a hotel keycard" found in the kitchen.

#medical #drug

The Tennessee high school soccer season is now in full swing.
Ahead of the season, The Daily Herald highlighted the area's top returning players and now we're giving fans the chance to select which athlete you believe will make the greatest impact on the pitch this season.
Here are the nominees for The Daily Herald's top TSSAA girls soccer player at the start of the 2026 high school season.
Ashlan Alexander, Battle Creek, So.: Alexander was named to The Daily Herald's All-Area team last season after leading the Grizzlies with 24 goals and 10 ******* ists from attacking midfield.
Savannah Evans, Battle Creek, Jr.: Evans was named to the All-District 8-AA first team last season after scoring 17 goals and providing five ******* ists.

#season

Camila Palafox's standout performance with two goals and two **** ists helped lead Copper Hills to a 6-3 victory over Westlake in this Region 2 game. The Grizzlies had a strong first half, netting four goals, with Adriana Garcia scoring twice and Ariana Gomez adding another. Westlake's Aubrey Liberton scored all three of her team's goals, but Copper Hills' early dominance sealed the win. Josephine Cannon contributed with one goal and two **** ists for Copper Hills.
Hillcrest's Mackenzie Dwyer contributed with both a goal and an **** ist to lead the Huskies to a 4-1 victory over Taylorsville in a Region 4 game. The Huskies had a fast start, scoring twice in the first half. Serenity Lawlor, Avery Huot, and Ava Bonner each added a goal to secure the win. Taylorsville's lone goal came in the first half.
Miranda Chap recorded a shutout as Granger defeated Cyprus 2-0 in a Region 4 game. Ajla Mahir was the standout player for Granger, scoring both goals. The Lancers took an early lead with Mahir's first goal in the first half and sealed the victory with her second in the second half.
Stacy Hernandez's two goals led Kearns to a 4-0 victory over West in a Region 4 game. The Cougars scored twice in each half, with Hernandez finding the net alongside Thianna Garcia and Jazlynn Arceo. Sofia Padilla recorded the shutout for Kearns, keeping West off the scoreboard throughout the game.
McKahl Champneys' goal helped Fremont edge past Northridge 2-1 in a Region 5 game. After a scoreless first half, Fremont came alive in the second with goals from Scarlette Taylor and McKahl Champneys. Briella Moon pulled one back for Northridge, but it wasn't enough to prevent the loss. Jerzee Watson contributed an **** ist for Fremont in a tightly contested game.

#game #first #goal #fremont

Well, that is not how you want to start a college soccer season.
GOOD NEWS: Marquette men's soccer scored twice!
GREAT NEWS: Marquette scored in the second minute of the match to take a 1-0 lead off this play from Mateo Stoka:
BAD NEWS: Oakland men's soccer scored twice against Marquette, both in response to each of Marquette's two goals.
BAD NEWS: Marquette did not score a third time after the Golden Grizzlies pulled even in the 82nd minute.

#marquette #stoka

Today in Boston Celtics history, Jerryd Bayless was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988. He played his NCAA basketball for the Arizona Wildcats for a single season before entering the 2008 NBA Draft, where the Indiana Pacers selected him with the 11th overall pick.
The Phoenix native never suited up for the Pacers, dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers soon after the draft was over. He also played for the (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans), Toronto Raptors, and Memphis Grizzlies before the latter ball club sent Bayless to Boston in a trade that netted the Celtics 3-and-D wing Courtney Lee. Bayless played just one season for the Celtics, suiting up for a total of 41 games and starting 14 of them.
He averaged 10.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.1 ***** ists while with the Celtics, leaving in free agency next summer to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
It is also the birthday of Sihugo Green, born in New York City in 1933. An alum of Duquesne, Green was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1956 NBA Draft, taken by the (then) Rochester Royals (now, Sacramento Kings). The New Yorker played for the Royals after their move to Cincinnati, the St. Louis Hawks before they relocated to Atlanta, and the defunct Chicago Packers, Zephyrs, and the also-defunct Baltimore Bullets before joining the Celtics via trade in 1965. The last stop of his career, Green averaged 3.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game as a Celtic, retiring afterward.
Finally, it is also the birthday of Quinn Buckner, born today in 1954 in Phoenix, Illinois. Buckner played college ball with the Indiana Hoosiers, where he won an NCAA championship, and was drafted seventh overall in the 1976 NBA Draft by the Bucks. He was dealt to the Celtics in 1982, and won a ***** le in his second of three seasons with Boston. The Indiana alum averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.8 ***** ists, traded to the Indiana Pacers in 1983.

#played #draft

An integral part of UNC basketball success from 2019-2024, Armando Bacot left Chapel Hill as one of the best big men in program history.
Bacot is North Carolina's all-time leader in rebounds (1,715), offensive boards (593) and double-doubles (87). Part of both the Tar Heels' 2022 National Championship runner-up squad, plus their 2024 Sweet 16 group, Bacot proved himself worthy of an NBA spot with his consistent, high-level production in college.
Now currently entering his first season with Israeli Premier League squad Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bacot is also thriving as a business owner. Recently, Bacot announced the opening of his first hotel, the Home2 Suites by Hilton near Raleigh's Crabtree Valley Mall.
Bacot is using part of his NIL earnings, which he recently revealed exceeded $2 million at UNC, to operate the Home2 Suites in conjunction with the Atma Hotel Group. Bacot's former teammate, now-Louisville guard Seth Trimble, owns the Ben and Jerry's on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.
Despite his highly-successful North Carolina career, Bacot went undrafted in 2024. He then joined the Utah Jazz for NBA Summer League, signed with the Memphis Grizzlies and, after being waived, played with their G League affiliate Memphis Hustle that season.

#league #part #hill

After starting the season on the road against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State Warriors will have to wait to return home for their home opener in the Bay Area. In their second game of the 2026-27 slate, the Warriors will open the doors of Chase Center for the first time against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, Oct. 23 in San Francisco.
While Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson have headlined Golden State's matchups with Memphis in the past, the 2026-27 home opener will give the Warriors their first chance at a new-look Grizzlies rotation that is littered with young talent, including the No. 3 overall pick from the 2026 NBA draft. Cam Boozer will lead a Grizzlies youth movement alongside Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells.
Since Chase Center opened its doors in 2019, the Warriors have struggled in home openers, posting a 2-5 record in seven seasons in San Francisco. However, the Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak in home openers last year when Steph Curry dropped 42 points in an overtime win over the Nuggets.
The Warriors won all three contests against the Grizzlies last season, including a 17-point comeback led by Pat Spencer. Steph Curry only played in one of the three games against the Grizzlies last season.
Golden State's home opener will mark their first back-to-back of the season, with a game against Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and the Suns the very next day in Arizona. The Warriors will only play two games at home in San Francisco in October. However, November starts with a lengthy homestand at Chase Center.

#golden

Isaiah Stewart shared some honesty in a sitdown interview with Marc Spears of ESPN/Andscape.
Stewart, who was traded from the Detroit Pistons on draft night June 24 for three second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies, was blunt about the past year with the team that drafted him No. 16 overall in 2020.
"That series didn't go good," Stewart said of the seven-game conference semifinals loss to Cleveland. "I didn't play as much. I just knew it was my last game as a Piston."
Stewart was a big part of the Pistons' turnaround from the worst team in the NBA from 2020-23 to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26.
Spears asked at what point Stewart thought he "might not be in Detroit forever."

#didn 't #game #marc

Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. had some hype around his name after being selected by the Nets with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Brooklyn was able to see Brown in action during the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League and while he had some nice moments, he doesn't appear to be in the running for the Rookie of the Year award.
In the most recent odds posted by BetMGM, Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer are tied for the lead to win the Rookie of the Year award. As this relates to the Nets, Brown has the sixth-best odds of winning the award which could put him in a position to be a darkhorse for the award, but he has some tough competition to beat out.
In addition to the aforementioned Wilson and Boozer, Brown also has to compete with Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa and Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson, all players that were drafted ahead of the former Louisville Cardinal. Brown, like most of the rookies in contention for the award, is in a position to get plenty of reps as the starting point guard if he's able to win the job coming out of training camp.
Brown, 20, is coming off a solid summer circuit in which he averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 ****** ists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 38.8% from the field and 34.6% from behind the three-point line. Brown has had some interesting moments over the course of the summer, but next season will show how ready he is to be an NBA-level point guard for head coach Jordi Fernandez.
Brown will be playing alongside forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle so he will be at least third in the offensive pecking order, depending on where guard Egor Demin fits into that equation. If Brown is able to play better than expected, then he could find himself in the running for Rookie of the Year and that's something that Nets fans could be excited about moving forward.

#rookie #award #summer #able

The estate of late Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke will receive a life insurance disbursement for his full $12.5 million salary that was owed next season.
Agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, who represented Clarke, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports Friday, Aug. 14 that Clarke's contract was fully protected for death through a life insurance policy purchased by the Grizzlies. The full $12.5 million amount will be disbursed to Clarke's estate tax-free.
There are multiple ways players and their representatives can negotiate life insurance policies and post-death protections in player contracts. From no coverage whatsoever, to standard death protections that count a player's salary as a taxable event, agents can also negotiate to have the player's team purchase the life insurance policy. This last option allows for a player's full salary to be paid out tax-free, providing a massive benefit to the player's estate.
As for the remaining portion of Clarke's $12.5 million salary for the 2025-26 season that had been owed at the time of his death, Bartelstein confirmed that amount is being paid out to his estate through October 2026; NBA contracts are paid in installments, so the remaining amount will be disbursed in those regular installments.

#life #insurance #death #grizzlies