NBA Player News

Clowney acknowledged Monday that his offensive role will shrink following the Nets' acquisition of Julius Randle, adding that he's focused on improving defensively in order to earn playing time, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

Clowney started 60 of his 66 regular-season appearances last campaign, averaging 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.0 minutes per game. Randle's arrival is expected to push the 22-year-old into a reserve role and reduce his shot volume, making Clowney's ability to contribute defensively and on the glass increasingly important to securing consistent minutes in Brooklyn's frontcourt.

Hart said Monday that there hasn't been much movement in extension talks with the Knicks and that he doesn't expect a deal to get done, Vincent Goodwill of ESPN reports.

Hart is eligible for an extension but remains under contract for 2026-27 with a team option for 2027-28, so his comments don't create any immediate uncertainty regarding his status with New York. However, the lack of progress suggests the two sides may enter the season without reaching a new long-term agreement.

LeBron James said Monday that Embiid put significant work into his body, game and mental preparation during the offseason, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reports.

Embiid enters training camp following an encouraging offseason after appearing in just 38 regular-season games in 2025-26. The 32-year-old center has dealt with persistent durability concerns in recent years, but Philadelphia has consistently expressed optimism about his health this summer, and James' comments provide another positive indication regarding Embiid's preparation for the upcoming campaign.

Porzingis is out indefinitely due to an undisclosed issue, Anthony Slater of ESPN.com reports.

Porzingis will miss the start of training camp due to the unknown issue, and his status for the beginning of the regular season is murky. If the veteran big man is forced to miss time to begin the campaign, Al Horford and Charles Bassey would be candidates for increased playing time.

Butler has been cleared to participate in light on-court activities, Evan Webeck of the California Post reports.

Butler tore the ACL in his right knee in January before undergoing surgery in early February. The star forward still does not have a clear timetable for a return to game action, though it's encouraging to see his progression thus far. The 37-year-old appeared in 38 games during the 2025-26 regular season, averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals across 31.1 minutes per contest.

Moody has progressed to light on-court activities as he continues his recovery from a ruptured left patellar tendon, Evan Webeck of The Mercury News reports.

Moody suffered the injury March 23 and underwent season-ending surgery four days later. The 24-year-old had been targeting September to resume running and on-court work, so his latest progress appears to keep his rehabilitation on track, though he remains without a firm timetable for his return to game action.

White said Monday that he wanted to return to the Hornets to take on the challenge of a new role, and he's "excited" for the road ahead, Owen O'Connor of SI.com reports.

After trading away LaMelo Ball, the Hornets signed White to a three-year, $74 million deal this offseason. The veteran guard was traded from Chicago to Charlotte last February and provided a spark off the bench for the Hornets in 2025-26, though he's now expected to step into a starting role. In 21 regular-season games with Charlotte last season, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 19.3 minutes per game.

Nets general manager Sean Marks said Sunday that Traore (knee) is healthy and ready to participate in training camp, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

Traore underwent a procedure on his right knee in June after dealing with soreness during the 2025-26 campaign, causing him to miss Summer League. The second-year guard appears to have completed his recovery on schedule and should enter camp with mild restrictions as he competes for a role in Brooklyn's crowded backcourt.

General manager Sean Marks said Monday that Brown rolled his ankle last week and will ramp up at the start of training camp, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.

The team "doesn't expect him to miss considerable time," though Brown's status will be worth monitoring heading into the Nets' preseason opener against the Hornets on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The rookie guard was selected with the sixth overall pick this summer and figures to take on a sizable role early in his career. Over 21 appearances (19 starts) at Louisville in 2025-26, he averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 41.0 percent from the field in 29.2 minutes per game.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said Monday that Murray-Boyles will see time at both power forward and center this season, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Rajakovic added that Murray-Boyles could play alongside Jakob Poeltl at times, giving Toronto the option of using a bigger frontcourt. The second-year forward's ability to handle minutes at multiple positions could help him carve out a significant role in the Raptors' rotation, and he's likely to generate some buzz in fantasy drafts this year. There was also no mention of his sprained finger from the Summer League, suggesting he's 100 percent.