NBA Southwest

The San Antonio Spurs have announced that they have waived guard Josh Primo, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

"It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua," Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO RC Buford said.

Primo provided a statement to ESPN on the matter.

Josh Primo statement to ESPN in the aftermath of his release from the Spurs tonight: pic.twitter.com/H1n3k3IIcn

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 29, 2022

No members of the Spurs organization (including players) will be speaking further on the move at this time, per the team's remarks.

The 19-year-old Primo averaged 5.8 points on 37.4 percent shooting and 2.3 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game during his rookie season. He played in 50 games with 16 starts.

This season, the former Alabama star averaged 7.0 points on 34.6 percent shooting, 4.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds over 23.3 minutes per game.

He came off the bench for each of the Spurs' first four games but was listed as out on the injury report for San Antonio's most recent matchup, a 134-122 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. ESPN's Tim MacMahon relayed the reason.

The Spurs were listing Josh Primo on the injury report as out due to “Left Glute; Soreness” https://t.co/RA9pZkeizu

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) October 28, 2022

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks, Marc J. Spears of Andscape and Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com provided commentary on the situation.

Josh Primo was the youngest player in the 2021 NBA Draft when selected 12th to the Spurs. His on-court development absolutely had the organization excited about his NBA future. Waiving Primo so abruptly without explanation is fairly unprecedented -- and jarring.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2022

Josh Primo is a great young talent. Scores easy. Just 19 years old. Spurs had been developing this kid. The small market Spurs don’t just drop a player like that unless something detrimental happened off the court. Not sure what. Coach Pop declined comment. Very odd situation.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 28, 2022

It was just 2 weeks ago that San Antonio exercised the 3rd year (2023-24) team option for Josh Primo.

He is under contract for $4.1M and $4.3M.

He is eligible to be claimed with room or an exception but a team will have to do its diligence on why the 19-year old was waived.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 28, 2022

NBA executives are very shocked by the Spurs’ decision to waive Josh Primo, and they wonder what could’ve happened behind the scenes.

“I’m sure there’s more to the story,” says one NBA general manager.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) October 28, 2022

Marks also added notes on the waiver claim order for added insight on the potential of Primo's next destination:

Waiver claim order is based on the final 2021-22 regular season standings.

That gets adjusted to the current standings starting on Dec. 1. https://t.co/fOHpdBJlWt

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 29, 2022

The Houston Rockets finished with the worst record last year, followed by the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers to round out the top five.

The Spurs' next game will be home on Saturday versus the Chicago Bulls.

Zion Williams remains a game-time decision for Friday night's matchup with the Phoenix Suns as he recovers from a right posterior hip issue and a lower back contusion, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:

.@wojespn shares the latest on Zion's injury:

"There's a real likelihood that his return may wait until Sunday. " pic.twitter.com/DV11LHS4sR

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 28, 2022

"I'm feeling better. That was a hard fall. I've taken a lot of falls, but damn," Williamson told reporters on Thursday regarding a hard fall he took during a Sunday loss against the Utah Jazz. "But I'm feeling a lot better each day. Just got some ones in with [Pelicans assistant coach Corey Brewer]. Feel great. Just me and the team will talk about further progression."

Zion suffered a hard fall on this play

He continued playing before going to the bench https://t.co/ltWe9q5yVR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 24, 2022

Williamson, who said he lost his balance in the collision with Jordan Clarkson, initially downplayed the fall before realizing it was going to impact his play.

"At first I was just like, damn, that kind of hurt," Williamson said. "But I stood up and I was like, 'All right, I'm gonna be straight.' But then I tried to make a quick move and I was like, 'Nah, I need to go chill.'"

The Pelicans held Williamson out of Tuesday's 113-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, a game that Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram also missed. The 3-1 Pelicans have dealt with a number of injuries to start the season, but they have gotten off to a strong start nonetheless.

Ditto for Williamson. After missing the entire 2021-22 season, he's responded by averaging 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and two steals per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field.

The new-look Williamson, who came into this season appearing to be in the best shape of his career, hasn't missed a beat. Any injuries are going to be of particular interest and concern, however, given his issues staying healthy throughout his young NBA career.

So if the Pelicans hold Williamson out of Friday's game for precautionary reasons and he next sees the court on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, it will be hard to fault the team for taking the careful approach.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced forward Ziaire Williams is expected to return in four-to-six weeks from a knee injury that was diagnosed as patellar tendinitis.

The Grizzlies bet big on Williams as a key piece of their present and future. They traded Jonas Valanciunas in a three-way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets to acquire the No. 10 overall pick that was used to select the Stanford big man in the 2021 draft.

A small forward, Williams was clearly not going to play the same role as Valanciunas in Memphis. The 21-year-old was inconsistent in his only season at Stanford. He averaged 10.7 points on 37.4 percent shooting and 4.6 rebounds per game in 20 appearances for the Cardinal.

Williams also struggled out of the gate as a rookie. He averaged 8.1 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting in 62 regular-season appearances.

The Grizzlies clearly believe in Williams' ceiling, but his absence right now will slow down his developmental track. They still have so much depth and star power, led by Ja Morant, to be a force in the Western Conference this season.

Until Williams is able to return, Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins will rely on Dillon Brooks and John Konchar as his primary small forwards.

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 113-111 on Tuesday at Smoothie King Center to fall to 1-2 on the season, but some of the team's best players did all they could to try and help secure the victory.

Luka Doncic notched 37 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, while Spencer Dinwiddie finished with 24 points, two rebounds and five assists. In addition, Christian Wood was impressive off the bench, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds and one block.

A significant reason why the Mavericks failed to secure the victory was because the trio of Dorian Finney-Smith, JaVale McGee and Reggie Bullock, all starters, struggled to contribute offensively, combining for just 15 points.

Despite the loss, NBA fans on Twitter still praised Doncic for his performance as he joined Donovan Mitchell and Stephen Curry in scoring 30 points in each of his first three games of the 2022-23 season, per ESPN Stats and Info.

Luka Doncic is definitely gonna be a top three candidate for MVP this year no doubt about it

— Kane McCutchen (@Kane_McCutchen6) October 26, 2022

https://twitter.com/TeamTchouameni/status/1585082659491172352

https://twitter.com/RyanKingss/status/1585076445709156352

Luka Doncic is the truth, that step back 3 is automatic

— Matt (@MattDallosta) October 26, 2022

Luka Doncic is ASTONISHINGLY good at basketball

— very nice aura 🏳️‍⚧️ (@tasteoflav) October 26, 2022

Luka Doncic is still out here embarrassing people on #NBA floors all across America.#Mavericks

— TB (@SenrabG) October 26, 2022

Luka Doncic is so amazing, man.

— Rob Greene (@RobGreeneNBA) October 26, 2022

Luka Doncic wins MVP if the Mavs get 50+ wins

— Vengeance Wood 🪵 (@Vengeancewood) October 26, 2022

Luka Doncic almost hit the game winner in New Orleans. Despite that, he’s still a big time star in this league!!#MFFL #NBA #NBAonTNT

— Tadi Abedje (@realTadiAbedje) October 26, 2022

https://twitter.com/_Nepoznat_/status/1585060034999775232

If Doncic's supporting cast had stepped up, the Mavericks may be sitting at 2-1 on the season instead of 1-2. Considering it's still very early, the franchise still has plenty of time to iron out the kinks.

The Mavericks are back in action on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant praised Memphis Grizzlies cornerstone Ja Morant as the "face of our league going forward" before the teams' meeting Monday night, which ended in a 134-124 Memphis win.

Durant clarified the remark, saying there's some competition for that top spot in the NBA, but he noted Morant is "doing some stuff that we've never seen before."

Morant recorded 38 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 34 minutes for the Grizzlies, and KD was asked whether the point guard reminded him of anyone.

"Nobody really," Durant said. "He's a unique player. A lot of athleticism and creativity out there. Body type reminds you of somebody like—well he's taller than A.I. [Allen Iverson], but a wiry, strong player ... but he's an incredible player, man."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XZ89ztzmw

The 23-year-old Murray State product started to show signs of reaching his full potential last season, earning his first All-Star selection and the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

It's only a four-game sample size, but the early returns suggest he may take his game up another level in 2022-23. He's averaged 35.3 points, 7.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 threes while shooting 54.8 percent from the field during the team's 3-1 start.

Backcourt running mate Desmond Bane is also playing at an All-Star pace in the early going, including 38 points of his own in Monday night's victory.

As a whole, it's given the Grizzles the look of a serious threat after finishing second in the Western Conference last season, and it all starts with Morant.

"He's an incredible athlete," Nets point guard Ben Simmons said prior to Monday's matchup. "He pushes the pace, gets his team going, shares the ball. He's relentless at the rim, so we just got to be physical."

Morant and Bane combined for 56.7 percent of the Grizzlies' points (76 of 134) against the Nets in what became a dual of superstars. Durant and Kyrie Irving put together a similar performance for Brooklyn, combining to score 74 points.

Memphis will look to continue its early-season surge when it opens a four-game road trip Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings.

New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram suffered a head injury in Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz and was ruled out before halftime as he was being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms, the team announced.

Entering Sunday's game, Ingram was averaging 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the first two games of the 2022 campaign while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor and 60 percent from deep.

All things considered, the 24-year-old had perhaps his most impressive season in 2021-22, averaging 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

More than the raw numbers, though, he helped to lift a Zion Williamson-less Pelicans squad into the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqDjmiP6JSs

New Orleans might have notched more than 36 wins if the 6'8" forward hadn't been limited to 55 games. A hip issue took him out for seven games early into the season, and a hamstring strain put him on the shelf for 10 games in March.

Ingram also underwent surgery on his finger in the offseason.

Signing the Duke product to a five-year, $158.3 million max extension cemented his place within the franchise's long-term outlook, and he has largely lived up to his contract on the court.

However, durability continues to be concern. He has logged 70-plus appearances just once through six seasons and failed to hit 60 games played in three years.

In order for New Orleans to hit its ceiling, the team needs Ingram to avoid the kind of minor injuries that have dogged him across his career.

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Orlando Magic 108-98 on Friday night to improve to 2-0, and Dejounte Murray was one of the best players on the floor in just his second game with the franchise.

Murray, who was traded to the Hawks from the San Antonio Spurs in June, finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and three steals, making 8-of-16 shots from the floor and 2-of-5 shots from deep in the win.

It was the second straight game Murray notched 20 points, having done so in the season opener on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, and he's drawing rave reviews on social media for his latest performance:

FROM ELIAS: Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are the first duo in NBA history to each average 20 points and 10 assists through the first 2 games of a season. https://t.co/MnloyEvfRp

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 22, 2022

I dunno how many more times I’m gonna say this. Dejounte Murray was everything this Hawks team needed and more.

20/9/9

Just missed a triple double pic.twitter.com/oJE0xa86Y9

— jxke. 🧸 (@cantguardjake) October 22, 2022

The dog has remained in the interior of Dejounte Murray.

— Peachtree Hoops (@peachtreehoops) October 22, 2022

https://twitter.com/KPelchat92/status/1583640634455298048

Looks like I was wrong about Dejounte Murray in Atlanta. Can't really declare wrong or right on anyone yet, but he's killing it

— Josh Lloyd (@redrock_bball) October 22, 2022

Dejounte Murray is so good at basketball

— cam (@DirtyBirds97) October 22, 2022

Murray wasn't the only one that was praised, though.

Magic rookie Paolo Banchero had a solid performance despite an off night shooting. He finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks, making 6-of-18 shots from the floor and 1-of-6 shots from deep.

The 2022 No. 1 overall pick was praised for his performance despite Orlando's loss:

Paolo Banchero had an off shooting night (6-18 FG).

He still put up 20/12/2/1/3.

Ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/fYmWwHwxeV

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 22, 2022

Paolo is a mixture of Melo/PG. Orlando didn’t miss with their pick.

— Alex Bazzell (@alexbazzell) October 22, 2022

I know it’s a small sample size of just 2 games but I was very wrong on Paolo Banchero draft night. Kid is a stud. Does everything well(except shoot 3’s right now). #Magic are very fortunate to have him as a cornerstone. His defense and rebounding was very overstated as weakness

— Brett Adams (@badamsufl) October 22, 2022

PAOLO BANCHERO 🔥

— 5 ✰ B*TCH (@realkenmarie) October 22, 2022

Paolo Banchero is locked in for ROTY.

— 〽️ (@13ossman5) October 22, 2022

Paolo Banchero is SPECIAL

— t.O. (@ThereGoesTO) October 22, 2022

Banchero is absolutely unreal

— Mitch (@HerbertFrogz) October 22, 2022

Both of these players have bright futures ahead. However, the Hawks are currently a much more complete team, and it's going to take the Magic some time to get there, especially with such a young roster.

The Hawks will host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, while the Magic will host the Boston Celtics on Saturday aiming for their first win of the season.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green said star forward Zion Williamson "didn't miss a beat" in his first regular-season game since May 2021.

Williamson, who missed the entire 2021-22 campaign while recovering from a foot injury, recorded 25 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists in the Pelicans' 130-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

"It's a lot of room for improvement," Williamson told reporters. "I'm still learning my teammates. Now we get real in-game reps. I'm just excited to grow."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixUj8_9Mo0

While it was only the first step of an 82-game marathon, there were a lot of promising signs for New Orleans in the season opener.

Along with Williamson's standout performance, fellow starters Brandon Ingram (25 points), CJ McCollum (21) and Jonas Valančiūnas (15) also had strong outings offensively, while Herbert Jones had his usual across-the-board impact, including a highlight-reel block on Kevin Durant.

THE MEMO IS STILL #NOTONHERB, EVERYONE. pic.twitter.com/dCg2Lpso7p

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 20, 2022

The Pels' also received 35 points off the bench, led by Trey Murphy III with 16. So Green couldn't have asked for a much better all-around start to the new season.

"When you have smart players and talent out there, it's easier to go out there and just play the game," Ingram said. "It was good to see a lot of one-on-ones that they couldn't be in a lot of help on the defensive end where we had shooters and we had different guys that can make players on the basketball floor."

As for Williamson, he played 30 minutes and showed no signs of any physical restriction in his first competitive game in 17 months. The talent that made him one of the most hyped draft prospects in recent memory three years ago was still on full display.

The 22-year-old Duke product is confident the best is yet to come once he shakes off some rust.

"Yeah, there are some shots where I'm like, 'Well that's good' and when it rolls out I'm like, 'No way.' But my teammates are there for me," Williamson said. "They just tell me to stay aggressive, keep attacking and just be myself. So I mean, they're in my corner so my confidence is going to stay high."

New Orleans entered the season as a sleeper in the championship conversation. It needs several things to fall into place to compete with the NBA's elite, starting with a healthy year from Williamson, but the talent is there to make some serious noise.

The Pelicans will look to keep the good vibes rolling Friday night when they visit the Spectrum Center to take on the Charlotte Hornets.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is certain he'll be active for his team's season-opener against the Brooklyn Nets.

"I'm playing Wednesday," he said Monday, per Marc Stein.

Pelicans coach Willie Green said Williamson was able to complete a full practice on Monday.

The update comes after he left last week's preseason game with left ankle soreness. He returned for the second half and sat out the final preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Any injury is a concern for Williamson, who missed all of 2021-22 with a foot injury. The 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick has played just 85 total games across three seasons in the NBA.

New Orleans will be even more cautious after signing the forward to a five-year, $193 million extension that could be worth up to $231 million.

Williamson has been a difference-maker when on the court, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in 2020-21. He made 61.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and earned an All-Star selection during his lone season playing at least 25 games.

After missing all last season, the former Duke star flashed his ability this preseason:

OKAY ZION 💪 https://t.co/GEBrBYGqRb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 5, 2022

Williamson scored 13 points in 15 minutes during his first preseason game against the Chicago Bulls, providing a taste of what he can do if he can stay healthy.

The Pelicans earned the eighth seed without Williamson in 2021-22 with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum emerging as go-to options. Now back to full strength in 2022-23, the squad has a chance to be a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

The Houston Rockets opened their preseason on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs, giving fans their first look at highly touted rookie Jabari Smith Jr. since summer league.

Smith delivered an impressive performance to lead Houston to a 134-96 victory. The 19-year-old finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists, displaying the talent that was expected of him when the Rockets drafted him No. 3 overall.

The Auburn product was efficient in 24 minutes, shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range. He also showed off the two-way effort that had scouts projecting him to be a difference-maker on both offense and defense.

Fans and pundits on social media couldn't help but to praise Smith for his performance on Sunday, with many believing he lived up to the hype.

Super impressive first quarter for the Rockets all around. Alperen Sengun looked like a legitimate offensive hub. Jabari Smith's 2-way impact has been exactly as advertised. I'm excited.

— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) October 2, 2022

JABARI SMITH THREE IS PURE

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 2, 2022

rook getting right to it

plus the Sengun DIME 👀 pic.twitter.com/HngmMSSK2y

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 2, 2022

Jabari Smith's shot is so damn smooth

— Matthew Tynan (@Matthew_Tynan) October 3, 2022

If you're not excited about Jabari Smith Jr, check your pulse. #Rockets

— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) October 3, 2022

Jabari Smith looks much more comfortable on the floor than he did early in Vegas — finding his spots within the flow of the offense and remaining aggressive. Leads all scorers with 15 points.

— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) October 3, 2022

Hate to say it but swapping Christian Wood being a traffic cone on defense for Jabari Smith being a ball hawk is such a significant difference

— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) October 3, 2022

Jabari Smith at the half:

15 points
5 rebounds
1 assist

6/12 FG
3/5 3FG

The shot looks good guys.

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 3, 2022

First half, Jabari Smith has done EVERYTHING he was advertised to do.

He was absolutely disruptive on the defensive end and capitalized on the open looks he got from beyond the arc.

— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) October 3, 2022

I can’t believe we have Jalen green and Jabari smith

— Zay (@zayiceman171) October 2, 2022

Very much in for Jabari Smith, the ultimate glue man

— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) October 3, 2022

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE JABARI SMITH OPEN THIS SEASON

— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) October 2, 2022

Jabari Smith is such a disruptor in the lane

— Rob Kimbell (@RobKSports) October 2, 2022

https://twitter.com/NathanFogg1/status/1576715778317258753

Believe it or not, Jabari Smith is going to be a lot closer to the shooter we saw at Auburn than the one we saw at Summer League

— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) October 2, 2022

Wow

I can’t believe Jabari Smith Jr fell to 3.

— Doc🇳🇬 (@DrDoctavious) October 2, 2022

Jabari Smith as advertised

— reezy (@reezySZN) October 2, 2022

Since tearing down their roster, the Rockets have been mired in a rebuild for the past two years. While Houston faces an uphill battle in the talented Western Conference, it's clear that Smith is the type of player who can help lead the team to success in the future.

After Sunday's performance, Rockets fans have every reason to be excited about Smith being one of the franchise cornerstones.