NBA Player News

Mavericks president Masai Ujiri offered an encouraging update on Irving's recovery from his knee injury Friday, saying the veteran guard is "right there" as he works toward returning to game action, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, but he has been participating in pickup games during his ramp-up process. The 34-year-old last played in 2024-25, when he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 36.1 minutes across 50 regular-season appearances. Ujiri's comments provide another positive sign that Irving is closing in on his return, though Dallas has yet to announce a definitive timeline.

Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said Friday that Lively (foot) is "making good progress" in his recovery, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Ujiri noted that Lively has progressed to shooting and is working toward running on the court, though Dallas intends to remain patient with the 22-year-old. Lively underwent right foot surgery in December after appearing in just seven regular-season games in 2025-26, averaging 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 blocks in 16.4 minutes per game. He has yet to be cleared for training camp, and his status for the beginning of the regular season remains uncertain.

Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh called Daniels "one of the most impactful players in the NBA" and an "all-world defender" while expressing confidence that his shooting will improve, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.

Daniels remained highly productive across the board in 2025-26, averaging 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.0 steals in 33.2 minutes across 76 regular-season appearances, but he connected on just 18.8 percent of his 1.5 three-point attempts per game. Despite the lack of perimeter shooting, Daniels shot 51.7 percent overall and earned a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team. Atlanta's continued confidence in his offensive development is encouraging heading into 2026-27.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Thursday that Williams "looks fantastic" following a full offseason to recover from the injuries that plagued him in 2025-26, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.

Williams was limited to 33 regular-season appearances while dealing primarily with wrist and hamstring issues, and it will be interesting to see how he holds up during the preseason. Presumably, the Thunder will take a cautious approach with the star forward early on.

Sears was waived by the Trail Blazers on Thursday.

As anticipated, Sears has been waived in an effort to funnel him to the team's G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. He averaged 18.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 37 appearances a season ago with the Wisconsin Herd.

Sandfort was waived by the Timberwolves on Thursday.

Sandfort agreed to a training camp deal Wednesday, though the team has elected to waive him before camp begins. He'll likely open the new season playing for Minnesota's G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

Johnson was waived by the Hawks on Thursday.

Johnson inked an Exhibit 10 contract with Atlanta on Wednesday, but he won't get a chance to compete for a roster spot. He'll presumably begin the 2026-27 season in the G League with the College Park Skyhawks after being waived Thursday.

Brunson announced Thursday that he's been fully cleared after undergoing surgery on his left wrist over the offseason, New York Basketball reports.

Brunson has been trending in this direction all along and was expected to open training camp without any restrictions. However, it's reassuring that he feels comfortable enough to announce a full recovery before camp gets underway.

Broome was waived by the Clippers on Thursday, Jake Fischer of BleacherReport.com reports.

Broome was dealt from the 76ers to the Clippers in late July for cash considerations, and he'll now search for an opportunity elsewhere. He appeared in 26 games in the G League a season ago, averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks for the Delaware Blue Coats, and he could be destined for a similar fate this year.

Joe is positioned for a vital role off the Detroit bench this year, per Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.

Although Joe is penciled in for a reserve role, it's not out of the question he'll challenge Duncan Robinson for the top spot at shooting guard at times this season. In any event, Joe's presence on the perimeter as a catch-and-shoot threat should help make space on the floor for Cade Cunningham to operate when they're playing alongside one another. The 27-year-old three-point specialist is opening the year as a late-round flier in fantasy leagues.