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Michael Scotto: Seven players had rookie team options declined for the 2027-28 season, making them unrestricted free agents in 2027: Tidjane Salaun (Hornets), Nikola Topic (Thunder), Isaiah Collier (Jazz), DaRon Holmes (Nuggets), Cody Williams (Wolves), Pacome Dadiet (Knicks), AJ Johnson (Pelicans).
On HoopsMatic over the past 24 hours, Bam Adebayo showed up in 6.2% of all trades built. Among those, he was most often sent to Sacramento (14.5%), Cleveland (9.2%), and Denver (9.2%), and the return pieces that came up most often were Evan Mobley (9.2%), Zach LaVine (9.2%), and Jaren Jackson Jr (7.9%).
Johnson's quip reflects the bond the young coaches share. In his second season as leader of the Spurs, Johnson counts Hardy, who is in his fifth season guiding the Utah Jazz, as one of his best friends in the profession. "I hope he loses only the (three) games we play (against each other)," Johnson said. "He's a good person."
The Spurs and Jazz play again for the final time this season Nov. 15 at the Delta Center. The friendship between the coaches began in 2016 after Johnson joined the Spurs as an asxsistant with the Austin Spurs in the G League following a one-year stint as an assistant at the University of Portland. When the Spurs promoted Johnson to Popovich's staff in 2019, Hardy, who joined the Spurs before the 2015-16 season, helped show him the ropes. "Will Hardy and Chip Engelland were the two guys that took me under their wings and definitely helped me with the unwritten rules and the lay of the land," Johnson said.
Michael Scotto: The Utah Jazz will decline their team option on Isaiah Collier worth $4.99 million for the 2027-28 season, sources told @hoopshype . Collier has averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in three seasons. He’ll be a coveted unrestricted free agent.
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Michael Scotto: The Utah Jazz have exercised the rookie scale team option on Ace Bailey worth $9.98 million for the 2027-28 season, league sources told @hoopshype .
The Portland Trail Blazers relied on scoring from a number of faces in their 112-90 victory against the Utah Jazz, as five players reached double-figures and 12 of the 13 who suited up recorded a point. Portland moves to 4-1 on the season with the win. Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 24 points and five rebounds, shooting 50 percent from the field and 3-point range, nailing 10 of 13 free throws. Damian Lillard added 22 points despite a poor shooting performance, while Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday had 14 points apiece.
Michael Scotto: The Oklahoma City Thunder plan to sign Ochai Agbaji, league sources told @hoopshype. Agbaji has averaged 7.2 points in four NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets. Agbaji was most recently with the New York Knicks in training camp.
Darryn Peterson noted that he’s taking a second or two longer than he should to make decisions and that the openings he had for shots in college aren’t there in the NBA. “Trying to be aggressive is my biggest thing right now,” Peterson told The Salt Lake Tribune after Utah’s win against New Orleans. “I feel like I’m being indecisive a ton. I feel like I work too hard to be indecisive. I just got to find that place, and once I find it, I won’t lose it all. So, I’m not worried about it. Third game in. It’s too early.”
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Even Will Hardy has seen some of that indecisiveness from Peterson. “He is a team player and wants to win,” Hardy said. “He is just caught a little in between. I see him coming off some ball screens, and he’s looking for his teammates, and in those moments he is the one that’s open. This is all very normal. … He’s getting thrown right into the fire and I think he’s handling himself great. I don’t want him to over worry about past possessions. We’ve had a few moments where he looks over, and he’s like, ‘My bad.’ We don’t need to do that right now. … I recognize he’s dealing with a lot. It’s a lot happening. It’s a new team, new coach, new terminology and play calls. On top of the fact that he’s a rookie in the NBA.”
The Lakers dropped to 3-1 despite Dončic becoming the sixth Laker to notch 20 career 40-point games. He achieved the feat in only his 96th game with the franchise since being traded from the Dallas Mavericks in 2025. The Lakers probably needed Dončić to score 52 again, like he did Sunday in a 132-123 road win against the Utah Jazz. “We just got broken down a lot,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of a Lakers defense that allowed 56 paint points, 41 free-throw attempts, and 18 3s out of 36 attempts. “I thought the game-plan discipline, KYP (know your personnel) discipline wasn’t where it needs to be. And I think sometimes early in the season, these are good learning lessons that we can all apply, both as coaches and as players. How can we teach the scheme better? It was also an incredible shot-making game. Let’s also factor that in.”
Shams Charania: Utah Jazz star Jaren Jackson Jr. has sustained a torn MCL in his right knee and will be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks, sources tell me and @BannedMacMahon . Jackson will not require surgery.
