Nikola Jokic did not need a big scoring night to be the difference for Serbia. Playing through illness, the three-time NBA MVP finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds on 25 percent shooting as Serbia beat Italy 76-64 on Aug. 31 in FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifying.
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Wembanyama’s France Stays Unbeaten at 7-1 in FIBA World Cup Qualifying
Victor Wembanyama and France closed out the August window of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifying unbeaten, running their record to 7-1 and sitting atop their qualifying group. Les Bleus beat Slovenia 92-67 on Aug. 27, then went on the road and handled Sweden 84-69 on Aug. 30.
Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs center, has led the group as national team captain, a role he was given ahead of this qualifying cycle. Qualifying continues into the spring, with matches running through March 2027 and the top nations from Europe advancing to the World Cup final tournament in Qatar. France’s early dominance gives the program a cushion as the qualifying window winds down and the games get tougher.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Leaves the NBA, Signs With Greece’s Aris BC
Thanasis Antetokounmpo is heading back to Greece. The 34-year-old forward has signed with Aris BC of Thessaloniki, according to Marc Stein, who cited the club’s own announcement. The deal is structured as a multi-year contract, with two guaranteed years and a club option for a third season.
Jalen Duren Contract Talks: Pistons Raise Offer to $190 Million
The Detroit Pistons have raised their offer to Jalen Duren to roughly $190 million over five years, according to league-source reporting from The Athletic. The new figure materially narrows the gap from Detroit’s earlier proposal, but Duren is still seeking at least $200 million.
The movement changes the status of negotiations that previously looked like a wider annual-salary standoff. Detroit has improved its position. Duren’s camp has not publicly lowered its target, leaving the sides close enough for a deadline to matter but not close enough to call a deal imminent.
The Second Apron, Explained: How the NBA’s Hardest Cap Line Is Reshaping 2026-27
The second apron is the reason NBA front offices talk about roster building differently than they did five years ago, and this week’s Clippers penalties are a reminder of just how seriously the league now treats the line separating contenders from restricted teams.
For 2026-27, the NBA’s salary cap is set at $165 million, with a salary floor of $149 million. Above that sits the luxury tax threshold at $201 million, the first tax apron at $209 million and the second tax apron at $222 million.
Ben Simmons Kings Contract: What His Comeback Requires
Ben Simmons is coming back to the NBA. The three-time All-Star has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, ending a full season away from the league.
Simmons last played during the 2024-25 season, splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers and averaging 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 22.0 minutes across 51 games. He sat out all of 2025-26. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Simmons visited Sacramento for medical exams, an on-court workout and meetings with head coach Doug Christie and staff before the sides came to terms. The deal marks Simmons’ return for a 10th NBA season. As of this writing, the agreement is a reported deal pending official confirmation by the Kings.
Sacramento gives Simmons a landing spot with real short-term incentive on both sides: a one-year deal at the minimum tier lets him try to rebuild his value without committing either side beyond this season. At his best, Simmons is a 6-foot-10 forward-guard hybrid who can defend multiple positions, push the ball in transition and set up shooters, tools that translate regardless of what the rest of Sacramento’s rotation looks like on opening night.
The bigger question is how much Simmons has left after sitting out a full season. A one-year, minimum-level deal gives both sides a low-cost way to find out, with training camp opening leaguewide on Sept. 29 as the first real test.
Clippers’ Historic Punishment Clears the Path for Kawhi Leonard’s Return to Toronto
The NBA handed down the most severe front-office punishment in league history on Sept. 2, stripping the Los Angeles Clippers of five first-round draft picks and fining the team $30 million for salary-cap circumvention tied to Kawhi Leonard. An independent investigation led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz found the Clippers organization facilitated off-court endorsement deals between Leonard and four companies with business ties to the team: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton Insurance.
Raptors Set January 10 Date to Retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 Jersey
The Toronto Raptors announced that they will retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 jersey on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027, before their game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years,” Lowry said. “I always said that Toronto is home, and that I’d retire a Raptor, and to see my No. 7 go up in that building is going to mean everything to me.”
Timberwolves Send Josh Green to Jazz in Trade for Cody Williams, John Konchar
The Minnesota Timberwolves traded guard Josh Green and cash considerations to the Utah Jazz for forward Cody Williams and guard John Konchar, both teams confirmed Wednesday. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the deal before it became official. Minnesota waived Konchar shortly after the trade closed.
NBA Hits Clippers With Historic Penalties in Kawhi Leonard Salary-Cap Probe
The NBA announced Wednesday that it is stripping the Los Angeles Clippers of five future first-round draft picks and fining the team $30 million after an independent investigation found the organization and Kawhi Leonard violated the league’s salary-cap rules.