The 2024-25 NBA season has gotten underway, which means it’s time to watch Notre Dame’s two representatives. Neither player has exactly had a glowing start though.
[autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] began his 10th NBA season by scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Oct. 23 season opening-win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed that up by shooting a combined 2 of 10 from the field in losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. He’s averaging 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game in this young season.
[autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] now is in his third season with the San Antonio Spurs. He tipped off his campaign with six points and two assists while losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Oct. 24 season opener. He had a single field goal and two more assists in six minutes during an Oct. 26 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Wesley is averaging a mere 4.0 points and 0.5 rebounds a game over two contests, but he has the Spurs’ second-highest plus/minus through two games. Granted, that came entirely during the Mavericks game, but still:
Here’s to decent seasons from both Connaughton and Wesley.
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The Houston Rockets have made significant strides in rebuilding their roster, boasting a solid young core, but in the stacked Western Conference, they could face stiff competition for a play-in spot. Over the past few years, the Rockets have added …
The Houston Rockets have made significant strides in rebuilding their roster, boasting a solid young core, but in the stacked Western Conference, they could face stiff competition for a play-in spot.
Over the past few years, the Rockets have added talented players like Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green, both of whom are eligible for extensions as they enter the final year of their rookie contracts. Whether these two become long-term cornerstones for head coach Ime Udoka remains to be seen. If they don’t fit into the Rockets’ long-term plans, they could be potential trade assets, especially since the team has stockpiled draft capital to make a big move when the time is right.
The long-term goal is clear: evolve into a playoff team, if not this season, then by next year, with an eye toward competing for titles later on.
However, the immediate focus will be on improving their offense, which lagged behind their defense last season. With continued development, the Rockets could be in the play-in conversation this year, but given the depth of competition in the Western Conference, they’ll need to take big steps forward to secure their spot.
Dikembe Mutombo was such a larger than life presence that it is hard to believe that he is gone.
Dikembe Mutombo was such a larger than life presence that it is hard to believe that he is gone.
The beloved big man, who died at 58, was one of the most memorable players in league history. His iconic finger was celebration made him an unforgettable presence in the basketball world.
He was an incredibly accomplished player who made eight All-Star appearances and won NBA Defensive Player of the Year four time in his career.
While there are so many highlights during his time on the court, here are a few of the all-time best moments he had in an NBA uniform:
While many remember him for his impact on the game, others may recall that he was the star of a particularly memorable commercial. Mutombo starred in an ad for GEICO in which he blocked various everyday items into oblivion.
RIP Dikembe Mutombo — legendary player, philanthropist, and star of the greatest commercial ever: pic.twitter.com/j027X6kxlC
During this ad, which released in February 2013, he blocked shots in the real world. The idea is that the way he played the game, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards, made him so genuinely happy.
He also used his catchphrases like “no, no, no” as well as “not in my house” and “not today” with his amazing laugh, shattering everything in his sight and running away with child-like joy.
This commercial was amazing and so was Mutombo. He will be missed dearly.
Charania said the Houston Rockets, who traded for Griffin back in June, waived the former Blue Devil with a contract buyout. Reports first surfaced that Griffin might walk away from the sport last week, and Charania’s report sounded like the decision had been made.
“(Griffin) is expected to step away from basketball at 21 years old after two NBA seasons,” Charania wrote.
Griffin played just one season with the Blue Devils, helping fellow freshman Paolo Banchero take Duke to the Final Four in 2022. The Atlanta Hawks drafted him with the 16th overall pick later that summer, and he spent his first two seasons with the franchise before the aforementioned trade to Houston.
After a promising rookie season that included 8.9 points per game and a 39% 3-point percentage, the New York native took a step back in his sophomore year. After he played in 72 games in 2022-23, he made just 20 appearances in 2023-24 and averaged 2.4 points. His minutes per game fell from 19.5 to 8.6, and Griffin made just 25.6% of his 3-point looks.
Rockets are waiving AJ Griffin via contract buyout, as he is expected to step away from basketball at 21 years old after two NBA seasons, sources said. https://t.co/bipvmzsGIU
No reasons have been given for Griffin’s departure from the professional ranks, and the former Blue Devil has not made any public statements about his career.
Next year’s unrestricted free agency class could be special
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Mike Sykes
Happy Friday, folks! Welcome back to Layup Lines. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you’ve had a fantastic week.
The NBA season is almost upon us! Things officially start on October 22, but even before that, we’ll have media day coming soon at the end of September, and then, before you know it, training camp will be here.
That’s why it’s time to start talking about contract extensions.
Every year, before the season starts, teams must decide whether to sign their up-and-coming players on rookie deals to new contract extensions. The window for negotiations this season was from July 6 and extends to October 21, just a day before the season begins. Once the deadline passes, teams won’t be able to negotiate and their players will enter restricted free agency.
That includes big names like Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green (the former No. 2 overall pick), Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey. Those are a lot of key players who could be entering into lame-duck years next season.
But for names like Green, Sengun and even Kuminga, it feels more likely that their teams will just revisit things next offseason. Those players will get a chance to prove themselves in new, bigger roles and their teams will make determinations from there.
It’s a risky bet. And there’s a chance they may enter a restricted free agency and find money out there that will have them on another team next season. But that seems to be a risk these teams are willing to take.
There’s still just over a month left until the deadline, so these deals could still happen. But with the way things are looking right now, we might be in for a wild finish to the NBA’s offseason.
What’s happening with AJ Griffin?
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
You rarely see top draft picks flame out of the league after just a couple of seasons, but it seems that might be happening with AJ Griffin.
Seeing that was flat-out shocking. Griffin was once considered one of the best high school players in the country and was a top recruit at Duke. Injuries have really derailed his career since.
“Griffin, who was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top-rated player in the state of New York, was a McDonald’s All-American. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was named ACC All-Freshman in 2022.
While he missed part of his one-and-done season due to injuries, he was then selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
After averaging 19.5 minutes across 72 games as a rookie, Griffin did not get as much playing time for the Hawks during his second professional season. It ended with 8.5 minutes per game across just 20 appearances.”
I don’t know if injuries are the problem for Griffin here or if there’s something else we don’t know about going on. All I know is that it stinks to hear that this might be the end of the road for him playing in the NBA. He’s such a talented player.
According to a Thursday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former Blue Devil AJ Griffin is debating whether he should leave the game.
In a stunning Thursday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former Duke basketball star AJ Griffin is debating whether or not he should walk away from the game of basketball.
Griffin, who spent one season with the Blue Devils in 2021-22, has only been in the NBA for two seasons.
The Atlanta Hawks drafted him with the 16th overall pick in 2022, just months after he helped lead Duke to the Final Four, and he showed plenty of promise as a rookie. Griffin averaged 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in his first NBA campaign, playing 19.5 minutes per game and even appearing in the starting lineup 12 times.
However, Griffin appeared to take a step back in his sophomore season. He only took the court 20 times in 2023-24, averaging 2.4 points per game, and his 3-point percentage plummeted from 39.0% to 25.6%. The Hawks traded him to the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason.
Charania’s report did not include any potential reasons for why Griffin would step away from the sport, but the longtime NBA insider didn’t make it sound like there was much of a decision left to make.
“Sides are preparing for his departure from the game,” Charania wrote.
Griffin was selected No. 16 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Once one of the top prospects in the entire world, AJ Griffin is reportedly considering stepping away from the game of basketball.
Griffin, who was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top-rated player in the state of New York, was a McDonald’s All-American. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was named ACC All-Freshman in 2022.
While he missed part of his one-and-done season due to injuries, he was then selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
After averaging 19.5 minutes across 72 games as a rookie, Griffin did not get as much playing time for the Hawks during his second professional season. It ended with 8.5 minutes per game across just 20 appearances.
Earlier during the offseason, he was traded from the Hawks to the Rockets.
Just in: Houston Rockets F AJ Griffin is seriously considering stepping away from basketball, sources tell me and @KellyIko. Griffin, 21, was the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA draft to Atlanta, then traded to Houston this summer. Sides are preparing for his departure from the game. pic.twitter.com/AyNp1rF4MI
While he played in NBA 2K25 Summer League for Houston and appeared in the starting lineup each game he played, on Thursday The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Griffin is “seriously considering” stepping away from the sport.
The forward has battled various injuries and is the son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin.
The Rockets will upgrade the roof of Toyota Center during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season, KHOU reports. It will be paid for by the team.
As part of ongoing renovations to Toyota Center, the Rockets will replace the building’s roof during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. The downtown Houston arena opened just over 20 years ago, which makes this decade an opportune time for more modern upgrades.
According to KHOU, Houston’s CBS affiliate, the Harris County Houston Sports Authority approved a proposal by the Rockets to replace the existing roof — which has been in place since 2002-03.
The cost of the roofing project will be $7.5 to $8 million, and it will be paid by the team and owner Tilman Fertitta, KHOU reports.
The process to remove the existing roof and install the new one is expected to start in September 2024 and be finished in March 2025. Doug Hall, the general manager of Toyota Center, told KHOU’s Jason Bristol that the roof work will not disrupt normal building operations (such as NBA games during the upcoming season).
The new roof will have a 20-year warranty and can handle hurricane winds of up to 146 miles per hour, per KHOU. It will also include a new logo, which is currently in development. The current version features a large Toyota emblem and the words Toyota Center.
[lawrence-related id=125236,117305]
The cost will be $7.5 to $8 million and will be paid for by the team.
The process to remove the existing roof and install the new one will take 4-5 months. It should start in September and be finished in March. (2/4)
Rockets guard Reed Sheppard checks in as a strong frontrunner in ESPN’s initial 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year projection.
In the aftermath of a strong performance at the NBA’s 2024 summer league, expectations are high for rookie guard Reed Sheppard as he begins his professional career with the Houston Rockets.
Thus, to no surprise, Sheppard is a Rookie of the Year favorite in ESPN’s “Summer Forecast” for the 2024-25 NBA season. As part of the annual exercise, ESPN polls a group of its media experts regarding awards predictions and key questions for the new season.
A first-place vote receives five points, a second-place vote secures three points, and a third-place vote earns one point.
For Rookie of the Year, Sheppard — drafted by the Rockets at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round — was a strong frontrunner with 72 total points and 62% of first-place votes. Memphis big man Zach Edey finished second with 40 points and 14% of the total vote.
Tuesday’s complete results are available at ESPN. Other Rockets who received votes (without leading these categories) are Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and Jabari Smith Jr. for Most Improved Player and Ime Udoka for 2024-25 Coach of the Year.
