Southwest teams juggle injuries, lineup tests as camps open
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Houston, TX, Oct. 2, 2025 — Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said Wednesday that forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who underwent ankle surgery in June, is unlikely to be available when the regular season begins. Finney-Smith has not been cleared for contact, though he is participating in shooting drills and receiving treatment during practices.
Udoka added that center Steven Adams (right knee) and forward Tari Eason (left leg) remain on managed workloads after last season’s procedures. Houston’s first back-to-back set does not arrive until the opening week of December, and the staff has yet to decide whether either player will be cleared for both ends of those games.
With Finney-Smith sidelined, Eason is under consideration for a starting role. “He wants to push for that. We want him to as well,” Udoka said. The coach also noted he may experiment with an oversized lineup featuring Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün and Adams.
Pelicans welcome Saddiq Bey
New Orleans acquired Saddiq Bey from Washington in the offseason deal headlined by Jordan Poole. Returning from an ACL injury that wiped out his 2024-25 campaign, Bey has drawn praise from head coach Willie Green, who called him a “Swiss Army knife” capable of scoring, posting up, defending and rebounding.
Spurs add depth behind Wembanyama
San Antonio struggled on the glass and defensively whenever Victor Wembanyama rested last season. General manager Brian Wright believes new centers Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk will bolster the paint. “We wanted roster versatility to play a bunch of different ways and also protect the paint when Vic’s not on the floor,” Wright said.
Wembanyama, who overcame a blood clot earlier in the offseason, described his summer training program as “brutal,” saying he feels stronger and heavier after workouts that followed trips to China and Japan.
Prosper pushes for Grizzlies minutes
Memphis faces frontcourt absences to open 2025-26, with Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke all expected to miss time. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo said two-way signee Olivier-Maxence Prosper is making a strong bid for rotation minutes during training camp.
Source: Hoops Rumors
