NBA Roundup: Thunder look to Cason Wallace’s growth, Heat’s Dru Smith targets camp return, Blazers sale expected in 2026
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The Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers each enter the offseason with distinct priorities, from player development to injury recovery and franchise ownership.
Thunder
Oklahoma City is largely running back the roster that captured last season’s championship and is counting on internal improvement to stay on top. One focal point is 21-year-old guard Cason Wallace, who begins his third NBA season this fall, Sports Illustrated’s Rylan Stiles reported.
Wallace remained a defensive mainstay in Year 2 but experienced a shooting dip after an efficient rookie campaign. His field-goal percentage slipped from 49.1% to 47.4%, while his three-point rate dropped from 41.9% to 35.6%, with the sharpest decline coming on corner threes (about 10 percentage points). Despite the downturn, Wallace still ranked in the 81st percentile as a cutter at 1.463 points per possession and added 1.222 points per possession as a guard-to-guard pick-and-roll option. Stiles expects the slump to be temporary.
Stiles also outlined five Thunder lineups he is eager to see, selecting a projected unit of Wallace, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren as the most balanced. Rookie guard Nikola Topic, coming off ACL surgery, was cited as another potential difference-maker when paired with shooters.
Heat
Newly re-signed guard Dru Smith is aiming for full clearance by the start of Miami’s training camp on Sept. 30, he told the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. Smith, who tore his Achilles in December, has begun limited contact work and anticipates joining five-on-five scrimmages within weeks.
Before the injury, Smith averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 14 appearances, earning late-game minutes from coach Erik Spoelstra and positioning himself for a promotion from a two-way contract. Miami kept him on the roster during rehab and re-signed him after a spot opened when Haywood Highsmith was traded to Brooklyn.
“It’s all been going really well,” Smith said of his recovery, adding that his target remains a full return for camp as long as no setbacks occur.
Trail Blazers
The pending sale of the Trail Blazers to a group headed by billionaire Tom Dundon is progressing but is not expected to close until March 31, 2026, according to The Athletic’s Jason Quick. Portland announced its intent to sell in May, and Dundon recently reached an exclusivity agreement with the estate of the late Paul Allen, ending talks with other bidders.
Most key terms are set, and the sides hope to finalize a purchase agreement next month. Although the projected seven-month path from agreement to NBA Board of Governors approval exceeds typical timeframes, the $4.25 billion deal remains on course. Dundon’s group plans to keep the team in Oregon, though the long-term future of the Moda Center is unresolved. The current lease runs through 2030, and commissioner Adam Silver has indicated a new arena may eventually be necessary.
Source: Hoops Wire
