Perth Wildcats Closing In on Deal With Guard David Duke Jr.; Additional League Notes From Silver, NBPA, Hollinger and Amazon
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PERTH, Australia — The Perth Wildcats are in advanced negotiations to sign free-agent combo guard David Duke Jr. for the remainder of the 2025-26 National Basketball League season, according to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc.
The Wildcats have been searching for backcourt help since parting ways with former NBA guard Mason Jones last week after his slow start to the campaign. Duke, 26, spent training camp with the Phoenix Suns before being waived and has logged NBA minutes in each of the last four seasons. Across 55 appearances with Brooklyn and San Antonio from 2021-25, he averaged 4.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes, shooting 41.7% from the field, 26.2% from three and 76.7% at the foul line.
The Providence product has been markedly more productive in the NBA G League, posting 16.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists over 42 games with the Austin Spurs last season after topping 20 points per game in each of the two prior years.
Silver Weighs In on Prop Bets
During preseason media appearances, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix that the league is in discussions with sports-betting operators about trimming the menu of prop bets available to gamblers. Silver also reiterated that expansion and potential tweaks to the All-Star format remain under consideration.
NBPA Responds to Player Arrests
Following Thursday’s arrests of Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones, the National Basketball Players Association issued a statement emphasizing both the integrity of the game and the presumption of innocence. The union pledged to safeguard its members’ due-process rights throughout the legal proceedings.
Hollinger: Incentives Disappear Under New CBA
In The Athletic, John Hollinger noted that teams have effectively eliminated incentives and bonuses from contracts because those figures now count toward the league’s new salary-cap aprons. No veteran agreement signed this offseason included incentives, a shift Hollinger believes complicated rookie-scale extension talks for players such as Tari Eason, Bennedict Mathurin and Mark Williams.
Marc Stein Joins Amazon’s NBA Coverage
Veteran reporter Marc Stein has been hired by Amazon Prime Video to support its NBA broadcasts during the 2025-26 season, Front Office Sports reported. Stein will work off-air, verifying statistics and information used by studio analysts and game announcers. He joins previously announced hires Chris Haynes and Marcus Thompson.
The developments come as teams finalize rosters and broadcasters complete preparations for the start of the new NBA season.
Source: Hoops Rumors
