Weekly NBA Roundup

September 15, 2025 • Sports

Hosted by Big Dill

About This Episode

Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: NBA news from the past week. Cover any summer league games, trade talk, or other league news.

Transcript

Welcome back to Big Dill Sports! I'm your host, Dillon, diving into another exciting episode of "Weekly NBA Roundup." The offseason may feel like the quiet before the storm, but there's been plenty of buzz in the last week. Let’s get right into it!

First up, the veteran buyout rumors are swirling around Kevin Love. After being traded to the Utah Jazz as part of a summer deal, Love is expected to either be traded again or bought out before training camp. With the 60-day trade restriction up, Love’s camp is eyeing a move to a contending team. Word is, he’s hoping for a reunion with old teammates on either the Lakers or Clippers. A move to the West Coast could be pivotal for Love as he looks to contribute to a playoff push.

Now, let’s talk contracts. Josh Giddey has agreed to a hefty four-year, $100 million extension with the Chicago Bulls. This young guard had a breakout season and is set to be a cornerstone for the Bulls, showcasing his ability with impressive stats last year. On the other hand, Malcolm Brogdon has signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks. He’s entering a competitive training camp environment, aiming to secure a spot in the rotation amidst salary-cap constraints.

Speaking of training camps, Dennis Smith Jr. is making waves by trying out for the Knicks. After some time overseas, Smith is back and focused, especially on defense, vying for a spot in the backcourt. Across the league, teams are busy with similar evaluations, working hard to finalize those rosters.

We’ve also got some exciting star re-engagement news. Damian Lillard is all set for a heartwarming fan rally in Portland. After coming back from an Achilles injury, Lillard's return to the Blazers is not just a comeback story but a celebration of his legacy. Fans can expect an event full of speeches, music, and a look back at his contribution to the team as their all-time leading scorer.

On the coaching and front-office front, the Knicks are buzzing with the hiring of Billy Lange as their director of player development. With a history of developing stars like Joel Embiid, Lange’s expertise is a welcome addition. Although the Lakers are holding steady with no new hires this week, several teams are still finalizing their assistant-coach searches.

As we wrap up this roundup, the stage is set for an intense training camp with key storylines to watch. From Love’s likely landing spot to the impact of new contracts and coaching hires, the groundwork for a thrilling season is being laid out. Keep your eyes peeled as teams finalize their rosters before the regular season kicks off.

Before we close, it’s time for our player spotlight—the 'big dill' of the week. This time, it's Josh Giddey. With that new contract and his standout performances last season, Giddey is definitely shaping up as a player to watch.

Thanks for tuning into Big Dill Sports. I'm Dillon, and I’ll catch you next time with more NBA updates and highlights. Stay hoopin’!

### Offseason Transaction Overview
The NBA’s calendar lull between the close of free agency and the start of training camp (September 8–14, 2025) has nonetheless featured a flurry of roster moves, contract extensions, buyout rumors, and front-office hires. With no regular-season or Summer League games during this window, teams have focused on fine-tuning their rosters and coaching staffs ahead of Media Day and preseason. Major themes this past week include: veteran buyout talk (Kevin Love), significant contract extensions (Josh Giddey), late free-agent signings (Malcolm Brogdon), training-camp tryouts (Dennis Smith Jr.), star re-engagement events (Damian Lillard), and key coaching appointments (Billy Lange).

### Veteran Buyout Rumors: Kevin Love and the Utah Jazz
Veteran forward Kevin Love, traded this summer from Miami to Utah as part of a three-team deal, is widely expected to secure a buyout from the Jazz before training camp opens in October. With Love’s mandatory 60-day trade restriction expiring on September 7, insiders report that Utah will either trade him or release him via buyout within the next two weeks ([basketballinsiders.org](https://www.basketballinsiders.org/news/utah-is-expected-to-buy-out-or-trade-veteran-kevin-love-ahead-of-2025-26/?utm_source=openai)).
• As of September 8, Love’s camp is actively exploring options to depart Utah, eyeing contending teams eager for playoff-tested frontcourt depth at the veteran minimum ([basketballinsiders.org](https://www.basketballinsiders.org/news/utah-is-expected-to-buy-out-or-trade-veteran-kevin-love-ahead-of-2025-26/?utm_source=openai)).
• Sources indicate that Love, who averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 24 games with Miami last season, would prefer to land with either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers, reuniting with former Cavaliers and fellow veterans on West Coast playoff hopefuls ([dallashoopsjournal.com](https://dallashoopsjournal.com/p/kevin-love-utah-jazz-buyout-los-angeles-lakers-clippers-nba-rumors-news/?utm_source=openai)).

### Contract Extensions and Free-Agent Signings
• Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey agreed on September 9 to a four-year, $100 million extension, locking up the 22-year-old after a breakout 2024–25 campaign in which he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals over 70 games, including seven triple-doubles and 30 double-doubles ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/bulls-sign-josh-giddey-four-year-100m-extension-2025-09-09/?utm_source=openai)).
• Former Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon has signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the New York Knicks, joining Landry Shamet and Garrison Mathews in a “3-for-1” training-camp battle for the team’s final roster spot amid second-apron salary-cap constraints ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/agent-malcolm-brogdon-agrees-1-year-contract-with-knicks--flm-2025-09-12/?utm_source=openai)).

### Training Camp Invitees and Tryouts
With teams limited to 20 players in camp and only 12 roster spots guaranteed, clubs have invited several veterans to prove their worth:
• The Knicks worked out former lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. on September 14. Smith, 27, last appeared in the NBA in 2023–24 before a stint overseas. The team is evaluating his improved defensive focus against other guard candidates to round out the backcourt ([nypost.com](https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/sports/knicks-working-out-dennis-smith-jr-as-guard-eyes-nba-comeback/?utm_source=openai)).
• In Houston and elsewhere, similar tryouts are ongoing for journeymen and two-way hopefuls, though no other major workouts have made national headlines this week.

### Star Reunions and Promotional Events
Portland Trail Blazers fans will celebrate franchise icon Damian Lillard’s emotional return with a free fan rally at Pioneer Courthouse Square on September 21. The event, announced this week, will feature speeches, Q&A, music, games, and giveaways, honoring Lillard’s legacy as the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer (19,376 points) and marking his rehab journey following an Achilles injury ([blazersedge.com](https://www.blazersedge.com/trail-blazers-news/103149/portland-trail-blazers-celebrate-damian-lillard-fan-rally-nba-news?utm_source=openai)). Lillard, 35, reportedly re-signed on a three-year deal with a player option in 2027–28 and a no-trade clause after being waived by the Bucks ([dallashoopsjournal.com](https://dallashoopsjournal.com/p/damian-lillard-portland-trail-blazers-return-nba-rumors/?utm_source=openai)).

### Front-Office and Coaching Moves
As teams bolster their player development infrastructure and coaching ranks:
• On September 10, the Knicks announced the hiring of Billy Lange (former St. Joseph’s and ex-Sixers assistant) as director of player development. Lange’s track record includes cultivating Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in Philadelphia, and he arrives amid concerns over underwhelming Summer League performances from recent draft picks ([nypost.com](https://nypost.com/2025/09/10/sports/knicks-hiring-billy-lange-to-run-player-development/?utm_source=openai)).
• The Lakers’ coaching staff remains intact after their June appointment of JJ Redick (a four-year deal), though no new hires occurred this week. Several teams are still completing assistant-coach searches before camp.

### Outlook: Training Camp and Preseason
With Media Day slated for September 23 and preseason tip-off following in late September (including the Abu Dhabi games for the Knicks), the transactions of this week set the stage for a competitive training camp. Key storylines to monitor: Love’s eventual buyout destination, the Bulls’ integration of Giddey as a cornerstone, Brogdon’s impact in New York’s rotation battle, and the developmental progress under newly hired coaches like Lange. Teams finalizing their 15-man rosters by the end of September will conclude this active offseason chapter before the regular season begins in October.

Weekly NBA Roundup