NBA Notes: Pistons, Paul Reed, Thunder, Bulls, Isaac Okoro

October 31, 2026

Pistons

Paul Reed was already headed for more work after the Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart. Jalen Duren’s hamstring injury added to the assignment, and Reed has handled it well.

As Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes, Reed has become more willing to take jumpers when defenders give him room. Through the games covered in Sankofa’s report, he was averaging 13.8 points and seven rebounds while shooting 63 percent.

“He plays to his own beat, and I think that’s hard for opponents to catch a rhythm when he is doing that,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Bickerstaff also credited the work behind those results.

“There’s no person I’ve been around that works harder on his game than P-Reed, and you’re seeing that work pay off.”

Thunder

The Thunder have plenty of reasons to make a move. Around the league, there’s less agreement about how big that move should be.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst spoke with executives and scouts who offered differing views on how Oklahoma City should handle its injuries. Some argued for making the most of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s prime. Others favored patience.

“Are you really going to mortgage two or three years to try to salvage one year? That doesn’t make sense,” one Western Conference scout told ESPN.

Executives identified Pelicans forwards Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III as logical possibilities, though their asking prices and salaries present obstacles. Those are outside suggestions, rather than reported negotiations.

Kings guard Nique Clifford also came up as a younger, less expensive possibility. But Sacramento has indicated it values Clifford and doesn’t intend to move him, per Windhorst.

A decision comes sooner on Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber. Their combined $12.6 million in team options for 2027-28 must be addressed by Monday. One executive told ESPN that declining them could produce roughly $100 million in savings, including projected luxury-tax penalties.

Bulls

Payton Pritchard is listed at 6-foot-1. Matas Buzelis is 6-foot-9. When Pritchard outmuscled Buzelis for an offensive rebound and layup Friday, Buddy Hield had seen enough.

As Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic writes, Hield delivered an animated message on the bench about Chicago’s effort during the loss to Boston.

Isaac Okoro echoed that concern afterward, saying the Bulls need to consistently “play harder.” Rookie Caleb Wilson also expressed disappointment with the performance.

K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reported there was “collective disgust” in the locker room over the first-half effort. Boston built a 32-point lead before finishing off a 125-110 win.