NBA Notes: Adam Silver, Bally Sports, Magic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Warriors

NBA

Commissioner Adam Silver said last week that the 13 teams that will remain with Bally Sports regional network for the upcoming NBA season are doing so at “significantly lower fees” to make sure it happens.

The Bally Sports network is owned by Diamond Sports and is reportedly hanging on by a financial thread. The NBA recently announced a new national media rights deal (with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon), which kicks in for the 2025-26 season. It could also mark the end of teams’ arrangement with Bally.

“Prior to us completing our national deals, I think 18 of our RSNs were either defunct or in bankruptcy,” Silver told reporters. “So if you look back, sort of just graph it over the last few years in terms of both decline in number of homes covered by those RSNs and decline in revenue, that is the reality in that aspect of our business, and it’s something we’re paying a lot of attention to.”

Magic

The Magic advanced to the Eastern Conference playoffs last season, stretching their series against the Cavaliers to seven games. Now, they have a championship-winning guard in former Nugget Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and that could make this young team a true dark horse in the 2025 NBA playoffs.

“The two-time NBA champion is one of the league’s best role players and adds immediate seasoning to a young Magic roster that’s looking to build on its playoff appearance this past season,” wrote Chris Herring of ESPN. “Caldwell-Pope, 31, gives Orlando yet another strong wing defender to pair with stoppers Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac.”

But wait. There’s more.

“More specifically, he also gives the Magic something they sorely lacked in 2023-24: perimeter shooting. No team made fewer 3s than Orlando last season, but Caldwell-Pope has hit more than 100 in each of his past four campaigns — shooting over 40% on his 3s during that stretch.”

Warriors

The Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga appear to be at a standstill when it comes to a contract extension.

“Kuminga and Moses Moody are both extension eligible as they enter the final season of their rookie deals,” Anthony Slater of The Athletic wrote last week. “The deadline to get something done is Oct. 21 or they will enter restricted free agency next July. Six weeks out and there hasn’t been significant progress toward a deal in either case, league sources said.”

Kuminga is expected to eventually replace Andrew Wiggins as a starter, as the Warriors reportedly made certain to keep Kuminga out of trade talks.

“Kuminga’s situation will be the one tracked closest, considering his stature and potential price tag,” Slater wrote. “Drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, he’s expressed a desire to remain with the Warriors long-term when asked in the past. But those brighter comments and feelings have normally come when his court opportunities have been on the upswing and his place as a large rotational puzzle piece felt secure.”