Goran Dragic was a DNP-CD in the Toronto Raptors' victory over the Indiana Pacers. Dragic has also been allotted less than 15 minutes of playing time in three of Toronto's first four games.

Despite the limited playing time, nothing has changed in Dragic's potential for a buyout.

Dragic is earning $19.4 million in the final season of his contract and the Raptors continue to be hopeful a trade market for him will materialize. 

If the Philadelphia 76ers are to trade Ben Simmons, no deal is expected before mid-December. On December 15, the vast majority of players who signed contracts at free agents over the offseason will become trade-eligible. At that point, the pool of available options will increase substantially for Daryl Morey.

Simmons has now returned to the Sixers, but isn't expected to play for some time. In a conversation with players and coaches, Simmons said he's not ready to play or fully practice yet. Simmons is working on his mental health, in addition to dealing with some back soreness.

Almost to a man, Simmons' teammates have supported him in his return. All have pledged to give him space and to support him as he works his way back. Despite his return to the team, Simmons has not moved off his trade request.

The Brooklyn Nets "have taken incoming calls" from rival teams with trade interest on Kyrie Irving, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski's report surfaces in relation to the Philadelphia 76ers' standoff with a trade of Ben Simmons.

"Daryl Morey has called all over the league, talked to teams about star players everywhere to try to find a deal for Ben Simmons," said Wojnarowski. "One team he has not called, I'm told, is the Brooklyn Nets. He has not lobbed a call to Sean Marks about Kyrie Irving.

"Brooklyn, I'm told, has taken incoming calls from teams on Kyrie Irving. They have not themselves made any calls on Kyrie Irving."

Ben Simmons spoke with Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid and the entire Philadelphia 76ers team and accepted that everyone needs to take responsibility for the situation, including himself.

Simmons informed the 76ers that he's not mentally ready to play currently and needs more time. 

Simmons reported to shootaround ahead of Friday's home opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Simmons expressed that he wants to play but isn't prepared mentally currently.

The 76ers and Simmons have each sought a trade but none has materialized to the liking of the team. 

Daryl Morey reiterated in an interview on Friday that the Philadelphia 76ers wouldn't be rushed into trading Ben Simmons.

"People should buckle in. This is going to take a long time," Morey said.

"You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not, this could be four years," Morey said. "The conditions I'm pointing out to you don't change. Unless Ben Simmons is traded for a difference-maker, we're in the prime of Joel [Embiid]'s career. We have to get back either Ben Simmons playing well for us, who helps us win the championship, or we have to get back a difference-maker for Ben Simmons. Or this could be four years from now, and we're still like, 'Hey, we took the best shot at it we could.' 

"This could be four years. This is not day-to-day. Every day, we're going to expect Ben Simmons to be back here, or we're trading him for a difference-maker. There's no other outcome that doesn't materially hurt our chance to win the championship in Joel Embiid's prime. 

"We would want him to play and be back starting tomorrow. But if he chooses to take some other path, that's his choice."

Simmons has four seasons remaining on his contract with the 76ers.

Ben Simmons is not currently mentally ready to play in games with the Philadelphia 76ers and was also receiving treatment on his back, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

Simmons will miss Friday's home opener against hte Brooklyn Nets and "is not expected to play for an undermined period of time."

Simmons reported to the 76ers at the end of last week.

Deandre Ayton admitted he was disappointed that the Phoenix Suns didn't offer him a full, five-year max extension.

Ayton will be a restricted free agent in the 2022 offseason.

"One thing about me, throughout my whole life, I've always learned to control what I can control," Ayton said. "At the same time, obviously I'm disappointed, but I'm still trying to get us back to the finals. I've still got to represent the team and myself as well. I'm just a competitor, man. Just like to compete to the best and every time I'm in between those lines, that's what you're going to see out of me. Nothing else."

James Jones said in an interview with The Athletic that "we didn't have real negotiations" with Ayton's representative, but Ayton's agents, Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian, said the Suns didn't offer any kind of max deal, even informally.

Ben Simmons arrived at the practice facility of the Philadelphia 76ers without taking part in his scheduled individual workout and his status for Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets is unclear. Simmons described experiencing back stiffness and was briefly treated for it.

The 76ers didn't practice as a team on Thursday.

Simmons was suspended for Philadelphia's regular season opener at the New Orleans Pelicans.

Simmons has yet to fully engage in a team practice and it is unlikely that he would play in Friday's game.

Simmons continues to seek a trade from the 76ers.

While Bradley Beal has maintained that he plans to remain with the Washington Wizards, his situation continues to be monitored by team executives and opposing players. 

Players even try to recruit him during games.

“Almost every game we play, someone says something,” Beal said.

Beal could leave the Wizards during the 2022 offseason or re-sign on a five-year, $242 million deal.

“It brings you back to college. Which school is the right school? Which team is the right team?” Beal says. “You love the fact that people see your game and would love to play with you. But it’s also tough on the back end, because you have no idea what you want to do.”

Tommy Shepherd replaced Ernie Grunfeld in 2019 and has remade the roster.

“All the things that we’ve talked about two years ago to now, he can judge on the actions, not on the words and promises,” Sheppard says. “We’re going into year three of a plan to be more competitive every year. It’s not a win now. It’s win more.”

“Shep played the hand he was dealt,” Beal said. “He had to clean up some things to shape it the way he wanted to and I’m definitely impressed with it. The way he made moves, he was able to save us without giving up crazy picks or assets to go get what we wanted.”

Marvin Bagley's agent issued a public statement critical of the Sacramento Kings after it was determined he wouldn't be in the rotation to start the season.

"Sacramento has informed Marvin Bagley he is not in the opening night rotation, which is completely baffling," Jeff Schwartz said in a statement. "It's clear they have no plans for him in the future. And yet, passed on potential deals at last year's deadline and this summer based on 'value.' Instead they chose to bring him back but not to play him, a move completely contradictory to their 'value' argument."

The statement came just short of publicly requesting a trade, but Schwartz has attempted to do that behind the scenes for more than a year.

Luke Walton has elected to play smaller lineups this preseason, mostly to feature three-guard lineups, and it has squeezed Bagley's playing time for the time being.

Begley went second overall in 2018.

"This is a case study in mismanagement by the Kings organization," Schwartz said.