Roundup
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Miami Heat
Orlando Magic
Washington Wizards
Golden State Warriors
LA Clippers
New York Knicks
Magic blow out Heat 136-115, Southeast Division roundup
The Orlando Magic crushed the Miami Heat 136-115 while the Hawks, Hornets and Wizards had a mixed night in the Southeast Division.
By the PickALeague Newsroom · Published · Source: PickALeagueSummary written with AI assistance — how we workLire en français →
The Southeast Division roundup starts in Orlando, where the Magic combined a statement win on the court with notable roster moves and fresh injury concerns for one of their key players.
Magic roll the Heat and reshape the back end of roster
At home, the Orlando Magic handled the Miami Heat 136-115, improving to 3-1 and pushing themselves into the early mix at the top of the Southeast Division with a comfortable offensive performance.
Off the floor, the Magic waived Malaki Branham, JD Davison and Kevin Knox, according to a team press release cited by Hoops Rumors. All three were on Exhibit 10 deals and are now eligible for a bonus of up to $91K if they spend at least 60 days in the G League with the Osceola Magic.
Hoops Rumors also relays reporting from the Orlando Sentinel that the Magic's fourth and final preseason tune-up did not come without a cost. Star forward Franz Wagner is dealing with soreness in his right shoulder, while Noah Penda has tightness in his right hamstring. Orlando will be keeping a close eye on both situations as the long season unfolds.
Hawks dominate Mavs to grab early pole position
The Atlanta Hawks delivered one of the night's most impressive performances, blowing out the Dallas Mavericks 135-111. The win lifts Atlanta to 4-1, putting the Hawks on top of the Southeast Division and underscoring just how strong their early-season form has been.
Hornets skid continues as Connaughton is waived
It was another tough outing for the Charlotte Hornets, who fell 117-98 to the Memphis Grizzlies and drop to 1-3. Roster news followed the loss: the Hornets are waiving veteran wing Pat Connaughton, as first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by the team. As Hoops Rumors notes, Connaughton had long looked like the odd man out in Charlotte's plans.
Heat stumble, Wizards idle, expansion noise
The Miami Heat slide to 3-2 after being outplayed in Orlando, a bump in the road after a solid opening stretch. The Washington Wizards were off and remain at 2-2, sitting squarely in the middle of a division where no team has fallen far behind.
On the league front, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports via Hoops Rumors that proposed expansion bids for a Seattle franchise are "substantially lower" than those for Las Vegas. Commissioner Adam Silver is described as working to increase those Seattle offers, a long-term storyline that could eventually reshape the NBA landscape around the Southeast contenders.