Roundup
Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs’ hype questioned, Irving looks ahead, options picked up in Memphis and NOLA — Atlantic Division roundup
With no games on the slate, the Southwest Division still made noise as San Antonio’s hype took a hit, Kyrie Irving talked longevity and Memphis and New Orleans locked in young talent.
By the PickALeague Newsroom · Published · Source: PickALeagueSummary written with AI assistance — how we workLire en français →
There were no Southwest Division games on the schedule yesterday, but the run-up to opening day was busy off the court. As Hoops Rumors notes, the 2026-27 NBA regular season officially tips off today after a 128-day layoff, with action starting early in the day.
Spurs: from No. 1 in rankings to “overhyped” label
The San Antonio Spurs find themselves at the center of conflicting narratives. CBS Sports’ season-opening Power Rankings place San Antonio at No. 1 in the entire league heading into 2026-27. Yet in a separate opening night “overreactions” piece, CBS Sports also suggests the Spurs were totally overhyped. San Antonio is the only Southwest team with a loss on the board so far (0-1), which only sharpens the contrast between lofty preseason expectations and early skepticism.
Mavericks: Irving on longevity, eyes on Walter Clayton
For the Dallas Mavericks (0-0), attention turns to Kyrie Irving. According to Hoops Rumors, relaying comments reported by Christian Clark of The Athletic, Irving says he can’t picture himself still playing in the NBA at age 42, unlike former teammate LeBron James. The same Hoops Rumors roundup mentions additional Mavericks notes, though those details weren’t outlined.
Dallas is also being linked to guard Walter Clayton. Per Hoops Rumors, citing Marc Stein, the Mavericks are viewed as the frontrunners to sign Clayton if he reaches free agency. He was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies in a roster crunch as Memphis trimmed down its squad.
Grizzlies and Pelicans lock in young cores
The Grizzlies (0-0) made their own bit of news by picking up a pair of rookie-scale team options for 2027-28. As reported by Hoops Rumors from a team release, Memphis exercised Zach Edey’s fourth-year option and Cedric Coward’s third-year option.
In New Orleans, the Pelicans (0-0) took a broader set of option decisions. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, via Hoops Rumors, the Pelicans exercised their 2027-28 team options on Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Yves Missi, while declining AJ Johnson’s option for that same season. It’s a clear signal of which young players the organization is prioritizing as the new campaign begins.
In Houston, the Rockets (0-0) stayed out of the headlines, entering opening day as the quietest team in a Southwest Division otherwise full of early maneuvering and shifting expectations.