Las Vegas, NV / Oklahoma City, OK / Portland, OR — [Insert Publication Date]
The structure for the third edition of the NBA Cup, the league`s in-season tournament, has been formally set following the group stage draw. While teams now know their initial path to the knockout rounds, the league also continues to generate headlines off the court, ranging from lucrative player extensions to sobering legal outcomes.
The 2025 NBA Cup: Groups and Schedule
Thirty NBA teams have been divided into six groups of five, three for each conference (Eastern and Western), marking the official start of planning for this year`s tournament. The group stage is scheduled to tip off on October 31, concluding on November 28. This initial phase will determine which teams advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds.
The path to the championship leads to Las Vegas, often referred to as “Sin City,” which will host the Final Four. The quarterfinals are slated for December 9 and 10, followed by the semifinals on December 13. The tournament will culminate with the NBA Cup Final on December 16, where a new champion will be crowned.
Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed the trophy, succeeding the inaugural champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, who won the title two years prior.
Here`s the breakdown of the 2025 NBA Cup group stage:
Eastern Conference Groups:
- Group A: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards
- Group B: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
- Group C: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets
Western Conference Groups:
- Group A: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz
- Group B: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans
- Group C: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
Qualification for the knockout stage is straightforward: the winner of each of the six groups will automatically advance, joined by the best second-place team from each conference based on group play performance.
Thunder Make Massive Investment in Chet Holmgren
In separate, yet financially significant, news, the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured a long-term commitment from young center Chet Holmgren. The 23-year-old, who was the second overall pick in the 2022 draft, has agreed to a five-year contract extension potentially worth up to $250 million. While the final figure depends on various incentives, it represents a monumental investment.
For a player who missed his entire initial season due to injury and is still developing, $250 million sounds like an astronomical sum – and frankly, for his demonstrated performance *to date*, perhaps it is. But such figures are merely the cost of doing business in the current NBA market. Recent history has shown far less impactful players receiving surprisingly large contracts. The Thunder, fresh off a successful 2025 playoff run that culminated in a championship (as reported by the source), are clearly prioritizing locking down their core. This follows a similarly hefty extension for franchise cornerstone Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (four years, $285 million through 2031).
Holmgren`s playoff statistics (15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds per game) offer a glimpse of his current contribution, but the substantial contract is undeniably a wager on his future potential. Having missed his rookie year, the belief within the Thunder organization is that the best is still to come for Holmgren, and they are willing to pay a premium to ensure he achieves that potential in Oklahoma City.
Former NBA Player Ben McLemore Sentenced in Rape Case
A more somber development emerged from the legal system involving former NBA guard Ben McLemore. The 32-year-old has been sentenced to over eight years in prison following a conviction for rape.
The incident in question reportedly occurred in October 2021 in Lake Oswego, Oregon, during a gathering at the home of Robert Covington, who was McLemore`s teammate with the Portland Trail Blazers at the time. The victim was identified as a 23-year-old woman.
McLemore, originally the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft out of Kansas University, played for nine seasons across five different NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings (where he spent the majority of his career, peaking with 12.1 points per game in his second year), Memphis, Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland, concluding his NBA tenure in 2022. Since then, he has played professionally in China, Greece, and Spain. McLemore has maintained his plea of not guilty to the charges.
Elton Marrow