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Al Horford Signs With Warriors

October 1st, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Rory Maher

October 1: With Kuminga signed, the Warriors have now officially locked up Horford as well, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), Horford’s deal is a two-year contract worth the taxpayer mid-level exception that includes a player option on year two. The deal should have a total value of $11.65MM.

September 28: Free agent big man Al Horford has agreed to a multiyear deal with the Warriors, agent Jason Glushon tells Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to Charania, Horford will be Golden State’s starting center as he enters his 19th NBA season.

As ESPN’s Anthony Slater tweets, the Warriors targeted Horford early on in free agency, and just before training camp is set to begin, he has officially committed to signing a multiyear deal. The exact terms of Horford’s contract are still up in the air due to Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency, Slater adds.

A source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) that Jayson Tatum‘s torn Achilles tendon and the departures of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis played a role in Horford’s decision to leave the Celtics after spending seven of the past nine years with the franchise, including winning a title in 2024. But it was still a difficult call to leave Boston, according to Himmelsbach, as Horford considers the city a second home.

Horford posted a thank you message (via Twitter) to both the organization and the city of Boston.

As Charania writes, the Warriors view Horford as an “ideal fit” next to Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green due to his “size, floor-spacing, passing and defensive instincts.” Despite being 39 years old, Horford remains a stout and versatile defender, Charania notes.

According to Charania, Horford mulled retirement before committing to the Warriors, the team he had been linked to throughout the offseason.

A 6’9″ forward/center from the Dominican Republic, Horford was selected No. 3 overall in the 2007 draft following three standout years at Florida, having won back-to-back national championships with the Gators. He has been a strong NBA player for essentially his entire career, making five All-Star appearances, one All-NBA team, and one All-Defensive team.

Horford’s teams have also been highly successful, making several trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. He was part of the Celtics club that lost to Golden State in the 2022 NBA Finals before helping Boston break through with its 18th title — and first since 2008 — in 2024.

De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II are also expected to sign with the Warriors in the coming days, with Curry’s younger brother Seth Curry another player who has been linked to Golden State. The Warriors have a pair of unsigned second-round picks (Wil l Richard and Alex Toohey) as well, plus a qualifying offer out to two-way RFA Taran Armstrong.

Lakers Taking ‘Overly Cautious’ Approach With LeBron James During Camp

October 1st, 2025 at 8:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

A glute issue sidelined LeBron James at the start of Lakers training camp and could jeopardize his ability to play in the season opener, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Lakers coach JJ Redick indicated that the 40-year James has “a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute.”

“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading into opening night for him,” Redick said. “Obviously in year 23, it’s uncharted territory here.”

James will make NBA history in his season debut, as no other player has played a 23rd year in the league.

“I’m still ramping things back up,” James said. “I’m not where I want to be. But I mean, I don’t want to be where I want to be right now in September. So, I got some time and I’m looking forward to the process of getting there.”

The Lakers’ approach regarding James’ training camp participation came at the urging of his camp. His representatives met with the Lakers’ brass with a directive for the team to be “overly cautious” with him in the early going to keep him fresh for a long playoff run. He suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during last season’s playoffs.

Redick is still hopeful to have James available for one preseason contest.

“We would love to have that happen,” he said.

James exercised his player option this offseason and will make $52.6MM. That means he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season but James declares that won’t have any effect on this season.

“It will have no impact,” James told McMenamin. “I’m super excited about the challenges and the excitement of our team. We added some new guys. We got another year under our belt with our coaching staff from last year. Got a full year with Luka [Doncic] and another year with the guys that I’ve been with. So super excited about that. And I’m not worried about contracts at this point in my career. That doesn’t bother me at all. Super humbled to even have it, have a contract still and be able to play the game that I love still at this part of my career and take full advantage of it.”

As for retirement, James said his motivation to go through his usual offseason regimen will determine that decision.

“For me, it’s just, am I still excited about the process? Do I still get motivated about the process every single year?” James told ESPN. “Preparing my body. Preparing my mind. Working on my body, training, things of that nature, to get ready for a full season. I think once I kind of fall out of love with the process, then I’ll know for sure. Then, it’d probably be the end for me.”

Jared McCain Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Out 4-6 Weeks

October 1st, 2025 at 7:27am CST by Rory Maher

October 1: McCain underwent surgery to repair a UCL tear in his right thumb on Tuesday, the team tweets. He’ll be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.

September 27: McCain is expected to undergo thumb surgery and will miss four-to-six weeks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on NBA Today (video link).

September 25: Sixers guard Jared McCain sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb during a workout on Thursday, reports Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).

The Sixers officially confirmed the unfortunate news in a press release (Twitter link).

It’s yet another injury blow for the 76ers, who have dealt with numerous absences to key players over the years. That was particularly true in 2024/25, when Philadelphia went just 24-58 after handing out several lucrative contracts in the 2024 offseason.

It’s also an unfortunate setback for McCain, who was one of the early bright spots amid a disappointing start last season. The No. 16 pick of the 2024 draft, McCain was among the Rookie of the Year frontrunners to open ’24/25, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds on .460/.383/.875 shooting in 23 games (25.7 MPG) prior to suffering a season-ending injury — a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery — in December.

McCain expressed optimism earlier this month about being ready for the start of training camp. Philadelphia’s media day is tomorrow.

Citing information from InStreetClothes.com, Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports writes that players who suffer a torn UCL during the season typically miss about seven-and-a-half weeks of action (Twitter link). That would theoretically put McCain on track to return in late November.

It’s unclear if McCain’s injury will impact the 76ers’ contract negotiations with restricted free agent guard Quentin Grimes, with the two sides reportedly “very far apart” in talks ahead of the October 1 qualifying offer deadline.

Seth Curry To Join Warriors On One-Year Contract

September 30th, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Seth Curry is joining forces with his Hall of Fame-bound brother Stephen Curry. He has agreed to a one-year contract with the Warriors, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but based on the expected starting salaries for Jonathan Kuminga, Al Horford, and De’Anthony Melton, Golden State likely won’t have enough room below its second-apron hard cap to add a 15th man on a standard contract at this point.

If that’s the case, the younger Curry brother figures to sign a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal, which wouldn’t count against the cap. He would have to be waived before opening night, but could re-sign a few weeks into the season once a pro-rated minimum deal would fit below the team’s hard cap. NBA insider Marc Stein confirms (via Twitter) that looks like the plan for the Warriors.

Golden State’s interest in Curry was reported as far back as July. The Warriors delayed their roster moves while trying to resolve Kuminga’s restricted free agency — he finally agreed to a two-year deal on Tuesday.

Curry, 35, has followed a much different NBA path than his brother, who has spent his entire career with Golden State. Seth has played a total of 550 regular season games for Memphis, Cleveland, Phoenix, Sacramento, Dallas, Portland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Charlotte.

Last season with the Hornets, he appeared in 68 games (14 starts) and averaged 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 15.6 minutes per game. Curry knocked down 45.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and is a 43.3 percent career shooter from deep.

He’ll add depth at the shooting guard spot.

Steve Kerr Doesn’t Anticipate Contract Extension Talks Until After Season

September 30th, 2025 at 5:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has only one year left on his contract but doesn’t plan to talk about an extension until after the season, Anthony Slater of ESPN reports.

“I don’t anticipate any negotiation during the season,” Kerr said. “Who knows — maybe it all comes up at some point, and they come to me. But I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it. I don’t think about it. I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us [to wait].”

Kerr is entering his 12th season as Golden State’s head coach but states he hasn’t lost his fire to pursue more championships with the organization.

“I love my job,” Kerr said. “I love what I’m doing every day. I can’t wait to get to the building. Hopefully, I’m here for another few years. But I think it makes sense for the organization and for me to see where this thing is at the end of the year — where they are and where I am. Hopefully, that means we run it back, we keep going with this group, that’d be awesome. But I like the fact we can do it how we want it.”

As Slater notes, the team’s three aging star players — Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green — all have two years remaining on their current contracts. Curry and Green remain staunch Kerr supporters, according to Slater. Though there’s no guarantee Kerr will remain beyond this season, the fact that he wants to remain with the Warriors along with the brass’ strongly support, it would be a huge surprise if he’s not coaching there again next season.

Kerr is currently working off a two-year, $35MM extension he signed during the 2023/24 season.

“I’m very comfortable going into the season with a year left,” Kerr said. “I’m so aligned with [general manager] Mike [Dunleavy] and [owner] Joe [Lacob]. We talked about this — there’s no reason for discussion or concern. This is kind of a point in our relationship where let’s just see how it is at the end of the year.”

Kenrich Williams Undergoes Arthroscopic Procedure On Knee

September 30th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

September 30: Williams will be reevaluated in approximately six-to-eight weeks, according to the Thunder (Twitter link via Derek Parker of Thunder On SI).

September 29: Thunder forward Kenrich Williams will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee today, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The team will provide a timeline for his recovery after the surgery is complete, Scotto adds.

Williams was an important reserve for Oklahoma City during its run to the NBA title last season. He appeared in 69 games, making seven starts and averaging 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 16.4 minutes per night with .483/.386/.718 shooting numbers.

Williams, 30, has been a mainstay in OKC since being acquired from New Orleans in 2020 in a four-team deal. Nicknamed “Kenny Hustle,” he’s a fan favorite for his aggressive style of play. He will make $7.163MM this season, and the team holds an option for the same amount in 2026/27.

The Thunder may have the deepest roster in the league, so there should be no concerns about surviving while Williams heals up. Still, it’s the second bit of bad injury news for the defending champs, who lost rookie center Thomas Sorber to a season-ending ACL tear earlier this month.

Heat’s Tyler Herro Optimistic About Potential Extension

September 30th, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Tyler Herro isn’t participating in training camp this week as he recovers from ankle surgery, but October 1 is an important date for him — he’ll become eligible to sign a veteran contract extension that could be worth a maximum of $149.7MM over three years.

Herro will have a window of about three weeks this fall to sign a new deal. If he and the team don’t have an agreement in place by Oct. 20, he won’t be eligible to sign an extension until the 2026 offseason, as he enters the final year of his current contract.

However, Herro expressed optimism on Monday about his odds of working something out with the Heat before opening night, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald relays.

“I expect to get something done. But we’ll see what happens,” Herro said. “I think they’re supposed to meet on Wednesday.

“… It is important for me,” he continued. “I’ve been here six years. I feel like I’ve earned it. I’m not saying what I’ve earned, but I’ve earned something. I think I deserve it, and I want to be here ultimately. I’ve vocally said that.”

Herro, who will earn $31MM this season and $33MM in 2026/27, is coming off the best season of his NBA career. He earned his first All-Star nod and set new career highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) per game, along with games played (77) and field goal percentage (47.2%).

That big year doesn’t mean the Heat are prepared to reward him by offering that full $149.7MM, but Herro suggested on Monday that he won’t necessarily be pushing for that maximum extension either. The 25-year-old told reporters that it’s not “$50 million (per year) or nothing,” and added that he has “a number in my mind,” but if he and the team don’t agree to terms, he won’t be frustrated by that outcome.

“I’m not going to hinder this season on getting an extension or not. I’m not going to lose my joy,” Herro said, jokingly referencing a comment former teammate Jimmy Butler made last season. “… I’m excited to play. At the end of the day, I have two years on my contract. And if we don’t get something done, I’m not going to be a problem throughout the organization. I’m happy to be here. … I would love to get something done, like I said, but we’ll see what happens.”

Jazz’s Kessler ‘Frustrated’ By Extension Talks

September 29th, 2025 at 2:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported last week that the Jazz and fourth-year center Walker Kessler are not expected to reach an agreement on a rookie scale contract extension before the regular season begins, despite having “multiple meetings”over the summer.

According to Jones, part of the reason a deal hasn’t been reached is because the Jazz are trying to maximize their salary cap flexibility next summer. As a restricted free agent in 2026, Kessler would have a cap hold of just $14.9MM — a potential extension would likely feature a much more lucrative starting salary and would replace that cap hold.

Kessler admitted at Monday’s media day that extension talks haven’t been going the way he’d hoped, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

“I don’t want to talk about it after today, just because I think during the season … I don’t want it to be a distractor for me or for my teammates,” Kessler said.

“But that being said, I’m definitely a little frustrated with how,” he continued, trailing off before finishing, “… if I don’t (receive an extension).”

Kessler declined to answer when asked if Utah had told him it wouldn’t offer him an extension, Larsen writes. Jones reported that the Jazz did offer the 24-year-old an extension and value him highly, but the two sides weren’t close to an agreement.

According to Larsen, Kessler and his camp are looking for a long-term contract “approaching or perhaps even eclipsing” nine figures.

“I don’t want to negotiate publicly, but we’re big fans of Walker,” president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said. “We’ve talked with him and his people this summer and hope to have him around long term, whether that’s an agreement now or later.”

Despite the uncertain contract situation, Kessler said he loves being in Utah and playing for the Jazz, Larsen adds. The former Auburn and North Carolina big man will earn $4.88MM in 2025/26, which is the final season of his rookie scale deal.

Kevin Durant Expects To Sign Extension With Rockets

September 29th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Nearly three months after being officially traded from Phoenix to Houston, Kevin Durant remains on an expiring contract. However, the new Rockets forward, who is celebrating his 37th birthday on Monday, told reporters at media day that he anticipates extending that contract sooner or later in order to remain in Houston.

“I do see myself signing a contract extension,” Durant said (Twitter video link via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). “I can’t tell you exactly when that’ll happen, but I do see it happening.”

Based on the latest projection of a $166MM salary cap for 2026/27, Durant is currently eligible for an extension worth up to $119.1MM over two years. That projected total would increase slightly to $120.85MM on January 6, six months after the trade.

However, reporting during the summer suggested the Rockets may be reluctant to give Durant a maximum-salary deal that covers his age-38 and -39 seasons. There has been speculation that an extension could come in closer to $100MM over two years, which would represent a slight step down from his current $54.7MM salary.

Whatever Durant’s next deal looks like, it sounds like he’s confident he’ll get something done with the Rockets. As Lerner relays in her full Houston Chronicle story, the 15-time All-Star also spoke on Monday about why Houston was one of his preferred landing spots when the Suns put him on the trade block during the offseason.

“Just seeing the quick progression of this franchise, where it was right after that James Harden/ Chris Paul era and seeing when (head coach) Ime (Udoka) got here and how he turned it around so fast,” Durant said. “I have some connections here within the organization, people I’ve worked with around the league already, so it felt organic and natural coming into the gym and getting to be a Houston Rocket for the first time. I always had respect for this coaching staff, this fan base, this state, this city. So it feels great.”

Nick Smith Jr. Signs Two-Way Deal With Lakers

September 29th, 2025 at 12:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers have added Nick Smith Jr. on a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. In a corresponding move, the Lakers waived big man Kylor Kelley.

Smith was waived by the Hornets last week due to Charlotte’s roster crunch and glut of guards. The 21-year-old was the No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He appeared in 60 games last season, including 27 starts, and averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Smith had been on a guaranteed standard contract prior to being waived but was eligible to sign a two-way contract as a third-year player. He’ll fill the Lakers’ open two-way contract slot alongside Christian Koloko and Chris Manon while also filling the 21st spot on their preseason roster. He replaces Kelley, who was signed late last month on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Kelley appeared in 11 NBA games (two starts) last season with the Pelicans and Mavericks, averaging 3.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per night. He was also in the Lakers organization last season, though he didn’t appear in an NBA game with them. He was on their training camp roster but was waived before opening night. He then joined their G League affiliate.

With the South Bay Lakers last season, the 27-year-old appeared in 32 games (27 starts) and averaged 11.5 points on a career-high 68.2 percent shooting from the field, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.4 blocks in 26.7 minutes.

If he clears waivers and rejoins South Bay, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he remains with that team for at least 60 days.