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NBA Europe Could Launch As Early As 2027

September 17th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

The new European basketball league backed by the NBA could begin play as early as 2027, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno and Tim Reynolds.

NBA and FIBA are working together to launch NBA Europe.

Speaking at a conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver called a 2027 start “ambitious, no doubt about it,” but did not rule out that possibility. Existing arenas across Europe could be used when the initial launch occurs until more modern infrastructure is built up.

“I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28,” Silver said. “The opportunity is now to do something like this.”

Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum met this summer with United Kingdom prime minister Keir Starmer, among other government officials, along with various possible stakeholders regarding the new venture. Those meetings convinced Silver that NBA Europe would be successful.

“I would say I’m enthusiastic about it,” Silver said.

Early plans call for the new league to have 16 teams, though that number could change. Existing European clubs like Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul and Barcelona are likely to figure into the NBA’s plans for the new league, according to the AP.

A new British league that intends to launch in 2027 indicated in a recent press statement that it expects the NBA’s European league to begin at the same time, with franchises in London and Manchester, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net relays.

“Basketball’s probably the fastest-growing sport in the world right now, and it’s a huge No. 2 sport in Europe behind soccer, so I think there’s a real opportunity,” Silver added.

Thunder Rookie Thomas Sorber Undergoes Season-Ending Knee Surgery

September 16th, 2025 at 7:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder first-round pick Thomas Sorber underwent surgery on Tuesday to address a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link via Rylan Stiles of SI.com).

The injury, which was revealed earlier this month, will sideline the big man out of Georgetown for the entire season. Sorber is expected to make a full recovery and be available for the 2026/27 season.

Sorber was the No. 15 pick in the June draft. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game during his one-and-done season at Georgetown before a left foot injury that required surgery caused him to miss the latter part of 2024/25.

The big man is the second straight Oklahoma City first-round selection to be sidelined for his rookie year. Last season’s 12th overall pick, Nikola Topic, missed his debut season with an ACL injury of his own.

The Thunder will now have to wait another season to see what Sorber can provide them on the floor, though they have plenty of on-court insurance this season in Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

Sorber signed his rookie scale contract in early July at a four-year total of $22.51MM. His deal is guaranteed for the first two seasons, with team options on years three and four.

Knicks Sign Jemison, McCullar, Evbuomwan To Two-Way Deals

September 16th, 2025 at 4:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

4:30pm: The Knicks have officially signed Jemison and McCullar to two-way deals, the team’s PR department tweets (Twitter links). Additionally, NBA.com’s transaction log lists Evbuomwan’s deal as a two-way contract, despite the Knicks announcing it as an Exhibit 10.

4:00pm: The Knicks have reached two-way contract agreements with big man Trey Jemison and forward Tosan Evbuomwan, SNY’s Ian Begley reports (Twitter links).

The Knicks will enter training camp with all three two-way slots filled, as Kevin McCullar Jr. is expected to return on another two-way deal, Begley adds. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that McCullar will sign his two-way qualifying offer (Twitter link).

New York worked out Jemison on Monday and obviously the front office and coaches liked what they saw. Jemison signed a two-year, two-way contract in January with the Lakers and remained on their roster for the rest of the season, but was waived in July.

The 25-year-old center had some productive moments in his 22 games with Los Angeles, averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per night while shooting 61.9% from the field. He also spent time with New Orleans during the 2024/25 season and had brief stints with Washington and Memphis in ’23/24.

Overall, Jemison has 63 games of NBA experience (14 starts), averaging 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. Jemison, 25, went undrafted out of UAB in 2023.

The Knicks have been busy finalizing their camp roster and announced a handful of other contract signings on Monday, including an Exhibit 10 contract with Evbuomwan. They’ve apparently decided to upgrade that move regarding Evbuomwan.

Evbuomwan had been on a two-way deal with the Nets in 2024/25. Brooklyn waived the 6’8″ British combo forward in August.

After going undrafted out of Princeton in 2023, the former Ivy League Player of the Year linked up with the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, to start his pro career. Evbuomwan signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies, then joined Detroit on a 10-day deal, later agreeing to a two-way contract. He started 2024/25 with the Clippers’ NBAGL club, the San Diego Clippers, before inking a two-way deal with Brooklyn in January.

In 28 games with Brooklyn last season, the 24-year-old averaged 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest, with a shooting line of .427/.312/.753.

Hawks Trade Kobe Bufkin To Nets

September 16th, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

September 16: The trade is official, according to announcements from both teams. The Nets waived big man David Muoka in order to open up a spot on the 21-man roster for Bufkin.

September 15: The Hawks and Nets have agreed to a trade that will send former first-round pick Kobe Bufkin from Atlanta to Brooklyn in exchange for cash considerations, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The Hawks will acquire $110K in cash, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Bufkin has battled injuries since entering the NBA. He missed a significant chunk of his rookie year due to a fractured left thumb and a sprained toe, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery into December 2024, less than two months into his second season.

In total, the 6’4″ guard made just 27 appearances for the Hawks, averaging 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes per night, with a .374/.220/.654 shooting line. Bufkin – who will turn 22 on Sunday – has more upside than he’s been able to show so far, so the Nets will take a chance on him in the hopes that he’ll have better health luck going forward.

Brooklyn has more than enough cap room to take on Bufkin’s $4.5MM salary for this season, which will push the team over the minimum salary floor, at least for now. His rookie scale contract also includes a $6.9MM team option for 2026/27 — the Nets will have to make a decision on that option by October 31.

While the Nets are in a good position to roll the dice on Bufkin from a salary cap perspective, adding him to the mix will exacerbate a looming roster crunch. Once the deal is official, Brooklyn will be carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries and four on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed salaries. The team also intends to add Ricky Council IV to the latter group. A number of those players will have to be waived or traded in order for the Nets to set their 15-man regular season roster next month.

Brooklyn still has roughly $11.6MM in cap room for now, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, though the club could increase that figure by waiving some of those players with non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts. The Nets would be in danger of falling back below the minimum salary floor in that scenario and will want to make sure they’re above that threshold by opening night.

The Hawks, meanwhile, will generate a $4.5MM trade exception as a result of the deal, generating a little extra financial flexibility below the luxury tax line and opening up another roster spot for one of their camp invitees to compete for.

With Bufkin no longer in the mix, Atlanta will have just 10 players on fully guaranteed salaries, plus Vit Krejci and N’Faly Dante on partial guarantees, Mouhamed Gueye on a non-guaranteed contract, and Caleb Houstan, Charles Bassey, and Kobe Johnson on Exhibit 10 deals.

Knicks Confirm Several Signings, Plan To Add Alex Len

September 16th, 2025 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Having carried just 12 players on their roster since July, the Knicks began officially filling out their 21-man preseason squad on Tuesday.

After signing Dink Pate and Bryson Warren to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team officially announced five more previously reported deals, confirming that Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet have signed their Exhibit 9 contracts (Twitter links), while Mohamed Diawara, Garrison Mathews, Tosan Evbuomwan have finalized Exhibit 10 agreements (all Twitter links).

Reports late last week indicated that Mathews, Shamet, and Brogdon were signing non-guaranteed contracts with the Knicks. Evbuomwan’s deal was reported on Monday, while James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link) stated earlier today that Diawara would be getting an Exhibit 10 contract.

The Knicks aren’t done making roster additions. According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), the team has also reached a training camp agreement with veteran center Alex Len, who was working out for New York this week.

The fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len has been in the NBA for 12 seasons, primarily as a backup big man. In 2024/25, he appeared in 46 total games for the Kings and Lakers and played a very modest role, averaging just 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per night.

There has been no formal announcement yet regarding Len or veteran wing Matt Ryan, who is expected to re-sign with the Knicks on a non-guaranteed deal. The club also has a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Kevin McCullar Jr.

With 19 players now officially under contract, there’s not enough room for New York to sign Len, Ryan, and McCullar without making a cut, but more shuffling of players on and off the roster figures to occur in the coming days and weeks.

Pate and Warren will probably be the first players waived and appear likely to end up with the Westchester Knicks in the G League. Brogdon, Shamet, and Mathews are expected to be competing for a regular season roster spot — it’s possible Ryan and Len could be involved in that competition too, though they look like longer shots to make the team.

Diawara has an inside track for a standard roster spot because of the Knicks’ hard-cap situation, which requires them to carry a drafted rookie on a minimum-salary contract if they don’t shed salary in a trade. Evbuomwan, meanwhile, is a candidate to have his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal.

Timberwolves Re-Sign Bones Hyland

September 16th, 2025 at 6:23am CST by Luke Adams

September 16: Hyland signed a one-year contract that includes a partial guarantee of $425K, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

September 15: The Timberwolves have re-signed free agent guard Bones Hyland, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

Hyland, who turned 25 on Sunday, finished last season on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves after being waived by Atlanta. The 6’2″ combo guard made just four NBA appearances for Minnesota after seeing action in 20 games for the Clippers earlier in the season. In total, he averaged 6.2 points and 1.3 assists in 10.0 minutes per contest on .398/.390/.885 shooting for the two teams in 2024/25.

Despite Hyland’s limited role last season, multiple reports in August indicated that the Timberwolves maintained interest in re-signing him. Minnesota’s president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has long been a fan of the former VCU standout, having used the 26th overall pick in 2021 to draft him back when Connelly was running the Nuggets’ front office.

Hyland showed some intriguing potential as a scorer and shooter during a season-and-a-half in Denver (10.9 PPG, .371 3PT%). However, the Nuggets – said to be concerned about Hyland’s defensive lapses and his displeasure with his role – sent him to the Clippers at the 2023 deadline after Calvin Booth had replaced Connelly as the Nuggets’ top decision-maker.

Hyland never really found his footing in Los Angeles, appearing in just 71 games over the last two years and averaging 7.8 PPG on .392/.349/.812 shooting during that time. He was traded to Atlanta in February as part of the Terance Mann/Bogdan Bogdanovic swap and was quickly waived by the Hawks, clearing a path for a reunion with Connelly.

Details of Hyland’s new deal aren’t yet known, but it’s almost certainly a minimum-salary contract. Jake Fischer reported last month that Hyland may end up receiving a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed salary if and when he re-signed with the Wolves.

Minnesota entered the day with just 13 players on standard contracts and roughly $5.9MM in breathing room below the second tax apron, so assuming Hyland received a minimum deal, the team still has enough room to sign a 15th man without surpassing the second-apron threshold. Bringing in other camp invitees to compete with Hyland for the 14th roster spot would also be an option if his deal isn’t guaranteed.

Bismack Biyombo Re-Signs With Spurs

September 15th, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:04 pm: The Spurs have put out a press release officially announcing Biyombo’s deal with the team. While the club didn’t announce a corresponding move, NBA.com’s transaction log confirms that Miller was waived to make room on the roster for the big man.

11:15 am: Biyombo’s contract will be non-guaranteed, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

10:42 am: Bismack Biyombo will return to the Spurs on a one-year contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal was confirmed by Biyombo’s agents at Wasserman, Charania adds.

The 33-year-old center moved into the starting lineup last season after signing with San Antonio in early March. He appeared in 28 games, making 26 starts, and averaged 5.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per night while shooting 58.8% from the field.

Biyombo is likely slated for a reserve role this season with Victor Wembanyama returning from a blood clot issue in his right shoulder and Luke Kornet being added in free agency. He gives the Spurs an experienced backup who can rebound, block shots and finish at the rim.

This will be the 15th season for Biyombo, who began his career in Charlotte after being selected with the seventh pick in the 2011 draft. He has spent time with seven NBA teams, but was out of the league last season before coming to San Antonio.

Biyombo’s signing will bring the Spurs to 15 standard contracts. The only player in the current 14-man group without a full guarantee is Lindy Waters III, whose one-year minimum deal is only guaranteed for $500K until the league-wide guarantee date of January 10.

San Antonio is currently at the offseason roster limit of 21 players, so another move will have to be made before Biyombo’s contract is finalized. That could involve waiving Isaiah Miller, who signed a training camp deal over the weekend.

Warriors Made New Offer To Jonathan Kuminga, But Stalemate Continues

September 15th, 2025 at 9:10am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors made a new contract offer to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga last week, hoping to end the standoff that has prevented them from completing other offseason moves, sources tell Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN.

Golden State’s latest proposal is a three-year, $75.2MM deal with a team option in the third season, according to the authors’ sources. It includes $48.3MM in guaranteed money over the first two years, which Slater and Charania point out is nearly equal to the annual salary that restricted free agent Josh Giddey received last week in his new contract with Chicago. They add that the major difference is that Giddey received four guaranteed years with no options on either side, while Kuminga would most likely be a trade asset under his next contract rather than part of the team’s long-term future.

The offer is an increase from the two-year, $45MM contract that was presented to Kuminga and his representatives earlier this summer. That deal also included a team option on the final season and a demand that Kuminga waive his inherent no-trade clause.

The authors describe the Warriors’ insistence on those provisions, even in the new proposal, as a “major part” of the prolonged standoff. Their sources say Golden State’s only offer without a team option was for $54MM over three years, which brings the annual salary down to $18MM.

Kuminga has been requesting a player option to give him more control over his future, sources tell Slater and Charania. He and agent Aaron Turner have been willing to accept a yearly salary in the $20MM range as a tradeoff, but they believe agreeing to a team option should bring Kuminga’s salary up to about $30MM per year. The Warriors consider a player option to be a “nonstarter,” according to the authors.

The latest proposal from Kuminga and his agent is described as a “souped-up version” of Golden State’s qualifying offer, which is also still on the table. Kuminga would receive more money than the $8MM QO that was tendered in late June, but it would be a one-year deal that makes him an unrestricted free agent next summer and allows the Warriors to shop him as an expiring contract heading into the trade deadline. It also creates the possibility that Kuminga could spend another full season with the team and start negotiations fresh next offseason.

General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. turned down that idea, the authors state, as owner Joe Lacob is reportedly unwilling to accept any deal that puts the Warriors at risk of losing Kuminga next summer while getting nothing in return.

Lacob has been a strong believer in Kuminga ever since he advocated drafting him ahead of Franz Wagner in 2021, according to the authors. Sources tell them that Lacob refused to part with Kuminga in a proposed trade with Chicago for Alex Caruso two years ago, and he remained a vocal supporter even when the forward was removed from Steve Kerr‘s rotation last season. But sources tell the authors that Lacob has never intervened with Kerr on Kuminga’s behalf and has allowed the coach to make his own decisions about who gets on the court.

Kerr has indicated that Kuminga would see ample playing time this season if he opts to re-sign, according to Slater and Charania’s sources. However, Kuminga’s camp has pointed to comments that Kerr made during the playoffs — stating that Kuminga isn’t a natural fit alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler — and they suggest that staying with Golden State might not be the best move for Kuminga’s career.

Before the Warriors shut down the idea of a sign-and-trade, they received offers from the Suns (who intended to pay Kuminga about $80-88MM over four years) and Kings (three years at $63-66MM), who were both willing to give him a player option and make him their starting power forward.

However, the Warriors weren’t satisfied with the return in the proposed deals, which reportedly would have brought Royce O’Neale and second-round draft compensation from Phoenix or Malik Monk and a protected first-rounder from Sacramento.

With training camp starting in two weeks, the authors state that Kuminga’s best hope is for Lacob to intervene, either to give him the financial compensation that he wants or ease his pathway to another team. The Warriors have several moves on hold that can’t be completed until the Kuminga situation is resolved, so a final decision will have to be made soon.

Kai Jones Signs With Anadolu Efes

September 15th, 2025 at 7:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 15: Jones’ new contract with Anadolu Efes is official, according to Eurohoops.

SEPTEMBER 11: Free agent big man Kai Jones is close to signing with Turkey’s Anadolu Efes, BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas reports.

Jones worked out for the Heat last month but his chances of getting a contract with Miami waned after the team decided to ink Dru Smith. Prior to his workout, Jones was reportedly close to signing with Italy’s Virtus Bologna.

Jones played 40 games for the Clippers and Mavericks in ’24/25, averaging 5.0 PPG and 3.1 RPG while shooting 79.8% from the field in 11.7 MPG.

Jones began last season on a two-way contract with the Clippers, then was waived on March 1 so the team could bring in a couple of new two-way players. He caught on immediately with the injury-plagued Mavericks, who were desperately seeking frontcourt depth as they pushed for a play-in spot.

The 24-year-old center was the 19th pick of the 2021 draft. He spent his first two seasons in the league with the Hornets.

Jones’ contract with Anadolu Efes in expected to include an exit clause in January, Urbonas adds.

Malik Beasley Remains Interested In Pistons Reunion

September 14th, 2025 at 9:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

Malik Beasley‘s status for next season is still very much up in the air, but there’s still interest in a potential reunion with the Pistons, at least from the player’s side, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

“It’s definitely a place I want to be,” Beasley said following the Pistons’ playoff elimination at the hands of the Knicks. “To be here, my mom’s hometown, I grew up here a lot in the summertime. To be able to perform in front of this city is huge and I’m glad I got a chance to do that.”

Beasley became just the fifth player in NBA history to hit 300 three-pointers in a season, Sankofa notes, and was the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year during his lone season in Detroit. He also became a valuable locker room presence for the young up-and-coming team.

Thanks to his and the team’s success, the Pistons entered the summer with the intention of signing the veteran guard to a three-year, $42MM deal, but the reports of Beasley’s status at the center of a federal gambling investigation threw his playing status into doubt and caused the team to pursue other options: notably, signing Caris LeVert and executing a sign-and-trade for Duncan Robinson.

Beasley’s lawyer, Steve Haney, confirmed that despite still being under a league investigation, Beasley is looking forward to next season — and remains interested in a reunion with the Pistons.

“I do know that Malik, if there’s a pathway, would like to look at being considered to play for Detroit again next season,” Haney said. “I’m not his agent, though, so I don’t know if there’s still interest there, I don’t know if there’s still money there, what the mutual level of interest there is in him returning to Detroit. I know that he’s got a lot of love for Detroit and would like to, if possible, look at maybe coming back.”

The Pistons currently have 13 fully guaranteed contracts, plus Javonte Green‘s partially guaranteed minimum deal. The team holds Beasley’s Non-Bird rights, meaning it could offer him a multi-year deal with an initial annual salary worth up to $7.2MM. If Detroit were to sign him to a four-year deal, it would likely come to around $31MM in totality, marking at least an $11MM drop from the contract Beasley entered the summer expecting to land.

The Cavaliers, Knicks, and Timberwolves had previously expressed interest in Beasley, though the Knicks have began filling out their training camp roster with veterans that have a similar skill set in Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon, and Garrison Mathews, and are reportedly interested in keeping at least two of the three.

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