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Spurs Pick Up 2025/26 Options On Wembanyama, Three Others

October 18th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have exercised their rookie scale team options for the 2025/26 season on four players, including last year’s No. 1 overall pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, the team announced today in a press release. Here are the four options picked up by San Antonio:

Wembanyama (third year, $13,376,880)
Jeremy Sochan (fourth year, $7,096,231)
Malaki Branham (fourth year, $4,962,033)
Blake Wesley (fourth year, $4,726,328)

All four players already had guaranteed salaries for the 2024/25 season. Now they’re locked up for at least the next two seasons, with the salary figures above applying to the ’25/26 cap.

Wembanyama’s option decision was a no-brainer coming off a rookie campaign in which he averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game, earning All-Defensive First Team honors and finishing as the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. It seems pretty safe to assume the Spurs will also pick up his 2026/27 team option next fall and then offer him a maximum-salary extension in the summer of 2026.

The other option decisions weren’t quite as obvious, though Sochan and Branham played regular rotation roles in their age-20 seasons in 2023/24 and took steps forward in their development. Sochan looked more comfortable after being moved out of the point guard position midway through the season, while Branham improved his three-point percentage to 34.7%.

Wesley has played the most limited role of any of these four Spurs during the early stages of his NBA career, averaging just 14.4 minutes per game in 61 outings last season. He also hasn’t proven to be a reliable option on offense, with a career shooting line of .398/.299/.639. But he’s one of the team’s strongest defenders and earned praise from veteran forward Harrison Barnes during training camp for his play on that side of the ball.

Sochan, Branham, and Wesley will all be eligible for rookie scale extensions during the 2025 offseason.

We’re tracking all of the 2025/26 rookie scale team option decisions right here. They’re due by October 31.

Extension Rumors: Durant, Kuminga, Moody, Sengun, Green, Gordon

October 18th, 2024 at 6:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns forward Kevin Durant won’t sign a contract extension before the regular season begins, Shams Charania said during an appearance on Friday’s episode of NBA Today on ESPN (YouTube link).

As we outlined on Thursday, Durant – who has two years left on his current maximum-salary deal – is eligible until October 21 to sign a one-year extension worth up to $59.5MM. If he doesn’t sign that extension by Monday, his next opportunity to extend his contract will come during the 2025 offseason.

Durant downplayed the likelihood of completing a deal this fall, but has expressed “publicly and privately how much he loves Phoenix,” according to Charania, who suggests that both the former MVP and the team are focused on getting something done next offseason, when Durant could add two new years to his current contract for a total of $123.8MM.

The Over-38 rule prohibits Durant from signing any deal that would keep him under contract for four or more total years going forward.

Here are a few more of the latest updates on players who are eligible for contract extensions:

The Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga remain “far apart” in their extension negotiations, according to Charania, who said during that same NBA Today segment that there’s a sense Kuminga may enter the season without a new deal in place, putting him on track for restricted free agency in 2025. Charania adds that the Warriors forward is comfortable with the idea of betting on himself in 2024/25 and trying to earn a maximum-salary contract – or something close to it – next summer. Moses Moody appears “much more likely” than Kuminga to sign an extension with Golden State before Monday’s deadline, per Charania.
The Rockets have had “productive” conversations with both Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green and have made extension offers that would provide them with long-term financial security, according to Charania. However, Charania notes that those offers are below the max, so Sengun and Green will have to decide whether they’re willing to accept those deals or if they want to push for bigger paydays by opting for restricted free agency.
The Nuggets and forward Aaron Gordon are in “active conversations” about an extension, per Charania. Gordon is eligible to sign for up to $143.3MM on a four-year deal that would begin in 2025/26, though ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that Denver is hoping to get him to accept a little less than that. “They haven’t handed out that (max) offer,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “Otherwise he would have signed it. From what I understand, they are negotiating and they’re hopeful of getting him at less than what would be his quote, unquote max.”
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks examines some of this year’s top extension candidates and shares the offers he’d put on the table for several of them, including $148MM for Jalen Johnson, $128MM for Josh Giddey, and a whopping $165MM for Jalen Suggs (all five-year deals).

Knicks’ Shamet Diagnosed With Dislocated Shoulder

October 18th, 2024 at 5:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks wing Landry Shamet, who suffered an injury during Tuesday’s preseason game against Charlotte, has been diagnosed with a dislocated right shoulder and will be reevaluated at a later date, the team announced today (via Twitter).

According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), Shamet’s injured right shoulder continues to be examined, but there’s “initial optimism” about his odds of avoiding surgery.

Although Shamet is with the Knicks this fall on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract, reports throughout the preseason indicated he was a strong contender to earn a spot on the team’s regular season roster. His injury complicates matters, since New York lacks back-end roster depth and spending flexibility below its hard cap — retaining and paying Shamet while he’s injured may not be the best use of a roster spot or of the team’s limited spending room.

The Knicks’ 12 players on fully guaranteed salaries count for about $185.35MM against the apron, leaving just $3.58MM in wiggle room below the team’s second apron ($188.93MM) hard cap. That’s not even enough for two minimum-salary veterans, so the club will likely fill its roster with one minimum-salary vet and one minimum-salary rookie (Ariel Hukporti is reportedly the frontrunner to be converted).

As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic points out (via Twitter), the fact that the Knicks said Shamet will be evaluated “at a later date” may be a signal that they don’t plan to waive him, though that’s hardly a sure thing. If Shamet is cut, the Exhibit 9 language in his contract means the team would only be on the hook for $15K rather than having to pay his salary until he gets healthy.

We should get clarity soon on the Knicks’ plans, but it’s worth noting that the team is permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time and for up to 28 total days during the 2024/25 season. That means New York could opt to waive Shamet and its other camp invitees while postponing Hukporti’s conversion for now, rolling with just 12 players on the standard roster for the season’s first 14 days. The Knicks could then bring back Shamet at a later date.

Wolves’ Omoruyi, Lakers’ Goodwin Among Latest Players Waived

October 18th, 2024 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have waived forward Eugene Omoruyi, the team announced today (via Twitter). Omoruyi had been in training camp with Minnesota on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract.

While it initially looked like there might be a path for Omoruyi to compete for a roster spot, that became a more uphill battle following the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, which added two extra players on guaranteed contracts to Minnesota’s roster. The team now has 15 players with fully guaranteed salaries, plus PJ Dozier on a partially guaranteed deal, leaving no room for Omoruyi, who only got into one preseason game.

Omoruyi, 27, has played for the Mavericks, Thunder, Pistons, and Wizards since making his NBA debut in the fall of 2021. The 6’7″ forward made a career-high 43 appearances for Washington last season, averaging 4.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 0.8 APG in 9.1 MPG. His contract with the Wizards covered the 2024/25 season, but his salary was non-guaranteed and Washington opted to waive him in August.

Since Omoruyi had an Exhibit 10 clause in his contract, he’d be able to earn a $77.5K bonus if he ends up spending at least 60 days with the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota’s G League affiliate. He also still has one year of two-way eligibility remaining, so he could get a look from teams with an open two-way slot.

Here are a few more of the latest minor moves from around the NBA:

The Lakers announced on Friday that they have waived guard Jordan Goodwin and center Kylor Kelley and signed Grayson Murphy to an Exhibit 10 deal (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). All three players will likely be headed to the South Bay Lakers to open 2024/25.
The Cavaliers have placed Darius Brown II and Elijah Hughes on waivers, according to NBA.com’s official transaction log. Both players will likely report to the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate, where their Exhibit 10 contracts will allow them to earn bonuses worth up to $77.5K apiece. Brown is eligible to be designated as an “affiliate player,” while Hughes’ returning rights were acquired by the Charge earlier this month.
About 24 hours after signing him to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Trail Blazers have waived center Nick Muszynski, per NBA.com. His next stop figures to be with the Rip City Remix, Portland’s NBAGL team.
The Kings have signed free agent forward Shareef O’Neal to a training camp deal and plan to waive him on Saturday, according to Jake Gadon of CBS Sacramento (Twitter link). O’Neal, the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, will head to the Stockton Kings and will be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Stockton.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Pacers Exercise Three 2025/26 Options, Waive Cole Swider

October 18th, 2024 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have completed a series of transactions, announcing in a press release that they’ve exercised their 2025/26 team options on swingman Bennedict Mathurin, forward Jarace Walker, and guard Ben Sheppard. The team also requested waivers on forward Cole Swider.

The option pick-ups are fairly routine housekeeping moves that ensure all three recent first-round picks now have guaranteed salaries for at least one more season beyond ’24/25. Mathurin’s fourth-year option is worth $9,187,573, while Walker’s third-year option is worth $6,665,520 and Sheppard’s will pay him $2,790,720.

Mathurin will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2025 offseason, while Indiana will have fourth-year option decisions to make on Walker and Sheppard next fall.

The release of Swider is the most notable transaction in the bunch, as the Pacers’ decision to cut Kendall Brown earlier this week seemingly paved the way for Swider to earn a spot on the 15-man regular season roster. Still, Indiana isn’t far below the luxury tax line, so the club may opt to open the regular season with just 14 players on standard contracts, leaving that final spot open to maximize its roster and financial flexibility.

Of course, regular season rosters don’t have to be finalized until Monday, so there’s still time for the Pacers to make additional moves. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, the team could theoretically promote one of its current two-way players to a standard deal and bring back Swider on a two-way contract. However, there have been no reports yet suggesting that’s the plan.

Swider’s non-guaranteed training camp contract with the Pacers didn’t include Exhibit 10 language, so it doesn’t appear likely that he’ll end up with the Indiana Mad Ants, the team’s G League affiliate.

Kings Waive Terry Taylor, Brodric Thomas

October 18th, 2024 at 3:17pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings have waived forward Terry Taylor and wing Brodric Thomas, sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).

Taylor was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp. Assuming he clears waivers, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the G League’s Stockton Kings. Thomas’ deal didn’t include Exhibit 10 language, so he wouldn’t be eligible for the same bonus.

Taylor is a three-year veteran who has previously played for the Pacers and Bulls. In 93 regular season games, he holds career averages of 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest.

Thomas, 27, has appeared in 44 NBA games with Houston, Cleveland and Boston over two seasons from 2020-22. He spent last season in the G League with the Clippers’ affiliate.

After waiving Boogie Ellis earlier in the day and releasing Taylor and Thomas, the Kings now have 18 players under contract, with all three two-way spots filled.

Bulls Notes: Ball, Future, Vucevic, Smith, Reinsdorf

October 18th, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball made his long-awaited return to the court on Wednesday and received a standing ovation from the United Center crowd when he checked in, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Wednesday’s preseason victory over Minnesota marked Ball’s first official NBA game since January 14, 2022 — nearly three years ago (33 months).

“Felt a lot better playing than watching,” Ball said after the game. “I couldn’t even put it into words how it felt being out there. … It was definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”

Ball, who has battled chronic left knee soreness and underwent three surgeries since his last game, made an immediate impact in his return, recording 10 points (on 4-of-6 shooting), one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block in 15 minutes. He said he didn’t think about his knee “at all” during the game and he plans to suit up again in Friday’s preseason finale vs. Cleveland.

“My game is pretty simple,” Ball said, per Darnell Mayberry and Jenna West of The Athletic. “I know what I can do out there. It’s not too complicated. I’m going to go in, give good minutes and hopefully contribute to winning. All the instinctive plays, that’s not going to go anywhere. It’s more about the on-ball and getting over screens like I used to; getting that back. But off the ball, I feel comfortable.”

While it was a very encouraging return, Ball will be closely monitored throughout the season. He’ll likely be given regular rest days and will be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future.

“We have a good handle right now, but I think it’s going to change throughout the year,” Ball said, according to Collier. “Every day is going to be a different challenge we just have to overcome.”

Here’s more on the Bulls:

If Ball can stay healthy and steadily increase his minutes, the former No. 2 overall pick could become a valuable trade target for a contending team, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times contends. Ball, who turns 27 years old later this month, is on an expiring $21.4MM contract, and the Bulls have a glut of guards on their roster, making his return somewhat awkward from a rotation standpoint, Cowley observes.
The Bulls have been playing at a much faster pace in the preseason compared to the past few seasons. Veteran center Nikola Vucevic isn’t known for his mobility, but he will remain in the starting lineup, with free agent addition Jalen Smith serving as his primary backup, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. “We’ve done stuff in practice where we’ve mixed and matched teams,” head coach Billy Donovan said Wednesday. “We’ve moved guys around. We have done that. But I would envision Vooch starting and [Smith] backing him up. And then [Smith] gives us a little different dynamic in terms of the small-ball five.” Donovan added that the two big men could share the court together at times, as both are capable of stretching the floor.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling MLB’s White Sox and is in active discussions with a prospective ownership group. Would a potential White Sox sale impact the Bulls? According to Cowley, the answer is a resounding no — Reinsdorf and his son Michael view the Bulls as a long-term family investment that will continue to grow in value over time.

Hawks Waive Kevon Harris, Daeqon Plowden

October 18th, 2024 at 1:03pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hawks have waived Kevon Harris and Daeqwon Plowden, the team announced in a press release.

Both Harris and Plowden were signed to Exhibit 10 contracts and will likely be headed to the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBA G League affiliate, to open the 2024/25 season. Each player could earn a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with College Park.

Harris, a 6’5″ guard, went undrafted out of Stephen F. Austin in 2020. He has spent the past two seasons on a two-way deal with the Magic, appearing in 36 total NBA games. The Georgia native is a G League veteran, having previously suited up for the Raptors 905 in addition to the Osceola Magic.

Plowden caught on with Atlanta after he was waived by the Warriors in September. He spent about two months on a two-way deal with Golden State after impressing during Summer League action.

A 6’6″ wing who went undrafted out of Bowling Green in 2022, Plowden has spent his first two professional seasons in the NBAGL, suiting up for the Birmingham Squadron and Osceola, the affiliate teams of New Orleans and Orlando, respectively.

Atlanta’s roster is down to 18 players, which is the regular season limit. The Hawks have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, with all three two-way spots filled.

Hornets’ Charlie Brown Jr. Among Latest NBA Cuts

October 18th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets have waived Charlie Brown Jr., Harry Giles and Keyontae Johnson, the team confirmed in a press release. Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer was first to report the moves (Twitter link).

Brown has appeared in 49 regular season games with Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Philadelphia and New York over the course of his four NBA seasons. The 27-year-old was signed-and-traded to the Hornets from the Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster.

While it’s not surprising that Brown was released given Charlotte’s roster situation, it’s still a noteworthy event because he will be owed a guaranteed $2,237,692 for the 2024/25 season. Assuming he goes unclaimed, the Hornets will carry that salary as a dead-money cap hit on their books.

Notably, veteran swingman DaQuan Jeffries — another player acquired via sign-and-trade from the Knicks — was not cut today. That could mean the Hornets plan to keep him into the start of the regular season even though he fractured a bone in his hand last week. The team didn’t give a timetable for his return.

Both Giles and Johnson were on non-guaranteed training camp deals. A North Carolina native who played college ball at Duke, Giles is a former first-round pick (No. 20 overall in 2017) whose career was derailed by a series of major knee injuries. The 26-year-old big man split last season with the Nets and Lakers.

As for Johnson, he spent 2023/24 — his rookie season — on a two-way contract with the Thunder, but they chose not to give him a two-way qualifying offer over the summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Johnson, who had Exhibit 10 language in his contract, can earn a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s NBA G League affiliate. Giles’ deal didn’t include an Exhibit 10 clause, so he wouldn’t be eligible for the same bonus and therefore seems unlikely to end up with the Swarm.

The Hornets now have 17 players under contract, with 14 players on guaranteed standard deals, Taj Gibson with a significant partial guarantee on his minimum-salary deal, and a pair of players on two-way contracts. NBA teams are permitted to carry three two-way players, so the team still has one roster vacancy ahead of the regular season.

Here are a few more players who were waived on Friday — all three were on non-guaranteed training camp deals:

The Kings have waived undrafted rookie Boogie Ellis, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter). The former USC guard, who had a solid preseason showing with Sacramento, will likely be headed to the Stockton Kings to begin his first professional season. Sacramento will still have to waive at least a couple more players beyond Ellis to set its regular season roster.
The Thunder announced that they have released Buddy Boeheim and Cormac Ryan. Both players will likely be headed to the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s NBAGL affiliate. The Thunder now have 18 players under contract, which is the regular season limit.

Heat Notes: Riley, Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Rozier

October 18th, 2024 at 8:40am CST by Rory Maher

Speaking on Thursday to a small group of reporters, including Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Heat president Pat Riley said 2024/25 is a critical campaign for the core trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who are entering their sixth season together.

“Six years, yeah, this is a telling year for the team. It should be,” Riley said. “They’ve been together for six years. The core has been together for six years, they’ve all gotten better.

“Everything changes, I think, for the better with continuity and the fact that we believe in this roster. Does it mean that if we don’t win this year or if we don’t go deep this year, there are going to be massive changes? No, it doesn’t mean that. But they should know that this should be a crucial year for them. They want to win. They’ve been [to the NBA Finals] twice, but they want to win.”

Two seasons ago, the Heat went 44-38, advanced to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament, and had a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals, ultimately losing to Denver in five games. Last season, the team went 46-36 and once again made the playoffs through the play-in, but dropped its first-round series to Philadelphia without Butler, who was injured.

Oddsmakers — and our readers — are relatively low on the Heat this season. While Riley acknowledged there are other strong contenders in the East, including the defending champion Celtics, he’s still bullish on his team’s upside.

“… I believe in this team, I truly believe in these guys. Bam, Jimmy and Tyler, to some extent maybe Terry [Rozier] have to be better,” Riley said. “It’s always about can you produce more, can you be more, can you be together more. I’ve seen the improvement. … So I think we have a core of really, really great players who need to find another level of greatness. This is their time. So take the challenge.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Riley reiterated the team’s best players need to try to play as many games as possible in ’24/25 and said he isn’t worried about Butler potentially opting out of his contract after the season, according to Chiang. Riley also acknowledged that ’23/24 was a difficult season for Butler on a personal level — his father passed away in February, causing him to miss some games — and that likely impacted his production, but he’s hoping the 35-year-old has a bounce-back performance in ’24/25.
Riley, 79, is entering his 30th season with Miami, but he has “no idea” when he might decide to retire, Chiang writes.
In another article for The Miami Herald, Chiang provides some takeaways from Wednesday’s preseason victory over Atlanta, which was the second of a back-to-back. As Chiang observes, Butler has suited up for all four of Miami’s preseason games thus far, a stark contrast to last October, when he didn’t play in any exhibition games. The five-time All-NBA forward was dominant on Wednesday, recording 24 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), five rebounds, three assists and three steals in just 21 minutes. Butler and several other rotation members won’t travel to Memphis for Friday’s preseason finale, Chiang adds.
Rozier and Herro didn’t play much together last season due to injuries, but head coach Erik Spoelstra is encouraged by what he’s seen from the starting backcourt duo during practices and preseason, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “They like each other,” Spoelstra said. “All the hard things, they already have those boxes checked. It’s just a matter of getting enough time together. More than anything, I just want the speed. The speed that they’re bringing our team right now is bringing a great deal of life. And I like it.”