Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Sign, Waive John Butler, Stephen Thompson

October 16th, 2025 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

5:00 pm: Both players have been waived, per NBA.com’s log of official transactions.

4:25 pm: The Bucks have added center John Butler Jr. and guard Stephen Thompson Jr. to their preseason roster, according to RealGM’s transaction log. Both players signed Exhibit 10 contracts, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Butler, who will turn 23 in December, appeared in 19 NBA games for Portland in 2022/23, but has been in the G League for the past couple seasons. He finished the ’24/25 campaign with the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.2 assists in 30.3 minutes per game across nine outings for Milwaukee’s NBAGL affiliate.

Butler was teammates during that time with Thompson, who has spent the past two seasons with the Herd. He emerged as a key contributor last season, with averages of 14.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 48 games (31.4 MPG). The former Oregon State standout was also a reliable floor-spacer for Wisconsin, knocking down 38.7% of his 6.0 three-point attempts per contest.

As is the case with most Exhibit 10 recipients at this time of year, Butler and Thompson will almost certainly be waived in the next day or two and then report back to the Herd. If they spend at least 60 days with the Bucks’ affiliate, they’ll be eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $85,300 as a result of their Exhibit 10 deals.

Alex Antetokounmpo Joins Brothers On Bucks Via Two-Way Deal

October 16th, 2025 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

October 16: Antetokounmpo’s two-way deal with Milwaukee is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

October 13: The Bucks are signing Alex Antetokounmpo to a two-way deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

He joins older brothers Giannis and Thanasis, who are both on standard contracts. This will mark the first time in NBA history that three brothers are on active roster contracts with the same team, Charania adds.

The Bucks are waiving Jamaree Bouyea to open up a two-way slot for the younger Antetokounmpo, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Alex Antetokounmpo has mainly spent his pro career in the G League. He played for the Raptors 905 in 2021/22 and the Bucks’ affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, from 2022-24 after signing camps deals with the NBA teams and then getting waived during training camp.

Antetokounmpo also had stints in Lithuania, Montenegro and Greece. He requested his release from PAOK in the Greece Basketball League in August, then joined Aris Thessaloniki, another club in Greece, but only appeared in two games with that team. A report surfaced last week that he was headed to the U.S. to play in the G League again.

The addition of Alex can certainly be construed as another way of keeping his superstar brother happy in Milwaukee. There have been persistent rumors regarding Giannis’ future, including a report last week that the Knicks had preliminary discussions this summer with the Bucks regarding a blockbuster trade.

Kings Sign, Waive DaQuan Jeffries

October 16th, 2025 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

October 16: Jeffries has officially been signed and waived, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

October 15: The Kings intend to sign and waive free agent swingman DaQuan Jeffries, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), who says the plan is to have him join the Stockton Kings in the G League.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) first reported that Jeffries had agreed to a deal with Sacramento.

Jeffries has spent the past six seasons in the NBA and has appeared in 111 total regular season games, including 47 last season for Charlotte. Signed and traded from the Knicks to the Hornets in the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster last October, the 28-year-old averaged 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game for the Hornets, with a .405/.335/.800 shooting line.

While Jeffries’ contract covered three seasons, only one year was guaranteed, so it came as no real surprise that the Hornets – dealing with a roster crunch – waived him last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Jeffries will be rejoining the organization he began his NBA career with — he spent his rookie season in 2019/20 on a two-way deal with the Kings, then was on a standard deal with the club for most of the ’20/21 campaign. Assuming he signs an Exhibit 10 contract, which is a safe bet, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his base G League salary as long as he spends at least 60 days with Stockton.

Spurs Exercise 2026/27 Options On Wembanyama, Castle

October 16th, 2025 at 4:55pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs have exercised their 2026/27 rookie scale team options on Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

French big man Wembanyama will now earn $16,868,246 next season in the final year of his rookie contract. He will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer. Former UConn guard Castle, meanwhile, will earn $10,015,920 in ’26/27, which will be his third season.

Given the way the early portions of their careers have played out, both players were locks to have their options picked up.

After earning Rookie of the Year honors and finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year during his debut in 2023/24, Wembanyama had a superlative second season in ’24/25, making his first All-Star appearance and averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 blocks in 33.2 minutes per game.

However, shortly after the All-Star break, the 21-year-old center was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot — in his shoulder, cutting his season short. Despite playing just 46 games, Wembanyama still led the NBA in total blocked shots (176) by a wide margin — Brook Lopez was second with 148.

Wembanyama, 21, was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft. He was medically cleared to resume full basketball activities in July.

Castle was the second straight Spur to win Rookie of the Year following a debut season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 81 games, including 47 starts (26.7 minutes per contest). Castle, who turns 21 in a couple weeks, was the fourth pick of last year’s draft.

We’re tracking all of the rookie scale team option decisions for ’26/27 right here.

Raptors Waive Lawson, Chomche, Roddy, Rhoden, Sarr

October 16th, 2025 at 3:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors have waived A.J. Lawson, Ulrich Chomche, David Roddy, Jared Rhoden and Olivier Sarr, the team announced on Thursday (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca).

Lawson, 25, is a Toronto native who holds three years of NBA experience. He signed a two-way deal with his hometown team in December and was promoted to a multiyear standard deal in April, just before last season ended. However, Lawson’s salary for 2025/26 was non-guaranteed, so the Raptors won’t have any dead money on their books by releasing him.

Both Murphy and Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links) say Lawson was viewed as the frontrunner to fill the team’s 15th standard roster spot to open the season, if Toronto had chosen to go that route. Instead the Raptors opted for financial flexibility due to their current cap/tax situation.

In 26 games (18.7 minutes per contest) with the Raptors last season, Lawson averaged 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds on .421/.327/.683 shooting. He has also played for Dallas and Minnesota.

Chomche, who is still only 19 years old, was the 57th pick of the 2024 draft. The Cameroonian big man was on a two-way contract with the Raptors, who now have a two-way opening.

As Lewenberg notes (via Twitter), Chomche earned praise for the progress he made last season in the G League with the Raptors 905, but he unfortunately suffered a torn MCL in his right knee in February, cutting his rookie campaign short. He also flashed some interesting tools at Summer League in July, but he has been sidelined for all of training camp and preseason with an undisclosed injury.

Roddy, a former first-round pick (23rd overall in 2022) who has played for five different teams in three NBA seasons, was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp, as were Rhoden and Sarr. All three players are now eligible for a bonus worth $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the Raptors 905.

The Raptors now have 14 players on standard contracts, all of which are guaranteed, plus rookie guards Alijah Martin and Chucky Hepburn on two-way deals.

Kings Sign To Keegan Murray To Five-Year Extension

October 16th, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Eli Cohen

October 16: Murray’s extension with the Kings is now official, per the team (link to press release).

“Keegan is one of the most versatile players in the league,” Kings general manager Scott Perry said in a statement. “He’s shown that he can defend multiple positions and efficiently shoot the ball from the perimeter. Keegan is also a young man of high character who reflects the vision we’re shaping in Sacramento.”

October 15: The Kings have agreed to sign Keegan Murray to a five-year, $140MM rookie contract extension, reports Shams Charania for ESPN (via Twitter).

Murray, who turned 25 in August, was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Iowa. He holds career averages of 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on .451/.372/.812 shooting splits.

Murray experienced a breakout sophomore season in 2023/24, averaging 15.2 PPG and 5.5 RPG while recording a steal and nearly a block per game. However, he took a slight step back in his third year last season as Sacramento brought in more offensive firepower around him in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

Murray has shown the potential to be a high-level shooter and wing defender, and spoke recently about his excitement for Dennis Schröder to take on some of the tougher backcourt assignments, which would free him up to defend opposing teams’ best wings and forwards.

He also recently stated his two goals for the season: to hit at least 40% of his threes and to win the league’s Most Improved Player award.

Murray recently underwent surgery to address a torn thumb ligament and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

James Ham of The Kings Beat notes (via Twitter) that Murray is expected to officially sign his new contract in the next 24-to-48 hours, ahead of Monday’s rookie scale extension deadline. ESPN’s Anthony Slater adds (via Twitter) that there are no team or player options on the five-year deal, which will run through 2030/31.

Murray is the sixth player this offseason to agree to a rookie scale extension, joining Magic forward Paolo Banchero, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., Heat forward Nikola Jovic, and Thunder teammates Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. He’s now locked into the Kings’ long-term plans, with the longest-running contract on the team.

Celtics Convert Ron Harper Jr. To Two-Way Deal

October 16th, 2025 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

2:49 pm: The Celtics have officially converted Harper’s Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

12:04 pm: After waiving RJ Luis on Wednesday, the Celtics are poised to convert Ron Harper Jr. to a two-way contract, agent Drew Gross tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Harper is currently under contract with Boston on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal. Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-ways up until next Monday, the day before the regular season begins.

A 6’6″ forward, Harper spent the majority of last season in the NBA G League, averaging 16.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.9 steals per game in 37 total appearances with the Motor City Cruise and Maine Celtics (29.6 MPG). He shot 38.6% from three-point range on high volume (8.2 attempts per game).

Harper has averaged 4.3 PPG, 1.0 APG, and 0.7 RPG in 10.6 MPG across three outings with the Celtics during the preseason.

Although he has made just 11 total regular season appearances from 2022-25, Harper technically has three years of NBA service, having suited up for at least one game in each of the past three seasons, so this will be his final year of two-way eligibility. That means his new two-way deal will just cover a single season before he becomes a free agent again in 2026.

2025 second-round picks Amari Williams and Max Shulga are Boston’s other two-way players.

Thunder Sign Cameron Brown, Waive Erik Reynolds

October 16th, 2025 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have signed free agent forward Cameron Brown, the team announced today. Guard Erik Reynolds, who was signed on Wednesday, has been waived to create room on the roster for the newcomer.

A 6’6″ wing who played his college ball at Saint Joseph’s from 2019-24, Brown went undrafted a year ago and spent the 2024/25 season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League. In 43 total outings for the Thunder’s NBAGL affiliate, he averaged 7.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.6 minutes per game and posted a .397/.339/.633 shooting line.

Although Brown’s numbers were modest, the Thunder saw enough to want to keep him in the organization. The plan is likely to waive him at some point in the next couple days and have him rejoin the Blue in the coming weeks.

Players who sign Exhibit 10 contracts can earn bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with their team’s NBAGL affiliate. However, it’s possible Brown’s bonus will come in below that maximum, given his relatively modest role at the G League level.

Reynolds, after being signed and waived by the Thunder, is also on track to be part of the Blue’s roster this fall.

Celtics Sign Hason Ward To Exhibit 10 Contract

October 16th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have signed free agent forward Hason Ward to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Ward, who went undrafted out of Iowa State in 2024, spent his first professional season with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate. He also stints with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in the summers of 2024 and 2025.

In 50 G League games last season for Maine, Ward averaged 7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 21.9 minutes per contest. He made 66.0% of shot attempts from the floor but just 50% from the free throw line.

It’s a virtual certainty that Ward will be waived at some point in the next 24 to 48 hours, which would put him on track to rejoin the Celtics’ G League team this fall. His Exhibit 10 bonus would ensure that he receives a bonus worth as much as $85,300 on top of his standard NBAGL salary if he spends at least 60 days with Maine.

Boston had an open spot on its 21-man roster after waiving two-way player RJ Luis on Wednesday, so Ward filled that opening.

Grizzlies Sign Nate Hinton, Waive Charlie Brown Jr.

October 16th, 2025 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have made a minor change to their roster ahead of Friday’s preseason finale, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed swingman Nate Hinton and waived guard Charlie Brown Jr.

Hinton, 26, appeared in 38 regular season games for Dallas, Indiana, and Houston from 2021-24 but was out of the league last year after being waived by the Rockets ahead of opening night.

Hinton appeared in a total of 37 games in the G League in 2024/25 for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ affiliate. He averaged 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 29.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .483/.378/.614.

The 6’5″ guard/forward appears likely to report back to the Hustle this fall. Assuming he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Grizzlies, which is likely, he’ll be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with Memphis’ affiliate.

That’s also likely the plan for Brown, who signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Grizzlies earlier this week.