Jalen Williams Signs Five-Year Max Extension With Thunder
July 13: Williams’ extension is official, the Thunder announced in a press release.
July 10: The defending champion Thunder and All-Star forward Jalen Williams have agreed to a maximum-salary rookie scale extension that covers five years, agents Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jordan Richard of Swish Cultures was first to report the news (via Twitter).
Williams’ new five-year extension is fully guaranteed and does not feature a player or team option, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Williams’ extension will kick in during the 2026/27 campaign and he will earn at least 25% of that season’s salary cap. Based on the NBA’s latest cap projection, that would work out to a five-year, $240MM deal.
I used the term “at least” because all three reports state that Williams could earn more than that (up to $287MM), which implies his new deal has Rose Rule language that would make him eligible for a starting salary worth up to 30% of next season’s cap if he meets certain performance criteria, such as making an All-NBA team.
The 24-year-old wing is coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 32.4 minutes per game across 69 outings, with a .484/.365/.789 shooting line. He earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team, as well as the All-NBA third team.
Despite that All-NBA nod in 2025, Williams has not yet met the Rose Rule performance criteria — he will have to achieve the performance criteria again in 2026 to reach that higher salary.
Williams averaged 21.4 points per game for the Thunder during their postseason run to a championship despite dealing with a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, which he underwent surgery to address. He recently said he was dealing with a wrist sprain for most of last season and tore the ligament on April 9.
Charania reported on Wednesday that Williams and the Thunder had “momentum” on an extension. Oklahoma City also agreed to five-year, maximum-salary deal with big man Chet Holmgren on Wednesday, though his rookie scale extension does not appear to contain Rose Rule language.
The Thunder have now locked up MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren to long-term mega-deals this offseason, with SGA officially signing his super-max extension on Tuesday.
Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Brown, Triano, Kolek
In an interview with Arthur Puybertier of BeBasket, a French basketball outlet, Guerschon Yabusele reveals that he strongly considered the Nuggets in free agency before deciding the allure of playing in New York was too strong to pass up. After returning to the NBA with an impressive season in Philadelphia, Yabusele accepted a two-year contract with the Knicks.
“It was super fast! As soon as I received (the offer from New York), I had to give an answer within two hours,” Yabusele said. “On the other side, we also had the one in Denver. You had to be quick not to miss the opportunity that New York represents, in a great living environment!”
Along with the lifestyle that comes with playing in the nation’s largest city, Yabusele is thrilled to be joining a title contender. Coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks have bolstered their roster with the addition of Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson while several other top Eastern teams are dealing with injuries to star players.
“When you look at New York, you can already see that the franchise has risen a lot in recent years,” Yabusele added. “They are conference finalists; the collective project is visible and very interesting for me. They are a very good team that plays very well together and is playing for the title! Having this goal was something important for me, I want to play for something. Apart from that, New York is a historic team. Playing at Madison Square Garden is the dream of every NBA player, including mine! It’s a special place, I’m very happy to be there!”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- New head coach Mike Brown is emphasizing quick decisions on offense, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. That philosophy was on display in Friday’s Summer League opener as players were instructed to drive, shoot or pass within half a second of getting the ball. “It doesn’t just mean playing up and down, like we have to get out in transition,” Summer League coach Jordan Brink said. “The fast part is all of the stuff in our actions. If we get the ball up the floor quick and don’t have anything, we’re to the next action. Fast is really decision-making, playing with a ‘.5’ mentality.”
- The Mavericks denied the Knicks’ request to interview Jay Triano in their search for an associate head coach, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Triano served as Brown’s top assistant and offensive coordinator in Sacramento, but he just joined the coaching staff in Dallas last month and the Mavs didn’t want to lose him so quickly, Bondy adds. Dallas also turned down New York’s request to interview head coach Jason Kidd before Brown was hired.
- After appearing in 41 games as a rookie, point guard Tyler Kolek is enjoying a fresh start with a new coaching staff, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “I think every season is a new opportunity,” he said. “Every year is a fresh start, new guys come in. We signed some free agents, so every year there’s fresh opportunity. And it starts right here, proving myself here, proving myself in August workouts, prove myself in camp, and then throughout the season. Just keep on proving myself until you get to where you have to be and then you have to do it all over again. It never really stops.”
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Valanciunas, Holmes, Jones
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic doesn’t plan to agree to an extension this summer, but there are “no signs” he’s considering leaving Denver, Sam Amick of The Athletic stated during a recent appearance on Sactown Sports 1140 (YouTube link). However, Amick warns that things can always change, saying the organization shouldn’t feel too comfortable about Jokic until the new contract is official.
“It guarantees now that Joker has another decision to make next summer,” Amick said. “You can’t tell me, if this next coming season is a train wreck for the Nuggets, that that won’t be an issue. Now yes, he can sign a four-year extension if he waits, more money, it lines up potentially better with his next extension when he’s older so there’s plenty of plausible deniability for why he did it, but they also are coming off a year where they fired their coach and the GM, and yes, they got to the second round, but those guys try to win championships.”
Amick praised Denver’s new front office, saying they’re “off to a really strong start,” but added that Nuggets fans would be more comfortable if Jokic had taken the extension now. The three-time MVP will reportedly hold off extension plans until 2026, when he’ll be eligible for a four-year deal worth a projected $285.4MM instead of the three years at $206.4MM that’s currently on the table.
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Denver can’t afford to let Jonas Valanciunas out of his contract to play in Europe due to a lack of other options on the free agent market, Marc Stein of The Stein Line told Adam Mares of DNVR Sports (Twitter video link). “The other 29 teams are operating under the strong belief that Al Horford will end up going to Golden State,” Stein said. “… (The Nuggets) don’t have someone to pivot to. They don’t have a shot at Horford.”
- DaRon Holmes made steady progress after tearing his right Achilles tendon during last year’s Summer League, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The rookie big man was able to resume running and pregame shooting workouts by December, taking at least 200 three-pointers per day unless trainers advised him to rest. After conducting the operation, Holmes’ surgeon said he might be able to return by March, but the team never moved away from its plan for him to sit out the entire season. “I was met by a sense of determination and optimism on his part,” said his business manager Mitch Brown. “It really struck me that his mentality as a 22-year-old kid was so strong, dealing with something like this.”
- Spencer Jones, the only two-way player that Denver kept from last year’s roster, continues to impress at Summer League, Durando adds in a separate story. The 24-year-old small forward had 19 points, six rebounds and two steals in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota.
Nets Notes: MPJ, Demin, Wolf, Summer League
In addition to his on-court talents, the Nets are hoping Michael Porter Jr. can provide an example of how to win at the highest level, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Nuggets, is the only player on Brooklyn’s roster with a championship ring, winning it with Denver in 2023.
“He’s excited to be here. I’m excited to reunite with him,” said head coach Jori Fernandez, who previously worked with Porter as a Nuggets assistant. “We have history together. I loved my time with Michael. And I know he’s going to bring a lot. His work ethic is very good. He’s a pro, works really hard, so that’s going to be good for the young guys to see a guy like him that won a championship, and why.”
As a 6’10” jump shooter, Porter can handle either forward position, but the question of where he’ll play most often hasn’t been decided yet. Fernández envisions a “positionless” approach outside of his center and said it’s really not important who Porter is on the court with. He also addressed the need for Porter to establish his own identity now that he’s no longer playing alongside Nikola Jokic.
“I don’t want him to be out of character. I just want him to be himself,” Fernández added. “And that’s why I’m very comfortable, because I’ve seen him get where he got, his career year and how he scores the ball and the work he puts in every day. The only thing we need to do is get him adjusted to his new teammates … but I know who he is and how good he is going to be. And I want him to lead being Michael Porter. He doesn’t need to be anybody else.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Egor Demin views himself as more of a “play-maker” than a point guard, Lewis states in a separate story. During the Summer League opener, the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft shared the backcourt with fellow first-rounder Nolan Traore, who fits the traditional point guard mold better than the 6’9″ Demin. “It’s one ball, and we can’t both be on it,” Demin said. “We can alternate, we can switch. And for me, obviously I can make this role look like a point guard, too, if I get the rebound and I just push it. It’s just about the game plan and looking for something we can accomplish with this combination. … How can I be playing different roles, doing whatever it takes to be efficient, being able to adjust myself and my game?”
- Rookie center Danny Wolf blamed first-game nerves for his bad stat line Thursday against Oklahoma City, Lewis adds in another piece. Wolf finished with four points while missing all five of his shots from the field, and despite his proven passing skills he wound up with two assists and four turnovers. “It’s my first experience in the NBA, and obviously it’s Summer League, but it’s different,” Wolf said. “Definitely some jitters and again, just got to put this in the rear-view and learn from it. Just get better from this.”
- Ben Saraf also made his Summer League debut on Thursday as the Nets followed through with their draft strategy of having several ball-handlers on the court at the same time, observes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “This is the way our roster is constructed,” Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel said. “The league is now multiple ball-handlers, multiple attackers. If you look at the team that just won the championship, they’ve got Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can both put the ball in the paint. We feel like the more people that we can have attacking and making plays, the better we are.” Drake Powell, Brooklyn’s other first-round pick, is sitting out Summer League as a precaution after hurting his knee during the pre-draft process.
Southwest Notes: Flagg, Harper, Morant, Murphy, Peavy
The top two picks in this year’s draft put on a show for Summer League fans as they matched up Saturday in Las Vegas, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg thrilled the crowd with a few highlight dunks on his way to 31 points, while Spurs guard Dylan Harper countered with 16 points in his Summer League debut after recovering from a minor groin injury.
“[There’s] not a better time to come back [than] in a game like this and a crowd as electrifying as this,” Harper said. “He had a good game. I had a good game. We kind of just showed the NBA world what we’re about.”
Saturday’s matchup should be the beginning of a long rivalry for Flagg and Harper. Considered to be the top two prospects in this year’s class by a wide margin, they wound up joining teams with established talent already in place when Dallas and San Antonio both defied the odds at the lottery. They’ll meet four times a year as division opponents and may have a few playoff matchups in their future.
“We’re going to play them a lot this year,” Harper said. “So, the future battles are going to be great. One thing that we’ve both got: We’re just competitors. We’re going to go out and compete.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said he was surprised by the trade of longtime backcourt partner Desmond Bane and addressed a few other topics in an interview with Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscriber link). “I was shocked, personally,” Morant said. “I got the message from Des. To see it all over the internet, I thought the (expletive) was fake, honestly. It’s best for both sides. Des is going to a very talented Orlando team. I feel like he’s the piece that they’ve been missing.” Morant added that the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the trade and Ty Jerome in free agency should make Memphis a better team.
- Appearing Saturday on ESPN, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy provided an update on his progress since undergoing surgery in late March for a torn labrum in his right shoulder (Twitter video link from Pelicans Film Room). “I feel pretty good,” Murphy said. “I have started up my skill workouts. I am able to do things without restriction. Just waiting to get cleared for contact.”
- X-rays were negative for an ankle injury suffered by Pelicans rookie shooting guard Micah Peavy, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-round pick was held out of Saturday’s game.
Cole Anthony Agrees To Buyout With Grizzlies, Plans To Join Bucks
July 13: The buyout is official, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).
July 12: Cole Anthony has reached a buyout agreement with the Grizzlies, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN, who adds that Anthony plans to sign with the Bucks once he clears waivers.
Anthony, who was acquired from Orlando in last month’s Desmond Bane trade, has an expiring $12.9MM contract. Charania doesn’t say how much money Anthony is giving up in the buyout, but it’s expected to be similar to whatever salary he gets in Milwaukee, likely a veteran’s minimum contract for one year.
When the move becomes official, Memphis will be able to use cap room to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Once that happens, the Grizzlies can officially re-sign forward Santi Aldama and finalize their reported deal with free agent guard Ty Jerome.
Selected with the 15th pick in the 2020 draft, Anthony spent his first five NBA seasons with the Magic. He had been a consistent double-digit scorer throughout his career, but his playing time decreased last season and his scoring average dropped to 9.4 PPG.
The addition of Anthony will give Milwaukee 14 standard contracts. That includes Andre Jackson, whose deal won’t become fully guaranteed until opening night.
Bulls Notes: Essengue, Buzelis, Giddey, Primo
After Friday’s disastrous Summer League debut, Bulls rookie Noa Essengue looked more comfortable with the level of competition on Saturday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
The 12th overall pick was overmatched in his first game, scoring five points in nearly 25 minutes, posting a minus-32 rating and saying he was “surprised” by the level of physicality he encountered. Although he didn’t dominate in today’s loss to Sacramento, Essengue probably calmed a few nerves throughout the organization with 12 points and 10 rebounds in about 19 minutes before being pulled from the game with an injury.
“Definitely better,” Summer League coach Billy Donovan III said. “He definitely wasn’t thinking as much, kept the dribbles down and I thought he was decisive. I think he’ll get better and better. They’re calling it a knee contusion right now, so he’ll get treatment on Sunday and see how he responds to it.”
Essengue appeared to hurt his right leg while working his way over a screen in the third quarter, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Donovan said team trainers indicated there was knee-to-knee contact, adds Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link).
“I don’t know, I just took a hit,” Essengue said (Twitter link). “We’re gonna see how it feels the next few days. Go through treatment and all that.”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Matas Buzelis seems more like a veteran in his second Summer League experience, Cowley adds in a separate story. In addition to being bigger and stronger than he was at the end of last season, Buzelis has become a more vocal leader with his teammates. He sat out today’s game after hurting his wrist by dunking the ball “a little too hard” on Friday, but he told reporters that he’ll be ready when the Bulls return to action on Monday, per Johnson (Twitter link).
- Josh Giddey is in Las Vegas, but he hasn’t been seen at either of the Bulls’ games, tweets Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Fischer views it as a sign that negotiations on a new contract aren’t going well. Giddey and his representatives are reportedly hoping for $30MM a year, but the market for restricted free agents has been dormant, leaving him without much leverage.
- Joshua Primo, a 2021 lottery pick, was hoping to revive his career with the Bulls’ Summer League team, but left foot soreness prevented him from making the trip to Las Vegas, according to Johnson (Twitter link). The 22-year-old swingman signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Chicago last October but didn’t make the regular season roster and didn’t play at all during a brief stint with the Windy City Bulls in the G League.
Agent Says LeBron James Hasn’t Asked To Be Traded
Trade speculation has been swirling around LeBron James for the past two weeks since his decision to exercise a $52.6MM player option for next season was accompanied by a statement from agent Rich Paul indicating that James will be monitoring the Lakers‘ personnel moves to make sure they’re assembling a championship-level roster.
During today’s broadcast of L.A.’s Summer League game (Twitter video link), Dave McMenamin of ESPN relayed a conversation with Paul, who said James hasn’t asked him to work out a trade and he hasn’t discussed the possibility of a future trade with team officials. McMenamin adds that four teams contacted Paul directly to express interest in acquiring James.
Paul also dispelled a theory that James is upset because the Lakers didn’t offer him a contract beyond 2025/26, with McMenamin saying that Paul and James never asked the team for that.
James was at Saturday’s game to watch his son, Bronny James, and the rest of L.A.’s Summer League squad. McMenamin said he gave LeBron a chance to appear on the broadcast to discuss the situation, but he responded, “I ain’t got nothing to talk about.”
McMenamin states that it’s “business as usual” for the Lakers, who are trying to put together the best possible roster around James and Luka Doncic. He lists their assets in potential deals as their 2031 first-round pick and the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent. They can open a roster spot by waiving Shake Milton before his $3MM contract for next season becomes fully guaranteed on July 20.
James raised some eyebrows around the league by visiting the Cavaliers’ practice facility last week. Although he explained it’s an annual occurrence because he lives in the area during the offseason, it’s possible that similar incidents will continue throughout the summer and maybe into the season until his future gets settled.
Rockets Notes: Sheppard, Smith, Green, Brooks
Finishing with the second-best record in the West, the Rockets weren’t able to give Reed Sheppard the playing time that a No. 3 overall draft pick normally receives. So they’ve decided to make his development the focus of their Summer League team, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. That process extends beyond his on-court contributions, as Sheppard has also become a leader and teacher for his teammates as they work to earn NBA roster spots.
“He’s been more vocal with this group,” Summer League head coach Garrett Jackson said. “I’m constantly encouraging him to do that. But just being more assertive, getting us set up in our sets as the point guard of this team.”
Sheppard showed his full array of skills in Friday’s loss to the Clippers, finishing with a game-high 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in 33 minutes. He’s been given full control of the offense in Las Vegas, with the instructions to play fast and freelance while adhering to principles set by head coach Ime Udoka.
“He’s getting better and better every day,” teammate Nate Williams said. “He puts in the work and I see him putting in the work behind the scenes. I love having him as a teammate. He’s not the most vocal guy — he leads with his actions — but he does what he’s supposed to do. Makes the right plays and does the right things off the court. He’s a good kid and he’s growing every day.”
There’s more on the Rockets:
- Jabari Smith Jr. is hoping for a long-term future in Houston after agreeing to a five-year, $122MM rookie scale extension last month, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Instead of pushing for a higher salary or testing the market next summer as a restricted free agent, Smith opted to become the first member of the 2022 draft class to reach an extension. “It feels great to just know that you’re committed to the city where you want to be. I want to be here for the rest of my career,” Smith said. “So I’m glad that this is a good start to it, and I’m ready to build something.”
- Jalen Green knew he was on the trade market for some time before the Rockets sent him to the Suns as part of Kevin Durant deal, Lerner states in a separate story. He arrived in Phoenix last week to begin preparations with his new franchise and said he plans to reconnect with his former teammates this week in Las Vegas. “They’ve been trying to trade me since last year,” Green said. “I’m not tripping. It’s for the better of the team. I know it’s a business at the end of the day. I really can’t handle how I feel. Whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I still got the opportunity to play basketball.”
- Dillon Brooks, who was sent to Phoenix along with Green, told Lerner in another piece that he’ll miss the connections he had with his Rockets teammates. He exchanged greetings with several of them during Friday’s Summer League game. “I thought about it and the only reason why I was upset about it was because I loved playing with Fred VanVleet), playing with Ime,” Brooks said. “We grew something there and Ime and the coaching staff was family oriented and it was like a brotherhood. That was the only reason why I thought it was a little bit sad.”
Daniel Gafford Signs Three-Year Extension With Mavericks
July 12: Gafford’s extension is official, the Mavericks announced (via Twitter).
June 23: Mavericks center Daniel Gafford intends to sign a three-year contract extension, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. The contract is worth approximately $54MM, Marc Stein tweets.
The extension, which will become official in July, does not include an option in the final year, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets. It’s fully guaranteed and will feature a 5% trade kicker, adds Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Gafford has one year and $14,386,320 remaining on the three-year contract he signed while a member of the Wizards. His new extension will run through the 2028/29 season.
Gafford appeared in 57 games this season, including 31 starts. He averaged a career-best 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest. Gafford is a bit undersized at center, listed at 6’10”, but has consistently been one of the NBA’s top shot-blockers since he entered the league in 2019.
Most of the shots that Gafford takes on offense are off lob passes or offensive rebounds. He has a career 70.9% field goal percentage.
The reasonably priced extension could make Gafford a trade chip if Dallas feels the need to trade a big man to balance its roster. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, Gafford should remain trade-eligible after signing the extension, since his new contract won’t exceed the extend-and-trade limits (20% first-year raise; 5% subsequent raises; four total years, including the current contract). If he were to receive more than $54.3MM on the three-year deal, he would be ineligible to be dealt for six months.
If Gafford remains with the Mavericks, he should be one of the team’s top frontcourt reserves off the bench along with P.J. Washington, presuming that Dereck Lively, Anthony Davis and top pick Cooper Flagg will start.