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Month: August 2025

Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Irving, Dead Money

August 31st, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on the Showtime With Michael Cooper Lakers Podcast (YouTube link), Mavericks wing Klay Thompson said Kyrie Irving is the “toughest guy” he’s ever guarded and has “no weaknesses in his game,” as Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal.com relays.

“It’s nice to be his teammate,” Thompson said of Irving. “You know, Kyrie and I had so many battles during those years at Golden State. We saw Cleveland four straight years in the Finals, three of them being with Kai.

“And I’ll never forget, I know you always used to check the best offensive player, and some nights there’s just nothing you could do when you’re guarding a guy like Michael (Jordan) or Larry (Bird) or Isiah (Thomas). Same thing with Kyrie.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

  • Irving, who tore the ACL in his left knee in early March, provided a minor injury update last week, saying he was “healing up great.” Overtime released a short video (Twitter link) on Sunday showing Irving practicing floaters and jump shots at the NBPA practice facility in New York (hat tip to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal). Afseth notes that the nine-time All-Star appeared to be “moving comfortably on the court.”
  • After waiving and stretching 2023 first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper on Friday, Dallas will now carry a $3.2MM dead-money cap hit each of the next three years, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Only about $1MM of that total came from stretching Prosper’s contract; the other $2.2MM is owed to JaVale McGee, who was cut by the Mavericks a couple years ago.
  • In case you missed it, multiple reporters have indicated that P.J. Washington is likely to sign an extension with Dallas now that he’s officially eligible to do so, though the exact terms remain unclear.
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International Signings: Thomas, Mané, Graham, Robinson

August 31st, 2025 at 8:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA sharpshooter Matt Thomas has signed with Fundacion CB Granada for the 2025/26 season, the Spanish team announced in a press release (hat tip to Albert De Roa of HoopsHype).

Thomas, 31, appeared in 126 NBA games over three years from 2019-22, suiting up for Toronto, Utah and Chicago. He has spent the past two seasons in the EuroLeague with Germany’s ALBA Berlin.

In 21 EuroLeague contests in 2024/25, Thomas averaged 12.3 points while shooting 46.2% from long distance in 24.1 minutes per game. Granada went just 9-25 in Spain’s top domestic league (Liga ACB) last season.

Here are a few more international signings to pass along:

  • Senegalese-Canadian guard Karim Mané has signed with the French team Rouen Metropole Basket for the upcoming season, according to a press release. Mané played 10 games with Orlando while on a two-way deal during the 2020/21 campaign. The 25-year-old recently helped Senegal claim its third consecutive third-place finish at AfroBasket. Mané played for teams in Greece and Canada last season. RMB competes in the LNB Pro B, France’s second division.
  • Veteran wing Treveon Graham has re-signed with the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of the Taiwanese P. League+, per De Roa of HoopsHype. The Maryland native spent four years in the NBA, spending time with Charlotte, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Atlanta. Graham has also played in the G League and in Canada since his last NBA stint in 2019/20.
  • Forward Devin Robinson is heading back to Spain, having signed a one-year deal with Basket Zaragoza, the team announced. Robinson, who appeared in eight games with the Wizards over two NBA seasons (from 2017-19), has spent the past four years in Europe, playing in Germany, Spain and Slovenia. In 18 EuroCup games with Cedevita Olimpija in ’24/25, the 6’7″ wing averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 27.9 MPG. Zaragoza went 13-21 in the Liga ACB last season.
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Greece, Poland Advance To EuroBasket Round Of 16

August 31st, 2025 at 6:55pm CST by Rory Maher

The men’s national teams of Greece and Poland have advanced to the round of 16 at EuroBasket 2025, according to FIBA, joining Finland, Germany, Serbia and Turkey as clubs that have qualified.

Greece (Group C) and Poland (Group D) have both gone undefeated through three of their five group phase games. Greece moved on today with a win and a Cyprus loss (0-3).

The Greek squad, led by two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists in 25 minutes), cruised to a 41-point victory over Georgia, notes Eurohoops. Georgia essentially threw in the towel before the game even began, resting center Goga Bitadze (DNP-CD) and forward Tornike Shengelia (under four minutes of action).

“We had two options, to go to what’s 100% for us, or to try to keep ourselves healthy for the last two games,” Georgian coach Aleksandar Džikić said postgame. “We decided to follow the second option. It was my decision, and we know what our goal is. We don’t like it, my players don’t like it, but today it was the smart thing to do.”

The Poles advanced to the knockout round by outlasting Iceland (0-3) in a close game on Sunday, per Sportando. Poland was once again led by ex-NBA guard Jordan Loyd (game-high 26 points) and veteran EuroLeague wing Mateusz Ponitka (18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) — both players have had excellent showings to this point.

In case you missed it, Antetokounmpo will reportedly remain with Milwaukee to open the 2025/26 season after the team re-signed his older brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract. Thanasis is also competing for Team Greece.

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Cavaliers Notes: Strus, Merrill, Wade, Tyson, Hunter, Ball

August 31st, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Rory Maher

In a subscriber-only mailbag for Cleveland.com, Chris Fedor states that Max Strus was slated to be the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward this fall prior to suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot last week. The injury required surgery and will sideline Strus for multiple months.

Fedor cautions that while the team gave a three-to-four month timeline for Strus to return to basketball activities, his actual absence will likely extend beyond that period. As Fedor observes, Jones fractures can be tricky and slow to heal, plus the Cavaliers typically take a cautious approach to injuries — it’s possible Strus might end up missing about half of the season.

Here’s more on the Cavaliers:

  • Strus isn’t the only starter likely to be out to open 2025/26, Fedor notes, as All-Star point guard Darius Garland is still recovering from offseason toe surgery after being hobbled by the injury in the postseason. Sam Merrill, who re-signed with the Cavs on a four-year, $38MM deal this summer, is the “most obvious” player who needs to step up with Garland and Strus out, according to Fedor, who says the former second-round pick (60th overall in 2020) will likely be a replacement starter.
  • It will take a team effort to cover for Strus and Garland during their absences. Veteran forward Dean Wade and second-year guard Jaylon Tyson are among the other players who should get more opportunities, Fedor writes, with Wade perhaps slotting in as the fifth starter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson may prefer to have De’Andre Hunter in a sixth man role to have more scoring punch off the bench, Fedor adds.
  • According to Fedor, Tyson may be the biggest X-factor for the rotation, because the team had already planned him give him more run prior to Strus’ injury. The 2024 first-round pick (20th overall) will have a real chance to carve out minutes if he plays well, as Atkinson is high on him and is curious to see how he’ll mesh with the “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen once Garland returns.
  • Offseason trade acquisition Lonzo Ball is another player who will fit into the rotation, Fedor writes. However, it remains to be seen how active the 27-year-old guard will be. After missing two-plus years with a knee injury, Ball played surprisingly well in his return to action in ’24/25, but he was limited to just 35 games due to multiple wrist injuries.
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Luka Doncic Posts Triple-Double In EuroBasket

August 31st, 2025 at 3:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers superstar Luka Doncic notched a rare triple-double in the EuroBasket tournament on Sunday. He scored 26 points, had 11 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in Slovenia’s 86-69 victory over Belgium in Poland. According to The Associated Press, the triple-double was the fourth in EuroBasket history since 1995 and fifth overall.

Doncic also became the youngest player to reach 400 career EuroBasket points since Tony Parker in 2007.

“This is a normal day at the office for him,” Slovenia small forward Edo Muric said of Doncic. “I’m even more glad that today we showed we can play good defense. And that we won.”

The Slovenian team lost to Poland and France in their first two tournament games.

“For me, I’d prefer he score 50,” Belgium coach Dario Gjergja said, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. “To be honest, I’d prefer he score 50 but the others don’t execute … because he’s capable to make everybody better, never mind about quality around him. And this is why he’s a superstar.”

Doncic scored a combined 73 points in Slovenia’s first two games.

“It’s not about me being perfect. I think everybody, you know, we lose as a team, we win as a team,” he said.

Slovenia’s tournament schedule continues Tuesday against Iceland before the group stage concludes Thursday against Israel. The top four teams from each six-team group advance to the single-elimination portion of the tournament in Latvia.

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USA Team Squanders Big Lead In AmeriCup Semifinals

August 31st, 2025 at 2:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Team USA squandered a 20-point second-half lead in the semifinals of the FIBA AmeriCup in Nicaragua, according to a FIBA press release.

The Brazilian team outscored the USA squad 34-9 in the last 10 minutes of a 92-77 win and avenged their prior loss in the Group Phase. With Saturday’s win, Brazil picked up its fourth victory in 11 AmeriCup matchups against the United States. The Brazilians will play in a second consecutive final.

Brazil will face Argentina for the championship on Sunday. Argentina defeated Canada in the other semifinal matchup, 83-73. The United States and Canada will square off for third-place honors.

Bruno Caboclo, who played 105 games during his NBA career, sparked the Brazilian comeback, finishing with 20 points (11 in the fourth quarter), nine rebounds, and two blocks. He was limited to 24 minutes due to foul trouble.

Crvena Zvezda guard Yago Santos finished with game highs of 25 points and 12 assists, while Lucas Dias played all 40 minutes and had a double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds).

Former NBA guards Langston Galloway (22 points) and Javonte Smart (13 points, five assists) led the way for Team USA in the loss.

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Giannis To Start Season With Bucks After Team Re-Signs Brother Thanasis

August 31st, 2025 at 1:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

In a move to solidify Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s desire to stay with the Bucks, the franchise is re-signing his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, on a guaranteed one-year, $2.9MM (minimum-salary) contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link).

The signing is official, according to a team press release relayed by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm (Twitter link).

According to Charania, after a summer of exploring options, Giannis Antetokounmpo — who is currently playing for Greece in the EuroBasket tournament — is staying in Milwaukee to start the season. This will quell speculation that the superstar might request a trade this offseason.

Naturally, if things don’t go well for the Bucks as the season progresses, that could always change. But having his brother back in the fold gives Giannis some added incentive to stay put.

Thanasis is also playing for Greece in the tournament. He was medically cleared to play again this spring after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.

The 32-year-old underwent surgery in early May of 2024 after tearing his Achilles. He was a free agent this past season after signing mainly minimum contracts to play with his brother in Milwaukee.

Thanasis, who made two appearances with the Knicks in 2015/16, saw action in 196 Bucks games from 2019-24.  He played 34 games during the 2023/24 season and has posted averages of 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.7 minutes per contest over the course of his NBA career.

The Bucks will now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. This could put Andre Jackson Jr.‘s roster status in jeopardy — the former UConn guard has an $800K guarantee on his $2,221,677 contract. It becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster.

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Hoops Rumors’ Lists, Trackers, Features

August 31st, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to passing along news, rumors, and analysis on a daily basis, Hoops Rumors provides a number of additional features and resources that can be found anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Since those links are easy to overlook and aren’t readily accessible to our app users, we want to periodically highlight a number of our lists, trackers, and other features.

For instance, our lists of current free agents by position/type and by team are constantly updated, as are our lists of 2026 free agents by position/type and by team.

We have a number of features related to NBA trades, including a roundup of this offseason’s deals, a recap of the trade exceptions currently available to teams, lists of the players who can’t be traded until December 15 or January 15, and details on which players can veto trades in 2025/26 and which players have trade kickers.

We have info on how teams are using mid-level and bi-annual exceptions in 2025/26, as well as which clubs are hard-capped and which have open roster spots. Our free agent tracker, two-way contract tracker and contract extension tracker provide information on most of the deals signed this summer, while our list of non-guaranteed contracts by team helps provide a more complete picture of each team’s roster.

We’ve got details on how much this season’s maximum salaries, minimum salaries, and mid-level/bi-annual exceptions are worth, as well as more details on the key cap figures for the 2025/26 season. We’ve also shared early projections for maximum salaries, minimum salaries, and mid-level/bi-annual figures for 2026/27.

The Hoops Rumors Glossary provides in-depth explanations on many concepts related to the salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement, presented in the simplest possible terms. We’ve updated the majority of our entries to reflect the changes made in the most recent CBA.

Finally, we’re in the process of breaking down all 30 teams’ summer moves in our Offseason Check-In series.

Many of our features and trackers are cyclical and will be reintroduced as the year goes on. For example, during draft season next spring, we’ll be keeping tabs on all the early entrants for the 2026 NBA draft.

Be sure to check out the sidebar on our desktop site or our Features page for all of our current resources.

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Bogdan Bogdanovic Ruled Out Of EuroBasket With Hamstring Injury

August 31st, 2025 at 9:28am CST by Dana Gauruder

Bogdan Bogdanovic has been ruled out of the EuroBasket due to a ruptured hamstring muscle, according to reports from Eurohoops.net and BasketNews.com.

The Serbian Federation released a statement regarding Bogdanovic’s injury, which also revealed that the Clippers wing will return to the United States to receive treatment.

“Bogdanovic has been diagnosed with a ruptured hamstring muscle, which will prevent him from playing in the remainder of the European Championship. In agreement with Bogdan’s club, the Los Angeles Clippers, the captain will undergo intensive therapy in the United States in the coming period to recover as quickly as possible,” the statement read.

Bogdanovic, the captain of the Serbian national team, was injured on a drive to the basket late in the second quarter against Portugal on Friday. Bogdanovic was examined by the Serbian and Clippers medical teams, which determined the extent of his injury.

In two EuroBasket 2025 appearances, the 33-year-old averaged 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 20 minutes per contest. Serbia has a 3-0 record in Group A and will now try to win the tournament without him.

The overriding concern for Bogdanovic now is whether his injury will linger into the NBA season. The veteran guard dealt with hamstring injuries early in the 2024/25 season, but played 30 games during the second half of the season for the Clippers, averaging 11.4 points and 3.2 assists in 25.0 minutes per game. He began the season with the Hawks, who dealt him to the Pacific Division club at the trade deadline.

Bogdanovic is set to make just over $16MM during the upcoming season and the Clippers hold a $16MM club option for the final year of his contract in 2026/27.

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17 Players Remain Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions

August 30th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Rory Maher

Players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts were permitted to sign rookie scale extensions as of early July. Those players, who were all 2022 first-round selections, will have until the day before the 2025/26 regular season starts (October 20) to finalize long-term agreements with their current teams.

Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run for up to five years, with those contracts taking effect beginning in 2026/27. If they don’t sign extensions during the offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2026.

As our tracker shows, four players — Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams — have already signed rookie scale extensions with their respective teams this offseason. A fifth — Blake Wesley — is no longer eligible after reaching a buyout agreement with Washington and subsequently signing a one-year deal with Portland.

Eight other 2022 first-round picks are ineligible rookie scale deals for various reasons.

That leaves 17 players — including Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Dyson Daniels — who remain eligible for rookie scale extensions this offseason:

While some of these players almost certainly won’t sign new deals, we should still see several more extensions signed before the October 20 deadline. There has been an uptick in rookie extensions over the past several offseasons as more teams look to lock up their promising young players in advance of free agency. Since 2020, at least 10 players have signed rookie extensions every year, topping out at a record-setting 14 in 2023.

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