2025 September | Hoops Rumors

Five Under-The-Radar Players To Watch In 2025

September 1st, 2025 at 3:40pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Training camp is still 28 days away from beginning for all teams, which usually determines multiple positional battles for teams ahead of the coming season. Still, rosters are mostly built, and preliminary pecking orders are in place, meaning we can take a stab at identifying true breakout players for 2024/25.

With this piece, we’ll be focusing on players who seem to be poised to go from the fringes of rosters to rotational mainstays. Think of Guerschon Yabusele last year, who went from being out of the league to being one of the NBA’s most coveted role players. Last year in this exercise, we included Max Christie, who jumped his averages up from 4.2 points to 9.6. So while Larry Nance Jr. seems primed for a massive year with the Cavaliers as a role player, he has 546 career games under his belt.

Luka Garza/Josh Minott, Boston Celtics

The Celtics went out of their way to add both Garza and Minott to standard deals early in free agency after the Timberwolves declined options for both players. However, the Wolves opting to not bring them back isn’t an indictment, more of a testament to the win-now depth Minnesota built ahead of them.

Garza hasn’t played many minutes over the course of his four-year NBA career, but he’s certainly produced when given the opportunity. In just 7.8 minutes in his career, he averages 4.9 points and 2.0 rebounds, which comes out to a per-36 average of 22.7 points and 8.9 rebounds. It would be easy to write off that kind of production since per-36 is hardly an indicative statistic of one’s talents, but that sample comes across 124 career games. And in 39 career regular season G League games, he averaged 26.3 points and 9.8 rebounds.

The Celtics lost Luke Kornet in free agency, traded away Kristaps Porzingis and are not considered likely to bring back Al Horford. That leaves Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman as the only players in front of Garza in the frontcourt. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Garza emerges as a starter down the line.

Minott is also included here after his training camp last season had coaches raving. While he never ended up in the rotation, it’s still noteworthy that the Celtics added him early in free agency. Minott will battle Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and rookie Hugo Gonzalez for minutes off the bench at the wing position. In 32 career regular season G League games, he averages 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.8 blocks.

Nigel Hayes-Davis, Phoenix Suns

If there was an option to select “most likely to be this year’s Yabusele,” Hayes-Davis would have to rank near the top. Hayes-Davis established himself as one of the best international players after not playing in the league since 2017/18. The Suns gave him a standard guaranteed deal after he averaged 15.1 points for Fenerbahce. On a new-look Phoenix team, he’ll get plenty of chances to contribute.

Jaylen Clark, Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves drafted Clark with the No. 53 pick in the 2023 draft, with the Wolves essentially redshirting him while he recovered from injury in 2023/24. Last year, his first in the league, Clark emerged as a reliable depth option, averaging 4.1 points across 13.1 minutes in 40 games.

With the loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the Hawks in free agency, the Wolves will look to rely on their younger depth to establish themselves this season. While all eyes are on Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. to take steps forward, look for Clark (and perhaps Leonard Miller), to gain more of a foothold in the rotation.

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies

Every opportunity he received, Spencer impressed for the Grizzlies and their G League affiliate. In just 10.1 minutes last year (25 appearances), Spencer averaged 4.2 points. In eight regular season G League games, Spencer averaged 23.5 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 53.8% from the field and 49.3% from three.

Memphis drafted Spencer last year with the No. 53 overall pick, and he played all of last year on a two-way deal. After standing out in their developmental system, Spencer was rewarded with a standard contract this offseason. Even though the Grizzlies are flush with rotation-caliber players, there could be an opportunity for Spencer to earn some bench minutes after the departure of Desmond Bane from the guard room.

EuroBasket Notes: Fontecchio, Avdija, Sarr, Vucevic, Sengun

September 1st, 2025 at 1:36pm CST by Earnest Marshall

After shooting a rough 9.1% from the field in Italy’s opening EuroBasket game, Heat forward Simone Fontecchio rebounded in a big way. According to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang (Twitter link), Fontecchio ended a win against Bosnia and Herzegovina with 39 points while shooting 65.0% from the field and 70.0% from three. He also added eight rebounds and three assists across 37 minutes.

In the same game, the Italian forward broke his country’s all-time single-game scoring record, passing Andrea Bargnani’s 36 points in 2011. The only other modern player in Italy’s all-time top five is Danilo Gallinari‘s 33 points in 2015.

It’s encouraging for the Heat that Fontecchio was able to bounce back in such a manner while knocking down seven three-pointers. Fontecchio arrived in Miami in the trade that sent the Heat’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Duncan Robinson, to the Pistons.

We have more from EuroBasket:

Israel got a big win over France in the Group D standings, defeating them 80-69 behind a 23-point, eight-rebound and five-steal performance from Deni Avdija, per Eurohoops.net. According to the official French National Team page (Twitter link), Alex Sarr missed the game to rest a minor right calf injury.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic delivered Montenegro to a huge win over Sweden in Group B, recording 23 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. According to BasketNews, Vucevic’s performance is one of his best in a national team jersey. “It felt great, great team effort, proud of all the guys, really competed, really left it all on the floor,” Vucevic said. “Anybody that came into the game played, had huge impact at different points right throughout the game and that’s what we needed.”
Alperen Sengun notched 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists against Estonia and helping Turkey to a 4-0 record in Group A. According to Eurohoops.net, Sengun became the first player to record at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in three straight EuroBasket games over the last 30 years.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Discusses Re-Signing With Bucks

September 1st, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

Bucks general manager Jon Horst, head coach Doc Rivers and top assistant coach Darvin Ham all attended Greece’s opening EuroBasket victory over Italy on Thursday.

While much of the media attention was centered on the Bucks supporting his two-time MVP younger brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo believes his hustle, energy and defense in the win helped convince Milwaukee to re-sign him, as it was first official contest in more than a year after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in May 2024.

“For sure. They were here after the first game against Italy, and they were excited because I was playing defense,” Antetokounmpo said (stories courtesy of Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops.net and BasketNews.com). “I was doing my job, that’s my role.

“It’s very important for every player who comes back (from a major injury) to prove himself again. Your résumé counts, I’m not saying it doesn’t, but you have to prove yourself every day. That’s professional basketball.

“It’s not that my stress is gone because I found a team. The only thing I’m thinking about now is (Greece’s Tuesday matchup with Bosnia and Herzegovina). I put in a lot of work to be able to return.”

Antetokounmpo, 33, had spent five years with the Bucks prior to suffering the injury, which sidelined him for the entire 2024/25 season. He finished Greece’s win over Italy with six points, three rebounds, one steal and one block in just under 14 minutes of action, including hitting a key three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, per BasketNews.

The Greek national team advanced to the knockout round of EuroBasket 2025 on Sunday, as we relayed in a separate story.

Brazil Wins FIBA AmeriCup 2025

September 1st, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Rory Maher

In a Sunday night final in which both teams struggled to score, Brazil beat Argentina by a final score of 55-47 to win the gold medal at AmeriCup 2025 in Nicaragua, according to FIBA.

Brazil’s 55 points marked the lowest ever by a champion, per the press release, while the 102 combined points between the two sides were the fewest in any AmeriCup game.

It was a rematch of the 2022 final, with the Brazilian national team avenging its loss and dethroning Argentina to win its fifth AmeriCup championship (first since 2009). Argentina claimed the silver medal as the runner-up.

Brazilian point guard Yago Santos, who competes professionally in the EuroLeague with Crvena Zvezda, was named MVP of the event after averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 assists (against only 1.8 turnovers) and 3.3 rebounds on .485/.487/.880 shooting in six appearances (27.6 minutes per game).

After recording game highs of 25 points and 12 assists in Brazil’s semifinal comeback against Team USA, Santos finished the final with game highs of 14 points and five assists.

The All-Star Five was comprised of Santos, Bruno Caboclo (Brazil), Juan Fernandez (Argentina), Javonte Smart (United States) and Kyshawn George (Canada). Caboclo and Smart are former NBA players, while George — who was making his senior national team debut — is entering his second season with the Wizards.

Prior to the final, the United States and Canada competed in the third-place game. It was another rematch, with the same result as three years ago: the U.S. defeated Canada to win bronze. Team USA was led by 21 points apiece from Smart and Tyler Cavanaugh.

Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (Puerto Rico) headlined the All-Star Five second team, with Norchad Omier (Nicaragua), Georginho De Paula (Brazil), José Vildoza (Argentina) and Mfiondu Kabengele (Canada) rounding out the group.

Omier is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cavaliers after going undrafted in June, while Kabengele spent parts of three seasons in the NBA, last suiting up for Boston in 2022/23. Alvarado was injured during Puerto Rico’s quarterfinal loss.

Clifford Omoruyi Signs Two-Year Deal With Maccabi Tel Aviv

September 1st, 2025 at 9:46am CST by Rory Maher

Undrafted free agent Clifford Omoruyi has officially signed a two-year contract with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, the team announced in a press release.

“Heading into this summer’s free agency, we were looking for a player with impressive physical presence and dynamism at center,” explained general manager Claudio Coldebella (translation via Eurohoops.net). “One who can rebound at the highest level (especially on offense), protect the paint and rim with athletic presence, and be effective in pick-and-roll defense. All while also offering offensive ability to run the floor thanks to his athleticism, and complementing the dynamism of our guards.”

Israeli journalist Moshe Barda reported (via Twitter) a few days ago that Omoruyi was a candidate to join Maccabi Tel Aviv (hat tip to BackdoorPodcast.com).

A 6’11” big man from Nigeria, Omoruyi spent his first four college seasons at Rutgers, earning Big Ten All-Defensive honors in back-to-back years (2023 and 2024) prior to transferring to Alabama. As fifth-year senior in 2024/25, he averaged 7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game across 37 appearances for the Crimson Tide.

While we don’t typically cover international signings of players with no NBA experience, multiple reports indicated that Omoruyi was expected to sign a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with the Raptors shortly after he went undrafted in June. However, that contract was never finalized, and now the 23-year-old will begin his post-college career overseas.

Talen Horton-Tucker Nearing Deal With Fenerbahce, Hoping To Stay In NBA

September 1st, 2025 at 9:06am CST by Rory Maher

Guard/forward Talen Horton-Tucker, who has spent the past six years in the NBA after being selected 46th overall in the 2019 draft, is finalizing a contract with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

According to Urbonas’ sources, Horton-Tucker is still hoping to sign another NBA contract, but if he is unable to find a deal he likes, he’s expected to sign with the reigning EuroLeague champions.

Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops.net confirms the news, stating that Horton-Tucker has a deal in place with Fenerbahce but it won’t be completed yet as the 24-year-old awaits another NBA opportunity. A final decision is expected to be made in the next few days, Uzar adds.

Horton-Tucker won a championship as a rookie with the Lakers in 2020 and spent three years in Los Angeles prior to being traded to Utah in the 2022 offseason. He spent the next two years with the Jazz, but was unable to find a guaranteed contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

The Chicago native signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with the Bulls last September and wound up making the team’s regular season roster — he was the only player on an Exhibit 10 contract last fall to have that deal become a standard non-guaranteed deal.

Horton-Tucker, who said it was a “dream come true” to open the 2024/25 season with his hometown team, not only made the roster but eventually had his contract guaranteed when the Bulls decided to keep him around past the January deadline to waive non-guaranteed deals.

Overall, Horton-Tucker appeared in 58 games last season off the bench, averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .457/.336/.735. He holds career averages of 9.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 2.8 APG on .427/.299/.771 shooting in 305 games (19.5 MPG).

As Urbonas notes, Fenerbahce’s roster features several former NBA players, including Brandon Boston Jr., who spent last season with New Orleans.

Mavericks Re-Sign Dante Exum

September 1st, 2025 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

September 1: Nearly two months after his deal was first reported, Exum has re-signed with Dallas, per NBA.com’s official transactions log. As we detailed in a separate story, the Mavs opened up room under the hard cap and a roster spot by waiving and stretching Prosper.

July 2: The Mavericks and Dante Exum have reached an agreement on a one-year deal that will extend the veteran guard’s stay in Dallas, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Exum, who will turn 30 later this month, spent the first seven years of his professional career in the NBA, playing for Utah and Cleveland after being selected fifth overall in the 2014 draft. However, he struggled to establish himself as a reliable rotation player, due in part to his lack of offensive production.

Exum played in Europe for two seasons from 2021-23, developing a reliable three-point shot during his time with Barcelona and Partizan Belgrade, then returned stateside during the 2023 offseason and has played in Dallas since then.

Injuries, which hampered Exum’s development earlier in his career, have continued to be an issue during his second NBA stint, limiting him to 75 total appearances across the past two seasons, including just 20 last season due to right wrist surgery and a broken left hand.

But he has been a very effective role player for the Mavs when healthy, averaging 8.0 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .516/.472/.768.

Once Irving’s new deal is done and Russell officially signs, the Mavs won’t have enough room below a hard cap at the second tax apron to re-sign Exum on a minimum-salary deal, so they’ll need to make a corresponding roster move at some point to finalize all those moves, as cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter).

Waiving Brandon Williams, whose salary is mostly non-guaranteed, would be the easiest path to creating that space below the second apron, but he was productive in a rotation role during the second half of last season. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a 2023 first-round pick, has been considered a trade candidate.

Month: September 2025