Celtics Sign Kendall Brown, Jalen Bridges, Ron Harper Jr.
September 20: The Celtics have finalized their camp deals with Brown, Bridges and Ron Harper Jr., according to RealGM’s log of NBA transactions. Harper’s agreement with Boston was first reported last month.
September 19: The Celtics intend to sign free agent wing Kendall Brown, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
While Scotto doesn’t explicitly state what type of contract Brown will sign, he suggests it will be an Exhibit 10 deal, as the 22-year-old will reportedly have a chance to compete for a two-way contract in training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts, which are non-guaranteed and do not count against the salary cap, can be converted into two-way deals.
A former top high school recruit, Brown was selected 48th overall in the 2022 draft after one college season at Baylor. He spent most of his first two NBA seasons on two-way deals with the Pacers prior to being converted to a standard deal in March 2024.
Brown was released by Indiana last fall and didn’t make any NBA appearances in 2024/25, having spent the year in the G League, though he had a brief stint on a two-way deal with Brooklyn in late winter. In 37 games (33.9 minutes per contest) with the Long Island Nets last season, the athletic guard/forward averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals on .565/.400/.750 shooting.
Scotto also confirms (via Twitter) that Jalen Bridges remains on track to finalize a camp deal with Boston and will be another player vying for a two-way spot. Bridges’ agreement with the Celtics was first reported on July 2.
Bridges spent 2024/25 — his rookie season — on a two-way contract with Phoenix. The Suns chose not to give him a qualifying offer in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Both Brown and Bridges suited up for the Celtics during Las Vegas Summer League.
The Celtics do not currently have a two-way opening, with the spots occupied by Max Shulga, Amari Williams and RJ Luis Jr., a trio of rookies. Of the three, Luis’ roster looks the most vulnerable, considering Boston used second-round picks on Williams and Shulga, while Luis — who went undrafted — was acquired in a salary-dump deal with Utah.
Jordan Loyd Signs With Anadolu Efes
Jordan Loyd has a deal in place from Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes, reports Aris Barkas for Eurohoops. The deal necessitated a buyout from AS Monaco, the team with which he played for the last three seasons.
Loyd, who appeared in 12 games for the Raptors in the 2018/19 season and averaged 2.4 points in 4.6 minutes per game, averaged 10.7 PPG for Monaco during last year’s EuroLeague play.
The 6’4″ guard rose once again to prominence this summer as a key contributor on the Polish national team that went to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. He averaged 22.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 42.2% from three, and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Second Team.
It was previously reported that Real Madrid had made a strong push for Loyd’s services, but his Liga ACB rights are held by Valencia.
As a member of Anadolu Efes, Loyd will join former NBA players Shane Larkin, Rodrigue Beaubois, PJ Dozier, Cole Swider, Kai Jones, Georgios Papagiannis, and Vincent Poirier.
Nuggets Sign, Waive Dane Goodwin
The Nuggets have signed and subsequently waived Dane Goodwin, per the NBA’s transaction log. Goodwin was likely on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.
The 6’6″ guard went undrafted in 2023 and has been signed and waived by the Kings and Jazz in the last two seasons. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 40.4% on three-pointers with the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah’s G League affiliate) last season.
Goodwin was a five-year player for Notre Dame, where he held career averages of 10.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .443/.391/.823 shooting splits.
The move will allow Goodwin to secure a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he stays with the Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, for at least 60 days. That is a likely outcome, as the Gold acquired Goodwin’s returning rights from the Stars in a trade in August.
Suns Sign David Duke Jr., Damion Baugh
The Suns have signed David Duke Jr., reports Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were unreported, but it will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
This will mark Duke’s fifth season in the NBA. He spent the first two years of his career with the Nets and the last two with the Spurs, with whom he was on a two-way contract last season. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes per night.
Garcia also reports (via Twitter) that the Suns have signed Damion Baugh to a training camp deal. Baugh was previously on a two-way contract with the Hornets, but was waived to accommodate the team bringing in Antonio Reeves.
A 6’4″ shooting guard, Baugh averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets last year after going undrafted in 2023.
The Suns’ roster currently contains 13 fully guaranteed deals, with Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler on non-guaranteed deals vying for a standard roster spot. While it’s possible Duke or Baugh could get a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot, they seem more likely to be ticketed for the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate.
Wizards Sign Sharife Cooper, Keshon Gilbert, Jonathan Pierre
The Wizards have signed free agent guard Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Washington also signed Keshon Gilbert and Jonathan Pierre to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team announced (via Twitter).
Cooper was selected 48th overall in the 2021 draft by the Hawks. Robbins notes that Travis Schlenk, the Wizards’ senior vice president for player personnel, was serving as the Hawks’ head of basketball operations when Cooper was drafted.
Cooper played 13 games in his rookie year in Atlanta, averaging three minutes per night. He hasn’t been in the NBA since then, but spent multiple seasons in the G League, where he holds averages of 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per game, and split time last year between the Greek, French, and Turkish leagues, posting averages of 14.7 points and 3.8 assists during EuroCup play.
Cooper joins Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins as the team’s two-way players.
The Wizards’ signing of Gilbert had previously been reported, but was made official today. Also made official was the signing of Pierre, a 6’9″ forward who played for Washington’s Summer League team and averaged 7.7 points in 22.2 minutes per game.
Both players are signed to Exhibit 10 deals that will allow them to receive a bonus worth up to $85,300 if they are waived and then spend at least 60 days with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.
Celtics Notes: Simons, Queta, White, Scheierman
The Celtics have taken care of much of the business they were expected to address this summer, including trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in cost-saving moves, then re-routing Georges Niang to Utah for similar reasons. The one question mark left is Anfernee Simons, who was acquired in the Holiday trade with the Blazers, but Simons’ situation likely won’t have an imminent resolution, according to Brian Robb of Mass Live.
As Robb writes, in addition to being a talented player capable of picking up some of the scoring load for the Celtics with Jayson Tatum out for the year, Simons also remains their one major trade chip outside of the core players of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard.
Because of that, it’s unlikely the Celtics will rush into a deal involving Simons, in Robb’s view. If the time comes to move him, it will likely be in a trade that helps the team’s long-term plans of returning to title contention once Tatum recovers from his Achilles injury.
We have more from the Celtics:
- Another lingering question for Boston is who will win the battle for the starting center role. The Celtics currently have Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, and Xavier Tillman Sr. on their roster, none of whom have an established track record as a starter. Robb speculates that Queta will have pole position due to his combination of rim protection and rebounding, though he says the window is open for someone like Boucher to beat him out in training camp. Robb also notes that health will likely play a big part in determining Tillman’s role, as the former Spartan big man has dealt with knee problems over the last two years that have limited his contributions.
- With Tatum out, White will be counted on to carry a much larger offensive load than the role he’s become accustomed to in Boston. Chris Forsberg and the NBC Sports Boston Staff discuss what they hope to see from White this season, ranging from increasing the volume of his scoring output and achieving his first 20-point-per-game season to being named to his first All-Star team. Forsberg notes that in games without Tatum last season, White averaged 20.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest, though he adds that the veteran guard has, at times, been prone to cold shooting streaks, which will be harder for the Celtics to weather now.
- The Celtics’ backcourt rotation appears to be set with Pritchard, White, and Simons, but if any of them were to miss time, Robb thinks an under-the-radar player could pick up the slack: Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman impressed the team toward the end of last season with his ability to function as a play-maker in the pick-and-roll, Robb writes, adding that the Celtics will look for more of that from him this season if he’s able to carve out a role for himself off the bench.
Mavericks Sign D’Moi Hodge To Deal
The Mavericks have signed free agent guard D’Moi Hodge, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were not revealed, but it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract.
Hodge played seven games with the Lakers during the 2023/24 season after going undrafted in 2023. He averaged 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes during that time, then played last season for Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek League, averaging 7.1 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 15 EuroCup games.
Hodge has struggled with consistency as a shooter, but did make 35.4% of his three-point attempts in 30 G League games during his rookie season.
Should he be waived by the Mavericks and proceed to spend at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, Hodge could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300.
Once Dennis Smith Jr.‘s contract is officially finalized, Dallas will have a full 21-man offseason roster.
International Notes: KD, Boston, Cousins, NBA, UK
New Rockets forward Kevin Durant became the first men’s basketball player to win four Olympic gold medals last year in Paris. Earlier this week, Durant was asked about the possibility of suiting up for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, as Law Murray of The Athletic relays (Twitter video link).
“Yeah, if I’m still me,” Durant said. “I don’t want the gift of the veteran, like, ‘come sit on the end of the bench and get your fifth (gold medal).'”
The 15-time All-Star also said he’s given some thought to becoming a coach after his playing days are over.
“Some days I would (like to coach), some days I wouldn’t,” Durant said. “It’s tough dealing with personalities. … But we’ll see.”
Here are a few more international items of interest:
- In an interview with Bilal Baran Yardımcı of Eurohoops, four-year NBA veteran Brandon Boston Jr. said talking to former teammate CJ McCollum and McCollum’s older brother, new teammate Errick McCollum, helped convince him to sign with Fenerbahce this offseason. The Turkish team is the reigning EuroLeague champion. “Just having those conversations with those guys really helped me a lot with my decision,” Boston said.
- Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins is returning to Mongolia for the 2025/26 season, having re-signed with the Selenge Bodons, he announced on social media (Facebook link; hat tip to HoopsHype). “I’m excited to announce that I will be returning to the Bodons! Can’t wait to get back to Mongolia and finish what we started and try to bring home a championship!” Cousins wrote. The four-time All-Star, whose last NBA stint came with Denver during the 2021/22 campaign, has played overseas for several teams during the past few years.
- The NBA and the UK government are investing £5MM apiece to elevate one of the UK’s “fastest-growing sports,” according to Basketball England (hat tip to BasketNews). “Basketball is booming in Britain – and this investment will help take it to the next level, opening up the game to thousands more people right across the country,” UK prime minister Keir Starmer said as part of a larger statement. The NBA is hosting regular season games in London in 2026 and in Manchester in 2027 and is working to create a league in Europe that could launch as early as 2027 and may feature teams in both of those cities.
Tyler Herro Undergoes Ankle Surgery, Will Miss Start Of Season
3:04 pm: According to a press release from the Heat, Herro underwent successful surgery on Friday to alleviate posterior impingement syndrome in his left ankle. He’s expected to miss about eight weeks, per the team, which would put him on track to return around mid-November.
9:35 am: Heat guard Tyler Herro is having surgery on his left foot that will force him to miss the start of the upcoming season, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
In a full story, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald states that the procedure, which involves the ankle and foot area, was necessary to fix a “lingering injury” that bothered Herro throughout the summer. While a timetable hasn’t been set for Herro’s return, multiple sources tell Chiang that he’s not expected to be sidelined for the entire season.
Herro began feeling discomfort in his left ankle during an offseason workout, a source tells Chiang. He was given platelet-rich plasma and cortisone injections over the past few weeks in hopes that surgery wouldn’t be necessary, but the pain subsisted and doctors decided surgery was the best option to prevent it from becoming a long-term issue.
Herro, 25, is coming off his best NBA season and his first All-Star appearance. He averaged a career-high 23.9 PPG in 77 games while adding 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per night and posting a .472/.375/.878 shooting line.
Chiang notes that Miami’s offense was far more productive with Herro on the court, producing 8.6 fewer points per possession while he rested. The team struggled to score in general, finishing 21st in overall offensive rating.
Norman Powell, who was acquired from the Clippers in a three-team deal this summer, will likely take Herro’s spot in the starting lineup and will be counted on to replace some of his scoring punch. Powell is also coming off a career-best season, scoring 21.8 PPG with L.A. while shooting 48.4% from the field and 41.8% from three-point range.
Chiang points out that Herro’s absence will come at a bad time for Miami, which faces a difficult early-season schedule. The Heat will play six of their first eight games on the road, including a West Coast trip, and 11 of their first 15 games are against teams that were in the playoffs last season.
Herro will become eligible for an extension with the team next month, Chiang adds. Beginning October 1, he could add up to three years and $149.7MM to the two seasons (at $31MM and $33MM) remaining on his current deal.
If an extension agreement isn’t reached by October 20, Herro will be eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $206.9MM next summer. That could increase to a potential five-year, $380MM super-max deal if he makes an All-NBA team during the upcoming season, but he’ll have to appear in at least 65 games to qualify and the surgery may make that difficult.
A league source tells Chiang that Herro and his agent are expected to meet with team officials in early October to begin extension talks. He adds that team president Pat Riley indicated in May during his season-ending meeting with reporters that a Herro extension might not happen until 2026.
“Pay me now or pay me later, whatever it is,” Riley said. “We’ve already talked about it. I talked about it with Tyler, and so we’ll see what happens as we plan. The numbers are getting pretty big for a lot of guys. Max salaries in this league, who do they go to? I mean, who do they go to and who is really? If you’re going to make $70 million a year, who are those five or 10 guys that deserve that? But Tyler definitely is deserving of the thought of an extension. But are we going to do it? We haven’t committed to it, but we’re going to discuss it and I’ve already talked to him about it. He’s cool.”
Pelicans Sign Christian Shumate
The Pelicans have signed Christian Shumate, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions.
A 6’6″ forward, Shumate had a brief eight-game stint with Tulsa during the 2020/21 campaign before spending his final four college seasons at McNeese State. He went undrafted in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.
While Shumate was a somewhat erratic offensive player during his college career, only shooting 26.9% on three-pointers and 51.2% on free throws, he was an All-Southland selection in each of his four years at McNeese State and won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025.
In 35 games as a senior last season, Shumate averaged 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .623/.309/.423. He helped the Cowboys reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year — they upset Clemson in the first round before falling to Purdue.
Shumate almost certainly signed an Exhibit 10 deal and will likely be waived by New Orleans before the season begins. If he spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, he could earn a bonus worth up to $85,300.
The Pelicans’ offseason roster is now full, with 21 players under contract.