Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, Ingram, Demin

October 19th, 2025 at 10:11am CST by Rory Maher

Star center Joel Embiid suited up for the Sixers for the first time in nearly eight months in Friday’s preseason finale against Minnesota, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. While the Timberwolves were resting most of their rotation regulars, Philadelphia — and Embiid — came away encouraged by how he looked during the 126-110 win.

“I don’t want to really think about the past,” Embiid said. “I’m just in a good space mentally, physically. … I’m just happy to touch the basketball and be able to play basketball and do what I love.

“When you don’t get [to do] that, it’s tough, but that’s what I’m most happy about. So today, tonight, that’s all I kept thinking about. I’m on the court playing basketball, doing some good things, helping us win, and yeah, that’s really what I was focused on.”

As Bontemps notes, Embiid has been plagued by left knee issues the past couple years, limiting him to 58 games over that span, including just 19 last season. In approximately 19 minutes on Friday, the 2023 MVP put up 14 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals.

“I mean, I won’t say I feel like I was 18 years old again,” Embiid said with a smile when asked if he felt like the past few weeks have gone as well as could be expected in his ramp-up to the season. “That’s never going to happen. But I’m just taking it day by day. Like I said, just learning. Some days are going to be good, some days I’m going to be a little bit tight, so learn from it and adjust and keep doing the right things.”

Here are a few more notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • Embiid wasn’t the only member of the Sixers who played well in Friday’s tune-up, with Tyrese Maxey (27 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two steals in 30 minutes), VJ Edgecombe (26 points, six rebounds, three assists, five steals in 34 minutes) and Quentin Grimes (22 points, five assists, three steals in 26 minutes in his preseason debut) all turning in strong showings. Head coach Nick Nurse complimented No. 3 overall pick Edgecombe in particular, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. “It’s almost every single day you see something from his athleticism that you say ‘wow.’ … He’s way ahead of where we thought he might be being able to do that [running the offense]. …He’s got a good feel for the game.”
  • In an exclusive interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, forward Brandon Ingram talks about joining the Raptors and leaving the Pelicans. While the former All-Star has “a lot of love for New Orleans,” he’s ready for a fresh start in Toronto. “This team can be whatever we want it to be,” Ingram said of the Raptors. “We have everything on the defensive end. We play hard. The next thing is execution over and over again on the offensive end. … The East is wide open this [upcoming season]. We have a chance to be better, but we’ve got to expedite it.”
  • Nets guard/forward Egor Demin, this year’s No. 8 overall pick, missed most of training camp and preseason with a plantar fascia tear in his foot, an injury he tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post he actually sustained prior to June’s draft — not during Summer League — that gradually got worse over time. While the Russian teenager admitted the injury will likely have to be monitored throughout his rookie season, he doesn’t think he’ll need surgery to address it down the line.
  • Demin made his Nets preseason debut on Thursday, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench in a five-point loss to Toronto. “He was excellent,” head coach Jordi Fernández said of Demin, per Lewis. “There’s going to be things he’s going to keep working on. We’ve got to keep building him up physically to be able to sustain more minutes. … But I’m very happy with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. And made it look easy. He shot the ball every time he was open or halfway open, got to the free-throw line and rebounded. He got five rebounds, made nice plays at the rim. It was good.”
Repost Share Send via email

Suns Notes: Ishbia, Lawsuits, Williams, Centers, Butler, Jones

October 19th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Suns minority owners dismissed their lawsuit against majority owner Mat Ishbia and the team on Friday, but intend to file a new suit over what their lawyer refers to as Ishbia’s “mismanagement” of the franchise, reports Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

It’s the latest development in a legal battle within the Suns’ ownership group. Andy Kohlberg (Kisco WC Sports) and Scott Seldin (Kent Circle Investments) sued the Suns and Ishbia in August, alleging that they weren’t being permitted to view records and financial information that would help them understand how the team was being run and how much their shares are worth. Ishbia filed a countersuit earlier this week, arguing that the initial suit was part of a negative PR campaign against him as those minority owners sought a buyout at an “extortionate” cost.

“Our clients succeeded in their books and records action in obtaining information we were seeking and have discontinued that case,” Michael Carlinsky, an attorney representing Kohlberg and Seldin, said in a statement, per Vorkunov. “We are now focused on the critical phase in our litigation, which will involve our clients’ assertion of claims for mismanagement and other misconduct and look forward to their day in court.”

Ishbia and the Suns remain confident that nothing will come of the new suit.

“This is more of the same from litigious limited partners who are using the courts to try to leverage a buyout,” Suns spokesperson Stacey Mitch said. “They dropped their books and records complaint because the organization is and has been fully transparent about its operations and success. We are confident that we will prevail in court.”

We have more on the Suns:

  • After taking part in a competitive scrimmage on Saturday, Suns center Mark Williams is on track to be available for the team when the regular season tips off on Wednesday, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “This was the most minutes he’s seen in a scrimmage that we’ve played,” head coach Jordan Ott said. “Mark is big. You can see his size out there, both ends. Offensively, puts pressure on the rim. Defensively, when someone is driving in there, you have to make the decision.” Phoenix has taken a cautious approach with Williams this fall due to his extensive injury history — he has played just 106 of 246 possible regular season games during his first three years in the NBA.
  • While Williams is expected to start at center, Ott said the rotation in the middle will be “fluid” early in the season, per Rankin. Oso Ighodaro, Nick Richards, and rookie Khaman Maluach will also be in the mix. “On a night-to-night basis, we’ll have a plan going into it, but we have to be a little fluid as coaches and kind of read the games and see exactly who is impacting winning out there on the court on a night-to-night basis,” Ott explained.
  • According to Rankin, Ott called it a “really tough” decision to cut Jared Butler, who had a big preseason with the Suns while on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract. Butler averaged 15.5 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 20.9 minutes per game across four preseason outings, but was waived because Phoenix is operating slightly over the tax line and apparently doesn’t plan to fill its 15th roster spot for now. “He was part of us for multiple months,” Ott said of Butler. “He really helped our group. Helped his teammates. Helped our intensity of camp. … Hopefully at the end of it, JB knows that we tried to do the best we could. Hopefully, we helped him.”
  • Former Suns general manager James Jones said on Thursday that his time in Phoenix was “phenomenal” and spoke about his new role in the NBA’s league office. Rankin has the highlights in a story for The Arizona Republic.
Repost Share Send via email

Checking In On Roster Situations Around The NBA

October 19th, 2025 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the majority of the NBA teams made their roster cuts on Saturday and didn’t wait until Monday’s deadline to set their regular season rosters.

Completing those moves on Saturday will ensure the players on non-guaranteed contracts clear waivers on Monday, before the regular season begins. If a team had waited until Monday to waive a player on a non-guaranteed deal, he wouldn’t clear waivers until Wednesday, and the team would be on the hook for two days’ worth of his salary.

After Saturday’s flurry of roster moves, here’s where things stand around the NBA…

Teams whose rosters are within the regular season limits

Of the NBA’s 30 teams, 27 have rosters that comply with the league’s regular season roster limits, which state that clubs can’t carry more than 15 players on standard contracts or three on two-way contracts.

The following 10 teams are right at the limit, carrying 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-ways:

  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Utah Jazz

Just because these rosters look ready for the regular season doesn’t necessarily mean they’re fully locked in. It wouldn’t be be a surprise if one or more of these teams makes a minor tweak before Monday’s regular season roster deadline. That could be as simple as swapping out one two-way player for another. It could also involve the standard roster.

For instance, maybe the Pacers decide that carrying one more point guard is more important than having four centers and decide to place a waiver claim on Jared Butler while waiving Tony Bradley and his non-guaranteed contract. I’m not saying that will happen or even that Indiana is considering that move — it’s just an example of what’s still possible before Monday’s deadline.

The following 15 teams are carrying 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-ways:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angles Lakers
  • Miami Heat
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New York Knicks
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Toronto Raptors

Several of these teams are right up against a hard cap and don’t have the ability to add a 15th man to their standard rosters at this point. That’s the situation for the Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Knicks, and Magic.

Many others are operating in luxury tax territory or right near the tax line and will want to keep that 15th spot open for now in order to either keep their projected tax bill in check or maintain some financial flexibility.

That’s not the case for all of these teams though. The Pistons are well clear of the tax, for instance, and could comfortably make a roster addition if they want to.

Two more teams are within the regular season limits. Those teams are as follows:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers: 14 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: 15 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.

The Cavaliers and Trail Blazers both carried over one two-way player from last season (Nae’Qwan Tomlin for Cleveland; Sidy Cissoko for Portland) and signed a new two-way player on July 1 (Luke Travers and Caleb Love, respectively). Since then, both teams have had one two-way slot available, but I expect they’ll fill those openings sooner rather than later, given that there are no cap savings generated by keeping a two-way slot open.

It’s worth noting that players on Exhibit 10 contracts who were waived on Friday or Saturday could be claimed off waivers and immediately converted to two-way deals before Monday’s roster deadline.

Teams that still have moves to make before Monday’s deadline

That leaves three NBA teams that have yet to make the necessary moves to get within the regular season roster limits. Let’s run through them one by one…

Brooklyn Nets: 16 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.

The Nets are currently carrying 14 players on fully guaranteed salaries, with Jalen Wilson on a deal with a small partial guarantee ($88,075) and Tyrese Martin on a non-guaranteed contract.

There are a few things to keep in mind here. For one, neither Wilson nor Martin can be directly converted to a two-way contract, since neither is on an Exhibit 10 deal. So if Brooklyn intends to fill that two-way slot before the season begins, it will have to be via waiver claim or a free agent signing.

More importantly, the Nets are operating just $190K over the NBA’s minimum salary floor and absolutely want to be above that threshold when the regular season begins, since falling short would mean forfeiting their share of the end-of-season luxury tax payment. Waiving either Wilson or Martin would result in Brooklyn’s salary falling below the salary floor, since most or all of their minimum salaries would come off the team’s books.

Barring a Sunday or Monday trade, there are two solutions for the Nets here: Either they waive someone with a guaranteed contract or they cut one of Wilson or Martin and guarantee most or all of his 2025/26 salary on his way out. I think the latter scenario is probably more likely, since there aren’t many obvious release candidates among Brooklyn’s 14 players with guaranteed salaries, but we’ll see what the team decides. The decision is due by 4:00 pm Central time on Monday.

Milwaukee Bucks: 16 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.

After deciding that Amir Coffey and his non-guaranteed contract would make the team, the Bucks were in position to put off their final roster move until Monday, since they’ll be cutting a player with a full or partially guaranteed salary — whichever player is the odd man out will get his money, regardless of which day he’s waived, so Milwaukee couldn’t create any cap savings by making that move a couple days before the roster deadline.

As we noted when we discussed the Bucks’ decision to retain Coffey on Saturday, it looks like Tyler Smith (guaranteed $1,955,377 salary) and Andre Jackson Jr. ($800K partial guarantee) are the two players who are most in danger of being cut. It’s possible that the club could trade or waive another player instead, but I’d be surprised if Milwaukee’s final preseason roster move involves anyone besides Smith or Jackson.

Neither one was great in the preseason, but Jackson was a little better and has shown more than Smith at the NBA level to this point in their respective careers. Retaining Smith would be the financially advantageous move, since waiving Jackson would reduce the team’s salary by about $1.42MM, but the Bucks aren’t close to the tax line and can afford to eat Smith’s full salary if they decide he’s not part of their future. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take that path.

Washington Wizards: 16 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.

The Wizards are another team expected to cut a player with a guaranteed salary, which is why they can wait until Monday to make their last roster move. The only one of their 16 players with a non-guaranteed contract is Justin Champagnie, who was effective in a rotation role last season.

A trade is still possible, but a cut is more likely. And in that scenario, 2024 first-round pick Dillon Jones looks to me like the probable odd man out. He didn’t do much during his first NBA season in Oklahoma City, and the offseason trade that sent him to Washington was more about the second-round pick the Wizards got along with him than about Jones himself. He also wasn’t great in the preseason.

If the Wizards go in a different direction, it’s worth keeping an eye on former Spur Malaki Branham, who was acquired in exchange for Kelly Olynyk along with Blake Wesley and a second-round pick. Washington already waived Wesley and I haven’t gotten the sense that the club views Branham as a crucial part of its roster going forward.

Hoops Rumors’ roster resources

We consistently maintain and update a number of lists and trackers that are designed to help you keep tabs on NBA rosters. They’re all up to date following Saturday’s cuts.

Those resources, which can be found on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site or on the “Features” page within our mobile menu, include the following:

Repost Share Send via email

Warriors Notes: Stephen Curry, Kerr, Podziemski, Seth Curry

October 18th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

It’s becoming more common for NBA stars to keep playing effectively after their 40th birthday. That’s still nearly three years away for Stephen Curry, and the Warriors star told Mark Medina of EssentiallySports that he plans to take care of his body so there will be a choice to make when the time arrives.

“All I’ll say is that I just want the option and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Curry said. “I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.”

Curry is still at the top of his game as he enters his 17th year in the NBA. He was a second-team All-NBA selection last season and an All-Star for the 11th time. He appeared in 70 games, averaging 24.5 points in 32.2 minutes per night, and remains one of the league’s most feared long-distance shooters, connecting at 39.7% from beyond the arc while leading the NBA in three-pointers attempted and made.

Intense offseason workouts are among the secrets to Curry’s longevity. His trainer, Brandon Payne, told Medina that this summer focused on strength training and speeding up his decision-making process.

“A lot of it is the foundational work that I’ve put in since I started,” Curry said. “One, I still love it. I’m blessed with being with a team around me that has helped take the spirit that I’m trying to put into it and give me the framework that keeps the body limber and loose and the injury prevention stuff. The rest of it is a toughness to get out there and do the work. I still love and want to keep it going.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • Steve Kerr ponders his future with the organization in an article by Anthony Slater of ESPN that examines the coach’s long, successful relationship with Curry. Kerr, who’s entering the final year of his contract, said he wouldn’t choose to leave Golden State for another coaching job. “Management and ownership would have to want it to continue,” he said. “I would have to want it to continue. Steph would have to. I’m not finishing my contract and saying, ‘All right, I think I’ll go leave for such and such job around the league somewhere. That’s not happening.”
  • Brandin Podziemski left Friday’s preseason finale in the first quarter with an injury, Slater tweets. He suffered a left hip contusion in a first quarter fall and had to be helped to the locker room by trainer Rick Celebrini. However, he was able to return to action in the second half, suggesting he should be fine for the start of the regular season (Twitter link).
  • Seth Curry, who was waived Saturday as the Warriors made their final roster cuts, can’t return until November 11 at the earliest because the team can’t fit his prorated veteran’s minimum salary under its second apron hard cap for the first few weeks of the season. That’s why he didn’t see any playing time during the preseason, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. “Because he got here late and just because of the nature of everything, I’m trying to see other people as well,” Kerr said. “I’m not worried about Seth. He’s not worried about it. He’s coming along nicely.”
Repost Share Send via email

Spurs Notes: Biyombo, Kornet, Harper, Waters

October 18th, 2025 at 9:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran big man Bismack Biyombo, who earned a spot on the Spurs‘ roster for the upcoming season, is valued by the organization for more than just his on-court contributions, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. McDonald points to a preseason game this week in which Biyombo enjoyed playing the role of teacher as he was on the court with four young players who are headed for the G League.

“It’s a great group of young guys just to be around and help them out,” Biymobo said. “I think when you enjoy doing what you do, then you can’t call it work. And I enjoy working with good people.”

Biyombo was out of the NBA in February when he received a call from the Spurs, who were seeking help at center after trading Zach Collins to Chicago. Biyombo signed a 10-day deal with the expectation of being a backup, but he was promoted to the starting lineup when San Antonio lost Victor Wembanyama for the season with deep vein thrombosis.

He re-signed this summer on an Exhibit 9 contract that only guaranteed him a spot at training camp. The Spurs saw his influence as a leader late last season and decided to keep him on the roster.

“He is very selfless,” Julian Champagnie said. “He goes on the floor with those young guys and teaches them. He’s directing traffic. Stuff like that’s really valuable.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

  • “French Vanilla” is the catchy nickname Spurs fans have given to the combination of Wembanyama and free agent addition Luke Kornet, McDonald adds in a separate story. The former Celtics center was brought in primarily to be a backup for Wembanyama, but they’ve been effective in their minutes together. “Having two rim protectors can give you a lot of versatility to make things hard for the teams,” Kornet said. “Then should be a fun time trying to figure it out offensively how to best fit that together.” 
  • San Antonio has several options at point guard, but Dylan Harper is best positioned to be Wembanyama’s long-term partner, observes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft was sidelined for a while following thumb surgery, but he’s already showing signs of stardom since returning. “There’s a reason that there are expectations and thoughts of him before he got to this gym, and I think it’s our job to continue to cultivate that and support that and challenge him,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s obviously shown a knack for sound decision-making and making plays with the basketball in his hands.”
  • Lindy Waters III will undergo a minor laser eye procedure to correct an issue that was found in his preseason physical, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). Waters won’t be available for opening night, but he’s not expected to miss much – if any – time beyond that.
Repost Share Send via email

Celtics Notes: Harper, Simons, Queta, Rotation

October 18th, 2025 at 8:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ron Harper Jr.‘s path to landing a two-way contract with the Celtics began at last year’s training camp, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. After being waived last fall, Harper played for Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine until the Pistons offered him a two-way opportunity in January. He became a free agent again this summer and was happy to learn that the Celtics were interested in a reunion.

“As soon as my stint was over with Detroit, I was gathering options and my agent mentioned Boston really would love to have me back,” Harper said. “In the back of my mind it was just like, last training camp I was really grateful because I learned a lot of things. They were coming off an NBA championship, so just being in here, being around the program, just to being able to see and being able to learn things. So I feel like that was a big part of me getting a two-way in Detroit, of me getting that opportunity. And then when the opportunity came to come back, it was something I jumped on very quick.”

Harper signed a training camp deal in September and made a strong impression during the preseason. He’s expected to split his time between the NBA team and the G League club, and he hopes to prove he’s worthy of a long-term future in Boston.

“They emphasized to me that my decision-making, with the ball in my hands, being primary, secondary ball-handler and just being able to defend and hit threes,” Harper said. “So just being able to perfect all of those things, it’ll carve out my role perfectly.”

There’s more from Boston:

  • Anfernee Simons was a proven scorer in Portland, but he understands that he needs to improve his defense and find ways to contribute to winning with the Celtics “no matter what that looks like,” per Jay King of The Athletic. Simons is encountering a different style of coaching with Joe Mazzulla, who has constantly challenged him since training camp began. “I knew that I was going to get pushed in ways I’ve never been pushed and maybe play a different way that I’ve never played in my career, where I was always the guy making every single play, and it was always dependent on me, especially the last couple years,” Simons said. “And, so, now we got a whole bunch of veteran players that know how to play and know how to move the ball and know how to just play basketball a little bit more. And, so, that’s what I was excited about — being a part of that.”
  • The loss of several frontcourt players for financial reasons opened the door for Neemias Queta to become the starting center, notes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Celtics want Queta to handle the basics of protecting the rim, rebounding and staying out of foul trouble, and he has filled that role during the preseason. “We’re going to be hard on Neemi and I’m really looking forward to coaching him throughout the year,” Mazzulla said. “But as I told him, this is what you worked your whole life for, a chance to start for the Celtics, and you see this with players when they step into different phases of their career. It’s easy to be the rookie, kind of easy to be the fourth-string big, and then it’s kind of easy to be the backup. And now you have to develop a mindset to deliver every night, and I think he has that.”
  • Mazzulla may use a 10- or 11-man rotation for most of the season, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Robb believes Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman, Chris Boucher and Josh Minott have all shown they’re capable of playing, so Mazzulla may mix and match his big men to find the right combinations.
Repost Share Send via email

Extension Rumors: Daniels, Ivey, Duren, Eason, Braun, Sharpe

October 18th, 2025 at 7:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

After talking to agents and executives around the league, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required) that there will likely be few, if any, rookie scale extensions reached before Monday’s deadline that carry an average annual value larger than $25MM. Fischer adds that teams have become more cautious about handing out large deals because of the restrictions that accompany the first and second aprons.

He points to Hawks guard Dyson Daniels as someone who should be in good position to match the five-year, $150MM extensions that teammate Jalen Johnson and Orlando guard Jalen Suggs both received last offseason. However, sources tell Fischer that Atlanta’s front office is willing to let Daniels test restricted free agency next year if he won’t sign on the team’s terms.

Fischer notes that Daniels’ agent, Daniel Moldovan, also represents Josh Giddey, who just went through a months-long standoff with the Bulls in restricted free agency. Fischer adds that Daniels would likely be entering a more robust market for restricted free agents than the one that Giddey faced.

Fischer offers more information on players eligible for rookie scale extensions:

  • Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren haven’t made much progress in their extension talks with the Pistons, sources tell Fischer. He suggests that management might be extra cautious with Ivey following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this week. Ivey’s camp expects an active market if he does hit free agency, even though he’s also coming off a fractured left tibia that cost him most of last season. Sources describe negotiations with Duren as “tepid” so far, per Fischer, who adds that his representatives are asking for a new deal worth much more than $30MM in AAV and are also optimistic about his prospects on the open market.
  • The Rockets are hoping to sign Tari Eason to an extension that’s “significantly lower” than the five-year, $122MM deal that Jabari Smith Jr. accepted this summer, according to Fischer. The outcome of the Eason negotiations will affect what Houston is willing to give Kevin Durant in his extension talks, Fischer adds. With Amen Thompson expected to receive a max extension next offseason, Houston is being careful about not overloading its salary commitments. Fischer talked to capologists who said they would recommend limiting any Durant offers to $80MM over two years. As Fischer notes, it’s not certain that Durant would remain with the Rockets at that number.
  • It seems unlikely that Christian Braun will reach an extension agreement with the Nuggets, Fischer states. Sources tell him that Denver is already sending signals that it doesn’t want to become a taxpaying team next season, while Braun and his camp are hoping for a deal at $25MM in average annual value. The Nuggets are also holding extension talks with Peyton Watson, but Fischer suggests a new deal with him may not happen unless they can’t agree to terms with Braun.
  • Fischer views Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe as the most likely remaining candidate to hammer out an extension before the deadline. Rival teams that Fischer contacted expect Portland to give Sharpe something in the neighborhood of $100MM over four years.
  • Suns center Mark Williams, Jazz center Walker Kessler and Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin all appear headed for restricted free agency, Fischer states. Of the three, Fischer points to Mathurin as the most likely to change teams because of Indiana’s reluctance to add more long-term salary.
Repost Share Send via email

Raptors Bring Back A.J. Lawson On Two-Way Contract

October 18th, 2025 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

7:05 pm: Lawson has officially rejoined the Raptors on a two-way contract, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

9:10 am: The Raptors are re-signing guard A.J. Lawson on a two-way deal, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto tweets.

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca first reported that the Raptors were expected to bring back Lawson on a two-way contract.

Lawson was on the team’s camp roster but was cut on Thursday and will clear waivers later today. The team didn’t have the ability to convert him directly to a two-way contract because he hadn’t been on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Lawson, 25, is a Toronto native who holds three years of NBA experience. He signed a two-way deal with his hometown team last December and was promoted to a multiyear standard deal in April, just before the season ended. However, Lawson’s salary for 2025/26 was non-guaranteed and the Raptors opted for financial flexibility due to their current cap/tax situation.

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

Toronto has a two-way opening, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary. The Raptors currently have 14 players on guaranteed contracts on their standard roster and will likely remain one below the maximum entering the season.

Repost Share Send via email

Suns Waive McDermott, Mariano To Set Roster

October 18th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After signing them on Friday, the Suns have officially waived forward Sean McDermott and wing Nathan Mariano, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.

McDermott, 28, appeared in 18 games for the Grizzlies on a two-way deal back in 2020/21, but hasn’t been in the NBA since then. The former Butler Bulldog spent a few seasons in the G League with the Memphis Hustle before continuing his career overseas, playing in Italy and Turkey the past two years.

Marino, 22, is a 6’9″ wing. He has spent several seasons playing professionally for Franca in Brazil, his home country.

Both players are likely to suit up this fall for the Valley Suns. The Exhibit 10 contracts they signed with Phoenix will make them eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the Suns’ G League team.

[RELATED: 2025/26 NBA Roster Counts]

As a result of the cuts, Phoenix now has 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals, so the team’s roster is set for the regular season. The Suns could fill their 15th standard roster spot before their season gets underway next week, but likely won’t do so since they’re operating slightly over the luxury tax line.

Repost Share Send via email

Heat Notes: Smith, Herro, Rozier, Jaquez

October 18th, 2025 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dru Smith continues his remarkable recovery from the Achilles tear he suffered last December and will begin the regular season without a minutes restriction, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra confirmed that Smith received full medical clearance, but he plans to be cautious in how he uses the shooting guard, who has suffered two major injuries in the past two seasons.

“He’s not on a minutes restriction,” Spoelstra said, “but we want to be responsible right now. All of these are big victories. He’s way ahead of schedule. We want to keep on just stacking up these wins.”

Winderman suggests that Smith may be in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s opener at Orlando, considering the injuries that have already affected Miami’s backcourt. Tyler Herro is recovering from ankle surgery, while Davion Mitchell and Kasparas Jakucionis both missed time during the preseason due to physical issues.

Smith said he has already overcome the mental aspect of returning to the court following a major injury.

“While I’m out there, I’m not thinking about it at all,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot more stuff pre-wise — like pregame, before the game, just to stay on top of everything, just take all the precautions that I can, to make sure that my body is ready whenever I do get out there. And after that, I’m just playing basketball. At the end of the day, I can’t control it. It is what it is, so I might as well just try to be myself.”

There’s more from Miami:

  • It’s almost certain that the Heat won’t agree to an extension with Herro before Monday’s deadline, league sources tell Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Chiang hears that Heat officials want to see how Herro follows up his career-best season before committing to a pricey extension, and one source says the team didn’t make a formal offer during recent negotiating sessions. If no deal is reached, Herro will become eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $206.9MM next summer and could raise that ceiling to a five-year, $380MM super-max deal if he makes an All-NBA team.
  • Terry Rozier made his preseason debut Friday night after returning from a strained hamstring. The 31-year-old guard, who’s in the final year of his contract and faces an uncertain future in Miami, told Winderman in a separate story that he wants “a fair chance” to prove himself after a forgettable 2024/25 season. “Last season it was rough, definitely for me,” Rozier said. “So I had a whole lot of the whole summer just to reflect on what I want to do and what I want to bring to this team. I’m ready. Like I said, just hopefully I get the equal opportunity, equal as everybody. But if not, I’m still going to be here in voice and be that vet.”
  • Jaime Jaquez Jr. hopes to rediscover the success of his rookie season by attacking the basket more often rather than spotting up for threes like he did last year, Winderman adds in another piece. “I just stopped putting pressure on myself to make or miss threes,” Jaquez said. “Make it, miss it, stop letting it affect me. I think last year I was trying to put so much emphasis and pressure on myself to try to just be that. And this year, I’m just focusing on my strengths, and one of those strengths is just getting downhill, creating for my team and sometimes for myself.”
Repost Share Send via email
Load More Posts