Pacers Add Samson Johnson, Gabe McGlothan On Camp Deals
The Pacers have added big man Samson Johnson and forward Gabe McGlothan on Exhibit 10 contracts and waived guards Steven Ashworth and RJ Felton, according to a team press release.
It’s expected that Johnson and McGlothan will also be waived in the near future with the intent of having them join their NBA G League franchise, the Noblesville Boom. Each player would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Noblesville.
Indiana’s intent to sign Johnson was reported just after he went undrafted in June. Johnson won back-to-back national championships with UConn in 2023 and 2024 as a role player for the Huskies. He averaged 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 19.4 minutes per contest as a senior last season (34 games) and played for the Pacers’ Summer League squad in July.
McGlothan was on the Nuggets’ training camp last year but was waived before opening night. He spent the season with the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League, averaging 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 42 games. McGlothan went undrafted after playing four collegiate seasons at Grand Canyon and was on Dallas’ Summer League roster this July.
Ashworth and Felton were signed to Exhibit 10 deals on Monday.
Ashworth spent three years at Utah State before spending his final two college seasons at Creighton. As a “super senior” in 2024/25, he averaged 16.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG and a Big East-best 6.8 APG in 35 games (36.0 MPG) for the Blue Jays.
Felton, who played four years of college ball at East Carolina, averaged 18.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.2 SPG on .414/.376/.743 shooting splits in 30 games (34.5 MPG) last season for the Pirates.
Ashworth and Felton also suited up for the Pacers’ Summer League team in July.
Jazz Expect Kevin Love To Join Them At Training Camp
The Jazz expect veteran forward Kevin Love to join them at training camp, Grant Afseth of RG.org reports.
Earlier this month, a report surfaced that the longtime big man was unlikely to begin the season with Utah as he sought pathways out of the organization, including a buyout. Love was dealt from Miami to Utah as part of a three-team swap in early July.
Love has an expiring contract, which will pay him $4.15MM this season, and it doesn’t seem likely he’d have a meaningful on-court role with the rebuilding Jazz. There have been instances in the past where veterans dealt under similar circumstances have not reported to the team.
However, according to Afseth, Utah has not engaged in serious buyout discussions with Love and is moving forward with the plan of having him report to camp.
Last year with Miami, Love appeared in 23 games and averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, all career lows. The 37-year-old could be a valuable piece for Utah on two fronts, Afseth notes. He brings championship experience, professionalism and leadership to the table and could be a mentor for the team’s young core. His expiring contract could also prove useful in a trade.
Playoff-caliber teams are expected to continue monitoring Love’s situation, especially if buyout talks eventually gain traction and he winds up getting waived.
Jazz Waive Forward KJ Martin
The Jazz have waived forward KJ Martin, according to a team press release. In the process, Utah shed Martin’s non-guaranteed $8MM contract for the upcoming season.
Martin appeared in 19 games (nine starts) last season with Utah, averaging 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. He wound up with the Jazz as part of February’s blockbuster five-team trade in which Jimmy Butler was dealt to Golden State.
While on the Sixers’ roster, Martin missed a big chunk of last season due to a foot injury. He appeared in 24 games with Philadelphia, including seven starts, averaging 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game.
The No. 52 pick of the 2020 draft, Martin spent his first three NBA seasons in Houston prior to being traded to the Clippers in a five-team deal in the 2023 offseason. He only played two games for Los Angeles, having been sent to Philadelphia in November 2023 as part of the James Harden blockbuster. After playing a modest role for the Sixers in 2023/24, Martin re-signed with the club on a two-year, $16MM deal.
By waiving Martin, the Jazz opened up a training camp spot. They have 15 players on guaranteed contracts.
According to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith (Twitter link), the Jazz could create up to $10.5MM in salary cap space but will continue to operate as an over-the-cap team for now. Utah has an $18.4MM traded player exception for John Collins that is keeping them over the cap.
Martin could be an interesting option for a team seeking help at the forward spots once he clears waivers.
Markquis Nowell Signs With Spanish Club
Point guard Markquis Nowell has signed with Spain’s Baskonia, Chema de Lucas tweets.
Nowell was on the Rockets’ training camp roster last year but didn’t make the 15-man regular season squad. He spent the season with the Rockets’ NBA G League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Nowell made 49 NBAGL appearances, averaging 16.1 points and 8.4 assists in 30.9 minutes per game.
Nowell was on Milwaukee’s Summer League roster this July.
A 5’7″ point guard, Nowell spent most of the 2023/24 season on a two-way contract with the Raptors after going undrafted out of Kansas State. He appeared in just one NBA game for Toronto before being cut that March.
Nowell won the Bob Cousy Award for the nation’s top collegiate point guard in his senior season with the Wildcats.
Greek Team Considers Signing Dalano Banton
The Greek team Olympiacos is eyeing free agent guard Dalano Banton, according to Sotiris Vetakis of SDNA.gr (hat tip to Sportando).
Banton appeared in 67 games with the Trail Blazers last season, including seven starts. The 6’8″ guard/forward averaged 8.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 16.7 minutes per game. He also had stints with Toronto and Boston after being drafted in the second round by the Raptors in 2021.
However, Banton has received a cool reception in the free agent market this offseason. Marc Stein recently reported that the 25-year-old has received interest from numerous teams overseas but continues to seek an NBA opportunity. He has auditioned for multiple NBA teams, including the Warriors and Pacers, but hasn’t been able to secure an offer he likes.
Overall, Banton has made 216 NBA appearances, averaging 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.5 minutes per game. His subpar perimeter shooting (30.4 percent on threes) is a key reason why he’s struggled to secure another contract.
Southwest Notes: D. Smith, J. Jackson, Spurs, Nowitzki, Flagg
While Dennis Smith Jr. rejoining the Mavericks makes for a nice storyline, it’s unlikely the veteran guard will make the 15-man roster out of training camp, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets. Smith is signing a one-year deal with Dallas, the team that made him the No. 9 pick of the 2017 draft. However, it’s likely to be only a training camp contract and the Mavericks already have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, with Brandon Williams on a partial guarantee.
Among Dallas’ motivations for signing Smith, according to Stein, was ensuring he receives an Exhibit 10 bonus if he reports to the G League. That means Smith, who didn’t play in the league last season, will likely wind up with the Texas Legends.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. says he’s progressing well from turf toe surgery, though it’s uncertain whether he’ll be ready to play by the season opener. “I’m aiming for whatever my body is telling me, but I’m progressing the right way,” Jackson told Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I’m feeling good. I’m doing what I need to do. Every day has been a building block, so I’m just trying to make it to whatever (timeframe). I think everybody is going to be happy.”
- San Antonio’s City Council will hold a key vote next week on a proposed new arena for the Spurs, according to Paul Fogerty of Spurs Talk. The cost of the arena is projected to be $1.3-$1.5 billion with the city contributing up to $489MM.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki believes Cooper Flagg will live up to his billing as a franchise-altering talent, he told Christian Clark of The Athletic. “The hype is real, for sure,” Nowitzki said. “I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that’s basketball or any sport, but of course I checked out Cooper. Sky is the limit, honestly. What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He’s) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is he’s the real deal.”
Central Notes: Toppin, Giddey, Pistons, Bucks
The Pacers will have to defend their Eastern Conference championship without Tyrese Haliburton, who will spend this season rehabbing from Achilles tendon surgery. Big man Obi Toppin still believes the Pacers can be “great” without their star guard.
“Ty brings so much to the team and it’s not hidden, everybody understands what he brings to the game,” Toppin told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “So it’s just something that everybody on the team has to do while we’re out there, just doing a little extra knowing what we’re missing and knowing what we need out there on the court and just continue playing Pacers basketball. We’ve built the system here and I feel like everybody has bought into the system. That’s why we’ve been so successful. If we continue doing that, we’re gonna still be great.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Given Josh Giddey‘s defensive shortcomings, handing him a four-year, $100MM contract was a risky move, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. While the Bulls got the deal done without egregiously overpaying, they can’t continue to make large commitments to players that can be exploited on the defensive end, Poe contends. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times takes a different approach, stating that Giddey’s contract compares favorably to several of the Eastern Conference starting point guards.
- The Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II projects a Pistons starting lineup of Jaden Ivey, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren. Sankofa also looks a few other combinations that the coaching staff might want to explore this season.
- Can the Bucks find a reliable point guard? Will Kyle Kuzma have a bounce-back campaign? Those are two of the five questions that could define Milwaukee’s season, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, who takes a closer look at each of those issues.
Hornets Waive DaQuan Jeffries
The Hornets have waived wing DaQuan Jeffries, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets. The team has confirmed the move (Twitter link).
Jeffries was signed through the 2026/27 season but his three-year contract was non-guaranteed for this season and next. His $2,743,776 salary for 2025/26 would have been fully guaranteed if he had remained on the roster through January 7.
The move wasn’t surprising. As we pointed out recently, waiving Jeffries was the most likely scenario to help deal with the team’s roster crunch. He was sent to Charlotte via the Knicks last October as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns multi-team blockbuster.
Jeffries, 28, appeared in a career-high 47 games, including 20 starts, last season. He averaged 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 33.5 percent beyond the arc. He has also had stints with Sacramento, Houston and Memphis. Overall, he has seen action in 111 NBA games.
Charlotte now has 20 players on its training camp roster, leaving one open spot ahead of the preseason. The Hornets still have 16 players on guaranteed deals and another on a non-guaranteed contract, so they still have some work to do to trim the roster to 15 by opening night.
Knicks Hoping To Keep Brogdon, Shamet
The Knicks want to retain both Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet on their 15-man opening night, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. That will require a trade to open up some salary cap space and Bondy’s sources around the league believe it will happen.
The Knicks are hard-capped and can’t exceed the $207.8MM second tax apron threshold. They currently only have enough flexibility below that apron to carry one of their veteran camp invitees on the regular season roster.
Brogdon and Shamet are among a handful of veteran players signed to non-guaranteed contracts to compete for that opening. Garrison Mathews, Matt Ryan and Alex Len were also signed this week. Bondy indicates that Brogdon and Shamet passed on other opportunities and wouldn’t have done so if they were worried about getting cut.
However, the competition for that contract might last until late in training camp. The Knicks could wait to ensure that both guards remain healthy and that Brogdon looks like he’ll bounce back after a lost season with the Wizards in which he played just 24 games. It would also give the other trio a chance to prove they’re worthy of a roster spot.
As for which player might be dealt, Bondy cautions not to rule out a Miles McBride trade. McBride averaged 24.9 minutes per game last season but with Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges entrenched as the starters and the addition of Jordan Clarkson (plus possibly Brogdon and/or Shamet), his playing time could be reduced. Plus, he’s eligible for an extension next summer and could be an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The Knicks have so many long-term salary commitments that an extension for McBride could contribute to more cap restrictions down the road.
Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek are the other logical possibilities to be dealt, though neither is likely to command as strong a return as McBride would on the trade market.
The Knicks have stated they are more committed to player development and Dadiet, their 2024 first-round pick, has the highest ceiling among their young reserves. Kolek, a 2024 second-rounder, is only making $2.19MM, so moving him and retaining two veterans would leave New York with barely any breathing room (roughly $44K) below the second apron.
Nets Waive Keon Johnson
The Nets have waived Keon Johnson, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
Johnson appeared in 79 games with Brooklyn last season, including 56 starts. He averaged a career-best 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.4 minutes per contest.
However, Johnson’s playing time was expected to be reduced dramatically with restricted free agent Cam Thomas signing his qualifying offer and an influx of first-round rookies on the roster. Brooklyn also acquired another shooting guard, Kobe Bufkin, from Atlanta this week.
Johnson’s $2,349,578 was only guaranteed for $271,614. That partial guarantee would have increased to $760,520 if he had been on the team’s opening night roster.
As a result of waiving Johnson, the Nets now have 20 players on their camp roster. Ricky Council IV is still expected to sign with the team, having agreed to a deal at the start of August.
Johnson, who began his career with the Clippers and also had a stint with the Trail Blazers, will now become a free agent on Friday unless he’s claimed on waivers. The 6’5” wing was a first-round pick in 2021 out of Tennessee, but has struggled with his shooting during his young career, averaging 37.9% overall and 32.4% on three-point tries in 161 career games.