Javon Freeman-Liberty Signs With Brisbane Bullets
Javon Freeman-Liberty has joined the Brisbane Bullets in Australia’s National Basketball League, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter). He will head overseas on a one-year deal.
Freeman-Liberty played 22 games for the Raptors in the 2023/24 season, averaging 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per night. The 25-year-old spent last year with the Windy City Bulls G League team, for whom he averaged 19.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 35.6% on 7.9 three-point attempts per game.
A 6’4″ guard, Freeman-Liberty is coming off a strong Summer League with the Bulls that saw him average 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in five contests.
The Bullets came in eighth in the NBL last season out of 10 teams and are hoping that the addition of Freeman-Liberty can help boost them up the standings.
“To add a talent of Javon’s caliber to our roster at this stage is really exciting,” said head coach Stu Lash, according to the NBL website. “He’s a hungry player who’s ready to take the next step in his development as a professional. His toughness, ferocity, and willingness to compete make him a natural fit for what we value at the Brisbane Bullets.”
Trail Blazers To Fully Guarantee Duop Reath’s Contract
The Trail Blazers will fully guarantee Duop Reath‘s contract for the 2025/26 season, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Reath’s deal will pay him $2.22MM. Portland would have had to waive him on or before Friday in order to avoid guaranteeing that full amount, as our early salary guarantee tracker shows.
Reath has spent the last two seasons with the Blazers. He averaged 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 35.9% from three as a rookie, but saw his playing time diminish from 17.9 minutes per night over 68 games to 10.2 minutes per night over 46 games last season following the addition of rookie center Donovan Clingan.
While previous starting center Deandre Ayton is now with the Lakers, the Blazers once again took a big man in the first round in Yang Hansen. If Hansen is able to earn minutes as a rookie, Reath’s pathway to minutes will remain somewhat blocked, especially if Robert Williams is healthy.
Spurs To Guarantee Julian Champagnie’s 2025/26 Salary
The Spurs will fully guarantee Julian Champagnie‘s 2025/26 salary, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
Champagnie is set to make $3MM in the third season of his four-year contract, which also includes a $3MM team option for the 2026/27 season. August 1 represented the guarantee date for this season’s salary.
The fourth-year small forward carved out a role for himself in San Antonio over the past two seasons, playing 74 games in 2023/24 and all 82 games last year. He averaged 9.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per night last season while shooting 37.1% from three on 5.9 attempts per game.
The Spurs have upgraded their roster in multiple spots this summer, adding Dylan Harper, Kelly Olynyk, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant, which will make it harder for Champagnie to command the same role he did in ’24/25. However, the team remains relatively light on wings and could use his three-point shooting.
Skylar Mays Signs With KK Buducnost
Skylar Mays has signed with the Montenegrin team KK Buducnost, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The team officially announced the deal in a press release.
Mays played four seasons in the NBA, with the majority of his time coming with the Hawks. He last played in the NBA in 2023/24, suiting up for 21 games with the Trail Blazers and 17 with the Lakers. Across 105 career appearances, he holds career averages of 4.3 points and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 34.5% from three and 85.9% from the free throw line.
Mays played 19 games with the Iowa Wolves G League team last season, averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 39% from three. He also spent time with EuroLeague champion Fenerbahce last year, averaging 3.7 PPG in 10.1 MPG during league play.
Mays will join a Buducnost roster that boasts former NBA players Juwan Morgan and Yogi Ferrell.
Raptors Sign Olivier Sarr To Exhibit 10 Deal
The Raptors have signed free agent center Olivier Sarr, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.
According to Murphy (Twitter link), the contract is an Exhibit 1o deal, which will allow Sarr to compete for a roster spot in training camp and receive a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he’s waived and joins the Raptors’ G League team.
Sarr played for the Thunder for parts of three seasons from 2021-24, averaging 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game across 46 outings, before spending last season in the G League.
The Raptors recently extended Jakob Poeltl and signed Sandro Mamukelashvili to a minimum deal. They also drafted Collin Murray-Boyles this year and Jonathan Mogbo in 2024, both of whom can switch between center and forward spots. With two-way big man Ulrich Chomche also in the frontcourt mix, the 26-year-old Sarr is likely a long shot to earn a regular season roster spot.
Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way deals prior to the NBA regular season. If Sarr doesn’t get a two-way contract and is waived, he would have to spend at least 60 days with the Raptors 905 to earn his Exhibit 10 bonus.
And-Ones: Freeman, Cancar, Yurtseven, Ball
After playing 22 games as a rookie for a Pacers team that went to Game 7 in the NBA Finals, Enrique Freeman now finds himself navigating unrestricted free agency for the first time. He’s excited about what will come next, writes Spencer Davies of RG.
Freeman averaged 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds while playing 7.2 minutes per night in 2024/25 after being selected with the 50th pick in last year’s draft. He received more playing time than may have been expected following the Achilles injury to Isaiah Jackson.
Freeman went on to have a productive Summer League this year for the Pacers, averaging 16.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 72.5% from the field and 55.6% from three on limited attempts. However, with their three two-way slots filled, the Pacers withdrew their two-way qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent earlier this month.
“I think I put myself in a good position to where I’ll be somewhere soon to get a job and continue my career,” Freeman said. “My biggest goal is to get a contract and be a steady NBA player.”
We have more from around the world of hoops:
- Vlatko Cancar will not be suiting up for the Slovenian national team at the 2025 EuroBasket tournament, reports the Eurohoops team. Despite being a consistent presence on the squad since 2016, Cancar is opting to skip the tournament to focus on the upcoming season with Olimpia Milano, including a program designed to help him be fully healthy and ready to contribute following arthroscopic surgery on his knee in January.
- Panathinaikos has decided to retain center Omer Yurtseven, writes Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Martorano cites original reporting by SDNA, which details that the Greek club had until July 30 to decide on an opt-out clause in Yurtseven’s deal. With the team reportedly nearing a deal with Thomas Bryant, Yurtseven is expected to be the third center on the roster.
- Jackson Ball has commited to the Illawarra Hawks, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter). Ball, a 17-year-old, 6’5″ wing, is considered to be New Zealand’s top draft prospect. He has committed to the University of Wisconsin in 2026/27 with an eye towards the 2027 draft.
Richaun Holmes Considering Fenerbahce Offer
Richaun Holmes is considering a move overseas, writes Kevin Martorano of Sportando. Mortando cites an original report by TeleSport, which states that Holmes has been in conversations with Fenerbahce, the reigning EuroLeague champion, about a contract that would pay him approximately $2.7MM per year.
Holmes, according to the report, has yet to agree to the deal, as he is waiting to see if an NBA offer materializes as the remaining bigger names in free agency go off the board. If he doesn’t get an offer from an NBA team that appeals to him, he is expected to join the Turkish powerhouse.
Holmes has played 10 years in the NBA, most recently for the Wizards, with whom he averaged 7.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 17.2 minutes per night across 31 outings last saeson. He came into the league in 2015 as part of the “Process” Sixers and saw his most success as the part-time starter for the Kings from 2019-2022, averaging 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game over three seasons.
Fenerbahce has reportedly prioritized adding a defensive center to its roster heading into next season.
Summer League Notes: Rookie Standouts, Maluach, Fears
The 2025 Summer League gave fans and teams first impressions of most of this year’s incoming rookies, as well as serving as a showcase for several sophomores and younger veterans. In the wake of the event, Law Murray of the Athletic breaks down each rookie’s performance with an eye for what it could mean for the coming season.
Cooper Flagg (Mavericks), Dylan Harper (Spurs), and VJ Edgecombe (Sixers) were arguably the biggest names who participated in the Summer Leagues – headlined by the Las Vegas event – and despite some shooting efficiency concerns, all three gave their fans plenty of reason for excitement.
Flagg displayed a well-rounded on-ball skill set, Harper came up clutch in his last game to force overtime, and Edgecombe lived at the free throw line while displaying some advanced ball-screen offensive game, Murray observes.
The next three picks in the draft, Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Ace Bailey (Jazz), and Tre Johnson (Wizards), all showed off their shot-making capabilities, which will likely be what earns them regular playing time as rookies. Knueppel was rewarded for his play with the only All-Summer League Second Team selection among rookies, while Nique Clifford (Kings) was the lone rookie to make the First Team, thanks to his stellar all-around play.
Other rookies, such as Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Carter Bryant (Spurs), Joan Beringer (Timberwolves), and Brooks Barnhizer (Thunder) flashed tantalizing defensive capabilities, though Murray-Boyles and Bryant were inconsistent offensively, Murray notes.
Here are a few more leftover Summer League notes:
- John Hollinger of the Athletic takes a look at some of the low points of Summer League, including the worst ejection of the tournament, awarded to the Celtics‘ Jordan Walsh for not only having an excessive foul on the Heat’s Pelle Larsson, but for accidentally throwing him into Walsh’s own front office executives courtside.
- In terms of players who struggled, Hollinger mentions Khaman Maluach (Suns), who had difficulty catching lobs and other passes, Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans), who was unable to spearhead an offense and create for others, and the limitations of the four Nets rookies who suited up, among others.
- On the non-player side, Hollinger points to an abundance of turnovers caused by stepping out of bounds, as well as the prevalence of split-screen interviews that made following the games an exercise in patience and eagle-eyed vision.
Heat Notes: Star Duo, Jovic, Larsson, Fontecchio
If this season goes poorly, it could lead to an internal examination of the Heat‘s longest-tenured pairing, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
In an offseason mailbag, Winderman says the entire organization, including head coach Erik Spoelstra, understands that the team’s performance during the last two years – including back-to-back No. 8 seeds and pair of first-round playoff exits – is not to the franchise’s lofty standards.
Jimmy Butler‘s impact on those outcomes can’t be overlooked, but Winderman also suggests that the coming season could be “make-or-break” for theTyler Herro/Bam Adebayo duo.
Herro had a career year last season, averaging personal highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) per game while making his first All-Star team, but that coincided with Adebayo posting his lowest scoring year since the 2019/20 season. Most importantly, it didn’t lead the team to wins — Miami had a 37-45 regular season record, its worst mark in a decade.
Winderman notes in his mailbag that the trade for Norman Powell was a win-now move designed to bring in more reliable offense, and that there will be expectations for the team to show signs of growth in the first full season of the post-Butler era.
We have more from the Heat:
- Nikola Jovic understands the Heat are taking a risk by allowing him to represent Serbia in this year’s EuroBasket tournament and is grateful for both the opportunity and the precedent set by former Miami guard Goran Dragic, writes Winderman. “You’re letting someone play for their country, paying them a lot of money, and they’re important to you,” Jovic said. “An injury would definitely be a setback for them. But, by chance, and to my great fortune, I’m part of the Miami team that had Goran Dragic.” The Heat expressed that Dragic always came back from international tournaments a better player, a pronouncement which gives Jovic confidence in himself and his development. The fourth-year forward is expected to play a large role with the Serbian team, which won the bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup, and he hopes that will help him solidify a more consistent role with the Heat. “This way, I enter the new NBA season already in game rhythm. I just keep going,” he said.
- Also set to participate in EuroBasket is Heat shooting guard Pelle Larsson, who will represent Sweden not long after playing for Miami in Summer League. Winderman isn’t worried about the workload for Larsson, especially since the team let him out of his summer duties four days early to join the Swedes. Rather than being nervous about the grind of going from Summer League to EuroBasket to training camp, the Heat are excited to see what the 24-year-old can do as a leading man in the games, Winderman writes.
- Simone Fontecchio has arrived in Folgaria, in northern Italy, to join the Italian EuroBasket squad, writes Michele Nespoli of Sportando. However, he will be unable to start training with them until Wednesday, July 30, as stipulated by the NBA’s regulations in regards to FIBA competition. Fontecchio has chosen to report to the team early to be in closer communication with them, as he did in 2023.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Christie, Lazare, Spurs
Rockets fans should expect to see much more of the two-big lineups featuring Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams this season, writes Kelly Iko for The Athletic.
Despite the fact that neither are shooters — Sengun made just 23.3% of his three-pointers last season while Adams is 1-of-17 in his career from beyond the arc — Houston found an unexpected level of success playing the duo together. The two skilled international bigs were able to leverage their passing, rebounding, and toughness around the rim to great success, and Iko writes that other Western Conference teams took note and may attempt to follow suit.
Bringing in Clint Capela should help the Rockets manage Adams’ minutes, though since Capela is less of a play-maker than the other two centers, it remains to be seen if they’ll attempt to capture the same type of magic by putting him in lineups with Sengun.
The Rockets know that Sengun will have to expand his range, not just for these lineups, but also to facilitate playing with Amen Thompson, another very limited shooter. Iko writes that becoming more comfortable outside of the three-point line is one of Sengun’s priorities this offseason, and Thompson is hard at work on his jumper as well.
We have more from the Southwest division:
- Max Christie is excited to reunite with new Mavericks teammate D’Angelo Russell, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s one of my closest friends and closest teammates,” Christie said. “We were together for two years out in L.A. and I respect him a lot.” Christie has had an eventful start to his career, from playing with LeBron James to being included in a trade for Luka Doncic, to now forming a new young core with Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II to complement Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, when Irving returns from injury. He’s excited for the challenge, citing the day he was traded as his favorite day as an NBA player. “We got a good roster,” he said. “We got a good coaching staff. We’re looking forward to making a big splash in the West.”
- The Grizzlies are adding Darnell Lazare onto their coaching staff, Drew Hill reports for The Daily Memphian (subscriber link). Lazare previously worked for the Grizzlies as a player development coach in 2018 before joining the Pelicans in a similar role, notes Damichael Cole writes for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Cole writes that Lazare is expected to work with Memphis’ big man rotation after working closely with Pelicans rookie Yves Missi last season.
- The Spurs have committed over $1 billion in funding to San Antonio’s downtown revitalization, which will include a new arena, write Amanda Moreno and Chris Hoffman of News 4 San Antonio. The civic project, known as Project Marvel, could cost up to $4 billion in total, and the Spurs’ commitment is expected to help alleviate some of the fiscal concerns. The Spurs’ investment includes $500MM for a new arena, $500MM in downtown development, and $60MM in community incentives, affordable tickets, and small business support. “As we have done since 1973, we are operating in good faith, grounded in deep love for our community and a sincere desire to help San Antonio thrive,” said Spurs chairman Peter J. Holt. The team is asking the city to contribute another $500MM to the arena costs. The Spurs are expected to stay in their current home, the Frost Bank Arena, until 2032, when the lease expires.