Heat To Sign Jahmir Young
The Heat and free agent guard Jahmir Young have reached an agreement on a deal, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
According to Scotto, Young will get a chance to compete for one of Miami’s two-way contract slots. That suggests he’ll sign an Exhibit 10 contract, which can be converted to a two-way deal prior to the start of the regular season.
A 6’1″ point guard who went undrafted out of Maryland in 2024, Young opened his first professional season with the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate, before signing a two-way contract with Chicago in February and finishing the year with the Bulls. He was waived in July to open up a two-way slot for Yuki Kawamura.
Young logged just 30 total minutes in six games at the NBA level, but starred in the NBAGL, averaging 21.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game in 43 total outings for the Gold and the Windy City Bulls. The 24-year-old struggled with his outside shot for Grand Rapids, but finished the season strong by making 39.7% of his three-point tries in 13 games for Windy City. He was named to the G League’s All-Rookie team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.
Young reportedly drew interest from the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League this offseason, but will look to continue his career in the NBA. Vladislav Goldin and Myron Gardner currently occupy two-way slots for Miami, but it appears the team will hold a competition in training camp for its third and final opening.
Joe Barrer To Coach Pelicans’ G League Team
The Pelicans are naming Joe Barrer the head coach of their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Barrer has worked in the G League for nearly a decade, first as a video coordinator and assistant coach for the Iowa Wolves (known as the Iowa Energy at the time). He spent four seasons as an assistant for the Magic’s G League affiliate from 2017-21 and then was promoted to the team’s head coaching role for two seasons from 2021-23.
Barrer has followed a similar trajectory with the Pelicans, having been an assistant coach with the Squadron for two seasons prior to his promotion to head coach this summer.
The Squadron have been coached for the past three seasons by T.J. Saint, but he left the organization this offseason in order to take a job with the Knicks under Mike Brown.
March 31 Target Date Set For Closing Of Blazers’ Sale
When the Trail Blazers first announced their plans to sell the franchise in May, they stated that the process was expected to extend into the 2025/26 season, so it came as a bit of a surprise when word broke last Wednesday that a buyer had been found.
However, the sale of the team to a group headed by Tom Dundon isn’t expected to become official in the short term. According to Jason Quick of The Athletic, a target date of March 31, 2026 has been set for the closing of the deal.
As Quick outlines, Dundon and his group of investors have reached an exclusivity agreement with the late Paul Allen‘s estate, which means that the estate is no longer permitted to negotiate with other potential buyers. The two sides are continue to discuss certain terms of the sale, but all major points have been agreed upon and the buyers hope to sign a purchase agreement next month, a source close to Dundon tells Quick.
While a seven-month timeline to complete the sale of the team would be longer than average, it typically takes a few months from the time a tentative agreement is reached for a new ownership group to completely close its sale. For instance, it was reported on March 20 that William Chisholm had struck a deal to buy the Celtics; that deal was approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors last week, with the team confirming the closing of the sale this Tuesday.
The valuation of the Blazers in the sale is estimated to be $4.25 billion, and the plan is to keep the team in Oregon. The future of Moda Center remains up in the air, however. As Quick writes, the team has a lease agreement in place to continue playing at the arena until at least 2030, but commissioner Adam Silver has said a new building will likely be necessary.
“Nothing about the arena is a deal breaker on its own,” Quick’s source said. “It’s lots of little things that add up.”
Regardless of what happens with the arena, Blazers fans should be enthusiastic about how the change in ownership will impact the franchise, that source close to Dundon tells The Athletic.
“He brings a swagger,” the source said of Dundon. “If Tom was the owner last year, he would have been trying to get Luka (Doncic). He would be like, ‘Why should the Lakers have him?'”
John Wall To Join Amazon’s NBA Coverage
When John Wall announced his retirement as a player on Tuesday, he referred to “new opportunities” presenting themselves and said he’s ready for his “next chapter.” According to Michael Lee of The Washington Post, the next phase of Wall’s career will involve joining Amazon Prime Video for its studio show in 2025/26.
Although Wall told Lee in a recent phone interview that he still felt like he has “a lot left in my tank” as a player and was disappointed he didn’t get another opportunity on the court, he’s looking forward to staying involved in the NBA by sharing his insights with fans on Prime Video beginning this fall.
“If you never really had the opportunity to sit down and talk to me, you won’t really understand how much I love basketball, where my basketball mind is at, where my IQ is,” Wall said. “I can basically tell you the best player in the country — from girls to boys, high school, to the players that’s in college, to the people that’s at the NBA and WNBA.”
It will be Amazon’s first season as an NBA broadcaster. The streaming giant will air games exclusively on Friday nights through December before adding Thursday and Saturday broadcasts later in the season. Prime Video will also be the home of the knockout round of the NBA Cup in December.
Amazon previously announced that former NBA stars Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki will be part of its studio show, which will be hosted by Taylor Rooks.
In addition to that studio team, Prime Video’s broadcasting roster will include analysts Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Candace Parker, Stan Van Gundy, Dell Curry, Brent Barry, and Udonis Haslem, as well as sideline reporters Cassidy Hubbarth, Allie Clifton, and Kristina Pink, and play-by-play announcers Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle, Michael Grady, and Eric Collins.
Wall, meanwhile, made a few more interesting remarks in his conversation with Lee, noting that he had wanted to remain with the Wizards for his entire NBA career and that he hopes to have his No. 2 jersey retired by the franchise. The former No. 1 overall pick also discussed the health issues that derailed his playing career and ultimately cut it short.
“People think, ‘Oh, he got the money, he’s set for life, he don’t care.’ No, I would give up all the money to play basketball and never deal with none of those injuries,” Wall said. “I didn’t play the game of basketball for money. I played the game of basketball because I love it. I was itching to get back to play. I wasn’t itching to sit on the sideline and collect the check. The check don’t mean [anything].”
Pacers Sign Rick Carlisle To Multiyear Extension
3:46 pm: The Pacers have officially signed Carlisle to an extension, according to a team press release.
“Since his return to the Pacers in 2021, Coach Carlisle has been integral to our success, which includes leading us to consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances and our first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “Beyond his coaching achievements that rank him among the best in NBA history, Coach Carlisle continues to embrace our community and give back to the state of Indiana with his Drive and Dish program. We are thrilled to have him continue leading our team and representing our organization well into the future.”
9:30 am: After leading the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in a quarter-century this spring, head coach Rick Carlisle has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the team, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).
The Pacers had one of the worst years in franchise history during Carlisle’s first season back on the job in 2021/22, posting a record of just 25-57. But the club has steadily improved since then, increasing its regular season win total to 35 in ’22/23, 47 in ’23/24, and 50 this past year.
Indiana has also made consecutive deep playoff runs with Carlisle at the helm, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and then appearing in the NBA Finals this year for the first time since 2000.
Accounting for both his current stint with the Pacers and his previous four-year run from 2003-07, Carlisle has posted an overall regular season record of 338-318 (.515) and has gone 41-34 (.547) in the postseason, making the playoffs in five of eight seasons.
In addition to his time in Indiana, Carlisle has another 15 years and 1,197 regular season games under his belt as a head coach in Detroit and Dallas since 2001.
The details of Carlisle’s new agreement are unclear, but he reportedly signed a four-year contract in 2021 and was also extended in 2023. Given that his initial four-year deal just ended this year and both of his extensions have been described as “multiyear” pacts, it seems safe to assume he’s under contract for several seasons to come.
Nikola Vucevic Talks Status With Bulls, Goals, EuroBasket
Despite being the subject of trade and buyout speculation this summer, Nikola Vucevic has “almost no doubt” that he’ll open the 2025/26 season with the Bulls, he told Theo Quintard of Basket USA (hat tip to Eurohoops).
On a Bleacher Report live stream last month, NBA insider Jake Fischer responded to a question from a Bulls fan about Vucevic by noting that there has been no real trade market for the big man this offseason and speculating that a mid-season buyout could be more likely than a trade.
According to Vucevic, Bulls general manager Marc Eversley got in touch with him around that time to tell him to dismiss the rumors swirling about his future.
“There are always rumors,” Vuceveic said to Basket USA (text translated from French). “Most of them are wrong. It’s a little bit of anything. For example, the buyout (rumor) was misinterpreted in Europe. The reporter said that if there was no trade during the season, there might be a buyout option before the deadline. I know how business works. In the final year of the contract, there is always speculation. Since I can’t control anything, I’m trying not to take the lead.”
Here are a few more of the most notable remarks that Vucevic made during the interview:
- The Bulls’ starting center said he was happy with his individual performance in 2024/25, but acknowledged it was “frustrating” to once again be eliminated in the play-in tournament. He added that he’d like to have the chance to compete for a championship before his NBA career is over. “In Europe, it’s easier to join a big team,” Vucevic said. “But in the NBA, it is complicated because of rules and trades.”
- Vucevic believes this year’s EuroBasket tournament may be the last time he plays for Montenegro in an international offseason event. “Perhaps I will change my mind, but for the time being, I believe that this will be my last,” he said. “The next (major tournament) is only two years away. I’ll be 36, 37. I would also like to focus more on my career in the NBA. With age, I have to think about my body and recovery, before I re-attack the season. During the year, I am often absent because of travel, training and matches. Summer is an opportunity to make up for lost time with my three children and enjoy it. At the moment, that’s my biggest priority.”
- After finishing 13th at EuroBasket 2022, Montenegro will have a challenging path to the round of 16 in the 2025 tournament, Vucevic admitted. The Montenegrin national team is in a group with Germany, Finland, Great Britain, Lithuania, and Sweden. “If (we get) through the first round, it will be a huge success,” he said. “We have absent players, injuries, so it will be quite difficult as it stands, but I think we still have a small chance to do that.”
Raptors Notes: Webster, Pritchard, Roster Moves, Rotation
The Raptors announced on Monday that they’ve decided not to fill the president role formerly held by Masai Ujiri, with Bobby Webster hanging onto his title of general manager as he takes over as the team’s permanent head of basketball operations. That’s fine with Webster, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays.
“On the title, what’s the best way to put it? The title, to me, probably isn’t as important as the responsibilities,” Webster said. “I’m really thankful for this opportunity. I’ll make the most of it and that (not getting the president title) is not something that concerns me.”
While Webster seems unfazed by not being named the Raptors’ president, he’s still expected to have a chance to earn a promotion to that position based on how he handles his new responsibilities, Grange adds.
“This is his chance,” a source close to the hiring process told Sportsnet. “Show (us) he’s the president. It’s a process. It’s all about the rebuild, it’s all about the strategy going forward. Can Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes become an incredible duo? How do you manage the tax situation we’re currently in?
“At the end of the day, it will be about Bobby making the right decisions moving forward. He’s (40 years old) and he’s got every quality that you want representing your organization. Now, it comes down to wins and losses, building the reputation of the brand and dealing with the salary cap.”
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Grange hears from sources that Toronto formally interviewed Pacers president Kevin Pritchard, former Kings general manager Monte McNair, and former Raptors coach Dwane Casey for its president role, while Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports that Pacers GM Chad Buchanan and Bulls GM Marc Eversley also interviewed for the job. Pritchard was believed to be the candidate that intrigued the Raptors the most, but “prying him away from the Pacers proved difficult,” Grange writes.
- While Webster believes the roster the Raptors have put together is ready to “make the next step” in 2025/26, there’s skepticism around the NBA about some of the moves the team has made in recent years. According to Grange, one Eastern Conference executive questioned the team’s investments in Immanuel Quickley (five years, $162.5MM), Ingram (three years, $120MM), and Jakob Poeltl (three years, $84MM): “I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” Another rival executive, per Grange, suggested there’s an excess of wings on the roster and a lack of depth at point guard and center. “They have a lot of nice pieces,” that executive said. “It’s just not clear how they all fit.”
- Some of the executives who interviewed for the Raptors’ president job were among those questioning the club’s recent personnel decisions, according to Lewenberg, who says one of those external candidates referred to the Ingram trade as a “desperate Hail Mary.”
- Eric Koreen of The Athletic previews what the Raptors’ rotation might look like this fall, projecting Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jamal Shead, and Collin Murray-Boyles to be the top options off the bench behind a starting lineup of Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ Barrett.
NBA Players With Trade Kickers In 2025/26
A trade kicker is a contractual clause that pays an NBA player a bonus when he’s traded. They’re one of the tools teams have at their disposal to differentiate their free agent offers from the ones put on the table by competing clubs — or to incentivize a player to sign an extension before he reaches free agency.
Sometimes the kicker is worth a fixed amount, but usually it’s based on a percentage of the remaining value of the contract. So, a player who has a 10% trade kicker is eligible for a bonus worth 10% of the amount of money he has yet to collect on his deal (not counting an option year).
Regardless of whether a trade kicker is set at a fixed amount or a percentage, the bonus can’t exceed 15% of the remaining value of the contract. Most trade kickers are worth 15%, the highest percentage allowed.
A trade bonus must be paid by the team that trades the player, rather than the team acquiring him. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement also allows a player to waive part or all of his trade kicker as part of a deal, if he so chooses.
If you want a more detailed explanation of how trade kickers work, check out the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on the subject.
Here’s a list of the NBA players who have active trade kickers for 2025/26, listed alphabetically, along with the details of those trade bonuses:
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks (7.5%)
- OG Anunoby, Knicks (15%)
- LaMelo Ball, Hornets (15%)
- Nicolas Batum, Clippers (15%)
- Bradley Beal, Clippers (15%)
- Devin Booker, Suns (10%)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (15%)
- Clint Capela, Rockets (5%)
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (15%)
- Dorian Finney-Smith, Rockets (3.232%)
- Paul George, Sixers (15%)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (15%)
- Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves (7.5%)
- Aaron Gordon, Nuggets (3%)
- Draymond Green, Warriors (15%)
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers (15%)
- James Harden, Clippers (15%): Traded
- Al Horford, Warriors (15%)
- Kyrie Irving, Mavericks (15%)
- LeBron James, Lakers (15%)
- Ty Jerome, Grizzlies (15%)
- Derrick Jones, Clippers (5%)
- Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors (15%): Traded
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (15%)
- Naji Marshall, Mavericks (5%)
- Austin Reaves, Lakers (15%)
- Klay Thompson, Mavericks (15%)
- Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers (15%)
- Myles Turner, Bucks (15%)
- Derrick White, Celtics (15%)
- Trae Young, Hawks (15%): Traded
- Ivica Zubac, Clippers (5%): Traded
The following players have trade bonuses on their contracts, but those bonuses would be voided if they were to be traded during the 2025/26 league year, since they’re already earning this season’s maximum salary:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (15%)
- Scottie Barnes, Raptors (15%)
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics (7% or $7MM, whichever is lesser)
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (15%)
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers (15%): Traded
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (15%)
- Evan Mobley, Cavaliers (15%)
- Ja Morant, Grizzlies (15%)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (15%)
The following players have signed contract extensions that will include trade kickers, but those extensions won’t go into effect until at least the 2026/27 season:
- Mikal Bridges, Knicks (5.69%)
- Aaron Nesmith, Pacers (7.5%)
- Jakob Poeltl, Raptors (5%)
Oscar Tshiebwe Re-Signs With Jazz On Two-Way Deal
Former Kentucky standout Oscar Tshiebwe is back under contract with the Jazz, having re-signed with the team on a two-way deal, per NBA.com’s official transaction log.
Utah made Tshiebwe a restricted free agent in June by issuing him a two-way qualifying offer. It’s possible he simply accepted that offer, which is the equivalent of a one-year, two-way contract with a partial guarantee worth $85,300.
After going undrafted in 2023, Tshiebwe spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Pacers and his second year in the NBA on a two-way deal with the Jazz. The 6’8″ forward/center has only made 22 total appearances at the NBA level across those two seasons, but has shown his rebounding prowess in limited action, averaging 7.6 points and 8.7 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game across 14 outings for Utah in 2024/25.
Tshiebwe, who grabbed double-digit rebounds in eight of the 10 games he played for the Jazz in past March and April, has put up monster numbers in the G League — he earned a spot on the All-NBAGL first team and placed second in MVP voting this spring after averaging 16.1 points, a league-leading 18.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per contest in 42 games for the Salt Lake City Stars.
Tshiebwe racked up at least 20 boards in seven of the last nine games of his G League season in March. In one matchup with the Iowa Wolves during that stretch, he grabbed 30 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive glass.
It remains to be seen whether Tshiebwe will be utilized more frequently by Jazz head coach Will Hardy in 2025/26, but he’ll be eligible to appear in up to 50 NBA regular season games on his two-way deal, which will pay him $636,435 if it becomes fully guaranteed.
Tshiebwe and Elijah Harkless now occupy two of the Jazz’s three two-way slots, with second-round pick John Tonje viewed as the frontrunner to fill the final opening.
John Wall Announces Retirement
Former No. 1 overall pick and five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has announced his retirement, publishing a video on social media to confirm his decision (Instagram link).
“I’ve been chasing a ball since I could barely walk. Driveways, parks, packed gyms, 5:00 am workouts,” Wall said over a video montage of his career highlights. “I gave this game everything I had, from Raleigh to Kentucky to the league. Every jersey I’ve worn meant more than just wins and stats. It was about representing something bigger, and it’s something I couldn’t do without you.
“To my family, my mom especially, thank you for all your sacrifices. I hope I made you proud. To my teammates, trainers, and coaches, thank you for believing in me. And to the fans, you made me feel unstoppable.
“Today I’m stepping off the court, but not away from the game. Basketball will always be in my life. As new opportunities present themselves, I feel now is the time to walk confidently into my next chapter. Thank you for every cheer, every moment. Retired, but never done, I’m doing it the Wall way.”
Drafted first overall by the Wizards in 2010 after earning SEC Player of the Year honors as a freshman at Kentucky, Wall almost immediately emerged as Washington’s full-time starting point guard and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.
The 6’3″ guard, known for his speed and athleticism, remained in D.C. for 10 seasons, receiving five straight All-Star nods from 2014-18, making an All-Defensive team in 2015 and earning All-NBA third team honors (and MVP votes) in 2017.
However, a series of leg injuries, including a torn Achilles, slowed down Wall during his last few seasons with the Wizards. He was traded to Houston during the 2020 offseason, but was limited to just 40 appearances in his first year with the Rockets due to ongoing health issues, then reached a mutual decision to remain away from the team in his second year in Houston. Wall’s last season in the NBA came in 2022/23, when he made 34 outings for the Clippers.
In total, Wall appeared in 647 NBA regular season games, making 604 starts, and averaged 18.7 points, 8.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per contest, with a career shooting line of .430/.322/.776.
Reporting as recently as December 2024 indicated that Wall hadn’t given up on making an NBA comeback, but after no opportunities materialized this past season, the veteran – who will turn 35 next month – has decided to call it a career.
Shortly after Wall made his announcement, the Wizards put out a social media post congratulating him on his retirement and referring to him as “one of our franchise all-time greats” (Twitter link).