Celtics’ Payton Pritchard To Start In 2025/26?
Celtics guard Payton Pritchard won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2024/25 after averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists on .472/.407/.845 shooting in 80 games last season (28.4 MPG). Last week, he discussed his confidence in the team’s ability to remain competitive and his excitement for a larger role in 2025/26.
After trading Jrue Holiday to Portland, Boston intends to promote Pritchard to the starting lineup for the upcoming season, Grant Afseth reports for FastbreakJournal.com.
That means Anfernee Simons — whom the Celtics acquired for Holiday and have reportedly been trying to trade — will essentially slide into Pritchard’s old role as a spark-plug scorer off the bench, assuming he’s still on the roster when the season tips off in October.
As Afseth notes, Pritchard only started three games last season, but he put up big numbers in those contests, averaging 21.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 7.3 APG in 35.1 MPG.
According to Afseth, Boston believes the former 26th overall pick has “earned the starting job through years of steady development.” Pritchard is entering his sixth season with the Celtics.
While Simons is a more proven offensive player than Pritchard, he’s also a lesser defender. And given Simons’ tenuous spot on the roster — he’s on an expiring $27.7MM contract, whereas Pritchard is in the second season of a four-year, $30MM rookie scale extension — it makes sense from both a team-building and continuity perspective to give Pritchard the starting nod.
International Notes: Harrison, Lauvergne, Silva, Toscano-Anderson
Seven-year NBA veteran Shaquille Harrison has signed a one-year contract extension with ASVEL Basket, the French team announced in a press release.
Known for his defense, Harrison appeared in 183 regular season contests with seven different NBA teams, last suiting up for Memphis on a 10-day deal during the 2023/24 campaign. The 31-year-old guard played in 63 total games with ASVEL last season, averaging 5.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes per contest.
ASVEL competes in France’s top domestic league — the LNB Élite — as well as the EuroLeague. The club went 23-7 during the LNB Élite regular season, losing in the semifinals of the playoffs, but just 13-21 in EuroLeague action.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Harrison was one of several former NBA players on ASVEL Basket’s roster in ’24/25. Another was center Joffrey Lauvergne, who has spent the past three seasons with the team in his native France. Although he’s coming off a productive season, ASVEL recently announced that Lauvergne will not return in ’25/26 (link to press release). The 33-year-old was a second-round pick back in 2013 and spent four seasons in the NBA, last playing for San Antonio in ’17/18.
- Chris Silva has signed a one-year deal with Greece’s AEK BC, per the team. The African big man is a four-year NBA veteran who spent last season in Israel with Bnei Herzliya. Former Nets second-rounder RaiQuan Gray will also return to AEK in ’25/26, Eurohoops notes.
- Italian team Pallacanestro Trieste has reportedly reached an agreement with free agent wing Juan Toscano-Anderson, according to Kevin Martorano of Sportando, who cites a report from Il Piccolo. Toscano-Anderson, 32, won a title with Golden State in 2022 and last played in the NBA for Sacramento in ’23/24. He spent all of last season in the NBA G League with the Mexico City Capitanes.
Heat Notes: K. Jones, Herro, Johnson, Rotation, Schedule
Free agent center Kai Jones is working out for the Heat this week and Miami could use depth in the middle. However, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel is skeptical the former first-round pick will make the Heat’s roster — assuming he’s offered a contract, which would likely be non-guaranteed.
As Winderman explains, due to their luxury tax situation (they’re currently slightly over the tax line), the Heat are “far more likely” to add a big man on a two-way contract than carry a 15th player on a standard deal to open the season, and Jones no longer has two-way eligibility. It’s also not unusual for free agents to work out for the Heat in the summer, but many of those auditions occur privately, Winderman writes.
Jones has reportedly drawn serious interest from the Italian team Virtus Bologna, which could offer him guaranteed money and a more significant role than Miami, so it’s unclear if a non-guaranteed training camp contract would appeal to the 24-year-old.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Between October 1 and the start of the regular season, Tyler Herro will be eligible for a contract extension that could pay him up to $149.7MM over three years. De’Aaron Fox (four years, maximum salary) and Mikal Bridges (four years, $150MM) recently signed veteran extensions and a scout who spoke to Winderman believes that, in a vacuum, Herro is the best of the three players. While locking in a core duo of Bam Adebayo and Herro with no assurances of short- or long-term team success could be costly for the Heat, particularly given Herro’s defensive limitations, waiting until next offseason could also be risky for both sides. Winderman points out that Herro would be eligible for an even more lucrative deal at that point and suggests Herro and the Heat might need to compromise to reach an agreement this fall.
- Haywood Highsmith‘s knee injury may open rotation minutes for second-year forward Keshad Johnson, at least during the preseason, Winderman adds in the same story. Johnson rarely played for the Heat as a rookie in 2024/25, having spent most of the season in the G League. It’s unclear if Highsmith will be available for the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right meniscus.
- In a separate mailbag, Winderman states that head coach Erik Spoelstra is unlikely to make major lineup decisions based on how players perform during the Heat’s six-game preseason slate. That’s not to say training camp won’t be important — Winderman just thinks practices will likely be weighed more heavily than the exhibition games.
- Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald shares his takeaways from the Heat’s schedule, which was released this afternoon along with every other team. Miami will only be featured in five nationally televised games in ’25/26 — only seven teams have fewer national TV games, Chiang notes.
Lakers To Unveil Pat Riley Statue On Feb. 22
The Lakers will honor legendary former coach Pat Riley with a statue that will be unveiled on February 22 against longtime rival Boston, according to a report from The Associated Press.
Riley spent five-plus seasons with the Lakers during his nine-year playing career, winning a championship as a role player during the 1971/72 campaign, the same season in which Los Angeles set the NBA record for longest winning streak at 33 consecutive games. After his playing days ended, he became a broadcaster for the Lakers and an assistant coach prior to becoming head coach in 1981/82.
Riley’s head coaching stint with the Lakers — which covered nine seasons and ended in ’89/90 — was one of the most successful runs of any coach in league history. During the “Showtime” era under Riley, the Lakers won four championships and made seven total NBA Finals appearances. Los Angeles won at least 50 games every year with Riley at the helm, crossing the 60-win threshold five times.
Overall, Riley compiled a 533-194 regular season record (.733 winning percentage) as the Lakers’ coach and went 102-47 (.685) during the playoffs.
Riley, who added another head coaching ring to his collection with Miami in 2006, has been the Heat‘s president and top basketball executive for the past 30 years. The Heat named their home court after the 80-year-old last October.
Riley will be the eighth Lakers legend to be honored with a statue outside the team’s arena, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal and broadcaster Chick Hearn.
International Notes: Chiozza, Cacok, Faried, McCaw
Free agent point guard Chris Chiozza has signed with Karşıyaka Basket for the 2025/26 season, the Turkish team announced (Instagram link; hat tip to Sportando).
After going undrafted out of Florida in 2018, Chiozza spent his first four professional seasons bouncing between the NBA and the G League, mostly on two-way contracts. He appeared in 91 regular season contests with the Rockets, Wizards, Nets and Warriors, last suiting up for Golden State during the ’21/22 campaign.
The 29-year-old has spent the past three seasons overseas in Spain and Turkey. He played for Manisa Basket last season, which — like Karşıyaka — competes in Turkey’s Basketball Super League.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Ex-NBA big man Devontae Cacok has officially signed a one-year deal with Spanish club UCAM Murcia, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Cacok played parts of three NBA seasons with the Lakers and Spurs from 2019-22. He played in Russia during the ’22/23 season and spent the past two seasons with Virtus Bologna. The Italian team released Cacok in November due to a knee injury, but evidently he is fully recovered now.
- Speaking of Virtus Bologna, the EuroLeague club is reportedly interested in Kenneth Faried, according to Carchia, who cites a report from La Prealpina. The 6’8″ power forward averaged 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds over eight NBA seasons but has been out of the league since ’18/19. Faried, 35, has played in the NBAGL, China, Russia, Italy and Puerto Rico over the past several years.
- Pallacanestro Cantù, which was promoted to Italy’s top domestic league (Serie A) in June following a four-year hiatus, has expressed interest in Patrick McCaw, according to Italian outlet La Provincia (hat tip to Carchia). The former second-round pick won three titles with the Warriors and Raptors during his five years in the NBA, last suiting up for Toronto in ’20/21. Known for his defense, McCaw has spent most of the past four years in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s affiliate.
Partizan Belgrade Reportedly Eyeing Mo Bamba
Partizan Belgrade has made a contract offer to Mo Bamba and is considered the frontrunner to sign the former lottery pick if he decides to play in Europe for the first time in his career, according to Vasiliki Karamouza of Sport24.gr (hat tip to Sportando).
The sixth overall pick in 2018, Bamba spent the first half of 2024/25 with the Clippers before being traded to — and waived by — the Jazz in early February. He later signed a 10-day deal with New Orleans in March.
A report last month indicated that Olympiacos (Greece) was interested in Bamba, but he has not been linked to any NBA teams this offseason.
Bamba, 27, holds seven years of NBA experience, mostly with Orlando. He averaged 4.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 32 appearances last season with the Clippers and Pelicans (13.2 minutes per game).
KK Partizan, which competes in the EuroLeague and the ABA League, is coming off an ABA League title this spring but went just 16-18 in EuroLeague play. The Serbian club’s roster features no shortage of former NBA players, including Shake Milton, Jabari Parker, Sterling Brown, Isaac Bonga and Aleksej Pokusevski, among others.
Another former lottery pick, Frank Ntilikina, played for Partizan last season but was reportedly nearing a departure this offseason. However, Karamouza’s sources say that the French guard will stay in Belgrade after agreeing to a pay cut.
Free Agent Guard Malik Beasley Evicted From Apartment
Free agent shooting guard Malik Beasley was evicted from his apartment in Detroit on Wednesday, writes David Purdum of ESPN.com, citing court records.
As Purdum details, Beasley was sued two times by his landlord earlier this year for a total of $21,505 in unpaid rent. The first lawsuit was dismissed in March, but the 36th District Court in Michigan issued an eviction order in the second case after Beasley failed to respond.
Beasley’s social media accounts indicate that he has been traveling in Europe this summer, according to Purdum.
To put it mildly, it has been a tumultuous offseason for Beasley, who was expected to land a significant payday as a free agent after finishing third in the NBA in three-pointers made (3.9) and fourth in three-point attempts per game (9.3) last season. He knocked down a career-high 41.6% of his long-range looks in 2024/25 while appearing in all 82 regular season contests for the Pistons.
In addition to his eviction, Beasley is under federal investigation for allegedly gambling on NBA games during the 2023/24 season, when he was a member of the Bucks. He’s also being sued by his former marketing agency, Hazan Sports Management Group, which is seeking $2.25MM in damages and legal fees for breach of contract.
On July 1, The Detroit News detailed some of the 28-year-old’s other financial difficulties in recent years.
The Pistons still hold Beasley’s Non-Bird rights, but at this point it’s unclear if or when he’ll play in the NBA again.
Suns To Hire Mike Muscala As Assistant Coach
The Suns intend to hire former NBA forward/center Mike Muscala as an assistant coach, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Muscala, 34, retired as a player last summer after 11 years in the NBA.
The No. 44 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Muscala spent the majority of his career with the Hawks and Thunder, but he also had brief stints with the Sixers, Lakers, Celtics, Wizards and Pistons. Across 548 regular season appearances, he averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .451/.373/.830.
Muscala, who starred in college at Bucknell, never played for the Suns, but he does have a connection to new head coach Jordan Ott. Scotto points out that the two men worked together in Atlanta, where Ott got his NBA start as a video coordinator.
When Muscala retired, his father indicated that Mike intended to pursue a graduate degree in sports management, with an eye on continuing his basketball career in coaching and/or management. A little over a year later, he has his first NBA coaching job.
Richaun Holmes Signs Two-Year Contract With Panathinaikos
As expected, free agent center Richaun Holmes has officially signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos, the 2024 EuroLeague champions announced today (Instagram link).
According to the Greek club, Holmes’ deal features an option in year two, meaning he could become a free agent again in 2026. He will reportedly be one of the highest-paid players in Europe.
Holmes arrived in Athens on Friday night and was thrilled to be greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of Panathinaikos supporters, writes Apostolos Mavrakis of Sportal.gr (hat tip to Sportando).
“I came here to win. I’m where I want to be, ready to play and to fight for victories,” Holmes said. “This is incredible — I can’t put it into words. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life … the love was instant. I can’t wait to get on the court and give it back.”
When asked what convinced him to sign with Panathinaikos, the 31-year-old big man said it felt good to be wanted.
“I think just how they came, how they pursued me, they wanted me,” Holmes said. “They sold me on the idea of the importance that they needed me here, they wanted me here, and that was everything to me. I just wanted to be pursued, wanted to be wanted.
“I came here to do some great things. This is a powerhouse club and I’m looking to add to that and be a part of it. I’m just glad to be a part of this legacy, honestly.”
Holmes was the 37th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Bowling Green and has spent the past decade in the NBA, suiting up for five different teams during that time. He had his best years in Sacramento, where he was the Kings’ full-time starting center and put up 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game across 61 outings in 2020/21.
After becoming an unrestricted free agent, Holmes drew interest from a handful of EuroLeague clubs, including Fenerbahce in Turkey. A report last weekend stated he was mulling an offer from Panathinaikos while waiting to see if he’d be offered a guaranteed NBA contract — evidently he didn’t find an NBA deal to his liking.
Holmes will be looking to help lead Panathinaikos to a title or two in 2025/26 after the club fell just short this past season. The Greens went 22-0 during Greece’s regular season before losing to Olympiacos in the final. In the EuroLeague, Panathinaikos finished third with a 22-12 record but was defeated by Fenerbahce – the eventual champions – in the semifinals.
Holmes will be Panathinaikos’ final offseason signing, according to owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos (story via Aris Barkas of Eurohoops).
Clippers Sign Baldwin, Washington To Exhibit 10 Deals
The Clippers have officially signed Patrick Baldwin Jr. and TyTy Washington Jr. to Exhibit 10 contracts, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Washington (29th overall) was selected directly after Baldwin (28th) in the first round of the 2022 draft. Neither player has found much consistency at the NBA level to this point, and they’ll reportedly be competing for a two-way contract in training camp.
Baldwin, 22, was drafted by Golden State and spent his rookie season with the Warriors. He was traded to Washington in the 2023 offseason and spent a year-and-a-half with the Wizards, who sent him to San Antonio in February.
The 6’9″ forward was released by the Spurs but caught on with the Clippers, inking a two-way contract in March. He was waived in late July to make roster space for Jordan Miller, with Law Murray of The Athletic stating at the time that Los Angeles was interested in re-signing Baldwin to an Exhibit 10 deal.
Washington, 23, played a limited role across 31 outings for the Rockets as a rookie and was traded twice during the 2023 offseason – from Houston to Atlanta to Oklahoma City – before being waived by the Thunder. He subsequently spent his second season on a two-way contract with Milwaukee and his third year on a two-way deal with Phoenix.
Both Baldwin and Washington have three years of NBA experience and one year of two-way eligibility remaining. The Clippers’ two-way spots are currently held by Miller, 2025 second-rounder Kobe Sanders, and 20-year-old wing Trentyn Flowers.
If Baldwin and/or Washington are cut before the 2025/26 season begins and decide to play in the G League, they would be eligible for bonus worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the San Diego Clippers.
The Clippers now have 19 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed standard deals.