Pacers Sign Tyler Polley To Exhibit 10 Deal
SEPTEMBER 26: The deal is now official, per a Pacers announcement.
SEPTEMBER 20: Former UConn forward Tyler Polley is signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pacers, agents BJ Bass and Cam Brennick tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Polley, 25, went undrafted in 2022 after five college seasons with the Huskies. As a “super senior” in 2021/22, he appeared in 33 games, averaging 7.6 points while shooting 35.0% from three point range in 20.2 minutes.
Polley has spent his first two professional seasons playing in the Greek Basketball League. He played last season for Kolossos, averaging 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds on .442/.347/.795 shooting in 21 games (25.6 minutes). According to Begley, the free agent forward recently worked out in Las Vegas, with the Pacers and Knicks among the teams in attendance.
Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed, minimum-salary deals that do not count against the salary cap before the season begins. If Polley is waived by the Pacers prior to the ’24/25 campaign and spends at least 60 days with the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA G League affiliate, he could earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K on top of his regular NBAGL salary.
The Pacers have 19 players on their offseason roster, two shy of the offseason limit, so they can add Polley without waiving anyone.
Bulls Exercise 2025/26 Option On Dalen Terry
The Bulls have exercised their 2025/26 rookie scale team option on wing Dalen Terry, league sources tell Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Chicago had until the end of October to determine whether it wanted to pick up the option. The move means that Terry, who is already under contract for ’24/25, will earn a guaranteed $5,399,118 in ’25/26, which is the fourth and final season of his rookie contract.
The 18th pick of the 2022 draft, Terry didn’t play much as a rookie two seasons ago, averaging just 5.6 MPG in 38 appearances with the Bulls. He earned more playing time during his second season though, with averages of 3.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG and 1.4 APG in 59 games in ’23/24 (11.5 MPG).
Terry, who played two seasons of college ball at Arizona, was viewed as a point guard entering the draft but has mostly played on the wing professionally due to the Bulls already having ball-handlers on the roster. At 6’7″, he has the size to defend multiple positions.
We’re tracking all the decisions on ’25/26 rookie scale team options right here. The Heat are the only other team to have exercised any options so far — many of the decisions will be finalized closer to the Oct. 31 deadline.
Nuggets, Aaron Gordon Optimistic About Possible Extension
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon will be eligible for a four-year contract extension as of Friday, September 27. A four-year extension would require Gordon to decline his $22.84MM player option for 2025/26, with the first year of a potential new deal replacing that option.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, general manager Calvin Booth said he hopes the former No. 4 overall pick remains a Nugget for the foreseeable future.
“Hopefully we have some productive talks with his representation and are able to find a deal,” Booth said (Twitter link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). “… We want Aaron here for a long time.”
Gordon also sounded optimistic about a deal coming to fruition, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link)
“I really love this organization,” Gordon said. “I love the players on this team. I love the coaching staff. I hope we get it done. It seems like it’s moving forward in the right direction.”
Gordon, who turned 29 years old last week, played a key role in helping the Nuggets win their first championship in 2023. He’s a highly versatile player on both ends of the court and has excellent chemistry with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Gordon also touched on the tragic passing of his older brother Drew, who died following a car accident at the end of May. Drew played professionally for over a decade, including a stint with the Sixers in 2014/15.
“I always leaned on my brother,” Gordon said. “I understand I can’t take any relationship for granted. My teammates have been there every step of the way. They came to his service and his funeral. These guys have developed into my brothers.”
Gordon changed his jersey from No. 50 to No. 32 to honor his brother, per the NBA (Twitter video link).
“It was my brother’s favorite number, my dad’s favorite number, my sister played in it in college, I played in it in high school… it feels like home,” he said.
Raptors Sign Jahmi’us Ramsey To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Raptors have signed free agent guard Jahmi’us Ramsey to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links). The team confirmed the signing in a press release.
Ramsey, 23, was the No. 43 overall pick of the 2020 draft after one college season at Texas Tech. He spent the majority of his first two seasons with the Kings, but he didn’t receive much playing time (7.1 MPG in 32 total games), and Sacramento cut him loose in February 2022.
The 6’3″ shooting guard caught on with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s NBA G League affiliate, following his stint with the Kings. Ramsey spent the entire 2022/23 season with the Blue and most of last season as well, having inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Thunder last October before being waived to secure a bonus.
Ramsey, who earned a spot on the All-NBA G League Third Team in 2023/24, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Raptors in March. He appeared in seven games with Toronto, averaging 6.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .439/.273/.833 shooting in 17.3 MPG.
As a three-year veteran, Ramsey remains eligible for a two-way contract for one more season. However, all three of the Raptors’ two-way spots are currently occupied, so they’d have to release someone for Ramsey to be converted.
If Ramsey is waived before the season begins and reports to the Raptors 905 (Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate) for at least 60 days, he could earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K on top of his regular G League salary.
The Raptors’ 21-man offseason roster is now full.
Heat Sign Caleb Daniels To Exhibit 10 Deal
The Heat have signed free agent guard Caleb Daniels, the team announced in a press release. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald hears Daniels received an Exhibit 10 contract (Twitter link).
The news was anticipated, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported a couple weeks ago that Daniels would likely receive an Exhibit 10 deal. He’s expected to be waived before the 2024/25 season begins, putting him in line to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Miami’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Daniels, 25, went undrafted in 2023 after playing five college seasons. He started his collegiate career with Tulane before transferring to Villanova, spending his final three seasons with the Wildcats.
After signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Miami last summer and subsequently being waived, Daniels spent his first professional season with the Skyforce, appearing in 47 Showcase Cup and regular season games (30.1 MPG) while averaging 12.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 2.2 APG on .429/.368/.841 shooting. He also played for the Heat’s Summer League team in July.
The Heat now have a full roster ahead of training camp, with 21 players under contract.
Pistons Sign Lamar Stevens To Camp Deal
Free agent forward Lamar Stevens has signed a contract with the Pistons, according to his agency, Priority Sports (Twitter link).
Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press reports (via Twitter) that Stevens has agreed to a training camp deal, which means it will be a one-year, minimum-salary contract that is non-guaranteed and won’t count against the cap. It figures to include Exhibit 9 language and perhaps Exhibit 10 language too.
Stevens played for four years at Penn State prior to going undrafted in 2020. He spent his first three NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, initially on a two-way deal before receiving a promotion to a multiyear standard contract at the end of his rookie campaign.
Known for his strength, toughness, athleticism and defensive versatility, Stevens was traded from Cleveland to San Antonio last summer in the three-team deal that saw the Cavs acquire Max Strus from Miami. San Antonio waived Stevens last July, but he caught on with the Celtics last fall for training camp, and was one of three players on Exhibit 9 contracts to make an opening night roster in 2023/24.
Not only did Stevens make Boston’s opening night roster, but he had his salary fully guaranteed in January. However, he rarely received playing with the Celtics, who traded him to Memphis — along with two second-round picks — for Xavier Tillman at the February deadline.
The 27-year-old played pretty well for an injury-ravaged Grizzlies squad, averaging 11.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .446/.289/.791 shooting in 19 appearances with Memphis (23.0 MPG). The team chose not to re-sign him this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Overall, Stevens has appeared in 203 regular season games over the course of his four seasons in the league, averaging 5.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG on .463/.286/.726 shooting in 15.7 MPG.
The Pistons currently have 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts, with big man Paul Reed on a non-guaranteed deal. Stevens will likely be vying for the 15th and final standard roster spot in training camp, assuming Detroit chooses to carry a full roster.
Junior Bridgeman Purchases 10% Stake In Bucks
SEPTEMBER 26: Bridgeman has officially become a part-owner of the Bucks, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic).
“I’m overjoyed to return to the Bucks, where I spent the heart of my NBA playing career, to join their world-class ownership group,” Bridgeman said. “… I hope that my life journey serves as an aspiration to current and future players who dream of joining an NBA ownership group. I look forward to cheering the Bucks on this season alongside our great fans.”
SEPTEMBER 12: Junior Bridgeman, who played 12 NBA seasons from 1975-87, including 10 in Milwaukee, is purchasing a 10% stake in the Bucks, three sources familiar with the deal tell Michael Ozanian and Jessica Golden of CNBC.
According to CNBC’s report, the transaction values the Bucks at $4 billion but Bridgeman is receiving a “preferred limited partner discount” of 15%, or a $3.4 billion valuation. That means Bridgeman will pay approximately $340MM for his minority share.
Bridgeman, who turns 71 years old next week, starred in college at Louisville prior to being selected No. 8 overall in the 1975 draft. The 6’5″ wing averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 84.6% from the line in 849 regular season games with the Bucks and Clippers (25.0 minutes per contest).
In late July, Baxter Holmes of ESPN wrote a feature story on Bridgeman and how he has built his wealth over the years. Bridgeman earned a total of just under $3MM in salaries during his playing career and has been extremely successful as a businessman, with a net worth of nearly $600MM.
As Ozanian and Golden observe, when the Haslam Sports Group purchased its 25% stake in the Bucks in April 2023, the team was valued at $3.2 billion. This new deal — which is the first time a portion of a team has been sold since the media rights agreements were announced — shows the franchise continues to increase in value.
Bridgeman was rumored to be interested in buying a stake in the Bucks back in 2014. His No. 2 jersey was retired by the Bucks in 1988.
Suns Sign Moses Wood To Exhibit 10 Contract
SEPTEMBER 24: The signing is official, according to RealGM’s transaction log.
SEPTEMBER 23: The Suns plan to sign Moses Wood to an Exhibit 10 contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Wood went undrafted in June, making him an unrestricted free agent. He played five college seasons with Tulane, UNLV, Portland and Washington from 2018-24. As a “super senior” with the Huskies in 2023/24, the 6’8″ forward averaged 11.9 PPG and 4.5 RPG while shooting 39.6% from three-point range in 32 games (32.5 MPG).
Wood is a strong outside shooter, having made 40.4% of his career three-point attempts in college. The 25-year-old suited up for the Hawks’ Summer League team in July, Scotto notes, though he struggled with his shot in four appearances, going 6-of-21 from behind the arc (28.6%). Overall, he averaged 5.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 22.4 MPG with Atlanta in Las Vegas.
The transaction is almost certainly designed to give Wood an opportunity to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived before the season begins and spends at least 60 days with Phoenix’s new NBA G League affiliate, the Valley Suns.
The Suns currently have 18 players under contract, with Wood joining several players who have reportedly agreed to Exhibit 10 deals that are not yet official.
Bulls Notes: LaVine, Ball, Williams, White, Buzelis
Confirming a previous report, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic hears from Bulls sources who say that Zach LaVine has been a “willing participant” in team scrimmages ahead of training camp. LaVine was also present for a players-led minicamp last month in Miami, Mayberry reports.
LaVine has been a prominent name in trade rumors for over a year, with the Bulls actively looking to move the two-time All-Star this summer. However, Mayberry writes that rival clubs were only interested in taking on the 29-year-old’s contract — he’s owed $138MM over the next three seasons — if Chicago sweetened the pot by adding additional assets, which was a non-starter for the Bulls.
With young guards like Josh Giddey, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu on the roster, having a veteran known for his scoring prowess like LaVine could be an awkward fit. But according to Mayberry, LaVine has stressed to team leadership that he won’t interfere with his younger teammates’ development.
Here’s more on the Bulls, all courtesy of Mayberry:
- Chicago is “cautiously optimistic” about the progress Lonzo Ball has made as he attempts to revive his career, Mayberry writes. The 26-year-old has been a full participant in offseason team workouts and will be a full go for training camp as well, Mayberry reports. Ball, who hasn’t played in an NBA game since January 2022 due to a left knee injury that has required three surgeries, is on an expiring $21.4MM contract. The Bulls will likely be very careful with Ball, but he has “looked good” to this point, per Mayberry.
- Forward Patrick Williams may not be ready for training camp. The 23-year-old, who had season-ending foot surgery in February, told Mayberry and other reporters he was able to run and jump without pain or swelling in July (Twitter link), but he felt some discomfort during the players-only minicamp in August and has been resting over the past handful of weeks. Williams re-signed with the Bulls as a restricted free agent over the summer, inking a five-year, $90MM contract.
- While White is expected to remain in the starting lineup alongside Giddey and LaVine, Mayberry suggests the former UNC Tar Heel may not be thrilled with an off-ball role after spending nearly all of last season as the team’s starting point guard. White had a breakout season in 2023/24, finishing runner-up for the Most Improved Player award. Trading Alex Caruso for Giddey indicates the Bulls view White as more of a scorer than a lead facilitator, Mayberry notes.
- First-rounder Matas Buzelis has been playing well in scrimmages, according to Mayberry, who says the former G League Ignite forward has particularly impressed with ability to drive and pass. Mayberry also hears the Bulls plan to adjust their playing style on both ends of the court this season.
Hawks Waive Joey Hauser
The Hawks have waived forward Joey Hauser, the team announced today in a press release. Hauser was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal last week.
Hauser, who went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2023, signed a two-way contract with the Jazz last July, but was cut during the preseason. He caught on with the Clippers as a G League affiliate player and spent his rookie season with the Ontario Clippers (now called the San Diego Clippers), appearing in 50 total Showcase Cup and NBAGL regular season games and averaging 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game.
The younger brother of Celtics wing Sam Hauser, Joey made 41.6% of his three-point attempts in his college career at Marquette and MSU, then converted 36.4% of his tries from beyond the arc in the G League last season. He suited up for the Pelicans at the Las Vegas Summer League last month.
The College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL affiliate, acquired Hauser’s returning rights from the San Diego Clippers a couple weeks ago. Now that he’s been released, the 25-year-old could receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with College Park.
The Hawks now have 19 players on their roster, two shy of the offseason limit.