Eastern Notes: Holland, Caboclo, Cavs, Wizards, Heat
Pistons forward Ron Holland, the No. 5 overall pick of June’s draft, has high expectations for himself as he prepares for his rookie season, he told Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required).
“I want to win Rookie of the Year, but my work ethic is going to produce like I’m trying to get it,” Holland said. “Whatever coach (J.B.) Bickerstaff and everybody else on the coaching staff needs me to do, I’m there to do it whether it’s defend, make shots, get people shots, whatever it is I’m willing and able to do it and I feel like I’m going to be available to do it. I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and whatever I need to work on, just sit back and learn and listen to my vets is what I’m really looking forward to doing.”
As for what he’s been focused on this summer, the 19-year-old said he’s working to improve his jump shot, with playing strong defense another area of emphasis.
“My main (offseason) focus has been a lot of catch and shoot, a lot of movement shots and really just attacking off the dribble and moving without the ball, and a lot on defense.” Holland said, per Sankofa. “I’m really keying in on defense because I know that’s one thing that will keep me on the floor this year.”
Here are a few more notes from the Eastern Conference:
- A source told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that the Cavaliers were scouting Bruno Caboclo while the veteran forward was competing in the Olympics with Team Brazil (YouTube link via The Wine and Gold Talk podcast). Fedor was careful to couch that reporting by stating that no deal was imminent and that he was just illustrating a point about Cleveland’s front office regularly keeping tabs on international players (hat tip to HoopsHype). Caboclo, a 28-year-old former first-round pick, spent last season with Partizan in Serbia and has said he plans to return to the EuroLeague club next season.
- Head coach Brian Keefe recently discussed the general development plan for the Wizards‘ trio of first-round picks, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. Washington selected Alex Sarr (No. 2) and acquired the rights to Carlton Carrington (No. 14) and Kyshawn George (No. 24). “Establishing habits, No. 1,” Keefe told Monumental Sports Network. “I said the same last year with Bilal (Coulibaly), you teach them the professional habits and how to work in this league. It’s the only way you get better is to have consistent work habits and approach to everything you’re doing. That will be our No. 1 focus for those guys.”
- The Heat enter 2024/25 with no true point guard on the roster, which could be an issue during the season, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel states in a mailbag column. As Winderman observes, Miami has several capable ball-handlers, but no true table-setter after trading Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick for Terry Rozier in January.
Veteran Wing Joe Harris Retires
Veteran wing Joe Harris has decided to retire, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The 33rd overall pick of the 2014 draft, Harris spent his first season-plus with the Cavaliers, who traded him to Orlando when he sustained a season-ending foot injury in 2015/16. The Magic released him, and he wound up signing a multiyear contract with Brooklyn as a free agent in July 2016.
Harris had by far the most productive run of his career with the Nets, emerging as a reliable rotation player and one of the best outside shooters in the NBA.
Over a three-season span from 2018-21, Harris averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists, posting an elite shooting line of .497/.458/.782 in 214 games (30.6 MPG). He led the league in three-point percentage in two of those three campaigns.
Unfortunately, Harris’ career was derailed at the beginning of the ’21/22 season when he sustained a major ankle injury. His lucrative long-term contract with Brooklyn turned into an albatross, as the 32-year-old was never able to regain his pre-injury athleticism.
The Nets traded Harris to the Pistons last summer in a salary-dump move. He only appeared in 16 games (10.6 minutes) with Detroit and struggled when he did play in ’23/24. The Pistons released Harris in February, making him an unrestricted free agent.
In 10 NBA seasons, the former Virginia star averaged 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 504 regular season contests, including 283 starts (24.4 minutes). His career mark of 43.6% from three ranks fifth in NBA history. Harris also won the three-point contest in 2019, Charania notes.
Jazz Re-Sign Johnny Juzang To Four-Year Contract
AUGUST 13: The Jazz have officially re-signed Juzang, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.
JULY 12: The Jazz are re-signing restricted free agent Johnny Juzang to a four-year, $12MM contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
A 6’7″ wing who starred in college at UCLA, Juzang went undrafted in 2022 before signing a two-way deal with Utah. He has spent his first two NBA seasons on two-way contracts with the Jazz, appearing in a total of 38 games.
Juzang played in 20 games for the Jazz in 2023/24, averaging 7.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG and 1.2 APG on .464/.416/.714 shooting in 18.6 MPG. Nearly all of those statistics were accumulated in the last month-plus of the season, with Juzang only making three appearances before March 4.
In addition to his NBA minutes, Juzang has been a regular contributor for the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s NBA G League affiliate. In 33 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Stars last season (31.9 MPG), the 23-year-old averaged 20.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.5 APG on .465/.369/.904 shooting.
Based on the reported terms, it sounds like Juzang will receive more than a minimum-salary contract. The Jazz currently have the most cap room in the NBA, so they can afford to hand out a long-term deal in the hope that Juzang becomes a rotation regular going forward. If that occurs, the contract will look team-friendly; if not, it’s still a relatively modest cap hit.
While the exact details have yet to be confirmed, Juzang’s new deal is unlikely to be guaranteed for all four years.
International Notes: NBA Candidates, Besson, Bender, Cannady
Forward Guerschon Yabusele, who recently expressed a desire to return to the NBA, tops Mark Deeks of HoopsHype’s list of 10 players from the 2024 Olympics who deserve a look from NBA teams. Two of Yabusele’s teammates on the French national team — Mathias Lessort (No. 2) and Isaia Cordinier (No. 8) — also made the cut.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Bucks draft-and-stash prospect Hugo Besson, the No. 58 pick of the 2022 draft, will play for Turkey’s Manisa Buyuksehir Belediye Spor during the 2024/25 season, per Fersu Yahyabeyoglu of Eurobasket.com (hat tip to Keith Smith of Spotrac). The French guard played in Serbia and Italy last season.
- Former No. 4 overall pick Dragan Bender is rumored to be joining GeVi Napoli in Italy, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Bender suffered major ACL injuries in May 2021 and December 2022 and evidently is still recovering. “Bender is part of the team philosophy we are building,” Napoli athletic director Alessandro Dalla Salda told La Repubblica. “But to get back on top he needs time, so we may sign a player while waiting for his return.” The 26-year-old last played in the NBA in 2019/20.
- Guard Devin Cannady, who played 13 games with the Magic over two different seasons, has signed with Panionios B.C., the Greek club announced in a press release. It’s the first international stop for the former Princeton star, who played for the NBA G League’s Birmingham Squadron (the Pelicans’ affiliate) in ’23/24.
20 Players Remain Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions
Four players have signed rookie scale extensions so far this offseason.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was the first domino to fall, later being joined by Magic forward Franz Wagner, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley. All four received five-year, maximum-salary deals containing Rose rule language.
[RELATED: 2024/25 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]
That leaves a total of 20 players who remain eligible for rookie scale extensions, which can be signed up until the day before the start of the regular season. Those 20 players are as follows:
- Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)
Chris Duarte (Bulls)- Josh Giddey (Bulls)
- Jalen Green (Rockets)
- Quentin Grimes (Mavericks)
- Bones Hyland (Clippers)
- Isaiah Jackson (Pacers)
- Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
- Corey Kispert (Wizards)
- Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)
- Tre Mann (Hornets)
- Davion Mitchell (Raptors)
- Moses Moody (Warriors)
- Trey Murphy (Pelicans)
- Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
- Day’Ron Sharpe (Nets)
- Jaden Springer (Celtics)
- Jalen Suggs (Magic)
- Cam Thomas (Nets)
- Ziaire Williams (Nets)
Some players on this list almost certainly won’t sign new contracts this offseason. Guys like Hyland, Duarte, Mitchell, Springer and Williams, for instance, haven’t yet established themselves as reliable rotation players who are worth long-term investments, so it would be pretty surprising if they were extended.
There are plenty of other viable extension candidates on this list though. Of these 20 players, Sengun probably has the strongest case for a lucrative multiyear commitment. The Turkish big man has also publicly expressed his desire to sign a long-term deal. But there has been speculation the Rockets might preserve cap flexibility for 2025 by not extending Sengun or Green, and one report stated both were unlikely to get max offers before the season begins.
Kuminga and Johnson are reportedly looking for max deals, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. While both forwards have flashed tantalizing two-way upside, neither player has a long track record of NBA success. Still, they’re certainly possibilities for nine-figure commitments.
Suggs, Murphy, Thomas and Giddey are among the other players listed who could receive lucrative extensions this offseason — there have been multiple reports stating that extending Murphy is a priority for New Orleans, though the two sides had “differing viewpoints” on the sharpshooter’s value in July.
Kispert, Aldama, Grimes, Moody, Mann, Jackson and Sharpe fall somewhere in the middle. I’d expect at least a couple of them to receive new contracts, but they likely won’t be for as much money.
Typically, after the first wave of slam-dunk rookie scale extension candidates sign their deals in early July, there isn’t a ton of action on this front until we get much closer to the October deadline. But we should expect several more deals to be completed in the fall — in each of the last four offseasons, at least 10 players have inked rookie scale extensions. If that trend continues, at least six of the 20 players above will have new deals in hand by the time the regular season tips off.
Tyrese Haliburton Had “Minor Leg Injury” During Olympics
Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton dealt with a “minor leg injury” and underwent an MRI during the Olympics, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Haliburton was essentially Team USA’s 12th man during the Olympics in Paris, which concluded on Sunday. He averaged just 8.8 minutes per game in his three appearances; the Americans went 6-0 to claim the gold medal, so the 24-year-old didn’t play at all in three contests, including the semifinal and final.
Haliburton was hampered during the 2023/24 season with a hamstring strain he sustained in January. While he ultimately appeared in 69 games and made the All-NBA Third Team, securing an extension that starts at 30% (instead of 25%) of the salary cap, his effectiveness was clearly diminished post-injury. Haliburton wound up missing his final two postseason games vs. Boston with a hamstring injury as well.
There’s no indication that the leg issue Haliburton was managing during the Olympics is a cause for concern going forward, given Windhorst’s description. Still, it’s a noteworthy event when a player like Haliburton — one of Team USA’s top performers at the 2023 World Cup — undergoes an MRI.
Jazz Sign Svi Mykhailiuk To Four-Year Deal
AUGUST 12: The Jazz officially signed Mykhailiuk over the weekend, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
AUGUST 9: The Jazz plan to sign free agent swingman Svi Mykhailiuk to a four-year, $15MM contract, agent Michael Lelchitski tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
A 27-year-old from Ukraine, Mykhailiuk was the No. 47 overall pick of the 2018 draft after playing four years of college ball at Kansas. He has bounced around the NBA over the course of his six seasons, playing for the Lakers, Pistons, Thunder, Raptors, Knicks and Hornets. He spent the 2023/24 campaign with the Celtics, winning an NBA championship as a role player.
In 41 appearances with Boston last season, Mykhailiuk averaged 4.0 PPG and 1.2 RPG while shooting 38.9% from three-point range (10.1 MPG). In 293 career regular season games, including 56 starts (15.8 MPG), Mykhailiuk has averaged 6.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG and 1.3 APG while shooting 36.3% from deep.
Based on the reported terms, Mykhailiuk may have received more than the veteran’s minimum, which would have been worth about $12.3MM over four years for a player with six years of experience. If that’s the case, the Jazz will have to use a portion of their cap room to complete the transaction.
While Mykhailiuk is signing a four-year deal, I’d be a little surprised if more than one year is fully guaranteed, given his previous team history. Still, he could be given a real opportunity to earn minutes with Utah, which only has 10 players on guaranteed standard contracts, plus the reported but not yet official deals for Drew Eubanks and Johnny Juzang. The Jazz also have an unsigned draft pick, former Duke big man Kyle Filipowski, who was selected 32nd overall in June.
Bucks Sign Anzejs Pasecniks To Two-Way Contract
AUGUST 12: Pasecniks officially signed his two-way contract over the weekend, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.
AUGUST 1: The Bucks are signing free agent big man Anzejs Pasecniks to a two-way contract, agent Arturs Kalnitis tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
A 7’1″ center from Latvia, Pasecniks was a first-round pick (25th overall) back in 2017, but he never signed a rookie scale contract and his draft rights were renounced in 2019. He eventually landed with the Wizards, spending parts of two seasons with the club from 2019-21.
The 28-year-old holds career averages of 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 28 NBA games, all with Washington (15.8 minutes per contest).
Pasecniks has spent the past three seasons in Europe, playing for Real Betis (Spain), Metropolitans 92 (France) and Palencia (Spain). While his team struggled mightily in 2023/24 (Palencia finished 6-28 and was relegated to the second-tier division), Pasecniks was productive individually, averaging 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 60.4% from the floor in 34 games (21.9 minutes).
Pasecniks, who played for the Latvian national team at last year’s World Cup, has spent most of his professional career in Europe, playing for VEF Riga (Latvia) and Gran Carania (Spain) from 2012-19.
Milwaukee’s three-two way spots are currently occupied by Ryan Rollins, Jaylin Galloway and Stanley Umude, which means one of those players will need to be cut to make roster space for Pasecniks, who will provide some frontcourt depth for the Bucks.
[Update: Galloway has been waived.]
Spurs Sign Brandon Boston Jr.
4:41pm: Boston’s deal with the Spurs is official, per RealGM’s transaction log. It’s an Exhibit 10 contract, Hoops Rumors has learned.
11:57am: The Spurs plan to sign free agent guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. to a contract, league sources Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
According to Scotto, Boston will be given an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in training camp. That reporting suggests the 22-year-old likely received a non-guaranteed deal covering one year, perhaps containing Exhibit 10 language.
A former top high school recruit who struggled in his lone season at Kentucky, Boston has spent the past three seasons with the Clippers, earning $4.3MM over that span. He was the 51st pick of the 2021 draft.
In 105 career regular season contests with the Clips (12.9 MPG), Boston averaged 6.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .396/.313/.776 shooting. He was not a regular member of the team’s rotation in 2023/24, appearing in 32 games with a career-low 10.8 MPG.
The Spurs currently have 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, plus Malachi Flynn and Riley Minix on Exhibit 10 deals. Boston making the 15-man roster seems pretty unlikely, unless he really impresses during training camp.
Since he only holds three years of NBA experience, Boston is still eligible for a two-way contract. The Spurs don’t have a two-way opening at the moment, with Jamaree Bouyea, David Duke and Harrison Ingram occupying the three spots.
However, two-way deals don’t count against the salary cap and are non-guaranteed, so San Antonio could easily swap Boston in for another player if it wanted to; Ingram’s spot seems most secure since he was the 48th pick of June’s draft.
International Notes: Lopez, Mooney, Bacon, Maledon
Mexican guard/forward Karim Lopez, who is ESPN’s top-ranked international prospect in the 2026 draft class and a potential lottery pick, has signed with the New Zealand Breakers as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, he told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), Lopez signed a two-year deal with the Breakers. The 17-year-old is known for his two-way versatility, basketball instincts and competitiveness, Givony adds.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Former NBA guard Matt Mooney has also signed a contract with the Breakers, the team announced in a press release. Mooney played four games with Cleveland and one with New York in two different NBA seasons. The 28-year-old, who is known for his shooting ability, spent the 2023/24 campaign in Italy with Trento after playing in Turkey and Spain the previous two seasons.
- Dwayne Bacon, who played four NBA seasons with Charlotte and Orlando from 2017-21, has signed with Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg, according to a team press release (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando). The veteran guard/forward has spent the past few seasons playing in Monaco, Greece and China.
- Free agent guard Theo Maledon is nearing a contract agreement with ASVEL in his native France, reports Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of BeBasket (Twitter link). The 34th pick of the 2020 draft, Maledon has appeared in 177 NBA games over the past four seasons with Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Phoenix. He has been a free agent since he was released by the Suns in March, later suiting up for Orlando’s Summer League squad. The 23-year-old started his professional career with ASVEL in 2017.