Celtics Sign John Tonje To Two-Way Contract
The Celtics have brought back John Tonje on a two-way contract, the team announced (via Twitter).
Tonje was acquired from Utah ahead of the last month’s trade deadline. He was on a two-way deal at the time, but was converted to a 10-day contract on February 19 to help Boston stay below the luxury tax line after the team made a series of cost-cutting transactions in February.
The 24-year-old’s 10-day deal expired overnight, but the Celtics quickly re-signed him to another two-way contract. Tonje made his Celtics (and NBA) debut last Tuesday, playing four minutes, and played another five minutes on Friday.
The 53rd overall pick in the 2025 draft, Tonje was selected by the Jazz last June and signed a two-way contract with Utah last August. He didn’t play at all at the NBA level before being included in the deadline deal that sent Chris Boucher and a future second-round pick to the Jazz.
As we wrote after the deadline, Boston specifically targeted Tonje in that trade because, as a draft-rights rookie, he counted as a rookie minimum player for tax and apron purposes when he was converted to a standard contract.
In order to stay out of the tax for the rest of the season, the Celtics needed one more rookie minimum player in addition to Max Shulga (who figures to be promoted later in the season). The team wouldn’t have gotten the same financial benefit by signing a rookie free agent due to the “tax variance” rule, which we explain in more depth in a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry.
As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) first outlined, Boston likely plans to go another 14 days with just 12 players on the roster after these two 10-day deals expire, then will sign Shulga and a veteran free agent to rest-of-season minimum contracts in mid-March. That would give the club just enough breathing room below the tax line to sign a 15th man on the last day of the regular season.
Tonje, who played for Wisconsin last season, has played well in the G League this season. After averaging 18.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per game on .467/.376/.928 shooting in 32 appearances for the Salt Lake City Stars, the 6’4″ guard has racked up 50 total points in his first two outings for the Maine Celtics.
Dalano Banton‘s 10-day contract with Boston also expired overnight. The fifth-year guard is now an unrestricted free agent.
Johnny Juzang Signs With Zenit BC
Fourth-year wing Johnny Juzang, who was waived by the Timberwolves 10 days ago, has signed a contract with Zenit BC, the Russian team announced (via Twitter).
Juzang’s deal with the St. Petersburg-based club covers the rest of the 2025/26 season (hat tip to Sportando).
A Los Angeles native who played three years of college ball (one at Kentucky and two at UCLA), Juzang went undrafted in 2022. He spent his first two NBA seasons on two-way contracts with Utah prior to signing a multiyear standard contract with the Jazz in August 2024.
Only the first season of Juzang’s contract with the Jazz was guaranteed, and he was cut in June 2025. He wound up signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Minnesota for training camp and was elevated to a two-way contract after impressing during the preseason this past fall.
The Wolves released Juzang after he reached his 50-game active limit. The 24-year-old only actually saw action in 21 of those contests and was a DNP-CD in the other 29. Juzang played more than 10 minutes just once in 2025/26 and logged 88 minutes in total, rarely playing outside of garbage time.
Juzang appeared in 123 games (16.0 minutes per contest) over four NBA seasons, averaging 6.9 points and 2.2 rebounds on .421/.358/.785 shooting splits. This is his first international stint.
Southwest Notes: Middleton, Mavs, Spurs, J. Smith
Prior to Friday’s loss vs. Memphis, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that Khris Middleton is a buyout candidate ahead of Sunday’s deadline to be waived by one team and remain eligible to appear in the postseason for another club, per Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Mavs (Twitter video link).
“That’s up to Khris,” Kidd said. “We support whatever decision he makes if he’s going to stay or if he’s gonna get bought out. But I think he’s gotta make that decision here pretty quick.”
As reported by Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Middleton is evaluating whether to finish out his expiring contract with Dallas or to reach a buyout agreement to sign with a playoff team. The Nuggets and Spurs are said to be among the teams with interest in the 34-year-old small forward.
According to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com, NBA personnel have been keeping close tabs on Middleton since he was traded to the Mavericks ahead of this month’s deadline. One scout likes what he’s seen of the 14-year veteran, while an anonymous executive said Middleton might be better off staying with Dallas — the three-time All-Star would forfeit his Bird rights if he agrees to a buyout.
“His numbers have been down quite a bit — and his efficiency never recovered with the Wizards,” the executive told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “He might be best off playing this season out in Dallas where they’re letting him play his game and build some momentum for himself going into free agency. He’s going to get minutes and touches in Dallas. That may not be consistent on a contender. He could join a contender in the summer. I understand the appeal of joining a contender now, though.”
That same front office employee told Afseth that Middleton could help the Mavericks, but it’s not a straightforward situation.
“When he’s in a rhythm, he’s going to help a team win games. That may hurt the Mavericks’ chances of maximizing draft position now,” the executive said. “But he’s a great locker room guy. He’s genuine about helping younger teammates. That’s a good veteran to have on your team. He’d be a piece that could help them when Kyrie Irving is healthy and ready to go next season. You want vets like [Middleton] around Cooper Flagg.”
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- During Thursday’s game vs. Sacramento, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts joined the team’s broadcast and said governor Patrick Dumont decided not to raise ticket prices for 2026/27 because the Mavs didn’t meet expectations, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “It was one of the strangest meetings I’ve been in in my 48 years in the league, where you sit down with the owner,” Welts said. “The staff has done two months of work to figure out where tickets might be underpriced. Patrick preempted the conversation before it got started and said, ‘Look, we didn’t deliver this year. We didn’t deliver on the team as expected. We’re not going to raise one ticket price this year.’ A popular decision. The right one as well.”
- Thursday’s win at Brooklyn marked the Spurs‘ 11th consecutive victory, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs went undefeated in February, the third time the team has had an unblemished month. “It feels like the players are finding different ways to win,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “That’s a sign of growth.” Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes a closer look at San Antonio’s undefeated month, writing that a variety of players contributed on a game-to-game basis. The Spurs have also found ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best. “Does (the undefeated month) mean it was perfect? Not at all,” Victor Wembanyama said. “But looking back, it’s never really perfect. So it’s pretty satisfying.”
- Fourth-year Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. was sidelined for Saturday’s game in Miami and will miss Monday’s game at Washington as well, per Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Smith, who sprained his right ankle in Thursday’s comeback win in Orlando, is targeting next Thursday against Golden State for his return to the court, Shankar adds.
Wizards Sign Julian Reese To Two-Way Contract
The Wizards have signed free agent forward Julian Reese to a two-way contract, the team announced on Saturday (via Twitter).
A Baltimore native who played four years of college ball at Maryland, Reese went undrafted in 2025 after a solid senior season with the Terrapins. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Toronto in the fall, was waived to secure a bonus for playing for the team’s G League affiliate, and has spent the entire 2025/26 season to this point with the Raptors 905.
Reese, a 6’9″ power forward, has appeared in 38 total games for the Raptors 905 across the Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season. The 22-year-old has averaged 7.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game while shooting 62.9% from the field and 66.2% from the free throw line.
According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), the expectation is that Reese could be active as early as Tuesday’s contest at Orlando.
The Wizards had a two-way opening after recently promoting Jamir Watkins to a two-year standard contract. As our chart shows, Reese will be eligible to be active for up to 13 games for Washington.
Reese is the younger brother of Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.
Pacers Promote Quenton Jackson To Three-Year Standard Deal
February 28: Jackson has officially been converted to a standard contract, the Pacers announced in a press release. As we noted in another story, Slawson’s two-way contract has been finalized as well.
February 27: The Pacers are giving Quenton Jackson a promotion, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the two-way guard will be converted to a three-year standard contract. Jackson’s agents at Klutch Sports informed Charania of the deal.
Jackson, a four-year veteran, admitted to Tony Easy of Forbes and Circle City Spin that he had been thinking about the possibility of being promoted by Indiana (Twitter link).
“I’ve thought about it. It’s hard not to think about it,” Jackson said. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t say I wrap my head around it too much. In this game, it’s best to think about the things that you can control.”
A league source tells East (Twitter link) that Jackson’s new deal will be partially guaranteed in 2026/27 and non-guaranteed for the ’27/28 campaign.
A 27-year-old point guard, Jackson went undrafted in 2022 out of Texas A&M. He has made 30 appearances this season for the Pacers, averaging 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 17.3 minutes per game. His shooting line is a very solid .489/.409/.810.
Jackson’s two-way deal expires at season’s end. And because this is his fourth NBA season, he wouldn’t be eligible for another two-way contract in 2026/27, so Indiana needed to move him to the standard roster in order to retain him beyond this year.
General manager Chad Buchanan, Dustin Dopriak of The Indianapolis Star, and most recently East previously identified Jackson as a candidate to be promoted. The Pacers were carrying an open standard roster spot, so no corresponding move was needed to convert Jackson.
Buchanan told East a couple weeks ago that Jackson was “a big part of our culture in our locker room” and lauded the fourth-year guard’s energy, toughness, and positive attitude. For his part, Jackson said he loved Indiana and his fit within the team’s offense.
Promoting Jackson will create a two-way opening for the Pacers, which they reportedly plan to fill by promoting Noblesville Boom standout Jalen Slawson. Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson currently hold Indiana’s other two-way spots.
Pacers, Jalen Slawson Finalize Two-Way Contract
February 28: Slawson’s two-way deal is official, the Pacers confirmed in a press release. He will be eligible to be active for 13 of Indiana’s final 22 games, notes East (via Twitter).
February 27: The Pacers plan to sign free agent forward Jalen Slawson to fill the two-way contract slot previously held by Quenton Jackson, a league source tells Tony Forbes of Forbes and Circle City Spin (Twitter link). Jackson is being converted to a three-year standard deal.
The 54th overall pick in the 2023 draft after starring in college at Furman University, Slawson spent his rookie NBA season on a two-way deal with the Kings. He only appeared in 12 games for Sacramento in 2023/24, and has been plying his trade in the G League the last two years, suiting up for the Osceola Magic in ’24/25 and the Noblesville Boom — Indiana’s affiliate team — in ’25/26.
Slawson, who signed Exhibit 10 deals with the Magic and Pacers the past two falls before being waived, is having a strong season for the Boom. In 35 games in ’25/26, the 6’7″ wing is averaging 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 blocks in 34.2 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .486/.348/.775.
Since he has been out of the league since ’23/24, this will technically be Slawson’s second year in the NBA. It wouldn’t be surprising if his contract covers two years, as has often been the case with recent two-way agreements.
In late December, Keith Smith of Spotrac referred to Slawson as “the best all-around player” to that point in the NBAGL season. That was at the conclusion of the Tip-Off Tournament (Slawson had played 10 games at that point) and prior to the regular season.
Warriors Sign Gui Santos To Three-Year Extension
Third-year forward Gui Santos has signed a multiyear contract extension with the Warriors, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
Santos signed a three-year, $15MM extension which features a player option in 2028/29, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).
After playing a modest role for most of the season, Santos has been playing major minutes of late with Jimmy Butler sidelined due to a torn ACL. The Brazilian has thrived over his past 12 appearances, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game.
Santos has started 10 of those 12 games, including the team’s last nine, and has posted a shooting line of .588/.431/.692 over that stretch.
Overall, Santos has appeared in 48 games (16.0 MPG) this season for Golden State, averaging 6.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 1.7 APG on .531/.390/.680 shooting.
Santos would have been a restricted free agent in the offseason. Instead of waiting until the summer to negotiate a new deal, the 23-year-old opted to sign a long-term extension to stay with the franchise that selected him 55th overall in the 2022 draft.
Although Santos doesn’t have a ton of NBA experience, $5MM annually is still a team-friendly rate considering his recent contributions and his projected role for the rest of the season. When I took an in-depth look at Santos a few days ago in a Front Office article, I speculated that he might be able to get $6-9MM per year in restricted free agency.
Still, having that player option for ’28/29 was a nice compromise for Santos. He will be extension-eligible again two years from now (Feb. 28, 2028) and would be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028 if he declines his third-year option.
Santos was one of several players around the league eligible for veteran contract extensions. The full list can be found right here.
Cooper Flagg (Foot Sprain) Likely Out At Least Two More Games
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg continues to deal with a left midfoot sprain. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick missed his sixth consecutive game on Friday due to the injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two more, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“Probably not that he will play,” head coach Jason Kidd replied when asked if Flagg would be active for Tuesday’s road game in Charlotte.
The Mavs host Oklahoma City on Sunday before embarking on a six-game road trip, which begins on Tuesday against the Hornets. Flagg’s primary competition for Rookie of the Year is Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, his former teammate and roommate at Duke.
As Afseth notes, Dallas initially thought Flagg would return to action immediately after the All-Star break, but that didn’t happen. The 19-year-old last played on February 10, when he sustained the injury, which was confirmed by an MRI.
There has been some speculation around the league that the Mavericks might shut Flagg down for the rest of the season to preserve his long-term health and improve their odds of landing a top draft pick, Afseth writes. The team hasn’t addressed that speculation publicly and Kidd hasn’t given any indication that Dallas is considering going that route, per Afseth.
Flagg has appeared in 49 games (34.1 MPG) this season for Dallas, averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals on .482/.302/.804 shooting splits.
Cam Thomas On Nets: ‘They Don’t Believe In Nobody’
Speaking to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) prior to Milwaukee’s lopsided loss to New York on Friday, Bucks guard Cam Thomas said his departure from the Nets was “absolutely” because the team didn’t believe in him. However, Thomas said that lack of belief wasn’t exclusive to him.
“That’s just who they are,” Thomas told The Post. “They don’t believe in nobody.”
After failing to find a suitable deal involving Thomas, the Nets waived him shortly after the trade deadline passed on February 5. He had a de facto no-trade clause after signing his $6MM qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last summer.
Thomas’ representatives preferred that outcome so he could pick his next team; he signed a minimum-salary deal that covers the rest of the season with Milwaukee a few days later.
Asked by Bondy why the Nets didn’t believe in him, Thomas said he was more focused on the present than the past.
“I never asked. I don’t even care anymore. I’m on a different team. I don’t want to talk about them much. But that’s what it was. They didn’t believe,” Thomas said. “Always thought — I don’t know. They always thought something was better, I guess. I don’t know. Always chasing something.”
According to Bondy, the former first-round pick said “nothing” came to mind when he was asked to reflect on his four-and-a-half years in Brooklyn.
As Bondy writes, Thomas’ Nets tenure was marked by a significant amount of roster turnover, which may explain his opinion that the team doesn’t believe in anybody. He also played for four different head coaches in Brooklyn.
Thomas, 24, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Heat Notes: Bam, Balance, Jaquez, Riley, LeBron
Thursday’s game at Philadelphia was an important one for the Heat and for the 76ers, who are both looking to avoid the play-in tournament, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The No. 8 Heat lost to the No. 6 Sixers and are now 2.5 games behind Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference’s final outright playoff spot.
“I don’t want to be in that s–t no more,” big man Bam Adebayo said after the Heat lost 124-117. “We’re better than being in the play-in for the last four years.”
As Winderman notes, Miami has made the play-in tournament in each of the past three seasons and is projected to be in it again in 2025/26. The upcoming home stand could prove important — seven of the team’s next eight games are in Miami, though the Heat will be without leading scorer Norman Powell for at least four of those contests because of a Grade 1 right groin strain.
“We’ve already been struggling on the road,” Adebayo said, “so we go home, win some games, you know, be in our atmosphere, be in our habitat where our fans are cheering for us, and see if we can string some W’s together.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Head coach Erik Spoelstra is still trying to find the optimal balance of developing the Heat’s several young players while the team looks to make the playoffs for the seventh straight year, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I have to do a better job with this group,” Spoelstra said. “We have the potential that we can see. We have the explosiveness, we have the defense. It’s a matter of consistency. And that’s what I’m here for, to be able to help bridge that along with the veterans, to be able to help our consistency. But also to hold the young guys accountable. And we have more of them than we’ve had in recent history, but also develop them and infuse confidence in them. And that’s a fine balance. But again, that’s what I’m here for. I want to take that challenge, and I want to be better with that.”
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. is no longer the betting favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year award, having been leapfrogged by Naz Reid and Keldon Johnson. As Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel, the third-year forward said that he’s more focused on helping the team win than individual accolades, and while he views himself as a starting-caliber player, he has adapted to the key role off the bench. “I’m embracing my role. It’s pretty defined right now, so I’m just making the most of it,” Jaquez said. “I take pride in it. I take pride in our second unit. I try to be vocal, talk to guys, and try to lead the best I can, especially in that second unit. I really just embrace that role, for sure.”
- Heat president Pat Riley was honored with a statue outside the Lakers’ arena on Sunday. The 80-year-old executive reflected on what could have been for Miami had LeBron James decided to stay with the Heat in the summer of 2014, as Chiang of The Miami Herald relays. “I thought getting the big three — Dwyane (Wade), Chris Bosh and especially LeBron — that we had finally put together what I thought could become a dynasty,” Riley when asked during a news conference in Los Angeles what James’ four-year run with the Heat meant to him. “It was. Four trips to the Finals in a row, two world championships. It was an incredible run. And as a coach and somebody who really thought about how to build that particular team and had built it, I saw something that could have lasted eight to 10 years.”
- James was asked about Riley’s comments on Sunday, Chiang adds in the same story. “I never said I’m going to go there four years and decide to go somewhere else,” said James, who referred to Riley as “one of the all-time greats.” “That’s just how the cards were played. But, yeah, it’s human nature to look back and say what could have been. But that’s part of life. I thought the four years that we had were great, obviously. We were able to pick up two championships, we lost two of them, unfortunately. But a lot of great memories, a lot of great time there. It would have been interesting to see what could have happened.“